Sample records for exploratory learning environment

  1. Applying a Framework for Student Modeling in Exploratory Learning Environments: Comparing Data Representation Granularity to Handle Environment Complexity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fratamico, Lauren; Conati, Cristina; Kardan, Samad; Roll, Ido

    2017-01-01

    Interactive simulations can facilitate inquiry learning. However, similarly to other Exploratory Learning Environments, students may not always learn effectively in these unstructured environments. Thus, providing adaptive support has great potential to help improve student learning with these rich activities. Providing adaptive support requires a…

  2. Examining Metacognitive Processes in Exploratory Computer-Based Learning Environments Using Activity Log Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chang, Yoo Kyung

    2010-01-01

    Metacognition is widely studied for its influence on the effectiveness of learning. With Exploratory Computer-Based Learning Environments (ECBLE), metacognition is found to be especially important because these environments require adaptive metacognitive control by the learners due to their open-ended structure that allows for multiple learning…

  3. Combining Unsupervised and Supervised Classification to Build User Models for Exploratory Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Amershi, Saleema; Conati, Cristina

    2009-01-01

    In this paper, we present a data-based user modeling framework that uses both unsupervised and supervised classification to build student models for exploratory learning environments. We apply the framework to build student models for two different learning environments and using two different data sources (logged interface and eye-tracking data).…

  4. Modeling and Intervening across Time in Scientific Inquiry Exploratory Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ting, Choo-Yee; Phon-Amnuaisuk, Somnuk; Chong, Yen-Kuan

    2008-01-01

    This article aims at discussing how Dynamic Decision Network (DDN) can be employed to tackle the challenges in modeling temporally variable scientific inquiry skills and provision of adaptive pedagogical interventions in INQPRO, a scientific inquiry exploratory learning environment for learning O'level Physics. We begin with an overview of INQPRO…

  5. Design of Teacher Assistance Tools in an Exploratory Learning Environment for Algebraic Generalization

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gutierrez-Santos, S.; Geraniou, E.; Pearce-Lazard, D.; Poulovassilis, A.

    2012-01-01

    The MiGen project is designing and developing an intelligent exploratory environment to support 11-14-year-old students in their learning of algebraic generalization. Deployed within the classroom, the system also provides tools to assist teachers in monitoring students' activities and progress. This paper describes the design of these Teacher…

  6. Personal Learning Environments in the Workplace: An Exploratory Study into the Key Business Decision Factors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chatterjee, Arunangsu; Law, Effie Lai-Chong; Mikroyannidis, Alexander; Owen, Glyn; Velasco, Karen

    2013-01-01

    Personal Learning Environments (PLEs) have emerged as a solution to the need of learners for open and easily customisable learning environments. PLEs essentially hand complete control over the learning process to the learner. However, this learning model is not fully compatible with learning in the workplace, which is influenced by certain…

  7. CLEANing the Reward: Counterfactual Actions to Remove Exploratory Action Noise in Multiagent Learning

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    HolmesParker, Chris; Taylor, Mathew E.; Tumer, Kagan; Agogino, Adrian

    2014-01-01

    Learning in multiagent systems can be slow because agents must learn both how to behave in a complex environment and how to account for the actions of other agents. The inability of an agent to distinguish between the true environmental dynamics and those caused by the stochastic exploratory actions of other agents creates noise in each agent's reward signal. This learning noise can have unforeseen and often undesirable effects on the resultant system performance. We define such noise as exploratory action noise, demonstrate the critical impact it can have on the learning process in multiagent settings, and introduce a reward structure to effectively remove such noise from each agent's reward signal. In particular, we introduce Coordinated Learning without Exploratory Action Noise (CLEAN) rewards and empirically demonstrate their benefits

  8. Evolution of learning in fluctuating environments: when selection favors both social and exploratory individual learning.

    PubMed

    Borenstein, Elhanan; Feldman, Marcus W; Aoki, Kenichi

    2008-03-01

    Cumulative cultural change requires organisms that are capable of both exploratory individual learning and faithful social learning. In our model, an organism's phenotype is initially determined innately (by its genotypic value) or by social learning (copying a phenotype from the parental generation), and then may or may not be modified by individual learning (exploration around the initial phenotype). The environment alternates periodically between two states, each defined as a certain range of phenotypes that can survive. These states may overlap, in which case the same phenotype can survive in both states, or they may not. We find that a joint social and exploratory individual learning strategy-the strategy that supports cumulative culture-is likely to spread when the environmental states do not overlap. In particular, when the environmental states are contiguous and mutation is allowed among the genotypic values, this strategy will spread in either moderately or highly stable environments, depending on the exact nature of the individual learning applied. On the other hand, natural selection often favors a social learning strategy without exploration when the environmental states overlap. We find only partial support for the "consensus" view, which holds that individual learning, social learning, and innate determination of behavior will evolve at short, intermediate, and long environmental periodicities, respectively.

  9. Creating Electronic Learning Environments: Games, Flow, and the User Interface.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Marshall G.

    A difficult task in creating rich, exploratory interactive learning environments is building an environment that is truly engaging. Engagement can be defined as the nexus of intrinsic knowledge and/or interest and external stimuli that promote the initial interest in, and continued use of a computer-based learning environment. Complete and total…

  10. Exploratory factor analysis of the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher Scale (CLES+T).

    PubMed

    Watson, Paul Barry; Seaton, Philippa; Sims, Deborah; Jamieson, Isabel; Mountier, Jane; Whittle, Rose; Saarikoski, Mikko

    2014-01-01

    The Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher (CLES+T) scale measures student nurses' perceptions of clinical learning environments. This study evaluates the construct validity and internal reliability of the CLES+T in hospital settings in New Zealand. Comparisons are made between New Zealand and Finnish data. The CLES+T scale was completed by 416 Bachelor of Nursing students following hospital clinical placements between October 2008 and December 2009. Construct validity and internal reliability were assessed using exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha. Exploratory factor analysis supports 4 factors. Cronbach's alpha ranged from .82 to .93. All items except 1 loaded on the same factors found in unpublished Finnish data. The first factor combined 2 previous components from the published Finnish component analysis and was renamed: connecting with, and learning in, communities of clinical practice. The remaining 3 factors (Nurse teacher, Supervisory relationship, and Leadership style of the manager) corresponded to previous components and their conceptualizations. The CLES+T has good internal reliability and a consistent factor structure across samples. The consistency across international samples supports faculties and hospitals using the CLES+T to benchmark the quality of clinical learning environments provided to students.

  11. Facilitating Exploratory Learning in Schools through Virtual Worlds: Experiences from a Course Run at a School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Iqbal, Ahmer

    2012-01-01

    The following paper examines the results of a research study in which a virtual world, Quest Atlantis (QA), was used to engage students in exploratory learning to teach about water quality issues. The main aim of the research was to find out how new digital learning environments and educational technology, such as virtual worlds, can be introduced…

  12. Self-Regulatory Efficacy and Mindset of At-Risk Students: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Matheson, Ian A.

    2015-01-01

    There is a limited body of research examining how students' beliefs about intelligence and about their abilities relate to different learning environments. As reported here, I examined secondary school students' beliefs, goals, and expectations guided by Zimmerman's (2000) model of self-regulated learning. In this exploratory study, 230 secondary…

  13. Quality of Learning Facilities and Learning Environment: Challenges for Teaching and Learning in Kenya's Public Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ndirangu, Mwangi; Udoto, Maurice O.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this article is to report findings on the perceptions of quality of educational facilities in Kenyan public universities, and the implications for teaching/learning, and the learning environment. Design/methodology/approach: The study adopted an exploratory descriptive design. A total of 332 and 107 undergraduate students…

  14. Designing a Virtual-Reality-Based, Gamelike Math Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xu, Xinhao; Ke, Fengfeng

    2016-01-01

    This exploratory study examined the design issues related to a virtual-reality-based, gamelike learning environment (VRGLE) developed via OpenSimulator, an open-source virtual reality server. The researchers collected qualitative data to examine the VRGLE's usability, playability, and content integration for math learning. They found it important…

  15. An Exploratory Review of Design Principles in Constructivist Gaming Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosario, Roberto A. Munoz; Widmeyer, George R.

    2009-01-01

    Creating a design theory for Constructivist Gaming Learning Environment necessitates, among other things, the establishment of design principles. These principles have the potential to help designers produce games, where users achieve higher levels of learning. This paper focuses on twelve design principles: Probing, Distributed, Multiple Routes,…

  16. Secondary Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions of an Ideal Classroom Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bartelheim, Frederick J.; Conn, Daniel R.

    2014-01-01

    The classroom environment can impact students' motivation and engagement, and can influence students' academic learning. In some cases, pre-service teachers' influence on the classroom environment may not always be conducive for student learning. This exploratory study investigated pre-service teachers' perceptions of an ideal classroom…

  17. Exploratory behavior of a native anuran species with high invasive potential.

    PubMed

    Miller, Amanda J; Page, Rachel A; Bernal, Ximena E

    2018-01-01

    Exploratory behavior can be a key component of survival in novel or changing environments, ultimately determining population establishment. While many studies have investigated the behavior of wild animals in response to novel food items or objects, our understanding of how they explore novel environments is limited. Here, we examine how experience affects the foraging behavior of a species with high invasive potential. In particular, we investigate the movement and behavior of cane toads as a function of experience in a novel environment, and how the presence of food modulates exploration. Cane toads, from a population in their native range, were repeatedly tested in a large, naturalistic arena with or without food present. Both groups exhibited significant but different changes in exploratory behavior. While toads in an environment without food reduced exploratory behavior over trials, those with food present increased both food intake per trial and the directness of their paths to food, resulting in fewer approaches to food patches over time. Our results suggest that cane toads learn patch location and provide preliminary evidence suggesting toads use spatial memory, not associative learning, to locate food. In sum, we show that with experience, cane toads alter their behavior to increase foraging efficiency. This study emphasizes the role of learning in foraging in cane toads, a characteristic that may have facilitated their success as invaders.

  18. Using Wiki to Teach Part-Time Adult Learners in a Blended Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Basar, Siti Mariam Muhammad Abdul; Yusop, Farrah Dina

    2014-01-01

    This exploratory study investigated the perceptions of 31 part-time adult learners who participated in an online collaborative writing experience. Situated in the context of a blended learning environment of an advanced English learning course, this study looked into learners' perceptions with respect to the benefits of collaborative writing using…

  19. Students' Perceptions of the Introduction of a Blended Learning Environment: An Exploratory Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Osgerby, Julia

    2013-01-01

    Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) provide the opportunity to deliver blended learning approaches that combine mixes of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) with various delivery methods and media. In 2008 and 2009, the University of Winchester in the UK redesigned a variety of accounting and financial management modules for…

  20. Examining Elementary Teachers' Use of Online Learning Environments: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beach, Pamela

    2018-01-01

    This article presents the results of a study that examined elementary teachers' use of online learning environments for their informal professional learning in literacy instruction. Forty-five elementary teachers from a metropolitan area in Ontario, Canada, completed an online survey and participated in a semistructured interview. Survey and…

  1. Mathematical Language Development and Talk Types in Computer Supported Collaborative Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Symons, Duncan; Pierce, Robyn

    2015-01-01

    In this study we examine the use of cumulative and exploratory talk types in a year 5 computer supported collaborative learning environment. The focus for students in this environment was to participate in mathematical problem solving, with the intention of developing the proficiencies of problem solving and reasoning. Findings suggest that…

  2. Blended learning in K-12 mathematics and science instruction -- An exploratory study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schmidt, Jason

    Blended learning has developed into a hot topic in education over the past several years. Flipped classrooms, online learning environments, and the use of technology to deliver educational content using rich media continue to garner national attention. While generally well accepted and researched in post-secondary education, not much research has focused on blended learning in elementary, middle, and high schools. This thesis is an exploratory study to begin to determine if students and teachers like blended learning and whether or not it affects the amount of time they spend in math and science. Standardized achievement test data were also analyzed to determine if blended learning had any effect on test scores. Based on student and teacher surveys, this population seems to like blended learning and to work more efficiently in this environment. There is no evidence from this study to support any effect on student achievement.

  3. Measuring Social Relations in New Classroom Spaces: Development and Validation of the Social Context and Learning Environments (SCALE) Survey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walker, J. D.; Baepler, Paul

    2017-01-01

    This study addresses the need for reliable and valid information concerning how innovative classrooms on college and university campuses affect teaching and learning. The Social Context and Learning Environments (SCALE) survey was developed though a three-stage process involving approximately 1300 college students. Exploratory and confirmatory…

  4. Preliminary Study on the Role of Social Presence in Blended Learning Environment in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jusoff, Kamaruzaman; Khodabandelou, Rouhollah

    2009-01-01

    This paper contributes to the growing body of knowledge which identifies benefits for Blended Learning in the understanding of social processes role. It reports on an exploratory study into the role of social presence in blended learning environment. Employing a qualitative methodology, the study sought to understand social presence of learners in…

  5. Designing Mathematical Learning Environments for Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Madden, Sandra R.

    2010-01-01

    Technology use in mathematics often involves either exploratory or expressive modeling. When using exploratory models, students use technology to investigate a premade expert model of some phenomena. When creating expressive models, students have greater flexibility for constructing their own model for investigation using objects and mechanisms…

  6. Enhancing Learning Environments for Students Affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: An Exploratory Study of Canadian Pre-Service Teacher Knowledge and Conceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pei, Jacqueline; Job, Jenelle; Poth, Cheryl; O'Brien-Langer, Anna; Tang, Wei

    2015-01-01

    There is a pressing need for enhancing the learning environment for students affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). To develop relevant professional learning opportunities for teachers, a logical initial step is to explore the extent to which pre-service teachers accurately understand the unique neuropsychological functioning…

  7. Guiding Exploration through Three-Dimensional Virtual Environments: A Cognitive Load Reduction Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Chwen Jen; Fauzy Wan Ismail, Wan Mohd

    2008-01-01

    The real-time interactive nature of three-dimensional virtual environments (VEs) makes this technology very appropriate for exploratory learning purposes. However, many studies have shown that the exploration process may cause cognitive overload that affects the learning of domain knowledge. This article reports a quasi-experimental study that…

  8. Learner-Controlled Scaffolding Linked to Open-Ended Problems in a Digital Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edson, Alden Jack

    2017-01-01

    This exploratory study reports on how students activated learner-controlled scaffolding and navigated through sequences of connected problems in a digital learning environment. A design experiment was completed to (re)design, iteratively develop, test, and evaluate a digital version of an instructional unit focusing on binomial distributions and…

  9. [Validity and Reliability of the Korean Version Scale of the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher Evaluation Scale (CLES+T)].

    PubMed

    Kim, Sun Hee; Yoo, So Yeon; Kim, Yae Young

    2018-02-01

    This study was conducted to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the clinical learning environment, supervision and nurse teacher evaluation scale (CLES+T) that measures the clinical learning environment and the conditions associated with supervision and nurse teachers. The English CLES+T was translated into Korean with forward and back translation. Survey data were collected from 434 nursing students who had more than four days of clinical practice in Korean hospitals. Internal consistency reliability and construct validity using confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis were conducted. SPSS 20.0 and AMOS 22.0 programs were used for data analysis. The exploratory factor analysis revealed seven factors for the thirty three-item scale. Confirmatory factor analysis supported good convergent and discriminant validities. The Cronbach's alpha for the overall scale was .94 and for the seven subscales ranged from .78 to .94. The findings suggest that the 33-items Korean CLES+T is an appropriate instrument to measure Korean nursing students'clinical learning environment with good validity and reliability. © 2018 Korean Society of Nursing Science.

  10. A Contextualized, Differential Sequence Mining Method to Derive Students' Learning Behavior Patterns

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kinnebrew, John S.; Loretz, Kirk M.; Biswas, Gautam

    2013-01-01

    Computer-based learning environments can produce a wealth of data on student learning interactions. This paper presents an exploratory data mining methodology for assessing and comparing students' learning behaviors from these interaction traces. The core algorithm employs a novel combination of sequence mining techniques to identify deferentially…

  11. An Exploratory Study Comparing the Effectiveness of Lecturing versus Team-Based Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huggins, Christopher M.; Stamatel, Janet P.

    2015-01-01

    Lecturing has been criticized for fostering a passive learning environment, emphasizing a one-way flow of information, and not adequately engaging students. In contrast, active-learning approaches, such as team-based learning (TBL), prioritize student interaction and engagement and create multidirectional flows of information. This paper presents…

  12. Assessing culturally sensitive factors in the learning environment of science classrooms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fisher, Darrell L.; Waldrip, Bruce G.

    1997-03-01

    As schools are becoming increasingly diverse in their scope and clientele, any examination of the interaction of culturally sensitive factors of students' learning environments with learning science assumes critical importance. The purpose of this exploratory study was to develop an instrument to assess learning environment factors that are culturally sensitive, to provide initial validation information on the instrument and to examine associations between students' perceptions of their learning environments and their attitudes towards science and achievement of enquiry skills. A measure of these factors of science student's learning environment, namely the Cultural Learning Environment Questionnaire (CLEQ), was developed from past learning environment instruments and influenced by Hofstede's four dimensions of culture (Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism, and Masculinity/Femininity). The reliability and discriminant validity for each scale were obtained and associations between learning environment, attitude to science and enquiry skills achievement were found.

  13. Virtual Worlds as the Next Asset of Virtual Learning Environments for Students in Business?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pelet, Jean-Eric; Lecat, Benoît

    2012-01-01

    The authors' research examines the effectiveness of a web-based virtual learning environment (VLE) in the context of management studies. This article provides two main contributions. First, an exploratory study introduces and describes the concept of VLE applied to the training of seven students in an "interactivity design" (IS) course.…

  14. Creative Multimodal Learning Environments and Blended Interaction for Problem-Based Activity in HCI Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ioannou, Andri; Vasiliou, Christina; Zaphiris, Panayiotis; Arh, Tanja; Klobucar, Tomaž; Pipan, Matija

    2015-01-01

    This exploratory case study aims to examine how students benefit from a multimodal learning environment while they engage in collaborative problem-based activity in a Human Computer Interaction (HCI) university course. For 12 weeks, 30 students, in groups of 5-7 each, participated in weekly face-to-face meetings and online interactions.…

  15. Dyslexic Students in Higher Education and Virtual Learning Environments: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Habib, L.; Berget, G.; Sandnes, F. E.; Sanderson, N.; Kahn, P.; Fagernes, S.; Olcay, A.

