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Virtual Learning Environments have become innovative tools in health professionals education. Through Massive Open Online Courses, they enable different ways of connecting with knowledge, facilitating study autonomy, interaction, and closer alignment with professional practices and the context of course participants. MOOCs comprise an educational strategy for many fields, including health. As they educate health professionals about a variety of practices, MOOCs play a crucial role in interculturality by enabling professionals to approach cultural diversity in work settings. This study provides a review of the literature investigating the element of interculturality in the production of healthcare-related MOOCs intended for a variety of audiences, including practicing healthcare professionals, healthcare professional trainees, and the general public. Based on a systematic review protocol, we searched for peer-reviewed studies published between 2016 and 2023 in Science Direct, PubMed, ERIC, and Scopus. Fifteen studies were selected for final analysis, which highlighted MOOC development, its underlying processes, and its importance in promoting health and social well-being. MOOCs have (1) provided new approaches to technology-mediated learning in distance health education, (2) aided training, (3) disseminated knowledge, and (4) promoted interculturality. Continuous collaboration and innovation in MOOC development are essential to ensure their effectiveness and relevance in the contemporary educational scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research was to evaluate the Scientific Research Project Design Workshop (TDPIC), aimed at the teaching staff of the Tecnológico Nacional de México (TECNM), and focused on the Research Design Canvas model for the design of research projects. This case study is intrinsic, with a quantitative methodology of descriptive and explanatory scope. The workshop was conducted with an instructional design following the ADDIE model in a virtual learning environment (VLE), and considered a sample of 17 teachers who attended the workshop, belonging to five TECNM technology centres. At the end of the workshop, a survey was applied to the participants in order to measure their satisfaction with the digital resources used, the achievement of significant learning and the understanding of the method explained; this evaluation was positive, as the teachers indicated a high degree of satisfaction in the different dimensions of the workshop. It is concluded that the TDPIC was relevant and favoured the training process of the participating teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experimental study investigates the effectiveness of virtual experiential learning in fostering student engagement by comparing the engagement and learning outcomes of two groups of students. One group (n = 69) participated in a virtual field trip to a winery, while the other group (n = 36) completed the field trip in person as part of an undergraduate culinary tourism course. A mixed-method approach was used to collect and triangulate data from a student engagement survey, reflective diaries, and assessment marks, which were analyzed using T-test and ANOVA, thematic analysis and descriptive statistics, respectively. Results showed that experiential learning increased students’ skill and emotional engagement in both groups while having no impact on participation and performance engagement. Skill engagement was significantly higher in the virtual group, while the in-person group scored slightly higher in emotional and performance engagement. Deep learning, however, was only reported by students who completed the in-person field trip. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual Learning Environments have become innovative tools in health professionals education. Through Massive Open Online Courses, they enable different ways of connecting with knowledge, facilitating study autonomy, interaction, and closer alignment with professional practices and the context of course participants. MOOCs comprise an educational strategy for many fields, including health. As they educate health professionals about a variety of practices, MOOCs play a crucial role in interculturality by enabling professionals to approach cultural diversity in work settings. This study provides a review of the literature investigating the element of interculturality in the production of healthcare-related MOOCs intended for a variety of audiences, including practicing healthcare professionals, healthcare professional trainees, and the general public. Based on a systematic review protocol, we searched for peer-reviewed studies published between 2016 and 2023 in Science Direct, PubMed, ERIC, and Scopus. Fifteen studies were selected for final analysis, which highlighted MOOC development, its underlying processes, and its importance in promoting health and social well-being. MOOCs have (1) provided new approaches to technology-mediated learning in distance health education, (2) aided training, (3) disseminated knowledge, and (4) promoted interculturality. Continuous collaboration and innovation in MOOC development are essential to ensure their effectiveness and relevance in the contemporary educational scenario.

The objective of this research was to evaluate the Scientific Research Project Design Workshop (TDPIC), aimed at the teaching staff of the Tecnológico Nacional de México (TECNM), and focused on the Research Design Canvas model for the design of research projects. This case study is intrinsic, with a quantitative methodology of descriptive and explanatory scope. The workshop was conducted with an instructional design following the ADDIE model in a virtual learning environment (VLE), and considered a sample of 17 teachers who attended the workshop, belonging to five TECNM technology centres. At the end of the workshop, a survey was applied to the participants in order to measure their satisfaction with the digital resources used, the achievement of significant learning and the understanding of the method explained; this evaluation was positive, as the teachers indicated a high degree of satisfaction in the different dimensions of the workshop. It is concluded that the TDPIC was relevant and favoured the training process of the participating teachers.

