Fostering students’ creativity via educational robotics: An investigation of teachers’ pedagogical practices based on teacher interviews

This study explored how educational robotics (ER) was implemented in classrooms to foster creativity among elementary school students and identified challenges associated with its implementation. Twenty-six teachers at different elementary schools were interviewed. In-depth teacher interviews and grounded theory were used to collect and analyze the interviews. We found that the intended creative learning outcome for students was mastery of the developmental process of creativity. The teachers generally reported using a four-phase instructional framework consisting of eight sub-phases and targeted teaching strategies to support students’ learning outcomes. Challenges included insufficient appropriate learning materials, a lack of expansive learning activities and tasks and limited opportunities to engage students in the process of design thinking and developing metacognitive abilities. The findings have practical implications for teachers and researchers who are interested in developing pedagogical practices (PP) incorporating ER to support students’ creativity. The study also has theoretical value, offering insights into teachers’ PP in implementing ER.     

A partnership approach to action learning within a masters educational programme

This account of practice provides a practical example of the use of action learning within a masters educational programme, an MA in Change Management designed and delivered by a collaborative partnership between the Isle of Anglesey County Council (ACC) and Liverpool Business School (LBS), Liverpool John Moores University. The account has been developed by the LBS Programme Manager, Tricia Harrison and the ACC Training Manager, Carys Edwards. The involvement of both the provider and receiver of the training activity provides a balanced, rigorous but practical approach to the content of this account. The background and content of the programme will be discussed, followed by critical comment on the action learning process.     

The impact of AI and robotics on physical,social-emotional and intellectual learning outcomes: An integrated analytical framework

This qualitative study examines the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics in learning designs from the perspective of learning sciences. The literature on the topic indicates that there is not enough research on including diverse learning outcomes in the designs for learning. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to understand how AI and robots impact physical, social-emotional and intellectual learning outcomes through the implementation of learning designs that are guided by selected design principles. In this study, the design-based research (DBR) methodology was employed for investigating learning in naturalistic contexts. The intervention was implemented in a primary school in which learners used educational robots. The main findings reveal that the development of an integrated analytical framework, which considers a broader spectrum of human potential, allows for analyzing students’ learning outcomes in a more integral, inclusive and balanced way. This, in turn, promotes students’ learning by using AI and robots. Another finding reveals that the impact of using AI and robotics on learning designs is reflected in learners’ personal trajectories having different pathways and paces. Finally, the lessons learned and the challenges to be overcome are summarized, and recommendations are made for future research for the enhancement of learning experiences that use AI and robotics.     

Online learning: a strategy for social responsibility in educational access

Socially responsible educational development issues include examination of whether students in diverse situations have access to educational programs. Within a global society that supports equal opportunities for individuals, issues of access to educational content have merit at both individual and societal levels. A framework for thinking about social responsibility in educational access three primary areas is examined. These include (a) meeting the needs of underserved populations, (b) preparing for and capitalizing on diversity, and (c) using access to build society. Online learning offers one viable strategy for social responsibility by providing significant benefits in the areas of educational access for underserved populations, exposure to and experience with diversity, and building social communities through shared electronic communication.     

Informal STEM: learning with robotics and game design in an urban context

Abstract

This mixed methods study examined how engagement in robotics and game design influenced students’ self-efficacy, STEM attitudes, and computational thinking (CT) skills. Predominantly African-American students engaged in engineering and computer science tasks during informal learning environments. Results revealed students’ self-efficacy scores on computer gaming increased significantly. Focus group data supported these findings, revealing that computer programing was challenging, but students enjoyed the tasks, added elements of culture in some cases, and valued the agency the tasks provided. Focal students were also able to make connections to STEM-related careers. Observational data demonstrated that focal students exhibited substantive CT during robotics and moderate CT during game design. Results support the idea that robotics and game design may be used to broaden underrepresented students’ participation in STEM.     

Place-based learning: action learning in MA program for educational practitioners

The study presents a new pedagogical idea and practice for educational practitioners. The practice was developed as a workshop of MA program in order to change and expand the meaning of education for the wellbeing of the community. The ‘place-based learning’ workshop combined action learning (AL) with project-based learning (PBL). The students’ assignment was to develop and operate a plan for the contribution of specific places (e.g. parks, public buildings, organizations and industries) to the community. The findings indicate conceptual and behavioral changes among the students concerning educational processes. At the end of the workshop, the students tended to be more tolerant of ambiguity, sustain judgment and collaborate with peers. The new practice emphasizes coping with fundamental emotional needs such as autonomy, self-efficacy, engagement and belonging. The synergy between AL and PBL was found to have great potential for meaningful learning and doing.     

