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The prevalence of mobile and ubiquitous computing equipment is transforming how learners conduct their education. Nevertheless, the bulk of educational content generated for desktop platforms is unacceptable for handheld gadgets. Furthermore, some materials that are irrelevant to the preferences of the learner or the contextual environment might reduce the effect of learning and elevate the cost of communication. Furthermore, there is a deficit in the academic structure for mobile learning. This paper proposes personalized adaptation techniques for customized modification contents. This in turn strives to offer adaptive content contingent on learner experience and device capabilities. On top of that, it recommends a few alternatives to producing intelligent and adaptive material for children. Numerous facets of the study are examined to employ the benefits of learner, device, and location modeling in tandem with mobile technology to provide a personalized spread of multimedia-rich resources at any time or anywhere. As an outcome, it delivers proper learning resources and applies the learning style most suitable to the demands and tastes of each learner (personalized learning). Our system enables several types of learning styles to pick from, but the most significant aspect is to pair each learner's characteristics with the right program and learning style. A novel chance for a broad range of learners to boost their knowledge in a tailored manner is made accessible by the adaptation of the material and styles, which enables the learning process to be dynamic. Additionally, our system's resilience and interaction have risen owing to multi-agent system modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined the effectiveness of e-learning in flexible learning and its impact on students' academic performance in selected public elementary schools in Manila for the 2021-2022 school year. It found that most teachers were aged 31-40, female, married, held a bachelor's degree, and had less than ten years of teaching experience. Elearning was found to be highly effective in lesson delivery, participation, and discourse but moderately effective in virtual learning and critical analysis. Students' academic performance was outstanding in video conferencing/teleconferencing and very satisfactory in other areas like science investigation, weather reporting, discussion boards, and science journals/news. A significant relationship was identified between e-learning effectiveness and students' academic performance (Pearson-r = 0.84). Teachers faced challenges such as excessive paperwork, expensive professional development, and schedule conflicts. Recommended solutions include reducing paperwork, providing free training, enhancing support from school heads, promoting parent involvement, and securing electronic gadgets for students. Overall, teachers were effective in using e-learning for flexible learning, positively impacting students' academic performance, though addressing these challenges is essential for further improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies on reinforcement learning have identified three prominent phenomena: (1) individuals with anxiety or depression exhibit a reduced learning rate compared to healthy subjects; (2) learning rates may increase or decrease in environments with rapidly changing (i.e. volatile) or stable feedback conditions, a phenomenon termed learning rate adaptation; and (3) reduced learning rate adaptation is associated with several psychiatric disorders. In other words, multiple learning rate parameters are needed to account for behavioral differences across participant populations and volatility contexts in this flexible learning rate (FLR) model. Here, we propose an alternative explanation, suggesting that behavioral variation across participant populations and volatile contexts arises from the use of mixed decision strategies. To test this hypothesis, we constructed a mixture-of- strategies (MOS) model and used it to analyze the behaviors of 54 healthy controls and 32 patients with anxiety and depression in volatile reversal learning tasks. Compared to the FLR model, the MOS model can reproduce the three classic phenomena by using a single set of strategy preference parameters without introducing any learning rate differences. In addition, the MOS model can successfully account for several novel behavioral patterns that cannot be explained by the FLR model. Preferences for different strategies also predict individual variations in symptom severity. These findings underscore the importance of considering mixed strategy use in human learning and decision-making and suggest atypical strategy preference as a potential mechanism for learning deficits in psychiatric disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the domain of adaptable educational environments, our study is dedicated to achieving three key objectives: forecasting the adaptability of student learning, predicting and evaluating student performance, and employing aspect-based sentiment analysis for nuanced insights into student feedback. Using a systematic approach, we commence with an extensive data preparation phase to ensure data quality, followed by applying efficient data balancing techniques to mitigate biases. By emphasizing higher education or educational data mining, feature extraction methods are used to uncover significant patterns in the data. The basis of our classification method is the robust WideResNeXT architecture, which has been further improved for maximum efficiency by hyperparameter tweaking using the simple Modified Jaya Optimization Method. The recommended WResNeXt-MJ model has emerged as a formidable contender, demonstrating exceptional performance measurements. The model has an average accuracy of 98%, a low log loss of 0.05%, and an extraordinary precision score of 98.4% across all datasets, demonstrating its efficacy in enhancing predictive capacity and accuracy in flexible learning environments. This work presents a comprehensive helpful approach and a contemporary model suitable for flexible learning environments. WResNeXt-MJ's exceptional performance values underscore its capacity to enhance pupil achievement in global higher education significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Has in-person learning and virtual learning produced equivalent results when it comes to student achievement? How can a district be flexible with learning options but also strategic with how to best achieve student learning gains? This case-study examines how one district leveraged virtual learning and flexible learning options during COVID-19 and suggests the continuation of virtual learning as a means to provide a flexible learning option for students and families. COVID-19 provided many challenges for district leaders to effectively educate students during the 2020-2021 school year. Consequently, the pandemic provided those same district