Homework Assignments to Enhance Student Engagement in Secondary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buijs, Maartje; Admiraal, Wilfried

2013-01-01

Secondary school teachers often complain that their students show a disengaged attitude in class. Students do not prepare for lessons, they show a passive attitude towards classroom activities and they have a limited awareness of their own learning process. Based on a pilot study, four homework assignments were designed, implemented, and evaluated…

Investigating Flipped Learning: Student Self-Regulated Learning, Perceptions, and Achievement in an Introductory Biology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sletten, Sarah Rae

2017-01-01

In flipped classrooms, lectures, which are normally delivered in-class, are assigned as homework in the form of videos, and assignments that were traditionally assigned as homework, are done as learning activities in class. It was hypothesized that the effectiveness of the flipped model hinges on a student's desire and ability to adopt a…

Scaffolding Assignments and Activities for Undergraduate Research Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Sarah; Justwan, Florian

2018-01-01

This article details assignments and lessons created for and tested in research methods courses at two different universities, a large state school and a small liberal arts college. Each assignment or activity utilized scaffolding. Students were asked to push beyond their comfort zone while utilizing concrete and/or creative examples,…

Curls of My Dreams.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenman, Geri

2001-01-01

Describes an art activity in which students draw ribbons (thin watercolor paper that, when torn, will stand up in a curling fashion). Explains in detail the assignment in which students used pencil rendering or charcoal pencil depending on the type of paper used for the assignment. (CMK)

A Case Study: Using Authentic Scientific Data for Teaching and Learning of Ecology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wyner, Yael

2013-01-01

This article describes a culminating assignment for students enrolled in a human ecology course in a Masters in Science Education program. The goal of this assignment was for students to use published scientific data to link daily life, human impact, and sustainability to ecological function. This activity required students to consider the…

The "Pay It Forward" Speech: Challenging Students to Become Engaged in the Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenna-Buchanan, Timothy; Munz, Stevie

2014-01-01

This assignment described here serves as a meaningful way to engage students who are perhaps less involved in giving back to their own community (Galston, 2003). By engaging students in "pay it forward" experiences, this assignment can help foster a sense of active citizenship. Often political engagement is associated with acts related…

Venturing into Scary Places: The Minority Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Craig

2007-01-01

Students who have lived as part of a majority for their entire life may find it frightening to be asked to visit a place where they will be in the minority. In this article, the author uses this assignment to demonstrate to his students how some people feel everyday. The Minority Experience assignment challenges students to actively participate in…

Online vs. face-to-face discussion in a Web-based research methods course for postgraduate nursing students: a quasi-experimental study.

PubMed

Campbell, Malcolm; Gibson, Will; Hall, Andy; Richards, David; Callery, Peter

2008-05-01

Web-based technologies are increasingly being used to create modes of online learning for nurses but their effect has not been assessed in nurse education. Assess whether participation in face-to-face discussion seminars or online asynchronous discussion groups had different effects on educational attainment in a web-based course. Non-randomised or quasi-experimental design with two groups-students choosing to have face-to-face discussion seminars and students choosing to have online discussions. The Core Methods module of a postgraduate research methods course. All 114 students participating in the first 2 yr during which the course teaching material was delivered online. Assignment mark for Core Methods course module. Background details of the students, their choices of modules and assignment marks were collected as part of the routine course administration. Students' online activities were identified using the student tracking facility within WebCT. Regression models were fitted to explore the association between available explanatory variables and assignment mark. Students choosing online discussions had a higher Core Methods assignment mark (mean 60.8/100) than students choosing face-to-face discussions (54.4); the difference was statistically significant (t=3.13, df=102, p=0.002), although this ignores confounding variables. Among online discussion students, assignment mark was significantly correlated with the numbers of discussion messages read (Kendall's tau(b)=0.22, p=0.050) and posted (Kendall's tau(b)=0.27, p=0.017); among face-to-face discussion students, it was significantly associated with the number of non-discussion hits in WebCT (Kendall's tau(b)=0.19, p=0.036). In regression analysis, choice of discussion method, whether an M.Phil./Ph.D. student, number of non-discussion hits in WebCT, number of online discussion messages read and number posted were associated with assignment mark at the 5% level of significance when taken singly; in combination, only whether an M.Phil./Ph.D. student (p=0.024) and number of non-discussion hits (p=0.045) retained significance. This study demonstrates that a research methods course can be delivered to postgraduate healthcare students at least as successfully by an entirely online method in which students participate in online discussion as by a blended method in which students accessing web-based teaching material attend face-to-face seminar discussions. Increased online activity was associated with higher assignment marks. The study highlights new opportunities for educational research that arise from the use of virtual learning environments that routinely record the activities of learners and tutors.

Investigations of protein structure and function using the scientific literature: an assignment for an undergraduate cell physiology course.

PubMed

Mulnix, Amy B

2003-01-01

Undergraduate biology curricula are being modified to model and teach the activities of scientists better. The assignment described here, one that investigates protein structure and function, was designed for use in a sophomore-level cell physiology course at Earlham College. Students work in small groups to read and present in poster format on the content of a single research article reporting on the structure and/or function of a protein. Goals of the assignment include highlighting the interdependence of protein structure and function; asking students to review, integrate, and apply previously acquired knowledge; and helping students see protein structure/function in a context larger than cell physiology. The assignment also is designed to build skills in reading scientific literature, oral and written communication, and collaboration among peers. Assessment of student perceptions of the assignment in two separate offerings indicates that the project successfully achieves these goals. Data specifically show that students relied heavily on their peers to understand their article. The assignment was also shown to require students to read articles more carefully than previously. In addition, the data suggest that the assignment could be modified and used successfully in other courses and at other institutions.

Self-Regulated Assignment Attack Strategy: Evaluating the Effects of a Classroom-Level Intervention on Student Management of Curricular Activities in a Resource Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ness, Bryan M.; Sohlberg, McKay Moore

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a classroom-based strategy instruction package grounded in self-regulated learning. The Self-Regulated Assignment Attack Strategy (SAAS) targeted self-regulation of assignment management and related academic-behavioral variables for 6th grade students in resource support classrooms. SAAS was…

Training the Next Generation: Developing Health Education Skills in Undergraduate Public Health Students at a Historically Black College and University.

PubMed

Mincey, Krista; Gross, Tyra

2017-01-01

With the looming workforce crisis, undergraduate public health students could be an important link in filling this demand. As public health continues to face challenges in the future, it is important that the future workforce is not only diverse but also trained in a manner that exposes them to real-world experiences that give them an opportunity to apply coursework to solve problems. This article outlines how a health program planning course was taught at a Historically Black College and University using assignments that promote active learning. Students were assessed on their ability to plan and implement a health activity based on a developed metric. Student and instructor reflections were collected from final assessments of the health programs by both groups. All elements of the course are discussed from course design, structure, assignments, and outcomes along with student and instructor reflections and lessons learned. Results suggest that including assignments focused on active learning are beneficial to helping students learn course material. As public health continues to change, more work needs to focus on teaching pedagogies that better prepare students to address future public health issues.

Student-Moderated Discussion Boards in a Graduate Online Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McRay, Jeni; Goertzen, Brent; Klaus, Kaley

2016-01-01

This application brief describes a "Module Discussant" activity assigned in an online graduate-level leadership theory course. The assignment was designed to stimulate higher-level thinking, apply leadership theory to practice, and foster extensive communication among students in the online learning environment using a common learning…

Explaining Students' Appraisal of Lectures and Student-Activating Teaching: Perceived Context and Student Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Struyven, Katrien; Dochy, Filip; Janssens, Steven

2012-01-01

During lectures, some students are continuously focused and attentive, whereas others tend to be bored, jittery, or inattentive. The same might happen when students are given student-activating assignments. Some students simply love one type of instruction, whereas others tend to resent it. Moreover, it is not the context itself, but the context…

Experiential Education on the Edge: SETI Activities for the College Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crider, Anthony; Weston, Anthony

2012-01-01

In a sophomore-level, interdisciplinary honors class, we introduced students to the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence through assigned readings, student presentations, classroom discussions, and multiple experiential activities. In this paper, we present four of these novel experiential activities. In the first, students suddenly find…

Distributed Collaborative Homework Activities in a Problem-Based Usability Engineering Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carroll, John M.; Jiang, Hao; Borge, Marcela

2015-01-01

Teams of students in an upper-division undergraduate Usability Engineering course used a collaborative environment to carry out a series of three distributed collaborative homework assignments. Assignments were case-based analyses structured using a jigsaw design; students were provided a collaborative software environment and introduced to a…

The Mathematics Education Debates: Preparing Students to Become Professionally Active Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munakata, Mika

2010-01-01

The Mathematics Education Debate is an assignment designed for and implemented in an undergraduate mathematics methods course for prospective secondary school mathematics teachers. For the assignment, students read and analyze current research and policy reports related to mathematics education, prepare and present their positions, offer…

An Elective Course on Antimicrobial Stewardship.

PubMed

Gauthier, Timothy P; Sherman, Elizabeth M; Unger, Nathan R

2015-12-25

To implement an antimicrobial stewardship (AS) elective course for second-year and third-year pharmacy students and to assess its impact on students' perceptions regarding the application of AS principles. A 2-credit elective course focusing on principles of AS incorporated prelecture didactic recordings with primary literature and guideline-based reading assignments, in-class active-learning group work and student-led presentations, and student-generated examination items. Perceptions were assessed by precourse and postcourse survey items. Graded course assessments included completion of preclass assignments (readings, prerecorded lecture and writing assessment items), in-class active participation and group presentations, a midpoint examination, and a final examination. An AS-themed elective course in a doctor of pharmacy curriculum incorporating preclass, self-directed learning and in-class group-based active-learning strategies positively impacted students' perceived understanding of AS strategies.

Writing Assignments that Promote Active Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narayanan, M.

2014-12-01

Encourage students to write a detailed, analytical report correlating classroom discussions to an important historical event or a current event. Motivate students interview an expert from industry on a topic that was discussed in class. Ask the students to submit a report with supporting sketches, drawings, circuit diagrams and graphs. Propose that the students generate a complete a set of reading responses pertaining to an assigned topic. Require each student to bring in one comment or one question about an assigned reading. The assignment should be a recent publication in an appropriate journal. Have the students conduct a web search on an assigned topic. Ask them to generate a set of ideas that can relate to classroom discussions. Provide the students with a study guide. The study guide should provide about 10 or 15 short topics. Quiz the students on one or two of the topics. Encourage the students to design or develop some creative real-world examples based on a chapter discussed or a topic of interest. Require that students originate, develop, support and defend a viewpoint using a specifically assigned material. Make the students practice using or utilizing a set of new technical terms they have encountered in an assigned chapter. Have students develop original examples explaining the different terms. Ask the students to select one important terminology from the previous classroom discussions. Encourage the students to explain why they selected that particular word. Ask them to talk about the importance of the terminology from the point of view of their educational objectives and future career. Angelo, T. A. (1991). Ten easy pieces: Assessing higher learning in four dimensions. In T. A. Angelo (Ed.), Classroom research: Early lessons from success (pp. 17-31). New Directions for Teaching and Learning, No. 46. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Active-learning assignments to integrate basic science and clinical course material.

PubMed

Marshall, Leisa L; Nykamp, Diane

2010-09-10

To develop, implement, and evaluate active-learning exercises requiring the integration and application of pathophysiology, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and therapeutics knowledge of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis to formulate therapeutic recommendations for patients with musculoskeletal disorders. Two team-based case study exercises, one evaluating a patient with osteoarthritis and the second, a patient with rheumatoid arthritis, were developed, incorporating material and questions from pathophysiology, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and therapeutics. The learning assignments were implemented in a required pharmacotherapy module. Student learning was evaluated using performance on the team-based case study exercises and on 2 examinations. A standard student course evaluation was used to assess students' impressions of the learning activity. The mean student grades for the osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis activities were 9.1 and 8.9, respectively, on a 10-point scale. The majority of students indicated that the learning exercises were more than adequate to excellent in helping students learn. The addition of active-learning activities was successful in teaching pharmacy students the knowledge needed to formulate therapeutic recommendations for patients with musculoskeletal disorders.

Investigations of Protein Structure and Function Using the Scientific Literature: An Assignment for an Undergraduate Cell Physiology Course

PubMed Central

Mulnix, Amy B.

2003-01-01

Undergraduate biology curricula are being modified to model and teach the activities of scientists better. The assignment described here, one that investigates protein structure and function, was designed for use in a sophomore-level cell physiology course at Earlham College. Students work in small groups to read and present in poster format on the content of a single research article reporting on the structure and/or function of a protein. Goals of the assignment include highlighting the interdependence of protein structure and function; asking students to review, integrate, and apply previously acquired knowledge; and helping students see protein structure/function in a context larger than cell physiology. The assignment also is designed to build skills in reading scientific literature, oral and written communication, and collaboration among peers. Assessment of student perceptions of the assignment in two separate offerings indicates that the project successfully achieves these goals. Data specifically show that students relied heavily on their peers to understand their article. The assignment was also shown to require students to read articles more carefully than previously. In addition, the data suggest that the assignment could be modified and used successfully in other courses and at other institutions. PMID:14673490

The Utility of Writing Assignments in Undergraduate Bioscience

PubMed Central

Libarkin, Julie; Ording, Gabriel

2012-01-01

We tested the hypothesis that engagement in a few, brief writing assignments in a nonmajors science course can improve student ability to convey critical thought about science. A sample of three papers written by students (n = 30) was coded for presence and accuracy of elements related to scientific writing. Scores for different aspects of scientific writing were significantly correlated, suggesting that students recognized relationships between components of scientific thought. We found that students' ability to write about science topics and state conclusions based on data improved over the course of three writing assignments, while the abilities to state a hypothesis and draw clear connections between human activities and environmental impacts did not improve. Three writing assignments generated significant change in student ability to write scientifically, although our results suggest that three is an insufficient number to generate complete development of scientific writing skills. PMID:22383616

An Active-Learning Approach to Fostering Understanding of Research Methods in Large Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaCosse, Jennifer; Ainsworth, Sarah E.; Shepherd, Melissa A.; Ent, Michael; Klein, Kelly M.; Holland-Carter, Lauren A.; Moss, Justin H.; Licht, Mark; Licht, Barbara

2017-01-01

The current investigation tested the effectiveness of an online student research project designed to supplement traditional methods (e.g., lectures, discussions, and assigned readings) of teaching research methods in a large-enrollment Introduction to Psychology course. Over the course of the semester, students completed seven assignments, each…

The Facebook-in-Action: Challenging, Harnessing and Enhancing Students Class Assignments and Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saifudin, Adam Mohd; Yacob, Aizan; Saad, Rohaizah

2016-01-01

Issues of universities students harnessing and capitalizing the usage of Facebook for their own learning capabilities and effective thinking is always the focus of education scholars, in assessing the quality class assignments and projects produced by them. Therefore, Facebook is now becoming unbearable influence since the internet activation in…

Exploring Current Issues through the Hot Topics Poster

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nisbett, Nancy

2012-01-01

This paper describes a research paper and poster assignment used in an undergraduate leisure and human behavior course. The intent of this learning activity is to increase student knowledge of current issues within the industry as well as to enhance students' professional communication skills. A description of the assignment is shared along with…

Lights, Camera, Action! Learning about Management with Student-Produced Video Assignments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schultz, Patrick L.; Quinn, Andrew S.

2014-01-01

In this article, we present a proposal for fostering learning in the management classroom through the use of student-produced video assignments. We describe the potential for video technology to create active learning environments focused on problem solving, authentic and direct experiences, and interaction and collaboration to promote student…

A learning activity to introduce undergraduate students to bioethics in human clinical research: a case study.

PubMed

Segarra, Ignacio; Gomez, Manuel

2014-12-01

We developed a pharmacology practicum assignment to introduce students to the research ethics and steps involved in a clinical trial. The assignment included literature review, critical analysis of bioethical situations, writing a study protocol and presenting it before a simulated ethics committee, a practice interview with a faculty member to obtain informed consent, and a student reflective assessment and self-evaluation. Students were assessed at various steps in the practicum; the learning efficiency of the activity was evaluated using an independent survey as well as students' reflective feedback. Most of the domains of Bloom's and Fink's taxonomies of learning were itemized and covered in the practicum. Students highly valued the translatability of theoretical concepts into practice as well as the approach to mimic professional practice. This activity was within a pharmacy program, but may be easily transferable to other medical or health sciences courses. © The Author(s) 2014.

Assessment of a Diversity Assignment in a PR Principles Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallicano, Tiffany Derville; Stansberry, Kathleen

2012-01-01

This study assesses an assignment for incorporating diversity into the principles of public relations course. The assignment is tailored to the challenges of using an active learning approach in a large lecture class. For the assignment, students write a goal, objectives, strategies, an identification of tactics, and evaluation plans for either…

Student Behavior and Epistemological Framing: Examples from Collaborative Active-Learning Activities in Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scherr, Rachel E.; Hammer, David

2009-01-01

The concept of framing from anthropology and sociolinguistics is useful for understanding student reasoning. For example, a student may frame a learning activity as an opportunity for sensemaking or as an assignment to fill out a worksheet. The student's framing affects what she notices, what knowledge she accesses, and how she thinks to act. We…

Outcomes of Synergetic Peer Assessment: First-Year Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodgson, Paula; Chan, Kitty; Liu, Justina

2014-01-01

Active participation in learning activities and reviewing assessment activity can facilitate learners engaged in these processes. This case study reports student experiences of the process of peer assessment with teacher guidance in a group project for a first-year nursing course with 153 students. Twenty groups of students were assigned roles in…

Using Cultural Research Assignments To Help Business Students Become More Culturally Aware.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winter, Janet K.; And Others

This paper provides some activities that can be used to acquaint business students with the cultural differences that might be encountered in international business situations. Activities described involve: (1) exposing students to cultural differences through the use of foreign art and literature; (2) requiring students to prepare a cultural…

Perspectives of Fitness and Health in College Men and Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waldron, Jennifer J.; Dieser, Rodney B.

2010-01-01

Because many college students engage in low levels of physical activity, the current study used a qualitative framework to interview 11 college students to examine the meaning physically active college students assign to the practice of fitness and health. Students discussed the importance of healthy eating, but that it was difficult to accomplish…

Curricular Activities that Promote Metacognitive Skills Impact Lower-Performing Students in an Introductory Biology Course.

PubMed

Dang, Nathan V; Chiang, Jacob C; Brown, Heather M; McDonald, Kelly K

2018-01-01

This study explores the impacts of repeated curricular activities designed to promote metacognitive skills development and academic achievement on students in an introductory biology course. Prior to this study, the course curriculum was enhanced with pre-assignments containing comprehension monitoring and self-evaluation questions, exam review assignments with reflective questions related to study habits, and an optional opportunity for students to explore metacognition and deep versus surface learning. We used a mixed-methods study design and collected data over two semesters. Self-evaluation, a component of metacognition, was measured via exam score postdictions, in which students estimated their exam scores after completing their exam. Metacognitive awareness was assessed using the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) and a reflective essay designed to gauge students' perceptions of their metacognitive skills and study habits. In both semesters, more students over-predicted their Exam 1 scores than under-predicted, and statistical tests revealed significantly lower mean exam scores for the over-predictors. By Exam 3, under-predictors still scored significantly higher on the exam, but they outnumbered the over-predictors. Lower-performing students also displayed a significant increase in exam postdiction accuracy by Exam 3. While there was no significant difference in students' MAI scores from the beginning to the end of the semester, qualitative analysis of reflective essays indicated that students benefitted from the assignments and could articulate clear action plans to improve their learning and performance. Our findings suggest that assignments designed to promote metacognition can have an impact on students over the course of one semester and may provide the greatest benefits to lower-performing students.

The effect of physical activity homework on physical activity among college students.

PubMed

Claxton, David; Wells, Gayle M

2009-03-01

This study examined the effect of using physical activity homework on physical activity levels of college students. Students in randomly assigned sections of a university health course were assigned 30 minutes of physical activity homework 3 days a week or no homework for 12 weeks. Participants completed self-reports of physical activity before the homework intervention and again at the conclusion of the 12 weeks of physical activity homework. Participants in all course sections reported significant increases in the number of days per week of moderate and vigorous physical activity. Participants in homework sections additionally showed significant increases in the days they engaged in muscular strength/endurance training and activities to manage weight. Participants in sections without homework showed a significant increase in the number of days engaged in flexibility training. Comparison of gain scores showed statistically significant increases by the homework group in the days they participated in activities designed to manage weight. Physical activity homework was deemed to be an effective method of increasing college students' levels of physical activity.

Development of Students' Critical-Reasoning Skills through Content-Focused Activities in a General Education Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fencl, Heidi S.

2010-01-01

Students in a general education science course made significant gains in scientific reasoning skills when they were taught using carefully designed hands-on activities and writing assignments. The activities required students to make use of scientific skills such as graphing, predicting outcomes under changing conditions, or designing experiments,…

"Using" Computer Graphic Representations to Promote Learning in Elementary Science Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazaros, Edward J.; Spotts, Thomas H.

2009-01-01

This interdisciplinary activity promotes science, technology, and language arts and is well suited for upper elementary grade students. In the activity, students' research about a teacher-assigned weather phenomenon facilitates their study of the weather. When they have completed their research, students word process a paper summarizing their…

Inquiry-Based Laboratory Activities in Electrochemistry: High School Students' Achievements and Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sesen, Burcin Acar; Tarhan, Leman

2013-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the effects of inquiry-based laboratory activities on high school students' understanding of electrochemistry and attitudes towards chemistry and laboratory work. The participants were 62 high school students (average age 17 years) in an urban public high school in Turkey. Students were assigned to experimental (N =…

[Introduction of active learning and student readership in teaching by the pharmaceutical faculty].

PubMed

Sekiguchi, Masaki; Yamato, Ippei; Kato, Tetsuta; Torigoe, Kojyun

2005-07-01

We have introduced improvements and new approaches into our teaching methods by exploiting 4 active learning methods for pharmacy students of first year. The 4 teaching methods for each lesson or take home assignment are follows: 1) problem-based learning (clinical case) including a student presentation of the clinical case, 2) schematic drawings of the human organs, one drawing done in 15-20 min during the week following a lecture and a second drawing done with reference to a professional textbook, 3) learning of professional themes in take home assignments, and 4) short test in order to confirm the understanding of technical terms by using paper or computer. These improvements and new methods provide active approaches for pharmacy students (as opposed to passive memorization of words and image study). In combination, they have proven to be useful as a learning method to acquire expert knowledge and to convert from passive learning approach to active learning approach of pharmacy students in the classroom.

Internet Explorations: On-Line Assignments for the Introductory Public Relations Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Michael F.

This paper describes a series of assignments called "Internet Explorations," which were developed for an introductory public relations course. The three rationales for the assignments in the paper were illustration and application of course concepts to ongoing public relations activities, student exposure to communication strategies, and…

Articles as Assignments - Modalities and Experiences of Wikipedia Use in University Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wannemacher, Klaus

In spite of perceived quality deficits, Wikipedia is a popular information resource among students. Instructors increasingly take advantage of the positive student attitude through actively integrating Wikipedia as a learning tool into university courses. The contribution raises the question if Wikipedia assignments in university courses are suited to make complex research, editing and bibliographic processes through which scholarship is produced transparent to students and to effectively improve their research and writing skills.

Interprofessional pharmacy observation activity for third-year dental students.

PubMed

Conway, Susan E; Smith, Winter J; Truong, Teresa H; Shadid, Jill

2014-09-01

Interprofessional learning is a key component of today's health sciences education. Within a two-course series in dental pharmacology and therapeutics, a dental curriculum was revised to provide an interprofessional activity to expose dental students to a community pharmacy setting. The objectives of this activity were to augment students' learning about drug laws and prescription writing, as well as to foster interprofessional relationships and collaboration between pharmacists and dentists. Dental students were scheduled for one-hour observations at community pharmacies on campus. Learning objectives to guide this activity focused on demonstrating community pharmacy operating procedures, identifying ways to minimize prescribing and dosing errors, and understanding how pharmacists can assist dentists in prescribing. Following the observation, students were required to submit a written assignment, which accounted for 14 percent of their course grade. All 119 dental students (100 percent) enrolled in the course for the summers of 2012 and 2013 completed the activity. The average grade on the written assignment was 96.2 out of 100. At the end of the course, students were asked to participate in an online course evaluation survey, for which response rates were 37 percent and 43 percent for 2012 and 2013, respectively. The students rated the pharmacy observation activity favorably on this course evaluation. The pharmacy observation activity provided a successful interprofessional component to the didactic pharmacy course and was well received by the dental students as well as the community pharmacists.

ConfChem Conference on Select 2016 BCCE Presentations: Putting Your Own Personal Twist on a Flipped Organic Classroom and Selling the Idea to Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Ashleigh L. P.

2017-01-01

This paper presents gradual implementation of active learning approaches in an organic chemistry classroom based on student feedback and strategies for getting students on-board with this new approach. Active learning techniques discussed include videos, online quizzes, reading assignments, and classroom activities. Preliminary findings indicate a…

Are All Hands-On Activities Equally Effective? Effect of Using Plastic Models, Organ Dissections, and Virtual Dissections on Student Learning and Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lombardi, Sara A.; Hicks, Reimi E.; Thompson, Katerina V.; Marbach-Ad, Gili

2014-01-01

This study investigated the impact of three commonly used cardiovascular model-assisted activities on student learning and student attitudes and perspectives about science. College students enrolled in a Human Anatomy and Physiology course were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups (organ dissections, virtual dissections, or…

Why Do Students Have Difficulties Completing Homework? The Need for Homework Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Jianzhong

2013-01-01

Homework is a common and widespread educational activity. Yet, as homework often takes place amidst the pull of more attractive and competing after-school activities, doing homework presents multiple challenges for many students, even for those students who find their assignments meaningful and interesting. In this article, I first examine five…

Drawing the Line with Google Earth: The Place of Digital Mapping outside of Geography

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mercier, O. Ripeka; Rata, Arama

2017-01-01

The "Te Kawa a Maui Atlas" project explores how mapping activities support undergraduate student engagement and learning in Maori studies. This article describes two specific assignments, which used online mapping allowing students to engage with the work of their peers. By analysing student evaluations of these activities, we identify…

Exploring Norms and Moral Authority through Content Analysis of Classic Texts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace, Richard Cheever

1993-01-01

Describes a class assignment for a college-level sociology course in which students read from religious texts to identify norms and sanctions. Reports that students expressed positive comments about the activity. Includes suggestions for preparing materials, instructions for implementing the activity, and a coding sheet to be used by students.…

Video-recorded simulated patient interactions: can they help develop clinical and communication skills in today's learning environment?

PubMed

Seif, Gretchen A; Brown, Debora

2013-01-01

It is difficult to provide real-world learning experiences for students to master clinical and communication skills. The purpose of this paper is to describe a novel instructional method using self- and peer-assessment, reflection, and technology to help students develop effective interpersonal and clinical skills. The teaching method is described by the constructivist learning theory and incorporates the use of educational technology. The learning activities were incorporated into the pre-clinical didactic curriculum. The students participated in two video-recording assignments and performed self-assessments on each and had a peer-assessment on the second video-recording. The learning activity was evaluated through the self- and peer-assessments and an instructor-designed survey. This evaluation identified several themes related to the assignment, student performance, clinical behaviors and establishing rapport. Overall the students perceived that the learning activities assisted in the development of clinical and communication skills prior to direct patient care. The use of video recordings of a simulated history and examination is a unique learning activity for preclinical PT students in the development of clinical and communication skills.

The Best of "Notes Plus": Practical Classroom Activities for Junior and Senior High School Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cline, Ruth K. J., Comp.

This book is a collection of class activities and lesson plans from "NOTES Plus." The book focuses on three special columns from "NOTES Plus": "Classic of the Month,""Literature Assignment of the Month," and "Writing Assignment of the Month," that contain longer and more involved strategies for…

Watch Out, Oprah! A Book Club Assignment for Literature Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chuppa-Cornell, Kim

2003-01-01

Describes a successful practice for incorporating more novels into community college literature courses and for sparking student interest in reading. Presents a book club assignment that includes both collaborative activities and a group presentation. Considers how a book club assignment offers an effective way to include more writers into the…

The Assignment Pack. Materials for Flexible and Open Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit, London (England).

This assignment pack is designed for students and tutors working in open, flexible, or distance learning in Britain. Each of the six sections contains the following: (1) a detailed contents page that identifies the assignment under an activity heading, an individual title, and indication of the relationship to the City and Guilds of London…

Analysis of an Air Conditioning Coolant Solution for Metal Contamination Using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy: An Undergraduate Instrumental Analysis Exercise Simulating an Industrial Assignment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baird, Michael J.

2004-01-01

A real-life analytical assignment is presented to students, who had to examine an air conditioning coolant solution for metal contamination using an atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). This hands-on access to a real problem exposed the undergraduate students to the mechanism of AAS, and promoted participation in a simulated industrial activity.

Two Student Self-Management Techniques Applied to Data-Based Program Modification.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wesson, Caren

Two student self-management techniques, student charting and student selection of instructional activities, were applied to ongoing data-based program modification. Forty-two elementary school resource room students were assigned randomly (within teacher) to one of three treatment conditions: Teacher Chart-Teacher Select Instructional Activities…

Writing Assignments with a Metacognitive Component Enhance Learning in a Large Introductory Biology Course

PubMed Central

Mynlieff, Michelle; Manogaran, Anita L.; St. Maurice, Martin

2014-01-01

Writing assignments, including note taking and written recall, should enhance retention of knowledge, whereas analytical writing tasks with metacognitive aspects should enhance higher-order thinking. In this study, we assessed how certain writing-intensive “interventions,” such as written exam corrections and peer-reviewed writing assignments using Calibrated Peer Review and including a metacognitive component, improve student learning. We designed and tested the possible benefits of these approaches using control and experimental variables across and between our three-section introductory biology course. Based on assessment, students who corrected exam questions showed significant improvement on postexam assessment compared with their nonparticipating peers. Differences were also observed between students participating in written and discussion-based exercises. Students with low ACT scores benefited equally from written and discussion-based exam corrections, whereas students with midrange to high ACT scores benefited more from written than discussion-based exam corrections. Students scored higher on topics learned via peer-reviewed writing assignments relative to learning in an active classroom discussion or traditional lecture. However, students with low ACT scores (17–23) did not show the same benefit from peer-reviewed written essays as the other students. These changes offer significant student learning benefits with minimal additional effort by the instructors. PMID:26086661

Enhancing Student-Student Online Interaction: Exploring the Study Buddy Peer Review Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madland, Colin; Richards, Griff

2016-01-01

The study buddy is a learning strategy employed in a graduate distance course to promote informal peer reviewing of assignments before submission. This strategy promotes student-student interaction and helps break the social isolation of distance learning. Given the concern by Arum and Roksa (2011) that student-student interaction may be…

Nursing Students' Perceptions of Participatory Action Research.

PubMed

Csiernik, Rick; O'Regan, Tony; Forchuk, Cheryl; Rudnick, Abraham

2018-05-01

This article evaluates the experience of students engaged in a participatory action research project. Nursing students were assigned to research activities addressing poverty and social inclusion in the lives of individuals with mental health issues. Focus group interviews were held with 25 students, representing 58.1% of eligible students. Themes and subthemes were categorized from the transcripts, with two overarching themes emerging: (a) aspects that worked well, and (b) aspects that could be improved. The range of activities students engaged in while assigned to the project and students' perceptions, both positive and negative, about their overall exposure to participatory action research are identified and discussed. Findings in the literature with regard to perceived benefits and limitations of participatory action research projects involving students are supported by those found in this study. Based on the findings of this study, curriculum development for an interdisciplinary graduate-level course is in process. [J Nurs Educ. 2018;57(5):282-286.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

Enhancing Student Retention of Prerequisite Knowledge through Pre-Class Activities and In-Class Reinforcement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Ann T. S.; Olofson, Eric L.; Novak, Walter R. P.

2017-01-01

To foster the connection between biochemistry and the supporting prerequisite concepts, a collection of activities that explicitly link general and organic chemistry concepts to biochemistry ideas was written and either assigned as pre-class work or as recitation activities. We assessed student learning gains after using these activities alone, or…

Teaching with the Case Study Method to Promote Active Learning in a Small Molecule Crystallography Course for Chemistry Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Michael G.; Powers, Tamara M.; Zheng, Shao-Liang

2016-01-01

Implementing the case study method in a practical X-ray crystallography course designed for graduate or upper-level undergraduate chemistry students is described. Compared with a traditional lecture format, assigning small groups of students to examine literature case studies encourages more active engagement with the course material and…

Curricular Activities that Promote Metacognitive Skills Impact Lower-Performing Students in an Introductory Biology Course†

PubMed Central

Dang, Nathan V.; Chiang, Jacob C.; Brown, Heather M.

2018-01-01

This study explores the impacts of repeated curricular activities designed to promote metacognitive skills development and academic achievement on students in an introductory biology course. Prior to this study, the course curriculum was enhanced with pre-assignments containing comprehension monitoring and self-evaluation questions, exam review assignments with reflective questions related to study habits, and an optional opportunity for students to explore metacognition and deep versus surface learning. We used a mixed-methods study design and collected data over two semesters. Self-evaluation, a component of metacognition, was measured via exam score postdictions, in which students estimated their exam scores after completing their exam. Metacognitive awareness was assessed using the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) and a reflective essay designed to gauge students’ perceptions of their metacognitive skills and study habits. In both semesters, more students over-predicted their Exam 1 scores than under-predicted, and statistical tests revealed significantly lower mean exam scores for the over-predictors. By Exam 3, under-predictors still scored significantly higher on the exam, but they outnumbered the over-predictors. Lower-performing students also displayed a significant increase in exam postdiction accuracy by Exam 3. While there was no significant difference in students’ MAI scores from the beginning to the end of the semester, qualitative analysis of reflective essays indicated that students benefitted from the assignments and could articulate clear action plans to improve their learning and performance. Our findings suggest that assignments designed to promote metacognition can have an impact on students over the course of one semester and may provide the greatest benefits to lower-performing students. PMID:29904551

Constructing cardiovascular fitness knowledge in physical education

PubMed Central

Zhang, Tan; Chen, Ang; Chen, Senlin; Hong, Deockki; Loflin, Jerry; Ennis, Catherine

2015-01-01

In physical education, it has become necessary for children to learn kinesiological knowledge for understanding the benefits of physical activity and developing a physically active lifestyle. This study was conducted to determine the extent to which cognitive assignments about healthful living and fitness contributed to knowledge growth on cardiorespiratory fitness and health. Fourth grade students (N = 616) from 15 randomly sampled urban elementary schools completed 34 cognitive assignments related to the cardiorespiratory physical activities they were engaged in across 10 lessons. Performance on the assignments were analyzed in relation to their knowledge gain measured using a standardized knowledge test. A multivariate discriminant analysis revealed that the cognitive assignments contributed to knowledge gain but the contribution varied assignment by assignment. A multiple regression analysis indicated that students’ assignment performance by lesson contributed positively to their knowledge growth scores. A content analysis based on the constructivist learning framework showed that observing–reasoning assignments contributed the most to knowledge growth. Analytical and analytical–application assignments contributed less than the constructivist theories would predict. PMID:25995702

Creative Activities for String Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stabley, Nola Campbell

2001-01-01

Discusses how to teach improvisation, creativity, and movement to beginning music classroom students. Includes background information on teaching each concept and lesson plans to be used with beginning string students. Provides rhythm patterns, exercises, and an assignment used in the lessons. (CMK)

Healthy Active Living: A Residence Community-Based Intervention to Increase Physical Activity and Healthy Eating during the Transition to First-Year University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Denver M. Y.; Bray, Steve R.; Beatty, Kevin R.; Kwan, Matthew Y. W.

2014-01-01

Objective: To examine the effects of a Healthy Active Living (HAL) community intervention on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC), and psychosocial mediators of physical activity among students transitioning into university. Methods: Sixty undergraduate students were assigned to reside in either the…

Teaching Followership in Leadership Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raffo, Deana M.

2013-01-01

This paper provides leadership educators with a resource for teaching followership. It presents a lesson for teaching students about followership in contemporary society by including key concepts and follower characteristics followed by class activities and assignments designed to engage students in active learning and self-reflective processes. A…

Drafting. Technology Learning Activity. Teacher Edition. Technology Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center.

This packet of technology learning activity (TLA) materials for drafting for students in grades 6-10 consists of an instructor's section and student materials. The instructor's section contains background information, suggested activities, and a list of suggested resources. A lesson plan for the 8-day module includes assignments; equipment, tools,…

The Challenge of the Internet: Practical Applications in Your 7-12 Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bertsche, Harriet; Silvestri, Holly

A series of both daily classroom activities and a long-term assignment in which secondary school language students actively use the Internet and the World Wide Web are described. Class activities target each of three proficiency levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced). They include having students check the weather, check out major…

Residential Construction. Technology Learning Activity. Teacher Edition. Technology Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center.

This packet of technology learning activity (TLA) materials for residential construction for students in grades 6-10 consists of an instructor's section and student materials. The instructor's section contains background information, suggested activities, and a list of suggested resources. A lesson plan for the 10-day module includes assignments;…

Robotics and STEM Learning: Students' Achievements in Assignments According to the P3 Task Taxonomy--Practice, Problem Solving, and Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barak, Moshe; Assal, Muhammad

2018-01-01

This study presents the case of development and evaluation of a STEM-oriented 30-h robotics course for junior high school students (n = 32). Class activities were designed according to the P3 Task Taxonomy, which included: (1) practice-basic closed-ended tasks and exercises; (2) problem solving--small-scale open-ended assignments in which the…

Moodog: Tracking Student Activity in Online Course Management Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Hangjin; Almeroth, Kevin

2010-01-01

Many universities are currently using Course Management Systems (CMSes) to conduct online learning, for example, by distributing course materials or submitting homework assignments. However, most CMSes do not include comprehensive activity tracking and analysis capabilities. This paper describes a method to track students' online learning…

Online Prelectures: An Alternative to Textbook Reading Assignments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadaghiani, Homeyra R.

2012-05-01

To engage students in a more meaningful discussion of course material and prompt their higher thinking skills, most instructors expect students to read the course textbook for initial exposure to the course content before class. However, as many instructors are aware, most students do not read their textbook throughout the quarter.1,2 At California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) we have adopted web-based multimedia learning modules (MLMs) as prelecture assignments to help students to prepare for the class activities. The MLMs place lecture contents into the hands and control of the learners; similar to "flipped"3 or "inverted"4 classroom approaches, this method allows students to receive key course content outside of class and apply and analyze the content actively during class. In addition to initial exposure to basic principle, the MLMs provide additional worked examples that cannot be thoroughly covered in class.

When Teacher-Centered Instructors Are Assigned to Student-Centered Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lasry, Nathaniel; Charles, Elizabeth; Whittaker, Chris

2014-01-01

Technology-rich student-centered classrooms such as SCALE-UP and TEAL are designed to actively engage students. We examine what happens when the design of the classroom (conventional or teacher-centered versus student-centered classroom spaces) is consistent or inconsistent with the teacher's epistemic beliefs about learning and teaching…

Poetry Writing in General Physics Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, William L.

2013-01-01

Poetry writing in the context of physics is a student-centered activity that enables students to view the world through the window of physics and make connections to everyday life scenarios. Poetry assignments provide a creative and atypical challenge to students, creating more student-centered class discussions and a fun, light-hearted approach…

A Coursework Support System for Offering Challenges and Assistance by Analyzing Students' Web Portfolios

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Liang-Yi; Chen, Gwo-Dong

2009-01-01

Students can practice skills and acquire knowledge by doing coursework. However, in conventional coursework activities, each student is assigned the same exercises, without considering learners' diversity. Moreover, students typically have difficulty in receiving assistance for completing their exercises after class. Therefore, some students…

Characterizing Student Perceptions of and Buy-In toward Common Formative Assessment Techniques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brazeal, Kathleen R.; Brown, Tanya L.; Couch, Brian A.

