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Many studies have recently focused on the importance of the effective integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools in science education and the need for science teachers to receive adequate training and support to use them effectively. This paper aims to explore the Albanian science teachers' perceptions and use of ICTs in teaching processes. The study provides an interpretative analysis of the opinions of science teachers teaching in the middle and high schools of several Albanian regions expressed in an online survey. Overall, the results suggest that the use of ICT by science teachers in Albania is limited by a lack of proper infrastructure, limited access to technology, and training of teachers on integrating technology. However, there are indications that the adoption of ICT in science education may increase in the future, particularly after the boost from the COVID-19 pandemic emergency.

Given the lack of computational tools available for assessing second language (L2) production in Korean, this study introduces a novel automated tool called the Korean Syntactic Complexity Analyzer (KOSCA) for measuring syntactic complexity in L2 Korean production. As an open-source graphic user interface (GUI) developed in Python, KOSCA provides seven indices of syntactic complexity, including traditional and Korean-specific ones. Its validity was tested by investigating whether the syntactic complexity indices measured by it in L2 written and spoken production could explain the variability of L2 Korean learners' proficiency. The results of mixed-effects regression analyses showed that all seven indices significantly accounted for learner proficiency in Korean. Subsequent stepwise multiple regression analyses revealed that the syntactic complexity indices explained 56.0% of the total variance in proficiency for the written data and 54.4% for the spoken data. These findings underscore the validity of the syntactic complexity indices measured by KOSCA as reliable indicators of L2 Korean proficiency, which can serve as a valuable resource for researchers and educators in the field of L2 Korean learning and assessment.

Effective research data management (RDM) is essential to modern scientific investigations. As the volume and complexity of research data increase, researchers, research institutions, and countries are pressured to improve data management practices to ensure transparency, reproducibility, sharing, and reuse of their findings. Researchers and institutions in Kenya, like those in many other developing countries, have begun to adopt the practice. This review examines the early indicators of improved research data management practices in Kenya to identify leaders who would drive the culture of RDM and thus improve research output.

This article aims to present the design of a GUI application that serves as an educational and analytical tool. The GUI application is intended for educational purposes, allowing users to learn about the linear and renewable energy sources. This GUI has been designed to explain, teach, and implement maximum power point tracking (MPPT) techniques that enable maximum power extraction from photovoltaic (PV) panels. Contribution: This study introduces a novel educational tool designed to enhance the understanding of different MPPT methods among engineering students. The GUI tool was implemented and utilized throughout a semester in the course named power electronic applications in power systems, specifically aimed at postgraduate level students. Background: Engineering students often encounter challenges in grasping advanced concepts, such as MPPT techniques, which are crucial for optimizing the performance of PV systems. Traditional teaching methods may not fully address the learning needs of students in this complex subject area. Research Question: How does the use of a GUI-based educational tool for MPPT techniques impact the learning outcomes and attitudes of engineering students in a postgraduate course? Methodology: The effectiveness of the GUI was assessed by comparing the performance of students who used this tool with those from the previous year who did not. The study involved a semester-long deployment of the tool in the power electronic applications in power systems course, with participation from students specializing in renewable energy engineering. Findings: Preliminary findings suggest an improvement in the performance of students using the PV-MPPT Lab compared to those from the previous year. The study also indicates positive student attitudes toward the GUI tool, highlighting its potential as an effective learning aid in engineering education.

Learning Management Systems (LMSs) in education are necessary, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. A good user experience (UX) in these systems has become increasingly important. However, there are limited resources that could guide implementing both the hedonic and pragmatic qualities of UX. The objective of the present study is to identify emotional design factors and apply an innovative perspective from a rhetorical perspective that could serve to improve the user experience. Utilizing the User Experience Questionnaire, a rhetorical evaluation, and four open-ended questions in three control groups, we evaluate Moodle at the Faculty of Sciences of the Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí (UASLP). The findings show an improvement in UX that generated better user satisfaction. We concluded that ethos, pathos, and logos serve to cover the pragmatic and hedonic aspects of UX. This paper serves as a guide for other educational institutions that want to improve their LMS.

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) continue to experience disparities in health and well-being despite improved provisions of person-centered care. Patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) translates evidence into practice for meaningful outcomes. This piece describes findings from an environmental scan and stakeholder outreach to identify and prioritize opportunities to enhance IDD PCOR data infrastructure. These opportunities include developing a standardized research definition; advancing data standards for service systems; improving capture of IDD at point of care; developing standardized outcome measures; and encouraging Medicaid data use for IDD research. Within this piece, we discuss the implications of addressing data gaps for enhanced research. While the identified activities provide a path towards advancing IDD PCOR data infrastructure, collaborative efforts between government, researchers, and others are paramount.

This article provides an account of the making of KBLab, the data lab at the National Library of Sweden (KB). The first part discusses the work involved in establishing a lab as both a physical and a digital site for researchers to use digital collections at previously unimaginable scales. The second part explains how the lab has deployed the library's collections as data to produce high quality Swedish AI models, which constitute a significant new form of digital research infrastructure. We situate this work in the context of uneven AI coverage for smaller languages, and consider how the lab's models have contributed to the making of important AI infrastructure for the Swedish language. The conclusion raises the possibilities and challenges involved in continuing this type of library-based AI development.

