Towards a Collaborative Society Through Creative Learning

Table of Contents

1. Frontmatter

2. Digital Education in Schools

   1. Frontmatter

   2. Digital Education in the Post-Covid Era: Challenges and Opportunities to Explore

      Kleopatra Nikolopoulou

      Abstract

      The COVID-19 pandemic (from mid-March 2020) took most educational systems by surprise, forcing million educators and students to radically change how they teach and learn. Online teaching was forced for about 1.5 years and, during this period, digital technology played a major role in enabling teachers to teach students at a distance using various digital platforms and tools. The purpose of this paper is to explore the challenges and opportunities that come with online-digital education, in the post-COVID era. Opportunities to explore include the integration of digital education in the educational system, adoption of appropriate (mobile) pedagogies, more flexible and mobile forms of teaching and learning, reconsideration of National policies, redesign of curricula, improvement of institutional infrastructure, creation of educational resources, and enhancement of students’ and teachers’ digital technology (and online pedagogy) skills. With regard to learning from the crisis and moving forward in the post-pandemic normal, some recommendations are finally addressed.

   3. A Study of Measurement of Mentoring Activities Using Text Mining Technology

      Kaori Namba, Toshiyuki Sanuki, Tetsuo Fukuzaki, Kazuhiko Terashima

      Abstract

      P-TECH is a pioneering education reform initiative to prepare young people with the academic, technical, and professional skills required for 21st-century jobs and ongoing education. Mentoring is one of the key activities of P-TECH for students to think about their pathways and build engineering attitudes. After each mentoring session, we take surveys to evaluate how the sessions affected the students and we achieved our objectives. In addition to conventional method, we executed systematic analysis of the responses to the open-ended questions using text mining technology. The subjects of this paper were 30 high school sophomores in 2019. We mentored them eight times in 2019 and 2020 and took surveys after each session. We gathered 1784 documents in total as the responses to open-ended questions and analyzed them with a text mining tool. The tool showed the top three frequent nouns were synonyms for “myself”, and the top three correlated nouns of “myself” were “future”, “thought”, and “way”. This indicates many students considered their pathways during the mentoring sessions and discussed them in their surveys. The tool also showed that the top correlated noun/verb phrases were “build… Plan”, “obtain… Advice”, and “have… Interest”. This indicates that students correctly received the messages intended by the mentoring. Our results showed that the mentoring activities helped students consider their future. Text mining was a useful technique to analyze answers to open-ended survey questions.

   4. Development Plan and Trial of Japanese Language e-Learning System Focusing on Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) Suitable for Digital Education

      Shizuka Nakamura, Katsumi Wasaki

      Abstract

      In the field of Japanese language education, even though it is very important to solidify the foundation of a student’s pronunciation ability, this area is sometimes neglected due to a bias towards grammar lecturing and vocabulary building. In addition, although audio materials are commonly included in teaching materials, few students use them for self-learning. However, for non-kanji-reading learners, learning the Japanese writing systems (hiragana, katakana, and kanji) can be a major obstacle, which means audio materials increase in importance by providing an effective alternative way to learn the Japanese language. With those points in mind, this paper examines the development of digital education (DX) e-learning materials that can provide non-kanji-reading learners with authentic contexts and serve as a bridge to learning correct speech without causing them to feel psychologically intimidated by the intricacies of Japanese writing systems. We then report on the use of the first teaching materials developed for Japanese language education using neural speech based on a pedagogical method known as Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). This material was developed as courseware on Moodle.

