Remote Mode Research Articles

ON THE ISSUE OF MEDIATIZATION OF EDUCATION

The purpose of the article is to study the theoretical aspects of the problem of mediatization of education. The article discusses the content and various interpretations of the concepts of “media” and “mediatization”. The main attention is paid to the peculiarities of the process of mediatization, both in the school education system and in the field of higher education. Mediatization in school education is considered in the context of all elements of the educational process. First of all, this is expressed in the organization of the educational process in remote mode. In addition, mediatization makes it possible to conduct lessons using information technology, students perform creative projects, gain access to information sources and collections of various libraries. The mediatization of education expands opportunities for obtaining and correspondence education in the mode of distance communication, as well as through various online courses for obtaining professional education. The article also highlights the main tasks of mediatization of education and methods of organizing the educational process using mass communication media. Among these tasks are the possibility of obtaining information, using the potential of mediatization of education for moral and ethical education and personal development, familiarization with the achievements of the development of mass media, explaining their role and significance for the educational process, practical training in media technologies, aesthetic education of students. The evolutionary possibilities and trends in the development of education in the context of its mediatization, as well as the risks and negative aspects of this process are shown. The increasing role of the mediatization of education is explained by the continuous nature of education, total digitalization, the demand and availability of online courses for a wide audience. On the other hand, the mediatization of education will also have negative consequences. Firstly, the process of socialization of students will be difficult, and secondly, the educational process will acquire a formal character, which will affect its quality. Comparing the positive and negative aspects of the mediatization of education, it seems that there should be no abandonment of educational technologies that have been tested for decades, and here the task is to find the necessary balance between old technologies and new ones, which mutually complement each other, will contribute to the improvement of the educational system so that it meets the challenges and requirements of modernity. Methodologically, the article is based on the theoretical developments of foreign and Russian researchers. The article is based on general philosophical and socio-humanitarian methods of analysis.

Visual ergonomics for changing work environments in the COVID-19 pandemic

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has brought about change in the work environment, increasing remote and hybrid mode of work, presenting a compelling need to study visual ergonomics in this new work environment. To assess computer vision symptoms and visual ergonomics in remote and hybrid work settings during the COVID-19 pandemic with a focus on eye to screen relationship. The Common Vulnerability Scoring System 17 questionnaire and questions about human factors and ergonomics were included in the survey conducted in September 2021. Sixty-six working professionals (mean age 37 years±5), working from home (n = 44) or in hybrid mode (n = 22) were included in the study. Cramer's V was used for the correlation coefficient between two categorical variables for assessing eye health in changing work environments. Compared to our previous study, the correlation between computer vision syndrome (CVS) symptoms is markedly higher. The population working in hybrid mode experienced eye heaviness with strain to see well (V = 0.6872, p = 0.002) and dryness in the eyes (V = 0.5912, p = 0.0179). The population working from home who are bothered by surrounding lights also report dryness in the eyes (V = 0.3846, p = 0.0005). Screen use hours are higher in work from home situations (43% work more than 9 hrs) than those in hybrid mode of work (4% work more than 9 hrs). A definite increase in CVS in most of the population working remotely or in hybrid environments is established through this study. User-friendly strategies for raising awareness of applied visual ergonomics can prevent rampant onset of CVS in the working population.

Virtualization of Cross-Border Labor Migration.

Under virtual labor migration, or telemigration, in the expert community it is customary to understand remote work or the provision of services that are carried out in a cross-border format. The presence of the word migration in this term logically prompts us to consider the designated process in a migration context. From the standpoint of the concept of migration transition, the spread of virtual migration can be interpreted as a new link in the chain of mobility transformations generated by multifaceted digital transformations. With this kind of migration, a person crosses only virtual borders of states and, without leaving the country of residence, actually works outside it and performs the tasks of a foreign customer in a remote electronic mode. The short duration and rapid turnover of most jobs in cyberspace makes this process extremely circulatory, uncharacteristic of traditional labor relations. So far, this employment model has been limited in scope, but it is rapidly developing, having gained great momentum in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and may become significant in the future. While paying dividends to workers and employers interacting in global digitalized labor markets, virtual migration simultaneously exacerbates chronic imbalances and generates new sources of social tension. They are connected, among other things, with the global asymmetry of socioeconomic and digital development, the emergence of new factors and areas of competition for workers in the labor market, and insufficient social protection of the workers. Optimization of the development of virtual migration could be facilitated by comprehensive regulatory measures at the level of international organizations, states, and companies.