leaders with a variety of virtual learning strategies from which to study and adapt to maximize student achievement. As virtual school enrollment trends continue to increase nationally and chronic absenteeism continues to rise, flexible learning environment options become more appealing to districts focused on addressing students' needs in a post-pandemic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Investigaciones Regionales is the property of Asociacion Espanola de Ciencia Regional and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study presents the implementation of a blockchain-based federated-learning (FL) intrusion detection system. This approach utilizes machine learning (ML) instead of traditional signature-based methods, enabling the system to detect new attack types. The FL technique ensures the privacy of sensitive data while still utilizing the large amounts of data distributed across client devices. To achieve this, we employed the federated averaging method and incorporated a custom preprocessing stage for data standardization. The use of blockchain technology in combination with FL created a fully decentralized and open learning system capable of overcoming new security challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study's objective was to create a hybrid learning-integrated remote laboratory model with validity and practicality. This model has four learning spaces, namely live synchronous, virtual synchronous, self-paced asynchronous, and collaborative asynchronous, so it can support flexible learning. Besides that, this learning model is also based on cognitivism, connectivism, constructivism, behaviourism learning theories and Bloom's digital taxonomy. The hybrid learning integrated remote laboratory model consists of six syntaxes: 1) issue; 2) investigation; 3) team discussion to solve problems; 4) experiment using a remote laboratory; 5) analysis and evaluation; and 6) explore new solutions. Focus group discussions (FGD) were used to collect high-quality data by seven experts in learning models, vocational education, language and technology. The hybrid learning-integrated remote laboratory model quality analysis used Aiken's V. The result showed that the hybrid learning integratedremote laboratory model content is valid, with a validity value of 0.87. The practicality analysis result showed that the average percentage of the assessments from lecturers and students was 88.16%, so it can be concluded that it has a high validity value and is very practical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Iterative feedback from students using a research-supported, flipped classroom delivery within a foundational veterinary gastrointestinal anatomy and physiology course suggested a strong preference for change from flipped to flexible delivery. Integration of broader course feedback enhanced the student experience in the subsequent flexible delivery iteration. Feedback requested the following: that online teaching materials be made available earlier in the semester rather than progressively; the re-introduction of face-to-face lectures; and full-length lecture videos with a more conversational presentation style in addition to already provided shorter, modularized videos. Once the enhanced flexible learning approach was employed, a substantially improved student experience was reported, with enhanced work/study/life balance, reduced stress levels, and more efficient time use when studying. Our results highlight the importance of considering student perceptions and the student experience when designing and implementing educational interventions. This teaching method offers veterinary educators an innovative and efficient starting point for designing foundational coursework. No single teaching strategy supports all learning styles in veterinary science students. To facilitate more convenient and flexible teaching, learning, and revision, an innovative online digital learning platform—VetCloud—was developed to provide access to modularized programme content across courses to promote active, integrated learning. This study aimed to understand student perceptions regarding the enhancement of the student learning experience in a foundational course in gastrointestinal anatomy and physiology at The University of Queensland across two learning cycles, via applying iterative student feedback in transitioning a flipped classroom approach using VetCloud for the delivery of lecture content in 2022 to a flexible learning approach in 2023. By 2023, the use of VetCloud in the flexible learning approach improved students' work/study/life balance, reduced their stress levels, and enabled a more efficient use of their time when studying, compared to the flipped classroom approach in 2022. Surveying student perceptions was integral to maximizing their learning experience. Data clearly demonstrates that students will mix-and-match how they interact with available options provided via flexible delivery on an individualized basis. This teaching method offers veterinary educators an innovative and efficient approach to veterinary student education in anatomy and physiology while enhancing student well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

No records of systematic reviews focused on deep learning in open learning have been found, although there has been some focus on other areas of machine learning. Through a systematic review, this study aimed to determine the trends, applied computational techniques, and areas of educational use of deep learning in open learning. The PRISMA protocol was used, and the Web of Science Core Collection (2019– 2023) was searched. VOSviewer was used for networking and clustering, and in-depth analysis was employed to answer the research questions. Among the main results, it is worth noting that the scientific literature has focused on the following areas: (a) predicting student dropout, (b) automatic grading of short answers, and (c) recommending MOOC courses. It was concluded that pedagogical challenges have included the effective personalization of content for different learning styles and the need to address possible inherent biases in the datasets (e.g., socio-demographics, traces, competencies, learning objectives) used for training. Regarding deep learning, we observed an increase in the use of pre-trained models, the development of more efficient architectures, and the growing use of interpretability techniques. Technological challenges related to the use of large datasets, intensive computation, interpretability, knowledge transfer, ethics and bias, security, and cost of implementation were also evident. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on teaching and learning in open and distributed learning environments. Topics discussed include AI's potential to enhance personalized learning and engagement, the ethical and technical challenges it presents, and the importance of responsible AI implementation to maximize benefits while mitigating risks.

