Students‘ beliefs and needs on ICT for intercultural development: International Research Network (Irnet)

Author(s):

Gemma Delicado(submitting)Sixto Cubo(presenting)Rocío Yuste Laura Alonso Juan Arias Prudencia Gutierrez

Conference:

ECER 2016

Network:

16. ICT in Education and Training

Format:

Paper

Session Information

16 SES 11 B, Students' Digital Competencies

Paper Session

Time:

2016-08-25

17:15-18:45

Room:

OB-E2.38 (ALE 4)

Chair:

Philippe Gabriel

Contribution

The prompt development of telecommunications and information technologies and the changes in educational systems are forcing universities, schools and other scholastic institutions not only to unceasingly improve their services, but also to increase their didactic offer. In this evolving context, the best approach to enhance the image of universities and individual departments is to adequately build their own on line information spaces, which thanks to scientific developments, can undertake a variety of forms. In fact, as Bird and Mixon (2012) considered, numerous are the universities that have moved into e-learning as a resource to overcome the funding shortfall, a consequence of the recent economic climate.

At the same time, this generation of university students is characterized by using ICT for countless uses and goals in their quotidian lives. Consequently, if we affirm that they are, digital natives“(Prensky, 2001), or digital competent citizens “we would be stating a plain description of their reality. Indeed, we should employ the term, new millennium learners “that implies that students entirely master the dimensions of digital learning competences (instrumental, cognitive-intellectual, socio-communicative, emotional and axiological) Area & Pessoa (2012), in conjunction with managing information to avoid infoxication and safety on the Internet.

Furthermore, the Common Framework of Digital Competence (2013) provides a definition for digital proficiency. This is described as the creative, critical and secure usage of information and communication technologies to achieve work-related goals, employability, learning, leisure, inclusion and participation in society (Gutiérrez & Peart, 2014). In this sense, this work aims to present research conducted within the European project entitled IRNET(www.irnet.us.edu.pl): International Research Network for study and development of new tools and methods for advanced pedagogical science in the field of ICT instruments, e-learning and intercultural competences (a Marie Curie Action-: PIRSES-GA-2013-612536; Duration of the project: 48 months1/01/2014 – 31/12/2017-).

The IRNet project intentions are to set up a thematic multidisciplinary joint exchange programme devoted to the research and development of new tools for advanced pedagogical science in the field of ICT instruments, distance learning and intercultural competences in the EU (Poland, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Slovakia) and Third Countries (Australia, Russia, Ukraine). The programme will strengthen existing collaboration and establishing new scientific contacts through mutual secondments of partner scholars.

In this phase of the project, researchers analyzed concepts associated with contemporary digital trends in higher education. They also examined students’ beliefs and needs towards various educational processes within the scope of academics, ICT and intercultural and professional competences. The specific study targeted students from Poland, Spain and from other partner countries in a number of fields of studies. Methodology involved quantitative and qualitative methods. Data allowed exploring the state of the art in ICT-, learning- and intercultural competences across Europe. On top of that, cross-cultural analyses was conducted and compared to results received by partners from other countries.

The main objectives of the project are:

1. To exchange expertise and knowledge in the field of the innovative techniques in education between EU and Third Countries and suggest effective strategies to implement new tools in their area;

2. To analyse and evaluate social, economic, legal conditions, as well as methodologies and e-learning practices being developed in Europe and Third Countries outside the EU.

Method

Methodology It is evident that the absence of an active implementation of innovative forms and methods of education, and above all, distance learning at all levels, these objectives cannot be successfully achieved. At the same time, we should identify an issue - the fact that e-learning methodology is not yet fully developed, both within the EU and in Ukraine, Russia and Australia. One of the reactions to this deficiency in e-learning innovation and its challenges has been IRNet project. Such project has been sponsored by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme, within the Marie Curie Actions International Research Staff Exchange Scheme. The general aim of the project is implementing a system designed to develop-IT competences for specialists, in particular prospect teachers, in-service teachers and leaders, based on the systematic use of selected Internet technologies, such as some LCMS systems (as Moodle), Massive Open Online Courses, "virtual classroom" technology, social media, selected Web 2.0 and 3.0 technology-. These tools positively contribute to the development of skills in the area of IT and intercultural competences. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, some preliminary results conducted in the frame of the IRNet Project and more specifically in Work Package 2 at the University of Silesia, Faculty of Ethnology and Sciences of Education and also at the University of Extremadura, Faculties of Education (Badajoz), Teacher Training (Cáceres) and the Polytechnics University (Mérida), allowed the development of a picture of today's student in the context of educational inquiry, network activities as well as in the framework of intercultural competences development. The analysis of the data obtained at the US as well as UEx shows that present-day students are active Internet users. However, some differences among students, which will be pointed out in the presentation, were observed.