The effect of distortion of information as a socio-psychological factor of reducing the quality of labor interaction under isolation

The relevance of the problem under study is due to the problems that arise in the conditions of remote forms of labor interaction, as well as the role of the manager in creating an effective communication environment. The purpose of the article is to present the results of a study of the effect of information distortion in labor interaction in isolation, statistical and qualitative analysis of the results. The data obtained allow us to say that in the conditions of remote forms of labor interaction, the lack of direct contact leads to the difficulty of understanding the transmitted information, a decrease in job satisfaction, remission of the levels of well-being, activity and mood, which disrupts the quality of labor communication. The study showed that the subjective assessment of the effectiveness of leadership has a great impact on the state of the participants in the labor interaction. To ensure effective interaction of employees, it is necessary to introduce the rules of remote communication: unified, standardized requirements for communication in remote mode that meet the specifics of a particular enterprise; exclusion from communication of all manifestations of negative emotions; use of all range of available means of communication; emotional leadership of the leader.

Now You See Me, Now You Don’t: Exploring Medical Students’ Cognitive, Emotional and Behavioural Engagement with Emergency Remote Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic had forced medical students to study at home, transitioning to an emergency remote learning mode of instruction. Its impact on students was unknown and likely to be of concern. Therefore, this study assessed cognitive, emotional and behavioural engagements of medical students during emergency remote learning, and examined its associations with regard to their age, gender, stages of study and ethnic groups. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to undergraduate medical students at one public medical school in Malaysia. Emergency remote learning was conducted via Microsoft Teams (synchronous) and web resources (asynchronous). The questionnaire consisted of four sections: demographic background, emotional, behavioural, and cognitive engagements with emergency remote learning. Three hundred twenty-nine students (n = 329) completed the questionnaire. The three engagement dimension scores were 3.36/4.00 (behaviour – act), 3.16 (cognition – think) and 3.07 (emotion – feel), respectively. There was a significant difference between the engagement dimension scores (paired data), implying that what students feel, think and act on emergency remote learning did not seem to align. Next, engagements of these students were not significantly associated with their age, stages of study, and ethnic groups, but male students had higher dimension mean scores for cognitive and emotional engagements. Emergency remote learning had a considerable impact on student engagements. The study calls for continuing efforts in improving effectiveness and equity in learning engagements among medical students in the post-pandemic era.

Perception of a gamified educational Strategy in remote presence mode

El propósito de este trabajo es presentar los hallazgos en el desarrollo de una estrategia gamificada aplicada a la educación en la modalidad de presencialidad remota. La estrategia se desarrolló en el segundo semestre académico de 2020 en la UIS en el cual surge la necesidad de integrar métodos y técnicas de enseñanza alternativas a los utilizados en la enseñanza presencial.

Ce:YScAG phosphor-converted transparent ceramics with high thermal saturation and weak concentration quenching for LED and LD white lighting

