Authors:Linda Corrin; Gwo-Jen Hwang, Jason M. Lodge, Kate Thompson Abstract: The end of 2021 marks the first anniversary of the new AJET Lead Editor Team. In this editorial we explore the role of change in the past two years of educational technology in tertiary education, and what this has meant for AJET. We also present the bibliometrics for the year, a summary of what was published in AJET in 2021, and what we have learnt as the new lead editor team. We conclude with a look at what is next for AJET as we move into 2022 and a thank you to all the important people who make AJET a success. PubDate: Mon, 20 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +110
Authors:Jan Hein Eggers; Prof. dr. Ron Oostdam, Prof. dr. Joke Voogt Abstract: Although self-regulation is an important feature related to students’ study success as reflected in higher grades and less academic course delay, little is known about the role of self- regulation in blended learning environments in higher education. For this review, we analysed 21 studies in which self-regulation strategies were taught in the context of blended learning. Based on an analysis of literature, we identified four types of strategies: cognitive, metacognitive, motivational and management. Results show that most studies focused on metacognitive strategies, followed by cognitive strategies, whereas little to no attention is paid to motivation and management strategies. To facilitate self-regulation strategies non-human student tool interactional methods were most commonly used, followed by a mix of human student-teacher and non-human student content and student environment methods. Results further show that the extent to which students actively apply self-regulation strategies also depends heavily on teacher's actions within the blended learning environment. Measurement of self-regulation strategies is mainly done with questionnaires such as the Motivation and Self-regulation of Learning Questionnaire. Implications for practice and policy: More attention to self-regulation in online and blended learning is essential. Lecturers and course designers of blended learning environments should be aware that four types of self-regulation strategies are important: cognitive, metacognitive, motivational and management. Within blended learning environments, more attention should be paid to cognitive, motivation and management strategies to promote self-regulation. PubDate: Thu, 12 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +100
Authors:Miri Shonfeld Abstract: This study examined the factors that may promote student-teachers’ satisfaction with online collaborative learning (OCL). Eighty-four student teachers at the graduate level at three teacher-education colleges in Israel simultaneously completed questionnaires that examined their information and communication technology (ICT) skills, collaboration experience and personality traits. The findings reveal that ICT level, positive experiences with collaborative learning and openness contributed significantly to satisfaction with the collaborative project and accounted for 63% of the variance. Personal traits were found to be mediated by ICT level, and ICT level was in turn mediated by collaborative experience. The results demonstrate the importance of ICT level as a prerequisite for these courses and the significance of preparing the groups and structuring the activities to achieve positive collaborative experiences. Implications for practice or policy: University stakeholders may build OCL courses in collaboration with other universities. University staff can determine how personality issues and ICT level affect students’ success in OCL courses. Policymakers can better understand the preparation necessary to develop OCL courses. This case can help educators improve their collaborative programs. PubDate: Thu, 12 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +100
Authors:Chenchen Liu; Ping Wan, Yun-Fang Tu, Kai Chen, Youmei Wang Abstract: Peer assessment has been regarded as an effective learning strategy in art education, such as in music, dance and art design. For music education, technology-supported peer assessment makes it easier for learners to reflect on their learning performance. However, the process of reflection needs solid and systematic theoretical knowledge. In terms of vocal music, which develops students’ singing skills, it is difficult for learners to compare their own works with those of others because of a lack of sufficient theoretical knowledge. Therefore, a WSQ (watch-summary-question)-based mobile peer assessment approach was used to help learners reflect based on their theoretical knowledge with the support of WSQ learning sheets. To investigate the effectiveness of the approach, an experiment was carried out in a Chinese university. The experimental group (N = 22) learned with the WSQ approach, whereas the control group (N = 22) adopted a mobile peer assessment approach without WSQ. Vocal music skills, learning attitude and learning motivation were assessed. The experimental results indicate that the approach effectively enhanced the students’ vocal music skills but did not improve their learning motivation or attitude. In addition, a higher correlation between teacher scoring and peer scoring was found for the experimental group. Implications for practice or policy: Technology has a great potential in supporting art education and integrating technology into vocal music education should follow the rules of music education. Developing students’ reflective thinking skills in vocal music education is challenging, but attainable; it needs considered instructional design and sustained efforts from students. PubDate: Tue, 27 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +100
Authors:Kaitlin Riegel; Tanya Evans Abstract: The rapid inclusion of online assessment in higher education has left a void in investigating the relationship this form of assessment has with student emotions. This study examines the influence of frequent online assessment on student emotions in a university setting using a mixed-methods approach. Students' emotions in an online quiz and a traditional classroom test in a second-year mathematics course (n = 91) were analysed using both quantitative and qualitative approaches, through the lens of the control-value theory. The study used an adaptation of the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire (AEQ) to collect data on reported student emotions in both assessments, as well as qualitative data on student’s views of the frequent online assessment. Students reported higher levels of positive emotions and lower levels of negative emotions in an online quiz compared to the test, and we attempted to identify sources of these differences. The findings are discussed together with implications for habitualisation of assessment emotions. Practically grounded generalisations are outlined as opportunities for disrupting negative emotions and reaffirming positive emotions, which are suitable for implementation in higher education on a broad scale. Implications for practice or policy: For educators designing tertiary assessment aimed at promoting positive and reducing negative emotions, we advise incorporating features that students perceive as allowing them greater control over obtaining success. Specifically, we advise incorporating frequent low stakes online quizzes into tertiary courses. These present opportunities for students to habitualise positive assessment-related emotions, which correlate with performance and constructs such as self-efficacy. The Achievement Emotions Questionnaires (AEQ) can be adapted to investigate achievement emotions in different forms of assessment. PubDate: Sat, 10 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +100
