Digital Learning Tools Research Articles

Islamic Pedagogy and Digital Learning Tools: a Comparative Analysis of Traditional and Online Learning Environments

This article discusses the comparison between Islamic pedagogy in traditional and online learning environments, as well as the impact of digital learning tools on the teaching and learning process. By reviewing existing literature and conducting a comparative analysis, the study identifies the strengths and weaknesses of each method. Findings indicate that while online learning offers greater flexibility and accessibility, challenges such as social interaction and depth of learning remain concerns. The article concludes that the integration of Islamic pedagogy with digital learning tools can enrich the learning experience if applied wisely, emphasizing Islamic values in the digital context.

Streaming Media for English Language Learners’ Vocabulary Development: A Systematic Review of Features and Challenges

Focusing on the educational potential of streaming media in English language learners' (ELLs) vocabulary development, this systematic review bridges a notable gap in understanding the nuances of digital learning tools. Utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) framework, this review meticulously sifted through academic databases, selecting 22 peer-reviewed journal articles that met stringent eligibility criteria. Keywords that were used to identify the studies were “Streaming Media/Utilization/Implementation/Adoption” or “Vocabulary Learning/Development/Acquisition/Enhancement” and “English Language Learning” or “ESL/EFL Contexts/Environments/Settings.” It yielded six key themes contributing to vocabulary enhancement in ELLs: Authentic Learning Content, Adaptability, Engaging Material, Consolidation, Subtitle, and Multimodality. Concurrently, it revealed five prominent challenges: Limited Content, Access Issues, Passive Learning Risks, Reduced Focus, and Inadequate Pedagogical Support. Employing thematic analysis, the review offers a structured synthesis of these findings. This comprehensive approach not only highlights the beneficial aspects of streaming media in language education but also underscores the critical challenges that educators, educational technologists, and curriculum designers must navigate. The insights gained are poised to guide effective incorporation of streaming media in ELL vocabulary instruction, signifying a step forward in harnessing digital platforms for educational enhancement.

Enhancing Tajwid Skills through Harakah-Based Learning Media: An Evaluation of MPQu-Berkah among Schoolchildren

The research explores the efficacy of MPQu-Berkah, a harakah-based digital media, in enhancing tajwid skills among schoolchildren (Elementary Students), specifically focusing on Makhārijul hurūf and Ṣifātul hurūf. Utilizing a Nonequivalent Pretest-posttest Control Group Design, the study compares the tajwid proficiency of students engaging with MPQu-Berkah to those following traditional learning methods. The methodology encompasses pretests and posttests, alongside an independent t-test for statistical analysis, to evaluate the impact of the learning media on Quranic reading accuracy and fluency. Findings reveal a significant improvement in the experimental group's tajwid abilities, highlighted by an 11% average competency increase, evidencing MPQu-Berkah's effectiveness. The developed media, tailored for elementary education in the digital era, features audio-visual content designed to facilitate accessible and engaging tajwid learning. Despite the positive outcomes, the study acknowledges limitations due to its experimental setting and suggests future research to investigate the wider application and sustained impact of digital learning tools in religious education. This research underlines the potential for integrating multimedia tools in educational curricula, proposing a shift towards technology-enhanced learning environments to cater to the digital-native generation's needs. The findings advocate for a paradigm change in Quranic education, indicating that technological integration can substantially improve learning outcomes, contributing to the fields of educational technology and linguistic skill teaching.

Towards a constructivist view of instructional explanations as a core practice of science teachers

AbstractInstructional explanations are sometimes viewed as part of a nonconstructivist, solely teacher‐centered learning environment, leading to the perception that they are ineffective or inappropriate for teaching science. Consequently, teacher education programmes seldom focus on preparing teachers to explain scientific concepts effectively. Interestingly, the perception of a specific kind of instructional explanation in teaching has evolved in recent years: explanatory videos, in particular, are being viewed as promising digital tools for learning. This article asserts that instructional explanations constitute integral components within nearly all learning environments where communication about science takes place. It has two goals. Firstly, the article aims to develop a coherent, constructivist theory of explaining, including both teacher explanations and explanatory videos. This theory offers an inductive‐statistical explanation of the underlying mechanisms of communicative situations that involve experts and novices. Secondly, based on this constructivist perspective, the article distinguishes instructional explanations from scientific explanations and argumentation. It contends that (a) reducing instructional explanations solely to teacher‐centered, didactic teaching represents a misconception with potentially adverse effects and (b) it also is a misconception that instructional explanations, scientific explanations, and argumentation are (nearly) interchangeable. The paper argues that instructional explanations, including both teacher explanations and explanatory videos, are not only a potentially effective part of all kinds of science teaching but also a core practice of science teachers.

