non-peer-reviewed

We live in an ever increasingly technologically dependent world. It is essential therefore that our young people are educated to appreciate the uses and the potential of I.C.T. in enhancing all our lives. This investigation looks at the use of I.C.T. in special schools in Munster, examining teacher‘s attitudes towards I.C.T. and how they already implement I.C.T. in their classrooms today. It also sets out to find what, if any, barriers are now in place which prevent or hinder that use. Thirty-three special schools were identified in Munster and all teachers in these schools were sent a postal questionnaire. Two teachers were observed using I.C.T. in their classes and two interviews were conducted with teachers in special schools. The resulting data were then gathered together and examined. The investigation identified a number of barriers to the successful implementation of I.C.T. in teaching and learning which exist in our special schools, namely: inadequate teacher training in the area of I.C.T.; inadequate resources appropriate to learners with S.E.N.; access to professional support in the area of assistive technology; access to professional support in the form of National I.T. & Special Needs Advisory Service and the Regional I.C.T. Advisory Service; inadequate technical support; inadequate funding for special schools. This study suggest that special schools should be looked at in a different light to mainstream schools when it comes to resourcing as the needs of a special school are more diverse and specialised, therefore needing a more individualised approach to resourcing. It would also suggest that special schools should be afforded specialised training within their own schools so the best possible outcome can be achieved for learners with S.E.N.

non-peer-reviewed

The purpose of this case study is to investigate blogging as an e-learning tool. The era of e-learning has truly arrived. Educators have at their hands many free e-learning tools. It can be no longer the case of how information technology can be incorporated into the classroom but how effective each e-learning tool is to us as educators. Educators need to embrace e-learning combined with traditional teaching methods in order to engage and motivate our students most of whom were both after 1998. The research case study involved students from two post-primary schools, a single sex school in county Kildare and a fee-paying school in south county Dublin. The county Kildare school students created and developed their own blog as part of their transition year and the fee paying school students accessed their schools science blog, which was created and developed by one of their science teachers. Two questionnaires were distributed to both schools, a focus group was conducted with students from the Co. Kildare school and both of the blog facilitators from each school were interviewed. The case study found that blogging is an effective pedagogical tool, students found blogging an effective way to learn but students do not use blogging as a communication device.

non-peer-reviewed

This investigation aimed to examine the effects of using an Online German Homework Wiki and other factors on undergraduate students’ language improvement at the Shannon College of Hotel Management (SCHM) in Ireland. The Online German Homework Wiki designed and implemented at SCHM in advance of this study. Students had the option of submitting homework online, where it was corrected by the lecturer using an elaborate coloured correction scheme, incorporating corrective feedback and comments of guidance and praise. The students and lecturer also had the ability to communicate online using comments. The Online German Homework Wiki also stored class handouts and class pages in which the lecturer documented all white-board work on vocabulary and discussion topics as they happened in class, thus contextualising vocabulary. Key to the learning process, however, was the feature of hyperlinking, which involved the teacher underlining errors and hyperlinking them to other pages explaining the grammatical or idiomatic aspect, thus contextualising grammar. The investigation involved developing testing methods to establish students’ language level in the pre-study and post-study phases. Questionnaires were devised to collect background information and feedback from students and also feedback from lecturers at SCHM and at other institutes. The investigation found that students’ engagement with the Online Homework Wiki was solely affected by students’ attendance, motivation and attitude towards learning German, IT skills and the frequency of the lecturer’s feedback. The number of students’ online submissions, motivation and classroom attendance affected students’ accuracy and proficiency. When students felt encouraged by online comments they also improved in proficiency. The Online Homework Wiki was successful in hosting the process of homework submission and provided clearer and more legible correction. It was deemed a beneficial learning and teaching support by SCHM students and lecturers at SCHM and at other institutes. The Online Homework Wiki was also awarded an EU European Language Label in September 2011. The Online Homework Wiki will continue to be in use at SCHM. The findings recommend its use in other learning environments, with small to medium class sizes, should teachers feel confident in their IT skills and are able to commit the extra time which online correction demands.

non-peer-reviewed

This study aimed to investigate the educational benefits of blogging, the effect on students’ attitude to learning and the importance of an authentic audience. Blogs offer an opportunity for students to work in a constructivist way, building new knowledge through connecting with others and reflective thinking. Blogging also capitalises on pupils’ inherent interest in and familiarity with digital media. The study involved a fifth class of 29 students from a co-educational rural school blogging for a period of four months. Students posted to the blog and read posts of other bloggers regularly. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to gather data. The study found that pupils had a positive attitude towards computer use and the majority spent time on social media sites. The blog served as a platform and enabled students to become independent learners, facilitated social learning, collaboration and global connections. The blog motivated students to read online and invest more in their writing. The presence of an authentic audience had a significant effect on student motivation and investment. The use of blogs in the primary classroom fulfils many of the objectives of the primary school curriculum and is an important tool for teachers in light of the new Literacy and Numeracy for Learning and Life: The National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among Children and Young People, 2011 – 2020 issued by the Department of Education and Skills which affirms the importance of digital literacy and aims to include as part of national assessments, assessments of primary students’ ability to read digital material.