2016-01-01

Formative assessments (FAs) can occur as preclass assignments, in-class activities, or postclass homework. FAs aim to promote student learning by accomplishing key objectives, including clarifying learning expectations, revealing student thinking to the instructor, providing feedback to the student that promotes learning, facilitating peer…

Gravitational Wave Detection in the Introductory Lab

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burko, Lior M.

2017-01-01

Great physics breakthroughs are rarely included in the introductory physics course. General relativity and binary black hole coalescence are no different, and can be included in the introductory course only in a very limited sense. However, we can design activities that directly involve the detection of GW150914, the designation of the Gravitation Wave signal detected on September 14, 2015, thereby engage the students in this exciting discovery directly. The activities naturally do not include the construction of a detector or the detection of gravitational waves. Instead, we design it to include analysis of the data from GW150914, which includes some interesting analysis activities for students of the introductory course. The same activities can be assigned either as a laboratory exercise or as a computational project for the same population of students. The analysis tools used here are simple and available to the intended student population. It does not include the sophisticated analysis tools, which were used by LIGO to carefully analyze the detected signal. However, these simple tools are sufficient to allow the student to get important results. We have successfully assigned this lab project for students of the introductory course with calculus at Georgia Gwinnett College.

Integrating evidence-based practice and information literacy skills in teaching physical and occupational therapy students.

PubMed

Boruff, Jill T; Thomas, Aliki

2011-12-01

To ensure that physical and occupational therapy graduates develop evidence-based practice (EBP) competencies, their academic training must promote EBP skills, such as posing a clinical question and retrieving relevant literature, and the information literacy skills needed to practice these EBP skills. This article describes the collaborative process and outcome of integrating EBP and information literacy early in a professional physical therapy and occupational therapy programme. The liaison librarian and a faculty member designed an instructional activity that included a lecture, workshop and assignment that integrated EBP skills and information literacy skills in the first year of the programme. The assignment was designed to assess students' ability to conduct a search independently. The lecture and workshop were successful in their objectives, as 101 of the 104 students received at least 8 out of 10 points on the search assignment. The teaching activities developed for the students in this course appear to have achieved the goal of teaching students the EBP research cycle so that they might begin to emulate it. The collaboration between the faculty member and the librarian was integral to the success of this endeavour. Future work will include the evaluation of students' long-term retention of information literacy objectives. © 2011 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2011 Health Libraries Group.

An Elective Course on Antimicrobial Stewardship

PubMed Central

Sherman, Elizabeth M.; Unger, Nathan R.

2015-01-01

Objective. To implement an antimicrobial stewardship (AS) elective course for second-year and third-year pharmacy students and to assess its impact on students’ perceptions regarding the application of AS principles. Design. A 2-credit elective course focusing on principles of AS incorporated prelecture didactic recordings with primary literature and guideline-based reading assignments, in-class active-learning group work and student-led presentations, and student-generated examination items. Assessment. Perceptions were assessed by precourse and postcourse survey items. Graded course assessments included completion of preclass assignments (readings, prerecorded lecture and writing assessment items), in-class active participation and group presentations, a midpoint examination, and a final examination. Conclusion. An AS-themed elective course in a doctor of pharmacy curriculum incorporating preclass, self-directed learning and in-class group-based active-learning strategies positively impacted students’ perceived understanding of AS strategies. PMID:26889069

Rethinking the Research Paper in the Writing Center.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, James C.

1994-01-01

Discusses the problems presented to writing center tutors by traditional research paper assignments. Recounts typical definitions of student research papers according to current-traditional rhetoric. Advocates writing centers helping students transform research papers into meaning-making activities in which students construct knowledge. (HB)

Perception of Physical Activity Participation of Chinese Female Graduate Students: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yan, Zi; Cardinal, Bradley J.

2013-01-01

Purpose: Chinese female international students (CFIS) have been identified as one of the least physically active groups in the United States. In an effort to better understand this situation, this study's purpose was to examine CFIS in American higher education in terms of the meaning they assigned to physical activity and facilitators and…

Developing Discourse of Renewal during a Campus Crisis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boatwright, Brandon; Mazer, Joseph P.

2017-01-01

Course: This assignment is a unit activity designed for use in a skills-focused undergraduate public relations, organizational communication, or crisis communication course. Objective: The goal of this activity is to increase students' understanding of and ability to apply discourse of renewal in a crisis scenario. Students will work…

Geo Events (March 12-13, 2002).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turturice, Michael W.; Rothkopf, Stephen

In this teaching activity, students track and present information about specific regions in the world on a bi-weekly basis. Emphasis is placed on the five themes of geography to develop a working knowledge of assigned regions. Students use Microsoft Publisher and PowerPoint to create presentations. The activity packet contains several documents…

Bartering for Minerals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

May, Kathie

2002-01-01

Presents an activity in which students are assigned occupations that rely on specific minerals. To obtain the needed minerals, students learn how to trade services and commodities. Includes details on preparation, modeling behaviors, and printed materials. (DDR)

Autonomous excursions using tablets and smartphones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marra, Wouter; Groothengel, Marin; van de Grint, Liesbeth; Karssenberg, Derek; Stouthamer, Esther

2017-04-01

Excursions and fieldworks are valuable components for geosciences education. However, field activities can be time consuming for teachers and pose a logistical challenge to fit in regular courses. Furthermore, the participation of students diminishes with group size in case of instructor-led outings. We are developing excursions that students can follow autonomously without a teacher present, using instructions, assignments and background information on tablets and smartphones. The goal of this approach is to increase the level of active participation, and to reduce logistical and time table issues. We developed a bike-excursion about the landscape and geology in the vicinity of our University. Such excursion was on the wish-list for several years, but posed a logistical challenge for the group of about 80 students in the available timeslot. In our approach, students had a time-window of two weeks in which they could finish the excursion in groups of 2. 8-Inch tablets with water- and shock-proof cases were available for this excursion. For the excursion we used three apps: 1) IZI-Travel for providing the route, spoken navigation instructions, spoken explanations at stops, location-related images, assignments as text, and multiple-choose questions. 2) PDF-Maps for providing geo-referenced maps. 3) ESRI Collector which the students used to digitize polygons on a map, and to collect geo-referenced photos with explanation. These data were answers to assignments and were later used in a tutorial on campus. The assignments where students had to collect data, and the small group size (pairs) increased the level of active participation. The use of a final tutorial on campus was important for the autonomous excursion, as it gave students the opportunity to discuss their observations and questions with their teacher. The developed teaching materials are available online to use and adapt for others. Parts could be useful for other universities and schools in the vicinity of the excursion location.

Does a Combination of Metaphor and Pairing Activity Help Programming Performance of Students with Different Self-Regulated Learning Level?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hui, Tie Hui; Umar, Irfan Naufal

2011-01-01

This study aims to investigate the effects of metaphors and pairing activity on programming performance of students with different self-regulated-learning (SRL) level. A total of 84 computing students were involved in this seven-week study, and they were randomly assigned either to a group that received a combination of metaphor and pair…

Sticker Bonding.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frazier, Laura Corbin

2000-01-01

Introduces a science activity on the bonding of chemical compounds. Assigns students the role of either a cation or anion and asks them to write the ions they may bond with. Assesses students' understanding of charge, bonding, and other concepts. (YDS)

The Impact of Science Fiction Films on Student Interest in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laprise, Shari; Winrich, Chuck

2010-01-01

Science fiction films were used in required and elective nonmajor science courses as a pedagogical tool to motivate student interest in science and to reinforce critical thinking about scientific concepts. Students watched various films and critiqued them for scientific accuracy in written assignments. Students' perception of this activity was…

Out-of-School Literacy Activities of Affluent Early Adolescents: Selective Competencies and Hidden Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hester, Amy

2012-01-01

Few studies have documented the literacy activities in an after-school setting of affluent early adolescents assigned to remedial reading. This may be because these students are not considered to be at risk of academic failure. The out-of-school literacy activities of 3 sixth-grade students were examined in this qualitative research. Multiple data…

Camouflage, Color Schemes, and Cubism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guhin, Paula

2002-01-01

Presents an art activity where students learn about Cubism and color mixing. Explains that the students create camouflaged animals after learning about the work, "Female Torso" (Pablo Picasso). Includes directions for how to create the pictures and states that the assignment can be used with students of all ages. (CMK)

Storying Selves in Conventional and Creative Resumes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harter, Lynn M.; Quinlan, Margaret M.

2008-01-01

This article presents an activity in which students use narrative theory as a conceptual canvas for understanding resumes as autobiographical performances shaped by social and material forces. By asking students to story their lives in both conventional and creative resumes, this assignment invites students to produce autobiographical discourse…

A Post-Final Assignment for the Methods Course: Providing an Incentive to Professional Growth for Future Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bentley, Michael L.

This paper describes J. Rosengren's post-final assignment and M. Harmin's truth signs activity that were incorporated into a secondary science methods course for preservice teachers. The strength of the post-final assignment is that it is a strategy for extending student learning past the end of a course and even beyond the initial teaching…

Prior-to-Exam: What Activities Enhance Performance?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhoads, C. J.; Healy, Therese

2013-01-01

Can instructors impact their student performance by recommending an activity just prior to taking an exam? In this study, college students were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups (study, exercise, or meditation) or a control group. Each group was given two different types of tests; a traditional concept exam, and a non-traditional…

Utilizing Field-Based Instruction as an Effective Teaching Strategy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kozar, Joy M.; Marcketti, Sara B.

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of field-based instruction on student learning outcomes. Researchers in the past have noted the importance of engaging students on a deeper level through the use of active course designs. To investigate the outcomes of active learning, two field assignments created for two separate…

Advertising, a Distributive Education Manual and Answer Book.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Charles H.; Cyrus, Cinda L.

This revised manual for individualized instruction of distributive education trainees at the high school or junior college level in basic advertising and sales promotion activities includes 15 self-study assignments, teaching suggestions, and a bibliography. Together with a separate answer key, each assignment provides student questions and…

Developing Online Oceanography at UCSB

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prothero, W. A.; Dodson, H.

2001-12-01

Oceanography at UCSB is an introductory general education science course taken by up to 200 students per quarter. The emphasis is on learning science process by engaging in authentic science activities that use real earth data. Recently, to increase student motivation, the course has been modified to include an Earth Summit framework. The online support being developed for this course is the first step in the creation of a completely online oceanography class. Foundation software was first tested in the class during Spring 2001. Online activities that are supported are writing and instructor feedback, online threaded discussion with live chat and graphics, automatically graded homeworks and games, auto graded quizzes with questions randomly selected from a database, and thought problems graded by the instructor(s). Future plans include integration with commercial course management software. To allow choice of assignments, all course activities totaled110%. Since grades were based on A=90-100, B=80-90, C= 70-80, etc, it was possible to get a better than A grade. Students see the effect (on their grade) of each assignment by calculating their current course grade. Course activities included (most of which are automatically graded): weekly lab homeworks, weekly mini-quizzes (10 multiple choice questions selected at random from a topic database), weekly thought questions (graded by the TA), 3 written assignments, and "Question of the Day" from lecture (credit given for handing it in), The online writing software allowed students to enter their writing, edit and link to graphic images, print the paper, and electronically hand it in. This has the enormous advantage of allowing the instructor and TA's convenient access to all student papers. At the end of the course, students were asked how effective each of the course activities were in learning the course material. On a five point scale, ranging from highest contribution to lowest, the percentage of students giving ratings of 4 or 5 (highest) were: lectures: 27%, labs: 70%, earth summit activities: 57%, weekly thought questions: 36%, Questions of the day: 34%, weekly quizzes: 51%, weekly homeworks: 48%, writing assignments: 68%. Course difficulty responses were symmetrically peaked at a rating of 3, indicating that the course was taught at the right level. 64% of the students responded with 4 or 5 level to "I worked very hard in this class." Join the DLESE "Oceanography" interest group (www.dlese.org) to discuss and help develop oceanography course materials. >http://oceanography.geol.ucsb.edu/Support/CourseWare/Index.html

Studying the Effects of Quantitatively Defined Teaching Strategies on Students in Elementary School Science Using Macro-Interaction Analysis Techniques.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penick, John E.; And Others

The effects of two patterns of teacher behavior on student behavior were investigated, using eight elementary teachers (grades 1-5) and their 250 students. The teacher behavior was conceptualized in terms of the amount of restriction placed on the activities of science students. Fifty students were randomly assigned, with equalizing restrictions…

Activites to Support and Assess Student Understanding of Earth Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prothero, W. A.; Regev, J.

2004-12-01

In order to use data effectively, learners must construct a mental model that allows them to understand and express spatial relationships in data, relationships between different data types, and relationships between the data and a theoretical model. Another important skill is the ability to identify gross patterns and distinguish them from details that may require increasingly sophisticated models. Students must also be able to express their understanding, both to help them frame their understanding for themselves, and for assessment purposes. Research in learning unequivocally shows that writing about a subject increases understanding of that subject. In UCSB's general education oceanography class, a series of increasingly demanding activities culminates in two science papers that use earth data. These activities are: 1) homework problems, 2) in-class short writing activities, 3) lab section exploration activities and presentations, and 4) the science paper. The subjects of the two papers are: Plate Tectonics and Ocean and Climate. Each student is a member of a group that adopts a country and must relate their paper to the environment of their country. Data are accessed using the "Our Dynamic Planet" and "Global Ocean Data Viewer" (GLODV) CD's. These are integrated into EarthEd Online, a software package which supports online writing, review, commenting, and return to the student. It also supports auto-graded homework assignments, grade calculation, and other class management functions. The writing assignments emphasize the construction of a scientific argument. This process is explained explicitly, requiring statements that: 1) include an observation or description of an observation (e.g. elevation profiles, quakes), 2) name features based on the observation (e.g. trench, ridge), 3) describe of features (e.g. trends NW, xxxkm long), 4) describe relationships between features (e.g. quakes are parallel to trench), 5) describe a model or theory (e.g. cartoon type representation of a subduction zone), and 6) describe the relationship between the model/theory and the data. Students generate and select data representations with the appropriate data display software, which seamlessly uploads each generated image to the student's personal storage area (on the class server). There they are available to be linked to the writing text. The assignment is "handed in" online, where it is commented, graded according to a rubric, and returned. Students rate the writing assignment as one of the most effective activities that contributes to their learning in the course.

Does School Choice Reduce Crime?: Evidence from North Carolina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deming, David J.

2012-01-01

In this study, the author investigates whether the opportunity to attend a school other than a student's assigned neighborhood school reduces criminal activity, especially among disadvantaged youth. Many of the schools chosen by the students were "better" on traditional indicators, such as student test scores and teacher characteristics.…

A Referential Communication Demonstration versus a Lecture-Only Control: Learning Benefits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balch, William R.

2014-01-01

To evaluate a demonstration involving active and cooperative learning, 40 students in a cognitive psychology course and 132 students in an introductory psychology course completed a brief multiple-choice pretest on referential communication. Two days later, randomly assigned students either participated in a classroom referential communication…

Introducing the Action Potential to Psychology Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simon-Dack, Stephanie L.

2014-01-01

For this simple active learning technique for teaching, students are assigned "roles" and act out the process of the action potential (AP), including the firing threshold, ion-specific channels for ions to enter and leave the cell, diffusion, and the refractory period. Pre-post test results indicated that students demonstrated increased…

The Impact of Classroom Physical Activity Breaks on Middle School Students' Health-Related Fitness: An Xbox One Kinetic Delivered 4-Week Randomized Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yli-Piipari, S.; Layne, T.; McCollins, T.; Knox, T.

2016-01-01

The aim of the study was to examine the effect of a 4-week classroom physical activity break intervention on middle school students' health-related physical fitness. The study was a randomized controlled trial with students assigned to the experiment and control conditions. A convenience sample comprised 94 adolescents (experiment group n = 52;…

Bone Mineral Density Changes after Physical Training and Calcium Intake in Students with Attention Deficit and Hyper Activity Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arab ameri, Elahe; Dehkhoda, Mohammad Reza; Hemayattalab, Rasool

2012-01-01

In this study we investigate the effects of weight bearing exercise and calcium intake on bone mineral density (BMD) of students with attention deficit and hyper activity (ADHD) disorder. For this reason 54 male students with ADHD (age 8-12 years old) were assigned to four groups with no differences in age, BMD, calcium intake, and physical…

Learning Bridge: Curricular Integration of Didactic and Experiential Education

PubMed Central

Arendt, Cassandra S.; Cawley, Pauline; Buhler, Amber V.; Elbarbry, Fawzy; Roberts, Sigrid C.

2010-01-01

Objectives To assess the impact of a program to integrate introductory pharmacy practice experiences with pharmaceutical science topics by promoting active learning, self-directed learning skills, and critical-thinking skills. Design The Learning Bridge, a curriculum program, was created to better integrate the material first-year (P1) students learned in pharmaceutical science courses into their introductory pharmacy practice experiences. Four Learning Bridge assignments required students to interact with their preceptors and answer questions relating to the pharmaceutical science material concurrently covered in their didactic courses. Assessment Surveys of students and preceptors were conducted to measure the effectiveness of the Learning Bridge process. Feedback indicated the Learning Bridge promoted students' interaction with their preceptors as well as development of active learning, self-directed learning, and critical-thinking skills. Students also indicated that the Learning Bridge assignments increased their learning, knowledge of drug information, and comprehension of relevant data in package inserts. Conclusion The Learning Bridge process integrated the didactic and experiential components of the curriculum, enhancing student learning in both areas, and offered students educational opportunities to interact more with their preceptors. PMID:20498741

The Use of Mobile Apps to Enhance Student Learning in Introduction to Psychology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diliberto-Macaluso, Kristen; Hughes, Alan

2016-01-01

The current study examined the impact of mobile applications or apps on student learning in an introduction to psychology course. Students were assigned to complete a learner-centered worksheet activity on the brain and central nervous system using either an interactive 3-D Brain app or their online course textbook. We measured student learning…

Harnessing Students' Interest in Physics with Their Own Video Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Like, Christopher

2011-01-01

Many physics teachers assign projects where students are asked to measure real-world motion. One purpose of this student-centered activity is to cultivate the relevance of physics in their lives. Typical project topics may include measuring the speed of a student's fastball and calculating how much reaction time batters are given. Another student…

Teaching Note--Student-Produced Public Service Announcements: A Project to Promote Active Learning in an Undergraduate HBSE Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quinn, Andrew; Chu, Yee Han

2017-01-01

Student-produced videos are assignments that can increase students' understanding of course content. This teaching note describes how an undergraduate Human Behavior in the Social Environment I course used student-produced public service announcement videos to develop an understanding of the different life stages in humans. The advantages and…

Teaching Historical Analysis through Creative Writing Assignments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Janine Larmon; Graham, Lea

2015-01-01

Incorporating creative writing exercises in history courses can heighten students' critical reading and analytical skills in an active learning model. We identify and define two types of possible assignments that use model texts as their locus: centripetal, which focuses on specific context and disciplinary terms, and centrifugal, which address…

Using cooperative learning for a drug information assignment.

PubMed

Earl, Grace L

2009-11-12

To implement a cooperative learning activity to engage students in analyzing tertiary drug information resources in a literature evaluation course. The class was divided into 4 sections to form expert groups and each group researched a different set of references using the jigsaw technique. Each member of each expert group was reassigned to a jigsaw group so that each new group was composed of 4 students from 4 different expert groups. The jigsaw groups met to discuss search strategies and rate the usefulness of the references. In addition to group-based learning, teaching methods included students' writing an independent research paper to enhance their abilities to search and analyze drug information resources. The assignment and final course grades improved after implementation of the activity. Students agreed that class discussions were a useful learning experience and 75% (77/102) said they would use the drug information references for other courses. The jigsaw technique was successful in engaging students in cooperative learning to improve critical thinking skills regarding drug information.

Arsenic-based Life: An active learning assignment for teaching scientific discourse.

PubMed

Jeremy Johnson, R

2017-01-02

Among recent high profile scientific debates was the proposal that life could exist with arsenic in place of phosphorous in its nucleic acids and other biomolecules. Soon after its initial publication, scientists across diverse disciplines began to question this extraordinary claim. Using the original article, its claims, its scientific support, and the ensuing counterarguments, a two-day, active learning classroom exercise was developed focusing on the presentation, evaluation, and discussion of scientific argumentation and discourse. In this culminating assignment of a first semester biochemistry course, undergraduate students analyze the scientific support from the original research articles and then present and discuss multiple scientific rebuttals in a lively, civil classroom debate. Through this assignment, students develop a sense of skepticism, especially for the original arsenic-based life claims, and learn to clearly articulate their counterarguments with scientific support and critical reasoning. With its direct integration into first-semester biochemistry curriculum and the excitement surrounding arsenic based life, this assignment provides a robust, simple, and stimulating framework for introducing scientific discourse and active learning into the undergraduate molecular science curriculum. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(1):40-45, 2017. © 2016 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Self-diagnosis as a tool for supporting students’ conceptual understanding and achievements in physics: the case of 8th-graders studying force and motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safadi, Rafi'

2017-01-01

I examined the impact of a self-diagnosis activity on students’ conceptual understanding and achievements in physics. This activity requires students to self-diagnose their solutions to problems that they have solved on their own—namely, to identify and explain their errors—and self-score them—that is, assign scores to their solutions—aided by a rubric demonstrating how to solve each problem step by step. I also examined a common practice in the physics classroom in which teachers manage a whole class discussion during which they solve, together with their students, problems that students had solved on their own. Three 8th-grade classes studying force and motion with the same teacher participated. Students were first taught the unit in force and motion. Then a first summative exam was administered. Next, two classes (59 students) were assigned to the self-diagnosis activity and the other class to the whole class discussion (27 students). To assess students’ learning with these activities, a repeat exam was administered. Results suggest that at least for teachers who are not competent in managing argumentative class discussions, the self-diagnosis activity is more effective than the whole class discussion in advancing students’ conceptual understanding and achievements. I account for these results and suggest possible directions for future research.

Worth It? Findings from a Study of How Academics Assess Students' Web 2.0 Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Kathleen; Waycott, Jenny; Clerehan, Rosemary; Hamilton, Margaret; Richardson, Joan; Sheard, Judithe; Thompson, Celia

2012-01-01

Educational commentators have offered many pedagogical rationales for using Web 2.0 to support learning in higher education, and academics are being encouraged to find ways for their students to use social web technologies. Questions arise as to the value of these activities compared to more conventional assignments, and whether implementing such…

Active Learning and Engagement with the Wireless Indoor Location Device (WILD) Learning System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moldwin, M.; Samson, P. J.; Ojeda, L.; Miller, T.; Yu, J.

2016-12-01

The Wireless Indoor Location Device (WILD) Learning System being developed at the University of Michigan and the Education Technology company A2 Motus LLC provides a unique platform for social learning by allowing students to become active participants in live simulations of complex systems, like hurricane formation. The WILD Learning System enables teachers to engage students in kinesthetic activities that explore complex models from a wide variety of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) disciplines. The system provides students' location, orientation and motion within the classroom and assigns each student different parameters depending on the activity. For example, students learning about hurricanes could be assigned atmospheric pressure levels and asked to arrange themselves around the room to simulate a hurricane. The Wild Learning System software then takes the students' pressure readings and locations and projects their locations overlaid onto a real-time generated simulated pressure weather map enabling the observation of how their arrangement influences the pressure structure. The teacher then could have the students orient themselves in the direction they think the resulting wind field will be based on the pressure contours as the system can show an arrow originating from each of the students position in the direction that they are facing. The system also could incorporate a student response-type system for the instructor to then directly question students about other concepts and record their response to both the kinesthetic activity and other formative assessment questions. The WILD Learning System consists of a sensor package for each student in the class, beacons to enable precise localization of the students, software to calculate student location information, and educational software for a variety of activities. In addition, a software development kit (SDK) is under development that would allow others to create additional learning activities using the WILD Learning System. (WILD Learning System development has been partially supported by NASA's CYGNSS Mission EPO, the NSF and the University of Michigan).

Computer supported collaborative learning in a clerkship: an exploratory study on the relation of discussion activity and revision of critical appraisal papers.

PubMed

Koops, Willem J M; van der Vleuten, Cees P M; de Leng, Bas A; Snoeckx, Luc H E H

2012-08-20

Medical students in clerkship are continuously confronted with real and relevant patient problems. To support clinical problem solving skills, students perform a Critical Appraisal of a Topic (CAT) task, often resulting in a paper. Because such a paper may contain errors, students could profit from discussion with peers, leading to paper revision. Active peer discussion by a Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) environment show positive medical students perceptions on subjective knowledge improvement. High students' activity during discussions in a CSCL environment demonstrated higher task-focussed discussion reflecting higher levels of knowledge construction. However, it remains unclear whether high discussion activity influences students' decisions revise their CAT paper. The aim of this research is to examine whether students who revise their critical appraisal papers after discussion in a CSCL environment show more task-focussed activity and discuss more intensively on critical appraisal topics than students who do not revise their papers. Forty-seven medical students, stratified in subgroups, participated in a structured asynchronous online discussion of individual written CAT papers on self-selected clinical problems. The discussion was structured by three critical appraisal topics. After the discussion, the students could revise their paper. For analysis purposes, all students' postings were blinded and analysed by the investigator, unaware of students characteristics and whether or not the paper was revised. Postings were counted and analysed by an independent rater, Postings were assigned into outside activity, non-task-focussed activity or task-focussed activity. Additionally, postings were assigned to one of the three critical appraisal topics. Analysis results were compared by revised and unrevised papers. Twenty-four papers (51.6%) were revised after the online discussion. The discussions of the revised papers showed significantly higher numbers of postings, more task-focussed activities, and more postings about the two critical appraisal topics: "appraisal of the selected article(s)", and "relevant conclusion regarding the clinical problem". A CSCL environment can support medical students in the execution and critical appraisal of authentic tasks in the clinical workplace. Revision of CAT papers appears to be related to discussions activity, more specifically reflecting high task-focussed activity of critical appraisal topics.

Self-Diagnosis as a Tool for Supporting Students' Conceptual Understanding and Achievements in Physics: The Case of 8th-Graders Studying Force and Motion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Safadi, Rafi'

2017-01-01

I examined the impact of a self-diagnosis activity on students' conceptual understanding and achievements in physics. This activity requires students to self-diagnose their solutions to problems that they have solved on their own--namely, to identify and explain their errors--and self-score them--that is, assign scores to their solutions--aided by…

Are You with Me or Not? Temporal Synchronicity and Transactivity during CSCL

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Popov, V.; van Leeuwen, A.; Buis, S. C. A.

2017-01-01

Do the simultaneous alignment of student activities (temporal synchronicity) and students successively building on each other's reasoning (transactivity) predict the quality of collaborative learning products? To address this question, we used a mixed-method approach to study 74 first-year university students who were randomly assigned to work in…

Use of Concept Mapping in an Undergraduate Introductory Exercise Physiology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henige, Kim

2012-01-01

Physiology is often considered a challenging course for students. It is up to teachers to structure courses and create learning opportunities that will increase the chance of student success. In an undergraduate exercise physiology course, concept maps are assigned to help students actively process and organize information into manageable and…

Teaching Students to Engage with Evidence: An Evaluation of Structured Writing and Classroom Discussion Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blings, Steffen; Maxey, Sarah

2017-01-01

In their transition to college, students often struggle to identify and make connections between the main arguments, evidence, and empirical findings of articles from academic journals commonly assigned on political science syllabi. Which active learning techniques are most effective for teaching students to recognize and evaluate social science…

Seven Birds with One Magic Bullet: Designing Assignments that Encourage Student Participation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krause-Jensen, Jakob

2010-01-01

At the Danish University School of Education we have experimented with a form of assessment called "active participation". A week before each class students are given reading guidelines and questions to help them approach the texts, and on the basis of one of those questions the students each write a two-page essay. The students are…

Academic Incentives for Students Can Increase Participation in and Effectiveness of a Physical Activity Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeVahl, Julie; King, Richard; Williamson, Jon W.

2005-01-01

The authors sought to determine whether a greater academic incentive would improve the effectiveness and student adherence to a 12-week voluntary exercise program designed to decrease students' percentage of body fat. They randomly assigned 210 students to 1 of 2 groups with different academic reward structures. The group with the greater reward…

Investigating Flipped Learning: Student Self-Regulated Learning, Perceptions, and Achievement in an Introductory Biology Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sletten, Sarah Rae

2017-06-01

In flipped classrooms, lectures, which are normally delivered in-class, are assigned as homework in the form of videos, and assignments that were traditionally assigned as homework, are done as learning activities in class. It was hypothesized that the effectiveness of the flipped model hinges on a student's desire and ability to adopt a self-directed learning style. The purpose of this study was twofold; it aimed at examining the relationship between two variables—students' perceptions of the flipped model and their self-regulated learning (SRL) behaviors—and the impact that these variables have on achievement in a flipped class. For the study, 76 participants from a flipped introductory biology course were asked about their SRL strategy use and perceptions of the flipped model. SRL strategy use was measured using a modified version of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ; Wolters et al. 2005), while the flipped perceptions survey was newly derived. Student letter grades were collected as a measure of achievement. Through regression analysis, it was found that students' perceptions of the flipped model positively predict students' use of several types of SRL strategies. However, the data did not indicate a relationship between student perceptions and achievement, neither directly nor indirectly, through SRL strategy use. Results suggest that flipped classrooms demonstrate their successes in the active learning sessions through constructivist teaching methods. Video lectures hold an important role in flipped classes, however, students may need to practice SRL skills to become more self-directed and effectively learn from them.

A root cause analysis project in a medication safety course.

PubMed

Schafer, Jason J

2012-08-10

To develop, implement, and evaluate team-based root cause analysis projects as part of a required medication safety course for second-year pharmacy students. Lectures, in-class activities, and out-of-class reading assignments were used to develop students' medication safety skills and introduce them to the culture of medication safety. Students applied these skills within teams by evaluating cases of medication errors using root cause analyses. Teams also developed error prevention strategies and formally presented their findings. Student performance was assessed using a medication errors evaluation rubric. Of the 211 students who completed the course, the majority performed well on root cause analysis assignments and rated them favorably on course evaluations. Medication error evaluation and prevention was successfully introduced in a medication safety course using team-based root cause analysis projects.

Studying human disease genes in Caenorhabditis elegans: a molecular genetics laboratory project.

PubMed

Cox-Paulson, Elisabeth A; Grana, Theresa M; Harris, Michelle A; Batzli, Janet M

2012-01-01

Scientists routinely integrate information from various channels to explore topics under study. We designed a 4-wk undergraduate laboratory module that used a multifaceted approach to study a question in molecular genetics. Specifically, students investigated whether Caenorhabditis elegans can be a useful model system for studying genes associated with human disease. In a large-enrollment, sophomore-level laboratory course, groups of three to four students were assigned a gene associated with either breast cancer (brc-1), Wilson disease (cua-1), ovarian dysgenesis (fshr-1), or colon cancer (mlh-1). Students compared observable phenotypes of wild-type C. elegans and C. elegans with a homozygous deletion in the assigned gene. They confirmed the genetic deletion with nested polymerase chain reaction and performed a bioinformatics analysis to predict how the deletion would affect the encoded mRNA and protein. Students also performed RNA interference (RNAi) against their assigned gene and evaluated whether RNAi caused a phenotype similar to that of the genetic deletion. As a capstone activity, students prepared scientific posters in which they presented their data, evaluated whether C. elegans was a useful model system for studying their assigned genes, and proposed future directions. Assessment showed gains in understanding genotype versus phenotype, RNAi, common bioinformatics tools, and the utility of model organisms.

Studying Human Disease Genes in Caenorhabditis elegans: A Molecular Genetics Laboratory Project

PubMed Central

Cox-Paulson, Elisabeth A.; Grana, Theresa M.; Harris, Michelle A.; Batzli, Janet M.

2012-01-01

Scientists routinely integrate information from various channels to explore topics under study. We designed a 4-wk undergraduate laboratory module that used a multifaceted approach to study a question in molecular genetics. Specifically, students investigated whether Caenorhabditis elegans can be a useful model system for studying genes associated with human disease. In a large-enrollment, sophomore-level laboratory course, groups of three to four students were assigned a gene associated with either breast cancer (brc-1), Wilson disease (cua-1), ovarian dysgenesis (fshr-1), or colon cancer (mlh-1). Students compared observable phenotypes of wild-type C. elegans and C. elegans with a homozygous deletion in the assigned gene. They confirmed the genetic deletion with nested polymerase chain reaction and performed a bioinformatics analysis to predict how the deletion would affect the encoded mRNA and protein. Students also performed RNA interference (RNAi) against their assigned gene and evaluated whether RNAi caused a phenotype similar to that of the genetic deletion. As a capstone activity, students prepared scientific posters in which they presented their data, evaluated whether C. elegans was a useful model system for studying their assigned genes, and proposed future directions. Assessment showed gains in understanding genotype versus phenotype, RNAi, common bioinformatics tools, and the utility of model organisms. PMID:22665589

College Textbook Reading Assignments and Class Time Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aagaard, Lola; Conner, Timothy W., II.; Skidmore, Ronald L.

2014-01-01

A convenient cluster sample of 105 undergraduate students at a regional university in the midsouth completed a survey regarding their use of college textbooks, what strategies might increase the likelihood of their reading textbook assignments, and their preference for how class time was used. Descriptive analysis was conducted on the results and…

Teaching Technoliteracy: Assignments Requiring Microcomputer Applications in Oral Communication Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reppert, James E.

This paper outlines methods for students in an introductory speech course at Southern Arkansas University to use microcomputers as essential research tools in class assignments. The outline is divided into seven projects, each with two objectives and a list of activities and procedures: (1) speech of introduction; (2) impromptu speech; (3)…

The IT Audit Assignment: Viewing Technology in the Organizational and Strategic Context.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwering, Randolph E.

2002-01-01

The information technology audit is a management learning activity in which students apply interdisciplinary research questions to a client organization. Business students thus learn to predict, diagnose, and mitigate organizational risks in implementing information technology. (Contains 14 references.) (SK)

Estimating Cloud Cover

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moseley, Christine

2007-01-01

The purpose of this activity was to help students understand the percentage of cloud cover and make more accurate cloud cover observations. Students estimated the percentage of cloud cover represented by simulated clouds and assigned a cloud cover classification to those simulations. (Contains 2 notes and 3 tables.)

Fostering Cognitive Growth Through Writing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sternglass, Marilyn S.

Recent research studies and texts in composition demonstrate the growing belief that students' difficulties with the writing tasks assigned to them are inextricably linked with their difficulties in handling complex cognitive processes. Through appropriate writing activities, students can be provided with practice in the intellectual functions…

The Effects of an Infant-Feeding Classroom Activity on the Breast-Feeding Knowledge and Intentions of Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Audrey; Moseley, Jane; Jackson, Winston

2008-01-01

This study examined the impact of an infant-feeding classroom activity on the breast-feeding knowledge and intentions of adolescents living in Nova Scotia, Canada. One hundred twenty-one students attending two high schools were administered one pretest and two posttest questionnaires. Students were arbitrarily assigned to a control or intervention…

An Investigation of the Partial-Assignment Completion Effect on Students' Assignment Choice Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawthorn-Embree, Meredith L.; Skinner, Christopher H.; Parkhurst, John; Conley, Elisha

2011-01-01

This study was designed to investigate the partial assignment completion effect. Seventh-grade students were given a math assignment. After working for 5 min, they were interrupted and their partially completed assignments were collected. About 20 min later, students were given their partially completed assignment and a new, control assignment…

An assessment of health behavior peer effects in Peking University dormitories: a randomized cluster-assignment design for interference.

PubMed

Yuan, Changzheng; Lv, Jun; VanderWeele, Tyler J

2013-01-01

Relatively little is known about the peer influence in health behaviors within university dormitory rooms. Moreover, in China, the problem of unhealthy behaviors among university students has not yet been sufficiently recognized. We thus investigated health behavior peer influence in Peking University dormitories utilizing a randomized cluster-assignment design. Cross-sectional in-dormitory survey. Current students from Peking University Health Science Center from April to June, 2009. Self-reported questionnaire on health behaviors: physical activity (including bicycling), dietary intake and tobacco use. Use of bicycle, moderate-intensity exercise, frequency of sweet food and soybean milk intake, frequency of roasted/baked/toasted food intake were behaviors significantly or marginally significantly affected by peer influence. Health behavior peer effects exist within dormitory rooms among university students. This could provide guidance on room assignment, or inform intervention programs. Examining these may demand attention from university administrators and policy makers.

Poetry in teaching pharmacology: Exploring the possibilities.

PubMed

Kalra, Juhi; Singh, Satendra; Badyal, Dinesh; Barua, Purnima; Sharma, Taruna; Dhasmana, Dinesh Chandra; Singh, Tejinder

2016-10-01

To explore poetry as a tool for active learning in linking knowledge and affective domains and to find if correlating learning with imagination can be used in "assessment for learning." After taking a conventional lecture on Asthma, a creative writing assignment in the form of poetry writing was given to the students. Different triggers were given to the students to channelize their thought pattern in a given direction that was linked to specific areas of academic relevance. Students were asked to reflect on this learning experience and the faculty was asked to evaluate the student assignment on a 5-point Likert scale. Most student groups scored well in the "overall assessment" of creative assignments and were rated as good or fair by the faculty. Students reflections were very informative and revealed that more than 90% of the students liked the exercise and many were too exuberant and liberal with emotional reactions that breathed positive. Around 5% students found the exercise average and another 5% found it very childish. Poetry writing turned out to be like a simulation exercise that linked academic knowledge, creativity, and the affective domain in an assumed scenario, rehearsed in free locales of mind. The metaphorical transition embedded in its subtle creation helped assess deeper understanding of the subject and the logical sequence of thought pattern.

A Nutrition Journal and Diabetes Shopping Experience to Improve Pharmacy Students' Empathy and Cultural Competence

PubMed Central

Hardy, Yolanda

2009-01-01

Objectives To implement and assess the effectiveness of an exercise designed to develop pharmacy students' empathy toward patients regarding diabetes and obesity and encourage cultural and “economic” competence. Design Students in the Nutrition Journal and Diabetes Shopping Experience attended a nutrition and weight management lecture, monitored their own nutritional intake by maintaining an online nutrition and exercise journal, and grocery shopped based on an assigned patient scenario. Scenarios varied in terms of income, ethnicity, insurance coverage, family size, grocery store, and medication lists. Students completed written reflections and group discussions and completed pre- and post-assignment survey instruments. Assessment The activities improved student confidence levels regarding nutrition and weight-related patient counseling, and knowledge about general nutrition and weight management. The majority of students agreed that the activities improved their ability to empathize with overweight patients regarding the challenges of nutrition and lifestyle changes and enhanced their awareness of the impact that cultural and financial situations have on nutrition and lifestyle. Conclusion The Nutrition Journal and Diabetes Shopping Experience positively impacted the way pharmacy students view the challenges surrounding nutrition and healthy eating in patients with culturally and socioeconomically diverse backgrounds. PMID:19513175

Students' Task Interpretation and Conceptual Understanding in an Electronics Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rivera-Reyes, Presentacion; Lawanto, Oenardi; Pate, Michael L.