The Application of Digital Transformation in Accounting Education: A Case Study of Internet + Technology Improving Academic Performance

This study aims to evaluate the impact of the application of Internet + technology in accounting education on academic performance, with a special focus on the academic performance changes of 2022 accounting students of Ningxia Vocational and Technical College of Finance and Economics. The study adopted a quantitative analysis method to evaluate the effects of these technologies by comparing and analyzing students' scores before and after receiving Internet + technology teaching. The data was collected from the school's student status management system, covering the performance records of 124 students. SPSS software was used for data processing and analysis, and the academic performance before and after the technology application was compared through Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. The results show that the average score of students increased significantly after the application of technology, from 48.27 points to 85.40 points, indicating that Internet + technology has played a significant role in improving academic performance in accounting. This performance improvement is attributed to the flexible learning resources, enhanced interactive learning environment, and practical learning materials provided by Internet+ technology. Research also explores the potential of these technologies to improve the quality of teaching and develop students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Based on these findings, the study recommends that educators integrate Internet+ technology in accounting course design and calls for future research to expand the sample scope and use qualitative methods to gain an in-depth understanding of students' feelings and feedback on digital learning tools. Overall, this study highlights the importance of integrating digital technology into accounting education and provides empirical support and reference direction for other educational institutions to implement teaching reforms in similar fields. As technology continues to develop, the education field should continue to explore and adapt to new technologies to prepare students for the needs of the future accounting industry.

LogicHouse-v1: a digital game-based learning tool for enhanced teaching of digital electronics in higher education institutions

LogicHouse-v1: a digital game-based learning tool for enhanced teaching of digital electronics in higher education institutions

The Flipped-based WebQuest Model (FWQ): An Innovative Approach for Teaching Grammar and Alleviating Students’ Anxiety

Digital learning tools and web-based approaches have been widely used among educators to cope with learners’ needs and demands in the era of the technological revolution, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigates how using the FWQ (Flipped-based WebQuest) model and WQ (WebQuest) with EFL preparatory students could influence their grammar proficiency and reduce their anxiety in language learning. The sample comprised 106 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students in the preparatory stage. They were divided into two experimental groups (FWQ, WQ) and one control group. The first experimental group (n=35) studied through the FWQ model, the second (N=34) used WQ, and the control group (n=37) learned using traditional learning. A pre/post grammar test, a pre/post grammar anxiety scale and an FWQ questionnaire were used to assess the effect of the independent variables on EFL grammar proficiency. A paired sample T-test and ANOVA were run to calculate the improvement. The outcomes revealed that both FWQ and WQ are effective strategies, but the results are significant in the FWQ model due to the combination of Flipped and WebQuest learning.

Accessibility to Education during the “Coup-Vid”: An Overview of Online Learning in Myanmar

While the concept of online classes is not new to the rest of the world, this became a common mode of learning in Myanmar only when the COVID-19 challenges became a reality in 2020 as physical classrooms could no longer be used. When the coup d’etat was staged in 2021, education was further halted since many schools and their students did not have the resources to teach and learn online in addition to the political instability. However, online learning has been trending on social media for those who do have access to these resources. This paper will investigate the ways in which young people engage in education facing the “coup–vid” (coup + COVID-19), the motivation behind such engagement, and insights how they are benefiting from digital tools for learning.

