International Institute of
Tele-Sim MSK for Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Professionals
Cancelliere, Carolina; Dubrowski, Adam; Kapralos, Bill; Mior, Silvano; Côté, Pierre; Muirhead, Bill; Dubrowski, Raluca (Canada)
ABSTRACT:
Musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders are the leading causes of disability globally. The COVID-19 pandemic has reduced access to MSK rehabilitation services; thus, alternative methods of delivering services are needed. We aim to develop, test and implement a novel tele-simulation training program (“Tele-Sim MSK”) to train clinicians to deliver MSK rehabilitation virtually. Development: We will adapt an existing, evidence-based system (Gamified Educational Network learning management system, GEN). We will develop content and simulations to populate GEN using clinical practice guidelines, rapid reviews about best practices for virtual delivery of MSK practice and training, and focus group discussions regarding clinician training needs and perspectives. Testing: We will assess the system’s features using user experience and usability scales, and clinician learning outcomes through a pre/post-test pilot study. Implementation: We will explore implementation considerations to inform large-scale implementation through focus group discussions. Thus, we will use a novel tele-simulation approach based on theory, optimal pedagogies and innovative design, and established frameworks to guide development, testing and implementation (i.e., Aim – FineTune – FollowThrough framework, Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), Kirkpatrick Training Evaluation Model). Through Tele-Sim MSK, we aim to improve clinician access to training and change the way clinical MSK rehabilitation is provided, ultimately helping to reduce barriers to care and the burden of MSK disorders.
2020 Pandemic: Resilient Canadian Higher Education Institutions Will Integrate OER
Craig, Chris D. (Canada)
ABSTRACT:
Can an increased integration of Open Education Resources (OER) in Canadian higher education support institutional resilience and best-practice in the wake of a pandemic? Concerns of institutional sustainability exist regarding eLearning and connectivity, learning outcomes, and finance. Resilient organizations adjust, and disruptive tools may help. OER present themselves as such an option, allowing for the free unrestricted adoption and adaptation of digital learning objects.
A meta-synthesis of peer-reviewed articles from G12 nations, link themes with the research question to explore applicability. Rogers’ framework of the five attributes of innovation and tech diffusion guide a review of OER’ Rate of Adoption.
This paper proposes that OER integration can positively affect concerns related to eLearning in Canadian higher education. Technology has permeated most aspects of daily living, more so in 2020 than before, and Canada can adapt to meet and exceed learner expectations.
A Divergent Approach to Teaching Industrial Automation and Professional Skills for the Engineering Design Process
Budnik, Mark M. (United States)
ABSTRACT:
Since 2011, Valparaiso University has offered an annual, multi-disciplinary course which integrates the topics of industrial automation and soft-skills for its undergraduate engineering students. While the course proved very popular with students and alumni, many faculty rejected the course because: 1) It did not focus on a specific, individual engineering discipline, and 2) It included topics deemed “unworthy” of engineering course credits (such as leadership, teamwork, communication, creativity, and innovation). To address faculty concerns, while still providing a unique learning opportunity for students, the course was reimagined into three courses providing parallel learning opportunities for students.
A Gendered Analysis of COVID-19 and the Implications for Online Learning
Hector-Alexander, Allison (Canada)
ABSTRACT:
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been referred to as the great equalizer of our times. Unfortunately, what has manifested as a result of this pandemic is a magnified view of the inequalities that exist for many historically marginalized groups in our society. We may all be experiencing the same storm but clearly, we are in very different boats trying to navigate these gale force winds. Individuals who live with disabilities, struggle with income and food insecurities, racialized folks as well as those who are part of the LGBT2Q+ community, may be at an even higher risk for further marginalization during this time of uncertainty and upheaval. Women have been significantly and disproportionately impacted compared to men in many aspects and shines light on how intersectionality further complicates and denies access to these folks. One significant observation is that the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated measures restricting movement and limiting physical contact with others have significantly altered the daily routines of many Canadians. Adapting to lifestyle changes such as working from home, job loss, homeschooling children, providing care for family, and social isolation is challenging and poses a significant risk to one’s mental health. The World Health Organization has placed women at seventy per cent of health and social-service workers worldwide which places them at the forefront of the crisis and at greater risk of exposure to the virus. For many women, online learning may be how they position themselves to consume learning, be competitive in the labour market while carrying the responsibilities of childcare, family care, and the unpaid labour in the household.
A Participatory Web GIS for Stakeholders' Engagement in the Development of the Electricity Grid
Maran, Stefano; Stella, Giuseppe (Italy)
ABSTRACT:
The research activity presented in this paper was aimed at investigating and analyzing the Web GIS functionalities that could support people’s involvement in the decision-making process, enhance their participation, and enable them to express their own opinion about the alternatives to better estimate the effects.
The tool was developed to support decisions about the development of the electricity grid but it can be used for the siting of renewable energy plants as well. Due to its specific characteristics and the geographical character of the considered data, the most appropriate stage for use of Web GIS is Spatial Planning. Web GIS are already currently used for presenting some information about grid infrastructures. In this project, we investigated how the basic functionalities of Web GIS can be improved or extended to support public participation, possibly empowering the role of the public in the decision-making process.
A prototype of participatory Web GIS has been developed and implemented, focusing on the functionalities which could improve participation of citizens, enable them to interact with the decision-makers and the proponents, and express their own opinion about possible alternative routes or solutions.
An Application for Absentee Voter Verification
Wyrosdick, Bradley; Laurenceau, Isabel; Gilbert, Juan E. (United States)
ABSTRACT:
Vote-By-Mail or Absentee voting gives voters the option to vote from the comfort of their own home. It also allows voters to vote early in case they are absent during an election. Although this method of voting is common, issues like vulnerabilities in verification, tracking ballots in real-time, and election fraud accompany its use. We have designed a vote-by-mail mobile application that works with any existing absentee voting system, provides ballot tracking and assists Supervisors of Elections with fixing voter verification issues. Current vote-by-mail applications track ballots but lack the ability of verification. Our solution has the ability to 1) reduce vote-by-mail ballot rejections, 2) provide voters with timely notifications for rejections or ballot issues, 3) track ballots, and 4) verify voters. Applying this technology to existing voting systems could help improve the vote-by-mail process and current ballot-tracking systems.
