Hasil untuk "Special aspects of education"

Oluseyi Olukola, Nick Rahimi

Reinforcement learning (RL) is increasingly used to personalize instruction in intelligent tutoring systems, yet the field lacks a formal framework for defining and evaluating pedagogical safety. We introduce a four-layer model of pedagogical safety for educational RL comprising structural, progress, behavioral, and alignment safety and propose the Reward Hacking Severity Index (RHSI) to quantify misalignment between proxy rewards and genuine learning. We evaluate the framework in a controlled simulation of an AI tutoring environment with 120 sessions across four conditions and three learner profiles, totaling 18{,}000 interactions. Results show that an engagement-optimized agent systematically over-selected a high-engagement action with no direct mastery gain, producing strong measured performance but limited learning progress. A multi-objective reward formulation reduced this problem but did not eliminate it, as the agent continued to favor proxy-rewarding behavior in many states. In contrast, a constrained architecture combining prerequisite enforcement and minimum cognitive demand substantially reduced reward hacking, lowering RHSI from 0.317 in the unconstrained multi-objective condition to 0.102. Ablation results further suggest that behavioral safety was the most influential safeguard against repetitive low-value action selection. These findings suggest that reward design alone may be insufficient to ensure pedagogically aligned behavior in educational RL, at least in the simulated environment studied here. More broadly, the paper positions pedagogical safety as an important research problem at the intersection of AI safety and intelligent educational systems.

Maria Marina, Alexander Panchenko, Vasily Konovalov

As generative AI tools like ChatGPT enter classrooms, workplaces and everyday thinking, writing is at risk of becoming a formality -- outsourced, automated and stripped of its cognitive value. But writing is not just output; it is how we learn to think. This paper explores what is lost when we let machines write for us, drawing on cognitive psychology, educational theory and real classroom practices. We argue that the process of writing -- messy, slow, often frustrating -- is where a human deep learning happens. The paper also explores the current possibilities of AI-text detection, how educators can adapt through smarter pedagogy rather than bans, and why the ability to recognize machine-generated language may become a critical literacy of the 21st century. In a world where writing can be faked, learning can not.

Michael Fitzgerald, Rachel Freed, Dan Reichart et al.

As astronomy enters an era defined by global telescope networks, petabyte-scale surveys, and powerful computational tools, the longstanding goals of astronomy education, particularly introductory ``ASTRO101'', but equally encompassing both higher and lower level courses, warrant fresh examination. In June 2024, the AstroEdUNC meeting at UNC--Chapel Hill convened 100 astronomers, education researchers, and practitioners to synthesise community perspectives on the purpose, content, and delivery of astronomy education. Beginning with historical vignettes, the meeting's deliberations were organised into six interrelated themes: (1) Context, highlighting astronomy's evolution from classical charting to multi-messenger discovery and its role as a connective thread across STEM and the humanities; (2) Content, exploring how curricula can balance essential concepts with authentic investigations and leverage open-source and AI-augmented resources; (3) Skills, arguing that astronomy should foreground scientific literacy, computational fluency, and communication through genuine data-driven inquiry; (4) Engagement, advocating for active-learning strategies, formative assessment, and culturally inclusive narratives; (5) Beyond the Classroom, emphasising scaffolding, universal-design practices, and K--12/community partnerships; and (6) Astronomy Education Research, outlining priority areas for assessing knowledge, attitudes, and long-term outcomes. We provide concrete recommendations for future astronomy education research development, underscoring the need for approaches to education that are authentic while meeting the learning and life goal needs of the students, a vibrant community of practice and robust researcher-practitioner partnerships to ensure that introductory astronomy is pertinent, applicable and inspiring to a broad student population.

Hans J. Haubold, Arak M. Mathai

This paper was prepared for Open-Access-only publication as a guide reporting on Education (all aspects of space science and technology), Teaching (remote sensing and GIS, satellite meteorology and global climate, satellite communication, space and atmospheric sciences, global navigation satellite systems), and Research (solar neutrino problem, formation of structure in the Universe) in astronomy (solar physics, cosmology), physics (nuclear physics, neutrino physics), and mathematics (fractional calculus, special functions of mathematical physics) exercised over 50 years (1974-2024). In this period, more than twenty workshops were held and seven regional centres for space science and technology education were established in all regions of the world: Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Western Asia, and Europe. This effort was undertaken in cooperation with ESA, NASA, JAXA, and 193 member states of the United Nations under the auspices of the UN, also supported by the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) and the International Astronomical Union (IAU). The paper provides access to most of the documents in the six official languages of the United Nations (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish), proceedings, and published papers and books focusing on education, teaching, and research (listed in Google Scholar and Research Gate).

