Henrik Hansson

Learners' Perceptions on the Structure and Usefulness of E-Resources for the Thesis Courses.

Abstract The use of information and communication technology (ICT) in education is a way to facilitate interaction and accessing information for learning in higher education. However, finding a set of structured e-resources to facilitate learning within specific courses is still a big challenge in most higher education institutions. This includes the problems and challenges for thesis courses in both undergraduate (Bachelor) and graduate (Master) level in Sweden. To overcome or reduce the problems and enhance quality of outcomes in thesis courses, the department of Computer and Systems Sciences (DSV) at Stockholm University has developed a Learning Support System, SciPro (Scientific Process), to support the thesis process. The aim of this study is to investigate learners’ perspectives on the usefulness of structured e-resources in SciPro, to reduce challenges for finding information related to the thesis process. This was done based on an open online survey, carried out in 2012-2013 of students’ perspectives at DSV. The study found the actual problems that students have encountered in the thesis courses and hence suggested a general model as a way forward to sort the e-resources to reduce the problems in the thesis process.

Women empowerment in rural areas through the usage of telecentres - a Sri Lankan case study

Information and Communication Technologies can have a strong impact on the development of a region: telecentre networks are in particular interesting model for e-learning dissemination to rural areas. The focus area of our investigation is Sri Lanka: the country has a long tradition in terms of gender equality - as it promotes an inclusive education system - and the use of ICTs is widespread. So far 600 of the planned 1000 telecentres have been started following the Nenasala network model. This paper is based upon observations and interviews of women and men working in different roles (owner, manager, operator and user) at telecentres in rural Sri Lanka. The aim of the study is to analyze and discuss the role of telecentres in rural areas and their impact on women empowerment. Findings show that telecentres open up new channels of information and create career opportunities for women in rural areas. Through telecentres, women can improve their life and be active participants in the rural development. However there still exists a need for further improvements and support for females in the Sri Lankan telecentre network.

Optimizing Student and Supervisor Interaction During the SciPro Thesis Process – Concepts and Design

In order for students to complete their bachelor, master and Ph.D. theses they need feedback, cues, guidance and supervision. Common problems perceived by students are too little instructions as well as infrequent and insufficient supervisor feedback. At Stockholm University, the SciPro (Supporting the Scientific Process) system has been developed to tackle these problems. This paper describes, analyze and discuss the interaction between students and supervisors using the SciPro system. The results show high level of interaction between students and supervisors in the thesis handling process. However, six special groups of needs were identified: support for (1) language(s), (2) research methods, (3) self-study, (4) creativity, (5) “How to write”, and (6) inspiration and motivation. The collaborative stage of group-supervision may be one possible way to deal with the different type of support for the process of managing student theses.

Exploring teacher adoption and use of an upgraded eLearning platform for ICT capacity building at University of Rwanda

Integrating technology in pedagogy is a step for ICT capacity building for higher education to meet its current demands. Therefore, the integration of eLearning systems has been problematic, albeit huge investments in ICT infrastructure. This study investigates teacher adoption of a new upgraded eLearning platform being integrated at University of Rwanda. A six-constructs model related to technology adoption was used to design questionnaire and interviews. Closed and open-ended questions seeking perceptions on the UR eLearning environment were used on 87 respondents who were purposively selected. Findings indicate that although participants find the system useful, easy and trustworthy, the intention for adopting and using it is very low due managerial support and technical support. Gaps in policy synergy, incentives, basic infrastructure, managerial and technical support were among the identified bottlenecks contributing negatively to the low degree of teacher intention. The study concludes by proposing some remedies to address the above challenges.

The Rural Wings Project: Bridging the Digital Divide with Satellite-Provided Internet. Phase I--Identifying and Analysing the Learning Needs of 31 Communities in 10 Countries

The digitally marginalised communities are in focus in the EU-funded Rural Wings project 2006–2008. The aim is to identify and analyse the user learning needs in non-connected communities and to meet these needs by providing satellite Internet broadband connections, education and tools. This article reports the findings of the user needs investigation of 31 communities in 10 countries in the initial phase of the project designed and coordinated by Stockholm University, Sweden. Each national coordinator conducted a user needs study in their country using a common framework of questions and guidelines. The sites were selected according to national and regional needs and where satellite-provided Internet is believed to be the long-term solution. The 31 communities selected can be summarised as (a) mainland/lowland communities, 10 (b) mainland/highland communities, 12 (c) island/lowland communities, 5, and (d) island/highland communities, 4. The analysis reveals common threads of lack of infrastructure, accessibility and reliability concerning information and communication technology (ICT) implementation and containment in the community. There is a plethora of reasons for wanting more reliable and frequent Internet connections. Reasons range from educational opportunities, language opportunities, governmental inclusion, information/news outlets, and medical and weather initiative capabilities. This study provides in-depth macro-summaries of each participating countrys user needs analysis in total. It also includes the actual analysis of each test site based on over 31 sites spanning 10 European nations. In addition, generalisations, comparisons and differences have been composed, to provide a framework for European trends in rural ICT access.

