Over a two year period of using a Moodle based self-access resource, student logins
were measured against student numbers in schools in order to evaluate the percentage
of students’ usage. Peaks in student use seemed to correspond with teacher training
initiatives. This paper outlines these initiatives and the relationship between student use of self-access ICT resources and teacher training. It also details the types of training and incentives offered to both teachers and students to improve the usage figures of self-access.
Pre-service Teachers’ Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Multi-Author Bloggi...Dr. Almodaires
Multi-author blogs have created new opportunities for the construction and dissemination of knowledge. However, very few studies have examined the effect of multi-author blogging in pre-service teacher education and little is known about this phenomenon. This study argues that multi-author blogging can provide student-teachers with opportunities for experiential learning......
Thinking Differently: A Visual Note Recording Strategy to Improve LearningDr. Almodaires
The use of visuals in the learning environment is increasing every day. The idea of connecting images with existing knowledge is one way to effectively learn and remember........
Effectiveness of Flipped Learning: Improving Pre-service Teachers’ Prowess in...Dr. Almodaires
In the current study, the aim is to determine the effectiveness of flipped learning approach in developing pre-service teachers’ skills and knowledge in creating and editing digital videos. Furthermore, the approach was evaluated through the theoretical lens of constructivism and experiential learning
The Mobile Classroom at Cross Purposes with Higher Education by Dr. Rick Luma...William Kritsonis
The Mobile Classroom at Cross Purposes with Higher Education by Dr. Rick Lumadue, Dr. L. Rusty Waller, Dr. LaVelle Hendricks, Robin Lamadue - Published by NATIONAL FORUM JOURNALS - www.nationalforum.com - Dr. William Allan Kritsonis, Editor-in-Chief
Pre-service Teachers’ Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Multi-Author Bloggi...Dr. Almodaires
Multi-author blogs have created new opportunities for the construction and dissemination of knowledge. However, very few studies have examined the effect of multi-author blogging in pre-service teacher education and little is known about this phenomenon. This study argues that multi-author blogging can provide student-teachers with opportunities for experiential learning......
Thinking Differently: A Visual Note Recording Strategy to Improve LearningDr. Almodaires
The use of visuals in the learning environment is increasing every day. The idea of connecting images with existing knowledge is one way to effectively learn and remember........
Effectiveness of Flipped Learning: Improving Pre-service Teachers’ Prowess in...Dr. Almodaires
In the current study, the aim is to determine the effectiveness of flipped learning approach in developing pre-service teachers’ skills and knowledge in creating and editing digital videos. Furthermore, the approach was evaluated through the theoretical lens of constructivism and experiential learning
The Mobile Classroom at Cross Purposes with Higher Education by Dr. Rick Luma...William Kritsonis
The Mobile Classroom at Cross Purposes with Higher Education by Dr. Rick Lumadue, Dr. L. Rusty Waller, Dr. LaVelle Hendricks, Robin Lamadue - Published by NATIONAL FORUM JOURNALS - www.nationalforum.com - Dr. William Allan Kritsonis, Editor-in-Chief
A study on the impact of new normal in learning & teaching processes chem...Dr. C.V. Suresh Babu
A Study on The “Impact Of Technologies in Learning & Teaching Processes During COVID -19 in Teaching Chemistry, Presentation slides for International Conference on "Life Sciences: Acceptance of the New Normal", St. Aloysius' College, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India, 27-28 August, 2021
Social media is basically a structure that combines individuals, communities, companies or organizations that can share their interests, attitudes, values, lifestyles, visions and friendships. In the field of eLearning this structure can be used in many ways and through different web tools. It can provide educators with an opportunity to engage learners in the online classroom, as well as to support development of learner skills and competencies.
This article argues that it is necessary to move blended learning beyond learning management systems and engage students in an active use of the web as a resource for their self-regulated study, for problem solving and collaborative activities. The case study explored in this paper explains the role of social media in promoting cognitive and meta-cognitive learners development while using a constructivist teaching and learning approach. This paper presents the findings from a specific case study, as well as general guidance to instructors for incorporating social media in a blended learning environment, including the “Traditional Classroom”. It is also suggested a limitation of the use of learning management systems to cover the development of social competences and it is argued that self-regulated students are supported by personal web tools and engaged in different kinds of social networks.
This article is a proposal for an empirical study planned to study the impact of Social media in learning and teaching processes during COVID-19 and its expected impact on post COVID-19. This study will be exclusively focus on teaching chemistry using the help of Technology at secondary level.
KEYWORDS: Apps, Chemistry, Blended learning, Integrated learning, Pedagogy, Technology.
Quest in Education April 2019 ISSN: 0048-6434VIBHUTI PATEL
We request authors to send their original research-based articles and book reviews on issues concerning education. As Quest in Education publishes peer-reviewed articles, the authors should be ready to wait for seeing their article in print.
COMPARING VIRTUAL LEARNING TECHNIQUES UPON TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE AND STUDENT ...IJITE
With divergent educational processes brought forth through the unforeseen circumstances such as a
global pandemic, students have become obligated to pursue virtual means towards obtaining their
education. Therefore, this study seeks to review the different formats of virtual learning processes and
methodologies that are currently made available to students based on student and user perception and
technology adoption efforts. Through comparative analysis efforts identifying synchronous, hybrid and
asynchronous virtual educational standards across multiple publications and understanding technology
acceptance models (TAM) and theories such as perceived usefulness, it is understood that virtual learning
efforts which pursue an asynchronous methodology are more comparable in contrast other formats.
