Evaluación de la calidad pedagógica de los MOOC

Los MOOC han irrumpido de forma acelerada en el ámbito de la educación. Las principales universidades estadounidenses primero y, posteriormente, muchas otras –entre ellas, algunas españolas— están desarrollando a través de diversas plataformas en Internet, cursos bajo este formato. Al encontrarnos en una situación inicial de desarrollo de MOOC, son escasos los estudios sobre su evaluación. Por ello, el presente estudio ha realizado 129 evaluaciones a 52 MOOC ofertados por 10 plataformas. Se han analizado sus características pedagógicas a partir del Cuestionario de evaluación de la calidad de cursos virtuales (Arias, 2007). Del mismo modo se aborda la hipótesis de la existencia de diferencias estadísticamente significativas en cuanto a la calidad de los cursos en función de la plataforma que contiene los MOOC, analizando la influencia que el idioma o la presencia de una guía didáctica adecuada tiene sobre dicha calidad. Los resultados obtenidos en el presente trabajo no evidencian diferencias de forma generalizada entre los cursos, pero sí existen diferencias estadísticamente significativas en 5 de los 36 indicadores de calidad pedagógica propuestos.

Evaluación de necesidades y expectativas ante la construcción de un espacio interactivo de comunicación, información y aprendizaje histórico-educativo

Conscientes de las posibilidades pedagógicas, participativas y de colaboración científica de la Web 2.0, los autores del presente artículo se plantean la detección de las necesidades y expectativas hacia la creación de una plataforma virtual delimitada por un espacio interactivo o red social para la Historia de la Educación y el Patrimonio Histórico-educativo. Gracias a la evaluación mediante un cuestionario en el que han participado un grupo de expertos docentes e investigadores de Historia de la Educación, se han obtenido una serie de conclusiones a tener en cuenta respecto a determinados aspectos (conocimiento y uso, expectativas, componentes, etc.) que orientarán la construcción ad hoc de dicha plataforma. Es relevante el poco conocimiento y uso de las redes sociales tanto genéricas como específicas, así como otro tipo de aplicaciones web. Destaca, por otro lado, que la edad de los participantes no ha condicionado la importancia percibida sobre las capacidades de las TIC para el desarrollo en la docencia y la investigación.

Reference guide for Medicare physician & supplier billers : helping front office personnel navigate Medicare rules for Part B claims processing.

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Rede de aprendizagem em robótica : uma perspectiva educativa de trabalho com jovens

The present research sought to comprehend what is the development perspective of a collective work of educational robotics with high school students. The work started from the development activities Mathematics Sub Project of PIBID (Programa Institucional de Bolsa de Iniciação à Docência, Institutional Program of Initiation to Teaching Scholarship) in a school network from the state of Minas Gerais. The production process of data of this research was done through the follow up of high school students that participated in workshops robotics at the mentioned public school and were selected to continue the project at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU). Subsequently, these students were involved in activities related to Robotics championships, elapsed through different spaces in public and private schools of basic education, University and Non-Governmental Organization. The data at the research were registered by photos, videos, field notes, documents produced by the participants and arising from internet like the social media Facebook, questionnaires and, mainly, interviews. At the analysis process of data the followed axes were constituted: Movement Learning Network with Robotics; The Different Roles at the Robotics Events and Experiences in Engineering and Technology. By this axes we understand what is the trajectory of the constitution process of a learning network in educational robotics that we find in expansion and consolidation. In this network the research participants performed different roles which left imprints responsible for their transformation. As a more evident imprint, we detected the robot construction and programming, which as for as they moved their studies forward, they developed the subject autonomy, collaboration, sharing and technological authorship.

The effect of multilingual facilitation on active participation in MOOCs Authors:

A new approach for overcoming the language and culture barriers to participation in MOOCs is reported. It is hypothesised that the juxtaposition of English as the language of instruction, used for interacting with course materials, and one’s preferred language as the language of participation, used for interaction with peers and facilitators, is preferable to ‘English only’ for participation in a MOOC. The HANDSON MOOC included seven teams of facilitators, each catering for a different language community. Facilitators were responsible for promoting active participation and peer tutoring. Comparing language groups revealed a series of predictors of intention to learn, some of which became apparent in the first days of the MOOC already. The comparison also uncovered four critical factors that influence participation: facilitation, language of participation, group size, and a pre-existing sense of community. Especially crucial was reaching a sufficient number of active participants during the first week. We conclude that multilingual facilitation activates participation in MOOCs in various ways; and that synergy between the four aforementioned factors is critical for the formation of the learning network that supports a social dynamics of active participation. Our approach suggests future targets for the development of the multilingual and community potential of MOOCs.

