Monday, April 29, 2013

Careers in Education Technology.

Educational Technology Programmes around the world:
-Credit Dr. Sahana Murthy.
Ph.D. and Masters Programmes
  • Educational Psychology and Instructional Technology, Univ. of Georgia.
  • Learning systems institute, Florida State University
  • Educational Technology, University of Florida.
  • Arizona State University
  • Indiana University
  • M.Sc. Education – e-learning. Oxford University.
  • M.Sc. e-learning. University of Edinburgh
  • Program in Learning, Design and Technology. Stanford Univ.
Educational Technology Programmes in India:
  • PGD in Instructional Design, Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning, Pune
  • Masters in Educational Technology, SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai
  • M.Tech and Ph.D., NIIT University, Neemrana
  • Ph.D. IIT Kharagpur
  • Ph.D. IIT Bombay
Educational Technology @ IIT Bombay:
  • Started April 2010
  • Ph.D. programme
  • Faculty from:
    • CSE, Engineering, Humanities & Social Sciences , Management, Design, Education
  • More than 13 Ph.D. students
  • Several research projects
http://www.et.iitb.ac.in

ET research within IIT Bombay
The thrust areas of research with in IIT Bombay’s Inter-Disciplinary Program in Educational Technology fall into two major categories. One theme is the development of new technology tools, both hardware and software, that address educational problems. The other theme is related to the implementation, use and evaluation of these tools, strategies and processes. The interplay between pedagogy and technology is an important factor in ET research.

Some researchers are working on content development for e-learning, such as animation and simulation, or videos for distance learning. For example what should be the pedagogical guidelines behind designing an animation? Assessment and evaluation of e-learning content, technology tools developed and pedagogical strategies is an important field that our students and faculty are involved in.


The ET Inter-Disciplinary Program at IIT Bombay


As the name suggests to IDP in ET is truly interdisciplinary. Along with core faculty in educational technology, we have faculty members within several science and engineering disciplines, and from HSS, SOM and IDC
The ET IDP in IIT offers a PhD programme. Currently we have 13 Phd students enrolled in this programme, many of whom are college teachers, who use results of their research in their classrooms. This illustrates the interplay and integration between research and teaching inherent in this field.
PhD students do courses related to learning theories, instructional design, new technologies and research methods in education, as well as a dissertation.



Sunday, April 28, 2013

Cognitive models

Cognitive models have been classified into models of thinking and models of students.
Models of thinking:
  • Working memory is fast but limited. It can only handle a small number of data blocks, and the content tends to fade after a few seconds.
  • Long-term memory can hold a huge amount of information—facts, data, and rules for how to use and process them—and the information can be maintained for long periods (for years or even decades).
  • Most information in long-term memory is not immediately accessible. Using information from long-term memory requires that it be activated (brought into working memory).
  • Activation of information in long-term memory is productive (created on the spot from small, stable parts) and associative (activating an element leads to activation of other elements).
  • Working memory appears to be the part of our memory that we use for problem solving, processing information, and maintaining information in our consciousness.
  • Working memory is limited.
  • Working memory contains distinct verbal and visual parts.
  • Working memory has a limited size, but it can work with chunks that can have considerable structure.
  • Working memory does not function independently of long-term memory.
  • The interpretation and understanding of items in working memory depend on their presence and associations in long-term memory.
  • The effective number of chunks a piece of information takes up in working memory depends on the individual’s knowledge and mental state (i.e., whether the knowledge has been activated).
  • Connecting the information presented to semantic knowledge also helps in retaining the information.
  • Items fade from working memory in a few seconds if the subject does not try to remember the information by repeating it consciously [Ellis 1993]. This working memory repetition is known as rehearsal.
  • long-term memory is productive and context dependent.
  • By productive we mean that the response is not to simply find a match to an existing bit of data, but to build a response by using stored information in new and productive ways.
  • By context-dependent, I mean that the cognitive response to a mental stimulus depends on both (1) the external situation and the way in which the stimulus is presented(if a problem can be solved by more than one method, but you ask Q about a method and then give the problem, students are found to use that method about which you questioned to solve this problem) and (2) the state of the respondent’s mind when the stimulus is presented.(if the students are able to relate the problem to some real life example or has some cultural reference then they are able to solve it better)
  • Long-term memory is structured and associative.
  • The key to understanding student reasoning is understanding the patterns of association that activate knowledge elements.
  • In general, a pattern of association of knowledge elements is sometimes referred to as a knowledge structure.
  • A pattern that tends to activate together with a high probability in a variety of contexts is often referred to as a schema.
  • When a schema is robust and reasonably coherent I describe it with the term mental model.


