Innovation Technology and Education: New Opportunities or New Inequalities? The Italian Experience

This work focuses on the role that Innovation and Communication Technologies (ICT) played in the Italian education system, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when face-to-face lessons were suddenly substituted by remote teaching. Distance learning to be effective requires connectivity, digital devises, digital skills and, at the same time, suitable housing conditions. All these issues are analyzed leading back to a unique picture of Italy: a country deeply divided between the North and the South, where the household socio-economic background continues to be a key determinant of students' schooling performance as well as of their unequal access to ICT.

OER Hub Researcher Pack

The OER Hub researcher pack will be of interest to anyone conducting research into the impact of open educational resources (OER) or open education. Building on the earlier release of tools developed, used and released by the OER Hub, the researcher pack provides explanation and guidance on how to use these tools. All material and tools are CC BY licensed and are available for reuse

Assistive Technology to Enhance Access to Information for Student with Disabilities: A Case Study in Surabaya

Access to information becomes an important means of achieving success in various aspects of life. Thus, it is considered the rights of every citizen without being impeded by physical or mental limitations. This study aims to analyze access to information that supports students with visual impairments (blind) in conducting learning activities at the university. This research was conducted at the Social and Political Sciences Faculty of Universitas Airlangga (Unair) Surabaya, involving 11 informants, three of whom are visually impaired students (blind) in the faculty. The results of this study indicate that according to three of the visually impaired informants the assistive technologies they used to support their learning processes, such as mobile phones, laptops, scanners, and recording devices, were provided independently. The technology is very helpful for them to obtain information validly and quickly, as well as to understand the contents of the information more easily and assist them to share the information with other colleagues. The supporting informants are 3 lecturers from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences of Universitas Airlangga who teach visually impaired students, 3 friends of the main informant, 1 university representative, and 1 faculty representative. This paper uses an interpretive paradigm, which aims to analyze a social reality and how that reality is formed. This research uses a qualitative type that seeks to understand social or human problems, based on the creation of a complete holistic picture that is formed with words, reports the views of informants in detail, and arranged in a natural setting

Foundational Practices of Online Writing Instruction

This is an Open Textbook available through the Open Textbook Library: https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/foundational-practices-of-online-writing-instruction. Reviews are available there. Foundational Practices in Online Writing Instruction (OWI) addresses the questions and decisions that administrators and instructors most need to consider when developing online writing programs and courses. Written by experts in the field (members of the Conference on College Composition and Communication Committee for Effective Practices in OWI and other experts and stakeholders).... The editors believe that the field of writing studies is on a trajectory in which most courses will be mediated online to various degrees; therefore the principles detailed in this collection may become the basis for future writing instruction practices. ... [Amazon.com]https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/english_books/1017/thumbnail.jp

Digitalization and Development

This book examines the diffusion of digitalization and Industry 4.0 technologies in Malaysia by focusing on the ecosystem critical for its expansion. The chapters examine the digital proliferation in major sectors of agriculture, manufacturing, e-commerce and services, as well as the intermediary organizations essential for the orderly performance of socioeconomic agents. The book incisively reviews policy instruments critical for the effective and orderly development of the embedding organizations, and the regulatory framework needed to quicken the appropriation of socioeconomic synergies from digitalization and Industry 4.0 technologies. It highlights the importance of collaboration between government, academic and industry partners, as well as makes key recommendations on how to encourage adoption of IR4.0 technologies in the short- and long-term. This book bridges the concepts and applications of digitalization and Industry 4.0 and will be a must-read for policy makers seeking to quicken the adoption of its technologies

