Integration of learning and practice as part of the educational system development in Eritrea. "School Management" - a distance learning program by technical university of Kaiserslautern

The distance learning program "School Management" supports decision makers at the school and ministerial levels in the shaping of formal and informal learning processes at different levels in schools and curricula in Eritrea. This paper examines how the distance learning program is interconnected to educational system development. (DIPF/Orig.)

Philosophies, traditional pedagogy, and new technologies: a report on a case study of EAP teachers' integration of technology into traditional practice

This chapter reports on a study of teachers in transition, developing their practice and their cognitions regarding the integration of learning technologies with traditional approaches to the teaching of English for Academic Purposes (EAP). Taking a case study approach, it examines developments in the practice of three teachers during and after a teacher education programme on the use of technology in the EAP classroom. This is a study of cognition, teaching philosophy, and the relationship between pedagogy, technology, and content, and how teachers situate these within their own practice. The setting is the rapidly changing UK higher education environment, where the speed of change is such that today's latest fashions and gadgets may well be yesterday's news tomorrow. Thus, this is not a tale of individual technologies or tools to make teachers' lives better. This is a story of people, of pedagogy's traditional values intersecting with technology, and the issues arising from this, alongside the evolution of strategies for dealing with these issues.

The spiral of learning : 4 R’s of education

The purpose of this paper is to explore the integration of learning, continuous improvement theories and reflective evaluation for enhancing management education. Conceptual development is combined with the outcomes of a pilot focus group as an example of reflective evaluation. The Spiral of Learning concept is uniquely augmented through hermeneutics, action research and the Deming cycle. Four R’s are identified in the Spiral of Learning: Review, Revise, Reconstruct and Reveal. Recommendations for each of the 4 R’s are made to assist continuous improvement of management education. For instance, emerging suites of social software appropriately chosen, timed and applied can assist student learning. Direct human connection in some form is recommended for learners when information is delivered online. The concepts and resultant recommendations inform practice through prioritization of online applications and development of appropriate checks and balances by academics and administrators.

A constraints-led perspective to understanding skill acquisition and game play: A basis for integration of motor learning theory and physical education praxis?

Background: In order to design appropriate environments for performance and learning of movement skills, physical educators need a sound theoretical model of the learner and of processes of learning. In physical education, this type of modelling informs the organization of learning environments and effective and efficient use of practice time. An emerging theoretical framework in motor learning, relevant to physical education, advocates a constraints-led perspective for acquisition of movement skills and game play knowledge. This framework shows how physical educators could use task, performer and environmental constraints to channel acquisition of movement skills and decision making behaviours in learners. From this viewpoint, learners generate specific movement solutions to satisfy the unique combination of constraints imposed on them, a process which can be harnessed during physical education lessons. Purpose: In this paper the aim is to provide an overview of the motor learning approach emanating from the constraints-led perspective, and examine how it can substantiate a platform for a new pedagogical framework in physical education: nonlinear pedagogy. We aim to demonstrate that it is only through theoretically valid and objective empirical work of an applied nature that a conceptually sound nonlinear pedagogy model can continue to evolve and support research in physical education. We present some important implications for designing practices in games lessons, showing how a constraints-led perspective on motor learning could assist physical educators in understanding how to structure learning experiences for learners at different stages, with specific focus on understanding the design of games teaching programmes in physical education, using exemplars from Rugby Union and Cricket. Findings: Research evidence from recent studies examining movement models demonstrates that physical education teachers need a strong understanding of sport performance so that task constraints can be manipulated so that information-movement couplings are maintained in a learning environment that is representative of real performance situations. Physical educators should also understand that movement variability may not necessarily be detrimental to learning and could be an important phenomenon prior to the acquisition of a stable and functional movement pattern. We highlight how the nonlinear pedagogical approach is student-centred and empowers individuals to become active learners via a more hands-off approach to learning. Summary: A constraints-based perspective has the potential to provide physical educators with a framework for understanding how performer, task and environmental constraints shape each individual‟s physical education. Understanding the underlying neurobiological processes present in a constraints-led perspective to skill acquisition and game play can raise awareness of physical educators that teaching is a dynamic 'art' interwoven with the 'science' of motor learning theories.

