Using Augmented Reality as a Medium to Assist Teaching in Higher Education

In this paper we describe the use of a high-level augmented reality (AR) interface for the construction of collaborative educational applications that can be used in practice to enhance current teaching methods. A combination of multimedia information including spatial three-dimensional models, images, textual information, video, animations and sound, can be superimposed in a student-friendly manner into the learning environment. In several case studies different learning scenarios have been carefully designed based on human-computer interaction principles so that meaningful virtual information is presented in an interactive and compelling way. Collaboration between the participants is achieved through use of a tangible AR interface that uses marker cards as well as an immersive AR environment which is based on software user interfaces (UIs) and hardware devices. The interactive AR interface has been piloted in the classroom at two UK universities in departments of Informatics and Information Science

Tutorial and simulation electrooptic and acoustooptic software as innovative methodology to improve the quality of electronic and computer engineering formation

In this paper, an introduction to the main design features of a computer-aided educational package addressed to students of the final years of Electronic and Computer Engineering is presented. The software includes interrelated tutorial, computer simulations, and test questions in which graphical outputs, hypertexts, and animations are widely used. The package is devoted to the simulation study of electrooptic and acoustooptic theory and devices. It provides instant numerical evaluation and a graphical display of different studies. The software presented in this paper has all the following features: an integrative character, self-evaluation tests, a personalized and active learning process, adaptability to teacher's aims, versatility as a teaching tool, multimedia resources, and simplicity. This study has been completed with final-year students at the Superior Polytechnic School of Cordoba, Spain, with highly favorable results when compared with students who did not use the software.© Copyright 2006 IEEE.All Rights Reserve

EL LABORATORIO DE CIENCIAS DE LA FUTURA ESCUELA. TECNOLOGÍAS Y CONTENIDOS EMERGENTES

Este artigo investiga as tendências atuais na transformação de laboratórios STEM na era da digitalização devido à integração de tecnologias digitais e ao reconhecimento da importância do desenvolvimento de habilidades metacognitivas. O artigo examina o papel da metacognição e seu impacto no processo de aprendizagem, bem como o uso de tecnologias digitais, como laboratórios remotos, laboratórios virtuais, realidade aumentada, realidade virtual e dispositivos móveis na educação STEM. Os resultados desta pesquisa sugerem que o uso dessas tecnologias digitais pode ser benéfico para a aprendizagem de ciências no ensino superior e secundário. Além disso, essas tecnologias podem ser usadas para promover o engajamento, a colaboração e o acesso dos alunos ao conhecimento científico. Além disso, a metacognição é uma habilidade importante para professores e alunos, e pode ser desenvolvida através do uso da pirâmide do conhecimento, pirâmide de inteligência emocional, pirâmide metacognitiva e modelos de pirâmide de superdotação.This paper investigates the current trends in the transformation of STEM laboratories in the age of digitization due to the integration of digital technologies and the recognition of the importance of developing metacognitive skills. The paper examines the role of metacognition and its impact on the learning process, as well as the use of digital technologies such as remote labs, virtual labs, augmented reality, virtual reality, and mobile devices in STEM education. Results from this research suggest that the use of these digital technologies can be beneficial for science learning in both higher and secondary education. Additionally, these technologies can be used to promote student engagement, collaboration, and access to scientific knowledge. Furthermore, metacognition is an important skill for both teachers and students, and can be developed through the use of the knowledge pyramid, emotional intelligence pyramid, metacognitive pyramid, and giftedness pyramid models.Este artículo investiga las tendencias actuales en la transformación de los laboratorios STEM en la era de la digitalización debido a la integración de tecnologías digitales y al reconocimiento de la importancia del desarrollo de habilidades metacognitivas. El documento examina el papel de la metacognición y su impacto en el proceso de aprendizaje, así como el uso de tecnologías digitales como laboratorios remotos, laboratorios virtuales, realidad aumentada, realidad virtual y dispositivos móviles en la educación STEM. Los resultados de esta investigación sugieren que el uso de estas tecnologías digitales puede ser beneficioso para el aprendizaje de las ciencias tanto en la educación superior como en la secundaria. Además, estas tecnologías pueden utilizarse para promover la participación, colaboración y acceso al conocimiento científico por parte de los estudiantes. Además, la metacognición es una habilidad importante tanto para profesores como para estudiantes y puede desarrollarse mediante el uso de los modelos de pirámide del conocimiento, pirámide de inteligencia emocional, pirámide metacognitiva y pirámide de talento.Este artigo investiga as tendências atuais na transformação de laboratórios STEM na era da digitalização devido à integração de tecnologias digitais e ao reconhecimento da importância do desenvolvimento de habilidades metacognitivas. O artigo examina o papel da metacognição e seu impacto no processo de aprendizagem, bem como o uso de tecnologias digitais, como laboratórios remotos, laboratórios virtuais, realidade aumentada, realidade virtual e dispositivos móveis na educação STEM. Os resultados desta pesquisa sugerem que o uso dessas tecnologias digitais pode ser benéfico para a aprendizagem de ciências no ensino superior e secundário. Além disso, essas tecnologias podem ser usadas para promover o engajamento, a colaboração e o acesso dos alunos ao conhecimento científico. Além disso, a metacognição é uma habilidade importante para professores e alunos, e pode ser desenvolvida através do uso da pirâmide do conhecimento, pirâmide de inteligência emocional, pirâmide metacognitiva e modelos de pirâmide de superdotação

