Modelling Facebook usage among university students in Thailand: the role of emotional attachment in an extended technology acceptance model

The aim of this study is to examine the factors that influenced the use of Facebook among university students. Using an extended technology acceptance model (TAM) with emotional attachment (EA) as an external variable, a sample of 498 students from a public-funded Thailand university were surveyed on their responses to five variables hypothesized to predict their actual use of Facebook. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling and the results showed that perceived usefulness (PU), attitude towards technology use (ATU), and EA had direct and significant influences on actual use, while perceived ease of use (PEU) was an indirect determinant of Facebook use. EA has direct and significant influences on all core variables in the TAM: PU; PEU; ATU; and actual use. Together, the PU, ATU, and EA explained 35.1% of the variance in students' usage of Facebook. Relatively, the variation in ATU and PU accounted by their determinants amounted to 55.5% and 50.2%, respectively.     

Creating a framework of a resource-based e-learning environment for science learning in primary classrooms

Advancements in information and communications technology and the rapid expansion of the Internet have changed the nature and the mode of the presentation and delivery of teaching and learning resources. This paper discusses the results of a study aimed at investigating how five teachers planned to integrate online resources in their teaching of science topics in the primary curriculum. Based on the findings obtained from the content analysis of the teaching designs created by the participating teachers, and insights gained from the pre- and post-lesson implementation interviews with them, a resource-based e-learning environments (RBeLEs) framework is proposed as an outcome which could be of reference as a planning tool for teachers who wish to integrate the Internet into their classroom teaching.     

Feedforward strategies in the first-year experience of online and distributed learning environments

Feedforward is an educational strategy focusing on providing students with prior exposure to, and prior practise with assessment in order to clarify expectations and standards. Current research into feedforward has yet to fully consider the specificity of online and distributed learning environments. We have developed a feedforward-based approach to teaching a large first year prerequisite course in screen history involving the modified and critical use of exemplars and assessment guidance in ways designed to stimulate self and peer assessment throughout the course. Our focus is the improvement of task compliance, quality and criteria in order to stimulate meaningful engagement with assessment and enhanced student performance in the unit.     

Research results of two personal learning environments experiments in a higher education institution

This paper focuses on institutionally powered personal learning environments (iPLEs). The concept of the iPLE can be seen as a way universities can incorporate learner-centred approach into the architecture of their technology-enhanced learning environments. The aim of this paper is to pose that there are other ways to learn complementary to virtual learning environments, such as using distributed Web 2.0 tools from personal learning environments (PLEs). With that aim in mind, this paper presents an exploratory study with two different iPLE configurations, analyses how they modify the learning–teaching process, and reports their perceived usefulness from the students' point of view. These two case studies were carried out by a research group of educational technology from a Spanish university in graduate and postgraduate courses. As reported by other case studies, the results revealed that students use the environment basically in the academic context and this usage is conceived as another time and effort requiring task. This fact can be observed in the low level iPLEs customization. The overall conclusions we can extract are, on the one hand, that the new environment to integrate informal and formal learning should be flexible and adaptable to the student's needs and preferences and, on the other hand, that academic tools might someday become personal tools.     

Exploring the role of university students’ online self-regulated learning in the flipped classroom: a structural equation model

ABSTRACT

The flipped classroom has gained a great deal of attention in educational research and practice in recent years. The purposes of this study are to understand the relationship between students’ online self-regulated learning (SRL) and their perceptions of learning in a flipped classrooms (FC), to identify possible mediators in this relationship, and to explain how this relationship predicts students’ intentions to participate in an FC. Two questionnaires were used to gather data from 576 undergraduate or graduate students in Taiwan. The structural equation model showed that students’ in-class interactions and online SRL are predictors of their perceived quality of usefulness of online learning activities and positive experience of FC, and these, in turn, associate with their intentional behaviours of participating in FC. While students’ perceived value of interactions in physical classrooms directly related to their intentions to participate in FC, their online SRL predicts their intentions to participate in flipped learning only when mediated by the perceived quality of the usefulness of the online learning activities and positive experience of FC.     

A model to design interactive learning environments for children with visual disabilities

Current interactive learning environments cannot be accessed by learners with disabilities, in particular for students with vision disabilities. Modeling techniques are necessary to map real-world experiences to virtual worlds by using 3D auditory representations of objects for blind people. In this paper, a model to design multimedia software for blind learners is presented. The model was validated with existing educational software for these users. We describe the modeling of the real world including cognitive usability testing tasks by considering not only the representation of the real world but also modeling the learner’s knowledge of the virtual world. The software architecture is also described by using this model, displaying the components needed to impact learning. Finally, we analyze critical issues in designing software for learners with visual disabilities and propose some recommendations and guidelines.     

