A Game-Based Learning Model

The purpose of this research is to design a conceptual model and develop an implementation as a proof of concept of game-based learning (GBL)to support linguistic skills acquisition. Our model lays the foundations of game-based learning by defining methods, processes, and procedures to support the development of game-based learning systems. Integration of learning and gameplay raises various issues, among them the learning process, learning content, and game characteristics. Language competency is fundamental to academic and social success. Vocabulary acquisition is a primary basis for language competency. Word lists and dictionaries have been used as a resource to enrich vocabulary. The general trend in dictionary development is towards the introduction of interactivity and visualization. Not only do they effectively capture the traditional didactic concepts, modern e-dictionaries provide structures and functions that support and encourage learning. To a certain extent, they can be viewed as a scaled down version of game-based learning, in which we see effective alternatives to acquire linguistic skills, specifically in the context of the Arabic language. GBL supports a multi-modal learning environment and various forms of learning strategies, such as exploration, interactivity, and active participation. A basic issue we are facing is the definition of a model of GBL. To delimit the progress in GBL modeling, we review some existing Arabic games intended for education of children. We found that there are very few games for learning Arabic dedicated to children. We analyzed several games for learning Arabic in terms of the nature and organization of the contents, gameplay, interactivity, graphics and assessment. Generally, they are simplistic and tend to revolve around the same trivial idea. Overall, there is a lack of quality in the presentation in terms of graphics, animation, colors, and voice-over. None of these Arabic games shows a systematic design process. Moreover, to synthesize the dominant features and trends, we conducted a comparison of current dictionaries features in different viii languages. We selected some representative English and French dictionaries available on the Web, which provides many features like searching (by image and by category) and finding detailed descriptions. For comparison purposes, an Arabic dictionary was also included. This study was intended to identify possible features that enhance the ease of learning a new language within a GBL context

Investigating electronic portfolio in pre-service teacher education in the gulf region

Thus although this dissertation, ¿Investigating electronic portfolios in pre-service teacher education in the Gulf Region,¿ has a specific focus on two particular countries in the Gulf Region, it reflects questions that are currently being asked at many organizations for higher education world wide, which are overall questions guiding the research

Developing Computational Thinking Best Practices for Early Childhood Education in Kuwait and the United States

Doctor of PhilosophyDepartment of Computer ScienceMajor Professor Not ListedThere are many concerns from early childhood educators regarding allowing children to use technology, pointing to the adverse effects of screen time and barriers such as lack of resources. To support advocating CT in early childhood settings using technology, this dissertation proposes solutions and resources for early childhood educators by highlighting the best practices in using technology as a medium for children to grow and learn while working through the adverse effects. The contribution of this work developed a "bes-T-ech" framework that has been used to develop two programs created based on the gaps in literature reviews. The first one relates to integrating CT into non-CS disciplines, namely drama. The lesson learning objective was delivered using robotic activities with the aim to create a template that can be used as a sample for other educators to align their lessons with CT standards. The second program teaches CT using our suggested Computational Thinking Pedagogical + Framework. The chosen environment is a virtual world (VW) due to the few studies or resources linking early childhood education and VW. Accordingly created a CT VW blueprint. By the same token, three reinforcement experiments were executed to advocate CT into Kuwaiti society. The reinforcements were complemented with a developed STEM model designed to meet the needs of Arabic/Persian Gulf region learners. The first reinforcement investigates the educators' CT awareness and proposes a plan for implementing CT into the Kuwaiti education system. The second reinforcement transferred a successful CT outreach program from a Western country into Kuwait, which brought insight into the CT ability of the young Kuwaiti educators. Compared to U.S. students, they carry a similar trend and gains in CT concepts and program knowledge. The third reinforcement investigates the ability and preferences between males and females, showing that society and maturity factors are the leading two influencers over Kuwait students' STEM choices, reversing the gender stereotype in Kuwait

From text to context: Literacy practices of native speakers of Arabic in Arabic and English

