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Education Sciences
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Using Technology in Higher Education—Series 1
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Using Technology in Higher Education—Series 1

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102). This special issue belongs to the section "Technology Enhanced Education".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 March 2021) | Viewed by 98818

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Neil Gordon

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Computer Science and Technology, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK
Interests: computer science education; technology enhanced learning; education for sustainable development; green and sustainable computing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce this upcoming Special Issue looking at technology in Higher Education: something that has enabled institutions globally to respond in a flexible and responsive way to the unexpected challenges of the cessation of face-to-face teaching as many countries have instituted social distancing and closure of educational campuses.
This issue offers the opportunity to share innovative ideas and established practice that show the ways that technology can be used in teaching Higher Education, with a focus on those aspects that are distinct from those of other educational contexts—for example, managing to engage students who are adults, who have different interests and pressures, and who need different and distinct support. Moreover, we invite contributions that show how technology can enable education that meets the need to create graduates who can operate and flourish in the context of the 4th industrial revolution. This requires Higher Education to enable students to deal with the cascade of information and data and arm them with the skills to critically select reliable sources and to manipulate and manage data. Technology also offers support for virtual learning and collaboration. Given the experiences of 2020 and the global responses to the Coronavirus, this issue is also an opportunity to share evidence-based approaches to moving learning to entirely online.

Dr. Neil Gordon
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Technology-enhanced learning (TEL)
  • Flexible pedagogy
  • Computer-mediated learning
  • 4th Industrial Revolution

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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17 pages, 2313 KiB  
Article
Learning to Teach: How a Simulated Learning Environment Can Connect Theory to Practice in General and Special Education Educator Preparation Programs
by Melanie Landon-Hays, Maria B. Peterson-Ahmad and Andrea Dawn Frazier
Educ. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 184; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10070184 - 18 Jul 2020
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 8956
Abstract
Educator preparation programs have moved away from offering interest-based courses that prepare a teacher candidate on a more surface level and have opted to integrate more authentic experiences with technology that are infused into coursework. This research study focused on redesigning key courses [...] Read more.
Educator preparation programs have moved away from offering interest-based courses that prepare a teacher candidate on a more surface level and have opted to integrate more authentic experiences with technology that are infused into coursework. This research study focused on redesigning key courses in both the general and special education graduate-level educator preparation programs (EPPs) to infuse learning experiences through a simulated learning environment (Mursion) to help bridge teacher candidates’ coursework and field experiences, offering them robust experience with high leverage practices and technology that increases their own competency. Data from this study demonstrated that preservice teacher candidate work within the Mursion simulated learning environment increased use of high leverage practices related to strategic teaching, collaboration, differentiation, and providing feedback. Implications for instructional coaching, microteaching, repeated practice, and closing the research to practice gap are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Using Technology in Higher Education—Series 1)
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9 pages, 502 KiB  
Article
Algorithm for Designing Professional Retraining Programs Based on a Competency Approach
by Rushana R. Anamova, Leonid V. Bykov and Dmitri A. Kozorez
Educ. Sci. 2020, 10(8), 191; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10080191 - 23 Jul 2020
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 3168
Abstract
A new methodology is proposed for designing professional retraining programs for aviation, rocket, and space industry employees, focused on the formation of the necessary competencies. The novelty of the proposed method is in the formalization of the design process and the use of [...] Read more.
A new methodology is proposed for designing professional retraining programs for aviation, rocket, and space industry employees, focused on the formation of the necessary competencies. The novelty of the proposed method is in the formalization of the design process and the use of digital technologies. The advantage is the use of a modular principle of program design, which provides the opportunity to implement individual training paths for workers in industrial enterprises. The methodology was successfully tested at the Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University) in the provision of educational services to enterprises in the aviation and aerospace industries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Using Technology in Higher Education—Series 1)
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17 pages, 4528 KiB  
Article
A Multidisciplinary Study of Eye Tracking Technology for Visual Intelligence
by Shyamli Sindhwani, Gregory Minissale, Gerald Weber, Christof Lutteroth, Anthony Lambert, Neal Curtis and Elizabeth Broadbent
Educ. Sci. 2020, 10(8), 195; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10080195 - 28 Jul 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4889
Abstract
The ability to analyse aspects of visual culture—works of art, maps or plans, graphs, tables and X-rays—quickly and efficiently is critical in decision-making in a broad range of disciplines. Eye tracking is a technology that can record how long someone dwells on a [...] Read more.