Student access of online feedback is modified by the availability of assessment marks,gender and academic performance

We used educational data mining to quantify student access of online feedback files and explore the underlying drivers of feedback file access in a learning management system (LMS). We collated LMS access logs for 32 individual pieces of assessment representing 1462 feedback files for 484 students (males = 45%, females = 55%) that originated across three undergraduate years, from 20 different degree pathways. Over a third of assessment feedback files (38%, 553 files) were never accessed by students. When students could obtain their assessment mark without opening the associated feedback file, 42% of feedback files were not accessed by students (513 of 1224 files). When assessment marks were integrated into the feedback file (and not reported within the LMS), the proportion of unopened feedback dropped significantly to only 17% of files (40 of 238 files). We uncovered strong gender-specific differences in how students accessed feedback within the LMS that were dependent upon academic performance and the integration of marks within the feedback file. Poorly performing males were less likely to access feedback; however, integrating marks into the feedback files meant that males were over 27 times more likely to access the feedback file. In contrast, females exhibited a much weaker and more variable response to marks being reported within feedback files. Assessments with deadlines earlier in the semester were also viewed more often than those later in the semester.     

K-12 students’ online learning motivation in China: An integrated model based on community of inquiry and technology acceptance theory

Education and Information Technologies - Learning motivation is crucial to online learning success, especially for K-12 students. Although previous research has proved that there are many factors...     

Investigating the quality of project-based science and technology learning environments in elementary school: a critical review of instruments

This paper provides a systematic review of instruments that have the potential to measure the quality of project-based science and technology (S&T) learning environments in elementary school. To this end, a comprehensive literature search was undertaken for the large field of S&T learning environments. We conducted a horizontal bottom-up analysis of the aspects measured by the retrieved instruments and their operationalisation. We distinguish 11 components. The most frequently evaluated components are prior knowledge and backgrounds, connection with reality, science as inquiry and level of initiative and group work. Overall, the results suggest a considerable diversity in the operationalisation of the components found. Particularly, for connection with reality, science as inquiry and level of initiative and group work, this is related to (1) the object of measurement (e.g. variety in aspects evaluated) and (2) the extent to which the used concepts are clarified. Consequently, some scales, items and questions were found to be a closer fit with aspects of project-based learning environments than others. Additionally, most of the retrieved instruments cover science and not technology or project-based education. This review can be used when searching for a scale, item or question to measure particular aspects of S&T learning environments.     

Technology-enhanced learning and research using databases in higher education: the application of the ODAS model

Abstract

Research databases are a significant contributing aspect of modern technology, and, as such, innovation has enhanced learning and research outputs using online databases introduced by authorities in charge of higher education. However, databases have been rarely investigated from the perspective of psychological assessment. Therefore, this research examined databases using structural equation modelling and the Rasch model to explore contributing factors of learning and research in higher education. To measure databases, this research adapted the online database adoption and satisfaction (ODAS) model and analysed the responses of 300 postgraduate students, from a double first class university in Shanghai, collected using a stratified random sample technique. The results of the ODAS model showed that the postgraduate students’ perceived usefulness and ease of use of databases played mediating roles in establishing connections between their computer self-efficacy and intention to use and satisfaction with databases for research and learning. However, the ODAS model also showed that the students’ satisfaction was indirectly explained by their perceived usefulness of databases through ease of use and intention to use. The results of our investigation contribute to a better understanding of the ODAS model and suggest assessment strategies for learning and research through databases for researchers, academicians, and librarians.     

Polychronicity: review of the literature and a new configuration for the study of this hidden dimension of online learning

Polychronicity is the natural tendency or preference for structuring time that has an influence on people’s behaviors. Highly polychronic individuals are involved in everything, doing many things at once because they value human relationships and interactions over arbitrary schedules and appointments. In contrast, highly monochronic individuals focus on one thing at a time, perceive other events as interruptions, and stress a high degree of scheduling, and promptness in meeting obligations and attending appointments. Although time is an important variable in educational contexts, and in particular in online learning, there is a lack of studies on polychronicity in educational research. This article reviews, summarizes, and extends the literature on polychronicity conceptualization and assessment; it discusses the limitations of the results and offers a multidimensional proposal for a polychronicity construct. Finally, the implications of students’ time differences and their impact on instructional situations are discussed.     

Exploring the effects of online team-based learning and co-regulated learning on students' development of computing skills

As more and more educational institutions are providing online courses, it is necessary to design effective teaching methods integrated with technologies to benefit both teachers and students. The researcher in this study designed innovative online teaching methods of team-based learning (TBL) and co-regulated learning (CRL) to improve students' computing skills. The participants in this study were 124 undergraduates from three classes taking a compulsory course titled “Applied Information Technology: Data Processing.” There were three blended classes involved in this empirical study. The first group (EG1), which received the treatment of online TBL and CRL, and the second group (EG2), which received the treatment of online TBL only, were the experimental groups. The last group, which received the traditional teaching method, served as the control group. Before the experiment started, the author conducted a pretest to confirm that the differences of students' computing skills among the three groups were not significant at the beginning of the course. Based on the analysis of the post-test, the results indicate that students who received the intervention of online CRL had significantly better computing skills for using Excel by semester-end than those without. However, the intervention of online TBL did not contribute to better learning effects in this study. Based on the findings in this study, the author points out implications for teachers, schools, and educators, particularly for those responsible for courses focusing on solving ill-structured problems and those students who have typically received traditional didactic pedagogy for many years.     

