Research Article
Leonardo David Glasserman-Morales, Carolina Alcantar-Nieblas, Marcela Inés Sisto
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 16, Issue 2, Article No: ep498
ABSTRACT
Nowadays, digital competencies encompass skills and attitudes with technical, informational, content, media, and communication aspects that are crucial for students and future professionals. Hence, there is a need to investigate the possible correlations between demographic and contextual variables and the development of digital competencies in higher education. This paper reports on several university-student demographic factors associated with digital competencies. The work used a quantitative approach with descriptive statistical techniques such as a means test and Pearson correlation analysis. The findings identified that (a) there are statistically significant differences between the mean obtained in the previous semester in digital competencies and the gender of the students, (b) there are no statistically significant differences in the final mean for digital competencies and the students’ institution of origin, and (c) the variables included in the study are statistically significant. They also found that the mean attained by the university students in the previous semester had a strong predictive power of student performance; in contrast, the student’s high school institution of origin variable was a weak predictor of their digital competency. This paper presents the findings and implications for practice and research.
Keywords: digital competencies, higher education, educational innovation, demographic factors, school factors, educational technology
Research Article
Aygul A. Khafizova, Almaz M. Galimov, Saida R. Kharisova, Ludmila Y. Grebenshchikova, Roza I. Yagudina, Lyudmila M. Smirnova
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 15, Issue 4, Article No: ep479
ABSTRACT
This study analyzes how medical educational programs are evolving to address the digital transformation in healthcare. Surveys, curriculum analysis, and faculty interviews were utilized to examine technology integration. Findings indicate electronic medical records are considered the most significant digital achievement, though only 4% of beginner faculty emphasized telemedicine. Curriculum analysis revealed increasing modifications related to technology, informatics, and data analytics, especially in certain specialties like biochemistry and biophysics. Interviews provided insights into digital integration opportunities and challenges. A key theme was re-evaluating pedagogical strategies as students rely more on technology. Interviewees also envisioned emerging innovations enabling personalized, immersive learning, but cautioned against over-dependence on technology impeding development of clinical skills and humanism. Overall, while core medical fundamentals remain unchanged, curriculum content is adapting to incorporate new competencies like digital literacy. However, strategic integration remains crucial to balance technology’s benefits and drawbacks. Challenges like technical difficulties, costs, and over-reliance must be addressed. The outlook is increased technology utilization, with solutions like AI-enabled adaptive learning on the horizon. However, investing in infrastructure and faculty development will be vital. Medical schools must leverage technology to elevate learning while retaining humanistic values. This study provides timely insights into medical education’s digital transformation, laying groundwork for further research on optimizing technology integration while upholding the human core of medicine.
Keywords: digital competencies in medical education, healthcare digitalization, medical curriculum, medical education
Review Article
Svetlana N. Vachkova, Elena Y. Petryaeva, Marina G. Tsyrenova, Liudmila V. Shukshina, Natalia A. Krasheninnikova, Mikhail G. Leontev
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 4, Article No: ep391
ABSTRACT
The world we live in today holds some uncertainties. The processes of automation, big data, the digital environment, global crises, and the interconnectedness of international society are changing common technological patterns and the educational system. Among the essential features of competitiveness of teachers in higher education are mobility, digital competencies, adaptability, participation in scientific networks and projects, and continuous acquisition of new technological skills. For this reason, teachers must continuously develop their professional skills to remain competitive and create professionals in higher education. Current conditions are fostering global demand for teachers who produce pedagogical and scientific developments.
This article aims to solve the problem of defining the structure, content, and requirements of scientific and methodological support for higher education teachers’ competitiveness in a digital world in the context of global challenges and risks. Theoretically, the problem is defined by the need for new approaches to explaining the concept of teacher competitiveness and the need to develop a psychological and teaching methodology for training and developing teacher competitiveness. In practice, we conclude that researchers must develop personal, professional, procedural, and technological enhancements to support higher education faculty competitiveness in a digital world.