TEACHER EDUCATORS’ PERCEPTION TOWARDS PEDAGOGICAL BENEFITS OF WIKIThiyagu K
Wikis are considered to be one of the best ways of combining Information Communication Technology (ICT) with teaching and learning methodologies in a classroom, The application of blogs and wikis in higher education, particularly in teachers‘ preparation programs, has been documented very recently (Dunaway, Michelle. 2011). The majority of teachers are neither familiar, nor skilful in employing this tool in the process of learning. Exposure to this tool during pre-service and in-service preparation program is thought to be helpful in promoting willingness to use it in teaching career (Bassoppo-Moyo, 2006). Therefore, the current study is a trial to study reports on their perceptions towards the learning experiences they had during academic wikis and the advantages and disadvantages of incorporating this web technology into the curriculum. So that, the investigator proposed the title of the study is “Teacher Educators’ Perception towards the Pedagogical Benefits of Wiki in a Tirunelveli District”. The main aim of the study is to assess the perception towards the pedagogical benefits of wiki among the teacher educators of Tirunelveli district. Survey method is employed for this study. The investigator has chosen 150 teacher educators as a sample for the study in a random sampling technique. Finally the investigator concludes; (a) Average level perception towards pedagogical benefits of wiki among the teacher educators. (b) There is no significant difference in the mean scores of teacher educators’ perception towards pedagogical Benefits of Wiki with respect to their gender, age, subject, marital status, year of experience and educational qualification.
Using a VLE to Enhance Assessment for Learning Mathematics in School ScectorIJMIT JOURNAL
This paper investigates the use of VLE in enhancing or supporting assessment for learning mathematics by the KS4 students with special education needs in the London borough secondary school. The main challenge in teaching and learning of mathematics is to provide the special education needs students with extensive support structure that is associated with their subject area. As part of continuous teaching and learning, many schools in the UK have embraced Assessment for learning as an effective and efficient way of providing students, their teachers and their home schools with feedback and feed forward. A virtual learning environment (VLE), which is an electronic system, provides online interaction of various kinds that can take place between learners and tutors, including online learning and assessment [1]. A VLE as a platform for teaching and learning supports assessment for learning (AfL), encourages personalised and collaborative learning, enabling students to carry out peer and self assessment of mathematics course within a unified supportive environment online. Evidence from literature suggests that VLE supports out of school hours of learning, and that the special education needs learners who do not respond well to the formal structure of learning within the school system take an active part in learning in informal settings. The finding presents key issues related to mathematics teaching and assessment for learning using a VLE, based on the perspectives of the special education needs (SENs) students in the school sector. The students who received in-class feedback and feed-forward during mathematics lesson, and through the VLE (Fronter) platform, moved their learning forward and much quicker when compared with students who only received feedback in class. Correspondingly, the instant feedback provided by a VLE after the Observation stage was greatly valued by the SENs students who used this period to take greater responsibility for personal learning. In general, the finding suggests that a VLE effectively enhances assessment for Learning by offering instant feedback and feed-forward to the SENs students who, now began to take responsibility for their own learning, and have also been motivated to correct their work. Furthermore, evidence of teacher – student interactivity which facilitates greater understanding of mathematical concepts is highlighted by the study.
A study on the impact of new normal in learning & teaching processes chem...Dr. C.V. Suresh Babu
A Study on The “Impact Of Technologies in Learning & Teaching Processes During COVID -19 in Teaching Chemistry, Presentation slides for International Conference on "Life Sciences: Acceptance of the New Normal", St. Aloysius' College, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India, 27-28 August, 2021
Social media is basically a structure that combines individuals, communities, companies or organizations that can share their interests, attitudes, values, lifestyles, visions and friendships. In the field of eLearning this structure can be used in many ways and through different web tools. It can provide educators with an opportunity to engage learners in the online classroom, as well as to support development of learner skills and competencies.
This article argues that it is necessary to move blended learning beyond learning management systems and engage students in an active use of the web as a resource for their self-regulated study, for problem solving and collaborative activities. The case study explored in this paper explains the role of social media in promoting cognitive and meta-cognitive learners development while using a constructivist teaching and learning approach. This paper presents the findings from a specific case study, as well as general guidance to instructors for incorporating social media in a blended learning environment, including the “Traditional Classroom”. It is also suggested a limitation of the use of learning management systems to cover the development of social competences and it is argued that self-regulated students are supported by personal web tools and engaged in different kinds of social networks.
This article is a proposal for an empirical study planned to study the impact of Social media in learning and teaching processes during COVID-19 and its expected impact on post COVID-19. This study will be exclusively focus on teaching chemistry using the help of Technology at secondary level.
KEYWORDS: Apps, Chemistry, Blended learning, Integrated learning, Pedagogy, Technology.
Quest in Education April 2019 ISSN: 0048-6434VIBHUTI PATEL
We request authors to send their original research-based articles and book reviews on issues concerning education. As Quest in Education publishes peer-reviewed articles, the authors should be ready to wait for seeing their article in print.
COMPARING VIRTUAL LEARNING TECHNIQUES UPON TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE AND STUDENT ...IJITE
With divergent educational processes brought forth through the unforeseen circumstances such as a
global pandemic, students have become obligated to pursue virtual means towards obtaining their
education. Therefore, this study seeks to review the different formats of virtual learning processes and
methodologies that are currently made available to students based on student and user perception and
technology adoption efforts. Through comparative analysis efforts identifying synchronous, hybrid and
asynchronous virtual educational standards across multiple publications and understanding technology
acceptance models (TAM) and theories such as perceived usefulness, it is understood that virtual learning
efforts which pursue an asynchronous methodology are more comparable in contrast other formats.
