Valentina Dagiene

• Professor
• Principal Investigator at Vilnius University

Computational thinking has gained an important place in modern education, enabling individuals to approach problem-solving in a logical and structured manner. This cross-curricular competence is important and applicable in any field of science, not just for computer science professionals. By fostering problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativ...

Computational thinking, defined as the ability to analyse complex problems and systematically developeffective solutions to the problems, is a vital skill for the 21st century workforce and daily life.Recognising its importance, many European general education curricula, such as those in Spain andLithuania, have identified computational thinking, a...

This study investigates student engagement within an online assessment environment , focusing on the interplay between interactivity types, and multimedia design. We analyzed (1) descriptive patterns of student engagement and performance, (2) time-on-task in relation to interactivity type of tasks, (3) the frequency and distribution of multimedia d...

The work of Niklaus Wirth, designer of the Pascal programming language, has led to the introduction of programming in schools in many countries often leading to a transformation in the way of thinking. In this article, we provide a retrospective analysis of the Lithuanian experience driven by Pascal and discuss the main ideas about teaching program...

Classical subjects and competencies, such as algebraic thinking, have a recognizable categorization.Although these categorizations may have small variations between educational systems, levels ofeducation or fields of application, in the curricula of any country or university there are great similaritiesbetween them. This is not the case with compu...

The Bebras challenge is an international initiative to engage school pupils with computer science and computational thinking via an annual challenge designed by computer science experts and educators. BeLLE is an international consortium focusing on international comparisons of standard challenge task banks. The consortium uses the ViLLE platform t...

In this conceptual study, we explore the incorporation of computational thinking (CT) within integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, aiming to enhance the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework for teacher professional development. Despite the fundamental role of mathematics in K‐16 and...

Computational Thinking is part of the new curriculum in many countries and this new competence is often combined with Algebraic Thinking. Both types of thinking are part of the core of Mathematics and Computer Science. Algebraic Thinking is linked to acquiring the ability to represent and generalize patterns in any application area. Furthermore, th...

This study investigates the impact of support mechanisms on enhancing the participation of network members in diverse multi-stakeholder networks with a primary focus on digital innovation in education. The study was conducted in collaboration with national networks from partner countries of a H2020 project, which aims to accelerate digital innovati...

Launched during the pandemic, the EU-funded JANUS project aimed to ensure the continuity of student workshops at universities using a virtual reality (VR) robotics laboratory. With the return to normality, the project has been redesigned to capitalise on the positive outcomes of the experience. The VR lab provides safe and unrestricted access to th...

The three Baltic countries have a long history of teaching computing at all levels, from preschool to doctoral studies. Although computing education in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania was quite similar when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, subsequently the paths of school informatics in these three countries departed significantly. In Estonia, inf...

One of the most researched domains of computing education research (CER) that attracts attention is computing education in schools, starting from pre-primary level up to upper secondary level (K-12). A high number of initiatives and related research contributions have appeared over half a century of computing history in schools. This chapter presen...

Worldwide, the Bebras challenge on informatics and computational thinking (CT) includes formal and non-formal informatics/computer science (CS)/computing educational activities for primary and secondary school students. The development of the Bebras tasks is a complex process, which involves CS education communities from over 70 countries. The cruc...

The authors of Integrated Education and Learning were asked how they would see the future of their field 30 years later. This chapter presents the authors’ views on cognitive semiotics as an integrated field of science in 2050, along with thinking skills (computational thinking, scientific thinking, and critical thinking); early childhood education...

The short task methodology enhances the Bebras constructive environment, and provides an emotional context that triggers the convolution of initially biased mental models and corresponding emotional reactions into an unbiased set of conceptual models for informatics education. This provides the motivation of our research–to explore the process of p...

Education needs to provoke young people to be active participants of modern society and contribute to changing and shaping the world. The international Bebras initiative, with over 70 countries participating, is one of the successful approaches involving school students in solving problems of computer science and deep thinking. In 2021, Finland, Hu...

Augant dirbtinio intelekto įtakai mūsų kasdieniniame gyvenime, tampa vis svarbiau žinoti ir suprasti, kokiais principais ši technologija yra paremta, koks yra jos teigiamas ir neigiamas socialinis poveikis, kaip naudotis šiais algoritmais etiškai ir nuo ko tai priklauso. Baigiamajame darbe nagrinėjama koks yra pasaulinis ugdymo dirbtinio intelekto...

