An application framework for the systematic construction of multimedia-based Collaborative Complex Learning Resources

Aquest treball de tesi proposa aportar una infraestructura de programari per donar suport a nous tipus de metodologies i recursos d'aprenentatge col·laboratiu augmentats pedagògicament i a través d'una plataforma d'aplicació innovadora anomenada Plataforma de Virtualització de Sessions Col·laboratives (VCSF de l'angles Virtualized Collaborative Sessions Framework). El VCSF ajuda a satisfer els requisits pedagògics exigents de l'aprenentatge col·laboratiu en línia d’avui en dia, com ara augmentar la participació de l'estudiant i millorar el rendiment de l'aprenentatge durant la col·laboració. Al seu torn, l'aplicació sistemàtica de la plataforma VCSF, enriquida amb tecnologies semàntiques, permet als desenvolupadors d'e-learning aprofitar experiències d'aprenentatge col·laboratiu prèvies a través de la reutilització de programari, estalviant temps de desenvolupament i esforç. La plataforma ha sigut prototipada i provada amb èxit en entorns reals, el que demostra la capacitat de reutilització del programari i els beneficis pedagògics de l'enfocament VCSF.Este trabajo de tesis propone aportar una infraestructura de software para apoyar a nuevos tipos de metodologías y recursos de aprendizaje colaborativo aumentados pedagógicamente ya través de una plataforma de aplicación innovadora llamada Plataforma de Virtualización de Sesiones Colaborativa (VCSF del inglés Virtualized Collaborative Sessions Framework). El VCSF ayuda a satisfacer los requisitos pedagógicos exigentes del aprendizaje colaborativo en línea de hoy en día, tales como aumentar la participación del estudiante y mejorar el rendimiento del aprendizaje durante la colaboración. A su vez, la aplicación sistemática de la plataforma VCSF, enriquecida con tecnologías semánticas, permite a los desarrolladores de e-learning aprovechar experiencias de aprendizaje colaborativo previas a través de la reutilización de software, ahorrando tiempo de desarrollo y esfuerzo. La plataforma ha sido prototipada y probada con éxito en entornos reales, lo que demuestra la capacidad de reutilización del software y los beneficios pedagógicos del enfoque VCSF.This thesis project aims to provide a software infrastructure to support new types of pedagogically augmented collaborative learning methodologies and resources by means of an innovative application framework called Virtualized Collaborative Sessions Framework (VCSF). The VCSF helps meet challenging pedagogical requirements in online collaborative learning, such as increasing students' engagement and learning performance during the collaboration. In turn, the systematic application of the VCSF platform, enriched with semantic technologies, enables e-learning developers to leverage successful collaborative learning experiences through software reuse, saving in both development time and effort. The framework has been prototyped and successfully tested in real environments, thus showing the software reuse capability and the pedagogical benefits of the VCSF approach

The University of Maine Information Technology Strategic Plan

The University of Maine’s Information Technology (IT) Strategic Plan (Plan). This Plan was the culmination of a comprehensive IT assessment and planning process, which included input from over 100 University stakeholders representing students, faculty, staff and senior administration

Digital Transformation in Higher Education – New Cohorts, New Requirements?

Digital transformation refers to changes that digital technologies cause and that influence various aspects of human life. Previous researchers mainly focused on the impact of the digital transformation in the context of commercial organisations and business processes. In this study, we aim to examine how digital transformation affects universities and students. We examine differences and changes in the usage of collaboration and communication platforms between different groups of members at the university and within the university lifecycle. To gain new insights, a qualitative case study with semi-structured interviews was conducted. One of the main results shows that Bachelor and Master students prefer the usage of social network sites for collaboration and communication while Ph.D. students and employees do not. Even though an increasing number of modern platforms for direct communication is offered, the results show that the communication between the groups of students and employees still takes place via email

A model for Bioinformatics training : the Marine Biological Laboratory

Author Posting. © The Authors, 2010. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Oxford University Press for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Briefings in Bioinformatics 6 (2010): 610-615, doi:10.1093/bib/bbq029.Many areas of science such as biology, medicine, and oceanography are becoming increasingly data-rich and most programs that train scientists do not address informatics techniques or technologies that are necessary for managing and analyzing large amounts of data. Educational resources for scientists in informatics are scarce, yet scientists need the skills and knowledge to work with informaticians and manage graduate students and post-docs in informatics projects. The Marine Biological Laboratory houses a world-renowned library and is involved in a number of informatics projects in the sciences. The MBL has been home to the National Library of Medicine's BioMedical Informatics Course for nearly two decades and is committed to educating scientists and other scholars in informatics. In an innovative, immersive learning experience, Grant Yamashita, a biologist and post-doc at Arizona State University, visited the Science Informatics Group at MBL to learn first hand how informatics is done and how informatics teams work. Hands-on work with developers, systems administrators, librarians, and other scientists provided an invaluable education in informatics and is a model for future science informatics training.This work was supported by the National Science Foundation [0926026 to G.Y., SES-0623176]; Jewett Foundation; Ellison Medical Foundation

Towards a low-cost universal access cloud framework to assess STEM students

Government-imposed lockdowns have challenged academic institutions to transition from traditional face-to-face education into hybrid or fully remote learning models. This transition has focused on the technological challenge of guaranteeing the continuity of sound pedagogy and granting safe access to online digital university services. However, a key requisite involves adapting the evaluation process as well. In response to this need, the authors of this paper tailored and implemented a cloud deployment to provide universal access to online summative assessment of university students in a computer programming course that mirrored a traditional in-person monitored computer laboratory under strictly controlled exam conditions. This deployment proved easy to integrate with the university systems and many commercial proctoring tools. This cloud deployment is not only a solution for extraordinary situations; it can also be adapted daily for online collaborative coding assignments, practical lab sessions, formative assessments, and masterclasses where the students connect using their equipment. Connecting from home facilitates access to education for students with physical disabilities. It also allows participation with their students' own adapted equipment in the evaluation processes, simplifying assessment for those with hearing or visual impairments. In addition to these benefits and the evident commitment to the safety rules, this solution has proven cheaper and more flexible than on-premise equivalent installations.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, 1 appendix and 1 code repositor

Pedagogical Approaches for Sustainable Development in Building in Higher Education

Education for sustainable development (ESD) is one of the great challenges that university faculties have to face. Therefore, a multidisciplinary team from the faculty of Engineering of Gipuzkoa (EIG) at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) has developed pedagogical approaches to apply in construction degrees, namely Civil Engineering and Technical Architecture. Pedagogical tools, such as problem-based learning (PBL) or research-based learning (RBL), and environmental tools, such as the life cycle assessment (LCA) and computational thinking (CT), have been used; in doing so, they acquire a sustainable approach to work “soft-skills” competencies into sustainability. For example, research-based tools have helped to revalorize waste both outside and inside the university; they have contributed to more sustainable industrial processes, collaborative research projects, and participation in conferences and scientific publications. Based on academic results, the designed tools are appropriate for teaching in Technical Architecture and Civil Engineering degrees; however, to demonstrate their potential in terms of sustainable education, holistic rubrics based on in-depth quantitative educational research are required. Thus, to analyze the ability of the students to incorporate sustainability principles in their work, the multidisciplinary team presenting this paper plans to collaborate with psychologists and sociologists within the framework of the Bizia-Lab program of the UPV/EHU.This research study was funded by Bizia Lab, Vice-chancellor’s Office for Innovation, within the Social Commitment (UPV/EHU) calls 2016/17 and 2020/21