On the content of the "basic course of informatics" in the project "IT class in Moscow school"

The article discusses approaches to the organization of pre-professional training of students in 10–11th grades within the framework of the project "IT class in Moscow school", the task of which is to create a platform for training specialists in IT sphere. The basis for training students in informatics in the project "IT class in Moscow school" is the discipline "Basic informatics course", designed for two years of study, four hours a week. Thematic course planning is presented in the article. The content of the new textbook for the 11th grade is described in detail, including the following topics: "Graphics and multimedia", "Files and file system", "Modeling and game theory", "Databases", "Web programming", "Uneven coding, noiseproof codes", "Complexity of algorithms", "Algorithms", "Programming paradigms".

“Going Virtual Helped Me Learn That I Can Handle Everything”: Campus Magazine Production as a High Impact Practice During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This case study documents a large, 4-year university magazine’s transition to virtual instruction during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using theoretical frameworks from Kuh’s work on high impact practices (HIPs), this analysis offers empirical evidence that virtual student newsrooms may provide impactful learning experiences during crisis situations. Based on interviews, surveys, and newsroom observation, 23 magazine staff members reported improvements in their professional self-efficacy as they overcame logistics challenges and interpersonal hurdles similar to working media professionals. The case study also identifies strengths and weaknesses of crisis pedagogy. Implications for post-pandemic pedagogy and course planning are discussed.

The results of applications of the funnel risk assessment approach to distance learning

Funnel analysis is a powerful risk assessment method. The method is applicable to education, particularly, to distance learning. The author presents his research performed at ITMO University, Russia, which was dedicated to distance learning success assessment based on the funnel risk assessment approach. The research was conducted during the time period from September 2020 to December 2020 and involved cybersecurity students, major #10.04.01. The results of the research have confirmed assumptions regarding possible risks of students’ performance in learning and successful risk management. Funnel risk analysis can be recommended for course planning, performing, and assessment at educational institutions.

Developing Student Teachers’ Reflexivity Toward Their Course Planning: Implementation of a Training Program Focused on Writing and Reflective Skills

Recent literature has shown the low levels of reflexivity student teachers exhibit when doing reflective writing and the lack of a training program in their initial training to help them. A training program that was developed to support future teachers’ reflective writing was implemented and the program’s results were evaluated. The program was based on a combination of theories from the fields of teacher training and writing instruction. The training program was offered to a class of 16 future primary school teachers in French-speaking Belgium (three males and 13 females, averaging 20 years old) who were in their final year of training. They rewrote a reflective text several times and the 64 texts produced were analyzed quantitatively. The results showed that the training program enabled participants to make major progress from one draft to another and thus improve their reflective writing skills. In addition, a qualitative single case study showed how one student’s writing evolved during the training program. Among the practical implications that emerged from this study were the recommendations to include time in the training curricula dedicated to the teaching of reflective writing and to train trainers to support the writing of reflective texts.

Who Coaches the Coaches? The Development of a Coaching Model for Experiential Learning

This study explores a case of coaching deployed in experiential, interdisciplinary, and project-based courses. This study follows coaching in two courses that operated on a high-impact practice framework. In these courses, coaching was experienced by both students and faculty as a critical feature of the success of the courses. Students showed that coaching impacted their sense of the gravity of course content, their ownership of student-designed work, their relationships with faculty, and their experience of place-based learning. Faculty indicated that the coaching promoted transdisciplinary course planning, while their teaching benefited student engagement. We recommend practices for coaching that can support gains for students and faculty in experiential, project-based, interdisciplinary courses.

Designing Courses in Communication Sciences and Disorders Using Backward Design

Purpose To ensure that students are learning the most important information and developing the most important skills and to make certain that any externally mandated standards are met, professors need to intentionally plan their courses. This tutorial will provide a description and comparison of three classes of course design (forward, central, and backward) and two well-regarded frameworks for facilitating efficient and effective backward design (Integrated Design and Understanding by Design). Explanations of key terminology and examples from the redesign of a graduate voice disorders course will be provided. Conclusions Following the Understanding by Design framework for backward course design not only resulted in a well-organized course that facilitated achievement of a learner-centered, knowledge and skill–centered, and assessment-centered environment but also greatly increased the confidence of the instructor and the participation of the students. Intentional course planning can facilitate more efficient and effective learning sessions, resulting in both instructor and student satisfaction. The information provided in this tutorial can be adapted for any communication sciences and disorders course and with any level of faculty experience.

Google analytics of a pilot study to characterize the visitor website statistics and implicate for enrollment strategies in Medical University

Background Taiwan’s colleges and universities are struggling to maintain their student enrollment rates owing to the declining fertility rate. Focusing on students in higher education programs, this study aims to analyze online behavioral patterns for university departmental websites and accordingly, suggests response strategies to increase the rate of enrollment. Methods We use Google Analytics to examine the websites of two departments in a medical university between February 1 and July 30, 2018. We study website patterns during the study periods for three college admission routes: STARS program, personal applications, and admission through examination and placement. Results Most website visitors during the three visiting date ranges for the two departments are 18–24 years. The visitor groups are mainly freshmen at the university and their parents. The homepage and Subject Credits, Course Planning, Teacher Lineup, and Certificate of Subjects were the most visited webpages. The overall number of daily page views varied by academic event. Conclusions University departments should enhance the presentation of featured courses on their webpage or distinguish course characteristics from those of competing departments in the curriculum to ensure clear market segmentation. In addition, departments should consider examining online data to identify suitable high schools that can be visited to attract potential students and to improve students’ willingness to choose their university.