Research in Learning Technology

The impact of E-learning and ICT on English language learning: COVID-19 context

Julio Antonio Álvarez Martínez — 2023-09-18

Background: E-learning and ICT have developed an innovative way of teaching English. To make sure the learning of this foreign language is effective, educational establishments and universities adjusted their infrastructure and technological devices.

Aim: This article aims to present the results from a comprehensive examination of the literature regarding the Effects of E-learning and ICT on English language learning in COVID-19.

Methods: The investigators made use of the PRISMA MODEL to determine the 65 articles to be included in the sample selection. A systematic search was performed on databases to select articles on E-learning and ICT related to English language learning. The databases employed for this study were Scielo, Redalyc, Dialnet, cademic Publishing (ACPI), Springer, Scopus, ECLAC, and MINTIC.

Results: These technologies experienced an increase in usage during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conclusion: Incorporating e-learning and ICT has made language learning more dynamic. In addition, it demanded training of teachers to manage the tools and resources that they offer.

Using information and communication technologies for the assessment of a large number of students

Kasym Baryktabasov — 2023-07-20

Many examinations with thousands of participating students are organized worldwide every year. Usually, this large number of students sit the exams simultaneously and answer almost the same set of questions. This method of learning assessment requires tremendous effort and resources to prepare the venues, print question books and organize the whole process. Additional restrictions and obstacles may appear in conditions similar to those during the COVID-19 pandemic. One way to obviate the necessity of having all the students take an exam during the same period of time is to use a computer-assisted assessment with random item selection, so that every student receives an individual set of questions. The objective of this study is to investigate students’ perceptions of using random item selection from item banks in order to apply this method in large-scale assessments. An analysis of the responses of more than 1000 surveyed students revealed that most of them agree or completely agree with using the proposed method of assessment. The students from natural science departments showed more tolerance of this method of assessment compared with students from other groups. Based on the findings of this study, the authors concluded that higher-education institutions could benefit from implementing the abovementioned assessment method.

Social presence as a training resource: comparing VR and traditional training simulations

Jakob Carl Uhl — 2023-06-20

From immersive simulations to interactive tutorials, Virtual Reality (VR) is transforming the way we learn and practise new skills. Especially for social skills training, a growing number of simulations have been designed in which trainees learn to master difficult communicative situations. One of the factors to which the effectiveness of VR as a learning technology is attributed to is the users’ feeling of social presence during the simulated interaction. This paper presents the evaluation of (1) a role play training, (2) a learning app and (3) a VR training application in a workshop series. Social presence was perceived as equally convincing and engaging for the prototypical VR scene as for the traditional form of role play, although the course of the interaction in VR was highly determined compared to the interaction dynamics of a human role play. In our interpretation, this confirms social presence as a valuable resource for training social interaction, which spans across various learning settings and methods in increasingly blended or hybrid learning and working contexts.

Pursuing professional learning by using social media: how do instructional designers apply self-regulated learning?

Pauline Salim Muljana — 2023-06-19

The instructional design and technology field are dynamic, requiring instructional designers to stay abreast through timely professional learning. Social media offers characteristics to collapse the time, geographical, and financial limitations of informal professional learning, but challenges exist. Continuous professional learning requires proactive actions, wherein self-regulated learning (SRL) plays an important role. However, not all professionals know the effective strategies to promote SRL skills. This study examines instructional designers’ (N = 17) experiences of professional learning on social media through an SRL lens. Data collected through semi-structured interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings include SRL strategies conducted by instructional designers and the challenges they faced. This study informs instructional-design professionals and educators of ways to encourage continuous professional learning using social media while fostering SRL simultaneously.

Learning patterns and risks in distance learning during the COVID-19 lockdown – the pupils’ perspective in drama pedagogy-based focus groups

Ádám Cziboly — 2023-06-05

In this study, primary school pupils have been surveyed using the methodology of drama pedagogy, focusing on two research questions: what the risks of online activities are and how children cope with these, and what the experiences of children with distance learning were. This study investigated both areas jointly from the pupils’ perspective. Three anonymous online focus groups were conducted with 16 Hungarian pupils (4 boys and 12 girls; age range: 11–15 years) in July 2020, who joined to the research on a voluntary basis and have been recruited from three rural counties with different socioeconomic backgrounds. Respondents unequivocally recounted that during the lockdown, they had spent a significant part of their time in front of a screen, mostly without adult supervision. Whilst most only experienced different forms of teasing, some cyberbullying instances bordered on criminal cases and required the involvement of parents. High exposure to such risks was experienced during the months when online learning mainly consisted of receiving assignments to work on, and most teachers were almost unavailable. Future research could compare the experiences of pupils and teachers, creating an online safe space for them where they could respond to each other’s perceptions, interpretations and opinions anonymously.

