The importance of self-regulation as an essential element for lifelong learning calls for the design of learning processes that promote it. In this context, peer assessment, characterised by promoting metacognitive reflection and guiding students in modifying their learning strategies during the process, is considered a key and effective element for its development. This research studies the effects of implementing peer feedback strategies on the development of the competence of learning to learn. The aim is to improve self-regulation in Spanish higher education students, specifically Master’s students in an online learning environment at an open university. The main objective of this contribution is to determine if the active involvement of students (111) in peer assessment (in the role of assessor or assessed) is confirmed as an effective self-regulation strategy. To do this, a self-regulation questionnaire was administered at the beginning and end of the experience, as well as a satisfaction questionnaire regarding the peer assessment experience. The results highlight that through the implemented peer feedback strategies, students specifically improved their capacity to deeply analyse tasks and clearly visualise objectives, which are elements related to the initial planning phase of self-regulation. The conclusions point to the need for students to take responsibility for self-regulation, and the opportunity that technology can provide in supporting student self-regulation, motivation, and participation in assessment in online learning environments.

This study explores how students in an online master's program developed disciplinary concepts through a collaborative writing strategy on Wikipedia. This strategy involved searching for information and creating content according to the rigor and quality criteria of the virtual encyclopedia over a total of eight semesters. A web service that uses machine learning to evaluate Wikipedia edits supported the analysis of 1779 students' participation, totaling 57560 edits. The results provided evidence of student learning, as they were correctly edited in the group workshop of the encyclopedia as a preliminary step to the final publication of the article. A constant improvement in contributions was observed, evidenced by the increase in the degree of "good faith" and the significant decrease in "damage." The implementation of this collaborative writing strategy has not only allowed students to develop competencies and knowledge specific to the subject but has also fostered critical thinking, reflection, teamwork, and digital skills. Faculty supervision has been essential to ensure the quality and rigor of the contributions, demonstrating that it can be an effective methodology for learning in higher education environments.

This study investigates the factors influencing the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by secondary school teachers in Catalonia. Using a Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) methodology, a conceptual model was analyzed that includes AI perception, AI knowledge, General data use, Applied data use, and STEM training as predictors of AI adoption. The results reveal that AI knowledge (beta = .482, p < .001) and General data use (beta = .288, p = .001) are the most significant and positive predictors of AI adoption. In contrast, AI perception shows a weak but statistically significant negative relationship (beta = -.105, p = .022), while applied data use and STEM training do not present a significant direct effect. The model explains 30.5 % of the variance in AI adoption. These findings suggest that developing specific knowledge on how to use AI for content creation and competence in general data use is crucial to fostering AI adoption among secondary school teachers in the Catalan context. In addition, this explorative work provides the research community with evidence that key Data Literacy competencies significantly shape AI adoption.

Open, social and networked approaches to learning pose challenges for learners, who must assume the role of actively directing their own learning, in interaction and collaboration with others, in an increasingly complex environment. In this context, concepts such as self-direction and self-regulation of learning have attracted renewed interest as umbrella terms for a skill set and provisions that allow subjects to independently guide their own learning process and assume responsibility for it. Moreover, many authors have pointed out various problems regarding MOOC design and quality from a pedagogical perspective. This raises the need for a greater and more holistic understanding of learning regulatory processes and for developing models and instruments to support learners in this regard. This research aims to analyse how to support learning regulation processes as a whole in MOOC environments. This means paying attention to both social and individual dimensions of regulation, by studying how processes of self-regulation, co-regulation and socially shared regulation can be supported and promoted in this type of learning contexts. To this end, we apply the methodology of design-based research in order to intervene directly in the pedagogical practice through an iterative cycle based on stages of design, intervention, reflection and redesign of a design layer to support learning regulation in a MOOC. In this paper we present the design of the regulation support layer proposed in the first research iteration. We begin by presenting its theoretical foundations and then describe the support layer that has been designed as well as the empirical case of an xMOOC were it has been implemented. Finally, some conclusions and recommendations for the design and practice of learning regulation in MOOC are drawn from the results obtained in the first research iteration.

