The research described in this thesis is grounded in the fields of independent adult learning, user experience for mobile applications and game design. It considers the case for mobile game-based learning in the context of informal microlearning and investigates the potential of mobile games to assist the independent skills development of adults. Initial research found that adults expressed positive attitudes towards the idea of learning with a mobile game, while even those who did not use mobile games recreationally appeared positive to using them if they perceived them as an effective way to develop their skills. Guidelines were then developed to inform the design of effective mobile learning games based on theories of adult learning, game-based engagement, mobile usability and mobile game design. These guided the development of a mobile game prototype aimed at assisting adults, speakers of English as a second language, to build their academic vocabulary. To evaluate the effectiveness of the prototype, a mixed methods approach combining quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments was utilised. Player engagement and system usability were measured rather than direct measures of learning outcomes. Overall the results were encouraging since evaluation participants were found to be engaged by the activity and able to easily pick up the game and play. Additionally, qualitative data on participants’ experiences and perceptions were collected, which supported initial research findings on the positive attitudes of adults towards using mobile games for learning. Though caution is recommended when generalising the evaluation results, the potential of mobile games for the independent learning of adults was supported. Overall this research offers a rationale for the use of mobile game-based learning, an insight into the nature of adult learners’ needs and their mobile devices usage patterns, a critical discussion on the type of learning that would be appropriate for the context, a set of guidelines for the design of mobile learning games, and finally a discussion of evaluation methods along with a collection of empirical data on the post-experiential attitudes of adults with regards to mobile games for learning.

Children like to draw, but how easy is it for them to draw on a touch screen device? More specifically, how do children adapt the way that they draw to the device, to their own limitations and to the motivational context for action? Despite the fact that many children choose to draw on tablets there have been few studies of how they do so. Arguably tablets offer a more flexible drawing tool than paper and pencil but, on the other hand, there is some evidence that they also introduce some additional perceptual/motor difficulties for children. To answer this question, I conducted a series of laboratory experiments to examine how children aged between 4 to 11 years old adapt their drawing actions to their own motor variability and to extrinsic rewards. The thesis seeks a better understanding of the psychological process involved in drawing and drawing development in children given motivational factors. To this end it adopts a utility maximization approach to framing questions about drawing that derives its explanatory power from three components; ecology, utility and information processing mechanisms. The framework motivates theories that provide an explanatory and predictive account of children's adaptation of drawing strategies on a tablet, derived, in part, from the cognitive psychology of human movement control. The results indicate a developing sensitivity to utility and motor variability.

This thesis investigates how Greek and English 11-year-old students respond to wordless picturebooks. Through the identification of themes in their responses, the study explores the children's engagement while interpreting these books, and also demonstrates how wordless picturebooks can be addressed to and enjoyed by fluent readers. The central tenets of the thesis are described through a socio-cultural perspective of reader response theories. The approach taken places emphasis on the reader's active engagement, for each reader uses visual decoding skills and culturally-oriented knowledge in an effort to resolve the ambiguities of the pictures in a wordless story. The socio-cultural dimension is highlighted throughout this study since the entire process of reading is considered a socio-cultural event. Case studies were conducted, comprising of two groups of four 11-year-old students in England and two groups of the same size in Greece. The data collected includes the children's videoed group discussions, their drawings and their individual short semi-structured interviews. The sessions were verbatim transcribed and analysed drawing on existing frameworks for the analysis of children's discussions on picturebooks, but also incorporating new categories emerged from the data. Based on empirical evidence, this study refines and extends pre-existing research on reader response theories and wordless picturebooks. The main findings indicate that the children's engagement with wordless picturebooks is a dynamic process shaped by four factors: visual decoding, expectations, emotions, and context. The importance of expectations is particularly highlighted, as the children's narrative and cultural expectations were either reinforced or challenged by their reading of the wordless books. This study has implications for teachers, researchers and publishers. It widens the range of readership of wordless picturebooks and increases the purposes of their use, as it reveals their special nature and complexity. Last, this thesis encourages teachers to support students' technical vocabulary on images, and invites schools to integrate wordless picturebooks into their curriculum for older children.

