Learning Technologies In Higher Education Research Articles

Blended learning with digital didactics in higher education

The article presents blended learning organization at the university during digital transformation of education, which poses new educational challenges. The purpose of the study is to describe implementation of blended learning «Flipped classroom» with digital didactics principles at the university. The research gives the analysis of foreign and Russian researchers on the issues of blended learning. The relevance of the research is in using of blended learning technology in higher education with digital didactics, which is due to the weak organizational and didactics support of the educational process. The article presents the author’s definition of «Blended learning» concept. The scientific novelty of the research is due to the author’s definition of «Blended learning» technology and in the implementation of blended learning into the educational process with digital didactics for a teacher and for administration of an educational organization. The principles of digital didactics are analysed from the point of view of their expediency. The choice of blended learning technology «Flipped classroom» for the educational process at the university is justified. The algorithm of integration of blended learning with digital didactics at the university for a teacher and for the university administration is described.

Innovative learning technologies in higher education

The issue of attracting innovative technologies to teaching activities has become particularly relevant over the past 2 years around the world. This concerns the spread of such an epidemiological disease as COVID-19, since it caused the transition from full-time to distance learning. Kazakhstan is no exception, therefore, the spread of such a trend is clearly manifested in it, which is why there is an active use of interactive forms of education, including a variety of innovative pedagogical technologies. The purpose of the study is to analyse the types of computer technologies used in universities of Kazakhstan, to determine their effectiveness in the conditions of distance learning, and to establish the prospects of their future use in the context of full-time education. To achieve this goal, the study uses various practical means for conducting research, in particular: functional and methodological, dialectical and methodological approaches, method of logical analysis, synthesis, comparative method, abstraction, and analysis of literature. As a result of the conducted research, the theoretical basis of the concept of innovative technologies in pedagogical activity was determined, their types and signs were formed. In addition, the methods and forms of implementation of such technologies were identified, the level of their effectiveness was determined, and methods for their improvement were proposed. Considering the areas of future study on this topic, it would be advisable to investigate ways to use artificial intelligence in distance learning. As for the practical value of the study, it is conditioned by the foundations formed in the work that can be used by both university teachers and schools to effectively organise the educational process during a pandemic.

Exploring the Effectiveness of Mobile Learning Technologies in Enhancing Student Engagement and Learning Outcomes

This study aimed to investigate the impact of mobile learning technologies on student engagement and learning outcomes in higher education. A pre-test/post-test control group design was employed to compare the engagement and learning outcomes of students who used a mobile learning platform with those who did not. The study was conducted with undergraduate students at a large public university. Results showed that the intervention group reported a more positive experience with the platform, used it more frequently, found it more useful, and were more satisfied with it than the control group. Additionally, the intervention group outperformed the control group in terms of both course grades and standardized test scores. The findings suggest that mobile learning technologies can positively impact student engagement and learning outcomes in higher education. Future research could explore ways to optimize the platform further and investigate the scalability and sustainability of implementing mobile learning technologies in higher education.

The use of augmented reality technology in the training of specialists in the operation and repair of multi-purpose armored military vehicles

One of the promising trends in modern training is the maximum immersion of students in educational material in order to ensure the immersiveness of education. To increase the efficiency of the educational process, new information technologies are being actively introduced. Such technology is augmented reality (AR). Augmented reality allows you to implement this approach using smartphones, tablets and computers. Currently, two approaches are used: marker and marker-free technology. The use of augmented reality is possible both online and offline. Materials for the implementation of this technology in the educational process are usually prepared by IT companies using languages and programming tools of their own development, which somewhat reduces the availability of technology for ordinary users (both teachers and students). The purpose of this study is to analyze the reasons that limit the spread of augmented reality technology in the educational process and to offer own solution to this issue. On the example of using the Aurasma platform, an option of introducing augmented reality technology into process of training of operators of multi-purpose armored military vehicles is proposed. The proposed option of using public software and devices for the development and application of the information system allows students to study the device, the principle of its operation, features of diagnostics and maintenance of systems, units and components of the military vehicle. The proposed technology of augmented reality allows to increase the level of remote learning of information material by 8.2%, as well as to ensure the formation of highly qualified bachelors, masters or doctors of philosophy upon implementation of remote learning technologies in higher education. With the development of information transmission technology 5G and above, the need for such information systems will grow. The decrease in the cost of smartphones, tablets and other devices, such as augmented reality glasses, will also give an additional impetus to the development of this technology.

