bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Collaborative Language Learning for Professional Adults
Authors: Mesh Linda Joy
Published: March 2023

Sustainable support for educational development using new technologies in higher education depends on having a basic roadmap that links current demands for developmental support to a plan for ways in which longer term needs will be recognized and met. The growing demand for lifelong learning of a second language is evident within the workplace where new technologies offer flexible solutions. In order to meet the special needs of working adults, the University of Siena Language Center (CLA) has developed a multiple-level series of blended English courses from beginner to intermediate level for both university technical-administrative personnel and the hospital staff of the Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese (AOUS). The pedagogical approach takes into consideration both the needs of adults who are working full-time and the aims of the curriculum, which are to develop the four linguistic abilities of reading, writing, listening and speaking up to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) Level B1. Taking into consideration a constructive use of both teaching hours and classrooms, as well as the limited time available to adult learners, a blended approach was chosen. The face-to-face (f2f) lessons provide activities concentrating on the development of speaking and listening skills. The online lessons provide a collaborative workspace for interaction in the second language and present a flexible solution for working adults who can structure their study time when and where it is most convenient. This paper will attempt to draw several conclusions regarding the effectiveness of blending approaches for lifelong learning of a second language based on both learner and teacher interviews as well as quantitative and qualitative data collection through questionnaires and end of course evaluation.
Lingue classiche, complessità e competenze
Authors: Mangiavini Marialetizia , Bettoni Marcello
Published: March 2023

La traduzione dal latino e dal greco come problem solving: in questo lavoro proponiamo un nuovo framework di riferimento per lo studio delle lingue classiche, nella convinzione che solo un forte ed esplicito cambiamento di paradigma possa restituire loro senso e valore nell’educazione contemporanea e renderle forti promotrici di “skills for life”. Questo framework inserisce le discipline nell’orizzonte concettuale della teoria della complessità, sviluppa un approccio laboratoriale in ambiente tecnologico, in un’ottica di costruzione collaborativa della conoscenza, e ha tra i fini lo sviluppo di high skills, tra le quali la capacità di problem solving e di imparare a imparare.
Collective drawing
Authors: Grossa Roberto , Stefanelli Cristina
Published: March 2023

This paper is referred to the experiences run at Iuav in the framework of the EU-FSE founded Courses of Collaborative Composition. In these courses we built up some work/game thought as meaning of a distance collaborative game. Rally around these games, we delivered specific knowledge and portions of technical knowledge referred to the issue of formal structure, shape grammar, and codify of “behaviours role” for a networked distance collaboration. The subject of this didactic experience is the composition and of a collective figurative opera (an image) processed by the whole group of students. The themes of the image have been different in each Course: a figurative opera, a facade of an urban street or a small square. The students shared a repertory of figures coming from the break down of paintings or pictures of palaces and used the repertory as a source in order to compose the final collective opera. On the other side we worked on the shape grammar roles, experimented tools and protocols of communication, analysed the best practice in this field and defined evaluation systems.
Portar via per condurre altrove: suggestioni e annotazioni metodologiche sull’orizzonte di senso di una blogoclasse
Authors: Formiconi Andreas Robert , Fiore Maria Grazia
Published: March 2023

Un articolo scritto in stile ibrido, fra il paper scientifico e il saggio, per descrivere le necessità e le suggestioni che hanno dato vita ad un nuovo tipo di corso su temi attinenti alla “digital literacy” insieme ai risultati ottenuti su una vasta e variegata popolazione studentesca nel corso degli ultimi quattro semestri. Si descrivono le caratteristiche di una nuova “classe a pareti sottili”, che abbiamo definito blogoclasse e si discutono le affinità fra una blogoclasse ed una comunità di pratica.
La buona educazione nella scuola che cambia, ossia il bicchiere mezzo pieno della didattica digitale (Invece di bandire i telefonini dalla scuola, proviamo a farne un uso appropriato, cioè didattico)
Authors: Conversano Raffaella , Binacchi Maurizio
Published: March 2023

Nell’ultimo decennio il mondo dei media è cambiato, così come è cambiato il modo in cui i soggetti imparano ad avvalersi della comunicazione per confrontarsi con la realtà. L’exploit tecnologico della modernizzazione ha contribuito a modificare la cornice socio-culturale, trasformando il profilo dei giovani, i loro stili di vita e le loro abitudini, i loro modi di essere, di pensare e di comportarsi nel quotidiano. Questo senso di cambiamento nell’epoca moderna eÌ da molto tempo oggetto di un dibattito scientifico che si sviluppa fra preoccupazioni e perplessità, fra timori e nuove opportunità di socializzazione. Così l’innovazione e la “corsa” tecnologica, se da un lato consentono una democratizzazione culturale, per l’aumento delle opportunità di accesso alla ‘competenza’ comunicativa, dall’altro segnano inevitabilmente nuovi divari e gap socioculturali. Per capire l’intensità, la radicalità e il senso dei mutamenti che stiamo attraversando è opportuno cominciare ad esplorare i territori di interazione fra processi formativi e percorsi di comunicazione, soprattutto riguardo all’universo giovanile.
Un ambiente integrato per l’apprendimento allargato
Authors: Favaretto Alida
Published: March 2023

