Vol. 17, No. 1, March 2001

Special Issue: Advanced information technologies for learning in the Asia-Pacific Region

Regional editorial: IT programmes and policies in the Asia-Pacific region

C.K. Looi, National University of Singapore and President of the Asia-Pacific Chapter of the AACE

Email: cheekit@iss.nus.edu.sg

This Special Issue of JCAL with its range of refereed, research papers is but one indication of the growing community of educational technology researchers and scholars in the Asia-Pacific region. The papers represent a cultural focus on the technological and human-interaction dimensions of this complex, fast changing domain. A major contributing factor in stimulating much high quality research is the dynamism and enthusiasm of the various countries in the planning and deployment of information technology (IT) in schools and tertiary institutions. I would like to take the opportunity of providing an overview of the region’s efforts to initiate and drive the use of information technology in education. Many countries in the Asia-Pacific region have initiated policies and strategies for the infusion of information technology into their schools. Like many other countries, they share the belief that a critical factor in the nation’s economic success is how well their citizens can adapt and thrive in a global IT environment. The countries’ education authorities, the schools and the tertiary institutions have the role and responsibility of preparing the school population to live in and create a future in which IT will be pervasive in all walks of life. Basic research has an important part to play in this endeavour. The actions in a number of countries will be reviewed starting with Hong Kong.

In 1998, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government announced its five-year strategy plan of integrating IT into teaching and learning in the schools. In this plan, students are expected to develop a global insight of the knowledge society and be capable of using the large volume of information resources on the Internet. Teachers are expected to participate in staff development programmes to contribute to the paradigm shift from teacher-centred teaching to learner-centred learning. Their government has taken on the leadership and co-ordination role by providing a range of support mechanisms. This includes adequate IT facilities such as the network infrastructure, computers and peripherals, teacher training, and other necessary support such as IT coordinators and centralised technical staff to support the schools. The goal is to foster a community-wide culture on the use of IT. Many IT-related projects have been conducted by schools in the past three years. Formally established on 2nd January 1998 with an allocation of HK$5 billion, the Quality Education Fund (QEF) of the Education and Manpower Bureau of the HKSAR government provides an effective channel for the support of worthwhile project applications from the school education sector.

Based on proposals for educational reform made in 1996 by the Ministry of Education in Japan, policies for a new standard curriculum in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) education were formulated and reported in 1998, and they are to be implemented in all schools from 2002. Briefly, the scheme is for ICT to be studied as a subject and also used to assist in learning other subjects. The infusion of ICT into the curriculum varies from ‘across the curriculum’ to ‘subject-centred’ approaches. In elementary school, ICT will be mainly used as an instructional aid though the practical uses of ICT are viewed as important skills. In secondary school, a new compulsory subject, Information Study, will be introduced for all high school students. It consists of three major components: practical skills in using ICT applications, the scientific understanding of information processing and the understanding of ICT’s role in society. In order to implement ICT education, the Ministry of Education, Ministry of International Trade and Industry and Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, together with other organisations and societies, have conducted a variety of projects. For example, in the 100-school networking project which began in 1993, schools participated in various activities, such as a collab-orative learning project on acid rain, a study involving the weather bureau in which students compared weather charts with pictures produced by weather satellites, and cross-cultural education using real time video exchanges with overseas schools.

In Korea, the concept of adapting education to the Information Age or ‘educational informatisation’ was popularised after the announcement by the Ministry of Education in May 1995 of Education Reform Measures and then the Comprehensive Education Information Plan. Adapting education to the information age aims to construct a social basis for open education and self-directed learning. In 1997 a three-year Plan for Building an Educational Information Base was implemented. This plan aims to provide an environment in which the customers of education, including teachers and students, have the capacity to use various educational resources. It seeks to enhance the efficiency of all educational processes and administration using information technology and also initiates and nurtures various programmes for reform-oriented voluntary forces that are eager to apply information technology to educational activities. The main tasks of adapting education to the information age include providing technical infrastructure for all classrooms, the development and dissemination of educational resources, teacher training, and adapting educational administration to the Information Age. All teachers should already have participated in training programmes so that they have the skills for using educational software and information network management.

In Taiwan, the Information Education Infrastructure Program launched by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in 1997, has endeavoured to carve out an information education blueprint for students and teachers in all schools. Through this plan, the MOE has set-up computer classrooms in every elementary and middle school (with one PC for each student), provided Internet access to elementary and middle schools and provided on-campus training programmes for teachers in basic computing techniques. Two hundred and twenty thousand teachers have completed training in various IT workshops. The MOE has also established software and resource centres in elementary, middle, junior high and vocational schools, and provide subject-based network materials for elementary and middle schools. By providing teaching materials and assessments, university researchers support elementary and middle schools in experimenting with in-class computer instruction. Taiwan’s Ministry of Education, apart from making efforts to get every school connected on the Internet, will continue to focus on the following tasks along with its information promotion initiatives: Internet access for each classroom; development of a new nine-year coherent curriculum for elementary and middle schools; integration of IT with other educational fields and the development of a uniform instructional guide; support and increase of teachers’ ability in IT applications and the development of subject-based digitised teaching materials.

