TOJDE

Dear TOJDE Readers, Welcome to Volume 19, Number 2 of TOJDE There are 14 articles and 2 book reviews in April 2018 issue. 32 authors write these articles from 10 different countries. These countries are Brazil, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, South Africa and Turkey.

Education is experiencing a period of change and the traditional models of education adopted by universities need to go through innovative processes to democratize knowledge, attract new learners and optimize resources. The use of Open Educational Resources (OERs) and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) can contribute to such changes. However, studies on the reuse of OERs and language courses in the MOOC format are still scarce. To this end, the aims of this study are (a) to verify whether the OER production cycle proposed by Zancanaro (2015) in his framework could be used in part for the production and supply of MOOCs and (b) to present the production and to offer a process of the Portuguese Teaching MOOC for Foreigners (MOOC-PFL), developed at the Regional University of Blumenau. This is a case study that shows a production and offers cycle comprising the phases of analysis and design, coding, evaluation, dissemination and offering. Considering it was the first experience of the University with a MOOC course, it exceeded expectations, provided an increase in the institution’s and city’s visibility, contributed to the demystification of the OER use by the production and offer team and generated incentives for the production of new levels.

Keywords: MOOC, Portuguese course for foreigners, Open Educational Resources, Regional University of Blumenau.

This paper will discuss the student occupancy rates between 2007 and 2016 of two-year associate degree distance education programs in Turkey on the basis of both the program and the university and to identify the potential variances. As a result of descriptive analyses, it has been determined that Tour Guiding, Mapping and Cadastral Survey, and Mechatronic programs and Kafkas, Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli and Celal Bayar Universities have the highest occupancy rates. It has been observed during the statistical analyses that the occupancy rates have not varied based on the period during which the program has been open and the university count. Therefore, the hypothesis that the programs opened by many universities or has accepted students for many years have the highest occupancy rate has not been supported. The university-based analyses have demonstrated that the occupancy rates of universities have varied with regard to the total number of years that distance education programs have been opened. Correspondingly, the universities which have opened the programs in more years than others, those having much experience, in other words, have higher occupancy rates.

Keywords: Distance education, economics of education, economics of distance education, associate degree programs, occupancy rates, university performance.

Voice-based systems allow users access to information on the internet over a voice interface. Prior studies on Open and Distance Learning (ODL) e-examination systems that make use of voice interface do not sufficiently exhibit intelligent form of assessment, which diminishes the rigor of examination. The objective of this paper is to improve on the achievements of previous studies by providing a framework that will guide the development of a voice-based e-examination expert system for the visually impaired students in ODL. The study employs a combination of technologies such as system design, server side scripting, voice-based system development, data management and rule-based reasoning in developing the system. The system was evaluated to determine the level of usability. The results of the usability evaluation showed that the developed application has an ‘average usability’ rating of 3.48 out of 5 scales. The findings show that the voice-based e-examination system will not only be of immense benefit to the visually impaired students in ODL in respective of distance, but will also complement the existing web-based method for online examination.

Keywords: Distance learning, e-examination, intelligent, voice and framework.

This article describes a qualitative research analysis on the implementation of interactive e-books in high school courses using a case study approach. The subjects of the study included seven professors and 16 freshmen who were surveyed and interviewed with a questionnaire designed according to the Kemp Model of Instructional Design. The study revealed that participants use interactive e-books as a technological educational resource. The professors pointed out that the design of the interactive e-books helped students develop essential learning skills: technological ability, reading and writing skills, as well as cognition and metacognition abilities. Furthermore, the students noted that the use of interactive e-books has a positive effect on their grades due to its high audio and visual contents. However, the students indicated that they were allured to chat, to play or to navigate in their mobile device while they were using it. Finally, this study can contribute to the relative knowledge about the use of mobile technology in education, as well as, it aids the professor to make a reflection about the Instructional Design of the educational technological resources used in the classroom to promote better result in the process of learning.

Keywords: Instructional Design, mobile learning, interactive e-books, high school.

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in integration of technology for pedagogical purposes. The present study aimed at finding out how presentation in the frame of virtual courses can control embarrassment and shyness of Iranian EFL learners. The practical part concentrated on using Skype for the purpose of presentation in seminar courses. The data collection was based on Revised Cheek and Briggs Shyness Scale (PRSS 14 item) and the target group was selected from three seminar classes during 2016. The final scores of the face to face presentation were compared with presentations via the Skype in such courses. The data were analyzed using a paired sample t-test. The results revealed a significant difference between observed results and expected results. The data were also gathered from semi-structured interviews based on the students’ attitudes towards using the Skype to increase the validity of the method. The findings showed that the students had highly positive attitudes towards integration of the technology. This study could impact those students who have enough competence but their personality type prevents them from transferring their knowledge. It could also be fruitful for curriculum developers who want to organize pedagogical area efficiently by overcoming time and place constraints.

Keywords: Embarrassment, performance, Skype, virtual, virtual courses.

