Student Poster Section

Student Poster Section 2016

Lifespan Reading Development as a Constantly Evolving Process of Information Gathering and Processing: Should Higher Education Support It?
Victoria Appatova

Abstract In the U.S., the concept of college and career readiness has recently attracted more attention of researchers and practitioners than literacy proficiencies sufficient for the students to succeed later in college life and the workplace. The underlying assumption manifesting itself in the policy arena is that high school graduation represents a final stage in instructor-guided reading development, after which the responsibility for further growth lies with the individual. Few campuses around the world offer advanced reading courses designed to benefit college students as critical readers in order to promote their academic, professional, social, and personal growth, and thus develop “21st century skills”. The presenter will argue that a perspective on reading that sees high school graduation as a peak in reading development is limited and should be revisited and re-evaluated. A claim will be validated that reading is not a simplistic, one-dimensional process which plateaus when a particular level of vocabulary and conceptual knowledge has been acquired. Reading will be rather shown as a constantly evolving process of interpretation of multi-modal discourse, which draws profoundly on the reader’s background knowledge. This process continues through the life span and transforms constantly. Research on the nature of reading growth over the lifespan will be referenced in order to envision a future college reading program and a variety of reading courses it should offer to college students at all levels of the educational continuum. A model for the future college reading program will be offered for the audience’s discussion and critical analysis. This model is designed to help students of all levels of academic preparation to excel in their field of study, succeed in the job market, become more conscientious citizens, and achieve higher levels of personal development.

Volunteering and its impact on the global scale
Jasmina Bočkaj

Abstract The majority of Croatian youngsters considers going abroad in order to find a job and secure their future. However, there are other reasons for leaving, like volunteering. This research aims to show how volunteering contributes to personal development and cannot be considered just a plain job, but a great opportunity as well.

The Role of the Information and Communication Technology in the Life Long Learning Process
Ivana Čonkaš

Abstract This paper is determining the role of the information and communication technology in the process of lifelong learning among teachers of elementary and secondary education. New technologies are continuosly entering into the world and every day technologies are changing rapidly. As much technology is necessary for higher quality of life, education is also necessary for higher quality of life. Thats why teachers have significant role in the world and we can say that on them lies the development of next generations. In order to help their students to grow in future and to develop study skills, teachers need to acquire new knowledge of fast changing world. Since teacher has so significant role its important that their lack of ICT skills doesnt influence on teaching in classroom and that they can be on track with fast changing ICT. [3] The purpose of this research was to examine and assess the role of the information and communication technology among Croatian teachers of primary education and among Croatian teachers of secondary education. Therefore, two independent samples of respodents were used to identify similarities and differences between them in the field of information and communication technologies. The result of study conducted on a sample of 110 teachers, (50 from primary education and 60 from secondary education) shows that the majority of respodents find it that content of ICT workshops was too easy and should be a little more demanding or that content was consistent with their abilities (64%). 36% thinks that it was hard to catch some demanding content of ICT worshop. If we are looking by experience of teachers the 90% with less than 10 years experience answer on question if they are comfortable to use technology for purpose of preparation material for classrom with agree and strongly agree and only 45% of teachers with more than 10 years experience answered with agree and strongly agree. By earlier researches not only technology is changing but also teachers are changing. According to Russell, Bebell, O‘Dwyer and O‘Connor (2003) new American teachers, with less than 5 years of teaching experience, were more comfortable with the technology itself and used it for preparation, than their more experienced colleagues.

Communication of elderly people through social networks
Dario Hrašćanec

Abstract With the process of globalization and the constant progress of people, especially in the technological aspect, we have a situation that population familiar with all technological possibilities is getting older. Part of the reason for that is the principle of lifelong learning. Furthermore, andragogy and gerontology are disciplines which are studying boundaries and opportunities of education of adult and elderly people which are more and more present on the Internet. In the last 10 years, one of the global communications phenomenon is the appearance of social networks on the Internet numbering more than a billion users all over the world. Of course, there appear some problems, especially with the younger and elderly populations which are not so familiar with the technology so they could use it like others. Problems that also appear are connected with misunderstandings of language which is using younger population on the Internet like slang and use of abbreviations, and ignorance of foreign languages, especially English, what is making difficult to get along with everything that Internet offers. The goal of my research is to draw conclusions about communication of elderly people through social networks. I got necessary data for my research with conducting a survey among elderly people. Conclusions about research are mainly about the time they spend on social networks and in which purpose they use social networks.

