New research and trends in higher education

New methodologies, contexts, and technologies are generating a lot of interest in the field of higher education, and this Special Issue intends to address the current research and trends in all dimensions of higher education. It will serve as a global focal point for the examination and reporting of a wide range of issues affecting higher education learning processes: innovations in learning, new pedagogical methods and new learning contexts. The Special Issue includes original research contributions, such as research papers, case studies and demonstrations with original scientific results, methodological aspects, concepts and educational technologies on the following topics: (a) Technological Developments in Higher Education: mobile technology, virtual environments, augmented reality, automation and robotics and other tools for universal learning, focusing on issues that are not addressed by existing research. (b) Digital Higher Education: mobile learning, eLearning, Game-based Learning, social media in education, new learning models and technologies and wearable technologies for education. (c) Case Studies in Higher Education: empirical studies in higher education regarding digital technologies, new methodologies, new evaluation techniques and tools, perceptions of learning processes efficiency and digital learning best practices.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

On-line tools to improve the presentation skills of scientific results

[EN] In experimental sciences and engineering it is essential to communicate and present the results effectively. The authors have participated in several educational innovation projects since 2016, aimed at developing of materials to improve the communication skills of scientific results. An exhaustive and updated compilation of the international rules that constitute the basis for the writted and oral scientific presentations was carried out. The good teaching practices in these fields were also identified. The results of those previous projects have shown the need to incorporate web questionnaires and other interactive content into the educational program. These are adapted to the demands of the students and provide a training feeback. In this contribution, the new materials that are being developed within the innovation project UV-SFPIE_PID19-1096780, funded by the University of Valencia, are presented. They are devoted to facilitate the acquisition of communication skills of scientific results. In particular, these tools combine ICT self-learning environments with traditional classroom teaching (blended learning). The project methodology includes educational data mining aimed at identifying the most effective materials and activities to achieve its objectives. The aim of these mixed learning tools is to facilitate the acquisition by the students of the necessary skills of oral and written communication, improve their presentation skills and, consequently, also their employability as university graduates.This work has been supported by the University of Valencia through project SFPIE_PID19-1096780.Campos-Taberner, M.; Gilabert, M.; Manzanares, J.; Mafé, S.; Cervera, J.; García-Haro, F.; Martínez, B.... (2020). On-line tools to improve the presentation skills of scientific results. IATED. 4907-4910. https://doi.org/10.21125/inted.2020.1342S4907491

Methodology to analyze the effectiveness of ESD in a higher degree in education: a case study

This paper presents a methodology to evaluate (1) to what extent students of a higher degree in the field of education acquire sustainability competencies, and (2) to determine whether the subjects that develop Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) achieve their learning objectives. The methodology is applied to a case study. The instruments used are the sustainability survey and the sustainability presence map developed by the EDINSOST project. The survey consists of 18 questions, and has been answered by 104 first-year students and 86 fourth-year students belonging to the Bachelor Degree in Primary Education Teaching at the University of Seville. The Mann-Whitney U test has been used to compare the results of the two students groups, and Cohen’s D has been used to measure the effect size. Students only obtain significant improvements, with 95% confidence, in three questions: Q4 (I know procedures and resources to integrate sustainability in the subjects), Q5 (I analyze the opportunities presented in the subjects to plan educational projects to integrate sustainability) and Q6 (I design educational projects from the perspective of sustainability), all concerning critical thinking and creativity. An improvement is also detected in question Q11 (I know how to develop myself satisfactorily in community educational projects, encouraging participation), with a confidence of 90%. Surprisingly, no subject in the curriculum develops the learning outcomes concerning questions Q4, Q5 and Q6, and only one subject develops the learning outcomes regarding question Q11. However, up to five subjects declare development of the learning outcomes regarding questions in which there is no improvement in student learning. These results suggest that the subjects are failing to reach their ESD learning objectives, and that the students are either trained in sustainability outside the university or the subject learning guides do not reflect the work done by the students throughout their studies.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Motivation in engineering education: a framework supported by evaluation instruments and enhancement resources

Motivation is a critical factor in the academic performance, especially in the EHEA context, where the active learning must be promoted. In the case of engineering education, it is particularly necessary to care the student motivation by several reasons. The difficulty of engineering degrees can hinder the motivation of students and it can affect the high levels of absenteeism and dropping out. Thus, it is important to work up frameworks to evaluate and enhance, in addition to technical competences, other competences such as motivation. This paper presents the definition of a motivational framework composed by several instruments, resources, mechanisms and technologies. It allows teachers and academic institutions to evaluate and enhance the motivation of their students. But the most innovative characteristic of the framework lies in the student side; it also allows students to self-evaluate and enhance their motivation by performing questionnaires, recommendations and complementary training activities. In order to validate the proposed solutions, a case study has been successfully performed with 152 students of the Technical University of Madrid. The empirical experience has enabled to confirm the usefulness of the provided framework and to explore motivational aspects related with the engineering education

Design Sprint: Enhancing STEAM and Engineering Education Through Agile Prototyping and Testing Ideas