In the high-power white light LEDs/LDs area, obtaining phosphor-converted materials with high thermal stability and high luminous emittance with proper blue/yellow light ratio has been the main challenge in recent years. In this study, a group of (CexY1-x)3(ScyAl1-y)5O12 transparent ceramics with high optical quality were proposed to rise to that challenge. Their spectra were regulated by incorporating Sc3+, showing blue shifted emission bands (peak position from 554 nm–538 nm), blue shifted excitation bands (462–445 nm) and narrowed full width at half maxima (120–112 nm). Significantly, the prepared Ce:YScAG transparent ceramics (TC) exhibited decent thermal quenching performance with the photoluminescence intensity at 150 °C maintaining 88.7% of its original value at room temperature. The Sc incorporation impacted the atoms’ occupation and distance, crystal field splitting and energy band structure. Under remote LD excitation mode, the luminous efficiency of the prepared Ce:YScAG TC can achieve 164.8 lm/W. And even if the Ce3+ doping reaches 2.0 at%, the LE can still maintain 117.8 lm/W, exhibiting decent concentration quenching characteristic. Consequently, Ce:YScAG TCs have great potential as promising phosphor-converted materials in future high-power LED and LD white lighting.

Surface Bandgap Engineering of Nanostructured Implants for Rapid Photothermal Ion Therapy of Bone Defects.

Bone defects are seriously threatening the health of orthopedics patients and it is difficult for implants to accelerate bone regeneration without using bone growth factors. Herein, a fast photothermal ion therapeutic strategy is developed based on the bandgap engineering of nanostructured TiO2 through (Si/P)-dual elemental doping by micro-arc oxidation treatment of titanium implants. The (Si/P)-dual doping can tune the surface bandgap structure of TiO2 by decreasing bandgap and broadening valence band simultaneously, which is confirmed by density functional theory calculations. It not only endows the implants with a mildly photothermal effect under near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation, but also creates an (Si/P) ion-rich microenvironment around the implants. This photothermal ion microenvironment can tune the behaviors of osteoblasts by promoting p38/Smad and ERK signaling pathways of osteoblasts, thus significantly upregulating the expression of osteogenesis genes by the synergistic action of mild photothermal stimulation and increased release of Si/P ions. The in vivo results are also in good agreement with in vitro tests, i.e., under NIR light irradiation, the photothermally responsive TiO2 enhances the bone formation and osteointegration with implants. Therefore, this kind of photothermal ion strategy is a promising remote and noninvasive therapeutic mode for promoting bone regeneration of Ti implants.

SUBSTANTIATION OF ORGANIZATIONAL AND PEDAGOGICAL CONDITIONS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF EXTRAORDINARY DISTANCE LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

The article is devoted to the analysis of the potential of extraordinary distance learning ofstudents. Emphasis is placed on the differences between this type of distance education and onlineeducation. Taking into account the latest publications, the domestic experience of introducing distanceeducation in higher education institutions has been studied and the reasons for the unpreparedness ofdomestic higher education institutions for the transition to the distance mode of emergency distancelearning have been clarified. It is emphasized that most researchers identify the positive aspects ofcompulsory distance education, including the possibility of using blended learning as the optimal format inan emergency situation.With the help of an online survey of teachers and students of Vasyl Stus Donetsk National University, theadvantages and difficulties of transition to distance learning have been identified. It has been proven thattechnical difficulties are problems with power outages and problems with the Internet and so on. It has beenfound that the psychological disadvantage of distance learning is excessive workload, which leads toimpaired vision, physical fatigue and spiritual limitations. In addition, many found it difficult tocommunicate with the camera and microphone turned off. Didactic difficulties of distance learning arerevealed - it is identification of independence of performance by students of test tasks and necessity ofcreation of new materials, search of new pedagogical receptions for activization of educational activity ina remote mode. It was emphasized that the respondents mentioned the lack of all-round assistance from themanagement of distance learning and a large amount of reporting documentation as a lack of organizationaland managerial nature.The advantages of extraordinary distance learning are identified - it is the ability to work remotely, mobilityand convenience, transparency of the assessment system, the use of cloud technologies. It is stated that themost convenient communicator for online classes is Microsoft Teams. According to the survey, 67.4% ofstudents did not have special problems with the acquisition of new knowledge, skills and abilities in thetransition to distance learning.The definition of “organizational and pedagogical conditions for the implementation of distance learningin the Free Economic Zone” has been clarified. Psychological and pedagogical (subjective) andorganizational and managerial (objective) conditions for the implementation of emergency distancelearning in higher education institutions are substantiated.