Authors:Jesús López-Belmonte; Antonio-José Moreno-Guerrero, Santiago Pozo-Sánchez; José-Antonio Marín-Marín Abstract: Since its inception in 1985, the Australasian Journal of Educational Technology (AJET) has been dedicated to the diffusion of studies on the integration of technology in higher education. Its track record in this field has placed it in the first quartile of the Scimago Journal & Country Rank. The objective of the study was to reveal to the scientific community the journey and evolution that this journal has had throughout its existence in Web of Science. A bibliometric methodology was used, supported by a scientific mapping from a unit of analysis of 798 documents. For this reason, a co-word analysis can be a fundamental tool for understanding the characteristics of their production and their impact on the scientific community. There is an evident progressive evolution of the studies published in the Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, with a first phase focused on the design and implementation of educational technology in learning environments, a second phase focused on the enrichment of technology and its acceptance within the processes of teaching and learning, and finally a stage focused on student and teacher perceptions of the implementation of technology in the educational context. Implications for practice or policy: We have established a contextual framework to show researchers current trends in educational technology and delineate future lines of research. Those interested in this subject will have a set of bibliometric indicators to delve into the field of educational technology. Higher education teachers and students will discover the evolution of the use of technology in learning spaces. PubDate: Sat, 10 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +100
Authors:Qian Fu; Li-Wen Zhang, Jon-Chao Hong, Yan Dong Abstract: Learning programming challenges students who encounter difficulties such as resolving syntax and format errors. These challenges require students to invoke resilience to overcome programming problems and keep trying. In response, this study developed the programming resilience scale for university students (PRSUS). The snowball-sampling method was used to collect the data of science and engineering undergraduates, and the participants were divided into two groups (n1 = 316, n2 = 358) for an exploratory and a confirmatory factor analysis, respectively. For the PRSUS, 3 items were retained for each of 4 dimensions, namely: persistence, perceived value, difficulty cognition, and incremental belief. The reliability and validity indexes indicate the scale is reliable for measuring programming resilience. Moreover, the results showed that most undergraduates had a high level of programming resilience, and they could judge their level correctly in comparison to their peers. The study also found that, although no significant difference was found among the grade or age groups, the programming resilience of the male students was significantly better than that of the female students. The PRSUS is expected to help researchers and teachers to identify students who have difficulties learning programming and to provide early interventions to students. Implications for practice or policy: Students can use the PRSUS to test if they have a high level of programming resilience and improve their programming resilience in a targeted way. Educators can use the PRSUS to identify students who find it difficult to finish programming learning or to judge whether their teaching can make students more willing to overcome programming difficulties. PubDate: Sat, 10 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +100
Authors:Baris Cukurbasi; Mubin Kiyici Abstract: This literature review aimed to examine the status, trends and tendencies in publications about virtual classrooms, instructional design in the virtual classroom and instructional effectiveness in the virtual classroom, as indexed in the ERIC database. For this review, we examined 2680 publications indexed in ERIC between 1994 and 2018. We collected data with data mining and utilised several Python libraries as resources for developing the analysis plan. The results of the analysis are presented in visual form. For each of the three subject matter areas examined in this study, we present the themes in the publications by years, titles, abstracts and ERIC descriptors. We report in detail the trends and challenges that emerged from the analysis. The results show that the words “learning”, “online”, and “environment” were prominent in each of the three subject matter areas. The primary topics addressed were literacy and curriculum development, and researchers examined the roles of instructors, learners and managers. Implications for practice or policy: This review will be a useful resource for scientists, researchers and policymakers who conduct studies on the virtual classroom. Instruction should be planned according to differences in instructor, learner and manager roles, as revealed by the studies. Practitioners who want to teach in virtual classrooms can also use it as a guide. PubDate: Sat, 10 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +100
Authors:Ken-Zen Chen; Hsiao-Han Yeh Abstract: Forum discussions have been utilised widely as a means of facilitating learning interaction and social-knowledge construction in online learning. Much research has been conducted on the instructional interventions that benefit asynchronous discussions. Role-playing, or assigning roles to discussants, has been proven effective in promoting interactivity and knowledge construction in the context of both face-to-face and online learning. However, assigning and rotating roles to thousands of learners in massive open online courses (MOOCs) and preparing them to act properly in their roles sounds impractical to MOOC instructors due to work overload. The present study provided three types of role assignment in a MOOC during various course offerings: fall offerings with no role-assignment, spring offerings with partial role-assignment and summer offerings with full role-assignment. Through the examination of the discussion patterns and role-assignment differences among 4,239 students and 5,439 posts in 56 forums, we suggest that partial role-assignment is as effective as full-role assignment. By assigning as few as 10 students with rotating roles, MOOC instructors can leverage this effective strategy while minimising their effort in preparing the discussants and moderating the discussions. These students act behind the scenes and improve the behavioural patterns of asynchronous discussions. Implications for practice or policy: MOOC instructors and teaching assistants can leverage a partial role-assignment strategy to improve asynchronous discussion quality with manageable effort. MOOC platform leaders and instructional designers may explore work-smart teaching strategies that are viable in practice without overburdening instructors. PubDate: Sun, 27 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +100
