Big Data as a Technology-to-think-with for Scientific Literacy

This research aimed to identify indications of scientific literacy resulting from a didactic and investigative interaction with Google Trends Big Data software by first-year students from a high-school in Novo Hamburgo, Southern Brazil. Both teaching strategies and research interpretations lie on four theoretical backgrounds. Firstly, Bunge's epistemology, which provides a thorough characterization of Science that was central to our study. Secondly, the conceptual framework of scientific literacy of Fives et al. that makes our teaching focus precise and concise, as well as supports one of our methodological tool: the SLA (scientific literacy assessment). Thirdly, the "crowdledge" construct from dos Santos, which gives meaning to our study when as it makes the development of scientific literacy itself versatile for paying attention on sociotechnological and epistemological contemporary phenomena. Finally, the learning principles from Papert's Constructionism inspired our educational activities. Our educational actions consisted of students, divided into two classes, investigating phenomena chose by them. A triangulation process to integrate quantitative and qualitative methods on the assessments results was done. The experimental design consisted in post-tests only and the experimental variable was the way of access to the world. The experimental group interacted with the world using analyses of temporal and regional plots of interest of terms or topics searched on Google. The control class did 'placebo' interactions with the world through on-site observations of bryophytes, fungus or whatever in the schoolyard. As general results of our research, a constructionist environment based on Big Data analysis showed itself as a richer strategy to develop scientific literacy, compared to a free schoolyard exploration.Comment: 23 pages, 2 figures, 8 table

Educational Policies: An International Overview

The process of education is as old as the human race. All through human history this process has become increasingly formalized and socialized (one milestone being, for example, the introduction of compulsory education). These steps made the responsibility of education for the future of the whole society (a Nation) more explicit. In spite of the fact that this responsibility has not been questioned for centuries, there are many very recent documents monitoring the disquieting state of the educational process which may not fulfill this responsibility. These signals are coming even from countries which devote considerable resources to education. Because of its importance, education is an inherent part of development strategies in most countries, industrially developed or developing. Appropriate institutions (ministries) are designing policies aiming to influence the behavior of individual actors in education processes in the desired direction. The efficiency of individual measures taken in achieving the selected objectives is difficult to predict because the educational process at large is a complex social phenomenon where several disciplines are involved. The resulting semantic and methodological differences make it sometimes difficult to achieve a fruitful communication through interdisciplinary barriers. Because cultural factors are also involved cross-national, cross-cultural and comparative studies might bring a specific insight into the process. This by no means proves that one could easily transfer experience from one country to another

Management of Distance Learning Programmes for Effective Achievement of Objectives in the 21st Century: Nigeria as a Case Study

It is obvious that no country, anywhere, will be able to respond adequately to the demands for increased educational opportunity, or improve its quality of education by relying on conventional systems only. It is equally obvious that the application of distance education will help in accelerating human resource development by widening access to education in Nigeria. Many tertiary institutions in the country have embarked on distance education programmes, not because of the economic gains alone; but also in response to the increasing demand for further education by those new knowledge and skills in their areas of interest. This paper focused on ways to improve distance education administration, with particular reference to course development and production, students' supportive services and educators roles. In addition, the concept of distance education and its place in the National Policy on Education were discussed. Key words: Distance Education, Management, Achievement of objectives and Effectivenes

Theory And Policy – OER On Their Way Into Practice

Der Beitrag widmet sich vor dem Hintergrund der europäischen Debatte dem Thema Open Educational Ressources (OER) im Rahmen von bildungspolitischen Prozessen aus der nationalen Perspektive von Deutschland und Österreich. Der Schwerpunkt liegt dabei auf den Diskussionen in den Jahren 2016 und 2017. Dabei geht es um unterschiedliche Verständnisse, Positionen, Perspektiven und Schwerpunkte der beteiligten Akteure aus der Bildungsforschung, der Bildungspraxis und der Bildungspolitik. Die jeweiligen Beteiligten nähern sich dem auch politisch virulenten Thema OER aus ihrer jeweiligen fachlichen oder auch berufsspezifischen Perspektive und haben einen (mehr oder weniger gewichtigen) Aspekt der OER-Bewegung im Kopf, welcher Eingang in die zu erstellenden Bildungsstrategien finden soll. Konkret geht es dabei um zwei Fallbeispiele: zunächst die Erarbeitung der bildungspolitischen Strategie Deutschlands «Bildung in der digitalen Welt», welche 2016 von der Kultusministerkonferenz (KMK) unter Beteiligung von Fachverbänden entwickelt wurde. Des Weiteren ein zu Beginn 2017 am Österreichischen Bundesministerium für Bildung (BMB) erarbeitetes Curriculum einer verbindlichen Übung «Digitale Grundbildung» an Schulen. Der Text lotet die verschiedenen Positionen aus und vollzieht nach, auf welche endgültige Fassung man sich dann hat einigen können und in welcher Form schlussendlich OER in Bildungsplänen verankert wird. Nachdem der Beitrag blinde Flecken in der konzeptionellen Verankerung der Idee von OER ausfindig gemacht hat, werden Überlegungen angestellt, wieso besonders für bestimmte Akteure attraktive Aspekte unterbelichtet und unberücksichtigt bleiben.This paper treats open educational resources (OER), specifically in the context of processes related to education policy. Of importance in this regard are the different understandings, positions, perspectives and focal points of the participant actors from the fields of educational research, practical education and education policy. Those involved approach the politically virulent subject of OER from their respective technical or career-specific perspectives and have one (more or less weighty) aspect of the OER movement in mind, which is intended to gain admission to the education strategies being constructed. In particular, two case studies are examined: first, the formulation of Germany's education policy strategy, «Bildung in der digitalen Welt» [«Education in a Digital World»], which was developed in 2016 by the Kultusministerkonferenz (KMK) [the standing conference of education ministers of the federal states] with the participation of professional associations; second, the curriculum formulated 2017 by the Österreichisches Bundesministerium für Bildung (BMB) [Austrian Federal Ministry of Education] comprising a «Binding Digital Competence Exercise» in schools. The paper examines the various positions and retraces the final version on which all could agree and in which form OER is finally anchored in education planning. After identifying the blind spots in the conceptual anchoring of the idea of OER, the paper considers why attractive aspects, especially for specific actors, remain underexposed and disregarded

Online Support and Online Assessment for Teaching and Learning Chemistry

In this chapter, examples of innovative approaches that use educational technology to support active learning in chemistry lectures, tutorials and laboratory sessions are considered. The scope of the chapter is limited to blended learning. The strengths and weaknesses of e-learning are examined and the options available for online assessment using electronic tests and e-portfolios are discussed. In addition to the literature references provided in the chapter, several examples of good practice involving the implementation of information and communication technology for chemistry teaching in higher education are incorporated. A list of online resources for lecturers is also included