bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Orphanhood and Child Development: Evidence From India
Authors: Garcia-Brazales Javier
Published: February 2023

This article provides the first systematic study of the short- and long-run effects of parental death on the cognitive, noncognitive (locus of control), and physical development of Indian children. Exploiting rich longitudinal data over 15 years, I use difference-in-differences with individual fixed effects to account for time-invariant unobserved heterogeneity between orphans and non-orphans and investigate the mechanisms. This method is an improvement over previous cross-sectional approaches to such explorations. I find that paternal death is negatively correlated with orphans' cognition but is not correlated with locus of control or physical health. Cognitive effects are mediated by a 10-percentage-point-lower probability of enrollment and a 20% decline in monetary investments in the child, eventually leading to one less year of schooling by age 22. These negative outcomes are concentrated among the least wealthy families, who respond to the shock by reducing consumption and increasing their labor supply.
Canonical Wnt signaling regulates soft palate development by mediating ciliary homeostasis
Authors: Janečková Eva , Feng Jifan , Guo Tingwei , Han Xia , Ghobadi Aileen , Araujo-Villalba Angelita , Rahman Md Shaifur , Ziaei Heliya , Ho Thach-Vu , Pareek Siddhika , Alvarez Jasmine , Chai Yang
Published: February 2023

Craniofacial morphogenesis requires complex interactions involving different tissues, signaling pathways, secreted factors and organelles. The details of these interactions remain elusive. In this study, we have analyzed the molecular mechanisms and homeostatic cellular activities governing soft palate development to improve regenerative strategies for individuals with cleft palate. We have identified canonical Wnt signaling as a key signaling pathway primarily active in cranial neural crest (CNC)-derived mesenchymal cells surrounding soft palatal myogenic cells. Using Osr2-Cre;β-cateninfl/fl mice, we show that Wnt signaling is indispensable for mesenchymal cell proliferation and subsequently for myogenesis through mediating ciliogenesis. Specifically, we have identified that Wnt signaling directly regulates expression of the ciliary gene Ttll3. Impaired ciliary disassembly leads to differentiation defects in mesenchymal cells and indirectly disrupts myogenesis through decreased expression of Dlk1, a mesenchymal cell-derived pro-myogenesis factor. Moreover, we show that siRNA-mediated reduction of Ttll3 expression partly rescues mesenchymal cell proliferation and myogenesis in the palatal explant cultures from Osr2-Cre;β-cateninfl/fl embryos. This study highlights the role of Wnt signaling in palatogenesis through the control of ciliary homeostasis, which establishes a new mechanism for Wnt-regulated craniofacial morphogenesis.
16p11.2 deletion accelerates subpallial maturation and increases variability in human iPSC-derived ventral telencephalic organoids
Authors: Fetit Rana , Barbato Michela Ilaria , Theil Thomas , Pratt Thomas , Price David J.
Published: February 2023

Inhibitory interneurons regulate cortical circuit activity, and their dysfunction has been implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). 16p11.2 microdeletions are genetically linked to 1% of ASD cases. However, few studies investigate the effects of this microdeletion on interneuron development. Using ventral telencephalic organoids derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells, we have investigated the effect of this microdeletion on organoid size, progenitor proliferation and organisation into neural rosettes, ganglionic eminence marker expression at early developmental timepoints, and expression of the neuronal marker NEUN at later stages. At early stages, deletion organoids exhibited greater variations in size with concomitant increases in relative neural rosette area and the expression of the ventral telencephalic marker COUPTFII, with increased variability in these properties. Cell cycle analysis revealed an increase in total cell cycle length caused primarily by an elongated G1 phase, the duration of which also varied more than normal. At later stages, deletion organoids increased their NEUN expression. We propose that 16p11.2 microdeletions increase developmental variability and may contribute to ASD aetiology by lengthening the cell cycle of ventral progenitors, promoting premature differentiation into interneurons.
The dynamin-related protein Vps1 and the peroxisomal membrane protein Pex27 function together during peroxisome fission
Authors: Ekal Lakhan , Alqahtani Abdulaziz M. S. , Hettema Ewald H.
Published: February 2023

