Autonomy Skills Research Articles

FORMATION OF EDUCATIONAL AUTONOMY OF STUDENTS OF ECONOMIC SPECIALITIES BY MEANS OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES

The article is devoted to the problem of studying the peculiarities of the formation of educational autonomy of students of economic specialties by means of digital technologies. The purpose of the article is to identify the psychological and pedagogical features of the formation of educational autonomy of students of economic specialties by means of digital technologies. The tasks of the article are as follows: to characterize the theoretical foundations of the essence of educational autonomy as a pedagogical category; to determine the peculiarities of the formation of students’ learning autonomy skills; to prove the importance of the formation of educational autonomy among students of economic specialties; to determine the possibilities of digital technologies in the formation of educational autonomy among students of economic specialties. To achieve the goal, the following methods were used: literary analysis, generalization, comparison, systematization, etc. The article contains the following research results. A critical analysis of approaches to defining the essence of the concept of “learner autonomy” by various researchers was carried out. It was established that the concept of “pupil / student autonomy” was introduced in the early 1980s by Henri Holec, who defined this category as “the student’s ability to take responsibility for their own learning.” A theoretical study of the views of various researchers proved that the formation of students’ educational autonomy is mainly related to the process of mutual influence of motivation for educational activities and the success of completing educational tasks: motivation for learning is always characterized by the extent to which a student knows how to learn independently, demonstrating interest in learning, and, in turn, successful learning is impossible without motivation supported by the competence of self-regulated learning. In other words, learning autonomy is the student’s ability to be self-motivated and responsible for their own learning. It was found that one of the key aspects that should be taken into account when determining the independence of learning is whether we consider it as a means of achieving a goal (studying a certain educational module, subject, science) or as an end in itself (forming people as independent learners). These two options are not mutually exclusive, as they can both be part of our views on learning as a whole. Four main advantages of forming students’ learning autonomy have been identified: motivation (students strive to achieve their educational goals, but for this to happen, teachers must first help students set realistic learning goals); flexibility (an autonomous approach to learning is more flexible for both students and teachers, who can take on more of a coaching role, while students take the driver’s seat); lasting impact (learning to learn is an underrated skill, when students are in charge of their own learning, they learn what techniques and strategies work best for them); increasing involvement (using the autonomy of students, the teacher relies on their ability to solve problems, study the educational material and form their own opinion). The skills that students should develop in the process of autonomous learning are substantiated: setting goals; assessment of progress; time management; and self-motivation. Conclusions. The importance of the formation of academic autonomy of students of economics specialities has been proven, as independent thinking presents concepts, models and theories that students will use to solve real-world problems, honing their cognitive skills. The following advantages of using digital technologies in the direction of the formation of educational autonomy of students of economic specialties are outlined: making knowledge accessible; making knowledge understandable; providing flexibility and variability of training; and ensuring students’ interaction with the digital environment.

Impact and effects of the patient-centered approach in diabetic patients: A neuro-educational approach adapted to the concepts of empowerment and reflexivity

This study aims to assess the impact and effects of PCA on diabetic patients within a neuro-educational framework that aligns with the concepts of empowerment and reflexivity, demonstrating its influence on patient satisfaction and the development of cognitive and behavioral skills. Conceptually, the patient-centered approach (PCA) offers the possibility of implementing a neuro-educational approach for diabetic patients (WHO). However, the key question is its practical application in general practice. A neuro-educational approach to PCA was tested on a sample of 50 diabetic patients selected by 5 general practitioners. The aim was to adopt a comprehensive biopsychosocial approach, use global listening to understand patients' points of view, offer personalized advice, establish common ground on objectives, and identify the needs and obstacles affecting their management. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis to examine the processes involved in changing behavior and acquiring skills. The study revealed a significant positive response, as well as the acquisition of reflexivity and autonomy skills in the majority of diabetes patients. Some patients showed a significant improvement in their sense of self-efficacy. However, a minority expressed resistance to this new support strategy. Ultimately, the educational approach within the PCA enabled diabetic patients to adapt and modify their behaviour, thus contributing to the acquisition of valuable skills. At the end of this study, PCA, enriched by other psychotherapeutic approaches, emerged as a systemic therapeutic support process that could be accessible to all general practitioners, teachable, and the subject of further research.