The effectiveness of blended learning technologies in higher education: Assessment methodology

Introduction. The modern system of higher education has undergone a serious digital transformation in recent years. Electronic, blended, mobile learning is being actively introduced. However, the most significant innovative trend in modern education in recent years is blended learning, which is characterised using both traditional and digital learning technologies, which together contribute to the preservation of university traditions and the active use of modern information and communication tools in solving educational problems. The use of new models of blended learning makes higher education more accessible to all categories of not only Russian but also foreign students, stimulating their independence and increasing motivation for education based on the rich experience of their digital communication. In this regard, scientists and practitioners show increasing interest to the problem of the effective use of blended learning technologies, approaches and methods in higher education.Aim. The present research aims to theoretically substantiate the methodology for studying the blended learning technologies effectiveness, to develop and approbate appropriate methodological tools, followed by its verification for reliability and validity.Methodology and research methods. The problem research of the effectiveness of the blended learning technologies applied in higher education provides for the analysis of foreign and Russian science literature; systematisation and generalisation of the applied approaches; the use of modelling methods and mathematical statistics. The studying methodology of blended learning technologies effectiveness is represented by the integration of procedural, activity-based and environmental approaches in the selection and justification of three criteria for evaluation (effective, didactic, resource) and a system of their indicators in higher educational practice, which served as the theoretical basis of the developed methodology and selected methodological tools.Results. In the course of the research, the authors formulated conceptual foundations and developed a methodology to study the effectiveness of blended learning technologies used in modern higher education. Procedural stages were defined, and evaluation tools were described. The methodology was approbated and verified for reliability and validity.Scientific novelty. The concept and methodology of studying the blended learning technologies effectiveness is a component of quality management concept of higher education in the context of its digital transformation and its resource-didactic provision. The authors’ methodology not only reflects current trends in improving the objectivity of pedagogical assessment, but also replenishes its scientific and methodological arsenal with the addition of a multi-level system of goals, criteria and methods for determining the effectiveness of blended learning technologies in higher education.Practical significance. A new methodology to study the blended learning technologies effectiveness in the higher education system is proposed. Based on the obtained valid data and the results of the approbation, it is concluded that the authors’ methodology has functional certainty, providing controllability in the didactic and resource support for the effective use of different models of blended learning. The practical application of the methodology will contribute to improving the quality of blended learning in higher education and the involvement of the main members of higher education (teachers and students) in the process of designing and selecting traditional and digital technologies to ensure its effectiveness.

Learning technology as contested terrain: Insights from teaching academics and learning designers in Australian higher education

Learning and teaching is no longer the exclusive domain of teaching academics and is increasingly reliant on third-space professionals, in particular learning designers. The sharing of the design of the learning and teaching space is underlined by the increasing collaboration between teaching academics and learning designers. This qualitative study explores how these two key stakeholders understand learning technology, which is critical to shaping the teaching and learning process in contemporary higher education. Foucauldian discourse and power were employed as the theoretical lens to analyse semi-structured interviews with 12 teaching academics and 5 learning designers at a large Australian university. Although learning designers and teaching academics share a mutual interest in improving the learning and teaching process, the findings also revealed five discourses where practice was contested: centralisation, surveillance, institutional homogenisation, responsibility, and efficiency. This article calls for a new focus on the collaborative aspect of the learning design and teaching process that is constantly (re)negotiated between these two main stakeholders. Implications for practice or policy: Teaching academics and learning designers should develop practices that recognise the collaborative nature of learning technology in higher education. Universities should develop practices and policies that reduce tensions within the five identified discourses of learning technology to ensure a more collaborative teaching academic-learning designer relationship.

Conditions for the Effective Use and Development of Distance Learning Technologies in Higher Education and Further Education of Adults

Conditions for the Effective Use and Development of Distance Learning Technologies in Higher Education and Further Education of Adults

Interactive Student Learning Technologies in Higher Education

The essence of interactive learning, a description of the possibilities offered by interactive technologies, means of implementing interactive learning and an assessment of the difficulties of this type of tools for organizing the learning process was considered. The survey of participants’ understanding of the interactive learning components, the differences between interactive tools and other innovative tools for organizing the educational process in higher education was analyzed. Analytical and bibliographic methods were used to analyze the literature on the use of interactive technologies in higher education, followed by a questionnaire survey to explore the practical aspects of interactive technologies in higher education institutions. The directions of modern scientists' work on the use of interactive technologies in higher education were analyzed, and some issues on the effectiveness of interactive tools in teaching students were elucidated.