Models of students:
  • Knowledge students bring
  • Reasoning students bring
Common naive misconceptions: students think cutting off part of a lens will result in only part of an image being visible on the screen.
Modular reasoning structures: Primitives and facets: students understanding of why do things work the way they do? these are called phenomenological primitives.(more is more)
Situated cognition: The use of context knowledge to help solve problems is a common feature of how people reason their way through situations in everyday life.


Ways to combat this:
  1. Constructivism principle: Individuals build their knowledge by making connections to existing knowledge; they use this knowledge by productively creating a response to the information they receive
  2. Context principle: What people construct depends on the context—including their mental states.
  3. Change principle: It is reasonably easy to learn something that matches or extends an existing schema, but changing a well-established schema substantially is difficult.
  4. Individuality principle.
  5. Social learning principle.

Working Backwords Strategy.

The strategy of working backwards is used to solve problems that include a number of linked factors or events, where some of the information has not been provided, usually at the beginning of the problem. To solve these problems it is necessary to start working methodically backwards, in a logical step-by-step way, to fill in the missing information. This strategy is extremely useful in dealing with a situation or a sequence of events. The events occur one after the other and each stage, or piece of information, is affected by what comes next. The underlying purpose of this kind of assessment is for the teacher to understand/gauge student learning in a step wise manner and then modify the lesson/activity accordingly. It becomes convenient for the teacher to understand that what the pain areas are for the students while they work backwards to arrive at the solution. Finally, it is a systematic approach and can be applied to any problem of similar type or even more complicated problems. The only caution that the instructor should take is that the problem should be properly worded and there should not be an element of ambiguity.
Since this kind of assessment is formative in nature, so it is best when given as an in-class situation so that the instructor can provide real time feedback, monitor student performance and also modify the lesson content, if need be. However, incase of paucity of time and more number of students, it can also be given as homework for the students to complete and submit their solutions. Giving it as an individual assignment is preferred because in case some students have used a different method to solve that problem then the instructor can discuss and share the alternative methods with the students, which shall result in increased value-addition and learning.
This is also a kind of self-assessment wherein once the student has reached the final answer then he/she can check if they have followed the given instructions correctly to arrive at an answer. This means that one can check one’s answer by working forwards through the problem to see if we reached the correct end point. For example given the following scenario:
The present age of a father is 3 years more than three times the age of the son. Three years hence father’s age will be 10 years more than twice the age of his son. Find the present age of the father.
Working with the given details we can say that father’s present age is 33 years and son is 10 years old. If the student has correctly followed the given information then the students can easily perform their self-assessment by plugging in the numbers to see if they satisfy the intermediary equations.

Benefits-
  • It leads to discovery based learning
  • It is a step wise problem solving technique. Therfore, student’s thinking can be tracked on each step.
  • Representing real life problem to the students in an interesting way.
  • It encourages students to read the problem carefully a number of times.
  • Students should decide how they will solve the problem by thinking about the different strategies that could be used.
  • Students should ask themselves ‘what if ’ to link this problem to another.This will take their
  • exploration to a deeper level and encourage their use of logical thought processes.
  • It gives an opportunity to teachers to show their creativity.
Limitations-
  • Sometimes it makes easier problems to complex problems.



    How should this kind of question be graded?
    In working backward problems, you know the end result but you need to find out
    something that happened earlier..In order to do this, the student should be following these steps:
    1)explore: jot down all the data given in the problem and try to identify the relationship between the variables.
    2)Plan: Since the problem gives you the end result and asks for something that happened
    earlier, start with the end result and work backward. Undo each step.try to break it up into simpler units and then try to link them.
    3)Solve: depending upon the relationship between the variables, the student should try to calculate/solve/arrive at the answer to the question asked.
    4)Examine: Once the student arrives at an answer,she should cross check her answer so that she gets back the data given in the problem and finally arrives at the end result stated.This will also confirm that her answer is correct.
    The teacher should check if the student is following the above steps in answering his problem.
    The student should work backards,use logical reasoning,make the problem simpler,brainstorm…


Journals in Education Technology.

British Journal of Educational Technology (BJET)
Impact Factor: 1.255
The British Journal of Educational Technology provides readers with the widest possible coverage of developments in educational technology world-wide. BJET is a primary source for academics and professionals in the expanding fields of education, training and information technology.Articles cover the whole range of education and training, concentrating on the theory, applications and development of educational technology and communications. The Colloquium section publishes shorter contributions, summarising work in progress, raising queries, and questioning received wisdom.


