CONCEPT PAPER REVIEW

Title of the Paper: Teaching and Learning with Technology: Effectiveness of ICT Integration in
Schools.
Author/s: Simin Ghavifekr, Wan Atirah Wan Rosdy
Name of the Journal/Publication: International Journal of Research in Education and Science
(IJRES)
DOI: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1105224.pdf

 Does the paper provide a novel and “big” idea that provides considerably new insight?
Identify the new insight:

With the development of learning technologies in the late 20th century,

education system has changed rapidly. This is due to the capability of technology to
provide a proactive, easy access and comprehensive teaching and learning environment.
With the development of learning technologies in the late 20th century, education
system has changed rapidly. This is due to the capability of technology to provide a
proactive, easy access and comprehensive teaching and learning environment.

 Is the idea “unpacked”? Do the authors argue for the idea in a clear, powerful, coherent,
and compelling way? What are the ideas that he presented?

The integration of ICT in classroom is getting more important as it help student in

enhancing their collaborative learning skills as well as developing transversal skills that
stimulates social skills, problem solving, self-reliance, responsibility and the capacity for
reflection and initiative. All these elements are core values that students need to
achieve in an active teaching and learning environment (Ghavifekr et al., 2014).
Similarly, in Malaysia the government has implemented the integration of ICT in learning
and teaching process in early 1970’s. This is due to the importance of technology literate
which produce critical thinking workforce to face and involve the country in the global
economy (Hamidi, Meshkat, Rezaee, & Jafari, 2011). Accordingly, many schools were
upgraded with computer’s lab, the internet connection, smart white boards, LCD and
other ICT tools and equipment. Despite all these, the problem faced was the teachers’
skill and aptitude, technical support and stability of the system in order to implement
the policy successfully. However, the government is still improving and upgrading the
 systems to be fully utilizing by ICT. As a developing country, exploration of the factors
that affecting Malaysian teachers’ ICT usage in schools can help to increase the
integration of ICT in country’s teaching and learning process.

 Is the idea differentiated from related ideas and concepts?

Yes/ No. Discuss your answer

No. The ideas and concepts are related to each other and they all have the same
ideas, that ICT makes learning and teaching more effective.

 Do the authors indicate what is inside and what is outside the scope of the idea? Do
they indicate why the idea is important (e.g., it shifts beliefs in ways that have
implications for future research and/or marketplace stakeholders)?

The scope of the study is to analyze teachers’ perceptions on effectiveness of ICT

integration to support teaching and learning process in classroom.

 Does the paper adequately represent prior research, and is it likely to lead to new future
research? What novel research questions does the idea generate, and is a research
agenda well specified?

 What is the method used specifically the research design?

In this research, quantitative methodology was used to collect and analyze the
data obtained from all the respondents. The researchers developed the questionnaire
and finalized it before being distributed to the targeted group of respondents. Few
sections on the questionnaire were designed specifically to address research objectives
in regard with the effectiveness of ICT integration for students in learning and effective
elements of ICT integration in public school in Kuala Lumpur. Therefore, the
questionnaire was distributed to obtain the data from the respondents.

 What are the criteria set for the respondents/participants?

The overall total of respondents for this research was 101 teachers from public
primary and secondary schools in Kuala Lumpur. The questionnaire was randomly
distributed to the respondents with teaching background regardless of gender, race,
teaching experience as well as highest teaching experience. There are no preferences
set by the researchers as long as the respondents come with teaching background
especially in public primary and secondary school in Kuala Lumpur. Since the targeted
 respondents for this research are meant for individuals with teaching background, the
researchers tried to get especially teachers from public primary and secondary schools
in Kuala Lumpur to be part of this research. Hence, the questionnaires distributed are
not equal in numbers where teachers from secondary schools dominate the overall
population as compared to teachers from primary schools.

 How are the data gathered?

