Latest Educational Technologies Research Articles

Paradigm shift in teaching IT-based courses in a teaching university

Due to resource constraints, today teaching of IT-based courses and software applications is posing greater challenges than before. Also the student body, being widely diverged and exposed to many electronic gadgets and technologies, requires a different teaching style. Indeed, there is a need for paradigm shift in teaching and assessment of learning. This paper addresses various issues in teaching introductory level business software in a teaching university. The students in the course come with different levels of ability, perception, learning habits, technical skills, and exposure to different types of technology. The course adopts the latest educational technologies MyITLab and Blackboard in delivering the course materials in face-to-face as well as purely online classes. The effectiveness of the course delivery, limitations and opportunities are studied through a well-designed questionnaire survey. A major finding is that students preferred self-directed study over rigid, teacher-directed class room-based delivery.

Good pharmacy practice: implementation of pharmaceutist/pharmacist protocols in the postgraduate education of pharmacy specialists

The article deals with the current state of implementation of the protocols of provisor/pharmacists in practical activities of of pharmacy specialists as an important component of good pharmacy practice in Ukraine. The authors summarize the experience of short cycles of thematic improvement in the form of workshops and seminars as a promising form of continuing professional education, most adapted to modern conditions of existence of the pharmaceutical sector, the health care industry. The successful combination of initiatives of governmental regulatory bodies, in particular the Ministry of Health, with the latest educational technologies, leading specialists practitioners, teachers can become real method to improving the quality of pharmaceutical care.

The School of Business English

School of Business English prepare students for translation and abstracting economic texts, business correspondence and business communication originated in the late 1950s. Department of English Language № 2 pioneered the creation of the school of business English at MGIMO and made the largest contribution to its development. Developing and using the latest educational technology, actively participating in many innovative projects, responsive to changes in the economic and socio-political sphere and carefully studying the international experience, the Department has become the undisputed leader in language teaching profession. The emphasis is on the use of the advantages of a new method of object-language integrated learning, in which the program of teaching business English are built in close coordination with training programs on special subjects, and sometimes supplement them. Business games, round tables, student conferences in English have become long-term practice of the English Language № 2. Specialty permeates all stages and aspects of learning, including the common language practice.

Factors that affect the adoption and use of electronic mail by K-12 foreign language educators

This article reports the results of workshop electronic-mail (e-mail) instruction designed to address Rogers' five characteristics that influence adoption of an innovation: relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability. K-12 foreign language teachers who received e-mail instruction during four foreign language workshops were found to use e-mail significantly more than comparable foreign language teachers who did not receive instruction. Several factors found to influence workshop participants' adoption of e-mail were: e-mail training, need to keep up with the latest educational technology trends, desire to contact teachers and students around the world, availability of a relatively easy-to-use system, hands-on e-mail experience, school support, and individual computer anxiety level.

The future of teacher education

A modified Delphi technique was used to investigate the views on the future of teacher education that were originated by the chief administrator (or designee) of English-language teacher education institutions in Canada. Very high consensus was found for these forecasts: teacher education in the universities, selection in terms of human relations and English usage, and preparation in the use of the latest educational technology.

The Future of Teacher Education

A modified Delphi technique was used to investigate the views on the future of teacher education that were originated by the chief administrator (or designee) of English-language teacher education institutions in Canada. Very high consensus was found for these forecasts: teacher education in the universities, selection in terms of human relations and English usage, and preparation in the use of the latest educational technology.