Isabel Pedersen

The rapid integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) into postsecondary education and many other sectors resulted in a global reckoning with this new technology. This paper contributes to the study of the multifaceted influence of generative AI, with a particular focus on OpenAI's ChatGPT within academic settings during the first six months after the release in three specific ways. First, it scrutinizes the rise of ChatGPT as a transformative event construed through a study of mainstream discourses exhibiting AI hype. Second, it discusses the perceived implications of generative AI for writing, teaching, and learning through the lens of critical discourse analysis and critical AI studies. Third, it encourages the necessity for best practices in the adoption of generative AI technologies in education.

James Alves de Souza, Michel Corci Batista, Marcello Ferreira

The rapid advancement of digital technologies in the first quarter of the 21st century has introduced significant transformations in various fields, such as communication, healthcare, and education. However, it has also led to an increase in the use and disposal of electronic devices, resulting in environmental challenges related to Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), also known as e-waste. This phenomenon is observed in schools, where the integration and renewal of equipment have become essential for the development and implementation of new teaching strategies. Based on a technological research project, we present how students from a public school in São Paulo's countryside conducted e-waste reuse processes, applying the principles of metarecycling and physics knowledge to build a portable battery (power bank) and a smartphone charger powered by a dynamo attached to a bicycle. The appropriation of the relationships between science, technology, and social aspects was facilitated by validating the chargers through characterization tests of the charging time provided by the power bank and the bicycle-installed device under riding conditions. Educational actions within the community, involving concepts of sustainability, clean energy, and health benefits through physical exercise, were guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Jian Zhang, Jia Shao

While large language models (LLMs) have introduced novel paradigms in science and education, their adoption in higher education is constrained by inherent limitations. These include a tendency to produce inaccuracies and high computational requirements, which compromise the strict demands for accurate and reliable knowledge essential in higher education. Small language models (MiniLMs), by contrast, offer distinct advantages in professional education due to their lightweight nature and precise retrieval capabilities. This research takes "Atmospheric Physics" as an example. We established a specialized corpus and image repository by gathering over 550,000 full-text PDFs from over 130 international well-respected journals in Earth and environmental science. From this collection, we extracted over 100 million high-quality sentence-level corpus and more than 3 million high-resolution academic images. Using MiniLMs, these resources were organized into a high-dimensional vector library for precise retrieval and efficient utilization of extensive educational content. Consequently, we systematically redesigned the courses, textbooks, and teaching strategies for "Atmospheric Physics" based on MiniLMs. The course is designed as a "interdisciplinary-frontier" system, breaking down traditional boundaries between atmospheric science, space science, hydrology, and remote sensing. Teaching materials are transformed from static, lagging text formats into a dynamic digital resource library powered by MiniLM. For teaching methods, we have designed a question-based learning pathway. This paradigm promotes a shift from passive knowledge transfer to active cognitive development. Consequently, this MiniLM-driven "Atmospheric Physics" course demonstrates a specific avenue for "AI for education".

Sergiy Sydoriv, Lidia Sydoriv

The paper examines the challenges of training educators to organize an inclusive educational environment in the context of the existential threat to the Ukrainian nation. It is stated that epistemic injustice, which the authors consider in the aspects of hermeneutical and testimonial injustice caused by the colonial policies of the aggressor state, must be addressed through mechanisms that ensure the resilience of the multi-ethnic Ukrainian nation. It is determined that this national identity comprises a complex of individual and community identities, the formation of which requires a decolonial and inclusive approach. The authors describe a study exploring the understanding of the historical period of the Ukrainian Sich Rifles among future teachers, students with special educational needs, parents, and community members. The study also examines the influence of this historical period on the formation of national identity and statehood in the first half of the 20th century and its connection to contemporary realities. It was found that respondents lack well-structured knowledge and skills in analytically comparing historical periods and the present. A methodology was developed and proposed for preparing educators and fostering inclusive interaction between teachers and students with hearing disorders. This methodology synthesizes elements of national-patriotic education using materials from the historical epoch of the Ukrainian Sich Rifles. The hypothesis was confirmed that the sign language used by deaf and hard-of-hearing Ukrainians contains elements of the calqued Russian language but lacks unique signs to denote many nationally significant linguistic units. The study substantiates the following tasks: equipping future educators and students with a contextual understanding of the historical era of the Ukrainian Sich Rifles, focusing on its educational and cultural dimensions during the liberation movements of the early 20th century; developing methods for analyzing the ideological foundations and cultural practices of that period for modern students and schoolchildren through the awareness and formation of generational continuity and connections; incorporating elements of patriotic education into inclusive practices; fostering a nationally conscious sign-language identity; and informing the international community about more than a century of Ukraine's efforts to assert its nationhood. The article emphasizes that access for young people with hearing disorders to the historical, cultural, and linguistic heritage of the nation is a vital aspect of their inclusion in the creation and defense of the state.

