International Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning (27 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Education of Preschool and Elementary Teachers on the Use of Adaptive Gamification in Science Education  
  by Alkinoos-Ioannis Zourmpakis, Stamatios Papadakis, Michail Kalogiannakis 
  Abstract: The use of games regarding education is not something new. Their use, especially in the early stages of the education system, is notably widespread in helping students learn and develop various skills. Although students are considered the center of teaching, the teacher plays a central key role. He/She is called upon to care and understand the needs of each individual student, provide the proper learning material and evaluate the whole learning process. We propose exploring how active and pre-service teachers design and integrate adaptive gamified environments into teaching science education.
  Keywords: Preschool and Primary Education; Teacher Education; Digital Technologies; Adaptive Gamification; Science Education; mobile learning.
  
  
• Inservice teachers beliefs about educational robotics in preschool classroom  
  by Stamatios Papadakis 
  Abstract: Children today live in a digital world that is evolving with technological advances and innovative technologies. Governments and policymakers around the globe are becoming interested in how to effectively bridge technology and economic prosperity as a driver for transforming teaching and learning through digital education. In early childhood education especially, educational robotics is a type of technology that is more suited than other tools. The reason is that robots have appealing features and functions keeping childrens attention, improving their performance, concentration, cognitive flexibility among others. But any effort to facilitate educational robotics in school settings must necessarily consider the role of the teachers, who are called to realize the goals specified by national curricula and educational programs. This study is designed to investigate Greek teachers' beliefs of using educational robotics technology, as well as key issues to consider for the future establishment of these technologies in the preschool classroom.
  Keywords: Educational robotics; Preschool Education; In-service teachers; Kindergarten; Beliefs; Perceptions; Computational Thinking; Coding; STEM.
  
  
• An enhanced learning approach for increasing student engagement, motivation and learning using gamification in blended teaching  
  by Pushpendra Kumar Rajput, Kiran Kumar Ravulakollu, Shailey Singhal 
  Abstract: Modern education has allowed the growth of independent learning in all varieties of student communities. At times, student involvement in the learning process of a given course ceases to exist as it reaches the end. The objective of this research is to deploy gamification as a tool for increasing student engagement, motivation and thereby to observe the growth of their learning. The study explores the possibilities of dimensions in the form of game design elements. These elements an instructor can deploy in the teaching-learning process. Quantitative and qualitative analysis performed on two batches of students for successive two terms shows a significant improvement in terms of engagement, motivation and student learning.
  Keywords: learning; gamification; student engagement; blended teaching.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTEL.2021.10039128
   
  
• AUTOMATED ATTENDANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW  
  by Nabeel Salih Ali, Ahmed Hazim Alhilali, Hasanein Rjeib, Haider Alsharqi, Basheer Alasdi 
  Abstract: Attendance systems have been rated as amongst the critical elements or issues that reflects domain achievements, and their performances have contributed better to organisations, industries, enterprises and universities compared with traditional methods that are time-consuming and inefficient. Different automatic identification technologies have become trends, and extensive research has been conducted and many applications have been produced to maximise technology features. To address issues related to attendance system technologies, including the advantages, schemes and methods and obstacles, we present a structured review of attendance management systems, with high potential for managing, recording and tracking the presence of users in different domains. Additionally, this study introduces a detailed literature survey schema and highly granular model for article categorisation. Out of the 204 identified papers, 90 were found relevant in the context of this systematic literature review. The selected articles are comprehensively reviewed, criticised and assessed in accordance with Kitchenhams guidelines for systematic literature review. Lastly, we highlight the vital and significant direction required for future research.
  Keywords: Attendance Management System (AMS); Attendance Systems; Automated registration; Automatic; RFID; Barcode; Biometric; Magnetic Stripe.
  
