Practice From Implementing Web 2.0 Tools in Higher Education

Each new technology, tool, or resource that is introduced in higher education practice with the promise of enhancing the students' learning experience and/or increasing their academic performance is subjected to meticulous scrutiny. In the early days of Web 2.0's implementation in the context of higher education, many educators expressed their concerns and were reluctant to embrace it. As it slowly proved its pedagogical value and an increasingly higher number of teachers began to incorporate it in their teaching practice and courses, the body of evidence speaking to its advantages increased and offered other educators the confidence and proof they required to do the same. This chapter examines Web 2.0 in the context of higher education by debating both its benefits and shortcomings and presenting cases of actual implementation. The cases in question pertain to the use of YouTube, Wikis, and Twitter as valuable resources in the development of different types of skills and to support the acquisition of knowledge.

A Look at the New Online Consumer Behavior on Social Media Platforms

Technological advances have caused great business changes. In this new business environment, the internet has become an indispensable technology tool in the creation of new business models, based on the exchange relations between customers/suppliers/distributors/partners, with a significant increase in online purchasing transactions. This virtual environment has provided the development of e-commerce and efficiency gains and influences changes in consumer habits, thus changing consumer behavior. The online purchase presents an important change in consumer behavior; thus, the understanding of online consumer behavior is essential to understand the impact of this behavior on business. This chapter follows a systematic analysis of the literature with a qualitative approach to online consumer behavior in the last 5 years (2015-2020) in order to verify research topics and development patterns. The aim is to identify trends in online consumer behavior and recognize research gaps by providing avenues for further research into online consumer behavior.

involvED: Applying a Scientific Approach to Education Technology Innovation for Promoting Family Engagement in the Schools

Parent involvement is a reverently studied, crucial concept that impacts overall student achievement. An educational technology tool, involvED, was developed by a School Psychologist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker using principles of behavioral change research and grounded in family systems theory. Incorporating a scientific approach for targeted, meaningful intervention in regards to family involvement allows for addressment of equity gaps by educating underprivileged families on vital skills, including academic readiness, social emotional learning and trauma informed practices and responses, all while providing incentives for various levels of engagement. The researchers hypothesized that by educating families in an efficient, convenient and consistent manner, as well as providing user- selected incentives for engagement, it would not only increase parent attendance at school events, but also increase the academic, social and emotional skills of the child. Positive statistically significant effects were found amongst users of the tool on both dependent variables, event attendance and the academic, social and emotional ratings of the targeted students by the classroom teacher via the SAEBRS. By addressing potential parental skill deficits and incentivizing prosocial behaviors, student outcomes are positively affected, influencing a breadth of stakeholders.

Virtual Reality as Pedagogical Tool to Enhance Experiential Learning: A Systematic Literature Review

Since half of the century, technology has dominated the modern era. The rapid advancement of technology has reached generating artificial intelligence and artificial realities. So, virtual reality is an emerging technology and is applicable in education as well. Virtual reality is a computer-generated simulation, where people can interact within an artificial environment. Moreover, in an educational setting, such an environment provides students with a chance to get experiential learning. This paper has a systematic literature review on emerging technologies, such as virtual reality as a pedagogical tool for enhancing students’ experiential learning. This review aims to explore and understand the effect of virtual reality on students’ experiential learning by reviewing twenty-six selected articles. The selected studies have followed various methodologies and are from different contexts. This review study aims to present a systematic literature review for understanding and exploring the effect of virtual reality as a pedagogical tool for enhancing students’ experiential learning. Nine themes were identified, which are (a) virtual reality as pedagogical tool, (b) virtual reality as emerging educational technology tool, (c) virtual reality as digital transformation, (d) virtual reality as teaching-learning model, (e) virtual reality as architectural pedagogy, (f) virtual reality for communication skills, (g) virtual reality for reading and writing skills, (h) virtual reality for social learning, and (i) virtual reality for experiential learning. Thus, it is found that virtual reality is used as a pedagogical tool for various subject areas for encouraging involvement. It is helpful in medical, engineering, language, and social learning, as it provides a chance to get first-hand experience of the environment. Also, it helps learners to engage in a presented virtual environment and experience the sense of presence in it and enhances students’ experiential learning. Therefore, this review found virtual reality as an essential pedagogical tool for strengthening students’ experiential learning.

