On-campus students\u27 learning in asynchronous environments

Asynchronous online discussions have the potential to improve learning in universities. This thesis reports an investigation into the ways in which undergraduates learned in online discussions when they were included within their face-to-face courses. Taking a student perspective, four case studies describe and explain the approaches to learning that were used by business undergraduates in online discussions, and examine the influence of the computer-mediated conferencing (CMC) medium and curriculum design on student learning. The investigation took a qualitative approach where case studies were developed from multiple data sources. In each of the cases, a description of the setting of the online discussions introduced the learning environment. Further details of student learning behaviours in the online discussions were provided by an analysis of the systems data and a content analysis of the online discussion transcripts. In depth interpretation of interview data added student perspectives on the impact of CMC characteristics, the curriculum or learning design and the relationship between the online discussions and face-to-face classes. A comparative cross case analysis of the findings of the four cases identified and discussed general themes and broad principles arising from the cases. The campus-based students acknowledged that online discussions helped them to learn and their message postings evidenced deep approaches to learning. The students recognised the value for learning of the text based nature of the CMC environment but peer interaction was more difficult to achieve. Asynchronicity created time flexibility and time for reflection but it also presented time management problems for many undergraduates. Assessment was the most influential aspect of the curriculum design. The cases also identified the importance of a dialogical activity and the absence of the teacher from the online discussions was not problematic. The research identified new perspectives on the relationship between online discussions and face-to-face classes. Students regarded these two media as complementary rather than oppositional and affirmed the importance of pedagogic connections between them. A teaching and learning framework for online discussions was developed from these perspectives. The significance of this study lies in improved knowledge of student learning processes in online discussions in blended learning environments. The cases indicated the potential value of the CMC environment for constructivist philosophies and affirm the significant role of curriculum design with new technologies. Findings relating to the complementary nature of online and face to face discussions provided a platform for building a teaching and learning framework for blended environments which can be used to inform and improve pedagogical design, teacher expertise and student learning outcomes in asynchronous online discussions

Joint Modules and Internationalisation in Higher Education

This volume places the development of the Joint Module «Comparative Studies in Adult Education and Lifelong Learning» (COMPALL) in the context of international development in higher education and adult education. Based on this framework, the authors discuss the development of the joint module in terms of its institutional and didactical structure as well as participants’ motivation and diversity. The book is divided into three parts: (1) Internationalisation in Higher Education, (2) Internationalisation of Higher Education: The Case of Adult Education, and (3) Internationalisation of Higher Education: The Example of COMPALL.</P

Joint Modules and Internationalisation in Higher Education

This volume places the development of the Joint Module «Comparative Studies in Adult Education and Lifelong Learning» (COMPALL) in the context of international development in higher education and adult education. Based on this framework, the authors discuss the development of the joint module in terms of its institutional and didactical structure as well as participants’ motivation and diversity. The book is divided into three parts: (1) Internationalisation in Higher Education, (2) Internationalisation of Higher Education: The Case of Adult Education, and (3) Internationalisation of Higher Education: The Example of COMPALL.</P

Dinâmicas de MOODLiz@ção num agrupamento de escolas de Matosinhos: o caso do agrupamento vertical de escolas de Leça da Palmeira/Santa Cruz do Bispo