This work examines the effects of playing commercial video games on the development of the student abilities referred to as 'graduate attributes'. Graduate attributes are those generic skills such as critical thinking, communication, resourcefulness or adaptability which are considered desirable in graduates, particularly where employability is concerned. However, most Higher Education courses have not hitherto been explicitly designed to teach or develop these attributes. Many commercial video games, on the other hand, require players to exercise a range of such skills and competences in order to progress; for example, communicating with fellow players in order to succeed in a team-based multiplayer title. Despite suggestions from scholars including James Paul Gee, Kurt Squire, and John Seely Brown that games may be of educational and developmental benefit to players, there exists little empirical evidence for the efficacy of using commercial video games to develop these skills. The work described here addresses this lack of evidence and proposes a positive correlation between the development of specific skills and the playing of video games in a university environment. Three distinct studies are described: a small pilot study, the main experimental study, and a large cross-sectional survey. The pilot study indicated that of the attributes identified by the host institution, effective communication, adaptability, and resourcefulness were the most promising candidates for further study. The pilot was also used to identify instruments suitable for the measurement of these attributes. For the main experimental study, undergraduate students in the first and second of four years in the College of Arts were randomly assigned to either an intervention (N = 16) or a control group (N = 20). Previously validated survey-based instruments designed to measure adaptability, resourcefulness, and communication skill were administered to both groups at the beginning and at the end of the eight-week study, over the course of which the intervention group played specified video games under controlled conditions. A large effect size was observed, with mean score change 1.1, 1.15, and 0.9 standard deviations more positive in the intervention group than the control on communication, adaptability, and resourcefulness scales respectively (p = 0.004, p = 0.002, and p = 0.013 for differences in groups by unpaired t-test). A second communication measure revealed generally positive score changes for the intervention group, but the difference between control and intervention was not statistically significant. The large effect size and statistical significance of these results supported the hypothesis that playing video games can improve self-reported graduate skills. Qualitative analysis of post-intervention interviews with study participants further supported the hypothesis, and offers insight into how students perceive the potential benefits of playing video games in a university context. Interview data revealed that, in particular, students see value in exercising the communication, collaboration, and problem solving skills that are required to succeed in a commercial video game. It was also found that participants valued the opportunity to relieve stress afforded by playing video games on campus, and that playing games also allowed for players to consider wider ethical, social, and cultural issues. A large (N = 2145) survey of students' existing game play habits and attribute attainment was also conducted in order to gain insight into how the results of the laboratory-based study compared to the student population in general. The survey revealed that the effects on graduate attribute attainment observed in the experimental study were not observable in relation to existing game play habits. Indeed, non-players were often found to score best on self-report measures of graduate skills. While no causal relationship can be inferred from these survey data, it appears likely that the most effective means by which games can be used to develop such skills at university level is to deploy them in a formal learning environment, such as that described here. Furthermore, the survey revealed that the skills gained by undergraduates over their four-year degree were relatively slight, compared to the gains measured over the course of the eight-week game-based intervention. This study suggests that a game-based intervention of the type described here can be effective in developing certain graduate attributes, and indicates that such attributes may be developed in a relatively short space of time, contrary to the tacit assumption that they can only be acquired slowly over an entire degree programme.

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have received wide publicity and many institutions have invested considerable effort in developing, promoting and delivering such courses. However, there are still many unresolved questions relating to MOOCs and their effectiveness. One of the major recurring issues raised in both academic literature and the popular press is the consistently high dropout rate of MOOC learners. Despite the impressive levels of enrolment MOOCs attract, many participants do not complete these courses resulting in completion rates of below 15% for most MOOCs. Although there are many reasons for attrition, a lack of understanding of how diverse learners can be supported to study effectively within this format has been identified as an important contributing issue. The current research addresses two factors which relate to how MOOC participants learn and their ability to make effective progress. Firstly, MOOCs require a high degree of self-regulated learning (SRL) skills but most do not appear to offer adequate support for the development of such skills. To determine the implications of this and develop appropriate support strategies it is necessary to understand more about the concept of SRL in the context of MOOCs and MOOC participants. Related to the issue of self-regulation is the inflexibility and passivity of many current MOOC formats, preventing individuals from setting their own learning objectives and directing their own learning. MOOCs have so far been used mainly to provide stand-alone distance learning opportunities for independent learners. However, there is an increasing focus on their benefits when incorporated into a blended-learning approach. This study investigates the issues of self-regulation and learner autonomy within MOOCs. To better understand the contextual differences between the two very different learning modes, the research considers two separate MOOC applications: one stand-alone, the other blended. Both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods were used to explore learners' SRL skills, autonomous choices and ways of working. An existing conceptualisation of SRL incorporating six separate contributing dimensions was adopted as the theoretical framework for the investigation. Overall, a design science methodology was adopted. Central to this was the development of a novel MOOC platform (eLDa) which was designed to support learners' individual choices relating to goal-setting and the selection of learning path. Elements of established good-practice for MOOC platforms were incorporated into the design together with additional functionality to support the novel features of optional self-direction. In order to study the two contexts noted above, two separate courses were implemented and delivered using this platform. The first was an open online course for independent learners regardless of location; the second was incorporated as part of a blended-learning approach within a traditional campus university module. Data gathered from these courses provide insights into learners' self-regulation within the two contexts individually and also allow a comparative analysis of the different dimensions of SRL between differing teaching modalities. Qualitative data from students also contribute to an understanding of their experience of MOOC study and of how they regulate their learning in practice. The first major contribution of this work is an architecture for and the development of a novel MOOC platform which can be used to provide the necessary functionalities to a greater degree of supporting learners' self-direction. Analysis of the data obtained from the two case studies shows different patterns of SRL. The online course results indicate that there is a high demand for more flexible, self-directed learning but that MOOC learners exhibit deficiencies in specific SRL dimensions. Help seeking and deploying task strategies were indicated as being problematic for the fully online learners. Participants in the blended-learning course generally had lower scores on time management and self-evaluation. Although there were considerable differences between individual students, even learners with a strong formal educational background and an existing track-record of successful learning mostly did not obtain high SRL scores. A high level of social interaction and support-seeking from peers was reported, indicating the increasing importance of social online learning even within a campus university. Analysis of the qualitative data reveals study practices which are obviously highly effective for the learners who employ them but which do not necessarily fall within existing conceptualisations of SRL. This study demonstrates that the novel approach taken to supporting self-direction within MOOCs is one which users evaluate as being both desirable and useful. Further, it points to areas of SRL for which MOOCs should in general develop better support, while at the same time indicating strategies for SRL which are not accommodated within current definitions. This work lends support to the view that SRL is highly context-dependent and suggests that further investigation is needed to capture more appropriate conceptualisations of SRL for online and blended-learning with MOOCs.

