Video Augmentation in Education: in-context support for learners through prerequisite graphs

The field of education is experiencing a massive digitisation process that has been ongoing for the past decade. The role played by distance learning and Video-Based Learning, which is even more reinforced by the pandemic crisis, has become an established reality. However, the typical features of video consumption, such as sequential viewing and viewing time proportional to duration, often lead to sub-optimal conditions for the use of video lessons in the process of acquisition, retrieval and consolidation of learning contents. Video augmentation can prove to be an effective support to learners, allowing a more flexible exploration of contents, a better understanding of concepts and relationships between concepts and an optimization of time required for video consumption at different stages of the learning process. This thesis focuses therefore on the study of methods for: 1) enhancing video capabilities through video augmentation features; 2) extracting concept and relationships from video materials; 3) developing intelligent user interfaces based on the knowledge extracted. The main research goal is to understand to what extent video augmentation can improve the learning experience. This research goal inspired the design of EDURELL Framework, within which two applications were developed to enable the testing of augmented methods and their provision. The novelty of this work lies in using the knowledge within the video, without exploiting external materials, to exploit its educational potential. The enhancement of the user interface takes place through various support features among which in particular a map that progressively highlights the prerequisite relationships between the concepts as they are explained, i.e., following the advancement of the video. The proposed approach has been designed following a user-centered iterative approach and the results in terms of effect and impact on video comprehension and learning experience make a contribution to the research in this field

An investigation of the effect of a short ICT training intervention on teachers' ability to integrate ICT into their teaching practice.

In this study I wished to understand whether my short-term training intervention enabled teachers to design and implement a lesson in which technology is effectively integrated. Participants were 22 teachers, some of whom held positions on their school’s management team, and 80 learners from 4 districts of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education. Teachers in the province have been trained in computer literacy; however, sadly, this did not automatically translate into classroom ICT integration. Overall, teachers do not integrate technology into their teaching. A number of reasons for this are identified. People involved in integrating technologies into the teaching and learning process have to be convinced of the value of the technologies, be comfortable with them, and be skilled in using them. Therefore, a short-term training intervention was designed to test whether it can benefit teachers by enhancing teaching and learning through communication and collaboration, by means of ICT. The results revealed that the teachers on the training programme gained knowledge of how to integrate ICT, that they collaborated, that their pedagogy also changed, and that their learners felt that their learning was improved. To ensure realistic and holistic solutions for policymakers, district and school officials, the factors that prevent teachers from making full use of ICT were also iterated. Detailed results and implications of the results are discussed

The Effects of a Maternal Childhood Lead-Poisoning Education Program on Knowledge, Health Beliefs, and Compliance

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of two educational intervention methods on participant\u27s knowledge, health beliefs and prevention behavior as they relate to childhood lead poisoning. The two educational methods being used in the study are personal instruction by the investigator and a 12-minute video developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics on childhood lead poisoning. Information contained in both educational tools is identical. In particular, this study seeks to determine if one educational intervention was more effective than the other. The final purpose of the study is to test the Health Belief Model by examining the effects of knowledge and health beliefs on prevention at posttest in both groups. The study employs an adapted version of Russell\u27s (1991) Childhood Injury Prevention Instrument which was developed using constructs of the Health Belief Model. The sample of 50 women was 94% African American, 4% Caucasian and 2% other race individuals. The majority of the sample (64%) report a total family income of under $10,000 per year. Approximately 82\% of the sample are unmarried and 38\% report having at least a high school education, Most of the subjects were between 19--24 years of age (34\%). All of the participants utilize Women and Infant Children (WIC) clinics within the local health department. Overall, the study finds a statistically significant difference in pre and post prevention behavior p \u3c.05 within each intervention group. An increase in posttest knowledge is also shown to be statistically significant at p \u3c.05 within each group. Only two subscales of the Health Belief Model are shown to be statistically significant at p \u3c.05 at posttest: perceived seriousness and perceived barriers. No differences are seen between the two types of instruction received on prevention behavior, knowledge or health beliefs. Finally, knowledge and health beliefs were not found to be predictors of compliance at posttest

A randomized control trial investigating the effects of a play-informed care-giver implemented home-based intervention on playfulness for HIV positive children aged 10 months to 8 years on HAART from a low socio-economic status

Introduction: Play is foundational to learning and well-being, and prepares children for functional participation later in life. Playfulness forms a critical aspect to play, and describes a general disposition to play. There is currently no reported research study on playfulness levels for children with HIV/AIDS. The play needs of this population are therefore not adequately understood. The play-informed caregiver implemented home-based intervention (PICIHBI) was developed by pediatric occupational therapists as part of occupation-centred occupational therapy practice. PICIHBI appears to have potential for promoting play and development in children with HIV/AIDS who have been on Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Treatment (HAART) since early childhood. The current study forms part of a larger project investigating the effects of a play-informed caregiver implemented home-based intervention on participation outcomes for HIV positive children on HAART and living in families with low socio-economic status (SES). Objectives: This study aimed to establish a playfulness profile for HIV positive children on HAART as well as compare differences in playfulness between children with HIV on HAART since early childhood attending traditional one-on-one occupational therapy, and those attending PICIHBI

