2,084,904 research outputs found

    How to encourage educators to create and share reusable eLearning materials

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    A reusable learning object (RLO) is a web-based multimedia digital resource based on a single learning objective, comprising a stand-alone collection of presentation, activity, assessment and links (Leeder et al, 2002, 2003), the advantage of which allow instructional designers to build small instructional components that can be re-used a number of times in different learning context (Wiley 2001). Reusable e-learning materials (REM) are known as the e-learning resources generated in the form of RLOs that utilise a wide range of multimedia components such as assessments and activities (Leeder tl al, 2003). REM offers a competitive advantage over interactive multimedia due to its cost effectiveness, reusability and scalability (Leeder et al, 2003, 2004; Muzio et al, 2001). Maximising learners’ engagement and motivation in the process of learning is critical towards learning outcomes (Alexander 2001). The integration of REM and face-to-face learning, known as interactive learning (IL), has been proposed in order to achieve this (Katzy, 2000; Sloman, 2001; Chang, 2002, 2003). There are problems involved during the integration, and technical problems often become the centre of attention (Grudin 1994). However, focus on the needs of educators and demands of their teaching and learning practice are ignored but important aspects in IL (Katzy, 2000; Sloman, 2001; Chang, 2002, 2003). Engaging educators in the creative process of REM content development is a recommended way for motivating educators and also allowing them to understand the benefits of using technology for teaching, learning and sharing purposes. (Leeder et al, 2002). By making “human factor” at the centre of practising e-learning, reuse of learning resources is further encouraged from active participation, feedback, peer sharing and IL, thus maximising learners’ engagement and motivation. In order to effectively create REM, a virtual learning environment (VLE) is often adopted at the heart of learning activities. But one such a disadvantage is the expectation of high quality materials required due to its principle of self-directed learning. However, a place for providing a forum for circulating ideas and resolving both technical and pedagogic problems is a solution (Leeder et al, 2003). This offers different educators and learners a collaborative environment face-to-face and in VLE, thus encouraging educators creating and sharing REM. User feedback on the use and effectiveness of REM delivered in the VLE is also an important step, since the peer review process can reflect REM evaluation (Leeder et al, 2003). This provides essential information for (1) knowing whether REM is helping to create and share REM and (2) knowing the extent of acceptance, adoption and uses of REM among educators. If the outcomes of (2) are not up to the expectation, providing practical workshops is a key factor, since this offers educators hand-on experience in creating, discussing and sharing REM, thus increasing their interests and enthusiasm in using REM. Finally, the active involvement of an organisation for providing learning assistance, workshops, consultancy, VLE and a series of interactive learning, is critical for maintaining momentum for encouraging educators in creating and sharing REM. This is an ongoing process that requires a strong collaboration and support between educators and this organisation, which can act as (1) a centre for learning, training and sharing and (2) a centre for providing recommended ways of practicing REM that suit individual cases, thus delivering the most effective REM by maximising the adoption of REM

    Embedding information skills training on student learning: making a difference

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    This article was first published in the Wolverhampton Intellectual Repository and E-Theses (WIRE). There is no printed version.This embedding project builds on one that was delivered in 2001, headed by Oliver Pritchard, Dudley Learning Centre Manager, leading a research team with staff working from different Learning Centres in the University. In the 2001 project, sessions on information skills were run in three differing subject areas for second and third years and their impact on student learning was assessed using questionnaires and focus groups for students and in-depth interviews with academic staff. Findings were encouraging. Skills and experience gained within the sessions were taken on and applied within assignment work to good effect. Within this small study there is evidence of a progression in student awareness, confidence and skills and Information Skills sessions bring a longer-term, practical and tangible element to the learning experience and are a valuable part of helping students to become more effective learners

    E–stability and stability of adaptive learning in models with asymmetric information

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    The paper demonstrates how the E–stability principle introduced by Evans and Honkapohja [2001] can be applied to models with heterogeneous and private information in order to assess the stability of rational expectations equilibria under learning. The paper extends already known stability results for the Grossman and Stiglitz [1980] model to a more general case with many differentially informed agents and to the case where information is endogenously acquired by optimizing agents. In both cases it turns out that the rational expectations equilibrium of the model is inherently E-stable and thus locally stable under recursive least squares learning.Adaptive Learning, Eductive Stability, Rational Expectations

    Teaching, learning and technology: An e-route to deep learning?

