Digital Learning Tools Research Articles

Rola języków i technologii w nauczaniu w społecznościach marginalizowanych: perspektywy i praktyki nauczania

Teachers in marginalised communities are known to face numerous challenges that may impact on their classroom practices. However, very little is known about their classroom practices in terms of their use of language and technology. Drawing on data collected in an international research project involving teachers and schoolchildren in several marginalised communities in Bangladesh, Nepal, Senegal and Sudan, the paper reports and reflects on the roles of languages and technology in education from the perspectives of teachers. The research data pertaining to teachers was collected through interviews and classroom observations and analysed through the lens of activity theory. Contradictions emerged between official languages used in class and the need to use local languages to support understanding, communication and discussion. Digital tools for teaching and learning were highly valued but scarce, consequently some teachers filled the gap by using their own digital and financial resources. Despite some challenges using English with students, teachers’ attitudes towards English were positive due to the perceived value of English for employment, access to information and social status. The research contributes to renewed awareness of marginalization and inequity and to promoting inclusivity. It contributes insights directly from communities that have not been studied from the combined perspective of languages and technology use in education. We discuss the implications of the findings for the improvement of pedagogical practices in marginalised communities.

Anki Flashcards for Radiology Education.

From online textbooks to educational social media posts, digital learning tools are transforming medical education. Spaced repetition programs are a popular tool, with 70% of first-year medical students reporting using the free, open-source flashcard application Anki.1 The Anki program pairs active recall and spaced repetition learning principles with a simple but versatile user interface.2 Spaced repetition flashcard programs such as Anki are uniquely suited to radiology education because they strengthen image-based recall, a necessary skill for radiology trainees to develop. In this review, we will describe the science behind active recall and spaced repetition programs, introduce the Anki platform, and describe future directions for its potential as an educational resource for radiology.

Current Resources for Skin of Color Dermatology and Cultural Competency Training for Physician Assistants

Medical education has long held inequities when educating on dermatology for skin of color. More recent awareness of these long-standing issues has highlighted a need to ensure better dermatology education. This review will outline additional resources that can be used for training students and practicing providers in skin of color dermatology. While there are mixed data on how confidence correlates with diagnostic accuracy, studies show that medical students and residents lack confidence in skin of color dermatology. Resources, including digital learning tools, books, and social media platforms, may provide avenues to increase exposure to skin of color dermatology and potentially increase the confidence of medical providers to care for all patients seeking dermatologic care.

Effectiveness Of Digital Text in Interactive Library for English Starters (Digi-Tiles in Enhancing The Reading Comprehension Of Grade 3 Learners)

This quasi-experimental study was conducted to measure the effectiveness of Digital Text in Interactive Library for English Starters (Digi-TILES), which is a digital learning tool, in improving the reading comprehension level of Grade 3 pupils of Sampiruhan Elementary School. The intervention tool was designed to develop reading comprehension of learners and results were measured through comparing pretest and post-test scores.Two (2) paired groups of learners participated in the study composed of 30 members for each group. Each group’s reading comprehension level was determined through standardized Phil-IRI materials. The digital tool intervention developed by the researcher was utilized by the experimental group while the comparison group utilized plain printed Pivot Self Learning Modules distributed by Department of Education. Paired and Independent Samples T-tests were used to answer the inferential questions of the study.The experimental group, after utilizing the intervention tool scored higher in their post-test than the comparison group. Comparing also the pretest and post-test of the experimental group, it is notable that the scores in the latter are significantly higher. This implies that the Digi-TILES learning tool has impacted the learners’ reading comprehension positively.The hypotheses stating that there is no significant difference between the post-test of the two groups were rejected. The findings therefore reflect that the experimental group scored higher those in the comparison group. The Digi-TILES therefore helped in enhancing the reading comprehension of Grade 3 learners. It is therefore suggested that the school may consider utilizing this tool to improve the quality of learners when it comes to reading comprehension.