Authors:Baris Sezer Abstract: The aim of this study was to develop an electronic performance support system (EPSS) to improve students’ performance in the topic of scientific research methods. A review of the literature shows that EPSSs are usually developed using advanced programming technologies. This limits the widespread use of EPSS for educators and researchers. In this study, a mid-level EPSS was developed by integrating Moodle to a static (non-interactive) educational system, without using advanced programming. The study was designed and carried out using the developmental research method. Study participants were second year students from the Faculty of Medicine of Hacettepe University in Turkey. The system was designed by taking students’ needs into account, as well as other issues that the literature identified as points of consideration when developing an EPSS. The mid-level EPSS developed within the framework of this study increased the students’ academic achievement and students stated that the system met their expectations. Implications for practice or policy: Educators can support scientific research methods courses with EPSSs. Educators and researchers may take advantage of detailed steps in this research, if they want to develop such an EPSS. A mid-level EPSS is taken as reference when developing an EPSS without advanced programming skills. PubDate: Sun, 27 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +100
Authors:Aaron McDonald; Heath McGowan, Mollie Dollinger, Ryan Naylor, Hassan Khosravi Abstract: Amid increasing calls for universities to transition to online learning, there is a need to explore how platforms and technology can provide positive student experiences and support learning. In this paper, we discuss the implementation of an online peer learning and recommender platform in a large, multi-campus, first-year health subject (n = 2095). The Recommendation in Personalised Peer Learning Environments (RiPPLE) platform supports student’s co-creation of learning resources and allows for students to provide feedback and rate their peers’ submissions. Our results indicated that both student engagement and academic performance were positively impacted for users by the introduction of the RiPPLE platform, but that academic preparedness, in the form of students’ ATAR scores, strongly influenced their engagement and the benefits received. Implications for practice or policy: We explored if students were willing to co-create learning resources online. Our study piloted an online platform known as Recommendation in Personalised Peer Learning Environments (RiPPLE). Critical analysis provides insights into fostering online engagement and peer learning. We further offer recommendations for future practice on how to embed online student co-creation of curriculum. PubDate: Sun, 27 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +100
Authors:Hui-Wen Huang Abstract: This study examined how smartphone-based collaborative video projects influenced English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ speaking performance and learning engagement using blended learning in China. The collaborative video projects helped students engage in two smartphone-based video filming tasks to combine language learning with real-life experiences simultaneously. A total of 65 college students used smartphones to participate in 3-minute collaborative video tasks that were related to the learning context of the classroom textbook. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected during this 8-week intervention. This included pretest and post-test speaking scores, a questionnaire on group collaboration, students’ final reflections and focus group interviews. A paired-sample t test, descriptive analysis and qualitative content analysis were used to analyse the data. The results indicate that students’ speaking abilities were significantly improved at the end of the intervention. They enjoyed group collaboration in the video projects and appreciated acquiring digital media production skills. Interview results highlight the opportunities for and challenges of the educational application of video projects in EFL classrooms. Implications for practice or policy: Integrating collaborative vlog projects in EFL classrooms can stimulate students’ speaking performance. Student-made collaborative vlogs can help students develop 21st century skills, especially in digital media production. Smartphone-based vlog projects can increase learners’ engagement and enhance their group collaboration skills. PubDate: Sun, 13 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +100
Authors:Renzhong Peng; Rongrong Fu Abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) students’ learning motivation and learning outcomes in a blended learning environment. A questionnaire was administered to 960 EFL students, and 10 of them participated in an interview. Following a series of analyses on the data collected through the questionnaire, consisting of exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, descriptive analysis, and correlation analysis, a structural relationship model that integrated learning motivation and learning outcomes was developed and tested. The results reveal that both intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation have a positive relationship with learning outcomes within a blended learning environment, both of which are conducive to improving students’ English linguistic competence and facilitating their psychological development of English learning. Moreover, intrinsic motivation is more important than extrinsic motivation. In intrinsic motivation, intrinsic interest in English and the intrinsic goal of understanding English culture are the two most important motives. Based on these results, implications and recommendations for future research are provided. Implications for practice or policy: Foreign language educators should consider the stimulation of students' learning motivation as the main task in blended courses. Foreign language educators should pay more attention to the development of students’ intrinsic motivation than extrinsic motivation to produce more favourable learning outcomes in blended courses. Foreign language educators should focus on developing students’ intrinsic interest in foreign language and culture in terms of the cultivation of students’ intrinsic motivation in blended courses. PubDate: Sun, 13 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +100
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