2,142 results
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2. COVID-19: Missing More than a Classroom. The Impact of School Closures on Children's Nutrition. Innocenti Working Paper 2021-01
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UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti (Italy), Borkowski, Artur, Ortiz Correa, Javier Santiago, Bundy, Donald A. P., Burbano, Carmen, Hayashi, Chika, Lloyd-Evans, Edward, Neitzel, Jutta, and Reuge, Nicolas
- Abstract
In 2019, 135 million people in 55 countries were in food crises or worse, and 2 billion people did not have regular access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food. COVID-19 has exacerbated these hardships and may result in an additional 121 million people facing acute food insecurity by the end of 2020. Further, since the beginning of the pandemic, an estimated 1.6 billion learners in 199 countries worldwide were affected by school closures, with nearly 370 million children not receiving a school meal in 150 countries. The paper presents the evidence on the potential negative short-term and long-term effects of school meal scheme disruption during COVID-19 globally. It shows how vulnerable the children participating in these schemes are, how coping and mitigation measures are often only short-term solutions, and how prioritizing school re-opening is critical. For instance, it highlights how girls are at greater risk of not being in school or of being taken out of school early, which may lead to poor nutrition and health for themselves and their children. However, well-designed school feeding programmes have been shown to enable catch-up from early growth failure and other negative shocks. As such, once schools re-open, school meal schemes can help address the deprivation that children have experienced during the closures and provide an incentive for parents to send and keep their children, especially girls, in school.
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- 2021
3. A Comparative Study of Test Takers' Performance on Computer-Based Test and Paper-Based Test across Different CEFR Levels
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Yao, Don
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Computer-based test (CBT) and paper-based test (PBT) are two test modes to the test takers that have been widely adopted in the field of language testing or assessment over the last few decades. Due to the rapid development of science and technology, it is a trend for universities and educational institutions striving rather hard to deliver the test on a computer. Therefore, research on the comparison between these two test modes has attracted much attention to investigate whether the PBT could be completely replaced. At the same time, task difficulty is always a key element to reflect test takers' performances. Numerous studies have laid a solid foundation and guidance about the comparative study of test takers' performance on CBT and PBT, but there still remains a scarcity from the perspective of task difficulties with different Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) task levels in particular. This study, therefore, compared the test takers' performance on both CBT and PBT across tasks with different CEFR levels. A total of 289 principal recommended high school test takers from Macau took the pilot Test of Academic English (TAE) at a local university. The results indicated that there was a difference between test takers' performance on different test modes across different CEFR levels, but only CEFR A2 level showed a statistically difference between CBT and PBT. And since science and technology are continuously developing, it is essential for the university to consider switching the test mode from PBT to CBT.
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- 2020
4. Future-Proof CALL: Language Learning as Exploration and Encounters. Short Papers from EUROCALL 2018 (26th, Jyväskylä, Finland, 2018)
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Research-publishing.net (France), Taalas, Peppi, Jalkanen, Juha, Bradley, Linda, Thouësny, Sylvie, Taalas, Peppi, Jalkanen, Juha, Bradley, Linda, Thouësny, Sylvie, and Research-publishing.net (France)
- Abstract
The 26th European Association of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (EUROCALL) conference was organised by the University of Jyväskylä (JYU) Language Campus and specifically the Language Centre, in Jyväskylä, Finland. The theme of this year's conference was "Future-proof CALL: language learning as exploration and encounters," which reflects an attempt to envision language teaching and learning futures in a changing world. What brought researchers together this year are shared concerns in relation to the sustainability of language learning and teaching in technology-rich contexts that are marked by ever-increasing complexity. 184 submissions were accepted to be presented as workshops, symposia, individual oral presentations, or posters. The oral presentations were categorised as research, research and development, reflective practice papers, along with presentations on European projects. The collection of short papers in this volume is a very thorough view into the conference proper exhibiting the complexity and novelty of the field of CALL. There are exciting new openings and a more profound exploration of theoretical underpinnings of the contemporary issues in teaching and learning, cross-cultural communication, mobile learning and the like. (Individual papers contain references.)
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- 2018
5. Professional Development in CALL: A Selection of Papers
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Research-publishing.net (France), Giannikas, Christina Nicole, Constantinou, Elis Kakoulli, Papadima-Sophocleous, Salomi, Giannikas, Christina Nicole, Constantinou, Elis Kakoulli, Papadima-Sophocleous, Salomi, and Research-publishing.net (France)
- Abstract
This volume gives readers insights on the use of technology in professional development programmes and content knowledge that can enrich teacher education. Every chapter of the book builds, through research, an analysis and discussion of CALL [Computer Assisted Language Learning] matters and professional development. The purpose of the EuroCALL Teacher Education Special Interest Group's (SIG) edited volume, supported by the Language Centre of the Cyprus University of Technology, is to respond to the needs of language educators, teacher trainers and training course designers through relevant research studies that provide technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge. The book concentrates on professional development in CALL, the use of technology in primary, secondary, and tertiary education, e-learning facilitators, the integration of personal learning environments, the use of MALL [Mobile Assisted Language Learning], the applications of virtual reality, materials design, the use of ICT [Information and Communications Technologies] in task-based language teaching, and the integration of social media networks in language education. "Professional Development in CALL: A Selection of Papers" is a collection of newly-commissioned chapters which unifies theoretical understanding and practical experience. The EuroCALL Teacher Education SIG hopes that the present contribution will be viewed as a valuable addition to the literature and a worthy scholarly achievement. [Support for this publication was provided by the EuroCALL Association and the Language Centre of the Cyprus University of Technology.]
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- 2019
6. Titles of Scientific Letters and Research Papers in Astrophysics: A Comparative Study of Some Linguistic Aspects and Their Relationship with Collaboration Issues
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Méndez, David I. and Alcaraz, M. Ángeles
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In this study we compare the titles of scientific letters and those of research papers published in the field of astrophysics in order to identify the possible differences and/or similarities between both genres in terms of several linguistic and extra-linguistic variables (length, lexical density, number of prepositions, number of compound groups, number of authors and number of countries mentioned in the paper bylines). We also carry out a cross-genre and cross-journal analysis of the referred six variables. Our main findings may be summarized as follows: (1) When compared to research paper titles, scientific letter titles are usually shorter, they have a lower lexical density, they include a higher number of prepositions per number of words and a lower number of compound groups per number of words, although they have more up to 4-word compound groups, i.e. the simplest ones. As a consequence, scientific letter titles include less information, which is also less condensed, than research paper titles. (2) The predominance of compound adjectives over compound nouns in the titles of both genres highlights the scientificity of astrophysical discourse. (3) In general terms, our data show a positive correlation between title length and the number of countries mentioned in the bylines for both genres. The positive correlation between title length and number of authors is only met in the case of research papers. In light of these findings, it may be concluded that scientific letters are a clear example of a timeliness and more "immediate" science, whereas research papers are connected to a more timeless and "elaborate" science. It may also be concluded that two different collaboration scenarios are intertwining on the basis of three separate geographic and linguistic publication contexts (Mainland Europe, The United Kingdom and The United States of North America).
