scholarly journals Quality for online language courses – a coaching program for teachers

Author(s):  
Kirsi Korkealehto

Finnish universities of applied sciences are building a shared digital course offering, and therefore, digital pedagogy and teachers’ competences are being developed via the eAMK project which provides a nationwide coaching program. The program started early in 2018 to ensure that the staff competence in digital pedagogy is timely and that the quality of the courses offered through CampusOnline.fi is consistent and as high as possible. Language teachers take part in the coaching program as a subgroup in which the focus is on language specific topics and issues. The aim was to cover all language competences and to offer suitable digital solutions for them all. The coaching program includes webinars, online and face-to-face meetings, and guidance and workshops. The participating language teachers considered the coaching program beneficial; especially peer feedback, webinars, and workshops were regarded as supportive. The sessions were arranged according to the teachers’ timetables which enabled regular participation.

Author(s):  
Sigitas DAUKILAS ◽  
Rita KEIBIENĖ

The relevance of this research is based on the standpoint of the epistemological methodology focusing on the quality of the profession cognition. Therefore, it is presumed that the quality of vocational education is determined by the variable personality traits of teachers (extraversion, openness towards experience and innovation, consciousness, agreeableness, neuroticism). The research object of the current study is the correlation between the personality traits of university of applied sciences teachers and vocational teachers and the curriculum components. The research aims at identifying the correlation between the motives of vocational school and university of applied sciences teacher activities, educational technologies they use, professional roles and their personality traits, as well as identifying the essential differences of the mentioned variables. The quantitative and qualitative research strategies were employed allowing the researchers to perceive and assess the parameters of the correlation between the professional identity of teachers, meaningfulness in pedagogical work, motivation and educational content. The research results revealed that the social, extrinsic, introjected and identified regulation motivation in vocational schools and universities of applied sciences vary considerably; in universities of applied sciences social and identified regulation motivations manifest themselves, whereas in vocational schools a lot of demotivating factors related to the problems of vocational student identity, career prestige of a vocational teacher and external motivation, are observed. The role of vocational school and university of applied sciences teachers in the didactic process also varies: university of applied sciences lecturers identify themselves in the position of the teacher-andragogue, whereas vocational school teachers see their role as a professional (expert). Moreover, the principles of social constructivism in pedagogy and andragogy are more effective among university of applied sciences lecturers, while vocational school teachers often have to rely on the behaviouristic principles of pedagogy for educational assessment and the enhancement of student motivation.


Author(s):  
Upasana Gitanjali Singh ◽  
Chenicheri Sid Nair

The COVID pandemic raises several questions in terms of the adaptability of the higher education sector and its readiness to act , while providing the same quality of delivery as face-to-face classes. This mixed method study investigated academic perceptions of the forced change of delivery and the effects on the quality of teaching, learning, and assessment. This study identified that many African academics, though not having formal training in digital pedagogy, rated themselves as more than average in their ability to adopt technology for the online environment. The most effective online tools adopted during this crisis was Zoom and WhatsApp with the LMS tools mostly adopted for assessment purposes. The major factors that affected African students' ability to engage online included lack of access to connectivity and devices, technological competency, and emotional and social factors. The study reinforced the need to consider all the pillars proposed by the Khan framework.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (12) ◽  
pp. 97-99
Author(s):  
Chunli Cai

In recent years, with the expansion and extension of China’s free trade platform, construction has gradually developed toward Southeast Asia and South Asia, thus resulting in the phenomena whereby Thai language courses have become more common and more universities have begun to cultivate Thai language majors. In this process, improving the effectiveness of Thai courses has become the key; therefore, schools and Thai language teachers should pay attention to this. In order to achieve the language teaching goal put forward by the Ministry of Education, it is necessary to accelerate the development of Thai courses in universities and explore a new development path for them, so that the teaching quality of Thai courses can be guaranteed. Based on this, this paper mainly discusses the development history of the curriculum of Thai language courses in universities.


2015 ◽  
pp. 27-28
Author(s):  
Hans De Wit

Universities of Applied Sciences in The Netherlands are facing severe criticism from media and politicians about their performance. The main issues are the quality of their degrees, including accusations of diploma fraud, high dropout rates and poor graduation rates. This negative perception of the current performance of Dutch universities of applied sciences should be understood in the context of reform of Dutch higher education and of the demands of the global knowledge society. In comparison with the universities of applied sciences in other countries, which earlier and more gradually have adapted to the requirements from the professional field, Dutch universities of applied sciences face a difficult time. The danger might be that the distance to the research universities and to the universities of applied sciences in other countries is increasing rather than decreasing, and this might impact negatively the still strong reputation of several of its programs. The sector cannot ignore that there is a serious quality issue, which is difficult to solve due to years of ignoring to address the changes that the knowledge economy requires.


