The symbiotic interaction between industry and academia in tertiary education : a case study on internships

The misalignment between the skills learned in tertiary education and the skills demanded by industry is well documented. One of the ways this misalignment can be reduced is through the introduction of an internship phase in degrees. This article identifies the perceived benefits and challenges that internship programmes offer academic staff in a tertiary educational facility. It also determines how feedback from the industry helps shape the curriculum of the degree. A qualitative case study is employed through interviews with various staff working at a tertiary education institution. The data generated is analysed using a thematic approach. The results show that internships not only place value on soft skills but also build a communication channel between the mentors that visit students whilst out on placement and the industry staff that oversee the students during the work-based phase. This mutually beneficial interaction between the industry and the education institution helps the mentors maintain familiarity with the latest technologies adopted in the industry and allows the industry to influence the curriculum of the degrees. Internships were shown to offer a means of advertising the skills gained in academia to the audience that would eventually employ the graduates.peer-reviewe

I want to be a Game Maker : Experiences of digital game making with eleven year olds

The purpose of this study was to empower a mixed group of eleven year old students with the skills to program digital games and then research the stages of development they go through whilst designing and authoring a game. This study also strived to identify the benefits children gained from a gaming literacy perspective. This research used a qualitative case study approach. The analysis of this study was based on multiple data sources: statistics collected from the web portal used during the workshop; informal conversations with the children and teachers helping out with the workshop; participant observation and analysis of the games created. Through the participation in this workshop the children were introduced to the Scratch programming language. The structure of the gaming workshop was influenced by pedagogic approaches to teach creatively for creativity and to introduce programming through a full system approach (Selby 2011). The stages that children go through whilst creating a digital game are similar to a number of phases discussed in previous research (Robertson 2011, Resnick, Maloney et al. 2009). However the stages of development outlined in this research highlight the importance of the social aspect in game development. Group testing not only has an effect on the game being tested but also acts as a source of cross fertilisation of ideas between the students testing the game and the students developing the game. The game making experience provided the students with a possibility to enact their systematic thinking when designing their games as a system made up of interrelated subsystems. Prior gaming experience contributed to the way the games were designed and allowed the students to engage with game making using a playful attitude. The students were competitive yet cooperative whilst making their games. All the games were complete and demonstrated that the children were savvy about multimodality. They created games that were well balanced from the difficulty point of view and that provided the game players with instructions on how to play as well as implemented appropriate feedback mechanisms

Le chiusure scolastiche per Covid-19 mettono sotto i riflettori le disparità di trattamento e altre carenze: Le voci di chi rischia di scivolare tra le maglie del sistema

This study presents five themes which were highlighted by Maltese educators and parents when reflecting on their experience of sustaining the education of their students and children during the COVID-19 pandemic. By capturing these voices, the study seeks to gain insight into how these educators and parents reflected on their practice and daily experiences and how this has impinged on the educational experience of the students.Questo studio presenta cinque argomenti evidenziati dagli educatori e dai genitori maltesi nel riflettere sulla loro esperienza di sostegno all’educazione di studenti e figli durante la pandemia da COVID-19. Nel cogliere queste voci, lo studio mira a raggiungere una migliore prospettiva su come questi educatori e genitori riflettano sulle loro pratiche ed esperienze quotidiane e su come ciò abbia influito sull’esperienza educativa degli studenti stessi

Teachers’ response to the sudden shift to online learning during COVID-19 pandemic : implications for policy and practice

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the eventual closing of schools in March 2020 throughout the world caused major disruptions to the educational experience of all learners. Teaching and learning began to be organised and delivered from within the homes of educators. With little time to prepare and make the necessary arrangements to transfer devices from schools to teachers’ homes, technological investment financed over several years remained largely idle behind the closed doors of school buildings. This paper looks at the experiences of teachers in primary and secondary schools in Malta as they rapidly shifted their work to online modes of teaching and learning during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic. Data gathered through an online questionnaire captured the views of 407 Maltese educators, working with learners aged five to sixteen years. Through a series of open and closed-ended questions, interesting data was yielded on the approaches they were adopting to deliver learning. Findings indicate teachers used both real time and asynchronous approaches. Benefits and disadvantages of both systems emerged from their responses. Rich insights into the challenges educators faced with both modes of remote online instruction are outlined. Maltese teachers’ voices on the support they received from their leaders and school authorities, and the ways they kept track of learning and learners during the times of COVID-19 are presented. The implications of how teachers and schools responded to the emergency shift to technology-mediated schooling, the influence of previous investment and training in the use of digital technologies and the impact on learners and learning are also explored.peer-reviewe

