bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Class of Nothing
Authors: Mascareñas Óscar
Published: July 2019

Imagine a class with no syllabus, no teacher, no instruction, no method, no homework, no assessments, no grades, no ‘classroom’. What could that be? ‘A Class of Nothing’ is a radical pedagogical concept that stems from the need to create space. Physical space. Mental space. Space in time. Through the idea of nothing as a starting point, and no-instruction as a pedagogical tool, ‘teacher’ and ‘student’ immerse in a space of waiting, of disconnection from the outside world, and eventually, of discovery and making. In the space of ‘A Class of Nothing’ to educate means no more to teach, give, or exemplify: to lead out; but to inhabit, to experience: to let in. The concepts of teacher and student become blurred, and it is no longer possible to understand them in the traditional sense. Responses from students to various ‘classes of nothing’,reveal that this kind of experience is new, intriguing, mind boggling, unusual, surprising, interesting, strange; it places them in a differentspace: physically, mentally and in time. This paper introduces the notion of ‘A Class of Nothing’, and provides the reader with a number of examples where this concept and approach have been applied.
Analysis of the speech act of request in the foreign language classroom
Authors: Herget Katrin , Pérez Noemí
Published: July 2019

Nowadays, teaching languages for specific purposes, in particular in the field of entrepreneurship, has to focus on pragmatic and intercultural aspects in response to a multicultural professional reality that comprises different areas of knowledge. Our study aims at analyzing the speech act of making a request in German and Spanish by Portuguese native speakers, i.e. BA students of Languages and Business Relations at University of Aveiro. For this study, two different types of tests were performed: the Discourse Completion Task (DCT) and the Rating Assessment Test. The data provided by the answers given to these two surveys will help the teacher to understand the pragmatic difficulties students have when making a request in these two foreign languages. The information obtained will help the teacher to focus on aspects that are really problematic from the pragmatic point of view, and at the same time, to find and implement strategies and activities that help students improve their pragmatic awareness and overcome difficulties that may arise in intercultural communication. Hence, the objective is to contribute to an adequate development of the students' pragmatic and intercultural communicative competence.
Women and foreign students in teams: the key players
Authors: Nicolini Rosella
Published: July 2019

The aim of this proposal is to present a teaching experiment that has been in use since the academic year 2012–2013. The experiment concerns the introduction of a norm to direct the self-assessment of individual participation in the making of group reports. The presence of this norm can limit potential free-riding or conflicts inside each team. Statistical results from more than 400 students who participated in this experiment confirm that this norm was effective in reducing misleading individual behavior. In addition, this effect turns out to be associated with the presence of women and/or students from abroad in each group.
Is the Italian student survey on teaching reliable? For what purposes?
Authors: Zaninotto Enrico
Published: July 2019

Italian universities submit a compulsory survey to students for the evaluation of teaching activities. The questionnaire, designed by the Italian National Agency for University and Research System Evaluation (ANVUR), aims to evaluate four dimensions of teaching quality (course, instructor, personal interest and overall satisfaction) through twelve questions on a four-level scale. This paper addresses first the issue of the questionnaire’s reliability in the representation of the four evaluation dimensions. The main result is that the questionnaire do not represent properly the four dimensions of evaluation which it is intended for. Secondly, through a preliminary statistical analysis, it discusses the use of the survey for comparative purposes. A comparative analysis can be adversely affected by several contextual and subjective factors, like the size of the class and the gender of the instructor. The paper concludes by discussing the difficulty of finding proper conditioning, and raises doubts regarding an uncritical comparative use of student evaluations of teaching activities.
Technologies for attention to diversity: a bibliometric study
Authors: Vidal Esteve María Isabel , Marín Suelves Diana , Peirats Chacón José , Pardo Baldoví María Isabel
Published: July 2019

In these last decades, digital systems and playful dynamics have penetrated the inclusive education field, in some cases to attend the diversity of the classroom as a whole and, in others, to study in a specific way the use of technologies in students with special needs. About this topic, on the following pages we study the trends of the research carried out through a bibliometric analysis of the scientific production in the Scopus database, which includes an amount of 59 articles, published between 1999 and 2019, are included. The results indicate an increase in the last years of the presence of scientific publications in journals in the field of Social Sciences. Furthermore, data show that the number of articles and the impact of these is scarce, that the predominant country in the publications is United States and that in the cooccurrence of the terms the agents involved in the process, technology and inclusive practices stand out as relevant issues, which implies the urgent need for digital teacher training.
Characterizing university students’ self-regulated learning behavior using dispositional learning analytics
Authors: Ainscough Louise , Leung Richard , Colthorpe Kay , Langfield Tracey
Published: July 2019