La riflessione sull’ambiente di apprendimento integrato, per un apprendimento allargato, prende spunto dalla prospettiva di sviluppo professionale continuo. Con il modello AWAP (Ambiente Web per l’Apprendimento Personalizzato) il Web ‘entra’ nell’ambiente di apprendimento e ciò che viene prodotto, attività, riflessioni (…), eÌ restituito al Web. L’apprendimento è nel processo e non nel prodotto: il prodotto diventa il punto di inizio per un nuovo processo, per una nuova condivisione della conoscenza. L’ambiente AWAP è stato ideato proprio per questo scopo: come un punto di riflessione e un punto di condivisione; uno ‘spazio’ in cui far confluire gli apprendimenti informali. Il sistema progettato utilizza interfacce user-centered semplici e flessibili, capaci di consentire sia il reperimento, la consultazione, la ricerca di contenuti e passaggi formativi attraverso forme evolute di integrazione, di navigazione spaziale e temporale, sia la costruzione di percorsi di apprendimento di tipo collaborativo, cooperativo e personalizzabili. Le tecnologie, cosiÌ come ogni altro artefatto umano (Attwell et al, 2007), non si limitano a fornire un supporto, ma foggiano gli obiettivi dei soggetti adducendo, attraverso le proprie caratteristiche, regole specifiche capaci di guidare lo stile e la direzione della comunicazione, della formazione. I luoghi della formazione e le tipologie degli utenti si moltiplicano; la figura del docente tradizionale si ridefinisce e si articola in una grande pluralità e diversità di figure che chiamano in causa nuove competenze nel docente stesso. Diventa quanto mai necessario, in un percorso formativo rivolto ad adulti, ad insegnanti in servizio, a studenti, a learners in generale, non imporre, ma inserire ed integrare in maniera armonica le Nuove Tecnologie (ma anche condividere informazioni, collaborare alle attivitaÌ, …) attraverso l’utilizzo diffuso e distribuito della formazione online servendosi anche degli ambienti di apprendimento in rete.
A socio-constructivist perspective on self-assessment: a study case
Authors: Nicolini Paola , Lapucci Tamara
Published: March 2023

In this paper, our goal is to deal with self-assessment according to a socio-constructivist approach. We offer some data about different versions of the same Workshop, considered as a case study. Between the possibility to adopt a completely goal-driven or a fully goal-free self assessment, we suggest the adoption of a blended modality, in order to involve students in the learning process and make them aware about the learning outcomes.
Saperi P2P
Authors: Iaconesi Salvatore , Simeone Luca
Published: March 2023

Il paper presenta l’architettura filosofica e logica di un progetto ongoing per la creazione di un’infrastruttura peer to peer per la diffusione dei saperi. Tale infrastruttura p2p vuole essere la base per costruire un framework aperto e orizzontale, che ospiti pratiche innovative di creazione, condivisione e disseminazione di informazioni e conoscenza.
Ambienti ‘mimetici’: varcare il confine tra off- e on-line
Authors: Penge Stefano , Longo Ugo
Published: March 2023

Questo documento descrive brevemente un sistema misto on e off line creato all’interno del progetto AVIPA (Ambiente Virtuale Interattivo per Persone Autistiche) coordinato dal Liceo Pedagogico Santa Rosa di Viterbo e finanziato dalla Direzione Generale Studente del Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione.
DIEL Demo
Authors: Di Cerbo Francesco , Dodero Gabriella , Forcheri Paola
Published: March 2023

In this demo, we would like to show how cooperative learning features have been added to the Moodle LMS, creating a virtual environment called DIEL.
Internet 2.0 e Open Source per la didattica scolastica
Authors: Spadavecchia Elisa
Published: March 2023

E' possibile individuare strumenti e strategie per condividere buone pratiche fra colleghi, comunicare e sfruttare efficacemente le capacità di apprendimento degli studenti, il tutto a costi molto contenuti? E come? Con un semplice laptop, i tools cooperativi del Web 2.0 e il software Open Source. L’e-learning, sia nei suoi risvolti formali (le cosiddette “piattaforme”) che informali (wiki, blog, podcast, VOIP), può diventare un agevolatore o un integratore della didattica scolastica, sia consentendo una maggiore individualizzazione dei percorsi, sia mettendo lo studente in condizione di favorire tecniche di sostegno aggiuntivo, peer tutoring ecc.
A new LIFE
Authors: Scarsella Simona , Camusi Andrea
Published: March 2023

