The learning preferences of current generational groups

Today's computer literate students think in ways that are incompatible with current educational goals and practices. If one of the aims of learning is to provide lifelong benefits for all, then a substantial rethink on the learning needs of students and the goals of education has become paramount. This emergent imperative presents an unfamiliar challenge for educational institutions to examine their past assumptions and to facilitate success in meeting the needs of current and future generations of learners. The type of change proposed in this paper requires a comprehensive rethink not only to devise innovative alternatives to accepted methods and practices, but also to develop theories and pedagogies more attuned to the preferences, values, and attitudes of the technology and information proficient generations. The eventual outcome will be a dramatic transformation in the essential nature and purpose of the online learning environment. It is not just bridging the transition from 'traditional' to 'digitised' learning that is fraught with difficulties. Any attempt to accommodate the skills and learning needs of the current generation computer "literate" will compel education designers to think entirely "outside the box" and consider solutions previously thought impossible. Success in meeting the needs of learners will require radically new teaching methods and strategies. Such strategies may include for example: content interactive features that offer "intelligent" meaningful responses; the ability to annotate and record ideas as required; user generated (manually) and automatically (dynamically generated hyperlinks to alternative materials relative to the current context; and automated display of customised content such as interactive assessments and constructive feedback tailored to students' immediate learning needs. For these innovations to be truly effective, libraries must also be viewed as an essential component of a complex network of information resources. Thus, it is argued that the nature of the learning environment must change dramatically, in particular in relation to the choice of flexible delivery techniques that are supported by distributed computing networks, advanced educational software, and universal access to quality learning resources regardless of location and time

Issues in design, creation and production of distance-learning resources

La introducción de las Tecnologías de la Información y de la Comunicación (TIC) como instrumento y contexto de comunicación establece un gran potencial que alcanza a casi cualquier elemento de nuestra sociedad. No obstante, esta irrupción tecnológica introduce varios interrogantes o situaciones problemáticas muy vinculadas al desplazamiento que sufren ciertos individuos en su rol profesional debido al empuje de las nuevas tecnologías. Este artículo se centra en la reconsideración de iniciativas para el diseño y producción de recursos educativos, los cuales pueden ser usados en diferentes actividades docentes, que combinan tanto la educación a distancia como la educación presencial, a través de los denominados espacios virtuales educativos. Los autores de este trabajo pensamos que para el diseño y producción de recursos educativos de calidad, que puedan ser adecuados para un aprendizaje a distancia, es necesario recuperar la capacidad creativa de los educadores mediante herramientas de autor adecuadas, que les faciliten la tarea de coexistir con la revolución tecnológica que estamos viviendo actualmente. Así, en este artículo se va a presentar una herramienta de autor para la creación de recursos educativos en formato de libros hipermediales, la cual recibe el nombre de Facilitador para la Composición de Hipertextos .Information and Communications Technologies have led to a great potential which reaches almost every element in our society. However, this irruption of technology introduces several questions or problematic situations closely connected to the displacement that some people undergo in their professional role due to the pressure of the new technologies. This article focuses on the reconsideration of initiatives for the design and production of educational resources, which can be used in different teaching activities, which expediently combine presential and distance education, through the so-called virtual educational areas. We think the design and production of quality educational resources, which could be suitable for distance learning, it is necessary to recover the creative capability of educators, by means of author tools that enable them to co-exist with this technological revolution without being exiled by it. In this way the paper presents an author tool for the creation of educational resources or hypermedia electronic books, so called Facilitator for the Composition of Hypertexts

Modeling usage of an online research community

Although online communities have been thought of as a new way for collaboration across geographic boundaries in the scientific world, they have a problem attracting people to keep visiting. The main purpose of this study is to understand how people behave in such communities, and to build and evaluate tools to stimulate engagement in a research community. These tools were designed based on a research framework of factors that influence online participation and relationship development. There are two main objectives for people to join an online community, information sharing and interpersonal relationship development, such as friends or colleagues. The tools designed in this study are to serve both information sharing and interpersonal relationship development needs. The awareness tool is designed to increase the sense of a community and increase the degree of social presence of members in the community. The recommender system is designed to help provide higher quality and personalized information to community members. It also helps to match community members into subgroups based on their interests. The designed tools were implemented in a field site - the Asynchronous Learning Networks (ALN) Research community. A longitudinal field study was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the designed tools. This research explored people\u27s behavior inside a research community by analyzing web server logs. The results show that although there are not many interactions in the community space, the WebCenter has been visited extensively by its members. There are over 2,000 hits per day on average and over 5,000 article accesses during the observation period. This research also provided a framework to identify factors that affect people\u27s engagement in an online community. The research framework was tested using the PLS modeling method with online survey responses. The results show that perceived usefulness performs a very significant role in members\u27 intention to continue using the system and their perceived preliminary networking. The results also show that the quality of the content of the system is a strong indicator for both perceived usefulness of the community space and perceived ease of use of the community system. Perceived ease of use did not show a strong correlation with intention to continue use which was consistent with other studies of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). For the ALN research community, this online community helps its members to broaden their contacts, improve the quality and quantity of their research, and increase the dissemination of knowledge among community members

From Inclusive Theatre to Inclusive Technologies: Lessons Learnt From Co-designing Touch Tours With an Inclusive Theatre Group

The HCI community has attempted to understand the role theatre can play in systems design, but the ways inclusive design methodologies could benefit from inclusive theatre are underexamined. To better understand inclusive theatre practices for technology design, we worked with the first professional inclusive theatre ensemble in Greece, which faced difficulties due to social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic. In this paper, we attempt to better understand inclusion within such theatre practices through the co-designing of a prototype digital system for Touch Tours, an experience through touch service. We conducted a series of research through design activities with the group, building on eighteen months of ethnographic research. Our goal was to develop a service based on their practices. We contribute design implications for inclusive services, with respect to equity in experience, which enhance the activistic character of the movement, and HCI research concerned with developing technologies that support inclusion