Learning analytics can be used in conjunction with learner dispositions to identify at-risk students and provide personalized guidance on how to improve. Participants in the current study were students (n=192) studying a first year anatomy and physiology course. A two-step cluster analysis was performed using learning analytics data from the learning management system and self-regulated learning behavior from meta-learning assessment tasks. Three clusters of students were identified – high, medium and low self-regulated learners. High self-regulated learners were engaged with the meta-learning tasks, reported the most self-regulated learning strategies and used new strategies during semester. They also had the highest academic achievement. Compared to low self-regulated leaners, medium self-regulated learners were more engaged in the meta-learning tasks and used more learning strategies during semester, including new strategies; however, both medium and low self-regulated learners had similar levels of academic achievement. It is possible that the medium self-regulated learners represent students who were attempting to improve their learning, but had not yet found strategies that were right for them. Future evaluation of academic performance may determine whether the attempts to improve learning by medium self-regulated learners distinguishes them from low self-regulated learners in the later years of their study.
New tools for teaching: educational cards for primary schools on the prevention of food waste
Authors: Comino Elena , Macioce Francesca
Published: July 2019

This article shows the results obtained from the creation of some educational cards for primary school pupils on the topic of the food waste prevention. The collaboration between designers and experts in the educational field was fundamental for this project: we combined the communicative and design skills of the designer with the didactics knowledge of the educators. The activities have been created on the basis of the experiential methodology, the pupils feeling themselves the protagonist of the activities, combining the traditional educational activities, also trough cross-learning of good ecological practices. The proposed activities explore the life cycle of an aliment from when it is purchased by the consumer until it is disposed of, analysing in which stages the consumer wastes food. The exercises were created to understand how to avoid or reduce food waste in those specific phases. The result of the project is composed of two different books containing the educational cards, one for teachers and families with basic information on exercises and the other one for students containing the exercises. The final objective of the educational cards is to sensitize students and adults around them on the food waste problem.
Reflections on Sustainability Issues in Learning Object Development
Authors: Carroll Paula , Flaherty Niall , Ovenden Bard
Published: July 2019

Data science is a relatively new requirement in business curricula. Historically many business students have shied away from business statistics. We describe a project to create learning objects to enhance business students confidence and capabilities in performing statistical and analytics business tasks. In this paper we focus on the content development process, rather than the impact of the learning objects on student learning outcomes.We reflect on the steps in the learning object design and implementation project and conclude that the Plan, Act, Observe and Reflect iterative cycle worked well for the project team. We include recommendations on how this framework could be augmented to improve the sustainability of learning objects.
Working while studying – some legal and political questions affecting the right to higher education in Estonia
Authors: Joamets Kristi , Solarte Vasquez Maria Claudia
Published: July 2019

This paper explores some of the social dimensions affecting higher education policies in Estonia, and in respect to the European Union (EU) institutional framework and priorities, and looking at higher education as a fundamental human right. From this perspective, the aim is to establish that understanding underlying phenomena becomes key to respond strategically, raise awareness and improve the development of academic policies at the national and institutional levels. The combination of work and studies is one of the most critical dimensions to factor into this assessment but it has been neglected in the practice. Lecturers and other faculty members intervene, developing independent academic policies and initiatives in the absence of a pre-concerted strategy, expertise, mandate and/or capabilities. Instead, universities should prepare for unorthodox engagements adapting to the students in need, and train their faculties to facilitate a shift towards less traditional learning environments. Responsive adjustments to the current social developments can be interpreted to be the proper way or the state to perform its duties and to better guarantee the exercise of the human right to education.
Development of business students’ attitudes towards entrepreneurship between 2017–2018
Authors: Kakkonen Marja-Liisa
Published: July 2019

Entrepreneurial competences consist of attitudes, knowledge and entrepreneurial skills. In the autum 2017, a new curriculum emphasizing entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial behavior was launched in the business department of a Finnish university of applied sciences. In order to verify the development, a follow-up study with three annual sub-studies was planned to examine students' attitudes towards entrepreneurship, generic competences and subject-specific competences of entrepreneurship during the degree studies.This article presents the results of the development of the students' entrepreneurial attitudes between the first and third semester. According to the findings, the attitudes towards entrepreneurship were quite positive in the beginning of the studies, and it seems that they remained at the same level during one year. Based on the findings, as a practical implication there is a need for monitoring pedagogigal approaches and methods of the programme to make sure that they support enough the development of entrepreneurial attitudes. The entire development of entrepreneurial competences will be revealed by the next annual studies.Keywords: Attitudes; Entrepreneurship; Business students; Perceptions
Sustainable Development at Higher Education Institutions in Germany: Advances, Challenges, Examples
Authors: Schmitt Claudia Thea , Bassen Alexander , Müller-Christ Georg
Published: July 2019

