bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
EMPLOYING SOCIAL MEDIA IN WORKING WITH ATHLETES: A CASE STUDY DISCUSSING ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR APPLIED SPORT PSYCHOLOGY CONSULTANTS
Authors: Margarit Elenamadalina , Tonita Florentina , Angelescu Nicolae
Published: February 2023

This paper aims to discuss the use of social media platforms, namely Facebook and WhatsApp, as tools in supporting sport psychology interventions. The sharing of applied practice offers an opportunity to reflect both on the effectiveness of such tools and the consequent ethical implications. In terms of impact, social media could prove itself useful in fostering better communication at the cost of blurred boundaries and privacy issues. The scenarios presented focus on supporting communication within coach-athlete dyads and team environments as part of larger pre-season and competitive season interventions. The first author discusses her experience working with a university netball club within the British Universities & Colleges Sport League. Facebook was used to aid communication especially in the area of feedback, reflection and access to information from sport psychology sessions. The other scenario focuses on the work conducted with the Romanian National Handball junior female team by the second author. WhatsApp was used to enhance team cohesion and to facilitate intra-group communication. Furthermore, an example from tennis illustrates a different perspective on WhatsApp and its impact on the coach-athlete dyad. By taking into consideration the athletes', coaches' and consultant's perspective we hope to provide an alternative view on client-consultant relationships in this age and day, specifically in the sports industry. In offering this account of applied practice, we aim to emphasize the importance of ethics in informing decision-making when applied sport psychology consultants choose their tools. Finally, the paper highlights the advantages and disadvantages of using social media platforms when supporting athletes.
SOCIAL MEDIA AS A LEARNING TOOL IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORTS AREA
Authors: Stoicescu Marius , Stanescu Monica
Published: February 2023

The existing needs and challenges have guided the community of physical education and sport specialists to the online environment: sports blogs, social networks that promote interactive communication, photo sharing, thematic forums, internet websites, wikis or YouTube videos. Seen as a resource for the educational process, social media has become in the recent years an important learning tool. Numerous studies highlight the increasing use of open-learning resources in physical education and sports education such as YouTube, Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Instagram, Flickr or Edmodo. The integration of social media resources into initial and continuing education is an approach that provides accurate, applied and constantly updated information. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the frequency and the impact of using social media resources in the skills training process of the physical education and sports specialists. In order to achieve the proposed goal, an on-line questionnaire survey was applied to both teachers and students, enrolled at various training programs in the field. The main variables were the people expectations and skills in using social media resources in this area; the frequency of using social media as a learning tool, during the classroom and individual learning activities; the relation of all these variables with the experience of teaching in the field and level of studies (initial and continuing education). The conclusions of the paper outline the active role of social media resources in generating and sharing educational content and in facilitating interactivity within the community and also, in developing opportunities for the field.
MATHEMATICAL MODELS OF MEASLES BY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS IN VIRTUAL EDUCATION
Authors: Arotaritei Dragos , Constantin George , Corciova Calin
Published: February 2023

Compartmental models have proven to be useful in various forms of epidemics: Ebola, dengue fever, swine fever, flu, avian flu, etc. Such models have experienced a great development especially because of the multitude of practical applications, but also due to the many possibilities of software implementation. Although there are a few software tools, for example, EpiModel, they have limitations in modelling and use of language employed in the simulation. Measles can be described as a model with 4 compartments, SEIR, but for a better knowledge of all geographic implications in terms of vaccination, we propose a MSEIR model (S = susceptible, I = infected, R = recovered, vaccinated, E = exposed, M = maternally immune). The educational software created in MATLAB, can generate a graphical system, with specific interactions between compartments, starting with initial values set by the user as a result of specific epidemiological studies. After defining the compartments and their links, a generator will build the system of equations which models the compartmental system, solvable through numerical methods specific to measles. Optionally, the user will be able to view the system of differential equations using symbolic calculation. The solutions will be displayed graphically and will allow the user to compare the epidemic evolution with or without vaccine, as well as optimal policy for vaccination using the Jacobian matrix for determination of the endemic equilibrium. Graphical user interface is intuitive, educational, with the possibility of amending the transfer rate between compartments, parameters and initial values. The reproduction number R0 can be defined to be used in order to analyse the influence of it for fit the model with experimental data. The main novelty in this paper is composed mainly by a graphical interface an easy-to-use by student and researcher for in create abilities to use a compartmental model and at the same time, able to provide sufficient arguments in the decision making process and health policies. The other innovative approach is the possibility to define by user a symbolic equation for a compartmental model meanwhile the too will translate in mathematical one that can be solved by differential equation using numerical methods.
IMPACT OF CROSS-PLATFORM DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORKS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS FOR SHORT DISTANCES
Authors: Contasel Cristian , Rughinis Razvan , Rosner Daniel , Tranca Dumitru cristian
Published: February 2023

