Search results for "Learning environment"

Changing World: Changing Pedagogy

2012

The purpose of this chapter is to examine the requirements of the rapidly changing world of work with regard to vocational competences and professional expertise, as well as their pedagogical implications for vocational and higher education. The first part of the chapter deals with recent macro-level trends in the working world in terms of the development of a knowledge society and a network society. On the basis of a brief literature review, a summary of required generic professional competences is presented. The second part focuses on the pedagogical implications of the changing world. First, traditional pedagogical practices which provide little contribution to the development of the kin…

Inquiry-Based Approach and Numerical Simulations: A Powerful Integration in Condensed Matter Physics Education

2020

In this chapter, we present and discuss two inquiry-based learning paths on condensed matter physics topics in which numerical simulations play a relevant role. The first one addresses the study of the electron transport dynamics via simulative explorations in 3D semiconductors. His emphasis is not on student modelling skills, but rather on a chain of reasoned investigations performed within a learning environment aimed at supporting a valuable understanding of the physics concepts underlying the complex world of semiconductor electronics. The second learning path is a 5E-cycle-based workshop of advanced physics targeted to strengthen student’s understanding of the various aspects of the Ha…

Considering Learners’ Perceptions in Designing Effective 21st Century Learning Environments for Basic Education in Finland

2014

Focusing on so called Key Competences or 21st Century Skills urges educational organizations to redesign their psychosocial and physical learning environments. Inspired by studies indicating that considering learners’ perceptions of learning environments can have a positive impact on learning and wellbeing, our study aims at developing design principles for involving learners in the learning environment design. This pilot case study analyzed 7- to 14-years old Finns’ (n = 80) perceptions by using web questionnaires and design workshops. The results are in line with research indicating that Finnish learners value aspects such as safety and peacefulness, the possibilities for rest and physica…

2019

This article analyses the design, implementation, and evaluation of a nation-wide project to create a common digital solution for university teaching staff’s pedagogical training in Finland. During three years, eight universities collaborated in developing an online learning platform called UNIPS, the University Pedagogical Support system. The areas to develop were A) a learning platform based on technical design principles, B) pedagogical principles, and C) broadening the scope of offered studies. The results have been promising. With a carefully planned timetable, all participating universities were able to produce, test, and offer UNIPS modules in collaboration with other universities …

Use of ICT Teaching-Learning Methods make School Math Blossom

2012

Abstract Our society often talks that their kids at school are taught using old educational methods. It is boring for kids and they lose interest in learning. New generation of kids are different – more provocative, intuitive, sensitive, mental, in some cases more aggressive than previous generations. That is what parents and teachers now see. Therefore the aims of nowadays education demand to choose educational methods promoting active process of cognition that develop skills of learning, creative use of knowledge, skills of self-assessment, cooperation, indulgence to different points of view. Interactive educational methods help to realize those tasks and provide cooperation among teacher…

Effective digital collaboration in the construction industry – A case study of BIM deployment in a hospital construction project

2015

We examine a case of successful integrated BIM-based design in a construction project.We present a set of key factors influential to enable digital collaboration in this project.Key factors identified include: change agents, new roles, cloud computing, contracts, etc.We found integrated design to depend upon changing traditional work practices.The case is an example of BIM implementation and collaborative work in the AEC industry. Building information modeling (BIM) and related digital innovations can serve as a catalyst for more transparency, tighter integration, and increased productivity in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. Yet, many project teams struggle with ho…

Co-evolution between trust in teachers and higher education toward digitally-rich learning environments

2017

Based on a powerful notion that the quality of higher education is crucial for innovation in digital economy and that such quality is subject to a conception of trust in teachers to deliver good education and advancement of information and communication technology (ICT), the dynamism of co-evolution between them was analyzed. Using a unique dataset representing the above system consisting of the rate of trust in teachers providing good education in the context of quality of education and their social status, of the level of higher education and the state of ICT advancement toward digitally-rich learning environments, an empirical numerical analysis of 20 countries was attempted. These count…

Factors related to study success in engineering education

2005

Recent studies on student learning in higher education have paid attention to the relationships between characteristics of the learning environment and students' study orientations and study success. The purpose of the present paper is to examine these relationships in university level engineering education. The data were collected from Lappeenranta University of Technology, Finland, by means of an Internet survey (n=394). Grade point average, credits per semester and students' qualitative evaluation of their learning outcomes were used as indicators of study success. The findings of the study indicate that students' perceptions of their learning environment were related to their study orie…

Moderating Role of Gender in the Performance of Moodle Questionnaires in an Introductory Accounting Course

2016

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to present the results of Moodle questionnaires in an introductory Accounting Course taught in the University of Valencia. This learning platform is new for our University so there is a need to create new resources and plan how to use them in the continuous assessment system. The teacher developed eight questionnaires and assigned 10% of the final mark to the performance of students in these questionnaires. This pioneer experience was carried out in a group of 53 students, 46 of which followed this methodology. Our results show that gender is significantly associated to this fact, i.e. women tend to participate more in this activity and the final exam m…

An Application of Ant Colony Optimization to Decision Making on Affective Virtual Entities

2007

Learning is a never ending activity for humans; it takes place everywhere and even when we do not realize. However, current learning environments make students deal with lectures, mostly associated with low control of the situation and implicit motivation. In contrast, previous researches have shown that sports, games or hobbies are activities that make people reach optimal experiences where self-motivation, control of the situation, high level of concentration and enjoyment are present. Some current efforts to design next generation of learning environments make use of ubiquitous systems to encourage students to perform learning activities everywhere and at anytime. However, those approach…