JournalTOCs

Technology, Knowledge and Learning
Journal Prestige (SJR): 0.614

Citation Impact (citeScore): 2
Number of Followers: 3

Hybrid journal (It can contain Open Access articles)
ISSN (Print) 2211-1662 - ISSN (Online) 2211-1670
Published by Springer-Verlag

[2468 journals]

Teaching the Use of Gamification in Elementary School: A Case in Spanish
Formal Education
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  Abstract: Gamification is an educational methodology and tool that offers benefits through mechanics and dynamics. It brings motivating experiences and benefits to the instructional design approach. Several studies highlight that this methodology fosters contributions in commitment, fun, enthusiasm, motivation, satisfaction, and interaction in pedagogical contexts. The sample of 308 teachers was obtained after the mass delivery of the instrument to educational centers in Spain. The sample is nonprobabilistic, and the study participants voluntarily answered the survey. Of the participants, 69.8% were women and 30.2% were men; this proportion is representative of the population of teachers. A descriptive analysis is based on three dimensions: most used programs, devices used, and didactic functionality. These data are triangulated with an analysis through the HJ-Biplot method, which is presented as a multivariate graphical representation of the data from an Xnxp matrix. This analysis details findings on the determining role played by the teacher and the relationship between years of experience, age, devices used, and resources used, detected with descriptive and bivariate analyses. Among the conclusions are that the subjects positively value training in digital teaching competence in terms of gamification, although in real daily practice only 30% of teachers claim to use gamified tools. Gamification provides collaborative and innovative benefits in relation to its didactic functionality.
  PubDate: 2023-06-02
Interactive Artifacts and Stories: Design Considerations for an
Object-Based Learning History Game
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  Abstract: Object-based learning includes the active incorporation of historic artifacts into educational environments, which may yield meaningful learning experiences. However, gaining access to artifacts and coordinating object-based curricula with museum staff pose immense challenges to educators. Furthermore, digital representations of historic artifacts are often removed from authentic, culturally-situated surroundings. By providing a system-level overview of a game currently under development titled Kresy, this emerging technology report explains how video game affordances, particularly interactive narrative, may support object-based learning in digital environments. To support object-based learning and engagement with 20th-century Eastern European history, Kresy weaves story through evidence collection and inquiry mechanics. In presenting these design considerations, this report shows the viability of merging game- and object-based learning within an immersive virtual environment.
  PubDate: 2023-06-02
Digital Game Making and Game Templates Promotes Learner Engagement in
Non-computing Based Classroom Teaching
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  Abstract: This paper outlines an intervention utilising digital game making as a teaching delivery method for curriculum-based learning. Research has demonstrated that digital game making can provide a powerful means of engaging learners by leveraging the popularity of video games and can be particularly effective at engaging the unengaged, including those with learning difficulties. Past work has tended to focus on smaller scale, specific evaluations and not examined the potential of digital game making in subject based teaching in real settings. This work seeks to address this gap by defining a digital game making intervention that utilises game templates to teach United Kingdom based curriculum topics. Four schools were recruited who provided seven classes of students (N = 157) to take part in the study; these included mixed ability classes and two classes comprised of learners with Special Education Needs and Disabilities. In conjunction with teachers, digital game making sessions were scaffolded around game templates. These were implemented into teaching practice to deliver a curriculum topic taught over an eight-week period. An evaluation strategy was developed that utilised a mixed methods approach to evaluate learner engagement, collaboration and inclusion across sessions. This included quantitative data captured using an in-class observation tool, and teacher interviews yielding qualitative data analysed using Thematic Analysis. This paper provides an initial exploration and evidence that digital game making can be used to teach a number of topics outside of computing. Findings from analysed data demonstrate that such approaches provide more engaging and inclusive learning experiences in the classroom.
  PubDate: 2023-06-01
Correction: Digital Competence of Higher Education Students as a Predictor
of Academic Success
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  PubDate: 2023-06-01
Computational Thinking Assessment – Towards More Vivid
Interpretations
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  Abstract: Computational thinking (CT) is an important 21st-century skill. This paper aims at more useful CT assessment. Available evaluation instruments are reviewed; two generally accepted CT evaluation tools are selected for a comprehensive CT assessment: the CTt, a performance test, and the CTS, a self-assessment instrument. The sample comprises 202 high school students from German-speaking Switzerland. Concerning the CTt, Rasch-scalability is demonstrated. Utilizing the approach of the PISA studies, proficiency levels are formed that comprise tasks with specific characteristics that students are systematically able to master. This could help teachers to offer individual support to their students. In terms of the CTS, the original version is refined using confirmatory factor and measurement-invariance analysis. A latent profile analysis yielded four profiles, two of which are of particular interest. One profile comprises students with, on the one hand, moderate to high creative thinking ability, cooperativity, and critical thinking skills and, on the other hand, low algorithmic thinking ability. The second remarkable profile consists of students with particularly low cooperativity. Based on these strength and weakness profiles, teachers could offer support tailored to student needs.
