Autonomous learning through task-based instruction in fully online language courses

This study investigated the affordances for autonomous learning in a fully online learning environment involving the implementation of task-based instruction in conjunction with Web 2.0 technologies. To that end, four-skill-integrated tasks and digital tools were incorporated into the coursework. Data were collected using midterm reflections, post-surveys and final interviews from two online elementary language courses. The results indicate that the types of tasks and digital tools utilized fostered learner autonomy in different ways. Structured tasks enabled students to work independently to create content, whereas open-ended tasks allowed them more freedom in exploring the understanding of a particular topic through social interaction. Significantly, teacher scaffolding through modeling and timely feedback affected student self-regulated efforts in online learning. The study concludes that personal commitment to the coursework and cognitive engagement with the learning material contributed to the degree of learning autonomy and the level of social interaction in fully online language learning

Co-creating an educational space

In this paper I generate my living educational theory as an explanation of my educational influences in learning as I research my tutoring with practitioner researchers from a variety of workplace backgrounds. I will show how I have closely inter-related the teaching learning and research processes by providing opportunities for participants to accept responsibility for their own learning and to develop their capacity as learners and researchers. My PhD enquiry ‘How am I creating a pedagogy of the unique through a web of betweenness?’ (Farren, 2006) was integral to the development of my own practice as higher education educator. I clarified the meaning of my embodied values in the course of their emergence in practice. I try to provide an educational space where individuals can create knowledge in collaboration with others. I believe dialogue is fundamental to the learning process. It is a way of opening up to questions and assumptions rather than accepting ready-made solutions. The originality of the contribution is in the constellation of values and understandings I use as explanatory principles in my explanations of educational influence. This constellation includes the unusual combination of an educational response to the flow of energy and meaning in Celtic spirituality and the educational opportunities for learning opened up by digital technology

Learning from the learners' experience: e-Learning@greenwich post-conference reflections

This publication comprises papers from presenters who, having made a conference presentation, were invited to author an academic paper about their work

Collaborative podcasts and videocasts for english language proficiency development in a 10th grade.

Esta tesis presenta una investigación cualitativa con 33 estudiantes, de 2015 a 2017. Esta tesis aborda el proceso de implementación de una propuesta de desarrollo de habilidades mediada por el uso de dos tipos de herramientas tecnológicas y los diferentes análisis y revelaciones de cada etapa. del proyecto. El proceso de investigación se centró en el desarrollo de sub-habilidades orales y auditivas, utilizado podcasts y videocasts, en un grupo de estudiantes de décimo grado para proporcionar espacios de expresión y Opinión en inglés. La primera parte describe la propuesta, incluyendo las razones por las cuales el Se lleva a cabo la investigación. La segunda parte revisa las teorías relacionadas con el aprendizaje colaborativo y la gestión de Podcasts y videocasts para la enseñanza del inglés. La tercera parte explica el diseño de la investigación, Destacando los objetivos, definiendo procedimientos, etapas, e implementación. Después de tres etapas de intervención del maestro, algunos hallazgos fueron hechos por la observación y Análisis de los datos recogidos, talleres, diseño y desarrollo de podcast y video. archivos. Este estudio aborda temas del contexto socioeducativo sobre el papel de las nuevas tecnologías. En el desarrollo de habilidades de interacción, en una lengua extranjera.This thesis presents a qualitative research with 33 students, from 2015 to 2017. This thesis addresses the process of implementing a skills development proposal mediated by the use of two types of technological tools and the different analysis and revelations of each stage of the project. The research process focused on the development of oral and listening sub-skills, used podcasts and videocasts, in a group of tenth graders to provide spaces of expression and opinion in English. The first part describes the proposal including the reasons for which the investigation is carried out. The second part reviews the theories related to collaborative learning and management of podcasts and videocasts for English teaching. The third part explains the research design, highlighting the objectives, defining procedures, stages, and implementation. After three stages of teacher intervention, some findings were made by the observation and analysis of the data collected, workshops, design and development of podcast and video files. This study addresses issues of socio-educational context about the role of new technologies in the development of interaction skills, in a foreign language

The impact of technology: value-added classroom practice: final report

This report extends Becta’s enquiries into the ways in which digital technologies are supporting learning. It looks in detail at the learning practices mediated by ICT in nine secondary schools in which ICT for learning is well embedded. The project proposes a broader perspective on the notion of ‘impact’ that is rather different from a number of previous studies investigating impact. Previous studies have been limited in that they have either focused on a single innovation or have reported on institutional level factors. However, in both cases this pays insufficient attention to the contexts of learning. In this project, the focus has been on the learning practices of the classroom and the contexts of ICT-supported learning. The study reports an analysis of 85 lesson logs, in which teachers recorded their use of space, digital technology and student outcomes in relation to student engagement and learning. The teachers who filled in the logs, as well as their schools’ senior managers, were interviewed as part of a ‘deep audit’ of ICT provision conducted over two days. One-hour follow-up interviews with the teachers were carried out after the teachers’ log activity. The aim of this was to obtain a broader contextualisation of their teaching

