International Journal of Education and Information Technologies

 
E-ISSN: 2074-1316
Volume 10, 2016

Notice: As of 2014 and for the forthcoming years, the publication frequency/periodicity of NAUN Journals is adapted to the 'continuously updated' model. What this means is that instead of being separated into issues, new papers will be added on a continuous basis, allowing a more regular flow and shorter publication times. The papers will appear in reverse order, therefore the most recent one will be on top.

Main Page

Submit a paper | Submission terms | Paper format

 


Volume 10, 2016


Title of the Paper: Development and Implementation of a Language Technology System in Air Traffic Controller Student Training

 

Authors: Mira Pavlinović, Damir Boras, Biljana Juričić

Pages: 251-256

Abstract: Air The task of air traffic control is to maintain a safe, orderly and expeditious flow of air traffic and to provide advice and information useful for conduct of flights. Air traffic control students undergo a complex and extensive training before they start working on the live frequency. This paper proposes development and introduction of a language technology system in the learning and training process - the proposed system should spot deviations from the standard usage of prescribed radiotelephony language. The system consists of Radiotelephony Phraseology Corpus, Acoustic and Lexical Model for Automatic Speech Recognition for English Language Using Hidden Markov Model Toolkit Tools and System for Control of Radiotelephony Communication Using MATLAB Software Package. The corpus consists of altogether 25828 words and 1733 distinct words. The result of recognition of acoustic and lexical model for automatic speech recognition on the word level and the sentence level is 100%. It correctly recognizes continuous speech of different speakers and transforms uttered messages into a written text. System for control of radiotelephony communication recognizes and reports the deviations from the prescribed radiotelephony communication but does not recognize errors that occur during readbacks.


Title of the Paper: Pairs of Tasks Types Suitable for Language Skills Development

 

Authors: Petr Hercik, Eva Milkova

Pages: 243-250

Abstract: The paper focuses on a research dealing with the influence of information and communication technologies employed to practice and reinforce foreign language skills in e-learning language courses. Foreign language teaching methodology uses several basic types of techniques to practise and reinforce language skills. These types are implemented into an e-learning course using different technological types of exercises, i.e. different information and communication technologies. The aim of the described research was to discover whether the use of different information and communication technologies affects the level of acquired foreign language skills as well as how the use of different pairs (t, e), where t = foreign language teaching methodology technique type and e = used technological type of exercise, affects study results by identifying the most and least suitable pairs.


Title of the Paper: Google Search Filter Using Cosine Similarity Measure to Find All Relevant Documents of a Specific Research Topic

 

Authors: Mohammed Abdullah Hassan Al-Hagery

Pages: 229-242

Abstract: A large number of scientific papers are retrieved using Search Engines from the electronic databases. Some of these Engines are limited and others have designed for a general purpose. A number of researchers wish to prepare a survey of a particular topic. They are facing a problem to find the most related topics to a particular research title. The other problem is rising as a result of a search in an electronic database, where some Search Engines displays Dozens of pages and hundreds of results, it needs also more effort to be scanned manually and decide which results are relevant and which should be excluded. During the search process and matching the contents, the Search Engine maybe ignore some important documents. Some of these documents are excluded although, it is relevant to the subject and some results are included but not important. This research concentrates on a development of a Multi Scanning Filter (MSF) algorithm, that works on research documents found in various scientific databases, such as ISI, SCOPUS or EBSCO, etc. The idea of this research depends on the Google Search Engine, where the proposed algorithm consists of three parts. It maximizes the search space and works as a filter to Google results based on the similarity measure. This algorithm reduces the final search result list, make it more accurate, eliminate the problem of results' dispersion in traditional Search Engines, and helps developers improve current Search Engines, such as Google, this in turn will assist researchers everywhere gather the most related topics to a particular research title in a short time.


Title of the Paper: The Impact of Culture on Technology Alignment within E-Government in Jordan

 

Authors: Hussam Shorman

Pages: 223-228

Abstract: This research focus on the culture factor that may effect the use of technology in e-government when applying e-government in Jordan and how to manage the change in such situations in a practical way to a deeper understanding of the impact of culture when applying e-government in Jordan and if new IT technologies can be integrated successfully into government departments and institution, taking into account the achievement of successfully technology alignment within government agencies,The results of this paper show that there is a positive direct relationship between user readiness and culture, also a positive direct relationship between technology alignment and e-government.


