Virtual Educational Environment Research Articles

Исследование готовности участников образовательного процесса к применению цифровых технологий в образовании

<p>The article presents an overview of various digital technologies used in the educational process; the problem of their perception and application by teachers and students is investigated. The purpose of the article is to identify the level of readiness of direct participants of the educational process to use digital technologies in their activities. The study was conducted on the basis of analysis and generalization of domestic and foreign scientific publications devoted to the problem of the use of digital technologies by participants of educational institutions. A sociological study was conducted by online questionnaire of students. The research methods are comparison, concretization, system and comparative analysis. The authors have revealed that the teachers' perception of the use of digital educational technologies in their activities depends on various factors, such as: age, gender, availability and degree of development of organizational and communicative abilities of a person, on the degree of motivation, as well as on the level of creativity of the teacher's personality. It is revealed that there are various barriers to the use of TSOT by teachers. Regarding the readiness of students to use TSC, it was found that students are not fully ready to use TSC in teaching, in particular, they are not aware of the essence of the concept of immersive technologies and do not identify them with virtual or augmented reality technologies. A significant part of students uses digital services that are quite similar in functionality. The actual digital technologies used in teaching in the world practice are revealed. The necessity of using digital services in virtual educational environments, including metaverses, is substantiated. In order to increase the ability of teachers to use TSOT, it is necessary that the curricula include courses on the use of TSOT in education in the context of vocational training. It is also proposed to encourage teachers to use technology in the educational process by allocating additional funding. Universities need to create conditions for students to use digital technologies.</p>

Midwifery students' opinions about episiotomy training and using virtual reality: A qualitative study

BackgroundThe use of simulations and digital technologies in education in the health field is common. Virtual reality technologies, which offer three-dimensional (immersive) simulation environments, have become easily accessible and cost-effective in recent years and this has this has increased this use of this technology in educating students who will work in the health field. ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to investigate the views of midwifery undergraduate students about the current episiotomy education they received and their expectations when related education is given with virtual reality technology. ParticipantsStudents in their third or fourth year of undergraduate midwifery who have taken prior episiotomy education. DesignThe research was carried out as a phenomenological design for qualitative research. Data were collected between December 2022 and January 2023 at a public university in Türkiye, with institutional ethical approval. MethodsParticipants were asked open-ended questions to collect qualitative data. Data were analysed using content analysis by MaxQDA. ResultsData were analysed, and four main themes were determined. These main themes consisted of 16 sub-themes, and included midwifery department students' positive and negative opinions about the current episiotomy education and their expectations in cases where the education is carried out using virtual education environments. ConclusionsAlthough the current episiotomy education has positive aspects, such as suturing ability, it does not give a sense of reality, is not repetitive, and has many negative aspects, such as cost. It was determined that in virtual reality episiotomy education environments, students' expectations are similar to the real birth environment, and they have expectations of simulating risky situations because they think it will be more useful.

Perception of Space in the Traditional and Virtual Classroom

The paper presents the study of the educational context and its characteristics to achieve the most effective learning process.The aim of the research is to examine the perception of physical space in the traditional classroom and virtual space in online learning. The study of this issue is based on the psychological approach to the perception of virtual space as a model of physical space and on understanding the importance of this research area due to the development of distant forms of learning: though, the problems of virtual space functioning in the perception of students and its impact on learning efficiency still remain unexplored. Meanwhile, understanding the mechanism of space perception can help to adapt the learning process to the form of learning in choice: learning in a traditional classroom, where students work in a real physical space, learning in a virtual environment or in a hybrid form.Materials and methods. The theoretical basis for comparing the characteristics of physical and virtual space is the studies that focus on the importance of spatial organization in the process of learning. The psychological approach to the perception of space makes it possible to rely on the mechanism of transferring the physical characteristics of space into a virtual environment and to determine the possibility of comparison, primarily in an axiological sense. The study was carried out in the context of university education. Students of a higher educational institution were offered a questionnaire, the results of which were processed using a statistical method. Quantitative trends were then interpreted in the application to the learning process. The experiment was carried out in three stages (questionnaire, statistical processing, interpretation of the results), each of which revealed new aspects of the problem under study.Results. The study shows that there is a metaphorization mechanism that allows the learner to perceive the space of the virtual classroom in the same terms as the physical space of the traditional classroom. At the same time, the comparison of statistical data indicates the obvious differences in the perception of the student's space in the traditional and virtual classrooms. This is especially true for such parameters as openness, freedom of movement and the ratio of participants in the educational space, which indicates different learning conditions that determine the choice of teaching methods and techniques in the traditional context and in the virtual educational environment. Discussion of the results of statistical analysis allows us to draw conclusions about the difference of educational potential of the virtual and physical classroom spaces, the importance of socialization and various methods of its creation in the educational process.Conclusion. The conducted research shows the need for further study of space in the educational context, the need to take into account its parameters for developing virtual courses. Also, the results of the study show the importance of spatial characteristics for the success of learning, for creating a comfortable educational environment. The data obtained can be used in the development and improvement of online courses; it will help to avoid mistakes when in planning.

