Use of the web to provide learning support for a large metabolism and nutrition class

To support student learning in a large Metabolism and Nutrition class, we have introduced a web-based package, using a commercially available program, WebCT. The package was developed at a minimal cost and with limited resources. In addition to downloadable (PDF) versions of lecture Powerpoint presentations, tutorial outlines and a practical class exercise, web-based self-directed learning exercises were included to reinforce and extend lecture material in an active learning environment. The web-site also contained a variety of formative and summative assessment tasks that examined both factual recall and higher order thinking Detailed course information, timetables and a bulletin board were also readily accessible. Student usage of the site was generally high, but varied widely between individual students. Students who achieved a high overall score for the course completed on average three times as many formative assessment items and achieved a higher score for all tests than students who did poorly. Student feedback about the site was very positive with the majority of students reporting that the course material and assessment items that were available were useful to their learning. Administration of the course was also facilitated. (C) 2001 IUBMB. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring the learning potential of an artificial life simulation

CULTURE is an Artificial Life simulation that aims to provide primary school children with opportunities to become actively engaged in the high-order thinking processes of problem solving and critical thinking. A preliminary evaluation of CULTURE has found that it offers the freedom for children to take part in process-oriented learning experiences. Through providing children with opportunities to make inferences, validate results, explain discoveries and analyse situations, CULTURE encourages the development of high-order thinking skills. The evaluation found that CULTURE allows users to autonomously explore the important scientific concepts of life and living, and energy and change within a software environment that children find enjoyable and easy to use.

Extending Learning Opportunities through a virtual faculty

This paper presents the notion of a virtual faculty as a viable alternative to extending and maintaining learner opportunities for students in regional universities or at universities where specialisations in which they are interested may not be offered. Staff from a number of Australian Universities participated in a CUTSD project to explore the viability of establishing a virtual faculty using videoconferencing as the medium of delivery. The success of this project was the result of close collaboration at a number of levels within the participating institutions and a willingness to explore effective approaches to teaching and learning for a videoconference environment.

Preparing students for the virtual organisation: an evaluation of learning with virtual learning technologies

The paper explores the development of learning behaviours in a virtual management course and the factors that impacted on this development. Data suggest that most teams experienced three kinds of learning behaviours – social, operational and content learning. We propose that the need for technical expertise and team participation will vary during these different stages of learning. Addressing the characteristics of these stages, we comment on the development of a ‘completion phase’ of team development. We argue that the extent to which teams demonstrate different learning stages has a significant impact on the development of on-line learning behaviours. Discussing these results, we suggest why different teams develop distinct learning behaviours, with accordant emphasis on teaching as a moderating and co ordinating role, despite current virtual team pedagogical expectations.

Making distance learning E.R.O.T.I.C.: Applying interpretation principles to distance learning

Distance learners are self-directed learners traditionally taught via study books, collections of readings, and exercises to test understanding of learning packages. Despite advances in e-Learning environments and computer-based teaching interfaces, distance learners still lack opportunities to participate in exercises and debates available to classroom learners, particularly through non-text based learning techniques. Effective distance teaching requires flexible learning opportunities. Using arguments developed in interpretation literature, we argue that effective distance learning must also be Entertaining, Relevant, Organised, Thematic, Involving and Creative—E.R.O.T.I.C. (after Ham, 1992). We discuss an experiment undertaken with distance learners at The University of Queensland Gatton Campus, where we initiated an E.R.O.T.I.C. external teaching package aimed at engaging distance learners but using multimedia, including but not limited to text-based learning tools. Student responses to non-text media were positive.

A Feedback Learning and Mental Models Perspective on Strategic Decision Making

This study aims to be a contribution to a theoretical model that explains the effectiveness of the learning and decision-making processes by means of a feedback and mental models perspective. With appropriate mental models, managers should be able to improve their capacity to deal with dynamically complex contexts, in order to achieve long-term success. We present a set of hypotheses about the influence of feedback information and systems thinking facilitation on mental models and management performance. We explore, under controlled conditions, the role of mental models in terms of structure and behaviour. A test based on a simulation experiment with a system dynamics model was performed. Three out of the four hypotheses were confirmed. Causal diagramming positively influences mental model structure similarity, mental model structure similarity positively influences mental model behaviour similarity, and mental model behaviour similarity positively influences the quality of the decision.