During recent decades the educational community around the world has witnessed an increasing interest in programmes aiming at providing teachers as well as learners of all ages with direct access to personal computing devices and the vast amount of information such provision enables. These types of programmes are known as “one-to- one computing”, a term that indicates a very widespread distribution of computers in educational settings. Research into such patterns of provision has accordingly become a priority. Understandably, the realities of one-to-one programme implementation vary considerably across the nations, since cultural setting, educational system, customs of technology use and teachers’ experiences are all significant aspects that influence the process. However, there can be certain commonalities across all these aspects in countries whose educational systems have a largely shared history, as is the case in the former Soviet Union states. Azerbaijan’s experience in the field, as one of the countries with a post-soviet educational system going through curriculum reforms, was very attractive for a comprehensive study with the primary focus on identifying the factors influencing the infusion of one-to-one computing into learning and teaching. The research question developed for this study was: “What factors influence the integration of one-to-one computing into teaching and learning?” Qualitative research methods were used to gather data at three purposively selected schools, two in the capital city of Baku and one in a provincial town. The research data were collected by conducting classroom observations, interviews and focus group discussions with main stakeholders of the programme allowing for investigation of students’, teachers’ and parents’ experiences throughout the implementation process. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach the gathered data were analyzed in two major stages: the first one employed the ‘helicopter view’ approach to attain a preliminary picture, followed by the process of coding, memo-writing and analysis. The second stage of the analysis resulted in a thematic summary into teacher, student and classroom-dynamics-related categories. The findings revealed that the students were the most enthusiastic about the changes brought to the learning process with the introduction of the lightweight, small and inexpensive devices, commonly known as netbooks. The students improved their technological skills and knowledge and applied these skills in acquiring domain knowledge. By providing students with netbooks, the one-to-one programme introduced anytime, anywhere, and individualized learning opportunities. The study also revealed that the introduction of netbooks was leading to students developing collaborative learning skills. In addition, the study found that most of the teachers were developing new teaching methods to continue the programme implementation. They invested extra time and worked hard, notwithstanding the lack of guidelines both on the integration of technology with pedagogy and on meeting newly-set National Curriculum standards. Some teachers overcame the technological challenges that arose along the way eagerly, while others used them as an excuse to discontinue the programme implementation. The parents’ opinions varied considerably, some of them supported the innovation, while others considered the frequent usage of technology excessive, unnecessary and potentially damaging to their children’s health. The latter group of parents expected their children to be taught similarly to them, with a primary focus on the development of handwriting and speaking skills as well as the habits of reading printed books. The research has identified eight major factors influencing the integration of one-to-one computing into teaching and learning: embedding ICT in the curriculum, fostering of exploratory learning, student satisfaction, new learning practices, professional development, school leadership support, teacher beliefs and parental support. Most importantly, the findings have revealed the importance of addressing teacher professional development in terms of integrating technology with pedagogy and meeting curriculum standards through technology-infused teaching methods. These factors indicate the improvements needed for successful programme implementation. It is hoped that the results can be adopted by educational leaders to inform their decisions on one-to-one programmes, thereby contributing to successful integration.