Keywords: higher education, competitive teacher, digital economics, global risks & challenges, network-based education, social profile, digital transformation, competencies, digital world
Research Article
Hannele Niemi, Shuanghong Niu, Marianna Vivitsou, Baoping Li
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 9, Issue 4, pp. 331-353
ABSTRACT
The aim of this digital storytelling (DST) study was to investigate how students acquire twenty-first-century competencies, here focusing on active knowledge creation and collaboration in math learning. The study also examined how engaged the students were in DST lessons and what teachers’ perceptions of DST were as a learning method. DST was implemented in four Chinese and two Finnish classes with 10- and 11-year-old students. Data were collected quantitatively and qualitatively. The students assessed their learning experiences with structured questionnaires during and after the study. Students’ behavior was also observed, and the teachers were interviewed. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a linear regression analysis, and the qualitative data were analyzed using a content analysis. The study showed that the DST method guided students toward active collaborative learning; the students learned how to work in groups to produce new ideas, and they learned not only about math but also about how math relates to everyday life. The students were highly engaged throughout the study. Similarly, the teachers reported that the students displayed active knowledge creation and increased motivation and engagement. Results indicate that DST encourages students to apply new technology in their learning and supports students’ development in math literacy and twenty-first-century competencies.
Keywords: Digital storytelling, Twenty-first-century-competencies, Math literacy
Research Article
Serkan Sendag, Osman Erol, Sezan Sezgin, Nihal Dulkadir
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 6, Issue 3, pp. 172-187
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between preservice teachers’ Web 2.0 competencies and their critical thinking disposition (CTD). The study employed an associational research design using California Critical Thinking Disposition-Inventory (CCTD –I) and a Web 2.0 competency questionnaire including items related to Web 2.0 awareness, Web 2.0 use, and educational use of Web 2.0 tools. Five different Web 2.0 tools included in the study: (a) blogs, (b) wikis, (c) social networking websites, (d) YouTube, (e) podcasts. A total of 1335 preservice teachers completed the survey. Findings indicated that participants had a medium level internet use, Web 2.0 awareness, Web 2.0 use and Web 2.0 skills while their educational Web 2.0 use level was low. In terms of competencies on certain Web 2.0 tools, their blog, wiki and podcast competencies were at a very low level, whereas their social networking and YouTube competency levels were high. Findings also showed that there were significant relationships between preservice teachers' Web 2.0 competencies and their critical thinking disposition. The results highlighted that the use of different Web 2.0 tools can be complementary to each other during certain instructional activities to improve different dimensions of critical thinking disposition.
Keywords: Critical thinking, Higher order cognitive skills, Teaching-learning strategies, Web 2.0 awareness, Web 2.0 competencies, Preservice teacher education
Research Article
Osamah Ahmad Aldalalah, Al-Mothana M. Gasaymeh
CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 5, Issue 3, pp. 218-238
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of locus of control and anxiety level on the Jordanian educational technology students’ perceived blended learning competencies and obstacles. The independent variables were the locus of control (Internal, External) and anxiety level (Low, Moderate, High). The dependent variables were the students’ perceptions of their personal blended leaning competences (Knowledge & Technological) and students’ perceptions of the obstacles of blended leaning. The study sample consisted of 107 undergraduate educational technology students. Inferential statistics were conducted to analyze the data. Analysis of variance and pairwise post hoc tests were carried out to examine the main effects as well as the interaction effects of the independent variables on the dependent variables. The findings of this study showed that students with internal locus of control performed significantly better than external locus of control students in blended learning competencies (Knowledge &Technological) and blended learning obstacles. The findings of this study also showed that moderate anxiety students performed significantly better than low and high anxiety students in blended learning competencies (Knowledge &Technology) and blended learning obstacles. Finally, the study found that there was no significant difference between the low and high anxiety students in blended learning obstacles.
Keywords: Blended learning competencies, Blended learning obstacles, Locus of control, Anxiety level