Engaging students in an e-learning experience : how to manage information resources through wikis and web blogs

The purpose of this paper is to describe the collaboration between librarians and scholars, from a virtual university, in order to facilitate collaborative learning on how to manage information resources. The personal information behaviour of e-learning students when managing information resources for academic, professional and daily life purposes was studied from 24 semi-structured face-to-face interviews. The results of the content analysis of the interview' transcriptions, highlighted that in the workplace and daily life contexts, competent information behaviour is always linked to a proactive attitude, that is to say, that participants seek for information without some extrinsic reward or avoiding punishment. In the academic context, it was observed a low level of information literacy and it seems to be related with a prevalent uninvolved attitude.

Faculty-librarians collaboration in an e-learning experience : resources management and training in Open University of Catalonia (UOC)

The traditional model of learning based on knowledge transfer doesn't promote the acquisition of information-related competencies and development of autonomous learning. More needs to be done to embrace learner-centred approaches, based on constructivism, collaboration and co-operation. This new learning paradigm is aligned with the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) requirements. In this sense, a learning experience based in faculty' librarian collaboration was seen as the best option for promoting student engagement and also a way to increase information-related competences in Open University of Catalonia (UOC) academic context. This case study outlines the benefits of teacher-librarian collaboration in terms of pedagogy innovation, resources management and introduction of open educational resources (OER) in virtual classrooms, Information literacy (IL) training and use of 2.0 tools in teaching. Our faculty-librarian's collaboration aims to provide an example of technology-enhanced learning and demonstrate how working together improves the quality and relevance of educational resources in UOC's virtual classrooms. Under this new approach, while teachers change their role from instructors to facilitators of the learning process and extend their reach to students, libraries acquire an important presence in the academic learning communities.

Engaging students in an e-learning experience : how to manage information resources through wikis and web blogs

The purpose of this paper is to describe the collaboration between librarians and scholars, from a virtual university, in order to facilitate collaborative learning on how to manage information resources. The personal information behaviour of e-learning students when managing information resources for academic, professional and daily life purposes was studied from 24 semi-structured face-to-face interviews. The results of the content analysis of the interview' transcriptions, highlighted that in the workplace and daily life contexts, competent information behaviour is always linked to a proactive attitude, that is to say, that participants seek for information without some extrinsic reward or avoiding punishment. In the academic context, it was observed a low level of information literacy and it seems to be related with a prevalent uninvolved attitude.

Tensión Creativa aplicada al Análisis de Competencias a Alumnos de Ingeniería

This article reflects the analysis of personal and social competences through the study and analysis of creative tensión in engineering students, using a computer application called Cycloid. The main objective was to compare the students' creative tensión by asigning them the task of being the project leader of a given project: their own university major. The process consisted of evaluating, through special surveys, a group of students to know the current situation of competences, using fuzzy logic analysis. From this self-knowledge, provided by the survey, students can know their strong and weak characteristics regarding their study habits. Results showed that tolerance to stress and to language courses are the weaker points. This application is useful for the design of study strategies that students themselves can do to better face their courses

Combining Generic Programming and Service-Oriented Architectures for the Effective and Timely Development of Complex e-Learning Systems

Peer-reviewed

An Experimental Study on Peer Selection in a P2P Network over PlanetLab

Peer-reviewed

Reflective Learning in Higher Education: A Comparative Analysis

A descriptive, exploratory study is presented based on a questionnaire regarding the following aspects of reflective learning: a) self-knowledge, b) relating experience to knowledge, c) self-reflection, and d) self-regulation of the learning processes. The questionnaire was completed by students studying four different degree courses (social education, environmental sciences, nursing, and psychology). Specifically, the objectives of a self-reported reflective learning questionnaire are: i) to determine students’ appraisal of reflective learning methodology with regard to their reflective learning processes, ii) to obtain evidence of the main difficulties encountered by students in integrating reflective learning methodologies into their reflective learning processes, and iii) to collect students’ perceptions regarding the main contributions of the reflective learning processes they have experienced

