How do we assess in Clinical Legal Education? A 'reflection' about reflective learning

I suggest this hypothesis and these premises from the perspective of my experience in Clinical Legal Education and the use of experiential learning methods in other 'traditional' courses. Firstly, institutional assessment must be distinguished from the assessment of learning. Traditionally, assessment is reduced to institutional assessment: that is, to give a mark depending on the achievement of knowledge instead of focusing in the student's learning. However, I propose (to remember) that: 1) (Formative) assessment is part of learning; 2) Reflective learning (and reflective skills) is/are a part of assessment. This implies a process of continuous evaluation instead of summative evaluation, for example, through an exam or a similar procedure. So, I agree with the idea that assessment 'is not a measurement problem but an instructional design problem.' (Van der Vleuten & Schuwirth). To clarify what assessment is, we have to discuss several interlinked aspects (validity, reliability and fairness), which are connected to questions that must be answered: When is the assessment considered valid...? How do we assess...? What do we assess...? Some ideas to answer these questions may include the need to provide space (s) and time (s) to reflect on the learning (as a way of learning and as a skill to be acquired), which in turn implies a multiplicity of assessments and/or reflection about learning. This should also include a variety of assessments: self-assessment, peer-assessment, team-assessment, and (external) assessment. And last, but not least: as it is said, reflection should be considered not only a skill but a part of learning. Reflection about learning is an exercise that promotes life-long learning (including that among future lawyers). A reflection about context and experience is the first step for future professional action. The benefits of experiencing autonomy and reflection are the same in a real or in realistic environments. But the experience of responsibility requires a real environment

Modelo para la escritura de artículos científicos a distancia mediante tareas colaborativas

There has been a lot of research on improving the process of scientific writing collaboratively, for example, indicators have been elaborated to measure the success of this type of activities, also, computer tools have been developed to facilitate this exercise, among other proposals. These research works have become relevant and pertinent due to the current conditions of pandemic (COVID-19), because, general isolation measures have been established that make it impossible to meet and interact with other people, which are important values to succeed in any collaborative activity. For this reason, the process of scientific research and writing has become extremely difficult in recent times; specifically, the lack of a structured process to organize and systematize scientific research at a distance through virtual means has been identified. Considering the above-mentioned problems, a model based on the contributions of collaborative engineering is presented, which allows the design of joint tasks from virtuality, adding elements of the SECI model, which seeks to manage knowledge and make it uniform among authors. To this end, the abstraction of common tasks when writing scientific articles was carried out and a model was proposed to improve this process. The validation of this was done through a case study where a group of researchers use the proposal and develop the writing of a research paper. Subsequently, promising results were obtained about the proposed model, with high levels of satisfaction among participants. Finally, it was found that this is an area of research in which contributions can be made, where the development of specific tools to evaluate collaborative activities is a latent need.Para mejorar el proceso de escritura científica de forma colaborativa se han realizado múltiples investigaciones, como la elaboración de indicadores para medir el éxito de estas actividades y el desarrollo de herramientas informáticas que faciliten la ejecución de dicho ejercicio. Estos trabajos de investigación han tomado relevancia y pertinencia por las condiciones actuales de pandemia (COVID-19), debido a que las medidas de aislamiento general que se han establecido imposibilitan el encuentro y la interacción con otras personas, lo cual son valores importantes para tener éxito en cualquier actividad colaborativa. Por esta razón, en tiempos recientes, el proceso de investigación y escritura científica se ha dificultado, identificándose la falta de un proceso estructurado para organizar y sistematizar la investigación científica a distancia mediante medios virtuales. Teniendo en cuenta la problemática mencionada, se presenta un modelo basado en los aportes de la ingeniería de la colaboración que permite diseñar tareas conjuntas desde la virtualidad, añadiendo elementos del modelo Socialización, Externalización, Combinación e Internalización (SECI), el cual busca gestionar el conocimiento y hacerlo uniforme entre los autores. Para esto, se realizó una encuesta que permitió la abstracción de tareas comunes al escribir artículos científicos y se planteó un modelo para mejorar este proceso. Su validación se realizó mediante un caso de estudio donde un grupo de investigadores utilizan la propuesta y desarrollan la escritura de un documento de investigación. Posteriormente, se obtuvieron resultados prometedores acerca del modelo propuesto, con niveles altos de satisfacción entre los participantes. Finalmente, se constató que es un área de investigación en la que se pueden hacer aportes significativos al proceso de escritura científica en épocas de aislamiento a causa de la pandemia, donde el desarrollo de herramientas específicas para evaluar actividades colaborativas es una necesidad latente

