Teaching Wireless Network Fundamentals Using Low-Cost Wi-Fi Devices

Teaching wireless networking fundamentals is often difficult because many students appear to find the subject technical, and dry when presented in traditional lecture format. To overcome this problem, we provide an opportunity for experiential learning where students can learn wireless networking fundamentals by hands-on practical activities using low-cost Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) devices such as wireless cards and access points. Students can easily set up and configure networks using wireless cards and access points more effectively. By measuring network performance such as throughput and end-to-end delays, students are able to gain a deeper understanding of wireless networking. The effectiveness of Wi-Fi-based practical activities has been evaluated by students and the teaching team. This chapter reports on the overall effectiveness of teaching and learning of wireless network using radially available low-cost Wi-Fi cards and access points.

Exploring the Role of Web-Based Learning in Global Education

This chapter aims to explore the role of web-based learning (WBL) in global education, thus describing the theoretical and practical overview of WBL, the multifaceted applications of WBL tools in educational settings, the application of web-based language learning, the application of web-based problem-solving activities, and the significance of WBL in global education. The fulfillment of WBL is vital for schools that seek to serve students and educators, improve educational performance, enhance competitiveness, and reach continuous achievement in global education. Therefore, it is necessary for schools to explore their WBL, establish a strategic plan to usually check their technological advancements, and immediately respond to the WBL needs of students and educators. The chapter argues that applying WBL in global education has the potential to increase organizational performance and reach educational goals in the digital age.

Improving the Educational Effectiveness of MOOCs by Using Web-Based Information and Communication Technology

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have proved their cost effectiveness in extending the reach of the traditional classroom education to thousands of learners across the globe. However, many questions have been raised regarding the educational effectiveness of these MOOC models. In particular, the lack of personalization, social interactions, and credibility have been cited as some of the most important factors that create uncertainties regarding the viability of the MOOC based educational models. In the last couple of decades, Web-based businesses including online retailers, electronic marketplaces and online portals have successfully integrated information and communication technology (ICT) led initiatives and evolved to become viable business models. The focus of this chapter is to analyze the challenges of the current MOOC based educational models and suggest how they can adopt ICT tools to transform into MOOC 2.0 - the next generation of MOOCs.

Web-Based Instruction Revolutionizes Environmental Systems Analysis

For university teaching in general, and specifically for the transdisciplinary curriculum of “Environmental Systems Analysis”, web-based learning procedures provide excellent opportunities for socially induced understanding and consensus building. This chapter describes how the social processes emerging in a five-level web-based negotiation game may be conceived in such a way that these form a sequence of growing and decaying intensity in various modes of social interaction. Similarly to individual learning in a classroom, a procedure could be applied to collective learning, namely to social procedures among humans who are starting to create institutional networks for combating global climate change – one of the most urgent tasks at present. A coordinate system of the four main social archetypes of action, namely “information”, “team”, “debate”, “integration” is symbolically called soprano, alto, tenor and bass; these four basic dimensions of social action tend to peak one after the other along a suitably designed gaming procedure.

Innovation in Education through Web-Based Instruction

Technology continues to revolutionize the teaching and learning landscape opening up new possibilities to use new media to digitally enhance multiple literacies. The authors argue for the reconceptualization of the instructional activity of a WebQuest as a single or multi-player high end multimodal experience with potential to stimulate student interest, motivate goal-directed learning behaviors, and positively sustain academic achievement and accomplishment. Suggestions for creating a WebQuest using emerging cross-platform methodology will be probed in order to examine their innovative potential both in teacher preparation and class instruction. Recommendations for utilizing a WebQuest to digitally enable both students and pre-service teachers are also offered.

Pentexonomy

Educational online technologies (EOTs) have revolutionised the delivery of online education, making a large contribution towards the global increase in demand for higher learning. Educationalists have striven to adapt through knowledge development and application of online tools, but making educationally sound choices about technology has proved challenging, amidst the extensive and largely unclassified range of tools. The absence of a taxonomy comprehensive enough to guide EOT choice is a concern, given the current global extent of online activity. This chapter addresses this issue by proposing a new taxonomic framework of EOTs called the Pentexonomy. Developed by augmenting five existing taxonomies, all of which include current EOT insights gathered during 2014-15 interviews with blended learning experts, the Pentexonomy synergises a range of perspectives to produce a robust, contextualised, and multi-dimensional classification which facilitates effective decision-making on EOT activity.

Use of Community of Practice Dimensions in Community-Based Teacher Professional Development

The role of communities of practice (CoPs) in teacher professional development (TPD) is increasingly recognized. CoPs help teachers in a cohort to reflect on their practices, develop new skills and find motivation through mutual collaboration. With the affordances provided by Web technologies, the potentiality of online CoPs as a means of improving (TPD) has become a reality and is gaining popularity as the flexibility provided help teachers improve their instructional practices. The Online Continuing Professional Development for Teachers (e-CPDelT) project aimed to develop three online CoPs; that is, English, Mathematics and Science communities among twenty Malaysian Smart school teachers. This paper examined the key CoP dimensions, as expounded in Wenger's (1998) framework, and investigated their use in the English cohort's TPD. The findings revealed that although key CoP dimensions were present, several factors inhibited teachers' participation in the community. It can be implied that it is crucial to consider these factors in developing online CoPs for teachers in Malaysia.

A Proposed Protocol of Multimedia Optimized Production for STEAM E-Learning

There are many nuances to utilizing multimedia successfully as a pedagogical tool. With pressure for educational institutions to adopt e-learning tools such as online animations, it is important that a protocol be made to optimize the process and ensure students walk away with important content knowledge. Effective STEAM multimedia requires attractive aesthetics to engage viewers, research-based pedagogy to effectively educate viewers, and an efficient workflow that lowers costs. Focusing on the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematic (STEAM) fields, this paper reviews literature on the effectiveness of animations for the classroom and online environments, and examines why some projects work while others do not. While addressing the problems that arise when using on-demand animation, we propose a unique protocol that practitioners and researchers can utilize in the production of their own educational animation.

Helping Faculty Overcome Cultural Barriers to Adoption and Use of Web-Based Learning Technologies

This study adopted a participatory action research (PAR) approach to identify and address some cultural factors that contribute in hindering faculty adoption and use of a Learning Management System (LMS) for Web-based learning at a university in Ghana. This followed a realization that an LMS that the university deployed for E-learning purposes, and had been available for over five years, remained largely unused by faculty members despite that they have been trained, motivated and appropriately resourced to do so. With a preliminary investigation revealing the possible role of cultural factors, this study drew on some aspects of Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory to conceptualize a research framework, and subsequently engaged 10 faculty members in a semester-long action study. Findings show that by collectively identifying the cultural underpinnings, and conscientiously working on them, faculty members can change their attitudes (as well as those of their other colleagues) significantly, and be better disposed to integrating Web technologies into their instructional activities.

The Relationship between Self-Regulated Learning and PLE Management

Is Personal Learning Environment (PLE) a new concept for effective teaching and learning? Shouldn't learning always be personalized and individualized? How may digital technology enhance PLE? Web 2.0 technology integration requires a higher level of self-regulated learning skills to create a PLE. This study examined each of the four aspects of learner self-regulation in online learning (i.e., environment structuring, goal setting, time management, & task strategies) as the predictor for level of initiative and sense of control with regard to PLE widgets management in PLE. This study has concluded that goal setting, time management, and task strategies in self-regulated learning can predict level of initiative in organizing PLE. Furthermore, goal setting and task strategies can predict sense of control in PLE management. Based on the study results, PLE Guidelines are suggested to support educators and learners to build and to manage their PLE.