Strategic Alliances in Greek Mobile Telephony

The mobile telephony market is a very competitive market. Mobile telephony companies try to expand by forming strategic alliances with companies from various industries. The objective of this paper is to analyze the motives, the actions and the results of the collaborations and alliances of two Greek mobile telephony companies (Cosmote and Vodafone Hellas). In addition, this paper illustrates examples of how the technology change and the technological convergence (Internet, computers, and mobile telephony) affected and activated the proliferation of these alliances. The entry of I-mode and Vodafone Live! in the Greek market caused an increase in the number of alliances especially with content aggregators and media companies

Adaptive feedback characteristics in CAT (Computer Adaptive Testing)

Abstract: Feedback is an essential element in learning. The educator (real or artificial) responds to the learner's actions, emotions, intentions, etc. in order to help her to become selfaware and improve. Recently, Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT) is gaining high popularity due to its efficiency in testing large number of examinees. This paper examines the attributes of Adaptive Feedback in CAT. Designers and developers of CAT systems may rely on these attributes to produce effective feedback adapted to the learner or the educational context

A comparative study between a computer-based and a mobile-based assessment : usability and user experience

Purpose The purpose of this study is to compare the overall usability and user experience of desktop computers and mobile-devices when used in a summative assessment in the context of a higher education course. Design/methodology/approach The study follows a between-groups design. The participants were 110 first-year undergraduate students from a European university. Students in the experimental group participated in the assessment using mobile devices, whereas students in the control group participated using desktop computers. After the assessment, students self-reported their experiences with computer-based assessment (CBA) and mobile-based assessment (MBA), respectively. The instruments used were the user experience questionnaire and the system usability scale. Findings Attractiveness and novelty were reported significantly higher in the experimental group (MBA), while no significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of efficiency, perspicuity, dependability and stimulation. The overall score for the system usability was not found to differ between the two conditions. Practical implications The usability and user experience issues discussed in this study can inform educators and policymakers about the potential of using mobile devices in online assessment practices, as an alternative to desktop computers. Originality/value The study is novel, in that it provides quantitative evidence for the usability and user experience of both desktop computers and mobile devices when used in a summative assessment in the context of a higher education course. Study findings can contribute towards the interchangeable usage of desktop computers and mobile devices in assessment practices in higher education

A framework for mobile-assisted formative assessment to promote students' self-determination

Motivation is an important issue to consider when designing learning activities, including mobile learning and assessment. While previous research provides evidence for the motivational impact of mobile learning, not many pedagogical frameworks exist for the design of mobile-assisted learning and assessment. The current study is grounded in the Self-Determination Theory of motivation and proposes a pedagogical framework for mobile-assisted formative assessment, aiming at enhancing student motivation. For a preliminary evaluation of the framework, fifty-one students from a public European high school participated in a series of formative assessment activities. The tasks that were implemented according to the proposed mobile-based formative assessment framework had a significant positive impact on student perceived levels of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, enhancing students’ intrinsic motivation levels. Study findings highlighted the capacity of the proposed framework to guide the design of mobile-based formative assessment activities that enhance and promote student motivation. The study makes a theoretical contribution by proposing a framework that aligns mobile learning and assessment with elements of the Self-Determination Theory of motivation and also has a practical contribution by implementing mobile learning and assessment practices that have the potential to promote student motivation

Developing a Sustainable Online Platform for Language Learning across Europe

In this paper, we present a sustainable approach for addressing the language skills gap among EU citizens, which significantly hinders their mobility across the EU and their participation in education, in training, as well as in youth programmes. Our approach is based on the sustainable design of the OpenLang Network platform, which provides an open and collaborative online learning environment for language learners and teachers across Europe, and addresses the limitations of existing computer-assisted language learning approaches. The OpenLang Network platform is bringing together educators and Erasmus+ mobility participants to improve their language skills and cultural knowledge. To this end, the OpenLang Network platform offers a collection of multilingual Open Educational Resources and language learning services. The paper presents the results from the user evaluation of the platform, which has been conducted with members of its community of language teachers and learners. A mixed methods approach has been adopted in order to collect and analyse both qualitative and quantitative data from users about the sustainable design of the OpenLang Network platform, as well as to measure the user satisfaction levels of the platform’s language learning services. According to the user evaluation results, the platform offers a sustainable online environment and a positive user experience for language learning. The user evaluation has also helped us identify a set of best practices and challenges associated with the long-term sustainability of an online language learning community

Teachers' views on integrating augmented reality in education : needs, opportunities, challenges, and recommendations