Promover a aprendizagem e interação de alunos cegos em espaços colaborativos

Promover a interação e colaboração entre alunos, especialmente se forem cegos em espaços colaborativos de ensino é uma forma de melhorar e improvisar a aprendizagem dos mesmos. A interação é um factor central da constituição do fenómeno humano, o contacto e relacionamento com os elementos da mesma natureza são necessidades intrínsecas ao homem, que dessa forma busca conhecimento. As salas de aula mantêm-se iguais há muito tempo e estão dispostas exactamente da mesma forma e mesmo que tenham alguns computadores ou projectores poucas vezes são utilizados. Será esta a melhor disposição para cativar os alunos? Esta dissertação investiga como espaços colaborativos com tecnologia avançada podem significar uma maneira de motivar os alunos, de melhorar a interação de alunos cegos utilizando a tecnologia em apoio à aprendizagem colaborativa. Alunos com deficiência visual enfrentam muitas vezes dificuldades no sistema escolar e em espaços colaborativos de ensino por não existirem recursos suficientes que os apoiem na interação. Estes espaços devem estar preparados para estes alunos deficientes visuais fornecendo uma base social para o aprendizado, incluindo interações entre pares. As interfaces disponíveis neste tipo de espaços devem ser centradas no utilizador e devem promover a interação entre os alunos. Pretende-se então que alunos cegos aprendam a relacionar-se e a interagir com as interfaces existentes no espaço e uns com os outros, onde a troca de ideias e opiniões aumenta o desenvolvimento individual e colectivo de todos. A procura de soluções e respostas para problemas com recurso à aprendizagem colaborativa, gera trocas de ideias e conceitos e promove o desenvolvimento cognitivo entre todos os envolvidos. O desafio é contextualizar a historia das interfaces e perceber como ao longo dos anos promovem ou limitam a colaboração de alunos com deficiência visual. Designers que desenvolvem estas interfaces devem faze-lo sempre a pensar em todos os utilizadores, principalmente se apresentam alguma barreira física ou intelectual.Promoting interaction and collaboration among students, especially if they are blind in collaborative learning spaces is a way to improve and improvise their learning. Interaction is a central factor in the constitution of the human phenomenon, contact and relationship with elements of the same nature are intrinsic needs of man, who thus seeks knowledge. Classrooms have remained the same for a long time and are arranged in exactly the same way and even if they have a few computers or projectors they are rarely used. Is this the best way to motivate students? This dissertation investigates how collaborative spaces with advanced technology can mean a way to motivate students, to improve the interaction of blind students using technology to support collaborative learning. Visually impaired students often face difficulties in the school system and in collaborative teaching spaces because there are not enough resources to support them in their interaction. These spaces should be prepared for these visually impaired students by providing a social basis for learning, including peer interactions. Interfaces available in such spaces should be user-centered and should promote interaction between students. It is then intended that blind students learn to relate and interact with existing interfaces in space and with each other, where the exchange of ideas and opinions increases the individual and collective development of all. The search for solutions and answers to problems using collaborative learning generates exchanges of ideas and concepts and promotes cognitive development among all involved. The challenge is to contextualize the history of interfaces and to understand how over the years how they promote or limit the collaboration of visually impaired students. Designers who develop these interfaces should always do it with all users in mind, especially if they have any physical or intellectual barriers

Collaborative Learning and Creative Writing

CSCL software tools must provide support for group work and should be based on a collaborative learning technique. The PBL based CCCuento tool is introduced here. It is intended to support apprentices groups in the collaborative creation of stories in order to improve language use and development of writing skills. The tool follows a model, which includes several positive interdependencies and is implemented as a sequence of individual activities followed by break periods. The break periods are used for reviewing and discussion. An experiment is reported in which several groups of high school students used the tool 1