EXPERIMANTAL RESEARCHES OF OPERATOR-PILOT PERFORMANCE AND DEVELOPMENT OF HIS ACTIONS SUPPORT

Efficiency is an external manifestation of a person’s ability to perform purposeful activities of any kind, including professional activities. The main performance indicator is its level recorded by the on-board monitoring system in terms of heart rate variability (HRV) of the operator-pilot. A feature of the implemented approach in assessing the PL (performance level) indicator (in addition to obtaining a generalized integral indicator at the time of completion of the flight task) is that current indicators are used at different phases of the flight task, due to which the history of PL is tracked in the dynamics of changes in the working state with the identification of situations in which the support is required. Ensuring and maintaining the health (capacity) of the operator-pilot in the remote telepsychophysiological interactive interface mode “Pilot in the cockpit of the aircraft – flight director at the command point” showed the high efficiency of the proposed technology, tested at KPM-V. Such an interface was implemented on the basis of a broadband communication channel – information exchange as part of the KPM-V, and the flight director at the command point (CP) has the opportunity to prototype the situation and its development in order to develop more reliable expert recommendations to the operator-pilot. The interface, including the developed on-board biofeedback system, presents on its monitor of information signs of the external manifestation of the operator’s states in terms of the frequency and nature of respiratory movements. Changes in the structure of the wave respiratory packet spoke about the state of the operator and his performance. Comparison of these data in a single time with the HRV indicators made it possible to qualify the situation as the transition of the operator into a state of working stress, developing fatigue and overwork. The results of a semi-natural experiment with specific expert support (recommendations) of the operator-pilot performing low-altitude flight in difficult weather conditions with the search for objects of interest showed that suggesting a more advantageous maneuver for entering the zone of possible active actions from the CP made it possible to reduce the current level of performance at the time of support, not allow its predicted decrease by 20…30 % and increase the time for making a decision and its implementation by 10…13 s. At the same time, the reliability of the expert forecast of the operator’s PL according to the data of the analysis of the respiratory wave packet on the thermograms of the face was 70…90 %. The conducted cycle of research on the problem of the operator-pilot’s performance, its provision and support is not only of research interest, but can be used in the ergonomic examination of aviation equipment and the design of the crew’s work activities.

Funkcjonowanie rady gminy w czasie pandemii COVID-19

Considering the rate of spread of the SARS-CoV-19 virus on a global scale, the situation is related with infections with this virus caused unexpected changes in everyday social life. These changes also affected the activities of public administration. The aim of the article is to present the functioning of the commune council during the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular referring to the session meetings of this body through the prism of introducing the possibility of a remote mode of meetings. The article first presents the normative patterns (both constitutional and statutory) of the functioning of the commune council as a body constituting a local government unit, then the changes to this pattern were analyzed, made by the Act of 2 March 2020 on special solutions related to prevention and counteracting and combating COVID-19, other infectious diseases and emergencies caused by them, taking into account the practical problems resulting from the changes made, and the effects of the changes made were shown. The article concluded with the conclusion that although the legislator's idea of introducing the possibility of remote holding of a session of the commune council was necessary, due to health protection and m aintaining the requirements of the sanitary regime, the way of regulating this procedure was not fully thought out and made to the needs of the moment.

(R)Evolution in Allergic Rhinitis Add-On Therapy: From Probiotics to Postbiotics and Parabiotics.

