Students’ Perception of Vodcast and Podcast as Instructional Material

The study was conducted to examine students’ perception of vodcast and podcast as instructional material. The study employed a survey research design. The total sample size for the study was two hundred and twenty-five (225) respondents. Data was analyzed and presented using mean statistic and standard deviation. Hypothesis for the study was analyzed using t-test with a p≤0.05 level of significance. Students in the study to a low extent (=1.97) agreed that vodcast and podcast increase productivity, promote creativity and facilitate academic learning. Respondents are of the view that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka postgraduate program is not yet advanced enough to use vodcast and podcast technologies for teaching students (=2.88). Unavailability of technologies had a significant influence on barriers that hinder students from using vodcast and podcast. Based on the findings and conclusion, it is recommended among others, that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka organize a capacity building workshop hinged on the use of top-notch technology for 21st century education; that departments in the university should motivate lecturers to employ technological tools in teaching through incentives as these will encourage every lecturer to key into the move

Learners expectations and motivations using content analysis in a MOOC

The phenomenon of massive open online courses (MOOCs) has transformed the online educational delivery of courses around the world. There are several literature on MOOC publicity in the press, but little has been mentioned and discussed about the learner expectation and motivation. This paper investigates MOOC learner expectations and motivation from different perspectives. What they are hoping to achieve and how they prefer to learn. Firstly, we review existing literature bringing findings about learner expectations and motivation. We provide discussion from previously analysed research to review some learners’ expectation leading to motivation. Secondly, using the initial pilot investigation, we provide preliminary analysis of data from computing for teachers MOOC, run by the University of Warwick, UK hosted using Moodle platform. The first pilot study of CfT MOOC registered over 500 participants in 2013/2014. The CfT MOOC is of two main strands, programming and computing concepts

Collaborative filtering recommendation system : a framework in massive open online courses

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are growing relatively rapidly in the education environment. There is a need for MOOCs to move away from its one-size-fit-all mode. This framework will introduce an algorithm based recommendation system, which will use a collaborative filtering method (CFM). Collaborative filtering method (CFM) is the process of evaluating several items through the rating choices of the participants. Recommendation system is widely becoming popular in online study activities; we want to investigate its support to learning and encouragement to more effective participation. This research will be reviewing existing literature on recommender systems for online learning and its support to learners’ experiences. Our proposed recommendation system will be based on course components rating. The idea was for learners to rate the course and components they have studied in the platform between the scales of 1 – 5. After the rating, we then extract the values into a comma separated values (CSV) file then implement recommendation using Python programming based on learners with similar rating patterns. The aim was to recommend courses to different users in a text editor mode using Python programming. Collaborative filtering will act upon similar rating patterns to recommend courses to different learners, so as to enhance their learning experience and enthusiasm

Massive open online courses : an adaptive learning framework

Diverse student needs present a challenge in online education. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) attract many diverse learners, so there is need to tailor the course instruction to meet the students’ individual needs. This paper investigates an adaptive MOOC system from a personalised learning perspective. Firstly, we review existing literature on adaptive online learning systems, bringing together findings on the relationship to both effective learning support and motivation to study. Secondly, we outline a proposed framework, which tailors the recommendation of instructional material using the learner’s profile. In this model, the system can present the user with a suggested learning path to meet appropriate learning objectives. As the student progresses, further recommendations can be made with appropriate resources to enhance and develop the learner’s understanding of the previous topics. Adaptation and personalised recommendation have been noted as providing the means for an online system to replicate, in part, the function of a human tutor. However, there are drawbacks both in the limitations of providing the best recommendations and in the danger of users having little control over their own learning. Allowing learners to manage their learning by setting objectives and developing paths has been associated with encouraging effective learning skills, increasing collaboration and enhancing learning. Our framework therefore supports users in creating their own paths, allowing them to make informed choices about appropriate resources based on their expression of current objectives and preferences. The framework will be evaluated by adapting an existing MOOC, allowing comparison of a variety of aspects including choice of learning path, learner satisfaction and effect on attainment and drop-out rate

A Metacognitive Instructional Approach and Self-Reflection: Reflective Practice From a Computer Science Perspective

Teaching is increasingly complex work which takes time to plan and continuous effort to ensure the highest standards of professional practice. There is a paradox in our rapidly changing society that educators are not very open to change in their practice (Hoban, 2002). The process for educators to learn and acquire effective teaching skills is a labour which has to be mastered over time. They would gain pedagogical knowledge and skills based on accumulation of new acquired knowledge and teaching methods and strategies to be added to their repertoire of existing knowledge and skills. In addition, it is vital for educators to utilize two aspects of reflective practice as suggested by Schon, which are ‘reflection in action’ and ‘reflection on action’ (Schon, 1983, 1987). Reflection in action refers to quick thinking action which takes places when one is teaching in the classroom. On the other hand, reflection on action usually takes place after the lesson out of the classroom when the educator reflects on his or her previous teaching and considers certain situations from the lesson again. Educational system in the 21st century encompasses reflection from both the teachers and students’ perspectives. In general, reflective practice in teaching and learning in undergraduate education focuses on the professional development of students and academics in an interdisciplinary education. Reflective practice has been in existence in most professional educational practices for several centuries. The use of reflective practice in computing education courses has significant benefits to enhance the knowledge of the students. However, there is some controversies on how this reflection was done and the manner in which this was done based on individual teaching practice. One of the main objectives of this study is to describe the various approaches used in teaching undergraduate students in a computing course. The study illustrates several modern approaches used during this classes. A qualitative research method was applied in gathering the feedback from the students using a general survey questions based on the course delivery. The study used statistical packages for the social sciences (SPSS) to analyze the data gathered. The results revealed the various level of acceptance of the teaching methods applied in the course. These results also demonstrate significant findings on the students' opinions and criticism which could help in future improvement of undergraduate computing curriculum. The study, firstly review literature on reflective practice. Secondly, discussed some of the good teaching practices and methods used in delivery the classes. Thirdly, the analysis and results obtained from the instrument questionnaires used for this study and finally, summary of the findings and further research directions

