Reviews

Brian Clegg, Mining The Internet — Information Gathering and Research on the Net, Kogan Page: London, 1999. ISBN: 0–7494–3025–7. Paperback, 147 pages, £9.99

A Pedagogy for Original Synners

Part of the Volume on Digital Young, Innovation, and the UnexpectedThis essay begins by speculating about the learning environment of the class of 2020. It takes place entirely in a virtual world, populated by simulated avatars, managed through the pedagogy of gaming. Based on this projected version of a future-now-in-formation, the authors consider the implications of the current paradigm shift that is happening at the edges of institutions of higher education. From the development of programs in multimedia literacy to the focus on the creation of hybrid learning spaces (that combine the use of virtual worlds, social networking applications, and classroom activities), the scene of learning as well as the subjects of education are changing. The figure of the Original Synner is a projection of the student-of-the-future whose foundational literacy is grounded in their ability to synthesize information from multiple information streams

A Review of the Open Educational Resources (OER) Movement: Achievements, Challenges, and New Opportunities

Examines the state of the foundation's efforts to improve educational opportunities worldwide through universal access to and use of high-quality academic content

Development of a Game-Based Courseware for Slow Learners

Education is important to all level of people. It is as a key to success in life, but not all people can do well in their education for some reasons. Some people face some difficulties in learning because of their family background, behavior or characteristics, interest, knowledge levels and so on. The purpose of this project is to develop a courseware application for slow learners. The scope is for children at the age of six to nine years old and focus on slow learners in the topic of Mathematical operations. It is also focused on the game-based learning in order to help the slow learners to improve their knowledge in learning process. Slow learner has a problem with the learning method and poor memories. These children do not get sufficient attention in the mainstream education. They usually fail repeatedly in examinations. Establishing special schools for children in this category is not practical. It is ideal to evolve strategies to provide education to these children in normal schools itself. The system is developed using a Rapid Application Development (RAD). This methodology gives much faster development and higher-quality results while reducing development costs and maintaining quality. The system is expected to improve the current learning process for the slow learners. By using this game-based courseware, the slow learners can learn in effective and interactive manner. It provides a dynamic learning environment for the slow learners to acquire the knowledge and strengthen their skills. It is hoped that slow learners will improve their understanding in learning process by using a game-based courseware

Learning through games using multimedia courseware for primary school students

This project presents a preliminary work on examining the importance of incorporating the elements of games, in particular complex games, in the design of an interactive multimedia-learningenvironment to enhance and create an engaging learning experience. A review suggests that computer games have the potential to enhance the learning environment; in part due to its interactive and engagement attributes. The result of an informal survey reveals that "Fraction", one of the mathematic topics taught at schools was identified as one of the most difficult topics to teach. Thus development of the prototype software was based on this topic. An initial examination of two current multimedia courseware CDs used for Mathematic Year 3 under this topic has revealed that most of the contents in the CDs have integrated all the multimedia elements such as text, image, audio and graphics but it lacks interactive games and activities that could stimulate enjoyment and motivation for learning. Activities found consist mainly of simpleor trivial gamesthat do not lend to sustainedengagement. The architecture and the preliminary designof the prototype software that integrate complexgames are described. To form the basis of the courseware development, a pre-survey questionnaire was conducted to find out students interest on computer games. The results of the survey showed that 100% or 60 out of 60 respondent express interest and engage on games. The result of the analysis provides motivations for the development of the learning through games courseware. The development of the courseware is based on the courseware development framework which will analyze the requirement and courseware specification, the initial storyboard, designation of multimedia, the integration of the storyboard and the design itself and also the testing on the courseware. The result of testing on the courseware shows that by integrating complex games elements and multimedia elements on courseware may help students understand and motivate them to learn. In conclusion, a courseware with additional games elements could be an interactive and more interesting usable courseware

'GO GREEN' COURSEWARE: A LEARNING COURSEWARE ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING AND CLIMATE CHANGE FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS (PHASE I)

As a need for Final Year Project, this documentation will explain the rationale behind the project development 'Go Green' courseware for primary school students in phase I (7 -9 years old). The content of the documentation is overall about early stage until the design stage. The objective of this project is to create and design a prototype of courseware preschool children aged 7-9 years old. This report is mainly about the development of a courseware that will instill environmental awareness among children. This project will cover from the understanding of what global warming is about, the causes and lastly the solution for it. The study for the development of the courseware will be elaborated in depth and also the methodology of developing it will be further explained. There wilt be more explanations on how the courseware can actually teach the students to be more close to the technology and how this courseware can be very useful and helpful in order to spread awareness amongst youngsters. This project will be developed using the Macromedia Flash as a stage in developing and presented in Windows. There are three modules include in this application. Hopefully, this courseware can help to prepare our youngster an eco-friendly lifestyle and teach them adequate knowledge on preserving mother earth

TAJWEED LEARNING EDUCATIONAL COURSEWARE FOR CHILDREN

It is compulsory for every Muslim to pray fives time a day as it is second pillar of Islam. In fact, children also have to pray as early as ten years old. Thus, parents should ensure that their children are able to pray with correct pronunciation of prayer recitation. Prayer recitation should pronounce correctly with its stipulated attributes called Tajweed. However, a research conducted found many children has problem in rule of Tajweed. The survey result proves that many of students and children has problem in Tajweed rule either in pronunciation or the meaning of each rule. Also, children dislike learning facts and theory therefore by using multimedia and graphic tutorial approaches; it might enhance the level of excitement to learn and the also level of understanding on Tajweed rule. Thus, the project is aims to develop a courseware for children age five to twelve years old with the integration of objectivism teaching theory and multimedia elements. In addition, in order to visualize the pronunciation to the users, the 2D approach will be used to make the pronunciation clear compared to lesson in classroom. The scope of the project is only covered Introduction to Tajweed, Hijaiyah letter and Nun and Tanwin classes. The system is being developed by using all information gathered from surveys, interviews and researches. Bahasa Melayu is chosen to be the intermediate language in the courseware. The Instructional System Design methodology is been chosen to develop the courseware