Collaboration at a Distance: Using a Wiki to Create a Collaborative Learning Environment for Distance Education and On-Campus Students in a Social Work Course

Continuing moves towards more flexible approaches to the provision of higher education have been reflected in the increased provision of social work education through distance learning and the related increase in the use of online technologies for social work education. This article reports on the use of a wiki in a final year social work subject. Wiki technology was used to create a collaborative learning environment where on-campus and distance students were able to work together to produce assessable material. Drawing on student comments regarding the process and outcomes of the wiki assignment, a number of issues and benefits of the use of wikis in social work education are identified and discussed.     

A virtual student: Not an ordinary Joe

Some researchers and educators contend that distance education is the new, student-centered paradigm for future learning and one of the fastest growing areas in education. Despite its continued growth and popularity, distance education suffers from a number of problems. One of the most troubling is a much higher course “dropout” rate in online courses compared to traditional campus-based education. There are a number of factors that contribute to course noncompletion in Web-based distance education: feelings of isolation, frustrations with the technology, anxiety, and confusion. This article provides a discussion on certain tools used by the author to mitigate these negative factors, such as the use of electronic office hours. Explored in depth, however, is a tool that the author has had the most success using in reducing some of the chronic problems that seem to assail students taking online courses. This same tool promotes learner interaction and collaborative learning at a distance. This “magical” tool the author has created for his online classes is a fictitious virtual student who is “not an ordinary Joe.”     

The Impact of Mobile Technologies on Distance Education

This article considers the growing amount of research on using mobile technologies in education. As mobile devices become increasingly more prevalent, it is imperative to study their use and effect on the growing field of distance education. This brief review of existing literature indicates that traditional theories of learning, in both traditional and distance settings, are relevant and applicable to mobile learning, and that mobile devices can be brought thoughtfully into pedagogy at the distance level. Flexibility, portability, and accessibility contribute to an overall positive impression on students, while faculty concerns can be met with appropriate training and tailoring to the various teaching and learning styles present in distance education. Student and faculty expectations of a mobile-integrated distance education experience will continue to grow, while teaching and learning should thrive in this increasingly more connected environment.     

Collaborative online distance learning: Issues for future practice and research

This article provides an overview of issues of practice and research relating to the use of collaborative online learning in distance education (DE). It begins with an examination of the traditional problems of DE. Following that is a discussion of what collaborative online learning encompasses and a review of the primary instructional design issues that relate to it. These are: (a) course preparation; (b) creating a good social climate and sense of community; (c) the role of the instructor; (d) encouraging true collaboration; and (e) the effective use of technology. As well some of the literature relating to problem‐based learning is referenced and its application to collaborative online learning is discussed. The authors conclude that using new technologies in combination with a collaborative online learning approach in DE may prove to be highly effective when learner characteristics and the learning context are considered carefully. Recommendations for future areas of research are also provided, along with a matrix of variables that may be combined to conceptualise further study in the area.     

Shifting to digital during COVID-19: are teachers empowered to give voice to students?

While online learning resources are proliferating in all education delivery modes, from traditional classes to distance learning, institutions may have not recognized their potential for addressing diverse student populations, providing them online with learning experiences according to their individual needs. If teachers embrace online learning and customize their approaches to make online resources accessible to students, the interactive and collaborative nature of online learning may help reduce the lack of interaction in large classes and isolation in distance education. Research reports the need to examine the accessibility of online learning through the lenses of the digital divide dependence on factors related to physical access, skills and motivational factors. The circumstances of the pandemic have revealed inequality in access to education caused by access to technology and online delivery in which teaching approaches may not necessarily address the student voice with appreciation of their culture. Discussion address Kuo and Belland (Educ Technol Res Dev 64:661–680, 2016) article which reports experiences of minority students (e. g., African-American) in continuing education indicating that there has been little study of minority students' use of online learning resources. Authentic learning is highlighted by critical pedagogy as a means of engaging students in real-life problems and giving meaning to their real-life contexts as sources of learning and among which digital spaces play a prominent role in students’ meaning-making.

