Cybercells and the Integration of Actual and Virtual Groups

2011 ◽  
pp. 537-540
Author(s):  
Ken Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environments ◽  
Emerging Technologies ◽  
Learning Space ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Virtual Groups ◽  
On Line ◽  
Physical Spaces ◽  
Virtual Visitors

A cybercell describes the integration of actual and virtual groups in which face to face members extend their discussions to collaborate with virtual visitors (Stevens & Stewart, 2005). Cybercells enable groups of people meeting in physical spaces to engage with virtual visitors using a range of contemporary and emerging technologies. Teachers, for example, are provided with opportunities to discuss their work with other teachers on-site and on-line simultaneously. Students can also discuss their work in classrooms and collaborate with their peers located in other schools who are able to participate in their learning space virtually. By extending one’s learning from actual (face to face) spaces to include virtual visitors, learning environments can be extended.

scholarly journals Using virtual and physical learning spaces to develop a successful mathematical learning community, both for on-site and distance provision

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-36
Author(s):  
Belinda Huntley ◽  
Andrew Middleton ◽  
Jeff Waldock
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Learning Spaces ◽  
Learning Space ◽  
Mathematical Learning ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Student Belonging ◽  
Effective Use ◽  
Physical Spaces

This paper considers learning space and its relationship to student belonging and becoming. Student engagement, satisfaction and academic success are outcomes of a supportive learning community which can flourish in a culture of expectation and behaviour created by providing suitable support structures and by considering the effective use of physical and virtual learning spaces. We describe our innovative use of discipline-specific virtual and physical spaces to develop successful mathematical learning communities, in both a UK university where activities are principally face-to-face, and at a South African university where they are mainly virtual. By comparing our practices and spaces, we explore the ‘equivalence of place’ and the roles of academic staff in fostering the development of professional learner identities through each context. Based on evidence from our respective practices, we make recommendations for designing new learning spaces and for making effective use of existing learning spaces. Although this study focuses on mathematics, many of these suggestions can benefit all disciplines.

scholarly journals Live Learning: Online Teaching, Digital Literacy and the Practice of Inquiry

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leo Casey ◽  
Michael Hallissy
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Learning Space ◽  
Technology System ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
On Line

There has been significant discussion in recent times around improving the quality of teaching and learning in higher education (Laycock, 2009; Laurillard & Masterman, 2010; DES, 2010).  The Lisbon Strategy (Commission to the Council and the European Parliament, 2006) has framed much of this discussion at a European level with individual countries, such as Ireland, developing their own-targeted strategies to expand and improve higher education (DES, 2010).  In the case of Ireland, these strategies specifically mention the need for institutions to provide ‘excellent teaching’ whether in face-to-face or online settings.  Whereas there is a significant body of on-going research conducted around effective teaching in traditional, face-to-face settings in higher education (for example, Bennett & Barp, 2008, Beetham & Sharpe, 2007) there is, in recent times, an emerging need for investigations that focus on new contexts for teaching particularly in online synchronous classrooms.Many institutions have invested substantial time and resources in procuring new technology systems to support on-line teaching and in training staff to operate the many varied functions within these technologies.  However, there is also a need to go beyond mere functionality and to provide deeper pedagogical support to faculty so they can fully realise the instructional potential of these systems (Kim & Bonk, 2006; Lee & Hirumi, 2004).  Technological innovations in the area of online teaching lead to new challenges for teachers and educators as new tools are developed and adopted by their institutions. A question for researchers is the extent to which these tools augment or inhibit existing roles and practices in the classroom and to ask how we can conceptualize learning and teaching in such contexts.The case for considering inquiry learning as the ‘telos’ or central purpose of classroom practice is presented here. In this way the live on-line classroom is conceived as a communal learning space where teacher and students participate in activities that are enabled, sustained and enriched by the functionality of the technology system.

A Study on Learners’ Readiness and Perceptions of the Implementation of Blended Learning in UiTM Kedah

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
Robekhah Harun ◽  
Zetty Harisha Harun ◽  
Laura Christ Dass
Keyword(s):  
Blended Learning ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Learner Readiness ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Online Assessments ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
On Line ◽  
Learning Institutions

The increase in student enrolment and the need  to cater to students of diverse backgrounds have led to the adoption of blended learning in many higher learning institutions. Blended learning, which allows both face to face interaction and on-line delivery, has been adopted into many curricula. One such institution is University Technology MARA which is slowly introducing features of blended learning in its course syllabus beginning with practice to online assessments. However, to ensure successful implementation of blended learning as part of the curricula, there are several aspects for consideration such as learner and teacher readiness for blended learning. This paper examines issues regarding the use of blended learning as a delivery method at UiTM Kedah . The discussion in this paper focuses on learner’ readiness and perceptions of the blended learning environment. The data collected for this study are responses from learners to a questionnaire survey. The research findings form the basis for recommendations for the development of learning and teaching practices using blended learning approaches to enhance learners' learning experiences.  