This research was undertaken by synthesizing theories, documents, textbooks, research articles, and related academic articles relating to the wisdom repository management process. The objective is to present a system architecture and develop a knowledge management system which culminates in a repository of crystallized intelligence with a conversational agent that can promote learning for medical students by introducing a system architecture to develop intelligent agent technology. Through mobile technology, accessible anytime, anywhere, lifelong learning for medical students will be supported via an intelligent crystallized intelligence inventory management system. This keynote includes a comprehensive implementation and has API. The application has been tested with a trial run of all commands, with satisfactory results in the communication of the system that the user accesses through chatbots.

Data repositories currently constitute essential programs within institutions. In fact, universities are the primary institutions that promote the creation, management and storage for the safekeeping of a variety of documents, data and/or projects. This work is carried out within the framework of institutional need and the application of knowledge by the students and professors in the software degree program at a university in Ecuador. This project centers on a web application that makes it possible to manage, upload and download resources. This initial version focuses on the resources related to academic projects, data sets and algorithms. The scalability characteristics have been carefully introduced to ensure a progressive evolution of other types of resources and functionalities, in accordance with educational needs. Several aspects of the web interfaces are based on the characteristics of other existing repositories, and a series of tests related to functionality have been conducted in order to move beyond the introductory stage of use, to begin with, by the university community. This project is carried out according to a conception based on contributions, in which the agents, in principle, are members of the institution. The intensive and collaborative use of this utility will contribute to the growth of a data culture within the institution. Furthermore, the collection and organization of data for the purposes of study and research by the different university degree programs makes it possible to analyze and contrast them from different perspectives.

Digital platforms have become integral to contemporary schooling. Google Classroom, Compass, Office 365, EdQuire, ClassDojo and Canvas are just some of the many platforms that litter students' and teachers' computers today. While students may have only one school to physically attend, there is a labyrinth of digital enclosures for them to navigate as part of their schooling. The rise of digital platforms in education has occurred at an erratic rate--sometimes through function creep, sometimes through whole system mandates, and certainly the global pandemic has accelerated their rise. In this article we consider how platforms have become an infrastructure in education and the implications this has for teaching, learning and the relationships between key stakeholders. We provide an overview of the education research into platforms to date, highlighting areas that require further empirical and theoretical investigation. We conclude the article by outlining a research agenda for critical platform studies in education.

Despite popular myths related to the design and development of an online course, the endeavor is rather complicated. Universal Course Shell Templates (UCSTs) can alleviate teachers' workload, support teachers in taking pedagogically sound decisions, and assist students in their engagement with the course. The study begins with a review of the widespread terms used for Online Learning Environments and then moves to debunk myths around online course design and analyze the potential benefits and challenges of establishing a UCST. The study employed quantitative content analysis to examine the design elements that are included in the UCSTs of high-ranking universities based on the theoretical framework by Baldwin et al. (2018) and Martin et al. (2021). The frequency of appearance of each element as part of the navigation menu and within the UCST is reported and the findings are discussed with a pedagogical lens focusing on the elements included in the navigation menu.

Massive open online courses (MOOC) have become important in the learning process and have been adopted in higher education, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, few studies investigated MOOC continuance intention (CI) for arts disciplines. Thus, an integrated framework was proposed based on the expectation-confirmation model (ECM) and value-software-hardware-design system perception framework, focusing on the exploration of the potential factors of MOOC CI for art education taking music education as the context. A questionnaire-type survey was used, and responses from university students were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The findings reveal that perceived music familiarity (PMF), perceived emotional value (PEV), and perceived user interface design (PUID) positively influence music MOOC CI. In addition, expectation-confirmation factors (i.e. confirmation, perceived usefulness of individual learning, and satisfaction) not only considerably affect CI but also play partially mediating roles between music MOOC CI and perception factors (i.e. PMF, PEV, and PUID). Accordingly, the ECM is extended in the music MOOC context. Moreover, the results reveal that personality traits fail to moderate CI, which denotes no significant difference across groups. The findings present several implications for researchers and practitioners in the MOOC, music and arts education, and learning system design in the context of higher education.

The objective of this study was to determine the differential effects of the presentation position of the augmented reality--head worn display (AR-HWD) interface and the audiovisual-dominant multimodal learning material on learning performance and cognitive load across different learning tasks in training for high-speed train driving. We selected 48 participants to conduct an AR driving training experiment for high-speed trains. The results indicated that whether or not the AR interface was presented next to the learning target did not significantly affect learning performance and cognitive load. In complex learning tasks, such as learning to operate the controller of a high-speed train and to remember the steps of swapping the front and tail of the train, the auditory-led AR learning materials were effective in improving learning performance and reducing cognitive load compared with the visual-led AR learning materials. In the simple task of icon recognition, the visual-led AR learning materials performed better in terms of learning performance and cognitive load. The results of this study can guide the design of AR-HWD interfaces for different learning tasks in training for high-speed train driving, which can improve learning performance and reduce cognitive load during the learning process.