Heutagogy as an alternative in teacher education: conceptions of lecturers and pre-service teachers of school of education and life-long learning, SDD-UBIDS

IntroductionThe needs of today’s higher education have changed and higher education does not need a one-way communication from teacher to student but rather learn to appreciate the new role of the teacher as a facilitator with mutual responsibilities toward the creation of knowledge. Heutagogy, which emphasizes learner autonomy and the creation of self-determined learners, has garnered attention as a potential solution to address the evolving needs of teacher preparation. However, empirical research on the beliefs and attitudes of Heutagogy within the teacher education context remains limited. This study aimed to fill this gap by exploring the beliefs and attitudes of lecturers and pre-service teachers of the School of Education and Life-Long Learning (SoELL) at SDD-UBIDS.MethodsConvergent mixed method design with both quantitative and qualitative data analysis, the study collected both quantitative and qualitative data on 513 Pre-service teachers and 30 Lecturers from SoELL, SDD-UBIDS using a four-point Likert scale questionnaire and interview.ResultsThe findings revealed diverse perspectives among Lecturers and Pre-service Teachers regarding Heutagogy, with varying levels of understanding, acceptance, and readiness for implementation. Lecturers expressed enthusiasm for Heutagogy’s potential to foster learner autonomy and critical thinking skills, while pre-service teachers demonstrated varying levels of readiness and comfort with self-directed learning approaches.DiscussionLecturers and Pre-service teachers expressed willingness to embrace a self-determined approach in which the learner reflects on what is learned and how it is learned and where the Lecturers teach the learners how to learn by themselves. The cognitive conflict and the inadequacy of pre-service teachers’ preparedness will necessitate a shift in their attitudes toward developing autonomy skills to effectively navigate the challenges of the 21st-century knowledge economy.

Augmented reality for chemical engineering education

Augmented reality (AR) technology has emerged as a highly beneficial tool in the educational context, and its potential impact on chemical engineering teaching is notable. This study addresses AR as an accessible and effective alternative for representing complex concepts and safely visualizing industrial processes in the area. By incorporating immersive resources, AR provides an innovative means of teaching and promotes greater engagement among students, contributing to improved learning and the development of interpersonal, investigation, and autonomy skills. This study systematically reviews the literature on the application of augmented reality in chemical engineering. Twenty-two articles in the Scopus and Web of Science databases were chosen, and a bibliometric analysis was used to extract the data in the discussions. The results highlighted the success of AR applications, predominantly employed in disciplines such as molecular chemistry, unit operations, transport phenomena, and practical chemistry. Mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, were the most common means of implementing these applications. The positive perception of students and teachers was evident, with both agreeing that the integration of AR contributed significantly to improving learning and facilitated the understanding of more challenging concepts. As a result of this research, a framework was developed that outlines the steps necessary to develop AR applications to teach chemical engineering effectively. This framework can serve as a valuable guide for future initiatives in this field, providing a solid framework for creating and successfully implementing AR-based educational resources.

Task-Oriented Self-Imitation Learning for Robotic Autonomous Skill Acquisition

The inferior sample efficiency of reinforcement learning (RL) and the requirement for high-quality demonstrations in imitation learning (IL) will hinder their application in real-world robots. To address this challenge, a novel self-evolution framework, named task-oriented self-imitation learning (TOSIL), is proposed. To circumvent external demonstrations, the top-K self-generated trajectories are chosen as expert data from both per-episode exploration and long-term return perspectives. Each transition is assigned a guide reward, which is formulated by these trajectories. The guide rewards update as the agent evolves, encouraging good exploration behaviors. This methodology guarantees that the agent explores in the direction relevant to the task, improving sample efficiency and asymptotic performance. The experimental results on locomotion and manipulation tasks indicate that the proposed framework outperforms other state-of-the-art RL methods. Furthermore, the integration of suboptimal trajectories has the potential to improve the sample efficiency while maintaining performance. This is a significant advancement in autonomous skill acquisition for robots.