University students' use of technologies in China

Much has been written in the last few years about 'Net Generation' students in western industrial advanced countries (e.g. Kennedy et al. 2007; Salaway et al. 2008; Jones et al. 2010). However little is known about these students and their use of technologies at universities in China. As one of the first empirical studies of the Net Generation university students' use of technologies in mainland China, a survey was administered to students across eight disciplines in one university during May-July 2010. The aim was to understand how university students in mainland China use technologies in their daily lives and to support their learning. In total, 2920 students completed the survey and 29 students participated in the follow up interviews. The results indicate that students are not naturally competent with technologies and there is a diverse range in students' experiences with technologies even within the age group. There are statistically significant differences in students' access and skill levels with ICT across gender, disciplines and year of study. Students are frequent users of instant messaging (1M), blogs and social networking sites (SNS). Nevertheless, the use of more recent web 2.0 technologies that are often associated with this generation is relatively low. There are also an increasing number of students who access the Internet via their mobile devices. Computers and the Internet have not been fully integrated into the university system, and most students use computers and the Internet for social and leisure purposes more than for learning. More in-depth investigation into students' technology practice is essential in developing appropriate guidance towards a digital culture at university in China

MY BODY GOES NUMB A LOT OF THE TIME : EXAMINING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT-ATHLETE EXPERIENCES USING YOUTH PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH AND EMBODIED CULTURALLY RELEVANT PEDAGOGY

For many students, the classroom represents a place of oppression, stress, and routine, in which their voices are silenced and they are expected to sit still, listen, take notes, and regurgitate the arbitrary information their teachers share (Freire, 1970/2000; Robinson & Aronica, 2015). Conversely, for many youth, sports are a source of joy, self-expression, creativity, and empowerment that naturally capture their interest and engagement (Duncan-Andrade, 2010; Spooner, 2002). Unfortunately, our education system fails to utilize the passion student-athletes demonstrate for sports to motivate them in the classroom. The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences of high school student-athletes in both academics and athletics, specifically focusing on their engagement in each setting. I enacted a youth participatory action research (YPAR) project at a rural high school in Northern California, in which I worked directly with student-athletes as co-researchers from July to December 2021. As a team, we developed a protocol for semi-structured one-on-one interviews and focus groups with their student-athlete peers to center their voices in the research and accurately document their experiences and ideas for change. Through the lens of embodied culturally relevant pedagogy, this project provided a space for student-athletes to envision and voice their ideas for a pedagogy that would more deeply engage the student-athlete population in school. The findings support that embodied culturally relevant pedagogy would serve to improve student-athlete behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement in the learning process. This study also calls attention to the potential for YPAR to be utilized to jumpstart student engagement, as this methodology embodies the pedagogical practices that student-athletes in this study requested for their education. Lessons for future applications of YPAR and the need for structural, systemic change are discussed

New Game Physics - Added Value for Transdisciplinary Teams

This study focused on game physics, an area of computer game design where physics is applied in interactive computer software. The purpose of the research was a fresh analysis of game physics in order to prove that its current usage is limited and requires advancement. The investigations presented in this dissertation establish constructive principles to advance game physics design. The main premise was that transdisciplinary approaches provide significant value. The resulting designs reflected combined goals of game developers, artists and physicists and provide novel ways to incorporate physics into games. The applicability and user impact of such new game physics across several target audiences was thoroughly examined. In order to explore the transdisciplinary nature of the premise, valid evidence was gathered using a broad range of theoretical and practical methodologies. The research established a clear definition of game physics within the context of historical, technological, practical, scientific, and artistic considerations. Game analysis, literature reviews and seminal surveys of game players, game developers and scientists were conducted. A heuristic categorization of game types was defined to create an extensive database of computer games and carry out a statistical analysis of game physics usage. Results were then combined to define core principles for the design of unconventional new game physics elements. Software implementations of several elements were developed to examine the practical feasibility of the proposed principles. This research prototype was exposed to practitioners (artists, game developers and scientists) in field studies, documented on video and subsequently analyzed to evaluate the effectiveness of the elements on the audiences. The findings from this research demonstrated that standard game physics is a common but limited design element in computer games. It was discovered that the entertainment driven design goals of game developers interfere with the needs of educators and scientists. Game reviews exemplified the exaggerated and incorrect physics present in many commercial computer games. This “pseudo physics” was shown to have potentially undesired effects on game players. Art reviews also indicated that game physics technology remains largely inaccessible to artists. The principal conclusion drawn from this study was that the proposed new game physics advances game design and creates value by expanding the choices available to game developers and designers, enabling artists to create more scientifically robust artworks, and encouraging scientists to consider games as a viable tool for education and research. The practical portion generated tangible evidence that the isolated “silos” of engineering, art and science can be bridged when game physics is designed in a transdisciplinary way. This dissertation recommends that scientific and artistic perspectives should always be considered when game physics is used in computer-based media, because significant value for a broad range of practitioners in succinctly different fields can be achieved. The study has thereby established a state of the art research into game physics, which not only offers other researchers constructive principles for future investigations, but also provides much-needed new material to address the observed discrepancies in game theory and digital media design

