Individual and Collaborative Approaches in E-Learning Design

Author(s):  
Abel Usoro ◽  
Grzegorz Majewski ◽  
Len Bloom

There is no doubt that e-learning is not all about technology but includes the human aspect which is often neglected in studies of e-learning. This chapter addresses the interface between technology and the learner by using cognitive psychology to discuss learning processes in formal and informal groups, investigate how to create competent learning groups, and how to design e-learning to facilitate optimal learning by an individual in a group setting. The chapter proposes an e-learning design based on a blend of cognitive and activity theories. It also presents a pilot empirical study that measured the value of e-learning from four constructs derived from the theories. The result of the study suggests that pure virtual learning environments may not always be the best option as some users require some physical contact. While e-learning may fill many gaps, it should be perceived as a tool that needs to be attended with emotional and social contact.

2012 ◽  
pp. 1110-1130
Author(s):  
Abel Usoro ◽  
Grzegorz Majewski ◽  
Len Bloom

There is no doubt that e-learning is not all about technology but includes the human aspect which is often neglected in studies of e-learning. This chapter addresses the interface between technology and the learner by using cognitive psychology to discuss learning processes in formal and informal groups, investigate how to create competent learning groups, and how to design e-learning to facilitate optimal learning by an individual in a group setting. The chapter proposes an e-learning design based on a blend of cognitive and activity theories. It also presents a pilot empirical study that measured the value of e-learning from four constructs derived from the theories. The result of the study suggests that pure virtual learning environments may not always be the best option as some users require some physical contact. While e-learning may fill many gaps, it should be perceived as a tool that needs to be attended with emotional and social contact.


Author(s):  
MB Mutheiwana ◽  
KL Sharp ◽  
M Motale

Objective - As Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) begin to investigate how they can increase revenue and decrease costs, the Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) already implemented in most HEIs may be the solution. The opportunity for including advertisements on a VLE allows HEIs to minimise the significant financial implications associated with the development and use of a VLE, without reducing the value of the service provided. While incorporating advertisements onto VLEs makes sense financially, there is limited knowledge on how students will respond to the presence of advertisements on VLEs. Consequently, this research study reports on the findings from a pilot study conducted to determine the legitimacy and reliability of a measuring instrument being employed to investigate students' attitudes towards the use of a VLE with the presence of advertisements at a South African university of technology. Methodology/Technique - A measuring instrument, including constructs of self-efficacy, technology experience, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, satisfaction, pre advert presence and post advert presence on a selected VLE was employed in this research study. A six-point Likert scale, ranging from 1= strongly disagree to 6= strongly agree was used to avoid the utilisation of a seventh scale item of neither agree nor disagree. After the initial pre-testing of the questionnaire, carried out to verify face and content validity, was completed, a non-probability, convenience, judgement sample of 50 students from a South African public higher education institution situated in the Gauteng province was taken. The gathered pilot data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), Version 25.0. Findings - The findings indicate that the measuring instrument was deemed legitimate and reliable with regards to investigating students' attitudes towards the use of a VLE with the presence of advertisements. Novelty - Only one previous study has been conducted with regards to evaluating students' attitudes towards advertising on HEI VLEs, which was conducted in the UK. In addition, other studies closely related are concerned with students' attitudes towards e-learning and do not evaluate students' attitudes towards the use of a VLE with the presence of advertisements. Attitudes contribute to understanding the perceptions of students towards a VLE. Consequently, if HEIs are to incorporate advertisements on the VLEs used within HEIs, then evaluating the attitudes of the students enrolled at these HEIs, towards the use of a VLE with the presence of advertisements, is paramount. Type of Paper - Empirical. Keywords: E-learning, attitudes, virtual learning environments, advertisements, students, higher education institutions, South Africa. JEL Classification: I22, I23, M30, M31, M37 URI: http://gatrenterprise.com/GATRJournals/GJBSSR/vol9.2_6.html DOI: https://doi.org/10.35609/gjbssr.2021.9.2(6) Pages 165 – 173


2016 ◽  
pp. 714-733 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Ewais ◽  
Olga De Troyer

The use of 3D and Virtual Reality is gaining interest in the context of academic discussions on E-learning technologies. However, the use of 3D for learning environments also has drawbacks. One way to overcome these drawbacks is by having an adaptive learning environment, i.e., an environment that dynamically adapts to the learner and the activities that he performs in the environment. In this paper, the authors discuss adaptive 3D virtual leaning environments and explain how a course author can specify such an environment (i.e., authoring). The approach and tool that the authors present allow authors to create adaptive 3D virtual learning environments without the need to be an expert in 3D or using programming or scripting languages. The authors also conducted an evaluation to validate the approach and the usability and acceptability of the authoring tool. Based on the results, recommendations for authoring adaptive 3D virtual learning environments have been formulated.


Author(s):  
Christopher O’Mahony

Virtual learning environments (VLEs) and managed learning environments (MLEs) are emerging as popular and useful tools in a variety of educational contexts. Since the late 1990s a number of ‘off-the-shelf’ solutions have been produced. These have generally been targeted at the tertiary education sector. In the early years of the new millennium, we have seen increased interest in VLEs/MLEs in the primary and secondary education sectors. In this chapter, a brief overview of e-learning in the secondary and tertiary education sectors over the period from 1994 to 2004 is provided, leading to the more recent emergence of VLEs and MLEs. Three models of e-learning are explored. Examples of solutions from around the world are considered in light of these definitions. Through the case of one school’s journey towards an e-learning strategy, we look at the decisions and dilemmas facing schools and school authorities in developing their own VLE/MLE solutions.