Title of the Paper: Real-Time Skill Assessment Data Mining Model to Enhance Students’ Performance

 

Authors: Nouhad Rizk

Pages: 218-222

Abstract: High quality universities exhibit an excellent record of academic achievements, highly influenced by student’s performance. Thus, the need for a web-based model to monitor, analyse and predict student progress and performance which could bring the benefits and impacts to students, educators and academic institutions. To ensure the success of such a formative assessment model and to improve student learning, the following strategies are used: 1) providing feedback to students to move learning forward and suggesting interventions measures (give supplementary work, organize tutoring sessions, etc..) for teachers to help students reaching their goals., 2) activating students as owners of their learning to improve performance, 3) and initiating an iterative self-assessment to identify criteria for success such as setting goals and work towards expected standards. According to Harlen and James [1] formative assessment is directed towards promoting learning by taking into account the progress of each individual, the effort put in and other aspects of learning which may be unspecified in the curriculum; and by identifying several instances of certain skills and providing diagnostic information as feedback to students as well as to teachers. Feedback is the central function of formative assessment. It typically involves a focus on the detailed content of what is being learnt, rather than simply a test score or other measurement of how far a student is falling short of the expected standard. Nicol and Macfarlane-Dick [2] list some principles of good feedback practice: It clarifies what good performance is, it facilitates the development of self-assessment in learning, it provides high quality information to students about their learning, It encourages positive motivational beliefs and self-esteem, it provides opportunities to close the gap between current and desired performance, and It provides information to teachers that can be used to help shape teaching. The aims of this study are twofold: first, it allows students to monitor their progress through an online real time system which predict their performance in the next period of time and set future learning targets using data mining methods. Moreover, it offers a real time progress feedback that allows them to proceed through the production of work that aims to achieve those targets; simultaneously teachers can observe the performance of the whole class and intervene accordingly; the second purpose is to promote self-assessment to enhance education by evaluating student assessed value versus the real accomplishment. This will motivate students to be active in their own learning and to understand their strengths and weaknesses.


Title of the Paper: Training Arithmetic and Orthography on a Web-Based and Socially-Interactive Learning Platform

 

Authors: Stephanie Roesch, Stefanie Jung, Stefan Huber, Christina Artemenko, Julia Bahnmueller, Jürgen Heller, Torsten Grust, Hans-Christoph Nuerk, Korbinian Moeller

Pages: 204-217

Abstract: Reading and writing (i.e., literacy) as well as numerical skills (i.e., numeracy) are key competencies in modern knowledge societies. Although digital media is nowadays part and parcel of children’s and youngsters’ everyday life, literacy and numeracy education is still largely based on paper-pencil approaches. To overcome this gap and to complement formal education by more informal learning settings, we developed, implemented and evaluated a web-based and socially-interactive learning platform. The platform hosts several learning games and aims at enhancing secondary school students’ orthography and arithmetic skills. In a pilot evaluation (Study 1), we observed the orthography games to specifically corroborate 5th and 6th graders spelling performance. On the other hand, we only found general intervention effects with respect to arithmetic. To supplement these results by the perspective of those who may wish to use the platform for educational purposes, we also conducted a survey among teachers (Study 2). The survey provided an informative basis on the estimated difficulty and relevance of learning topics in orthography and arithmetic as well as on the use and acceptance of computer-supported teaching methods in general. Thereby, we gained important indications on how to further improve the learning platform and the embedded games. Taken together, the results of Study 1 and 2 were promising and revealed that computer-supported learning environments may be used to corroborate literacy and numeracy skills in formal education.


