Practical training in embedded systems often suffers from resource shortages, scheduling restrictions, and limited accessibility. This article introduces MICRO, a web-based remote laboratory at University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen (THM) that enables real-time access to microcontroller and FPGA hardware via standardized and scalable Cubes and Assemblies, replacing error-prone home construction kits with robust setups. MICRO is used extensively in teaching and anchored in the curriculum: from register-oriented programming in the Microprocessor Technology module to FPGA-based logic design in Digital Technology, to IoT-oriented rapid prototyping in Technical Computer Science II, and to the interdisciplinary Computer Science Project connecting the second and third semester, where students design and implement full-stack applications that integrate web technologies, databases, and remotely provided embedded hardware, thereby creating a consistent learning path across levels of abstraction. The article consolidates the curricular anchoring of MICRO across multiple modules, the underlying architecture and technical innovations for scalability and collaboration, and lessons learned together with an outlook on formal effectiveness studies, open-source release, and data-driven assessments.

The context of the paper is, on the one hand, growing trend of portfolio-based competency development in higher education, especially focusing on assessing students’ progression, promoting self-evaluation, reflective thinking, career planning, self-directed and collaborative learning strategies [1], [7], [17], [19]. Under the umbrella of portfolio-based higher education, brand building programs play important role in this process [5]. On the other hand, brand building programs can develop self-management skills at individual and system levels as well. At individual level, brand building promotes students in higher education to develop competencies, which are based on the labor market needs in order to reduce the skill gap and promote reskilling. At the organizational level, the paper focusing on the process from hierarchy to professional community. The first purpose of the paper is to introduce some results of the implementation of a 4-year MyBrand Program, especially focusing on the supporting system of the implementation. MyBrand Program in Budapest Metropolitan University is a careerfocused education initiative that focuses on practice-oriented education and the skills needed in the workplace promoting the successful future careers of students and successful placement in the labor market in the world of work. MyBrand program is linked to the University’s new, “creative university” identity. This paper introduces some parts of the program implementation: MyBrand portfolio workshops and trainings, Teachers’ Day and Club, mentoring program, basic competence matrix, MyBrand teaching handbook, METU Learn curricula, Online Knowledge Hub. The support system being developed is based on qualitative research on implementation of MyBrand Program, namely content analysis and 14 in-depth interviews. The second purpose of the paper is to give practical examples and students’ feedback of career planning at the course of Innovative learning technology skills in becoming an engineer at Óbuda University. At the conclusion part, I summarize on the results and experience of implementation of brand building program and the experience of career planning, tutoring and self-management in practice.

As digital education evolves, AI-driven avatars become pivotal tools for enhancing decision-making skills. This paper presents an innovative approach leveraging intelligent conversational agents to cultivate critical thinking and mitigate cognitive biases. Through dynamic, scenario-based interactions, these avatars challenge assumptions, provide real-time feedback, and foster a deeper understanding of complex issues. The proposed framework integrates advanced generative AI models to reduce inherent biases, guiding learners through structured debiasing techniques such as the D.E.B.I.A.S. mnemonic. This scalable solution enhances decision-making quality across diverse sectors, including healthcare, recruitment, and corporate training. Beyond individual learning, this technology offers a foundation for equitable, data-driven decision-making within organizations. By positioning AI-driven avatars as key enablers of unbiased reasoning, this paper highlights their transformative potential in fostering more ethical and informed decision-making in professional and educational settings.

Tight competition for jobs and skilled professionals has increased the need for talent development among both employees and employers. Employees must take care of their own skills to secure their position in the labor market and companies, in turn, must develop both the skills of their current employees and to attract new professionals. This paper focuses on the talent development of Finnish engineers, and it especially analyzes when and to what kind of master’s programs they apply to during their careers. First, it explores the potential differences at the application ages of the undergraduates applying to master’s programs offered by universities and polytechnics (UAS). Second, it investigates variations between the engineering management programs and discipline-specific programs of the UASs. Findings of the study indicate that the age distributions for the master’s programs in universities and UASs differ significantly and the UASs programs seem to be an important form of education for engineers in employment. Results on different kinds of programs indicate that both engineering management and discipline-specific master’s programs will be needed also in the future to fulfill the different kinds of career paths of the engineers.

Extending an earlier conference paper by the authors, this report of a participant observation study provides an in-depth discussion on how cultural dimensions and hyper-personal effects might function in a specific context of computer-based communication (CMC) for remote teamwork. Adopting a cyber-ethnographical approach, a researcher engaged in a virtual group, which was working with a Consulate General in Shanghai, China, to observe the intragroup CMC behaviors, interactions, and practices of the participants, while also being involved in the teamwork. The group members were from either China or South Korea, mainly working remotely with one another and rendering this temporary workforce both multicultural and virtual. Paralleling the job tenure, a considerable amount of experience materials had been accumulated, as the product of a nearly 1-year data collection, which laid the foundation for a critical reflection and ad hoc analysis. Insights were drawn from the participant observation to address what could be the most suitable mode of teamwork for a certain multicultural and virtual group. Moreover, limitations of the present study were discussed; and implications were provided for multicultural and virtual teamwork, within and beyond the East Asian context.