Volunteering possibilities for students in Croatia
Kruno Kučej

Abstract Volunteering possibilities for students in Croatia are provided by centres, organizations and associations at universities, and from volunteering centres. One of the examples of university centre is Centre for Volunteering and Humanitarian Work (CVHR). CVHR is one of the research centres at the Faculty of Organization and Informatics in Varaždin, University of Zagreb. CVHR primary goal is creating, implementing and evaluating voluntary projects and activities on local, national and international level.1 Croatia has formed local and regional Volunteering Centres. Regional Centres are placed in Zagreb, Osijek, Rijeka and Split. Together, they also create Croatian Network of Volunteering Centres (HMVC).2 Communication between organizers of volunteering activities and students is mostly based on websites and social networks. In order to bring volunteering closer to students, the cooperation between volunteering centers and universities is crucial. One example of cooperation is the project “Volunteering Symposium – Value of volunteering for students and community” organized by the Student Assembly of Faculty of Health Studies and Association SMART-Volunteering Centre Rijeka. Project has been done as student volunteer action “Volunteers Collecting Smiles” and symposium about volunteering. There are many different types of providing international volunteering activities in Croatia. Examples of organizations which include volunteers into international volunteering activities are: Volunteers’ Centre Zagreb which provide international volunteer exchange or “International volunteer service” which offers database of international camps3 and there is the program of European Committee for long time volunteering as a part of program Erasmus+, provided by European voluntary service. One of the biggest student networks and organizer of volunteering activities is AIESEC.4 In Europe, volunteering for students is promoted by European Youth Portal. Portal offers possibility to find specific volunteering programs or volunteering projects all around European countries.5 The main aim of this poster is popularization of volunteering and dissemination of information about volunteering possibilities in Croatia. Through volunteering students can develop social and professional skills by helping individuals in local and international community.

The execution speed increasing of image scaling through bilinear interpolation method
Virtyt Teufik Lesha

Abstract In the science of digital processing of images, one of the research fields consists in utilizing the main mathematical operations of any digital signal processing system for which the entry is a figure, a series of images, videos, etc; the output of processing system may be an image or a set of characteristics or parameters related to image. According this definition, the scaling of an image refers to the processing of its dimensions meanwhile without changing the quality and resolution of this image. In the mathematical analysis, the bi-cubic interpolation technique is an extension of the cubic interpolation of the data points in a two-dimensional environment. According to this technique, the mathematical surface is smoother than corresponding surfaces obtained through the other image escalation techniques such as bilinear interpolation or nearest-neighbor interpolation. On the other hand, the bilinear interpolation method initially performs the functions of two variables (x and y p.sh) in a two-dimensional environment. The key idea is to perform the linear interpolation in a direction and then in another direction. Although each step is linear in the sampled values, the interpolation itself is not linear but quadratic. In this paper we have demonstrated a comparative performance analysis between bilinear interpolation method with the default method used for simulations through Matlab. The default method used in Matlab to scale the image with changing the quality of the image is the bi-cubic interpolation method which, as it has been proven from the simulations, is pretty much time-consuming method especially for the high-quality images. We have built a code in Matlab, which reads a certain image from the computer and through the two algorithms, bi-cubic one and the bilinear, shows the time in seconds needed to perform the scaling of the images. Finally, we can observe the difference in time execution between the each of the two algorithms.

How to create an effective E-learning environment
Stela Majnic

Abstract In this new era that is happening right now in the world and in the school system as well, we are facing the growth of technology. This paper will talk about E-learning, that is more and more involved in our everyday lives in schools, colleges etc. It means using computer technology in order to give and receive information. Opinions about E-learning are divided but it is for sure that it has brought big improvement in the way we learn. Now everything is faster and we can see the result of our test in every moment weather we are in bus, on a trip or in a plane. For my paper I have decided to see the differences in the way we use E-learning between students of two countries, Croatia and Slovenia. I have used three methods of getting results for my research: Likert's scale, yes and no questions and one open question for short personal opinion. The investigation went into depth so I took some of the most interesting results that highlight the theme of this paper. The results were collected within 60 students of which are 30 from Croatia and 30 from Slovenia. Most of the answers were given by females, 65%. When it comes to being informed about E-learning, only 5 people said that they are not familiar with this. Most of student are happy with their current experience regarding E-learning, only 10 people said they have bad experience. As it was already stated, that E-learning has brought improvement in school system, students from both countries agree – 80% of them. The question that received almost 100% of agreement was about being able to access data through E-learning in every moment, so we can see that students are happy about this possibility. In the last opened type question, opinions about E-learning were surprisingly positive so most of the examinees had good things to say about the concept of E-learning, and they especially highlighted the accessibility of information and materials online. This research has shown that there is still some chance for improvement and informing students about E-learning but it has surely helped them have easier process in getting their degrees.