  
• Examining the productiveness of failure in serious gaming  
  by Wim Westera 
  Abstract: Serious games are games used for non-entertainment purposes, e.g. in education and training. As most serious games are highly performance-oriented and consequently include scoring systems that reward correct performances, players tend to adopt error-avoiding strategies. But thereby the players are deprived of the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. This study investigates how the differences between performance and learning can be described and formalised. To this end, it presents a computational model that takes into account the learning from mistakes. The model was empirically validated by comparing its outcomes with real-world game data. The results show that performance metrics systematically overestimate the players actual learning at early stages in a game and underestimate these at the end. Three evaluation metrics describing the progression, efficacy and efficiency of learning show how these differences depend on the players knowledge growth capacities and their success rates in the game. Game scoring systems should best avoid penalties for making mistakes, should reward error correction positively, and should provide sufficient feedback on failure.
  Keywords: Serious games; games-based learning; applied games; assessment; learning; performance; simulation models; mistakes; scoring system; empirical; computational; mastery.
  
  
• Science Teachers Professional Development in the light of Activity Theory  
  by Paschalina Stylianou, Katerina Plakitsi 
  Abstract: Science teachers professional development is considered as a continuous learning process through which they acquire not only content knowledge and competences, but also personal qualities and beliefs that enable them to support quality teaching for the benefit of their students' and in particular their scientific literacy. This paper is a review on science teachers professional development, using Activity Theory and its framework of analysis in order to illuminate their cultural, social and economic development background. No educational reform effort can succeed if it does not take into account the personal interpretive context through which teachers interpret their actions, participate in professional learning programs, integrate or reject modern learning theories in their practice. The supportive conditions for teachers' active involvement in experimentation and innovation are, their participation in learning communities and the strengthening of school collaborative culture. Activity Theory (CHAT) highlights the contradictions of their professional development process, the aspects that enable or limit their teaching activity and the motivations that drive them to participate in professional learning programs and the dynamics of their zone of proximal development.
  Keywords: professional development; science teachers; Activity Theory; science teaching; learning communities.
  
  
• Technology adoption model for HRM practices  
  by Eliza Sharma, Junaid Ahmad 
  Abstract: e-HRM has acquired a commonplace status in HR management practices of developed countries; however, its implementation is scarce and scattered in developing countries. The present study highlights the current scenario of e-HRM practices in the service and manufacturing sector of India and provides insights regarding the technology adoption into HRM practices in India. The study uses a theoretical and empirical approach; a review of literature provides that two factors, namely: Attitude of employees and Attitude of employers, affect the decisions regarding the adoption of technology in HR practices. To prove this, the current study was conducted among 438 employees and employers from 63 companies in the service and manufacturing sector of India. The findings of the study have been used to develop a conceptual model regarding technology adoption decisions in HR practices of service and manufacturing organisations. The model shows that employee attitude is influenced by factors of benefits to employees and easeof-use; while employer attitude is influenced by the benefit to employers, IT infrastructure, and cost. Additionally, organisational characteristics like size and type of company are also significant in decision-making regarding technology adoption for HRM practices.
  Keywords: e-HRM; e-HRM practices; service; manufacturing; developed; developing; India.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTEL.2021.10035802
   
  
• COVID-19 Pandemic: How can the Lessons Learnt Contribute to the Digital Transformation of Schools of Tomorrow?  
  by Emmanuel Kolog, Sulemana Bankuoru Egala, Rapheal Amponsah, Samuel Nii Odoi Devine, Erkki Sutinen 
  Abstract: The Covid-19 pandemic may have had less effect on the lives of people in the global south, but its negative impact on the society is massive, especially in the area of education. To help manage the pandemic, social gatherings and other related activities, such as schools, are halted. While few schools in the global south have managed to continue their academic activities, the majority of the schools have struggled to migrate their teaching online. This situation highlights the fact that the perceived diffusion and available potential of educational technologies was scarcely used for the intended purpose as many students and staff have struggled to cope. This study critically reviews literature on Covid-19 pandemic from diverse information sources. These sources include research articles and other sources from World Health Organisation and public media platforms. The analysis of the disruption that the pandemic has caused identifies and manifest the latent use of digital technologies in the educational arena. Guidelines and solutions for rethinking the schools of tomorrow are proposed. Policymakers and educational practitioners could make use of the proposed guidelines for transformative digital initiatives of the schools of tomorrow in the Global south.
  Keywords: Covid-19 pandemic; Digital transformation; Schools in the Global South; teaching and learning; Virtual learning.
  
