A connectivist approach to smart city learning : Valletta city case-study

A connectivist approach will be adopted to design and evaluate learning in technology-enhanced open spaces in Valletta city. Learning is considered as a process of creating connections between learner’s inner cognitive and affective systems with the external physical and social worlds. These interactions are organised within a model comprising dimensions and levels of interactions. The experience for a learner in a technology-enhanced historical place will be designed considering interactions with the content domain (history, botany, art), the technological dimension (interaction between handheld devices and the available signals such as 3/4G, Wifi or GNSS) and the social dimension comprising interactions with fellow learners /citizens and domain experts. The levels of interactions are related to learner’s experience within the subject domain, with technology and one’s status or role in learning community or community of practice. Thus learning experiences have to be designed considering acquisition level for novice learners, participatory learning for more experience learners and contributory learning for highly competent learners. This connectivist model will be applied to identified places of historical or educational interest in Valletta city to design different modes of learning mediated through interactive technologies. The concept of Personal Learning Environments in Smart cities [1] will be used to provide technology-enhanced experiences in Playful learning, Seamless learning, Geo-learning, Citizen enquiry and Crowd learning. A number of these technology-enhanced learning experiences, developed in collaboration with CYBERPARKS ACTION’s WG1, will be contextualized in Valletta city. University of Malta will provide the domain content and resources, together with the pedagogical strategy for each learning experience. Researchers from WG1 will design and develop the technological model and infrastructure, mainly the Android-based Way-Cyberparks App that will integrate GNSS-based learning, Augmented Reality, Navigation tracing and other functionalities used for specific tasks and type of data collection. An interactions-based methodology will be used to evaluate learning along the identified dimensions.Funded by the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union.peer-reviewe

The integration of an augmented reality module within the Way- Cyberparks app. : the case study of Valletta city

Latest improvements on mobile devices capabilities are changing the way people interact with their surroundings. Nowadays, devices are able to sense the environment and user’s location, enabling the user to experience improved digital services. This is a key aspect of public spaces enhancement, which plays a pivotal role for the improvement of public spaces; a key to make public locations more accessible, interactive and enjoyable. One of the most powerful technologies enabling this innovative set of services is known as Augmented Reality (AR). More in depth, AR allows users to visualise in real time virtual information about the physical objects of the real world, directly on the display of their own devices. AR provides innovative way-finding widgets and context-awareness services. Along with the aims of the COST Action Cyberparks, our aim is to improve the App delivered during the first stages of the project (Way-Cyberparks) with AR functionalities, by developing a location-based AR module tailored to be integrated within Way-Cyberparks. The AR section will link virtual geo-tagged annotations as an interface to (geo) spatial and attribute data, allowing users to quick access digital sensory inputs. The overarching idea is to populate the App with virtual signage fostering the fruition of public spaces by allowing users to experience new ways of moving within specific places. Thanks to that, on one hand, the App works as an interactive path-finder tool, heading visitors towards the most interesting locations or landmarks within a specific area (Points of Interest or POIs). On the other, users are enabled to create their own contents and upload them into the network of available POIs, enabling a true participative community. The city of Valletta has been chosen as first case study; here the AR module will be tested to identify historical locations and heritage buildings, acting as contextual objects for the Way- Cyberparks App.Funded by the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union.peer-reviewe

Does the human brain really like ICT tools and being outdoors? a brief overview of the cognitive neuroscience perspective of the CyberParks concept

The paper presents an overview of the latest studies on cognitive neuroscience that can help evaluate concepts that promote technologically-enhanced outdoor activities, such as CyberParks. The following questions are asked in the paper: does the human brain really like ICT tools? Does the human brain really like being outdoors? And finally: does the human brain really like technologically-enhanced outdoor activities? The results of the studies presented show that the human brain does not like ICT tools yet, it likes being outdoors very much. At the same time, it was shown that outdoors activities may be encouraged by ICT tools, yet outdoors activities themselves should be free from ICT tools. Using ICT tools and physical activity at the same time is a dual task, a type of activity that leads to cognitive and physical processes being destabilised, which leads to weakened effects of both cognitive and physical tasks. From the perspective of cognitive neuroscience, CyberParks are not a solution that the human brain really likes. Another issue is also discussed, namely: do technologically-enhanced outdoor activities—such as in CyberParks—really increase the quality of life?The study was supported by European Cooperation in Science and Technology Action: Fostering knowledge about the relationship between Information and Communication Technologies and Public Spaces supported by strategies to improve their use and attractiveness (CYBERPARKS) (TUD COST Action TU1306).peer-reviewe

