Drivers and Barriers to the Uptake of Learning Technologies

2011 ◽  
pp. 125-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison Davies ◽  
Kelly Smith
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Learning Technologies ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Learning Technology ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions

This chapter discusses key findings from three focus group discussions held with practitioners in a higher education institution about their experiences of using learning technologies to support student learning. Focus groups were organised in March 2004 to further explore staff responses to a 2003 campus-wide survey, which gave a general overview of learning technology use among teaching staff. The chapter will examine the key issues that staff raised during the focus group discussions, including the barriers to and implications of introducing and implementing learning technologies into different subject disciplines within a research-led institution. The question of whether or not the use of learning technologies enhances, or has the potential to enhance, the teaching and learning experience is also discussed, as well as the lessons that staff have learnt from this use.

scholarly journals Educating critically about language and intercultural communication: What and who is at stake?

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-178
Author(s):  
Chantal Crozet ◽  
Kerry Mullan ◽  
Jing Qi ◽  
Masoud Kianpour
Keyword(s):  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
First Year ◽  
Communication Education ◽  
Critical Perspective ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Perspective Theory ◽  
Informal Feedback

This paper reflects on the literature on Critical Language and Intercultural Communication Education in light of learnings gained from designing and delivering a course titled ‘Intercultural Communication’ over four years to large cohorts of first-year tertiary students in Australia. It is based on a qualitative research project which involves the analysis of two sets of data: a) ethnographic notes from teaching staff meetings, tutors’ interviews, and tutorial observation, and b) student formal and informal feedback surveys as well as focus group discussions. The paper explores what and who is at stake when teaching and learning about language and intercultural communication from a critical perspective. It unveils from a praxis perspective (theory informed by practice and vice versa) the deeply political and ethical level of engagement that is required of teachers, the kind of metalinguistic and metacultural knowledge, as well as the kind of disposition towards critical thinking and reflexivity, that are called for when teaching and learning in this domain in an Australian tertiary environment.

scholarly journals “DISTANCED” TIMES: INVESTIGATING PRE-SERVICE MUSIC TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES ON ONLINE TEACHING AND LEARNING DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

2021 ◽  
Vol LXIX (1) ◽  
pp. 111-124
Author(s):  
Miruna Luana Miulescu ◽  
Florentina-Lavinia Matei
Keyword(s):  
Music Education ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Qualitative Inquiry ◽  
Learning Technology ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Online Teaching And Learning ◽  
Service Music

The technology use is flourishing in a growing set of educational contexts. Music education is no exception, seeing more and more learning practices be actively incorporated into educational frameworks. Our study seeks to investigate the online teaching and learning experiences of music university students who are participating in the pre-service teacher education during the Covid-19 pandemic. The participants of the present study are pre-service music students (n=22) enrolled in the teaching education programme in their 2nd or 3rd year at the university. By making use of a phenomenological qualitative inquiry, data was collected through participating at semi-structured interviews via ZOOM videotelephony software in January and February 2021. The key findings indicate a neither overtly positive or negative teaching and learning experience, even if the students had to navigate an avalanche of offline learning technology requirements both as students and teachers in a limited amount of time. The results of the study indicate that teacher training programmes should consider the move to virtual teaching and learning as an opportunity for change and to go beyond the emergency online practices and develop quality online educational activities.

scholarly journals Online conferencing for focus group discussions with teenage girls

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-293
Author(s):  
Roberta Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Remote Access ◽  
Power Relationships ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Teenage Girls ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Spontaneous Interaction

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of online conferencing platforms for focus group discussions with teenage girls. Design/methodology/approach The paper discusses the use of online conferencing for focus group discussions with Australian teenage girls aged 12–14 years who were participating in a study about their online interaction with friends. It examines both the practical application of online conferencing as a qualitative method as well as the inherent challenges of this context for youth research. Design decisions are explained and methods for ensuring rich contribution are detailed. Findings Online conferencing offers three distinct advantages for focus group work. First, the environment consciously engages participants in spontaneous interaction with other participants by using communication tools familiar to them. Second, elaborated discussion can be stimulated by introducing ideas and trends through visual mediums and artefacts. Third, the virtual setting provides remote access by the researcher which shifts power relationships so discussions flow more naturally between participants. Practical implications Outcomes indicate that online conferencing is an effective method for encouraging participants to share ideas and experiences about aspects of their lives that are often private and/or sensitive. Originality/value Technological advances in online collaboration tools have resulted in an increased use of online conferencing platforms across disciplines especially for teaching and learning contexts. However, application of online conferencing for focus group discussions with young people has not received much attention. Research presented here demonstrates that it is a useful tool for engaging teenage girls in focus group discussions.

