Technology in education: Equity and theory are key

For those with access to instructional technology, teaching and learning can be far more interesting and far-reaching than ever before. We as educators can empower our students with an understanding of how to employ these resources to meet their immediate and lifelong goals. We as members of the education industry must work to assure equal access to all students.     

Six elements for technology integration in multicultural classrooms

Abstract

Although the number of computers in American schools multiplies, educational inequity remains evident in the area of technology. The socio-economically disadvantaged, the physically disabled, and the culturally and linguistically different have limited knowledge of and experiences with technology. Equitable access to technology requires the infusion of effective multicultural teaching strategies into educational technology use. These strategies must be broad enough to be inclusive of diverse learners, yet specific enough to be valuable as a guide to multicultural teaching. Similarly, they should allow for individual creativity and personal differences in teaching and learning. In this paper, the author proposes and defines six elements for integrating technology in culturally diverse classrooms: cultural awareness, cultural relevance, culturally supportive environment, equitable access, instructional flexibility, and instructional integration. These six elements are based on research on effective teaching of diverse students. They are not exhaustive of good instructional practices for technology use with diverse learners. Nevertheless, the author found their application in the evaluation of 32 technology-integrated units both informative and effective in identifying how teachers integrated computers for diverse learners. The author recognizes the need for further validation of these criteria and for research on effective teacher use of technology in multicultural settings.     

Lecturers’ vs. students’ perceptions of the accessibility of instructional materials

This goal of this study was to examine the differences between lecturers and students’ perceptions of the accessibility of instructional materials. The perceptions of 12 mature computing distance education students and 12 computing lecturers were examined using the knowledge elicitation techniques of card sorting and laddering. The study showed that lecturers had pedagogical views while students tended to concentrate on surface attributes such as appearance. Students perceived instructional materials containing visual representations as most accessible. This has two implications for the professional development of computing lecturers designing instructional materials. First, lecturers need to appreciate the differences between expert and novice views of accessibility and how students will engage with the materials. Second, lecturers need to understand that learners perceive instructional materials containing visual representations as more accessible compared to ‘text only’ versions. Hence greater use of these may enable students to engage more readily in learning. Given that print is the ubiquitous teaching medium this is likely to have implications for students and lecturers in other disciplines.     

Increasing access to learning for the adult basic education learner with learning disabilities: evidence-based accommodation research

Accommodating adult basic education (ABE) learners with learning disabilities (LD) is common practice across many instructional, testing, and work settings. However, the results from this literature search indicate that very few empirically based studies are available to support or reject the effectiveness of a great deal of accommodation implementation. In addition, in light of the profound changes to literacy taking place in today's digital, networked, and multimodal world, technology is redefining traditional concepts of accessibility and accommodation.     

Informal Learning with Technology: The Effects of Self-Constructing Externalizations

ABSTRACT

Especially in the context of technology-enhanced informal learning, it is crucial to understand how to design information sources in such a way that learners are not overwhelmed by the demands of the learning process, but at the same time are engaged in higher order thinking processes. Guidance aids learners in dealing with the demands of a learning process. The authors examined the effects of different levels of guidance provided by an information source. To this end, the effects of a preconstructed externalization are compared to a self-constructed externalization. Thirty-eight students participated in the study. The results revealed no significant differences between the groups with respect to posttest retention. However, performance in application tasks was promoted by the condition associated with a lower level of guidance. This suggests that having learners self-construct an externalization might be a suitable means to elicit learners’ higher order thinking processes in technology-enhanced informal learning.     

Using Technology to Facilitate Differentiated High School Science Instruction

This qualitative investigation explored the beliefs and practices of one secondary science teacher, Diane, who differentiated instruction and studied how technology facilitated her differentiation. Diane was selected based on the results of a previous study, in which data indicated that Diane understood how to design and implement proactively planned, flexible, engaging instructional activities in response to students’ learning needs better than the other study participants. Data for the present study included 3 h of semi-structured interview responses, 37.5 h of observations of science instruction, and other artifacts such as instructional materials. This variety of data allowed for triangulation of the evidence. Data were analyzed using a constant comparative approach. Results indicated that technology played an integral role in Diane’s planning and implementation of differentiated science lessons. The technology-enhanced differentiated lessons employed by Diane typically attended to students’ different learning profiles or interest through modification of process or product. This study provides practical strategies for science teachers beginning to differentiate instruction, and recommendations for science teacher educators and school and district administrators. Future research should explore student outcomes, supports for effective formative assessment, and technology-enhanced readiness differentiation among secondary science teachers.     