Edukacyjne obiekty w cyberparkach: Analiza Pool of Examples projektu COST Action TU1306

Koncepcja cyberparków została naukowo rozwinięta przez europejskich badaczy zrzeszonych w międzynarodowym projekcie pt. Fostering knowledge about the relationship between Information and Communication Technologies and Public Spaces supported by strategies to improve their use and attractiveness (CYBERPARKS), realizowanym w latach 2014-2018 i finansowanym przez European Cooperation in Science and Technology (TUD COST Action TU1306), w ramach którego Michał Klichowski opracował i eksperymentalnie zweryfikował koncepcję uczenia się w cyberparkach, a Agnieszka Kruszwicka stworzyła pierwszy projekt edukacyjnego cyberparku. W ramach tego projektu blisko 100 naukowców z 31 krajów stworzyło także zbiór przykładów cyberparkowych obiektów (Pool of Examples). W rozdziale tym prezentujemy wyniki ich analizy, ukierunkowanej na ukazanie tych elementów cyberparków, które mają potencjał edukacyjny. Wcześniej jednak opisaliśmy założenia koncepcji uczenia się w cyberparkach oraz jej teoretyczne tło – ideę inteligentnego miasta

Model TPACK. O potrzebie technopedagogicznego podejścia do wiedzy i kompetencji nauczycieli

W artykule zostały przedstawione wyniki dwóch studiów empirycznych, których celem było zbadanie stosunku przyszłych nauczycieli do nowych edukacyjnych rozwiązań TIK. Studia ta ukazują, że podejście nauczycieli do TIK kształtowane jest nie – jak zakładało wiele wcześniejszych badań – w placówce w której podejmują oni pracę, ale w jednostkach w których są kształceni pedagogicznie. Ponadto pokazują, że stosunek przyszłych nauczycieli do TIK wynika także z ich edukacyjnych/szkolnych doświadczeń – z potrzeby reprodukowania znanych im (nisko stechnicyzowanych) modeli edukacji. Koniecznym wydaje się więc wprowadzenie do systemu kształcenia nauczycieli nowego modelu wiedzy i kompetencji, uwzględniającego zapotrzebowanie na wiedzę i kompetencje technologiczne. Takim modelem może stać się tytułowy TPACK (Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge model) – jego podstawowe założenia zostały przedstawione w ostatniej części tekstu, jako swego rodzaju rekomendacja wynikająca z przytoczonych badań

CyberParks: The interface between people, places and technology

This open access book is about public open spaces, about people, and about the relationship between them and the role of technology in this relationship. It is about different approaches, methods, empirical studies, and concerns about a phenomenon that is increasingly being in the centre of sciences and strategies – the penetration of digital technologies in the urban space. As the main outcome of the CyberParks Project, this book aims at fostering the understanding about the current and future interactions of the nexus people, public spaces and technology. It addresses a wide range of challenges and multidisciplinary perspectives on emerging phenomena related to the penetration of technology in people’s lifestyles - affecting therefore the whole society, and with this, the production and use of public spaces. Cyberparks coined the term cyberpark to describe the mediated public space, that emerging type of urban spaces where nature and cybertechnologies blend together to generate hybrid experiences and enhance quality of life

City-Based Learning Concept. Theoretical Background, Basic Assumptions, Future Contexts of Development and Implementation

Currently, over a half of the world’s population lives in cities. It is estimated that by 2050 at least 85 per cent of Europeans will have lived in European cities. This trend is related to the fact that today cities are spaces of permanent learning in authentic contexts, which is fostered by the development of new technologies. However, little is known about the city-based learning concept, which is crucial for this type of technology-enhanced learning. Here, we discuss the theoretical background, basic assumptions and future contexts of development and implementation of this idea. Firstly, we demonstrate that city-based learning is contingent on such theories as urban studies, pedagogy of place, as well as urban education, explorative learning, learning outside the classroom, mobility of learning space or on-street activity. Secondly, we show that smartphones, tablets, GPS, educational cloud, and digital textbooks are technologies for city-based learning. We conclude that cities connected to an educational cloud (which is full of educational resources and serves as a platform for educational communication) are unique environments for students equipped with mobile tools. Finally, we point out a new project on a city-based learning implementation

