Bring your own devices classroom : issues of digital divides in teaching and learning contexts : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Information Technology at Massey University, Albany campus, New Zealand

Since the late 1990s, digital divide has gathered much attention from the research community and government organizations. The education sector has been an important area of inquiry for many researchers, as they strive to inform government initiatives on strategies to address digital divide issues prevalent here. This study reports on how existing and new digital divides have evolved with increased penetration of digital learning technologies into teaching and learning practices and the wide usage of enabling technologies by students across formal and informal learning spaces (i.e. both in- and out-of-school), within the context of a BYOD (bring your own device) classroom initiative. A five-year longitudinal investigation of a BYOD classroom initiative by a New Zealand school helped to gain insights into different nature of digital divides in the learning process. First, the BYOD classroom initiative did not end up accentuating existing gaps in access to digital devices and information, despite initial results indicating towards a potentially digitally divided classroom. Second, the study strongly indicated the presence of gaps in terms of information literacy and critical thinking ability, which was eventually bridged in the later stage, as students slowly adjusted to the classroom curricular structures in the BYOD classroom. Third, learner self-efficacy has been identified as the most influential determinant of learning outcomes among students. In earlier phases of investigation of BYOD classrooms initiative, learner self-efficacy was found to be influenced by digital capability, in combination with information literacy, critical thinking ability, and positive motivation. However subsequently, self-efficacy influences affordances in various aspects of social cognitive abilities related to individual’s learning activities affecting how learners engage and apply technology to shape their learning outcomes. The study findings will inform policy makers and education government agencies, in their ongoing quest for bringing about inclusive digital transformation and overall improvement in learning outcomes

Bridging digital divides in the learning process: challenges and implications of integrating ICTs

Abstract: This paper investigates an initiative by a New Zealand School to integrate one-to-one ICTs into the learning process, called \u27Bring your own device\u27 (BYOD). Prior to embarking on the BYOD initiative, similar past initiatives have been studied and some persistent issues have been identified. Before starting with the detailed investigation of BYOD, a preliminary analysis of the public response data from different sources has also been conducted. From the past initiatives and preliminary analysis of public responses, we have been able to form general research questions for the study. A socio-cultural ecological approach to mobile learning has been considered appropriate as a means of analysis for this study. Authors: Janak Adhikari, Doctoral Student; Dr. David Parsons, Associate Professor and Dr. Anuradha Mathrani, Lecturer, in the department of Information Technology, Massey University Auckland. This paper was presented at mLearn 2012 Mobile and Contextual Learning, Helsinki, Finland, October 16 -18, 2012 and published in the Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Mobile and Contextual Learning .  &nbsp

Protected cultivation of horticultural crops in Nepal: Current practices and future needs

Protected cultivation infers the cultivation under guarded conditions or we can say simply, cultivation under a modified atmosphere or man-made micro-climatic conditions such as alteration in the CO2 concentration also use of different temperature levels on specific protected structures such as hoop houses, cold houses, shade houses, hot frames or hotbeds, hot-bed manures as well as high tunnels which are less costly as well and can be easily afforded by Nepalese farmers. Horticultural crops rely heavily on specific environmental conditions i.e., temperature, soil moisture, sunlight, and soil fertility. However, with climate change, weather patterns worldwide are shifting, significantly impacting horticultural crops directly and indirectly in the mid-hills as well as high-hills of Nepal. The people of the mountainous region are getting malnutrition due to the scarcity of food. By adapting the different climate-smart practices we can increase the productivity of the seasonal crop as well as the availability of off-season crops throughout the year which not only improves the malnutrition status of Nepalese people but also helps the country to lower the vulnerability towards climate change. This review highlights the common protected practices used in Nepal and their need in the future

Moving beyond access and skills: Transformation in teaching and learning in a BYOD case

Over the last five years, we conducted a longitudinal study to investigate a ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) initiative by a New Zealand School to integrate one to one digital learning devices into their learning process. Prior research from past projects has revealed adoption of ICTs give rise to three stages of digital divides in society, namely, digital access (i.e., equity in access/ownership of digital learning technologies among learners), digital capability (i.e., equity in digital/information literacy skills and usage) and digital outcome (i.e., equity in knowledge acquisition and progression). This study shares insights on how existing and new digital divides have evolved in BYOD classrooms with the increased penetration of digital technologies into teaching spaces and the wide usage of technologies by students both in and out of school by the BYOD initiative. Following the same path as the three level digital divide framework, we investigated issues pertaining to digital divide in the context of BYOD classrooms to make the following revelations. First, the BYOD classroom initiative did not end up accentuating existing gaps in access to digital devices and information, despite initial results indicating towards a potentially digitally divided classroom. Second, our analysis strongly indicated the presence of gaps in terms of information literacy and critical thinking ability, which was eventually bridged in the later stage, as students slowly adjusted to the classroom curricular structures in the BYOD classroom. Third, learner-self efficacy has been identified as a determinant of learning outcomes. In the earlier phase of ICT adoption, learner self-efficacy is influenced by a combination of information literacy, critical thinking ability, and positive motivation; however subsequently, self-efficacy influences affordances in various aspects of social cognitive abilities related to individual’s learning activities affecting how learners engage and apply technology to shape their learning outcomes

Understanding Learning Outcome Divide in the Learning Process from a Teachers Perspective: A BYOD Case Study