Minimally invasive surgery is the new surgical standard that requires the development of low-cost portable simulators to democratize training and ubiquitous learning. The study presents the development and validation of a simulator for learning basic psychomotor skills in minimally invasive surgery using a combination of Design -Based Research methodological approaches focused on learning, and Design Science Research focused on artefact development. The study was conducted in four phases. The framework proposed by Messick was used for the validation of the simulator. The successive development phases involved minimally invasive surgery experts, surgical residents, and medical students, who conducted a series of tests of the artefact to measure its effectiveness in learning psychomotor skills. The studies were based on Likert surveys and evaluation of test scores by a novice population (referent group) and an expert group. While evidence was obtained for content validity, no evidence was obtained for the relationship with other variables. Internal consistency showed good quality evidence and strong evidence was obtained for learning curve achievement among novices. The approach adopted proved to be effective in the development of accessible and effective simulators for the development of psychomotor skills in minimally invasive surgery.

This research presents how the adoption of self -regulation strategies using peer feedback and chatbots promotes the transformation of online assessment. The evaluation of the design of a learning activity that integrates a peer feedback intervention to suggest improvements in academic essay writing is described. Based on a design -based research approach, three main phases are established, a first one for the design of the proposal and two consecutive implementations. In the first, a satisfaction questionnaire was distributed to 348 students and the analysis of the responses was used to redesign the proposal. In the second implementation, a questionnaire was used with 24 students and a group interview with the faculty. The results allowed a positive assessment of the relationship between peer feedback and the development of self-regulation and learning to learn competencies. Finally, it is concluded that it is necessary to propose more often strategies of this type that also include the use of AI, thus giving more opportunities to students in the development of their autonomy and a conscious and efficient management of their learning process, so this article also presents a design proposal for a new iteration with AI.

Minimally invasive surgery is the new surgical standard that requires the development of low-cost portable simulators to democratize training and ubiquitous learning. The study presents the development and validation of a simulator for learning basic psychomotor skills in minimally invasive surgery using a combination of Design-Based Research methodological approaches focused on learning, and Design Science Research focused on artefact development. The study was conducted in four phases. The framework proposed by Messick was used for the validation of the simulator. The successive development phases involved minimally invasive surgery experts, surgical residents, and medical students, who conducted a series of tests of the artefact to measure its effectiveness in learning psychomotor skills. The studies were based on Likert surveys and evaluation of test scores by a novice population (referent group) and an expert group. While evidence was obtained for content validity, no evidence was obtained for the relationship with other variables. Internal consistency showed good quality evidence and strong evidence was obtained for learning curve achievement among novices. The approach adopted proved to be effective in the development of accessible and effective simulators for the development of psychomotor skills in minimally invasive surgery. La cirugía mínimamente invasiva es el nuevo estándar quirúrgico que requiere desarrollar simuladores portátiles de bajo costo que permitan democratizar el entrenamiento y el aprendizaje ubicuo.El estudio presenta el desarrollo y validación de un simulador para el aprendizaje de destrezas psicomotoras básicas en cirugía de invasión mínima que utilizó la combinación de los enfoques metodológicos de Investigación Basada en el Diseño, centrado en el aprendizaje, y de Investigación en Ciencias del Diseño, focalizado en el desarrollo de artefactos. El estudio se desarrolló en cuatro fases. Para la validación del simulador se utilizó el marco propuesto por Messick.En las sucesivas fases de desarrollo intervinieron expertos en cirugía de invasión mínima, residentes de cirugía y estudiantes de Medicina, quienes realizaron una serie de pruebas del artefacto donde se midió su eficacia para el aprendizaje de las destrezas psicomotoras. Los estudios se basaron en encuestas Likert y en la evaluación de los puntajes de las pruebas efectuadas por una población de novatos (grupo referente) y un grupo de expertos.Si bien se obtuvo evidencia para la validez de contenido, no se obtuvo evidencia para la relación con otras variables. La consistencia interna mostró evidencia de buena calidad y se obtuvo evidencia contundente para el logro de curva de aprendizaje entre los novatos.El enfoque adoptado demostró ser eficaz en el desarrollo de simuladores accesibles y eficaces para el desarrollo de destrezas psicomotoras en cirugía de invasión mínima.