In the profession of education, predicting students' academic success is an essential responsibility. This study introduces a novel methodology for predicting students' pass or fail outcome in certain courses. The system utilises academic, demographic, emotional, and VLE sequence information of students. Traditional prediction methods often struggle to capture the temporal dynamics inherent in student data, such as learning trajectories, study habits, and evolving performance patterns. In response, this research leverages Recurrent Neural Network (RNNs) and Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) network (LSTMs), which are specifically designed to model sequences and long-term dependencies from OULAD and self-generated Emotional dataset. By incorporating these architectures, the proposed methodology excels in capturing the intricate relationships between various factors over time. Further, various ML models such as Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Naive Bayes (NB) and Decision Tree (DT) are integrated with RNN + LSTM to enhance the predictive power of model. The proposed system with RNN + LSTM + RF techniques gained approximately 97% accuracy that is comparatively higher than RNN + LSTM + SVM, RNN + LSTM + NB and RNN + LSTM + DT i.e., 90.67%, 86.45% & 84.42% respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Mental health professionals undergo continuous training throughout their careers. Their training consists in part of the supervision of cases by an entire healthcare team, a practice that allows them to consolidate their understanding of behaviour, emotions and to enhance their relationships with patients and their families. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a great impact on this training methodology, leading to a significant increase in the use of digital platforms, but such digital tools are not well adapted to this context, especially when it comes to the supervision of real online cases. The goals of this study are: (1) to analyse what professionals need in order to carry out online interventions and training through the live supervision of real online cases and (2) to create a prototype of a specific digital platform intended to help meet the detected needs. Methods: 28 semi-structured interviews were conducted with supervisors (N = 14) and professionals in training (N = 14). Results: The results have allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of the difficulties and benefits that professionals are encountering when doing online live supervision using the existing video conference platforms. Conclusion: This analysis points to a need to create a platform that can overcome the difficulties and enhance the benefits of the digitalization of family intervention training through the live supervision of real cases. These specific needs have yet to be addressed by existing digital platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study was motivated by the increasing popularity of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and the challenges they face, such as high dropout and failure rates. The existing knowledge primarily focused on predicting student dropout, but this study aimed to go beyond that by predicting both student dropout and course results. By using machine learning models and analyzing various data sources, the study sought to improve our understanding of factors influencing student success in MOOCs. Objectives: The primary aim of this research was to develop accurate predictions of students' course outcomes in MOOCs, specifically whether they would pass or fail. Unlike previous studies, this study took into account demographic, assessment, and student interaction data to provide comprehensive predictions. Methods: The study utilized demographic, assessment, and student interaction data to develop predictive models. Two machine learning methods, logistic regression, and random forest classification were employed to predict students' course outcomes. The accuracy of the models was evaluated based on four-class classification (predicting four possible outcomes) and two-class classification (predicting pass or fail). Results and Conclusions: The study found that simple indicators, such as a student's activity level on a given day, could be as effective as more complex data combinations or personal information in predicting student success. The logistic regression model achieved an accuracy of 72.1% for four-class classification and 92.4% for 2-class classification, while the random forest classifier achieved an accuracy of 74.6% for four-class classification and 95.7% for two-class classification. These findings highlight the potential of machine learning models in predicting and understanding students' course outcomes in MOOCs, offering valuable insights for improving student engagement and success in online learning environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colombian society has been exposed to decades of sociopolitical violence with apparent effects on its social infrastructure that may inadvertently lead to more structural, cultural, and interpersonal forms of violence. Peacebuilding efforts are required, and education for peace plays a key role. This requires building conflict sensitivity within the school system and improving teachers’ competence-based knowledge in several domains. To achieve this aim, we developed and tested the ‘Eco-GesTE Virtual Learning Environment.’ Nine teachers (male and female) from a public school in Ibagué (an intermediate city in Colombia) completed 10 Interactive Virtual Learning Scenarios (IVLS) to improve emotional, social reasoning, integrative, and conflict transformation competencies over three months. They completed two conflict management style measures, before and after the intervention, besides a qualitative survey after the intervention. Non-parametric, paired samples Wilcoxon tests suggest marginally significant individual changes whereby teachers reported using fewer conflict-avoidant styles after completing the intervention. Qualitatively, participants also reported learning emotion regulation and listening skills, as well as feeling better equipped to handle situations with domain congruency. They also reported using more perspective-taking during conflicts. Findings suggest potential for competence-based knowledge online interventions to strengthen conflict transformation competencies among teachers and contribute to violence-free educational environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of medical case simulations, strong technologization has been observed for years, for example through Extended Reality. This study examined