bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
STUDENT MENTOR'S IDEAL FEATURES: PEER CHOICE
Authors:   Nursing, UICISA:E, SIGMA – Phi Xi Chapter, Superior School of Health, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu and to the CIEC, University of Minho (Portugal), Cunha Madalena , Campos Nuno ,   Superior School of Health, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu (Portugal)
Published: July 2021

Introduction: A student mentor is someone who shares his or her knowledge with a less experienced colleague in order to help the other developing his or her full academic potential by providing him/ her with the right guidance and support during his learning, social and academic integration processes. Objective: To assess the features higher education students consider to be the most effective characteristics their Student Peer Mentor should possess. Method: A descriptive-exploratory study, with a cross-sectional focus, involving a sample of 306 higher education health students, with a mean age of 21.15 (± 3,540) years. 81.7% of the participants are female. Data collection was achieved using Cunha’s Ideal Mentor Faces Scale (2017) with images adapted from Botas, Gabriel & Welling, (1997/1998). Results: Results show that 61.8% of the students surveyed would like to be student mentors and that most participants (54.2%) look at their ideal mentor as someone who possesses positive features, while 12,1% of the participants would choose for their ideal mentor a student whose features might suggest the existence of a risk profile. Finally, and paradoxically, 33.7% of them would choose a student mentor who tends to exhibit certain negative features. Positive characteristics were granted the highest mean values. Those values ranged between Satisfied (68%), Tranquil (78.1%); Optimistic (85%); Confident (88.2%) and Interested (87.9%). Conclusions: Results suggest that higher education students value the existence of student mentors with positive features/characteristics and realize that their existence is of great pedagogical importance. Therefore, there is now a greater need to ask higher education students to participate in Mentoring programs implemented with the support of second or third year Student Mentors who, on a voluntary basis, using their experiences and academic experiences can supervise incoming first year students (Mentee Students) in order to facilitate their integration and their adaptation to the different dimensions (pedagogical, scientific, social and any other) of the academic environment.
TEACHER TRAINING FOR THE PREVENTION, REPORTING AND ADDRESSING OF VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN
Authors:   ", Biffi Elisabetta ,   Riccardo Massa",   Department of Human Sciences for Education, University of Milano-Bicocca (Italy), Bianchi Daniela ,   "Riccardo Massa" Department of Human Sciences for Education, University of Milano-Bicocca (Italy)
Published: July 2021

Each year an estimated one billion children (one out of two children worldwide) suffer some form of physical, sexual or psychological violence or neglect (Hillis, Mercy, Amobi, & Kress, 2016). Being a victim of violence in childhood has lifelong impacts on education, health, and well-being. Exposure to violence can lead to poor academic performance due to cognitive, emotional, and social problems (WHO, 2019). The right of the child to freedom from all forms of violence is affirmed by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, in its General Comment No. 13 (UNCRC, 2011). Moreover, the Sustainable Development Goals contain a clear call to eliminate violence against children, most explicitly in Target 16.2 (UN, 2015). Many efforts have been made globally to achieve these goals. Schools have been identified as one of the crucial contexts for conducting violence prevention efforts. They offer an important space where children, teachers and educators can learn and adopt pro-social behaviors that can contribute to preventing violence (WHO, et al., 2016). Teachers can play a key role, helping to build a “violence-free world” (UNESCO, WHO, UNICEF, End Violence Against Children, 2020), both by promoting positive relationships and by identifying signs of violence early. In fact, while international strategies provide a necessary framework for the promotion and protection of children's rights, it is the people who can make a difference in the prevention and detection of violence against children (Biffi, 2018). Based on these premises, the paper will focus on how teacher training can help prevent, report and address violence against children. Teachers are often not trained on this: some of them know the contents, but have doubts about how to deal with certain situations. Teachers should learn what to do with students who have gone through a traumatic experience because children choose someone who can see and recognize them (Miller, 1979, En. transl. 1995; Miller, 1980, En. transl. 1983). To be able to really recognize the child, a training course with teachers is necessary, to raise awareness and help them see the signals that children send (The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, End Violence Against Children, UNICEF, WHO, 2020). This paper, through literature and presentation of a training course with teachers in Italy, will offer a pedagogical reflection on teacher training in the prevention, reporting and addressing of violence against children, in order to start building a common shared strategy.
A STUDY ON USING GAME-BASED METHOD TO IMPROVE LEARNING EFFICIENCY OF JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
Authors:   Hong Kong University Graduate Association College (Hong Kong SAR), Wong Timothy T.K. , Kwan Yee Wan ,   University of St. Joseph (Macau SAR)
Published: July 2021

