Margarida Lucas

Bridging Formal and Informal Learning --- A Case Study on Students' Perceptions of the Use of Social Networking Tools

Social networking tools have been enthusiastically heralded as a means to support different learning types and innovative pedagogical practices. They have also been recognized as potential tools to promote informal learning. In this paper we describe work carried out using the synergy of social web tools, learning models and innovative pedagogical practices across a Masters Degree Course. Findings suggest that the use of these tools as a means to distribute an open and flexible learning environment fosters informal interactions and such interactions are perceived by students to have a significant impact over their formal learning outcomes.

Knowledge Construction with Social Web Tools

This paper examines knowledge construction in a distributed learning environment supported by social web tools. Research data was gathered from online asynchronous discussions in a first-year Masters Degree course in Multimedia in Education. Our analysis was modeled on Gunawardena, Lowe and Anderson’s (1997) study and results indicate that, despite a significant percentage in the phase of sharing and comparing information, interaction at the highest levels of knowledge construction is relevant and suggests that knowledge was constructed.

Using social web tools for knowledge construction

This paper examines knowledge construction in a distributed learning environment supported by social web tools. Research data was gathered from online asynchronous discussions in a first-year masters degree course in multimedia in education. Our analysis was modelled on Gunawardena et al.s (1997) study and results indicate that, despite a significant percentage in the phase of sharing and comparing information, interaction at the highest levels of knowledge construction is relevant and suggests that knowledge was constructed.

Academic domains as political battlegrounds : a global enquiry by 99 academics in the fields of education and technology

This article theorizes the functional relationship between the human components (i.e., scholars) and non-human components (i.e., structural configurations) of academic domains. It is organized around the following question: in what ways have scholars formed and been formed by the structural configurations of their academic domain? The article uses as a case study the academic domain of education and technology to examine this question. Its authorship approach is innovative, with a worldwide collection of academics (99 authors) collaborating to address the proposed question based on their reflections on daily social and academic practices. This collaboration followed a three-round process of contributions via email. Analysis of these scholars’ reflective accounts was carried out, and a theoretical proposition was established from this analysis. The proposition is of a mutual (yet not necessarily balanced) power (and therefore political) relationship between the human and non-human constituents of an academic realm, with the two shaping one another. One implication of this proposition is that these non-human elements exist as political ‘actors’, just like their human counterparts, having ‘agency’ – which they exercise over humans. This turns academic domains into political (functional or dysfunctional) ‘battlefields’ wherein both humans and non-humans engage in political activities and actions that form the identity of the academic domain.

Aiming at the Affective Process of Learning: Social Web and UDL Integrated Strategies to Promote School Attainment

Special Education Needs refers to more than just students with learning disabilities that impair their access to and participation in education. Many others struggle each day just to stay in school, focus on lessons or make sense about what is taught. Several students face underachievement and dropout because they feel that school is outdated, uninteresting and does not fulfill their learning needs. In this paper, the authors offer a proposal, often talked about but rarely put into action to bring back struggling students to school: to use multiple forms of presenting information and expression in order to attract students that need more dynamic and broader learning strategies.

Augmented Reality and Mobile Learning in a Smart Urban Park: Pupils’ Perceptions of the EduPARK Game

The EduPARK game is developed under a game-based learning methodology. It is designed for outdoor learning settings by employing geocaching principles and mobile Augmented Reality technologies. The game aims to develop users’ authentic and autonomous learning about diverse interdisciplinary themes in a smart urban park. It integrates learning guides for different target groups of basic education. The purpose of this paper is to present the game prototype development, which followed a design-based research approach. The evaluation of the game involved 74 pupils from two school levels (aged 9–10 and 13–14). They explored the game and their reactions were registered. Focus groups were conducted at the end of the experience. The evaluation allowed identifying positive characteristics of the game, such as immediate feedback and collaborative dynamics. Some questions included in the learning guides were perceived as difficult to understand and also some features came out to be considered for future improvements.

Analysing knowledge construction in asynchronous online discussions

This paper examines knowledge construction in a distributed learning environment supported by social web tools. Research data was gathered from online asynchronous discussions in a first-year masters degree course in multimedia in education. Our analysis was modelled on a validated analysis model and results indicate that, despite a significant percentage in the phase of sharing and comparing information, interaction at the highest levels of knowledge construction is relevant and suggests that knowledge was constructed.

Using ICT to promote teachers’ competences: strategies and challenges

When merged with new pedagogical practices the use of open social web tools as a means to mediate and support teacher training triggers a whole new set of implications for education and individuals. It is important for teachers, learners and other educational agents to think of themselves as co-learners in a social collective aware of their role in developing the skills and knowledge they need to function in today’s world. In this paper we present partial data from a case study conducted to analyse the contribution of social web tools for knowledge construction in a post-graduation course. We describe the context of the study and the methodology adopted, followed by a description and discussion of the results. Data used for the purpose of this paper were collected through a questionnaire and a focus group, and results presented relate to the development of relevant competences and attitudes for teaching practice. Results suggest that the use of social web tools can contribute to the creation of personalized learning environments, in which the development of skills related to the social, technological and professional spheres can be supported. Although results cannot be generalized, the paper adds insights into the teacher training panorama and draws possible future directions for work in the area.

ICT and competence development: A case study

This paper describes a case study conducted in a post-graduation course that employed social software to distribute its learning environment and to promote a different training experiment to attending students, mostly in-service teachers. It suggests an approach to teacher training that resorts to distributed knowledge-based systems and the communication tools they provide as a means to create personal learning environments where teachers can find support to develop and improve teaching practices. Based on a survey questionnaire and a focus group, results suggest that the approach adopted enabled teachers to acquire and improve competences and to better manage and update knowledge and action. Although results cannot be generalized, the paper adds insights into the teacher training panorama and draws possible future directions for work in the area.

Map of Relational Links Visualizing Knowledge Construction

This paper presents a learning analytic tool for visualizing interactions resulting from discussion posts and replies. The tool is a plugin that adds visualization capabilities to a software that supports the analysis of qualitative data. Its aim is to provide teachers and students with monitoring and feedback of knowledge construction dialogues over time, thus enabling the optimization and personalization of learning processes. Data can be visualized through maps and relational links, allowing users to explore them interactively and chronologically. Analysis parameters were defined by the researcher and different teachers during the design phase of the tool and tests are still being conducted to improve and fine tune the tools usability.