Teacher perspectives on introducing programming constructs through coding mobile-based game to secondary school students

Programming is one of the most important aspects of a Computing course. Teaching programming is a challenging task due to a number of factors, ranging from lack of student problem solving skills to different teaching methods. This paper focuses on Maltese Computing teachers’ perspectives about the difficulties encountered when teaching programming to secondary school students in order to determine whether introducing programming to secondary school students through creating mobile-based games is an effective method to teach programming constructs. A resource pack consisting of various activities using MIT App Inventor 2 was created which incorporated constructivist approaches to teaching. This resource pack was reviewed by the teachers and their feedback was collected by means of a case study. The teachers agreed that developing mobile-based games would be highly stimulating to their students but there were uncertainties how this would affect students with different learning abilities and due to a general lack of computational thinking and problem-solving skills by most students.peer-reviewe

Teaching computing without computers : unplugged computing as a pedagogical strategy

This paper investigates unplugged computing as a formal pedagogical strategy to teaching computing to a Maltese secondary class of Year 9 students. It aims at identifying the effectiveness of this pedagogy outlining the strengths and weaknesses in its application, taking into consideration the level of attainment for students, as well as the impact on teachers’ lesson preparation. This research study is based on the delivery of five unplugged activities. It analyses students’ reaction when exposed to such unplugged activities to assess the viability of using this pedagogy when teaching computing concepts in a formal setting. The study concludes that unplugged computing is an effective pedagogical strategy that helps attain a high level of engage- ment and student involvement, encouraging teamwork and collaboration. Students experience a wide attention span and good retention through the constant link of computing scenarios to real- life examples and the use of tangible non-computing related objects. Notwithstanding, the study also identifies certain limitations of this pedagogy, mainly that it is not sufficient as a standalone pedagogy, but needs to be applied in conjunction with other pedagogies to be able to cover all the expected learning objectives of the curriculum.peer-reviewe

Teachers in Malta, their professional identity and their experience of school closures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic

One of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the way we organised teaching and learning. This case study evaluates the experience of teachers in Malta during the initial stages of school closures and the way they have been forced to adapt their practices in order to meet the needs of their learners and wider communities. Five themes which help to evaluate the re-imagining of teachers’ identities are explored in this research paper: the professional expectations on teachers, the new technological skills and knowledge teachers were expected to acquire, teachers’ stress, teachers’ identity and sense of agency, and teachers’ resilience. This study, using an analysis of desk research, provides an understanding of how the role of teachers in Malta was perceived and how their work processes were transformed. Moreover, the themes that are discussed help to bring to the fore teachers’ narratives of their newly acquired practices, but also a realisation of the need for professional learning and a vision that supports teachers in similarly challenging scenarios. A number of implications which emerge from these themes, in terms of the impact on teachers’ lives, careers and sense of identity, are highlighted, together with recommendations, in the Conclusion, for teachers and teacher educators.peer-reviewe

Formazione interrotta : indagare le esperienze dei docenti nella transizione dalla didattica frontale alla didattica remota d’emergenza durante il lockdown per COVID-19

