Guess the score, fostering collective intelligence in the class

This paper proposes the use of serious games as a tool to enhance collective intelligence of undergraduate and graduate students. The development of social skills of individuals in a group is related to the performance of the collective intelligence of the group manifested through the shared and collaborative development of intellectual tasks [1]. Guess the Score GS, is a serious game implemented by means of an online tool, created to foster the development, collaboration and engagement of students. It's has been designed with the intention of facilitating the development of individual’s social skills in a group in order to promote education of collective intelligence. This paper concludes that the design of learning activities using serious games as a support tool in education, generate awareness about of utilities of gaming in the collective learning environment and the fostering of collective intelligence education.Postprint (published version

Measuring the collective intelligence education index

War games and sports games always seek glory and excellence in an environment where participants enjoy what they do. Success is guaranteed in the degree of effective collaboration and coordination within the team members, as well as the strategy used by teams, such games or war strategies are generated since the birth of humanity. In this sense, the following questions emerge in the field of education: Is it possible to design learning activities that use this principle applied to collaborative work in the classroom? Which are the conditions of application of team competition strategy using ICT tools and how to measure it? This research explores the application of a web tool called Choose the Best (CTB). CTB implements a strategy that fosters competitiveness among the teams of a class, as well as the coordination and collaboration within the same, these types of strategies contribute to the development of Collective Intelligence levels. It's measured through a group of implemented metrics. Based on the results, we consider that the use of new forms of teaching and learning based on the emerging paradigms is necessary. Therefore, CTB is a tool that could become an effective way to measuring the group's performance according to Collective Intelligence paradigms.Postprint (author's final draft

Fostering collective intelligence education

New educational models are necessary to update learning environments to the digitally shared communication and information. Collective intelligence is an emerging field that already has a significant impact in many areas and will have great implications in education, not only from the side of new methodologies but also as a challenge for education. This paper proposes an approach to a collective intelligence model of teaching using Internet to combine two strategies: idea management and real time assessment in the class. A digital tool named Fabricius has been created supporting these two elements to foster the collaboration and engagement of students in the learning process. As a result of the research we propose a list of KPI trying to measure individual and collective performance. We are conscious that this is just a first approach to define which aspects of a class following a course can be qualified and quantified.Postprint (published version

Teaching literature with a specific emphasis on critical thinking : an interpretive investigation of student perceptions

The purpose of this study was to examine and interpret students' impressions and attitudes toward a study of literature which emphasized critical thinking. The following questions guided the inquiry: (a) How do students perceive the study of literature based on previous experience? (b) How does an emphasis on critical thinking affect students' feelings about the study of literature? (c) To what extent do students feel that an emphasis on critical thinking affects their approach to literature? Data were obtained through observations, interviews, and reading attitude assessments. All data were reviewed and interpreted in response to the questions posed. Themes were identified using triangulation procedures with particular attention to changes in impressions and attitudes over time

A Photo for Change: A Mixed Methods Study of Using Photovoice Pedagogy to Foster Transformative Learning Among College Students

Learning in adulthood should be a meaningful experience through which adult learners are able to re-examine their values and beliefs acquired over the years. Mezirow (1978a, 1978b) stated that learners’ engagement with this process of reflection and making meaning leads to a change in one’s perspective. To facilitate such a transformational learning experience, adult education scholars explored various pedagogical approaches that cultivates environments conducive to transformative learning, among which are art-based pedagogies. Photovoice is an art-based pedagogy that utilizes photography and storytelling to foster critical reflection and increase learners’ critical awareness. To date, investigating the transformative affordances of photovoice pedagogy to foster personal transformation as defined by Mezirow among undergraduate students has been overlooked. Photovoice is a visual qualitative research method developed by Wang and Burris (1994) then it made its way to the classroom as an art-based pedagogy. Theoretically, it intersects with the underlying premise of transformative learning theory. However, no explicit connections between the two models have been established in the extant literature. Thus, this dissertation had both theoretical and empirical goals. The dissertation followed the alternative format of developing two manuscripts. The first manuscript focused on theoretically establishing photovoice as a transformative pedagogy through explicitly stating the transformative affordances of the pedagogical approach. To elaborate, I discussed the current models of transformative pedagogy in the extant literature and their intersection with photovoice pedagogy. I proposed a pedagogical model framing photovoice as a transformative pedagogy by expanding on the previous transformative pedagogical models and explaining the unique aspect photovoice pedagogy holds as an art-based approach to foster both transformative learning and aesthetics. The second manuscript reported the outcome of a mixed method case study. Through utilizing an embedded case study approach that was primarily a visual qualitative investigation with a secondary quantitative component, the study explored the transformative affordances of implementing photovoice pedagogical intervention among undergraduate students in a developmental psychology course. A second goal of the study was to explore students’ perceptions and experiences with the photovoice intervention. The data collection entailed both qualitative (photovoice interviews) and quantitative (post-intervention surveys) aspects. A total of 46 participants participated in the quantitative aspect of the study and a subsequent sample of 11 participants volunteered for the qualitative interviews. Both the quantitative and qualitative data were integrated and a photovoice transformative pedagogical model emerged from the data, explaining the process and the outcome of the participants’ transformative journey. Data were analyzed through the theoretical lens of transformative learning (Mezirow,1978a, 1978b) and transformative experience (Pugh, 2011). The outcome of this dissertation added to the current literature of both transformative learning and photovoice pedagogy. Framing photovoice as a transformative pedagogy added value to existing approaches that have been investigated empirically. The outcome of the embedded case study provided empirical evidence of the potential transformative affordances of photovoice pedagogy, especially in psychology courses. Finally, as photovoice methodology entails, there should be practical outcomes to share with the target community. In the case of this study, the target community was adult educators. I concluded the dissertation by providing practical recommendations for adult educators to facilitate fostering transformative learning in their classrooms

