Archive for the ‘Research’ Category

Evolving Learning Paradigms: Re-Setting Baselines and Collection Methods of Information and Communication Technology in Education Statistics

The UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) has been measuring ICT in education since 2009, but with such rapid change in technology and its use in education, it is important now to revise the collection mechanisms to focus on how technology is being used to enhance learning and teaching. Sustainable development goal (SDG) 4, for example, […]

Computer-based technology and student engagement: a critical review of the literature

Computer-based technology has infiltrated many aspects of life and industry, yet there is little understanding of how it can be used to promote student engagement, a concept receiving strong attention in higher education due to its association with a number of positive academic outcomes. The purpose of this article is to present a critical review […]

Exploring four decades of research in Computers & Education

A content analysis of abstracts and titles of 3674 full papers in Computers & Educationpublished between 1976 and 2016 was conducted in order to a) identify and analyze their thematic and conceptual flow, b) how these reflected the evolving technologies and theories and c) how the research topics and concepts semantically related to each other. […]

Pilot Testing for Feasibility in a Study of Student Retention and Attrition in Online Undergraduate Programs

Prior to undertaking a descriptive study on attrition and retention of students in two online undergraduate health administration and human service programs, a pilot test was conducted to assess the procedures for participant recruitment, usability of the survey questionnaire, and data collection processes.  A retention model provided the conceptual framework for this investigation to identify […]

No Significant Difference – Unless you are a Jumper

Much of the e-education literature suggests that there is no significant difference in aggregate student learning outcomes between online and face-to-face instruction. In this study, we develop a model that forecasts the grade that individual students would have most likely earned in the alternate class setting. Students for whom the difference between the actual grade […]

Download Report: Bias in Online Classes: Evidence from a Field Experiment

Bias in Online Classes: Evidence from a Field Experiment While online learning environments are increasingly common, relatively little is known about issues of equity in these settings. We test for the presence of race and gender biases among postsecondary students and instructors in online classes by measuring student and instructor responses to discussion comments we […]

The Moderating Effects of Group Work on the Relationship Between Motivation and Cognitive Load

Semi-formal learning is used to describe learning that is directed towards the goals of a formal learning institution but outside of the learning structure of a specific class. Students studying online may form semi-formal groups to increase their knowledge of the content by interacting with other learners taking the same class. This study of cyber […]

Race and Gender Bias in Online Courses

Many proponents of online education have speculated that the digital learning environment might be a meritocracy, where students are judged not on their race or gender, but on the comments they post. A study being released today by the Center for Education Policy Analysis at Stanford University, however, finds that bias appears to be strong […]

Space as a tool for analysis: Examining digital learning spaces

Over the past decade we have seen a rise in the adoption and proliferation of social technologies, and along with these a move to build on the capacity to embrace new pedagogies and practices that can open our boundaries for both teaching and learning. How do we determine what we mean by space specifically in […]

Using Future Research Methods in Analysing Policies Relating to Open Distance Education in Africa

Many African countries have developed policies to reform their education system in order to widen participation in higher education. To achieve this, open, online and distance education based models have been advocated as the most viable delivery tools in expanding access to higher education. However, the policy analysis of Kenya, Rwanda and Zambia revealed that […]