
‘We want to strengthen students‘ self-regulation to improve their academic performance’
We interviewed Dr. Elena Cano, lecturer in the Department of Didactics and Educational Organisation of the Faculty of Education, and Dr. Eloi Puertas i Prats, lecturer in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science of the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science of the University of Barcelona (UB).
We talked to them about an innovative project they have developed. It is called Uptitude, and it is an e-learning platform focused on self-regulated learning, which allows students to set goals, manage their learning and develop skills such as time management and problem solving.
What exactly is Uptitude?
Elena Cano (EC): It is a project that consists of creating an e-learning platform that aims to strengthen students’ self-regulation in order to improve their academic performance. The platform can be used for all kinds of tasks, such as completing a challenge, designing a product, a research paper, etcetera. Through the platform, students will have to follow steps linked to the self-regulation process, and in this way they will be able to see how they are progressing towards their goals, how much time they are spending on each task or what their grades are.
What are the advantages of this innovative learning methodology for students?
(EC): The tool is designed for students to set their goals and targets and monitor them. In addition, Uptitude is designed not only for students to post assignments to be assessed by the teacher, but also for there to be a lot of student self-assessment and peer assessment processes. In this way, students will be able to better target their effort, see if they are achieving their goals and, eventually, reorient their planning.
Why is it important for students to be able to self-regulate their learning?
(EC): Self-regulation has cognitive, metacognitive and emotional components, and is central to lifelong learning, because these students will need to continue learning or developing new skills once they have finished their studies at university.
Uptitude can represent a significant change compared to other platforms such as Moodle.
Eloi Puertas (EP): When we used to study, the teacher would give you a set of contents until you took a final exam. You never knew what state you were in until you took the exam and saw if you knew it or not. The idea of this project is that students can see the progression they make in a course and regulate their pace. And all of this is guided by the teacher, who can see the progression of the students and can give them tools so that they can continue to improve.
The tool they have designed also has a chatbot based on artificial intelligence.
(EP): The chatbot informs students of questions about the day on which they have a test or when they have to hand in their work. It also guides them on the self-regulation they are doing, tells them where they are in the assignment and gives them advice on how to improve those aspects they are interested in. Apart from the chatbot, there is also a dashboard that provides information to the student so that they can self-regulate.
More about… Elena Cano and Eloi Puertas
The best invention in history?
Elena Cano (EC): The Internet and the emergence of digital technologies.
Eloi Puertas (EP): The clock.
What would you like to see in the future?
EC: That the education system reduces inequalities between people.
EP: Technologists helping to improve people’s lives.
One future development that scares you?
EC: Artificial intelligence.
EP: That we exploit the planet’s resources so much that we end up destroying it.
A point of reference?
EC: Rita Levi- Montalcini
EP: Alan Turing
What could be done to achieve equality between men and women?
EC: Incorporate gender perspectives in institutional policies and encourage girls to pursue careers in science.
EP: Influencing education and facilitating women’s access to leadership positions.
Transfer is important for…
EC: Connecting research with society in general, who should benefit from it.
EP: It is an obligation. It makes no sense for the researcher to be in an ivory tower. It’s all about time and investment, but there must be room for transfer.
Plataforma E-Learning para la Autorregulacion del Aprendizaje
Referencia: PDC2022-133248-100
IP: Elena Cano
Subdivisión de Planificación y Gestión Administrativa
Agencia Estatal de Investigación