scholarly journals To the Dissertation and Beyond: Independent Study in the New Undergraduate Curriculum

2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Ainley
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Undergraduate Curriculum ◽  
Independent Study ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Communications Technology ◽  
Social Changes ◽  
The Past ◽  
Fields Of Study ◽  
New Information ◽  
New Knowledge

Over the past 30 years social changes have taken place which makes the dialogue of teachers with students as the essential preserve of the higher educational community difficult. This is not only the case for the new universities that have made the most efforts to widen participation. With the decline of industry and the expansion of services, a reformation of social class has re-designated many jobs in what has become the ‘working-middle’ of society as professional occupations requiring higher qualifications. Partly in response to this pressure for certification, many young people are leaving school and college later with supposedly higher standards but often trained rather than educated, or “over schooled but undereducated” (A. Ainley, and Allen 2010). Training to meet externally verified competences is also extending into higher education. Paradoxically, considering the hopes invested in it, new information and communications technology has not necessarily helped. While ICT allows access to a mass of information, it has also facilitated a culture of plagiarism and undermined existing expertise by multiplying the possibly verifiable criteria for new knowledge. On top of all this, academics have also often not helped themselves by designing courses which make a virtue of student choice from a range of options that may even deny the possibility of students constructing coherent conceptual totalities related to their fields of study.

scholarly journals How Prefrail Older People Living Alone Perceive Information and Communications Technology and What They Would Ask a Robot for: Qualitative Study

10.2196/13228 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (8) ◽  
pp. e13228
Author(s):  
Katia Daniele ◽  
Maura Marcucci ◽  
Cesarina Cattaneo ◽  
Nunzio Alberto Borghese ◽  
Lucia Zannini
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Older People ◽  
Everyday Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Advanced Technology ◽  
Living Alone ◽  
Communications Technology ◽  
The Past

Background In the last decade, the family system has changed significantly. Although in the past, older people used to live with their children, nowadays, they cannot always depend on assistance of their relatives. Many older people wish to remain as independent as possible while remaining in their homes, even when living alone. To do so, there are many tasks that they must perform to maintain their independence in everyday life, and above all, their well-being. Information and communications technology (ICT), particularly robotics and domotics, could play a pivotal role in aging, especially in contemporary society, where relatives are not always able to accurately and constantly assist the older person. Objective The aim of this study was to understand the needs, preferences, and views on ICT of some prefrail older people who live alone. In particular, we wanted to explore their attitude toward a hypothetical caregiver robot and the functions they would ask for. Methods We designed a qualitative study based on an interpretative phenomenological approach. A total of 50 potential participants were purposively recruited in a big town in Northern Italy and were administered the Fried scale (to assess the participants’ frailty) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (to evaluate the older person’s capacity to comprehend the interview questions). In total, 25 prefrail older people who lived alone participated in an individual semistructured interview, lasting approximately 45 min each. Overall, 3 researchers independently analyzed the interviews transcripts, identifying meaning units, which were later grouped in clustering of themes, and finally in emergent themes. Constant triangulation among researchers and their reflective attitude assured trustiness. Results From this study, it emerged that a number of interviewees who were currently using ICT (ie, smartphones) did not own a computer in the past, or did not receive higher education, or were not all young older people (aged 65-74 years). Furthermore, we found that among the older people who described their relationship with ICT as negative, many used it in everyday life. Referring to robotics, the interviewees appeared quite open-minded. In particular, robots were considered suitable for housekeeping, for monitoring older people’s health and accidental falls, and for entertainment. Conclusions Older people’s use and attitudes toward ICT does not always seem to be related to previous experiences with technological devices, higher education, or lower age. Furthermore, many participants in this study were able to use ICT, even if they did not always acknowledge it. Moreover, many interviewees appeared to be open-minded toward technological devices, even toward robots. Therefore, proposing new advanced technology to a group of prefrail people, who are self-sufficient and can live alone at home, seems to be feasible.