Learning management systems and social media: a case for their integration in higher education institutions

Darren Turnbull — 2023-05-30

Higher education institutions across the globe rely on learning management systems (LMSs) to deliver course content, assess student learning, and maintain effective communication. However, contemporary learners may prefer to use popular social media platforms to share knowledge and collaborate with peers. Higher education institutions can benefit by fusing the best features of social media and LMSs into course delivery systems, particularly in online settings. This study investigates the technological and pedagogical integration of social media and LMSs in higher education institutions that incorporate these technologies into their course delivery infrastructure. From the 36 peer-reviewed papers examined, the identified benefits of successful social media-LMSs integration were classified into six categories: access to learning materials, student recruitment, communication and peer support, improved results, a single access point to both online environments, and speed and reliability. Three categories of disadvantages were also established: need for ongoing support, social media distractions, and technical and security issues. We propose that a close inter-relationship between social media platforms and LMSs enhances course outcomes within a social constructivist framework and satisfies learner needs for social interaction. This study’s findings will benefit educational institutions seeking to enhance engagement with online learner communities.

Teachers’ sense of competence in terms of ICT use: the case of secondary school teachers

El Mustapha Baytar — 2023-05-29

In the current digital age, the integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) into teaching practices has become a determining factor in learning quality. The teachers’ digital competence issue has come back to the forefront because of the schools’ closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study aims to assess the sense of competence in terms of ICT use of a sample of 260 secondary school teachers in the Directorate of Education in Rhamna, Morocco, by adopting a quantitative methodology. Our findings suggested that only 26.1% of the individuals in our sample reported they feel effectively competent. The pandemic made a significant change in teachers’ perceptions of the importance of ICT integration and training in the field. Moreover, a cross-analysis highlighted significant relationships between the sense of competence in terms of ICT use and six independent variables: continuous training, learning readiness, gender, age, teaching experience, and school subject. Our findings would be helpful for policymakers to guide educational policies by focusing on ICT continuous training to enhance teachers’ digital competence.

Analysis of emergency remote teaching in formal education: crosschecking three contemporary techno-pedagogical frameworks

Ronen Kasperski — 2023-05-13

During the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak many countries around the world were forced to turn to Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) and upscale the use of digital technologies for learning, teaching and assessment. The current study analysed field reports from 89 elementary and secondary Hebrew-speaking and Arabic-speaking information and communication technology schools in Israel, representing the cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity of the education system. The qualitative analysis of the collected data was based on three well established contemporary models of technology integration and Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu): the International Society for Technology in Education, Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge and DigCompEdu. The analysis (n = 872 statements) yielded aspects in the teachers’ reports that correspond with the theoretical models, alongside aspects that extend these models to ERT and aspects that were missing from the reports. Finally, based on our findings and previous work we suggested a comprehensive framework for ERT that can be used to design teachers’ professional development necessary for effective remote teaching in both emergency and routine times.

University students’ perceptions of interactive response system in an English language course: a case of Pear Deck

Kiki Juli Anggoro — 2023-04-24

Pear Deck is one interactive response system that has gained popularity in recent years. This study addressed the gap in the literature and considered students’ experience of the platform in a Thai university context. This was a mixed-method study in which 320 students completed a survey including closed and open-ended components. Quantitative data measuring students’ perceptions using Likert-scale surveys were collected, while qualitative data were used to get a deeper understanding of students’ experience in learning using Pear Deck in the classroom. The data were analysed based on gender differences and students’ proficiency levels. According to the findings of this study, students’ perceptions were not significantly different based on gender. However, despite the finding that both basic and independent users had good attitudes towards the platforms, the latter group gave a substantially higher score. Furthermore, the study revealed that the students had a favourable impression of Pear Deck. They believed that the platform was engaging, easy to use, and had the potential to aid learning.

The influence of user-perceived benefits on the acceptance of microlearning for librarians’ training

Irene Shubi Isibika — 2023-04-20

Microlearning has shifted professional training and development and its acceptance depends on perceived user benefits. This study examines the influence of user-perceived benefits on librarians’ acceptance of the microlearning approach in selected universities in Tanzania. Using a questionnaire informed by the variables of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) model to collect data from a sample of 64 librarians, the results indicated that the perceived ease of use was found to play a more significant role in the acceptance of microlearning than perceived usefulness. However, the lack of in-person/physical interaction with peers during the training deterred the use of microlearning by the librarians. The positive influence of perceived usefulness and ease of use on the acceptance of microlearning strengthens the relevance of adopting microlearning as a didactic technology for librarians’ training. The findings imply that proper implementation of microlearning as a training avenue is key due to the plenteous benefits it affords over the challenges.