Dynamin-related proteins (Drps) mediate a variety of membrane remodelling processes. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae Drp, Vps1, is required for endocytosis, endosomal sorting, vacuole fusion, and peroxisome fission and breakdown. How Drps, and in particular Vps1, can function at so many different subcellular locations is of interest to our understanding of cellular organisation. We found that the peroxisomal membrane protein Pex27 is specifically required for Vps1-dependent peroxisome fission in proliferating cells but is not required for Dnm1-dependent peroxisome fission. Pex27 accumulates in constricted regions of peroxisomes and affects peroxisome geometry upon overexpression. Moreover, Pex27 physically interacts with Vps1 in vivo and is required for the accumulation of a GTPase-defective Vps1 mutant (K42A) on peroxisomes. During nitrogen starvation, a condition that halts cell division and induces peroxisome breakdown, Vps1 associates with the pexophagophore. Pex27 is neither required for Vps1 recruitment to the pexophagophore nor for pexophagy. Our study identifies Pex27 as a Vps1-specific partner for the maintenance of peroxisome number in proliferating yeast cells.
Ubiquitin and its relatives as wizards of the endolysosomal system
Authors: Berlin Ilana , Sapmaz Aysegul , Stévenin Virginie , Neefjes Jacques
Published: February 2023

The endolysosomal system comprises a dynamic constellation of vesicles working together to sense and interpret environmental cues and facilitate homeostasis. Integrating extracellular information with the internal affairs of the cell requires endosomes and lysosomes to be proficient in decision-making: fusion or fission; recycling or degradation; fast transport or contacts with other organelles. To effectively discriminate between these options, the endolysosomal system employs complex regulatory strategies that crucially rely on reversible post-translational modifications (PTMs) with ubiquitin (Ub) and ubiquitin-like (Ubl) proteins. The cycle of conjugation, recognition and removal of different Ub- and Ubl-modified states informs cellular protein stability and behavior at spatial and temporal resolution and is thus well suited to finetune macromolecular complex assembly and function on endolysosomal membranes. Here, we discuss how ubiquitylation (also known as ubiquitination) and its biochemical relatives orchestrate endocytic traffic and designate cargo fate, influence membrane identity transitions and support formation of membrane contact sites (MCSs). Finally, we explore the opportunistic hijacking of Ub and Ubl modification cascades by intracellular bacteria that remodel host trafficking pathways to invade and prosper inside cells.
MOBILE LEARNING - THE NEW APPROACH OF THE ELECTRONIC LEARNING BASED SYSTEMS
Authors: Campeanu Gabriel
Published: February 2023

As the technology evolves, new ways of learning based systems are ascending. Nowadays, there are several Mobile Learning based program which are already adopted by different institutions all over the world. The Mobile Learning based system is a derivation from the well integrated electronic learning system. The new learning approach tries to fill in several gaps which are found in the classical and electronically types of learning. In this paper, the author has the intent to analyze and present several advantages which can be found in the methodology of Mobile Learning. Among them, new ideas are pointed out such as wireless classrooms learning based systems, and industrial trainings based on mobile communication devices.
Another purpose of this paper is to briefly examine the existing devices and technologies available on market, which are capable in supporting Mobile Learning as a new path of the progress derived from electronically supported learning.
ICT IN THE LANGUAGE CLASS – THE STUDENT’S PERSPECTIVE
Authors: Catelly Yolandamirela
Published: February 2023

The topic of this paper has stemmed from the increasing need of a foreign language teacher, who is also a materials/course designer, to study her engineering students’ viewpoints and perceptions of an ICT based foreign language class features. As part of her own development process, as far as the use of ICT means in the language class is concerned, the teacher/author of this study considers that one of the most significant components of her own evolution in this respect is rooted in her learners’ feedback. The students’ points of view are of high relevance at the moment when a language course and the materials for it are designed and then taught to the engineering students in the author’s educational context, as the learners and their progress/success in learning the language are ultimately the main objective and priority of the course and the teacher’s activity. This result cannot be attained if the teacher does not permanently (re)adjust her views on the course content and the learning/teaching process, as prompted by the students’ opinions, critical assessment and suggestions of amelioration. In order to obtain a correct image of the trainees’, who are technical university students, viewpoints as regards the use of ICT in their academic activity, a questionnaire was designed and administered to students of different faculties and levels in the author’s teaching context. The questions are focused on obtaining the trainees’ opinions as regards the manner and usefulness in which ICT means are used with various disciplines, as well as their own views and approaches to the use of computers in their study. The results are discussed, with a view to identifying the most efficient paths of implementing ICT in the English language classes in tertiary education.
PROJECTIVE TECHNIQUE – INTRODUCTORY INTERACTIVE PROJECTIVE PSYCHOLOGY SOFTWARE PRODUCED BY AN APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT. A CASE STUDY
Authors: Georgescu Matei
Published: February 2023

