How is ICT making us rethink the way we assess Understanding?

Christine Redecker & Øystein Johannessen (2013) Changing Assessment — Towards a New Assessment Paradigm Using ICT, European Journal of Education, Vol. 48, No. 1, 2013

This article argues for a paradigm shift in the use and deployment of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in assessment. While there is still a need to advance in the development of emerging technological solutions to support embedded assessment, such as Learning Analytics, and integrated assessment formats, the more pressing task is to make the conceptual shift between traditional and 21st century testing and develop (e-)Assessment pedagogies, frameworks, formats and approaches that reflect the core competences needed for life in the 21st century, supported by coherent policies for embedding and implementing eAssessment in daily educational practice.

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How can Augmented Reality Support Interactive Learning in Education?

D.Abhishekh, B.Ramakantha Reddy, R.Raja Kumar, G.Rajeswarappa (2013) Interactive Learning in Education Using Augmented Reality, International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research Volume 4, Issue 1, January-2013

In this paper we describe the use of advance technologies in field of education. Augmented reality is such technology which opens a new interactive way of teaching style. It is a technology which adds virtual objects in real world and these objects interacts with real environment. It combines virtual world and real world in 3-dimensional. Recent trends in these technologies enables it use in field of education. Here the tough concepts in engineering and other fields can be explained using these technologies by creating virtual object of  the subject and made an interactive presentation of its working using animation.

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What can we learn from the adoption of iPads in Western Australian independent schools?

Mark Pegrum, Grace Oakley and Robert Faulkner (2013) Schools going mobile: A study of the adoption of mobile handheld technologies in Western Australian independent schools, Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 2013, 29(1).

This paper reports on the adoption of mobile handheld technologies in ten Western Australian independent schools, based on interviews with staff conducted in 2011. iPads were the most popular device, followed by iPod Touches and iPhones. Class sets were common at lower levels, with 1:1 models becoming increasingly common at higher levels. Mobile learning, or m-learning, was still at an experimental stage in most schools, but common themes were already emerging around the need to integrate mobile devices into a broader learning ecology. Key discussions focused on their role in promoting consumption or production, collaboration or personalisation, and creating seamless learning spaces. Used for both organisational and pedagogical purposes, mobile devices were seen as enhancing student motivation, with empirical evidence of improved student learning also emerging in small-scale studies conducted by two schools. Challenges included the need to carefully manage the technology, ethical issues in its use, and staff roles in its deployment. Pedagogically grounded and adequately contextualised professional development (PD) was seen as vital for time-poor staff, while a desire to set up a professional community of practice was widely expressed. All the schools surveyed planned to extend their use of mobile handheld technologies in the future.

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How can we cope with the ever-changing face of plagiarism?

Wendy Sutherland-Smith (2008) Plagiarism, the Internet, and Student Learning: Improving Academic Integrity, Routledge

Sutherland-Smith presents a model of plagiarism, called the plagiarism continuum, which usefully informs discussion and direction of plagiarism management in most educational settings. The model was developed from a cross-disciplinary examination of plagiarism with a particular focus on understanding how educators and students perceive and respond to issues of plagiarism. The evolution of plagiarism, from its birth in Law, to a global issue, poses challenges to international educators in diverse cultural settings. The case studies included are the voices of educators and students discussing the complexity of plagiarism in policy and practice, as well as the tensions between institutional and individual responses. A review of international studies plus qualitative empirical research on plagiarism, conducted in Australia between 2004-2006, explain why it has emerged as a major issue. The book examines current teaching approaches in light of issues surrounding plagiarism, particularly Internet plagiarism. The model affords insight into ways in which teaching and learning approaches can be enhanced to cope with the ever-changing face of plagiarism. This book challenges Higher Education educators, managers and policy-makers to examine their own beliefs and practices in managing the phenomenon of plagiarism in academic writing.

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How can Public Digital Backchannels Augment Classroom Participation?

Honglu Du, Mary Beth Rosson, John M. Carroll (2012) Augmenting Classroom Participation through Public Digital Backchannels, College of Information Sciences & Technology, University Park, PA, USA

As part of this research thread, we have been investigating the potential of public digital backchannels for building feelings of community among students in university courses. We designed, deployed and evaluated such a tool in a 15-week field study of two undergraduate classes. We found students found using public backchannel during the class is of little distraction, that teachers’ attention to the content posted on the channel influence students’ tendency to use tools of this kind. These feelings in turn are related to students’ perceptions of self efficacy, collective efficacy and course-specific social support.

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How can Live Feedback with Smartphones Improve Participants’ Involvement?

Jaime Teevan, Daniel J. Liebling, Ann Paradiso, Carlos Garcia Jurado Suarez, Curtis von Veh, Darren Gehring (2012) Displaying Mobile Feedback during a Presentation, Microsoft Research

Smartphone use in presentations is often seen as distracting to the audience and speaker. However, phones can encourage people participate more fully in what is going on around them and build stronger ties with their companions. In this paper, we describe a smartphone interface designed to help audience members engage fully in a presentation by providing real-time mobile feedback. This feedback is then aggregated and reflected back to the group via a projected visualization, with notifications provided to the presenter and the audience on interesting feedback events. We deployed this system in a large enterprise meeting, and collected information about the attendees’ experiences with it via surveys and interaction logs. Participants report that providing mobile feedback was convenient, helped them pay close attention to the presentation, and enabled them to feel connected with other audience members.