Do learning technologies contribute to reduce student drop- out? - A systematic review


 
 
 As technology is increasingly being used for teaching and learning in higher education, it is important to examine what tangible educational gains are being achieved. Reducing drop-out rates have been proposed as one possible beneficial effect of the use of learning technologies. It is unclear, however, whether the available evidence supports such claims. The aim of this study was to explore whether learning technologies applied in higher education contexts can contribute to reduce student drop-out rates, and under which circumstances do learning technologies influence drop-out? Method: Two independent searches were conducted in relevant databases; evaluated full-texts, quality rated the included studies, and synthesized the findings. Results: A total of 18 peer-reviewed studies were included. Based on the quality assessment, 10 studies were eligible to extended data synthesis. The assertion that learning technologies in higher education contribute to reduce student drop-out is only partly supported. Positive findings were in particular found in relation to pedagogical issues, e.g., individualized personal support. This is in line with previous research, indicating that it is not the technology itself, but how the technology is used pedagogically that matter to students.
 
 

A literature review on the use of retrospective LMS data to investigate online Teaching and Learning practices

A literature review on the use of retrospective LMS data to investigate online Teaching and Learning practices

The Digital Transformation of Higher Education Teaching: Four Pedagogical Prescriptions to Move Active Learning Pedagogy Forward

The implementation of digital learning technologies in higher education is expected to improve the quality of teaching and facilitate more personalised, flexible, and student-centred approaches. Despite these predicted educational benefits, research shows that technology is predominantly used to support traditional teaching. Due to their opportunities to combine digital technology and face-to-face learning, blended learning designs are considered important in the digital transformation of teaching in higher education. The aim of this paper is to draw on what we know from the blended learning literature and introduce the notion of active digital pedagogies (ADPs). We suggest that there are formidable barriers that prevent the implementation of ADPs in higher education and propose relevant institutional actions.

ДОСВІД ВИКОРИСТАННЯ ТЕХНОЛОГІЙ ДИСТАНЦІЙНОГО НАВЧАННЯ В ОСВІТНЬОМУ ПРОСТОРІ ЄВРОПИ ПІД ЧАС ПАНДЕМІЇ COVID-19

The paper analyzes up-to-date distance learning technologies used in European education system for ensuring overall organization of the educational process during the COVID-19 pandemic. Quarantine conditions have become a catalyst for development and practical testing of virtual learning tools and innovative pedagogical technologies, and application of the experience with them is a necessity of today and a strategy for the future. The article is focused on distance learning technologies in higher education. Institutions of England, Germany and France are chosen for the study due to their banner quality of educational service, like the University of Oxford, for example. The basis for successful conduct of all types of classes is employment of universities’ own specialized learning platforms. The learning model remains more similar to the traditional one. The main role continues to belong to communication between qualified teachers and students through various interactive web applications, while digital technologies create space for such interaction, filling it with learning materials. Students get access to all educational services using a single password to the university network. At the same time, some learning materials are available with open access, video lectures and podcasts are popular. Unlike other countries, education in Germany is governed by strict principles of information and data protection. In the contrary, in France many courses have been made available on network, and the education system has instantly adapted to work in virtual mode through the developed system of national distance learning platforms and the massive open online courses. The result of effective distance learning organization in Europe during the pandemic is that the introduction of digital technologies and transition to more flexible learning models become the education strategy at the state level, while pedagogy becomes an area of advanced development of information and communication technologies. Key words: distance education, online learning, information and communication technologies, educational platforms, quarantine, COVID-19.

Game-based learning technologies in higher education

Game-based learning technologies in higher education

Learning technologies: A medium for the transformation of medical education?

Learning technologies are ubiquitous in medical schools, implemented in anticipation of more effective, active and authentic learning and teaching. Such thinking appears to be an instance of solutionism. The evidence is that academics' adoption of learning technologies is often limited in scale and scope and frequently fails to transform their teaching practices. This paper aims to provide a contextualised analysis of considerations pertinent to the adoption of learning technologies by teaching staff. We contextualise a framework for understanding adoption of learning technologies in higher education by medical education. We identify multiple precursors that predict individual patterns of adoption, illuminating factors related to the technology, the individual staff member charged with adoption and the working environment. We offer conceptual clarity to the vexed issue of learning technology adoption and provide evidence explaining why, despite their widely promulgated potential, learning technologies do not offer an easy route to the transformation of medical education.

Communicative and Applied Technologies in the Training of a Professional Philologist

The article is devoted to the current university system of training professional philologists. The author analyzes the requirements of the Federal state educational standard of higher education in the field of philology. The communicative component is identified as the core professional competency. The leading role of communicative competency in the implementation of the basic requirements of interactive learning technologies in higher education is discussed. The requirements for the selection of disciplines in the structure of «regional university» curricula, which ensure the employability of graduates in regions, are described. In addition, the issues of testing the general (normative) literacy of a philology student, media literacy and media education of modern professional philologists, as well as their knowledge in the field of genre studies and textology are considered. The author relies on documentary sources, reviews of didactic sources and materials of students’ independent work in real and virtual environments. Various practical exercises with different text types are proposed. In describing didactic materials, their use and approaches to their analysis, the author adheres to the principles of evaluating effective methodological support that have been developed in the research laboratory and practice of university rhetoric founded by prof. T. A. Ladyzhenskaya.