The main projective methods are conceived to be applied in a classic-paper style and the virtual-e-learning style represents the only possible learning experience for the students. The paper describes the experience of conceiving and using computer software in order to introduce the bases of projective psychology.
The software (Matei Georgescu, Projective technique – interactive software, produced by Titu Maiorescu University, Bucharest, Romanian Office for Author Right: 0113 / 06. 02. 2001) was used in the benefit of the third year psychology students of a private university and support the direct experience with the virtual-stimulus-material of the main projective techniques such as Rotter, Düss, T.A.T., Rosenzweig, Rorschach, Szondi, Lüscher, Koch.
Projective Psychology Lab was developed by se use of the computer and the Projective technique software over a semester of study, for three years under my assistence.
The program contains the following items: the limits of the projection concept, the analytic relation and the projective relation, verbal associative experiment, completing sentences test and fables method, Thematic Apperception Test, the frustration test, the inkblot test, the drive analysis test, the color test, the tree test, draw a person test. Each method presentation contains information about the technique, the stimulus-material and the manner of interpretation.
The access to stimulus-material of the Thematic Apperception Test, the frustration test, the inkblot test and the drive test analysis is possible in the order of test protocol. The software allows the color calibration of Lüscher test and also quotation examples. The Rorschach stimulus-material can be rotated within 360 degrees limit. The quotations index of the tree test is accessible in the order of the main interpretative zones.
Despite the fact that the projective techniques were not conceived to be applied in the virtual-computerized style, during the three years pedagogical experiences with the Projective technique – interactive software, we have noticed the succes of such an introductory electronic way of learning.
PROMOTING THE ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION AS CORE COMPETENCE DURING THE BACHELOR STUDIES THROUGH E-LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Authors: Martin Catalin
Published: February 2023

For some countries, the discussion about entrepreneurship, more related to education, seems to be a taboo topic, while for others is a trend which must be valorized. There are many European documents and strategies regarding the promotion of entrepreneurship in the higher education context, from Entrepreneurship in higher education, especially in Non-business studies”, to Lisbon Strategy 2010, Oslo Agenda for Entrepreneurship Education in Europe”, or a newest one Europa 2020 – A European Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Moreover, the economical and social changes we are facing right now couldn’t be anticipated by these documents, but in the same time each of them was developed based on the society’s needs from that time. But one thing is clear: education is one of the most important element which could drive to development, growth and stability. Even when we are talking about employability or nanotechnology, there is or was an educational process in the background which facilitated that.
This article aims to present, at the beginning, the core competencies from an European, Australian and Canadian perspective, focused on entrepreneurship education. Both Meyer’s report from 1991 or the European Parliament Recommendation about Key Competencies for Lifelong Learning were focused on entrepreneurship as a competence which must be proved by everybody. The transformations which individuals are facing in the contemporary economy should be anticipated and offered innovative eSolutions in order to develop the necessary competences at work or in day by day life. Higher education institutions could act, in a first phase, as key promoters of this discipline among both business and non-business studies, which will conduct to a great development of mindsets.
After a short analysis of how key competences are defined (transversal, core or generic), the author will focus on the actual stadium of teaching entrepreneurship education in Romania and finally he will present some concrete examples of how this topic could be teach using WEB 2.0 technologies: podcast, eMentoring, Moodle platforms or online forums. Also, educational policies and possible solutions are treated.
CYBERGOGY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE AUTOFORMATIVE PARADIGM
Authors: Muresan Mihaela
Published: February 2023

The paper is focused on the use of the cybergogy in the framework of the self-formative
paradigm. The new knowledge society requirements have as main pillar the continuous learning as a
premise for generating knowledge and innovation. The online access to information and the specific
topics related to informal and non formal learning stand for important assets the cybergogy relies on.
In this context, the paper approach related to the synergy between andragogy, cybergogy and self-
formative paradigms represents a contribution for changing contexts and attitudes related to self-
education and e-Learning. A study case related to the implementation of a pilot e-Learning tool will
complete the conceptual approach with a practical perspective.
BETTER STUDENTS’ LEARNING ACHIEVEMENT EVALUATION BY USING DEDICATED FREEWARE E-ASSESSMENT TOOLS
Authors: Bertea Armand
Published: February 2023