YOUscovery
Daria Adriana Mateescu

Abstract I’ve always been fascinated about the human mind and what makes people act. Being a constant reader of specialty articles and a constant presence in workshops and projects, I thought I knew myself. It was a couple of years ago when the shift started to happen and I didn’t know what hit me. Who doesn’t enjoy travelling? Well, not so many people. And most likely, they didn’t discover the good places yet. I knew I enjoyed discovering new places, but little did I know how much that would change me. When I actually stopped from travelling from one place to another and I decided to stay in just one country for more than 10 days, something happened. And that was the moment when I didn’t stop discovering the outside world, but I started to discover my inside world as well. After many European projects, volunteering in Film Festivals or for environment causes and working in acquisitions and compliance, or as an English teacher, painting teacher, translator, insurance broker, marketing officer, communications officer, journalist and others, I should know who I am, right? Wrong. We change every day. An experience may change us, a pet may change us…even a sunrise may change us. It doesn’t have to be a big change to be significant. In time, small changes add up. And if we don’t strive to discover who we are, what makes our heart sing and we don’t ask ourselves important questions like “where do we come from?”, “what do we actually want in life?”, “which are the right people to be surrounded by” and other relevant questions, we will lead a good life. But I believe it would be a boring one. Most likely, it would be another’s life, another’s dream, not yours. Now I started another journey, in a different area of expertise and I couldn’t be more excited. Knowing what you don’t want in your life is the first step in knowing who you are. You cross things off your list. But you never cross the constant discovery of yourself, or what I like to call YOUscovery.

Effective Learning Environment (ELE) and its Factors Shaped by a New Technological Era
Laura Fernanda Mendez Ortiz

Abstract A student’s effective learning environment (ELE) is comprised of multiple factors, both internal and external, that are largely shaped by the student’s perceptions. Starting in 2006, the ELE concept was initiated and explored by an international group of scholars through the creation of an ELE survey which was adopted in eight countries and translated into five languages. The ELE survey made it possible to compare students’ perceptions of their learning environments across cultures as well as distinguish similarities and differences in the students’ needs related to their learning. In the past decade, the technology revolution has transformed students’ learning and the education system, which has brought us to question if there is a shift in the students’ perceived needs related to their learning environment and self-efficacy. More broadly, we are curious to see if technology has influenced students to be more independent and in control of their learning or if there is perhaps a growing culture of student dependency? Through our literature review, we discovered relevant, critical factors missing in the original ELE survey. The new version of the ELE instrument contains a demographic question about a student’s race and ethnicity, an important factor not covered in the original survey. As a result, specific needs of minorities and underrepresented minorities were overlooked. Literature has supported an assumption that underrepresented minorities are significantly affected by class size, student-peer interactions, and engagement. Additionally, the newly developed instrument includes other, previously overlooked populations, such as commuters, international students and online students. Furthermore, the growing use of online classes has affected student’s self-efficacy in the area of metacognition that has gained a new level of significance in recent years. Lastly, technological changes have led to modifications in the student and the teacher roles in education. The new ELE survey was constructed to allow us not only to compare with past data but to accurately capture the distinct needs of today’s students.

The Importance of Education from a Global Perspective: Teaching Don Quixote in the 21st Century
Natalia Sepulveda

