181,252 research outputs found
Reflections on Technology Acceptance in Higher Education
The use of new information technology impacts individual work as well as the whole organization. This paper illuminates some preliminary findings from an ongoing study about impacts of the new educational technology in educational organization and individual work. The main question answered in this article is why has information technology being taken into use in certain higher education cases and by whom? Empirical findings are discussed and compared with technology acceptance model (TAM) and theoretical extension of the model (TAM2). Findings suggest that perceived usefulness plays very crucial role when adapting new technology, but there are also other important factors
An Applied Study on Educational Use of Facebook as a Web 2.0 Tool: The Sample Lesson of Computer Networks and Communication
The main aim of the research was to examine educational use of Facebook. The
Computer Networks and Communication lesson was taken as the sample and the
attitudes of the students included in the study group towards Facebook were
measured in a semi-experimental setup. The students on Facebook platform were
examined for about three months and they continued their education
interactively in that virtual environment. After the-three-month-education
period, observations for the students were reported and the attitudes of the
students towards Facebook were measured by three different measurement tools.
As a result, the attitudes of the students towards educational use of Facebook
and their views were heterogeneous. When the average values of the group were
examined, it was reported that the attitudes towards educational use of
Facebook was above a moderate level. Therefore, it might be suggested that
social networks in virtual environments provide continuity in life long
learning.Comment: 11 page
Measurement of the production of charm jets tagged with D mesons in pp collisions at = 7 TeV
The production of charm jets in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass
energy of TeV was measured with the ALICE detector at the CERN
Large Hadron Collider. The measurement is based on a data sample corresponding
to a total integrated luminosity of , collected using a
minimum-bias trigger. Charm jets are identified by the presence of a D
meson among their constituents. The D mesons are reconstructed from their
hadronic decay DK. The D-meson tagged jets are
reconstructed using tracks of charged particles (track-based jets) with the
anti- algorithm in the jet transverse momentum range
and pseudorapidity
. The fraction of charged jets containing a D-meson
increases with from to . The distribution of D-meson tagged jets as a
function of the jet momentum fraction carried by the D meson in the
direction of the jet axis () is reported for two ranges
of jet transverse momenta, and
in the intervals
and , respectively. The
data are compared with results from Monte Carlo event generators (PYTHIA 6,
PYTHIA 8 and Herwig 7) and with a Next-to-Leading-Order perturbative Quantum
Chromodynamics calculation, obtained with the POWHEG method and interfaced with
PYTHIA 6 for the generation of the parton shower, fragmentation, hadronisation
and underlying event.Comment: 29 pages, 8 captioned figures, 3 tables, authors from page 24,
published version, figures at http://alice-publications.web.cern.ch/node/525
Planning for Success in Introducing and Embedding Technology to Enhance Learning
The authors reflect on the outcomes of recent change management projects for introducing technology into Higher Education in the UK and discuss key aspects which have led to success in the increasing use and subsequent embedding of learning technologies in the classroom. They focus on three areas where it is suggested that institutions need to ‘get it right’ in terms of justifying the expensive introduction of technology into the learning environment: the building and maintaining of the technical infrastructure; the provision of appropriate initial and continuing user support, which includes relating the use of technology to pedagogy; and the management of the impact of change on those who are faced with adapting to different ways of learning and teaching. These are mapped to a set of critical success factors by the authors. The paper investigate these firstly, via a case-study within a technology-focussed university, where its commitment to the enhancement of the student experience through using technology to support assessment and feedback mechanisms has increased. The authors explore how academics were encouraged to become further engaged within the process. Consequently, the use of technology in the classroom was no longer seen as being the preserve of a group of ‘enthusiasts’ or ‘early adopters’ but was perceived to be relevant to a wider user group. A further case-study shows how the critical success factors were applied to develop a flexible learning module within a more traditional teaching environment. This paper explores the importance of balancing underlying pedagogical approaches to the introduction of new technologies. It is proposed that while technology can be an excellent tool it should not drive the pedagogy. The aim finally is to ensure that throughout and following a period of change both academics and students can benefit from the appropriate use of technology to enhance learnin
YouTube as a repository : the creative practice of students as producers of Open Educational Resources
In this paper we present an alternative view of Open Educational Resources (OERs). Rather than focusing on open media resources produced by expert practitioners for use by peers and learners, we examine the practice of learners as active agents, producing open media resources using the devices in their pockets: their mobile phones. In this study, students are the producers and operate simultaneously as legitimate members of the YouTube community and producers of educational content for future cohorts. Taking an Action Research approach we investigated how student’s engagement with open media resources related to their creativity. Using Kleiman’s framework of fives conceptual themes which emerged from academics experiences of creativity (constraint, process, product, transformation, fulfillment), we found that these themes revealed the opportunities designed into the assessed task and provided a useful lens with which to view students’ authentic creative experiences.
Students’ experience of creativity mapped on to Kleiman’s framework, and was affected by assessment. Dimensions of openness changed across platforms, although the impact of authenticity and publication on creativity was evident, and the production of open media resources that have a dual function as OERs has clear benefits in terms of knowledge sharing and community participation.The transformational impacts for students were evident in the short term but would merit a longitudinal study. A series of conclusions are drawn to inform future practice and research
Reflections on 3 years of mlearning implementation (2007-2009)
This paper discusses the implications of 3 years of action research mlearning projects investigating the potential of mobile web 2.0 tools to facilitate social constructivist learning environments across multiple learning contexts. Highlighted are the design framework, identified critical success factors, and implementation strategy developed from the thirteen mlearning projects undertaken between 2007 and 2009. The projects encompassed five different courses, forming five case studies spanning from one to three years of implementation and refinement.
KEYWORDS
Mlearning, web 2.0, social constructivism
Recommended from our members
The Evolution of Student Engagement: Writing Improves Teaching in Introductory Biology
In response to calls for pedagogical reforms in undergraduate biology courses to decrease student attrition rates and increase active learning, this article describes one faculty member’s conversion from traditional teaching methods to more engaging forms of practice. Partially told as a narrative, this article illustrates a.) the way many faculty initially learn to teach by modeling the pedagogy from their own undergraduate programs; b.) the kind of support biology faculty may need to break out of traditional molds; c.) how writing can promote active learning; and d.) the impact of reformed pedagogy on student levels of engagement. The latter will be demonstrated through assessment results gathered from student surveys, reflective writing, and focus group interview. Ultimately, the study challenges misunderstandings some faculty might have regarding the value of writing in science classes and offers inspiration, urging critical reflection and persistence
- …