scholarly journals Youth and the Disruption of Power: Student-Run Conversation Workshops in a Mexican Self-Access Centre

2016 ◽  
pp. 30-45
Author(s):  
James Simmonds
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Peer Interaction ◽  
Approaches To Learning ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Work Placement ◽  
English Students ◽  
Insight Into

Within self-access learning there has been a gradual shift towards incorporating approaches to learning involving strong elements of peer interaction. In the USBI Xalapa self-access learning centre (SALC) that is part of the Universidad Veracruzana in Veracruz, Mexico, work placement students (WPS) have begun to run daily conversation workshops with students from the centre. By drawing on the works of Acuña González, Avila Pardo, & Holmes Lewendon (2015), Murray (2014), and Hughes, Krug, & Vye (2011) relating to peer-supported learning in self-access environments, a small research project was developed to understand the effectiveness of the student-run workshops. This involved conducting interviews with WPS and English students who attended the workshops. By comparing and contrasting the responses, a rich, heterogeneous set of data was uncovered which provides insight into peer-centred learning. The findings suggest the need incorporate peer-based learning to break down hierarchical relationships in which power divisions construct a traditionalist learning environment governed by fear of making errors. Also, the role of WPS needs to be reconsidered to allow them to take a more active role in the institution due to their positive relationships with learners. Beyond these aspects, it can be seen that a deeper understanding of the role of peer interaction in learning environments is essential in self-access centres.

Increasing Research Students' Engagement through Virtual Communities

2015 ◽  
pp. 50-75
Author(s):  
Maria Limniou ◽  
Clare Holdcroft ◽  
Paul S. Holmes
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Technical Issues ◽  
Research Students ◽  
Geographical Space

This chapter describes important issues regarding research students' participation in a virtual community. Within a virtual community, university staff can communicate with research students without geographical/space constraints, and research students can exchange views, materials, and experience with their peers and/or academics in a flexible learning environment. Students' participation in virtual communities is mainly based on socio-emotional and informational motivations. Initially, this chapter describes the conditions of research in a traditional environment and the role of students and academics in it, along with the role of pedagogical and psychological aspects in virtual communities. Examples from a university virtual community developed in a Virtual Learning Environment and a Facebook™ closed group are presented. Apart from discussion forums, blended learning activities also increase students' engagement in virtual communities. Technical issues and difficulties based on different learning environments and university members' experience and familiarity with technology are highlighted and discussed.

Towards a Model of Playful Learning

2016 ◽  
pp. 263-280
Author(s):  
Raphael Raphael
Keyword(s):  
Middle School Students ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Community Schools ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
School Students ◽  
Game Mechanics ◽  
Narrative Account

What is the role of play in learning? What ways can we as educators leverage our students' extracurricular digital lives in meaningful ways in our digital and physical learning environments? What roles can the elements of game mechanics and game thinking serve towards these ends, especially in a blended learning environment? These are some of the initial questions that guided my action research at the American Community Schools, Athens (ACS). My project considers the efficacy of employing gamification strategies within a blended learning environment. This chapter in turn provides a brief narrative account of my research experience, focusing on an entrepreneur simulation in the ACS Academy (High School), and a series of gamified interventions done with ACS middle school students. It closes with a brief gamification toolset, a series of practical considerations drawn from this field experience and relevant research that may be helpful for teachers and administrators interested in exploring ways to gamify their own digital and physical learning communities or spaces.

The Blended Learning Environment in Higher Education

2016 ◽  
pp. 180-197
Author(s):  
Ellen Boeren
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Self Determination Theory ◽  
Self Determination

This chapter explores the author's experiences with blended learning, both as a tutor and as a student at a British Russell Group University. The chapter starts from the importance of encouraging an autonomy supporting learning environment, featured within self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000). In the first part of the chapter, definitions of blended learning will be briefly reviewed. Secondly, the role of the learning environment will be explained, drawing upon previous research on learning environments undertaken by Darkenwald and Valentine (1986), mentioning the importance of the learning environment within motivational theories. Thirdly, results of a critical analysis on the own teaching and learning practice will be conducted, comparing the perspective of being a tutor and being a student. Finally, recommendations for future teaching practice will be discussed, before concluding this chapter.

Using Characters in Online Simulated Environments to Guide Authentic Tasks

2006 ◽  
pp. 88-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shirley Agostinho
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Chief Executive Officer ◽  
Authentic Learning ◽  
Chief Executive ◽  
Authentic Tasks ◽  
Simulated Environments ◽  
Simulated Environment ◽  
The Subject

The use of characters to present tasks and critical information in a simulated environment has proven to be a useful strategy in the creation of more authentic learning environments online. Such characters can not only perform the role of setting and structuring tasks within the fictitious scenario, but also that of providing useful and realistic guidance. This chapter describes a learning environment designed to create an authentic context for learning evaluation skills and strategies appropriate to technology-based learning settings. The subject in which this approach was adopted was a masters-level course in evaluation of technology-based learning environments. The chapter focuses on the use of a fictitious CEO (chief executive officer) who requests certain evaluation tasks of “employees.” Students are given realistic jobs with realistic parameters, and in this way the subject is dealt with in a much more authentic manner than if presented in a more decontextualised way. The rationale for adopting the approach is described together with a description of how it was implemented and summary findings of an evaluation of the approach.

What Do We Know that Varèse Didn’t?

