Designing learning activities in Second Life for student engagement

Three-dimensional virtual worlds are multimedia, simulated environments, often managed over the Web, which users can ‘inhabit’ and interact via their own graphical, humanoid, self-representations known as avatars. 3D virtual worlds are being used in many applications: education/training, gaming, social networking, marketing and commerce. Second Life (http://www.secondlife.com) is the most widely used 3D virtual world in education. Our research as well as experiences on two courses at the Open University has shown that it can be very challenging for an educator to design and conduct course-related learning activities in Second Life. There is currently little (formal) guidance for educators to assist them with the design and facilitation of learning activities. Most Second Life teaching and learning initiatives are personal initiatives in the sense that an educator or a team of educators have realised the potential of 3D virtual worlds in education and have adopted Second Life on some of their pedagogical activities in conjunction with other 2D tools (eg blogs and wikis) or the course’s virtual learning environment (VLE). For designing learning activities in Second Life, some of the questions that an educator or instructional designer may face are: How should Second Life activities be situated within the course to engage learners? How should the activities be designed to implicitly impart Second Life training and skills-development to students for using the Second Life software and for interacting within the Second Life environment? Is there a relationship between design of activities and design of 3D learning spaces in Second Life? In this paper, we report the results of a study in which we conducted semi-structured interviews and focus groups with Second Life educators, designers and students. Based on this empirical research, we have derived design guidelines for educators and designers who are involved in designing learning activities in SL. In our presentation, we will specifically focus on the relationship between the design of activities and design of learning spaces within Second Life, and the corresponding effects on student experience and learning. We will discuss vignettes from the data to illustrate the design guidelines. We hope that our presentation will provide useful guidance and triggers for ideas to educators and designers who are planning to set up learning activities and spaces in Second Life

D2.4 Guidance and assessment tutorial: Inquiry Guidance and Assessment Tutorial

The weSPOT project aims at propagating scientific inquiry as the approach for science learning and teaching in combination with today’s curricula and teaching practices. It lowers the threshold for linking everyday life with science teaching in schools by technology. weSPOT supports the meaningful contextualization of scientific concepts by relating them to personal curiosity, experiences, and reasoning. weSPOT addresses several challenges in the area of science learning and technology support for building personal conceptual knowledge. The project focuses on inquiry-based learning with a theoretically sound and technology supported personal inquiry approach. The project is focused on three main development aspects: (a) define a reference model for inquiry-based learning skills, (b) create a diagnostic instrument for measuring inquiry skills, and (c) implement a working environment that allows the easy linking of inquiry activities with school curricula and legacy systems. The foreseen weSPOT Toolkit gives smart support for personal scientific inquiry to address a lack of scientific inquiry skills in an age group of 12-25. The current deliverable, D2.4, outlines the inquiry guidance and assessment tutorial, to support teachers in their quest for scientific inquiry. The inquiry guidance tutorial includes several items that will introduce the weSPOT IBL model to the teachers, provide them with examples of how to use it in practice, describe the available tools and show them how they work. This diagnostic tutorial is focused on the diagnostic instrument which will look at the entire inquiry life cycle which may start with the formulation of a research question and may end with the valorisation of the results and it will cover the four different complexities of inquiry, from confirmation inquiry to open, self-directed inquiry. The second part of the deliverable focuses on the diagnostic framework describing the adopted approach. The weSPOT diagnostic instrument for inquiry skills and competences aimed at a) to establish a European baseline of the current level of inquiry skills in the target group and b) to demonstrate the potential of the weSPOT-technology for STEM-learning in general.weSPOT Project IST (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement N° 318499

