Skepticism and learning difficulties in a digital environment at the Bachelor's and Master's levels: are preconceptions valid?

Introduction. The article is devoted to the problem of preparing future teachers for providing moral education of school students within the digital learning environment. The purpose of the study is to compare the attitudes of academics, who are developing the system of preparing future teachers for providing moral education of school students within the digital learning environment with students’ opinions about the effectiveness of its components. Materials and Methods. The research follows the systemic, activity-based and personality-oriented methodological approaches. The systemic approach allows to study the preparation of future teachers for providing moral education of schoolchildren in the digital learning environment as a system. The activity-based approach makes it possible to identify specific types of activities within the system. The personality-oriented approach contributes to selecting the contents according to the interests of future teachers. In order to achieve the purpose of the study, the authors used theoretical (analysis of scholarly literature, analysis of university work experience, generalization) and empirical (ranking, survey, interview) research methods. Statistical data processing was conducted by means of the Mann-Whitney U-test. The sample consisted of Education undergraduates (n = 122), newly-qualified teachers (the graduates of the university) (n =10), and academics (n=40). Results. The results of the theoretical research demonstrate that preparation of future teachers for providing moral education of school students within the digital learning environment has systemic characteristics and is implemented in the process of studying education disciplines, work placements, independent learning, participation in extra-curricular activities organized by the university, their own school experience, information obtained from the Internet, and studying experience of teaching staff at schools. The research supports the opinion that transferring skills between learning environments is a complicated task. Consequently, targeted work is required on order to prepare future teachers for educating school students in the digital learning environment. In the process of empirical research, it was revealed that the most effective ways of teacher training today are work placements, education disciplines, and personal learning experience of prospective teachers. The authors emphasized that students consider traditional methods of preparation, for example, independent learning, to be more effective than obtaining information from the Internet, while the academics have the opposite point of view. The results of the study have proven that the balance between the real and digital environments is significant for effective teacher preparation. Conclusions. The article concludes that the system of teacher education should be supplemented by the electronic learning environment which comprises theoretical and practical issues of providing moral education of school students within the digital learning environment. The preferences of future teachers and academics largely coincide, that can contribute to the effectiveness of education. However, academics overestimate the theoretical component of the curriculum.

Learning environments are ubiquitous. Schools, universities, workplaces, professional organizations, community groups, families, religious groups, museums, after‐school programs, and peer groups are environments that provide opportunities for learning and socialization. As digital technologies saturate our lives and participation in online environments soars, both the number and the variety of digital learning environments are growing exponentially. Video games, social networking sites, open courses, and a variety of social and networked technologies provide individuals with opportunities to learn content and competencies, and adopt new behavior patterns. Growing numbers of learners are taking courses online (Allen and Seaman 2013) and governments, elected officials, and interest groups are encouraging the development of digital learning opportunities (e.g., European Commission 2013). Digital learning environments are central to endeavors to design, develop, and deliver digital learning opportunities. While the LMS (e.g., Blackboard, Desire2Learn, Moodle, Instructure Canvas) is often used in such initiatives, a number of other digital learning environments have been adopted (e.g., blogging platforms, social media, and other standalone digital environments). We note that the terms LMS and VLE refer to the same technology. The term LMS is used in this chapter. The notion of the learning environment is associated with the constructivist movement (Wilson 1995, 27), as emphasis has moved from the individual (e.g., student, instructor), to the context, to the place and space surrounding learning and instruction. Wilson argues: “learning environments seem intrinsically fuzzy and ill‐defined. That is, an environment that is good for learning cannot be fully prepackaged and defined. If students are involved in choosing learning activities and controlling pace and direction, a level of uncertainty and uncontrolledness comes into play.” The increasing use of digital technologies in education gave rise to the notion of the digital learning environment. Yet, digital learning environments are also ill‐defined. Digital Learning Environments

