El Principio de Activación en el Pensamiento Computacional, las Matemáticas y el STEM

El presente número monográfico de RED se convocó con el título La educación en Matemáticas, Pensamiento Computacional y STEM apoyada por la tecnología digital. Su diseño instruccional. El principio de activación. En este artículo los autores queremos hacer la presentación del número haciendo énfasis en el principio de activación como fundamento teórico del pensamiento computacional y de la educación matemática y de STEM Hay numerosas destrezas y conceptos, propios de Pensamiento Computacional, Matemáticas y STEM, que son necesarios como base para los estudios de grado. Frecuentemente estos conceptos y procedimientos no constan de forma explícita en el currículo de los niveles anteriores a la universidad o, constando, no se garantizado su dominio. En estos casos no podemos esperar que aparezcan de forma espontánea, en el mismo momento en que se necesitan para los contenidos de grado o de secundaria superior. Es necesaria una sólida base cognitiva para que puedan ser evocados. El presente número monográfico está convocado con el objetivo de dar oportunidad de difundir investigaciones y casos que parcial o totalmente tengan como referencia esas ideas. E investiguen si efectivamente el uso del principio de activación (Merrill, 2002; 2020 revised edition) convenientemente utilizado en un diseño instruccional adecuado, con métodos, actividades y recursos, consigue una mejora en la calidad de los resultados de aprendizaje cuando lo aprendido en las etapas anteriores es evocado y reactivado convenientemente en los estudios de grado. La conclusión de todo él es que debe potenciarse una pedagogía que establezca valores en estas ideas y principios para las primeras etapas educativas. El principio de activación es pues clave para tenerlo en cuenta cuando se diseña la educación infantil y el primer ciclo de primaria, teniendo en el horizonte los aprendizajes futuros, incluidos los de STEM. This monographic issue of RED was convened with the title Education in Mathematics, Computational Thinking and STEM supported by digital technology. Its instructional design focus is the activation principle. In this article, the authors present the current issue, describe the activation principle as an important theoretical foundation of instructional design for computational thinking and mathematics and STEM Education, and introduce subsequent papers. There are numerous skills and concepts, specific to Computational Thinking, Mathematics and STEM, that are necessary as a basis for undergraduate studies. Often these concepts and procedures do not appear explicitly in the primary and secondary school curriuclum. Or, if they do appear, there is no guarantee students will have mastered them by graduation. We cannot expect these skills to appear spontaneously, at the very moment they are needed. A solid cognitive foundation is necessary for them to be activated. This special issue is presented with the aim of disseminating investigations and cases that partially or totally engage with these ideas. This can aid investigation of whether the effective use of the activation principle (Merrill, 2002; revised edition 2020), when used in an adequate instructional design, with methods, activites and resources, contributes to an improvement in the quality of learning results when what is learned in the previous stages is activated and reactivated sufficiently in undergraduate studies, and whether a pedagogy that establishes the value of these ideas and principles from the earliest educational stages should be promoted in order to prepare students for learning on the horizon, including STEM.

Puzzle Based Learning in Undergraduate Studies

All undergraduate Radiography students require training in image interpretation and evaluation of x-ray images in their second year of studies as part of work integrated learning. The method of teaching pedagogy influences the student's learning process and recall ability during examinations. if the teaching process moves to a student-centred approach, students become responsible for their own learning allowing active engagement and construction of their knowledge systems. Aim/ Objectives The aim of the study is to implement and evaluate the use of puzzle-based learning in the teaching and learning process of undergraduate studies Objectives To determine the efficacy of crossword and jigsaw puzzles as a novel teaching tool for medical imaging education To increase student's interest and involvement with image interpretation topics To improve and assess recognition and recall of medical terminology To improve the understanding of innovative learning Methods The study is a cross sectional qualitative research design. Approval will be obtained from the Research and Ethics Committee of health Sciences. Online consent will be obtained from students involved, by means of Google Form submission, followed by an information session on Blackboard collaborate on the topic "Image evaluation and interpretation of radiographic imaging". Conclusion The research will prove the important collaboration of active teaching methodologies with simple, easy to use didactic material to improve student's understanding of basic concepts in their core module subject

PLUS – An Academic Mentorship Guide for Undergraduate Studies: A Preliminary Study

This paper introduces an approach to academic mentorship, named PLUS, that specifically assist students in their academic performance through personalised guidance. Through the guidance of a mentor, PLUS lets mentees evaluate their strength and weakness before setting their target to achieve for each subject. Based on this preliminary study with 23 computer science undergraduate students by measuring their academic performance using the cumulative grade point average (CGPA), students that are not introduced to PLUS tend to perform inconsistently throughout their undergraduate studies compared to those introduced to PLUS. Weaker students (CPGA <2.8) with face-to-face guidance with a mentor using the PLUS approach displayed constant improvement compared to those who did not have any mentor. Regardless of what stage of their undergraduate studies the students are introduced to PLUS, all the students that applied PLUS showed consistent improvement and agreed that the method is valid. PLUS, personalised guidance helps the mentor connect with the mentee better, a good complement to the digital education lacking in human connection. It warrants further investigation beyond this preliminary study.