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents the results of an interview-based study of the use of virtual learning environments (VLEs) among dyslexic students. Interviews were carried out with 12 informants who had been formally diagnosed as dyslexic. The informants were either enrolled in a university or college programme, or had graduated less than a year before the…

  16. Learning to Communicate in a Virtual World: The Case of a JFL Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yamazaki, Kasumi

    2015-01-01

    The proliferation of online simulation games across the globe in many different languages offers Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) researchers an opportunity to examine how language learning occurs in such virtual environments. While there has recently been an increase in the number of exploratory studies involving learning experiences of…

  17. Psychology of Learning Spaces: Impact on Teaching and Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Granito, Vincent J.; Santana, Mary E.

    2016-01-01

    New research is emerging that focuses on the role the physical classroom space plays in the teaching-learning dynamic. The purpose of this exploratory research is to describe the students' and instructors' perspectives of how the classroom space and environment impact teaching and learning. Focus groups were utilized with data points coming from…

  18. Identifying Learning Behaviors by Contextualizing Differential Sequence Mining with Action Features and Performance Evolution

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kinnebrew, John S.; Biswas, Gautam

    2012-01-01

    Our learning-by-teaching environment, Betty's Brain, captures a wealth of data on students' learning interactions as they teach a virtual agent. This paper extends an exploratory data mining methodology for assessing and comparing students' learning behaviors from these interaction traces. The core algorithm employs sequence mining techniques to…

  19. The Use of a Metacognitive Tool in an Online Social Supportive Learning Environment: An Activity Theory Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martinez, Ray Earl

    2010-01-01

    This investigation is an exploratory study of the use of a metacognitive software tool in a social supportive learning environment. The tool combined metacognitive knowledge and regulation functionality embedded within the content of an eight week online graduate education course. Twenty-three learners, who were practicing teachers, used the tool.…

  20. Early Childhood Educators' Use of Natural Outdoor Settings as Learning Environments: An Exploratory Study of Beliefs, Practices, and Barriers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ernst, Julie

    2014-01-01

    In efforts to encourage use of natural outdoor settings as learning environments within early childhood education, survey research was conducted with 46 early childhood educators from northern Minnesota (United States) to explore their beliefs and practices regarding natural outdoor settings, as well investigate predictors of and barriers to the…

  1. Connectivity: A Framework for Understanding Effective Language Teaching in Face-to-Face and Online Learning Communities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Senior, Rose

    2010-01-01

    This is an exploratory paper that uses the construct of connectivity to examine the nature of effective language teaching and learning in both face-to-face and online learning environments. Broader in scope than Siemens' notion of connectivism, the term connectivity accommodates both transmission approaches to teaching and learning and social…

  2. Giving Back: Exploring Service-Learning in an Online Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McWhorter, Rochell R.; Delello, Julie A.; Roberts, Paul B.

    2016-01-01

    Service-Learning (SL) as an instructional method is growing in popularity for giving back to the community while connecting the experience to course content. However, little has been published on using SL for online business students. This study highlights an exploratory mixed-methods, multiple case study of an online business leadership and…

  3. Use of an Interculturally Enriched Collaboration Script in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Popov, Vitaliy; Biemans, Harm J. A.; Kuznetsov, Andrei N.; Mulder, Martin

    2014-01-01

    In this exploratory study, the authors introduced an interculturally enriched collaboration script (IECS) for working in culturally diverse groups within a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment and then assessed student online collaborative behaviour, learning performance and experiences. The question was if and how these…

  4. Harnessing the Power of Technologies to Manage Collaborative e-Learning Projects in Dispersed Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gosper, Maree Veroncia; McNeill, Margot Anne; Woo, Karen

    2010-01-01

    "The impact of web-based lecture technologies on current and future practice in learning and teaching" was a collaborative project across four Australian universities, funded by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC). The project was both exploratory and developmental in nature and according to the project's external…

  5. The operating room as a clinical learning environment: An exploratory study.

    PubMed

    Meyer, Rhoda; Van Schalkwyk, Susan C; Prakaschandra, Rosaley

    2016-05-01

    Students undertake their clinical placement in various clinical settings for the exposure to and acquisition of skills related to that particular context. The operating room is a context that offers the opportunity to develop critical skills related to the perioperative care of the patient. Despite numerous studies that have been undertaken in this field, few have investigated the operating room as a clinical learning environment in the South African private healthcare context. The aim of this study was to determine nursing students' perceptions of the operating room as a clinical learning environment. An exploratory, interpretive and descriptive design generating qualitative data was utilized. Eight nursing students completed an open-ended questionnaire, and twelve nursing students participated in the focus group discussion. Four themes emerged, namely, 'interpersonal factors', 'educational factors', 'private operating room context', and 'recommendations'. The opinion that the operating room offers an opportunity to gain skills unique to this context was expressed. However, despite the potential learning opportunities, the key findings of this study reveal negative perceptions of nursing students regarding learning experiences in the operating room. Exploration into the preparatory needs of students specific to learning outcomes before operating room placement should be considered. It will also be necessary to improve collaboration between lecturers, mentors and theatre managers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Exploring the Use of Individualized, Reflective Guidance In an Educational Multi-User Virtual Environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nelson, Brian C.

    2007-02-01

    This study examines the patterns of use and potential impact of individualized, reflective guidance in an educational Multi-User Virtual Environment (MUVE). A guidance system embedded within a MUVE-based scientific inquiry curriculum was implemented with a sample of middle school students in an exploratory study investigating (a) whether access to the guidance system was associated with improved learning, (b) whether students viewing more guidance messages saw greater improvement on content tests than those viewing less, and (c) whether there were any differences in guidance use among boys and girls. Initial experimental findings showed that basic access to individualized guidance used with a MUVE had no measurable impact on learning. However, post-hoc exploratory analyses indicated that increased use of the system among those with access to it was positively associated with content test score gains. In addition, differences were found in overall learning outcomes by gender and in patterns of guidance use by boys and girls, with girls outperforming boys across a spectrum of guidance system use. Based on these exploratory findings, the paper suggests design guidelines for the development of guidance systems embedded in MUVEs and outlines directions for further research.

  7. I Can, But I Won’t: An Exploratory Study on People and New Information Technologies in the Military

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-03-01

    in a revised web site. In another study, Viability of TAM in Multimedia Learning Environments: A Comparative Study (Saade, Nebebe, and Tan, 2007...multimedia- learning environment. These examples show the utility of TAM in predicting users acceptance of a variety of technologies. As applied to...committee, I have learned so much from our discussions on the numerous topics that gave me the direction I needed to complete the thesis. I would like

  8. Vocational Teaching-Learning through the Eyes of Undergraduate Vocational Students in Malta: A Qualitative Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Said, Alison

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to develop a deeper understanding of the teaching qualities of effective lecturers that vocational students desire, students assessment preferences and preferred learning environments. This study gives a voice to higher vocational students as it is important for vocational educators to learn what attracts students to…

  9. Prevalence of Mind Mapping as a Teaching and Learning Strategy in Physical Therapy Curricula

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zipp, Genevieve; Maher, Catherine

    2013-01-01

    Background and Purpose: Regardless of our discipline educators seek to create environments that actively engage students in their learning journey. One teaching and learning strategy that has emerged in higher education is mind mapping (MM). The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine the prevalence of MM usage in a health science…

  10. The Role of Environment Design in an Educational Multi-User Virtual Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Papachristos, Nikiforos M.; Vrellis, Ioannis; Natsis, Antonis; Mikropoulos, Tassos A.

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents empirical results from an exploratory study conducted in an authentic educational situation with preservice education students enrolled in an undergraduate course, which was partially taught in Second Life. The study investigated the effect of environment design on presence, learning outcomes and the overall experience of the…

  11. Einstein's Riddle as a Tool for Profiling Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Özeke, Vildan; Akçapina, Gökhan

    2016-01-01

    There are many computer games, learning environments, online tutoring systems or computerized tools which keeps the track of the user while learning or engaging in the activities. This paper presents results from an exploratory study and aims to group students regarding their behavior data while solving the Einstein's riddle. 45 undergraduate…

  12. Investigating Pedagogical Value of Wiki Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hazari, Sunil; North, Alexa; Moreland, Deborah

    2009-01-01

    This exploratory study investigates the potential of Wiki technology as a tool for teaching and learning. Wikis are a component of Web 2.0 technology tools that provide collaborative features and active learning opportunities in a web-based environment. This research study sought to empirically determine the pedagogical value of using Wiki…

  13. Being Online: Social Presence as Subjectivity in Online Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kehrwald, Benjamin

    2010-01-01

    This article discusses the relationship between social presence and subjectivity in online learning environments. Drawing from views of subjectivity synthesised by de Sousa and an exploratory study into online social presence (by Kehrwald), the presentation identifies the links between various forms of subjectivity and the operation of social…

  14. An Exploration of Student Experiences with Learner-Centered Instructional Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stefaniak, Jill E.; Tracey, Monica W.

    2015-01-01

    In this exploratory study, we examined how undergraduate students experience learning in a learner-centered teaching environment and their perceptions of motivation towards learning material in an introductory public speaking communications course. Six faculty members participated in a semester-long study where their teaching strategies were…

  15. A University's Strategic Adoption Process of an PBL-Aligned eLearning Environment: An Exploratory Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blackburn, Greg

    2017-01-01

    Much has been written about the promise and peril of technology in education. This paper presents an empirical study that explores how technology can play a pivotal role in student learning and how teaching staff can adopt innovative technology-based approaches in the creation of interactive online problem-based learning (PBL) resources, allowing…

  16. Closing the Summer Learning Gap for Vulnerable Learners: An Exploratory Study of a Summer Literacy Programme for Kindergarten Children At-Risk for Reading Difficulties

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Graham, Ashley; McNamara, John K.; Van Lankveld, Jackie

    2011-01-01

    School summer vacation may create a significant gap in the learning cycle. Such a gap may be particularly detrimental for vulnerable children such as those with lower academic achievement due to learning and language disabilities, lower socio-economic environments or learning in a language other than their native language. The current exploratory…

  17. An Examination of Student Outcomes and Student Satisfaction in a Flipped Learning Environment: A Quasi-Experimental Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Angela M.

    2016-01-01

    Flipped learning has become a hot topic in education, in part because of the media portrayal of flipped learning in existing news stories. Although there has been a rise in popularity and implementation, there has been a lack of empirical research in the field of flipped learning. The purpose of this exploratory study was to address some of the…

  18. Communication Resource Use in a Networked Collaborative Design Environment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gay, Geri; Lentini, Marc

    The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine student use of a prototype networked collaborative design environment to support or augment learning about engineering design. The theoretical framework is based primarily on Vygotsky's social construction of knowledge and the belief that collaboration and communication are critical components…

  19. Learning of embodied interaction dynamics with recurrent neural networks: some exploratory experiments.

    PubMed

    Oubbati, Mohamed; Kord, Bahram; Koprinkova-Hristova, Petia; Palm, Günther

    2014-04-01

    The new tendency of artificial intelligence suggests that intelligence must be seen as a result of the interaction between brains, bodies and environments. This view implies that designing sophisticated behaviour requires a primary focus on how agents are functionally coupled to their environments. Under this perspective, we present early results with the application of reservoir computing as an efficient tool to understand how behaviour emerges from interaction. Specifically, we present reservoir computing models, that are inspired by imitation learning designs, to extract the essential components of behaviour that results from agent-environment interaction dynamics. Experimental results using a mobile robot are reported to validate the learning architectures.

  20. Learning of embodied interaction dynamics with recurrent neural networks: some exploratory experiments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oubbati, Mohamed; Kord, Bahram; Koprinkova-Hristova, Petia; Palm, Günther

    2014-04-01

    The new tendency of artificial intelligence suggests that intelligence must be seen as a result of the interaction between brains, bodies and environments. This view implies that designing sophisticated behaviour requires a primary focus on how agents are functionally coupled to their environments. Under this perspective, we present early results with the application of reservoir computing as an efficient tool to understand how behaviour emerges from interaction. Specifically, we present reservoir computing models, that are inspired by imitation learning designs, to extract the essential components of behaviour that results from agent-environment interaction dynamics. Experimental results using a mobile robot are reported to validate the learning architectures.

  1. Orientation Practices for Effective Distributed Learning Coursework: Students Speak Their Minds

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brescia, William; Miller, Michael; Ibrahima, Poda; Murry, John

    2004-01-01

    As an increasing number of graduate education courses are moved either online or into hybrid formats, instructors and administrators need to consider strategies for how to transition students into these new learning environments. This exploratory, qualitative study looked at one case study course and provides practical recommendations for stronger…

  2. Using Social Media to Reinforce Environmental Learning and Action-Taking for School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Warner, Alan; Eames, Chris; Irving, Robyn

    2014-01-01

    Environmental experiences often engage learners and create an intention to act, which is then not followed through once the learner is removed from the environment. This study utilized an exploratory, interpretive framework with younger primary school classes to investigate if transfer of learning from field trip experiences "in" and…

  3. Sustainability Learning through Gaming: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fabricatore, Carlo; Lopez, Ximena

    2012-01-01

    This study explored the potential of digital games as learning environments to develop mindsets capable of dealing with complexity in the domain of sustainability. Building sustainable futures requires the ability to deal with the complex dynamics that characterize the world in which we live. As central elements in this system, we must develop the…

  4. Using Web 2.0 to Design Meaningful Language Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Feng, Jiuguang; Wang, Wei

    2012-01-01

    This article reports on an exploratory study that examines how social networks can be used in foreign language teaching and learning. Qualitative data including interviews, online observations, and students' responses to open-ended survey questions was collected. The data suggests that there are both advantages and challenges associated with using…

  5. Environmental Factors of Distance Learning: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klaus, Tim; Changchit, Chuleeporn

    2014-01-01

    The widespread use of the Internet has opened new avenues for learning in higher education. Distance education through the Internet has had a large increase over the last decade. This study focuses on examining factors of the online course environment that affect student satisfaction. The results identify factors that affect students' satisfaction…

  6. A neural network-based exploratory learning and motor planning system for co-robots

    PubMed Central

    Galbraith, Byron V.; Guenther, Frank H.; Versace, Massimiliano

    2015-01-01

    Collaborative robots, or co-robots, are semi-autonomous robotic agents designed to work alongside humans in shared workspaces. To be effective, co-robots require the ability to respond and adapt to dynamic scenarios encountered in natural environments. One way to achieve this is through exploratory learning, or “learning by doing,” an unsupervised method in which co-robots are able to build an internal model for motor planning and coordination based on real-time sensory inputs. In this paper, we present an adaptive neural network-based system for co-robot control that employs exploratory learning to achieve the coordinated motor planning needed to navigate toward, reach for, and grasp distant objects. To validate this system we used the 11-degrees-of-freedom RoPro Calliope mobile robot. Through motor babbling of its wheels and arm, the Calliope learned how to relate visual and proprioceptive information to achieve hand-eye-body coordination. By continually evaluating sensory inputs and externally provided goal directives, the Calliope was then able to autonomously select the appropriate wheel and joint velocities needed to perform its assigned task, such as following a moving target or retrieving an indicated object. PMID:26257640

  7. A neural network-based exploratory learning and motor planning system for co-robots.

    PubMed

    Galbraith, Byron V; Guenther, Frank H; Versace, Massimiliano

    2015-01-01

    Collaborative robots, or co-robots, are semi-autonomous robotic agents designed to work alongside humans in shared workspaces. To be effective, co-robots require the ability to respond and adapt to dynamic scenarios encountered in natural environments. One way to achieve this is through exploratory learning, or "learning by doing," an unsupervised method in which co-robots are able to build an internal model for motor planning and coordination based on real-time sensory inputs. In this paper, we present an adaptive neural network-based system for co-robot control that employs exploratory learning to achieve the coordinated motor planning needed to navigate toward, reach for, and grasp distant objects. To validate this system we used the 11-degrees-of-freedom RoPro Calliope mobile robot. Through motor babbling of its wheels and arm, the Calliope learned how to relate visual and proprioceptive information to achieve hand-eye-body coordination. By continually evaluating sensory inputs and externally provided goal directives, the Calliope was then able to autonomously select the appropriate wheel and joint velocities needed to perform its assigned task, such as following a moving target or retrieving an indicated object.

  8. Communal Learning versus Individual Learning: An Exploratory Convergent Parallel Mixed-Method Study to Describe How Young African American Novice Programmers Learn Computational Thinking Skills in an Informal Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hatley, Leshell April Denise

    2016-01-01

    Today, most young people in the United States (U.S.) live technology-saturated lives. Their educational, entertainment, and career options originate from and demand incredible technological innovations. However, this extensive ownership of and access to technology does not indicate that today's youth know how technology works or how to control and…

  9. Students' Perceptions of the Learning Environment in Tertiary Science Classrooms in Myanmar

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khine, Myint Swe; Fraser, Barry J.; Afari, Ernest; Oo, Zeya; Kyaw, Thein Thein

    2018-01-01

    We investigated students' perceptions of their science classroom environments with the use of the What Is Happening In this Class? (WIHIC) questionnaire at the university level in Myanmar. The translated questionnaire was administered to 251 students in first-year science classes at a university. Both exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory…

  10. Social Tagging in a Scholarly Digital Library Environment: Users' Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Noorhidawati, A.; Hanum, N. Fariza; Zohoorian-Fooladi, N.

    2013-01-01

    Introduction: This paper reports an exploratory study examining how users participate in social tagging activities in a scholarly digital library environment to learn about their motivations, behaviour, and practices. Method: This study was conducted in two phases: a survey to investigate usage and attitudes of social tagging tool, and a…

  11. Student and Instructor Responses to Emotional Motivational Feedback Messages in an Online Instructional Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sarsar, Firat

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Emotional Motivational Feedback Message (EMFEM) in an online learning environment. This exploratory research was conducted using mixed method single case study design. Participants were 15 undergraduate students enrolled in an instructional technology course in a large state…

  12. Social Constructions of Young Children in "Special", "Inclusive" and Home Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nind, Melanie; Flewitt, Rosie; Payler, Jane

    2011-01-01

    The paper tells of the social constructs surrounding young children with learning difficulties in their home, "special" early education setting and "inclusive" or mainstream early education setting in England. The exploratory study focused on how three- to four-year-old children made sense of their environments and how their…

  13. Arousal regulation and affective adaptation to human responsiveness by a robot that explores and learns a novel environment.