This paper proposes an analysis of the impact generated by usage of cross-platform frameworks for mobile applications on the performance of communications technologies for short distance between mobile devices. The analysis is based on comparative practical tests performed on the Android operating system by using an application made both native and cross platform. Developing mobile applications generally involves the use of different programming techniques and specific tools, which increases the number of possible human errors, resulting in higher development and maintenance costs. To solve these problems, different solutions have been created for the development of applications capable of running in different software ecosystems using the same code. These solutions are called cross platform frameworks. The main solutions that are used in present are achieved through cross-platform compilation techniques, web and mobile-web techniques. Each solution provides to the developer specific tools and mechanisms in order to create for the user the impression of uniqueness and the UX with which he is already accustomed. Depending on the chosen technical solution, we will have a greater or lesser impact on the overall performance of the application which, of course, also affect performance of the interaction between the device of interacting between devices using short distance communication techniques for mobile devices. In order to determine the impact generated by use of cross platform development frameworks on performance, a test application has been deployed to transmit and receive data over the various communication techniques. The application was developed using both cross-platform and native technologies. The analyzed frameworks are: Xamarin as the main representative of the cross-platform compilation solution and PhoneGap as a representative of the mobile web category. Following comparative tests, could be observed that the best performance was achieved in the cross-platform compilation process, with a 10.6% decrease of performance compared to native cases, while web-based techniques create a depreciation of 34.4%. Impairment of performance varies according to the size of the transmitted data, thus, as the size of the interchanged data increases, the performance decreases. This can be explained by the time added by multiple data call-backs between the block where the cross application running and the native operating system controllers who serve them. This article will examine how performance is affected in case of various short distance communication techniques supported by cross-platform frameworks, by using the comparative test method and will present the conclusions and issues that need to be considered when choosing the right technical solution..
MAKING THE LEARNING IN MEDICAL FIELD MORE ATTRACTIVE BY USING MULTIMEDIA AND VIDEOS TOOLS: A CASE STUDY
Authors: Dascalu Cristina gena , Antohe Magda ecaterina , Zegan Georgeta , Dimitriu Gabriel
Published: February 2023

The Faculty of Medicine, with all its specializations, is a very challenging choice for the high school graduates. The admittance exam is difficult, but it is just the beginning because, after this stage, the young students in the 1st year of study find themselves in front of an even more difficult situation – the lectures and the practical stages have often a high and dense level of scientific information, hard to be understood and learned, and the academic requirements are much more demanding than those in high school. That is why the percentage of students who obtain poor results in the first session of examinations is usually increased and can lead to serious consequences, such as abandoning studies. This situation is a challenge for the students, who are not prepared for the new demands and the new learning style, as well as for the teachers, who are interested to facilitate as much as possible this transition period and to help the students to understand better the scientific notions and to learn with pleasure. In order to reach these objectives, the solution is to use new didactic methods and tools, like the PowerPoint presentations, the online resources and the interactive lectures, based on questions, answers and discussions. Another tool, whose potential is briefly investigated in the present paper, is the using of videos, eventually uploaded online, on YouTube. We developed such videos as didactic materials for the Medical Informatics and Biostatistics practical stages, in order to explain theoretical concepts (databases and statistics) and practical procedures (how to perform different operations in Access and Excel); the videos are based on live demonstrations, combined with oral explanations and static images and are uploaded in the academic network, being available at any moment for the students. A comparative study showed that the marks obtained at the practical exam by the students who use these resources are better than the marks obtained at the same exam by the students in the previous generations, who didn’t have access to them. Also we asked 60 students from the 1st year of study, Faculty of Dental Medicine, through a questionnaire, about their opinions regarding the utility and the attractiveness of this teaching resource, as well as its role in simplifying the learning process, and their answers were generally favourable. These preliminary results encourage us to continue with this project and to extend it, but also to evaluate it permanently, in order to detect its limits.
RESULTS REGARDING AN EOG-BASED ASSISTIVE WIRELESS ROBOT CONTROL SYSTEM WITH VISUAL FEEDBACK
Authors: Nagy Robertbela , Vesselenyi Tiberiu , Popentiu vladicescu Florin
Published: February 2023

