Cross-curricular Competencies Research Articles

Online peer assessment in Galenic Pharmacy: enhancing evaluative judgement in higher education

ABSTRACT Assessment influences how students define their priorities and their commitment to the learning process. Assessment strategies can empower students to actively engage in metacognitive processes, fostering cross-curricular competencies. Mastery of these competencies not only enhances deep and meaningful learning but also prepares learners for the challenges of the ever-evolving knowledge field. However, developing evaluative judgement, the ability to critically and autonomously judge the quality of one’s own work and that of others, is essential but challenging. The purpose of this study was to design and assess an online educational experience for Galenic Pharmacy students (N = 339) during the 2021–2022 academic year of the Degree of Pharmacy. Beyond content acquisition, the primary goal was to foster evaluative judgement as a pivotal component of the ‘learning to learn’ competence. A complex task with iterative deliverables was proposed, using peer assessment as the central tool for the development of evaluative judgement. Students were required to give presentations on methods of administering medicines and had iterative deliverables. They underwent multiple rounds of peer feedback. The task as well as peer assessment process were compulsory for all the students. The participating students voluntarily answered an ad hoc online questionnaire in relation to their perception of the overall experience of peer assessment. The outcomes showcased the positive impacts of peer assessment based on the roles of assessor and assessed. An improvement in feedback quality was observed from one iteration to another, and an enhancement of critical judgement was evident. Enhancing assessment literacy might be essential for both educators and students. For educators, this would allow them to set criteria more aligned with competencies, whereas students might place higher value on these practices and actively engage with the learning process. Such engagement is crucial for promoting lifelong autonomous and self-regulated learning.

The methodology of health education programs in schools—Qualitative study

ObjectiveTo assess strengths and weaknesses of the methodology of health education programs, carried out in the period 2010–2020, in schools in Serbia. DesignQualitative study, a thematic analysis approach. SiteRepresentatives of Public Health institutions, Serbian biggest nongovernmental organization, Youth organization, Ministry of education and municipality. ParticipantsNine professionals working in the field of Public Health and Health education. MethodFocus group gathered nine health and non-health professionals in 2022 year. Focus group was recorded, transcribed verbatim, coded and analyzed by three research team members. A coding template evolved through the analysis, providing the expansion of key concepts. Themes were, one by one, extracted, encoded, classified as the smallest units and interpretive, thematic analysis was applied. ResultsAlthough the Focus group in our study identified among other advantages, support of Health sector to Educational sector as crucial, it emphasized as well following weaknesses: Analyzed health education programs were implemented insufficiently as a separate process in schools, did not have the image of programs shared and integrated into community; Health education needs of schoolchildren, parents, and teachers should be examined prior the education implementation; Well-educated interdisciplinary educators have to be strengthened and supported; Parents participation is necessity; Standards and good practice guidelines are needed, and those developed through Health Promoting Schools program could be practiced. ConclusionIt is necessary to support cross-curricular competence, where health education should be integrated into all school subjects, and should go far beyond the school, grow into a culture of community life, which will interconnect all stakeholders in strong Public Health network.

Development of Educational Video Capsules for Active Learning in Environmental Sciences through Universal Design for Learning

Social changes in higher education have led to a transformation in teaching innovation for developing a critical and creative mentality in students. To this end, video capsules have emerged as an optimal tool that allows combining the management of information and communication technologies and collaborative work. Video capsules were elaborated by groups of students for the virtualization of the laboratory practices of the subjects Environmental Microbiology and Biochemistry of the Degree in Environmental Sciences for two academic years (2022–2023 and 2023–2024), paying special attention to the principles of Universal Design of Learning. To assess the impact of this activity on the knowledge acquired by the students in the laboratory practices, the marks from these academic years were compared with the previous academic year (2021–2022) without the generation of video capsules. Moreover, an evaluation of the development and acquisition of cross-curricular competencies was carried out. The generation of video capsules by the students tended to increase the average grade obtained in the laboratory practices of both subjects. Furthermore, instrumental, interpersonal, and systemic competencies obtained by the students by performing the video capsules improved their transversal skills. The creation of video capsules during laboratory practices and the methodology used had a very positive direct influence on the academic outcomes of the subjects and facilitated the acquisition of transversal competencies for the students.

