Guiding e-learning: introducing online informal learning to a global voluntary organisation

The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) is the umbrella organisation for Member Organisations from 145 countries around the world, with a total membership of ten million. While Member Organisations offer training and development within their own countries, WAGGGS offers international opportunities. This project seeks to explore how technology can be used to offer similar opportunities to those provided by the face-to-face courses to a much wider audience, while retaining the community and interactive learning aspects of the existing programmes.

Who are with us: MOOC learners on a FutureLearn course

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) attract learners with a variety of backgrounds. Engaging them using game development was trialled in a beginner���s programming course, ���Begin programming: build your first mobile game���, on FutureLearn platform. The course has completed two iterations: first in autumn 2013 and second in spring 2014 with thousands of participants. This paper explores the characteristics of learner groups attracted by these two consecutive runs of the course and their perceptions of the course using pre- and post-course surveys. Recommendations for practitioners are offered, including when the audience is different to the one expected. A MOOC is unlikely to please everyone, especially with such large cohorts. Nevertheless, this course, using game development as a vehicle to teach programming, seems to have offered a balanced learning experience to a diverse group of learners. However, MOOC creators and facilitators should accept that a course cannot be made to please everyone and try to communicate clearly who the intended audience for the course are.

The use of ICT by adults with learning disabilities in day and residential services

The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) by adults with learning disabilities has been positively promoted over the past decade. More recently, policy statements and guidance from the UK government have underlined the importance of ICT for adults with learning disabilities specifically, as well as for the population in general, through the potential it offers for social inclusion. The aim of the present study was to provide a picture of how ICT is currently being used within one organisation providing specialist services for adults with learning disabilities and more specifically to provide a picture of its use in promoting community participation. Nine day and 14 residential services were visited as part of a qualitative study to answer three main questions: What kinds of computer programs are being used? What are they being used for? Does this differ between day and residential services? Computers and digital cameras were used for a wide range of activities and ���mainstream��� programs were used more widely than those developed for specific user groups. In day services, ICT was often embedded in wider projects and activities, whilst use in houses was based around leisure interests. In both contexts, ICT was being used to facilitate communication, although this was more linked to within-service activities, rather than those external to service provision.

Aplica����o do modelo all-or-none em condi����es de aquisi����o de associa����o aos pares

O presente estudo teve por objetivo submeter a nova verifica����o experimental o modelo "all-or-none" de aprendizagem de pares-associados, em que as associa����es est��mulo resposta s��o formadas inteiramente em uma ��nica tentativa. Justifica o presente trabalho a necessidade de estudos na ��rea da teoria da aprendizagem, a fim de fornecer subs��dios para uma tecnologia educacional. A hip��tese testada foi a de que a probabilidade de uma associa����o se efetuar �� constante para qualquer n��mero de treinos anteriores. Foram testados 100 sujeitos de classe de alfabetiza����o, divididos em 5 grupos, com 5 n��veis de refor��amentos e 5 grupos de itens. Foi usado um esquema de quadrados latinos, combinando tr��s fatores em cinco n��veis cada um: 1 - n��mero de refor��amentos, 2 - grupo de itens e 3 - grupo de sujeitos. A an��lise dos resultados levou �� aceita����o da hip��tese de que a aprendizagem ��, em ess��ncia, all-or-none.

Contribui����es ao uso de novas tecnologias da informa����o e comunica����o no ensino de engenharia

Neste trabalho, descreve-se o processo de produ����o de tecnologias educacionais e de Tecnologias da Informa����o e Comunica����o (TICs), relacionando-as ao uso do ensino em Engenharia Geot��cnica. Desenvolveu-se um sistema de informa����o baseado num modelo que integra recursos educacionais produzidos em diferentes formatos eletr��nicos e um software baseado na Web para gest��o destes recursos e das informa����es da disciplina Funda����es. O software, denominado ENGEO, auxilia a estrutura����o do conhecimento envolvido no dom��nio de aplica����o, fornecendo ao professor, ou equipe de gest��o, ferramentas remotas de administra����o dos conte��dos e dos recursos educacionais. Aos alunos, a aplica����o ENGEO fornece disponibilidade de informa����es e de conte��do em um ambiente flex��vel. Este aplicativo foi desenvolvido para o curso de Engenharia Geot��cnica, particularizado para Engenharia de Funda����es, com o objetivo de introduzir e incentivar a utiliza����o de sistemas baseados na Web para compartilhamento de conte��do das disciplinas, implementar Tecnologias de Informa����o e Comunica����o em aplica����es para fins educacionais e fomentar discuss��es a respeito da identidade e perfil do Engenheiro e o papel da TICs no processo de forma����o do profissional de Engenharia.