Technology-mediated learning has established itself as a valuable pathway towards learners’ academic and social development. However, within the adoption stages of ICT enabled education further questions have been raised in terms of equity of information literacy and learning outcomes. For the last three years, we have been working with one of the earliest secondary schools in New Zealand to introduce a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy. In this paper, we have explored how the information literacy, computer self-efficacy and nature of technology usage are transforming school and classroom curriculum practices. Our analysis reveals changes in boundaries between formal and informal learning spaces with one-to-one devices providing the link between school and home, teachers being transformed to facilitators as students take more ownership of their own learning and how technology is shaping classroom activities which further influence learning outcomes which are known to result in digital outcome divides

A case study of medicinal plants and their usage by the local community of Dilasaini Gaunpalika, Baitadi district, Nepal

An Ethnomedicinal survey study was conducted to get information about the usage of medicinal plants and the diversity of species found around the village. The main objective of the study was to document the plants for their medicinal and other uses. Ethnomedicinal plants are locally available used by tribal communities and local inhabitants for various medicinal purposes. Random sampling survey was conducted by selecting 50 households to access the medicinal plants and document their usage in Gokuleshwor, Baitadi. A total of 33 species of medicinal plants to treat 40 ailments was reported with their multipurpose use. During the survey, an equal proportion of males and females aged 14 to 78 were selected randomly. The literacy rate of the study area was 80% and 94% of the people were found to be involved in the collection of medicinal plants. The majority of the respondents (92%) used medicinal plants for minor diseases like cuts, wounds whereas few were found to use the medicinal plant for a long time to treat major diseases like cancer, tumor. The use of medicinal plants for skin infections, cuts and wounds, fever was found to be high followed by diarrhea, common cold, ulcer, asthma, jaundice, burns, piles, and eye inflammation. Most of the plants were found to be used for more than one disease. The conservation of Indigenous knowledge on the Ethnomedicinal plant should be promoted as most of the respondents were unaware of the conservation of medicinal plants

Resolving the neural circuits of anxiety

Although anxiety disorders represent a major societal problem demanding new therapeutic targets, these efforts have languished in the absence of a mechanistic understanding of this subjective emotional state. While it is impossible to know with certainty the subjective experience of a rodent, rodent models hold promise in dissecting well-conserved limbic circuits. The application of modern approaches in neuroscience has already begun to unmask the neural circuit intricacies underlying anxiety by allowing direct examination of hypotheses drawn from existing psychological concepts. This information points toward an updated conceptual model for what neural circuit perturbations could give rise to pathological anxiety and thereby provides a roadmap for future therapeutic development.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (U.S.) (NIH Director’s New Innovator Award DP2-DK-102256-01)National Institute of Mental Health (U.S.) (NIH) R01-MH102441-01)JPB Foundatio

Amygdala inputs to prefrontal cortex guide behavior amid conflicting cues of reward and punishment

Orchestrating appropriate behavioral responses in the face of competing signals that predict either rewards or threats in the environment is crucial for survival. The basolateral nucleus of the amygdala (BLA) and prelimbic (PL) medial prefrontal cortex have been implicated in reward-seeking and fear-related responses, but how information flows between these reciprocally connected structures to coordinate behavior is unknown. We recorded neuronal activity from the BLA and PL while rats performed a task wherein competing shock- and sucrose-predictive cues were simultaneously presented. The correlated firing primarily displayed a BLA→PL directionality during the shock-associated cue. Furthermore, BLA neurons optogenetically identified as projecting to PL more accurately predicted behavioral responses during competition than unidentified BLA neurons. Finally photostimulation of the BLA→PL projection increased freezing, whereas both chemogenetic and optogenetic inhibition reduced freezing. Therefore, the BLA→PL circuit is critical in governing the selection of behavioral responses in the face of competing signals.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Award 1R25-MH092912-01)National Institute of Mental Health (U.S.) (Grant R01- MH102441-01)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Award DP2- DK-102256-01

Neuronal diversity of the amygdala and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis

The amygdala complex is a diverse group of more than 13 nuclei, segregated in five major groups: the basolateral (BLA), central (CeA), medial (MeA), cortical (CoA), and basomedial (BMA) amygdala nuclei. These nuclei can be distinguished depending on their cytoarchitectonic properties, connectivity, genetic, and molecular identity, and most importantly, on their functional role in animal behavior. The extended amygdala includes the CeA and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). Both CeA and the BNST share similar cellular organization, including common neuron types, reciprocal connectivity, and many overlapping downstream targets. In this section, we describe the advances of our knowledge on neuronal diversity in the amygdala complex and the BNST, based on recent functional studies, performed at genetic, molecular, physiological, and anatomical levels in rodent models, especially rats and mice. Molecular and connection property can be used separately, or in combinations, to define neuronal populations, leading to a multiplexed neuronal diversity-supporting different functional roles. © 2020 Elsevier B.V

Understanding Learning Outcome Divide in the Learning Process from a Teachers Perspective: A BYOD Case Study

Abstract: Technology-mediated learning has established itself as a valuable pathway towards learners’ academic and social development. However, within the adoption stages of ICT enabled education further questions have been raised in terms of equity of information literacy and learning outcomes. For the last four years, we have been working with one of the earliest secondary schools in New Zealand to introduce a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy. In earlier research we explored how the BYOD policy has influenced existing divides in the learning process across three levels, namely digital access, digital capability and digital outcome. The earlier result sheds light on key issues affecting the learning process to contextualize factors in the three-level digital divide for the BYOD technology adoption process in classroom settings. In this paper, we extend our analysis on how the key constructs (digital/information literacy, computer self-efficacy and nature of technology usage) are transforming school and classroom curriculum practices. Our analysis reveals changes in boundaries between formal and informal learning spaces with one-to-one devices providing the link between school and home, teachers being transformed to facilitators as students take more ownership of their own learning and how technology is shaping classroom activities which further influence learning outcomes which are known to result in digital outcome divides