Modern Solutions For Economic Higher Education In The Knowledge-Based Society

The use of modern solutions specific to contemporary society, together with stakeholders’ involvement, will lead to a substantial increase in the practice-oriented approach of the teaching process. The objective of this paper is to present directions for the implementation of modern teaching solutions in the economic higher education. It highlights the implications that knowledge-based economy brings for the economic higher education. It analyzes the virtual campus as a modern solution for collaborative higher education and the level of knowledge in the use of mobile devices and technologies in the learning process of students from three faculties of the Academy of Economic Studies. The analysis is based on a survey conducted among students enrolled in three faculties of the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies. A series of indicators is proposed to assess the efficiency of human resources training activities, developed in order to enhance the relevance of economic higher education for the labor market and knowledge-based society. The research results consist in identifying modern solutions for the use of mobile technologies by students in the educational process.knowledge society, higher education, e-learning, m-learning, information technology

Students’ Perceptions towards The Utilization Of “Whatsapp” for Vocabulary Teaching and Learning

Society has enjoyed the ease of communication afforded by “Whatsapp”, a popular freeware and cross-platform communication application. “Whatsapp”’s popularity has invited educators to experiment with it in various ways to shore up education. This study was conducted to describe students’ perceptions on the use of “Whatsapp” for teaching and learning vocabulary. A vocabulary virtual class in the form of a “Whatsapp” group where students needed to enroll was created for that purpose. This virtual class exempted the students from physically attending the physical class as it enabled students to remotely attend the class. Teaching and learning methods of vocabulary in the virtual class included using pictures, translation, and sentence construction. At the end of the class, the students were to inform the researchers about their perceptions of the virtual class. This study used a descriptive qualitative method. Data was collected through a paper-based questionnaire, which was distributed to all students in a face-to-face class, a session taking place two days prior to the research. The virtual vocabulary class that the researchers administered overall received positive feedbacks from the learners. However, teaching and learning vocabulary using “Whatsapp” also had its own drawback

Integration of multimedia technology into the curriculum of forensic science courses using crime scene investigations.

Virtual reality technology is a powerful tool for the development of experimental learning in practical situations. Creation of software packages with some element of virtual learning allows educators to broaden the available experience of students beyond the scope that a standard curriculum provides. This teaching methodology is widely used in the delivery of medical education with many surgical techniques being practised via virtual reality technologies (see Engum et al., 2003). Use has been made of this technology for a wide range of teaching applications such as virtual field trials for an environmental science course (Ramasundaram et al., 2005), and community nursing visiting education scenarios (Nelson et al., 2005) for example. Nelson et al. (2005) imaged three-dimensional representations of patient living accommodation incorporating views of patient medication in order to deliver care modules via a problem-based learning approach. The use of virtual reality in the teaching of crime scene science was pioneered by the National Institute of Forensic Science in Australia as part of their Science Proficiency Advisory Committee testing programme. A number of scenarios were created using CDROM interfacing, allowing as near as possible normal procedures to be adopted. This package included proficiency testing integrated into the package and serves as a paradigm for the creation of virtual reality crime scene scenarios (Horswell, 2000). The package is commercially available on CD-ROM as part of the series ‘After the Fact’ (http://www.nfis.com.au). The CD-ROM package is geared to proficiency training of serving scenes of crime officers and thus contains details that may not be needed in the education of other parties with a need for forensic awareness. These include undergraduate students studying towards forensic science degree programmes in the UK as well as serving Police Officers. These groups may need virtual reality crime scene material geared to their specific knowledge requirements. In addition, Prof J Fraser, President of the Forensic Science Society and a former police Scientific Support Manager, speaking to the United Kingdom, House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee in its report ‘Forensic Science on Trial’ (2005) states: ‘The documented evidence in relation to police knowledge of forensic science, in terms of making the best use of forensic science, is consistently clear, that their knowledge needs to improve and therefore their training needs to improve’. This clearly identifies a need for further training of serving police officers in forensic science. It was with this in mind that staff at the University collaborated with the West Midlands Police Service. The aim was to create a virtual reality CD-ROM that could serve as part of the continuing professional development of serving police officers in the area of scene management. Adaptation of the CD-ROM could allow some introductory materials to help undergraduate students of forensic science

Invisible publics: higher education and digital exclusion

Teaching in public involves reducing barriers to access and nowhere is this more appropriate than with the subject of electronic resources and the delivery of virtual learning opportunities. The future of the university, in a time of resurgence of neo-liberal values, the primacy of market forces and an increasing emphasis on private rather than public provision, has become the subject of much debate. Insufficient attention, however, is being paid to the possibility of exclusion, which is the inevitable result of increasing digital pedagogies and practices. This chapter focuses on the role of the university in ensuring equitable access to digital technology. Over the last decade, the possibilities of virtual learning have included pportunities for widening participation, increasing student numbers and opening up world trades in professional and academic expertise, thereby sustaining the globalization of education. This chapter addresses the limitations to these opportunities, in particular the failure to prioritize issues of digital inclusion and the divisive consequences of digital discrimination. The chapter is in two parts: the first examines the adoption of virtual learning within higher education, in particular, the ability of the technology to both enable and deny access. The second looks at the wider implications of this duality when set against the background of an increasingly digital society, and how inclusive practices are failing to have inclusive results

In-service training: e-learning as a new and promising approach.

