Roberta V. Nata (Editor)

Series: Progress in Education
BISAC: EDU037000

In this compilation, an overview with the goal of supporting the implementation of technological projects in educational contexts in presented. This overview is organized in three sections: “Institutional Policies”, “Teacher Professional Development” and “Teaching and Learning”, with each of these then divided into three subdomains. The authors submit a paper explaining essential aspects marking the quantitative evolution of the Moroccan educational system as well as the evolution of the main educational indicators. The results show that although much progress has been made, much still needs to be made if we compare Morocco with MENA countries. Next, a study is presented on individual experiences of nine non-traditional students at a case university using the concept of Lifeworld.

The authors describe their experiences within the first six weeks of their study and underscore: the importance of a comprehensive orientation process, the necessity for more support from instructors, and a better communication system amongst faculty to lessen apprehension about completing the requirements of the programs. Following this, the authors deliberate on the Intelligent Learning Extended Organization, or IntelLEO, that was developed to address motivational enablers within SECI model. IntelLEO supports learning and knowledge-building activities of a community that develops as an integration of two or more different business and educational communities and organizational cultures. A chapter is included concerning the concept of university students learning to program by constructing computer games in Gameland, with the research strategy comprising a case study of seven instances of a summer course on multimedia programming and game construction. Afterwards, four OER projects as case studies for OER are discussed.

The impacts of the projects are characterised based on a general case outline, involved partners, funding, development, and organisation, and used digital tools. The key tools and software needed in OER projects are described. The authors go on to review a study exploring cross racial relations amongst learners in a formerly whites-only high school in South Africa, with the goal of examining their day-to-day school life over six months. The effect of text messaging between a professor and students in an online general education course in music is investigated in a separate study. Over 18 semesters, students could opt to receive text alerts from their professor for impending due dates. In the final study, systematically interactive instructions were used to aid two struggling readers in phonics, reading fluency, and word recognition, with recommendations included for teachers.