Project-based learning is an effective method for students' learning design. For the "Graphic Design for Interactive Entertainment" elective course, the author uses project-based learning to teach UI and UX design to Universitas Pelita Harapan's Visual Communication Design Department students. For the project, the author designed a game mechanic. The students of the course later designed visuals for the game. One game that resulted from this project was "Pro Pickpockets", a game about a group of pickpockets competing to collect valuable prizes for the best pickpockets. This paper elaborates on the design case of Pro Pickpockets as a design project and project-based learning for students in learning UI and UX.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to articulate how the user experience (UX) approach was initiated and integrated into the centre's scope of operations with the objective of improving the e-learning layout on the D2L learning management system (LMS). One of the most effective ways to collect user feedback has historically been to evaluate user interfaces using strategies from user testing. The integration of a UX approach by the Centre for ODL Experiences (COLE) at Wawasan Open University has led to a more user-oriented design of FlexLearn by conducting user testing on students as the target users of the platform and gathering course leaders' (CLs) feedback after the presentation of the new template. Design/methodology/approach: Since the process of design and development is a looping process, the first user testing methods employed were observation and interviews, which were conducted over the course of numerous sessions. The data collection used a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative demographic and background data with qualitative feedback from open-ended questions and real-time interview responses. A standardized questionnaire gathered demographic information, while questions for feedback forms and interviews were adjusted based on specific tasks to explore usability and user interactions comprehensively. Findings: The findings revealed overall positive feedback, with some concerns highlighted by the students who claimed to have trouble navigating the courses during the initial prototype. In addition to the qualitative data from the user testing session, a quantitative method based on an online questionnaire was also utilised for the CLs after the presentation of the final layout. Positive responses were received from the CLs, and constructive suggestions were considered for FlexLearn 3.0. Research limitations/implications: This paper is among the first that articulates the process of initiating and integrating user-centred design in an effort to improve the user experience of online and ODL platforms and LMSs. It will contribute to a dialogue on investigating and prioritising learners' ODL experiences to ensure education equity across all levels or categories of students, which aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Practical implications: The integration of UX and user testing allows us to better identify what users like, their concerns and their needs. We gain important input on how easy or difficult it is to use the system, move around it and how much they enjoy using it. This feedback helps us make changes to the design so that the final product is more in line with what users want. It also allows us to discover problems before they become major, saving time and effort later on. Finally, integrating user input improves the LMS, delivering a more fun and successful learning experience for everyone. Social implications: User-friendly systems arise as institutions prioritise user-centred design, breaking down barriers for various learners. This develops an innovative culture, improving present learning experiences and setting a precedent for future generations. The emphasis on user demands helps to create a more accessible, adaptive and egalitarian educational landscape by connecting education with current technological trends. As education becomes more inclusive, the broader community benefits, emphasising the beneficial social impact of LMS user testing. Originality/value: By articulating the process of integrating user testing on an LMS/e-learning prototype, helps us understand what users like, where they face problems and what needs improvement. By involving users in testing, we get valuable feedback on how easy it is to use the system, navigate around and overall, how much they enjoy using it. Case studies like this also offer universities concrete examples of real-world challenges and successes.

Purpose: Inclusive growth in the education sector is still a major challenge in some countries because of limited access to technologies and internet connectivity, among other reasons. However, as a technology, augmented reality (AR) is expected to be widely used in the field of education in the future. The main purpose of this paper is to explore the use of AR for inclusive growth in education as well as identify the challenges, particularly in countries like India and Tanzania. Design/methodology/approach: This paper applies a systematic literature review by analysing and synthesising relevant documents, mainly journal articles, books and conference papers. Descriptive statistics and cross-tabulation were used for the analysis. Content analysis was used to evaluate the contents of the reviewed literature. Findings: For the use of AR, it is important to have adequate digital infrastructure, access to universal internet or broadband facilities and the digital empowerment of citizens. Major challenges to inclusive growth in education include the lack of trained teacher educators and students' preference for practical or project-based curriculum. Practical implications: Practitioners in both countries may consider the use of AR for inclusive growth in education. Originality/value: This paper specifically examines the use of AR in higher education and the related challenges based on a review of two countries, namely India and Tanzania.

Purpose: This paper evaluated the effectiveness of blended learning of business courses in higher learning institutions (HEIs) in developing economies. Design/methodology/approach: A survey, involving 215 learners, was used to collect data. A stratified sampling technique was used in this study. The data were analyzed using the PROCESS macro in SPSS. Findings: In the blended learning approach, student attitudes, social presence, IT infrastructure and flexible learning are all favorable predictors of learner satisfaction. The impact of blended learning on learner satisfaction is further mediated by IT infrastructure, social presence and learner attitude. Practical implications: HEIs need to invest in planning and resource mobilization in order to realize several benefits derived from the use of blended learning. For optimal learning outcomes, this should be combined with training on IT infrastructure usage for both facilitators and learners. In order to assist learners in developing competencies through consistent use, institutions should also invest in tailored blended learning technologies. In addition, emphasis should be placed on training all actors in order to better manage change. Originality/value: This paper presents and ranks several dimensions for blended learning success in low-budget universities. In addition, the study contributes to the understanding of intervening variables necessary for enhancing the potential of pedagogy in maximizing learner satisfaction.