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- 2017
7. Less Commonly Taught Languages at EUROCALL: What Has Changed over the Years?
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Ward, Monica
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The world of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) is dominated by English, and to a lesser extent, French, Spanish, and German. While these languages are the main focus of EUROCALL conferences, there has always been a presence of Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs) at these conferences. Most of the official languages of the EU and European languages more generally have been discussed by CALL researchers at EUROCALL conferences, but some languages have yet to make an appearance. There have also been presentations on other LCLTs outside of Europe, including Mandarin, Arabic, Japanese, and less widely spoken languages such as Thai and Nahuatl. This paper looks at the presence of LCTLs at EUROCALL conferences since 1993 and reflects on what has changed over the years. It notes the importance of the conference location on the languages discussed at the conference and the role of EU projects in supporting LCTLs. [For the complete volume, "CALL and Professionalisation: Short Papers from EUROCALL 2021 (29th, Online, August 26-27, 2021)," see ED616972.]
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- 2021
8. The Use of Abbreviations in English-Medium Astrophysics Research Paper Titles: A Problematic Issue
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Méndez, David I. and Alcaraz, M. Ángeles
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In this study, we carry out a qualitative and quantitative analysis of abbreviations in 300 randomly collected research paper titles published in the most prestigious European and US-based Astrophysics journals written in English. Our main results show that the process of shortening words and groups of words is one of the most characteristic and recurrent features in Astrophysics research paper titling construction. In spite of the convenience of abbreviations as a mechanism for word-formation, some of them may pose certain difficulties of understanding and/or misinterpretation because of their specificity, ambiguity, or overlapping. To overcome these difficulties, we propose a series of options which with no doubt would lead to a better interaction among the different branches of Astrophysics in particular and of science in general and would definitely improve how research is currently performed and communicated.
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- 2015
9. MultiTasks, MultiSkills, MultiConnections. Selected Papers from the 2013 Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
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Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (CSCTFL) and Dhonau, Stephanie
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This year's volume of the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (CSCTFL) Report centering on the conference theme of MultiTasks, MultiSkills, and MultiConnections focused on the importance or world language use within the classroom and beyond with articles extending the conversation on target language use in instruction, on 21st century skills and accompanying Web 2.0 technologies that faculty and students can access and use to connect to the larger world, and applications of standards based instruction at K-16 levels of instruction. The profession's K-16 "Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century" are well represented in this year's volume as all articles connect in some manner with one or more of the 5Cs in meaningful ways, demonstrating how the profession has embraced the national conversation on what "students should know and be able to do in a second or multiple language". The collection of articles in the MultiTasks section, share the theme of instructor target language (TL) use with recent attention placed on the role of the target language in instructed situations. In the MultiSkills section of this publication, readers will find a focus on the Partnership for 21st Century skills and technology integration in three articles. Articles in MultiConnections integrate various aspects of language learning usage for various purposes including connections to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), to service learning for collegiate intermediate Spanish students not necessarily pursuing a major or minor in the language, and to innovations for providing more literature exposure into language learning. "Innovative Approaches to teaching Literature in the World language classroom," examines the need to provide and support literary texts in language instruction by bridging the gap between developing language proficiency for interpersonal communication and developing literary understanding of authentic literary texts.
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- 2013
10. Johan Vilhelm Snellman's-Finnish Philosopher, Writer, Diplomat-Statement 'Science Centers for All'
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Aydin, Abdullah
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"Go to temples of science and ideas of Europe. Imitate the Tugendbund, 'the Union of Virtue', of which thousands of German youth are the members. Always keep the rule of 'Fit soul is in fit body' in mind" (Petrov, 2013, p. 72). This study aimed to show the similarities, in terms of expression, emphasis, and implication, in the about/mission/vision/goals/objectives of various science centers from around the world and in the basic themes derived from Snellman's statement above, namely, Science for all, Science Centers for all, and Human welfare that he made as a challenge to not only his people but to everyone. Document and content analyses were applied in the study. Within the scope of these analyses, this study investigated the about/mission/vision/goals/objectives sections of websites of science centers from around the world (Asia, Europe, Global, Latin America/The Caribbean, North America, Africa). From this investigation, similar basic themes, derived from Snellman's statement challenging his people/everyone to adopt this devotion to science, were found in the areas of i) expression in ASTC, CIMUSET/CSTM, CASC and SAASTEC; ii) emphasis in ECSITE, ASDC, ASCN and NSCF; and iii) implication in ASPAC, ASTEN, NCSM, ABCMC and Red-POP. These basic themes, as found in the about/mission/vision/goals/objectives of science centers, can, in effect, be narrowed down to the one theme of "cultural institutions will be a big part of human life" (Madsen 2017, p. 68) science centers in the global village (Touraine, 2016, p. 121) of the future.
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- 2019
11. The Impact of Emerging Technology in Physics over the Past Three Decades
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Binar Kurnia Prahani, Hanandita Veda Saphira, Budi Jatmiko, Suryanti, and Tan Amelia
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As humanity reaches the 5.0 industrial revolution, education plays a critical role in boosting the quality of human resources. This paper reports bibliometric research on emerging TiP during 1993-2022 in the educational field to analyse its development on any level of education during the last three decades. This study employed a Scopus database. The findings are that the trend of TiP publication in educational fields has tended to increase every year during the past three decades and conference paper became the most published document type, the USA is the country which produces the most publications; "Students" being the most occurrences keyword and total link strength. The publication of the TiP is ranked to the Quartile 1, which implies that a publication with the cited performance is a publication with credibility because the publisher has a good reputation. Researchers can find the topics most relevant to other metadata sources such as Web of Science, Publish, and Perish.
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- 2024
12. Discourses on Empowerment in Adult Learning: A View on Renewed Learning
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Daniele, Luisa
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The paper examines critically the dimension of empowerment in the European discourse, starting from some operational definitions used in official documents. The author analyses the shift in the European documents from 2000 to recent years, from a lifelong learning vision to an adult education approach, basically labour market-oriented, thus leaving aside the social cohesion and self-emancipatory dossiers. Against this background, a theoretical approach derived from the categories of transaction and reflexivity is suggested, setting out from the works of John Dewey. This paper investigates whether the categories of experience, problem posing and emancipation are more suitable for a long-term project on adult learning than the categories of activation, problem solving, and empowerment.
