Keskeyttämisen vertailu lyhytkestoisilla luokka-ja verkkokursseilla sovelluskehityksen aikuisopetuksessa

The main research question in this thesis concerns how much dropout – meaning not completing a course – does happen related to short, commercial e-learning courses in the field of professional software development, and what are the main reasons. To shed light on the phenomenon, two additional aspects were considered. Firstly, the classroom and e-learning instruction formats were compared using several existing theories. Secondly, also the dropout regarding classroom-based courses was investigated. Dropout in classroom was examined in a two-phase mixed methods study. The first phase concentrated on how the students were able to complete the exercises of the courses. In the latter phase interviews were used to corroborate the findings and to learn more of classroom dropout. Dropout in e-learning was analysed in three mixed methods phases. In the initial phase the e-learning platform recorded how students navigated in the content. Interviews were later conducted about the reasons behind the students’ usage behaviour. Finally, a survey was formed based on the interviews to uncover what could be done to minimize dropout. The study of dropout in classroom showed that dropout is a rare phenomenon, laying in the vicinity of five percent. The interviews revealed that even then the participants were happy with the part of the content that was learned. Inadequate prerequisite knowledge was by far the most major concrete reason for dropout. In the e-learning part of this research the dropout was 80%, with a variation of ±8%. Understandably lack of time was the most cited reason for dropout. Also interesting were the findings about what could be done to minimise dropping out of a course. General advantages of e-learning, like the ability to choose when to study, were seen to be of major importance – this supports the view that e-learning plays an influential part in contemporary further education. Of the aspects related to course content and the e-learning environment, noteworthy are content that adapts to the skills and interests of the student, feedback about progress and learning, and a pleasant user interface. Interestingly, social aspects like communication or competition, or supervising done by the teacher did not gather strong support. Of the external factors, dedicated studying time from work was felt as influential.Tämän opinnäytteen päätutkimuskysymys on keskeyttämisten määrä ja syyt verkko-opetuksessa. Keskeyttäminen tarkoittaa tässä yhteydessä sitä, että kurssia ei suoriteta loppuun. Tutkimus on rajattu koskemaan lyhyitä, kaupallisia verkkokursseja liittyen sovelluskehittäjien ohjelmointiosaamisen kehittämiseen. Jotta ilmiöstä saataisiin laajempi näkemys, verrattiin luokka- ja verkko-opetusta opetusmuotoina hyödyntäen olemassa olevia teorioita, sekä tutkittiin luokkamuotoisessa opetuksessa tapahtuvaa keskeyttämistä. Luokkaopetuksen keskeyttämistä tarkasteltiin kaksivaiheisessa monimenetelmätutkimuksessa. Ensimmäinen vaihe keskittyi siihen, kuinka opiskelijat pystyivät suorittamaan kurssien harjoitukset loppuun. Myöhemmässä vaiheessa opiskelijoita haastateltiin tarkoituksena vahvistaa löydöksiä ja saada lisää tietoa keskeyttämisestä ilmiönä. Verkkokurssien keskeyttämistä tutkittiin kolmessa monimenetelmätutkimuksen vaiheessa. Alkuvaiheessa verkko-opetusympäristö tallensi opiskelijoiden liikkumisen sisällössä. Tämän jälkeen haastatteluilla selvitettiin syitä sille, miksi opiskelijat käyttivät sisältöä tietyllä tavalla. Haastattelujen vastausten pohjalta rakennettiin kyselytutkimus, jolla selvitettiin miten keskeyttämistä voitaisi vähentää. Luokkaopetukseen liittyvä tutkimus osoitti, että keskeyttäminen on harvinainen ilmiö: viiden prosentin luokkaa. Haastattelut paljastivat, että näissäkin tapauksissa opiskelijat olivat tyytyväisiä opittuun osaan sisältöä. Suurin syy keskeyttää kurssi oli esitietojen riittämättömyys. Verkko-opetuksessa keskeyttämisprosentti oli 80 ± 8%. Yleisin syy keskeyttää oli ymmärrettävästi aikapula. Keskeyttämisten vähentämiseen liittyi mielenkiintoisia löydöksiä. Yleiset verkko-opetuksen edut, kuten mahdollisuus valita opiskelun ajankohta, nähtiin hyvin tärkeiksi – tämä tukee näkemystä siitä, että verkko-opetuksella on merkittävä rooli aikuiskoulutuksessa. Kurssin sisällön ja oppimisympäristön piirteistä huomionarvoisia olivat opiskelijan taitoihin ja mielenkiinnon kohteisiin mukautuva sisältö, järjestelmän antama palaute edistymisestä ja oppimisesta sekä miellyttävä käyttöliittymä. Mielenkiintoista kyllä, sosiaalisia seikkoja kuten keskustelumahdollisuutta tai kilpailullisia piirteitä ei pidetty tärkeinä, eikä myöskään opettajan tekemää edistymisen valvontaa. Ulkoisista seikoista merkityksellisenä pidettiin mahdollisuutta käyttää työaikaa opiskeluun

Students' learning outcomes in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs): Some suggestions for course design

Teaching and Teacher Learning (ICLON

MOOCs for Development? A Study of Indian Learners and their Experiences in Massive Open Online Courses

