A critique of blended learning: Examples from an undergraduate psychology program

The adoption of technology to a University curriculum is challenging and requires a complex blend with pedagogical components. The aim of this study is to examine how digital learning tools could enhance first year modules supporting blended learning approaches. Two psychology modules are used as examples to discuss two different blended approaches and study student engagement with learning process by exploring their performance on online activities under the perspective of module design, students’ engagement with formative and summative assessments, and digital literacy. The digital learning tools that supported the two blended learning approaches were wikis, blogs, online tests. This investigation was conducted for two subsequent years in a UK Psychology School in which a large number of students were enrolled. The total number of students who participated in this investigation for the 2016-2017 academic year was 407 and for the 2017-2018 academic year was 405. In the first example, an academic performance comparison was conducted between the students who have been engaged with online formative activities and those students who have attended the face-to-face classes only in a transferable skills module. In the second example, a compulsory online continuous assessment process was followed to support a first-year psychology module aiming to enhance student learning on biology topics. This article discusses how students might engage with online formative and summative activities in association with their performance and how different assessment types alongside with the use of different digital learning tools might enhance blended learning environments. Findings of this study suggest that teachers should connect formative with summative assessments in order to increase student performance and they should consider blended learning approaches under the perspective of pedagogical principles and continuous assessment in order to increase student engagement with their learning process

Research-connected curriculum: an evaluation process for a traditional psychology programme at a research-intensive university

The aim of this investigation was to gain an insight into how a current curriculum of a School in a research-intensive university could be enhanced based on student voice and the principles of research-teaching nexus (Griffiths, 2004; Healey 2005) and connected framework proposed by Fung (2016). 272 psychology undergraduate students completed an online questionnaire. The students anonymously expressed their expectations or views regarding the integration of research activities into the teaching processes at the beginning of the 2016-2017 academic year. By following the recommendations for the research-teaching nexus (four labels) and the connected framework, the online questionnaire were split into four major categories: 1. Students connect with researchers and with the institution’s research; 2. A “through line” of research activity is built into each program of study; 3. Students make connections across subjects and out to the world; and 4. Students connect academic learning with workplace learning. By comparing students’ responses per year of studies, four themes (Research Community, Research Field, Outside World Applications and Employability) emerged as needing improvements on the current curriculum. Based on students’ responses authentic assessment could promote further enhancement of a current curriculum under the above four themes. The main implication of this investigation is that with a stronger connection of research with teaching, by involving members of a School (researchers and teachers), students can be motivated to engage in well-defined research partnerships learning environment

Intellectual disabilities and intervention strategies: international approach

Introduction: This study focuses on the strategies of implementing practical activities in children with intellectual disabilities. It is aimed at encouraging and rehabilitating neuropsychological processes of attention, behaviour and cognition (visual and spatial abilities, elemental and complex motor abilities and conceptual functions). Subject: This study was aimed at children with mild intellectual disabilities with the emphasis on their cognitive and behavioural functioning in relation to different aspects of the applied treatment strategies. Material and methods: The sample consists of 124 examinees with mild intellectual disability, of both genders, aged between 8 and 13, attending primary schools in Belgrade. In this research we applied the Trial Making Test (TMT; Reitan, 1971) for attention assessment, the IOWA Conners' Rating Scale for Children for behaviour assessment, and the Test of Concept Utilization (TCU; Crager and Lane, 1981) for the assessment of cognitive functions. Results: The results indicate the presence of developmental disabilities in the examined areas in more than 50% of the tested children and a high statistically significant correlation between the applied treatment modalities and tested abilities and functions (r=0.52-0.59, df lt 0.01). The study points out the necessity of implementing the multimodal approach: team work of professionals and non-professionals (cooperation between professionals and parents), complementary treatment (medical and special treatment, psychosocial interventions, combination of treatment strategies), psychotherapy and psycho-pharmacotherapy when necessary, as well as special education and rehabilitation, based on individual education programs and individual training programs (IEP and ITP) and special rehabilitation procedures and methods. Conclusion: New treatment strategies, with the emphasis on special rehabilitation treatment, were proposed in conclusion

Interactive immersive virtual reality to enhance students' visualisation of complex molecules

Computer-aided visualisation has played an essential role in helping students construct a better understanding of molecular interactions over the years but it has limitations in supporting 3D visualisation, especially for complex molecules. As an alternative platform, immersive virtual reality (VR) holds great promise for addressing students' difficulties. This paper examines the educational possibilities and limitations of immersive VR environments