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The main purpose of this paper is to identify factors and conditions that are important for successful Implementation of computers in Iranian schools during one decade from 1995 to 2005. The second focus of this paper is to examine how these factors relate to models of implementation in other countries such as developed countries. This paper is written based on the results of three studies which had been done in 1995, 2000 and 2005. Participants were samples of different groups involved in the implementation process during these years. The data collected consisted of questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, policy documents. The results indicate that some factors were reported very important during one decade such as the role of situational factors such as traditional societies in transition. The most important factors of traditional societies in transition were included: socio-economic, socio-cultural factors and political stability. Article Outline
This paper presents both the design and the pilot formative evaluation study of a computer-based problem-solving environment (named LECGO: Learning Environment for programming using C using Geometrical Objects) for the learning of computer programming using C by beginners. In its design, constructivist and social learning theories were taken into account. The general design has taken into consideration models of the learning process and subject matter as well as potential learner behaviour in dealing with fundamental tasks. The main emphasis has been placed on the role of: (a) multiple external representations in student learning, (b) motivation, through performing problem-solving activities taken from the familiar and meaningful context of drawing, using simple geometrical objects, (c) the active participation of students in their own learning by using hands-on experience, (d) appropriate feedback on the actions taken by students, to aid their self-correction, and (e) holistic, activity-based, multi-media, multi-representational and multi-layered content for the learning of basic concepts of programming using C. LECGO was pilot evaluated in the field through a qualitative and comparative study where nine 12th grade (18-year-old) students participated. In fact, students faced three similar yet not identical sets of four tasks across three learning environments, namely; paper and pencil (p–p), Turbo C and LECGO. The data emerging from this field evaluation study indicates that students gain better results within LECGO than in both the p–p environment and the typical programming environment of Turbo C, while performing similar activities.
Shareable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) was proposed as a standard for sharable learning object packaging, delivering and sequencing. Several years later, Common Cartridge (CC) is proposed as an enhancement of SCORM offering more flexibility and addressing needs not originally envisioned, namely assessment and web 2.0 standards, content authorization, collaborative forums, outcomes reporting, accessibility. Educational policy makers, specialists responsible for learning systems deployment, educational content authors and teachers committed to the learning object paradigm must opt for or coexist with two different, partially overlapping proposals for content packaging. While SCORM was conceived for self-paced computer based learning, Common Cartridge attempts at providing support for all forms of teaching and learning with a stress on interactive and collaborative environments. Variety of content, distributed content, discussion forums, assessment, student’s tracking, interaction with external tools and authorization to access resources are listed as its main enhancements. This article reviews and compares SCORM and Common Cartridge from an educational perspective, seeking to provide some ground and guidelines on how to stand before these proposals. A simple process for authoring a Common Cartridge is described, as well as testing and conversion from SCORM. Suggestions are made to education practitioners on learning objects standards adoption in the most common scenarios.
Student teachers should be prepared to integrate information and communication technology (ICT) into their future teaching and learning practices. Despite the increased availability and support for ICT integration, relatively few teachers intend to integrate ICT into their teaching activities (e.g., Ertmer, 2005). The available research has thus far mainly focused on isolated teacher related variables to explain the weak level of ICT integration. Also, most of this research was set up in Western settings. The present study centers on the impact of Chinese student teachers’ gender, constructivist teaching beliefs, teaching self-efficacy, computer self-efficacy, and computer attitudes on their prospective ICT use. For this purpose, a survey was set up involving student teachers from four Normal Universities in China (N = 727). Results show that prospective ICT integration significantly correlates with all teacher related variables, except for gender. Building on the results of a path analysis model, prospective ICT integration could be directly predicted on the base of teacher thinking variables (constructivist teaching beliefs, teacher self-efficacy, computer self-efficacy and computer attitudes in education), and
This paper investigates the use of ICT by teachers in selected secondary schools. It considers both the extent and type of use and the factors that may influence such use through the statistical analysis of data from a 30-section survey containing 185 items. First, exploratory maximum-likelihood factor analysis was used to identify five distinct categories, or types of use. Second, path analyses assisted in determining ten antecedent factors which significantly impacted on use from a total of 16 factors considered. These factors were confirmed using scale analyses. Finally, a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to determine whether demographic/context variables were related both to use and to those factors directly influencing usage. Findings suggest a variety of types of professional development, as well as a range of infrastructural options, are needed to meet not only the varying needs of individual teachers, but also the varying ways in which ICT can be used. The implication is that the key outcomes for any professional development must be to increase teacher confidence in their ability to facilitate student learning with computers, along with the provision of stronger pedagogical motivation for teachers to integrate ICT.