This research applies text mining techniques to examine sentiments and themes among Filipino students adjusting to full in-person classes after pandemic-driven flexible learning, focusing on their experiences during April to June 2023–a period usually marked by vacations due to intense heat. By applying the natural language toolkit (NLTK) for sentiment analysis and Scikit-learn for topic modeling, the study gathered data from Filipino students on their in-person class experiences during this unique calendar shift. Post data cleaning, NLTK was used for sentiment analysis and latent Dirichlet allocation for topic modeling. The findings indicate that the high temperatures adversely affected students, as evidenced by frequent references to terms such as “room,” “focus,” and “hard.” The study identified a mix of positive and negative sentiments and highlighted key issues like academic challenges and the learning environment’s impact. This study also offered insights into students’ coping strategies during extreme heat. These results stressed the importance of considering environmental factors in educational planning and provide actionable insights for institutions to enhance the in-person learning experience, particularly in challenging weather conditions. Moreover, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of sentiment analysis and topic modeling in understanding and unraveling student experiences in specific contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education 5.0@UiTM is transforming Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). This new approach emphasizes flexible learning paths that teach life and cross-disciplinary skills. To make higher education future-ready, universities must adapt fast to the significant global and technical changes caused by the 4th Industrial Revolution and transition from content-based to individualized learning. To ensure students meet Education 5.0@UiTM standards and corporate needs, the evaluation process must be reviewed. Competency-based academic achievement evaluation outperforms grades. This assessment is rarely systematically analyzed. This study was conducted to thoroughly explore the selection of input and output factors in determining student achievement efficiency using the data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach. The study reviewed publications from Scopus, Google Scholar, and Science Direct and found six themes for input variables: human resources, facilities condition and equipment, finance, curriculum, students characteristics, and community resources. output variables included student achievement, satisfaction, graduation rate, employment, research, and community resources. In DEA analysis, input and output selection affects scope, aim, production frontier, efficiency scores, accuracy and completeness. So, characterizing student achievement requires choosing relevant input and output variables. This study can enhance student evaluation processes to prepare college graduates for the next industrial revolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the capability of automated machine translation in the online video education space by automatically translating Khan Academy videos with state-of-the-art translation models and applying text-to-speech synthesis and audio/video synchronization to build engaging videos in target languages. We also analyzed and established two reliable translation confidence estimators based on round-trip translations in order to efficiently manage translation quality and reduce human translation effort. Finally, we developed a deployable system to deliver translated videos to end users and collect user corrections for iterative improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Our ability to combine simple constituents into more complex conceptual combinations is a fundamental aspect of cognition. Gradable adjectives (e.g., 'tall' and 'light') are a critical example of this process, as their meanings vary depending on the noun with which they are combined. For example, a dark diamond is less dark than dark charcoal. Here, we investigate how a neural network encodes the flexible nature of gradable adjectives in adjective–noun pairs, using the perceptual feature of brightness as a test case. We trained a neural network to predict human brightness ratings for unmodified nouns and adjective–noun pairs and assessed its ability to generalize to untrained combinations (e.g., 'light paint' vs. 'dark paint'). We also explored how this information is encoded. We found that flexible learning of gradable adjectives was possible, with neural networks first making predictions based on the adjective alone, and then modulating these with information from the noun later in learning. We also found that model outputs mimicked the kind of non-additive feature modulation present in human data. Our results have implications for understanding how semantic composition occurs and generate testable predictions for future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multivariate time series modeling has been essential in sensor-based data mining tasks. However, capturing complex dynamics caused by intra-variable (temporal) and inter-variable (spatial) relationships while simultaneously taking into account evolving data distributions is a non-trivial task, which faces accumulated computational overhead and multiple temporal patterns or distribution modes. Most existing methods focus on the former direction without adaptive task-specific learning ability. To this end, we developed a holistic spatial-temporal meta-learning probabilistic inference framework, entitled ST-MeLaPI, for the efficient and versatile learning of complex dynamics. Specifically, first, a multivariate relationship recognition module is utilized to learn task-specific inter-variable dependencies. Then, a multiview meta-learning and probabilistic inference strategy was designed to learn shared parameters while enabling the fast and flexible learning of task-specific parameters for different batches. At the core are spatial dependency-oriented and temporal pattern-oriented meta-learning approximate probabilistic inference modules, which can quickly adapt to changing environments via stochastic neurons at each timestamp. Finally, a gated aggregation scheme is leveraged to realize appropriate information selection for the generative style prediction. We benchmarked our approach against state-of-the-art methods with real-world data. The experimental results demonstrate the superiority of our approach over the