Sustainability

Research

18 pages, 573 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Attitudes towards Digital Educational Technologies among Russian University Students before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Irina A. Novikova, Polina A. Bychkova and Alexey L. Novikov

Sustainability 2022, 14(10), 6203; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14106203 - 19 May 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2085

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically accelerated the digitalization of education around the world. There has been a lot of recent research on university students’ attitudes towards digital educational technologies (DET) in different countries, but much fewer studies examine how these attitudes change during [...] Read more.

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically accelerated the digitalization of education around the world. There has been a lot of recent research on university students’ attitudes towards digital educational technologies (DET) in different countries, but much fewer studies examine how these attitudes change during the pandemic. The purpose of the present exploratory study is to compare the attitudes towards DET among Russian university students majoring in psychology before the start of the pandemic and at its different stages. A mixed method research design was used. The quantitative part of the study included The University Students’ Attitudes toward DET Questionnaire developed by the authors, and the qualitative part of this study included percentage and thematic analyses of answers to additional multiple choice and open-ended questions. The main findings of the study confirm significant changes in attitudes towards DET at the very beginning of the pandemic, and their relative stabilization later. Additional analysis based on the literature review revealed that the advantages and disadvantages of DET listed by Russian university students and students from other countries, generally coincide. The data obtained will be useful in the development of digital competence among university students. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Competences for a Sustainable Society)

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19 pages, 2721 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Scientometrics of Poverty Research for Sustainability Development: Trend Analysis of the 1964–2022 Data through Scopus

by Wirapong Chansanam and Chunqiu Li

Sustainability 2022, 14(9), 5339; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14095339 - 28 Apr 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2715

Abstract

Over the last six decades, significant progress has been made in studying poverty. Poverty research is an important issue for ensuring the sustainable development and governance of the world, especially the lower-income regions. More attention from multiple dimensions shall be paid to poverty [...] Read more.

Over the last six decades, significant progress has been made in studying poverty. Poverty research is an important issue for ensuring the sustainable development and governance of the world, especially the lower-income regions. More attention from multiple dimensions shall be paid to poverty research. However, apart from a few research publications, less research has investigated their citations using the most widely used approach for citation mapping—Scientometric analysis. Therefore, this research utilized 319 published papers on poverty research from 1964 to 20 February 2022, from the Scopus database to conduct bibliometric and social network analysis. The bibliometrix package in R and the VOSviewer program were used to perform data analysis and visualization. Theme mapping, trend themes, bibliometric coupling, and co-occurrence networks were utilized to discover potential study areas for existing and future trends. The findings reveal that poverty research has increased by 10.18% each year since 2006. Additionally, the results indicate the most influential sections of the research based on the most often mentioned subjects, papers, authors, and keywords. The findings indicate that future studies should focus on the poverty line, social policies, and living standards. The contributions of the paper may provide a reference to the understanding of poverty research through bibliometric analysis and promote poverty research in theory and practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Competences for a Sustainable Society)

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27 pages, 1178 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impacts of COVID-19 on Technological and Polytechnic University Teachers

by Lourdes Vital-López, Raul García-García, Juvenal Rodríguez-Reséndíz, Willfrido Jacobo Paredes-García, Marco Antonio Zamora-Antuñano, Temidayo Oluyomi-Elufisan, Hugo Rodríguez Reséndiz, Ana Ruth Álvarez Sánchez and Miguel Angel Cruz-Pérez

Sustainability 2022, 14(8), 4593; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084593 - 12 Apr 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2378

Abstract

University teachers have adapted to different situations during the development of distance learning due to the pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus. This study was conducted by assigning a data collection instrument to 993 teachers who are part of 15 technological universities (TUs) [...] Read more.

University teachers have adapted to different situations during the development of distance learning due to the pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus. This study was conducted by assigning a data collection instrument to 993 teachers who are part of 15 technological universities (TUs) and 7 polytechnic universities (PUs) to determine how they were affected by COVID-19. The questions asked were related to the social, economic, academic, emotional, and health effects experienced. The results show that 63% of the teachers working online complained that online teaching invaded their family privacy; 56% pointed out that working from home and the virtual classes affected their performance as teachers; 90% of the teachers thought that they dedicated too much extra to preparing for their classes; 15% were stressed; 4% felt negative under the new teaching scheme of virtual classes; finally, 38% of the teachers stated that repeated interaction with electronic devices had a lot of negative impacts on their emotional wellbeing. By means of a G-test, it was determined that gender was independent from the studied effects. Through a multiple correspondence analysis (MCA), it was determined that, of the total number of teachers who responded to the questionnaire, half were comfortable with the online teaching model and the other half were not. The most impacted effects were the economic, training and connectivity independently from the gender. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Competences for a Sustainable Society)

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18 pages, 1895 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Blockchain-Centered Educational Program Embodies and Advances 2030 Sustainable Development Goals

by Eunsun Choi, Youngmi Choi and Namje Park

Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 3761; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14073761 - 23 Mar 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2267

Abstract

Education is the foundation of basic human rights and the peace of mankind as well as the pursuit of sustainable development. In this article, we have developed a blockchain-centered educational program contributing to Goal 4, Quality Education, among the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [...] Read more.