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Does Twittering in the Classroom Increase Student Engagement?

Bridget K. Welch, Jess Bonnan-White (2012) Twittering to increase student engagement in the university classroom, Knowledge Management & E-Learning: An International Journal, Vol.4, No.3.

We found that in the experimental condition, there was a significant affect of Twitter enjoyment on student engagement with those saying they enjoyed Twitter being significantly more engaged than those who did not enjoy Twitter. This was the case across four large lecture courses across two disciplines (Anthropology and Sociology). Following the work of Krause and Coates (2008), engagement consisted of four dimensions: academic, intellectual, peer, and beyond-class. We discuss our problematic findings in terms of engagement in general and academic engagement in particular. We then discuss our enjoyment findings and provide student comments that help contextualize these results.  

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How do game making projects influence learners’ attitudes to computing?

Judy Robertson (2013) The influence of a game making project on male and female learners’ attitudes to computing, Computer Science, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK

There is a pressing need for gender inclusive approaches to engage young people in computer science. A recent popular approach has been to harness learners’ enthusiasm for computer games to motivate them to learn computer science concepts through game authoring. The results of this study indicate that both boys and girls in the early years of high school have positive attitudes to computing and want to find out more about it. Boys are more likely to be more strongly positive than girls. The pupils thought that the game making project was fun and around half of them would recommend it to a friend. Their teachers believed that the project was a highly positive experience for their pupils in terms of motivation, and that it benefited pupils right across the ability spectrum.

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What factors affect the Implementation of a 1:1 Learning Environment in a Primary School?

Lee Yong Tay, Siew Khiaw Lim, & Cher Ping Lim  (2013) Factors Affecting the ICT Integration and Implementation of One-To-One Computing Learning Environment in a Primary School – a Sociocultural Perspective in L.Y. Tay & C.P. Lim (eds.), Creating Holistic Technology-Enhanced Learning Experiences, 1–18.

Even with an elaborate technological infrastructure, teaching and learning would not be possible without committed and skilful teachers who are on the ground implementing the day-to-day lessons in their respective classrooms. In addition, directions for the school leadership and channelling of the necessary resources are all critical factors to be considered. A good curriculum plan also provides the necessary structure and procedure on how to integrate ICT in a more seamless and pervasive manner.

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What are the necessary conditions for ICT to support teaching and learning in primary schools?

Cher Ping Lim & Grace Oakley (2013) Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Primary Education: Opportunities and Supporting Conditions in L.Y. Tay & C.P. Lim (eds.), Creating Holistic Technology-Enhanced Learning Experiences, 1–18.

The authors highlight the opportunities and potentials of ICT for teaching and learning in primary (elementary) education. However, they also acknowledge that ICT in the primary classrooms do not guarantee enhanced learning, though they do outline how ICT could be used to facilitate the learning of 21st century skills, literacy, numeracy and science. In addition, they also listed the necessary and sufficient conditions to support ICT for teaching and learning in primary schools. These necessary and sufficient conditions are: (1) policy and school leadership; (2) physical and technological infrastructure; (3) curriculum and assessment; and (4) professional development for teachers.

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Do e-readers make any difference to comprehension?

Wright, S., Fugett, A., & Caputa, F. (2013). Using E-readers and Internet Resources to Support Comprehension. Educational Technology & Society, 16 (1), 367–379.

The advancements of technology have led to the use of electronic reading systems for digital text. Research indicates similarities and differences in reading performance and comprehension in digital formats compared to paper formats. This study compared vocabulary understanding and reading comprehension scores from two reading sources (electronic story book and paper-based book). This study also evaluated the use of reading resources available (dictionary, thesaurus, word pronunciation) between the two reading methods.  The results of this study conclude that although vocabulary and reading comprehension is consistent between the two reading methods, students are more likely to utilize reading resources when engaged with digital text. This article supports that comprehension of written materials remains unchanged for students regardless of presentation method (print versus digital).

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What could an iPad Professional Development Program look like?

Rebecca J. Hogue (2013) iPad Professional Development Program (iPDP), Proceedings of the 11th World Conference on Mobile and Contextual Learning.

Scholars who have studied the adoption of technology in educational settings, believe that professional development is necessary for its successful adoption. This paper addresses a need for an iPad Professional Development Program (iPDP) to support the adoption of iPad tablet computers in higher education teaching and learning. The proposed iPDP is a hybrid program involving both face-to-face learner interventions and online resources. The program is made up of three interrelated components: (a) an online resource that supports the entire program, (b) an introductory workshop (iPadogogy) targeted at pre-adoption learners; and, (c) a knowledge-sharing event targeted at all learners. This paper describes: the components of an iPDP; the design considerations for each of the components; and, the limitation of the proposed iPDP.

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Are e-devices hindering Chinese children’s reading development?

Tan, L. H., Xu, M., Chang, C. Q., & Siok, W. T. (2013). China’s language input system in the digital age affects children’s reading development. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(3), 1119-1123.

