Are eleven to fourteen year old learners attracted to computers? Can computers motivate them to learn? How do they respond to new self-study, computer-based learning activities? Does the type of computer-based learning activity affect their motivation? This study focuses on three important facets of e-learning and motivation – attraction, novelty and activities. The first facet (attraction) relates to verifying the existence of, and reasons for, the attraction to computers. Further areas of investigation relate to the effects of this attraction (if it exists) and learners’ perceptions of proficiency on motivation. The second facet (novelty) relates to learners’ perceptions of novelty and responses to different types of novel self-study, computer-based learning activities. Activities (the third facet) relates to the motivational effects of different types of self-study, computer-based learning activities. The study took place in three schools in different geographical areas of the United Kingdom. The participants were eleven to fourteen year olds. The first facet (attraction) was approached using surveys, through online questionnaires and focus group interviews. The second and third facets (novelty and activities) were approached through multiple-case studies, mainly through observations, self-report forms, and focus group interviews. An important finding is that most learners are attracted to computers, but not necessarily motivated to learn with computers. It is argued that today’s learners have learning attitudes that are based around fun. Hence, e-learning must accommodate this whilst delivering “serious learning”. The research evidence also show differences in perceived novelty and motivational effects of different types of e-learning activities. In particular, the research evidence suggests that the perception of novelty can be extended by changes or discussions during the interaction with certain activities (“regenerative novelty”). It is argued that knowledge of the novelty and motivational effects should be harnessed to provide engagement with learning.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:572082 |
| Date | January 2012 |
| Creators | Popoola, Olutayo |
| Publisher | University of East Anglia |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/42359/ |
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