    PubMed

    Hiolle, Antoine; Lewis, Matthew; Cañamero, Lola

    2014-01-01

    In the context of our work in developmental robotics regarding robot-human caregiver interactions, in this paper we investigate how a "baby" robot that explores and learns novel environments can adapt its affective regulatory behavior of soliciting help from a "caregiver" to the preferences shown by the caregiver in terms of varying responsiveness. We build on two strands of previous work that assessed independently (a) the differences between two "idealized" robot profiles-a "needy" and an "independent" robot-in terms of their use of a caregiver as a means to regulate the "stress" (arousal) produced by the exploration and learning of a novel environment, and (b) the effects on the robot behaviors of two caregiving profiles varying in their responsiveness-"responsive" and "non-responsive"-to the regulatory requests of the robot. Going beyond previous work, in this paper we (a) assess the effects that the varying regulatory behavior of the two robot profiles has on the exploratory and learning patterns of the robots; (b) bring together the two strands previously investigated in isolation and take a step further by endowing the robot with the capability to adapt its regulatory behavior along the "needy" and "independent" axis as a function of the varying responsiveness of the caregiver; and (c) analyze the effects that the varying regulatory behavior has on the exploratory and learning patterns of the adaptive robot.

  14. Exploring the Use of Three-Dimensional Multi-User Virtual Environments for Online Problem-Based Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Omale, Nicholas M.

    2010-01-01

    This exploratory case study examines how three media attributes in 3-D MUVEs--avatars, 3-D spaces and bubble dialogue boxes--affect interaction in an online problem-based learning (PBL) activity. The study participants were eleven undergraduate students enrolled in a 200-level, three-credit-hour technology integration course at a Midwestern…

  15. Teacher Educators' Readiness, Preparation, and Perceptions of Preparing Preservice Teachers in a Fully Online Environment: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Downing, Jillian J.; Dyment, Janet E.

    2013-01-01

    With a view to attracting more students and offering flexible learning opportunities, online teaching and learning is becoming increasingly widespread across the higher education sector. It is now found across a wide range of disciplines (e.g., business, health, psychology, accounting, information technology) and program levels (e.g., from…

  16. What Do Students Do in a F2F CSCL Classroom? The Optimization of Multiple Communications Modes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Wenli; Looi, Chee-Kit; Tan, Sini

    2010-01-01

    This exploratory study analyzes how students use different communication modes to share information, negotiate meaning and construct knowledge in the process of doing a group learning activity in a Primary Grade 5 blended learning environment in Singapore. Small groups of students interacted face-to-face over a computer-mediated communication…

  17. L'environnement institutionnel: occupations pour un bon usage des institutions (Institutional Environment: Activities to Make the Best Use of Institutions).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richterich, Rene

    1982-01-01

    Fifteen exploratory tasks are proposed to help the reader "invent" his or her solidarity with the environment. They are intended to make the person more aware of the influences of the environment on one's native and/or second language learning in order to take charge of them and increase one's independence. (AMH)

  18. The Ontogeny of Exploratory Behavior in Male and Female Adolescent Rats (Rattus norvegicus)

    PubMed Central

    Lynn, Debra A; Brown, Gillian R

    2009-01-01

    During adolescence, rats gain independence from their mothers and disperse from the natal burrow, with males typically dispersing further than females. We predicted that, if dispersal patterns are associated with responsiveness to novelty, exploratory behavior in novel environments would increase across adolescence, and males would explore more than females. Alternatively, females might explore more than males, if females are more motivated than males to learn about the immediate environment or if females have poorer spatial abilities than males. Twenty-five male and 21 female rats were exposed to two novel environments (open field and elevated plus-maze) during early, mid-, or late adolescence. Total locomotion and amount of exploration directed towards aversive areas increased across adolescence, even when body weight was included as a covariate. Female adolescents locomoted more and spent more time exploring aversive areas than males. Developmental changes in neural function potentially underlie age and sex differences in exploratory behavior. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 51: 513–520, 2009. PMID:19582791

  19. The ontogeny of exploratory behavior in male and female adolescent rats (Rattus norvegicus).

    PubMed

    Lynn, Debra A; Brown, Gillian R

    2009-09-01

    During adolescence, rats gain independence from their mothers and disperse from the natal burrow, with males typically dispersing further than females. We predicted that, if dispersal patterns are associated with responsiveness to novelty, exploratory behavior in novel environments would increase across adolescence, and males would explore more than females. Alternatively, females might explore more than males, if females are more motivated than males to learn about the immediate environment or if females have poorer spatial abilities than males. Twenty-five male and 21 female rats were exposed to two novel environments (open field and elevated plus-maze) during early, mid-, or late adolescence. Total locomotion and amount of exploration directed towards aversive areas increased across adolescence, even when body weight was included as a covariate. Female adolescents locomoted more and spent more time exploring aversive areas than males. Developmental changes in neural function potentially underlie age and sex differences in exploratory behavior. (c) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 51: 513-520, 2009.

  20. Virtual environments for the transfer of navigation skills in the blind: a comparison of directed instruction vs. video game based learning approaches.

    PubMed

    Connors, Erin C; Chrastil, Elizabeth R; Sánchez, Jaime; Merabet, Lotfi B

    2014-01-01

    For profoundly blind individuals, navigating in an unfamiliar building can represent a significant challenge. We investigated the use of an audio-based, virtual environment called Audio-based Environment Simulator (AbES) that can be explored for the purposes of learning the layout of an unfamiliar, complex indoor environment. Furthermore, we compared two modes of interaction with AbES. In one group, blind participants implicitly learned the layout of a target environment while playing an exploratory, goal-directed video game. By comparison, a second group was explicitly taught the same layout following a standard route and instructions provided by a sighted facilitator. As a control, a third group interacted with AbES while playing an exploratory, goal-directed video game however, the explored environment did not correspond to the target layout. Following interaction with AbES, a series of route navigation tasks were carried out in the virtual and physical building represented in the training environment to assess the transfer of acquired spatial information. We found that participants from both modes of interaction were able to transfer the spatial knowledge gained as indexed by their successful route navigation performance. This transfer was not apparent in the control participants. Most notably, the game-based learning strategy was also associated with enhanced performance when participants were required to find alternate routes and short cuts within the target building suggesting that a ludic-based training approach may provide for a more flexible mental representation of the environment. Furthermore, outcome comparisons between early and late blind individuals suggested that greater prior visual experience did not have a significant effect on overall navigation performance following training. Finally, performance did not appear to be associated with other factors of interest such as age, gender, and verbal memory recall. We conclude that the highly interactive and immersive exploration of the virtual environment greatly engages a blind user to develop skills akin to positive near transfer of learning. Learning through a game play strategy appears to confer certain behavioral advantages with respect to how spatial information is acquired and ultimately manipulated for navigation.

  1. Virtual environments for the transfer of navigation skills in the blind: a comparison of directed instruction vs. video game based learning approaches

    PubMed Central

    Connors, Erin C.; Chrastil, Elizabeth R.; Sánchez, Jaime; Merabet, Lotfi B.

    2014-01-01

    For profoundly blind individuals, navigating in an unfamiliar building can represent a significant challenge. We investigated the use of an audio-based, virtual environment called Audio-based Environment Simulator (AbES) that can be explored for the purposes of learning the layout of an unfamiliar, complex indoor environment. Furthermore, we compared two modes of interaction with AbES. In one group, blind participants implicitly learned the layout of a target environment while playing an exploratory, goal-directed video game. By comparison, a second group was explicitly taught the same layout following a standard route and instructions provided by a sighted facilitator. As a control, a third group interacted with AbES while playing an exploratory, goal-directed video game however, the explored environment did not correspond to the target layout. Following interaction with AbES, a series of route navigation tasks were carried out in the virtual and physical building represented in the training environment to assess the transfer of acquired spatial information. We found that participants from both modes of interaction were able to transfer the spatial knowledge gained as indexed by their successful route navigation performance. This transfer was not apparent in the control participants. Most notably, the game-based learning strategy was also associated with enhanced performance when participants were required to find alternate routes and short cuts within the target building suggesting that a ludic-based training approach may provide for a more flexible mental representation of the environment. Furthermore, outcome comparisons between early and late blind individuals suggested that greater prior visual experience did not have a significant effect on overall navigation performance following training. Finally, performance did not appear to be associated with other factors of interest such as age, gender, and verbal memory recall. We conclude that the highly interactive and immersive exploration of the virtual environment greatly engages a blind user to develop skills akin to positive near transfer of learning. Learning through a game play strategy appears to confer certain behavioral advantages with respect to how spatial information is acquired and ultimately manipulated for navigation. PMID:24822044

  2. Arousal regulation and affective adaptation to human responsiveness by a robot that explores and learns a novel environment

    PubMed Central

    Hiolle, Antoine; Lewis, Matthew; Cañamero, Lola

    2014-01-01

    In the context of our work in developmental robotics regarding robot–human caregiver interactions, in this paper we investigate how a “baby” robot that explores and learns novel environments can adapt its affective regulatory behavior of soliciting help from a “caregiver” to the preferences shown by the caregiver in terms of varying responsiveness. We build on two strands of previous work that assessed independently (a) the differences between two “idealized” robot profiles—a “needy” and an “independent” robot—in terms of their use of a caregiver as a means to regulate the “stress” (arousal) produced by the exploration and learning of a novel environment, and (b) the effects on the robot behaviors of two caregiving profiles varying in their responsiveness—“responsive” and “non-responsive”—to the regulatory requests of the robot. Going beyond previous work, in this paper we (a) assess the effects that the varying regulatory behavior of the two robot profiles has on the exploratory and learning patterns of the robots; (b) bring together the two strands previously investigated in isolation and take a step further by endowing the robot with the capability to adapt its regulatory behavior along the “needy” and “independent” axis as a function of the varying responsiveness of the caregiver; and (c) analyze the effects that the varying regulatory behavior has on the exploratory and learning patterns of the adaptive robot. PMID:24860492

  3. Pre-registration student nurses perception of the hospital-learning environment during clinical placements.

    PubMed

    Midgley, Kirsten

    2006-05-01

    If we subscribe to the notion that nursing is an action profession, that nurses learn by doing [Neary, M., 2000. Responsive assessment: assessing student nurses' clinical competence. Nurse Education Today 21, 3-17], then the mastery of fundamental clinical skills must be a key component of courses leading to registration. The last two decades have seen widespread changes to nurse education but the clinical field remains an invaluable resource in preparing students for the reality of their professional role supporting the integration of theory and practice and linking the 'knowing what' with the 'knowing how'. The clinical-learning environment represents an essential element of nurse education that needs to be measurable and warrants further investigation. This exploratory cohort study (n = 67) examined pre-registration student nurses' perception of the hospital-learning environment during clinical placements together with the key characteristics of the students' preferred learning environment utilising an established tool, the clinical-learning environment inventory (CLEI) tool [Chan, D., 2001a. Development of an innovative tool to assess hospital-learning environments. Nurse Education Today 21, 624-631; Chan, D., 2001b. Combining qualitative and quantitative methods in assessing hospital-learning environments. International Journal of Nursing Studies 3, 447-459]. The results demonstrated that in comparison with the actual hospital environment, students would prefer an environment with higher levels of individualisation, innovation in teaching and learning strategies, student involvement, personalisation and task orientation.

  4. Relationships between High School Chemistry Students' Perceptions of a Constructivist Learning Environment and their STEM Career Expectations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wild, Andrew

    2015-09-01

    Considerable attention has been devoted to factors affecting the persistence of women and historically underrepresented ethnic groups in their science education trajectories. The literature has focused more on structural factors that affect longitudinal outcomes rather than classroom experiences. This exploratory survey study described relationships among high school chemistry students' perceptions of a constructivist learning environment (CLE) and STEM career expectations. The sample included 693 students from 7 public high schools within the San Francisco Bay Area. Students' perceptions of a CLE predicted their expectations of entering a science career, but not engineering, computer, health, or mathematics-related careers. When all groups of students perceived the learning environment as more constructivist, they were more likely to expect science careers.

  5. The Effect of Highly Scaffolded versus General Instruction on Students' Exploratory Behavior and Arousal

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blikstein, Paulo; Gomes, July Silveira; Akiba, Henrique Teruo; Schneider, Bertrand

    2017-01-01

    Technology is changing the way students interact with knowledge, and open-ended activities are one of the main types of tasks that students engage with in technology-rich environments. However, the amount of guidance needed to promote learning in these environments remains unknown. We explore this issue by focusing on the effects of step-by-step…

  6. Preservice Teachers' Attitudes toward Parental Involvement.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McBride, Brent A.

    This exploratory study investigated preservice teachers' attitudes toward parental involvement in an attempt to identify a source of or solution to the relatively low rates of parental involvement in formal preschool learning environments. Subjects were 271 undergraduate, early childhood teacher education majors. Demographic data supplemented…

  7. Assessing physics learning identity: Survey development and validation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Sissi L.; Demaree, Dedra

    2012-02-01

    Innovative curricula aim to improve content knowledge and the goal of helping students develop practices and skills of authentic scientist through active engagement learning. To students, these classroom practices often seem very different from their previous learning experiences in terms of behavioral expectations, learning attitude, and what learning means. We propose that productive participation in these learning environments require students to modify their identity as learners in addition to refining their science conceptual understanding. In order to measure changes in learning identity, we developed a 49-item survey to assess students' 1) expectations of student and teacher roles, 2) self efficacy towards skills supported in the Investigative Science Learning Environment (ISLE) and 3) attitudes towards social learning. Using principle components exploratory factor analysis, we have established two reliable factors with subscales that measure these student characteristics. This paper presents the survey development, validation and pilot study results.

  8. SEI Overview

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-06-11

    SOA DoD NextGen Chief Architect Support FAB-T, PMAG and EELV study GPS III satellite and OCX N-CSDS Global Hawk GSRA and UCS ORS SAF/A6...Workshop ATAM QAW eLearning Pilots Technical Assessments QUASAR Mission Success in Complex Environments Line-Funded Exploratory New Starts (LENS

  9. Characterizing the EEG correlates of exploratory behavior.

    PubMed

    Bourdaud, Nicolas; Chavarriaga, Ricardo; Galan, Ferran; Millan, José Del R

    2008-12-01

    This study aims to characterize the electroencephalography (EEG) correlates of exploratory behavior. Decision making in an uncertain environment raises a conflict between two opposing needs: gathering information about the environment and exploiting this knowledge in order to optimize the decision. Exploratory behavior has already been studied using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Based on a usual paradigm in reinforcement learning, this study has shown bilateral activation in the frontal and parietal cortex. To our knowledge, no previous study has been done on it using EEG. The study of the exploratory behavior using EEG signals raises two difficulties. First, the labels of trial as exploitation or exploration cannot be directly derived from the subject action. In order to access this information, a model of how the subject makes his decision must be built. The exploration related information can be then derived from it. Second, because of the complexity of the task, its EEG correlates are not necessarily time locked with the action. So the EEG processing methods used should be designed in order to handle signals that shift in time across trials. Using the same experimental protocol as the fMRI study, results show that the bilateral frontal and parietal areas are also the most discriminant. This strongly suggests that the EEG signal also conveys information about the exploratory behavior.

  10. Facilitative and obstructive factors in the clinical learning environment: Experiences of pupil enrolled nurses.

    PubMed

    Lekalakala-Mokgele, Eucebious; Caka, Ernestine M

    2015-03-31

    The clinical learning environment is a complex social entity that influences student learning outcomes in the clinical setting. Students can experience the clinical learning environment as being both facilitative and obstructive to their learning. The clinical environment may be a source of stress, creating feelings of fear and anxiety which in turn affect the students' responses to learning. Equally, the environment can enhance learning if experienced positively. This study described pupil enrolled nurses' experiences of facilitative and obstructive factors in military and public health clinical learning settings. Using a qualitative, contextual, exploratory descriptive design, three focus group interviews were conducted until data saturation was reached amongst pupil enrolled nurses in a military School of Nursing. Data analysed provided evidence that acceptance by clinical staff and affordance of self-directed learning facilitated learning. Students felt safe to practise when they were supported by the clinical staff. They felt a sense of belonging when the staff showed an interest in and welcomed them. Learning was obstructed when students were met with condescending comments. Wearing of a military uniform in the public hospital and horizontal violence obstructed learning in the clinical learning environment. Students cannot have effective clinical preparation if the environment is not conducive to and supportive of clinical learning, The study shows that military nursing students experience unique challenges as they are trained in two professions that are hierarchical in nature. The students experienced both facilitating and obstructing factors to their learning during their clinical practice. Clinical staff should be made aware of factors which can impact on students' learning. Policies need to be developed for supporting students in the clinical learning environment.

  11. The clinical learning environment and supervision by staff nurses: developing the instrument.

    PubMed

    Saarikoski, Mikko; Leino-Kilpi, Helena

    2002-03-01

    The aims of this study were (1) to describe students' perceptions of the clinical learning environment and clinical supervision and (2) to develop an evaluation scale by using the empirical results of this study. The data were collected using the Clinical Learning Environment and Supervision instrument (CLES). The instrument was based on the literature review of earlier studies. The derived instrument was tested empirically in a study involving nurse students (N=416) from four nursing colleges in Finland. The results demonstrated that the method of supervision, the number of separate supervision sessions and the psychological content of supervisory contact within a positive ward atmosphere are the most important variables in the students' clinical learning. The results also suggest that ward managers can create the conditions of a positive ward culture and a positive attitude towards students and their learning needs. The construct validity of the instrument was analysed by using exploratory factor analysis. The analysis indicated that the most important factor in the students' clinical learning is the supervisory relationship. The two most important factors constituting a 'good' clinical learning environment are the management style of the ward manager and the premises of nursing on the ward. The results of the factor analysis support the theoretical construction of the clinical learning environment modelled by earlier empirical studies.

  12. An Exploratory Investigation of the Effect of Working in an Environmentally Themed Facility on the Conservation-Related Knowledge, Attitudes and Behavior of Staff

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Groff, Amy; Lockhart, Donna; Ogden, Jacqueline; Dierking, Lynn D.

    2005-01-01

    In the past decade, we have seen an increased focus on measuring the impact of zoos, aquariums, and other free-choice learning environments on the conservation-related knowledge, attitudes and behavior of the visiting public. However, no such studies have been conducted on the impact of such environments on the staff working in these…

  13. Preservice Early Childhood Educators' Perceptions of Outdoor Settings as Learning Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ernst, Julie; Tornabene, Ladona

    2012-01-01

    In the context of encouraging the use of natural settings for educational experiences with young children, an exploratory study using survey research and photographs of outdoor settings was conducted to understand how preservice early childhood educators perceive these settings and what educational opportunities, motivations, and barriers they…

  14. Enhancing Student Engagement through Simulation in Programming Sessions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Isiaq, Sakirulai Olufemi; Jamil, Md Golam

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the use of a simulator for teaching programming to foster student engagement and meaningful learning. Design/methodology/approach: An exploratory mixed-method research approach was adopted in a classroom-based environment at a UK university. A rich account of student engagement dimensions…

  15. Billiards in the Classroom: Learning Physics with Microworlds.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bertz, Michael D.