the impact of Virtual and Mixed Reality (VR, resp. MR) on the team training of paramedic trainees. In the quasi-experimental cross-sectional controlled comparison study, participants were assigned to an experimental group (= EG, mixed reality with manikin) and a comparison group (= CG, virtual reality without manikin). After a virtual case simulation, "VR sickness", sense of presence, motivation, and sociodemographic variables were elicited. Parametric tests were used for mean comparison and correlation analysis. A total of 20 participants were evaluated in the EG and 16 in the CG. In both groups, high intrinsic motivation (mean 5.32/7), an acceptable sense of spatial presence (mean 4.24/6), and advanced usability (mean 68.54/100), were observed. VR sickness symptoms were present (SSQ total score: 11.43). In both groups, correlation was found between Identified Regulation and Usability (EG: r =.74, p <.001, CG: r =.76, p <.001). The same pattern could be observed for Intrinsic Motivation and Usability (EG: r =.83, p <.001, CG: r =.70, p =.003). Spatial Presence and Usability were also correlated in both groups (EG: r =.71, p <.001, CG: r =.61, p =.01). A significant mean score difference (p =.021) was found for Amotivation between the EG (Mean = 1.92/6) and the CG (Mean = 1.56/6). VR and MR are potential learning methods if they are implemented in a planned manner by competent faculty. Our recommendation is to use setup checklists, but also a competence-oriented approach, considering fiction contract and structured debriefing. The use of wireless head-mounted displays and "data gloves" is also recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As Virtual Learning Environments become increasingly integral to educational practices, this study delves into the often-neglected realm of challenges faced by teachers in the implementation of virtual teaching and learning. This study aims to explore the challenges and impacts faced by teachers in implementing virtual learning environments. Next is to identify the best features in addressing the challenges and impact of virtual learning implementation among teachers. Employing a qualitative case study design, the research conducted semi-structured interviews and observations involving primary school teachers from level 1 (years 1 to 3) and level 2 (years 3-6). The findings illuminate multifaceted challenges and constraints encountered by teachers, resonating across the realms of teacher dynamics, school infrastructure, and student engagement. Efforts to surmount these challenges revolve around recognizing teachers as crucial exemplars and elucidating the responsibilities they shoulder. Moreover, the study underscores the pivotal role of the learning environment and atmosphere during virtual teaching and learning implementations. In essence, teachers emerge as driving agents shaping the practical construction of the curriculum, necessitating a supportive environment and comprehensive infrastructure. The implications of this research extend towards fostering effective teaching and learning practices, ensuring a more conducive educational landscape for both educators and students in the era of virtual pedagogy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital Storytelling as a pedagogical tool in higher education is still an emerging technology with great potential for growth and innovation. While there has been a growing interest in the pedagogies of storytelling, its adaptation in digital classrooms is not yet fully realized. This paper reports on a current project developed within the social work program that focuses on applying programmatic approach to assessment and curriculum design using digital storytelling. The project was designed to create safe and supported learning environment for students that encourages the development of practice skills while exploring sensitive topics and issues pertinent to working with children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the relationship between technology acceptance and learning satisfaction within a virtual learning environment (VLE) with cognitive presence, cognitive engagement, social presence, and emotional engagement as mediators. A total of 237 university students participated and completed a questionnaire after studying in the Virbela VLE. The results revealed direct and indirect links between technology acceptance and virtual learning satisfaction. The mediation analysis showed the critical mediating roles of cognitive presence and emotional engagement in fostering satisfaction. There also appeared to be a sequential mediating pathway from technology acceptance to learning satisfaction through social presence and emotional engagement. Notably, cognitive engagement and social presence did not have a significant mediating effect on satisfaction. These results provide a supplementary perspective on how technological, cognitive, and emotional factors can enhance student satisfaction in VLEs. The study concludes with several implications for future research and practice of VLEs in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The promotion of cycling for children is beneficial from a health and environmental perspective, however road safety and awareness amongst this age group remain a considerable issue. As children are developing their cognitive and physical abilities, they are considered a high-risk group for injuries and fatalities on the roads. Virtual learning environments have demonstrated promising ways to engage children in learning about road risks and teach children about safe cycling. Intervention: A web-based Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and Virtual Reality (VR) environment was designed to offer a platform for schoolchildren to learn about safe cycling and to develop skills for them to better detect hazards in traffic. Both learning environments were used by 455 school children and 20 class teachers. Methods: Fun toolkit methods, specifically designed for child participants were used to assess the design of the technology, and for teachers a qualitative survey to provide evidence around the use of both learning environments. Results: Results suggest both learning environments were appealing for lower school grade participants. For grades five and six a need to review the relevance and user design of the learning content was evident. The VR environment was highly attractive across all school grades, suggesting that VR could be a feasible way to teach road safety and safe cycling for school children. Discussion: Although VLE and VR environment were attractive and fun to use, some users of VR experienced motion sickness. This would need to be considered