scholarly journals Education in the Virtual Space: A Sustainable Strategy for Achieving Tension-free and Inclusive Learning in COVID-19 Dispensation

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 17-35
Author(s):  
Moses Obla ◽  
◽  
Ejeng Ukabi ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Instructional Delivery ◽  
Virtual Space ◽  
Conceptual Approach ◽  
Tertiary Institutions ◽  
Tension Free ◽  
Virtual Spaces ◽  
Educational Challenges ◽  
Inclusive Learning

Apart from scalable classrooms, learning in virtual space for pro-technology and pro-Internet generation contributes significantly to developing their inherent domains. This process manifests through the use of digital materials, making the pedagogical scheme enjoyable, catchy, innovative, and inclusive. Today’s staggering educational challenges of tertiary institutions, because of the COVID-19 Pandemic, call for operational rejig. Still alarming is the difficulty of containing the recent evolution into variants. Sequel to this, different countries adopted various strategies to achieve tension-free and inclusive learning environments as part of the ‘new normal.’ This study addresses the pertinence: Could the use of virtual spaces for instructional delivery constitute sustainable strategies for tension-free, and more inclusive, methods of educating learners during and after COVID-19 dispensation? To answer this question, we adopted a theory-based adaptation conceptual approach and inside-outside approach and brought the Nigerian situation into focus where virtual learning was sceptically debunked because of operational and policy slackness. This study agreed with the positive potentials of virtual space and disagrees with earlier studies deficient at uncertainty variables. Based on these, recommends areas of gaps filling in developing countries’ education systems, who stopped learning during the pandemic period for future adoption and adaptation.

Can Cities Become “Inclusive Learning Environments”?

2020 ◽  
pp. 953-965
Author(s):  
Federica Fulghesu ◽  
Luca Tricarico ◽  
Andrea Billi ◽  
Chiara Missikoff
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environments ◽  
Inclusive Learning

scholarly journals Alternative Embodied Cognitions at Play Evaluation of Audio-Based Navigation in Virtual Settings Via Interactive Sounds

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrico Gandolfi ◽  
Robert Clements
Keyword(s):  
Embodied Cognition ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Completion Time ◽  
Visual Cues ◽  
Spatial Thinking ◽  
Previous Knowledge ◽  
Related Literature ◽  
Virtual Spaces ◽  
Spatial Exploration ◽  
Effective Design

The current study addresses the concept of mediated embodied cognition (EC) by focusing on audio inputs/outputs rather than sight and visual cues. N=10 subjects were involved with the navigation of five virtual mazes with different design and sensorial affordances. A virtual audiocane was developed (within a middleware - NEED - aimed to improve learning environments’ accessibility) for supporting spatial exploration and scanning. Data collected span spatial thinking, previous knowledge of digital settings, completion time, ability to visualize virtual spaces, and usability and perception of the different design/sensorial situations provided. Results points to effective design choices and factors to consider when staging mediate EC instances. With these findings, the article addresses three current gaps in EC related literature: 1) lack of attention to special needs and diverse embodiments, 2) insufficient focus on audio inputs/outputs as interactive affordances; and 3) poor efforts in evaluating design and assistive elements in EC integrations.

scholarly journals Embates discursivos e significantes vazios nas manifestações de junho de 2013 / Discursive struggles and empty signifiers at the demonstrations of June 2013

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 101
Author(s):  
Henrique De Oliveira Lee ◽  
Camila Rodrigues Francisco
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Space ◽  
Political Identities ◽  
Virtual Spaces ◽  
Ernesto Laclau ◽  
Chantal Mouffe ◽  
The Many

ResumoO objetivo deste trabalho é propor uma investigação sobre os embates discursivos entre diversas identidades políticas, encenados nas ruas e no espaço virtual, durante as manifestações realizadas nas capitais brasileiras durante o mês de junho de 2013. Através do pensamento de Ernesto Laclau (1994) e Chantal Mouffe (1990), especificamente em torno dos conceitos de “antagonismo” e “significantes vazios”, propõe-se uma análise de determinadas produções e recepções de enunciados do embate estabelecido entre os diversos grupos que participaram das manifestações realizadas nas capitais brasileiras durante o mês de junho de 2013. Os significantes vazios  permitiram verificar a emergência de significados antagônicos nas produções discursivas surgidas nas ruas e nos ambientes virtuais como um modo de articulação de antagonismos e identidades políticas.Palavras-chave: Laclau; Significante vazio; Antagonismo. AbstractThe goal of this paper is to propose an inquiry about the discursive struggle performed at the streets and at the virtual space among the many political identities present in the demonstrations of June 2013 in Brazil´s biggest cities. It is proposed an analysis of certain production and reception of utterances of the struggle established among the many groups that took part in the demonstration through the framework of Laclau´s and Mouffe´s concepts of “antagonism” and “empty signifiers”. The latter allowed us to verify the emergency of antagonistic meanings in the discursive production found in the streets and virtual spaces as a way to articulate antagonism and political identities.      Keywords: Laclau; Empty signifiers; Antagonism.

