In recent years, the use of student response systems (SRS, also known as clickers) in the classroom setting has increased considerably, and researchers have developed a growing interest in their effect on learning and student engagement. This review analyses trends in SRS research by providing a brief history of SRS technology and usage as well as a detailed review of research in this field. In addition, this review focuses on the pedagogical implications of SRSs for education and analyses common criticisms of this emerging educational technology. Finally, research identifying common trends in SRS development is compiled and areas for future research are identified. The outcome of this leads to an understanding of best practices for this technology in a university setting.

The purpose of this research was to evaluate whether or not Arabic female students perceived some benefits of using iPods as a learning tool. The project was conducted over a six week period. Female student from the College of Business and Economic and the English Foundation program were provided with an iPod Nano to use anytime at their convenience as a learning tool. The task required that all student access iTunes to select audio-visual resources that they thought would be suitable to deepen their understanding of the course materials. Using case study research method the data collection approach included a weekly survey to record their daily use of the iPod. Four hypotheses targeting iPod use were defined. The findings indicate that for these particular groups of Arabic female students using iPod as a learning tool was beneficial. The evidence warrants further research in the constraints and affordances of mobile technology, as experienced by Arabic students.

Egbert and Petrie have edited a comprehensive and concise text which provides a review of the most pertinent research methods and their interpretation by experts in the field of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL). 'CALL Research Perspectives' is invaluable for researchers from all fields, for as many of the contributors assert, research is no longer the dominion of one theoretical framework. Rather it is the symbiosis of many in order to illuminate the complex aspect of language learning and skills development, as well as the effect of intrapersonal variables, and the sociocultural, economical, political, and historical forces which create the world as we perceive it both physically and virtually. 'CALL Research Perspectives' is organized into three sections: an introduction, the research perspectives, and a conclusion.

This chapter reports on an ongoing project conducted at Tohoku University in Sendai,Japan. A mixed group of seven advanced EFL learners produced weekly cell phone Video diaries that were then delivered online via blip.tv. Participants completed this task as an independent learning project. Using the video recording feature of their cell phones, participants produced videos between 15 and 30 seconds long. As a piece of preliminary research, the aim was not to gather evidence about the linguistic gains that such technology affords, but rather to assess whether or not such a learning approach was feasible and suitable for students. The findings revealed that while the majority of the students found merit in this project, some had reservations. The outcome of this project demonstrates how Web 2.0 is redefining the Internet as a platform for individual content delivery, especially in terms of audio and visual productions.

This study aimed to investigate how the use of a smartphone clicker app by a group of 390 Saudi Arabian male undergraduate students would impact their learning performance while participating in a computer science class. The smartphone clicker app was used by the students during peer group discussions and to respond to teacher questions. A conceptual framework identified teacher-student and student-student interactions, collaborative learning, and student engagement as three primary practices that could improve student performance when a smartphone clicker app was used. The relationships between these factors were tested empirically by participant completion of a self-administered online survey. This study found the use of a smartphone clicker app promoted increased teacher-student and student-student interactivity, leading to active collaboration learning by students and improved learning performance. No positive relationship was found between the smartphone clicker app use and increased student engagement. These results demonstrated the role of the smartphone clicker app in enhancing the learning experience of the Saudi undergraduate students included in this study, but not the overall student engagement. Further research into how use of a smartphone clicker app in classroom settings might promote student engagement to improve the overall learning performance is needed.

This paper reports on an exploratory case study that explored the potential for using video-based assessment in an Australian distance education institution, using a video-based assessment task and post-intervention survey. Thirty-seven students taking a computer science course completed video-based assessments relating to course relevant content and participated in the survey, which collected data on their perceptions and experiences of the assessment task. Overall, the participants' responses were positive and indicated that video-based assessment is likely to be suitable for use in computer science distance education at this institution. Findings are likely to be of interest to similar institutions considering the adoption of video-based assessment methods.

A review of the literature reveals that film editing as task-based language development activities has received little attention, and that consideration should be given to the language the software used for film editing is formatted in. This article reports on the use of filming and editing activities by intermediate and advanced university Japanese students of English as a Foreign Language learning to demonstrate the effect of the language software upon the learning development. Finally, this article documents how through this activity students were able to utilize their prior knowledge of English to develop new language awareness while performing their filming task.

This paper reports on a case study conducted at a Japanese national university. Nine participants used the video recording feature on their cell phones to produce weekly video productions. The task required that participants produce one 30-second video on a teacher-selected topic. Observations revealed the process of video creation with a cell phone. The weekly video performances indicated that students were able to increase the number of words they spoke in one monologue. The surveys indicated that participants believed that using the cell phone video recording feature was a useful activity. However, they did not believe that such a task was transferable to other courses. The discussion emphasizes that, due to technological advances, educators need to understand the benefits and challenges of integrating cell phone devices as learning tools in their classrooms. In addition, whereas in the past researchers focused on reading and writing skills, this article reveals that it is now possible to use the video recording feature to evaluate learners' speaking skills.

iPod and iTunes are gaining popularity amongst educators as a tool and platform to access and deliver complementary educational learning materials. The research question focuses on whether students access and use iTunes resources to enhance their content knowledge without teacher's assistance. The participants of the research consist of forty-nine engineering students at a Singapore university who agreed to participate in the research. They required completing a one-off survey at the beginning of the term. The findings of the research indicate that while these students were familiar with YouTube, they were less familiar with iTunes. It can be concluded that while students use online video streaming services for personal viewing, very few take the initiative to use these services to enhance their content knowledge.

Studio courses have become a key way in which professional skills, especially those involving collaboration and design, are taught in many fields, including computer science. Studios typically involve students working on a design problem, periodically presenting their work for critique, and critiquing the work of other students or groups. They support productive inquiry, as well as teamwork, communication, and reflection. However, although studios have become an important mode of instruction for on-campus students, they have not typically been offered for online or distance education students. In this paper we describe a studio critique process that is designed to work asynchronously, using short videos, and a tool that we have built to support it. We also describe qualitative observations from a pilot study, in which video-based critiques were used at a university whose students predominantly study online rather than on-campus.