and further examined before engaging a young learner in a VR learning environment. Several considerations are provided for teachers, practitioners, researchers, and designers seeking means to promote safe cycling for children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to explore whether students' learning outcomes in the virtual museum (VM) 's Life and Science course are influenced by the type of knowledge and the different levels of interaction within the museum. The study was conducted using an eye-movement experimental method, based on cognitive load theory, knowledge visualisation and connectionist theory, to construct a virtual museum interaction hierarchy index to identify high and low levels of interaction in the experimental material. A randomised two-factor experiment was organised to obtain eye-movement related indicators and to analyse statistical data in conjunction with retention test scores and transfer test scores, taking into account the influence of the perceived difficulty of the learning material and the level of mental effort of the students on the experiment. This study will provide effective suggestions for museum learning design and resource development, ultimately offer insights in exploring the most suitable learning rules and learning material selection for VM learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learner Engagement Analytics (LEA) has enabled Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to identify learners who are not engaging with their studies and provide targeted support and help (Naeem and Bosman, 2023). It has also allowed educators to make data-informed decisions to inform their curriculum design and classroom practice (Cogliano et al., 2022). The LEA data is captured from a wide range of sources related to teaching and learning which offer meaningful insights into a learner’s learning habits (Eady et al., 2021). Previous research suggests that providing learning analytics to educators in Higher Education Institutions can improve learning outcomes for students (Aslan et al., 2019). At Queen Mary University of London, a multidisciplinary team was formed of medical educators, LEA experts, learning technologists, and learning innovation professionals to investigate how LEA can inform curriculum redesign in the early phase of the medical curriculum. Through a series of scholarship meetings on LEA using data dashboards from the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), the team analysed learners’ engagement with the virtual pre-sessional resources. The VLE interactive resources were designed to allow medical learners to develop clinical interpretation skills during practical sessions, as recommended by the General Medical Council (GMC, 2018). However, medical educators lacked the metrics to evaluate learners’ interaction with these virtual resources. Therefore, it was inevitable to train educators on how to use LEA to optimise students’ learning. The team assessed the learners' engagement on the VLE, quantified engagement scores, and evaluated the results against key outcomes, including the learners' performance. The LEA data offered further insights into virtual engagement across multiple modules in the medical curriculum. Effectively, the outcome of this work empowered medical educators to make informed decisions regarding the future use of VLE resources in curriculum design and develop virtual resources to increase students’ engagement and enhance their learning.

[Purpose] With the recent technological advancement that the educational sector is facing nowadays, exploring, and evaluating the requirements of such technologies is becoming an important phase to ensure its usability, adaptability, and efficiency before official development and adoption. Thus, this study employed the Delphi technique to gather experts’ opinions and reach a consensus on the critical requirements of a virtual learning environment (VLE) based on cloud computing technology. The output of this study proposes a validated cloud-based virtual learning environment (CBVLE) model for use within the teaching and learning environment in Saudi Arabia’s higher education institutions (HEI). [Methodology/Approach/Design] This study employed the Delphi technique to validate a CBVLE model by conducting three different questionnaire rounds for the same panel of 19 experts to reach a consensus of views on the ideal CBVLE model to be used within the targeted environment. [Practical Implications] The paper highlights the main legal, educational, operational, and quality requirements and factors to consider before developing any CBVLE model, such as cultural influence. The results of this study are expected to provide valuable insights for educators and administrators, along with performing a guideline for researchers in designing and implementing effective, usable, and adoptable CBVLE.

Transitions in learning implementation have occurred at various levels of education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learning that previously took place in conventional, face-to-face formats has been adjusted to fully online learning. Not all educational institutions are equally prepared for a pandemic, necessitating the study of student learning experiences and the strategies they employ in online classes during the pandemic. This study focuses on the positive and negative contributions of Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) features in student learning experiences and strategies during the pandemic. This study used a survey method consisting of closed- and open-ended questions. Data analysis using descriptive statistics and qualitative data analysis was employed to obtain several themes. Approximately 1,400 students from 23 higher education institutions across several provinces in Indonesia participated in this research. The results show both positive and negative contributions of VLE features. Among the VLE features that positively contribute to learning during the pandemic are video materials and downloadable documents. More than half of the respondents claimed there were no negative features of the VLE. Findings also revealed the most frequently reported negative aspect is poor internet performance. In addition, seven themes related to student learning strategies emerged including: considering the availability of infrastructure, monitoring the class schedule and calendar (or announcements), collaborating with peers, participating in the university’s learning management system, applying notetaking strategies and other specific strategies, searching for additional learning resources, and no specific strategy applied while learning during the pandemic.