Analog learning environments are often combined with, or in some cases completely replaced by digital environments – a trend that has been particularly accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. To gain insight into students’ perceptions, practices, and experiences regarding the use of digital technologies and learning in digital environment, a qualitative study was conducted employing in-depth interview techniques. The research sample consisted of 14 students from the University of Novi Sad, with equal representation from the different fields: social sciences and humanities, natural and mathematical sciences, technical and technological sciences, medical sciences, and the arts. By exploring students’ perspectives, our study aimed to contribute to the body of research conducted in the post-pandemic period. The research results were interpreted within four sections, starting with an examination of the broader context and the use of digital technologies in students’ daily lives, including entertainment and relaxation, communication and connectivity, and extending to information and learning. The second section focuses on the use of digital technologies in the context of learning, while the third section is dedicated to the application of digital technologies and learning in a digital environment during the teaching process. Following this, the study explores perceptions and possibilities for the coexistence of different teaching models. Based on the reviewed literature and the results of the conducted research, the conclusion is drawn that the pandemic, as a contextual factor, potentially influenced students’ negative attitudes toward online education, given that it was a case of “emergency remote education” rather than planned online education. On the other hand, the primary purpose of using digital technologies and learning in digital environment is identified as accessing learning materials.In this context, the study of Open Educational Resources (OER) may gain increasing importance in the future. Although all students report using digital technologies in the context of learning and teaching, differences in the scope, frequency, and manner of their application are noticeable. Among the variables studied, affiliation with a specific field of study was found to be more relevant for participants’ responses compared to gender and average grade.

This study examines how videos may support participants’ learning in the Information and Communication Technology Massive Open Online Course (ICTMOOC) aimed to develop digital skills with pre- and in-service teachers in Norway and provides an insight into how teachers’ interactions with videos may contribute to enhancing their agentic capacity to learn and transformative digital agency. Analyses of participants’ interactions with the videos are located in the cultural-historical theory and draw on Galperin’s conceptualisation of learning processes. The data consisted of 501 participants’ responses to the questionnaire administered to all pre- and in-service teachers engaged in the ICTMOOC in 2014–2018. Mixed methods were applied to analyse the data by providing quantitative and qualitative evidence about the processes of video use. Findings reveal the patterns of participants’ interactions with videos: (a) seeking explicit information about how to engage in learning; (b) seeking assistance while engaged with the assigned tasks; (c) support to compare learning outcomes with the requirements outlined in the videos. In doing so, the videos provided orienting, executive and controlling support and might have contributed to enhancing participants’ capacity to learn in digital environments and their transformative digital agency. The majority of participants used videos for executive support and the learners preferred videos in the range of 5–10 min. By providing these types of support by the videos, a learning activity carries a new function as a tool for studying the essence of learning in digital environments. These findings have implications for the design of videos in online courses. They also emphasise the crucial importance of awareness about the type of support videos provide to enhance participants’ learning in digital environments.

Introduction. The paper is devoted to the problem of comparing the readiness of schools, students and future teachers for moral educational activities in the digital learning environment. In order to solve the research problem, it is necessary to compare forms of moral education activities in the digital learning environment which are offered by modern schools and the expectations of students, as well as the preferences and skills of Education students – future teachers. Thus, the purpose of the research is to compare the preferences of students and the forms actually used in the content of education in the digital learning environment. Materials and Methods. The method of analysis of information from official school websites was applied. Based on its results, a written survey of pupils and future teachers was carried out in order to select / reject the choice of each form of activity for the subsequent ranking of the forms of moral educational work in the digital learning environment. The authors analyzed the websites of selected Chelyabinsk schools where teaching internship of Education students was carried out. The sample included 135 secondary and high school students (59 male and 76 female) and 34 university students (2 male and 32 female). Statistical data processing was carried out on the basis of the Mann-Whitney U- test and the Wilcoxon T-test. Results. The authors summarized the range of forms of moral educational activities implemented by schools, which included online festivals, workshops, shifts, online theaters, thematic meetings, online projects, class hours, memos, educating activities, video lessons, school media channels, online newspapers, promotions, publication of collections, competitions, online forums. It was found that a wide range of activities was offered only in one educational setting. The rest limited themselves to participation in municipal events. Meanwhile, it was emphasized that schoolchildren showed interest in the proposed activities. The authors noted that workshops, online projects, promotions, competitions and shifts aroused the greatest interest. The main research result consisted in comparing the preferences of students and future teachers regarding the identified forms of work. Based on the Mann-Whitney U-criterion (Uemp=116.5 at a significance level of p≤0.01), the authors found that pupils and students had close preferences for the forms of educational activities in the digital learning environment. However, the Wilcoxon T-test (Temp=5.5) showed that students, being prepared to conduct moral educational activities, did not aim at implementing them in the digital learning environment. Conclusions. As a result of the study, the authors came to the conclusion that the preferences of pupils and future teachers basically coincided, which could potentially give a good result of moral educational work in the digital learning environment. However, firstly, schools have not formed such a wide range of moral educational activities in the digital learning environment as they have done in traditional offline education. Secondly, future teachers consider the digital nature of the educational environment as a demotivating factor, demonstrating the desire to educate offline, by their own example. They do not tend to look for a ‘fundamentally different’ organization of education in a digital educational environment.

