Anat Cohen

Factors Involved in the Implementation of Pedagogical Innovations Using Technology

This paper analyzes the factors involved in successful implementation of innovative pedagogical practices using ICT in ten Israeli schools. The research questions addressed are:1. What is the configuration and intensity level of the various factors involved in the implementation of innovative pedagogical practices using ICT in schools?2. Can a connection be identified between the level of intensity of the different factors affecting the innovation and the level of change in various domains of innovation (e.g., teacher role, student role, curriculum, and time and space configurations)?Data from ten case studies in Israeli schools were analyzed using the framework developed to measure the intensity of the factors involved in the innovation. Infrastructure, factors within the school, school climate and educational policy were found to be the most involved categories. These factors mostly affect aspects of the innovation related to teacher roles, instructional contents and teaching methods.

Web-Based Analysis of Internationalization in Israeli Teaching Colleges:

The international activities of academic institutions dramatically expanded in volume, scope, and complexity during the past three decades. This expansion raised the need to monitor and assess the process at various levels and ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of internationalization. This study has two main aims: first, to present a model large-scale feasibility test for internationalization assessment through institutions’ websites; and second, to assess internationalization using the proposed methodology in teachers’ colleges in Israel. A website-based analysis was combined with in-depth interviews with colleges’ leadership. The use of the proposed methodology is demonstrated through systematic assessment of 21 teachers’ colleges in Israel. The effect of contextual variables such as colleges’ size, location (national periphery vs. center), and educational stream (Jewish-Secular, Palestinian-Arab, and Jewish-Religious) on internationalization expression and intensity are presented and discussed in detail. Internationalization levels were found to positively relate to the size of each institution and its proximity to Israel’s geographic center. In addition, Jewish-Religious and Palestinian-Arab colleges were found to possess lower general levels of internationalization in comparison to the Jewish-Secular stream. This article presents discussion and policy implications of the findings.

The Use of Digital Repositories for Enhancing Teacher Pedagogical Performance.

This research examines the usage of local learning material repositories at school, as well as related teachers’ attitudes and training. The study investigates the use of these repositories for enhancing teacher performance and assesses whether the assimilation of the local repositories increases their usage of and contribution to by teachers. One hundred and three teachers from four schools took part in this research. In the first school, a local open repository was developed and assimilated as part of the school institutional and pedagogical culture. In the second school, a local repository was developed and assimilated as well, but was divided into two sections: one that is open to all and the other closed. In the third school, a local repository was developed, but its use was not assimilated. The fourth school has no local repository at all. It was found that most teachers use a variety of repositories and mainly their local one, which allows them to effectively utilize their school’s information resources and integrates their common experiences. Furthermore, the use of a local repository provides the initial results for set internal standards, leads to professional staff development, and enables institutional information management. Moreover, different types of use of the repositories were found: offline use involves exams, worksheets and presentations; online use includes viewing videos and listening to music files; interactive online use involves computer applications, simulation and remixes; and Creative use was displayed in the creation of adapted instruction processes. Finally, levels of teacher contributions to the repositories varied among the three schools that maintain them.

The Usage of Data Repositories: The Case of MAOR

MAOR (Meta-data and Object Repository) is a national Israeli repository of online learning object meta-data. MAOR serves as a major online learning resource repository, containing materials for both K-12 and Higher Education and enabling teachers to share, reuse, and remix modular learning objects. This paper describes the MAOR repository and the stages of its establishment. Subsequently the growth of the repository analysis is presented, focusing on the learning objects characteristics, contribution rate, and contributors’ profile. The outcomes of the analysis indicated that learning objects from different disciplines (especially Science and Technology, Social Science, and Humanities) were contributed to the MAOR repository. Varied types of learning objects were found, representing different types of content and activities with different goals aimed at diverse target audiences. The majority of resources were contributed by educational institutions, mainly academic institutions and content providers. Although MOAR was established on the basis of the MERLOT model, its contributors’ profile is different due to the fact that most of the contributors are the authors. Besides, the findings that are set out in this paper also show distinction in contribution rate between the institutions that consider the contribution of materials as part of their policy and institutions that do not.

The usage of open educational resources in MAOR repository

In this paper, an innovative view of open online learning materials repositories will be presented through the example of MAOR, Israels national repository that is linked to MERLOT. Web-usage mining techniques are utilised to explore three aspects: (a) distribution level of learning object (LO) that was contributed; (b) tools available to the community and its contribution to object quality; (c) transfer from public to personal workspaces. The use of MAOR repository has become substantial and continues to rise every year to both local and global audience. MAOR members contributed more than 3,300 LO and may access to approximately 30,000 in MERLOT. Furthermore, as part of the learning community they share knowledge by adding comments regarding the object and their experiences and benefit from additional information contributed by users in MERLOT. In addition, the potential of the personal workspaces was identified even though it is a new feature in MAOR.