The increase in digital teaching and learning methodologies creates the opportunity for new educational approaches, both in terms of pedagogical practice and in the availability of new technological tools. The flipped classroom as an active teaching methodology is one example of blended learning (b-learning), which aims to harmonize and enhance the fusion of face-to-face teaching with online teaching, allowing students to get better use of both face-to-face contact with classmates and professors and digital teaching resources. However, active teaching methodologies allow us to merge educational techniques from different methodological approaches, for example, gamification and team-based learning (TBL), among others. This study aims to demonstrate how to implement a flipped classroom with the possibility of integrating gamification and TBL, indicating possibilities and challenges to overcome, through the comparative study and research carried out with students in higher education. The study was conducted with a group of 88 students from the engineering and technology fields, which showed that students have a very positive perception of active teaching methodologies and their teaching and learning techniques, especially those involving digital. Data collection was performed by a survey submitted to quantitative analysis using the Software SPSS version 28.

In contemporary educational settings, understanding and assessing student engagement through non-verbal cues, especially facial expressions, is pivotal. Such cues have long informed educators about students' cognitive and emotional states, assisting them in tailoring their teaching methods. However, the rise of online learning platforms and advanced technologies such as virtual reality (VR) challenge the conventional modes of gauging student engagement, especially when certain facial features become obscured or are entirely absent. This research explores the potential of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), specifically a custom-trained model adapted from the ResNet50 architecture, in recognizing and distinguishing subtle facial expressions in real-time, such as neutrality, boredom, happiness, and confusion. The novelty of our approach is twofold: First, we optimize the power of CNNs to analyze facial expressions in digital learning platforms. Second, we innovate for the context of VR by focusing on the lower half of the face to tackle occlusion challenges posed by wearing VR headsets. Through comprehensive experimentation, we compare our model's performance with the default ResNet50 model and evaluate it against full-face and VR-occluded face datasets. Ultimately, our endeavor aims to provide educators with a sophisticated tool for real-time evaluation of student engagement in technologically advanced learning environments, subsequently enriching the teaching and learning experience.

Purpose] With the recent technological advancement that the educational sector is facing nowadays, exploring, and evaluating the requirements of such technologies is becoming an important phase to ensure its usability, adaptability, and efficiency before official development and adoption. Thus, this study employed the Delphi technique to gather experts' opinions and reach a consensus on the critical requirements of a virtual learning environment (VLE) based on cloud computing technology. The output of this study proposes a validated cloud-based virtual learning environment (CBVLE) model for use within the teaching and learning environment in Saudi Arabia's higher education institutions (HEI). [Methodology/Approach/Design] This study employed the Delphi technique to validate a CBVLE model by conducting three different questionnaire rounds for the same panel of 19 experts to reach a consensus of views on the ideal CBVLE model to be used within the targeted environment. [Practical Implications] The paper highlights the main legal, educational, operational, and quality requirements and factors to consider before developing any CBVLE model, such as cultural influence. The results of this study are expected to provide valuable insights for educators and administrators, along with performing a guideline for researchers in designing and implementing effective, usable, and adoptable CBVLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies has ushered in a new era of immersive experiences, with applications ranging from entertainment to education. The proposed framework introduces a fog layer with an innovative, improved geographic load‐balancing algorithm. It optimizes load distribution and provides quality of service (QoS) parameters that are important for enhancing user experiences for AR/VR applications. The iFogSim toolkit experimentally validates the framework in electroencephalogram‐based VR/AR gaming applications. Also, the proposed framework is tested in a diverse range of scenarios. Results show that the proposed algorithm improves QoS for AR/VR applications with noticeable improvements on average latency, jitter, and packet loss. Future research should aim to address these limitations for a more comprehensive understanding of the proposed framework's practicality and effectiveness. The development of immersive technologies will continue to expand in multiple sectors, and future research will focus on energy efficiency, security, and real‐world applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Hachetetepé: Revista Científica de Educación y Comunicación is the property of Universidad de Cadiz 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 reliance on the use of virtual learning environments, particularly computer-supported collaborative learning environments, is increasing in higher education institutions. This paper explores the perceived sociability of a virtual learning environment after it was implemented in an interdisciplinary project-based course in a higher education institute in Norway due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It describes the validation of a sociability scale in a sample of 1,611 students. The paper also reports on differences in perceived sociability according to gender, field of study and personality and the extent to which perceptions of sociability relate to the experience of a sudden change from a real-life learning environment to a virtual one. The results of this large-scale study suggest that the Norwegian version of the sociability scale can be used as a valid and reliable instrument to measure the perceived sociability of a virtual learning environment in the context of self-organized student project teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Electronic learning is one of the characteristics of educational courses in this century. In all training courses, especially in virtual learning environments, interaction can increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the training