In this paper a novel wearable human computer interface (HCI) for an omnidirectional robot controlling interface with visual feedback will be described. The setup is employing electrooculographyc (EOG) biosignals recorded near the human operator’s eyes and are used to control the employed robot through Matlab® and LabVIEW®. The setup contains a Wi-Fi-based control signal issuing sub-part that is transmitting the commands to the robot. The user should be able to control the movements of the robot in the house and also can see where the robot is heading. A total of five low-level navigation commands are transmitted to the robot (“go backward”, “go forward”, “stop”, “turn left” and “turn right”) by the developed asynchronous HCI. This indoor navigation vehicle can be used by people with several types of neurodegenerative disease or high-level spinal cord injury caused by accident, which can hinder them to walk or to control a robot or wheelchair by using a computer’s keyboard or mouse or joystick. The setup has in its component an industrial National Instrument’s (NI) NI-9234 analog to digital converter (ADC), with 24 bit resolution per input channel. Intranet is used by the setup and it consists of two computers: on the first computer is running the LabVIEW® Robotics and MATLAB®; the second part is a laptop, connected through Wi-Fi to an action camera, which is placed on the robot. On the laptop’s screen can be seen where the robot is in real-time. This experimental application can be an alternative way to communicate and it can be used in the healthcare, assistive robotics and even rehabilitation domains.
EXPLORING THE POTENTIAL OF INTERNET OF THINGS SYSTEMS IN HEATH CARE CONTEXT
Authors: Nagy Robertbela , Popentiu vladicescu Florin
Published: February 2023

This paper is a survey about the uprising of the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, their evolution, their variety of the application domains of the IoT systems, which includes, but not limits to healthcare domain, smart cities, smart objects, integration of smart sensors, smart home appliances control, etc. and all the technology revolution that this evolution implies and forces to happen. The IoT system's revolution and fast-phased evolution will create and/or cause positive effects in the whole society and technology, like in the case when the IoT domain is redesigning the applied modern healthcare systems, promising and later offering technological, economic, and social benefits. This paper also reviews the state-of-the-art network architectures/platforms employed in the IoT systems, presents different applications, and also the future trends. IoT security and privacy features, including security requirements will be also discussed and presented. Ambient intelligence, and wearables can be leveraged in the IoT healthcare context, sensors are also becoming ubiquitous and very important in everyday life and also generates data at an unprecedented, unseen rate and scale. This article focuses on the current/existing trends in the domain of IoT and on the current stage of development of research for hardware and software solutions, possible future communication capabilities between human beings and machines, and any new technologies that will employ IoT. Future researches on IoT-based systems are based on a set of open issues and challenges; also, there is the vital step from current "Big Data" to "Big Information" that can be improved and faster created with the help and implication of the current and future IoT systems/setups. With the proliferation of IoT, humans will be able to interact with machines/computers and also control a variety of networked electronic devices, including sensors and actuators. Also, the emergence and evolution of wearable Brain-Machine Interfaces (BMIs), employing directly Electroencephalographyc (EEG) signals, can be a key catalyser of this interaction and evolution of IoT. As smart home appliances, smart sensors, smart glasses and wearable EEG/EMG headsets and any other smart objects are appearing in our lives every day, all of them connected or being a member of the IoT systems, it is important to be able to foresee what is lying ahead of us, as a society in view of the fact that their number grows every day. As the gathered data is growing each day, the computation power from the available IoT devices and infrastructure are becoming more important and more utilized.
FOSTER EDUCATION BY TECHNOLOGY
Authors: Colesniuc Dan
Published: February 2023