Information and Internet technologies are familiar presences in the field of education nowadays, and e-learning became a prominent learning environment for more then two decades. The situation is even more evident in the higher education area, where the number of e-learning programs is rapidly increasing.
E-learning addresses all parts of education: the teaching process and the course content, the learning process, which has no more space or time limitations, the ways of communication between the teacher and the students and between the students themselves, and, of course, the learning achievement assessment process. Student valuation is one of the most significant features in an education system. All the old-style assessments ways have been reshaped by the use of the computer environment, and some of the problems associated with the traditional assessment methods, such as difficult to control conditions (i.e., tiredness, preference) appear to be better treated in the new circumstances. The use of technology leads to better test administration, more efficient ways to link each learner to a appropriate learning tasks, on the basis of test results and can offer the teacher regular reports on the development of his learners.
In the field of e-assessment, the teacher can choose between many dedicated software, many of them freeware. The objective of this paper is to evaluate ten of the most significant programs of this kind (ProProfs Quiz Maker, Wondershare QuizCreator, Classmaker, Multiple Choice Quiz Maker, MyQuizCreator, Atrixware Flash Quiz Maker 9.0, eQuizzer, Qedoc Quiz Maker, Match-up quiz Generator and EasyTestMaker), by means of assessment tools, topics covered, ease of use, help and support.
After revealing the most important features of the studied software, we have tested them on a group of junior students of computer science discipline, and the results are commented. Not only the software performance, but the quality of the questions in the e-assessment has been evaluated by the subjects.
DIGIKIDS: TECHNOLOGY MEDIATED DEVELOPMENT, BEYOND FEAR AND STEREOTYPES
Authors: Ciolan Laura elena
Published: February 2023

The social and pedagogical discourse about ”digital natives”, Millennials, or ”digikids” is not so new anymore, but as the case with many serious, even dramatic changes, a whole range of stereotypes and prejudices developed concerning this new generation, seriously affecting he quality of interaction with adults in general, and the quality of educational interaction in particular.
We will try in this paper to look the the learning characteristics of the new generation of kids, as well as on their consequences in designing learning experiences. Quality of the new generations is not intrinsic, nor by default jeopardized by their immersion in technologically rich environments. Beyond fear and stereotypes, we have to see how the encounter with this new generation could bring the most educational benefits, in a world that reconcile their lived experiences and our (adults) care and concerns. Recent research shows that as educationalists we have to take this reality as seriously as possible, as being the potentially new starting point of a learning revolution. There is a whole spectacle and still a challenge to see how small kinds, target group of early education (below 7 years old) interact and develop behavioral approaches in technologically reach environments. The ”light side” of technologies impacting on kids development at early ages cannot be neglected, and this is not to assume that, necessarily, is automatically balanced by a ”dark side”... Our paper tries to offer a realistic and balanced view on how early education should try to address this new generation, in order to stimulate and significantly contribute to their development.
THE POTENTIAL APPLICATION OF REGION MARKING SOFTWARE TOOL IN MEDICAL DIAGNOSTIC EDUCATION
Authors: Dragan Dinu , Ivetić Dragan
Published: February 2023

Subjective quality evaluation of medical images is mostly achieved using some version of ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) evaluation. The evaluation is conducted in two phases: data gathering and data analysis. In the data gathering phase observers perform diagnostic tasks by marking regions of interest. A region marking software tool is used for data gathering. Statistical data extracted from these markings are used for medical image evaluation in the data analysis phase of ROC evaluation. Medical image influence on diagnostic accuracy is evaluated by measuring whether the same results are achieved compared to some gold rule. In this paper we will demonstrate that a region marking software tool can be used as a software platform for education in medical image diagnostics. Specifically, diagnostic tasks are performed the same way in both ROC evaluation and medical image diagnostic education. The difference occurs in later stages. When the observer reaches the end of the ROC evaluation, hers/his answers are converted to ROC statistical data. The results are not reported to the observer. In medical image diagnostic education the observer’s results are compared to the gold standard, a report is generated, and the results are presented to the observer. It is possible to view each of the images evaluated with the observer’s marks compared to the gold standard. Therefore, a region marking software tool is a potential tool for education in medical diagnostic. We implemented a region marking software tool for ROC evaluation of medical images. We had several goals in mind: (1) it should resemble software tools used in everyday clinical tasks: (2) it should be accessible over distance; (3) it should be usable in education; and (4) it should be free. Therefore, we based our solution on web technologies, such as HTML, PHP, JavaScript, and MySQL. The region marking software tool for ROC evaluation of medical images has been used during our research on quality evaluation system of medical images in PACS systems (Picture Archiving and Communication System). We will present a prototype software tool built upon the region marking software tool to support educational use. Its foundations in web technologies make it an ideal tool for presence and distance education and training in medical image diagnostics.
IMPLEMENTATION OF INFORMAL E- LEARNING METHODS OF TEACHING AND TEACHING PROCESSES
Authors: Radosavljevic Vitomir , Pevac Danka
Published: February 2023

