Enhancing learning beyond the classroom: blogging and other social networking tools

Blogging has become one of the key ingredients of the so-called socials networks. This phenomenon has indeed invaded the world of education. Connections between people, comments on each other posts, and assessment of innovation are usually interesting characteristics of blogs related to students and scholars. Blogs have become a kind of new form of authority, bringing about (divergent) discussions which lead to creation of knowledge. The use of blogs as an innovative, educational tool is not at all new. However, their use in universities is not very widespread yet. Blogging for personal affairs is rather commonplace, but blogging for professional affairs – teaching, research and service, is scarce, despite the availability of ready-to-use, free tools. Unfortunately, Information Society has not reached yet enough some universities: not only are (student) blogs scarcely used as an educational tool, but it is quite rare to find a blog written by University professors. The Institute of Computational Chemistry of the University of Girona and the Department of Chemistry of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona has joined forces to create “InnoCiència”, a new Group on Digital Science Communitation. This group, formed by ca. ten researchers, has promoted the use of blogs, twitters. wikis and other tools of Web 2.0 in activities in Catalonia concerning the dissemination of Science, like Science Week, Open Day or Researchers’ Night. Likewise, its members promote use of social networking tools in chemistry- and communication-related courses. This communication explains the outcome of social-network experiences with teaching undergraduate students and organizing research communication events. We provide live, hands-on examples and interactive ground to show how blogs and twitters can be used to enhance the yield of teaching and research. Impact of blogging and other social networking tools on the outcome of the learning process is very depending on the target audience and the environmental conditions. A few examples are provided and some proposals to use these techniques efficiently to help students are hinted

La Investigación didáctica y su influencia a la hora de determinar, por ejemplo, los factores influyentes en los niveles de comprensión lectora en el periodo de consolidación de esta habilidad lingüística

La comprensión lectora se ha convertido en uno de los principales temas de estudio en el ámbito educativo, tanto por la complejidad de los procesos y habilidades implicados como por la importancia que tiene en la adquisición de contenidos escolares. En los alumnos, la comprensión de la lengua escrita es fundamental para su proceso madurativo, ya que es la vía principal de adquisición de conocimientos. Todos los alumnos deben asimilar diariamente cantidad de información a través de textos escritos. Cada día más, los profesionales de la enseñanza se preocupan por las dificultades que sus alumnos tienen en la lectura de textos, motivadas básicamente por su bajo nivel de competencia lingüística, aspecto en el que coinciden numerosos estudios

Reflexiones metodológicas sobre el proceso de investigación didáctica

El Proyecto Interuniversitario APILE (Aprendizaje Inicial de la Lengua Escrita), Las condiciones del aprendizaje inicial de la lengua escrita: influencia de las prácticas vigentes en el aula y de los conocimientos previos de los alumnos (SEJ 2006/05292) tiene como objetivo general analizar la relación que existe entre el conocimiento que los niños poseen sobre la lengua escrita, antes de comenzar su enseñanza y aprendizaje formal, y las prácticas docentes que encuentran en la escuela con el fin de identificar las condiciones más idóneas para que ese aprendizaje inicial de la lectura y la escritura se realice con éxito

Medición de los niveles de apropiación de las TIC en los profesores de la Universidad del Rosario

En el plan de desarrollo integral 2004 – 2019 la universidad tiene como objetivo integrar diferentes tecnologías de información y comunicación en los ejes misionales de docencia, investigación y extensión, propiciando un cambio cultural progresivo de la comunidad rosarista. (pag.59); Es por esto que la universidad desea saber el nivel de conocimiento y competencia tecnológica de los docentes. Así las cosas, la Universidad busca que con su plan de desarrollo integral se forme al profesor en esa cultura, siendo este competente con la tecnología de la información para lograr ejercer satisfactoriamente su cátedra, en el contexto en que dicho plan desea integrar las diferentes tecnologías de información y comunicación, a fin de generar un apoyo a los procesos de los docentes a nivel curricular, optimizando el uso de plataformas educativa en la labor pedagógica

Començant pel començament: la pregunta d'investigació. Anàlisi del procés d’aprenentatge dels investigadors novells en didàctica de la llengua i la literatura

En la nova estructura derivada de l’EEES la formació d’investigadors en l’àmbit universitari s’organitza a través dels màsters de recerca, configurats com a període de formació dels programes de doctorat. En l’àrea de la didàctica de la llengua i la literatura (DLL), la Universitat de Barcelona ofereix, des del curs 2007-08, un màster de recerca adreçat a la formació d’investigadors capaços d'analitzar els processos i les relacions d’ensenyament-aprenentatge que es produeixen a les classes de llengua i literatura, d’aportar elements de crítica i de reflexió a la pràctica educativa, i d’elaborar i aplicar eines i recursos d’avaluació dels aprenentatges lingüístics i literaris