2012 ◽  
pp. 1518-1529
Author(s):  
Ken Stevens

Schools located in rural communities are often physically small in terms of the number of students who attend them in person on a daily basis, but through the introduction of e-learning partnerships, they can become large educational institutions based on the enhanced range of teaching and learning they can provide. Small school capacities can be enhanced by e-learning and the creation of virtual learning environments. Structurally, the capacity of schools can be enhanced by internet-based inter-institutional collaboration. Pedagogically, e-learning can enable schools to share teaching and learning within virtual learning environments spanning participating sites to facilitate student engagement with ideas, people and places in new, interactive ways. Three stages are identified in the development of teaching and learning in the virtual structures that complement traditional schools.


Author(s):  
M.C. Pettenati ◽  
M.E. Cigognini

This chapter considers the affordances of social networking theories and tools in building new and effective e-learning practices. We argue that “Connectivism” (social networking applied to learning and knowledge contexts) can lead to a re-conceptualization of learning in which formal, non-formal, and informal learning can be integrated so as to build potentially lifelong learning activities which can be experienced in “personal learning environments”. In order to provide a guide for the design, development, and improvement of e-learning environments, as well as for the related learning activities, we provide a knowledge flow model and the consequent learning design model, highlighting the stages of learning, the enabling conditions, and possible technological tools to be used for the purpose. In the conclusion to the chapter, the derived model is applied in a possible scenario of formal learning in order to show how the learning process can be designed according to the presented theory.


Comunicar ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (43) ◽  
pp. 143-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felipe Chibás-Ortíz ◽  
Gerardo Borroto-Carmona ◽  
Fernando Almeida-Santos

There is a currently ongoing discussion regarding the most effective methodologies for establishing collaborative virtual learning environments (VLEs) and the true contribution to student creativity and innovation in such environments, particularly in the corporate sphere. Educational social networks based on collaborative learning have grown exponentially in recent years, with countless networks now established in nearly all fields. However, stimulation of creativity among VLE users in general, and specifically in the corporate sphere, has become an important issue in educational research. Utilizing experiences of corporate distance learning (DE) in Brazil, the present paper proposes a means of evaluating the presence of creativity indicators among students in collaborative virtual teaching and learning environments. Case studies are used to compare a corporate VLE project that uses information and communication technologies (ICTs) under a creative and educommunicative approach with a project that uses ICTs under a traditional approach. The study was conducted in partnership with the consulting and e-learning company Perfectu. The results obtained suggest that the pedagogic model adopted and the manner in which ICTs are employed determine whether ICTs lead to innovative results, not the use of ICTs alone. The average level of creativity in the group that used the creative and educommunicative model was higher than that of the group that used the traditional paradigm. Se mantiene abierta en nuestros días la discusión con respecto a las metodologías más efectivas en los entornos virtuales de aprendizaje (EVA) colaborativos y su verdadera contribución al desarrollo de la creatividad y la actitud innovadora en los estudiantes, particularmente en los ámbitos corporativos. Las redes sociales educativas basadas en el aprendizaje colaborativo crecen exponencialmente, y se hacen ya incontables en cualquier área del conocimiento. Sin embargo, la estimulación de la creatividad de los usuarios de los EVA en general y en el ámbito corporativo en específico, se ha convertido en un problema científico de gran importancia para las investigaciones en las Ciencias de la Educación. El presente trabajo se propone valorar la presencia de indicadores de creatividad en los estudiantes al interactuar con los entornos virtuales de enseñanza de aprendizaje colaborativo, basados en la experiencia de educación a distancia (EAD) corporativa acumulada en Brasil. El método de investigación utilizado es el del estudio de caso, que permitió comparar la realización de un proyecto EAD corporativo a partir de la utilización de las TIC con un enfoque creativo y educomunicativo, con otro que también utilizó las TIC pero con una visión tradicional. Fue realizado en la empresa de consultoría y e-learning Perfectu. Los resultados obtenidos sugieren que el modelo pedagógico adoptado y la forma de utilizar las TIC son las que llevan a resultados innovadores y no las TIC por sí mismas, dado que se observó que el promedio de creatividad del grupo que trabajó bajo el patrón educomunicativo-creativo fue más elevado que para el grupo que trabajó con el paradigma tradicional.


2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 15-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abderrahim EL MHOUTI ◽  
Mohamed ERRADI .

In the e-learning field, there is an urgent need for the sharing, reuse and design of online courses as learning objects. However, in the vast majority of cases, e-learning courses are built in a manner that not stimulating cooperation, interaction, and collaborative learning. The primary aim of this paper is to develop a strategy for constructing learning objects, strategy targeted at supporting instructors in designing educational contents in order to promote collaborative learning in e-learning environments. A key challenge in this work is the definition of a new method of learning design of e-learning contents to stimulate collaborative learning. In addition, we introduce a general model of online and collaborative learning design. Model is based on the methods of instructional design and Educational Modeling Languages, particularly the IMS-LD specification. Firstly, the paper presents the online and collaborative design process of a content based on a life cycle adapted. Then, the paper describes the steps of the modeling process of content. Finally, the paper exposes the adopted technical choices and a first prototype is set up to provide a subjective evaluation of the new framework.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulo De Souza ◽  
Wagner Marques ◽  
Jaline Mombach

Several studies have been undertaken aiming to improve the efficiency of e-learning through the development of features to Virtual Learning Environments. However, such researches have no focus on the use of collaboration of learning objects and analysis of students’ progress in real-time. Hence, this paper presents an educational platform that allows real-time co-authorship and monitoring of students’ progress in learning objects, through the implementation of software engineering techniques and patterns designed for educational systems.


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