baselines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combinatorial thought, or the ability to combine a finite set of concepts into a myriad of complex ideas and knowledge structures, is the key to the productivity of the human mind and underlies communication, science, technology, and art. Despite the importance of combinatorial thought for human cognition and culture, its developmental origins remain unknown. To address this, we tested whether 12-mo-old infants (N = 60), who cannot yet speak and only understand a handful of words, can combine quantity and kind concepts activated by verbal input. We proceeded in two steps: first, we taught infants two novel labels denoting quantity (e.g., "mize" for 1 item; "padu" for 2 items, Experiment 1). Then, we assessed whether they could combine quantity and kind concepts upon hearing complex expressions comprising their labels (e.g., "padu duck", Experiments 2-3). At test, infants viewed four different sets of objects (e.g., 1 duck, 2 ducks, 1 ball, 2 balls) while being presented with the target phrase (e.g., "padu duck") naming one of them (e.g., 2 ducks). They successfully retrieved and combined on-line the labeled concepts, as evidenced by increased looking to the named sets but not to distractor sets. Our results suggest that combinatorial processes for building complex representations are available by the end of the first year of life. The infant mind seems geared to integrate concepts in novel productive ways. This ability may be a precondition for deciphering the ambient language(s) and building abstract models of experience that enable fast and flexible learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiencing existing spaces and designed environments, as well as engaging with their possibilities and production, is fundamental to students' learning in construction and built environments disciplines. Site visits serve a range of learning objectives, and offer a place and a mode to practice professional expertise. The major dislocation of learning and teaching precipitated by COVID-19 required reimagining these authentic and valuable site experiences. This article explores the design of virtual site visits (VSVs) through the lens of teaching activities and learning aims, and describes a VSV typology developed through a phenomenographic approach. The typology draws on exemplars and related interviews with designers and educators from across a built environments faculty of a comprehensive Australian university. It distinguishes between those developed to inspire and contextualize; those that demonstrate or demarcate; and those that ground abstract experiences via specific locations. This work suggests complementary roles for virtual and physical site visits within hybrid and flexible learning environments, even while much teaching returns to campus. It is relevant to academic developers who seek to frame the use of VSVs through learning rather than technical lenses, and all educators who aim to incorporate site experiences for student learning ... wherever they are. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disengagement from education is frequently reported as a reflection of persistent patterns of inequality. This research prioritized student voice to understand the experiences of young people who had disengaged from mainstream education. The current research aimed to understand why students enter a flexible learning programme, and explore how flexible learning can result in student engagement and subsequent academic success. A phenomenological case study approach was adopted incorporating semi-structured interviews. Furthermore, it was important to include the teacher's perspective (as the researcher). Narrative inquiry and semi-structured interviews with graduating students concluded that disengaged students were 'pushed' out of mainstream schooling but subsequently engaged and became academically successful in an alternative education setting. Crucial to student engagement was developing student-teacher relationships and implementing flexible learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of education-focused university-industry collaboration (UIC) in facilitating higher education quality has been increasingly documented by empirical studies in the last decade, and yet existing systematic reviews of UIC are all focused on other non-education related aspects of collaboration, such as joint research, technology transfer, knowledge block building, or patent issues. This systematic review fills such a research gap by synthesising extant research on educational collaboration between the industry sector and higher education sector. Following the PRISMA guidelines, the authors searched literature across multiple databases and screened publications according to the following eligibility criteria: (1) publications should be peer-reviewed journal articles; (2) the publications should involve educational collaboration between the two sectors; (3) the content should provide information on at least one of the four major aspects, namely, the manifestations of industry's involvement, the manifestations of higher education's involvement, critical determinants of successful education-focused UICs, and the challenges or barriers to the implementation. Finally, a total of 65 qualified publications from 25 countries are included, from which seven types of industrial engagement, five types of universities' engagement, five critical determinants, and four challenges to the implementation across the globe are synthesised. The findings and implications for practice and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in major upheavals in the school education sector, particularly during periods of "lockdown" and remote working. While the impact of these changes on pupils, parents and school staff, both nationally and internationally, has been well-documented, there has been scant consideration of the effects on disabled educators. In addition, the mixed nature of the existing research findings in the special education context – revealing positives, as well as negatives from Covid-related adjustments – suggests the need to learn broader lessons from the impact of these measures. In this article, we report on findings from in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 21 autistic school staff working in a range of roles in schools in the UK. Using thematic analysis, participants' experiences of lockdown were analysed. Importantly, these were also compared with participants' experiences outside of the pandemic. The resulting five themes – sensory issues and the working environment; communication and social barriers and freedoms; stresses and strengths associated with technology; navigating home/school boundaries; and modalities of change – revealed some of the significant difficulties autistic school staff typically experience in their work, as well as the factors that intersect with these. Although periods of Covid-related measures created additional stresses for participants, they also provided a respite from the usual pressures, and indeed enabled their strengths – including an ability to manage change – to be more manifest. Valuable insights, which could benefit autistic school staff, pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, and the whole school community in the UK and beyond, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study focuses on views of Finnish basic education students on open and flexible learning environments and the extent to which these views are associated with students' liking of school. The data were based on an online questionnaire containing both structured ratings and open-ended questions filled out by primary school students (n = 684; grades 2–6; between ages 8–13 years) attending reformed learning environments. Ethnographic field notes and photographs of the schools were collected to provide contextual information about the settings. Quantitative analyses indicated that students had mostly positive evaluations of their renewed learning environments. Students' perception of teacher support was significantly associated with their liking of school. The responses to open-ended questions, in contrast, indicated sources of dissatisfaction, and giving precedence to some aspects of traditional schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

E-learning has emerged as a prominent educational method, providing accessible and flexible learning opportunities to students worldwide. This study aims to comprehensively understand and categorize learner performance on e-learning platforms, facilitating timely support and interventions for improved academic outcomes. The proposed model utilizes various classifiers (random forest (RF), neural network (NN), decision tree (DT), support vector machine (SVM), and K-nearest neighbors (KNN)) to predict learner performance and classify students into three groups: fail, pass, and withdrawn. Commencing with an analysis of two distinct learning periods based on days elapsed (=120 days and another exceeding 220 days), the study evaluates the classifiers' efficacy in predicting learner performance. NN (82% to 96%) and DT (81%-99.5%) consistently demonstrate robust performance across all metrics. The classifiers exhibit significant performance improvement with increased data size, suggesting the benefits of sustained engagement in the learning platform. The results highlight the importance of selecting suitable algorithms, such as DT, to accurately assess learner performance. This enables educational platforms to proactively identify at-risk students and offer personalized support. Additionally, the study highlights the significance of prolonged platform usage in enhancing learner outcomes. These insights contribute to advancing our understanding of e-learning effectiveness and inform strategies for personalized educational interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Proponents of micro-credentials envision them as vehicles for upskilling or re-skilling individuals. The study examines how integrating micro-credentials in the higher education ecosystem enhances employability. It aims to offer insights from the perspective of stakeholders who may benefit from these credentials at an institutional or individual level. Design/methodology/approach: Online in-depth interviews are conducted with 65 participants from India, Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom to explore how micro-credentials can be a valuable addition to the higher education ecosystem. A multi-stakeholder approach is adopted to collect data. Findings: The analysis highlights two possible methods of integrating micro-credentials into the higher education ecosystem. First, micro-credentials-driven courses can be offered using a blended approach that provides a flexible learning path. Second, there is also the possibility of wide-scale integration of micro-credentials as an outcome of standalone online programs. However, the effectiveness of such programs is driven by enablers like student profiles, standardization and the dynamics of the labor market. Finally, the study stipulates that micro-credentials can enhance employability. Originality/value: The study's findings suggest that, for successful integration of micro-credentials, an operational understanding of micro-credentials, their enablers and strategic deliberation are critical in higher education. Institutions must identify the determinants, address technological limitations and select a suitable delivery mode to accelerate integration. However, micro-credentials can augment employability, considering the increasing emphasis on lifelong learning. An overview of the findings is presented through a comprehensive framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To best prepare students for the real‐world research environment, key skills, including experimental design, data analysis, communication of results, and critical thinking, should be key components of undergraduate science courses. Furthermore, the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on in‐person teaching has resulted in a need to develop courses that enable flexible learning. This paper details the laboratory component of a senior‐level toxicology class that was developed to emphasize all these skills and allow for flexible learning. The aim of the laboratory class was for students to determine how curcumin protected against acetaminophen‐induced hepatoxicity. To stimulate critical thinking, students were required to choose a maximum of four experiments from the six on offer. Before conducting an experiment, students stated a hypothesis and selected the appropriate treatment groups. Once an experiment was completed, students were given access to a complete dataset, on which they performed statistical analysis and drew conclusions. Students who were unable to attend the laboratory session in person were able to complete the required pre‐lab work and access the dataset. Following each experiment, students could write a lab summary, and receive thorough feedback. The final assessment was a written manuscript of their findings as well as