Robyn Gillies - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Robyn Gillies
ANU Press eBooks, Jul 16, 2015
Human Resources for Health, May 12, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic posed a huge challenge to the education systems worldwide, forcing many cou... more The COVID-19 pandemic posed a huge challenge to the education systems worldwide, forcing many countries to provisionally close educational institutions and deliver courses fully online. The aim of this study was to explore the quality of the online education in China for international medical and nursing students from low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) as well as the factors that influenced their satisfaction with online education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Questionnaires were developed and administered to 316 international medical and nursing students and 120 teachers at a university in China. The Chi-square test was used to detect the influence of participants' personal characteristics on their satisfaction with online education. The Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum test was employed to identify the negative and positive factors influencing the online education satisfaction. A binary logistic regression model was performed for multiple-factor analysis to determine the association of the different categories of influential factorscrisis-, learner-, instructor-, and course-related categories, with the online education satisfaction. Results: Overall, 230 students (response rate 72.8%) and 95 teachers (response rate 79.2%) completed the survey. It was found that 36.5% of students and 61.1% of teachers were satisfied with the online education. Teachers' professional title, students' year of study, continent of origin and location of current residence significantly influenced the online education satisfaction. The most influential barrier for students was the severity of the COVID-19 situation and for teachers it was the sense of distance. The most influential facilitating factor for students was a well-accomplished course assignment and for teachers it was the successful administration of the online courses. Several key factors have been identified that affected the attitudes of international health science students from LMICs and their teachers towards online education in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. To improve the online education outcome, medical schools are advised to promote the facilitating factors and cope with the barriers, by providing support for students and teaching faculties to deal with the anxiety caused by the pandemic,
BMC Medical Education, Mar 15, 2023
Advances in health sciences education, Apr 9, 2024
China hosts around 68,000 international medical students (IMSs) primarily from lower income count... more China hosts around 68,000 international medical students (IMSs) primarily from lower income countries in Africa and Asia, who have the potential to contribute to international medical services. Understanding how these IMSs make career decisions can help better address the issue of global medical workforce shortage. However, such research is limited. Our study aims to explore the career decision-making process of China-educated IMSs, the challenges they experienced and the strategies they employed. In this exploratory qualitative study, we conducted semi-structured interviews with IMSs educated in China in 2022 using purposeful sampling. Twenty virtual one-on-one interviews were conducted, and data were analysed through directed qualitative content analysis. Cognitive Information Processing (CIP) theory was applied as the guiding framework for organising and analysing the data. The career decision-making process of the participants generally followed the stages of decision-making cycle in CIP theory, with a combination of urgent migration decisions and specialisation considerations adding layers of complexity to their career trajectories. Identified challenges encompassed lack of knowledge about oneself and career options, lack of decision-making skills, concerns of contextual complexities that limited the career decision-making process, low motivation and negative thoughts. Specific challenges due to their role as IMSs arose, which were related to career information access, self-capability evaluation, degree accreditation, employment competitiveness and mental states. Participants' proposed strategies were categorised into personal and institutional aspects, providing insights into addressing these challenges. This study substantiates and expands the application of the CIP theory within the sphere of the particular cultural and educational context of IMSs educated in China. It highlights the significance of integrating migration decision-making into career guidance for IMSs, and contributes to the literature by proposing an evidence-based tiered career intervention programme for IMSs.
education science, 2023
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Cooperative Learning: Integrating Theory and Practice
Interest in the key role talk plays in the construction of knowledge, understanding and learning ... more Interest in the key role talk plays in the construction of knowledge, understanding and learning has gathered momentum in recent years as various studies have been published that demonstrate the importance of social collaboration in promoting intellectual development and educational attainment. While there is a large volume of research that attests to the social and academic benefits that students derive when they work cooperatively or collaboratively with each other, including those with diverse learning and adjustments needs and with those from culturally and ethnically different backgrounds, it is only in the last three decades that research has emerged that demonstrates how students learn from each other and how, teachers, in turn, can utilise this information to structure classroom experiences to ensure that the benefits attributed to such experiences are realised. This chapter discusses recent research on academic talk in the collaborative classroom and its capacity to promote...