In this piece the concept of implementation of informal learning methods and principles of teaching is presented, which can be implemented within e-learning teaching materials. The area which is covered in this piece is in its beginning phase and data given here are presenting a good base for further theoretical researches and practical projects. There has been given an overview of main characteristics of formal, non-formal and informal teaching methodes. The expected results of the implementation of informal methods, as well as possible ways of realization of certain methods, have been described. Vill@ge project, T-learning (learning via digital television), M-learning (learning using mobile phones) are some realisation methodes of informal learning methodes described in this paper. An overview of formal methods and principles is given which are currently used in the e-learning process. Advantages of using those informal methods have been described together with the potential drawbacks which may occur in the process of their implementation. A stress has been set on the use of literary methods and on their possible implementation in e-learning teaching materials. An example is given on how to use this literary method which is a type of informal method of learning. A chapter of a lesson used in a course named multimedia graphics is presented in the paper. The chapter is presented in a informal literary maner. At the end of the paper there are given some conclusions and potentional ways of using literaly method as a way of informal method of learning in e-learning process and enviroment.
CLOUD-BASED E-LEARNING TOOLS FOR DATA ANALYSIS
Authors: Albeanu Grigore , Popentiu vladicescu Florin
Published: February 2023

This paper describes the most important characteristics of cloud computing paradigm in order to be used as powerful arrows towards efficient approaches in teaching data analysis. Also High Performance Computing aspects are considered for solving large complexity data analysis problems. The usage of both Cloud Computing and High Performance Computing will assure not only an excellent framework for research but also a powerful and flexible environment for e-Learning.
The presentation is structured in three sections, being closed with the list of references. The first section considers the resources of cloud computing: SaaS (Software as a Service), IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service - predefined integrated platform), and Managed Services. For every mentioned resource the most important features which are valuable for e-learning are outlined.
High Performance Computing for data analysis is described in the second section. Also, software tools useful to analyse collections of data having small, medium or large size are presented and compared in order to identify the best tool to be used in a virtual learning framework.
The third section describes both data manipulation techniques and results of experiments. Finally, concluding remarks are presented related to an online course on data analysis based on cloud computing paradigm.

Selected references
1. Abadi D.J., Data Management in the Cloud: Limitations and Opportunities, Bulletin of the IEEE Computer Society Technical Committee on Data Engineering, 2009.
2. Grossman R., Gu Y., Data Mining Using High Performance Data Clouds: Experimental Studies Using Sector and Sphere, http://sector.sourceforge.net/pub/grossman-gu-ncdm-tr-08-04.pdf
3.G Albeanu, L. Serbanescu, Fl. Popentiu-Vladicescu. On teaching data analysis and optimisation using software tools. In Grigore Albanu, Dorin Mircea Popovici , Marin Vlada (eds.), Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Virtual Learning, Constata, 26-28 October, Bucharest, ISBN: 973-737-218-2 978-973-737-380-9, Romania. , I, pp. 255-260. 2007.
MLMS – ENABLING SCORM COMPATIBLE LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Authors: Cazacu Dragos , Oprea Anatol , Jurcoane Aurelian
Published: February 2023

Starting with iFever, during the last five years, mobile devices became the next big step in the ITC industry with the next five anticipating their becoming the “de facto” Internet access devices. eLearning must migrate as well, in order to maintain its main purpose: delivering information and empowering knowledge acquisition.

The next generation of Learning Management Systems must be a hybrid one, capable of delivering content and record user progress in various contexts both classical and mobile. Although the main focus in present times has been on how content should be designed for mobile delivery, the same question should be asked for Learning Management Systems, as well, how they should be designed to enable delivery of such mobile content.

This paper analyses what are the main challenges for designing such an mLMS are, and how they can obey both the quite old requirements like the SCORM standard as well as the mobile devices characteristics such as discontinuous access to the LMS (due to Internet access limitations) within a session or between sessions, content faceting (adding mobile support for existing content), feedback from and synchronisation of multiple access points (mobile or desktop) in achieving learning goals and objectives by using cloud enabled architectures. We are addressing issues concerning content compatibility validation for mobile devices, aggregation of mobile content with analogous content, enhancement of existing content and how an mLMS should be storing asynchronous submission of learner progress data as well as synchronicity between desktop clients and mobile clients. The last concern involves analysing device delivery mechanisms, custom LMS clients for mobiles and capabilities which could be implemented by such clients in order to overcome the inherent limitations of a browser-only web application delivery system for mobile devices. Last but not least we address issues concerning accessibility of content, a feature often overlooked by mobile content in general.
FROM THE COMPUTER TO THE MULTIMEDIA APPLICATIONS - A STEP TOWARDS PROGRESS, TOWARDS COMPETITIVENESS AND TOWARDS PERFORMANCE
Authors: Constantin Liliana violeta
Published: February 2023