Previous studies that looked at the written product of native speakers of Arabic in their second language (L2), English, have identified traces of Arabic rhetoric (L1), mainly Classical Arabic, in their writing (e.g., Atari, 1983; Kaplan, 1966; Ostler, 1987). These studies focused primarily on the L2-written texts, where the written product is used to make inferences about the rhetorical structures of the writers’ L1. The results from these studies portrayed the native-Arab writer’s text as highly influenced by Classical Arabic. This was evidenced by “foreign” rhetorical structures that Arab writers employ when producing texts in their L2 that are considered trademarks of Classical Arabic. This unitary picture of the native-Arabic writer remained intact in later studies (e. g., Abu Radwan, 2012; Connor 1996). However, none of these studies looked at the possible influence of the remarkable difference between written and spoken forms of Arabic on such rhetorical transfer. Nor did they look at the potential impact of cultural, historical, sociopolitical, and institutional factors on how literacy is acquired, practiced, and valued in the Arab world. This project focuses on these two neglected factors that, I argue, are crucial to understanding Arab students’ writing in English. These factors are investigated through the New Literacy Studies theory that looks at literacy as multiple, varying across communities and historical contexts. In order to investigate literacies as part of the social fabric of the Arab culture, I conducted a series of semi-structured, life-story interviews with Arab-graduate students representing five-Arab countries: Algeria, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. The aim of these interviews was to gain insight about how the participants are socialized into reading and writing in their L1 and the impact such socialization might have on their literacy practices in their L2. The participants’ accounts regarding their own literacy practices in Arabic problematize the picture of the native-Arabic writers that has been held true for decades. Mainly that their writing is highly influenced by the rhetorical structures of Classical Arabic. The narratives elicited from the interviews show that due to lack of prolonged socialization into and practice in the written form of Arabic, none of the participants developed a sophisticated knowledge of the written form of Arabic that they considered transferrable into their L2. Therefore, if we look at a given text as the product of socialization into a given practice, by default lack of socialization impedes that process (Gee, 1990). In addition, the participant accounts show discrepancies in the type and quality of instruction they received in Arabic and English. Contrary to what would be expected, the participants received more explicit writing instruction in English than they did in Arabic. Even those who considered themselves as sophisticated readers in Arabic, described themselves as poor writers. Thus, it would be flawed to argue that all native Arabic speakers’ writing is influenced by Classical Arabic, a form that the participants admitted they haven’t mastered. It would be more logical to argue that their writing might be influenced by their regional varieties that they have mastered and are more comfortable using to express their thoughts

E-learning usage from a social constructivist learning approach: perspectives of Iraqi Kurdistan students in social studies classrooms

Background: Many schools in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region have incorporated information and communication technologies (ICT) into their environments. However, the results have shown that computer usage has had only a minimal effect on the classroom environment and learning outcomes. This minimal effect could be attributed to the teaching and learning of social studies subjects, which often rely on a traditional vision of teaching and an excessive inclusion of facts and dates in school textbooks. Consequently, students feel compelled to memorize all the information to pass tests. Yet, merely employing technology alongside traditional teaching and assessment approaches, such as lecturing or having students study in isolation without any form of collaborative learning, does not foster the development of students' higher-order thinking skills. It's time to revitalize school curricula and teaching practices to embrace a more contemporary, open-minded approach to social science education. This approach should incorporate a social constructivist perspective with technology to better instill international moral values such as democracy, respect for differences, and learning to live harmoniously with others. Aim: This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the impact of a social constructivist learning approach on the acceptance of technology and its influence on perceived e-learning outcomes among students in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. Additionally, this study examines the differences in the effects of the social constructivist learning approach and dimensions of technology acceptance on perceived e-learning outcomes between students studying social studies in Arabic and those studying social studies in English. Setting and participants: Data were gathered from both public and private schools in Erbil governorate, situated in northern Iraq and affiliated with the Ministry of Education-Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government. To select participants, a random sampling technique was employed, encompassing students in grades 8 through 12 of both genders. The data were obtained through a self-administered paper-based questionnaire. Instruments: Data were collected using a social constructivist learning environment survey (personal relevance, critical voice, shared control, uncertainty, student negotiation), dimensions of the attitude toward technology (attitude toward technology use, perceived usefulness, feeling ease of use, learning facility condition, and subjective norms), some additional external variables (investigation, respect for difference, student economic ability, and perceived e-learning outcomes), and socio-demographic data. Conclusion: This study is intended to emphasize the significance of employing constructivist pedagogy to enhance the technology acceptance model and improve learning outcomes. The findings of the study showed that a social constructivist learning environment had a favorable influence on perceived e-learning outcomes as well as ease of use, perceived usefulness, investigation, and respect for difference. Attitude towards technology use and perceived usefulness are contributory factors to the positive perceived e-learning outcomes. Furthermore, feeling ease of use technology has a positive effect on both attitude towards technology use and perceived usefulness. Perceived usefulness also has a direct positive impact on attitudes towards technology use. Finally, students’ technological experience is positively correlated with feeling ease of use but not with perceived usefulness. Additionally, regarding the comparison between students studying social studies in Arabic and those in English, the findings demonstrated that students studying social studies in English showed stronger positive effects from the social constructivist learning environment on their perceived e-learning outcomes. Conversely, students studying social studies in Arabic demonstrated a more potent positive effect of perceived usefulness on their attitudes towards technology. Moreover, the positive impact of an attitude towards technology use on perceived e-learning outcomes was more pronounced among the Arabic students compared to their English counterparts. Additionally, the influence of the learning facility on the perceived ease of use, as well as the perceived usefulness of technology, differed between the two groups. The English group experienced a more substantial positive impact. However, there was no significant difference observed in the effect of feeling ease of use on attitudes towards technology use between the English and Arabic student groups. Furthermore, no significant difference was observed in the effect of perceived usefulness on the social constructivist learning environment for either group. The findings from this research are expected to contribute to the development of effective and efficient counseling and support intervention programs. These programs can play a crucial role in transforming teachers

Transforming English as a Second Language Story Readers into Storytellers: Examining Learners\u27 Experiences in a Video Book Trailer Project