Growing a Gritty Culture: A Grounded Theory Study

This study explores building level administrators’ thoughts on the role grit plays in a school’s culture and how building level administrators can foster a culture of grit. Duckworth’s (2016) text Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance was used as a basis for this study. This is a qualitative study using the grounded theory research method. This inquiry-based research method afforded the researcher the immediate opportunity to explore relationships among the data collected from the participant interviews. The findings are grounded in their responses. Eight building level administrators participated in this grounded theory study. The study found that grit plays a substantial role in a school’s culture. The study also found that a building level administrator can foster a culture of grit in his/her school by building relationships with stakeholders, explicitly teaching what grit is, and extensively modeling grit him/herself

Untrain their Brains for Creativity to Feel Normal : A Case Study of Four Early Career Secondary English Teachers\u27 Perceptions and Practices for Cultivating Creativity

Creativity in the context of teaching and learning has renewed its popularity in today’s social discourse. Journalists, business leaders, economists, government officials, entrepreneurs, and lay people are calling for those in P-20 education to produce workers and citizens with skills that allow them to be flexible and critical thinkers, as well as innovative problem-solvers. This qualitative, multiple case study examined early-career English teachers’ conceptual understanding of and classroom practices related to cultivating creativity skills among students. Data were gathered through opening interviews, classroom teaching observations, closing interviews. This study culminated in four major findings. The first was that the teachers in this study had a basic, foundational understanding of creative theory despite not experiencing direct instruction on creative theory in their teacher preparation program. Second, the data indicated that the vast majority of learning in contemporary secondary English classrooms focuses on cultivating critical-convergent thinking skills, with limited, if any activities focused on developing creative-divergent thinking skills. The root cause of such a focus is the potential ramification of high-stakes, standardized testing results. Third, this study revealed that in addition to the teaching and learning environment conditions under the control of the classroom teacher, there were inherent school structures that supported students in developing their creative skills, specifically elective course offerings and extended block scheduling of classes; and inherent school structures that detracted from creative skills development, namely standardized testing and related preparation. And finally, the data of this study revealed that three of the four participants had alignment between their conceptual understanding of creativity and their pedagogical practices that supported creative development in their students. One participant struggled to incorporate pedagogical practices that supported her understanding of creativity

Integrated Components of Intercultural Competence in English Language Teaching at College: Case Study

In this global world, foreign language teaching has been demanded to be intercultural teaching which means that cultural teaching should be integrated in language teaching as well as language competence, in English language teaching for instance. On the ground that the importance of foreign language teaching and learning is largely for purpose of international communication, and intercultural knowledge has crucial role in successful communication. Therefore, this paper reports on a qualitative case study which investigates two English teachers’ practice of integrating intercultural competence in English language teaching at college level. Specifically, this paper provides analysis of intercultural components embedded in teachers’ practice of intercultural integration in teaching English. The data were collected through observation, and unstructured observational notes were employed. The observational data were analysed following sub-processes, are familiarizing, reducing, identifying and classifying, interpreting, and presenting. The result indicates that both English teachers’ understand the objective of English language teaching that teaching language is also teaching the culture as it is showed in their teaching process an intercultural integration, which includes some intercultural components such as attitudes, knowledge, and skills

Using technologies of the self to stimulate students\u27 intelligences in English as a foreign language learning

The purpose of this curriculum project is to provide an approach to enrich the process of teaching and learning. This project uses psychological tools to stimulate students\u27 multiple intelligences and to encourage students to know how to manage their learning, so that learning English will no longer be boring; instead it will be creative and practical