Validation of the Smart City as a Sustainable Development Knowledge Tool: The Challenge of Using Technologies in Education during COVID-19

Abstract

The objective of this research was to design and validate a questionnaire for teachers on the knowledge and use of smart city concepts and their usefulness in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic based on a sustainable approach at different educational levels. It is important to analyze the use of online education based on the construction of intelligent learning environments, which favor the interaction between the environment and the student. With a quasi-experimental methodology, the psychometric properties of the questionnaire were analyzed through structural equation modeling (SEM), and the model was adjusted through a multivariate regression analysis to relate response patterns to a set of latent factors that cannot be directly observed, but exist in continuous dimensions of the people evaluated, and to create a valid and reliable instrument as a measurement tool using a sample of n = 973 subjects. The sample distribution consisted of 22.36% primary school teachers, 59.01% high school teachers, and 18.56% university teachers. The results showed a high reliability and construct validity through two models, and adjustment of the original model produced better goodness-of-fit parameters. We conclude that the designed questionnaire is a useful and valid tool for understanding how teachers have approached online teaching during the pandemic and their knowledge and use of Smart City concepts.

An International Comparison of Responses to the Covid-19 Pandemic by Universities and Schools

“…Spain has implemented a notable experience during Covid-19 to design and validate a 'Smart City' tool in the city 'Melilla' for learning purposes. According to Olmos-Gomez [94], the success of this experience has been achieved.…”

“…On the other hand, others related it with the effect of ICT and its evolution to the infrastructure [92]. However, [93] considered the smart city in terms of its relevance to ICT and its benefits to the users [94]. The European Parliament maintained that smart cities depended on the initiation and connection of human capital, social capital, and digital infrastructure to develop sustainable economic progress and a better lifestyle [95].…”

“…The European Parliament maintained that smart cities depended on the initiation and connection of human capital, social capital, and digital infrastructure to develop sustainable economic progress and a better lifestyle [95]. Covid-19 has marked a turning point in learning and teaching mechanisms [94]. Therefore, online psychoeducation should be considered by health authorities [96].…”

“…Therefore, online psychoeducation should be considered by health authorities [96]. Olmos-Gomez [94] conducted a study in the city of Melilla, Spain to design and validate a Smart City tool to measure the effect of online learning on teaching during school closure, as well as to obtain descriptive results for the use of the Smart City tool for online learning and teaching purposes during Covid-19 pandemic, using Structural Equation Model (SEM). The participants were teachers from primary and secondary schools and university levels.…”

Incorporating Virtual Reality Technology in Safety Training Solution for Construction Site of Urban Cities

“…To guarantee the efficiency and accuracy of obtaining valuable feedback from subjects, the questionnaire survey was designed. Several studies [27,28] have proven the efficiency of a specifically designed questionnaire survey with regard to saved time and explicit purpose. The evaluation survey for this study aims to validate the usefulness of the multiplayer VR training system through a comparison with traditional training methods by gathering participants' feedback regarding their perception and reaction.…”