Teachers as designers of GBL scenarios: Fostering creativity in the educational settings

This paper presents a research started in 2010 with the aim of fostering the creativity of teachers through the design of Game-Based Learning scenarios. The research has been carried out involving teachers and trainers in the co-design and implementation of digital games as educational resources. Based on the results grained from the research, this paper highlights successful factors of GBL, as well as constraints and boundaries that the introduction of innovative teaching and learning practices faces within educational settings

DIGITAL GAME-BASED LEARNING MODEL AS AN EDUCATIONAL APPROACH

Today, the rapid development of technology has also affected the existing learning processes. In addition, this development has made it necessary for children to develop skills by the needs of the 21st century.  In this research, an alternative to the question of how we can support and update learning activities suitable for our age is presented. Digital game-based learning concepts are explained in the light of the literature and suggestions on how to use them from early childhood are presented.  Game is the most important supportive activity for development areas in early childhood. It also similarly affects learning processes. Learning with play makes the child more active and makes him excited about learning. This increases the motivation to learn. According to the research, when DGBL is used effectively, it has been seen that children support many 21st century skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and cooperative learning. This review demonstrated the importance of combining learning and game of digital technology used as an education model. In addition, Practical recommendations are presented for using technology in preschool children

Collaborative Writing in L1 School Contexts: A Scoping Review

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Re-thinking context and reflexive mediation in the teaching of writing

This paper calls for a renewed focus on the teaching of writing. It proposes a conceptual model, based on a social realist perspective, which takes account of the ways in which teachers reflexively mediate personal, professional and political considerations in enacting their writing pedagogies. This model extends understanding of the factors contextualising the teaching of writing. It also provides a useful guide for research into the teaching of writing and a prompt for reflexivity in professional development

Using Technology Enabled Qualitative Research to Develop Products for the Social Good, An Overview

This paper discusses the potential benefits of the convergence of three recent trends for the design of socially beneficial products and services: the increasing application of qualitative research techniques in a wide range of disciplines, the rapid mainstreaming of social media and mobile technologies, and the emergence of software as a service. Presented is a scenario facilitating the complex data collection, analysis, storage, and reporting required for the qualitative research recommended for the task of designing relevant solutions to address needs of the underserved. A pilot study is used as a basis for describing the infrastructure and services required to realize this scenario. Implications for innovation of enhanced forms of qualitative research are presented

Technology Enhances Literacy & Numeracy Skills in a Play-Based Preschool Classroom

This research project investigated how technology can improve literacy and numeracy skills in a play-based preschool setting. This study looked at four basic literacy skills and four basic numeracy skills that could be enhanced through the use of the KidsAcademy iPad app. This study used a quantitative approach with a dependent sample t-test to look at how literacy and numeracy scores changed from a pre-test to a post-test. Data was analyzed using an average means between the students that used the technology. Findings suggest that the use of technology in preschool can advance literacy and numeracy skills, thus aiding in meeting early childhood curriculum standards

PROMOTING CHILD-FRIENDLY EDUCATION IN THE DIGITAL AGE: A COMMUNITY SERVICE PERSPECTIVE

Child-friendly education is an important program that provides children from various socio-cultural and ethnic backgrounds with safe, comfortable, and nonviolent learning activities at the family, school, and community.  This community service-based article aims to describe (1) the fundamental reasons for revitalizing child-friendly education and (2) the critical principles and elements that allow children to develop their potential in the digital age fully. This program used a dialogic approach to deliver the topic under discussion, involving twenty participants, including parents and teenagers, in Mlese, Klaten Regency, Central Java Province, Indonesia. The dialogic interaction takes the form of (1) presenting material related to child-friendly education in the digital age, (2) investigating problems in small groups based solely on subtopics, and (3) openly discussing solutions to such problems. The results of data analysis from this interactive dialogue affirmed that human-to-human oral interactions enable problem-solving. Children can develop essential values of honesty, dignity, respect, and safety when key ideas and components of child-friendly education are incorporated into their school, schools and community-based platforms