Promoting Academic Talk in Schools, 2018
Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 2021
PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the effect of embedding cooperative learning (CL) ... more PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the effect of embedding cooperative learning (CL) into the Primary and Secondary Education Course (PSEC) on the academic achievement of undergraduate university students. The study also sought to gauge the perceptions of these students application of CL.Design/methodology/approachThis was a mixed methods sequential explanatory design involving 136 undergraduate university students who participated in a 16 week semester intervention involving the implementation of CL into their PSEC. Achievement data were collected from all students pre- and post-intervention to determine if there were significant differences between the experimental and control conditions. Forty-four participants from the experimental condition were also interviewed post-intervention on their experiences of CL.FindingsThe results showed that there was a significant difference between the academic achievement of students in the experimental and control groups in favor of...
Educational Review, 2017
Abstract Classroom talk or verbal exchanges during lesson time play a central role in students’ d... more Abstract Classroom talk or verbal exchanges during lesson time play a central role in students’ disciplinary understanding and intellectual development. It greatly influences not only what students learn but also how they learn it. Despite this, teachers can be unaware of teacher–student talk patterns and functions; thus, what is uttered during class time can go unnoticed. Results from classroom observational research show that this is often not utilised to maximise children’s learning – teacher talk prevails in the classroom whilst few effective verbal interactions take place among learners. Research in this field started to take shape in the 1970s and has developed greatly since the 1990s. We review some types of productive classroom talk and talk interventions discussed in publications from the 1990s onwards. Further studies need to explore a more universal talk pedagogy employed across disciplines, whereas the process of change in teachers’ beliefs and identities in adopting this pedagogical approach deserves scholarly investigations.
European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 2014
Even in the context of a university science course, students make and attempt to defend unscienti... more Even in the context of a university science course, students make and attempt to defend unscientific claims in personal and scientific contexts. This research examined a random sample of rhetorical arguments submitted by 130 first-year students in a pre-service primary teaching program for the presence and quality of research evidence and reasoning. Students were strongly encouraged to review the evidence with an open mind before taking a stance. Arguments were analysed by identifying elements of Toulmin's Argument Pattern (Toulmin, 1958) and evaluating the quality of and relationships between these elements using SOLO Taxonomy (Biggs & Collis, 1982). For the most part, students' claims aligned with scientific consensus; for example, that climate change is almost certainly anthropogenic. However, a small number of students submitted pseudoscientific claims, such as that fluoride should not be added to the water supply. Such claims lack evidence, contradict existing evidence that comes from a strong methodological basis, or rest on weak evidence that comes from a poor methodological basis. Sometimes these claims rely on faulty reasoning or logical fallacies. Concern is not only for those students who have submitted pseudoscientific claims, but also for those students who have presented claims that reflect scientific consensus yet defend those claims with shoddy evidence or poor reasoning. If students cannot distinguish between scientific and pseudoscientific claims, evidence and reasoning, how will they make robust decisions about health, how money should be spent, and how and what they will teach their future students?
This study examined the state of diversity management and learning at Bonga College of Teachers’ ... more This study examined the state of diversity management and learning at Bonga College of Teachers’ Education. The mixed research approach was employed in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data. The participants of this study were 373 students and 150 instructors which were selected through proportional stratified sampling, comprehensive sampling and purposive sampling techniques. Instruments of data collection included questionnaires, focus group discussion, in-depth interview, and document analysis methods. Quantitative data were analyzed by employing both descriptive and inferential statistics. Qualitative data were analyzed and interpreted by incorporating personal reflections and insights separate from descriptive notes and excerpts from subjects. This paper asserts that diversity has a bearing on instruction. The results suggest that effective classroom diversity management is one of the facilitating factors for effective college instruction. We recommend that stakeh...