The International Journal of Engineering Education (IJEE)

The International Journal of Engineering Education (IJEE) is an independent, peer-reviewed journal. It serves as an international archival forum of scholarly research related to engineering education.
The journal has published recently in numerous areas of engineering education including: Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Thermodynamics,
Structural Engineering, Control Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, Fluid Mechanics, Nanotechnology, Simulators, Web-based Learning, Remote Laboratories, Engineering Design Methods, Education Research, Students’ Satisfaction and Motivation, Global Projects, and Assessment. Impact factor SCI= 0.228 (2004), 0.304 (2005), 0.355 (2006), 0.356 (2007), 'B' journal in ERIH list (2007); 'A' journal in Australian Ranking of Journals (2009); SJR= 0.041 (2007); H-index= 12]


International Journal of Innovation and Learning  (IJIL)

SJR= 0.049 (2007); H-index (based on Scopous) = 7 (2007); H-index (based on Harzing) = 18 (2003-08); cites per paper = 4.46 (2003-08); acceptance rate= 19%; 'C' journal in Australian Ranking of Journals (2009)]


indexed in



International Journal of e-Collaboration (IJeC)

The mission of the International Journal of e-Collaboration (IJeC) is to publish papers that address the design and implementation of e-collaboration technologies, assess the behavioral impacts of these technologies on individuals and groups, and present theoretical considerations on links between the use of e-collaboration technologies and behavioral patterns. This journal emphasizes technologies that include Web-based chat tools, Web-based asynchronous conferencing tools, e-mail, listservs, collaborative writing tools, group decision support systems, teleconferencing suites, workflow automation systems, and document management technologies.


Journal of Computer Assisted Learning
Impact Factor: 1.065
The Journal of Computer Assisted Learning is an international peer-reviewed journal which covers the whole range of uses of information and communication technology to support learning and knowledge exchange. It aims to provide a medium for communication among researchers as well as a channel linking researchers, practitioners, and policy makers. JCAL is also a rich source of material for research students in areas such as collaborative learning, knowledge engineering, open, distance and networked learning, developmental psychology, and evaluation. Research themes are treated in a way which will maximise their influence on theory and practice in the learning sciences, in education, vocational training, and professional development.
Each volume includes one, sometimes two, Special Issues and these provide readers with an in-depth perspective on a specific topic.
First published in 1985, JCAL continues to have the aim of making the outcomes of contemporary research and experience accessible. During this period there have been major technological advances offering new opportunities and approaches in the use of a wide range of technologies to support learning and knowledge transfer more generally. There is currently much emphasis on the use of network functionality and the challenges its appropriate uses pose to teachers/tutors working with students locally and at a distance.

Technology, Pedagogy and Education

Technology, Pedagogy and Education seeks to serve the international education community by supporting educators in the integration of information and communications technology in teaching and learning. It focuses on research evidence and critical analysis on all aspects of ICT and its relation to teacher education and professional development in all phases of education.
The journal aims to promote the advance of research and scholarship in its field; to provide a vehicle for the exchange and dissemination of reports of good practice and research; to offer a forum for the debate of major issues; to create an international arena for discussion of the role of ICT in education and professional development; and to develop greater awareness, understanding and cooperation between educators.
Contributions are published in the form of original theoretical works, research reports, literature reviews, software and book reviews, conference reports, and announcements about the development of theory and practice in educational professional development. All contributions are scrutinised by at least two international referees.
The journal especially seeks to publish articles concerned with:
  • ICT practice and innovation in education – schools, teacher education, higher education and informal settings;
  • the theory and practice of ICT in education;
  • evaluation of the impact of ICT on teaching and learning;
  • cultural aspects of ICT in education;
  • student teachers working with ICT in formal and informal settings;
  • studies of pupils working with ICT;
  • links between schools, training institutions and the wider community.

Behaviour & Information Technology

Impact Factor: 0.767

Information technology is more than just traditional computers: it includes telecommunications, office systems, industrial automation, robotics and even consumer products. Behaviour & Information Technology (BIT) deals with the human aspects of this technology and reports original research and development on the design, use and impact of information technology in all its forms. Its strictly refereed papers come from a variety of disciplines, including psychology, cognitive science, computer science, ergonomics, sociology, management education and training. BIT attracts a wide, international readership, from researchers and system designers to personnel specialists and planners.

http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/tf/0144929X.html


Computers in Human Behavior
Impact Factor: 1.767

Computers in Human Behavior is a scholarly journal dedicated to examining the use of computers from a psychological perspective. Original theoretical works, research reports, literature reviews, software reviews, book reviews and announcements are published. The journal addresses both the use of computers in psychology, psychiatry and related disciplines as well as the psychological impact of computer use on individuals, groups and society. The former category includes articles exploring the use of computers for professional practice, training, research and theory development. The latter category includes articles dealing with the psychological effects of computers on phenomena such as human development, learning, cognition, personality, and social interactions. The journal addresses human interactions with computers, not computers per se. The computer is discussed only as a medium through which human behaviors are shaped and expressed. The primary message of most articles involves information about human behavior. Therefore, professionals with an interest in the psychological aspects of computer use, but with limited knowledge of computers, will find this journal of interest.




