Opportunities and Challenges of Mobile Technologies in Higher Education Pedagogy in Africa

2015 ◽  
pp. 170-178
Author(s):  
Frederick Kang'ethe Iraki
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Cell Phones ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Mobile Telephony ◽  
Higher Education Pedagogy ◽  
Market Niche ◽  
The University ◽  
Financial Transactions ◽  
Immense Potential

Since the late 1990s, Kenya has undergone a real technological revolution, especially in the domain of mobile telephony and Internet connectivity. From a negligible number of handsets in the hands of the political elites, today almost every adult Kenyan has a mobile phone, or access to one. This is thanks to reduced costs following expansion and diversification of the market niche. Despite this remarkable progress, research has shown that cell phones are used mainly for financial transactions, social communication, and entertainment, but hardly for learning purposes. This means that despite the impressive number of smartphone owners in the university, for example, the devices are not used for enhancing student learning or teaching. In Kenya, more than 60% of the population employs mobile banking, thus underscoring the immense potential that the cell phones have for education. This chapter explores the benefits and challenges in employing mobile telephony to improve the quality of teaching and learning.

scholarly journals Theoretical bases for academics’ potential development: foreign and domestic experience

2021 ◽  
pp. 5-19
Author(s):  
Yurii Skyba ◽  
Hanna Lebedynets
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Association Agreement ◽  
Intangible Resources ◽  
Quality Of Higher Education ◽  
Potential Development ◽  
Organizational Information ◽  
The University

Ensuring and improving the quality of teaching and learning, in particular the academics’ potential development, is reflected in strategic European and domestic documents, namely in the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union, the Paris Communiqué, the Strategy for Higher Education in Ukraine for 2021-2031 and others. The expediency for academics’ potential development is confirmed by the results of a national survey on the needs for the development of Ukrainian universities in the process of reforming higher education in the context of European integration. The article highlights the problems of academics’ potential development. Based on foreign and domestic experience, the theoretical bases for academics’ potential development, in particular the conceptual and terminological apparatus and structural components of teaching metacompetence are substantiated. The concept «potential of an academic» is defined as a set of intellectual, intangible resources, conditions and opportunities created for the production and accumulation of new knowledge, ideas, technologies, competencies and other productive properties at the university, which combines two levels of connections functioning in unity. The first level of connections are resources that are the result of past and present, and the second – opportunities, i.e. those abilities and connections that are future-oriented, constantly changing, evolving, forming new abilities, characteristics, including elements of the future development. The following components are distinguished in the structure of teaching metacompetence: prognostic; design; objective; innovative; pedagogical partnership; organizational; information and digital; reflexive; linguistic and communicative; inclusive; motivational; health-preserving; emotional-ethical and evaluative-analytical. The development of the above components of teaching metacompetence will help ensure the quality of higher education and increase the competitiveness of the university in the educational services market.

Preparing Preservice Teachers to Use Mobile Technologies

2019 ◽  
pp. 42-62
Author(s):  
Carolyne Nekesa Obonyo
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Effective Use ◽  
The University

The use of mobile technologies to enhance 21st century learning is increasing in K-12 schools and teacher education institutions. Thus, there is a need to effectively prepare preservice teachers to use mobile technologies in their future classrooms. This chapter explores the effective use of mobile technologies in teacher preparation in ways that are transferred to K-12 teaching and learning. It goes on to look at two major organizations: the university and partner school involved in the preparation of preservice teachers. Additionally, the purposes of incorporating information and communication technologies in teacher preparation as identified by Davis are explored to understand how mobile technologies align with these purposes. Common challenges of using mobile technologies in teacher preparation are also presented.

Project-Based Learning

2020 ◽  
pp. 161-178
Author(s):  
María Pache-Durán ◽  
Esteban Pérez-Calderón ◽  
Alicia Fernanda Galindo-Manrique
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Learning Processes ◽  
University Teachers ◽  
Quality Of Learning ◽  
The University ◽  
Academic Year

This study focuses on the results obtained from the teacher's assessment of Project-Based Learning, a methodological approach that implies a change in the university pedagogical paradigm that affects both the teaching and learning processes. To this end, a study is carried out taking as a sample university teachers during the academic year 2018-2019. Among the results obtained, it is worth mentioning that the teacher considers the Project-Based Learning a methodology that favours in the classroom, constituting a valid alternative to improve the quality of learning in university students.