Education Sciences
Cooperative learning is more effective in a well-managed classroom with diverse ethnic, linguisti... more Cooperative learning is more effective in a well-managed classroom with diverse ethnic, linguistic, and religious backgrounds. To that end, this study examined the state of applications of cooperative learning and student diversity in polytechnic colleges in southwest Ethiopia. A qualitative research methodology, specifically grounded theory design was employed to achieve the research purpose. The empirical data was gathered from 20 educational officials through in-depth interviews at sample polytechnic colleges. Student diversity found to have a significant influence on how cooperative learning is implemented. It has also been found that the perception of department heads towards diversity has a significant influence on the application of cooperative learning. The study’s findings also showed that managing diversity among students and interacting with peers within groups and from other groups has a positive influence on cooperative learning. In conclusion, the application of cooper...
Education Sciences
Cooperative learning is more effective in a well-managed classroom with diverse ethnic, linguisti... more Cooperative learning is more effective in a well-managed classroom with diverse ethnic, linguistic, and religious backgrounds. To that end, this study examined the state of applications of cooperative learning and student diversity in polytechnic colleges in southwest Ethiopia. A qualitative research methodology, specifically grounded theory design was employed to achieve the research purpose. The empirical data was gathered from 20 educational officials through in-depth interviews at sample polytechnic colleges. Student diversity found to have a significant influence on how cooperative learning is implemented. It has also been found that the perception of department heads towards diversity has a significant influence on the application of cooperative learning. The study’s findings also showed that managing diversity among students and interacting with peers within groups and from other groups has a positive influence on cooperative learning. In conclusion, the application of cooper...
Learning Environments Research, May 2, 2020
Student achievement and engagement are both influenced by the quality of the learning environment... more Student achievement and engagement are both influenced by the quality of the learning environment. Effective learning environments are characterised by high levels of engagement and interpersonal connection. When learners share a sense of connection to one another and the learning experience, they are said to be experiencing social synchrony, an innate process that facilitates social connection and understanding across groups. Our study explored factors affecting, strategies supporting and indicators of connectedness in the classroom. Using stimulated recall, the subjective experiences and perceptions of three year 9 teachers and 65 students were explored in order to identify the conditions under which social synchrony could be promoted. These conditions could be articulated as four interdependent themes: Familiarity, Affect, Competence, and Student Voice and Choice. The findings have implications for supporting teachers to understand and promote social synchrony in their classrooms, and to enhance learner engagement and achievement through enhancing the quality of the learning environment.
International Journal of Educational Research, 2020
This study examines the relative effectiveness of formal cooperative learning (CL) compared to th... more This study examines the relative effectiveness of formal cooperative learning (CL) compared to the traditional lecture-based instructions in improving instructional processes and learning outcomes. For this, the study used non-equivalent control groups design, collecting data from a sample of volunteered undergraduate students (n = 347) in a large public University in Ethiopia. In general, results indicate that higher perception of academic challenge, cooperative interaction, learning gains, and overall satisfaction were associated with formal CL, rather than traditional lecture-based instructions. In addition, results show that cooperative learning lessons were associated with more positive relations between academic challenge, cooperative interaction, learning gains, and overall satisfaction. Implications for higher education teaching and learning from a social interdependence theory perspective is discussed.
Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, Mar 28, 2018
The purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to introduce a conceptual model for assessing unde... more The purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to introduce a conceptual model for assessing undergraduate students' integrated information and communication technology (ICT) literacy capacity that involves 12 items generated from the modified version of the Australasian Survey of Student Engagement (AUSSE) questionnaire (Coates, 2010); second, to illustrate the construct validity and internal consistency of the model as implemented in a sample of undergraduate students (n = 536) enrolled in two colleges within a large Ethiopian university; and third, to further demonstrate the criterion validity of the model by examining predictive validity of the identified ICT literacy factors on student learning outcomes. A multi-method approach is used, which comprises correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis and structural equation modelling (SEM) techniques. The main finding is the support found for the 4-factor model consisting of ICT use, cognitive process, reading task and writing task. Results of the multi-method approach provide specific guidelines to higher education (HE) institutions using this approach to evaluate ICT literacy capacity and the resultant learning outcomes among their undergraduate students. The paper provides a conceptual model and supporting tools that can be used by other HE institutions to assist in the evaluation of students' ICT literacy capacities.