In the informational war it is difficult to identify who are belligerents and what is real or false. Today, concepts such as chaos control, soft power or color revolutions represent modern approaches to conflict situations by potential NATO enemies. The evolution of military conflicts in Central Asia, the Middle East or the Western Balkans creates new determinations of the adaptive response to the challenges of the modern battlefield. Virtualization of the battlefield implies a high degree of decentralization of military operations, given the limited resources available. That is why the strategic awareness of the new challenges in the cyber confrontation space requires the identification, development and implementation of adaptive working tools based on leading technologies. All these things create prerequisites for achieving a reflexive control, as a competitive advantage in the conflict space, by influencing the opponent's perception and getting a predictive evolutionary behavior. In this context, the critical thinking of the commanders in the decision-making is directly determined by the technological trends of the information age. Hierarchical thinking is replaced by a new way of thinking, namely network thinking. This means not only a collaborative thinking, but also a new way of approaching and reporting decision makers to the operational environment. In addition, this network-centered vision requires the use of the latest technologies and a very good knowledge of how to operate them. Thus, interoperability in the tactical field is determined first and foremost by the achievement of an intellectual interoperability at allied level, and the use of technology become an added value of educational processes.
HOW BIG DATA ANALYTICS WILL RESHAPE E-LEARNING?
Authors: Susnea Elena
Published: February 2023

Over the last several years, analytics and data mining have become new challenges for educational field and the idea of using the great benefits of automated methods for making sense of educational data received a significant boost. This paper gives an overview about learning analytics and educational data mining and also explains the way they are used in order to improve the support for educators and learners in their strive to achieve high quality learning outcomes (or results) and the way they improve decision making process in academic environment to maximize strategic outcomes. The amount of data being digitally collected and stored is vast and heterogeneous. As a result, the science of data management and analysis is also advancing to enable educational field to convert this vast resource into information and knowledge that helps teachers and educational organizations to achieve their objectives. Computer scientists have invented the term big data to describe this evolving technology. Big data has been successfully used in the many areas of activity, and the e-learning in particular. New educational technologies have allowed students, educators and managers to generate tremendous data via mobile devices, learning management systems, social networks, cognitive biometrics technologies and so on, resulting in what has been called as big data. Learning analytics and educational data mining techniques allow big data to be analysed from different perspectives, including monitoring students' activities, designing pedagogical interventions to support students, prediction of the learning success, failure, and potential dropouts, adaptation/personalization of learning content and learning tasks. Sometimes, in order to apply automated methods to analyse an educational context, it is required the use some type of personal data that should help university to build detailed student profile, and achieve competitive advantage. However, learning analytics and data mining do pose a threat to some important ethical values like privacy and individuality.
USING HOLISTIC APPROACH TO DEVELOPING CYBERSECURITY SIMULATION ENVIRONMENTS
Authors: Taitto Petteri , Virag Csaba , Nevmerzhitskaya Julia
Published: February 2023

As the scale and complexity of the cyber threat landscape is rapidly evolving, with increasing number of cyber attacks on all types of organisations, the pressure on the cybersecurity resilience of organizations is also gaining importance. In order to prepare organizations to counter advanced cyber attacks, specific training and realistic exercise procedures and supporting simulation environments are required. These simulation environments should be able to support and adequately prepare organisations to counter advanced cyber threats. Currently there is a wide variety of e-environments for cyber exercises. They vary from e-learning platforms offering static content, to virtualization based environments, to computer simulations and serious gaming and proprietary systems offered by software and consulting companies. Simulation based exercises are an excellent tool to transfer outcomes defined in the training curriculum in to the practice. Virtual-based simulation can be defined as an imitation of reality by using virtual environments or virtual programs on the computer. The range of different virtual methods varies from a basic video to an immersive, three-dimensional virtual environment. In this article we analyze existing e-learning platforms for cybersecurity training and education, and propose an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to cybersecurity training and exercising, allowing different levels of IT personnel in the organisation to understand how they shall cooperate to be prepared to defend the organisation. We are arguing that a common methodological and pedagogical framework to cybersecurity training can and should be utilized both by the educational institutions providing cybersecurity education, and by the organizations specializing on cyber drills. This framework will support technologically advanced simulation environments with a holistic model of professional competence, which integrates knowing, understanding, doing and situation management into learning outcomes as one component, and with a knowledge transfer methodology that focuses on finding and implementing the best methods to stimulate people to think and/or act differently in the cyber domain. The proposed framework will take inputs from existing works such as ENISA’s “Good practice guide on training methodologies”, ECSO’s position paper on “Gaps in European Cyber Education and Professional Training” and other relevant works, and will apply learning by developing pedagogical model in the context of cybersecurity simulation environments.
MOBILE SOFTWARE FOR ENHANCING CYBERCULTURE
Authors: Turcu Danut , Sparlu Florin
Published: February 2023