  
• Challenges and Opportunities for Higher Education in North Macedonia during the COVID-19 Pandemics: A Survey of Student Satisfaction and Gender-Related Anxiety  
  by Jusuf Zeqiri, Veronika Kareva, Sadri Alija, Mirjana Peji? Bach 
  Abstract: AbstractrnBackground: Many challenges have occurred from the rapid shift of university functioning to the online mode due to the pandemics.rnAim: This paper aimed to analyze the factors that mostly influence student satisfaction from online learning. Another specific aim was to identify the factors that cause student anxiety with online teaching and learning. Satisfied students appear to be more engaged, motivated, and responsive and achieve better results. On the other hand, anxiety has negative effects on student performance. In order to get the data, a structured questionnaire was sent to undergraduate students from the South East European University (SEEU) in North Macedonia, and 241 valid questionnaires were received. rnMethods: The study used IBM AMOS 20 for carrying an SEM analysis and SPSS 20 for analyzing the descriptive statistics. rnResults: The findings showed that building student-teacher relationships was not considered a factor of satisfaction, but student-teacher interaction, student engagement, and the use of technology showed a positive influence on student satisfaction. Moreover, the findings showed that gender moderates the relationship between the use of technology and student satisfaction. The path coefficient of technology for female students contributed less to student satisfaction. Conclusions: Therefore, the level of anxiety was higher among female students concerning the use of technology. Results are expected to shed more light on the areas that should receive greater focus and attention while delivering online courses. rn
  Keywords: Student Satisfaction; Gender; Anxiety; COVID-19; Pandemics.
  
  
• Embodied Learning via Tangible User Interfaces: The Impact of Physical Interaction on Learning Performance  
  by Neila Chettaoui, Ayman Atia, Med. Salim Bouhlel 
  Abstract: Tangible user interfaces have been introduced as a form of Human-Computer Interaction to promote embodied learning pedagogy. This interaction modality offers the possibility to support students cognitive development through manipulating objects in the social and physical environment of the classroom. This article presents a study of tangible user interfaces supporting children (aged 9 to 11) while learning of the solar system concepts. A controlled study was performed at a primary school with eighteen participants to evaluate the educational potential of manipulating abstract concepts in the physical world, compared to tablet-based learning. The results highlighted a significant difference in terms of the learning performance between both groups, as determined by one-way ANOVA (F (1,16) = 4.49, p =.033), in favour of the tangible user interfaces. These findings draw some implications for the adoption of the tangible interaction to extend embodied learning pedagogy and cognitive development of children.
  Keywords: Tangible user interfaces; Human-Computer interaction; physical interaction; embodied learning pedagogy; learning performance.
  
  
• Bridging gaps in distance learning during a pandemic: exploratory questionnaire based analysis in Jordan during COVID-19 lockdown  
  by Rana Abu-Huwaij, Enas Khader, Sanaa Gharaibeh, Iman Khalil 
  Abstract: During the second semester of the 2019/2020 academic year, universities and schools around the world switched to distance learning to comply with the strict lock-down conditions and assure the safety of staff and students. Thus a structured self-administered questionnaire was used on an undergraduate sample of students (n = 573) enrolled in the Faculty of Pharmacy at one of the top private universities in Jordan. It aimed to measure the students general attitudes, perceptions and obstacles witnessed during that period. The results indicate the need for implementation of a sustainability plan to assure the levels of quality in the program, by offering more proactive strategies that ensure the fairness of online assessments, and online students affairs office, which will provide positive reinforcement to junior students and allow online academic counselling sessions that are focused on problem solving and emotional health which will in-turn stimulate quality distance learning practices.
  Keywords: distance learning; students’ satisfaction; questionnaire; Covid-19 lockdown.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTEL.2021.10038669
   