    1997-01-01

    Trickshot! is an exploratory environment that allows learners to experiment with various physical properties to develop an intuitive understanding of the behavior of objects in physical systems. The software is geared to secondary students with little exposure to pool or physics. When used in conjunction with meaningful class activities, such an…

  16. Students' Critical Thinking Skills in a Thai ICT Schools Pilot Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rumpagaporn, Methinee Wongwanich; Darmawan, I. Gusti Ngurah

    2007-01-01

    This study is exploratory, examining to what extent the Thai ICT (information and communication technology) schools have classroom learning environments that are associated with certain teacher characteristics using questionnaires, interview surveys, and computer-based classroom observations in order to collect data from 13 Thai ICT model schools.…

  17. Measuring Transactional Distance in Web-Based Learning Environments: An Initial Instrument Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huang, Xiaoxia; Chandra, Aruna; DePaolo, Concetta; Cribbs, Jennifer; Simmons, Lakisha

    2015-01-01

    This study was an initial attempt to operationalise Moore's transactional distance theory by developing and validating an instrument measuring the related constructs: dialogue, structure, learner autonomy and transactional distance. Data were collected from 227 online students and analysed through an exploratory factor analysis. Results suggest…

  18. What Learning Environments Help Improve Decision-Making?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Connor, Donna; Larkin, Paul; Williams, A. Mark

    2017-01-01

    Background: Decision-making is a key component of performance in sport. However, there has been minimal investigation of how coaches may adapt practice sessions to specifically develop decision-making. Purpose: The aim in this exploratory study was to investigate the pedagogical approaches coaches use to develop decision-making in soccer. Method:…

  19. Innovating Training through Immersive Environments: Generation Y, Exploratory Learning, and Serious Games

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gendron, Gerald

    2012-01-01

    Over the next decade, those entering Service and Joint Staff positions within the military will come from a different generation than the current leadership. They will come from Generation Y and have differing preferences for learning. Immersive learning environments like serious games and virtual world initiatives can complement traditional training methods to provide a better overall training program for staffs. Generation Y members desire learning methods which are relevant and interactive, regardless of whether they are delivered over the internet or in person. This paper focuses on a project undertaken to assess alternative training methods to teach special operations staffs. It provides a summary of the needs analysis used to consider alternatives and to better posture the Department of Defense for future training development.

  20. Nursing students' perceptions of factors influencing their learning environment in a clinical skills laboratory: A qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Haraldseid, Cecilie; Friberg, Febe; Aase, Karina

    2015-09-01

    The mastery of clinical skills learning is required to become a trained nurse. Due to limited opportunities for clinical skills training in clinical practice, undergraduate training at clinical skills laboratories (CSLs) is an essential part of nursing education. In a sociocultural learning perspective learning is situated in an environment. Growing student cohorts, rapid introduction of technology-based teaching methods and a shift from a teaching- to a learning-centered education all influence the environment of the students. These changes also affect CSLs and therefore compel nursing faculties to adapt to the changing learning environment. This study aimed to explore students' perceptions of their learning environment in a clinical skills laboratory, and to increase the knowledge base for improving CSL learning conditions identifying the most important environmental factors according to the students. An exploratory qualitative methodology was used. Nineteen second-year students enrolled in an undergraduate nursing program in Norway participated in the study. They took the same clinical skills course. Eight were part-time students (group A) and 11 were full-time students (group B). Focus group interviews and content analysis were conducted to capture the students' perception of the CSL learning environment. The study documents students' experience of the physical (facilities, material equipment, learning tools, standard procedures), psychosocial (expectations, feedback, relations) and organizational (faculty resources, course structure) factors that affect the CSL learning environment. Creating an authentic environment, facilitating motivation, and providing resources for multiple methods and repetitions within clinical skills training are all important for improving CSL learning environments from the student perspective. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Distance Education and Organizational Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    East, Jean F.; LaMendola, Walter; Alter, Catherine

    2014-01-01

    As distance education models in social work education continue to grow, this study addresses prevalence and type of models in graduate social work programs and the perceptions of deans about the future of e-learning models of curriculum delivery. The study was an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design including a national survey of 121…

  2. An Exploration of Desktop Virtual Reality and Visual Processing Skills in a Technical Training Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ausburn, Lynna J.; Ausburn, Floyd B.; Kroutter, Paul

    2010-01-01

    Virtual reality (VR) technology has demonstrated effectiveness in a variety of technical learning situations, yet little is known about its differential effects on learners with different levels of visual processing skill. This small-scale exploratory study tested VR through quasi-experimental methodology and a theoretical/conceptual framework…

  3. Relationships between High School Chemistry Students' Perceptions of a Constructivist Learning Environment and Their STEM Career Expectations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wild, Andrew

    2015-01-01

    Considerable attention has been devoted to factors affecting the persistence of women and historically underrepresented ethnic groups in their science education trajectories. The literature has focused more on structural factors that affect longitudinal outcomes rather than classroom experiences. This exploratory survey study described…

  4. An Investigation of Transformational Leadership in a Virtual Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Livingston, Robert K.

    2011-01-01

    With the advancement of technology, the changing landscape of education has brought about challenging issues that necessitate a clearer understanding of the leadership role of an online instructor. In this exploratory study, it was found that business administration students (n=107) from a Southern California community college expect their online…

  5. Self-Assembled Student Interactions in Undergraduate General Chemistry Clicker Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    MacArthur, James R.; Jones, Loretta

    2013-01-01

    Student interviews, focus groups, and classroom observations were used in an exploratory study of the nature of student interactions in a large (300+ students) general chemistry course taught with clickers. These data suggest that students are self-assembling their learning environment: choosing ways in which to interact with one another during…

  6. Classroom Use of a Verbal Measure of Information Rate: An Exploratory Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Finkler, Deana; Thompson, Patricia

    The Verbal Measure of Information Rate (VMIR) is a measure of information rate which reflects the elements, features, and changes in a complex environment. Subjects rated 14 bipolar adjective pairs to indicate an appropriate description of the learning situation or information load (simple-complex, novel-familiar). The measure was administered to…

  7. The Creation and Support of Dialogic Discourse in a Language Arts Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sosa, Teresa; Sullivan, Mary Pat

    2013-01-01

    This exploratory study examined the complexity and interrelatedness of dialogic discourse, disciplinary literacy, and the social environment necessary for student learning. Taking place in an urban school in a large Midwestern city, analysis of three 8th grade language arts lessons indicated that dialogic discussion was sustained and supported by…

  8. Designing Instruction for Speed: Qualitative Insights into Instructional Design for Accelerated Online Graduate Coursework

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Trekles, Anastasia M.; Sims, Roderick

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this exploratory case study was to explore instructional design strategies and characteristics of online, asynchronous accelerated courses and students' choices of deep or surface learning approaches within this environment. An increasing number of university programs, particularly at the graduate level, are moving to an…

  9. Makerspaces: The Next Iteration for Educational Technology in K-12 Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Strycker, Jesse

    2015-01-01

    With the continually growing number of computers and mobile devices available in K-12 schools, the need is dwindling for dedicated computer labs and media centers. Some schools are starting to repurpose those facilities into different kinds of exploratory learning environments known as "makerspaces". This article discusses this next…

  10. Exploratory Talk in the Early Years: Analysing Exploratory Talk in Collaborative Group Activities Involving Younger Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Patterson, Eira Wyn

    2018-01-01

    Collaborative group work has the potential for providing rich opportunities for children to learn through talk with peers; however, in practice, little effective engagement in learning is observed within authentic learning contexts. Exploratory talk is associated with high levels of cognitive challenge within collaborative group work. Detailed…

  11. The investigation of neonatal MK-801 administration and physical environmental enrichment on emotional and cognitive functions in adult Balb/c mice.

    PubMed

    Akillioglu, Kubra; Babar Melik, Emine; Melik, Enver; Kocahan, Sayad

    2012-09-01

    N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors play an important role in brain maturation and developmental processes. It is known that growing up in an enriched environment has effects on emotional and cognitive performance. In our study, we evaluated the effects of physically enriched environment on the emotional and cognitive functions of the adult brain in the setting of previous NMDA receptor hypoactivity during the critical developmental period of the nervous system. In this study, NMDA receptor blockade was induced 5-10 days postnatally (PD5-10) using MK-801 in mice Balb/c (twice a day 0.25 mg/kg, for 5 days, intraperitoneal). MK-801 was given to developing mice living in a standard (SE) and an enrichment environment (EE) and once the animals reached adulthood, emotional behaviors were evaluated using an open field test (OF) and an elevated plus maze (EPM) test whereas cognitive processes were evaluated using the Morris water-maze (MWM). The EE group showed decreased locomotor activity (p<0.05) in the OF and increased exploratory behaviour (p<0.01) and decreased fear of heights/anxiety-like behaviour (p<0.05) in the EPM test. The EE had positive effects on spatial learning in the MWM (p<0.05). Blockade of the NMDA receptor increased the fear of height (p<0.05), decreased exploratory behaviour and locomotor activity (p<0.001). Also, it led to decreased spatial learning (p<0.05). The decreases in spatial learning and exploratory behaviours and the increase in fear of heights/anxiety-like behaviour with NMDA receptor blockade was not reversed by EE. NMDA receptor blockade during the critical period of development led to deterioration in the emotional and cognitive processes during adulthood. An enriched environmental did not reverse the deleterious effects of the NMDA receptor blockade on emotional and cognitive functions. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  12. Effects of Type of Exploratory Strategy and Prior Knowledge on Middle School Students' Learning of Chemical Formulas from a 3D Role-Playing Game

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Ming-Puu; Wong, Yu-Ting; Wang, Li-Chun

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the type of exploratory strategy and level of prior knowledge on middle school students' performance and motivation in learning chemical formulas via a 3D role-playing game (RPG). Two types of exploratory strategies-RPG exploratory with worked-example and RPG exploratory without…

  13. Empowered to Play: A Case Study Describing the Impact of Powered Mobility on the Exploratory Play of Disabled Children.

    PubMed

    Sonday, Amshuda; Gretschel, Pam

    2016-03-01

    Exploratory play is one of the most vital ways in which children learn about their environment and develop. It is well documented that limited mobility restricts a child's ability to engage in their environment through exploratory play. In this study, a qualitative, collective case study design explored the impact of powered mobility on the exploratory play of two children with physical disabilities. Data were collected from the children, their parents and their siblings through participant observation and in-depth, informal interviews. This paper focuses on two themes: Opportunity to Play revealed how powered mobility increased opportunities for the children to become more actively engaged in exploratory play with others across a wider array of contexts, and My Child was Transformed highlighted significant changes in the affect and motivation of each child, which seemed to be linked to their increased internal control over their play choices. The findings suggest that the provision of powered mobility is a key contributor promoting the participation of physically disabled children in exploratory play. Because of undergraduate curricular constraints, a limitation of this study was that data were only confined to 2 months; affecting the depth of data gained that prolonged engagement would have offered. The study recommends for occupational therapy practice that occupational therapists advocate for easier access to powered mobility through governmental and policy means. The study also recommends further research be conducted on the experiences of the caregivers on how these powered mobility devices have influenced their day-to-day occupations. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. The learning environment in the obstetrics and gynecology clerkship: an exploratory study of students' perceptions before and after the clerkship.

    PubMed

    Baecher-Lind, Laura E; Chang, Katherine; Blanco, Maria A

    2015-01-01

    For reasons that remain not entirely clear, Obstetrics and Gynecology (Ob/Gyn) clerkships often exhibit comparatively higher rates of medical student mistreatment. To explore perceptions of our local learning environment, focus groups were held with students yet to start (pre-students) and students having completed (post-students) their Ob/Gyn clerkship. Topics of discussion included learning expectations and experiences, perceptions of mistreatment, and suggestions for improving the learning environment and student treatment. Using a naturalistic approach, we conducted a conventional content analysis to identify emergent themes. Nine pre-students and nine post-students participated. While pre-students anticipated being actively engaged, they also expected - based on peer accounts - to be subject to an unwelcoming learning environment on the Ob/Gyn clerkship, despite working hard to become team members. Due to patient advocacy and protection concerns, post-students reported low levels of student involvement and, subsequently, an overall passive learning experience. Students from both groups offered valuable suggestions for improving the learning environment and student treatment. The sensitive nature of Ob/Gyn clinical encounters may lead to overprotective behaviors that contribute to students feeling mistreated and excluded from patient care and team membership. Students' experiences during Ob/Gyn clerkships could be improved by better balancing patient advocacy and student involvement. Practical implications to address these issues are offered.

  15. Exploring Power Distribution and Its Influence on the Process of Argumentation in a POGIL Biochemistry Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prince, Annabel N.; Pitts, Wesley B.; Parkin, David W.

    2018-01-01

    In this exploratory case study, we consider how students in an undergraduate biochemistry class engaged in the process of argumentation within an inquiry-oriented learning environment to investigate a chemical mechanism in a particular part of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Audio/video recordings of student groups during the mechanism discussion…

  16. Code-Switching in Higher Education in a Multilingual Environment: A Lebanese Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bahous, Rima N.; Nabhani, Mona Baroud; Bacha, Nahla Nola

    2014-01-01

    Research has shown that code-switching (CS) between languages in spoken discourse is prevalent in multilingual contexts and is used for many purposes. More recently, it has become the subject of much concern in academic contexts in negatively affecting students' language use and learning. However, while the concern has been increasing, no rigorous…

  17. Digital Doctorates? An Exploratory Study of PhD Candidates' Use of Online Tools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dowling, Robyn; Wilson, Michael

    2017-01-01

    Online environments are transforming learning, including doctoral education. Yet the ways in which the PhD experience is shaped and transformed through these digital modes of engagement is seldom addressed, and not systematically understood. In this article, we explore PhD students' perceptions and use of digital tools. Drawing on the results of…

  18. Clinical education and training of student nurses in four moderately new European Union countries: Assessment of students' satisfaction with the learning environment.

    PubMed

    Antohe, Ileana; Riklikiene, Olga; Tichelaar, Erna; Saarikoski, Mikko

    2016-03-01

    Nurses underwent different models of education during various historical periods. The recent decade in Europe has been marked with educational transitions for the nursing profession related to Bologna Declaration and enlargement of the European Union. This paper aims to explore the situation of clinical placements for student nurses and assess students' satisfaction with the learning environment in four relatively new member states of European Union: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania and Romania. The data for cross-sectional quantitative study were collected during the exploratory phase of EmpNURS Project via a web based questionnaire which utilized a part of Clinical Learning Environment scale (CLES + T). The students evaluated their clinical learning environment mainly positively. The students' utter satisfaction with their clinical placements reached a high level and strongly correlated with the supervisory model. Although the commonest model for supervision was traditional group supervision, the most satisfied students had the experience of individualised supervision. The study gives a picture of the satisfaction of students with the learning environment and, moreover, with clinical placement education of student nurses in four EU countries. The results highlight the individualized supervision model as a crucial factor of students' total satisfaction during their clinical training periods. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Development and testing of the CALDs and CLES+T scales for international nursing students' clinical learning environments.

    PubMed

    Mikkonen, Kristina; Elo, Satu; Miettunen, Jouko; Saarikoski, Mikko; Kääriäinen, Maria

    2017-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop and test the psychometric properties of the new Cultural and Linguistic Diversity scale, which is designed to be used with the newly validated Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher scale for assessing international nursing students' clinical learning environments. In various developed countries, clinical placements are known to present challenges in the professional development of international nursing students. A cross-sectional survey. Data were collected from eight Finnish universities of applied sciences offering nursing degree courses taught in English during 2015-2016. All the relevant students (N = 664) were invited and 50% chose to participate. Of the total data submitted by the participants, 28% were used for scale validation. The construct validity of the two scales was tested by exploratory factor analysis, while their validity with respect to convergence and discriminability was assessed using Spearman's correlation. Construct validation of the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher scale yielded an eight-factor model with 34 items, while validation of the Cultural and Linguistic Diversity scale yielded a five-factor model with 21 items. A new scale was developed to improve evidence-based mentorship of international nursing students in clinical learning environments. The instrument will be useful to educators seeking to identify factors that affect the learning of international students. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. An Exploratory Analysis of Personality, Attitudes, and Study Skills on the Learning Curve within a Team-based Learning Environment

    PubMed Central

    Henry, Teague; Campbell, Ashley

    2015-01-01

    Objective. To examine factors that determine the interindividual variability of learning within a team-based learning environment. Methods. Students in a pharmacokinetics course were given 4 interim, low-stakes cumulative assessments throughout the semester and a cumulative final examination. Students’ Myers-Briggs personality type was assessed, as well as their study skills, motivations, and attitudes towards team-learning. A latent curve model (LCM) was applied and various covariates were assessed to improve the regression model. Results. A quadratic LCM was applied for the first 4 assessments to predict final examination performance. None of the covariates examined significantly impacted the regression model fit except metacognitive self-regulation, which explained some of the variability in the rate of learning. There were some correlations between personality type and attitudes towards team learning, with introverts having a lower opinion of team-learning than extroverts. Conclusion. The LCM could readily describe the learning curve. Extroverted and introverted personality types had the same learning performance even though preference for team-learning was lower in introverts. Other personality traits, study skills, or practice did not significantly contribute to the learning variability in this course. PMID:25861101

  1. An exploratory analysis of personality, attitudes, and study skills on the learning curve within a team-based learning environment.

    PubMed

    Persky, Adam M; Henry, Teague; Campbell, Ashley

    2015-03-25

    To examine factors that determine the interindividual variability of learning within a team-based learning environment. Students in a pharmacokinetics course were given 4 interim, low-stakes cumulative assessments throughout the semester and a cumulative final examination. Students' Myers-Briggs personality type was assessed, as well as their study skills, motivations, and attitudes towards team-learning. A latent curve model (LCM) was applied and various covariates were assessed to improve the regression model. A quadratic LCM was applied for the first 4 assessments to predict final examination performance. None of the covariates examined significantly impacted the regression model fit except metacognitive self-regulation, which explained some of the variability in the rate of learning. There were some correlations between personality type and attitudes towards team learning, with introverts having a lower opinion of team-learning than extroverts. The LCM could readily describe the learning curve. Extroverted and introverted personality types had the same learning performance even though preference for team-learning was lower in introverts. Other personality traits, study skills, or practice did not significantly contribute to the learning variability in this course.