A partire dal dibattito che oggi contrappone i Personal Learning Environment (PLE) ai Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) e le pratiche del cosidetto Learning 2.0 alle ‘vecchie’ pratiche educative on-line, il tutorial introdurrà gli uditori al Design di processi e ambienti educativi ispirati dall’idea che l’apprendimento è ‘esperienza che si nutre di esperienze’, nell’ambito delle quali deve essere possibile valorizzare sia le potenzialità della collettività che le caratteristiche del singolo. I partecipanti verranno altresì introdotti ad alcuni principi e metodiche del Design e del Co-Design che – secondo la filosofia del ‘Person in Place Centered Design’ – possono ispirare la trasformazione degli attuali ‘learning space’, spesso non-luoghi dell’apprendimento, in ‘learning place’, che in prospettiva potrebbero delocalizzarsi sino a diluirsi negli ambienti e nelle pratiche del vivere quotidiano assumendo caratteristiche di adattabilità e responsività tali da renderli ‘place’ ideali anche per trasformare e rendere più motivante l’attuale didattica d’aula. Il tutorial verrà sviluppato utilizzando LIFE (Learning in Interactive Framework to Experience), un ambiente di formazione on-line, open-source, il cui design è stato ispirato dai principi sopra descritti.
Traces, monitoring … and assessment for DULP
Authors:   University of Rome Tor Vergata - Dip. SPFS, Giovannella Carlo , Camusi Andrea , Spadavecchia Chiara , De Gioannis Valerio , Imperatore Luca , Allegra Valerio
Published: March 2023

Preso atto delle difficoltà che si incontrano nell’applicare i metodi di valutazione tradizionale a processi di tipo DULP, si mostra come uno spostamento di attenzione verso le tracce di processo possa condurre a un monitoraggio significativo e multidimensionale delle attività svolte dalla community, nel suo insieme e da ogni suo singolo membro. Prendendo come ‘studio di caso’ il processo ‘design inspired’ sviluppato all’interno dell’ambiente LIFE in occasione della I coorte dell’a.a. ’08-’09 del Master ScuolaIaD in ‘E-Learning: metodi, tecniche e applicazione’ si mostra come sia possibile ottenere delle indicazioni di notevole interesse grazie alla combinazione di tecniche di monitoraggio di attività, di social network analysis (SNA) e di analisi del testo ad includere, in forma preliminare, anche la dimensione emotiva.
Roadmap to PLE – A Research Route to Empower the Use of Personal Learning Environments (PLEs)
Authors: Pettenati Maria Chiara
Published: March 2023

In this position paper we argue that in order to design, deploy and evaluate institutional Personal Learning Environments, a system-level Roadmap should be developed accounting for the progressive expansion towards the following evolutions directions: from closed (VLE) to Open Learning Environments (OLE); from the individual-group, to individual-network and individual-collective relations; from using structured learning resources to using any type of content; from being instructor/institution-led by being self-regulated and self-managed; from being aimed at learning in the university system to supporting work-based learning; from being centered around web 2.0 to being empowered by web 3.0 tools and technologies. In order to accompany the development of such a Roadmap, an operational definition and hexagonal model of the PLE is presented in this paper together with its three-steps evolutionary process.
Pluig ‘n Train – A Component Based Approach
Authors: Martens Alke , Maciuszek Dennis , Ruddeck Géraldine , Weicht Martina
Published: March 2023

Technology enhanced learning can look back on a comparably long tradition. Surprisingly, the software systems in this field are seldom constructed based on state-of-the art insights in software engineering. Using basic software engineering techniques involves system descriptions on a formal and abstract level, to use patterns for software development, and to implement the system in a re-usable and adaptable way. Our component based framework JaBInT (Java Based Intelligent Tutoring), which is based on a firm software engineering ground, allows for re-usability, adaptability, and flexibility in system development — and might thus be a basis for teaching and training software used in ubiquitous learning as well.
Ubiquitous Learning Perspectives in a Learning Management System
Authors: Di Cerbo Francesco , Dodero Gabriella , Forcheri Paola
Published: March 2023

The DULP vision is providing an innovative perspective for rethinking learning processes, to become, among the others, ubiquitous and focused on persons in their daily activities, according to the new dynamic reality that we face every day. The challenge we present in this work is to bring the DIEL system further into exploring DULP implication, with a specific effort on mobile learning and in the exploration of the meanings of quantitative data collection as indicators of learning process trends.
Browsing and correlating architectural and territorial data in tangible maps – New knowledge opportunities in new learning places
Authors: Condotta Massimiliano , Nagel Till , Stefanelli Cristina
Published: March 2023