In this paper, Sustainable Development at Higher Education Institutions is introduced as a field of research and application. An interdisciplinary German collaboration on Sustainable Development at Higher Education Institutions – HOCHN – serves as an example of how this topic is addressed on a national level. Results and advances of the HOCHN collaboration are summarized. Moreover, challenges of implementing sustainability-related organizational development at universities are discussed. Focusing on Education for Sustainable Development at universities, three different methodologies are outlined that exceed conventional approaches in tertiary education: Lego® Serious Play® methodology, constellation techniques, and a coaching program on the “Five Minds for the Future”. They illustrate different ways of addressing issues of Education for Sustainable Development and skills and habits respectively that are crucial for achieving the global Sustainable Development Goals of the UN.
Creative writing and Critical Thinking Enhancement at Higher Education
Authors: Poce Antonella , Amenduni Francesca
Published: July 2019

Currently, educational policymakers identify Critical Thinking (CT) as an essential aspect of progress and knowledge growth in any field and in the broad society. Peer interactions and individual writing are helpful pedagogical strategies for CT development that could be enhanced by the use of technologies (Guiller, Durndell, & Ross, 2008). Starting from the above-mentioned evidence, a university module was designed by combining collaborative and creative writing with the critical analysis of literary texts and the fruition of figurative arts. 123 students worked in groups and their CT level was assessed at different times of the course. Most of the students’ groups showed an increase in their CT level whilst a few did not. The difficulties in the management of group dynamics corresponded to the decreasing CT level. On the contrary, groups able to organize their work improved their CT throughout the course. Additionally, students’ work modes had an impact on their performance at different CT tasks. The research results could be used to improve university course design for CT education.
A platform for the influencers: spreading educational innovations via a professional learning network
Authors: Winnips Koos , Riezebos Jan , Ossevoort Miriam
Published: July 2019

To further the spread of educational innovation and the sharing of good teaching practices our faculty decided to set up a professional learning network (PLN). With the PLN the aim is to reach an early majority of lecturers by asking influential lecturers to share their practical experiences.Via the PLN meetings for lecturers are organized, web-based resources are made available and educational support is provided. In meetings lecturers present good practices for their colleagues. The topics of the meetings connect to faculty policy (such as: technology enhanced learning, inclusion of international students).Analysis of visitors to the meetings shows the target audience has been reached. Visitors are mainly lecturers, associate professors and professors, spread evenly across all departments of the faculty. On the topic of Technology Enhanced Learning, 71% of the visitors to the PLN are outside a group of early adopters. Overall, meeting visitors are found to be innovators, early adoptors and early majority.In conclusion we found that a PLN can be used as a platform for influencers to reach an early majority of lecturers
Nurturing students’awareness of their behavioral competencies: The Competency Lab experience
Authors: Gerli Fabrizio , Bonesso Sara , Cortellazzo Laura
Published: July 2019

Behavioral competencies, also defined emotional and social competencies (ESCs), are considered to be increasingly important for graduates’ workplace readiness. Drawing on studies that adopt the “whole person” learning approach and the Intentional Change Theory (ICT), this paper illustrates a teaching approach that higher educational institutions should implement, across different curricula and disciplinary fields, in order to improve students’ awareness of their behavioral compentecies and to direct their development coherently with the future professional and personal objectives. In doing this, we give an illustration of the lessons learned from an educational initiative, Competency Lab, designed by a research center of a public university in Italy, that was devoted to master’s students. From the analysis of the students’ learning outcomes, the paper shows the positive impact of : i) proposing the ICT approach, through which students assume personal responsibility for the development of ESCs; ii) integrating multiple learning methods and tools with a specific application of experiential methods to stimulate self-reflection and active experimentation; and iii) encouraging students’ engagement through web-based technologies. We provide implications for educators illustrating how students can self-define the ESCs to develop, following a rigorous method that is tailored to their specific level of maturity and personal motivation.
Can we be all in one?
Authors: Cutolo Donato , Tagliaventi Maria Rita , Carli Giacomo
Published: July 2019