TEACHER EDUCATORS’ PERCEPTION TOWARDS PEDAGOGICAL BENEFITS OF WIKIThiyagu K
Wikis are considered to be one of the best ways of combining Information Communication Technology (ICT) with teaching and learning methodologies in a classroom, The application of blogs and wikis in higher education, particularly in teachers‘ preparation programs, has been documented very recently (Dunaway, Michelle. 2011). The majority of teachers are neither familiar, nor skilful in employing this tool in the process of learning. Exposure to this tool during pre-service and in-service preparation program is thought to be helpful in promoting willingness to use it in teaching career (Bassoppo-Moyo, 2006). Therefore, the current study is a trial to study reports on their perceptions towards the learning experiences they had during academic wikis and the advantages and disadvantages of incorporating this web technology into the curriculum. So that, the investigator proposed the title of the study is “Teacher Educators’ Perception towards the Pedagogical Benefits of Wiki in a Tirunelveli District”. The main aim of the study is to assess the perception towards the pedagogical benefits of wiki among the teacher educators of Tirunelveli district. Survey method is employed for this study. The investigator has chosen 150 teacher educators as a sample for the study in a random sampling technique. Finally the investigator concludes; (a) Average level perception towards pedagogical benefits of wiki among the teacher educators. (b) There is no significant difference in the mean scores of teacher educators’ perception towards pedagogical Benefits of Wiki with respect to their gender, age, subject, marital status, year of experience and educational qualification.
Using a VLE to Enhance Assessment for Learning Mathematics in School ScectorIJMIT JOURNAL
This paper investigates the use of VLE in enhancing or supporting assessment for learning mathematics by the KS4 students with special education needs in the London borough secondary school. The main challenge in teaching and learning of mathematics is to provide the special education needs students with extensive support structure that is associated with their subject area. As part of continuous teaching and learning, many schools in the UK have embraced Assessment for learning as an effective and efficient way of providing students, their teachers and their home schools with feedback and feed forward. A virtual learning environment (VLE), which is an electronic system, provides online interaction of various kinds that can take place between learners and tutors, including online learning and assessment [1]. A VLE as a platform for teaching and learning supports assessment for learning (AfL), encourages personalised and collaborative learning, enabling students to carry out peer and self assessment of mathematics course within a unified supportive environment online. Evidence from literature suggests that VLE supports out of school hours of learning, and that the special education needs learners who do not respond well to the formal structure of learning within the school system take an active part in learning in informal settings. The finding presents key issues related to mathematics teaching and assessment for learning using a VLE, based on the perspectives of the special education needs (SENs) students in the school sector. The students who received in-class feedback and feed-forward during mathematics lesson, and through the VLE (Fronter) platform, moved their learning forward and much quicker when compared with students who only received feedback in class. Correspondingly, the instant feedback provided by a VLE after the Observation stage was greatly valued by the SENs students who used this period to take greater responsibility for personal learning. In general, the finding suggests that a VLE effectively enhances assessment for Learning by offering instant feedback and feed-forward to the SENs students who, now began to take responsibility for their own learning, and have also been motivated to correct their work. Furthermore, evidence of teacher – student interactivity which facilitates greater understanding of mathematical concepts is highlighted by the study.
This presentation tries to answer some of the most common questions about the concept of Learner Autonomy: what is it, why is it important, and how do I develop it?
The presentation is aimed mainly at teachers.
THESIS PRESENTATION of "Literature: Uncovering Teacher's Teaching Strategies....AsceAcnologia
This is unpublished Thesis Research conducted by Amirsam S. Usman and Meralyn S. Roa of Illana Bay Integrated Computer College Inc. Parang Maguindanao, Philippines. Conducted on 2020 at Parang Maguindanao Philippines, with the title "Literature: Uncovering Teacher's Teaching Strategies". This research paper is to know the best of the best teacher's teaching style and strategies in teaching Literature for the next generation teachers.
Garrison, Anderson, and Archer’s community of inquiry (CoI) pedagogical framework for online distance learning is receiving greater attention as the COVID-19 takes place. Primary research concerns the researcher with English as a second language (ESL) instruction and acquisition English as a foreign language (EFL). More specifically, the study looked at 27 EFLrelated articles from 133 published between 2011 and 2021 in respected journals that used the framework to teach languages. This study focused on the theoretical and practical applications of the framework in the field of foreign language distance teaching and learning that incorporates the use of information and communication of technology (ICT). It was concluded from the study’s findings that implementing the framework in secondary schools had little impact. Research suggests that the framework can be used in teaching English as foreign language (TEFL) and it is associated with improved language proficiency. Teachers must adapt to the distant learning pedagogical framework and its supporting technology, according to this study. The paper also advocates for further research into how the framework may be applied in secondary school.
This is the presentation I made to my committee for my proposal for research. I am focusing on creating Personal Learning Environments for two students with special needs. I am using their IEPs to design an on line learning environment to supplement their curriculum from school. For my doctorate, I would like to implement the PLEs into their school day and possible replace some of the activities they are doing with the intervention specialist. Any feedback will be helpful. However, please keep in mind that I have to work with and around the school's firewall system. Thank you, Sharon Shaffer
Abeer Thunayan Al Aradah
Abstract: It is vital to comprehend blended learning, also referred to as hybrid learning, because it is a format now
applied more frequently than ever in virtual classrooms, whether teachers are working as freelance online teachers
or teaching English online with established tutoring companies. The technological developments have allowed for
blended learning and teaching processes in education institutions among learners successfully. Teaching the
English language needs the right processes that would enable learners to effectively capture specific concepts and
ideas in English. This work explores the importance of hybrid teaching methods among English learners by
analyzing blended and hybrid learning and teaching processes. Hybrid coaching approaches are seen as blended
teaching that combines online experiences and one-on-one interaction during the education processes. Over the
years, various foreign language programs have been designed via online classrooms due to the dependence of
online support and educator preparation through substantial studies. Thus, hybrid learning approaches need
proper research and planning to be useful and effective for learners, particularly in learning English. They entail
the development processes of connected communication skills via the support and preparations of educators based
on literature studies. The teaching of the English language among learners is based on language program
directors, literature studies, and professional development in particular contexts as provided. The study examines
the processes and significance of hybrid teaching and learning approaches that allow professional development in
teaching and learning English language among learners. The objective of this work is to motivate foreign language
educators at schools to implement hybrid learning and teaching approaches in their classes to improve student
involvement with English as a foreign language and offer more prospects to practice English outside the
classrooms. I started by describing blended or hybrid learning and some of its strengths, differentiating this mixed
approach from the flipped classrooms.
