Desarrollo de una herramienta didáctica para la enseñanza de conceptos básicos en sistemas embebidos (SE)

Didactic tools in the classroom are a very important element  in the teaching­learning process.  In the embedded systems  topic, these tools offer to teachers and students a fast way to  apply the concepts and knowledge through rapid prototyping  using  the  concept  of  modularity.    In  this  paper,  the  development  of  a  didactic  tool  for  the  teaching  of  basic  concepts in embedded systems is presented. First, the study  and selection of the most used peripherals in the teaching of  embedded systems was made. Then, by using CAD tools,  the Printed Circuit Boards (PCB's) of the didactic tool were  designed based on Arduino compatible layout. Afterward, a  functional prototype was built.  Finally, a laboratory guide  handbook and a user manual were elaborated.  A prototype  of a didactic module for the teaching of basic concepts in  embedded systems was implemented and tested. Also, the  related  documentation  with  this  didactic  module  was  developed.  The  developed  tool  can  be  considered  as  a  classroom technology innovation because of it can be used  as a support tool in embedded systems related course, since  its  modular  concept  permit  that  students  do  not  spend  money and extra time implementing the necessary circuits to  test the algorithms developed in the classroom.Las herramientas didácticas en el aula son un elemento muy  importante  en  el  proceso  de  enseñanza­aprendizaje.  En  el  tema de sistemas integrados, estas herramientas ofrecen a  profesores  y  estudiantes  una  forma  rápida  de  aplicar  los  conceptos y el conocimiento a través de prototipos rápidos  utilizando el concepto de modularidad. En este artículo, se  presenta el desarrollo de una herramienta didáctica para la  enseñanza  de  conceptos  básicos  en  sistemas  embebidos.  Primero, se realizó el estudio y la selección de los periféricos  más  utilizados  en  la  enseñanza  de  sistemas  embebidos.  Luego, mediante el uso de herramientas CAD, las placas de  circuito  impreso  (PCB)  de  la  herramienta  didáctica  se  diseñaron  según  un  diseño  compatible  con  Arduino.  Posteriormente,  se  construyó  un  prototipo  funcional.  Finalmente, se elaboró     un manual de guía de laboratorio y un  manual de usuario. Se implementó y probó un prototipo de un  módulo didáctico para la enseñanza de conceptos básicos en  sistemas embebidos. Además, se desarrolló la documentación  relacionada  con  este  módulo  didáctico.  La  herramienta  desarrollada  se  puede  considerar  como  una  innovación  tecnológica en el aula debido a que se puede utilizar como  una  herramienta  de  apoyo  en  un  curso  relacionado  con  sistemas integrados, ya que su concepto modular permite que  los  estudiantes  no  gasten  dinero  y  tiempo  extra  implementando  los  circuitos  necesarios  para  probar  los  algoritmos desarrollados en el aula

Teaching and learning in virtual worlds: is it worth the effort?

Educators have been quick to spot the enormous potential afforded by virtual worlds for situated and authentic learning, practising tasks with potentially serious consequences in the real world and for bringing geographically dispersed faculty and students together in the same space (Gee, 2007; Johnson and Levine, 2008). Though this potential has largely been realised, it generally isn’t without cost in terms of lack of institutional buy-in, steep learning curves for all participants, and lack of a sound theoretical framework to support learning activities (Campbell, 2009; Cheal, 2007; Kluge & Riley, 2008). This symposium will explore the affordances and issues associated with teaching and learning in virtual worlds, all the time considering the question: is it worth the effort

