This study examines the impact of this transition on medical students at a public university by focusing on their academic performance, emotional well-being, and adaptability to remote learning environments. Since the COVID-19 pandemic prompted an unprecedented shift from traditional classroom learning to online platforms across global educational systems, it is crucial to understand how students navigated these changes and adapted to the new learning conditions. This study collected qualitative data from 65 medical students through semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal significant effects on study habits, emotional well-being, and curriculum engagement. The findings reveal a mixed response to distance education in medical schools. While some students experienced increased flexibility and, in some instances, improved academic performance, significant challenges also emerged. These challenges included a decline in practical skills, heightened emotional distress, and technical issues that obstruct effective learning. The study emphasizes the necessity for hybrid educational models that combine the advantages of online flexibility with essential in-person interactions, particularly for training practical skills in medical education. It recommends enhancing online educational platforms to better support medical training during crises. Emphasis is placed on developing a robust technical infrastructure alongside comprehensive mental health support systems.
A Case Study: An Investigation into Foundation Pathway Teachers’ Beliefs of Incorporating Digital Pedagogy in Their Practice to Increase Student Engagement
This case study investigates the beliefs of Foundation Pathway teachers at INTO University of Exeter (IUoE) regarding the incorporation of digital pedagogy into their teaching, focusing on the Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework as the theoretical foundation. By employing a qualitative research design involving semi-structured interviews with seven teachers, the study uncovers the extent to which these teachers believe that digital tools can foster an interactive and engaging learning environment for their students. The results indicate that teachers strongly believe that digital pedagogy has improved student engagement to some extent. However, they also recognise certain challenges associated with using digital tools that could potentially hinder student engagement. This case study suggests that the integration of digital pedagogy contributes to the development of a more productive classroom environment.
The Current State of Digital Literacy Research in China: A Literature Review
The purpose of this study is to analyse the current research status, hotspots and development trends of teachers’ digital literacy in China. The article uses Citespace to visualize and analyse 1,129 relevant Chinese literature published between 2007 and 2024 in China Knowledge Network CNKI. The study found that (1) the research on teachers’ digital literacy in China started in 2007 while the number of studies has increased significantly in recent years as well as the research topics have become increasingly diversified. (2) The research hotspots mainly focus on the connotation of digital literacy, the necessity of cultivation, the relationship with rural revitalization, and the strategies for improving digital literacy in higher education and basic education stages. Based on the research results, this paper puts forward suggestions with a view to providing valuable references and lessons for the development of the enhancement of teachers’ digital literacy in China.
Blended Teaching Mode Based on the “Rain Classroom” Platform – A Case Study of the Course “Basic German Grammar” at Beijing International Studies University
The blended teaching is an “online + offline” teaching mode that integrates the dual experience of traditional classroom and online learning, which is a hot topic that educators at different levels are currently paying attention to and studying. The “Rain Classroom” is a new teaching platform developed with the support of information technology, which promotes the development of the blended teaching mode, improves teaching effect, monitors teaching process in real time, and enhances the effectiveness of teaching management. This paper takes the academic course of “Basic German Grammar” at Beijing International Studies University as an analysis case. Based on the online courses developed by the lecturer, while according to the characteristics of “Rain Classroom” as well as the principles and steps of the blended teaching, a blended teaching mode is constructed from multiple dimensions. Course design, teaching methods, teaching process and teaching evaluation are the different dimensions that have been developed. Thus forming a teaching system of “self-study before class + practice in class + review after class”, which effectively enhances the students’ knowledge, self-learning ability, and problem-solving ability.
The Use of E-Portfolios in Working with Pre-School Children
The advancement of information technologies has contributed to shaping a different vision of the life of society as a whole. In the age of digitalisation, society faces various changes in communication, as well as in everyday life. In the context of pre-school education and upbringing, the use of technology is on the rise for the purposes of implementing numerous educational activities. Communication with parents, monitoring the children´s personal growth and their behaviour, discovering the talents and abilities of pre-school children, and potential opportunities for preventing undesirable behaviour comprise activities which can be significantly improved by resorting to e-portfolios.
