20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010 to 2030 Progress Report: 2010 - 2015

Over the last five years, the Department of Education and Skills (DES) has continued to fulfil the commitments set out in its implementation plan under the 20-Year Strategy for Irish on a phased and systematic basis. This report gives an insight into the progress made during this period under the following headings: Interdepartmental High-Level Group Gaeltacht education Curriculum development O Primary level O Post-primary level Assessment COGG - Support services and resources Teacher education Links with the use of the language outside of school O Irish language colleges Exemptions from Irish Provision for Irish-medium schools Policy for Irish in the public service.

Didáctica de la Expresión Musical. Una revisión del desarrollo del currículo

[spa] Con el fin de elaborar un estudio sobre la interrelación -o falta de ella- entre práctica educativa e investigación en educación musical, presentamos aquí un estudio de las distintas etapas por las que ha pasado el desarrollo del currículo en educación musical. Además tomamos partido y abogamos por un desarrollo del currículo que tenga en cuenta el contexto educativo-musical, basado en datos provenientes de la investigación educativa, y que preste atención fundamentalmente al plano artístico y estético. Hacemos una apuesta de futuro por un currículo crítico, haciendo por tanto un giro copernicano desde el tradicional interés por el contenido musical hasta la contribución de la música a los objetivos educativos del sistema escolar.

Technology educational affordance: Bridging the gap between patterns of interaction and technology usage

Peer-reviewed

La atención a la diversidad:¿realidad o ficción?.

En el marco de un curso de formación para maestros de educación infantil en activo que requerían el postgrado de especialización, se desarrolló un módulo específico de atención a la diversidad de necesidades educativas especiales

Impacte educatiu de l'escolta del paisatge sonor en infants

Aquest treball d’investigació pretén aprofundir en les nocions relatives al paisatge sonor; un tema poc treballat en l’àrea curricular d’Educació Musical. Primerament amb la fonamentació, s’han extret les principals idees dels diferents autors que han treballat i investigat el tema del paisatge sonor. Posteriorment, analitzant aquest marc teòric s’ha intentat aprofundir en el tema i, per escollir i dissenyar activitats que hem realitzat a l’aula. A fi de poder analitzar i observar in situ aquest procés s’ha aplicat durant dos mesos a dues aules de música amb alumnes d’entre 7 i 8 anys i, pel que fa resultats, no hi ha dubte que amb aquest enfocament del fenomen de l’escolta –buscant una centralització en allò essencial i elemental del fet perceptiu-, podem constatar que es produeix un increment quantitatiu i qualitatiu del reconeixement dels sons de l’entorn, i una millora en la percepció de les qualitats del so i la capacitat de reflexió i descripció.

El desarrollo personal y profesional mediante el aprendizaje reflexivo : una experiencia en el grado de Educación Social

In the last years, an increase of the interest to develop educational practices in higher education, based on the approach of the reflective learning, is observed. Nevertheless, we scarcely find in our context researches or experiences that allow knowing students’ perceptions about this teaching and learning approach. We have developed an experience in the bachelor of Social Education at the University of Girona with the aim to contribute to the personal and professional development of future social educators in their initial training, using reflective learning methodology. In this article we present an evaluation of the experience based on students’ perceptions. They assessed the usefulness they think the module has for their training, the methodology and the activities. This evaluation has been carried out through in-depth interviews to 17 students who participated in the module in 2010-11 academic year. The results show that students assess positively the experience, either its general usefulness or the methodology of reflective learning, although they acknowledge some difficulties to carry out such a process which involves a high degree of introspection and a difficulty to set the boundaries in the narration of personal questions. The study also shows some challenges related on the need, but also the difficulty, to include personal and professional development as a powerful axis in the higher education curriculum, as well as elements linked to reflective learning assessment

Creating a research network for a successful e-portfolio design and implementation

The presence of e-portfolios in educational centres, companies and administrations has emergedstrongly during the last years by creating very different practices coming from different objectives and purposes. This situation has led researchers and practitioners to design and implement e-portfolios with little reference to previous knowledge of them; consequently, developments are disparate with many of the processes and dimensions used both in development and use being unnecessary complex. In order to minimize the inconveniences, unify these developmental processes and improve the resultsof implementation and use of e-portfolios, it seemed necessary to create a network of researchers, teachers and trainers coming from different universities and institutions of different kinds who are interested in the investigation and the practice of e-portfolios in Spain. Therefore, The Network on e-portfoliowas created in 2006, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education and led by the UniversitatOberta de Catalunya. Besides the goals associatedwith the creation of this network and which wewanted to share with other European researchers and experts of other continents, we will also present in this paper some data concerned with the first study carried out on the use of e-portfolios in our country that shows where we are and which trends are the most important for the near future.