Cultural Maintenance,Ownership, and Multiple Perspectives: features of Web‐based delivery to promote equity

Designing educational resources for disadvantaged groups living in rural and remote communities presents a number of challenges. In this paper, the design processes involved in the development of an online unit for Indigenous Australian learners preparing to enter university are outlined. Several design issues that impact on the creation of learning tasks and styles of communication to promote equity and access are described including ownership of learning, cultural inclusivity and community based learning. The paper argues for cultural maintenance, which means incorporating the values, styles of learning and cognitive preferences of the client group in decision making. It also means going beyond surface‐level design considerations to achieving ownership of learning and the creation of multiple perspectives that anchor learners both to their local community and to other global networks. Examples of tasks, activities and forms of community‐based learning are provided in the context of a multiple‐cultural model of learning that recognises inclusivity and different orientations to learning. It is recommended that when creating WWW‐based course sites to achieve equity and access, systematic attention must be given to particular design issues that recognise diversity, utilise an appropriate instructional design approach and involve community input in the design process     

试论中国全面推进随班就读工作的必要性

全面推进随班就读工作对国家更好地保障残疾人享有平等的受教育权、更好地获得社会生存权,并促进社会和谐发展有重要作用.我国全面推进随班就读工作的必要性如下:一是人权需要,即保障残疾儿童少年的受教育权利,促进教育公平;二是政治需要,即增进残疾儿童与普通儿童的融合程度,促进社会和谐;三是现实需要,即增加学习机会,提升受教育质量,保障残疾儿童受教育权利实现;四是残疾人发展所需,即为残疾人融人社会、提高生活质量奠定基础;五是顺应国际趋势,即从隔离式特殊教育逐步走向融合教育是教育的发展方向.     

认知负荷理论视角的移动课程教学设计原则

移动通讯技术的发展促进了学习理念的变革,给学习者带来了全新的学习方式。移动学习作为一种特殊的、全新的学习模式,其课程的教学设计受学习对象、呈现方式、传输载体等的影响,需在充分考虑认知负荷理论和多媒体学习认知理论的基础上,按照明确定位、界面简单、小模块呈现、随机进入、双通道、去除冗余、适当排序、情境认知等八大设计原则,设计既不增加学习者认知负荷、符合移动学习者特点和需求,又能充分发挥移动通讯技术、特别是多媒体技术优势的移动课程,实现高效的移动学习。     

移动互联技术在远程教学交互中的应用

教学交互是实现远程教育教与学再度整合的关键，而交互活动的展开又离不开中介，在远程教育中这些中介就是各种教学媒体。随着信息技术的不断发展，远程教育中的媒体也在不断丰富、改进，第一代远程教育中所使用的媒体与当前远程教育中所使用的媒体已经存在很大差异。新媒体的引入以及协同原有媒体的合理应用使得教学交互更为有效、完善。目前，无线移动互联技术在教育中的应用已初见端倪，由这些新技术所创造的新媒体的特性让我们看到了进一步丰富教学交互所能使用的媒体的可能性。本文将在对比分析新媒体系统与已有媒体系统的易获得性的基础上，提出新媒体系统在远程教育教学交互中的一些应用设想。     

技术思想对E-Learning应用模式的影响

e-Learning是当代信息技术支持下的一种新型学习形式。信息技术如何影响并支持教育活动?如何通过技术来提高学习者知识获得的成本效益?以及如何降低信息技术的接入门槛,并提高学习者的有效适应等问题都是e-Learning发展中必须考虑的问题。本文主要以当前正在发展和应用中的几项网络技术为例,试图简要剖析一下技术思想对e-Learning应用模式所产生的影响作用等。     

Understanding and Promoting Complex Learning Using Technology

This paper serves as the introduction to a collection of 8 projects and a commentary seeking to understand and promote complex learning using technology. Selective evidence on the current state of technology for learning in schools is summarized along with numerous recommendations. Key issues associated with the uses of technology to promote complex and active learning are highlighted. It is argued that accessibility and interactivity with the material and other learners are important features which influence the underlying motivational and cognitive processes which affect complex learning using technology. The nature of cooperative learning is briefly summarized emphasizing positive interdependence and individual accountability as means to promote peer interaction. Fourteen learner-centered psychological principles are listed under several headings: cognitive and metacognitive, motivational and affective, developmental and social, and individual difference factors influencing learners and learning. Finally, key issues in the technology integration process are discussed: creating the school vision, taking stock, partnerships, professional development, implementation, and review.     