The exceptional development of the information technologies has changed the way people interact with the computer. The technological advancement switched the attention from the computer to what people can achieve through these machines. Thus, the multimedia applications are the future of a society which is in full progress and development. They provide the students interactivity, openness towards the world, towards knowledge, towards communication and independence in learning. Use multimedia applications in school should not be limited to certain domains or to certain stages of the educational process, but should be integrated in a rational and well thought mode! The computer is very useful both student and teacher but its use must be made in order to improve the quality of the educational process, not complicate it. The computer should be used in order to pursue the acquisition of knowledge and training of skills enabling students to adapt to a society which is in a permanent evolution. Thus, the act of learning is no longer considered to be effect of the approaches and of the teacher work, but the result of the students’ interaction with the computer and collaboration with the teacher. Using the IT technology on extensively involves a degree of civilization, and in the educational process leading to the formation of an active and responsible attitude at the students.
The paper presents a multimedia application and a questionnaire through which you can highlight once again the fact that multimedia applications are a step towards progress, towards competitiveness and towards the performance!
E-LEARNING SYSTEMS PERFORMANCE BASED ON NEW TECHNOLOGIES
Authors: Andronie Iustin
Published: February 2023

The recent developments in modern learning technologies has brought significant changes to domains like education and training programs, changing the way universities and other learning institutions operate. Modern distance learning and distance education programs are cannot exist without the extensive use of e-learning technologies.
In today’s knowledge based society Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and all the related technologies are the key factors to conceiving, developing and implementing successful e-Learning systems that can satisfy the demands of modern students. In this context, knowing the fact that technological advances are a constant reality in any domain of human activity, implementing e-Learning systems based on the latest technologies available is a good strategy for any university that wants to increase the efficiency of the tuition processes that are carried on, bringing measurable competitive advantages to those who use them.
Using modern e-Learning technologies (based on computers, networking, internet etc.), any person interested can easily access learning resources situated on powerful servers that run dedicated e-learning software products, without being impeded by the available time and the physical distance to the university that provides the learning resources.
Aided by information and communication technology it is now possible for a mature student that already works and has a family to complete his studies by following tuition programs that help him advance in his career. Having all these facts in consideration, it can be said that today’s e-Learning systems are addressed not only to traditional students, but to any person who is interested to learn.
TECHNOLOGY ENHANCED LEARNING (TEL): STUDENT TAILORED PRACTICES IN ELEARNING
Authors: Kraft Luiza , Romero Margarida , Usart Mireia , Chiseganegrila Anamaria
Published: February 2023

Today eLearning means more than learning content and courseware, and it goes far beyond the Learning Management Systems (LMS), Personal Learning Environment (PLE), administration tools and authoring tools for building courses.
Addressing both
• the lack of face-to-face interaction and
• the lack of sophistication in terms of Computer-Based Assessment, along with
• the challenge of developing engaging and stimulating on-line lessons
for students who shifted from a paper-based culture with handwriting, highlighting, post-it and gap-filling to a screen-based culture, with e-mails, blogging, gaming and webcams, streaming and googling are but a few of the solutions that would tailor eLearning for the 21st century skills and curriculum.
Institutions have already challenged themselves unto meeting the new millennial students’ needs by providing courses which foster not only life and career skills, but also learning and innovation ones, in corporate training and formal education environments alike, focused on professional development and encompassed by clear standards, as well as assessment and curriculum issues.
The present paper will showcase the actions taken with respect to all these aspects, both in Romania, by a team within “Carol I” National Defense University, and in Spain, by a team from ESADE University. The first team will lay stress on the foreign language education-related organizational and pedagogical changes meant to support blended and eLearning strategies and management, whereas the second one will refer to management and law education; the main objective of the paper is to share the lessons learned, by highlighting both commonalities in terms of educational and methodological approach, and differences in terms of cultural response and attitudes of those benefiting from the eLearning type of education, irrespective of the way the latter is delivered – be it on-line or blended.
GBL AND CREATIVITY IN CLASSES
Authors: Dumitrache Anisoara , Logofatu Bogdan , Almasan Beatrice
Published: February 2023

The aim of this paper is to present the results obtained during ProActive project, a European project having as main objective the creation of learning contexts in which educators (teachers, professors, trainers) of different LLP sub-programmes (Comenius, Leonardo da Vinci and Erasmus) can an apply their creativity in designing their own GBL scenarios using digital tools (two games editors: Eutopia and ). In order to identify project’s potential in developing educational games, in the first phase of the project were organized several focus groups with teachers, trainers and professors according to an initial project plan. The results obtained helped the team to adapt the two game editors according to the users’ needs.
In a second phase, University of Bucharest has selected three pilot sites representing centers, associations, institutions that offer courses in different fields: from computer skills and advanced computer networks to personal development and outdoor education were selected to be part of implementation phase. The selection process was made according with specific criteria related to their experience in the field and institutions’ interests to use Game Based Learning in their current practice. Through co-design sessions and workshops participants learned how to use the tools for creating games, and how to integrate these computer aided instruction sequences in a regular classroom.
Through Game Based Learning, trainers will improve their teaching methods, transforming classes in spaces for collaborative work, participation, problem solving. Game Based Learning will encourage students to continue their work at home and to communicate with other colleagues and trainer even if the learning scenarios are applied in traditional learning, in blended learning, or in distance learning.
SUGGESTOPEDIA, A SERIOUS COMPETITIVE GAME
Authors: Magiru Anca , Magiru Ionel
Published: February 2023