Starting from the “Hygiene Hypothesis” to the “Microflora hypothesis” we provided an overview of the symbiotic and dynamic equilibrium between microbiota and the immune system, focusing on the role of dysbiosis in atopic march, particularly on allergic rhinitis. The advent of deep sequencing technologies and metabolomics allowed us to better characterize the microbiota diversity between individuals and body sites. Each body site, with its own specific environmental niches, shapes the microbiota conditioning colonization and its metabolic functionalities. The analysis of the metabolic pathways provides a mechanistic explanation of the remote mode of communication with systems, organs, and microflora of other body sites, including the ecosystem of the upper respiratory tract. This axis may have a role in the development of respiratory allergic disease. Notably, the microbiota is significant in the development and maintenance of barrier function; influences hematopoiesis and innate immunity; and shows its critical roles in Th1, Th2, and Treg production, which are necessary to maintain immunological balance and promote tolerance, taking part in every single step of the inflammatory cascade. These are microbial biotherapy foundations, starting from probiotics up to postbiotics and parabiotics, in a still-ongoing process. When considering the various determinants that can shape microbiota, there are several factors to consider: genetic factors, environment, mode of delivery, exposure to antibiotics, and other allergy-unrelated diseases. These factors hinder the engraftment of probiotic strains but may be upgradable with postbiotic and parabiotic administration directly on molecular targets. Supplementation with postbiotics and parabiotics could represent a very exciting perspective of treatment, bypassing probiotic limitations. At present, this avenue remains theoretical and to be explored, but it will certainly be a fascinating path to follow.

Limits and Opportunities for Training Conference Interpreters in Pandemic Times

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic not only impacted the circulation of people and goods on a global scale but also affected the events sector, the conference interpreting market, and the training of future interpreters. The present text aims to share the experience of the all in all successful transition from face-to-face teaching to remote teaching during the pandemic and thus contribute to the already existing academic accounts on the effects of the pandemic on conference interpreting teaching and learning (Ahrens et al., 2021; Krouglov, 2021). We identify three major aspects that led to a rather smooth teaching mode transition: (1) the efforts that had been undertaken in the years prior to the pandemic to incorporate autonomous learning practices into the curriculum leading to the use of online tools, shifting classroom activities to the home/virtual environment; (2) the training of some members of our staff in blended learning techniques and the active use of learning platforms in training; and (3) the software offered by the university for online sessions. This article is divided into three parts: First, we present the main features of PUC-Rio’s original training course, then we redraw the steps taken to gradually adapt the course to the challenge of remote online teaching during the pandemic, and finally we draw an initial reflection on the program’s adaptation to the online teaching and learning format. We understand that, while the pandemic has posed a major challenge to our conventional teaching and learning mode, the program was able to overcome initial difficulties. Furthermore, the transition to a fully remote teaching mode led to unforeseen opportunities as far as, for instance, the recruitment of new candidates nation-wide is concerned. We understand that PUC-Rio’s adoption of a fully remote teaching and learning mode from 2020 onwards opens up new perspectives for conference interpreting training in the post-pandemic landscape in Brazil.

Remote Aptitude Testing for Conference Interpreting in Europe During and After the Pandemic

There is general agreement that adequate entrance selection to conference interpreting courses is key to ensuring successful outcomes, as well as to guaranteeing a wise use of limited resources and satisfactory class dynamics. Indeed, entrance selection is one of the key quality assessment criteria for membership to the European Masters in Conference Interpreting (EMCI). Conference interpreter training programmes (CITPs) in Europe use a range of written and oral exercises to identify suitable candidates at entrance. The core test procedure is usually a series of “gist” or recall exercises, in which candidates are required to re-express in another language the ideas conveyed in a short presentation. Prior to 2020 these exercises were for the most part held with a panel of assessors and the candidates in an interview room at the host university. The COVID-19-related restrictions introduced in Europe since March 2020 in effect led to an enforced experiment with a new mode of test delivery, as stringent travel and meeting restrictions forced many programmes to switch to remote selection. This was initially seen as an unfortunate temporary expedient, but we would suggest that it might be an opportunity to take a fresh look at aptitude testing procedures. Despite the lifting of restrictions, a number of programmes continue to conduct their entrance tests in remote mode. It would be premature at this stage to draw conclusions about student outcomes, but it is worth considering trainer, student, and course coordinators’ perceptions of and experience with the new procedures. The article focuses on the CITPs in the EMCI, a consortium of 15 members at time of the outbreak of the pandemic. The data examined have been collected through a series of questionnaires and interviews. Student questionnaires have been collected mainly from the two Paris-based programmes, ISIT and ESIT; panellist questionnaires and interviews from ISIT, ESIT and Herzen in St Petersburg. 15 course coordinators in the EMCI have been consulted and 11 interviewed. The viewpoints of each of these three groups differ. The likely reasons for these differences are presented and discussed. The views and experience compiled and analysed are intended to feed into a broader discussion about aptitude testing.

NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND THEIR IMPACT ON FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHER PROFESSIONAL BURNOUT

Because of the dynamic and rapid development of digital technologies, teachers are facing more than ever challenging issues related to coping with educational innovations. This situation has become ultimately evident under COVID-19 quarantine and the necessity to work remotely. Such requirements induce extra pressure on teachers, which causes excessive stress, often leading to emotional and professional burnout. In our paper, we aim to focus on the types of impact (positive or negative) of digital technologies in relation to foreign language teachers’ age and experience and the level of professional burnout. Specific emphasis is put on the study of coronavirus-related remote learning mode circumstances. To reach the research goal, a mixed method was used, engaging 140 English language teachers from 18 Polish schools, Silesia region, with a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview as the tools used in the quantitative and qualitative stages of the study. The research findings show that even though teachers are ready to integrate technologies in the classroom, they are vulnerable to technical problems which often occur during the lessons, causing the feeling of disappointment, frustration, anxiety, and lowering the efficiency of teachers’ professional performance. The implications of the study suggest that the professional support for teachers in technology use, better working conditions, and equipping language classrooms with good quality digital devices should serve as the best remedy against teacher burnout.

A modular spring-loaded actuator for mechanical activation of membrane proteins

How cells respond to mechanical forces by converting them into biological signals underlie crucial cellular processes. Our understanding of mechanotransduction has been hindered by technical barriers, including limitations in our ability to effectively apply low range piconewton forces to specific mechanoreceptors on cell membranes without laborious and repetitive trials. To overcome these challenges we introduce the Nano-winch, a robust, easily assembled, programmable DNA origami-based molecular actuator. The Nano-winch is designed to manipulate multiple mechanoreceptors in parallel by exerting fine-tuned, low- piconewton forces in autonomous and remotely activated modes via adjustable single- and double-stranded DNA linkages, respectively. Nano-winches in autonomous mode can land and operate on the cell surface. Targeting the device to integrin stimulated detectable downstream phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase, an indication that Nano-winches can be applied to study cellular mechanical processes. Remote activation mode allowed finer extension control and greater force exertion. We united remotely activated Nano-winches with single-channel bilayer experiments to directly observe the opening of a channel by mechanical force in the force responsive gated channel protein, BtuB. This customizable origami provides an instrument-free approach that can be applied to control and explore a diversity of mechanotransduction circuits on living cells.

UVC Sterilization Robot With Remote Wireless Mode and Autonomous Mode

Public concerns during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Indonesia, which began in early 2020 until now, are of particular concern. It is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 which can be spread by direct contact such as aerosols. In an effort to prevent and handle the spread of coronavirus, especially indoors, it can be done by disinfection and using ultraviolet-C (UVC) light sterilization. The use of UVC light sterilizers generally requires the operator to move the tool in the sterilization process, this fact is a concern because the operator must ensure the area can be exposed to UVC rays. This issue is what the author created to be able to design a UVC sterilization robot that can be controlled by wireless remote mode and autonomous mode in the hope of being able to sterilize the room properly controlled by the camera and seen from the control area using assistance. The design of the UVC robot for wireless remote mode and autonomous mode using Arduino UNO as a microcontroller, ESPCAM-32 as a camera function that is integrated with wifi connectivity, HC-SR04 sensor to detect the distance of the tool with its surroundings, battery, navigated robot using the blynk application and the BTS 7960 motor driver as a motor for the tool wheel. The UVC sterilization robot was tested by testing the function of the remote control mode, testing the autonomous mode and the function of the UVC lamp. From the results of the tests and analysis performed, the UVC disinfection robot can work well in both the wireless remote mode and the autonomous mode. UVC robot sterilization can be used mobile and automatically and can make it easier for operators to carry out sterilization in the room.