The integration of Augmented Reality (AR) in education is promising since it enhances teaching and offers more engaging and appealing learning experiences. Teachers can have a catalytic role towards the adoption of AR in education and therefore, their perspectives with regard to AR in teaching and learning are very important. The current study explores teachers’ views on the integration of AR in education through an open-ended questionnaire that has been answered by 93 educators worldwide. A set of digital skills that can support student-centered pedagogies in an appropriate infrastructure are the main requirement for effective teaching with AR. Among the perceived benefits and opportunities are interactive teaching and learning, increased interest and engagement, better understanding of complex concepts. As barriers, participants reported the lack of AR educational applications, the cost of buying and maintaining AR equipment and resources, the lack of teachers’ and students’ digital skills, classroom management issues as well as security and ethical issues. Moreover, survey participants highlighted the need for raising teachers’ awareness for the added value of AR in education and the need for teachers’ continuous professional development. Implications and future research recommendations on the integration of AR in education are discussed

Business simulation games : impact on SOLO taxonomy learning outcomes, learning performance and teamwork competency

Despite the increasing use of simulation games in business education, only few studies have explored the cognitive processes that learners employ while playing the game, with quite controversial results about the students' learning outcomes. The current study analyses the impact of a Business Simulation Game (BSG) on the cognitive processes related to the "Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome" (SOLO) taxonomy. Moreover, overall learning performance and perceived teamwork competency have been investigated. A quasi-experimental pre and post-test design was applied. Eighty (80) university students played a marketing simulation game to practise a business marketing plan. The results showed a significant improvement in the unistructural and extended abstract levels of the taxonomy after playing the game. There was no significant difference in the multi-structural level while the effect on the relational level was negative. Also, a strong, positive correlation between perceived teamwork competency and learning performance was found. Implications for instructional designers and educators are discussed

Development and validation of the teachers' augmented reality competences (TARC) scale

While Augmented Reality (AR) can offer many advantages in education, one reason for the difficulty of integrating it in instructional practices is the lack of teachers' AR competences. Therefore, there is an increasing need to address the required competences needed by teachers to effectively integrate Augmented Reality (AR) in their teaching. This study develops and validates a comprehensive Augmented Reality competences scale for teachers. The suggested instrument encompasses skills related to the creation, use and management of Augment Reality resources for teaching. The scale was validated on a sample of 150 educators from 45 countries teaching in primary, secondary or tertiary levels. Confirmatory Factor Analysis demonstrated valid results in terms of model fit criteria, factor loadings, validity, and reliability. The final scale is composed of 11 items and 4 competence components. Teaching subject, general digital skills and previous AR class experience revealed significant differences across the scale components, while gender and age did not reveal any significant associations. Educators in higher education institutions self-reported higher competence level for designing, developing, and modifying AR resources compared to secondary and primary levels. The scale can be used by educators to self-assess their AR competences, teacher professional development institutions and policy makers to develop training programs in AR and software companies to develop AR experiences that can empower educators

Integrating TAM with EEG Frontal Asymmetry

Recent evolution in the Information Systems (IS) community has involved neuroscience tools and methods in order to develop new theories concerning Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and further understand IS acceptance models. Thus, the field of NeuroIS has emerged. Moreover, NeuroIS researchers have proposed encephalograph (EEG) as valuable usability metric. Particularly, EEG frontal asymmetry has been related to approach/withdraw behaviour and positive/negative affect concerning users’ perceptions. Furthermore, Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) has been established as the most notable model regarding IS acceptance. This study is a first attempt to integrate EEG frontal asymmetry with TAM in order to associate brain activation with the two most important variables of TAM: Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Ease of Use. Specifically, thirty one undergraduate students were chosen to use a Computer-Based Assessment (while being connected to the EEG) in the context of an introductory informatics course. Results indicate a direct positive association of frontal asymmetry on the aforementioned variables. These findings suggest that frontal asymmetry could be useful for validating and developing Information Technology (IT) theories, as well as designing and explaining the acceptance and adoption of new IS systems or products

Measuring instant emotions based on facial expression during computer-based assessment

Abstract Emotions are very important during learning and assessment procedures. However, measuring emotions is a very demanding task. Several tools have been developed and used for this purpose. In this paper, the efficiency of the FaceReader during a computer-based assessment (CBA) was evaluated. Instant measurements of the FaceReader were compared with the researchers' estimations regarding students' emotions. The observations took place in a properly designed room in real time. Statistical analysis showed that there are some differences between FaceReader's and researchers' estimations regarding Disgusted and Angry emotions. Results showed that FaceReader is capable of measuring emotions with an efficacy of over 87% during a CBA and that it could be successfully integrated into a computer-aided learning system for the purpose of emotion recognition. Moreover, this study provides useful results for the emotional states of students during CBA and learning procedures. This is actually the first time that student's instant emotions were measured during a CBA, based on their facial expressions. Results showed that most of the time students were experiencing Neutral, Angry, and Sad emotions. Furthermore, gender analysis highlights differences between genders' instant emotions