The Scottish Science and Technology Network (SSTN) is a major collaboration between Careers Scotland and Scottish industry to promote science and technology via an on‑line and integrated learning programme. An initial two‑ year pilot project has grown considerably and has now been running for over 7 years. The SSTN programme is a web‑ based application that supports teachers with automatic identification of learning resources, course planning tools, classroom‑based delivery (within the 5‑14 curriculum) and mentoring support. This paper presents a summary of this project and examples of typical usage scenarios. We present our project findings from this 7 year programme and details of our further development plans. Findings presented include lessons learnt, our best practice guidelines, effective user interface design for learning, integration learning resources and strategies for hiding complexity.

In this paper, I describe a professional development approach and a conceptual framework used to create critically thoughtful and media‑rich science learning resources. Greater clarity about the nature of critical thinking and how to support teachers in learning to implement it are needed if we are to respond to broader calls for critical thinking both as a central goal in science education and as a key aspect in the ecology of 21st Century e‑learning environments. The conceptual framework is a model of critical thinking developed by the Canadian Critical Thinking Consortium that involves embedding the teaching of five categories of intellectual tools into the teaching of curriculum content. The "tools for thought" include addressing the need for focused and relevant background knowledge, criteria for judgment, thinking concepts, thinking strategies and the development of habits of mind. The professional development approach engages practicing teachers through focused inquiry groups in collaboration with rich media technicians to develop the e‑critical challenges (lessons). Aspects of this "comet approach" include a series of face‑to‑face sessions, gradual and planned for introduction to use of laptop computers, developing inquiry oriented writing teams and expert mentorship between large group face‑to‑face sessions. I explain the unique aspects of both the development process and the challenges in the context of a project involving twelve teachers in the creation of media‑rich critical thinking lessons in science for Grade 7 students. Although project assessment data analysis is currently underway, I offer several initial conclusions in relation to the four goals of the project.

Paramedic students need to acquire knowledge and skills necessary to perform basic as well as complex clinical skills, to ensure patient safety, and to manage sophisticated equipment. Time and resource pressures on students, teaching staff and institutions have led health professional educators to develop and embrace alternative opportunities such as simulation and multimedia in order to develop a student’s clinical expertise in preparation for clinical placement. Paramedic education laboratories are equipped with simulation equipment to facilitate the acquisition of the psychomotor skills required by paramedics, and are the main spaces where students can practice essential paramedic skills in a non‑threatening environment. However, often the learning environment is encumbered by ‘noise’ or obstacles such as the educator’s body, or ambient noise from other students, staff or equipment, all which inhibit a clear and precise view of the intricate details of skills to be learned. This study addressed the crowded laboratory and ‘noise’ issues through the use of video learning resources. Though using video as a learning resource is not new, there are three facets to learning that make this project innovative and beneficial to the learner; one, learning from a video composed from a first person point of view (1st PPOV); two, the viewing of the video learning materials using a mobile device such as a smart phone; and three, the use of QR codes to access the online videos. Six 1st PPOV video vignettes were produced for this study. Each video was less than two minutes and length, clear and instructional on selected psychomotor clinjcal skills required for acute care provision . The research findings show that the 1st PPOV videos positively impacted students’ (n=87) learning of the six skills, and gave them a more comprehensive view and understanding of the skill in context. The findings also indicated that accessing the videos on a mobile phone was a bonus. The participants requested additional 1st PPOV skills to be included in the blended learning design across all areas of their Paramedic Science program.

Abstract: This paper presents results from the design and testing of an educational version of Quantum Moves, a Scientific Discovery Game that allows players to help solve authentic scientific challenges in the effort to develop a quantum computer. The pr imary aim of developing a game‑based platform for student‑research collaboration is to investigate if and how this type of game concept can strengthen authentic experimental practice and the creation of new knowledge in science education. Researchers and game developers tested the game in three separate high school classes (Class 1, 2, and 3). The tests were documented using video observations of students playing the game, qualitative interviews, and qualitative and quantitative questionnaires. The fo cus of the tests has been to study players' motivation and their experience of learning through participation in authentic scientific inquiry. In questionnaires conducted in the two first test classes students found that the aspects of doing real scient ific researchŽ and solving physics problems were the more interesting aspects of playing the game. However, designing a game that facilitates professional research collaboration while simultaneously introducing quantum physics to high school students prov ed to be a challenge. A collaborative learning design was implemented in Class 3, where students were given expert roles such as experimental and theoretical physicists. This significantly improved the students feeling of learning physics compared to Cla ss 1 and 2. Overall the results presented in this paper indicate that the possibility of participating in authentic scientific experiments, which this class of games opens, is highly motivating for students. The findings also show that the learning desig n in the class setting must be considered in order to improve the students experience of learning and that various design challenges remain to be addressed even further.