  PubDate: 2023-06-01
A Meta-Analysis of Learning and Moderator Variables in Flipped Education
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  Abstract: The concepts and implementation of flipped education have been prevailing globally. However, most studies focus on learning performance with few analyses on moderator variables. The study conducted a meta-analysis to analyze 39 studies published over the 2012–2018 period. Among the 39 studies involving 4662 participants, 33 of the studies analyzed the dependent variable of learning performance, and 6 of the studies analyzed the other dependent variable of higher-order thinking. To further examine the effects, four moderators—education level, scaffolding, subject area, and country, were analyzed to investigate the various effects on learning performance. Overall, flipped education demonstrated a low effect size of 0.31 for learning performance, and a moderate effect size of 0.53 for higher-order thinking. The in-depth results and syntheses of the four moderators and two dependent variables and their implications are discussed.
  PubDate: 2023-06-01
Barriers and Facilitators of Robot-Assisted Education in Higher Education:
A Systematic Mixed-Studies Review
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  Abstract: Lack of motivation and enjoyment is a challenge that many students face. Due to the current coronavirus pandemic, many lessons are not being conducted face-to-face. However, the use of robots has been proven able to alleviate this challenge. This review explores the barriers and facilitators of robot-assisted education among higher education students. Ten databases were comprehensively searched for studies in English. Both published and unpublished studies were considered without a time limit. A systematic mixed-studies review was adopted and the mixed method appraisal tool was used to assess the methodological quality of the selected articles. The qualitative and quantitative findings were then synthesized via thematic and narrative syntheses, respectively. To integrate these two sets of findings, a result-based convergent synthesis was performed. A total of 28 studies covering 1689 higher education students across 14 countries were eventually used for the analysis. Most of these studies had average to high methodological quality. Two barrier themes were identified from these studies, namely, poor audio verbatim from the robots, and disruption and restrictions from software and hardware of the robot. Meanwhile, three themes related to facilitators were identified, namely, greater engagement in learning, facilitation in remote learning, and knowledge enhancement. The use of robot-assisted education has been proven to improve student learning in higher education. Robot-assisted education is an alternate educational technique that can be utilized to supplement and augment ongoing teaching arrangements. Future studies should examine a specific type of robot in a comparable learning environment.
  PubDate: 2023-06-01
A Systematic Literature Review on Personalised Learning in the Higher
Education Context
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  Abstract: Personalised learning (PL) is learning in which the stage of learning and the instructional approach are optimised for the needs of each learner. The concept of PL allows e-learning design to shift from a ‘one size fits all’ approach to an adaptive and student-centred approach. This paper aims to provide a literature review of PL based on: the PL components used to analyse learner diversity, the PL features offered, the methods used in developing the PL model, the resulting model, the learning theories applied and the impact of PL implementation. Thirty-nine out of 1654 articles published between 2017 and 2021 which were found by Kitchenham method were studied and analysed. The results are derived from synthesized through qualitative synthesis using thematic analysis. The results reveal that most of the articles used knowledge level and learner characteristics to analyse learner diversity. The teaching materials and learning path were the most widely offered PL features in PL model. There is a trend in determining PL features using the knowledge graph method and the use of machine learning classification algorithms to analyse learner diversity. The results also show that PL implementation improves learning outcomes and increases learner’s satisfaction, motivation, and engagement. Research analysing the impact of PL implementation on learning is limited. In addition, only a few studies explicitly referred to learning theory in relation to PL model development. Further research topics are suggested.
  PubDate: 2023-06-01
Mobile Outdoor Learning Effect on Students’ Conceptual Change and
Transformative Experience
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  Abstract: Using mobile technologies in education has a lot of potential to take learners outside of their regular classrooms and mediate learning scenarios that are related to real-life situations. Mobile outdoor learning could help students to establish connections between learned concepts and their everyday life. To find out if mobile outdoor learning could be used to shift students’ scientific understandings and to facilitate their knowledge transfer, i.e. students use their acquired knowledge in everyday life, an action research was conducted with 158 students (age 14–16). The results indicated that students gain knowledge during mobile outdoor learning and develop a conceptual change. Furthermore, the results showed that a learning scenario focusing on a socio-environmental problem had a bigger impact on students' transformative experience towards science learning than a more biologically specific topic.
