Asynchronous Discussion Board Facilitation And Rubric Use In A Blended Learning Environment

abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of instructor response prompts and rubrics on students' performance in an asynchronous discussion-board assignment, their learning achievement on an objective-type posttest, and their reported satisfaction levels. Researchers who have studied asynchronous computer-mediated student discussion transcripts have found evidence of mostly mid-level critical thinking skills, with fewer examples limited to lower or higher order thinking skill demonstration. Some researchers suggest that instructors may facilitate increased demonstration of higher-order critical thinking skills within asynchronous discussion-board activities. However, there is little empirical evidence available to compare the use of different external supports to facilitate students' critical thinking skills performance and learning achievement in blended learning environments. Results of the present study indicate that response prompts and rubrics can affect students' discussion performance, learning, and satisfaction ratings. The results, however, are complex, perhaps mirroring the complexity of instructor-led online learning environments. Regarding discussion board performance, presenting students with a rubric tended to yield higher scores on most aspects that is, on overall performance, as well as depth and breadth of performance, though these differences were not significant. In contrast, instructor prompts tended to yield lower scores on aspects of discussion board performance. On breadth, in fact, this main effect difference was significant. Interactions also indicated significant differences on several aspects of discussion board performance, in most cases indicating that the combination of rubric and prompt was detrimental to scores. The learning performance on the quiz showed, again, the effectiveness of rubrics, with students who received the rubric earning significantly higher scores, and with no main effects or interactions for instructor prompts. Regarding student satisfaction, again, the picture is complicated. Results indicated that, in some instances, the integration of prompts resulted in lower satisfaction ratings, particularly in the areas of students' perceptions of the amount of work required, learning in the partially online format, and student-to-student interaction. Based on these results, design considerations to support rubric use and explicit feedback in asynchronous discussions to support student learning are proposed.Dissertation/ThesisPh.D. Educational Technology 201

The Abertay Code Bar – unlocking access to university-generated computer games intellectual poperty

Progress report on a digital platform and dual licensing model developed to unlock access to a University repository of new and legacy computer games based Intellectual Property (IP) assets for educational and commercial use. The digital creative industries have been identified by a number of governments as a priority area in delivering sustainable economic growth. Code Bar is an innovation that allows digital products to be commercially successful beyond the end of the Dare competition or coursework submission. To be selected for Code Bar, game products must be well designed for both player and market; technically robust (i.e. operating consistently and reliably on a single/multiple platforms), and be free from ambiguity around 3rd party IP. We describe various technical, pedagogic and legal challenges in developing the digital platform, licensing model and packaging of computer games products for release through the platform. The model is extendable beyond computer games to other software products

Considerations about Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation and Economic Growth in the Digital Economy

Three technological trends—the omnipresence of information in digital form, the generalised use of computer networks, and the rapid proliferation of the World Wide Web—have profound implications for the way intellectual property (IP) is created, distributed, and accessed by every sector of society. In the last ten years much discussion of these issues has occurred in the literature and political and legislative domain. The information infrastructure offers an extraordinary ease of access to a vast array of information and peril for information to be reproduced inappropriately and for information access to be controlled in new and problematic ways. IPR regimes affect the diffusion of scientific knowledge, the innovation process and, ultimately, economic performance. Information technology raised some problems regarding the protection of intellectual property and drived to the discovery of a large number of solutions during past years. This paper’s purpose is to reveal what is the situation regarding IPR protection, economic growth and innovation in Romania, in the context of digital economy.intellectual property rights (IPR), innovation, economic growth, digital economy, Romania.

Using Open Educational Resources to Empower Student Creators

As students are asked to complete multimodal assignments in their higher education courses, librarians can guide students to the use of open educational resources (OER), as many librarians are already teaching students about copyright and how to respect intellectual property rights. Two instructional librarians designed a one-shot lesson for first-year composition students around the use of open resources, where the goal of instruction was for students to be empowered with their creative rights and to use the open resources available to them as creators

Technical standards Meet Administrative Law: A Teaching Guide on Incorporation by Reference

When an agency incorporates by reference, it promulgates a rule that identifies—but does not reprint—material already published elsewhere. The incorporated materials thus become binding law without actually being printed in the agency\u27s regulations. Sometimes the incorporated materials are privately developed technical standards, which are often copyrighted and available only for a fee. This restriction on access undermines transparency and public participation in the rulemaking process. Finding a solution is challenging because the problem is multidimensional, implicating public policy in the areas of administrative law, federal standards law and policy, and copyright.This teaching guide is part of module that offers law faculty the information, plans, and resources needed to introduce students to incorporation by reference. The issue offers a versatile teaching tool that can be used to engage students—in long or short form—in various law school courses in the areas of Administrative Law, Regulatory Law & Policy, Law & Technology, and Legal Theory

Evaluation of English Self-Learning Modules in the Implementation of Modular Distance Learning