Over five hundred bachelor's-level engineering programs in the United States are currently accredited under the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET (ABET-EAC) and others are pursuing accreditation [1]. Therefore, it can be said that the ABET-EAC bachelor's level general criteria exercise a great degree of influence over accredited undergraduate engineering programs in the U.S. In contrast, very few U.S. engineering master's degrees are ABET-EAC accredited. As of 3, October 2021, 27 U.S. and 16 international master's degree programs have attained ABET-EAC master's level accreditation. Only three of these programs are classified as civil engineering. Of the three, two are international programs and one is domestic. Two domestic programs have accredited their architectural master's degrees and only one international program has obtained accreditation of their master's degree [1]. Therefore, arguably, ABET-EAC currently has little influence on graduate education in the U.S., especially for programs for which ASCE serves as the lead society. As licensure as a professional engineer generally requires graduation from an accredited program, barriers to master's level accreditation can negatively impact a graduate's pursuit of licensure. However, accreditation is perceived to be a sign of quality, indicating that graduates meet a minimum competency as engineers. Accreditation can benefit the graduates of the program and serve as a differentiator between the program and other graduate programs, especially if recruiting international students. Thus, quality, in addition to opportunities created through licensure, are reasons why master's level accreditation may be helpful to a program. Programs seeking master's level accreditation must comply with five elements: students and curriculum, faculty, quality program, facilities and institutional support. Although many of these elements align with undergraduate accreditation requirements, the elements pertaining to students and curriculum are unique and pose additional efforts required by the program to obtain master's level programs to achieve accreditation. As presented in ABET-EAC Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs, 2021 – 2022 [2], a master's program must "have and enforce procedures for verifying that each student has completed a set of post-secondary educational and professional experiences that: a. Supports the attainment of student outcomes of Criterion 3 of the general criteria for baccalaureate level engineering programs, and b. Includes at least 30 semester credit hours (or equivalent) of math and basic science (basic science includes the biological, chemical, and physical sciences), as well as at least 45 semester credit hours (or equivalent) of engineering topics and a major design experience that meets the requirements of Criterion 5 of the general criteria for baccalaureate level engineering programs." The program may assume that graduates of ABET-EAC bachelor of science (BS) program satisfy (a) and (b) above [2]." Items (a) and (b) can pose a significant constraint on admissions for graduate programs. According to data provided by the Migration Policy Institute in 2018, 14% of immigrant college graduates held professional or doctoral degrees, which is 4% higher than U.S.- born counterparts [3]. Additionally, 70 percent of college-educated immigrant adults in 2018 were married to people with bachelor's degrees or higher as compared to 63 percent of their U.S.-born counterparts. As international students often make up a significant portion of enrollment in engineering graduate programs in the U.S., items (a) and (b) create additional hurdles for graduate programs and may deter U.S. graduate programs from seeking Master's Level accreditation. The Master's Level Accreditation Criteria also require that "Each student's overall program of post-secondary study must satisfy the curricular components of the baccalaureate level program criteria relevant to the master's level program name [2]." In essence, students must meet the Baccalaureate Level Criterion 3 student outcomes and Criterion 5 mathematics, basic science, and engineering topic requirements or be graduates of ABET-EAC accredited baccalaureate programs. This requirement may serve as an additional barrier to accreditation. Most graduate programs require students to complete approximately 30 credits. Requiring students to complete additional coursework can deter some students from seeking the graduate degree. The purpose of this paper is to: ● Examine perceived barriers to pursuing ABET-EAC master's level accreditation, and ● Recommend changes to ABET-EAC to facilitate program attainment of master's level accreditation

Allowing learners to move across learning contexts in novel ways, digital tools play an increasingly central role for the formation of learning trajectories and identities. They thus presumably also affect dynamics of social sorting in education. Against this background, this article introduces a conceptual framework for unravelling dynamics of social sorting in digital learning environments. Inspired by French pragmatic sociology, we propose classification as analytical anchor point for disentangling the intricate interplays between educational technologies, learning situations, and wider moral and social orders. We present a ‘speculative inquiry’ into current AIED to demonstrate the added value this analytical perspective. We identify a hiatus between ‘inspired’ and ‘industrial’ logics of classification in current digital learning tools and environments that are likely to yield unwanted social sorting effects. A classification lens helps foreground social dynamics underlying such patterns, thus furthering our understanding of persistent patterns of disadvantaging in (digital) education.