The paper aims to show how suggestopedia, a dynamic, full of life class game, can become a way of delivering advanced conversational competence quickly. What makes this game interesting and attractive is that learning occurs through suggestion while the students are in a deeply relaxed state which is induced by music. The instructor should choose what kind of music he/she considers suitable for the topic which is introduced. Although the goal is understanding and not memorisation, the students are required to master prodigious vocabulary lists. This type of game implies initiatives, questions and answers, role play, listening exercises under deep relaxation.
From the psychological point of view, and related to the ways of learning, the game matches perfectly with two of the four types of learners, namely: the Player and the Feeler. The Player is the student who likes being with people and enjoys variety and change, prefers listening and speaking to reading and writing, prefers playing games and working in groups to writing exercises, prefers competition and excitement to practice and homework, prefers trying lots of different activities to doing long projects, enjoys participating and performing, hates doing the same thing lesson after lesson, would like to do different things all the time. He/she enjoys vocabulary race. The Feeler is a good language learner who loves interacting and group and pair work and is interested in talking about emotions and personal topics. He/she enjoys being with people and learns through cooperation, prefers taking part in discussions to studying rules and doing exercises, like reading, role play and drama, is very sensitive to criticism and needs individual feedback and prefers speaking to writing.
Suggestopedia must maintain a passive state among the students and also allow the materials to work on them rather than vice-versa.
The instructor’s role is to create situations in which the students are most suggestible and present materials in a way most likely to encourage positive reception and retention. The instructor must emanate authority and confidence.
The texts used should have force, literary quality and interesting characters.
What we are going to do is to offer two sample lesson plans, one based on a literay text, the other one on a detective short story in order to prove how suggestopedia works like a way of learning.
CRITERIA FOR ELEARNING PROGRAMMES EVALUATION
Authors: Istrate Olimpius
Published: February 2023

Recent concerns of educational policy level exercise a certain pressure on evaluations of educational programs to provide concrete results, comparable, usable to define the most appropriate strategies for development of education. Debates at this level, which need evidences extracted from existing evaluation research reports, are concerning important topics regarding the relationship with new technologies such as: the emergence of a increasingly pronounced digital divide, the need to promote and support the set of skills for 21st Century, as well as the "insufficient experience of radical change in education", computer-assisted instruction being regarded as "the vanguard of the knowledge society”. An important point in continuing this synthetic and general perspective refers to the fact that there are no solutions or "magic" ideas to operate independently of context. Therefore, the principles and suggestions in this article be taken as such and customized according to the level at which the program is implemented, the concrete needs of the target group, type of intervention chosen, the particular education system or targeted curriculum, the results of other complementary programs etc. Such an approach towards a methodological construction is useful as well for the design stage of eLearning programmes, in the actual context of multiplication of initiatives aiming at incorporating new technologies to increase performance and quality of education. The article highlights a number of useful aspects for a better evaluation of elearning programs, starting from the preparedness of the target groups and institutions, then focusing on the object of evaluation, the expected results, the indicators and instruments used in evaluations.
E-LEARNING SYSTEMS’ ACCEPTANCE: THE CASE OF EDUWAVE IN JORDAN
Authors: Abushanab Emad , Ababneh Noor , Momani Alaa
Published: February 2023