Title of the Paper: The Importance of Observing the Aesthetic Requirements in Partial Edentulous Rehabilitation - Implications in Medical-Dental Training

 

Authors: Magda Ecaterina Antohe, Doriana Agop Forna, Cristina Gena Dascălu, Norina Consuela Forna

Pages: 199-203

Abstract: Aesthetic treatment is very important in the diagnosis and treatment plan. Dental practitioners should not have just a methodical analysis of the aesthetic attitude, but must be free themselves of the prejudgments. The aim of this study is to assess the recovery aesthetics of various types of prosthetics in the partial edentulous therapy with deep implications in the formative aspects of the professional training of the Dental Faculty students from Iasi, 5th and 6th years of study, while being relevant to the practitioner. The analyzed group was represented by 78 patients that were submitted under Department of Prosthodontics of the Faculty of Dentistry diagnosed with edentation, final therapeutic solutions being anchored in the territory of the fixed prosthesis, removable prosthesis or mixed prosthetic, bringing together the two types of prosthetic. Aesthetic analysis we propose to assess the esthetic results in the analyzed group involves the superposability of the central incisors over facial contours, elements between which there is a close interrelation that results from scanning the face shape and the shape of the dental prosthetic restorations. The aesthetic requirement must be understood and dosed in the context of a complete prosthetic solution with the importance of other factors: mechanical, functional, biological and psychic, all the subordinate concept of a complex oral rehabilitation.


Title of the Paper: Tablet as a Tool for Creating Pupils ePortfolios in Science Subjects

 

Authors: Hanzalova Pavla, Hubalovsky Stepan

Pages: 193-198

Abstract: The paper deals one of the possible use of mobile technologies (namely tablets) in science teaching and teaching of computer science and informatics. The processing of pupils' portfolios is discussed in the paper. It is the creation of new material - i.e. the highest level of integration of ICT into teaching by SAMR model. The scope of the paper consists of the review of available information, theoretical knowledge, semi finished draft of portfolios model. The second part discusses the case study, which ran in secondary school. During the learning the students made up ICT portfolio both in science subjects (particularly chemistry, biology and physics as well as within learning of ICT.


Title of the Paper: The Positive Impact of the Modeling and Simulation System for Measurement Using a Computer in the Czech Republic

 

Authors: Radek Nemec, Andrea Berkova, Stepan Hubalovsky

Pages: 186-192

Abstract: The paper presents the results of research focused on the impact of the use of modelling and simulation measurement system using a computer in school science laboratories on secondary school pupils. The results of pedagogical experiment (pre-test – post-test control group design) showed a positive effect of the use of such system at a significance level of 0.05. Pupils who were taught with the aid of the measurement system acquired more knowledge than when teaching without measurement system using a computer. After two months, the re-test was also performed to confirm the previous results.


Title of the Paper: Roadmap for Enhancing Efficiency and Effectiveness of Blended E-learning in Higher Education: A UAE Case Study

 

Authors: Suaad Almansoori, Vishwesh Laxmikant Akre

Pages: 176-185

Abstract: Many educational institutions are shifting their pedagogies from the traditional physical classroom based teaching by introducing online teaching methods utilizing the technological opportunities in the educational field. Blended E-learning is one of the approaches that got the attention of the higher education institutions in which both teachers and students can have a new and stimulating educational experience. In institutions where eLearning is seen as part of core business, solutions for its support and use by students and teachers need to be robust and backed by appropriate strategy that ensures successful lesson delivery and assessments. This research paper has identified key factors that positively impact Blended E-learning. It also proposes a roadmap that can help institutions to consider a Blended E-learning approach to implement in their curriculum in a structured manner to ensure better results.


Title of the Paper: Methods Used for Effectivity Improvement of Learning at Unicorn College

 

Authors: M. Beránek, P. Bory, V. Kovář, V. Vacek

Pages: 168-175

Abstract: Comprehensive information systems that manage student administration and support everyday student activities have been implemented in most universities today. This helps to supports all business processes that are required for the day-to-day running of the College and helps usually manage the institution more effectively. On top of that properly design system provides students to access study materials online from any location with an Internet connection and allows a prompt change of such materials reflecting very dynamic development of IT technologies nowadays. However, there is increasing evidence that the availability of study materials online does not necessarily lead to improved learning outcomes. We are pointing out some shifts in student behavior and their time management that might indicate that we should take it in account when we modify means of learning process. In this paper we describe our efforts at the Unicorn College in Prague, Czech Republic to support student learning using modern techniques that include Interactive Textbooks, Podcasts, and Nearpod software applications. We finally also give some data from feedback based on an evaluation of such techniques implemented in our learning process recently.