This study reports on an analysis of user-generated comments in response to a newspaper article criticising an overwhelmingly Anglicised user interface in self-ordering kiosks in South Korea. A total of 1,206 comments were subjected to qualitative analysis to identify salient themes reflecting the public's attitudes towards the practice and desirable adjustments. The results showed polarised responses, with 'strongly nationalistic' language attitudes at one extreme and rather lenient, albeit not actively supportive, 'why not?' attitudes at the other, indicating tension between the ideologies underlying the accommodation or denial of the necessity of English. The coexistence of resistance to the practice (79.7%) and the heated pursuit of English on a national level defies the general scholarly observation that unfavourable views of a language obstruct its vitality in society. The public's attitude towards the phenomenon of excessive Anglicisation appears to be driven largely by the ideology of externalisation rather than the pervasive neoliberal necessitation authorising English as the lingua franca of the globalising world. Although the contingent nature of language attitudes is indicated, the overall findings suggest a transition in attitudes towards the use of English, from perceiving it as a status symbol to viewing it as an unedifying manifestation of linguistic dandyism.

Scrolling is a widely used mean to interact with visual displays, usually to move content to a certain target location on the display. Understanding how user scroll might identify potentially suboptimal use and allows to infer users' intentions. In the present study, we examined where users click on a scrollbar depending on the intended scrolling action. In two online experiments, click positions were systematically adapted to the intended scrolling action. Click position selection could not be explained as strict optimization of the distance traveled with the cursor, memory load, or motor-cognitive factors. By contrast, for identical scrolling actions click positions strongly depended on the context and on previous scrolls. The behavior of our participants closely resembled behavior observed for manipulation of other physical devices and suggested a simple heuristic of movement planning. The results have implications for modeling human-computer interaction and may contribute to predicting user behavior.

Purpose: The massive expansion of digital platform has been responsible for the widespread progressive engagement created amongst learners and educators. The practice of requiring student feedback on online learning services ensures that teacher education continues to advance its strategic approach to online learning. This paper aims to examine the level of accessibility and adaptability of digital technology with particular focus on Malaysia, by elaborating the value of superior learning service and practical adaptability of online learning during the pandemic era. Design/methodology/approach: This study was conducted using qualitative approach of data collection, namely via structured interview. The listed respondents included 30 higher learners who participated in the study by providing feedback on the issues encountered during the research process. Findings: The findings revealed that the strategic enhancement of digital accessibility continued with digital adaptability to sources of learning services would contribute to advancing achievement of digital learning pathway. Practical implications: Increasing accessibility to digital platforms in digital learning system can help to shape the digital environment. Digital expansion can create unlimited boundaries for online knowledge acquisition. Social implications: The social implication refers to acquiring the abilities developed through online engagement with peers by actualising and exploring information together with continuous inter-connectedness of sharing pathway in online platform. The instructor would need to give a proportional gateway to make learners experience the digital environment for future education. Originality/value: This study aims to assess the value of developing accessibility of digital technology for students' online learning services during the pandemic and beyond. A well-structured plan would enable digital learning capabilities and mutual accessibility amongst learners. This can allow digital abilities to be transformed into collaborative teamwork amongst learners.

Debugging (or troubleshooting) provides a rich context to foster problem-solving. Yet, while we know much about some problems and strategies that novices face in programming on-screen, we know far less about debugging and troubleshooting in the context of physical computing, where coding issues may overlap with materially embedded problems. In this paper, we study the thought processes novice students employed and the challenges they faced in debugging an electronic textile project with multiple overlapping problems that crossed physical, electronic, and computational domains. We employed a think-aloud protocol to develop an instrumental case study by video-recording 45 minutes of one pair of 9th-grade students debugging and fixing a buggy e-textile project. The problem space included the computational system's programmatic, electronic, and physical spatial aspects, which are more generally reflective of physical computing systems. We found that (1) students' troubleshooting was more recursive and less linear than traditional approaches that usually propose linear, procedural, step-wise activities, and (2) students coordinated their approach across multiple modalities, taking advantage of a distributed set of tools and people in order to tackle a complex set of problems. In the discussion, we address various pedagogical implications for improving teaching about troubleshooting.

