Planificació de la docència i semipresencialitat: reproduïm el model formatiu presencial quan planifiquem assignatures semipresencials?

L’objectiu d’aquest treball és mostrar una anàlisi de la planificació de la docència a la Universitat de Lleida a partir de l’estudi de les guies docents de diferents assignatures presencials, semipresencials i no presencials. L’objectiu era observar semblances i diferències en funció de la modalitat formativa. A partir del disseny d’una eina es va elaborar un registre que ens va permetre realitzar una comparativa sobre com el professorat planteja l’assignatura a nivell de metodologies, recursos, interacció i avaluació. Els resultats ens van mostrar una tendència a reproduir el model formatiu independentment de la modalitat formativa de l’assignatura

Autogestión del aprendizaje en la complejidad

Se presenta el diseño de la asignatura DERECHO Y SOCIEDAD. La metodología tiene como elemento central la charla/presentación en lengua ingesa, en línea. El estudiante dispone del 50% del contenido teórico evaluable y del 80% de los procesos de adquisisción de habilidades en línea con acceso libre (no intranet). Todas las audiciones se realizan en inglés con un recurso de subtítulos y transcripción que puede ser generado por los estudiantes. Además el docente ha tenido acceso a material de alta calidad académica sin el coste de la elaboración propia, transformado por su incorporación al programa para satisfacer las necesidades específicas del curso. La dinámica docente ejemplifica los procesos complejos que el curso estudia

Dispositivos de aprendizaje: el aula virtual en la didáctica de la expresión plàstica

La docencia con el aula virtual facilita la planificación y favorece la comunicación entre alumnado y profesorado. Actúa en beneficio del aprendizaje autónomo, dinamizando tanto las sesiones extrapresenciales como las semipresenciales. Además de aportar, en un contexto como el de la expresión plástica, una aplicación de las TIC particular. En la siguiente propuesta se expone el uso de este dispositivo que permite al profesorado gestionar el tiempo y al alumnado autogestionar su aprendizaje. Una plataforma flexible de intercambio de información, debates y participación colectiva que conecta con las herramientas de comunicación de la sociedad actual

Evaluación de la competencia comunicativa académica en semi-presencialidad

En la E.U. de Magisterio de Donostia de la Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), este curso 2010/2011 ha comenzado la oferta semi-presencial para aquellos estudiantes que no pueden matricularse a todas las asignaturas de primer curso. Dentro de esta experiencia piloto se ha impartido la asignatura "Desarrollo de la competencia comunicativa I" en el Grado de Educación Primaria, centrada en la competencia comunicativa académica. El diseño de esta asignatura se ha apoyado en investigaciones relacionadas con el desarrollo de esta competencia en entornos virtuales y ha contado con actividades diversas que han permitido a los estudiantes su autoevaluación y también la coevaluación

Experiencia en los procesos de autogestión del aprendizaje. La virtualización en el fomento de la participación activa

Cara a la implantación del nuevo Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior se considera oportuno implementar nuevas estrategias de participación de los alumnos mediante el uso de las tecnologías de información y la comunicación, Dada la característica de la asignatura economía española, troncal del segundo curso de la licenciatura en Dirección y Administración de Empresas, centrada en la explicación del crecimiento económico de España, resulta pertinente avanzar en la experimentación de medios alternativos de participación y reflexión sobre los temas actuales que se plantean en las clases teóricas y cuyo debate suele quedar constreñido al diseño y planificación de la clase presencial. Por ello se pretende lograr mediante el uso de herramientas de virtualización de la enseñanza avanzar en nuevas formas de educación. En concreto, se intenta con ello prolongar el proceso del conocimiento más allá del espacio físico del aula a fin de fomentar la denominada enseñanza semipresencial. Para lograrlo, se pretende utilizar dos herramientas virtuales conocidas como 'foros de debate' y 'ejercicios de negociación de significados'. Se trata de dos instrumentos muy utilizados en la docencia y de los cuales existen precedentes de su validez. En cualquier caso no dejan de presentar cierta complicación tanto en su creación como en su implementación en una asignatura como economía española, sobre todo en relación con la enseñanza presencial. Se reconoce por tanto que, aplicar esta técnica, en principio, no es tarea fácil, sobre todo en lo que respecta a utilizar instrumentos que deben mantenerse activos a lo largo del curso, teniendo en cuenta que todo ello se hace con la pretensión de garantizar que tanto los alumnos como los profesores percibamos a la parte del trabajo no presencial como una continuidad de lo que hacemos en el aula, es decir, como parte de un único espacio educativo y, por tanto, que no se trata de un "trabajo más" sino que es parte del mismo trabajo que se realiza en el aula. Si se llegara a transmitir realmente esa idea, esa sensación, se considerará que entonces se está construyendo verdaderamente una comunidad de aprendizaje. Por ello, el objetivo del presente proyecto es implementar dos herramientas de virtualización, los foros de debate y los ejercicios de negociación, de una manera crítica valorar el tiempo necesario en cada una de sus etapas de implementación así como prestar especial atención tanto a los aciertos como a los posibles inconvenientes que vayan surgiendo a lo largo del proceso. Se pretende además, reflexionar, probar y calibrar los mejores instrumentos a fin de valorar la participación individual de los alumnos a través de estas herramientas de virtualización