Title of the Paper: Emotion Modeling for Simulation of Affective Student-Tutor Interaction: Personality Matching

 

Authors: Sintija Petrovica, Mara Pudane

Pages: 159-167

Abstract: Ever since the field of intelligent tutoring began to develop, one of its main purposes has been to create a personalized learning environment to imitate one-to-one interaction between a student and a human-tutor. Although there have been a significant progress towards achieving this goal both from methodological and affective point of view, current systems are not truly adaptive to a student. It is believed that one of reasons for that is the lack of system’s personalization itself, and particularly through its representation to user - virtual tutor. To close this gap, it is proposed to generate tutor’s personality based on user’s personality. The paper introduces steps of personality modeling for such system as well as tutor’s personality generation. This enables creating an attractive virtual tutor that serves for a common goal of the research - truly adaptive intelligent tutoring system.


Title of the Paper: Supporting Personalized Learning Experiences on top of Multimedia Digital Libraries

 

Authors: Radoslav Yoshinov, Polyxeni Arapi, Stavros Christodoulakis, Monka Kotseva

Pages: 152-158

Abstract: In this paper are provided solutions to support the construction of eLearning applications on top of Digital Libraries in order to be able for eLearning applications to effectively exploit the wealth of content residing in Digital Libraries. The provision of efficient personalization services to Learners beyond “one size fits all” solutions is considered as a necessity to cope with this problem and generally with the overwhelming amount of available learning materials existing in Digital Libraries. For that reason the framework provides the necessary methodology, models and mechanisms for the dynamic creation of pedagogically-sound personalized learning experiences from digital objects through learning objects combined according to learning scenarios in courses, curricula and demonstrators, using authoring tools of Learning and Content Management Systems, taking into account the variety of the Learners and their individual needs. The problem of interoperability between digital libraries and eLearning applications is a complex and multi-level one and can be seen from many points of view. From a standards point of view, it can be seen as a stack of conceptual layers where each one is built on top of the previous one. From an object point of view an important step is the path for transformation of digital object into learning object. From an infrastructures point of view - similar to the procedure followed in traditional learning environments. From the pedagogical point of view two main pedagogical styles are considered. As a result a generic interoperability/repurposing framework and a service-oriented architecture where learning experiences are dynamically constructed taking into account user profiles and pedagogical templates is proposed.


Title of the Paper: Prototyping Feedback for Technology Enhanced Learning

 

Authors: Dorian Cojocaru, Daniel Spikol, Anna Friesel, Mutlu Cukurova, Nina Valkanova, Raffaella Rovida, Razvan Tudor Tanasie

Pages: 144-151

Abstract: The development of new educational technologies, in the area of practical activities is the main aim of the FP7 PELARS project. As part of the constructivist learning scenarios, according to the project proposal, the development and evaluation of technology designs are envisaged, for analytic data generation for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, such as: technology solutions, infrastructure, activities, assessment, curricula, and classroom furniture and environment designs. Inside four EU national settings, three separate learning contexts are being dealt with – from secondary-level high school STEM learning environments to post-secondary level engineering classes and design studios. Given this experience and framework, the present paper provides a perspective on the importance of using such research experience and iterative prototyping in real learning environments for engineering students.


Title of the Paper: Internet Addictive Behaviour of Adolescents

 

Authors: Petra Kalibová, Eva Milková

Pages: 139-143

Abstract: Computer technology has progressed quickly and personal computers and the internet have become closely linked to human life. However internet itself brings various pitfalls. Although it is understood as a crucial part of contemporary life, it also represents the space for emergence of risky behaviour. Many studies show that people can use internet with typical features of addiction and such use can have harmful effects on individual, change his/her social behaviour, habits or abilities in a negative way. The paper represents a study focusing on internet addictive behaviour of secondary school youth in the Czech Republic. The research results are presented in the context of work of foreign experts, which have been published in recent years.