  2. An Exploratory Study of Risk-Taking and Attitudes in a Girls-Only Middle School Math Class.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Streitmatter, Janice

    1997-01-01

    Studied attitudes of girls, toward themselves and their classmates, and their behavior in a girls-only math classroom. Found girls were more likely to ask and answer questions in the math classroom than in coeducational classes and that the girls-only setting enhanced their ability to learn. The girls-only environment was overwhelmingly preferred.…

  3. Primary School Pupils' Views of Characteristics of Good Primary School Teachers: An Exploratory, Open Approach for Investigating Pupils' Perceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bakx, Anouke; Koopman, Maaike; de Kruijf, Judith; den Brok, Perry

    2015-01-01

    This article reports on results of a study on pupils' perceptions on teacher quality in primary education. Pupils' perceptions of desired characteristics of good teachers in primary education were compared to results of research into teacher quality from different perspectives: (1) perception studies of ideal teaching-and-learning environments;…

  4. The Net-Generation Interior Design Student: An Exploratory Study Assessing Learning and Engagement within a Computer Simulation Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peterson, Julie Ellen

    2009-01-01

    The first purpose of this experimental study was to determine if there were effects on achievement between traditional pencil-and-paper instructional strategies and computer simulated instructional strategies used to teach interior design business ethics. The second purpose was to determine the level of engagement of interior design students using…

  5. A Resource Guide for an Exploratory Curriculum for Three-Year Old Migrant Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hoffman, Stevie; Mottola, Niel

    The rational for the curriculum design for three-year-old migrant children in an expanded-day educational program is presented. Consideration is given for each of the program phases, the learning environment, the rationale for a pre-service workshop and on-going in-service consultancy. This curriculum is based on the premise that, because of the…

  6. The effects of age, rank and neophobia on social learning in horses.

    PubMed

    Krueger, Konstanze; Farmer, Kate; Heinze, Jürgen

    2014-05-01

    Social learning is said to meet the demands of complex environments in which individuals compete over resources and cooperate to share resources. Horses (Equus caballus) were thought to lack social learning skills because they feed on homogenously distributed resources with few reasons for conflict. However, the horse's social environment is complex, which raises the possibility that its capacity for social transfer of feeding behaviour has been underestimated. We conducted a social learning experiment using 30 socially kept horses of different ages. Five horses, one from each group, were chosen as demonstrators, and the remaining 25 horses were designated observers. Observers from each group were allowed to watch their group demonstrator opening a feeding apparatus. We found that young, low-ranking and more exploratory horses learned by observing older members of their own group, and the older the horse, the more slowly it appeared to learn. Social learning may be an adaptive specialisation to the social environment. Older animals may avoid the potential costs of acquiring complex and potentially disadvantageous feeding behaviours from younger group members. We argue that horses show social learning in the context of their social ecology and that research procedures must take such contexts into account. Misconceptions about the horse's sociality may have hampered earlier studies.

  7. Quality assurance of the clinical learning environment in Austria: Construct validity of the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher Scale (CLES+T scale).

    PubMed

    Mueller, Gerhard; Mylonas, Demetrius; Schumacher, Petra

    2018-07-01

    Within nursing education, the clinical learning environment is of a high importance in regards to the development of competencies and abilities. The organization, atmosphere, and supervision in the clinical learning environment are only a few factors that influence this development. In Austria there is currently no valid instrument available for the evaluation of influencing factors. The aim of the study was to test the construct validity with principal component analysis as well as the internal consistency of the German Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Teacher Scale (CLES+T scale) in Austria. The present validation study has a descriptive-quantitative cross-sectional design. The sample consisted of 385 nursing students from thirteen training institutions in Austria. The data collection was carried out online between March and April 2016. Starting with a polychoric correlation matrix, a parallel analysis with principal component extraction and promax rotation was carried out due to the ordinal data. The exploratory ordinal factor analysis supported a four-component solution and explained 73% of the total variance. The internal consistency of all 25 items reached a Cronbach's α of 0.95 and the four components ranged between 0.83 and 0.95. The German version of the CLES+T scale seems to be a useful instrument for identifying potential areas of improvement in clinical practice in order to derive specific quality measures for the practical learning environment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Matching Vocabulary Learning Process with Learning Outcome in L2 Academic Writing: An Exploratory Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ma, Qing

    2013-01-01

    This exploratory case study of two undergraduates links vocabulary learning approaches with lexical quality measured in academic writing. Employing an array of qualitative data, it is shown that in a "semi-language-rich" learning context, Chinese learners may dispense with rote learning and engage in a more natural learning approach in which…

  9. Digital Systems Supporting Cognition and Exploratory Learning in Twenty-First Century: Guest Editorial

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spector, J. Michael; Ifenthaler, Dirk; Sampson, Demetrios G.

    2016-01-01

    Digital systems and digital technologies are globally investigated for their potential to transform learning, teaching and assessment towards offering unique learning experiences to the twenty-first century learners. This Special Issue on "Digital systems supporting cognition and exploratory learning in twenty-first century" aims to…

  10. An Exploratory Factor Analysis and Reliability Analysis of the Student Online Learning Readiness (SOLR) Instrument

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yu, Taeho; Richardson, Jennifer C.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop an effective instrument to measure student readiness in online learning with reliable predictors of online learning success factors such as learning outcomes and learner satisfaction. The validity and reliability of the Student Online Learning Readiness (SOLR) instrument were tested using exploratory factor…

  11. LewiSpace: An Exploratory Study with a Machine Learning Model in an Educational Game

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ghali, Ramla; Ouellet, Sébastien; Frasson, Claude

    2016-01-01

    The use of educational games as a tool for providing learners with a playful and educational aspect is widespread. In this paper, we present an educational game that we developed to teach a chemistry lesson, namely drawing a Lewis diagram. Our game is a 3D environment known as LewiSpace and aims at balancing between playful and educational…

  12. "Remember to Hand out Medals": Peer Rating and Expertise in a Question-and-Answer Study Group

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ponti, Marisa

    2015-01-01

    This article reports on an exploratory study of giving medals as part of a peer rating system in a question-and-answer (Q&A) study group on Python, a programming language. There are no professional teachers tutoring learners. The study aimed to understand whether and how medals, awarded to responses in a peer-based learning environment, can…

  13. Envisioning Competence: Learning, Problem Solving, and Children at Work in the Exploratory Bicycle Shop

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hammond, Charles Florian

    2010-01-01

    This study examines the conceptual learning and cognitive development processes of schoolchildren engaged in problem solving activities in a non-school, workplace setting known as the exploratory bicycle shop. The exploratory bike shop is a commercial bicycle shop: a) that has been adapted for combined retail and educational purposes and b) where…

  14. Undergraduate nursing students' perspectives on clinical assessment at transition to practice.

    PubMed

    Wu, Xi Vivien; Wang, Wenru; Pua, Lay Hoon; Heng, Doreen Gek Noi; Enskär, Karin

    2015-01-01

    Assessment of clinical competence requires explicitly defined standards meeting the national standards of the nursing profession. This is a complex process because of the diverse nature of nursing practice. To explore the perceptions of final-year undergraduate nursing students regarding clinical assessment at transition to practice. An exploratory qualitative approach was adopted. Twenty-four students participated in three focus group discussions. Thematic analysis was conducted. Five themes emerged: the need for a valid and reliable clinical assessment tool, the need for a flexible style of reflection and specific feedback, the dynamic clinical learning environment, students' efforts in learning and assessment, and the unclear support system for preceptors. Workload, time, resource availability, adequate preparation of preceptors, and the provision of valid and reliable clinical assessment tools were deemed to influence the quality of students' clinical learning and assessment. Nursing leadership in hospitals and educational institutions has a joint responsibility in shaping the clinical learning environment and providing clinical assessments for the students.

  15. Learning from a distance: high school students' perceptions of virtual presence, motivation, and science identity during a remote microscopy investigation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Childers, Gina; Jones, M. Gail

    2017-02-01

    Through partnerships with scientists, students can now conduct research in science laboratories from a distance through remote access technologies. The purpose of this study was to explore factors that contribute to a remote learning environment by documenting high school students' perceptions of science motivation, science identity, and virtual presence during a remote microscopy investigation. Exploratory factor analysis identified 3 factors accounting for 63% of the variance, which suggests that Science Learning Drive (students' perception of their competence and performance in science and intrinsic motivation to do science), Environmental Presence (students' perception of control of the remote technology, sensory, and distraction factors in the learning environment, and relatedness to scientists), and Inner Realism Presence (students' perceptions of how real is the remote programme and being recognised as a science-oriented individual) were factors that contribute to a student's experience during a remote investigation. Motivation, science identity, and virtual presence in remote investigations are explored.

  16. An Exploratory Analysis of the Relationship between Media Richness and Managerial Information Processing

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1984-07-01

    engineers use technology to design optimal information systems that will provide clear, correct data to help managers solve current problems (Keen...is in a changing environment (Hedberg and Jonsson, 1978; Mowshowitz, 1976; Hedberg, 1981; Hedberg, Nystrom, and Starbuck , 1976). Technology based...organizations learn and unlearn." In P. C. Nystrom, and W. H. Starbuck (eds.), Handbook of Organizational Design, Vol. 1. Amsterdam: Elsevier Scientific

  17. The Impact of Response to Intervention and Instruction (RTII) on the Motivation to Learn of Middle School Students: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Corris, Darlene

    2014-01-01

    The challenges encountered by middle level learners have been well documented and have proven to have an impact on student motivation. Further complicating this time in a student's life are the demands placed on them to gain mastery through assignment in a remedial environment. However, attaining mastery can be limited by teacher self-efficacy and…

  18. NCS-1 dependent learning bonus and behavior outputs of self-directed exploration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mun, Ho-Suk

    Animals explore a new environment and learn about their surroundings. "Exploration" refers to all activities that increase the information obtained from an animal. For this study, I determined a molecule that mediates self-directed exploration, with a particular focus on rearing behavior and vocalization. Rearing can be either self-directed exploration or escape-oriented exploration. Self-directed exploration can be driven by the desire to gather information about environments while escape-oriented exploration can be driven by fear or anxiety. To differentiate between these two concepts, I compared rearing and other behaviors in three different conditions 1) novel dim (safe environment), which induces exploration based rearing; 2) novel bright (fearful environment), which elicits fear driven rearing; and 3) familiar environment as a control. First, I characterized the effects on two distinct types of environment in exploratory behavior and its effect on learning. From this, I determined that self-directed exploration enhances spatial learning while escape-oriented exploration does not produce a learning bonus. Second, I found that NCS-1 is involved in exploration, as well as learning and memory, by testing mice with reduced levels of Ncs-1 by point mutation and also siRNA injection. Finally, I illustrated other behavior outputs and neural substrate activities, which co-occurred during either self-directed or escape-oriented exploration. I found that high-frequency ultrasonic vocalizations occurred during self-directed exploration while low-frequency calls were emitted during escape-oriented exploration. Also, with immediate early gene imaging techniques, I found hippocampus and nucleus accumbens activation in self-directed exploration. This study is the first comprehensive molecular analysis of learning bonus in self-directed exploration. These results may be beneficial for studying underlying mechanisms of neuropsychiatric disease, and also reveal therapeutic targets for them.

  19. Learned helplessness and learned prevalence: exploring the causal relations among perceived controllability, reward prevalence, and exploration.

    PubMed

    Teodorescu, Kinneret; Erev, Ido

    2014-10-01

    Exposure to uncontrollable outcomes has been found to trigger learned helplessness, a state in which the agent, because of lack of exploration, fails to take advantage of regained control. Although the implications of this phenomenon have been widely studied, its underlying cause remains undetermined. One can learn not to explore because the environment is uncontrollable, because the average reinforcement for exploring is low, or because rewards for exploring are rare. In the current research, we tested a simple experimental paradigm that contrasts the predictions of these three contributors and offers a unified psychological mechanism that underlies the observed phenomena. Our results demonstrate that learned helplessness is not correlated with either the perceived controllability of one's environment or the average reward, which suggests that reward prevalence is a better predictor of exploratory behavior than the other two factors. A simple computational model in which exploration decisions were based on small samples of past experiences captured the empirical phenomena while also providing a cognitive basis for feelings of uncontrollability. © The Author(s) 2014.

  20. The Nature of Professional Learning Communities in New Zealand Early Childhood Education: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cherrington, Sue; Thornton, Kate

    2015-01-01

    Professional learning communities are receiving increasing attention within the schooling sector but empirical research into their development and use within early childhood education contexts is rare. This paper reports initial findings of an exploratory study into the development of professional learning communities in New Zealand's early…

  1. Measuring motivation and volition of nursing students in nontraditional learning environments.

    PubMed

    Nagelsmith, Laurie; Bryer, Jason; Yan, Zheng

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify the best fitting model to represent interrelationships between motivation, volition, and academic success for adult nursing students learning in nontraditional environments. Participants (N=297) completed a survey that incorporated two measures: the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) and the academic volitional strategies inventory (AVSI) as well as demographic information. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used for data analysis. In phase 1, EFA resulted in factors that generally aligned with previous theoretical factors as defined by the psychometrics used. In Phase 2 of the analysis, CFA validated the use of predefined factor structures. In Phase 3, SEM analysis revealed that motivation has a larger effect on grade point average (GPA; beta = .28, p < .01) than volition (beta = .15, p < .05). The covariance between motivation and volition (r = .42, p < .01) was also found to be significant. These results suggest that there is a significant relationship among motivation, volition, and academic success for adult learners studying in nontraditional learning environments. These findings are consistent with and elaborate the relationship between motivation and volition with a population and setting underrepresented in the research.

  2. The interprofessional learning experience: Findings from a qualitative study based in an outpatient setting.

    PubMed

    Jakobsen, Flemming; Mørcke, Anne Mette; Hansen, Torben Bæk

    2017-09-01

    Clinical interprofessional education has traditionally taken place in hospital wards, but much diagnosis and treatment have shifted to the outpatient setting. The logical consequence is to shift more students' clinical placements from the "bedside" to outpatient settings. However, it is unclear how we ensure that this shift maximises learning. The purpose of this article is to understand the authentic learning experience in an interprofessional outpatient clinic setting. We performed an exploratory case study with interviews of four nursing students, 13 medical students, and six staff members who worked in an interprofessional outpatient orthopaedic clinic from March 2015 to January 2016. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using systematic text condensation. The students' self-reported learning experience in this outpatient clinic was characterised by direct patient contact and by authentic, interprofessional, task-based learning, and a preference for indirect supervision when conducting uncomplicated patient consultations. The supervisors intended to create this interprofessional outpatient clinic experience by having a clear teaching approach based on adult learning principles in a safe and challenging learning environment. The shift to the outpatient setting was strongly and practically supported by the management. This study indicates that student learning can be shifted to the outpatient clinic setting if there is supportive management and dedicated supervisors who establish a challenging yet safe interprofessional learning environment.

  3. Residents' perceived barriers to communication skills learning: comparing two medical working contexts in postgraduate training.

    PubMed

    van den Eertwegh, Valerie; van Dalen, Jan; van Dulmen, Sandra; van der Vleuten, Cees; Scherpbier, Albert

    2014-04-01

    Contextual factors are known to influence the acquisition and application of communication skills in clinical settings. Little is known about residents' perceptions of these factors. This article aims to explore residents' perceptions of contextual factors affecting the acquisition and application of communication skills in the medical workplace. We conducted an exploratory study comprising seven focus groups with residents in two different specialities: general practice (n=23) and surgery (n=18). Residents perceive the use of summative assessment checklists that reduce communication skills to behavioural components as impeding the learning of their communication skills. Residents perceive encouragement to deliberately practise in an environment in which the value of communication skills is recognised and support is institutionalised with appropriate feedback from role models as the most important enhancing factors in communication skills learning. To gradually realise a clinical working environment in which the above results are incorporated, we propose to use transformative learning theory to guide further studies. Provided it is used continuously, an approach that combines self-directed learning with observation and discussion of resident-patient consultations seems an effective method for transformative learning of communication skills. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Flourishing: exploring predictors of mental health within the college environment.

    PubMed

    Fink, John E

    2014-01-01

    To explore the predictive factors of student mental health within the college environment. Students enrolled at 7 unique universities during years 2008 (n=1,161) and 2009 (n=1,459). Participants completed survey measures of mental health, consequences of alcohol use, and engagement in the college environment. In addition to replicating previous findings related to Keyes' Mental Health Continuum, multiple regression analysis revealed several predictors of college student mental health, including supportive college environments, students' sense of belonging, professional confidence, and civic engagement. However, multiple measures of engaged learning were not found to predict mental health. Results suggest that supportive college environments foster student flourishing. Implications for promoting mental health across campus are discussed. Future research should build on exploratory findings and test confirmatory models to better understand relationships between the college environment and student flourishing.

  5. Reciprocal Learning in Partnership Practice: An Exploratory Study of a Home Visiting Program for Mothers with Depression

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fowler, Cathrine; Dunston, Roger; Lee, Alison; Rossiter, Chris; McKenzie, Jo

    2012-01-01

    This paper reports on a small exploratory study that investigates the place and role of reciprocal learning within a partnership-based home visiting program for mothers experiencing depression. The study is one important example of an increased focus on reciprocal learning within practice that has significant implications for the development of…

  6. A Comparison of Reasoning Processes in a Collaborative Modelling Environment: Learning about genetics problems using virtual chat

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pata, Kai; Sarapuu, Tago

    2006-09-01

    This study investigated the possible activation of different types of model-based reasoning processes in two learning settings, and the influence of various terms of reasoning on the learners’ problem representation development. Changes in 53 students’ problem representations about genetic issue were analysed while they worked with different modelling tools in a synchronous network-based environment. The discussion log-files were used for the “microgenetic” analysis of reasoning types. For studying the stages of students’ problem representation development, individual pre-essays and post-essays and their utterances during two reasoning phases were used. An approach for mapping problem representations was developed. Characterizing the elements of mental models and their reasoning level enabled the description of five hierarchical categories of problem representations. Learning in exploratory and experimental settings was registered as the shift towards more complex stages of problem representations in genetics. The effect of different types of reasoning could be observed as the divergent development of problem representations within hierarchical categories.

  7. Semaphorin 6A knockout mice display abnormalities across ethologically-based topographies of exploration and in motor learning.

    PubMed

    Håkansson, Kerstin; Runker, Annette E; O'Sullivan, Gerard J; Mitchell, Kevin J; Waddington, John L; O'Tuathaigh, Colm M P

    2017-02-22

    Semaphorins are secreted or membrane-bound proteins implicated in neurodevelopmental processes of axon guidance and cell migration. Exploratory behaviour and motor learning was examined ethologically in Semaphorin 6A (Sema6A) mutant mice. The ethogram of initial exploration in Sema6A knockout mice was characterised by increased rearing to wall with decreased sifting; over subsequent habituation, locomotion, sniffing and rearing to wall were increased, with reduced habituation of rearing seated. Rotarod analysis indicated delayed motor learning in Sema6A heterozygous mutants. Disruption to the axonal guidance and cell migration processes regulated by Sema6A is associated with topographically specific disruption to fundamental aspects of behaviour, namely the ethogram of initial exploration and subsequent habituation to the environment, and motor learning. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Nurses' Internet self-efficacy and attitudes toward web-based continuing learning.