COVID-19 and the Adaptive Role of Educators: The Impact of Digital Literacy and Psychological Well-Being on Education—A PLS-SEM Approach

Mobility restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic raised mental health consequences. This paper examines the triangulation of Digital Literacy (DL), psychological well-being, and effectiveness of remote teaching and learning during the pandemic. Survey responses collected from 518 schoolteachers in Sri Lanka are analyzed with Partial Least Squares – Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) method. Results indicate that Remote Education (RE) has twisted a stressful life for educators. DL negatively affects the psychological well-being of the teacher. The effectiveness of teaching and learning and teacher engagement depends upon their DL level. Educators’ stress and depression status mediate the outcome of remote teaching and learning mode. Moreover, digital skills count more than the accumulated teaching experience. We emphasize the adaptive role of the teacher for sustainable digital education. The results indicate that augmented education success could be obtained by investing in digital competence. It suggests that upgrading DL is an urgent role and alarms the policymakers and education managers to mitigate the potential mental health and social capital crisis.

Someone on my side: The experiences of high-achieving, underserved high school students in an e-mentoring college access intervention

ABSTRACT Lower-income students with outstanding academic credentials often lack the knowledge and support to apply to highly ranked colleges and universities that they would be eligible to attend. This study investigated a national e-mentoring program, CollegePoint, that provided one-to-one mentoring to low- and moderate-income, high-achieving high school students. The 15-month mentoring program covered college choice, application, and financial aid processes. We employed a human ecology theoretical framework that highlights interactions among mentoring experiences, individual characteristics, and multiple environmental contexts. Results of 13 focus groups with e-mentors and interviews with 123 student participants and 8 project directors indicated that the virtual mentoring format was comfortable and often preferable to students. The remote mode of communication allowed for considerable variation in engagement, however, with some students consistently in contact with their mentors and others dropping out temporarily or permanently. Students who remained highly engaged with their mentors were those who needed help, felt a connection to their mentor, and appreciated the arms-length relationship enabled by the virtual format. For these students, e-mentoring gave them a realistic sense of their eligibility for admission to a range of selective colleges and helped them complete time-sensitive tasks and make thoughtful decisions. Consonant with ecological theory, CollegePoint appeared to act as a bridge between students’ immediate contexts and the policies, structures, and procedures related to college admissions and financial aid. When e-mentors were able to engage all aspects of students’ ecology, CollegePoint had the potential to transform the college application experience and even the self-concept of students.

Evaluative Knowledge and Skills of Student Teachers Within the Adapted Degree Courses

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many university initial teacher education courses have been adapted into remote mode. Starting from specific topics of the training curriculum, the work focuses on adapting courses on evaluative knowledge and skills in an e-learning environment; it examined the development of student teachers’ evaluative knowledge (terminology and concepts) and skills (design of paper and pencil assessment tools) who took the adapted courses. A comparative study of two adapted university degree courses (University of Bergamo and Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria in Italy – initial training of future primary school teachers) in the area of evaluation, was carried out. The study involved 155 primary school student teachers and made a mixed method investigation with sequential system. The first exploratory method collected quantitative data by an “ad hoc” questionnaire on student teacher’ knowledge, the second confirmatory method gained qualitative data through the document analysis of paper-and-pencil assessment tool on student teachers’ skill. The results highlight substantial similarities on knowledge (function of evaluation, difference between evaluation and assessment, object of school evaluation) and skill (ability to refer to real situations and promote situated knowledge) but also differences (construct of school “evaluation processes” and ability to provide different solutions for solving the task) e specific difficulty in implementing the “constructive alignment.”