Stem in childhood education: a literature review

Scientific research has followed the impact of the use of more active and participatory methodologies in the teaching and learning process. Among these methodologies, the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) approach has shown high efficacy when used in the daily lives of children and young people. Considering this the Project "Oleachain: Skills for sustainability and innovation in the value chain of traditional olive groves in the Interior of the North of Portugal", was designed, under the responsibility of the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança and developed through its research centers (CeDRI, CIMO, UNIAG, and CIEB), in close liaison with organizations, associations, schools, and producers. This project arose from the need to value traditional olive groves, olive and olive oil and is realized in different dimensions. In this sense, CIEB is committed to working on sustainability and the STEM approach among children in primary schools and kindergartens in the region, promoting teaching and learning experiences that lead to a clear understanding of the processes, scientific, technological, technical, and mathematical in the production of olive oil, from planting to the sale of olive oil and its by-products. This study aims to analyze the approaches of this approach, trying to understand what kind of work is developed in the context of childhood education and basic education, which profile reveals teachers who use this type of approach and what learning and involvement results, the children demonstrate. This is a systematic review of the literature for data collection and content analysis for their interpretation. The investigative process followed the following steps: (i) search databases by keywords; (ii) selection of relevant articles; (iii) reading the texts, organizing them in a diachronic way; (iv) elaboration of categories of analysis; (v) textual elaboration, performing the intersection between pedagogy based on rights and participation. The data point to the importance of educators and teachers revealing positive attitudes and favorable to the need for interdisciplinarity in the work developed with their children, establishing relationships of collaboration and partnership with other educators and teachers, and rethinking their strategies and actions in the classroom.This work has been supported by FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UIDB/05777/2020. This work was carried out under the Project “OleaChain: Competências para a sustentabilidade e inovação da cadeia de valor do olival tradicional no Norte Interior de Portugal” (NORTE-06-3559-FSE- 000188), an operation to hire highly qualified human resources, funded by NORTE 2020 through the European Social Fund (ESF).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Makerspaces in Schools: What Knowledge, Perceptions, and Attitudes do Teacher Librarians in Osun State Possess?

Abstract This study examined the knowledge, perception, and attitude of teacher librarians in secondary schools in Osun State towards makerspaces. A survey research design was used, and data was collected using a questionnaire. The sample for the study consisted of 110 teacher librarians from selected secondary schools in Osun State. The study found that teacher librarians in secondary schools in Osun State have sufficient knowledge about makerspaces, particularly when it comes to the ability to select technologies that improve student teaching and learning, understanding how to choose effective teaching ways to guide students\u27 thinking and learning in makerspaces, possess experience with makerspaces, possess several methods and tactics for expanding their knowledge regarding makerspace, and can utilise makerspace to experiment, create, and learn new things. The study established that teacher librarians are open to integrating makerspaces into their schools and using them to support student learning. This survey indicated that as the knowledge and perception of teacher librarians about makerspaces improve, so does their attitude towards them. This study recommends that schools invest in the infrastructure and materials needed to support the integration of makerspaces into their libraries so that teacher librarians can effectively use them to enhance student learning

Children’s Online Cognitive Learning Through Integrated Technology and Hybrid Learning

Cognitive learning during the COVID-19 pandemic encountered many obstacles, but the use of various gadgets could be an effective solution in early childhood learning, especially to prepare them to enter the elementary school level. This study aims to describe the online cognitive learning process (OCL) in early childhood during the COVID-19 and new era of the pandemic through integrated technology and hybrid learning. This study uses a qualitative approach with a case study involving two ECE teachers and one principal. Data analysis using Miles and Huberman models. The findings of this study explain the importance of the teacher's role in OCL and its constraints, how parent-teacher collaboration is the key to successful cognitive improvement through online learning, and the implementation of OCL through effective learning to prevent learning loss. 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