Doutoramento em Multimédia em EducaçãoO advento da Internet e da Web, na década de 1990, a par da introdução e desenvolvimento das novas TIC e, por consequência, a emergência da Sociedade da Informação e do Conhecimento, implicaram uma profunda alteração na forma de análise dos processos de ensino-aprendizagem, já não apenas segundo um prisma cognitivista, mas, agora, também social, isto é, segundo a(s) perspetiva(s) construtivista(s). Simultaneamente, torna-se imperativo que, para que possam transformar-se em futuros trabalhadores de sucesso, isto é, trabalhadores de conhecimento (Gates, 1999), os sujeitos aprendentes passem a ser efetivamente educados/preparados para a Sociedade da Informação e do Conhecimento e, tanto quanto possível, através da educação/formação ao longo da vida (Moore e Thompson, 1997; Chute, Thompson e Hancock, 1999). Todavia, de acordo com Jorge Reis Lima e Zélia Capitão, não se deve considerar esta mudança de paradigma como uma revolução mas, antes, uma evolução, ou, mais concretamente ainda, uma “conciliação de perspectivas cognitivas e sociais” (Reis Lima e Capitão, 2003:53). Assim, às instituições de ensino/formação cumprirá a tarefa de preparar os alunos para as novas competências da era digital, promovendo “a aprendizagem dos pilares do conhecimento que sustentarão a sua aprendizagem ao longo da vida” (Reis Lima e Capitão, Ibidem:54), isto é, “aprender a conhecer”, “aprender a fazer”, “aprender a viver em comum”, e “aprender a ser” (Equipa de Missão para a Sociedade da Informação, 1997:39; negritos e sublinhados no original). Para outros, a Internet, ao afirmar-se como uma tecnologia ubíqua, cada vez mais acessível, e de elevado potencial, “vem revolucionando a gestão da informação, o funcionamento do mercado de capitais, as cadeias e redes de valor, o comércio mundial, a relação entre governos e cidadãos, os modos de trabalhar e de comunicar, o entretenimento, o contacto intercultural, os estilos de vida, as noções de tempo e de distância. A grande interrogação actual reside em saber se a Internet poderá também provocar alterações fundamentais nos modos de aprender e de ensinar” (Carneiro, 2002:17-18; destaques no original). Trata-se, portanto, como argumenta Armando Rocha Trindade (2004:10), de reconhecer que “Os requisitos obrigatórios para a eficácia da aprendizagem a ser assim assegurada são: a prévia disponibilidade de materiais educativos ou de formação de alta qualidade pedagógica e didáctica, tanto quanto possível auto-suficientes em termos de conteúdos teóricos e aplicados, bem como a previsão de mecanismos capazes de assegurar, permanentemente, um mínimo de interactividade entre docentes e aprendentes, sempre que quaisquer dificuldades destes possam manifestarse”. Esta questão é também equacionada pelo Eng.º Arnaldo Santos, da PT Inovação, quando considera que, à semelhança da “maioria dos países, a formação a distância em ambientes Internet e Intranet, vulgo e-Learning, apresenta-se como uma alternativa pedagógica em franca expansão. Portugal está a despertar para esta nova realidade. São várias as instituições nacionais do sector público e privado que utilizam o e-Learning como ferramenta ou meio para formar as suas pessoas” (Santos, 2002:26). Fernando Ramos acrescenta também que os sistemas de educação/formação que contemplam componentes não presenciais, “isto é que potenciam a flexibilidade espacial, têm vindo a recorrer às mais variadas tecnologias de comunicação para permitir a interacção entre os intervenientes, nomeadamente entre os professores e os estudantes. Um pouco por todo o mundo, e também em Portugal, se têm implantado sistemas (habitualmente designados como sistemas de ensino a distância), recorrendo às mais diversas tecnologias de telecomunicações, de que os sistemas de educação através de televisão ou os sistemas de tutoria por rádio ou telefone são exemplos bem conhecidos” (Ramos, 2002b:138-139). Ora, o nosso estudo entronca precisamente na análise de um sistema ou plataforma tecnológica de gestão de aprendizagens (Learning Management System - LMS), o MOODLE, procurando-se, deste modo, dar resposta ao reconhecimento de que “urge investigar sobre a utilização real e pedagógica da plataforma” (Carvalho, 2007:27). Por outro lado, não descurando o rol de interrogações de outros investigadores em torno da utilização do MOODLE, nem enveredando pelas visões mais céticas que inclusive pressagiam a sua “morte” (Fernandes, 2008b:134), também nós nos questionamos se esta ferramenta nem sequer vai conseguir transpor “a fase de final de entusiasmo, e tornar-se uma ferramenta de minorias e de usos ocasionais?” (Fernandes, Op. cit.:133).The beginning of Internet and of the Web, in the nineties, along with the introduction and development of new ICT and, as a consequence, the emergence of the Information and Knowledge Society, implied a profound change in the ways o of the teaching and learning processes, not any longer according to a single cognitivist prism, but, now, also social, i.e., according to the constructivist perspective(s). Simultaneously it becomes imperative that , so as to become future success workers, that is, knowledge workers (Gates, 1999), learners have to be effectively educated/prepared for the Information and Knowledge Society and, as much as possible, through lifelong education/training (Moore e Thompson, 1997; Chute, Thompson e Hancock, 1999). However, according to Jorge Reis Lima and Zélia Capitão, one cannot consider this change of paradigm as a revolution but rather as an evolution, or, more precisely yet, a “conciliation of cognitive and social perspectives” (Reis Lima and Capitão, 2003:53). Therefore, it is up to the teaching/training institutions to fulfil the task of preparing students for the new competences of the digital era, promoting “the learning of the principles of knowledge that will sustain the learning throughout life” (Reis Lima and Capitão, Ibidem:54), that is, “learning to know”, “learning to do”, “learning to live in common”, and “Learning to be” (Equipa de Missão para a Sociedade da Informação, 1997:39; bold and underlines in the original). For other, the Internet, affirming itself as an ubiquitous technology, more and more accessible and of high potential, “has been revolutionising the management of information, the functioning of the market of capitals, the chains and networks of value, the world commerce, the relationships between governments and citizens, the modes of working and of communicating, entertainment, the intercultural contact, life styles, the notions of time and distance. The great question at present resides in knowing whether the Internet can provoke fundamental changes in the ways of learning and teaching” (Carneiro, 2002:17-18; highlights in the original). We face, therefore, as Armando Rocha Trindade (2004:10) argues, the recognition that “The compulsory requisites for effective learning to be thus assured are: prior availability of educational or training materials of high pedagogical and didactic quality, as far as possible self sufficient in terms of theoretical and applied content, as well as the provision of mechanisms capable of assuring, permanently, a minimum of interactivity between teachers and learners, whenever any difficulty is manifested”. This issue is also equated by Engineer Arnaldo Santos, from PT Inovação, when he considers that, as it happens in the “majority of countries, distance education in Internet and Intranet environments, generally labelled e-Learning, is presented as a pedagogical alternative in overt expansion. Portugal is awakening for this new reality. There are various national public and private sector institutions that use e-Learning as a tool or means to train their people” (Santos, 2002:26). Fernando Ramos also adds that the systems of education/training that contemplate non face-to-face components “that is, that potentiate spatial flexibility, have been resorting to the most varied technologies of communication to allow interaction amongst participants, namely between teachers and students. A little throughout the world, and also in Portugal, have implanted systems (habitually known as distance learning systems), resorting the most diverse telecommunications technologies, of which the systems of education by TV or the tutoring systems by radio or telephone are well known examples” (Ramos, 2002b:138-139). Now, our study is rooted precisely on the analysis of a system or technological platform for the management of learning (Learning Management System - LMS), MOODLE, seeking, therefore, to find answers for the recognition that “it is urgent to study the real and pedagogical use of the platform” (Carvalho, 2007:27). On the other hand, not setting aside the array of questions from other researchers on the use of MOODLE, nor taking for granted the more sceptical views that include the premonition of its “death” (Fernandes, 2008b:134), we also question whether this tool will be able to overcome “the final phase of enthusiasm, and become a tool of the minorities and of occasional use” (Fernandes, Op. cit.:133)