The researchers modified the questionnaire before it is being finalized and

distributed to the target group of respondents. Then, each researcher takes up 50 and
51 questionnaires respectively that made a total of 101 questionnaires being distributed
to all respondents. The data was collected within 2 weeks through random distribution
and some of the questionnaires were sent to respondent’s email. The respondents were
given 3-5 days to complete the questionnaire and send it back to the researcher for data
analysis. After 2 weeks, all the complete filled-up questionnaires were gathered and
collected for further data analysis by the researcher to get the output and findings for
the research.

 How are they analyzed statistically

All the data collected from the respondents were gathered together to be
analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. The analysis
includes both descriptive and inferential analysis. The researchers used descriptive
analysis to analyze the frequency and percentage of the overall population in the
demographic background. Besides, it is also used to determine the mean, standard
deviation, frequency and percentage to identify the effectiveness of ICT integration for
students in learning as well as the effective elements of ICT integration in teaching in
public schools in Kuala Lumpur.

 What is the conclusion/insights of the study

The results of this study show that technology-based teaching and learning is
more effective in compare to traditional classroom. This is because, using ICT tools and
equipment will prepare an active learning environment that is more interesting and
effective for both teachers and students. The results are in line with research finding by
Macho (2005) that proved using ICT in education would enhance students’ learning.
However, most of teachers in this study agree that ICT helps to improve classroom
management as students are well-behaved and more focused. Moreover, this study
proved that students learn more effectively with the use of ICT as lesson designed are
more engaging and interesting. Accordingly, the participants agreed that integrating ICT
can foster students’ learning.
CONCEPT PAPER REVIEW
Title of the Paper: The impact of online learning technology on self-regulation and student
success
Author/s: Kira Makhno, Natalia Kireeva and Viktor Shurygin
Name of the Journal/Publication: Association for Learning Technology
DOI: https://journal.alt.ac.uk/index.php/rlt/article/view/2802/295178

 Does the paper provide a novel and “big” idea that provides considerably new insight?
Identify the new insight:

MOOCs help educators to introduce innovative methods in pedagogy and ensure

the quality of education, the quality of information shared with students, the quality of
services, the quality of the course material, increase the number of students, and
improve the attitude and satisfaction of all participants .The ground for developing a
MOOC is represented by the micro lecture learning format, a modern teaching
technology that helps educators influence student behavior, allows modelling and
predicting high learning outcomes and has proven its effectiveness, simplicity and the
possibility to make students feel satisfied (Wang, Zhu, and Tondeur 2021). Being an
innovative learning means, MOOCs allow thousands of students to study online
simultaneously, communicate with each other, work with all course materials, Research
in Learning Technology and manage their personal autonomy and mobility, which, thus,
has a positive effect on the level of self-regulation of students. Insofar, as MOOCs
provide free education, they are accessible to a wide student audience, including
international students, individuals of different age groups, characteristics and study
paces (Zakharova and Tanasenko 2019).

 Is the idea “unpacked”? Do the authors argue for the idea in a clear, powerful, coherent,
and compelling way? What are the ideas that he presented?
The influence of social factors and self-regulation to improv high academic
results using MOOCs. MOOC has a wide discussion space, allowing participants to
interact and share experiences, such as collaborative and self-regulated learning that
leads to high aca-demic achievements. Social platforms Twitter and Facebook were used
for MOOCs. For the effective use of MOOCs, student autonomy and self-regulation of
learning are important tools that help to develop transversal competence. The use of
Twitter and Facebook is not effective to drive self-regulated learning and achievements
using MOOCs.

 Is the idea differentiated from related ideas and concepts?

