Affective issues in learning technologies: emotional responses to technology and technology's role in supporting socio-emotional skills

This paper focuses on some of the author's research studies over the past thirty years and places these in a wider context to reflect on research into affective issues in learning technologies over this period, and to consider whether and how the issues uncovered by research have changed as technologies have developed over time. Three issues are given particular attention: firstly the reasons for learners' use or lack of use of technologies for their learning; secondly adult learners' attitudes towards using technology for learning and thirdly how technology might support socio-emotional development and expression in children. The discussion of these issues is framed by two of the author's research projects. For the first two issues this is an early study of students' perceptions and attitudes towards using computers for tutorial learning in 1980. The factors that influenced the students' use of the computer tutorials are discussed (including access, assessment and anxiety about using computers) and also the extent to which some of these factors persist for many learners using (or not using) technologies today. The discussion of the third issue draws on a series of studies conducted in the 1990s to investigate whether educational technology could support children and young people's emotional expression and communication and development of socio-emotional skills. Finally the paper considers how these kinds of issues have been taken forward and how they are represented in contemporary research and suggests that trust is an important factor in using learning technologies

Affective issues in learning technologies: emotional responses to technology and technology's role in supporting socio-emotional skills

This paper focuses on some of the author's research studies over the past thirty years and places these in a wider context to reflect on research into affective issues in learning technologies over this period, and to consider whether and how the issues uncovered by research have changed as technologies have developed over time. Three issues are given particular attention: firstly the reasons for learners' use or lack of use of technologies for their learning; secondly adult learners' attitudes towards using technology for learning and thirdly how technology might support socio-emotional development and expression in children. The discussion of these issues is framed by two of the author's research projects. For the first two issues this is an early study of students' perceptions and attitudes towards using computers for tutorial learning in 1980. The factors that influenced the students' use of the computer tutorials are discussed (including access, assessment and anxiety about using computers) and also the extent to which some of these factors persist for many learners using (or not using) technologies today. The discussion of the third issue draws on a series of studies conducted in the 1990s to investigate whether educational technology could support children and young people's emotional expression and communication and development of socio-emotional skills. Finally the paper considers how these kinds of issues have been taken forward and how they are represented in contemporary research and suggests that trust is an important factor in using learning technologies

A Metamodel for Designing an Intelligent Tutoring Systems Authoring Tool

Previous intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) and ITS authoring studies predominantly simulated and evaluated artificial intelligence (AI) techniques and cognitive architectures/notions in educational domains. Current research focuses on software design that is priori driven by educational theories; it concerns the conception of Augmented Conversation and Cognitive Apprenticeship Metamodel (ACCAM). The pedagogy driven metamodel―ACCAM―forms the basis for a formal (theory based) approach to designing ITS authoring tools for numerical aspect of numerical disciplines. This research, therefore, showcases the convergence of two theoretical perspectives—the Conversation Theory (CT) and Cognitive Apprenticeship (CA)—which were never considered together before now. The novel conceptual platform―the ACCAM—flows and benefited from the synergistic effect of the stated theories through the introduction of the concept of ‘augmented conversation’ within the resulting integrated framework. Thus, current work draws on the pedagogical import of the mentioned educational theories, elicits new meanings, and lays the foundation as well as opens future evaluation of a pedagogical engineering methodology that flows therefrom

Digital resource developments for mathematics education involving homework across formal, non-formal and informal settings

The aim of this paper is to explore further an under-developed area how drivers of curriculum, pedagogy and assessment conceptions and practices shape the creation and uses of technologically based resources to support mathematics learning across informal, non-formal and formal learning environments. The paper considers: the importance of mathematics learning in informal and non-formal as well as formal settings; how curriculum focuses on pedagogy supporting these needs, contrasting this focus in England and Serbia; and in these contexts, the roles of homework, the potential of technologies and the roles of the teacher. Technological developments to support mathematics learning for 11- to 14-year-old pupils in the two countries are explored and contrasted, and ways that recent developments inform our understandings of formal, informal and non-formal learning through learning activities, learning support and settings are modelled. The conception of ‘extended pedagogies’ is introduced; implications are outlined

The Language Learning Activity of Individual Learners Using Online Tasks

This study combines an initial interest in private speech (Flavell 1966; Vygostky 1987; Ohta 2001; Ellis 2003), that is, self-addressed speech, used by individual language learners as they interact with online tasks, with a practice-based concern with the introduction of technology in a new self-access centre at the University of Guanajuato, Mexico. This had been done with little concern for the state of preparedness of learners and practitioners, as is often the case elsewhere (Benson 2001; Donaldson and Haggstrom 2006; Levy 2007; Winke and Goertler 2008). Literature on CALL, autonomy and task-based pedagogy revealed the need for an integrated, broad approach beyond technology itself with a special emphasis on the learning context, sociocultural issues and learner background. Often unexplored, the gap between what teachers plan and what learners do with tasks (Nunan 1989; Coughlan and Duff 1994; Roebuck 2000) began to focus the research efforts on investigating the nature of the language learning activity (Beetham 2007) of individual learners. Following suggestions from various authors from different traditions (e.g., Arnold and Ducate 2011; Lantolf and Poehner 2004; Chapelle 2001; Scanlon and Issroff 2005; Kaptelinin and Nardi 2006), activity theory (Vygotsky 1987; Leontiev 1978; Engeström 1987) was chosen as the most suitable theoretical framework and some of its key concepts, such as disturbances (Engeström and Sannino 2011; see also Montoro and Hampel 2011) and contradictions (Engeström 1987), were used to conduct a two-tiered analysis of empirical data gathered electronically during an online experiment followed by stimulated recall (SR) sessions. Findings include the widespread dependence of learners on private speech, memory and oral instruction and their underuse of learning tools (especially text-based ones such as dictionaries and notes), signalling links to literacy issues to be further explored and the prevalence of orality locally. Future research should explore these literacy issues and practical ways to improve the provision of language learning opportunities