Title of the Paper: A Development Study for Higher Education Informatization in China

 

Authors: Yu Sun, Liang Zhou, Siwen Zhang

Pages: 131-138

Abstract: The information age focuses on enhancing information productivity and improving Information Technologies (ITs), which play a very important role in sustainable development of Chinese society and economy at all levels and will also directly affect the Chinese Higher Education (CHE). This paper firstly summarize current development status CHE, and then points out that CHE informatization is seriously lagging behind the development of information technology, which thereby restricts the development of CHE; finally this paper discusses the future trend of modern higher education and information technology based on the current context of the information age. We also hope to provide a clear development direction for CHE informatization through this study.


Title of the Paper: Modeling a Citizen-Centric Evaluation Framework for Local E-Government and E-Democracy

 

Authors: Georgios Lappas, Prodromos Yannas, Amalia Triantafillidou, Alexandros Kleftodimos, Olga Vasileiadou

Pages: 120-130

Abstract: This paper aims to develop a citizen-centric framework for the evaluation of local e-government projects. Hence, the demand-side of e-government is taken into consideration. The proposed model consists of four categories (i.e., information, transaction, interaction-participation, and integration), 14 factors/indices and 83 criteria. The framework incorporates the different aspects of e-government as well as e-democracy such as e-consultation, e-deliberation, e-discourse, e-petition, e-voting, and e-polling. This model will be of value to researchers and e-government managers for the evaluation of local government websites. In addition, part of the proposed model is applied to Greek local municipal governments through a quantitative website analysis that focuses on e-democracy features. Results suggest that Greek municipal websites have still a long way to go towards offering citizens opportunities to actively interact with local governments and participate in the issues that affect their municipalities.


Title of the Paper: ARM-Based Microcontroller Platform for Teaching Microcontroller Programming

 

Authors: Jan Dolinay, Petr Dostálek, Vladimír Vašek

Pages: 113-119

Abstract: This paper describes new microcontroller platform based on 32-bit ARM Cortex M microcontroller. This platform was developed at our faculty to replace older board with Freescale HCS08 microcontroller for use in lessons of microcontroller programming. Main component of the platform is a low cost evaluation board with Arduino-compatible pin layout FRDM-KL25Z. Both the hardware and software used for the course are described in this paper.


Title of the Paper: Requirements of Practical Life versus Possessed Competencies in Highers Education

 

Authors: A. Bencsik, R. Machova

Pages: 102-112

Abstract: Significance of knowledge is realized and appreciated in the life of every competitive economy. Although a question must be put. What is the right and required knowledge enterprises need? One can read a lot of criticism of educational methods of universities and colleges as students’ knowledge, abilities and preparedness are not suitable for the requirements of companies and practical life. To face the criticism a survey was conducted among students and teachers from different higher educational institutions. Authors have examined features of preparing for practical life, roles of students and teachers, methods of education in a quantitative survey by questionnaires. In the second phase of the research the aim was to know, how the students can acquire the required competencies and how Hungarian educational system can keep steps with the continuously changeable economic demands to serve the requirements of companies? Can the students use this knowledge, skills in their workplaces in an effective way? Do young employees with a new degree have these competencies? The authors have tried to find the answers to the above mentioned questions. In this phase, students and managers from different companies have answered the questions of questionnaires. During the research by the verification of hypotheses was demonstrated that teachers’ roles and methods - which are in relationship with teacher dominance role - are characterized. In addition, there are significant differences between students’ and teachers’ opinions about the right methods and there are significant differences between employees’ and employers’ opinions about students’ competences which are acquired in higher education.


Title of the Paper: Experimental Platforms Based LabVIEW for Teaching Electronics Engineering Courses

 

Authors: J. M. Jaimes-Ponce, J. U. Liceaga-Castro, I. I. Siller-Alcalá, R. A. Alcántara Ramírez

Pages: 94-101

Abstract: Linking control theory and instrumentation to the real world is an essential part in engineering teaching laboratories, but high cost of equipment is a big problem, especially with equipment that present real problems encountered in the industry. Additionally, it is necessary to consider in additional costs: maintenance, security and the physical space occupied by the process, for these reasons this kind of plants are prohibited for the university laboratories. An alternative is remote laboratory but it has the inconvenience of the separation between the students and the laboratory. However, different technologies have emerged which considerably reduce the costs of this learning process without using real industrial components. In this paper the subject of teaching engineering control and instrumentation from three different approaches applied the language of LabVIEW graphical programming and emulation process is addressed. The first one, based exclusively in simulation; the second, is by means of the use of Arduino; and the third, is by applying the commercial hardware from National Instrument. These strategies are well within public universities budgets.