   5. STEM Programs at Primary School: Teachers Views and Concerns About Teaching “Digital Technologies”

      Tanya Linden, Therese Keane, Anie Sharma, Andreea Molnar

      Abstract

      Modern technology is ubiquitous across all facets of life. The continuously evolving STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education landscape has provided an excellent opportunity to integrate the knowledge of digital technology to solve STEM-based project problems. However, there is no consistency in how STEM programs are taught across Australian primary schools. Whilst primary school teachers have integrated technology into their classroom, the teaching of the Technology discipline has been very patchy. Moreover, using technology such as computers is not the same as learning about computer hardware or about writing software to make it function. To achieve effective integration of technology in teaching and learning, we need to educate and encourage students to become creators of digital solutions rather than consumers, which in turn requires primary school teachers to have the confidence and capacity to teach students this specialized discipline. To address this gap, this study focuses on primary school teachers’ intentions, beliefs, and perspectives on teaching Technology, as well as teaching STEM subjects overall. Understanding these beliefs and perspectives will help in building teachers’ capacity and ultimately improving learning processes for primary school children. The paper reports on one phase of the project – a pilot study investigating the attitudes of primary school teachers towards meaningful integration of digital technologies in primary school programs conducted through the lens of the conceptual framework for the Dimensions of Attitudes towards Science (DAS). The preliminary findings demonstrate an urgency in addressing primary school teachers needs in getting access to knowledge and resources to build their capacity in the Technology discipline.

   6. Fostering Students’ Resilience. Analyses Towards Factors of Individual Resilience in the Computer and Information Literacy Domain

      Kerstin Drossel, Birgit Eickelmann, Mario Vennemann, Nadine Fröhlich

      Abstract

      In this contribution the resilience of students in the computer and information literacy (CIL) domain is focused. In this context, research towards individual student resilience is of relevance in order to examine characteristics from the student level that can be used as setscrews by educators and other educational stakeholders to minimize or overcome social issues in the CIL domain. Taking advantage of the representative cross-sections of students from the International Computer and Information Literacy Study 2018 (ICILS 2018), the question of the prevalence of resilient students (research question 1), differences between educational systems in international comparison (research question 2), and students’ related antecedents and process factors from the ICILS 2018 contextual model (research question 3) have been focused via using a logistic regression approach. The sample consisted of 46,561 students aged 14 from 14 countries. Cross country analyses revealed that student’s sex and their cultural capital are the strongest predictors for resilience in the CIL domain. However, including family’s process characteristics shows that students’ self-efficacy toward the use of information and communication technology (ICT), their use of ICT for information-related activities itself and the use of ICT for basic and advanced purposes have been identified as significantly related to student resilience.

   7. A Workshop of a Digital Kamishibai System for Children and Analysis of Children’s Works

      Masataka Murata, Keita Ushida, Yoshie Abe, Qiu Chen

      Abstract

      The authors have developed a digital kamishibai system, for authoring and performing kamishibai is said to have good educational effects on children. The system is implemented so that even children can operate it easily. The characteristics of the system are authoring with drag-and-drop operation and performance with ad-lib animation. Through the experiment, the authors made sure that children over six years old could handle the system. In this paper, the authors carried out a workshop in which children authored and performed digital kamishibai. Forty-eight groups participated. From the questionnaire, both children and their parents were mostly favorable to the system. The effects mentioned above were observed. Through the workshop, various kamishibai works were made. The authors showed these works to a staff of a children’s hall (an expert of kamishibai) and had review them. He pointed out children’s comprehension of stories, characteristics and style of representation, and structures and originality of the works. One of the future works is a detailed analysis of the works.

   8. ELSI (Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues) Education on Digital Technologies: In the Field of Elementary and Secondary Education

      Nagayoshi Nakazono

      Abstract

      This study proposes the need to introduce ELSI (Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues) education on digital technologies in school education, particularly primary and secondary education. Currently, various advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and data science, are being used in our daily lives. New ethical, legal, and social issues arise with the use of such new technologies, and the concept of ELSI, which examines these issues, is gaining popularity. To properly utilize advanced technologies, it is necessary to involve the general public in ELSI, and education regarding ELSI is necessary to obtain basic knowledge and understanding for this purpose. This paper defines ELSI education as “Learning with ELSI” and emphasizes the necessity of introducing ELSI education in primary and secondary education. To implement ELSI education, teachers must have sufficient knowledge of ethics, law, and society, and be up-to-date regarding the changes in the information society. ELSI education should not be introduced as an entirely new education but as a new concept assimilated in existing education. This paper introduces a practical example of using a chatbot as a subject and presents a practical form of ELSI education. In this age of advancing technologies, it is important to incorporate ELSI education in the curriculum at the elementary and secondary levels based on the developmental stage of learners.

