Learning Path Research Articles

Cultivating self-efficacy to empower professionals’ re-up skilling in cybersecurity

Purpose The accelerated digital transformation and the growing emphasis on privacy, safety and security present ongoing challenges for cybersecurity experts. Alongside these challenges, the multidisciplinary, everchanging and complex nature of the cybersecurity domain has further challenged the acquisition and retention of cybersecurity talent. Empowering reskilling and upskilling in cybersecurity necessitates efficacious educational endeavours which promote self-confidence and foster a growth mindset. The purpose of this paper is to highlight that cultivating self-efficacy in cybersecurity education can help promote competency development and effectively address the prominent skills gaps. This notion applies equally to both aspiring individuals pursuing a career in cybersecurity and professionals in the field who may wish to better articulate the skills they already possess, the skills they lack and newly surfacing skills that need to be developed. Design/methodology/approach The study discusses the imminent need for adopting a “skills-first” approach in cybersecurity and explores innovative pedagogies and professional frameworks that can inform and frame such an approach. Subsequently, a critical analysis of the importance of self-efficacy towards motivating and supporting upskilling in cybersecurity is performed. A case study is presented, expanding the authors’ previous work on cybersecurity professional development, to demonstrate the mediating role that self-efficacy can play in developing core cybersecurity competencies. The case study presents the design of a new cybersecurity curriculum in the context of postgraduate, synchronous distance cybersecurity education, and it is utilised as a basis to discuss how the proposed curriculum cultivates self-efficacy attitudes. Findings A skills-first approach is becoming the new norm in contemporary workplaces. This work highlights the importance of actively nurturing self-efficacy attitudes through innovative cybersecurity curricula that can be tailored to the learners’ needs, instigating a drive for learning and, ultimately, helping learners effectively upskilling by portraying a self-directed learning path and a professional growth mindset in cybersecurity. Originality/value The authors present the importance of cultivating self-efficacy in higher and lifelong education to foster reskilling and upskilling in cybersecurity. An innovative cybersecurity curriculum was constructed and delivered with a group of learners demonstrating how self-efficacy can be leveraged through interactive, reflective and self-assessment educational activities that enhanced motivation and self-awareness, curiosity, attention to detail and resilience – key skills for a successful career in cybersecurity.

Construction and Innovative Exploration of Personalized Learning Systems in the Context of Educational Data Mining

This study examines the current research on educational data mining, educational learning support services, personalized learning services, and personalized learning paths in education. The authors aim to integrate personalized learning concepts into traditional support services by drawing on the latest theoretical and practical research. Using multimodal data fusion techniques, the study conduct exploratory analyses on various data types, including learner academic performance, psychological assessments, learning behavior, and physiological information. This leads to the construction of a personalized education learning support service model. The model focuses on objectives such as monitoring learning behavior, identifying preferences, recognizing abilities, optimizing paths, and recommending resources. The goal is to provide learners with sustained support services throughout the personalized learning process, addressing individual needs, fostering enthusiasm, and maintaining long-term motivation.

Meaning-making and transformative engagement – notes on Gunther Kress’s social semiotic and multimodal approach to learning

Abstract Against the background of a longstanding collaboration between Gunther Kress’s research group in London and my own research group in Stockholm, I reflect, in this paper, on the role of Kress’s ideas in our joint development of a social semiotic, multimodal, and design-oriented approach to learning, an approach which sees learning as performative, and as an activity in which learners create their own learning paths. I first discuss how, for Kress, this path has three elements, the affordances of the learning resources available to the learner, the learner’s ‘interest’ which turns aspects of these resources into ‘prompts’ for learning, and the learner’s active interpretation and transformation of these aspects, the results of which can then be recognized and valued as ‘signs of learning’. However, recognizing learning also needs to take account of the dimension of time, so as to make it possible to assess whether learners have gained knowledges and skills they did not have at an earlier stage. I then discuss the role of context in Kress’s thinking about learning. For Kress, context is another vital aspect of a social semiotic theory of learning. On the one hand, Kress focuses here on the specific, unique contexts in which individual learners create their own learning paths. On the other hand, he recognizes that signs will always carry social and political relations. Reflecting on the dynamic relation between individual learners and the way institutions regulate ways of learning, I discuss both the continued role of institutional learning contexts and their hidden curricula, and the way emerging technologies facilitate individual learning paths and interactive, participatory forms of learning.