  PubDate: 2023-06-01
Impact of a Training Programme on the e-rubric Evaluation of Gamification
Resources with Pre-Service Secondary School Science Teachers
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  Abstract: Social constructivism is a learning approach in which students actively construct their own knowledge by way of experiences and interactions with others. As such, it is important to highlight both individual and group-based reflection practices in pre-service teacher training as a key aspect for improving teaching practice. This paper presents the results of the design and implementation of a training programme of 7 sessions (8.5 h of class participation plus 25 h of personal homework) for pre-service secondary school science teachers, who were asked to design a gamification resource and an e-rubric to evaluate it. Subsequent improvement of this e-rubric was enhanced by performing different reflection activities at key moments. The programme was carried out by 50 Spanish pre-service teachers from Málaga (Spain). Data collection centred on the e-rubrics designed, the emotions experienced and the possible transfer to real-life practice performed six months later. The impact of reflections on the evaluation was studied by analysing the evolution of the categories proposed by the participants for the e-rubric at different times, with marked changes being found during design and preparation of the gamification resource, and only very minor changes post-implementation. In addition, a group-based criteria consensus session favoured a more in-depth reflection. Interest was the main emotion experienced by pre-service teachers, especially during preparation and use of the resource. The programme also had a marked impact on transfer of the e-rubric into practice, as did the designed resource, although to a lesser extent.
  PubDate: 2023-06-01
Factors Influencing Teacher’s Technostress Experienced in Using Emerging
Technology: A Qualitative Study
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  Abstract: In this era of rapid technology growth, many countries have begun to adopt emerging technologies into their educational systems to improve learning outcomes. The aim of this study is to explore the factors influencing teachers’ experiences of technostress while using new technology in academic classrooms and how it might be mitigated. Prior research has not focused on how technostress develops among individuals over time or how it can be mitigated in an individual context; the intention of this study is to contribute to the technostress literature in these particular areas. To address the research gap, we conducted a qualitative study that collected data through the use of an open-ended question questionnaire. Seventy teachers of different backgrounds and locations responded to the survey. We used thematic analysis to analyze their responses and reveal how lack of school support and their professional identities influence their levels of technostress. Technology characteristics, including the complexity and the benefits of a given technology, and privacy concerns play a crucial role in teachers’ experiences of technostress. Moreover, we found that colleague support in using new technology and open educational resources each contributed to mitigating teachers’ technostress levels. Our study extends technostress research to examine a new learning environment and context. This focus allowed us to highlight the need to develop open educational resources and better social support structures for teachers and to rethink the professional identities of developing teachers to mitigate their levels of technostress. Suggestions for further research that resulted from this work include using a mixed methods research approach in future studies and including more teachers in future work to determine the relationships among the factors identified by this study.
  PubDate: 2023-06-01
Digital Competences of Pre-service Teachers in Italy and Poland
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  Abstract: The aim of this research was to compare the level of digital competence of future pedagogical staff (students of pedagogical faculties) in Italy and Poland. The research was conducted using original measurement tools and knowledge tests. The triangulation of techniques and research tools made possible the determination of the level of knowledge of the positive and negative features of the development of the information society, as well as the proficiency and frequency of use of the most popular websites and software. The research was conducted in the first half of 2022 using stratified sampling in both countries (N = 1209, IT = 604, PL = 605). Based on the data collected, it was noted that: (1) Pre-service teachers most often use software such as word processors and presentation creation tools; (2) This group very rarely uses software to create web pages, create visual material, or edit video; (3) The least problematic software that students use are word processors and multimedia presentations; (4) Among the typical ICT mediated activities that cause problems are: searching for and installing freeware (PL), installing and configuring parental control software (PL, IT), creating websites (PL, IT), searching for freely licensed images, and identifying plagiarism (PL); (5) Polish students have more theoretical knowledge about e-risks and the possibilities of the digital world than their Italian counterparts; (6) In most domains, the Italian future teachers rate their competences higher; (7) 53.81% of the respondents in IT and 38.68% in PL received lower results in competence tests, and handling ICT in selected areas causes problems for these students; (8) Both in PL and IT the frequency of ICT use and its seamless integration are predictors for assessing the effectiveness of ICT use in education.
