A blended approach in teaching an EAP course: Malaysian instructors’ perceptions of the new course materials

This paper reports on a study which examines instructors’ perceptions of the new commercial course materials that comprises a course book and online practice reinforcement activities. The materials were used to teach undergraduate English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course for Social Sciences at a Malaysian public university. This represents the main facet of the blended approach introduced when the course was redesigned. The sample comprises ten instructors who taught the course for one semester. Three qualitative instruments were utilized to elicit data namely, instructor-researcher reflective notes, focus group discussion and one-to-one interviews. The results of the study were generally positive, however, two main concerns were raised. The first was regarding the difficulty level of the reading comprehension activities in the course book which majority of the instructors felt were too simple and not challenging enough for their students. The second was on internet connectivity to the online practice website which the instructors felt was too slow and was unable to support the students efficiently. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the findings and provides suggestions for the next cycle of the researc

Patterns for Active E-learning in CMS Environments

The proliferation of course management systems (CMS) in the last decade stimulated educators in establishing novel active e-learning practices. Only a few of these practices, however, have been systematically described and published as pedagogic patterns. The lack of formal patterns is an obstacle to the systematic reuse of beneficial active e-learning experiences. This paper aims to partially fill the void by offering a collection of active e-learning patterns that are derived from our continuous course design experience in standard CMS environments, such as Moodle and Black-board. Our technical focus is on active e-learning patterns that can boost student interest in computing-related fields and increase student enrollment in computing-related courses. Members of the international e-learning community can benefit from active e-learning patterns by applying them in the design of new CMS-based courses – in computing and other technical fields

Developing sustainable business models for institutions’ provision of open educational resources: Learning from OpenLearn users’ motivations and experiences

Universities across the globe have, for some time, been exploring the possibilities for achieving public benefit and generating business and visibility through releasing and sharing open educational resources (OER). Many have written about the need to develop sustainable and profitable business models around the production and release of OER. Downes (2006), for example, has questioned the financial sustainability of OER production at scale. Many of the proposed business models focus on OER’s value in generating revenue and detractors of OER have questioned whether they are in competition with formal education. This paper reports on a study intended to broaden the conversation about OER business models to consider the motivations and experiences of OER users as the basis for making a better informed decision about whether OER and formal learning are competitive or complementary with each other. The study focused on OpenLearn - the Open University’s (OU) web-based platform for OER, which hosts hundreds of online courses and videos and is accessed by over 3,000,000 users a year. A large scale survey and follow-up interviews with OpenLearn users worldwide revealed that university provided OER can offer learners a bridge to formal education, allowing them to try out a subject before registering on a formal course and to build confidence in their abilities as learners. In addition, it was found that using OER during formal paid-for study can improve learners’ performance and self-reliance, leading to increased retention and satisfaction with the learning experience

A Review Of The Features Of Augmented Reality Science Textbook

This paper reviews several literatures concerning the features of Augmented Reality (AR) based textbook that could be applied for science learning in schools in order to make the learning process effective and interesting. The intervention of AR in science textbook could bring a tremendous impact on students’ attitude towards the science subject. Even though there are several other proven and astonishing technologies for learning, AR has been chosen because of its highly potential and immersive characteristics. AR overlays real and virtual environment and displays them simultaneously on a computer screen. This technology offers students with the ultimate imaginary and makes them feel the real experience with scientific concepts which is impossible to experience in real life. This paper identifies several interesting features that could be applied in science textbook. These features are able to cultivate positive attitude and motivate the students to perform well in the science subject. Even though, the existing textbook is comprehensive, there are some limitations that might influence students’ performance in the science subject. By adding some additional features into the textbook, it could overcome the limitations and motivates the students in the learning process. This paper will be of interest to researchers in the areas of Augmented Reality in education as well as science teachers in general. This paper aims to introduce AR based textbook so that it can be widely used in schools especially for science learning so as to motivate students to be more interested in science. The information about the features of Augmented Reality (AR) based textbook that have been discussed in this paper will hopefully be a very useful guidance for other researchers as well as science teachers in planning and developing their own AR based textboo

Open educational resources for all? Comparing user motivations and characteristics across The Open University’s iTunes U channel and OpenLearn platform.

With the rise in access to mobile multimedia devices, educational institutions have exploited the iTunes U platform as an additional channel to provide free educational resources with the aim of profile-raising and breaking down barriers to education. For those prepared to invest in content preparation, it is possible to produce interactive, portable material that can be made available globally. Commentators have questioned both the financial implications for platform-specific content production, and the availability of devices for learners to access it (Osborne, 2012). The Open University (OU) makes its free educational resources available on iTunes U and via its web-based open educational resources (OER) platform, OpenLearn. The OU’s OER on iTunes U reached the 60 million download mark in 2013; its OpenLearn platform boasts 27 million unique visitors since 2006. This paper reports the results of a large-scale study of users of the OU’s iTunes U channel and OpenLearn platform. A survey of several thousand users revealed key differences in demographics between those accessing OER via the web and via iTunes U. In addition, the data allowed comparison between three groups: formal learners, informal learners and educators. The study raises questions about whether university-provided OER meet the needs of users and makes recommendations for how content can be modified to suit their needs. As the publishing of OER becomes core to business, we reflect on reasons why understanding users’ motivations and demographics is vital, allowing for needs-led resource provision and content that is adapted to best achieve learner satisfaction, and to deliver institutions’ social mission