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- 2017
13. Competence-Based Teacher Education Programmes: Transitioning towards a Paradigm Shift or Preserving the Traditional?
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Fjolla Kaçaniku
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Adapting teacher education programs to societal changes is a current issue, especially when viewed through the European frameworks driving transformative reforms. The paper reports how European frameworks and other initiatives in higher education and teacher education aim to support the transformation of teacher education programmes. Multiple European-level interventions have engendered shifts in the conceptual understanding and orientation of initial teacher education programmes across numerous contexts within Europe. The purpose of this paper was to examine the shift of teacher education programmes into competence-based in Kosovo, the youngest country in Europe, in the context of European frameworks as an impetus for transition. This qualitative research is a part of a broader study that involves analysing study programmes, conducting interviews with teacher educators and management staff, and holding focus groups with student-teachers. The goal is to explore the path of contextualizing European-inspired programme reforms in more detail. The findings show that Kosovo is shifting to a competence-based approach to align with EU integration, incorporating European principles for programme improvement. However, the study reveals a notable focus on maintaining programmes' tradition. This leads to tensions and contradictions regarding programme tradition, EU integration goals, and actual implementation.The results provide valuable insights into the significance of educational context and the tacit knowledge of teacher educators and other stakeholders during programme reforms within the context of European initiatives.
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- 2024
- Full Text
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14. Bridging the SEL CASEL Framework with European Educational Policies and Assessment Approaches
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Valeria Cavioni, Luisa Broli, and Ilaria Grazzani
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The importance of enhancing social and emotional skills in educational settings has gained prominence, with many countries and organizations embracing the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) framework to equip individuals with the tools needed for shaping a self-identity, emotional regulation, goal achievement, empathy, nurturing relationships, and responsible decision-making and overall well-being. In this paper, we aim to connect the globally acknowledged Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning SEL framework with international policies that underscore the importance of social and emotional skills in the school context. To accomplish this goal, we first provide a brief overview of the key components of the SEL framework. Subsequently, we explore two significant educational policies within the European context. The first policy is the World Health Organization Health Promoting Schools initiative. We present its objectives, a WHO-affiliated program example, the promoted and assessed competencies of students, and its results, connecting its framework with the CASEL SEL approach. The second focus is the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Study on Social and Emotional Skills, describing its developmental process and the assessment framework. Finally, we describe the alignment of SEL with these European educational policies and illustrate their role in advancing and improving the evaluation of SEL initiatives in educational environments.
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- 2024
15. Generalisable Methods for Early Prediction in Interactive Simulations for Education
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Cock, Jade Maï, Marras, Mirko, Giang, Christian, and Käser, Tanja
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Interactive simulations allow students to discover the underlying principles of a scientific phenomenon through their own exploration. Unfortunately, students often struggle to learn effectively in these environments. Classifying students' interaction data in the simulations based on their expected performance has the potential to enable adaptive guidance and consequently improve students' learning. Previous research in this field has mainly focused on a-posteriori analyses or investigations limited to one specific predictive model and simulation. In this paper, we investigate the quality and generalisability of models for an early prediction of conceptual understanding based on clickstream data of students across interactive simulations. We first measure the students' conceptual understanding through their in-task performance. Then, we suggest a novel type of features that, starting from clickstream data, encodes both the state of the simulation and the action performed by the student. We finally propose to feed these features into GRU-based models, with and without attention, for prediction. Experiments on two different simulations and with two different populations show that our proposed models outperform shallow learning baselines and better generalise to different learning environments and populations. The inclusion of attention into the model increases interpretability in terms of effective inquiry. The source code is available on Github. [For the full proceedings, see ED623995.]
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- 2022
16. Virtual Monitoring and Evaluation of Capacity Development in Higher Education Projects: Lessons for the Future
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George, Varkey, Jacobs, Lynette, and Hodges, Merle
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Generally, project monitoring and evaluation (M&E) are mandatory actions throughout the project planning, implementation and conclusion phases. Although the terms "monitoring" and "evaluation" go together, evaluation is usually conducted after the project is completed and is typically included as part of the project report, while monitoring is a continuous process of ongoing data collection and feedback. This aspect is often neglected. Although M&E guidelines for practitioners are in abundance, and advocacy for the use of specific models of M&E are aplenty, there is a deficit of scholarly publications on M&E of capacity development projects in higher education in particular. Furthermore, research guiding future M&E endeavours based on lessons learnt before and during the pandemic, is found wanting. The three authors, in different roles, are part of an Erasmus+ co-funded project that aims to build capacity for curriculum transformation through internationalisation and development of Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL). COIL is an inclusive approach to provide all students with virtual internationalised learning experiences without having to travel. Taking an insiders' perspective and sharing our experiences in this project, this paper should inform future M&E of capacity building projects. [For the complete Volume 20 proceedings, see ED622631.]
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- 2022
17. E-Learning Course of Software for Textile Design
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Ion Razvan Radulescu, Antonio Dinis, Benny Malengier, Andrej Cupar, Mirela Blaga, and Radek Polansky
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Industry 4.0 and digitization are nowadays important trends in the textile industry. The need for well-prepared professionals in software for the design and modelling of textile products requires the creation of up-to-date educational resources. Virtual learning supported by e-learning offers the instruments to continue education during pandemic restrictions. As such, six research and education providers on the European level have joined forces to create educational resources in e-learning format for students and professionals in textiles: the content is related to software for design and modelling of weaving, knitting, virtual prototyping of clothing, embroidery of e-textiles and experimental design, as well as technology transfer. The educational resources were implemented on the Moodle e-learning platform of the Erasmus+ project (www.advan2tex.eu/portal/) and will be further used to support classroom/virtual courses with students and professionals in textiles. The paper introduces the course and its foreseen impact within the current context. [For the complete proceedings, see ED639262.]
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- 2022
18. Shine a Light -- E-Learning Initiatives from Two EU Projects
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Vladan Devedžic, Sonja D. Radenkovic, and Mirjana Devedžic
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The paper presents ideas and initiatives from two ongoing Erasmus+ projects funded by the European Commission. Both projects use e-Learning as an enabler for communicating interesting and important learning contents that are believed to increase and improve employability prospects for the targeted groups of learners. The WINnovators project targets young women with reduced opportunities for quality education in different areas of STEM/STEAM and intends to demonstrate how their entrepreneurial skills can gradually grow by providing them with e-Learning incentives in such areas. The YNSPEED project intends to offer free MOOC courses addressing hot topics of modern society -- artificial intelligence, sustainable development, and fake news. In the YNSPEED project, the target group of learners are young people (aged 16-29). It is believed that their interest in such important topics can be boosted by communicating the corresponding relevant learning content in a carefully designed way. The "Shine a light" metaphor is a common point and a common approach in both projects -- e-Learning technology is used to facilitate informal education for the targeted learners and to indicate directions that often get either omitted or misunderstood in traditional schools. [For the full proceedings, see ED639633.]