     

Distance Education

Abstract

Social work educators are increasingly using advanced information technologies in their distance education programs. Despite the widespread use of distance learning in social work education, there is limited information available regarding the effectiveness of courses, particularly practice courses, that use these technologies or the experiences of the students and instructors who are helping to pioneer these technological initiatives. This article presents reflections from students from two MSW practice classes linked together through interactive TV, also known as compressed video. The authors, who were course instructors using this technology, present their reflections on the process and make recommendations for future distance learning courses.     

Investigating the predictive power of TAM: A case study of CEGEP students’ intentions to use online learning technologies

The purpose of this research is to investigate pre-university science Collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) students’ behavioral intentions towards using online learning technologies. Heretofore, CEGEP students’ use of technology has received scant attention, yet online learning technologies are found to play an increasingly important role in CEGEP classrooms today. The present study seeks to address this by examining CEGEP students’ use of online learning technologies. Our main research question was: What factors affect CEGEP students’ intentions to use online learning technologies? A total of 213 CEGEP students were surveyed, the resulting data was analyzed using the technology acceptance model (TAM; Davis MIS Quarterly, 13(3), 319, 1989). The findings of this research provide guidance for future implementations of online learning technologies in the CEGEP education system.     

Teaching and learning with technology in higher education: blended and distance education needs ‘joined-up thinking’ rather than technological determinism

In higher education (HE), some of the distinctions between conventional, campus-based universities and those dedicated to distance education are being eroded through the use of information and communication technology. Despite huge investments in technology to enhance teaching and learning, there has been a considerable lack of clarity about what this actually signifies in practice. Implementation decisions are frequently technology-led rather than being focused on clearly defined educational goals. This article attempts to examine key issues and synthesise a number of important debates relating to teaching and learning with technology in HE. It examines some of the key factors influencing how technology is utilised in HE teaching and learning. It argues that decision-making by managers and teachers with regard to technology use needs to be founded upon evidence that takes account of all of those factors, not just a narrow selection of them. Rather than just considering technical issues and/or the idealised promises made about technologies, ‘joined-up thinking’ is required to integrate the multiple contextual factors that all influence how technology is actually used in teaching and learning.     

信息技术在远程开放教育互动交流中的应用探讨

基于Intemet网络环境的远程开放教育具有不同于传统教育的特点,在开放教育的实践中师生运用了各种信息技术开展学习互动交流。论文分析了远程开放教育中各种信息技术在互动交流中应用情况、特点并进行了比较。结合开放教育实践,对远程学习中各对象之间互动时信息技术的合理应用提出了建议。     

Easy,collaborative and engaging – the use of cloud computing in the design of management classrooms

Background:?Cloud computing has recently received interest in information systems research and practice as a new way to organise information with the help of an increasingly ubiquitous computer infrastructure. However, the use of cloud computing in higher education institutions and business schools, as well as its potential to create novel learning environments remains an underresearched topic.

Purpose:?To address the research gap, this paper investigates how the capabilities of cloud computing have fostered collaborative learning processes of students in the design of management classrooms. The research project has taken place in a three-year period and has covered five post-graduate knowledge management classes, which have been situated in the context of business education.

Research design and sources of evidence:?I have used an illustrative case study of five knowledge management classes as research design to explore and describe interconnections between methods of social constructionism and cloud computing properties which enhance collaborative learning experiences of students in the classroom. To develop a theoretical background for the case study, I first review literature on constructivist and experiential learning, new management profiles, and information systems. In the empirical part of the case study, I have observed the experimental blending of constructivist learning methods and the cloud computing platform Google Apps for Education in three post-graduate classes and two Executive Master of Business Administration classes on the topic of knowledge management. For the data collection, I have focused on collaboration processes to understand how students have used various cloud computing tools to work together, and how their usage has affected interaction and reflection in the observed courses.

