Thisis a work-in-progress paper about the DACEM project, whose goal is to improve course catalogues in Erasmus+ higher education institutions. The Erasmus programme was launched 36 years ago, renamed as Erasmus+ in 2014, to promote the mobility of students among European institutions. Course catalogues are a key tool to enable students searching for the best matching academic opportunities to meet their needs, and for institutions to agree on bilateral agreements on shared programmes according to the Erasmus regulations. Nevertheless, despite the key role of this instrument and the so many years of experience and multitude of initiatives, the provision of appropriate course catalogues is still a main challenge for European higher education institutions and students' mobility. This paper introduces the requirements and data elements that need to be included in course catalogues, related projects that have been focused on the improvement of course catalogues, and the main problems and issues experienced by institutions and students. The paper also introduces the DACEM project and its proposals to solve some of the current issues.
Semantic interoperability is an important aspect in Learning Analytics systems, allowing data from various sources to be processed by a central application while preserving its original meaning. In this regard, there are two specifications that enable interoperability for Learning Analytics: Caliper Analytics and the Experience API (xAPI). This study presents the implementation of a Learning Record Warehouse (LRW) for storing Moodle logs, using the specifications Caliper Analytics and xAPI. OpenLRW was chosen as the platform to store data collected by plugins responsible for gathering Moodle logs in Caliper Analyzer and xAPI formats. Despite OpenLRW having an internal converter to convert data from xAPI to Caliper Analyzer format, some bottlenecks were identified during the experiments conducted within this study.
The massive penetration of social networks among the population of all ages continues to rise year after year. These digital environments have become naturalized spaces for socializing, entertainment, information, communication, work, and even education. The use of these environments as learning spaces is a developing area that requires strategic didactic designs that integrate these scenarios transversely into the learning process. In this sense, the aim of this paper is to present part of the results of a teaching innovation proj ect focused on the integration of networks as learning spaces. The perceptions of the 435 university students participating in the project on the importance they give to social networks, their training needs in this regard, and the areas where they believe these spaces have the greatest influence were collected. U sing a quantitative methodology, the results yield interesting data from which we can deduce the importance of including social networks as learning spaces for the correct digital literacy of students to enable them to have real critical thinking when using these spaces.
The World Health Organization reports that 1.3 billion people globally face disabilities, underscoring the urgent need for innovative educational solutions. In the framework of the LECTPAT project, LECTPAT platform is presented as a multimodal online dictionary to enhance the accessibility of complex cultural heritage. A primary goal of this work is to ensure education is universally accessible, which is also particularly aligned with sustainable development goals 4 and 10. The LECTPAT distinguishes itself by providing comprehensive term definitions, pictograms, examples, and multimedia integration. In addition, different roles can interact on the platform, giving access to a specific and/or advanced set of functionalities. The infrastructure and technologies used ensure that the platform can be scalable, secure, and extensible. Furthermore, an evaluation methodology based on the Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool and WCAG 2.1 standards is outlined, ensuring that the platform adheres to high accessibility standards.
This paper introduces the AL-MUSACTRA platform, an initiative designed to democratize access to cultural heritage through digital innovation, specifically catering to the diverse needs of individuals with disabilities. Grounded in the universal right to leisure and culture, the platform is a direct response to the mandates of international conventions and the Sustainable Development Goals, with a focus on inclusivity, safety, resilience, and sustainable access to cultural and natural heritage. Despite the progress in accessible audiovisual translation, the challenge of ensuring universal access to cultural heritage persists, particularly for those with visual, hearing, and cognitive disabilities. The AL-MUSACTRA platform leverages the Drupal Content Management System to overcome these barriers, offering features such as audio descriptions, sign language videos, and simplified texts. This paper details the platform's development, highlighting its emphasis on web accessibility standards and its potential to serve as a model for similar initiatives globally.