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- 2022
19. The Bologna in the Field of Social Sciences and Humanities: A Precondition for Successful University Education
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Jelena Osmanovic Zajic and Jelena Maksimovic
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The Bologna Process represents the most significant extensive reform of higher education in Europe. The particular aspects of the Bologna Process still incite critical evaluations as regards the successfulness of its implementation. The theoretical part of the paper analyzes the fundamental principles defined in the Bologna Declaration, requirements and critical views of the Bologna Process, as well as the relevant research conducted on this issue used for the comparative analysis. The introduction of the Bologna Process into the Serbian university education has initiated numerous changes, the increase of the student mobility being the most striking one. The empirical part of the paper focuses on the study of the following problem: the manner in which students of social sciences and humanities perceive the Bologna Process fifteen years after its implementation into the Serbian university education. Consequently, the subject matter of the research is the observation and description of students' attitudes to this phenomenon with the purpose of acquiring relevant information "firsthand." The achievable objective of the presented research reviews the context and condition of the Bologna Process during 2019/2020 academic year and its feasible improvements, which can contribute to comparative study of similar researches in the time of the pandemics. The specific research tasks include the study of the Bologna requirements, attitudes to the Bologna Process, benefits and restrictions of this reform, and particularly the attempt to suggest the improvement of the Bologna Process realization from the perspective of students of social sciences and humanities. The research sample consisted of the Bachelor students of social sciences and humanities from the Faculty of Philosophy in Niš (N=150). The survey technique and the scaling technique with a rating scale questionnaire were used (BOL-JM-JOZ). The questionnaire had five closed-ended questions, while the Likert scale was comprised of 23 items. The test of the instrument consistency proved its reliability. The obtained results were shown by the chi square test, which proved a statistically significant difference in the respondents' answers as regards the year of study, p<0.05. The main factors were extracted from the assessment scale by the application of the factor analysis. These factors examined the students' perceptions of the Bologna Process, comparing the answers provided by the students of the first, second, third and fourth year of study of social sciences and humanities, p<0.05.
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- 2023
20. The Effects of Age and Learning with Educational Robotic Devices on Children's Algorithmic Thinking
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Angeli, Charoula, Diakou, Panayiota, and Anastasiou, Vaso
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Educational Robotics is increasingly used in elementary-school classrooms to develop students' algorithmic thinking and programming skills. However, most research appears descriptive and lacks experimental evidence on the effects of teaching interventions using robotics to develop algorithmic thinking. Using the robots Dash and Dot, this study examined algorithmic thinking development in groups of children aged 6, 9, and 12. The results showed a statistically significant main effect between the age of students and algorithmic thinking skills and a statistically significant main effect between intervention and algorithmic thinking. In conclusion, the findings underscore the necessity of providing learners with structured, scaffolded activities tailored to their age to effectively nurture algorithmic thinking skills when engaging in Dash and Dot activities. [For the full proceedings, see ED636095.]
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- 2023
21. Beyond Bologna? Infrastructuring Quality in European Higher Education
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Sotiria Grek and Ian Russell
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Applying qualitative methods, this paper examines the burgeoning of quality assurance databases, processes and networks of actors in the field of higher education in Europe. Our main argument is that there has been a move from the Bologna Process being the near singular focus for European-level coordination and harmonisation of higher education, towards the making of a much more diverse and complex quality assurance and evaluation infrastructure. This infrastructure involves a range of distinct but interdependent actors and processes and contains explicit and implicit interlinkages with the production of wider policy agendas, such as the rise of the European Education Area. The aim of this paper is to analyse the growth and complexity of Quality Assurance (QA) in higher education (HE) in Europe, as a way of understanding the multifaceted and continuously developing process of Europeanisation.
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- 2024
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22. Music and Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Case Study
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Jasna Šulentic Begic and Marija Kolar
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Autism spectrum disorder is a complex neurological disorder characterized by impairments in communication and social interaction, limited patterns of behavior, interests and activities. Given the different forms of autism spectrum disorder and the fact that no two people are the same, an individual approach to each individual is required. Musical ability is one of the special talents that a child with an autism spectrum disorder can have. Such a child should be allowed to practice music. As a therapy, music therapy has proven to be effective in working with children with autism spectrum disorder, i.e. it has a positive effect on communication, vocalization, joint attention, eye contact, concentration, cooperation, cognitive functions, social skills, etc. This paper presents the observations obtained through the study case. The aim of the research was to show the behavior of students with autism spectrum disorder in the Music culture class and the impact of music therapy on their behavior. For the purposes of the research, two interviews were conducted, i.e. with a teaching assistant who worked with a student with an autism spectrum disorder and with the student's parents. The case study showed that the student has a developed musical ability, that he participates actively, with reserved attention, only in the Music culture classes, and that music therapy helped him in his expression and speech. It is essential to give these kids the tools they need to further develop their musical abilities. It will contribute to children with autism spectrum disorder feeling safe, happy, and accepted in their environment.
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- 2024
23. Evaluating Iranian L2 Teachers' Assessment Literacy for L2 Pragmatics by Applying the CEFR's Pragmatic Competence Model: Possible Sociocultural-Informed Solutions
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Ayad Kamalvand and Mohammad Javad Mohammadi
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Nearly all multidimensional models of communication competence have pragmatic competence at their core. Proper assessment of second language (L2) pragmatics makes many demands on L2 teachers, both in terms of understanding the construct and in language test development. Therefore, being assessment literate helps teachers in developing effective tests geared toward educational outcomes. Despite the importance of assessment literacy (AL) for pragmatics, the field is still under-researched. Mindful of this fact and the significance of pragmatics in L2 learning and assessment, this study adopted the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) model of pragmatic competence to examine Iranian L2 teachers' AL for L2 pragmatics and linked the results to the Sociocultural Theory (SCT) for formulating theory-informed answers to the problems in the teachers' assessment of L2 pragmatics. Group interviews were run with 67 participants and then qualitative and quantitative content analyses were performed. The paper discusses the identified problems in the assessment of L2 pragmatics and offers recommendations for raising L2 teachers' AL for L2 pragmatics.
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- 2024
24. Impact and Implementation of UNESCO's Recommendation on Open Educational Resources in Academic Libraries: SPARC Europe Case Study
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Gema Santos-Hermosa
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This paper analyses the role of libraries in the development of Open Educational Resources (OER) and, more specifically, the impact and level of implementation of UNESCO's (2019) OER Recommendation in Higher Education libraries. This study, the result of a joint undertaking between a national R&D project and SPARC Europe, is based on an online survey, disseminated amongst the European Network of Open Education Librarians (ENOEL) and uses a descriptive research methodology. The results highlight the implementation actions being taken by university libraries (n = 136) in each of the five areas of action of UNESCO's Recommendation. We find that the main contributions are being made in the areas of capacity building and Open Education policies, but that considerable work has yet to be done in terms of promoting inclusiveness and the sustainability of OER. Thus, the full implementation of UNESCO's recommendation requires a greater commitment on the part of librarians to joint actions undertaken via international networks and projects, as well as greater institutional commitment and the building of interdepartmental alliances.