Game-based approaches aim at improving participants’ engagement and satisfaction, they might have great advantages in solving the issues of students demotivated and uninvolved in learning activities. However, there are few studies on using games elements in education and examining to what extent game-based educational approaches enhance learning. To bridge this research gap, the objective of this study is to examine whether game-based method improves students’ academic performance in the school subject Life and Society. A total of four classes of Grade Seven students and two teachers participated in the study in Hong Kong. Three classes (n= 75) were assigned to the experimental groups and one class (n=30) were assigned to the control group. The experimental group participated in class sessions where they learned the timeline, major events, and factors affecting economic development of Hong Kong by a group-based card game, while the control group were taught by lecture-based method. Using a pre- & post-tests design, data were collected by a tailor-made survey including 9 fact-based questions to assess the learning outcomes. The contents of the survey were judged two experienced teachers and one panel head. Paired samples t-tests and two-way ANOVA were used to compare the possible changes, group differences and interaction effects. Results showed that both the experimental group and control group significantly increased their academic performance in the post-tests, indeed the average post-test scores of experimental groups were higher than that of the control group. Only one among three classes in the experimental group showed a significant increase in post-test scores, indicating a possibility of teacher difference. Boys in the experimental groups significantly improved in the post-test while girls did not differ significantly from pre-test scores. Both students with low and middle ability levels improved significantly in their post-test scores, while students with high ability level did not reach statistical significance. The interaction effect between gender and student ability level was statistically significant, indicating that the influence of student ability level on pre-test scores depended on their gender. Finally recommendations, implications, and limitations to the study are discussed.
HOW RELATIONSHIPS IMPACT SENSE OF BELONGING IN SCHOOLS AMONGST FEMALE ADOLESCENTS FROM REFUGEE BACKGROUNDS
Authors:   Faculty of Education, Simon Fraser University (Canada), Van Der Putten Sonja Aicha
Published: July 2021

Education is believed to play an essential role in creating a sense of belonging amongst adolescents from refugee backgrounds. This narrative inquiry study set out to better understand the influence that relationships formed in one Canadian school community played in the development of a sense of belonging amongst female adolescent students from refugee backgrounds. Study participants were from Middle Eastern and East African origin and had been living in Canada for two-years or less. Data were collected over a five-month period through two sets of interviews, and a series of observations. Findings indicated the students from refugee backgrounds sense of belonging in school was strengthened by strong relationships with teachers from whom they perceived a genuine sense of support and care, which resulted in higher academic achievement. The study also conveyed that students felt that their Canadian-born peers largely ignored them in class, which resulted in increased feelings of social isolation and lack of belonging. The female student experience was further influenced by additional familial obligations and responsibilities.
TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION IN NATURAL SCIENCES TEACHING AND LEARNING IN SOUTH AFRICAN TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS
Authors:   Department of Science and Technology Education, University of Johannesburg (South Africa), Ramaila Sam
Published: July 2021

This study examined technology integration in Natural Sciences teaching and learning in South African township schools. A mixed method approach was adopted as part of an exploratory descriptive survey design. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations as well as administration of open-ended survey questionnaire. The study involved purposively selected grade 9 Natural Sciences teachers and learners as participants. The empirical investigation is underpinned by technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) as the underlying theoretical framework. The participants demonstrated a positive disposition about technology integration in Natural Sciences teaching and learning. In particular, technology integration was perceived to provide opportunities for the enhancement of meaningful Natural Sciences teaching and learning in township schools. Digital resources were largely viewed as essential educational tools that can be deployed to demystify abstract scientific concepts with a view to enhance scientific literacy. Theoretical implications for technology-enhanced teaching and learning are discussed.
A REFLECTION ON GENDER ACHIEVEMENT IN SCIENCES’ RURAL SCHOOL SETTINGS OF MULTICULTURAL SOUTH AFRICA
Authors:   Faculty of Humanities, Central University of Technology (South Africa), Mokoena Alice , Alexander Gregory ,   Faculty of Humanities, Central University of Technology (South Africa)
Published: July 2021