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    This is the author's pdf version of an article published in Research into Education.This paper details a research project that considered the extent to which e-learning is congruent with the notion of inculcating and maintaining deep approaches to learning within HE. Also, to explore what actions may be taken to engender and or maintain a deep approach when using e-learning as the central androgogy as knowing what (is possible) and how (it may be achieved) provides a fuller picture. Whilst this paper is designed to help inform practice and professional judgement it is not purporting to provide absolute answers. Whilst I have attempted to provide an honest account of my findings, truth and reality are social constructions (Pring 2000). The research was based upon methodical triangulation and involved thirty-eight undergraduate students who are undertaking study through e-learning and five academic members of staff who utilise e-learning in their programmes. As such, the project was small scale and how much may be inferred as applicable to other groups and other contexts may be contested, as those sampled for this research have their own unique paradigms and perceptions. Finally, it is always worth remembering that effective teaching and learning is contextual (Pring 2000). The research revealed that deep approaches to learning are situational (Biggs 2003) and e-learning can authentically lead to a student adopting and maintaining a deep approach. There are several factors that increase the likelihood of a student adopting this desired approach. These include; where students perceive the programme to be of high quality (Parker 2004), they have feelings of competence and confidence in their ability to study and interact with the technology and others. In addition, students require appropriate, reliable access to technology, associated systems and individualised planned support (Salmon 2004). Further to this deep approaches are more likely to be adopted where programmes are built on a constructivist androgogy, constructive alignment is achieved, interaction at several levels and a steady or systematic style of learning are encouraged (Hwang and Wang 2004). Critically study programmes should have authentic assessment in which deep approaches are intrinsic to their completion. To effectively support students in achieving a deep approach to learning, when employing e-learning, staff require knowledge and skill in three areas: teaching and learning, technology, and subject content (Good 2001). They also require support from leaders at cultural, strategic and structural levels (Elloumi 2004)

    Circular 01/07 : quality improvement : Standards Fund 2001/02 : independent specialist colleges for students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and dance and drama schools in receipt of DfES bursaries

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    "This circular provides information on categories of funding and the Council’s intended use of the standards fund for 2001/02 for independent specialist colleges for students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and dance and drama schools in receipt of DfES bursaries. The circular indicates the initiatives that are being funded. These are: provider improvement; professional development; and dissemination of good practice.Application forms are attached at annexes B, C, D and E respectively. The circular also provides information about administrative arrangements for applications and the allocation of funds" -- front cover

    Any Time? Any Place? The impact on student learning of an on-line learning environment.

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    Original paper can be found at: http://www.actapress.com/Content_of_Proceeding.aspx?proceedingID=292#pages Copyright ACTA Press [Full text of this paper is not available in the UHRA]An increasing number of HE institutions are adopting virtual and managed learning environments (VLEs and MLEs), which offer flexible access to on-line learning materials all day and every day. There are multiple claims about e-learning enhancing learning and teaching (eg. [1] Britain and Liber, 1999; [2]Conole, 2002; [4]Allen, 2003; [5]Littlejohn and Higginson, 2003) such as supporting active learning, facilitative rather than didactic teaching and increased student motivation but these are not pre determined outcomes. Much depends on how lecturers use the available technology and how students respond to that use. This paper reports on a research project which has evaluated the students' own experience of on-line learning at the University of Hertfordshire. Using its own institution-wide MLE (StudyNet) academic staff at the university have been able to offer students on-line access to their study material from September 2001. Activities available for students using StudyNet include participating in discussion forums, using formative assessment materials and accessing journal articles as well as viewing and downloading courseware for each of their courses. Students were invited to participate in a questionnaire and focus groups to identify the characteristics of the on-line learning environment which benefited their learning

