Thomas Lerche

Towards the integration of culture into the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology

Educational technology is increasingly used in multicultural contexts and across national cultures. Educational technology users with different national and professional backgrounds may, however, exhibit different attitudes towards technology. Previous research provides isolated evidence of the relationship between learning technology acceptance and culture, and so an overall picture is missing. Therefore, this study attempts to integrate culture (sensu Hofstede, 2001) into an established technology acceptance model (ie. the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, UTAUT, Venkatesh, Morris, Davis & Davis, 2003). Examining a large sample (N = 2866) of learning technology users from Germany and Romania by means of questionnaire survey, we investigate the differences in culture and technology acceptance between sample subgroups. The collected data reveal the presence of cultural differences both between countries and between professions. In line with previous research, these differences are associated with dissimilar acceptance profiles, ie. different values of acceptance variables and of path coefficients between them. Based on the findings, this study makes headway in cross-cultural research by proposing an extended model of UTAUT – one which integrates three of Hofstede’s culture dimensions. As a practical implication, national and professional culture may shape computer-based learning environments.

Cognitive Load beim Lernen aus Lösungsbeispielen

Zusammenfassung: Die Effektivitat des Lernens aus Losungsbeispielen im Vergleich zum Lernen durch Problemlosen wird derzeit mit der Cognitive Load-Theorie erklart: Beim Lernen aus Losungsbeispielen wird das Arbeitsgedachtnis weniger belastet, daher bleibt mehr Raum fur Lern- und Verstehensprozesse. Um diese These direkt experimentell zu uberprufen, wurde das dual task-Paradigma eingesetzt. 80 Studierende der Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften wurden auf die Zellen eines 2 × 2-faktoriellen Designs (Faktor 1: Lernen aus Losungsbeispielen vs. Lernen durch Problemlosen; Faktor 2: mit vs. ohne Zweitaufgabe) verteilt. Der Lernstoff war Wahrscheinlichkeitsrechnung. Der Lernerfolg wurde mit einem Nachtest erfasst. Das Befundmuster hinsichtlich des Lernerfolgs und der Reaktionszeiten auf eine Zweitaufgabe in den vier experimentellen Gruppen stimmte mit den aus der Cognitive-Load-Theorie abgeleiteten Hypothesen uberein.

The pedagogic signature of special needs education

The goal of the following study is to identify a pedagogic signature, according to LS Shulman, for working with students who have special educational needs. Special educational needs are defined as significant limitations in personal development and learning which require particular educational measures beyond regular education. The development of a pedagogic signature should create an identity and provide guidance, particularly for teachers who are working in the context of inclusive schools with no prior knowledge or training in this regard. The study is carried out against the background of the structural uncertainty of the teaching profession and takes into consideration existing normative, theoretical and empirical approaches in education. Existing research regarding demands is largely theoretical, while empirical research is rudimentary. The present study used a multi-method approach to identify demands for working with students with special educational needs. Experts in the areas of learning disabilities and emotional/behavioural disorders completed an instrument from the field of industrial and organisational psychology, quantifying and weighting professional demands on teachers according to their importance. The results were added and validated through group discussions, creating a demand profile. By combining the results with the dimensions of a signature pedagogy, according to Shulman, it is apparent that surface structure and deep structure play a minor role in the perceptions of special needs teachers. The central importance of the implicit structure is characteristic of the pedagogic signature. This importance is represented by the target group’s emphasis on demands such as having an appreciative leadership or authenticity. An even greater emphasis is placed on the aspect of attitude – this is having a humanistic ethos. The demand profile and the resulting consequences for the practice of teaching will be considered with a view towards current problems and questions in research and practice, and particularly with regard to inclusion.

Predicting student achievement in learning management systems by log data analysis

Abstract Previous attempts to understand the activity in learning management systems have failed to provide log data analysis methods that significantly predict student achievement. The number and frequency of keystrokes and mouse clicks have little to say about cognitive activities. On the other hand, self-reporting may include a sufficiently accurate insight into cognitive activities, but this insight is blurred by learners’ distorted self-perception during intensive cognitive activities. This study proposes a linear model that includes previous knowledge and log file-extracted online activity as predictors of student achievement. The model displayed a good fit with data collected in three different cases (CFI up to .98, RMSEA down to 0.028) and it explained R2 = approx. 0.50 of the variance in learning outcome. In conclusion, the relationship between log data and cognitive activities is discussed, and design recommendations for learning management systems are drawn.