Technologia jest wszędzie – aktywizacja ucznia podczas lekcji wychowania fizycznego z wykorzystaniem różnorodnych rozwiązań TIK

Technology in education is defined as one that achieves a practical purpose and that can assist teachers in motivating students. In the past, instructional technology consisted of mainly visual instruction, made up of pictures, films, graphs, charts, and other visual aids. By 1985, the Internet was already well established as a technology supporting a broad community of researchers and developers. Today’s children are known as the “iGeneration” due to their advanced technology skills and use. It is estimated that teenagers spend from 15 up to 20 hours each day “multitasking”, i.e. using different forms of ICT tools. The use of technology devices turned to be an integral part of sporting performance analysis, allowing coaches and teachers to understand the physical demands on team sport athletes. The advances in ICT in the 21st century involves children that are naturally growing in areas of higher levels access to information. Nowadays, a collection of ICT tools such as pedometers, smartphones, tablets (applications), virtual reality simulators, heart rate monitors, and others, are being used in physical education to enhance engagement, pedagogy and performance. It is critical for children to adapt their capacity to acquire knowledge and develop their skills through technology usage. If these ICT tools are used properly in PE classes, they have the potential to impact teachers’ teaching practice and, consequently, student learning. Teachers should possess the skills and behaviors of digital-age professionals, particularly in physical education. Technology usage would be beneficial for increasing physical activity, improving dietary choices and encouraging other health-related behaviors

Dziecięca matematyka

W rozdziale tym przedstawiono tradycyjne metody kształtowania kompetencji matematycznych dzieci, takie jak metoda samodzielnych doświadczeń, kierowania aktywnością, zadań i ćwiczeń; metody oparte na pokazie, przykładzie, udostępnianiu sztuki, rozmowie, opowiadaniu, zagadce, objaśnieniu, instrukcji, wierszu i piosence, czy też metody żywego słowa. Omówiono także alternatywne strategie, takie jak: metody bazujące na koncepcji pedagogicznej Montessori, Froebla, Steinera, Domana czy Friedrich, de Galgóczy i Schindelhauer, a także Naglaka, Rokity i Rzepy. Pokazano również nowe, oparte na technologiach informacyjno-komunikacyjnych, przestrzenie aktywności matematycznych: środowisko rzeczywistości wirtualnej i cyberparków. Odniesiono się ponadto do uczniów ze specjalnymi potrzebami matematycznymi, którzy wymagają jeszcze innych metod pracy. W tym kontekście wyjaśniono różnice między takimi problemami z matematyką jak akalkulia, dyskalkulia czy specyficzne trudności matematyczne. Wreszcie ukazano to, jak rozpoznać w klasie uczniów uzdolnionych matematycznie, jak z nimi pracować oraz wyróżniono kompetencje zawodowe, które powinien posiadać nauczyciel takich uczniów. Rozdział kończy krótkie podsumowanie zachęcające do refleksji nad procesem nauczania matematyki

Cultivating Urban Storytellers: A Radical Co-Creation to Enact Cognitive Justice for/in Self-Built Neighbourhoods

We all carry an imperative to imagining collectively more just cities, to engaging more meaningfully with multiple urban actors and their different sensibilities through their stories. Storytelling helps to foster empathy, to understand the meaning of complex experiences, and, most importantly, to inspire action. With the rise of the digital era and new technologies at hand, we have an opportunity to redefine not only the way we tell, connect, and engage with our collective stories, but also how we work together in forming them. Based on the research design project Patrimonio Vivo | Living Heritage, grounded in the city of Medellín, this article illustrates the dynamics and potentials of co-creation with cultural organizations and creative teams through learning alliances. Our alliance among a cultural community centre, a cooperative of architects, a grassroot organisation and post-graduate students around the world used storytelling to propel an ecology of urban knowledges. Working online during the global lockdown, we mobilised stories of solidarity, care, memory, and livelihoods through the narrative of people, places, and organisations following their trajectories as the basis for the design of spatial strategies. This collaborative work aimed at contributing to the recognition of everyday spatial practices in self-built neighbourhoods as a form of “living heritage” of the city and a key building block for reframing a more progressive “integral neighbourhood upgrading” practice. I argue that using storytelling as a co-creative methodology, based on learning alliances, we can bridge the ecology of urban knowledges to foster cognitive justice and transform the current stigmatizing urban narrative of self-built neighbourhoods