Higher education research and development, May 22, 2020
While cooperative learning (CL) has gained considerable attention in the current discourse about ... more While cooperative learning (CL) has gained considerable attention in the current discourse about undergraduate quality education, it is minimally used in higher education classrooms, particularly in the developing countries context. Using a non-equivalent control groups design and a sample of undergraduate students (n = 340) from Jimma University, Ethiopia. This study examined the effects of informal CL on teaching effectiveness, task orientation, and learning satisfaction, together with the convergence between these latent variables. For these, the authors used t-test, one-way MANOVA, bivariate correlations, and structural equation modeling (SEM). As predicted, t tests and MANOVA results indicated that participation in the informal CL pedagogy does have low to medium effect on each variable measured (.031≤ partial η 2 ≥ .049 or 0.36 ≤ Cohen's d ≥ 0.45). This suggests that higher perception of teaching effectiveness, more task orientation, and greater learning satisfaction were associated with informal CL rather than traditional lecture instructions. In addition, as predicted, SEM analyses also confirmed the significant positive associations between the teaching effectiveness, task orientation, and learning satisfaction (.79 ≤ r ≥ .85). Beyond this, the process indicators teaching effectiveness and task orientation, together predicted 85% of the variance in learning satisfaction. Implications are discussed.
Challenges in Science Education
ANU Press eBooks, Jul 16, 2015
Human Resources for Health, May 12, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic posed a huge challenge to the education systems worldwide, forcing many cou... more The COVID-19 pandemic posed a huge challenge to the education systems worldwide, forcing many countries to provisionally close educational institutions and deliver courses fully online. The aim of this study was to explore the quality of the online education in China for international medical and nursing students from low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) as well as the factors that influenced their satisfaction with online education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Questionnaires were developed and administered to 316 international medical and nursing students and 120 teachers at a university in China. The Chi-square test was used to detect the influence of participants' personal characteristics on their satisfaction with online education. The Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum test was employed to identify the negative and positive factors influencing the online education satisfaction. A binary logistic regression model was performed for multiple-factor analysis to determine the association of the different categories of influential factorscrisis-, learner-, instructor-, and course-related categories, with the online education satisfaction. Results: Overall, 230 students (response rate 72.8%) and 95 teachers (response rate 79.2%) completed the survey. It was found that 36.5% of students and 61.1% of teachers were satisfied with the online education. Teachers' professional title, students' year of study, continent of origin and location of current residence significantly influenced the online education satisfaction. The most influential barrier for students was the severity of the COVID-19 situation and for teachers it was the sense of distance. The most influential facilitating factor for students was a well-accomplished course assignment and for teachers it was the successful administration of the online courses. Several key factors have been identified that affected the attitudes of international health science students from LMICs and their teachers towards online education in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. To improve the online education outcome, medical schools are advised to promote the facilitating factors and cope with the barriers, by providing support for students and teaching faculties to deal with the anxiety caused by the pandemic,
BMC Medical Education, Mar 15, 2023
Advances in health sciences education, Apr 9, 2024
China hosts around 68,000 international medical students (IMSs) primarily from lower income count... more China hosts around 68,000 international medical students (IMSs) primarily from lower income countries in Africa and Asia, who have the potential to contribute to international medical services. Understanding how these IMSs make career decisions can help better address the issue of global medical workforce shortage. However, such research is limited. Our study aims to explore the career decision-making process of China-educated IMSs, the challenges they experienced and the strategies they employed. In this exploratory qualitative study, we conducted semi-structured interviews with IMSs educated in China in 2022 using purposeful sampling. Twenty virtual one-on-one interviews were conducted, and data were analysed through directed qualitative content analysis. Cognitive Information Processing (CIP) theory was applied as the guiding framework for organising and analysing the data. The career decision-making process of the participants generally followed the stages of decision-making cycle in CIP theory, with a combination of urgent migration decisions and specialisation considerations adding layers of complexity to their career trajectories. Identified challenges encompassed lack of knowledge about oneself and career options, lack of decision-making skills, concerns of contextual complexities that limited the career decision-making process, low motivation and negative thoughts. Specific challenges due to their role as IMSs arose, which were related to career information access, self-capability evaluation, degree accreditation, employment competitiveness and mental states. Participants' proposed strategies were categorised into personal and institutional aspects, providing insights into addressing these challenges. This study substantiates and expands the application of the CIP theory within the sphere of the particular cultural and educational context of IMSs educated in China. It highlights the significance of integrating migration decision-making into career guidance for IMSs, and contributes to the literature by proposing an evidence-based tiered career intervention programme for IMSs.