'A place where open minds meet': The constraints of alignment and the effects of compulsory teacher training on teaching and learning in higher education

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 14-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulina Mihailova
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Teacher Training ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Quality Of Teaching ◽  
Academic Practices ◽  
Disciplinary Expertise ◽  
University Lecturers ◽  
The University ◽  
Shed Light

The article investigates how university lecturers taking part in the compulsory teacher training at Stockholm University (SU) conceive of the effects of standardised and formalised training on their teaching. The study explores the emotions and responses evoked among academics when everyone is required to embrace the same pedagogic philosophy of constructive alignment (Biggs 2003), adopt the language of learning outcomes and assign the same standards to diverse academic practices. The article attempts to shed light on different conceptions of the quality of teaching and learning in higher education and the interplay between the lecturers' values of academic freedom, collegiality and disciplinary expertise and the university leadership's values of efficiency, accountability and measurability of performance. The article considers how these conceptions coexist and are negotiated within the university as an organisation.

scholarly journals An Evaluation on Full Coverage Crown Preparation: An Institutional Analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nabilah Raihana Binti Mohd Rashid ◽  
Muhammad Afif Imran Bin Abu Talib ◽  
Wan Nor Syariza Wan Ali ◽  
Azlan Jaafar ◽  
Muhammad Syafiq Alauddin
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Clinical Teaching ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Dental Students ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Full Coverage ◽  
Fixed Prosthodontics ◽  
Crown Preparation ◽  
The University

Introduction: Undergraduate (UG) dental students are trained for fixed prosthodontics course clinically in teaching institutions during the clinical years. However, there is a lack of objective data on the quality of fixed prostheses preparations done by UG students on their patients for academic and clinical staff. Aim: To evaluate the full-coverage crown preparations performed by UG dental students in the university clinical teaching programme. Materials and Methods: This study was a clinical audit done in the Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Sains Islam, Malaysia (USIM) from April to July 2018. The demographic and clinical data were collected from the patients’ notes and included relevant information of patients such as age, gender and others. Full-coverage crowns were analysed and crown preparation assessments were done using specific criteria and standards. The descriptive data were measured in frequency and percentage for categorical variables and mean and standard deviation for continuous data. Results: A total of 31 patients fitted with 45 units of full-coverage crowns were analysed. The mean age of patients treated by fifth year dental students was 40.5 (±14.16) years. A 51% Porcelain Fused to Metal (PFM) crown provided to the patients. On the whole, UG undergoing the dentistry programme in the institution scored the lowest (51%) on proximal reduction and the highest (97.7%) on producing smooth and continuous preparation. Conclusion: Majority of the crowns prepared by students have acceptable preparation except in proximal reduction and cervical margin preparation that can be improved upon and emphasised further during the teaching and learning sessions.

scholarly journals Investigación sobre la práctica docente en las universidades

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (17) ◽  
pp. 3-8
Author(s):  
Martha E. Báez
Keyword(s):  
Student Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Institutional Development ◽  
Critical Study ◽  
Anglo Saxon ◽  
Practice Elements ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The University

La investigación sobre la práctica docente (ISPD) en el contexto universitario es un estudio crítico de la docencia que busca reflexionar sobre esta para mejorar su incidencia en la calidad del aprendizaje de los estudiantes. Este artículo se basa en la experiencia de académicos anglosajones con este tipo de investigaciones, abordando los fundamentos conceptuales y metodológicos que la caracterizan y su importancia para el desarrollo individual e institucional de la docencia. Sin pretender hacer una presentación comparativa, se muestran elementos que asemejan y distancian la ISPD de la investigación tradicional.AbstractScholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in the university context is a critical study of teaching aimed at reflecting on its impact improving the quality of student learning. This article is based on the experience of Anglo-Saxon scholars on this type of study. It addresses the conceptual and methodological characteristics of this practice and its importance to the individual and institutional development of the teaching practice. Elements that relate and distant the SoTL from the traditions research are shown.

scholarly journals The prevalence and characteristics of online assessment in Australian universities

2006 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rod Byrnes ◽  
Allan Ellis
Keyword(s):  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Online Assessment ◽  
Online Environment ◽  
Online Teaching And Learning ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The University ◽  
Australian Universities

