Papers by Solveig Jakobsdottir
European Distance and E-Learning Network (EDEN) Conference proceedings, Jun 17, 2018
Some distance education programs offer campus sessions in their courses. That has been the case a... more Some distance education programs offer campus sessions in their courses. That has been the case at the University of Iceland – School of Education (UISE) for the past decades. The question is how such sessions are best organised. Lectures and seminars have been the hallmark of university teaching for centuries but can now easily be available online in various formats including more interactive styles for example with (recorded) synchronous webinars. Already in 2008 there were indications that distance learners at the UISE who had were exposed to online recordings of lectures were less likely to want to spend face-to-face meetings on lectures (Jakobsdóttir, 2008) than those who were not used to watching lecture recordings online. This was not true regarding online asynchronous discussions. Students tended to appreciate f2f discussions during campus sessions regardless of their exposure to online asynchronous discussions (Jakobsdóttir, 2008; Jakobsdóttir, Jónsdóttir, Valsdóttir, Frímannsdóttir, & Jóhannsdóttir, 2008). Of course there are many other teaching methods that can be applied when people meet f2f. One method that we have found to be promising among teacher students learning about ICT is a type of workshop that has for example been called educamp or edcamp (Carpenter, 2016; Leal Fonseca, 2011). Similar methods have also been called unconference or over-the-shoulder learning, playdates, or teachmeets. An educamp as described by Leal Fonseca (2011) is an “unstructured collective learning experience” making tangible “possibilities of social software tools in learning and interaction processes while demonstrating face-to-face organizational forms that reflect social networked learning ideas.” Such events have probably mostly been organised for the purpose of professional development and a chance to make connections and learn from peers in an informal way. Due to the fast technological developments it is important to instil in teacher students a mind-set that nobody can be an expert in everything and that it is important to explore together and learn from each other. Teacher students in their second semester of several years of study can expect that the technological landscape will have shifted and changed and new pedagogical emphasis and sets of tools arrived or be on the horizon. The educamp method has been used in Iceland under the translated label (Icelandic) menntabudir since fall 2012 with various groups: teachers of ICT, special education, natural science and mathematics, and teachers with groups of pupils in schools for example recently on makerspaces projects at the primary level (Jakobsdóttir, 2015; Jakobsdóttir, Jónsdóttir, Gudmundsdóttir, & Pétursdóttir, 2014; Jakobsdóttir & Thayer, 2014). In addition, these types of events have been offered in campus sessions with graduate since 2012 and undergraduate students in ICT courses at the UISE since 2014. The method has been adapted with different groups and for different occasions but when it is used as part of the teacher education curriculum it may have a more formal aspect in the way that all participants are required to participate with contributions in dual role as teacher and learner and that such a project is evaluated as part of their grade. In this paper, educamps organised with undergraduate teacher education students are described as well as the reactions of students from three cohorts in 2014, 2015 and 2016 (additional data may be added in the final version of the paper from a 2018 cohort which is completing a similar project in spring semester 2018).Edite
The European Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning, Dec 2, 2008
English This article focuses on preferences for campus-sessions and face-to-face meetings in dist... more English This article focuses on preferences for campus-sessions and face-to-face meetings in distance education (DE) and how they want them organized. Results from three surveys among students and university teachers at Iceland University of Education (IUE)[1] are presented: 72 graduate students from seven cohorts in one program answered the first survey and 51 teachers the second. All DE students at IUE were invited to participate in the third: 527 responded (34%). The majority preferred to meet for a total of 2-5 days per course, 2-3 times per semester. Students living further away from the campus and younger students wanted to meet less than did older ones and those living closer. Participants wanted to use f2f sessions for discussions and to create a feeling of togetherness but had mixed feelings regarding lectures: some staff members and groups of undergraduates did not want to spend much time for lectures. Graduate students, who were used to online access to recorded lectures, tended to agree. Access to teacher education is important but DE students at IUE value f2f meetings as a significant part of their education even if some may want to see changes in how they are organized. Guidelines regarding campus sessions are provided[2]. Icelandic Greinin fjallar um hvort fjarnemar vilja fá staðkennslu í námi sínu og þá hvernig þeir vilja að henni sé háttað. Greint er frá niðurstöðum þriggja kannana meðal fjarnema og kennara við Kennaraháskóla Íslands (KHÍ): 72 framhaldsnemar úr sjö árgöngum á í tölvuog upplýsingatækni svöruðu fyrstu könnuninni og 51 kennari svipaðri könnun. Öllum fjarnemum við skólann var boðið að taka þátt í þriðju könnuninni: 527 svöruðu (34% svarhlutfall). Meirihlutinn vildi hittast í staðlotum 2-5 daga í hverju námskeiði, tvisvar til þrisvar á misseri. Nemendur sem bjuggu fjær og yngri nemendur vildu hittast sjaldnar en þeir sem eldri voru og þeir sem bjuggu nær. Þátttakendur vildu nýta staðbundinn tíma til umræðna og til að skapa góðan hópanda en voru blendnari í skoðunum gagnvart fyrirlestrum: sumir háskólakennarar og hópar grunnnema vildu ekki eyða miklum tíma í fyrirlestra né þeir framhaldsnemar sem voru vanir því að geta nálgast upptökur af fyrirlestrum á Netinu. Aðgengi að kennaramenntun er mikilvægt. En fjarnemar við KHÍ telja staðkennslu mikilvæga í menntun sinni jafnvel þó ýmsir þeirra vilji skipuleggja hana öðruvísi. Settar eru fram tillögur til að bæta staðlotur, þýddar úr skýrslu starfshóps á vegum kennarabrautar KHÍ og byggðar á niðurstöðum ofangreindra kannana (Jakobsdóttir o.fl., 2008).
EdMedia: World Conference on Educational Media and Technology, Jun 26, 2012
EdMedia: World Conference on Educational Media and Technology, 2003
This paper examines the effects of information and communications technology (ICT) on internation... more This paper examines the effects of information and communications technology (ICT) on international trade in emerging markets. Using panel data for 40 emerging market economies (EMEs) for a period from 1995 to 2010, we estimate fixed effects models of exports and imports on ICT and other control variables. Our ICT variables include the growth of telecom investment, international Internet bandwidth, Internet subscriptions per 100 people, and the number of Internet hosts per 100 people. We use the share of total exports and of total imports in GDP as the dependent variables. Additionally, we consider the GDP share of exports and imports for goods and services separately. The main control variables are: per capita GDP growth, population growth, and the GDP growth for the rest of the world. The empirical results overwhelmingly suggest that Internet bandwidth, Internet subscriptions, and Internet hosts have significant positive impacts on export share while all four ICT variables including telecom investment growth have significant positive impacts on import shares in emerging market economies. This result is robust across shorter sample period, a subsample of EMEs, alternative estimation method, and alternative model specifications. There are important policy implications of this result for developing countries.
Routledge eBooks, Jul 5, 2022
Journal of information technology for teacher education, Jul 1, 2001
... latter schools (B) with the others, indicating that there may be some link between teaching p... more ... latter schools (B) with the others, indicating that there may be some link between teaching practices ... of these early adopters (eight teachers and two principals) aimed at exploring the use ... The teachers appeared happy with Internet use, which they thought had positive effects on ...
Netla, Dec 13, 2022
Til að bregðast við breytingum sem fylgja stafraenni taekni og nýtingu hennar við nám og kennslu ... more Til að bregðast við breytingum sem fylgja stafraenni taekni og nýtingu hennar við nám og kennslu er í ýmsum stefnuskjölum lögð áhersla á haefni kennara, starfsþróun og kennaramenntun. Evrópuráðið hefur sett fram ramma um stafraena haefni í menntun (DigCompEdu-Digital Competence of Educators) þar sem faglegir og kennslufraeðilegir haefniþaettir kennara til að efla stafraena haefni nemenda sinna eru skilgreindir.
School Libraries Worldwide, Apr 1, 2001
Educational Technology Research and Development, Dec 1, 1995
A computer-based foreign language lesson was developed to study the effects of text, context, and... more A computer-based foreign language lesson was developed to study the effects of text, context, and gender on listening comprehen- sion and motivation. A total of 109 fifth grade students responded to spoken com- mands, with text and a story absent or pres- ent. Presenting ...