The hedonic and utilitarian value of digital games at product category level

The diffusion of ICT applications in virtual worlds as Second Life (SL), Forterra, There and Multiverse created many interesting research opportunities, particularly in knowledge management and e-learning. Virtual worlds are strongly immersive and produce entrepreneurial and social initiatives in which personal, professional and business relationships move quickly and could be transferred into the real environment. Enterprises, Municipalities, Universities and Chambers of Commerce are increasing the use of SL enforcing the methodological relevance of networking, a new approach that bases its impact, for the development of business, on the creation and maintenance of net links. This paper will consider the case of Perting Ltd, the simulated enterprise created in 2001 by Forlì Faculty of Economics, that established in February 2008 its premises in SL and started managing businesses in different sectors. The main subject of this analysis is the use of virtual reality in management not only for business but also in research and didactics. In managerial theories the research would be an opportunity for a new perspective to know the symmetries among ICT business platforms and to understand, in a better way, how the learning process could support organizations in their approach to the market of internet relationships

Contributions from computational intelligence to healthcare data processing

80 p.The increasing ability to gather, store and process health care information, through the electronic health records and improved communication methods opens the door for new applications intended to improve health care in many different ways. Crucial to this evolution is the development of new computational intelligence tools, related to machine learning and statistics. In this thesis we have dealt with two case studies involving health data. The first is the monitoring of children with respiratory diseases in the pediatric intensive care unit of a hospital. The alarm detection is stated as a classification problem predicting the triage selected by the nurse or medical doctor. The second is the prediction of readmissions leading to hospitalization in an emergency department of a hospital. Both problems have great impact in economic and personal well being. We have tackled them with a rigorous methodological approach, obtaining results that may lead to a real life implementation. We have taken special care in the treatment of the data imbalance. Finally we make propositions to bring these techniques to the clinical environment

Cooperative learning through narratives of the LAB studio learning program participants

Abstract. In 2012, Oulu University of Applied Sciences established non-degree training programs called ‘Oamk LABs’, which practice a new form of studio-based model of learning, they called the LAB studio model. Such model includes basic elements of traditional studio-based learning model (practice and reflection-in-action, solving real-life problems, active collaboration with peers and experts of the industry, as well as the learning space) and adds two more features of the multidisciplinary and international environment. This is maintained by keeping the application process open for Finnish and international students from various disciplines, as well as professionals for retraining and unemployed specialists. Since LAB studio learning model is new and evolving phenomena, there is a continuous need to conduct research and contribute to its development. This study has looked at the students’ perspective on the learning process by conducting narrative inquiry research in collaboration with two participants enrolled in one of the Oamk LABs programs. The primary research question for the study is: ‘How do different participants experience the LAB studio learning model?’ The answer to this is presented in the form of two stories placed in the Findings section. The stories were written using narrative analysis of the collected data (narrative interviews, sketched journeys and email conversations) and co-edited together with participants during the research process. The stories reveal two unique journeys reflecting various opinions on the learning model. Those opinions are shaped by the personal and professional background of the participants, as well as the unique circumstances under which each one has studied for the semester. Despite the differences both stories highlight various aspects of cooperative learning during the LAB studies. Thus, the second research question was formed: ‘How do participants experience cooperative learning as a part of the LAB studio learning model?’ The answer to this question is placed in the Discussion part of the research. Narratives revealed three main themes related to the challenges of cooperative learning in the LAB studies: communication issues, expectation gaps, as well as complications caused by the multidisciplinary and international environment

Older Baby Boomers seeking collegiate degrees: Developmental influences on educational and vocational aspirations