INNOVATIVE TRAINING OF FUTURE TEACHERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN THE CONDITIONS OF DISTANCE LEARNING

The article analyzes important aspects of modernization and transformation of education. Distance learning is seen as an important individualized process of transfer and assimilation of knowledge and skills, which requires further justification of the basic principles of its implementation. The features of the structure of introducing pedagogical technologies of distance learning in the process of professional training of future teachers are revealed. The place and role of distance learning technologies in the system of higher education are determined. It is noted that with the development of technical capabilities of teaching methods and technology, the means of educational activities of the teacher change. It is now possible to use new organizational forms of the learning process using ICT. Today, education focuses on “free development”, high culture, creative initiative, independence, mobility of future professionals. It was found that the main purpose of the use of distance learning technologies in higher education institutions is to provide students with access to electronic educational resources through the use of modern information technology and social networks. Distance learning technologies in higher education reveal the possibilities of a positive impact on solving the main problems in the training of future professionals: improving the quality of education in higher education institutions; realization of needs of future specialists in educational services; increase of professional mobility and activity of future specialists; formation of a single educational space within higher education; individualization of education with a mass of higher education. The results of the study allow substantiating the expediency of introducing distance learning technologies in the training of future teachers. It is established that distance learning provides graduates with access to nontraditional sources of information, increases the efficiency of independent and individual work and creates completely new opportunities for creative selfexpression, development and improvement of various professional skills. And teachers, in turn, are allowed to implement completely new forms and methods of teaching with the use of information technology in the educational process.

Different Approaches to the Development of Online Learning in Higher Education

The processes of online learning implementation, including e-learning and distance learning technologies in higher education have been revealed. The experience of the development of the first online courses at M. K. Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University is described. As a part of the study, the main approaches to the development of online learning in higher education are identified. The authors of the study focus on the work of the advanced training courses for the academic staff as the opportunity for professional competencies development in the context of online education.

Rethinking Technological Learning Spaces for Effective Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Institutions: A Perspective from South Africa

The emergence of learning technology in higher education is an interesting phenomenon that continues to gain acceptance. While South Africa is regarded as one of the leading African nations with quality higher education, there is a need for her tertiary institutions to fortify their technological learning spaces to meet the needs of today’s upwardly-mobile higher education students. This study adopts a single case qualitative study design in the form of a survey to examine the state of technological learning spaces in a comprehensive university. The actual data for the study was collected from eight (8) academic staff in a rural-based university in South Africa. Data were collected through focus group interviews to allow for rich descriptions of the true state of technological space of learning in the institution. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The main variables of technological learning spaces were broken down into sub-themes to address key research issues raised in the study. The findings revealed that though technological facilities such as Wi-Fi internet services, computer laboratory, and Learning Management System (LMS) are available in the institution, some factors are constraining the staff and students from effectively utilizing of these technologies. The study recommends adequate funding/investment, as well as a partnership between the rural based institutions and the universities of technologies in South Africa, as key steps in repositioning the institution’s technological space towards teaching and learning needs of the 21st century higher education students.

Элементы мобильного обучения в высшем образовании: разработка и проведение онлайн-опросов с помощью интернет-сервиса Kahoot

The article substantiates the relevance of the use of mobile learning technologies in higher education. The essence of the concept of “mobile learning” is revealed, the advantages of using mobile learning technologies for organizing the educational process are described. The work discusses in detail the technology of mobile learning Kahoot. Kahoot is an online service for developing and conducting online surveys. It is suitable for any academic discipline and is a great substitute for buying expensive remotes for the audience feedback system.

Modern Distance Learning Technologies in Higher Education: Introduction Problems

In the system of higher education, distance learning through the e-learning courses is becoming the most relevant and widely demanded learning mode over the past decade. This article assesses the introduction of distance-learning principles into the university teaching and learning process in terms of quality. The experiment involved 1.250 students learning at the Kazan Federal University. The survey helped to identify the main barriers to the effective implementation of modern distance learning technologies in the university teaching and learning process: non-readiness of teachers and parents, the lack of necessary skills of applying the computer-based online learning systems, inability to interact with the faculty and teachers, the lack of sufficient academic advisors online. In addition, this article investigates the internal problems: limited resources, unevenly distributed marketing advantages, inappropriate administrative structure and the lack of innovative physical facilities. The paper allows sorting out the indicated problems through the stepwise introduction of a distance learning model that fits any university, regardless of its specialization.