Reducing the distance: equity issues in distance learning in public education

Distance learning and educational equity both began with an emphasis on access, on providing underserved students with an increased access to education. Today definitions of equity have gone beyond simple access to include equal or equivalent treatment and outcomes while definitions of underserved students have expanded to include girls, children of color, children with limited English proficiency and children with disabilities. At the same time the definition of distance learning has expanded to include new technologies, new audiences and new roles. Based on these new definitions and roles, the article raises a number of equity challenges for distance learning educators centering around who is taught, what is taught and how the teaching is done. To answer these challenges, a series of recommendations are suggested that educators can implement to make distance learning a leader in increasing educational equity for all students. The time to act is now.     

Factors and Interactions Influencing Technology Integration During Situated Professional Development in an Elementary School

This study examined factors that influence K–5 teachers’ technology integration efforts during a semester-long Collaborative Apprenticeship. Results suggest that shared planning time, shared curriculum, connection to an individual, expertise, physical proximity, and comfort level influenced interactions across the community of practice. Posing and responding to task-based questions, giving and seeking advice, and sharing ideas composed more than 70% of interactions between teachers. However, the nature of interactions changed as teachers assumed increased responsibility for designing technology-enhanced lessons. Teacher-leaders initially modeled exemplar applications of technology-enhanced lessons and gave advice on their classroom use. Subsequently, the community of teachers brainstormed ideas collaboratively as teacher-leaders supported peers to develop original lessons independently. Implications for collaborative apprenticeships and learning in professional environments are provided.     

终身学习视域下成人技术支持自我调节学习影响因素研究

信息技术的迅猛发展及在教育领域的广泛应用,为终身学习提供了强有力的支持,技术支持的自我调节学习已成为终身学习的重要方式。而技术支持的自我调节学习是复杂的过程,众多因素导致成人信息技术使用情况不理想,因此有必要对相关影响因素进行深入研究。构建成人技术支持自我调节学习影响因素模型,选取参加公益课程的670名成人学习者为研究对象,采用结构方程模型分析法对模型进行检验与修正。结果表明,经验开放、风险倾向两个人格特征因素,以及技术支持可用性、外部设备可访问性两个外部因素在不同程度上对成人技术支持的自我调节学习产生影响。在此基础上,有针对性地提出了相关策略。     

To design or to integrate? Instructional design versus technology integration in developing learning interventions

Instructional Design Knowledge (IDK) can inform technology integration decisions and Technology Pedagogy and Content Knowledge (TPACK) can help instructional design processes. As a means to understand how teachers may draw from their TPACK and IDK as they design instructions and develop technology-enhanced learning activities, we examined the final projects of two groups of teachers enrolled in graduate-level instructional design and technology courses. By using both content and social network analysis methods, we identified the IDK and TPACK components exemplified in teachers’ projects. While the content analysis revealed differences between the two groups, some findings were common across the courses such as teachers minimally connecting technology to their content areas, exhibiting limited knowledge on learning needs, and having difficulties in engaging in design thinking processes. Furthermore, the social network analysis identified various communities of the knowledge components, highlighting when teachers tended to use their IDK and TPACK as they planned technology-enhanced learning activities and were engaged in instructional design respectively.