Design, development and assessment of the Java Intelligent Tutoring System

The "Java Intelligent Tutoring System" (JITS) research project focused on designing, constructing, and determining the effectiveness of an Intelligent Tutoring System for beginner Java programming students at the postsecondary level. The participants in this research were students in the School of Applied Computing and Engineering Sciences at Sheridan College. This research involved consistently gathering input from students and instructors using JITS as it developed. The cyclic process involving designing, developing, testing, and refinement was used for the construction of JITS to ensure that it adequately meets the needs of students and instructors. The second objective in this dissertation determined the effectiveness of learning within this environment. The main findings indicate that JITS is a richly interactive ITS that engages students on Java programming problems. JITS is equipped with a sophisticated personalized feedback mechanism that models and supports each student in his/her learning style. The assessment component involved 2 main quantitative experiments to determine the effectiveness of JITS in terms of student performance. In both experiments it was determined that a statistically significant difference was achieved between the control group and the experimental group (i.e., JITS group). The main effect for Test (i.e., pre- and postiest), F( l , 35) == 119.43,p < .001, was qualified by a Test by Group interaction, F( l , 35) == 4.98,p < .05, and a Test by Time interaction, F( l , 35) == 43.82, p < .001. Similar findings were found for the second experiment; Test by Group interaction revealed F( 1 , 92) == 5.36, p < .025. In both experiments the JITS groups outperformed the corresponding control groups at posttest.

Instructor support for self-directed learning in higher education

This study addressed the problem of instructor support for self-directed learning, specifically, learner-directed program planning, within a classroom setting in higher education. A combination of survey, interview, document analysis, and observation was used to assess and evaluate the attitudes and practices of a sample of full-time faculty at an Ontario university. Eighty-seven percent of the study sample reported instructional beliefs, values, and expectations that were not supportive of self-directed learning, especially in terms of student participation in program planning. Planning was seen as the responsibility of the instructor. Instructors were least open to student participation in the planning of the evaluation of learning. However, there was considerable stated support for other of the basic principles of adult education. The remaining 13% of the study sample reported instructional beliefs, values, and expectations that were fully supportive of self-directed learning. Instructional practices were analyzed in relation to the instructors' stated beliefs. Although practices reflected, in many instances, instructors' statements of support, there were some significant discrepancies between apparent support for the concept of self-directed learning and actual classroom practice. Both beliefs and practice were compared to a research model of self-directed learning. Most instructors did not have a concept of self-directed learning as comprehensive as that described in the research model. Instructor support for self-directed learning was profoundly influenced by the university setting. It was concluded that more strenuous attempts to research, enhance, and promote instructional and institutional support for self-directed learning in higher education are warranted.

Un Cas pràctic: entrevista dels estudiants a Javier Cercas

L’Espai Europeu d’Educació Superior (EEES) centra el procés d’ensenyament/aprenentatge en l’alumne. En aquest marc, adquireix una gran rellevància la planificació de la docència. Aquesta exigeix definir les competències així com la proposta d’activitats a partir de la qual l’alumne ha d’assolir-les. Per tant, per un bon desenvolupament del procés d’ensenyament/aprenentatge es fa necessària la participació activa de l’estudiant. En aquest sentit, aconseguir mantenir el seu interès durant tot el curs és un repte per al professor. En aquesta comunicació el nostre objectiu és donar a conèixer una experiència —del tot satisfactòria, segons la nostra opinió— portada a terme a l’assignatura de Tècniques d’Expressió Oral i Escrita (TEOE), per la qual ha resultat decisiva la implicació activa dels estudiants. Aquesta assignatura es porta a terme a la Facultat de Lletres. Té com a objectiu treballar les competències transversals d’aprofundiment de l’expressió oral i escrita i la lectura crítica. Hi participen estudiants de primer curs de tots els estudis de la facultat. A més a més compta també amb la presència d’estudiants Erasmus i, en aquesta ocasió, també d’un alumne del Programa de la formació universitària per a la gent gran. Tot això provoca que els interessos de l’alumnat siguin molt diversos i fa imprescindible recórrer a estratègies docents per fer sentir a l’alumne responsable d’un projecte comú. Una dificultat afegida de l’assignatura és que tracta qüestions que molts alumnes perceben com a ja assolides, un déjà vu. Es tracta, doncs, de tornar a treballar qüestions que no canvien (llegir i escriure un text) en un món cada vegada més canviant. La llengua vehicular de l’assignatura ha estat el castellà

