1,191 research outputs found
Blogs in Higher Education : encouraging self-reflective learning in group assessments for Business Students
This article analyses and assesses the inclusion of blogs in higher education learning and teaching, and its use as an enabler for reflective learning, particularly in the context of group work. The research reports on findings from existing literature and from an isolated ob-servation of a class of 130 business students at undergraduate level. Two main areas for discussion have been defined: the impact of blogs on group work and the impact of blogs on student engagement. It has been found that the use of blogs in teaching and assessment deepens studentsâ individual learning experience and increases group performance through the application of Kolbâs Learning Cycle. Kolbâs theory has been used as guidance in tailoring blog tasks and activities. Overall, blog activities have minimised issues between group members and allowed for a more flexible and positive learning experience throughout the duration of group work; it was also found that students engaged in blog writing were able to motivate their peers to write on their own blogs too. Moreover, a relation between blog writing and better overall achievement in learning has been found.Peer reviewe
Enhancement of the 21st Century Skills for Thai Higher Education by Integration of ICT in Classroom
AbstractThis research studied the effect of integration of information and communication technology (ICT) in classroom for enhancing 21st century learning skills which included collaboration, communication, information literacy, media literacy, and ICT literacy. In this study, based on learning theories and student-centered approach, integration of ICT included four effective functions; dynamic content presentation, information access, creation and sharing, interaction and reflection. Seven educational technology experts evaluated these functions by an assessment tool. The evaluation showed that the integration was appropriated. The integration was then applied into teaching and learning process throughout the course to study the effect. 69 undergraduate students and 22 graduate students in two different 4-months courses were target studied. The students were assessed themselves by a 21st century learning skill assessment tool before and after courses. The results showed that integration of ICT in classroom could enhance the 21st century learning skills for both undergraduate and graduate levels significantly with high effect size
Infusing technology in pre service teacher education programs in Portugal : an experience with weblogs
Abstract: This paper presents an experience of internet integration in pre service teacher
education programs in Portugal. Participated in the study 26 student teachers, 14 from Natural
Sciences (S) and 12 from Foreign Language classes (L). Future teachers were encouraged to set up and maintain a weblog for their future students over a period of ten weeks during the 2nd semester of 2005/2006 in Educational Technology course (ET). The post-course survey and informal observations confirmed that, though not having prior experience of web design,
student teachers enjoyed the experience and that the learning of a new-based technology such as blogging was something they felt complemented and enriched their pre service education.
Results also point out differences between S and L students that can serve as interesting cues for the design of teacher education curricula in Portugal according to the Bologne Reform
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The eLIDA CAMEL model of collaborative partnership: a community of practice in design for learning
Using a communities of practice (CoP) e-learning model for collaborative partnership in Design for Learning (D4L) can facilitate successful innovation while enabling ongoing 'critical friend' appraisals of effective practice. This paper reports on 21 e-learning case studies collected by the JISC-funded UK eLIDA CAMEL Design for Learning Project. The project implemented and evaluated learning design (LD) tools in higher and further education within the JISC Design for Learning pedagogic e-learning programme in 2006-07. Project partners carried out user evaluations on innovative tools with a learning design functionality, collecting design for learning case studies and LD sequences in a range of post-16/HE contexts using LAMS and Moodle. The project brought together learning activity sequences from post-16/HE partners into a collaborative e-learning community of practice based on the CAMEL (Collaborative Approaches to the Management of e-Learning) model, contributing to international developments in design for learning. This paper briefly provides an overview of the key project outputs in terms of their contribution to e-learning innovations, including evaluation results from teachers and students using online surveys. The paper explores intentionality in the development of a community of practice in design for learning, reporting on trials of learning design and social software in bridging tensions between formalised intra-institutional e-learning relationships and inter-institutional project team dynamic D4L practitioner development. Following a brief report of practitioner D4L e-learning case studies and student feedback, the catalytic role of the 'critical friend' is highlighted and recommended as a key ingredient in the successful development of a nomadic model of communities of practice in the management of e-learning projects. eLIDA CAMEL Partners included the Association of Learning Technology (ALT), JISC infoNet, three universities and five FE/Sixth Form Colleges. Results reported to the UK JISC Experts' Pedagogy Group demonstrated e-learning innovations by practitioners in D4L case studies, illuminated by the role of the 'critical friend', Professor Mark Stiles of Staffordshire University. The project also benefited from case study evaluations by Dr Liz Masterman of Oxford University Learning Technologies Group and the leading work of ALT and JISC infoNet in the development of the CAMEL model