The ability to analyse aspects of visual culture—works of art, maps or plans, graphs, tables and X-rays—quickly and efficiently is critical in decision-making in a broad range of disciplines. Eye tracking is a technology that can record how long someone dwells on a particular detail in an image, where the eye moves from one part of the image to the other, and the sequence the viewer uses to interpret visual information. These MP4 recordings can be played back and graphically enhanced with coloured dots and lines to point out this natural and fluent eye behaviour to learners. These recordings can form effective pedagogical tools for learning how to look at images through the eyes of experts by mimicking the patterns and rhythms of expert eye behaviour. This paper provides a meta-analysis of studies of this kind and also provides the results of a cross-disciplinary project which involved five different subject areas. The consensus arising from our meta-analysis reveals an emerging field with broad concerns in need of more integrated research. None of the studies cited in this article are interdisciplinary across the sciences and arts and, while some of them address higher education in medicine and computing, there are no interdisciplinary studies of how eye tracking is important for teaching in arts and science subjects at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. In addition, none of the studies address how learning practitioners find these eye recordings useful for their own understanding of learning processes. This establishes the unique contribution of this project. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Using Technology in Higher Education—Series 1)
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21 pages, 5247 KiB  
Article
Considering Students’ Abilities in the Academic Advising Process
by Samia Loucif, Laila Gassoumi and Joao Negreiros
Educ. Sci. 2020, 10(9), 254; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10090254 - 17 Sep 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5363
Abstract
Academic advising is time-consuming work. At the same time, it needs to be efficient and productive in assisting the students to choose appropriate academic courses towards the completion of their selected programs in a beneficial manner. In addition, both private and public educational [...] Read more.
Academic advising is time-consuming work. At the same time, it needs to be efficient and productive in assisting the students to choose appropriate academic courses towards the completion of their selected programs in a beneficial manner. In addition, both private and public educational institutions are, currently, operating in an extremely competitive market and are, thus, faced with various challenges. Among these are the twin challenges of student retention and the rate of success in completion of their chosen academic courses. The mentioned challenges have a direct bearing on the quality of academic advising and services provided to the students, by the individual academic institution. A number of research studies have been carried out suggesting various online academic advising systems for undergraduate and graduate programs. In this context, we develop and present, here, an academic advising system which differs from and improves upon previously suggested methodologies with the inclusion of the facility to track individual students’ performance and, thus, ability in educational subjects and programs, taken in the previous academic terms. Our suggested methodology is based on the use of this facility to guide students in the selection of courses that they may register for the forthcoming academic term. We believe that the consideration of individual students’ past academic preformation, in our suggested methodology, is a significant improvement and will assist students in making more beneficial choices when registering for academic courses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Using Technology in Higher Education—Series 1)
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30 pages, 3165 KiB  
Article
AR-LabOr: Design and Assessment of an Augmented Reality Application for Lab Orientation
by Muhammad Nadeem, Amal Chandra, Audrey Livirya and Svetlana Beryozkina
Educ. Sci. 2020, 10(11), 316; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10110316 - 3 Nov 2020
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 4510
Abstract
Lab orientation is a vital part of learning for new students entering the university, as it provides the students with all the necessary and important information about the lab. The current orientation is manual, tedious, suffers from logistical constraints, lacks engagement, and provides [...] Read more.
