Conducting a quantitative and qualitative analysis of a
web-based learning environment/course/application.

Course of dissemination of the innovation
Doctor : kumar laxman

Done by :
Ghadah AL-Shanfari (57762)
Marwa AL-Ibrahim (58688)
Youmna AL-Yafai (59738)


overview about the environment/course:
This course a bout dissemination of the innovation and provided with on-line discussion board that allow and support the students to discusses and learn with each other by discussion forum . our purpose is to analyze this discussion forum to know the degree of discussion , interaction and Cognitive and content-related .
. Moreover, The content of the dissection forum is a bout problems or difficulties associated with the dissemination of an educational innovation. Students should post some of these problems and how they can be overcome. Each student will have to post and describe at least one problem and Talk about the reasons for the problem(s) to arise and why it is a barrier to diffusion and implementation of an educational innovation Each student will also have to respond/reply at least once to the ideas posted by another student in the forum.

Our participants and evaluation instruments is discussion content analysis indicators.

Degree of Discussion
· The total number of messages per student in the course:

As shown in Table1, all 33 students have participated in the course forum but with some distinct variations in the amount of their participations.

this table shows that the total messages from all the students are 298 messages and the average number of message participation per student was around 6 messages; in addition, it also shows that the minimum of participation was at least one message per student, while the maximum was 25 messages per student.

The Bar Graph clearly indicates that around 3% of the students have contributed at least once in the course forum and another 3% participated 25 times, whereas approximately 6% have participated 22 times, with about 12% participated from 6 – 7 times.

· The total number of messages per student in each Topic:

The course forum has 48 threads, and some threads had a lot of replies from students such as the last thread which received 14 replies. In the other hand, some threads did not receive any replies. Most students did not reply more than once in a single topic, although, some have replied a number of times such as a specific student who replied 7 times in the same topic thread.

· Early and Late Messages:
The graph below shows that the degree of participation in the course forum started slow and peaked later on, but then the participation slowed again soon after.

interaction :

A relatively high percentage of students (48.1%) responding to accept or reject others’ views and opinions with more explanation. However, around (21.7%) of the students were comments on messages sent by others. Regarding interaction with the tutor, (13.3%) of students responded to the tutor’s requirements or demands. More than (7%) of students were Repeating information in another message. About (10%) of the statements were related to students’ own experience and showed that they had worked independently to find answers or solve problems
The above analysis shows that although the tutor emphasized the importance of thinking and adding personal thoughts (e.g., each student will have to post and describe AT LEAST one problem (by clicking on new discussion topic) you are aware of or forsee in the dissemination and adoption of an educational innovation. Talk about the reasons for the problem(s) to arise and why it is a barrier to diffusion and implementation of an educational innovation. You can see one example of a problem that I have put up for a sample. Each one of you similarly will have to come up with AT LEAST one problem.’)
( "Each student will also have to respond/reply AT LEAST ONCE to the ideas posted by another student in the forum. You can respond by saying whether you agree or disagree with the views expressed by the other students. You could also propose solutions to the problems posted by other students")
One of the important features noticed in students’ responses was accepting other ideas" I agree with you. I strongly agree with your point, you are right, I believe this idea…" . A large proportion of students (48%) adapted what others said in their messages, instead of using their own points of view or expressions. However, although this result has a negative side, it indicates that students, at least, read and interacted with what others said and communicated with them to some extent.
About social interaction, students attempted to create a sense of social presence by referring to each other by name and to some elements in the learning rather than interacting with the tutor. In other words, students preferred student-student interaction rather than student-tutor

Cognitive and content-related

As we see that all students have post one post related to the main topic but 8 students have post more than 1 and 1 post was non-related topic.

Analyzing content of 25 posts
The results of the content analysis showed that 96% of the overall number of statements posted by students was related to the main topic. The majority of problem which posted were between 3 to 10 lines and responds to that problem were as short responds. Also, all students have posted at least one problem (100%). However, only 1.4% was the Number of related asked questions provided by responders. But, there weren’t any asked questions for clarification provided by responders to get more explanation of the discussion problem. In addition, it was found that 9.6% of the responds were repeated by students.