The Authors’ Didactic Writing Practice Resources as a Means of Forming Learner Autonomy Skills

The paper considers the specifics of forming learner autonomy skills, which are an important prerequisite for successful human activity in various spheres of modern education. The purpose of the study is to investigate how learner autonomy can be formed when linguistics students are taught Writing Practice and to substantiate the efficiency of the authors’ course in forming learner autonomy among linguistic students. Throughout an experiment that was run during one semester in groups of linguistics students, it was proved that the learner autonomy developed using specifically designed didactic resources, which are described in detail in the paper, resulted in the learners showing significantly improved writing skills. It can be concluded that learner autonomy, which is formed in the course of an integrated process, encourages more intense involvement of students in educational activities, e.g. searching for and processing information, completing assignments to develop discussion and argumentation abilities, etc. All in all, it eventually broadens the student’s mind and stimulates more effective acquisition of the desired skills.

Factors impacting the demonstration of relational autonomy in medical decision-making: A meta-synthesis.

Relational autonomy is an alternative concept of autonomy in which an individual is recognized as embedded into society and influenced by relational factors. Social context, including social location, political structure, and social forces, significantly influence an agent to develop and exercise autonomy skills. The relational approach has been applied in clinical practice to identify relational factors impacting patient autonomy and decision-making, yet there is a knowledge gap in how these factors influence the demonstration of relational autonomy in the context of medical decisions of adults. The present study targeted the existing knowledge of what and how relational factors impact individuals making medical decisions using the theoretical framework of relational autonomy. A meta-synthesis study was utilized. Four electronic databases, including Embase, OVID Medline, CINAHL, and PubMed, were searched, along with gray literature and reference lists, to identify relevant studies. 23 studies reporting 21 qualitative and two mixed-method studies were reviewed. Four themes emerged from the qualitative findings: (1) supportive relationships facilitate an individual's relational autonomy; (2) obtaining comprehensive information from broader sources helps individuals exercise relational autonomy; (3) undue family pressure impedes the exercising of patient relational autonomy; and (4) healthcare providers' dominant voice hampers the demonstration of relational autonomy. Applying relational autonomy to assist adults in making well-considered decisions is essential. The meta-synthesis suggests establishing a supportive relationship between individuals, healthcare providers, and family. A supportive relationship will allow healthcare providers to make judgments in line with an individual's values and wishes with the aim of promoting relational autonomy. Advance care planning was proposed as the effective solution to obtain a consensus between individuals and their families while respecting an individual's values and preferences. Furthermore, it is considered crucial for healthcare providers to appreciate an individual's values and incorporate their preferences into recommendations.

Automony skills in liberal dependency care. On Asha Bhandary’s freedom to care

AUTONOMY SKILLS IN LIBERAL DEPENDENCY CARE. ON ASHA BHANDARY’S FREEDOM TO CARE

Autonomous Skill Learning of Water Polo Ball Heading for a Robotic Fish: Curriculum and Verification

This paper concerns the autonomous skill learning of water polo ball heading for a robotic fish in highly dynamic aquatic environments via Multi-stage Serial-Parallel Curriculum Learning (MSPCL). First, a radio-controlled robotic fish with hybrid fin propulsion is presented. Moreover, the water polo ball heading task is decomposed into two sequential subtasks: preparation and shooting. In order to cope with the multi-stage complex tasks, based on the easy-to-hard curriculum learning strategy, a novel MSPCL framework is proposed for the robotic fish to learn complex skills, which mainly includes curriculum scheduler, difficulty criterion, serial-parallel curriculum generation and performance measure modules. Furthermore, under the MSPCL framework, Soft Actor-Critic (SAC) algorithm is utilized for training the policy network. Therefore, the robotic fish can learn how to head the water polo ball via the proposed MSPCL method. Comparative simulations are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the MSPCL framework. Finally, the proposed MSPCL method is applied to a physical robotic fish named RoboDact. Swimming pool experiments of water polo ball heading of the RoboDact are conducted to demonstrate the validity and robustness of the proposed method.

