12,790 research outputs found
Development and Evaluation of the Nebraska Assessment of Computing Knowledge
One way to increase the quality of computing education research is to increase the quality of the measurement tools that are available to researchers, especially measures of studentsâ knowledge and skills. This paper represents a step toward increasing the number of available thoroughly-evaluated tests that can be used in computing education research by evaluating the psychometric properties of a multiple-choice test designed to differentiate undergraduate students in terms of their mastery of foundational computing concepts. Classical test theory and item response theory analyses are reported and indicate that the test is a reliable, psychometrically-sound instrument suitable for research with undergraduate students. Limitations and the importance of using standardized measures of learning in education research are discussed
Towards new methods for mobility data gathering: content, sources, incentives
Over the past decade, huge amounts of work has been done in mobile and opportunistic networking research. Unfortunately, much of this has had little impact as the results have not been applicable to reality, due to incorrect assumptions and models used in the design and evaluation of the systems.
In this paper, we outline some of the problems of the assumptions of early research in the field, and provide a survey of some initial work that has started to take place to alleviate this through more realistic modelling and measurements of real systems. We do note that there is still much work to be done in this area, and then go on to identify some important properties of the network that must be studied further. We identify the types of data that are important to measure, and also give some guidelines on finding existing and potentially new sources for such data and incentivizing the holders of the data to share it
Human computer interaction for international development: past present and future
Recent years have seen a burgeoning interest in research into the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the context of developing regions, particularly into how such ICTs might be appropriately designed to meet the unique user and infrastructural requirements that we encounter in these cross-cultural environments. This emerging field, known to some as HCI4D, is the product of a diverse set of origins. As such, it can often be difficult to navigate prior work, and/or to piece together a broad picture of what the field looks like as a whole. In this paper, we aim to contextualize HCI4Dâto give it some historical background, to review its existing literature spanning a number of research traditions, to discuss some of its key issues arising from the work done so far, and to suggest some major research objectives for the future
InfoInternet for Education in the Global South: A Study of Applications Enabled by Free Information-only Internet Access in Technologically Disadvantaged Areas (authors' version)
This paper summarises our work on studying educational applications enabled
by the introduction of a new information layer called InfoInternet. This is an
initiative to facilitate affordable access to internet based information in
communities with network scarcity or economic problems from the Global South.
InfoInternet develops both networking solutions as well as business and social
models, together with actors like mobile operators and government
organisations. In this paper we identify and describe characteristics of
educational applications, their specific users, and learning environment. We
are interested in applications that make the adoption of Internet faster,
cheaper, and wider in such communities. When developing new applications (or
adopting existing ones) for such constrained environments, this work acts as
initial guidelines prior to field studies.Comment: 16 pages, 1 figure, under review for a journal since March 201
An empirical study on behavioural intention to reuse e-learning systems in rural China
The learnerâs acceptance of e-learning systems has received extensive attention in prior studies, but how their experience of using e-learning systems impacts on their behavioural intention to reuse those systems has attracted limited research. As the applications of e-learning are still gaining momentum in developing countries, such as China, it is necessary to examine the relationships between e-learnersâ experience and perceptions and their behavioural intention to reuse, because it is argued that system reuse is an important indicator of the systemâs success. Therefore, a better understanding of the multiple factors affecting the e-learnerâs intention to reuse could help e-learning system researchers and providers to develop more effective and acceptable e-learning systems. Underpinned by the information system success model, technology acceptance model and self-efficacy theory, a theoretical framework was developed to investigate the learnerâs behavioural intention to reuse e-learning systems. A total of 280 e-learners were surveyed to validate the measurements and proposed research model. The results demonstrated that e-learning service quality, course quality, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and self-efficacy had direct effects on usersâ behavioural intention to reuse. System functionality and system response have an indirect effect, but system interactivity had no significant effect. Furthermore, self-efficacy affected perceived ease of use that positively influenced perceived usefulness
Next Generation Teaching and Learning ??? Technologies and Trends
The landscape of teaching and learning has been radically shifted
in the last 15 years by the advent of web technologies, which
enabled the emergence of Learning Management Systems (LMS).
These systems changed the educational paradigm by extending the
classroom borders, capturing and persisting course content and
giving instructors more flexibility and access to students and other
resources. However, they also constrained and limited the
evolution of teaching and learning by imposing a traditional,
instructional framework. With the advent of Web 2.0
technologies, participation and collaboration have become
predominant experiences on the Web. The teaching and learning
community, as a whole, has been late to capitalize on these
technologies in the classroom. Part of this trend is due to
constraints in the technology (LMS), and part is due to the fact
that participatory media tools require an additional shift in
educational paradigms, from instructional, on-the-pulpit type of
teaching, to a student-centered, adaptive environment where
students can contribute to the course material and learn from one
another. This panel will discuss the next generation of teaching
and learning, involving more lightweight, modular systems to
empower instructors to be flexible, explore new student-centered
paradigms, and plug and play tools as needed. We will also
discuss how the iSchools are and should be increasingly involved
in studying these new forms, formulating best practices and
supporting the needs of teachers as they move toward more
collaborative learning environments
Evaluating Digital Libraries: A Longitudinal and Multifaceted View
published or submitted for publicatio
- âŠ