Yes/No. Discuss your answer
 No, it is not differentiated. For example, a team of scholars from Morocco (El
Kabtane et al. 2020) examined how virtual and augmented reality increased MOOCs
interactivity. Online and distance learning using the Internet has some limitations such
as the lack of interactivity of participants working on the platform and dropouts. A more
active position of students is required to solve these problems as well as the desire to
understand the learning process. The scholars propose virtual manipulations model
(virtual simulations and practical exercises) based on augmented or virtual reality
technologies with a large set of manipulations online or offline. This form of training is
highly effective and helps to strengthen the practical competences of students (El
Kabtane et al. 2020). The implementation of MOOCs in the education of the Gulf
countries was analyzed by researchers from Kuwait (Mutawa 2017). The annual growth
of MOOC applications forced many educational institutions (Stanford University,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Rice University, Kuwait University) to
reconsider their educational approaches and introduce MOOCs into their educational
environment. Many elite universities have started using MOOC providers such as
Edraak.org, Nadrus.com and Rwaq.org. All MOOC providers have huge bandwidth and
have been adapted to meet the needs of students in the Gulf region. The most popular
provider was Edraak.org. It was used by 22.8% of users. MOOC has been integrated into
traditional education, and students have the opportunity to get quality education at
elite Arab universities from home. Today, MOOCs are recognized as an effective online
learning tool used by all universities in the Persian Gulf (Mutawa 2017). The impact of
self-regulation on digital literacy was analyzed by researchers from Korea (Lim and
Newby 2021). The Web 2.0 tool was used to examine the personal learning environment
based on instrumental literacy, metacognition self-regulation, planning and time
management (a key role). All of these factors have a predictive effect on students (Lim
and Newby 2021).

 Do the authors indicate what is inside and what is outside the scope of the idea? Do
they indicate why the idea is important (e.g., it shifts beliefs in ways that have
implications for future research and/or marketplace stakeholders)?

The introduction of MOOCs into higher education ensures the continuity of

learning and effectiveness. Student acquire professional theoretical knowledge and
practical skills and competences (the ability to think abstractly; analytical skills; the
ability to manage the flow of scientific and technical information; physical phenomena
modelling; organization and assessment of experimental research). Moreover,
students should understand physical phenomena and their descriptors, perform
calculations for the mass, temperature, density, viscosity, current–voltage, frequency,
illumination, radiation dose, etc., measure kinematic quantities of motion and perform
other functions.
 Effective integration of MOOCs into the educational process helps educators to
optimize learning and achieve high academic results. Students ‘self-regulation and
understanding play an important role in the integration of MOOCs. Technical education
adopts MOOC technology to develop and improve professional knowledge and
competences in students. The research investigates the important issues related to the
online courses introduced in Russian higher education. The present research analyses
characteristics of K. Makhno et al. self-regulation in students of Tula State University,
I.M. Sechenov first Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University) and Kazan
Federal University using the modern MOOC technology. The research goals were the
following: (1) analyze the self-regulation of students; (2) evaluate the relationship
between self-regulation and student learning success using the MOOC technology.
The research is important for the scientific community because it examines the
relationship between self-regulation and the academic success of students using the
MOOC technology. MOOC technology provides the flexibility and student is developing
in a multi-vector direction and requires modern content from teachers, interesting
lessons and time-saving strategies provided by the MOOC technology.

 What is the method used specifically the research design?

The Academic Council of the University approved the course Digital Singular
(Nano)Optics, its Work Programme and Syllabus as relevant for the research. The
learning course consisted of 60 h (two European Credit Transfer and Accumulation
System (ECTS) credits), including 10 h of lectures, 20 h of practical training and 30 h of
independent work of students. At the end of the course, the controlled assessment was
performed.

 What are the criteria set for the respondents/participants?

The sample consisted of two groups of second-year students. The first group
(138 students) included students who studied this course distantly using the Microsoft
Teams platform. The second group (114 students) included students who studied the
course using MOOC. Students had access to educational and methodological materials
of the course and learnt all the materials independently.

 How are the data gathered?

 The survey was conducted by the authors using Google Forms. The link to the
online questionnaire was available from any device for 1 month (from February to
March 2021). The questions were closed, accurate and proposed students to choose the
correct answer (True, Probably True, Probably False and False). The respondents read
the questions and marked the correct answers (see Appendix). The results were as
follows: <23 – the low overall level of self-regulation, 24–32 – the medium level of self-
regulation and ≥33 – the high level of self-regulation. The students’ learning based on
the MOOC technology was based on the five-point scale, where 1 means the student
performed poorly; 2 – mediocre; 3 – sufficient; 4 – good; 5 – excellent.

