Abstract
This article presents the results of a study, conducted within the scope of the EU-funded project RELOBIE: Reusable Learning Objects in Education, which investigated faculty perceptions and practices regarding the educational use of contemporary and emerging technologies. A cross-national, in-depth online survey of n = 171 faculty members in the four partner countries (Estonia, Cyprus, Norway, Portugal) took place. Seventy-six (n = 76; 44.4%) of these faculty members taught courses which were either offered at-distance (no face-to-face component), or involved a significant online component (blended courses). The study gained some useful insights into online instructors’ perceptions, motivations, and experiences regarding the instructional use of digital videos and other technologies (e.g. subject-specific software, collaboration tools, games, simulations, virtual labs). It also shed some light into both facilitating and inhibiting factors to the effective integration of learning and communication technologies into online courses’ design and delivery.
Highlights
The advent of the Internet and the rapid advances of online technologies had a huge impact on the way education is perceived and delivered, as well as on the range of learning opportunities in formal, non-formal and informal education
Online course design and learning is mainly linked to distance education, but in the last couple of decades it has been largely expanded to other forms of learning and pedagogical approaches that involve online technologies, such as blended learning, e-learning in face-to-face environments, and even online learning forced by emergency situations
Acknowledging the potential of videos and other Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to transform higher education, and the crucial role of teachers in any effort to bring about change and innovation, the EU-funded project RELOBIE aimed to improve adult and higher education through strengthening instructors’ knowledge and skills in effectively using videos and other technologies in teaching and learning
Summary
The advent of the Internet and the rapid advances of online technologies had a huge impact on the way education is perceived and delivered, as well as on the range of learning opportunities in formal, non-formal and informal education. Distance education, is a form of learning that can be traced back to late 19th century, rooting in correspondence courses. Technological advances, have largely transformed approaches and methodologies of distance education throughout the years, and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) has gained a substantial role in this process. Online course design and learning is mainly linked to distance education, but in the last couple of decades it has been largely expanded to other forms of learning and pedagogical approaches that involve online technologies, such as blended learning, e-learning in face-to-face environments, and even online learning forced by emergency situations (e.g. the COVID-19 pandemic in year 2020). Educational institutions at all levels, including leading research universities, have become increasingly involved in both distance education initiatives (Allen and Seaman, 2014), as well as other e-learning activities that involve online course and learning content
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