Several national trends are converging to impact adult education today. First, the increasing presence of adults in higher education is accentuated by the expansive Baby Boom generation who are demanding greater access to the higher education system in the United States. Second, regarding workforce and economic development in the 21st century, employers in many industries are experiencing a workforce shortage in both numbers and skill levels of employees (Schultz, 2001; Stein, 2000). Even though four out of five Baby Boomers desire to continue working beyond typical retirement age, many will require upgraded skills and credentials (Freedman, 2005b). A third significant trend impacting adult education is longer life expectancy--age 77 today compared to age 47 in 1900 (Zeiss, 2006). The resulting longer life after traditional retirement age has encouraged older adults to participate in activities that involve new experiences, contributions to society, and learning. We need a deeper understanding of how adult learners--particularly those who are at or near traditional retirement age--access institutions of higher education, experience successful learning in their higher education endeavors, and plan to utilize their college education in their remaining work-lives. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the experiences of degree-seeking, adult learners--specifically, nine Older Baby Boomers (OBB) born between 1946 and 1958 and enrolled in a Midwestern university--to understand how psychosocial, cognitive, and spiritual dimensions of adult development influenced both their transformative learning experiences in higher education and their future vocational aspirations. Persistent patterns of findings emerged from the data, including, but not limited to, the following: adult learner characteristics and reasons for enrollment; higher education support needs; adult transformative learning; self-identified cognitive, psychosocial, and spiritual development; vocational concerns of meaning, purpose, and service; and spiritual influences on future aspirations. These findings reveal the essence of the phenomenon of older adults pursuing higher education degrees, as perceived by these OBB participants, to be a self-identified transformative process resulting in improved learner self-efficacy, and acquired within a supportive, adult-friendly higher education environment which enabled students to successfully transition not only toward degree completion and ensuing career enhancements, but toward meaningful vocational aspirations grounded in personal spiritual beliefs. This complex statement engenders numerous possibilities to explore in the alternate dissertation format which includes three chapters of findings submitted to scholarly journals for publication. Each journal article centers on an overarching research question relevant to the original proposed study and is framed within one portion of Nancy Schlossberg\u27s transition model--moving in, moving through, and moving out from college. The first article addresses the student experience of OBB transitioning back into college. The second article examines the learning experience (and consequential transformation) of OBB students as they move through college. The third article explores OBB students\u27 future aspirations beyond college, including the impact of spirituality on their vocational and retirement plans. Higher education must respond to adult learners\u27 support needs, learning preferences, and vocational tendencies toward service-related encore careers. By helping older adult students prepare for careers about people, purpose, and community, colleges will capture a new population of students to serve, will help millions of people find greater significance and purpose in life, and will help sustain America\u27s strong economy (Zeiss, 2006, p. 40)

A mentorship project: promoting emotional competence in nursing students

INTRODUCTION. Young students’ transition to higher education is a particularly challenging and a stressful event, likely to trigger emotions that can potentially a+ect their adaptation to a new and more demanding learning environment. This issue has been a focus of growing interest for researchers involved in mentorship programmes developed by higher education institutions, which are intended to contribute to a healthy integration of students and, consequently, promote academic inclusion and success. This project intends to understand the role of mentorship in promoting emotional competence and well-being of nursing students. METHODS. A research project of qualitative nature, with an analytical focus, using a sociopoetic approach. Participants will be nursing professors and students (second- year of the undergraduate degree) recruited from several public and private, Portuguese and Brazilian, nursing schools. The methodological procedure includes the creation of negotiation and data production workshops, data content analysis, counter-analysis workshop and socialisation of data production. CONCLUSIONS. We hope with this study to strengthen the relationship established with the mentor may constitute a healthier and more adaptative emotional experience, and potentiate generalization to other social contexts, improving daily life interpersonal skills and promoting emotional competence, essential to personal and professional development. This study will enable the development of the mentorship process in the higher education institutions involved in this type of project, grounded on the mentorees’ abilities to learn easily, to increase their socialisation and their networks, to develop feelings of organizational citizenship, to potentiate satisfaction with work and career, to improve their self-e8cacy and reduce their stress levels.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Bilingualism, language development and psychological well-being : an example of deafness

