1,721,000 research outputs found
Technology enhanced active and collaborative learning in distance higher education: Students’ perception
No full textThis paper focuses on the three year-degree e-Learning course in Psychological Sciences and Techniques delivered by Sapienza and Unitelma Sapienza University of Rome. In designing the course, a decision was made to integrate classic e-Learning with a participatory and collaborative approach, safeguarding the strengths of both models. To this end, the degree course is based on three fundamental pillars: a theoretically anchored Learning Design, an experienced and continuously supported team of teachers and tutors, a flexible and rich Learning Management System. The study presents the data relating to the opinions of the first graduates of the course (a.y. 2019-2020), collected through a semi-structured questionnaire in which different dimensions relating to the overall experience were investigated. 22 students answered the questionnaire so far. Results show how the students strongly appreciated the experience, considering the online course to be worthy of a face-to-face course, both from the point of view of the quality of teaching and the possibility of learning knowledge and skills useful both in academic and professional life
Structure of a Blended University course: Applying Constructivist principles to a blended course
No full text
Structure of a Blended University Course
No full textIn this chapter, the case of a blended university course will be described in detail. The main focus of this description will be on how some constructivist principles – such as knowledge building, active and self-directed learners, collaborative learning, communities of learners and practice - can be applied to compose the architecture of a blended university course. The course carefully integrates online activities with face to face meetings. Several educational models are also combined to guide the design of individual, small-group and collective activities able to exploit issues such as digital identities, E-Tutor, online role-play, and E-Portfolio. Principles of constructivism were always followed when setting activities and meetings. The description provided is mainly useful for teachers and educators interested in implementing a blended course with clear references to constructivist pedagogy. In addition, theoretically founded roles, tasks, and activities are outlined. The thoughtful mix of pedagogical models, online and face to face activities, individual-dyads-small group and collective learning contexts is the strongest point of this course.</jats:p
Transforming the space-time of learning through interactive whiteboards : the case of a knowledge creation collaborative task
Full text linkThe present article aims at qualitatively exploring the emergent space-time configurations of Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) usage within a collaborative media design task at a university of applied sciences. During this course, the students had an opportunity to use the IWB technology to support the collaborative learning process within small groups of 4-5 members. It is argued that research on the space-time transformations enabled by digital technology, carried out by adopting the dialogical concept of chronotope, is useful to improve the understanding of learning in technology rich settings. Participant observation was conducted on two groups of students. Video-audio records of the students' activity and of group interviews were collected and qualitatively analyzed. The findings reveal that the IWB was only partially integrated within the students’ activity. Most of the IWB usage took place during the first phase of the course. The IWB use was characterized by specific space-time configurations that allow to examine how the students attempted to integrate the IWB in their learning space. The students’ reflections during the group interview allow to advance our understanding concerning the emergence of the space-time configurations identified by the researcher, as well as on the students’ perception of the learning environment. It is concluded that the potentiality of IWB and the effectiveness of the emergent space-time configurations is strictly dependent on the nature of the learning task and the pedagogical approach adopted.The present article aims at qualitatively exploring the emergent space-time configurations of Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) usage within a collaborative media design task at a university of applied sciences. During this course, the students had an opportunity to use the IWB technology to support the collaborative learning process within small groups of 4-5 members. It is argued that research on the space-time transformations enabled by digital technology, carried out by adopting the dialogical concept of chronotope, is useful to improve the understanding of learning in technology rich settings. Participant observation was conducted on two groups of students. Video-audio records of the students' activity and of group interviews were collected and qualitatively analyzed. The findings reveal that the IWB was only partially integrated within the students’ activity. Most of the IWB usage took place during the first phase of the course. The IWB use was characterized by specific space-time configurations that allow to examine how the students attempted to integrate the IWB in their learning space. The students’ reflections during the group interview allow to advance our understanding concerning the emergence of the space-time configurations identified by the researcher, as well as on the students’ perception of the learning environment. It is concluded that the potentiality of IWB and the effectiveness of the emergent space-time configurations is strictly dependent on the nature of the learning task and the pedagogical approach adopted.Peer reviewe
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