The Effect of Religiosity on Learning Ethics in Serious Gaming Environments

The multi-disciplinary literature on ethics asserts that the relationship between religiosity and ethical perceptions and judgements is an under-researched topic. Despite its importance, few studies have examined the relationship between religiosity and the learning of business ethics. This research investigates whether religiosity is conducive to the learning of business ethics in a digital learning environment: a serious 3D ethics game. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 302 final-year students from two different academic institutions based in the UK. The results of a structural equation modelling analysis suggest that religiosity does not inform the ethical perceptions and decisions of religious individuals in digital learning environments. Religious individuals perceive the utilitarian aspects of a serious game such as ease of use to be more important for learning ethics than religion. In contrast, less religious individuals perceive the hedonic aspects of a serious game to be a key catalyst for enhancing the learning of ethics.

EFFICIENCY OF USING THE INFORMATION AND DIGITAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AS A TOOL OF DEVELOPING TEACHERS’ CIVIC COMPETENCE

The article deals whih the results of the experimental verification of the methodology of use the information and digital learning environment as a tool for the development of teachers’ civic competence. The experimental verification was carried out during a comprehensive study in 2018-2019. The authors of this study diagnosed the level of developing teachers’ civic competence by questionnaires (incoming and outgoing) in the control (122 people) and experimental (129 people) groups. The description of criteria, levels and descriptors of assessment of civic competence of a teacher in an information and digital learning environment is given. Particular attention is paid to the attitude of teachers, school principals, methodologists and in-service teacher training specialists to the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to create and develop an information and digital learning environment in educational institutions, and the use of digital tools in in-service teacher training institutions for civic education in schools. The purpose of the article is to prove the effectiveness of the methodology of using the information and digital learning environment as a tool for increasing teachers’ level of civic competence and to highlight the process of the implementation of civic education in Ukrainian schools. In this study we have developed the main components of the methodology of using the information and digital learning environment as a means of developing teachers’ civic competence, which constitutes the novelty of the study. The information and digital learning environment is an effective tool for raising the level of teachers’ civic competence and a tool for implementing civic education in secondary school, which is the practical significance of the study.

Discussion Board Tool and Student Engagement in a Digital Learning Space

The purpose of this paper is to share the author’s online teaching experiences on increasing student engagement and learning experience in a digital teaching environment using the discussion board tool. This paper was written in the first person – that is, the author as I positioned myself within the study context. Blackboard was adopted as the learning management system at the author’s affiliated university for the digital teaching and learning delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic era. Discussion board is a communication tool contained within the Blackboard Collaborate Ultra that can be used to enhance learning and teaching. This paper is a reflective account of the author and students in three undergraduate (UG) teaching units during pandemic era. A combination of existing academic literature, online resources, online interviews via discussion board tool and personal experiences were employed to demonstrate and reflect my engagement with UG students in order to achieve specific learning outcomes. To achieve the purpose of my personal reflection reporting, this study asks one question from the participants: How would you describe your learning experience and engagement with your lecturer and fellow students using the discussion board tool for pre-tutorial and group assignment? This paper presents a context, reflection and case scenarios of three UG teaching units concerning fostering student engagement in digital learning environment through the discussion board tool. Findings indicate that there are three stages of student engagement using the discussion board tool namely: tutor-student engagement, student-student engagement, and student group-student group engagement. Discussion board tool encourages active learning experience. The implications of my reflective account shows that fostering student engagement in a digital learning environment through the discussion board is important for both tutors and students. It is recommended that more faculty members will explore learning and teaching resources available on discussion board tool in the ‘new normal’ era.

ACTIVE LEARNING OF STUDENTS – NEED OR NECESSARY IN ONLINE TEACHING

The subject of research is the concept of active learning by students. The aim is to demonstrate its value and the possibility of using it in a pandemic of COVID 19 to a digital learning environment, in online teaching. The values inherent in this concept, in the construction of own knowledge by students, were analyzed. This is confirmed by the results of empirical research as well as in the practice of education. The use of this concept by teachers in a digital learning environment requires increased effort, but its effects increase the quality of the desired learning outcomes by students. Therefore, in the conditions of a pandemic of COVID 19, these actions are not only need but necessary.

Designing a System of Monitoring for the Digital Learning Environment in Supplementary Education for Children

One of the most important tasks of education of the Russian Federation is the transformation of Supplementary education. The monitoring system is a tool for implementing the state policy in the field of Supplementary education. The urgency of creating a monitoring system that monitors the digital educational environment of Supplementary education of children has been determined. This is based on the analysis of modern trends and directions of modernization of Supplementary education of children. The Purpose of the article is the investigation of theoretical prerequisites for designing a system of monitoring for the digital educational environment in the Supplementary education of children in the Russian Federation. Research methodology and methods. The methods of theoretical research (analysis and synthesis) of special literature and regulatory documents in the field of Supplementary education and digital educational environment was used in this article. Conclusion. The prerequisites for the design of a system’s monitoring for the digital educational environment in the Supplementary education of children in the Russian Federation was investigated. One of the mechanisms for the updating of additional education for children can be the national system of monitoring of the digital educational environment. Significant indicators of the monitoring of the practices of a Supplementary education in the digital educational space was proposed.

