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This study aims to analyze how pre-service informatics teachers design learning scenarios with robotics to teach programming fundamentals and to promote computational thinking skills. A descriptive and exploratory case study design was implemented with 26 pre-service informatics teachers. Data were collected from the participants using qualitative and quantitative instruments. The main results pointed out the affordances and possibilities of the use of learning scenarios with robotics to teach programming fundamentals and to promote computational thinking skills as well as a strong path to promote the application of contents of the other Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) areas. Another significant finding was the impact of the didactic experience on the level of interest and self-confidence of the pre-service teachers in using robotics for teaching purposes. The results showed the importance of these didactics experiences to the pre-service teachers preparation and to apply the pedagogic approaches they have learned in theory in practical activities and to transfer this knowledge to new pedagogical situations and problems.

This study aims to contribute to understanding of the state of the art regarding the pedagogical cultures associated with teaching and learning research methods in advanced studies education through the identification of trends and pitfalls. The rationale behind this objective is the recognition that most of the research in education comes from academic programmes, in particular master’s and doctoral programmes, which generally include research methods as components. A systematic literature review was adopted as the research methodology, following the PRISMA model. Three stages of article selection were implemented, resulting in the selection of 68 studies out of an initial set of 3631 articles found in the main journal databases. Three specific dimensions were addressed: (i) methodological knowledge, (ii) research competencies, and (iii) pedagogical practices in teaching research methods in education programmes. The results illustrate the complexity of the subject. Learners are constantly reported to hold negative attitudes towards research methods courses, apparently due to instructors’ pedagogical difficulties, which translate into restricted understandings of methodological knowledge. Several misunderstandings between learners and teachers are identified which call for action towards the construction of a research-based scientific culture that will lead to inclusive pedagogical practices in which teachers and learners act as researchers.

The growing attention to virtual reality (VR) suggests that immersive technologies will be widely applied across various contexts, including education. However, conceptual divergences and a lack of understanding regarding the learning process in immersive virtual environments reveal the nascent understanding of the use of immersive virtual reality (iVR) and its benefits in educational contexts. Against this backdrop, this article presents a proposed pedagogical framework aimed at aligning the affordances of iVR environments—such as immersion, interactivity, and embodiment—with educational objectives, thereby enhancing learning experiences. Developed through a design-based research (DBR) methodology, the framework integrates theoretical contributions from the CAMIL model and the XR ABC framework in conjunction with the revised Bloom’s taxonomy. The structure organizes immersive experiences into three levels—Absorb, Experience, and Explore—which are distinguished by the interactivity and complexity of the proposed tasks. Each level is mapped to the cognitive domains and dimensions of knowledge, promoting the progressive development of cognitive and psychomotor skills. It is posited that aligning the technological features of the environment with educational objectives and the level of active student engagement can facilitate learning in immersive environments.

Purpose The construction of learning scenarios is a way to plan for teaching activities, promoting the development of skills related to problem solving, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity. Using learning scenarios as a lesson planning strategy becomes a powerful tool in initial teacher education. On the one hand, it mobilizes teaching-related scientific concepts, and on the other hand, it offers opportunities to think on innovative pedagogic approaches involving strategies and capacities essential for the future teacher. Research shows that teacher education programs within real school contexts enriched with digital technologies represent an important factor in increasing the quality of teachers’ preparation and their future professional practice. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach The authors present the analysis of practice of design and implementation of learning scenarios in teachers’ initial education courses developed with students of teaching master degrees. Activity theory is used in the analysis of a case study of a student-teacher in Computer Science. Findings The results have been analyzed, contributing to the specification of the principles underlying the learning scenarios in initial teacher education. Research limitations/implications Results show the affordances and possibilities of using learning scenarios as structuring resources for the initial teacher education practice. Originality/value Therefore, the use of learning scenarios brings a set of potentialities to teacher training given its prospective nature.

This paper aims to identify and discuss what constitutes a research-based pedagogical culture in teaching research methods courses in master’s and doctoral programs in education. The discussion draws on empirical results of a set of five focus group interviews with teachers responsible for teaching research methods courses in educational programs in higher education institutions in Portugal. Data are analyzed and interpreted within a situated learning framework that acknowledges the relevance of creating social learning spaces which accommodate the variety of students. The article closes with a characterization of what could be a research-based pedagogical culture in teaching research methods in advanced studies in education in the near future.

Having a clear understanding of the learner population has an impact on effective course design and delivery in any learning context. However, it has greater importance in a MOOC learning environment because of the high diversity of participants. Most of the review studies on MOOC research mention learner population as a recurrent theme. These studies focus on behaviours, performance, learner participation and interaction patterns, learner perceptions and preferences, learner experiences, motivation, demographics, and classifications of learners into subpopulations. Nevertheless, there is little knowledge about the learners’ perceptions of their own learning and the learning process, which is a key element of learning according to heutagogy, the theory of self-determined learning. In our study, which is based on two theoretical pillars (heutagogy and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment) we aimed at capturing traces of capability development through language MOOC learners’ reflections and identifying learning activities that are perceived by learners as preferred activities for skill acquisition in a language MOOC learning environment. We designed two open-ended questions in a survey format that were administered in an Italian language MOOC offered by Wellesley College. We were able to capture traces of capability development through learners’ reflections, and we also found that a) based on learners’ perceptions the most preferred way of acquiring new skills is through receptive activity types; b) these activity types coincide with learners’ perceptions of their own understanding (listening and reading) skill development.