non-peer-reviewed

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if online activities could improve attitude and academic achievement in Science with a group of students at secondary level education. The problems with homework are experienced by educators worldwide and with the use of online multimedia and technology, this investigation sought to determine if this could bring about a change. A group of sixteen students were involved in the investigation; these students were studying Physics to Leaving Certificate and were in fifth year. During the investigation four teachers were interviewed to get their views on homework and on this investigation. The students were required each night to complete homework and submit it using Moodle, a virtual learning environment. The lessons and homework questions were designed by the researcher. The research method used in this investigation was a case study and the research tools used consisted of pre and post questionnaires, teacher interviews, Moodle data, pre and post tests and an interview with a focus group which consisted of six students who also took part in the investigation. The data collected was both of a qualitative and quantitative nature. The investigation found that for the majority of students their attitude improved and also their academic performance with regard to homework. This suggests that students are very comfortable with technology and enjoy the different approach to completing and submitting homework. It also suggests that the traditional method of producing homework using pen and paper needs to be modified to motivate students in this area. A lot of schools at the moment are introducing mobile devices such as ipads and other tablets which contain ebooks instead of students carrying bags with heavy books. The obvious next step in this progression is to introduce online homework.

non-peer-reviewed

The worlds of education and learning in the 21st century are being shaped by rapidly changing environments of digital medias and new technologies which require new learning and communication skills. The aim of this exploratory and descriptive study is to examine and foster the 21st century thinking skills of critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity (4Cs) through the creation of digital narrative against the backdrop of the Dimensions of Learning framework. Based on research into the cognitive process, the framework proposes that five dimensions of “thinking” (learning) are inherent in the learning process and should be considered in curriculum design, teaching and assessment:  Dimension 1: Positive attitudes and perceptions about learning.  Dimension 2: Thinking used to acquire and integrate knowledge.  Dimension 3: Thinking used to extend and refine knowledge.  Dimension 4: Thinking involved in using knowledge meaningfully.  Dimension 5: Productive habits of mind. Each dimension links to and supports the other dimensions. Learner centered instruction in a constructivist manner is promoted in which the learner takes responsibility for their own learning. The methodological approach to the research was multimodal. Adult learners on a VTOS programme participated in the research process. A pre survey was conducted to explore Adult Learner’s attitudes and perceptions to IT, digital media and learning. The creation of digital narrative fostered an opportunity to apply the Dimensions of Learning framework. A post research e-survey enabled an evaluative review of the process to reflect on the application of this framework in the adult learning environment. The research findings indicate that it is eminently feasible to introduce the strategies of the Dimensions of Learning framework to an adult learning environment to support learning. On analysis of the empirical evidence and digital narrative, thinking skills were demonstrated by the learners to varying degrees. However, it cannot be deduced that this is as a direct result of strategies introduced to the learners as part of the Dimensions of Learning framework. It may be that the learners have developed the thinking skills based on their own life experiences and as part of lifelong learning.

non-peer-reviewed

Rapid changes in technology and the proliferation of online sources has made information literacy (IL) a necessary and valued skill in today’s society. Academic libraries are faced with the challenges of delivering IL instruction to their entire body of students even with decreased resources. There has been a growing trend in academic libraries to create online tutorials that teach IL in order to meet demand. This study primarily investigates the effectiveness of such an online tutorial in teaching within a third level college in Ireland. A case study approach was used to discover the effectiveness of an online tutorial in terms of learning outcomes. Questionnaires were used to compare learning outcomes after use of the online tutorial and taught classes. In depth interviews were conducted with students, focus groups of teaching staff and students were assembled and students were observed using the online tutorial. The study found that although the staff and students of IT Sligo placed a high value on IL skills, there is a lack of appropriate training in this area. The study established that there is support from the lecturing staff and students of IT Sligo in embedding the online tutorial in the curriculum. The study found that after a further collaborative process with stakeholders and further improvement of the online tutorial, integration into the curriculum should be easily achieved. This improvement would include universal design principles and improvement of multimedia principles. Other improvements include using a more socially constructivist framework. This study found that students and staff favour a blended learning environment therefore the online tutorial should be used in conjunction with taught classes. This study suggests that after improvements are made to the online tutorial it is an effective tool for the teaching of information literacy in IT Sligo.

non-peer-reviewed

An industry shortage of high skilled computer users create further options for adult learners by equipping them with an employable skill set and this research assesses the potential widening of progression routes for adult learners. An action case study was exercised to obtain data for this study and was obtained by using a representative sample of adult learners that formed into two groups of ten participants each. The participants attended class sessions during the research and completed one hundred per cent assessment projects by creating two web pages and writing a report on the background and a critical evaluation of their web sites. One of the outcomes of the research was the creation of an adult learner profile in Limerick city that incorporated their educational backgrounds, perceptions of coding, attitudes and opinions of what they saw as important academic subjects. The disparity of computer skills demonostrated during the research was also documented that is linked to the choice and availability of courses for adult learners which in turn impacts on progression choices. One of the implications of this research is the matching of provision of courses and requirements posed by the portait of the modern adult learner. Academic progression may not be the primary motivator for adult learners as they have greater responsibilities than young learners and are seeking a way of returning to the labour force. Application of andragogical practices are implemented during the reseach and are tied to several learning theories and how these can be applied to the learning of HTML coding.