The COVID-19 lockdown transformed education, forcing teachers accustomed to face-to-face lessons and laboratory use to quickly switch to emergency remote teaching. This study explores how pre-pandemic experience in online learning influenced this transition. Teachers with blended learning experience found it easier to adapt to fully online teaching, despite students' initial enthusiasm for blended learning waning over time. It emerged that students faced a greater workload with online assignments in all subjects. Teachers had to modify their teaching plans, especially for activities requiring laboratories, postponing them until schools reopened. Teachers’ feedback highlights the importance of further professional development in online methodologies and investment in digital tools to compensate for the absence of laboratories. Il lockdown per COVID-19 ha trasformato l'educazione, costringendo gli insegnanti, abituati a lezioni frontali e all'uso di laboratori, a passare rapidamente all'insegnamento remoto d'emergenza. Lo studio esplora come l'esperienza pre-pandemica nell'apprendimento online abbia influenzato questa transizione. Gli insegnanti con esperienza in metodologie blended hanno trovato più agevole adattarsi all'insegnamento completamente online, nonostante l'entusiasmo iniziale degli studenti per il blended learning sia calato nel tempo. È emerso che gli studenti hanno affrontato un carico di lavoro maggiore con l'assegnazione di compiti online in tutte le discipline. Gli insegnanti hanno dovuto modificare i piani didattici, soprattutto per le attività che richiedevano laboratori, rimandandole alla riapertura delle scuole. Il feedback degli insegnanti evidenzia l'importanza di ulteriori sviluppi professionali nell'uso di metodologie online e l’investimento in strumenti digitali per compensare la mancanza di laboratori.peer-reviewe

Coil-Assisted Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration (CARTO) for the Treatment of Portal Hypertensive Variceal Bleeding: Preliminary Results.

ObjectivesTo describe the technical feasibility, safety, and clinical outcomes of coil-assisted retrograde transvenous obliteration (CARTO) in treating portal hypertensive non-esophageal variceal hemorrhage.MethodsFrom October 2012 to December 2013, 20 patients who received CARTO for the treatment of portal hypertensive non-esophageal variceal bleeding were retrospectively evaluated. All 20 patients had at least 6-month follow-up. All patients had detachable coils placed to occlude the efferent shunt and retrograde gelfoam embolization to achieve complete thrombosis/obliteration of varices. Technical success, clinical success, rebleeding, and complications were evaluated at follow-up.ResultsA 100% technical success rate (defined as achieving complete occlusion of efferent shunt with complete thrombosis/obliteration of bleeding varices and/or stopping variceal bleeding) was demonstrated in all 20 patients. Clinical success rate (defined as no variceal rebleeding) was 100%. Follow-up computed tomography after CARTO demonstrated decrease in size with complete thrombosis and disappearance of the varices in all 20 patients. Thirteen out of the 20 had endoscopic confirmation of resolution of varices. Minor post-CARTO complications, including worsening of esophageal varices (not bleeding) and worsening of ascites/hydrothorax, were noted in 5 patients (25%). One patient passed away at 24 days after the CARTO due to systemic and portal venous thrombosis and multi-organ failure. Otherwise, no major complication was noted. No variceal rebleeding was noted in all 20 patients during mean follow-up of 384±154 days.ConclusionsCARTO appears to be a technically feasible and safe alternative to traditional balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration or transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt, with excellent clinical outcomes in treating portal hypertensive non-esophageal variceal bleeding

An International Pilot Study of K-12 Teachers’Computer Science Self-Esteem

Computer Science (CS) is a new subject area for many K-12 teachersaround the world, requiring new disciplinary knowledge and skills.Teacher social-behavioral factors (e.g. self-esteem) have been foundto impact learning and teaching, and a key part of CS curriculumimplementation will need to ensure teachers feel confident to de-liver CS. However, studies about CS teacher self-esteem are lacking.This paper presents an analysis of publicly available data (n=219)from a pilot study using a Teacher CS Self-Esteem scale. Analy-sis revealed significant differences, including 1) females reportedsignificantly lower CS self-esteem than males, 2) primary teachersreported lower levels of CS self-esteem than secondary teachers, 3)those with no CS teaching experience reported significantly lowerCS self-esteem, 4) teachers with 0-3 years experience had a neg-ative CS self-esteem, but after four years, teachers had a positiveCS self-esteem, and 5) teachers who lived further from metropol-itan areas and in some countries reported lower CS self-esteem.These initial findings suggest a pressing need for future researchto look further into teacher CS self-esteem to inform teacher CSprofessional development