A Study of Students’ Preferences in The Information Resources of The Digital Learning Environment

The digital learning environment comprises various resources - didactically transformed and untransformed information, and mediated communication. Students’ information behaviour combines both actions characteristic of the traditional educational process and specific for the digital environment, based on digital tools and user interactions. Students’ information behaviour in the digital environment is considered as an indicator of their engagement in various educational activities that contribute to the personalisation of learning. The results of a survey on students’ preferences of information resources in the digital environment show that learners use a variety of information sources, but they mainly apply the methods of work in the “traditional” learning paradigm. They insufficiently use the digital environment potential of collaboration, knowledge exchange, and knowledge extraction from authentic sources. Obtained data indicates problems in students’ information culture and shortcomings in the methodological support of students’ autonomous work. Based on the results, recommendations on creating conditions for developing students’ prospective strategies of interaction with digital resources are proposed. These recommendations include a gradual increase of the authentic digital learning resources, an account of students’ information preferences, and a particular attention to the management issues in the digital learning environment

The use of ICT tools by academic teachers in the international comparative context

The article sets out to analyze the professional competencies on the standard European e-Competence Framework. The survey of information technology teachers of Ukrainian universities concerning the necessity of forming and development of European e-Competence Framework competencies allowed defining the priority areas for training and forming the content component of a model of professional competencies development of information technology university teachers. The proposed model distinguishes stages, factors, and resources for training teachers. Teachers’ attitude to motivation, time and money allocation for professional development was researched. The content component of the development of professional competences of teachers of information technologies is offered. Recommendations for training and advanced training of teachers of information technologies, assessment of the level of development of professional competence, was proposed

Information environment of blended learning: aspects of teaching and quality

The aim of the study in frame of the international project IRNet - International Research Network for the study and development of new tools and methods for advanced pedagogical science in the field of ICT instruments, e-learning and intercultural competences is to understand how the quality of digital learning environment and a new methodology for teaching activities contribute to achievement of learning outcomes sought by modern society. The data from a comparative analysis of regulations in the field of e-learning in some countries participating in the project is represented. The article substantiates indicators of virtual educational invironment in accordance with European standard of quality in higher education. The psychodidactic approach based on accounting of general concepts: information, communication and interaction management in a network learning environment used for evaluation of teaching activities in blended learning. The study hypothesis is based on the data obtained from analysis of the students' views and attitudes towards various educational processes in digital learning environment and represents a set of conditions for system formation of university virtual educational environment and the effective use of e-learning technologies. At a later stage of research teachers in all the universities involved in project will be surveyed

Стратегии информационного поведения студентов в условиях непрерывного образования

Research objective. The research objective was to identify and analyse the general trends, manifested in the information behaviour of students in terms of realising and taking advantage of lifelong learning in the digital society. The authors attempted to answer the question: What is the specificity of modern students’ information behaviour strategies? Materials and methods. The research was based on the concept of “information behaviour”, considered by the authors as a system of actions to implement the processes of interaction with the information environment. In the conditions of digital society development, the effectiveness of information strategies largely depends on the adoption of the values of lifelong learning. In the context of the activity approach, information behaviour includes the motivational aspect (acceptance of the lifelong learning paradigm, motives of educational activity, relations, interests and orientations within the current learning stage) and the activity aspect (general learning strategies, approaches to new information acquisition, self-management strategies in the learning process, as well as the possession of modern tools to implement these strategies – ICT tools). The research methods included a survey and statistical analysis. During the survey, Russian and Polish students were asked to relate the degree of information behaviour characteristics to a five-point scale. Statistical analysis comprised descriptive statistics, including the distribution of answers for all respondents, comparative statistics for Polish and Russian students, and correlation analysis. Results of the study. The research results have showed that students understand the importance of lifelong learning and accept it as a value and requirement of the 21st century. However, their information behaviour is not always based on effective strategies. Educational activity is insufficiently supported by the use of ICT tools for self-management, goal setting, and construction of an individual educational route. Direct correlations were revealed between the readiness for lifelong learning and the development of initiative, responsibility, self-management, including the active use of specialised electronic tools. Information behaviour is associated with future professional activities. For example, for socially oriented professions, information behaviour comprises such features as openness and empathy. Conclusion. Based on the results obtained, recommendations for lecturers can be formulated to support the process of mastering the advanced strategies of information behaviour by students. Firstly, it is necessary to encourage students to use open electronic resources, not only to access the newest information, but to join the processes of qualitatively new knowledge creation in collaborate work (self-directed learning, learning in partnership, collaborative learning). Secondly, it is important to create conditions for the expansion of professional experience through the strengthening of the practice-oriented assignments role, as well as the inclusion of students in project, competitive and grant activities

IT tools in a university - E-learning environment : students' opinion survey

Publikacja jest wydana w ramach projektu unijnego IRNet (www.irnet.us.edu.pl)This article presents a diagnostic instrument and data analysis results within the European IRNet Project, Work Package 3. One of the aims of the survey was to analyze the benefits of a modern university e-learning environment, students’ opinion about an e-learning environment and its IT tools. The data cannot only be the basis of determining the degree of students’ activity in a university e-learning environment, but can also help to identify ways to improve a university electronic environment. The paper includes results of the research carried out at several partner universities - Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, St. Petersburg (HSPU), The University of Silesia in Katowice (US), Poland, Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University (BGKU) and Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra (UKF), Slovakia.University of Silesia, E

