Nicolas Hine

Literatura y práctica: una revisión crítica acerca de los MOOC

Este articulo se enfoca en una revision tanto de literatura como de experiencias practicas acerca de los MOOC. Los textos analizados fueron publicados en revistas entre los anos 2007 y 2013. Se seleccionaron 268 articulos para este estudio, de los cuales 100 se analizaron en detalle. Los asuntos encontrados en la revision se utilizaron posteriormente como criterios de analisis de 10 experiencias empiricas sobre MOOC. La literatura estudiada resalta el rapido crecimiento en el interes por comprender los MOOC, sus fundamentos pedagogicos asi como la importancia del concepto de lo abierto que se encuentra en ellos. Un nuevo enfasis ha surgido recientemente en la literatura donde los factores institucionales, particularmente aquellos concernientes con la viabilidad financiera, la certificacion y la desercion se encuentran resaltados. El analisis de la practicas actuales muestra que muchos de los temas relevantes expresados en la literatura academica estan ausentes no solo de las practicas relacionadas con las experiencias de aprendizaje basadas en los MOOC sino que se han ignorado como sustento de la implementacion de un modelo de ensenanza basada en ellos. Del analisis realizado se concluye que buena parte de la actual oferta de MOOC es tan solo un palido reflejo de la conceptualizacion que les dio origen y que se muestra significativa en la literatura. En sintesis, la verdadera esencia del concepto de lo abierto se ha perdido en la practica.This article focuses on a review of both literature and practical experiences concerning MOOCs. The literature analyzed was published in peer-reviewed journals between 2007 and 2013. 268 items were selected for this study, of which 100 were analyzed in detail. The issues raised by this analysis were used as the criteria for the analysis of 10 current empirical MOOC experiences. The literature study highlighted the rapid growth in interest in understanding MOOCs and seeking to understand the pedagogic frameworks most relevant to their adoption and the importance of the concept of openness embodied within them. More recently a new emphasis has been emerging where institutional factors, particularly those concerned with financial viability, certification and retention have been highlighted. The analysis of current practice showed that many of the concerns in the academic literature were absent from not only the practices embodied in current MOOC-based learning experiences but seem to have been ignored in the conceptual phase of implementing a MOOC-based teaching model. In practice therefore, most of the current MOOC offer is only a pale reflection of the conceptualization that gave them rise and has been shown to be significant in the literature. In particular the true essence encapsulated in the concept described as Openness has been largely lost in practice.

Technology devices for older adults to aid self management of chronic health conditions

The overall purpose of this study is the enhancement of devices and visualisations used by older adults as part of a telecare system for the self-management of health conditions. The opinions and feelings towards devices that could be used as part of a telecare system were gathered from a range of older people. This was done through the use of technology evaluation workshops, and the subsequent analysis of the collected data using grounded theory and thematic coding methodologies. Presenting healthcare data to an elderly person with chronic health issues, may be an appropriate way to help that person to better manage their condition, if the data can be understood.

Lifestyle monitoring as a predictive tool in telecare

Six people with multiple health problems living in an extra care housing scheme for older people with vision impairment agreed to take part in a telecare trial. An average of 14.8 sensors was installed in each of the flats. The monitoring period began in January 2006 and lasted for 10 months. The data acquired by the sensors installed in each flat was transmitted from the home unit to a central computer. Four interviews were conducted with each participant. Halfway through the study we created a number of case studies of sensor activity at the time of known events in the lives of the participants, together with an attempt to interpret these patterns of activity with the benefit of available contextual information. Although our investigation showed that sensors are capable of identifying some changes in daily routines at the time of important events, the interpretation of such changes requires a large amount of contextual information and the involvement of participants themselves. Various technical and operational difficulties will need to be resolved before it will be possible to use lifestyle monitoring predictively.

Stakeholder involvement in the design and development of a domestic well-being indicator system

Older people living in their own dwelling may be at increasing risk of loss of well-being and quality of life as a result of changes in health or personal circumstances. Processing the information gathered from sensors in the home and presenting it in the form of functional and practical interfaces to users might help decision-making before a critical situation arises in the older adults life. The objectives of this study were to understand how to include various stakeholders in the design process and how to design intuitive and self-explanatory interfaces for older people and carers.

Media as Medium in Colombian Education: How Media and ICT are Changing Communication and the Curriculum in the School

We describe how secondary school students are engaged in designing school newspapers, broadcasting radio shows and using ICT in classrooms as opportunities for communication and learning. The central goal in this project was to set up the school dynamics where radio, newspaper, television, video, images and ICT s play the role of additional inputs and increase the community interest in literacy. We present some practical initiatives that demonstrate the possibilities of media literacy based activities in a public school in Bogota, Colombia.