Website by Prof. Dr. Alison McNamara
For those looking to learn Java while at home, I have created a new YouTube channel.
Game-Based Learning: Challenges and Opportunities, 2013
This study explores the factors that contribute to successful integration of technology in the ma... more This study explores the factors that contribute to successful integration of technology in the mathematics classroom. In particular, it focuses on three key areas, including teachers' access to technology, operational skills and attitudes and beliefs toward technology in the classroom. These factors are examined specifically with regard to teaching mathematics and the potential role of Gesture-Based Technology (GBT) in the mathematics classroom. This chapter reports on the results of a preliminary study designed to gain further insight and context in preparation for a larger future study on integrating GBT and Game-Based Learning (GBL) into the mathematics classroom. The study examined teachers' beliefs and attitudes towards computers in general, mathematics software, and Gesture-Based computing. Results corroborate with findings in the literature with regard to teachers’ beliefs and showed that the more experience teachers have with technology, the more uses they tend to find for technology-based games in the classroom. There is also a positive correlation between teachers’ attitudes and using both computers in general and Gesture-Based devices in the classroom. In addition, the cohort expressed a belief that there is potential for Gesture-Based devices to enhance learning in the mathematics classroom.
Policy development regarding post-primary education in Ireland has led to increased discourse reg... more Policy development regarding post-primary education in Ireland has led to increased discourse regarding the purpose and role of technology in the classroom (Quinn and Rabbitte, 2012; Brosnan, 2008; Fhoilsiú et al., 2008). The potential for devices that use gestures as their input in the classroom is one of the greatest factors for consideration of how devices such as the Nintendo WiiMote, Xbox Kinect or PlayStation 3 Move can be used to engage students and affect their perspectives of mathematics.
Two studies are examined in this chapter. The first study looks at pre-service teachers and students using a survey and the second elicits feedback on how their perspectives inform the development of the design process. Results from a survey of teachers showed that pre-service teachers use gaming technology for traditional uses such as exercises and none thought of other ways to use the devices in their mathematics classrooms. A survey of second-level students showed that these participants are interested in pursuing careers in the field of engineering. Engineering was then used for the main topics covered from the Irish mathematics curriculum throughout the game and used as a teaching and learning tool. Instructional design techniques were used in the creation of a gesture-based game to ensure its alignment with the learning outcomes from both primary and post-primary mathematics curricula and to bridge the gap between both curricula. This chapter reviews existing literature and links the decisions made throughout the development process of a game developed as part of a doctoral study.
Papers by Prof. Dr. Alison McNamara
International Journal of Game-Based Learning
This study aims to provide an account of phase three of the doctoral process where both students ... more This study aims to provide an account of phase three of the doctoral process where both students and teachers' views contribute to the design and development of a gesture-based game in Ireland at post-primary level. The research showed the school's policies influenced the supportive Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure, classroom environments influenced a student's ability to participate and teachers' perspectives impacted upon whether they adopted games into their classrooms. While research has been conducted in relation to training schemes for teachers, it is agreed that they are the main change agents in the classroom. Therefore, this study focuses on the game itself and its design elements that support and enhance mathematics education within the Irish context. Practical guidelines for both the game, school's policies and classroom environments are provided based upon the research for mathematics educators and practitioners of game-ba...
This study aims to provide an account of phase three of the doctoral process where both students
... more This study aims to provide an account of phase three of the doctoral process where both students
and teachers’ views contribute to the design and development of a gesture-based game in Ireland at
post-primary level. The research showed the school’s policies influenced the supportive Information
and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure, classroom environments influenced a student’s
ability to participate and teachers’ perspectives impacted upon whether they adopted games into
their classrooms. While research has been conducted in relation to training schemes for teachers,
it is agreed that they are the main change agents in the classroom. Therefore, this study focuses on
the game itself and its design elements that support and enhance mathematics education within the
Irish context. Practical guidelines for both the game, school’s policies and classroom environments
are provided based upon the research for mathematics educators and practitioners of game-based
learning strategies in their classrooms.