‘Give and Take’ – higher education teachers using open educational resources

Nadine Schroeder — 2023-04-17

Open educational resource (OER) as free teaching and learning materials can contribute to the collaborative design and development of teaching. To support higher education teachers in their work with teaching in general and OER in particular and to encourage their use of OER, it is necessary to pay attention to their needs and requirements. This paper presents the results of a research project, identifying the usage behaviour of German-speaking higher education teachers. In an interview study, they were asked about their experience with OER to get detailed insights into their practices concerning their ‘use’ and ‘revise’ of materials. From this, four user types were derived according to different OER activities, such as creating, reusing, editing, and publishing OER, and their scope. Finally, these user types are transferred to considerations when designing OER infrastructures and establishing support options. These are aligned with the specifics of each user type, making the research findings a complementary contribution for application in higher education.

Adaptive pedagogical strategies responding to emergency remote teaching – immediate responses of Hungarian primary school teachers

László Horváth — 2023-04-11

Digital disruption is not a new phenomenon in education; however, it has become more prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic due to school closures and the related emergency remote teaching (ERT) period. Our study aims to explore the different pedagogical strategies that primary school teachers adopted during this period and determine how successful these strategies were in involving and engaging students. Altogether, 4028 teachers from 343 primary schools answered our online survey from all the regions of Hungary. The sample adequately represents the Hungarian primary school teacher population in terms of gender and age. We used cluster analysis and identified four clusters of pedagogical strategies; then, we used analysis of variance to explore how teachers’ digital competence and their ability to involve students in online learning varied across different clusters. Our analysis grasps the complexity of the issue, as it shows that two rather distinct strategies were both successful in involving students, and thus, there is no single solution best suited to digital learning. Overall, digitally competent teachers loosened the originally strict structure of education and provided more feedback, which proved to be an important element in successfully involving students in digital learning during ERT. The framework validated in our research can be used by policymakers and school administrators in different national and educational contexts, enabling them to understand the complexity of online teaching and learning. Furthermore, our results can offer some practical pointers for school teachers on how to combine different pedagogical strategies.

The effects of interactive mini-lessons on students’ educational experience

Lindsay D. Richardson — 2023-04-06

With the shift to online learning, many instructors have been forced into course delivery that involves educational lecture videos. There are a number of different elements that impact the quality of educational videos and overall student experience (e.g. instructor eye gaze, audio levels, screen sizing). More specifically, research has demonstrated that segmented videos have educational benefits over the traditional didactic ones. The present experiment aimed to examine whether interspersed interactive content could increase post-secondary students’ retention and engagement above simple segmentation. As such, young adults experienced one of four lesson types: didactic video, segmented videos, segmented videos with interactive content, and a condensed version of the interactive segmented videos. Then, they were asked to complete an engagement scale, an online learning experience questionnaire, and a surprise test. The results demonstrated a performance benefit to segmented videos for post-secondary students who prefer to learn in person as opposed to online.

Viewing open education within the Technological, Pedagogical, Content Framework: illustrating educator knowledge, skills and dispositions

Jennifer Van Allen — 2023-03-29

Without interrogation, educators may reproduce hegemonic materials and learning opportunities that are simply easier to access in open educational practices (OEP). Thus, we argue that to effectively engage in OEP, educators must not only possess knowledge, skills and dispositions related to their discipline, but also related to open education, CC licensing, open pedagogy, digital tools that facilitate OEP, and intentionality and care in negotiating openness with students. While there are various frameworks for open education, none have been applied to explain what knowledge, skills and dispositions are needed to engage in OEP. In this manuscript, we seek to conceptualise and provide examples of OEP within the Technological, Pedagogical, Content Knowledge Framework (TPACK) through the intersections of content, technology, and pedagogy with equity, intentionality, and care at the forefront.

Achieving online dialogic learning using breakout rooms

Shonagh Douglas — 2023-03-24

The use of breakout rooms is an increasingly used tool in online teaching. This study uses Laurillard’s (2013) Conversational Framework to evaluate the effectiveness of breakout rooms in achieving learning through peer-to-peer dialogue in large-scale teaching. Data were collected through online surveys, comprising Likert ratings and open questions, to undergraduate students (n = 115) and tutors (n = 9) at Aberdeen Business School (Robert Gordon University) reflecting on Year 1 studies in the 2020–2021 academic year. Key findings indicate that breakout rooms can be successful in achieving effective learning through peer-to-peer dialogue. However, this is highly dependent on the participation by students, which was variable. In order to facilitate effective breakout rooms, tutors need to ensure they set a clear task, with evidence suggesting a perception gap between tutors and students on how effectively this was done, and regularly visit breakout rooms to encourage participation and provide support.