    PubMed

    Liang, Jyh-Chong; Wu, Szu-Hsien; Tsai, Chin-Chung

    2011-11-01

    There are increasing opportunities for nurses to engage in continuing learning via the Internet; hence, it is important to explore nurses' attitudes toward web-based continuing learning. This paper explores 267 Taiwanese clinical nurses' attitudes toward web-based continuing learning. In addition, the role of the nurses' Internet self-efficacy in their attitudes is investigated. This study utilizes two questionnaires to respectively survey the nurses' Internet self-efficacy and their attitudes toward web-based continuing learning. In particular, the Internet Self-efficacy Survey includes two scales: 'Basic self-efficacy' (the perceived confidence of using basic Internet functions, such as the confidence in using a web browser or searching for online information) and 'Advanced self-efficacy' (the perceived confidence of using advanced Internet functions, such as the confidence in online discussion or making online payments). Exploratory factor analyses indicated adequate reliability and validity of the two questionnaires. The regression analyses revealed that both nurses' basic and advanced Internet self-efficacy can positively explain the perceived usefulness, ease of use and friendly feeling when using web-based continuing learning environments, whereas nurses' advanced Internet self-efficacy was the only predictor to explain how they intend to use web-based continuing learning environments more. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Psychometric Testing of the Greek Version of the Clinical Learning Environment-Teacher (CLES+T).

    PubMed

    Papastavrou, Evridiki; Dimitriadou, Maria; Tsangari, Haritini

    2015-09-01

    Clinical practice is an important part of nursing education, and robust instruments are required to evaluate the effectiveness of the hospital setting as a learning environment. The study aim is the psychometric test of the Clinical Learning Environment+Teacher (CLES+T) scale-Greek version. 463 students practicing in acute care hospitals participated in the study. The reliability of the instrument was estimated with Cronbach's alpha coefficients. The construct validity was evaluated using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with Varimax rotation. Convergent validity was examined by measuring the bivariate correlations between the scale/subscales. Content, validity and semantic equivalence were examined through reviews by a panel of experts. The total scale showed high internal consistency (α=0.95). EFA was identical to the original scale, had eigen values larger than one and explained a total of 67.4% of the variance. The factor with the highest eigen value and the largest percentage of variance explained was "supervisory relationship", with an original eigenvalue of 13.1 (6.8 after Varimax rotation) and an explanation of around 38% of the variance (or 20% after rotation). Convergent validity was examined by measuring the bivariate correlations between the scale and a question that measured the general satisfaction. The Greek version of the CLES+T is a valid and reliable instrument that can be used to examine students' perceptions of the clinical learning environment.

  10. Understanding the Impact of a Half Day Learning Intervention on Emotional Intelligence Competencies: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carrick, Laurie Ann

    2010-01-01

    Empirical evidence has identified emotional intelligence competencies as part of the transformational leadership style. The development of emotional intelligence competencies has been reviewed in the context of a leadership development learning intervention encompassing the model of assessment, challenge and support. The exploratory study…

  11. Exploratory Analysis in Learning Analytics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gibson, David; de Freitas, Sara

    2016-01-01

    This article summarizes the methods, observations, challenges and implications for exploratory analysis drawn from two learning analytics research projects. The cases include an analysis of a games-based virtual performance assessment and an analysis of data from 52,000 students over a 5-year period at a large Australian university. The complex…

  12. The Temporal Properties of E-Learning: An Exploratory Study of Academics' Conceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martins, Jorge; Nunes, Miguel Baptista

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present the results of an exploratory study that investigates Portuguese academics' conceptions concerning the temporal properties of e-learning, in the context of traditional Higher Education Institutions. Design/methodology/approach: Grounded Theory methodology was used to systematically analyse data…

  13. The Effects of Mobile Collaborative Activities in a Second Language Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ilic, Peter

    2015-01-01

    This research is designed to explore the areas of collaborative learning and the use of smartphones as a support for collaborative learning through a year-long exploratory multiple case study approach integrating both qualitative and quantitative data analysis. Qualitative exploratory interviews are combined with Multidimensional Scaling Analysis…

  14. Students' Studying and Approaches to Learning in Introductory Biology

    PubMed Central

    2004-01-01

    This exploratory study was conducted in an introductory biology course to determine 1) how students used the large lecture environment to create their own learning tasks during studying and 2) whether meaningful learning resulted from the students' efforts. Academic task research from the K–12 education literature and student approaches to learning research from the postsecondary education literature provided the theoretical framework for the mixed methods study. The subject topic was cell division. Findings showed that students 1) valued lectures to develop what they believed to be their own understanding of the topic; 2) deliberately created and engaged in learning tasks for themselves only in preparation for the unit exam; 3) used course resources, cognitive operations, and study strategies that were compatible with surface and strategic, rather than deep, approaches to learning; 4) successfully demonstrated competence in answering familiar test questions aligned with their surface and strategic approaches to studying and learning; and 5) demonstrated limited meaningful understanding of the significance of cell division processes. Implications for introductory biology education are discussed. PMID:15592598

  15. Psychometric properties of the Danish student well-being questionnaire assessed in >250,000 student responders.

    PubMed

    Niclasen, Janni; Keilow, Maria; Obel, Carsten

    2018-05-01

    Well-being is considered a prerequisite for learning. The Danish Ministry of Education initiated the development of a new 40-item student well-being questionnaire in 2014 to monitor well-being among all Danish public school students on a yearly basis. The aim of this study was to investigate the basic psychometric properties of this questionnaire. We used the data from the 2015 Danish student well-being survey for 268,357 students in grades 4-9 (about 85% of the study population). Descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analyses, confirmatory factor analyses and Cronbach's α reliability measures were used in the analyses. The factor analyses did not unambiguously support one particular factor structure. However, based on the basic descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analyses, confirmatory factor analyses, the semantics of the individual items and Cronbach's α, we propose a four-factor structure including 27 of the 40 items originally proposed. The four scales measure school connectedness, learning self-efficacy, learning environment and classroom management. Two bullying items and two psychosomatic items should be considered separately, leaving 31 items in the questionnaire. The proposed four-factor structure addresses central aspects of well-being, which, if used constructively, may support public schools' work to increase levels of student well-being.

  16. Beta Hebbian Learning as a New Method for Exploratory Projection Pursuit.

    PubMed

    Quintián, Héctor; Corchado, Emilio

    2017-09-01

    In this research, a novel family of learning rules called Beta Hebbian Learning (BHL) is thoroughly investigated to extract information from high-dimensional datasets by projecting the data onto low-dimensional (typically two dimensional) subspaces, improving the existing exploratory methods by providing a clear representation of data's internal structure. BHL applies a family of learning rules derived from the Probability Density Function (PDF) of the residual based on the beta distribution. This family of rules may be called Hebbian in that all use a simple multiplication of the output of the neural network with some function of the residuals after feedback. The derived learning rules can be linked to an adaptive form of Exploratory Projection Pursuit and with artificial distributions, the networks perform as the theory suggests they should: the use of different learning rules derived from different PDFs allows the identification of "interesting" dimensions (as far from the Gaussian distribution as possible) in high-dimensional datasets. This novel algorithm, BHL, has been tested over seven artificial datasets to study the behavior of BHL parameters, and was later applied successfully over four real datasets, comparing its results, in terms of performance, with other well-known Exploratory and projection models such as Maximum Likelihood Hebbian Learning (MLHL), Locally-Linear Embedding (LLE), Curvilinear Component Analysis (CCA), Isomap and Neural Principal Component Analysis (Neural PCA).

  17. Protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type R deficient mice exhibit increased exploration in a new environment and impaired novel object recognition memory.

    PubMed

    Erkens, Mirthe; Bakker, Brenda; van Duijn, Lucette M; Hendriks, Wiljan J A J; Van der Zee, Catharina E E M

    2014-05-15

    Mouse gene Ptprr encodes multiple protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type R (PTPRR) isoforms that negatively regulate mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways. In the mouse brain, PTPRR proteins are expressed in cerebellum, olfactory bulb, hippocampus, amygdala and perirhinal cortex but their precise role in these regions remains to be determined. Here, we evaluated phenotypic consequences of loss of PTPRR activity and found that basal smell was normal for Ptprr(-/-) mice. Also, spatial learning and fear-associated contextual learning were unaffected. PTPRR deficiency, however, resulted in impaired novel object recognition and a striking increase in exploratory activity in a new environment. The data corroborate the importance of proper control of MAPK signaling in cerebral functions and put forward PTPRR as a novel target to modulate synaptic processes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Through the eyes of the student: Best practices in clinical facilitation.

    PubMed

    Muthathi, Immaculate S; Thurling, Catherine H; Armstrong, Susan J

    2017-08-28

    Clinical facilitation is an essential part of the undergraduate nursing curriculum. A number of studies address the issue of clinical facilitation in South Africa, but there remains a lack of knowledge and understanding regarding what students perceive as best practice in clinical facilitation of their learning. To determine what type of clinical facilitation undergraduate students believe should be offered by clinical facilitators (nurse educators, professional nurses and clinical preceptors) in the clinical area in order to best facilitate their learning. A qualitative, exploratory and descriptive study was conducted. Purposive sampling was performed to select nursing students from the second, third and fourth year of studies from a selected nursing education institution in Johannesburg. The sampling resulted in one focus group for each level of nursing, namely second, third and fourth year nursing students. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim, thematic data analysis was used and trustworthiness was ensured by applying credibility, dependability, confirmability and transferability. The data revealed that participants differentiated between best practices in clinical facilitation in the clinical skills laboratory and clinical learning environment. In the clinical skills laboratory, pre-contact preparation, demonstration technique and optimising group learning were identified as best practices. In the clinical learning environment, a need for standardisation of procedures in simulation and practice, the allocation and support for students also emerged. There is a need for all nurses involved in undergraduate nursing education to reflect on how they approach clinical facilitation, in both clinical skills laboratory and clinical learning environment. There is also a need to improve consistency in clinical practices between the nursing education institution and the clinical learning environment so as to support students' adaptation to clinical practice.

  19. Alternative Energy Curriculum for Trade and Industry Exploratory. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    University of Central Arkansas, Conway.

    This study was a descriptive curriculum research project covering the development of learning packets on alternative energy. The purpose of the project was to improve instruction in trades and industry exploratory programs by providing alternative energy materials. It was anticipated that the use of a prepared learning package would facilitate the…

  20. Informal Learning in Academic Student Organizations: An Exploratory Examination of Student-Faculty Interactions and the Relationship to Leadership

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holzweiss, Peggy C.; Parrott, Kelli Peck; Cole, Bryan R.

    2013-01-01

    This exploratory study examined informal learning opportunities that exist within student organizations. The researchers specifically isolated academic organizations and the interactions between students and faculty that may occur in this context. Findings indicate that 81% of participants experienced interactions with faculty within the context…

  1. ICT and an Exploratory Pedagogy for Classroom-Based Chinese Language Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhao, XingLong; Wang, MinJuan; Wu, Juan; He, KeKang

    2011-01-01

    This paper reports on a new pedagogy for Chinese language teaching and learning at elementary schools through exploratory classroom instruction using Information and Communication Technologies. The study used quantitative method to collect data from two elementary schools of China. The results showed that: (1) the three-in-one pedagogy of…

  2. An Exploratory Multiple Case Study about Using Game-Based Learning in STEM Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vu, Phu; Feinstein, Sheryl

    2017-01-01

    This exploratory multiple case study attempted to examine whether game-based learning activities had any impacts on students' academic performances and behaviors, and what perceptions the teachers had toward implementing games into their classrooms. Data used in this study included 101 students' pre and post-test scores, and four structured…

  3. Critical Geragogy and Foreign Language Learning: An Exploratory Application

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ramírez Gómez, Danya

    2016-01-01

    This article proposes an exploratory application of the principles of critical geragogy (Formosa, 2002, 2011, 2012) to foreign language (FL) education (i.e., L2 learning in the L1 community). Critical geragogy is an educational, practical framework intended to empower older adults and lead them to emancipate from age strictures (Glendenning &…

  4. [Integration of the Internet into medical education].

    PubMed

    Taradi, Suncana Kukolja

    2002-01-01

    The Internet promises dramatic changes in the way we learn and teach, the way we interact as a society. Networked technologies introduce interactivity and multimedia into the educational process. The student of the 21st century will use his/her PC as a learning station, as a tutoring system, as an information provider and as a communication center. Therefore the passive classroom (teacher-centered teaching) will evolve into active studio learning (student-centered learning). This will be achieved by new teaching techniques and standards of quality. The role of the new generation of educators is to create exploratory learning environments that offer a wide range of views on many subject areas and encourage active lifelong learning. This will be achieved by 1) placing courseware on the web where it can be accessed by remote students and by 2) finding and reviewing teaching materials obtained from www for possible integration into the local lecture material. The paper suggests strategies for introducing medical educators to networked teaching.

  5. Expanding the Caring Lens: Nursing and Medical Students Reflecting on Images of Older People.

    PubMed

    Brand, Gabrielle; Miller, Karen; Saunders, Rosemary; Dugmore, Helen; Etherton-Beer, Christopher

    2016-01-01

    In changing higher education environments, health profession's educators have been increasingly challenged to prepare future health professionals to care for aging populations. This article reports on an exploratory, mixed-method research study that used an innovative photo-elicitation technique and interprofessional small-group work in the classroom to enhance the reflective learning experience of medical and nursing students. Data were collected from pre- and postquestionnaires and focus groups to explore shifts in perceptions toward older persons following the reflective learning session. The qualitative data revealed how using visual images of older persons provides a valuable learning space for reflection. Students found meaning in their own learning by creating shared storylines that challenged their perceptions of older people and themselves as future health professionals. These data support the use of visual methodologies to enhance engagement, reflection, and challenge students to explore and deepen their understanding in gerontology.

  6. Classification of L2 Vocabulary Learning Strategies: Evidence from Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Bo; Li, Changyu

    2011-01-01

    This research presents a classification theory for the L2 vocabulary learning strategies. Based on the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of strategies that adult Chinese English learners used, this theory identifies six categories, four of which are related to the cognitive process in lexical acquisition and the other two are…

  7. Evolution of Unit Fraction Conceptions in Two Fifth-Graders with a Learning Disability: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hunt, Jessica Heather; Tzur, Ron; Westenskow, Arla

    2016-01-01

    The literature seems limited in what is known about conceptual processes that underlie evolution of students with learning disabilities (SLD) conceptions of fractions. This exploratory study examines how a foundational scheme of unit fractions (1/n) may evolve through the mathematical activity of two fifth grade girls. We analyze data segments…

  8. Awareness of Number In Children With Severe And Profound Learning Difficulties: Three Exploratory Case Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Porter, Jill

    2005-01-01

    This paper reports on exploratory work investigating how children with severe and profound learning difficulties register an awareness of small quantities and how they might use this information to inform their understanding. It draws on studies of typically developing children and investigates their application to pupils whose response to…

  9. Parent Explanation and Preschoolers' Exploratory Behavior and Learning in a Shadow Exhibition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Schijndel, Tessa J. P.; Raijmakers, Maartje E. J.

    2016-01-01

    The present study fills a gap in existing visitor research by focusing on the preschool age group. The study explores relationships between parent explanation, children's exploratory behavior, and their domain-specific learning in a shadow exhibition. In addition, the effect of a preceding theater show on child and parent behaviors is examined. In…

  10. An Exploratory Case Study of Hospitality Students' Perceptions of Experiential Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Askren, Joe

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore how students described the curriculum in the Introduction to Food Production class and how they perceived the curriculum prepared them for their future in the hospitality industry. The exploratory questions that guided the study were how do students describe the experiential learning curriculum in the…

  11. Evaluation of First-Year Faculty Learning Communities on Teaching Effectiveness and Scholarship: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bhavsar, Grishma P.; Grote, Kandice; Galvan, Melisa C.; Tyutina, Svetlana V.; Guan, Shu-Sha Angie; Stapleton, Lissa D.; Knotts, Gregory

    2018-01-01

    Faculty in their early careers discover unique and unanticipated concerns in navigating academia and attempting to create life balance. These needs must be addressed to ensure retention and success in the tenure process. This exploratory study found the creation of first-year faculty learning communities (FLCs) provides needed, integral, and…

  12. Going beyond Competencies: An Exploratory Study in Defining Exemplary Workplace Learning and Performance Practitioners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Terri Freeman

    2009-01-01

    This study was an exploratory investigation used to identify exemplary performance in four of the areas of expertise (AOEs) as described in the American Society for Training and Development's "Mapping the Future: New Workplace Learning and Performance Competencies" (2004). Qualitative data were collected from the following four AOEs: (1)…

  13. Reasoning Words as Linguistic Features of Exploratory Talk: Classroom Use and What It Can Tell Us

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boyd, Maureen; Kong, Yiren

    2017-01-01

    Reasoning words are linguistic features associated with classroom exploratory talk as students talk-to-learn, explore ideas, and probe each other's thinking. This study extends established research on use of reasoning words to a fourth- to fifth-grade literature-based English language learning context. We examined frequency and patterning of…

  14. An Exploratory Analysis of a Middle School Science Curriculum: Implications for Students with Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Gregory S.; Hord, Casey

    2016-01-01

    An exploratory study of a middle school curriculum directly aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards was conducted with a focus on how the curriculum addresses the instructional needs of students with learning disabilities. A descriptive analysis of a lesson on speed and velocity was conducted and implications discussed for students with…

  15. Pupils' Readiness for Self-Regulated Learning in the Forethought Phase of Exploratory Production

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Metsärinne, Mika; Kallio, Manne; Virta, Kalle

    2015-01-01

    This article discusses pupils' readiness for self-regulation in Exploratory Production in Technology Education. In the forethought phase of Exploratory Production, pupils envision and regulate their technological production activities. Next, in the performance phase, the envisioned goals are tried and implemented through ideating, planning and…

  16. Autonomy support environment and autonomous motivation on nursing student academic performance: An exploratory analysis.