An empirical investigation of students’ perceptions of self-regulated learning in Online Blended Learning : a case study of a novel E-learning platform

Emerging online learning technology such as massive open online courses (MOOCs) is a new trend in learning technology. With the propagation of MOOC as a vast learning platform, very little has been known nowadays about the online blended learning systems and how it improves students’ performance. The blended classroom was conducted using traditional teaching method in a brick-and mortar classroom arrangement and online. The research focuses on the usefulness of blended classroom teaching for a single sample of first year undergraduate students (n = 27) in a computer security module. The sample students participated in this study in an online blended classroom incorporating the orthodox (traditional) class teaching methods. This research investigates the various techniques students used to motivate their studying habit. The computer security module was created in a novel e-learning platform known as eLDa. This is an online platform developed for the delivery of computing concepts, and python programming. This investigation aims at revealing students’ perceptions on self-regulated learning (SRL) skills. Multi-dimensional questionnaires were designed to collate sufficient data on the learning skills and the motivation of the students to study. These surveys analyse the following: (i) the various students’ patterns of motivation (ii) the manner of learning suitable to individual student (iii) the level of improvement attained. The research compared the new introduction of blended class seminar with an initial run of a previous cohort of a traditional class seminar on computer security module. The research approach expanded on an existing Online Selfregulated Learning Questionnaire (OSLQ) as the instrument for measuring the self-regulated learning skills. In order to collect the research data, hard copy questionnaires were distributed during the data collection process in two of the traditional face-to-face learning to obtain the students’ response. Descriptive statistical method was applied for the data analysis and evaluation using a statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) tool. The results indicated the support received from the orthodox methods of teaching and the feedback received help in informing a better blended classroom delivery. The study analysis has provided insights to good practice with respect to the future direction of the online blended course embedded in the eLDaMOOC-learning platform. In summary, the blended learning used in this context was to introduce learners to the 21st century skills in learning, such as critical thinking skills, and self-regulated learning skills. Self-directed learning skills, we presume can lead and encourage learners to the era of autonomous e-learning in education

Assessing self-regulation of learning dimensions in a stand-alone MOOC platform

A capacity for self-regulated learning (SRL) has long been recognised as an important factor in successful studies. Although educational researchers have started to investigate the concept of SRL in the context of online education, very little is yet known about SRL in relation to massive open online courses (MOOCs) or of appropriate strategies to foster SRL skills in MOOC learners. Selfregulation is particularly important in a MOOC-based study, which demands effective independent learning, and where widely acknowledged high dropout rates are observed. This study reports an investigation and assessment of the concept of SRL using a novel MOOC platform (eLDa) by providing study options (either via a self-directed learning or instructor-led learning) using a novel learning tool. In view of this, the research presents general description of self-regulated learning and explored the various existing dimensions used to expose the learners SRL skills. Drawing comparison of the online tool, the results and findings of the data were analysed. The study discusses how the various dimensions contributed to the knowledge representation of the self-regulated learning abilities shown by the learners. We present how these SRL dimensions captured using the measuring instrument contributes to our growing understanding of the distinctive features of the individual learner’s self-regulated learning. MOOCs success required a high performance of self-regulated learning abilities which at the moment very little has shown these degree of supporting SRL skills. This paper presents preliminary evaluation of a novel e-learning tool known, as ‘eLDa’ developed to implement this investigation of self-regulation of learning. The research applied a modified online self-regulated learning questionnaire (OSLQ) as the instrument to measure the SRL skills. The modified questionnaire known as MOOC OSLQ (MOSLQ) was developed with a 19-item scale questions that exposes the six SRL dimensions used in this study

Process optimization of resources for packaged water factories in Nigeria

Part of: Seliger, Günther (Ed.): Innovative solutions : proceedings / 11th Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing, Berlin, Germany, 23rd - 25th September, 2013. - Berlin: Universitätsverlag der TU Berlin, 2013. - ISBN 978-3-7983-2609-5 (online). - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:83-opus4-40276. - pp. 108–113.Inaccessibility to drinking water is an intractable growing problem in developing countries such as Nigeria. This paper, presents the energy and manpower input resources needed to increase water accessibility and guarantee sustainable profitable operations. The work relied on detailed questionnaire administration for data collection from water packaging factories within Nsukka and Enugu Cities. The data were collated and Project Evaluation Review Technique (PERT) was used to determine the amount of energy needed. A profit profile was determined for both sachet and bottle water products. The gross energy sequestered by the packaging process is 87.8J for sachet water and 0.52 MJ for bottle water with average of 10 workforces. Also, optimal production rates of 1658 and 1551 were determined for sachet and bottle water, respectively at a profit of N 291,428.29 per day. The results have significant implications for Nigeria’s millennium development goals target for water in 2015