Learning Arena Research Articles

Engagement of stakeholders in action-oriented education for sustainability: a study of motivations and benefits and development of a process model

ABSTRACT Purpose Engagement of non-academic stakeholders is an important element of education for sustainability, but is rarely mentioned in contemporary agricultural education literature. This article investigates the process of engagement of non-academic stakeholders into higher education programs on agriculture. Non-academic stakeholders refer to private firms that are focused on the acquisition of knowledge with the objective of achieving a competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach Eleven cases of agricultural education at the undergraduate (Bachelor’s degree) and graduate (Master’s degree) levels in three different countries (Italy, Greece, Norway) were analysed through interviews with teachers and stakeholders and in-situ observations. Findings Qualitative analysis revealed three categories of motivation (inspiration, marketing, sharing experience), two benefits (energy, problem-solving) and four combined categories (exchange, new knowledge, new workers, practical contribution). A conceptual model, developed in the study, provides guidelines for the engagement process, enabling more collaborative education approaches in agriculture and food. Practical implications The proposed model provides educational institutions with a tool for assessing stakeholder engagement process in new/existing education initiatives, enabling transformation of education from narrow individual disciplines to integration of knowledge sources and a variety of learning arenas in education. Theoretical implications Within the framework of university-industry collaboration in combination with action-oriented education for sustainability, findings provide unique insights into the engagement of stakeholders in education. Originality/value This study contributes to knowledge by applying principles of action learning and focusing on the education side of engagement. The results demonstrated that engagement in action-oriented collaborative education offers several benefits to non-academic stakeholders. This was found to have real effects on farm businesses, manifested as changes in production processes and discovery of new marketing opportunities.

Grensekryssing i yrkesfaglærerutdanningen: Betydningen av studentenes utviklingsprosjekter

This article aims to explore how vocational teacher students’ work with development projects can create coherence between learning in the university and learning in teaching practice. Previous research indicates that students often perceive a lack of coherence between the academic knowledge culture in the university and the experiential knowledge they encounter in teaching practice. The study uses boundary crossing as a theoretical approach, and the results are based on interviews with vocational teacher students. The results reveal that their work with development projects strenghten programme coherence by linking the learning arenas university and teaching practice. The development projects also acted as boundary objects, facilitating the integration of the different knowledge cultures and practices. This study contributes to understanding the potential of development projects to create coherence between university and teaching practice in vocational teacher education. The results suggest the need for closer collaboration between universities and schools in supporting vocational teacher students’ work on development projects to enhance boundary learning.

Exploring the Affordances of Vernacular Digital Games in Developing 21st-Century Skills

The past decade has witnessed an unprecedented surge in technological advancements and an exponential growth in mobile device ownership world-wide. Such transformations have intensified access to digital content, opening up new avenues for non-formal learning. This was particularly true during subsequent crises such as the COVID-19 Pandemic and natural and man-made disasters which have disrupted formal learning and left many learners immobilised. This paper contends that capitalising on the intersection of formal and non-formal learning experiences is integral to innovative planning and value-added education. To dismiss engagement in non-formal leaning transactions is to exclude a significant part of learners’ cognitive processes, preferences and experiences. In particular, this paper focuses on vernacular digital games as an apt example of pervasive technology and a non-formal learning arena. Described as a popular culture text, vernacular games are originally intended for entertainment, as opposed to pedagogical, purposes. However, embedded in their designs are social and developmental affordances that render them potent tools for serendipitous learning and dynamic spaces for developing competencies. In the light of this, this paper proposes a move from gamification, i.e. adding a gaming layer to non-gaming contexts, to adding an educational layer to non-formal digital gaming contexts. To consolidate this proposal, it investigates the 21st-century competencies reportedly acquired and developed through digital gameplay. It also delves into possible design-related paradoxes. More precisely, the paper reflects on how key game design features such as multimodality, adaptivity, cultural narratives and affinity spaces can be harnessed to better cultivate much in-demand 21st-century skills. Although learning skills (in their metacognitive form of higher-order thinking) are part and parcel of 21st-century skills, literacy skills and life skills are equally important. The further longer-term aim is to map development opportunities and optimise learning in ways that are in harmony with today’s changing scenarios, demands and objectives.