The participation of learners in science is important to a country’s socio-economic development impediments, therefore, the argument is that the girl learner should be increasingly encouraged to perform well in STEM related subjects (STATS SA). UNESCO indicates 35% women representative in STEM as students in higher education globally, whilst less than 40% of South Africa’s scientists, engineers and technologists are women. This situation also relates to the South African education system, particularly in rural schools where girl learners are outperformed by boy learners in STEM, especially, in subjects such as Life Sciences and Physical Sciences. The purpose of this reflective paper is to ascertain the factors prohibiting excellent achievement of females in sciences in rural high schools of South Africa. The data has been gathered from numerous documents such as national and provincial analysis of result, examination and assessment directorate analysis and the district statistics in solidifying our investigation as couched by document analysis. Based on our observations and experiences of the conditions prevailing in rural high schools and less participation of female learner access in STEM, suggestions are put forth as to how their performance can be improved. The investment thereof in the body of knowledge will be to fulfil the concern not only of the country but the world at large when the number of female participants increase in STEM.
THE COMPLEXITY OF IDENTITY FORMATION OF BLACK LEARNERS ATTENDING HISTORICALLY WHITE SCHOOLS
Authors:   Department of Education, Sol Plaatje University (South Africa), Mpisi Anthony , Alexander Gregory ,   Department of Post Graduate Studies, Central University of Technology (South Africa)
Published: July 2021

This purpose of this paper is to examine the complexity of identity formation experienced by black learners attending historically white high schools in the Northern Cape. Black South Africans were considered and treated as both intellectually and racially inferior during the apartheid years. This may have created an identity dilemma for a number of generations of South African blacks. The situation was further exacerbated, when black learners were admitted to historically white schools. The staff component (mostly white) of historically white schools appeared to be inadequately prepared for these drastic changes. Consequently, the school that should normally contribute to developing a positive identity formation of learners, seemingly had the opposite effect on black learners. An empirical investigation, by way of the quantitative research method was employed, to ascertain the perceived effect historically white schools have on the identity formation of black learners attending these schools. Some of the findings of this study indicate the manifestation of negative influences, low educator expectations, the disjuncture between the home- and school education, as well as the high failure and drop-out rate, of black learners, as having an effect on the identity formation of black learners. Certain suggestions are made as to how to address the situation.
ASCERTAINING THE USE OF EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IN PROMOTING LEARNERS’ HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT IN MULTICULTURAL SCHOOL SETTINGS
Authors:   Faculty of Humanities, Central University of Technology (South Africa), Alexander Gregory , Matoti Sheila ,   Scholarship of Teaching & Learning Unit, Central University of Technology (South Africa), Van Zyl Pieter ,   Faculty of Humanities, Central University of Technology (South Africa)
Published: July 2021

Encouraging learners to participate in extracurricular activities should commence in the early phase of their growth where a basis for their personality, learning and development is laid. Extracurricular activities could further assist in improving learners’ creativity and artistic talents. Philosophers, such as Rousseau, Spencer and Dewey further reiterate the value of extracurricular activities in developing social relationships and intellectual intelligence. Learners associate with different peer groups which may satisfy their socialisation, self-assessment, self-identification and the fulfilment of their needs in becoming self-actualised. Learners can further be enabled to reach self-actualisation by participating in academic activities, such as maths, science clubs and research projects. Such activities seemingly contribute to learners’ academic development which in turn may assist them in mastering certain life tasks; developing leadership roles; increasing their involvement in the community and expressing their civil responsibility. Amidst the latter, it is noted that the lack or in some cases, the non-existence of extracurricular activities hinder learners’ growth and learning, especially in multicultural school settings, where the foundation for learners’ development has to occur in a conducive environment. Multicultural schools in the Letjweleputswa educational district, Free State province of South Africa seem not to use extracurricular activities as an effective tool in promoting learners’ holistic development. The aim of this paper is to ascertain the use of extracurricular activities in promoting learners’ holistic development in the Letjweleputswa educational district. Via a qualitative research methodology, three focus group interviews were conducted with 20 learners attached to four multicultural schools. Findings of the study revealed that learner participants are of the view that their involvement in extracurricular activities could give them a greater chance of being employed; of getting a better job; of being accepted into university and of developing certain attributes, such as creativity, innovation, problem solving and endurance. The study further recommends that multicultural schools in the Letjweleputswa educational district need to implement various extracurricular activities as a means of developing various traits and competencies such as learners’ physical-, emotional-, cognitive and social skills; moral underpinnings, life-skills, well-being, leadership qualities, analytical thinking processes and communication abilities.
DISTANCE TEACHING AND PRESENCE TEACHING TOWARDS A POSSIBLE AND USEFUL INTEGRATION
Authors:   University of Macerata, Department of Education, of Cultural Heritage and Tourism (Italy), Tarantino Andrea
Published: July 2021