   9. EdTech as an Empowering Tool: Designing Digital Learning Environments to Extend the Action Space for Learning and Foster Digital Agency

      Sadaqat Mulla, G. Nagarjuna

      Abstract

      Educational Technology (EdTech) can be both empowering or constraining depending upon the underpinning design. Drawing from the experiments conducted as part of a large scale EdTech intervention in India, this paper shares qualitative findings on designing digital learning environments (DLE) as tools that empower the learner. Building upon the literature on digital agency and microworlds, the first section propounds that for EdTech to become an empowering tool the design of EdTech should expressly cultivate a learner’s digital agency and extend the action space for learning. While digital agency encompasses aspects of competence, confidence and accountability; the action space for learning (ASL) is defined as a cognitive-pedagogic construct where learners operate. Subsequently, the paper outlines the key characteristics of EdTech that empowers, and shares research findings. It was found that when DLEs are thoughtfully designed to provide a manipulable action space in a microworld where learners can own the dynamics of the environment through variables and controls, then a learner’s digital agency is fostered through the extended possibilities of ASL.

   10. Educational Support to Develop Socially Disadvantaged Young People’s Digital Skills and Competencies: The Contribution of Collaborative Relationships Toward Young People’s Empowerment

       Toshinori Saito

       Abstract

       Digital skills and competencies are necessary for thriving in the coming digital society, and it is important for youths to gain these competencies as well as to become empowered as actors in the digital environment. This paper contends that collaborative relationships established as part of an educational support group to develop socially disadvantaged young people’s digital skills and competencies positively impact their empowerment. We discuss the findings of four years of action research among a support group for socially disadvantaged youths in a provincial city in Japan. The results suggest that the collaborative relationships established within an educational support group can create a rich learning context and foster collaborative agency for youths. Moreover, computer programming carried out in the context of these relationships may generate cooperation and a unique programming culture shared among the youths.

   11. Development and Evaluation of a Field Environment Digest System for Agricultural Education

       Kanu Shiga, Tsubasa Minematsu, Yuta Taniguchi, Fumiya Okubo, Atsushi Shimada, Rin-ichiro Taniguchi

       Abstract

       Smart agriculture has assumed increasing importance due to the growing age of farmers and a shortage of farm leaders. In response, it is crucial to provide more opportunities to learn about smart agriculture at agricultural colleges and high schools, where new farmers are trained. In agricultural education, a system is used for managing environmental information, such as temperature and humidity, obtained from sensors installed in the field. However, it is difficult to make effective use of this system due to the time required to detect changes in the field interfering with class time and the problem of oversight. In this study, we proposed a field environment digest system that will help learners by providing the summarized field sensing information, and support them in analyzing the data. In addition, to examine the potential for using field sensing information in agricultural education, we investigated the usefulness of the summarized sensor information and students’ usage of this information. In this paper, we outline the contents of the developed system and the results of the digest evaluation experiments.

   12. Predictive Evaluation of Artificial Intelligence Functionalities of Software: A Study of Apps for Children’s Learning of English Pronunciation

       Mengqi Fang, Mary Webb

       Abstract

       This paper is based on a study that developed and used a predictive evaluation method to evaluate educational software with embedded Artificial Intelligence (AI) functionalities for children’s learning of English pronunciation. The approach built on Squires and Preece’s [1] heuristics which used a social constructivist view of learning but were developed before AI functionalities were commonplace in educational software. Three AI-powered English learning apps were selected for the predictive evaluation. The evaluation enabled a comparison between the AI-powered English-learning apps based on their potential for learning. The study is the first to predictively evaluate pedagogical values of AI functionalities for improving ESL pronunciation and may provide an approach to developing predictive evaluation more widely for educational software that embeds AI functionalities.