40,699 research outputs found
Teaching and learning in live online classrooms
Online presence of information and services is pervasive. Teaching and learning are no exception. Courseware management systems play an important role in enhancing instructional delivery for either traditional day, full-time students or non-traditional evening, party-time adult learners enrolled in online programs. While online course management tools are with no doubt practical, they limit, however, live or synchronous communication to chat rooms, whose discourse has little in common with face-to-face class communication. A more recent trend in online teaching and learning is the adoption and integration of web conferencing tools to enable live online classrooms and recreate the ethos of traditional face-to-face sessions.
In this paper we present the experience we have had with the adoption of the LearnLincÂź web conferencing tool, an iLinc Communications, Inc. product. We have coupled LearnLinc with BlackboardÂź, for the online and hybrid computer science courses we offered in the past academic year in the evening undergraduate and graduate computer science programs at Rivier College. Twelve courses, enrolling over 150 students, have used the synchronous online teaching capabilities of LearnLinc. Students who took courses in the online or hybrid format could experience a comparable level of interaction, participation, and collaboration as in traditional classes.
We solicited student feedback by administering a student survey to over 100 students. The 55% response rate produced the data for this paper\u27s study. We report on the study\u27s findings and show students\u27 rankings of evaluation criteria applied to hybrid and online instructional formats, with or without a web conferencing tool. Our analysis shows that students ranked favorably LearnLinc live sessions added to Blackboard-only online classes. In addition, how they learned in live online classrooms was found to be the closest to the hybrid class experience with regard to teaching practices they perceived as most important to them, such as seeking instructor\u27s assistance, managing time on task, and exercising problem solving skills
Does gender matter in online learning?
It is generally noted that computing is gendered, with women opting out of IT. Will the impact of online learning change this? Some researchers claim that women are disadvantaged in online courses. Others argue that we need a âwomenâfriendly cyberâclassroomâ. Yet our experience is that the women achieve better results than the men; it is loner males that are disadvantaged by distance learning. We argue that online courses need to be peopleâfriendly so that no learners are disadvantaged
South Bolton Sixth Form College: report from the Inspectorate (FEFC inspection report; 64/94 and 10/98)
The Further Education Funding Council has a legal duty to make sure further education in England is properly assessed. The FEFCâs inspectorate inspects and reports on each college of further education according to a four-year cycle. This record comprises the reports for periods 1993-94 and 1997-98
Using Sociocultural Theory to Guide Teacher Use and Integration of Instructional Technology in Two Professional Development Schools
This article demonstrates how sociocultural theories can be used to support strategic structuring of professional development activities for preservice and practicing teachers on technology use and integration. Examples are drawn from the authors\u27 experiences with teachers in two professional development schools that participated in a four-year Preparing Tomorrow\u27s Teachers in Technology (PT3) project. After a review of sociocultural theory and their context, the authors describe three activity systems in these schools: one for practicing teachers, one for preservice teachers, and a joint preservice/practicing teacher system. Important supports for use and integration of technology built into each of these activity systems included varied activities aimed at both beginning and advanced technology users, multiple levels of assisted performance, and a collaborative culture that offered numerous opportunities for shared work. Lessons learned and implications for teacher educators involved in similar partnerships are outlined
App creation in schools for different curricula subjects - lesson learned
The next generation of jobs will be characterized by an increased demand for
people with computational and problem solving skills. In Austria, computer
science topics are underrepresented in school curricula hence teaching time for
these topics is limited. From primary through secondary school, only a few
opportunities exist for young students to explore programming. Furthermore,
today's teachers are rarely trained in computer science, which impairs their
potential to motivate students in these courses. Within the "No One Left
Behind" (NOLB) project, teachers were supported to guide and assist their
students in their learning processes by constructing ideas through game making.
Thus, students created games that referred to different subject areas by using
the programming tool Pocket Code, an app developed at Graz University of
Technology (TU-Graz). This tool helps students to take control of their own
education, becoming more engaged, interested, and empowered as a result. To
ensure an optimal integration of the app in diverse subjects the different
backgrounds (technical and non-technical) of teachers must be considered as
well. First, teachers were supported to use Pocket Code in the different
subjects in school within the feasibility study of the project. Observed
challenges and difficulties using the app have been gathered. Second, we
conducted interviews with teachers and students to underpin our onsite
observations. As a result, it was possible to validate Pocket Codes' potential
to be used in a diverse range of subjects. Third, we focused especially on
those teachers who were not technically trained to provide them with a
framework for Pocket Code units, e.g., with the help of structured lesson plans
and predefined templates.Comment: 10 pages, 5 tables EduLearn 201
Improving the Quality of Technology-Enhanced Learning for Computer Programming Courses
Teaching computing courses is a major challenge for the majority of lecturers in Libyan higher learning institutions. These courses contain numerous abstract concepts that cannot be easily explained using traditional educational methods. This paper describes the rationale, design, development and implementation stages of an e-learning package (including multimedia resources such as simulations, animations, and videos) using the ASSURE model. This training package can be used by students before they attend practical computer lab sessions, preparing them by developing technical skills and applying concepts and theories presented in lecture through supplementary study and exercises
An empirical study of the âprototype walkthroughâ: a studio-based activity for HCI education
For over a century, studio-based instruction has served as an effective pedagogical model in architecture and fine arts education. Because of its design orientation, human-computer interaction (HCI) education is an excellent venue for studio-based instruction. In an HCI course, we have been exploring a studio-based learning activity called the prototype walkthrough, in which a student project team simulates its evolving user interface prototype while a student audience member acts as a test user. The audience is encouraged to ask questions and provide feedback. We have observed that prototype walkthroughs create excellent conditions for learning about user interface design. In order to better understand the educational value of the activity, we performed a content analysis of a video corpus of 16 prototype walkthroughs held in two HCI courses. We found that the prototype walkthrough discussions were dominated by relevant design issues. Moreover, mirroring the justification behavior of the expert instructor, students justified over 80 percent of their design statements and critiques, with nearly one-quarter of those justifications having a theoretical or empirical basis. Our findings suggest that PWs provide valuable opportunities for students to actively learn HCI design by participating in authentic practice, and provide insight into how such opportunities can be best promoted
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