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-29
Author(s):  
Rajmil Fischman
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Context ◽  
Sound Production ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Strategic Decisions ◽  
Popular Art ◽  
Sound Control ◽  
Cultural Artefact ◽  
Insight Into

This article reflects on significant technological, musical and cultural processes that took place since Varèse envisioned the concept oforganised sound: understanding these processes may provide a strategic vantage point from which to gain insight into our evolving attitude to modern aesthetic and technological development and thus formulate informed strategic decisions concerning our relationship with the latter. The discussion begins by focusing on technological processes, including accelerated change, cycles of enhancement, obsolescence, retrieval and reversal, and the non-neutrality of technology. This is followed by a focus on musical issues resulting from the decoupling of sound control from sound production, interactivity, the expansion towards time-based media and the possible active role of audiences in the realisation of music. Discussion is then posited within the wider cultural context of modernism and the postmodern era, the eroding popular/art divide and the obsolescence of music as a cultural artefact resulting from technological change. This leads to the conclusion, which identifies tentative learning outcomes that may be helpful in formulating future strategic decisions.

scholarly journals Gamification strategies in learning spaces: A brief toolkit

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (4Β) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raphael Raphael
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Field Experience ◽  
Learning Spaces ◽  
Relevant Research ◽  
Game Mechanics

What is the role of play in learning?  What ways can we as educators leverage our students’ extracurricular digital lives in meaningful ways in our digital and physical learning environments?  What roles can the elements of game mechanics and game thinking serve towards these ends, especially in a blended learning environment? These are some of the initial questions that guide this brief gamification toolset, a series of practical considerations drawn from field experience and relevant research that may be helpful for teachers and administrators interested in exploring ways to gamify their own digital and physical learning communities or spaces.

Content, Context & Connectivity Persuasive Interplay

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-77
Author(s):  
Christian Grund Sørensen
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Learning Objects ◽  
Technology Enhanced Learning ◽  
Learning Tools ◽  
Research Project ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Enhanced Learning ◽  
Dynamic Interplay ◽  
Specific Learning

The aim of this paper is to discuss the relationship between content, context and connectivity and suggesting a model of Dynamic Interplay. This is done in relation to a specific learning environment concerning cultural mediation, in casu the Kaj Munk Case of the EuroPLOT-project (an EU-supported research project under EACEA). In the development of this project several categories of content have been implemented in technology enhanced learning tools. These have been designed to support learning in different contexts and eventually the role of the connectivity of these learning objects and tools is discussed. Focus is here on The Kaj Munk Study Edition, The Conceptual Pond, Immersive Layers Design, and Generative Learning Objects (GLOs) which are applications affiliated with the Munk case. This paper explores the persuasive potential of the interplay between the different applications for the benefit of learning and reflection and a model of Dynamic Interplay is introduced. This is done with a primary inspiration from rhetoric particularly in the shape of the Aptum model and a focus on kairos. Possible benefits of this approach are discussed and several questions for further research are suggested.

The Future of Assessment for Personalized Naturalistic Learning

2019 ◽  
pp. 2053-2066
Author(s):  
Lauren Reinerman-Jones ◽  
Martin S. Goodwin ◽  
Benjamin Goldberg
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Intelligent Tutoring ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Open Architecture ◽  
Learning Paradigm ◽  
Tutoring Systems ◽  
On Demand ◽  
New Learning

Education in general has transcended boundaries of a physical classroom and given rise to the phenomenon of ubiquitous learning (u-learning) and the ability to access knowledge on-demand. To understand the effect of learning as it is evolving, the present chapter puts forth a framework of formal, non-formal, and informal virtual learning environments discussed on the basis of nine components. As the learning environment changes, the role of assessment within this new learning paradigm must be reconsidered. The chapter concludes with a discussion of integrating assessment into intelligent tutoring systems and the importance of designing such systems as open architecture for accommodation of a variety of domains.

Leveraging Web 2.0 for Online Learning

2018 ◽  
pp. 1225-1239
Author(s):  
Prerna Lal
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Web 2.0 ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Learning Environments ◽  
Web 2.0 Tools

The emergence of the Internet and Web 2.0 has introduced enormous opportunities for a rising generation of tech-savvy young adults, students, and life-long learners. This chapter examines the various Web 2.0 tools, such as blogs, wikis, RSS (Real Simple Syndication), podcasts, mashups, and social networks, that can help make the online learning environment more interactive and interesting. The chapter provides an overview on the role of Web 2.0-based tools and technologies in providing a comprehensive structure for interactions and interconnections between three key components of a learning environment: the learner, the teacher, and the interface. Furthermore, the chapter explores how these tools can be used in exchanging knowledge, aggregating content, and collaborating with peers in online learning environments.

Towards a Model of Playful Learning

2018 ◽  
pp. 397-414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raphael Raphael
Keyword(s):  
Middle School Students ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Community Schools ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
School Students ◽  
Game Mechanics ◽  
Narrative Account

What is the role of play in learning? What ways can we as educators leverage our students' extracurricular digital lives in meaningful ways in our digital and physical learning environments? What roles can the elements of game mechanics and game thinking serve towards these ends, especially in a blended learning environment? These are some of the initial questions that guided my action research at the American Community Schools, Athens (ACS). My project considers the efficacy of employing gamification strategies within a blended learning environment. This chapter in turn provides a brief narrative account of my research experience, focusing on an entrepreneur simulation in the ACS Academy (High School), and a series of gamified interventions done with ACS middle school students. It closes with a brief gamification toolset, a series of practical considerations drawn from this field experience and relevant research that may be helpful for teachers and administrators interested in exploring ways to gamify their own digital and physical learning communities or spaces.

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