Computational thinking (CT) is in the midst of an ongoing debate about its scope and definitions. There is a trend away from a “traditional” computer science-inspired agenda towards a focus on universal competences for today’s labor market. However—and this is the motivation behind the research—the shift described is just an unconscious attempt to...

The pandemic period in education brought many challenges to all organizations. The activities of the higher educational institutions are being affected and the situation can last for a longer time. Under these circumstances, it is important to shift to online learning and improve educational processes through all organizational levels. The organiza...

Through an increased focus on computing and computational con- cepts in the school curriculum the Nordic and Baltic countries are preparing to equip themselves to explore the opportunities that Industry 4.0 and beyond can offer. Realising this vision has inevitable consequences for the curriculum in compulsory schooling (preschool to year 9) as new...

This article explores the development directions of the phenomenon of Computational Thinking (CT) from the perspectives of discourse analysis. The motivation is based on the understanding of CT as an advanced educational approach, methodology, and community, aimed at a set of learners’ digital and further competences having a huge impact on modern...

Tasks from Bebras International Challenge on Informatics and Computational thinking are becoming a widespread educational tool for introducing students to the concepts of computer science not only in a form of a contest, but as well in computer science classrooms, games and unplugged activities. There is an ongoing debate in Bebras community about...

Physical computing, making, tinkering and Computational Thinking (CT) are frequently applied to promote Computer Science (CS) and attract the attention of young people. In recent years, STEM (Sci-ence, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education has received considerable support from schools, parents, and communities. The combination of phy...

The pandemic COVID-19 period in education has brought many challenges to all organizations. The activities of the higher educational institutions are being affected and the situation may last for a long time. Under the current circumstances, it is important to shift to distance learning through online processes and improve educational processes at...

EASTEM is a capacity-building project funded by Erasmus+ with the aim of improving employability of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) graduates from partner universities by ensuring students acquire skills needed in the workplace. EASTEM uses approaches from student-centred STEM education to develop the competence of lecturers...

Special Issue: Computational thinking: Enhancing STEAM and engineering education, from theory to practice Guest Editors: Vladimiras Dolgopolovas and Valentina Dagienė

This publication provides an editorial introduction to a special issue of Computer Applications in Engineering Education journal entitled Computational Thinking for STEM and Engineering Education. It provides introductory remarks to the issue and a commentary on the published material, as well as presents the views of the special issue editors in t...

Computational thinking (CT) as one of the 21st century skills enters early years education. This paper aims to study the worldwide tendencies of teaching CT through computing in primary education and primary school teachers? understanding of CT. A survey of 52 countries has been performed and complemented by a qualitative study of 15 countries. In...

State of emergency affects many areas of our life, including education. Due to school closure during COVID-19 pandemic as a case of a long-term emergency, education has been moved into a remote mode. In order to determine the factors driving the acceptance of distance learning technologies and ensuring sustainable education, a model based on the Un...

The Bebras challenge on informatics originated 15 years ago, by now involves over 60 countries, and consists of short problem-solving tasks based on informatics (computing, computer science) and computational thinking. This paper deals with learning taxonomies and models that do not focus merely on partitioning computer science into its subareas, b...

Graduate education system is in the process of ongoing changes driven by the employers’ requirements, ongoing demographic changes, changes in students’ career expectations and the new vision of a wider scientific enterprise. There is a need to refocus graduate educational system from the needs of the academic institution and related research toward...

Introduction Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and STEAM (with A for Arts) have evolved to symbolize the renewal of science education. STEAM education offers a number of benefits, such as improved problem analysis and solving skills, as well as the development of creative abilities. Many researchers reiterate the importance o...

The motivation for the research is the need to develop an integrated and holistic approach to fostering students’ scientific inquiry based on scientific programming education by conducting computational experiments and simulations. At the same time, the implementation of the learner-centred approaches to scientific programming education and the rel...

EURO-ASIA STEM EDUCATION CONFERENCE (EASTEM-EC)

Informatics and especially its nowadays leading part, computational thinking, becomes an important and universal competence within the debate on 21st century skills and addresses the concepts and learning goals of Informatics (Computing or Computer Science). There are initiatives appearing worldwide that tend to include Informatics into early educa...

Informatics and especially its nowadays leading part, computational thinking, becomes an important and universal competence within the debate on 21st century skills and addresses the concepts and learning goals of Informatics (Computing or Computer Science). There are initiatives appearing worldwide that tend to include Informatics into early educa...