a chance to respond to reviewer comments. This teaching approach prioritized the critical thinking, analysis, and experimental design aspects of scientific research. Overall, this structure was well received by students and it could easily be adapted for use on other life science courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID - 19 significantly caused impact in the academic performance of the students. Thus, this study was conducted to design a pedagogical model for the college Science Students with Microbiology and Parasitology in Flexible Learning Modality in selected Tertiary Education Institutions of Region 12. A Quantitative Evaluative Research Design was employed to provide a clear and concise overview of data patterns and distribution. A validated achievement test with the employment of KR20 used to evaluate the performance level of the respondents. An indepth interview of the selected participants on their experiences in Flexible Learning Modality was also performed. Findings of the study showed that the performance levels of Students in the content areas and cognitive skills were less mastered and found to be significantly different. These implied that the students' performance levels across the content areas and cognitive skills needed improvement with pedagogical adjustment. Hence, the MErick pedagogical model proposed to enhance teachers' pedagogy in College Microbiology and Parasitology in Flexible Learning Modality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Striking progress has been made in understanding cognition by analyzing how the brain is engaged in different modes of information processing. For instance, so-called synergistic information (information encoded by a set of neurons but not by any subset) plays a key role in areas of the human brain linked with complex cognition. However, two questions remain unanswered: (a) how and why a cognitive system can become highly synergistic; and (b) how informational states map onto artificial neural networks in various learning modes. Here we employ an information-decomposition framework to investigate neural networks performing cognitive tasks. Our results show that synergy increases as networks learn multiple diverse tasks, and that in tasks requiring integration of multiple sources, performance critically relies on synergistic neurons. Overall, our results suggest that synergy is used to combine information from multiple modalities—and more generally for flexible and efficient learning. These findings reveal new ways of investigating how and why learning systems employ specific information-processing strategies, and support the principle that the capacity for general-purpose learning critically relies on the system's information dynamics. Author summary: What is the informational basis of learning in humans, animals, or, indeed, artificial neural networks (ANN)? Furthermore, how can these systems learn to solve multiple tasks simultaneously? These fundamental questions are, surprisingly, still not fully understood. One advantage of studying ANNs is that we can precisely probe learning-related changes. Here we draw on a recent branch of information theory, partial information decomposition, to examine how different types of information support different learning goals, and where, in ANNs. We show that adding noise to an ANN encourages it to keep copies of information at multiple nodes, promoting robustness. In contrast, whenever flexible learning is required, for instance when facing varied stimulus types or diverse tasks, individual neurons work together to represent information more abstractly. This work sheds light on how systems encode information differently according to their learning pressures, which can help us better understand how and why the human brain uses particular forms of information processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted traditional design education, forcing educators to adopt digital classrooms for architectural design instruction, which has led to various challenges and suboptimal student performance. This research explores effective online design teaching methods, particularly across different design modules (IVI), using a synthesis and literature review methodology. It investigates three domains: pandemic teaching challenges, traditional design education, and suitable pandemic teaching methods. The study triangulates teaching during the pandemic, conventional techniques, and elements from content focus (CF) and support open learning (SL) methods to create a hybrid pedagogy. The proposed blended approach combines traditional design education with virtual instruction, offering guidelines for educators to structure academic activities and integrate effective online teaching strategies. The findings provide valuable insights for design instructors and educational institutions adapting to digital classrooms during the pandemic and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has long been an increased focus on and investment in digital technology in schools to improve the quality of education. While digital tools have gained access to pedagogical spheres, physical activity has been overlooked, as pupils often engage in activities that require minimal bodily movement. In this article, we discuss pupils' experiences with learning through an augmented reality (AR)-based game application and explain how the application supports embodied learning. Digital tools, including gaming, can supplement traditional activities, motivate children to become physically active and enhance their learning experiences. Integrating technology and physical activity can create a more varied, meaningful, and dynamic school day, positively supporting pupils' learning processes. The AR game associated with this study facilitated physical activity and learning experiences through a mobile device application. The empirical material for the study includes interviews with pupils participating in an AR game in mathematics. The findings show that participating in an AR game promoted embodied learning and positively impacted pupils' motivation, engagement and learning processes. More specifically, AR facilitated learners' engagement in the learning process by fostering their active involvement through physical and social collaboration and by enhancing the pupils' joy of learning. Additionally, the pupils expressed that they enjoyed the application's variations and the experiences that followed working collaboratively with the tasks. Moreover, they commonly found the physical and collaborative components