The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of using social software in higher and further education teaching and learning

This study reports on the experiences of teachers of the deaf and hard-of- hearing students in a special needs high school for the deaf in Eswatini. The study adopted a qualitative approach and was exploratory in nature. Participants comprised of eighteen (n =18) purposively sampled teachers of deaf and hard-of-hearing students. They participated in individual in-depth and focus group discussion interviews on the teaching and communication aspects with deaf and hard- of- hearing students. Data were also collected through documents review. Credibility and trustworthiness of data were established through member checks. Data were thematically analysed for important meanings. Teachers reported to experience gaps in professional competencies to teach the mainstream curriculum for which they needed further education. Variation in sign language impacting learner engagement hindered teachers’ communication with the deaf and hard-of-hearing students and their parents. Teachers reported to have in service professional training needs which included collaboration, consultation, assessment instruments and language skills. The findings have important implications for policy and practice in educating the deaf and hard- of- hearing students and for interpreting previous research. There is urgent need for the country to consider having a standardized sign language which could enhance positive teaching and learning outcomes as well as social integration for the future lives of these students. Understanding experiences of these teachers from the lived cultural milieu are important for the design and implementation of programmes for supporting the deaf and hard- of hearing learners, their teachers and parents.

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Teaching and Learning in a Social Software Development Tool

Social Media Tools and Platforms in Learning Environments ◽

10.1007/978-3-642-20392-3_2 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 17-35 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Hani Bani-Salameh ◽

Clinton Jeffery

Keyword(s):

Software Development ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

Social Software ◽

Development Tool ◽

Software Development Tool

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Implementation of Learning Outcomes in Mathematics for Non-Mathematics Major by Using E-Learning

Teaching Mathematics Online ◽

10.4018/978-1-60960-875-0.ch006 ◽

2012 ◽

pp. 119-140 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

B. Divjak

Keyword(s):

Learning Outcomes ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

Educational Process ◽

Social Software ◽

First Year ◽

Technology Enhanced Learning ◽

Student Centered ◽

Undergraduate Study ◽

E Learning ◽

The University

Learning outcomes are considered to be a key tool for student-centered teaching and learning. They can be successfully implemented in teaching and learning mathematics on higher educational level and together with appropriate level of technology enhanced learning can provide the framework for successful learning process even for students that have not been primarily interested in mathematics. The aim is to present the case study of implementation of learning outcomes and e-learning in several mathematical courses at the Faculty of Organization and Informatics of the University of Zagreb. First of all, there are examples of mathematical courses in the first year since the first study year is crucial for retaining students. Further, there are mathematical courses taught at higher years of undergraduate study and the first year of graduate study. Again, educational process is appropriately supported by ICT and executed through blended e-learning, as well as the use of social software.

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Pedagogical Responses to Social Software in Universities

Handbook of Research on Social Software and Developing Community Ontologies ◽

10.4018/978-1-60566-208-4.ch023 ◽

2010 ◽

pp. 335-356 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Catherine McLoughlin ◽

Mark J.W. Lee

Keyword(s):

Experiential Learning ◽

Digital Literacy ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

Learning Experience ◽

Literacy Skills ◽

Social Software ◽

Pedagogical Change ◽

Geographically Dispersed ◽

Models Of Teaching ◽

Networked Society

Learning management systems (LMS’s) that cater for geographically dispersed learners have been widely available for a number of years, but many higher education institutions are discovering that new models of teaching and learning are required to meet the needs of a generation of learners who seek greater autonomy, connectivity, and socio-experiential learning. The advent of Web 2.0, with its expanded potential for generativity and connectivity, propels pedagogical change and opens up the debate on how people conceptualize the dynamics of student learning. This chapter explores how such disruptive forces, fuelled by the affordances of social software tools, are challenging and redefining scholarship and pedagogy, and the accompanying need for learners to develop advanced digital literacy skills in preparation for work and life in the networked society. In response to these challenges, the authors propose a pedagogical framework, Pedagogy 2.0, which addresses the themes of participation in networked communities of learning, personalization of the learning experience, and learner productivity in the form of knowledge building and creativity.

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E-Learning with Wikis, Weblogs and Discussion Forums

Novel Developments in Web-Based Learning Technologies ◽

10.4018/978-1-60566-938-0.ch010 ◽

2010 ◽

pp. 174-198 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Reinhard Bernsteiner ◽

Herwig Ostermann ◽

Roland Staudinger

Keyword(s):

Teaching And Learning ◽

Software Tools ◽

Social Software ◽

Discussion Forums ◽

Academic Context ◽

Empirical Survey ◽

Self Organized ◽

Innovative Learning ◽

E Learning ◽

Context Of Learning

This chapter explores how social software tools can offer support for innovative learning methods and instructional design in general and those related to self-organized learning in an academic context in particular. In the first section the theoretical basis for the integration of wikis, discussion forums and weblogs in the context of learning are discussed. The second part presents the results of an empirical survey conducted by the authors and explores the usage of typical social software tools which support learning from a student’s perspective. The chapter concludes that social software tools have the potential to be a fitting technology in a teaching and learning environment.

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