An Effective Model for Large Scale Implementation in the Field of Education
Yadav, Prem; Billava, Roopa; Bora, Loni; Ngaihte, S K (India)
ABSTRACT:
India has several legislative mechanisms at the Central and State level to boost digitalization in multiple areas. Education is one area where the national government wants to improve the education system and have adopted ICT as a program in schools. However, ground realities are different and have a lot of area of improvement in achieving the SDG 4. The Sustainable Development targets for 2030 calls for ensuring the completion of primary and secondary education by all, and guaranteeing equal access to opportunities for access to quality technical and vocational education for everyone. There are various approaches that supplement the process of achieving SDG 4 - Quality Education. PIF feels grassroots community level mobilization and school-based initiatives are key factors. The driving principle behind Computer Assisted Learning program in schools is to provide an exposure of Computer based teaching and learning. The use of computers in the education to improve the fundamental skills as it captivates the students’ interests in learning. The usage of PIF’s own developed educational software helps the students to learn at right level. PIF aims to build foundational skills in literacy and numeracy for children before exiting primary school.
Authentic Experiences: How Active Learning and User-Generated Content Can Immerse University Students in Real Life Situations
Ehrlick, Steven; Schwartz, Noah; Slotta, James (Canada)
ABSTRACT:
This design-based research study brought the pedagogical methods of active learning and user-generated content into a post-secondary seminar using scripted workshops and scaffolded assignments to immerse students in the real-life experience of working with actual musical artists. The site was a fourth year undergraduate seminar music business course. The course was built upon a philosophy of social constructivism to create a learning community environment, fostered through student blog post discussions on current music industry issues and by way of hands-on work with six musical artists. Student groups created marketing and production artifacts for each artist as needed for their burgeoning careers. In this learning environment, students were able to develop key 21st century music business skills, which enabled them to interact with music industry stakeholders: musicians, venues, managers and record labels. These tasks culminated in a student conceived, planned and executed live public showcase featuring the selected artists. The researchers focused on how 21st century skills could be effectively taught in a dynamic active learning environment and with content that was created by students. Secondarily, the researchers examined the instructor role in the delivery of course content that is largely student-generated. Results indicate that while students achieved most of the stated learning outcomes and experienced an invaluable real-life learning experience, the unpredictable nature of student-generated content and the anxieties associated with real-life activities make future applications of the curricular design both challenging and daunting for educators who wish to replicate the design. Further research will address the balance between creating a dynamic learning environment with the ability of instructors to intervene when necessary without disrupting the model.
Canadian Academic Librarians as Online Teachers
McTavish, Heather; Robertson, Lorayne (Canada)
ABSTRACT:
The arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic in Canada has brought about some major changes for colleges and universities. These include changes in policies for student health and safety, grading policies, new challenges for international students, and changes in the mode of learning to online and hybrid, to name just a few. Although Covid-19 is impacting how courses are delivered, many higher education institutions were already on a clear trajectory to offer more online learning. One public report in 2018 found that 80% of colleges and 90% of Canadian universities offered distance education, and 98% of those institutions offered online courses. These decisions to offer increased online learning courses are having an impact on higher education personnel, including changes to library services, spaces and roles. Academic librarians are facing a number of transitions – not the least of which are new pedagogies for online and open learning.
There is a scarcity of information about the skills and competencies required of academic librarians for these changing roles. The research presented here employs an online survey of academic librarians’ perceptions to capture the current realities of Canadian academic librarians’ roles and their accounts of their skills and competencies with respect to online learning. An extensive literature review indicates that librarian as teacher is an emergent role that intersects with technology. The survey findings reveal that academic librarians work across a wide range of library ecologies and most of these librarians acquire significant technological and pedagogical competencies while in the role. The findings of this study have direct implications for the curriculum of preparatory programs for academic librarians.
Cognitive Analysis of Security Threats on Social Networking Services
Fabián, Karol; Mintal, Jozef Michal (Slovakia)
ABSTRACT:
This paper examines some of the ongoing research at the UMB Data and Society Lab hosted at the Faculty of Political Science and International Relations, Matej Bel University in Slovakia. It begins with an introduction on the necessity of security threat identification on social networking services (SNSs), done by states. The paper follows with a general overview of selected projects of the Lab in this field, and afterwards it introduces a use case study focused on the announcement of the UK snap general election 2017. The main aim of this paper is to demonstrate some of the possibilities of social networking services analysis in the field of international relations, with an emphasis on disinformation and the necessity of identifying novel digital actors in Slovakia. We also outline an easy custom system tasked to collect social media data, and afterwards process it using various cognitive analytic methods.
Curricular Aspects for Global Competencies in Engineering Education
Ilyas, Mohammad (United States)
ABSTRACT:
All institutions of higher education should seriously consider addressing the new educational dimensions created by the growing phenomenon of globalization. The educational institutions can and should play a major role in creating knowledge and awareness about all the aspects of globalization and in preparing graduates with global competencies. In a globalized world, engineers are often required to work in multicultural teams, travel to different parts of the globe, communicate ideas to diverse groups, and have leadership and management skills to execute the assigned tasks, possibly in unfamiliar regions of the world. Global competence promotes having an open mind, actively seeking to understand cultural norms, communicating in diverse environments, and working effectively outside one’s own comfort zone. This paper discusses curricular aspects that focus on educating and producing engineers that are globally competent and have the mindset to be lifelong learners to adapt to the changing requirements of a globalized world.
Cybersecurity-Related Curriculum for Diverse Postgraduate Cohorts: A Case Study
Stavrou, Eliana; Polycarpou, Irene (Cyprus)
ABSTRACT:
Cyber threats have highly increased over the last decade, including ransomware, identity stealing, etc. Ensuring the security of cyberspace is imperative and should constitute a top priority for society to promote its growth and support its sustainability. Educational organizations, worldwide, have recognized the need to educate people on cybersecurity. This need has driven educational organizations to design postgraduate cybersecurity curriculums to educate and train recent graduates and IT professionals. Having a diverse audience, with different experiences and backgrounds with regards to knowledge and practical skills, can greatly challenge the design and delivery of a cybersecurity curriculum. Moreover, the fact that blended environments are promoted, where a curriculum is delivered to both face-to-face and distance learning students, can challenge the curriculum design and delivery even further. This paper presents a case study, critically discussing the challenges in the design and delivery of an ethical hacking curriculum targeting diverse postgraduate cohorts in conventional and distance learning. Moreover, the utilized practices that have successfully addressed the challenges are discussed. The aim of this work is to assist curriculum planners and developers to deliver an enhanced teaching and learning cybersecurity environment.