Flipped Classroom and Collaborative Work as an Inclusive Strategy in Higher Education

Objective: The aim of this research is to evaluate the implementation of the flipped classroom and collaborative work in university marketing students, in terms of academic performance, the development of cross-curricular competencies, student satisfaction and motivation, and the effective use of information and communication technologies in the learning process. Theoretical Framework: The main concepts and academic literature that underpin the research are presented, providing a solid foundation for understanding the context of the study. Method: The methodology adopted for this research is quantitative in nature, with a cross-sectional design, and exploratory and descriptive scope. Data collection was conducted using a questionnaire composed of five dimensions, in order to cover all aspects inherent to the mixed inclusive strategy that combines the flipped classroom and collaborative work in the university classroom. Results and Discussion: The results suggest that the flipped classroom and collaborative work have a generally positive impact on higher education, in line with much of the current scientific literature. However, it is also evident that careful consideration of implementation and context is necessary to maximize their effectiveness. Variations in outcomes, depending on factors such as discipline, course design, and the digital skills of the participants, are crucial aspects that must be considered. These findings underline the importance of a balanced and adaptive approach in the application of innovative methodologies in higher education. Originality/Value: This study stands out for its rigorous exploration of how the integration of the flipped classroom and collaborative work in higher education enhances soft skills and academic performance, contrasting with traditional methodologies. It underscores the relevance of adapting educational strategies to maximize the effectiveness of ICT in a contemporary and diversified learning context. Its value lies in providing empirical evidence that supports the implementation of these innovative methodologies, promoting more inclusive and effective learning environments.

Od slike do misli preko geometrije i stripa - ikonička sredstva u nastavi filozofije - teorijski okvir, mogućnosti primene, primeri

How to bring abstract philosophical concepts and their relations in proximity with everyday, concrete pupils' experience and spontaneous concepts? What factors can effectively and meaningfully mediate between usual perception and experience and abstract philosophical concepts, especially in the initial stages of teaching and learning, when pupils are introduced to philosophical problems? In accordance with these questions, the paper examines the meaning and possibilities of applying iconic tools or visual and graphic representations in the teaching of philosophy as intermediate elements that can connect complex, abstract philosophical concepts and theories with everyday experience and with the domain of phenomena and objects given in the immediate perception. First, the general theoretical foundations are explored, then possible directions of application, then a characteristic and valuable example already designed and adopted in teaching practice, and finally concluding considerations and proposals are made. The paper focuses on two specific groups of iconic tools: geometric (and geometrized) visuals and graphics and comics as a visual-graphic representation: we explore the foundations of their value in teaching and learning. Our conclusion is that iconic tools in teaching philosophy, if they are applied in a pedagogically and psychologically justified manner, if meaningful, relevant and aligned with the objectives of philosophy teaching and curriculum, have a great potential as an important intermediate factor for the gradual movement towards higher levels of abstraction, while preserving the transfer between philosophy and other subjects, as well as between philosophy and pupils' life experiences. In addition, their application can deepen crosscurricular connections, as well as a more intensive integration of teaching philosophy with key competencies and cross-curricular competencies.

Prospects in the field of learning and individual differences: Examining the past to forecast the future using bibliometrics

Over two centuries, research has delved into individual differences in learning across educational and professional contexts. This commentary conducts a bibliometric analysis of 6556 articles, identifying key research keywords, topics and themes, and their historical evolution. The findings revealed a longstanding emphasis on educational psychology, particularly motivation and achievement, rather than cross-curricular competencies and learner's well-being and socio-economic background. Notably, self-regulated learning (SRL) emerged as an overarching research subject in terms of motivation and achievement, but, surprisingly, not (meta)cognition. Prospects for the field build on cross-disciplinary research, theoretical refinement, and methodological advances. Further, the field is expected to maintain academic rigor, address diversity among learners, foster global collaboration, and focus on underprivileged populations.

DIGITAL EDUCATION IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

The goal of this research is to identify the main problems related to digital technology and skills in the elementary school education system of the Republic of Serbia, as well as opportunities for its improvement. The paper first analyzes the situation in the field of basic education, while the main part of the paper presents an analysis related to the innovative approach to the education process, with the application of information technology and comprehensive digitization. The strategy for the development of education and upbringing in Serbia until 2030 emphasizes the development of education aimed at the needs of modern society as a whole, conditioned by the progress of artificial intelligence, information and communication technology (ICT) and refers to the improvement of teaching content, standards of general cross-curricular competences, especially in cross-curricular multidisciplinary access to teaching in this field. Descriptive analysis was applied in the paper - application of usual scientific research instruments and relevant literature. The research results point to the conclusion that continuous measures are needed for more successful digital education, as well as the education of students in primary schools. 

