Designing an e-Model for Open and Distance Learning in Pakistan

This descriptive research focused on designing an e-model for open and distance learning (ODL) in Pakistan. After studying various e-models, blended learning and issues relating to ODL in Pakistan, the researcher designed and executed an e-model on a group of students. The researcher designed and offered online Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching of English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) offered by Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) Islamabad, Pakistan. The participants’ feedback supported e-model as a solution to their problems which they were facing in traditional ODL programs. The online courses improved their learning, reduced their expenses incurred on attending tutorials, improved tutor-students and student-student interaction. Keywords: e-learning, open and distance learning, English language teachin

Advanced photonic and electronic systems - WILGA 2017

WILGA annual symposium on advanced photonic and electronic systems has been organized by young scientist for young scientists since two decades. It traditionally gathers more than 350 young researchers and their tutors. Ph.D students and graduates present their recent achievements during well attended oral sessions. Wilga is a very good digest of Ph.D. works carried out at technical universities in electronics and photonics, as well as information sciences throughout Poland and some neighboring countries. Publishing patronage over Wilga keep Elektronika technical journal by SEP, IJET by PAN and Proceedings of SPIE. The latter world editorial series publishes annually more than 200 papers from Wilga. Wilga 2017 was the XL edition of this meeting. The following topical tracks were distinguished: photonics, electronics, information technologies and system research. The article is a digest of some chosen works presented during Wilga 2017 symposium. WILGA 2017 works were published in Proc. SPIE vol.10445

The Nature of Complex Blends: Transformative Problem-Based Learning and Technology in Irish Higher Education

This chapter discusses the complexities of blending technologies and problem-based learning (PBL) group interaction within the context of academic development in higher education. For both designers and tutors, it is important to seek best practices for combining instructional strategies in face-to-face and computer-mediated environments that take advantage of the strengths of each and avoid inherent weaknesses. A qualitative case study of the lived experiences of 17 academic staff participants in a blended PBL module over a two year period was considered likely to provide a much-needed analysis of current thinking and practice on the potential of interaction in this form of higher education professional academic development. Specific aspects of interaction (technical, peer, content, and the learning experience) within blended PBL tutorials are analysed to provide research-based evidence on the realities of delivering a PBL programme using technology. The study reported in the chapter argues that the intersection of PBL and learning technologies can offer an innovative way of teaching and learning and is a reflection of pedagogy and technology as an integrated model that can work effectively together. The findings show that the synergy from the collaborative blended PBL approach in this module can result in the coherent and comprehensive provision of training, support, and research throughout higher education institutions

Open and Distance Education in Asia, Africa and the Middle East

This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. This book describes the history, structure and institutions of open and distance education in six countries: China, India, Russia, Turkey, South Africa and South Korea. It describes how open and distance education is evolving in a digital age to reflect the needs and circumstances of the national higher education systems in these countries. It also explores the similarities and differences between how their open and distance higher education systems are managed and structured. This book is the second in a series, following Open and Distance Education in Australia, Europe and the Americas (Springer 2018). Both books compare and draw conclusions about the nature of open and distance education in the context of various national higher education systems. In a digital era characterized by the growing use of online, open and distance education, this book will prove particularly valuable for policy-makers and senior administrators who want to learn about establishing or expanding open and distance education services. In addition, it offers a valuable reference guide for researchers, academics and students interested in understanding the different approaches to open and distance education

Digital reference services in university libraries of Pakistan

The development of information and communication technologies, and wide spread of the Internet and its associated technologies have brought about tremendous changes in the reference department of academic libraries, and in the attitudes and expectations of both information professionals and users. Many academic libraries across the globe have embraced Web technologies to fulfil users reference needs in a digital environment. This study aimed to investigate and analyse digital reference services (DRS) in university libraries in Pakistan. It focused on the nature and level of DRS, technologies used for the provision of the service, usage, staffing, marketing, funding, ICT infrastructure available for the service, and looked at the issues faced by academic libraries in implementing and managing the service. A mixed methods research approach combining both quantitative and qualitative methods was employed to achieve the aim and objectives of the study. The quantitative data for the study were collected through an online survey. A total of eighty five university libraries (both in public and private sectors) from all the four provinces, the federal capital and Azad Jammu & Kashmir participated in the survey. The quantitative data were supplemented by the qualitative data which were gathered through semi-structured interviews with the heads of fifteen leading university libraries. Findings suggest that DRS is at an early development stage in university libraries in Pakistan, with a small number of libraries offering the service. Most of the academic libraries which have implemented this cutting-edge service, are large libraries equipped with good human and technological resources. The libraries have mostly developed asynchronous digital reference systems by employing e-mail and web forms. The usage of the service is lower than that of in-person reference in academic libraries due to factors, such as libraries failure to effectively market the service, lack of ICT skills among users, lack of ICT facilities available for users. It was found that the libraries lack skilled and competent LIS professionals to staff the service. Factors contributing to the scarcity of skilled human resources in academic libraries include the lack of in-house training for DRS, shortage of continuing professional development courses in the country, and deficiencies in LIS curricula offered by the country s library schools. A number of issues which affect the implementation and management of DRS in academic libraries have been identified. They include: scarcity of competent human resources; access to appropriate digital resources; unavailability of suitable software for DRS; financial constraints; lack of ICT facilities; absence of a digital reference policy; lack of ICT application; paucity of resources; electricity supply; inadequate physical facilities; lack of local research and literature on DRS

