Examining some assumptions and limitations of research on the effects of emerging technologies for teaching and learning in higher education

This article examines assumptions and beliefs underpinning research into educational technology. It critically reviews some approaches used to investigate the impact of technologies for teaching and learning. It focuses on comparative studies, performance comparisons and attitudinal studies to illustrate how under-examined assumptions lead to questionable findings. The extent to which it is possible to substantiate some of the claims made about the impact of technologies on the basis of these approaches and methods is questioned. We contend researchers should ensure that they acknowledge underlying assumptions and the limitations imposed by the approach adopted in order to appropriately interpret findings

Achieving Improved Quality and Validity: Reframing Research and Evaluation of Learning Technologies.

A critical reading of research literature relating to teaching and learning with technology for open, distance and blended education reveals a number of shortcomings in how investigations are conceptualised, conducted and reported. Projects often lack clarity about the nature of the enhancement that technology is intended to bring about. Frequently there is no explicit discussion of assumptions and beliefs that underpin research studies and the approaches used to investigate the educational impact of technologies. This presentation summarises a number of the weaknesses identified in published studies and considers the implications. Some ways in which these limitations could be avoided through a more rigorous approach to undertaking research and evaluation studies are then outlined and discussed

STUDENT-CENTRED LEARNING AND TEACHING: THEORETICAL VERSUS PRACTICAL APPROACH

Student-centred learning and teaching emphasises the way in which learning involves the students creating concepts or constructs to achieve short-term mastery but long-term retention, in-depth understanding of course material, achievement of critical thinking, creative problem-solving skills, development of a positive approach, and a level of confidence in their knowledge and skills. This study investigates both theoretical and practical approaches to student-centred learning and teaching, based on the data from students (N=35) and designed to improve student motivation considering three areas: face-to-face sessions, technology and assessments. Potential practices and theories are proposed based on the results of students’ feedback from staff-student liaison meetings, with undergraduate and postgraduate representatives. Through the qualitative data analysis, practical suggestions and implications for educators to improve student-focused learning and teaching methods arise. In particular, the importance of educational technology and multiple assessment methods provides the pedagogical shift from the tutor’s to the student’s perspective in order to enhance tangible student-centred tactics. Effective pedagogical suggestions from three different angles provide guidance for educators on how to adapt the concepts to real teaching experience.  Article visualizations

“It’s there to trigger de-learning” : Toward a video-centered pedagogy of difference

Peer reviewe

Academic continuity: Staying true to teaching values and objectives in the face of course interruptions

Academic continuity planning is an emerging tool for dealing with class cancellation associated with natural disasters, acts of violence and the threat of pandemics. However, academic continuity can also be an issue with respect to less dramatic events, such as power outages, inclement weather, or the temporary unavailability of an instructor, especially if the problem is recurring. Many of the proposed alternative forms of delivery involve some form of web-based learning, but the extent to which these approaches work when students expect face-to-face delivery has not previously been examined. In one such interruption, web-based conferencing from home was undertaken. Based on average test scores, learning was unimpeded by web-based conferencing for one week, but there were some small gender effects that warrant further investigation. Many student comments reflected reduced engagement. The professor noted that students were more likely to respond to questions when the students could see the professor instead of the slides, but in general there were fewer student responses to questions than in face-to-face lectures. A number of comments made unsolicited comparisons with the traditional lecture format, suggesting that the context for teaching and learning, and students’ previous experience of different teaching approaches may merit more discussion in online learning studies

Modern educational technologies in the educational process in higher education institutions

У статті представлено результати та систематизація наукової інформації щодо теоретичних основ розроблення та застосування освітніх технологій у закладах вищої освіти. Обґрунтовується твердження, що інноваційна освіта в цілому не є конкретною освітньою моделлю, але досить широко використовує інноваційний потенціал, можливості навчання. Інноваційний підхід в освіті визначається як здатність і бажання керівників і викладачів проєктувати і моделювати навчальний процес, який необхідний університету з використанням різноманітних освітніх технологій на основі усвідомлення своїх потенційних можливостей. Саме це робить процес навчання в університеті технологічним, тобто передбачуваним і максимально наближений до запланованого результату.В статье изложены результаты и систематизация научной информации касательно теоретических основ разработки и применение образовательных технологий высшей школы. В этом отношении, можно утверждать, что инновационное образование в целом не является специфической образовательной моделью, а достаточно широким использованием вновь открытого потенциала, возможностей обучения. Инновационный подход в образовании определяется способностью и готовностью руководителей и преподавателей разрабатывать и моделировать образовательный процесс, требуемый университетом с использованием различных образовательных технологий, основанных на знании своих потенциальных возможностей. Именно это делает процесс обучения в университете технологическим, т. е. предсказуемым и максимально приближенным к ранее запланированным результатам.The article offers a presentation of the results of the review and systematization of scientific information on the theoretical foundations of the development and application of educational technologies in universities. In this regard, it can be argued that innovative education as a whole is not a specific educational model, but a fairly broad principle of adequate use of newly discovered potential learning opportunities. An innovative approach in education is determined through the ability and willingness of leaders and teachers to design and model the educational process required by the university using various educational technologies based on knowledge of their potential capabilities. This is what makes the learning process at the university technological, i.e., predictable and as close as possible to the planned results

Cognitive Analysis of Meaning and Acquired Mental Representations as an Alternative Measurement Method Technique to Innovate E-Assessment

Empirical directions to innovate e-assessments and to support the theoretical development of e-learning are discussed by presenting a new learning assessment system based on cognitive technology. Specifically, this system encompassing trained neural nets that can discriminate between students who successfully integrated new knowledge course content from students who did not successfully integrate this new knowledge (either because they tried short-term retention or did not acquire new knowledge). This neural network discrimination capacity is based on the idea that once a student has integrated new knowledge into long-term memory, this knowledge will be detected by computer-implemented semantic priming studies (before and after a course) containing schemata-related words from course content (which are obtained using a natural semantic network technique). The research results demonstrate the possibility of innovating e-assessments by implementing mutually constrained responsive and constructive cognitive techniques to evaluate online knowledge acquisition

Emerging technologies. Analysis and current perspectives

The convergence in the use of technology in classrooms and the development of new methodologies have involved a redefinition of the different educational agents’ performance, for the upcoming Horizon reports to generate a radiography of the emerging technological trends that will have an impact in the upcoming years. As a consequence, we will focus on adaptative learning technologies based on the perspectives of profound learning, where the achievement of objectives will be reflected through generated learning analytics, whose association may produce consistent verifiable blockchains. For that matter, this work proposes a meta-analysis of 62 research studies indexed in the WOS and Scopus databases during 2013 and 2018, in the area of Social Sciences, taking as descriptors the technologies mentioned in those reports. A search strategy based on four different criteria has been used: public (target), topic, methodological design and main conclusions