Teachers’ negotiation of the cross-curricular concept of student digital competence

In a digital society, teachers are required to carry out policy directives on both core knowledge and more vaguely described cross-curricular competences, one being digital competence. This paper reports on the findings of a study in which 41 teachers from three lower secondary schools in Sweden engaged in focus group interviews where they participated in sensemaking processes on students’ digital competence. The questions targeted what the teachers knew of their students’ digital experiences and how to facilitate and further develop these students’ digital competence. Based on the focus group interviews, four themes were identified: critical awareness, tool management, creativity, and avoidance of digital usage. Absent were themes related to democratic digital citizenship. The paper discusses the importance of moving away from a one-sided focus on individual teachers’ professional digital competence in favour of focusing on how school organizations can negotiate and facilitate students’ digital competence in local situ. Otherwise, there is a risk of overlooking students’ cross-curricular digital competence and digital citizenship. This paper is a starting point for further research on how school as an organization can support teachers in facilitating various areas of students’ digital competence in a digital society.

La docencia sobre cronicidad en las facultades de Medicina: una revisión de la situación actual

In recent decades, progressive population aging in developed countries has led to a significant increase in the number of people with at least one chronic medical condition. As a result, acquiring knowledge about chronicity in medical school is key for physicians to be able to provide proper management for these patients. However, the presence of chronicity in educational curricula is scarce and highly variable.On the one hand, this work consisted of a review of the educational programs of the main medical schools on each continent with the aim of identifying whether they included chronicity and, on the other, a literature review focused on identifying educational projects in the field of chronicity.The presence of chronicity in most medical schools’ curricula is marginal and only a few universities include specific skills or competences linked to chronicity. In most cases, this topic appears as a global, cross-curricular competence that students are supposed to acquire over the course of their entire education. The literature review retrieved 21 articles on innovative teaching projects on chronicity. Direct contact with chronic patients, most times as “health mentors,” the role of the student as a teacher, and continuous evaluation and feedback from all participants are the main characteristics of the projects analyzed. Some previously published experiences support the usefulness of innovative methodologies for better approaching this capital field in current medical practice.Despite the current situation in which chronic patients consume most healthcare resources, the presence of chronicity in medical schools is marginal. However, a literature review did identify some useful experiences for improving education on chronicity in medical schools. Medical schools should change their academic curricula and redirect them towards providing students all the necessary tools for improving their knowledge on chronicity.

The way cultural capital works: A meta-analysis of the effects of cultural capital on student's reading performance

Student's reading performance affects their academic achievement not only across various disciplines but also through all grade levels. Reading performance is also deemed as a cross-curricular competence, an important precondition for success in school. While many contextual factors have been identified, family background stands out, and inequality related to family cultural capital comes to the front. However, the effect of cultural capital on student's reading performance is still not decisive, and requires further exploration. This study was devoted to utilizing a meta-analysis to examine how different types of cultural capital, say, institutional cultural capital, objectified cultural capital and embodied capital, influence student's reading performance. Based on the outcome of a meta-analysis of 37 articles, our study finds a positive correlation between cultural capital and student's reading performance as well as some nuanced differences caused by moderators, which still results in inequality.

Digital education in primary schools in the Republic of Serbia

The goal of this research is to identify the main problems related to digital technology and skills in the elementary school education system of the Republic of Serbia, as well as opportunities for its improvement. The paper first analyzes the situation in the field of basic education, while the main part of the paper presents an analysis related to the innovative approach to the education process, with the application of information technology and comprehensive digitization. The strategy for the development of education and upbringing in Serbia until 2030 emphasizes the development of education aimed at the needs of modern society as a whole, conditioned by the progress of artificial intelligence, information and communication technology (ICT) and refers to the improvement of teaching content, standards of general cross-curricular competences, especially in cross-curricular multidisciplinary access to teaching in this field. Descriptive analysis was applied in the paper - application of usual scientific research instruments and relevant literature. The research results point to the conclusion that continuous measures are needed for more successful digital education, as well as the education of students in primary schools.

Teaching about chronicity in medical schools — A review of the current situation

In recent decades, progressive population aging in developed countries has led to a significant increase in the number of people with at least one chronic medical condition. As a result, acquiring knowledge about chronicity in medical school is key for physicians to be able to provide proper management for these patients. However, the presence of chronicity in educational curricula is scarce and highly variable.On the one hand, this work consisted of a review of the educational programs of the main medical schools on each continent with the aim of identifying whether they included chronicity and, on the other, a literature review focused on identifying educational projects in the field of chronicity.The presence of chronicity in most medical schools’ curricula is marginal and only a few universities include specific skills or competences linked to chronicity. In most cases, this topic appears as a global, cross-curricular competence that students are supposed to acquire over the course of their entire education. The literature review retrieved 21 articles on innovative teaching projects on chronicity. Direct contact with chronic patients, most times as “health mentors,” the role of the student as a teacher, and continuous evaluation and feedback from all participants are the main characteristics of the projects analyzed. Some previously published experiences support the usefulness of innovative methodologies for better approaching this capital field in current medical practice.Despite the current situation in which chronic patients consume most healthcare resources, the presence of chronicity in medical schools is marginal. However, a literature review did identify some useful experiences for improving education on chronicity in medical schools. Medical schools should change their academic curricula and redirect them towards providing students all the necessary tools for improving their knowledge on chronicity.

