Grazia Scoppio

Bio: Grazia Scoppio is an academic researcher from Royal Military College of Canada. The author has contributed to research in topics: International education & Educational technology. The author has an hindex of 3, co-authored 8 publications receiving 41 citations.

Mind the gap: Enabling online faculty and instructional designers in mapping new models for quality online courses

Abstract: Distance education has provided the foundation for new generations of learning, including courses delivered through various web-based educational technologies, also referred to as online learning. Many post-secondary institutions face the challenge of creating processes and systems to support instructors who are required to design, deliver, and frequently update online courses. Effective online course design prioritizes a student-centered pedagogical approach through active learning and meaning-making using modern technologies. This requires a wide spectrum of experience, technological skills, and pedagogical knowledge that is difficult to achieve. On one hand of the spectrum, are instructors with experience in online course delivery, learning technologies, and knowledge of online learning pedagogies. On the other hand of the spectrum, are instructors with insufficient experience, technological skills and awareness of online pedagogies. This disparity in instructors' experiences, skills and knowledge results at times in a gap in ability. By providing a flexible and interactive model of support to instructors, instructional designers can shorten this gap in theoretical knowledge and practical skills. This paper explores the skill gap that some instructors face in the online learning domain and presents selected approaches to support instructors when transitioning to online courses based on the authors' professional experiences. This paper considers two models of course design support from two unique higher educational institutions in the United States and in Canada, using different learning management systems. The results show that while these models have different contexts, they offer significant insights about common goals, flexible content, and learner-centered course design.

Mapping Trends in Pedagogical Approaches and Learning Technologies: Perspectives from the Canadian, International, and Military Education Contexts

Abstract: Increased technological advances, coupled with new learners’ needs, have created new realities for higher education contexts. This study explored and mapped trends in pedagogical approaches and learning technologies in postsecondary education and identified how these innovations are affecting teaching and learning practices in higher education settings, particularly for the Canadian Armed Forces education system. A qualitative research methodology was employed including a comprehensive review of Canadian and international literature, an environmental scan of Canadian Armed Forces educational institutions, and consultations with experts and practitioners in the field of military education. The research findings shed light on trends in pedagogies and learning technologies in higher education as well as on the presence of these trends in the military educational system. In addition, the findings consider the necessity for a corresponding level of preparedness to meet the needs of diverse learners in the future. This study informs both the field of higher education and the field of military education.

Circle of conversation with editors and editorial assistants of the bilingual journal Comparative and International Education/ Éducation comparée et internationale

Abstract: This bilingual panel aims to bring together editors and editorial assistants of the peer-reviewed and bilingual journal of the Comparative and International Education Society of Canada. The panelists will begin with a research-based historical background of the Comparative and International Education journal and subsequently share their insights and experience regarding the journal's aim, submissions guidelines, as well as their perspectives regarding publishing high-quality articles in the field. This panel seeks to engage all members of the comparative and international education community and in particular, graduate students, junior faculty and new resarchers.

Experiences of Officer Cadets in Canadian Military Colleges and Civilian Universities: A Gender Perspective:

Abstract: This study examined gender differences in the experiences of 923 officer cadets attending Canadian Military Colleges and 135 officer cadets attending civilian universities who completed a survey. O...

Embracing Indigenous culture in military organizations: the experience of Māori in the New Zealand military

Abstract: This article builds on a 2007 research on Indigenous peoples in the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) which identified best practices from New Zealand that Canada could draw upon to enhance participation of Indigenous peoples within the Canadian Armed Forces. Using organizational culture theory as a conceptual framework, this article further investigates the main approaches and practices that have enabled a positive partnership with Māori and the successful inclusion of Māori culture in the NZDF. Specifically, the paper investigates the mechanisms used by the NZDF and the internal and external environments of the organization supporting the participation of Indigenous groups in the New Zealand military. The discussion explores ways in which Indigenous practices and customs can be incorporated into other military systems and protocols. The paper concludes that, among military organizations, the NZDF is a leader in transforming the organizational culture by enabling the organization to embrace Indigenous culture and empowering Indigenous members within their ranks.

Bringing academics on board : encouraging institution-wide diffusion of e-learning environments

Abstract: Rapid advances in educational and information communications technology (ICT)have encouraged some educators to move beyond traditional face to face and distance education correspondence modes toward a rich, technology mediated e-learning environment. Ready access to multimedia at the desktop has provided the opportunity for educators to develop flexible, engaging and interactive learning resources incorporating multimedia and hypermedia. However, despite this opportunity, the adoption and integration of educational technologies by academics across the tertiary sector has typically been slow. This paper presents the findings of a qualitative study that investigated factors influencing the manner in which academics adopt and integrate educational technology and ICT. The research was conducted at a regional Australian university, the University of Southern Queensland (USQ), and focused on the development of e-learning environments. These e-learning environments include a range of multimodal learning objects and multiple representations of content that seek to cater for different learning styles and modal preferences, increase interaction, improve learning outcomes, provide a more inclusive and equitable curriculum and more closely mirror the on campus learning experience. This focus of this paper is primarily on the barriers or inhibitors academics reported in the study, including institutional barriers, individual inhibitors and pedagogical concerns. Strategies for addressing these obstacles are presented and implications and recommendations for educational institutions are discussed.

Comparative and international education

Abstract: • An international learning community. The CIE Program is a vibrant learning community where internationalization thrives in formal classroom instruction, as well as in daily socialization of students and faculty in academic, professional, and personal realms. CIE students have a unique opportunity to engage in a myriad of international experiences as a part of their graduate education experience, including conducting education research and evaluation worldwide, engaging in international education development consultancy, internships at the United Nations, and assisting in journal/book editing in comparative and international education.

Sustainability requirements for eLearning systems: a systematic literature review and analysis

Abstract: eLearning systems have become a very important part of teaching, both as web-based systems for online education and as auxiliary tools for face-to-face study, where they provide an additional learning support for on-campus learners. To insure the sustainability of an eLearning system on both individual and social levels, we have to cover many aspects of sustainability requirements: human, technical, economic, and environmental. This paper provides a systematic literature review of the sustainability meta-requirements for eLearning systems to identify open problems and to present the state of the art of this research area. We analysed 124 papers, so we identified 18 high-level sustainability requirements for eLearning systems.