scholarly journals How Prefrail Older People Living Alone Perceive Information and Communications Technology and What They Would Ask a Robot for: Qualitative Study (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katia Daniele ◽  
Maura Marcucci ◽  
Cesarina Cattaneo ◽  
Nunzio Alberto Borghese ◽  
Lucia Zannini
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Older People ◽  
Everyday Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Advanced Technology ◽  
Living Alone ◽  
Communications Technology ◽  
The Past

BACKGROUND In the last decade, the family system has changed significantly. Although in the past, older people used to live with their children, nowadays, they cannot always depend on assistance of their relatives. Many older people wish to remain as independent as possible while remaining in their homes, even when living alone. To do so, there are many tasks that they must perform to maintain their independence in everyday life, and above all, their well-being. Information and communications technology (ICT), particularly robotics and domotics, could play a pivotal role in aging, especially in contemporary society, where relatives are not always able to accurately and constantly assist the older person. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to understand the needs, preferences, and views on ICT of some prefrail older people who live alone. In particular, we wanted to explore their attitude toward a hypothetical caregiver robot and the functions they would ask for. METHODS We designed a qualitative study based on an interpretative phenomenological approach. A total of 50 potential participants were purposively recruited in a big town in Northern Italy and were administered the Fried scale (to assess the participants’ frailty) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (to evaluate the older person’s capacity to comprehend the interview questions). In total, 25 prefrail older people who lived alone participated in an individual semistructured interview, lasting approximately 45 min each. Overall, 3 researchers independently analyzed the interviews transcripts, identifying meaning units, which were later grouped in clustering of themes, and finally in emergent themes. Constant triangulation among researchers and their reflective attitude assured trustiness. RESULTS From this study, it emerged that a number of interviewees who were currently using ICT (ie, smartphones) did not own a computer in the past, or did not receive higher education, or were not all young older people (aged 65-74 years). Furthermore, we found that among the older people who described their relationship with ICT as negative, many used it in everyday life. Referring to robotics, the interviewees appeared quite open-minded. In particular, robots were considered suitable for housekeeping, for monitoring older people’s health and accidental falls, and for entertainment. CONCLUSIONS Older people’s use and attitudes toward ICT does not always seem to be related to previous experiences with technological devices, higher education, or lower age. Furthermore, many participants in this study were able to use ICT, even if they did not always acknowledge it. Moreover, many interviewees appeared to be open-minded toward technological devices, even toward robots. Therefore, proposing new advanced technology to a group of prefrail people, who are self-sufficient and can live alone at home, seems to be feasible.

scholarly journals Use of ICT to Enhance the Learning Process in Higher Education

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 97-102
Author(s):  
Chetlal Prasad ◽  
Pushpa Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Information And Communication Technology ◽  
Communication Technology ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Communications Technology ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Teaching Learning

ICTs in Education refers to the development of information and communications technology specifically for teaching/learning purposes, while the ICTs in education involves the adoption of general components of information and communication technologies in the teaching learning process. The National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology (NME-ICT), launched in 2009 by the Central Government. Let’s see how Information and Communication Technology (ICT) evolved the Higher Education system: The role of ICT in higher education, what students learn, The role of ICT in Higher Education, how Students Learn, The role of ICT in Higher Education, when students learn, The role of ICT in higher education, where students learn. Online courses, development of e-content, e-learning, digital libraries, online encyclopaedias, journals, and books would promote learning and make knowledge available to all irrespective of the distance or location or financial resources. Government intervention is necessary so that ICT can be made successful in higher education. Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has the proven power to change the world. This acronym refers to the merging of audiovisual and telephone networks with the computer single unified system of cabling.

scholarly journals Relational Aspects between ICT and the Modernization of Differentiated and Individualized Teaching of Foreign Languages in Higher Education