Education is the foundation of basic human rights and the peace of mankind as well as the pursuit of sustainable development. In this article, we have developed a blockchain-centered educational program contributing to Goal 4, Quality Education, among the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Education for SD (ESD). The education program featured herein consisted of three lessons in total and has been developed to accommodate gamification techniques. We implemented the education program on 704 elementary school students in Korea for three years from 2019 to 2021. The effectiveness of the education program was primarily analyzed by paired t-test and technical statistics analysis. In a pre-and post-education survey, digital literary, literacy, and numeracy were all significantly improved, with satisfaction level rated at 3.91 out of 5 points. We hope that the blockchain-themed education program proposed herein will provide implications for the promotion of inclusive and equitable quality education. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Competences for a Sustainable Society)

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22 pages, 1301 KiB

Open AccessArticle

On Semiotics Perspectives of Computational Thinking: Unravelling the “Pamphlet” Approach, a Case Study

by Vladimiras Dolgopolovas and Valentina Dagiene

Sustainability 2022, 14(4), 1956; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14041956 - 09 Feb 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2372

Abstract

Computational thinking (CT) is in the midst of an ongoing debate about its scope and definitions. There is a trend away from a “traditional” computer science-inspired agenda towards a focus on universal competences for today’s labor market. However—and this is the motivation behind [...] Read more.

Computational thinking (CT) is in the midst of an ongoing debate about its scope and definitions. There is a trend away from a “traditional” computer science-inspired agenda towards a focus on universal competences for today’s labor market. However—and this is the motivation behind the research—the shift described is just an unconscious attempt to reveal the immanent nature of CT as an evolving semiotic phenomenon. The aim of this study is to explore directions and perspectives for the further development of CT and related methodological design approaches. As a research strategy, this article utilizes a case study on the presented set of resources dedicated to CT early education and reveals it in terms of multimodal discourse analysis. As a result, a landscape of future CT trends is presented, uncovering CT from a multimodal semiotic perspective. This article discusses various issues related to CT and its multimodal semiotics nature, perspectives on the design of CT-related resources and additional educational issues such as the perspectives on instructional approaches for CT teaching. We conclude that CT as a social phenomenon is in the process of an evolutionary transformation of its constitutive structure in the direction of further revealing its agentive semiotic nature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Competences for a Sustainable Society)

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19 pages, 1340 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Teachers’ Perception in Selecting Virtual Learning Platforms: A Case of Mexican Higher Education during the COVID-19 Crisis

by Marco Antonio Zamora-Antuñano, Juvenal Rodríguez-Reséndiz, Miguel Angel Cruz-Pérez, Hugo Rodríguez Reséndíz, Wilfrido J. Paredes-García and José Alfredo Gaytán Díaz

Sustainability 2022, 14(1), 195; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14010195 - 25 Dec 2021

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 6059

Abstract

In this project, an analysis is made of the perception of teachers of Higher Education Institutions (HEI) regarding the use of Virtual Learning Platforms (VLP) in the transition from the Traditional Educational Model (face-to-face) to Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT). A statistical analysis of [...] Read more.

In this project, an analysis is made of the perception of teachers of Higher Education Institutions (HEI) regarding the use of Virtual Learning Platforms (VLP) in the transition from the Traditional Educational Model (face-to-face) to Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT). A statistical analysis of teachers’ views on the academic environment caused by the COVID-19 crisis is carried out for the change of educational scenarios from school to home through VLP, the support for teaching–learning knowledge of VLPs and the received training, and the main problems during the transition period. Through convenience sampling, data was collected for a statistical study using a developed instrument (Data collection was designed through the Google Forms application and distributed to public and private HEI teachers). The results of the study showed that more than 60% of respondents had experience using Moodle, Google Classroom, and Blackboard; 80% of teachers had training from their institution for the use of virtual platforms; and in 60% of cases, higher education institutions allowed them to choose the VLP. In addition, the main issues they faced were connectivity, student attitude, and student attendance at class sessions. Fisher’s test was conducted to determine the relationship in the variables analyzed by identifying that there are differences of teachers in perception depending on age. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Competences for a Sustainable Society)

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13 pages, 286 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Learning Space as Support to Sustainable Development: A Revision of Uses and Design Processes

by Sergio Alonso Martínez-Ramos, Juvenal Rodríguez-Reséndiz, Avatar Flores Gutiérrez, P. Y. Sevilla-Camacho and Jorge D. Mendiola-Santíbañez

Sustainability 2021, 13(21), 11609; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132111609 - 20 Oct 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2582

Abstract

In the last decade, there has been an increasing interest in the role of space in the learning process. However, there is limited research about how different Learning Spaces (LS) can lead to Sustainable Development (SD). Therefore, this paper presents a systematic literature [...] Read more.