Immersió lingüística, cultural i acadèmica per a estudiants de Telecomunicació

L’Escola Tècnica Superior d’Enginyers de Telecomunicació (ETSET) de la Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) promou la mobilitat dels seus estudiants i professors, no només a través de programes nacionals –SICUE-Sèneca– o internacionals (ERASMUS, PROMOE), sinó també per la realització de viatges de pràctiques de llengua estrangera. D’aquesta manera, els estudiants matriculats en les assignatures de francès, anglès o alemany poden beneficiar- se d’una estada a França, Gran Bretanya o Alemanya, visitant-ne les universitats i empreses del sector. En aquesta comunicació ens remetem a l’últim viatge realitzat a París al març passat, durant el qual quinze estudiants de l’ETSET, matriculats en els cinc grups de les assignatures de francès (nivell bàsic, intermedi i avançat), van visitar una Grande École, l’ENSEA (École Nationale Supérieure de l’Électronique et de ses Applications). La visita, coordinada i programada entre els professors responsables d’ambdues escoles, va consistir a efectuar presentacions institucionals (escola, universitat d’origen) i generals (informació sobre la ciutat i la seua cultura) per part dels mateixos estudiants espanyols i francesos en els diferents grups de les assignatures d’espanyol. Per a fer-ho, cada grup havia preparat la presentació en PowerPoint de la seua escola o ciutat en la llengua d’estudi. Aquest tipus d’activitats facilita la immersió lingüística, cultural i acadèmica dels estudiants, de manera que els permet rebre informació de primera mà sobre el panorama dels seus estudis en un altre país, i alhora patrocinen la seua pròpia escola entre els estudiants estrangers

La Acción tutorial como instrumento de orientación y mediación en contextos universitarios. Análisis de prácticas en asignaturas de lenguas extranjeras

Como es sabido, la adaptación al EEES conlleva cambios importantes en la actividad del docente universitario entre los que destaca el incremento de la actividad de orientación y de mediación. Sin embargo, no existe unanimidad a la hora de definir el concepto de tutoría aunque cada vez son más las universidades españolas que han diseñado y puesto en práctica su Plan de Acción Tutorial (PAT), instrumento de información, apoyo y orientación al estudiante a lo largo de toda su vida universitaria. Al mismo tiempo, la creencia generalizada entre los docentes y los estudiantes consiste en asociar la tutoría universitaria con las horas de atención al estudiante, encuentros de formato reducido destinados principalmente a resolver las dudas y los problemas a los que el estudiante debe enfrentarse. Según esta definición, la función del docente-tutor se asimila plenamente a la del experto, conocedor de un ámbito del saber. En el contexto que investigamos, la función de la tutoría consiste en traspasar paulatinamente el control del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje del docente al estudiante, para pasar paulatinamente de una instrucción heterorregulada a un aprendizaje autorregulado. Y así en nuestro estudio nos interesa analizar primordialmente en qué medida aparecen marcas de autorregulación en el discurso de los aprendices generado en las tutorías y, en caso de ser así, qué grado de conciencia traducen

Aquisição/aprendizagem de LE: subjetividade e deslocamentos identitários

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

O processo de (re) construção da prática pedagógica de professores de língua inglesa em formação inicial

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Student notebook of Samuel Dunbar, 1721-1722

This leather-bound volume contains substantial transcriptions copied by Samuel Dunbar from textbooks while he was a student at Harvard in 1721 and 1722. There is a general index to texts at the end of the volume. Dunbar's notebook provides a window into the state of higher education in the eighteenth century and offers a firsthand account of academic life at Harvard College. Notably, he often indicated the number of days spent copying texts into his book.