Current trends in radiation safety education in the digital educational environment: Challenges and opportunities

The population's level of radiation literacy needs to be increased due to the significant rise in the use of radiation technologies in medicine, industry, science, and other fields. Simultaneously, the rapid development of digital technologies and increased access to the internet for a significant portion of the world's population have created new opportunities for radiation safety training and awareness-raising. The purpose of the study was to examine current areas and methods of teaching radiation safety in the era of digital education, to identify important challenges faced by educational institutions and students, and to identify opportunities for using modern technologies. The research employed theoretical analysis of information sources, systematization, deduction, modeling, and generalization. The article analyses the potential of modern digital learning tools in studying radiation safety. It substantiates the structural and logical scheme of using educational web resources for this purpose. The article also proposes tools for diagnosing the level of subject competence and approaches to ensuring reflection and self-reflection of the subjects of the educational process. The identified components of radiation safety training include accessibility of educational information, quality interaction of participants, objective evaluation of results, and reflection and process analysis, specialized web services have also been identified to aid in their implementation in a digital educational environment. The study's results will be valuable for training non-specialists who may encounter radiation risks from domestic, man-made, natural, or military sources, they will also be useful for specialists studying ways to improve radiation literacy among different segments of the population

Students’ Digital Competencies in Remote and Online Higher Education in the Security and Defence Field

Using digital tools for teaching and learning has become quite common in the latest years: while already before the year 2020 their use had been constantly increasing, the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic at the beginning of the current decade gave a strong impulse to their diffusion. This phenomenon has become enduring also now that the presence of the virus does no longer constitute an emergency, with a view that certain changes will become essentially permanent. The use of digital tools in teaching brings some advantages, for example by allowing to teach and learn at a distance, but also challenges, since moving from using PCs and other devices for everyday life to using them in educational contexts is less straightforward than expected. In this research, we analyse how students perceived higher education during the transition scenario implied by the pandemic, through a survey delivered to military and civilian students enrolled in security and defence studies, which investigates students feelings while undergoing relevant changes in their educational habits. From the analysis of the questionnaire, it resulted that students had trouble, among other things, relating with teachers and feeling the same intensity of engagement when unable to see them in person. This research is part of the activities of the European project DIGICODE, aimed at the improvement of education quality in security and defence by fostering the correct use of digital tools, and by developing the relative competencies in both students and teachers.

Application of service MIRO in practical class of Fundamentals of Innovative En-gineering

The paper raises the problem of attracting the attention of generation Z (buzzers) to the study of the educational program. The author argues in favor of the use of digital services in education to enhance attention to the subject being studied, as well as the formation of competence - the ability to solve professional problems using information and communication technologies. A list of digital services operating on the territory of the Russian Federation is presented. The analysis of scientific literature in foreign and domestic journals on the use of the MIRO online platform in educational practice is described. The paper is devoted to the presentation of the experience of using the MIRO online platform as a digital learning tool for organizing group and individual work in the study of the discipline "Fundamentals of Innovative Engineering" (FIE) at N. P. Ogarev Mordovian State University in classroom and self-study. The content of the FIE discipline for the specialty Operation of transport and technological machines and complexes" is shown in accordance with the Federal State Educational Standard of higher education. The paper describes the developed set of 9 practical works in MIRO in the discipline Fundamentals of innovative engineering activities which are carried out in the form of a business game A Firm, as well as the experience of performing these works by students. The practice of using MIRO in teaching FIE has shown that the online platform is accessible to teachers and students, the learning materials are easily placed on the platform, and neither students nor teachers had any difficulties in using it. There is a higher interest in performing practical work on FIE in MIRO, in contrast to paper media, and in improving student performance in this discipline. The practical significance of this study lies in the popularization of the use of digital services in the educational process.

Effect of Using Quizlet on Thai Students’ English Collocation Learning Achievement and Retention: A Study of a University in Thailand

This study examined the impact of Quizlet, a digital learning tool, on the English collocation learning achievement and knowledge retention of Thai first-year students, focusing on the usage of ‘do’, ‘make’ and ‘take’. It also explored students’ attitudes towards using Quizlet. The participants were 76 first-year students from a private university in Bangkok, Thailand. The research was carried out during the first semester of the 2022 academic year using an achievement test and a questionnaire to gauge the learning differences and attitudes towards Quizlet. The statistical analysis included frequency and descriptive statistics and a paired-samples t-test to measure the difference in learning outcomes between Quizlet and the Grammar Translation Method (GTM). The study found that there was a statistically significant difference (p .001) in knowledge retention after one month between students who learned with Quizlet and those who learned with GTM. It also revealed high student satisfaction with Quizlet, especially regarding its implementation, design, and content applicability to real life.