Developing a software environment to enhance 3D geometric proficiency demands the consideration of theoretical views of the learning process. Simultaneously, this effort requires taking into account the range of tools that technology offers, as well as their limitations. In this paper, we report on the design of Virtual Spaces 1.0 software, a program that exercises the user’s abilities to build spatial images and to manipulate them. This paper also reports on a study that aimed to assess whether those abilities affected achievements in the spatial thinking of 10th graders who worked with the software. Additionally, we investigated whether self-regulating questions can improve the effect of exercising with Virtual Spaces 1.0. The sample was 192 students, who were randomly assigned to four groups, two of which used Virtual Spaces 1.0 (Group 1 with virtual reality and self-regulating questions N = 52, Group 2 with virtual realty only N = 52) and the other two the non-Virtual Spaces 1.0 (Group 3 self-regulating questions only N = 45, Group 4 non-treatment group N = 45). The results suggest that spatial thinking was enhanced by exercising with Virtual Spaces 1.0 and asking self-regulating questions. In addition, it was found that the self-regulating questions make the use of virtual reality more efficient, and that the influence of self-regulating questions is especially manifested in tasks that make use of high order skills.
Individuals who are anxious about computers may be at a disadvantage in their learning. This investigation focused on the use of home computers for educational purposes. It compared computer anxiety in adolescents with and without a history of special needs related to language difficulties. Participants were 55 17-year-olds with specific language impairment (SLI) and 72 typically developing (TD) peers. Participants completed interviews regarding computer anxiety as well as computer importance and computer enjoyment. Measures of psycholinguistic skills, perceived ease of use and general anxiety were also obtained. Results showed that adolescents with SLI experience more computer anxiety than TD peers and that females are more anxious than males. Level of general anxiety, perceived ease of use and language ability had a direct association and were predictive of level of computer anxiety in adolescents with SLI. In contrast, only perceived ease of use was significantly predictive in TD adolescents. Gender was not a significant predictor in the context of other influential variables. The findings reveal a complex relationship between linguistic, attitudinal and emotional factors and computer anxiety. Adolescents with SLI who are at a greater risk may require multifaceted support for a number of influencing factors including general anxiety.
Creativity is an important entity in developing human capital while computer games are the current generation’s contemporary tool. This study focused on the teaching of computer games development in order to enhance the creative perception of secondary school children. The study applied randomised subjects, with control group experimental design, which involved 69 Malaysian form one students, aged 13–14 year-old. Different pedagogical strategies were being investigated on the abilities to enhance students’ creative perception. Treatment group adopted appreciative learning approach, which was based on Appreciative Inquiry (AI) theory. Meanwhile, control group adopted self-paced learning, followed by do-it-yourself session. Previous studies indicated that although appreciative learning approach is still in its infancy development, the approach is gaining its momentum in educational settings as it focuses on strengthening a person’s capacities and potential. Students’ creative perception was assessed using Khatena-Torrance Creative Perception Inventory (KTCPI). It was found students in treatment group gained a mean score of 71.82, which was significantly higher at .05 level of significance compared to the mean score of 50.49 exhibited by the control group. Yet, both treatment and control groups showed significant increases in pre-to-post-test scores. Dimensions within KTCPI were further analysed in order to present a better picture of students’ creative perception. As a conclusion, different pedagogical strategy generated different level of creative perception enhancement. Article Outline
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