Luís Pedro

The use of transmedia to leverage the act of storytelling to new formats and interactions has been allowing the creation of participatory experiences, inviting the public to make decisions that can influence the fictional universe to which they are dedicated. This also allows the immersion in the narrative to be taken to another level.The growing popularization of short fictional formats, in the case of short videos, brings new challenges, specifically for the immersive nature that is featured in fictional narratives. Can stories entirely told through a short content format, achieve the emotional involvement that a book or a feature film allows?To understand the levels of involvement this type of stories could reach, a project was carried out which included the development of an audiovisual narrative in short formats published along several days in Instagram.An evaluation phase with quantitative and qualitative data collection was implemented and comprised the analysis of statistics of the publications made in the project and the analysis of the answers to a questionnaire shared with some of its followers.From the development of the project and its evalaution it was concluded that it is possible for short-form audiovisual stories in new media to reach levels of emotional involvement in the audience. However, it is questioned to what extent these levels are actually relevant.

This article describes the results of an exploratory action research project that sought to implement an intervention proposal entitled Promoting Self-regulated Musical Learning in Online Lessons (PSRL). This PSRL was developed in accordance with self-regulated learning theory and the corresponding premise that self-regulation can be activated directly through teacher instructions and indirectly by enriching the learning environment with pedagogical tools that facilitate student self-regulation. The PSRL contained two components: (1) a diagnostic approach, which aimed to understand just which self-regulation processes students deployed during practice, and (2) a training approach, which included teacher instructions and tools for self-regulation. In addition, this study explored an online learning environment tailored to activate and enhance self-regulated learning skills. Two cello students from a music education BA programme in Brazil participated in the project. The PSRL was implemented throughout 4 weeks in eight cycles of action. The findings indicate that a questioning approach and the indirect support of the online environment were associated with increased metacognitive reflection in the two students. Although the results cannot be generalized due to the small sample size, the study provides insights into teaching strategies that may support the development of students’ self-regulated musical practice habits in online lessons.

As AI-generated content becomes increasingly prevalent in educational settings, understanding its impact on students remains an urgent yet underexplored issue. Although recent studies have begun to explore AI-generated videos, few have specifically examined the pedagogical potential of combining AI voices and avatars. This study investigates the differences in user engagement and cognitive load induced by AI-generated short videos compared to human-based ones in the context of foreign language learning. Using a 2 × 2 experimental design, the study explored four combinations: AI voice & AI avatar, AI voice & Human avatar, Human voice & AI avatar, and Human voice & Human avatar. Results from linear mixed models and Fuzzy C-Means clustering revealed that while both AI voice and AI avatar can improve user engagement independently, a significant improvement in engagement is only observed when both voice and avatar are AI-generated. Similarly, while AI voice and AI avatar can reduce extraneous cognitive load independently, a significant reduction in extraneous cognitive load is only observed when both voice and avatar are AI-generated. This study offers valuable insights for integrating AI-generated short videos into foreign language learning and the broader educational landscape, paving the way for AI-generated content and innovative approaches to multimedia learning.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been part of every citizen's life for several years. Still, the emergence of generative AI (GenAI), accessible to all, has raised discussions about the ethical issues they raise, particularly in education. GenAI tools generate content according to user requests, but are students using these tools ethically and safely? Can teachers guide students in this use and use these tools in their teaching activities? This paper argues that teacher professional development (TPD) is an essential key trigger in adopting these emerging technologies. The paper will present an integrative literature review that discusses the components of TPD that may empower teachers to guide their students towards the ethical and safe use of GenAI. According to the literature review, one key component of TPD should be AI literacy, which involves understanding AI, its capabilities and limitations, and its potential benefits and drawbacks in education. Another essential component is hands-on activities that engage teachers, their peers, and students in actively using these tools during the training process. The paper will discuss the advantages of working with GenAI tools and designing lesson plans to implement them critically in the classroom.