Two decades of game concepts in digital learning environments – A bibliometric study and research agenda

The objective of the paper is to examine the nature of students’ digital learning environments to understand the interplay of institutional systems and tools that are managed by the students themselves. The paper is based on a study of 128 students’ digital learning environments. The objectives of the study are 1) to provide an overview of tools for students’ study activities, 2) to identify the most used and most important tools for students and 3) to discover which activities the tools are used for. The empirical study reveals that the students have a varied use of digital media. Some of the most used tools in the students’ digital learning environments are Facebook, Google Drive, tools for taking notes, and institutional systems. Additionally, the study shows that the tools meet some very basic demands of the students in relation to collaboration, communication, and feedback. Finally, the study shows that most of the important tools are not related to the systems provided by the educational institutions. Based on the study, the paper concludes with a discussion of how institutional systems connect to the other tools in the students’ practices, and how we can qualify students’ digital learning environments in relation to existing and emerging needs.

Background New digital learning environments have transformed medical education and training, allowing students and teachers to engage in synchronous, real-time interactions and asynchronous learning activities online. Despite extensive research on the role of digital technologies in education, understanding the interplay between digital technology, work, and learning, especially in complex fields like healthcare, remains a challenge. Objective The objective of this study is to examine resident physicians’ perceptions and experiences of using a digital learning environment as part of their specialist medical training. The paper focuses on digital learning through video conferencing (virtual lectures and seminars) and related learning technologies. It aims to understand how resident physicians perceive pedagogical opportunities and challenges in digital learning environments during their medical training and what strategies they use to address these. Materials and Methods The methodological approach is qualitative, aiming to capture and understand participants’ experiences and views of digital learning. The empirical data gathered from open-ended responses to four course evaluation surveys and semi-structured interviews with nine physicians from a cohort of participants enrolled in two or more digital courses were analyzed through thematic analysis. The analysis revealed three main themes related to digital transformation of learning: sociotechnical, educational and administrative. Results The results suggest that (i) sociotechnical aspects and understanding of the context in which the learning takes place contribute to enhancing digital learning for resident physicians; (ii) insights into participants’ perceptions of digital learning emphasize that interactive communication and group discussions are significant for their learning, and (iii) administrative aspects related to course design, lecture management, and instructional support are more important in digital learning environments compared to traditional teaching and learning. Conclusion Findings from this study confirm and extend prior studies on digital learning in healthcare, contributing to a better understanding of how digital learning environments, especially virtual lectures and seminars, can be developed and integrated into residency programs and health professions education to increase their usefulness.

The goals are to define the core curricular content, core learning activities, and delivery-of-instruction options for a new master's level graduate program in technical communication. The following questions are considered: what is the core curriculum for master's level competence in technical communication? What is master's level competence? What preparation should be required of students admitted to a master's program? What are viable and significant elective emphases? What are the core technology requirements? How much of a program can be distance-based? What are the basic requirements for face-to-face learning? What would it take to design a program that might achieve ABET accreditation? How large a part of the core faculty can be affiliated or adjunct?.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to analyze the intentions and use behavior of digital learning environments in business education under the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital learning environments (DLEs) are ready to use bundles of heterogeneous educational technologies used by schools to deliver online courses that contrast to traditional packaged learning management systems. Through the merger of Technology Readiness Index and Unified Theory of Adoption and Use of Technology, a nuanced perspective on the adoption of DLEs under the COVID-19 pandemic is achieved.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional survey study gathered sample data from Mexico, Malaysia and Spain to assess the effect of broad perceptions on technology and specific technologies embedded in DLEs. Data were analyzed using structural equation models and multigroup analysis.FindingsStudent optimism and innovativeness play a critical role in assessing specific features of DLEs. Discomfort and insecurity as barriers to adoption play a minor role. Performance expectancy has a strong effect on behavioral intention to use DLEs, but the effect of effort expectancy is nonsignificant. Multigroup analysis shows significant differences in technology perceptions between samples from Malaysia versus Mexico and Spain.Practical implicationsDLEs help students complete their academic tasks in online and hybrid settings. Instructors can take advantage of students’ positive perceptions of technology to set up DLE use in classrooms. They need to focus on the facilitating conditions of specific technologies and on learning outcomes that remain more important than learning how to use specific technologies.Originality/valueTechnology adoption studies usually rely on only one model, and this is one of the few studies that merge Technology Readiness Index and Unified Theory of Adoption and Use of Technology models. The results of this study support a comprehensive view of individual perceptions of technology and specific attributes of DLEs and their effects on behavioral intentions in relation to DLEs.

