Use and Perceived Value of Class Forums

Numerous studies have illustrated the ability of online class discussion forums to support college-level student learning and performance. Yet few instructors incorporate forums into their courses. Many believe that students will fail to find value in or even use class forums or they are concerned about increasing their instructional workloads. Herein we address these concerns via a mixed-methods study of our own students\u27 experiences with class forums

Marketing higher education in Africa : challenges and opportunities

This chapter examines the global marketing environment of today’s higher education institutions (HEIs). (Semi) Autonomous HEIs and business schools are increasingly behaving like for-profit organisations as they seek new opportunities and resources to prioritise revenue creation. Therefore, they are diversifying the portfolio of their student populations by recruiting domestic and international students. In this light, this contribution deliberates on contemporary integrated marketing communications that are intended to support HEIs to promote their quality, student-centred education as well as their high-impact and meaningful research in global markets. Moreover, it reports on how HEIs’ marketing endeavours will be able to forge fruitful and collaborative relationships with industry stakeholders; foster student mobility and engagement in exchange programmes, as they can create partnership agreements with other institutions, among other strategic avenues. These issues imply that tomorrow’s educational institutions will have to keep investing in adequate resources, competences and capabilities to leverage themselves amid intensifying competition in challenging socio-economic environments.peer-reviewe

E-learning adoption during COVID-19 crisis and its effect on achieving students’ performance: Evidence from business collages – Jordanian universities

This study aimed to know the effect of E-Learning with all its components on students’ performance at Business Colleges-Jordanian Universities during at COVID-19 crisis. To achieve study goals, a questionnaire was distributed to the students at Jordanian Universities, (870) valid questionnaires were recovered. The study found that: The level of E-Learning and its components at Jordanian Universities were at middle rates, students’ performance also comes at a moderate level. E-Learning and its components (Technological facilities readiness, Electronic applications readiness, Databases & E-resources readiness, People readiness, E-Learning management system readiness, Evaluation system readiness, teaching methods diversity, Educational curricula and electronic content readiness) have a significant effect on students’ performance at Jordanian Universities at significance (α ≤ 0.05). Whereas sub components of (E-Learning organizational environment readiness and legislations and regulations readiness) have no effect separately on students’ performance. The study recommended Jordanian Universities to improve E-Learning in all its components in the Universities, reinforce using E-Learning in education, and exploit the benefits of E-Learning to improve students’ performance because it is the main alternative to face emerging crises like CoronavirusPeer Reviewe

Gamification badges and ratings: impact in a academic social network

The article describes the Impact of using Gamification Elements like Badges, Status Bar and a Rating System on the Interaction, Collaboration, Cooperation and the Presences of the Community of Inquiry Framework, inside an Academic Social Platform. We used a Design Base Research Methodology with Mixed Methods. We started by collecting opinions of users using semistructured interviews. The results from coding, informed on the construction of a gamified prototype, made with Elgg. Then Usability tests were conducted and the data helped refine the subsequent implementation. A Survey was deployed, Observations were made, and we gathered some Analytics. Results are presented congruent to the iterations and discussed. Some indications for the use of Badges and the implementation of Gamification are considered.Laboratório de Educação a Distância e eLearning (LE@D) http://lead.uab.pt/ - Projeto Educação Online e Web Socialinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

EDUCATORS’ PERSPECTIVES ABOUT ICT ENABLED TEACHING

The availability of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in education has not translated to pedagogical use in Higher Education Institutions (HEI), particularly in the developing nations context where use of ICT based paradigms like e-learning is invisible. This study investigated the educators’ perspectives about ICT enabled teaching strategies by employing quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments. Findings revealed that despite valuing these strategies, educators have institutional and technological concerns requiring redress. Contrary to existing literature, generation gap, ICT literacy and individual values had no effect to the way the cohort perceives ICT based teaching. Instead, university’s’ structures, management decision making and the ICT implementation culture were major themes emerging from this study, as the source of the sporadic ICT utilization that translates to the second order digital divide, a problem of concern both in theory and practice.&nbsp

Behavior competence development through e-learning: experience at the undergraduate level in the context of Aula a Distancia Abierta (ADA) Madrid, Spain