Written Chinese as a logographic system was developed over 3,000 years ago. Historically, Chinese children have learned to read by learning to associate the visuo-graphic properties of Chinese characters with lexical meaning, typically through handwriting. In recent years, however, many Chinese children have learned to use electronic communication devices based on the pinyin input method, which associates phonemes and English letters with characters. When children use pinyin to key in letters, their spelling no longer depends on reproducing the visuo-graphic properties of characters that are indispensable to Chinese reading, and, thus, typing in pinyin may conflict with the traditional learning processes for written Chinese.  We found that the overall incidence rate of severe reading difficulty appears to be much higher than ever reported on Chinese reading. Crucially, we found that children’s reading scores were significantly negatively correlated with their use of the pinyin input method, suggesting that pinyin typing on e-devices hinders Chinese reading development. The Chinese language has survived the technological challenges of the digital era, but the benefits of communicating digitally may come with a cost in proficient learning of written Chinese.

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How Do Teachers Use Twitter for Professional Development?

Andrea Forte, Melissa Humphreys, Thomas Park (2012) Grassroots Professional Development: How Teachers Use Twitter, College of Information Science and Technology (iSchool), Drexel University

In an exploratory study, we used survey, interviews and content analysis techniques to understand how educators appropriate Twitter and other social media in their practice. We report on teachers’ use of Twitter, structural features of their on and offline professional networks, and the institutional policies that shape their appropriation of social media for professional use. Most importantly, our analysis suggests teachers on Twitter tend to be eager adopters of technologies and well positioned to broker information as bridges between members of their local communities of practice and other networks of educators. Based on these findings, we discuss teachers on Twitter as participants in grassroots professional development efforts and the potential for them to be powerful fomenters and enactors of reform in educational communities.

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What factors influence professionals in their use of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn?

Alexander Sjöberg (2012) Making Sense of a Technology, A study of how professionals use, understand and create a sense of Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter and what factor’s that might influence these processes, University of Gothenburg

The social media technology has during the last years been increasingly introduced into many professionals’ practices, which might place new demands on how individuals and organizations use, perceive, understand and structure this technology in relation to their professional practices. This paper aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of aspects that might influence professionals in their use of, capability to adapt to and ability to create a sense of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

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What does research say about iPads in the classroom?

Wilma Clark and Rosemary Luckin (2013) What the research says, iPads in classrooms, London Knowledge Lab, Institute of Education University of London

The adoption and integration of tablet devices into school systems is not without its controversies, and the purpose of this report is to explore if we know enough to demonstrate if, how and when iPads support learning. Our aim is to identify key ideas from the literature on the effective use of iPads and other ‘Post-PC’ tablet devices, to discuss the implications of tablet technologies for school leaders, network managers, teachers, learners and their parents, and to set this within the wider global context.

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Does Using Digital Readers rather than Print Readers Effect Performance in Editing Text?

Sigal Eden, Yoram Eshet-Alkalai (2012) Print Versus Digital: The Effect of Format on Performance in Editing Text, Proceedings of the Chais conference on instructional technologies research 2012: Learning in the technological era Y. Eshet-Alkalai, A. Caspi, S. Eden, N. Geri, Y. Yair, Y. Kalman (Eds.), Raanana: The Open University of Israel

In this pioneering study, we examined the active-reading abilities of students, who were asked to read, edit, recognize errors and improve the quality of short articles, in a print and in a digital format. Surprisingly, and in contrast to the common reported findings from print versus digital reading studies, no significant differences were found between the performances of participants in the two formats. A similar no-difference was found for all text-errors categories, as well as for gender differences. We found that digital readers completed their tasks earlier than the print readers, but their performance was not lower. We suggest that the absence of significant differences between print and digital formats indicates that digital reading becomes an everyday practice among users, who gain digital reading proficiency. This process, of closing the gap between print and digital readers is reported in recent literature.

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Does the Socioeconomic Status of Parents Effect their Views on the Integration of Computers in Preschool Classrooms?

Triantafillia Natsiopoulou, Chrisoula Melissa-Halikiopoulou, Chrysanthi Lioliou (2013) Effects of Family Socioeconomic Status on Parents’ Views Concerning the Integration of Computers into Preschool Classrooms, International   Journal  of   Caring   Sciences  2013   January – April  Vol 6  Issue 1

The upper socioeconomic level parents thought that the use of computers was appropriate for preschool children more than parents of lower socioeconomic status and that its inclusion in the preschool center’s program would work in favor for children who have no computer at home. Parents with higher socioeconomic status felt more than the others that such a program can support the provision of knowledge, the development of mathematical and linguistic skills and entertain children. Furthermore, the upper socioeconomic level parents as opposed to the other group do not consider that the computer will remove preschool educators from their leading and teaching role or reduce their communication with the preschoolers.

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What does an integrated research-based model of technology planning in schools look like?