The pursuit of a high research performance is nowadays shared by academics internationally since it is considered to sustain national development. Generating outstanding research is an effort that can jeopardize the enactment of other academic activities and the attainment of related satisfying goals, though. While the interplay between research and other knowledge transfer activities such as patenting, spin-off creation and consulting, has been widely debated, the influence of research on academic citizenship, i.e., on the service provided by faculty to their institution and to the wider collective, has remained surprisingly in the backward of the reflection on higher education systems. This study analyzes the effect of research performance on academic citizenship in a sample of 216 Italian academics in the field of management. With the exception of research awards and international scientific collaborations, research does not emerge to significantly impact upon academic citizenship, which may account for the scarce attention devoted to this latter. Since service is necessary for all organizations, universities included, to thrive, citizenship needs to be fostered and awarded through appropriate institutional and managerial policies that are here highlighted.
Constructing a Career Mindset in First Year Students: The Building Blocks for Curriculum Design
Authors: Kelly Kate , Lock Edward
Published: July 2019

Higher Education Institutions are under increasing pressure to produce competent and qualified graduates for the ever-changing labour market. However, this is no easy feat. This paper shows how a transformational change in Victoria University’s teaching model created an opportunity for teachers to redesign first-year, employability-related curricula. The approach to this challenge focuses on the development of a career mindset in first year university students. Through the examination of two courses, one from the Bachelor of Arts and one from the Bachelor of Psychological Studies, this paper demonstrates a number of active learning and engagement strategies that can be incorporated into the classroom to empower first year students to develop a career mindset that can help them to develop and integrate employability related skills throughout their degrees and beyond.
Whiteboard Animations for Flipped Classrooms in a Common Core Science General Education Course
Authors: Li Ming , Lai Chi Wai , Szeto Wai Man
Published: July 2019

Whiteboard animation, an engaging tool for teaching and learning, consists of a series of hand-drawing illustrations with voice-over narration to explain complex and abstract ideas. Our team had produced four short whiteboard animations tailor-made for a common core science general education (GE) course. This study aims at evaluating the effectiveness of using these whiteboard animations for flipped classrooms in the common core science GE course. The pre-tutorial survey showed that students who watched the animations got significantly higher average marks in the quizzes at the beginning of the tutorials (p<0.001). The post-tutorial feedback survey indicated that the whiteboard animations attracted 67% of students to watch the animations. For students who watched the animations, over 86% of them reported that the animations raised their interest in the issues discussed in the tutorial classes, and learning materials in the form of whiteboard animation were more interesting than lecture videos; more than 90% of the students agreed the whiteboard animations were helpful in (i) understanding the assigned readings, (ii) clarifying the concepts of the discussed issues, and (iii) gaining the related knowledge before the tutorial. We concluded that whiteboard animation is an effective and engaging tool for flipped classrooms in the common core science GE course.
Switching perspectives: Physicians meet Engineers in a Novel Lab on Medical Device Development
Authors: Gruenewald Armin , Kroenert David , Buechner Steffen , Brueck Rainer
Published: July 2019

Education nowadays often still lacks in seeing the big picture. While becoming an expert in a certain, narrow field is naturally desirable, switching disciplinary perspectives is mandatory for an overall understanding. Next to benefiting from the knowledge of other disciplines itself, the merging of two disciplines and their actors leads to a synergy effect through the exchange of their knowledge and experience. Therefore a mixed course structure consisting of theoretical and practical parts seems most feasible to guarantee varying degrees of didactic approaches including co-operative course designs. In this paper our already well established advanced lab on medical device development (part of the Bachelor's degree in Computer Science) and its enhancement towards an interdisciplinary lab and lecture with medical students is presented. Based on the existing lab, we analyze the prior knowledge of physicians and computer scientists and derive contents, structure and necessary competence goals for a four-week block course. The main objective of the lab is to enable the students of both disciplines to share a common language and a common understanding of the procedures, approaches and tools.
Entrustable Professional Activities in Residency Programs – planning and scheduling issues
Authors: Riezebos Jan , Van der Zee Durk Jouke , Pruim Jan
Published: July 2019

Residency programs allow residents, i.e., graduate physicians, to qualify for being a specialist in one of the medical disciplines. Their educational programme is strongly focusing on competencies and skills, but will incur a major change in the near future in order to introduce Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA’s). EPA’s focus on actual physician tasks and are assessed by supervisors in the clinic. The trust levels indicate whether trainees are ready for the next milestone, such as unsupervised practice, based on assessment of performance of those activities. EPA’s have not only effect on the internships and the assessment process, but also impact the planning and scheduling of the educational programmes, internships, patient care services, and co-operation between regional hospitals. This study examines the effect on the planning and scheduling process and proposes a framework for planning and scheduling in order to facilitate the organization of this type of educational  programs. The main improvements have to be found in an improved regional coordination between the hospitals, a more leading role for the educational programme directors, and more intelligent planning and scheduling.
An example of innovative university teaching: the model of Constructive and Collaborative Professional Participation
Authors: Di Maso Rosa , Ligorio Maria Beatrice
Published: July 2019