Inclus��o digital: a inser����o das tecnologias informacionais nas escolas p��blicas da RMNatal

This study aims to determine the influence of Digital Inclusion in school performance of students from public high school in the metropolitan area of Natal, through the use of computers in a pedagogical and Internet use.Throughout the paper we try to answer the question: The pedagogical use of computers connected to the Internet contributes to improving the academic performance of students in public schools in the RMNatal? To answer the research question, we focus on the database INEP on the infrastructure of schools and the bank rates of school performance. For both technical procedures performed to obtain the relationship between Internet and School Performance. Then the School Settings have been configured for Digital Inclusion and made crosses with the approval rates, distortion and failure. The survey results indicate that according to the classification established in: Included in School Settings, School Settings deficit, Adverse Environments School and School Settings Deleted, which has prevailed in the metropolitan area of Natal are the schools that are provided outside.

O computador no ensino de l��gnua inglesa no CEFET/RN

The present study has as goal to analyze the aplicability of the computational technology as mediator in the english-speaking teaching in the Centro Federal de Educa����o Tecnol��gica do Rio Grande do Norte-CEFET/RN. The object of study was centered in the use of the computer incorporated in the teaching of English by four institution groups. The research was ruled metodologically in the study of case, adopting a qualitative and quantitative boarding of interpretative-reflexive mark. We support ourselves on a bibliographical literature revision that cares of the use of the computational technology matter into the class-room, aiming an education new practice, regarding the current reality conceptions in what we live in the technological education. We also use a referencial for a pedagogical action, trying to offer subsidies for a practice that provides the knowledges generation through the interaction, aiming a subject reflexive and critical education. For materialization of this study, we used esrutuctured action, as interviews for the teachers and students, besides the observations of the dayly in class-room, in order to get the necessary datas for analysis. During this study, we oserved that the use of the computer, while pedagogical support instrument in the english-speaking teaching, has acted like mediator of the teaching-learning process. The results demonstrate use of the computer use has been each more a practice adopted by other institution languages teachers. The conclusions confirm the hypothesis showed at the beginning of the work and evidence that the teachers are warden of forming thinking, reflexive and critical subjects. For that, they need to be prepared to face situations in which they can take the pedagogical practice to tune with the technological advances, consequently providing an effective technological education

Construindo um modelo de refer��ncia ao despertar do interesse dos sujeitos em projetos educativos em ambiente on-line

This dissertation was written for the making of a model to be used as reference to the construction and diagnoses of educational projects in on-line environments. The model approaches a series of characteristics, technical and humans, which if considered can increase the potential of awake the interests to the active use of these projects for the students and build conditions to the development of an active posture by the students, fundamental factor to the educational advances. Focused in the students, not in the technology in use, we propose this model as a guide, reference to be used in a critical way in relation with every educational context. This research was made from the qualitative category, trough the method of study of case, using as reference to the analysis the use of the website guanabara.info - website outside of the school context - by it users, heard through the internet, by the use of semi-opened interview, in a data taken of the primary type. We follow as theoretical references Paulo Freire��s work, considering his vision of education and the building of knowledge as a process which occurs between man, and Celest��n Freinet, in his pedagogy of humanized and critical insertion of the technologies in the school. At the end, we show the practical utilization of the model constructed using it for the diagnostics of an educational project in the on-line educational environmental moodle

Podcast na educa����o brasileira: natureza, potencialidades e implica����es de uma tecnologia da comunica����o

This thesis aims to build a panoramic analysis with the intention of providing the theoretical initial a thought articulated educational of podcast, a technology orality distributed demand. This joint search considering the various spheres that educational technology in Brazilian use, both in school and non-school contexts, including scenarios and distance. This study unites questions addressed piecemeal in the area to new perspectives about the podcast, in order to characterize its nature, examining such technology from a perspective of educational technology itself, as well as unveiling its main potentials and implications. The survey was conducted from the combined use of quantitative and qualitative categories, with emphasis on the last one. The method of participant observation was followed by immersion of the researcher in the audience groups of Brazilians podcasts. Data collection with sources held in non-school contexts, from a look at targeted interactions given the blogs of Brazilian productions, as well as from open-ended interviews with producers - made online - besides giving themselves from the hearing itself about five hundred podcasts of Brazil. In the school context, the research focused on a literature review of the literature of the study area. Were added to the corpus described statistics derived mainly from "Podpesquisa 2009," Numerical major survey on the use of podcasts in Brazil. The articulation and analysis of the collected data, we used the concept of Education Paulo Freire (1971, 1987), so that, understanding it as synonymous to communication - understood this concept in Freire - were able to reveal the various ramifications educational podcast Brazilian atmosphere permeated by a dialogic between its participants. Moreover, the ideas of C��lestin Freinet (1998) about the cooperation, while education practice, conducted the analyzes productive technology addressed in this work. The philosophical thought of Andrew Feenberg (2003) on the notion of "technologies" buoyed technological design elaborate. Such consideration provided the foundation for the reflections and proposals offered in this study, which, in the characterization of the oral nature of the podcast - especially their version for the deaf - appropriated the placements Luis Antonio Marcuschi (2001) about the relationship between orality and writing. In addition to these references, several other authors were considered, dealing with issues that pervade the theme here delimited, contemplating discussions on topics such as educational interest, online production, inclusive education, among other aspects. At the end, there was the podcast as a technology, while still reproducing social asymmetries Brazilian fairly directed at promoting mitigations hierarchical and open production in digital orality promotes. In view of its technical and educational implications in national use, the technology study has revealed potential relevant to the sophistication of teaching practices with orality, in various contexts, and proved adequate to serve as a motto to the revision of school practices, to even the very role of the school. This, by the prospects unveiled here, can, through the podcast, mitigate their questions reproductivist to constitute themselves as under privileged communication, boosted by critical rescue and sophistication of management through the most basic education component: speech