Figure : Pattern of students’ responses in terms of cognitive and content-related

The above results indicate that the majority of students have understand the actual purpose of on-line discussions, and responded to discussion problem as they would respond to if this problem stated by instructor or student in face-to-face course . In addition, some students had clarify there problem and state reasons for that problem E.g. the student Bayan AL-Rawas said: (students and staff ” teachers ” prefer the traditional way of learning and still want text book and written materials because they don’t trust on the digital education). Also, some students who responds to the discussion forum had state some solutions for some posted problems E.g.: as the student Ameena Alrawahi said that: (we can solve this problem by adapting the innovation to the environment intended to use the innovation...).

Advantages of this technology:

It’s an interactive technology that encourages learners to be more a active and open mind.
It encourages learners to discuss his/her opinions with each other.
It transfer the way of learning from face-to-face class room to on-line class.
They can post any number of messages as much as they want and whenever they want.

Limitations of this technology:
some times students go out from the main topic of the course e.g. ( social chat ,, _
Some students don’t give there opinion E.g. they just say I agree.
Most student rely to others responses.

Refrences:
http://moodle.squ.edu.om/mod/forum/view.php?id=38645

A MULTI-CHANNEL APPROACH FOR COLLABORATIVE WEB-BASED LEARNING

http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/41/ac/8f.pdf

Approaches:

This research contains two approaches which are the scientific approach and social approach, in which it describes an architectural framework and a prototype implementation of a web-based multi-channel e-Learning application that allows users to collaborate regardless of the communication device a user is carrying and will improve the learning processes.The prototype application has been tested locally (on a localhost computer) using a mobile device emulator. The study concluded that with the multi-channel approach, feedback between the students and lecturers is faster since scope of communication device used by clients are more, and interaction is flexible and community based.

Levels:

This research is implemented at the project level in which it aims at creating an architectural framework and web-based application that will improve learning processes using multi-channel technologies that connect students, faculty and the researcher community in a growing network of education environments, irrespective of the communication device such as WAP phones, Laptop/PC, Pocket PC and PDAs owned by a subscriber.

Techniques:

The researcher used a number of tools in his study, which are:

• Observation and study of important documents and information from the Internet was used to elicit relevant facts or information on web-based learning .

• The Microsoft Visual Studio.NET framework was employed in developing the prototype application.

• Microsoft development tool was chosen (since it can be downloaded free from the Internet), because it is compatible since they are all from the same company (Wei-Meng, 2007).

Second Study: The Effects of Instructional Simulation Use on Teaching and learning

by: Michael C. Johnson,
Charles R. Graham,
Su-Ling Hsueh
Brigham Young University
Department of Instructional Psychology & Technology

There is an increase interest and use of instructinal simulations in higher educatuin due to its many features and capabilities in providing real experiences to the classroom. This study utilizied Virtual Audiometer simulation in an Audiology course. The results of this study showed a big number of students agreed that the simulation helped in Visualizing the content through its ability of providing 3D representations of images and procedures. Students also reported enjoyment of using the simulation, in which it provides for authentic engagement with virtual equipment therefore the ability to do more demonstrations in class wich will ensure savingtime, money and safty. The study also indicated that the instructional simulation treatment ensures Quality and Quantity of Practice and Feedback, in which it provides opportunities for guided practice in which students siad that they were able to see each action the professor was taking and follow the procedure he was using to complete hearing tests. all though, The use of Virtual Audiometer simulation enhanced the perfessor's demonstration procedures in class, students wanted more interaction and collaboration by inviting students to participate in the demonstration process.

First study: Effectiveness of simulation in a hybrid and online networking course

Dr. Brian H. Cameron

The Pennsylvania state University

The purpose of the study:

was to compare students' performance in two different teaching methods which are, simulation based teaching and static graphic representational teaching for a compuetr networking course in an online learning environment.

The instruments used:

The study's participants are divided into 2 sections,one section which consists of 44 students used a network simulation package created by net cracker technologies, the other section consists of 40 students utilized a static network diagramming software package. The assessment instruments that were used included a mid-term and final exams in the form of 50 multiple choice questions, team project results which focused on the teams knowledge of computer networks to solve complex probleams, finally a qualitative course survey that was don at the end of the course.