E-learning is the new picture of education in the 21st century. Schools and universities are adopting e-learning systems to improve education processes, reduce costs, make teaching and learning more convenient, provide new tools for the new educational methods. EduWave is a system implemented by Jordan, like many Arab countries, to be used by teachers, students and other stakeholders in public schools in the country. This study tried to measure students perceptions towards the intention to use EduWave and the factors affecting it.
This study utilized 347 surveys administered in 3 public schools in Jordan, where students rated their perceptions towards using the EduWave system as part of their learning process. The study used a 5 point Likert scale, and included 2 parts: a demographic and general questions section, and a set of questions probing students’ attitudes towards four variables: intention to use EduWave (ITU, 3 items), perceived usefulness (PU, 5 items), perceived ease of use (PEOU, 3 items), and perceived trust (PT, 3 items). The distribution of sample according to gender was 202 male students (58.2%) and 145 female students (41.8%). The following table shows responses of students to various questions related to their usage of EduWave.
This study aimed at exploring Jordanian public school students towards using EduWave, an e-learning portal utilized by the Ministry of Education. Data collected indicated conflicting results concerning the usage of EduWave, as many tasks were not utilized properly like: sending e-mails, exchanging work, uploading files, calendaring, and discussions. On the other hand, the sample showed that schools pushed the registration on the system (having an ID and password), and used it for grades only. This indicates that the most utilized task/process is assessment.
This study also hypothesized that PU, PEOU and PT will influence students’ intentions to use EduWave, Results supported only PU and PEOU, and failed to support the influence of PT. Analysis indicated that PU has the largest effect on ITU (beta = 0.367), followed by PEOU (beta = 0.199). Such results support the original TAM proposed by Davis (1989). It seems that students are not keen on trust issues, which might be because of their age, or they trust the system (government) and don’t think it is a driver for future usage. On the other hand, usefulness is an important predictor of future usage, but seems that students’ perceptions of EduWave that it is not useful (low mean = 2.413).
This study needs confirmation especially with such results; wider sample might yield different conclusions. Wider sample means better demographics, mix of private and public schools, and maybe different grades. Also, a different research method might yield more insights, like interviews, or discussion groups, where issues are explored in depth.
SECURING COMMUNITY, SECURING BUSINESS! MANAGERS SECURITY AWARENESS THROUGH ELEARNING
Authors: Ciuperca Ella magdalena
Published: February 2023

Contemporary approach of the intelligence domain is due to substantial changes that the umbrella concept of security has suffered in postmodern society and to the fact that at present nations have to face an extremely diverse range of threats.
Comparing with other country, traditional Romanian academic programs for studying intelligence and security are undersized. I appreciate that one of the determinants of this situation is the lack of demand for specialized security and intelligence expertise in labour market. Also the priorities of the Romanian private sector are concerned especially about profit and almost never in securing business and securing their broader community.
A strong security and intelligence cultures is beneficial for any area of society; still such a culture of entrepreneurial environment can make the difference between poverty and prosperity, employment and unemployment, community inclusion or exclusion.
Therefore the main reason behind educating managers resigns in the fact this category have a great social importance in society, as they are fully involved in economic development of society and linked to employment by the numbers of employees they have. Providing security and intelligence expertise in areas such as the protection of classified information, combating cross-border threats, protection against terrorism meant the medium and long term improvement of the civic behavior of everyone.
But their involvement in the traditional type of education would be extremely difficult due to their responsibilities. Their lack of time can be balanced by using an e-Learning system that allows the specialization of human resources with maximum efficiency and valuable time limited.
Based on the premise that one of the objectives set at European Union level is the foundation of the knowledge society, this paper constitutes an argument for implementing an e-learning platform to provide specific knowledge to substantiate the security and intelligence culture at managers' level.
*This work was supported by CNCSIS-UEFISCSU, project number PN II-RU 64/2010
ELEARNING SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY TO SUPPORT THE INDIVIDUAL CONSUMER
Authors: Carinaelena Stegaroiu , Amelia Boncea , Constanta Enea , Valentin Stegaroiu
Published: February 2023

eLearning is the technology that has revolutionized the traditional distance learning, and opportunities have been seized and used both in schools and at public or private organizations.
In terms of structure, an eLearning system provides facilities for the transfer of knowledge by developing and publishing educational content in the form of courses or virtual libraries and knowledge verification and testing using simulated management scenarios or case studies for evaluation. Taking into account its main features, we define the concept of eLearning system.
An eLearning system consists of a set of methods, techniques, tools and procedures that ensure the provision of learning or training programs, using electronic means, as well as evaluating the assimilation of knowledge by students.
Training of beneficiaries through an integrated eLearning can be done in three ways: self-training (student-computer interaction) personal education (student-lecturer interaction) and virtual classroom (interaction between several students and a tutor).
The main instrument of self-training is virtual bibliotheca whose definition is shown below.
A virtual library is a collection of articles and publications in electronic format that can be called using Internet technologies by a group of users, based on a set of bibliographic references, accessible online.
Virtual Library is an information and training to its employees and other categories of stakeholders, providing them information and organizational knowledge, based on access rights. Also, the virtual library of an organization can be used in the process of training or professional self-improvement because it provides documentation for extending and deepening students\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' knowledge transmitted via eLearning.
In addition to its general features, eLearning system must satisfy a number of specific requirements set out in the nature of the market and address any specific, investments in workforce training and retraining needs are among the emerging economies.
This paper proposes a strategy for implementing the eLearning system, seen as a component of development strategy of the organization.