Problems of Education in the 21st Century

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Authors: Editorial Board

Cover page, Vol. 78, No. 1, 2020, PEC

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Authors: Katarzyna Potyrała

Educational tendencies are certain regularities outlined in the development of ideas related to education and upbringing. They show some perspectives that can be predicted by describing models, planning research on future processes as well as taking preventive actions. Trends are more, than tendencies, related to the style of some types of research or their directions conditioned by social demand or the specificity of cultural changes at a given time and place. Contemporary science education tendencies are largely due to the globalization process, technology development, multiculturalism and human impact on the natural environment. The old slogans such as "Live globally, act locally", "Sustainable development in practice" or "Multicultural path to success" still seem to be a big challenge. We see a number of problems that remain unsolved, and even grow, in the situation of rapid development of knowledge, social change and global climate issues.

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Authors: John G. Chaka, Irene Govender

This research set out to determine the use of a social networking platform, Facebook, as a medium for learning and teaching. Using a combination of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model, Information Systems (IS) success model and the educational use of Facebook theory, a conceptual framework was developed for implementation of mobile learning and teaching. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to determine a model for the implementation of mobile learning and teaching. A sample of 330 respondents was used in this research. The data were analysed using structural equation modelling. The aim was to determine to what extent mobile learning is acceptable to colleges of education in Nigeria. Lecturers from a federal college of education in Nigeria were used to test the implementation of mobile learning using Facebook as a medium of communication. Four courses were selected as part of the intervention programme. The research revealed that m-learning significantly improves the teaching and learning conditions in colleges of education, specifically by reducing the inadequacies of physical facilities, and by improving the reading culture and performance of students. The results further indicate that most of the stakeholders are satisfied with the benefits of m-learning and wish to continue using the Facebook and their mobile phones.

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Authors: Katherina Gallardo

Rubrics are assessment guides for grading and giving feedback to students while demonstrating acquired knowledge and skills. In the last decades, rubrics have been all part of the most used learning evaluation tools in higher education. Its use is further well-related to competency-based assessment purposes. Nevertheless, criticism around design and application has been also implemented in certain reports. In order to understand rubrics’ evolution, practice, benefits, and trends, a systematic literature review on rubrics’ design and use has been conducted. Two databases were selected: Scopus and ProQuest Education. Two phases were determined: The first allowed to identify articles related to rubrics’ design and application for almost three decades. 584 articles were found. From these, most cited articles served to give a scope of rubric evolution and trends. The second phase permitted to identify design and use of performance-based evaluation rubrics from 2009 and 2019. Five terms and Boolean combinations were used. A total of 259 articles was found. After analyzing abstracts and content, 11 open access articles on performance-oriented rubric design and application were chosen. As a result, some facts and reflections on rubric design complexity are discussed towards responding to educational challenges related to competency-based assessment contemporary demands: integration of human learning domains going beyond cognition, authenticity, and interdisciplinarity as features that characterize learning design situations, follow students’ progression, educator’s preparation on assessment literacy for responding to CBA demands, and the involvement of experts of the work field in determining essential evaluation indicators as the main topics looking forward to the next decade.

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Authors: Ali Maksum, Fifukha D. Khory

This research aimed to examine the theoretical model that explains the relations among learning climate, thinking patterns, and curiosity on academic performance. This research was a non-experimental research with 1,000 respondents from State University of Surabaya, Indonesia. They came from 20 departments, consisting of 324 men and 676 women with a mean age of 19.81 years. Data were collected using a questionnaire, including inventory of learning climate, thinking patterns, and curiosity. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling. The results showed that the model was compatible with the data. The examination also showed the effect of the learning climate on thinking patterns, the influence of thinking patterns on curiosity, the influence of the learning climate on curiosity, and the influence of curiosity on academic performance. It is concluded that learning climate, thinking pattern, and curiosity play an important role in academic performance. Thus, the quality of students can be improved if curiosity is cultivated and reflective thinking patterns are formed. This requires serious efforts, both in policy and practice, to build a learning climate for the growth of students' thinking and curiosity.

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Authors: Editorial Board

End page, Vol. 78, No. 1, 2020, PEC