Promoting tertiary level students' critical thinking through the use of Socratic questioning on the blog
Over the past decade, much has been done to improve students' critical thinking in education. This study investigates if applying Socratic questioning on the blog can promote students' critical thinking. It applies a generic model, which associates with three fundamental components. Participants were an intact class of tertiary level students enrolled in an obligatory course. Students practiced Socratic questioning during face-to-face and online sessions. To serve this goal, they were asked to be attentive and share their ideas or questions with other students on the blog. Students' critical thinking ability was assessed using the Cornell Critical Thinking Test before and after they were trained in Socratic questioning. The results showed that the Socratic questioning training had a significant positive change on students' critical thinking ability. If students master the art of Socratic questioning, they can bring it into various courses they take. They can also use it in different discussions they engage in, and apply it not only in raising and asking questions about what is taught, but also in making questions concerning the issues in their daily life in a meaningful way
Pedagogy of the connected: New media landscapes and the challenges of journalism education
This article proposes a dialogical teaching paradigm based on Paulo Freire's conception of critical pedagogy. It argues that Web 2.0 technologies are uniquely suitable for such an approach. It moves from theory to prescription. It begins with a survey of the current media landscape and state of journalism. In the light of these, it makes a case for an approach to journalism education in which civic function is complemented by technical proficiency. Based on extant scholarship and the author's experience as a new media practitioner and educator, the article notes the distinctive features of Web 2.0 technologies that make it particularly amenable to such an approach. It focuses on two specific ones - blogs and wikis- to suggest ways in which the learning experience can be enhanced. But it emphasizes that absent the awareness of journalism's civic function, technical skills may enhance employability, but they won't bring professional respect. To compete in a saturated field, journalists will have to show both technical facility and civic responsibility
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MIND MAPPING TECHNIQUE BY USING WEBLOG IN IMPROVING STUDENTSâ ISLAMIC WRITING: ACHIEVEMENT AND INSIGHT
The goals of this study were to learn about students' perspectives on literature and blogs for teaching Islamic values to the millennial generation. This research was mixed-methods research. The subject of this study was the millennial generation at the Islamic State Institute Curup, especially students of the English Tadris Study Program. The instruments were questionnaires and interviews. This study included 30 students as participants. The findings of the poll reveal that most students have a favourable view of the use of the mind-mapping approach by utilising weblogs to improve Islamic writing. The implementation of the mind-mapping technique by using a weblog to improve Islamic writing makes students more active and interested in learning Islamic topics. Students also understand more about some Islamic topics that they read or upload to their web blogs. Students are interested in learning more about Islam by using this media. They read more topics about Islam and give their opinions about those in their Islamic literature web blog. It may be stated that a blog can be used as a form of social media and is effective and positive for teaching Islamic values to students
Web 2.0 tools in pre-service teacher education programs: an example from Portugal
The main goal of this project was to verify the importance of providing technological-rich experiences with Web 2.0 tools in pre-service teacher education programs as a way for teacher´s to integrate technologies in the classroom as transformative learning strategies. As educators in a public university we assume that the failure of ICT integration in Portuguese schools is due to a lack of professional development of teachers in technology-supported pedagogy. Different Web 2.0 tools â blogs, wiki, Google Page Creator, Google Docs â were explored by pre-service teacher´s with different pedagogical goals: to build individual/group e-portfolios, to enhance cooperation and collaboration, to facilitate interaction and communication competencies. Results are presented and discussed in order to infer a set of guidelines to help teacher educators and professional development providers to incorporate in teacher education programs regarding the use of Web 2.0 technologies for teaching and learning.Universidade do Minho. Centro de Investigação em Educação (CIEd)
Using Blogs to Foster Inquiry, Collaboration, and Feedback in Pre-Service Teacher Education
This chapter presents a critical case study on the use of information technology in a pre-service teacher education program. The authors integrated Weblogs (blogs) into two constructivist-oriented teacher preparation courses with the goal of helping students learn to think like a teacher through enhanced inquiry, collaboration, and feedback. The authors found that, through the use of blogs, pre-service teaching candidates grew in their abilities to reflect on their own teaching and to provide constructive comments to peers. The authorsâ experience also indicated that while instructor and peer feedback via blogs was valuable, it functioned best when paired with face-to-face meetings between the instructors and students. They discussed design principles for combining online and face-to-face environments and offer possibilities for the expanded use of blogs in pre-service teacher education
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