A professional development programme for supporting teachers in the design, development, and implementation of Technology Enhanced Learning activities for teaching Arabic as a foreign language

The purpose of this two cycles design-based research study is to explore the approaches with response to and perceptions of teachers towards a professional development programme (PDP) for enabling them to design, develop, and implement technology enhanced learning (TEL) activities for teaching Arabic as a foreign language (AFL). The PDP was designed with reference to Laurillard’s (2002) conversational framework and Passey’s (2011) learning elements framework. Semi-structured interviews, online open-ended questionnaires, and observations are used for data collection. The results are analysed and presented visually and in text to show different levels of detail. The findings identified teachers’ positive and negative perceptions towards the support elements provided throughout the PDP in addition to: 1) their pedagogical outcomes in relation to the different types of support provided; 2) the positive influencers and barriers that affected them throughout the PDP; 3) their produced outcomes (artefacts); and 4) their students’ responses from their perspectives. The design principles of a successful implementation of a PDP were also included based on findings. Finally, this study attempts to assist PDP designers by referring to the theoretical and practical implications that can help them in designing similar programmes. In addition, originality in terms of the design, development, and implementation of the PDP are highlighted, so adding to the learning design body of knowledge with respect to foreign language learning

Augmented Conversation and Cognitive Apprenticeship Metamodel Based Intelligent Learning Activity Builder System

This research focused on a formal (theory based) approach to designing Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) authoring tool involving two specific conventional pedagogical theories—Conversation Theory (CT) and Cognitive Apprenticeship (CA). The research conceptualised an Augmented Conversation and Cognitive Apprenticeship Metamodel (ACCAM) based on apriori theoretical knowledge and assumptions of its underlying theories. ACCAM was implemented in an Intelligent Learning Activity Builder System (ILABS)—an ITS authoring tool. ACCAM’s implementation aims to facilitate formally designed tutoring systems, hence, ILABS―the practical implementation of ACCAM― constructs metamodels for Intelligent Learning Activity Tools (ILATs) in a numerical problem-solving context (focusing on the construction of procedural knowledge in applied numerical disciplines). Also, an Intelligent Learning Activity Management System (ILAMS), although not the focus of this research, was developed as a launchpad for ILATs constructed and to administer learning activities. Hence, ACCAM and ILABS constitute the conceptual and practical contributions that respectively flow from this research. ACCAM’s implementation was tested through the evaluation of ILABS and ILATs within an applied numerical domain―the accounting domain. The evaluation focused on the key constructs of ACCAM―cognitive visibility and conversation, implemented through a tutoring strategy employing Process Monitoring (PM). PM augments conversation within a cognitive apprenticeship framework; it aims to improve the visibility of the cognitive process of a learner and infers intelligence in tutoring systems. PM was implemented via an interface that attempts to bring learner’s thought process to the surface. This approach contrasted with previous studies that adopted standard Artificial Intelligence (AI) based inference techniques. The interface-based PM extends the existing CT and CA work. The strategy (i.e. interface-based PM) makes available a new tutoring approach that aimed fine-grain (or step-wise) feedbacks, unlike the goal-oriented feedbacks of model-tracing. The impact of PM—as a preventive strategy (or intervention) and to aid diagnosis of learners’ cognitive process—was investigated in relation to other constructs from the literature (such as detection of misconception, feedback generation and perceived learning effectiveness). Thus, the conceptualisation and implementation of PM via an interface also contributes to knowledge and practice. The evaluation of the ACCAM-based design approach and investigation of the above mentioned constructs were undertaken through users’ reaction/perception to ILABS and ILAT. This involved, principally, quantitative approach. However, a qualitative approach was also utilised to gain deeper insight. Findings from the evaluation supports the formal (theory based) design approach—the design of ILABS through interaction with ACCAM. Empirical data revealed the presence of conversation and cognitive visibility constructs in ILATs, which were determined through its behaviour during the learning process. This research identified some other theoretical elements (e.g. motivation, reflection, remediation, evaluation, etc.) that possibly play out in a learning process. This clarifies key conceptual variables that should be considered when constructing tutoring systems for applied numerical disciplines (e.g. accounting, engineering). Also, the research revealed that PM enhances the detection of a learner’s misconception and feedback generation. Nevertheless, qualitative data revealed that frequent feedbacks due to the implementation of PM could be obstructive to thought process at advance stage of learning. Thus, PM implementations should also include delayed diagnosis, especially for advance learners who prefer to have it on request. Despite that, current implementation allows users to turn PM off, thereby using alternative learning route. Overall, the research revealed that the implementation of interface-based PM (i.e. conversation and cognitive visibility) improved the visibility of learner’s cognitive process, and this in turn enhanced learning—as perceived