Keywords: blended learning, virtual classrooms, blended teaching, hybrid learning, learning English.
Plenary Speech given at ELT Research in Action (ELTRIA) Barcelona, May 10th 2024
In this talk, I will discuss the enduring relevance of the theme of authenticity in ELT. In particular, I want to discuss the place of “authentic” language in the post-truth era; the importance of knowing what is “real” when it comes to using a foreign language; and, of course, the role of Artificial Intelligence in a world where teachers still need to make meaningful connections with our students, and yet computers are altering the way these interaction might take place. I will discuss the importance of group dynamics and motivation when trying to forge a culture of authentic learning and language use in our classrooms. Near the end of the talk, I will share practical ideas for navigating this uncertain present and precarious future, and I hope to begin a meaningful discussion about the role and relevance of researching authenticity in action.
Me and My Memes: EFL students’ memes and their role in participatory cultureRichard Pinner
Memes are the “lingua franca” of the internet (Milner, 2016), and there is a small but growing body of research using memes with EFL learners (Harshavardhan et al, 2019). In this talk, I share some of my own practical experiences using memes in Japanese university classes. Students find and share memes, as well as creating and sharing their own. The values and potential pitfalls of this are discussed practically, and some preliminary data about students’ reflections and experiences of using memes are presented to begin a discussion on the potential place that memes might have in the EFL classroom. Initial response show that students found making their own memes to be a rewarding experience that gave them a connection to participatory culture (Jenkins et al, 2009).
Harshavardhan, V., Wilson, D., & Kumar, M. V. (2019). Humour discourse in internet memes: An aid in ESL classrooms. Asia Pacific Media Educator, 29(1), 41-53.
Milner, R. M. (2016). The World Made Meme: Public Conversations and Participatory Media. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Jenkins, H., Purushotma, R., Weigel, M., Clinton, K., & Robison, A. J. (2009). Confronting the challenges of participatory culture: Media education for the 21st century. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
Presentation given at JALT CALL 2023 at Kumamoto, June 4th.
Using & Adapting Authentic Materials To Help Motivate Students 2021 HandoutRichard Pinner
This course offers an insight into how best to select and adapt authentic materials to use with students as a way of exposing them to other cultures and ways of thinking. It has been shown that authentic materials are more motivating for students (Peacock, 1997) and thus the class will feature practical demonstrations of ways in which authentic materials can be used to help motivate students. In the class, participants will look at, observe and demonstrate tasks which utilise authentic materials and participants will also have the chance to a adapt materials and design their own tasks in a hands-on workshop
Using & Adapting Authentic Materials To Help Motivate Students 2021Richard Pinner
This course offers an insight into how best to select and adapt authentic materials to use with students as a way of exposing them to other cultures and ways of thinking. It has been shown that authentic materials are more motivating for students (Peacock, 1997) and thus the class will feature practical demonstrations of ways in which authentic materials can be used to help motivate students. In the class, participants will look at, observe and demonstrate tasks which utilise authentic materials and participants will also have the chance to a adapt materials and design their own tasks in a hands-on workshop
How to Integrate Content and Language in CLIL Pedagogy Theories and ExamplesRichard Pinner
This seminar focuses on the integration of subject-matter and
English acquisition, which is the crucial aspect of CLIL (Content
and Language Integrated Learning). Theories based on the most
recent research and classroom examples informed by those
studies will be presented. The speakers are Professor Angel Lin
(Simon Fraser University, Canada), a world-famous researcher in CLIL, and Professor Makoto Ikeda (Sophia University), vice
president of Japan CLIL Pedagogy Association.
‘Concept+Language Mapping’ (CLM) as an Innovative Approach to CLILRichard Pinner
How to integrate content learning with language learning has been a central issue in current
research on CLIL (Dalton-Puffer et al.,2010). In this talk I present our experience in developing
an innovative approach, ‘Concept+Language Mapping’ (CLM) (Lin & He, 2017; He & Lin,
forthcoming), by drawing on Lemke (1990)’s ‘thematic patterns’ theory to tackle the challenge
of integrating language scaffolding into the teaching of complex content topics in secondary
science classrooms in Hong Kong. Implications for content-based language education or ‘Soft
CLIL’ will also be discussed.
The maximisation of learning in CLIL by transregister and translanguagingRichard Pinner
Diversity in CLIL in Plurilingual Communities of Practice
CLILの多様性と複言語コミュニティー
On January 26, 2019, the above symposium took place at Sophia University. Celebrating the presence of honorable speakers, Professors Henry Widdowson and Barbara Seidlhoffer of the University of Vienna, Professor Kumiko Murata of Waseda University, Professors Kensaku Yoshida and Makoto Ikeda of Sophia University, 226 researchers and teachers attended the event.
CLIL in general and CLIL in Japan Principles, types and implementationsRichard Pinner
Diversity in CLIL in Plurilingual Communities of Practice
CLILの多様性と複言語コミュニティー
On January 26, 2019, the above symposium took place at Sophia University. Celebrating the presence of honorable speakers, Professors Henry Widdowson and Barbara Seidlhoffer of the University of Vienna, Professor Kumiko Murata of Waseda University, Professors Kensaku Yoshida and Makoto Ikeda of Sophia University, 226 researchers and teachers attended the event.
