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We propose the results of a research that combines the educational and psychological media approach, to verify the pedagogical potential of coding and robotics in the learning processes of 4-year-old children at the cognitive and socio-relational level. The study investigated the impact of unplugged and plugged coding on the skills of spatiality, movement and problem-solving skills, storage and decoding of progressively more complex indications, and single-group interaction of 51 children and three kindergartens using storytelling and the educational robot Cubetto. The work is based on the research carried out by Lee (2020) on the inclusion of coding in early childhood, the theoretical references of Wing (2010) about computational thinking and the theoretical frameworks proposed by Bers (2020) regarding coding as a playful dimension. The data collected through the quantitative and qualitative tools of a pre- and post-intervention questionnaire to educators and a checklist of observations on children recorded the following: (1) an increase in children's space, motor and information-storage/decoding skills; (2) a change in children's collaborative skills when comparing the results of the plugged and unplugged coding workshops; and (3) the impact of coding to increase children's performance skills through narrative dimension and play.

The large-scale diffusion of tablets and smartphones in the last decades offered new opportunities to broaden educational strategies. In particular, the Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) emerged as a promising approach leveraging the widespread availability of portable devices. In this study we investigated the feasibility and efficacy of a self-administered MALL homework training based on immersive 360° videos, compared to a training based on not-immersive standard videos showing the same visual content and enriched by an auditory description of the environment. The knowledge of target words was assessed before and after the training. In addition, students' attitudes toward the technology were assessed before the training. Results indicated that students with a more positive attitude toward technology watched the videos more than those with a less positive attitude. Furthermore, students who underwent the training with 360°videos learned more words than students belonging to the control group, even after controlling for the number of videos views.

We propose the results of a research that combines the educational and psychological media approach, to verify the pedagogical potential of coding and robotics in the learning processes of 4-year-old children at the cognitive and socio-relational level.

Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) systems offer several learning affordances, that is, characteristics that can elicit learning behaviors promoting learning outcomes in educational contexts. In particular, the immersive and interactive properties of these systems represent a strong opportunity to support the effective learning experiences. The present review aims at mapping IVR systems' use in K-12 and higher educational contexts and investigating their effectiveness in facilitating learning in terms of knowledge attainment and retention and motivational outcomes. The synthesis of the reviewed studies (n = 18) show that IVR can support a number of activities and experiences that in turn improve learning and motivate students to fulfill educational goals by eliciting their interest and engagement with the learning materials. The main advantage of IVR seems related to the possibility for users to have first-hand experiences that would not be possible in the real world, simultaneously offering unique opportunities for experiential and situated learning, as well as promoting students' motivation and engagement. Despite the promising findings, the reviewed studies present several methodological flaws: non-randomized trials, small sample sizes, unbalanced samples and non-validated measures. This in turn makes it difficult to generalize from these results. Future research is needed to investigate the unique opportunities of IVR in education.

The principal aim of the study was to investigate the role of individual characteristics in decisional conflict of patients with prostate cancer (PCa) in order to identify risk and protective features. An observational study was conducted with 83 PCa patients accessing the multidisciplinary visit of Prostate Cancer Program at Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori in Milan. The multidisciplinary visit (MDV) consists in two separate but interrelated parts: the medical consultation and the psychological consultation, which includes decision-making counseling. Patients' decisional conflict was measured before entering the visit and two weeks after. Results underlined that decisional conflict decreased in the follow-up. Furthermore, perceived self-efficacy partially predicts a decrease in decisional conflict thus representing a protective factor while buck-passing defensive decisional style partially predicts an increase in decisional conflict thus representing a risk factor. To conclude, future interventions aiming to cope with PCa treatment decisional conflict might incorporate activities designed to boost decision-making self-efficacy., Author(s): Lara Bellardita [sup.1], Daniela Villani [sup.2], Silvia Villa [sup.1], Claudia Repetto [sup.2], Simona Donegani [sup.1], Antonella Marchetti [sup.3], Davide Massaro [sup.3], Roberto Salvioni [sup.4], Tiziana Magnani [sup.1], Riccardo Valdagni [...]