2017-01-01

Task interpretation is a critical first step for students in the process of self-regulated learning, and a key determinant when they set goals in their learning and select strategies in assigned work. This paper focuses on the explicit and implicit aspects of task interpretation based on Hadwin's model. Laboratory activities improve students'…

Striking Out on Their Own: Lessons Learned from Student Teaching during and after the Chicago Teachers Union Strike

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horn, Brian

2017-01-01

This study looks at the experiences of pre-service teachers who began their student teaching assignments amidst the 2012 Chicago Teachers Union strike. Four yearlong student teachers reflected on their understandings of teaching, unionism, and activism before, during, and after the strike. Findings suggest pre-service teachers need greater…

Internal Consistency in Components of International Management/International Business Syllabi: Roadmaps with Mixed Messages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veliyath, Rajaram; Adams, Janet S.

2005-01-01

The course syllabus is a contract between instructor and students, a schedule of course assignments and activities, and a roadmap delineating objectives and checkpoints in the course. It is also a planning and reference tool for both students and instructor, and it models professors' expectations for their students. This study investigated whether…

Doing It for Themselves: Students Creating a High Quality Peer-Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galloway, Kyle W.; Burns, Simon

2015-01-01

To support our students during their study and exam preparation we have developed a novel synoptic revision exercise using the online PeerWise system. Academic staff involvement was passive after introducing the assignment to the cohort via scaffolding activities, thus generating an entirely student-led peer-learning environment for the task.…

Think, Speak, Succeed!...Applied Oral Communications Activities for High School Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turlington, Anita; Timms, Keith

This module contains speaking assignments for high school students that are taken from six different career areas. Each career section begins with a brief introduction to the career and a communications profile of the person interviewed. These pages can be copied and given to students as handouts. Each section also contains some assignments…

The Effects of a Pedometer-Based Intervention on First-Year University Students: A Randomized Control Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharp, Paul; Caperchione, Cristina

2016-01-01

Objectives: To assess the effects of a 12-week pedometer-based intervention on the physical activity behavior, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and psychological well-being of first-year university students. Participants: First-year university students (N = 184) were recruited during September 2012 and randomly assigned to an intervention…

Structuring Assignments to Improve Understanding and Presentation Skills: Experiential Learning in the Capstone Strategic Management Team Presentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helms, Marilyn M.; Whitesell, Melissa

2017-01-01

In the strategic management course, students select, analyze, and present viable future alternatives based on information provided in cases or computer simulations. Rather than understanding the entire process, the student's focus is on the final presentation. Chickering's (1977) research on active learning suggests students learn more effectively…

Boundaries and Student Self-Disclosure in Authentic, Integrated Learning Activities and Assignments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Booth, Melanie

2012-01-01

Faculty in higher education may find themselves reading student work or hearing students' voices in class or in online course discussion boards that reveal a lot of personal information, information that they think might be better kept private, information that may be concerning or even threatening. In their attempts to create richer learning…

Note-Taking during Discussion: Using a Weekly Reflection Assignment to Motivate Students to Learn from Their Peers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gravett, Emily O.

2018-01-01

The benefits of in-class discussion, a form of active learning, are well-documented; in particular, discussions allow students the opportunity to learn from their peers. Yet students often treat discussions as 'down' or 'free' time. If students are not taking notes during discussion and reviewing those notes later on, they may not be learning much…

Paper Airplanes: A Classroom Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Painter, Richard A.

1976-01-01

A learning experience is described for upper elementary or junior high students involving the manufacture, transportation, and marketing of a product for consumers. Steps are given and roles are assigned for students to convert raw material (paper) to a finished product (paper airplanes) and to sell it. (AV)

Practical Business: Instructor/Student Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Napier, Deedee Stocker

Ten units on practical business are presented in this instructor and student guide. Each instructional unit contains objectives, suggested activities, information sheets, assignment sheets, transparency master, a test, and test answers. Unit topics are (1) before you buy (comparative shopping and wise purchasing techniques); (2) when things go…

The First Class: An Exercise for Introductory Sociology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riffer, Roger L.

1983-01-01

The objectives of this learning activity, which compares students' estimates for selected death rates with government census figures, are to orient college students to sociology's methods and content and to increase their comprehension of their first reading assignment on Durkheim's study of suicide. (Author/RM)

Student Leadership in Small Group Science Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliveira, Alandeom W.; Boz, Umit; Broadwell, George A.; Sadler, Troy D.

2014-01-01

Background: Science educators have sought to structure collaborative inquiry learning through the assignment of static group roles. This structural approach to student grouping oversimplifies the complexities of peer collaboration and overlooks the highly dynamic nature of group activity. Purpose: This study addresses this issue of…

Inquiry-Based Learning of Transcendental Functions in Calculus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ekici, Celil; Gard, Andrew

2017-01-01

In a series of group activities supplemented with independent explorations and assignments, calculus students investigate functions similar to their own derivatives. Graphical, numerical, and algebraic perspectives are suggested, leading students to develop deep intuition into elementary transcendental functions even as they lay the foundation for…

Negotiating Assignment Pathways: Students and Academic Assignments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDowell, Liz

2008-01-01

Existing research identifies that students' approaches to assignments are related to their general approaches to study. It is suggested that students need to better understand the requirements of assignments and acquire new concepts such as "argument". This fine-grained study proposes four qualitatively distinct assignment pathways: gathering,…

Making Economic Principles Personal: Student Journals and Reflection Papers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brewer, Stephanie M.; Jozefowicz, James J.

2006-01-01

The authors address two informal writing assignments implemented in introductory economics classes. One assignment involves students writing short reflection papers, and the other assignment involves students writing short journal entries for a designated period of time. Both assignments are designed to help students realize that economics is…

Selling the Home Territory: Assignments for International MBA Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reep, Diana C.

2000-01-01

Describes the author's approach to a MBA writing course functioning to connect the writing and oral presentation assignments to the students' current jobs. Notes that most international students lack an understanding of American business practices. Develops the assignments around what the students do know. Notes three assignments including a…

Assessing a traditional case-based application exercise and a student question creation exercise on student performance and perceptions.

PubMed

Tatachar, Amulya; Kominski, Carol

2017-07-01

To compare the impact of a traditional case-based application exercise with a student question creation exercise on a) student exam performance, b) student perceptions of enjoyment, competence, understanding, effort, interest in continuing participation, and interest in the subject. Subjects were 84 second-year pharmacy students in a pharmacotherapy course. The research focus was active learning involving the topic of chronic kidney disease-mineral bone disorder. Student teams were randomly assigned to either case-based or student question creation exercises using PeerWise. Student performance was assessed by a pre- and posttest and on block and final exams. After completion, an online survey assessed student perceptions of both exercises. Statistically significant differences were revealed in favor of the student question creation group on enjoyment and interest in the subject matter. No statistically differences were found between the traditional case-based group and the student question creation group on gain score from pre-test to posttest. The student question creation group performed slightly better than the case-based application group on two of the five questions on the block exam but none of these differences reached statistical significance. Students randomly assigned to groups that created and reviewed questions exhibited slightly improved summative exam performance and reported significantly more positive perceptions than students engaging in a more traditional case-based learning activity. Student question creation has demonstrated potential as a useful learning activity. Despite inherent difficulties in designing studies involving educational research in a controlled environment, students who have submitted, created, rated, and answered peers' questions have overall performed well. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychosocial factors underlying physical activity.

PubMed

Zhang, Juan; Middlestadt, Susan E; Ji, Cheng-Ye

2007-09-19

Given the increasing importance of obesity in China, prevention interventions encouraging physical activity by middle school students are needed. The purpose of this study is to illustrate how a rapid elicitation method can be used to identify salient consequences, referents, and circumstances about physical activity as perceived by middle school students and to provide suggestions for interventions and quantitative research. A theory-based qualitative study using a self-completion elicitation was conducted with 155 students from two middle schools in Beijing, China. Following the Theory of Planned Behavior, six open-ended questions asked students for their perceptions about performing physical activity at least 60 minutes each day: advantages of participating in physical activity; disadvantages of doing so; people who approve of participation; people who disapprove; things that make it easy; and things that make it hard. Content analysis revealed categories of salient consequences, reference groups, and circumstances. While the three most frequently mentioned advantages elicited from the students were physical health consequences (e.g., will strengthen my body (58.7%)), four of the salient advantages were not (e.g., will improve my grades (12.2%)). Parents were the most frequently mentioned social referent (42.6% as approving; 27.7% as disapproving) when students were asked who might approve or disapprove of their participation. Circumstances perceived to hinder daily physical activity included having too many assignments and not having enough time. While many of the beliefs about physical activity elicited from this study were similar to those found with students from England and the US, several were unique to these students from Beijing. The results of this qualitative research suggest that interventions to encourage physical activity among middle school students should address: perceived consequences of physical activity on academic achievement and other factors beyond physical health; barriers of not having enough time and having too many assignments perceived to hinder frequent physical activity; and parental approval. More rigorous research on psychosocial determinants with close-ended items developed from these open-ended data and with larger sample sizes of students is necessary. Research with parents and school staff will be needed to understand the perceptions of these stakeholder groups key to creating the students' social environment.

Building Bridges: Using Panel Discussions to Diversify the Literary Survey Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McBride, Kecia D.

1997-01-01

Offers a panel discussion assignment which requires students to draw from the patterns of ideas presented throughout the semester and apply them to a longer text and engage more actively with literary texts--it also provides a detailed introduction to a wide range of novels impossible to present in one course. Details the assignment. (PA)

Problem-Based Assignments as a Trigger for Developing Ethical and Reflective Competencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Euler, Dieter; Kühner, Patrizia

2017-01-01

The following research question serves as the starting point of this research and development project: How, in the context of a didactic design, can problem-based assignments trigger learning activities for the development of ethical and reflective competencies in students in economics courses? This paper focuses on the design of problem-based…

Use of concept mapping in an undergraduate introductory exercise physiology course.

PubMed

Henige, Kim

2012-09-01

Physiology is often considered a challenging course for students. It is up to teachers to structure courses and create learning opportunities that will increase the chance of student success. In an undergraduate exercise physiology course, concept maps are assigned to help students actively process and organize information into manageable and meaningful chunks and to teach them to recognize the patterns and regularities of physiology. Students are first introduced to concept mapping with a commonly relatable nonphysiology concept and are then assigned a series of maps that become more and more complex. Students map the acute response to a drop in blood pressure, the causes of the acute increase in stroke volume during cardiorespiratory exercise, and the factors contributing to an increase in maximal O(2) consumption with cardiorespiratory endurance training. In the process, students draw the integrative nature of physiology, identify causal relationships, and learn about general models and core principles of physiology.

Lewis' Educational and Research Collaborative Intership Program Grant Closeout Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

The Lewis' Educational and Research Collaborative Internship Program (LERCIP) is a collaborative undertaking by the Office of Educational Programs at NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field (formerly NASA Lewis Research Center) and the Ohio Aerospace Institute. This program provides 10-week internships and 10 or 12-week fellowships for undergraduate/graduate students and secondary school teachers. Approximately 130 interns are selected to participate in this program each year and begin arriving the second week in May. The internships provide students with introductory professional experiences to complement their academic programs. The interns are given assignments on research and development projects under the personal guidance of NASA professional staff members. Each intern is assigned a NASA mentor who facilitates a research assignment. In addition to the research assignment, the summer program includes a strong educational component that enhances the professional stature of the participants. The educational activities include a research symposium and a variety of workshops, lectures and short courses. An important aspect of the program is that it includes students with diverse social, cultural and economic backgrounds.

Dental Students' Study Habits in Flipped/Blended Classrooms and Their Association with Active Learning Practices.

PubMed

Gadbury-Amyot, Cynthia C; Redford, Gloria J; Bohaty, Brenda S

2017-12-01

In recognition of the importance for dental education programs to take a student-centered approach in which students are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning, a pediatric dentistry course redesign aimed at promoting greater active and self-directed learning was implemented at one U.S. dental school. The aim of this study was to examine the association between the students' self-reported study habits and active learning practices necessary for meaningful learning in the flipped/blended classroom. A convenience sample of two classes of second-year dental students in spring 2014 (SP14, n=106) and spring 2015 (SP15, n=106) was invited to participate in the study. Of the SP14 students, 84 participated, for a response rate of 79%; of the SP15 students, 94 participated, for a response rate of 87%. Students' self-reported responses to questions about study strategies with the prerecorded lecture materials and assigned reading materials were examined. Non-parametric analyses resulted in a cohort effect, so data are reported by class. In the SP15 class, 72% reported watching all/more than half of the prerecorded lectures versus 62% of the SP14 class, with a majority watching more than one lecture per week. In the SP15 cohort, 68% used active learning strategies when watching the lectures versus 58.3% of the SP14 cohort. The time of day preferred by the majority of both cohorts for interacting with course materials was 7-11 pm. Both SP14 and SP15 students reported being unlikely to read assigned materials prior to coming to class. Overall, the course redesign appeared to engage students in self-directed active learning. However, the degree to which active learning practices were taking place to achieve meaningful learning was questionable given students' self-reported study strategies. More work is needed to examine strategies for promoting study practices that will lead to meaningful learning.

Connecting Middle School, Oceanography, and the Real World.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Susan W.; Hansen, Terri M.

2000-01-01

Introduces an activity that features 16 oceanography work stations and integrates other disciplines. Assigns students different oceanic life forms and requires students to work in stations. Explains seven of 16 stations which cover oil spills, the periodic table, ocean floor, currents, and classification of oceanic organisms. (YDS)

Instructor-Created Activities to Engage Undergraduate Nursing Research Students.

PubMed

Pierce, Linda L; Reuille, Kristina M

2018-03-01

In flipped or blended classrooms, instruction intentionally shifts to a student-centered model for a problem-based learning approach, where class time explores topics in greater depth, creating meaningful learning opportunities. This article describes instructor-created activities focused on research processes linked to evidence-based practice that engage undergraduate nursing research students. In the classroom, these activities include individual and team work to foster critical thinking and stimulate student discussion of topic material. Six activities for small and large student groups are related to quantitative, qualitative, and both research processes, as well as applying research evidence to practice. Positive student outcomes included quantitative success on assignments and robust student topic discussions, along with instructor-noted overall group engagement and interest. Using these activities can result in class time for the construction of meaning, rather than primarily information transmission. Instructors may adopt these activities to involve and stimulate students' critical thinking about research and evidence-based practice. [J Nurs Educ. 2018;57(3):174-177.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

Self-Regulation, Motivation and Teaching Styles in Physical Education Classes: An Intervention Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chatzipanteli, Athanasia; Digelidis, Nikolaos; Papaioannou, Athanasios G.

2015-01-01

The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of student-activated teaching styles through a specific intervention program on students' self-regulation, lesson satisfaction, and motivation. Six hundred and one 7th grade students (318 boys and 283 girls), aged 13 years were randomly assigned to an experimental group and a comparison group.…

Introduction to nursing. Creative strategies for generating interest in the major.

PubMed

Kopp, A M

1999-01-01

Beginning nursing students have a limited understanding of nursing as a major and a profession. Evaluation of previous Introduction to Nursing courses led faculty to a redesign which included classroom exercises and assignments that actively engage students in a wider variety of experiences. Increased student involvement had the effect of presenting a more realistic picture of nursing as a profession.

Preliminary Evaluation of a Tier 2 Mathematics Intervention for First-Grade Students: Using a Theory of Change to Guide Formative Evaluation Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarke, Ben; Doabler, Christian T.; Strand Cary, Mari; Kosty, Derek; Baker, Scott; Fien, Hank; Smolkowski, Keith

2014-01-01

This pilot study examined the efficacy of a Tier 2 first-grade mathematics intervention program targeting whole-number understanding for students at risk in mathematics. The study used a randomized block design. Students (N = 89) were randomly assigned to treatment (Fusion) or control (standard district practice) conditions. Measures of…

Assigning the Appropriate Works for Review on Networked Peer Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Chien-I

2017-01-01

Peer assessment can expand the cognitive schemas of students, facilitate knowledge construction, and promote discussion and cooperative learning among students and their peers. In recent years, the application of the internet to conduct peer assessment activities has been widely implemented. The advantages of networked peer assessments over…

Seeing through Film: Cinema as Inquiry and Pedagogy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tillman, Lisa M.; Bochner, Arthur P.

An undergraduate course at the University of South Florida called "Relationships on Film" treats movies as relationship texts to be "read" by active viewers. Through the semester, students engage film in two ways. First, they interpret films as response papers. Each week, students watch the assigned film outside of class. Then…

Rhizomatic Literacies: Restructuring Pedagogy and Practice within the Freshmen Composition Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webb, Adam

2009-01-01

Current approaches and trends in writing pedagogy within the composition classroom focus on the development of students' identities through personal, cultural, or disciplinary processes. By employing writing assignments and activities that concentrate on developing certain traits or characteristics of students' identities has led to a "crisis"…

Examining the Effects of Distractive Multitasking with Peripheral Computing in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puente, Jaime E.

2017-01-01

The growing use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in college campuses has dramatically increased the potential for multitasking among students who have to juggle classes, school assignments, work, and recreational activities. These students believe that they have become more efficient by performing two or more tasks…

Identifying Student Difficulties with Entropy, Heat Engines, and the Carnot Cycle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Trevor I.; Christensen, Warren M.; Mountcastle, Donald B.; Thompson, John R.

2015-01-01

We report on several specific student difficulties regarding the second law of thermodynamics in the context of heat engines within upper-division undergraduate thermal physics courses. Data come from ungraded written surveys, graded homework assignments, and videotaped classroom observations of tutorial activities. Written data show that students…

Science at Hogwarts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beaton, Tisha

2006-01-01

Reading "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" aloud to her sixth-grade students inspired this author to create a mathematics activity based on budgeting for school supplies for Hogwarts School. In that lesson, each student was assigned a name from the Hogwarts School roster and allotted a different dollar amount for his/her budget. Students…

Virus Hunters: The Science of Applied Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, William P.; Leyva, Kathryn J.

2006-01-01

Virology is an integral part of introductory biology courses. Research and experience indicate that, although the topic is a difficult one for many students, the effectiveness of instruction is enhanced when assignments actively engage the students in the generation of scientific explanations. These authors have found that the methods and…

Social Justice Lessons and Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Jason D.

2011-01-01

Assigning activities based on current or past events allows students to explore mathematics in a social context. Using social justice events in the mathematics classroom is a way for teachers to provide contextual problems that will reach all students and promote equity. Learning mathematics in an environment in which social issues are explored…

77 FR 69812 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; DC Choice Evaluation

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-21

... oversubscribed. The study will include the administration of annual academic assessments and surveys of students... randomized control trial comparing outcomes of eligible applicants (students and their parents) assigned by lottery to receive or not receive a scholarship. This design is consistent with the requirement for a...

Art Isn't Easy . . . but It Makes Learning Easier: Using Art to Improve Cognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wachter, Michael; Kirkwood-Mazik, Heather

2015-01-01

This paper describes an innovative assignment in which students associate marketing concepts with artwork from a specified photographic exhibit. During the encoding process, linking various topics with pieces of art activates high-involvement learning, creative elaboration, and analytical reasoning. Consequently, students experience higher levels…

Using Game Elements to Increase Student Engagement in Course Assignments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armier, David Des, Jr.; Shepherd, Craig E.; Skrabut, Stan

2016-01-01

Gamification incorporates game-elements in non-gaming situations to enhance student engagement and desired behavior. This study examined participant's willingness to take part in gamified activities where reward systems were not directly tied to course grades. Participants enrolled in a technology integration course for preservice teachers, were…

Participation as Pedagogy: Student and Librarian Experiences of an Open Access Publishing Assignment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hicks, Alison

2017-01-01

Education for Instruction Librarians has traditionally centered upon the acquisition of practical classroom skills. While this approach has merit, from a sociocultural perspective of learning, student development emerges more completely through engagement with the communal activities and values that constitute professional practices rather than…

Writing to Learn in Social Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyer, Tara L.

2006-01-01

One of the best ways to enrich students' social studies experience is to include assignments in which students interact with social studies content and skills. In this article, the author explains how teachers can use writing exercises to encourage such interaction. She describes the following writing activities: (1) acrostics; (2) haiku; (3)…

An Abnormal Psychology Community Based Interview Assignment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Geoffry D.

1977-01-01

A course option in abnormal psychology involves students in interviewing and observing the activities of individuals in the off-campus community who are concerned with some aspect of abnormal psychology. The technique generates student interest in the field when they interview people about topics such as drug abuse, transsexualism, and abuse of…

Lewis' Educational and Research Collaborative Internship Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heyward, Ann; Gott, Susan (Technical Monitor)

2004-01-01

The Lewis Educational and Research Collaborative Internship Program (LERCIP) is a collaborative undertaking by the Office of Educational Programs at NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field (formerly NASA Lewis Research Center) and the Ohio Aerospace Institute. This program provides 10-week internships in addition to summer and winter extensions if funding is available and/or is requested by mentor (no less than 1 week no more than 4 weeks) for undergraduate/graduate students and secondary school teachers. Students who meet the travel reimbursement criteria receive up to $500 for travel expenses. Approximately 178 interns are selected to participate in this program each year and begin arriving the fourth week in May. The internships provide students with introductory professional experiences to complement their academic programs. The interns are given assignments on research and development projects under the personal guidance of NASA professional staff members. Each intern is assigned a NASA mentor who facilitates a research assignment. In addition to the research assignment, the summer program includes a strong educational component that enhances the professional stature of the participants. The educational activities include a research symposium and a variety of workshops, and lectures. An important aspect of the program is that it includes students with diverse social, cultural and economic backgrounds. The purpose of this report is to document the program accomplishments for 2004.

Using a Learning Activity Sequence in Large-Enrollment Physical Geology Classes: Supporting the Needs of Underserved Students While Motivating Interest, Learning, and Success

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pun, A.; Smith, G. A.

2011-12-01

The learning activity sequence (LAS) strategy is a student-focused pedagogy that emphasizes active classroom learning to promote learning among all students, and in particular, those with diverse backgrounds. Online assessments both set the stage for active learning and help students synthesize material during their learning. UNM is one of only two Carnegie Research University Very High institutions also designated as Hispanic-serving and the only state flagship university that is also a majority-minority undergraduate institution. In 2010 Hispanics comprised 40% of 20,655 undergraduates (and 49% of freshmen), 37% of undergraduates were Pell Grant recipients (the largest proportion of any public flagship research university; J. Blacks Higher Ed., 2009) and 44% of incoming freshmen were first-generation students. To maximize student learning in this environment rich in traditionally underserved students, we designed a LAS for nonmajor physical geology (enrollments 100-160) that integrates in-class instruction with structured out-of-class learning. The LAS has 3 essential parts: Students read before class to acquire knowledge used during in-class collaborative, active-learning activities that build conceptual understanding. Lastly, students review notes and synthesize what they've learned before moving on to the next topic. The model combines online and in-class learning and assessment: Online reading assessments before class; active-learning experiences during class; online learning assessments after class. Class sessions include short lectures, peer instruction "clickers", and small-group problem solving (lecture tutorials). Undergraduate Peer-Learning Facilitators are available during class time to help students with problem solving. Effectiveness of the LAS approach is reflected in three types of measurements. (1) Using the LAS strategy, the overall rate of students earning a grade of C or higher is higher than compared to the average for all large-enrollment department sections taught during the same period. (2) Anonymous student surveys show that: 97% of students do at least some of the assigned reading before class while 58% indicate they would not do the reading if online reading assessments were not assigned; 72% indicate post-lecture online assessments prepare them for exams; greater than 80% of students feel that they learn more in the LAS approach than with traditional instruction; 90% favor active learning in the classroom to only lecture; learning opportunities motivate 82% to attend class to participate in peer instruction and in-class exercises, even if these assignments did not contribute at all to their grade. Notably, first-generation students show disproportionately greater preference for active in-class learning. (3) Learning gains were assessed with the geoscience concept inventory (GCI) of Libarkin and Anderson (2005, J Geo Ed 53(4):395-401). Paired pre- and post-test scores (n=404) in 5 classes show an improvement from 46% to 52% (11% normalized gain), within the target goal that McConnell et al. (2008, GSA Abst Prog 41(1):49) propose for introductory geology courses that produce improved conceptual geoscience learning.

Novel, Effective, Whole: Toward a NEW Framework for Evaluations of Creative Products

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henriksen, Danah; Mishra, Punya; Mehta, Rohit

2015-01-01

Creativity is increasingly viewed as an important 21st century skill that needs to be taught in schools. This emphasis on creativity is often reflected by having students engage in open-ended, project based activities and assignments. A key challenge faced by educators is how such assignments are to be evaluated. An in-depth review of existing…

Writing to Learn the Reformation: Or, Who Was Ulrich Zwingli and Why Should I Care?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jordon, Sherry

2014-01-01

This article describes the use of "Writing to Learn" assignments in a course on the Theology of the Protestant and Catholic Reformations. These short, informal assignments promote active learning by focusing on writing as a process for critical thinking and as a way to learn the content of the course. They help students creatively engage…

The use of limericks to engage student interest and promote active learning in an undergraduate course in functional anatomy.

PubMed

Carnegie, Jacqueline A

2012-01-01

The study of anatomy is a content-dense discipline with a challenging vocabulary. A mnemonic is a series of letters, a word, a phrase, or a rhyme that students can use when studying to facilitate recall. This project was designed to promote active learning in undergraduate students studying anatomy and physiology by asking them to create limericks based on course content and then to evaluate the limericks written by their peers for learning value, accuracy, style, and adherence to limerick characteristics. Students (278 and 288, respectively, in the 2009 and 2010 sections of ANP1107) worked in groups of three to create a total of 242 limericks. Peer evaluation was accomplished in two stages using a 20-point marking rubric. In Stage 1, students were randomly divided into 10 groups (n = 23 ± 2 students) with each group member evaluating the same 12 ± 1 limericks. In Stage 2, the top 19% of limericks were reevaluated by all students so that the best three could be chosen. In each of the two years, 60% of students completed all parts of the assignment. Higher percentages (75-80%) participated in limerick writing and one of the two assessment stages. A positive association was noted between level of student participation in the limerick assignment and final course marks. Limerick creation and evaluation can be used to promote active learning by encouraging students to review functional-anatomy-based content to create limericks with good learning value and to provide valid assessments of limericks written by their peers. Copyright © 2012 American Association of Anatomists.

Using Gloss to Help Fifth and Sixth Graders Comprehend Social Studies Text: An Informal Study of a Learning Aid. Working Paper No. 295.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Witte, Pauline

A two-part study examined the effectiveness of glossing (writing comments or questions in text to improve comprehension) when students use it in social studies texts in combination with discussions and other activities. Students were divided into two groups, one of which learned glossing while the other engaged in assigned workbook activities.…

Music Activities as a Meaningful Context for Teaching Elementary Students Mathematics: A Quasi-Experiment Time Series Design with Random Assigned Control Group

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

An, Song A.; Tillman, Daniel A.

2015-01-01

The purpose of the current research was to examine the effects of a sequence of classroom activities that integrated mathematics content with music elements aimed at providing teachers an alternative approach for teaching mathematics. Two classes of third grade students (n = 56) from an elementary school in the west coast of the United States…

The tuskegee experiment: an introduction in ethics for pre-healthcare professional students.

PubMed

Miranda, Daniel; Sanchez, David Jesse

2014-12-01

Over the past years, professional students have had extensive exposure to clinical cases during basic science classes. With this in mind, we have taken this clinical case exposure moment to be an opportune time to introduce the ethics of working with patients during biomedical research. Our goal is to present a straightforward assignment that allows for active student research into the facts of the Tuskegee Experiment of the 1900s. The assignment provides the necessary background to allow for a student-centered discussion on the ethical issues of the events and ramifications of what happened. Thus, in educating a class on the event's happenings, one concomitantly creates a platform for meaningful discussion on the principles and ethics of patient care. We have found that an ethics-infused event such as the Tuskegee Experiment is an excellent way to introduce students to these topics.

Teaching Theory in Occupational Therapy Using a Cooperative Learning: A Mixed-Methods Study.

PubMed

Howe, Tsu-Hsin; Sheu, Ching-Fan; Hinojosa, Jim

2018-01-01

Cooperative learning provides an important vehicle for active learning, as knowledge is socially constructed through interaction with others. This study investigated the effect of cooperative learning on occupational therapy (OT) theory knowledge attainment in professional-level OT students in a classroom environment. Using a pre- and post-test group design, 24 first-year, entry-level OT students participated while taking a theory course in their second semester of the program. Cooperative learning methods were implemented via in-class group assignments. The students were asked to complete two questionnaires regarding their attitudes toward group environments and their perception toward group learning before and after the semester. MANCOVA was used to examine changes in attitudes and perceived learning among groups. Students' summary sheets for each in-class assignment and course evaluations were collected for content analysis. Results indicated significant changes in students' attitude toward working in small groups regardless of their prior group experience.

Active-learning Strategies for Legal Topics and Substance Abuse in a Pharmacy Curriculum.

PubMed

Steinhardt, Sarah J; Clark, John E; Kelly, William N; Hill, Angela M

2017-02-25

Objective. To implement active-learning strategies to engage students in learning, applying, and teaching legal and substance abuse topics. Design. Medication Safety course student groups created films on a National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG) using a movie genre and presented them in film festival format. Pharmacogenomics course student groups taught ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) topics through presentation of short stories about comic book characters with genetic mutations. Students in the Drugs of Abuse course composed and performed dances depicting the mechanism of action of a drug in an in-class rave dance format. Assessment. Course evaluations revealed student engagement with subject material and enjoyment of the creative applications, critical thinking, and collaborative aspects of the activities. Students performed well on examination questions and graded assignments. Conclusion. These active-learning strategies facilitated students' abilities to learn, apply, and teach material in medication safety, pharmacogenomics, and substance abuse courses.

Poetry in teaching pharmacology: Exploring the possibilities

PubMed Central

Kalra, Juhi; Singh, Satendra; Badyal, Dinesh; Barua, Purnima; Sharma, Taruna; Dhasmana, Dinesh Chandra; Singh, Tejinder

2016-01-01

Objectives: To explore poetry as a tool for active learning in linking knowledge and affective domains and to find if correlating learning with imagination can be used in “assessment for learning.” Materials and Methods: After taking a conventional lecture on Asthma, a creative writing assignment in the form of poetry writing was given to the students. Different triggers were given to the students to channelize their thought pattern in a given direction that was linked to specific areas of academic relevance. Students were asked to reflect on this learning experience and the faculty was asked to evaluate the student assignment on a 5-point Likert scale. Results: Most student groups scored well in the “overall assessment” of creative assignments and were rated as good or fair by the faculty. Students reflections were very informative and revealed that more than 90% of the students liked the exercise and many were too exuberant and liberal with emotional reactions that breathed positive. Around 5% students found the exercise average and another 5% found it very childish. Conclusion: Poetry writing turned out to be like a simulation exercise that linked academic knowledge, creativity, and the affective domain in an assumed scenario, rehearsed in free locales of mind. The metaphorical transition embedded in its subtle creation helped assess deeper understanding of the subject and the logical sequence of thought pattern. PMID:28031611

The effect of using graphic organizers in the teaching of standard biology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pepper, Wade Louis, Jr.

This study was conducted to determine if the use of graphic organizers in the teaching of standard biology would increase student achievement, involvement and quality of activities. The subjects were 10th grade standard biology students in a large southern inner city high school. The study was conducted over a six-week period in an instructional setting using action research as the investigative format. After calculation of the homogeneity between classes, random selection was used to determine the graphic organizer class and the control class. The graphic organizer class was taught unit material through a variety of instructional methods along with the use of teacher generated graphic organizers. The control class was taught the same unit material using the same instructional methods, but without the use of graphic organizers. Data for the study were gathered from in-class written assignments, teacher-generated tests and text-generated tests, and rubric scores of an out-of-class written assignment and project. Also, data were gathered from student reactions, comments, observations and a teacher's research journal. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative interpretation. By comparing statistical results, it was determined that the use of graphic organizers did not make a statistically significant difference in the understanding of biological concepts and retention of factual information. Furthermore, the use of graphic organizers did not make a significant difference in motivating students to fulfill all class assignments with quality efforts and products. However, based upon student reactions and comments along with observations by the researcher, graphic organizers were viewed by the students as a favorable and helpful instructional tool. In lieu of statistical results, student gains from instructional activities using graphic organizers were positive and merit the continuation of their use as an instructional tool.

Evaluation of active transition, a website-delivered physical activity intervention for university students: pilot study.

PubMed

Kwan, Matthew; Faulkner, Guy; Bray, Steven

2013-04-29

While physical activity in individuals tends to decline steadily with age, there are certain periods where this decline occurs more rapidly, such as during early adulthood. Interventions aimed at attenuating the declines in physical activity during this transition period appear warranted. The purpose of the study was to test the feasibility and efficacy of a theoretically informed, website-delivered physical activity intervention aimed at students entering university. Using a quasi-experimental design, 65 participants (44 females; mean age 18.51, SD 0.91) were assigned to either an intervention (receiving website access plus weekly prompts) or comparison condition (receiving unprompted website access only), completing questionnaires at baseline and follow-up 8 weeks later. The intervention website, "Active Transition", was specifically designed to target students' physical activity cognitions and self-regulatory skills. Intervention usage was low, with only 47% (18/38) of participants assigned to the intervention condition logging into the website 2 or more times. Among the broader student sample, there were significant declines in students' physical activity behaviors (F1,63=18.10, P<.001), attitudes (F1,62=55.19, P<.001), and perceived behavioral control (F1,62 =17.56, P<.001). In comparisons between intervention users (29/65, individuals logging in 2 or more times) and non-users (36/65, individuals logging in once or not at all), there was a significant interaction effect for intervention usage and time on perceived behavioral control (F1,62=5.13, P=.03). Poor intervention usage suggests that future efforts need to incorporate innovative strategies to increase intervention uptake and better engage the student population. The findings, however, suggest that a website-delivered intervention aimed at this critical life stage may have positive impact on students' physical activity cognitions. Future studies with more rigorous sampling designs are required.

Using Active Learning in a Studio Classroom to Teach Molecular Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nogaj, Luiza A.

2013-01-01

This article describes the conversion of a lecture-based molecular biology course into an active learning environment in a studio classroom. Specific assignments and activities are provided as examples. The goal of these activities is to involve students in collaborative learning, teach them how to participate in the learning process, and give…

Students' Perspectives of Same-Day Clinical Assignments: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.

PubMed

Harris, Allyssa L; Stamp, Kelly D

2016-01-01

The clinical experience is essential to the nursing education process, but the process by which students are assigned patients has remained unchanged for decades. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to determine the acceptability of a same-day clinical assignment process from the perspective of pre-licensure nursing students. Students' (n = 104) perceptions of the same-day clinical assignment process were collected via focus groups. Two themes emerged that may assist educators in implementing new methods for clinical assignments.

Inquiry-Based Laboratory Activities in Electrochemistry: High School Students' Achievements and Attitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acar Sesen, Burcin; Tarhan, Leman

2013-02-01

This study aimed to investigate the effects of inquiry-based laboratory activities on high school students' understanding of electrochemistry and attitudes towards chemistry and laboratory work. The participants were 62 high school students (average age 17 years) in an urban public high school in Turkey. Students were assigned to experimental ( N = 30) and control groups ( N = 32). The experimental group was taught using inquiry-based laboratory activities developed by the researchers and the control group was instructed using traditional laboratory activities. The results of the study indicated that instruction based on inquiry-based laboratory activities caused a significantly better acquisition of scientific concepts related to electrochemistry, and produced significantly higher positive attitudes towards chemistry and laboratory. In the light of the findings, it is suggested that inquiry-based laboratory activities should be developed and applied to promote students' understanding in chemistry subjects and to improve their positive attitudes.

A teaching-learning sequence about weather map reading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandrikas, Achilleas; Stavrou, Dimitrios; Skordoulis, Constantine

2017-07-01

In this paper a teaching-learning sequence (TLS) introducing pre-service elementary teachers (PET) to weather map reading, with emphasis on wind assignment, is presented. The TLS includes activities about recognition of wind symbols, assignment of wind direction and wind speed on a weather map and identification of wind characteristics in a weather forecast. Sixty PET capabilities and difficulties in understanding weather maps were investigated, using inquiry-based learning activities. The results show that most PET became more capable of reading weather maps and assigning wind direction and speed on them. Our results also show that PET could be guided to understand meteorology concepts useful in everyday life and in teaching their future students.

Zombies in the Classroom: A Horrific Attempt to Engage Students in Critically Thinking about Turkey's Undead Application to Join the European Union

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCarthy, Linda; Sziarto, Kristin

2015-01-01

This paper reports on an introductory world regional geography course with a role-playing exercise. The goal was to situate students in a form of popular geopolitics that engaged them viscerally with positionality and othering. Students were assigned different positionalities in a liminal active learning environment within a context of fear of…

Conceptual Learning Outcomes of Virtual Experiential Learning: Results of Google Earth Exploration in Introductory Geoscience Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bitting, Kelsey S.; McCartney, Marsha J.; Denning, Kathy R.; Roberts, Jennifer A.

2018-06-01

Virtual globe programs such as Google Earth replicate real-world experiential learning of spatial and geographic concepts by allowing students to navigate across our planet without ever leaving campus. However, empirical evidence for the learning value of these technological tools and the experience students gain by exploration assignments framed within them remains to be quantified and compared by student demographics. This study examines the impact of a Google Earth-based exploration assignment on conceptual understanding in introductory geoscience courses at a research university in the US Midwest using predominantly traditional college-age students from a range of majors. Using repeated-measures ANOVA and paired-samples t tests, we test the significance of the activity using pretest and posttest scores on a subset of items from the Geoscience Concept Inventory, and the interactive effects of student gender and ethnicity on student score improvement. Analyses show that learning from the Google Earth exploration activity is highly significant overall and for all but one of the concept inventory items. Furthermore, we find no significant interactive effects of class format, student gender, or student ethnicity on the magnitude of the score increases. These results provide strong support for the use of experiential learning in virtual globe environments for students in introductory geoscience and perhaps other disciplines for which direct observation of our planet's surface is conceptually relevant.

"Thinking like a Neuroscientist": Using Scaffolded Grant Proposals to Foster Scientific Thinking in a Freshman Neuroscience Course.

PubMed

Köver, Hania; Wirt, Stacey E; Owens, Melinda T; Dosmann, Andrew J

2014-01-01

Learning and practicing scientific inquiry is an essential component of a STEM education, but it is often difficult to teach to novices or those outside of a laboratory setting. To promote scientific thinking in a freshmen introductory neuroscience course without a lab component, we developed a series of learning activities and assignments designed to foster scientific thinking through the use of scientific grant proposals. Students wrote three short grant proposals on topics ranging from molecular to cognitive neuroscience during a 10-week class (one quarter). We made this challenging and advanced task feasible for novice learners through extensive instructional scaffolding, opportunity for practice, and frequent peer and instructor feedback. Student and instructor reports indicate that the assignments were highly intellectually engaging and that they promoted critical thinking, a deeper understanding of neuroscience material, and effective written communication skills. Here we outline the mechanics of the assignment, student and instructor impressions of learning outcomes, and the advantages and disadvantages of implementing this approach.

“Thinking like a Neuroscientist”: Using Scaffolded Grant Proposals to Foster Scientific Thinking in a Freshman Neuroscience Course

PubMed Central

Köver, Hania; Wirt, Stacey E.; Owens, Melinda T.; Dosmann, Andrew J.

2014-01-01

Learning and practicing scientific inquiry is an essential component of a STEM education, but it is often difficult to teach to novices or those outside of a laboratory setting. To promote scientific thinking in a freshmen introductory neuroscience course without a lab component, we developed a series of learning activities and assignments designed to foster scientific thinking through the use of scientific grant proposals. Students wrote three short grant proposals on topics ranging from molecular to cognitive neuroscience during a 10-week class (one quarter). We made this challenging and advanced task feasible for novice learners through extensive instructional scaffolding, opportunity for practice, and frequent peer and instructor feedback. Student and instructor reports indicate that the assignments were highly intellectually engaging and that they promoted critical thinking, a deeper understanding of neuroscience material, and effective written communication skills. Here we outline the mechanics of the assignment, student and instructor impressions of learning outcomes, and the advantages and disadvantages of implementing this approach. PMID:25565917

An Assessment of Health Behavior Peer Effects in Peking University Dormitories: A Randomized Cluster-Assignment Design for Interference

PubMed Central

Yuan, Changzheng; Lv, Jun; VanderWeele, Tyler J.