La Tutoría dirigida a los los nativos digitales. Un caso concreto: la asignatura de fotoperiodismo

Este artículo presenta la experiencia desarrollada en la tutorización, en el papel mediador, orientador y evaluador en un estudio de caso en la asignatura de Fotoperiodismo en la Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y de la Comunicación dentro de un Proyecto de Innovación Educativa entre 2010 y 2011. La asignatura la hemos planteado con la filosofía de la web 2.0: una información cambiante que huye de la estática tradicional; con las herramientas de la web 2.0: el uso del blog y de las plataformas que facilitan la exposición de los trabajos, la colaboración, la capacitación y la construcción del conocimiento de una forma más compartida entre profesorado y alumnado, incluso entre personas ajenas a la universidad; y con la valoración de unes tareas educativas e-learning más socializadoras. Queremos presentar los resultados de un modelo de enseñanza-aprendizaje más autónomo y siempre guiado en la construcción del conocimiento, donde la motivación es un factor importante en este proceso y donde las tutorías personalizadas y 'a la carta' o las grupales -tanto presenciales como on-line- son elementos importantes en la calidad de la docencia

Colaboratorio LPCI laboratorio de proyectos colaborativos e interdisciplinares

El Colaboratorio LPCI es un meta-proyecto de innovación docente en el que han participado colaborativamente más de 80 personas (entre alumnos de los 3 ciclos, catedráticos, titulares, contratados doctores, ayudantes doctores, asociados y personal externo) que ha conseguido adaptar al contexto Universitario las nuevas metodologías docentes, investigadoras y de gestión del conocimiento del centro Medialab-Prado http://medialab-prado.es/ El LPCI se ha mostrado como un modelo mixto de enseñanza presencial-virtual muy eficaz y capaz de formar nuevos investigadores, de estimular el auto-aprendizaje, el trabajo colaborativo, mediante la formación de distintos grupos de investigación interdisciplinar

Renegotiating the pedagogical peace : a case study in online discussions for undergraduate on campus students

This paper reports an investigation into the ways in which undergraduate students, who are studying on campus, learn in online discussions. The study focuses on student strategies, and the role of text, time and place independence, peer interaction and the influence of the curriculum. It also examines the relationships between online discussions and face to face classes. The study found deep approaches to learning were widely used and were associated with constructivist learning activity, thinking and interacting online in groups in a way that adds value to the classroom, close integration with face to face activity and a positive perception of online discussions and the course as a whole. This case study confirms the relational nature of student learning in a blended learning environment.

To post or not to post : undergraduate student perceptions about participating in online discussions

Computer mediated conferencing (CMC) is now a common feature of blended learning environments where students learn in both face to face and online settings. While many teachers recognize the value of online discussions for learning, students appear to have different perspectives. Consequently, their participation in online discussions is often sporadic and not genuinely interactive. This paper examines these issues and provides student perspectives about participation in online discussions which arose from a case study in a conceptually difficult subject. Systems data indicated low numbers of posted messages. Student interviews provide some insights into this lack of participation, and identify the influence of the curriculum design, especially the nature of the learning activity, and its connection to other aspects of the course, for example, assessment and the regular class sessions. Other influential factors include the student’s ideas about learning, managing demands on their time and their acceptance of CMC. The paper also provides recommendations for improving participation in online discussions.

A study of face-to-face and online teaching philosophies in Canada and Australia

The perspectives of instructors who teach both online and face-to-face in a higher education context have been compared in this study. The differences and similarities between their approaches, and the influences each modality has on the other have been explored, as well as possible differences in organizational cultures between the groups who were based in Canada and Australia. The trend to blended learning in higher education was an important outcome of the study.