process. Also, the careful and thoughtful design of various interactions in the virtual learning environment develops existing capacities to strengthen electronic education programs and increases the quality of learning. Therefore, considering the importance of interactions in the virtual learning environment, the present research aimed to explain the elements of the higher education curriculum (goals, content, teaching-learning activities and evaluation methods) based on the types of educational interactions in the virtual learning environment and by providing solutions It helped the teachers to organize effective e-learning courses. Methods: This research was a descriptive and applied study. The statistical population of the research included the faculty members of Shahid Bahnar, Farhangian and Medical Sciences Universities of Kerman; according to Morgan's table, 297 people were selected as the statistical sample using quota sampling method. To collect research data, a researcher-made questionnaire tool was used, and its validity and reliability were determined as 0.86 and 0.92, respectively. To analyze the research data, one-sample t-test, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equations were used, and SPSS23 and AMOS23 software were used. The measurement model was estimated using structural equation modeling. Findings: The results showed that some categories effectively would create and increase educational interactions in the curriculum elements based on the types of interactions in the virtual learning environment. The effective categories in the element of objectives included teachers' attention to educational interactions, paying attention to educational interactions at the ministry level, realism in objectives, and comprehensiveness of objectives. The effective categories in the content element included students' participation in the preparation of electronic content, ease of access to content, use of interactive content, polling of students, a compilation of course content in accordance with the latest scientific findings, preparation of interactive content by professors, Digital Library Update, and interactions between professors. The effective categories in the element of teaching-learning activities included participatory teaching methods, use of social networks, use of tools such as chat rooms, providing feedback, awareness of the need for interaction, encouraging students to seek information from various sources, sharing their previous experiences, networking among students and various information sources, sharing the latest scientific achievements in the field among fellow professors. The effective categories in the element of evaluation methods included process-oriented evaluation, assigning a part of the grade for individual or teamwork and class participation, evaluation of each student's individual work by her classmates, and critique of other students' opinions. Also, the results showed that the elements of the higher education curriculum based on the types of educational interactions in the virtual learning environment were related to each other. The results showed that the factor analysis model had a suitable fit for the design of the desired model and this model could be used in the higher education curriculum to create and increase various types of educational interactions in the virtual learning environment. Conclusion: In general, the results of this research indicated that the creation and increase of educational interactions in electronic education could improve the quality of education. Therefore, it is recommended that designers, faculty members, planners, managers and in general curators use the model proposed in the current research IN E-learning courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Jordanian Educational Journal is the property of Association of Arab Universities 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.)

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.)

This study used meta-analysis to assess the impact of learning in Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) on cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes, analyzing 48 articles from 2000 to 2023. It also investigated how VLE types, research design, discipline, educational level, intervention duration, and learning methods influence these outcomes. The findings revealed that: (1) VLE significantly improved cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes with medium to large effect sizes, showing positive effects; (2) research design, educational level, intervention duration, and learning methods significantly moderated cognitive learning outcomes, while VLE types, intervention duration, and learning methods significantly moderated non-cognitive learning outcomes; (3) Both 2DVLE and 3DVLE significantly improved cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes, with 3DVLE excelling in non-cognitive gains. Quasi-experimental designs revealed VLEs more effectively enhance cognitive outcomes than experimental designs. VLEs significantly improved outcomes in both STEM and non-STEM areas, and optimally benefited non-cognitive outcomes in middle and college students, and cognitive outcomes in elementary and middle school students. The most effective cognitive outcomes were observed with interventions lasting under 24 hours to 6 months, and non-cognitive gains peaked with interventions from 1 to 4 weeks. Autonomous learning methods maximized VLEs’ impact on both outcome types. The study discusses limitations and identifies areas for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An up-and-coming concept that seeks to transform how students learn about and study complex systems, as well as how industrial workers are trained, metaverse technology is characterized in this context by its use in virtual simulation and analysis. In this work, a virtual environment is created that duplicates real-world situations and enables immersive and interactive learning in the educational metaverse. For this purpose, we built a digital twin of the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) campus as a foundation, called NTUniverse. It is designed as an educational metaverse in which various academic and analytical applications are digitized as 3D content embedded within this virtual campus. The approach to digitally twinning educational systems and embedding them within virtual campuses enables remote and collaborative learning as well as professional technical skills training. It also makes feasible the analysis of abstract concepts, complicated structures, dynamic processes, and sensitive industrial procedures virtually, which is otherwise challenging if not impossible to perform in the real world. The work offers important insights into the behaviors and interactions of systems in the metaverse by evaluating design choices and user interests. NTUniverse