In the last decade, there has been an increasing interest in the role of space in the learning process. However, there is limited research about how different Learning Spaces (LS) can lead to Sustainable Development (SD). Therefore, this paper presents a systematic literature review aimed to identify how physical, virtual, and hybrid LS have been designed and used to support SD. From an initial sample of 204 articles between 2009 and 2021 found in the Scopus database, 33 were included after inclusion criteria were applied. Findings show a wide variety of focus in the uses of LS (e.g., promote education quality, accessibility, or environmental sustainability). In general, the design process of LS implies a top-bottom approach, where students remain as passive actors. Nevertheless, it has been identified a growing interest in codesign processes that promote broader participation and bottom-top perspectives. This study contributes to orientate the understanding of the concept of LS, and looks towards inspiring new teaching and learning practices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Competences for a Sustainable Society)

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18 pages, 930 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Evolving Economic Employment of ICT Education: The Case of Norway

by Marco Capasso and Michael Spjelkavik Mark

Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8476; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158476 - 29 Jul 2021

Viewed by 1587

Abstract

Digitisation breaks down traditional industry and sector boundaries and fuels new work structures and networks. By using linked employer–employee data for Norway (years 2013–2017), we address two research questions: whether some parts of the economy increasingly need people who are “specialised” in ICT, [...] Read more.

Digitisation breaks down traditional industry and sector boundaries and fuels new work structures and networks. By using linked employer–employee data for Norway (years 2013–2017), we address two research questions: whether some parts of the economy increasingly need people who are “specialised” in ICT, in the sense that the main focus of their formal education is ICT, and whether the ongoing digitisation processes in the Norwegian economy have altered the complementarities between ICT education and other types of formal education. By means of a shift-share analysis, we disentangle the contributions to employment deriving from variation in the education mix within the sectors. We also observe the recent labour flows of ICT-educated workers across sectors of the Norwegian economy. Then, an establishment-level analysis sheds light on possible evolutions of the complementarity of ICT education with other types of education. Public administration and health are revealed to be increasingly important attractors for ICT-educated people. Nonetheless, the ICT industries still employ many ICT-educated individuals and they are becoming more specialised, possibly as outsourcees of services to other industries. Finally, flows of ICT-educated employees from and to the sales sector and the publishing and audiovisual industries suggest an evolving knowledge content in these areas of the economy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Competences for a Sustainable Society)

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15 pages, 314 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Emotional Cognitive Regulation in University Students during Lockdown: A Comparative Analysis of Students from Spanish Universities

by Mercedes Cuevas López, Inmaculada Ávalos Ruiz and Emilio Jesús Lizarte Simón

Sustainability 2021, 13(12), 6946; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13126946 - 21 Jun 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2447

Abstract

Studies focusing on strategies for the cognitive regulation of emotions are gaining importance due to the development and perpetuation of psychopathologies. The obligatory home confinement imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to new virtual learning methodologies. Objective: Our objective aimed [...] Read more.

Studies focusing on strategies for the cognitive regulation of emotions are gaining importance due to the development and perpetuation of psychopathologies. The obligatory home confinement imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to new virtual learning methodologies. Objective: Our objective aimed to analyze and compare the cognitive emotional regulation of students from universities on the Spanish mainland with that of students attending the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Methods: An online Emotional Regulation Questionnaire was applied, together with a survey covering the students’ beliefs about the pandemic, including information about their housing conditions and beliefs about online learning. The study included a sample of 1030 university students. Results: On the mainland and at Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the students most frequently used adaptive strategies. Three of the strategies were used in both groups but to different extents (Acceptance, Positive reappraisal, Putting into perspective), while the other strategies were used in both groups to the same extent (Refocusing on planning, Positive refocusing, Rumination, Blaming others, Catastrophizing, Self-blame). Meanwhile, the results were quite similar regarding the students’ housing conditions and beliefs about the pandemic and online learning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Competences for a Sustainable Society)

Review

Jump to: Research, Other

14 pages, 1088 KiB

Open AccessReview

What about the Chief Digital Officer? A Literature Review

by Lazar Raković, Slobodan Marić, Lena Đorđević Milutinović, Marton Sakal and Slobodan Antić

Sustainability 2022, 14(8), 4696; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084696 - 14 Apr 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2914

Abstract

Digital transformation is becoming more ingrained into everyday life and is a talking point among researchers today. It has been evident from the growing number of publications that have focused on various aspects of digital transformation in the last few years. Based on [...] Read more.