Podcasting as a way to improve teacher trainees’ ability to make proper sentence stress

153 Páginas.El presente es un reporte de un proyecto de investigación acción que se llevo a cabo con 26 estudiantes del programa de Licenciatura en Inglés de la Universidad del Tolima, con el fin de identificar el efecto de usar archivos de audio digitales (podcasts) como herramienta para mejorar los acentos de frase en ingles. El proyecto conectó los conceptos de andragogía, podcasting, inteligibilidad y acentos de frase. Los datos fueron recolectados usando dos encuestas, (una al principio y otra al final de la implementación), archivos de audio y diarios elaborados por los estudiantes. Dichos datos revelaron que aun cuando el avance a nivel de acentos en frases en inglés no resultó ser tan significativo, los estudiantes percibieron las actividades de manera muy positiva y manifestaron que el trabajo con los archivos de audio les había sido muy útil al auto-evaluar su pronunciación y al enriquecer su repertorio de herramientas pedagógicas para su docencia

Accounting Education in Greece During the GFC (2009-2016)

The structure of accounting education in Greece, and in the world, is facing nowadays many significant challenges since the global financial crisis has left behind many critical educational burdens. At the same time, there is an increase in accounting omissions and malpractices of ethics both in the public and in the private sector of Greece. These undoubtedly contributed to massive unemployment, high poverty rate, crime and other social ills experienced in the country. This motivated the study on restructuring accounting education by devising a new educational framework that can be applied to Greek universities and colleges with the purpose of preparing finest and ethical professionals. Data were collected through interviews and questionnaires administered to accounting professors and accounting professionals in Greece. Data were analyzed using content analysis for the recorded interviews and descriptive statistics for the questionnaires. The study revealed that the accountancy program of Greek universities as currently structured is outdated and inappropriate in terms of helping graduates acquire the skills and competencies needed in the real world. In addition, both professors and professionals recognized many ethical lessons learned derived from the global financial crisis. The study also indicated an obvious potential to introduce further innovations in the content, delivery, and assessment of a new accounting curriculum. Hence, the researcher recommended a new educational framework, which would significantly respond, react to the marketplace demands though integrating and/or redesigning content and teaching mechanisms in the university accountancy program to develop graduates’ skills and build a link between the profession, academics, and industry

Blended Learning in Higher Education: Exploring Students' Perceptions of Course Design, Pedagogical Approaches, and Use of Technology in an Undergraduate Visual Arts Course

Arts educators have been experiencing the pressures of current and emerging technologies and technological tools that are transforming the teaching and learning process in visual and performing arts fields in higher education. Literature demonstrates that more studies are needed on the experiences of instructors and students, and the course design choices, implementation, and uses of blended learning in higher education in the creative disciplines. Existing research on blended learning indicates that more studies on student perceptions of blended learning are needed. This qualitative case study investigated an introductory course in art history offered in the blended format to students not majoring in visual arts. I explored three research questions on the types of pedagogical and technological choices the instructor made when designing and teaching the course and the ways in which students responded to these decisions, as well as what aspects of the course were associated with student engagement. In order to investigate these research questions, I interviewed 24 students enrolled in the course, three teaching-assistants (TAs), and the course instructor, I observed face-to-face tutorials, and reviewed the course and tutorial sites in learning management system (LMS). I argue that although students prefer the flexibility that blended course design offers, interaction with the instructor is a significant aspect to maintain student engagement. Innovative means of assessment that is using the social media microblog, Twitter, for one of the assignments engaged students in writing about art and added to their satisfaction in the course. Recommendations and areas for future research are discussed

Mobile apps for reflection in learning: A design research in K-12 education

This study takes a design-based research approach to explore how applications designed for mobile devices could support reflection in learning in K-12 education. Use of mobile devices is increasing in schools. Most of the educational apps support single-person use of interactive learning materials, simulations and learning games. Apps designed to correspond to collaborative learning paradigms, such as collaborative progressive inquiry or project-based learning, are scarce. In these pedagogical approaches, reflection plays an important role. This paper presents a design-based research study of mobile device apps, ReFlex and TeamUp, that are specifically designed for use in student-centred and collaborative school learning, in which continuous reflection is an important part of the learning process. The design of the apps has relied on earlier research on digital tools for reflection and research about mobile devices in classroom learning. The design of the apps was accomplished as part of the qualitative design-based research conducted with a total of 165 teachers in 13 European countries. As a characteristic for a design-based research, the results of the study are twofold: practical and theoretical. The apps designed, ReFlex and TeamUp, are practical results of the qualitative research carried out in schools with teachers and students to understand the design challenges and opportunities in schools, to renew their pedagogical practices and to take new tools in use. To understand better the capacity of the apps to facilitate reflection, we analysed the apps in light of earlier studies concerning the levels of reflection that digital tools may support and categorisations of affordances that mobile device apps may provide for classroom learning. Our research indicates that there is potential for fostering the practice of reflection in classroom learning through the use of apps for audio-visual recordings.Peer reviewe