Educational Technology Course Research Articles

Strengthening Digital Citizenship through Citizenship Education Based on Science, Technology and Society in Era 4.0

The purpose of this study was to determine the strengthening of digital citizenship through science, technology and society-based Citizenship Education courses in the 4.0 era. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative, collecting data through interviews, documentation and observation. The results of the study show that 1) strengthening digital citizenship through Civics Education courses based on science, technology and society in the 4.0 era is forming civic competence, 2) Strengthening digital citizenship through Citizenship Education courses requires digital habituation in students' daily lives. 3) Approach to Science, Technology and Society (STM) to answer the problems that exist in the community so that learning becomes more meaningful. Strengthening digital citizenship through science, technology and community-based civics learning in the 4.0 era in the end is towards smart and good citizens.

An exploratory study of pre-service teachers’ computational thinking and programming skills

This qualitative case study was designed to explore pre-service teachers’ computational thinking and programming skills in an educational technology course in which block-based programming was introduced in a teacher education program. 12 teacher candidates from different subject areas participated in the study. The findings show that participants’ views about computational thinking along with their programming skills evolved over the semester. They were mainly involved pattern recognition, debugging and trial-and-error to program coding tasks. They also used simple codes within a context and implemented remixing to solve complex problems. It can be concluded that well-designed educational technology courses for programming might be effective even for pre-service teachers who are novice coders. Further research and implications for teacher education curricula are also discussed in the paper.

Using an Implementation Trial of an ePortfolio System to Promote Student Learning through Self-Reflection: Leveraging the Success

This paper reports on a pilot study that was conducted during a technical trial of a new ePortfolio system at a large Australian university. Students from a large (n = 325) first-year educational technology course were given the opportunity to use the new ePortfolio system weekly as part of their reflective practice at the end of the hands-on tutorial classes and also through a blogging assignment that required six posts throughout the semester. Although the students reflecting on their work and ePortfolios themselves are not new concepts, this paper reports how assessment practices can be improved using ePortfolios and how students can improve their reflective practice through simple and regular use throughout the 12-week semester that the study was conducted. From the class, 208 students responded to the survey with the results being positive. The students were able to use the system easily and did not report many problems with crashing or freezing. The lessons learnt form an important part of this study for future iterations with these reported in the paper.

Self-Learning Activity Package in Occupation Skills Development for Primary Education Students (Grade 6) Wat Samuha Rat Bamrung School

The purposes of this study were to: (1) find efficacy of self-learning activity package in occupation skills development for primary education students, (2) understand effectiveness of students’ learning skills before and after learning, and (3) know students’ satisfaction self-learning activity package in occupation skills development for primary education students towards self-learning activity package in professional skills development. The study tested 30 sixth-grade students in Career and technology education course during the first semester of 2020 at Wat Samuha Rat Bamrung School, Thailand. Research instruments comprised self-learning activity package in occupation skills development, completed with pre-test, post-test, and satisfaction survey. The findings indicated that self-directed learning activity package in professional skills development met the standard for effectiveness at 81.25/80.56. Students’ learning skills were significantly improved after training as evidenced by the mean and the standard deviation scores. Additionally, the result of the t-test analysis between pre-course and post-course was 4.80 with the statistically significant difference of 0.05 level. The level of students’ satisfaction on self-learning activity package in occupation skills development for primary education students appeared at the highest with the mean score of 4.90.

Do teamwork experience and self-regulated learning determine the performance of students in an online educational technology course?

This study uses the quantitative research approach to examine the connection between students’ teamwork experience, self-regulated learning, technology self-efficacy, and performance in an online educational technology course. Sixty-three (63) students participated in this study. The study data were collected through an online questionnaire that included background information, course satisfaction, motivation strategies for learning, and online technology self-efficacy, to study the variables’ interactions using quantitative research. To realize this study’s aims, multivariate regression and correlation approaches were employed to analyze the online students’ data. The multivariate regression analysis results show a relationship between self-regulated learning, the online course level, and the number of online courses that the students have completed. Right self-regulated learning strategies in online courses motivate students to strive for a good teamwork experience, leading to increased interest in online learning. In addition, the results also show that there is a relationship between satisfaction and the level of the online course. Achieving good grades makes the student more satisfied and improves the level of technology use. Finally, this study established a relationship between the students’ motivation and the online course level. Therefore, teachers and course designers should implement learning objects that promote students’ engagement and motivation in online learning environments.