The pandemic emergency seems to have extinguished many residual reservations regarding distance learning, but it has created a consensus that is all in all fragile, because it is non-critical and more charged with assimilative pressures. The problem is not establishing when, where and whether distance learning or face-to-face training should be promoted. The problem is to understand why and to specify, jointly, with which paradigms it is necessary to operate. It is a question of tackling problems that have remained on the sidelines for too long, in order to understand what digital can offer to ordinary teaching and what from ordinary teaching can also be useful for distance teaching. We will stop on two issues only. On the one hand we will try to enhance the logic of the reticularity and composability of knowledge; on the other hand, we will focus on curricular systems, showing how each of these two aspects can benefit both distance and face-to-face teaching and, above all, how it can benefit their possible integration. And this also in order to be ready for the next emergency. Ready, while hoping it won't come.
BURNOUT PREVENTION WITH PSYCHOEDUCATION IN TEACHERS
Authors:   “Education and Society” Doctoral School of Education, University of Pécs (Hungary), Szigeti Mónika Veronika
Published: July 2021

Our research aims at prevention of burnout, which can be a protective factor in preventing career abandonment and can contribute to creating and maintaining a positive workplace climate. It also promotes the mental well-being and resilience of teachers and students. Therefore, burnout of teachers is especially important in Hungary, as the gradually increasing professional and administrative burden, the lack of social esteem, as well as the changed learning-teaching environment and the methodological shortcomings of general teacher training significantly increase the risk of burnout. In our research, the staff of the Somogy County Educational Service Center has been involved, mainly special education teachers. The 116-person sample has been conducted with a version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory developed for educators. In our presentation, the test results are presented. According to our findings, out of the three subscales of the subjects' questionnaire, the highest scores were achieved in the Emotional Exhaustion subscale and the lowest in the Depersonalization subscale. However, the emotional exhaustion subscale did not indicate a high burnout value in the study population. The correlations of burnout risk with age and time spent as a teacher has been also analyzed. Problem-focused and change-oriented psychological counseling models are attracting interest in the international literature today (Egan, 2010). By strengthening resilience and supporting a sense of growth, consultation techniques work to strengthen effective interpersonal communication and help the individual plan constructively for the future (Bonanno, 2004, 2005; Kelley, 2005; Linley & Joseph, 2005; Litz, 2005; Maddi, 2005). All of this are relevant to our research because we plan to provide burnout prevention psychoeducation counseling programs to educators. The literature also mentions the phenomenon of learned helplessness, which has its roots in childhood and is a breeding ground for both depression and burnout (Seligman,1991). Learned inertia can influence members of the helping professions toward passivity (paralysis, loss of control, hopelessness, unresponsiveness) and is therefore particularly burdensome for the individual, along with the challenges of helping professions. Results of our research shed light on the burnout level of special educators, personality traits important for coping and related burnout prevention (e.g., empathy, psychological immune competence) and the applied coping mechanisms that guide burnout prevention psychoeducation as a comprehensive concept.
GAME-BASED TRAINING: AN EFFECTIVE METHOD FOR REDUCING BEHAVIORAL-FINANCE BIASES
Authors:   Department of Human Sciences, University of Verona (Italy), Tommasi Francesco , Ceschi Andrea , Gostimir Marija , Perini Marco , Sartori Riccardo
Published: July 2021

Nowadays, being able to understand and infer reasonable conclusions based on great amounts of numerical information represents a key competence to succeed both in education and work. Numeracy is defined as the ability to understand, think, and reason using numbers and math concepts. Such a competence is key in the field of behavioral-finance where individuals manage numerical information to face important choices. Indeed, numeracy is fundamental to analyze data and to make predictions on the likelihood of future events. Moreover, research shows that individuals who score high on numeracy report higher ability in creating alternative options when it turns to make decisions. Building on the computer-supported collaborative learning and on the technology acceptance model, this study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of different interventions to reduce psychological biases related to numerical information processes in a group of university students (N = 800). Specifically, we devised two training interventions based on the two educational approaches, i.e., the computer-supported collaborative learning and on the technology acceptance model. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the two conditions, and -post measures were collected after the interventions to assess their numerical information processing ability. Moreover, post-training results were compared with the results of a control group. Results of a one-way ANOVA showed that in the control group reported the highest incidence of numeracy biases. Our preliminary findings support the main literature on the use of technological instruments and distant training as keys to develop cognitive and operational competences. Such results are limited since we were unable to collect -pre-measures of participants’ numeracy biases. Overall, the present contribution provides initial insights into how different kind of technology-based trainings can be effective to reduce biases referred to numerical information processing.
DISTANCE EDUCATION AND LEARNING PROCESSES. A SURVEY AT UNIVERSITY OF CATANIA DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Authors:   Department of Education, University of Catania (Italy), Di Martino Valeria , Strongoli Raffaella C. ,   Department of Education, University of Catania (Italy)
Published: July 2021

