Learners on the periphery: lurkers as invisible learners

Lurkers, who are also known as silent learners, observers, browsers, read-only participants, vicarious learners, free-riders, witness learners, or legitimate peripheral participants (our preferred term), tend to be hard to track in a course because of their near invisibility. We decided to address this issue and to examine the perceptions that lurkers have of their behaviour by looking at one specific online learning course: CLMOOC. In order to do this, we used a mixed methods approach and collected our data via social network analysis, online questionnaires, and observations, including definitions from the lurkers of what they thought lurking was. We then analysed the data by using social network and content analyses and interpreted the research findings using the concept Community of Practice, with the Pareto Principle used to delimit types of learner. Our research findings revealed that lurking is a complex behaviour, or set of behaviours, and there isn’t one sole reason why lurkers act the ways that they do in their respective communities. We concluded that for a more participatory community the more active, experienced or visible community members could develop strategies to encourage lurkers to become more active and to make the journey from the periphery to the core of the community

Using motivation, volition, and performance model to overcome online procrastination

The profound effects of information and communication technologies (ICTs) have altered and contributed to many domains of our lives. Education, especially online distance education, is at the forefront of these domains. The number of learners in online distance education stream has been growing steadily. The number of courses that are given through online distance education is also increasing in the same way. Even though ICTs have made significant contributions to the facilitation of the educational routines, it is still vague if these efforts help online learners to overcome all motivational problems such as academic procrastination

Using motivation, volition, and performance model to overcome online procrastination

The profound effects of information and communication technologies (ICTs) have altered and contributed to many domains of our lives. Education, especially online distance education, is at the forefront of these domains. The number of learners in online distance education stream has been growing steadily. The number of courses that are given through online distance education is also increasing in the same way. Even though ICTs have made significant contributions to the facilitation of the educational routines, it is still vague if these efforts help online learners to overcome all motivational problems such as academic procrastination

Türkiye’de e-devlet uygulamaları

With the transition to the information society, the digital transformation has been experienced in all areas of the society, and e-government services have also been included in this change process. In this book chapter, the concepts of information society, e-citizenship and e-government are explained. Following that, the emergence of the concepts of e-citizenship and e-government with the transition to the information society is discussed. The development process of the concept of e-government in Turkey has been explained and the applications and services that are at the centre of e-government applications have been examined

Heuristic Yaklaşım: Keşfetme, Deneyim, Açıklama ve Öz-Yansıtıma Dayalı Bilimsel Araştırma Süreci

Alanyazında heuristic yaklaşım farklı tanımlamalar kullanılmaktadır. İngilizcede bilinen ilk kullanımı 1821 yılına kadar uzanmaktadır ve Almanca heuristisch, Latince heuristicus ve kelimenin kökünü oluşturan Yunanca’da heureskein şeklinde kullanılmaktadır. Bununla beraber İngilizce bir kelime olan heuristic "keşfederek öğrenmek; kendi deneyimlerinden öğrenmek; deneysel yolla ve özellikle deneme yanılma yoluyla problemi çözmek veya keşfetmek" anlamına gelen "learning by discovering; learning from their own experiences; discovery or problem-solving by experimental and especiatly trial-and-error methods" ifadeleri ile tanımlanmaktadır. Heuristic yaklaşım, araştırma sürecine kendini adamayı gerektiren; anlamak ve keşfetmek için tasarlanmış araştırmacının kendisini araştırma sürecine dahil ederek kullandığı bir araştırma yöntemidir (Hiles, 2001; Patton, 2001). Heuristic yaklaşım araştırmacıyı araştırma sürecinden ayıran bir yaklaşım değildir; bunun tam tersi, araştırmacıyı araştırma sürecine deneyimlerini yansıtarak diğer paydaşlarla işbirliği halinde dahil eden bir yaklaşımdır. Bazı durumlarda araştırmacının konunun önemini ve anlamını keşfetmesi için araştırılan konu ile araştırmacının doğrudan teması gerekmektedir (Moustakas, 1990). Bu yöntem olgu bilimin araştırma sürecine uyarlanmış bir şeklidir ve olgu bilimden farklı olarak araştırmacının doğrudan araştırma sürecine dahil olmasını gerektirir (Hiles, 2001). Bu çalışmada kapsamlı bir alanyazın taraması yapılarak ve araştırmacının uyguladığı bu yönteme ait deneyimleri yansıtılarak heuristic yaklaşımın tanımı, uygulama alanları, özellikleri, araştırmaya tasarımlanma şekli ve uygulama adımlarına dair açıklamalarda bulunulmuştur