  
• Development of online program for high school students on the development of engineering competencies using FDM 3D printing technology and design of electronic devices  
  by Peter Ukhov, Anatoly Ryapukhin 
  Abstract: The paper proposes the structure of a typical training program for implementation in online format with the inclusion of independent engineering work of a student on the basis of a home laboratory. Recommendations for home laboratory equipment are made based on inexpensive components and devices readily available on the market. Preliminary assessment of the economic efficiency of such programs implemented in the online format has been made. It is assumed that in accordance with the development of technology, we will increasingly see the appearance of such programs on the market. Some conclusions are made that at the moment the implementation of such programs is impossible without mentoring support from enterprises and organisations leading the design and development of high-tech products.
  Keywords: distance education; online education; online courses; FDM; 3D printing; 3D design; CAD; STEM; CDIO; home laboratory; project method.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTEL.2021.10039136
   
  
• Evaluation of physiotherapy students' attitudes and engagement with social networking and eLearning systems: Implications for education and training  
  by Garyfallia Pepera, Zacharias Dimitriadis, Varsamo Antoniou, Nikolaos Strimpakos, Eleni Kapreli 
  Abstract: Social Networking Sites (SNSs) use increase tremendously among university students, creating at the same time second thoughts and opportunities for their use. This study explored, for the first time, the impact of Social Networking Sites and eLearning platform (eClass) on the education and academic life of Greek students. An online 35-statement questionnaire was administered to 330 undergraduate students of the Physiotherapy Department at the University of Thessaly. Demographic data, nature of SNSs, their application into education, and the use of e-Learning platform (eClass) were collected and analyzed. The results revealed the high familiarity of university students with SNSs, the acknowledgment of the potential negative effects of their excessive use and their importance for communication and education purposes, proposing reforms that would embed the use of social media in teaching and learning pedagogies across academic disciplines.
  Keywords: healthcare education; social networking; eLearning systems; physiotherapy students; eClass; social networking sites; social media; evaluation; education; training; eLearning platform; physiotherapy.
  
  
• Online learning: a stakeholders analysis using structural equation modelling  
  by Manoj Panwar, Ramesh Kumar Garg 
  Abstract: The overall evaluation of any system requires an evaluation of all the components of that system. Administration, teachers, students, infrastructure, online platforms and pedagogy are the components of the online education system. The existing studies lack consideration of all such components of online education and specifically from teachers perspectives. An instrument considering all components of the online education system was developed. A total of 1390 responses from teachers of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) of India were received through online surveys. The instrument is reliable with RMSEA (0.056),X2 (3.819) and stands at higher than 0.90 goodness-of-fit on various indices. Hypotheses were tested on 32 variables and 903 valid responses using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and Multiple Regression Analysis. The analysis established that the factors, i.e., teachers commitment and benefit to teachers, are significantly correlated. Administrative support has a positive impact on benefit to teachers. The factors students sustainable engagement, benefit to teachers and technical resources have a significant and positive influence on the overall rating of online education. The findings will also provide an opportunity to convince, motivate, and inspire the students and the teachers to adopt an online education in the post-COVID usual scenario.
  Keywords: e-learning; online education; stakeholder’s analysis; structural equation modelling; multiple regression; teachers’ perception.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTEL.2021.10038440
   
  
• A Framework for the University Performance Assessment: Some insights on Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship  
  by Khaula Alkaabi, Veland Ramadani 
  Abstract: The importance of developing a good entrepreneurship and innovation environment in universities is highlighted by the fact that education is a critical factor in economic growth. This research examines the main factors that contribute to the development of an innovation ecosystem in universities, measures university performance in terms of innovation, technology and entrepreneurship and identifies the strength and areas of improvement of university system about these issues. More specifically, this study compared and analysed several parameters, such as scientific and technological research capability, intellectual property records, collaboration and communication, entrepreneurship and innovation culture, economic influence and commercialisation, to identify the essential factor for promoting entrepreneurship and innovation educational techniques in universities by using fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making method. The findings reveal that the number of university-industry partnership projects has relatively higher weightage than other parameters, suggesting the importance of industry collaboration in the development of universities innovation, technology and entrepreneurship ecosystems.
  Keywords: Innovation; technology; entrepreneurship; fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making; university performance assessment; industry collaboration.
  