The emergency situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic required all Italian universities to implement alternative teaching strategies to traditional face-to-face lessons. At the University of Catania, this situation prompted the start of distance learning paths in a synchronous mode at the very beginning of the emergency. At the same time, the lecturers were encouraged to video-record the lessons in order to make them available to students also in asynchronous mode. On the basis of this emergency situation, an investigation was immediately launched to identify the consequences of the new teaching methods on student learning processes; the research began in the first phase of the lockdown in Italy (March 2020) and ended in January 2021. The aim of this contribution is to present the results of the research conducted on a sample of 300 students following bachelor degree courses of the Department of Education at the University of Catania. The research aims to detect the students’ points of view on the strengths and weaknesses of the synchronous and asynchronous ways of presenting lessons and their respective impact on learning processes. The results of the research could provide useful insights to rethink university teaching even when the emergency situation comes to an end.
"MIND THE GAP": THE TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING PROCESS OF SECOND LANGUAGE PRACTITIONERS WHEN BECOMING SCHOLARS
Authors:   Department of Sociology, Political Science and Communication, The Open University (Israel), Kaplan Dana , Wizel Maya ,   Middlebury Language Schools, Middlebury College (VT, USA)
Published: July 2021

This paper is about transformations from knowing to not-knowing and from doing to becoming. The paper’s focus is an ongoing research project on a new Doctorate program in Modern Languages studies (DML) and the process that the students in this program undergo when transitioning from being practitioners to becoming novice scholars. This program is part of a conscious effort to create an academic field whereby scholarly and professional types of knowledge are organically co-produced and this interlaced knowledge is expected to fertilize practitioners’ professional practices. The program’s graduate students are mostly in their mid-career and are motivated to pursue their DML studies for multiple reasons. The necessity of developing a study plan that can foster their transition from practitioners to scholars and help them develop a researcher identity became evident early on. Students were expected to quickly re-adjust their self-image as future theorizers who could carry out independent research and produce original scholarship. While the challenges mentioned above are not unique to this specific doctorate program and are well documented in the extensive scholarship on doctorate students’ education, fewer studies have addressed the particular challenges faculty and students face as part of the latter’s transition from practitioners to graduate students and novice researchers. Therefore, we ask, what accounts for a successful process of supporting language teachers in becoming novice researchers? Our aim is twofold: first, to detail our pedagogical rationale, dilemmas we faced, and the solutions we carved out; and secondly, to contribute to a nascent discussion on doctorate students’ training and academic socialization in applied disciplines. Using Mezirow’s adult learning theory of Transformative Learning, we describe the challenge of designing a process of academic socialization that can support adult learners’ development and shift in perceptions, skills, and actions. During the first four cohorts of the program, in an introductory course, “Research Foundations,” we faced dilemmas regarding reading materials and teaching activities, and collected students' reflections and communications with us, the course professors. Accordingly, the paper explicitly emphasizes our efforts to actively foster a culture of independent learning and a productive learning community by introducing new knowledge and skills. The paper can benefit instructors who design and lead graduate programs for practitioners in any field of practice.
ESCAPE ROOM AS A MOTIVATING TOOL IN THE ENGLISH LITERATURE CLASSROOM AT TERTIARY EDUCATION
Authors:   Department of English Studies, University of Almería (Spain), Armie Madalina , Fernández Sánchez José Francisco , Membrive Pérez Verónica
Published: July 2021

The escape room, also known as escape game, is a gamification tool that aims to promote increased motivation and improved teamwork (Wood & Reiners, 2012). Recently, escape rooms have achieved prominence in the classroom as pedagogical instruments valid for any type of discipline. In the educational field in particular, the escape room can be defined as an action game in real time where the players, in teams, solve a series of puzzles or problems and carry out tasks related to the curricular contents worked on throughout the course, in one or more rooms with a specific objective and at a specific time (Nicholson, 2015). To do this, learners must put into practice the knowledge acquired about a particular subject, as well as their creative and intellectual abilities, and deductive reasoning. Despite being a pedagogical tool that has emerged as an innovative element in the last five years or so, the use of escape rooms for teaching-learning the English language at different educational levels has been studied qualitatively and quantitatively (Dorado Escribano, 2019; López Secanell & Ortega Torres, 2020). However, there is no study on the applicability of the escape room in the English literature classroom at the tertiary educational level. This paper aims to demonstrate how the inclusion of this innovative pedagogical tool can serve not only for teaching the language, but also for working on theoretical-practical contents of subjects focused on literary studies of the Degree in English Studies. In order to achieve the proposed objectives, the study will focus on the identification of types of exercises to implement as part of the educational escape room aimed at a sample of students; the preparation of tests/ exercises based on the established objectives; the design of a pre- and a post- questionnaire based on the established objectives; the implementation of the escape room in the literature class and the evaluation of the impact of this educational tool to foster students’ motivation.
IDENTIFICATION OF FACTORS AFFECTING ELEMENTARY TEACHERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS INCLUSION IN KOSOVO: THE ROLE OF DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES
Authors:   Doctoral Student, University of Prishtina/Faculty of Education (Kosovo), Koliqi Donika , Zabeli Naser ,   Professor at the University of Prishtina/Faculty of Education (Kosovo)
Published: July 2021