Ruben Vanderlinde and Johan van Braak (2013) Technology planning in schools: An integrated research-based model, British Journal of Educational Technology, Vol 44 No 1 2013

In this colloquium, an integrated research-based model on technology planning in schools (TPS) is described. This model integrates research results of several studies conducted during the past years on technology planning in primary schools. While all of these studies have their individual scientific merit, this colloquium brings them together in a well-organised and holistic model on technology planning. This overall model is intended for teachers and school leaders when developing their school technology plan, for researchers when investigating technology planning and for policy makers and educational developers when designing initiatives to support schools in the technology planning process.

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Does reading from a screen harm our eyes? A medical myth… if you are older than 10

Harrison Weisinger (2013) Monday’s medical myth: reading from a screen harms your eyes, The Conversation Latest ideas form Research, posted 1 October 2012, 2.33pm AEST

Once we reach the age of ten years or so, it is practically impossible to injure the eyes by looking at something – the exception, of course, being staring at the sun or similarly bright objects. Earlier in life, what we look at – or rather, how clearly we see – can affect our vision because the neural pathways between the eye and brain are still developing.

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When do we choose to monotask rather than multitask?

Dario D. Salvucci and Peter Bogunovich (2010) Multitasking and Monotasking: The Effects of Mental Workload on Deferred Task Interruptions, CHI 2010: Multitasking

Recent research has found that forced interruptions at points of higher mental workload are more disruptive than at points of lower workload. This paper investigates a complementary idea: when users experience deferrable interruptions at points of higher workload, they may tend to defer processing of the interruption until times of lower workload. In an experiment, users performed a mail-browser primary task while being occasionally interrupted by a secondary chat task, evenly distributed between points of higher and lower workload. Analysis showed that 94% of the time, users switched to the interrupting task during periods of lower workload, versus only 6% during periods of higher workload. The results suggest that when interruptions can be deferred, users have a strong tendency to “monotask” until primary-task mental workload has been minimized.

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Why Do We Keep Interrupting Ourselves? Observation of multitasking in context

Laura Dabbish, Gloria Mark, Victor Gonzalez (2011) Why Do I Keep Interrupting Myself?: Environment, Habit and Self-Interruption, Association for Computing Machinery — May 7, 2011

Self-interruptions account for a significant portion of task switching in information-centric work contexts. However, most of the research to date has focused on understanding, analyzing and designing for external interruptions. The causes of self-interruptions are not well understood. In this paper we present an analysis of 889 hours of observed task switching behavior from 36 individuals across three high technology information work organizations. Our analysis suggests that self-interruption is a function of organizational environment and individual differences, but also external interruptions experienced. We find that people in open office environments interrupt themselves at a higher rate. We also find that people are significantly more likely to interrupt themselves to return to solitary work associated with central working spheres, suggesting that self interruption occurs largely as a function of prospective memory events. The research presented contributes substantially to our understanding of attention and multitasking in context.

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How and Why Do Teenagers Use Video Chat?

Tatiana Buhler, Carman Neustaedter, and Serena Hillman (2013) How and Why Teenagers Use Video Chat, Proceedings of the Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing, ACM Press

Teenagers are increasingly using video chat systems to communicate with others, however, little research has been conducted to explore how and why they use the technology. To better understand this design space, we present the results of a study of twenty teenagers and their use of video chat systems such as Skype, FaceTime, and Google Hangouts. Our results show that video chat plays an important role in helping teenagers socialize with their friends after school and on weekends where it allows them to see emotional reactions and participate in activities like shared homework sessions, show and tell, and performances over distance.

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What do ICT teachers think about the introduction of ICT in Primary Education in Greece?

Tziafetas Konstantinos, Avgerinos Andreas, Tsampika Karakiza (2013) Views of ICT teachers about the introduction of ICT in Primary Education in Greece, The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology

The difficulties in the effective integration of ICT in the classroom make the subject a constant challenge for modern educational systems. The “New School”, an innovative new curriculum applied experimentally in Greek schools, introduces the full and effective use of ICT in all aspects of school reality. Prominent in this effort is the role of ICT teachers. Given the vague framework which describes the integration of ICT in primary schools with reformed curriculum, it is important to investigate the views of ICT teachers in relation to the aims of the Ministry of Education and the obstacles they encounter in their teaching process. The research results reveal that on one hand, there is a considerable confusion among teachers with regard to their role and on the other hand, there are several external and internal barriers to effective teaching

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New Media Use in Brazil: Digital Inclusion or Digital Divide?

Sueila Pedrozo, University of Turku, Finland (2013) New Media Use in Brazil: Digital Inclusion or Digital Divide?, Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, Volume: 3 – Issue: 1 – January – 2013

The emergence of ICTs brought economic growth and development for many countries, but brought the digital divide as well. In Brazil, there was a democratization effect with the adoption of mobile phones reaching all social classes but the internet still lags behind. No doubt there is a correlation between digital exclusion and other forms of inequalities – social, economic, educational, and demographic. Technology access is just the first step to digital inclusion but digital literacy is even more important and has to follow it; the full inclusion for all depend not only on public policies but mainly on quality education and teachers’ training, to enable underprivileged youth to learn and use ICT resources and potential.

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What evidence influences how teachers use technology for teaching and learning?

Price, Linda and Kirkwood, Adrian (2013). Using technology for teaching and learning in higher education: a critical review of the role of evidence in informing practice. Higher Education Research and Development (in press).