[Abstract] Creating project-based learning experiences in the classroom where students learn in a team to solve complex problems and to develop creative and critical thinking is a challenge. Design Sprint (DS) is an agile methodology (implemented in 5 days) with the goal of creating innovative design based on user needs (User Experience). The objective of this work was to develop an Engineering Drawing classroom experience linked to the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic with the Design Sprint methodology. The experience had to involve the integration of theory and practice, the application of knowledge, the development of both hard and soft skills, and the empowerment of students to conduct research. 56 first-year students following three STEAM degrees at the University of A Coruña participated in this experience. The activities were designed for both face-to-face and remote learning. Microsoft Teams and Moodle were used for tutoring and for monitoring student progress. The Moodle Workshop tool was used for the evaluation of the prototypes that were developed and the projects were evaluated by video. The students defended their projects through a presentation in lightning talk format (Ignite). Evaluation rubrics were used following a triple approach: co-evaluation, hetero-evaluation and self-evaluation. The 3D design of the projects was developed with Autodesk software. A total of 18 projects were developed. Once the projects were completed, a survey was administered to evaluate the levels of student satisfaction. The survey results were very positive. The Design Sprint projects also showed positive effects on grades. The Design Sprint method has promoted an interactive learning environment. In addition to its simplicity, a further advantage of DS method is that all student dedication is planned. Students were therefore less likely to feel overloaded, all of which helps with better time management. The DS methodology is multipurpose, so it can be applied to various fields and subjects

Teaching English in the industry 4.0 and disruption era: Early lessons from the implementation of SMELT I 4.0 DE in a senior high lab school class

Industrial revolutions always bring with them radical changes and, with various degrees, disruptive effects on the existing or ongoing technologies. In this conjunction, radical changes in doing education are now forthcoming, and some traditional ones are being disrupted. Many proposals are now being introduced to respond to the demands of the era. In relation to the teaching of English, the writer proposed a model, called SMELT I 4.0 DE, standing for a Synergetic Multilayered English Language Teaching for Industry 4.0 and Disruption Era. While the effects of each layer of the model (ICTC, SRLI, and TVCD) on students’ ELT learning have been extensively reported, those of the layers in a synergetic whole are not yet well-investigated. Hence, a study on the use of SMELT I 4.0 DE is theoretically motivating and practically enlightening. For the very reason, a one-semester pilot project implementing the model in an English as a foreign language (EFL) class in Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia Senior High Lab School has been conducted in the first semester of 2018/2019. This paper is intended to present findings from the aforementioned SMELT I 4.0 DE pilot project. The data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, document analysis, and observations from a class of 29 students. It is shown that ICTC has been successful in (1) increasing students motivation and engagement, (2) giving them positive experience in utilizing students digital devices for educational purposes, and (3) encouraging students creativity; SRLI has triggered students self-regulation in planning, doing, and assessing their learning, self-selection of learning focus and materials, and strategies; and TVCD has enhanced students learning through self-discipline, honesty, confidence, collaboration, communication, and hardworking. In conclusion, the implementation of SMELT I 4.0 DE has resulted in significant progress in all aspects of students’ learning under study

Education in Undergraduate Construction Management Degrees - Is it "Construction" or "Management" that is in bold type?

The proposition of this study is that the content of education in construction management degree programs has changed over time. Content has moved away from construction technology and has moved more towards generic areas of management. Here, issues arise such as prescriptive versus principle-base teaching and the degree to which experiential learning can be provided. This study explores quantifiable data to test the above proposition over an extended period of time for a selected University in Australia. The study looks at course handbook data for the construction management degree including the likes of assigned subject credit points and contact hours. From the analysis, debate and related sources of supporting information are used to extrapolate themes demonstrating the resultant changes in graduate profile arising from the analysis. Comment is also provided on the impact of such changes including the differentiation of university graduates in the past and present. The industry perspective is also canvassed in terms of how changes have affected their expectations relating to employment of University qualified graduates

La integración de la traducción audiovisual y las nuevas tecnologías en el aprendizaje basado en proyectos: un caso experimental en IFE para ingeniería y arquitectura

Methodological approaches like project-based learning, the didactic use of audiovisual translation and the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have attracted the attention of researchers in recent years. These are the three pillars on which the current article rests. It presents an experimental study within the context of project-based learning in which students of engineering and architecture undertake a project to build and sell a sustainable house. In order to succeed in the project, the students have to progress from one stage to the next by completing various tasks that require the didactic use of the audiovisual translation modes of dubbing and subtitling as well as the use of mobile applications and new technologies. This research aims to show how the implementation of the project can contribute to the development of productive and receptive linguistic skills and even be considered an option to provide the framework for the design of the whole syllabus in an English for Specific Purposes subject. The study was carried out in a transversal subject of technical English in which students from different degrees of engineering and architecture converge.  As a pilot study, it was proposed to the students as an alternative to replace the part of the subject that focuses on written and oral production in English language. The results will reveal a high motivating component in the activities, achieving the consolidation of knowledge through meaningful learning and a lowering of the levels of anxiety in the affective filter.Los enfoques metodológicos como el aprendizaje basado en proyectos, el uso didáctico de la traducción audiovisual y el uso de las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC) han atraído la atención de los investigadores en los últimos años. Estos son los tres pilares sobre los que se sustenta esta investigación. El artículo presenta un estudio experimental en el contexto del aprendizaje basado en proyectos donde los estudiantes de ingeniería y arquitectura se enfrentan a un proyecto en el que tienen que diseñar la construcción y preparar la venta de una casa sostenible. Para ello tienen que superar progresivamente etapas completando diversas tareas que requieren el uso didáctico del doblaje y la subtitulación, así como el uso de las nuevas TIC. Se pretende mostrar cómo la puesta en práctica del proyecto puede contribuir al desarrollo de las competencias lingüísticas productivas y receptivas e incluso considerarse una opción para diseñar el programa completo de una asignatura de inglés con fines específicos. El estudio se llevó a cabo en una asignatura transversal de inglés técnico en la que confluyen estudiantes de distintas titulaciones de ingeniería y arquitectura.  El estudio piloto, se propuso a los alumnos como alternativa para sustituir la parte de la asignatura centrada en la producción escrita y oral en lengua inglesa. Los resultados revelarán un alto componente motivador en las actividades consiguiendo que los conocimientos se consoliden mediante un aprendizaje significativo y una reducción de los niveles de ansiedad en el filtro afectivo