This contribution presents a blended course model called Constructive and Collaborative Professional Participation (CCPP), developed since 2005. We will describe theories of reference, course structure, activities performed and methods adopted. Starting from a socio-constructivist framework, both online individual and group activities and offline individual and group activities were organized together with Role Taking, "expert" and "Jigsaw" groups inspired by the Aronson method, web-forum and in presence discussions aimed at building various products. The model has been implemented in university courses about Psychology of e-learning and involves companies from the field to professionalize the activities. Academic and business tutors have been purposely trained, to support student participation. Following the Design Based Research methodology, at the end of each edition various kinds of data were collected: questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups with the students and feedback from the tutors and the companies involved. The course trained students on skills related to the syllabus, together with communication, organizational and self-assessment skills. Our results also showed how it was possible to develop identity positioning, in particular the transition from positions as students towards professional positioning.
Clinical simulation: innovative educational project in basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation and advanced in pediatrics and neonatology
Authors: Sánchez-Lorente Montserrat , García-Molina Pablo , Balaguer-López Evelin , Tortajada-Lohaces Alejandro , Patiño-Serra Marta , Sanchis-Sánchez Enrique , Blasco-Igual José María
Published: July 2019

Introducción: Hoy en día, la simulación clínica podría ser un eslabón clave en la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de diferentes procedimientos. Metodología: Este es un estudio cuasi-experimental, que utiliza un cuestionario de evaluación como un método para recopilar la información sobre el respeto de la adquisición de las competencias y la satisfacción de los estudiantes. Neonatal para estudiantes del 2º año de Enfermería de la Universidad de Valencia, para ello se capacitaron en 17 laboratorios de RCP, conformados por 228 alumnos. Resultados: Los estudiantes dieron una gran acogida a este proyecto, otorgando una puntuación de 8.82 (SD 0.42) sobre 10. El elemento más valorado (por los estudiantes) fue aquel en el que se recomendó a otros estudiantes que realizarán el laboratorio de RCP pediátrica con a 9.53 de 10. El conocimiento de los estudiantes mejoró en 7 de las 11 preguntas y empeoró en 4 de ellas. El mejor resultado fue el resultado de la intubación. Conclusiones: los estudiantes en general, después de la simulación, después de que se tiene que mantener el tiempo, el poder de los aspirantes se puede realizar con más simulaciones para poder mejorar los conocimientos teóricos.
Admission tools and academic performance: evidence from a first course in a bachelor’s degree in business administration
Authors: Lopez-Zafra Juan M. , Queralt-Sanchez de las Matas Ricardo A. , De Paz-Cobo Sonia
Published: July 2019

Admission tools have become imperative means for private schools to handle both limited space and the search of excellence. We use a supervised algorithm to predict the score of admitted students in a private-run Spanish business school. The main target is understanding the effects of the features defined in the admission process to assess both the validity of the process and the final ranking of the student after one year in the school, trying to ascertain what is the best mix of the variables in place to forecast the final score of the students when ending their first year in the BBA; along with the mix, we also want to define the decision rules allowing the best prediction. The results will prove that the present admission process in place is working properly even if some fine tuning could be set in place for an even better performance.
The Joint Effort Workshop as a tool for Knowledge Management and competence development
Authors: Reusner Florian , Pöhner Miriam , Bresinsky Markus
Published: July 2019

Cybersecurity is a complex global phenomenon where the risk for individuals, organisation and the society at large are at risk. These risks need to be in focus and solutions for the prevention and developing countermeasures. In this paper, we describe the Joint Effort Workshop as an approach to raise awareness to these threads and the possibility to generate and exchange knowledge between students and experts. We conclude that mechanisms for systematic response to attacks need the developed technical requirements, but foremost human behaviour, knowledge and resilience to response to risks, which can be experienced through the collaborative environment of the Joint Effort Workshop
Balancing the local and global: A review of teaching and learning literature from Colombia
Authors: Guerrero Farías María Lucía , Reedy Alison Kay
Published: July 2019