一种新的护理课程框架:KSVME

近几十年来，护理教育界一直在努力寻求一种能充分反映护理专业特征的课程框架，这种课程框架不仅要有一定稳定性还要有一定的灵活性。本文介绍了一个新型课程框架，描述了它的特征和发展过程，着重介绍了它所包含的几个重要概念，即护理知识、护理技能、护理价值观、护理涵义和护理经验。     

Preparing teachers for inclusive education: using inclusive pedagogy to enhance teaching and learning for all

As the concept of ‘inclusive education’ has gained currency, students who would previously have been referred to specialist forms of provision, having been judged ‘less able’, are now believed to belong in mainstream classrooms. However, it is often argued that teachers lack the necessary knowledge and skills to work with such students in inclusive classrooms. This paper reports findings of a study of a new initial teacher education course that starts from the premise that the question is not whether teachers have the necessary knowledge and skills to teach in inclusive classrooms, but how to make best use of what they already know when learners experience difficulty. The theoretical rationale for the development of the course is outlined and examples of how teachers might engage in more inclusive practice are presented.     

Using the inquiry-based learning approach to enhance student innovativeness: a conceptual model

ABSTRACT

Individual innovativeness has become one of the most important employability skills for university graduates. In this paper, we focus on how students could be better prepared to be innovative in the workplace, and we argue that inquiry-based learning (IBL) – a pedagogical approach in which students follow the inquiry-based processes used by scientists to construct knowledge – can be effective for this purpose. Drawing on research which examines the social and cognitive micro-foundations of innovative behavior, we develop a conceptual model that links IBL and student innovativeness, and introduce three teacher-controlled design elements that can influence the strength of this relationship, namely whether an inquiry is open or closed, discovery-focused or information focused and individual or team-based. We argue that an open, discovery-focused and team-based inquiry offers the greatest potential for enhancing students’ skills in innovation. This paper has several implications for higher education research and practice.     

现代远程教育考试应是过程而非环节——一种考试改革的理论与行动框架

现代远程教育考试到底是过程还是环节,理论界没有明确说法。本文试图以新的思维回答这一问题,并期望由此建立符合现代远程教育规律的考试理论框架。在总结实践经验和理论分析的基础上,作者得出了现代远程教育的考试应是过程而非环节的结论。在论证过程中,其着眼点也始终放在落实学习过程上,认为学习过程难以落实才是远程教育考试改革的根本动因,进而认为在自主学习条件下,落实学习过程不仅是考试改革成败的关键,也是保障和改善现代远程教学质量的根本途径。作者强调,把考试由环节转化为过程不仅是技术问题,更是思想方法问题。     

构建解释高等教育变迁的整体框架

本文吸收社会科学领域“研究过去的整体论方法”,特别关注“变革与稳定”的整体历史方法论,在总结分析国外经典的解读高等教育变迁模式的基础上,提出“四要素环绕互动型”的解释框架。这一框架将“知识”、“国家”、“社会”、“市场”作为影响高等教育发展的四大基本要素,利用“四要素”所具有的超越历史、地域和时代的普遍解释力,构建能够说明高等教育变迁所具有的普遍性特征的分析框架。     

Tool-mediated authentic learning in an educational technology course: a designed-based innovation

This design-based research project is concerned with the design, development and deployment of interactive technological learning environments to support contemporary education. The use of technologies in education often replicates instructivist positions and practices. However, the use of Cultural Historical Activity Theory (C), authentic learning (A), and educational technologies as tools (T) to mediate learning provides an integrated CAT framework to design and use learning experiences that transform not only individuals but also their world view. The work reports on the design, redesign, and evaluation of an honors course on the use of information communication technologies in teaching and learning. Analyses identified a number of design principles useful in conceiving learning tasks to support the theoretical framework. The CAT framework fosters the use of learning mediation through the use of educational tools that support collective knowledge construction of individuals and their communities, rather than replicate the use of technology for instruction.     

