Editorial

Dear TOJDE Readers, Welcome to the Volume 13 Number: 4 of TOJDE! In this issue, one book review and 26 articles of 49 authors from 15 different countries around the world have been published. These published articles are from, Bahrain, Brazil, Greece, India, Iran, Lithuania, Malaysia, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, USA and Zimbabwe. First all, you should know that if a submission picks up from three TOJDE editors between 4.5 and 9 over all 9 credits, it means that this submission can be published in TOJDE in the coming issue. However, since the publishing priority of the accepted papers belongs to the highest scored ones, submissions which receive a score between 4.5 and 5 or 6 may wait and be archived for publishing later on. TOJDE administration respected this publishing rule up to now. Therefore, some accepted submissions which obtained over 4.5 have not been published up to now. These submissions were waiting for publishing in TOJDE in the future. In this issue, we decided to give them a chance to be published. For this reason, the current issue includes more papers than the previous issues. The 1st article arrived from Turkey and written by Serkan ÇELIK, Hasan ATAK and Ahmet BAŞAL, on “Predictive Role of Personality Traits on Internet Addiction". Their study was set and tested on tertiary level students receiving education within two learning modes: face to face and distance education. The 2nd article is titled as “Web-Based Adaptive Testing System (Wats) For Classifying Students Academic Ability” which is written by Jaemu LEE, Kwangho KIM from Busan National University of Education, South Korea and Sanghoon PARK, from Northwestern State University of Louisiana, U.S.A. This study explores; theoretical background and structure of WATS, item construction process based upon item response theory, and user interfaces of WATS were discussed. 3rd article is from Malaysia titled “Development of Interactive Multimedia Courseware (E-Craft) For Craft Education” written by Salyani OSMAN, Noraidah SAHARI, and Nor Azan Mat ZIN from Faculty of Information Science & Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia,Bangi Selangor, Malaysia. The aim of this paper is to test, analyse and discuss the importance of received positive feedback which signifies the courseware is considered acceptable for effectiveness study and help for further improve of the e-CRAFT courseware. The fourth article is titled as “Integrating Lmss in The Educational Process: Greek Teachers’ Initial Perceptions About Lams”, written by Spyros PAPADAKIS from Hellenic Open University, Nikos DOVROS from University of Crete and Giorgos PASCHALIS from University of Patras and Eleni ROSSIOU, University of Macedonia, Greece. This paper has investigated the initial perceptions of Greek teachers about the integration of LAMS, a Learning Activity Management System, in the educational praxis. Through a multifaceted research method, involving a small scale participatory action research, the research team attempted to investigate the preconditions required to integrate LAMS in the everyday lesson. The 5th article is titled as “Odl Students’ Perceived Computer Literacy Competencies, Expectations of Support Intention To Use And Perseverance ”. Written by Hendrik D. ESTERHUIZEN, Seugnet BLIGNAUT (Corresponding author), Suria M. ELLIS and Christo J. ELS from School of Continuing Teacher Education, Faculty of Education Sciences, Potchefstroom, South Africa. This paper reports on disadvantaged South African practising teachers’ perceptions on computer literacy competencies while studying to improve their teaching qualifications. During the process of developing a learning technology integration framework for the School of Continuing Teacher Education at North-West University, South Africa, an initial exploratory survey identified issues and themes for systemic inquiry, in order to provide substance to the integration framework. The 6th article from Iran. It has written on Asynchronous Computer-Mediated Corrective Feedback And The Correct Use Of Prepositions: Is It Really Effective? Written by Seyyed Behrooz HOSSEINI, from IAU Sought Tehran Branch, Faculty of Humanities Tehran. His study investigates the effectiveness of asynchronous computer-mediated corrective feedback-explicit and implicit, on increasing the correct use of prepositions.The 7th article is join study from USA and Zimbabwe. It is titled as “ICT Implementation Challenges And Strategies For Odl Institutions: The ZOU's National Centre Academic Staff Experiences”, written by Richard Tafara NENGE, from Calvin College, USA, Zvinaiye CHIMBADZWA and Tichaona MAPOLISA from Zimbabwe Open University. They highlighted some of the major challenges that Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) academic staff experiences in connection with Information Communication Technology (ICT) implementation. It employed a qualitative paradigm rooted in a case study research design focusing on ZOU Academic Staff at the selected Faculties. The 8th article is experienced as a research and summarized for TOJDE by Ibrahim Umit YAPICI and Hasan AKBAYIN from Dicle University, Faculty of Education, Diyarbakir, Turkey, conducted on “High School Students’ Views On Blended Learning”. The purpose of this study is aimed to determine the high school students’ views on blended learning. As a result of the analysis of the scale, it was seen that their views were “highly” positive. The 9th article is from Nigeria and entiled as “The Use of E-Assessments in The Nigerian Higher Education System”, written by SIR, U. S. A. OSUJI from School Of Education, National Open University Of Nigeria. This paper paper looks at e-assessment as a global change in assessment, benefits of e-assessment, challenges, requirements and responsibilities. Next and 10th article is about “To Learn from Teachers At School, Ideal Teacher Or E-Learning Applications From The Perspectives Of Gifted Students” and written by Bahadir ERISTI, Anadolu University, Turkey. The present study, with the help of metaphors and with respect to different variables, aimed at revealing the views of elementary school gifted students about the roles and behaviors of their teachers in class as well as about the in-class roles and behaviors that they expect from an ideal teacher. The 11th h article titled as “Virtual or Physical: In-Service And Pre-Service Teacher’s Beliefs And Preferences On Manipulatives” and written by Yasar AKKAN, from Gümüshane University, Turkey. In the present study the aimed to determine and compare the beliefs of teachers and pre-service teachers in different branches for the use of virtual and physical manipulatives in mathematics education. 12nd article is “Comparison Between Synchronous And Asynchronous Instructional Delivery Method Of Training Programme On In-Service Physical Educators’ Knowledge”, written by Kyriaki EMMANOUILIDOU, Vassiliki DERRI, Panagiotis ANTONIOU and Pavlos KYRGIRIDIS, From Democritus University of Thrace, Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Greece. The purpose of the study was to compare the influences of a training programme’s instructional delivery method (synchronous and asynchronous) on Greek in-service physical educators’ cognitive understanding on student assessment. The 13rd one is “Using Blogs to Improve Students’ Summary Writing Abilities”, from Bangkok University, Language Institute, Thailand, written by Orachorn KITCHAKARN. This study set out to be compared students’ summary writing ability before and after they were taught through blog, a new medium or tool for written communication and interaction in many different languages around the world. The 14th article again from Kingdom of Bahrain which is titled as “D4S4: A Four Dimensions Instructional Strategy or Web-based and Blended Learning” written by Hamdy A. ABDELAZIZ, from Arabian Gulf University Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain. The main objective of this paper was to develop a holonomic instructional strategy for Web-based and blended learning. This strategy is guided by the non-linear and interactive features of learning environments. The 15th article from India, on “A Study of Attitude And Perception of The Learners Towards Distance Education In Relation To Their Biographical Factors” written by Samir Kumar LENKA and Ravi KANT, from Maulana Azad National Urdu University. In this study, with the help of one self made tool and a sample of 150 graduate distance learners, it is revealed that gender plays no important role to develop positive attitude and perception. The 16th article arrived from Turkey on “Interaction In Distance Nursing Education” written by Belgin BOZ YUKSEKDAG, Anadolu University, Open Education Faculty, Eskisehir. The purpose of this study is to determine psychiatry nurses’ attitudes toward the interactions in distance nursing education, and also scrunize their attitudes based on demographics and computer/Internet usage. The 17th article arrived to us from India and written by Dhamdhere SANGEETA NAMDEV from Modern College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Ganesh-Khind, Pune, INDIA, on “Ict And Web Technology Based Innovations In Education Sector”. In this study, paper highlights innovation in education sector and libraries and impact of web 2.0 on students, teaching learning process, educational policies. Future 3.0 generation will be discussed in detail. The article is which numbered as 18 from Malaysia. Article is titled as “Cultural Variations In Learning And Learning Styles”, written by Pegah OMIDVAR and Bee Hoon TAN, Department of English Language, Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication, Putra University. This study summarizes results of the existing