Metacognitive presence in asynchronous online learning environments : self, mutual and hetero-regulation

Peer-reviewed

POP UP & LEAN START UP - yrittäjyyden opetusmallin kehittämishanke toisen asteen koulutuksessa

Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli tarkastella ammatillisen koulutuksen yrittäjyyskasvatuksen käytännön opetuksen toteutusmahdollisuuksia. Tarkasteluun vaikuttaa vuonna 2015 voimaan astuva ammatillisen perusopetuksen opetussuunnitelmauudistus. Käytännön opetuksen toteutuksen viitekehykseksi valittiin synteesi pop up ja lean startup liiketoimintamallien viitekehyksistä. Tutkimuksen kohteena olivat viralliset opetussuunnitelmauudistuksen asiakirjat ja liiketoimintamalleja käsittelevä kirjallisuus. Tutkimusmenetelmänä käytettiin integoivaa narratiivista kirjallisuusanalyysiä. Aineiston analyysissä käytettiin Atlas-ti ohjelmistoa. Tutkimuksen tuloksena muodostui kuva työelämälähtöisistä uudistuvista opetussuunnitelmista, missä yrittäjyyskasvatuksen rakenteet eivät todellisuudessa muutu entisestä merkittävästi. Sen sijaan, uutta tulevat olemaan opetuksen toteutukselle asetetut haasteet: yksilöllistetyt opintopolut ja opiskelumallien monipuolistamisen merkittävä kasvu. Yrittäjyyskasvatukselle asetetaan Suomessa yhteiskunnallisesti korkeita tavoitteita. Se, miten niihin päästään ja millaisella pedagogiikalla, jää eri ammatillisten oppilaitosten ratkaistavaksi paikallisesti. Pop up ja lean startup liiketoimintamallit tarjoavat tulevaisuuden kannalta merkittäviä mahdollisuuksia yrittäjyyden käytännön opetuksen viitekehyksiksi. Lisäksi ne sopivat nopeatempoiseen ja ajallisesti tiukkarajaiseen opetuksen viitekehykseen hyvin uudenaikaisina asiakaslähtöisinä innovaatio- ja liiketoimintamalleina.

Perceptions of some teachers about the similarities and/or differences in teaching online versus in a classroom environment /

The introduction of computer and communications technology, and particularly the internet, into education has opened up some new possibilities for teaching and learning. Courses designed and delivered in an online environment offer the possibility of highly interactive and individually focussed teaching and learning experiences. However, online courses also present new challenges for both teachers and students. A qualitative study was conducted to explore teachers' perceptions about the similarities and differences in teaching in the online and face-to-face (F2F) environments. Focus group discussions were held with 5 teachers; 2 teachers were interviewed in depth. The participants, 3 female and 2 male, were full-time teachers from a large College of Applied Arts & Technology in southern Ontario. Each of them had over 10 years of F2F teaching experience and each had been involved in the development and teaching of at least one online course. i - -; The study focussed on how teaching in the online environment compares with teaching in the F2F environment, what roles teachers and students adopt in each setting, what learning communities mean online and F2F and how they are developed, and how institutional policies, procedures, and infrastructure affect teaching and learning F2F and online. This study was emic in nature, that is the teachers' words determine the themes identified throughout the study. The factors identified as affecting teaching in an online environment included teacher issues such as course design, motivation to teach online, teaching style, role, characteristics or skills, and strategies. Student issues as perceived by the teachers included learning styles, role, and characteristics or skills. As well, technology issues such as a reliable infrastructure, clear role and responsibilities for maintaining the infrastructure, support, and multimedia capability affected teaching online. Finally, administrative policies and procedures, including teacher selection and training, registration and scheduling procedures, intellectual property and workload policies, and the development and communication of a comprehensive strategic plan were found to impact on teaching online. The teachers shared some of the benefits they perceived about teaching online as well as some of the challenges they had faced and challenges they perceived students had faced online. Overall, the teachers feh that there were more similarities than differences in teaching between the two environments, with the main differences being the change from F2F verbal interactions involving body language to online written interactions without body language cues, and the fundamental reliance on technology in the online environment. These findings support previous research in online teaching and learning, and add teachers' perspectives on the factors that stay the same and the factors that change when moving from a F2F environment to an online environment.

The effects of computer assisted interactive fiction on the development of reading comprehension in grade five students

This study was undertaken in order to determine the effects of playing computer based text adventure games on the reading comprehension gains of students. Forty-five grade five students from one elementary school were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups, and were tested with regard to ability, achievement and reading skills. An experimental treatment, consisting of playing computer based interactive fiction games of the student's choice for fifteen minutes each day over an eight-week period, was administered. A comparison treatment engaged the control group in sustained silent reading of materials of the student's choice for an equal period of time. Following the experimental period all students were post-tested with an alternate form of the pre-test in reading skills, and gain scores were analysed. It was found that there were no significant differences in the gain scores of the experimental and control groups for overall reading comprehenSion, but the experimental group showed greater gains than the control group in the structural analysis reading sub-skill. Extreme variance in the data made generalization very difficult, but the findings indicated a potential for computer based interactive fiction as a useful tool for developing reading sl