Distance Education and the Integration of E-learning in a Graduate Program

Historically, distance education consisted of a combination of face-to-face blocks of time and surface mailed packages. However, advances in information technology literacy and the abundance of personal computers has placed e-learning in increased demand. The authors describe the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the blending of e-learning with face-to-face education in the postgraduate nursing forum. Experiences of this particular student group are also discussed.

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.

A conceptual framework for the cultural integration of cooperative learning : a Thai primary mathematics education perspective

The Thailand education reform adopted cooperative learning to improve the quality of education. However, it has been reported that the introduction and maintenance of cooperative learning has been difficult and uncertain because of the cultural differences. The study proposed a conceptual framework developed based on making a connection between Thai cultures and cooperative learning elements, and implemented a small-scale research project in a Thai primary mathematics class with a teacher and thirty-two Grade 4 students. The results uncovered that the three components including preparation of teachers, instructional strategies and preparation of students can be vehicles for the culture integration in cooperative learning.

Creating a suitable and successful solution for the integration of podcasting and vidcasting in a higher education e-learning environment

A small research project is currently taking place within a department of the University of Greenwich. The project involves using current technology (Apple’s xServe, iPhones, iPod touch, Podcast Producer application and some 3rd party capture software) with the intention to provide a solution for quick and simple podcasting. This paper also aims to investigate the use of podcasting to help promote and extend the e-learning provision within the school. In short this project aims to justify the use of podcasting as a teaching and learning tool to help enhance student learning while identifying the most appropriate manner to integrate podcasting within an e-learning environment.

Integration of adults with learning dificulties in educational centres. 'Integraci??n de adultos con dificultades de aprendizaje en centros educativos'

Esta gu??a ha contado con el apoyo del Programa S??crates de la Comisi??n Europea y es una traducci??n al ingl??s editada separadamente de la versi??n espa??ola

Una aproximación documental para la creación e integración de juegos digitales en entornos virtuales de enseñanza. A documental approach to the creation and integration of digital videogames in virtual learning environments

Desde el campo de la informática educativa, varios autores exponen el posible efecto positivo de incorporar videojuegos y simulaciones con elementos de juego en los procesos educativos. Esta postura continúa siendo objeto de debate y sus detractores identifican, dos problemas fundamentales, por un lado el excesivo coste de estas iniciativas y, por otro, su carácter limitado que obliga a que formen parte de variados procesos educativos.. En este trabajo se estudia cómo abordar estos dos problemas desde un punto de vista tecnológico. Se propone una plataforma menor que e-adventure, un entorno de desarrollo para juegos educativos. Esta plataforma aborda el primer problema planteando, un modelo de proceso de desarrollo inspirado en la aproximación documental al desarrollo de software. El modelo de proceso incluye la propuesta de un lenguaje de marcado extendido, XML, específico del dominio de las aventuras gráficas educativas. Este lenguaje es sencillo de utilizar y facilita la creación de este tipo de juegos e incluye construcciones específicamente educativas que dan soporte a la evaluación de la actividad del alumno y a patrones de aprendizaje adaptativo. El segundo problema se aborda proponiendo la integración de dichos juegos con plataformas de tele-enseñanza, LMS, que se emplean tanto en la enseñanza a través de internet como en aproximaciones del aprendizaje electrónico, e-learning, combinadas con la enseñanza tradicional.. Se incluye la implementación de un prototipo de la plataforma propuesta y varios juegos educativos desarrollados con ella, en colaboración con investigadores e instructores de otros campos..

Extensión de la especificación IMS Learning Design desde la adaptación e integración de unidades de aprendizaje. `Extension of the IMS Learnin Design specification based on adaptation and integration of units of learning´.