A Study on Usage of Formal Knowledge Sharing Systems in Project-Based Organizations

Projects are one-time activities that have time and resource limitations. Projects are considered as arenas for learning. There are opportunities for creating new knowledge and utilizing existing knowledge in projects. Since projects are per definition unique, there is at least some degree of uniqueness associated with each project. This uniqueness provides opportunities to learn something new in each project. The known element in projects – such as existing solutions that have been proven to produce good results – can be shared and utilized to avoid using time and resources to create the same or similar solutions from scratch. Knowledge sharing and learning can play a notable role in improving the ability of project-based organizations to carry out their projects successfully and contributing to obtain higher productivity, profitability and sustainable competitive advantage. However, there are several challenges. This paper looks at one of the challenges, namely ineffective usage of formal knowledge sharing systems in project-based organizations. In this regard, the following two research questions are considered: (1) What are the challenges of using formal knowledge sharing systems? (2) How can the challenges be addressed? Formal knowledge sharing systems play an important role in supporting knowledge sharing and learning in organizations. Technological development has created many possibilities to enhance functions as well as benefits of such systems. However, there are several factors that are to be taken into consideration in order to make sure an effective usage of formal knowledge sharing systems in project-based organizations. This paper presents six factors in this regard and emphasizes the need to have a strategic view and a top management perspective of knowledge sharing and learning in project-based organizations. The study on which this paper is based, is of qualitative nature. In this regard, interviews have been conducted to gather information from five public project-based organizations in Norway.

Effectiveness of Different Teaching Methods in Enhancing Dental Undergraduate Students' Knowledge and Restorative Cement Manipulation Skills.

Background and objectives Developing manual skills is important in dental education. Clinical skills can be taught via clinical demonstrations, and knowledge can be delivered through lectures. Performing dental restorations is an essential skill for dentists, which requires a comprehensive knowledge of the manipulation of the restorative materials. The present study sought to compare the effectiveness of flipped learning (FL), smart class (SC), and traditional teaching (TT) methods in two arenas of learning: acquisition of theoretical knowledge and practical skill in manipulating dental restorative cement. Materials and methods All first-year undergraduate dental students (n = 60) were divided into three study groups and exposed to three teaching methods, namely TT, SC, and FL of three different dental restorative cements. Each teaching method was followed by an evaluation of the "knowledge assessment score," a live demonstration of the cement manipulation, and the participants' "skill assessment score." Descriptive statistics were expressed as mean and SD for continuous variables. A comparison of the knowledge assessment scores and skill assessment scores between the study groups was analyzed using a one-way ANOVA test. Intergroup comparison was done using Tukey's post hoc test. Results The FL group had a significantly higher "knowledge assessment score" (p = 0.001), while there was no significant difference between the SC and TT groups (p = 1.0). Both FL and SC groups had significantly higher "skill assessment scores" (p = 0.001), with no significant difference between them (p = 0.798). Conclusions Of the three teaching methods assessed, FL proved to be more effective in the knowledge acquired and clinical competence demonstrated when compared to the other two techniques in dental education.

Starting continuous improvement; creating a common understanding of stroke care delivery in a general hospital

BackgroundContinuous improvement is based on fostering practitioners’ suggestions to modify their own work processes This improvement strategy is widely applied in healthcare but difficult to maintain. The cross-disciplinary nature of many care processes constitutes an extra impediment.MethodsThe study had an explorative design with a qualitative single-case approach. The case presents a project to improve the treatment of patients with thrombotic stroke. Data was obtained via hands on involvement, documents, observations, and interviews with participants in a cross-functional improvement group. A thematic analysis method was employed.ResultsThrough learning how tasks were carried out in other disciplines, the participants developed a common understanding of why it took so long to provide treatment to stroke patients. These insights were used to implement practical changes, leading to immediate improvements in stroke care delivery. The results were fed back so that successes became visible. Participants’ understandings of the local context enabled them to convince peers of the rationale of changes, setting in motion a permanent improvement structure. The participants considered that mapping and then assessing the entire workflow across disciplines were relevant methods for improving the quality of patient care.ConclusionStarting an improvement project in a cross disciplinary environment requires deep engagement on the part of professionals. A quintessential prerequisite is therefore the realization that the quality of care depends on cross-disciplinary cooperation. A facilitated learning arena needs to (1) create insights into each other’s colleagues’ tasks and process interdependencies, (2) increase understanding of how the distribution of tasks among specialist units affects the quality of care, and (3) frequently report and provide feedback on results to keep the process going.