This paper presents a systematic review of the extent and nature of teaching and learning research in Colombia. The study identified that teaching and learning research is growing but is unevenly spread amongst a small number of Colombian private and public universities. The quantity of learning and teaching research emerging from a small number of institutions is linked to the presence of education development centres that support the research and dissemination of teaching innovation. The dominance of research related to technology innovation reflects the purpose of these centres. The teaching and learning research literature emerging from these universities reflects global educational themes but contains little of the issues and challenges related to diversity, inequality, and other social, political and economic realities that situates higher education research within local contexts. This study concludes that a critical approach to teaching and learning research is needed to balance the local with the global in teaching and learning research in Colombia.
B-SMART: A university-industry teaching innovation project
Authors: Gil-Doménech Dolors , Berbegal-Mirabent Jasmina , Mas-Machuca Marta
Published: July 2019

The present work aims at presenting a teaching innovation project, the B-SMART, which has been implemented at UIC Barcelona in the academic year 2018/19. Conceived as a project to respond to social demands, the B-SMART project aims at creating a collaborative environment and at strengthening the ties between companies (mainly targeted to SMEs, start-ups and NGOs) and the university. To do so, students work on real challenges or projects posed by companies. This approach helps students to better understand the theoretical concepts taught in class as well as to boost soft skills that will be required in their daily practice. In turn, companies gain access to new talent (students), fresh ideas, and the knowledge and infrastructures available at the university. In this study we explain the project and pay special attention to the first two projects solved through the B-SMART project. We use design thinking as the teaching method. Preliminary results show that both students and companies benefit from this experience.
Visualizing constructive alignment in the process of course design
Authors: Laperrouza Marc , Lanarès Jacques , Sylvestre Emmanuel
Published: July 2019

Course design in higher education is often approached in a very linear and text-based manner. The paper presents a visual tool in the form of a canvas aimed at accompanying teachers in the design of courses. The canvas can be used in an individual or co-teaching setting. It can be applied either during the conception phase of a new course or to revisit and reflect an existing course.The visual dimension departs from the usual text-based format and ambitions to offer a practical and intuitive approach. It aims at engaging teachers to adopt a prototyping approach in the design of courses. It builds on the various visual modeling tools offered in the fields of business and strategy.The proposed canvas is part of a broader project accompanying higher education teachers in the clarification of their pedagogical intent, in ensuring constructive alignment and in the adoption of a reflexive posture on their teaching experiences.
Thinking Skills in Problem Solving: Pre-Knowledges
Authors: Laiton Ignacio
Published: July 2019

The present article shows the results of a study aimed at evaluating the way in which physics students of first semesters use the thinking skills in problem solving. We speak of pre-knowledge in terms of prior theoretical knowledge of an area of ​​knowledge, in this case it is about identifying pre-knowledge in the case of thinking skills for students who have recently entered higher education. At present, the teaching of thinking skills is considered one of the main characteristics of education for the 21st century. An instrument of ten problems submitted to expert judgment was designed to be applied during the academic semester to the students of electrical physics of two Colombian universities during the years 2016 and 2018.   Are evaluated the categories of description, representation, identification of relationships, use of the mathematical model and  drawing conclusions for each of the problems. The results show statistically a very low starting point in the ability to use such skills, and is in turn a reflection element for the design of effective pedagogical strategies in solving problems in physics in higher education.
Preparing for anatomy assessment with adaptive learning resources – It is going “tibia” okay!
Authors: Pemberton Louise Ann , Linden Kelly , Webster Lucy
Published: July 2019

Anatomy subjects are content heavy and generally have a high stakes practical examination that is difficult to prepare for outside of the laboratory. With recent advances in technology, increased class sizes and reductions in teaching time, alternative and novel teaching technologies are emerging. An adaptive online simulated practical examination was developed. This lesson was evaluated using a survey, student interviews and learning analytics. Of the 55 students who completed the survey, 92% indicated that the simulated practical examination enhanced their learning. Ninety two percent of students reported that the lesson met their needs for flexibility and importantly, our study also confirmed that there was a positive relationship between performance in the simulated practical exam and both the actual practical examination and overall subject score. Findings from this study revealed that adaptive learning technologies show significant promise and are an effective, flexible tool for preparing students for practical exams in a challenging subject.
The value of 'writing retreats' in advancing innovative pedagogic research
Authors: Coonan Emma Marya , Pratt-Adams Simon , Warnes Mark
Published: July 2019