This paper discusses the learning and educational potentialities of the Venice Unfolding prototype, an experimental tabletop application designed to explore and investigate urban and territorial contents and knowledge. The prototype supports and transforms ways of approaching various strategies involved in urban and territorial planning processes. It creates new ways of viewing, understanding and learning about urban and territorial environments and leads to a more efficient examination of their underlying characteristics. In doing so, it fosters greater knowledge generation about their use, evolution and growth. In this paper, the authors describe the prototype’s development, its fundamental concepts and its considerable instructional capabilities that have been piloted with educators and students.
Selection of appropriates E-learning personalization strategies from ontological perspectives
Authors: Essalmi Fathi , Jemni Ben Ayed Leila , Jemni Mohamed , Kinshuk  , Graf Sabine
Published: March 2023

When there are several personalization strategies of E-learning, authors of courses need to be supported for deciding which strategy will be applied for personalizing each course. In fact, the time, the efforts and the learning objects needed for preparing personalized learning scenarios depend on the personalization strategy to be applied. This paper presents an approach for selecting personalization strategies according to the feasibility of generating personalized learning scenarios with minimal intervention of the author. Several metrics are proposed for putting in order and selecting useful personalization strategies. The calculus of these metrics is automated based on the analyses of the LOM (Learning Object Metadata) standard according to the semantic relations between data elements and learners’ characteristics represented in the Ontology for Selection of Personalization Strategies (OSPS).
Identifying and Incorporating Affective States and Learning Styles in Web-based Learning Management Systems
Authors: Khan Farman Ali , Graf Sabine , Weippl Edgar R. , Tjoa A Min
Published: March 2023

Learning styles and affective states influence students’ learning. The purpose of this study is to develop a conceptual framework for identifying and integrating learning styles and affective states of a learner into web-based learning management systems and therefore provide learners with adaptive courses and additional individualized pedagogical guidance that is tailored to their learning styles and affective states. The study was carried out in three phases, the first of which was the investigation and determination of learning styles and affective states which are important for learning. Phase two consisted of the development of an approach for the identification of learning styles and affective states as well as the development of a mechanism to calculate them from the students’ learning interactions within web-based learning management systems. The third phase was to develop a learning strategy that is more personalized and adaptive in nature and tailored to learners’ needs and current situation through considering learners’ learning styles and affective states, aiming to lead to better learning outcomes and progress.
Educational Experiences and Experience Styles
Authors:   University of Rome Tor Vergata - Dip. SPFS, Giovannella Carlo , Camusi Andrea , Spadavecchia Chiara
Published: March 2023

The on-going revival of educational processes as experiences leads to a complex reflection on the characteristics that can make such processes more meaningful, especially on a personal level. In this article we propose a cultural framework that, starting from the definition of a set of general features characterizing the ‘experience’, allows to correlate universalities of the adopted model of process – in our case the ‘organic process’ – with the characteristics of individuals, including the preferences about the mode of interaction. This framework allows to go beyond the concept of learning styles and to introduce a more comprehensive set of styles – the experience styles – starting from which, once the appropriate indicators have been identified, one can perform a more comprehensive and precise monitoring of the educational experience, and more in general of all experiences.
‘What and how to monitor complex educative experiences. Toward the definition of a general framework’
Authors:   University of Rome Tor Vergata - Dip. SPFS, Giovannella Carlo , Carcone Simone , Camusi Andrea
Published: March 2023

A result of re-considering educative processes as ‘experiences’, i.e. multidimensional processes of high complexity and flexibility, is a decrease in the predictability of processes’ outcomes. As consequence, a natural transition from evaluation approaches (produced by a deterministic view) to monitoring practices is needed and expected. Such transition requires to invest a quite considerable effort in design and development of new and more powerful monitoring strategies, methods, tools and environments. In this paper, using appropriate examples, we present and discuss possible strategies that can be adopted to achieve the goal. We also present a parallel participatory strategy that can be adopted whenever tools to monitor specific dimensions of the educative experience are not yet available.
‘Evaluating First Experiences with an Educational Computer Game: A multi-Method Approach’
Authors: Obrist Marianna , Förster Florian , Wurhofer Daniela , Tscheligi Manfred , Hofstätter Jörg
Published: March 2023

This paper presents our evaluation approach for a specific case study, namely the evaluation of an early prototype of an educational game with children aged between 12 and 14 years. The main goal of this initial evaluation study was to explore children’s first impressions and experiences of the game on the one hand and to assess the students’ ideas and wishes for the further development of the game on the other hand. The main challenge for the evaluation activities was the selection of the appropriate methodological approach, taking into account children as a special user group. We opted for a combination of different, mainly qualitative and explorative methods that were reported beneficial for work with children in the human-computer interaction (HCI) field. By presenting our multi-method approach, in particular the different steps and procedure within our study, other researchers can get inspirations for follow up activities when evaluating games with children as well as benefit from our experiences in exploring more collaborative methods and methodological combinations.
Evaluating a Personal Learning Environment for Digital Storytelling
Authors: Marianos Nikolaos , Ungur Madalina , Manouselis Nikos
Published: March 2023