The study outlined in this thesis provides an account of the demographics, motivations and experiences of Indian learners in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) comparing the UK-based platform FutureLearn and the Indian platform NPTEL (The National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning). A sequential mixed-methods approach was adopted. A web-based survey (n=2373) was used to collect demographical data and evidence of respondents’ perceptions about their motivations for taking a MOOC, their learning experiences, and any challenges they may have faced while taking a MOOC. The survey phase was followed by 30 semi-structured interviews with learners from both platforms, adding a rich level of qualitative data to the study, revealing the varied experiences and backgrounds of MOOC learners from India. Analysis of the collected data suggests that learners from India tend to be male, younger, more likely to be in formal education, and more educated than participants featured in many existing studies on MOOC learner demographics. Further, the current study outlined several demographic and motivational differences between learners on FutureLearn and NPTEL, likely to be attributable to the distinct objectives of the two platforms. A more in-depth exploration of learners’ experiences suggested that a diverse group of people, particularly on the FutureLearn platform, are using MOOCs to learn more about areas of personal interest, and, in some cases, using FutureLearn resources to assist in their teaching practice. Conversely, learners on the NPTEL platform, who tended to experience more technical challenges such as connectivity issues, were using MOOCs as a supplement to their formal studies, to make up for some of the systemic lack of quality education in many Indian universities. This thesis suggests that educational technology, in the form of MOOCs, might not necessarily be widening participation in education in a Global South context like India. However, it offers a unique insight into the experiences of learners from India, and provides practical recommendations on how best to serve the needs of the varied Indian learners that make use of MOOCs

European Distance and E-Learning Network (EDEN). Conference Proceedings

Erasmus+ Programme of the European UnionThe powerful combination of the information age and the consequent disruption caused by these unstable environments provides the impetus to look afresh and identify new models and approaches for education (e.g. OERs, MOOCs, PLEs, Learning Analytics etc.). For learners this has taken a fantastic leap into aggregating, curating and co-curating and co-producing outside the boundaries of formal learning environments – the networked learner is sharing voluntarily and for free, spontaneously with billions of people.Supported by Erasmus+ Programme of the European Unioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Remote access laboratories for preparing STEM teachers: A mixed methods study

Bandura’s self-efficacy theory provided the conceptual framework for this mixed methods investigation of pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) self-efficacy to teach Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. The Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument-B (STEBI-B) was modified to create the Technology Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (T-TEBI). Pre-test and post-test T-TEBI scores were measured to investigate changes in PSTs’ self-efficacy to teach technology. Interviews and reflections were used to explore the reasons for changes in pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy. This paper reports results from a pilot study using an innovative Remote Access Laboratory system with PSTs

The muffled accomplishments: South Asian digital learners’ invisible footsteps in MOOCS

Online education has become a popular tool for learning and it has gained incredible positive publicity with the emergence of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Learning through MOOCs has gained momentum over the last few years as prestigious universities and their esteemed faculty members offer more and more courses online. Millions have enrolled in MOOCs and they come not only from developed countries but also many developing countries. India has the second highest enrollment in MOOCs globally. It is imperative to understand the MOOCs user population from developing countries and more specifically, from South Asian countries. MOOCs have been touted as a plausible solution to the developing world’s lack of access to quality higher education because anyone can access the information, as long as they have access to the Internet. However, there have been limited research focused on how MOOCs has changed access and quality of education for students in the Global South. The goal of this research was to understand, interpret and explain the expectations and experiences of the South Asian female learners who have enrolled in at least one MOOC. This study also examines how MOOCs have impacted their personal, academic, and professional lives. It was a qualitative study that incorporated three–phase data collection and triangulation of that data. The researcher’s observations from the MOOCs experience was a backdrop to the development of the data collection tools and the process of data gathering and data analysis. The use of three sources of data for analysis was one of the most significant aspects of this study as it showed how the incorporation of different data sources can provide a more holistic understanding of the online learners when data is collected through online means and there is no scope for in-person interaction or observations of informants. The study findings show that MOOCs have reached a population in developing countries who are self-motivated to learn but do not have access to the most modern and useful tools and resources in their country or educational institutions. The study also shows that MOOCs although have not been able to reach the people who do not have access to higher education, it has greatly impacted and influenced actions and decisions of South Asian female learners who have actively participated in MOOCs in the past. This study highlights the need to increase awareness of MOOCs platforms so that more self-motivated developing country learners with limited resources can access and learn from these extremely rich sources of knowledge and information. It also suggests that these learners can play the bridging role by internalizing the information from MOOCs and then becoming knowledge providers – by bringing the acquired knowledge to the learners in their own country who cannot directly benefit from MOOCs due to limited access to Internet and technology, inadequate computer skills and limited competency in English

From Field to Virtual: Developing Hybrid-Learning Media of Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster Resilience Strategy of Fishing Village Community in Bandar Lampung

Indonesia is an earthquake and tsunami prone area, therefor, disaster resilience strategy is important for surviving and living. The topic of disaster resilience strategy of earthquake and tsunami and case study at Kangkung village in Bandar Lampung then become a topic of hybrid-learning for students with videos as media. It brings a case study of earthquake and tsunami disaster resilience strategy from field to the class by virtual learning media. The research conducted by mix method of (1) Fieldwork approach; (2) Hybrid-learning media production; and (3) Qualitative approach. Fieldwork conducted by observation and documentation (pictures and movies) of Kangkung fishing village community in Bandar Lampung while qualitative approach conducted by questionnaires and in-depth interview to students of Department of Infrastructure and Environmental Engineering, Soegijapranata Catholic University. The results have been analyzed by scoring method. Several conclusions can be described as: (1) five aspects of attractiveness, delivery, learning atmosphere, understanding, and motivation inflicted, can be applied in scoring method; and (2) hybrid-learning media is very good to implemented to learn disaster resilience strategy of earthquake and tsunami at Kangkung fishing village in Bandar Lampung