Expected Outcomes

Summing up the issues mentioned above, the value and multipurpose character of Internet services of the Faculty of Ethnology and Sciences of Education and some University of Silesia Internet services, which help identify accurate means for diverse educational, academic, scientific and social issues that have proved to be challenging to be solved in a conventional manner should be highlighted. The authors will continue analyzing and defining additional comprehensive conditions, reasons and needs of students from different partner universities to obtain final conclusion on effective and innovative methods for learning and teaching based on ICT. According to these results, it is necessary that higher education institutions get engaged in researching and analyzing the needs for intercultural development in the framework of the international research network (IRNET). At the university of Extremadura, for example, and together with more than ten European partners, a project to integrate migrants from other cultures through ICTS has been developed by GEXCALL. LIME (Languages and Media ) consists of using language learning and teaching of a foreign language for migrants through the LiMe interactive multimedia platform. Migrant learners and their teachers can use the platform to develop not only language competences, but cultural understanding as well. The platform makes use of various media forms to support linguistic and cultural integration of migrants into society within five European countries (Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom). However, this is not sufficient and universities should keep working towards this goal though projects and actions such as IRNET. Acknowledgments The research leading to these results has received, within the framework of the IRNet project, funding from the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013/ under REA grant agreement No: PIRSES-GA-2013-612536.

References

Alonso, L., Gutiérrez, P., Yuste, R., Arias, J., Cubo, S., & Reis, A. (2014). Usos de aulas virtuales síncronas en Educación Superior. Píxel-Bit. Revista de Medios y Educación, 45, 203-215. Bird, J. & Mixon, F. (2015). Revenues and E-Learning: Do Universities Need an Online Presence? Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 34(6), 601-609. Camacho, M. & Gutiérrez, P. (2015). Harnessing the Power of Mobile Personal Learning Environments (mPLEs) in Next-Generation Teacher Education. In Keengew, S. (ed.). Handbook of Research on Global Issues in Next-Generation Teacher Education. Edited Books: GrandForks, USA. Cottica, A., Bello, B. G., Vickers, B., Potonick, D., Marcus, G., Mikiewicz, P., Gutiérrez Esteban. P., Eriksson, M., Petkovic, S. & Cuzzocrea, V. (2013). The Edgeryders guide to the future. A handbook for policy makers and designers of policy-oriented online communities. Brussels, Belgium: Council of Europe. Faculty distance learning platform available at http://el.us.edu.pl/weinoe (Data of access 30.03.2015). Gutiérrez, P. & Mikiewicz, P. (2013). How do I learn?. A case study of Lifelong Learning of European Young. In Smyrnova-Trybulska, E. (ed.). E-learning and Lifelong Learning. Studio Noa: Katowice-Cieszyn (Poland). Mac Callum, K. & Lynn, J. (2013). The Influence of Students' ICT Skills and their Adoption of Mobile Learning. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology. 29 (3), 303-314. Mikropoulos, T.A. & Natsis, A. (2011). Educational virtual environments: A ten-year review of empirical research (1999-2009). Computers & Education, 56 (3), 769-780. Reis, A., Blázquez, F., & Cubo, S. (2013). How Should we Teach, in the School of the Future?, In Smyrnova-Trybulska, E. (ed.). E-learning and Lifelong Learning. Studio Noa: Katowice-Cieszyn (Poland). Sajduk B., Nowoczeska dydaktyka akademicka, available at (Data of access 30.03.2015) Smyrnova-Trybulska, E. Use of Distance Learning in the Training of Professionals in the Knowledge Society [in:] Use of E-learning in the Training of Professionals in the Knowledge Society. Monograph. Scientific Editor: E. Smyrnova-Trybulska, University of Silesia, Cieszyn 2010, PP. 137-161. ISBN 978-83-60071-30-4. Smyrnova-Trybulska, E. Use of the Distance Learning Platform of The Faculty of Ethnology and Sciences of Education in Cieszyn (University of Silesia) in teacher training, [in:] Theoretical and Practical Aspects of Distance Learning. Collection of Scholarly Papers. Scientific editor: Eugenia Smyrnova-Trybulska. University of Silesia in Katowice, Cieszyn, 2009. PP.198-210. Smyrnova-Trybulska E., 2014: SOME RESULTS OF THE RESEARCH CONDUCTED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SILESIA IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH NETWORK IRNET In: E-learning and Intercultural Competences Development in Different Countries, Monograph Sc. Editor Eugenia Smyrnova-Trybulska, University of Silesia, Studio-Noa, Katowice-Cieszyn, 2014, PP. 133-144.

Author Information

Gemma Delicado (submitting)

University of Extremadura

Cáceres

Sixto Cubo (presenting)