This paper outlines the work of the Centre for Innovation in Higher Education, which uses an educational laboratory model to advance the intersection of innovative research and teaching at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU). This evidence-based approach aims to promote active, reflective engagement with research in teaching and learning; foster collaborative and interdisciplinary inquiry into pedagogic practice; and support the development of a dynamic, sustainable pedagogic research community at ARU. The Centre’s work also increases the visibility and calibre of pedagogic research at national and international level. This paper outlines a current research project being undertaken by researchers from the Centre and Anglia Learning & Teaching which explores the longitudinal impact of its writing retreat provision on participants’ writing practices and productivity, together with their perceptions of writing as a key element of the academic identity. This study is generating valuable original data about academics’ writing practices and perceptions. It will contribute to the understanding of this important topic at a theoretical level, as well as outlining practical means through which universities can foster long-term academic writing productivity leading to enhanced research impact.
Teaching4Learning@UNIPD to promote faculty development at the University of Padua, Italy: the experience of the Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine School
Authors: Cardazzo Barbara , Radaelli Giuseppe , Trocino Angela , Bailoni Lucia , Taylor Edward , Fedeli Monica
Published: July 2019

Teaching4Learning@UNIPD started in 2016, and it representes the first step for the University of Padua to foster innovative teaching in response to European recommendations. It encourages faculty to experiment with new teaching strategies; involves students and promotes their active participation in educational activities; de-privatizes teaching; and has progressively increased the number of faculty learning communities. It was initiated by faculty who self-selected to participate and who had a significant inclination to enhance their approach to teaching and learning. The School of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine joined the T4L@UNIPD programme organizing a first level course and is currently participating in a second level course. The study of several differents strategies, tools and actions were included in the course and their application in teaching are now in progress.
Implementation of Game-based Learning in Higher Education: an example in HR Management
Authors: Mas-Machuca Marta , Jordan Alicia , Tresserres Cristina
Published: July 2019

The benefits of game-based learning (GBL) are well justified in literature, but there are no abundant studies to its applications in different disciplines in Higher Education (HE). This method proposes a problem scenario within a play framework adding the elements of competition and chance. The main aim of this research is to describe and analyse the successful implementation of an application of a game-based learning in the subject of Human Resource Management (HRM) during the academic year 2018/2019. Students have had to face the resolution of a challenge in the field of HR proposed by a social enterprise. The activity, proposed as a competition, details also the student’s perception by focus groups and surveys. The feedback collected shows that students positively assessed the new methodology and practical approach. The possibility of dealing with real organization’s problems increments the student’s motivation to learn. They consider that they have been able to acquire the core content of the selected topic by applying it in real situations. The empirical findings support the efficacy of game playing in HE and also shows that students enjoyed with this type of learning.
The Importance of Intercultural and Communicative Competences for Tourism Labour Market
Authors: Sándorová Zuzana
Published: July 2019

The present paper is founded on two pillars. Firstly, it is one of the current trends in education worldwide, i.e. to connect theory and practice. Secondly, it is the need to be interculturally competent speakers of a foreign language in today’s globalized world of massive migration flows and signs of increasing ethnocentrism. Based upon these two requirements, the ability to communicate in a FL effectively and interculturally appropriately in the tourism industry is a must, since being employed in whichever of its sectors means encountering other cultures on a daily basis. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to find out undergraduate tourism students’ opinion on the importance of intercultural communicative competences for their future profession as well as their self-assessment in the given field. The findings of the research, which are to be compared to employers’ needs, revealed that there is considerable difference between the respondents’ views on the significance of the investigated issues and their self-esteem.
A Project-based learning for the subject “design and implementation of databases”
Authors: Tomás Vicente R. , Pérez Francisco Miguel , Marqués Andrés Mercedes
Published: July 2019

Project-based learning is a technique that uses projects to develop the learning process. This technique is being used in several matters and disciplines providing very good results. In this paper, a project-based learning is presented to improve learning in the subject: design and implementation of databases. Students work in groups of four people. The activities are developed not only in the classroom (theory, problems and laboratory) but also as homework. Furthermore, during the project development, each group has to have individual interviews and discussion with the teacher to analyse the project evolution. Despite the marks obtained in the project, where laboratory sessions, and the exam improve slightly the marks of previous year, it could be considered that the development of the project is very positive considering the improvement of the percentage of student’s success. The enquiry developed at the end on the semester also shows that the project support student in the learning process.
Diversifying Initial Teacher Education: Who Utilises Alternative Entry Routes to Teaching & How They Compare to Direct Entry Students
Authors: O'Sullivan Katriona , Burns Gareth , Bird Niamh
Published: July 2019