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-35
Author(s):  
Brânduşa-Oana Niculescu ◽  
Georgeta Obilişteanu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Educational Theory ◽  
Individualized Instruction ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Foreign Languages ◽  
Communications Technology ◽  
Advanced Technologies ◽  
Modern Methods ◽  
Individualized Teaching

Abstract The amplitude of the interest and of the concerns related to the identification and the setting of the foundation necessary for perfecting higher education increasingly brings the adjustment of didactic activities to the students’ particularities to the attention of educational theory and practice, with a view to forming and developing their personality. The necessity and utilization of differentiating learning through modern methods specific to an efficient didactic methodology requires the adaptation of higher education to new modalities of organization and development, combined with knowledge adjusted to the particularities of the students’ personality. The rethinking and reconsideration of the didactic activities from this perspective also benefits from the opportunities provided by the facilities of the new scientific breakthroughs in the field of technology. Therefore, making differentiated and individualized instruction efficient by using advanced technologies represents one of the challenges of updating teaching foreign languages within higher education. Being a major component, the information and communications technology (ICT) opens new and significant opportunities, as well solutions for enhancing the level of the outcomes obtained by students in the differentiated and individualized education of foreign languages. Approaching several aspects specific to the implementation of ICT in the didactic activities pertains to the theoretical, methodological and praxiological preoccupations that aim at diversifying and increasing the obvious advantages offered by differentiated instruction in higher education.

scholarly journals Objetos de aprendizagem no contexto escolar

2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Ventura Damaceno ◽  
Rosimeire Martins Régis Dos Santos
Keyword(s):  
Educational Technology ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
School Context ◽  
Learning Objects ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Communications Technology ◽  
New Information ◽  
Technological Resource ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Classroom Education

Resumo: Na procura de novas alternativas para o processo de ensino e aprendizagem mais atrativo e inovador e diante de um novo perfil de alunos, será proposto o uso de objetos de aprendizagem no contexto escolar.  Esse recurso tecnológico, que pode ser usado várias vezes, assumindo diferentes objetivos, é muito conhecido na educação a distância, sendo indicado também na educação presencial. A escola de hoje está vivendo uma nova realidade: a inserção das novas tecnologias da informação e comunicação (TIC). Nesse sentido, os educadores também devem estar atualizados perante esse novo cenário.  E, em conformidade com autores da área, em um levantamento bibliográfico, indicar-se-á o que é esse recurso tecnológico, suas principais características e onde poderá ser localizado. Palavras-chave: Objetos de aprendizagem. Tecnologia Educacional. Metodologia de Ensino e Aprendizagem. Repositórios. Tecnologia da Informação e Comunicação. LEARNING OBJECTS IN THE SCHOOL CONTEXT Abstract: In the search of new alternatives to the teaching and learning process more attractive and innovative in face of a new profile of students, we present the possibility of the use of learning objects in the school context. This technological resource that can be used several times, assuming different goals, well known in distance learning and also it is indicated to classroom education. Nowadays, the school has a new reality, the insertion of new ICT (information and communications technology). In this sense, the educators must also be updated on this new reality. In according to the authors of this area, in a literature review, we point out the results of the search that the learning objects can assist the process of teaching and learning, serving as an aid to educators who seek to be “tuned” to this new information and communication society. Keywords: Learning Objects. Educational technology. Teaching and Learning Methods. Repository. Information and Communications Technology. .

Evaluating Distance Education and E-Learning

2011 ◽  
pp. 654-663
Author(s):  
Som Naidu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
United States ◽  
Information Technology ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
National Survey ◽  
The United States ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Communications Technology ◽  
Learning Programs ◽  
E Learning

The number of distance education and e-learning programs has been on the rise for some time now (Hannan & Silver, 2000). In the United States, the National Survey of Information Technology in Higher Education, as part of its Campus Computing Project, carries out regular surveys of the use of information and communications technology (ICT) in higher education (USA-DOE, 2000).

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