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- 2024
25. A New Agenda on Micro-Credentials: Filling the Gaps in the European Approach
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Ivan Šarcevic
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This paper analyses the potential of micro-credentials in adult education through upcoming EU policies and initiatives, bearing in mind the increasing use of online learning platforms globally. Understanding national and international approaches to micro-credentials allows undergraduate programmes and teaching practices to flourish in economically less developed countries. The Republic of Serbia welcomes new approaches in the search for acceptable models of distance learning and equality in the labour market.
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- 2024
26. Mapping Students' Readiness for E-Learning in Higher Education: A Bibliometric Analysis
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Anamica Maan and Kapil Malhotra
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This paper reports the findings of a bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer on 392 Scopus database documents published from 2003 to 2022, aiming to understand the global landscape of the e-learning field and to identify the most prominent authors, institutions, countries and reference publications, as well as the research topics that have recently received the most attention in students' readiness for e-learning in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The findings indicate that there has been an upward trend in e-learning readiness among students in HEIs over time. Among the countries studied, the United States, Taiwan, Australia, and Malaysia were found to have the most effective approaches to addressing students' readiness for e-learning. The most highly cited author in this field is M-L. Hung. Based on the citations, the most recognised journal in this field was "Computers and Education" and the universities that were most persuasive were two Taiwan universities in the first position. The data also revealed relatively low levels of collaboration among authors, institutions and nations regarding students' readiness for e-learning.
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- 2024
27. Creative Education or Educational Creativity: Integrating Arts, Social Emotional Aspects and Creative Learning Environments
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Galit Zana Sternfeld, Roni Israeli, and Noam Lapidot-Lefer
- Abstract
This paper examines the interplay of creativity, education, and the expressive arts. We begin by presenting a narrative literature review focusing on the use of artistic tools to promote creativity, self-expressiveness, and meaningful aspects of emotional and social learning. This review reveals strong connections between the different components of this interplay, and a special attention is given to the use of arts to promoting creativity and meaningful learning. We then propose the Empowering Creative Education Model (ECEM), which aims to provide a practical framework for employing artistic tools in each of the model's four developmental circles: I, Us, Educational and Community. Each of the four circles includes unique aspects of personal development.
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- 2024
28. A Review of Work-Integrated Learning for PhD Students
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Kristin Bracewell, Irene Sheridan, and Stephen Cassidy
- Abstract
Work-integrated learning (WIL) has been suggested as a potentially beneficial addition to modern doctoral education. However, there is little research outlining the specificities of WIL aimed at PhD students. This paper explores the range of WIL opportunities available to PhD students through a review of secondary data. The findings indicate that WIL opportunities are non-homogenous and vary widely across their structure and implementation. Patterns emerge to indicate that WIL opportunities tend to be optional, paid, short-term, focused on horizontal learning development, and provide opportunities for boundary crossing outside of academia. These findings imply that WIL has the potential to complement doctoral education by providing opportunities to experience cross-sector or cross-discipline learning and development. However, higher education institutes might consider becoming more involved in the design and implementation of WIL for PhD students. Additional research is required to understand how WIL opportunities fit into doctoral education and to evaluate existing WIL opportunities.
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- 2024
29. An Unplugged Didactical Situation on Cryptography between Informatics and Mathematics
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Evmorfia-Iro Bartzia, Michael Lodi, Marco Sbaraglia, Simon Modeste, Viviane Durand-Guerrier, and Simone Martini
- Abstract
In this paper, we present an activity to introduce the idea of public-key cryptography and to make pre-service STEM teachers explore fundamental informatics and mathematical concepts and methods. We follow the Theory of Didactical Situations within the Didactical Engineering methodology (both widely used in mathematics education research) to design and analyse a didactical situation about asymmetric cryptography using graphs. Following the phases of Didactical Engineering, after the preliminary analysis of the content, the constraints and conditions of the teaching context, we conceived and analysed the situation a priori, with a particular focus on the milieu (the set of elements students can interact with) and on the choices for the didactical variables. We discuss their impact on the problem-solving strategies the participants need to elaborate to decrypt an encrypted message. We implemented our situation and collected qualitative data. We then analysed a posteriori the different strategies that participants used. The comparison of the a posteriori analysis with the a priori analysis showed the learning potential of the activity. To elaborate on different problem-solving strategies, the participants need to explore and understand several concepts and methods from mathematics, informatics, and the frontier of the two disciplines, also moving between different semiotic registers.
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- 2024
30. Transnational Student Associations in the European Multi-Level Governance of Higher Education Policies
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Klemencic, Manja and Galán Palomares, Fernando Miguel
- Abstract
The article seeks to advance understanding of the involvement of transnational student associations in European governance of higher education policies within the European Union (EU) and the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Specifically, the article explores the mechanisms for interest intermediation that exist for transnational student associations in both policy arenas. Three transnational student associations stand out in terms of their involvement: European Students' Union (ESU), Erasmus Student Network (ESN) and European Students' Forum (AEGEE). The findings point to two distinct models of student interest intermediation in European policy-making. Within the EU, the European Commission interacts with all three transnational student associations; however, ESU and ESN participate in more expert and working groups. The roles afforded to each association in relation to the European Commission are demarcated and functionally differentiated. Within EHEA, in neo-corporatist fashion, ESU, as a representative platform of national student unions, holds representational monopoly. In the EHEA and the EU, the involvement of transnational student associations in policy-making can be attributed to the evolving nature of transnational governance regimes in which participation of transnational student associations not only brings expertise to but also aids the legitimacy of the policy processes and outcomes.
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- 2018
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31. Invasive Alien Plant Species for Use in Paper and Packaging Materials.
