New Technologies, New Horizons

The purpose of this chapter is to present graduate students’ views of their Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) development. These graduate students are also teachers. Data was collected using a mixed method approach founded on the TPACK Framework and social network analysis. Koehler and Mishra (2006) claim that effective teaching with technology requires TPACK, or an ability to integrate content, pedagogy and technology flexibly during the act of teaching. As part of a graduate course on new literacies and media, participants were required to design and implement lessons that incorporated a range of technologies, produce written reflections about their experiences, and engage in online interactions with participants in the class. Qualitative results from participants’ written reflections revealed four themes relative to TPACK. Additionally, a social network analysis demonstrated a positive relationship between participants’ views on their TPACK development and their interaction patterns within the online learning environment. This study shows that the TPACK framework can be a useful tool, giving educators a productive way to think about technology integration as they navigate the rapid changes prompted by emerging technologies.

The Transfer Value of Successful Learning Practices Using Web 2.0

Listening to students’ voices might result in the design of more effective learning practices, assuming that learning and teaching can be attuned more adequately in those practices. Therefore, research was carried out to investigate the characteristics of successful innovative learning practices using Web 2.0 technologies to establish to what extent they might serve as a model for learning practices in more or less similar contexts. Five learning practices were investigated through a range of processes including document analysis and by interviewing students. Additionally, a cross case analysis was carried out to track down success factors of teaching and learning with Web 2.0 technologies, and to find out to what extent these practices are contextual. The analysis showed the importance of co-production and co-creation in learning practices supported by the use of Web 2.0 technologies, and the crucial role of students’ motivation and teacher’s willingness to experiment with new learning practices.

Learning with Technologies

This study explores the perceptions of undergraduate students and their teachers towards the current and future role of learning with technologies in university education in China. Data from a survey completed by 1,740 undergraduate students from 12 universities and colleges throughout a rural province in north-eastern China was supplemented by an analysis of student response to learning with technology in Chinese classroom contexts using visual ethnography. The analysis of the data indicated that the use of technologies in the undergraduate classrooms in this study has had little effect on the way the university lecturers teach, but that their undergraduate students made extensive use of mobile technologies for interpersonal communication and learning outside the classroom, albeit not necessarily in relation to their formal education. These changes raise questions about the key role of socio-cultural expectations regarding effective education in determining the uptake of learning with technologies.

"A Community of Opinion and Debate"

Discussion-based learning is a crucial element in postgraduate professional development, particularly important in facilitating peer learning through the sharing of professional experiences. In courses with distance or blended delivery, educational technologies provide opportunities to encourage such peer learning. But do postgraduate students value asynchronous online discussions in the same way as they value the equivalent face-to-face experiences? Do educational technologies have a role to play in facilitating discussions even when students are meeting face to face? Is it helpful to make an online discussion compulsory? This chapter reports design-based research on student reactions to compulsory assessment tasks that involved a variety of asynchronous online discussion structures—from individual reflective journals to large group forums—in 14 Masters courses in development studies and museum studies at an Australian university. Using the students’ own reflections on their learning experiences, this chapter considers the extent to which the use of technologies can enhance or impede the reflective and peer-responsive learning sought by the inclusion of discussions in the postgraduate education of professionals.

Learning in a Virtual World

During the past four years over 500 university students have explored the educational potential and value of learning in the virtual world of Second Life™. This research examined from the perspectives of on and off-campus students, their experiences of learning in this virtual world, through activities underpinned by adult learning theories. A compilation of student reactions to their learning in Second Life™ was collected through three pilot studies, and this chapter examines in particular, the students’ perceptions of engagement, immersion, communication, interaction, collaboration and distractions, of learning virtually. The positives and negatives of learning in Second Life™ from the points of view of the students, are discussed. Students who participated in this study were drawn from a variety of groups who were studying different subjects: on-campus students were required to participate in the virtual world educational activities; and the off-campus students, took part voluntarily. This research demonstrates that the students were highly engaged in their virtual learning, as voiced through their perceptions and reactions.

Social Learning Sites?

Social networking sites are extremely popular nowadays – especially amongst students – and are increasingly the subjects of educational research. But there is a sparse research base on students’ willingness to adopt social networking sites in their education. In this chapter we investigate to what extent Facebook is used as an educational tool. By means of semi-structured interviews, we asked students why they use Facebook and whether they allow faculty members into their personal sites, or not. During the period of one academic year 2009-2010, 15 students of different bachelor programs in a Flemish University were interviewed several times. The results demonstrate that students draw a sharp distinction between the ways they use Facebook, and why they do so. Furthermore, they barely use the social networking site for educational purposes. Consequently, students are not inclined to allow faculty members presence (as ‘friends’ on Facebook). These results are interpreted in terms of privacy concerns, and we conclude this chapter with some critical reflections concerning the current research about the effectiveness and the educational possibilities of social networking sites.

Study and Non-Study Related Technologies use of Flemish students in Higher Education

“Living technologies”, such as social networking sites and mobile phones are, nowadays, the subject of educational research. In this chapter we attempt to shed light on the relationship between the reasons for the use of living technologies and learning technologies from students’ perspectives. In this exploratory research project, 15 students were interviewed several times throughout the academic year and 143 students, from various bachelor programs at a Flemish university (Flanders/Belgium) completed an online survey. Results demonstrate that these students make a clear distinction with regard to the frequency and reasons for use of living technologies and learning technologies, with these students rarely use living technologies (for instance, Facebook or mobile phones) for educational purposes. Results are explained in terms of privacy and the reluctance to use particular applications for several non-educational reasons. We end with some possible suggestions for follow-up research.

Perceptions of Marginalized Youth on Learning through Technologies

This chapter examines students’ views of learning with technologies through four related case studies that utilized online learning with marginalized young people. The studies were carried out in the UK, Austria, Ireland, Sweden and the USA with young people aged 14-21 who had dropped out of formal education. Ethnographic research was used but quantitative data was also gathered to contextualize the qualitative approach. The views and opinions of these young people were used to aid the development of online learning platforms and their content for use both with static computers and mobile devices. The results suggested that the young people embrace new technologies in such a way that they evidence deep thinking and deep learning. However, use of technologies in this way is not possible on a large scale within the existing school system. Further research should examine how the school system can better embrace the way that young people use Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) tools into their learning.

Students’ Views about Learning with Technologies

There is a paucity of recent, formal education research that listens directly to students’ views of learning with technologies. Much of the research that has been conducted has tended to focus on evaluating students’ current experiences within a specific course, or concerned with tangible issues such as frequency of computer use, access to computers and the Internet, and evaluations of technical skill levels. Available research has tended to use quantitative or mixed method approaches, with data collected through surveys using convenience samples, Likert scales and free response questions. These methods are sometimes supplemented with interviews and observations. To establish an understanding of existing research, and to provide a foundation for the chapters that follow, this chapter reviews a selection of studies published since 2005 that collected data directly from students. It is apparent from this chapter that there is room for more formal research that listens to students’ views of learning with technologies.

Students’ Views of E-Learning

Students are the end users of the Information Systems that educators use to enhance students’ learning experiences. The use of technologies in education has altered the ways in which lecturers and students can interact and has expanded the volume of information that students can access. This study was undertaken to obtain students perspectives on the uses of technologies in higher education to assist educators in improving the pedagogical design of e-learning platforms, known as learning management systems. This chapter provides students’ perspectives on the academic use of technologies in two higher education institutions in Ireland. Analysis of the responses received from three hundred and twenty students indicates that students are of the opinion that the use of technologies in higher education can beneficially transform learning; however, technologies will never replace lecturers.