This paper outlines the development of a Hardware Development Kit (HDK) for a remote training platform on FPGA Devices designed to provide university students pursuing degrees in electronic and informatics engineering (at the bachelor's, master's, and PhD levels) with the tools they need to learn and develop systems related to artificial intelligence, digital signal processing, image processing, digital systems, integrated and embedded systems using an FPGA chip. Through the internet or a local network, students can engage with the platform to conduct engineering experiments. The HDK is equipped with a Raspberry Pi, a screen, a camera, and LEDs to facilitate the transfer of experiment results and to aid in assessing the validity of lab experiment execution. The Raspberry Pi plays a crucial role in the HDK, providing control and monitoring, remote access, data processing, user interface, and integration with other possible systems.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to understand the needs of European users for successful development and uptake of a digital land-based knowledge platform. Methodology: The "discover and define" phases of the design thinking double diamond framework were applied to inform the construction of 16 user-personas and journeys. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from users across Europe using a multi-step approach and thematically analysed. Findings: User-personas and associated user journeys present useful methods for understanding the requirements of key stakeholders in the land-based sectors to aid the development of a digital knowledge reservoir, tailored to their needs. Problem urgency plays a key role in stakeholder touchpoint decisions, with acute problems approached by direct calls or interactions with important advisors. Digital platforms are more likely to be used for chronic problems or general knowledge exchange and upskilling. The touchpoints, challenges and emotions of users are not significantly linked to geographical location but are more likely to be influenced by age, gender and existing digital knowledge. Practical implications: Design thinking can be used to understand the needs of stakeholders in the land-based sectors for the development of tools, products and services as well as understanding specific knowledge requirements. Theoretical implications: This study provides a theoretical framework for understanding the digital knowledge needs of different land-based users. Originality: The development of user-personas and journeys is limited in the land-based sectors, and this research provides a framework for use.

The novelty of this study is in developing a conceptual model for predicting the non-linear relationships between human-computer interaction factors and ease of use and usefulness of collaborative web-based learning or e-learning. Ten models (logarithmic, inverse, quadratic, cubic, compound, power, s-curve, growth, exponential, and logistic) were examined as functions of effects compared to linear relationships to see which was the most appropriate, based on R[superscript 2], adjusted R[superscript 2] and SEE values. To answer the addressed questions, the researcher surveyed 103 students from Kadir Has University about the perceived interface and interactivity of e-learning. The results show that most of the hypotheses formulated for this purpose have been proven. Our analysis shows that cubic models (the relationship between ease of use and usefulness, visual design, course environment, learner-interface interactivity, and course evaluation system and ease of use), quadratic models (the relationship between visual design, and system quality and usefulness, course structure and content, course environment, and system quality and ease of use), logarithmic model (the relationship between course evaluation system and usefulness), and s-curve models (learner-interface interactivity, navigation, and course structure and content and usefulness) performed better in the description for the correlations.

Conversational agents have been widely used in education to support student learning. There have been recent attempts to design and use conversational agents to conduct assessments (i.e., conversation-based assessments: CBA). In this study, we developed CBA with constructed and selected-response tests using Rasa--an artificial intelligence-based tool. CBA was deployed via Google Chat to support formative assessment. We evaluated (1) its performance in answering students' responses and (2) its usability with cognitive walkthroughs conducted by external evaluators. CBA with constructed-response tests consistently matched student responses to the appropriate conversation paths in most cases. In comparison, CBA with selected-response tests demonstrated perfect accuracy between system design and implementation. A cognitive walkthrough of CBA showed its usability as well as several potential issues that could be improved. Participating students did not experience these issues, however, we reported them to help researchers, designers, and practitioners improve the assessment experience for students using CBA.

The aim of this research is to reveal the features of a Web 2.0 tool for measurement and evaluation that will be developed for primary education teachers, in line with the opinions of experts from the Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technology (CEIT) and Primary Education (PE). Case study is one of the qualitative research methods used in this research. Participants consisted of 20 (CEIT: 10, PE: 10) field experts, with professional experiences ranging from 1 to 27 years. The opinions of the field experts were received through semistructured interviews. The findings obtained in the research were evaluated in general. It has been determined that the measurement and evaluation Web 2.0 tool to be developed for the use of primary education teachers, should not only have a question/answer design with multimedia support, but also include awards/competition and teamwork' interaction in order to be preferred by students. Additionally, it should provide ease of use and be supported by stakeholders in order to be preferred by teachers. It is recommended that the specified Web 2.0 tool should include outcome-based and graphical-based reporting features. Especially in the Covid-19 pandemic, in order for parents to support their child and follow the student's progress, it is recommended that a detailed statistical development report be included in the parent interface limited to their children only.

The use of simulation tools has been widely used to learn something. Simulation tools have the advantage of imitating a process similar to the actual situation. But there are only a few researches that examine the students' engagement in using simulation tools in the learning process so that it affects the student learning outcomes. This research aims to analyze the factors of Graphical User Interface (GUI) simulation as learning media for learning signal coding techniques. The Partial Least Square -- Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) method was used to investigate the impact and the relationship of factors of GUI simulation such as Easiness of Use (EU), Media Attractiveness (MA), and Learning Content (LC) toward Learning Outcome (LO). The results showed that the learning content factor gave a large and significant contribution toward learning outcomes, while easiness of use and media attractiveness made a small contribution to the learning outcome.

