Browsing by Author "Pifano, Sara"
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- E-assessment systems: an evaluation framework from the perspective of higher education expertsPublication . Isaias, Pedro; Miranda, Paula; Pifano, SaraAssessment represents a central aspect of the learning process. As learning environments become more flexible and unbound by the restrictions of traditional education and as students increase in number and diversity, technology assumes a critical role in the support of a more adequate, scalable and personalised assessment. The employment of eassessment systems can assist teachers in the development of several e-assessment initiatives, especially at a time when there is an unprecedented migration towards online learning. This paper aims to identify the essential characteristics of effective eassessment systems by appraising an evaluation framework to assist teachers to select efficient systems. The learning technology and e-assessment experts, who completed an online questionnaire, validated the identification of the key characteristics of effective e-assessment systems: variety of assessment design options, scalability, security, accessibility and usability, feedback features, personalisation, financial cost and interoperability.
- Framing social media and web-based communities within the COVID-19 pandemic: enduring social isolation and subsequent deconfinementPublication . Isaias, Pedro; Miranda, Paula; Pifano, SaraAs images circulate of people, all around the world, watching their cities from their windows and balconies, a sense of solemnity emerges. The COVID-19 pandemic forced millions of people to seclusion in an attempt to control contagion. The social isolation deriving from the adoption of containment strategies have displaced social interaction to online settings. Social media and web-based communities assume an increasingly central role in this scenario of pandemic, with an ever-growing number of people turning to these platforms to maintain social connection, to obtain information and to keep a sense of community. This paper aims to examine and frame the role of social media and web-based communities in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It reviews current literature to propose a framework based on five main purposes of social media use and web-based communities: preserving physical health, promoting mental health, tending to education/business, searching and sharing information and socializing.
- Learning with the practitioners: defining and implementing active learning in higher educationPublication . Isaias, Pedro; Miranda, Paula; Pifano, SaraIncreased student engagement, development of high-order thinking skills, promotion of collaboration among students and enhanced reflection constitute some of the benefits commonly cited when advocating the use of active learning. As this learning strategy becomes increasingly more prevalent in higher education, it is important to reflect on how it is being implemented in practice. This paper draws on the experience of 338 university lecturers and examines thedefinition of active learning and how it is being implemented and assessed for effectiveness. Their views were manifested in two phases, firstly via an online questionnaire, and secondly through semi-structured interviews with a subsample of the initial questionnaire respondents. The results show that the participants have a multi-layered understanding of active learning and that they use mainly activities that promote group work, they follow specific design guidelines, and assess their experiences using mostly learning outcomes measurement instruments.
- Towards an effective e-learning 2.0Publication . Isaias, Pedro; Miranda, Paula; Pifano, SaraWeb 2.0 has brought major changes to education systems. These systems have become more complex and mature with time and technology. Education has evolved from traditional learning to distance learning and, later, to e-Learning. This paper starts by making a comparison between traditional learning, distance learning and e-Learning. Then it contextualizes e-Learning, identifies its major strengths and weaknesses and provides answers to what extent Web 2.0 can minimize those weaknesses and even overcome some of the key issues in order to have effective e-Learning 2.0. It concludes by addressing the challenges that lie ahead of e-Learning 2.0.