    PubMed

    Bronson, Sevilla

    2016-09-01

    In the U.S., enrollment and graduation rates of baccalaureate nursing programs are slowly increasing. Rigorous program requirements can be overwhelming for students who may have difficulty adjusting to curriculum demands. Faculty who help students to adjust may also build a supportive learning environment that promotes autonomous motivation, improves engagement, and strengthens academic performance. Students may also experience well-being and autonomy when they feel supported and when their needs are met. The aim of this study was to investigate nursing students' autonomy support environments and autonomous motivation (measured as spirituality), and the influence on engagement and academic performance. A cross-sectional correlational design using a convenience sample of 150 nursing students in the last year of a baccalaureate nursing program was used. Participants were recruited from four universities in Florida and data collection occurred over three months. All participants were enrolled in the last year of their baccalaureate nursing program with an average Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.36. The learning climate alone was moderately supportive of student motivation (M=70.60, SD=18.99). No significant relationship between the autonomy support environment and autonomous motivation (r=.034, p=.676) was found. Correlations and regression analysis of autonomous motivation and work engagement were significant (F (2, 147)=28.28, p=.000). Comparison of participant groups from each university independently revealed supportive learning environments. Strategies to promote autonomy must be developed and implemented as a means of ensuring a favorable learning environment. Future research may include the investigation of spirituality and autonomous motivation as two separate variables. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Interactive Leadership in Turbulent School Climates. An Exploratory Study of High School Principals from the City of Buenos Aires

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Romero, Claudia; Krichesky, Gabriela

    2018-01-01

    School leadership has been identified as a key function to assuring quality in education. Principals' leadership can have a direct effect on students' learning by improving teaching, or an indirect effect by creating conditions that foster learning. This exploratory study aims to understand how school principals exercise their leadership and its…

  18. An Exploratory Examination of Islamic Values in Science Education: Islamization of Science Teaching and Learning via Constructivism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taskin, Özgür

    2014-01-01

    This exploratory study outlines the perceptions of four Muslim graduate students regarding Islam and its influence on their approach to the teaching and learning of science. All of the four interviewees were enrolled in science related programmes at a Midwestern US university. The interview responses were evaluated both within the frame of the…

  19. The Inside Story [Learning Packages for Exploratory Career Education--7th and 8th Grades: Teacher and Student Editions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kemp, Louie E., Comp.

    The four learning packages for exploratory career education are designed for use at the seventh and eighth grade levels. Each unit includes coordinated teacher and student editions. The units are: Culinary Cubs, focusing on occupations in the areas of food management, production, and services, with special reference to dietitians; Mini Nursery,…

  20. Research Needs and Learning Format Preferences of Graduate Students at a Large Public University: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bussell, Hilary; Hagman, Jessica; Guder, Christopher S.

    2017-01-01

    This article reports on a study of research needs and learning preferences of graduate students at a public research university. A sequential exploratory mixed-method design was used, with a survey instrument developed from an initial qualitative stage. Significant differences were found between master's and doctoral students' and on-campus and…

  1. The Value of Learning Talk: Applying a Novel Dialogue Scoring Method to Inform Interaction Design in an Open-Ended, Embodied Museum Exhibit

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roberts, Jessica; Lyons, Leilah

    2017-01-01

    Museum researchers have long acknowledged the importance of dialogue in informal learning, particularly for open-ended exploratory exhibits. Novel interaction techniques like full-body interaction are appealing for these exploratory exhibits, but designers have not had a metric for determining how their designs are supporting productive learning…

  2. An Exploratory Study of the Impact of Self-Efficacy and Learning Engagement in Coding Learning Activities in Italian Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Banzato, Monica; Tosato, Paolo

    2017-01-01

    In Italy, teaching coding at primary and secondary levels is emerging as a major educational issue, particularly in light of the recent reforms now being implemented. Consequently, there has been increased research on how to introduce information technology in lower secondary schools. This paper presents an exploratory survey, carried out through…

  3. Learning, memory and exploratory similarities in genetically identical cloned dogs.

    PubMed

    Shin, Chi Won; Kim, Geon A; Park, Won Jun; Park, Kwan Yong; Jeon, Jeong Min; Oh, Hyun Ju; Kim, Min Jung; Lee, Byeong Chun

    2016-12-30

    Somatic cell nuclear transfer allows generation of genetically identical animals using donor cells derived from animals with particular traits. To date, few studies have investigated whether or not these cloned dogs will show identical behavior patterns. To address this question, learning, memory and exploratory patterns were examined using six cloned dogs with identical nuclear genomes. The variance of total incorrect choice number in the Y-maze test among cloned dogs was significantly lower than that of the control dogs. There was also a significant decrease in variance in the level of exploratory activity in the open fields test compared to age-matched control dogs. These results indicate that cloned dogs show similar cognitive and exploratory patterns, suggesting that these behavioral phenotypes are related to the genotypes of the individuals.

  4. The Effects of Feedback during Exploratory Mathematics Problem Solving: Prior Knowledge Matters

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fyfe, Emily R.; Rittle-Johnson, Bethany; DeCaro, Marci S.

    2012-01-01

    Providing exploratory activities prior to explicit instruction can facilitate learning. However, the level of guidance provided during the exploration has largely gone unstudied. In this study, we examined the effects of 1 form of guidance, feedback, during exploratory mathematics problem solving for children with varying levels of prior domain…

  5. Learning tactile skills through curious exploration

    PubMed Central

    Pape, Leo; Oddo, Calogero M.; Controzzi, Marco; Cipriani, Christian; Förster, Alexander; Carrozza, Maria C.; Schmidhuber, Jürgen

    2012-01-01

    We present curiosity-driven, autonomous acquisition of tactile exploratory skills on a biomimetic robot finger equipped with an array of microelectromechanical touch sensors. Instead of building tailored algorithms for solving a specific tactile task, we employ a more general curiosity-driven reinforcement learning approach that autonomously learns a set of motor skills in absence of an explicit teacher signal. In this approach, the acquisition of skills is driven by the information content of the sensory input signals relative to a learner that aims at representing sensory inputs using fewer and fewer computational resources. We show that, from initially random exploration of its environment, the robotic system autonomously develops a small set of basic motor skills that lead to different kinds of tactile input. Next, the system learns how to exploit the learned motor skills to solve supervised texture classification tasks. Our approach demonstrates the feasibility of autonomous acquisition of tactile skills on physical robotic platforms through curiosity-driven reinforcement learning, overcomes typical difficulties of engineered solutions for active tactile exploration and underactuated control, and provides a basis for studying developmental learning through intrinsic motivation in robots. PMID:22837748

  6. Learning rate and temperament in a high predation risk environment

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    DePasquale, C.; Wagner, Tyler; Archard, G.A.; Ferguson, B.; Braithwaite, V.A.

    2014-01-01

    Living in challenging environments can influence the behavior of animals in a number of ways. For instance, populations of prey fish that experience frequent, nonlethal interactions with predators have a high proportion of individuals that express greater reaction to risk and increased activity and exploration—collectively known as temperament traits. Temperament traits are often correlated, such that individuals that are risk-prone also tend to be active and explore more. Spatial learning, which requires the integration of many sensory cues, has also been shown to vary in fish exposed to different levels of predation threat. Fish from areas of low predation risk learn to solve spatial tasks faster than fish from high predation areas. However, it is not yet known whether simpler forms of learning, such as learning associations between two events, are similarly influenced. Simple forms of associative learning are likely to be affected by temperament because a willingness to approach and explore novel situations could provide animals with a learning advantage. However, it is possible that routine-forming and inflexible traits associated with risk-prone and increased exploratory behavior may act in the opposite way and make risk-prone individuals poorer at learning associations. To investigate this, we measured temperament in Panamanian bishop fish (Brachyrhaphis episcopi) sampled from a site known to contain many predators. The B. episcopi were then tested with an associative learning task. Within this population, fish that explored more were faster at learning a cue that predicted access to food, indicating a link between temperament and basic learning abilities.

  7. [Targeted inactivation of gamma-synuclein gene affects anxiety and exploratory behaviour of mice].

    PubMed

    Kokhan, V S; Bolkunov, A V; Ustiugov, A A; Van'kin, G I; Shelkovnikova, T A; Redkozubova, O M; Strekalova, T V; Bukhman, V L; Ninkina, N N; Bachurin, S O

    2011-01-01

    Gamma(gamma)-synuclein is a member of synuclein family of cytoplasmic and predominantly neuronal proteins found only in vertebrates. Gamma-synuclein is abundant in axons and presynaptic terminals of neurons localized in brain regions involved in emotions, learning and memory. However, the role of gamma-synuclein in these brain functions was not previously assessed. We have demonstrated for the first time that the loss of gamma-synuclein results in a significant increase in the level of orientation response in novel environment and decrease in the level of state anxiety.

  8. Humor: a pedagogical tool to promote learning.

    PubMed

    Chabeli, M

    2008-09-01

    It has become critical that learners are exposed to varied methods of teaching and assessment that will promote critical thinking of learners. Humor creates a relaxed atmosphere where learning can be enhanced and appreciated. When learners are relaxed, thinking becomes eminent. Authoritative and tense environment hinders thinking. This paper seeks to explore the perceptions of nurse teacher learners regarding the use of humor as a pedagogical tool to promote learning. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was employed (Burns & Grove, 2001:61; Mouton, 1996:103). 130 naive sketches were collected from nurse teacher learners who volunteered to take part in the study (Giorgi in_Omery, 1983:52) Follow up interviews were conducted to verify the findings. A qualitative, open-coding method of content analysis was done Tesch (in Creswell, 1994:155). Measures to ensure trustworthiness of the study were taken in accordance with the protocol of (Lincoln & Guba, 1985:290-326). The findings of the study will assist the nurse educators to create a positive, affective, psychological and social learning environment through the use of humor in a positive manner. Nurse educators will appreciate the fact that integration of humor to the learning content will promote the learners' critical thinking and emotional intelligence. Negative humor has a negative impact on learning. Learner nurses who become critical thinkers will be able to be analytical and solve problems amicably in practice.

  9. An Exploratory Study of Self-Regulated Learning Strategies in a Design Project by Students in Grades 9-12

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lawanto, Oenardi; Butler, Deborah; Cartier, Sylvie; Santoso, Harry; Lawanto, Kevin; Clark, David

    2013-01-01

    This exploratory study evaluated self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies of 27 students in grades 9-12 during an engineering design project. The specific focus of the study was on student task interpretation and its relation to planning and cognitive strategies in design activities. Two research questions guided the study: (1) To what degree was…

  10. What the United States Can Learn From Singapore's World-Class Mathematics System (and What Singapore Can Learn from the United States): An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ginsburg, Alan; Leinwand, Steven; Anstrom, Terry; Pollock, Elizabeth

    2005-01-01

    This exploratory study compares key features of the Singapore and U.S. mathematics systems in the primary grades, when students need to build a strong mathematics foundation. It identifies major differences between the mathematics frameworks, textbooks, assessments, and teachers in Singapore and the United States. It also presents initial results…

  11. Developing an instrument to measure effective factors on Clinical Learning.

    PubMed

    Dadgaran, Ideh; Shirazi, Mandana; Mohammadi, Aeen; Ravari, Ali

    2016-07-01

    Although nursing students spend a large part of their learning period in the clinical environment, clinical learning has not been perceived by its nature yet. To develop an instrument to measure effective factors on clinical learning in nursing students. This is a mixed methods study performed in 2 steps. First, the researchers defined "clinical learning" in nursing students through qualitative content analysis and designed items of the questionnaire based on semi-structured individual interviews with nursing students. Then, as the second step, psychometric properties of the questionnaire were evaluated using the face validity, content validity, construct validity, and internal consistency evaluated on 227 students from fourth or higher semesters. All the interviews were recorded and transcribed, and then, they were analyzed using Max Qualitative Data Analysis and all of qualitative data were analyzed using SPSS 14. To do the study, we constructed the preliminary questionnaire containing 102 expressions. After determination of face and content validities by qualitative and quantitative approaches, the expressions of the questionnaire were reduced to 45. To determine the construct validity, exploratory factor analysis was applied. The results indicated that the maximum variance percentage (40.55%) was defined by the first 3 factors while the rest of the total variance percentage (59.45%) was determined by the other 42 factors. Results of exploratory factor analysis of this questionnaire indicated the presence of 3 instructor-staff, students, and educational related factors. Finally, 41 expressions were kept in 3 factor groups. The α-Cronbach coefficient (0.93) confirmed the high internal consistency of the questionnaire. Results indicated that the prepared questionnaire was an efficient instrument in the study of the effective factors on clinical learning as viewed by nursing students since it involves 41 expressions and properties such as instrument design based on perception and experiences of the nursing students about effective factors on clinical learning, definition of facilitator and preventive factors of the clinical learning, simple scoring, suitable validity and reliability, and applicability in different occasions.

  12. Measuring the anaesthesia clinical learning environment at the department level is feasible and reliable.

    PubMed

    Castanelli, D J; Smith, N A

    2017-05-01

    The learning environment describes the context and culture in which trainees learn. In order to establish the feasibility and reliability of measuring the anaesthetic learning environment in individual departments we implemented a previously developed instrument in hospitals across New South Wales. We distributed the instrument to trainees from 25 anaesthesia departments and supplied summarized results to individual departments. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to assess internal structure validity and generalizability theory was used to calculate reliability. The number of trainees required for acceptable precision in results was determined using the standard error of measurement. We received 172 responses (59% response rate). Suitable internal structure validity was confirmed. Measured reliability was acceptable (G-coefficient 0.69) with nine trainees per department. Eight trainees were required for a 95% confidence interval of plus or minus 0.25 in the mean total score. Eight trainees as assessors also allow a 95% confidence interval of approximately plus or minus 0.3 in the subscale mean scores. Results for individual departments varied, with scores below the expected level recorded on individual subscales, particularly the 'teaching' subscale. Our results confirm that, using this instrument, individual departments can obtain acceptable precision in results with achievable trainee numbers. Additionally, with the exception of departments with few trainees, implementation proved feasible across a training region. Repeated use would allow departments or accrediting bodies to monitor their individual learning environment and the impact of changes such as the introduction of new curricular elements, or local initiatives to improve trainee experience. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Journal of Anaesthesia. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

  13. Response of extracellular zinc in the ventral hippocampus against novelty stress.

    PubMed

    Takeda, Atsushi; Sakurada, Naomi; Kanno, Shingo; Minami, Akira; Oku, Naoto

    2006-10-01

    An extensive neuronal activity takes place in the hippocampus during exploratory behavior. However, the role of hippocampal zinc in exploratory behavior is poorly understood. To analyze the response of extracellular zinc in the hippocampus against novelty stress, rats were placed for 50 min in a novel environment once a day for 8 days. Extracellular glutamate in the hippocampus was increased during exploratory behavior on day 1, whereas extracellular zinc was decreased. The same phenomenon was observed during exploratory behavior on day 2 and extracellular zinc had returned to the basal level during exploratory behavior on day 8. To examine the significance of the decrease in extracellular zinc in exploratory activity, exploratory behavior was observed during perfusion with 1 mm CaEDTA, a membrane-impermeable zinc chelator. Locomotor activity in the novel environment was decreased by perfusion with CaEDTA. The decrease in extracellular zinc and the increase in extracellular glutamate in exploratory period were abolished by perfusion with CaEDTA. These results suggest that zinc uptake by hippocampal cells is linked to exploratory activity and is required for the activation of the glutamatergic neurotransmitter system. The zinc uptake may be involved in the response to painless psychological stress or in the cognitive processes.

  14. Assessment of psychometric properties of a modified PHEEM questionnaire.

    PubMed

    Gooneratne, I K; Munasinghe, S R; Siriwardena, C; Olupeliyawa, A M; Karunathilake, I

    2008-12-01

    An effective tool in analysing the learning environment, customised to the Sri Lankan setting, is vital for the assessment and delivery of quality healthcare training of preregistration house officers. Such a tool should be reliable and valid. We assessed psychometric properties such as internal reliability and construct validity of a modified version of the Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure (PHEEM). A modified PHEEM questionnaire customised to the Sri Lankan context was developed in accordance to the Sri Lanka Medical Council guidelines. The questionnaire was distributed to all interns at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Colombo North Teaching Hospital and Wathupitiwala Base Hospital during a calendar year (n = 100, response rate = 86%). Internal reliability and construct validity of the inventory were assessed by using Cronbach's alpha and exploratory factor analysis respectively as statistical methods. PHEEM consists of 3 subscales: perceptions of autonomy, social support and teaching, which are factors perceived to be influencing the educational environment. This administration demonstrated high internal reliability as reflected by a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.84. Exploratory factor analysis identified 12 factors with eigenvalue >1. However, the first factor had an eigenvalue of 6.7 (accounting for 19.7% of variance), while the rest had eigenvalues < 2.5. These results suggest a single predictive factor and thus a one-dimensional scale as opposed to the three-dimensional scale which is used in the current questionnaire. The psychometric properties of this tool reflect a high degree of internal reliability in assessing the educational environment of intern doctors in Sri Lanka. It is possible that the clinical educational environment is collectively represented as a single dimension. This may be due to the complex interplay between individual items in the questionnaire. Therefore the psychometric properties do not justify the interpretation of the educational environment through specified subscales.

  15. Proceedings of the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS) International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in Digital Age (14th, Vilamoura, Algarve, Portugal, October 18-20, 2017)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sampson, Demetrios G., Ed.; Spector, J. Michael, Ed.; Ifenthaler, Dirk, Ed.; Isaías, Pedro, Ed.

    2017-01-01

    These proceedings contain the papers of the 14th International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in the Digital Age (CELDA 2017), 18-20 October 2017, which has been organized by the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS) and endorsed by the Japanese Society for Information and Systems in…

  16. Proceedings of the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS) International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in the Digital Age (CELDA) (Fort Worth, Texas, October 22-24, 2013)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sampson, Demetrios G., Ed.; Spector, J. Michael, Ed.; Ifenthaler, Dirk, Ed.; Isaias, Pedro, Ed.

    2013-01-01

    These proceedings contain the papers of the IADIS International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in the Digital Age (CELDA 2013), October 22-24, 2013, which has been organized by the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS), co-organized by The University of North Texas (UNT), sponsored by the…

  17. Caring for a Child with Learning Disabilities over a Prolonged Period of Time: An Exploratory Survey on the Experiences and Health of Older Parent Carers Living in Scotland

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cairns, Deborah; Brown, Jayne; Tolson, Debbie; Darbyshire, Chris

    2014-01-01

    Background: The negative health impacts of prolonged caregiving are widely reported. However, there is a paucity of evidence concerning the impacts of a lifetime of caring on older parents of offspring with learning disabilities. Design and Methods: An exploratory postal survey including the Medical Outcome Study (Short Form) 36 version 2…

  18. Forebrain-Specific Loss of BMPRII in Mice Reduces Anxiety and Increases Object Exploration.

    PubMed

    McBrayer, Zofeyah L; Dimova, Jiva; Pisansky, Marc T; Sun, Mu; Beppu, Hideyuki; Gewirtz, Jonathan C; O'Connor, Michael B

    2015-01-01

    To investigate the role of Bone Morphogenic Protein Receptor Type II (BMPRII) in learning, memory, and exploratory behavior in mice, a tissue-specific knockout of BMPRII in the post-natal hippocampus and forebrain was generated. We found that BMPRII mutant mice had normal spatial learning and memory in the Morris water maze, but showed significantly reduced swimming speeds with increased floating behavior. Further analysis using the Porsolt Swim Test to investigate behavioral despair did not reveal any differences in immobility between mutants and controls. In the Elevated Plus Maze, BMPRII mutants and Smad4 mutants showed reduced anxiety, while in exploratory tests, BMPRII mutants showed more interest in object exploration. These results suggest that loss of BMPRII in the mouse hippocampus and forebrain does not disrupt spatial learning and memory encoding, but instead impacts exploratory and anxiety-related behaviors.