Estimated Financial Savings From Clinical Studies at Oslo Myeloma Center in the Period 2015-2021

BackgroundThe number of clinical studies in the Western world has been declining the last decade. Clinical studies offer valuable opportunities for cancer patients to access new treatments and serve as arenas for learning and competence development for health care workers. In addition to this, clinical studies can significantly contribute to financial savings for the health care system through the provision of drugs. The extent of these savings have not been evaluated before. Materials and MethodsWe assessed the financial savings from drugs provided in clinical studies conducted at Oslo Myeloma Center between 2015 and 2021. Only drugs that had marketing license or another equivalent drug with marketing license were considered to estimate savings. ResultsA total of 314 patients across 24 different studies were given treatment with drugs possessing marketing license. Drugs approved for clinical use and reimbursed by the national health care system gave a financial saving of 20.3 million USD and was considered a direct saving. Drugs not approved for clinical use, but having equivalent approved alternatives yielded a financial saving of 4.7 million USD. ConclusionClinical studies not only offer new opportunities for patients and advancements in medical treatment and knowledge but also contribute significantly to financial saving for the health care system through reduced drug expenses.

The longitudinal correlates of breakup distress in early young adulthood: Future distress and future benefits

Objectives: Existing research on romantic breakups focused on the predictors of breakup, or on its emotional and behavioral sequelae. The current study examines the longitudinal correlates of a breakup experience over a period of eight years, and questions whether breakup experiences may also have negative and positive outcomes. Methods: Data were collected from 124 Israeli emerging adults (mean age 20.22 years; 79 females). Participants were approached again at ages 23, 25, and 28. Breakup distress was assessed at each wave. At age 28, participants’ well-being, as well as their romantic capacities, were evaluated. Results: The intensity of breakup distress at age 20 was not found to be associated with future well-being. However, increased accumulating distress explained a greater number of depressive and anxiety symptoms, and reports of feeling insecure about a partner’s availability and responsiveness, at age 28. In-depth interviews with participants about their romantic relationships at age 28 showed that breakup distress at age 20 was associated with greater romantic competence at age 28, explaining better capacity to learn from past romantic experiences and draw lessons for future behavior. In addition, earlier breakup distress was associated with more coherent accounts of romantic relationships at age 28. Conclusions: Findings suggest that young adults are likely to experience a number of breakup events during their twenties, and the accumulating breakup experiences can affect future well-being. The experience of a breakup might not necessarily associate with negative future outcomes, while an earlier breakup experience could also serve as a positive learning arena for future relationships. Social policy: Perception of romantic dissolution in a comprehensive manner could be helpful for understanding that breakups are probably part of the normative development of romantic relationships among young adults, and should not be perceived only from a deficit perspective.

Student nurses' experiences with a digital educational resource supporting learning in nursing home placements: A qualitative study

BackgroundNursing education should improve clinical placements in nursing homes to foster and enhance student nurses' learning experiences. Initiatives for digital educational resource used to teach and supervise students to complement learning are increasingly being adopted and considered important in nursing education. However, little is known about how digital educational resources can facilitate learning in placements. Research on the value of such resources from student nurses' perspective is required. AimTo explore first-year student nurses' experiences with a digital educational resource developed to support learning in nursing home placements. DesignThis study has a qualitative explorative design and is part of a larger research project in which a digital educational resource named DigiQUALinPRAX was developed. SettingsThis study was conducted at three publicly funded nursing homes affiliated with one Norwegian university. ParticipantsTwenty-three first-year student nurses. MethodsData was generated through pre- and post-placement group interviews and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research were applied in this stud. FindingsOne overreaching theme and three subthemes related to student nurses' experiences with a digital educational resource were identified. The digital educational resource gave a feeling of being acknowledged as a learner by (1) providing a structure and preparation that made the placement feel less overwhelming, (2) supporting professional reflection and assessment practices, and (3) facilitating collaboration when all stakeholders used the resource actively. ConclusionsThis study indicates that student nurses' learning process in nursing home placements can be supported through digital educational resources customised for this learning arena. The findings indicate that the digital educational resource facilitated pre-placement preparedness, provided structure and flexibility, and enhanced reflection and assessment practices during clinical placement. However, encouraging tripartite usage is essential to exploit the full potential of digital educational resources.

