Abstract
Higher education students exhibit difficulties in learning computer programming, particularly transitioning from initial programming to advanced programming, so it’s necessary to develop effective teaching strategies. We developed the SimProgramming approach to help students overcome learning difficulties transitioning from entry-level to advanced computer programming, by developing appropriate learning strategies. The students perform a specific set of tasks in a learning environment that simulates business operations, developing a problem-based learning assignment. One of those tasks is filling biweekly individual self-reflection and co-reflection forms. This approach was implemented at the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (Portugal), in a 4th semester course of two bachelor programmes: Informatics Engineering and ICT. The students provided 37 biweekly forms, on which we conducted thematic analysis to identify their strategies for co-regulation of learning during the assignment. Students are adopting different strategies in each phase of the approach. Early phases are devoted to organization, planning, and transformation of information, and later phases focus on applying theoretical knowledge and hands-on programming. We recommend including this type of pedagogical task (biwekly self-reflection and co-reflection forms) in educational practices, in view of their contribution to improving self- and co-regulation learning strategies. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019.

Abstract

Abstract
This paper provides an instrument for ascertaining researchers’ perspectives on the relative relevance of technological challenges facing immersive environments in view of their adoption in learning contexts, along three dimensions: access, content production, and deployment. It described its theoretical grounding and expert-review process, from a set of previously-identified challenges and expert feedback cycles. The paper details the motivation, setup, and methods employed, as well as the issues detected in the cycles and how they were addressed while developing the instrument. As a research instrument, it aims to be employed across diverse communities of research and practice, helping direct research efforts and hence contribute to wider use of immersive environments in learning, and possibly contribute towards the development of news and more adequate systems.

Abstract
A gamificação é uma técnica recente que consiste em aplicar elementos de jogos em contextos não relacionados com jogos. Existem frameworks teóricas que sugerem um modelo de aplicação desses elementos na implementação de soluções concretas. Neste artigo analisámos dois Sistemas de Gestão da Aprendizagem, Classcraft e Moodle, sob a lente da framework Octalysis. Apesar das duas plataformas disponibilizarem vários elementos de jogo, que combinados entre si procuram incrementar a motivação do aluno, a plataforma Classcraft é a que apresenta mais elementos de jogos, abrangendo todos os eixos desta framework.

Abstract
Online distance learning introduces several challenges, such as the dependence of online tools, the asynchronous communication between teachers and students, and the lack of synchronous social engagement level that inclassroom teaching can leverage. The existence of an online tutor 24 hours/day would be an interesting asset to potentially work as an additional learning support tool. The Virtual Tutoring project aims at the development of solutions involving anthropomorphic 3D avatars that work as both virtual online tutors in the Moodle e-learning platform as well as coaches in a mobile application that interact empathically with the students by predicting their emotional state and selecting appropriate emotion regulation strategies. This paper presents the current status of the project, preliminary evaluations with students, and future developments.

Abstract
Higher education is a complex business including very different process. At its core are the teaching and research processes and along the edge of the business model are the administrative processes, targeted to the students and alumni. Some of these processes translate into services that must be available during the whole life of the users and the institutions. For example, a higher education institution is expected to issue diplomas during the whole lifetime of its former students. In this context, we've been working in order to use the current e-government infrastructure of electronic services as building blocks for some of the features of the higher education institution electronic services. This work proposes the adoption of a set of those services. We've concluded a successful testing stage and expect to deploy a full production system very soon. Copyright