Lab orientation is a vital part of learning for new students entering the university, as it provides the students with all the necessary and important information about the lab. The current orientation is manual, tedious, suffers from logistical constraints, lacks engagement, and provides no way to assess that outcomes have been achieved. This is also supported by the results of a student survey which revealed students’ dissatisfaction with current process of orientation. This study presents the design and development of a sample augmented reality mobile application, AR-LabOr, for the lab orientation that helps students in a quick and easy adaptation to the lab environment by familiarizing them with the lab equipment, staff, and safety rules in a fun and interactive manner. This application makes use of marker-less augmented reality technology and a blend of multimedia information such as sound, text, images, and videos that are superimposed on real-world contents. An experiment with 56 students showed that they found the novel method of orientation using the application more engaging than the traditional instructor-led method. Students also found the application to be more supportive, motivating, and that it helped them in better understanding the lab equipment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Using Technology in Higher Education—Series 1)
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20 pages, 3285 KiB  
Article
The Effective Use of Information Technology and Interactive Activities to Improve Learner Engagement
by Abrar Ullah and Sajid Anwar
Educ. Sci. 2020, 10(12), 349; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10120349 - 25 Nov 2020
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 12475
Abstract
Student engagement in the learning process is the key to successful delivery of teaching and learning. Teachers face several challenges to engage learners in different disciplines, including computer science. This research conducts a review of BSc (Computer Science) programmes and introduces interactive activities [...] Read more.
Student engagement in the learning process is the key to successful delivery of teaching and learning. Teachers face several challenges to engage learners in different disciplines, including computer science. This research conducts a review of BSc (Computer Science) programmes and introduces interactive activities to enhance learner engagement. The study was conducted using a repeated measure design involving 24 participants. The findings revealed that the use of technology, and collaborative and interactive activities in groups may positively influence learner engagement. The participants’ feedback before and after introduction of group tasks and interactive activities showed a significant (p < 0.001) and increasing trend in response to questions-related learner engagement. The participants agreed that their learning experience and engagement enhanced with the use of technology and interactive and collaborative activities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Using Technology in Higher Education—Series 1)
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12 pages, 2201 KiB  
Article
Teaching Approaches and Educational Technologies in Teaching Mathematics in Higher Education
by Renate Nantschev, Eva Feuerstein, Rodrigo Trujillo González, Israel Garcia Alonso, Werner O. Hackl, Konstantinos Petridis, Evangelia Triantafyllou and Elske Ammenwerth
Educ. Sci. 2020, 10(12), 354; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10120354 - 26 Nov 2020
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5404
Abstract
The growing use of technology for mathematics in higher education opens new pedagogical and technological challenges for teachers. The objective of this study was to analyze the teaching approaches and technology-related pedagogical competencies of 29 mathematics teachers (15 females and 14 males) from [...] Read more.
The growing use of technology for mathematics in higher education opens new pedagogical and technological challenges for teachers. The objective of this study was to analyze the teaching approaches and technology-related pedagogical competencies of 29 mathematics teachers (15 females and 14 males) from nine European countries. After conducting semi-structured interviews, the Approaches to Teaching Inventory (ATI-16) and the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework survey were applied. The results show large individual variations in teaching approaches, technological competencies, and institutional support. One-third of teachers apply a more student-centered approach, one-third a more teacher-centered approach, and one-third a mixed approach. Educating and supporting teachers in embracing educational technologies thus needs to be tailored strongly to individual needs and the available institutional support resources and infrastructure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Using Technology in Higher Education—Series 1)
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11 pages, 576 KiB  
Review
Use of Mobile Applications in Developing Reading Comprehension in Second Language Acquisition—A Review Study
by Blanka Klimova and Katarina Zamborova
Educ. Sci. 2020, 10(12), 391; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10120391 - 18 Dec 2020
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 16406
Abstract
Reading is a fundamental skill for academic success because university students need to comprehend an extensive amount of information in a short time to achieve their academic goals. However, the influx of new technologies into education has challenged the teaching of reading skills [...] Read more.