Inclusion is at the center of interest of international institutions and associations and is considered as one of the main challenges facing education systems worldwide. According to different studies for the implementation of inclusive practices, positive attitudes of teachers are essential in the successful implementation of this change in education. The aim of this paper was to research the elementary teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education and to identify factors that influence their attitudes, such as: gender, age, training for inclusive education, level of education, educational experience, and experience with children with special needs. The methodology of the study is quantitative method. The population of this study include teachers of elementary level of education in the Kosovo and the sample include 300 respondents, who were surveyed with the Teachers’ Attitudes towards Inclusion Scale (TAIS). The research findings have shown that the attitudes of primary school teachers towards inclusive education are below the neutral middle point. The findings have confirmed that the demographic variables have a moderate impact on teachers' attitudes, too. A slightly higher impact is noticed while they have been part of trainings and their experience on working with students, who are considered with special needs has also helped in raising awareness.
A LIFE-HISTORY CASE STUDY ON SELF-RELIANCE EXPERIENCE OF DIVORCED MIGRANT WOMEN
Authors:   Doctoral student, Dept. of Multicultural Education, Inha University (South Korea), Choi SooAn , Kim YoungSoon ,   Professor, Dept. of Multicultural Education, Inha University (South Korea)
Published: July 2021

This study aims to examine the life history of migrant women who have experienced divorce in a socio-cultural context. Five people participated in the study, and they have been living in self-reliance support facilities since their divorce. They were selected from interviews on the life history of 80 married migrant women, which were funded by the Korea Research Foundation from 2017 to 2019. The method of research is a life-historical case study. The results of the study are as follow; first, their marriage was to escape gender hierarchy and poverty in their home country. Therefore, it was confirmed that marriage migration took place within the transnational trend of feminization of migration. Second, self-reliance support facilities provide strong social support for divorced migrant women. As a result, it works as an important space that allows them to escape from voluntary self-exclusion and explore new subjectivity. Suggestions of the implications are as follow; the social support from self-reliance support facilities after divorce is a driving factor that is the subjective and active effort of single-parent migrant women. Discussions should continue that those who are free from the spouses of the people can live as practical and public citizens of Korean society.
PARTICIPATION TO EMPOWER CHILDREN AND STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY
Authors:   Free University of Bolzano/Bozen (Italy), Langer Sabina
Published: July 2021

In a pandemic, children’s participation is even more important than before. This paper presents the first stage of an exploratory study for my PhD research in Pedagogy beginning in January 2021 in Milan. The participants are 19 pupils of class 4B (primary school), their parents and the teachers who joined energies to reproject a square, in order to transform it into a welcoming space for the entire community. In Italy, public speeches did not mention children who could not finally use public spaces for months as they were identified as the “plague spreaders”. The project revisits this perspective by considering children as potential actors of the transformation. Only if adults set the conditions for a change, children, their needs and their imagination could become agents for that change and centre of the community. The project name is Piazziamoci (Let’s place ourselves here) to signify the conscious act of taking a place together. After a theoretical framework of the study within Student Voice, I describe the generative circumstances, the context and the first steps of the project. The children explored the square, interviewed the inhabitants, shared information and dreams with their classmates coming up with proposals to present to City Council. This first phase aimed to set the basis of my investigation on the participants self-awareness as people and members of the community; it also focuses on the perception of the square as a common good. To this purpose, this work introduces concepts as the capacity to aspire (Appadurai, 2004), imagination and creativity (Vygotsky, 1930/2004), interdependence (Butler, 2020), and, therefore, a political and educational interpretation of the project.
MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE COURSES CAMPS: BEFORE AND DURING THE PANDEMIC
Authors:   Anglo-Germanic Department, Institute of Languages and Literatures, UERJ – Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro // CNPq - National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, CNPq Researcher (Brazil), Cardoso Janaina
Published: July 2021