Toward a Mid-Range Design Theory for Developing Pedagogically Effective Serious Games

ABSTRACT Serious games (SGs) represent promising digital learning tools. However, SG design frameworks frequently lack a comprehensive integration of pedagogical considerations, which might explain the observed variance in SG effectiveness. To address this research gap, we use a design science research approach to develop a mid-range design theory that translates pedagogy into SG design. We exemplify and empirically evaluate the application of our design theory with an SG designed for intercultural competency development with good results.

Medical Education in the Era of Advancing Technology

Technology is developing rapidly and affecting the field of medicine in two main areas- medical education and health care. As a rapidly evolving field with the need and ability to constantly incorporate newer technologies, medical education must be able to prepare future doctors as per changing trends in practice patterns, the role of medicine in disease diagnosis and treatment, and innovations, and advances in medical science. In this article, we discuss the various digital learning tools introduced into medical education, as well as their advantages and disadvantages. We also try to understand how the shift to artificial intelligence may affect medical education and practice and how we can make technology efficient without losing the human dimension in doctor-patient relationships.

A rural teacher’s transformational journey implementing digital technology

ABSTRACT Teacher learning is a non-linear process that takes place in the context of their practice. As teachers have different roles, moments of learning are created when a deficiency on the part of the teacher or the context is experienced as inhibiting effective teaching and learning. This paper presents the processes of learning when a teacher is confronted by a challenge that affects him and the learners. In rural schools in South Africa, there is a lack of teaching and learning materials, and the impact of such on learning outcomes has been adverse. However, one teacher overcame this situation by using computer simulations. As a result of using this digital teaching and learning tool, an Aha! moment was recognised. The study revealed that computer simulations are curriculum materials that can be used as an interactive source of content and a medium to engage learners and communicate the content. CS presents an opportunity for learners to author their own descriptions of phenomena- an epistemic practice that supports English language learners. Through reflexivity, the teacher adopted a subjectivist view which questions the independent existence of reality and the researcher’s role in researching it. The insights gained in this study have implications for the practice of teachers in rural areas. Moments of learning are created in the context of the practice of teachers. Teachers need to embrace Aha! moments as opportunities for learning and developing the contextual knowledge of teaching to address local concerns.

The Effect of Using Artificial Intelligence and Digital Learning Tools based on Project-Based Learning Approach in Foreign Language Teaching on Students' Success and Motivation

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of digital tools and artificial intelligence applications on the achievement, motivation and retention of university students on the basis of project-based teaching approach in foreign language course. Pre-test post-test experimental design with control group was used as the method in the study. A total of 64 (32 experimental, 32 control) second-year students studying at the universities in Almaty, Kazakhstan participated in the study. The participants were divided into two groups as control and experimental groups. Foreign language Achievement Test and Motivation Scale for foreign language were used as data collection tools. In the research, in the experimental group, applications were carried out with digital tools and artificial intelligence on the basis of project-based learning approach. In the control group, the foreign language course was carried out with the traditional teaching approach. The application lasted eight weeks in total. The results of the analysis showed that the applications carried out in the experimental group had positive effects on the students' foreign language course achievement and motivation. On the basis of the project-based learning approach, digital tools and artificial intelligence applications not only contributed positively to students' achievement and motivation, but also ensured the retention of what was learned. Finally, suggestions for future research were developed in the study.

Humanities Pedagogy in a Pandemic Context: Maintaining High-impact Practices in Virtual Classrooms

The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic and its disruption of post-secondary education turned future planning for online courses into an immediate reality. Given the in-person limitations, courses centred on experiential learning (EL) opportunities were challenging to offer without their curricula undergoing extensive reconsideration. This article highlights how two Italian Studies courses at the University of Toronto (U of T) and University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), known for their in-person EL opportunities and study abroad, were able to provide highly interactive, global learning spaces online through the deployment of digital technologies and inclusion of redesigned high-impact practices (HIPs). What emerged from these new virtual spaces and adjacent components (e.g. virtual lectures, tours, workshops, assessments) were models for the preservation of academic integrity, frequent peer-to-peer interaction, and innovative ways to put learners into direct contact with Italian culture. Drawing from these successes and from current scholarship in teaching and learning, the courses at the centre of this article – Modern Italian Culture (ITA358/9Y0, U of T) and Italian Culture through Food (ITA235H5, UTM) – are presented as case studies which champion the inclusion of digital learning tools, open access and virtual opportunities across humanities curricula, regardless of delivery mode.

