M-LEARNING - A NEW FORM OF LEARNING AND EDUCATION

At each step, the Internet and information technologies are changing many aspects of life. We live; we buy, work, manage, and communicate new ways that technology has enabled. Information and communication technology are pervasive the technology of today. It finds application in every branch of industry, and in all areas of education and the basis for the successful operation of all social and state structures. Information and communication technology (ICT) provides a good foundation for creative and effective use of knowledge. Using mobile technology in education changes the basic view of learning when, where and how to learn. M-learning is a unique type of learning because students can access the lessons anytime, anywhere. Mobile learning is learning supported by mobile devices. It represents a new form of education. The notion of mobile learning covers a wide range of devices used for learning at any place at any time. These include various wired and wireless devices (mobile phones, PDA, iPod, Sony PSP, notebook devices...). M-learning offers the possibility of using mobile devices combine many benefits of e-learning in a single portable package that can be used at any time and anywhere using mobile devices. Mobile devices are emerging as one of the most promising technologies to support learning as they offer new opportunities that do not offer static devices.&nbsp

Mapping Trends in Pedagogical Approaches and Learning Technologies: Perspectives from the Canadian, International, and Military Education Contexts

Increased technological advances, coupled with new learners’ needs, have created new realities for higher education contexts. This study explored and mapped trends in pedagogical approaches and learning technologies in postsecondary education and identified how these innovations are affecting teaching and learning practices in higher education settings, particularly for the Canadian Armed Forces education system. A qualitative research methodology was employed including a comprehensive review of Canadian and international literature, an environmental scan of Canadian Armed Forces educational institutions, and consultations with experts and practitioners in the field of military education. The research findings shed light on trends in pedagogies and learning technologies in higher education as well as on the presence of these trends in the military educational system. In addition, the findings consider the necessity for a corresponding level of preparedness to meet the needs of diverse learners in the future. This study informs both the field of higher education and the field of military education.   Associé aux nouveaux besoins des apprenants, le progrès technologique est à l’origine de nouvelles réalités dans le contexte de l’enseignement supérieur. Cette étude a relevé, puis analysé, les tendances des approches pédagogiques et des technologies d’apprentissage en matière d’enseignement supérieur, pour ensuite reconnaître les façons dont ces innovations influencent les pratiques d’enseignement et d’apprentissage dans des contextes d’enseignement supérieur, en particulier dans le système d’éducation des Forces armées canadiennes. Une approche qualitative a été utilisée pour effectuer un examen complet de la littérature canadienne et internationale, une analyse de l’environnement des établissements d’enseignement des Forces armées canadiennes, et des consultations avec des experts et praticiens dans le domaine de l’éducation militaire. Les résultats de la recherche éclairent sur les tendances en pédagogie et en technologies d’apprentissage dans le domaine de l’enseignement supérieur, ainsi que sur la présence de ces tendances dans le système d’éducation militaire. En outre, ces résultats examinent la nécessité de préparer de façon équivalente les Forces armées canadiennes à répondre aux besoins futurs de divers apprenants. Cette étude s’applique donc tant au domaine de l’enseignement supérieur qu’à celui de l’éducation militaire.&nbsp

Examining and Understanding Transformative Learning to Foster Technology Professional Development in Higher Education

Educators are increasingly encouraged to practice life-long learning. Learning to cope with emerging technologies for educational purposes is, for most educators, a complex process. Consequently, educators engage in critical reflective processes, and consider new views as they learn new knowledge and skills so as how to best apply information and communication technologies to teaching and learning. For educators this process can be intimidating and frustrating. The use of new technologies in education requires educators to reconceptualise traditional educational concepts which means that educators need compelling reasons to dramatically change their teaching and learning practice. This paper highlights the significance of Mezirowâ??s transformative learning theory for teachersâ?? technology professional development and provides insight in teachersâ?? learning processes as they learn emerging technologies for educational purposes. The data discussed in this paper have been drawn from a study at Fontys University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands. The data were collected and analyzed according to a qualitative approach

Elementary Teachers\u27 Experiences Integrating Technology with Literacy Instruction

Elementary educators at the urban elementary school in this study struggled with technology-enhanced literacy pedagogy to increase student success. The purpose of this case study was to examine the extent to which educators built relationships between technology and teaching to improve student success. The study was guided by Venkatesh\u27s unified theory of acceptance which was used to examine how educators accept and use technology in literacy instruction. The research questions examined teachers\u27 perceptions of how they can build better relationships with technology and teaching to enhance student literacy success and their perceptions of administrative and district support services to enhance instructional practices. Data collection occurred through interviews of 12 participants at the school under study chosen based on age, gender, teaching experience, and teaching credentials. Information was coded and themes were identified. A result of thematic analysis was generally that ongoing professional development is important and it should be implemented to help classroom educators strengthen those relationships between technology and teaching in the school. The findings also indicated that educators needed more professional development opportunities and time to see more in-house demonstrations of technology incorporated into teaching. A 3-day professional development project was developed that presented opportunities for teachers to collaborate, react to demonstrations, and plan lessons utilizing new ideas learned. This project and findings of the study may allow school leaders to see the benefits of participatory professional development and empower teachers to have increased relationships with technology and literacy instruction to enhance learning for students