We compared discussion posts from a data science ethics MOOC that was hosted on two platforms. We characterized one platform as "open" because learners can respond to discussion prompts while viewing and responding to others. We characterized the other platform as "locked" because learners must respond to a discussion prompt before they can view and respond to others. Our objective is to determine whether these platform differences are consequential and have the potential to impact learning. We analyzed direct responses to two discussion prompts from two modules located in modules two and six of an eight module course. We used conventional content analysis to derive codes directly from the data. Posts on the "open" platform were characterized by failure to completely address the prompt and showed evidence of persuasion tactics and reflective activity. Posts on the "locked" platform were characterized by an apparent intent to complete the task and an assertive tone. Posts on the "locked" platform also showed a diversity of ideas through the corpus of responses. Our findings show that MOOC platform interfaces can lead to qualitative differences in discussion posts in ways that have the potential to impact learning. Our study provides insight into how "open" and "locked" platform designs have the potential to shape ways that learners respond to discussion prompts in MOOCs. Our study offers guidance for instructors making decisions on MOOC platform choice and activities situated within a learning experience.

Online courses often include interface designs that do not support a positive learner experience. Literature shows a variety of heuristics to detect issues of online courses. While heuristic-based inspection of usability is a dominant method for evaluating digital systems, these methods cannot be easily transferred to online courses. To close this gap, we identified an initial set of social, technical, and pedagogical related items (STP) heuristics based on literature. Next, we analyzed this set using empirical data from two online courses. In total, we analyzed 195 problems with the goal to substantiate a final set of 14 STP heuristics. This new set allows for efficiently evaluating online courses by supporting evaluators and instructional designers in uncovering the most crucial issues and improving the learner experience. Finally, based on this work, we discuss a definition of learner experience for the emerging field of learner experience design and research.

The interaction between humans and computers is one of the most pressing challenges in contemporary society. Subtleties of this communication require that human-computer interfaces are conceptualized and tested by highly specialized experts. Here we describe a novel academic course for human-oriented designers and project managers, with the emphasis being put on the communication between the human brain and computer. Outcomes of the course were validated on 12 course participants both: qualitatively -- educational experience, and quantitatively -- outcomes of a project and final exam. T-test comparison revealed that students who participated in the course gained specialized knowledge, as compared to students who did not take part in the course. Moreover, students generally agreed that the course was helpful and interesting, however, about one-third of them considered the course hard. All in all, we find our brain-computer interfaces course useful in instructing specialist oriented on the human-factor of the communication between human and the machine.

This paper investigates the relevance of electronic resources and improved access for effective distance learning and continuing education. The descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The total population of the study comprises 7,125 registered students of the National Open University of Nigeria. A convenience sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 379 respondents. Structured questionnaires were distributed to the respondents through a research assistant, and only 320 valid responses were returned and used for the study. The study used frequency counts and percentages as statistical measures for data analysis. Findings revealed that students access e-resources regularly. Electronic resources were also relevant as they provide students with up-to-date information, complete information from different sources, speedy and easy access to information, and more. Access to electronic resources can be improved through the following means: provision of useful Internet/server to enhance the accessibility of e-resources, online user guideline for accessing e-resources, creation of user-friendly interfaces for easy access to online contents. It was recommended that audio and video conference chats be made available to students to connect librarians for assistance when the need arises; compulsory user-education and orientation program should also be conducted for students on the use of electronic resources.

Interfaces with good usability help their users complete more tasks in less time and with less effort, which gives them greater satisfaction. Given the vast array of options available to users today, usability is an important interface feature that may lead to the commercial success or failure of a software system. Despite its importance, few educational tools are available to help usability teachers and students. Knowing how to measure interface usability is one of the basic concepts that students should learn when they study the theme. This paper presents UsabilityZero, a web application to support the teaching of usability concepts to undergraduate students. By using UsabilityZero, students interact with a system displaying a reduced usability interface and, later, with the same system exhibiting an increased usability interface. Considering the use of UsabilityZero by 64 students, the differences between the interface with reduced and increased usability were: (i) 61.5% decrease in the number of clicks; (ii) 62.2% decrease in the time to perform tasks; (iii) 92.9% effectiveness increase; and (iv) a 277.3% satisfaction increase. During their experience with UsabilityZero, students learn how to measure efficiency, effectiveness, and satisfaction of user interfaces. After using the application, Information Systems and Computer Science students who had never been in touch with the subject could identify key usability aspects. The students' perception of efficiency, effectiveness, and satisfaction as usability measures was higher than 80%. Also, they could identify some usability criteria and understand how measurements change when some of them are present in the interface design. As a result, over 92% of these students said they recognized the importance of usability to the quality of a software product, and 79% declared that their experience with the application would contribute to their professional lives.

The study was conducted in three phases that is testing, using multimedia and observation of the controlled group. Major objective of the research were to assess the implications of software development design on learners and to identify effects of interactive multimedia environment on learning patterns of learners' at graduate level. The researchers followed experimental design of research and selected a group of six learners from social science departments through purposive sampling technique. Researchers observed and interviewed the sampled learners who used LMS software. The analysis was made to find out results of patterns of multimedia interactions. It was found that in controlled environmental situations, the learners effectively learned by using interactive multimedia. Learners' capacity of learning was developed when they were given freedom to use variety of learning strategies. These learning strategies were based on the ability and cognition of individual learner. It was also found that the interface design also facilitated exploration as well as, provided guidance to make choices. Learners used concept maps as an important tool which helped them in their structured learning. The research concluded that capabilities of the learners may be evoked through nodes, internal motivation and use of innovative learning techniques.