Midwives’ experiences of professional learning when practicing collegial midwifery assistance during the active second stage of labour: data from the oneplus trial

BackgroundLearning is a lifelong process and the workplace is an essential arena for professional learning. Workplace learning is particularly relevant for midwives as essential knowledge and skills are gained through clinical work. A clinical practice known as ‘Collegial Midwifery Assistance’ (CMA), which involves two midwives being present during the active second stage of labour, was found to reduce severe perineal trauma by 30% in the Oneplus trial. Research regarding learning associated with CMA, however, is lacking. The aim was to investigate learning experiences of primary and second midwives with varying levels of work experience when practicing CMA, and to further explore possible factors that influence their learning.MethodsThe study uses an observational design to analyse data from the Oneplus trial. Descriptive statistics and proportions were calculated with 95% confidence intervals. Stratified univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis were performed.ResultsA total of 1430 births performed with CMA were included in the study. Less experienced primary midwives reported professional learning to a higher degree (< 2 years, 76%) than the more experienced (> 20 years, 22%). A similar but less pronounced pattern was seen for the second midwives. Duration of the intervention ≥ 15 min improved learning across groups, especially for the least experienced primary midwives. The colleague’s level of experience was found to be of importance for primary midwives with less than five years’ work experience, whereas for second midwives it was also important in their mid to late career. Reciprocal feedback had more impact on learning for the primary midwife than the second midwife.ConclusionsThe study provides evidence that CMA has the potential to contribute with professional learning both for primary and second midwives, for all levels of work experience. We found that factors such as the colleague’s work experience, the duration of CMA and reciprocal feedback influenced learning, but the importance of these factors were different for the primary and second midwife and varied depending on the level of work experience. The findings may have implications for future implementation of CMA and can be used to guide the practice.

Creating communicative learning spaces in initial teacher education (ITE) with observation-grounded co-mentoring practices

ABSTRACT ITE has been criticised for being disconnected, with different languages being spoken in the two learning arenas of campus and schools. Bringing people together, such as through formal university-school partnerships, is not enough to open up communicative learning spaces – sites of collaborative learning that are democratic, safe and supportive. Practicum is recognised as a capstone experience in teacher education in which the mentor’s role is crucial. However, there are significant variations in the types and quality of mentoring and only some supportive frameworks. This paper investigates what arrangements are needed to enable mentoring practices as communicative learning spaces. An intervention was designed that structured conversations between student teachers, school-based mentor teachers and university-based teacher educators around an observation-grounded mentoring framework (OMF). Data was gathered from completed worksheets, reflection logs, and interviews and analysed through the lens of practice architectures. We explore issues of knowledge and power in the facilitation of learning when university-based teacher educators visit the school, and classroom observations frame the mentoring conversations. Findings show that the OMF offered a shared language for tripartite mentoring conversations as communicative learning spaces. The paper contributes to knowledge about supportive mentoring practices in ITE.

Identity texts in science for multilingual students: discovering resources with social semiotics

ABSTRACT This study examines how multilingual students (11-12 years) negotiate meaning in writing, drawing, and dialogues in science. Students use emotions, reflections, and experiences from areas other than school when given the opportunity to solve an open-ended task in science. Data consists of texts from three multilingual students and excerpts from co-generative dialogues collected over five months. Expressions of meaning in the students’ drawing, writing, and oral explanations were analysed using a social semiotic framework. The findings illustrate how emotions and everyday experiences play a significant role in the students’ work to create meaning about science knowledge. Furthermore, the findings indicate that students engage through experiences from learning arenas other than school and that those have the potential to create curiosity and negotiation of identity, language, and subject knowledge. The study reflects upon how the aspects of social semiotic theory, identity, agency, and investment are intertwined with subject-specific knowledge when students negotiate meaning. One implication highlighted is the need for consciousness related to students’ different use of semiotic resources, and to encouraging multilingual students to use their semiotic resources. This implies a potential for students to develop science knowledge and teachers to identify their meaning-making process.

