Articles in Periodicals & Books

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Browsing Articles in Periodicals & Books by Subject "Aptus"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Open Access
    An Evaluation of the Usefulness and Ease of Use of the Aptus Within the Samoan Education Context
    (2017-11) Mow, Ioana T C; Temese, Edna; Mose, Mose N; Patu, Tara; Mauai, Elisapeta; Sinclair, Ioana; Lafaele, Fiafaitupe; Namulauulu, Joseph; Tanielu, Misioka; Soon, Agnes W; Chan, Vensal; Gaskell, Anne
    This paper describes the findings of the first trial of the Aptus device within the National University of Samoa. The Aptus is a device that enables wireless access to valuable educational resources in the absence of electricity and the Internet. The goals of this research were to explore the acceptance of using the Aptus to access e-resources within the context of education in Samoa, with user acceptance measured by evaluating the ease of use and usefulness of the Aptus. The findings of the trial indicated very positive perceptions of students and teachers at the university in terms of ease of use and usefulness of the Aptus within educational settings. From the results of Phase 1, a strong recommendation is made to adopt the Aptus as a technology for providing access to quality educational resources within the National University of Samoa. The study also recommends the need for training of teachers on the use of the Aptus and its applications, such as Moodle.
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    Open Access
    Exploring Offline e-Learning for Resilience: A Case Study
    (2024-07-21) Mays, Tony; Cheng, Ricky; Panda, Santosh
    There are too few teachers and schools to meet the need for quality universal basic education. Therefore, alternative approaches to education provision need to be explored, such as open and distance learning methods and development and provision of curriculum-based Open Educational Resources (OER). However, distribution of printed materials is increasingly costly, and distribution of digital resources remains a challenge in areas with little or no connectivity. This case study explores the potential of using offline strategies to share digital OER. It suggests it is possible to provide access to digital learning resources even in the most remote areas by using appropriate technology, like the Commonwealth of Learning’s Aptus device.
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    Open Access
    Open and Innovative Schooling: An Implementation Experience in Fifteen Secondary Schools across Mozambique
    (2021-10-19) Cossa, Sérgio Paulo; Nakala, Lurdes Patrocínia Matavela; Cherinda, Nilsa Adelaide Issufo Enoque Pondja; Panda, Santosh
    This case study explores the open and innovative schooling model piloted in fifteen secondary schools across all regions of Mozambique in the period 2018 to 2020. The model involved provision of access to curriculum-based digital Open Educational Resources (OER) using an Aptus device to enable sharing offline. Learning support centres offering access to some ICT as well as opportunities for individual use or structured tutorials were established in fifteen schools around the country. A mixed methods tracer study was designed and implemented using quantitative analysis to ascertain student enrolment, retention and success and then used qualitative focus surveys and focus groups to gauge the satisfaction of students, teachers and managers with the OIS model to inform future planning. While the pilot was generally considered successful in augmenting existing secondary schooling provision, access to devices, teacher development and support and expansion of curriculum coverage were all found to be in critical need of improvement if the model is to be scaled.
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    Open Access
    Use of Tablet Computers to Improve Access to Education in a Remote Location
    (2017-07) Ally, Mohamed; Balaji, Venkataraman; Abdelbaki, Anwar; Cheng, Ricky
    A research project was carried out in using mobile learning to increase access to education. This project is contributing to the achievement of Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which is to “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”. The mobile learning project involved the use of mobile technology to deliver learning materials to students to provide flexibility of access. Students used tablet computers to access electronic learning materials from the Aptus local server without having to connect to the Internet. The Aptus system is portable and was designed by the Commonwealth of Learning to allow learners to connect to digital learning platforms and access course materials without the need for Internet access. The project was implemented in a school in Pakistan. A total of 74 Grade 8, 9, and 10 students were involved in this project. The research revealed a positive impact on students and on learning as a result of their participation in the mobile learning project: students were better able to use the mobile technology for learning. Both students and parents also indicated that the project increased the students’ knowledge on the use of tablets for learning. Parents indicated that the mobile learning project increased their childrens’ interest in studying. Teachers also acknowledged that the students were taking more interest in classroom learning and concentrated on their tablets during study. Students were tested before and after they were supplied with content on their tablets. The post-test scores were significantly higher than the pre-test scores, indicating the use of the tablets for learning improved students’ performance.