The use of technology for teaching and learning is now widespread, but its educational effectiveness is still open to question. This mixed-method study explores educational practices with technology in higher education. It examines what forms of evidence (if any) have influenced teachers’ practices. It comprises a literature review, a questionnaire and interviews. A framework was used to analyse a wide range of literature. The questionnaires were analysed using content analysis and the interviews were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Findings suggest that evidence has partial influence upon practice with practitioners preferring to consult colleagues and academic developers. The study underscored the difficulty in defining and evaluating evidence, highlighting ontological and epistemological issues. The academic developer’s role appears to be key in mediating evidence for practitioners.

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How can self-regulated learning (SRL) foster student-centred lifelong mobile learning?

L. Sha,  C.-K. Looi, W. Chen, & B.H. Zhang (2012) Understanding mobile learning from the perspective of self-regulated learning, Institute of Education, Nanjing University

This paper is an initial effort to expand and enrich the knowledge about mobile learning within the framework of self-regulated learning. One of the largest challenges will be how self-regulated learning (SRL) can be systematically and institutionally applied to curriculum development, instructional design, teacher professional development, and teaching and assessment practices in classrooms that foster student-centred lifelong learning. We propose an analytic SRL model of mobile learning as a conceptual framework for understanding mobile learning, in which the notion of self-regulation as agency is at the core. We draw on work in a 3-year research project in developing and implementing a mobile learning environment in elementary science classes in Singapore to illustrate the application of SRL theories and methodology to understand and analyse mobile learning.

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How do iPads impact language learning in Kindergarten?

Margareth Sandvik, Ole Smørdal & Svein Østerud (2012) Exploring iPads in Practitioners’ Repertoires for Language Learning and Literacy Practices in Kindergarten, Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy, 03/2012

We have explored the role of a tablet computer (the Apple iPad) and a shared display as extensions of a practitioner’s repertoire for language learning and literacy practices in a multicultural kindergarten. In collaboration with a practitioner, an intervention was designed that included the use of two iPad apps in a language learning and literacy practice session with a group of 5 children aged 5. We have analysed the conversations around the tablet computers and in front of a shared display, trying to identify types of talk. The roles of the iPads, the apps and the shared display are discussed in relation to the types of talk, engagement and playfulness observed in the activities. We argue that the intervention led to valuable activities for language learning and literacy practices. The two selected apps differ in their levels of structure (directed vs. open) and genre (show and tell vs. fairy tale), and this difference will be discussed in relation to the types of conversation they initiate, and the extent to which they enable the children to transfer experiences from books and hence develop their literacy to include digital and multimodal resources.

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What are the best policies from around the world to close the digital divide?

Kim Andreasson, Jason Sumner (2012) Smart policies to close the digital divide – Best practices from around the world, A report from the Economist Intelligence Unit

This report, based on extensive desk research and wide-ranging interviews with experts from more than ten developed and emerging-market countries, presents best practices that have been adopted by governments and the private sector globally to bridge digital divides. To seize the full economic and social potential of the information society, this report identifies six areas in which smart policies can improve online take-up. Case studies from the developed world and emerging markets highlighting smart policies are provided in separate sidebars throughout the report.

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Computers in Education: What for?

Eevi E. Beck (2011) Computers in Education: What for? Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy / 2011 / Special Issue

The assumption that increased use of computing technologies is beneficial per se has been questioned in research on workplace computing since the early 1970ies. The intention of this paper is to encourage stopping and pausing to consider what is happening (an empirical question), and whether what is seen is desirable (a normative question). The paper calls for more debate (among researchers, teachers, parents, school leaders, governmental bodies, and other interested parties) as to what we would want computers for and how to get there. Points of view would differ; possibly never fully settling on agreement. This would constitute an ideal and a practice of attempting to bring Bildung and democracy to computing use in education, and would be a worthwhile lead to equip the young for participation in a technology-intensive society.

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What Do Students Use Their Laptops for During Teacher Instruction?

Marte Blikstad-Balas (2012) Digital Literacy in Upper Secondary School – What Do Students Use Their Laptops for During Teacher Instruction? Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy, Vol 7, 2012, Nr 02, 81-96

Many schools assume that the technology will fit into school practices, and thus use the computer as a supplement to the “regular” instruction. However, the students have their own vernacular practices concerning the use of the same technology, which they bring to school and wherever they go. This means that if schools fail to create the need of relevant educational Internet-based practices, the students will continue to use the Internet mainly for their personal vernacular practices, even at school. It goes without saying that banning Internet activity will not contribute to developing students’ literacy skills. What might need more explicit attention, is that neither will allowing unlimited Internet access without any guidance or clear educational purpose.

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How do Teachers Experience the Importance of ICT-Supportive School Leaders?