Intercultural teaching practices in the EFL classroom: The case of non‐elite communities

AbstractSignificant research has delved into the methodologies and practices teachers use to foster interculturality in the high school and college foreign language curriculum. Yet, little is known about the intercultural teaching practices teachers use in non‐elite communities where inequity, lack of access, and inclusion have prevailed, especially during COVID‐19. This case study describes how three teachers in three Colombian state schools, where economic divides are notorious, teach for interculturality in distance and virtual learning educational environments during the outbreak of COVID‐19. Findings indicate that teachers' approach to interculturality could be categorized into four intercultural teaching practices: 1) moving from the known to the unknown, 2) going beyond factual information, 3) challenging existing sources, and 4) contextualizing through authenticity. These practices offer guidance and instructional moves about how to teach for interculturality locally and worldwide.

Design, development, and evaluation of educational virtual reality environment: EVRECA

Design, development, and evaluation of educational virtual reality environment: EVRECA

Virtual reality environment in pharmacy education: A cyclical study on instructional design principles

AbstractBackgroundIt is crucial to use innovative tools to gain clinical reasoning skills through experiential learning in pharmacy education, and one of the most effective tools used in this is virtual reality. However, the lack of research that empirically demonstrates the instructional principles of virtual environment design, especially in the clinical setting, has resulted in a significant gap in the current literature.AimIn this study, it was aimed to determine the instructional design principles of a virtual environment for the clinical pharmacy.MethodThe study was conducted as a design‐based research. The data of the study related to three components of the developed virtual reality environment in pharmacy education (VRPE). These components, scenario development interface‐scenario development interface, virtual environment, and scenario, were collected through interviews, observation, document review, and a system usability scale. Instructional design principles for the VRPE were determined through analysis of the collected data.ResultsThe prominent instructional design principles of the VRPE were revealed as immersion, interaction, diversity, flow, aesthetics‐ergonomic‐universal design, informing, and retest availability. The significance of the study was the adoption of a holistic perspective in the design of a virtual reality environment for pharmacy education. In addition, one of the most critical features of the study was eliminating the expertise barrier in virtual environment design. Thus, it was concluded that the VRPE is an extraordinary tool that can be used for pharmacy education to promote experiential learning.

Effectiveness of virtual reality in elementary school: A meta-analysis of controlled studies

Virtual reality (VR) is rapidly gaining popularity and becoming more accessible. Numerous studies have examined the effectiveness of this technology in educational settings. This article provides a summary of the evidence regarding the efficacy of virtual environments for elementary education. A meta-analysis was conducted to combine the findings of independent experimental studies. The studies included in this review were sourced from reputable databases such as Web of Science, Scopus, IEEE, ACM, and ScienceDirect. The results indicate that students who learn in a virtual environment achieve higher learning scores compared to those in traditional classrooms (standard mean difference [SMD]=0.64, 95% CI [0.36, 0.92], p<0.001). Additionally, the findings suggest that learning in a tethered VR environment is equally effective as learning through mobile VR. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in scores when different media materials were used for the control group. This review emphasizes the advantages of employing mobile VR for learning in contrast to using tethered VR.