Learning from the COVID‐19 pandemic: Improving academic continuity in workforce development programs

AbstractThe COVID‐19 pandemic caused an abrupt change in educational programs worldwide, including workforce development education in community colleges. Given the hands‐on requirements of these programs, considerations for changes included if and how instructors and students could maintain academic continuity during the pandemic. This article focuses on aviation maintenance technology schools (AMTS) as a case study to understand how programs that rely heavily on hands‐on learning responded to COVID‐19 significant disruption to education. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must approve educational training for aviation maintenance careers, and the FAA requires specific hands‐on activities in the curriculum. Of the 182 AMTS in the United States, 143 are located within community colleges. We conducted 43 interviews with AMTS students, administrators, and instructors from 18 different community colleges. Following content analysis of the interviews, the authors identified six findings related to how these programs responded to the pandemic, with special attention to maintaining academic stability. The article advocates for integrating digital learning tools (DLT) to create resilient educational programs when disruptions occur. These tools allow for students to continue to asynchronously practice the procedures and familiarize themselves with the materials needed for projects, provide students immediate feedback on their learning, and save schools money on expensive resources when students require extra practice on certain skills and processes. The application of these tools is relevant beyond the pandemic, helping students in many scenarios succeed in the face of natural disasters, family obligations, and the need for extra learning resources.

Assessing the Role of Mobile Applications in Improving Stoichiometry Understanding among Matriculation College Students: An Investigation

Mobile learning is anticipated to enrich learning experiences, enabling students to access educational content regardless of time or place. In light of the widespread use of smartphones for daily activities and ubiquitous mobile access to the internet, the mobile learning approach becomes feasible. The digital era has initiated significant transformations across various facets of contemporary life, with education being no exception. However, a persistent challenge lies in identifying suitable digital learning platforms and tools to effectively engage students in learning at their own pace, particularly in disciplines such as chemistry at Matriculation College. Chemistry, being a highly complex subject, demands abstract thinking and diverse problem-solving approaches. Computational Thinking (CT) emerges as a potential problem-solving technique in 21st-century learning that is applicable in teaching and learning chemistry. These skills are considered essential for enhancing the digital technology innovation capacity and should be nurtured among students. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess the current teaching and learning methods in chemistry and determine the necessity for a mobile learning application that introduces CT as a problem-solving technique among matriculation college students studying chemistry. Findings reveal that lecturers mainly use conventional teaching methods, incorporating blended learning through platforms such as YouTube for video lectures and the distribution of notes through messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram platforms. Notably, there is no standardized technique employed by lecturers in teaching chemistry problem-solving. However, all of them acknowledge the potential of mobile learning applications that integrate CT to effectively engage students in developing problem-solving skills, particularly in the context of solving stoichiometric problems.

5-Year-Old Children Performing Piaget’s Liquid Conservation Tasks Demonstrated in Physical and Digital Environment

This study investigates the understanding of Piaget's concept of liquid conservation in 5-year-old children, comparing physical and digital environments of executing conservation tasks. Involving 86 participants (equal gender representation), it employs an Android tablet to demonstrate the pouring of water between glasses with animated images in a digital environment condition and real glasses (one short-wide and one long-narrow) filled with water for the physical environment condition. Each child completed four distinct conservation tasks, each one 3 times, designed to parallel each other in both environments. Two of the tasks concerned the general concept of conservation, and the other two were either about identity or compensation or reversibility concepts. The study aims to determine whether digital environments can be as effective as physical ones in teaching fundamental conservation concepts, exploring the impact of emerging digital learning tools versus traditional methods. Another objective of this study is to find associations between the general concept of conservation and the three other concepts: identity, compensation, and reversibility. This research contributes to the understanding of cognitive development in children and the efficacy of digital versus physical learning aids by verifying that children perceive physical and virtual learning with the same effectiveness.