Results:?Findings show that collaborative properties of cloud computing, when they are undergirded by methods of social constructionism, influence learning factors on cognitive, emotional, spatial and group levels and lead to substantial changes in teacher/student roles and behaviours. The ease-of-use, playfulness and immediacy of cloud platforms creates collaborative learning spaces and has the potential to foster lateral thinking and problem solving of students in the classroom.

Conclusions and contribution:?By illuminating mutual interrelations between learning factors, constructivist principles and cloud computing properties, the paper enriches the literature on the innovative use of information system technologies in universities and business schools. The paper provides, in addition, practice-oriented insights for pedagogical and methodological choices that undergird the capabilities of cloud platforms to foster collaborative learning processes of students in higher education institutions.     

远程开放教育协作学习情境创设

现代远程开放教育的重要学习方式之一是协作学习.协作学习理论主要建立在人本主义学习理论和建构主义学习理论基础之上.远程开放教育下协作学习有其自身的特点,创设出一个好的协作学习情境需要系统分析影响协作学习质量的各种因素.创设协作学习情境时需要从宏观和微观两方面综合考虑.     

TECHNOLOGY IN HIGHER EDUCATION: EXPLORING DISTANCE LEARNING FROM A CONSTRUCT/VIST PERSPECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which distance learning (distance learning vs. traditional) may influence undergraduate education majors’ emerging constructivist perspective. Elementary education majors at 2 universities (N = 102) volunteered to complete questionnaires. The 3 independent variables were traditional vs. distance learning, whether or not ever enrolled in distance learning, and instructor difference. The 3 dependent variables were concerned with what the instructor provided; what the instructor demonstrated; and what students believed they learned. A Multiple Analysis of Variance (Manova) compared the 3 independent variables across the 3 dependent variables and indicated that students in traditional classrooms rated what the instructor provided, what the instructor demonstrated, and what students believed they learned significantly greater than students in distance learning classrooms. An interpretation suggests that distance learning technology may hold potential for facilitating undergraduate education majors’ emerging constructivist perspective.     

远程学习支持新发展与知识工程

随着网络等双向通信技术在远程教育中的应用，交互逐渐成为远程学习的重要因素，这种变化使得原来以支持独立学习为主的学习支持难以满足远程学习的需求，实践发展需要一种具有智能性和交互性特征的，支持交互、协作和社区化的学习支持，因此，这就需要借鉴和吸收其他学科的理论和方法。知识工程是源于专家系统而形成的一门研究人类智能及人类知识的机理，以及如何用机器模拟人的智能并促进人类知识发展的学科，该领域的研究为学习支持在交互和智能化方面的研究提供了重要的技术和方法基础。因此，本提出远程学习支持的新特征和关键研究领域，并重点探讨了知识工程有关领域在支持未来远程学习支持相关技术的研究和开发方面的潜力。作希望本能够对远程学习支持的理论和研究提供新的视角。     

Academic continuity through online collaboration: mathematics teachers support the learning of pupils with chronic illness during school absence

Recent applications of technology to mathematics education have been designed with cognitive and constructivist theoretical perspectives in mind, viewing mathematical learning as the acquisition of knowledge through the construction of meanings and connections between concepts. With the advent of increasingly flexible communication technologies, there is both the need and opportunity to consider how they might be utilised, particularly since emergent socio-cultural theories advocate learning in mathematics as an inherently social activity where understanding is developed and negotiated collaboratively. The need to examine effective technology-facilitated learning arose in the context of a research project, currently underway in a number of secondary schools in the state of Victoria and funded by the Australian Research Council. It is investigating the learning needs of pupils who are absent from school for prolonged or intermittent periods owing to chronic illness yet continue with their school studies. An emerging understanding of the significant difference between computer-mediated contact for mere information exchange and communication for teaching and learning has led to a consideration of socio-cultural perspectives on effective mathematical learning and a focussed investigation of technologies able to facilitate them. Early data have demonstrated the potential of videoconferencing, online whiteboarding and interactive whiteboard application sharing, but which require particular resources, aligned infrastructure and teacher support. This article explores issues surrounding the use of such technologies for collaborative mathematical learning in a context where online interaction is being considered for the learning support of pupils unable to attend school.     