Trazer a biblioteca no bolso: os serviços para dispositivos móveis nas bibliotecas académicas

Introdução – Os serviços de comunicação móvel para tablets, smartphones, e-book readers desenvolveram-se de forma extremamente rápida nos últimos anos assumindo-se como uma rede de aprendizagem privilegiada para os estudantes. Em 2012, 55% dos estudantes do ensino superior possuíam um smarthphone, 62% dispunham de um ipod e 21% tinham de um tablet. 67% usavam-nos em contexto académico. Objetivo – Apresentar de forma sucinta a resposta das bibliotecas de ensino superior ao crescimento da utilização dos dispositivos móveis e como é que os parceiros das bibliotecas, em especial os editores, estão a potenciar essa utilização. Métodos – A partir de uma seleção e análise de bibliografia sobre a temática realizou-se uma pesquisa na internet, nos sites de bibliotecas de ensino superior e nas páginas dos editores que permitisse aferir evidências. Resultados – Identificaram-se cinco serviços e 23 recursos. Discussão – Um primeiro serviço prende-se com a adaptação dos conteúdos dos websites das bibliotecas de forma a serem lidos por qualquer tipo de dispositivos. Outro serviço identificado foi a disponibilização do catálogo da biblioteca online tornando-o acessível aos dispositivos móveis, permitindo a pesquisa e a localização de informação, a reserva ou a renovação de documentos. Identificou-se o desenvolvimento de algumas coleções especificamente para os dispositivos móveis. Constatou-se a utilização de códigos QR para divulgar normas de funcionamento da biblioteca, recursos, o mapa, o contacto do serviço de referência e para geolocalização. Por fim verificou-se a utilização de SMS para informar os utilizadores sobre reservas, prazos de empréstimo, entre outras informações. O recurso mais comum na maioria dos sites analisados foi a disponibilização de uma versão do website para dispositivos móveis de que são exemplos a Cambridge Journals Online mobile, o EBSCOhost mobile, o SpringerLink, a OVIDToday, o UpToDate, a PubChase e a BrowZine. Com o objetivo de tornar os seus produtos acessíveis on-the go, oferecem inúmeras possibilidades, nomeadamente de pesquisa, de acesso a textos integrais, de elaboração de listas de interesse personalizadas, de leitura offline, entre outras que podemos encontrar na aplicação da EBSCOhost mobile, na JAMA Network, na OVIDToday, no portal de Periódicos CAPES ou na plataforma Ebrary da ProQuest. Em ferramentas como a UpToDate ou os aplicativos da Elsevier e da Micromedex é disponibilizada informação baseada na evidência e recomendações que podem ser aplicadas em consulta. Os gestores de referências bibliográficas como o Mendeley e o Zotero também acompanharam esta tendência e desenvolveram aplicações para dispositivos móveis. Para além disso funcionam de forma integrada com outras aplicações como a Browzine e a Pubchase. Conclusão – O recurso às tecnologias móveis é uma forma das bibliotecas manterem canais de comunicação com os utilizadores, mas embora existam muitas vantagens no uso das tecnologias móveis a implementação destes serviços implica um esforço financeiro e humano que nem todas as bibliotecas serão capazes de cumprir. Encontrar a forma de gerir este processo é o desafio que se impõe no futuro.

Vorwort: Vom Medienprojekt zur nachhaltigen Mediennutzung auf dem Digitalen Campus

Digitale Medien haben sich durch verschiedene Initiativen als ein selbstverständlicher Bestandteil im Hochschulalltag etabliert, wie z.B. bei der Literaturrecherche und -beschaffung, bei der Dokumentbearbeitung und -distribution ebenso wie bei der Präsentation und Kommunikation und im weitesten Sinne: als Medien des Lehrens und Lernens. Die Entwicklung lässt dabei nicht erkennen, dass sich traditionelle Hochschulen auflösen und vermehrt „virtuellen Universitäten“ Platz machen, wie noch vor wenigen Jahren von manchen Enthusiasten vorhergesagt wurde.Mit den zunehmend verfügbaren Erkenntnissen aus einer Vielzahl von Projekten und Aktivitäten an Hochschulen geht es heute vorrangig nicht mehr um die Erprobung „neuer“ Ansätze mediengestützten Lernens, sondern um die (Weiter-) Entwicklung von Strukturen und Prozessen, um bestehende Ansätze auf der Basis solcher Erkenntnisse konsequent zu erweitern und die aufgezeigten Potenziale digitaler Medien in der Lehre gezielt zu nutzen. Zentrale Aufgaben werden die Umsetzung von Konzepten des Medieneinsatzes in der alltäglichen Lehre und deren dauerhafte Integration in den Hochschulalltag, in Studienrichtungen und Studiengänge.Dieser Band gibt einen Einblick in aktuelle Bemühungen an Hochschulen, diese Prozesse der Hochschulentwicklung mit und durch Medien zu gestalten. Er beinhaltet die Vorträge der GMW03 – Conference on Media in Higher Education, der 8. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Medien in der Wissenschaft e.V., die vom 16.-19. September 2003 an der Universität Duisburg-Essen stattgefunden hat. (DIPF/Orig.)

