Pedagogical Design and Pedagogical Usability of Web-based Learning Environments: Comparative Cultural Implications between Africa and Europe.
Abstract: My research is on design and usability of web-based learning environments (WBLEs). It examines sociocultural perspectives of ways people learn & learner’s preferred learning style and identifies supposed ‘best’ types of learning technologies & approaches when need to achieve optimum effectiveness in education process. Previous researchers in this area stated in their results that WBLEs needs to be designed in consideration of needs & learners' learning styles and suggested some guidelines/models for doing this. These are used considering needs of different learners and suggested that some learners are still disadvantaged when studying with or using WBLEs. My research considers needs of African learners that are still disadvantaged. It helps reduce/close gap in use of technology for teaching-learning process in industrialised countries & in sub-Saharan African countries. It aims to help pedagogical designers & WBLE usability designers to consider cultural issues affecting use of WBLE.
Presider: Jennifer Thomas, Pace University