2013-01-01

Background Relatively little is known about the peer influence in health behaviors within university dormitory rooms. Moreover, in China, the problem of unhealthy behaviors among university students has not yet been sufficiently recognized. We thus investigated health behavior peer influence in Peking University dormitories utilizing a randomized cluster-assignment design. Methods Study design: Cross-sectional in-dormitory survey. Study population: Current students from Peking University Health Science Center from April to June, 2009. Measurement: Self-reported questionnaire on health behaviors: physical activity (including bicycling), dietary intake and tobacco use. Results Use of bicycle, moderate-intensity exercise, frequency of sweet food and soybean milk intake, frequency of roasted/baked/toasted food intake were behaviors significantly or marginally significantly affected by peer influence. Conclusion Health behavior peer effects exist within dormitory rooms among university students. This could provide guidance on room assignment, or inform intervention programs. Examining these may demand attention from university administrators and policy makers. PMID:24040377

The use of writing assignments to help students synthesize content in upper-level undergraduate biology courses.

PubMed

Sparks-Thissen, Rebecca L

2017-02-01

Biology education is undergoing a transformation toward a more student-centered, inquiry-driven classroom. Many educators have designed engaging assignments that are designed to help undergraduate students gain exposure to the scientific process and data analysis. One of these types of assignments is use of a grant proposal assignment. Many instructors have used these assignments in lecture-based courses to help students process information in the literature and apply that information to a novel problem such as design of an antiviral drug or a vaccine. These assignments have been helpful in engaging students in the scientific process in the absence of an inquiry-driven laboratory. This commentary discusses the application of these grant proposal writing assignments to undergraduate biology courses. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Using Time-on-Task Measurements to Understand Student Performance in a Physics Class: A Ten-Year Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, John

2015-04-01

The amount of time spent on out-of-class activities such as working homework, reading, and studying for examinations is presented for 10 years of an introductory, calculus-based physics class at a large public university. While the class underwent significant change in the 10 years studied, the amount of time invested by students in weeks not containing an in-semester examination was constant and did not vary with the length of the reading or homework assignments. The amount of time spent preparing for examinations did change as the course was modified. The time spent on class assignments, both reading and homework, did not scale linearly with the length of the assignment. The time invested in both reading and homework per length of the assignment decreased as the assignments became longer. The class average time invested in examination preparation did change with the average performance on previous examinations in the same class, with more time spent in preparation for lower previous examination scores (R2 = 0 . 70).

Motivational Interference in Learning: The Impact of Leisure Alternatives on Subsequent Self-Regulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fries, Stefan; Dietz, Franziska; Schmid, Sebastian

2008-01-01

Students are often obliged to fulfill home assignments for school. While being engaged into such compulsory schooling, learners may be tempted to switch to a leisure alternative. Whenever students pursue the learning task although attractive leisure alternatives are present, thoughts about the missed activity can lead to motivational interference.…

Teaching the Disembodied: Othering and Activity Systems in a Blended Synchronous Learning Situation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, Una

2014-01-01

This study examines what happens when online and campus students participate in real time in the same campus classroom. Before this study, postgraduate students studying online in a course intended primarily as professional development for language educators were taking the course through reading the course literature including assigned articles,…

Feasibility and Integrity of a Parent-Teacher Consultation Intervention for ADHD Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Desiree W.; Rabiner, David; Schulte, Ann; Newitt, Kristy

2008-01-01

This study examined the feasibility and integrity of a daily report card (DRC) intervention in a small sample of randomly assigned elementary students with previously diagnosed ADHD and classroom impairment. In order to enhance implementation, a conjoint behavioral consultation approach was used in which parents were engaged as active participants…

Intersectionopoly: A Simulation of the Wage Gap

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paino, Maria; May, Matthew; Burrington, Lori A.; Becker, Jacob H.

2017-01-01

This article describes a simulation activity designed to teach students about the wage gap. The wage gap is an important topic in many sociology classrooms, but it can be difficult to convey the accumulated disadvantage experienced by women and racial/ethnic minorities to students using in-class discussions, lectures, or assigned readings alone.…

Using a Dual Safeguard Web-Based Interactive Teaching Approach in an Introductory Physics Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Lie-Ming; Li, Bin; Luo, Ying

2015-01-01

We modified the Just-in-Time Teaching approach and developed a dual safeguard web-based interactive (DGWI) teaching system for an introductory physics course. The system consists of four instructional components that improve student learning by including warm-up assignments and online homework. Student and instructor activities involve activities…

Using Integrative Graphic Assignments to Promote Deep Learning of the Market Mechanism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Gareth P.; Kelly, Brian D.; Peterson, Dean J.; Bean, John C.

2015-01-01

Economics faculty expect that students have an integrated understanding of economic theory upon graduation and that they grasp and appreciate how all elements of markets naturally move to equilibrium. Through assessment activities, the authors discovered that their students were not developing that knowledge, so they turned to learning theory to…

Interdisciplinary Collaborative Learning: Using Decision Analysts to Enhance Undergraduate International Management Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palocsay, Susan W.; White, Marion M.; Zimmerman, D. Kent

2004-01-01

This article describes an experiential learning activity designed to promote the development of decision-making skills in international management students at the undergraduate level. Students from an undergraduate management science course in decision analysis served as consultants on a case assigned to teams in an international management class.…

Seven Individualized Reading and Study Strategies for Mainstreamed Students in Content Area Classes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maring, Gerald H.; Furman, Gail

The paper describes ways in which mainstreamed special education students can engage in individual assignments to master course content. The activities include developing a word parts dictionary which addresses prefixes, roots, and suffixes of the subject area; highlighting the textbook to sort out main ideas, vocabulary words, and supporting…

Social Media: It's What Students Do

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelm, Orlando R.

2011-01-01

In assessing the application of social media on the teaching of business communication, this article looks at MBA student use of blogs, online photo database contributions, and video contributions to YouTube channels. These assignments were part of their course activities, which included a 2-week study tour in China. The article looks at these…

Position Posters: An Alternative Take on Science Posters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dorner, Meredith

2015-01-01

Research shows the importance of active learning, especially within science classes. One way to achieve this goal is to incorporate student-driven projects into the course (e.g., posters). Traditionally, science-poster assignments follow the spirit of the science fair in which a student conducts an experiment and analyzes the results. This article…

Word of the Day Improves and Redirects Student Attention while Supporting Vocabulary Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vesely, Pamela J.; Gryder, Nancy L.

2009-01-01

To learn and master new concepts, including the acquisition of new vocabulary, students must be able to sustain attention during direct instruction, stay focused throughout the guided practice activity, and successfully complete the independent practice assignments. Yet, difficulty with maintaining attention is a common characteristic for students…

Mars Exploratory Vehicles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canizo, Thea L.; And Others

1997-01-01

Presents an activity in which students learn about the characteristics of the planet Mars. Challenges students to design and build a model of a robotic vehicle that can travel on the surface of Mars and accomplish an assigned task that will provide information useful for future manned trips to the planet. Outlines mission task cards and progress…

Major Appliance Repair. Teacher Edition and Student Edition. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smreker, Gene; Calvert, King

This second edition contains teacher and student guides for 14 units of instruction in major appliance repair. Each unit in the teacher edition includes some or all of the following basic components: objective sheet, suggested activities, answers to assignment sheets, answers to the written test, written test, a unit evaluation form, teacher…

The Use of Narrative Interview in Teaching Principles of Macroeconomics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dalton, Peggy

2010-01-01

The author describes the design and implementation of one experiential learning assignment used in a principles of macroeconomics course. The learning exercise provides an active role for students and results in a relational experience that provides traditional undergraduate students with a frame of reference with which to interpret the impact of…

Cloud Computing Technologies in Writing Class: Factors Influencing Students' Learning Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Jenny

2017-01-01

The proposed interactive online group within the cloud computing technologies as a main contribution of this paper provides easy and simple access to the cloud-based Software as a Service (SaaS) system and delivers effective educational tools for students and teacher on after-class group writing assignment activities. Therefore, this study…

A Sourcebook of Cooperative Learning Activities for Introductory Undergraduate Astronomy for Non-Science Majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deming, Grace L.; Miller, Scott T.; Trasco, John D.

1996-05-01

Students become more interested in learning and retain more in courses that rely on active rather than passive teaching methods. Cooperative learning activities can be structured to engage students toward greater participation in their own education. We have developed a sourcebook containing a variety of cooperative learning methods and activities to aid in the teaching of astronomy at the undergraduate level. Special effort has been made to include activities that can be used within the classroom or as a group homework assignment, in courses with teaching assistants and those without, and in large or small classes. In addition to reinforcing concepts taught in introductory astronomy, the activities are structured to strengthen skills associated with a scientifically literate person. A goal of undergraduate science education is to produce citizens who can understand and share in the excitement of scientific discoveries as well as make informed decisions regarding scientific and technological issues. The sourcebook, available in August, 1996, will contain sections on the advantages/disadvantages of group activities, basic cooperative learning techniques, in class/out of class activities, and how to use peer instruction to expose students to the wonderfaul astronomy resources on the internet. Each activity includes suggestions to the instructor as to how the assignment can be incorporated into an introductory astronomy course. This project funded by NSF DUE-9354503.

Teaching Undergraduate Students to Visualize and Communicate Public Health Data with Infographics

PubMed Central

Shanks, Justin D.; Izumi, Betty; Sun, Christina; Martin, Allea; Byker Shanks, Carmen

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the degree to which an infographic assignment facilitated student learning around health science issues, as well as the ways in which the assignment was an effective teaching tool. The objectives of the assignment were to (1) understand the purposes of and potential uses for infographics, (2) cultivate creative visual communication skills, and (3) disseminate a complex health topic to diverse audiences. The infographic assignment was developed at Montana State University and piloted at Portland State University. Students were assigned to small groups of three or four to create an infographic focused on a health science issue. The assignment was divided into four steps: brainstorming, developing, designing, and finalizing. Focus groups were conducted to assess how learning occurred throughout the assignment and identify any opportunities for modification of the assignment. This study was conducted with freshman students enrolled at Portland State University, a public university located in downtown Portland, OR, USA. Thirty four students completed the assignment and 31 students participated in one of three focus groups. Four themes emerged from focus groups: (1) Communicating Science-Related Topics to Non-experts, (2) Developing Professional Skills, (3) Understanding Health Issues, and (4) Overall Experience. This article outlines the assignment, discusses focus group results, and presents assignment modifications. It is clear that the infographic assignment facilitated learning about accessing and translating data. This assignment is ideally suited for use with diverse college-age audiences in health education and health promotion fields. PMID:29226120

Teaching Undergraduate Students to Visualize and Communicate Public Health Data with Infographics.

PubMed

Shanks, Justin D; Izumi, Betty; Sun, Christina; Martin, Allea; Byker Shanks, Carmen

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the degree to which an infographic assignment facilitated student learning around health science issues, as well as the ways in which the assignment was an effective teaching tool. The objectives of the assignment were to (1) understand the purposes of and potential uses for infographics, (2) cultivate creative visual communication skills, and (3) disseminate a complex health topic to diverse audiences. The infographic assignment was developed at Montana State University and piloted at Portland State University. Students were assigned to small groups of three or four to create an infographic focused on a health science issue. The assignment was divided into four steps: brainstorming, developing, designing, and finalizing. Focus groups were conducted to assess how learning occurred throughout the assignment and identify any opportunities for modification of the assignment. This study was conducted with freshman students enrolled at Portland State University, a public university located in downtown Portland, OR, USA. Thirty four students completed the assignment and 31 students participated in one of three focus groups. Four themes emerged from focus groups: (1) Communicating Science-Related Topics to Non-experts, (2) Developing Professional Skills, (3) Understanding Health Issues, and (4) Overall Experience. This article outlines the assignment, discusses focus group results, and presents assignment modifications. It is clear that the infographic assignment facilitated learning about accessing and translating data. This assignment is ideally suited for use with diverse college-age audiences in health education and health promotion fields.

Astr 101 Students' Attitudes Towards Essays On Transits, Eclipses And Occultations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Cruz, Noella L.

2012-05-01

Joliet Junior College, Joliet, IL offers a one semester introductory astronomy course each semester. We teach over 110 primarily non-science major students each semester. We use proven active learning strategies such lecture tutorials, think-pair-share questions and small group discussions to help these students develop and retain a good understanding of astrophysical concepts. Occasionally, we offer projects that allow students to explore course topics beyond the classroom. We hope that such projects will increase students' interest in astronomy. We also hope that these assignments will help students to improve their critical thinking and writing skills. In Spring 12, we are offering three short individual essay assignments in our face-to-face sections. The essays focus on transits, eclipses and occultations to highlight the 2012 transit of Venus. For the first essay, students will find images of transit and occultation events using the Astronomy Picture of the Day website and describe their chosen events. In addition, students will predict how variations in certain physical and orbital parameters would alter their particular events. The second essay involves transits, eclipses and occultations observed by spacecraft. Students will describe their transit event, their spacecraft's mission, orbital path, how the orbital path was achieved, etc. The third essay deals with transiting exoplanets. Students will choose at least two exoplanets from an exoplanet database, one of which has been discovered through the transit method. This essay will enable students to learn about detecting exoplanets and how they compare with our solar system. Details of the essay assignments and students' reactions to them will be presented at the meeting.

A longitudinal online interprofessional education experience involving family nurse practitioner students and pharmacy students.

PubMed

Collins, Andrea; Broeseker, Amy; Cunningham, Jill; Cortes, Cyndi; Beall, Jennifer; Bigham, Amy; Chang, Jongwha

2017-03-01

Interprofessional education (IPE) continues to gain traction worldwide. Challenges integrating IPE into health profession programmes include finding convenient times, meeting spaces, and level-appropriate assignments for each profession. This article describes the implementation of a 21-month prospective cohort study pilot programme for the Master of Science in nursing family nurse practitioner (FNP) and doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students at a private university in the United States. This IPE experience utilised a blended approach for the learning activities; these students had initial and final sessions where they met face-to-face, with asynchronous online activities between these two sessions. The online assignments, discussions, and quizzes during the pilot programme involved topics such as antimicrobial stewardship, hormone replacement therapy, human papilloma virus vaccination, prenatal counselling, emergency contraception, and effects of the Affordable Care Act on practice. The results suggested that the FNP students held more favourable attitudes about online IPE and that the PharmD students reported having a clearer understanding of their own roles and those of the other participating healthcare students. However, the students also reported wanting more face-to-face interaction during their online IPE experience. Implications from this study suggest that effective online IPE can be supported by ensuring educational parity between students regarding the various topics discussed and a consistent approach of the required involvement for all student groups is needed. In addition, given the students desire for more face-to-face interaction, it may be beneficial to offer online IPE activities for a shorter time period. It is anticipated that this study may inform other programmes that are exploring innovative approaches to provide IPE to promote effective collaboration in patient care.

Family homework and school-based sex education: delaying early adolescents' sexual behavior.

PubMed

Grossman, Jennifer M; Frye, Alice; Charmaraman, Linda; Erkut, Sumru

2013-11-01

Early sexual activity can undermine adolescents' future school success and health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to assess the role of a family homework component of a comprehensive sex education intervention in delaying sexual initiation for early adolescents and to explore what social and contextual factors prevent adolescents from completing these family homework activities. This mixed methods study included 6th- and 7th-grade survey responses from 706 students at 11 middle school schools receiving a sex education intervention, as well as interviews from a subset of 33, 7th-grade students from the larger sample. Adolescents who completed more family homework assignments were less likely to have vaginal intercourse in 7th grade than those who completed fewer assignments, after controlling for self-reports of having had vaginal intercourse in 6th grade and demographic variables. Participants' explanations for not completing assignments included personal, curriculum, and family-based reasons. Family homework activities designed to increase family communication about sexual issues can delay sex among early adolescents and contribute to school-based sex education programs. Successful sex education programs must identify and address barriers to family homework completion. © 2013, American School Health Association.

A Modern Approach to the Traditional Textbook: Bringing Introductory Geology Courses into the 21st Century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Workman Ford, K.; Ford, K. R.

2013-12-01

Undergraduate introductory geology courses are required in many colleges nationwide as part of the general education requirement. As a result, a large portion of those students are non-majors and most are not science majors. Textbooks used in these courses are often extensive with respect to the amount of material covered which tends to be overwhelming to the average student. Thus, students often purchase the pricey textbook but turn to their smartphones, notebooks, and laptops for answers. Before the development of the internet, students spent many hours in libraries and with their textbooks organizing and retrieving information. However, new technologies in the 21st century have essentially replaced traditional textbooks with students turning to online search engines, such as Google, to study and to complete homework assignments. Presently, online search engines may be more intuitive, but what's going on in the background isn't intuitive at all, and few students have a clear understanding of how search engines operate. Effectively this leads to students without the conception of how to build an adequate search strategy independent of search engines. Often, students are directed to online encyclopedias that may have erroneous information. Here, we employ an alternative to traditional textbooks and online search engines by implementing a guidebook with electronic resources for online activities and homework assignments. The proposed guidebook is roughly modeled after the American Geosciences Institute's Geoscience Handbook: AGI Data Sheets 4th, revised edition, and will include diagrams, graphs, charts, and pictures of basic geologic principles, processes, and earth materials. Along with the information, each topic will have online resources including sites for general reading, specific assignments that require visiting scientifically sound websites (i.e., USGS, GSA, AGU, Science, Nature), online self-assessment activities, and Google Earth activities. In addition, some elements would include a critical thinking problem wherein students research a topic without specific online resources provided, and compare what they find to reputable resources. This process is likely to drive students to evaluate their sources in a more critical manner. Given that textbooks are costly and sometimes overwhelming for students compelling them to use online search engines, the idea of a guidebook that encompasses electronic resources may engage the students more effectively, leading to a more comprehensive understanding and appreciation of the geosciences.

Active-learning Strategies for Legal Topics and Substance Abuse in a Pharmacy Curriculum

PubMed Central

Clark, John E.; Kelly, William N.; Hill, Angela M.

2017-01-01

Objective. To implement active-learning strategies to engage students in learning, applying, and teaching legal and substance abuse topics. Design. Medication Safety course student groups created films on a National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG) using a movie genre and presented them in film festival format. Pharmacogenomics course student groups taught ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) topics through presentation of short stories about comic book characters with genetic mutations. Students in the Drugs of Abuse course composed and performed dances depicting the mechanism of action of a drug in an in-class rave dance format. Assessment. Course evaluations revealed student engagement with subject material and enjoyment of the creative applications, critical thinking, and collaborative aspects of the activities. Students performed well on examination questions and graded assignments. Conclusion. These active-learning strategies facilitated students’ abilities to learn, apply, and teach material in medication safety, pharmacogenomics, and substance abuse courses. PMID:28289294

Developing learning community model with soft skill integration for the building engineering apprenticeship programme in vocational high school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutrisno, Dardiri, Ahmad; Sugandi, R. Machmud

2017-09-01

This study aimed to address the procedure, effectiveness, and problems in the implementation of learning model for Building Engineering Apprenticeship Training Programme. This study was carried out through survey method and experiment. The data were collected using questionnaire, test, and assessment sheet. The collected data were examined through description, t-test, and covariance analysis. The results of the study showed that (1) the model's procedure covered preparation course, readiness assessment, assignment distribution, handing over students to apprenticeship instructors, task completion, assisting, field assessment, report writing, and follow-up examination, (2) the Learning Community model could significantly improve students' active learning, but not improve students' hard skills and soft skills, and (3) the problems emerging in the implementation of the model were (1) students' difficulties in finding apprenticeship places and qualified instructors, and asking for relevant tasks, (2) teachers' difficulties in determining relevant tasks and monitoring students, and (3) apprenticeship instructors' difficulties in assigning, monitoring, and assessing students.

Strategic Resource Use for Learning: A Self-Administered Intervention That Guides Self-Reflection on Effective Resource Use Enhances Academic Performance.

PubMed

Chen, Patricia; Chavez, Omar; Ong, Desmond C; Gunderson, Brenda

2017-06-01

Many educational policies provide learners with more resources (e.g., new learning activities, study materials, or technologies), but less often do they address whether students are using these resources effectively. We hypothesized that making students more self-reflective about how they should approach their learning with the resources available to them would improve their class performance. We designed a novel Strategic Resource Use intervention that students could self-administer online and tested its effects in two cohorts of a college-level introductory statistics class. Before each exam, students randomly assigned to the treatment condition strategized about which academic resources they would use for studying, why each resource would be useful, and how they would use their resources. Students randomly assigned to the treatment condition reported being more self-reflective about their learning throughout the class, used their resources more effectively, and outperformed students in the control condition by an average of one third of a letter grade in the class.

Physician as teacher: promoting health and wellness among elementary school students.

PubMed

Stefaniak, Jill E; Lucia, Victoria C

2014-01-01

Every day, physicians engage in teaching during their patient encounters. It may be that medical students who are introduced to the principles of teaching and learning are more likely to become good communicators and learners. Service-learning may be an effective way for medical students to practice skills in teaching and communication in a real-world setting, while also filling a need within the community. The purpose of this study was to identify common themes within medical students' reflections on what they learned through participating in a teaching exercise with local elementary school children. As a required component of a longitudinal prevention and public health course that spans the first and second years of undergraduate medical education, second year students at the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, in Detroit, Michigan, in the USA completed a service-learning activity, which included teaching a standardized curricular module to local elementary school children. Students were required to complete a reflection assignment based on their teaching experience. Medical students' responses to assignment's three guided questions were qualitatively coded to identify common themes among the responses related to the teaching activity. Qualitative analysis of students' reflections revealed several themes regarding what the students learned and viewed as the benefits of the activity: The importance of early education and parental involvement; the importance of understanding your audience when teaching; the importance of simplifying complex concepts to the audience's level; and the importance of preparation for teaching. Medical students identified the difficulties of communicating at an audience appropriate level and providing patient education outside the confines of a controlled classroom setting. This activity provided medical students with hands-on experience presenting to an audience age-appropriate, health-related topics. Presenting in an elementary school environment helped students better understand what health information various age groups knew about and the importance of clarifying information when communicating with a younger audience.

Influence of a health-related physical fitness model on students' physical activity, perceived competence, and enjoyment.

PubMed

Fu, You; Gao, Zan; Hannon, James; Shultz, Barry; Newton, Maria; Sibthorp, Jim

2013-12-01

This study was designed to explore the effects of a health-related physical fitness physical education model on students' physical activity, perceived competence, and enjoyment. 61 students (25 boys, 36 girls; M age = 12.6 yr., SD = 0.6) were assigned to two groups (health-related physical fitness physical education group, and traditional physical education group), and participated in one 50-min. weekly basketball class for 6 wk. Students' in-class physical activity was assessed using NL-1000 pedometers. The physical subscale of the Perceived Competence Scale for Children was employed to assess perceived competence, and children's enjoyment was measured using the Sport Enjoyment Scale. The findings suggest that students in the intervention group increased their perceived competence, enjoyment, and physical activity over a 6-wk. intervention, while the comparison group simply increased physical activity over time. Children in the intervention group had significantly greater enjoyment.

Knights of the Round-Table.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teagarden, Jim; Koppes, Peggy

This document describes a classroom learning activity that brings together role playing, learning about the Middle Ages, and working for rewards. In the course of the activity, entitled "Knights of the Round Table," students advance by completing assignments and amassing points. Players move upwards through the beginning or…

Service-Learning in Communities of Elders (SLICE): Development and Evaluation of an Introductory Geriatrics Course for Medical Students.

PubMed

Laks, Jordana; Wilson, Lindsay A; Khandelwal, Christine; Footman, Eleni; Jamison, Margaret; Roberts, Ellen

2016-01-01

Medical students have limited exposure to Geriatrics in their traditional training. Service-learning offers students the opportunity to engage with older adult communities and become more comfortable interacting with this population. A preclinical elective course was developed to expand medical students' experiences in Geriatrics through service-learning. In this course, students conducted needs assessments in diverse older adult communities, created health education projects to address community-identified needs, and reflected on their experiences through written assignments and presentations. The course instructor presented lectures on special topics in Geriatrics, including ageism and health literacy. The curriculum aimed to familiarize students with older adults' needs in a variety of settings. Over 3 years, 74 students participated in the service-learning course. Students were assigned to older adult community sites, where they conducted needs assessments and designed and implemented original educational projects targeting community concerns. Program evaluation methods included a validated survey assessing students' attitudes toward older adults, course evaluations, review of student assignments and projects, and feedback from older adult participants and site coordinators. Students gained hands-on experience working with older adults and designing appropriate health education projects. Analysis of attitude surveys demonstrated students' increased interest in Geriatrics as a career. Both students and older adult participants described enjoyable, valuable experiences gained from service-learning activities. Students appreciated the combination of community and classroom learning about Geriatrics. Service-learning was most constructive at sites with responsive coordinators, engaged older adults, and a need for health education resources. The course challenged students to assess health needs in communities that included cognitively impaired elders and to design educational projects tailored to older adults.

Implementation of cooperative learning through collaboration with foreign lecturer to improve students' understanding and soft skills in the course of drug delivery system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syukri, Yandi; Nugroho, Bambang Hernawan

2017-03-01

The course of Drug Delivery Systems is an elective that supports the development of new products in pharmaceutical industry. The existing learning process has been in the form of one-direction face-to-face lecturing. During the lecture, students find it difficult to follow or understand the materials, so they become passive. Also, class effectiveness is low because it cannot develop students' active participation during the learning process. To improve the learning outcomes and to achieve the desired competence, innovations in the learning process should be attempted. This learning model aimed to improve students' understanding of and soft skills in the course of Drug Delivery Systems through a cooperative learning method and collaboration with foreign lecturers. The order of cooperative learning included explaining the desired learning outcomes of each topic, providing reading materials for students to learn when preparing their papers, instructing students to work on group assignments and to help each other to master the lesson through question-answer sessions and discussions among group members, encouraging group presentations, and evaluating through quizzes. The foreign lecturers played a role in enriching teaching materials and providing an international class atmosphere. The students' hard skills assessed from the quiz, midterm exam, and final semester exam showed a minimum score of 70 > 80% in the quiz and final semester exam components, while the midterm exam value with a minimum of 70 > 80% was only 6%. The assessment of soft skills obtained from the students' independence in constructing knowledge to complete assignments and resolve problems indicated such outcomes as each group's better ability to access relevant journals, their active participation in group discussions, discipline to submit assignments, discipline to be punctual, and good communication skills. It can be concluded that cooperative learning method could improve the soft skills of students, and the role of foreign lecturers was successful in providing an international class atmosphere.

Negotiating the Paris Agreement with the C-Learn Climate Simulator in an Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Climate Change Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Straub, K. H.

2016-12-01

I teach an interdisciplinary course on modern climate change that attracts students from a variety of academic backgrounds. The class size is typically 20-25 students. The final exercise of the semester is an in-class simulation of the Paris Agreement negotiations, which integrates all of the topics the students have studied throughout the semester (science, politics, skeptic arguments, ethics, economics, etc.). For this exercise, we use the free online C-Learn climate simulator (https://www.climateinteractive.org/tools/c-learn/), but with several modifications from the suggested negotiation methodology. All but two students were assigned an individual country to represent within the larger groups "Developed," (e.g., US, EU, Australia), "Developing A" (e.g., China, India, Indonesia), and "Developing B" (e.g., Maldives, Haiti, Botswana). The remaining two students were assigned the roles of "Exxon Mobil" and "Greenpeace," to represent external lobbyists. Prior to the in-class negotiation, students completed an assignment on their individual role that required them to research their country's actual INDC and the projected impacts of a 2 degree C rise in average global temperature, as well as create "behavior rules" for their country to follow during the simulation. Lobbyists were given modified assignments. To make the simulation more complex and realistic, I assigned each actor an initial sum of money and created rules about the cost of emissions reductions. The goal of the simulation was to create an affordable timeline of emissions that kept the global temperature rise to less than 2 degrees C. Suggested emissions timelines were entered into the C-Learn online simulator during the activity to check progress toward the goal. Student feedback about the simulation was very positive. I had planned only one class period for the negotiations but students were so engaged that they asked for it to be extended into a second period. This exercise could easily be adapted to smaller or larger class sizes, and modified based on the knowledge base and experience level of the students.

Reforming the Eighth-Grade Student Assignment Process for the Philadelphia Public Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Michael P.

The eighth grade student assignment project, an initiative of the School District of Philadelphia, assigns students to high school academic programs based on student preferences, academic preparation, program capacity, and desegregation requirements. These programs, called small learning communities (SLCs), emphasize areas such as design and…

Student Perceptions of Online Homework in Introductory Finance Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smolira, Joseph C.

2008-01-01

The author examined student perceptions concerning online homework assignments in an introductory finance class. In general, students felt that online homework was preferable to traditional homework assignments that are turned in to the instructor. In addition, students reported that the homework assignments increased their understanding of the…

An activity theory perspective of how scenario-based simulations support learning: a descriptive analysis.

PubMed

Battista, Alexis

2017-01-01

The dominant frameworks for describing how simulations support learning emphasize increasing access to structured practice and the provision of feedback which are commonly associated with skills-based simulations. By contrast, studies examining student participants' experiences during scenario-based simulations suggest that learning may also occur through participation. However, studies directly examining student participation during scenario-based simulations are limited. This study examined the types of activities student participants engaged in during scenario-based simulations and then analyzed their patterns of activity to consider how participation may support learning. Drawing from Engeström's first-, second-, and third-generation activity systems analysis, an in-depth descriptive analysis was conducted. The study drew from multiple qualitative methods, namely narrative, video, and activity systems analysis, to examine student participants' activities and interaction patterns across four video-recorded simulations depicting common motivations for using scenario-based simulations (e.g., communication, critical patient management). The activity systems analysis revealed that student participants' activities encompassed three clinically relevant categories, including (a) use of physical clinical tools and artifacts, (b) social interactions, and (c) performance of structured interventions. Role assignment influenced participants' activities and the complexity of their engagement. Importantly, participants made sense of the clinical situation presented in the scenario by reflexively linking these three activities together. Specifically, student participants performed structured interventions, relying upon the use of physical tools, clinical artifacts, and social interactions together with interactions between students, standardized patients, and other simulated participants to achieve their goals. When multiple student participants were present, such as in a team-based scenario, they distributed the workload to achieve their goals. The findings suggest that student participants learned as they engaged in these scenario-based simulations when they worked to make sense of the patient's clinical presentation. The findings may provide insight into how student participants' meaning-making efforts are mediated by the cultural artifacts (e.g., physical clinical tools) they access, the social interactions they engage in, the structured interventions they perform, and the roles they are assigned. The findings also highlight the complex and emergent properties of scenario-based simulations as well as how activities are nested. Implications for learning, instructional design, and assessment are discussed.

Design and implementation of a project-based active/cooperative engineering design course for freshmen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdulaal, R. M.; Al-Bahi, A. M.; Soliman, A. Y.; Iskanderani, F. I.

2011-08-01

A project-based active/cooperative design course is planned, implemented, assessed and evaluated to achieve several desired engineering outcomes. The course allows freshman-level students to gain professional hands-on engineering design experience through an opportunity to practise teamwork, quality principles, communication skills, life-long learning, realistic constraints and awareness of current domestic and global challenges. Throughout successive design reports and in-class assignments, the students are required by the end of the semester to communicate, clearly and concisely, the details of their design both orally and in writing through a functional artefact/prototype, a design notebook, an A0 project poster and a final oral presentation. In addition to these direct assessment tools, several indirect measures are used to ensure triangulation. Assignments are based on customer expectations using a detailed checklist. This paper shows the direct and indirect assessment tools that indicated a high level of achievement of course learning outcomes and a high level of student satisfaction.

A big picture look at big coal: Teaching students to link societal and environmental issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sojka, S. L.

2014-12-01

The environmental impact of coal mining and burning of coal is evident and generally easy to understand. However, students often struggle to understand the social impacts of coal mining. A jigsaw activity culminating in a mock town hall meeting helps students link social, economic and environmental impacts of coal mining. Students are divided into four groups and assigned the task of researching the environmental, social, economic or health impacts of coal mining in West Virginia. When students have completed the research, they are assigned a role for the town hall. Roles include local community members, direct employees of the coal industry, business owners from industries related to coal mining, and environmentalists. One student from each research area is assigned to each role, forcing students to consider environmental, social, health and economic aspects of coal mining in choosing an appropriate position for their role. Students have 30 minutes to prepare their positions and then present for 2-5 minutes in the simulated town hall. We then have open class discussion and review the positions. Finally, students are required to write a letter to the editor of the local paper. The specific topic for the town hall and letters can be varied based on current events and could include new regulations on power plants, mine safety, government funding of alternative energy supplies or a range of other topics. This approach forces students to consider all aspects of the issue. In addition, because students have to assume a role, they are more aware of the direct impact that coal mining has on individuals' lives.

Curriculum renewal: Alignment of introductory pharmacy practice experiences with didactic course content.

PubMed

Nuffer, Wesley; Botts, Sheila; Franson, Kari; Gilliam, Eric; Knutsen, Randy; Nuffer, Monika; O'Brien, Elizabeth; Saseen, Joseph; Thompson, Megan; Vande Griend, Joseph; Willis, Robert

2017-11-01

The University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SSPPS) used the opportunity of curriculum renewal to integrate knowledge and skills learned from didactic courses into the introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPEs) occurring simultaneously. This paper describes and evaluates the meaningful application of course content into IPPEs, and evaluates the success using qualitative feedback. Students entering the renewed curriculum starting in fall 2012 were provided a list of pharmacy skills and activities from didactic course directors that reinforced course content for that semester. The skills and activities were to be completed during the students' IPPE visits in the community or health systems settings, depending on the program year and semester. Students successfully completed course assignments during their IPPE course program. Not all activities could be completed as designed, and many required modification, including simulated experiences. Feedback from faculty and preceptor members of the school's experiential education committee demonstrated that these activities were valuable and improved learning of course material, but were challenging to implement. A renewed curriculum that mapped course assignments for completion in experiential settings was successfully established, after some modifications. The program was modified at regular intervals to improve the ability of preceptors to complete these activities in their individual practice environment. A balance between the school providing guidance on what activities students should perform and allowing unstructured independent learning with the preceptor is needed for an optimal experience. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Towards More Precise Design Guidance: Specifying and Testing the Functions of Assigned Student Roles in Online Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wise, Alyssa Friend; Saghafian, Marzieh; Padmanabhan, Poornima

2012-01-01

While assigning student roles is a popular technique in online discussions, roles and the responsibilities allocated to them have not been consistently assigned. This makes it difficult to compare implementations and generate principled guidance for role design. This study critically examined frequently assigned student roles and identified a set…

Full-Contact Pedagogy: Lecturing with Questions and Student-Centered Assignments as Methods for Inciting Self-Reflexivity for Faculty and Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawley, Sara L.

2008-01-01

For this essay, the author takes as an organizing premise Jodi O'Brien and Judith A. Howard's notion of responsible authority--that "teaching is a value-based activity" in which educators should be striving to engage students in academic pursuits in order to create a moral citizenry. That is, educators need to acknowledge that they wield the power…

A Service-Based Program Evaluation Platform for Enhancing Student Engagement in Assignments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Ye-Chi; Ma, Lee Wei; Jiau, Hewijin Christine

2013-01-01

Programming assignments are commonly used in computer science education to encourage students to practice target concepts and evaluate their learning status. Ensuring students are engaged in such assignments is critical in attracting and retaining students. To this end, WebHat, a service-based program evaluation platform, is introduced in this…

Assessing Academic Challenges for Their Contribution to Cognitive Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCormick, David F.; Whittington, M. Susie

2000-01-01

Challenges (assignments, activities, tests) incorporated into agriculture classes were evaluated using Bloom's Taxonomy. The cognitive level varied by course and type of activity. Effectiveness depended on selecting challenges appropriate for the material, requiring higher-order thinking, and rewarding students for work at higher cognitive levels.…

The Tuskegee Experiment: An Introduction in Ethics for Pre-Healthcare Professional Students†

PubMed Central

Miranda, Daniel; Sanchez, David Jesse

2014-01-01

Over the past years, professional students have had extensive exposure to clinical cases during basic science classes. With this in mind, we have taken this clinical case exposure moment to be an opportune time to introduce the ethics of working with patients during biomedical research. Our goal is to present a straightforward assignment that allows for active student research into the facts of the Tuskegee Experiment of the 1900s. The assignment provides the necessary background to allow for a student-centered discussion on the ethical issues of the events and ramifications of what happened. Thus, in educating a class on the event’s happenings, one concomitantly creates a platform for meaningful discussion on the principles and ethics of patient care. We have found that an ethics-infused event such as the Tuskegee Experiment is an excellent way to introduce students to these topics. PMID:25574286

Valuing Exercises for the Middle School. Resource Monograph No. 11.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casteel, J. Doyle; And Others

One of the major goals of the middle school is to help students gain and refine skills in the area of values clarification. One way of securing such value clarification is to plan and assign value sheets--carefully planned and written activities designed to elicit value clarification patterns of language usage from students. Six different formats…

A Jigsaw Cooperative Learning Application in Elementary Science and Technology Lessons: Physical and Chemical Changes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tarhan, Leman; Ayyildiz, Yildizay; Ogunc, Aylin; Sesen, Burcin Acar

2013-01-01

Background: Cooperative learning is an active learning approach in which students work together in small groups to complete an assigned task. Students commonly find the subject of "physical and chemical changes" difficult and abstract, and thus they generally have many misconceptions about it. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the…

Empathetic Responses and Attitudes about Older Adults: How Experience with the Aging Game Measures up

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henry, Beverly W.; Ozier, Amy D.; Johnson, Amy

2011-01-01

This study aimed to assess the impact of pre-professional education on students' knowledge and attitudes about aging, including the option of a simulated learning activity. Using a mixed design, groups of nursing and nutrition students (n = 127) were randomly assigned to experience the Aging Game. Pre- and posttest observations included measures…

Three ESL Students Writing a Policy Paper Assignment: An Activity-Analytic Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Yongyan

2013-01-01

How university students write from sources has been an issue of long-standing interest among researchers of advanced academic literacy. Previous research in this regard in the context of L2 writing has tended to focus on novices' textual borrowing; less attention has been given to exploring the potential light that theories from other intellectual…

Photography and Writing: Alternative Ways of Learning for ESL Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friesen, Helen Lepp

2012-01-01

To writing, painting, drawing, and photography as artistic media, the author would like to add teaching as a creative endeavor as well. Especially in a classroom where English is not the first language for many students, the writing teacher needs to be creative with assignments and activities that address nontraditional ways of learning. Her…

Investigative Homework with Apples: An Opportunity for Primary-School Students to Learn Actively the Relationship between Density and Flotation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Radovanovic, Jelena; Sliško, Josip

2014-01-01

This paper describes investigative homework with apples, aiming to contribute to the primary-school students' understanding of density and conditions leading to floating and sinking. The assignment represents an opportunity for individual autonomous learning of physics and adoption of established scientific concepts through practical activities…

Undergraduate Laboratory Experiment Facilitating Active Learning of Concepts in Transport Phenomena: Experiment with a Subliming Solid

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Utgikar, Vivek P.

