50,979 research outputs found

    Blended learning for project management

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    Students studying at postgraduate level should engage in learning on higher cognitive levels such as evaluation and creation. The notion of effective learning at this level is characterised by the student’s ability to use acquired knowledge and principles to solve complex problems. Learning theories advocate maximising student engagement with the learning resources in order to facilitate such effective learning. This can be achieved by addressing the following factors in curriculum design: accessibility, variety, formative assessment and the development of learning communities. This paper presents work done on a postgraduate level Project Management course to maximise the factors mentioned above, for example, with the introduction of automatically marked quizzes and the re-structuring of the course content. The content and delivery of the course was changed from weekly lectures and tutorial sessions (old system) to a web-based blended learning system (new system). Evaluation of the old and new systems was undertaken using questionnaires. The student evaluation suggests that the new system led to more effective learning. It is suggested that effective learning can be facilitated by a blended learning system

    On-line assessment for e-learning: options and opportunities

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    The desire to produce educational multi-media packages of ever greater sophistication is such that other, more problematic, elements of e- or on- line learning receive less attention by academics and courseware developers alike. One such problematic area is that of assessment, which is surprising, as e-learning assessment procedures are more critical in defining the learning that takes place. However, because e-learning can create a much richer, more varied active learning experience than would normally occur via the passive didactic teaching mode currently utilised in most universities and centred on the use of the lecture, it also has the potential to provide new and innovative assessments modes and systems. The extent to which the potential of innovatory assessment is realised via e-learning depends on two factors. First, the level of computer component and interactivity utilised in elearning. Second, the attitude of academic staff towards their teaching role, and, more specifically, how they operate within an elearning environment. The speed of the development in online technologies and techniques is such that the information given here will not provide all the answers, it should, nevertheless, enable some of the correct questions to be pose

    The German Career Service `Studierende & Arbeitswelt (S&A)´ focus Technology guidance at Career Service work - The transfer of the concept of Blended Learning to the Career Service work

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    As a result of increasing competition caused by globalization in the working world, there is a need of high quality support in the university offers. The high quality mentoring during the academic periods should be accompanied by the progressive and concurrent attendance of the Career Service (CS) work. Comprehensive analysis of the CS offers in Germany, showed that the main concept of CS work consists of four basic elements: information, consultation, career qualification and partnership management. All these issues are covered and intensified by a special CS Concept “Studierende & Arbeitswelt” (S&A) from the Faculty of Human Sciences at the University of Cologne. Since 1989, S&A has been offering the opportunity to supplement studies with career orientation and practical training that significantly increase the students chances at the job market. The program is limited to twenty students, so the focus on new steps into technology guidance is important to rise up the number of participants. The variety of CS in Germany is mainly covered by “present” approach, like “face to face” consulting or courses for career qualification including recruiting management. For a lot of CS organisations the aspect of partnership management is limited to notices, individual work-consultation and job exchange with non-specific study field offers. In addition, the number of participants on career courses has to be limited due to the requirement of CS to offer a high quality support. This causes a neglect of the high participation need on the part of the students and leads to a deficient coverage of service requirements. The qualifications and information offers of the CS are targeted prevalently on the internal high education level. The embedding of the job market as well as the national and international high education offers usually does not take place. Considering these problems and high requirements of CS work, web-based offers could give a chance to provide high quality and multidisciplinary services to a big variety of students. The electronic CS could assure a flexible and common access to the support and placement for students of all study fields, employers and university stuff members. In Germany the development of methodology and didactic concepts extending CS work to an electronic platform is in an early stadium. By reason of the virtual interest and the advantages of an electronic platform, various universities in Germany have E-Learning modules and web-based national and international job exchange by now. The global development of an electronic platform for CS could give the opportunity for national and international partnerships in the fields of internships, work quotes and thesis topics, as well as cooperation between employers and universities

    What Do The Numbers Really Mean? An Examination Of Learning Analytics Related To Online Courses And University Student Retention And Success