Developing information literacy courses for students through virtual learning environments in Tanzania: Prospects and challenges

IFLA Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 034003522110182
Author(s):  
Evans F Wema
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environments ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Higher Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Learning ◽  
The Face

This article reviews literature on the use of virtual learning environments by highlighting their potential and the challenges of introducing the same in Tanzania. It introduces the concept of virtual learning environments by demonstrating their applications to support teaching and learning. The article discusses the use of virtual learning environments in teaching information literacy courses by highlighting the success of using such tools in facilitating the teaching of information literacy courses to library users. In this review, special emphasis is placed on attempts by Tanzanian institutions of higher learning to introduce web-based teaching of information literacy and the challenges faced. The review reveals the need for Tanzanian institutions of higher learning to develop virtual learning environments to facilitate the teaching of information literacy courses to students and faculty so as to reach many of those who may not manage to attend the face-to-face information literacy sessions that are offered by librarians on a regular basis.

scholarly journals ProReal®: The ‘good enough’ online alternative to face-to-face Dramatherapy

Dramatherapy ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 026306722110208
Author(s):  
Claire Anne Quigley
Keyword(s):  
Ambiguity Tolerance ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
On Line ◽  
And Control ◽  
Selection Of

The Covid-19 restrictions have limited the access of face-to face therapies for many people and continues to effect how Dramatherapists operate. The following article offers reflections around adapting to an on-line medium, focusing more specifically around the software of ProReal. Limitations and considerations are acknowledged, including technological difficulties, computer efficacy, ambiguity tolerance and the need for careful contracting and reassurance of autonomy and control when using on-line platforms. The article ends with a short selection of vignettes from ProReal sessions.

Computer-assisted learning in undergraduate psychiatry (CAL-PSYCH): evaluation of a pilot programme

2003 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 84-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allys Guerandel ◽  
Kevin Malone ◽  
Patrick Felle
Keyword(s):  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Attendance Rates ◽  
Computer Assisted Learning ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Life Long Learning ◽  
Learning Techniques ◽  
Feedback Questionnaire ◽  
E Learning ◽  
On Line ◽  
The University

AbstractObjectives: To introduce and evaluate a computer assisted learning programme in undergraduate psychiatry (CAL-PSYCH).Methods: An interactive e-learning environment was created within the University College Dublin portal to assist students in acquiring the necessary skills in undergraduate psychiatry. The pilot phase consisted of providing their lectures on-line on the interactive site. Data were gathered from the last group of students in 2001 (pre-CAL-PSYCH) and the first group of students using CAL-PSYCH in 2002. We included assessment of percentage of students accessing the site, attendance rates at face-to-face lectures and tutorials, and also a feedback questionnaire from students who accessed the site.Results: All responders had used CAL-PSYCH. Students gave higher ratings for quality and interactivity of lectures compared with the pre-CAL-PSYCH curriculum. Students also expressed enthusiasm about CAL-PSYCH and encouraged us to develop it further.Conclusions: Computer-assisted learning environments such as CAL-PSYCH provide the opportunity to bring modern e-learning techniques to medical education, and may provide a new model for life-long learning in medicine.

Development of computational thinking with on-line practices in time of pandemic: a possible road?

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilson Pereira dos Santos Júnior ◽  
Simone Lucena
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Educational Institution ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Know How ◽  
Human Ability ◽  
On Line

We live in a society in which mobile and digital technologies are increasingly present in our daily lives and we cannot limit ourselves to knowing how to use them. It is important to know how to adapt them, personalize them and program them, if necessary, to solve our problems. Computational thinking is understood as the human ability to teach, humans or machines, to solve problems with the fundamentals of computing. Its development has gained space in education, formal and non-formal, through face-to-face practices. With the pandemic, the challenge arises to develop this skill with young people from high school in a public educational institution through online practices. In this article, we discuss the didactic design, based on the principles of online education, created for the development of computational thinking with online practices. The preliminary results indicate the feasibility of developing computational thinking from the perspective of online education.

VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR ESL COURSES

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 239-243
Author(s):  
Ana-Maria CHISEGA-NEGRILĂ
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environments ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Foreign Languages ◽  
Esl Students ◽  
Online Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Face To Face

Abstract: As the time in which online teaching and learning was still an element of novelty has long been gone, virtual learning environments have to be studied thoroughly so that they will provide students not only with the necessary knowledge, but also with the proper tools to meet their learning objectives. The advancement in information technology and the access to an almost inordinate number of learning and teaching tools should have already been fructified and, as a result, not only teachers, but also learners should have already picked up the fruit of knowledge grown in the vast virtual environment of the Internet. However, as education has recently moved almost entirely online, some questions have arisen. Are the Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) enough to offer ESL students both motivation and knowledge? Will foreign languages benefit from this growing trend or will traditional, face-to-face interaction, prove to have been more efficient? The present article will look into some of these questions and into the benefits of VLEs in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document