SEKOLAH DASAR ALAM INKLUSIF BANJARBARU

Nature school is an alternative environment-based education that is currently developing in Indonesia. Natural schools are schools that use the school's natural environment as an arena for learning and interacting with the community. This helps students develop into human beings with character. Humans who are not only able to take advantage of nature, but also able to love and care for nature. Natural schools have a big vision and mission in supporting educational equity. The existence of inclusive education is one effort that is able to provide rights to children who tend to be less able in terms of many things such as economic or physical limitations.&#x0D; &#x0D; Inclusion is a government program that has a big goal of equalizing education for all people, inclusion is a program that unites all children, including children with disabilities, in one school. Natural schools are considered to be more effective as a basis for inclusive programs because of the principles of natural schools that liberate all curiosity and interest in learning. Natural schools use nature as the main medium for real and direct learning, this is also what is expected to trigger a sense of independence in children with disabilities because the nature does not provide convenience just like that and also provides a calming effect on children and provides a pleasant atmosphere when learning and playing in same time.&#x0D; &#x0D; Persons with disabilities are the main goal of the inclusion program, the high dropout rate has forced the government to make new policies related to education. Feelings of insecurity are the biggest cause for children with disabilities preferring to drop out of school. This problem continues to this day, so educational facilities that are comfortable for them must be put forward immediately for the sake of better equality of national education and intelligence.

Use of ICT in Teaching Islamic Studies in Higher Education Schools

Information and Communication Technology is currently recognized as a viable and correct educational tool. The application of ICT makes the teaching and learning process simpler, closer, and easier to do anytime and anywhere. The availability and use of ICT tools in the teaching and learning arena is said to be one of the main determinants of the effectiveness of teaching and learning at all levels of education. Islamic Studies is one of the study programs offered in colleges of education in Nigeria that can be taught using ICT. Therefore, this study aims to examine the influence of ICT on the teaching of Islamic studies in universities of education. Three study objectives and research questions were formulated in this research. Descriptive survey research was adopted in this study. The population of this study were all Islamic Studies lecturers in all colleges of education in Kwara State and purposive sampling technique was used to sample respondents in this study. An adapted questionnaire entitled Uses of ICT in Teaching Islamic Studies was used. The main results of the study show that ICT has a significant positive impact on the effectiveness of teaching and learning. This research reveals that the use of ICT, such as computers, the internet, and educational software, has increased student participation and their understanding of Islamic study material. The implication of this research is that these findings highlight the urgent need to strengthen ICT infrastructure and provide adequate access to digital resources to improve the quality of teaching and learning.

Mapping interaction quality for nursing and medical students in primary care placement in municipal emergency care units: a systematic observational study.

Primary care placement for nursing and medical students is vital for developing the competence to accommodate the increasing number of patients with multimorbid and complex conditions. Prior studies have suggested that interaction quality in primary care placement empowers learning. However, research mapping interaction quality in primary care placements in municipal emergency care units is lacking. This study aimed to systematically map interaction quality for nursing and medical students in primary care placement in two municipal emergency care units. This study adopted a systematic descriptive observational design. Systematic observations (n = 201 cycles) of eight nursing students (n = 103 cycles) and six medical students (n = 98 cycles) were used to map interaction quality across six learning situations between March and May 2019. Observations were coded using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System-Secondary (CLASS-S). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman correlations. Interaction quality is described in three domains: (I) emotional support, (II) framework for learning, and (III) instructional support, and the overall measure, student engagement. The results indicated middle-quality interactions in the emotional and instructional support domains and high quality in the framework for learning domain and student engagement. Correlations exhibited similar patterns and ranged from non-significant to strong correlations. The interaction qualities indicated a generally positive and supportive learning environment contributing to nursing and medical students' learning and active participation in work tasks related to their professional roles. Thus, this new form for primary care placement for nursing and medical students in the municipal emergency care units was found to be a positive learning arena. These results may enhance nursing and medical education programs in countries with similar health services and education. Health education, supervisors, peers, and others contributing to students' learning should recognize which interaction qualities may affect learning and how to improve quality, thus affecting supervisors' approach to training students. While the CLASS-S showed potential for mapping interaction qualities for nursing and medical students in primary care placement in municipal emergency care units, further studies are needed to validate the CLASS-S for use in clinical placement settings.