Socio-Economic Impact of Telework for Workers with Disabilities in Indonesia

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the structure of people's lives, including the work models. The telework work model is increasingly being used because it is considered capable of facilitating mobility, cost efficiency, and offering time flexibility for workers. Most studies about telework and disabled persons focus on cases in developed countries and increasing job opportunities. This study aims to provide an overview of the socio-economic impact of telework on Persons with Disability (PwD) in developing countries, specifically in Indonesia. This study uses a qualitative method with case study approach. Data were collected by in-depth interviews and literature studies on articles, journals, books, and open-source references regarding telework and disability. This study found that the telework model has made disabled workers in Indonesia even more marginalized. Moreover, the telework model had triggered financial difficulties among disabled workers, such as salary cuts, temporary and permanent lay-offs, and job loss. Furthermore, this is because most disabled workers in Indonesia have low education level, skills, limited access to the internet, and limited access to telework facilities. Meanwhile, this study aims to provide an overview of socio-economic impact from telework models on disabled persons in developing countries, especially in Indonesia, where most disabled persons have low education level and poor digital skill. This study offers recommendations to create an inclusive telework market, that is; conduct job analysis, improve the education system and digital skill for PwD, provide assisting and supporting facilities, guarantee for workers with disability, as well as monitoring and evaluation

A Systematic Literature Review of Empirical Evidence on Students with Mathematics Learning Disabilities

Mathematics is a particularly important component in our daily life and many students find it as an exceedingly difficult subject to be learned. The similar problem is being faced by special needs students such as those with learning disabilities (LD). This paper provides a current and thorough literature review of the empirical evidence on students with mathematics learning disabilities. The authors conducted the review of literature from the year 2016 to 2020 using Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) as the database. A total of 31 articles were found. Multiple mathematics learning disabilities were identified and the educational interventions that were used vary accordingly. Finding shows that most of the studies focused on technology-based interventions to help students with intellectual disability which includes problem solving and creative thinking. The implications of the study are also discussed in this literature review, which indicates that teachers need to use the appropriate educational interventions to meet the needs of students with learning disabilities and maximize their mathematics learning outcomes in schools

Mapping the Inclusion of Children and Youth With Disabilities in Media Literacy Research

The way we communicate and make meaning in a complex socio-technical infrastructure demands multiple literacies. Media-literate citizens must be able to create, evaluate and effectively use information, media, and technology. The pandemic context demanded increased online learning and work, highlighting the importance of media literacy in citizens’ lives. Although in recent years, crucial reforms have happened in education for children with disabilities, media education for them is residual and framed on medical concepts neglecting how disability is socially constructed. Aiming to map recent research (2015–2021) in the field of media literacy and children with disabilities, a systematic literature review was conducted. The number of articles obtained from a search for “media literacy and children” in the scientific databases (N = 1,175) supports the relevance of media literacy in research. Filtering these data for “children with disabilities” reveals an inexpressive sample, with 12 articles included in the study after the eligibility phase. The overall results indicate that this population is significantly underrepresented in media literacy research, explained by a low prevalence of studies with disabled children as an audience. Moreover, research designs have shown a greater focus on conceptual approaches, highlighting a deficit of fieldwork and tangible interventions. Strong ableist media discourses emerged as a barrier to the promotion of media literacy in this population, with a clear mismatch between media representations and the current disability paradigms, besides all the positive aspects of the actions registered in the sample

Centering Disability in Technology Policy: Issue Landscape and Potential Opportunities for Action

Technology has the power to create a more just and inclusive society by providing greater autonomy, safety, economic opportunity, and convenience for historically marginalized groups. However, all too often, technology instead exacerbates existing discrimination and the structural barriers faced by historically marginalized groups, including people of color, women, and people with disabilities, and especially those who experience intersecting forms of oppression.Undertaken as a collaboration between the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) with the support of Freedman Consulting, this report is intended to help public interest organizations do more inclusive, effective work at the intersection of technology and disability issues in the United States. Based on conversations with 20 disability and technology leaders, this report will explore issue areas and ways where technology justice organizations can better integrate a disability lens into their work. In addition, issues surfaced in this report may help disability groups identify meaningful opportunities to engage on technology policy issues and advance their often-long-standing priorities. Along with identifying policy issues at the intersection of disability and technology, this report will also highlight the challenges and needs that must be addressed in order to break down barriers between siloed fields and do more effective work.Historically, technology has played a significant role in improving the quality of life, and in certain instances, longevity, for many disabled people. This report is not meant to contest or stand in denial of that reality. In taking an intersectional approach, this report aims to ensure that the pursuit of technologies to create opportunity and lower barriers for some does not create inequities or limitations for others. Technology has great potential to improve life and autonomy for people with disabilities, but it also requires equitable and inclusive development, thoughtful, responsive implementation and oversight, and a commitment to identifying and mitigating harms to already-marginalized communities