Design Science: Gamification for Environmental Sustainability
Matias, Cátia; Fernandes, Jesualdo (Portugal)
ABSTRACT:
It is imperative to change the way we consume and dispose of waste, and children are the most powerful engine for this change. With an increasingly technological society, the ways of reaching people need to be adapted to their expectations and demands. It is important to adjust teaching methods, by including tools that excite and captivate the children of today, the so-called Alpha Generation. This generation needs rapid access to information and almost immediate feedback. Gamification is a technique that can be a very powerful complement to teaching, allowing educators to motivate their students. In a Design Science Research project, a gamified system artifact was designed and tested. The purpose of the artifact is to educate children on environmental sustainability. The artifact was validated through six interviews, aimed to understand the adequacy of the chosen techniques to the target audience. Given that players are learning and applying the learned concepts almost immediately, the knowledge is being consolidated in an interactive way, giving them motivation and teachers will gather information to allow improvements on teaching methods.
There is a multidimensional aspect on the research project, as we learned from the educational process and also tried to improve children’s environmental education.
DevSecOps Pipeline for Complex Software-Intensive Systems: Addressing Cybersecurity Challenges
Woody, Carol; Chick, Timothy A.; Reffett, Aaron; Pavetti, Scott; Laughlin, Richard; Frye, Brent; Bandor, Michael (United States)
ABSTRACT:
A major challenge for cybersecurity comes from new technology approaches that focus primarily on the benefits of implementation rather than on defining the governance and risk management changes necessary to establish and enforce appropriate protections. This challenge is especially important for the adoption of technology that impacts critical infrastructure and shared services, such as voting and defense. Researchers examined the challenges and the effective cybersecurity options facing Department of Defense (DoD) programs delivering cyber-physical systems and adopting DevSecOps. These researchers found a lack of broad understanding about the level of management and governance responsibility needed to define and use the DevSecOps pipeline. Adopting DevSecOps is a socio-technical decision that links technology with operational process and practice. Researchers identified several areas that require cross-functional and organizational management attention to fit the pipeline for mission use and considerations to address for producing the system. This paper describes the case study and lessons learned to date.
When a program adopts DevSecOps, it creates and supports two major systems concurrently: (1) the product the program was assigned to produce, and (2) the pipeline the program uses to develop and operationalize the product. Both systems need effective built-in security. In addition, neither the product nor the pipeline can remain static, so the cybersecurity of each must change to ensure sufficiency. The product expands with added functionality, which includes added vulnerabilities that tools and developers must address. The pipeline should be continually refined and improved as new tools and techniques better enable the consistent throughput of new features and capabilities. The focus on functionality and throughput is not sufficient for either system because the threat landscape changes constantly with new attacker capabilities. As a result, the need for improved tools to avoid and remove vulnerabilities from the product become critical. These tools must also be patched since they are software and contain vulnerabilities. As more data about the product is collected through the pipeline, it is critical to tap this information to improve the product and pipeline. However, the pipeline is not a single entity. It is a collection of highly configurable pieces built independently and assembled to perform together.
The increased use of the DevSecOps pipeline to automate software assurance, cybersecurity, and safety compliance transfers the responsibilities for identifying and addressing pipeline and product risks to roles that were not involved in the past. For example, acquirers and maintainers of pipeline tools may now be responsible for the level of verification performed on the product and its associated effectiveness. If the criteria for tool selection remains focused only on cost, availability, and compliance, the expectations for this new responsibility could fall short of stakeholder expectations, especially if structuring the pipeline does not include stakeholder requirements. There is a lack of broad understanding about the level of management and governance responsibility needed to define and assure the responsible use of a DevSecOps pipeline. Our work is focused on bringing these under-addressed areas to light.
Educational Technology for Laboratory Experiments in Nuclear Physics and Related Sciences
Lazarte, Gustavo; Cruz, Kouichi Julian Andres; Perez Lucero, Alejandra Lucia; Chautemps, Norma Adriana; Keil, Walter Miguel (Argentina)
ABSTRACT:
In this work, we present a prototype of a Nuclear Radiation Counter simulator, targeted to laboratories teaching Nuclear Physics and related sciences, both in universities and high schools. Its usage is also possible in research centers, for personnel ramp up and training. This equipment simulates data based on real experiments for the elaboration of representative characteristic curves corresponding to different radioactive sources, allowing to experiment without manipulating real radioactive elements. By incorporating this simulator in the multidisciplinary teaching and learning processes in STEM fields, it is possible to run these tests in a simple manner using non-radioactive materials. This, in turn, eliminates the risks inherent to the manipulation of radioactive sources, and reduces the costs and complexity of doing these experiments. Doing experiments allows theoretical contents to be applied in practical situations that lead to involvement in the research, interpretation, integration and communication processes of the obtained results. Simulating the experiments enables to obtain the same experiences for both the student and the professor, especially in situations where it would be significantly more difficult to do the real experiment. This will facilitate sharing knowledge of Nuclear Physics beyond the local scope of the university.
Enhancing Cognitive Presence through Videos in Online Courses
Banerjee, Madhumita; Wolf, Joy; Chalasani, Suresh (United States)
ABSTRACT:
Quality online programs often demonstrate significant instructor presence through videos. This study analyzes video usage in online courses based on the Community of Inquiry framework. Videos can promote social, teaching, and cognitive presence in the online classroom. The purpose of this study is to explore how asynchronous videos and synchronous videoconferencing can be utilized to create higher levels of cognitive presence in the online environment. Module introduction videos, lecture videos, and video feedback of common test errors are analyzed for cognitive presence. Examples from multiple programs/disciplines, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels at a public Midwestern university (natural sciences, health sciences, and social sciences) are discussed. Faculty and student perception of videos demonstrate high levels of cognitive presence. This paper is applicable for programs and educational institutions currently designing or offering online programs.