Conference Presentations by Prof. Dr. Alison McNamara
This paper presents the results of the initial phase of a two-phase exploratory mixed-methods stu... more This paper presents the results of the initial phase of a two-phase exploratory mixed-methods study to gain the perspectives of students regarding the ‘importance value’ students place on mathematics. The ‘importance value’ is part of the Expectancy-Value Theory (EVT) and refers to both students’ perceived usefulness of mathematics and the importance students place on doing well in mathematics. This paper looks at the results of a survey questionnaire with the aim of gathering information relating to students’ interests and perceptions of how mathematics is used in careers.
The results contribute to the development of phase two of the study with the aim of using their interests and developing their perceptions in an effort to address the Leaky Science,Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) pipeline. The Leaky STEM pipeline refers to the decreasing amount of females in mathematical courses throughout their educational careers. The survey questionnaire was designed to find out students’ attitudes and beliefs about mathematics regarding mathematics future usefulness for their chosen career path.
Results from this preliminary study show that students do not agree that mathematics is useful in their daily lives and male students place a greater emphasis in doing well in examinations in order to get into the career of their choice than their female counterparts.
Master thesis by Prof. Dr. Alison McNamara
An analysis of the success factors of a knowledge management system in a large multinational look... more An analysis of the success factors of a knowledge management system in a large multinational looks at the DeLone and McLean information system success model and applies it to a knowledge management system. A deductive approach was used on the model and four hypotheses were deduced from the IS success model and applied to the questionnaire. The research carried out is quantitative and a likert scale survey questionnaire was sent out to a subset of users of the system in the multinational. Linear regression generated the figures shown in ranks, descriptive analysis, ANOVA, coefficients, model summaries and P Plots throughout the analysis. This formed the best method to discover the strongest and weakest relationships between variables in the hypotheses. The analysis found that the Knowledge Management System is successful and overall the highest relationship was between system quality and user satisfaction. The principle conclusions found that System Quality accessibility was responsible for system quality positively affecting user satisfaction and had the strongest relationship. Information Quality reliability and completeness were the main constructs with the strongest relationship to intention to use.
System Quality Response Time and Information Quality Relevance were the weakest in terms of User Satisfaction. Information Quality reliability was found to have the weakest relationship to user satisfaction but the strongest to intention to use. This is applied to the knowledge management in the multinational described in chapter one.
PhD thesis by Prof. Dr. Alison McNamara
Technology offers a new dimension to engaging students in the classroom. However, the complexitie... more Technology offers a new dimension to engaging students in the classroom. However, the complexities in an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) mediated environment can also bring challenges to the classroom (Chandra and Lloyd, 2008). Therefore, it is important to differentiate technologies and adopt them for specific uses within the classroom. The case study investigation is the first of its kind in Ireland on the design and implementation of a Gesture-Based Technology (GBT) game into the mathematics classroom. GBT refers to technologies that use the WiiMote, PlayStation Move or Xbox Kinect. Joining GBT and Game-Based Learning (GBL) characteristics together forms the foundational premise of this research. Three main questions were asked relating to the key design elements; the key challenges of classroom implementation; the potential of this game as a tool and the design features that informed the creation of a Gesture-Based game for the mathematics classroom. This research found that the WiiMote was the most practical device to develop a Gesture-Based game in terms of cost and benefits. In researching the design features a framework was developed – the ECG framework. The main design elements are engagement, enjoyment, relevance, confidence and collaboration. The potential of GBT integration directly depends on its ability to harness the fruitful benefits of engaging students in relevant, real world applications for the Maths curriculum in Ireland. The challenge lies in improving the ICT mediated environments to support the adoption of these technologies and maximise the benefits for the learners.
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Website by Prof. Dr. Alison McNamara
Two studies are examined in this chapter. The first study looks at pre-service teachers and students using a survey and the second elicits feedback on how their perspectives inform the development of the design process. Results from a survey of teachers showed that pre-service teachers use gaming technology for traditional uses such as exercises and none thought of other ways to use the devices in their mathematics classrooms. A survey of second-level students showed that these participants are interested in pursuing careers in the field of engineering. Engineering was then used for the main topics covered from the Irish mathematics curriculum throughout the game and used as a teaching and learning tool. Instructional design techniques were used in the creation of a gesture-based game to ensure its alignment with the learning outcomes from both primary and post-primary mathematics curricula and to bridge the gap between both curricula. This chapter reviews existing literature and links the decisions made throughout the development process of a game developed as part of a doctoral study.
