This research area investigates the various teaching and learning processes that take place in online environments as well as their effects on learner outcomes. Research issues such as how to tailor and fine-tune online teaching to learners’ needs, how learners culturally appropriate knowledge, and the effects of instruction on learners’ performance. Interaction and communication in formal and informal learning scenarios would be the core mechanisms for analysis throughout all kinds of ICT technologies. The results of the teaching and learning processes will search for adaptable decisions and actions that make these processes reliable. The three main areas of research are (but not limited): 1) instructional design of online tasks, materials and tools, 2) e-assessment methods and the provision of effective feedback 3) learning support and efficient student patterns and profiles.
Propostes de tesi:
- Assessment and feedback in online learning environments
- Life skills development through learner support
- Media competency and Waldorf education
- Research in techonology-enhanced language learning
- Second language acquisition outcomes in computer-assisted language learning environments
- Social-emotional learning and media education
- Student-centred learning design and co-design
- Teachers training in online learning environments and its impact on learning
- Using learning analytics to redefine the role of tutors and learners for effective feedback and assessment
Assessment and feedback in online learning environments
Investigador/es:
Dra. Anna Espasa, coordinator
Dra. Teresa Guasch, coordinator
Dra. Rosa Mayordomo
Grups de recerca:
Ed –Online Research Group
This research line focuses on:
- Characteristics and nature of feedback and its impact on students’ learning.
- Peer feedback and students learning.
- Feedback and collaborative learning.
- Feedback and learner engagement in online environments.
- The use of different channels to give feedback (audio, video, written): strategies and conditions to improve dialogue for learning.
- Design of formative assessment and the role of feedback.
- Feedback and feedforward and its implementation.
- Academic writing as a learning tool in online learning environments and scaffolding supports such as feedback.
- Formative assessment, feedback and teacher workload.
- Feedback and self-regulation of learning; feedback and socially shared regulation.
- Feedback and assessment in MOOCs (massive open online courses).
- Assessment and feedback on quality processes at institutional level.
Life skills development through learner support
Investigador/es:
Dra. Elena Barberà
Dr. Armando Cortés
Dr. Margarida Romero
Grups de recerca:
e-DUS Research Group
A critical aspect of any effective retention and attrition reduction programme in online learning is an efficient learner support strategy. This research area aims to develop an educational framework and corresponding mechanisms for online and distance learning within the context of education for sustainable development (ESD) and global citizenship education (GCE). The framework proposed is inspired in the idea that nowadays students should not only reach excellence in literacy and numeracy, but also should be educated to succeed in work, life and citizenship (21st-century education). Thus, the final objective is to encourage changes in students' behaviours and lifestyles that allow for a more sustainable and just society for all.
The main research issues include but are not limited to the following areas: 1) operationalization of non-educational frameworks that promote ESD and GCE for online learning environments; 2) creation of educational quality indices to measure human development in online education; 3) learner support strategies in life skills education as a bridge to human capabilities; and 4) the impact of culture on the development of human capabilities in online education.
Media competency and Waldorf education
Investigador:
Dr. Atanasi Daradoumis
Research in techonology-enhanced language learning
Investigador/es:
Dra. Christine Appel
Dra. Gisela Grañena
Dra. Laia Canals
Grups de recerca:
RETELL Research Group
This research line focuses on second language teaching and learning in blended and virtual environments using innovative teaching methodologies. Research topics include, but are not limited to:
- Computer-mediated communication
- Computer-assisted language learning and teaching
- Telecollaboration and interaction
- Learning design, including OER and MOOCs
- Individual differences in second language learning
- Teacher training focused on online and blended environments
Second language acquisition outcomes in computer-assisted language learning environments
Investigador:
Dra. Gisela Grañena
There are increasingly more technologies that support computer-assisted language learning. While these are necessary developments, there is a need for technological options that go hand-in-hand with pedagogical and psycholinguistic considerations. This line of research investigates the effectiveness of different pedagogical interventions on L2 learning in computer-assisted language environments. For example, task design, types of corrective feedback, and instructional methods. The ultimate goal is to identify those variables that have the greatest impacts on L2 learning in computer-assisted language learning environments.
Social-emotional learning and media education
Investigador:
Dr. Atanasi Daradoumis
Student-centred learning design and co-design
Investigador:
Dra. Iolanda Garcia
This research line is devoted to the study of the processes, methodologies and tools for designing and co-designing learning scenarios and experiences in a broad sense. The objects of study are learner-centred and are therefore aimed at responding to learners’ needs and interests, while at the same time gradually granting learners control of their own learning.
Teachers training in online learning environments and its impact on learning
Investigador/es:
Dra. Anna Espasa, coordinator
Dra. Teresa Guasch, coordinator
Dra. Rosa Mayordomo
Grups de recerca:
Ed –Online Research Group
This thesis proposal includes:
- Assessment for learning
- Relationships between teacher’s training and changes in performance
- Teaching skills in online environments
- Relationship among teaching presence, social presence, cognitive and metacognitive presence in online environments
Using learning analytics to redefine the role of tutors and learners for effective feedback and assessment
Investigador/es:
Dra. Teresa Sancho, coordinadora
Dra. M.Jesús Marco
Dr. Julià Minguillón
Grups de recerca:
LAIKA Research Group
This research line uses data analysis to find and analyse indicators in order to measure the relation between the student's academic achievement and, for instance, the tutor's use of educational interactive (online) tools. We also analyse the influence of the educational personal feedback in the learning process and the relevance, for instance, of the emotional factors in this process. This analysis also includes the study of appropiate personalised feedback tools to formative assessment, specifically in the context of learning by competence like rúbrics and portfolios, among others. This research line has a special interest in analysing the relation between the students profile with the dropout in online courses related with the educational tutors feedback process.