  PubDate: 2023-06-01
Technology and Multimodality in Teaching Pre-service Teachers: Fulfilling
Diverse Learners’ Needs
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  Abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of the use of multimodality during college level instruction. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, data were analyzed to determine the effectiveness of incorporating multimodality in teaching pre-service teachers. Results indicated the use of multimodality increased participants’ knowledge and awareness of Special Education concepts and strategies for teaching students with disabilities. Results also indicated there was a significant difference in knowledge gained by the experimental group when compared to the control group.
  PubDate: 2023-06-01
Do Future Teachers Believe that Video Games Help Learning'
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  Abstract: One of the factors associated with the educational use of video games is the conception that teachers and students have about their educative usefulness. However, there are no studies that identify what aspects are considered more effective to learn with video games and what kind of learning is more accessible using them. This study aims at identifying pre-service teachers’ conceptions regarding video game use for learning and specifically to know what aspects and learning they consider are more feasible. Likewise, we analyzed the pedagogical training effect of these conceptions for three groups of university students: primary pre-service teachers (who received general pedagogical training), secondary pre-service teachers (who received pedagogical training in only one area of knowledge) and other university students without pedagogical training. We applied a questionnaire to a sample of 422 university students. This questionnaire had two dimensions that differentiated between the pragmatic and epistemic uses of video games for learning and three dimensions about the different verbal, procedural and attitudinal learning which can be achieved with them. The results showed wide acceptance of video games as a learning resource in university students, but in particular secondary pre-service teachers pointed out higher possibilities of achieving learning with video games than primary pre-service teachers. On the other hand, university students pointed out more learning when video games were used in an epistemic way. In addition, they considered video games favor more verbal and procedural learnings than attitudinal ones. In conclusion, despite the positive conceptions of the students about learning with video games, we observed a less positive pattern in pre-service teachers with general pedagogical training. These results suggest that video game incorporation in schools is not being carried out fruitfully by education faculties. Therefore, we advocated for 21st-century training that optimized new conceptions and uses of video games.
  PubDate: 2023-06-01
Digital Competence of Higher Education Students as a Predictor of Academic
Success
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  Abstract: The purpose of the present study is to analyze the digital competence of Higher Education students, as a function of their academic performance (have either repeated or a not previously), as well as to predict its significant predictors. For this, an ex-post factor and a sample of 17301 students from Chile (Latin America) were utilized. A questionnaire composed of a total of 30 items, classified into five endogenous and exogenous dimensions through a causal model, adapted from the works of Gutiérrez-Castillo (2013), Gutiérrez-Castillo & Cabero (2016) and Gutiérrez-Castillo et al. (2017), was administered via online to the students. The results showed statistically significant differences in digital competence, as a function of repeating an academic year or not, with better scores for the latter. Also, factors such as the number of digital resources utilized for the teaching-learning process, the previous preparation for managing their studies, as well as the level of education of the parents, mainly the father, significantly had an influence on both types of students. This study highlights the importance of the development of an adequate digital competence which has an influence on the learning of the students and their posterior class promotion.
  PubDate: 2023-06-01
Analysis of digital competence of educators (DigCompEdu) in teacher
trainees: the context of Melilla, Spain
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  Abstract: The Spanish autonomous city of Melilla, located in northwest Africa, has one of the highest academic failure and abandonment rates in Europe. An effective way to improve this situation would be to improve students’ digital competence. In order to do so, teachers must have competent digital skills themselves and also be able to teach them. To determine teachers’ level of digital competence, the Spanish adaptation of the European Framework for Digital Competence of Educators was used to analyse the self-assessment responses of teachers in training at the Faculty of Education and Sport Sciences in Melilla, Spain. Several quantitative techniques were used to analyse data collected from a questionnaire based on the items in the framework. Indicators were given to each competence using a factor analysis to contrast differences between undergraduate and postgraduate students. Correlations between some of the students’ characteristics and the competences were estimated using OLS. The results show students’ self-assessment level of digital competence in different areas and differences between the bachelor’s and master’s programmes. Digital competence gaps were also detected in teacher training, especially in security. The conclusions highlight the need to improve digital security and facilitate a higher level of digital skills in line with the framework. Indeed, more hours of training in digital competence are required while taking into account the educational context and the technological, pedagogical and content knowledge needed to teach. Equally, the same skills must be developed by educators in order for them to transmit digital competence to their students and support them in educational centres.
