International Journal of Educational Technology and Learning

From competence 1.0 to competence 4.0: An open, unifying and global education framework

Kostis C Koutsopoulos — 2025-05-22

This paper, in dealing with the Competence of Learning (CoL), has the purpose of substantiating that: first, the main elements of CoL—knowledge, skills, and psychosocial factors—are based on literacies, which nowadays rely on technology in the form of digital literacy; second, there have been paradigm shifts based on changes in all the major factors related to CoL; and third, these shifts have resulted in the development of four major CoL paradigms, forming a continuum from Competence 1.0 to 4.0. In addition, based on two proposed mechanisms of CoL development—the operation of triggers, fluctuations, and feedbacks, and the integration of revised taxonomies of learning objectives and outcomes—combined with the constant evolution of all the factors influencing CoL, an open, unifying, global, innovative, and comprehensive CoL framework has resulted in the form of a 3D model. The three axes of this framework are: the Domain/Content axis, which expresses individuals’ needs and enhancement in targeted subject areas and diverse academic contexts; the Competence axis, which expresses the ability to do something by learning or developing, based on knowledge, skills, and psychosocial factors; and the Integrated Scaffolding axis, which focuses on supporting learners and enabling them to progress to enhanced levels within their Zone of Proximal Development. The practical implication of this framework is that it can be utilized by/for anyone, at anytime, anywhere, for anything, satisfying the 5W1H questions of learning.

Student perceptions of the use of OneNote to create a capstone project in a teacher education program

Carmen Pena — 2025-05-22

During the Fall 2023 semester, a group of students in their first semester of the elementary education program at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) was required to use OneNote to complete a Community Case Study, which is a capstone project in the teacher education program at UTRGV. The project consists of three sections, which include a study of the school and district, visits to area attractions in the community, interviews with members of the community, and a final reflection on the project. The Community Case Study includes text-based files, graphics, and video. The authors used OneNote to have students document the various parts of the case study. The advantage of OneNote is that it allows students to upload all parts of the case study in one cohesive location as it accommodates text, graphics, and video. At the end of the semester, the authors had students fill out a student perception survey. This study discusses student perceptions of OneNote, the advantages of using OneNote, and the effects on project quality.

Manual and Statistical analysis software packages techniques of quantitative data analysis in educational research: A comparative study

Kija Steven Magembe — 2025-06-17

This study aimed to compare manual and software-based techniques for analyzing quantitative data in educational research. Specifically, it investigated whether using Chi-Square, paired sample t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation would yield different results when analyzed manually versus using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. A comparative research design was employed, and datasets generated by the researcher were analyzed through both methods. Findings showed that both manual and SPSS analyses produced identical statistical results. However, the statistical analysis software method proved to be significantly faster than manual data analysis. Manual analysis offers greater flexibility and potentially deeper understanding; it is more time-consuming and susceptible to human error. In contrast, statistical software provides quicker and more accurate results and could handle complex computations, though it requires technical knowledge and may involve time to understand the syntax’s when using and also may involve installation costs. The study concluded that both manual and statistical software-based techniques are accurate, but statistical methods offer greater efficiency. Researchers are encouraged to use either method for key statistical tests such as the t-test, Chi-Square, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation, depending on context and resources. Additionally, learning manual techniques may strengthen a researcher's understanding of statistical concepts and improve interpretation skills.