Abstract This study examines the importance and significance of education from a global perspective using a 17th century text, Don Quixote, as part of the teachings in the 21st century classroom; it will explore pragmatic approaches that may be valuable to a new generation of scholars and students. The story of Don Quixote of La Mancha is centralized on many core values, ethical principles, and social morals applicable to any time period. It is a baroque text composed of two parts, and written by Miguel de Cervantes y Saavedra. Don Quixote’s story has many messages that can be applied to real life situations. This could be one of the most intriguing reasons why this story has been so successful and has stood the test of time. The objective of this study is to concentrate on the topic of education in the Cervantine works. Don Quixote’s education is well reflected through his adventures and has many teachings within the text that can be related to the 21st century. In order to fulfill this objective, the following research will take into consideration specific episodes of Don Quixote of La Mancha and it will delve into the following questions: How do specific episodes reflect how education influences those surrounded by Don Quixote? How do Don Quixote and his squire Sancho have a continuous learning of what is considered ideal versus what is perceived as real? How are Don Quixote’s values reflected in the 21st century? How has the story of Don Quixote of La Mancha impacted 21st century’s education? In order to answer these questions, this study will include cultural aspects of the period and its historical and social context. The view of education of Don Quixote’s teachings influences audiences of all ages, from children to adults. In today’s educational system, even though it is a modern world and there is so much information and efficient models in place, there are still areas that may be considered for further assessment and consideration, for motivational reading and instruction. The importance of education is reflected in an effective and practical way throughout the story of Don Quixote of La Mancha.

The extent and determinants of potential "brain drain" among University of Zagreb students
Barbara Šlibar

Abstract Brain drain is a specific form of population migration that represents the departure of highly educated population (experts, scientists and intellectuals) from individual state. (Šverko, 2004). In Croatia, like in the other parts of the world, brain drain appears to be one of the consequences of the unemployment problem. This form of migration has a very negative and even destructive effect on the society in which it occurs. This research investigates extents (personal estimation) and determinants of potential brain drain among University of Zagreb students. Based on extensive literature review hypothesis were defined and tested by using neural networks and AHP method. Data about potential brain drain were collected among 1323 students from all University of Zagreb faculties. Thus, research covered all seven scientific fields from University (arts, biomedicine, biotechnology, engineering, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences). Results indicated differences in probability to leave the country after graduation between students from different study fields and students of different socio-economic status. Pull factors are more important for students from push factors in every scientific fields except arts. In the period between the 2004 and 2014 intended departure of highly educated people from the Republic of Croatia has changed drastically. Namely Šverko (2004) states that the largest percentage of respondents (59.2%) expressed no or low probability of departure, and only 9.3% of respondents said that it is a big or very big. Our research found out that most respondents have no intention of high intensity to leave their homeland (37%), while 30% of respondents estimated the probability of going abroad such as no or little. The results of this study are potentially useful on the institutional and the national level. Projections of results on national level should be very interesting to the ministries which are focused on education and employment since they are the ones who develop the policies to react on brain drain. Creating the policies for stopping the brain drain should go in a way of opening new work places but also in ways to make life quality better while creating the environment of positive economic climate.

Gender equality in business organization
Lara Šporčić

Abstract This paper establishes differences in the gender equality in kindergarten, and its purpose is to establish and point at differences between male and female kindergarten teachers. In nowadays it is very important to give opportunity to person, no matter of gender, to show their (his or her) maximum, and without gender categorization as unsuitable for certain job. Croatia is unfortunately still the country in which discrimination up to gender is present in high percent (1). For this investigation the author used three techniques: Likert's scale; semantic differential and opened type of question in which kindergarten teachers (male and female) have been surveyed. The goal of this researching is to established opinions of male and female kindergarten teachers; in which degree the gender has influence on their job, and what kind of acceptation is for male or female kindergarten teacher. The researching is really extensive, so in this survey will be accent only on the parts in which is seen the biggest differences between the genders. The purpose of this survey is to get opinion inside from own employments about the influence of possible discrimination. The researching has been realized over 66 examinees from whom 65 are female, and the only one is the male examinee. All examinees agree with this of conduct through researching and they gave their agreement. 47% of examinees, exactly 31 answered that the male kindergarten teachers are good accepted, because they are in minority. 62% of examinees, exactly 41 answered that the female kindergarten teachers are good accepted because they are in majority, while 30% examinees, 20 of them, agree with the statement that the average of the male and female kindergarten teachers will be equal. At the analysis of acceptation the male and female kindergarten teachers from the side of collective, children and parents especially the female kindergarten teachers have got better results. The examinees have different comments on the questionnaire, such as the gender hasn't influence to the profession of the kindergarten teacher, than in generally individual as the unit person. The results of this researching is interesting, because in analyze of all elements of the questionnaire are gotten more positive results for the female gender and they are very useful, because show us how much discrimination of the gender is presented in kindergartens, and demonstrates us that we should work on this.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.