415,278 research outputs found
E-Learning in Postsecondary Education
Over the past decade postsecondary education has been moving increasingly from the class room to online. During the fall 2010 term 31 percent of U.S. college students took at least one online course. The primary reasons for the growth of e-learning in the nation\u27s colleges and universities include the desire of those institutions to generate new revenue streams, improve access, and offer students greater scheduling flexibility. Yet the growth of e-learning has been accompanied by a continuing debate about its effectiveness and by the recognition that a number of barriers impede its widespread adoption in higher education
Student user preferences for features of next-generation OPACs: a case study of University of Sheffield international students
Purpose. The purpose of this study is to identity the features that international student users prefer for next generation OPACs.
Design/ methodology/ approach. 16 international students of the University of Sheffield were interviewed in July 2008 to explore their preferences among potential features in next generation OPACs. A semi-structured interview schedule with images of mock-up screens was used.
Findings. The results of the interviews were broadly consistent with previous studies. In general, students expect features in next generation OPACs should be save their time, easy to use and relevant to their search. This study found that recommender features and features that can provide better navigation of search results are desired by users. However, Web 2.0 features, such as RSS feeds and those features which involved user participation were among the most popular.
Practical implications. This paper produces findings of relevance to any academic library seeking to implement a next-generation OPAC.
Originality/value. There have been no previous published research studies of users’ preferences among possible features of next-generation OPACs
Online Permaculture Resources: An Evaluation of a Selected Sample
As a newly-emerging, sustainable approach to landscape management, permaculture seeks to integrate knowledge from several disciplines into a holistic system with emphasis on ecological and social responsibility. Online resources on permaculture appear to represent a promising direction in the movement by supplementing existing printed sources, serving to update and diversify existing content, and increasing access to permaculture information and praxis among the general public. This study evaluated a sample of online resources on permaculture using a framework of parameters reflecting website usability and content quality. Best practice for website usability, as well as diversity of information and applicability, was addressed. The evaluation revealed, overall, good quality and usability in the majority of cases, and suggests a strong online presence among the existing permaculture community, and accessible support for those with an interest in joining the movement
Accommodating Perceptions, Searching for Authenticity and Decolonising Methodology: The Case of the Australia / Papua New Guinea Secondary School Student's project
This paper discusses the development process of a research methodology for accommodating the exploration of recipients’ perceptions of a foreign educational project. The search for authenticity in methodology remains an issue for qualitative inquiry which has its origins in a constructive epistemology. Theoretically positioned within a postcolonial framework, the search for authenticity in methodology presented a challenge for the researcher. Specifically, this paper will focus on the research problem, issues relating to evaluation of aid programs, decolonising methodology and the search for authenticity. The paper concludes with some findings of the research project, demonstrating that decolonising methodologies create new possibilities in educational research with specific reference to educational assistance and postcolonial societies. It reveals the complexities of cultural politics and its influences on foreign financial assistance. These findings include the concepts of cultural identity, ethnicity, hegemony and ambivalence which characterises the nature of Papua New Guinea education and society
Transforming pre-service teacher curriculum: observation through a TPACK lens
This paper will discuss an international online collaborative learning experience through the lens of the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework. The teacher knowledge required to effectively provide transformative learning experiences for 21st century learners in a digital world is complex, situated and changing. The discussion looks beyond the opportunity for knowledge development of content, pedagogy and technology as components of TPACK towards the interaction between those three components. Implications for practice are also discussed. In today’s technology infused classrooms it is within the realms of teacher educators, practising teaching and pre-service teachers explore and address effective practices using technology to enhance learning
Research and Development Workstation Environment: the new class of Current Research Information Systems
Against the backdrop of the development of modern technologies in the field
of scientific research the new class of Current Research Information Systems
(CRIS) and related intelligent information technologies has arisen. It was
called - Research and Development Workstation Environment (RDWE) - the
comprehensive problem-oriented information systems for scientific research and
development lifecycle support. The given paper describes design and development
fundamentals of the RDWE class systems. The RDWE class system's generalized
information model is represented in the article as a three-tuple composite web
service that include: a set of atomic web services, each of them can be
designed and developed as a microservice or a desktop application, that allows
them to be used as an independent software separately; a set of functions, the
functional filling-up of the Research and Development Workstation Environment;
a subset of atomic web services that are required to implement function of
composite web service. In accordance with the fundamental information model of
the RDWE class the system for supporting research in the field of ontology
engineering - the automated building of applied ontology in an arbitrary domain
area, scientific and technical creativity - the automated preparation of
application documents for patenting inventions in Ukraine was developed. It was
called - Personal Research Information System. A distinctive feature of such
systems is the possibility of their problematic orientation to various types of
scientific activities by combining on a variety of functional services and
adding new ones within the cloud integrated environment. The main results of
our work are focused on enhancing the effectiveness of the scientist's research
and development lifecycle in the arbitrary domain area.Comment: In English, 13 pages, 1 figure, 1 table, added references in Russian.
Published. Prepared for special issue (UkrPROG 2018 conference) of the
scientific journal "Problems of programming" (Founder: National Academy of
Sciences of Ukraine, Institute of Software Systems of NAS Ukraine
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