<span>Assessment is one of the key elements of the teaching and learning process. It provides teachers with a means of evaluating the quality of their instruction. Students also use it to drive and direct their learning. Online teaching and learning will continue to become more important to Australian universities in order for them to remain competitive and economically viable. In the online environment, assessment is no less critical than in traditional face to face environments. However, assessment risks being overlooked or at least marginalised in the rush to place course content online. This paper provides a snapshot of the prevalence and characteristics of online assessment in Australian universities during 2004. It highlights useful information regarding the use of online assessment in the university sector and illustrates that overall this crucial area is not being given the attention or resources it requires.</span>

An Evaluation of WebCT Course Content Management System at the University of Botswana

2012 ◽  
pp. 205-232
Author(s):  
Adeyinka Tella ◽  
S. M. Mutula ◽  
Athulang Mutshewa ◽  
Angelina Totolo
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Survey Methodology ◽  
Access Network ◽  
Content Management ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Course Materials ◽  
University Of Botswana ◽  
The University ◽  
Network Server

This study evaluated a WebCT course content management (CCMS) system at the University of Botswana. Survey methodology was used and questionnaires were distributed to 503 students selected from six faculties, and an in-depth interview were conducted involving (20) twenty lecturers who teach via the WebCT platform. Findings reveal that, generally, WebCT CCMS is doing well at the University of Botswana and that the system has been a success. The results also confirm the quality of course materials uploaded on the system, that is, service quality and the quality of the teaching and learning via the system. Furthermore, by learning through WebCT, students are able to self regulate their learning and, given the opportunity, they are ready to use and continue learning using the WebCT platform. Results also indicate that generally students are satisfied with the performance of WebCT and that there are many benefits associated with the system in context to teaching and learning at the university. Problems associated with WebCT CCMS that are experienced by staff and students of the University include access, network /server failure, lack of link between ITS and WebCT, lack of teaching expertise using WebCT, and failure to remove completed courses from the system.

Open and Distance Learning Tools and Strategies

2008 ◽  
pp. 34-47
Author(s):  
Cristina Girona
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Learning Tools ◽  
Educational Models ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Technological Means ◽  
The University ◽  
Learning Institutions

There exists nowadays an enormous variety of models of e-leaning, from the technological, methodological and management perspective. At the university level, but also in company-training, in schools and formal education institutions, the different educational models appear, moving in a continuum from those who use technology as a complement or support to traditional attended sessions, to those that base the teaching and learning process in completely online environments. They try a variety of teaching methods while using differing degrees of virtualisation in the organisation (Bates, 2005). Years ago, when ICT in education started to be widely used, the success of the e-learning experience and the institutions themselves depended on their technological means; the platform was the most important of the model adopted by e-learning institutions. Initial efforts were put in market analysis aiming at finding out which was the best platform developed by ICT providers. Major investments in economical terms were dedicated to the acquisition of what was considered “the best” platform. Some years later, it was seen that institutions were different from the rest, and that not all educational platforms could cover all their needs. They realised that the success of their educational offer could not only be based on technology but in the learning materials provided. At that moment, the industry of online resources and hypermedia materials for educational uses grew up quickly. For some years, the success of e-learning mainly depended on the quality of the online materials provided, and that distinguish one institution from others.

Exploring the Impact of SoTL on Day-to-Day Learning and Teaching

2020 ◽  
pp. 388-412
Author(s):  
Andrea Rose Carr ◽  
Jo-Anne Kelder ◽  
Joseph Crawford
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Evaluation Research ◽  
Curriculum Evaluation ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Barriers And Enablers ◽  
University College ◽  
Action Researcher ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

The Curriculum Evaluation Research (CER) Framework was developed as a response to increasing scrutiny and expectations of the higher education sector, including legislated standards for curriculum and professional teachers that explicitly require a systematic and comprehensive approach to evaluating curriculum. The CER Framework is designed to facilitate a scholarly environment to drive and assure the quality of a curriculum and the capabilities of its teaching team. It stems from a synthesis of teacher as action researcher (TAAR), quality improvement (QI), quality assurance (QA), and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) applied to the curriculum as it is designed, taught, and revised. In this chapter, the implementation of the CER Framework to the University College is reviewed and evaluated. The University College is an organisational unit comprises approximately 600 students and 80 staff. This chapter includes a reflection on the barriers and enablers of implementing the CER Framework.

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