Towards the Integration of Adaptive Educational Systems with SCORM Standard and Authoring Toolkits

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Biodiversity of Spongosorites coralliophaga (Stephens, 1915) on coral rubble at two contrasting cold-water coral reef settings

The authors would like to thank Bill Richardson (Master), the crew of the RRS James Cook, Will Handley and the Holland-I ROV team. We also thank all the specialists in taxonomy that provided important help with identification of species: Professor Paul Tyler (ophiuroids), Dr. Tammy Horton (amphipods), Dr. Graham Oliver (bivalves), Dr. Rob van Soest (sponges), Susan Chambers, Peter Garwood, Sue Hamilton, Raimundo Blanco Pérez (polychaetes). Also we would like to thank Val Johnston (University of Aberdeen) for her contribution to cruise preparations and John Polanski (University of Aberdeen) for his help onboard the RRS James Cook. Special thanks to Dr. Alexios P. Lolas (University of Thessaly, Greece) for all the artwork. Funding for the JC073 cruise was provided by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) UK Ocean Acidification (UKOA) research programme’s Benthic Consortium project (NE/H017305/1 to JMR). JMR acknowledges support from Heriot-Watt University’s Environment and Climate Change theme. GK was funded by a Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland (MASTS) Ph.D. scholarship.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

A Systematic Review of Augmented Reality Game-Based Applications in Primary Education

Augmented Reality game-based learning (ARGBL) is quickly gaining momentum in the education sector worldwide as it has the potential to enable new forms of learning and transform the learning experience. However, it remains unclear how ARGBL applications can impact students’ motivation and performance in primary education. This study addresses that topic by providing a systematic review, which analyses and critically appraises the current state of knowledge and practice in the use of ARGBL applications in primary education. In total, seventeen (17) studies that used either qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods to collect their data were analysed and were published between 2012 and 2017. The study results indicated that ARGBL applications are mainly used to document the design and development process, as well as to share preliminary findings and student feedback. Based on a comprehensive taxonomy of application areas for AR in primary education, ARGBL can potentially influence the students’ attendance, knowledge transfer, skill acquisition, hands-on digital experience, and positive attitudes in laboratory experimental exercises for different courses. This review aims to offer new insights to researchers and provide educators with effective advice and suggestions on how to improve learning outcomes, as well as increase students’ motivation and learning performance by incorporating this instructional model into their teaching

Hidden structural heterogeneity enhances marine hotspots’ biodiversity

Studies in terrestrial and shallow-water ecosystems have unravelled the key role of interspecific interactions in enhancing biodiversity, but important knowledge gaps persist for the deep sea. Cold-water coral reefs are hotspots of biodiversity, but the role of interspecific interactions and “habitat cascades” (i.e. positive effects on focal organisms mediated by biogenic habitat formation) in shaping their biodiversity is unknown. Associations between macrofaunal hosts and epifauna were examined in 47 stations at the Mingulay Reef Complex (northeast Atlantic). In total, 101 (group level) and 340 (species level) unique types of facultative associations formed by 43 hosts and 39 epifaunal species were found. Molluscs and empty polychaete tubes had higher values for the type and number of host-epifaunal associations, the Shannon–Wiener (H) and Margalef (d) indices of the epifauna than the rest of the taxonomic groups (p < 0.05). Hosts’ body size, orientation, surface smoothness, and growth form explained a significant amount of variability (32.96%) in epifauna community composition. Epifaunal species richness (S), H and d were 27.4 (± 2.2%), 56.2 (± 2.8%) and 39.9 (± 2.3%) of the respective values for the total sessile communities living on coral framework. This is intriguing as coral framework is orders of magnitude larger than the size of macrofaunal hosts. It is suggested that bivalves, tunicates and empty polychaete tubes increase habitat heterogeneity and enhance biodiversity through “habitat cascades”, in a similar way that epiphytes do in tropical rainforests. Most macrofaunal habitat suppliers in the studied cold-water coral reef are calcified species and likely susceptible to ocean acidification. This indicates that the impacts of climate change on the total biodiversity, structure and health of cold-water coral reefs may potentially be more severe than previously thought

