Online teaching research in universities based on blockchain

This study explores the use of blockchain in the course design and evaluation in Chinese universities, and explores the value of teachers’ views and experiences on blockchain in the course design. Previous studies have shown that blockchain has a positive effect on the improvement of online teaching management and evaluation quality. Most of the current research focuses on the management of online teaching by using blockchain, and this qualitative case study investigates the design and evaluation of online course based on blockchain by five teachers of different specialties. Semi-structured interviews and course materials were collected from five teachers for a TPACK framework analysis. The result of the survey emphasizes that the redesign of online courses based on blockchain can improve the matching between blockchain and courses, the quality of teaching and the trust of various parties in online education. The block chain-based the online course of both theory and practice design and evaluation, which is oriented by the index method of capability evaluation, is an appropriate idea and has achieved good results. The experimental course focuses on the integration of blockchain and experimental platform. The immersive and interactive course presentation and the personalized examination based on machine learning are effective. But follow-up should pay attention to the different requirements of course design of different disciplines, using a variety of data sources for analysis, to take measures to enhance the enthusiasm of teachers to adopt new technologies.

Promoting Critical Thinking and Learning in a Large-Enrolment Humanities Class

To promote the development of critical thinking abilities in an introductory undergraduate humanities course in the context of mass higher education, we implemented a course design that employed a series of scenario-based multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and informal peer discussions. Using an online survey to gather perception data and self-reported behavioral data, this study examines the extent to which the course design was effective at promoting critical thinking and student experience. Deductive analysis of students’ qualitative responses indicate that the course design was successful in promoting students’ development of critical thinking. Both deductive and inductive analysis of students’ qualitative responses also suggest that students largely had favorable attitudes towards this course design, though there are also some who express concerns. Our design may be useful for instructors and instructional designers aiming to promote critical thinking and learning in university courses.

Science to practice: Does gamification enhance intrinsic motivation?

Self-determination theory (SDT) has empirical support in understanding and enhancing motivation in a variety of contexts, including education settings. Niemac and Ryan have highlighted that using SDT in course design can lead to stronger fulfilment of an internal locus of causality regarding course work. One course design method anchored in SDT is gameful learning—structuring tasks that support intrinsic motivation, primarily increasing autonomy over learning. A gamified classroom (GC) may offer more assignments and points than minimally necessary for students to earn a passing mark, allowing students choice in which projects to pursue. Further research is needed to examine the degree to which students’ motivations differ between a GC and a non-gamified classroom (NGC). The purpose of the current study was to determine if students in a GC were more intrinsically motivated than students in NGC. Students were enrolled in an undergraduate kinesiology course using a GC design ( n = 24) or NGC design ( n = 26) and completed an online survey – derived from the intrinsic motivation inventory and the test anxiety questionnaire—at the beginning and end of the semester. In the GC, students started with zero points, and were offered multiple assignments with scaffolded difficulty to reach their desired grade. The NGC used a traditional 100% grade range, with only required assignments and exams, and students lost points for inadequate or inaccurate responses. Following analyses, it was revealed that students in the GC had higher perceptions of autonomy and competence than students in the NGC. Where these differences exist over time, along with differences in other subscales, will be discussed further. Educators seeking to enhance student motivation and engagement may therefore look to gamification as an appropriate methodology.

Do professional courses prepare hospitality students for efficient surplus food management? A self-evaluation of professional competence in food waste prevention

Purpose This study aims to examine Taiwanese hospitality students’ self-reported professional competence in surplus food management and assess the usefulness of their university training in this area. Using the importance-performance analysis (IPA) method, it is possible to obtain a clearer understanding of the priority order of the items that require improvement and to identify which surplus food management competence items should be strengthened in the school curriculum and which items should be enhanced by the students. Design/methodology/approach This study used the questionnaire survey method. It evaluated seven dimensions covering 29 items related to surplus food management competencies of the kitchen staff. The evaluation was done using IPA to determine the relationship between professional competence (performance level) and courses provided (importance level). The factor coordinates were completed according to the means of personal qualifications and courses provided. Findings According to students’ self-assessment, the dimensions of “Personal moral attitude,” “Food handling attitude,” “Education and training attitude” and “Culinary knowledge” were located in the “Keep up the good work” quadrant, meaning that the students think that their surplus food management competence is relatively high and the courses provided are sufficient. Thus, these items have better performance at the present and they hope to maintain the status. However, “Menu analysis” and “Sanitation knowledge” were found to have low importance and low level of performance. Therefore, these two dimensions require attention in the course design and educational training. Research limitations/implications The questionnaire responses were self-reported; this study assumed that all participants answered honestly. Future studies may include additional factors in the analysis, such as hospitality management, culinary skills, internship experience and work time that may affect the perceptions of students. Moreover, professional chefs could be surveyed to determine their professional competence and training needs. Originality/value The professional training that students receive determines, to a large extent, their performance in their jobs and the resulting stability of their employment. Therefore, improved competence gained through good-quality training can help students meet the demands of the hospitality industry.