‘CLIL and EMI in the Japanese context –Is clear demarcation possible?: an ELF...Richard Pinner
Diversity in CLIL in Plurilingual Communities of Practice
CLILの多様性と複言語コミュニティー
On January 26, 2019, the above symposium took place at Sophia University. Celebrating the presence of honorable speakers, Professors Henry Widdowson and Barbara Seidlhoffer of the University of Vienna, Professor Kumiko Murata of Waseda University, Professors Kensaku Yoshida and Makoto Ikeda of Sophia University, 226 researchers and teachers attended the event.
The Meaning of 'Standard English' in Japan's English Education and its Role i...Richard Pinner
Diversity in CLIL in Plurilingual Communities of Practice
CLILの多様性と複言語コミュニティー
On January 26, 2019, the above symposium took place at Sophia University. Celebrating the presence of honorable speakers, Professors Henry Widdowson and Barbara Seidlhoffer of the University of Vienna, Professor Kumiko Murata of Waseda University, Professors Kensaku Yoshida and Makoto Ikeda of Sophia University, 226 researchers and teachers attended the event.
Diversity in CLIL in Plurilingual Communities of Practice
CLILの多様性と複言語コミュニティー
On January 26, 2019, the above symposium took place at Sophia University. Celebrating the presence of honorable speakers, Professors Henry Widdowson and Barbara Seidlhoffer of the University of Vienna, Professor Kumiko Murata of Waseda University, Professors Kensaku Yoshida and Makoto Ikeda of Sophia University, 226 researchers and teachers attended the event.
Diversity in CLIL in Plurilingual Communities of Practice
CLILの多様性と複言語コミュニティー
On January 26, 2019, the above symposium took place at Sophia University. Celebrating the presence of honorable speakers, Professors Henry Widdowson and Barbara Seidlhoffer of the University of Vienna, Professor Kumiko Murata of Waseda University, Professors Kensaku Yoshida and Makoto Ikeda of Sophia University, 226 researchers and teachers attended the event.
Macroeconomics- Movie Location
This will be used as part of your Personal Professional Portfolio once graded.
Objective:
Prepare a presentation or a paper using research, basic comparative analysis, data organization and application of economic information. You will make an informed assessment of an economic climate outside of the United States to accomplish an entertainment industry objective.
Biological screening of herbal drugs: Introduction and Need for
Phyto-Pharmacological Screening, New Strategies for evaluating
Natural Products, In vitro evaluation techniques for Antioxidants, Antimicrobial and Anticancer drugs. In vivo evaluation techniques
for Anti-inflammatory, Antiulcer, Anticancer, Wound healing, Antidiabetic, Hepatoprotective, Cardio protective, Diuretics and
Antifertility, Toxicity studies as per OECD guidelines
A Strategic Approach: GenAI in EducationPeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
Operation “Blue Star” is the only event in the history of Independent India where the state went into war with its own people. Even after about 40 years it is not clear if it was culmination of states anger over people of the region, a political game of power or start of dictatorial chapter in the democratic setup.
The people of Punjab felt alienated from main stream due to denial of their just demands during a long democratic struggle since independence. As it happen all over the word, it led to militant struggle with great loss of lives of military, police and civilian personnel. Killing of Indira Gandhi and massacre of innocent Sikhs in Delhi and other India cities was also associated with this movement.
June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...Levi Shapiro
Letter from the Congress of the United States regarding Anti-Semitism sent June 3rd to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, MIT Corp Chair, Mark Gorenberg
Dear Dr. Kornbluth and Mr. Gorenberg,
The US House of Representatives is deeply concerned by ongoing and pervasive acts of antisemitic
harassment and intimidation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe learning environment for all students would be a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as President of MIT and Chair of the MIT Corporation.
This Congress will not stand idly by and allow an environment hostile to Jewish students to persist. The House believes that your institution is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the inability or
unwillingness to rectify this violation through action requires accountability.
Postsecondary education is a unique opportunity for students to learn and have their ideas and beliefs challenged. However, universities receiving hundreds of millions of federal funds annually have denied
students that opportunity and have been hijacked to become venues for the promotion of terrorism, antisemitic harassment and intimidation, unlawful encampments, and in some cases, assaults and riots.
The House of Representatives will not countenance the use of federal funds to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic, anti-American supporters of terrorism. Investigations into campus antisemitism by the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Ways and Means have been expanded into a Congress-wide probe across all relevant jurisdictions to address this national crisis. The undersigned Committees will conduct oversight into the use of federal funds at MIT and its learning environment under authorities granted to each Committee.
• The Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating your institution since December 7, 2023. The Committee has broad jurisdiction over postsecondary education, including its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, campus safety concerns over disruptions to the learning environment, and the awarding of federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.
• The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the sources of funding and other support flowing to groups espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the US House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X.
• The Committee on Ways and Means has been investigating several universities since November 15, 2023, when the Committee held a hearing entitled From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing. The Committee followed the hearing with letters to those institutions on January 10, 202
Normal Labour/ Stages of Labour/ Mechanism of LabourWasim Ak
Normal labor is also termed spontaneous labor, defined as the natural physiological process through which the fetus, placenta, and membranes are expelled from the uterus through the birth canal at term (37 to 42 weeks
Normal Labour/ Stages of Labour/ Mechanism of Labour
SiSAL Journal: A Two Year Cross-Section of Student Use of Self-Access eLearning - R Pinner
1. Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal
http://sisaljournal.org
A
Two
Year
Cross-‐Section
of
Student
Use
of
Self-‐Access
ELearning
Richard S. Pinner
Corresponding author:
ISSN 2185-3762
richard.pinner@engnet-education.com
Publication date: September, 2011.