Epistemology in AI (Transdisciplinary AI)

A critical look at the evolution of AI strongly shows a sustained but stealth race to replace humans with AI. Early scientific literature and discourse on AI for some reasons (either to allow AI gain entry and acceptability in mainstream scientific and technological arena) vehemently deny this "human replacement agenda". This thinking pattern unknowingly shaped current scientific literature, discourse, general understanding of what AI is and its development and applicability (a reductionist thinking). This limits our understanding in both the beneficial and destructive capabilities of AI. But when considering a TD assessment on the developmental dynamic of AI, one would comfortably say and must be bold to admit, that indeed AI intends replacing humans and is on course for fulfilling this.&#x0D; &#x0D; We see this AI human replacement agenda in intensified R&amp;D efforts dedicated to developing powerful AI system of systems which massively augment human reasoning, most times far better. The inexhaustible list includes the AI replacement of formerly considered human-centric jobs, advanced autonomous weapon systems, killer robots and AI in warfare, intelligent facial recognition, biometric monitoring, integrating AI on biological, nuclear and space-based weapons systems, etc. If this is the direction AI is taking, then a secondary aim would surely arrive at integrating epistemology in AI or "grant spirits" for AI systems. This is because a distinctive characteristic of a human is his spirit and one cannot replace humans with AI without creating proportionate or appropriate spirits for the AI systems. Sooner or later our AI systems would have epistemological functions and possess spirits. The place of the soul for such AI systems would be attained as well. If human knowledge, beliefs, voices, clips and laws can be preserved long after they are gone as is possible in smart digital technologies, then spirit-based AI would indeed cause these humans to live forever. If the feat of a spirit enamored AI is near, then why worry? Indeed when considering that humans possess good and bad spirits (from the epistemology of rational and irrational inertia) then these AI systems would of course have good or bad spirits and be bad or good AI.&#x0D; &#x0D; Would integrating a spirit into a rule-based or machine learning algorithmic structure of an AI system have benefits? Yes!, profound benefits too. A spirit-based AI would of course make possible the "possession of feelings" by AI systems, a feat unattainable in both algorithmic, operational and inferential basis of AI systems today. This inability of AI systems to have feelings has continued to remain a major setback in the acceptability (indeed trust) and utilization of AI. As we agree that the spirit in AI is possible, then overlooking efforts aimed at making this possible or allowing AI to attain this level unhindered (admitting dangers of human involvement in AI) could pose a dangerous threat which can become highly destructive to mankind. This calls for critical supervision (TD-based ethical policing) and the accompanying of the evolution, development and applicability of AI hence venerating the need for human mediation in AI both as a major TD research subject and applicable function.&#x0D; &#x0D; A discussion would be made on my approach which considers the synergy of critical systems heuristics (CSH) and systems engineering (Transdisciplinary Systems Engineering) to create "Transdisciplinary AI" which would formulate methods of integrating "human" epistemology in expert systems. Human epistemology is emphasized because by the maturity of this future nature of AI, there would be terms known as "AI or machine epistemology" or "AI or machine spirits". The investigation begins with creating expert systems (knowledge-based systems) with these functions with plans of moving into robotics and other machine learning arena. Finally, to move the needle on what is considered permissible epistemology or permissible spirit of/in AI is a critical component of the study of human mediation and AI which must be given critical attention. This would be discussed as well.

