Learning from Digital Natives: Bridging Formal and Informal Learning. Final Report

Overview This report suggests that students are increasingly making use of a variety of etools (such as mobile phones, email, MSN, digital cameras, games consoles and social networking sites) to support their informal learning within formalised educational settings, and that they use the tools that they have available if none are provided for them. Therefore, higher education institutions should encourage the use of these tools. Aims and background This study aimed to explore how e-tools (such as mobile phones, email, MSN, digital cameras, games consoles and social networking sites) and the processes that underpin their use can support learning within educational institutions and help improve the quality of students’ experiences of learning in higher education (pgs 9-11). Methodology The study entailed: (i) desk research to identify related international research and practice and examples of integration of e-tools and learning processes in formal educational settings; (ii) a survey of 160 engineering and social work students across two contrasting Scottish universities (pre- and post-1992) – the University of Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian University – and follow-up interviews with eight students across the two subject areas to explore which technologies students were using for both learning and leisure activities within and outside the formal educational settings and how they would like to use such technologies to support their learning in both formal and informal settings; and (iii) interviews with eight members of staff from across the institutions and two subject areas to identify their perceptions of the educational value of the e-tools. (pgs 24-27). Key findings • Students reported making extensive use of a variety of both e-tools (such as mobile phones, email, MSN, digital cameras) and social networking tools (such as Bebo, MySpace, Wikipedia and YouTube) for informal socialisation, communication, information gathering, content creation and sharing, alongside using the institutionally provided technologies and learning environments. • Most of the students owned their own computer or had access to a sibling or parent’s computer. Many students owned a laptop but preferred not to bring it onto campus due to security concerns and because they found it too heavy to carry about. • Ownership of mobile phones was ubiquitous. • Whilst the students’ information searching literacy seemed adequate, the ability of these students to harness the power of social networking tools and informal processes for their learning was low. Staff reported using a few Web 2.0 and social software tools but they were generally less familiar with how these could be used to support learning and teaching. There were misconceptions surrounding the affordances of the tools and fears expressed about security and invasion of personal space. Considerations of the costs and the time it would take staff to develop their skills meant that there was a reluctance to take up new technologies at an institutional level. • Subject differences emerged in both staff and student perceptions as to which type of tools they would find most useful. Attitudes to Web 2.0 tools were different. Engineers were concerned with reliability, using institutional systems and inter-operability. Social workers were more flexible because they were focused on communication and professional needs. • The study concluded that digital tools, personal devices, social networking software and many of the other tools explored all have a large educational potential to support learning processing and teaching practices. Therefore, use of these tools and processes within institutions, amongst staff and students should be encouraged. • The report goes on to suggest ways in which the use of such technologies can help strengthen the links between informal and formal learning in higher education. The recommendations are grouped under four areas – pedagogical, socio-cultural, organisational and technological

Impact of Plurilingualism on Learning Quality in Evening (Shift) Schools

This paper presents the main findings of the second stage of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Lifelong Learning study (2011-2014) on identification of good practices that facilitate adult learning (aged 18-24) engagement in second chance education in evening (shift) schools. It analyses students’ perceptions of plurilingual learning processes and the impact of people’s plurilingualism on their learning. The methodology of early school leavers’ learning in working life research was used applying combined phenomenological semi-structured and narrative interviews. 116 people (72 early school leavers and 44 second chance education teachers) representing all geographical regions of Latvia were addressed. The study identifies the differences between learning of bilingual and plurilingual people in formal and informal learning environments and describes the impact of plurilingualism on the learning quality.