This research presents how the adoption of self-regulation strategies using peer feedback and chatbots promotes the transformation of online assessment. The evaluation of the design of a learning activity that integrates a peer feedback intervention to suggest improvements in academic essay writing is described. Based on a design-based research approach, three main phases are established, a first one for the design of the proposal and two consecutive implementations. In the first, a satisfaction questionnaire was distributed to 348 students and the analysis of the responses was used to redesign the proposal. In the second implementation, a questionnaire was used with 24 students and a group interview with the faculty. The results allowed a positive assessment of the relationship between peer feedback and the development of self-regulation and learning to learn competencies. Finally, it is concluded that it is necessary to propose more often strategies of this type that also include the use of AI, thus giving more opportunities to students in the development of their autonomy and a conscious and efficient management of their learning process, so this article also presents a design proposal for a new iteration with AI. Esta investigación presenta cómo a partir de la adopción de estrategias de autorregulación utilizando el feedback entre pares y los chatbots se promueve la transformación de la evaluación en línea. Se describe la evaluación del diseño de una actividad de aprendizaje que integra una intervención de feedback entre pares para sugerir mejoras en la elaboración de ensayos académicos. A partir de un enfoque de investigación basado en el diseño se establecen tres fases principales, una primera de diseño de la propuesta y dos implementaciones consecutivas. En la primera se distribuyó un cuestionario de satisfacción a 348 estudiantes y el análisis de las respuestas se utilizó para el rediseño de la propuesta. En la segunda implementación, se utilizó un cuestionario con 24 estudiantes y una entrevista grupal al profesorado. Los resultados permitieron valorar positivamente la relación entre el feedback por pares, y el desarrollo de las competencias de autorregulación y de aprender a aprender. Finalmente, se concluye que es necesario proponer más a menudo estrategias de este tipo y que incluyan además el uso de la IA, dando así más oportunidades al estudiantado en el desarrollo de su autonomía y una gestión consciente y eficiente de su proceso aprendizaje, por lo que en este artículo se presenta también una propuesta de diseño para una nueva iteración con IA.

Competency assessment in Higher Education is one of the biggest challenges which universities face nowadays. This paper shows the evolution of a transversal methodological proposal in an online master's program, for the development and evaluation of the students' self-regulation capacity through a self-assessment strategy based on a dialogue with the teachers. This evolution, the result of the continuous evaluation of the proposal implementation, entails changes both in the initial methodological approach as well as in the integration of technology as a facilitator of the process. Based on the concept of student-centered design, a longitudinal study is suggested over three academic years in which the opinion and perception of the program's students and teachers are systematically collected. In particular, and through an analysis of aspects for improvement emerging in each of the three phases, a set of decisions are identified to the original design that has finally led to the creation and integration of an ad hoc tool for the support of competencies self-assessment and to self-regulation in a virtual environment. The conclusions of this study highlight the importance of thinking about solutions in an integral way, including scaffolding activities for student self-reflection, teacher training in competency-based learning and evaluation, and development or integration of appropriate tools for the support of these processes.

The progressive shift from a transmissive to a competence-based approach emphasises the need to design new models and tools for competence assessment. In order to address this need, this study, firstly, introduces the assessment model for digital competence in primary and secondary schools developed within the H2020 CRISS project. The Competence Assessment Model (CAM) (1) embraces the integration pedagogy approach in which competences are embedded within the curriculum and (2) provides competence assessment scenarios (CAS). Secondly, the study presents the results of the evaluation of its quality from the teachers’ perspective through an instrument designed on the basis of nine competence assessment quality criteria. The CAM was tested in a large-scale pilot study conducted in 535 primary and secondary schools across Europe. The outcomes show that the CAM mainly fulfills two out of the nine quality criteria: meaningfulness and authenticity. However, the exploratory factor analysis also reveals that all these quality criteria can be summarized into four key quality factors that more accurately describe how CAM is experienced in school teaching. Out of these, the most relevant is the (1) efficiency over time, student monitoring, support and evaluation. The three secondary factors identified are (2) fairness and cognitive complexity, (3) meaningfulness and authenticity and (4) reproducibility and transparency. The study provides a conceptual and methodological approach for the evaluation of Digital Competence in the school context. Most of all, it helps highlight four factors that, according to teaching staff, describe the quality of the proposed model when applied to daily teaching practices.