     

亚洲远程教育使用互联网的新趋势和新挑战

由于新技术的广泛使用使亚洲远程教育对互联网的利用率大大提高。同时远程教育在亚洲的蓬勃发展也促进了新技术的使用。但是,教育质量、资源能否方便地获取、公平参与、新技术的利用以及利用互联网获得知识等方面的问题尚未解决。本文论述了亚洲远程教育在利用互联网方面的新趋势、新挑战、存在的问题以及做出的努力。 在历史背景、目前环境、近期变化以及开放大学的新角色的大环境下开展了亚洲远程教育近期发展的讨论。亚洲远程教育的发展迎合了利益相关者的需求,新技术的使用也促进其发展,亚洲开放大学可望在满足利益相关者需求的基础上进一步发挥其作用。 随着对互联网的使用不断增加,亚洲远程教育的发展趋势将会在教学和学习上进一步增加对互联网的利用,以及为远程学习者提供支持和行政服务的方向发展。亚洲远程教育机构能够向学习者提供各种形式的开放教育资源、混合式学习以及虚拟学习的机会。布卡开放大学（简称UT）提供的简短个案研究说明了该校如何引进新的教学和学习方法,以及新的支持和行政服务模式。该校发起的管理创新是重新把该机构建设成为一个学习型组织的一部分。为确保该机构的不断发展,质量保证已成为一个重要的管理战略。 由于地理位置、人口统计、客户数量的差异,以及语言、文化、技术水平、规范管理等方面存在的地区多样性,使亚洲远程教育在使用互联网方面仍然面临挑战。显然,亚洲远程教育的发展将依赖于新技术的增加和对新的学习资源的利用。亚洲远程教育将不得不重新设计、重新构建和重新发明新方法,以适应远程教学和利用学习资源。要确保亚洲远程教育的可持续性发展,在质量方面也存在巨大的挑战。最后,在介绍教育创新和改进方面,     

提高远程教育学习效果的探讨

教学支持服务、信息技术应用、教学资源建设等问题对现代远程教育的发展十分重要,而越来越多的学习者发现,通过远程教育这种方式所取得的学习效果尚不理想。本文对影响开放教育学习有效性的因素进行分析,并提出思考。     

Research Trends in Technology-Enhanced Chemistry Learning: A Review of Comparative Research from 2010 to 2019

Chemistry is a subject which involves a number of abstract concepts, making it a difficult and frustrating learning process for many students. Educators and researchers believe that technology could provide an opportunity to address this problem. However, it is challenging to find a model for appropriately and successfully integrating technology into chemistry education. Therefore, in this study, a review was conducted on the technology-enhanced chemistry learning studies published in Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) journals from 2010 to 2019. This study searched the target articles from the Web of Science (WOS) database and excluded those studies that did not adopt a comparative research design. Finally, 60 studies were included in this research trend analysis. A coding scheme was developed for the types of technology, the types of learning tools, the roles of technology in chemistry learning, learning topics, learning environments, participants, research designs, and the learning outcomes the researchers evaluated. From the analysis results, it was found that (1) inorganic chemistry and physical chemistry courses were the main learning topics, while the formal classroom was most often referred to as the research setting. The most frequently discussed issue was students’ learning achievement. (2) Regarding technology integration, offering students learning content through personal computers was the main activity mode. The technology was used for lower-level implementation, that is, providing supplementary materials for students. (3) Finally, using keyword analysis, it is possible to extract the recent concerns of the researchers, and from the results of the study, it is clear that the researchers are placing increasing emphasis on learners’ experience and skill development in the learning process. Accordingly, this study highlights the features of the research trends and then provides suggestions for researchers in the technology-enhanced chemistry learning field.

     

When are powerful learning environments effective? The role of learner activities and of students’ conceptions of educational technology

The goal of this chapter is to outline a theoretical and empirical perspective on how learners’ conceptions of educational technology might influence their learning activities and thereby determine the power of computer-based learning environments. Starting with an introduction to the concept of powerful learning environments we outline how recent developments in information and communication technologies might be used to implement these environments technologically. In the next step we refer to several exemplary empirical studies to argue that the power of computer-based learning environments will largely depend on very detailed aspects of the learning activities within these environments. In order to design these environments so that they elicit effective learning activities, it is necessary to analyze the factors that determine learners’ goals and their choices of processing strategies. The focus of this paper is on one of these factors, namely on learners’ instructional conceptions with regard to educational technology and its use in instruction. Up to now, there has been nearly no research conducted within the educational community addressing the issue of how this particular type of instructional conceptions determine learning activities. Therefore, we review several relevant findings from neighboring fields like epistemological beliefs, attitude research, human computer interaction, or cognitive modeling. We use this review to demonstrate that there are numerous findings outside the educational technology community that deserve much more resonance in this community than they currently receive.