Papers by Prof. Dr. Alison McNamara
and teachers’ views contribute to the design and development of a gesture-based game in Ireland at
post-primary level. The research showed the school’s policies influenced the supportive Information
and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure, classroom environments influenced a student’s
ability to participate and teachers’ perspectives impacted upon whether they adopted games into
their classrooms. While research has been conducted in relation to training schemes for teachers,
it is agreed that they are the main change agents in the classroom. Therefore, this study focuses on
the game itself and its design elements that support and enhance mathematics education within the
Irish context. Practical guidelines for both the game, school’s policies and classroom environments
are provided based upon the research for mathematics educators and practitioners of game-based
learning strategies in their classrooms.
Conference Presentations by Prof. Dr. Alison McNamara
The results contribute to the development of phase two of the study with the aim of using their interests and developing their perceptions in an effort to address the Leaky Science,Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) pipeline. The Leaky STEM pipeline refers to the decreasing amount of females in mathematical courses throughout their educational careers. The survey questionnaire was designed to find out students’ attitudes and beliefs about mathematics regarding mathematics future usefulness for their chosen career path.
Results from this preliminary study show that students do not agree that mathematics is useful in their daily lives and male students place a greater emphasis in doing well in examinations in order to get into the career of their choice than their female counterparts.
Master thesis by Prof. Dr. Alison McNamara
System Quality Response Time and Information Quality Relevance were the weakest in terms of User Satisfaction. Information Quality reliability was found to have the weakest relationship to user satisfaction but the strongest to intention to use. This is applied to the knowledge management in the multinational described in chapter one.
PhD thesis by Prof. Dr. Alison McNamara
Two studies are examined in this chapter. The first study looks at pre-service teachers and students using a survey and the second elicits feedback on how their perspectives inform the development of the design process. Results from a survey of teachers showed that pre-service teachers use gaming technology for traditional uses such as exercises and none thought of other ways to use the devices in their mathematics classrooms. A survey of second-level students showed that these participants are interested in pursuing careers in the field of engineering. Engineering was then used for the main topics covered from the Irish mathematics curriculum throughout the game and used as a teaching and learning tool. Instructional design techniques were used in the creation of a gesture-based game to ensure its alignment with the learning outcomes from both primary and post-primary mathematics curricula and to bridge the gap between both curricula. This chapter reviews existing literature and links the decisions made throughout the development process of a game developed as part of a doctoral study.
and teachers’ views contribute to the design and development of a gesture-based game in Ireland at
post-primary level. The research showed the school’s policies influenced the supportive Information
and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure, classroom environments influenced a student’s
ability to participate and teachers’ perspectives impacted upon whether they adopted games into
their classrooms. While research has been conducted in relation to training schemes for teachers,
it is agreed that they are the main change agents in the classroom. Therefore, this study focuses on
the game itself and its design elements that support and enhance mathematics education within the
Irish context. Practical guidelines for both the game, school’s policies and classroom environments
are provided based upon the research for mathematics educators and practitioners of game-based
learning strategies in their classrooms.
The results contribute to the development of phase two of the study with the aim of using their interests and developing their perceptions in an effort to address the Leaky Science,Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) pipeline. The Leaky STEM pipeline refers to the decreasing amount of females in mathematical courses throughout their educational careers. The survey questionnaire was designed to find out students’ attitudes and beliefs about mathematics regarding mathematics future usefulness for their chosen career path.
Results from this preliminary study show that students do not agree that mathematics is useful in their daily lives and male students place a greater emphasis in doing well in examinations in order to get into the career of their choice than their female counterparts.
System Quality Response Time and Information Quality Relevance were the weakest in terms of User Satisfaction. Information Quality reliability was found to have the weakest relationship to user satisfaction but the strongest to intention to use. This is applied to the knowledge management in the multinational described in chapter one.