The tablet PC represents a very popular mobile computing device, and together with other technologies it is changing the world of education. This study aimed to explore the acceptance of tablet PC of Italian high school students in order to outline the typical students' profiles and to compare the acceptance conveyed in two types of use (learning and communicative activities at school). Data were collected using an online survey that was filled out by students at home. Two hundred and ninety-six students from six public high schools in Milan and surrounding suburbs voluntarily accepted to participate in the study. The results show a varied situation in the Italian schools despite the availability of and funding for the technology. Three clusters were identified with high, moderate and low acceptance of tablet PC and a comparison between such clusters revealed significant differences in gender, grade level and usage frequency. The groups showed also significant differences in relation to the uses of tablet PC at school that appeared coherent with their level of acceptance: students who have higher level of acceptance are those who use the tool more both for learning and communicative purposes. To conclude, students with lower acceptance probably need to better understand the opportunities offered by this technology and how to use it. Based on examining the data from the survey, preliminary recommendations are made.

To maximize the advantages of the tablet personal computer (TPC) at school, this technology needs to be accepted by students as new tool for learning. With reference to the Technology Acceptance Model and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, the aims of this study were (a) to analyze factors influencing high school students' acceptance of TPCs and (b) to detect any difference in this influence considering the frequency of TPC use, students' gender, and school grade. Two hundred and ninety-six students from six high schools in the Milan area participated in the study. Data were collected using an online survey. The results showed that empowerment in learning, perceived usefulness, and support conditions affect learning use, and empowerment in learning and affect influence communicative use of TPCs. The implications of these results are discussed.

The metaverse, an emerging digital universe blurring the lines between reality and virtuality, offers a view into a future where human interaction transcends physical boundaries. In this article, we analyze the multidimensional facets of the metaverse, scrutinizing the landscape of challenges and opportunities it offers. The article delves into the challenges faced by human society in adapting to the metaverse, including the digital divide, ethical dilemmas, the level of trust, and the potential erosion of social and physical reality. Amid the allure of boundless creativity, questions arise about the very essence of human experience—identity, empathy, social relationships, life satisfaction, and the nature of reality itself. The metaverse, with all its complexities, challenges us to redefine the boundaries of human interaction, urging us to tread cautiously while embracing the limitless possibilities it presents. As we venture "toward a humane metaverse," we must navigate the intricate interplay of technology and humanity, shaping a future where the virtual realm enhances, rather than diminishes, the richness of the human experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed at investigating which sources of social support best account for pregnant women's levels of psychological distress and mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. 274 Italian and Canadian expectant mothers completed an online-based survey including measures of perceived social support (from family, significant other and friends), state anxiety, depressive symptoms, and satisfaction with life. Correlation analyses and amultivariate analysis of covariance were performed to explore how social support from different sources was related to depressive symptoms, state anxiety and satisfaction with life. Different sources of social support contributed to explaining women's psychological distress and mental well-being. Social support both from family and friends was significantly related to women's state anxiety and depressive symptoms. Social support from friends was specifically related to women's satisfaction with life. Our findings endorse the crucial role of perceived social support as a protective factor for pregnant women's mental health. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, our results suggest that support from family seems important in preventing psychological distress, whereas support from friends is also associated with mental well-being. These results may help designing future interventions aimed at improving women's perinatal mental health in life-threatening conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large-scale diffusion of tablets and smartphones in the last decades offered new opportunities to broaden educational strategies. In particular, the Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) emerged as a promising approach leveraging the widespread availability of portable devices. In this study we investigated the feasibility and efficacy of a self-administered MALL homework training based on immersive 360° videos, compared to a training based on not-immersive standard videos showing the same visual content and enriched by an auditory description of the environment. The knowledge of target words was assessed before and after the training. In addition, students' attitudes toward the technology were assessed before the training. Results indicated that students with a more positive attitude toward technology watched the videos more than those with a less positive attitude. Furthermore, students who underwent the training with 360°videos learned more words than students belonging to the control group, even after controlling for the number of videos views. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The considerable connection between religiosity/spirituality and positivity in life in general has been widely demonstrated. However, preliminary evidence has shown that when also a cognitive component is included, the direction of this relationship seems to emerge more clearly. Specifically, the differential pathways linking specific positive self-transcendent (ST) experiences and religiosity/spirituality is still an open issue. In this study, we explored the cognitive pathways linking general ST to spirituality and religiosity, via basic beliefs. The results obtained were partially in line with the existing literature. Notably, being a believer or not did not affect the emotional side but only the cognitive one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]