 How are they analyzed statistically

The statistical analysis of the results was performed using the Microsoft Office Excel
programme of Microsoft Office. The quantitative data were calculated according to the
following formula (x ± m), where x is the arithmetic mean and m is the error of the mean.
The results were considered statistically significant at 0.05.
The results analysis aims to identify the relationship between self-regulation and the
academic success of students. The following actions were undertaken:(1) for the correlation
analysis to analyze the existence and closeness of relationships between the parameters,
the Pearson coefficient (r) was used; its values (a module) up to 0.2 mean that the
correlation is very weak, the value up to 0.5 means weak correlation, the value up to 0.7
means medium correlation, the value up to 0.9 means high correlation and the value over
0.9 means very high correlation;(2) the multiple regression analysis means the closeness of
the relationship in the experimental data.

 What is the conclusion/insights of the study

The research highlighted that the overall level of self-regulation of students was
40%, and it was significantly higher in group 2 (MOOC). In group 1 (Microsoft Teams and
support by a teacher), it was average and amounted to 24.96 ± 1.32, in group 2 (MOOC +
independent learning), the results were high and amounted to 35.02 ± 1.44 (p < 0.05). The
results of the level of self-regulation of students revealed that the values in group 2 (MOOC)
were significantly higher: flexibility was higher by 46%, planning was higher by 23% and
results assessment were higher by 15%; the processes of modelling and programming in
groups did not differ. The average success score of students after the course Digital singular
(nano) optics in group 1 was 3.83 ± 0.36, and in group 2 – 4.43 ± 1.89 (15.7% significantly
higher in group 2). The duration of the course for students in group 1 was 5 weeks, while in
group 2, it was 4 weeks (20% less). The results of multiple correlation-regression analysis
showed that there was an average positive relationship between the success of students
and their self-regulation: the higher the self-regulation, the higher the academic success of
students. MOOC technology can significantly increase the overall level of students’ self-
regulation.
 CONCEPT PAPER REVIEW

Title of the Paper: A canonical correlation analysis of the influence of access to and use of
ICT on secondary school students’ academic performance

Author/s: Ali Nouri, Taleb Zandi and Hedayatollah Etemadizade

Name of the Journal/Publication: Association for Learning Technology
DOI: https://doi.org/10.25304/rlt.v30.2679

 Does the paper provide a novel and “big” idea that provides considerably new insight?
Identify the new insight:
One of the more significant findings to emerge from this study is that, whereas
students had more access to and use of ICT at home than at school, the access to and
use of ICT at school have shown the greatest relationship with academic achievement,
as evidenced by the canonical cross loadings. Consistent with these results, previous
studies have reported positive relationships between students’ use of ICT at school and
academic performance (e.g., James et al 2000; Kubiatko and Vlckova 2010; Weaver
2000). For example, Kubiatko and Vlckova (2010) revealed that students whose ICT
activity was connected with the educational activities achieved a higher science
knowledge score compared with students whose ICT activity was not connected with
the educational purposes. According to reports of UNESCO Institute for Statistic (UIS
2014), Iranian students who used school computers to supplement learning had higher
average achievement scores in mathematics and science than those with no school-
based computers (as cited in Mahboudi, Farrokhi, and Ansarin 2017). Also, Karin (2008)
evidenced that the use of ICT at school had considerable positive effects not only on test
scores but also on students’ motivation in collaborative work. Whilst the findings
support the positive impact of use of technology at school on learning outcomes,
there was a negative relationship between the lengths of time using Internet outside of
school during weekdays and academic motivation. Also, the results of canonical loadings
(Table 4) confirmed that this factor is the most influential variable amongst the ICT-
related factors (0.54), which specifically correlated with academic motivation. This is
consistent with the findings obtained from a recent study that suggests the amount of
time children spend online should be limited, as in most cases, excessive use leads to
poor academic performance (Navarro-Martinez and Peña-Acuña 2022).
 Is the idea “unpacked”? Do the authors argue for the idea in a clear, powerful, coherent,
and compelling way? What are the ideas that he presented?
The finding highlights the link between the use of ICT at school with academic
motivation as well as academic achievement. It means that student’s access to and use of
ICT lead to positive motivational outcomes and subsequently foster their activity and
engagement (Passey et al. 2004). Indeed, when children have access to and use computers,
they are more likely not only to have a social networking site but also to spend more time
communicating and interacting with their peers (Fairlie and Kalil 2017). Such possibilities
can ultimately strengthen educational outcomes and enhance students’academic
achievement. However, the schools that are well-equipped withcomputers and other forms
of ICT also tend to be from regions of higher socio-economic status (SES), a factor that is
consistently positively related with academic achievement (Mahboudi, Farrokhi, and
Ansarin 2017).