Ove Edvard Hatlevik & Hans Christian Arnseth (2012) ICT, Teaching and Leadership: How do Teachers Experience the Importance of ICT-Supportive School Leaders? Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy / 2012 / Nr 01

The purpose of this study was to explore the relations between teachers’ experiences with ICT-supportive school leaders, perceived usefulness of computers, perceived learning outcomes for students and teachers’ use of computers in their teaching. A total of 386 teachers from a nationwide sample of primary and lower secondary schools participated in the study. The correlation analysis revealed that teachers with higher levels of ICT-supportive leaders reported higher levels of perceived usefulness of computers, perceived learning outcomes for students and more frequent use of computers compared with teachers reporting lower levels of ICT-supportive leaders. Regression analysis indicated that two factors, ICT-supportive school leaders and perceived learning outcomes for students using computers, explained 25 percent of the variation in perceived usefulness of computers.

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What is the role of ICT in the PYP?

IBO (2011) The role of ICT in the PYP, International Baccalaureate Organization

The emergence of educational technologies has transformed how IB World Schools achieve
this mission. In particular, the internet, one of the greatest technological innovations in the last 50 years, facilitates the finding and creating of information, as well as building and maintaining relationships and communities. Students of today are raised in a connected world and their immersion in wired technologies contributes to the evolution of learning in digital spaces. A new dynamic educational landscape has emerged. It is, therefore, critical that students’ awareness, use and appreciation of different kinds of information, skills and platforms should be developed both at school and at home. The school community should be engaged in a dialogue to ensure a positive educational experience by understanding how to use the internet and web-based devices safely, responsibly and smartly.

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How can digital devices be used more effectively for the learning of second language vocabulary?

Jock Boyd (2011) The role of digital devices in vocabulary acquisition, Cambridge ESOL : Research Notes : Issue 44 / May 2011

With the advent of social networks, cloud computing and digital devices, the landscape of learning is changing rapidly. Students are using digital devices, in the form of smart phones and iPads in the classroom but, from my observations, they have been using them as mere reference materials, looking up words and translating them into their own languages. These powerful devices are capable of much more; they can be used as learning tools if they are incorporated into classroom teaching practice. The present action research investigates how students normally use their digital devices for vocabulary acquisition and shows how digital devices could be used more fully and creatively to enhance learning of second language (L2) vocabulary, both general and specialised (discipline-specific).

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How are Mobile Technologies supporting the Teaching of Literacy in Western Australia?

Grace Oakley, Mark Pegrum, Robert Faulkner & Michelle Striepe (2012) Exploring the Pedagogical Applications of Mobile Technologies for Teaching Literacy, Report for the Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia

Using a multiple case study strategy, this project set out to explore how independent schools in Western Australia were using mobile technologies such as iPads and iPod Touches to support, enhance and transform teaching and learning in the English learning area as well as, more broadly, the area of literacy as a ‘general capability’ across the curriculum.

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Can Cultural Capital help explain Digital Divide?

Matthew Damon Wright (2012) The Digital Divide and Cultural Capital, A Thesis Presented to the faculty of the Department of Sociology California State University, Sacramento, Submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Sociology

The digital divide, the concept of an inequality in computer and Internet access and skills, has been a political and social scientific topic of research and debate. The prior analyses of Internet use grouped people based on “haves” and “have-nots” and did not specifically address who these people were and what kind of demographic, individual, and family characteristics might promote digital literacy. By combining the ideas of the digital divide in the usage of the Internet and the concept of cultural capital as a marker of socioeconomic status, this study used data from the Pew Internet and American Life Project 2008 to test whether higher socioeconomic status (using measures of education and income) is associated with more frequent use of the Internet. An exploratory subsample analysis by gender was also conducted. As previous studies have found, education plays a significant role in predicting higher Internet use. Counter to previous studies, income was the only significant predictor for overall frequency of Internet use and of specific types of Internet activities. The study also found that gender conditioned the effects of socioeconomic status, family, and work on Internet use.

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What is the relationship between multitasking and academic performance?

Reynol Junco, Shelia R. Cotten (2012) No A 4 U: The relationship between multitasking and academic performance, Computers & Education 59 (2012) 505–514

The proliferation and ease of access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) such as Facebook, text messaging, and instant messaging has resulted in ICT users being presented with more real-time streaming data than ever before. Unfortunately, this has also resulted in individuals increasingly engaging in multitasking as an information management strategy. The purpose of this study was to examine how college students multitask with ICTs and to determine the impacts of this multitasking on their college grade point average (GPA). Using web survey data from a large sample of college students at one university (N ¼ 1839), we found that students reported spending a large amount of time using ICTs on a daily basis. Students reported frequently searching for content not related to courses, using Facebook, emailing, talking on their cell phones, and texting while doing schoolwork. Hierarchical (blocked) linear regression analyses revealed that using Facebook and texting while doing schoolwork were negatively associated with overall college GPA. Engaging in Facebook use or texting while trying to complete schoolwork may tax students’ capacity for cognitive processing and preclude deeper learning. Our research indicates that the type and purpose of ICT use matters in terms of the educational impacts of multitasking.

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What are the Security and Privacy Concerns raised by BYOD?

Keith W. Miller, Jeffrey Voas, George F. Hurlburt (2012) BYOD: Security and Privacy Considerations, Published by the IEEE Computer Society

Clearly, there are several important advantages for employees and employers when employees bring their own devices to work. But there are also significant concerns about security (where the employers have more to lose) and privacy (where the employees have more to lose). Companies and individuals involved—or thinking about getting involved—with BYOD should think carefully about the risks as well as the rewards. At the same time, there must be realization that the next generations of “digital natives” will likely have strong BYOT expectations.