GenAI et al.: Cocreation, Authorship, Ownership, Academic Ethics and Integrity in a Time of Generative AI

This paper investigates the complex interplay between generative artificial intelligence (AI) and human intellect in academic writing and publishing. It examines the ‘organic versus synthetic’ paradox, emphasizing the implications of using generative AI tools in educational and academic integrity contexts. The paper critiques the prevalent ‘publish or perish’ culture in academia, highlighting the need for systemic reevaluation due to generative AI’s emerging role in academic writing and reporting. It delves into the legal and ethical challenges of authorship and ownership, especially in relation to copyright laws and AI-generated content. The paper discusses generative AI’s diverse roles and advocates for transparent reporting to uphold academic integrity. Additionally, it calls for a broader examination of generative AI tools and stresses the need for new mechanisms to identify generative AI use and ensure adherence to academic integrity and ethics. The implications of generative AI are also explored, suggesting the need for innovative AI-inclusive strategies in academia. The paper concludes by emphasizing the significance of generative AI in various information-processing domains, highlighting the urgency to adapt and transform academic practices in an era of rapid generative AI-driven change

Açık ve Uzaktan Öğrenme Kapsamında Dijital Bölünme

The main objective of this study is to describe the digital divide in the digital information age and to examine the efforts to close the digital divide in Turkey and all around the world. Within the scope of the study, digital divide is discussed in the context of individual differences and the relationship between open and distance learning system, and digital divide is explained in a global and local context. In the last part of the study, research findings were synthesized and recommendations were made to researchers, educational institutions and policy makers for further studies

Açık ve Uzaktan Öğrenme Kapsamında Dijital Bölünme

The main objective of this study is to describe the digital divide in the digital information age and to examine the efforts to close the digital divide in Turkey and all around the world. Within the scope of the study, digital divide is discussed in the context of individual differences and the relationship between open and distance learning system, and digital divide is explained in a global and local context. In the last part of the study, research findings were synthesized and recommendations were made to researchers, educational institutions and policy makers for further studies

Surfing on Three Waves of MOOCs: An Examination and Snapshot of Research in Massive Open Online Courses

The purpose of this research is to examine the research that has been done on MOOCs by applying data mining and analytic approaches and to depict the current state of MOOC research. The text mining revealed four broad themes: (I) MOOCs as a mainstreaming learning model in HE, (II) motivation and engagement issues in MOOCs, (III) assessment issues in MOOCs, and (IV) MOOCs for social learning. The social network analysis indicated that MOOCs are a significant aspect of online education and that learning analytics are considered a solution to current MOOC handicaps. Both pivotal contribution analysis and timeline analysis demonstrated that MOOC research has a heavy focus on motivation and engagement, high drop out and low retention rates, and instructional quality. Overall, the research concludes that the first wave of MOOC research largely concentrated on the qualitative characteristics of the phenomenon, while the second and third waves of MOOC research concentrated on the quantitative characteristics

Generative AI, Synthetic Contents, Open Educational Resources (OER), and Open Educational Practices (OEP): A New Front in the Openness Landscape

This paper critically examines the transformation of the educational landscape through the integration of generative AI with Open Educational Resources (OER) and Open Educational Practices (OEP). The emergence of AI in content creation has ignited debate regarding its potential to comprehend and generate human language, creating content that is often indistinguishable from that produced by humans. This shift from organic (human-created) to synthetic (AI-created) content presents a new frontier in the educational sphere, particularly in the context of OER and OEP. The paper explores the generative AI’s capabilities in OER and OEP, such as automatic content generation, resource curation, updating existing resources, co-creation and facilitating collaborative learning. Nevertheless, it underscores the importance of addressing challenges like the quality and reliability of AI-generated content, data privacy, and equitable access to AI technologies. The critical discussion extends to a contentious issue, ownership in OER/OEP. While AI-generated works lack human authorship and copyright protection, the question of legal liability and recognition of authorship remains a significant concern. In response, the concept of prompt engineering and co-creation with AI is presented as a potential solution, viewing AI not as authors, but powerful tools augmenting authors’ abilities. By examining generative AI’s integration with OER and OEP, this paper encourages further research and discussion to harness AI’s power while addressing potential concerns, thereby contributing to the dialogue on responsible and effective use of generative AI in education