education science, 2023
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Cooperative Learning: Integrating Theory and Practice
Interest in the key role talk plays in the construction of knowledge, understanding and learning ... more Interest in the key role talk plays in the construction of knowledge, understanding and learning has gathered momentum in recent years as various studies have been published that demonstrate the importance of social collaboration in promoting intellectual development and educational attainment. While there is a large volume of research that attests to the social and academic benefits that students derive when they work cooperatively or collaboratively with each other, including those with diverse learning and adjustments needs and with those from culturally and ethnically different backgrounds, it is only in the last three decades that research has emerged that demonstrates how students learn from each other and how, teachers, in turn, can utilise this information to structure classroom experiences to ensure that the benefits attributed to such experiences are realised. This chapter discusses recent research on academic talk in the collaborative classroom and its capacity to promote...
Promoting Academic Talk in Schools, 2018
Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 2021
PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the effect of embedding cooperative learning (CL) ... more PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the effect of embedding cooperative learning (CL) into the Primary and Secondary Education Course (PSEC) on the academic achievement of undergraduate university students. The study also sought to gauge the perceptions of these students application of CL.Design/methodology/approachThis was a mixed methods sequential explanatory design involving 136 undergraduate university students who participated in a 16 week semester intervention involving the implementation of CL into their PSEC. Achievement data were collected from all students pre- and post-intervention to determine if there were significant differences between the experimental and control conditions. Forty-four participants from the experimental condition were also interviewed post-intervention on their experiences of CL.FindingsThe results showed that there was a significant difference between the academic achievement of students in the experimental and control groups in favor of...
Educational Review, 2017
Abstract Classroom talk or verbal exchanges during lesson time play a central role in students’ d... more Abstract Classroom talk or verbal exchanges during lesson time play a central role in students’ disciplinary understanding and intellectual development. It greatly influences not only what students learn but also how they learn it. Despite this, teachers can be unaware of teacher–student talk patterns and functions; thus, what is uttered during class time can go unnoticed. Results from classroom observational research show that this is often not utilised to maximise children’s learning – teacher talk prevails in the classroom whilst few effective verbal interactions take place among learners. Research in this field started to take shape in the 1970s and has developed greatly since the 1990s. We review some types of productive classroom talk and talk interventions discussed in publications from the 1990s onwards. Further studies need to explore a more universal talk pedagogy employed across disciplines, whereas the process of change in teachers’ beliefs and identities in adopting this pedagogical approach deserves scholarly investigations.