The Impact of a Text-Reader Support Program on Intermediate Students' Reading Comprehension

This study examined the efficacy of providing four Grade 7 and 8 students with reading difficulties with explicit instruction in the use of reading comprehension strategies while using text-reader software. Specifically, the study explored participants' combined use of a text-reader and question-answering comprehension strategy during a 6-week instructional program. Using a qualitative case study methodology approach, participants' experiences using text-reader software, with the presence of explicit instruction in evidence-based reading comprehension strategies, were examined. The study involved three phases: (a) the first phase consisted of individual interviews with the participants and their parents; (b) the second phase consisted of a nine session course; and (c) the third phase consisted of individual exit interviews and a focus group discussion. After the data collection phases were completed, data were analyzed and coded for emerging themes, with-quantitativ,e measures of participants' reading performance used as descriptive data. The data suggested that assistive technology can serve as an instructional "hook", motivating students to engage actively in the reading processes, especially when accompanied by explicit strategy instruction. Participants' experiences also reflected development of strategy use and use of text-reader software and the importance of social interactions in developing reading comprehension skills. The findings of this study support the view that the integration of instruction using evidence-based practices are important and vital components in the inclusion oftext-reader software as part of students' educational programming. Also, the findings from this study can be extended to develop in-class programming for students using text-reader software.

Towards Evaluating and Modelling the Impacts of Mobile-Based Augmented Reality Applications on Learning and Engagement

Mobile augmented reality applications are increasingly utilized as a medium for enhancing learning and engagement in history education. Although these digital devices facilitate learning through immersive and appealing experiences, their design should be driven by theories of learning and instruction. We provide an overview of an evidence-based approach to optimize the development of mobile augmented reality applications that teaches students about history. Our research aims to evaluate and model the impacts of design parameters towards learning and engagement. The research program is interdisciplinary in that we apply techniques derived from design-based experiments and educational data mining. We outline the methodological and analytical techniques as well as discuss the implications of the anticipated findings.

Towards Evaluating and Modelling the Impacts of Mobile-Based Augmented Reality Applications on Learning and Engagement

Mobile augmented reality applications are increasingly utilized as a medium for enhancing learning and engagement in history education. Although these digital devices facilitate learning through immersive and appealing experiences, their design should be driven by theories of learning and instruction. We provide an overview of an evidence-based approach to optimize the development of mobile augmented reality applications that teaches students about history. Our research aims to evaluate and model the impacts of design parameters towards learning and engagement. The research program is interdisciplinary in that we apply techniques derived from design-based experiments and educational data mining. We outline the methodological and analytical techniques as well as discuss the implications of the anticipated findings.

La formation linguistique des professionnels en administration à l'université : ce que nous apprennent les évaluations de programme

Cette recherche avait pour objectif d’analyser les évaluations de programmes d’études en langues de spécialité de 1er cycle universitaire afin de dégager les enjeux et la pertinence de ces formations. Trois questions de recherche sont poursuivies : • Quels établissements d’enseignement supérieur canadiens offrent des programmes d’études professionnalisant intégrant des compétences langagières sur objectifs spécifiques et le savoir-faire professionnel? • Compte tenu de la nature et de la fonction des programmes et des cours de langues de spécialité au sein des établissements d’enseignement supérieur, - quels sont les enjeux principaux ? - quelles sont les recommandations les plus fréquentes dans les rapports des évaluateurs externes ? L’analyse révèle que les enjeux principaux sont l’apport des formations aux besoins d’emploi ; la correspondance aux besoins des bénéficiaires ; l’évaluation systématique et justifiée lors de la prise de décisions ; la révision, mise à jour et évaluation systématique des programmes ; la collaboration interdisciplinaire et interuniversitaire ; l’enseignement des compétences langagières de la discipline professionnelle sous-jacente ; l’enseignement de la perspective interculturelle ; l’objectif constitutif ou instrumental de l’acquisition des langues ; la professionnalisation de la discipline au lieu de la fonction « service » ; la promotion de programmes, de collaborations et d’échanges internationaux ; l’intégration des TIC ; et la certification en langue de spécialité. Les évaluateurs externes recommandent la modernisation et la réorganisation des cours, la mise sur pied des collaborations, l’amélioration des formules et de l’offre des échanges internationaux, l’élaboration des stratégies pour étudier et planifier le lancement des initiatives, la promotion des bénéfices des connaissances langagières auprès des autres disciplines et facultés, la création des stratégies de révision de programme, et la mise en place des dispositifs pour profiter de nouvelles ressources technologiques. Ainsi, dans un premier temps, les résultats permettent d’apporter à la didactique des langues un éclairage sur la valeur de la fonction formative des mécanismes d’évaluation de programme. Dans un deuxième temps, ils apportent aux praticiens un éclairage sur la qualité, la pertinence et les enjeux des formations en langue de spécialité et un éclairage sur l’importance et l’impact des pratiques évaluatives sur les décisions prises.