Title of the Paper: Educational Innovation Project for the Development of ICT Competence for Education (CIE) Among Higher Education Teachers

 

Authors: Yasbley Segovia Cifuentes, Darwin Andrés Díaz Gómez

Pages: 82-93

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to describe the construction of the educational project “the development of ICT competence among teachers at Universidad de La Sabana” in Colombia. ICT Competence for Education (CIE) is defined as the ability of teachers to appropriate, integrate and innovate teaching practices and enhance students’ learning through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). In turn, the project responds to two essential aspects in the ongoing training of teachers: The integration of ICTs into the institutional curriculum on the one hand, and the role of ICTs in the improvement of the quality of education, on the other. In this regard, the construction of the project is part of the culture of innovation that the University aims to achieve through the integration of ICTs. As part of the process, an instrument was designed in order to assess ICT competence for education. In addition, the corresponding institutional regulations were obtained. The design of the instrument considered four standards: the use of technologies and the development of ICT competence, the integration of ICTs in the teaching process, the promotion of students in order to favor ICT-mediated learning and innovation in the teaching practice through the use of ICTs.


Title of the Paper: Perceptions of Presence in 3-D, Haptic-Enabled, Virtual Reality Instruction

 

Authors: M. Gail Jones, Rebecca Hite, Gina Childers, Elysa Corin, Mariana Pereyra, Katherine Chesnutt

Pages: 73-81

Abstract: This exploratory case study evaluated perceived presence of students and teachers after learning science topics on a 3-dimensional, haptic-enabled, virtual reality system. Twenty students and teachers completed four, one hour sessions with the instructional technology exploring biology and physical science content. Participants were interviewed and surveyed to evaluate their perception of presence via four constructs: control, sensory, distraction, and realism. Additional questions assessed changes in participants’ acquired skills from sessions. Results indicated the survey had high reliability for all constructs. Differences between students’ and teachers’ responses showed students perceived their virtual experience as more realistic than teachers. Students more than teachers reported improved gains science process skills (analyzing data, reporting results, recognizing error) and understandings of the nature of science (tentativeness and sociocultural context of science). When asked how this technology was regarded as a viable instructional option for learning science, students ranked the virtual technology higher than teachers as more interesting and increasing their understanding. Results showed students ranked zSpace as the most preferred instructional option and teachers ranked hands-on activities with materials as their most preferred instructional option.


Title of the Paper: Single Number Speech Intelligibility Measurement Methods to Support the Objectification of Educational Research

 

Authors: R. Drtina, J. Sedivy

Pages: 66-72

Abstract: Article takes a look at single-digit measurement methods of speech intelligibility as objectification promote educational research that is concerned with the quality and effectiveness of education process. The results to be as objective as possible, it is necessary to determine the initial terms of quality of information transfer. For evaluating the quality of speech transmission there is a one-digit number of measurement methods. The above-outputs but are not directly comparable or coordinates results in relatively wide zones. Clarity of speech should be a key requirements of the educational process. Still remains the most accurate method logatomic tests - files statistically selected syllables) that semantically related and can thus infer from the context of the sentence as a normal continuous speech.


Title of the Paper: Attitudes and Motivations Towards Physics and its Learning at both High School and University

 

Authors: Endika Arandia, Kristina Zuza, Jenaro Guisasola

Pages: 58-65

Abstract: One of the main objectives of this research is to quantify the attitudes and motivations of students towards physics and its learning at different stages. In addition, it is going to be verified if an instruction in physics during the school year affects in the same way to the attitudes and motivations of students depending on both the stage it is being considered and the gender. The sample is constituted by high school students and students in the first year of engineering that have studied necessarily a physics course during the 2013/2014 school year. The analyses of the results of those 772 students lead to several conclusions: on the one hand, it has been observed that in both stages, instruction affects more positively to men in their image as well as in their interest towards physics. Gender differences are significant at high school where the motivation of female students is especially negative after the instruction. This result makes more sense taking into account that it has been also observed that the sample of this study at university is constituted by one in five female students. On the other hand, the interest of the students is not generally as high as the image they show. Consequently, the influence that the attitudes have on the motivations is not as direct as it was proposed in previous research.