of the AR game exciting and academically motivating. Studies on AR games and technology focusing on the opportunities and pedagogical foundations for their use in education are relevant in these precarious times. Indeed, more knowledge is needed on the ways creative and flexible learning processes that transpire within a technological learning environment influence embodied learning, knowledge that is essential for designing teaching and learning in the technical future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate lived distance education (DE) experiences of primary school teachers and their perceptions about DE during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey. Twenty primary school teachers who actively taught online participated in online interviews. Phenomenological analysis of the interviews sought to reveal (1) the primary school teachers' lived DE experience, and (2) their perceptions about DE during the pandemic. The current status of DE, effects of DE, and teachers' perceptions of DE were the themes revealed. Results showed that teaching practice, interactivity, difficulties, needs, and inequality were the main issues revealed from the primary school teachers' lived experience. The results also identified the perceived effects of DE on both teachers and students. According to their online experiences, the teachers' perceptions about DE and their future plans with respect to online teaching were reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Against the background of the rapid development of global information technology, "5G+Artificial Intelligence" has become a key technology to promote innovation in the field of education. 5G technology has excellent network speed and connectivity, which makes large-scale online teaching and learning possible, while AI redefines the way of teaching and learning through accurate data analysis and personalized learning path design. and learning. The convergence of "5G+AI" has brought disruptive changes to traditional education and raises the important question of how to effectively integrate new technologies and educational practices to meet the needs of modern society. In this paper, we will discuss the application of "5G+Artificial Intelligence" in modern vocational education classroom teaching, analyze its potential impact on the quality, equity, and efficiency of vocational education, and how to build a more flexible and interactive learning environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anatolian Journal of Educational Leadership & Instruction / Anadolu Eğitim Liderliği ve Öğretim Dergisi is the property of Anatolian Journal of Educational Leadership & Instruction and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The COVID-19 pandemic influenced a paradigm shift in Philippine higher education. Educational institutions were challenged and impacted, compelling them to restrict physical interactions and transition to flexible learning modalities. This study investigates the impacts of COVID-19 on the education of private university students in the Davao Region, Southeastern Philippines. One hundred eighty-eight students participated in the survey via Google Forms, which was later analyzed using descriptive statistics. From them, a selected few were also invited to participate in qualitative inquiries to obtain an in-depth understanding of the problem under study. Although internet connectivity challenges emerge as a significant impediment, students prefer synchronous lectures and video conferences as learning modalities. Most of them are anxious, dealing with mental health and study habit issues. Interestingly, some respondents revealed that the pandemic positively impacted their lives. Students' adaptive and creative skills helped them cope with the challenges of the new learning modalities. The administrators and faculty members may benefit from these findings in formulating online learning policies and teaching-learning strategies. These findings are helpful baseline to ensure educational sustainability during and after the health crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Qualitative Research in Education (2014-6418) is the property of Qualitative Research in Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Flexible technology-rich learning spaces such as Future Classroom Labs (FCL) have a large potential for developing teacher education (TE) students' professional digital competence through engaging in authentic collaborative learning experiences with digital technology. However, there are limited reports on how students perceive and enact the affordances existing in such learning spaces. This paper reports on how one such FCL can facilitate collaborative learning among TE students. The paper poses two research questions: 1) How does the FCL as a learning space accommodate for collaborative learning? and 2) How do the artefacts promote or limit collaboration among students at the FCL? The data were collected through observations of four sessions of group work at the FCL, each having a different group of 15–16 first-year TE students. The results suggest that the FCL promoted collaborative work in terms of finding and building groups, monitoring, and resource-sharing across the small groups. However, students depended on external guidance from a teacher or student assistant to understand the technical sides of the artefacts, and their educational potential. Therefore, the implication is that in their first visits to FCLs, students need guidance to get started with the distinct tasks, and to master the various devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

