Time for action! ICT integration in formal education : key findings from a region-wide follow-up monitor

This paper is a report on the key findings of a region-wide monitoring study conducted in Dutch-speaking schools in Belgium. First, we elaborate on the building blocks of the instrument, which has been updated and improved since its first deployment in 2007. In particular we focus on the core indicators, along with the multi-actor approach, the sample design and the ways in which new phenomena such as media literacy and gaming have been operationalized. Secondly, we highlight the main trends and patterns within pre-school, primary and secondary education. The first descriptive analyses show quite disappointing results with regard to ICT use at the micro level and the available infrastructure, while headmasters, teachers and pupils reported positive perceptions of different aspects of ICT integration. These results indicate an urgent need to take appropriate action. Therefore, the final part of the paper examines how ICT integration could be improved via structural changes and appropriate policymaking with regard to budgeting, teacher training and the particular role of ICT coordinators in schools

Monitor for ICT Integration in Flemish Education (MICTIVO) : research set-up and some preliminaries

MICTIVO is a monitoring tool to evaluate ICT integration in the formal Flemish education. It was first conducted in 2008, based on a literature review of several European monitors for mapping the adoption and diffusion of technology for teaching and learning purposes to evaluate the return on investment and effects of ICT on educational practice. The tool consists of different aspects concerning ICT: infrastructure and policy, perceptions, competences and integration at micro-level. In 2008, MICTIVO was tested a first time, the indicators for the different components were validated and empirically tested. In 2013 and 2018 a follow up study was conducted to monitor the current state of ICT integration. The scale and breadth of MICTIVO makes it possible to get representative information on the status of ICT integration in Flanders and the evolution of trends through time

Betrokken, voorbeeldig, proactief: ICT-integratie in de lerarenopleiding

Naar aanleiding van een evaluatie van ICT-integratie in Vlaanderen waaruit blijkt dat er meer dan dringend nood is aan professionalisering van leraren, worden drie benaderingen geschetst. Elke benadering reflecteert een eigen visie op de (toekomstige) rol van ICT in het onderwijs

From amateur to expert: professionalization in the field of internal communication

Professionalization in specialist disciplines like internal communication may lead scholars and practitioners working in a certain niche to question whether theoretical principles in the more established field of Public Relations are applicable to their specialization. In this paper we analysed whether different forms of knowledge transfer, as identified in the literature on professionalization, contribute to the creation of a professional identity. To this end we distributed an online survey amongst the members of a professional interest group. We found that internal communicators do not all share the same educational background. Few have built their career on internal communication. Professionalization in this discipline mostly consists of peer contacts. A solid link between research and practice has not yet been established. Finally, we found that internal communicators are open to innovations in their field. This can speed up the process of professionalization and therefore the development of a unique social identity. We made a contribution to the literature of both PR and internal communication by questioning the range to which PR theory can be applied to internal communication topics. We additionally inquired whether specialization in internal communication can be justified o n t heoretical g rounds. F urther research will determine whether professionalization of specialisms fragments the field of PR

Explaining differences in subjective and objective benefits of face-to-face vs online instruction

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Hybride leren: pistes voor onderwijs, onderzoek en ontwikkeling

In dit seminarie plaatsen we diverse vraagstukken omtrent hybride leren, de combinatie van e-leren en contactonderwijs, in de kijker. Er wordt in eerste instantie een overzicht gegeven van huidige trends in het gebruik van digitale leermiddelen ter ondersteuning van verscheidene vormen van formeel leren en onderwijs. In het luik 'onderzoek' wordt nagegaan welke topics en onderzoeksdesigns centraal staan in studies betreffende e-leren, afstandsonderwijs en gecombineerd leren. Tot slot wordt speciale aandacht gevestigd op internationalisering en levenslang leren als uitgangspunten voor toekomstige ontwikkeling van instrumenten voor onderzoek en/of studie-trajectbegeleiding.Zie ook http://associatie.kuleuven.be/altus/seminaries/1011/seminarie7/index.htmlstatus: publishe

The role of practice-based research for continuous quality improvement of adult education

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Europe and Flanders: Partners in E-learning? A comparison of public policies

Working towards e-learning success in higher education, i.e. the institution-wide acceptance and use of ICT applications for teaching and learning purposes, means choosing an approach of least resistance. Internal and external consistency or at least complementarity in policy seem crucial. This article presents the results of a desk research concerning the current European and Flemish e-learning public policy approaches with reference to higher education. By means of a document analysis the author traces policy options and strategies in order to find out if, and to what extent they are attuned. The results show that Flanders has quite successfully converted the European general education and innovation policies to its own policy level. Both are on the same wavelength with regard to political views, strategies and action points. What differs is the pretext in time: Europe advises, Flanders agrees afterwards. Nevertheless, the Flemish policy-makers need a ‘wake-up call’ in order to develop an e-learning action plan with specific measures to enhance e-learning implementation in the region.status: publishe

Blended learning: de uitdaging. Deel II - Ontwerpen op programmaniveau. Invited speech

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Selecting Media for Effective Learning in Online and Blended Courses: A Review Study

As the number of online and blended learning courses offered by higher education institutions increase, a predominant issue for instructors is their design. This study focuses on the selection of appropriate media to support online and blended learning (OBL) activities. To this end, we mapped and synthesized in two consecutive systematic review studies the effectiveness of particular media formats on students’ learning outcomes. Eleven empirical studies with a quasi-experimental research design and thirteen studies with randomized allocation to treatment conditions were selected for a detailed analysis. The cumulative findings indicate that ten particular media attributes are of paramount importance for effective learning in OBL courses: interactivity, navigability, (a)synchronicity, flexibility, media richness, ease of use, individualization, mobility, proximity and responsiveness. Furthermore, while the study affirms the theoretical underpinnings regarding multimedia learning and media richness, it exposed that further scrutiny in the field of media selection for application in natural settings of OBL is necessary. Future directions for research are proposed. The outcomes may be useful to OBL instructors and instructional designers in higher education.status: publishe