The Future of Schools from a European Union Perspective: Selecting, Analyzing and Disseminating the Most Innovative Approaches towards the School of Tomorrow.

What can we learn from European Union (EU) school projects about future learning approaches? The EU has invested massively in information and communication technologies (ICT) projects promoting innovative use of new technologies in school settings. The aim of the project ‘School Foresight’, with partners in Bulgaria, Estonia, Greece, Romania, the Czech Republic and Sweden, was to select and reflect on the best projects done so far. These projects were popularized and presented at the European Science Week in the autumn of 2004 and reached more than 10,000 students in five countries. This article describes and discusses the School Foresight project and the selection process of innovative EU projects showing the way towards the school of tomorrow. A number of best cases will be presented and discussed in a European, American and global context. The school of the future is both a question of what is possible and what is desired. Different scenarios might be preferable depending on local context, history, language, etc., or, are we all moving into the ‘global classroom’?

Exploring Student and Supervisor Interaction During the SciPro Thesis Process: Two Use Cases

Common problems identified by students during their interaction with supervisors are too little instructions as well as infrequent and insufficient supervisor feedback. The SciPro system has been developed to tackle these problems. This paper describes, analyze and discuss the interaction between students and supervisors using the SciPro system. Through two use cases involving two supervisors and 38 bachelor and master students, the authors show that the structure implemented in SciPro supports and allows for different pedagogical approaches and supervision styles. Ten different types of interactions in the thesis process are identified. In order to explain why some students do not complete within the timeframe, the authors identify six categories of problems: 1 language skills, 2 inability to apply research methods, 3 ability for self-study, 4 lack of creativity, 5 limited knowledge about how to write academic work, and 6 lack of motivation. The collaborative stage of group-supervision may be one possible way to deal with the different type of support for the process of managing student theses.

The effect of multiple change processes on quality and completion rate of theses: a longitudinal study

Abstract Improving the quality of Bachelor’s and Master’s theses while at the same time increasing the number of theses without expanding the existing resources proportionately is a huge challenge faced by higher educational institutions. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of multiple change processes on Bachelors and Masters level thesis work in a selected higher educational institution. The following research questions were studied: (1) How has the thesis quality changed? (2) How has the number of completed theses changed? and, (3) How has the ratio of completed theses per supervisor changed? The change processes were introduced into the thesis process in the Department of Computer and Systems Sciences (DSV), Stockholm University during 2008–2014. The results show that the quality and the number of completed theses have significantly increased. The multiple change processes including a purpose built ICT system named SciPro, which was introduced and improved incrementally during 2010–2014 are discussed and evaluated in relation to these results.

ICT Capacity Building: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Rwandan Policies from Higher Education Perspective

Abstract With the development of technology in the 21st Century, education systems attempt to integrate technology-based tools to improve experiences in pedagogy and administration. It is becoming increasingly prominent to build human and ICT infrastructure capacities at universities from policy to implementation level. Using a critical discourse analysis, this study investigates the articulation of ICT capacity building strategies from both national and institutional ICT policies in Rwanda, focusing on the higher education. Eleven policy documents were collected and deeply analyzed to understand which claims of ICT capacity building are made. The analysis shows that strategies for building ICT capacities are evidently observed from national level policies and only in two institutional policies (KIST and NUR). Among 25 components of ICT capacity building used, the ones related to human capacity are not plainly described. Additionally, neither national nor institutional policy documents include the creation of financial schemes for students to acquire ICT tools whilst learners are key stakeholders. Although there is some translation of ICT capacity building strategies from national to some institutional policies, planning for motivation and provision of incentives to innovators is not stated in any of the institutional policies and this is a key to effective technology integration.

Un modelo para cursos Mega en línea. Desarrollo, implementaci ón y evaluaci ón de un curso efectivo de aprendizaje en línea a gran escala

The need for higher education on a global and local level is ever increasing due to social, political and economical factors. Universities are faced with the challenge of educating larger student bodies with the same or even reduced resources. Efficient use of ict and adapted pedagogical design are means do meet this challenge. This paper presents a large scale ict based distance course in project management given at the Department of Computer and Systems Sciences, Stockholm University, Sweden. The course has been given seven times during the period 2006-2008, with a total of 2427 students. The aim of this paper is to explore the following specific problems related to online mega courses: (1) The low student completion rate, (2) The changed pedagogical and psycho-social work situation for teachers, (3) Communication and courses suitable for this type of format, furthermore the paper gives a number of suggestions based on our experiences and obtained knowledge about mega online course. This is done through the use of data collected through the educational platform in various databases, interviews with involved teachers, and surveys filled out by students. Some of the conclusions that are presented in this paper are: Most significant changes that influenced completion rate was assignment redesign, clear sequence of events through the assignments, introduced self study courses that enables students to learn the tools needed to complete the assignments. The biggest loss of students was between registering for the course and actually starting the course and when the course moved from theoretical study to practical application. Minor design errors led to huge amount of extra work. The need for development of an effective administrator interface is crucial and must not be forgotten. The psycho-social work situation for online teachers managing mega scale courses are significantly altered as compared to class-room teaching.