Students First
Asynchronous Session
Exploration of In-Service Teachers’ Preparedness and Perceived Challenges about Inclusive Education in the United Arab Emirates View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Laila Mohebi, Areej El Sayary, Lawrence Meda
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic led to the deterioration of exclusive pedagogical practices in different learning institutions. This is because the pandemic forced teachers to make an abrupt instructional switch from face-to-face to online learning without having sufficient time to prepare. Various studies have reported that students with special needs in learning have to tolerate the burden of this tumultuous instructional transition. The educational policymakers have requested that in-service teachers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) attend an inclusive education professional development program to equip them with knowledge and skills for teaching and supporting special needs children. The purpose of this study is to explore the extent to which in-service teachers were prepared to teach inclusively and the challenges they perceive after completing a six-month inclusive education teacher professional development (TPD) program. The study was done using a qualitative case study within an interpretive paradigm. Fourteen teachers from different schools across the country were purposively selected to complete an open-ended questionnaire and participate in semi-structured interviews. It was found that teachers gained comprehensive knowledge from the program and they felt confident and ready to implement inclusive pedagogical approaches in their classrooms.
First Past the Post – Education for Adults in a Post-pandemic, Post-colonial, Post-modern Globalised Higher Education Sector View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Rob Townsend
The Asia-Pacific is becoming the most expansive higher education region for adult based education services, ranging from New Zealand in the south to the border of the Russian Federation, and including the growth regions of China, India, and the Middle East. Professional education in the sciences, IT, health, social work, and wellbeing disciplines are expanding rapidly in this region and across the globe. The globalization of health and social issues is challenging professional education and accreditation processes to adjust to producing higher education graduates who are global professionals, that is, multi-lingual, culturally responsive, able to work at diverse community contexts and network with local and global organizations and resources to create social and economic change. This paper outlines the development of new curriculum frameworks for post-modern, post-colonial, and now post-pandemic international education sector that attempts to meet the challenges of intercultural learning and skills development for this new plurilingual context. The ethnographic study reveals that in the Asia-Pacific region, education organizations and educators are developing globalized, internationalized curriculum when motivated and supported to do so. The COVID-19 pandemic has facilitated a new level of understanding, motivation, and context to designing globalized curriculum for adult-based lifelong learning content, processes, and outcomes in higher education.
Do You Concentrate?: A New Computational Tool for Measuring Students’ Concentration View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Yang Gao
This study presents a computational tool for evaluating student concentration and learning. Despite mixed findings on fidgeting's impact on learning, it raises questions about whether fidgeting accurately reflects concentration and learning outcomes. we compared humans and a newly developed algorithm (hereafter Youdao Algorithm, YA) on their judgment of fidgeting and concentration. Importantly, we wanted to know whether these judgments of concentration actually predict learning outcomes. We recorded 35 9-year-olds doing a paper-based math test and Attention Network Test (ANT) for 45 minutes. In Study 1, 35 adults watched videos and rated on a scale of 1 to 5 each children’s concentration, fidgeting, and math test performance. Results revealed a consensus among adults regarding concentration and fidgeting, yet these ratings did not align with actual math test scores or performance on the ANT. In Study 2, we presented the same 35 videos to the YA. We found that the YA provided divergent assessments from a new group of adults (N=615). Interestingly, the YA demonstrated superior accuracy in predicting actual academic performance. To further test, we had adults (N=685) evaluate the videos against altered backgrounds (classrooms and cafes). Despite context changes, adults consistently agreed on concentration and learning assessments, replicating Studies 1 and 2. Overall, our studies showed that humans have a consensus of what counts as fidgeting and concentration, but this perception does not accurately predict academic performance. Since teachers’ perception impacts students’ outcome, non-human algorithm that more accurately captures fidgeting/concentration can be an immensely useful tool for educators.
The Dynamics of Flexible Teaching: Student-centered Strategies in Hybrid Learning Environments View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Ander Alonso-Pastor, Maria Alejandra Torres Maldonado, Derek Osain Nicho
This study investigates the dynamics of flexible teaching within hybrid learning environments in higher education, using a sequential mixed-methods approach. A survey with 9,863 student responses was employed to classify teachers into four distinct clusters based on their teaching practices. Follow-up focus groups with these teachers provided insights into their experiences and strategies. The findings emphasize the importance of adaptability and student-centered teaching methods in enhancing educational experiences. Identified challenges include emotional management, interpersonal relationships, and the need for effective use of technology and pedagogical support in hybrid settings.