The Digital Transformation of Assessment: Challenges and Opportunities

In the education sector, the digitization of the learning process has been a topical issue for several decades. It includes various components of the learning process, including assessment, which is an integral part of the learning. Innovative educators have been using technology in assessment for several years, but since March 2020, all educators have been forced to use it. Some educators started using technology without sufficient skills and adequate training, so the forced transformation was not always successful. In most cases, educators learn by doing, as well as developing skills and finding the best technologies for assessment. The aim of this research is to identify opportunities and challenges in the application of technologies in assessment. To achieve this goal, the results of a survey of educators (n = 181) and interviews, both individual and group (26 respondents), were evaluated. The main results are related to the findings of new ideas in assessment, and an exploration of the possibility of providing more frequent and timely feedback. At the same time, there is the challenge of developing needed technological skills, as well as coping with an increase in the amount of work and time required to adequately prepare for the assignments. Having knowledge concerning digital assessment can complement an educator’s practice. It gives an insight into a wider study – the post-doctoral research project “Models of Assessment in the Digital Learning Environment (MADLE)”.

The Transformation to an Online Course in Higher Education Results in Better Student Academic Performance

Pandemic-forced remote teaching has highlighted the relevance of redesigning planification in order to transform face-to-face into online courses in higher education. Indeed, the type of e-learning activities, e-assessment and development of student-centred active learning tasks remains a challenge. In this work we investigated the academic performance of an online learning environment in a course with high number of enrolled students carried out in the pandemic context in 2020 and compared it to the 2019 face-to-face version of the course. The e-learning version of the course included some changes regarding the face-to-face to allow active student learning, digital learning environment, knowledge enforcement, and further exploitation of the available activities in the Moodle platform as for the face-to-face course, although the syllabus remained unchanged. This study finds both synchronous and asynchronous problem-solving based e-learning together with self-assessment and team-based continuous and individual questionnaire assessments to be valuable instructional methods that allowed higher student academic performance in comparison to the face-to-face academic student results. Furthermore, the academic performance was directly related to the student participation in both team-based and individual activities during the course, demonstrating that the adaptation of the face-to-face course to the e-learning environment was, at least, as efficient as the traditional course, despite student resistance to e-learning and e-assessment.

Digitalization and humanitarization as key trends of postindustrial model of higher education

Актуальность данной статьи обусловлена необходимостью интеграции гуманитарного, математического и естественно-научного знания в контексте нового этапа в эволюции высшего образования, соответствующего параметрам постиндустриального общества. Цель статьи заключается в обобщении характеристик постиндустриальной модели высшего образования и в систематизации основных образовательных трендов. Отдельно анализируются параметры таких образовательных трендов как цифровизация и гуманитаризация. Автор акцентирует внимание на вызовах и возможностях цифровизации высшего образования как основы для обеспечения востребованности выпускников современных вузов и конкурентоспособности государства в целом. Подчеркивается необходимость адекватного применения информационных образовательных технологий без ущерба для гуманистической центрации личности обучающихся и их духовно-нравственного потенциала. Также в статье представлены статистические данные, отражающие уровень готовности российских университетов к осуществлению образовательной деятельности в контексте цифрового экономического пространства. Проблема гуманизации цифровой образовательной среды рассматривается на примере Удмуртского государственного университета. В частности, раскрывается гуманистический потенциал используемой в вузе электронной информационно-образовательной среды (ЭИОС). Автор приходит к выводу о том, что использование цифровых технологий в качестве прикладного методологического инструментария позволяет укреплять и расширять междисциплинарные связи между гуманитарными, математическими и естественными науками. The relevance of the given article is triggered by the current requirement of integration of the accomplishments accumulated by liberal arts and sciences and mathematical sciences in the context of the new stage of higher education evolution which is expected to fall under the criteria of postindustrial society. The aim of the article is to colligate basic parameters of the postindustrial model of higher education and to summarize its key trends. The paper puts a particular focus on the most distinctive educational trends namely digitalization and humanitarization. The author highlights challenges and options of digitalization of higher education as the staging ground to support university graduates as sought-after experts and to promote competitive position of the state in general. The paper emphasizes the need for the elaborate implementation of digital educational resources so not to damage humanistic, ethic and moral background of students. The article also introduces some statistical profile which reflects to what extent Russian universities are ready to implement the educational activities in the context of digital economic environment. The issue of the humanitarization of digital learning environment is regarded using the example of the Udmurt State University. The paper reveals humanistic potential of Electronic Information-Educational Environment applied in the Udmurt State University. The author comes to the conclusion that the implementation of digital technologies as subordinate methodological tool is expected to contribute to the strengthening and diversification of interdisciplinary links relevant to humanities, mathematics and natural sciences.