Melitta Adams, Yusuf Sayed, Dorothy Esau et al.

Principals play an integral role in enhancing the skills and professional development of their teaching staff when they provide constructive feedback to enhance the reflexive capabilities of teachers as determined by teacher education policy (MRTEQ, 2015) and can be the driving force behind their pursuit to provide quality education, as stipulated in Goal 4 of the UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goals (UNESCO, 2015). This article explores the roles of school principals as instructional leaders in supporting continuous professional teachers’ development (CPTD). The study followed a qualitative research approach, using case studies which involved two schools in the Metropole Central Education District in the Western Cape. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three teachers from each school. The finding suggests that CPTD plays a significant role in identifying the necessary gaps in pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and how to manage a class to mitigate disruptive behaviour successfully. The data further highlights how the two principals prioritise CPTD at their schools by being directly or indirectly involved in the CPTD sessions of the staff. The data indicated that teachers want to develop professionally and expect principals to provide them with the freedom to evaluate their performance and identify where they need to grow. To serve the needs of the teachers and continually capacitate teachers, principals and the leadership (SMT) identified appropriate CPTD programmes that will improve teaching and learning, boost intellectual confidence, and eventually enhance learner achievement.

Laura Tenjo-Patiño, Cristian E. Bello, Alcides Montoya Cañola

Quantum computing is a rapidly advancing field with the potential to drive scientific, educational, and technological development. However, it faces a significant shortage of qualified experts, creating an urgent demand for skilled professionals. In Latin America, quantum education remains in its early stages, further widening the regional talent and access gap due to limited educational infrastructure and financial constraints. This work presents an initiative to integrate quantum computing into higher education in Latin America through the application of the European Competence Framework for Quantum Technologies, which offers a standardized approach to defining competency requirements and assessing essential skills in the field. We propose introductory courses aligned with the frameworks guidelines, designed to meet industry standards and reach a broad audience. Additionally, we introduce supplementary resources, including team dynamics and evaluation methodologies, to enhance the educational ecosystem. These initiatives aim to create a sustainable and comprehensive quantum education model across Latin America, to close the regional skills gap, foster inclusivity, and prepare a diverse workforce to contribute innovative solutions on the global stage.

Scott Allen, Lisa Bardach, Jamie Jirout et al.

Educators are more than workers within educational systems; they are stewards of educational systems. They must analyze student performance data, identify patterns that inform targeted interventions and personalized learning plans, continuously develop the curriculum, set ambitious learning goals and use up-to-date pedagogical theory to adapt instructional strategies, act as advocates for educational policies that promote inclusivity and equity, and much more. Most educators deeply care about the learning and wellbeing of their students and colleagues. Given the chance, they will do whatever they can to make improvements to these ends. In this role as architects of change, educators deal with conflicting definitions of success, multiple stakeholders, complex causal relationships, ambiguous data, and intricate human factors. Amid all this, most educators and the educational systems around them are strained to the capacity of what their time, training, and budgets allow. The problem is not merely that they must perform demanding tasks, but more so that they must constantly implement improvements and interventions amid the complex challenges of the organizations in which they work. These challenges can be especially difficult in implementation of related education technology, which is continuously developing at sometimes rapid pace. Whether the context is an individual classroom, a school district, or a postsecondary institution, implementing beneficial human-technology partnerships requires attending to the needs and constraints of these classrooms, districts, institutions, and so forth as organizations and engaging in this work as a partnership with educators. This chapter lays out the principles and processes of developing successful educator-technology partnerships including key considerations for each step and an example protocol for engaging in this endeavor.