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Vrabič-Brodnjak, Urška and Možina, Klemen
- Subjects
INTRODUCED species ,PACKAGING materials ,PLANT invasions ,INVASIVE plants ,WASTE minimization ,CIRCULAR economy ,CELLULOSE nanocrystals - Abstract
Invasive plant species can impede the establishment and growth of native plants and affect several ecosystem properties. These properties include soil cover, nutrient cycling, fire regimes, and hydrology. Controlling invasive plants is therefore a necessary, but usually expensive, step in restoring an ecosystem. The sustainability of materials with an emphasis on the use of local resources plays an important role in the circular economy. The use of alternative fibers from invasive plants promotes local production in smaller paper mills that offer the protection of local species and the reduction of waste and invasive plants. A synthesis of the literature is needed to understand the various impacts of invasive plants and their practical control in the context of papermaking applications and to identify associated knowledge gaps. To improve our understanding of the practical application of invasive species in the paper industry, we reviewed the existing literature on invasive plant species in the area of fiber production, printability, coating solution production, dyes, and extracts, and collected information on the major invasive plant species in Europe and the methods used for various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2022
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32. Upskilling and Reskilling for the Future of Work: A Typology of Digital Skills Initiatives
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Lang, Guido and Triantoro, Tamilla
- Abstract
Governments, businesses, and educational institutions need to collaborate and make significant investments in order to address the growing digital skills crisis. In Europe, hundreds of digital skills initiatives have been launched with different forms of government and private industry support in the last five years alone. Consequently, digital skills initiatives have come to encompass a wide array of interventions. In this context, this paper proposes a typology of digital skills initiatives that was developed based on the analysis of over 300 initiatives listed in the European Commission's repository of best digital skills initiatives. The proposed typology consists of four categories: target group, digital skills, learning format, and sponsoring organization. In terms of target group, digital skills initiatives tend to target one or more of five distinct groups: the general public, educators, adults, seniors and youth. In terms of digital skills, digital skills initiatives tend to focus on general digital skills or specialized digital skills. In terms of learning format, digital skills initiatives tend to offer training and/or a learning resource. In terms of sponsoring organization, the initiatives tend to be sponsored by organizations that are either affiliated or unaffiliated with a technology vendor. The typology is followed by a presentation of mini cases, which highlight different archetypes of the proposed typology. The paper closes with a discussion of practical implications for policy makers, administrators, and scholars interested in digital skills initiatives and the future of work.
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- 2022
33. CRISS: A Cloud Based Platform for Guided Acquisition, Evaluation and Certification of Digital Competence
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Balaban, Igor, Filipovic, Danijel, and Peras, Marko
- Abstract
This paper deals with a problem of digital competence acquisition and certification. In order to overcome the problem of still inadequate number of digitally competent students and the tools that merely focus on skills acquisition, this paper proposes the CRISS platform which is a unique cloud-based digital learning solution, based on the most advanced pedagogical methodologies and technological solutions Its purpose is to allow guided acquisition, evaluation and certification of digital competence in primary and secondary schools in Europe. The platform is based on the CRISS Digital Competence (DC) Framework created as an adaptation of a well-established European digital competence framework, DigComp. The platform's architecture includes seven different modules that support the CRISS DC Framework and employ advanced techniques such as learning analytics, intelligent tutoring and certification. The platform will enable teachers to track the work of their students acquiring the digital competence with a detail insight into their learning paths. CRISS platform is piloted in around 90 schools, with 600 teachers and 3400 students during the school year 2018/2019. [For the full proceedings, see ED621557.]
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- 2019
34. The Responses and Attitudes of the University of Nottingham Students toward Learning Styles
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Talib, Pawan Asghar
- Abstract
This research was carried out to add to the current literature on learning styles by explaining various understandings of the topic and the previous research on it. Studies and information on learning styles and strategies are abundant, and the need for more research stems from the recent move towards student-centered classes. This paper is an attempt to do more specific research on the subject and answer the question of what the correlations are between learning styles and different factors such as gender and learner's cultural background. This study was conducted at the University of Nottingham. Seventy students have participated in the survey, 34 males and 36 females. The participants' nationalities were mixed, which was essential for the study; Kurdish (20%), British (40%), European States (10%) and Asian (17.1%). The questionnaire results were analysed by using IBM SPSS Statistics 21 software. Frequency tests, Correlation analysis, T-Tests, and One-way ANOVA test of the available data were studied. The findings show that Kurdish learners are auditory learners compared to other nationalities. Also, the study showed that language learners are more visually inclined learners than learners from the other majors. Finally, future researchers may expand on the findings of this paper by getting a larger sample.
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- 2022
35. Educational Quality of Early Childhood Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Camovic, Dženeta and Becirovic-Karabegovic, Jasmina
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This paper analyzes the key determinants of the quality of preschool education in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Based on the analysis of recent data, the paper indicates the status and development trends in this regard in the last decade. Although preschool education in Bosnia and Herzegovina has a long tradition, it is facing a number of challenges, mostly arising from the arrangement of the state system and post-war transition processes which have significantly impoverished this level of education. Therefore, the main goal of this paper is to point out the recent public policy efforts made in the attempt to ensure the quality of preschool education in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the effects that are being achieved in this regard. Since quality can be approached from the aspects of structure and process, the elementary structural and process dimensions of preschool education will be taken as units of this analysis. Conceptualizing the results of this analysis, the status and quality of preschool education in Bosnia and Herzegovina will be positioned through an orientation towards the European framework for the quality and development trends of preschool education in Europe.
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- 2022
36. Meeting the Needs of Learners with Specific Learning Difficulties in Online and Face-to-Face Language Classrooms: Teacher Beliefs and Practices
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Afitska, Oksana and Said, Nur Ehsan Mohd
- Abstract
Drawing on communities of practice and social cognitive learning theories, this paper explores language teachers' beliefs, knowledge and practices concerning the provision of high-quality education to learners with specific learning difficulties in various educational settings around the world. The data sample for this paper comprises qualitative data (videorecorded interviews and teaching resources) collected from six teachers working across various educational settings (primary, secondary, college and university) across several geographical areas (Europe, Middle East, and Southeast Asia). Thematic analysis was adopted to analyse the data. The findings suggest that teachers continue to experience challenges in educating learners with specific learning difficulties regardless of the educational setting. Limited opportunities for receiving specialised training in this area have been identified by several teachers as one of the key factors affecting the quality of their practice. The change in the mode of instruction from face-to-face to online was not always reported as negatively affecting the quality of educational provision to learners with specific learning difficulties. Technology-assisted online lesson delivery was seen as being advantageous to learners with some types of learning difficulties. Findings from this paper can be useful to teacher-practitioners and teacher-educators who are interested in improving the quality of language education for learners with specific learning difficulties.
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- 2022
37. The Resilience of VET: Managing Economic Shocks, Ageing, and Technological Change in an Age of Uncertainty
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Hogarth, Terence
- Abstract
Since the mid 1990s vocational and education and training systems across Europe have had to respond to a number of external factors which have transformed the demand for skills. This paper examines the way in which VET systems have responded to the external factors and increase their resilience in the face of external shocks of one kind or another. The paper also reveals the way in which VET increasing established itself as a mainstream option for young people over the same period because of its capacity to deliver skills which the labour market demands.
