Perceptions about Teaching in Times of COVID-19 Pandemic: Experience of Secondary Education in Chile

<p style="text-align: justify;">The following article is a qualitative study that analyses the perception of parents and high school students regarding teaching in times of Coronavirus disease COVID-19, with the idea of recognizing the facilitators and barriers for the teaching-learning process in the pandemic. The above, in the understanding that due to the sudden appearance of SARS-CoV-2, educational systems around the world had to adapt to virtual teaching, as a result of the confinement to which the population has been subjected during the year 2020 and a good part of the year 2021. The research is based on the interpretative-comprehensive paradigm, with a qualitative methodology, which considered the realization of four focus groups with students and four focus groups with secondary school parents, from two public high schools located in the province of Talca, Maule region, Chile. The findings of the study are related to the adverse effects of the pandemic on student learning, as a result of connectivity difficulties, and the emotional impact on the quality of life of young people and their families. On the other hand, learning at home is related to limited pedagogical strategies and evaluative aspects that do not allow verifying the real learning of the students.</p>

Enhancing the learning and teaching of public speaking skills

<div> <div> <div> <div> <p> </p><div> <div> <div> <div> <p>Various pedagogical strategies promote the development of communication skills that enable graduates to leave their mark and make positive changes in society. This article focuses on instructional lessons learned from undergraduate student perspectives of the pedagogy of the lightning talk, a three-minute oral presentation delivered without the use of supporting materials and without audience engagement in a noncompetitive environment. Drawing from the data of a mixed-methods study conducted at a metropolitan university, this article highlights key pedagogical lessons. Students’ responses indicate that instructors can implement instructional strategies that enhance students’ preparatory work and accessibility. Students also shared that they developed valuable public speaking-related skills. Overall, the findings can inform how instructors can enhance learners’ communication skills with inclusive teaching strategies. </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p></p> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Enhancing the learning and teaching of public speaking skills

<div> <div> <div> <div> <p> </p><div> <div> <div> <div> <p>Various pedagogical strategies promote the development of communication skills that enable graduates to leave their mark and make positive changes in society. This article focuses on instructional lessons learned from undergraduate student perspectives of the pedagogy of the lightning talk, a three-minute oral presentation delivered without the use of supporting materials and without audience engagement in a noncompetitive environment. Drawing from the data of a mixed-methods study conducted at a metropolitan university, this article highlights key pedagogical lessons. Students’ responses indicate that instructors can implement instructional strategies that enhance students’ preparatory work and accessibility. Students also shared that they developed valuable public speaking-related skills. Overall, the findings can inform how instructors can enhance learners’ communication skills with inclusive teaching strategies. </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p></p> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Pedagogical Strategies for the learning of medicine students

With the epidemiological contingency, the learning processes were modified by teaching with virtualization. The teaching staff implemented pedagogical strategies structuring methodologies, interaction dynamics, fulfilling the objectives set out in the educational curriculum. Objective: To implement pedagogical strategies involved in virtualization during the learning process in medical students. Methodology: A descriptive, observational study with a qualitative approach over a period of 8 months. The sample was 225 students from the 5th semester of the Surgeon Degree. Results: It was shown that group activities, synchronous online conferences have 68% approval, dynamics such as discussion forums have 85% approval. Video recording has 45%, essays 25%, and mind maps 30%. Conclusion: Implementing educational strategies allows assessing efficiency and effectiveness promoting learning for the development of professional intellect.

Teachers’ Mindsets about L2 Learning: Exploring the Influences on Pedagogical Practices

This qualitative study aimed to examine Iranian language teachers’ mindsets about language learning and teaching, and the ways in which their mindsets influenced their educational practices. The participants of this study were 20 Iranian language teachers who taught general English courses at private language institutes in a city in central Iran. The data were collected through conducting semi-structured interviews with the participants. The qualitative content analysis was conducted, and the main themes and categories were extracted. The results revealed that teachers had categorical (fixed or growth) or mixed mindsets (both fixed and growth mindsets). Moreover, the results showed that teachers’ mindsets influenced teachers’ pedagogical strategies, homework assignment, and their praise type. The findings show that it is important to raise teachers’ awareness about their mindsets and the effects they might have on their teaching strategies and the feedback/praise they give to their students.

Pedagogical Creativity as a Means of Inclusion in Primary School

This chapter presents some creative pedagogical strategies used during the distance or remote learning period due to the COVID-19 pandemic from March to May 2020. The chapter explores the use of coding in a transdisciplinary way. Strategies for online tools and their specific use both in remote and in face-to-face learning are presented. The role of hands-on learning as a process of learning-by-doing and how to involve pupils using the methods of a flipped classroom are also presented. The chapter concludes with the importance of games to keep the class group united and cohesive in order to develop a healthy sense of competitiveness and collaboration among the pupils.

From Praxis to Theory

Research has shown that social capital plays a significant role in achieving success. For children from disadvantaged communities in India—such as the urban poor—financial and cultural constraints severely limit their ability to complete their schooling, forcing them to enter the job market as unskilled workers. This chapter presents an educational intervention called Project Disha in an urban slum by Kriti Social Initiatives, a non-profit organization in India. Project Disha is a scholarship and mentoring program that aims to teach life skills and fill the social capital gap for these disadvantaged students. Due to the pandemic, the program switched to an online mode, an already challenging situation made more so due to the extremely limited technology available to the children. With limited internet connectivity, frequent power cuts, and access only to inexpensive smartphones, Project Disha now relies on a team of volunteer mentors and creative pedagogical strategies to keep students connected, engaged, and learning.

Game Concepts in Learning and Teaching Process

The traditional teaching and learning process has undergone several transformations in order to increase the engagement and motivation of students in relation to the content studied. The emergence of learning management systems, along with the adoption of games or gamification features, make the instructional process more stimulating and dynamic. Educators also seek to identify appropriate pedagogical strategies in the context of motivational design and the study of emotions. This chapter aims to present different approaches to playful learning and also discuss good practices in the use of frameworks created based on students' emotional components and instructional design in order to make game-based learning and the use of gamification more effective and engaging.