In the new information age, mobility has become a sure thing. Smart phones and tablets are among the most dynamic devices and, most likely, the focal point of the technological development of modern electronics. By analyzing this dynamics, it is difficult to give a definitive definition of the term. We are increasingly (and more) dependent on these technologies, communication, connection, transfer and information. All this are possible due to the mobile applications running on these devices. That's why in this paper we'll highlight how mobile applications help users enhance their cyber security culture. Most applications can be downloaded from a platform or store and are generally created and developed by companies like Apple, Google, Windows, BlackBerry, etc. Downloading is free of charge, except for certain applications available in professional versions that need to be paid. There are hundreds of applications with information about cyber security, but the difference does not make by content, but the way it is presented, the ease of finding it, the added value. The application architecture must be simple and easy to understand. It has to emerge from the style of using a smartphone, rely on already reflexive behaviors and do not need to have its own user manual. What if, in addition to telling the user the traffic status, a GSM distributor application would suggest traffic variants but of the higher speeds? Or would it also communicate information about the degree of confidentiality, integrity and availability? We'll show how different mobile applications bring attention to cyber security laws in different countries. In addition, some mobile applications introduce dictionaries of cyber security-specific terms, ways to report cyber security events / incidents.
IMPLEMENTING THE CYBERSECURITY AWARENESS PROGRAM USING ELEARNING PLATFORM
Authors: Udroiu Adriana meda
Published: February 2023

A cybersecurity program must be implemented at all organizational levels: infrastructure, hardware, software, policies, information. But the most important resource to implement this program is human resource. The employees who use IT&C infrastructure and information of organization have to train in cybersecurity program. A cybersecurity program cannot be implemented without implementing an employee awareness and training program to address policy, procedures, and tools. Learning consists of three key elements - Awareness, which is used to stimulate, motivate, and remind the audience what is expected of them; Training, which is used to teach a skill of a required tool and Education - in-depth schooling required to support the tools or as a career development process. Elearning platform is most important tool to obtain the above three elements. It can support all the demands necessary to develop a strategy about cybersecurity program. But, most important, for all employees is awareness program. In this context, this program uses elearning platform to inform about common mistakes in using computers, Internet and other smart devices in organization. Also, the elearning platform must be user-friendly and awareness program must be an attractive and bidder program. Elearning platform uses all techniques specialized in adult training and communication. The methods are intended that all employees to realize the importance of cybersecurity restrictions. The aim of this paper is to show all methods and techniques used by experts (in communication, IT&C and elearning) to develop and implement the cybersecurity awareness program based on the main characteristics of human resource in organization.
MODEL OF INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY IN THE EXCHANGE BETWEEN UNIVERSITIES AND BUSINESS FIELD.
Authors: Buceamaneatonis Rocsana , Pistol Luminta , Buceamaneatonis Radu
Published: February 2023

In a very busy society, e-learning is not a trend, but a must, because it facilitates distance interaction through virtual networks, social networks, forums and virtual reality (VR) facilities. The future of e-learning is to simulate reality by virtual reality, placing students in real life situations (e.g. Sims game). ICT students have a multitude of learning and entertainment programs, while using a gaming platform where the action is not realized by the mouse, but by editing comments in a structured / procedural manner, such as For i from one to n, hit the opponent. Those who study medicine learn anatomy and how to make surgeries through VR. Those who study chemistry can experiment with dangerous substances in a safe environment, due to VR. Those who studies languages may be transported in the Elizabethan times, for example, with the help of holograms. And so on... Modern universities have to adopt these technologies and to integrate them in every field of learning. They have to collaborate with the business environments, be one step ahead of them, and invest in research. The business environment has to ask universities for solutions to their problems, and the business has to offer the infrastructure for research in universities, because the young students are very creative. The article offers a model of innovation and creativity in the exchange between universities and the business environment. A deep understanding of the human psychology and the needs of spiritual evolution helps us move forward in the context of circular economy, for a better future for the next generation.
E-LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION: EXPLORATORY SURVEY AMONG ROMANIAN STUDENTS
Authors: Felea Mihai , Albastroiu Irina , Vasiliu Cristinel , Georgescu Bogdan
Published: February 2023

