Procesos y resultados de enseñanza y aprendizaje adaptativos en la educación en línea y digital
This line of research explores teaching and learning processes in online or technology-mediated environments, and their impact on learning outcomes. The focus is on students and their active role in learning, recognizing that it is a dynamic process in which each individual brings their own unique experiences, prior knowledge and perspectives. At the same time, the aim is to understand and improve the initial training and professional development of teaching staff in digital contexts. It involves studying how to adapt the design and implementation of online or technology-mediated learning to meet students' needs, based on feedback received from them and data collected during the learning process.
Research topics include analytics for understanding and improving learning; formative assessment and feedback; personalization of learning; student experience and involvement in learning; the socioemotional dimension of learning, and training teaching staff to use digital technologies effectively and critically.
PROPUESTA DE TESIS
Características y naturaleza del feedback y su impacto en el aprendizaje del estudiantado
This research line explores the following topics, with a focus on online learning environments or technology-enhanced learning:
- Online learning environment and inner feedback
- Artificial intelligence (IA) and feedback
- Feedback personalization
- Feedback and self-regulated learning
- Assessment and evaluative judgment
- Assessment and feedback practices in schools
Investigador
- Dr Rosa Mayordomo
mmayordomo@uoc.edu - Dr Teresa Guasch
tguaschp@uoc.edu - Dr Anna Espasa
aespasa@uoc.edu
Grupos de investigación
Palabras clave
- feedback for learning, assessment for learning; technology enhanced-learning
PROPUESTA DE TESIS
Estrategias de feedback para mejorar el aprendizaje
This proposal focuses on studying feedback strategies and practices to strengthen self-regulated learning and the development of evaluative judgement, particularly within the framework of competency-based assessment, in both schools and higher education institutions. Approaches such as peer assessment, multimodal feedback and learning analytics are analysed along with their application in hybrid, digital and in-person environments. Attention is paid to how pedagogical and technological conditions affect the quality of feedback. This proposal is relevant in the context of secondary and higher education, especially with regard to the study of online teaching processes, teacher training and the development of metacognitive skills.
Investigador
- Dr. Maite Fernández-Ferrer
(Coordination)
mfernandezferrer@uoc.edu - Dr. Laia Lluch Molins
llluchm@uoc.edu
Grupos de investigación
Palabras clave
- feedback, self-regulation, learning analytics
PROPUESTA DE TESIS
Evaluación entre iguales en línea en la educación matemática
This research focuses on adapting and applying peer assessment processes to online or blended mathematics learning environments. It will explore the design of subject-specific rubrics, the quality of peer feedback, and its impact on students' self-regulation and learning. Additional aspects such as reliability, student perceptions and teacher training needs for implementing technology-supported peer assessment will also be analysed
Investigador
- Dr Marc Guinjoan Francisco
mguinjoanf@uoc.edu - Dr. Teresa Sancho Vinuesa
tsancho@uoc.edu
Grupos de investigación
Palabras clave
- peer assessment, peer feedback, rubrics
PROPUESTA DE TESIS
Enseñanza y aprendizaje de segundas lenguas en entornos tecnológicos
There are increasingly more technologies that support computer-assisted language learning. While these are necessary developments, there is a need for technological options to go hand-in-hand with pedagogical and psycholinguistic considerations. This line of research investigates second language teaching and learning in blended and virtual environments and the effectiveness of different pedagogical interventions on L2 learning.
Research topics include, but are not limited to:
- Focus on form and L2 learning (e.g., corrective feedback).
- Technology-based Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT).
- Telecollaboration and interaction.
- Learning design, including OER and MOOCs.
- Individual differences in second language learning.
- Artificial intelligence (AI) and language learning (e.g., voice-based chatbots).
- AI and self-regulated learning.
- Teacher training focused on the use of AI for instructional design.
- Teachers' and learners' beliefs about language teaching and learning
Investigador
- Dr Laia Canals
ecanalsf@uoc.edu - Dr Gisela Grañena
ggranena@uoc.edu - Dr Ares Llop
llopn@uoc.edu - Dr Ana Rosso
arossoh@uoc.edu - Dr Pedro Fernández Michels
pfernandezmi@uoc.edu - Dr Irene Tort
itortc@uoc.edu
Grupos de investigación
Palabras clave
- technology-mediated second language; instructed language acquisition; individual differences in SL
PROPUESTA DE TESIS
Aprendizaje de segundas lenguas y comunicación en línea
PhD Research proposals are welcome in any of the following topics:
- eTandem language learning: eTandem language learning takes place when two learners who are L1 speakers of each other’s TL help each collaborate. Dyads, peer-feedback and new technologies/contexts such as virtual reality are venues of exploration for this type of learning
- Teaching speaking interaction online: teacher and peer-feedback, task design, blended formats.
- Alignment phenomena in L2 dialogue. Alignment phenomena in L2 dialogue has been posited to facilitate L2 acquisition, and be mediated by task or L1/L2.
- Learner engagement in online environments
- Affective factor. Emotions such as anxiety or enjoyment are strongly present in online communication and can enhance or hinder L2 learning.
- Gamification
Investigador
- Dr Christine Appel
mappel@uoc.edu
Grupos de investigación
Palabras clave
- online communication; tandem language-learning; language learning design
PROPUESTA DE TESIS
Análisis y mejora del éxito del estudiantado: expectativas, experiencia y satisfacción con el aprendizaje en línea en la UOC
This research line focuses on studying undergraduate and postgraduate students’ experiences with online learning in a fully online higher education institution such as the UOC. Drawing on the team’s expertise in designing and assessing educational innovations, the research carried out by the PhD students will contribute to a better understanding of the learners’ expectations, how they manage and engage with the online learning at our university, how the intersection between their expectations and experience influences their satisfaction and, in the end, how it affects their determination to achieve their educational goals. Candidates should be fluent in Catalan or Spanish to be able to carry on the fieldwork and analyse their data, developing a qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods approach.