Exploring preservice teacher self-reported and enacted TPACK after participating in a learning activity types short course

Preparing preservice teachers to teach effectively with digital technologies and media (DTM) is at the heart of initial teacher preparation as digital access continues to increase throughout society. The development of preservice teacher technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) is important in order to create DTM-rich instruction. This study investigated preservice teacher self-reported and enacted TPACK after participating in learning activity types short courses, and the relationship between preservice teacher perceptions and observed practice. Data collection occurred using a pre-post self-report survey and preservice teacher lesson plans collected before and after short course implementation in two educational technology courses. Results from structural equation modeling and confirmatory factor analysis indicated no significant differences in preservice teacher self-reported technological content knowledge (TCK), technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK), and TPACK, significant differences in preservice teacher enacted TCK, TPK, and TPACK, and no significant relationship between preservice teacher self-reported and enacted TPACK.

You Want Me to Teach Engineering? Impacts of Recurring Experiences on K-12 Teachers’ Engineering Design Self-Efficacy, Familiarity with Engineering, and Confidence to Teach with Design-Based Learning Pedagogy

This paper reports on findings from a group of ten teachers who were enrolled in a semester-long, graduate-level educational technology course that used design-based learning to explore the integration of making and the engineering design process into a variety of K-12 educational contexts. Using convergent mixed methods, this study examines how the course impacted teachers’ familiarity and confidence in teaching the engineering design process, as viewed through their pre- and post-semester engineering design self-efficacy scores and their weekly reflective journal entries. These measures are important factors for developing teacher experience and confidence in integrating engineering and design-based learning strategies within K-12 educational contexts. Statistically significant results include increased confidence in design and decreased anxiety toward design. Findings illustrate how participants acknowledged increased familiarity and confidence in teaching the engineering design process, including their increased ability to make connections to the engineering design process, maker tools, and techniques. Implications for teacher education programs are discussed.

Application of Intelligent Information Technology in the Reform of Hybrid Teaching Courses in Colleges and Universities

With the rapid development of information technology and the deepening of teaching information reform, hybrid teaching is becoming the focus and development direction of current higher vocational education reform. By integrating network information technology into traditional classroom teaching, hybrid teaching overcomes the shortcomings of traditional classroom teaching, gives full play to the advantages of information technology, and improves the quality of teaching. According to the characteristics of Modern educational Information and Technology course in higher vocational colleges, this paper studies the teaching reform of online and offline Modern educational Information and Technology. 50 questionnaires were sent out and the results were analyzed.

The Differentiate Effect of Self-Efficacy, Motivation, and Satisfaction on Pre-Service Teacher Students’ Learning Achievement in a Flipped Classroom: A Case of a Modern Educational Technology Course

To analyze how variability changes over time can enhance the understanding of how learners’ self-efficacy, motivation, and satisfaction is controlled and why differences might exist among groups of individuals. Therefore, this study compared the effect of variability on pre-service teacher students in the flipped classroom approach with a course named modern educational technology (MET). In total, 77 students in two groups participated in this study. Learners in the experimental group received the flipped classroom treatment. Learners in the control group received the traditional lecture-centered instructional approach. The learning outcomes were evaluated by practice assignment, transfer assignment, and student perception survey. The survey includes the evaluation of learning satisfaction, self-efficacy, and learning motivation. Pre-test and post-test were conducted by the two groups. The data analysis results applied analysis of variance (ANOVA) or analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and revealed that the experimental group displayed a better learning achievement than the control group. The experimental group participants’ perception also showed variability (i.e., learning satisfaction, self-efficacy, and learning motivation) was better than the control group. Considering the overall study results, the flipped classroom model can be applied in the pre-service teacher students’ modern educational technology course.

The effects of instructional design based web course on pre-service teachers’ competencies

<span>Web Pedagogical Content Knowledge (WPACK) is an important competence for pre-service teachers in the educational technology course. However, novice pre-service teachers require the preparation stage to integrate the Web into instruction. The purpose of the study was to develop and to investigate the new instructional model for pre-service teachers in integrating the Web. The Preparation, Isolation, Transformation, Action, Reflection, and Revision (PINTARR) and two other models were implemented in three physics education technology groups with seventy-four participants. The instrument test was constructed to assess the pre-service teachers’ competencies, namely Student analysis, Curriculum organization, Instructional strategy selection, Evaluation, Technological knowledge, and Physics knowledge. The result of MANOVA showed pre-service teachers in PINTARR group outperformed overall the pre-service teachers’ competencies rather than the Multimedia and Web Design Learning group. The results indicated that the Preparation and the Isolation stage were the most important for novice pre-service teachers in improving the competencies.</span>

Education Between GovTech and Civic Tech

In the recent movement towards smart societies, smart governments supported by GovTech and smart cities developed through Civic Tech have become known as dominant structures enabled by information and communications technology. Since GovTech and Civic Tech share the goal of giving citizens better and safer lives through their engagement with government and technology, the development of online public services is characterized by the use of collaborative production methods involving various stakeholders and players. Open data, collaboration, and systematic teamwork are key to understanding this production of heterarchical structures. This study reviews previous cases of collaboration between GovTech and Civic Tech, identifies the dominant mechanisms of the smart society, and summarizes existing pedagogical and industrial theoretical systems, mindsets, and skillsets with the aim of developing content for a university course. Double loop learning, design thinking, the Agile methodology, and the lean principle are identified as theoretical systems. Our findings are arranged so that they can be applied in the content of a university-level educational technology course, which we designed to develop students’ transformative competencies to enable them to become active citizens. In addition, we compared the processes involved in observed theoretical systems and conventional pedagogical theories to clarify the differences in their mechanisms. We conclude with a discussion of the need to recognize frameworks of different paradigms to prepare students for transformative social activities.