Internet and the related Information and Communications Technologies (the ICTs) has become an important component of teaching and learning in higher education. The concept of e-Learning is subject to constant change and can be defined as a learning system based on formalised teaching with the help of electronic resources. E-Learning systems can include fully online, mixed mode (also known as Blended Learning) or web assisted courses and there are numerous tools and features at the disposal of students and universities teachers. The main objective of this paper was to highlight the role of and the need for e-Learning in Romanian higher education. In order to achieve this aim, two main research activities were carried out. First, an extensive literature review was performed for understanding the e-Learning technologies and their applications in academic environment. Second, an exploratory research was developed to identify the students' education preference, perception regarding e-Learning effectiveness and their readiness to its adoption. A structured questionnaire was designed and applied to the graduated and undergraduate students of The Bucharest University of Economic Studies. The quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics and other tools available in Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Results of the survey revealed the positive attitudes towards e-Learning and technology-mediated education, especially among graduated students. Participants of survey also considered that e-Learning enhances the understanding of course content and improve collaboration and interactivity between students and teachers. These findings allow to draw suggestions for future research directions and recommendations regarding e-Learning implementation in Romanian higher education.
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF MAIN ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE USE OF E-LEARNING IN A TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
Authors: Rusu Bogdan , Tudose Mihaela brindusa
Published: February 2023

The new information technologies and devices have a significant impact on student behavior through the use of social media and communication. Whilst they an inclination to use smart phones and computers to both communicate and surf the internet, students may not capitalize their IT skills and abilities for educational purposes. There is little research in Romania on the student's perceptions towards the use of e-learning in a technical university. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of an exploratory quantitative study that depict student's perceptions towards the use of e-learning and the main advantages and disadvantages for various categories of students from a technical University. Key factors and main advantages and disadvantages used to develop the survey were identified based on a qualitative research. The questionnaire was pretested and administered to 217 students in paper format to multiple Faculties and years of study. Both advantages and disadvantages identified for e-learning were measured on a five-point interval importance scale. SPSS was used for statistical analysis. Factor analysis was performed for both advantages and disadvantages in order to identify the key aspects that characterize student's opinion towards the e-learning The survey compared and contrasted the student's viewpoints from several Faculties and years of study as well as for students from five distinct groups: those that have high grades and receive bursary (merit), those with good grades but just below the bursary threshold (up to one point below), students with poor academic performance and no bursary, those that work (part-time or full time) and those that never worked. Statistical analysis investigated for existence of significant differences due to student's faculty, gender, year of study, age, grades, bachelor or master, and whether or not the student works. This paper provides important results for the University management on both Faculty and University level regarding the key factors influencing student's perceptions towards the use of e-learning.
ASSESSING CORPORATE INDUCTION BY ELEARNING: OCULARCENTRISM AND IMPACT
Authors: Stan Oana mara
Published: February 2023

This study outlines methods to measure the impact of e-learning initiatives in the field of organization-driven induction training programs. Induction is a ‘make or break’ experience in a new employee’s life, in terms of performance, trust and long-term retention. New learning environments are projected to bridge a gap in new staff integration in a critical interval wherein lack of adequate socialization and information dissemination leads to soaring premature attrition rates. Furthermore, the article intends to investigate the adaptation and customization of content topics and pedagogical methods to the new online learning context, within a milieu that elicits enhanced learners’ experience by means of emerging technological innovation. The study relies on a practical perspective on e-learning impact assessment that makes use of method triangulation, using surveyed trainees’ feedback, LMS (learning management system) platform reports and critical discourse analysis to depict new staff’s interactions, expectations and perceived challenges or encountered hurdles in reference to e-learning induction programs. Software applications facilitate big data management and make online training output visible and readily available for data analysis. Theorists and practitioners strive to evaluate the impact of gamification strategies (e.g. awarding coins for correct answers or participation to interactive quizzes) on the perceived KPIs (key performance indicators) of online training that include attractiveness, interest, credibility, usefulness and applicability. In reference to the challenge of measuring innovative training platforms by means of beneficiaries’ feedback, the study draws on practical know-how related to the construction and update of such e-learning modules. Hence, it features showcases of employee induction e-training across new learning environments using online technologies such as LMS platforms. Case studies involve the comparative analysis of four e-training induction programs, implemented in retail and private healthcare. Empirical data were collected concerning the thematic area coverage, including table of contents and the organization of structural units of content, i.e. main chapters, sub-chapters and sections such as company history, strategy, mission statement, vision and values, organizational charts, customer benefits, product and service portfolio and social involvement through CSR projects. Another explorative dimension involves the design and layout style, using visual analysis tools that streamlines the ocularcentric perspective by which today’s public is mostly composed of viewers rather than readers. The third investigative dimension refers to a critical discourse analysis of employees’ testimonials and success stories through the lens of recurring trends and sociolinguistic self-expression tools that emerge across communicative patterns. Synthetic conclusions and practical implications envision updated strategies for development of employee induction training and blended learning solutions.
ONLINE MARKETING STRATEGIES USED TO DEVELOP ONLINE COURSES
Authors: Voicu Mirelacatrinel
Published: February 2023