Por tr��s de links, sempre existem pessoas: o anonimato como fator de pertencimento no uso de redes sociais on-line em projetos educacionais

The thesis investigated how social networks online that allows anonymous postings can be used by teachers and students to promote the meeting between the sexual education and the needs and expectations of young people face a crosscutting theme, remarkably a taboo. It needs teaching strategies more efficient than those traditionally defended. With this experience, found in a short course about sexuality and health, we sought to go beyond the use of social networks for social entertainment, showing they can be an field that favors the process of teaching and learning. The research was based on the convergence of the communication concepts from Paulo Frere and another from J��rgen Habermas, as well as the philosophical concepts of utopia, ideology and dialectic are interrelated not only among themselves, but also inside an education field. Methodologically in this thesis, we adopted the category of qualitative research; the method is a combination of case study with action research. The technique was the use of questionnaires, data collection was in attendance and the types of data were primary. Finally, we present, then, the idea the communication is not in the middle, but in the trusty relationship established between the interlocutors. In this way, we can think when a student has met their need to be able answer his questions about sex with their teacher through an online social network that allows anonymity and through which the student knows who responds is their teacher, but the teacher can not distinguish the identity of his students, this dialogic relationship serves to get claims of the validity that are characterized as potential communicative action

Tecnologia educacional no contexto do ensino de histologia: pesquisa e desenvolvimento de um ambiente virtual de ensino e aprendizagem

Discutem-se as mudan��as constatadas no ensino da Histologia, como a tecnologia tem sido empregada nos contextos de aprendizagem, os aspectos pedag��gicos inerentes �� utiliza����o de recursos, tais como atlas digitais e microsc��pios virtuais, e apresenta-se pesquisa sobre o desenvolvimento de um ambiente virtual de ensino-aprendizagem de Histologia, que contou com a participa����o de alunos e professores em sua constru����o. Verificou-se que os ambientes virtuais e outros recursos did��ticos baseados nas Tecnologias da Informa����o e da Comunica����o (TICs) procuram atender �� atual tend��ncia de complementar a educa����o presencial com ferramentas de educa����o a dist��ncia, que podem ser utilizadas facultativamente no estudo extraclasse continuado. Concluiu-se que, embora as novas tecnologias possam contribuir para o ensino de Histologia, os materiais did��ticos baseados em TICs devem se adequar ��s expectativas docentes e discentes e aos aspectos pedag��gicos e ergon��micos, e precisam ser adotados pelos professores n��o como ferramentas isoladas, mas integrados ��s estrat��gias de ensino- -aprendizagem

Comparing the Teaching-Learning Process With and Without the Use of Computerized Technological Resources

Computerized technological resources have become essential in education, particularly for teaching topics that require the performance of specific tasks. These resources can effectively help the execution of such tasks and the teaching-learning process itself. After the development of a Web site on the topic of nursing staff scheduling, this study aimed at comparing the development of students involved in the teaching-learning process of the previously mentioned topic, with and without the use of computer technology. Two random groups of undergraduate nursing students from a public university in S��o Paulo state, Brazil, were organized: a case group (used the Web site) and a control group (did not use the Web site). Data were collected from 2003 to 2005 after approval by the Research Ethics Committee. Results showed no significant difference in motivation or knowledge acquisition. A similar performance for the two groups was also verified. Other aspects observed were difficulty in doing the nursing staff scheduling exercise and the students' acknowledgment of the topic's importance for their training and professional lives; easy access was considered to be a positive aspect for maintaining the Web site.