IMPLEMENTATION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS OF A MODERN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Based on an analysis of pedagogical and scientific-methodical literature, this study identifies the stages of information and communication technology (ICT) implementation in modern Ukrainian higher education institutions (HEIs), as well as trends in the development of the educational process in the context of society's digitalization. Additionally, the study examines the advantages of using ICT in the educational process and justifies its implementation, emphasizing the possibilities of computer-based education systems. A mechanism for the informatization of modern HEIs is proposed, including its components, necessary materials and technical resources. The study also identifies areas of professional competence development for scientific and pedagogical workers under the conditions of ICT implementation in HEIs and highlights the advantages of virtual educational environments.

The Effectiveness of Mobile Learning Technology in the Educational Process

The article discusses the importance of mobile learning technologies in comparison with traditional teaching methods, which make it possible to organize effective interaction of all participants in the educational process, plan joint work, correctly allocate resources, provide the necessary means to solve educational tasks. The authors of the article present their views on the structure of the organization of the educational process in a technical university. It is established that the possibilities of using mobile learning technologies in the educational process allow us to focus attention on the sphere of formation of an educational virtual environment in which self-development and training of students in the activities of a teacher takes place. The article considers mobile learning as a prospect for the development of digital learning, describes a number of advantages and disadvantages of mobile learning in the organization of the educational process and reveals the content of mobile applications in the educational process. The directions of application of mobile learning in modern education are also provided. Despite the widespread availability of mobile phones among students, mobile education in domestic universities is less common. An explanation of the term «mobile learning» and addresses the problems of using mobile learning in education and its research. In order to analyze the technical and psychological readiness of students to use mobile technologies in teaching students, a survey of students of the educational program «Information Technologies» of the Zhangir Khan West Kazakhstan Agrarian Technical University on the use of mobile devices in the educational process was conducted and the result was analyzed. Most of the students came to the conclusion that they are technically and psychologically ready to use mobile technologies in education and need further study of new university opportunities for more effective use of mobile learning technologies in the educational process

Interpersonal Communication in Virtual Laboratories during the pandemic: a systematic literature review

Interpersonal communication is crucial in education for developing lifelong problem-solving skills. Despite its decline during the pandemic, research in virtual educational environments, such as Virtual Laboratories, remains limited. On the other hand, the pandemic has stimulated exploration and development of these tools. The objective of this article is to identify problematic situations in Virtual Laboratories to enhance interpersonal communication. Employing a Systematic Literature Review method encompassing articles published between 2019 and 2022, our study yields the following key findings: a) Interpersonal communication remains undercovered in main focus; b) Technical and natural disciplines dominate in Virtual Laboratories; c) The research on interpersonal communication is insufficiently addressed in main objectives and results; d) Interpersonal communication is valued for various pedagogical reasons, with its relevance in collaborative learning standing out; e) The concept of Virtual Laboratory adopted by researchers may guide the way the importance of interpersonal communication is seen. This research will benefit the innovation process in the context of Virtual Laboratories in need to develop the competencies of global importance.

Entorno virtual de aprendizaje como recurso para capacitación sobre temas de educación ambiental

The present study aims to design a virtual learning environment as a training resource on environmental education issues, considering that the purpose of environmental education is that individuals and communities understand the complexity of the environment, both natural and artificial. Therefore, the article presented is aimed at the community in general, so that through a virtual learning environment it is possible to access the information inherent to the subject and give a message of sensitization to visitors, a sense of environmental awareness, as well as having updated material available. Within the methodological mechanisms, the Weebly platform, YouTube, image design and other applications were used to strengthen the development of the web page. In the methodological field, the research was framed within the quantitative paradigm and a Google form was used for the diagnosis, which allowed determining through the survey technique aspects concerning the results of the summative evaluation of the participants of the study, in addition, interviews were applied to expert professionals, to obtain experiences regarding environmental education and their valuable contribution to enrich the knowledge of the students. The data were tabulated and presented for the generation of conclusions. At the end of the virtual teaching and learning environment, 96,8% of the students surveyed were satisfied with the results. It was concluded that the visitors obtained information and consolidated current knowledge of great importance, facilitating their downloading, visualization and comparison of the topics.