scholarly journals Assistive Technologies and Environmental Design Concepts for Blended Learning and Teaching for Disabilities within 3D Virtual Worlds and Learning Environments

2012 ◽  
pp. 50-74
Author(s):  
Noha Saleeb ◽  
Georgios A. Dafoulas
Keyword(s):  
Adult Learners ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Architectural Design ◽  
Learning Spaces ◽  
Educational Facilities ◽  
Design Elements ◽  
Virtual Spaces ◽  
E Learning

3D Virtual Learning Environments (3D VLEs) are increasingly becoming prominent supporters of blended learning for all kinds of students including adult learners with or without disabilities. Due to the evidenced effect of architectural design of physical learning spaces on students’ learning and current lack of design codes for creating 3D virtual buildings, this case study aims at evaluating the suitability of the architectural design elements of existing educational facilities and learning spaces within 3D VLEs specifically for delivering blended e-learning for adult students with disabilities. This comprises capturing student contentment and satisfaction levels from different design elements of the 3D virtual spaces in an attempt to issue recommendations for the development of 3D educational facilities and hence initiate a framework for architectural design of 3D virtual spaces to augment accessibility, appeal and engagement for enhancing the e-learning experience of under-graduate, post-graduate and independent-study adult learners with disabilities within these virtual worlds.

1995 Presidential Address: What Sociologists are Learning about the Next Generation of Students: Are We Prepared to Teach in the 21st Century?

1996 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 437-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane E. Prather
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environments ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Collective Behavior ◽  
Presidential Address ◽  
Value Added ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
School Age ◽  
Educational Crisis ◽  
Educational Challenges ◽  
University Level

Predicting that by the 21st century the majority of students will not be prepared for university level curricula, this address raises a major challenge to sociologists: what action are we willing to take now to improve the preparation of future students? Smelser's value-added theory of collective behavior provides the framework for examining this educational crisis. Analyses of the learning environments of the very young and school-age children and of the school difficulties of teenagers provide evidence that an educational crisis is imminent. In closing, I suggest actions sociologists can advocate to meet the educational challenges of the next century.

The extent of building and managing local contents in institutional repositories: a survey of tertiary institution libraries in Nigeria

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Godwin Oberhiri-Orumah ◽  
Ebikabowei Ebikabowei Baro
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Site Investigation ◽  
Original Material ◽  
Colleges Of Education ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Tertiary Institution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Tertiary Institutions ◽  
Institutional Repositories ◽  
Investigation Methods

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the development of institutional repositories (IR) in tertiary institution libraries in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a survey research method. Online questionnaire and IR site investigation methods were used to collect data from 25 university libraries in Nigeria. Findings The study revealed that only 25 (14.7%) universities out of the 170 universities in Nigeria have successfully developed IRs and registered their presence in OpenDOAR. Other tertiary institutions such as Polytechnics and Colleges of Education investigated in Nigeria are yet to develop IRs. Contents such as theses and dissertations, conference proceedings and journal articles ranked highest being the most popular contents in the various IRs. The results showed that the development of IR saves space in the library, increases readership, increases access to local contents, minimizes damage to the original material, facilitates the dissemination of scholarly research and assists in globalization of Nigerian research findings. The IRs site investigation revealed that only few IRs have clearly defined access policy, content policy, submission policy and digital preservation policy. The study identified challenges such as inadequate facilities, unstable internet connectivity, lack of fund, irregular power supply, challenge of collecting materials for the IR, lack of skilled ICT personnel, copyright issues and absence of IR policies. Practical implications The results from the study will provide important data and insight into the development of institutional repositories in tertiary institution libraries in Nigeria, and generate suggestions for University Librarians, College Librarians, Polytechnic Librarians, tertiary institutions management and policy makers for developing institutional repositories in Nigeria and other developing countries. Originality/value The study investigated IR development in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The findings will inform other tertiary institutions in developing countries that the development of IR provides an opportunity for the visibility of local contents emanating from institutions and make them see the reason to embrace this laudable development.

Crowdsourcing as a Tool for Improving Learning in Tertiary Institutions in Developing Countries

2018 ◽  
pp. 164-186
Author(s):  
Indo Benna
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Tertiary Institutions ◽  
Material Development ◽  
The World ◽  
Collaborative Efforts ◽  
Different Parts

Higher education in many developing countries faces the triple challenges of inadequate funding, need to improve quality of learning outcomes, and the pressure to increase quality of graduates. Crowdsourcing offers opportunity for institutions to face these problems with little resource expenditure. The chapter describes/analyzes how crowdsourcing can be applied in curriculum and teaching material development activities through collaborative efforts of higher education institutions from different parts of the world to develop suitable curriculum for teaching English for specific purpose. The chapter analyzes the process and the evaluates the outcome of the crowdsourcing tool and suggests that its application can keep higher education institutions in developing countries in forefront of education and research innovation, and prepares members in these institutions for innovative problem solving and for the challenges of the online world.

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