Για τις ανάγκες της παρούσας ερευνητικής εργασίας σχεδιάστηκε ένα εκπαιδευτικό σενάριο το οποίο εμπλέκει τις έννοιες του αρχείου, το προγράμματος και της αρχειοθέτησης με σκοπό να εφαρμοστεί σε μαθητές προσχολικής ηλικίας. Αφορμή για την επιλογή του θέματος στάθηκε το Πιλοτικό Πρόγραμμα Σπουδών για την Πληροφορική στην προσχολική ηλικία αλλά και η έλλειψη παρόμοιων ερευνητικών εργασιών. Η εργασία αποτελεί μία μελέτη περίπτωσης (case study). Σκοπός της έρευνας ήταν να διαφανεί σε πρώτο επίπεδο η ενδεχόμενη μαθησιακή πρόοδος των μαθητών ως προς τις έννοιες αλλά και σε δεύτερο επίπεδο να εξεταστεί αν μπορούν να τις χειριστούν εννοιολογικά. Οι τεχνικές συλλογής δεδομένων είναι το παιδικό σχέδιο, η συνέντευξη και η ηχογράφηση. Μέσα από την εφαρμογή του εκπαιδευτικού σεναρίου παρατηρείται γνωστική πρόοδος στους μαθητές ως προς τις έννοιες οι οποίες εμπλέκονται σε αυτό. / For the purposes of this research was designed an educational scenario that involves the concepts of the file archiving program designed to apply to preschool students . The reason for choosing the topic was the Pilot Program for Information Technology in preschool age and the lack of similar research . This work is a case study (case study). The purpose of this study was to emerge in the first instance any learning progress of students to the concepts and on a second level to consider whether you can handle them conceptually . The data collection techniques are the children's plan , interviewing and recording. Through the implementation of the educational scenario we observed cognitive progress the students to the concepts that are involved in it.

Η προσασρμοστική μάθηση (adaptive learning) είναι μια εκπαιδευτική μέθοδος η οποία χρησιμοποιεί κάποιο υπολογιστικό σύστημα ως διαδραστική συσκευή διδασκαλίας αναλαμβάνοντας να προσαρμόσει την παρουσίαση του εκπαιδευτικού υλικού σύμφωνα με τις ανάγκες των μαθητών, όπως αυτές προκύπτουν από τις απαντήσεις τους στις ερωτήσεις και τις εργασίες αλλά και γενικότερα παρατηρώντας παραμέτρους της συμπεριφοράς τους στο σύστημα. Η τεχνολογία που υποστηρίζει τη συγκεκριμένη εκπαιδευτική μέθοδο περιλαμβάνει τις πτυχές που προέρχονται από διάφορους επιστημονικούς τομείς όπως η επιστήμη των υπολογιστών, η εκπαίδευση και η ψυχολογία. Η προσαρμοστικής μάθηση έχει οδηγηθεί εν μέρει από τη συνειδητοποίηση ότι προσωπική μάθηση δεν μπορεί να επιτευχθεί σε μια μεγάλη κλίμακα χρησιμοποιώντας παραδοσιακές, μη-προσαρμοστικές προσεγγίσεις. Τα συστήματα προσαρμοστικής μάθησης στοχεύουν στο να μετατρέψουν τον μαθητή από παθητικό δέκτη πληροφοριών σε συνεργαζόμενο και ενεργό μέλος στην εκπαιδευτική διαδικασία. Ενώ μπορεί να υπάρχουν εξαιρέσεις, τα συστήματα προσαρμοστικής μάθησης είναι γενικά χτισμένα με τρία βασικά στοιχεία: ένα μοντέλο εμπειρογνώμονα ή περιεχομένου, ένα μοντέλο μαθητή, και ένα εκπαιδευτικό ή διδασκαλικό μοντέλο. Στα πλαίσια της διπλωματικής αυτής εργασίας μεταπτυχιακής ειδίκευσης αναπτύχθηκε ένα ηλεκτρονικό εκπαιδευτικό παιχνίδι για φορητή συσκευή το οποίο απευθύνεται σε μαθητές επιπέδου δημοτικού σχολείου και υιοθετεί τις αρχές της προσαρμοστικής μάθησης. Στόχος του παιχνιδιού είναι η εξάσκηση και η σταδιακή βελτίωση εκμάθησης της προπαίδειας. Το εκπαιδευτικό παιχνίδι υλοποιήθηκε σε LUA (Corona SDK) και δοκιμάστηκε σε Android συσκευές. Για να καθοριστούν οι λειτουργικές προδιαγραφές διερευνήθηκαν και καταγράφηκαν ήδη υπάρχοντα αντίστοιχα εκπαιδευτικά παιχνίδια, πραγματοποιήθηκε συνέντευξη με έμπειρη εκπαιδευτικό ώστε να προσαρμοστεί ο σχεδιασμός του σεναρίου του παιχνιδιού στην εκπαιδευτική πρακτική που εφαρμόζεται στο σχολείο, ενώ αφού ολοκληρώθηκε η υλοποίηση πραγματοποιήθηκαν δοκιμές με μαθητές α’, β’, γ’ δημοτικού ώστε να διερευνηθεί η αποτελεσματικότητα του εκπαιδευτικού παιχνιδιού. / Adaptive learning is an educational method that uses a computer system as an interactive teaching apparatus undertaking to adjust the presentation of educational material according to the needs of students, as reflected by their answers to the questions and work well generally observing aspects of their behavior in the system. The technology that supports this educational method includes aspects from different disciplines such as computer science, education and psychology. Adaptive learning has been driven in part by the realization that personal learning can not be achieved on a large scale using traditional non-adaptive approaches. Adaptive learning systems aim to transform the student from passive recipient of information at a partner and active member in the educational process. While there may be exceptions, adaptive learning systems are generally built with three key elements: a model expert or content, a user model, and an educational teaching model. As part of this thesis postgraduate specialization developed an online educational game for mobile device which is aimed at primary school level students and adopts the principles of adaptive learning. The objective of the game is to practice and the gradual improvement of learning the multiplication tables. The educational game implemented in LUA (Corona SDK) and tested on Android devices. To determine the functional specifications were investigated and recorded existing respective educational games, interviewed by experienced teacher to fit the design of the scenario of the game in the educational practice at school, and after the completed implementation was tested with students a, b, c grade to investigate the effectiveness of educational game.