research on cultural variations in learning styles. Limitations of the existing studies are discussed and some suggestion for future research is proposed. The 19th article is on “Impact Of Self-Concept Of Disabled Learners On Inclusive Physical Education”, written by Mohammed ALI, from King Abdul Aziz University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This paper examines the conceptual foundations of self-concept, self-esteem and the self as they relate to disabled students in the context of physical education. In the 20th article, again from Iran. Written by Mahnaz MOHAMADZADEH (Correspond author), Jabraeal FARZANEH, Mina MOUSAVi and Rouhallah MAGHABL, from Payam Noor University, Tehran. His paper titled “Challenges And Strategies For E-Learning Development In The University Of Payam Noor In Iran”. The primary purpose of this study is to identify challenges of electronic learning development in Payam Noor University of Ardabil province of Iran to present feasible solutions for establishing a suitable e-learning system. The 21st article written by Charity FAKINLEDE, from Centre for Distance Education, Athabasca University, Canada on “Cross-Border Distance Education (CBDE) In A Wired World: The Experience Of A Student In Nigeria“.This article is a narrative of the lived experience of a Nigerian student who has undertaken cross-border distance education in a wired world - an age of the Internet. The artice 22nd titled as “Re-Learning Higher Education In The Age Of Convergence: Example of Lithuania”, is written by Loreta ULVYDIENĖ, Vilnius University, Lithuania. A study was carried out technology transfer may be important, it is also necessary to focus on the more diverse and varied impacts of business-university knowledge exchange relations. Thus, she discusses changes in higher education that were implemented in Lithuania during the period of 1992-2012. The 23rd article is about “Attitudes Toward Online Communications In Open And Dıstance Learnıng” written by Irem ERDEM AYDIN, Open Education Faculty, Anadolu University, Turkey. Her article intended to reveal the results of a survey study in which the students’ attitudes toward online communication in open and distance learning were investigated. In the study, affects of the students’ gender and computer experience on their attitudes were also examined. Article 24 written by Nilton Cesar LIMA, Antonio Sergio Torres PENEDO, Marcio Mattos Borges de OLIVEIRA, Sonia Valle Walter Borges de OLIVEIRA and Jamerson Viegas QUEIROZ from on “The Systemic Vision Of The Educational Learning” Brazil. The purpose of this study is aim to discuss some implications of trying to use the systems management as modern teaching methodology. The 25th article written by Lalit Lalitav Mohakud, Rajiba Lochan Mohapatra and Sikshana MANDIRA and Santosh Kumar BEHERA on “Encouraging Higher Education Through Open And Distance Learning (Odl): Some Aspects. Their paper deals with the role of ODL in the promotion of higher education in India. A reviewed book was Harmonizing Global Education-From Genghis Khan To Facebook, written by Jon BAGGALEY which is reviewed by Wolfram LAASER,from Germany. on Baggaley’s book is an exiting and profound piece of academic literature. It also includes personal anecdotes and flash backs about topics he came across during his long academic career as professor at Athabasca University, Concordia University and Memorial University of New Foundland.Then the last article from Anadolu, written by Gulfem GURSES, on Providing Efficient Active Learning On E-Television: Case of “Open Class”. This study was undertaken with an aim to understand whether the effective use of the blackboard, one of the teaching aids utilized by Anadolu University's distance learning program in the e-television Open Classroom, has a positive effect on focus and concentration. Gagné's Theory of Instruction was utilized during this research. Knowledge of the efficient use of the blackboard and the efficient viewing on the television screen is required. Dear readers, you can reach us online either directly at http://tojde.anadolu.edu.tr or by visiting Anadolu University homepage at http://www.anadolu.edu.tr from English version, clicking on Scientific Research button and then going to the Referred Journals. To receive further information and to send your recommendations and remarks, or to submit articles for consideration, please contact TOJDE Secretariat at the below address or e-mail us to tojde@anadolu.edu.tr Hope to stay in touch and meet in our next Issue, on 1st of January 2013.Cordially,Prof. Dr. Ugur Demiray Editor-in-Chief Anadolu University Yunusemre Campus 26470Eskisehir TURKEY Tel: +90 222 335 0581 ext. 2521 or 2522GSM: +90 542 23 22 167 Fax: +90 222 320 4520 or Emails: udemiray@anadolu.edu.tr or udemiray33@gmail.comURL: http://home.anadolu.edu.tr/~udemiray URL: http://tojde.anadolu.edu.tr