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- 2022
38. Data-Driven Goal Setting: Searching Optimal Badges in the Decision Forest
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Langenhagen, Julian
- Abstract
Although badges are among the most-used game elements in gamified education, studies about their optimal features to motivate learning are scarce. How should a badge be designed to represent an incentive for a specific goal like optimal exam preparation? This study examines usage data of a higher education learning app to determine whether the used badges have the intended motivational effect. The preliminary results suggest that the badges that were initially implemented in the app have the intended effect in most cases, but the stages of the multi-level badges could be optimized. The methodological framework used in this study can be transferred to usage data of other similar learning tools. With the help of easy-to-interpret outputs of decision trees, researchers and practitioners alike can work towards an optimal badge design. [For the full proceedings, see ED623995.]
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- 2022
39. Determining Learners' Behavioral Patterns in a Technology and Analytics Enhanced Assessment Environment
- Author
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International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS), Sahin, Muhittin, and Ifenthaler, Dirk
- Abstract
Within digitally-supported learning environments, learners need to observe themselves so that they can reflect on their strengths and weaknesses and take a step toward autonomous learning. Within the scope of this research, a technology and analytics enhanced assessment environment in which students can assess themselves was implemented and tested. In order to determine N = 108 students' ability to use the assessment environment, behavioral patterns were determined based on their individual characteristics, system interactions, lesson performances, achievement motivation, confidence, and study interest. Findings indicate different system usage and behavioral engagement with the assessment system. The outcomes of this design-based research project indicate hints on how such assessment systems can be made more effective in future implementation stages.
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- 2022
40. Proceedings of the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS) International Conferences on e-Society (ES 2022, 20th) and Mobile Learning (ML 2022, 18th) (Virtual, March 12-14, 2022)
- Author
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International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS), Piet Kommers, Inmaculada Arnedillo Sánchez, and Pedro Isaías
- Abstract
These proceedings contain the papers of the 20th International Conference on e-Society (ES 2022) and 18th International Conference on Mobile Learning (ML 2022), organised by the International Association for Development of the Information Society, held virtually during 12-14 March 2022. Due to the unprecedented situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this year the conferences were hosted virtually. The e-Society 2022 conference aims to address the main issues of concern within the Information Society. This conference covers both the technical as well as the non-technical aspects of the Information Society. The Mobile Learning 2022 Conference seeks to provide a forum for the presentation and discussion of mobile learning research which illustrate developments in the field. These events received 152 submissions from more than 28 countries. In addition to the papers' presentations, the conference also included one keynote presentation by Professor Pedro Isaias (Information Systems & Technology Management School, The University of New South Wales, Australia) and a Special Talk by Wilson Ramon Hernandez Parraci (Ph.D. Student, Northern Illinois University, USA). [Individual papers are indexed in ERIC.]
- Published
- 2022
41. Teachers' Digital Competences before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic for the Improvement of Security and Defence Higher Education
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Marina Marchisio, Fabio Roman, Matteo Sacchet, Enrico Spinello, Linko Nikolov, Malgorzata Grzelak, Magdalena Rykala, and Cristian-Emil Moldoveanu
- Abstract
COVID-19 hastened a trend that was already ongoing before the pandemic outbreak: the progressively increasing use of distance and online teaching and learning, alongside with lectures and classes. The potentialities of online teaching allowed a didactic continuity that would have been impossible otherwise, and this approach is likely to be maintained even after COVID-19 related restrictions end. From these remarks, it immediately follows that it is of great importance that teachers, students and other personnel, such as technicians and program managers, possess digital skills devoted to education. In the context of security and defence, areas with a strong international vocation, these skills are even more valuable. This research investigates the impact of COVID-19 on education in these contexts: the changes caused by the pandemic, the teachers' perception about some aspects of their job, such as the way they relate with students, and their ability to perform the same commitments in a different scenario. The research has been conducted based on the analysis of an online anonymous questionnaire with more than 500 responses. Results suggested the importance of the development of a training devoted to improving teachers' digital skills, since they live frontline in education, and they have been directly impacted by disruptive changes. This study is part of the European project Digital Competences for Improving Security and Defence Education - DIGICODE. Pursuing to the Digital Education Action Plan, the project aims at improving education quality in security and defence, by means of digital tools in didactics, and the development of teachers' professional competences. [For the full proceedings, see ED639633.]
- Published
- 2022
42. Qualitative Research in Social Sciences: A Research Profiling Study
- Author
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Bozkurt, Mahmut and Öztürk, Fatih
- Abstract
The principal objective of this study was to profile qualitative research in social sciences through a comprehensive examination of 10,637 documents. An analysis on how scholars from central/peripheral countries included in the qualitative research citations/publications is presented. Central/peripheral distinction is used to determine the trends in the globalization of qualitative research. With the comprehensive examination, this paper will shed light on the discussion of the patterns of globalization in qualitative research. Science mapping technique among bibliometric methods was employed. This paper is based on studies that published in journals that use the English word/term "qualitative" in their titles. The data for this study encompassed 10,637 documents published between 1995 and 2019 by 16,884 authors. Our findings reveal that qualitative research continue to be mostly North America- and Europe-centered initiatives. A similar situation is also observed for the most cited publications and the affiliated institutes of their authors. The studies focus primarily on the individuals' self and social experiences, social psychology, and their knowledge, attitude, and behaviors in education. The most cited publications and the institutions with the highest number of publications are all North America- and Europe-centered. Another finding is that six of every 10 qualitative research are about medical sciences.
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- 2022
43. Interrogating 'the Nation' in European Online Education: Topological Forms and Movements
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van de Oudeweetering, Karmijn and Decuypere, Mathias
- Abstract
This paper was inspired by empirical encounters with students and teacher-administrators who engaged with an online European education initiative, which raised questions about whether and how their practices were situated as local, transnational, or national(ist) endeavors. The conceptual, theoretical, and methodological resources of social topology and critical border studies guided our inquiry by a focus on bordering practices and how these generate spatiotemporal forms and movements, and evoked a "typical national form" which is characterized as a singular, stable, linear, and flat "topography." An innovative methodology is deployed to scrutinize how practices with this online, European initiative continue, challenge or complement that typical national form. The findings demonstrate how the use of topographical indexes and tropes (re-)materialized characteristics of these typical national forms, while the combination with topological relations introduced multiplicities and "levels" in these forms. Moreover, spherical forms, bouncing movements, and tunneling movements challenged the singularity, stability, linearity, and flatness of the typical national form. Building on these findings, the paper sets forth the argument that this online European education initiative mainly challenges the enactment of nationalism in classrooms by encouraging learning and thinking through "translocalities," which accentuates distances and differences that are being crossed without appealing to the typical imaginary of the "nation" with linear, stable, flat borders.
