Education and ICT (e-learning)

Technologies for Supporting Teaching and Learning

This research area investigates several aspects related to the design, implementation, use and evaluation of technologies (Internet-based, mobile and other devices) to support learning and teaching processes.

One of the main issues in this line of research is which are the most appropriate technologies and how can they support different pedagogical approaches. This includes the study of the mechanisms and strategies used by learners to communicate and collaborate with peers and tutors in an online learning context. The use of techniques and methodologies from artificial intelligence and machine learning areas for modeling learners' behavior is also considered.

Thesis Poposals

Reserchers

Research Group

Ethical issuesin ICT
  • Social, educational and ethical implications of emerging ICT.
  • STEM Education (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) for the promotion of gender inclusion and equity in the information society.  
  • Sustainable and responsible research and innovation in ICT.

Dr Adriana Ornellas
Mail: aornellas@uoc.edu

NODES

ICT for learning about the sciences and engineering

Experimental sciences in general – and physics in particular – are usually a very challenging courses for students and teachers, and even more in an e learning environment. How can a graphic or an idea be shown and explained? How can a question regarding a specific point of a drawing be addressed? How can we perform an experiment? 

This line of research studies how all these questions, among others, can be addressed. In particular, how can technology help sciences students in higher education.

Dr Antoni Pérez Navarro
Mail: aperezn@uoc.edu

eHealthLab

Technology for learning oral language and reading

Reading is one of the most important abilities that children learn at school. However, the basis for learning to read are in the development of oral language along the preschool period. The thesis will focus on developing a technological program to improve the phonics, phonological awareness, vocabulary and/or grammar of preschool children at risk of reading disabilities. The thesis will include the design creation and implementation of the program and a pre-post design study in which we will test the benefits of the program. 

Dr Llorenç Andreu Barrachina
Mail: landreub@uoc.edu

GRECIL Research Group

Technology-enhanced assessment (e-assessment)

Technology can support many aspects of assessment processes but there is still a lack of tools to provide qualitative and rich feedback in a simple way.  E-assessment processes are still based on multiple choice test or just open questions but without a real grade to measure how a competence is being achieved neither providing a formative feedback. In the same line, there is a lack on trustability when an assignment is delivered through the net. Authorship is becoming one of the hot toping when turns into elearning. Thus this research line is focusing, on the one hand, on analysing the wide range of technologies available and ways in which technology can be used to support assessment and feedback. On the other hand is also focusing on analysing and designing tools to enhance and ensure the authorship of a simple submitted assignment.

Dr Ana Elena Guerrero
Mail: aguerreror@uoc.edu

Dr M. Elena Rodríguez
Mail: mrodriguezi@uoc.edu

TEKING
Immersive learning: XR technologies to enhance teaching and learning methods in online higher education
 
Recently, we have witnessed a boom in the application of digital media to education, repercussing on creating drivers of diversity in teaching and learning. In this context, resources associated with TIC and e-learning provides a flexible and innovative educational option, widening learners' possibilities. In this doctoral project, the main goal is to investigate the use of immersive learning and adaptative learning technologies (e.g., 3D, augmented and virtual reality resources) to amplify a multimodal, active, and learner-centred method in online higher education. Exploring these digital tools will allow understanding how the teaching and learning process has been strengthened and interactively expanded.

Dr Josep M. Duart
Coordinator
Mail: jduart@uoc.edu

Dr Gizéh Rangel-de LázaroMail: grangel@uoc.edu

Open evidence

 

Advanced technology for early children's learning research. 
 
In this interdisciplinary research line, we study children’s interactions with educational technology and how these interactions are influenced by the pupil’s age and developmental progress. From the fields of psychology, education, child-computer interaction and gender studies, the questions we address are: How can technology be used as an educational resource with young children? What are the potential resources for collaborative learning activities in the classroom? And how can we improve interactive and digital content to make it age-appropriate? To answer these questions, we study the spontaneous interactions of young children with digital educational games and apps, applying innovative and efficient methods, and addressing ethical issues for research using advanced technology in educational contexts.
Mail: lcrescenzi@uoc.edu
 
CHILD TECH LAB

Pragmatics for emotional and behavioural research with children

In order to improve our understanding of students' socio-emotional behaviour in educational settings, we aim to explore the interface between learning and emotions by examining the multimodal (prosodic and gestural) and pragmatic aspects of children's interactions in these settings. We will explore cutting-edge applications of advanced technology using mixed methods research with children to collect, analyse and visualize data in an efficient, ethical and unobtrusive way. We are interested in assessing new behavioural research solutions to study the cognitive, social and emotional development of three- to six-year-old children, their speech and their learning achievements.

Mail: lcrescenzi@uoc.edu
CHILD TECH LAB

Use of technology for teaching, learning and assessment

This research line focuses on the educational use of different technologies for teaching and learning curricular content in primary and secondary education, particularly:
  • The use of mobile technology for learning;
  • The use of online learning environments (e.g. Moodle); and
  • The use of specific technologies to develop students' digital literacy.

Dr Antoni Badia
Mail: tbadia@uoc.edu

SINTE
Potentialities of artificial intelligence in education
 
This research line focuses on the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence (AI) and its transformative potential impact on education. Given that technology is shaping the way we learn, teach and access information, this research aims to explore the full range of possibilities AI offers in educational contexts, particularly online higher education, through case studies. Four subareas are contemplated: personalized learning, intelligent tutoring systems, AI-driven intervention design, and automation of assessment and grading.
 
Mail: tsancho@uoc.edu 
 
EduSTEAM