Assignment # 1Aysha Al-Shuaili

ID# 67060

First Study

Jesse L. Margolisa, Miguel Nussbaumb, , , Patricio Rodriguezb and Ricardo Rosasc

A Educational Consultant, 118 Mason Terrace, Brookline, MA, 02446, USA

B School of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile

C School of Psychology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile

Received 14 April 2004;Accepted 1 July 2004.

Available online 25 September 2004.

IntroductionCurrently in both developed and developing

countries, there exists a great desire to infuse technology into the educational process. This is generally done with two goals. The first goal is to improve children’s learning of traditional subjects through the use of new tools such as computers and the internet. The second is to teach children how to use the technology itself so they are better prepared for the workforce once school ends.

The PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a

comprehensive methodology for evaluating these new technologies in three basic steps. The first step is a benefit analysis through which the educational benefit of the new technology is quantified. The second step is a cost analysis that incorporates the cost of the technology to measure against the benefit. The final step is a feasibility analysis that helps policy-makers to determine if and how the technology can be implemented given their current financial reality.

The InstrumentsA case study from Chile is used where five

portable educational video games collectively known as Sugoi. They were developed for the Nintendo Game Boy platform. They were introduced into first and second grade classrooms. The video games teach basic Spanish language and mathematics skills to children ranging from kindergarten to second grade

Nimer Baya'a, Hanadi Mia'ari Shehade and Amal Roby Baya'a

Second Study

IntroductionThis study was conducted to answer the question:

What Web site characteristics are associated with a quality online learning environment? It defines four evaluation criteria of Web-based learning environment: Usability, content, educational value and vividness. Several methods of evaluating web sites were presented in the literature review, for example: (Tilloston, 2002) establish think aloud protocol, Bunz, 2001; Greenhow et al., 2006), using a checklist of questions based on criteria, (Collings and Pearce, 2002; Goldman & Bendoly, 2003; Greenhow et al., 2006; Karoulis & Pombortsis, 2001; Tilloston, 2002), submit a web-based survey developed specifically to measure the user perceptions of the Web site value, etc.

Cont, The proposed rubric used in this study

contains four main criteria t: Usability, content, educational value and vividness.

The researchers added to each main criterion several appropriate sub-criteria to cover various aspects of it. Then they determined the weak, median, and excellent quality level for each criterion

Usabilitymeans that a usable Web site is one that is

easily navigated allowing users to find the information they are looking for, while also being visually pleasing and enjoyable to visit. Sub-criteria that could affect the usability are purpose, homepage, navigation, design, enjoyment and readability

Contentrefers to either knowledge or information.

“Web sites are first and foremost interactive storehouses for knowledge” (Nachmias & Midouser, 2002). The sub-criteria in content are authority, accuracy, relevance, sufficiency and appropriateness

The educational valueis an essential component of the Web-based learning

environments. It determines the process and the outcome of the students' learning, and helps answering the following questions: Who guides the process of learning? Is it the student, the teacher, or both? Will students learn individually or collaboratively (Nachmias & Midouser, 2002)? What will students achieve at the end? Will they be able to tell the material by heart or construct new knowledge? The answer to these questions is through planning our web lessons and activities. The main sub criteria in the educational value are: learning activities, activity plan, resources, communication, feedback, rubric, and help tools

Vividnessdynamics, aliveness, or activeness all of these

words convey the meaning of life. There are 2 sub criteria in vividness which are links and updating.