Accordingly, this research aimed to explore the importance and methods of use of e-portfolios in working with pre-school children, as well as to pin down the prevailing type of e-portfolio based on pre-school teachers´ experiences. The research included 138 pre-school teachers from the city of Pirot, Serbia. Research results show that pre-school teachers resort to e-portfolios in pre-school institutions mostly to monitor children´s personal growth and behaviour. Consequently, they use such e-portfolios to prevent undesirable behaviour (with a special focus on aggressive behaviour). Likewise, the results indicate that an in-depth assessment e-portfolio is predominantly used by pre-school teachers, while the least frequently used is the subject-specific e-portfolio.
Online Learning in Primary School: Perspectives of Teachers, Students, Parents
Part of the life of the society in which it develops and on which it has an impact perhaps not always fully assumed and respected, the school benefits both from the scientific structure and from the tendency – natural and necessary – to investigate the new. So how do we deal with the digital reality that students live in and that even the most conservative of teachers can’t dissociate themselves from? Here is the plot of this work!
In this context, the purpose of this work is to investigate and assess the impact of online schooling on Romanian grounds, following the opinions of the three active educational performers immerged in it the most: teachers, pupils, parents. The inquiry has followed the primary education learning path, as part of a deeper concern for this field, with an open eye towards both achievements and challenges. The questionnaires have given the possibility to all three categories to express personal perspectives and conclusions.
The reasonable deduction of the present educational approach is that online courses represent a milestone in the functioning of Romanian schools, providing us with the ability to acknowledge the importance of both direct interaction and need to develop acquires in terms of technology.
Social Networks and the Development of Students’ Social Competences
Social competencies of students are crucial for successful studying and further academic careers, as they encompass communication, teamwork, and collaboration skills. Social networks offer opportunities for interaction and the exchange of ideas with peers and mentors. Therefore, it is important to study the relationship between social networks and social competencies to better understand the opportunities and challenges faced by students.
The primary aim of this research is to examine students’ perceptions of the impact of social networks on the development of their social competencies. A descriptive research method was employed, and data were collected using a specially designed assessment scale. The research sample is purposive, comprising students from the Faculty of Philosophy in Niš (N=314). The results indicate that students are generally ambivalent about the influence of social networks on their social development, suggesting the need for a deeper understanding of this relationship. Students primarily perceive social networks as communication channels used for maintaining contact and exchanging information. Additionally, students view social networks as potential platforms for collaboration with peers, as well as friends and other community members.
Need, Advantages and Capabilities of Learning Analytics in K12 Education: Study Results from Lithuania
Learning analytics is identified as one of the essential prerequisites for ensuring the quality of learning for each student and is associated with wider opportunities for the organization of individualized, differentiated and personalized learning. One of the focuses – the individualization and personalization of natural science and mathematics education – is connected with one of the priorities of Lithuanian education, recognizing the need to develop students’ mathematical, natural science and technological competences, and to foster a culture of innovation in schools. Although the importance of integrated education is recognized for the sustainable improvement of the student’s natural science and mathematics competence, there are problems in solving the issues of integrated organization of natural sciences and mathematics in lessons, searching for the most appropriate didactic solutions at the student and class levels. The usefulness of learning analytics in modern education is not in doubt internationally, but the approach to it in educational practice is quite ambiguous: the search for tools of learning analytics, the system of its use, definitions of advantages for the learner – these are the questions that raise researchers’ attention. It is recognized that the Lithuanian scientific discourse of the use of learning analytics in science and mathematics education contains little research, examples of pedagogical practice that analyse the possibilities of digital platforms with artificial intelligence and learning analytics tools are scarce.