Keisuke Sato

The integration of Large Language Models (LLMs) in education offers both opportunities and challenges, particularly in fields like physics that demand precise conceptual understanding. This study examines the capabilities of six state-of-the-art LLMs in explaining the law of conservation of momentum, a fundamental principle in physics. By analyzing responses to a consistent, simple prompt in Japanese, we assess the models' explanatory approaches, depth of understanding, and adaptability to different educational levels.Our comprehensive analysis, encompassing text characteristics, response similarity, and keyword usage, unveils significant diversity in explanatory styles across models. ChatGPT4.0 and Coral provided more comprehensive and technically detailed explanations, while Gemini models tended toward more intuitive approaches. Key findings include variations in the treatment of critical concepts such as net force, and differing emphases on mathematical rigor and real-world applications.The results indicate that different AI models may be more suitable for various educational contexts, ranging from introductory to advanced levels. ChatGPT4.0 and Coral demonstrated potential for advanced discussions, while Gemini models appeared more appropriate for introductory explanations. Importantly, the study underscores the necessity of educator guidance in effectively leveraging these AI tools, as models varied in their ability to convey nuanced aspects of physical principles.This research establishes a foundation for understanding the educational potential of LLMs in physics, providing insights for educators on integrating these tools into their teaching practices. It also highlights the need for further investigation into AI-assisted learning in STEM fields, paving the way for more sophisticated applications of AI in physics education.

Archristhea Amahoru, Edi Ahyani

This article proposes approaches and strategies for creating an inclusive educational environment that supports the success of all students, including those with special needs. The psychology of inclusive education is a key focus for understanding individual student differences and designing friendly and supportive learning approaches. By analyzing the various psychological aspects involved, this article explains how the application of inclusive principles can improve the participation, social development, and academic achievement of students with special needs. In addition, this article explores the important role teachers, administrators, and parents play in creating a supportive environment for all students, while creating an inclusive and empowered educational community. This research contributes to the practical and theoretical understanding of presenting inclusive education at different levels of education

Tilman Michaeli, Stefan Seegerer, Ralf Romeike

Technological advances in the context of digital transformation are the basis for rapid developments in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Although AI is not a new topic in computer science (CS), recent developments are having an immense impact on everyday life and society. In consequence, everyone needs competencies to be able to adequately and competently analyze, discuss and help shape the impact, opportunities, and limits of artificial intelligence on their personal lives and our society. As a result, an increasing number of CS curricula are being extended to include the topic of AI. However, in order to integrate AI into existing CS curricula, what students can and should learn in the context of AI needs to be clarified. This has proven to be particularly difficult, considering that so far CS education research on central concepts and principles of AI lacks sufficient elaboration. Therefore, in this paper, we present a curriculum of learning objectives that addresses digital literacy and the societal perspective in particular. The learning objectives can be used to comprehensively design curricula, but also allow for analyzing current curricula and teaching materials and provide insights into the central concepts and corresponding competencies of AI.

Kamil Malinka, Martin Perešíni, Anton Firc et al.

In late 2022, OpenAI released a new version of ChatGPT, a sophisticated natural language processing system capable of holding natural conversations while preserving and responding to the context of the discussion. ChatGPT has exceeded expectations in its abilities, leading to extensive considerations of its potential applications and misuse. In this work, we evaluate the influence of ChatGPT on university education, with a primary focus on computer security-oriented specialization. We gather data regarding the effectiveness and usability of this tool for completing exams, programming assignments, and term papers. We evaluate multiple levels of tool misuse, ranging from utilizing it as a consultant to simply copying its outputs. While we demonstrate how easily ChatGPT can be used to cheat, we also discuss the potentially significant benefits to the educational system. For instance, it might be used as an aid (assistant) to discuss problems encountered while solving an assignment or to speed up the learning process. Ultimately, we discuss how computer science higher education should adapt to tools like ChatGPT.

Jordi Romeu, Oleguer Camerino, Marta Castañer

Uno de los retos de la Educación Física durante la enseñanza obligatoria en la etapa educativa obligatoria de primaria y secundaria es garantizar el desarrollo motriz del alumnado, y la coordinación es un contenido fundamUno de los retos de la Educación Física durante la enseñanza obligatoria en la etapa educativa obligatoria de primaria y secundaria es garantizar el desarrollo motriz del alumnado, y la coordinación es un contenido fundamental. El objetivo de esta investigación ha sido identificar el enriquecimiento de patrones de coordinación motriz de una selección de alumnos que finalizan la educación primaria, a raíz de un programa de estimulación y de intervención progresiva basado en estrategias pedagógicas a lo largo de 41 sesiones de Educación Física. Esta intervención se aplicó durante tres trimestres de un año escolar a 25 participantes de 12 (± 1) años de edad de un centro escolar. El estudio observacional sistemático con un enfoque Mixed Methods convergent design integró: las observaciones exhaustivas de las conductas motrices de las 41 sesiones de todo el grupo-clase, y la administración puntual del test 3JS para valorar la evolución coordinativa de cada uno de los participantes. Se construyó y validó un sistema de observación de la coordinación motriz (SOC) para detectar los patrones temporales (T-patterns) de las conductas coordinativas registradas mediante el software libre LINCE PLUS y analizadas con el software Theme. El test 3JS se administró al inicio y al final de la intervención didáctica. Los resultados muestran diferencias entre los T-patterns previos y posteriores a la intervención pedagógica, estos últimos más ricos y diversos, ya que los elementos motrices coordinativos aparecían en más cantidad y nivel coordinativo superior coincidiendo con los resultados del test 3JS.