2015-01-01

An experiment based on the sublimation of a solid was introduced in the undergraduate Transport Phenomena course. The experiment required the students to devise their own apparatus and measurement techniques. The theoretical basis, assignment of the experiment, experimental results, and student/instructor observations are described in this paper.…

How Does the "Digital Generation" Get Help on Their Mathematics Homework?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van de Sande, Carla; Boggess, May; Hart-Weber, Catherine

2013-01-01

Homework is a daily activity for at least twelve years of most students' school experience, and every assignment requires the time, energy, and emotional engagement of all those involved. Traditionally, students seeking homework help could refer to their class notes and textbooks, or ask their friends, tutors, and, perhaps, as last resort, their…

Point of View Speech (A Speech Assignment in Critical Thinking).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brydges, Michael E.

This paper delineates an exercise where students are encouraged to give their point of view to a quotation received (the activity is an adaptation from the Impromptu Speaking event in Competitive Forensics). The paper states that students are to explain the meaning of a quotation (topic themes may be from ecology, education, environment, life,…

Researching, Producing, Presenting: Students' Use of Technology for Global Advocacy in the Social Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maguth, Brad M.; Yamaguchi, Misato; Elliott, Jeff

2010-01-01

Research has pointed out that an over reliance on textbooks and lecturing in the social studies often devolves instruction into narrow perspectives and uninspiring activities. Thus, teachers allowed their students to use something they were interested in, technology, to access a wide range of resources for a class project. This assignment, the…

The Effects of Collaborative Writing Activity Using Google Docs on Students' Writing Abilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suwantarathip, Ornprapat; Wichadee, Saovapa

2014-01-01

Google Docs, a free web-based version of Microsoft Word, offers collaborative features which can be used to facilitate collaborative writing in a foreign language classroom. The current study compared writing abilities of students who collaborated on writing assignments using Google Docs with those working in groups in a face-to-face classroom.…

Securing Trust, Roles and Communication in E-Advising--Theoretical Inputs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ranglund, Ole Jørgen S.; Danielsen, Anette; Kiønig, Linda; Vold, Tone

2017-01-01

Students claim to learn a lot from advising and feedback on assignments. This is one of the results in a survey amongst students at The Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences. Traditionally, advising is mainly a face-to-face activity. However, with an increasing number of courses offered online, it is timely to discuss how to conduct…

Analyzing Cultural Artifacts for the Introduction, Perpetuation, or Reinforcement of Moral Ideals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Jennifer

2013-01-01

The development and socialization of morals is a complex concept for students studying ethics. To help students understand the role social learning theory plays in the development of morality, an activity was created focusing on cultural artifacts and their introduction, perpetuation, and/or reinforcement of morality. The aim of this assignment is…

Implementation of K-Means Clustering Method for Electronic Learning Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latipa Sari, Herlina; Suranti Mrs., Dewi; Natalia Zulita, Leni

2017-12-01

Teaching and Learning process at SMK Negeri 2 Bengkulu Tengah has applied e-learning system for teachers and students. The e-learning was based on the classification of normative, productive, and adaptive subjects. SMK Negeri 2 Bengkulu Tengah consisted of 394 students and 60 teachers with 16 subjects. The record of e-learning database was used in this research to observe students’ activity pattern in attending class. K-Means algorithm in this research was used to classify students’ learning activities using e-learning, so that it was obtained cluster of students’ activity and improvement of student’s ability. Implementation of K-Means Clustering method for electronic learning model at SMK Negeri 2 Bengkulu Tengah was conducted by observing 10 students’ activities, namely participation of students in the classroom, submit assignment, view assignment, add discussion, view discussion, add comment, download course materials, view article, view test, and submit test. In the e-learning model, the testing was conducted toward 10 students that yielded 2 clusters of membership data (C1 and C2). Cluster 1: with membership percentage of 70% and it consisted of 6 members, namely 1112438 Anggi Julian, 1112439 Anis Maulita, 1112441 Ardi Febriansyah, 1112452 Berlian Sinurat, 1112460 Dewi Anugrah Anwar and 1112467 Eka Tri Oktavia Sari. Cluster 2:with membership percentage of 30% and it consisted of 4 members, namely 1112463 Dosita Afriyani, 1112471 Erda Novita, 1112474 Eskardi and 1112477 Fachrur Rozi.

Characterizing Student Perceptions of and Buy-In toward Common Formative Assessment Techniques

PubMed Central

Brazeal, Kathleen R.; Brown, Tanya L.; Couch, Brian A.

2016-01-01

Formative assessments (FAs) can occur as preclass assignments, in-class activities, or postclass homework. FAs aim to promote student learning by accomplishing key objectives, including clarifying learning expectations, revealing student thinking to the instructor, providing feedback to the student that promotes learning, facilitating peer interactions, and activating student ownership of learning. While FAs have gained prominence within the education community, we have limited knowledge regarding student perceptions of these activities. We used a mixed-methods approach to determine whether students recognize and value the role of FAs in their learning and how students perceive course activities to align with five key FA objectives. To address these questions, we administered a midsemester survey in seven introductory biology course sections that were using multiple FA techniques. Overall, responses to both open-ended and closed-ended questions revealed that the majority of students held positive perceptions of FAs and perceived FAs to facilitate their learning in a variety of ways. Students consistently considered FA activities to have accomplished particular objectives, but there was greater variation among FAs in how students perceived the achievement of other objectives. We further discuss potential sources of student resistance and implications of these results for instructor practice. PMID:27909023

Comparison of Effectiveness of Computer Graded vs Instructor Graded Homework Assignments in an Elementary Spanish Course: A Comparative Study at Two Undergraduate Institutions

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-07

technology, that being the instructor-graded versus computer-graded activities. In essence, the study came to be about how diverse student bodies reacted...terms of student body and academic offerings, Metropolitan State College of Denver (Metro State) is a unique institution in Colorado and the United...slate of baccalaureate degree offerings. Metro State’s student body of over 24,000 is an exemplar of diversity. The institution admits students via a

Student-peer mentoring on a drug information response.

PubMed

Rodis, Jennifer Lin; Backo, Jennifer; Schmidt, Brittany M; Pruchnicki, Maria C

2014-03-12

To implement a student peer-mentoring program with a drug information response assignment in an introductory pharmacy practice course. Second-year student pharmacists (P2 mentors) enrolled in an independent study course were randomly assigned first-year student pharmacists (P1 mentees) to mentor on a drug information assignment. The P2 mentors provided feedback to P1 mentees' assignment drafts. The P1 mentees had the opportunity to revise the draft prior to turning in the completed assignment to course faculty members for grading. Both P1 mentees and P2 mentors agreed the mentorship improved their ability to prepare a drug information response (76% and 100%, respectively). A majority of the student pharmacists would choose to be involved in the program again. The student peer-mentoring program was successful in improving student pharmacists' perceptions of ability to compose a drug information response.

Assessing the Impacts of a Hybrid ``Flipped'' Approach to University Physics.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Chris; Paulson, Scott

2015-03-01

Over the course of several years, the physics faculty at James Madison University has been gradually reforming the introductory calculus-based physics sequence to a hybrid model using a ``flipped classroom'' approach. The content traditionally delivered during lecture was divided into approximately 150 short (5-10 minute) videos. For homework, students are assigned 3-5 videos to watch before each class session. These assignments are combined with in-class activities including gouger problem solving and the tutorials developed by the University of Washington group to provide the students with focused guidance on concepts and skills that students traditionally have left our classes not having mastered. For the fall semester course on mechanics, the Force Concept Inventory (FCI) was used to evaluate student outcomes. For the spring semester course on E&M and optics, the Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism (CSEM) was used. Student reaction to the course structure was generally positive though there were some complaints in the student evaluations at the end of each semester. However, a positive impact on student outcomes was observed based on the Hake gains on the FCI.

Student seminar on smoking: A novel way to introduce different perspectives on smoking to medical students.

PubMed

Iqbal, Saima P; Rafi, Shahid; Rahman, Matiur

2013-03-01

The respiratory module at Shifa College of Medicine (SCM) is delivered in third year with emphasis on respiratory pathophysiology and respiratory medicine. Smoking as a topic was introduced to emphasize the preventive aspects of respiratory illnesses. An innovative approach to involve students in their learning was developed. To determine whether this innovation would be well received and effective for students' learning about smoking, we carried out this study. This is a one group post-test quasi-experiment. Two days were assigned for a smoking seminar. The class of 106 students was divided into 10 batches, and each batch was assigned a theme related to smoking. These themes were developed by the faculty, and each theme was related to a different perspective on smoking. A post-test questionnaire was distributed at the end of the seminar for feedback to see what aspects of students' learning were highlighted and what needed to be improved upon. Questions related to the usefulness of the activity were incorporated into the questionnaire and the students were asked to agree or disagree on a five-point Likert scale. Most (68.3%) students agreed that this activity improved their knowledge regarding smoking, and 54.8% agreed that it also helped in application of this knowledge. Improvement in presentation and counseling skills (59.8%), evidence-based medicine (47.6%), and softer skills, such as teamwork (72%) and creativity (63.4%), were also reported to be enhanced. Seminars led by the students have shown to be effective in breaking the monotony and generating an interest of the topic. Such an activity serves as a small step to make our graduates more empathic, humane, competent, and skilful.

Using Continuing Professional Development to Create Meaningful Co-Curricular Learning Opportunities for all Student Pharmacists.

PubMed

Vos, Susan S; Sabus, Ashley; Seyfer, Jennifer; Umlah, Laura; Gross-Advani, Colleen; Thompson-Oster, Jackie

2018-05-01

Objective. To illustrate a method for integrating co-curricular activities, quantify co-curricular activities, and evaluate student perception of achievement of goals. Methods. Throughout a longitudinal course, students engaged in self-selected, co-curricular activities in three categories: professional service, leadership, and community engagement. Hours were documented online with minimum course requirements. Students reflected on experiences and assessed goal attainment. Assignments were reviewed by faculty and feedback was given to each student. Results. From 2010 to 2016, there were 29,341 co-curricular hours documented by 756 students. The most popular events were attending pharmacy organization meetings and participating in immunization clinics. More than half of the students agreed they were able to meet all of their professional goals (mix of career and course goals) while 70% indicated goals were challenging to meet. Conclusion. This method for integrating co-curricular activities using a continuing professional development model demonstrates a sustainable system for promoting professional development through experience and self-reflection.

The Use of Homework Assignments in Physical Education among High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pantanowitz, Michal; Lidor, Ronnie; Nemet, Dan; Eliakim, Alon

2011-01-01

Only a few studies have examined how students and their parents perceive the contribution of homework (HW) assignments given in physical education (PE) classes to the students' development. The main objective of our study was to explore the attitude and compliance towards HW assignments in PE among Israeli high school students and their parents.…

Impact of Giving Students a Choice of Homework Assignments in an Introductory Computer Science Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fulton, Steven; Schweitzer, Dino

2011-01-01

Student assignments have long been an integral part of many university level computer science courses to reinforce material covered in class with practical exercises. For years, researchers have studied ways to improve such student assignments by making them more interesting, applicable, and valuable to the student with a goal of improving…

Improving Geoscience Learning and Increasing Student Engagement Using Online Interactive Writing Assignments with Calibrated Peer Review.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harbor, Jon

2014-05-01

Peer review is a hallmark of the publication process for scientific research, yet it is rarely used as a pedagogical approach in university geoscience courses. Learning outcomes for university geoscience courses include content knowledge and critical thinking and analysis skills, and often include written communication of scientific issues or concepts. Because lecture and memorization is not the most effective learning approach for many students, instructors are increasingly exploring teaching approaches that involve active engagement. In this context, writing assignments that engage students in using content, constructing arguments, and critiquing other students' work are highly desirable. However, many of us struggle with extensive writing requirements in our courses because the workload associated with having the instructor provide detailed comments on writing is daunting, especially in large-enrollment courses, and organizing effective peer review by students is very challenging. Calibrated Peer Review (CPR) is a web-based program that involves students in writing and in reviewing each other's writing. It is designed to allow for more involved writing and feedback experiences with much less instructor time. Here we report on the results of a qualitative-methods analysis of narrative survey responses from students using CPR in an introductory geoscience class. In addition to an impact on the students' writing and their understanding of what goes in to effective writing, the results indicate that CPR acted as reinforcement for content learning, and an impetus for gaining a deeper understanding of content material. It allowed students to see how other students explained and analyzed content, and to check their understanding of a topic in relation to other students in the class. Not surprisingly, the instructor reported that students performed far better on exam questions that tested knowledge covered by CPR assignments.

Mini-Journals: Incorporating Inquiry, Quantitative Skills and Writing into Homework Assignments for Geochemistry and Planetary Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whittington, A. G.; Speck, A.; Witzig, S.

2011-12-01

As part of an NSF-funded project, "CUES: Connecting Undergraduates to the Enterprise of Science," new inquiry-based homework materials were developed for two upper-level classes at the University of Missouri: Geochemistry (required for Geology majors, fulfills the computing requirement by having 50% of the grade come from five spreadsheet-based homework assignments), and Solar System Science (open to seniors and graduate students, co-taught and cross-listed between Geology and Physics & Astronomy). Inquiry involves activities where the learner engages in scientifically oriented questions, gives priority to evidence in responding to questions, formulates explanations from evidence, connects explanations to scientific knowledge, and communicates and justifies explanations. We engage students in inquiry-based learning by presenting homework exercises as "mini-journal" articles that follow the format of a scientific journal article, including a title, authors, abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion and citations to peer-reviewed literature. The mini-journal provides a scaffold and serves as a springboard for students to develop and carry out their own follow-up investigation. They then present their findings in the form of their own mini-journal. Mini-journals replace traditional homework problem sets with a format that more directly reflects and encourages scientific practice. Students are engaged in inquiry-based homework which encompass doing, thinking, and communicating, while the mini-journal allows the instructor to contain lines of inquiry within the limits posed by available resources. In the examples we present, research is conducted via spreadsheet modeling, where the students develop their own spreadsheets. Example assignments from Geochemistry include "Trace Element Partitioning During Mantle Melting and MORB Crystallization" and "Isotopic Investigations of Crustal Evolution in the Midcontinent US". The key differences between the old and new formats include (i) active participation of the students in defining the question/problem that they will pursue, within well-defined boundaries, (ii) open-ended nature of the inquiry, so that students need to recognize when they have enough information to answer their question, (iii) extensive spreadsheet manipulation and presentation of results in graphical and tabular formats, and (iv) a written discussion of their findings. Grading is weighted more towards how the problem was addressed, and how findings are presented and interpreted, and less on actual numerical answers. Survey responses from students indicate that they experience discomfort on being presented with an open-ended assignment, but like the freedom to define their own problem. Students also recognize that reading, writing and critical thinking skills employed in the minijournal format increase their understanding of content. The combination of calculation and writing components make these assignments particularly useful for classes designated as "computer-based", and/or "writing intensive" (or similar designations).

Using the Medium to Teach the Medium: Radio Broadcasting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryland, Edwin H.

Effective broadcast education should get students to perform professionally in broadcast situations with a minimum of guidance. To do this, class assignments should include either activities similar to commercial work or on-the-job experiences at the campus or local commercial radio stations. The possibilities for such activities and experiences…

Amazing Race: Finding and Correctly Citing Credible Sources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Field-Springer, Kimberly; Striley, Katie Margavio

2016-01-01

The "Amazing Race" activity utilizes experiential learning by encouraging students to venture outside the classroom to collect and cite sources for an upcoming assignment. In the popular TV show, "Amazing Race," teams compete to complete tasks that take them around the world. Similarly, in this classroom activity, groups…

Discussing Active Learning from the Practitioner's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bamba, Priscilla

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of how active learning took place in a class containing specific readings,cooperative and collaborative group work, and a writing assignment for college students at a Northern Virginia Community College campus (NVCC). Requisite knowledge, skills, learner characteristics, brain-based learning, and…

How to Improve the Peer Review Method: Free-Selection vs Assigned-Pair Protocol Evaluated in a Computer Networking Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papadopoulos, Pantelis M.; Lagkas, Thomas D.; Demetriadis, Stavros N.

2012-01-01

This study provides field research evidence on the efficiency of a "free-selection" peer review assignment protocol as compared to the typically implemented "assigned-pair" protocol. The study employed 54 sophomore students who were randomly assigned into three groups: Assigned-Pair (AP) (the teacher assigns student works for review to student…

Pediatric Online Evidence-Based Medicine Assignment Is a Novel Effective Enjoyable Undergraduate Medical Teaching Tool: A SQUIRE Compliant Study.

PubMed

Kotb, Magd A; Elmahdy, Hesham Nabeh; Khalifa, Nour El Deen Mahmoud; El-Deen, Mohamed Hamed Nasr; Lotfi, Mohamed Amr N

2015-07-01

Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is delivered through a didactic, blended learning, and mixed models. Students are supposed to construct an answerable question in PICO (patient, intervention, comparison, and outcome) framework, acquire evidence through search of literature, appraise evidence, apply it to the clinical case scenario, and assess the evidence in relation to clinical context. Yet these teaching models have limitations especially those related to group work, for example, handling uncooperative students, students who fail to contribute, students who domineer, students who have personal conflict, their impact upon progress of their groups, and inconsistent individual acquisition of required skills. At Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, we designed a novel undergraduate pediatric EBM assignment online system to overcome shortcomings of previous didactic method and aimed to assess its effectiveness by prospective follow-up during academic years 2012 to 2013 and 2013 to 2014. The novel web-based online interactive system was tailored to provide sequential single and group assignments for each student. Single assignment addressed a specific case scenario question, while group assignment was teamwork that addressed different questions of same case scenario. Assignment comprised scholar content and skills. We objectively analyzed students' performance by criterion-based assessment and subjectively by anonymous student questionnaire. A total of 2879 were enrolled in 5th year Pediatrics Course consecutively, of them 2779 (96.5%) logged in and 2554 (88.7%) submitted their work. They were randomly assigned to 292 groups. A total of 2277 (89.15%) achieved ≥ 80% of total mark (4/5), of them 717 (28.1%) achieved a full mark. A total of 2178 (85.27%) and 2359 (92.36%) made evidence-based conclusions and recommendations in single and group assignment, respectively (P < 0.001). A total of 1102 (43.1%) answered student questionnaire, of them 898 (81.48%) found e-educational experience satisfactory, 175 (15.88%) disagreed, and 29 (2.6%) could not decide. A total of 964 (87.47%) found single assignment educational, 913 (82.84%) found group assignment educational, and 794 (72.3%) enjoyed it. Web-based online interactive undergraduate EBM assignment was found effective in teaching medical students and assured individual student acquisition of concepts and skills of pediatric EMB. It was effective in mass education, data collection, and storage essential for system and student assessment.

Solar Energy Education. Humanities: activities and teacher's guide. Field test edition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1982-01-01

Activities are outlined to introduce students to information on solar energy while performing ordinary classroom work. In this teaching manual solar energy is integrated with the humanities. The activities include such things as stories, newspapers, writing assignments, and art and musical presentations all filled with energy related terms. An energy glossary is provided. (BCS)

Promoting Teacher Adoption of Physical Activity Breaks in the Classroom: Findings of the Central Texas Catch Middle School Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delk, Joanne; Springer, Andrew E.; Kelder, Steven H.; Grayless, Megan

2014-01-01

Background: Research suggests that physical activity breaks (ABs) during class increase students' physical activity levels and provide an academic benefit. This study evaluates a 3-year intervention aimed at encouraging teacher AB use. Methods: Thirty central Texas middle schools were assigned to 1 of 3 conditions: training-only…

Drawing Feat.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenman, Geri

2000-01-01

Describes an art activity for a beginning drawing class in which students draw pictures of feet using either a foot model or their own feet. Explains three choices of papers and techniques that could be used for the assignment. (CMK)

Comparing Looping Teacher-Assigned and Traditional Teacher-Assigned Student Achievement Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lloyd, Melissa C.

2014-01-01

A problem in many elementary schools is determining which teacher assignment strategy best promotes the academic progress of students. To find and implement educational practices that address the academic needs of all learners, schools need research-based data focusing on the 2 teacher assignment strategies: looping assignment (LA) and traditional…

Discovering Astronomy: An Astro 101 e-book

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shawl, Stephen J.; Byrd, Gene; Deustua, Susana E.; LoPresto, Michael C.

2016-01-01

Discovering Astronomy, now available in its 6th edition as an eText, has many advantages and features for your students. We have partnered with etextink.com and WebAssign.net to produce an affordable set of cost-saving options for your students. Also available is the Discovering Astronomy Activity Manual, which provides students with an active-learning experience.Our etext is device independent and thus accessible through any web browser. Americans with Disabilities Act compatibility provides access for all students. Hotlinks to outside sites provide further information for interested students. Lecture demonstration videos of important concepts, made specifically for this new edition, are embedded within the text as appropriate. Students can highlight text, take notes, and bookmark locations within the text. Important terms are linked to the glossary. Search capabilities allow students to easily find what they want.Instructors can interact with their students directly through the etext once the class roster has been provided. For example, instructors can embed assignments into their students' etext and add their own notes and updates, which are immediately visible to their students.Updates can be quickly made by us as new findings become available. For example, updates from New Horizons were added at the time of the closest approach to Pluto, and an update on the recent announcement of current water on Mars was added the day of the announcement.We will present results of our own experience with college and high school students' use of Discovering Astronomy in online courses.Details of the book, a sample chapter, and other information are available at discoveringastronomy.weebly.com.

A case study: using social tagging to engage students in learning Medical Subject Headings*

PubMed Central

Bresnahan, Megan; Flynn, David B.; Harzbecker, Joseph; Blanchard, Mary; Ginn, David

2009-01-01

In exploring new ways of teaching students how to use Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), librarians at Boston University's Alumni Medical Library (AML) integrated social tagging into their instruction. These activities were incorporated into the two-credit graduate course, “GMS MS 640: Introduction to Biomedical Information,” required for all students in the graduate medical science program. Hands-on assignments and in-class exercises enabled librarians to present MeSH and the concept of a controlled vocabulary in a familiar and relevant context for the course's Generation Y student population and provided students the opportunity to actively participate in creating their education. At the conclusion of these activities, students were surveyed regarding the clarity of the presentation of the MeSH vocabulary. Analysis of survey responses indicated that 46% found the concept of MeSH to be the clearest concept presented in the in-class intervention. PMID:19404497

The Impact of Computer-Based Assignments on Student Motivation to Complete Homework Assignments for Sixth-Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cyr, Mary Ann

2013-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the engagement of 11 middle school-aged students from a southeast Michigan public school, who were given laptop computers with twenty-four-hour-a-day Internet access in order to complete homework assignments. Specifically, this study examined the perceptions of sixth-grade students regarding the…

Matching School Resources and Student Needs: Scheduling and Assignment Problems in High Schools Serving At-Risk Youth. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Natriello, Gary; And Others

By studying the process by which disadvantaged and low-achieving high school students are assigned to classes and special programs, how and why disadvantaged students are placed in inappropriate programs can be understood. Reasons exist to question the assumption that students are assigned to programs rationally on the basis of information about…

Marking Student Programs Using Graph Similarity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naude, Kevin A.; Greyling, Jean H.; Vogts, Dieter

2010-01-01

We present a novel approach to the automated marking of student programming assignments. Our technique quantifies the structural similarity between unmarked student submissions and marked solutions, and is the basis by which we assign marks. This is accomplished through an efficient novel graph similarity measure ("AssignSim"). Our experiments…

Formative assessment in physiology teaching using a wireless classroom communication system.

PubMed

Paschal, Cynthia B

2002-12-01

Systems physiology, studied by biomedical engineers, is an analytical way to approach the homeostatic foundations of basic physiology. In many systems physiology courses, students attend lectures and are given homework and reading assignments to complete outside of class. The effectiveness of this traditional approach was compared with an approach in which a wireless classroom communication system was used to provide instant feedback on in-class learning activities and reading assignment quizzes. Homework was eliminated in this approach. The feedback system used stimulated 100% participation in class and facilitated rapid formative assessment. The results of this study indicate that learning of systems physiology concepts including physiology is at least, as if not more, effective when in-class quizzes and activities with instant feedback are used in place of traditional learning activities including homework. When results of this study are interpreted in light of possible effects of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on student learning in the test group, it appears that the modified instruction may be more effective than the traditional instruction.

The Game of History: A Creative Review Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Christine

2005-01-01

About eight days before final exams, teacher, Christine Bell, gives her students a study guide and a new assignment: to create their own board game. She groups students into threes. They have a week or so to prepare their game, the form of which should be based on anything of interest. The key is that the content of their game must include one…

Personality's Top 40: An Assignment to Motivate Students to Apply Personality Concepts to Their Favorite Songs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wesselmann, Eric D.; Kassner, Matthew P.; Graziano, William G.

2016-01-01

We created an activity in an upper-level personality psychology course in which interested students created an "entry" for a contest in which they chose a popular song that illustrated a course concept. The class evaluated these entries and voted on their favorites in a tournament-style bracket system; winners received extra credit.…

Beach Books: 2014-2016. What Do Colleges and Universities Want Students to Read outside Class?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Randall, David

2016-01-01

Hundreds of American colleges and universities continue to assign a summer reading to entering freshmen--typically one book, which the students are asked to read outside their courses. Many institutions embed the common reading in a larger program of campus activities: typically, they invite the common reading author to help open the academic year…

"Sharks in Your Hands"--A Case Study on Effects of Teaching Strategies to Change Knowledge and Attitudes towards Sharks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Hung-Shan; Liu, Shiang-Yao; Yeh, Ting-Kuang

2016-01-01

This study was designed to exemplify how hands-on based teaching strategies enhanced students' knowledge and positive attitudes towards sharks. Hands-on activities for sharks' biological and morphological features were carried out. Eleven elementary school students from a remote area in Taiwan were recruited and assigned to the hands-on condition.…

Project Atlantis--An Exercise in the Application of Earth Science to a Critical Examination of a Pseudoscience Hypothesis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Earle, Steven

2003-01-01

Describes an activity in which students are asked to write an essay on the Crustal Displacement hypothesis, an hypothesis that is inconsistent with the accepted understanding of crustal and mantle processes. The assignment is useful because it forces students to solidify their understanding of plate tectonics by applying their knowledge in a new…

Do Diligent Students Perform Better? Complex Relations between Student and Course Characteristics, Study Time, and Academic Performance in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masui, Chris; Broeckmans, Jan; Doumen, Sarah; Groenen, Anne; Molenberghs, Geert

2014-01-01

Research has reported equivocal results regarding the relationship between study time investment and academic performance in higher education. In the setting of the active, assignment-based teaching approach at Hasselt University (Belgium), the present study aimed (a) to further clarify the role of study time in academic performance, while taking…

Effects of Physical Training and Calcium Intake on Bone Mineral Density of Students with Mental Retardation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hemayattalab, Rasool

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of physical training and calcium intake on bone mineral density (BMD) of students with mental retardation. Forty mentally retarded boys (age 7-10 years old) were randomly assigned to four groups (no differences in age, BMD, calcium intake and physical activity): training groups with or…

Supervising Unsuccessful Student Teaching Assignments: Two Terminator's Tales.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

St. Maurice, Henry

2001-01-01

Discusses problems that arise when there is a conflict between a student teacher and the supervising teacher and when a student teacher does not perform satisfactorily. Focuses on how supervisors deal with failed assignments and how beginning teachers improve their teaching and learn from failed assignments. (Contains 21 references.) (JOW)

A Comparison of Electronic and Paper-Based Assignment Submission and Feedback

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bridge, Pete; Appleyard, Rob

2008-01-01

This paper presents the results of a study evaluating student perceptions of online assignment submission. 47 students submitted assignments and received feedback via features within the Virtual Learning Environment Blackboard[TM]. The students then completed questionnaires comparing their experience of online submission and feedback with…

Learning to Write Like a Scientist: A Writing-Intensive Course for Microbiology/Health Science Students †

PubMed Central

Grzyb, Kimi; Snyder, Wesley; Field, Katharine G.

2018-01-01

Learning the tools and conventions of expert communication in the sciences provides multiple benefits to bioscience students, yet often these skills are not formally taught. To address this need, we designed a writing-intensive microbiology course on emerging infectious diseases to provide upper-division students with science-specific writing skills along with disciplinary course content. The course followed the guidelines of our university’s Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) program. Students wrote a press release, a case study, a controversy/position paper, and a grant prospectus, and revised drafts after feedback. To assess the course, in 2015 and 2016 we administered pre-post surveys and collected writing samples for analysis. Students reported on their experience, training, skills, and knowledge before taking the course. They then rated the extent to which the assignments, lectures, in-class activities, and writing activities contributed to their attainment of the learning outcomes of the course. Students entering the class were inexperienced in tools of science writing and the specific genres covered by the class. Their confidence levels rose in both skills and knowledge. Feedback from instructors was cited as most helpful in the majority of the areas where students reported the most gains. The survey provided evidence that discipline-specific knowledge had been acquired through writing activities. Teaching science writing by allowing the students to write “fiction” (e.g., a case report about a fictional patient) was effective in maintaining a high level of interest, both in learning the conventions of the genre and in seeking out detailed information about emerging infectious diseases. Both the course structure and the specific assignments would be useful at other institutions to teach science writing. PMID:29904515

Pediatric Online Evidence-Based Medicine Assignment Is a Novel Effective Enjoyable Undergraduate Medical Teaching Tool

PubMed Central

Kotb, Magd A.; Elmahdy, Hesham Nabeh; Khalifa, Nour El Deen Mahmoud; El-Deen, Mohamed Hamed Nasr; Lotfi, Mohamed Amr N.

2015-01-01

Abstract Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is delivered through a didactic, blended learning, and mixed models. Students are supposed to construct an answerable question in PICO (patient, intervention, comparison, and outcome) framework, acquire evidence through search of literature, appraise evidence, apply it to the clinical case scenario, and assess the evidence in relation to clinical context. Yet these teaching models have limitations especially those related to group work, for example, handling uncooperative students, students who fail to contribute, students who domineer, students who have personal conflict, their impact upon progress of their groups, and inconsistent individual acquisition of required skills. At Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, we designed a novel undergraduate pediatric EBM assignment online system to overcome shortcomings of previous didactic method and aimed to assess its effectiveness by prospective follow-up during academic years 2012 to 2013 and 2013 to 2014. The novel web-based online interactive system was tailored to provide sequential single and group assignments for each student. Single assignment addressed a specific case scenario question, while group assignment was teamwork that addressed different questions of same case scenario. Assignment comprised scholar content and skills. We objectively analyzed students’ performance by criterion-based assessment and subjectively by anonymous student questionnaire. A total of 2879 were enrolled in 5th year Pediatrics Course consecutively, of them 2779 (96.5%) logged in and 2554 (88.7%) submitted their work. They were randomly assigned to 292 groups. A total of 2277 (89.15%) achieved ≥80% of total mark (4/5), of them 717 (28.1%) achieved a full mark. A total of 2178 (85.27%) and 2359 (92.36%) made evidence-based conclusions and recommendations in single and group assignment, respectively (P < 0.001). A total of 1102 (43.1%) answered student questionnaire, of them 898 (81.48%) found e-educational experience satisfactory, 175 (15.88%) disagreed, and 29 (2.6%) could not decide. A total of 964 (87.47%) found single assignment educational, 913 (82.84%) found group assignment educational, and 794 (72.3%) enjoyed it. Web-based online interactive undergraduate EBM assignment was found effective in teaching medical students and assured individual student acquisition of concepts and skills of pediatric EMB. It was effective in mass education, data collection, and storage essential for system and student assessment. PMID:26200621

Collaborative group work: effects of group size and assignment structure on learning gain, student satisfaction and perceived participation.

PubMed

Kooloos, Jan G M; Klaassen, Tim; Vereijken, Mayke; Van Kuppeveld, Sascha; Bolhuis, Sanneke; Vorstenbosch, Marc

2011-01-01

Collaborative group sessions in Nijmegen include 15 students who work all together on a group assignment. Sometimes, the group is split-up in three and every subgroup elaborates a part of the assignment. At the end, they peer-teach each other. It is believed that the split-up enhances participation and therefore learning gain. To establish the effect of group size and structure of the assignment on the perceived participation, the satisfaction and learning gain of collaborative group sessions. In this study, 27 groups of 15 students were equally divided into: A-group: all 15 students working on the complete assignment. B-group: subgroups of 5 students working on the complete assignment. C-group: subgroups of 5 students working on a smaller part, and peer-teaching each other at the end of the group session. All students took a pre-test, a post-test and a follow-up test and completed a questionnaire. Questionnaires were analyzed with a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post hoc by multiple comparisons. Learning gain was analyzed using a repeated measures ANOVA. A group size effect is observed in favor of working in subgroups. Perceived participation of the students differs between A and B (p ≤ 0.001) and between A and C (p ≤ 0.001), but not between B and C. Also, an assignment effect is found in favor of the smaller assignment combined with peer-teaching. The students' satisfaction differs between A and C (p ≤ 0.003) and between B and C (p ≤ 0.001), but not between A and B. The C-group also shows higher test results (p ≤ 0.043). The students prefer smaller groups as well as smaller assignments including peer-teaching. A possible larger learning gain of this format needs to be re-investigated.

Learning through loss: implementing lossography narratives in death education.

PubMed

Bolkan, Cory; Srinivasan, Erica; Dewar, Alexis R; Schubel, Stacey

2015-01-01

Students may have a greater willingness to discuss issues of death and loss through written assignments; however, there is little guidance for instructors regarding how to manage these sensitive assignments, nor how students benefit from them. The authors implemented and evaluated a "lossography" assignment in an undergraduate thanatology course in which students wrote about their losses and anonymously shared these narratives with their classmates. Although many themes of loss emerged, the most frequently reported significant loss was death of a grandparent. Additionally, most significant losses occurred in childhood/adolescence. Prominent themes related to student learning included gaining self-awareness, knowledge about grief responses, and compassion for others. Students (N = 64) also completed a survey reflecting on their course learning. Of all aspects of course delivery, 44% identified the lossography as the most beneficial, whereas 97% recommended this assignment for future students. The implications of the assignment for death education are also discussed.

Effects of digital game-based learning on student engagement and academic achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Little, Timothy W.

This experimental study was designed to determine the effect of digital game-based learning on student engagement and academic achievement. The sample was comprised of 34 students enrolled in a secondary Biology class in a rural public school. The study utilized an experimental pretest-posttest design with switching replications. After random assignment, students participated in one of two supplemental learning activities: playing a digital game designed to review science concepts or participating in a lab to review the same concepts. Students subsequently switched activities. Student achievement data were collected on mastery of science concepts, and student engagement data were collected utilizing self- and teacher-reported measures. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures. Results demonstrated that the digital game was as effective as the lab activity at increasing teacher-reported student engagement and academic achievement. These findings may be of interest to school administrators or directors of teacher preparation programs on the potential effectiveness of digital games as a learning tool.

Diversity of nursing student views about simulation design: a q-methodological study.

PubMed

Paige, Jane B; Morin, Karen H

2015-05-01

Education of future nurses benefits from well-designed simulation activities. Skillful teaching with simulation requires educators to be constantly aware of how students experience learning and perceive educators' actions. Because revision of simulation activities considers feedback elicited from students, it is crucial to understand the perspective from which students base their response. In a Q-methodological approach, 45 nursing students rank-ordered 60 opinion statements about simulation design into a distribution grid. Factor analysis revealed that nursing students hold five distinct and uniquely personal perspectives-Let Me Show You, Stand By Me, The Agony of Defeat, Let Me Think It Through, and I'm Engaging and So Should You. Results suggest that nurse educators need to reaffirm that students clearly understand the purpose of each simulation activity. Nurse educators should incorporate presimulation assignments to optimize learning and help allay anxiety. The five perspectives discovered in this study can serve as a tool to discern individual students' learning needs. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

Student knowledge and confidence in an elective clinical toxicology course using active-learning techniques.

PubMed

Thomas, Michael C; Macias-Moriarity, Liliairica Z

2014-06-17

To measure changes in students' knowledge and confidence scores after completing an elective clinical toxicology course in an accelerated doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program. Various active-learning techniques were used to create a learner-centered environment. Approximately two-thirds of the course used student-led presentations. Some of those not presenting were assigned to be evaluators, responsible for asking the presenter a question or writing quiz questions based on the presented material. Other learner-centered activities included weekly quizzes and discussions at the conclusion of each presented topic. A test instrument designed to measure students' knowledge and associated level of confidence on each item was administered at the beginning and end of the course. Students' knowledge and confidence scores increased significantly from pretest to posttest. Students' increased confidence and knowledge scores were well correlated after course completion, indicating students were better able to self-assess these areas. These findings suggest that confidence could be an additional measure of students' metacognitive skill development.

My student body: effects of an internet-based prevention program to decrease obesity among college students.

PubMed

Lachausse, Robert G

2012-01-01

To determine the impact of My Student Body (MSB)-Nutrition, an Internet-based obesity prevention program for college students. Three hundred and twenty ethnically diverse undergraduate students were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 conditions: MSB-Nutrition program, an on-campus weight management course, and a comparison group. Students completed baseline and follow-up surveys regarding their nutrition and physical activity behaviors, self-efficacy, stress, attitudes, and body weight. Compared with the on-campus course and a comparison group, the MSB-Nutrition program increased fruit and vegetable consumption, reduced stress, and increased fruit and vegetable self-efficacy but had no significant effect on students' exercise self-efficacy, exercise behavior, or weight loss. The MSB-Nutrition program was effective in changing students' nutrition behaviors but had no effect on physical activity behaviors or weight loss. Suggestions for improving Internet-based interventions aimed at decreasing obesity rates among college students are offered.

Implementing online quantitative support modules in an intermediate-level course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daly, J.

2011-12-01

While instructors typically anticipate that students in introductory geology courses enter a class with a wide range of quantitative ability, we often overlook the fact that this may also be true in upper-level courses. Some students are drawn to the subject and experience success in early courses with an emphasis on descriptive geology, then experience frustration and disappointment in mid- and upper-level courses that are more quantitative. To bolster student confidence in quantitative skills and enhance their performance in an upper-level course, I implemented several modules from The Math You Need (TMYN) online resource with a 200-level geomorphology class. Student facility with basic quantitative skills (rearranging equations, manipulating units, and graphing) was assessed with an online pre- and post-test. During the semester, modules were assigned to complement existing course activities (for example, the module on manipulating units was assigned prior to a lab on measurement of channel area and water velocity, then calculation of discharge). The implementation was designed to be a concise review of relevant skills for students with higher confidence in their quantitative abilities, and to provide a self-paced opportunity for students with less quantitative facility to build skills. This course already includes a strong emphasis on quantitative data collection, analysis, and presentation; in the past, student performance in the course has been strongly influenced by their individual quantitative ability. I anticipate that giving students the opportunity to improve mastery of fundamental quantitative skills will improve their performance on higher-stakes assignments and exams, and will enhance their sense of accomplishment in the course.

Non-Fiction Memoirs in the Neuroscience Classroom: A Window into the Minds of Those Affected by Addiction.

PubMed

Pollack, Alexia E

2015-01-01

When I first developed an Addiction course for the Honors College at UMass-Boston in 2006, it focused exclusively on the acute and long-term effects of psychoactive substances on the brain. However, I soon realized that a strictly biological perspective failed to capture how this complex disorder affected the whole person. Students had no insight into addicts' thoughts, feelings, behaviors or how their addiction affected others. To remedy this, students read two non-fiction memoirs: Tweak (Nic Sheff, young adult addict) and Beautiful Boy (David Sheff, Nic's father) along with learning underlying neurobiology and pharmacology. Reading memoirs students saw firsthand the impact of addiction on individuals. Inspired by the diary structure of Tweak, one assignment asked students to collect data about themselves in order to determine their daily patterns/rituals and to contemplate the impact of removing these activities - like the addict after rehabilitation. Other assignments asked students to do close reading by selecting passages from Tweak and explaining how they related to different facets of addiction (biological, environmental, effect on individual), and to perform a comparative analysis between Beautiful Boy and Tweak to find points of intersection and divergence. Most recently, students used the text of Tweak to create interactive performances for a visiting high school class. Memoirs provided students with detailed, honest accounts of lives affected by addiction. The assignments and class discussions facilitated students understanding of the impact of addiction on individuals and their families, which was a powerful adjunct to learning about its underlying neurobiology and pharmacology.