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    University student retention and success are high priorities for colleges and universities. With the expansion of online learning, retention of students in online courses has become particularly important in modern higher education. The purpose of this study was to examine factors that affect university student retention and success, with particular consideration for students who have taken online courses during their undergraduate career. The guiding research question for this qualitative study was: “How do demographic, internal, and external factors affect the retention and success of undergraduate students who take online courses?” Learning analytics (predictive analytics in educational settings) attempt to predict student retention rates, yet many studies have indicated that deeper analyses are required for investigating internal factors that affect retention and success. Phenomenography was the qualitative methodology used, in order to investigate the qualitative variances among students’ perceptions of internal and external factors, while considering the broader culture of university students. The sample of participants included undergraduate students who had taken one or more online courses; 14 students completed interviews (10 current or graduated, 3 transferred, and 1 discontinuous enrollment) and 43 students completed open-ended surveys (4 dropped, 17 transferred, and 22 discontinuous enrollment). Thematic analysis was used to assess the qualitative data from the transcribed interviews and surveys, using the qualitative software, Atlas.ti. Findings from this study supported the idea that demographic, internal, and external factors interact to affect university student retention and success (both in online and face-to-face settings). Across the 46 students (3 interviews and 43 surveys) who took online courses and subsequently dropped out or transferred away from the university, none of them reported online courses as reasons for their departures. While all of the participants in this study described the advantages and disadvantages of online education, it was clear that students’ unique life circumstances largely influenced their decisions to persist or leave the university (e.g., family obligations, work and financial issues, mental and physical health, social pressures, communication with instructors and other students, and course load). Multiple implications for practice were offered for improving online learning and student retention and success, including: a) students conducting learning styles analyses before enrolling in online courses, b) students with mental health issues staying connected to support services, particularly during online courses, c) instructors thoughtfully and effectively implementing online interactivity tools, and d) instructors facilitating meaningful connections in online settings through all available methods (e.g., email, discussion boards, synchronous meetings). In addition, several recommendations for future research were presented based on the findings of this study. The qualitative findings from this study and similar studies can be incorporated into quantitative survey instruments that attempt to gather information regarding student retention and success, allowing researchers to gather more detailed data from a broader sample more accurately. These qualitatively-enhanced surveys could be distributed to students; the findings might then be used in tandem with learning analytics data to better inform retention initiatives and policy decisions at colleges and universities. Ideally, institutions will be able to synthesize this information to more accurately recognize students at risk, contact them, and effectively implement early intervention techniques

    Why are health care interventions delivered over the internet? : a systematic review of the published literature

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    Background: As Internet use grows, health interventions are increasingly being delivered online. Pioneering researchers are using the networking potential of the Internet, and several of them have evaluated these interventions. Objective: The objective was to review the reasons why health interventions have been delivered on the Internet and to reflect on the work of the pioneers in this field in order to inform future research. Methods: We conducted a qualitative systematic review of peer-reviewed evaluations of health interventions delivered to a known client/patient group using networked features of the Internet. Papers were reviewed for the reasons given for using the Internet, and these reasons were categorized. Results: We included studies evaluating 28 interventions plus 9 interventions that were evaluated in pilot studies. The interventions were aimed at a range of health conditions. Reasons for Internet delivery included low cost and resource implications due to the nature of the technology; reducing cost and increasing convenience for users; reduction of health service costs; overcoming isolation of users; the need for timely information; stigma reduction; and increased user and supplier control of the intervention. A small number of studies gave the existence of Internet interventions as the only reason for undertaking an evaluation of this mode of delivery. Conclusions: One must remain alert for the unintended effects of Internet delivery of health interventions due to the potential for reinforcing the problems that the intervention was designed to help. Internet delivery overcomes isolation of time, mobility, and geography, but it may not be a substitute for face-to-face contact. Future evaluations need to incorporate the evaluation of cost, not only to the health service but also to users and their social networks. When researchers report the outcomes of Internet-delivered health care interventions, it is important that they clearly state why they chose to use the Internet, preferably backing up their decision with theoretical models and exploratory work. Evaluation of the effectiveness of a health care intervention delivered by the Internet needs to include comparison with more traditional modes of delivery to answer the following question: What are the added benefits or disadvantages of Internet use that are particular to this mode of delivery

    Communicating learning: evaluating the learning experience of distance learning students

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    Drawing upon research into students’ perceptions of their learning experience as distance learners, this paper explores what works well and what doesn’t. How to more effectively support the learning process through better directive and interactive communication emerges as a key theme

    Encouraging re-employability and discouraging bias

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    The paper discusses the need for more IT professionals and the need to retain those taking career breaks. The paper discusses the current situation in the UK for unemployed and under-employed computing professionals; and the view of professionals about the need for regular updating of their skills, particularly if they are currently unemployed. The needs of those taking an extended career break, of say five years are also discussed, together with help to encourage and assist those returning to the computing industry. The paper discusses the actions that have been undertaken by the BCS Quality Specialist Group, BCS Women and Hampshire Branch to provide free training courses, together with the BCS Unconscious Bias Training for all BCS committee members. The comments of those attending these various BCS training courses are discussed
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