    Conceptual framework for Europe's future knowledge services

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    European roadmap for e-learning RTD in support of higher education and life long learning for the coming ten years. Deliverable 1, produced within the e-LearnTN project under the fifth Framework Programme of the European Commission.European Commission, IST-2001-3744

    Integrating constructivist approaches in e-learning to enhance mathematical self-study

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    E-learning models are currently practised widely all over the world due to the rapid growth of distance and global education. Furthermore, e-learning provides high quality educational offerings (Seufert 2002) and allows a convenient and flexible learning environment without restriction of learning space, distance and time (Albrechtsen et al. 2001). Hence, distance education is widely accepted by most of the nontraditional learners (Williams et al. 2002; Leonard & Guha 2001). Open University Malaysia (OUM) is one of the distance education universities in Asia that involves in hybrid concepts for learning. With advance media and communication technologies, OUM is capable of conducting courses using a combination of self-study process (provided with printed learning material), fortnightly face to face tutorials (five tutorials, two hours each per semester) and online communication (between studentsstudents and students-tutors)

    THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS OF E- LEARNING

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    This study aims to generate the effectiveness of information technology system of elearning in order to improve the quality of learning. This research is motivated by the vision and mission of UHAMKA. E-Learning is potential to make the learning process more effective because either students or teachers are significantly benefited in terms of place, flexibility, and enable learning activities anytime, anywhere, and can be repeated. It is more efficient so that the productivity of activities is more. Besides, it saves the cost of education, especially for students outside the city. In the e-learning, it is not required additional specific software on the computer, as long as the computer is equipped with an Internet connection. Supporting theory used in this study are: theories about the effectiveness of the information technology system of e-learning as proposed by Iivary (2005), Reymond Mc Leod (2007), David Garvin, Jayce Rowe, Ralph Neal, (2000), Liu , Arnett (2000), Molla, Lickers (2001), Glossary (2001), Vaughan Waller (2001), Kamarga (2002). This research was conducted by the research approach of multivariate statistical methods dependencies of Structural Equation Model (SEM). This research was conducted by using quantitative data and positivism approaches. The data collection was used survey techniques in the form of questionnaires. The population of this research is the students of Master of Education Administration, University of Muhammadiyah PROF. DR. HAMKA, total of 1117 people, and 102 people as sample which consisted of 45 females and 57 males. The results showed that the effectiveness of the information technology system of elearning significantly helps students in learning and acquiring learning outcomes higher (P> 0.95). E-Learning is able to improve the effectiveness of performance of faculty and students because of the utilization of space, time, cost, and energy was more efficient. Therefore, e-learning based model is effective to improve the quality of teaching and learnin

    Multimedia technologies and online task-based foreign language teaching-learning

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    Teaching and learning a foreign language at a distance implies many challenges, namely regarding oral skills. At Universidade Aberta (the Portuguese Open University), and taking into account its virtual pedagogical model (Pereira, 2007) and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (Alves, 2001), we suggest curricular paths which include online communicative practices, both oral and written, within the present pedagogical offer, following a student- centred, task-oriented approach. Thus, in this text, we share some examples of training activities in German, French and English, focusing on oral practice, and based on digital resources. These digital resources comprise multimedia materials, either produced by the teachers or the students, as well as other materials available on the web 2.0. Our teaching and research practice within the field of foreign languages and in e-learning, in particular, leads us to conclude that the multimedia resources used are suitable for the online teaching and learning of foreign languages (see third question of questionnaire), especially for professionally engaged adults, as is the case with Universidade Aberta’s students, providing them with real-life situations that foster the teaching-learning of languages in the virtual environment. We include responses to a questionnaire survey filled out by a group of students.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
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