Computational thinking (CT) skills are argued to be vital to preparing future generations of learners to be productive citizens in our increasingly technologically sophisticated societies. However, teacher education lags behind policy in many countries, and there is a palpable need for enhanced support for teacher education in CT. This paper addres...

Computational and mathematical thinking skills are vital to preparing future generations of learners to be productive citizens in our increasingly technologically sophisticated societies. While the area of ethno-mathematics has emerged in the past decade in an attempt to broaden the narrow western cultural dominated view of mathematics knowledge an...

Context: The increasing and evolving presence of technology in the lives of children is reflected in the recognition in many educational frameworks that students should possess and be able to demonstrate computational thinking skills as part of their problem-solving practice. Problem: We discuss the process of creating tasks for the so-called Bebra...

The small size of tasks can be viewed as a contradiction to constructionist learning principles like problem-based learning, learning by exploring, freedom and creativity. We argue that mind-size bites of learning can be small and if properly designed can still be called constructionist. The commentaries provide questions and insights that help us...

[full article, abstract in English; abstract in Lithuanian] The article examines the modern computer-based educational environment and the requirements of the possible cognitive interface that enables the learner’s cognitive grounding by incorporating abductive reasoning into the educational process. Although the main emphasis is on cognitive and p...

[full article, abstract in English; abstract in Lithuanian] Many countries are adopting computing (or informatics) in schools, for pupils from 5 years of age. Educational philosophies (and learning theories) that such curricula might be based on are not clear in curriculum documentation. Many Western countries’ curricula are based on developmental...

The European Commission Science Hub has been promoting Computational Thinking (CT) as an important 21st century skill or competence. However, "despite the high interest in developing computational thinking among schoolchildren and the large public and private investment in CT initiatives, there are a number of issues and challenges for the integrat...

Educators' experience shows that learning programming is in many aspects problematic for novice software engineering students. On the other hand, software engineering processes and the view of programming has been changing during the recent years. In this paper, we address socio-cognitive aspects of computer science and software engineering in orde...

Educators’ experience shows that learning programming is in many aspects problematic for novice software engineering students. On the other hand, software engineering processes and the view of programming has been changing during the recent years. In this paper, we address socio-cognitive aspects of computer science and software engineering in orde...

The paper examines the modern computer-based educational environment and the requirements of the possible cognitive interface that enables the learner’s cognitive grounding by incorporating abductive reasoning into the educational process. Although the main emphasis is on cognitive and physiological aspects, the practical tools for enabling computa...

The growing number of open educational resources (OER) causes the problem of search and sharing, design and reusability of learning objects in the semantic web according to a chosen subject. The authors have worked on the learning objects (LO) design model based on semantic technologies and now intend to present the integration of the model into a...

There is a variety of tools and environments for Learning Objects (LOs) design and delivery as well as learning object repositories (LOR) but the researchers could not find a repository that includes both functions: creation and storing of LOs. A number of different integrated learning systems are suggested for users that demonstrate the variety of...

Straipsnyje nagrinėjamos tokios problemos: mokinių pasiekimų vertinimas, pasiekimų vertinimo tyrimas, kaip mokiniai sprendžia matematikos užduotis pagal gebėjimų ir turinio sritis, pasiekimų lygmenis. Tyrimas remiasi šios srities moksline šaltinių analize ir lyginamąja statistinių duomenų analize. Apžvelgiama pagrindiniai standartizuotų testų bruož...

The paper analyses contest management systems used by the multicultural Bebras challenge community. Starting as a single annual contest in 2004 in a few countries, the Bebras challenge on Informatics and Computational Thinking has spread to over 60 countries and successfully developed a worldwide network. A requisite tool to perform the challenge i...

This paper reports on the results of a study of teacher preparedness and practices in relation to teaching computing and computational thinking at schools in Sweden, Finland and Lithuania. The study was conducted as part of a NordForsk funded project to explore how Computing Education Research in the Universities can help the development of teacher...

Several instruments have been used for assessing Computational Thinking (CT) abilities. In this exploratory and preliminary study, we investigate how appropriate the Bebras challenge is as an instrument to assess and measure CT abilities. Bebras is an international challenge whose goal is to promote Computer Science and CT. The test can be answered...