In Singapore, the Masterplan for IT in Education was launched in 1997 as a blueprint for the integration of IT in education as a strategy to meet the challenges of the 21st century. The underlying philosophy is that education should continually anticipate the future needs of society, and work towards fulfilling those needs. The skills required for the future will centre on thinking skills, learning skills and communication skills. IT-based teaching and learning will be one of the key strategies for equipping the young with these skills. The Masterplan also seeks to provide a broader base of access to IT among the young so as to achieve a levelling up in learning opportunities so that all children will be able to enhance their learning through an IT-enriched curriculum and school environment. The Masterplan is governed by four overarching goals: to enhance linkages between the school and the world around it, so as to expand and enrich the learning environment; to encourage creative thinking, life-long learning and social responsibility; to generate innovative processes in education and to promote administrative and management excellence in the education system.

In Australia, in the Adelaide Declaration on National Goals for Schooling in the 21st Century, IT is stated as one of the eight national goals (learning areas) students should achieve. The plans for achieving the national goal for IT are largely left to individual states and territories. The coordinating and advisory body, Education Network Australia (EdNA), has provided a wealth of information on how each state or territory is pursuing its plans for incorporating IT into schools.

In New Zealand, the ICT Strategy for Schools document envisaged that by 2002, schools will be demonstrating that they are improving learning outcomes for students by using ICT to support the aims and objectives of the curriculum. To achieve this, they should be providing ICT professional development for teachers and principals. Schools should also demonstrate that they are using ICT to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of educational administration, and be developing partnerships with their communities to enhance access to learning through ICT.

In this brief account of the IT in Education initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region, I have certainly not been able to do justice to all the various viewpoints, strategies, plans, initiatives and efforts in the countries mentioned and have been unable to cover other countries such as China and Malaysia.

The community of educational technology researchers in the Asia-Pacific region has an annual conference series called the International Conference on Computers in Education (ICCE). ICCE has been held regularly for several years, and attracts a substantial number of good quality papers each year. Each ICCE features a different group of distinguished people in the field as keynote and invited speakers. Researchers and scholars from the region do not have to travel far to attend a quality conference with a distinctive Asia-Pacific focus. Please contribute to the next ICCE.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge the invaluable help of Kanji Akahori, Tak-Wai Chan, Shamin Han, Siu-Cheung Kong, Kwok-Wing Lai, and Tae-Wuk Lee, for providing me with information on the various activities in their countries.

Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (2001) 17, 1, 1-3.

Future integrated learning environments with Multimedia

T. Okamoto, A. Cristea & M. Kayama, University of Electro-Communications, Tokyo

Email: okamoto@ai.is.uec.ac.jp

Recent progress in information technology hardware and the spread of the Internet have opened a variety of new ways for many fields. Although slower than the business field to catch up with these new developments, the education field has gradually migrated towards the World-wide web, mostly under the slogan of free, accessible education, to and from anyplace, at anytime. This development triggered an important shift from the teaching paradigm to the learning paradigm. However, slow network speed hindered the first learning environments from being more than simple, electronic text-books. The latest trends are making use of increased bandwidths and integrating various media to enhance learning. Moreover, for obtaining learner-oriented, customised learning environments, intelligent tutoring techniques are being adapted and developed for the web. This paper presents these trends on one hand, but on the other hand, also addresses the dangers and pitfalls that such an avalanche of change can bring and stresses the task of ensuring that the real goal of enhancing and improving learning is not overlooked.

Keywords: Continuing education; Distance; Intelligent tutoring systems; Learning environments; Modelling; Multimedia; World-wide web.

Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (2001) 17, 1, 4-12. Invited paper

Enhancing learning ecology on the Internet

C-K. Looi, National University of Singapore

Email: cheekit@icc.nus.edu.sg

Recent notions view learning as participation in a learning environment or community where learners work together and support each other as they use information resources and tools to pursue their learning goals and solve problems. A broader meaning is to extend the idea of the learning environment to the overall setting in which learning communities come into existence, evolve, fade away, regenerate or transform. The advent of the Internet has brought about a powerful medium for creating and supporting such a notion of the learning ecology. Through the image of biological ecologies with their diversity, complex dynamics, and opportunistic niches for growth, learning problems and solutions on the Internet are explored and ways to enhance the ecology are suggested.