Environmental Sustainability: A Study on the Impact of Information Systems on Game-Based Learning and Gamification
Henriques, Mariana; Fernandes, Jesualdo (Portugal)
ABSTRACT:
In a world that experiences constant technological evolution, we still face certain backlashes of human attitudes, such as pollution, which undermine the planet’s environmental sustainability. An enhanced awareness to environmental issues can lead to behavioral change capable of educating the citizens of our planet from their very early age.
Children grow up surrounded by technology and that has been known to lead to novel teaching methods and strategies. Gamebased teaching strategies appear rather effective in motivating and contributing to students’ care for environmental sustainability.
The research project had the double objective of studying the applicability of gamification to education and increase the awareness of children to environmental issues.
To achieve these goals, a sample of 75 children of an elementary school were exposed to a game-based learning process and then 35 of those children were also exposed to a gamified process.
We found that game-based learning processes are able to increase children’s awareness of environmental sustainability, and that gamified processes guarantee their changes in behavior and sensitivity. Therefore, it is possible to educate children about environmental sustainability via this research findings.
Facilitating the Work of the Educator While Escaping the Classical Teaching Routine With the Use of Demonstration Videos for the Teaching of "Water Hardness"
Thysiadou, Anna (Greece)
ABSTRACT:
In this paper is presented a proposal concerning the teaching of the thematic unit of “Hardness” by using video to frame the theoretical part of this module by attributing to it the concept of a more integrated teaching. Given that the teaching of science courses remains to a great extent attuned to traditional methods, the integration of Information and Communications Technology in this field is an interesting challenge that enables students to use existing semiotic resources and cultivate digital and critical literacy. The approach to this module is embellished with references to applications from the everyday life of students in a way that creates and exploits authentic learning situations. Students are invited to reach out to knowledge through group collaboration activities of guided exploration. The exploration process by students is primarily based on the activities through which students seek to gain a comprehensive perception of how the experimental process of analyzing a sample of water is performed for the determination of the “Hardness” parameter.
Four Years and 25,000 Students Later: Lessons Learned From a Lab-Intensive, Embedded Microcontrollers MOOC
Budnik, Mark M. (United States)
ABSTRACT:
In January of 2015, Valparaiso University’s College of Engineering began development of a MOOC entitled “Introduction to Microcontrollers and the C Programming Language.” Supported by both Texas Instruments and element14, the MOOC was launched worldwide at the end of 2015. Presently, over 25,000 students from 151 countries have partaken in the class with positive feedback.
From Concern to Validation: Educational Technology in Western Canadian K-12 During COVID-19
Holowka, Peter (Canada)
ABSTRACT:
This paper explores the responses of schools in British Columbia, Canada to the COVID-19 pandemic through the lenses of the educational technology and IT infrastructure. In March 2020, BC schools had to rapidly move from a face-to-face instructional paradigm towards an online-only experience for students. This rapid response was made possible by IT infrastructure and school technology policies that were established over the many preceding years. This paper is based on the findings of an exhaustive study of all 75 large K-12 districts in Canada's three western-most provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. A data transformation model mixed methods triangulation design methodology was used in this study of over 1.1 million students across a geography of over 2.2 million square kilometers. Western Canadian K-12 relies heavily on cloud computing, and this approach enabled a successful shift to online education during COVID-19. This paper presents an overview of the IT infrastructure and technology policies used in many of the schools of British Columbia with the aim of informing IT strategies for school leaders around the world.
Global Pandemic Contorts Traditional Classroom Teaching for Private School
Zigelman, Ilana (United States)
ABSTRACT:
COVID-19 shook elementary teachers in private school transforming the traditional classroom to online forums. Every school board had its own protocol for providing student instruction during the pandemic. As a teacher in a parochial school, witnessing coworkers as they scrambled to adapt piqued interest in collecting data on this topic. As students in affluent private parochial schools have access to technology, gathering research on teacher experiences in this setting focussed on the teachers' experience as the digital divide would not be a factor. Mixed-methods research was conducted to collect data on parochial private school teachers' experiences teaching during a global pandemic. Teachers range in age from 25 to 50+ and have a wide range of technological abilities. Administrators were forced to implement a new program within days and expectations laid on teachers included daily synchronous online classes and synchronous and asynchronous assignments. Teachers were given little to no training for online video conference platforms and online teaching tools. They taught for less time during the day and provided daily virtual office hours for extra help. Parents had high expectations due to tuition payments and expected the same curriculum, calibre of teaching and engagement. Parents observed teachers during instructional time. Depending on the age of the child, parents often needed to assist their child sit through the class, complete tasks, and force them to attend. The transition to online learning required a time commitment for parents which often interfered with their work schedule. Students varied in performance; some excelled, some regressed, while others stopped attending. Research was conducted through surveys and interviews with private school teachers from kindergarten to grade eight to discover how COVID-19 impacted their teaching. Questions included age of teacher, grade taught, digital platform used, synchronous and asynchronous instruction time, student completion of work, parental involvement, student performance, support for special education students, differentiated instruction and comfort with technology. Findings included teachers' dissatisfied with technological support from school and felt unprepared for this transition. They found it difficult to meet parental demands due to time constraints and the shift in delivery methods. Many felt isolated from coworkers and disconnected from students. Teachers found it challenging to meet the individual needs and were overwhelmed by expectations from parents and administration. Special education teachers who would normally offer in-class support now needed to offer individual support which meant more teaching hours and not sufficiently meeting individual needs. Teachers witnessed fluctuation of student performance as a result of the platform shift.
Goal Setting and Executive Function Using Matrix Graphic Organizers
Hendel, Russell Jay (United States)
ABSTRACT:
The paper first reviews the usefulness of the matrix graphic organizer. The pedagogic usefulness of the matrix is well established in the literature. The paper shows how the matrix graphic organizer meets the pedagogic excellence criteria of executive function, goal-setting, and several educational hierarchies. This review points to the need to use a unified approach to pedagogy and assessment. Illustrative examples are provided using the topics quadratic equation and solving simultaneous systems.