MOOC Camps have been used as a successful blended alternative to more traditional MOOCs (totally online). A “camp” here means “an informal gathering of learners working together to discuss new ideas and concepts” (Sowell, 2019). MOOC Camps combine the positive aspects of MOOCs, such as high-quality of professional development and low cost for participants with the advantages of using the “camps”, such as adaptation to the local context and a simpler way of promoting interaction among participants, who consequently feel highly motivated to complete the online course (Cardoso, 2020). The aim of this presentation is to consider the effects of the physical distance imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic in the MOOC Camps been offered by an extension and research project developed at a public university in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (CEALD/UERJ) in partnership with the American Government (RELO-Brazil) since 2019. The main objectives of these MOOC camps are: (a) to promote language and methodology development; and (b) to build stronger communities of teachers and teachers-to-be, by giving them the opportunity of sharing their experiences. However, in 2020, due to the pandemic, the camp had to be adapted to a remote mode, using a web-conference platform. Therefore, this action-research study compares and contrasts the MOOC Camp participants’ feedback given before the pandemic with their responses to the activities developed during the pandemic. In this way, the idea is to understand how the adaptations we were forced to make have influenced the development of the camps and possibly affected participants’ interest. The discussion considers some of the advantages and drawbacks of adopting the remote mode for the camps, and a better understanding of some theoretical concepts, such as: blended learning (Gruba et al., 2016); blended MOOCs (Albó et al., 2015; Orsini-Jones, 2018, 2019), online interaction (Silva, 2014), and education in the pandemic context (Liberali, 2020).
4 TH IR – IMPLICATIONS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION BY LOOKING AT THE USE OF MOBILE TEACHING DEVICES
Authors:   School of Mathematics Science and Technology Education, Faculty of Humanities, Central University of Technology, Free State (South Africa), Beukes Johannes Andreas Gerhardus
Published: July 2021

Students and lecturers use mobile devices more and more and within a few years they will become indispensable tools in the classroom. Recent research clearly indicates that mobile devices such as smartphones, laptops and tablets are the tools of choice for students, scholars, teachers and lecturers. It will play a major role in teaching and learning, especially in higher education as the 4 th IR, the development of artificial intelligence and new ways of communication need to take their place in the classroom. The integration of these new technologies into the teaching and learning experience in the classroom will be dependent on effective pedagogical implementation and planning to be successful. Taking this into account, this paper explores the effect that mobile devices have in the classroom on the teaching and learning experience of the student. The advantages of the implementation of mobile devices must be weighed against the negative influence they may have. All of the participants in the study reported that they have access to and use mobile devices to access the internet to source information.
REFLECTIONS ON OFFERS AND USE OF DIGITAL MEDIA FOR TRANSFERRING KNOWLEDGE IN TEACHER EDUCATION
Authors:   Faculty of Education, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (Italy), Schumacher Susanne , Stadler-Altmann Ulrike
Published: July 2021

Digital processing, augmented reality and virtualisation have been developed and tested in the gaming world and working environment for some time. In educational settings, media should become learning objects that arouse the interest of learners, establish a connection to their previous knowledge, and enable interactive action and self-control (cf. Göhlich & Zirfas, 2007; Sesink, 2008). In parallel with technological developments, the question of imparting knowledge methods as well as increasing learners' knowledge is consistently subject of debates on competence in higher education didactics (see Erhardt, 2010). In terms of knowledge theory, the question arises to which extent knowledge changes as a result of media processing and, not least, how students' knowledge assets build up, transfers and influence each other (see Stadler-Altmann & Keiner, 2010). In the first decade of the millennium, numerous activities introduced in higher education had been carried out related to media-based knowledge transfer and information acquisition in the context of curricular offerings, pilot events or third party financed projects with non-university cooperation partners (Iske & Meder, 2010; Gördel at al., 2018; Hofhues, Jochuma & Kohrs, 2013; Reinmann, Ebner & Schön, 2013). In this paper, concepts of media-supported teaching and learning environments in the context of the training of pedagogical professionals in South Tyrol are depicted. Didactic designs for lectures and seminars are presented and critically reflected. These two teaching formats are mainly intended for the one-level master's degree in Primary Education at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano. The design research approach chosen for this purpose does not diminish input-output comparisons, but rather raises the question of which media-pedagogical innovations and didactic interventions can improve the existing teaching-learning situation (Fishman et al., 2013). First, the pedagogical fields of action are analysed by considering both the specific context of the given structure at university and the existing teaching-learning settings. Consequently, impulses for a didactic re-framing in the context of the methodological dimensions of control and teaching style will be discussed in the light of the current state of research.
CHALLENGES WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ADMISSION POLICY FOR GRADES R AND 1 IN THE MOTHEO DISTRICT IN THE FREE STATE PROVINCE OF SOUTH AFRICA
Authors:   Department of Educational and Professional Studies, Central University of Technology (CUT), Bloemfontein (South Africa), Louw Jaysveree M
Published: July 2021