 Is the idea differentiated from related ideas and concepts?

Yes. For instance, Kubiatko and Vlckova (2010) indicated that students having some
connection with ICT achieved better scores on the science knowledge test compared with
those who were not. Likewise, Mbugua, Kiboss and Tanui (2015) found that the integration
of ICT in teaching has had a positive influence on students’ academic achievement. On the
other hand, there are studies showing a lack of relationship, even negative, between ICT use
and academic performance. For instance, in his review of the effectiveness of computer-
assisted instruction, Hattie (2009) concluded that the effect of this method on learning was
neither larger nor smaller than that was seen in other well-intentioned instruction methods,
on average. Similarly, Zhang and Liu (2016) indicated that the relationships between
different types of ICT use with math and science achievement were negative in the long
term, when students’ families’ socio-economic status was controlled for. Furthermore, a
recent study reports that excessive use of technology and social networks, both during
weekdays and at weekends, impairs academic performance (Navarro-Martinez and Peña-
Acuña 2022). Therefore, findings from the previous studies have not yet provided a clear
answer to the question of whether ICT availability is connected with better student
achievement.

 Do the authors indicate what is inside and what is outside the scope of the idea? Do
they indicate why the idea is important (e.g., it shifts beliefs in ways that have
implications for future research and/or marketplace stakeholders)?
 This study was conducted to examine the influence of access to and use of
information and communication technology (ICT) on academic achievement and motivation.
Data were collected from 300 students (12- to 16-year-old; 160 boys) from Sanandaj, Iran.

 Does the paper adequately represent prior research, and is it likely to lead to new future
research? What novel research questions does the idea generate, and is a research
agenda well specified?
Education systems, including that of Iran, are increasingly embedding digital
competencies in their curricula, based on the understanding that digital technologies
have made learning possible anytime and anywhere (OECD 2019). However, the
literature on the potential impact of ICT adoption on academic performance of students
is limited and showing mixed results. On the one hand, there is a body of studies
supporting the positive influence of availability and use of ICT on students’ academic
performance. For instance, Kubiatko and Vlckova (2010) indicated that students having
some connection with ICT achieved better scores on the science knowledge test
compared with those who were not. Likewise, Mbugua, Kiboss and Tanui (2015) found
that the integration of ICT in teaching has had a positive influence on students’
academic achievement. On the other hand, there are studies showing a lack of
relationship, even negative, between ICT use and academic performance. For instance,
in his review of the effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction, Hattie (2009)
concluded that the effect of this method on learning was neither larger nor smaller
than that was seen in other well-intentioned instruction methods, on average. Similarly,
Zhang and Liu (2016) indicated that the relationships between different types of ICT use
with math and science achievement were negative in the long term, when students’
families’ socio-economic status was controlled for. Furthermore, a recent study reports
that excessive use of technology and social networks, both during weekdays and at
weekends, impairs academic performance (Navarro-Martinez and Peña-Acuña 2022).
Therefore, findings from the previous studies have not yet provided a clear answer to
the question of whether ICT availability is connected with better student achievement.
The inconsistency in the findings of the previous studies may have resulted from
several methodological considerations, including differences in data collection methods,
developmental and demographic characteristics of the samples, and analytical methods.
Indeed, the previous studies have explored correlations between some elements of ICT
use and some elements of academic performance and not examined the interactive
impact of multiple ICT-related factors (at school and home) on academic performance.
In addition, students’ academic achievement is not the only measure of their success in
school. Research has consistently revealed that academically motivated students tend to
perceive school and learning as valuable and enjoy learning-related activities (Rowell
and Hong 2018). Such perceptions have a significant and positive direct effect on their
academic performance. Thus, given the recognized importance of academic motivation
 in school success, this study considers academic achievement and academic motivation
as the two interlarded dependent variables linked to academic success.