СТВОРЕННЯ АНГЛОМОВНОГО ЦИФРОВОГО ОСВІТНЬОГО СЕРЕДОВИЩА ДЛЯ ДІТЕЙ ДОШКІЛЬНОГО ВІКУ: ЛІНГВОДИДАКТИЧНИЙ АСПЕКТ

Recent changes in the Ukrainian language policy have drawn public attention to the issue of shaping an English-speaking digital learning environment for preschool children and have urged researchers to examine the matter from the standpoint of linguodidactics. The pedagogical benefits of mastering English as a second language by preschoolers alongside their mother tongue and their native culture have been studied. A thorough analysis of language acquisition theories has been made in the article. In the context of sociocultural theory, the core role of parents (caregivers) as the child’s initial teachers (pedagogues) and creators of English digital learning environment is outlined. The author has provided guidelines on learning English as a second language based on the supportive use of digital learning tools in English at an early age. The article provides a definition of the term English-speaking digital learning environment. The current research showcases the use of digital learning tools for interpersonal and intercultural communication between adults and a child. The didactic value of English vlogs and cartoons as the most interesting and engaging audiovisual support for children’s English language communicative competence formation is determined. The author provides case examples of how game techniques of miming, dressing up, dramatising, acting out and role-playing cartoons and vlogs scenarios may be employed. A number of online educational platforms and applications designed for learning English have been analysed according to target audience, objectives, content, linguistic, and didactic accuracy. The author has designed a framework of English-speaking digital learning environment formation on three levels: family, educational institutions, and state. The effectiveness of the suggested guidelines on how to create a favourable English digital learning environment for preschool children has been corroborated on the basis of questionnaires and interviews with parents in the kindergarten.

Multilingual teaching and digital tools: the intersections of new media literacies and language learning

PurposeComputer-assisted language learning (CALL) can create participatory cultures by removing barriers to access materials, encouraging student modes of expression, differentiating student interactions through digital environments and increasing learner autonomy. Participatory cultures require competencies or new media literacy (NML) skills to be successful in a digital world. However, professional development (PD) often lacks training on CALL and its implementation to develop such skills. The purpose of this study is to describe teachers use of digital tools for multilingual learners through a relevant theoretical perspective.Design/methodology/approachThis design-based research study examines 30 in-service teachers in South Carolina, a destination state for Latinx immigrants, focusing data over three semesters of PD: interviews and instructional logs. The researchers address the question: How are teachers using digital tools to advance NML for multilingual learners (MLs)?FindingsThe authors analyzed current elementary teachers’ use of digital tools for language learning and NML purposes. Three themes are discussed: NMLs and digital literacy boundaries, digital tools for MLs and literacy teaching for MLs and NML skills.Originality/valueTeacher PD often needs more specificity regarding the intersection of MLs and digital literacy. The authors contribute to the literature on needed elementary teaching practices for MLs, the integration of NML and how these practices may be addressed through PD.

Melding language and image: Kaytetye Indigemoji as a language learning project

ABSTRACT Purpose In recent years, digital projects have created tools for learning languages, such as mobile applications (apps). In contexts where the language has low prestige, innovative digital learning tools can support language revitalisation. This article takes the Australian Kaytetye Indigemoji app as a case study in community resource development. It aims to do two things: (1) show how resource development can be a vital forum for language teaching and learning; and (2) assess the affordances of digital images—fundamental to the Indigemoji app—for Indigenous language learning. Methodology Taking an ethnographic approach encompassing informal conversation and participant observation embedded in relevant literature, we analyse the community workshop where the Kaytetye Indigemoji app was developed. Findings We find that the development process can provide an essential language-learning activity. We also find that visual opportunities presented by the app harness existing multimodal practices in central Australian Indigenous communities, including symbolic art and a highly developed alternate sign language. We show that effective digital learning resources can be built through community development processes which engage with local learning methods. Value This research identifies how digital resource development can be harnessed to be maximally useful for Indigenous language learning in a small and relatively disadvantaged area in Australia.

The use of technology to preserve indigenous languages of South Africa

Indigenous languages in South Africa must be preserved to ensure that they do not lose their identity and become extinct. The four indigenous languages with the fewest speakers among South Africa’s 12 official languages are: Xitsonga, Siswati, Tshivenḓa and isiNdebele. The preservation of these languages in South Africa has been a long-standing challenge because of various social and economic factors. With the advancement of technology, opportunities have arisen to preserve and promote the use of these languages. Therefore, this study explores various technological strategies that can be used to preserve the South African indigenous languages. These languages can be preserved by making them widely accessible to users through various strategies such as localisation of daily used technology, translation through crowdsourcing, digitisation and archiving. Digital learning tools such as machine translation (MT) and creating online dictionaries can also contribute to preserving these languages. Each of these strategies offers benefits on how technology could be employed effectively and facilitate the preservation of indigenous languages. This study demonstrates the significance of technology in preserving indigenous languages and promoting their use around the world.Contribution: This study fills the practical gap in the use of technology to adequately preserve minority indigenous languages of South Africa, namely, Xitsonga, Siswati, Tshivenḓa and isiNdebele. These languages do not receive much attention in terms of preservation using technology in South Africa. Therefore, the study provides practical technological strategies that need to be implemented to preserve the indigenous minority languages. The insight of this study into the use of technology to preserve South African languages fits well within the scope of Literator, which is to publish studies in linguistics and literature with a special focus on South African languages. This publication will bring solutions to how minority languages could be preserved in the context of South Africa.