European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 2014
Even in the context of a university science course, students make and attempt to defend unscienti... more Even in the context of a university science course, students make and attempt to defend unscientific claims in personal and scientific contexts. This research examined a random sample of rhetorical arguments submitted by 130 first-year students in a pre-service primary teaching program for the presence and quality of research evidence and reasoning. Students were strongly encouraged to review the evidence with an open mind before taking a stance. Arguments were analysed by identifying elements of Toulmin's Argument Pattern (Toulmin, 1958) and evaluating the quality of and relationships between these elements using SOLO Taxonomy (Biggs & Collis, 1982). For the most part, students' claims aligned with scientific consensus; for example, that climate change is almost certainly anthropogenic. However, a small number of students submitted pseudoscientific claims, such as that fluoride should not be added to the water supply. Such claims lack evidence, contradict existing evidence that comes from a strong methodological basis, or rest on weak evidence that comes from a poor methodological basis. Sometimes these claims rely on faulty reasoning or logical fallacies. Concern is not only for those students who have submitted pseudoscientific claims, but also for those students who have presented claims that reflect scientific consensus yet defend those claims with shoddy evidence or poor reasoning. If students cannot distinguish between scientific and pseudoscientific claims, evidence and reasoning, how will they make robust decisions about health, how money should be spent, and how and what they will teach their future students?
This study examined the state of diversity management and learning at Bonga College of Teachers’ ... more This study examined the state of diversity management and learning at Bonga College of Teachers’ Education. The mixed research approach was employed in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data. The participants of this study were 373 students and 150 instructors which were selected through proportional stratified sampling, comprehensive sampling and purposive sampling techniques. Instruments of data collection included questionnaires, focus group discussion, in-depth interview, and document analysis methods. Quantitative data were analyzed by employing both descriptive and inferential statistics. Qualitative data were analyzed and interpreted by incorporating personal reflections and insights separate from descriptive notes and excerpts from subjects. This paper asserts that diversity has a bearing on instruction. The results suggest that effective classroom diversity management is one of the facilitating factors for effective college instruction. We recommend that stakeh...
Education Sciences
Cooperative learning is more effective in a well-managed classroom with diverse ethnic, linguisti... more Cooperative learning is more effective in a well-managed classroom with diverse ethnic, linguistic, and religious backgrounds. To that end, this study examined the state of applications of cooperative learning and student diversity in polytechnic colleges in southwest Ethiopia. A qualitative research methodology, specifically grounded theory design was employed to achieve the research purpose. The empirical data was gathered from 20 educational officials through in-depth interviews at sample polytechnic colleges. Student diversity found to have a significant influence on how cooperative learning is implemented. It has also been found that the perception of department heads towards diversity has a significant influence on the application of cooperative learning. The study’s findings also showed that managing diversity among students and interacting with peers within groups and from other groups has a positive influence on cooperative learning. In conclusion, the application of cooper...
Education Sciences
Cooperative learning is more effective in a well-managed classroom with diverse ethnic, linguisti... more Cooperative learning is more effective in a well-managed classroom with diverse ethnic, linguistic, and religious backgrounds. To that end, this study examined the state of applications of cooperative learning and student diversity in polytechnic colleges in southwest Ethiopia. A qualitative research methodology, specifically grounded theory design was employed to achieve the research purpose. The empirical data was gathered from 20 educational officials through in-depth interviews at sample polytechnic colleges. Student diversity found to have a significant influence on how cooperative learning is implemented. It has also been found that the perception of department heads towards diversity has a significant influence on the application of cooperative learning. The study’s findings also showed that managing diversity among students and interacting with peers within groups and from other groups has a positive influence on cooperative learning. In conclusion, the application of cooper...
Learning Environments Research, May 2, 2020
Student achievement and engagement are both influenced by the quality of the learning environment... more Student achievement and engagement are both influenced by the quality of the learning environment. Effective learning environments are characterised by high levels of engagement and interpersonal connection. When learners share a sense of connection to one another and the learning experience, they are said to be experiencing social synchrony, an innate process that facilitates social connection and understanding across groups. Our study explored factors affecting, strategies supporting and indicators of connectedness in the classroom. Using stimulated recall, the subjective experiences and perceptions of three year 9 teachers and 65 students were explored in order to identify the conditions under which social synchrony could be promoted. These conditions could be articulated as four interdependent themes: Familiarity, Affect, Competence, and Student Voice and Choice. The findings have implications for supporting teachers to understand and promote social synchrony in their classrooms, and to enhance learner engagement and achievement through enhancing the quality of the learning environment.