Prospective Science Teachers’ Level of Self-efficacy for Teaching Science Online and its Relationship to Their Perceptions of Education Technology Courses ... A Study at Beni-Suef University

The Faculties of Education in Egypt seek to develop student teachers' skills for using technology in teaching their subjects through studying education technology courses. Since the arrival of Covid-19, the ability to teach online has become a necessity. The current study aimed to reveal prospective science teachers' level of self-efficacy for teaching science online. The study sample consisted of (253) prospective science teachers who graduated in 2020 from the Primary and General Education Divisions at the Faculty of Education, Beni-Suef University. A five-point Likert-scale was created for this study. The scale included (44) phrases belonging to four dimensions of skills: using online technology, using online pedagogy, managing online behaviour, and identifying online science content. The study results showed that the prospective science teachers in the two divisions had a very low level of self-efficacy for teaching science online. The results also showed that there was no correlation between the prospective science teachers' level of self-efficacy for teaching science online, and their perceptions of the education technology courses they studied during their preparation programme. Based on the findings, the researchers recommend the necessity of practically training student teachers on teaching science online through education technology and science teaching methods courses.

Hybrid Element Heuristic Algorithm Optimizing Neural Network‐Based Educational Courses

The rapid development of computer networks has enabled information technology to penetrate many fields, providing unprecedented opportunities for all aspects of our lives. In order to allow students to acquire necessary knowledge and skills through efficient learning, this article studies the design and development of educational technology courses based on hybrid metaheuristic algorithms to optimize neural networks. This paper proposes a metaheuristic algorithm and explains the simulated annealing algorithm and microregular annealing algorithm in detail. Using these algorithms, a mathematical model of the normal scheduling problem was also constructed, and the mathematical model was applied to the design and development of educational technology courses. In addition, the neuron model in the neural network and the activation function of the neural network are discussed from various aspects. In the experiment, according to the needs of students, a learning platform for educational technology courses was designed and developed. The experimental results of this article show that there are significant differences in the starting point of the ability level of learners for different majors. Education majors have a higher level of understanding of educational technology courses; 38.20% of students know well, while art majors have a low level of understanding of education technology courses, with 36.05% of students majoring in art.

Notifications on the Go: The Impact of Using the Blackboard

The focus of this study was to evaluate the use of the Blackboard™ App by students in traditional and online learning environments. The participants in this study were students in a first-year college orientation course, and undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in educational technology (EDT) courses, all at a 4-year public university in the Midwest. The orientation course is a traditional seated class with the Blackboard Learn™ learning management system supplementing the face-to-face instruction; the graduate and undergraduate EDT courses are all fully online, taught through Blackboard Learn. The study compared whether students prefer the Blackboard App over the use of email for communicating with their instructors. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the survey response data. Students’ positive responses concerning the Blackboard app and their preference for email were summarized and discussed.

Practice path of integration of information technology and physical education curriculum based on BYOD+APP model

The research starts with the information technology resources that teachers and students can easily obtain in their daily lives, and tries to build a BYOD+APP-based integration model of information technology and physical education courses. First introduced the new model of mobile learning, and focused on the analysis of the advantages of BYOD, which laid the technical foundation for the construction of the new curriculum model. Then, it analyzes the integration path of information technology and physical education curriculum based on the BYOD+APP model, and summarizes the basic strategy for the integration of information technology and physical education curriculum.

Cursos Superiores de Tecnologia: análise a partir dos dados do Censo da Educação Superior

An attempt by education agents to form professionals from higher education, to solve the demands of society, is the offer of Higher Education Technology Courses. Among their characteristics, these courses must be offered in specific social contexts (local demands and needs) associated with short time academic training (from 2 to 3 years). Although these courses have been in existence since the 1970s, they had a greater emphasis since the 2000s, when the Brazilian legislation was updated and for the government incentives. From descriptive exploratory study, conducted a comparative analysis of the courses offered by public and private institutions. Specifically, analysis about the quantification of courses offered, the study vacancies offered, the graduating students and the relationships between courses, institutions, vacancies and graduating students were conducted. The analysis were performed from the microdata of the Higher Education Census, provided by the Ministry of Education, including data of Census from 2008 to 2017. Among the results obtained, we can highlight the practically linear growth of the offer of these courses, the contrasts between the courses offered by private and public institutions, and the low values for the graduating indicator, which resumes the high dropout rates.