The empowerment of AIGC technology in high school English education

The application of AIGC technology in high school English teaching creates a rich virtual language application environment and diverse learning platforms for students. These multimodal activities not only provide tailored learning paths but also, through in-depth data analysis and effectiveness evaluation, support the implementation of adaptive learning. While fostering independent thinking among students, they also assist in integrating English learning into their daily lives. This advancement not only optimizes the allocation of educational resources in underprivileged western regions, promoting an overall improvement in educational quality, but also confers profound significance on education.

Retraction Note: Network learning path of university political education based on simulation data and sparse neural network

Retraction Note: Network learning path of university political education based on simulation data and sparse neural network

Artificial intelligence and work transformations: integrating sensemaking and workplace learning perspectives

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the process of initial sensemaking that organizational members activate when they reflect on AI adoption in their work settings, and how the perceived features of AI technologies trigger sensemaking processes which in turn have the potential to influence workplace learning modes and trajectories.Design/methodology/approachWe adopted an explorative qualitative and interactive approach to capture free fantasies and imaginative ideas of AI among people within the industry. We adopt a conceptual perspective that combines theories on initial sensemaking and workplace learning as a theoretical lens to analyze data collected during 23 focus groups held at four large Swedish manufacturing companies. The data were analyzed using the Gioia method.FindingsTwo aggregated dimensions were defined and led to the development of an integrated conceptualization of the initial sensemaking of AI technology adoption. Specifically, sensemaking triggered by abstract features of AI technology mainly pointed to an exploitative learning path. Sensemaking triggered by concrete features of the technology mainly pointed to explorative paths, where socio-technical processes appear to be crucial in the process of AI adoption.Originality/valueThis is one of the first studies that attempts to explore and conceptualize how organizations make sense of prospective workplace learning in the context of AI adoption.

Understanding crisis perception and organizational learning – A case study of school organizations in the COVID-19 pandemic

The research investigates the organizational dynamics of learning-in-crisis (LiC) in five Hungarian education institutions in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic with a focus on digital competence building, and the influence of organizational perception of contextual factors. The path of organisation-level learning that takes place as a result of the crisis event was analysed along two factors: the extent of perceived impact and the relevance of the rare event. Results of the qualitative, interview- and observation-based research show that learning willingness is different in the face of an identical external impact, influenced by organizational and financial capacity, as well as autonomy and stakeholder maturity for change. The depth of learning is related to the strategic and cultural fit with the sought-after competence, as well as field of knowledge and the presence of parallel crises.

Assessing English Language Proficiency: A Case Study of English Version Students of Higher Secondary Level of Bangladesh

Assessment is an integral part of language learning. Language proficiency can be judged by a well-organised evaluation procedure. A systematic assessment process paves the path of successful language learning. The main focus of this study is to explore the current English Language Assessment practice in Higher Secondary institutions located in Dhaka city. Five teachers and five students have been chosen for the investigation. Qualitative research method has been used to explore the assessment procedures the teachers use to assess class XI students’ English language skills such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening and what type of challenges teachers and students encounter during assessment. Though these institutions follow national curriculum of Bangladesh, their mode of instruction is English. Since curriculum plays a vital role in learning outcome, it should be based on learners’ needs and make them competent to cope up with the globalised world. The results of this study unveil the participants’ attitude, opinion and interest regarding the challenges, problems and opportunities of English Version Institutions. However, a remarkable number of researches have been conducted to change the language assessment system, its impact and possibilities in developed countries but there is rarely any research that focuses on the impact of such assessment system in the developing countries like Bangladesh.

TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS BASED ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN TEACHING FOREIGN LANGUAGES: AN ANALYTICAL REVIEW

AI technologies are already beginning to change the learning process, they contribute to the creation of a personalized learning path; help to analyze educational metadata almost instantly; provide access to big data, helping in solving various professional tasks and problems. The purpose of this article is to provide an analytical review of examples of the use of artificial intelligence technologies in language teaching and to create a typology of AI-based technological solutions that have been actively used in the educational process over the past five years. The proposed typology of AI-based technological solutions used in teaching a foreign language is based on areas of didactic activity and didactic tasks that can be effectively solved with the help of AI. Under the directions of didactic activity, we mean: teaching and learning of foreign languages; management of the educational process, including the analysis of educational analytics, the development of an individual learning path, the creation of recommender systems; organization of the educational process, that is, control and assessment, providing feedback and reflection, developing didactic materials for adaptive online courses and intelligent learning systems.

