Edutainment for an enhanced learning experience (ELE)

The paper presents research findings on how effective use of edutainment content can increase learner response. It aims to showcase how learning/instructional material can be made more enticing and conducive for Z-Generation learners in academia. The paper looks at different tools (commercial and free) that can be utilized to create edutainment content and facilitate more creative and effective learning. It also explores the beneficial implications of edutainment from enhancing learner perception and engagement to learner responsiveness and knowledge retention. To measure the effects of edutainment a test case was selected in which students of selected courses were required to complete a weekly survey on their workload for an entire semester. An animated video objectively designed with edutainment at mind was used to deliver instructions on the purpose and importance of completing the survey and made available to students of a particular targeted course. Subsequently, response rate from students was by far the highest for the targeted course who received their instructions through the animated edutainment video when compared to all the other courses for all fourteen weeks of the survey

Anonymous online peer assessment in an undergraduate course: An analysis of Students’ perceptions and attitudes in the South Pacific

This paper provides insights on students’ perceptions and attitudes on anonymous online peer assessment. Peer assessment tools are being utilized in higher education in the information age to improve student learning experience by enabling a predominantly learner centered environment where students are actively involved in learning and the feedback process. This study aims to explore students’ perception and attitude of online peer assessment strategy in an undergraduate course offered in online and blended modes to students from twelve Pacific Island Countries (PICs). An online questionnaire was administered at the end of the assessment process to a sample of 1160 students out of which 846 completed the survey with a response rate of 73%. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results from this study indicated that the students had a favorable perception and attitude towards online peer assessment method when assessor and assessee are kept anonymous. The online peer assessment strategy also motivated students to learn, improve their understanding of the formative assessment and develop meta-cognitive skills

An exploration on effectiveness of anonymous peer assessment strategy in online formative assessments

This Research in Practice WIP paper presents findings to quantify the effectiveness of using online peer assessment strategy through Moodle workshop tool in a Communications and Information Technology online and blended course. The study focused on the reliability and validity of grades given by graders using Moodle workshop tool. All assessments were also manually graded by facilitators as independent variable for comparison with final Moodle grade allocated by Moodle workshop tool. The quasi-experimental study was conducted in a compulsory undergraduate course across 14 campuses on formative procedural knowledge assessment. Assessments from five graders were considered for analysis where students were also allowed to self-assess their work as one of the graders. The methods used for data analysis were descriptive statistics, correlation, interrater reliability tests and validity tests applied at 95 confidence level. The findings for peer assessment activity were reliable and valid within 0.8 inter-rater agreement with self-assessment and without self-assessment. Furthermore, the final peer assessment grade allocated by Moodle workshop tool was consistent with the facilitator grade. However, Mann Whitney-U test revealed a significant difference between Moodle grade and facilitator grade for online and blended modes mostly due to: the understanding of the online students on the assessment itself, assess to ICT tools and internet connection facilities while grading peers work and the marking variance of the facilitators

Partnerships with Governments to Implement In - Country Science Programmes in the South Pacific Region

This paper essays the design of a new cohort-based model to deliver science programmes for high school graduates and teachers teaching science in the high schools in the South Pacific. The aim is to increase the number of skilled science teachers and ultimately the number of science graduates qualified to work in not only the public-private sectors but also find solutions to unique problems faced in the South Pacific. Sustaining such programmes depends heavily on the culminated tripartite efforts between students, respective regional countries and higher education institutes. The University of the South Pacific offers selected undergraduate degree programmes through its Science Teachers Accelerated Programme (STAP) and the In-country Science Programme (ISP) in its member countries. The government bodies decide upon the discipline combinations of programme based on their countries' priority areas. The first STAP launched in Samoa in 2014 had 60 science teachers enrolled in Bachelor of Science with 5 different combination of majors. The partnership achieved well and in turn paved the way for STAP offers in Samoa (second cohort), Tonga and Vanuatu. Ideally, science students would travel to the main USP Campus in Fiji for further studies; however, with programmes like STAP and ISP, the university is able to deliver science to its various member countries at much lower costs. This paper will highlight the design and implementation of the new cohort based science model, together with the successes and opportunities for the future

Is Gender Associated with Proactivity: An Investigation in Higher Education

The social characteristics of students have in recent studies shown to be highly influential in their learning and achievement (academic and non-academic). Of the many characteristics, proactivity has been seen to be an essential attribute for success in areas such as workforce, health and education sectors. This research paper considers the possible association between proactivity and gender. Three measures of proactivity namely proactive personality, proactive confidence and proactive behaviour were used. The analytics and tests showed that the proactivity levels do not differ between genders, at least in the unique settings of South Pacific. The results were attributed to the Pacific way of life and the unique culture and tradition of the South Pacific region

Is Pacific ethnicity associated to proactivity: an investigation in higher education

The social, emotional, economic and cultural characteristics of students have emerged in literature showing their importance in student learning and academic achievement. Proactivity has been recently seen to be an essential attribute for success in academic as well as non-academic areas. The research paper considers the possible association between proactivity and ethnicity. Three measures of proactivity namely proactive personality, proactive confidence and proactive behaviour, were used. The Kruskal-Wallis test showed that proactivity levels differed significantly between the ethnic groups - Melanesian, Micronesian, Polynesian and Fiji Indians. The difference was attributed to the Pacific way of life and the unique culture and tradition of the different ethnic groups of the South Pacific