Η εργασία μελέτησε την εισαγωγή της εκπαιδευτικής ρομποτικής στην Πρωτοβάθμια Εκπαίδευση: την ένταξή της στο αναλυτικό πρόγραμμα και στις ειδικές συνθήκες ενός τυπικού περιφερειακού σχολείου με τη μορφή project που αναπτύσσεται στα πλαίσια της ευέλικτης ζώνης. Πρόκειται για μελέτη περίπτωσης με στοιχεία έρευνας δράσης κυρίως όσον αφορά την ανάπτυξη του project στα πλαίσια της ευέλικτης ζώνης. Κατά τη διάρκεια ανάπτυξης των 8 δραστηριοτήτων του project μελετήθηκαν οι αρχικές κατασκευές των μαθητών ως προς εμφάνιση, λειτουργικότητα, στιβαρότητα, χρήση δομικών στοιχείων και η εξέλιξη αυτών των κατασκευών κατά τη διδασκαλία. Μελετήθηκε επίσης ο προγραμματισμός των ρομποτικών κατασκευών δηλαδή η απόδοση συμπεριφοράς στις κατασκευές αυτές με τη βοήθεια του προγράμματος οπτικού προγραμματισμού robolab. / -

Με την παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία γίνεται μια προσπάθεια παρουσίασης και αξιολόγησης του εκπαιδευτικού τίτλου "Geometer's Sketchpad" και του "Geonext" δηλαδή δύο εκπαιδευτικών λογισμικών για τη Β/θμια εκπαίδευση με τη μέθοδο αξιολόγησης πρόβλεψης (Predictive evaluation) με χρήση της κλίμακας Likert. Στην αξιολόγηση αυτή οι βασικότεροι άξονες που ακολουθούμε είναι: Διδακτική σχεδίαση, Περιεχόμενο, Υποστήριξη Εκπαιδευτικού και Τεχνική Αρτιότητα. Τα κριτήρια στα οποία βασιστήκαμε τα αντλήσαμε από σχετικά ερωτηματολόγια που βρίσκονται στο βιβλίο "Το εκπαιδευτικό λογισμικό και η αξιολόγηση του" των Χ. Παναγιωτακόπουλος, Χ. Πιερρακέας, Π. Πιντέλας. / Description and evaluation of educational softwares Geometer Sketchpad and Geonext with the method evaluation of forecast (predictive evaluation) with the use of scale Likert.