scholarly journals “Moments That Glow”: WhatsApp as a Decolonising Tool in EFAL Poetry Teaching and Learning

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharine Naidu ◽  
Denise Newfield
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Text Message ◽  
After School ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Language Classrooms ◽  
Creative Space ◽  
English Classroom

This article, based on a research project with learners in a township school in South Africa, seeks to discuss whether WhatsApp was able to transform the space of the poetry classroom in positive and productive ways. The project was designed in response to research in EFAL (English First Additional Language) classrooms that revealed the marginalisation of poetry as a component in the English classroom, a lack of enthusiasm for it on the part of teachers, and a lack of engagement and energy on the part of learners—all of whom seemed to find poetry remote, irrelevant, unengaging and difficult. The shift to a WhatsApp chatroom, after school hours and outside the classroom, revealed encouraging results. The article seeks to explore the transformative effects of that move, how the chatroom gave learners a creative space in which to express themselves, to speak with their own voice, in their own tongue and to take control of their learning—which seem to us to be decolonising effects. We use Maggie MacLure’s idea of selecting “moments that glow” from the text message conversations and the subsequent focus group discussions and questionnaires to show moments of pedagogic decolonisation.  

scholarly journals Attitudes towards infopreneurship among information science students at a higher education institution

2022 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-57
Author(s):  
Thobekani Lose ◽  
Sebenzile Khuzwayo
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Information Technologies ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Higher Education Institution ◽  
Negative Attitudes

This study aimed to explore the attitudes of students of a higher education institution towards infopreneurship. The study emanated from observations that the widespread use of information technologies has created a new sector in the labor market – infopreneurship. The study adopted the case study research design based on focus group discussions to establish the students’ attitudes towards infopreneurship. The participants for the focus groups were students of the Information Science department at the University of Technology, Cape Town. Data collection during the focus group discussions was based on unstructured interviews. Quantitative data analysis was applied based on data reduction from codes to categories. An enterprising attitude (26.4% code frequency) dominated the positive responses while negative attitudes were mainly reflected by a critical attitude (20.8% code frequency) towards infopreneurship. While it appeared that positive attitudes were more prevalent than negative attitudes, there were notable observations that the respondents were critical or neutral towards the essence of infopreneurship in the South African context. It was found that the belief that infopreneurship is not a viable form of employment was still prevalent. Some respondents believed that employment means working for someone. They felt that there is greater respect in being employed than engaging in infopreneurship. Some respondents, however, appear to have stronger entrepreneurial orientations and felt that infopreneurship offers the best employment opportunities. The study recommends changes in higher education curricula and the creation of a stimulating environment for infopreneurship.

Minority Languages’ exclusion in the Lesotho School Curriculum: Perceptions of Teachers and Learners

2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-149
Author(s):  
Maboleba Kolobe ◽  
Lifelile Matsoso
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
National Minority ◽  
Minority Languages ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Learning Practices ◽  
Linguistic Backgrounds

The study sought to know why learners from linguistically disadvantaged backgrounds have low educational morale. A constructivist study  was adopted through the use of focus group discussions with 246 learners and 142 teachers in 23 schools located in Botha Bothe, Mohale’s Hoek, Qacha’s Nek and Quthing districts in Lesotho. The findings revealed minimal if not absolute nonrecognition of minority languages in the teaching and learning of learners from these linguistic backgrounds. Therefore, the study concludes that linguistically exclusive  curriculum, and teaching and learning practices can reasonably be associated with poor performance of learners. Based on these findings, the paper recommends that Lesotho’s education system recognise the existence of national minority languages. In other words, the  curriculum, its implementation and assessment of learners should not be divorced from the linguistic background of learners.

scholarly journals Interrogating Factors Affecting the Choice and Utilisation of Online Learning Technologies for A Higher Education Institution

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 278-288
Author(s):  
Cosmas Maphosa ◽  
Talent Rugube ◽  
Khetsiwe Eunice Mthethwa-Kunene ◽  
Patience Dlamini
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Learning Technologies ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Online Teaching And Learning ◽  
Factors Affecting