Fiction is an ancient virtual reality technology that specializes in simulating human problems. The stories told are the media and, according to Marshall McLuhan, the medium is the message. The technology is interwoven with up to date digital media design and information technologies including artificial intelligence (AI). According to Keith Oatley, stories are the flight simulators of human social life. From the many fields of human life, emphasis is put on the training of occupational accident prevention. The potential of storytelling is deployed for the prevention of accidents to preserve human lives, to avoid human injuries, the damage of installations and financial losses. Aiming at effectiveness and sustainability, the task under consideration is the interdisciplinary design of spaces of stories with a high educational potential. The authors abandon the educational paradigm of telling stories of disaster. Interactive digital storytelling is tailored to allow for unprecedented learner engagement in stories of success. Prevention training is designed to appear playfully based on the original concept of time travel prevention games. Trainees who failed to complete their task—thereby possibly ruining a (fortunately only virtual) technical installation—are enabled to travel back in time to do better the next time. AI guides the trainees to a success of their own. In the condition of training with time travel prevention games, designing spaces of stories to be experienced playfully is an ambitious variant of gamification. The design of stories in story spaces is a particularly complex case of dynamic AI planning. Patterns that occur in story spaces wrap educational theory as well as ideas of game design. The plan generation concepts foster interdisciplinary co-operation of educators, domain experts, VR specialists, game designers, psychologists, and others in creating spaces of affective stories of success.

In recent years, various stakeholders, including researchers, policymakers, and students, have displayed a growing interest in assessing the effectiveness and performance of higher education institutions. Although no single indicator is sufficient to describe the organizational quality of the university, student satisfaction is one of the most often used indicators. Extensive prior research has consistently demonstrated that high levels of student satisfaction positively influence crucial performance measures such as student retention and institutional graduation rates. Although student satisfaction has been extensively studied, particularly among undergraduate students, much less research has been done among adult learners returning to college. This paper aims to identify the key institutional factors that significantly impact the satisfaction of part-time postgraduate students. We hope that the insights of the study can help universities to allocate their limited resources and ultimately to enhance the well-being of the students.

Effective communication skills are essential for sonographers to build trust, to explain examination procedures to the patient in non-technical terms, to alleviate anxiety and gain patient consent and collaboration, and to provide information at a pace suitable for the patient. In order to communicate effectively, the sonographer needs to be able to communicate empathetically, adjusting their communication style to meet the needs of different audiences. This is particularly challenging when working with a diverse and multicultural group of patients where the risk of misinterpretation is higher. Students are provided with the opportunity to practice dialogues with virtual patients that are able to interact as real human beings, communicating concerns, emotions, and moods both at a verbal and non-verbal level. Coaching through digital humans accelerates learning from experience without the risks associated with learning in the field.

Studies have shown that digital game-based learning (DGBL) can stimulate learners and increase motivation. However, in order to accomplish these goals, we must understand the role and impact of the game elements. This study aimed to examine the effects of four-game elements on player performance: Instructions and assistance, narrative, Competition, and Challenge. An additional factor examined was players' age. The data was collected using BIG DATA from the game platform, which recorded the scores of 3,281 users across nine different games, during the period 2015-2020. Users played as part of their visit to 'Musa', a multidisciplinary museum of local cultural materials in Tel-Aviv, either in 'Family' game mode or in 'Group' mode. According to the results of our study, players performed better on 'Group' games. In addition, players' performances improved when narrative depth was significant and the play area was smaller. Separating our data into two groups led to additional results: players in 'Family' mode performed better when the game instructions included a video, while in 'Group' modes participants performed better when a human guide was available to some extent. The results of this study and their implications can assist educators and game designers in planning more accurate and effective learning games.

Τhe purpose of this article is to investigate how metacognition supports giftedness in leadership. The concepts of metacognition, giftedness and leadership seem to be interrelated. The article attempts to explore new trends in understanding and development of giftedness. Research has shown that the concept of metacognition is inextricably linked to the concept of giftedness. Metacognition has an important role in the development of individuals, because it helps them to improve their cognitive and metacognitive skills. Metacognitive skills such as monitoring, self-regulation, awareness are higher skills that gifted individuals process to a high degree and through training can improve them even further. Moreover, the metacognitive skills of monitoring and adaptation can affect leadership skills. The metacognitive skills that are associated with leadership are self-awareness, regulation and monitoring. Therefore, if leadership is based on consciousness and giftedness then we will have higher leadership skills.