Evaluating the use of metaphor in online learning environments

Metaphor appears to be an innate tendency in human communication and can be shown to have significant potential when applied to the design of online learning environments. This paper describes and discusses an example of an online research methods learning resource that employs metaphoric navigation. Feedback from the tutors who design and populate the resource and from early pilots with student users is discussed. A particular focus for the discussion is the problem faced by sufferers of autism spectrum disorder, brain damage, and other cognitive disabilities that affect the comprehension of metaphor. Research that demonstrates that autistic tendencies also exist in members of the general population is also discussed as an important consideration in learning environment design. The paper concludes that there appears to be evidence that many people in the general population have traits associated with autism spectrum disorder that are likely to affect their engagement with online learning. This variation in approaches to learning strongly suggests that one single online environment is unlikely to facilitate learning equally in all students. Currently most learning sites and commercial and open source virtual learning environments offer some facility for customization of the interface, but no opportunity for students to choose from a range of environments in which to study. This paper argues that the creation of multiple learning environments which overlay the same learning content is a priority if we are to optimize the experience for the greatest number of learners and avoid exclusion due to disability or learning preferences.     

A path analysis of pre-service teachers' attitudes to computer use: applying and extending the technology acceptance model in an educational context

The purpose of this study is to examine pre-service teachers' attitudes to computers. This study extends the technology acceptance model (TAM) framework by adding subjective norm, facilitating conditions, and technological complexity as external variables. Results show that the TAM and subjective norm, facilitating conditions, and technological complexity were significant determinants of pre-service attitudes to computer use. A multiple square correlation revealed that the proposed model in this study explained 48.7% of the attitude to computer use. Various contributions to research and practice are discussed.     

A Model of the Relationship between University Computer Laboratory Environment and Student Outcomes

This study focused on the use of computer laboratory classes in university courses. Two previously developed instruments, the Computer Laboratory Environment Inventory (CLEI) and the Attitude towards Computing and Computing Courses (ACCC), were used. The CLEI has five scales measuring students' perceptions of aspects of their laboratory environment: Student Cohesiveness, Open-Endedness, Integration, Technology Adequacy, and Laboratory Availability. The ACCC has four scales, namely, Anxiety, Enjoyment, Usefulness of Computers, and Usefulness of the Course. These instruments were administered to a sample of 208 students taking computing courses within the Business School at Curtin University of Technology in Western Australia. The sample covered specialist programming courses as well as courses in which the students use software tools such as spreadsheets. The results showed that there were statistically significant associations between achievement and the attitudinal variables of Anxiety, Enjoyment and Usefulness of the Course. Regression analysis supported the findings that the learning environment variables made a significant contribution to the variance in attitudinal variables, and these in turn made a significant contribution to achievement variance. A two-level model was proposed and analysed using Structural Equation Modelling. This supported the hypothesis that the computer laboratory environment affects achievement indirectly by directly affecting students' attitudes.     

The moderating effect of experience on the intention to adopt mobile social network sites for pedagogical purposes: An extension of the technology acceptance model

With numerous benefits of utilising mobile social network sites (SNSs) for learning purposes, limited studies have been conducted to determine the factors that influence the adoption of mobile SNSs in facilitating learning. Accordingly, the main purpose of this study is to explore the determinants of students’ behavioural intention to use mobile SNSs for their pedagogical purposes by utilising an extended version of Technology Acceptance Model. Furthermore, the moderating effect of users’ experience on their behavioural intention was investigated. Using a structured questionnaire, data were collected from 600 students from top-five public universities of Malaysia. The results revealed perceived task-technology fit as the great predictor of users’ intention and perceived usefulness. Although the moderating impact of students’ experience on the model found to be positive, it was not supported in this study. The contributions of this study both to the literature and practice are discussed.     

Refocusing the 3P model to incorporate a learning and teaching environment and graduate attributes

Abstract

The 3P (presage, process, product) model was introduced as a conceptualisation to underpin research into students’ approaches to learning (SAL). This paper proposes the refocusing of the 3P model by formulating the initial presage phase as a teaching and learning environment, thus making the 3P model more consistent with SAL research which examines the influence of perceptions of aspects of teaching, learning and assessment on approaches to learning. The method was to use structural equation modelling to test a hypothesised version of the refocused 3P model. Data from a questionnaire administered to students at a university in Hong Kong showed a good fit to the data. The model showed that a teaching and learning environment influenced approaches to learning then impacted on the attainment of graduate attributes. The model showed that a well-designed teaching and learning environment, including teacher-student and student-student interaction, plus a lively co-curriculum had a part to play in promoting deep approaches to learning. Deep approaches then had a positive effect on attribute development in students.