IGI Global eBooks, Jan 18, 2011
228 Jakobsdbttir Chapter XII United We Stand-Divided We Fall! Development of a Learning Community... more 228 Jakobsdbttir Chapter XII United We Stand-Divided We Fall! Development of a Learning Community of Teachers on the Net Solveig Jakobsdottir Kennarahaskoli islands, Iceland INTRODUCTION In 1998, 1 became a program director of a Net-based distance education (DE) graduate ...
International Association for Development of the Information Society, Mar 1, 2013
In this paper we present the results of an evaluation study of a development project for the intr... more In this paper we present the results of an evaluation study of a development project for the introduction and use of tablet computers (iPads) at the lower secondary level in Nordlinga school, a compulsory school in Reykjavík. In the study, we assess the impact of the use of tablet computers on instruction and students' learning in grades 9 to 10, and on school development in Nordlinga school. First results show that that the project came to a good start, despite some differences that the school had with city administrators and technical problems in the beginning. Most students brought their tablet home and used it for formal, as well as informal and non-formal learning. The introduction of tablet computers enabled access to a variety of software for learning, tools and games. It stimulated communication and collaboration. Products of learning increasingly involved multimedia elements and networking. The study indicated increased satisfaction, interest and independence of students in learning, development of individualized learning strategies, increased student engagement and an improved use of class time. Teachers felt that the use of tablet computers stimulated their professional development and enhanced their work satisfaction. Parents were generally supportive of the use of tablet computers and considered it important that the school could continue to invest in new technologies for learning. Indications were of insufficient availability of learning materials in Icelandic and a start of co-configuration of partners to remedy the situation. The evaluation revealed some weaknesses, challenges and opportunities for further development.
A gender gap between boys and girls has been reported in computer usage. Graphics may play a role... more A gender gap between boys and girls has been reported in computer usage. Graphics may play a role in bridging that gap because of their motivational value. The literature reports gender differences regarding graphic content, color, detail, size, and movement. Based on these findings, preliminary design guidelines for graphics in computer-based instructional materials to increase attention and invoke interest of both sexes are proposed. Cross-cultural and age differences need to be examined, and the validity of the preliminary guidelines tested to develop operational guidelines. (Contains 22 references.) (KRN)
Allt ráðstefnuritið er hér, þar sem ekki reyndist mögulegt að taka það út úr ritinuAt the Univers... more Allt ráðstefnuritið er hér, þar sem ekki reyndist mögulegt að taka það út úr ritinuAt the University of Iceland, School of Education (UISE), a group of faculty members has been examining its teacher education programme, which has been offered online with face-to-face sessions since the early 90’s as well as being offered as campus-based. One of the group’s aims was to suggest ways to improve the quality of the UISE programmes. To that end views of current students and school administrators were explored. About 12% of all school administrators at the primary and lower secondary level in Iceland were contacted. Also 30 students at the School of Education were invited to participate in phone interviews (random sample) about their experiences and views on how the UISE distance education should evolve. Data collection was completed in April and May 2018. The results are outlined in this paper and discussed how they may be applied in the UISE work group recommendations for the development of distance education at the university.Peer Reviewe
An overview is given of experiences of MOOCs in Iceland. An open online Icelandic language course... more An overview is given of experiences of MOOCs in Iceland. An open online Icelandic language course from 2004 at the University of Iceland (UI) has been popular and remains open. A work group, formed in 2013 by the president of the UI, analysed the MOOC landscape and gathered data about students' use of MOOCs and OERs. Recommendations included trialling integration of international MOOCs in UI courses. In 2014, opportunities for participation in MOOCs were provided in four courses, in some cases as group activity with discussion of experiences. Other developments include a 2015 open online course for professional development on ICT in teaching and learning. Over 300 teachers were registered and emphasis was on the use of social media and supporting a learning community. Results from these cases indicate importance of MOOCs for professional development but the role of language, culture and learning communities needs further attention.
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Papers by Solveig Jakobsdottir