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Is a second grade student’s silent reading comprehension affected by the use of electronic texts?

Stewart, Shannon M. (2012) Reading in a Technological World: Comparing the iPad to Print, Master of Education (MEd), Bowling Green State University, Reading, 2012

The key to improving reading education is to continually asses the most effective methods and strategies. Since the beginning of reading education, paper-based texts have been the focus of, and the tools used with, instruction. However, technological advances could possibly alter the world of reading instruction—and much more quickly than previously thought. In the past years, the electronic book has emerged and poses drastic changes to the paper-based text’s place in the school. In an ever-evolving technological world, more and more schools are choosing to adopt solely electronic texts. Instead of heavy textbooks and full classroom libraries students are now experiencing iPads and iBooks. Due to the fact many schools are moving toward an electronic curriculum, it is important to evaluate the effectiveness of these new literacies. Therefore, this study was developed to answer the following questions: Is a second grade student’s silent reading comprehension affected when using an electronic reader? Also, how do these students feel about the electronic reader and its use? Data was collected through a short experience survey and comprehension quizzes administered in a second grade classroom of 18 students. The results of this study demonstrated no significant statistical difference between the comprehension of students using the iPad and those reading from a printed text. However, surveys and observations demonstrated an increase in engagement when using the electronic reader in the classroom.

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Is the Right to be Forgotten a threat to free speech?

Jeffrey Rosen (2012) The Right to Be Forgotten, Stanford Law Review February 13, 2012

At the end of January, the European Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights, and Citizenship, Viviane Reding, announced the European Commission’s proposal to create a sweeping new privacy right—the “right to be forgotten.” Although Reding depicted the new right as a modest expansion of existing data privacy rights, in fact it represents the biggest threat to free speech on the Internet in the coming decade. The right to be forgotten could make Facebook and Google, for example, liable for up to two percent of their global income if they fail to remove photos that people post about themselves and later regret, even if the photos have been widely distributed already. Unless the right is defined more precisely when it is promulgated over the next year or so, it could precipitate a dramatic clash between European and American conceptions of the proper balance between privacy and free speech, leading to a far less open Internet.

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Should we have the digital Right to Be Forgotten?

Rolf H. Weber (2011) The Right to Be Forgotten, More Than a Pandora’s Box?, JIPITEC – Journal of Intellectual Property, Information Technology and E-Commerce Law

Recently, political voices have stressed the need to introduce a right to be forgotten as new human right. Individuals should have the right to make potentially damaging information disappear after a certain time has elapsed. Such new right, however, can come in conflict with the principle of free speech. Therefore, its scope needs to be evaluated in the light of appropriate data protection rules. Insofar, a more user-centered approach is to be realized. “Delete” can not be a value as such, but must be balanced within a new legal framework.

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How can iPads empower and enrich students’ authentic learning experiences?

Ilene R. Berson, Michael J. Berson, and Meghan McGlinn Manfra (2012) Touch, Type, and Transform: iPads in the Social Studies Classroom, Social Education 76(2), pp 88–91, National Council for the Social Studies

If iPads are retrofitted to traditional teaching activities their full potential will go unrealized. The presence of iPads alone will not generate transformative educational experiences; however, the appropriation of the device into school settings may help redefine learning spaces. Teachers who creatively integrate the iPad into instruction to foster communication with the global community and design intentional and purposeful collaborative learning experiences with the device may take learning to new levels of engagement. The functionality offered by the iPad, with its mobility and ubiquitous applications, may be the spark to ignite a movement toward innovation that empowers and enriches students’ authentic, high quality learning experiences.

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Does Physical Activity Make a Difference in School Performances?

Amika Singh; Le´onie Uijtdewilligen; Jos W. R. Twisk; Willem van Mechelen; Mai J. M. Chinapaw (2012) Physical Activity and Performance at School, A Systematic Review of the Literature Including a Methodological Quality Assessment, ARCH PEDIATR ADOLESC MED/ VOL 166 (NO. 1), JAN 2012

Prospective studies were identified from searches in PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central, and Sportdiscus from 1990 through 2010. In conclusion, relatively few studies of high methodological quality have explored the relationship between physical activity and academic performance. However, we found evidence that besides the physiological effects, regular participation in sport activities may improve children’s behavior in the classroom, increasing the odds of better concentration on the academic content of these lessons.

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How can Elementary School Children be better supported in their Web Searches at School?

Eickhoff, C., P. Dekker, and A. P. de Vries (2012) Supporting Children’s Web Search in School Environments, 4th Conference on Information Interaction in Context (IIiX)

Nowadays, the Internet represents a ubiquitous source of information and communication. Its central role in everyday life is reflected in the curricula of modern schools. Already in early grades, children are encouraged to search for information on-line. However, the way in which they interact with state-of-the-art search interfaces and how they explore and interpret the presented information, differs greatly from adult user behaviour. This work describes a qualitative user study in which the Web search behaviour of Dutch elementary school children was observed and classified into roles motivated by prior research in cognitive science. Building on the findings of this survey, we propose an automatic method of identifying struggling searchers in order to enable teaching personnel to provide appropriate and targeted guidance where needed.