La tesis se centra en el aprendizaje personalizado y en la integración de Unidades de Aprendizaje. El objetivo fundamental es mejorar la expresividad pedagógica de IMS-LD, refinando estructuras de modelado y arquitectura existentes y desarrollando estructuras complementarias que permitan una formalización más precisa, versátil y sencilla de procesos de aprendizaje adaptativo y de mecanismos y procesos de integración con sistemas de aprendizaje y otras especificaciones. En esta tesis se estudia la especificación desde la base, analizando su modelo de información y cómo se construyen Unidades de Aprendizaje. Se analiza la estructura de la especificación, basándose en un estudio teórico y una investigación práctica fruto del modelado de Unidades de Aprendizaje reales y ejecutables que proporcionan una información útil de base. A partir de este estudio, se analiza la integración de Unidades de Aprendizaje con otros sistemas y especificaciones, abarcando desde la integración mínima mediante un enlace directo hasta compartir variables y estados que permiten una comunicación en tiempo real de ambas partes. La conclusión es que IMS-LD necesita una reestructuración y modificación de ciertos elementos, así como la incorporación de otros nuevos, para mejorar una expresividad pedagógica y una capacidad de integración con otros sistemas de aprendizaje y estándares eLearning, si se pretenden alcanzar: la personalización del proceso de aprendizaje y la interoperabilidad real. La implantación de la especificación se vería mejorada si existieran unas herramientas de más alto nivel, preferiblemente con planteamiento visual, que permitieran un modelado sencillo por parte de los usuarios finales reales de este tipo de especificaciones, como son los profesores, los creadores de contenido y los pedagogos-didactas que diseñan la experiencia de aprendizaje.

Integration of technical equipment in a project driven learning environment

Purpose: This paper describes the integration of technical equipment in a project driven learning environment in the School of Engineering in the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment at Deakin University, Geelong, Australia. Technical or laboratory equipment is a critical factor when designing learning environments and more so in a project driven learning environment. Important Findings: Deakin University has strong partnerships with industry and the community and with its cloud and located based learning policy has extremely flexible learning environments tailored to the needs of the students, with all the programs being offered in on-campus mode as well as off-campus mode. The off-campus study mode has made it even more important to have flexibility in the usage and access of the technical equipment in the laboratories. Conclusion: The School of Engineering at Deakin University Australia has developed a project-oriented design based learning environment which allows students to learn through design activities while being driven by the deliverables and outputs of a project. The technical equipment is required to be able to be used for traditional laboratory experiments in order to achieve fundamental knowledge requirements as well as project oriented knowledge and practice.

Integration of cloud based learning in project oriented design based learning

The School of Engineering at Deakin University has been practicing design based learning as one of its engineering learning principles for further development in the learning and teaching process. It has been exploring the student and industry perspectives in this regards and has embarked in the development of a new framework for a project oriented design based learning approach for the development of the engineering curriculum. Along with this change in the engineering curriculum Deakin University also has been going through a major change in the delivery of education. The policy shift has been initiated through Live the Future: Agenda 2020 which focusses on Cloud and Located Learning. This change in policy has had an impact on delivery framework for the project oriented design based learning model which has been incorporated through the use of lecture videos, a learning management system called Cloud Deakin and online tutorials through the eLive system.

Realising the potential: assessing professional learning through the integration of ePortfolios in Australian business education

This project will enable academic leadership of Australian Business and Management education programs to design into the curriculum, and best use, ePortfolios and associated technologies in assessing students' learning of highly valued professionally-based capabilities. The project will investigate and support the best ways of broadly and deeply embedding ePortfolios across entire undergraduate business and management education curricula. ePortfolios for enabling and assessing student learning is seen as a key means for integrating student learning across the curriculum and, therefore, creating a holistic learning experience. The project will work with Program Leaders across the sector through liaison with the Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC), Teaching and Learning Network to both draw in better practices and disseminate project findings as the project progresses through its key phases. These planned actions will lead to the progressive development of a Business Education ePortfolio Professional Learning Capabilities Assessment Framework.