Promoting Freedom Learning Implementation through Self-Determined Learning: A Study of Students' Perspectives

This study is aimed to describe the students' perspective towards self-determined learning to promote freedom learning implementation. The survey research design with clustered sampling technique was used to collect 380 senior high school students' responses. The questionnaire that was used in the survey have validated using Pearson Product Moment and reliably known by the Alpha-Cronbach score. Descriptive statistics used as the data analytical technique to describe the senior high students' perspective towards self-determined learning to promote the freedom learning implementation. The results showed that freedom learning fundamental points have similar points with self-determined learning principles consisting of heutagogy and autonomous learning skills. The main conclusion concludes that the students' perspective toward self-determined learning could promote freedom learning implementation. The study's recommendations are be expanded the cluster sampling and be emerged the survey in the case during and after the Covid-19 pandemic the that is indirectly fostering the students' heutagogy and autonomous skill by emphasizing self-determined learning.

The effect of collaborative activities on tertiary-level EFL students’ learner autonomy in the Turkish context

Abstract This quasi-experimental study investigates the effects of collaborative activities on tertiary-level EFL students’ learner autonomy in Turkey. To achieve this aim, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected with the help of a learner autonomy questionnaire, index cards filled out by the students, the instructor’s journal, and an interview with the instructor of the experimental group. Two groups of 40 students in total from the preparatory program of a central Anatolian university were appointed as experimental and control groups. The results of the quantitative data analysis revealed that, after the implementation of collaborative activities in three consecutive weeks, there was a statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of their autonomy level; the students in the experimental group scored higher than those in the control group, which implies that they showed more autonomous skills in areas such as motivation, curiosity to learn, risk-taking, problem solving and decision making skills to improve learning. The results of the qualitative data analysis revealed that collaborative activities employed in this study (e.g., problem-solving activity, role-play, games) allowed participants to learn from each other, and gain a sense of responsibility. The overall results suggested that collaborative learning practices could be implemented to help EFL students increase their learner autonomy level. Additionally, curriculum and assessment methods of educational institutions might be revised to include more collaborative activities.

The Practice and Students' Reaction toward Self and Peer-Assessment in Creative Writing Class

Self-assessment and peer assessment deal with promoting students' reflective effort in writing learning process. The students’ writing achievement, critical thinking, and autonomous skills are encouraged in the implementation of these teaching techniques. The purposes of this study are to implement, to know the benefits, and to find the student responses to self-assessment and peer-assessment in writing classes. This study was conducted in second-year students of English Language Department Nusantara PGRI University in Creative Writing Subject. The study used observations, student reflection notes, interviews, and documents for data collection. Data were analysed using three-step qualitative data analysis; display of data, reduction educe of data, and conclusions drawing. Data analysis showed that the benefits of peer assessment and self-assessment outweigh the drawbacks, as they can provide students with new knowledge, skills, and understanding of the writing process and student achievement. Peer assessment and self-assessment enable students to gain better experience, making it easier for them to apply and respond to their writing. The study concludes that English teachers are recommended to implement these teaching techniques in facilitating the students to fully experience their writing process and to boost the students’ writing ability.
 Keywords: Self-assessment, Peer-assessment, EFL, Teaching Writing, Creative Writing Class.

Urban and rural differences in needs, service use and satisfaction among caregivers of autistic children in Morocco.

It is very important to understand the needs of caregivers to be able to empower caregivers and to develop or improve services around the world. Therefore, research in different regions is needed to understand differences in caregivers needs between countries, but also between areas within countries. This study investigated differences in needs and service use between caregivers of autistic children in Morocco, living in urban and rural areas. A total of 131 Moroccan caregivers of autistic children took part in the study and responded to an interview survey. The results showed both similarities and differences between urban and rural living caregivers' challenges and needs. Autistic children from urban communities were much more likely to receive intervention and attend school than children from rural communities, even though age and verbal skills of the two groups of children were comparable. Caregivers expressed similar needs for improved care and education, but different challenges in caring. Limited autonomy skills in children were more challenging to rural caregivers, while limited social-communicational skills were more challenging to urban caregivers. These differences may inform healthcare policy-makers and program developers. Adaptive interventions are important to respond to regional needs, resources, and practices. In addition, the results showed the importance of addressing challenges as experienced by caregivers such as costs related to care, barriers in access to information, or stigma. Addressing these issues may help reduce both global and within-country differences in autism care.