Luísa Cruz Lopes, Ana Lopes, Maria Escudeiro et al.

Introdução: A Doença de Alzheimer é uma patologia neurodegenerativa primária, de etiologia desconhecida e influenciada por vários fatores com aspetos neuropatológicos e neuroquímicos característicos. Atualmente, os fármacos aprovados para o tratamento desta doença apenas permitem aliviar os sintomas sendo acompanhados por diversos efeitos secundários. A nanotecnologia aparece como alternativa para o tratamento do Alzheimer, por oferecer muitas vantagens para a medicina contemporânea permitindo um diagnóstico e tratamento não invasivos e direcionados, reduzindo as reações adversas e os efeitos sistémicos. Objetivo: Reconhecer as potencialidades do uso de nanopartículas no tratamento da Doença de Alzheimer, identificando os tratamentos mais promissores e quais os seus possíveis efeitos secundários. Métodos: Revisão bibliográfica narrativa a partir de consulta a bases de dados como Science Direct, Web of Science, PubMed e Scielo. Resultados: As nanopartículas de ouro mostram-se capazes de atravessar a barreira hematoencefálica (BHE), carregando fármacos essenciais para a inibição da agregação dos péptidos Aβ, bem como dissolver fibrilhas pré-existentes. Polímeros biodegradáveis e biocompatíveis, como o polilactídeo poliglicólico (PLGA), constituem uma abordagem promissora e segura, tendo sido muito utilizados. As melhores técnicas são aquelas que garantem que as nanopartículas são capazes de atravessar a barreira hematoencefálica (BHE), atingir o seu alvo terapêutico, bem como garantir que estas partículas não induzem efeitos tóxicos no organismo. Apesar das nanopartículas serem capazes de tratar algumas doenças de forma eficiente, pouco se conhece sobre os seus efeitos secundários, estes poderão ou não ser mais danosos para o organismo do que a doença que pretenderam tratar. Conclusão: Existem várias abordagens terapêuticas promissoras, porém nenhuma ainda aprovada, uma vez que é difícil manter concentrações adequadas de fármaco no espaço intraneuronal. Estabelecer a dose tóxica é necessário para o uso aprovado de uma nanopartícula num tratamento, porém é quase impossível prever os seus efeitos citotóxicos em regiões extra-neuronais.

M. B. Weissman

Finding good educational policies requires sound estimates of their potential effects. Methods for making such estimates, i.e. finding causal estimands, have made great progress in the last few decades. Nevertheless, serious errors in causal reasoning have been found previously in papers n a leading physics education journal, Physical Review Physics Education Research. Here we examine three more recent papers from that journal that present explicit methods of causal inference. The methods given include major errors, including in identifying causal mediation, choosing variables to control for, and imputing missing data.

Justin K. Perron, Charles DeLeone, Shahed Sharif et al.

Currently, education and workforce training in quantum information science and technology (QIST) exists primarily at the graduate and postdoctoral levels, with few undergraduate efforts beginning to grow out of these. In order to meet the anticipated quantum workforce needs and to ensure that the workforce is demographically representative and inclusive to all communities, the United States must expand these efforts at the undergraduate level beyond what is occurring at larger PhD granting institutions and incorporate quantum information science into the curriculum at the nation's predominantly undergraduate institutions (PUIs). On June 3rd and 4th, 2021 the Quantum Undergraduate Education and Scientific Training (QUEST) workshop was held virtually with the goal of bringing together faculty from PUIs to learn the state of undergraduate QIST education, identify challenges associated with implementing QIST curriculum at PUIs, and to develop strategies and solutions to deal with these challenges. This manuscript summarizes the results of workshop discussions with the hope of assisting faculty at PUIs attempting to incorporate quantum information science into their curriculum.

Thierry M Luescher