The evaluation of flexible and personal learning environments is extremely challenging. It should not be limited to the assessment of products, but should address the quality of educative experience with close monitoring. The evaluation of a PLE using digital storytelling is even more complicated, due to the unpredictability of the usage scenarios. This paper presents an evaluation methodology for PLEs using digital storytelling, using a participatory design approach. The results from an open validation trial indicate that this methodology is able to incorporate all necessary factors and that the selected evaluation tools are appropriate for addressing the quality of educative experience.
Monitoring Collaboration in Flexible and Personal Learning Environments
Authors: Rodriguez-Triana Maria-Jesus , Martinez-Mones Alejandra , Asensio-Perez Juan-Ignacio
Published: March 2023

Both virtual and personal learning environments (VLEs and PLEs) are technologies widely used with educational purposes. Moreover, there also exists a pedagogical trend towards the development of high-level competences, such as the capacity to work collaboratively in a group. These two trends come to- gether within the field of computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL). The evaluation of CSCL situations requires to take into account, among other things, the process of collaboration. In response to this need, a number of collaboration analysis tools have been developed. However, the use of these tools in the decen- tralized scenarios typically found when integrating third-party external in VLEs and PLEs is a complex matter: the information retrieved and the access to it are heterogeneous; and the lack of data sharing standards between the learning soft- ware and the analysis tools reduces the probability of compatibility. The present work aims to delve into the problem of the integration of collaboration analysis tools and learning software. A solution is proposed to support monitoring in an architecture that already integrates third-party external tools in PLEs and VLEs named GLUE!. The proposal is illustrated by means of an example based on a real CSCL experience that took place in a course at our University.
Experiencing Personal Learning Environments and Networks using a 3D Space Metaphor’
Authors: Di Cerbo Francesco , Dodero Gabriella , Papaleo Laura
Published: March 2023

The paper describes our proposal for adopting 3D spatial representation, based on suitable indications and metrics, for the evaluation of experiences conducted in a Personal Learning Environment (PLE) and its social extension, the Personal Learning Network (PLN). The use of 3D space is a mean for integrating different perspectives (e.g., structured and non-structured learning) but also to foster the cooperation between users. Moreover, information coming from the use of 3D space can represent a precious feedback for better understanding ongoing learning activities, but it will be extremely useful for enhancing and improving the development of existing PLE-PLN support tool.
Heuristic Environments
Authors: Giunta Ines
Published: March 2023

The purpose of this research is the identification of a paradigm which fixes the basic concepts and the type of logical relationships between them, whereby direct, govern and evaluate choises on new technologies. The contribution is based on the assumption that the complexity of knowledge is correlated with the complexity of the learning environment. From the existence of this correlation will descend a series of consequences that contribute to the definition of a theoretical construct in which the logical categories of learning become the guiding criteria on which to design learning environments and, consequently, also the indicators on by which to evaluate its effectiveness.
Developing human technology curriculum
Authors: Vainio Teija , Surakka Veikko
Published: March 2023

During the past ten years expertise in human-computer interaction has shifted from humans interacting with desktop computers to individual human beings or groups of human beings interacting with embedded or mobile technology. Thus, humans are not only interacting with computers but with technology. Obviously, this shift should be reflected in how we educate human-technology interaction (HTI) experts today and in the future. We tackle this educational challenge first by analysing current Master’s-level education in collaboration with two universities and second, discussing postgraduate education in the international context. As a result, we identified core studies that should be included in the HTI curriculum. Furthermore, we discuss some practical challenges and new directions for international HTI education.
The balance between generalists and specialists in the Medialogy education
Authors: Nordahl Rolf , Serafin Stefania , Kofoed Lise B.
Published: March 2023

In this paper we discuss the tradeoff between educating specialists and generalists in the Medialogy Master education at Aalborg University in Copenhagen. The Medialogy education was established in 2002 with the goal to combine technology and creativity in designing, implementing and evaluating media technology applications. The curriculum of the education has been through several revisions, the last of which, discussed in this paper, was performed during the Spring 2011.
Service Design – a Structure for Learning before Teaching
Authors: van der Veer Gerrit C. , Consiglio Teresa , Benvenuti Laura
Published: March 2023

Service Design is a new learning domain where su9table teaching material is not (yet) available. Open Learning Resources, however, can readily been found. Triggered by the need for a course we developed a structure where students are guided through discovery learning and mutual teaching. We will show how we started from the students’ authentic goals and how we supported them by a simple structure of pacing the discovery process and merging theoretical understanding with practice in real life. For the second lifecycle of the course we developed and applied an open source interactive learning environment.
Designing Interactive Systems for Discovering and Learning
Authors: Tomico Oscar , Hengevelt Bart
Published: March 2023