Computers & Education

Impact Factor:  2,059
Computing and communication technology continue to make an ever-increasing impact on all aspects of cognition, education and training, from primary to tertiary and in the growing open and distance learning environment. The journal is an established technically-based, interdisciplinary forum for communication in the use of all forms of computing in this socially and technologically significant area of application and will continue to publish definitive contributions to serve as a reference standard against which the current state-of-the-art can be assessed. The Editors welcome any papers on cognition, educational or training systems development using techniques from and applications in any technical knowledge domain: social issues and gender issues; curricula considerations, graphics, simulations, computer-aided design, computer integrated manufacture, artificial intelligence and its applications including intelligent tutoring systems and computer assisted language learning; hypertext and hypermedia; user interfaces to learning systems; management of technological change on campus and in local education; uses of advanced technology information systems, networks, terrestrial and satellite transmissions and distributed processing; and virtual reality in an educational context; state-of-the-art summaries and review articles.


International Journal of Science Education
Impact Factor: 1.047

The International Journal of Science Education is firmly established as the authoritative voice in the world of science education. It bridges the gap between research and practice, providing information, ideas and opinion. It serves as a medium for the publication of definitive research findings. Special emphasis is placed on applicable research relevant to educational practice, guided by educational realities in systems, schools, colleges and universities.
The journal comprises peer-reviewed general articles, papers on innovations and developments, research reports and book reviews. Each volume contains a Special Issue devoted to a topic of major interest and importance, guest-edited by an acknowledged expert. Recent Special Issues have featured environmental education and policy and practice in science education.

http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/09500693.asp

Science Education
Impact factor: 1,5
Science Education has a long tradition of publishing theoretical and philosophical articles that push the boundaries of learning research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1098-237X


Journal of Science Education
A Journal for improving the science education (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) in your secondary (high) school and University. Indexed and abstracted in Scopus (Elcevier) www.info.scopus.com, Chemical Abstracts (CA), Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC), Educational Research Abstract, UK; Contents Pages in Education,UK.
Journal of Information Technology Impact
The Journal of Information Technology Impact (JITI) is a scholarly, peer refereed journal that provides a forum and means for exchanging information on the social impact of information technologies. JITI's scope includes the effects of information technology on business, socialization, entertainment, and education. The Journal publishes original research articles, short experimental reports, review monographs, technical notes, as well as special, thematic issues with commentaries.
Abstracting & Indexing:
JITI is registered with the National Serials Data Program (NSDP) at the US Library of Congress and it is covered by the following abstracting and indexing services:
  • Computer and Information Systems Abstracts (Full coverage)
  • Cambridge Scientific Abstracts (CSA) Technology Research Database (Full coverage)
  • CSA Engineering Research Database (Selective coverage)
  • CSA/ASCE Civil Engineering Abstracts (Selective coverage)
  • Corrosion Abstracts (Selective coverage).
  • ResearchIndex - CiteSeer.
Education and Information Technologies
·         The official journal of the IFIP Technical Committee on Education.
·         Covers the complex relationships between information and communication technologies and education.
·         Provides perspectives at all levels.
·         Examines fundamental issues at all levels, discusses specific instances and cases, draws inference and probes theory.
This is the official journal of the IFIP Technical Committee on Education. It covers the complex relationships between information and communication technologies and education. The journal provides perspectives at all levels, from the micro of specific applications or instances of use in classrooms to macro concerns of national policies and major projects; from classes of five year olds to adults in tertiary institutions; from teachers and administrators, to researchers and designers; from institutions to open, distance and lifelong learning.
This breadth of coverage allows Education and Information Technologies to examine fundamental issues at all levels, discuss specific instances and cases, draw inference and probe theory. This journal is embedded in the research and practice of professionals.

Abstracted/Indexed in: 

Academic OneFile, British Education Index, Cabell's, Cengage, Computer Science Index, Current Abstracts, EBSCO, Educational Research Abstracts Online (ERA), Educational Technology Abstracts, ERIH, Expanded Academic, Google Scholar, Inspec, MathEDUC, OCLC, SCOPUS, Special Education Needs Abstracts, Studies on Women & Gender Abstracts, Summon by Serial Solutions