A Multiple Case Study of Mandatory Professional Development, Change, and Transformation

Higher education institutions are making significant investments in online education and are implementing comprehensive new programs to teach faculty how to become effective online instructors. These investments often come with significant strings attached that require that changes be made across the board to efficiently accommodate 21st Century teaching and learning tools and techniques. The purpose of this multiple case study is to explore the experiences of higher education faculty who participated in mandated professional development to learn how to effectively design and deliver online courses. An additional purpose is to determine the elements of professional development that create opportunities for transformative learning and impactful change in faculty teaching practice. This qualitative study collected data from semi-structured interviews and surveys, and from a review of online courses artifacts that were generated as a result of the mandatory professional development initiative. The data demonstrated that mandated professional development was generally perceived as a positive signal for organizational change, but professional development needs to be highly targeted to specific interests and levels of digital fluency. Mandated professional development enabled the faculty participants to see new possibilities and potential for their online practice. The results of this research may provide insights into how professional development can be designed to help faculty transform their online teaching.Ed.D., Educational Leadership and Management -- Drexel University, 201

Community College Professors\u27 Engagement and Perceptions of Professional Development in Remote Environments

Research shows that consistent, supportive, and relevant professional development (PD) is an action that empowers educators to change. In the east central region of Canada, the sustainability of community colleges had been linked to program collaboration and internationalization which requires implementation of high-quality PD for its professors. Guided by Mezirow\u27s adult transformative learning theory, the purpose of this study was to understand the PD practices of full-time professors by investigating the connections between professors\u27 level of engagement in PD and their perceptions of the resources and processes that may improve their instructional practices. This single-phased, concurrent mixed-methods study was conducted using a self-designed 39-item web-based survey to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. From a population of 600 full-time professors at 5 colleges, 120 surveys were completed. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and Fisher\u27s exact test were used for quantitative analyses. Findings indicated that professors with higher levels of engagement in PD perceived the importance of making use of online and face-to-face networking strategies as well as available online resources to improve instructional practices. Emergent themes from the qualitative data were coded and confirmed the value of networking in PD. Results were used to design a workshop to help community college professors in planning and supporting their PD activities via enhanced networking strategies and implementation of online resources for instruction. By providing college professors needed opportunities to engage in customized PD focused on networking and maximizing the use of available online resources, colleges may be better prepared to foster active, engaged, and highly trained faculty capable of producing positive social change benefitting the institutions and students they serve

Elearning model for supporting ict competencies development of employees in education

Doktorska disertacija razvija nastavni model za elektronsko učenje preko Interneta namenjen razvoju informaciono-komunikacionih kompetencija nastavnika u osnovnim i srednjim školama i drugih zaposlenih u obrazovanju. Informaciono-komunikacione kompetencije nastavnika i drugih zaposlenih u obrazovanju su veoma važne za obrazovni i ekonomski sistem i potrebno je omogućiti njihovo sticanje, unapređivanje i upotrebu u obrazovanju zbog njihovog uticaja na promenu stavova prema obrazovnoj tehnologiji. Za potrebe doktorske disertacije urađeno je pedagoško istraživanje u novembru 2014. godine, sa dve grupe ispitanika, kontrolnom i eksperimentalnom grupom. Istraživanje je u potpunosti sprovedeno preko veb portala: www.azomjns.com/moodle. Uticaj predloženog nastavnog modela za e-učenje "5 koraka" na razvoj kompetencija kod zaposlenih u obrazovanju za kreiranje multimedijalnih prezentacija za nastavu, pokazao je bolje rezultate u odnosu na uticaj klasičnog modela za e-učenje "Isporuka sadržaja". Ponuđeni nastavni model "5 koraka" može se primeniti na različite uzrasne grupe i nastavne predmete što otvara mogućnosti za dalja istraživanja.The thesis develops a model of online e-Learning for improving information and communication competencies  of teachers and other employees in primary and secondary education. Information and communication competencies of employees in education are of great importance to the educational and economic system. We must enable their acquisition, improvement and use in education because they change attitudes towards educational technology. For this purpose, the main pedagogical research was carried out in November 2014, with two groups of respondents: a control and an experimental group. The research was conducted entirely online through the web portal: www.azomjns.com/moodle. The impact of the proposed '5-step' teaching e-learning model on the development of competencies of employees in education in creating teaching multimedia presentations showed better results than the classical model of e-learning, viz. 'learning by distributing'. The offered '5-step' teaching model can be adapted to different age groups and subjects, which opens up possibilities for further research