Utilizing educational apps and online platforms for home economics learning: An investigation of students' attitudes and perceptions

This systematic review explores the utilization of educational apps and online platforms in Home Economics learning, focusing on investigating students' attitudes and perceptions towards these digital learning tools. As the world increasingly embraces technology in education, Home Economics, an essential subject that empowers students with practical life skills, benefits from these innovations. The review encompasses a comprehensive search for and analysis of relevant literature from various academic databases. Studies that examine educational apps and online platforms for Home Economics learning and assess students' attitudes and perceptions are included. Qualitative approach is considered to provide a comprehensive overview of the topic. Findings reveal valuable insights into students' preferences, motivation, and engagement with digital learning resources in Home Economics. The review explores factors influencing students' acceptance and resistance to adopt these technological tools in their learning journey. Furthermore, the analysis identifies potential challenges and benefits of integrating educational apps and online platforms in Home Economics education. Ultimately, this systematic review contributes to a deeper understanding of the role of educational apps and online platforms in Home Economics learning and offers recommendations to educators and policymakers for effective integration and enhancement of digital resources in the field.

University Educators’ Experience of Personal Learning Networks to Enhance Their Professional Knowledge

This paper explores the experiences of university educators who use personal learning networks (PLNs) to enhance professional knowledge. With growing expectations to design and deliver effective online learning experiences, the PLN may offer flexible and supportive professional learning opportunities that build digital pedagogical capabilities. Previous research investigating PLNs has focused on how school teachers leverage social technologies to build these networks. However, there is limited examination of PLN use by university educators. This research is informed by the theories of networked learning and connectivism and uses a case study approach to deeply consider the experiences of five university educators from different disciplines across the globe. They share their understanding of the concept of the PLN, the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how their PLN affects their digital pedagogies. The findings reveal nuanced insights of university educators’ real-life experience, shedding light on how the use of social media and other digital tools for professional learning is changing and the implications this has for the development of university educators’ understandings of digital pedagogies.

Clustering digital learning pathway preferences from the perspectives of epistemic justification on self-regulated learning, social presence, and resources

The beliefs about knowledge and knowing have a decisive effect on students' digital learning. Merely using self-reported questionnaire to investigate people's epistemic justifications about digital learning is incomprehension and has its methodological limitations. Therefore, this study used an explanatory sequential design, i.e., clustering followed by content analysis and affective comparisons, to explore people's preference, epistemic justifications, and affective perceptions on digital learning pathways. First, a latent class analysis was conducted to categorise 201 survey participants based on their preferences towards seven types of digital learning pathways. Four clusters were identified. Second, we conducted thematic analysis, relational content analysis and affective analysis on sixteen participants' digital learning experiences. Based on the framework of Internet-based epistemic belief, self-regulated learning, and community of inquiry, three dimensions of digital learning justification were identified, which mutually impact on one another. Furthermore, interviewees' affective perceptions in different clusters were compared, showing different patterns regarding the three dimensions above. These differences informed digital learning designers on instructional designs, teachers' selection of digital learning tools, and policy makers on promoting professional development for digital literacy improving.

Цифрові інструменти навчання як засіб реацаптації українських ветеранів до суспільного життя

The article is dedicated to digital learning tools application as a means of readapting Ukrainian veterans to social life. The aim of the article is to investigate the importance of digital learning tools as a means of readapting Ukrainian veterans to social life and to provide recommendations for their application in the educational process. References on veterans’ adaptation, applying digital tools in education have been analysed. The results of a survey conducted by the authors among Ukrainian veterans and military personnel within the framework of the UK-Ukraine twinning grants scheme (Project UUT06 "Digitisation as a means of improving accessibility of Higher Education to Ukrainian veterans") have shown that the veterans and military personnel are ready to get a new education, but have rather low level of digital learning tools awareness. The authors note that digital learning tools can be beneficial in the process of the veterans’ readaptation to social life.

Assessing Confidence Levels in Endodontic Procedures Among Senior Undergraduate Dental Students at Qassim University, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study.