The making of the citizen in Colombia: Transitional assemblages, civic education, and the long quest for peace

This article focuses on civic education and the constitution of subjects within a complex landscape of peace and war making in Colombia. Using a genealogical approach to study the manufacturing of citizens, and drawing on a document analysis of policies, curricular guidelines, and teaching resources, this paper evidences an increasing attention to students’ skills, conducts, and interpersonal relations, rather than structural inequality and injustice. Through the examination of the “integral citizen,” I argue that the development of students as skillful civic subjects has become central to the aspiration of building and sustaining peace and democracy. Such citizens are described as individually embodying the virtues and skills of problem-solving, conflict-management, autonomy, and self-regulation of emotions. This research adds to our understanding of the construction of the ideal citizen in conflict-affected settings, and how education policy intersects with larger efforts for meaningful and sustained change.

Examination on 21st -Century Skills of Preschool Teachers

In the developing and changing world, new technologies, a virtual reality world, and new forms of communication are produced every day. All these developments create the need to develop new skills, not only to exist in the digital world but also to exist in social life and social systems. Early childhood is a sensitive period for skill development in human life. Therefore preschool teachers are one of the most important contributors in raising generations that can adapt to the changing and developing world. This research aimed to examine the 21st-century skills of preschool teachers. The research was planned with a mixed method and data were collected from 216 preschool teachers in the quantitative dimension and 20 preschool teachers in the qualitative dimension. Data were collected with a teacher demographic information form, a 21st-century learner skills scale, and semi-structured interview questions. As the quantitative results of the research, it was seen that preschool teachers have 21st-century skills such as cognitive skills, cooperation and flexibility skills, autonomous skills, and innovative skills. When the qualitative findings of the study were examined, it was seen that the "creativity" skill was frequently emphasized in 3 themes in the learning-teaching process. These themes are; preschool teachers' views on 21st-century skills they have, their views on 21st-century skills that preschool teachers should have, and their views on 21st-century skills they have. It is seen that the qualitative and quantitative results of the research support each other and it can be said that preschool teachers are good at 21st-century skills..

Развитие образовательной автономии в условиях групповой работы по авторскому электронному пособию на дистанционной образовательной платформе

Importance. Learning autonomy should be developed for a number of reasons. Firstly, educational technologies paved the way for students’ independent cognitive activities. The second reason is the paradigm shift brought about by social and political changes: nowadays students are more focused on their own educational progress than on teamwork aimed at helping their peers. Thirdly, since groups of learners are getting bigger, students do not get enough practice in class, so they need to learn to work autonomously so that they can follow the syllabus. The objective of the study is to develop the students’ skills of learning autonomy as well as foreign-language communicative skills by organizing teamwork on an online platform. Materials and methods. The subjects of the experiment were 70 freshmen and sophomores majoring in linguistics from Peter the Great Saint Petersburg State Polytechnic University. The purpose of the experiment was to determine whether teamwork is conducive to the development of students’ learning autonomy and whether their collaboration on a distance learning platform contributes to acquiring foreign-language speaking skills. Results and Discussion. In the exposure groups, where the students did their home assignment in small teams on a distance learning platform, the scores for the final conversational task were better than those in the reference groups, where the students working on a distance learning platform were not divided into teams, and where the teacher helped the whole group do their home assignment. On top of that, the levels of learning autonomy in the exposure groups were higher than those in the reference groups. Conclusion. The novelty of the study lies in the fact that we used a number of existing academic papers to develop the assessment criteria for linguistic majors’ foreign-language conversational skills. In addition, we designed a questionnaire for assessing the level of learning autonomy. The experiment allowed us to establish that teamwork is the best way to organize foreign-language practice on an online platform because each student has more time to develop conversational skills and to learn to work autonomously than in an EFL class where the teacher works with the whole group.