Non-Fiction Memoirs in the Neuroscience Classroom: A Window into the Minds of Those Affected by Addiction

PubMed Central

Pollack, Alexia E.

2015-01-01

When I first developed an Addiction course for the Honors College at UMass-Boston in 2006, it focused exclusively on the acute and long-term effects of psychoactive substances on the brain. However, I soon realized that a strictly biological perspective failed to capture how this complex disorder affected the whole person. Students had no insight into addicts’ thoughts, feelings, behaviors or how their addiction affected others. To remedy this, students read two non-fiction memoirs: Tweak (Nic Sheff, young adult addict) and Beautiful Boy (David Sheff, Nic’s father) along with learning underlying neurobiology and pharmacology. Reading memoirs students saw firsthand the impact of addiction on individuals. Inspired by the diary structure of Tweak, one assignment asked students to collect data about themselves in order to determine their daily patterns/rituals and to contemplate the impact of removing these activities – like the addict after rehabilitation. Other assignments asked students to do close reading by selecting passages from Tweak and explaining how they related to different facets of addiction (biological, environmental, effect on individual), and to perform a comparative analysis between Beautiful Boy and Tweak to find points of intersection and divergence. Most recently, students used the text of Tweak to create interactive performances for a visiting high school class. Memoirs provided students with detailed, honest accounts of lives affected by addiction. The assignments and class discussions facilitated students understanding of the impact of addiction on individuals and their families, which was a powerful adjunct to learning about its underlying neurobiology and pharmacology. PMID:26557794

Comprehending Procedural Instructions: The Influence of Metacognitive Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schorr, Frances

A study was undertaken to delineate and assess the comprehension monitoring activities adults employed when following directions to assemble a model. The study also examined the effects of mode of presentation on such activities. Twenty-six college students were assigned to one of three groups and given a model to assemble. One group received…

Learning the ShamWow: Creating Infomercials to Teach the AIDA Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Seung Hwan; Hoffman, K. Douglas

2015-01-01

The AIDA Model (Attention-Interest-Desire-Action) is one of the classical promotional theories in marketing. Through active-learning techniques and peer critiques, we use infomercials as an innovative educational tool to instruct the four components of the AIDA model. Student evaluations regarding this active-learning assignment reveal that the…

Activities with Parents on the Computer: An Ecological Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paiva, João C.; Morais, Carla; Moreira, Luciano

2017-01-01

This paper proposes an ecological framework "Activities with Parents on the Computer" (APC) to bridge home and school contexts by involving parents and students in digital media based assignments. An exploratory case-study was conducted based on ten parent-child dyads that engaged in an APC at home. Attitudes were assessed through a…

I Remember That from My Pins!: Using Pinterest to Encourage Active Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joyce, Amanda

2017-01-01

Social media is integral to students' lives. Pinterest, an online social network for "Pinning" (sharing) links and images, is the fastest-growing social media tool in history. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effectiveness of a semester-long active-learning assignment using the Pinterest platform. Forty-nine…

A Role Play for Revising Style and Applying Management Theories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griggs, Karen

2005-01-01

Role-playing is a well regarded learning activity. By participating in this activity, students can apply their knowledge through their assigned roles in a realistic but risk-free situation. The role play stimulates class discussion, dramatizes rhetorical principles about purpose, shows how to adapt a text to an audience of employees in a…

Learning Bridge Tool to Improve Student Learning, Preceptor Training, and Faculty Teamwork

PubMed Central

Cawley, Pauline; Arendt, Cassandra S.

2011-01-01

Objectives To implement a Learning Bridge tool to improve educational outcomes for pharmacy students as well as for preceptors and faculty members. Design Pharmacy faculty members collaborated to write 9 case-based assignments that first-year pharmacy (P1) students worked with preceptors to complete while at experiential sites. Assessment Students, faculty members, and preceptors were surveyed about their perceptions of the Learning Bridge process. As in our pilot study,1 the Learning Bridge process promoted student learning. Additionally, the Learning Bridge assignments familiarized preceptors with the school's P1 curriculum and its content. Faculty teamwork also was increased through collaborating on the assignments. Conclusions The Learning Bridge assignments provided a compelling learning environment and benefited students, preceptors, and faculty members. PMID:21655400

Learning bridge tool to improve student learning, preceptor training, and faculty teamwork.

PubMed

Karimi, Reza; Cawley, Pauline; Arendt, Cassandra S

2011-04-11

To implement a Learning Bridge tool to improve educational outcomes for pharmacy students as well as for preceptors and faculty members. Pharmacy faculty members collaborated to write 9 case-based assignments that first-year pharmacy (P1) students worked with preceptors to complete while at experiential sites. Students, faculty members, and preceptors were surveyed about their perceptions of the Learning Bridge process. As in our pilot study,(1) the Learning Bridge process promoted student learning. Additionally, the Learning Bridge assignments familiarized preceptors with the school's P1 curriculum and its content. Faculty teamwork also was increased through collaborating on the assignments. The Learning Bridge assignments provided a compelling learning environment and benefited students, preceptors, and faculty members.

Sports Shorts. [A Product of] the Regional Math Network: A Teacher Invigoration and Curriculum Development Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA. Graduate School of Education.

This middle school mathematics unit is organized around themes relating to sports activities in the Boston (Massachusetts) region and has a content focus on decimals and percents. The activities follow a story line which features a sports reporter (the student) and his/her assignments and adventures. Each activity begins with a headline, defines a…

It's Salsa Time! A Team Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crowne, Kerri Anne

2017-01-01

This article provides information on a team-building activity in which student teams make salsa. I usually use this exercise on the day that I form teams to provide an opportunity for teams to work on something that is not graded prior to completing the graded team assignment. The activity is built on several theories, such as social learning,…

Using Open Educational Resources to Help Students Understand the Sub-Prime Lending Crisis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDowell, Evelyn A.

2010-01-01

In this paper, I describe an assignment designed to give students an intermediate level of understanding of the causes of the crisis using online educational resources widely available on the internet. I implemented the assignment in an undergraduate intermediate accounting course. Feedback from students indicate the assignment enhanced their…

Biasing Influences on Test Level Assignments for Hearing Impaired Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolk, Steve

1985-01-01

Possible biasing influences of student characteristics were considered for teachers' judgments of appropriate test level assignments for about 1,300 hearing impaired special education students. Analyses indicated the presence of strong influences of race and severity of handicapping condition, as well as of sex, upon change in level assignments,…

Detecting Plagiarism in MS Access Assignments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singh, Anil

2013-01-01

Assurance of individual effort from students in computer-based assignments is a challenge. Due to digitization, students can easily use a copy of their friend's work and submit it as their own. Plagiarism in assignments puts students who cheat at par with those who work honestly and this compromises the learning evaluation process. Using a…

The Automatic Sweetheart: An Assignment in a History of Psychology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sibicky, Mark E.

2007-01-01

This article describes an assignment in a History of Psychology course used to enhance student retention of material and increase student interest and discussion of the long-standing debate between humanistic and mechanistic models in psychology. Adapted from William James's (1955) automatic sweetheart question, the assignment asks students to…

Assignment Choice: Do Students Choose Briefer Assignments or Finishing What They Started?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawthorn-Embree, Meredith L.; Skinner, Christopher H.; Parkhurst, John; O'Neil, Michael; Conley, Elisha

2010-01-01

Academic skill development requires engagement in effortful academic behaviors. Although students may be more likely to choose to engage in behaviors that require less effort, they also may be motivated to complete assignments that they have already begun. Seventh-grade students (N = 88) began a mathematics computation worksheet, but were stopped…

Teaching Complaint and Adjustment Letters--And Tact (My Favorite Assignment).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deimling, Paula

1992-01-01

Describes a three-part assignment in which each student writes a complaint letter and an adjustment letter responding to another student's complaint letter. Discusses how the third part of the assignment--journal entries--allows students to formulate their own criteria for excellent letters based upon their reactions to the letters they receive.…

A Case-Study Assignment to Teach Theoretical Perspectives in Abnormal Psychology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perkins, David V.

1991-01-01

Describes an assignment that requires students to organize, prepare, and revise a case study in abnormal behavior. Explains that students employ a single theoretical perspective in preparing a report on a figure from history, literature, the arts, or current events. Discusses the value of the assignment for students. (SG)

Evaluation of the Use of a Virtual Patient on Student Competence and Confidence in Performing Simulated Clinic Visits.

PubMed

Taglieri, Catherine A; Crosby, Steven J; Zimmerman, Kristin; Schneider, Tulip; Patel, Dhiren K

2017-06-01

Objective. To assess the effect of incorporating virtual patient activities in a pharmacy skills lab on student competence and confidence when conducting real-time comprehensive clinic visits with mock patients. Methods. Students were randomly assigned to a control or intervention group. The control group completed the clinic visit prior to completing virtual patient activities. The intervention group completed the virtual patient activities prior to the clinic visit. Student proficiency was evaluated in the mock lab. All students completed additional exercises with the virtual patient and were subsequently assessed. Student impressions were assessed via a pre- and post-experience survey. Results. Student performance conducting clinic visits was higher in the intervention group compared to the control group. Overall student performance continued to improve in the subsequent module. There was no change in student confidence from pre- to post-experience. Student rating of the ease of use and realistic simulation of the virtual patient increased; however, student rating of the helpfulness of the virtual patient decreased. Despite student rating of the helpfulness of the virtual patient program, student performance improved. Conclusion. Virtual patient activities enhanced student performance during mock clinic visits. Students felt the virtual patient realistically simulated a real patient. Virtual patients may provide additional learning opportunities for students.

Using Computers in Introductory Astronomy Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deming, Grace L.

1995-12-01

Computer literacy is fast becoming a focal point in undergraduate education. Scientific literacy has been a continuing goal of undergraduate programs across the nation and a course in introductory astronomy is often used to satisfy such science requirements. At U. MD an introduction to computer skills is being integrated into our astronomy curriculum for non-science majors. The campus is adequately equipped with computer labs, yet many students enter college without basic computer skills. In Astronomy 101 (General Astronomy) students are introduced to electronic mail, a Listserver, and the world wide web. Students in this course are required to register for a free campus computer account. Their first assignment is to use e-mail to subscribe to the class Listserver, Milkyway. Through Milkyway, students have access to weekly lecture summaries, questions to review for exams, and copies of previous exams. Using e-mail students may pose questions, provide comments, or exchange opinions using Milkyway, or they may e-mail the instructor directly. Studies indicate that using e-mail is less intimidating to a student than asking a question in a class of 200 students. Monitoring e-mail for student questions has not been a problem. Student reaction has been favorable to using e-mail, since instructor office hours are not always convenient, especially to commuting or working students. Through required assignments, students receive an introduction to accessing information on the world wide web using Netscape. Astronomy has great resources available on the Internet which can be used to supplement and reinforce introductory material. Assignments are structured so that students will gain the techniques necessary to access available information. It is hoped that students will successfully apply the computer skills they learn in astronomy class to their own fields and as life-long learners. We have found that students comfortable with computers are willing to share their knowledge with others. The computer activities have been structured to promote cooperation between students. These skills are also necessary for success.

Using a dual safeguard web-based interactive teaching approach in an introductory physics class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Lie-Ming; Li, Bin; Luo, Ying

2015-06-01

We modified the Just-in-Time Teaching approach and developed a dual safeguard web-based interactive (DGWI) teaching system for an introductory physics course. The system consists of four instructional components that improve student learning by including warm-up assignments and online homework. Student and instructor activities involve activities both in the classroom and on a designated web site. An experimental study with control groups evaluated the effectiveness of the DGWI teaching method. The results indicate that the DGWI method is an effective way to improve students' understanding of physics concepts, develop students' problem-solving abilities through instructor-student interactions, and identify students' misconceptions through a safeguard framework based on questions that satisfy teaching requirements and cover all of the course material. The empirical study and a follow-up survey found that the DGWI method increased student-teacher interaction and improved student learning outcomes.

Effective, Active Learning Strategies for the Oceanography Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dmochowski, J. E.; Marinov, I.

2014-12-01

A decline in enrollment in STEM fields at the university level has prompted extensive research on alternative ways of teaching and learning science. Inquiry-based learning as well as the related "flipped" or "active" lectures, and similar teaching methods and philosophies have been proposed as more effective ways to disseminate knowledge in science classes than the traditional lecture. We will provide a synopsis of our experiences in implementing some of these practices into our Introductory Oceanography, Global Climate Change, and Ocean Atmosphere Dynamics undergraduate courses at the University of Pennsylvania, with both smaller and larger enrollments. By implementing tools such as at-home modules; computer labs; incorporation of current research; pre- and post-lecture quizzes; reflective, qualitative writing assignments; peer review; and a variety of in-class learning strategies, we aim to increase the science literacy of the student population and help students gain a more comprehensive knowledge of the topic, enhance their critical thinking skills, and correct misconceptions. While implementing these teaching techniques with college students is not without complications, we argue that a blended class that flexibly and creatively accounts for class size and science level improves the learning experience and the acquired knowledge. We will present examples of student assignments and activities as well as describe the lessons we have learned, and propose ideas for moving forward to best utilize innovative teaching tools in order to increase science literacy in oceanography and other climate-related courses.

"What if This Really Happened?" Using Critical Literacy Practices and Dystopian Fiction to Mediate Self-Efficacy with At-Risk Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilcox, Sherri Kirkland

2015-01-01

At-risk students are oftenn unmotivated and disengaged from literacy activities. They are sometimes below grade level and feel inadequate to accomplish the complex reading tasks with which they are confronted in high school; therefore, they often will not even attempt to do the work (Bandura, 1986). Students who are assigned to a Disciplinary…

Can Facebook Make Students Remember? An Experimental Study from Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acar, Adam

2014-01-01

This study experimentally manipulated the way students submit their assignments and tested the number of new words that are learned in each condition. The results showed that students who submitted their assignments through Facebook learned as much as those who submitted their assignment in a traditional way. In the light of these findings, we can…

"This Is a Public Service Announcement": Evaluating and Redesigning Campaigns to Teach Attitudes and Persuasion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koch, Erika J.; Lomore, Christine D.

2009-01-01

We present an assignment that requires students to apply their knowledge of the social psychology of attitudes and persuasion to critique and redesign a public service announcement. Students in a 200-level social psychology course evaluated the assignment by indicating their overall attitudes toward the assignment. Students rated the assignment…

The "Post-Racial" Politics of Race: Changing Student Assignment Policy in Three School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDermott, Kathryn A.; Frankenberg, Erica; Diem, Sarah

2015-01-01

Many school districts have recently revised, or tried to revise, their policies for assigning students to schools, because the legal and political status of racial and other kinds of diversity is uncertain, and the districts are facing fiscal austerity. This article presents case studies of politics and student assignment policy in three large…

An Empirical Examination of the Roles of Ability and Gender in Collaborative Homework Assignments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Jeffrey

2010-01-01

The author investigates how ability and gender affect grades on homework projects performed by assigned pairs of students in an undergraduate macroeconomics course. The assignment grade is found to depend on the ability of both students, and the relative importance of the stronger and weaker student differs in predictable ways depending on the…

Cooperative Electronic Mail: Effective Communication Technology for Introductory Chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pence, Laura E.

1999-05-01

One drawback to using cooperative learning in the classroom is that it takes up class time and reduces the amount of content that can be covered during a semester. Cooperative electronic mail is an excellent alternate method of using cooperative learning that shifts the medium of interaction to the computer and encourages students to learn to communicate effectively through technology. In this project, three types of exercises were assigned, one prior to each exam. These three assignments were (i) an open-ended question, (ii) a traditional cooperative activity done electronically, and (iii) an exercise to allow students to write exam questions for each other. The average participation rate in the exercises was 90% over four semesters, which indicated that the project was an effective incentive to get students to use email regularly. The evaluations of the project were also extremely positive. One surprising result of the assessment was that female students gave even more favorable responses than men, suggesting that this project was an excellent way to encourage women to use computer technology.

The "Outsider/Insider" Assignment: A Pedagogical Innovation for Teaching Cross-Cultural Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garcia, Angela Cora

2014-01-01

In this paper, I describe an innovative assignment for teaching undergraduate students cross-cultural understanding. The Outsider/Insider assignment simultaneously teaches facts about cultural difference and skills for managing cross-cultural encounters. Briefly, the assignment is to write two short papers, one in which the student describes a…

The surfacing of past assessment strategies within interdisciplinary teams when encountering an open-ended assignment in an undergraduate sustainability course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartman, K.; Dzulkifli, D. D. B.; Moynihan, M. A.; Salman, R.; Goodkin, N.

2017-12-01

267 undergraduate students in an interdisciplinary environmental sustainability course were divided into 66 groups for the duration of the semester. The formation of the groups proceeded by first assigning all of the science majors to groups in a random order. This was followed by assigning the engineering majors, the liberal arts majors, and finally the business majors in turn. After all of the students had been assigned to a group, every group had at least one engineering student and one science student. 11 groups had a liberal arts student but no business student. 26 groups had a business student but no liberal arts student. 29 groups were composed of students from all four majors. During the semester, the groups created an environmental action plan to address one of Singapore's major sustainability concerns: food. In service of the course's emphasis on interdisciplinary communication, the groups were required to create a video to support their environmental action plan. The evaluation method for the videos built on our prior work with rubrics (Hartman & Goodkin, 2016). While we provided a number of examples of videos communicating environmental action plans, students were not prescribed a particular format for their video. To the consternation of some students, the instructor deliberately left the video assessment open-ended. After the semester ended, a researcher coded all 66 videos for the food sustainability issues they identified, their proposed solutions, and their video approach. Approaches included animations, virtual handwriting/drawing, role-playing, PowerPoint presentations, and picture slideshows. Given the open-ended nature of the video project, we hypothesized that groups would converge on approaches that at least one team member was familiar with. We knew from prior work with the business school, that its students engage in role-play activities fairly frequently. Teams with a business major and without a liberal arts major adopted the role-play approach 23% of the time. Teams with both, exhibited the role-play approach 10% of the time. Teams without a business major did not exhibit the role-play approach. The differences in approach rates support the notion that students carry their repertoire of assessment practices with them to courses outside of their domain.

Longitudinal evaluation of the importance of homework assignment completion for the academic performance of middle school students with ADHD.

PubMed

Langberg, Joshua M; Dvorsky, Melissa R; Molitor, Stephen J; Bourchtein, Elizaveta; Eddy, Laura D; Smith, Zoe; Schultz, Brandon K; Evans, Steven W

2016-04-01

The primary goal of this study was to longitudinally evaluate the homework assignment completion patterns of middle school age adolescents with ADHD, their associations with academic performance, and malleable predictors of homework assignment completion. Analyses were conducted on a sample of 104 middle school students comprehensively diagnosed with ADHD and followed for 18 months. Multiple teachers for each student provided information about the percentage of homework assignments turned in at five separate time points and school grades were collected quarterly. Results showed that agreement between teachers with respect to students assignment completion was high, with an intraclass correlation of .879 at baseline. Students with ADHD were turning in an average of 12% fewer assignments each academic quarter in comparison to teacher-reported classroom averages. Regression analyses revealed a robust association between the percentage of assignments turned in at baseline and school grades 18 months later, even after controlling for baseline grades, achievement (reading and math), intelligence, family income, and race. Cross-lag analyses demonstrated that the association between assignment completion and grades was reciprocal, with assignment completion negatively impacting grades and low grades in turn being associated with decreased future homework completion. Parent ratings of homework materials management abilities at baseline significantly predicted the percentage of assignments turned in as reported by teachers 18 months later. These findings demonstrate that homework assignment completion problems are persistent across time and an important intervention target for adolescents with ADHD. Copyright © 2015 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of an Inverted Instructional Delivery Model on Achievement of Ninth-Grade Physical Science Honors Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howell, Donna

This mixed-methods action research study was designed to assess the achievement of ninth-grade Physical Science Honors students by analysis of pre and posttest data. In addition, perceptual data from students, parents, and the researcher were collected to form a complete picture of the flipped lecture format versus the traditional lecture format. The researcher utilized a 4MAT learning cycle in two Physical Science Honors classes. One of these classes was traditionally delivered with lecture-type activities taking place inside the classroom and homework-type activities taking place at home; the other inverted, or flipped, delivered with lecture-type activities taking place outside the classroom and homework-type activities taking place inside the classroom. Existing unit pre and posttests for both classes were analyzed for differences in academic achievement. At the completion of the units, the flipped class students and parents were surveyed, and student focus groups were convened to ascertain their perceptions of the flipped classroom delivery model. Statistical analysis of posttest data revealed that there is no significant difference between the traditional lecture delivery format and the flipped delivery format. Analysis of perceptual data revealed six themes that must be considered when deciding to flip the classroom: how to hold students accountable for viewing the at-home videos, accessibility of students to the required technology, technical considerations relating to the video production, comprehension of the material both during and after viewing the videos, pedagogy of the overall flipped method, and preference for the flipped method overall. Findings revealed that students, parents, and the researcher all had a preference for the flipped class format, provided the above issues are addressed. The flipped class format encourages students to become more responsible for their learning, and, in addition, students reported that the hands-on inquiry activities done in class aided them in learning the subject matter. It is recommended, however, that before instructors decide to flip the classroom, they ensure that all students have access to needed technology, that there is a plan in place for ensuring that the students actually view the assigned videos, that they have a way to create the videos and ensure adequate quality, and that some discussion is held in class after each assigned video to ensure comprehension of the material.

A Deliberate Practice Approach to Teaching Phylogenetic Analysis

PubMed Central

Hobbs, F. Collin; Johnson, Daniel J.; Kearns, Katherine D.

2013-01-01

One goal of postsecondary education is to assist students in developing expert-level understanding. Previous attempts to encourage expert-level understanding of phylogenetic analysis in college science classrooms have largely focused on isolated, or “one-shot,” in-class activities. Using a deliberate practice instructional approach, we designed a set of five assignments for a 300-level plant systematics course that incrementally introduces the concepts and skills used in phylogenetic analysis. In our assignments, students learned the process of constructing phylogenetic trees through a series of increasingly difficult tasks; thus, skill development served as a framework for building content knowledge. We present results from 5 yr of final exam scores, pre- and postconcept assessments, and student surveys to assess the impact of our new pedagogical materials on student performance related to constructing and interpreting phylogenetic trees. Students improved in their ability to interpret relationships within trees and improved in several aspects related to between-tree comparisons and tree construction skills. Student feedback indicated that most students believed our approach prepared them to engage in tree construction and gave them confidence in their abilities. Overall, our data confirm that instructional approaches implementing deliberate practice address student misconceptions, improve student experiences, and foster deeper understanding of difficult scientific concepts. PMID:24297294

DNA Music.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miner, Carol; della Villa, Paula

1997-01-01

Describes an activity in which students reverse-translate proteins from their amino acid sequences back to their DNA sequences then assign musical notes to represent the adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine bases. Data is obtained from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on the Internet. (DDR)

Using Facebook Within a Geriatric Pharmacotherapy Course

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Objective To evaluate using an Internet-based social networking site within an elective geriatric pharmacotherapy course. Design Thirty pharmacy students enrolled in a geriatric pharmacotherapy elective course were invited to join a closed Facebook (Facebook Inc, Palo Alto, CA) group to enhance communication among students and faculty members within the course. Creating a discussion board was the primary activity in the course. Each week, 3 students were assigned to post a healthy aging topic, and other students in the class were expected to post their comments and reactions. The healthy aging topics also were discussed during class. Assessment Students wrote reflections about their experiences using Facebook for the activities within this course. A survey instrument also measured students' opinions about using Facebook for educational purposes. Conclusion Using Facebook allowed students to discuss topics more openly and encouraged classroom discussions of healthy aging topics. PMID:21179256

Doing What Comes Naturally? Student Perceptions and Use of Collaborative Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalin, Jason

2012-01-01

This study investigates how students perceive and use collaborative technologies while also examining the meanings students assign to both collaboration and technology. A qualitative inductive analysis of students' assignments in a professional communication course demonstrates that students use technology to collaborate for its Accessibility,…

Emerging Information Literacy and Research-Method Competencies in Urban Community College Psychology Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolfe, Kate S.

2015-01-01

This article details an assignment developed to teach students at urban community colleges information-literacy skills. This annotated bibliography assignment introduces students to library research skills, helps increase information literacy in beginning college students, and helps psychology students learn research methodology crucial in…

Teaching about Prejudice with a Bogardus Social Distance Scale Activity: Replication and Extension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maurer, Trent W.; Keim, Cassidy

2018-01-01

This study presents a three-year replication and extension of Maurer's (2013) evaluation of a classroom activity to reduce prejudice and discrimination. Students in six sections of an introductory family science course were assigned to one of three conditions and one of two target marginalized groups for a 3x2 design. Results differed…

Adapting the Sport Education Model for Children with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Presse, Cindy; Block, Martin E.; Horton, Mel; Harvey, William J.

2011-01-01

The sport education model (SEM) has been widely used as a curriculum and instructional model to provide children with authentic and active sport experiences in physical education. In this model, students are assigned various roles to gain a deeper understanding of the sport or activity. This article provides a brief overview of the SEM and…

Critical Thinking Activities and the Enhancement of Ethical Awareness: An Application of a "Rhetoric of Disruption" to the Undergraduate General Education Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Jeffrey W.

2015-01-01

This article explores how critical thinking activities and assignments can function to enhance students' ethical awareness and sense of civic responsibility. Employing Levinas's Other-centered theory of ethics, Burke's notion of "the paradox of substance", and Murray's concept of "a rhetoric of disruption", this article…

Integrated Design of Basic Training, Practicum and End-of-Course Assignment Modules in the Teacher Training Degree: Perception of University Teachers, Students, and School Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torremorell, Maria Carme Boqué; de Nicolás, Montserrat Alguacil; Valls, Mercè Pañellas

Teacher training at the Blanquerna Faculty of Psychology and Educational and Sports Sciences (FPCEE), in Barcelona, has a long pedagogical tradition based on teaching innovation. Its educational style is characterised by methods focused on the students' involvement and on close collaboration with teaching practice centres. Within a core subject in the Teacher Training diploma course, students were asked to assess different methodological proposals aimed at promoting the development of their personal, social, and professional competences. In the assessment surveys, from a sample of 145 students, scores for variables very satisfactory or satisfactory ranged from 95.8 % to 83.4 % for the entire set of methodological actions under analysis. Data obtained in this first research phase were very useful to design basic training modules for the new Teacher Training Degree. In the second phase (in process), active teachers are asked for their perception on the orientation of the practicum, its connection with the end-of-course assignment, and the in-service student's incidence on innovation processes at school.

Implementation of InTeGrate Modules into Introductory Courses in the El Paso Higher Education Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doser, D. I.; Villalobos, J. I.; Henry, I. E.

2014-12-01

InTeGrate (Interdisciplinary Teaching about Earth for a Sustainable Future) has developed teaching modules that focus on Earth sustainability and Earth-centered societal issues. We have begun to implement modules on climate change, earth materials and freshwater into introductory geology and environmental science courses taught at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), El Paso Community College (EPCC) and local early college high schools (ECHS) for classes of 20 to 220 students. Our eventual goal is to insure students taking introductory classes at any institution will be exposed to comparable content and be similarly prepared for advanced courses. Our initial results suggest that the modules' use of case studies and analysis of authentic data sets are very appealing to our student body (over 70% Hispanic). Since many students do not speak English at home, they were challenged by vocabulary presented in some modules. Modules containing glossaries and extensive background material (such as concept maps and annotated figures) proved very helpful to these students. The use of pre-activity quizzes insured that the students had mastered basic concepts needed for in-class activities. Modifications required to teach these modules in larger classes included condensing materials and reducing the amount of color figures to save paper and printer costs, streamlining dissemination/collection of in-class group assignments, and adapting assignments such as jigsaws and gallery walks to the confines of a large lecture hall with fixed seating. Student reflections indicated students were able to make connections to societal issues and retain these ideas through the end of the courses.

Development of Guidelines Related to Riverside Community College Nursing Student Mandatory Assignment to AIDS Patients in the Clinical Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kross, Carolyn Sue

The purpose of this study was to develop Associate Degree nursing program guidelines for Riverside Community College (RCC), in California, regarding mandatory nursing student assignment to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) patients, and student refusal of such assignments in a clinical setting. During the 1990 fall semester, RCC's Nursing…

The Comparison of the Impact of Storytelling and Digital Storytelling Assignments on Students' Motivations for Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kasami, Naoko

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore how a Digital StoryTelling (DST) assignment affected and changed students' motivations for learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in comparison with a StoryTelling (ST) assignment. A course entitled "Information English" was held for Japanese university students at a faculty of information…

Transdisciplinary assignments in graduate health education as a model for future collaboration.

PubMed

Christie, Catherine; Smith, A Russell; Bednarzyk, Michele

2007-01-01

Transdisciplinary health care continues to be at the forefront of patient treatment in the medical arena, in part due to escalating health care costs, an increasing aging population, and the development of multiple chronic diseases. Gaining the knowledge, experience, and principles associated with transdisciplinary teamwork to successfully prepare for modern-day practice is therefore essential for individuals of various health care professions. This report describes an assignment developed and implemented to facilitate professional interaction between graduate physical therapy, nutrition, and nursing students. The objectives of this assignment were to determine through student evaluation the effects of a transdisciplinary experience on students' understanding of the role of another discipline and students' communication skills across disciplines. When evaluating the assignment, students most often remarked that they developed a greater understanding of the roles of the included disciplines and reported a significant increase in communication skills. However, some students did not concur that this assignment was effective due to the scheduling conflicts and lack of teamwork that can occur during a collaborative project. The students' reports of their experiences in completing the assignment provide valuable insights for implementing and/or updating a preparatory transdisciplinary education component in other settings. Additional research can focus on the challenges faced by the majority of the students venturing into actual health care or "real-world" settings for comparative studies.

Assessment of a simulated contraceptive prescribing activity for pharmacy students.

PubMed

Lynch, Sarah E; Griffin, Brooke L; Vest, Kathleen M

2018-02-01

The role of the pharmacist has been shifting rapidly. One example of change is the passage of legislation allowing pharmacists to independently initiate self-administered hormonal contraceptives in several states. There is no evidence of this specific topic being covered in pharmacy school curricula, and many states are requiring additional post-graduate training. This activity was designed to determine the utility of a contraceptive prescribing simulation activity for pharmacy students. Pharmacy students enrolled in a women's health elective learned about relevant state legislation and attended a clinical skills center simulation activity where they utilized an available prescribing algorithm. Students completed two scenarios and received grades based on their clinical decision-making and patient interaction skills. An electronic survey was distributed post-activity to assess student satisfaction and confidence when prescribing contraceptives. Responses and grades on the assignment were analyzed to determine the activity's utility. Students finished with median scores of 15, 14.8, and 14.5 out of 15 possible points for the three scenarios. Students reported overall satisfaction with the activity, with general agreement that the activity was realistic and made them feel like they were prepared to prescribe contraceptives. Independently initiating contraceptives is a novel practice area for pharmacists. This activity introduced students to the process of prescribing using realistic forms and scenarios. The utility of the activity was twofold - it introduced students to the changing environment of pharmacy practice and allowed students to apply their knowledge of contraceptives and women's health. Students performed well on the activity and reported high levels of satisfaction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Use of an audience response system (ARS) in a dual-campus classroom environment.

PubMed

Medina, Melissa S; Medina, Patrick J; Wanzer, Donald S; Wilson, Jane E; Er, Nelson; Britton, Mark L

2008-04-15

To implement an audience response system in a dual-campus classroom that aggregated data during graded (attendance and quizzes) and non-graded classroom activities (formative quizzes, case discussions, examination reviews, and team activities) and explore its strengths, weaknesses, and impact on active learning. After extensive research, an appropriate audience response system was selected and implemented in a dual-classroom setting for a third-year required PharmD course. Students were assigned a clicker and training and policies regarding clicker use were reviewed. Activities involving clicker use were carefully planned to simultaneously engage students in both classrooms in real time. Focus groups were conducted with students to gather outcomes data. Students and faculty members felt that the immediate feedback the automated response system (ARS) provided was most beneficial during non-graded activities. Student anxiety increased with use of ARS during graded activities due to fears regarding technology failure, user error, and academic integrity. ARS is a viable tool for increasing active learning in a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program, especially when used for non-graded class activities. Faculty members should proceed cautiously with using ARS for graded classroom activities and develop detailed and documented policies for ARS use.

A cluster randomized controlled trial of strategies to increase adolescents' physical activity and motivation in physical education: results of the Motivating Active Learning in Physical Education (MALP) trial.

PubMed

Lonsdale, Chris; Rosenkranz, Richard R; Sanders, Taren; Peralta, Louisa R; Bennie, Andrew; Jackson, Ben; Taylor, Ian M; Lubans, David R

2013-11-01

Physical education (PE) programs aim to promote physical activity (PA) and reach most school-aged youth. However, PA levels within PE lessons are often low. In this cluster-randomized controlled trial, we examined the effects of three self-determination theory-based motivational strategies on PA and sedentary behavior, as well as their hypothesized antecedents during PE lessons. Data were collected in Sydney, Australia (October-December 2011). After baseline testing, teachers (n=16) and their classes (n=288 students; M=13.6 years, 50.4% male) were randomly assigned to one of four teaching strategy conditions: (1) explaining relevance; (2) providing choice; (3) complete free choice; or (4) usual practice. Teachers then delivered the assigned strategy. Primary outcomes were accelerometer-assessed PA and student motivation during lessons. Secondary outcomes included sedentary behavior, perceptions of teachers' support and psychological needs satisfaction. The 'free choice' intervention increased PA (p<.05). 'Providing choice' and 'free choice' interventions decreased sedentary behavior (p<.05). The interventions did not influence motivation, but students' autonomy increased during both choice-based interventions (p<.05). Promoting choice can produce short-term increases in PA and decreases in sedentary behavior, as well as increased perceived autonomy during PE lessons. © 2013.

Investigating the Correlation Between Pharmacy Student Performance on the Health Science Reasoning Test and a Critical Thinking Assignment.

PubMed

Nornoo, Adwoa O; Jackson, Jonathan; Axtell, Samantha

2017-03-25

Objective. To determine whether there is a correlation between pharmacy students' scores on the Health Science Reasoning Test (HSRT) and their grade on a package insert assignment designed to assess critical thinking. Methods. The HSRT was administered to first-year pharmacy students during a critical-thinking course in the spring semester. In the same semester, a required package insert assignment was completed in a pharmacokinetics course. To determine whether there was a relationship between HSRT scores and grades on the assignment, a Spearman's rho correlation test was performed. Results. A very weak but significant positive correlation was found between students' grades on the assignment and their overall HSRT score (r=0.19, p <0.05), as well as deduction (a scale score of the HSRT; r=0.26, p <0.01). Conclusion. Based on a very weak but significant correlation to HSRT scores, this study demonstrated the potential of a package insert assignment to be used as one of the components to measure critical-thinking skills in pharmacy students.

Agreement between veterinary students and anesthesiologists regarding postoperative pain assessment in dogs.

PubMed

Barletta, Michele; Young, Courtni N; Quandt, Jane E; Hofmeister, Erik H

2016-01-01

To determine the levels of agreement among first- and second-year veterinary students and experienced anesthesiologists in assessing postoperative pain in dogs from video-recordings. Cross-sectional study. Twenty-seven veterinary students, five anesthesiologists and 13 canine clinical patients. Prior to their enrolment in a core anesthesia course, veterinary students volunteered to watch 13 90 second videos of dogs. Dogs were hospitalized in an intensive care unit after a variety of surgical procedures. Students were asked to score the level of the dogs' pain using the Dynamic Interactive Visual Analog Scale and the Short Form of the Glasgow Composite-Measure Pain Scale. The same videotapes were scored by five board-certified anesthesiologists. The differences and agreement between the ratings of anesthesiologists and students, and first- and second-year students were determined with Mann-Whitney U-tests and Fleiss' or Cohen's kappa, respectively. Pain scores assigned by students and anesthesiologists differed significantly (p < 0.01). Students assigned higher pain scores to dogs that were given low pain scores by anesthesiologists, and lower pain scores to dogs deemed to be in more pain by anesthesiologists. On average, students assigned higher scores on both scales. Veterinary students early in their training assigned pain scores to dogs that differed from scores assigned by experienced anesthesiologists. © 2015 Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists and the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia.

A Web-Based Peer-Assessment Approach to Improving Junior High School Students' Performance, Self-Efficacy and Motivation in Performing Arts Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsia, Lu-Ho; Huang, Iwen; Hwang, Gwo-Jen

2016-01-01

In this paper, a web-based peer-assessment approach is proposed for conducting performing arts activities. A peer-assessment system was implemented and applied to a junior high school performing arts course to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. A total of 163 junior high students were assigned to an experimental group and a…

The Amistad Incident: A Classroom Reenactment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy, Tedd

1995-01-01

Presents a role-playing activity based on political and legal issues surrounding a mutiny on a Spanish slave ship that landed on U.S. soil in 1839. Includes learning objectives, background information, and role descriptions. Suggests student writing assignments and further research projects. (CFR)

Supporting Preservice Teacher Inquiry with Electronic Portfolios

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepherd, Craig; Hannafin, Michael

2011-01-01

Six preservice social studies teachers created electronic portfolios to examine techniques believed to promote active student engagement during a 12-week field experience. Inquiry into these practices was facilitated through embedded tutorials, assignment suggestions, and question prompts based on principles of evidential reasoning. Although…

Integrating Project-Based Service-Learning into an Advanced Environmental Chemistry Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Draper, Alison J.

2004-01-01

An active service-learning research work is conducted in the field of advanced environmental chemistry. Multiple projects are assigned to students, which promote individual learning skills, self-confidence as scientists, and a deep understanding of the environmental chemist's profession.

Teaching Mediated Public Relations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kent, Michael L.

2001-01-01

Discusses approaches to teaching a mediated public relations course, emphasizing the World Wide Web. Outlines five course objectives, assignments and activities, evaluation, texts, and lecture topics. Argues that students mastering these course objectives will understand ethical issues relating to media use, using mediated technology in public…

Does Autonomy over Teacher Hiring Affect Student Math and Science Achievement?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Youngran

2017-01-01

This paper examines the causal effects of autonomy over teacher hiring on student math and science achievement using the random student assignment policy implemented in Korea. Under this policy, students were randomly assigned to different schools within their school districts which equalized the compositions of student bodies across schools.…

A career exploration assignment for first-year pharmacy students.

PubMed

Sholy, Lydia; Zeenny, Rony

2013-11-12

To develop, implement, and assess student-learning outcomes from an assignment designed to expose first-year pharmacy students (P1) to a wide range of pharmacy career pathways. Students enrolled in a required Pharmacy Practice and Ethics course at the Lebanese American University chose 1 pharmacist career to investigate from a suggested list of 28 career pathways. Students completed a literature review on the selected career, interviewed a pharmacist practicing that career path in Lebanon, wrote a paper, and prepared and delivered a summary presentation to their classmates about the career pathway. Students peer evaluated their classmates after each presentation. More than 85% of the students scored ≥70% on the assignment based on their achievement of student learning outcomes. Responses on an anonymous questionnaire showed that more than 94.6% of students were satisfied with the extent to which the course allowed them to meet the established learning outcomes. A career exploration assignment provided pharmacy students with an opportunity to widen their knowledge and understanding of the different career pathways that are available for them.

Enhancing student retention of prerequisite knowledge through pre-class activities and in-class reinforcement.