The Impact of E-Readiness on ELearning Success in Saudi Arabian Higher Education Institutions

This research investigates how e-readiness impacts the success of e-learning initiatives in Saudi Arabia’s higher education institutions. The research model assesses this relationship taking into account the unique attributes of teachers, students and administrator in higher education institutions. Seven dimensions constituting the component factors of e-readiness were identified including policy and institutional business strategy, pedagogy, technology, interface design, management, administrative and resource support as well as evaluation and continual improvement. Also six dimensions which constitute the component factors of e-learning success including system, information and service qualities, use and user satisfaction as well as net benefits were also identified. The research hypothesizes, construct and test structural equation models (SEM) on the current levels of e-readiness of Saudi Arabian higher education institutions to successfully implement e-learning initiatives. Research instrument was developed using a pool of items generated from literature. The instruments used were verified and confirmed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Results of EFA, CFA indicated the measurement scale can serve as reliable and valid tool to assess the relationship between e-readiness and e-learning success in Saudi Arabian higher education institutions. Structural equation modelling was used to test this relationship and to assess the applicability of the study’s theoretical framework to different and multiple groups. The unique attributes of teachers, students and administrator to achieve meaningful comparisons across groups were considered and the results exhibit adequate cross-group equivalence which was achieved at different levels. Finding confirmed the universality of the five dimensions of e-readiness to have significant effects on the six dimensions of e-learning success. Additionally, the findings indicated stability of the relationships among the variables within the structural equation model and it isn’t influenced by differences of teachers, students, and administrators either conceptually or psychometrically. The current work contributes to our knowledge of e-learning through the lens of theoretical insights and empirical findings. The implications of the research in the context of Saudi Arabia are discussed and it is intended that the findings from this research can be used to inform strategic decision making towards harnessing the power of e-learning in the country’s higher institutions of learning

Evaluating MOOCs' Long-Term Impact: A Theory of Change Approach

MOOCs are increasingly positioned as helping achieve educational equity in the Global South (Laurillard & Kennedy, 2017), often in connection with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” However, some argue that MOOCs strengthen the dominant academic culture of the West, to the exclusion of alternative voices, “exacerbating existing educational divisions” (Czerniewicz et al., 2014, p. 122). Consequently, there have been calls for more locally relevant MOOCs in the Global South with respect to both pedagogy and content. There has also been demand for rigorous evaluation of MOOCs’ long-term impact on learners and other stakeholders in diverse contexts, in order to ascertain whether such courses are achieving their intended outcomes.This chapter details a new approach to evaluating MOOCs’ long-term impact on participants and other stakeholders, across diverse contexts. The approach, which adapts the “theory of change” (ToC) model, common for planning and evaluating international development interventions, is particularly suitable for evaluating professional development-focused MOOCs

Determining if Instructional Delivery Model Differences Exist in Remedial English

The purpose of this causal comparative study is to test the theory of no significant difference that compares pre- and post-test assessment scores, controlling for the instructional delivery model of online and face-to-face students at a Mid-Atlantic university. Online education and virtual distance learning programs have increased in popularity and enrollment since their inception. Students tend to enroll in online courses for their flexibility and convenience and find online courses to be just as challenging as face-to-face courses (Pastore & Carr-Chellman, 2009). Russell (1999) conducted a meta-analysis which found that there were no significant differences between the modes of class delivery on student achievement and learning. Current research supports this analysis; it has been shown that students and instructors perceive online learning to be just as effective as face-to-face (Liaw, Huang, & Chen, 2007). Bloom\u27s Taxonomy has been used to structure the thinking process in education. Elevating an awareness of pedagogical shifting across delivery models will likely lead to more effective university teaching in both face-to-face and distance programs (Girod & Wojcikiewicz, 2009). Utilizing an ANCOVA, research was conducted pre and post instruction that determined differences existed based on the instructional delivery model in a remedial English course favoring face-to-face instruction. Further, regarding the occurrence of higher order thinking skills, statistical analysis based on a t-test indicated that online students more frequently exhibit this skill versus students enrolled in face-to-face instruction

Staff development and wider institutional approaches around technology enhanced learning in higher education institutions in the United Kingdom from the heads of e-learning perspective

This thesis presents the findings of a mixed methods study conducted in the context of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). More specifically, it focuses on the Heads of e-Learning (HeLs) perspective of the needs of tutors who teach in blended and online environments, the ways HEIs in the United Kingdom (UK) address these needs and on institutional issues around the deployment and support of Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) by campus-based institutions. The HeLs’ perspectives are also compared to Laurillard's conversational framework for the effective use of learning technologies. The literature review in the area of staff development on TEL offers an analysis of the key issues and provides a useful backcloth for this research; the TEL context in UK HEIs is discussed, the terminology is clarified and learning theories are briefly looked at, prior to the more detailed description of staff development models and approaches around TEL. The research design follows a mixed methods approach. The informants in both phases of this research were the HeLs in various UK HEIs. Using an online questionnaire, quantitative data were gathered on the various ways that the staff development needs of the lecturers in blended and online learning have been addressed by UK HEIs. Simple frequencies and cross tabulations were applied to the data. During the second phase of this research, thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted. The questionnaire findings – interviews’ outline chapter describes and analyses the research findings from the online questionnaire and provides information about the interviewees and outlines the way the interview questions were developed over time. Further discussion, integration and interpretation of both phases of this research takes place in the discussion – integration of findings chapter. The study concludes by re-addressing the research questions and by pointing out its achievements as well as its limitations