In this paper we analyze, from the perspective of 'Embodied Cognition', why learning and cognition are situated and context-dependent. We argue that the nature of situated learning and cognition cannot be fully understood by focusing only on social, cultural and contextual factors. These factors are themselves further situated and made comprehensible by the shared biology and fundamental bodily experiences of human beings. Thus cognition itself is embodied, and the bodily-grounded nature of cognition provides a foundation for social situatedness, entails a reconceptualization of cognition and mathematics itself, and has important consequences for mathematics education. After framing some theoretical notions of embodied cognition in the perspective of modern cognitive science, we analyze a case study - continuity of functions. We use conceptual metaphor theory to show how embodied cognition, while providing grounding for situatedness, also gives fruitful results in analyzing the cognitive difficulties underlying the understanding of continuity.

This article aims to challenge and interrogate the concept of integration of digital technology in the curriculum. We set the stage for the discussion taking the no-tion of curriculum and discussing the way teachers take it as a mediating tool and structuring resource for teaching. In the next step we engage in the discussion of learning as transformative participation in school social practices and locate digital technology within that problematic. We then go into the key claim of the article arguing for the myth of integration of digital technology in the curriculum. This provides the background for the formulation of a set of principles that would support the development of a framework for digital technology in education and contextual guidelines. To close we provide examples of topics under-represented in the research that are crucial to support such a framework.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) made the promise of offering unrestrictive and unselective educational opportunities to learners worldwide. However, the specific learning environment of the MOOC requires high autonomy and flexibility in learning. MOOC learners are extremely diverse in terms of their age, qualifications, background and in the ability of self-regulating their learning. In this study, we aimed at having a better understanding of learners’ readiness for self-determined learning in a Language MOOC context. Our objective was to select and characterize highly self-determined learners and to examine the relationship between self-determined learning characteristics of this specific learner cohort. We applied a battery of instruments measuring self-directed learning readiness, self-reflection and insight, self-efficacy and internet skills. Highly self-determined learners were selected by applying criteria based on the reported level of confidence in learners’ skills on the agreement scales. The Pearson correlation was used to examine the relationship between self-directed learning readiness and self-reflection and insight, self-efficacy and internet skills. Our results showed that only 4.31% of the participants fulfilled our established criteria. The correlation tests revealed that there are significant correlations among the self-determined learning elements: we found significant positive correlation between, self-directed learning readiness and insight, self-efficacy, information navigation internet skill ; between desire for learning and insight, engagement in reflection; desire for learning and need for reflection, information navigation; between self-management and mobile internet skill;and between self-control and self-efficacy. Based on the results, implications and suggestion for MOOC design are provided.

Resumo O artigo apresenta o desenvolvimento e resultados de uma revisão sistemática da literatura sobre Educação Matemática e Educação a Distância. Essa revisão é parte de uma investigação de doutorado sobre as práticas em e-learning e b-learning nos cursos de Licenciatura em Matemática do Brasil. O principal objetivo foi identificar, no âmbito da Educação Matemática, como pesquisas anteriores (entre janeiro de 2011 e dezembro de 2017) definem os modelos e-learning e b-learning. Ainda, procurou-se perceber em quais níveis de ensino essas investigações estão situadas: Educação Básica, formação inicial ou contínua de professores. Apesar do foco da pesquisa de doutorado ser nos cursos de formação inicial, acredita-se que investigações anteriores, desenvolvidas em outros níveis escolares, também possam acrescentar reflexões para a compreensão desses modelos de cursos. Realizou-se uma revisão sistemática, apoiando-se em orientações de pesquisadores que se dedicam a este tipo de metodologia. As diferentes fases do processo de revisão foram seguidas rigorosamente: definição de objetivos/questões, de equações de pesquisa e das bases de dados; determinação dos critérios de inclusão, de exclusão e de validade metodológica; apresentação e discussão dos resultados. Como softwares de apoio têm-se as folhas de cálculo do Google e o NVivo. Os resultados da revisão mostram, além de uma maior incidência de trabalhos acerca da formação de professores, muita dispersão sobre o conceito de e-learning e pouca ocorrência de estudos sobre o b-learning. Notou-se, também, um número significativo de trabalhos que faziam referência à necessidade de criar condições, na formação de professores a distância, para constituição de comunidades. Abstract The article presents the development and results of a systematic review of the literature on Mathematics Education and Distance Learning. This review is part of a doctoral research in development on e-learning and b-learning practices in Brazilian Mathematics Teacher Education Programs. The main objective of the review was to identify in Mathematics Education how previous researches (January 2011 and December 2017) defined the e-learning and b-learning teaching models. In addition, it is possible to understand at what levels of education these investigations are situated: basic education, initial or continuing teacher education. Although focusing on a doctoral undergraduate research, it is believed that the previous research, reproduced at other school levels, can also add elements and reflections to understand these models of courses in Distance Education. We carried out a systematic review based on orientations from different organizations and researchers dedicated to this area of research. In this sense, we followed different phases in the process to make the review: definition of objectives/questions, research equations and databases; determination of inclusion, exclusion, and methodological validity criteria; presentation and discussion of results; and data. As supporting software, both Google spreadsheets and NVivo11 were herein used. In addition to a higher incidence of work that occur in the teacher training context, the review results show great dispersion about the concept of e-learning and a lower occurrence of studies on b-learning models. Also, a significant number of works refer to the need to create conditions, in Distance Teacher Education Programs, for the constitution of (virtual) learning communities.