A significant barrier to effective communication in a second language is the awareness and accurate reproduction of phonetic sounds absent in the mother tongue. This study investigated whether the automated evaluation of phonetic accuracy using speech recognition technology could improve the pronunciation skills of 105 (88 female, 17 male) Thai undergraduate students studying English in Thailand. A pre-test, post-test design was employed using treatment and control sample groups, reversed over two six-week periods. Treatment group students were given access to an online platform on which they could record and submit their speech for automated evaluation and feedback via SpeechAce, a speech recognition interface designed to evaluate pronunciation and fluency. Independent samples t-test analysis of the results showed statistically significant improvement in pronunciation accuracy of students in the treatment group when compared to those in the control group (t (89) = 2.086, p = 0.040, 95% CI [0.083, 3.423]), (t (89) = -4.692, p < 0.001, 95% CI [-5.157, -2.089]). Pearson's correlation analysis indicated a weak to moderate, but statistically significant correlation between frequency of practise and pronunciation test score (r =0.508, p < 0.001), (r = 0.384, p = 0.021). The study has limitations as the sample group was predominantly female, and time constraints limited students' use of the software. Future studies should investigate possible gender differences and experiment with different forms of visual feedback.

Teaching introductory computer programming and choosing the proper tools and programming languages are challenging tasks. Most of the existing tools are not fully integrated into systems to support the teaching-learning processes. The present paper describes the usability evaluation of the Virtual Programming Lab module for Moodle (VPL-Moodle) based on a satisfaction questionnaire answered by 37 undergraduate students enrolled in CS1 and CS2 courses and 7 lecturers. Moreover, a heuristic evaluation performed by two specialists is also presented. Results of the descriptive and inferential analysis revealed mainly two things: (a) the VPL-Moodle has a low level of usability in all five aspects analyzed by the students: satisfaction, efficiency, learnability, helpfulness, and environment control; and (b) lecturers found some difficulties using the VPL-Moodle. A number of suggestions for the improvement of the VPL-Moodle interface are provided based on the findings of the paper.

Context: Exploring the design space is an important process in a design task. In this study, we considered design space exploration for the learners in vocational education and training (VET). The goal of the study was to investigate how they explore the design space while focusing on the effect of a graph-like interface on the learner's understanding of the design space. With florists as the target profession, we investigated how the apprentices explore design variations, what they would gain from such activity, and how we can support this process. Approach: We developed a web application called BloomGraph that allows learners to explore design variations. It provides a graph-based interface that enables the systematic variation of design. Using the BloomGraph application, we conducted an experimental study with 44 florist apprentices in Switzerland to investigate the effect of the graph-based interface which provides a structured way of exploring the design space. The experimental group was given the graph-based interface to explore design variations while the control group had a linear-based interface. We compared them in terms of the number of bouquets explored, time of exploration, diversity of bouquets explored, and the learning gain in terms of the understanding of the design space measured using pre and post-tests. We also analyzed the strategies adopted by the participants for the graph navigation and the visual exploration behavior using the eye gaze data. Findings: Our analysis shows that the graph-based interface fosters a better understanding of the size of the design space and more efficient navigation towards a goal design in terms of the number of intermediate designs but with longer exploration of each intermediate design compared to the linear-based interface. Regarding the behavioral patterns in graph exploration, the participants who showed more strategic behavior in the design choices acquired a better understanding of the design space. Additionally, we trained a model that predicts the next choice of a learner using eye tracking data. It provides a reasonable accuracy that opens new possibilities for future studies. Conclusion: The findings of this study support the feasibility of design space exploration as a digital activity for VET learners and show how the learners can benefit from it. The contribution of the paper includes the validation of the idea with florist apprentices and the demonstration of how the process can be supported using a structured interface and the learner behavior analysis. This paper shows how a design exploration activity can provide an added value in the learning of an apprentice in a design-related VET system.

This research was carried out to determine whether the comprehension level differs according to the reading environment by examining the studies comparing the comprehension level according to reading from the screen and from the paper by using meta-analysis method. Meta-analysis method was used in this research. The data of the study were obtained from 12 studies (29 comparisons). All of these studies are studies in which Turkish texts are used in reading. The analysis of the obtained data was carried out using the Comprehensive MetaAnalysis software. In the interpretation of the studies, random effects model was taken as basis. As a result of the analyses performed, a significant and medium effect size (g=-0.423, p=0.003) was found in favor of reading from the paper. Therefore, this result shows that comprehension achievement is higher in reading from the paper than reading from the screen. In addition, it was determined that the effect sizes did not differ significantly according to the publication year, grade level, text type and digital tool. It is recommended to perform studies on improving the screen interface and screen reading skills.