Blended Learning Evaluation In Higher Education Courses

Although traditional learning was a necessity for centuries and distance learning is sometimes the only way for learning for many learners, the last two decades a supplementary mode to the other modes of learning emerged, the e-learning. However, the last few years, blended learning has dominated as the only mode which combines perfectly the advantages of the other modes of learning. The role of educational content in blended learning is crucial. The key factor to success is high quality educational content, appropriate for learning and able to fulfill course educational aims and objectives. Most of the times it is not an easy task to give feedback to instructors about the online educational content.&nbsp; However, some course characteristics and students’ actions may reflect the quality and quantity of the educational content. This study evaluates the use of blended learning in TEI of West Macedonia with the use of structured questionnaires exposed to the learners. The learners express their attitude about how useful the blended learning is and how this blended means facilitates their studies. It proposes two variables Richness and Usefulness, taking into account statistics concerning the courses. These variables aim to help course instructors and administrators review course usage and find course weaknesses. Keywords: Blended learning, evaluation, questionnaire, richness, usefulnes

The Impact of the Digital Divide on the Adoption of e-Government in Greece

The adoption of e-government services and the active e-participation of citizens may be affected by the pre-dominant socio-economic inequalities. The current study examined the impact of the digital divide to the use of e-government and e-participation services. We used the micro-data from the national survey on the use of Information and Communication Technologies by the Greek households and individuals. This survey was conducted by the Greek Statistical Authority in 2017, in a representative sample of the Greek population (n = 3321). We analyzed the data using logistic regression equations. According to the results, the social exclusion factors may influence the use of e-government services. The most important socio-economic factors affecting the decision to use e-government services are the educational level, age and citizenship. The e-participation of the citizens in various democratic processes is only influenced by their educational attainment. This work highlights the impact of the digital divide to every aspect of our digital life. The state should implement policies to address the digital divide focusing on the vulnerable social subgroups, such as the low-educated and older people. The findings of our research may help the policymakers to conceptualize the effect of the digital divide to e-government adoption, in a multidimensional and integrative way. Keywords: e-government, Greece, digital divide, e-services, digital skill

An empirical evaluation of e-learning usage in the higher education context

[EN] E-learning has been adopted for several years in Greece and abroad, and it is considered an integral part of blended learning. E-learning systems accumulate a vast amount of data which may be very valuable. The educational organizations may exploit the power provided by e-learning, if they analyze the usage and the content of the courses. An early assessment of the of e-courses use may provide useful information to the educators, in order to make educational interventions in their teaching material. This study suggests that the evaluation of e-learning usage may be carried out with the assesment of variables and metrics related to teacher training material and student trafficking. We propose three metrics which are combined efficiently, in order to quantify the quality characteristics of the courses and offer useful insights about the educational material and e-learning usage. This case study was implemented in the e-class platform of a Greek Higher Education educational institute. This platform created by the Greek Universities Network (GUNET) is very popular in Greece, since the majority of the Greek universities have adopted it. The results of our study confirmed the validity of our suggested approach, and highlighted the need for a more learnercentered focus and active participation of the students.Petasakis, I.; Kontogiannis, S.; Gounopoulos, E.; Kazanidis, I.; Valsamidis, S. (2020). An empirical evaluation of e-learning usage in the higher education context. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 291-300. https://doi.org/10.4995/INN2019.2019.10147OCS29130

Using Embossed QR Codes on Product Packaging for People with Visual Impairments

Vision impairment severely impacts quality of life among adult populations. People with vision impairment often have to deal with a number of problems in their every-day life. One of them is related with their shopping and after sales experience. They need assistive tools so that they can get information about the products they shop and store in their home. QR codes is a well-known technology that contains a link and directs mobile users to a specified website. This website can include various and multimodal information related to a product that can easily be received through audio from peopled with visual impairments. In this paper we propose a solution for people with visual impairments in order to improve the way they shop. From the company’s side, QR code labels are printed and placed on the product’s packaging while on the same time a mobile application that supports QR code reading has been implemented. The users, scanning the QR code of a product using the mobile application, can seamlessly be redirected to the product-related audio information. The proposed approach and the implemented mobile application were tested by a group of people with vision impairment in order to assess its usability, satisfaction and intention to use. The evaluation results revealed that people with vision impairment find the provided mobile application useful and easy to use, while they are totally satisfied with the proposed approach, and they intend to use it in the future