Title of the Paper: Balancing Competition and Collaboration in a Mixed Learning Method

 

Authors: Costin A. Boiangiu, Alexandru Constantin, Diana Deliu, Alina T. Mirion, Adrian C. Firculescu

Pages: 51-57

Abstract: Most of the university level curriculum in engineering environments follows a purposeful formal academic rigor and does not always succeed in offering an in-depth experience that would prepare students for their future professional employment. Due to a constant demand for change in the current engineering teaching methodology, this paper aims to analyze the competitive and collaborative learning approaches and compare them with other previous teaching methods that were used during the Software Project Management course at the "Politehnica" University of Bucharest. Using the experience we gathered with the two aforementioned approaches, we tried a mixed competitive-collaborative learning method, which is also analyzed in this paper.


Title of the Paper: Design and Verify an Instrument of Assessing Attitude Toward STEM Teaching

 

Authors: Miao-Kuei Ho, Hung-Jen Yang, Hsieh-Hua Yang

Pages: 41-50

Abstract: Since science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) has been increasingly introduced in K-12 education, development of an instrument to measure teachers’ beliefs in STEM has been needed. A STEM beliefs survey would be designed and verified for the purpose of this study. We used exploratory factor analyses to identify and confirm the factor structure of the STEM Beliefs Survey, and used Internal consistency reliabilities analysis for reliability evidence. The target population is middle school teachers in Taiwan. For the STEM beliefs instrument development, the validation samples for the study were 120 qualified middle school technology teachers. Internal consistency reliabilities on perceptions of science, math, engineering, technology, and STEM ranged from Alpha=0.629 to 0.982. The reliability of the instrument is from good to excellent according to the theory. Exploratory factor analyses were completed on the STEM Beliefs items. The instrument is benefit to plan teacher training or STEM courses for education authorities.


Title of the Paper: Learning Method for Development of Discovering and Creativity of Pupils and Students in Basic Education

 

Authors: Marie Hubalovska, Stepan Hubalovsky

Pages: 36-40

Abstract: The common problem of the current primary and secondary education in the Czech Republic is the lack of interest of pupils and students on technical and science education. The interest on technics and science has to be stimulated from children’s age during primary school education and strengthen during secondary school education. Pupils and students should discover and create. The paper focuses the method of “Creation and Discovery via Computer”. The method is based on implementation of modeling and simulation to education in primary and secondary school education. The method of Creation and Discovery via Computer can be understand as appropriate tools for development of ability of the pupils and students to solve the problem, discover and create. The paper presents two case studies showing the possibilities of implementation of method of Creation and Discovery via Computer to secondary and primary learning.


Title of the Paper: From the Student’s Paper to the Teacher’s Computer

 

Authors: Javier Bilbao, Eugenio Bravo, Concepción Varela, Olatz García, Miguel Rodríguez

Pages: 31-35

Abstract: From the first parchments to the present, paper is a constant in the history. The importance of handwritten notes are similar and it is a constant during centuries. Pen and paper are still the main tools used by pupils in class for several good reasons: pen and paper are cheap, flexible, easy to use, and not distractive. But with the irruption of smartpens in the technological market, the vision of the handwriting in educational systems can change. These devices allow students to take notes or draw schemes while simultaneously recording classroom lectures or discussion. And, at the same time of the handwriting or later, all drawings, sentences, calculations, and what student has done with his smartpen can be sent to the teacher’s computer and saved in a file. We present a comparison of technologies and characteristics to be used in a classroom.