At the beginning of every year thousands of learners report for Grade R and Grade 1 across schools in South Africa. Unfortunately, many learners are refused admission to these grades when parents apply. The national policy that guides and governs admission of learners to public schools is the South African Schools Act (SASA) 84 of 1996. This policy stipulates that the admission age of a learner to a public or independent school for Grade R is age four, turning five by 30 June in the year of admission. For a learner to be admitted to Grade 1, the learner has to be five, turning six by 30 June in the year of admission (SASA 1996 Section 5a-6; Ramadiro and Vally 2005:1). But SASA (1996: Section 3(1) also states that attendance is compulsory in the year in which a learner turns seven. According to the National Education Policy Act (NEPA) 27 of 1996 and SASA (1996: Section 5) the Admission Policy of a public school is determined by the School Governing Body (SGB). However, according to the findings of the research there is no uniformity and consistency in schools as far as admission to Grades R and 1 is concerned. In addition, the study reveals that many parents are unaware of the age requirements for Grades R and 1. Although SASA does stipulate the admission age to Grade R and Grade 1, it also states that schools, in the form of the SGB, can determine their own Admission Policy. Hence some schools admit learners according to SASA, while others ignore the requirements stipulated in SASA and determine their own Admission Policies. The study aims to determine what the challenges are with the implementation of the policy. A qualitative research method in the form of interviews was conducted to collect data from teachers, parents, SGBs, school principals and departmental officials. Based on the findings recommendations were made, one of which is that there should be uniformity amongst schools as far as policy implementation is concerned. The theoretical framework that guides this study is document phenomenology.
THE ROLE OF COMMUNICATION AS THE DRIVE FOR IMMIGRATION: A CASE STUDY IN FINLAND
Authors:   Information Technology and Communication, Tampere University (Finland), Hosseini Zahra , Kotilainen Sirkku
Published: July 2021

Recently many studies have remarked migration issues. Thus, in countries such as Finland, having a governmental strategy for increasing the number of migrants, especially educated immigrants or encouraging international students to stay, is highly important. While Finland is recognized as the happiest country, it would be arguable why it is not included in the list of top destination countries for immigration. The literature shows communication is one of the most issues for immigrants and international students, particularly those from Asian countries. Therefore, this study aims to understand how technology-based communication such as the use of social media influences international students' decision to immigrate. Respectively, 23 Iranian tertiary-level students were interviewed as the case of the study. Uses and Gratification theory was employed to investigate the role of media usage among the participants. The findings showed that although there is high desire among the participants to immigrate to Finland, the difficulty and unpopularity of the Finnish language and culture of distance in Finland reduces the motivation to emigrate and made the participants feel being the outsider in the university and society. The use of communication media has facilitated university admissions and communication with family, friends, compatriots and other international students, but has not been able to connect them to Finnish society. While educated immigrants in every country are human resources, the results of this study draw our attention to explore different aspects of communication, identifying motivating factors and reducing frustration among international students for immigration. These results emphasize on the development of strategies and tools for harnessing the potential of media and technology to connect international students as future educated immigrants in the host community.
FLIPPING A 700 STUDENT CLASSROOM
Authors:   HCI Research Department, Faculty of Informatics, TU Wien (Austria), Purgathofer Peter , Kender Kay
Published: July 2021

Because of the pandemic, we had to switch our first-semester informatics course with 700 students from lecture hall teaching to online teaching. We used the opportunity to rethink our approach and come up with forms of teaching that fit the circumstances. In the evaluation, we found that students generally appreciated our efforts, and although we raised the requirements for a positive grade, the share of students who passed the course was higher than usual.
DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTH-PROMOTING BEHAVIOUR OF A CHILD AS AN EDUCATIONAL GOAL IN FAMILIES OF HANDICAPPED MOTHERS WITH MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS
Authors:   Charles Univ, Fac Edu, PedF UK (Czech Republic), Hájková Petra , Květoňová Lea
Published: July 2021

The mental health of adult women is an important attribute of their motherhood. Weakening of mental health poses a threat to activities in the field of self-care and healthy development of their children. Even under these conditions of health disadvantage, women-mothers remain as the main mediators of health-promoting habits for their children, thus they become theirs first educators. The health literacy of these women also plays a role in this regard. For this reason, it is crucial to provide these women with sufficient special education that takes their individual needs into account. This research project is focused on finding connections between the mental health disorder of mothers, their health literacy with manifestations in the field of health-promoting behaviour, and with the need for support in the relevant area of childcare by professionals and close family members. The author will present an overview of research focused on this issue as well as her own proposal for a research solution, which received the support of the Charles University Grant Agency for the years 2021-2022.