- Published
- 2023
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44. Vocational Education and Training Systems in Europe: A Cluster Analysis
- Author
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Manuel Salas-Velasco
- Abstract
European countries differ widely in terms of vocational education and training (VET) tradition and the delivery of VET at the upper secondary level. A statistical approach to build a classification of VET systems in Europe is presented in the present article on the grounds of the size of the vocational enrollment, on the one hand, and the percentage of vocational enrollment in programs in which work and school are combined, on the other hand. Twenty-two European countries with full available information are considered in the study: 18 European Union (EU) countries, three Schengen Area (non-EU) countries (Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland), and the UK (non-EU state outside Schengen). Cluster analysis is a quantitative form of classification. The country groupings emerging from the K-means analysis performed in this paper allow us to distinguish mainly between vocational-oriented countries with high vocational specificity (e.g. Germany, Switzerland, and Austria), highly vocational-oriented countries with traditionally school-based VET programs (e.g. the Czech Republic and Slovakia), and less vocationally-oriented countries (general education-oriented countries such as Estonia and Spain).
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
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45. Virtual Exchange: Towards Digital Equity in Internationalisation
- Author
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Research-publishing.net (France), Satar, Müge, Satar, Müge, and Research-publishing.net (France)
- Abstract
This volume includes a collection of short papers presented at the second International Virtual Exchange Conference (IVEC) hosted virtually at Newcastle University in September 2020. The contributions address the conference theme, towards digital equity in internationalisation, and offer fresh insights into the current state and future of online intercultural communication and collaborative learning. Providing examples of interdisciplinary, multinational, and multimodal research and pedagogy in virtual exchange from around the world, this book will appeal to educators, administrators, researchers, and internationalisation leads in higher education interested in supporting and implementing virtual exchange. [This content is provided in the format of an e-book. Individual papers are indexed in ERIC.]
- Published
- 2021
46. Can COIL Be Effective in Using Diversity to Contribute to Equality? Experiences of iKudu, a European-South African Consortium Operating via a Decolonised Approach to Project Delivery
- Author
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DeWinter, Alun and Klamer, Reinout
- Abstract
The iKudu project is a north-south collaboration between five universities in South Africa and five in Europe. As an EU-funded project, the overall aim is to capacity build around internationalisation at home through Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL). Originally presented at IVEC2020, this paper explores how iKudu navigates and utilises concepts of equality, equity through decolonisation, and Africanisation. Drawing from experiences of the first year of operation, this paper presents how the iKudu project was designed with equality in mind in order to ensure that as many students can engage in internationalisation activities, but notes how the realities of decolonisation introduce challenging contradictions for the consortium to navigate, particularly around the use of the English language in a global context. This paper also presents some of the underlying working philosophies from the perspective of the iKudu leadership to show just how COIL can be effective in contributing to equality within internationalisation of Higher Education (HE). [For the complete volume, "Virtual Exchange: Towards Digital Equity in Internationalisation," see ED614868.]
- Published
- 2021
47. Towards the Prediction of Semantic Complexity Based on Concept Graphs
- Author
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Venant, Rémi and d'Aquin, Mathieu
- Abstract
The evaluation of text complexity is an important topic in education. While this objective has been addressed by approaches using lexical and syntactic analysis for decades, semantic complexity is less common, and the recent research works that tackle this question rely on machine learning algorithms that are hardly explainable and are not specifically designed to measure this variable. To address this issue, we explore in this paper the engineering of novel features to evaluate conceptual complexity. Through the construction of a knowledge graph that captures the concepts present in a text and their generalized forms, we measure different graph-based metrics to express such a complexity. Eventually, early-stage evaluations based on a well-known public corpus of students' productions show that the use of these metrics significantly improves performance compared to a state-of-the-art binary neural network classifier. [For the full proceedings, see ED599096.]
- Published
- 2019
48. Challenging, Supporting, and Empowering Students in IWLP Beginners' Classes: A Teaching and Learning Response to Internationalisation
- Author
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Nader, Alison
- Abstract
Institution-Wide Language Programme (IWLP) modules are a popular option for international students at the University of Reading. Student feedback and module results show that some of these students face particular challenges in relation to their peers. In this paper, we describe how a team teaching Beginners French -- Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) level A1 -- addressed this issue. More specifically, we focus on the development of a new module with integrated support and differentiated assessment as well as student feedback and suggestions for curriculum enhancement. We demonstrate how minor module and assessment modifications enabled the team to support students who might have dropped out or become discouraged and at the same time raise the level of challenge for all students whatever their background. [For the complete volume, "Innovative Language Teaching and Learning at University: A Look at New Trends," see ED594807.]
- Published
- 2019
49. Well-Rounded Graduates -- What Languages Can Do
- Author
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Pulker, Hélène, Stickler, Ursula, and Vialleton, Elodie
- Abstract
The School of Languages and Applied Linguistics at the Open University (OU) radically re-designed its modern languages curriculum in 2014, launching its first suite of new modules in 2017. The institution as a whole has since also developed a new employability framework. Our paper describes the principles underpinning the design of the new curriculum, demonstrates how it is being implemented, and focuses on an initiative that involved our Associate Lecturers (ALs) in defining a 'well-rounded graduate' and reflecting on plurilingualism and their roles as language teachers in a distance-teaching institution. Presenting our Teaching Excellence project, its processes, and findings in this paper will allow colleagues who teach modern languages to replicate or adapt parts of our approach in their own settings, exemplifying to the wider world how language skills can become an inherent element of the well-rounded graduate in the 21st century. [For the complete volume, "Languages at Work, Competent Multilinguals and the Pedagogical Challenges of COVID-19," see ED612070.]
- Published
- 2021
50. The Contribution of Research on Out-of-School-Time on Educational Theories and Practice: A Review of European Research between 1999 and 2019
- Author
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Suter, Larry R. and Gyori, János Gordon
- Abstract
This paper summarizes the trends in research about student experiences in out-of-school time (OST) in countries of Europe. The analysis is based on a review of the content of research papers published between 1999 and 2019 in about 36 European countries. OST is recognized as an important aspect of students' educational experiences that deserves increased research attention. A significant portion of students in all countries participate in OST activities either to improve their school performance or to engage in social activities. Under conditions where parents and students believe that the formal school system is weak, the OST educational experiences may be considered to be necessary to make a significant or necessary contribution to a student's success compared with formal school itself. Because OST activities are undertaken in a free market their form and structure vary because of differences in the countries' historical development, condition of public education, and the social, economic, cultural, and political factors that influence the educational systems. The analysis presents examples of how in some European countries conceptual models of OST have been expanded, adapted OST practices for regular school systems, and evaluated the outcomes. This review of the definitions of OST, of evaluations of its impact, and of the evidence for its effect on equality of educational opportunity throughout 36 European countries concludes that the studies provide contradictory messages. Greater consistency in conceptual development could be increased over time as researchers across countries review each other's strategies and share methods and results.
- Published
- 2021
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