This chapter provides a summary of the theoretical frameworks on the tone of cognition and metacognition in digital learning environments. In this context, this chapter provides an overview of the theory of learning environment, digital learning environment, and metacognitive knowledge in an e-learning environment. The author explores the theoretical constructs related to three ways of acts of remembering in realizing cognition and also related to metacognition and metacognitive knowledge. Then, the chapter considers the definition of comprehension through three applications. The author also analyzes the significance of metacognition for teachers through the elucidation regarding three basic categories of strategic knowledge metacognition needed for teachers and the importance of metateaching for teachers. This chapter examines the importance of cognitive presence in the online community and some theoretical evidence regarding metaliteracy, multiliteracies, and digital metaliteracies which are needed for students who are in the digital community. This chapter also explains the relationship of metacognition with information literacy and metaliteracy in social learning environments. Garrison (2011)1 considers metacognition and self-regulated learning as two sides of the same coin that make up the notion of cognitive presence, a critical component of his conception of successful e-learning. So the author deems the relationship between metacognition and self-directed learning and the development of shared metacognition construct. Ultimately, the author lists out and briefly enlightens the various digital learning environments: namely, web-based learning environment/online learning environment, blended learning environment, massive open online course (MOOC) learning environment, gamification, mobile learning environment, personalized e-learning environment, augmented learning environment, and artificial intelligence with the tone of cognition and metacognition on each of these digital learning environments.

In the 21st century, being considered illiterate no longer merely refers to an inability to read and write it now encompasses a lack of technological proficiency. The COVID-19 pandemic brought a change in the education system, compelling a transition from traditional methods to digital platforms. This shift has revolutionized how individuals interact, share knowledge, and achieve collective goals. When individuals come together with a shared goal, a collective power is unleashed. In 1944, Kurt Lewin introduced the concept of group dynamics, emphasizing it as a field dedicated to understanding the characteristics of groups, the principles guiding their evolution, and their interactions with individuals, and other groups. On the other hand, collaborative learning, supported by digital technology, enhances the zone of proximal development (ZPD). In digital environments, collaborative learning leverages technology to facilitate communication, resource sharing, and problem-solving among learners. This study delves into the complexities of collaborative learning in digital environments, focusing on the influence of group dynamics on learning outcomes.

This study assesses the effectiveness of hybrid pedagogies, particularly blended and flipped learning, in digital learning environments. Hybrid pedagogy combines traditional face-to-face instruction with online learning, offering a flexible and personalized approach that enhances student engagement, academic performance, and satisfaction. Blended learning integrates digital tools with inclass instruction, catering to diverse learning needs and improving learning outcomes. Finding of the study shows that flipped learning reverses conventional teaching models by delivering content outside the classroom, reserving class time for active, collaborative learning. Moreover, flipped learning fosters critical thinking, deeper knowledge retention, and improved academic achievement. Both blended and flipped learning models are effective in digital environments, offering innovative ways to engage students and improve learning outcomes Both pedagogical models shift educators' roles from content deliverers to facilitators, requiring professional development and new instructional strategies. These approaches also promote 21st-century skills like digital literacy, collaboration, and problem-solving, preparing students for the challenges of an evolving digital world. These hybrid pedagogies provide a flexible, personalized, and interactive learning experience, making them valuable tools in modern education. Conclusion of the study reveals that hybrid pedagogies provide a dynamic, student-centred framework that supports effective learning in digital contexts. Their successful implementation depends on adequate technological infrastructure, educator training, and continuous refinement of teaching strategies. These methods are instrumental in shaping the future of education by enhancing learning flexibility, engagement, and skill development.