In-service training through e-learning should be seen as a special field of adult education. The lessons learned from adult education must be an inspiration to the design of in-service training approaches that support collaborative learning and promote the development of virtual communities. This points support our conviction that e-learning is a “promising land” to new opportunities of training and professional development activities. After a short introduction, the article will describe three different cases of e-learning initiatives taken place at University of Minho - Portugal. The first case reports to a research project called ttVLC – trainers training to Virtual Learning Communities. The second case describes a course that aims to promote in-service professional development of secondary and high-school teachers, called “EASIC – Ensinar e Aprender na Sociedade da Informação” (in English: Teaching and Learning in the Information Society). The third case describe a course titled “Formação de Eformadores” (in English: Training of E-trainers) which aim helping university teachers to adopt e-learning methodologies.In-service training through e-learning should be seen as a special field of adult education. The lessons learned from adult education must be an inspiration to the design of in-service training approaches that support collaborative learning and promote the development of virtual communities. This points support our conviction that e-learning is a “promising land” to new opportunities of training and professional development activities. After a short introduction, the article will describe three different cases of e-learning initiatives taken place at University of Minho - Portugal. The first case reports to a research project called ttVLC – trainers training to Virtual Learning Communities. The second case describes a course that aims to promote in-service professional development of secondary and high-school teachers, called “EASIC – Ensinar e Aprender na Sociedade da Informação” (in English: Teaching and Learning in the Information Society). The third case describe a course titled “Formação de Eformadores” (in English: Training of E-trainers) which aim helping university teachers to adopt e-learning methodologies

Assessment of Knowledge and Competencies in 3D Virtual Worlds: A Proposal

Proceedings of: Key Competencies in the Knowledge Society World Computer Congress (KCKS 2010). Brisbane, Australia, September 20-23, 2010.Digital natives demand a more active approach to learning. Moreover, the acquisition and assessment of competencies, rather than the mere transmission of information, is becoming more relevant in the Knowledge Society. 3D virtual worlds are a promising environment to meet both of these requirements. In a 3D virtual world, learners are immersed in a rich environment that allows them to have an active experience through their avatars and interaction devices. The learning process in traditional learning management systems has been widely studied, but there is relatively little literature about the use of 3D virtual worlds for learning, although the expectations are high and the possibilities opened immense. This paper focuses on an important part of the teaching and learning process: the assessment. Our aim is to present a set of techniques adapted to this novel 3D medium that allows assessing knowledge, skills, and competencies by using the elements inherent to 3D virtual worlds (avatars, synthetic characters, smart objects) and take advantage of the new dimension introduced.This research is supported by the following projects: The Spanish project “Learn3: Towards Learning of the Third Kind” (TIN2008-05163/TSI) within the Spanish “Plan Nacional de I+D+I”, the Madrid regional project “eMadrid: Investigación y Desarrollo de tecnologías para el e-learning en la Comunidad de Madrid” (S2009/TIC-1650), the European eContentPlus Project “iCoper: Interoperable Content for Performance in a Competency-driven Society” (PPI-2008-A-12).Publicad

In-service training: e-learning as a new and promising approach.

In-service training through e-learning should be seen as a special field of adult education. The lessons learned from adult education must be an inspiration to the design of in-service training approaches that support collaborative learning and promote the development of virtual communities. This points support our conviction that e-learning is a “promising land” to new opportunities of training and professional development activities. After a short introduction, the article will describe three different cases of e-learning initiatives taken place at University of Minho - Portugal. The first case reports to a research project called ttVLC – trainers training to Virtual Learning Communities. The second case describes a course that aims to promote in-service professional development of secondary and high-school teachers, called “EASIC – Ensinar e Aprender na Sociedade da Informação” (in English: Teaching and Learning in the Information Society). The third case describe a course titled “Formação de Eformadores” (in English: Training of E-trainers) which aim helping university teachers to adopt e-learning methodologies.In-service training through e-learning should be seen as a special field of adult education. The lessons learned from adult education must be an inspiration to the design of in-service training approaches that support collaborative learning and promote the development of virtual communities. This points support our conviction that e-learning is a “promising land” to new opportunities of training and professional development activities. After a short introduction, the article will describe three different cases of e-learning initiatives taken place at University of Minho - Portugal. The first case reports to a research project called ttVLC – trainers training to Virtual Learning Communities. The second case describes a course that aims to promote in-service professional development of secondary and high-school teachers, called “EASIC – Ensinar e Aprender na Sociedade da Informação” (in English: Teaching and Learning in the Information Society). The third case describe a course titled “Formação de Eformadores” (in English: Training of E-trainers) which aim helping university teachers to adopt e-learning methodologies

Digital game for education and dissemination of nuclear energy applications

Students are immersed in a society with many possibilities of interaction, either computer or smart phones. In addition, students demand more innovation, dynamism and interactivity in classrooms. The form of education that can motivate students to engage in the learning process can get them to be interested in the lessons and not prematurely abandon schools. On the other hand, educational materials based on Virtual Reality (VR), as computer games, havebeen considered an important educational tool for making dynamic, motivating, innovative, in addition to achieving those areas where traditional methods are not reaching its goal. Motivated by the above, and given the competence developed by the Virtual Reality Laboratory of the Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear / CNEN and the collaboration of the University Center UniCarioca, was developed a digital game based on virtual reality tools for the teaching of a subject of area of science that needs to be addressed to society more contextualized way: the different applications of nuclear energy. It is expected that this digital game is an important tool for the dissemination, teaching and learning the benefits of nuclear energy