Learning in hybrid spaces as a technology-enhanced outdoor learning: Key terms

One of the ideas for improving urban green spaces is adding to them a virtual dimension, or - in other words - equipping them with some kind of technological infrastructure. Such spaces, combining a nature with technology, are named in many terms, e.g. outdoor cyber-mediated spaces, technologically enhanced urban green spaces, blended digital/urban green spaces or - what is the most precise - hybrid spaces. Hybrid space is quite innovative solution, because traditionally the natural environment and digital domains are seen as distinctly different. In addition, researchers agree that hybrid spaces offer an attractive learning context. Although little is known about learning in hybrid spaces. This paper defines learning in hybrid spaces as a technology-enhanced outdoor learning and discusses contextual key terms as technology-enhanced learning and outdoor learning, and also technological requirements for technology-enhanced outdoor learning, selected technologies of technology-enhanced outdoor learning such as personal digital assistant, e-library, quick response codes, Kinect-laptop-integrated system, geographic positioning system, digital textbooks, cloud computing; and finally design guidelines for technology-enhanced outdoor learning. This can be useful for anyone interested in educational use of hybrid spaces

Comparison of the frequency of mathematics teachers' use of mathematics textbooks in face-to-face and distance education

Understanding the variables that affect the use of textbooks are important for the development of eligible and preferable resources. In this research, the frequency of textbook usage in face-to-face and distance education was examined according to grade level, professional experience of teachers, and residential area of the schools in which teachers work. The sample of the study consists of 287 middle school mathematics teachers working in different state schools. Data was obtained through an online survey. This study showed that the frequency of textbook usage decreased as the grade level increased, and this decrease occurred both in face-to-face and distance education. However, it has been concluded that the frequency of textbook usage varies in both learning environments according to teaching experience, and that change is statistically significant. In face-to-face classrooms, it was determined that the location of the school was a determining factor in terms of the frequency of textbook usage, whereas, in distance education, the frequency of textbook usage did not statistically significantly differ according to school location. The rest of the findings are discussed in terms of teachers' experiences and attitudes.Öğrenme-öğretme sürecinin en önemli materyallerinden biri olan ders kitaplarının kullanımına etki eden değişkenleri anlamak, nitelikli ve tercih edilebilir kaynakların geliştirilebilmesi için önemlidir. Bu araştırmada, yüz yüze ve uzaktan eğitim sürecindeki ders kitabı kullanım sıklığı, öğretmenlerin mesleki deneyimleri ve görev yaptıkları okulların bulunduğu bölgedeki sosyo-ekonomik düzeylere göre sınanmıştır. Tarama deseni ile yürütülen çalışmanın katılımcılarını 287 ortaokul matematik öğretmeni oluşturmaktadır. Sınıf kademesi, mesleki deneyim ve yerleşim bölgesi dikkate alınarak oluşturulan örneklemden çevrimiçi anket yoluyla toplanan veriler, betimsel ve kestirimsel istatistik teknikleri ile analiz edilmiştir. Çalışma sonuçları, sınıf kademesi arttıkça ders kitabı kullanım oranının azaldığını ve bu azalışın hem yüz yüze hem de uzaktan eğitim sınıflarında gerçekleştiğini göstermiştir. Bununla birlikte, mesleki deneyime göre ders kitabı kullanım sıklığının hem yüz yüze hem de uzaktan öğretim sürecinde değiştiği ve bu değişimin istatistiksel olarak anlamlı olduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Yüz yüze eğitimde yerleşim bölgesinin ders kitabı kullanım sıklığı açısından belirleyici bir faktör olduğu, uzaktan eğitim sürecinde ise ders kitabı kullanım sıklığının yerleşim bölgesine göre istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir şekilde farklı olmadığı belirlenmiştir. Diğer bulgular öğretici deneyimi ve tutumları çerçevesinde tartışılmıştır

Sorting Through and Sorting Out: The State of Content Sharing in the E-Learning

On 22-24 September 2002, a group of 22 education and information technology specialists gathered on the campus of the University of California at Irvine (UCI), for a symposium on the state of educational "content sharing." (See participant list.) The meeting was sponsored by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Education Program and the UCI Distance Learning Center. This paper summarizes the themes that emerged from that gathering. Most papers can be characterized as collaborative, but this one is particularly deserving of that adjective. The presentation here is an attempt to synthesize the ideas of all the participants, expressed in numerous conversational and written exchanges pre-, during and post-meeting. While every effort has been made to present the range of views, surely not all participants would agree with the emphases and interpretations herein.This report includes a hyper-linked bibliography and footnotes for additional web-based material on e-learning topics. Links are provided for the reader's convenience only, and represent neither an endorsement nor a guarantee of the accuracy of the content of the associated sites. Comments and questions about this document are welcomed, however, and should be directed to the author or the meeting sponsors

A Review of the Open Educational Resources (OER) Movement: Achievements, Challenges, and New Opportunities

Examines the state of the foundation's efforts to improve educational opportunities worldwide through universal access to and use of high-quality academic content