The paper deals with the contest management system (CMS) of the International Bebras challenge on Informatics and Computational Thinking. The challenge is established in 2004 in Lithuania with the aim to engage children in learning Informatics (Computer Science or Computing). Started as a single annual contest on Informatics in a few countries, the...

A modern learning environment can be developed by using innovative tools and methods. The benefits of robotics in teaching and learning processes have recently been drawing increasing attention of researchers. The article aims are to perform a systematic review of the literature on the application of educational robots in schools, in order to ident...

Computational thinking is an increasingly important focus in computer science or infor-matics curricula around the world, and ways of incorporating it into the school curricula are being sought. The Bebras contest on informatics, which originated 12 years ago and now involves around 50 countries, consists of short problem-solving tasks based on top...

Computer Science (CS) education in high schools is entering the fifth decade of its existence. Israel is one of the first countries which started to offer CS courses in high schools in the middle of the 1970s. Many European countries joined this process a decade later – Lithuania is among them. Both countries put a lot of effort in developing CS cu...

A well-known challenge on Informatics and Computational Thinking Bebras is based on task solving activity. The Bebras model is known as one of the methods that involves students to the learning and promotes students’ reasoning. The Bebras motivates students to be interested more deeply in informatics. This goal can only be reached if the tasks are...

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Informatics in Schools: Situation, Evolution, and Perspectives, ISSEP 2017, held in Helsinki, Finland, in November 2017. The 18 full papers presented together with 1 invited talk were carefully reviewed and selected from 41 submissions. ISSEP presents this year...

The paper deals with students? participation in the Bebras challenge on Informatics and Computational Thinking in Lithuania in 2010?2015. As noticed, secondary school students have an opportunity to learn the basic informatics concepts during the participation in the Bebras challenge. Analyses of a large amount of data from participants? task solvi...

Bebras is an award-winning, international contest and challenge in informatics that has been running for 12 years in primary and secondary schools, with 50 countries now participating. From a single contest-focused annual event the Bebras developed to a multifunctional challenge; an activities-based educational community-building network has grown...

The international Bebras challenge on informatics and computational thinking is well-known in over fifty countries as an informal school activity. Running the contest annually for more than ten years, we have noticed that the students (and their teachers) consider the activities as a very exciting learning experience in problem solving and increase...

Informatics or Computer Science is important subject in nowadays school education. Informatics can be presented as a discipline for understanding technology in a deeper way – the understanding behind computer programs. Bringing Informatics to schools means preparing young people to be creators of information technology – not only to be users of tec...

Learning of programming and, more generally, of computer science concepts is now reaching the public at large. It is not only reserved for people who studied informatics (computer science) or programming anymore. Teaching programming to schoolchildren presents many challenges: the big diversity in ability and aptitude levels; the big amount of diff...

The paper deals with designing and running a massive open online course (MOOC) used in Lithuanian course "Information technologies" for learners of all levels. The main problem of this course relates to lack of qualified and experienced teachers who could have time for providing a high-quality massive open online course for learners. The results of...

A Bebras challenge is an international network on informatics education for all K-12 students. Participation in the Bebras challenge provides opportunities for learning basic informatics education concepts and understanding deeper information and communication technologies. Based on the results of the last year Bebras contest in Lithuania, some pro...

As an international informatics contest, or challenge, Bebras has started the second decade of its existence. The contest attracts more and more countries every year, recently there have been over 40 participating countries. From a single contest-focused annual event Bebras developed to a multifunctional challenge and an activities-based educationa...

During the recent years computational thinking has been actively promoted through the K-12 curriculum, higher education, contests, and many other initiatives. Computational thinking skills are important for a further students' educational and professional career. Our focus is on computational thinking for software engineering novice students, a ter...

Žurnalo svetainės grafinis elementas Vartotojas Vartotojas Slaptažodis Atsiminti Žurnalo turinys Paieška Paieškos sritis Šrifto dydis Make font size smaller Make font size default Make font size larger Pradžia > Informacijos mokslai 2015 72 > Informatikos konkurso grafų uždavinių analizė Informatikos konkurso grafų uždavinių analizė Valentina Dagi...

The paper aims to analyse and propose scientific methods suitable for evaluating the adaptation quality of Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) matching Informatics learners' needs. The authors' approach consists of the consecutive application of the principles of multiple criteria decision analysis for identifying the VLEs adaptation quality crite...