Student-Generated Teaching Materials

Students can create products that take the form of instructional materials. A scoping review was carried out to map the research field of student-generated teaching materials, focusing on product types, information sources, learning-related matters, and researchers’ explanations. Based on 280 articles, four product types were identified: audio/visual materials, questions, texts, and educational games. Studies gathered information from product creation, product use, participants’ perceptions, and learning outcomes. Socio-cognitive and motivational learning-related matters for creators and users were reported concerning the subject matter, cross-curricular competencies, academic emotions, and engagement. In these studies, researchers interpreted their findings based on nine different explanations: active learning, audience effect, knowledge building, learning by teaching, motivational processes, peer learning, the role of ICT, scaffolding, and time-on-task and practice effect. Different lines for future research are discussed, related to the educational stages and knowledge areas, the research designs, and the relationship between research and practice.

The Academic Poster as a Resource to Enhance Cross-Curricular Competences in Higher Education

The objective of this study is to analyse the effectiveness of the academic poster as a pedagogical resource for the promotion of cross-curricular competences in engineering students. This study has been carried out with the participation of 402 students enrolled in different courses at the School of Design Engineering and the School of Telecommunication Engineering during the 2020-21 academic year. The results are drawn from pre-project and post-project questionnaires exploring the learner’s expectations and overall satisfaction upon completion. The authors also discuss project alignment with a number of cross-curricular competences. Although the degree of satisfaction in general has been slightly lower than the participants’ expectations, it should be noted that a high percentage of them value very positively the usefulness of the academic poster in acquiring cross-curricular competences.

Storytelling and teamwork in the bilingual classroom at university: Impressions and satisfaction from pre-service teachers in the Kamishibai project

The storytelling technique Kamishibai has shown multiple advantages in educational settings. However, there is a lack of studies that deepen on its implementation in teacher training. A total of 114 pre-service teachers (mean age = 20.76 years), enrolled in the Degree of Primary Education at the University of Málaga, participated in a project where they had to design and perform a paper-based theatre for primary-education pupils as a target audience. A semi-structured online survey was administered to determine pre-service teachers’ satisfaction and perceptions towards their Kamishibai and the work in teams. The results revealed that most of the pre-service teachers were satisfied with the team experience. Besides, some benefits were listed: fostering creativity, at university; catching pupils’ attention, fostering creativity and promoting reading, in primary-school context. The Kamishibai implementation goes beyond promoting reading and other linguistic skills in both mother tongue and foreign language; it may be considered a multidisciplinary educative resource to strengthen further cross-curricular competences.

A framework for the digital competencies for teaching in science education – DiKoLAN

In order to systematically introduce (prospective) teachers to teaching in the digital world and to lay the foundations for concepts that are meaningful in terms of physics education, essential aspects of learning with and via digital media must be conveyed. In addition to cross-curricular competencies, it is essential to consider subject-specific competencies for the natural sciences since the formation of subject-specific knowledge on the use of digital media in the classroom (TPACK) is the decisive factor for acceptance behaviour and the intention for later use. The questions remain as to what core competencies must be built up by all (prospective) science teachers by the end of their studies and in which sections of university teacher training this should take place. Since no competence frameworks specific to the teaching of science were previously available, nine researchers from eight universities came together to develop a suitable orientation framework. As a result, this contribution presents the structured and graded framework “DiKoLAN – Digitale Kompetenzen für das Lehramt in den Naturwissenschaften [Digital Competencies for Teaching in Science Education]” (see https://dikolan.de).

