Differences in internet and LMS usage: a case study in higher education

The Internet plays an important role in higher education institutions where Learning Management Systems (LMS) occupies a main role in the eLearning realm. In this chapter we aim to characterize the Internet and LMS usage patterns and their role in the largest Portuguese Polytechnic Institute. The usage patterns were analyzed in two components: characterization of Internet usage and the role of Internet and LMS in education. Using a quantitative approach, the data analysis describes the differences between gender, age and scientific fields. The carried qualitative analysis allows a better understanding of students��� both motivations, opinions and suggestions of improvement. The outcome of this work is the presentation of the Portuguese students��� profile regarding Internet and LMS usage patterns. We expect that these results can be used to select the most suitable digital pedagogical processes and tools to be adopted regarding the learning process and most adequate LMS���s policies.

Sustainability education in PBL education: the case study of IEM-UMINHO

Sustainability-related skills are becoming more and more relevant for a proficient and professional engineering practice. Industrial engineers in particular, given their broad field of intervention and being at the heart of industrial activity, hold a great deal of potential and responsibility in providing and delivering best industrial practices, that support enhanced industrial systems and products. Therefore making a real contribution in generating wealth and income for all the companies��� stakeholders, including local communities, as well as adding up to more sustainable ecosystems. Previous work by the authors focused on studying the inclusion of this subject on the education of industrial engineers, especially through active-learning methodologies, as well as presenting results on the use of one such approach. The study conducted tried to identify the impacts on sustainability learning using a given specific activity, i.e. a workshop on industrial ecology, held in the 2014/2015 academic year on the Integrated MSc degree on Industrial Engineering and Management at the University of Minho, Portugal. The study uses content analysis of student teams��� reports for two consecutive academic years. The former did not include one such workshop, while the latter did. The Fink taxonomy was used in the discussion of results and reflection. The study outcomes aimed at supporting decision making on worthiness of investment on similar education instruments for sustainability competency development. Some results of the study highlight that: (1) the workshop seem to globally have a positive contribution on the sustainability learning; (2) a number of dimensions of the Life cycle design strategy wheel was developed, but the approach was not broadly used, (3) There was a mismatch on the workshop schedule; (4) students enjoy the workshop; (5) a clearer endorsement on relevance of this aspect is required. Suggestions for future work are also issued.

Pervasive business intelligence platform to improve the quality of decision process in primary and secondary education ��� A Portuguese case study

Business Intelligence (BI) can be seen as a method that gathers information and data from information systems in order to help companies to be more accurate in their decision-making process. Traditionally BI systems were associated with the use of Data Warehouses (DW). The prime purpose of DW is to serve as a repository that stores all the relevant information required for making the correct decision. The necessity to integrate streaming data became crucial with the need to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the decision process. In primary and secondary education, there is a lack of BI solutions. Due to the schools reality the main purpose of this study is to provide a Pervasive BI solution able to monitoring the schools and student data anywhere and anytime in real-time as well as disseminating the information through ubiquitous devices. The first task consisted in gathering data regarding the different choices made by the student since his enrolment in a certain school year until the end of it. Thereafter a dimensional model was developed in order to be possible building a BI platform. This paper presents the dimensional model, a set of pre-defined indicators, the Pervasive Business Intelligence characteristics and the prototype designed. The main contribution of this study was to offer to the schools a tool that could help them to make accurate decisions in real-time. Data dissemination was achieved through a localized application that can be accessed anywhere and anytime.

An��lisis comparativo entre actividades de aprendizaje dise��adas con Estudio de Casos y Aprendizaje Basado en Problemas, y actividades de tipo tradicional, como dispositivos did��cticos en Educaci��n a Distancia. Comparative analysis of learning activities designed with Problem Based Learning and Case Study approaches, and activities designed with traditional methods, in Distance Education.

Identificaci��n y caracterizaci��n del problema: El problema que gu��a este proyecto, pretende dar respuesta a interrogantes tales como: ��De qu�� modo el tipo de actividades que se dise��an, se constituyen en dispositivos posibilitadores de la comprensi��n de los temas propios de cada asignatura, por parte de los alumnos? A partir de esta pregunta, surge la siguiente: Al momento de resolver las actividades, ��qu�� estrategias cognitivas ponen en juego los estudiantes? y ��cu��les de ellas favorecen procesos de construcci��n del conocimiento? Hip��tesis: - Las asignaturas cuyas actividades est��n elaboradas bajo la metodolog��a de Aprendizaje Basado en Problemas y Estudio de Casos, propician aprendizajes significativos por parte de los estudiantes. - Las actividades elaboradas bajo la metodolog��a del Aprendizaje Basado en Problemas y el Estudio de Casos requieren de procesos cognitivos m��s complejos que los que se implementan en las de tipo tradicional. Objetivo: - Identificar el impacto que tienen las actividades de aprendizaje de tipo tradicional y las elaboradas bajo la metodolog��a de Aprendizaje Basado en Problemas y Estudio de Casos, en el aprendizaje de los alumnos. Materiales y M��todos: a) An��lisis de las actividades de aprendizaje del primero y segundo a��o de la carrera de Abogac��a, bajo lamodalidad a Distancia. b) Entrevistas tanto a docentes contenidistas como as�� tambi��n a los tutores. c) Encuestas y entrevistas a los alumnos. Resultados esperados: Se pretende confirmar que las actividades de aprendizaje, dise��adas bajo la metodolog��a del Aprendizaje Basado en Problemas y el Estudio de Casos, promueven aprendizajes significativos en los alumnos. Importancia del proyecto y pertinencia: La relevancia del presente proyecto se podr��a identificar a trav��s de dos grandes variables vinculadas entre s��: la relacionada con el dispositivo did��ctico (estrategias implementadas por los alumnos) y la referida a lo institucional (car��cter innovador de la propuesta de ense��anza y posibilidad de extenderla a otras c��tedras). El presente proyecto pretende implementar mejoras en el dise��o de las actividades de aprendizaje, a fin de promover en los alumnos la generaci��n de ideas y soluciones responsables y el desarrollo de su capacidad anal��tica y reflexiva.