Impact of Personalized Learning Paths on Student Motivation and Achievement in Online High School Programs in Pakistan

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of personalized learning paths on student motivation and achievement in online high school programs in Pakistan. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Tailored learning experiences boost intrinsic motivation by offering autonomy and relevance, while goal-setting and progress tracking contribute to improved academic performance and engagement. These findings highlight the potential of personalized learning to meet diverse student needs and enhance educational outcomes in Pakistani online high school settings. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Self-determination theory (SDT), social cognitive theory (SCT) & constructivist learning theory may be used to anchor future studies on the impact of personalized learning paths on student motivation and achievement in online high school programs in Pakistan. Implement ongoing professional development programs for educators to effectively implement and support personalized learning strategies. Develop and advocate for educational policies that support the implementation of personalized learning paths in online high school programs. Policies should address funding allocations, technology infrastructure upgrades, and guidelines for equitable access to personalized educational resources.

The project-based learning model of training engineers: exploring opportunities for building an individual learning trajectory from the students’ and instructors’ perspectives

Introduction. The project-based approach into engineering training is an innovative education practice that exemplifies the UNESCO strategy for implementing such practices in education worldwide. The motivation of the study is justified by the fact that the implementation of project-based learning involves building a student learning trajectory, which meets demands for competitive specialists in the automotive industry. The research aimed to investigate opportunities for building students’ learning paths in correlation with the formal performance of the project-based learning model and to elicit issues for its improving. Materials and methods. The study used analysis of previous research and formal performance indicators of the project activity at the Mechanical Engineering Center, where pilot engineering training was launched at Togliatti State University (TSU, Russian Federation). To collect empirical data, an online survey was administered among 118 engineering students (its reliability reached Cronbach’s alpha 0.84), and unstructured and focused interviews among student advisors and project supervisors were conducted. Methods of descriptive statistics and IBM SPSS Statistics 23 package were employed to process the obtained quantitative data. Research results. Quantitative performance indicators of the model demonstrate overall positive dynamics in engineers’ training from 2017 to the present. The study discovered project satisfaction at the Mechanical Engineering Centre (74.1%) and the majority of students (71.9%) evaluate positively project opportunities. The correlation between the project role and the awareness of project opportunities was found (r = 0.23; p < 0.05): all student advisors considered project activity as an opportunity to develop their learning trajectory. However, 14.9% of participants did not consider such project prospects. The focused interview clarified reasons for this choice. Conclusion. The study shows that the correlation between the positive dynamics of formal indicators and assessments of the opportunities of building an individual learning trajectory reveals the need to improve the introduced model in terms of finding the optimal balance between the number of projects and their quality. The study prospects include the formation of students’ readiness and internal motivation for participating in engineering projects. The TSU experience in evaluating the opportunities of forming students’ learning paths through project participation can be helpful for other Russian universities where project-based learning is implemented.

The Application of Information Technology in Teaching at University and College Levels in the Context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

In the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), characterized by rapid advancements in Information Technology (IT), the integration of these technologies into higher education has become imperative. This paper explores the transformative impact of IT on teaching methodologies at the university and college levels. Through a comprehensive review of literature, case studies, and qualitative analysis, the study examines how institutions are leveraging IT tools such as artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and immersive technologies to enhance learning experiences. Key findings highlight the benefits of IT adoption, including improved student engagement, personalized learning paths, and the cultivation of future-ready skills essential in a digital economy. However, challenges such as infrastructure readiness and faculty training remain significant barriers. By addressing these challenges and embracing innovative teaching strategies, higher education can effectively navigate the complexities of the 4IR, ensuring graduates are equipped to thrive in an increasingly digital and interconnected world.

Learner agency and its types; application in the language learning environment

The article examines student agency as the student’s resource or asset that influences the formation of an individual learning path in foreign language acquisition. Two types of resources are identified: personal – individual characteristics of the student’s intellectual cognitive development, acquired skills, knowledge – and external, economic and social resource, – social, family and educational environment as well as networks. The influence of changes taking place in the learning environment, in particular in language acquisition, and the impact of transformational competencies on the formation and development of agency, student agency, and co-agency are highlighted. Sociological and socio-psychological approaches to defining the concept of agency and the different contexts in which student agency is formed and developed – moral, social, economic, and creative – are outlined. Student agency is defined as an initiative, conscious, self-regulated activity of students aimed at choosing their own learning path in order to achieve personal goals. The types of co-agency within the educational ecosystem are considered; four levels of systemic interaction of educational process stakeholders are distinguished: student-teacher, student-peer, student-family, and student- wider community, and their influence on the formation and development of student agency is emphasized. Based on the theory of structuration and metacognitive strategies that learners favour in the process of organizing language acquisition, the types of student agency used in the language learning environment are differentiated: collaborative, technological, culture-oriented, research, reflexive, self-directed, and action-oriented. The prospect for further research consists in establishing a correlation between the types of student agency and learning tasks in the language classroom

