Students’ surveys and involvement in educational activities within virtual environments are related to students’ satisfaction in elearning graduate programs

Ponència presentada a 3rd International Conference on Higher Education Advances, HEAd’17, Universitat Politècnica de València, València, 2017This paper evaluates associations across the dimensions included in students’ surveys and virtual activities for applying educational models within e-learning graduate programs. Firstly, we focus on the outcomes derived from teachers’ and students’ participation in virtual classroom forums and, secondly, on the determinants of students’ satisfaction in the graduate program. Data analyses show that teachers’ and students’ participation in forums as dynamic educational activities are positively correlated with students’ general satisfaction. To study the determinants of students’ satisfaction, we perform a regression analysis that considers as explanatory variables educational planning, teaching qualifications and development of learning, as well as of a number of controls related to the virtual learning environment and participation in the academic program. According to the obtained results, teaching skills and learning environments are associated with higher students’ satisfaction in a virtual learning environment. This type of analysis is of great interest in a social environment characterized by increasing communication via electronic networking. We find that dynamic educational activities and dimensions taken on board on students’ surveys are related to students’ satisfaction in e-learning graduate programs

Обучение иноязычной устной коммуникации с применением электронных ресурсов

The paper "The teaching of foreign language oral communications skills by the means of electronic resources" is devoted to the issues of foreign language communication teaching students of all technical and humanities courses, undergraduates, graduate students, faculty and staff TPU. The definition of communication in general, and foreign language communication in particular are considered. The using of presented Internet resources is directed to the formation of competencies of intercultural competence in teaching foreign language communication. The attempt to develop oral competence assessing materials is given.Статья "Обучение иноязычной устной коммуникации с применением электронных ресурсов"посвящена вопросам обучения студентов всех курсов технических и гуманитарных специальностей, магистрантов, аспирантов, преподавателей и сотрудников ТПУ иноязычной коммуникации. Рассматриваются определения коммуникации в целом, и иноязычной коммуникации в частности. Представлены интернет ресурсы, применение которых направлено на формирования компетенций межкультурной компетенции при обучении иноязычному общению. Предпринята попытка разработки материалов, позволяющих оценивать данную компетенцию обучающихся

Students' perceptions of a virtual team assessment item (VTAI): An Australian case study

In today's global business environment, business graduates are often required to work as members of virtual teams. This paper presents the findings of an electronic survey of distance education students' perceptions concerning a virtual team assessment item (VTAI) using asynchronous discussion. The VTAI was set for an undergraduate marketing course at an Australian university. The findings revealed that while the distance education students did not necessarily enjoy the VTAI and found the assessment task to be both frustrating and time-consuming, they agreed that the task was beneficial to their learning and should be included in future course offerings

Information and Communication Technologies as means for self-improvement at remote universities: the example of Urgench State University, Uzbekistan

This paper describes the research conducted at the Information Resource Center of Urgench State University, located in the Khorezm region of Uzbekistan, on the possibilities and challenges the students and lecturers face in their pursuit for self-improvement and self-education. The article discloses new qualitative approaches and IT methods in the teaching and educational processes in higher education of Central Asian countries in transition, the overall aim of which is to close the gap and shape the spiritual values of the young generation in the globalizing world. The framework conditions for this have been set by the Government of Uzbekistan through particular Decrees, aiming at the creation of e-education at universities and institutions throughout the country and specifically in the remote regions as to improve the access to regularly updated information, to motivate the use of IT in classes as well as to enhance the responsibility of the information services of universities for assuring the quality of research and teaching (pedagogical) activities of the lecturers. The research showed that the Internet can function inter alia as a controlling device when education is delivered through the web. Collection, analysis and preparation of educational-methodological materials on specific subjects and extracurricular activities require specific knowledge on IT and information literacy both in the teaching staff and the students

Assessment of online reflections: engaging english second language (ESL) students

Online discussion boards are increasingly being used by tertiary educators as a tool for encouraging greater student interaction and developing learning communities. In particular, educators who have adopted a learner-centered, socio-constructivist approach to teaching have sought to facilitate collaborative learning in which students reflect upon and share their experiences and perspectives, and construct knowledge together through developing shared meanings. In this paper, the findings of an electronic survey of the perceptions of 70 distance education EFL and ESL students concerning a compulsory assessment item involving contribution to an online course discussion board are presented. The study revealed that the majority of the students enjoyed the assessment item and agreed that posting to the online course discussion board had allowed them to achieve a range of cognitive and social learning outcomes, as well as, to develop some important graduate skills. In particular, ESL students reported the benefits of posting to the discussion board in terms of sharing their experiences with others and reducing the feeling of isolation. Further, when considering social outcomes, ESL students perceive the discussion board provided them with an opportunity to meet and develop a closer relationship with other students in the course and encouraged them to keep up with their studies

Optimization of ceramic waste filter for bathroom greywater treatment using central composite design (CCD)

The present study aims to develop a filtration system consisting of ceramic wastes as a treatment process of bathroom greywater to reduce chemical oxygen demand (COD), Total suspended solids (TSS), Total nitrogen (TN), and turbidity. Optimization of the reduction efficiency was investigated using response surface methodology (RSM) as a function of the ceramic practical sizes (0.25–1.18 mm) and hydraulic retention time HRT (1–3 h). The functional groups on the surface of the ceramic filter media were determined using Fourier transform irradiation (FTIR), while the scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to determine the microstructure and the surface morphology of the ceramic particles. Results revealed that the optimal reduction of COD, TSS, TN, and turbidity was influenced by active sites of the filter media (C]C, C]O, CeOeH, and OH−) and was achieved under the operating conditions of 0.25 mm of ceramic particles after 3 h of HRT, the observed and predicted reduction for COD, TSS, TN, and Turbidity were 38.8 vs. 39.8%; 58.47 vs. 59.59%; 66.66 vs. 67.32%; 88.31 vs. 89.02%, respectively. It can be concluded that the effectiveness of the ceramic filter media is a potential source for the filtration of bathroom greywater

Integrating Information Literacy into the Virtual University: A Course Model

published or submitted for publicatio

Effective use of communication and information technology: Bridging the skills gap

There is a revolutionary culture change taking place within higher education in the United Kingdom. Part of this change is the adoption of new communication and information technologies (C&IT), such as the World Wide Web (WWW), for teaching, learning and assessment. Many academics have limited experience of the WWW for teaching and learning and perceive that the use of new technologies involves transferring traditional teaching methods into an electronic format, with no regard for the underlying pedagogical implications. Our current research with teaching staff has given insight into essential skills and competencies required to empower the use of C&IT bearing in mind the importance of the underlying pedagogy. In this paper we present an analysis of research carried out with academic staff members to determine the nature of staff and student skills needs regarding the use of C&IT in teaching and learning. This analysis is followed by a case study of how these findings were incorporated into the development and implementation of a staff development programme aimed at encouraging innovative teaching at the University of Strathclyde