Uso da Internet na elaboração do trabalho de conclusão de curso pelos alunos de Enfermagem

A enfermagem se destaca como consumidora de tecnologia em diversos contextos: ensino, pesquisa e assistência. Como os alunos do curso de Enfermagem utilizam a internet para o processo de produção de Trabalhos de Conclusão de Curso (TCC)? Com o intuito de responder a essa questão e compreender melhor como a internet vem sendo utilizada na construção dos TCC dos alunos de Enfermagem, este trabalho tem os seguintes objetivos: avaliar a utilização da internet na elaboração de TCC; investigar o uso da internet por esses; identificar as bases de dados utilizadas; levantar as principais dificuldades e/ou facilidades; e descrever como a internet é usada para buscar a literatura produzida. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo, seccional, com abordagem quantitativa, desenvolvido em duas instituições de ensino superior em Teresina – Piauí, sendo uma de caráter privado e outra de caráter público. A pesquisa teve como amostragem os alunos de Enfermagem do 8º período das duas instituições. É relevante considerar que o acesso democrático e a falta de conhecimento frente à internet ainda são realidade em nossa sociedade, o que nos remete à necessidade de implementar estratégias de educação relacionadas à utilização da internet como ferramenta para a construção do conhecimento em saúde e enfermagem.

Evolving definition of sociomuseology : proposal for reflection

Sociomuseology expresses a considerable amount of the effort made to suit museological facilities to the conditions of contemporary society. The process of opening up the museum, as well as its organic relation with the social context that infuses it with life, has resulted in the need to structure and clarify the relations, notions and concepts that may define this process. Sociomuseology is thus a scientific field of teaching, research and performance which emphasizes the articulation of museology, in particular, with the areas of knowledge covered by Human Sciences, Development Studies, Services Science, and Urban and Rural Planning. The multidisciplinary approach of Sociomuseology aims to strengthen the acknowledgement of museology as a resource for the sustainable development of Humanity, based on equal opportunities as well as social and economic inclusion. Sociomuseology bases its social intervention on mankind’s cultural and natural heritage, both tangible and intangible. What characterizes Sociomuseology is not so much the nature of its premises and its goals, as is the case with other areas of knowledge, but the interdisciplinary focus which makes it draw on perfectly consolidated areas of knowledge and relate them with Museology itself.

A sociologia da educação na formação de professores : potencialidades e limitações

Este estudo, com o título “A sociologia da educação na formação de professores”: potencialidades e limitações tem como principal objetivo, analisar as dificuldades que os professores revelam em mobilizar conhecimentos da disciplina sociologia da educação na sua prática pedagógica. Para realizá-lo, utilizaram-se as abordagens qualitativa e quantitativa. O que permitiu constatar que na formação inicial da educação superior destes professores, os conteúdos mais presentes durante a ministração da disciplina sociologia da educação foram as teorias sociológicas no campo da educação, com base no consenso e também com base no conflito. Mais de 50% dos professores da amostra declararam que durante o desenvolvimento da disciplina sociologia da educação foram proporcionadas atividades que oportunizassem ao aluno o ensino, a pesquisa e a extensão. Em relação à prática docente, cerca de 69,70% não têm tempo para planejar as aulas na escola.

KNIME: the Konstanz Information Miner

The Konstanz Information Miner is a modular environment which enables easy visual assembly and interactive execution of a data pipeline. It is designed as a teaching, research and collaboration platform, which enables easy integration of new algorithms, data manipulation or visualization methods as new modules or nodes. In this paper we describe some of the design aspects of the underlying architecture and briefly sketch how new nodes can be incorporated.

Comparative and international education: policy transfer, context sensitivity and professional development

This paper examines the intellectual and professional contribution of comparative and international studies to the field of education. It explores the nature of the challenges that are currently being faced, and assesses its potential for the advancement of future teaching, research and professional development. Attention is paid to the place of comparative and international education (CIE)-past and present-in teacher education, in postgraduate studies, and in the realms of policy and practice, theory and research. Consideration is first given to the nature and history of CIE, to its initial contributions to the field of education in the UK, and to its chief mechanisms and sites of production. Influential methodological and theoretical developments are examined, followed by an exploration of emergent questions, controversies and dilemmas that could benefit from sustained comparative analysis in the future. Conclusions consider implications for the place of CIE in the future of educational studies as a whole; for relations between and beyond the 'disciplines of education'; and for the development of sustainable research capacity in this field.