Strengthening inclusive leadership: insights from a professional development programme for school and childcare leaders

This study aims to answer the following research question: What were the participants’ perceptions of how their engagement in a professional development programme contributed to their advancement in inclusive leadership behaviour? To this end, we followed 17 school and childcare leaders collaborating in Dutch child centres for education and childcare, who participated in a dedicated professional development programme on inclusive leadership. The programme which consisted of four sessions, spread over five months, was tailored to develop inclusive leadership, and built upon six design criteria derived from literature. Data analysis was conducted by triangulating qualitative and quantitative data from interviews and pre- and post-programme self-evaluations. The main finding suggests that participants’ involvement in the professional development programme resulted in an augmented awareness of their role in creating an organisational climate through inclusive leadership, which was manifested through an increased application of inclusive leadership behaviours. Organising collective learning was considered a crucial element, recognising that the role of a school leader is sometimes perceived as isolated. Self-regulated learning via learning logs and reflective interviews provided opportunities for learning through reflection and showed that participants follow their own unique learning paths, tailored to their individual needs and contextual factors that they deem important.

Integrating Artificial Intelligence in a Morphology Course - An Analytical Study of University Students’ Perspective

This paper focuses on scrutinizing the attitudes and opinions of English as Foreign Language (EFL) learners on the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in a morphology course in higher education in Lebanon. Specifically, it examines AI as a pedagogical tool in classrooms to provide learners with personalized learning paths centered on their needs and strengths, offer automated feedback on activities and assignments, supply study resources and extra material, furnish adaptive assessments, and most importantly, identify common errors in students’ responses that allow instructors to acknowledge the learning gaps and tailor their teaching strategies accordingly. It also aims to determine the students’ perspectives on AI’s potent role in learning. In this exploratory study, a mixed-method design and a convenient sampling of participants were utilized. A total of 62 EFL students at the public university in Lebanon participated in the study. To describe and quantify their perceptions of integrating AI in a morphology course, an online survey, including closed-ended and open-ended questions, and two focus group discussions were administered. The overall qualitative and quantitative analyses of the data indicated that Lebanese EFL students have positive attitudes towards integrating AI in a morphology course as a pedagogical tool and as a fundamental part of the teaching strategies in EFL higher education classes since it provides a good source of information and aids in the teaching and learning process. However, the findings also revealed the need to train teachers and students to use AI technologies, keeping in mind the potent role of the instructor in class.

INTEGRATING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING: EXPLORING THE POTENTIAL AND CHALLENGES OF AI TOOLS IN ENHANCING LANGUAGE LEARNING OUTCOMES AND PERSONALIZED EDUCATION

This article delves into the dynamic field of integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into English Language Teaching (ELT), a burgeoning area of research with profound implications for educators and learners alike. It aims to unfold the complex interplay between innovative AI tools and traditional teaching methodologies, examining how the former can enhance language learning outcomes and personalize education. The article begins by evaluating the effectiveness of AI in language learning, exploring its role in areas such as vocabulary acquisition, grammar correction, and pronunciation. It highlights how AI’s adaptability and personalized learning paths can significantly benefit students with varied learning styles and needs. The discussion then shifts to the implementation challenges of AI in educational settings, including the need for robust infrastructure, teacher training, and the alignment of AI tools with curricular goals. A critical examination of the ethical and privacy implications of using AI in education follows, addressing concerns over data security, consent, and the potential for bias. The article also tackles the issue of cultural and linguistic inclusivity, stressing the need for AI tools to represent and accommodate the diverse linguistic landscape of global learners. Furthermore, it discusses the delicate balance between leveraging technology and retaining the essential human elements of teaching, suggesting ways to integrate AI tools without diminishing the role of traditional, interactive pedagogies. The article concludes by emphasizing the need for ongoing research and development to address the unresolved challenges and harness the full potential of AI in ELT. Through a comprehensive analysis and synthesis of current research, the article provides valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and developers looking to navigate the promising yet complex terrain of AI in language education.

