Considering that digital education is essential to prepare students to deal critically with the vast amount of information available today, History teachers play a central role in fostering critical thinking and historical analysis. Digital technology, due to its multimedia nature, can contribute to understanding the complexity of historical knowledge and to the development of critical skills, while also enabling direct engagement with digitised historical sources and, consequently, the democratisation of access to information. However, many early-career teachers experience difficulties in the pedagogical integration of digital technologies, largely because of the predominance of traditional methodologies in their initial training pathways. It therefore becomes essential to create training contexts that promote the conscious and critical use of digital technologies in the design of meaningful, challenging, and intellectually demanding learning experiences. Within this framework, the present study aims to analyse the initial training of future History teachers in Portugal. Through a qualitative case study, the research examines legal frameworks and the strategies adopted by different higher education institutions to incorporate digital technologies, presenting examples of activities developed within a curricular unit oriented towards the teaching of History in Portugal.
Currently, artificial intelligence (AI) is experiencing rapid growth worldwide, impacting various sectors of society, including, notably, the education sector. In particular, the advancement of generative AI stands out, characterized by its ability to create content such as text, images, music, audio, and videos. The main objective of this research is to analyze the level of AI use by doctoral students at the Faculty of Education and Communication of the Catholic University of Mozambique. Based on this analysis, we seek to understand the concrete impacts of AI in the Mozambican academic context, especially on scientific productivity and the development of research skills. To obtain answers to the defined objective, a case study methodology was adopted. The research is mixed in nature-quantitative and qualitative- and data will be collected in the academic community through a questionnaire survey of students from 3rd study cycle at the institution. Preliminary results suggest that students use a set of generative AI tools in their learning, showing that there is indeed a growing impact of the use of these tools in the academic context, in different dimensions of the teaching-learning process.
Introduction/objectives: Knowledge of human embryology (HE) is essential for the proper formation of students in the health sciences. The objective of this article is to conduct a systematic review on the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in the teaching-learning process of HE. Methodology: A systematic review was conducted on the use of VR and AR in the teaching of HE using the databases PubMed, ScienceDirect, Embase and Scopus. The review followed the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Results and discussion: After the selection proccess, from an initial total of 379 identified studies, six articles were included in this review. All of them reported benefits from the use of VR as a didactic tool in the teaching of HE. None of the selected articles employed AR in their studies. Conclusions: VR shows promising andragogical benefits in the educational scenario of HE, particularly through its ability to provide dynamism, interactivity and three-dimensional visualization. Currently, there is a lack of scientific literature regarding the use of AR in the teaching-learning process of HE.
This study examines how embedding Malay cultural contexts into Information Communications Technology-enhanced Realistic Mathematics Education can strengthen 21st-century life skills among elementary teacher candidates. A mixed-methods approach combined a quasi-experimental design with Design-Based Research over a six-week intervention. Sixty-four preservice teachers from a Malaysian public university were assigned to experimental and control groups. The cultural Realistic Mathematics Education module integrated batik patterns, congkak game mechanics, and anyaman weaving as problem-solving contexts, delivered via an Learning Management System featuring augmented-reality objects and digital storytelling. Data were gathered through PISA-style mathematical literacy tests, a validated life-skills questionnaire, observation rubrics, and semi-structured interviews. Paired-sample t-tests and ANCOVA showed significant gains (p < .01) in critical thinking, communication, and mathematical problem-solving for the experimental cohort. Thematic coding revealed heightened engagement, cultural relevance, and digital literacy. Findings indicate that the Culture Realistic Mathematics Education, Information and Communication Technology nexus fosters meaningful learning and addresses teacher-education goals aligned with the 2030 Agenda. Implications include culturally responsive curriculum design, policy recommendations for Information Communications Technology integration, and directions for further research on culturally grounded Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education.
Educational technologies, such as gamified platforms and software based on Artificial Intelligence (AI), have emerged as innovative solutions to address challenges in education, making learning more engaging and effective by adapting content to students' needs. Gamification fosters engagement, while AI enables personalized instruction and task automation, facilitating the monitoring and analysis of student performance. With the aim of integrating these two approaches, the NiO AI platform was developed. This research seeks to present the NiO AI environment, describing its automated tools designed for both students and teachers. To this end, a review of studies addressing the use of educational platforms, gamification, and AI in the teaching-learning process was conducted, followed by a descriptive study of the NiO AI platform. Its predecessor, the gamified NiO platform, was tested with high school and higher education classes, demonstrating improvements in performance, usability, motivation, and student satisfaction. Currently, NiO AI has more than 450 users and shows strong adoption of its chatbot. Future perspectives include evaluating the platform to verify its impact on learning, dropout reduction, and student motivation.