Abstract: A raft of studies have been undertakencluster of research has been conducted in higher education to investigate the action possibilitiesaffordances (action possibilities) and the influence information and communication technologies (ICT) may have onin students learning experiences and outcomes. Such studies have given rise to the implementation of a wide range of educational frameworks with a great deal of empirical evidence on the benefits of using technologies to improve learning. However , these benefits do not appear to have fulfilled higher education expectations for more meaningful and transformative learning experiences. In this paper, I argue that part of the problem is either the content or teacher…centric perspective of these frame works and the need to explore the benefits from a more student…centric perspective. Learning is contextual, with learners having different abilities to learn and varying preferences for educational technologies with greater potential to facilitate their l earning activities. Drawing on an ethnographic study of culturally diverse computing students and teachers within learning environments that blend online and face‑to‑face pedagogies, I argue that, that our understanding of what ICT has to offer for the de sign and implementation of transformative learning activities is a far more complex issue than is often anticipated, particularly in the design and implementation of learning for computer science programs.

PISA study has defined several key areas to be paid attention to by teachers. One of these areas is work with models. The term model can be understood very broadly, it can refer to a drawing of a chemical reaction, a plastic model, a permanent mount (taxidermy) to advanced 3D projections. Teachers are no longer confined to teaching materials and aids available physically at schools. Thanks to information technology, models can be included in lessons almost without any limits. However, work with models is very specific due to the simple fact that a model always differs from what it represents. Efficiency of education using ICT can be affected negatively in case that work with complex models requires high level of abstraction which pupils are not capable of (Harrison and Treagust, 2000). Jančaříková (2015) points out that – due to the demands on upper secondary pupils – children must be taught how to relate models to real objects from very early stages. Linking an object to its model – isomorphism is the basis for successful work with models. Work with models thus must be developed systematically and consistently and included into teaching of younger learners. The scope of work with models in natural sciences is gradually increasing. However, the fact that we are able to project models to pupils using information technology does not mean that pupils will be able to understand them. In this paper we want to point out that not enough attention is paid to work with models (not only in the Czech Republic) – methodology of work with models does not exist and is not taught to pre‑service teachers. The paper classifies types of models we come across in lessons, describes basic differences between objects and reality they represent and proposes possible ways of systematic inclusion of models into teaching.

In many academic areas, students' success depends upon their ability to envision and manipulate complex multidimensional information spaces. Fields in which students struggle with mastering these types of representations include (but are by no means limited to) mathematics, science, medicine, and engineering. There has been some educational research examining the impact of incorporating multiple media modalities into curriculum specific to these disciplines. For example, both Richard Mayer (multimedia learning) and John Sweller (cognitive load) have contributed greatly to establishing theories describing the basic mechanisms of learning in a multimedia environment. However when we attempt to apply these theories to the evaluation of e‑ learning in a more dynamic "real world" context the information processing model that forms the basis of this research fails to capture the complex interactions that occur between the learner and the knowledge object. It is not surprising that studies examining the effectiveness of e‑learning technology, particularly in the area of basic science, have reported mixed results. In part this may be due to the quality of the stimuli being assessed. This may also be explained by the context in which interactivity is being utilized and the model that is used to evaluate its effectiveness. Educational researchers have begun to identify a need for more fine‑grained research studies that capture the subtleties of learners' interactions with dynamic and interactive learning objects. In undergraduate medical and life science education, interactive technology has been integrated into the curriculum at many levels. This paper reviews experimental studies drawn from personal experience where an attempt has been made to measure the efficacy of educational technology. In examining the shortcomings of these more traditional experiments, we can then apply this understanding to characterizing a more flexible approach to evaluation and its potential in measuring the effectiveness of educational technology. Understanding the nature of technology‑mediated learning interactions and the way in which they foster depth of understanding is a great challenge for both educational researchers and developers of e‑learning technologies. By adopting an evaluative framework that takes a more flexible approach to measuring the emergent nature of understanding, we can examine the capacity of educational technology to support more complex understanding of curricular subject matter.