Chapter One: The effects of bilingualism with two spoken languages on a child’s psychosocial development: A critical review. This paper critically reviews the literature to explore the effects of bilingualism with two spoken languages on a child’s psychosocial development. Researchers have primarily been concerned with the effects of bilingualism on intelligence (e.g., Darcy, 1963, as cited in Ricciardelli, 1992, p.301) and educational achievement (e.g., Tucker & d’Anglejan, 1971). More recently research has focused on the psychological impact of bilingualism on a child, and how their social, cultural, and familial relationships may be affected (e.g., Han & Huang, 2010). A search of papers identified 12 papers for review. The findings portrayed that societal, cultural, and familial factors are not only important with regard to language development, but are important for psychological well-being including relationships and behaviours (e.g., Han, 2010). Chapter Two: The experiences of bilingualism within the deaf and the hearing world: The views of d/Deaf young people Research into bilingualism and the learning potential offered by a second language are widely reported, with much of this evidence relating to both languages being spoken. However, further reviews have identified that learning a language in two different modalities, offers a much richer learning environment for children. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the language development of deaf children who access both a signed language and a spoken language. For this empirical paper, 7 deaf bilingual young people were interviewed to explore their views and experiences of bilingualism and deafness. The results were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. It highlighted the experiences for deaf young people of having a strong identity within the deaf and the hearing communities (e.g., Calderon, 2000). Chapter Three: Communication within the d/Deaf world: Reflections on the research and clinical process This paper reflects on my personal and professional learning throughout this research as a hearing person communicating with deaf people. Hearing people, with access, generally use spoken language to communicate. However, deaf people can communicate through spoken language, sign language, and lip-reading. Being aware of the many needs of deaf people has helped me to reflect on my experience of communication in the context of everyday life

Ireland and the lifelong learning curve:The intergenerational contribution to digital literacy for life

In 2021, data on Internet usage for those aged 75 years and older in Ireland indicated that almost half of this cohort (46%) had never accessed the Internet (Central Statistics Office, 2021b). This study examines the role of intergenerational and peer relationships in the digital lives of older adults in Ireland, first, to explore perspectives on lifelong learning, and second, to understand the perceived impacts of digital engagement on personal quality of life in later years. A case study was employed as the overarching methodological approach. Data from participants were collected using a mixed methods approach through an online survey, and interviews with participants, representing two cases as units of analysis - onliners and offliners. These data were collected and analysed using a constructivist grounded theory approach. My findings indicate that intergenerational relationships support the development of digital skills of older adults in this study. The generations, however, are largely adjacent (sons and daughters) rather than non-adjacent (grandchildren) and these learning exchanges are informal. While the study did not set out to examine learning between members of the same generation, it found that questions surrounding digital technologies were best addressed on an individual level, often from a same generation peer, whether household member, family or other relative, friend or member of one’s social environment. There was evidence of indirect reciprocity from these learning exchanges to a participant’s peers. Lifelong learning is important to perceived positive quality of life amongst many older adults. Research into peer learning in informal social and community environments for older adults has been scarcely addressed up to now. This thesis highlights that it is here that much later-life learning relating to digital skills takes place. Building on Rogoff’s model (Rogoff, 1994), a community-of-peer learners that would involve informal intentional and incidental learning, from one another and together, about digital skills is proposed

Peer mentoring in assisting retention – is a virtual form of support a viable alternative?

Support systems are vital for university entrants and one established means of support is peer mentoring, which has the potential to improve student engagement and retention. Peer mentoring models are generally based on face-to-face contact. However, given the increasing number of higher education institutions using social media, might online models be beneficial in a peer mentoring context? This article describes a literature review and case study that considers the advantages and disadvantages of three potential virtual models to facilitate a peer mentoring scheme. The case study, undertaken at Northumbria University, UK, involved an investigation of mentoring needs and current usage of electronic media where special attention is afforded to a diverse student body. The three models discussed are virtual learning environments (VLE), social networking sites and virtual worlds. We find that the VLE is established within institutions but lacks excitement; social networking is popular particularly with younger students but there may be resentment if this appears to be appropriated by the institution; whilst virtual worlds are unfamiliar to many students and require advanced skills to use successfully. Based on these findings the social networking model is now being run as a pilot study by business programmes at Northumbria University