Reading is a fundamental skill for academic success because university students need to comprehend an extensive amount of information in a short time to achieve their academic goals. However, the influx of new technologies into education has challenged the teaching of reading skills in a foreign language. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of emerging technologies, especially mobile applications, on second language reading comprehension in the period between 1 January and 30 September 2020. Therefore, the authors of this article conducted a search of available studies on the topic, i.e., the use of mobile applications in developing reading comprehension in second language acquisition, in two databases: Web of Science and Scopus. Despite the methodological differences, the findings of all of the identified studies showed that there was an improvement in reading comprehension after the treatment with mobile applications. In addition, a positive attitude and enhanced learner motivation when using mobile apps was found in several studies. Overall, there is potential for developing research on MALL and reading comprehension for randomized control studies with larger populations and longer intervention periods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Using Technology in Higher Education—Series 1)
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18 pages, 6228 KiB  
Article
A Random Controlled Trial to Examine the Efficacy of Blank Slate: A Novel Spaced Retrieval Tool with Real-Time Learning Analytics
by Douglas McHugh, Richard Feinn, Jeff McIlvenna and Matt Trevithick
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(3), 90; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11030090 - 25 Feb 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3797
Abstract
Learner-centered coaching and feedback are relevant to various educational contexts. Spaced retrieval enhances long-term knowledge retention. We examined the efficacy of Blank Slate, a novel spaced retrieval software application, to promote learning and prevent forgetting, while gathering and analyzing data in the background [...] Read more.
Learner-centered coaching and feedback are relevant to various educational contexts. Spaced retrieval enhances long-term knowledge retention. We examined the efficacy of Blank Slate, a novel spaced retrieval software application, to promote learning and prevent forgetting, while gathering and analyzing data in the background about learners’ performance. A total of 93 students from 6 universities in the United States were assigned randomly to control, sequential or algorithm conditions. Participants watched a video on the Republic of Georgia before taking a 60 multiple-choice-question assessment. Sequential (non-spaced retrieval) and algorithm (spaced retrieval) groups had access to Blank Slate and 60 digital cards. The algorithm group reviewed subsets of cards daily based on previous individual performance. The sequential group reviewed all 60 cards daily. All 93 participants were re-assessed 4 weeks later. Sequential and algorithm groups were significantly different from the control group but not from each other with regard to after and delta scores. Blank Slate prevented anticipated forgetting; authentic learning improvement and retention happened instead, with spaced retrieval incurring one-third of the time investment experienced by non-spaced retrieval. Embedded analytics allowed for real-time monitoring of learning progress that could form the basis of helpful feedback to learners for self-directed learning and educators for coaching. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Using Technology in Higher Education—Series 1)
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15 pages, 603 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Digital Device Usage on Student Academic Performance: A Case Study
by Maria Limniou
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(3), 121; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11030121 - 12 Mar 2021
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 31968
Abstract
The aim of this investigation was to explore student behaviour when students brought their own digital devices into a lecture theatre. A total of 361 undergraduate psychology students from the University of Liverpool who used at least one digital device during lecture time [...] Read more.
The aim of this investigation was to explore student behaviour when students brought their own digital devices into a lecture theatre. A total of 361 undergraduate psychology students from the University of Liverpool who used at least one digital device during lecture time fully completed an online questionnaire (159 first-, 124 second- and 78 third-year psychology students) during the 2018–2019 academic year. Although all the three years of undergraduate students brought laptops and/or smartphones into a lecture theatre, there was no significant difference in academic performance over the years of studies. The findings have linked student multitasking processes in a lecture theatre to Social Cognitive Theory principles (reciprocal interactions between behaviours, learning environment, and individuals). There was a significant difference between the three years regarding the use of applications and student characteristics after controlling for the different types of devices. Students who used only one application during lecture time were more likely to achieve higher academic performance as they were less distracted from their primary tasks of processing and retaining information. Overall, this investigation concluded the importance of reconsidering the teaching delivery process so as to avoid students’ escapism using devices during lecture theatres due to their engagement level and lecture norm pressures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Using Technology in Higher Education—Series 1)
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