Background This study aimed to determine the confidence of senior dental students in Qassim University's undergraduate dentistry program in Saudi Arabia regarding their capacity to perform endodontic procedures. The study's objective was to pinpoint areas of weakness and offer suggestions for potential improvement of endodontic and clinical training for dental students. Methodology Using anonymous survey forms, 120 senior dental students were surveyed. Students' self-reported levels of confidence in performing various endodontic procedures, such as periapical radiographs, rubber dam placement, endodontically treated tooth restoration, anesthesia, broken instrument removal, and endodontic retreatment, were studied in this survey. A Likert-style rating scale of 1 to 5 was used in the survey, with 1 denoting high confidence and 5 denoting low confidence. Results The majority of senior dental students at Qassim University reported high levels of confidence in taking periapical radiographs, with 64.04% indicating a high level of confidence. The second most assured field was rubber dam installation, with 47.6% of students expressing high levels of assurance. Confidence levels were noticeably lower during more difficult procedures such as endodontic retreatment and the removal of broken instruments. While 12% of students expressed high confidence in endodontic retreatment, only 3.46% of students expressed high confidence in removing broken instruments. According to Pearson's correlation (r = 0.352, p = 0.001), there was a significant and favorable correlation between competency level and confidence in performing various endodontic procedure-related steps. Conclusions The study's findings suggest that senior dentistry students at Qassim University might benefit from additional training and assistance in some endodontic treatment areas. The lack of confidence displayed during more challenging procedures, such as the removal of broken instruments and endodontic retreatment, demonstrates the need for additional training and supervision in such cases. The results of this study may be useful for educators in other dental colleges who wish to consider developing new teaching techniques, utilizing simulators and digital learning tools, and increasing opportunities for hands-on training and supervision to improve dental students' self-confidence and skills.

In search of finalizing and validating digital learning tools supporting all in acquiring full literacy.

Unlike many believe, accurate and fluent basic reading skill (ie. to decode text) is not enough for learning knowledge via reading. More than 10 years ago a digital learning game supporting the first step towards full literacy, i.e., GraphoGame (GG) was developed by the first author with his colleagues in the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. It trains the acquisition of basic reading skills, i.e., learning to sound out written language. Nowadays, when almost everyone in the world has an opportunity to use this GG, it is time to start supporting the acquisition of full literacy (FL). FL is necessary for efficient learning in school, where reading the schoolbooks successfully is essential. The present plan aims to help globally almost all who read whatever orthography to start from the earliest possible grade during which children have learned the mastery of the basic reading skill to immediately continue taking the next step to reach FL. Unlike common beliefs, support of FL is mostly needed among those who read transparent orthographies (reading by the majority of readers of alphabetic writings) which are easier to sound out due to consistency between spoken and written units at grapheme-phoneme level. This makes readers able to sound any written item which is pronounceable with only a little help of knowing what it means. Therefore, children tend to become inclined to not pay enough attention to the meaning but concentrate on decoding the text letter-by-letter. They had to learn from the beginning to approach the goal of reading, mediation of the meaning of the text. Readers of nontransparent English need to attend morphology for correct sounding. The continuing fall of OECD's Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) results, e.g., in Finland reveals that especially boys are not any more interested in reading outside school which would be natural way to reach the main goal of reading, FL. What could be a better way to help boys towards FL than motivating them to play computer games which requires reading comprehension. The new digital ComprehensionGame designed by the first author motivates pupils to read in effective way by concurrently elevating their school achievements by connecting the training to daily reading lessons. This article describes our efforts to elaborate and validate this new digital tool by starting from populations of learners who need it most in Africa and in Finland.

A Century of Nadhlatul Ulama’s Contribution to Modernizing Islamic Education in Indonesia

Nadhlatul Ulama (NU) has long prioritized the issue of education, recognizing its importance as the key to unlocking a better future. Holding onto religious values and harnessing the advancements in knowledge and technology, NU consistently designs transformations within its educational institutions to meet the challenges of the future. This study aims to explore NU's role and significant contributions in the effort to modernize Islamic education and delve into its one-century existence as an entity contributing to the development of education in Indonesia. The Library Research method is employed in this study to gather and analyze various data sources, including books, journals, and other literature, which are then synthesized into a scholarly article. The research findings indicate that NU has endeavored to implement educational modernization through the establishment of thousands of educational institutions, especially pesantren, across Indonesia. The integration of modern education with digital learning tools is one concrete effort undertaken by NU to adapt to changing times. In addition to providing religious education, NU is committed to nurturing a generation that possesses a grasp of knowledge and technology, enabling them to compete in the era of globalization.