Importance of Support in the Implementation of Agile Practices in Work Teams
Orantes-Jiménez, Sandra-Dinora *; Letelier-Torres, Patricio Orlando **; Pérez-Castillo, Yadira Jazmín * (* Mexico, ** Spain)
ABSTRACT:
At present, there is an increasing interest in software development companies, or they have an area dedicated to software development in the adoption of any agile methodology, which in turn leads to new ways of working and structure work teams. There is much talk about Scrum and XP, although there are other agile methodologies not so mentioned, as well as techniques and methods of support for the adoption of agile, the important thing is that the working groups should consider the transition from traditional practices to practices agile.
This task is not easy, because it also involves adopting a new philosophy not only for the workgroups, but for the entire company, but the basis is that the workgroups identify within the practices that already apply, which are already a road to agility. Therefore, this work focuses on highlighting the importance of detecting the level of agility in the work teams as a first step towards the adoption of any agile methodology.
Inferring Dominant Human Activity Locales for an Integrated Commuter-Centric Transportation System: The Importance of Finding the Home and Work Places
Cheo, Rui Ming (Singapore)
ABSTRACT:
Location activity modelling has been widely studied in human mobility. Of the location activities that are of common interest, home and work-based location activities are of significance given a large portion of time is arguable spent at these places. It is widely presumed that the top two frequented places and dwelled longest are home and workplaces. Affirmations to this belief have also been supported with geographical information and time of activity. However, these assumptions fail to hold when users do not conform to travel norms. In the spirit of finding assumptions of greater generalisability, it is shown, with data from travel smart card systems, that the dwell durations of users at places and its variations suffice to offer reasonable inferences on the home and work whereabouts. To add interpretability, the use of the Gini Index, widely used to indicate national income inequality, was used to express the dwell duration variations.
Learning in the Process of Work - Wish or Reality? An Interdisciplinary Approach to Designing Technology-Based Learning and Assistance Systems to Promote Learning
Haase, Tina; Termath, Wilhelm; Berndt, Dirk; Dick, Michael (Germany)
ABSTRACT:
A high number of variants, small batch sizes, and changing market requirements demand resilient production processes. The employees are increasingly supported in the necessary adaptation processes by digital assistance systems. These provide the necessary content directly in the work situation. The authors present an approach that complements this often mere presentation of information with content preparation and a systematic technology selection and design to facilitate learning in the work process.
The technological basis is formed by virtual and augmented reality, which are selected and designed according to their didactic potential.
The contribution is characterized by an interdisciplinary approach that combines perspectives from technological, pedagogical, psychological, and organizational sciences. In addition to the participatory design of a digital learning and assistance system, measures to promote organizational integration are described.
The procedure is presented using an example from the automotive industry, which is currently being developed in the research project LeARn4Assembly.
Manage the Present or Focus on the Future? Leveraging New Technologies in Post-pandemic Education
Robertson, Lorayne; Muirhead, Bill (Canada)
ABSTRACT:
Many schools closed during the Covid-19 pandemic, and this was also the case in Canada where schooling was seriously disrupted because schools closed for seven months. At the present time, little is known about the extent of the impact of school closures on student learning but it is evident that some educational institutions such as universities and colleges were able to shift to online more easily than others. Globally, those persons who had internet access and tech skills were able to maintain social contacts and work from home. It became evident, however, during the school closures that schools and school systems who had blended learning in place fared better overall because they had systems and processes to fall back on. The uneven levels of technology adoption in the K-12 education sector also became apparent during the school closures. At the time of writing, schools in Canada are planning to re-open to students in September, 2020. School administrators will be challenged to manage pandemic protocols and the predicted learning gaps in students who were at home since March. At the same time, however, technology continues to evolve and change how persons outside schools interact with each other. New technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are changing the day-to-day landscape and schooling needs to continue to adapt and shift to consider how to use these emergent technologies. In this paper, the authors review some of the emergent technologies and concerns that have been raised about them. They suggest that a critical, interdisciplinary approach is needed to assess the affordances and risks of emergent technology and how these technologies might support learners in schools. Given the present rate of technology change, schools will need to build capacity and competence to help them solve the problems of the present and the future.
Management Library System Based on NFC Technology
Chavez, Alexa; Acevedo, Elena; Acevedo, Antonio (Mexico)
ABSTRACT:
We propose the development of a management library system granted by the current benefits of the wireless communication NFC (Near Field Communication) technology. NFC is compatible with the existing infrastructure; therefore, we can apply it in proximity cards, desktop computers, and mobile devices to offer a full and efficient service to the users.
Mobile Digital Learning Solution for Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Chuchon, Leonardo; Orellana, Sebastian; Villalta, Rosario (Peru)
ABSTRACT:
Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have difficulties in carrying out their executive functions, which prevents them from performing their daily activities normally. With the advancement of technology and the development of applications for mobile devices, new paths open up to innovate the way in which children with ADHD reinforce their learning. In this scientific article we propose a mobile digital learning solution for children with ADHD, which aims to help children with this disorder develop their executive functions. This application contains short-term memorization activities, planning capacity, assignment of tasks and selective and sustained attention. This solution will be applied in the Peruvian Association of Attention Deficit (APDA) with an audience of 10 children.
Multiplatform Data Interchange System for Climate-Smart Agriculture in the Philippines
Khan, Concepcion L.; Mariano, Jeyneth Ann R.; Constantino Jr., Emmanuel B.; Hao, Aldrin Joseph J. (Philippines)
ABSTRACT:
Evidence-based decision-making and policy setting in the Philippine Agriculture is necessary to address post-harvest losses due to extreme typhoons, prolonged droughts, pests and diseases, and lack of access to real-time information on climate, crop and pest lifecycles. A research-action program Smarter Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry in the Philippines (SARAI) was established to develop a multidisciplinary response for the farmers to be more proactive in increasing climate resilience and in reducing the vulnerability of the agricultural sector. To facilitate the exchange of data, the SARAI Knowledge Portal was developed to serve as a central hub to agricultural information and services, allowing near real-time and site-specific monitoring of crop production areas. With the readily available products in satellite imaging and information technology, the agriculture sector can take advantage of a multiplatform data interchange system to have an insight-driven judgment in their farming activities. The technologies considered encompassed methods for collaborative development connecting researchers, policymakers, and agricultural sectors in a transdisciplinary manner. Through a multiplatform deployment, the project was able to provide a multidisciplinal support for unified services to various stakeholders in climate-smart agricultural intervention and implementation.