 What is the method used specifically the research design?

A cross-sectional descriptive survey study was conducted to examine the
influence of access to and use of ICT on academic achievement and motivation.

 What are the criteria set for the respondents/participants?

The sample was selected from 10 high schools of Sanandaj, Kurdistan, Iran,
during the 2018–2019 academic year. Using multi-stage cluster sampling, a total of 310
students were selected from public and private schools to participate in this study.
Because of their incomplete questionnaires, 10 participants were excluded, and the
questionnaires of 300 students (12- to 16-year-old; 160 boys) included in the analysis.

 How are the data gathered?

The questionnaires were administered during a school day in the classroom

settings, taking 35–40 minutes to be completed. The participants were given required
instructions to complete the questionnaires. The survey was conducted after receiving
approval from the institutional ethics committee of the Education Office of Sanandaj
(Approval code:5800/109297/5300; date: 2019-03-14). The participants were provided
with a brief explanation of the study purposes, and an informed consent of each
participant was obtained prior to the data collection.

 How are they analyzed statistically

The ICT familiarity questionnaire (OECD 2015) was used to measure students’
access to and use of ICT at school and outside of school. The first section of the
questionnaire included questions on whether or not students had access to ICT devices
such as a desktop computer, Internet connection, a printer or an e-book reader in their
homes and schools, and if so, whether they used them. The second section included
questions about the age of students when they first had access to and used digital
technologies, computers and the Internet. The third section asked students to indicate
the length of time they spent on using the Internet at school and outside of school
during both a typical weekday and a typical weekend. The fourth section consisted of
questions on how often students used digital devices for general and academic purposes
at school and outside of school. Finally, the fifth section asked students to think about
 their experience with digital media and digital devices and indicate whether or not they
agreed with related statements.
Academic motivation was measured using the Persian version of Academic
Motivation Scale (Bahrani 2009). It consisted of 33 items on a five-point Likert scale
ranging from 1 (never) to 5 (almost always). Student’s level of academic motivation was
calculated by summing up the scores of all items, higher scores indicating higher
academic motivation. A semester Grade Point Average (GPA) score was computed as
the measure of students’ academic achievement. The research team asked the
executive boards of schools to enclose a copy of GPA score of the first semester for each
student when completing the questionnaires. Canonical correlation analyses were
conducted to examine the linear relationships between a set of ICT-related variables
and a set of academic-related variables and to explain the type of relationships that may
exist between and within these two sets of variables.

 What is the conclusion/insights of the study

Based on the results of the present study, the most contributing ICT-related
factors in explaining the level of academic performance are availability and use of ICT
at schools. That is, students in schools with greater access to and use of ICTs perform
better in academic achievement examinations. However, it is reported that Iran has a
significantly lower level of diffusion and use of ICT than that of the developed
countries (Mahboudi, Farrokhi, and Ansarin 2017). Therefore, it seems important to
help schools to equip classrooms with adequate resources and help teachers to enrich
their instruction with new digital devices and media. There is an urgent need to assist
schools to play an important role in narrowing the digital divide (Dolan 2016; Nouri et al
2021) by making ICT equipment and Internet connectivity available for every classroom
and encouraging students to improve their digital capabilities. It should also be
highlighted that the present study examined the canonical correlation between a set of
ICT-related factors with a set of academic-related variables. Future research should
investigate the mediating roles of socio-cultural factors on the relationship between
access to and use of ICT and academic performance. Furthermore, the ICT familiarity
questionnaire is a useful instrument for collecting detailed information related to
access, use and attitudes towards ICT amongst students both at home and at school,
and thus, there is a need to identify and address the psychometric limitations of the
questionnaire in terms of reliability, validity and norming.