Developing resilience online: Evaluation of synchronous and asynchronous resilience interventions for Filipino college students

Maria Regina H. Hechanova — 2023-02-24

This study evaluated two forms of a resilience intervention amongst college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilising a randomised controlled trial design, it examined the impact of a synchronous and asynchronous resilience interventions versus a control group that did a journaling intervention. Outcomes measured included coping behaviour, non-reactivity, wellbeing, stress, depression and anxiety. Participants consisted of Filipino college students randomly assigned to three groups: synchronous online resilience group (n = 135), asynchronous resilience group (n = 121) and control group (n = 127). Results revealed that students who went through the online synchronous resilience reported a significant reduction in depression at post-intervention compared to those who went through an asynchronous intervention. Post-intervention scores for nonreactivity were also higher in the synchronous group compared to both asynchronous and journaling groups. Effect sizes were small to moderate. This study suggests that online resilience interventions are viable means to address the mental health needs of students, especially in countries with limited mental health resources.

Are teachers ready to immerse? Acceptance of mobile immersive virtual reality in secondary education teachers

Carl Boel — 2023-02-13

The increasing mainstream adoption of immersive virtual reality (iVR) in education has triggered research about key variables explaining acceptance of iVR by teachers. In this study we adopted the UTAUT2 acceptance model as a theoretical framework enriched with the variable personal innovativeness. 379 Flemish secondary education teachers watched a video about iVR learning experiences, after which an online survey concerning their perceptions was administered. General linear modeling was performed to test the hypotheses. Results indicate performance expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation and personal innovativeness to be significantly associated with behavioural intention to use. No moderating effect of age, gender or experience was observed. The results account for 54% of the variance in behavioural intention to use. The findings help to understand which factors are key in the acceptance of mobile iVR by secondary education teachers and might help defining successful iVR implementation strategies.

Emergency remote CAD teaching using licensed software in apparel during the COVID-19 pandemic: a collaborative learning approach

Ranapanada Kelum Jayamali De Silva — 2023-02-10

Computer-Aided Design (CAD) training has become essential in apparel education as it is widely applied in design and development activities in the industry. This study presents how physical CAD teaching converted to remote delivery during the emergency COVID-19 pandemic using online technologies. This study evaluated five distinct methods adopted in this period: online Zoom sessions, pre-recorded practical demonstrations, guided hand-outs, online collaborative learning methods and forum discussions using Moodle. TeamViewer application was utilised for real-time remote access and support during teaching. This study instrumented two online questionnaires intended to assess the effectiveness of online hands-on sessions and collaborative learning in a remote online environment. This study was conducted with 58 participants at a recognised Sri Lankan state university. More importantly, the results confirmed the feasibility of collaborative engagement within the online learning environment. This study discovered students’ preferences for synchronous teaching and learning approaches. Also, it revealed the limitations of remote CAD teaching using online technologies. Finally, this study underlined the success of the collaborative learning approach and students’ perspectives on flipped classroom model for apparel CAD training.

I do, I understand: engaging distance and campus students in sustainability through active learning

Sarah J. Wakes — 2023-01-12

Distance online learning connects students to education opportunities without having to be present at the institution offering the learning module. This case study involved development of a dual on-campus and distance course into a fully online course. It required a student-focused approach and an innovative application of learning technologies, additional resources and learning frameworks to encourage student engagement, independent learning and growth of critical-thinking skills. Changes to the design of the teaching approach and the use of technology improved the quality and quantity of interaction and communication between staff–students and students–students and facilitated a hands-on learning experience for online students interacting asynchronously. Student engagement with the course material, other students and teachers increased compared to previous years. Additional resource videos, learning and assessment guides (written and video), and online field trips helped develop critical-thinking skills and connectedness of learning to real-world applications. Recommendations are provided of learning approaches that could be used by other educators in different subject courses.

Predicting the secondary school students’ intention to use e-learning technologies

Ekrem Bahçekapılı — 2023-01-04

Technology acceptance studies are interesting because they are practical and theoretically helpful in explaining the adoption and intention to use a particular technology. There is a large amount of research on e-learning and other technologies in the literature, but there is limited evidence to explain why secondary school students’ intention to use e-learning. This study explains secondary school students’ intentions to use e-learning with an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). TAM is a useful theory to explain how people adopt new technologies in different fields. Data were collected from 2739 secondary school students in Turkey (Mage = 11.95). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) were used to test the conceptual model. The results are consistent with the original TAM model. The most critical variable affecting secondary school students’ intention to use e-learning technologies is enjoyment. The results show that there may be differences in the intention to use e-learning technologies for secondary school students in different cultures and contexts.