Keywords: Collaboration; Distributed; Groups; Internet; Learning community; Learning environment; World-wide web

Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (2001) 17, 1, 13-20. Invited paper

Learning through computer-based concept mapping

K.E. Chang, Y.T. Sung & S.F. Chen, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei

Email: kchang@ice.ntnu.edu.tw

Concept mapping has been applied in a variety of fields, including instruction, learning, curriculum development, and assessment. Because many empirical studies have proven the validity of concept mapping, a computer-based concept mapping system has been developed. The system provides two learning environments. In the ‘construct-by-self’ environment, the system provides students with the evaluation results and corresponding hints for feedback. The students construct concept maps by themselves with only the assistance of the feedback. In the ‘construct-on-scaffold’ environment, in addition to the feedback, the students receive an incomplete concept map, within which some nodes and links were set as blanks for the scaffold. A study comparing the effectiveness of the ‘construct-by-self’, ‘construct-on-scaffold’, and ‘construct by paper-and-pencil’ concept mapping showed that the ‘construct-on-scaffold’ had better effect for learning on biology. Both of the two computer-based procedures are helpful for students in completing their concept maps.

Keywords: Biology; Concept mapping; Constructivist; Control group; Questionnaire; Scaffold; Secondary; Test

Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (2001) 17, 1, 21-33. Accepted: 15 March 2000

Student responses to collaborating and learning in a web-based environment

R. Oliver & A. Omari, Edith Cowan University, Western Australia.

Email: r.oliver@cowan.edu.au

This paper describes a study that explored students’ responses and reactions to a Web-based environment supporting problem-based learning. The study was undertaken among undergraduate students in an Australian university. The findings revealed that while the majority of the students saw value to be gained from learning in a student-centred and collaborative setting, many expressed a preference for learning in the more conventional teacher-directed forms. The study also sought to explore the potential of the environment to develop problem-solving skills and to determine factors that impeded students’ success and achievement. The results did not demonstrate any discernible development of problem-solving skills despite students’ extensive experience and participation in problem-solving activities. The findings have suggested a number of important factors missing in the implemented setting including an organising strategy to aid students in the problem-solving process and adequate feedback to ensure reflection among the learners on the quality of the solutions they were developing.

Keywords: Interviews; Email; Group; Multimedia; Problem-solving; Questionnaire; Student-centred; Undergraduate; World-wide web

Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (2001) 17, 1, 34-47. Accepted: 24 April 2000

Guidelines for distance education: a case study in Taiwan

C.C. Liang, Yuan Ze University, Taiwan

Email: iccylian@saturn.yzu.edu.tw

Through a questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews with the teachers, students and staff involved, this paper presents a case study which describes the current status of telecommunications distance education in Taiwan. Participants’ views were analysed and showed that instructional development components such as learner characteristics, instructional resources, support services, and rehearsal, are quite different from the traditional mode, especially with regard to neglected factors such as educational administration and policy. The author summarizes the findings as an itemized list of guidelines for operating instructional development for a telecommunications distance education. These guidelines can contribute not only to improving the quality of distance education, but also to faculty development, staff training, elaboration of theory, and professional practice in the field.

Keywords: Case study; Curriculum development; Distance; Illuminative evaluation; Questionnaire; Synchronous; Teachers; Undergraduate; Video

Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (2001) 17, 1, 48-57. Accepted: 26 June 2000

Intervention and strategy analysis for web group-learning

G-D. Chen, K-L. Ou, C-C. Liu & B-J Liu, National Central University and Yuan Ze University, Taiwan

Email: chen@db.csie.ncu.edu.tw

Owing to the lack of face-to-face interactions, students using a web-based learning system are likely to study alone and with relatively little classmate support and pressure. Teachers in a web-based learning system may apply the group-learning model to overcome this problem. Therefore, teachers first need to organise, manage, and monitor the group learning. Additionally, they must take appropriate actions based on teaching strategies to improve the learning achievements of the students. To perform these tasks effectively, the teachers must obtain relevant information by searching and analysing the huge amount of web-access logs or by monitoring web interactions. This will be burdensome and difficult to do well for the teachers. This work presents novel methodologies for developing instruments to assist teachers in performing intervention and strategy analysis. The proposed methodologies apply data mining tools provided by existing database management systems. Database techniques, including multidimensional cube, are then applied to make student web logs meaningful and helpful to teachers in managing group learning. The associate rule mining tool is finally employed to assist teachers in analysing their pedagogical strategies. These tools relieve the teacher of tedious data collection and analysis who can then focus on managing the groups to promote students’ learning achievement.