La evaluación por competencias en la educación superior es uno de los mayores retos a los que se enfrentan las universidades en la actualidad. Este artículo presenta la evolución de una propuesta metodológica transversal en un programa de máster en línea, para el desarrollo y la evaluación de la capacidad de autorregulación del estudiantado a través de una estrategia de autoevaluación fundamentada y dialogada. Dicha evolución, fruto de una evaluación continuada de la implementación de la propuesta, supone cambios en el planteamiento metodológico inicial y la integración de la tecnología como facilitadora del proceso. Partiendo del concepto de diseño centrado en el estudiantado, se plantea un estudio longitudinal durante tres cursos académicos en el que se recoge de manera sistemática la opinión y percepción del estudiantado y del profesorado del programa. Concretamente, y a través de un análisis de los elementos a mejorar en cada una de las tres fases, se identifican un conjunto de decisiones sobre el diseño original que finalmente ha derivado en la creación e integración de una herramienta ad hoc para la autoevaluación competencial y la autorregulación en un entorno virtual. Las conclusiones del trabajo ponen de relieve la importancia de pensar soluciones de manera integral, atendiendo a la necesidad de proveer un andamiaje al estudiantado para mejorar su capacidad de autorreflexión, de formar al profesorado en el trabajo y evaluación por competencias y de contar con las herramientas adecuadas para sostener dichos procesos.

While competence-based education is gaining momentum in K-12, integration into the curriculum is still challenging. We present a Competence Assessment Model that supports creating scenarios that use several active methods for gathering learning evidence and implementing assessment rules. The study adopts a design and development research approach that spans three phases of conceptual development and model internal validation. The usability documentation method was applied to digital competence as a test case involving teachers, learning designers, and researchers across six European countries. Results confirm the model’s effectiveness for supporting competence assessment design and identify key organisational issues and teacher challenges for its adoption.

In the current ecology of learning, participation in massive and open learning environments confers a new role to the learner as an individual who, connected with others and with the available resources, learns autonomously. In this research we rely on educational regulation as a necessary mechanism of self-directed learning processes in MOOC. Specifically, a metacognitive enrichment process of the design of a MOOC with contributions by its learners is analyzed. Self-regulation is used as a tool to personalize and make massive learning more flexible in a technified ecology. More specifically, a profiling tool for learners for their self-directed learning is proposed in relation to three skills axes: motivational, social and reflective. The qualitative analysis of the contributions in co-design workshops to a learner profile test and the results obtained in the implementation of this test in the MOOC provide the following results: a) the characteristics of the regulatory profiles and support measures to self-directed learning from the perspective of the participants; and b) the evolution of the behavior of the different profiles and their use as a regulatory instrument for self-directed learning in MOOC. En la actual ecología del aprendizaje la participación en entornos de aprendizaje masivos y abiertos confiere un nuevo protagonismo al aprendiz en cuanto individuo que, conectado con otros y con los recursos a su alcance, aprende de manera autónoma. En la presente investigación nos apoyamos en la regulación educativa como mecanismo necesario de los procesos de autodirección del aprendizaje en los MOOC. En concreto, se analiza un proceso de enriquecimiento metacognitivo del diseño de un MOOC con la contribución de los propios aprendices. La autorregulación se utiliza como herramienta para personalizar y flexibilizar el aprendizaje masivo en una ecología tecnificada. Se propone una herramienta de perfilado de los aprendices en la autodirección de su aprendizaje en relación a tres ejes competenciales: motivacional, social y reflexivo. El análisis cualitativo de las aportaciones a los talleres de co-diseño de un test del perfil de aprendiz y los resultados obtenidos en la implementación del test en el MOOC, aportan los resultados siguientes: a) las características de los perfiles regulativos y medidas de apoyo al aprendizaje autodirigido desde la perspectiva de los participantes; b) el comportamiento evolutivo de los distintos perfiles y su uso como instrumento en una autodirección regulada del aprendizaje en MOOC.