Redefining dropping out in online higher education: a case study from the UOC

In recent years, studies into the reasons for dropping out of higher education (including online education) have been undertaken with greater regularity, parallel to the rise in the relative weight of this type of education, compared with brick-and-mortar education. However, the work invested in characterising the students who drop out of education, compared with those who do not, appears not to have had the same relevance as that invested in the analysis of the causes. The definition of dropping out is very sensitive to the context. In this article, we reach a purely empirical definition of student dropping out, based on the probability of not continuing a specific academic programme following several consecutive semesters of "theoretical break". Dropping out should be properly defined before analysing its causes, as well as comparing the drop-out rates between the different online programmes, or between online and on-campus ones. Our results show that there are significant differences among programmes, depending on their theoretical extension, but not their domain of knowledge.

A qualitative case study of the processes of peer education in a young adult tobacco control initiative, Leave the Pack Behind

Peer education involves peers offering credible and reliable information about sensitive life issues through the means of an informal peer group setting (Topping & Ehly, 1998). The purpose of this instrumental case study was to examine the processes of peer education through the exploration of two teams within a young adult tobacco control initiative, Leave the Pack Behind (LTPB). This qualitative case study examined two peer education teams over an eight-month period. Interviews, focus groups and observations were conducted with 12 participants across two peer education teams. Findings show the complexities of the processes of peer education including a connection between the stages of change and the changing role of the peer educator across stages of the empowerment process. Peer education teams and factors in the macro environment were also found to impact the process of peer education. This study provides a new definition for the process of peer education: peer education is a fluid process of knowledge exchange in which peer educators adopt different styles of facilitation as people move through stages of empowerment and change. This study contributes to the academic hterature upon the processes of peer education by providing a definition, a model and an overall understanding through an ecological and empowerment framework. The findings from this study suggest peer educators can be further trained to: use specific peer educational approaches that fit with student smoker's stage of change; better understand their position as a peer educator on the LTPB team; understand the reciprocal relationship between the macro environment and the peer education teams having an effect on one another.

A Case Study of the Implementation of Experiential Education in Yukon K-12 Schools

This qualitative case study explored the process of implementing Experiential Education (EXED) in Yukon Territory Kindergarten to Grade 12 (K-12) schools with a particular focus on investigating: (a) understandings of EXED and the drivers behind its implementation, (b) factors contributing to EXED���s suitability for Yukon schools, and (c) factors supporting and challenging the implementation of EXED in Yukon schools. Data collection involved interviews with Yukon Department of Education (YDE) staff members, principals and teachers, document collection, and reflective note collection. Findings indicated that EXED was understood as more of a methodology than a philosophy for teaching and learning. EXED implementation was primarily driven by bottom-up (school/ teacher) initiatives and was secondarily supported by top-down (YDE) efforts. The process of implementation was supported by three main factors and was challenged primarily by six factors. The results also pointed to three factors that made EXED suitable for implementation in Yukon schools.

A case study of the implementation of experiential education in Yukon K-12 schools

This qualitative case study explored the process of implementing Experiential Education (EXED) in Yukon Territory Kindergarten to Grade 12 (K-12) schools with a particular focus on investigating: (a) understandings of EXED and the drivers behind its implementation, (b) factors contributing to EXED's suitability for Yukon schools, and (c) factors supporting and challenging the implementation of EXED in Yukon schools. Data collection involved interviews with Yukon Department of Education (YDE) staff members, principals and teachers, document collection, and reflective note collection. Findings indicated that EXED was understood as more of a me~odology than a philosophy for teaching and learning. EXED implementation was primarily driven by bottom-up (school! teacher) initiatives and was secondarily supported by top-down (YDE) efforts. The process of implementation was supported by three main factors and was challenged primarily by six factors. The results also pointed to three factors that made EXED suitable for implementation in Yukon schools.

Knowlege society discourse in internationalisation of higher education : case study in governmentality. 'Discurso de la sociedad del conocimiento sobre la internacionalizaci��n de la ense��anza superior : estudio de caso sobre gobernabilidad'.

Resumen tomado de la publicaci��n. Monogr��fico con el t��tulo: El proceso de Bolonia : din��micas y desaf��os de la ense��anza superior en Europa a comienzos de una nueva ��poca

Problem-based learning and legal education : a case study in integrated experiential study

Resumen basado en el de la publicaci??n

Issues in language and development in multilingual settings: a case-study of knowledge exchange and teacher education in South Africa

The quality of a country���s human-resource base can be said to determine its level of success in social and economic development. This study focuses on some���of the major human-resource development issues that surround the implementation of South Africa���s policy of multilingualism in education. It begins by discussing the relationship between knowledge, language, and human-resource, social and economic development within the global cultural economy. It then considers the situation in South Africa and, in particular, the implications of that country���s colonial and neo-colonial past for attempts to implement the new policy. Drawing on the linguistic-diversity-in-education debate in the United Kingdom of the past three decades, it assesses the first phase of an in-service teacher-education programme that was carried out at the Project for Alternative Education in South Africa (PRAESA) based at the University of Cape Town. The authors identify key short- and long-term issues related to knowledge exchange in education in multilingual societies, especially concerning the use of African languages as mediums for teaching and learning.