A Case Study of Thinking out of the Box in Electrical Engineering

The current context of rapid evolution of IT technologies and devices (Information Technology) imposes changes in engineering education. Education for the development of creativity becomes a requirement. This paper presents a new concept for the development of creativity by introducing an optional homework for Applied Electronics students, the final year of undergraduate studies. The homework requires electronic design of an application in the field of art of each student's diploma project. The paper presents the results of this initiative and the analysis of students' feedback. A statistical pilot study was organized that highlighted students' opinions about creativity as well as students' reasons for doing or not doing the optional homework.

Puzzle based Learning in Undergraduate Studies

All undergraduate Radiography students require training in image interpretation and evaluation of x-ray images in their second year of studies as part of work integrated learning.The method of teaching pedagogy influences the student's learning process and recall ability during examinations. if the teaching process moves to a student-centred approach, students become responsible for their own learning allowing active engagement and construction of their knowledge systems.Aim/ ObjectivesThe aim of the study is to implement and evaluate the use of puzzle-based learning in the teaching and learning process of undergraduate studiesObjectivesTo determine the efficacy of crossword and jigsaw puzzles as a novel teaching tool for medical imaging educationTo increase student's interest and involvement with image interpretation topicsTo improve and assess recognition and recall of medical terminologyTo improve the understanding of innovative learningMethodsThe study is a cross sectional qualitative research design.Approval will be obtained from the Research and Ethics Committee of health Sciences.Online consent will be obtained from students involved, by means of Google Form submission, followed by an information session on Blackboard collaborate on the topic "Image evaluation and interpretation of radiographic imaging".ConclusionThe research will prove the important collaboration of active teaching methodologies with simple, easy to use didactic material to improve student's understanding of basic concepts in their core module subject

COMMUNICATION UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES: BETWEEN THE SEARCH FOR EXCELLENCE, THE CONCEPTUAL AMBIGUITY AND THE MARKET DICTATORSHIP

We’ll argument in this paper that the area of undergraduate studies that we can consider as belonging to the great area of the communication sciences and, in particular, those areas that have as one of their purposes also the professional training in Corporate Communications / Public Relations, seem to be navigating in a blurriness of both theoretical constructs and purposes, as well as a lack of public recognition. Moreover, it will be argued that the main purpose underlying all definitions should be the old idea from the Enlightenment that the mission of undergraduate studies is, before and above all, the shaping of rational and responsible citizens.

ИНИЦИЈАЛНО ДИДАKТИЧKО-МЕТОДИЧKО ОБРАЗОВАЊЕ БУДУЋИХ ПЕДАГОГА – ПРОЦЕНЕ СТУДЕНАТА ПЕДАГОГИЈЕ

Of the great importance for the building professional identity of a modern pedagogue is initial education. With the necessary quality, it provides a basis that is later upgraded with the professional training and numerous forms of permanent self-education and self-learning. Having in mind that professional identity of pedagogue implies a wide range of didactic and methodic competencies that are acquired during the study, this paper is precisely focused at examining these areas of initial education of pedagogues. The aim of this paper is to determine the estimations of pedagogy students about didactic-methodical education that they acquire during their undergraduate studies, and to point out possible demerits and also make recommendations for improving the established situation. The research was conducted on a sample of 105 final year students of BA, MA, and PhD academic studies of the Department of Pedagogy at the Faculty of Philosophy in Nis. Obtained results show an enviable level of didactic-methodical education and indicate to the need to innovate and improve the quality of study program in the field of representation and the scope of professional practice.

Professional identity and experience of undergraduate students: an analysis of semantic networks

Work experiences during undergraduate studies can be remarkable in the journey of undergraduate students. The objective of this study was to assess, by analyzing semantic networks, the role of work experiences in the meanings those individuals attribute to professional identity. The sample consisted of 2291 students (60% women) divided into three groups: do not work, work in a field related to their course, work in a field not related to their course. The semantic networks of these groups were composed of words uttered from the professional identity prime. We chose to work with the critical network, obtained from the analysis of the incidence-fidelity indexes of the word pairs. The results evidence that work experiences are related to how undergraduate students attribute meaning to professional identity, in such a way that three different networks were formed for these groups. The network of those who work outside their field was the only one that integrated words with negative content, while the semantic networks of those who do not work and those who work in their field, despite containing words that do not always coincide, present a similar macrostructure. We conclude that work experiences play an important role in the meanings that undergraduate students attribute to professional identity. The study innovates by revealing elements of professional-identity construction, besides allowing for reflections on the effects of work experiences during the college period.