Investigador
- Dr Julio Meneses
jmenesesn@uoc.edu - Dr Sergi Fàbregues Feijó
sfabreguesf@uoc.edu - Dr Ariadna Angulo Brunet
aangulob@uoc.edu - Dr José Israel Reyes Reyes
jreyesrey@uoc.edu
Grupos de investigación
Palabras clave
- students’ success; students’ experience; online learning
PROPUESTA DE TESIS
Identidad, agencia y compromiso con el aprendizaje del estudiantado en entornos semipresenciales y en línea
This research proposal is focused on analysing students' learning engagement in relation to their identity and agency development as learners in online and blended environments. We conceive agency and identity as dynamic and socioculturally mediated dispositions through which students build their learning pathways across different environments.
We propose dialogical and reflective learning approaches, including student participation in learning co-design via digital technologies, as means of encouraging students' learning engagement, as well as their identity and agency development by gradually taking control and direction of their own learning.
Investigador
- Dr Iolanda García González
igarciago@uoc.edu
Grupos de investigación
Palabras clave
- student identity and agency; learning engagement; learning (co)design
PROPUESTA DE TESIS
Personalización del aprendizaje
The proposed research line aims to advance the personalization of learning based on learners' individual characteristics, needs and contexts. It explores how technology – particularly artificial intelligence – can support adaptive, inclusive and effective educational experiences.
Key research directions include:
- Synchronous, asynchronous and hybrid learning methodologies
- Active and experiential learning approaches
- Feedback and learner support mechanisms
- Competency-based programme design
- Competence and knowledge assessment methods
- Artificial intelligence for educational innovation
- Formal and informal learning pathways
- Linking learning methodologies to skills development and employability
Investigador
- Dr Maria Jesús Martínez Argüelles
mmartinezarg@uoc.edu - Dr Àngels Fitó Bertran
afitob@uoc.edu - Dr Carme Pagès Serra
cpagesserra@uoc.edu - Dr Cíntia Pla García
cplag@uoc.edu - Dr Enric Serradell Lopez
eserradell@uoc.edu - Dr Raquel Ferreras García
rferreras@uoc.edu - Dr Maria Pujol Jover
mpujoljo@uoc.edu - Dr Jordi Sales-Zaguirre
jsales@uoc.edu - Dr David Roman Coy
droman@eada.edu - Dr Akinul I. Jony
ajony@uoc.edu
Grupos de investigación
Palabras clave
- learning personalisation, AI; skills development
PROPUESTA DE TESIS
Integración de conocimientos procedentes de la neurociencia educativa, el aprendizaje socioemocional y las pedagogías imaginativas, así como de nuevas tecnologías como el aprendizaje automático, el big data o los chatbots afectivos, para promover nuevas formas de enseñanza y aprendizaje
This research will investigate the following large-scale research topics (which can be independent PhD topics):
1. The inclusion of psico-pedagogic mechanisms in learning digital resources, basically based on educational regulation and metacognition, mediated by AI to improve the quality of teaching and learning process.
2. The relationship of educational neuroscience with socio-emotional learning, especially emotional intelligence.
3. The relationship of virtual or human teacher cognitive and affective feedback with neurotransmitters and students’ motivation and attention.
4. The development of an intelligent and affective-aware CSCL environment that orchestrates students' interactions and engagement in an effective manner, taking into consideration different affective states.
5. The analysis and interpretation of the relationship between emotion awareness and educational neuroscience, identifying what neurotransmitters have a strong relationship with the emotions that students experience during their online learning processes (conversations, debates, wikis) in context.
Investigador
- Dr Marta Arguedas
martaarg@uoc.edu
Grupos de investigación
Palabras clave
- educational neuroscience, socio-emocional learning, metacognition and AI
PROPUESTA DE TESIS
Uso de inteligencia artificial generativa en la formación inicial del profesorado de educación primaria y secundaria
This research line focuses on the educational potential and pedagogical implications of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) within initial teacher training (ITT) programmes for primary and secondary education teachers.
It investigates how GenAI-based tools can be integrated into the teacher preparation curriculum to equip future educators with the necessary skills to use GenAI effectively, ethically and critically in their classrooms.
The research aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of how initial teacher education (ITE) can be reformed to integrate GenAI responsibly. The goal is to ensure that future primary and secondary teachers are not only users of this technology but also critical, ethical and pedagogically informed designers of AI-enhanced learning experiences.
Investigador
- Dr Lorena Becerril
(Coordinator)
lbecerril@uoc.edu - Dr Antoni Badia
tbadia@uoc.edu
Grupos de investigación
- SINTE (UAB)
Palabras clave
- GenAI; primary and secondary education; initial teacher training
PROPUESTA DE TESIS
Desarrollo profesional docente en la era digital
Development of competency frameworks, strategies and actions for teaching, especially hybrid and online, that help with professional teaching updating in emerging and future educational scenarios (teaching focus).
Investigador
- Dr Montse Guitert
mguitert@uoc.edu - Dr Josep M Duart
jduart@uoc.edu - Dr Nati Cabrera
ncabrera@uoc.edu - Dr Lourdes Guàrdia
lguardia@uoc.edu - Dr Marcelo Maina
mmaina@uoc.edu - Dr Marc Romero
mromerocar@uoc.edu - Dr Teresa Romeu
tromeu@uoc.edu - Dr Albert Sangrà
asangra@uoc.edu
Grupos de investigación
Palabras clave
- competency frameworks; teacher professional development; future educational scenarios