PubMed

Taylor, Ann T S; Olofson, Eric L; Novak, Walter R P

2017-03-04

To foster the connection between biochemistry and the supporting prerequisite concepts, a collection of activities that explicitly link general and organic chemistry concepts to biochemistry ideas was written and either assigned as pre-class work or as recitation activities. We assessed student learning gains after using these activities alone, or in combination with regularly-integrated clicker and discussion questions. Learning gains were determined from student performance on pre- and post-tests covering key prerequisite concepts, biochemistry course exams, and student self-evaluation. Long-term retention of the material was assessed using a comprehensive exam given to a subset of the students. Our results show that using the pre-class exercises in combination with integrative questions was effective at improving student performance in both the short and long term. Similar results were obtained at both a large research institution with large class enrollments and at a private liberal arts college with moderate enrollments. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(2):97-104, 2017. © 2016 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Mini-Thesis Writing Course for International Graduate Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wyatt-Brown, Anne M.

An approach to teaching academic writing to foreign graduate students at the University of Florida is described. The course combines general and technical writing assignments to sharpen students' critical thinking skills while improving their organizational techniques and editing strategies. Assignments are designed to help students discover the…

The effects of different gender groupings on middle school students' performance in science lab

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drab, Deborah D.

Grouping students for labs in science classes is a common practice. This mixed methods quasi-experimental action research study examines homogeneous and heterogeneous gender grouping strategies to determine what gender grouping strategy is the most effective in a coeducational science classroom setting. Sixth grade students were grouped in same-gender and mixed-gender groups, alternating each quarter. Over the course of an academic year, data were collected from four sources. The teacher-researcher observed groups working during hands-on activities to collect data on student behaviors. Students completed post-lab questionnaires and an end-of-course questionnaire about their preferences and experiences in the different grouping strategies. Student scores on written lab assignments were also utilized. Data analysis focused on four areas: active engagement, student achievement, student perceptions of success and cooperative teamwork. Findings suggest that teachers may consider grouping students of different ability levels according to different gender grouping strategies to optimize learning.

Middle school science grades: Can they be used to forecast performance on standardized tests?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hubbard, Gary L.

2007-12-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if classroom science grades could be used to forecast standardized testing readiness for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). Participants for this study consisted of 647 eighth grade students assigned to a public middle school in Florida. Using annual classroom science grades and the corresponding year's FCAT Science scale scores for each student, scatter plot graphs and Pearson product-moment correlations were used to determine their relationships. Correlation strengths were determined for several segmented student populations. First, the grade and FCAT score relationship for the entire middle school population was calculated and, then, the relationship between grades and FCAT scores for students grouped by their individual assigned science teacher was determined. Next, a second look at students grouped as above was conducted, this time focusing only on students with unacceptable FCAT scores (levels 1 and 2). The correlation between grades and FCAT scores for the entire middle school was moderate and ranged from high to weak for students assigned to individual science teachers. The relationship of grades and FCAT scores for middle school students that scored at levels 1 and 2 was weakly correlated and ranged from moderate to weak for students as they were assigned to their science teachers. Generally, classroom grades were found to be inefficient predictors for standardized testing readiness for students assigned to this middle school.

Developing students' qualitative muscles in an introductory methods course.

PubMed

SmithBattle, Lee

2014-08-30

The exponential growth of qualitative research (QR) has coincided with methodological innovations, the proliferation of qualitative textbooks and journals, and the greater availability of qualitative methods courses. In spite of these advances, the pedagogy for teaching qualitative methods has received little attention. This paper provides a philosophical foundation for teaching QR with active learning strategies and shows how active learning is fully integrated into a one-semester course. The course initiates students into qualitative dispositions and skills as students develop study aims and procedures; enter the field to gather data; analyze the full set of student-generated data; and write results in a final report. Conducting a study in one semester is challenging but has proven feasible and disabuses students of the view that QR is simple, unscientific, or non-rigorous. Student reflections on course assignments are integrated into the paper. The strengths and limitations of this pedagogical approach are also described.

MICE 2.0: Designing Multimedia Content to Foster Active Learning in a Malaysian Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neo, Tse-Kian; Neo, Mai; Kwok, Wai-Jing; Tan, Yeen-Ju; Lai, Chen-Haw; Zarina, Che Embi

2012-01-01

With the strong emphasis of social constructivism, many educators are finding new ways to stimulate and enhance social activities within the classroom. One such method is the use of cooperative learning. A cohort of students worked in small teams cooperatively to complete an assignment while using blogs to document and reflect their work.…

The effectiveness of integration of virtual patients in a collaborative learning activity.

PubMed

Marei, Hesham F; Donkers, Jeroen; Van Merrienboer, Jeroen J G

2018-05-07

Virtual patients (VPs) have been recently integrated within different learning activities. To compare between the effect of using VPs in a collaborative learning activity and using VPs in an independent learning activity on students' knowledge acquisition, retention and transfer. For two different topics, respectively 82 and 76 dental students participated in teaching, learning and assessment sessions with VPs. Students from a female campus and from a male campus have been randomly assigned to condition (collaborative and independent), yielding four experimental groups. Each group received a lecture followed by a learning session using two VPs per topic. Students were administrated immediate and delayed written tests as well as transfer tests using two VPs to assess their knowledge in diagnosis and treatment. For the treatment items of the immediate and delayed written tests, females outperformed males in the collaborative VP group but not in the independent VP group. On the female campus, the use of VPs in a collaborative learning activity is more effective than its use as an independent learning activity in enhancing students' knowledge acquisition and retention. However, the collaborative use of VPs by itself is not enough to produce consistent results across different groups of students and attention should be given to all the factors that would affect students' interaction.

Accelerated Math®. Primary Mathematics. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2017

2017-01-01

"Accelerated Math®," published by Renaissance Learning, is a software tool that provides practice problems for students in grades K-12 and provides teachers with reports to monitor student progress. "Accelerated Math®" creates individualized student assignments, scores the assignments, and generates reports on student progress.…

Longitudinal Evaluation of the Importance of Homework Assignment Completion for the Academic Performance of Middle School Students with ADHD

PubMed Central

Langberg, Joshua M.; Dvorsky, Melissa R.; Molitor, Stephen J.; Bourchtein, Elizaveta; Eddy, Laura D.; Smith, Zoe; Schultz, Brandon K.; Evans, Steven W.

2016-01-01

The primary goal of this study was to longitudinally evaluate the homework assignment completion patterns of middle school age adolescents with ADHD, their associations with academic performance, and malleable predictors of homework assignment completion. Analyses were conducted on a sample of 104 middle school students comprehensively diagnosed with ADHD and followed for 18 months. Multiple teachers for each student provided information about the percentage of homework assignments turned in at five separate timepoints and school grades were collected quarterly. Results showed that agreement between teachers with respect to students’ assignment completion was high, with an intraclass correlation of .879 at baseline. Students with ADHD were turning in an average of 12% fewer assignments each academic quarter in comparison to teacher-reported classroom averages. Regression analyses revealed a robust association between the percentage of assignments turned in at baseline and school grades 18 months later, even after controlling for baseline grades, achievement (reading and math), intelligence, family income, and race. Cross-lag analyses demonstrated that the association between assignment completion and grades was reciprocal, with assignment completion negatively impacting grades and low grades in turn being associated with decreased future homework completion. Parent ratings of homework materials management abilities at baseline significantly predicted the percentage of assignments turned in as reported by teachers 18 months later. These findings demonstrate that homework assignment completion problems are persistent across time and an important intervention target for adolescents with ADHD. PMID:26931065

Three Empowering Curricular Innovations for Service-Learning in ESL Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perren, James; Grove, Nuray; Thornton, Julie

2013-01-01

This article describes three service-learning projects implemented in three different ESL programs in the United States. Each description includes typical course goals, service-learning assignments, reflection activities, student learning outcomes, and pedagogical challenges. The first project was developing digital literacy through…

Industrial Education Safety Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California State Dept. of Education, Sacramento.

California is one of the few states in which school districts have a legal responsibility for accidents involving students while they are participating in assigned school activities. This guide was prepared to help school administrators and teachers evaluate their safety instruction programs and industrial education facilities in accordance with…

Project Achievement: An After-School Success Story.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mercure, Christine M.

1993-01-01

To improve its school failure rate, a Virginia intermediate school instituted Project Achievement, a privately funded program helping at-risk students complete homework assignments. Structured into three one-hour sessions featuring tutoring, interdisciplinary study groups, and special activities, the project is immensely popular. During the summer…

Understanding and Representing Changing Work Structures and Practices through Art

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wieland, Stacey M. B.

2018-01-01

Courses: Organizational Communication, Advanced Organizational Communication, Organizing Work, Management/Organizational History. Objectives: This activity will help students to understand major shifts in the organization of work and creatively represent changing work structures and practices. An optional follow-up assignment is included. A…

Technology in Business Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rainey, Carolyn

Technology can be incorporated as a tool in business communication courses to help students format, revise, and enhance pieces of writing. The capabilities of the microcomputer should be introduced slowly to build competencies and confidence. This paper provides instructional tips and activities for introducing technology into assignments. Steps…

Effects of Choice on Intervention Outcomes for College Students Sanctioned for Campus Alcohol Policy Violations

PubMed Central

Carey, Kate B.; DeMartini, Kelly S.; Prince, Mark A.; Luteran, Carrie; Carey, Michael P.

2012-01-01

This study tested the hypothesis that client choice influences intervention outcomes. We recruited 288 student drinkers (60% male, 67% freshmen) required to participate in an intervention due to a violation of campus alcohol policy. Participants were randomized either to self-chosen or researcher-assigned interventions. In the choice condition they selected either a brief motivational intervention (BMI) or a computer-delivered educational program. In the assigned condition they received one of the two interventions, assigned randomly. Follow-up assessments at 1- and 2-months revealed that choice was associated with higher intervention satisfaction. However, the assigned and choice conditions did not differentially change on consumption or consequences across intervention type. Overall, change scores favored the BMI over the computer-delivered intervention on consumption and consequences. Exploratory analyses revealed that, given the choice of intervention, heavier drinking students self-selected into the face-to-face BMI. Furthermore, among the students who received a BMI, the students who chose it (despite their heavier drinking) reduced drinks per drinking day more than the assigned students. In sum, offering a choice of intervention to students mandated for campus alcohol violations increased the chance that at-risk students will select a more intensive and effective intervention. PMID:23046274

Meta-cognitive student reflections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barquist, Britt; Stewart, Jim

2009-05-01

We have recently concluded a project testing the effectiveness of a weekly assignment designed to encourage awareness and improvement of meta-cognitive skills. The project is based on the idea that successful problem solvers implement a meta-cognitive process in which they identify the specific concept they are struggling with, and then identify what they understand, what they don't understand, and what they need to know in order to resolve their problem. The assignment required the students to write an email assessing the level of completion of a weekly workbook assignment and to examine in detail their experiences regarding a specific topic they struggled with. The assignment guidelines were designed to coach them through this meta-cognitive process. We responded to most emails with advice for next week's assignment. Our data follow 12 students through a quarter consisting of 11 email assignments which were scored using a rubric based on the assignment guidelines. We found no correlation between rubric scores and final grades. We do have anecdotal evidence that the assignment was beneficial.

Creation and Assessment of an Active E-Learning Introductory Geoscience Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sit, S. M.; Brudzinski, M. R.

2014-12-01

The recent emphasis in higher education on both student engagement and online learning has encouraged us to work on the development of an active e-learning environment for our ~90 student undergraduate introductory geohazards course. To begin designing our course, we established a set of student learning outcomes (SLOs) focused on key scientific investigation skills, like analyzing data, evaluating hypotheses, and conveying information to peers. We designed these outcomes to provide students with powerful reasoning and critical thinking skills. Along with this new framework and increased student expectations, we found it beneficial to additionally establish student development outcomes (SDOs). Specifically, SDOs were constructed to address self-evaluation, student responsibility for learning, and valuing group work. Based on these new SLOs and SDOs, we developed a set of course components that engaged students in content, authentic scientific investigations, and group discussions, all within an online environment. The course includes common online learning features like video lectures and comprehension quizzes, but also uses 50% of class periods for student investigation assignments that are conducted using Google Earth and Microsoft Excel. For those assignments, students commonly utilize a short video tutorial demonstrating a new software skill and then apply that knowledge towards investigating topics such as predicting population growth in India or identifying types of volcanoes observed in Hawaii. Results from multiple semesters of teaching both a hybrid and completely online course show significant gains in the geoscience concept inventory over traditional and redesigned face-to-face courses. Additionally, student survey and evaluation data show that our online course improves on SLOs and SDOs when compared to a traditional lecture based course and achieve similar results to a redesigned face-to-face course focused on engagement. In particular, at the end of an active e-learning semester students reported a greater emphasis in analyzing and applying basic elements of a theory and contributing more to class discussions. Through this course redesign process, we have learned more about effective teaching and have worked to develop better means to inform our teaching through assessment.

GeoEnvironmental Education Through Multidisciplinary Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padilla, I. Y.; Hwang, S.

2007-12-01

The growing need to understand environmental and geological processes, their impacts, and solutions in a dynamic world requires a diverse, multidiscipline, and multicultural approach in science and engineering. In the last few years, faculty at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez have engaged in education and training activities aimed at developing a critical mass of students that can address a wide range of geoenvironmental problems through multidisciplinary research. Students of diverse age, gender, culture, and academic disciplines addressing different research questions work together in a common space. Hierarchy assignments use senior students as primary mentors, but foster work at parallel levels that require sharing and developing knowledge and research resources. The activities have resulted in a significant increase in the number of diverse students in science and engineering areas related to the environment.

Easing Your Pain: A Method for Evaluating Research Writing from Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Barbara E.; Martin, Kathleen A.; Mann, Betty L.; Fogarty, Tracey

2004-01-01

Throughout their undergraduate and graduate careers, students are assigned various types of papers that require scientific writing style. The scope of these assignments include laboratory reports that require only graphing and statements of findings; abstract assignments with critical summaries included; abbreviated research papers, including…

Maximizing Completion and Comprehension of Reading Assignments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owen, Leanne R.

2017-01-01

The author presents self-report data from students in three upper-level undergraduate courses to illustrate the comparative effectiveness of different out-of-class assessment approaches in promoting completion and comprehension of reading assignments. Students reported agreeing or strongly agreeing that all three assignments motivated them to…

The effect of flipped teaching combined with modified team-based learning on student performance in physiology.

PubMed

Gopalan, Chaya; Klann, Megan C

2017-09-01

Flipped classroom is a hybrid educational format that shifts guided teaching out of class, thus allowing class time for student-centered learning. Although this innovative teaching format is gaining attention, there is limited evidence on the effectiveness of flipped teaching on student performance. We compared student performance and student attitudes toward flipped teaching with that of traditional lectures using a partial flipped study design. Flipped teaching expected students to have completed preclass material, such as assigned reading, instructor-prepared lecture video(s), and PowerPoint slides. In-class activities included the review of difficult topics, a modified team-based learning (TBL) session, and an individual assessment. In the unflipped teaching format, students were given PowerPoint slides and reading assignment before their scheduled lectures. The class time consisted of podium-style lecture, which was captured in real time and was made available for students to use as needed. Comparison of student performance between flipped and unflipped teaching showed that flipped teaching improved student performance by 17.5%. This was true of students in both the upper and lower half of the class. A survey conducted during this study indicated that 65% of the students changed the way they normally studied, and 69% of the students believed that they were more prepared for class with flipped learning than in the unflipped class. These findings suggest that flipped teaching, combined with TBL, is more effective than the traditional lecture. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

An interactive online approach to small-group student presentations and discussions.

PubMed

Thor, Der; Xiao, Nan; Zheng, Meixun; Ma, Ruidan; Yu, Xiao Xi

2017-12-01

Student presentations had been widely implemented across content areas, including health sciences education. However, due to various limitations, small-group student presentations in the classroom may not reach their full potential for student learning. To address challenges with presentations in the classroom, we redesigned the assignment by having students present and discuss online using VoiceThread, a cloud-based presentation and discussion tool. First-year students pursuing a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree were assigned into small groups to present physiology content and to discuss that content online. This assignment was similar to traditional student classroom presentations, with the exception that the entire assignment was conducted online. The primary purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate the impact of the online format on the discussion quality. Another purpose of the study was to examine students' perceptions of using VoiceThread for presenting and learning, as well as the online interactions between the presenter and audience. Students posted a higher number of questions and comments than required by the assignment. The questions from students were also higher level questions, and the answers to these questions were more thorough compared with what we had previously observed in classroom presentations. The survey results showed that students preferred using VoiceThread for presenting, learning from other presentations, and discussing presentation content over performing this process in the classroom. Preliminary findings suggested that having dental students make presentations and hold discussions online might help address the challenges of student presentations in the classroom. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Marketing trends impede conceptual integration in psychology courses: Comment on Gurung et al. (2016).

PubMed

Carver, Charles S

2017-01-01

A recent American Psychologist article on teaching (Gurung et al., 2016) stressed the importance of fostering integration across topic areas. A current trend in publishing and marketing of textbooks is creating pressure that makes this goal harder to implement. The trend is offering custom tailoring of online texts by adopters, letting instructors assign some sections and make other sections unavailable to students. To permit this option, textbook publishers now insist that authors not cross-reference anywhere, so that no instructor will face the possibility of a student looking for material that has not been assigned and thus does not exist. Ironically, this pressure from publishers actively impedes conceptual integration in our textbooks. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Calibrated peer review assignments for the earth sciences

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rudd, J.A.; Wang, V.Z.; Cervato, C.; Ridky, R.W.

2009-01-01

Calibrated Peer Review ??? (CPR), a web-based instructional tool developed as part of the National Science Foundation reform initiatives in undergraduate science education, allows instructors to incorporate multiple writing assignments in large courses without overwhelming the instructor. This study reports successful implementation of CPR in a large, introductory geology course and student learning of geoscience content. For each CPR assignment in this study, students studied web-based and paper resources, wrote an essay, and reviewed seven essays (three from the instructor, three from peers, and their own) on the topic. Although many students expressed negative attitudes and concerns, particularly about the peer review process of this innovative instructional approach, they also recognized the learning potential of completing CPR assignments. Comparing instruction on earthquakes and plate boundaries using a CPR assignment vs. an instructional video lecture and homework essay with extensive instructor feedback, students mastered more content via CPR instruction.

The effect of directive tutor guidance on students' conceptual understanding of statistics in problem-based learning.

PubMed

Budé, Luc; van de Wiel, Margaretha W J; Imbos, Tjaart; Berger, Martijn P F

2011-06-01

Education is aimed at students reaching conceptual understanding of the subject matter, because this leads to better performance and application of knowledge. Conceptual understanding depends on coherent and error-free knowledge structures. The construction of such knowledge structures can only be accomplished through active learning and when new knowledge can be integrated into prior knowledge. The intervention in this study was directed at both the activation of students as well as the integration of knowledge. Undergraduate university students from an introductory statistics course, in an authentic problem-based learning (PBL) environment, were randomly assigned to conditions and measurement time points. In the PBL tutorial meetings, half of the tutors guided the discussions of the students in a traditional way. The other half guided the discussions more actively by asking directive and activating questions. To gauge conceptual understanding, the students answered open-ended questions asking them to explain and relate important statistical concepts. Results of the quantitative analysis show that providing directive tutor guidance improved understanding. Qualitative data of students' misconceptions seem to support this finding. Long-term retention of the subject matter seemed to be inadequate. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

Simulated annealing algorithm for solving chambering student-case assignment problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghazali, Saadiah; Abdul-Rahman, Syariza

2015-12-01

The problem related to project assignment problem is one of popular practical problem that appear nowadays. The challenge of solving the problem raise whenever the complexity related to preferences, the existence of real-world constraints and problem size increased. This study focuses on solving a chambering student-case assignment problem by using a simulated annealing algorithm where this problem is classified under project assignment problem. The project assignment problem is considered as hard combinatorial optimization problem and solving it using a metaheuristic approach is an advantage because it could return a good solution in a reasonable time. The problem of assigning chambering students to cases has never been addressed in the literature before. For the proposed problem, it is essential for law graduates to peruse in chambers before they are qualified to become legal counselor. Thus, assigning the chambering students to cases is a critically needed especially when involving many preferences. Hence, this study presents a preliminary study of the proposed project assignment problem. The objective of the study is to minimize the total completion time for all students in solving the given cases. This study employed a minimum cost greedy heuristic in order to construct a feasible initial solution. The search then is preceded with a simulated annealing algorithm for further improvement of solution quality. The analysis of the obtained result has shown that the proposed simulated annealing algorithm has greatly improved the solution constructed by the minimum cost greedy heuristic. Hence, this research has demonstrated the advantages of solving project assignment problem by using metaheuristic techniques.

Getting Personalization Right!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeWaters, Carrie

2017-01-01

In today's differentiated classroom, each individual student receives from their teacher student-centered instruction and customized assignments to reflect their skills and knowledge. Teachers differentiate their assignments so each of their students may access the Common Core State Standards, interact with complex nonfiction texts, integrate…

Statistical Literacy Social Media Project for the Masses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gundlach, Ellen; Maybee, Clarence; O'Shea, Kevin

2015-01-01

This article examines a social media assignment used to teach and practice statistical literacy with over 400 students each semester in large-lecture traditional, fully online, and flipped sections of an introductory-level statistics course. Following the social media assignment, students completed a survey on how they approached the assignment.…

Automating Formative and Summative Feedback for Individualised Assignments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, Ian Robert

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to report on the rationale behind the use of a unique paper-based individualised accounting assignment, which automated the provision to students of immediate formative and timely summative feedback. Design/methodology/approach: As students worked towards completing their assignment, the package provided…

Learner Perspectives Regarding Device Type in Technology-Assisted Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ko, Myong-Hee

2017-01-01

This study compared learner perspectives regarding using PCs and smartphones as learning devices. A total of 167 Korean university students completed online assignments designed to maximize interaction with these devices. The assignments required students to submit their responses regarding assigned reading passages for a semester. Then they…

The Land of Confusion? High School Students and Their Use of the World Wide Web for Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorenzen, Michael

2002-01-01

Examines high school students' use of the World Wide Web to complete assignments. Findings showed the students used a good variety of resources, including libraries and the World Wide Web, to find information for assignments. However, students were weak at determining the quality of the information found on web sites. Students did poorly at…

Comparison of the number of supervisors on medical student satisfaction during a child and adolescent psychiatry rotation.

PubMed

Mascioli, Kelly J; Robertson, Catharine J; Douglass, Alan B

2016-01-01

Traditionally, third-year medical students are assigned to one supervisor during their 1-week rotation in child and adolescent psychiatry. However, the majority of supervisory staff in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry opted to switch the supervision schedule to one in which some medical students are assigned to two primary supervisors. The aim of the study was to determine if students assigned to two primary supervisors had greater rotation satisfaction compared with students assigned to one primary supervisor during a 1-week clerkship rotation in child and adolescent psychiatry. A satisfaction questionnaire was sent to 110 third-year medical students who completed their child and adolescent clerkship rotation. Based on the responses, students were divided into groups depending on their number of supervisors. Questionnaire responses were compared between the groups using independent t-tests. When students who had one primary supervisor were compared to students who had two primary supervisors, the lone item showing a statistically significant difference was regarding improvement of assessment reports/progress notes. The number of supervisors does not significantly affect the satisfaction of students during a 1-week clerkship rotation in child and adolescent psychiatry. Other factors are important in rotation satisfaction.

Multimedia in the Foreign Language Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, Barbara S.

Second language teachers are encouraged to assign multimedia projects to their students. They are challenging for the student to create, can effectively reinforce learning, and are a fun way for students to practice language skills. Rather than have students draw a poster or write a paper, the teacher can assign a presentation using a combination…

Effects of Students' Participation in Authoring of Multimedia Materials on Student Acquisition of Vocabulary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nikolova, Ofelia R.

2002-01-01

Investigated the effects on vocabulary acquisition of student participation in authoring a multimedia institutional module. Sixty-two subjects were randomly assigned to two groups, and each group was randomly assigned to one of two treatments. Showed evidence that students learn vocabulary significantly better when they participate in the creation…

Detention as a Deterrent for Late Assignments: A Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conover, Pamela J.

To gauge the impact of after-school student detention on punctual completion of homework, on detained student grades, and on student self-esteem, fourth- through sixth-grade students from a school with an after-school detention policy for late or incomplete assignments were studied. Interviews were conducted with the four fourth-, fifth-, and…

Using Online Lectures to Make Time for Active Learning

PubMed Central

Prunuske, Amy J.; Batzli, Janet; Howell, Evelyn; Miller, Sarah

2012-01-01

To make time in class for group activities devoted to critical thinking, we integrated a series of short online lectures into the homework assignments of a large, introductory biology course at a research university. The majority of students viewed the online lectures before coming to class and reported that the online lectures helped them to complete the in-class activity and did not increase the amount of time they devoted to the course. In addition, students who viewed the online lecture performed better on clicker questions designed to test lower-order cognitive skills. The in-class activities then gave the students practice analyzing the information in groups and provided the instructor with feedback about the students’ understanding of the material. On the basis of the results of this study, we support creating hybrid course models that allow students to learn the fundamental information outside of class time, thereby creating time during the class period to be dedicated toward the conceptual understanding of the material. PMID:22714412

Effects of individualized assignments on biology achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kremer, Philip L.

A pretest-posttest, randomized, two groups, experimental, factorial design compared effects of detailed and nondetailed assignments on biology achievement over seven and a half months. Detailed assignments (favoring field independence and induction) employed block diagrams and stepwise directions. Nondetailed assignments (favoring field dependence and deduction) virtually lacked these. The accessible population was 101 tenth grade preparatory school male students. The 95 students enrolled in first year biology constituted the sample. Two by three ANOVA was done on residualized posttest score means of the students. Totally, the detailed students achieved significantly higher than the nondetailed students. This significantly higher achievement was only true of detailed students in the middle thirds of the deviation intelligence quotient (DIQ) range and of the grade point average (G.P.A.) range after the breakdown into upper, middle, and lower thirds of intellectual capability (ability and achievement). The upper third detailed DIQ grouping indirectly achieved higher than its peers, whereas the lower detailed DIQ third achieved lower than its peers. Thus, high capability students apparently benefit from flow and block diagrams, inductions, field independence, and high structure, whereas low capability students may be hindered by these.

Comprehensive Small Engine Repair.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hires, Bill; And Others

This curriculum guide contains the basic information needed to repair all two- and four-stroke cycle engines. The curriculum covers four areas, each consisting of one or more units of instruction that include performance objectives, suggested activities for teacher and students, information sheets, assignment sheets, job sheets, visual aids,…

7 CFR 1486.404 - What expenditures are not eligible for program funding?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... funding? (a) CCC will not reimburse expenditures made prior to approval of a Recipient's proposal... individual students who are directly assigned to specific project activities appropriate to their backgrounds...; (10) Costs of product research or new product development; (11) Costs of developing technical...

Active Learning: A PowerPoint Tutorial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gareis, Elisabeth

2007-01-01

Individual or group presentations are common assignments in business communication courses, and many students use PowerPoint slides as audiovisual support. Frequently, curriculum constraints don't allow instructors much time to teach effective design and delivery of presentation graphics in their courses; guidelines in the form of minilectures or…

The Silent Spring of Rachel Carson.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerstetter, Ned

1996-01-01

Presents a lesson plan examining Rachel Carson's call to arms concerning the harmful consequences of pesticides. Students view a video documentary on Carson's work and read a synopsis of her book, "Silent Spring." Assessment is provided by various activities including writing assignments, creating posters, and editorial cartoons. (MJP)

Wikipedia: Friend, Not Foe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crovitz, Darren; Smoot, W. Scott

2009-01-01

As online research has become an increasingly standard activity for middle school and high school students, Wikipedia (http://www.wikipedia.org) has simultaneously emerged as the bane of many teachers who include research-focused assignments in their courses. An online encyclopedia that allows anyone to edit its entries, Wikipedia has educators…

Aristotle, Camus, and Teaching and Learning about Citizenship.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spurgeon, Chris

1995-01-01

Describes a high school citizenship class unit that contrasted Aristotle's concept of a public citizen with the actions of Meursault in Albert Camus's "The Stranger." Through writing assignments and class activities, the students connected their own ideas of citizenship, freedom, and conformity with Aristotelian and existentialist…

The State, Not the Trait, of Nostalgia Increases Creativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ye, Shengquan; Ngan, Rose Ying Lam; Hui, Anna N. N.

2013-01-01

Nostalgic experience evokes emotions and activates the cognitive process of recalling and reconstructing information in memory. This study investigated the effects of nostalgia on creativity using experiments and questionnaires. Two-hundred-and-eighty university students were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups, in which…

Element Cycles: An Environmental Chemistry Board Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pippins, Tracy; Anderson, Cody M.; Poindexter, Eric F.; Sultemeier, S. Whitney; Schultz, Linda D.

2011-01-01

"Element Cycles" is an activity designed to reinforce correlation of essential elements and their different forms in the ecosystem. Students are assigned essential elements to research as homework, then share results, and construct game boards with four ecosphere sections: geosphere (earth), hydrosphere (water), atmosphere (air), and biosphere…

Teaching International Business as an Opportunity to Develop Cultural Sensitivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frank, Ellen J.

2017-01-01

Business program graduates are expected to perform with cultural sensitivity in international and intercultural professional environments. In order to support student development of the necessary mindset, a variety of assignments and activities have been integrated into the undergraduate International Business (IB) course. This article describes…

The "Frankenplasmid" lab: an investigative exercise for teaching recombinant DNA methods.

PubMed

Dean, Derek M; Wilder, Jason A

2011-01-01

We describe an investigative laboratory module designed to give college undergraduates strong practical and theoretical experience with recombinant DNA methods within 3 weeks. After deducing restriction enzyme maps for two different plasmids, students ligate the plasmids together in the same reaction, transform E. coli with this mixture of ligated DNA, and plate the cells on media that specifically select for hybrid plasmids. The main goal of the assignment is for students to deduce the gene map of one hybrid "Frankenplasmid" using the LacZ phenotype of its transformants, PCR, and restriction mapping. Our protocol results in a number of possible outcomes, meaning that students are mapping truly unknown plasmids. The open-ended nature of this assignment results in an effective module that teaches recombinant DNA procedures while engaging students with its investigative approach, increasing complexity, and puzzle-like quality. Moreover, the modular design of the activity allows it to be adapted to a more limited schedule, introductory courses, or more advanced courses. Copyright © 2011 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Is Embedded Librarianship Right for Your Institution?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muir, Gordon; Heller-Ross, Holly

2010-01-01

Embedded librarians, connected with students and faculty inside the classroom, lab and studio, have new opportunities for preparing students for research and for collaborating with faculty on course-integrated information literacy, research assignment design, teaching, assignment interpretation, and timely student assistance. What makes embedded…

Use of an Audience Response System (ARS) in a Dual-Campus Classroom Environment

PubMed Central

Medina, Patrick J; Wanzer, Donald S; Wilson, Jane E; Er, Nelson; Britton, Mark L

2008-01-01

Objectives To implement an audience response system in a dual-campus classroom that aggregated data during graded (attendance and quizzes) and non-graded classroom activities (formative quizzes, case discussions, examination reviews, and team activities) and explore its strengths, weaknesses, and impact on active learning. Design After extensive research, an appropriate audience response system was selected and implemented in a dual-classroom setting for a third-year required PharmD course. Students were assigned a clicker and training and policies regarding clicker use were reviewed. Activities involving clicker use were carefully planned to simultaneously engage students in both classrooms in real time. Focus groups were conducted with students to gather outcomes data. Assessment Students and faculty members felt that the immediate feedback the automated response system (ARS) provided was most beneficial during non-graded activities. Student anxiety increased with use of ARS during graded activities due to fears regarding technology failure, user error, and academic integrity. Summary ARS is a viable tool for increasing active learning in a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program, especially when used for non-graded class activities. Faculty members should proceed cautiously with using ARS for graded classroom activities and develop detailed and documented policies for ARS use. PMID:18483604

Investigating Science Discourse in a High School Science Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swanson, Lauren Honeycutt

Science classrooms in the United States have become more diverse with respect to the variety of languages spoken by students. This qualitative study used ethnographic methods to investigate the discourse and practices of two ninth grade science classrooms. Approximately 44% of students included in the study were designated as English learners. The present work focused on addressing the following questions: 1) In what ways is science discourse taken up and used by students and their teacher? 2) Are there differences in how science discourse is used by students depending on their English language proficiency? Data collection consisted of interviewing the science teacher and the students, filming whole class and small group discussions during two lesson sequences, and collecting lesson plans, curricular materials, and student work. These data were analyzed qualitatively. Findings indicated that the teacher characterized science discourse along three dimensions: 1) the use of evidence-based explanations; 2) the practice of sharing one's science understandings publically; and 3) the importance of using precise language, including both specialized (i.e., science specific) and non-specialized academic words. Analysis of student participation during in-class activities highlighted how students progressed in each of these science discourse skills. However, this analysis also revealed that English learners were less likely to participate in whole class discussions: Though these students participated in small group discussions, they rarely volunteered to share individual or collective ideas with the class. Overall, students were more adept at utilizing science discourse during class discussions than in written assignments. Analysis of students' written work highlighted difficulties that were not visible during classroom interactions. One potential explanation is the increased amount of scaffolding the teacher provided during class discussions as compared to written assignments. In the implications section, I provide science teachers with recommendations regarding how to promote science discourse in their classrooms. Specifically, teachers should provide students structured opportunities to practice science discourse, require students to use both written and oral modalities in assignments, and offer timely feedback to students regarding their progress in developing their science discourse skills. How this study contributes to the research base on the teaching of science and English learners will also be described.

Combining traditional anatomy lectures with e-learning activities: how do students perceive their learning experience?

PubMed

Lochner, Lukas; Wieser, Heike; Waldboth, Simone; Mischo-Kelling, Maria

2016-02-21

The purpose of this study was to investigate how students perceived their learning experience when combining traditional anatomy lectures with preparatory e-learning activities that consisted of fill-in-the-blank assignments, videos, and multiple-choice quizzes. A qualitative study was conducted to explore changes in study behaviour and perception of learning. Three group interviews with students were conducted and thematically analysed. Data was categorized into four themes: 1. Approaching the course material, 2. Understanding the material, 3. Consolidating the material, and 4. Perceived learning outcome. Students appreciated the clear structure of the course, and reported that online activities encouraged them towards a first engagement with the material. They felt that they were more active during in-class sessions, described self-study before the end-of-term exam as easier, and believed that contents would remain in their memories for a longer time. By adjusting already existing resources, lectures can be combined fairly easily and cost-effectively with preparatory e-learning activities. The creation of online components promote well-structured courses, can help minimize 'student passivity' as a characteristic element of lectures, and can support students in distributing their studies throughout the term, thus suggesting enhanced learning. Further research work should be designed to confirm the afore-mentioned findings through objective measurements of student learning outcomes.

Identifying and Remediating Student Misconceptions in Introductory Biology via Writing-to-Learn Assignments and Peer Review.

PubMed

Halim, Audrey S; Finkenstaedt-Quinn, Solaire A; Olsen, Laura J; Gere, Anne Ruggles; Shultz, Ginger V

2018-06-01

Student misconceptions are an obstacle in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses and unless remediated may continue causing difficulties in learning as students advance in their studies. Writing-to-learn assignments (WTL) are characterized by their ability to promote in-depth conceptual learning by allowing students to explore their understanding of a topic. This study sought to determine whether and what types of misconceptions are elicited by WTL assignments and how the process of peer review and revision leads to remediation or propagation of misconceptions. We examined four WTL assignments in an introductory biology course in which students first wrote about content by applying it to a realistic scenario, then participated in a peer-review process before revising their work. Misconceptions were identified in all four assignments, with the greatest number pertaining to protein structure and function. Additionally, in certain contexts, students used scientific terminology incorrectly. Analysis of the drafts and peer-review comments generated six profiles by which misconceptions were addressed through the peer-review process. The prevalent mode of remediation arose through directed peer-review comments followed by correction during revision. It was also observed that additional misconceptions were elicited as students revised their writing in response to general peer-review suggestions.

Use of knowledge-sharing web-based portal in gross and microscopic anatomy.

PubMed

Durosaro, Olayemi; Lachman, Nirusha; Pawlina, Wojciech

2008-12-01

Changes in worldwide healthcare delivery require review of current medical school curricula structure to develop learning outcomes that ensures mastery of knowledge and clinical competency. In the last 3 years, Mayo Medical School implemented outcomes-based curriculum to encompass new graduate outcomes. Standard courses were replaced by 6-week clinically-integrated didactic blocks separated by student-self selected academic enrichment activities. Gross and microscopic anatomy was integrated with radiology and genetics respectively. Laboratory components include virtual microscopy and anatomical dissection. Students assigned to teams utilise computer portals to share learning experiences. High-resolution computed tomographic (CT) scans of cadavers prior to dissection were made available for correlative learning between the cadaveric material and radiologic images. Students work in teams on assigned presentations that include histology, cell and molecular biology, genetics and genomic using the Nexus Portal, based on DrupalEd, to share their observations, reflections and dissection findings. New generation of medical students are clearly comfortable utilising web-based programmes that maximise their learning potential of conceptually difficult and labor intensive courses. Team-based learning approach emphasising the use of knowledge-sharing computer portals maximises opportunities for students to master their knowledge and improve cognitive skills to ensure clinical competency.

Motivational Climate, 2×2 Achievement Goal Orientation and Dominance, Self-Regulation, and Physical Activity in Pre-Service Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cecchini-Estrada, José-Antonio; Méndez-Giménez, Antonio

2017-01-01

This longitudinal study investigated the effects of a mastery motivational climate in physical education (PE) classes on 2×2 achievement goal orientation and dominance, self-regulated learning (SRL), and physical activity (PA) in leisure time. A total of 408 (264 women, 144 men) university students were randomly assigned to two groups:…

Factors affecting measured, modeled and reconstructed estimates of personal exposure to ambient ozone in southern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzales, Melissa

To evaluate those factors which influence the assignment of ozone ( O3) exposures in an epidemiologic context a field study was conducted in the South Coast Air Basin (SoCAB) during the summer of 19% in which time, location, activity (TLA) information and direct measurements of personal O3 exposure were concurrently collected on a group of college students. Current and past O3 exposures were modeled and evaluated as a function of ambient O 3, activity and mobility patterns, indoor ventilation, and recalled TLA information collected one year later. The effect of these factors on the within- and between-subject exposure variability assigned by ecologic (EC) and microenvironment (MEV) models were examined by two-hour intervals, on weekends and weekdays, and by monitoring week compared to personal exposures measured with a passive sampling device (PSD). The students reported spending 85% of their time inside, 7% outside and 8% in- transit. More time was spent outdoors on weekends than on weekdays. Ambient O3 levels were also higher on weekends. In the study area, where a dense O3 monitoring network and the appropriate topography exist fixed-site O3 accurately assigned ambient O3 levels within a 10 mile radius. The variation in the ecologic exposure assignments was low compared to the estimated variation among PSD-measured and MEV-modeled estimates due to the low spatial variation of ambient O3 levels across the SoCAB areas visited by the students. MEV and PSD exposure estimates better captured the variability of personal exposure in any given ambient spatial regimen compared to ecologic exposure assignments. MEV exposure estimates based on recalled TLA patterns, were similar to the MEV estimates based on diary-recorded TLA patterns. For this study population, PSD-measured O3 exposures were estimated to average 32% lower than ``true'' exposure levels due to indoor/outdoor differences in the PSD collection rate. The level of detail obtained from the TLA diary is not necessary for the assignment of current of past O3 exposures in epidemiologic studies. It may be more adventitious to characterize the locations visited, and indoor and outdoor time with the greatest accuracy possible and to use these data to estimate exposure from nearest-monitor ambient O 3 measurements and sets of indoor/outdoor O3 ratios validated to reflect personal exposure within indoor microenvironments.

