Computer-based Learning in Higher Education

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2019) | Viewed by 14753

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Institute of Educational Technology, The Open University, Jennie Lee Building, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK
Interests: technology enhanced learning; assessment; feedback systems

Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues,

The Higher Education arena is becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of new technologies to support student learning in a much more dynamic way, than through a more traditional static lecture based curriculum. TEL research has been concerned with the ways in which technology can transform or ‘disrupt’ traditional instruction, while for e-assessment, development has been more driven by the need to increase efficiency and manageability of traditional assessment practices. However, there has been a move in assessment towards providing automatically generated feedback that can assist learning and renewed interest in student modelling.

Another stride forward has been the use of Learning Analytics where students’ interaction with Virtual Learning Environments have been harvested and analysed in order to provide more targeted learning support. Another aspect of TEL has been the use of electronic tools to authenticate students’ online assessments, together with the commercialisation of university produced technology that can assist learning. As one would expect, any technological innovation is being adopted at different rates but the field is moving quickly and these are indeed exciting times. A new range of teaching options are therefore becoming more open together with new forms of data instantiations to assist learning in real time. These applications raise a number of questions such as:

  • What is the impact of these suites of tools?
  • What are internet based sites having on new forms of sharing and knowledge
    co-construction?
  • Where is Artificial Intelligence in Education taking us?
  • Are there ethical issues to be considered in moving forward with technology enhanced learning as, for example, in the realm of e-authentication?

This Special Issue wishes to explore these issues and dissemination of innovative research in learning with technology in Higher Education. Authors are encouraged to submit papers related, but not limited to, the following topics of interest:

  • TEL for knowledge building and sharing
  • Communication and collaboration
  • Ways in which educational technologies are mediated by the cultural context
  • Technology Enhanced Assessment
  • e-Authentication Applications
  • Social Justice in Technology Enhanced Learning
  • Adaptive Intelligent Learning Environments
  • Virtual Worlds for Learning
  • Mobile Learning
  • Computer Supported Collaborative Learning
  • Theories of Learning Technology usage
  • University technology commercialisation
  • Artificial Intelligence in Education

Prof. Denise Whitelock
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • e-Assessment
  • e-Authentication
  • Mobile Learning
  • Intelligent Learning System
  • Artificial Intelligence in Education

Published Papers (3 papers)

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19 pages, 296 KiB  
Article
A Cross-analysis of Block-based and Visual Programming Apps with Computer Science Student-Teachers
by Piedade João, Dorotea Nuno, Sampaio Ferrentini Fábio and Pedro Ana
Educ. Sci. 2019, 9(3), 181; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci9030181 - 12 Jul 2019
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 5816
Abstract
In the last few years, it has been pointed out that teaching programming is a strong strategy to develop pupils’ competences in computational thinking (CT). In the Portuguese context, the curriculum changes in 2018 made programming and CT compulsory for every pupil in [...] Read more.
In the last few years, it has been pointed out that teaching programming is a strong strategy to develop pupils’ competences in computational thinking (CT). In the Portuguese context, the curriculum changes in 2018 made programming and CT compulsory for every pupil in primary and secondary education. Nowadays, there is an information and communication technology (ICT) subject, taught by a computer science teacher in each school grade. In Portugal, to become a computer science teacher in primary and secondary education, it is compulsory to have a master’s degree in computer science education. This article reports on a pedagogical activity developed with student-teachers of a Master in Teaching Informatics at the University of Lisbon. Within the activities of the master’s program, we developed a cross-analysis of the core characteristics of 26 block-based and visual programming applications (apps) used to teach computational thinking and programming in school classes. In order to organize the analysis, a framework with several dimensions was developed and used by student-teachers to register the characteristics of each app. The product of this work is a comparative matrix mapping the core characteristics of each of the 26 apps that student-teachers used to select the most appropriate one for teaching programming and computational thinking according to each grade, age group and other characteristics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computer-based Learning in Higher Education)
22 pages, 4406 KiB  
Article
Experience in the Use of Social Software to Support Student Learning in University Courses of Science and Engineering Degrees
by Ana María Díez-Pascual, Pilar García-Díaz and Rafael Peña-Capilla
Educ. Sci. 2019, 9(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci9010005 - 28 Dec 2018
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3697
Abstract
A wiki is an easy-to-use online tool for teachers and students, as it is a collaborative website that provides the opportunity to develop and modify its content to every member in an interactive and fast way. This paper comparatively describes experiences in the [...] Read more.
A wiki is an easy-to-use online tool for teachers and students, as it is a collaborative website that provides the opportunity to develop and modify its content to every member in an interactive and fast way. This paper comparatively describes experiences in the implementation of wikis as voluntary activities in first-year courses in a degree in Chemistry and third-year courses in a degree in Telecommunication System Engineering. The main goal of using the wikis was to achieve collaboration among students to generate knowledge. The developed methodology was applied to the resolution of exercises, problems, and test questions, as well as to the elaboration of class notes and a bilingual glossary. The approach turned the students into active learners, increasing their interest in the course contents, promoting knowledge exchange among students and encouraging the self-management of their learning process. The role of the teacher was to provide feedback to the students in order to ensure the accuracy of the contents. Four different patterns were distinguished among the students according to their participation level in the wiki. The students who were most committed to the courses were also the most involved in the wikis, and the combination resulted in the students’ success. The results obtained for the degree in Chemistry were better than those of the degree in Telecommunication System Engineering, which was ascribed to the increased connection among the first-year students. The didactic strategy was very positive, although the percentage of participation in the wikis was somewhat low, in particular for the third-year students, who were more independent and self-organized. Initially, the number of wiki visits increased suddenly, and then moved to a long period of lower activity in the degree of Chemistry and lethargy in the degree of Telecommunication System Engineering. Therefore, it is desirable to introduce modifications in the approach, such as flexible and consensual planning with the students in order to ensure their full engagement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computer-based Learning in Higher Education)
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10 pages, 1798 KiB  
Case Report
Computational Programming as a Tool in the Teaching of Electromagnetism in Engineering Courses: Improving the Notion of Field
by J. Robert Nogueira, Ricardo Alves and P. Carmona Marques
Educ. Sci. 2019, 9(1), 64; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci9010064 - 21 Mar 2019
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4848
Abstract
In this study we have attempted, firstly, to describe programming protocols developed for the teaching of an Electromagnetism course in the university degrees of Electrical Engineering and Energy Engineering, and secondly, to evaluate students’ satisfaction with the simulation practices through MATLAB® programming. The [...] Read more.
In this study we have attempted, firstly, to describe programming protocols developed for the teaching of an Electromagnetism course in the university degrees of Electrical Engineering and Energy Engineering, and secondly, to evaluate students’ satisfaction with the simulation practices through MATLAB® programming. The main objective of the protocols is to allow students to model and visualize the electric field and magnetic field (both static) and understand the approximation that is made when considering certain distributions of electric charges and electric currents. To evaluate the usefulness of this computational methodology, eighteen students from the two engineering degrees answered a questionnaire with seven questions related to the Electromagnetism course and to the benefits of using computer programming. Their answers are measured by a Likert scale. From the analysis of the results, we can conclude, in a general way, that the use of this methodology has positive effects in the learning of Electromagnetism in these two degrees. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computer-based Learning in Higher Education)
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