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Is Grassroot Communication a Modern Myth? A critical perspective on social media use in land conflicts in Cambodia

Tomas Hultman Tessan Nordeman (2012) A modern myth of grassroot communication, A critical perspective on social media use in land conflicts in Cambodia, Linnaeus University, School of Social Sciences

The results showed that the organizations were using social media in many different ways, and on different levels in their communications work. We could however not see any clear interlinkage between the usage of social media and a success in neither agenda setting, social mobilization nor advocacy work; even though there are success stories we could not see consistent patterns in them. Our conclusion is therefore that a more objective and rational picture of social media is needed, that acknowledges the potentials but also shows the obstacles. Our hope is that this study can give a more balanced approach to social media’s place in developing countries in general and Cambodia in particular, helping actors to understand the different factors that need to be addressed to make it a successful tool of communication.

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iPad: A New Classroom Technology?

Alma L. Culén, Andrea Gasparini (2012) iPad: A New Classroom Technology? A Report From Two Pilot Studies, INFuture2011: “Information Sciences and e-Society”

In this paper we discuss two pilot studies involving the use of iPads for active reading in a teaching/learning situation. This is part of a broader study of how introducing tablet PCs may transform the work and learning practices of learners. One of the pilot studies was conducted in a graduate level course, involving 40 university students. The other study involved 26 fourth grade elementary schoolchildren. The results concerning acceptance of the technology were vastly different in the two studies. We find the comparison to be very interesting in several aspects, most notably on the issue of ownership and perceived useful- ness. We hope that our experience with these pilot studies may be of use and interest for a wider community. Our research method is based on ethnography (in-class observations), enriched by workshops, questionnaires, group and individual interviews involving students, faculty and, in the case of elementary schoolchildren, families. The data from interviews has been consolidated and mapped out into an affinity diagram. The resulting diagram shows clearly issues that should be further addressed, as well as areas where changes in study- related work practices may occur. This paper offers some reflections on differences and similarities observed in the two study situations.

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How does the coolness of the iPad affect its value and usefulness: in education and banking?

Alma Leora Culén, Andrea Gasparini, Roni Hercz (2012) iPad – the space between the cool and the useful, Oslo university

It is generally agreed that the iPhone and the iPad were Apple’s truly cool products that have permanently changed some things about mobile phones and finally made a tablet into a marketing success. In this paper we discuss the space between iPad’s coolness and its value and usefulness to users in two quite different settings: education and banking. In the first example, we consider the product ecology of an iPad in the classroom setting and try to capture something about how the coolness of the product affects individuals and groups as they take it into action. Our reflections are based on several studies that we have conducted related to the introduction of the iPad as an educational tool in elementary and high schools as well as the university. In the classroom setting, students, both individually and as a group, have quite a large degree of autonomy in defining the use (including production and consumption of information, communications, gaming etc) of the iPad. In the banking example, iPads are used individually and privately. It is the bank that decides which services are made available and what constitutes the best way of interacting with their services. Cool service design is still not a goal in itself. Rather, solid interaction design should make users perceive the service as really good and subsequently, cool. The boundaries between cool design, hype and trend-following are still blurry in the race for competitive advantage.

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Can the use of blogs and e-mail enhance writing skills at primary school level?

Sofia Funenga (2012) Developing Writing Skills in English Language Teaching Through the Use of Blogs and Email at Primary School Level,

After reflecting on the findings of this action research cycle, with the purpose of providing an answer to the research question Can the use of blogs and e-mail enhance writing skills at primary school level?, it is possible to conclude that, throughout the writing workshop sessions, young students not only improved the content and language used in their texts, but also adopted a better attitude towards writing.

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Integrating Digital Technology: What Are Students Really Learning?

Tara L. Evans (2012) Integrating Digital Technology: What Are Students Really Learning? Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

The present study investigated the learning that occurred as students interacted with teacher-planned lessons which included digital technologies (DTs). An Activity Theory (AT) framework was utilised to analyze the data collected and to make sense of the complex environment that teachers and students work within to identify factors within the sociocultural setting affected student learning when DTs were utilized. Results indicated that students gained technical skills, reinforced and developed conceptual understandings, built cooperative skills, thought critically and creatively, learned to troubleshoot when technical errors occurred, developed a sense of autonomy and agency in the classroom, and engaged in self-regulated learning through the use of DTs. A number of factors impacted on these outcomes including aspects of the school environment, teachers’ knowledge and beliefs, and teaching methods used when DTs were included in classroom activities.

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What are the constraints of technology integration in the elementary school?

Mrs. M. Taylor (2012) School Improvement : Supporting Research for Technology Implementation, School Reform, & Teaching and Learning, University of NC at Greensboro

The purpose of this study was to investigate what facilitated and what hindered technology integration at a public elementary school. The school was chosen for study due to its excellent work with integrating technology. Using the constructs of school culture, institutional change, and teacher beliefs as lenses, this study found that a student-centered culture, the principal’s belief in what he called “freedom to fail” and a plethora of resources, including human resources, facilitated integration.

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