Teaching transcultural nursing through literature.

PubMed

Halloran, Laurel

2009-09-01

One of the biggest challenges in nursing education is to develop culturally sensitive graduates. Although theory and lecture are appropriate to introduce cultural issues, the application of those skills is limited by the kinds of clinical experiences and patient populations students may treat. Literary works are a rich source of information for nursing. This assignment was created to sensitize the students to the influence of cultural diversity. Students were assigned to read one novel from an approved list and answer the questions posed on the Cultural Discovery worksheet. The only direction that was given regarding novel selection was that the novel had to represent a culture other than the student's own. The focus was to expose students to a different culture. Classroom discussion, based on worksheet answers, followed. The assignment's good, bad, and ugly outcomes are discussed. Suggestions for adaptation of this assignment to an online format are also provided.

“Blogging” About Course Concepts: Using Technology for Reflective Journaling in a Communications Class

PubMed Central

Bouldin, Alicia S.; Holmes, Erin R.; Fortenberry, Michael L.

2006-01-01

Objective Web log technology was applied to a reflective journaling exercise in a communication course during the second-professional year at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, to encourage students to reflect on course concepts and apply them to the environment outside the classroom, and to assess their communication performance. Design Two Web log entries per week were required for full credit. Web logs were evaluated at three points during the term. At the end of the course, students evaluated the assignment using a 2-page survey instrument. Assessment The assignment contributed to student learning and increased awareness level for approximately 40% of the class. Students had few complaints about the logistics of the assignment. Conclusion The Web log technology was a useful tool for reflective journaling in this communications course. Future versions of the assignment will benefit from student feedback from this initial experience. PMID:17136203

An active-learning assignment involving peer-to-peer presentations to improve pharmacy students' attitudes and knowledge of dietary supplements.

PubMed

Atayee, Rabia S; Singh, Renu F; Best, Brookie M; Freedman, Beverley A; Morello, Candis M

2012-08-10

To design and implement a small-group self-guided active-learning format for a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) curriculum, and assess changes in first-year doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students' attitudes and knowledge of CAM. Students received an overview CAM lecture from a faculty member, and brief presentations with defined parameters on natural products from their peers. Based on pre- and post-intervention survey responses, the percentage of students who strongly agreed about the importance of CAM in pharmacy practice increased from 28% to 55% and the percentage of students who agreed or strongly agreed about the harmful effects of dietary supplements increased from 60% to 96%. Overall, students' attitude toward and self-assessed knowledge of dietary supplements improved significantly from pre- to post-intervention survey. Small-group self-guided learning of CAM, followed by peer presentations on dietary supplements, was successful in significantly improving pharmacy students' attitude toward and knowledge of CAM.

Psychology Students' Understanding of the Skill-Based Learning Fostered through University Assignments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martini, Tanya S.; Rail, Ashley; Norton, Cole

2015-01-01

We examined first-year psychology majors' (N = 195) beliefs about the relevance of two types of university assignments (individual essay and group wiki) and their connection to the development of career-related skills. Students reported that assignments were only somewhat relevant to their career goals, and relevance ratings were typically…

Negotiating Languages and Cultures: Enacting Translingualism through a Translation Assignment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiernan, Julia; Meier, Joyce; Wang, Xiqiao

2016-01-01

This collaborative project explores the affordances of a translation assignment in the context of a learner-centered pedagogy that places composition students' movement among languages and cultures as both a site for inquiry and subject of analysis. The translation assignment asks students to translate scholarly articles or culture stories from…

Gapminder: An AP Human Geography Lab Assignment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keller, Kenneth H.

2012-01-01

This lesson is designed as a lab assignment for Advanced Placement (AP) Human Geography students wherein they use the popular Gapminder web site to compare levels of development in countries from different world regions. For this lesson, it is important for the teacher to practice with Gapminder before giving the assignment to students. (Contains…

Understanding Test-Type Assignment: Why Do Special Educators Make Unexpected Test-Type Assignments?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, Hyun-Jeong; Kingston, Neal

2014-01-01

We interviewed special educators (a) whose students with disabilities (SWDs) were proficient on the 2008 general education assessment but were assigned to the 2009 alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS), and (b) whose students with mild disabilities took the 2008 alternate assessment based on alternate achievement…

A Citation Analysis of Psychology Students' Use of Sources in Online Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weaver, Nancy Evans; Barnard, Estelle

2015-01-01

Reference lists from two assignments of psychology students in university-level online distance learning (ODL) were analyzed for number and type of sources and mark achieved. Most referenced were resources relevant to the assignment and provided by instructors. Use changed across assignments: Instructor sources were used more on the first…

Evaluation of a Brief Homework Assignment Designed to Reduce Citation Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schuetze, Pamela

2004-01-01

I evaluated a brief homework assignment designed to reduce citation problems in research-based term papers. Students in 2 developmental psychology classes received a brief presentation and handout defining plagiarism with tips on how to cite sources to avoid plagiarizing. In addition, students in 1 class completed 2 brief homework assignments in…

Agendas for Writing in Philosophy: Conflicting or Complementary?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soven, Margot

Recent research on how students perceive the function of writing assignments and the effects of different kinds of writing assignments on learning is inconclusive. Noting that this issue clouds writing across the curriculum programs, a study sought to determine how students perceive their involvement in assignments that require them to present an…

77 FR 52705 - Notice of Submission for OMB Review; Federal Student Aid; Federal Perkins Loan Program/NDSL...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-30

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Notice of Submission for OMB Review; Federal Student Aid; Federal Perkins Loan Program/NDSL Assignment Form SUMMARY: The Federal Perkins Loan Program allows for assignment of... its efforts in recovering an outstanding loan. The Perkins Assignment Form serves as the transmittal...

Students' Evaluation of Writing Assignments in an Abnormal Psychology Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Procidano, Mary E.

1991-01-01

Presents a study in which students in an abnormal psychology class rated the usefulness of drafts for two writing assignments. Reports that a research proposal was more effective than a case study in generating interest in psychology and opportunity for creativity. Concludes that writing assignments should reflect important aspects of a…

Heeeere's Johnny: A Case Study in the Five Factor Model of Personality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miserandino, Marianne

2007-01-01

I describe an assignment for personality psychology or introduction to psychology classes in which students used the Five Factor Model of personality to analyze the personality of entertainer Johnny Carson through his The New York Times obituary. Students evaluated this assignment highly: A majority indicated that the assignment was interesting,…

E-Mail Molecules—Individualizing the Large Lecture Class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wamser, Carl C.

2003-11-01

All students in the organic chemistry class are assigned a unique set of nine molecules to report on as optional extra credit assignments. The molecules are taken from a list containing over 200 molecules on the class Web site; they represent an assortment of biologically relevant compounds, from acetaminophen to yohimbine. Once a week, students may submit information about one of the molecules for two points extra credit (where the course includes a total of over 600 points from traditional quizzes and exams). The information requested about the molecules varies slightly each term as student expertise grows, for example, molecular formula, hybridizations, functional groups, or number of stereocenters, but always includes biological relevance and sources of information. Initially students submitted data directly to the instructor by e-mail, but submissions now are handled by a Web-based course management system (WebCT). The goal is to give students individualized assignments that are relatively realistic in light of their future careers in health sciences. Nearly all of the students do some of the molecules, and many students do all of them. About 30 40% of the students who do the assignments regularly gain a grade benefit. Student responses to the exercise have been positive.

Cheating Goes Global as Essay Mills Multiply

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartlett, Thomas

2009-01-01

The orders keep piling up. A philosophy student needs a paper on Martin Heidegger. A nursing student needs a paper on dying with dignity. An engineering student needs a paper on electric cars. Screen after screen, assignment after assignment--hundreds at a time, thousands each semester. The students come from all disciplines and all parts of the…

Creative Writing Assignments in a Second Language Course: A Way to Engage Less Motivated Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arshavskaya, Ekaterina

2015-01-01

This article makes a case for using creative writing in a second language course. Creative writing increases students' enthusiasm for writing skills development and supports students' creativity, which is a fundamental aspect of education. In order to engage less motivated students, a series of creative writing assignments was implemented in a…

The Impact of a Collaborative Wikipedia Assignment on Teaching, Learning, and Student Perceptions in a Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bravo, Vanessa J.; Young, Michael F.

2011-01-01

This study explored students' perceptions and behaviors of public wiki use during a collaborative Wikipedia assignment in a graduate technology and literacy education course. Results confirmed that the majority of students had an overall positive experience posting content on Wikipedia. Students learned how to use Wikipedia through collaborative…

Student Perceptions of the Benefits of a Learner-Based Writing Assignment in Organic Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ablin, Lois

2008-01-01

A writing assignment to increase student understanding of and interest in practical applications of organic chemistry is described. Students were required to study a pharmaceutical or other organic compound and perform a qualitative risk assessment on the chemical. Student perceptions of the benefits of the paper were generally positive. (Contains…

Identifying and Remediating Student Misconceptions in Introductory Biology via Writing-to-Learn Assignments and Peer Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halim, Audrey S.; Finkenstaedt-Quinn, Solaire A.; Olsen, Laura J.; Gere, Anne Ruggles; Shultz, Ginger V.

2018-01-01

Student misconceptions are an obstacle in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses and unless remediated may continue causing difficulties in learning as students advance in their studies. Writing-to-learn assignments (WTL) are characterized by their ability to promote in-depth conceptual learning by allowing students to explore…

Does Failing a Placement Exam Discourage Underprepared Students from Going to College?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martorell, Paco; McFarlin, Isaac, Jr.; Xue, Yu

2015-01-01

About one third of college students are required to take remedial courses. Assignment to remediation is generally made on the basis of performance on a placement exam. When students are required to take a placement exam "prior" to enrolling in college-level courses, assignment to remediation may dissuade students from actually going to…

The Impact of Teacher Assigned but Not Graded Compared to Teacher Assigned and Graded Chemistry Homework on the Formative and Summative Chemistry Assessment Scores of 11th-Grade Students with Varying Chemistry Potential

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Jennifer L.

2010-01-01

The study analyzed 2005 posttest data compared to 2008 posttest data to determine student end of school year academic achievement outcomes across three academic levels (above average, average, and below average chemistry potential) and two teacher homework evaluation methods (assigned but not graded and assigned and graded) on teacher prepared…

Effect of Internet-based Intervention on Obesity among Adolescents in Kuala Lumpur: A School-based Cluster Randomised Trial

PubMed Central

Mohammed Nawi, AZMAWATI; Che Jamaludin, FARRAH ILYANI

2015-01-01

Background: Co-morbidities in adulthood is a significant problem and is associated with obesity during adolescent. Methods: This 3-months randomised controlled trial was aimed at determining the effectiveness of having internet-based intervention (obeseGO!) toward obesity among adolescents in Kuala Lumpur. Forty seven students were assigned randomly to the obeseGO! (intervention) group for internet-based intervention i.e., information on healthy lifestyle and diet were provided via the internet. Fifty students were assigned to the control group, where pamphlets containing health education were provided to these students. The measurement of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and the body fat percentage was taken at baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention. Results: The multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) analysis found that obeseGO! had a small effect in reducing BMI, waist circumference and body fat percentage. Conclusion: The internet-based obesity intervention program may be an effective medium for promoting healthy diet and physical activity among the obese adolescents. PMID:26715908

Critical thinking and reflection exercises in a biochemistry course to improve prospective health professions students' attitudes toward physician-pharmacist collaboration.

PubMed

Van Winkle, Lon J; Cornell, Susan; Fjortoft, Nancy; Bjork, Bryan C; Chandar, Nalini; Green, Jacalyn M; La Salle, Sophie; Viselli, Susan M; Burdick, Paulette; Lynch, Sean M

2013-10-14

To determine the impact of performing critical-thinking and reflection assignments within interdisciplinary learning teams in a biochemistry course on pharmacy students' and prospective health professions students' collaboration scores. Pharmacy students and prospective medical, dental, and other health professions students enrolled in a sequence of 2 required biochemistry courses. They were randomly assigned to interdisciplinary learning teams in which they were required to complete case assignments, thinking and reflection exercises, and a team service-learning project. Students were asked to complete the Scale of Attitudes Toward Physician-Pharmacist Collaboration prior to the first course, following the first course, and following the second course. The physician-pharmacist collaboration scores of prospective health professions students increased significantly (p<0.001). Having prospective health professions students work in teams with pharmacy students to think and reflect in and outside the classroom improves their attitudes toward physician-pharmacist collaboration.

Are all hands-on activities equally effective? Effect of using plastic models, organ dissections, and virtual dissections on student learning and perceptions.

PubMed

Lombardi, Sara A; Hicks, Reimi E; Thompson, Katerina V; Marbach-Ad, Gili

2014-03-01

This study investigated the impact of three commonly used cardiovascular model-assisted activities on student learning and student attitudes and perspectives about science. College students enrolled in a Human Anatomy and Physiology course were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups (organ dissections, virtual dissections, or plastic models). Each group received a 15-min lecture followed by a 45-min activity with one of the treatments. Immediately after the lesson and then 2 mo later, students were tested on anatomy and physiology knowledge and completed an attitude survey. Students who used plastic models achieved significantly higher overall scores on both the initial and followup exams than students who performed organ or virtual dissections. On the initial exam, students in the plastic model and organ dissection treatments scored higher on anatomy questions than students who performed virtual dissections. Students in the plastic model group scored higher than students who performed organ dissections on physiology questions. On the followup exam, when asked anatomy questions, students in the plastic model group scored higher than dissection students and virtual dissection students. On attitude surveys, organ dissections had higher perceived value and were requested for inclusion in curricula twice as often as any other activity. Students who performed organ dissections were more likely than the other treatment groups to agree with the statement that "science is fun," suggesting that organ dissections may promote positive attitudes toward science. The findings of this study provide evidence for the importance of multiple types of hands-on activities in anatomy laboratory courses.

Subliminal Self-Help Tapes and Academic Achievement: An Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Tanya G.; And Others

1991-01-01

Investigated marketing claims of effectiveness in improving academic achievement through use of commercially prepared subliminal audiotapes in college students assigned to active treatment group (n=25), inactive treatment group (n=26), or control group (n=22). No treatment differences were found on final examination scores from class and current…

Artistic Tasks Outperform Nonartistic Tasks for Stress Reduction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abbott, Kayleigh A.; Shanahan, Matthew J.; Neufeld, Richard W. J.

2013-01-01

Art making has been documented as an effective stress reduction technique. In this between-subjects experimental study, possible mechanisms of stress reduction were examined in a sample of 52 university students randomly assigned to one of four conditions generated by factorially crossing Activity Type (artistic or nonartistic) with Coping…

Digitally Speaking: How to Improve Student Presentations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmer, Erik

2012-01-01

All teachers at all grade levels and in all subject areas assign speaking activities--for example, read-alouds, book reports, class discussions, lab results, research presentations, and dialogues in a foreign language. Effective communication is an essential skill in modern society, and the Common Core State Standards place particular emphasis on…

Solar Energy Applications for Agriculture. A Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nebraska Univ., Lincoln. Dept. of Agricultural Education.

This curriculum guide contains five units for a course in solar energy applications for vocational agriculture. Each unit is organized in a format containing some or all of the following materials: unit objective, specific objectives, suggested instructor and student activities, list of instructional materials, assignment sheets, answers to…

Adapting Cooperative Learning and Embedding It into Holistic Language Usage.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Dora L.; Ginnetti, Philip

Class collaboration and small group composition illustrate the embedding of cooperative learning theory in whole language classroom events. Through this experience all students participate in active learning. The teacher has a weighty role in decision making, setting of the lesson, assigning roles, and monitoring segments of cooperative learning…

Psychology of Physical Activity: What Should Students Know?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCullagh, Penny; Wilson, Gabriel

2007-01-01

The assignment for the 76th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education was to define the psychology subdiscipline of kinesiology. Ten undergraduate sport and exercise psychology textbooks, 27 undergraduate course syllabi, and three articles which examined the most popular contents of prominent journals were…

Reality and Second-Language Role-Play.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piper, David; Piper, Terry

1983-01-01

Although role playing is a well-established and useful method of second language instruction, its success is often undermined by assignment of roles alien to the students' needs and experience. Redefinition of role playing to include the roles an individual assumes in everyday life will help the teacher plan more appropriate activities. (MSE)

Solar Energy Education Packet for Elementary & Secondary Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Renewable Resources, Washington, DC.

The arrangement of this packet is essentially evolutionary, with a conscious effort to alternate reading assignments, activities and experiments. It begins with solar energy facts and terminology as background to introduce the reader to basic concepts. It progresses into a discussion of passive solar systems. This is followed by several projects…

Teaching Yugoslavia the Cooperative Way: An Upper Elementary/Middle School Social Studies Unit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilke, Eileen Veronica

1992-01-01

Suggests methods for teaching about Yugoslavia. Recommends assigning students to maintain journals of news clippings about developments in Yugoslavia. Proposes forming cooperative-learning groups for researching the country's various regions. Offers activities for teaching about language arts, fine arts, reading and literature, religion,…

The Masterpiece Assignment: Active Learning in Management and Communications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Jennie Carter

1997-01-01

In the Masterpiece course project, business communication students prepare a proposal for study with an actual business partner, a recruitment presentation for prospective employees, a research report and oral presentation, and assessment of team and individual performance. The project is an opportunity for actual management rather than merely…

Start Your Own Business Assignment in the Context of Experiential Entrepreneurship Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malach, Sandra E.; Malach, Robert L.

2014-01-01

Experiential education is often used in entrepreneurship courses, as it conveys both substantive, theoretical knowledge and intangible learning experiences best absorbed through active participation. Starting and operating a business is a unique, educational experience allowing students to apply the substantive knowledge gained in entrepreneurship…

Growing up as a Young Artist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szekely, George

2012-01-01

"Growing Up as a Young Artist" is an illustrated book assignment that involves researching family scrapbooks, photo albums and films, and inquiring about family anecdotes for clues to one's artistic roots. Students creatively reflect on their early memories of imaginative events, as each page is filled with memories of creative activities they…

Can Coloring Mandalas Reduce Anxiety?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curry, Nancy A.; Kasser, Tim

2005-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of different types of art activities in the reduction of anxiety. After undergoing a brief anxiety-induction, 84 undergraduate students were randomly assigned to color a mandala, to color a plaid form, or to color on a blank piece of paper. Results demonstrated that anxiety levels declined approximately the…

Incorporating TED Talk Assignments into a Public-Speaking Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayward, Pamela A.

2017-01-01

Courses: Introduction to public speaking, advanced public speaking, hybrid/survey introduction to communication. Objectives: At the end of this activity, students will be able to (1) explain the elements of a speaking outline and discover these elements in real-world speech examples, (2) recreate outline formats effectively in their personal…

"Reality" Revisited: Self-Assessment of Terministic Screens through a Political Autobiography Assignment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunter, Karla M.

2016-01-01

Courses: Argumentation, Public Speaking, Political Communication. Objectives: After completing this unit activity, students should be able to (1) demonstrate comprehension of Burke's (1941) concept of terministic screens; (2) apply the concept of terministic screens to write a brief political autobiography of themselves that analyzes the history…

Surgical Techniques. Second Edition. Teacher Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bushey, Vicki; And Others

This instructor's manual contains 18 units of instruction for a course on surgical technology designed to include the entry-level competencies students need as a surgical technologist. Each unit includes some or all of the following basic components of a unit of instruction: objective sheet, suggested activities for the teacher, assignment sheets…

The Complaint Letter and Response.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shukla, P. K.

1998-01-01

Describes an assignment in which students write a letter of complaint, and discusses how this assignment aids students in seeing the importance of effective written communication to their daily lives. (SR)

A Randomized Crossover Design to Assess Learning Impact and Student Preference for Active and Passive Online Learning Modules.

PubMed

Prunuske, Amy J; Henn, Lisa; Brearley, Ann M; Prunuske, Jacob

Medical education increasingly involves online learning experiences to facilitate the standardization of curriculum across time and space. In class, delivering material by lecture is less effective at promoting student learning than engaging students in active learning experience and it is unclear whether this difference also exists online. We sought to evaluate medical student preferences for online lecture or online active learning formats and the impact of format on short- and long-term learning gains. Students participated online in either lecture or constructivist learning activities in a first year neurologic sciences course at a US medical school. In 2012, students selected which format to complete and in 2013, students were randomly assigned in a crossover fashion to the modules. In the first iteration, students strongly preferred the lecture modules and valued being told "what they need to know" rather than figuring it out independently. In the crossover iteration, learning gains and knowledge retention were found to be equivalent regardless of format, and students uniformly demonstrated a strong preference for the lecture format, which also on average took less time to complete. When given a choice for online modules, students prefer passive lecture rather than completing constructivist activities, and in the time-limited environment of medical school, this choice results in similar performance on multiple-choice examinations with less time invested. Instructors need to look more carefully at whether assessments and learning strategies are helping students to obtain self-directed learning skills and to consider strategies to help students learn to value active learning in an online environment.

Experiences with lab-centric instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Titterton, Nathaniel; Lewis, Colleen M.; Clancy, Michael J.

2010-06-01

Lab-centric instruction emphasizes supervised, hands-on activities by substituting lab for lecture time. It combines a multitude of pedagogical techniques into the format of an extended, structured closed lab. We discuss the range of benefits for students, including increased staff interaction, frequent and varied self-assessments, integrated collaborative activities, and a systematic sequence of activities that gradually increases in difficulty. Instructors also benefit from a deeper window into student progress and understanding. We follow with discussion of our experiences in courses at U.C. Berkeley, and using data from some of these investigate the effects of lab-centric instruction on student learning, procrastination, and course pacing. We observe that the lab-centric format helped students on exams but hurt them on extended programming assignments, counter to our hypothesis. Additionally, we see no difference in self-ratings of procrastination and limited differences in ratings of course pace. We do find evidence that the students who choose to attend lab-centric courses are different in several important ways from students who choose to attend the same course in a non-lab-centric format.

Students' Achievement and Homework Assignment Strategies.

PubMed

Fernández-Alonso, Rubén; Álvarez-Díaz, Marcos; Suárez-Álvarez, Javier; Muñiz, José

2017-01-01

The optimum time students should spend on homework has been widely researched although the results are far from unanimous. The main objective of this research is to analyze how homework assignment strategies in schools affect students' academic performance and the differences in students' time spent on homework. Participants were a representative sample of Spanish adolescents ( N = 26,543) with a mean age of 14.4 (±0.75), 49.7% girls. A test battery was used to measure academic performance in four subjects: Spanish, Mathematics, Science, and Citizenship. A questionnaire allowed the measurement of the indicators used for the description of homework and control variables. Two three-level hierarchical-linear models (student, school, autonomous community) were produced for each subject being evaluated. The relationship between academic results and homework time is negative at the individual level but positive at school level. An increase in the amount of homework a school assigns is associated with an increase in the differences in student time spent on homework. An optimum amount of homework is proposed which schools should assign to maximize gains in achievement for students overall.

Students' Achievement and Homework Assignment Strategies

PubMed Central

Fernández-Alonso, Rubén; Álvarez-Díaz, Marcos; Suárez-Álvarez, Javier; Muñiz, José

2017-01-01

The optimum time students should spend on homework has been widely researched although the results are far from unanimous. The main objective of this research is to analyze how homework assignment strategies in schools affect students' academic performance and the differences in students' time spent on homework. Participants were a representative sample of Spanish adolescents (N = 26,543) with a mean age of 14.4 (±0.75), 49.7% girls. A test battery was used to measure academic performance in four subjects: Spanish, Mathematics, Science, and Citizenship. A questionnaire allowed the measurement of the indicators used for the description of homework and control variables. Two three-level hierarchical-linear models (student, school, autonomous community) were produced for each subject being evaluated. The relationship between academic results and homework time is negative at the individual level but positive at school level. An increase in the amount of homework a school assigns is associated with an increase in the differences in student time spent on homework. An optimum amount of homework is proposed which schools should assign to maximize gains in achievement for students overall. PMID:28326046

Just-in-Time Teaching Exercises to Engage Students in an Introductory-Level Dinosaur Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guertin, Laura A.; Zappe, Sarah E.; Kim, Heeyoung

2007-12-01

The Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) technique allows students to be engaged in course material outside of the classroom by answering web-based questions. The responses are summarized and presented to students in class with a follow-up active learning exercise. College students enrolled in an introductory-level general education geoscience course were surveyed over a two-semester period on their engagement level during lecture and perceived learning of course content. Data show that students are able to reflect on their prior knowledge and construct new knowledge with weekly graded JiTT exercises. Despite increasing and competing pressures outside of the classroom, students reported increased learning and engagement in a course with required weekly assignments.

Can Students Write Their Own Textbooks? Thoughts on a New Type of Writing Assignment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frye, David

1999-01-01

Describes an assignment in an undergraduate course on Roman history for junior and senior history majors in which students create their own 15-page textbook using primary sources. Explains how each class session developed student analysis of primary sources. (CMK)

Briefing Teams in World Affairs Class.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunn, Joe P.

1992-01-01

In a college world affairs course, the teacher acted as foreign policy/national security advisor to the president and assigned students as staff members for different geographic regions. Students briefed him daily, first on current events, then on specific issues. Students enjoyed the challenging assignments, intensive questioning, and policy…

Quantitative evaluation of expression difference in report assignments between nursing and radiologic technology departments.

PubMed

Nishimoto, Naoki; Yokooka, Yuki; Yagahara, Ayako; Uesugi, Masahito; Ogasawara, Katsuhiko

2011-01-01

Our purpose in this study was to investigate the expression differences in report assignments between students in nursing and radiologic technology departments. We have known that faculties could identify differences, such as word usage, through grading their students' assignments. However, there are no reports in the literature dealing with expression differences in vocabulary usage in medical informatics education based on statistical techniques or other quantitative measures. The report assignment asked for students' opinions in the event that they found a rare case of a disease in a hospital after they graduated from professional school. We processed student report data automatically, and we applied the space vector model and TF/IDF (term frequency/inverse document frequency) scoring to 129 report assignments. The similarity-score distributions among the assignments for these two departments were close to normal. We focused on the sets of terms that occurred exclusively in either department. For terms such as "radiation therapy" or "communication skills" that occurred in the radiologic technology department, the TF/IDF score was 8.01. The same score was obtained for terms such as "privacy guidelines" or "consent of patients" that occurred in the nursing department. These results will help faculties to provide a better education based on identified expression differences from students' background knowledge.

Software tools for interactive instruction in radiologic anatomy.

PubMed

Alvarez, Antonio; Gold, Garry E; Tobin, Brian; Desser, Terry S

2006-04-01

To promote active learning in an introductory Radiologic Anatomy course through the use of computer-based exercises. DICOM datasets from our hospital PACS system were transferred to a networked cluster of desktop computers in a medical school classroom. Medical students in the Radiologic Anatomy course were divided into four small groups and assigned to work on a clinical case for 45 minutes. The groups used iPACS viewer software, a free DICOM viewer, to view images and annotate anatomic structures. The classroom instructor monitored and displayed each group's work sequentially on the master screen by running SynchronEyes, a software tool for controlling PC desktops remotely. Students were able to execute the assigned tasks using the iPACS software with minimal oversight or instruction. Course instructors displayed each group's work on the main display screen of the classroom as the students presented the rationale for their decisions. The interactive component of the course received high ratings from the students and overall course ratings were higher than in prior years when the course was given solely in lecture format. DICOM viewing software is an excellent tool for enabling students to learn radiologic anatomy from real-life clinical datasets. Interactive exercises performed in groups can be powerful tools for stimulating students to learn radiologic anatomy.

The effects of task and resource interdependence on achievement and social support: an exploratory study of Italian children.

PubMed

Bertucci, Andrea; Johnson, David W; Johnson, Roger T; Conte, Stella

2011-01-01

The relative efficacy of positive task interdependence, positive resource interdependence, and individualistic learning were compared with achievement and academic and personal social support. The authors randomly assigned to conditions 66 7th-grade Italian students with no previous experience in cooperative learning. They participated in 6 90-min instructional sessions dealing with the dangers of smoking, alcohol, and drugs. The results indicated that students assigned to the task-interdependence and resource-interdependence conditions achieved higher and perceived greater peer academic support than did students working individually. Students in the resource-interdependence condition showed a higher perception of peer personal support than students assigned to the other conditions.

Midwifery students' evaluation of team-based academic assignments involving peer-marking.

PubMed

Parratt, Jenny A; Fahy, Kathleen M; Hastie, Carolyn R

2014-03-01

Midwives should be skilled team workers in maternity units and in group practices. Poor teamwork skills are a significant cause of adverse maternity care outcomes. Despite Australian and International regulatory requirements that all midwifery graduates are competent in teamwork, the systematic teaching and assessment of teamwork skills is lacking in higher education. How do midwifery students evaluate participation in team-based academic assignments, which include giving and receiving peer feedback? First and third year Bachelor of Midwifery students who volunteered (24 of 56 students). Participatory Action Research with data collection via anonymous online surveys. There was general agreement that team based assignments; (i) should have peer-marking, (ii) help clarify what is meant by teamwork, (iii) develop communication skills, (iv) promote student-to-student learning. Third year students strongly agreed that teams: (i) are valuable preparation for teamwork in practice, (ii) help meet Australian midwifery competency 8, and (iii) were enjoyable. The majority of third year students agreed with statements that their teams were effectively coordinated and team members shared responsibility for work equally; first year students strongly disagreed with these statements. Students' qualitative comments substantiated and expanded on these findings. The majority of students valued teacher feedback on well-developed drafts of the team's assignment prior to marking. Based on these findings we changed practice and created more clearly structured team-based assignments with specific marking criteria. We are developing supporting lessons to teach specific teamwork skills: together these resources are called "TeamUP". TeamUP should be implemented in all pre-registration Midwifery courses to foster students' teamwork skills and readiness for practice. Copyright © 2013 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Impact of Color-Coding Freshmen Integrated-Science Assignments on Student Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sturdivant Allen, Anita Kay

Students in Grade 9 exhibit high rates of grade retention and absenteeism. Educators have used different strategies that will increase the achievement of those students. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a relationship existed between student achievement and the strategy to use colored paper for Grade 9 science assignments and tests. Itten's color theory provided the theoretical framework. Itten was one of the first researchers to explore the notion that the human eye can detect wavelengths as colors and that those colors can engage and create order in the human brain. A sample of students assigned to 4 classroom teachers at one high school who volunteered to take part in the study for 18 weeks were used in this quantitative study. Teachers administered student assessments on blue, green, yellow, and white paper. Each class was assigned 1 of the 4 colors for 4.5 weeks. The classes were then assigned a different color for the same length of time until each class had exposure to all 4 colors. Physical science exams given to students in the same grade or subject were used as the dependent variable. An ANOVA indicated that the groups using blue paper scored the highest on the physical science exams; students who used white paper earned the lowest scores. When comparing all 3 groups using colored paper (all three colored paper groups combined into one group) to the white paper groups, t-test results indicated that students using any colored paper scored higher than students using white paper. Further research on the impact of colored paper on student academic performance is necessary. Implications for positive social change indicate that new knowledge about instructional tools that impact student achievement deserves more attention.

Healthy active living: a residence community-based intervention to increase physical activity and healthy eating during the transition to first-year university.

PubMed

Brown, Denver M Y; Bray, Steve R; Beatty, Kevin R; Kwan, Matthew Y W

2014-01-01

To examine the effects of a Healthy Active Living (HAL) community intervention on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC), and psychosocial mediators of physical activity among students transitioning into university. Sixty undergraduate students were assigned to reside in either the HAL community or no-treatment control residence and completed questionnaire measures at the beginning and end of the academic year. Students living in the HAL community reported significantly more MVPA (F[1, 58]=19.93, p<.001, ηp2=.26) and greater FVC (F[1, 56]=3.12, p=.08, ηp2=.05) compared with controls. Participants in the HAL condition also scored significantly higher in action planning (F[1, 58]=4.79, p<.05, ηp2=.08), partially mediating the effect of the intervention on MVPA. A peer-delivered healthy lifestyles intervention targeting first-year university students appears to be effective in preserving or enhancing health behaviors and cognitions during their transition into university life.

Promoting Active Learning: The Use of Computational Software Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickinson, Tom

The increased emphasis on active learning in essentially all disciplines is proving beneficial in terms of a student's depth of learning, retention, and completion of challenging courses. Formats labeled flipped, hybrid and blended facilitate face-to-face active learning. To be effective, students need to absorb a significant fraction of the course material prior to class, e.g., using online lectures and reading assignments. Getting students to assimilate and at least partially understand this material prior to class can be extremely difficult. As an aid to achieving this preparation as well as enhancing depth of understanding, we find the use of software programs such as Mathematica®or MatLab®, very helpful. We have written several Mathematica®applications and student exercises for use in a blended format two semester E&M course. Formats include tutorials, simulations, graded and non-graded quizzes, walk-through problems, exploration and interpretation exercises, and numerical solutions of complex problems. A good portion of this activity involves student-written code. We will discuss the efficacy of these applications, their role in promoting active learning, and the range of possible uses of this basic scheme in other classes.

A Student-Led Feedback Protocol on Writing Assignments in a History of Mathematics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Diana

2014-01-01

History of math courses are commonly offered in mathematics departments. Such courses naturally lend themselves to writing assignments, and a growing body of research supports writing as a means to learn mathematics. This article details two such assignments, providing an overview of the course in which they are situated, and a student-led…

Differences in Discipline Consequence Assignments by Ethnicity/Race, Gender, and Poverty in Texas Middle Schools: A Statewide Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnes, Mikia J.

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this journal-ready dissertation was to determine the extent to which differences might be present in discipline consequence assignments by student demographic characteristics in Texas middle schools. In the first investigation, the degree to which discipline consequence assignments differed by the degree of student economic…

"Piggybacking" on Business Communication through Interdisciplinarity: Developing Student Communication Skills in Legal Environment of Business Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooley, Amanda Harmon

2009-01-01

The purpose of this article is to describe an assignment for a legal environment of business course that builds upon and reinforces strong business communication practices. The assignment discusses "piggybacking," which is the unauthorized use of another person's wireless Internet connection. In this assignment, the students are required (1) to…

Investigating Expectations and Experiences of Audio and Written Assignment Feedback in First-Year Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fawcett, Hannah; Oldfield, Jeremy

2016-01-01

Previous research suggests that audio feedback may be an important mechanism for facilitating effective and timely assignment feedback. The present study examined expectations and experiences of audio and written feedback provided through "turnitin for iPad®" from students within the same cohort and assignment. The results showed that…

Online Assignments in Economics: A Test of Their Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennelly, Brendan; Considine, John; Flannery, Darragh

2011-01-01

This article compares the effectiveness of online and paper-based assignments and tutorials using summative assessment results. All of the students in a large managerial economics course at National University of Ireland, Galway were asked to do six assignments online using Aplia and to do two on paper. The authors examined whether a student's…

Investigating Students' Use and Adoption of "With-Video Assignments": Lessons Learnt for Video-Based Open Educational Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pappas, Ilias O.; Giannakos, Michail N.; Mikalef, Patrick

2017-01-01

The use of video-based open educational resources is widespread, and includes multiple approaches to implementation. In this paper, the term "with-video assignments" is introduced to portray video learning resources enhanced with assignments. The goal of this study is to examine the factors that influence students' intention to adopt…

A First Assignment to Create Student Buy-In in an Introductory Business Statistics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newfeld, Daria

2016-01-01

This paper presents a sample assignment to be administered after the first two weeks of an introductory business focused statistics course in order to promote student buy-in. This assignment integrates graphical displays of data, descriptive statistics and cross-tabulation analysis through the lens of a marketing analysis study. A marketing sample…

Why IEP Teams Assign Low Performers with Mild Disabilities to the Alternate Assessment Based on Alternate Achievement Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, Hyun-Jeong; Kingston, Neal

2013-01-01

The purpose of this case study was to determine teachers' rationales for assigning students with mild disabilities to alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS). In interviews, special educators stated that their primary considerations in making the assignments were low academic performance, student use of extended…

The Impact of Implementing Web Homework in Second-Semester Calculus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaRose, P. Gavin

2010-01-01

In this study we examine the introduction of on-line homework to a Calculus II course as a replacement for ungraded pencil-and-paper homework assignments. We consider how this had an impact on students' performance in the course, on student behavior in completing the assigned work, and on student attitudes toward it. We find that students working…

Does Professor Quality Matter? Evidence from Random Assignment of Students to Professors. NBER Working Paper No. 14081

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carrell, Scott E.; West, James E.

2008-01-01

It is difficult to measure teaching quality at the postsecondary level because students typically "self-select" their coursework and their professors. Despite this, student evaluations of professors are widely used in faculty promotion and tenure decisions. We exploit the random assignment of college students to professors in a large body of…

Embracing Service-Learning Opportunities: Student Perceptions of Service-Learning as an Aid to Effectively Learn Course Material

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Currie-Mueller, Jenna L.; Littlefield, Robert S.

2018-01-01

Educators are aware of the benefits of service learning such as retention or application of course concepts. Students enrolled in courses with a service learning assignment may not be aware of the benefits or may not view the assignment as beneficiary. This study examined student perceptions of service learning to determine if students'…

The Impact of Anonymous and Assigned Use of Student Response Systems on Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poole, Dawn

2012-01-01

This study examined the impact of two approaches to use of student response systems (SRSs) on achievement in a study designed to better understand effective use of the devices. One condition was anonymous use of SRSs, in which graduate students selected a random clicker when entering the classroom. The second condition assigned devices to students…

Forming Student Online Teams for Maximum Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Joel D.; Ringhand, Darlene G.; Kalinski, Ray C.; Ziegler, James G.

2015-01-01

What is the best way to assign graduate business students to online team-based projects? Team assignments are frequently made on the basis of alphabet, time zones or previous performance. This study reviews personality as an indicator of student online team performance. The personality assessment IDE (Insights Discovery Evaluator) was administered…

An Interactive Introduction to Protein Structure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, W. Theodore

2004-01-01

To improve student understanding of protein structure and the significance of noncovalent interactions in protein structure and function, students are assigned a project to write a paper complemented with computer-generated images. The assignment provides an opportunity for students to select a protein structure that is of interest and detail…

Anthologizing Transformation: Breaking Down Students'"Private Theories" about Poetry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chick, Nancy L.

2002-01-01

Presents an assignment in which students look through a handful of poetry collections or anthologies, seeking 20 poems they like and thus understand or want to understand to some extent. Describes the benefits of this assignment, including honing students' interpretive skills, dispelling their misconceptions about the genre, and continuing their…

Increasing Student-Learning Team Effectiveness with Team Charters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunsaker, Phillip; Pavett, Cynthia; Hunsaker, Johanna

2011-01-01

Because teams are a ubiquitous part of most organizations today, it is common for business educators to use team assignments to help students experientially learn about course concepts and team process. Unfortunately, students frequently experience a number of problems during team assignments. The authors describe the results of their research and…

Helping Anxious Students Move Forward

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minahan, Jessica

2018-01-01

Students with anxiety are prone to giving up a difficult work assignment before they even start it. So how can teachers help these students develop skills to successfully start and finish assignments and succeed in school? Behavioral analyst Jessica Minahan offers some practical solutions that teachers can implement in the classroom to motivate…

Solar Heating Systems: Student Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Joanne; And Others

This Student Manual for a Solar Heating System curriculum contains 22 units of instructional materials for students to use in a course or courses on solar heating systems (see note). For each unit (task), objectives, assignment sheets, laboratory assignments, information sheets, checkpoints (tests), and job sheets are provided. Materials are set…