Teachers’ Internet self-efficacy plays a critical role in their web-based professional development and on their students’ learning outcomes in Internet-based learning environments. It is therefore important to periodically measure and evaluate teachers’ self-efficacy regarding the Internet, which is a dynamic technology, using an instrument that reflects the recent advancements in the Internet technology. By considering radical changes taking place recently on the Internet, this study aimed to explore teachers’ Internet self-efficacy by gender by adapting an earlier instrument. To this end, the Internet Self-efficacy Scale (ISS) developed by Kim and Glassman (2013) was used. First, the ISS was adapted into Turkish and the confirmatory factor analysis results revealed that the Turkish version of the ISS could be used as a valid instrument to measure teachers’ Internet self-efficacy [χ2(df = 106) = 270.836, NFI = .865, CFI = .912 and RMSEA = .086 (90% C.I.; .073 - .098)]. The coefficient of Cronbach’s alpha for the Turkish version of the ISS was found to be 0.92. In this study, survey method was used. The sample of the study consisted of 349 in-service teachers with different majors in Turkey. The data were analyzed using independent sample t-test and the results showed teachers’ Internet self-efficacy was considerably high. Additionally, no gender differences in any of the subscales of the ISS including five subscales, namely, reactive/generative, differentiation, organization, communication and search, were found.

Keywords: Internet self-efficacy, in-service teacher, gender, confirmatory factor analysis.

The article considers topical issues of a new form of interaction of educational organizations within a regional education system – networking cooperation by means of distance learning technologies. The purpose of the research is to develop a networking cooperation model of educational organizations through distance learning technologies and its methodical support within a regional education system based on the principles of openness, regionalization, integrity, productivity and technological effectiveness. The methodological basis of the research is comprised of the main ideas of systematic, technological and activity approaches. The model provides educational organizations with an opportunity to use it in the geographically remote regions. This provides for a continual cooperation of educational organizations at the regional level, creates an integrated learning environment, expands a resource potential of educational organizations and contributes to the improvement of education quality.

Keywords: Networking cooperation, distance learning technologies, distance learning, regional education system, educational organization, information and communication technologies.

Learning management systems (LMS) are web–based platforms used for enhancing and supporting classroom teaching or delivering online instruction. Much of the earlier research has focused on their technological features and implementations into instruction. However, investigating what and how teachers and students think about and experience with LMS based on their actual usage is needed to realize educational potential of these systems. This study aimed to investigate pre–service teachers’ lived experiences about taking courses through Moodle LMS. The research was designed as a qualitative study. Data were collected through semi–structured interviews and analyzed through content analysis technique via Nvivo 7.0 software. The sample included 25 college students majoring in Computer and Instructional Technology Education at a state university in Turkey. Majority of the participants indicated that Moodle was user–friendly, beneficial and enhancer for interaction with both instructor and course content. Participants identified “assignments”, “resources”, and “forum” as the most effective instructional modules. On the other hand, some argued that Moodle could not provide face–to–face interaction like in the classrooms and thus it was not suitable for certain math and non–math courses requiring such interaction. They also found registration to course website as the biggest technical challenge.

Keywords: Learning management systems, lived experiences, teacher education, qualitative study.

The literature on serious games (SGs) indicates that they are very useful tools to improve the teaching/learning process. In this paper, we analyze some potential benefits of a SG on academic performance of undergraduate accounting students. The database is comprised of scores obtained by students during an undergraduate discipline related with accounting history. The game was presented to the students during the academic semester of the discipline; they also developed an academic activity using the concepts of this game. The main results of the paper indicate that students who used the game and scored the maximum grade in this activity also registered higher indexes of academic performance in such discipline. These results reinforce the benefits of the SG to interact with undergraduate students and teach academic content.

Keywords: Accounting, education, serious games.

The present study aimed at conducting content analysis on dissertations carried out so far in the field of Educational Technology in Turkey. A total of 137 dissertations were examined to determine the key words, academic discipline, research areas, theoretical frameworks, research designs and models, statistical analyses, data collection tools, participants, instructional design models, variables/research focus and related institutions. When the research results were examined, it was found in relation to the dissertations that the most frequent method was “mixed method”; that the most frequent data collection tools were “interview”, “questionnaire” and “scale”; that the participants were generally “university students”; that the dependent variables were “attitude” and “achievement”; that the most frequent data analysis method was “parametric analysis”; and that the field of “education and training” was the one most frequently investigated. Among the most frequent key words was Online Learning, which was followed by Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Teacher Training and Special Education. In this respect, the present study, which examined dissertations, is thought to be important since it tried to reveal the current state of educational technologies in Turkey and to determine the related research trends.

Keywords: Content analysis, educational technology, ICT, online learning.

The paper traces the historical perspectives of open and distance education in India. It also discusses the various modalities and standards followed by various universities in offering social work education through open and distance learning (ODL) mode. It also highlights the achievements and challenges of social work education through ODL mode in India. The article will be extremely helpful to the academicians and policy makers in understanding the various dimensions of social work education through ODL mode in Indian context. The study recommends that Indira Gandhi National Open University model is one of the successful models of offering social work education through ODL mode.