To cite this article
Pinner, R. S. (2011). A two year cross-section of student use of self-access
elearning. Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal, 2(3), 170-181.
To link to this article
http://sisaljournal.org/archives/sep11/pinner
This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Please contact
the author for permission to re-print elsewhere.
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2. SiSAL Journal Vol. 2, No. 3, September 2011, 170-181
A Two Year Cross-Section of Student Use of Self-Access eLearning
Richard S. Pinner, Engnet Education
Abstract
Over a two year period of using a Moodle based self-access resource, student logins
were measured against student numbers in schools in order to evaluate the percentage
of students’ usage. Peaks in student use seemed to correspond with teacher training
initiatives. This paper outlines these initiatives and the relationship between student
use of self-access ICT resources and teacher training. It also details the types of
training and incentives offered to both teachers and students to improve the usage
figures of self-access.
Keywords: self-access; training, computer-aided language learning, CALL, Moodle
Many institutions are offering additional resources to learners in the form of
eLearning content hosted on virtual learning environments (VLEs), thus providing
enhanced opportunities for collaboration and access to a rich variety of multimedia
materials. However, these resources are often underused and neglected by both
students and teaching staff. The UK’s official body for inspecting schools, Ofsted,
found in a survey of VLE usage that “the use of VLEs to enhance learning was not
widespread and that the exploitation of VLEs at curriculum level resembled more of a
cottage industry than a national technological revolution” (Halies, 2009, p. 1). There
could be many reasons behind this lack of VLE usage, one of which might be the lack
of proper teacher training. The present paper will examine some of the initiatives
implemented in a chain of private language schools in the UK and Ireland which
observed trends in student usage in relation to teacher training sessions.
This study documents the design, implementation and development of a
program of self-access with teacher-guided study. In particular, a VLE was used to
host a wide range of online self-access materials. The program was implemented in a
large chain of private language schools in the UK and Ireland. Throughout the
implementation of the program, student use of the online self-access centre (OSAC)
was measured and plotted into a graph. It was found that student use increased after
teacher training and development sessions, which suggests teacher training and
institutional support is an important factor in increasing the use of OSAC resources.
This paper outlines the types of initiatives used to encourage teachers and how
these possibly filtered back to students in order to promote increased use of the OSAC
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facilities. In particular, training emphasised practical ideas for implementing the VLE
in class, as well as ideas for blended learning. Another focus of the training was
general use of technology and Computer-Aided Language Learning (CALL) in class
and ways of reducing the administrative strain placed on teachers by the VLE. Few
teachers had used the VLE system previously and as those teachers who were
responsible for the OSAC in their schools also had a lot of other duties including
teaching, it was felt that spending a lot of time marking students work and running
reports from Moodle might seem impractical without the proper training.
The study attempts to illustrate that students are more likely to use OSAC
resources if the teachers have been trained and given ideas about how to incorporate
them into class. It also highlights the connection between teacher training and student
OSAC uptake.
Literature
Review
Computer-based resources and learner autonomy have a close relationship.
CALL can be utilised to provide increased access to a wide range of rich resources.
For example, Benson (2001) cites the huge variety of media which allow students
authentic and rich linguistic input. Computers feature heavily in many people’s lives,
and as such language learners are likely to look to computers and the internet for
resources. Figura & Jarvis (2007) talk about the long perceived relationship between
CALL and autonomy, in their study they reported that students viewed computers as a
useful part of their autonomous learning, with 62% if the subjects using the computer
for between 1 and 2 hours per day for language practise.
Self-access centres have featured heavily in language programs for several
decades (Sturtridge, 1997) and OSACs are a logical development in that they enable
greater access to a wider range of rich multimedia resources. As they are online they
can also be tracked, monitored and edited by both students and teachers. However, the
administration and navigation of VLEs are not always easy tasks, and training can all
too often be inadequate for both teaching staff and students. This may be due to time
constraints or inadequate follow-up training. These problems of teacher and student
OSAC usage are additional to the task of encouraging students to be more
autonomous. Autonomy is not the same as working completely without a teacher. A
student who completes a pedagogic grammar course book without reflection or
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analysis is not working autonomously. Little (1991) equates total detachment to
severe autism rather than autonomy. He states that “because we are social beings our
independence is always balanced by dependence; our essential condition is one of
interdependence” (Little, 1991, p. 5).
For advocates, autonomy is a “precondition for effective learning” (Benson,
2001, p. 1). Autonomy is what we wish to encourage across schools because it
empowers learners and enables them to embark upon life-long learning, thus meaning
the likelihood of becoming successful in terms of communicative competence will be
higher. Issues arising around the concept of autonomy are often voiced in terms of its
cultural compatibility (Pennycook, 1997, see Palfreyman & Smith, 2003 for a
collected volume), and some of the initial scepticism around autonomy arose over the
perception of it being used to justify having less contact time between student and
teacher, (McDevitt, 1997) or simply as an economical way of getting students to do
more work without the need to pay the teachers. Surprisingly, despite agreement
amongst practitioners and empirical evidence to support the fact that autonomy is of
great benefit to learners, ways of fostering autonomy and encouraging self-access
remain conspicuously absent from teacher education and training programs (Reinders
& Balcikanli, 2011). From my experience as both a teacher trainer and consultant, I
have observed that many schools and institutions have been guilty of simply opening
a self-access centre and assuming that students are now autonomous. Simply leaving
students alone surrounded by books and study materials does not make them
autonomous. With the added flexibility and all-hours access provided by an OSAC
these issues become even more prevalent. If students are working in an OSAC from
their homes or outside school hours, how can they be supported and how can their
activities be tracked? In order to provide the necessary support for this ‘all hours’ type
of self-access learning teachers need to play an active role in the virtual learning
environment as Minshull (2004) notes in the following quotation:
It is now recognised that the teacher’s role in terms of constructing,
monitoring and facilitating the learning process [in e-learning] is vital; for
example, just setting up a discussion board and hoping students will engage
with it doesn’t work. (Minshull, 2004, p. 5)
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For this reason, the present study attempts to examine any potential link
between the support structures in place for teachers and students; in other words
teacher training initiatives aimed at allowing teachers to support their learners’ self-
access opportunities.
