Like It

Social networking environments have become a ubiquitous part of the university experience. Accordingly, postsecondary institutions have started to consider the role that social networking can play in teaching and learning across academic disciplines. This case study documents findings from a 2012-2013 mixed-methods data collection in six graduate and undergraduate Digital Literacies and New Media Literacies courses at a major Canadian comprehensive university. It examines the pedagogical implications of adapting the Facebook platform for online collaboration and multimedia learning in blended courses, and offers a model of Facebook implementation for engineering and architecture education. Questions guiding the research ask: What is gained pedagogically through the use of Facebook in higher education courses? What are the pedagogical challenges encountered, and how might these be addressed? Suggestions based on observed trends are offered for the effective inclusion of Facebook as a beneficial pedagogical component in the design of e-learning platforms for higher education.

Learning GIS in Architecture

The introduction of Information and Communication Technology tools in the architectural practice can be challenging. This chapter discusses an educational approach to teach Geographic Information Systems to architecture students in the Barcelona School of Architecture. The methodology uses a combination of theory lectures, worked-out examples with faded guidance using a real-world case of study, and self-directed discovery in a project-based learning activity. The results of pre-course and post-course surveys are also discussed to illustrate the workflow of students when using spatial data, their perception on using GIS applications, and their impressions regarding the development the course. Finally, the possible reasons for the limited adoption of these tools in the architectural field are also discussed.

Methodology Applied Problem-Based Learning in Teaching HCI

Problem-based Learning (PBL) is an instructional approach that uses a real problem to focus, motivate and facilitate learning relevant to the future performance of student conceptual, procedural and attitudinal knowledge as professional life. This paper presents and discusses the implementation of PBL teaching model in Human Computer Interaction (HCI), specifically in teaching usability evaluation of an online course. The model was applied to three classes of the HCI course, involving 16 students, a Brazilian University and 82 users. The methodology and results are presented in this work.

Towards a Flexible Cloud Education Environment

Web 2.0 tools offer innovative technologies for learning and training, and it exists a strong pedagogical foundation to include such tools in education. As a consequence of its more widespread usage arise issues in the context of managing these cloud services, such as to create adapted instances tool resources, to assign such resources to teachers and learners, and others. Web and educational interoperability technologies have provided initial paths toward building this type of e-Learning 3.0 cloud education environments, however, fundamental challenges remain such as granular tool resources management, and the lack of use of Semantic Web technologies to leverage automatic machine-processable tool API. To overcome these issues, an holistic model for flexible interoperability is contributed in this chapter. Covered aspects includes a semantic definition of tools' API, an interoperability service framework capable to automatically process APIs, a semantic proxy that enables usage of current APIs, and a system for learning activities orchestration using these tools. Furthermore, advanced semantic technologies to support the model for flexible interoperability are analyzed.

The Importance of Virtual Learning Environments in Higher Education

This chapter focuses on the concept of virtual learning environment (VLE), its characteristics and potentialities. We present the results of a research work conducted with a sample of 347 undergraduates from a Portuguese public higher education institution. The research addressed the issue regarding the use of virtual learning environments within the higher education context and had the following aims: identify the VLE access frequency; assess the influence of users' computer skills on the VLE access frequency; and assess the importance and impact that students consider the VLE to have on supporting the course units they attend. In the light of the results obtained and considering the VLE used in the sample institution, we highlight that the majority of students accesses the VLE on a daily basis, no significant differences were found regarding VLE access according to users' computer skills, and the most valued aspects of the VLE were: checking exam results and receiving teachers' messages or notices.

Digital Technologies in Architecture and Engineering

This chapter focuses on the development and adoption of new Multimedia, Computer Aided Design, and other ICT technologies for both Architecture and Computer Science curricula and highlights the multidisciplinary work that can be accomplished when these two areas work together. The authors describe in detail the addressed educational skills and the related developed research and highlight the contributions towards the improvements of teaching and learning in those areas. This chapter discusses the role of digital technologies, such as Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Multimedia, 3D Modelling software systems, Design Processes and its evaluation tools, such as Shape Grammar and Space Syntax, within the Architecture curricula.

Motivation on Problem Based Learning

In order to motivate the students in a Problem Based Learning environment, two different strategies are analyzed. The first one consists in introducing two crosscutting issues such as the ecology and the study of patents. In that strategy, the students need to solve the activities taking in account this “green component” to obtain the best solution as well as the study of patents (which is the process to patent something), that engineers need to know to develop their professional career. The second strategy is to analyze the motivation of students when PBL is combined with different instructional methods, different objectives and in different courses. In order to do this analysis, we have implemented different practices that includes both e-learning and m-learning. Finally, we analyze the motivation during our PBL courses through a survey. This analysis has been done in three different subjects in a Telematics engineering degree at University of Extremadura, Spain.

Hybridization-Based Courses Consolidated through LMS and PLE Leading to a New Co-Creation of Learning

Over the last two decades the evolution of IT has sped up in such a way that teaching practices and learning methods have evolved. On the first hand, the motivation relies on a quick access to data for learners attending a course or during sandwich courses. On the second hand, a greater access to contents leads to a new relation between trainees and trainers (a new attitude enforced by specific pedagogy for Continuous Vocational Training). Despite some drawbacks and the generated new behaviors of the digital generation, the internet connection speed, the new devices and tools (LMS) undoubtedly stress the integration of ICT in the training model. The challenge for accessibility, good education and collective work benefits the development of innovative solutions; enforced by the Higher Education framework in Europe. But even if funds are directed for techniques, only a few efforts are given to help a new posture for trainers.

Science Education with and through ICT

One of the contemporary society characteristics is that the amount of information available to any individual is enormous, generating problems to manipulate, assess and take the best of this information. In this case, student need to be educated to evaluate it and have skills to construct personal knowledge, developing understandings not only about the content of science, but also its methods. One of the science education challenges issues is how to stimulate active learning and develop competences in ICT-rich environments. Due to the importance of questioning skills to promote active and reflexive learning and the few studies on questioning profiles in e-learning or b-learning contexts, we propose the development of curriculum design, as well as to discuss the adequate use of strategies that could be implemented to stimulate student and teacher questioning. This chapter has the intention to also continue a deep discussion about many aspects of the epistemology of questioning in these contexts.

Designing an E-Learning Curriculum

In this chapter, the authors propose to look at the empirical findings that will be useful for instructors, who wish to improve their understanding on how to design an e-learning curriculum that will take into account the different learning needs of their engineering students. The studies surveyed in this chapter will focus on gender and game-based learning, which will offer insights as to how to improve the level of participation and learning outcomes for females in male-dominated fields. In particular, the authors will focus on gender issues and how learning in an e-learning curriculum can be designed to engage female students and to improve retention of female students. The authors propose the following change in an engineering e-learning curriculum: mixed-sex groups, use of collaborative activities, blended learning, and communication tools, and mixed-sex curriculum design team.