Strategic Approaches to Cybersecurity Learning: A Study of Educational Models and Outcomes

As the demand for cybersecurity experts in the industry grows, we face a widening shortage of skilled professionals. This pressing concern has spurred extensive research within academia and national bodies, who are striving to bridge this skills gap through refined educational frameworks, including the integration of innovative information applications like remote laboratories and virtual classrooms. Despite these initiatives, current higher education models for cybersecurity, while effective in some areas, fail to provide a holistic solution to the root causes of the skills gap. Our study conducts a thorough examination of established cybersecurity educational frameworks, with the goal of identifying crucial learning outcomes that can mitigate the factors contributing to this skills gap. Furthermore, by analyzing six different educational models, for each one that can uniquely leverage technology like virtual classrooms and online platforms and is suited to various learning contexts, we categorize these contexts into four distinct categories. This categorization introduces a holistic dimension of context awareness enriched by digital learning tools into the process, enhancing the alignment with desired learning outcomes, a consideration sparsely addressed in the existing literature. This thorough analysis further strengthens the framework for guiding education providers in selecting models that most effectively align with their targeted learning outcomes and implies practical uses for technologically enhanced environments. This review presents a roadmap for educators and institutions, offering insights into relevant teaching models, including the opportunities for the utilization of remote laboratories and virtual classrooms, and their contextual applications, thereby aiding curriculum designers in making strategic decisions.

EXPLORING PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS' PERSPECTIVES ON THE USE OF DIGITAL LEARNING MEDIA

This journal aims to investigate the perspectives of pre-service teachers regarding the utilization of digital learning media in contemporary educational settings. As technology continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the educational landscape, understanding the viewpoints of future educators becomes crucial. the effective integration and improvement of digital learning tools in the classroom. Through interviews and surveys, this study seeks to capture the thoughts, attitudes, and concerns of pre-service teachers toward digital learning media and its impact on their teaching practices. Low familiarity with technology use as learning media among pre-service teachers was found to be a problem.

Faculty Member’s Use of Digital Learning Tools in Teaching and The Challenges They Face

Faculty Member’s Use of Digital Learning Tools in Teaching and The Challenges They Face

Technology Enhanced English Language Learning Using Literary Texts

The paper tries to observe and emphasize the use of English literature to learn the language by using technology and digital tools. This helps in teaching as well as in learning. Students can focus on learning language skills (Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing) and areas of language and grammar. Appropriate literary texts contain language in its purest form and activities supported by technology can help students to learn the language. Digital learning and teaching are an inevitable part of education these days. Learners can get access and expertise in language through online activities prepared with the help of different texts of different genres. The paper contains possible language learning activities using literature as a base with applying various digital learning approaches and tools. It also contains issues teachers face while using technology for teaching purposes. For the class of non-native learners, using literature to teach language can be challenging for teachers, and for that appropriate texts must be chosen by teachers. This paper has taken into account the above-given challenges and arguments.

Socially Distant Social Constructivism: Transitioning Visual Arts Pedagogies Online During COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic, and the emergency pivot to online learning that this health crisis prompted, has inevitably impacted teaching and learning across all study disciplines in higher education. This article presents a case study conducted by tertiary visual arts educators who shifted their social constructivist teaching methods from the face-to-face classroom to the online setting during the first wave of the pandemic in Australia. In exploring the challenges and opportunities posed by this transition, this article outlines the affordances and limitations of the digital learning tools employed by the teaching staff within a pilot study. The success of this pilot was measured through data analytics, student surveys, and teacher observations and reflections. Based on the findings, the researchers propose several ways visual arts education can be adapted online, while still maintaining the integrity of the discipline and its concomitant pedagogies.