Brian Campbell, UOIT: Participatory Technologies

From OUCEL Wiki

10:15-11:00 Brian Campbell – “Participatory Technologies”

• Albert and Campbell (2008) provide limited definition of participatory technology: “Communication technology that facilitate interpersonal interaction and communication”
• collaboration should be also included in this definition
• Technology can have a purpose bias – wiki can be used for joined authoring; interpersonal communication technology such as e-mail can be used for content delivery and not only for interaction, etc.
• Participatory technology has common use among young people (Net generation)
• Digital divide
• Digital distraction vs. Digital asset
• What is relationship between ICT use, collaborative behaviour and academic performance?
• There is need to conduct linked research micro/macro

Participatory technology as digital distraction

• Multi-tasking is overstated
• attention span
• Time block disruption
• Preoccupation
• Total time used

Research questions

• Is ICT use associated with student success?
• Is collaborative culture associated with student success?

• This study is longitudinal and surveys were conducted in 9 institutions

Gaming and ICT variables

• Instant messages (IM) (personal) – negative correlation (-) (i.e. A students are more likely to never use IM than C students)
• Instant messages (IM) (for courses) – negative correlation (-)
• Email friends – positive correlation (+)
• Email instructors – positive correlation (+)
• Time spent playing computer/video games – negative correlation (-)

• ICT is a recreational thing for young people (it is extracurricular activity)
• Email – very little difference in performance of A vs. C students
• Heavy gaming (11 hours or more) among C students

Background variables

• Gender (male) – negative correlation (-)
• Parents’ education – positive correlation (+)
• Survey year - positive correlation (+)
• Institution – negative correlation (-)

Collaborative student culture

• Many university students learn collaboratively independent of the teacher directed pedagogy
• Unknown interaction pedagogy a) it can conflict with teacher imposed collaboration; b) thrives in traditional lectures/examination settings; c) top students do not like it

Some of collaborative variables

• Lend lecture to other students – positive correlation (+)
• Borrow lectures from other students – negative correlation (-)
• Lend assignments to other students – positive correlation (+)
• Borrow assignments from other students – negative correlation (-)
• Help other students to do their assignments – positive correlation (+)
• Get help from other students to do the assignment – negative correlation (-)
• Join a student group in relation to a course or subject area
• Use e-mail/conference/WebCT system to share course information

• Conclusion: It is better to give than to receive; face-to-face learning is better than online.

• More research needs to be conducted:
• Social background
• ICT use in a broader culture
• Student culture and learning strategies
• Pedagogy and use of ICT
• Student performance