Students' assessment of immersive virtual reality as a pedagogic medium

Over the past few years a number of research studies, mainly involving desktop-based or head-mounted Virtual Reality (VR) systems, have been undertaken to determine what VR can contribute to the education process. In our study we have used the findings from a number of these studies to help in formulating a new study into the perceived merits and limitations of using VR in general, and immersive CAVE-like systems in particular, as an education tool. We conducted our study with a group of final year undergraduate students who were registered on a module that described VR in terms of the scientific issues, application areas, and strengths and weaknesses of the technology.

Evaluating the use of multimedia authoring with dyslexic learners: a case study

This paper reports on the findings of a case study set up to explore the possible benefits that dyslexic learners might have when engaging in the creation of their own multimedia project. Two children with specific learning difficulties worked with the author to develop a multimedia presentation. The children developed authoring skills (such as planning and drafting, composition, revision and reflection, proof reading and presentation) and became active, motivated learners. It is believed that the open-ended character of a multimedia authoring package can encourage creative thinking and interest for content and style of presentation.

Guiding e-learning: introducing online informal learning to a global voluntary organisation

The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) is the umbrella organisation for Member Organisations from 145 countries around the world, with a total membership of ten million. While Member Organisations offer training and development within their own countries, WAGGGS offers international opportunities. This project seeks to explore how technology can be used to offer similar opportunities to those provided by the face-to-face courses to a much wider audience, while retaining the community and interactive learning aspects of the existing programmes.

Theoretical perspectives of enterprise architecture

The number of published Enterprise Architecture (EA) research has increased during the last few years. As a discipline, EA is still young and lacking theoretical foundation. Lately some research trying to ground EA to theory has been published, including linkage to systems theory. Enterprise Architecture can be defined as; (i) a formal description of the current and future state(s) of an organisation, and (ii) a managed change between these states to meet organisation’s stakeholders’ goals and to create value to the organisation. Based on this definition, this conceptual paper tries to shed light to theoretical underpinnings of EA from three theoretical perspectives; EA as a communication media, EA as an activity, and EA as an information technology system. Our conclusions are that; (i) EA can be categorised as a communication media and theoretically underpinned by ontology and semiotics, (ii) EA can be explained and theoretically underpinned by Activity Theory, and (iii) EA can be categorised as an information technology system and theoretically underpinned by General Systems Theory and Technology Acceptance Theory.

Who are with us: MOOC learners on a FutureLearn course

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) attract learners with a variety of backgrounds. Engaging them using game development was trialled in a beginner’s programming course, “Begin programming: build your first mobile game”, on FutureLearn platform. The course has completed two iterations: first in autumn 2013 and second in spring 2014 with thousands of participants. This paper explores the characteristics of learner groups attracted by these two consecutive runs of the course and their perceptions of the course using pre- and post-course surveys. Recommendations for practitioners are offered, including when the audience is different to the one expected. A MOOC is unlikely to please everyone, especially with such large cohorts. Nevertheless, this course, using game development as a vehicle to teach programming, seems to have offered a balanced learning experience to a diverse group of learners. However, MOOC creators and facilitators should accept that a course cannot be made to please everyone and try to communicate clearly who the intended audience for the course are.

The use of ICT by adults with learning disabilities in day and residential services

The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) by adults with learning disabilities has been positively promoted over the past decade. More recently, policy statements and guidance from the UK government have underlined the importance of ICT for adults with learning disabilities specifically, as well as for the population in general, through the potential it offers for social inclusion. The aim of the present study was to provide a picture of how ICT is currently being used within one organisation providing specialist services for adults with learning disabilities and more specifically to provide a picture of its use in promoting community participation. Nine day and 14 residential services were visited as part of a qualitative study to answer three main questions: What kinds of computer programs are being used? What are they being used for? Does this differ between day and residential services? Computers and digital cameras were used for a wide range of activities and ‘mainstream’ programs were used more widely than those developed for specific user groups. In day services, ICT was often embedded in wider projects and activities, whilst use in houses was based around leisure interests. In both contexts, ICT was being used to facilitate communication, although this was more linked to within-service activities, rather than those external to service provision.

O ensino superior de contabilidade: uma análise qualitativa a partir da fala de professores

O objetivo deste estudo é contribuir para a discussão sobre o ensino superior de Ciências Contábeis, procurando conhecer a opinião dos professores sobre as questões relacionadas à qualidade do ensino ministrado no país. Inicialmente, foram feitas incursões através da literatura, buscando contextualizar tanto o sistema educacional brasileiro em geral, como o ensino da contabilidade em particular . Através de entrevistas semi-estruturadas com os professores foram levantadas categorias que possibilitaram uma análise critica sobre a questão da qualidade dos cursos de Ciências Contábeis. Através do estudo pode-se constatar muitos problemas que afetam a qualidade do ensino na área contábil, já identificados na literatura. Concluimos pela necessidade de um conjunto de medidas, através das quais seja possível incentivar o aperfeiçoamento do professor, bem como, a consequente reestruturação dos cursos.

A escala ótima de operação das escolas.

o presente estudo analisa os custos da escola rização de uma amostra de escolas do município do Rio de Janeiro e de outra do Distrito Federal, com o objetivo de determinar sua escala ótima de operação e analisar sua eficiência na utilização dos seus recursos físicos e humanos. A escala ótima, como o trabalho demonstra, e determinadÇl. pe;Lo pontQ de minimo . .das curvas de -custo, estimando o tamanho ideal para o funcionamento das escolas, de sorte a obter o máximo de eficiência e produtividade. A eficiência é analisada em termos da intensidade de uso da capacidade física instalada e da alocação adequada.dos recursos humanos, em função da natureza dos serviços escolares e do número de alunos nela matriculados. Espera-se demonstrar que o planejamento edu cacional pode aumentar a eficiência do sistema tirando proveito do que propoe a teoria microeconômica ao abordar as questões relati vas à função de produção e aos seus custos. E que, ao final, a cor reta utilização desses conceitos pode ser muito útil para ajudar a superar a desnecessária, mas muitas vezes real - dicotomia entre quantidade e qualidade. Planejamento economicamente correto pode permitir oferecer e~sino de qualidade a uma grande quantidade de crianças, adolescentes e jovens. A quantidade, antes de ser obstá culo, pode até favorecer a oferta de um ensino de boa qualidade. Evidentemente, é necessár~o competência técnica e científica para fazê-lo, secundando uma firme vontade política de fazê-lo.

Aplicação do modelo all-or-none em condições de aquisição de associação aos pares

O presente estudo teve por objetivo submeter a nova verificação experimental o modelo "all-or-none" de aprendizagem de pares-associados, em que as associações estímulo resposta são formadas inteiramente em uma única tentativa. Justifica o presente trabalho a necessidade de estudos na área da teoria da aprendizagem, a fim de fornecer subsídios para uma tecnologia educacional. A hipótese testada foi a de que a probabilidade de uma associação se efetuar é constante para qualquer número de treinos anteriores. Foram testados 100 sujeitos de classe de alfabetização, divididos em 5 grupos, com 5 níveis de reforçamentos e 5 grupos de itens. Foi usado um esquema de quadrados latinos, combinando três fatores em cinco níveis cada um: 1 - número de reforçamentos, 2 - grupo de itens e 3 - grupo de sujeitos. A análise dos resultados levou à aceitação da hipótese de que a aprendizagem é, em essência, all-or-none.