Profesorė fizinių mokslų daktarėVilniaus universitetoMatematikos ir informatikos institutasAkademijos g. 4, LT-08663 VilniusEl. paštas: valentina.dagiene@mii.vu.lt Matematikos didaktikos magistrantas Vilniaus universiteto Matematikos ir informatikos institutas Akademijos g. 4, LT-08663 Vilnius El. paštas: eimantas.pelikis@gmail.comInformatikos inži...

The paper presents the results of an evaluation of the Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Organisational Intelligence (OI) competences self-assessment tools developed and applied by the IGUANA1 project. In the paper Emotional Intelligence and Organisational Intelligence competences are discussed, their use in action research experiments to assess and...

Nowadays the web can serve as a perfect technological environment for personalized learning which is suggested by educators and based on interactive learning objects. While a range of technological solutions for the development of integrated e-learning environments already exists, the most appropriate solutions require further improvement of the im...

The paper discusses effective strategies for flexible learning and synthesizes recent trends in future education and training in computing. Both the strategies and trends are derived as a result of analysis of survey results, conducted for the European Thematic Network on Future Education and Training in Computing: How to support Learning at Any Ti...

The paper discusses effective strategies for flexible learning and synthesizes recent trends in future education and training in computing. Both the strategies and trends are derived as a result of analysis of survey results, conducted for the European Thematic Network on Future Education and Training in Computing: How to support Learning at Any Ti...

The 20th Annual ITiCSE, held in Vilnius, Lithuania is over and mixed feelings are spread around attendees --- the cheeriness of productively spending several days together and the nostalgia for leaving both the known and the newly made friends.

During past years computational thinking (CT) is being actively promoted through the K-12 curriculum, higher education, contests and other activities. CT skills are important for further students’ educational and professional career. The paper presents a study conducted among the first year software engineering students, learning a structured progr...

How to enable students to create a personalized learning environment? What are the criteria of evaluation of the ICT-based learning process personalization affordance? These questions are answered by conducting multiple case study research of the innovative ICT-based learning process in iTEC (Innovative Technologies for Engaging Classrooms) project...

The aim of this study is to present an approach to the introduction into pipeline and parallel computing, using a model of the multiphase queueing system. Pipeline computing, including software pipelines, is among the key concepts in modern computing and electronics engineering. The modern computer science and engineering education requires a compr...

The paper discusses the issue of supporting informatics (computer science) education through competitions for lower and upper secondary school students (8–19 years old). Competitions play an important role for learners as a source of inspiration, innovation, and attraction. Running contests in informatics for school students for many years, we have...

The paper discusses the issue of pupils' cognitive abilities on computational thinking and problem-solving in the annually organized contest Bebras on informatics (computer science) and computer fluency. Running the contest for more than ten years in various countries, we have noticed that the pupils (and their teachers) consider the contest activi...

In Europe intensively are searching for opportunities to promote informatics as a fundamental subject teaching of elementary schools, beginning from primary classes. Looking for ways how to do it. Informatics and information technology contest’s “Beaver” scientific community has started to arrange tasks for primary school’s pupils. In Lithuania alr...

CSERC'2014, the fourth Computer Science Education Research Conference aims at creating a platform for researchers in the field of computer science education. Over the years it has become clear that there is a need for more fundamental knowledge about, and input into computer science education.

The paper deals with the problem of personalising learning units with the main focus on finding personalised learning paths in learning units. Finding suitable learning paths is based on students’ needs in terms of their learning styles. It has been shown that learning path in static and dynamic learning units can be selected by applying artificial...

Tablet computers and other mobile devices are widely used in education and other life activities. However, touch screen keyboards are not adapted to languages using alphabets with more letters than the English alphabet has. In this paper, we analyze the existing keyboards on such devices for various languages, influence of keyboard usability on the...

A long-term observation of students' usage of a dynamic geometry in a classroom at all grade levels has challenged to develop an approach for learning and understanding mathematics in an easier way for both students and teachers. The paper deals with the results of a study that investigates the process and outcomes of the implementation of abstract...

A long-term observation of students' usage of a dynamic geometry in a classroom at all grade levels has challenged to develop an approach for learning and understanding mathematics in an easier way for both students and teachers. The paper deals with the results of a study that investigates the process and outcomes of the implementation of abstract...

In this paper, we present the results from a multi-national study of students’ results in the international IT contest “Bebras”. Be-bras provides motivating and game-like tasks in the format of multiple-choice questions and interactive problems to students in grades 2-12. Our study focuses on the results of nearly 8 000 students aged 10-13 in Finla...