"That never would have occurred to me": a qualitative study of medical students' views of a cultural competence curriculum

BACKGROUND: The evidence is mixed regarding the efficacy of cultural competence curricula in developing learners' knowledge, attitudes and skills. More research is needed to better understand both the strengths and shortcomings of existing curricula from the perspective of learners in order to improve training. METHODS: We conducted three focus groups with medical students in their first year of clinical training to assess their perceptions of the cultural competence curriculum at a public university school of medicine. RESULTS: Students evaluated the informal curriculum as a more important source of learning about cultural competence than the formal curriculum. In terms of bias in both self and others, the cultural competence curriculum increased awareness, but was less effective in teaching specific interventional skills. Students also noted that the cultural competence curriculum did not always sufficiently help them find a balance between group-specific knowledge and respect for individual differences. Despite some concerns as to whether political correctness characterized the cultural competence curriculum, it was also seen as a way to rehumanize the medical education experience. CONCLUSION: Future research needs to pay attention to issues such as perceived relevance, stereotyping, and political correctness in developing cross-cultural training programs

A needs assessment of teachers and students from engineering and tourism departments for designing a communicative ELT curriculum

Ankara : The Institute of Economics and Social Sciences of Bilkent University, 1991.Thesis (Master's) -- Bilkent University, 1991.Includes bibliographical references leaves 74-76.In this study it has been claimed that the English language curriculums should match the needs and expectations of the learners from the program. As curriculum designs are mostly planned by administrators and teachers, students can not participate in designing their own curriculum. For that reason, this study demonstrates the differences in perceptions between the teachers from two departments (engineering and tourism) and the students from the same study areas. The subjects' preference for expressions representing specific language functions at two different style levels (formal and informal) is also examined. In analyzing the data statistically t-test and Chisquare tests were run. The research conclusions have indicated many significant differences between the perceptions of the different groups of subjects. Some of these differences were found as the functions of status (teacher or student) and some of them were found as the functions of department (tourism or engineering). For example, while the students believe that the speaking skill is the most important skill for their preparatory classes, the teachers do not agree. Another item related to speaking is that the students think they will be using English mostly with native speakers of English in their career but the teachers disagree. The difficulties that the students will meet in their subject field classes are also perceived differently by teachers and students. While the students think that understanding the complexities of academic prose will be a problem for them, the teachers do not see this as a problem. The teachers state that their students have to answer essay type questions in the examinations, but the students think that they will not need to take such examinations. On the other hand, the difficulties that the students will probably meet in their subject field classes are perceived differently by the subjects from each department. For example, the engineering subjects think that taking part in discussions and seminars, and writing efficiently will be difficult for the students, whereas the tourism subjects disagree with them on these items. Also, engineering subjects believe that students will continue to write academic papers and theses after their graduation from the faculty, but tourism subjects disagree. As for the style levels, the informal style of speech was chosen more by the students than by the teachers. This shows that the students think they will use informal sentence patterns more than the formal ones in their future careers. Consequently, some specific proposals are made that may lead to more effective curriculum programs. It was suggested that students' perceptions should be taken into consideration in designing English language curriculums in order to meet the students' felt language learning needs.Şahin, EsenM.S

The unseen and unacceptable face of digital libraries

The social and organisational aspects of digital libraries (DLs) are often overlooked, but this paper reviews how they can affect users' awareness and acceptance of DLs. An analysis of research conducted within two contrasting domains (clinical and academic) is presented which highlights issues of user interactions, work practices and organisational social structures. The combined study comprises an analysis of 98 in-depth interviews and focus groups with lecturers, librarians and hospital clinicians. The importance of current and past roles of the library, and how users interacted with it, are revealed. Web-based DLs, while alleviating most library resource and interaction problems, require a change in librarians' and DL designers' roles and interaction patterns if they are to be implemented acceptably and effectively. Without this role change, users will at best be unaware of these digital resources and at worst feel threatened by them. The findings of this paper highlight the importance of DL design and implementation of the social context and supporting user communication (i.e., collaboration and consultation) in information searching and usage activities. © Springer-Verlag 2004

Are digital natives a myth or reality?: Students’ use of technologies for learning