Advances in technology have opened up new opportunities for intelligent systems that support learning. Most prominently, we can now move towards contextualized learning by embedding intelligence in our everyday artifacts and environments. However, these new opportunities cannot just be ‘old wine in new bottles’; we, designers, are forced to reconsider our design space. In this position paper we present our approach to this reconsideration. The presented projects vary from professional to leisure applications, are situated in different contexts from the public library to the home environment, are aimed at supporting either individual development or group work, and facilitate a range of learning activities. In this paper we present and discuss the results of an expert panel review of bachelor, master and Ph.D. projects, set up to: (1) analyze whether current learning strategies still apply to novel technologies; (2) if so, which ones, and (3) whether new learning strategies have emerged.
Enlightening Trial and Error
Authors: Turner Phil , Turner Susan , Flint Tom
Published: March 2023

Human-computer interaction as a rationalistic, engineering discipline has been taught successfully for more than 25 years. The established narrative is one of designing usable systems for users, some of whom have been described as “naïve”, safely installed behind their desktop personal computers. But the world is changed. All aspects of society use interactive technology, it is frequently carried about with us, we talk to it, gesture at it, caress it and check it compulsively. The original emphasis on designing for usability has given way to creating an optimal “user experience”. So we are faced with two distinct but related issues: firstly, how do we characterise this new technology and our relationship with it and secondly, how do we teach to design for it. We have developed an approach, which might formally be described as being based on a “convergent-divergent dialectic” but is, at its heart, recognisably playful.
Participatory grading in a blended course on ‘Multimodal Interface and Systems’
Authors:   University of Rome Tor Vergata - Dip. SPFS, Giovannella Carlo , Camusi Andrea
Published: March 2023

As part of a project aiming to demonstrate feasibility and meaningfulness of on-line and blended P3BL (Problem, Process & Project Based) design educational processes (Interaction Design, Design or the Experience, etc.), in this paper we present and discuss a participatory-grading procedure that has been designed to assess the intermediate tests of a course on ‘Multimodal Interface and Systems’. The results, characterized by lights and shadows, provide useful guidance for the future to achieve a participatory monitoring of the full educational experience.
Effect of KOH concentration on corrosion behavior and surface morphology of stainless steel 316L for HHO generator application
Authors: Basori Basori , Mohamad Wan M. F. W. , Mansor Muhd R. , Tamaldin Noreffendy , Iswandi Agung , Ajiriyanto Maman K. , Susetyo Ferry Budhi
Published: March 2023

Hydrogen production could be enhanced by increasing the potassium hydroxide (KOH) concentration, but higher KOH concentrations result in higher corrosion rates. Therefore, a deep investigation of the electrochemical behavior of stainless steel (SS 316L) in the KOH solution is needed. This study investigates the influence of KOH concentrations on the electrochemical behavior, surface morphology, structure, and sample phases of SS 316L. The investigations were conducted by some electrochemical techniques, UV-vis, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The corrosion rate was found to increase, and solution resistance to decrease with increasing KOH concentration. Samples tested in 5, 30, and 50 g l-1 of KOH showed corrosion rates of 0.457, 2.362, and 5.613 µm year-1, respectively. A wide passive region and the noblest pitting potential were noticed for the sample with 5 g l-1 of KOH. Moreover, Mott-Schottky plots and characteristic wavelengths of UV-Vis suggest the formation of iron and chromium oxides by the passivation of samples. The SEM analysis showed a dynamic change of surface morphology from the lowest to the highest concentration with the intergranular corrosion found at the grain boundaries area. In conclusion, concentrations < 50 g l-1 KOH could be recommended since they would support the optimum remaining life of SS 316 L plates in HHO generators.
REGIONAL CHANGES IN THE PIG POPULATION IN POLAND IN 2010-2022
Authors: Pepliński Benedykt
Published: March 2023

The aim of the study was to assess regional changes in pig and sow population in 2010-2022. The analysis was carried out at the voivodship level for the entire period under study, while changes in pig and sow population in poviats were based on agricultural census data for 2010 and 2020. The analysis showed a progressive regional concentration of pig and sow stock in Poland, as indicated by an increase in the share of the 62 and 93 poviats with the highest stock and the poviats with the highest density of pigs and sows using 20% and 30% of agricultural land in Poland by about 9 percentage points. However, there was no correlation of the level of pig and sow stocking in 2010 in individual poviats with changes in stocking rates by 2020. A large increase in stocking rates associated with the construction of industrial piggeries was recorded in a dozen poviats located mainly in the western and northern voivodships, where the largest number of State Agricultural Farms were located.
CHALLENGES FOR AGRBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT IN UKRAINE FOR THE YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE
Authors: Cherevko Heorhiy
Published: March 2023