Digital transformation is becoming more ingrained into everyday life and is a talking point among researchers today. It has been evident from the growing number of publications that have focused on various aspects of digital transformation in the last few years. Based on the number of papers published, one of them is of much less interest to researchers: the managerial role of Chief Digital Officer (CDO) inherent in digital transformation. Having this in mind, a systematic literature review was conducted to elucidate the CDO’s role, duties, and required competencies. In this paper, the results and conclusions of 22 papers are presented based on the search criteria outlined by the Web of Science and Scopus index databases. It is obvious that managing digital transformation is becoming more important as digital transformation affects almost every sector of business. The purpose of this study is to examine the position of Chief Digital Officer in terms of its position, role, and responsibilities as well as its necessary competencies. The results of this study could serve as the basis for future research in this area, which judging by the relevance of the topic, will certainly be more intensive. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Competences for a Sustainable Society)

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17 pages, 2029 KiB

Open AccessReview

COVID-19 in the Field of Education: State of the Art

by Alfredo Corell-Almuzara, Jesús López-Belmonte, José-Antonio Marín-Marín and Antonio-José Moreno-Guerrero

Sustainability 2021, 13(10), 5452; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13105452 - 13 May 2021

Cited by 44 | Viewed by 6250

Abstract

COVID-19 has produced a transformation in society that has, in turn, influenced the field of education. The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of COVID-19 on education using the Web of Science database. A methodology based on bibliometrics was used. [...] Read more.

COVID-19 has produced a transformation in society that has, in turn, influenced the field of education. The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of COVID-19 on education using the Web of Science database. A methodology based on bibliometrics was used. Specifically, a scientific mapping of the literature was carried out, as well as a co-word analysis on the state of the question. The analysis included 940 publications. The results show that the institution with the highest volume of production in this field is the University of London. Among the journals, the Journal of Chemical Education stands out. Furthermore, in the analysis of the structural and thematic development of co-words, a high percentage of keyword matching was observed. In 2020, the motor themes were mental-health, organic-chemistry, general-public, first-year-undergraduate, and upper-division-undergraduate, while in 2021, they were autism-spectrum-disorder, adoption, internet, and intervention. It can be concluded that investigation into COVID-19 in the educational field is in its initial process. The research is currently mainly oriented to pedagogical methods, especially e-learning or collaborative learning, although they are not the only trends in this field. Research is also focusing on mental health, students with various disorders, and higher education. In the near future, research on COVID-19 in the field of education will probably be oriented to the application of effective pedagogical methods to train students at various educational stages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Competences for a Sustainable Society)

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Other

Jump to: Research, Review

22 pages, 685 KiB

Open AccessPerspective

Digitainability—Digital Competences Post-COVID-19 for a Sustainable Society

by Maria José Sá, Ana Isabel Santos, Sandro Serpa and Carlos Miguel Ferreira

Sustainability 2021, 13(17), 9564; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179564 - 25 Aug 2021

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 5956

Abstract

The digitalization of societies, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, is an unstoppable process. This paper seeks to answer the question: what post-COVID-19 digital competences are needed for a sustainable society? It also aims to analyze the digitalization processes in education for shaping a [...] Read more.

The digitalization of societies, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, is an unstoppable process. This paper seeks to answer the question: what post-COVID-19 digital competences are needed for a sustainable society? It also aims to analyze the digitalization processes in education for shaping a sustainable digital society. A bibliographic search was performed on some of the most relevant international databases of scientific literature and the selected documents were analyzed through a content analysis. It is concluded that digital education has experienced a strong increase, reinforced by COVID-19, shaping the digital presence in all dimensions of life. However, it is not sufficient to assume that the new generations are naturally engaged in and can master digital social sustainability. The results demonstrate the importance of literacy and the unavoidable promotion of sustainability in a digital society. However, this digitalization of the educational process poses several challenges: it requires both software and hardware conditions, as well as digital literacy as a result of a complex of literacies. It also implies that teachers and students change their standpoints and practices with the attainment of new teaching and learning competences in order to fight the digital divide and to foster the widest possible social inclusion for the promotion of sustainable society—digitainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Competences for a Sustainable Society)

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