ITs in engineering education: joining efforts between SPEE and IGIP

The International Society for Engineering Education (IGIP) and The Portuguese Society for Engineering Education (SPEE), the first being the oldest European Society for Engineering Education in Europe and the second the very young Society for Engineering Education in Portugal, have been intensifying the collaboration between the two societies as well as the exchange and dissemination of information about their relevant activities, whilst promoting understanding and cooperation between their respective members. One possible way is to create joint working groups, open to the members of both societies, on common topics of interest. In fact, both societies already kicked off this activity. The first initiative happened during the 1st World Engineering Education Flash Week (WEE), Lisbon, 2011. The SPEE-IGIP Flash Moment was a one day event integrated in the main Conference, which was dedicated to “Information & Communication Technologies in Engineering Education”. ITs allow the development of different teaching strategies which contribute to enhance the learning outcomes of students. ITs are also particularly suited to develop Life Long Learning tools, in a broad range of Engineering subjects, either open to the general market or oriented to a very specific public. Examples of teaching strategies involving ITs have been addressed during the Flash Moment SPEE-IGIP which took place during WEE, and some are described in detail in the present work

Straddling the intersection

Music technology straddles the intersection between art and science and presents those who choose to work within its sphere with many practical challenges as well as creative possibilities. The paper focuses on four main areas: secondary education, higher education, practice and research and finally collaboration. The paper emphasises the importance of collaboration in tackling the challenges of interdisciplinarity and in influencing future technological developments

Improving Laboratory Learning Outcomes: An Investigation Into the Effect of Contextualising Laboratories Using Virtual Worlds and Remote Laboratories.

This thesis presents research into improving learning outcomes in laboratories. It was hypothesised that domain specific context can aid students in understanding the relationship between a laboratory (as a proxy for reality), the theoretical model being investigated within the laboratory activity and the real world. Specifically, the research addressed whether adding domain context to a laboratory activity could improve students' ability to identify the strengths and limitations of models as predictors of real-world behaviour. The domain context was included in a laboratory activity with the use of a remote radiation lab set within a context-rich virtual world. The empirical investigation used a pretest-posttest control group design to assess whether there was a statistically significant difference in the learning outcome between a treatment group who completed the lab in a contextualised virtual world, and the control group who conducted the activity in an empty virtual world. The results showed that there were no statistically significant differences between the groups and therefore there are cases where contextualising a laboratory activity will not have an effect on students' ability to identify the strengths and limitations of models as predictors of real-world behaviour. This research postulates that previous exposure to the model, the level of awareness students had of the context and the lack time available for reflection may have masked or attenuated the effect of the context. This research has contributed a framework for the analysis and design of domain context in laboratory activities, and an interface for integrating iLabs laboratories into the Open Wonderland virtual world. It has explicitly clarified the relationship between context, labs, models and the real world. Most significantly, this research has contributed knowledge to the field of laboratory learning outcomes and the understanding of how domain context affects laboratory activities