Digitaler Campus: Vom Medienprojekt zum nachhaltigen Medieneinsatz in der Hochschule

Mit den zunehmend verfügbaren Erkenntnissen aus einer Vielzahl von Projekten und Aktivitäten an Hochschulen geht es heute vorrangig nicht mehr um die Erprobung „neuer“ Ansätze mediengestützten Lernens, sondern um die (Weiter-) Entwicklung von Strukturen und Prozessen, um bestehende Ansätze auf der Basis solcher Erkenntnisse konsequent zu erweitern und die aufgezeigten Potenziale digitaler Medien in der Lehre gezielt zu nutzen. Zentrale Aufgaben werden die Umsetzung von Konzepten des Medieneinsatzes in der alltäglichen Lehre und deren dauerhafte Integration in den Hochschulalltag, in Studienrichtungen und Studiengänge. Dieser Band gibt einen Einblick in aktuelle Bemühungen an Hochschulen, diese Prozesse der Hochschulentwicklung mit und durch Medien zu gestalten. Er beinhaltet die Vorträge der GMW03 – Conference on Media in Higher Education, der 8. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Medien in der Wissenschaft e.V., die vom 16.-19. September 2003 an der Universität Duisburg-Essen stattgefunden hat. (DIPF/Orig.)

Reflective learning through social network sites in design education

Reflective learning is vital for successful practice-led education such as animation, multimedia design and graphic design, and social network sites can accommodate various learning styles for effective reflective learning. In this paper, the researcher studies reflective learning through social network sites with two animation units. These units aim to provide students with an understanding of the tasks and workflows involved in the production of style sheets, character sheets and motion graphics for use in 3D productions for film and television and game design. In particular, an assessment in these units requires students to complete their online reflective journals throughout the semester. The reflective learning has been integrated within the unit design and students are encouraged to reflect weekly learning processes and outcomes. A survey evaluating for students’ learning experience was conducted, and its outcomes indicate that social network site based reflective learning will not be effective without considering students’ learning circumstances and designing peer-to-peer interactions.

Expression and connection : the integration of the reflective learning process and the writing process into social network sites

A number of instructors have recently adopted social network sites (SNSs) for learning. However, the learning design of SNSs often remains at a preliminary level similar to a personal log book because it does not properly include reflective learning elements such as individual reflection and collaboration. This article looks at the reflective learning process and the public writing process as a way of improving the quality of reflective learning on SNSs. It proposes a reflective learning model on SNSs based on two key pedagogical concepts for social networking: individual expression and collaborative connection. It is expected that the model would be helpful for instructors in designing a reflective learning process on SNSs in an effective and flexible way.

Neural network learning:theoretical foundations

This important work describes recent theoretical advances in the study of artificial neural networks. It explores probabilistic models of supervised learning problems, and addresses the key statistical and computational questions. Chapters survey research on pattern classification with binary-output networks, including a discussion of the relevance of the Vapnik Chervonenkis dimension, and of estimates of the dimension for several neural network models. In addition, Anthony and Bartlett develop a model of classification by real-output networks, and demonstrate the usefulness of classification with a "large margin." The authors explain the role of scale-sensitive versions of the Vapnik Chervonenkis dimension in large margin classification, and in real prediction. Key chapters also discuss the computational complexity of neural network learning, describing a variety of hardness results, and outlining two efficient, constructive learning algorithms. The book is self-contained and accessible to researchers and graduate students in computer science, engineering, and mathematics

Outcomes of the Chemistry Discipline Network Mapping Exercises: Are the Threshold Learning Outcomes met?

The Chemistry Discipline Network has recently completed two distinct mapping exercises. The first is a snapshot of chemistry taught at 12 institutions around Australia in 2011. There were many similarities but also important differences in the content taught and assessed at different institutions. There were also significant differences in delivery, particularly laboratory contact hours, as well as forms and weightings of assessment. The second mapping exercise mapped the chemistry degrees at three institutions to the Threshold Learning Outcomes for chemistry. Importantly, some of the TLOs were addressed by multiple units at all institutions, while others were not met, or were met at an introductory level only. The exercise also exposed some challenges in using the TLOs as currently written.

Facebook for adults ? A longitudinal study of MBA student’s use of an enterprise social network for collaborative learning

The rapid pace of social media means that our understanding of the way in which it facilitates the learning process continues to lag. The findings of a longitudinal study of an executive MBA cohort over the period of eight months in their use of the social media application is presented. Over time the ownership and use of the Yammer site shifted to become student driven and facilitated. The motivations behind the site’s use, perceived advantages and disadvantages and changes in usage patterns are documented. The case provides a useful insight into the way in which students used this technology to facilitate their learning goals and how patterns of behaviour changed in response to the changing needs of the cohort.