Author : Ivan Katlianik
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 109 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (16 download)
Book Synopsis Strategies for Increasing the Interactivity of Children's Synchronous Learning in Virtual Environments by : Ivan Katlianik
Download or read book Strategies for Increasing the Interactivity of Children's Synchronous Learning in Virtual Environments written by Ivan Katlianik and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 109 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Enabling distant individuals to assemble in one virtual environment, synchronous distance learning appeals to researchers and practitioners alike because of its unique educational opportunities. One of the vital components of successful synchronous distance learning is interactivity. In virtual environments, interactivity is limited by the capacity of a technological medium to transmit verbal and non-verbal signals between individuals in the class. In order to increase the interactivity of learning, teachers need strategies to enable them to overcome the medium's restrictions and reveal its interactive capabilities. This study explores which of the strategies used by teachers in arranging children's synchronous learning in virtual environments may positively affect learning interactivity, and under what conditions those strategies are best utilised. Adhering to a qualitative approach, the study has reflected on the instructional experiences of 48 teachers, from which 154 interaction-enhancing strategies have been identified. While most strategies were found to be universal in various types of environments, others proved effective only under specific learning conditions. Field experiment was conducted to examine the applicability of these strategies across cases with similar learning conditions. Some of the strategies were found to have effects on both synchronous and asynchronous components of learning. Often, these effects appeared to be implicit or deferred. Based on the data gathered, the study suggests a conceptual model of interaction in learning environments. The findings of the study have both theoretical and practical significance: they contribute to existing scientific knowledge on synchronous distance learning and also provide teachers with applicable methodological recommendations. Appendices include: (1) The concept of the virtual classroom; (2) Characteristics of interactive events; (3) Teachers' questionnaire; (4) Teacher's checklist template; (5) Observation protocol template; (6) Interview schedule; (7) Comparative description of the survey cases; (8) CUREC approval email; (9) List of strategies for enhancing the interactivity of synchronous distance learning; (10) List of experimentally examined strategies and their effects; and (11) Perceived interactivity-related changes that occurred in the experimental case.