Pivots from the Void – How School Leaders Enact the Catholic Competencies They Teach Their Students
Corrigan, Laurie (Canada)
ABSTRACT:
In the Province of Ontario, Canada, students attending Catholic schools are expected to attain 7 expectations before they graduate. These expectations bear a close resemblance to competencies identified globally as 21st century competencies. While some research has been undertaken in global competencies and their importance, little is understood about how teachers and administrators, responsible for the teaching, learning, and assessment of these competencies, enact the competencies themselves. During school closures, which took place during the global Covid 19 pandemic, one Catholic school district, in the absence of pandemic provincial legislation and policy, leveraged and enacted these competencies from a distinct void, which was represented by the abrupt closing of schools by the Province on March 12.
Plagiarism in an Online Learning Environment: Reflections on Best Practice Using the Analytical Lens of Behavioural Science
Creaner, Gerard; Creaner, Sinead (Ireland)
ABSTRACT:
Many universities are facing the prospect of a significant increase in online teaching and assessment for the coming 2020-21 academic year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. On-campus, in-person delivery and assessment methods are often transposed to an online environment with little modification. This does not always work.
This paper looks at the experience and effectiveness of implementing a standard plagiarism awareness campaign within an online learning environment. It uses the analytical lens of behavioural science to examine the results (where the plagiarism scores for almost 20% of the adult learners were High due to poor referencing abilities) with a view to reducing these scores.
The data set has been gathered over a two-year period with 275 adult learners, coming from a variety of educational and employment backgrounds, with 5 to 25 years of work experience. All were exposed to the same lessons on plagiarism and referencing.
This paper is broadly practitioner research using case studies as illustrative of real-world phenomena. The methodology for comparison draws heavily on Bereday's model of comparative styles and their predispositions (Bereday, 1964).
This presented the key question: How can the poor referencing abilities of otherwise capable learners be addressed to produce work that is Low plagiarism scoring?
The analytical lens of behavioural science theories (in particular Bounded Rationality and the Framing Effect) suggest some explanations for the poor referencing abilities of otherwise capable learners. Likewise, Nudge Theory, Messenger Effect and Simplification are suggested for opportunities for insight into how to motivate learners to produce work with lower plagiarism scores.
The key outcome is the suggestion of the need for further research into creating a positive environment for learners to explore referencing and building more credible arguments through the proper use of Subject Matter Experts (SME) opinions that support their own, rather than the current situation where referencing is seen as a box-ticking exercise that results in punishment if not done correctly.
Possibilities of Application of Multi-Spectral Imaging in Research Works and for Paleographic and Codicological Analysis of Dalmatian Beneventana from the Collection of the Research Library of Dubrovnik Libraries
Bogdanovic, Jelena; Di Reda, Tina (Croatia)
ABSTRACT:
The paper focuses on the possibilities offered by Multi-spectral Imaging Technique (MSI) in preservation research and analysis of cultural heritage objects.
From the Manuscript's Collection of the Research Library of Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik Libraries, which are protected cultural goods of the Republic of Croatia (959 manuscripts), the oldest ones are fragments of manuscripts written in Beneventan script dating from 10/11th century onwards.
The aim of Multi-spectral analysis of faded, covered text was finding possible palimpsests, identifying the materials on which the text was written, identifying the types of ink and pigments used for writing. It can provide analysis of calligraphy initials with the application of new techniques of spectral recording. In addition, in the field of conservation and restoration of parchment and leather for the purpose of preserving, investigating the materials, technique and intent of making, we wanted to identify changes that have occurred over time all of these as a tool in revaluating and discovering a new historical data.While using multi-spectral imaging technique on the seven fragments of manuscripts written in Beneventan script from the Library manuscript’s collection, we have seen a more complete and accurate representation of the cultural property that cannot be obtained without the use of this technique. The aim was to investigate whether the multi-imaging technique applied on the seven fragments could be a good tool to apply on the whole Corp of the Dubrovnik’s Manuscripts and Fragments in perspective with a goal to find the hidden historical data and information on the text to contribute to the thesis of existing a Benedictine scriptorium in the oldest Dubrovnik’s Benedictine monastery on the island of Lokrum?
Preservation of Mediterranean Intangible Cultural Heritage Through Virtual Gaming and Informatics: The Case of Sardinian Mùrra
Serra, Luigi (Italy)
ABSTRACT:
The interaction Human-Machine has always been a fascinating challenge for researchers. In the context of Humanities, History and Social Sciences, the games have always played an important role for the relations between humans. These also includes traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants, such as “Social practices, rituals and festive events” that involve a dazzling variety of forms and among the others traditional games, as UNESCO also supports. With this spirit, starting from humans and their games, through their digitization, the preservation of the rich European Cultural Heritage can pass even through the dissemination of a Mediterranean traditional game: the Mùrra (or Morra). There are many variants of the game depending on the region in which it is played. We will treat the Sardinian variant. The game is a simple one, played between two or four players in couples. Its complexity, in spite of its simple rules, passes through the statistic prediction of the sum, resulting by the plays, through the reading of the number given by the opponent’s hand added to the number of our own hand. If the players are able to maintain a stochastic independency for each own hand throwing, the game is balanced, engaging and left to chance, but if the hand of one of the players is vitiated, predicting subsequent launches on the recurrent numbers thrown by one of the players, the opponent has an easy game, winning the exchanges basing on these predictions. Interesting is to transpose the game into a virtual environment: a system instructed on the algorithm of the game, using Artificial Intelligence, motion capture techniques which involve audio capture, and both visual capture and gesture sensors with or without haptic devices, it can reproduce a real match environment. While for a beginner the easiest way to do practice is simply facing in front of a mirror against himself, with IT and virtualization solutions, is possible to transpose the same training technique into an IT system, which could evolve itself little by little, with self-training machine adaptive deep learning techniques. Using VR or AR trough headset with visors, goggles or simply with internal or external projections such as monitors or any surface, this device, resulting in an operational machine, can be proposed in museum environments as stable or itinerant exhibition, to disseminate Mediterranean Intangible Cultural Heritage. It can be also used to trigger remote competition between people through the platform interfaces available, impersonating an avatar or being himself as well, for Humans vs Humans remotely, or Humans vs Machine locally or remotely. The beauty of the game is even its musicality: keeping the rhythm, it helps to acquire a musical ear formation and the sense for the rhythm itself, through self control. The game helps to keep and refresh mathematical skills due to the pressing velocity of the matches. On one hand the simplicity of the rules, is affordable by everyone and, for this reason, it could be easily translated into different idioms, on the other hand the complexity behind the IT apparatus is taken in charge by a real-time translation engine of the opponents’ idioms and their plays, basing it on the finger symbols formed each time by the opponents’ fingers. So that, through gaming, it is possible to near different cultures and diverse people, for an intercultural dialogue, exploiting the power of informatics and new technologies. This project proposal could be developed both by the Humanists and by Computer Scientists to study the interaction Human-Machine and the reverse reactions of humans winning or losing against an intelligent machine for further analysis involving scholars in Psychology, Sociology, History and Cultural Anthropology.