Keywords: Database; Data mining; Discourse analysis; Group; Internet; Intervention; Post-secondary; World-wide web

Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (2001) 17, 1, 58-71. Accepted: 10 July 2000

Students’ use of web-based concept map testing and strategies for learning

C.C. Tsai, S.S.J. Lin & S-M. Yuan, National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan

Email: cctsai@cc.nctu.edu.tw

The study reported in this paper developed and evaluated a web-based concept map testing system for science students. Thirty-eight Taiwanese high school students were involved and it was found that their performance on the system was not significantly related to their achievement as measured by traditional standard tests. Their views about the use of the system, in general, were positive. An analysis of students’ future use of the system and their motivation and learning strategies revealed that those with more critical thinking metacognitive activities and an effort regulation management strategy showed more willingness to use the on-line testing system. Moreover, students with high test anxiety showed a preference to be tested through the system.

Keywords: Concept map; Constructivist; Learning strategy; Motivation; Questionnaire; School; Science; Testing; World-wide web

Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (2001) 17, 1, 72-84. Accepted: 20 July 2000

Integrating computer-mediated tools into the language curriculum

S-C Yang, National Sun-Yat Sen University, Taiwan

Email: shyang@mail.nsysu.edu.tw

The study reported in this paper investigated second-year junior college students’ attitudes and perceptions towards the web as an educational resource. The students in southern Taiwan were given an introduction to Internet use for research projects. Study data was collected using surveys and observation. Factor analysis was employed to identify six areas for further t-test analysis: cognitive disorientation, learning anxiety, perceived enhancement of language ability, perceived enhancement of cultural under-standing, the web considered as a useful search tool and the overall perception of language learning on the web. The study showed that computer networks have the potential to empower students when they are implemented appropriately. Some pedagogical suggestions are made for the effective use of computer networking for second and foreign language learning.

Keywords: Attitude; English; Language; Mediated; Post-secondary; Quantitative; Questionnaire; World-wide web

Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (2001) 17, 1, 85-93. Accepted: 19 July 2000

Learning art with computers — a LISREL model

B. Mak, (formerly Hong Kong University) The University of Kansas

Email: bmak@ukans.edu

This paper surveys the attitudes on the use of computers for aesthetic communication. In spite of the proliferation of computer art software and the popularity of art galleries on the world-wide web, many artists still find it difficult to accept computer art as a form of art. Many of them find only commercial values in computer art. To understand the latent attitudes constituting this rejection, a survey was conducted among high school students and the data was analysed with LISREL structural equation modelling techniques. Results indicate that aesthetic concerns, conservatism, and stereotypes are the major factors accounting for the negative attitude. Implications for system design to overcome the negative attitudes are discussed.

Keywords: Art; Attitude; Questionnaire; Schools; Survey; World-wide web

Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (2001) 17, 1, 94-103. Accepted: 20 July 2000

Technology supported instruction: status, issues and trends

D. Vogel & J. Klassen, City University of Hong Kong

Email: pdklasse@cityu.edu.hk

Higher education is facing a broad range of challenges upon entering the new millennium with shifts in technology, paradigms, and resources for learning. In response to these challenges, teachers are broadening their range of instructional methods. One area that is seeing increased attention is the provision of instructional support for ‘self-accessed’ learning. This paper examines the status, issues, and trends of multimedia instructional support. Examples associated with the development of CD-ROMs and interactive web sites are presented to illustrate important considerations for such development. It is hoped that these considerations will result in greater educational support for individualised learning.

Keywords: CD-ROM; Interactive learning; Individual; Mediated; Multimedia; Problem-solving; World-wide web

Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (2001) 17, 1, 104-114. Accepted: 21 July 2000

Designing CALL for learning Chinese characters

H.C. Lam, W.W. Ki, N. Law, A.L.S. Chung, P.Y. Ko, A.H.S. Ho* & S.W. Pun# University of Hong Kong, Buddhist Po Kwong School* and Hong Kong Institute of Education#

Email: chincal@hkusua.hku.hk

Despite the enormity of its quantity, printed or written forms of Chinese characters are composed from a limited number of common components. For example, the characters for pond(), lake(), stream(), river(), sea() and ocean() all contain a component in common, a three-dot component representing water. When this clue is explicitly highlighted to students, the learning of Chinese characters can be greatly enhanced. Using a computer to help students to develop this kind of structural awareness about language learning has not yet been thoroughly examined. This paper reports on the design of CALL software based on a pedagogic method which helps students to develop the higher order skills to analyse and categorise Chinese characters by using components. The result of the classroom experiment has shown supportive evidence on the feasibility and the need of integrating the software with an affective and contextual way of teaching Chinese characters.

Keywords: Chinese characters; Courseware; Illuminative evaluation; Instruction; Multimedia; Primary; School

Journal of Computer Assisted Learning (2001) 17, 1, 115-128.

Accepted: 10 September 2000