Exploring the relationship between listening development and strategy use

This paper reports on an investigation into the development of the listening proficiency and strategic behaviour of 15 lower-intermediate learners of French in England. We consider whether listeners remain in the same listening proficiency group after six months, and whether changes in strategy use are related to movement or non-movement between listening proficiency groups. We also examine whether learners’ strategic behaviour reflects their teachers’ approaches to listening. Data were gathered at two time points from a recall protocol which learners completed after listening to short passages and from verbal reports made by learners while they completed a multiple choice listening task. Teacher interviews provided information on how listening had been presented in learners' classrooms. We detected little movement by students across the listening proficiency groups between the two time points. In spite of some changes in frequency of strategy use, we also observed stability in manner of use by some learners. Differences in strategy use were more evident between groups (non-movers, improvers and decliners) than between uses from Time 1 to Time 2. We conclude by discussing the pedagogical implications of these findings.

The effects of word exposure frequency and elaboration of word processing on incidental L2 vocabulary acquisition through reading

Research on incidental second language (L2) vocabulary acquisition through reading has claimed that repeated encounters with unfamiliar words and the relative elaboration of processing these words facilitate word learning. However, so far both variables have been investigated in isolation. To help close this research gap, the current study investigates the differential effects of the variables ‘word exposure frequency’ and ‘elaboration of word processing’ on the initial word learning and subsequent word retention of advanced learners of L2 English. Whereas results showed equal effects for both variables on initial word learning, subsequent word retention was more contingent on elaborate processing of form–meaning relationships than on word frequency. These results, together with those of the studies reviewed, suggest that processing words again after reading (input–output cycles) is superior to reading-only tasks. The findings have significant implications for adaptation and development of teaching materials that enhance L2 vocabulary learning.

The impact of overseas training on curriculum innovation and change in English language education in Western China

This article assesses the impact of a UK-based professional development programme on curriculum innovation and change in English Language Education (ELE) in Western China. Based on interviews, focus group discussions and observation of a total of 48 English teachers who had participated in an overseas professional development programme influenced by modern approaches to education and ELE, and 9 of their colleagues who had not taken part, it assesses the uptake of new approaches on teachers’ return to China. Interviews with 10 senior managers provided supplementary data. Using Diffusion of Innovations Theory as the conceptual framework, we examine those aspects of the Chinese situation that are supportive of change and those that constrain innovation. We offer evidence of innovation in classroom practice on the part of returnees and ‘reinvention’ of the innovation to ensure a better fit with local needs. The key role of course participants as opinion leaders in the diffusion of new ideas is also explored. We conclude that the selective uptake of this innovation is under way and likely to be sustained against a background of continued curriculum reform in China.

Contextualisation and authenticity in TBLT: voices from Chinese classrooms

In view of ongoing debates about the future of TBLT in EFL contexts (Thomas & Reinders, 2015; Zheng & Borg, 2014), we present a detailed case study of teacher beliefs and practices regarding TBLT conducted in a secondary school in mainland China with a long history of communicative and task-based teaching approaches. We used a mixed-methods approach to gather a broad range of triangulated data, combining individual interviews, material analysis and observations coded using a novel task-focused version of the COLT scheme (Littlewood, 2011; Spada & Fröhlich, 1995). Quantitative and qualitative findings revealed positive beliefs about TBLT principles in general, reflecting strong institutional support for communicative teaching. However, there was marked variability between beliefs and practices in using tasks, especially with beginner-level learners. Most teachers demonstrated an intrinsic lack of confidence in using tasks as more than a communicative ‘add-on’ to standard form-focused teaching. We argue this demonstrates a need for building teacher autonomy (Aoki, 2002; Benson, 2007), in implementing TBLT, even in supportive settings, to support successful authentic contextualising TBLT principles in different EFL contexts.

Uma avaliação estratégica da situação de crise e mudança das universidades federais brasileiras

Este trabalho de dissertação trata da administração universitária na área do governo federal. A pesquisa realizada investiga a situação de crise e mudança das Universidades Federais Brasileiras, através de três instmmentos: pesquisa bibliográfica que compõe a base teórica da investigação; entrevistas tendo como amostra a opinião de dirigentes universitários das Universidades Federais localizadas no Rio de Janeiro, quais sejam: Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro: Universidade Federal Fluminense: Universidade do Rio de Janeiro e Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro; e um questionário fechado contendo questões pontuais sobre a situação de crise das Universidades Federais Brasileiras, também aplicado ao mesmo gmpo entrevistado. O estudo realizado aborda questões relevantes para a compreensão da crise nestas instituições tais como: missão das Universidades Federais Brasileiras; Ensino, Pesquisa e Extensão e sua indissociabilidade; a relação Governo - Universidades Federias Brasileiras: a relação Universidade -Sociedade; diferenças entre ensino superior público e privado no país; a questão da gratuidade nas Universidades Federais no Brasil; a massificação do ensino superior; a questão do corporativismo; a autonomia universitária, e as avaliações do sistema federal de ensino superior no país. Finalmente, um enfoque conclusivo avalia a situação de crise e a necessidade efetiva de implementar mudanças.