Online Learning: Challenges and Solutions for Learners and Teachers

The COVID-19 pandemic led to an expansion and increase in the demand for online teaching and learning across the globe. Online teaching and learning is attracting a large number of students for enhanced learning experiences. However, there are many challenges and hindrances that pose a problem in the smooth learning. The impediments in the learning process are suppressing the advantages that may aid the learners with augmented learning sessions. The article presents some challenges faced by teachers and learners, supplemented with the recommendations to remove them. JEL Code: A20

Entwicklung und Einsatz von AR-Anwendungen in der Hochschule am Beispiel des Projekts „Augmented Learning“ an der Universität Duisburg-Essen

ZusammenfassungDie Einsatzmöglichkeiten von Augmented Reality (AR) im Bildungsbereich werden bereits seit längerer Zeit diskutiert. Betrachten wir den konkreten Einsatz entsprechender Anwendungen in der Praxis, kann zumindest für den Hochschulbereich festgestellt werden, dass sich dort AR noch nicht in der Breite durchgesetzt hat. Im vorliegenden Artikel werden mögliche Gründe aufgezeigt, warum es aktuell noch wenige Praxisbeispiele in der Hochschule gibt und welche pädagogischen Konzepte sich zur näheren Untersuchung von AR und ihrer Potenziale für die Bildung heranziehen lassen. Im Anschluss wird ein Projekt an der Universität Duisburg-Essen (UDE) vorgestellt, in dem eine Augmented-Learning-App entwickelt wurde. Mithilfe der App können Lehrende zukünftig 3‑D-Modelle konzipieren und in ihrer Veranstaltung einsetzen. Der Artikel zeigt zudem die Entscheidungskriterien auf, die zu einer internen Entwicklung der AR-App führten.

High Fat Diet Mediates Amyloid-β Cleaving Enzyme 1 Phosphorylation and SUMOylation, Enhancing Cognitive Impairment in APP/PS1 Mice

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia in older adults and extracellular accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) is one of the two characterized pathologies of AD. Obesity is significantly associated with AD developing factors. Several studies have reported that high fat diet (HFD) influenced Aβ accumulation and cognitive performance during AD pathology. However, the underlying neurobiological mechanisms have not yet been elucidated. Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of HFD influenced Aβ accumulation and cognitive performance during AD pathology. Methods: 2.5-month-old male APP/PS1 mice were randomly separated into two groups: 1) the normal diet (ND) group, fed a standard diet (10 kcal%fat); and 2) the HFD group, fed a high fat diet (40 kcal%fat, D12492; Research Diets). After 4 months of HFD or ND feeding, mice in the two groups were subjected for further ethological, morphological, and biochemical analyses. Results: A long-term HFD diet significantly increased perirenal fat and impaired dendritic integrity and aggravated neurodegeneration, and augmented learning and memory deficits in APP/PS1 mice. Furthermore, the HFD increased beta amyloid cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) dephosphorylation and SUMOylation, resulting in enhanced enzyme activity and stability, which exacerbated the deposition of amyloid plaques. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that long-term HFD consumption aggravates amyloid-β accumulation and cognitive impairments, and that modifiable lifestyle factors, such as obesity, can induce BACE1 post-modifications which may contribute to AD pathogenesis.

Flipping the Business Classroom

This study aims to explore the benefits and challenges in implementing the flipped classroom model in business education. Empirical analysis of the views of 346 teachers engaged in delivering courses in different business schools in India reveals student convenience, augmented learning, improved performance and feedback, personalized attention and enhanced interaction, better review, and optimum utilization of class time as the major benefits of this model. The study also establishes absence of prerequisites, dilution of teacher influence, sustenance of model, and selective flipping as the significant challenges in the effective implementation of this model.

Revisiting Marketing Management Teaching Pedagogy: A Study Based on the Voice of Indian Marketing Professionals

Marketing management is one of the practical-oriented subjects in management education, which is very dynamic. In this changing and newly emerging business and marketing ecosystem, the challenge of marketing teaching pedagogy is increasing day by day. In marketing management teaching pedagogical research, there is a scarcity of integrated blended framework consisting of teaching technology and augmented learning exposure in supporting classroom teaching methodology. The study attempts to identify how various factors like theoretical knowledge, practical orientation, teaching technology and augmented learning can impact marketing management education’s learning outcome in the Indian context. Current research has also tried developing and examining a structured framework that may strengthen the classroom teaching environment. This article is based on empirical data of 693 marketing and sales professionals who are mostly alumni from topmost Indian B-schools. Exploratory factor analyses and structural equation modelling, and path analysis are being done to test the conceptual research model. The results of this article demonstrate how contemporary integrated classroom teaching can boost the marketing management learning outcomes with a proper blend of augmented learning exposure, out-of-class exercises and teaching technology in an Indianized way.

Smart Augmented Learning

Education is the foundation of our society. The most important investment we can make collectively and individually is in education. Rural education is of utmost importance to enhance and develop the livelihood of rural people indirectly. But the face of education in rural parts of the country has to be considered for a serious check-up with children failing to receive a good quality of education. This is one of the reasons to drivestudents away from attending their schools. The education system in rural areas is information based rather than a practical oriented, which is a major setback for the economic growth of the nation. The prominent crises that hold back rural schools are the lack of smart learning technology and no proper access to laboratory equipment for the students. Augmented Reality (AR) is one of the finest technologies that can be utilized for education development as it amplifies the learning process.Marker-based AR android application can help by over-laying audio-visuals, computer graphics, 3-D graphical models’ representation, the contextual information of concept’s procedures, processes, working, functions and its usage directly over the manuals which make the subject more understandable and comprehensive, thus enhances the student’s knowledge. The utilization of AR technology in the field of education will prove to be a great positive societal impact essentially for rural school students. It sets a path for learning all the concepts smartly and efficiently. AR-based learning can create an impact because there is no need for the internet. The mobile application also helps to improve the student’s self-learning skills. In this paper, some concepts from biology and physics are considered, the graphical models, functionality and working are displayed in AR with the help of Maya 3D, Unity 3D.