The purpose of the study is to assess the most important challenges for Ukraines agribusiness, as the main sector of the economy, after gaining independence in 1991, with particular emphasis on the full-scale russian invasion. The main directions of overcoming the consequences of russian aggression were systematized. In the process of processing information materials, a dialectical approach to the study of socio-economic phenomena was applied, combined with various methods: induction, analysis and synthesis, systematization and scientific prediction, statistical and computational-constructive. After Ukraine gained independence, agribusiness was the locomotive of its economy. The main damages caused to Ukrainian agribusiness by russian invaders are the direct destruction of agricultural land, its contamination, limiting access to it, disruption of logistics, blocking of ports, destruction of production facilities, crops and animals, theft of agricultural products, increase in production costs. The direct losses of the agricultural sector as a result of the war amounted to over USD 6 billion, and the total losses to over USD 30 billion. The key directions that should be paid attention to when rebuilding the agro-industrial sector are the storage, logistics and transport infrastructure, as well as the development of science, which will not only allow the reconstruction of Ukrainian agribusiness, but will also enable innovative development of the economy.
WOMENS ATTITUDES TOWARDS LIVING AND WORKING IN RURAL AREAS
Authors: Parzonko Anna , Sieczko Anna , Krzyżanowska Krystyna
Published: March 2023

The aim of the study was to present womens attitudes towards living and working in rural areas. The literature on the subject, secondary data from the Polish Central Statistical Office and the results of research carried out in 2020 by Martin&Jacob on behalf of BNP Paribas bank and published in the report Situation of women in rural areas were used to achieve the research objective. The empirical material was collected using a survey method with the CAWI technique, and the research observation covered 300 women who were owners or co-owners of farms. The data in the report shows that the vast majority of women had educational aspirations, as one in five respondents planned to obtain secondary education, higher education or write a doctoral thesis, while in-service training in the form of courses and training was intended to be attended by 2/3 of the respondents. These women valued living in the rural areas, despite the many inconveniences, and the vast majority would not want to move to a city. The survey also showed that 2/5 of the female respondents planned to develop professionally in agriculture and almost as many planned to combine activities in agriculture with other professional activities. The willingness to become more active in agriculture was declared more often by women from younger age groups and those with a university degree in agriculture.
EVALUATION OF THE LEVEL OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY OF COWS MILK PRODUCTION IN THE COUNTRIES OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE
Authors: Kubala Sebastian , Stanuch Marcin
Published: March 2023

Food self-sufficiency is considered one of the basic priorities for the functioning of modern food economies. The main aim of the study is to assess the level of self-sufficiency of cows milk production in selected countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Thirteen Central and Eastern European countries were accepted as the research area. The study used simplified indicators of food self-sufficiency. Technical self-sufficiency included the volume approach to the foreign trade balance and the conversion of indices constituting the relation of the production volume per number of inhabitants and the volume of cows milk consumption in relation to the production volume. Economic self-sufficiency was based on the study of the balance of foreign trade in terms of value. The study was conducted for the years 2015-2020. The research results indicate that the countries of Central and Eastern Europe are characterized by a significant degree of differentiation in terms of the self-sufficiency of cows milk production. Most of the countries considered follow a safe food policy for this agricultural raw material. The lowest degree of self-sufficiency of cows milk production is found in Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania. Moreover, it was found that the abolition of milk quotas in 2015 in the European Union countries did not result in a significant increase in the volume of cows milk production.
BANK BUTIKOWY NOWY MODEL BIZNESOWY SZANS DLA BANKW SPDZIELCZYCH?
Authors: Kura Michał , Płonka Aleksandra
Published: March 2023

The current macroeconomic and political conditions, and above all technological progress, mean that in recent years the condition of the cooperative banking sector has been gradually deteriorating compared to commercial banks. The above premises give grounds to claim that the current operating model of the entire group of cooperative banks, as well as of a single cooperative bank, should be redefined. Remaining with the current models of operation of cooperative banks will maintain the trend of sector consolidation, departure from the idea of cooperatives and moving towards models attributed to commercial banks. The aim of the study was therefore an attempt to present one of the possible concepts for the development of a small cooperative bank as an alternative to the consolidation processes of the cooperative banking sector. An attempt was made to answer the question whether there is space for the functioning of a boutique cooperative bank and what a boutique cooperative bank is and what it can be. The focus was on presenting and transferring the concept of a boutique bank to cooperative banks. Examples of the functioning of boutique financial institutions were presented, which were an inspiration to build a model of a boutique cooperative bank. Solutions were analyzed and various variants of the functioning of commercial boutique banks were discussed as examples of the real success of this form of banking activity. On this basis, an attempt was made to present models of functioning of a boutique cooperative bank.
THREATS TO THE FINANCIAL STABILITY OF RURAL MUNICIPALITIES OF THE EASTERN POLAND MACROREGION IN THE OPINION OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES
Authors: Gałecka Agnieszka
Published: March 2023