is an attempt to explore a novel approach that addresses remote education and training challenges. Three efforts with NTUniverse will be discussed in this work, including (1) digitalization of the NTU campus; (2) campus train modelling and simulation; and (3) science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our study first we provide a short overview of the 3D virtual library project which started about ten years ago as part of the Cognitive Infocommunications (CogInfoCom) research. The current implementation of the virtual library model exploits the 3D features of the MaxWhere Seminar System. In our study we would like to summarize the classroom experiences that we brought together in teaching English as a second language for students of computer science majors at the Faculty of Informatics, University of Debrecen in the academic year of 2020 and 2021. Our main purpose was to improve the students’ linguistic knowledge and to collect their opinions and suggestions about the content of the learning material of our virtual library and where they think is necessary to modify it. Summarizing their views, we decided to add further vocabulary items, contexts and explanations to the material. In addition, their achievements proved that successful language learning needs carefully prepared tests and exercises which support self-assessment and increase motivation. In general, the more tests are available the more efficient the learning process is. But preparing good and varied tests manually is a relatively slow and exhausting work. Therefore, we intended to use JavaScript technology to develop an algorithm which can generate tests and exercises automatically, based on the knowledge base of the virtual library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, Virtual reality (VR) technologies have started to be used increasingly in the field of education, as in many other fields. With the widespread use of virtual reality applications, there is a need to investigate the effects of virtual reality applications in the field of education. The results obtained from these researches can contribute to the creation of effective and efficient virtual reality-supported learning environments. VR applications, one of the technology-supported learning environments, come to the forefront to help students learn concepts more easily and permanently. Since VR is very new and not a common practice in classrooms yet, it is necessary and important to investigate how VR can be used in science lessons and students' views on these practices. The main goals of this study were to develop the Virtual Reality Solar System Model (VRSSM) for the unit "Sun System and Eclipses" for the 6th grade students and to find out what the students think about using virtual reality applications in science classes. This is a qualitative study and 16 students participated in this study and used the VRSSM. The semi-structured interview form was used as a data collection tool. The data was analyzed using content and descriptive analysis. The results of this research revealed that the students want VR to be used not only in science lessons but also in other lessons, they think that the knowledge they have gained is permanent and that they believe that this application can increase their science achievement. Additionally, students think that the application increases their interest in science lessons and affects their learning positively. Therefore, it is expected that the results of this research will lead to the creation and implementation of three-dimensional virtual reality learning environments related to various subjects and levels of science teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anatomy instructional methods varied widely during the COVID‐19 pandemic and programs are assessing innovations for retention. Learning preferences were assessed among medical students dichotomized as elective dissectors (ED) or non‐dissectors (ND) during the COVID‐19 partial re‐opening in 2020 (preclinical) and again in 2022 after clinical exposure (post‐clinical) to assess the viability of elective dissection post‐pandemic. A mixed‐method approach was used for the assessment of test scores, learning preference surveys, learning activities rankings, and thematic analyses. No significant differences occurred in anatomy examination scores. Dissection was considered useful by both preclinical groups but significantly more so by ED, while the presence of an instructor was significantly preferred by ED although a majority of ND agreed. Elective dissection was significantly preferred by ND but also by a large minority of ED students. Pre‐ and post‐clinical ND believed that elective dissection offered more academic flexibility, did not hinder clinical learning, and did not negatively impact medical education. The corresponding ED stated that confidence improved, clinical experiences were enhanced, and dissection was irreplaceable. Preclinical ND preferred self‐learning, while ED students preferred online learning, but these differences largely disappeared post‐clinically. Learning activity rankings were not significantly different among all groups (ND, ED, preclinical, and post‐clinical). A hybrid laboratory with a virtual learning environment ranked highest across groups and preferences increased over time suggesting that students benefited from this instructional method during clinical exposure. The absence of laboratory experience ranked lowest, and preference decreased over time suggesting that anatomy dissection is valued. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective The quality of dried blood spot (DBS) specimens impacts newborn screening (NBS) results, hence proper training is crucial for DBS specimen collection. To address this, a training module for Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) and nurses was created on Moodle, a virtual learning environment (VLE). The purpose of this research was to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of this module. Methodology Participants were trained on-site (March to December 2019), through online training sessions (January to June 2020), and the two training strategies were compared. Data analysis included the total number of participants, cost-effectiveness, trainer engagement, and the number of unacceptable samples collected by nurses/AHPs trained by the two strategies. Results A total of 55 nurses/AHPs were trained on-site, while 79 nurses/AHPs completed the online module and received certificates through online VLE-based training. The trainer engagement and cost were more for onsite training. After online training, the specimen rejection rate was reduced from 0.84% (44 rejected out of 5220 total specimens collected) to 0.38% (15/3920). Conclusions This study shows that using VLE-based DBS specimen collection training is feasible and effective for training nurses and AHPs.

