Using web 2.0 tools to enhance learning in higher education: A case study in technological education

Pedagogy with Web 2.0 technologies is shown to facilitate the teaching-learning process through content sharing and idea collaboration. In this paper, we explore the possibility of using social networking tools, to support teaching practice in technological courses. In our study, we utilized i) Facebook Page as a platform to share content, experiences and news of a general engineering course, and ii) blog as a collaborative writing tool to express thoughts and opinions in a common core (general education) course. After our one-semester (three- months) study, we found that Facebook Page is an easy-to- use and familiar tool for students to share and exchange ideas among classmates, peers and public.published_or_final_versio

An Empirical Study of the Factors Affecting Weblog Success in Higher Education

The use of classroom blogs in higher education serves to engage and motivate students as well as to help them build a professional online profile and connect with fellow classmates. Although many studies have focused on the implementation and benefits of blogging in education, few have investigated best practices in design, which can have a critical impact upon success. In this study, we proposed a success model for classroom blogs considering the impact of system quality, information quality and user aspects to the net benefit, with an emphasis on user experience design. Finally, we evaluated this model by studying a classroom blog used by 146 college students over the course of 3 academic quarters

Adding some TEC-variety: 100+ activities for motivating and retaining learners online

The TEC-VARIETY framework purposely takes into account current technology trends and attempts to stimulate their use in pedagogically effective ways. As such, it rests at the intersection of such exciting educational affordances brought about by emerging learning technologies, intrinsic as well as extrinsic motivation-related theories, and the rapidly shifting perspectives on teaching and learning philosophies and approaches. For online educators who are frustrated with never-ending waves of technology and the lack of training on how to effectively use them in their courses, we hope that the TEC-VARIETY framework can offer a ray of sunshine and a new beginning for online educators worldwide. As part of that hope, such educators might find activities and strategies that they can make use of to nurture engagement and success online. These strategies can breathe life into current classes and programs that are failing to engage their learners. They tap into learners’ inner resources and desires to learn and grow toward a better future. At the same time, they can invite the global sharing of ideas and knowledge as part of a worldwide community or family of learners

Learning from the learners' experience: e-Learning@greenwich post-conference reflections

This publication comprises papers from presenters who, having made a conference presentation, were invited to author an academic paper about their work

Game design for a serious game to help learn programming

Tese de mestrado. Multimédia. Faculdade de Engenharia. Universidade do Porto. 201