Reading is a challenging task for English as a Second Language (ESL) students (Pang, 2008; Nassaji, 2011). Instructors and researchers have explored various ways to promote ESL students\u27 reading development. Since research on story-based pedagogy has shown benefits in the area of language development, stories can be used to promote ESL reading development. Furthermore, research on Digital Booktalk shows that when students engaged in after-reading video production activities they found a new purpose in reading (Gunter & Kenny, 2012). Additionally, digital storytelling (DST) research has revealed that DST can foster learner motivation and autonomy (Hafner & Miller, 2011; Kim, 2014). In this study, ESL instructors engaged adult ESL students in a video book trailer (VBT) production project. ESL students learned story structural elements, drafted story summaries, and used Web 2.0 tools to produce a VBT to retell the stories they read. This phenomenological study investigated ESL students\u27 experiences in the VBT project. Data was gathered from questionnaires, interviews, classroom observations, and student assignments. Student interviews, classroom observations, and open-ended questions in questionnaires were coded. There were two cycles of coding where codes and pattern codes were developed. Data from questionnaires, classroom observation recordings and student assignments triangulated findings from interviews. This study revealed participants\u27 learning benefits, challenges, and their comparisons with their earlier educational experiences. First and foremost, it is suggested that a VBT project could provide integrated and implicit English learning opportunities for reading, vocabulary, writing, pronunciation and speaking. The primary obstacles reported by participants were insufficient time and energy as well as demanding linguistic expectations. When comparing this project with their earlier learning experiences, participants identified that digital production tasks were somewhat familiar. While learning to produce their own VBTs, They developed their digital skills for English learning purposes and mastered video editing skills. Project completers reported that they were excited that they were reading for a brand-new goal and increased their self-efficacy in using English and working on academic projects. Pedagogical implications were provided for future implementation in second language classrooms

A Qualitative Case Study in Augmented Reality Applications in Education: Dimensions of Strategic Implementation

The main purpose behind technology integration is to improve the teaching and learning process. Augmented reality (AR) is a new instructional tool in the educational field. Current literature showed AR integration is successful in the United States. However, it does not exist for Kuwait. Despite the time and money invested to integrate different instructional tools, teachers in Kuwait have been unaware of the existence of the AR application and its potential use in the classroom. There is a need to help teacher educators in Kuwait use AR applications and maximize the benefits of this technology for students’ best interests. This study explored the use of AR among teacher educators in the United States who currently used this technology in their classrooms. It also explored the opinions of Kuwait veteran teachers regarding AR technology integration, designed a process for strategic implementation aimed at teachers in Kuwait, and acted as a guide to follow for AR integration in education in Kuwait. The target population consisted of teacher educators from United States who have integrated AR applications in their teaching and veteran public elementary school teachers from Kuwait. This study employed a qualitative case study design. A number of interviews and focus group discussions were conducted to collect data. Major themes were developed for both samples. U.S. participants shared their educational experiences with AR integration. Although teacher-participants from Kuwait were initially overwhelmed with AR, this study found they would be willing to implement AR if supported by the government. The findings of the study provided a clear view of how to integrate AR technology as an educational tool to vary and improve instructional tools in Kuwait classrooms to meet young learners’ needs and interests. The recommendations for strategic implementation were specifically tailored for public schools in Kuwait. A suggestion for further research was to have a second phase of the study that would examine teacher-participants’ experiences with AR integration. Finally, implications of this research study supported every educator who had never considered nor integrated AR as an instructional tool, specifically teachers in Kuwait

Perceptions of globalization among English language students at Kuwait University: voices of ownership

This thesis explores the role of English in the lives of students at Kuwait University. The study unveils a complex interplay between students’ attitudes towards learning English and their interpretations of globalization, which is something that is not usually recognized in the classroom. The study was conducted using qualitative research methodology encompassing ethnographic observations, conversations, and semi-structured interviews. The majority of the data was collected from 17 to 24 year old Kuwaiti students enrolled in the Health Sciences program at Kuwait University. In addition, conversations with five English language teachers at the same university are included to highlight the tension that exists between teacher expectations and learner performance in the classroom. The main findings of the research reveal that the students had a very pragmatic view of the use of English. As a result, their attitudes inside the classroom did not accurately reflect the importance of English in the rest of their lives. Rather, this importance emerged in how they negotiated the use of English outside of the English language classroom. It was found that the use of English was directly related to how they positioned themselves both within their local social context and in the world. Therefore, although teacher perceptions highlighted students’ resistance towards learning English, what became evident through the data analysis was that student attitudes were strongly connected to their interpretations of the sociocultural context in which they were functioning. This also reinforces the importance of adopting a critical cosmopolitan perspective to understand the complexity behind social action rather than relying on simplified and generalized cultural explanations. In addition, the disconnect between student and teacher perceptions brings attention to the continuing prevalence of problems of essentialism in the field of English language teaching and highlights the necessity of being more aware of Othering discourses as well as the relevance of considering context when trying to understand student attitudes towards language learning