This communication presents the results of an innovative approach for competencedevelopment suggesting a new methodology for the integration of these elements in professional development within the ADA initiative (AulaaDistanciaAbierta, Distance and Open Classroom) of the Community of Madrid. The main objective of this initiative is to promote the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for educational activities by creating a new learning environment structured on the premises of commitment to self–learning, individual work, communication and virtual interaction, and self and continuous assessment. Results from this experience showed that conceptualization is a positive contribution to learning, as students added names and characteristics to competences and abilities that were previously unknown or underestimated. Also, the diversity of participants’ disciplines indicated multidimensional interest in this idea and supported the theory that this approach to competencedevelopment could be successful in all knowledge areas

An Investigation of the Relationship Between Grades and Learning Modes in an Introductory Research Methods Course

Education researchers have conducted studies on the relationship of learning mode to student performance, but few studies have evaluated pass rate, grade distribution and student withdrawal rate in an introductory research methods course. In this study, researchers examined 2,097 student grades from the 2015-2016 academic year to determine if such a relationship existed. In this study, learning mode was significantly related to failure rate, grade distribution and withdraw rate. Synchronous video home students had a significantly higher failure rate than traditional In-Person or online students. Online student grade distributions were significantly different than In-Person classroom, synchronous video home or synchronous video classroom students. Online Students tended to earn more A s and fewer B s and D s. Synchronous video home students also had a significantly higher withdraw rate than synchronous video classroom students. Recommendations for further research include investigating variables which may impact student performance such as faculty experience with course content and technology and how students select learning modes when taking classes. Future research should continue to employ outcome-based studies to measure the impact of learning mode on student performance. This remains a key issue from the perspective of the students and the institution

Papier-mach(in)e: Thinking with “sticky” paper in the cloud

There is nothing less about paper and its use when it comes to academic study as we experience increasingly converging media spaces and functionalities of online applications within the screens of our laptops, mobile phones and tablet devices. The paper persists, and the paperless office, classroom and pedagogy become nothing but pure rhetoric. Hence, it is most pertinent to focus on paper and its “stickiness” in maintaining educational structures and practices. Usually hidden from view or neglected in educational technology studies is a consideration on how we think and interact not only with our mind but also with our heads and limbs. This paper will argue that paper has a composite place or bearing, a kind of stickiness to our technologised bodies, digital mobilities and hybrid practices in what I have coined here as papier-mach(in)e. This claim will be supported by evidence that demonstrates how we simply think both practically and pathically and that our mobilities in media and physical spaces are in one form or another meshed with paper. In fact, a drive towards a paperless classroom or pedagogy is without much foundation when it comes to mobilising a sustainable agenda for technology-enhanced learning

A realist assessment of the implementation of blended learning in a higher education context: the case of the Library and Information Science Department at the University of the Western Cape

Opportunities for further studies by working adults came under threat as the University of the Western Cape stopped the offering of after-hours classes in most of its Faculties. Unqualified and under-qualified librarians were directly affected by this decision. This paper outlines an assessment of the conceptualisation and implementation of an action research project initiated by the Division for Lifelong learning. Using a realist evaluation approach, the assessment focuses on the implementation of strategies aimed at showing how lifelong learning opportunities, conceptualised and provided in flexible ways, could support innovation in learning and teaching in order to enhance access and success to learning by working people in the context of the Library and Information Science Department

Multidisciplinary Conversations on Successes and Challenges of E-Learning

E learning is technology driven and has contributed to differing perceptions of what it can or cannot do. There is ongoing debate in its exact impact on the present and future of education systems. Some practitioners express satisfaction in its gains, while others feel that there is perpetual failure within most E learning projects. This paper is based on an analysis of information contributed by E learning practitioners on an online discussion forum. The study design is qualitative using narrative methods. The objective of this study was to discuss what practitioners perceive as failures and possible recommendations for best practice, thereby contribute to the discourse of E learning projects/courses. Twelve (12) members from eight (8) countries; Africa, Finland, Kuwait, United Kingdom and Australia participated. Contributions were informed by members’ professional backgrounds demonstrating diversity, proportion and scale of capacities/experiences in E learning. The format mirrored that of a focus group discussion with the initiator acting as the moderator. For three (3) weeks members conducted discussions with each logging their contributions into the forum. Results illustrated the need for continued global discussions to benchmark and improve E learning courses. Key Words: E learning, E learning practices, distance education, ICT, ICT users, universities