Adewunmi Obafemi Ogunbase Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction (TAUCHI),

1. Pedagogical Design and Pedagogical Usability of Web-based Learning Environments: Comparative Cultural Implications between Africa and Europe. Adewunmi Obafemi Ogunbase Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction (TAUCHI), School of Information Sciences, University of Tampere, Finland INTRODUCTION • Since the revolutionary reform in teaching learning methods from traditional teaching method to use of technology, through use of computers, has become a force as it is within every society, higher education primary education process is paving way for the adoption of use of WBLE/e-learning environment in education. • This revolutionary reform in teaching learning methods has been the main reason for my research theme: Pedagogical Design and Pedagogical Usability of Web-based Learning Environments. • My research on pedagogical design and pedagogical usability of web-based learning environments examined 1.)The socio-cultural perspectives of the ways people learn and learner’s preferred style of learning. 2.) It identified the supposed ‘best’ types of learning technologies and approaches when need to achieve optimum effectiveness in education process.

2. AIM AND OBJECTIVES AIM: The main aim of the research was to examine the impact of cultural issues on the appropriate selection and use of technology and technology-supported approaches for learning. In order to address this aim, the following OBJECTIVES were set: • (i) To provide a critical assessment of the factors and cultural issues influencing learning approach involving a WBLE. • (ii) To examine the link between the expectations of individual leaner in respect to their previous learning experience and the effective use of technology and technology-supported approach for learning. • (iii) To develop a systematic culture-focused and learners-centered approach to pedagogical design and use of learning activities and styles based on WBLEs.

3. LITERATURE REVIEW AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS A number of previous works have been done on pedagogical design and usability attributes of e-learning/e-learning environment and their cultural implications. Most of them mainly focused on European and Asian continents with basically none or very few focusing on Africa. (List of examples of previous works can be found in this paper article). The overall result from the previous works suggested some guidelines and models used in considering the needs of culturally different learners, and also suggested that some learners are still disadvantaged when studying with or using WBLEs. My research focused on these studies and their results in respect of African learners that are still disadvantaged when studying with or using e-learning environments and WBLEs. And in doing this, three main RESEARCH QUESTIONS were studied here , and these are as follows:

4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS • RQ 1: Is there a relationship between Usability Attributes and Learners’ learning culture? • RQ 2: Is there a relationship between Pedagogical Design, Pedagogical Usability and Learners’ learning culture? • RQ 3: Is there a relationship between Web-based learning environment usability and Learners’ learning culture? • The findings of the research will help to reduce or close the gap in use of technology (ICTs-use) for teaching and as a learning process in industrialised countries and in sub-Saharan African countries and other less developed or developing countries. • As contribution, this research into learning cultural differences among these continents will help African learners accommodate the inevitable change in technology teaching-learning methodology. • It will also help e-learning environments course designers, educators, researchers and WBLEs technical usability designers to consider cultural issues affecting use of e-learning environments and/or WBLEs.

5. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS A number of theoretical frameworks for understanding design and usability of WBLE/e learning environment and/or use of e-teaching and e-learning exist in the academic literature. However, in respect to this research study, the main theoretical frameworks that are most relevant to the aim of this research and in which this research is grounded on are: • 1.) Nielsen’s Attributes; Activity Theory, and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) on usability conceptual framework. • 2.) Curriculum theories, Instructional Design theories, and Learning theories on pedagogical usability. • 3.) Activity Centered Design (ACD Model), Objectivist Instructional Design Models (OIDMs), Constructivist Instructional Design Models (CIDMs), Mixed approach to Instructional Design (MID), and Design Approaches of Wallace & Anderson (1993) on pedagogical design. • 4.) Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, Hall’s cultural attributes, Nisbett’s cultural attributes, and Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner’s attributes on cultural issues. • 5.) Kolb’s experiential learning theory & Clark's learning style indicator, Jung & Myers-Briggs learning style theory, Honey & Mumford's learning style model, and Felder-Silverman learning style model on learner’s learning style approach.

6. HYPOTHESES Based on the theoretical frameworks and previous works in respect of this research that used those theoretical frameworks, the following hypotheses in respect of the research questions were deduced and investigated: • RQ 1: The theoretical finding and hypothesis (H1): there is a positive relationship between usability attributes and learner’s learning culture in the use of WBLE. • RQ 2: Theoretical findings and hypothesis (H2): there is a positive relationship between pedagogical usability, pedagogical design and learner’s learning culture. • RQ 3: Theoretical discourses on Hofstede’s cultural dimensions (H3): cultural issues have influence on pedagogical usability and pedagogical design of e-learning environments and HCI.

7. METHODS AND TOOLS USE FOR DATA COLLECTION • The research study used mixed methods research methodology to investigate the research questions and the hypotheses deduced from the theoretical frameworks. • The sample group consisted of learners from Africa (N=50) and Europe (N=50) who used e-learning environments during their course programmes in HE institutions in their institutions and as distance education learners using e-learning environments. Distribution of Participants

8. Tools & Task http://ihqu.net/femiogunbasephd/data/1.php

9. RESULTS The findings from African respondents will be related to the research questions in this results summary as this research study mainly focus on African learning style and learning culture in relation to pedagogical design and pedagogical usability of WBLE. The hypotheses (H1 to H3) were tested based on data collected (i.e. Africa – n = 50; Europe – n = 50; indicate N = 100). Using Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient to determine the strength of the relationship or effect between the variables of the hypotheses, results revealed how the hypotheses are supported. H1: Result shows that African learners based on their learning culture prefer pedagogical design and usability factors: 1.) Learner control i.e. learnability, memorability, errors & satisfaction, and perceived usefulness and ease of use. 2.) Motivation. H2: Result shows that African learners in response to their learning culture prefer Type II learning material (Signaling), while Type III learning material (Mixed method/model) is favourable to European. H3: Result shows that cultural issues have influence on pedagogical usability and pedagogical design of e-learning environments and HCI.

10. SUMMARY OF THE RESULTS

11. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORK In conclusion, this study with special reference to Africa has investigated and found supposed best pedagogical design and pedagogical usability of WBLE suitable for African learners relative to their learning culture. This study generally revealed that for a meaningful achievement in the use of e-learning environment, the learner’s (users) learning culture need to be considered. Hence, WBLE technical designers and pedagogical designers should focus on WBLE designs that provide problems and/or learning tasks that are comfortable and appropriate to the learning values and practices of the users and learners. For example, African learners based on their learning culture prefer pedagogical design and usability factors: 1.) Learner control i.e. learnability, memorability, errors & satisfaction, and Perceived usefulness and ease of use. 2.) Motivation. Hence, WBLE designs for their use should focus on those factors.

12. FUTURE WORK The main IMPLICATION of this research is the adoption of cultural values (theoretical framework) to access or/and predict learners’ performances in the use of WBLE in the primary education process. The implication lies on the fact that values and practices cannot categorically be distinguished. Therefore, the findings in this study based on cultural values and practices cannot and should not be over interpreted. The CHALLENGE in this area is on interpreting the results and relating them to the research questions. One basic direction for FURTHER STUDY will be suggestion in the areas of costs and Benefits offered by web-based course environment or e-learning only courses. For examples: 1.) what is the cost of the certification or to what extend would the certification be recognised and commensurate positions be given to participants in employment services? (2) The benefits should be clearly highlighted: Who benefits from this? -: • a) Would teachers become more pedagogically affectionate towards their learners when the contacts are web-based and ‘faceless’? • (b) Would there be disagreements between instructors and learners in terms of ‘win – lose’ situation in respect to technology effectiveness and performance.