The aim of the study was to identify threats to the financial stability of rural communes from the Eastern Poland macroregion. Particular attention was paid to the awareness of the impact of specific groups of factors on financial destabilization and the identification of the main threats to the financial stability of municipalities. The method of literature analysis and the method of diagnostic survey with the use of a questionnaire were used. The survey was conducted among representatives of the executive body of rural municipalities in the macroregion of Eastern Poland. The research covered 349 rural minicipalites from five voivodeships located in the Eastern Poland macroregion (74% of all units of this type in this region). Based on the conducted research, it was found that the financial destabilization of the surveyed municipalities, to a greater extent than internal factors, is influenced by external factors related to the instability of economic conditions or the location of the unit (in the case of the analyzed municipalities, close to the border). In the opinion of the respondents, the main threat to the financial stability of municipalities is the growing number of tasks without an adequate increase in financial resources for their implementation and a significant share of expenditure on obligatory tasks, the value of which does not depend on the decisions of local government authorities. Generally, one of the greatest threats to the financial stability of the surveyed entities was those resulting from the incorrect distribution of tasks and public funds.
LABOUR PRODUCTIVITY IN DAIRY COOPERATIVES AND ITS VARIABILITY IN 2017-2021
Authors: Pietrzak Michał , Chlebicka Aleksandra , Domagała Joanna
Published: March 2023

The aim of the study was to assess the partial productivity of dairy cooperatives in Poland in terms of labour productivity in 2017-2020. Cooperatives are important players in the dairy sector, both in Poland and in the European Union. Trends observed in the environment are creating increasing pressure to improve the efficiency of these entities. The research sample consisted of 78 cooperatives representing, in terms of employment and revenue, around 90% of the domestic cooperative dairy sector. The financial data of the cooperatives used in the study came from the STATISTA database. Descriptive statistics methods, the average annual growth rate (CAGR) and cluster analysis were applied in the analysis. The study showed significant differences among cooperatives in terms of employment size, revenue and economic labour productivity. Upward trends in these three variables were also identified for 2017-2021, with the caveat that the COVID-19 pandemic period was characterised by employment, revenue as well as labour productivity dynamics falling below zero. On the basis of the research conducted using cluster analysis, the original classification of cooperatives was proposed, taking into account labour productivity and the size of the cooperative.
SELECTED ASSUMPTIONS OF THE EUROPEAN GREEN DEAL AND POSSIBILITIES OF DEVELOPMENT OF A CONVENTIONAL AND ORGANIC FARM
Authors: Klepacka Anna M.
Published: March 2023

This article aims to identify development opportunities and barriers for a farm specialising in organic apple production and processing. Primary data was based on an interview questionnaire with the owners of a farm in Czernin, located in the Pomorskie Voivodship. The interview was conducted during the 16th Festival of Taste in Gruczno in August 2022. Secondary data was derived from a literature review and data from the Main Inspectorate of Agricultural and Food Quality. This study used a SWOT analysis of the farm under study and presented its cost structure. Some of the conclusions drawn from the interview questionnaire indicate that action under the European Green Deal (EGD) can encourage farmers to increase the area used for organic farming and increase the role of organic production in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss, including through sustainable management of resources. However, the results of the costs analysis showed that the biggest obstacle is the financial situation, resulting from the cost of the land lease but not the costs incurred for plant production or other costs, i.e. fuel, repairs, insurance, labor, etc. The cost of the lease significantly exceeded the level of income, which contributes to the lack of operation and development of the farm. Despite the support system that promotes producers producing organic food to the market and contributes to the development of rural areas, the assumptions of the EGD in achieving the level of 25% of land for organic production by 2030 may be difficult to accomplish.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS FOR DIGITAL AGRICULTURE IN POLAND
Authors: Kosior Katarzyna
Published: March 2023

The aim of the article was to present a systematic review of research and development projects that included research tasks and proposals relevant to digitalization of agriculture in Poland. The transformation towards digital agriculture is currently one of the most important developmental challenges facing farms in Poland. The use of digital technologies and smart devices designed to optimize agricultural production and farm management processes is no longer just a matter of choice, but a necessity determined by the need to achieve climate, environmental and sustainable development goals. Research and development works carried out in the wide agri-food innovation ecosystem are of fundamental importance for the prospects of exploiting the opportunities offered by the current technological and digital revolution. However, information on ongoing and past research and development projects financed from the public funds is dispersed. The conducted review shows that although the number of projects and actions that support digital transformation in the Polish agricultural sector has increased in recent years, their scope remains limited. There is an insufficient number of interdisciplinary projects that encompass not only technological, but also socio-economic aspects of digitalization processes. Taking into account the need to both accelerate digital transformation in agriculture and to promote responsible research and innovation practices, it would be advisable to increase outlays for research and development projects that would support digitalization of Polish farms in holistic and systemic ways.