Investigating comprehension measures of Reading Adventure Time! For improving reading skills

Reading Adventure Time! was designed to support braille reading skills. The education technology tool operates on an Apple iPad using a refreshable braille display and was developed under a United States Federal grant, the Stepping Up Technology program (H327S120007). Forty-nine student/teacher pairs used the app. Students read passages on their braille displays and responded to comprehension questions. Data included reading comprehension scores, accuracy, and reading miscues for each passage read using the app. Students read orally and silently, and passages consisted of both literary and expository literature. Results indicated that comprehension of literary and expository texts was highly positively correlated r(48) = .79, p < .000. Student-participants in the apprentice category answered more questions correctly when reading silently. For students who used rereading as a comprehension strategy, a positive correlation was found between the number of rereads and comprehension. Variables impacting reading comprehension included the level of vision, socioeconomic status, and a preference for print as a reading medium. Overall results indicated that, in general, students’ reading comprehension was a strength. Students’ comprehension at lower grade levels was slightly higher than that in upper grade levels, and comprehension scores were similar for both literary and expository passages at all ages. Students’ comprehension was slightly better when reading orally versus silently. Students used rereading as a strategy to assist with comprehension, although not extensively. The study provides evidence supporting Reading Adventure Time! as a high-tech digital tool supporting literacy skills development in conjunction with literacy instruction.

The Use of Videoconferencing in Higher Education

This chapter will explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the higher education industry. Specifically, there will be a discussion of the exponential growth of videoconferencing tools for higher education purposes. The effects of the communication technology tool on the college classroom will be explored, including how faculty and students experience the synchronous, virtual classroom. Parts of the communication process and how they differ in face-to-face and videoconference class will be outlined. The concept of Zoom fatigue will be defined and examined, in relation to the communication process. Recommendations for effective use of videoconferencing in the college classroom will be provided.

The Role of Renzulli Learning Strategy on Developing EFL Preparatory Students’ Performance

The current study explores the role of using the Renzulli learning strategy on the development of four skills for fourth year Iraqi EFL preparatory students. The population of the present study includes EFL Iraqi preparatory students of the fourth year in Ibn AlHaitham Secondary Private School for Girls, Tikrit City in Salah Alden governorate. The sample of this study consists of (75) students who have been chosen from fourth grade at Ibn Al-Haitham Secondary private school for girls, Tikrit City. (30) Students have been chosen to be the experimental group, and (30) students have been chosen to be the control group. Section (A) has been chosen to be the experimental group. Section (B) has been chosen to be the control group. In addition, there were 15 participants chosen for the pilot study. The findings of the study revealed that the students of the experimental group who have been exposed to the Renzulli learning strategy get better scores than the control group who have been taught according to the traditional strategy in their achievement. The variety of the instructional material which is prepared by using technology tool is based on exchanging and sharing ideas not only in the classroom but in real life situation. Further studies may be conducted on other levels of school or other countries and school systems

The application of computer-aided teaching in art teaching

With the rapid development of information technology, information technology has become the main technology tool in education and teaching. Modern education and teaching must combine with information technology and give full play to the role of information technology in education and teaching. Art education is different from other subjects. Art education has its own characteristics. It is a comprehensive education and teaching system centered on aesthetics. It is one of the important measures to improve students’ comprehensive quality in modern teaching and is an important link of the development of quality education. Based on the background of informatization, this article uses VR technology to apply real experience and interactive “immersive teaching” to art teaching, and at the same time establishes an art teaching system, which realizes online learning, communication, counseling and other functions, reducing students’ knowledge threshold. It further explains the advantages and prominent role of computer-aided teaching in art teaching, and shows that computer-aided teaching should complement traditional teaching in art teaching and give full play to its active role.