Technology | How long used for educational purposes | |
by my organisation | by me | |
Adaptive Learning Technologies | - | - |
Mobile Learning | - | 1 year |
The Internet of Things | 2 years | 5 years |
Next-Generation LMS | We are still using outdated LMS and it only serves the purpose of uploading and downloading resources. | 1 year During the last module, I used asynchronous discussion forum within LMS and found it effective for my students. But the management did not show the willingness to adopt this practice across the university due to strict laws related to speech sensitivities in Pakistan |
Artificial Intelligence | - | - |
Natural User Interfaces | - | - |
I would be adopting the following technologies at my university
Adaptive learning technologies: I read about this term in the report as well as online. It can be used to track students’ progress (expertise as well as areas of improvement) as well as to facilitate their learning needs. In our university, we cannot track students’ progress at large because of the manual grading system. We have a larger number of students and each teacher check assignments, quizzes and tests at their convenience. It makes harder for practitioners to trace students’ progress or to guide them accordingly. We have lots of teachers who are trained in IT but they are not using the most out of technology. Kara & Sevim (2013) highlighted its significance for the similar purpose. “Adaptive learning systems can monitor each learner’s knowledge construction process simultaneously and present scaffoldings and provide immediate feedback in accordance with each learner’s expectations. Interactive tutor in the system helps students to excel each skill, give short quizzes about the content, keep individual score and offer additional help (p.112).” Learners can also trace their progress online through adaptive technology system in an online course (Heo & Joung, 2004), but in my institutional context, it can be successfully used in the blended-learning environment.
Mobile Learning: Most of our university students have access to mobile and internet. During the last module, I conducted one activity, where learners used mobile for research purpose. It was a successful attempt. But learners mostly use mobile for chatting than for productive purpose. I want to initiate mobile learning among students to improve their listening and communication skills.
Mobile technology is useful for language learning. Demouy and Agnes (2010) successfully used mobile devices for French language programme. Similarly, Zhang (2010) highlighted the positive impact of mobile technology on improving listening skills of English as Second Language Learners.
Most of the students studying in our university belong to the rural background and lack vocabulary. I will be using mobile technology to send them one vocabulary each day along with one audio file to improve their listening skills. In return, each student will use the vocabulary in a sentence and will share the audio with others on a dedicated Whatsapp group (initial plan).
Natural User Interfaces (NUI): I read about a model for an online educational game using natural user interface, which can potentially improve the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social development of learners (Shapi'i & Ghulam, 2016). NUI has been successfully used for medical learners, but I our university can potentially test a prototype and then use it for the future teacher learning by creating virtual learning environment using NUI.
References (IN APA)
Shapi'i, A., & Ghulam. S. (2016). Model for Educational Game Using Natural User Interface. International Journal of Computer Games Technology. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/6890351
Kara, N., & Sevim, N. (2013). Adaptive Learning Systems: Beyond Teaching Machines. Contemporary Educational Technology, 4(2), 108-120. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1105533.pdf
Heo, H., & Joung, S. (2004). Self-Regulation Strategies and Technologies for Adaptive Learning Management Systems for Web-based Instruction. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED485141.pdf
Demouy, Valérie and Kukulska-Hulme, Agnes (2010). On the spot: using mobile devices for listening
and speaking practice on a French language programme. Open Learning: The Journal of Open and Distance Learning, 25 (3), 217-232
Zhang, Y. (2016). The Impact of Mobile Learning on ESL Listening Comprehension. 3rd International Conference on Advanced Education and Management. Retrieved from dpi-proceedings.com/index.php/dtssehs/article/viewFile/4290/3928
Comments
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Adaptive learning technologies: As you describe your situation it is losing a lot of time by
a) Each teacher marking assignments, quizzes and tests
b) Students awaiting results/feedback
c) Practitioners spending time tracing student progress
Maybe you could recommend initially spending time to train teachers to fully use the technology which would release them from their time loss burden.
Mobile learning: As you probably know BYOD is now in fairly common use in schools in the UK and even 10 years ago teachers were using closed groups on facebook for students to link to on their mobile devices at school or home. Several schools that I know of are fully implementing BYOD saving costs spend on computers by the organisation. At this age group (14/18) learners are using mobile devices daily and appreciate schoolwork being available on technologies with which they are familiar. It has been different in HE where despite the level of ownership of smartphones by students, universities have been slow to leverage the devices to facilitate learning. See this link: https://www-jime.open.ac.uk/articles/10.5334/jime.ar/ You have given a good everyday example that you intend to use for language learning; it may be of interest to explore further?
NUIs: I think the problem is that at the moment, trying to make the digital world feel as natural as the analogue world has limitations if it is trying to use common human skills. The other question is for children it is the digital world, not the analogue one that is becoming natural for them. Maybe eg tablet design should be informed by how children use them, rather than taking adult gestures into the design of the tablets.
Thank you for your input, Munir, these are all very interesting technologies for education but there are often too many barriers to their adoption.
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Hello Munir!
Some great comments, as always!
I empathise with the experience of teachers having to keep track of all of their students' progress!
One thing that you mention, and I was thinking about when reading your response, relates to implementation of an adaptive learning technology. Recently, I've had some experiencing of implementing a system that has the potential for supporting competency-based assessment and tracking of student progress, and the change involved in moving away from more traditional assessment models to a competency-based approach was eye-wateringly huge!
Simply generating competency-based performance indicators, even at a faculty level is a mammoth investment, and instructors need a lot of support in understanding what the data being generated from the application of this is telling them. Although the initial investment (in terms of preparation, training, and getting institutional buy-in to enable systemic and systematic sustained change) is immense, the pay-off can be too 
I think I'm slightly sensitive to implementation issues following on from my own recent experiences, and just wanted to share these as they might be of interest 
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Hi Munir, I like your idea of using mobiles to improve students vocabulary in combination with watsapp for learning purposes. I'm on a couple of watsapp groups where the instructor disiminates audio recordings and another with quizzes. It's not a formal course or anything. But learning with devices on formal courses is happening even in schools now. I picked mobile technologies too. I think there's define scope in higher education.
Best wishes
Aisha