Emerging Learning Technologies

Course type and locality-specific attitudes towards e-learning and study habits: Insights from Kashmiri post-graduate students

Sartaj Ahmad Bhat — 2024-12-26

This study explores the relationship between attitudes towards e-learning and study habits among Kashmiri post-graduate students, focusing on variations based on course type (professional and non-professional) and locality (rural and urban). A quantitative research design was employed, with a total sample of 200 post-graduate students. For the data collection, attitude toward e-learning scale developed by Rani (2015) and for study habits a self-constructed questionnaire was distributed among the respondents to acquire the desired set of data. It highlights the role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in enhancing students' learning experiences and analytical skills. While both professional and non-professional students show a strong affinity for e-learning, professional students display slightly higher mean scores, although differences are not statistically significant. Rural students face challenges like limited internet access, impacting their preference for traditional learning methods, whereas urban students exhibit more favorable attitudes towards e-learning. The study finds insignificant differences in study habits between rural and urban students, attributed to similar academic demands and resource access. The correlation analysis reveals a significant moderate positive relationship between attitudes towards e-learning and study habits. The study underscores the importance of improving infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, and tailoring e-learning platforms to the specific needs of various academic disciplines. Addressing these locality and course-specific needs can create more inclusive and effective learning environments for post-graduate students. The findings also revealed that the need for a nuanced approach to e-learning implementation, promoting equitable access to learning opportunities in the unique context of Kashmir, to develop targeted educational strategies that address students' specific needs.

Analysis of English language teachers' opinions on metaverse

Züleyha Öz — 2024-12-26

Today, technological developments contribute to educational research and practice. Metaverse, one of these technologies, is a multidimensional digital universe that includes the real universe and the virtual universe. The main purpose of this study is to reveal what English teachers think about Metaverse and to investigate which skill areas Metaverse can contribute to in language teaching. In the study, case study design, one of the qualitative research designs, was used. The study group of the research consists of nine volunteer English language teachers working in Terme district of Samsun province in the academic year 2022-2023. The study group was determined by convenient sampling method, one of the purposeful sampling methods. The data of the study were obtained through a semi-structured interview form. The data collection process was carried out over a period of 4 weeks. The research data were analyzed using both descriptive and content analysis methods in accordance with qualitative research and findings were determined. While determining the findings, themes, categories and codes were obtained and direct quotations were used to reflect the views of the teachers. As a result of the study, it was found that English teachers had positive opinions about Metaverse and that Metaverse would contribute more to speaking and listening skills.

Bot detection using a machine learning adaptive transfer approach

Daniyal Baig — 2024-12-26

Bot presence on social networking applications creates a lot of distress for the population. Authenticity and reliability of the content can only be checked with the embedding of latest technologies like machine learning and deep learning or broadly generalized as artificial intelligence. The proposed method detects the bots on social networking applications using a machine learning supervised and unsupervised methodologies. The main contribution of the research is the novelty factor of embedding supervised and unsupervised algorithms with a better accuracies and precision. The proposed method will improve the social networking applications by identifying the inconsistent data. The proposed research uses decision tree, random forest, KNN and ANN for predicting social media bot presence. Machine learning approach uses Xboost and Gboost methods to improve the accuracies and precision. The comparative analysis proves the significance of the proposed system. The proposed model achieved 97 % accuracy with 0.012 learning loss.

Enhancing Antarctic knowledge through virtual reality: The virtual polar expedition application

Özgür Türk — 2024-12-26

Antarctica, due to its extreme environmental conditions, serves as a critical continent for scientific research. In recent years, Turkey has recognized this importance and initiated research activities in Antarctica. Raising awareness about these endeavors and encouraging individuals to pursue careers in this field is crucial. However, it has been observed that some individuals find it challenging to grasp abstract concepts related to Antarctic research. To address this issue, a virtual reality application titled "Virtual Polar Expedition" was developed. Virtual reality technology provides the user with the freedom to move as they wish and the chance to interact with objects, providing a more instructive and memorable experience compared to other applications. At the same time, it is effective in eliminating the abstractness that remains in the mind, giving the user the feeling of being there. Before starting to develop the application, a comprehensive literature review was made, and then the stations and bases established within the scope of the studies of Turkish scientists were modeled using Blender 3.1 software. Then, Horseshoe Island, where Turkish scientists work on Antarctica, was created via the Unity 3D game engine, and application mechanics related to the studies on the island were prepared. After determining the achievements that the application wanted to teach to the user, informative audio recordings about the models were recorded in the studio environment. After the models and sound recordings were transferred to the Unity environment, the output of the application was taken, and the test phase was started. At the test phase, the application was tested in two different virtual reality glasses and the application has been available in Google Play Store. 7 questions, including the achievements, were solved twice, before and after, by 50 people who experienced the application. At the end of the test phase, the instructional nature of the application was proven with numerical data.

Reviewing the impact of digital citizenship on academic performance of students

Syed Inshaallah Tahir — 2024-12-26

The need to develop digital citizenship skills has become crucial in the ever-changing realm of education. To understand how digital citizenship education equips students with the skills they need for ethical behaviour, responsible technology use, and productive online participation, it is important to study this topic. The study worked on two objectives a) to explain the concept of Digital Citizenship Education, b) to reveal the impact of digital citizenship education on academic success by reviewing literature. This paper embarks on a comprehensive review of existing literature, comprising studies and research articles published in various academic journals. The findings show that programs promoting digital citizenship are increasingly acknowledged to have a positive impact on students' academic performance, cognitive abilities, and general learning outcomes. Education is the key to driving society's digital transformation, and technology is essential to enhancing educational outcomes and processes.

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2024-12-26