An international approach to creative pedagogy and students’ preferences of interactive media

• The world population lives within an information society, depicted as an era of “integrated software applications” where the new technology and information technology paradigms are affecting the global environment and the international trend of education (Tapscott and Caston, 1993; Ottestad, 2010). Within this context e-learning is presented by Ottestad (2010) as an emerging pedagogy where teachers’ creativity, competence and professionalism (Liakopolou, 2011; Davies, 2013) as a quality force come together with the new technologies to meet students’ preferences for optional learning resources, to empower students and increase their confidence as well as helping learning, understanding, reinforcing knowledge, stimulating interest, increasing collaboration and motivation (Craft and Jeffrey, 2008; Inglis et al., 2011). Previous studies demonstrated that the generation of learners called “Net generation”, “Millenians”, “Digital natives” or “Web generation” (Tapscott, 1998; Howe and Strauss, 2000; Prensky, 2006; Hartmann, 2003 in: Van den Beemt et al., 2011) uses the interactive media vigorously (Duimel and DeHaan, 2007; Schulmeister, 2008 in: Van den Beemt et al., 2011). This study is an international approach developed across four countries: Wales, Sweden, Russia and Greece. The research conducted a Focus Group based on e-learning resource presentation and Surveys with Questionnaires. The results demonstrated students’ preferences for dynamic presentations, effective animation, comic effects (Kruger, 2004) and interactive media. In order to find different learning styles and preferences, online and paper form Questionnaires for course evaluation and assessment were conducted and compared with teachers’ observations and notes. The study proposed optional as well as additional e-learning resources in order to reinforce student learning and it was based on learning theories such as: the concept of learning and reinforcement, stimulus, remembering and schema which can activate experiences stored in the mind (Skinner, 1930 in Kintsch, 1977; Bartlett, 1995). The results of this research are supporting the cognitive development theory, the role of visual and the practical knowledge theory – know-how of interiorization and exteriorization, being a contribution to knowledge (Vygotsky, 1978; Piaget, 1970; Wadsworth, 1979).

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Data- och informationsvetenskap -- Systemvetenskap, informationssystem och informatik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Computer and Information Sciences -- Information Systems (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

e-learning

innovative and creative pedagogy

preferences

net generation

reinforcement

remembering

practical knowledge theory

Computer and Systems Sciences

data- och systemvetenskap

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)