ABSTRACT  This desktop review paper advances the view that the utilisation of technology for online teaching and learning needs to be based on sound considerations. Online learning technologies are defined and the purpose of utilising such technologies is explored. Among the different considerations in online technology utilisation is the need to consider how the technologies assist in solving pedagogical challenges for teaching and learning. The context in which the learners and the course instructors find themselves using the technologies may promote or negate the effective use of the technology. Technology may be costly to procure and maintain, and this factor should be considered before the technology is procured for use in an institution of higher education. In many contexts, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, the digital divide is real in terms of access to technologies and the skills in technology use. The use of technology may perpetuate social differences as learners from disadvantaged backgrounds end up being left out of the learning process. Organisational and infrastructural issues are other important factors to consider in technology utilisation. The paper concludes that technology utilisation for online teaching and learning should be deliberately planned to consider numerous factors and address avoidable challenges in the implementation of online learning.

scholarly journals Research-based language learning through framing analysis as an effort to change the culture of learning

2020 ◽  
Vol 202 ◽  
pp. 07066
Author(s):  
Suharyo
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Framing Analysis ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Culture Of Learning ◽  
The Media

This research aims to change the culture of listening to a culture of communication/speaking in teaching and learning activities in the classroom because so far, students tend to be passive and lectures go in one way. Besides that, lectures are intended so that students can think and speak critically. For that, a number of models of learning that allows students to think and communicate critically are applied. In addition to that, learning a research-based language is also applied in the lecture. In this study, the analysis of Pan Kosicki's framing model was taken as its approach. The methods are (1) the application of a number of models of learning (discovery, inquiry, focus group discussions, and problem-based) on the learning activities and (2) take the coverage of the contestation of Jokowi and Prabowo which are published in the media viva.com and tribunes.com as examples of research cases. The results are (1) has occurred a change of culture, namely from culture to listening into culture of communication, (2) a method of learning discovery and inquiry as well as FGD are models of learning which are considered effective, (4) there are a number of students who wrote the thesis by using analysis of framing, and (5) the media tend to be less objective in reporting.

scholarly journals FEEDBACK

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (01) ◽  
pp. 156-164
Author(s):  
Naheed Mahsood ◽  
Brekhna Jamil ◽  
Usman Mehboob ◽  
Zeeshan Kibria ◽  
Kashif Ur Rehman Khalil
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Time Constraints ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Feedback Model ◽  
Timely Feedback ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Academic Workload

Objectives: To explore perception of Khyber Medical University teachersregarding challenges in provision of timely feedback to students. Setting: Khyber MedicalUniversity, Peshawar. Period: March 2016 to September 2016. Methods: A qualitative multiplecase study in which seven focus group discussions with seven constituent institutes of KhyberMedical University have been conducted, each institute is taken as one case, selected throughpurposive maximum variation sampling technique. Each FGD was audio-recorded, transcribedverbatim, analyzed and themes were identified. Results: Total forty faculty members participatedin seven focus group discussions. Three themes that emerged were ”institutionalization offeedback” indicating need of establishing a feedback culture so that it is taken as a norm bothby teachers and students; “Lapses in feedback priority” indicating teachers don’t give priorityto feedback due time constraints, work overload, lack of training and resource deficiencies:“establishing manageable model of feedback at organizational/institutional level” indicatinga need for developing a feasible feedback model compatible to university contextual needsinstead of implementing any ideal feedback model. Conclusion: The concept of providing andreceiving feedback is deficient and its significance with respect to teaching and learning islacking. Contextual academic workload and time constraints may impact the quality and timingof feedback provided. There is need of collaborations between university administration andfaculty so that feedback can be utilized effectively in the learning process.

Dari Idealisme ke Pragmatisme: Pergeseran Paradigma dalam Pengembangan Hukum Ekonomi Syariah di Indonesia

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-210
Author(s):  
Addiarrahman Addiarrahman ◽  
Illy Yanti
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Business World ◽  
Key Informants ◽  
The Public ◽  
Financial Products ◽  
Legal Consideration ◽  
Economic Law ◽  
Islamic Economic

This study seeks to understand the pragmatism of the development of sharia economic law, and its implications for Islamic financial products in Indonesia. The data comes from the results of interviews and focus group discussions with key informants from academics, practitioners, authorities, and the public. This research finds that pragmatism in the development of Islamic economic law is an approach that still dominates the DSN-MUI fatwas. The pragmatism style used is complex-eclectic pragmatism which is represented through makhārij al-fiqhiyyah, which is to choose a mild opinion by sticking to the strongest method or also called "taysīr al-manhajī". The use of this method is intended to ensure that the fatwa is truly able to answer the needs of the business world, as well as being in line with sharia principles. DSN-MUI also does not use maslahah as a legal consideration in a free or liberal way. Rather, it returns maslahah in consideration of the method, so that it is permissible to use the bay’ al-'inān contract only in a forced state (ḍarurah).

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