In this paper we present a study on some online marketing strategies which can help us in developing online courses. We include components such as: Design & Development, Content marketing, Social Media, Reputation, Affiliate Marketing, Analytics, Email marketing, SEO, PPC, and even E-commerce components.For example, using Google Trends or Keyword Planner tool of Google AdWords, we can find out if there are people interested in the topic that we treat in our courses. At the same time, we can have information about their geographic location, such as countries or cities. With Google Analytics we can see the traffic on our website, containing useful information about the visitors: demographic data, how they have get on our website (direct, organic search, social, etc.), what kind of devices they use, etc. To find if there are people interested on our offer of courses, we also present how we can obtain such an information from YouTube of Facebook. We are focused on the increasing using of the Internet on mobile devices – and for this reason, on the importance of developing websites for mobile or even mobile apps. In the case of mobile apps, we also point out observations on some mobile marketing strategies which must be considered. We present some observations on the electronic format of course content: text, image, video, or interactive platforms and how it can use in the best forms on small devices and how different cloud computing technologies and services can improve the quality of our online courses.
UNDERSTANDING BLOCKCHAIN OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
Authors: Holotescu Carmen
Published: February 2023

Blockchain technology enables the creation of a decentralized environment, where transactions and data are not under the control of any third party organization. Any transaction ever completed is recorded in a public ledger in a verifiable, secure, transparent and permanent way, with a timestamp and other details. Introduced in 2009 as the core mechanism for the Bitcoin cryptocurrency and its worldwide payment system, blockchain has had many applications in domains such as IoT, finance, business, management, health and education. Also new platforms and tools for blockchain implementation were developed. As education becomes more open, diversified, democratised, and decentralised, the blockchain technology is taken in consideration by researchers, teachers and institutions, to maintain reputation, trust in certification, and proof of learning. In the first part of the paper, we explore the blockchain technology. Next, existing global and governmental initiatives, together with potential applications of blockchain in different domains are presented. The need to learn about this emerging technology is demonstrated, together with pioneering cases in different universities. Then we propose a public blockchain called OpenEduChain, designed as a repository for open educational assets (Open Educational Resources - OERs, Massive Open Online Courses - MOOCs, open pedagogies and scenarios), but also to deliver issued certificates and open badges by universities and other educational and training institutions. At university level, OpenEduChain, implemented on Ethereum, is used to store data about the open educational items created by faculty members and students. Also digital certificates or open badges are provided to the participants in the trainings and workshops. After a period of tests, OpenEduChain usage could be extended at national level, but also for new purposes such as e-portfolios or assessment.
TACKLING FAKE NEWS IN A DIGITAL LITERACY CURRICULUM
Authors: Malita Laura , Grosseck Gabriela
Published: February 2023

We are living in a society where digital have made headlines in the area of education over the last years. The use of different devices and applications turn us into both consumers of digital information and producers of a digital content. However, the consumption and the production of information is not always done in a responsible, professional and proper manner. Therefore, digital media skills became more important than ever and should be thought and learnt both in non-formal and informal way. Also, a special attention must be paid by schools and universities. When it comes on teaching and learning about digital media, our approach is media literacy focused on the resilience’s perspective, underlying the perspective of content creation and dissemination of information, too. In this eco-system, we see media literacy as a combination of digital, social and cognitive skills where digital media literacy has as major role to help people to avoid becoming victims of “fake news” and disinformation. Thus, the main aim of this paper is two-fold: [1] to investigate the students’ awareness regarding the increasing phenomenon of so called “fake news”. In this respect we applied an online questionnaire addressing their habits and practices when they have been encountered such doubtful content. As results, we present some recommendations and good practices on how to avoid such content, to critically read, interpret and curate the online content but also to re-edit, re-produce and re-purpose the content in a correct way, given due recognition to originators and [2] to explore the digital media policies of the Romanian universities consortium, from where West University of Timisoara is taking part, regarding the usage and production of media content by students, teachers and administrative staff. Our finding suggests that more concentrated actions should be addressed. Therefore, this paper could be a starting point of further measures and recommendation for the near future. This article is based on the report the authors present at IC4E conference, 4-5 February 2018, Sydney.
CROWDSOURCED TECHNIQUES AND ORGANIZING ROUTINES AS OPEN KINDS OF EDUCATION IN E-LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Authors: Mihaila Ramona , Pera Aurel , Cojocariu Gheorghe , Mohirta Ionel , Dicu Elena gratiela
Published: February 2023