  
• Tracking English Language Learners Progress through a Gamified Social Visualization Tool to Increase Motivation and Performance  
  by Wala Bagunaid, Maram Meccawy, Zilal Meccawy, Arwa Allinjawi 
  Abstract: Students need to monitor their progress constantly to improve their performance, and with large classes at university level education, both online and offline, most instructors are not able to provide individual students with progress reports other than separate assignments or exam results. Some e-learning systems track students progress; however, these traditional personalized e-learning systems hide students data; thus, students are not provided with the full picture of their progress and are unable to position themselves among their peers. This research aims to introduce a way to track English language learners progress through an interactive gamified social visualization tool in the form of a car race game without jeopardising student privacy or hiding crucial progress information. The results of this study showed that social comparison of students progress and the gamification aspects of the tool made students more engaged and motivated to win the race, which affected their academic performance positively.
  Keywords: Personalization; User Modelling; Open Social Student Modelling; Social Visualization; Motivation; Gamification; English language learners; KAU.
  
  
• Online role-play in feature film clips: A personalised experiential foreign language learning tool  
  by Catherine Kanellopoulou, Andreas Giannakoulopoulos 
  Abstract: This paper presents the results of an experiment involving 101 teenage students of English, all Greek native speakers. It briefly discusses the studys theoretical background, focusing on role-play and film dubbing as a personalised experiential activity and presents the findings regarding foreign language vocabulary acquisition with the use of a novel dubbing application. This application made use of a feature film clip, which was incorporated into an online multimedia platform. The experimental group participants dubbed the central character of the film clip in English (L2) and took a delayed post-test on specific lexical items from the film script. The results are quite promising regarding long-term vocabulary recall, as well as its use in new contexts. The experimental group outperformed the control group with statistically significant results in most cases, which indicates that this novel activity is worth investigating further so that its potential can be fully exploited.
  Keywords: role-play; foreign language vocabulary acquisition; long-term vocabulary retention; experiential learning; film dubbing.
  
  
• Moving from lecturer to student-led digital assessment and feedback  
  by Diogo Casanova, Graham Alsop, Isabel Huet 
  Abstract: In this study, we provide insight into how digital assessment and feedback systems should be designed to promote student-led learning experiences. The study aims to answer the question: How can digital assessment and feedback systems better serve the purpose of improving the students learning experience in HE? We conducted 10 focus groups with 58 lecturers in which, using a storytelling technique and mockups of a digital assessment and feedback system, we discussed and critique a scenario aiming at collecting lecturers
  Keywords: Feedback literacy; Pedagogical issues; Post-secondary education; Digital assessment and Feedback; Learning Management Systems; Student-centred assessment.
  
  
• The impact of sudden forced-migration to the online world during COVID-19 pandemic on teachers' burnout  
  by Atef Abuhmaid 
  Abstract: As the COVID-19 crisis spread around the world by early 2020, countries, institutions, and individuals worldwide had to respond swiftly to the pandemic. In Jordan, all teachers were required to resume teaching online from home during the second semester of the scholastic year 2019/2020. Due to various stressful issues associated with the fundamental and sudden shift to online teaching, teachers were expected to experience burnout which usually impacts professional and personal lives of teachers. The current study examined the impact of certain variables (sex, age, marital status, type of school, and stage) on teachers' burnout levels during the lockdown of COVID-19. The study investigated the three burnout domains (Emotional exhaustion, Depersonalization, and Personal accomplishment) based on Maslach Burnout Inventory 22-items which was administered online to a stratified random sample of (3162) teachers from all regions of Jordan. The results showed that online teaching resulted in teachers' high to moderate levels of burnout in the three domains of burnout during COVID-19 lockdown. Overall male, older, married, governmental, and secondary schools teachers reported higher levels of burnout in the three domains than the other teachers.
  Keywords: COVID-19 lockdown; teacher burnout; Jordanian teachers; disrupted education; online teaching.
  