This paper outlines the findings of a study investigating the extent and nature of use of digital technologies by undergraduate students in Social Work and Engineering, in two British universities. The study involved a questionnaire survey of students (n=160) followed by in-depth interviews with students (n=8) and lecturers and support staff (n=8) in both institutions. Firstly, the findings suggest that students use a limited range of technologies for both learning and socialisation. For learning, mainly established ICTs are used- institutional VLE, Google and Wikipedia and mobile phones. Students make limited, recreational use of social technologies such as media sharing tools and social networking sites. Secondly, the findings point to a low level of use of and familiarity with collaborative knowledge creation tools, virtual worlds, personal web publishing, and other emergent social technologies. Thirdly, the study did not find evidence to support the claims regarding students adopting radically different patterns of knowledge creation and sharing suggested by some previous studies. The study shows that students’ attitudes to learning appear to be influenced by the approaches adopted by their lecturers. Far from demanding lecturers change their practice, students appear to conform to fairly traditional pedagogies, albeit with minor uses of technology tools that deliver content. Despite both groups clearly using a rather limited range of technologies for learning, the results point to some age differences, with younger, engineering students making somewhat more active, albeit limited, use of tools than the older ones. The outcomes suggest that although the calls for radical transformations in educational approaches may be legitimate it would be misleading to ground the arguments for such change solely in students’ shifting expectations and patterns of learning and technology use

Continuing midwifery education beyond graduation : student midwives' awareness of continuous professional development

Midwifery education plays an important role in educating graduates about engaging in continuous professional development (CPD) but there is a lack of empirical research analysing student midwives’ awareness of CPD beyond graduation. We aimed to explore student midwives’ awareness of the need to become lifelong learners and to map their knowledge of CPD activities available after graduation. Therefore, forty-seven reflective documents, written in the last week of student midwives’ training programme, were analysed in a thematic way. Content analysis confirmed student midwives’ awareness of the importance of CPD before graduation. They mentioned different reasons for future involvement in CPD and described both, formal and informal CPD-activities. Respondents were especially aware of the importance of knowledge, to a lesser degree of skills-training and still less of the potential value of the Internet for individual and collective learning. Respondents perceived a need for a mandatory preceptorship. Supporting learning guides were highly valued and the importance of reflection on CPD was well-established. This could have resulted from an integrated reflective learning strategy during education

A quantitative study of Maltese primary school teachers and their perceptions towards education for sustainable development

The study aims to explore Maltese primary school teachers’ perceptions towards Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The research focused on 3-6 years old Maltese educators’ level of ESD awareness and knowledge, their attitudes towards ESD, and their willingness to adopt ESD within the classroom setting. Primary teachers’ ESD methodological skills were investigated as were issues that hinder ESD adoption as a regular teaching tool. The quantitative research involved the collection and analysis of 271 questionnaires. This data was plotted on graphs and analysed through Statistic Package for Social Science (SPSS) statistical tests. The findings show that in general, junior years’ primary school teachers show interest in implementing ESD and exhibit a positive attitude towards the area. However, it was noted that the participants’ level of awareness and knowledge of the various ESD concepts are rather low or unclear. Notwithstanding, many educators integrate ESD values and skills in their teaching methodology unconsciously. Several obstacles are shown to impede educators in their attempt to integrate ESD to its full potential. The main findings from the research were used to construct a model that visually illustrates the relationships between the variables and drafts a list of recommendations.peer-reviewe

The Mirage: Confronting the Hard Truth About Our Quest for Teacher Development

Two years ago, we embarked on an ambitious effort to identify what works in fostering widespread teacher improvement. Our research spanned three large public school districts and one midsize charter school network. We surveyed more than 10,000 teachers and 500 school leaders and interviewed more than 100 staff members involved in teacher development.Rather than test specific strategies to see if they produced results, we used multiple measures of performance to identify teachers who improved substantially, then looked for any experiences or attributes they had in common -- from the kind and amount of development activities in which they participated to the qualities of their schools and their mindset about growth -- that might distinguish them from teachers who did not improve. We used a broad definition of "professional development" to include efforts carried out by districts, schools and teachers themselves.In the three districts we studied, which we believe are representative of large public school systems nationwide, we expected to find concentrations of schools where teachers were improving at every stage of their careers, or evidence that particular supports were especially helpful in boosting teachers' growth. After an exhaustive search, we were disappointed not to find what we hoped we would. Instead, what we found challenged our assumptions