In response to the call that education must continue in the midst of the COVID- 19 pandemic, Self-Learning Modules (SLM) became the Department of Education’s primary learning resource in the implementation of a wide-scale Modular Distance Learning. With the educational landscape being confronted with numerous concerns that questions the quality of its SLMs,   their evaluation plays an extremely crucial role in pursuit of quality education.  The study evaluated English Self-Learning Modules used by Grade 7 students in the First Quarter and propose an enhanced learning material that will be helpful in their modular distance learning experience. The study sought to answer the following questions: (1) What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Self-Learning Modules in terms of: Intellectual Property Rights Compliance, Learning Competencies, Instructional Design and Organization, Instructional Quality, Assessment, and, Readability?; (2) What are the Alternative Interventions suggested to strengthen the identified weaknesses in the Self-Learning Modules?; and, (3) What Enhanced Self-Learning Modules may be proposed based on the strengths and weaknesses of the evaluated materials?     Using a purposive sampling, the Key Informants of the study included a total of eight (8) English teachers coming from three different secondary school locales from Legazpi City Division namely: Legazpi City National High School, Gogon High School and Cabangan High School. The study used a mixed method using a Descriptive –Evaluative Design where Key Informants answered a Survey Questionnaire and underwent Key Informants Interview to record the strengths and weaknesses of the Self-Learning Modules. Thematic analysis and percentage were used in the study to identify salient themes from qualitative and quantitative responses of the participants, respectively.   Relevant findings revealed that the strengths of Self-Learning Modules are (1) accuracy in citations, (2) copyright compliance (3) proper acknowledgement of the references, (4) accuracy in content, (5) appropriate presentation of objectives, (6) logical organization of content, (7) integration of valuable traits, (8) development of 21st century skills, (9) alignment of assessments to lesson objectives and (10) appropriateness of content and vocabulary to the learners’ level.    On the other hand,  Self-Learning Modules displayed weaknesses on the following areas: (1) rotten links, (2) missing bibliographies and references, (3) unpacking of broad competencies (4) outdated content and information, (5) grammatical errors, (6) development of lessons that allow for review, (7) providing answer keys, (8) unclear presentation of instruction and (9) seamless transitions of lessons.   To strengthen the identified weaknesses, the researchers developed a Guide Book that discusses the alternative interventions suggested by the researchers based on their insights together with the recommendations of educators.  The Guide Book aims to empower every module user to become involved in creating an improved Modular Learning experience. Moreover, the Enhanced Self-Learning Modules offshoot retained the revealed strengths and carefully applied the alternative interventions to strengthen the weaknesses. Finally, specific recommendations were suggested aimed towards the improvement of learning experiences

Walking the path of desire: evaluating a blended learningapproach to developing study skills in a multi-disciplinarygroup

This case study describes the methods used to evaluate a series of study skills workshops and online learning materials created for a cohort of foundation degree arts and humanities students. The workshops and online content were created in response to feedback from the previous cohort which revealed that students had struggled to relate the workshops to their assignment, which was a portfolio of critical reflections. In order to better understand the disconnect experienced by the students between the module content and the course assessment, it was decided to track the paths of desire taken by the cohort in their learning, and assess whether online content could improve learning outcomes or whether workshops and print sources are more valuable for skills development. Quantitative data, such as attendance, VLE use and book loans, along with qualitative data from the students’ critical reflections were gathered to track student engagement with material, creating a narrative of the learning journeys of the cohort. Findings revealed that online content has a valuable role in supporting success for some students but that attendance at workshops has a strong correlation with portfolio grade and skills development

Open educational resources : conversations in cyberspace

172 p. : ill. ; 25 cm.Libro ElectrónicoEducation systems today face two major challenges: expanding the reach of education and improving its quality. Traditional solutions will not suffice, especially in the context of today's knowledge-intensive societies. The Open Educational Resources movement offers one solution for extending the reach of education and expanding learning opportunities. The goal of the movement is to equalize access to knowledge worldwide through openly and freely available online high-quality content. Over the course of two years, the international community came together in a series of online discussion forums to discuss the concept of Open Educational Resources and its potential. This publication makes the background papers and reports from those discussions available in print.--Publisher's description.A first forum : presenting the open educational resources (OER) movement. Open educational resources : an introductory note / Sally Johnstone -- Providing OER and related issues : an introductory note / Anne Margulies, ... [et al.] -- Using OER and related issues : in introductory note / Mohammed-Nabil Sabry, ... [et al.] -- Discussion highlights / Paul Albright -- Ongoing discussion. A research agenda for OER : discussion highlights / Kim Tucker and Peter Bateman -- A 'do-it-yourself' resource for OER : discussion highlights / Boris Vukovic -- Free and open source software (FOSS) and OER -- A second forum : discussing the OECD study of OER. Mapping procedures and users / Jan Hylén -- Why individuals and institutions share and use OER / Jan Hylén -- Discussion highlights / Alexa Joyce -- Priorities for action. Open educational resources : the way forward / Susan D'Antoni