  
• Moving from face-to-face to online learning in a week due to the COVID-19 pandemic: Higher education students perceptions  
  by Stelios Xinogalos 
  Abstract: Online learning has attracted the interest of researchers and practitioners for decades. Various advantages, challenges and factors affecting the effectiveness of online learning have been reported. However, these findings have been recorded under ideal circumstances and not extraordinary situations, such as the one imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this article, the results of a survey on the perceptions of higher education students regarding the emergent transition to online learning are quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed. Students evaluated positively the quality, organization and presentation of synchronous online courses, but they were divided as to whether their quality is equivalent to that of face-to-face courses. The most prominent problems refer to the quality of Internet connection, lack of appropriate infrastructure especially for online lab courses, lower quality communication and interaction and a difficulty in keeping concentrated on the course. Despite these issues, instructors and students embraced successfully the solution of online learning.
  Keywords: online learning; face-to-face learning; Informatics; CS labs; COVID-19 pandemic; higher education.
  
  
• The Professional Practices of Travel Journalists on Instagram: A Generic Qualitative Study  
  by Tatiana Harkiolakis, Katerina Diamantaki 
  Abstract: There is a noted lack of research regarding how journalists use Instagram. This study attempts to address this gap by investigating travel journalists perceptions of how the emergence of Instagram as a social media platform has changed their professional journalism practices. Utilising semistructured interviews with a sample of travel journalists with professional Instagram accounts, the findings suggest that Instagram offers new opportunities for forging social and professional networks and acts as a useful tool for research, sourcing, and trend-watching. At the same time, travel journalists continue to negotiate how to construct an authentic identity on Instagram, attract wider followership, and compete with the output of amateur content producers. Study results contribute to emerging research on how journalists use Instagram and how travel journalists use social media.
  Keywords: Journalism; Instagram; Travel journalism; Social media; Professional practices.
  
  
• DIGITIZING EDUCATION IN NIGERIA: LESSONS FROM COVID-19  
  by Blessing Olanrewaju, Joshua Afolabi 
  Abstract: The sudden outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) dealt a great blow on the global educational sector, given the ill-preparedness of most countries to leverage digitization. This study x-rayed the performance of the Nigerian educational sector and its response to COVID-19 pandemic with a view to underscoring the imperativeness of digitizing education to forestall future shocks. The findings revealed the unimpressive performance of the Nigerian educational sector as learning came to a screeching halt during the pandemic, given the pervasive infrastructural deficits in the sector. Further result showed that Nigerian graduates are likely to face non-employability unless strategic steps are taken to expose them to digitization, which the modern world of work requires. It, therefore, becomes pertinent to increase the budgetary allocation to the sector to bridge its infrastructural gaps. This would help Nigeria catch-up with global best practices in education and set the pace for improved educational service delivery in Africa.
  Keywords: Digitization; Educational Sector; COVID-19; Global Competitiveness; Nigeria.
  
  
• The COVID-19 pandemic: when e-learning becomes mandatory not complementary  
  by Mohammed Akour, Mamdouh Alenezi, Hiba Al Sghaier, Yazan Al Shboul 
  Abstract: Many countries have implemented extraordinary measures in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including closing schools and universities and moving to remote teaching. E-learning was previously a complementary methodology - or a luxury - but the COVID-19 outbreak has made e-learning mandatory. It is the only way to continue schools' and universities' educational programs. Assessing the value of e-learning is more important than ever. Students are the focal point of the educational process; continuous and conscious monitoring of their satisfaction is crucial for the feasibility of e-learning. This paper aims to study the impact of the sudden move to remote teaching (e-learning educational process) on students at four universities in two countries (the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan). Participating students were surveyed to measure their perceptions in terms of current e-learning processes and systems, and their experience with the e-learning educational process.
  Keywords: e-learning; COVID-19; student experience; course delivery quality.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTEL.2020.10034006
   