Research of Integration of Innovations of Artificial Intelligence in Modern Educational Technologies

The purpose of this article is devoted to the significance of the innovative use of artificial intelligence in modern education, the authors, based on an analysis of the literature, came to the conclusion that artificial intelligence can be used not only as a teaching tool, but also through the classroom, the media and others traditional learning aids. Artificial intelligence has powerful algorithms that can help educators better understand learning focus and break down educational content from multiple angles to help students quickly integrate and update course content. The article discusses the main applications of artificial intelligence in education as analysis criteria, as well as intelligent tutoring, educational data analysis, personalized learning paths, and virtual classroom creation as an innovative integrated classroom design. After discussion and analysis, the authors believe that artificial intelligence has great potential for innovation in teaching methodology and technology, it can enrich teacher teaching methods and improve teaching technology. By integrating traditional teaching methods and advanced artificial intelligence algorithms, artificial intelligence cannot only help teachers improve the effectiveness of teaching, but also to analyze the content of classes and optimize the choice of teaching sequence.

Optimization of Online Learning Resource Adaptation in Higher Education through Neural Network Approaches

With the advent of the digital era, the quantity and variety of online higher education learning resources have expanded rapidly. The efficient adaptation of suitable resources to meet the needs of learners with specific requirements has become crucial for improving learning outcomes. Although current online learning resource recommendation systems have made some progress in matching resources, they still face challenges related to the inadequate integration of resource features and a superficial understanding of learners’ needs. These challenges hinder the achievement of personalized and precise matching, affecting learners’ study efficiency and the effective utilization of educational resources. This study first analyzes the importance of adapting online higher education learning resources and the limitations of existing research. Subsequently, a novel neural network optimization strategy is proposed. The research comprises two main parts. Firstly, the self-attention-convolutional neural network (SA-CNN) model is employed for the deep integration of the content features of online learning resources. This aims to enhance the comprehensiveness of resource descriptions. Secondly, a deep-metric attention model is introduced to accurately model and adapt to learners’ needs. This approach not only optimizes the feature representation of learning resources but also enhances the sensitivity and accuracy of the recommendation system towards learners’ requirements. This study is of significant importance for improving the performance of higher education online learning resource recommendation systems. It also provides new insights into the construction of personalized learning paths and ensuring the balanced allocation of educational resources.

Design of hydrogen production systems powered by solar and wind energy: An insight into the optimal size ratios

Green hydrogen is expected to play a crucial role in the future energy landscape, particularly in the pursuit of deep decarbonisation strategies within hard-to-abate sectors, such as the chemical and steel industries and heavy-duty transport. However, competitive production costs are vital to unlock the full potential of green hydrogen. In the case of green hydrogen produced via water electrolysis powered by fluctuating renewable energy sources, the design of the plant plays a pivotal role in achieving market-competitive production costs. The present work investigates the optimal design of power-to-hydrogen systems powered by renewable sources (solar and wind energy). A detailed model of a power-to-hydrogen system is developed: an energy simulation framework, coupled with an economic assessment, provides the hydrogen production cost as a function of the component sizes. By spanning a wide range of size ratios, namely the ratio between the size of the renewable generator and the size of the electrolyser, the cost-optimal design point (minimum hydrogen production cost) is identified. This investigation is carried out for three plant configurations: solar-only, wind-only and hybrid. The objective is to extend beyond the analysis of a specific case study and provide broadly applicable considerations for the optimal design of green hydrogen production systems. In particular, the rationale behind the cost-optimal size ratio is unveiled and discussed through energy (utilisation factors) and economic (hydrogen production cost) indicators. A sensitivity analysis on investment costs for the power-to-hydrogen technologies is also conducted to explore various technological learning paths from today to 2050. The optimal size ratio is found to be a trade-off between the utilisation factors of the electrolyser and the renewable generator, which exhibit opposite trends. Moreover, the costs of the power-to-hydrogen technologies are a key factor in determining the optimal size ratio: depending on these costs, the optimal solution tends to improve one of the two utilization factors at the expense of the other. Finally, the optimal size ratio is foreseen to decrease in the upcoming years, primarily due to the reduction in the investment cost of the electrolyser.

Promotion of Personalized Learning Paths (PLPs) in India's K–12 Education System through Strategic Mechanisms

Promotion of Personalized Learning Paths (PLPs) in India's K–12 Education System through Strategic Mechanisms