Social network analysis in virtual educational environments: Implications for collaborative learning and academic community development

This paper investigates the impact of Social Network Analysis (SNA) in optimizing virtual education, focusing on enhancing collaborative learning, strengthening virtual academic communities, and identifying challenges for educational innovation. Through SNA, patterns of interaction and collaboration are uncovered that inform the design of inclusive and dynamic educational practices. A theoretical review combining the benefits of bibliometric studies and documentary analysis was conducted. It highlights how ARS facilitates the identification of effective collaborative patterns and barriers to equal participation, promoting strategies for more meaningful collaboration. In addition, the role of ARS in consolidating academic communities by promoting cohesion, mutual support, and active engagement, crucial for student success and well-being, is discussed. Challenges such as forming subgroups and dependence on certain information nodes are analyzed, viewing them as opportunities to innovate in educational design and promote more equitable participation and knowledge construction. This analysis underscores the importance of ARS for developing more effective, equitable, and collaborative virtual learning environments aligned with the values of our digital society.

Effect of creative and collaborative learning communities on virtual learning environment for Education 4.0: a quantitative study of Pakistan

PurposeEducation 4.0 is one of the major transformations in the field of education to improve the quality of teaching and learning processes and prepare students as 21st-century learners. This study aims to examine the effect of Educations 4.0 on creative and collaborative learning of students.Design/methodology/approachIn this correlational research study, a quantitative data collection tool such as a questionnaire is used. This research is conducted on university students (N = 365), and purposive sampling technique is used to achieve the purpose. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27.0 is used to analyze the data.FindingsThe findings of the study reveal that there is a strong positive relationship between education 4.0 and the two major 21st-century skills, i.e. collaboration and creativity. The value of correlation coefficient value of the variables is 0.597, which indicates positive and strong relationship; hence, null hypothesis is rejected and an alternative hypothesis is accepted.Practical implicationsThe results of the current study are beneficial for the school managers to enhance students' two significant 21st-century skills, i.e. “Creativity” and “Collaboration.” Also, the school managers can make efforts to develop teachers' competence to adapt the technological advancements for improving students' creativity and collaboration to benefit their learning.Originality/valueThis is a unique study because there are only a few recent studies that show a connection between Education 4.0 and 21st-century skills. Also, there is no other study that presents the direct association of Education 4.0 and students' creativity and collaboration specifically in the context of Pakistan.

Mobile learning technology in the educational process of a technical university

This article discusses the importance of mobile learning compared to traditional teaching methods. Mobile technologies provide effective interaction for all participants of the educational process, allow organizing collaborative work, effectively distribute resources and provide the necessary tools for solving educational tasks. The authors of this article present their views on the organization of the learning process in a technical university. They found that the use of mobile technologies in the learning process allows focusing on the formation of an educational virtual environment, in which students develop and learn under the guidance of a teacher. The article considers mobile learning as a promising direction for the development of digital education. It describes the advantages and disadvantages of mobile learning in the organization of the educational process, and also reveals the content of mobile applications in the educational process. Examples of mobile learning in modern education are also given. Despite the fact that cell phones are widespread and accessible to students, mobile learning is used less frequently in domestic universities. The article explains the term “mobile learning” and touches on the problems of its use and research in education. To analyze the readiness of learners to use mobile technology in education, a survey of students in the “information technology” program of Zhangir Khan Agrarian and Technical University was conducted. The results of the survey were analyzed. As a result of the survey, it was concluded that the technical and psychological readiness of students to use mobile technology in the educational process of the university requires further study of new opportunities for more effective use of mobile learning technologies.

Designing a MOOC on Computational Thinking, Programming and Robotics for Early Childhood Educators and Primary School Teachers: A Pilot Test Evaluation

This study focuses on developing and evaluating an online course aimed at preschool educators and primary school teachers. It presents a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on computational thinking, programming and robotics developed as part of the project “Laboratory for Technology and Programming and Robotics Learning in Primary and Preschool Education in Portugal (KML II)” The MOOC design was inspired by a blended learning model used in teacher professional development at the project’s inception and incorporates theoretical-pedagogical models of MOOC design as well as theoretical models of online interaction in virtual educational environments. The course will be offered on the NAU platform, a Portuguese MOOC platform. A pilot test was conducted with a purposive sample that included both participants from the target audience of the course as well as national and international experts specialised in these domains. The evaluation included a Likert scale questionnaire survey and open-ended questions. The results aim to validate the MOOC’s quality, including its structure, content relevance, proposed activities, and learning design. The findings provide evidence to improve the final version of the MOOC, contributing to its effectiveness and adequacy to the target audience.