  

Special Issue on: ERPBSS-2018 Technology in the Classroom Innovations in Teaching and Learning

• Proposing new innovative technological features to support human e-learning interaction processes in academic organisations  
  by Jamil Razmak, Wejdan Farhan, Ghaleb A. El Refae 
  Abstract: The rapid growth and widespread adoption of e-learning technologies with human interaction has sparked a revolution in learning styles. The present study utilises this revolution to enhance human interaction and learning styles by designing a real application of an e-learning user interface (ELUI) that allows users to benefit from the effects of online interaction. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through surveys and semi-structured interviews to measure students and teachers' perspectives regarding usage of the ELUI. The findings indicated that students were satisfied with the new features added to the suggested e-learning interface. The interview with teachers enhanced the study by further validating the overall high satisfaction among their students. The results provide students, teachers, academic institutions and developers some guidelines on the design and implementation of the future e-learning system. This is particularly so when embedding the interactional communication features for learning purposes through interactive learning settings.
  Keywords: e-learning user interface; human-computer interaction; student satisfaction; teacher perspective.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTEL.2021.10039711
   
  
• 3D-printing techno-network to help students overcome mathematical learning difficulties  
  by Maria Mavri 
  Abstract: Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a new manufacturing technology that has many applications related to social, economic, and environmental activities. In this study, we introduce the concept of a 3D printing techno-network, which is a network of humans and the resources they use to engage in a 3D printing procedure. We claim that this network could both influence and improve educational activities to help students with Mathematics Learning Difficulties (MLD) better understand mathematics. The paper proposes an educational scenario of teaching mathematical algorithms using this innovative technology. Mathematical understanding learning outcomes and the adoption of technological achievements are evaluated through a proposed framework consisting of 12 educational and technological indicators.
  Keywords: 3D printing; 3D-printing techno-network; MLD; mathematical learning difficulties; educational scenario.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTEL.2021.10039713
   
  
• Industry-academia outreach: a study of student perception  
  by Engie Bashir, Krishnadas Nanath, Fehmida Hussain 
  Abstract: The importance of industry outreach and collaboration has been increasingly recognised by the Department of Computer Engineering and Informatics at an international branch campus of a British university based in Dubai. Through the past few years, the department has focused on exposing its students to the industry through various activities such as guest lectures, field trips, events and several Academic Alliance Programmes (AAP) and certifications. This initiative has been placed to enhance the student's experiences at this department and immerse them in the most recent innovations and cutting-edge technologies. A study has been designed to examine the students' views and values of these industry activities from three perspectives, namely: academic relevance, career and network building and overall satisfaction and experience. 129 students participated in the study. According to students, the implemented outreach initiative has been successful in terms of academic learning and experience and satisfactory in terms of career and network building. The findings have provided the department with insights towards future industry outreach that would enhance its students' experiences.
  Keywords: academia; industry; collaboration; partnerships; industry outreach activities; students' experiences; students' learning; students' careers; students' attitudes.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTEL.2021.10039716
   
  
• Recommendations of robotics platforms for secondary school education  
  by Stuart Forsyth 
  Abstract: Over the past decade, robotics has become more commonly taught in secondary (high) schools. However, research shows that teachers face difficulty in choosing a suitably aligned curriculum, pedagogy and robotics platform. This paper provides recommendations of suitable robotics platforms for teaching three areas of a robotics curriculum: mechatronics, robot programming and robot construction. It also illustrates how pedagogy approaches are aligned to the three strands of the robotics curriculum by reviewing literature related to the robotics curriculum targeting high school students and a technical review of a range of robot brands and models available in the market.
  Keywords: educational robotics; secondary school robotics; high school robotics; selecting robotics platforms; robotics curriculum; pedagogy for secondary school robotics.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJTEL.2021.10039712