Integration of e-learning systems into academic programmes in South African universities

Includes bibliographical references.This study set out to investigate the identified contradictions in conceptions, and to explain limited usage of a C/LMS among lecturers in South African universities. The goal was to empower curriculum planners, educators, policy makers, learners, system administrators and developers, with insight to improve e-Learning activities, and to make conceptual and theoretical contributions to the scientific body of knowledge. For this purpose, the interpretive research paradigm was adopted, together with qualitative data collection and analytical methods to investigate the factors affecting the integration of C/LMSs into academic programmes. Interviews were held with individual lecturers, and with groups of students at the Universities of Cape Town (UCT), Stellenbosch (US), the Western Cape (UWC), and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT)

Integration of e-learning systems into academic programmes in South African universities

Includes bibliographical references.This study set out to investigate the identified contradictions in conceptions, and to explain limited usage of a C/LMS among lecturers in South African universities. The goal was to empower curriculum planners, educators, policy makers, learners, system administrators and developers, with insight to improve e-Learning activities, and to make conceptual and theoretical contributions to the scientific body of knowledge. For this purpose, the interpretive research paradigm was adopted, together with qualitative data collection and analytical methods to investigate the factors affecting the integration of C/LMSs into academic programmes. Interviews were held with individual lecturers, and with groups of students at the Universities of Cape Town (UCT), Stellenbosch (US), the Western Cape (UWC), and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT)

Learning Contexts: a Blueprint for Research

Most research efforts in online learning tend to concentrate on the delivery of content relegating to a lesser role the contexts, the activity-rich, interaction-rich and culturallyrich learning environments that the use of technology is making possible and where new principles and practices apply. We illustrate some of the threads of this emerging research field: What are learning contexts? How do they interact with contents? How can they be managed? What philosophical perspectives and social theories frame and support their use? Can they be designed? How do they shape the platforms of the future?Most research efforts in online learning tend to concentrate on the delivery of content relegating to a lesser role the contexts, the activity-rich, interaction-rich and culturallyrich learning environments that the use of technology is making possible and where new principles and practices apply. We illustrate some of the threads of this emerging research field: What are learning contexts? How do they interact with contents? How can they be managed? What philosophical perspectives and social theories frame and support their use? Can they be designed? How do they shape the platforms of the future

Learning Contexts: a Blueprint for Research

Most research efforts in online learning tend to concentrate on the delivery of content relegating to a lesser role the contexts, the activity-rich, interaction-rich and culturallyrich learning environments that the use of technology is making possible and where new principles and practices apply. We illustrate some of the threads of this emerging research field: What are learning contexts? How do they interact with contents? How can they be managed? What philosophical perspectives and social theories frame and support their use? Can they be designed? How do they shape the platforms of the future?Most research efforts in online learning tend to concentrate on the delivery of content relegating to a lesser role the contexts, the activity-rich, interaction-rich and culturallyrich learning environments that the use of technology is making possible and where new principles and practices apply. We illustrate some of the threads of this emerging research field: What are learning contexts? How do they interact with contents? How can they be managed? What philosophical perspectives and social theories frame and support their use? Can they be designed? How do they shape the platforms of the future

Learning networks and moodle use in online courses: a social network analysis study

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Ciências da Educação Especialidade em Tecnologias, Redes e Multimédia na Educação e FormaçãoThis research presents a case study on the interactions between the participants of the forums of four online undergraduate courses from the perspective of social network analysis (SNA). Due to lack of studies on social networks in online learning environments in higher education in Portugal we have choose a qualitative structural analysis to address this phenomenon. The context of this work was given by the new experiences in distance education (DE) that many institutions have been making. Those experiences are a function of the changes in educational paradigms and due to a wider adoption of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) from schools as well as to the competitive market. Among the technologies adopted by universities are the Learning Management Systems (LMSs) that allow recording, storing and using large amounts of relational data about their users and that can be accessed through Webtracking. We have used this information to construct matrices that allowed the SNA. In order to deepen knowledge about the four online courses we were studying we have also collect data with questionnaires and interviews and we did a content analysis to the participations in the forums. The three main sources of data collection led us to three types of analysis: SNA, statistical analysis and content analysis. These types of analysis allowed, in turn, a three-dimensional study on the use of the LMS: 1) the relational dimension through the study of forums networks and patterns of interaction among participants in those networks, 2) the dimension relative to the process of teaching and learning through content analysis of the interviews; 3) and finally the dimension related to the participants' perceptions about the use of LMS for educational purposes and as a platform for creating social networks through the analysis of questionnaires.With the results obtained we carried out a comparative study between the four courses and tried to present a reflection on the Online Project of the University as well as possible causes that led to what was observed. We have finished with a proposal of a framework for studying the relational aspects of online learning networks aimed at possible future research in this area