Co-designing a pedagogical framework and principles for a hybrid STEM learning environment design

The importance of engaging and effective learning environments for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) has been internationally recognised. However, no comprehensive pedagogical frameworks exist that support STEM learning environment design. In this study, a pedagogical framework and principles for STEM learning environment design were created based on participatory focus groups involving 10–18-year-old students, teachers, school directors, parents, university students and STEM professionals. Representatives of key stakeholder groups in Belarus, Finland, Germany, Greece and Spain (total n = 132) were invited to focus group discussions in which their wishes related to the pedagogical framework were collected. A second focus group discussion session, engaging the same stakeholder groups (total n = 137), was implemented to validate the framework. A final review for the framework and its design principles was conducted in online focus group sessions, involving 20 experts in curriculum, STEM, educational policy and/or educational technology from all participant countries. The co-designed framework, which is strengthened by the research literature, entails the following design principle categories: (1) General principles, (2) Cross-curricular skills, (3) Ways of teaching and learning, (4) Socio-emotional aspects and (5) Educational compatibility. The design principles created in this study have been employed in developing a hybrid (virtual, physical, formal, non-formal and informal) STEM environment, but they can be employed in any (STEM) learning environment design. Instead of focusing on singular design principles, we recommend considering a wide range of different design principles in order to support multiple ways of teaching and learning and to develop both subject-related and cross-curricular competencies.

Infusing Digital Literacy in Authentic Academic Digital Practices of English Language Teaching at Universities

Digital literacy is a critical element of multiliteracy framework required to thrive in digital era and perceived as cross-curricular competencies, yet it is not adequately addressed in English language teaching. This paper explores the traits of the authentic academic digital practices in the course outlines of English language skills conducive for digital literacy development, examines the extent to which digital literacy are infused in the authentic academic digital practices of the English courses and proposes the procedure of infusing digital literacy in the authentic academic digital practices of English language teaching. The study employs content analysis to address the data—the traits of authentic academic digital practices in fifty-five course outlines of English language skills subjects from six English Language Education and English Literature Study Programs in Jakarta and West Java. The findings recognize the traits of authentic academic digital practices in the digital academic products, such as the answers to open-/closed-ended questions, essays, presentation slides, papers, videos, podcasts, recorded audio-visual presentations, and reports diversely used across the courses. These digital academic products are used merely as the media in which English is used; only English proficiency is highlighted. The underpinning digital competencies to create the media, the media creation process and the media as digital academic products are not sufficiently addressed and measured. Digital literacy is infused in the authentic academic digital practices of English language teaching through five stages of identifying the components of digital literacies and the authentic academic digital practices and products, analysing the descriptors of digital literacies components pertaining to authentic academic digital practices and products, integrating the descriptors of digital literacies into learning outcomes, embedding digital literacies into academic products, employing authentic academic digital practices in the learning process, and assessing digital literacies as cross-curricular competencies

The lapbook as an innovative way to organize learning activities in elementary schools

The article analyzes the views of scientists on the use of lapbooking in elementary schools. It is found that the methodology of lapbooking allows you to unlock the potential of each student in the process of creating individual or more often collective work. In particular, the lapbook forms key skills and abilities, which are required by the educational vector of the New Ukrainian School. In addition, it takes into account cross-curricular learning and social competencies, which help each individual to become successful and adapt in society. The article proves that the use of Lapbooks is reasonable not only when studying a single topic, but also as a complex, systemic type of work, as close to the project and research activities as possible. It was found out that the introduction of lapbooking at different stages of studying subjects is effective, as it covers different types of activity: pair and group work; search methods and work with information (ability to work with sources, generalize and systematize, draw conclusions, formulate own statements concisely and informatively). It is noted that the technique of lapbooking can be applied as early as preschool age with a gradual complication of high school. Consequently, the general essence of lapbooking is systematized with the help of integrative diagrams and charts. It is determined that the educational industry must be flexible to timely respond to changes in society and provide the professional market with specialists, successful and active citizens who are able not only to adapt, but also to realize themselves. The innovativeness of the lapbooking method is that it combines different areas of activity simultaneously: informational, research, design, communicative, creative, technological, aesthetic. The results of the study allow us to recommend lapbooking as the main method of work in elementary school (when studying any topic or academic subject).

역량기반 교육과정의 범교과적 접근 방식 탐색: 에스토니아, 핀란드, 호주, 캐나다를 중심으로

The purpose of this study was to analyze the cross-curricular approaches that appear in the competency-based curriculum and to derive implications for the future Korean national curriculum development. For this, literature research was conducted to analyze foreign national curriculum and related materials on Estonia, Finland, Australia, and BC Canada. As results, in terms of the status, it is reinforcing its status by revealing the cross-curricular competencies or themes in the curriculum structure or statement, and supporting implementation. In terms of elements and contents, cross-curricular competencies and themes are specified, and the linkage between competencies, cross-curricular themes, and subjects learning are improved. In the operation method, topic-oriented and integrated approaches, contextual learning in connection with life, and competency evaluation are emphasized. Based on main results, four implications were proposed in terms of the status, elements and contents, and the operation method of the cross-curricular approaches.