In all areas of knowledge, there is a set of basic concepts or ideas that are essential to understand. A very common problem that arises among students is the difficulty in acquiring these concepts. One way to solve this problem is by carrying out small knowledge tests where these concepts are put into practice. To develop these tests there are multiple options, however, in general, the applications that allow for these tests to be implemented are usually very complex and are often included within other larger systems. This article describes a tool to develop short online courses that presents an interface and a functionality that allows a teacher to create and manage courses in a very simple and intuitive way. In the same way, it offers the student an Android app to be able to access the courses published by the teacher to be able to take them, as well as to manage all the activity of it.

The current study, guided by the cross-sectional survey method, assessed interface design quality, and its predictive ability on E-learners' post-adoption behavior in E-learning course environments. DeLone and McLean's Information Systems Success Model, Khan's E-learning Framework, and Bhattacherjee's Information System Continuance Model formed the current study's theoretical underpinning. Data for the study were collected from 232 E-learners in selected Ugandan higher learning institutions, using a 38-item self-administered questionnaire. Principal Components Analysis produced a four-factor structure of interface design quality that comprised of content interactivity, accessibility design, system navigation, and visual-aesthetics design, which were found to be valid and reliable using Confirmatory Factor Analysis. The Structural Equation Model fit indices revealed that the hypothesised model achieved adequate goodness-of-fit to the data. Regarding the structural relationships, the four factors were found to be statistically significant predictors of E-learners' satisfaction; and in-turn, satisfaction impacted learning agility. The results have clearly aligned with the study's theoretical framework, buttressing existing empirical data on interface designs and end-user post adoption with E-learning interventions. The current study is crucial for making evidence-based pedagogical and design decisions by key E-learning stakeholders for the successful implementation and continued use of digital learning solutions in higher education contexts.

The school system at the university level in developing nations provides the most impactful environment for effective learning and building human capital required for a future-knowledge economy. Unfortunately, less attention is given to the provision of appropriate platforms for the disabled to effectively learn in the university system. Notably, disabled individuals rely on their ability to listen to only speech to gain information quickly to aid learning. In this paper, a learning framework was implemented and tested from educational and technological perspectives. The study focused on an ideal combination of a human-like behavior with a computer application to build a one-way interactive medium between the computer and the user. Using qualitative and quantitative research, we focused on acoustic signal processing without the incorporation of visual input. The respondents used for the study include students, lecturers, specialists in specialized education, and technological experts. The result is a prototype system that translates texts into speech, and a synthesized speech representation of the text entered into the system to aid effective learning. The test results with different users revealed that a majority of 84.70%, 85.30%, 84%, and 86.70% of the users rated the system to have high-quality content, clarity, attractiveness, and responsiveness, respectively.

Educational robotics (ER) seems to have a positive effect on students and, in many cases, might help them to successfully assimilate knowledge and skills. Thus, this paper focuses on ER and carries out a literature review on educational robotics simulators with Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs). The review searches for relevant papers which were published in the period 2013-2020 and extracted the characteristics of the simulators used. The simulators that we describe in this article cover various robotic technologies, offering students an easy way to engage with virtual robots and robotics mechanisms, such as wheeled robots or drones. Using these simulators, students might cover their educational needs or prepare themselves for educational robotic competitions by working in as realistic as possible conditions without hardware restrictions. In many cases, simulators might reduce the required cost to obtain a robotic system and increase availability. Focusing on educational robotics simulators, this paper presents seventeen simulators emphasizing key features such as: user's age, robot's type and programming language, development platform, capabilities, and scope of the simulator.

This paper offers a methodological framework to research data practices in education critically. Data practices are understood in the generic sense of the word here, i.e., as the actions, performances, and the resulting consequences, of introducing data-producing technologies in everyday educational situations. The paper first distinguishes between data infrastructures, datafication and data points as three distinct, yet interrelated, phenomena. In order to investigate their concrete doings and specificities, the paper proposes a topological methodology that allows disentangling the relational nature and interwovenness of data practices. Based on this methodology, the paper proceeds with outlining a methodical toolbox that can be employed in studying data practices. Starting from nascent work on digital education platforms as a worked example, the toolbox allows researchers to investigate data practices as consisting of four unique topological dimensions: the Interface of a data practice, its actual Usage, its concrete Design, and its Ecological embeddedness - IUDE.

For many justifications, the collection, analysis, and use of educational data are central to the evaluation and improvement of students' progress and learning outcomes. The use of data in educational evaluation and decision making are expected to span all layers--from the institution, teachers, students, and classroom levels, providing a longitudinal record of each student's performance over time. Such records/data can play a crucial role by giving students, teachers, parents, and stakeholders a scalable and efficient platform that track performance and lead to informed valid enhancement decisions. This paper provides a description of a proposed tracking system. Developed by an English Language institute. It has multiple key features and processes that can monitor the progress of students from day 1 till completing their study. It is a comprehensive integration of student data management and a monitoring system. Such data makes it possible to see if students are achieving their academic goals and administrator could see, as soon as possible, if a student is not progressing. The system is also useful in helping the institute to plan their educational activities every semester and improve data communication between administrator, teachers, and students.