International Journal of Educational Research, 2020
This study examines the relative effectiveness of formal cooperative learning (CL) compared to th... more This study examines the relative effectiveness of formal cooperative learning (CL) compared to the traditional lecture-based instructions in improving instructional processes and learning outcomes. For this, the study used non-equivalent control groups design, collecting data from a sample of volunteered undergraduate students (n = 347) in a large public University in Ethiopia. In general, results indicate that higher perception of academic challenge, cooperative interaction, learning gains, and overall satisfaction were associated with formal CL, rather than traditional lecture-based instructions. In addition, results show that cooperative learning lessons were associated with more positive relations between academic challenge, cooperative interaction, learning gains, and overall satisfaction. Implications for higher education teaching and learning from a social interdependence theory perspective is discussed.
Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, Mar 28, 2018
The purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to introduce a conceptual model for assessing unde... more The purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to introduce a conceptual model for assessing undergraduate students' integrated information and communication technology (ICT) literacy capacity that involves 12 items generated from the modified version of the Australasian Survey of Student Engagement (AUSSE) questionnaire (Coates, 2010); second, to illustrate the construct validity and internal consistency of the model as implemented in a sample of undergraduate students (n = 536) enrolled in two colleges within a large Ethiopian university; and third, to further demonstrate the criterion validity of the model by examining predictive validity of the identified ICT literacy factors on student learning outcomes. A multi-method approach is used, which comprises correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis and structural equation modelling (SEM) techniques. The main finding is the support found for the 4-factor model consisting of ICT use, cognitive process, reading task and writing task. Results of the multi-method approach provide specific guidelines to higher education (HE) institutions using this approach to evaluate ICT literacy capacity and the resultant learning outcomes among their undergraduate students. The paper provides a conceptual model and supporting tools that can be used by other HE institutions to assist in the evaluation of students' ICT literacy capacities.
Higher education research and development, May 22, 2020
While cooperative learning (CL) has gained considerable attention in the current discourse about ... more While cooperative learning (CL) has gained considerable attention in the current discourse about undergraduate quality education, it is minimally used in higher education classrooms, particularly in the developing countries context. Using a non-equivalent control groups design and a sample of undergraduate students (n = 340) from Jimma University, Ethiopia. This study examined the effects of informal CL on teaching effectiveness, task orientation, and learning satisfaction, together with the convergence between these latent variables. For these, the authors used t-test, one-way MANOVA, bivariate correlations, and structural equation modeling (SEM). As predicted, t tests and MANOVA results indicated that participation in the informal CL pedagogy does have low to medium effect on each variable measured (.031≤ partial η 2 ≥ .049 or 0.36 ≤ Cohen's d ≥ 0.45). This suggests that higher perception of teaching effectiveness, more task orientation, and greater learning satisfaction were associated with informal CL rather than traditional lecture instructions. In addition, as predicted, SEM analyses also confirmed the significant positive associations between the teaching effectiveness, task orientation, and learning satisfaction (.79 ≤ r ≥ .85). Beyond this, the process indicators teaching effectiveness and task orientation, together predicted 85% of the variance in learning satisfaction. Implications are discussed.
Challenges in Science Education
Teaching Education, 2011
This paper reports on a study that was conducted on the effects of training students in specific ... more This paper reports on a study that was conducted on the effects of training students in specific strategic and meta-cognitive questioning strategies on the development of reasoning, problem-solving, and learning during cooperative inquiry-based science activities. The study was conducted in 18 sixth grade classrooms and involved 35 groups of students in three conditions: the cognitive questioning condition; the Philosophy for Children condition; and the comparison condition. The students were videotaped as they worked on a specific inquiry-science task once each term for two consecutive school terms. The results show that the students in all conditions demonstrated more helping discourses or discourses known to mediate learning than any other of the discourse categories. This outcome is encouraging because it is the helping discourses where students provide explanations, elaborations, and reasons that promote follow-up learning.