Report on the Implementation of Work Package 4 “Selection and Testing New ICT Tools” in the Framework of the IRNet Project

This article, prepared by an international team of authors – researchers from different scientific areas, connected with ICT, e-learning, pedagogy, and other related disciplines – focuses on the objectives and some results of the IRNet international project. In particular, this article describes the research tools, methods, and some procedures of the Work Package 4 (WP4) “Selection and Testing New ICT tools”: Objectives, Tasks, Deliverables, and implementation of research trips. Researchers from partner universities have analysed the results of WP4 in the context of the next stages and Work Packages of the IRNet project – International Research Network

Międzynarodowa sieć naukowa IRNet w dobie nowych technologii, globalizacji i internacjonalizacji edukacji oraz kompetencji kluczowych : wstępny raport z implementacji projektu

Aktualność tematu artykułu jest określona przez Strategię rozwoju społeczeństwa wiedzy w XXI w. i związana z przejściem do społeczeństwa globalnych kompetencji, w którym zmienia się zarówno globalna ekonomika, jak i status szkolnictwa. Bez aktywnego wdrażania innowacyjnych form, metod, technologii nauczania – i przede wszystkim e-learningu na wszystkich szczeblach kształcenia – te cele nie mogą być pomyślne osiągnięte. Jednocześnie warto określić istniejący problem, polegający na tym, że metodologia e-learningu nie jest jeszcze całkowicie opracowana i sprecyzowana. W artykule zostaną przedstawione: konsorcjum Projektu IRNet (WWW.irnet.us.edu.pl), które łączy 10 uczelni partnerskich z dziewięciu krajów (Uniwersytet Śląski w Polsce – koordynator projektu), ogólne i szczegółowe cele, zadania, oczekiwane rezultaty roboczych pakietów projektu, które są uwarunkowane między innymi współczesnymi tendencjami globalizacji (globalne kompetencje, komunikacja za pośrednictwem Internetu) i internacjonalizacji edukacji (Fragment tekstu)

Intercultural and digital competence in teacher training from an international perspective: Poland Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Russia

This article presents one of the studies from the European project IRNET, a network that pursues the development of new tools and methods for advanced pedagogical science in the field of ICT instruments, elearning and intercultural competences. We intend to explore the application of international and national policies of innovative, digital Education and intercultural competences in teacher training, as well as innovative educational practices. Another objective of the project is also to identify such practises and/or research projects in order to foster intercultural and digital competences in Spain, Poland , Slovak, Portugal and Russia. From a comparative perspective and on a qualitative paradigm, we have analyzed three comparative units that have allowed, among other things, us to look at the impact of projects financed with European or national funds as promoters of change and innovation related to intercultural training and technologies information. Finally, it has been observed that teaching trends point to a professorship endowed with skills that integrate intercultural models from the joint search for the school of the future, and for that online networks and virtual learning communities are key resources

Report on the implementation of WorkPackage 2 "Analyses of legal, ethical, human, technical and social factors of ICT and e-learning development and intercultural competences state in every partner country" in the framework of the IRNet project

This article, prepared by an international team of researchers from different scientific areas, connected with ICT, e-learning, pedagogy, and other related disciplines, focuses on the objectives and some results of the international project IRNet. In particular, the article describes research tools, methods, and a procedure of the WP2, that is, analyses of legal, ethical, human, technical, and social factors of ICT and e-learning development, and the state of intercultural competences in partner countries: objectives, tasks, deliverables, and implementation of research trips. Researchers from Poland, the Netherlands, Spain, Slovakia, Portugal, Czech Republic, Australia, Ukraine, and Russia analyzed the results of WP2 in the context of the next stages and Work packages of IRNet project – International Research Network

Report on the implementation of WP3 "Analyses and evaluation of the ICT level, e-learning and intercultural development in every participating country" in the framework of the IRNet project

This article, prepared by an international team of authors – researchers from different scientific areas, connected with ICT, e-learning, pedagogy, and other related disciplines – focuses on the objectives and some results of the IRNet international project. In particular, this article describes the research tools, methods and some procedures of the WP3 “Analyses and Evaluation of the ICT Level, E-learning and Intercultural Development in Every Participating Country”: Objectives, Tasks, Deliverables, and implementation of research trips. Except that, the article presents more important events, such as (video)conferences, seminars, workshops, an e-round table debate; among these events are ICTE2014, DLCC2014, “New Educational Strategies in Modern Information Space,” “Hightech information educational environment,” during which some more important results of the project research were presented. The list of publications includes 32 papers and a manuscript with WP3 results. Researchers from Poland, Russia, Ukraine, the Netherlands, Spain, Slovakia, Portugal, Czech Republic and Australia analysed the results of WP3 in the context of the next stages and Work packages of IRNet project – International Research Network