EXPLORING THE FACTORS AND LEVELS OF STUDENTS’ AUTONOMY IN LANGUAGE LEARNING

Students’ autonomy is important in language learning since students’ autonomy is considered one of the elements in successful language learning. This study aimed to explore the students’ autonomy levels in language learning by considering the characteristics of autonomous students and the factors that affected students’ autonomy. As a mixed-method study, this study combined questionnaires and interviews as the instruments. The sample of this research was 34 students of XII MIPA 1 of SMA Negeri 2 Semarang. The quantitative data regarding students’ autonomy levels showed: emerging (0%), beginning (14.12%), intermediate (57.60%), and advanced (28.28%). It indicated that the majority of the students’ autonomy level in language learning is considered at the intermediate level. While the mean of quantitative data regarding the factors influencing students’ autonomy showed: students’ role (21.13%), teacher’s role (21.83%), task (16.90%), environment (21.83%), material (18.31%). It indicated that students agreed that students’ autonomy was influenced by those supporting factors. The qualitative data revealed that the students’ autonomous skills were also supported by several factors, such as students’ goals and motivation, teacher and students’ bond, learning materials and activities, and a supportive learning environment.

A Novel Simulation-Reality Closed-Loop Learning Framework for Autonomous Robot Skill Learning

In recent years, data-driven learning methods have been widely studied for autonomous robot skill learning. However, these methods rely on large amounts of robot–environment interaction data for training, which largely prevents them from being applied to real-world robots. To address this problem, this article proposes a novel simulation-reality closed-loop learning framework for autonomous robot skill learning that can improve data efficiency, enhance policy stability, and achieve effective policy simulation-to-reality (sim2real) transfer. First, a hybrid control model combining the asymmetric deep deterministic policy gradients (Asym-DDPGs) model and the forward prediction control (FPC) model is proposed to learn vision-based manipulation policies in simulations, which can decompose complex tasks to improve learning efficiency. Second, a novel pixel-level domain adaptation method named Position-CycleGAN is designed to translate real images to simulated images while also preserving the task-related information. The policy trained in simulations can be directly migrated into real robots in a reverse reality-to-simulation manner using the Position-CycleGAN model. The experimental results validate the effectiveness of the proposed framework. This work provides an efficient and feasible path for achieving autonomous skill learning.

Machine Learning-Based Aesthetic Music Education Informatics Assessment Method

Purpose. An instrumental mechanism for the identification, theoretical substantiation, and introduction of didactic conditions is a dynamic functional-structural model that performs orientation, managerial, formative, and analytical functions in the optimal organization of students’ independent educational activity with the use of information and communication technologies. Method. During the research, a comprehensive target program of research and experimental work was developed, which was based on the step-by-step implementation of the didactic model, and its effectiveness was proved. Findings. The integration of traditional and electronic learning technologies within the framework of research and experimental work ensured systematic, planned, optimized organization, and enhanced control and diagnostic procedures of students’ autonomous skills due to the requirements of manufacturability, adaptability, and control laid down in the tried-and-tested models of blended learning. Following the completion of the experimental work, quantitative, qualitative, and statistical analyses revealed positive dynamics in the levels of organization of independent educational activity of students of technological and pedagogical specialties with the use of information and communication technologies in motivational, content, operational, and productive criteria in the experimental group. Implications for Research and Practice. According to the results of experimental work in the experimental groups, statistically significant positive dynamics were recorded: 10% more students became with a high level of organization of independent educational activity, 13.3% ones were with a sufficient level, thus a number of students with indicators of critical and insufficient levels decreased on 23.3%.

Cognitive Autonomy for Students With Learning Disabilities

Students with learning disabilities (LD) often leave school without the necessary cognitive autonomy skills to independently navigate adulthood and meet the life challenges of the 21st century. Acquiring and maintaining cognitive autonomy skills (i.e., decision-making, voicing an opinion, evaluating the consequences of decisions, self-assessing abilities, weighing others’ influence in the decision-making process) is necessary for all students as they move through school, but particularly for those with LD. Cognitive autonomy is a component of self-determination and is crucial as educators prepare children/youth with LD for postsecondary education, postsecondary employment opportunities, and positive adult life outcomes. This article discusses the significance of cognitive autonomy for children/youth with LD.