Evolving Education
New Directions in ePedagogies: Learning Languages with Online Tools View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Olivier Delers
I am currently experimenting with online tools that can replace and/or complement certain aspects of traditional classroom language teaching. In one study, I had students complete tasks on the Duolinguo application for the first four weeks of a 200-level French course taught abroad. The platform allows the course instructor to select specific learning goals, monitor progress, and set up achievement benchmarks for the students. In another semester-long project, I have students do intensive language learning on Duolinguo for a semester (two times a day for at least fifteen minutes for five days a week). To add a cultural component, I require students to find and follow three Instagram accounts that regularly post in French. One of these accounts has to be an account that uses posts and stories to explain specific grammar structures. In my paper, I discuss the parameters of these two experiments and the results that I collected. Language learning applications and other online tools cannot replace a structured classroom experience but they can effectively complement traditional forms of learning. I argue for hybrid modes of language learning that leverage tools that are free and widely available and that have the potential to increase student engagement and overall learning outcomes.
Digital Technologies and Higher Education Gateway Mathematics Courses : Outcomes and Perspective from a Large USA Public Research University
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Alison Reddy
Students arrive at university with diverse mathematical backgrounds. This results in a diversity of mathematical knowledge, augmented by the fact that what constitutes previous mathematical coursework at the various institutions varies greatly, as do grading procedures used by different secondary schools, confounding traditional indicators of students’ mathematical knowledge and maturity. Getting students started, and retaining them, in the appropriate mathematics course is important for their mathematical success and success on campus in general. Thus, there is a great need to evaluate preparedness precisely and to implement placement policies, best educational practices, learning supports, and course designs effectively. Mathematics diagnostic testing has been widely used internationally for 30 years in university mathematics departments particularly for those entering their first year of study (Tall & Razali 1993). Its purposes, among others, range from supporting at-risk students (Mullen & Cronin 2022), informing faculty and administrators of student abilities (Rylands & Shearman 2022), and placing students in their appropriate first course (Reddy & Harper, 2013) Over the past 7 years, the Illinois Mathematics’ Department has made great strides in digital technologies from diagnostic testing to mathematics support to course offerings. Now is an excellent opportunity to reimagine, develop, and implement best practices in such digital technologies, particularly with regards to pedagogy and student engagement. This paper describes the purposes, design, and implementation of digital mathematics diagnostic testing tools and digital learning supports at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Collected data is shared.
Redefining Learning Together - the Role of Peer Collaboration in Game-based Education and Exam Retakes: Empowering Students through Teamwork, Games, and Shared Academic Goals
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Santiago Moll-Lopez, M.-Dolores Roselló-Ferragud, Marta Moraño Ataz, Amanda Carreño, Adolfo Nuñez Perez, Sara Sánchez López, Carlos Delgado Caro, Erika Vega Fleitas, Luis Sanchez Ruiz, Jose Antonio Moraño Fernandez, Alicia Herrero Debón
This study investigates the impact of peer learning in enhancing collaboration (over competition) across educational settings, employing game-based learning and innovative exam retake strategies. Our methodology includes two primary components. First, we employ digital mini-games to encourage active engagement and collaborative problem-solving. This aspect is designed to highlight the benefits of working together towards common educational goals, suggesting that collaboration can make the learning process more enjoyable and effective. The second component involves an innovative examination strategy, where students have the opportunity to retake exams collaboratively after an initial individual attempt. This method aims to use the collective knowledge of the group, allowing students to enhance their understanding and academic outcomes through post-examination collaboration. By providing a space for students to share insights and tackle problems together, we seek to assess the impact of this collaborative learning approach on deepening and expanding their grasp of the subject matter. We have employed quantitative analyses of pre- and post-test scores and qualitative feedback from surveys and observations, intending to understand how collaborative learning influences student engagement and outcomes. This research tries to highlight the benefits of peer learning strategies in creating a more interactive and inclusive learning environment.