A Feedback Learning and Mental Models Perspective on Strategic Decision Making

This study aims to be a contribution to a theoretical model that explains the effectiveness of the learning and decision-making processes by means of a feedback and mental models perspective. With appropriate mental models, managers should be able to improve their capacity to deal with dynamically complex contexts, in order to achieve long-term success. We present a set of hypotheses about the influence of feedback information and systems thinking facilitation on mental models and management performance. We explore, under controlled conditions, the role of mental models in terms of structure and behaviour. A test based on a simulation experiment with a system dynamics model was performed. Three out of the four hypotheses were confirmed. Causal diagramming positively influences mental model structure similarity, mental model structure similarity positively influences mental model behaviour similarity, and mental model behaviour similarity positively influences the quality of the decision

Integrating rich learning applications in LMS

Currently, a learning management system (LMS) plays a central role in any e-learning environment. These environments include systems to handle the pedagogic aspects of the teaching–learning process (e.g. specialized tutors, simulation games) and the academic aspects (e.g. academic management systems). Thus, the potential for interoperability is an important, although over looked, aspect of an LMS. In this paper, we make a comparative study of the interoperability level of the most relevant LMS. We start by defining an application and a specification model. For the application model, we create a basic application that acts as a tool provider for LMS integration. The specification model acts as the API that the LMS should implement to communicate with the tool provider. Based on researches, we select the Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) from IMS. Finally, we compare the LMS interoperability level defined as the effort made to integrate the application on the study LMS.

Tecnologias da informação e comunicação na formação continuada de professores: estudode caso em escolas do Brasil e Portugal com recursos e aplicação do Google+

Tese de Doutoramento em Ciências da Educação (área de especialização em Tecnologia Educativa)

O professor como construtor do currículo: integração da tecnologia em atividades de aprendizagem de matemática

O desenvolvimento profissional dos professores de matemática, por meio de progra¬mas nacionais e formações contínuas, deve proporcionar experiências que envolvam investigação, pensamento, planeamento, prática e reflexão. No caso da tecnologia, não nos devemos focar nas ferramentas em si, mas no modo como são usadas pelos docentes em contexto de sala de aula. Existem taxonomias de atividades de apren¬dizagem baseadas no conteúdo assentes na ideia do professor como construtor do currículo, que, para integrar com sucesso a tecnologia educativa nas aulas, desenvolve o conhecimento pedagógico e tecnológico do conteúdo (TPACK), e apresenta-se a de matemática. Desse modo, reflete-se, por meio de vários estudos nacionais e internacionais, que as tecnologias deverão ser usadas pelos professores de acordo com objetivos, conteúdos e pedagogias específicas para terem um efeito positivo na aprendizagem dos alunos sobre as atividades baseadas no conteúdo que melhor se enquadram com essas tecnologias.

Disseny i prototipatge d'un sistema d'events per a dispositius mòbils en el treball en grup

Un aspecte important dels sistemes online de treball en grup és l'anomenat "awarenness", és a dir mantenir informats els membres del grup de tot allò que ocorre en l'espai de grup. La premissa és que si els membres del grup estan informats sobre el que passa dins l'espai del grup, com ara lectura de documents, modificació de documents, nous documents, noves fites del calendari, etc., doncs això pot incrementar la productivitat del grup i per tant els resultats acadèmics. Aquest enfocament ja s'aplica en sistemes web. Aquest projecte tractaria d'estudiar com estendre aquest model a dispositius mòbils per tal d'aplicar així el paradigma "anytime, anywhere", és a dir estar informat en tot moment i en qualsevol lloc.

Disseny i prototipatge d'un programari per l'ús dels dispositius mòbils en l'aprenentatge online

L'objectiu d'aquest projecte és crear una aplicació per dispositius mòbils que permeti interactuar amb Moodle, un entorn d'aprenentatge en línia. Actualment s'ha estès molt els smartphones, i cada vegada hi ha més gent connectada al mon web les 24h amb aquests aparells. I s'estan acostumant a rebre alertes cada vegada que reben un correu, un tweet, un missatge a Facebook... lo que fa que la gent estigui sempre assabentada de tot en qualsevol lloc i moment.

iCompound : una aplicació per l'estudi de la química sobre iOS

El treball de final de carrera és la culminació de molts anys d'estudi, i una oportunitat excel·lent de posar en pràctica molts dels coneixements adquirits. A més, poder treballar en l'àrea que ocupa (disseny d'aplicacions per iOS), ha estat la millor oportunitat per intentar crear una eina de qualitat per aquelles persones que, essent usuaris de dispositius mòbils d'Apple (iPhone, iPod, iPad), i estant lligats (d'una manera o altre) al món de la química, vulguin tenir a la seva disposició una aplicació que els ajudi a resoldre petits problemes lligats a aquesta disciplina científica.