Hybrid environments for training engineering students the basics of working with geodetic equipment

Problem and goal. The article describes an approach to solving the actual problem of identifying effective and approved by students blended learning tools in the initial stages of working with equipment for engineering education courses. The goal of the research was to study the applicability of hybrid environments of simplified configuration for learning work with geodetic equipment based on interactive virtual educational tools and students' mobile devices in the Novosibirsk State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (Sibstrin). Methodology. A variant of hybrid laboratories with a virtual component and a variable (on-site or mobile) physical component is quite new for pedagogical research. The physical component is important when learning geodetic equipment since stationary devices are studied at university laboratories when portable analogs are used in real geodetic practice. The virtual component of a hybrid environment during initial work with engineering equipment can be represented by a set of multimedia educational tools that simulate the operation of engineering instruments and devices with a high degree of interactivity which available on one online platform for a specific engineering course. Results. The study found that the presented configuration of the hybrid environment is effectively applicable for initial work with geodetic equipment and is approved by students both during laboratory work in an on-site stationary laboratory, as well when using portable equipment and mobile devices in geodetic practice. Conclusion. For the initial stages of training students for working with geodetic equipment, a hybrid learning environment configuration is proposed based on interactive virtual educational tools and mobile devices which is an affordable and functional solution for engineering universities. Virtual e-learning tools can be accumulated on the site with online support for a separate engineering course and supplemented by means of distance interaction and cooperation of the lecturer and students. The hybrid environment can be used for initial training when working in a stationary laboratory or for conducting a professional business game or individual practical tasks on the ground with portable geodetic equipment.

Pre-service teachers’ perception of technology competencies based on the new ISTE technology standards

With a plethora of technology available to support teaching and learning, preservice teachers are expected to become well-versed in technology literacy and competencies through their teacher education programs. This study examined preservice teachers’ perceptions of technology competencies, based on newly issued International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards for Educators. A mixed-methods design was used to collect data at one of the national universities of education in South Korea. The preservice teachers viewed their current technology education courses as deficient: neither tailored to their technology competency levels, nor strategically aligned with each other. This study suggested that teacher education curricula should be redesigned to offer more and better opportunities for teachers to improve teaching technology skills that can be readily applied to classrooms.

Pre-service teachers’ peer mentoring experience and its influence on technology proficiency

ABSTRACT This mixed methods study investigated the influence of peer mentoring on pre-service teachers’ proficiency with technology use after completion of an educational technology course. To measure proficiency with technology, a convenience sample of 83 pre-service teachers completed the self reported Technology Proficiency Self-Assessment for 21st Century Learning Instrument. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 of the participants to gain perceptions of the peer mentoring experience and its influence on technology proficiency. Results indicated a statistically significant mean difference in pre-service teachers’ proficiency with technology use prior to and following a peer mentoring experience. Additionally, support, motivation, and pairing were major categories that emerged from responses concerning the peer mentoring experience.

Effectiveness of digital games in producing environmentally friendly attitudes and behaviors: A mixed methods study

Awareness of environmental sustainability issues alone is not enough. Environmental Sustainability Education (ESE) should produce changes in attitude and encourage lifelong behaviors. However, behavioral changes are curtailed by constraints and negative perceptions, necessitating the use of persuasive pedagogical tools in ESE. Digital game-based learning (DGBL) environments can provide cognitive knowledge, besides emotionally engaging learners by letting them test new behaviors and seeing the consequences instantly. This study examined the effectiveness of DGBL in producing attitudinal and behavioral changes regarding environmental sustainability and about learning experiences from a game, through a mixed methods study. One group of undergraduate students in an educational technology course played EnerCities, an ESE game. Another group played a Science game that was not connected to ESE. The Attitudinal Learning Instrument was administered to collect quantitative data pertaining to attitudinal and behavioral learning after one week and after five weeks of game play. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to develop a model to measure learning. PLS-SEM helps analyze relationships simultaneously in complex models. Quantitative data analysis using PLS-SEM showed that EnerCities was effective in producing attitudinal and behavioral changes that were retained until one week of game play. Thematic analysis of qualitative data, collected through interviews after five weeks of game play, helped interpret why and how attitudinal changes were produced by the game. This provided insights into what game features facilitated cognitive, affective, behavioral and social learning and learning retention, that could be used in future game design. Future research could apply the measurement model to measure long-term retention of attitudinal and behavioral learning using games and other interventions on socio-scientific topics.