Despite the high expectation of virtual learning environments (VLEs) to accelerate meaningful educational innovations for more interactive learning and teaching, resistance to changes exists, and innovations are fading over time. How to promote widespread and steady adoption of VLE enabled innovations remains an open question. This study uses mixed methods to examine 13 years of VLE logs, archival documents, and interviews with 51 teachers to investigate two research questions: What is the threshold stage of the institutionalisation process of VLE enabled innovation, and how does the innovation become institutionalised in the threshold stage? We found that the majority VLE enabled innovations (such as virtual classrooms and interactive quizzes) were abandoned or faded before the new or changed learning and teaching practices were fully habitualised. The empirical results show that individual cognitive divergence and collective consensus could promote habitualised institutional leverage through a threshold process, namely, meaning-making. These findings extend our understanding of the cognitive mechanism, and we suggest that universities provide continuous facilitating and teacher support, both on technological use and pedagogical design, to help teachers develop the meaning of the action as a priority. Research significance and implications to the educational transformation in the COVID-19 pandemic are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a study of the interest and opinions of students regarding online learning using a machine learning approach, as well as the evolution of different e-learning platforms based on education following the pandemic period. The study uses student data from a questionnaire-based survey of college students to improve the learning environment from the perspective of the students. The survey and questionnaire were designed with students' needs, requirements, and preferred level of quality for online learning. Survey data was subjected to data analysis and classification to gain a deeper understanding of the learner in a virtual learning environment. Through data preparation, analysis, visualization, and machine learning algorithm accuracy, machine learning classification algorithms and analysis are used to examine the collected data. The research study will illustrate the expectations and enhancement of online learning education patterns according to the requirements of students. With a 93% accuracy evaluation, the Random Forest algorithm has the best accuracy among the several classification algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the impact of emotions and awareness on user experience in Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs). VLEs have become increasingly popular in educational settings, but they have limitations that can negatively affect the learning experience. To address this issue, a novel Fuzzy-based Convolutional Neural Network (FCNN) is proposed for effective emotion evaluation. The study utilizes questionnaire surveys to collect data on awareness of the VLE. The performance of the FCNN method is evaluated based on accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and precision. The study acknowledges the limitations of VLEs but does not specify them. The sample size and participant details are not mentioned in the abstract. Overall, this study provides insights into the role of emotions and awareness in enhancing the user experience of VLEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The quality of dried blood spot (DBS) specimens impacts newborn screening (NBS) results, hence proper training is crucial for DBS specimen collection. To address this, a training module for Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) and nurses was created on Moodle, a virtual learning environment (VLE). The purpose of this research was to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of this module. Methodology: Participants were trained on-site (March to December 2019), through online training sessions (January to June 2020), and the two training strategies were compared. Data analysis included the total number of participants, cost-effectiveness, trainer engagement, and the number of unacceptable samples collected by nurses/AHPs trained by the two strategies. Results: A total of 55 nurses/AHPs were trained on-site, while 79 nurses/AHPs completed the online module and received certificates through online VLE-based training. The trainer engagement and cost were more for onsite training. After online training, the specimen rejection rate was reduced from 0.84% (44 rejected out of 5220 total specimens collected) to 0.38% (15/3920). Conclusions: This study shows that using VLE-based DBS specimen collection training is feasible and effective for training nurses and AHPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the results of a study aiming to investigate the effects of interactionist and interventionist dynamic assessment (DA) on learners' writing performance. To do so, 63 upperintermediate EFL learners were selected as the study participants. A writing pretest was administered to ensure the homogeneity of the participants and determine their level of proficiency prior to treatment. In the online interactionist DA group, the researchers implemented the treatment based on the 'Dynamic Mediation Process' proposed by Elliott (2002) and Xiaoxiao and Yan (2010). The framework comprised topic-choice, idea-generation, structuring and macro-revising stages. In doing so, the pre-task phase was conducted, followed by providing the mediation and performing post-task. In the interventionist DA group, Lantolf and Poehner's (2011) framework was followed. Based on this framework, the learners' erroneous language chunks were treated through the teacher's underlining the error, putting a question mark, circling it, or posing a written question concerning the problematic part. Alternatively, the teacher would point out the incorrect part and offer two options for the learners to choose from. At the end, a writing posttest was given to all groups to evaluate their writing performance after treatment. As the study findings helped reveal, both interactionist and interventionist DA types improved learners' writing performance. In addition, the comparison of the posttest scores indicated that the interactionist DA group participants even outperformed the interventionist ones on the writing posttest. The implications of the findings are discussed throughout the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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