Assisting learning in e-assessment: a closer look at educational supports

This study analyses the educational support offered through information and communication technology during formative assessment in two different cases in higher education. We analysed one blended and one virtual case from two different universities. The study aimed at identifying specific patterns of educational support intended to foster two interaction processes: (1) the promotion of greater autonomy in the students and (2) the construction of more appropriate meanings by them. The analysis showed that these two processes were achieved with different attainment levels in each of the two study cases. Specific patterns of support mediated by technology were found underlying these different results. This led us to identify ‘suitable’ and ‘undesirable’ patterns of support in e-assessment practices.     

教学研究型大学本科教育模式的构建

坚持教学与研究的密切结合,是教学型研究型大学的优势,也是人才培养过程中最重要的教育理念。学校应充分利用学科建设中的科研优势、人才优势和设备优势,抓好基础性的本科生教育,构建科研与教学共生的本科教学模式。包括:将“寓学于研“的研究型教学理念贯穿于人才培养全过程、引导学生建立以研究为本的学习方式、构建师生互动的研究性课堂教学模式,打造以培养学生研究素质为核心的科研训练平台,建立并完善适应研究型教学的本科教学管理模式等。     

Towards a pedagogical model for science education: bridging educational contexts through a blended learning approach

This paper proposes a design framework to support science education through blended learning, based on a participatory and interactive approach supported by ICT-based tools, called Science Learning Activities Model (SLAM). The development of this design framework started as a response to complex changes in society and education (e.g. high turnover rate of knowledge, changing labour market), which require a more creative response of learners to the world problems that surround them. Many of these challenges are related to science and it would be expected that students are attracted to science, however the contrary is the case. One of the origins of this disinterest can be found in the way science is taught. Therefore, after reviewing the relevant literature we propose the SLAM framework as a tool to aid the design of science courses with high motivational impact on students. The framework is concerned with the assumption that science learning activities should be applicable and relevant to contemporary life and transferable to ‘real-world’ situations. The design framework proposes three design dimensions: context, technology and pedagogy, and aims at integrating learning in formal and informal contexts through blended learning scenarios by using today’s flexible, interactive and immersive technologies (e.g. mobile, augmented reality, virtual reality).     

Towards a more inclusive approach to intervention research: the case of research in learning disabilities

Intervention research in special education tends to rely on comparisons of mean differences to determine instructional strategies that ‘work’ for students with disabilities. This reliance on mean differences obscures individual variation that is always present in educational research. This paper examines the degree to which individual variation is acknowledged in reports of intervention research published in four leading learning disabilities journals over a five-year period. It was found that, although there was considerable variance present in intervention studies published in these journals, this variability was often unacknowledged. This paper concludes with suggestions for how researchers might acknowledge variance in their research.     

Situated learning in an educational technology course for pre-service teachers

This qualitative study investigated a situated learning environment implemented in an educational technology course where pre-service teachers worked collaboratively on meaningful real-world projects, assuming the role of professional teachers. With a traditional learning environment as a critical frame of reference, we found that the students in the situated learning environment demonstrated sophisticated problem-solving skills, exhibited metacognitive awareness, produced coherent artifacts, and showed high levels of motivation. The findings implied that if we want to successfully implement situated learning, effort should be made to promote a constructive learning culture, improve individual performance, manage students’ perceptions, and foster their positive attitudes.     

Theoretical constructs that explain and enhance learning: a longitudinal examination

One important line of inquiry in educational psychology involves the study of change of individuals' cognitive-motivational processes. The conjunctive use of longitudinal data with latent growth curve modeling procedures has, for example, allowed researchers to identify initial levels and to trace trajectories of theoretical variables such as self-efficacy over time. The study reported in this article proposed a conceptual model that depicted relations between a deep-learning approach, mastery goals and self-efficacy over time. A final sample of 195 second-year university students (100 females, 95 males) took part in this three-wave panel study. We used various inventories to test the initial states and rates of change of the three aforementioned constructs. As an a posteriori analysis, we included prior academic achievement as a possible predictor of change. The results ascertained from our analyses indicate an increase in growth of a deep-learning approach, mastery goals and self-efficacy across the two-year period. Importantly, a posteriori results accentuated the role of prior academic achievement as a predictor of the initial level of personal self-efficacy.