he fourth industrial revolution has brought about plenty of changes in the educational landscape. As a result, the implementation of online education is now a necessity for any higher education institution that seeks recognition in the 21st century. Furthermore, online education has become a well-established global practice that enables active, individual, and flexible learning. While online education is growing at a tremendous rate in higher education, in South Africa, its use in Nursing Education is a relatively new phenomenon. This explorative, descriptive, qualitative research design paper aimed to report the results of a whole study whose purpose was to explore and describe the perceptions nurse educators have towards online education at the Nursing Education Institution in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Three themes emerged: the perceived advantages of online education, the perceived disadvantages of online education, and the perceived measures that can be used to promote the use of online education. The study concludes that online education has both advantages and disadvantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In higher education the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated a shift to online learning. Despite its uncommon practice in universities, designing courses with both flexible delivery and assessments has demonstrated enhanced understanding and improved application to professional contexts, particularly benefiting older students working fulltime and managing caregiving responsibilities. Using a mixed methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative feedback through student surveys and learning management system data, this study reveals that a hyperflexible approach effectively accommodates students, particularly those with conflicting family and professional commitments. While peer-to-peer engagement was reported to be negatively affected, students perceive this as an acceptable trade-off to flexible learning. Although not universally applicable, hyper-flexible teaching proves highly beneficial for non-traditional students with professional and personal obligations, fostering a positive learning environment conducive to deeper understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Driven by the rise of recent technologies and long-standing interest in accommodating diverse student needs, the demand for flexibility in higher education has intensified. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified studies investigating online learning effects, reflecting shifting preferences and demands in education. Although prior research recognizes diverse flexibility practices, a narrow focus on instructional delivery limits its potential. Bridging this gap requires re-envisioning flexible learning by involving students, educators, and institutions in the transformation process. Therefore, this study aims to investigate and compare students' and educators' perspectives and experiences of five dimensions of flexibility (deadlines, modality, assessment type, grading and weighting, and course correspondence). The study involves a quantitative and qualitative survey, composed of Likert scale and open-ended questions. The survey respondents were students (N = 315) and educators (N = 100) at Western University across different years and programs. The quantitative component reveals a general alignment between student and educator preferences across flexibility dimensions. Noteworthy preferences include collaborative deadline setting, non-timed and take-home assessments, and more frequent, lower-weighted tasks. Students' increased preference for hybrid learning, despite a general preference for in-person formats, underscores the value placed on flexibility and adaptability. Qualitative findings illuminate the broader implications of flexibility that can be organized into the following four themes: (1) flexibility humanizes teaching and learning, (2) flexibility recognizes diverse student populations, (3) flexibility provides broad accommodation and increases accessibility, and (4) flexibility can offer immediate relief but poses long-term consequences. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the multifaceted nature of flexibility in higher education, offering a nuanced understanding of the impact of flexibility on students, educators, and institutions, encouraging further exploration and evidence-based policy decisions. Beyond academia, the research suggests potential reshaping of the higher education landscape, positioning flexibility as a fundamental element to foster a more inclusive, supportive, and effective learning environment for both students and educators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

No records of systematic reviews focused on deep learning in open learning have been found, although there has been some focus on other areas of machine learning. Through a systematic review, this study aimed to determine the trends, applied computational techniques, and areas of educational use of deep learning in open learning. The PRISMA protocol was used, and the Web of Science Core Collection (2019–2023) was searched. VOSviewer was used for networking and clustering, and in-depth analysis was employed to answer the research questions. Among the main results, it is worth noting that the scientific literature has focused on the following areas: (a) predicting student dropout, (b) automatic grading of short answers, and (c) recommending MOOC courses. It was concluded that pedagogical challenges have included the effective personalization of content for different learning styles and the need to address possible inherent biases in the datasets (e.g., socio-demographics, traces, competencies, learning objectives) used for training. Regarding deep learning, we observed an increase in the use of pre-trained models, the development of more efficient architectures, and the growing use of interpretability techniques. Technological challenges related to the use of large datasets, intensive computation, interpretability, knowledge transfer, ethics and bias, security, and cost of implementation were also evident.

The study explored the effectiveness of open learning as one of the educational approaches to equip youths for job market/self-employment, thereby increasing their self-reliance and combating the ever-increasing poverty problem. The efficacy of open learning for teaching woodwork design and construction in Nigerian colleges of education was determined using a pre-test, post-test non-equivalent control quasi-experimental design. Three null hypotheses and three research questions guided the study in which the experimental group was taught woodwork design and construction using an open learning system while the control group received instruction with the conventional teaching method for ten weeks. Wood Design and Construction Achievement Test (WDCAT) comprised of drawing and practical tests with a KR-21 reliability coefficient of 0.88 employed for data collection. Results showed that students in the experimental group achieved significantly better performance in woodwork design and construction than students in the control group. Although no significant difference existed between genders taught wood design and construction using an open learning system. Based on the findings, it was recommended that an open learning system should be encouraged in teaching woodwork design and construction in Nigerian educational institutions.