A LEARNER INTERACTION STUDY OF DIFFERENT ACHIEVEMENT GROUPS IN MPOCS WITH LEARNING ANALYTICS TECHNIQUES

The purpose of this study was to conduct data-driven research by employing learning analytics methodology and Big Data in learning management systems (LMSs), and then to identify and compare learners’ interaction patterns in different achievement groups through different course processes in Massive Private Online Courses (MPOCs). Learner interaction is the foundation of a successful online learning experience. However, the uncertainties about the temporal and sequential patterns of online interaction and the lack of knowledge about using dynamic interaction traces in LMSs have prevented research on ways to improve interactive qualities and learning effectiveness in online learning. Also, most research focuses on the most popular online learning organization form, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), and little online learning research has been conducted to investigate learners’ interaction behaviors in another important online learning organization form: MPOCs. To fill these needs, the study pays attention to investigate the frequent and effective interaction patterns in different achievement groups as well as in different course processes, and attaches importance to LMS trace data (log data) in better serving learners and instructors in online learning. Further, the learning analytics methodology and techniques are introduced here into online interaction research. I assume that learners with different achievements express different interaction characteristics. Therefore, the hypotheses in this study are: 1) the interaction activity patterns of the high-achievement group and the low-achievement group are different; 2) in both groups, interaction activity patterns evolve through different course processes (such as the learning process and the exam process). The final purpose is to find interaction activity patterns that characterize the different achievement groups in specific MPOCs courses. Some learning analytics approaches, including Hidden Markov models (HMMs) and other related measures, are taken into account to identify frequently occurring interaction activity sequence patterns of High/Low achievement groups in the Learning/Exam processes under MPOCs settings. The results demonstrate that High-achievement learners especially focused on content learning, assignments, and quizzes to consolidate their knowledge construction in both Learning and Exam processes, while Low-achievement learners significantly did not perform the same. Further, High-achievement learners adjusted their learning strategies based on the goals of different course processes; Low-achievement learners were inactive in the learning process and opportunistic in the exam process. In addition, despite achievements or course processes, all learners were most interested in checking their performance statements, but they engaged little in forum discussion and group learning. In sum, the comparative analysis implies that certain interaction patterns may distinguish the High-achievement learners from the Low-achievement ones, and learners change their patterns more or less based on different course processes. This study provides an attempt to conduct learner interaction research by employing learning analytics techniques. In the short term, the results will give in-depth knowledge of the dynamic interaction patterns of MPOCs learners. In the long term, the results will help learners to gain insight into and evaluate their learning, help instructors identify at-risk learners and adjust instructional strategies, help developers and administrators to build recommendation systems based on objective and comprehensive information, all of which in turn will help to improve the achievements of all learner groups in specific MPOC courses

A case study of collaborative learning among preparatory year students and their teachers at Hail University in Saudi Arabia

The concept of collaborative learning (CL) relates to the educational use of small groups, in which students work together to maximise their learning and to teach and learn from each other as much as possible, after receiving guidelines and instructions from their teachers. Collaborative learning in Saudi higher education (SHE) has been promoted at the government level in recent years as part of a trend to increase the adoption of e-learning. The policy also aligns with educational reforms and the drive to make the Saudi economy more competitive and diverse. Nevertheless, it is still enforcing itself to become a norm in the teaching and learning process as it is a radical shift from the traditional centralised decision making in educational settings and teacher-centred teaching, which indicate a high power distance structure. Therefore, this study investigates the perceptions of preparatory year students and teachers at Hail University regarding the implementation of CL. A qualitative research methodology was adopted. Data were gathered from observations, six focus groups (composed of five students in each group) and individual interviews with 12 teachers on the foundation year. The findings of this study indicated two modalities for deploying CL: traditional CL (TCL/non-computer- supported collaborative learning [CSCL]) and computer-supported CL (CSCL) in Saudi higher Education. Furthermore, the results showed that CL indeed provides personal, social, and academic benefits. It is still, however, marred by challenges such that effective implementation is curtailed and thus does not produce positive learning outcomes among students. Overall, given the cultural background, the preference for retaining a high power distance, and what teachers and students are accustomed to, the study suggests further research be conducted to implement an form of CL adapted to suit Saudi culture

A Pedagogical Application Framework for Synchronous Collaboration

Designing successful collaborative learning activities is a new focus of research within the E-Learning community. The social dimension inside the traditional face-to-face collaborative learning is important and must be included in the online learning designs. In this thesis, we introduce the concept of Pedagogical Application Frameworks, and describe Beehive, a pedagogical application framework for synchronous collaborative learning. Beehive guides teachers in reusing online collaborative learning activities based on well-known pedagogical designs, to accomplish their educational objectives within a certain educational setting, and also simplifies the development of new pedagogical collaboration designs. Beehive’s conceptual model has four abstraction layers: Pedagogical Techniques, Collaboration Task patterns, CSCL Components, and CSCL script. By following the framework’s guidelines and specifications, developers will place the control of designing pedagogical collaboration tools in the teacher’s hand rather than in the software designer’s

A Pedagogical Application Framework for Synchronous Collaboration

Designing successful collaborative learning activities is a new focus of research within the E-Learning community. The social dimension inside the traditional face-to-face collaborative learning is important and must be included in the online learning designs. In this thesis, we introduce the concept of Pedagogical Application Frameworks, and describe Beehive, a pedagogical application framework for synchronous collaborative learning. Beehive guides teachers in reusing online collaborative learning activities based on well-known pedagogical designs, to accomplish their educational objectives within a certain educational setting, and also simplifies the development of new pedagogical collaboration designs. Beehive’s conceptual model has four abstraction layers: Pedagogical Techniques, Collaboration Task patterns, CSCL Components, and CSCL script. By following the framework’s guidelines and specifications, developers will place the control of designing pedagogical collaboration tools in the teacher’s hand rather than in the software designer’s