Preventive Depression Diagnosis System for School Students Using Emotion Detection Tools
Cortez, Diego; Manrique, Miguel; Villalta, Rosario (Peru)
ABSTRACT:
There is currently a lack of systems or software that allow the diagnosis of mental illnesses or that facilitate its detection. Diseases such as depression are the main causes of low productivity and disability in adults, adolescents and children. This study focuses on providing a system that facilitates the diagnosis of depression in the public most vulnerable to this disease: children, so its use is oriented to school students. The system will consist of a psychological test implemented in a mobile application that provides a first result. Possible emotions of the schoolchild will be identified, giving indications that could help identify if the student is going through a depressive condition. After diagnosis, the psychologist will notify the state of the students to their parents.
Professional-Oriented Training of Specialists Under Implementation of Cloud Computing Information Systems in Cooperation Between Universities and IT Companies
Kopishynska, Olena; Utkin, Yurii; Sliusar, Ihor; Slyusar, Vadym; Protas, Nadiia; Barabolia, Olha (Ukraine)
ABSTRACT:
The article reveals an original approach to the organization of professional-oriented training and retraining of specialists in agrarian universities, which is based on the example of creating syllabuses and curriculum design in cooperation with business companies that are developers of information systems (IS). Cloud computing based IS, which were designed to automate the accounting of production and management processes in agrarian enterprises, allow students to attend training and perform a wide range of production tasks. The authors describe the main stages and results of the implementation of different ERP and CRM cloud computing systems in the training programs for bachelor and master courses in management, marketing, agronomy, as well as methods for organizing various forms of training for practicing professionals from agrarian enterprises.
Ready Teacher One: A Journey into the Future of Technology and Pedagogy Through Virtual Reality
Girard, Joannie; Robertson, Lorayne (Canada)
ABSTRACT:
This paper describes proposed research to be undertaken by a graduate student in Education (the researcher). Due to the pandemic, teacher learning has shifted to an online mode, but regardless there has been little research in the area of teacher professional development using virtual reality. In this research by design study, the researcher will use higher-end virtual reality (VR) systems (Oculus Quest, Oculus VR LLC, Facebook Inc., Menlo Park, CA) in a digital, polysynchronous, collaborative virtual learning environment to conduct fully immersive teacher professional development sessions. This overall research by design model will allow the researcher to design, along with teacher participants, a teaching framework for using virtual reality in schools. This will be done by assessing and reassessing teacher progress over the eight immersive training sessions and documenting the possibilities offered by this new technology to create engaging, contextualized and authentic student experiences. The research will take place in the fall of 2020, whether schools are open for physically-present classes or not. The 16 research participants will be high-school teachers, representing each of the French First Language District school boards in Ontario, Canada. The goal of this study is to address the gaps in the research by investigating how these new technologies, along with attention to pedagogical design, could help educators enhance teaching, learning and student outcomes using virtual reality.
Roadmap of Technological Solutions for Remote Monitoring in Ambulatory Care
Carreño, Christian; Landman, Michael; Villalta, Rosario (Peru)
ABSTRACT:
Adherence of patients to treatments may be compromised because of the difficulty to access medical services, or due to their own negligence. The use of information and communication technologies is an alternative to solve this problem. In this work, we propose a roadmap of projects related to technological solutions that can be implemented in the remote monitoring of patients in the field of ambulatory care.
Semi-Automatic Ergonomic Posture Assessment with Deep Convolutional Neural Network
Kim, Min; Park, Donghyun; Kang, Sungwoo (South Korea)
ABSTRACT:
The evaluation of the potential risks of WMSDs (Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders) in industries have been a challenging as the working environment is complexed, which make it hard to evaluate the posture correctly when occlusions occur. This research presents a new WMSDs (Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders) evaluation methodology by employing a DLRULA (Deep Learning based Rapid Upper Limb Assessment), aimed at evaluating joint angles robustly in cluttered image, and evaluating the ergonomic assessment automatically. DLRULA has been validated with the ground truth joint angle based RULA grand score using VIA (VGG Image Annotator software) tool, with an observation method based human RULA experts. The experimental result shows a statistical almost perfect match of the Landis and Koch scale (DLRULA-VIA: proportion of agreement = 100%, k = 1, DLRULA-Expert: proportion of agreement = 88.9%, k = 0.87).
Strategic Enrolment Management in a Time of Disruption: How the Global Pandemic Will Force a Re-evaluation of Traditional Strategy
Stokes, Joseph M. (Canada)
ABSTRACT:
This paper will explore the ways in which aspects of the strategic enrolment management (SEM) lifecycle, in particular, student recruitment and programmatic persistence, have been affected by the current global pandemic. The aim of this writing is to provide practical considerations for higher education professionals who must navigate enrolment management issues that are directly associated with COVID-19. It will provide suggestions and considerations for enrolment managers who must lead higher education through the current disruption, and offer SEM as a cogent framework for moving institutions forward.