Author(s):  
Abdul Rauf ◽  
Hanna Rahma Abdelwahab ◽  
Dadi Chen ◽  
Peter Birdsall

Students at universities of applied sciences (UAS) tend to overlook the importance of using scientific literature in their final year projects (FYP), which could affect the quality of their research. This paper explores how UAS students use scientific publications and theories/research frameworks for empirical research in their FYPs. Data were collected from 1) questionnaire completed by 31 final-year and recently graduated students, and 31 academic supervisors and Research Methods teachers, and 2) evaluation of 18 FYPs in an international UAS in the Netherlands. The samples were randomly selected from the university’s formal database (i.e., sampling frame). The analysis of the data led to the discovery of some key factors, such as lack of knowledge in selecting literature, inability to conduct an effective literature review and inability to develop a suitable conceptual/theoretical framework, which hindered the engagement of UAS students with scientific literature. Students’ lack of knowledge in conducting a literature review limited the quality of their final year projects and they need specialized workshops to develop their skills in literature research and critical analysis.


Author(s):  
S. G. Grigoriev ◽  
M. V. Kurnosenko ◽  
A. M. Kostyuk

The article discusses possible forms of educational STEM projects in the field of electronics and device control using Arduino controllers. As you know, the implementation of such STEM projects can be carried out not only using various electronic constructors, but also using virtual modeling environments. The knowledge obtained during modeling in virtual environments makes it possible to increase the efficiency of face-to-face practical training with a real constructor, and to improve the quality of students’ knowledge. The use of virtual modeling environments in combination with the use of real constructors provides links between distance and full-time learning. A real constructors can be used simultaneously by both the teacher and the student, jointly practicing the features of solving practical problems. The article provides examples of using a virtual environment for preliminary prototyping of circuits available in the documentation for electronic constructors, to familiarize students with the basics of designing and assembling electronic circuits using the surface mounting method and on a breadboard, as well as programming controllers on the Arduino platform that control electronic devices. This approach allows students to accelerate the assimilation of various interdisciplinary knowledge in the field of natural sciences using STEM design.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Desy Damayanti ◽  
Adin Fauzi ◽  
Azizatul Mahfida Inayati

Among some components of effective language classroom, learning materials indisputably play a focal role. They improve the quality of language teaching; facilitate teachers in doing their duties, and lead students to a higher level of understanding in learning. This research aims to discuss the notion of materials in language teaching. It made use of works of literature to outline the importance of materials in language teaching, and to analyze kinds of materials, which are relevant to language teaching. The analysis resulted in the classification of materials into two broad categories namely (1) created materials, which include course book, audio materials, and video materials; and (2) authentic materials, which cover authentic texts, movie/film, radio broadcasting, television program, graphs, maps, tables, and charts. This paper serves as an invaluable resource to facilitate language teachers in selecting appropriate materials for effective language teaching.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eny Puspita Ningrum

Education is an important thing that has become a necessity for every human being in order to achieve a better quality of life. Education cannot be separated from the educational curriculum, which is where the curriculum continues to develop following every development of society and technological advances. The curriculum is the heart of education and is dynamic in nature where the curriculum must always be updated or changed. From this curriculum reform and change, it is a challenge for teachers to continue to innovate to improve the quality of education. By using a qualitative research method a case study approach, it is hoped that it can explain the real picture that is being experienced by the teacher at SMK Ibnu Sina. which focuses on the Sharia Banking major due to changes in the adjusted curriculum because the world is being faced by COVID-19. In the era of COVID-19, the educational curriculum must be adjusted, which in the beginning learning can be face-to-face now has turned into a distance learning online learning model.


Author(s):  
Mariek Vanden Abeele

Recent empirical work suggests that phubbing, a term used to describe the practice of snubbing someone with a phone during a face-to-face social interaction, harms the quality of social relationships. Based on a comprehensive literature review, this chapter presents a framework that integrates three concurrent mechanisms that explain the relational impact of phubbing: expectancy violations, ostracism, and attentional conflict. Based on this framework, theoretically grounded propositions are formulated that may serve as guidelines for future research on these mechanisms, the conditions under which they operate, and a number of potential issues that need to be considered to further validate and extend the framework.


RELC Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 003368822098527
Author(s):  
Benjamin Luke Moorhouse ◽  
Yanna Li ◽  
Steve Walsh

Interaction is seen by many English language teachers and scholars as an essential part of face-to-face English language classrooms. Teachers require specific competencies to effectively use interaction as a tool for mediating and assisting learning. These can be referred to as classroom interactional competence (CIC). However, the situation created by the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic which began in early 2020, and the recent advancement in technologies have led to teachers conducting synchronous online lessons through video-conferencing software. The online environment is distinctly different from the face-to-face classroom and teachers require new and additional skills to effectively utilise interaction online in real time. This exploratory study used an online mixed-method survey of 75 university level English language teachers who had engaged in synchronous online teaching due to COVID-19, to explore the competencies that teachers need to use interaction as a tool to mediate and assist language learning in synchronous online lessons. Teachers were found to require three competencies, in addition to their CIC – technological competencies, online environment management competencies, and online teacher interactional competencies – which together constitute e-CIC. The findings provide greater insights into the needs of teachers required to teach synchronously online and will be of interest to teachers and teacher educators.


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