Development of a contextualised MALL research framework based on L2 Chinese empirical study

ABSTRACT Contextualised mobile assisted language learning (MALL) has been known for its potential in language learning rooted in social constructivism theories. However, a consistent approach to constituents of contextualised MALL, in addition to a quantitative tool to evaluate it, is missing in reported case studies. The present research, drawing upon literature context definitions, presents a research framework for analysing, designing and evaluating contextualised MALL. Real world and real life context variables were analysed and the potential influence of the country (target and non-target) and the mobile activities language learning orientation (generic/dedicated) on contextualised MALL was suggested. Empirical data collected from 53 L2 Chinese students in Taiwan and Israel, encompassing 296 types of MALL activities performed by students, was used to develop the contextualised MALL model as well as an index for measuring real world and real life context learning. This measuring index was subsequently established in a combined top-down and bottom-up process, using pre-defined context literature augmented with students’ stories. At the end of the research procedure a quantitatively operative evaluation tool was developed. Real world was measured by the amount of content activity in relation to the place, typical or non-typical objects of the place and typical situations at the place. Real life was measured by the degree to which other tools assisted in other core activities whose purpose was not learning. The paper presents the research framework, the developed model and index with examples illustrating their application. They are offered for the research and practice community to use.

Privacy Perception of Adolescents in a Digital World

Privacy is a sociocultural perception, depending on the dominant values of a society, sociocultural heritage, and contemporary technological developments. This article focuses on privacy perception among adolescents based on a European school survey (PRACTIS), and presents comparative results of an exploratory study conducted among over 1,428 adolescents in six countries. The results reveal that adolescents attribute high value to privacy and are prepared to actively oppose if an online corporation is challenging their personal interests. However, they tend to trade off privacy for other perceived benefits. Adolescents’ privacy perception and data protection are affected by cultural diversity, age, gender, and most of all their various social network sites activities and their attitudes toward importance of sharing and controlling personal information.

Personal Collection in MERLOT as a Compilation of Learning Object Repository

This study focuses on the phenomenon of Personal Collection in a big central portal connected to multiple learning object repositories, called MERLOT. This portal contains only the object metadata and allows users access to the learning materials stored in several online repositories. A Personal Collection is a compilation of MERLOT modules that MERLOT Members can access easily to use for specific purposes, classes or topics. Personal Collections (PCs) can promote the reuse of Open Educational Resources and enhance pedagogical content knowledge. PCs offer the stimulating possibility of personalizing public learning object repositories, with the emphasis on the individual. Even though PCs add a strong element of personalization to the system, they still retain the many institutional benefits of learning object repositories. The objective of the study is to explore the PCs extent of use in the MERLOT repository and to understand the experience of the repository members who were first to adopt these PCs with the creation process, its design and patterns of usage, in order to expand the use of PC to other active members, along with understanding the advantages of PCs and their instructional value.

Contextualised MALL: L2 Chinese students in target and non-target country

Abstract Contextualised Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) has been known for its potential in language learning pedagogies. However, investigation of relations between variables and MALL components, are seemingly missing. This research aims to explore variables that influence contextualised MALL – target country (Taiwan/Israel) and language learning orientation (generic/dedicated). Accordingly, device mobility and real world and real life context level variables were quantitatively compared between Taiwan – target language environment and Israel – non-target language environment, and between generic and dedicated activities. Empirical data was collected using a structured interview from 53 Chinese L2 students in Taiwan and Israel, encompassing 296 types of students’ MALL activities. Findings show that contextualised MALL was significantly higher in the target country but only in generic activities. Furthermore, the findings support the existence of similarities and differences between real world and real life context definitions. The findings contribute to missing data about definitions and relations among MALL constituents.

School websites as a novel internationalization assessment tool

This article presents a case study on internationalization assessment. The international, intercultural and global dimensions at the school level are examined, focusing on the case of one particular secondary school in Israel. A novel, practical assessment tool is presented for the measurement of internationalization intensity and scope at the school level, based on systematic analysis of school websites and adapted from the existing assessment tool for higher education institutions. The results are verified by an in-depth interview with the principal of the focus school, confirming that the proposed tool can be easily used in large-scale studies. According to the assessment conducted, it was found that internationalization processes take place in each of the tested domains, although a large variation was found in intensity and appearance. This case study of an Israeli secondary school may serve as a point of departure to study internationalization in the secondary education system through the proposed comprehensive, reliable and easy to use school website assessment tool.