Using the Design Thinking Process to Co-create a New, Interdisciplinary Design Thinking Course to Train 21st Century Graduate Students

Background: Our instructional team at the The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill led an innovative project that used IDEO.org's design thinking process to create a brand-new interdisciplinary graduate course, housed in the school of public health, titled Design Thinking for the Public Good. We offer our course design process as a case study of the use of design thinking for course design.Methods: We collected data and generated insights through a variety of inspiration, ideation, and implementation design thinking methods alongside members of our three stakeholder groups: (2) faculty who teach or have taught courses related to design thinking at our higher education institution; (2) design thinking experts at ours and other institutions and outside of higher education; and (3) graduate students at our institution.Results: We learned that interdisciplinary design thinking courses should include growth-oriented reflection, explicit group work skills, and content with a real-world application.Conclusions: Our course design process and findings can be replicated to design courses regardless of area of study, level, or format.

Application of Virtual Reality Technology in Film and Television Animation Based on Artificial Intelligence Background

The application of artificial intelligence technology in the film and television field has profoundly changed the content and production methods of television programs and promoted the development and production of a new generation of artificial intelligence television. The popularization of artificial intelligence technology is conducive to improving the quality of television program content, innovating content categories, reducing television program production cost, and improving production efficiency. Due to the popularization and the use of virtual reality (VR) technology in scientific research and social life, the application of VR technology has been studied from the perspective of film and television animation (FTA) teaching, hoping to promote the development of FTA education. First, the existing dynamic environment modeling technology, real-time three-dimensional (3D) graphic generation technology, stereoscopic display, and sensor technology and other VR technologies are combined to carry out teaching design. In view of the current situation of the teaching process of FTA major, the research on these four aspects has been carried out. VR technology is used as an auxiliary teaching tool to complete the basic course teaching of FTA; the 3D animation course and VR technology are combined to improve the teaching effect of professional skill courses. Then, in the application effect, classroom satisfaction, comprehensive quality evaluation, and professional core curriculum effect are compared and analyzed. The results show that the students’ comprehensive quality evaluation in VR technology group is significantly improved, and the satisfaction of classroom atmosphere, teaching mode, and teaching facilities are 75%, 61%, and 81%, respectively. The students in this group can better integrate the new design method into the animation modeling and complete the course design task with high quality. Compared with the traditional teaching mode, the students’ satisfaction is higher and the harvest is greater. Therefore, the use of VR technology in FTA teaching can stimulate students’ interest in learning, improve learning efficiency, and promote the mastery of professional knowledge and skills. The application mode and effect analysis of the proposed VR technology provide a reference for the application of VR technology in FTA teaching.

Communication and the student experience in the time of Covid-19: An autoethnography

The Covid-19 pandemic creates physical barriers and raises issues about online learning and course design. These must be overcome in order to continue teaching three English language support papers in a transnational education programme. This autoethnography explores online communication strategies and their effect on students’ learning experience. Moodle logs, teacher observations and other qualitative data from the first year of emergency online teaching were evaluated. This analysis prompted several improvements to communication strategies. Additional forum activities, scaffolding and feedback have had a positive effect, and increased use of informal communication via WeChat has bolstered learner persistence. These findings can be applied to the design of other online and blended courses, especially those linked to English language teaching in China.

RHETORICAL ANALYSIS AT THE SERVICE OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION: GENDER-BASED DIFFERENCES IN STUDENTS' PERCEPTION OF THE SPEAKER

The paper points out the benefits of rhetorical analysis and rhetorical criticism in developing business communication skills. At Zagreb School of Economics and Management, both the American and the European approach to business communication have been combined, with LSP courses taught in the first year and business communication and rhetoric courses taught in the second year. An experiment was conducted on a sample of 99 students, including 57 female and 42 male participants, who were asked to assess the teenage activist Greta Thunberg and her speech at the UN Climate Action Summit in 2019. The research focused on the role of the gender in perception of quality, attractiveness of the speech, the use of ethos, pathos and logos, persuasiveness and the influence potential. The results showed that male students gave lower grades to Greta and her speech, unlike the female students, who would also be more willing to change their behavior as the result of listening to Greta’s speech. Nevertheless, these differences were statistically significant only for a limited number of questions. The potential gender bias to speakers should be addressed in the rhetoric and business communication course design. Exposing students to a diverse set of speakers increases their critical thinking skills, ensuring higher objectivity and bias-free assessment of speakers including their peers.

ENGLISH FOR MARKET RESEARCH REPORT WRITING: COURSE DESIGN

At undergraduate and postgraduate levels in business schools, lecturers often provide students with a suggested structure for a market research report assignment. Thereafter, the students are left to independently master the appropriate register and the technique of writing for this genre. While many students may learn to be good at business studies, they might fall short in writing despite having to produce several reports at university level. One of the reasons for this shortfall may be that some of the students may lack the confidence to produce reports which meet academic or professional standards in the English language. A short English for Specific Purposes (ESP) course that addresses the technical writing needs of business students as an option or add-on course to undergraduate and postgraduate business curricula could provide the simple solution. It could even be formalised as a credit bearing course to motivate students to undertake it.With a view to the above, as a pilot ESP module, a 15-hour English for Market Research Report Writing Skills course was designed to try and meet the specific needs of undergraduate market research students at the Warwick Business School (WBS). It was intended to be taught under the auspices of the Warwick Skills Certificate Programme at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom (UK).