E-learning modules in courses. Fostering autonomy in learning

The breakthrough of information and communication technologies and their smooth incorporation into daily living has brought a cultural change in both, society and education. The traditional and formal paradigms and contexts represent new challenges of adjustments that consider the new kind of student that goes to university classrooms. Thus, the educational model from Universidad Católica de Temuco considers an intensive use of ICT in the educational process, and a gradual growth of the autonomy of students during training. In the Computer Science program, these elements of the model have been partially addressed through the incorporation of e-learning modules that foster autonomy. A technological platform was implemented to support an e-learning methodology. The methodology used in the study is described in this article. The outcomes obtained in courses where the methodology was applied were successful, which made possible new initiatives that include the suggested improvements from the assessment of the conducted experiences

Strength in diversity: enhancing learning in vocationally-orientated, master's level courses

Postgraduate education in geography, especially at the Master’s level, is undergoing significant changes in the developed world. There is an expansion of vocationally-oriented degree programmes, increasing recruitment of international students, integration of work place skills, and the engagement of non-traditional postgraduate students as departments respond to policies for a more ‘inclusive’ higher education. This paper sets the context by outlining some programmatic changes in selected countries (Australia, the UK, and the USA). We briefly reflect on how postgraduate ‘bars’ or ‘levels’ are defined and explore in detail what ‘diversity’ or ‘heterogeneity’ means in these new postgraduate settings. The paper then explores some examples of practice drawn from our own experiences, whilst recognising that relevance will vary in other contexts. Finally we consider how diversity can be harnessed as a strength that has potential to enhance taught elements of contemporary postgraduate education in and beyond the discipline

Interactive transfer guide: sharing knowledge from the ESRALE project

The Interactive Transfer Guide (ITG) is an expert resource that summarises and points users to where they can find the full details of the distinctive knowledge developed as part of the ESRALE project, including the key outputs and lessons learned. It is designed to be used by a range of parties interested in developing and innovating the professional provision of adult education across Europe

The Solomon Islands mathematics: Pedagogy in transition?

This article examines the transition of the Solomon Islands School of Education's primary and secondary mathematics education programme from a focus on content knowledge and teacher transmission, to a more activity-based, problem-solving, learner-centred approach. The ways the development team co-constructed that change so that it incorporated current mathematics education pedagogy, the Solomon Islands' Mathematics Curriculum document, and elements of Solomon Islands mathematics are described. How the team attempted to manage the dilemma between local educational imperatives and the globalisation of mathematics education is considered. Central to this are comparisons with international research on mathematics education pedagogy, while giving recognition to the situating of these within localised contexts. The article describes the ways the transition evolved, and how issues related to the change process, such as trust, culture, pedagogy and power, were engaged with, both proactively and incidentally. It will also consider lecturer/student reflection on the programme and the ways the changes may have influenced teaching. This article contends that change that is co-constructed and hinged to respectful partner relationships, will lead to greater participant autonomy and enhance the sustainability of the change. Finally, it poses questions that require subsequent examination for the transition to be sustainable

The Undergraduate as an Engaged Explorer

This paper asserts that most undergraduates leave Irish universities short-changed, never having been exposed to the riches of research. A re-conceptualisation of the research university is proposed, one founded on a culture of inquiry, interdisciplinarity and innovation. Scholarship is expanded to include engagement with communities, utilising the academy's unique multidisciplinary environment. It is argued that creativity and exploration should be essential elements in every undergraduate experience. A specific programme is used to exemplify how a responsible, civic and sustainable innovation culture can guide research and self-discovery, helping students understand how developing their own ventures can create value in society

Customized L2 e-courses as a Shortcut to Developing Learner Autonomy and Lingua-Professional Competences of Students Majoring in Finance and Law

Senior Bachelor and Master Students in economic and law universities view English for Special Purposes (ESP) course as an essential component in developing both their linguistic and vocational competences. The paper argues that reliance on the use of e-shaped professionally-relevant materials is a shortcut to professional jargon acquisition and pre-employment immersion into future job realities. The existing shortage of published ESP textbooks for students of finance and law stipulates the necessity for the teachers to develop their own customized courses tailored for particular students’ needs. Embracing the opportunities provided by information technologies and custom-built e-courses composed of autonomous e-modules has helped to create a personalized virtual learning environment for ESP students of any learning profile or academic background. In addition, it has helped in responding to the challenging contemporary labor market demands. The paper hypothesizes the paramount importance of converting selected study materials into an interactive electronic format in order to better equip students of finance and law with linguistic and professional skills. A questionnaire related to the students’ perceptions on the e-course relevance on 5-point Likert-type scale was administered to 208 bachelor and master undergraduates in Finance. This was administered after the pilot introduction of a configurable e-course at the Faculty of Distance Education in Plekhanov Russian University of Economics (PRUE), Moscow, Russia. Thus, it was also administered to 67 bachelor and master students of law and finance of Yerevan Gladzor University (YGU), Armenia. The survey concludes that tailored e-training courses get a massive student support and serve as a springboard for boosting students’ lingua-professional development and enhancing learner autonomy. However, the findings also revealed that the participants of the study even in geographically remote universities, who have quite different cultural and multicultural specificities and prefer working with the printed out paper-based version of the interactive courses, significantly outnumber (83%) those who rely solely on e-learning format (34%). The results of the study are critical to e-courses developers, university IT and administrative staff, and it also provide trajectories for further research

Exploring the criminology curriculum

There are calls across Higher Education to address deep structural inequalities withspecific concerns that the marginalisation of certain voices (female, colonised, nonwestern and LGBTQ+) has influenced and distorted the production of knowledge inrelation to key criminological topics and issues (Agozino, 2003; Cunneen and Rowe,2015; Connell, 2007).This article presents initial findings from a pilot study exploring the curriculum of anew criminology Bachelor of Arts degree programme at a post-92 English University.It provides a timely starting point, given the proliferation of HE criminology courses inthe UK, and suggests there is both increasing pressures to develop course materialand over-familiarisation and acceptance of dominant narratives in criminology. Thispaper serves as a call to action to critically engage with the sources used: in sodoing we put forward a simple ‘inclusivity matrix’ that can be used both whendesigning curricula and for teaching critical information literacy