Based on previous insights (e.g. Paulin and Haythornhwaite, 2016), the core of our article represents an extensive analysis of the manner numerous distance, online, and e-learning settings have embraced substantial concerted approaches, bringing about the demand to take into account the way novel techniques of online cooperation emerge over and into learning and instructive routines. As education succeeds in dealing with such directions, crowdsourcing and participative, peer-based proposals are impacting teaching and training, in addition to the advancement of curricula variously. A boundless array of available, first-rate open resources and materials are accessible online, furnished by groups of professionals, educators, and students. There has been a long-lasting controversy in the scholarly literature concerning how several crowdsourced, open resources end up into the curriculum via instructor assessment and choice as essential, demanded contents. Instructors may also include open resources in the curriculum as restorative, complementary, or advanced material. In countless learning frameworks, the masses of students suggest or reflect on external resources through course debates, including them into the curriculum. Crowdsourced proposals that adopt open educational routines and further flexible learning have become popular in both open online and established learning frameworks. The difficult tasks of tremendous numbers indicate the demand for an improved perspective of the way teamwork, community, and crowdsourcing may be made functional in MOOC-based instruction. While in line with prior research on the current topic, our results indicate that the convergence of massive online participation and courses stimulates the urgency to advance and embrace patterns of instruction that originate considerably from the establishment of virtual communities and the performance of online crowds in comparison with the one of classes.
NEED OF OPEN EDUCATION RESOURCES IN THE STUDENTS OPINION
Authors: Mocofan Muguras , Ciuclea Camelia
Published: February 2023

The e-Learning became a trend that continues to grow as importance, complementing the classical/traditional classroom. Students' opinion is important in designing an open course, in the way they perceive their activities and especially related to the practical part. The objective is to analyse how to create a course including a list of desired technologies that would increase their interest. It was noted from their proposal, the interest for open educational resources and the need to have a wide variety of ways of presenting the subjects of study. The need for greater interactivity, collaborative projects and the presence of self-evaluation tests has been very clearly underlined. This analysis provides report statistics about the type of courses developed, the number of activities on LMS for each 3-hour classical teaching, the number of activities on LMS for one course, the type of resources and activities to be exploited by tutors. An increased interest about the students` attention was upon the possibility of including many external media resources. The most important aspect observed by analysing the courses was the fact that at least three external open educational resources were desired to be included in a three hours classical teaching class to complement the traditional printed material. All the materials produced and selected by the students had a high qualitative standard. A close attention was paid to the interactive potential of a resource. Considering the findings of this study, further actions can be taken, such as: centralizing the outcomes, presenting it to the decision factors from the University management board, proposing a strategy/ a general guideline for all the tutors of the University.
DEVELOPMENT OF A MOODLE EXTENSION FOR IMPROVING THE MANAGEMENT OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS
Authors: Ternauciuc Andrei , Andone Diana , Ciuclea Camelia
Published: February 2023

The management of distance education activities in the Politehnica University of Timisoara have different aspects and requires several development instances. Recently, the online development included also tools needed for human resources management and time management. Politehnica University of Timisoara uses, since 2009, the university Virtual Campus CVUPT, a Moodle based development. As many of Moodle instances are used in distance education settings, where activities happen also face-to-face in university labs, any off-platform relevant activities need to be reported and quantified manually. This is especially important in our university educational setting, where reported activity affects many teaching/learning indicators, including the academic staff' time reports. In order to properly mitigate this situation, we have developed a tool allowing Moodle integration with the official reporting procedure used by the academic staff from the distance education courses in our University. In this paper, we present the new methodology, the development process as well as the initial evaluation, by comparing the process of obtaining results from offline, previous form-based reports submitted in the past, with those obtained using the online tool in CVUPT. The evaluation run by the eLearning Center team revealed important feedback on time management, that will generate more change, many updates and other adaptations of the reporting tool in CVUPT. We can conclude that, for its first iteration, the online reporting tool was seen as a positive development, conducted to better time management of the distance education academic staff. Several proposed improvements are already in plan for the second development.