Recognition of the growing homogeneity of the Irish teaching body (Keane & Heinz, 2016), and increasing awareness of the positive impact a more diverse teaching population have on disadvantaged and diverse students’ educational engagement, has precipitated an Irish policy response which has included funding a university foundation course (FC) which supports students who are underrepresented in teaching, to progress into initial teacher education (ITE).There is a dearth of empirical research on who is accessing these interventions, and how these students differ from those who ‘usually’ apply to and enter ITE directly. Consequently, in September 2018, twenty FC students and eighteen students from the direct entry group completed an on-line survey in order to compare the demographic make of both groups.The results of the descriptive analysis indicate that students utilising the ITE FC are more diverse in ethnicity, disability status and academic history, and have greater levels of disadvantage in terms of family history of education and family occupation than those entering ITE directly. These results highlight the value of utilising alternative entry routes to ITE, and their potential to support those disadvantaged and underrepresented to take the initial step into ITE.
Leave no one behind. Design inclusive motor activities in Primary Teacher Education Courses
Authors: Zurru Antioco Luigi , Mura Antonello , Tatulli Ilaria
Published: July 2019

The development of international policies supporting inclusive education of people with disabilities has initiated a process of social democratization, that requires specific interventions and skills of multiple professionals.The education of future preschool and primary school teachers faces the challenge of inclusion and becomes fertile soil for the promotion of cultural change in society.In this sense, this research work, starting from the experiences of planning and development of inclusive motor activities, conducted for three years in the degree course in Primary Education Sciences of an Italian university, it collects testimonies, experiences and reflections of the students concerning the learning gained in the workshops organized by the degree course and to those acquired during the observation of the different public schools where they carried out the compulsory training to become teachers.The results, collected by the qualitative analysis of data, induce different levels of reflection concerning the current schooling educational practices for teaching motor activity, the training needs of future teachers, the elaboration of  specific contents and teaching methods/strategies for the preparation of spaces and tools that guarantee the full accessibility of learning for all the students.
Decision Support Systems Aiming in Reducing Globalization Burdens in Education
Authors: Mercier-Laurent Eunika , Haddad Rabih
Published: July 2019

The potential drawbacks that globalization might have on education are increasing and becoming a main worry. The number of international students is increasing and students’ mobility is becoming a crucial phenomenon to obtain a good degree and secure a decent job. Universities have tripled their efforts to recruit and attract international students but their educational ecosystem is still missing some fundamentals. Ensuring that all international students are admitted using an adapted automated admission system, receiving assistance and decent welcome from international faculty and staff, and building their career after are factors that reduce the negative impacts of globalization in education. This paper presents our Decision Support System using knowledge management (KM) approach and AI techniques contributing to achieve those fundamentals and reduce its impacts.
A comparison of on-curricular and off-curricular activities in enterprise education for postgraduate students
Authors: Papadopoulou Kassandra A. , Phillips Robert A.
Published: July 2019

A comparison of the effectiveness of two educational activities are carried out; a standard on-curricular postgraduate unit and an off-curricular school activity. The taught area for both is the theme of enterprise and entrepreneurship. They share similar intended learning outcomes, equipping participants with the same skills, knowledge and tools to set up their own business start-up. Another similarity is the number of contact hours with the students, however the main difference is the span these two activities take place; over a full semester or over a week. A survey was designed to be used in post teaching sessions to evaluate the effectiveness and impact the activities had on the students in the area of enterprise and entrepreneurship. The results indicated that both activities had an impact on start-up intention and activity however, the cost of the enterprise school per head and the fact that the on-curricular activities provide a recognized qualification in case the business fails means that short intensive off-curricular activities are better suited for researchers with limited time and who are still open minded about career choices. Both activities serve their own purpose and value as they provide the desired interventions for supporting positive attitudes towards enterprise and entrepreneurship.
Get your cell-fie
Authors: Langa Elisa , Terrado Eva , Gómez-Rincón Carlota
Published: July 2019

The goal of this project was to enhance the scientific literacy of primary school and Education degree students by Pharmacy learners, using a collaborative work framework and a SERVICE-LEARNING approach, for all of them to accomplish the general and specific learning outcomes related to the subjects involved in this proposal, that is, Biology and General Chemistry from the Degree in Pharmacy and Research and Innovation in Experimental Sciences from the Degree in Education. Assessments of primary school students´ learning outcomes revealed that 93 % of the kids were able to increase their knowledge on human cells and also widened their scientific vocabulary in, at least, three to five technical words. Education students valued extremely positive the fact that they could work with a different profile of students and the feedback they received from them. Pharmacy students became aware of the importance of the teacher role in society and highlighted the difficulty they had to face when they tried to explain chemical and biological concepts to a non-scientific audience and especially to kids.