Keywords: Social work education, distance learning, field work, IGNOU

The paper presents the conceptual basis of the theories: Behaviorism, Gestalt, Cognitive Psychology, and the Historic-Cultural Psychology. The essential categories of these theories were validated in a population of 2704 courses at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT (USA). The research seeks the relationship of theories with course design and student learning process supported by ICTs. The results for a sample of 629 open courseware analyzed gives the conclusion that the concepts of the theory of Piaget are the most influential in the process of eLearing of students in a 49.92%.

Keywords: Behaviorism, Gestalt, Cognitive Psychology, Historic-Cultural Psychology, e-learning, ICT.

Learning in a higher education institution that applies an open and distance learning system requires the students to study as independent learners. This research is a survey research with the purpose of exploring the characteristics, habits and learning motivation of high-achiever students or those who obtained a high level of Grade Point Average (GPA). The sample used in this study was Universitas Terbuka (UT) students of Non Elementary Education Programs who had completed at least four semesters and had obtained a GPA of 2.50 or higher. This study discovered that the high-achiever students were younger students of the average age of 29 years. Most of these higher achiever students were highly motivated to study and were studying at UT to support their career development. They usually studied 3-4 hours/for each course each day. Interviews showed that students generally did the self-assessment tests and they regularly attended the tutorials. The time of study (p=.001) and methods of study (p=.01) recorded in this study have the potential to contribute to the students’ GPA.

Keywords: Students’ characteristics, learning habits, student success, distance education, ODL, Universitas Terbuka.

Implementing practical based courses under Open and Distance Learning (ODL) system is a very difficult and challenging task as the teaching of practical based courses involves intensive practical work. For removing the difficulties and challenges in implementing the practical based courses under ODL system, there is a need to study the existing status and problems found in the way of implementing practical based courses under ODL system. The learners and counsellors of practical based courses under ODL system are the practical stake holders of ODL system who can judiciously perceive and identify the existing status and problems in implementing practical based courses under ODL system. But, from the literature of research in the field of ODL system, it is found that hardly study has been carried out to study the perception of learners and counsellors in implementing practical based courses under ODL system. Therefore, the present study has attempted to study the perception of learners and counsellors in implementing practical based courses under ODL system. The study intended to achieve two objectives: (i) to study the perception of the learners in implementing practical based courses under open and distance learning system, and (ii) to study the perception of the counsellors in implementing practical based courses under open and distance learning system. The study is considered under descriptive survey type research. Twenty learners who were pursuing the Bachelor of Science (B. Sc.) course and twenty counsellors who were counselling B.Sc. learners in two selected study centers of Indira Gandhi National Open University(IGNOU) Regional Center, Bhubaneswar ( i.e. IGNOU Study Center, B.J.B. College, Bhubaneswar and IGNOU Study Center, Khalikote College, Berhampur) were taken as participants for the study. Purposive sampling method was followed for selecting the participants for the study. Data were collected personally from the participants in a natural and comfortable setting. Two tools (i.e. Perception scale for studying the perception of the learners in implementing practical based courses under open and distance learning system; and Perception scale for studying the perception of the counsellors in implementing practical based courses under open and distance learning system) were used for collection of data from the participants of the study. A mix of qualitative and quantitative methods/approaches of data analysis was used for analyzing the data of the study. The results of the study mainly highlighted the perception of the learners and counsellors regarding existing status and problems in implementing practical based courses under ODL system and their suggestions in implementing practical based courses under open and distance learning system.

Keywords: Practical based courses, open and distance learning, learner, counsellor.

Open and Distance Learning (ODL) is part of the mainstream education and, as a pragmatist field, subject to constant changes. Definition of the ODL refers to flexibility in time and space, efforts to support lifelong learning and remove the barriers between learners and learning sources. Its success and effectivenes, in addition to many other factors, is strongly related to teaching and learning methods used at all levels of education, classroom and school management, planning, guidance and organizational processes. In this regard, to revisit administrative leadership in ODL appear to be an important need to contribute to the field and existing literature with up-to-date knowledge. An excellent strategy for adopting changes is to map and identify changes and behave accordingly. In this context this book, Administrative Leadership in Open and Distance Learning Programs, by Buyuk, Kocdar, and Bozkurt, exactly focuses on aims to fill this gap by addressing management and leadership issues in open and distance learning.

Keywords: Administrative Leadership, Open and Distance Learning, Distance Learning Programs

The rapid digitalization of our everyday life has had an inevitable reflection on education and instructors at universities have been caught unprepared. The question of how to give effective education within the dynamics of the digital age to diverse student groups with different tendencies and expectations has already been the most important issue among the instructors following the new trends in education. However, in some other cases, as written in the first scenario at the beginning of the book, universities have had their instructors give blended or hybrid classes all of a sudden at the beginning of the semester. Tony Bates, an expert in the field of educational technology and the author of the book, is giving instructors what they need and more in this book. As he states in his podcast, this book addresses the very neglected area of how to teach in a digital age by “providing knowledge (to the instructors) so that they can make appropriate choices about how they want to teach”.

Keywords: Digital Age, Guidelines for Designing Teaching and Learning