Barriers and bridges : child participation, second-language learning and the cognitive development of the young child

The purpose of the research was to look critically at the language development of the young second-language learner within their social context, in relation to theory and practice (praxis), using as a ‘lens’, “the right to participation” (UNCRC General Comment No 12, 2009). Language and communication were seen by the researcher as fundamental to the child’s ‘right to participate’ as ‘agents of their own life’ (General Comment No 7, 2005) as they engage in meaning-making with others, both at home and at school. The research was conducted as a Case Study within a Pre-Primary School over a three month period, with the lead-researcher involving the teachers as co-researchers. A Participatory Action Research methodology was used, within a praxeological conceptual framework. Parents and their young children (between the ages of 2 – 6 years) were participants in the research. Ways were explored to build ‘bridges’ to overcome perceived ‘barriers’ to the children’s participation. Various data collection techniques were used, including the Persona Doll approach, the Mosaic Approach, Documentation of Learning and Learning Story Books. The results of the research were increased awareness of the value of inclusive practices that place a value on diversity and which actively support and promote the use of the mother tongue, as well as the learning of English as a second language. In the course of the research, it was seen as important for adults (parents or teachers) to support the learning of concepts in the mother tongue or in English by verbalizing for the child, while engaging in the process of meaning-making. The ‘choice’ to use English in preference over the mother tongue became apparent. Therefore the research methodology was seen as an important way to develop ‘critical, reflective practice’ amongst the teachers and to create partnerships with the parents. The aim was to strive towards ‘phronesis’ or wise practice, using as a ‘lens’ for critical reflection, the child’s ‘right to participation’ (UNCRC General Comment No 12, 2009).Psychology of EducationM. Ed. (Educational Psychology

Rewind Italia: Early Video Art in Italy

Published in association with AHRC funded research projects REWIND–Italia Artists Video in Italy in 70s and 80s. "Italy was a vibrant center of video art production and experimentation throughout the 1970s and 1980s, attracting artists from all over the world and laying the foundation for video art as a concept in the global art and film communities. With vibrant illustrations, compelling interviews, and essays by leading scholars in the field, this collection highlights Italy's key place in the history of video as an art form.

A liberal arts education in film production: Instructional assessment of student film projects

This study examined the educational process of instructors teaching film and video production in higher education. Little research has been dedicated to this field of study. As technology advances and the cost of equipment recedes, educational programs in film and video production will experience growth, transformation, and population. Educational leadership and faculty responsible for these programs experience pressure to stay current with trends and technology while building and maintaining these types of programs; thus, the examination of these programs’ structures and practices are worthwhile endeavors. In addition, expanded markets for educated professionals in film and video production are being sought not only by the motion picture industry, but also by locally and globally focused businesses that are also searching for film and video production specialists capable of projecting brands and telling the story of such organizations. Film and video production is a balance of creative collaboration and technical competencies. It has also been suggested that film and video production is built upon complex processes that incorporate higher order thinking skills. An avenue for the attainment and refinement of these types of skills is found in a liberal arts education. Thus, it is important to explore how moving image content producers are educated regarding liberal arts outcomes. This qualitative study focused on how instructors teaching film and video production are embedding the goals of a liberal arts education in their programs. The assessment process was examined by employing a collective case study of participants with experience instructing film and video production while assessing liberal arts outcomes. The unique perspectives that were offered by the participants in this study produced findings that suggest a variety of methods are required to assess the complexities of both the filmmaking process and the projected liberal arts learning outcomes. Three categories of specific inquiry framed the data collection process: foundational information of assessment, assessment of liberal arts domains and assessment of the “4C’s” (Communication, Creativity, Collaboration, Critical Thinking). Themes and categories emerged from the data offered by the participants. Bloom’s Taxonomy Revised (2001) was applied as a theoretical framework to further examine the data. This lens produced discussion and analysis that led to grouping individual liberal arts outcomes with processes, actions and key indicators used to measure these outcomes. The findings highlighted the challenges and successes that participants had with the assessment process. Implications for practice addressed the following themes. First is administrative leadership, which focuses on institutional leadership and the challenges that instructors have with assessment in film and video production education. Strategies are highlighted which suggest specific administrative support is needed to yield more effective and efficient results with assessment in this field. Second is the need to address the formal educational process of instructors teaching in film and video production programs in higher education. Third is classroom instruction, which includes tips, techniques and methods that are used in the assessment process of film and video production. Several recommendations were offered for future studies. One, in particular, addresses the previous concern of the lack of formal research in this field. Foundational evidence and guidance is also provided regarding continued examination of instruction, assessment and student learning in the field of film and video production education