Use of technoloy of development of critical thinking in informatics lessons at school

The article summarizes the pedagogical experience of applying the techniques of technology for the development of critical thinking in informatics lessons at school. The purpose, structure, the tasks of the technology for the development of critical thinking are determined, the algorithm of its application in teaching is described. The features of the implementation of each phase of the technology for the development of critical thinking are described: challenge, comprehension, reflection. An example of the classification of methods for the development of critical thinking in students in accordance with the structural components of thinking is given. On the example of specific themes of the school course of informatics ("Information", "Social Informatics", "Algorithmization and Programming", etc.), the possibilities of using the technology of developing critical thinking to activate and develop the thinking abilities of students are shown. The use of the technology of critical thinking in informatics lessons at school allows students to master the methods of information analysis, the basics of semantic reading, that is important for the successful assimilation of subject knowledge

Are We Living in LA (P)LA Land? Reporting on the Practice of 30 STEM Tutors in Their Use of a Learning Analytics Implementation at The Open University

Most higher education institutions view their increasing use of learning analytics as having significant potential to improve student academic achievement, retention outcomes, and learning and teaching practice but the realization of this potential remains stubbornly elusive. While there is an abundance of published research on the creation of visualizations, dashboards, and predictive models, there has been little work done to explore the impact of learning analytics on the actual practice of teachers. Through the lens of social informatics (an approach that views the users of technologies as active social actors whose technological practices constitute a wider socio-technical system) this qualitative study reports on an investigation into the practice of 30 tutors in the STEM faculty at Europe’s largest distance learning organization, The Open University UK (OU). When asked to incorporate learning analytics (including predictive learning analytics) contained in the Early Alert Indicator (EAI) dashboard during the 2017–2018 academic year into their practice, we found that tutors interacted with this dashboard in certain unanticipated ways and developed three identifiable “shadow practices”.

Information Inequality among Entrepreneurs in Rural China

As rural entrepreneurs in China are disadvantaged, compared to other entrepreneurs, the local and central governments provide a host of incentives to promote their success. Rural entrepreneurs are information poor and it is possible that their information behaviors differ from others, causing them to lag behind. The study aims to develop a framework of information inequality among rural entrepreneurs in China, based on the information capability approach. Grounded in thematic content analysis of 44 interviews with these entrepreneurs about their information behaviors, the study proposes a comprehensive framework for understanding information inequality among rural Chinese entrepreneurs. The framework includes two components: 1) eight major information functionings, where information inequality occurs; and 2) three factors that affect information functioning. By focusing on information functionings, and specifically effective information use, the framework allows for a more nuanced understanding of information inequality. Findings suggest that ICTs adoption is not the decisive factor in information functionings, and instead finds blurred boundaries between online and offline information functionings. As such, the study proposes to avoid technological determinism in understanding the impact of ICTs on information inequality, and instead uses social informatics lenses to account for both online and offline information functionings in this context.

Usability Engineering and HCI for Promoting Root-Level Social Computation and Informatics Practice

Human-computer interaction talks about designing IT and computing technologies in the context of man-machine interaction. Man-machine interaction (MMI), human-machine interaction (HMI), usability experience design, human-centered designing, user-centered designing are the related areas and responsible for the designing and development of interface of electronics products viz. computers, laptops, systems, mobiles, smart phones, etc. Educational and training is important for the social as well as economic development in several contexts. Knowledge delivery system is the reason for development and also developed nation. A few current and emerging technologies which include big data management, cloud computing, green computing, data science, internet of things (IoT) are also allied with HCI and usability engineering in different contexts. India is a developing country, and more enhancement is possible with integration of IT. In the developed countries, various educational degree and training programs are running at Bachelors, Masters, and Doctoral degrees in the areas of HCI and usability engineering, but in a country like India, such programs are missing. In this conceptual paper, a few aspects of usability engineering and HCI have been explored for creating true IT-enriched society. The paper is also proposed some possible and future potential programs for a healthy social informatics world.

Are incumbent banks bygones in the face of digital transformation?

Digital transformation has received considerable scholarly attention in areas of management, business, information systems, information technology and marketing. In particular, retail banks have been at the forefront of technological revolution characterized by rapid deployment and innovation of digital services, exponential pace of change and innovative breakthroughs that alter conventional banking practice. However, the term digital transformation is often misunderstood as a straightforward deployment of the latest information communication technologies. In practice, technological investments entail not only risk but also require an understanding of the relationship between technological, organizational culture and institutional change within certain boundaries of regulatory framework. Digital transformation is far from simple, certain or predictable and likely to be disruptive or transformative with immutable impacts upon associated organizational outcomes related to technical capabilities and behaviours. The present study attempts to explore and develop a framework for understanding digital transformation by examining the development, deployment and use of digital technologies in retail banking. Within a social informatics perspective, this study examines the effects of digital technologies on retail banks operations, structure and capabilities of those who deploy, implement and use it. Using a grounded theory approach, the study explores theoretical constructs by reviewing the literature and analysing primary field data including data from retail banks and interviews with senior professionals. The findings provide the pitfalls and successful approaches towards the digital transformation journey. This includes the ordinary dilemmas that the managers face to deliver the projects at hand.

A call for social informatics

As evidence of the associations between social factors and health outcomes continues to mount, capturing and acting on social determinants of health (SDOH) in clinical settings has never been more relevant. Many professional medical organizations have endorsed screening for SDOH, and the U.S. Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology has recommended increased capacity of health information technology to integrate and support use of SDOH data in clinical settings. As these efforts begin their translation to practice, a new subfield of health informatics is emerging, focused on the application of information technologies to capture and apply social data in conjunction with health data to advance individual and population health. Developing this dedicated subfield of informatics—which we term social informatics—is important to drive research that informs how to approach the unique data, interoperability, execution, and ethical challenges involved in integrating social and medical care.