Learning by Game Design for Library Instruction: A Multiple Case Study

Despite the importance placed on information literacy in fostering lifelong learning, helping students develop the skills required of critical thinkers and independent learners are limited. This study contributes to the burgeoning discourse on alternative instructional approaches to teaching information literacy and focuses on the use of game design in learning environments. The appeal of gaming among the younger generation of learners has led to the increasing use of games in learning environments. Within recent years, some innovative academic libraries have begun adopting games as a platform for information literacy instruction. While the literature recognizes game design as fostering higher-level learning in educational contexts, it is not commonly adopted in the classroom. Typically, there is a preference among instructors to have students play games. Therefore, a more thorough understanding on the ways game design best facilitate learning is needed to assist towards its more frequent adoption. This study focuses on the use of game design within library spaces. The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences of undergraduate students learning by game design in information literacy classes. The overarching research question looks at how an instructor can incorporate motivational theories into an information literacy class through learning by game design and how students engage with the content and each other in this environment. More specific supporting questions address: How can an instructor incorporate motivational theories into an information literacy class through “learning by game design”? How does the “learning by game design” approach within information literacy classes foster the sharing of knowledge among undergraduate students? How do undergraduate students represent information literacy concepts in the game-based artifacts they design? What were undergraduate students’ motivations to use information literacy practices they were exposed to throughout their class experiences? Applying a descriptive multi-site case study methodology, this study draws upon the theories of social constructivism, experiential learning, and motivation to explore the phenomenon of learning by game design in information literacy classes. Data was collected from two sites using various methods to provide a comprehensive view of the phenomenon. Data sources included: student\u27s artifacts, submitted class assessment materials, recorded observation, participant observation, items from the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) and interviews. Analysis was done by drawing meanings across the multiple instances of data. Findings from this study show that learning by game design is a viable option for teaching information literacy classes, when effectively scaffolded into the classroom. Students were able to draw upon a higher order of cognition and described situated instances where information literacy skills were applied, such as use in complex assignments and real world situations

Access Anytime Anyplace: An Empircal Investigation of Patterns of Technology Use in Nomadic Computing Environments

With the increasing pervasiveness of mobile technologies such as cellular phones, personal digital assistants and hand held computers, mobile technologies promise the next major technological and cultural shift. Like the Internet, it is predicted that the greatest impact will not come from hardware devices or software programs, but from emerging social practices, which were not possible before. To capitalize on the benefits of mobile technologies, organizations have begun to implement nomadic computing environments. Nomadic computing environments make available the systems support needed to provide computing and communication capabilities and services to the mobile work force as they move from place to place in a manner that is transparent, integrated, convenient and adaptive. Already, anecdotes suggest that within organizations there are social implications occurring with both unintended and intended consequences being perpetuated. The problems of nomadic computing users have widely been described in terms of the challenges presented by the interplay of time, space and context, yet a theory has yet to be developed which analyzes this interplay in a single effort. A temporal human agency perspective proposes that stakeholders’ actions are influenced by their ability to recall the past, respond to the present and imagine the future. By extending the temporal human agency perspective through the recognition of the combined influence of space and context on human action, I investigated how the individual practices of eleven nomadic computing users changed after implementation. Under the umbrella of the interpretive paradigm, and using a cross case methodology this research develops a theoretical account of how several stakeholders engaged with different nomadic computing environments and explores the context of their effectiveness. Applying a literal and theoretical replication strategy to multiple longitudinal and retrospective cases, six months were spent in the field interviewing and observing participants. Data analysis included three types of coding: descriptive, interpretive and pattern coding. The findings reveal that patterns of technology use in nomadic computing environments are influenced by stakeholders’ temporal orientations; their ability to remember the past, imagine the future and respond to the present. As stakeholders all have different temporal orientations and experiences, they exhibit different practices even when engaging initially with the same organizational and technical environments. Opposing forces emerge as users attempt to be effective by resolving the benefits and disadvantages of the environment as they undergo different temporal, contextual and spatial experiences. Insights about the ability to predict future use suggest that because they are difficult to envisage in advance, social processes inhibit the predictability of what technologies users will adopt. The framework presented highlights the need to focus on understanding the diversity in nomadic computing use practices by examining how they are influenced by individual circumstances as well as shared meanings across individuals