Background
to
the
Study
A program of self-access with teacher-guidance was implemented as part of an
initiative by Kaplan International Colleges to provide better support and autonomy to
students who were studying in private sector language schools located in target
language (English) speaking countries. The program featured a Moodle based OSAC
with over twenty different quiz type activities per week over a ten week course with
different levels of difficulty for Elementary, Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate, Upper-
Intermediate and Advanced level students. All students were tested using an in-house
test and placed into levels, once they began at the schools they were given access to
the OSAC and shown how to login and navigate to the activities. There were also
weekly written and spoken assignments which were based on the language content
being practised that week in the OSAC. Each week had a theme, such as “The World
of Work” or “Future Plans” and these themes formed the basis of any language work.
The OSAC content did not relate directly to the work students were doing in class, so
the OSAC work was to be treated as entirely supplementary study. In addition to the
10 weeks of activities on the OSAC, each school had a dedicated library of self-access
resources ranging from graded readers to DVDs, with grammar books and other self-
study materials. Each of these ‘study centres’ was managed by a study centre manager
who was available to answer students’ questions and support them with their self-
access learning. These study centre managers also provided any immediate technical
support for the OSAC and were responsible for marking the online written and spoken
assignments.
The schools that participated in this study were located in the UK and Ireland.
There were eleven participating institutions in total. The number of students who used
the OSAC over the course of the two years (May 2008 – May 2010) in which data
were collected numbered over 20,000. Data were compiled using reports which came
directly from the Moodle VLE as well as student numbers from the student
management system.
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The overall usage spanning the two-year period was plotted into a graph
(Figure 1) using an equation to measure unique student logins to the OSAC against
student numbers in the schools. The graph, which shows holistic uptake throughout all
schools, shows peaks in site use around dates in which teacher training was carried
out. A more detailed discussion of the findings will follow the presentation of the
results.
Methodology
The data for this study were collected using a range of applications which
were combined in a spreadsheet to produce a graph which gave an approximate figure
for the number of students who were using the site. Reports on the number of unique
logins to the site were used, rather than total logins. Therefore, a user who logs in
three times in one day counts as one unique login, and a user who logs in only once in
a day also counts as one unique login. This gives a better idea of the actual number of
students who access the OSAC resource. Unfortunately, time spent on the OSAC was
not measured by the Moodle system and activity reports can only be viewed one
student at a time, making it impractical to examine what the students were doing
while they were logged in as part of a holistic report on site usage due to the large
number of users involved. In this way the data is one-sided and tells us little about
how the OSAC was actually being used, however we do know that the written and
speaking assignments were hardly used at all. Some weeks, the speaking resource
received no submissions at all from eleven institutions and usually only between five
and ten submissions even during busy periods when potentially between two and three
thousand students were eligible to submit assignments. In other words, students were
not logging in to the OSAC in order to do academic writing assignments. Looking at
separate activity reports from Moodle, it is clear that the most popular OSAC
resources were activities which had listening practise and also flash based game
activities. At this stage it would be useful to have some more qualitative data about
the students’ use of the OSAC, but despite this lack of data, having an idea of the
percentage of students who actually log into the system is useful in allowing us to
calculate a usage percentage. The number of eligible students (students with OSAC
access) in the schools overall was collected through the central student management
system database, and the number of unique logins was collected from a Moodle
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report. These two systems’ results were then plotted into a spreadsheet, and uptake
was calculated by dividing the number of unique logins (UL) by the number of
students (N) to create a percentage:
A graph was plotted from the results, which shows the student uptake of the
OSAC and spans a two-year period with almost 20,000 students. The average uptake
of the OSAC was 26.91% of the eligible student body, ie. those students who could
have accessed the OSAC if they had wanted to.
Subjects
The subjects were students from a large number of different cultural and
linguistic backgrounds. The ages of the students varied from sixteen to sixty, with the
majority of students in their mid-twenties. Every student had different start dates and
different course lengths, as the schools operate a weekly enrolment schedule and
course lengths can be anywhere from four weeks to a year long. The disadvantages of
having such a large variety of subjects and different enrolment periods will be
discussed in more detail in the discussion section of this paper.
Procedure
The two types of training sessions which were conducted with the teachers can
be broadly categorised as either general technology and OSAC class implementation
training or specific OSAC administration training. The specific OSAC training was
given initially to study centre managers whose role incorporated responsibility for the
SAC and marking work on the OSAC, as well as student orientation and training to
use both the SAC and OSAC. These study centre managers had a reduced teaching
load and were scheduled to be in the SAC so that students could come and consult
with them face to face if they needed any help or guidance. They were also
responsible for running study clubs and workshops. A large part of these teachers’
jobs was connected with the SAC and its resources and events. Although the study
centre managers had less engagement with the OSAC except for conducting weekly
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marking of online assignments, they were the only teachers in each school who would
come into contact with the OSAC as a formal part of their job description.
