A tutorial task and tertiary courseware model for collaborative learning communities

RAED provides a computerised infrastructure to support the development and administration of Vicarious Learning in collaborative learning communities spread across multiple universities and workplaces. The system is based on the OASIS middleware for Role-based Access Control. This paper describes the origins of the model and the approach to implementation and outlines some of its benefits to collaborative teachers and learners

Factors influencing the success of computer mediated communication (CMC) environments in university teaching: a review and case study

Despite its potential benefits, the effectiveness of CMC when used to support learning in higher education is very variable, making it important to identify those factors which best predict successful implementations. A review of the literature from the past few years, presented in the first half of this paper, suggests that, consistent with Activity Theory (Leont'ev, 1978), the critical factors are those which provide a context and rationale for online communication by helping users to establish a shared purpose. However, generating empirical support for this hypothesis presents two kinds of methodological problem: specifying the methods and measures necessary to discern the existence and impact of shared purpose; and dealing with the difficulties of making controlled comparisons in this area. The second half of the paper illustrates, via an implementation case study, something of how these methodological problems might be resolved, and presents evidence in favour of the central importance of shared purpose

An Evaluation in China and the UK of a Virtual Laboratory in Materials Science

This thesis describes the design, development and evaluation of virtual technology-based courseware—Virtual Laboratory in Materials Science used in a tension test that forms part of the course of “Properties of Materials” taught to most first year engineering undergraduates. The effectiveness of this specially developed courseware for virtual laboratory work was evaluated in a pretest—posttest comparative study of the performance of designated subjects between two treatment groups that worked with the courseware and two control groups that worked with a real testing machine. All participants were engineering students studying either with the United Kingdom Open University (UKOU) or with the China Radio & TV University system (CRTVUs). The findings showed that most students enjoyed using the courseware because the simulated real experiment environment can make them feel personally on the scene. Among all the media used in the courseware, 3D and images were more favoured and more helpful to the students in terms of the usability of the courseware. Sounds were not seen as particularly helpful although some participants agreed sounds made the courseware more interesting. The result of the research indicated that using the Virtual Laboratory in Materials Science could make a contribution to students’ understanding of the tensile testing. This evaluation clearly revealed that virtual reality (VR) and virtual environments (VE) technology can facilitate and support engineering course learning or even make learning fun. But when used at times when there were steps that need lots of manipulation, the virtual experiment still had some difficulties that need to be resolved. The research showed that the potential of the virtual testing courseware in promoting concept teaching needs to be tapped further

Appropriate assessment for resource based learning in networked environments

Recent advances in the use of information and communications technologies in Higher Education have led to an explosion of interest in networked learning, which offers the potential for more open ended and flexible study in an ODL context. Anew generation of resource based courses in networked environments combines access to a wide variety of resources in electronic form, with the construction and negotiation of meaning through online collaborative interaction. This study set out to establish what assessment strategies might be appropriate to support student learning in this context.A case study of one Open University undergraduate course was undertaken over a three year period, with three cohorts of students, and the findings were compared with a short study of a second postgraduate course. The research explored perspectives on resource based learning in networked environments and highlighted aspects of assessment which appeared to support learning effectively. These findings led to the refining of assessment in later course presentations, demonstrating a successful interplay between evaluation and teaching practice.The study has confirmed that the assessment strategy must be aligned with the exercise of self-directed learning, whilst developing information handling and online collaborative skills, and allowing scope for open-ness and flexibility in content. The extent to which these criteria for design are important will depend on the stage of development of the students, and the aims, and degree of openness of the course.The experience here shows that it is important to identify and differentiate between appropriate skills required for a course, and those which the course will seek to develop, so that the assessment can reflect these aims

Process of change in teaching and learning in higher education : integrating information and communication technology

Merged with duplicate record 10026.1/876 on 01.02.2017 by CS (TIS)The focus of this thesis was inspired by a small study investigating the way in which students could learn co-operatively using computer-mediated communication. Lessons learnt about the significance of purpose, context, nature and design of courses involving Information and Communication Technology (ICT) led to the idea that a holistic view, involving the study of all aspects that contribute to the whole context, would be necessary to reach a better understanding of the process of change in teaching and learning. The opportunity to pursue this route materialised by being part of a team on a national, ESRC funded, project to undertake in-depth qualitative research in sixteen UK universities to explore innovations in teaching and learning. Questions regarding motivation for innovation as well as factors that promote or inhibit this process were posed to innovators and managers. Distance Learning methodologies involving ICT and a student-centred learning ethos were beginning to evolve in campus-based universities. As a result of progressive focusing the Open University was included as a case study and this research has formed the largest part of the thesis. The OU allowed further exploration into the emerging issues which included institutional culture, frameworks, policy and strategies employed to initiate and implement change in teaching and learning. The ways in which individuals or groups negotiate and initiate change were also investigated by two in-depth mini-case studies involving course teams in the process of developing new courses. Topdown and bottom-up perspectives from central managers and course team members contributed to this section. Finally, implementation aspects from one of the mini-case studies - an internet-based technology degree course - were explored. This produced some powerful insights into the whole process of change involving new technologies. The speed of internet development and global interest in exploiting the potential of ICT in education and training has resulted in pressure on institutions from national policy, funding bodies, market competition and individual educational innovators to move towards the integration of ICT in higher education provision. The findings, which indicate the need for flexibility, collaboration and continual evaluation and development, could assist institutions who have begun making this move.Stage One was funded by the University of Exeter, as it evolved from an internal research project - 'Computer Supported Cooperative Learning'; Stage Two was funded by an ESRC award as I was a research assistant on the 'Innovations in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education' project; Stage Three was funded by a studentship from the University of Plymouth

The design, implementation and evaluation of a web-based learning environment for distance education

In this study, the need was emphasised to investigate the effects of using the Web in teaching students at a distance using a multi-level evaluation framework. A Web-based learning environment was designed, developed, implemented and evaluated for this purpose. Constructivist epistemology provided the basis for developing various components and developing problem-centred and interactive activities. Management, tutorial, interaction and support components were designed to work with each other to construct the learning environment, deliver course content, facilitate interaction and monitor student progress.A methodology was designed to describe and assess the learning environment in terms of access (standardisation, speed, resources, the tutor and peers), costs (types, structure, factors influencing, etc.), teaching and learning functions (quality of course objectives, materials and resources, learning approach and student achievement), interactivity (quantity and quality of student-tutor and student-peer interaction), user-friendliness (user-interface design, ease of use and navigation design) and organisational issues. The learners were Egyptian first-grade secondary school students (32), assigned randomly, and the topic selected for the course being developed was mathematics. Feedback was obtained from both learners and experts in distance education and on-line learning during the developmental and field-testing of the learning environment. Quantitative and qualitative methods (on-line student and expert questionnaires, students' logs, performance in formative evaluation, content analysis of peer discussions, achievement test and cost-analysis) were combined to gain insights into students' satisfaction with the different instructional and technical features and capabilities of the learning environment, achievement of course objectives in comparison with conventional classroom students, factors influencing their learning and perceptions and the unit cost per student study hour.The results indicated that although the learning environment and course materials were accessible, interactive, well-structured, user-friendly and achievement was successful for the on-line group, no significant differences were identified between the on-line students and traditional classroom students in overall achievement or achievement of low-order and high-order learning objectives. In addition, it is unlikely any cost saving would be made from shifting to the Internet to deliver instruction and many major factors were found to influence the development and support costs of on-line learning