Embedding employability skills into the core of higher education is a priority worldwide to reduce the skills gap and better equip graduates for entering or progressing in the workplace. This chapter presents an innovative solution based on high impact e-portfolio practices developed within the H2020 EPICA project oriented towards making employability skills visible. It also reports on the implementation of a new methodology for assessing and micro-credentialing employability skills tested in three East African universities. The pilot carried out in a variety of study programs is described along with the measures taken to address the spread of COVID-19. Lessons learnt, transfer possibilities, and organizational implications are also reported as a final note on the experience. This high impact learning experience aims to inspire academic institutions to innovate by integrating e-portfolio and micro-credentials along with fresh pedagogical practices and strategies that better align the future workforce with societal and economic demands.

Participation in massive and open learning environments gives a new role to the learner as an individual who, connected with others and with the resources within their reach, learns autonomously. In this research, we rely on educational regulation as a necessary mechanism for self-directed learning processes in MOOCs. The purpose is to analyse a process of metacognitive enrichment of the design of a MOOC, with the contribution of the learners themselves. We implement a design-based research model, where self-regulation is, at the same time, the object of study and purpose of the design, which is used to personalize and make learning more flexible in an open massive environment. We develop a tool for the profiling of learners in their self-direction of learning in relation to three competency axes: motivational, social and reflective. The learners themselves participate in the development of this tool through a series of co-design workshops. The article presents the results of the process of design and implementation of the tool (or learner profile test): on the one hand, it presents the qualitative analysis of the contributions to the workshops for the construction of the tool and, on the other, the results after its implementation in the MOOC. The main contributions have to do, on the one hand, with the design solutions provided to support regulated learning and ML in MOOCs. On the other hand, they show the need to take care of the motivational components in the design of MOOCs, as well as the introduction of metacognitive aids that activate the self-monitoring strategies of the participants and progressively improve their self-perception and the alignment of their attitude with their activity in the MOOC, especially regarding the social learning dimension.

Increasingly, among international organizations concerned with unemployment rates and industry demands, there is an emphasis on the need to improve graduates’ employability skills and the transparency of mechanisms for their recognition. This research presents the Employability Skills Micro-credentialing (ESMC) methodology, designed under the EPICA Horizon 2020 (H2020) project and tested at three East African universities, and shows how it fosters pedagogical innovation and promotes employability skills integration and visibility. The methodology, supported by a competency-based ePortfolio and a digital micro-credentialing system, was evaluated using a mixed-method design, combining descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis to capture complementary stakeholder perspectives. The study involved the participation of 13 lecturers, 169 students, and 24 employers. The results indicate that the ESMC methodology is a promising approach for supporting students in their transition from academia to the workplace. The implementation of the methodology and the involvement of employers entails rethinking educational practices and academic curricula to embed employability skills. It enables all actors to broaden their understanding of the relationship between higher education and the business sector and to sustain visibility, transparency, and reliability of the recognition process. These findings indicate that there are favourable conditions in the region for the adoption of the approach, which is a meaningful solution for the stakeholder community to address the skills gap.

Little research addresses the adoption of Blended Learning (BL) as a strategy for supporting Higher Education institutions' transformation. The purpose of the study presented below was to evaluate a teacher development Study Programme (SP) focused on the implementation of BL at the Maldives National University (MNU), as part of its digital shift towards becoming a bi-modal institution. This article examines the SP through the lens of Kirkpatrick's model in terms of satisfaction and learning gains. The sample comprised 45 lecturers and data were collected using online surveys and focus groups. The results provide insights into the quality of the SP and its relevance for lecturers adopting BL in their courses and as part of a contribution to a whole institutional strategy.

Specific research addresses the adoption of self-regulation strategies through peer feedback and the use of chatbots for supporting Higher Education institutions to transform online assessment. The purpose of the study presented below was to evaluate the design of a learning activity containing a peer-feedback intervention in order to suggest improvements. A set of data collection instruments was designed and distributed after the first iteration of the experience to gain insights into the students' perception of the peer-review task, designed to enhance their self-regulation capacity and supported by the use of a chatbot throughout the learning activity. The data collected allowed us to identify the learning activity design aspects that should be improved for future iterations to enhance student process performance skills.