Training, which was specifically designed for study centre mangers, involved
showing them how to run reports within Moodle so that they could view the amount
of usage from students in their school. Unfortunately, this was problematic as the
version of Moodle used did not support site-wide groups so a special hack had been
implemented which was not always reliable. For this reason the training also featured
an element of how to get around this limitation and how to gain more useful
information specific to the school, making the training very focussed on technology
and reports. Another important aspect of this training was that it attempted to justify
why running these reports could benefit both the students and teachers. To illustrate
this, the specific example used was that of students who ask to be moved up to a
higher level class after a certain period of time. The schools all conduct summative
level tests every five weeks to decide if students are ready to move up, but often when
students fail the test they request to move up despite their results. It was suggested
that students’ level of commitment and usage of the SAC and OSAC be a deciding
factor in whether these students be allowed to move up to a higher class. Also, if the
students’ requests to move up were denied, it was suggested that the students be
encouraged to utilise the SAC and OSAC more to improve their language level in
order to move to a higher level. Incorporating this directly into the training made the
administrative aspect of the site more relevant to the study centre manager’s role.
The second type of training focused on general CALL usage and was targeted
at all teachers in the schools, even those with no dealings with the SAC or OSAC. The
training was not specific to the OSAC although there were continual references to
encouraging OSAC usage outside of class and also ideas about how to use the
integrative features of the OSAC (such as the forums and blogs) as part of a class.
Previous to these training sessions, most of the teachers had never had any contact
with Moodle nor had they been fully informed about the features of the OSAC
available to the students. Many were unclear in general about the self-access
resources, and this was also incorporated into the training. In this way, the training
featured heavily in both technology usage, SAC and OSAC resources and ways to
encourage students to use these resources and to attempt to foster more autonomy
with their classes by promoting the self-access resources.
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Data
Analysis
Results
Figure 1 is the graph which was produced from the spreadsheet to show the
percentage of student uptake of the OSAC. Training dates are indicated by thick
arrows for centralised OSAC specific training and thin arrows for Technology
training at individual schools.
Figure 1. Percentage of student body using the OSAC
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Training dates
There was a high concentration of the second type of training sessions
between August and October 2009 because the training session was very popular with
teachers and other schools started specifically requesting the training. Table 1 shows
the training dates from 2009 to 2010.
Table 1. Training sessions 2009-2010
Specific OSAC Training for self-access Technology and autonomy training for a
manager at each school single school
03-Sep-08 06-Aug-08
11-Mar-09 14-Aug-09
03-Sep-09
22-Sep-09
25-Sep-09
23-Oct-09
18-Feb-10
The average level of OSAC uptake was 26.9% of the eligible student body
(Table 2). This means that throughout the two-year period, roughly 27% of students
with OSAC access were logging into the site to practise and make use of the learning
materials on a daily basis.
Table 2. Total uptake over a two-year period
Average
Average High Median Low
Deviation
26.91 44.11 26.7 2.13 5.91
However, this figure is based only on unique logins and does not account for
the time spent in the OSAC or the number of activities being attempted. In other
words, we only know that students logged in, we do not know how much they used
the resources. This would hopefully be incorporated into future studies providing
improved reporting facilities in Moodle and better data collection methods could be
used. The highest period of uptake was in September 2008, which was three weeks
after the first OSAC specific training session in which all schools took part. Part of
the training given at this session involved changing the way students were inducted on
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the first day so that they were given an OSAC orientation whereas previously they
had only been informed about it. The lowest period of uptake occurred during the
winter holidays, during which many students returned to their home countries and the
schools were closed for two weeks. It is important to note here that because the study
was conducted in private language schools, summer is the busiest period and there are
no school closures in summer. Results over the two-year period (May 2008 – May
2010) are shown in Table 1.
To represent the difference teacher training made to student OSAC usage
visually, a twelve-week period was selected in which no training was conducted and
plotted against another twelve week period in which five separate types of training
were given across the different institutions (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Teacher training and student OSAC use over a twelve-week period
Discussion
and
Limitations
From these results it seems that students use the OSAC resources more if the
teachers have been given training on the use of these resources, the types of activity
available and the way the students can utilise them for self-study. One of the
limitations of this study is the lack of qualitative data into the students’ and teachers’
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perceptions of the OSAC resources, and this will have to be addressed with further
research. Because of the large data set in this study, it is only possible to make very
preliminary assumptions which would need the backing of more detailed empirical
evidence to make more definitive observations.
The main finding behind this study was that teacher training led to increased
student OSAC usage. However, in order to test the link between teacher training and
OSAC uptake more directly, qualitative data would contribute further insights into
these findings. Also, using a smaller group with the same students throughout the
study would make it possible to conduct statistical reliability tests to ensure there was
a significant difference. Because every week each school had a new intake, it is not
possible to statistically check the results from this study using ordinary tests for
statistical significance. Therefore, for future studies it would be recommended to use a
smaller scale data set and feature more qualitative data for information relating to
student motivation and autonomy. Another limitation is the range of subjects. It would
have been very interesting to be able to see whether students on shorter courses used
the OSAC more than students on longer courses, or to measure peaks in longer term
students’ OSAC usage. This is one of the main limitations of this study, as most of the
data were collected after the student’s courses had finished and the study was put
together retrospectively based on observed trends in a graph. Further studies could
address this limitation by conducting interviews with participants and using a smaller
sample so as to be more manageable and trends in students with similar length courses
could be observed.
Conclusion
Although this study is limited in that it only shows rough quantitative data
relating to the number of OSAC logins, there does seem to be an indication that the
more teachers know about OSACs and how to incorporate them into class and to
make recommendations to the students for self-study, the more likely they are to
encourage their students to use them. It also shows that the students are more likely to
study using self-access resources if they are informed about them by their teachers.
Continued teacher training and support would seem to be highly important to student
self-access usage.
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Notes on the contributor
Richard Pinner is a part-time teacher at Sophia University and an eLearning
consultant for engnet-education.
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