TBL Supported by Moodle: A Questionnaire for Surveying Students' Perceptions
Consolo, Letteria; Pasquot, Loredana; Alfieri, Sara; Gilli, Laura; Destrebecq, Anne Lucia Leona; Lusignani, Maura (Italy)
ABSTRACT:
A Team Based Learning (TBL), conducted in blended learning and supported by Moodle, was carried out in a nursing module. Given this technological and didactic innovation, it seemed useful to collect the students' perceptions. Thus, an ad hoc questionnaire, called MOOST, was constructed and its validation has begun. Eighteen questions were administered to 113 students of a convenient sample, to collect their perceptions on the components of the TBL conduction. The Exploratory Factor Analyses (EFA) brought to light the articulation in two dimensions, both composed of 4 items each. The two factorial dimensions have identified traits of the TBL method conducted in blended learning. The first factor, which we have called TEAM, concerns the TBL method with respect to team learning. The second factor, which we have called MOODLE, concerns the Moodle learning management system, that has supported TBL application in blended learning. Although more studies are needed to confirm the validity of this questionnaire, the preliminary results are promising. If further studies confirm the factorial structure of MOOST, it could become a valuable tool to accompany and support the didactic and technological innovation of the TBL incorporated into blended learning.
Teachers' Varied and Uneven Experiences with Japanese Lesson (Research) Study in the U.S.
Moquin, F. Kevin (United States)
ABSTRACT:
This article describes the findings of my dissertation which was based on the research question, “How do teachers experience lesson study?” Leveraging hermeneutic phenomenology, the research was based on semi-structured phone interviews of 15 educators. Out of the 15 educators, 14 stated lesson study was the best form of professional development they experienced in their careers. The participants reported lesson study offered them practice-based, shared experiences learning about standards, curriculum, materials, and content fueled by structured collaboration. It changed their dispositions towards professional development. Participants reported being confident in the lesson study process, because it increased their feelings of efficacy and professionalism. Participants also described how their lesson study work was impeded by systemic obstacles including lack of time, competing initiatives, misconceptions about the process, the disruptive influence of principal turnover, and how internal dynamics on lesson study teams inhibited and prevented teacher learning. The participants found that the United States’ system was ill-suited to support lesson study in the way it is sustained in Japan. This research informs those interested in implementing lesson study and it adds information about the importance of collaboration in professional development.
Technology and Cross-Cultural Communication in Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language
Kourova, Alla (United States)
ABSTRACT:
The purpose of this article is to define the expanding role of technological innovation in TESOL methodology. Development of new educational technologies allows for the greater transformative impact of education in its application to the person-oriented paradigm. In application for TESOL purposes, these new technologized approaches combine self-learning with intercultural connectivity. These conclusions are demonstrated by two digitally-based projects which instantiate TESOL pedagogical techniques with new learning technologies; these allow for interactivity in the learning process with live communication situations, and multi-media expression of culturally authentic materials. The two projects, a video game and digital photo storytelling experience for teaching English to Russian learners, also demonstrate the use of educational technology for targeting special needs English learners, specifically for the blind and visually impaired.
The Paradox of Cloudlessness Stymied Information Systems, Technologies and Application in Architectural Education in the Global South: The Case of Ghana
Oppong, Rexford Assasie; Owusu, Emmanuel Banahene; Haruna, Ayisha Ida (Ghana)
ABSTRACT:
Cloud Computing has come to revolutionize every aspect of human life. Its impact on architectural education cannot be understated. For instance, not only does it allow for the sharing of information among students, faculty members and administrators, it also facilitate the learning, use and sharing of specialized ‘macro’ and ‘micro’ level applications and graphic software. Unfortunately the application of cloud technology in architectural education at the Global South often encounter obstacles. Using Ghana as a case study, this research identified the stymies of cloud computing technology in architectural education at the global south and proposed possible solutions. Cloud- based applications were discovered to be complementary to architectural software applications and the SaaS deployment model was the most common. Problems relating to internet access, knowledge of ICT and architectural software and the policy on ICT in education inhibited the use of cloud technology in architectural education in Ghana. It is recommended that low cost and fast internet should be provided, knowledge and skills of the main software applications and ICT should be improved and the ICT policy in education should be restructured to focus more on providing internet related infrastructure at the tertiary level.
Training Teachers of Computer Science for Teaching Algorithmization and Programming
Czakóová, Krisztina; Stoffová, Veronika (Slovakia)
ABSTRACT:
Programming in programming languages at a professional level is a relatively demanding activity. To master application development in a specific programming environment requires algorithmic thinking and a precise knowledge about the capabilities and features of the programming tool (or environment) in which we implement the solution of the problem. Algorithmic and programming thinking must be developed early in the school age, where it is possible to create solid foundations that can be continuously developed by appropriate activities and thus influence the choice of direction of study at secondary school as well as the choice of university study. The correct attitude of the teacher, the used method and the way of teaching can have a significant impact on the pupil. This way of teaching can attract the learner for life-long programming - that she/he becomes an IT specialist or any other kind of expert in this field. However, it can also discourage him and make him hate programming for his entire life. Given that the teacher has a key role in education, this is especially true in primary school. In the article, we focused on preparing teachers to master the indicated task in practice. We wanted to show future computer science teachers how to teach algorithms and programming in a playful way for primary school pupils. First we used ready-made didactic computer games that develop algorithmic thinking. Later we used ready-made applications oriented at development of algorithmic, logical and programming thinking, which support acquiring basic programming habits and skills. Finally, teacher students created their own applications in the form of project teaching in various programming languages and environments. These applications were very often focused on the implementation of didactic computer games. The article on the example of two Slovak universities of J. Selye University in Komárno and Trnava University in Trnava presents the preparation of teachers of informatics for teaching programming at primary and secondary schools.
Trends of "Computational Thinking" in Educational Research
Khan, Salar; Alshikhabobakr, Hanan; Razak, Saquib; Mahmoud, Huda; Hussein, Nehal (Qatar)
ABSTRACT:
Since 2006, “computational thinking” has become a popular phrase in the explanation of computer science curriculums in the field of computer education. This paper explores the trends of the use of the phrase “computational thinking” in the literature by looking at Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and IEEE databases. The paper provides an overview of the number of publications in the above-mentioned educational conferences and analyzes the information by the author’s affiliation to institutes, the location of these institutes, and the number of publications by year. The purpose of this paper is to pave a path for future research where a comparative analysis of the academic publications with the national policies of countries can be conducted.
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