This qualitative study was particularly sought to disclose the possibility of using learning analytics in the science education and math lessons. Focus group participants were teachers and students from general education schools in Lithuania who, in September – December 2021, participated in a project dedicated to the testing of learning analytics tools in science education and mathematics classes. The aim of the investigation was to extract the accumulated experience of teachers and students in working with digital platforms and in applying learning analytics based on artificial intelligence. The results of the study revealed that teachers and students have no doubts about the advantages of digital platforms integrating learning analytics based on artificial intelligence, in identifying student (class) learning gaps, learning characteristics, making data-based decisions regarding differentiation and individualization of learning. Research participants saw the importance of data generated by learning analytics in planning and organizing integrated math and science education lessons.
Chatbots in Education: A Dual Perspective on Innovation and Ethics
The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education, particularly through the use of chatbots, has garnered significant attention for its potential to revolutionize e-learning. Chatbots, powered by Natural Language Processing (NLP), offer a promising avenue for personalizing educational experiences and enhancing student engagement (Bradeško & Mladenić, 2012; Anghelescu & Nicolaescu, 2018). This article synthesizes the current literature on the application of chatbots in e-learning, highlighting their benefits, the benefits of sentiment analysis, and the ethical considerations that arise from their deployment. Recent studies underscore the role of chatbots in fostering student engagement and reducing dropout rates in e-learning environments (Labadze, L., 2023; Tapalova & Zhiyenbayeva, 2022). The use of chatbots in adaptive e-learning systems has been shown to dynamically adjust to student needs, thereby reducing anxiety and promoting higher-order cognitive skills (Hsu et al., 2023; Info, A et al., 2024).
On the basis of such proliferation, this article proposes the use of a new Socratic method, applying the traditional Socratic method to interactions with chatbots to further enhance critical thinking and epistemological analysis in students. This method encourages learners to engage in critical dialogue with the chatbot, challenging the information provided. Despite concerns about chatbots’ ability to accurately solve complex problems, such as in physics (Gregorcic et al., 2023), their “hallucinations” or errors can be leveraged as educational tools to stimulate critical thinking and identify misconceptions.
Another important innovation in Digital Pedagogy is represented by sentiment analysis. Its deployment leads teachers or even chatbots to understand and respond to students’ emotions, aiming to improve engagement and reduce dropout rates (Meroto, M.B. et al., 2024; Pant, H.V., et al., 2023). However, this technology raises ethical concerns related to privacy, data manipulation, and potential biases in decision-making systems (Singh et al., 2024; Susser et al., 2019; Burrell, 2016; Barocas et al., 2023). The ethical challenges associated with sentiment analysis in e-learning necessitate careful consideration and adherence to privacy and consent regulations.
In conclusion, chatbots in e-learning offer significant potential for enhancing the educational experience through personalized and adaptive learning. However, the ethical implications of their use, particularly concerning sentiment analysis, must be addressed to ensure the protection of student data and the equitable treatment of all learners. Future research should continue to explore the optimization of digital interactions, considering the potential for educational innovation that chatbots bring to the academic industry (Denny et al., 2024).
Early Childhood Development: The Influence of Digital Technology on Psychological Processes and Mechanisms
Despite the novelty and excitement of the promise that technology will revolutionize education, as it has revolutionized many other fields (medicine, industries), programs in recent years have shown that technology alone does not have the power to change education for the better (Blackwell et al., 2014, para.4). Still, people can do this, if they are willing to learn how, why and when. In other words, first, the devices were introduced and the infrastructure created, then administrators and teachers began to learn how to use it, with support in some countries, without support in others. Would a reverse approach have been more useful? For instance, specializing teachers and subsequently equipping schools with the necessary infrastructure? We are in a situation where there are sometimes early education institutions where there is equipment, but education managers and teachers do not have the full picture of how and when to use it, and what are the implications of this usage.
Given observations and studies carried out in the school environment, we wonder how equipping kindergartens with tablets and other screen devices would work? What makes digital technology really useful in early childhood education? What should be the motivation for the introduction of digital technologies in early education?
This paper provides psychological and educational benchmarks for the use of digital technologies in preschool educational institutions, as well as in the context of family education.