Vocational education and training at a distance : transformation to flexible delivery

This chapter will explore the position that distance education has held in the past in Australian vocational education and training (VET) and how that position has developed and transformed over the past couple of decades. It is argued here that after a period of VET provision through distance education that was largely based around an earlier centralised model, VET was early to recognise the potential that new technologies in distance education had for VET learners and learning. Concurrently there was recognition of the substantial limitations a centralised model of distance education posed for new demands on VET. Economic imperatives also contributed to what became a revolution in VET and its delivery to learners.
The chapter identifies these developments and the factors that have contributed to them, and tracks the transition of Australian VET distance education as it transformed away from centralised distance education provision towards its more recent forms of locally provided flexible delivery and blended learning.

An integrated student support framework for a Malaysian university

This thesis reports on an investigation at the University Tun Abdul Razak (UNITAR), Malaysia focused on students’ needs for student support services. The research addressed a new problem in distance education concerning institutional practices and strategies for providing student support within blended learning contexts, such as at UNITAR. The thesis addresses important matters related to the use of forms of education to address Malaysia’s social, political and economic development.

The study had two main research purposes. The first purpose was to investigate what barriers UNITAR’s students had to completing their study successfully. The second was to investigate students’ support services needs. The latter was divided into six subsidiary purposes. The first subsidiary purpose was to identify and compare the students’ needs intensity for the four categories of support services: administrative, academic, welfare and post-study services. The second subsidiary purpose was to investigate whether there is any correlation between students’ attributes of age, gender, marital status, number of children, enrollment status, distance from learning centre, academic abilities, course satisfaction and academic achievement, with their support needs. The other subsidiary purposes were to compare needs intensity for the four categories of services between men and women, younger and mature-age students, and lower and higher academic achievers.

The research design employed mixed methods, involving both qualitative and quantitative techniques. A series of interviews was conducted with UNITAR staff members during an inventory study of the University. Then, the students were surveyed through a questionnaire that contained closed-ended and openended questions. After analysing and compiling the results of the survey, another cycle of surveys was conducted with selected staff members through email, to validate the findings and obtain their feedback to the students’ views and their suggestions for future improvement. The quantitative survey data were analysed using SPSS, whereas the qualitative data from interview, survey and email were analysed by using content analysis techniques.

The findings of the study demonstrated that UNITAR’s students have problems in their study, which are related to their demographic and institutional attributes, and these affect their needs for four categories of support services. Generally, students attached the highest priority to academic services, followed by post-study services, administrative services and, lastly, welfare services. Four patterns of associations between students’ attributes and support services needs were identified. In particular, support services needs differences were identified between men and women, younger and mature-age students, and lower achieving and higher achieving students.

Drawing the findings of this study, relevant past studies, contemporary practices and constructive views of scholars from the relevant literature, the thesis concludes by proposing an integrated student support framework for UNITAR and suggest how this may be considered and applied more broadly in similar blended learning contexts in Malaysia and beyond.

Using information and communications technology in higher education

A folio-based doctoral study comprising a dissertation, a major literature review, and a website. The dissertation identified key dimensions of blended learning environments created by the teachers in the study. These environments were characterised by different media blends and learning activities underpinned by resource-based learning approaches to teaching and learning.

Toward new models of flexible education to enhance quality in Australian higher education

In this chapter we focus on models of flexible education as related to Australian higher education (with an argument that this is typical of developments worldwide). Moreover, Deakin University’s longstanding experience in flexible, online and distance education, as a case study of changes in Australian higher education, will be highlighted, with a particular emphasis on developments in teaching engineering and technology flexibly. To begin, we provide coverage of contemporary developments in quality enhancements in teaching and learning in Australian higher education arguing that flexible education is a key institutional response to external demands. The meanings of flexible education and blended learning are then considered and a contingency-based framework for designing flexible education outlined. The framework will consider models of flexible education design in the light of goals, the roles, needs and circumstances of teaching staff and learners, the changing technological environment, and the requirements of various external stakeholders. The focus will then move to course and unit concerns relating to flexible educational models of course design and operation as illustrated through the case of engineering and technology at Deakin. The final section will give some consideration to future directions in flexible education.

Students' use of online academic resources within a course web site and its relationship with their course performance : an exploratory study

Prior research suggests that the online provision of course materials can have a positive impact on students' examination performance. This study adds to the existing literature by investigating the link between the students' use of different forms of online course provisions and tools (i.e. course materials, links and discussion forums) and the final examination performance of students in a second year undergraduate accounting course. Findings indicate a positive association between the number of online files viewed by students, the number of online discussion messages posted by them, and their examination performance. A significant relationship was not found between examination performance and the amount of time spent on the subject's web site, the viewing of links to web sites that were not core to the course being studied, or the passive reading of discussion messages. These findings support the benefits to be gained by providing course materials online and encouraging students to access the materials posted and to participate actively in online discussion.