Three-dimensional virtual worlds and distance learning: two case studies of Active Worlds as a medium for distance education

Online three‐dimensional (3D) virtual worlds are emerging technologies that offer unique learning opportunities for traditional and distributed education. One of the more popular 3D virtual worlds, Active Worlds, is currently being used as a medium for synchronous and asynchronous distance learning. This investigation presents two exploratory case studies of different, but exemplary educational activities using Active Worlds for formal and informal education. The focus of each case study is to investigate how Active Worlds is being used for distance learning and to determine the type of learning experiences afforded by this 3D virtual environment. Whilst more research is necessary to explore fully the potential of 3D virtual worlds for learning, this initial investigation illustrates how Active Worlds affords opportunities for experiential learning and situated learning within a collaboration learning environment.     

Distance Education Trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration

Current trends in the field of distance education indicate a shift in pedagogical perspectives and theoretical frameworks, with student interaction at the heart of learner‐centered constructivist environments. The purpose of this article is to explore the benefits of using emerging technology tools such as wikis, blogs, and podcasts to foster student interaction in online learning. It also reviews social software applications such as Writeboard?, InstaColl?, and Imeem?. Although emerging technologies offer a vast range of opportunities for promoting collaboration in both synchronous and asynchronous learning environments, distance education programs around the globe face challenges that may limit or deter implementation of these technologies. This article probes the influence of technology on theory and the possible implications this influence affords.     

远程教育过程中的干扰因素探析

远程教育与传统教育相比较具有网络化、平台化、技术化、电子化、虚拟化等一系列突出的特点,是在科技进步力量的推动下,开展终身教育,构建学习型社会的有效的教育形式,但由于远程教育的教与学活动在时空上的分离,其学习中的干扰远远多于传统教学意义上的学习干扰,因此只有首先弄清远程学习中的干扰因素,才能够制定出相应的对策,排除各种干扰,提高远程教育的教学质量。     

Teacher Education and Change: the first decade of IT

The article examines the rapid growth in the educational uses of information and communication technologies. Three phases in this use are identified, and the current phase is seen as especially problematic in the light of current technological developments.

The author sees the challenge to the classroom teacher as essentially a pedagogic and even cultural one, but this is not confined to microcomputers alone. The notion of technology convergence is a very powerful one, and the author describes a project for which he is currently responsible and which introduces into teacher education the element of collaborative distance learning via electronic networks.     

Collaborative approaches in initial teacher education: lessons from approaches to developing student teachers’ use of the Internet in science teaching

In many countries, governments are keen to persuade teachers at all levels to seek to enhance the learning of their students by incorporating information and communication technologies within their classrooms. This paper reports on the development of collaborative approaches to supporting use of the Internet by Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) science students on initial teacher education (ITE) courses in England, drawing on data from five higher education institution (HEI)–school partnerships across four years. A mixed-method approach was used, involving questionnaires, structured interviews, lesson observations and case studies. The outcomes of the first three years identified barriers to practice and suggested the need to develop more collaborative approaches to development. The focus of this paper is on examining ways in which university faculty tutors and mentors or cooperating teachers can work together with students on PGCE courses in developing practice. The lessons from this focus on the Internet, no longer a new technology, have enabled us to identify implications for HEI partnerships in ITE and suggest a need for further collaborative structures in order to support and develop practices, including those involving the innovative use of new technologies in the post-industrial society.     

专家系统在远程教育中的应用及发展趋势

计算机、多媒体网络技术、通信技术在近几年的迅猛发展,奠定了网上远程教育的坚实基础。并使它得到了长足的发展。当前网络教学平台具有海量的资源且增长迅速,但学生对网上的教学资源利用率却不高。利用专家系统,对现代远程教育保证教学质量、提升网上教学资源的利用率具有重大的意义。专家系统与现代远程教育的结合,提高了学生学习的兴趣和积极性,使得远程教育教学的质量和效果得到了很大的提升。