University campus as a smart technology-supported active learning arena

Universities are facing many challenges as they are expected to prepare their students in the best possible way to contribute to sustainable societal- and industrial development. Students will become researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, and role models, and should be able to contribute in the transition to a greener and smarter future. The task is almost impossible. It requires full attention from both students and their teachers. To successfully complete this task, universities explore different approaches, including developing smart technology-supported active learning arenas. This report provides an insight into the technological development of the learning environment and presents wish lists for organizing a smart technology-supported learning environment, both in the physical and in the virtual environment, on campus and online (virtual). In addition, the report presents possibilities for appropriate development of competencies. The infrastructure for teaching, research, and administration must be as good as possible. Universities and other educational institutions around the world are experimenting with various technological solutions to establish a learning and working environment that is adapted to increased expectations and demands from students, employees, and society in general. An active learning arena must consider both physical, hybrid and virtual aspects and might address design and organization of physical and hybrid classrooms on campus, offices on campus, home offices, meeting places on campus, lounges and meeting rooms on campus, collaboration opportunities on campus, virtual rooms and virtual campuses, laboratories, social media, and biophilic areas.

The importance of citizen science in coastal monitoring. Learnings from experience in Villa Gesell (Argentina)

Climate change has affected the coasts of the world due to numerous factors, including the change in the intensity and frequencies of the storms and the increase in the mean sea level, among others. Argentina has extensive coastal areas, and research and monitoring tasks are expensive and require a significant number of personnel to cover large geographical areas. Given this, citizen science has become a tool to increase scientific research's spatial and temporal extension. Therefore, the paper aims to analyze the methodology and development of the citizen science project in Villa Gesell and its lessons for applying them in future coastal environmental monitoring projects. The methodology was based on an experience of the project co-created between activists and researchers. This project included four phases for social and physical aspects: training for the citizens, theoretic and practical aspects of coastal dynamics, and how to measure its geomorphological and oceanographic variations; data collection: the activists who received the training performed the measurements to monitor the beach; data analysis by scientists; and dissemination of results; the report data were disseminated by citizens in their community. The analysis of case studies in citizen science projects generates a fundamental learning arena to apply in future projects. Among the positive aspects were the phases established for their development and the methodology used to collect beach monitoring data.

Dynamic learning spaces—dynamic pedagogy. Students’ voices from a master’s program focusing on student active learning in a cross-institution two-campus organization

These past few years have shown the importance of successfully designing cross-campus and multi-campus hybrid and fully digital learning environments to sustain and guarantee continuity in learners’ higher education - an aspect that has become pivotal to ensure the survival of Higher Educational Institutions in an increasingly digitalized world. Such learning environments, and related pedagogical practices, seem to contribute to promoting the development of the learners’ critical skills to meet future work-life challenges and possible new crises. It is therefore increasingly important to include students’ experiences and feedback to help develop and define standards and frameworks that can guide educators and other stakeholders in their work. This article presents the results from an exploratory case study within the frame of a larger research project closely linked to a cross-campus and cross-institution master’s degree program at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). The master’s program is a collaboration between NTNU and the University of Oslo (UiO) and is co-located at both campuses through one shared hybrid, physical and virtual, learning space called the Portal. The genesis of the Portal is informed by Radcliffe’s Pedagogy-Space-Technology framework for the design and evaluation of learning spaces. The scope of our research focuses on the “user experiences”, particularly on how students experience their learning space as an arena for student active learning and collaborations in a cross-campus (and cross-institution) organization. With this article, we hope to contribute to the research field in higher education by bringing in newer insight and, hopefully, a fresh point of view.

Ritual pathways and dramaturgical efforts: Negotiating the meaning of organized play in Norwegian children's sports

This article joins Durkheim's theory of cult and Goffman's notion of an interactional membrane to show how rituals transform social life from mundanity to ritual, and back again. I update these classical theories with a cultural sociology of performance and the sociology of fun to emphasize diversity in social compositions, contextual transformations, and contradiction in meaning. With an abductive methodology, I leverage an ethnography of children's sports in Norway to show how we carry out symbolic work to set sports apart from the mundane and then meaningfully enact games either as an attractive play modality or as a constrained organizing of creative play. Dramaturgy, not athletic success, is key in this study. Children's sports, as an arena for tacit learning about symbolic modalities, show us how much effort it takes to create ritual-like encounters and fun. The study also reveals how broadly available codes about children's sports, and about play itself, are worked into sports through social performances where adult coaches and children manoeuvre the possible meanings of sports. The result is a theory of the multiple pathways for symbolic work we can travel to create ritual-like interactions.