  PubDate: 2023-06-01
Adaptation of Self-Assessment Instrument for Educators’ Digital
Competence into Turkish Culture: A Study on Reliability and Validity
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  Abstract: In this study, the adaptation of the "Digital Competence for Educators" self-assessment instrument developed by the European Commission Joint Research Centre to Turkish culture and the validity and reliability study of the Turkish form were carried out. The study was conducted with 697 teachers working in different provinces of Turkey. After the translation of the self-assessment instrument, first and second-order confirmatory factor analyses were made for construct validity, and AVE and CR values were calculated for convergent validity. For reliability studies, the Cronbach alpha coefficient and McDonald's omega coefficient were presented. The model of the instrument consisting of 22 items and six dimensions in total was found to be well adapted as a result of the confirmatory factor analysis. The Cronbach alpha coefficient for the entire self-assessment instrument was calculated as .947, and the omega coefficient, which was expressed to give more proper results for congeneric measurements, was calculated as .948. The analysis results show that the self-assessment instrument adapted to Turkish culture is a valid and reliable instrument with language equivalence in evaluating teachers' digital competence.
  PubDate: 2023-06-01
Can Teachers’ Identities Come to the Rescue in the Fourth Industrial
Revolution'
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  Abstract: Exploring teachers’ identities while teaching in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is essential. Such assists teachers to reflect, improving their teaching through various networks. Identities are conscious thoughts interrogating subconscious thoughts that drive teachers to understand their personal needs. Eleven teachers, registered for a Master of Education degree at a university in South Africa, were purposively selected for this study. The objective of this study was to understand teachers’ identities while teaching mathematics in the 4IR. Focus-group discussions, reflective activities, and one-on-one semi-structured interviews, framed by a pragmatic case study, were used for data collection. The teachers’ identities revealed that the Three Tree Rings Theory with Currere was useful when applied as the teaching framework. Such application of the theories generated three categories of teaching identities within the 4IR. Categories were societal, professional, and personal identities. The university at which these participants were registered prescribed Moodle. However, the students mostly used social media sites such as Facebook and WhatsApp. As a result, students used digital technologies even during face-to-face classes. The study concluded that, although there were elements of both personal and professional identities, the societal identity was that which drove teaching. Consequently, this study recommends that teachers should learn to reflect on, in, and for their actions, in order to address the ‘what’, ‘how’, ‘who’, and ‘why’ questions of education, natural identity, and the 4IR/5IR.
  PubDate: 2023-06-01
Co-Design of Augmented Reality Games for Learning with Teachers: A
Methodological Approach
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  Abstract: Augmented Reality Game-Based Learning (ARGBL) is becoming increasingly relevant in Technology-Enhanced Learning. Games with AR characteristics, or even AR applications structured with rules and game elements, are proving to be effective and successful learning experiences. There is a need to include teachers in the design process. In this paper, two case studies are shown in order to validate a methodological approach for the co-design of ARGBL, in which 6 teachers participated. This is a co-design method that proposes a thorough, iterative process guided by design principles and mediated by dialogue among the stakeholders. Here, the process of co-design with teachers is analyzed and assessed using mixed-methods observations on the use of the produced ARGBL games with students on naturalistic environments. The validation process links the usefulness of the ensuing products with the use of the method and shows the benefits of using co-design methods to create ARGBL experiences.
  PubDate: 2023-03-11
  DOI: 10.1007/s10758-023-09643-z
Identifying the Factors to Enhance Digital Competence of Students at
Vocational Training Institutes
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  Abstract: Digital competence is a quite complex and evolving concept, difficult to be defined by using a single definition. The European Digital Competence Framework (DigComp) provides a consistent framework to guide cross-country measurements of digital competence. Even though there are many studies on measuring the digital competence level, there is a limited focus on the factors that may influence each DigComp area. The aim of this study is to examine the factors that affect the different areas of digital competence level of students at Vocational Training Institutes. For the purposes of the study, a set of laboratory tests was developed. The study employs parametric tests—t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Bonferroni correction—to examine those factors. According to the findings: (1) ‘age’ affects the ‘Communication and collaboration’ area of DigComp; (2) ‘educational level’ affects ‘Digital content creation’; (3) ‘specialization’ affects ‘Communication and collaboration’; (4) ‘possession and use of PC’ affects ‘Information and data literacy’, as well as ‘Problem solving’; (5) ‘possession and use of smartphones’ affects ‘Communication and collaboration’; and (6) ‘Internet use’ affects ‘Information and data literacy’. The results suggest that educational institutes should update their curricula to achieve a sufficient level of digital competence for their graduates by developing tailored made courses to reinforce the skills related to those areas separately, and employ educational practices to confront influential factors, such as age and use of technology. Employees’ training processes should also consider updating reskilling and upskilling programs towards improving the five DigComp areas.
  PubDate: 2023-03-08
  DOI: 10.1007/s10758-023-09641-1