Comparative analysis of virtual environments for teaching and learning in programming disciplines: a bibliographic exploration

Comparative analysis of virtual environments for teaching and learning in programming disciplines: a bibliographic exploration

Proposing a process for training online teaching competence for lecturers at higher education institutions

Online teaching has become an inevitable trend in education as technology and engineering advance. It is necessary to train and foster online teaching competence for lecturers at higher education institutions. This article uses the literature review and the theoretical method to analyze the existing proposals on models and frameworks of online teaching competency by many different authors worldwide. Based on the discovery of the commonalities and gaps between these perspectives combined with analyzing the characteristics of online teaching at the university level, the article proposes a framework of online teaching competencies for the higher education faculty along with relevant knowledge related to these competencies. This framework includes eight competencies with specific performance criteria. This article also builds a process for training online teaching competence for lecturers at higher education institutions. According to the PDCA deeming cycle, this process consists of three stages: planning, implementation and improvement to support lecturers in adapting to the virtual teaching environment.

Adapting to Remote Learning during COVID-19: An Engineering Education Approach

With a focus on the problems faced by the education sector, this article shows the main technological tools used by teachers for remote teaching in an engineering education program during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a case study in a Latin American university positioned in the QS World University Ranking, the tools most frequently used for communication, storing information, messaging, and sharing learning videos are described. This study examines engineering’s areas of knowledge, considering that learning them poses a challenge for teaching in virtual environments due to the need to carry out laboratory practices. Using statistical methods, the relationships between the areas of the education program, the teachers’ sociodemographic variables, and the technological tools used to offer online classes during the lockdown are described. The results show that, from the perspective of the teacher and for the field of engineering, the tools with the most significant effect, in sometimes essential for teaching during the pandemic, were those related to the Google platforms, which were used in 75% of the cases for video communication and storage. Meanwhile, with 44 and 56% WhatsApp and Moodle, were the most used for messaging and sharing contents and learning materials.

Innovative Technologies in the Management of the Educational Process in the University: Prospects and Ways of Implementation

The purpose of the article is to provide a concise overview of the potential and methods for implementing groundbreaking technologies in the management of higher education. Research methods. The research utilized a variety of scientific and specialized research techniques, such as analysis and synthesis, comparison, generalization, and systemic and structural analysis. The scientific novelty is to highlight the prospects, ways of implementation, as well as benefits of involving innovative technologies in the management of the educational process in higher education institutions. Information and innovative technologies and computerization in all areas of education have been one of the main trends in the development of modern society for many years. Although new information and innovative technologies are being introduced into the educational process, higher education institutions are provided with computer equipment and constant access to the Internet, which is openly used by teachers and students, where these processes have formed a new scientific and technical basis for the development and operation of virtual tools in education. The virtual educational environment formation is one of the most significant methodological and pedagogical tasks of the efficient organization of the educational process, which consists in developing the higher education establishment’s infrastructure, namely the information environment, which involves implementing new information services. Conclusions. It has been established that under current conditions, innovative technologies serve as tools for solving individual pedagogical tasks and provide new opportunities for managing the educational process. The progressive development of the educational process organization requires the involvement of new learning models integrated into information and communication technologies. As a result, higher education establishments will receive the following benefits: teaching students the skills they will need in further education throughout their lives and future professional activities; access to information and communication outside the classroom; use of innovative technologies to support the pedagogical development of teachers through external networks, etc. The use of innovative technologies in the management of the educational process in universities requires the development of the infrastructure of the education environment: the commissioning of computer equipment, network support, information terminals, educational and methodological techniques and technical support for innovative technologies, as well as the development of a strategy for equipping higher education institutions with the necessary educational software. The ways of implementing innovative technologies in the management of the educational process in universities are identified: development of partnerships between higher education institutions, government agencies and other organizations; availability of qualified personnel whose activities are aimed at implementing innovative technologies in the management of the educational process; development of a strategy that defines goals and objectives, necessary resources and schedule for a particular higher education institution.

Virtual Environments in Higher Education: A Systematic Review

Virtual Environments in Higher Education: A Systematic Review