Title of the Paper: Actual Demands Based Knowledge Intensive Technological Model for Lifelong Learning Development in Vidzeme Region

 

Authors: Kaspars Osis, Sarma Cakula, Atis Kapenieks

Pages: 25-30

Abstract: Nowadays in extensively changing environment lifelong learning is becoming an integral part of everyday life. All regions in Latvia face a challenge that the capital city is attracting many well educated residents to work there. There is no all-inclusive technological support or roadmap available for adult education in the regions of Latvia that could foster identification and acquisition of required knowledge, skills and serve as uniting element for learning, work and personal time. Thus it is significant to develop a framework encompassing identification of required competencies, technological support for lifelong learning and make it as part of an ongoing process. The goal of the paper is to design a required knowledge and competencies identifying technological model that would serve as a roadmap for lifelong learning stakeholders in the Vidzeme region. The focus of the paper is identifying the major steps and elements required to design and incorporate latter mentioned lifelong learning process and particularly adult education perspective supporting technological model in the Vidzeme region. Literature review has been conducted regarding different adult education supporting technological platforms and adult education processing in European Union’s regional context. The necessities and development directions of the Vidzeme region’s municipalities in line with national and European Union level initiatives have been researched for the aim of enhancing the efficiency and quality of the region’s adult education perspective and capacity. The paper represents the theoretical prerequisites for the qualitative advancement of lifelong learning process in the Vidzeme region and presents lifelong learning stakeholders inclusive technological model that would equip the lifelong learning process with ongoing technological support and sources of actual knowledge and management information.


Title of the Paper: Determining Support of Estonian Stakeholders for a New Competence-Based Science Education Curriculum

 

Authors: A. Laius, A. Post, M. Rannikmäe

Pages: 14-24

Abstract: This study solicits views about the goals of science education from a wide range of stakeholders within the science education community and employees from private and public sectors. Its purpose is to raise the confidence levels of teachers in meeting the goals of the new competence-based curriculum introduced through relevant in service programs and also to compare students’ needs, expressed through stakeholder expectations, with the current situation in science education. This study used a modified Delphi method with 111 participants in the 1st round and 172 participants in a 2nd round of Delphi study. The results revealed significant gaps between the expectations of all investigated groups and the actual realization of levels of obtained competences by students at school. All investigated groups differed significantly, but the teachers and science educators follow a similar pattern with minor differences, valuing academic knowledge the most. The scientists were most skeptical about the present state of science education at school and employers expected good personal attributes in future employees.


Title of the Paper: Mining Student's Belief Based on E-learning System Readiness

 

Authors: Adel Bessadok, Abdulkhaliq Abdulsalam

Pages: 6-13

Abstract: E-learning system implementation in higher education has become ubiquitous to enrich teaching and learning experience. Understanding student’s belief based on their readiness for such technology is considered vital. The aim of this study is to investigate the students' willingness for an e-learning system as emerging learning technology, based on the Technology Readiness Index (TRI) dimensions- innovation, optimism, discomfort and insecurity- of Parsuraman, We analyze the most influential factor on students readiness. Using data mining technique as a clustering students beliefs based on TRI dimensions provides a meaningful explanation of their e-learning system readiness. A survey questionnaire was conducted to collect data from 400 participants. To analyze the collected data, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Measurement Model have been deployed. We used Classification approach with two-step cluster technique to validate the research model. Our results show a match of four out of the five TRI segments and despite their optimism the students show their reticence concerning e-learning system readiness.


Title of the Paper: Applying SFIA Framework in ITI Mobile Application Development Track: Case Study

 

Authors: Rasha El Banna, Hesham Farouk, Heba Saleh

Pages: 1-5

Abstract: As a leading institute in the human capacity building and development, Information Technology Institute (ITI) has witnessed the evolving challenges of training and employment for its aspiring interns. One of the major challenges is providing the IT market with the right candidate that is empowered with the market’s set of skills. On one hand, Information Technology Institute provides the employers with the potential candidates throughout its professional 9-months professional diploma Knowledge Transfer Program (KTP) program that targets different market job profiles. On the other hand, SFIA (Skills Framework for the Information Age) provides a common language to communicate the value and relevance of a course to a target job profile. Hence, this case study has created a platform to make use of this advantage for the gap analysis and recommendation on the current ITI tracks towards better matching with the target job profiles.