Taking educational games seriously: using the RETAIN model to design endogenous fantasy into standalone educational games

We are witnessing a mad rush to pour educational content into games in an ad hoc manner in hopes that player/learners are motivated simply because the content is housed inside a game. A failure to base educational game design on well-established learning and instructional theories increases the risk of the game failing to meet its intended educational goals, and yielding students who are entertained but who have not acquired any academic skills or knowledge. Our review of standalone educational games has shown that they are not always based on sound educational principles and theories. We contend that, if academic learning is to take place, a new design paradigm must be developed. This article discusses the RETAIN design and evaluation model for educational games that was developed to aide in the evaluation of how well academic content is endogenously immersed and embedded within the game’s fantasy and story context, promoters transfer of knowledge, and encourages repetitive usage to that content becomes available for use in an automatic way.     

Instructional leadership in Malaysia: a review of the contemporary literature*

This article provides a review of the contemporary instructional leadership research base in Malaysia. The core aim of this review is to assess the recent knowledge base on instructional leadership in Malaysia and to evaluate its current contribution to the existing international literature. The article explores a range of published material that has focused explicitly on instructional leadership and instructional leadership practices in Malaysia, including that written in Bahasa Malaysia. The article outlines the findings from the review and highlights certain strengths and limitations. The article concludes by identifying areas for further enquiry and investigation.     

A call to action: exploring and responding to educational developers’ workplace burnout and well-being in higher education

ABSTRACT

There is a gap in research exploring stress, burnout, and well-being within the context of educational development. The purpose of this study was to examine the concepts of burnout and workplace well-being among educational developers across the international landscape. Thematic analysis from the survey responses (n = 210) revealed characteristics around four themes that both enhanced or hindered participants’ sense of well-being: a) colleagues, b) manager/director, c) institution/senior administration, and d) workplace. Our findings highlight the need to further amplify conversations related to burnout, as well as examine and promote workplace well-being for educational developers.     

Hyperlab: A universal provider system and an interactive test bench for distance learning

This project describes the development of a universal student friendly distance learning (DL) provider system via the Internet and in particular the development of a lab environment for engineering students in ICT. Application of most DL courses is still hampered by the need for high-speed links, unrealistic computer and software resources at the student site and the impossibility to run Windows or Unix applications over the Internet. The described solution solves practically all of these problems. Moreover, since courses, (simulation) programs, databases, etc. can be added or changed, the system is not only teacher friendly but also costeffective. The major part of the work concerns the design of an electronic lab environment at the university that can be remotely used via the Internet. The main aim is to provide the student with meta-cognitive knowledge as can be provided only by real lab exercises. In this case the student must work him/herself through a course on passive filters. After choosing the right topology for the particular filter-lab task, he/she must design the correct circuit diagram and verify it with a standard circuit simulation program. Next, with a matrix shown on screen, he/she interconnects the circuit components and measuring equipment. The results of the measurements performed at the lab in the university are sent back to the student (via the Internet). The lab report is automatically generated. Simultaneously, the set up and the different instruments can be visualized via a web camera. Thus, the design of the electronic lab environment is user, student and teacher friendly.     

“Science of the singular”: an explanatory single case study of whole school guidance counselling in Ireland

This article will discuss the findings of a single explanatory case study on the model of whole school guidance counselling in the Irish secondary school system, which was carried out during a turbulent period of policy and practice changes in the delivery of guidance counselling services to students from 2012 onwards. Although the case study is positioned within a single voluntary school, the findings may be typical of similar secondary schools settings in Ireland and abroad. Particular focus is given to explicating the key findings of the case study through the specific themes of: concepts of whole school guidance counselling, the Irish integrated model of guidance counselling, stakeholder roles and responsibilities, and the effect of resource re-allocations by policy makers funding guidance school services.     

A short review of information and communication technologies and basic education in LDCs—what is useful, what is sustainable?

Information and communication technologies such as radio and television have long been used in education. The advent of the technology of the Internet has created pressure for Internet access in primary and secondary schools across the world. This paper reviews some of the available evidence on the impact and cost of such technologies in developing countries. It concludes that while there is strong evidence for the efficacy and efficiency of interactive radio instruction, the evidence on the impact of computer-supported education remains mixed, and costs are prohibitive for many LDCs (less developed countries).