  19. Forebrain-Specific Loss of BMPRII in Mice Reduces Anxiety and Increases Object Exploration

    PubMed Central

    McBrayer, Zofeyah L.; Dimova, Jiva; Pisansky, Marc T.; Sun, Mu; Beppu, Hideyuki; Gewirtz, Jonathan C.; O’Connor, Michael B.

    2015-01-01

    To investigate the role of Bone Morphogenic Protein Receptor Type II (BMPRII) in learning, memory, and exploratory behavior in mice, a tissue-specific knockout of BMPRII in the post-natal hippocampus and forebrain was generated. We found that BMPRII mutant mice had normal spatial learning and memory in the Morris water maze, but showed significantly reduced swimming speeds with increased floating behavior. Further analysis using the Porsolt Swim Test to investigate behavioral despair did not reveal any differences in immobility between mutants and controls. In the Elevated Plus Maze, BMPRII mutants and Smad4 mutants showed reduced anxiety, while in exploratory tests, BMPRII mutants showed more interest in object exploration. These results suggest that loss of BMPRII in the mouse hippocampus and forebrain does not disrupt spatial learning and memory encoding, but instead impacts exploratory and anxiety-related behaviors. PMID:26444546

  20. Teaching Social Skills in a Virtual Environment: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baker, Jason; Parks-Savage, Agatha; Rehfuss, Mark

    2009-01-01

    This article reports on an exploratory study which examines the use of virtual environment technology as a tool to teach elementary school children social skills. Small group interventions were assessed to determine how the participants were measurably different on 7 different dependent variables: problem behaviors, academic competence,…

  1. Psychometric analyses and internal consistency of the PHEEM questionnaire to measure the clinical learning environment in the clerkship of a Medical School in Chile.

    PubMed

    Riquelme, Arnoldo; Herrera, Cristian; Aranis, Carolina; Oporto, Jorge; Padilla, Oslando

    2009-06-01

    The Spanish version of the Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure (PHEEM) was evaluated in this study to determine its psychometric properties, validity and internal consistency to measure the clinical learning environment in the hospital setting of Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Medical School's Internship. The 40-item PHEEM questionnaire was translated from English to Spanish and retranslated to English. Content validity was tested by a focus group and minor differences in meaning were adjusted. The PHEEM was administered to clerks in years 6 and 7. Construct validity was carried out using exploratory factor analysis followed by a Varimax rotation. Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach's alpha. A total of 125 out of 220 students responded to the PHEEM. The overall response rate was 56.8% and compliances with each item ranged from 99.2% to 100%. Analyses indicate that five factors instrument accounting for 58% of the variance and internal consistency of the 40-item questionnaire is 0.955 (Cronbach's alpha). The 40-item questionnaire had a mean score of 98.21 +/- 21.2 (maximum score of 160). The Spanish version of PHEEM is a multidimensional, valid and highly reliable instrument measuring the educational environment among undergraduate medical students working in hospital-based clerkships.

  2. Proceedings of the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS) International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in the Digital Age (CELDA) (13th, Mannheim, Germany, October 28-30, 2016)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sampson, Demetrios G., Ed.; Spector, J. Michael, Ed.; Ifenthaler, Dirk, Ed.; Isaias, Pedro, Ed.

    2016-01-01

    These proceedings contain the papers of the 13th International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in the Digital Age (CELDA 2016), October 28-30, 2016, which has been organized by the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS), co-organized by the University of Mannheim, Germany, and endorsed by the…

  3. Proceedings of the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS) International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in the Digital Age (CELDA) (11th, Porto, Portugal, October 25-27, 2014)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sampson, Demetrios G., Ed.; Spector, J. Michael, Ed.; Ifenthaler, Dirk, Ed.; Isaias, Pedro, Ed.

    2014-01-01

    These proceedings contain the papers of the 11th International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in the Digital Age (CELDA 2014), October 25-27, 2014, which has been organized by the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS) and endorsed by the Japanese Society for Information and Systems in…

  4. Proceedings of the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS) International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in the Digital Age (CELDA) (12th, Maynooth, Greater Dublin, Ireland, October 24-26, 2015)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sampson, Demetrios G., Ed.; Spector, J. Michael, Ed.; Ifenthaler, Dirk, Ed.; Isaias, Pedro, Ed.

    2015-01-01

    These proceedings contain the papers of the 12th International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in the Digital Age (CELDA 2015), October 24-26, 2015, which has been organized by the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS), co-organized by Maynooth University, Ireland, and endorsed by the…

  5. A 1-night operant learning task without food-restriction differentiates among mouse strains in an automated home-cage environment.

    PubMed

    Remmelink, Esther; Loos, Maarten; Koopmans, Bastijn; Aarts, Emmeke; van der Sluis, Sophie; Smit, August B; Verhage, Matthijs

    2015-04-15

    Individuals are able to change their behavior based on its consequences, a process involving instrumental learning. Studying instrumental learning in mice can provide new insights in this elementary aspect of cognition. Conventional appetitive operant learning tasks that facilitate the study of this form of learning in mice, as well as more complex operant paradigms, require labor-intensive handling and food deprivation to motivate the animals. Here, we describe a 1-night operant learning protocol that exploits the advantages of automated home-cage testing and circumvents the interfering effects of food restriction. The task builds on behavior that is part of the spontaneous exploratory repertoire during the days before the task. We compared the behavior of C57BL/6J, BALB/cJ and DBA/2J mice and found various differences in behavior during this task, but no differences in learning curves. BALB/cJ mice showed the largest instrumental learning response, providing a superior dynamic range and statistical power to study instrumental learning by using this protocol. Insights gained with this home-cage-based learning protocol without food restriction will be valuable for the development of other, more complex, cognitive tasks in automated home-cages. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Evaluation of Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Douglas, K. A.; Yale, M. S.; Bennett, D. E.; Haugan, M. P.; Bryan, L. A.

    2014-12-01

    The Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS) is a widely used instrument designed to measure student attitudes toward physics and learning physics. Previous research revealed a fairly complex factor structure. In this study, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on data from an undergraduate introductory physics course (n =3844 ) to determine whether a more parsimonious factor structure exists. Exploratory factor analysis results indicate that many of the items from the original CLASS have poor psychometric properties and could not be used in a revised factor structure. The cross validation showed acceptable fit statistics for a three factor model found in the exploratory factor analysis. This research suggests that a more optimum measurement of students' attitudes about physics and learning physics is obtained with a 15-item instrument, which describes the factors of personal application, personal effort, and problem solving. The proposed revised version of the CLASS offers researchers the opportunity to test a shortened version of the instrument that may be able to provide information about students' attitudes in the areas of personal application of physics, personal effort in a physics course, and approaches to problem solving.

  7. Chronic aerial exposure to glucorticoids or beta-agonists affects avoidance learning and exploratory motivation in rats.

    PubMed

    Elías, Pedro C; Sagua, Delia; Alvarez, Edgardo O

    2004-02-04

    The purpose of the present work was to examine if the conventional asthma treatments in humans (inhalation of glucocorticoids or beta-agonists, administered in a chronic regimen) might affect behavioral processes (learning and exploratory motivation) in rats. Adult male rats were exposed to an atmosphere saturated with either saline, budesonide (a glucocorticoid), or salbutamol (a beta-adrenergic receptor agonist) in a forced ventilation cage, connected to a nebulizer for 5 min twice a day for 15 days at the same hours of the day. Doses of budesonide in the nebulizing solution were 0.116, 1.16, and 11.6mM. Doses of salbutamol in the nebulizing solution were 1.3, 13, and 130 mM. Forty-eight hours after treatment, the different groups were subjected to exploration of an elevated asymmetric plus-maze (APM, model of exploratory motivation), and 24h later to learning of an avoidance response to an ultrasonic tone in a two-compartment cage (model of memory and learning). Results showed that budesonide induces moderate effects on exploratory motivation. In one of the fear-inducing arms (single wall arm), exploration decreased and this effect was not dose dependent. In the cognitive model, glucocorticoids affected slightly the latency to escape but with no interference in memory efficiency. On the other hand, at the lower dose in the APM, salbutamol increased significantly the exploration of both fear-inducing arms (no walls and single wall arms). In the learning model, the beta-agonist induced two opposing effects. The lower dose (1.3mM) facilitated learning and the higher dose (13 mM) inhibited learning instead. In conclusion, results are compatible with the notion that inhaled glucocorticoids or beta-agonists might cross the lung aerial barrier into the blood compartment, exerting effects on learning and motivation functions.

  8. Investigating the Learning-Theory Foundations of Game-Based Learning: A Meta-Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wu, W-H.; Hsiao, H-C.; Wu, P-L.; Lin, C-H.; Huang, S-H.

    2012-01-01

    Past studies on the issue of learning-theory foundations in game-based learning stressed the importance of establishing learning-theory foundation and provided an exploratory examination of established learning theories. However, we found research seldom addressed the development of the use or failure to use learning-theory foundations and…

  9. Adult Response to Children's Exploratory Behaviours: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chak, Amy

    2010-01-01

    Children's interest in exploration is the hallmark of their curiosity. As people who are significant in organising children's environment, how teachers and parents respond to children's exploratory behaviours may promote or hinder the child's desire for further investigation. With reference to Kurt Lewin's concept of "total situation",…

  10. Managing clinical failure: a complex adaptive system perspective.

    PubMed

    Matthews, Jean I; Thomas, Paul T

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to explore the knowledge capture process at the clinical level. It aims to identify factors that enable or constrain learning. The study applies complex adaptive system thinking principles to reconcile learning within the NHS. The paper uses a qualitative exploratory study with an interpretative methodological stance set in a secondary care NHS Trust. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with healthcare practitioners and managers involved at both strategic and operational risk management processes. A network structure is revealed that exhibits the communication and interdependent working practices to support knowledge capture and adaptive learning. Collaborative multidisciplinary communities, whose values reflect local priorities and promote open dialogue and reflection, are featured. The main concern is that the characteristics of bureaucracy; rational-legal authority, a rule-based culture, hierarchical lines of communication and a centralised governance focus, are hindering clinical learning by generating barriers. Locally emergent collaborative processes are a key strategic resource to capture knowledge, potentially fostering an environment that could learn from failure and translate lessons between contexts. What must be addressed is that reporting mechanisms serve not only the governance objectives, but also supplement learning by highlighting the potential lessons in context. Managers must nurture a collaborative infrastructure using networks in a co-evolutionary manner. Their role is not to direct and design processes but to influence, support and create effective knowledge capture. Although the study only investigated one site the findings and conclusions may well translate to other trusts--such as the risk of not enabling a learning environment at clinical levels.

  11. Firefighter Workplace Learning: An Exploratory Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tracey, Edward A.

    2014-01-01

    Despite there being a significant amount of research investigating workplace learning, research exploring firefighter workplace learning is almost nonexistent. The purpose of this qualitative multi-case study was to explore how firefighters conceptualize, report, and practice workplace learning. The researcher also investigated how firefighters…

  12. Wiki technology enhanced group project to promote active learning in a neuroscience course for first-year medical students: an exploratory study.

    PubMed

    Mi, Misa; Gould, Douglas

    2014-01-01

    A Wiki group project was integrated into a neuroscience course for first-year medical students. The project was developed as a self-directed, collaborative learning task to help medical students review course content and make clinically important connections. The goals of the project were to enhance students' understanding of key concepts in neuroscience, promote active learning, and reinforce their information literacy skills. The objective of the exploratory study was to provide a formative evaluation of the Wiki group project and to examine how Wiki technology was utilized to enhance active and collaborative learning of first-year medical students in the course and to reinforce information literacy skills.

  13. Gene–environment interplay in Drosophila melanogaster: Chronic food deprivation in early life affects adult exploratory and fitness traits

    PubMed Central

    Burns, James Geoffrey; Svetec, Nicolas; Rowe, Locke; Mery, Frederic; Dolan, Michael J.; Boyce, W. Thomas; Sokolowski, Marla B.

    2012-01-01

    Early life adversity has known impacts on adult health and behavior, yet little is known about the gene–environment interactions (GEIs) that underlie these consequences. We used the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster to show that chronic early nutritional adversity interacts with rover and sitter allelic variants of foraging (for) to affect adult exploratory behavior, a phenotype that is critical for foraging, and reproductive fitness. Chronic nutritional adversity during adulthood did not affect rover or sitter adult exploratory behavior; however, early nutritional adversity in the larval period increased sitter but not rover adult exploratory behavior. Increasing for gene expression in the mushroom bodies, an important center of integration in the fly brain, changed the amount of exploratory behavior exhibited by sitter adults when they did not experience early nutritional adversity but had no effect in sitters that experienced early nutritional adversity. Manipulation of the larval nutritional environment also affected adult reproductive output of sitters but not rovers, indicating GEIs on fitness itself. The natural for variants are an excellent model to examine how GEIs underlie the biological embedding of early experience. PMID:23045644

  14. Applying HOPSCOTCH as an Exer-Learning Game in English Lessons: Two Exploratory Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lucht, Martina; Heidig, Steffi

    2013-01-01

    This article describes HOPSCOTCH, a design concept for an "exer-learning game" to engage elementary school children in learning. Exer-learning is a new genre of digital learning games that combines playing and learning with physical activity (exercise). HOPSCOTCH is a first design concept for exer-learning games that can be applied to…

  15. Motivational valence alters memory formation without altering exploration of a real-life spatial environment.

    PubMed

    Chiew, Kimberly S; Hashemi, Jordan; Gans, Lee K; Lerebours, Laura; Clement, Nathaniel J; Vu, Mai-Anh T; Sapiro, Guillermo; Heller, Nicole E; Adcock, R Alison

    2018-01-01

    Volitional exploration and learning are key to adaptive behavior, yet their characterization remains a complex problem for cognitive science. Exploration has been posited as a mechanism by which motivation promotes memory, but this relationship is not well-understood, in part because novel stimuli that motivate exploration also reliably elicit changes in neuromodulatory brain systems that directly alter memory formation, via effects on neural plasticity. To deconfound interrelationships between motivation, exploration, and memory formation we manipulated motivational state prior to entering a spatial context, measured exploratory responses to the context and novel stimuli within it, and then examined motivation and exploration as predictors of memory outcomes. To elicit spontaneous exploration, we used the physical space of an art exhibit with affectively rich content; we expected motivated exploration and memory to reflect multiple factors, including not only motivational valence, but also individual differences. Motivation was manipulated via an introductory statement framing exhibit themes in terms of Promotion- or Prevention-oriented goals. Participants explored the exhibit while being tracked by video. They returned 24 hours later for recall and spatial memory tests, followed by measures of motivation, personality, and relevant attitude variables. Promotion and Prevention condition participants did not differ in terms of group-level exploration time or memory metrics, suggesting similar motivation to explore under both framing contexts. However, exploratory behavior and memory outcomes were significantly more closely related under Promotion than Prevention, indicating that Prevention framing disrupted expected depth-of-encoding effects. Additionally, while trait measures predicted exploration similarly across framing conditions, traits interacted with motivational framing context and facial affect to predict memory outcomes. This novel characterization of motivated learning implies that dissociable behavioral and biological mechanisms, here varying as a function of valence, contribute to memory outcomes in complex, real-life environments.

  16. Motivational valence alters memory formation without altering exploration of a real-life spatial environment

    PubMed Central

    Hashemi, Jordan; Gans, Lee K.; Lerebours, Laura; Clement, Nathaniel J.; Vu, Mai-Anh T.; Sapiro, Guillermo; Heller, Nicole E.; Adcock, R. Alison

    2018-01-01

    Volitional exploration and learning are key to adaptive behavior, yet their characterization remains a complex problem for cognitive science. Exploration has been posited as a mechanism by which motivation promotes memory, but this relationship is not well-understood, in part because novel stimuli that motivate exploration also reliably elicit changes in neuromodulatory brain systems that directly alter memory formation, via effects on neural plasticity. To deconfound interrelationships between motivation, exploration, and memory formation we manipulated motivational state prior to entering a spatial context, measured exploratory responses to the context and novel stimuli within it, and then examined motivation and exploration as predictors of memory outcomes. To elicit spontaneous exploration, we used the physical space of an art exhibit with affectively rich content; we expected motivated exploration and memory to reflect multiple factors, including not only motivational valence, but also individual differences. Motivation was manipulated via an introductory statement framing exhibit themes in terms of Promotion- or Prevention-oriented goals. Participants explored the exhibit while being tracked by video. They returned 24 hours later for recall and spatial memory tests, followed by measures of motivation, personality, and relevant attitude variables. Promotion and Prevention condition participants did not differ in terms of group-level exploration time or memory metrics, suggesting similar motivation to explore under both framing contexts. However, exploratory behavior and memory outcomes were significantly more closely related under Promotion than Prevention, indicating that Prevention framing disrupted expected depth-of-encoding effects. Additionally, while trait measures predicted exploration similarly across framing conditions, traits interacted with motivational framing context and facial affect to predict memory outcomes. This novel characterization of motivated learning implies that dissociable behavioral and biological mechanisms, here varying as a function of valence, contribute to memory outcomes in complex, real-life environments. PMID:29558526

  17. An Exploratory Study of Student Motivations for Taking Online Courses and Learning Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nonis, Sarath A.; Fenner, Grant H.

    2012-01-01

    An investigation of students taking online classes exposed crucial student perceptions important to their selecting online/web-assisted courses. An exploratory factor analysis provided three factors of "convenience," "enjoyment & independence," and "no other option available" as motivations for students taking…

  18. Intensive care nursing students' perceptions of simulation for learning confirming communication skills: A descriptive qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Karlsen, Marte-Marie Wallander; Gabrielsen, Anita Kristin; Falch, Anne Lise; Stubberud, Dag-Gunnar

    2017-10-01

    The aim of this study was to explore intensive care nursing students experiences with confirming communication skills training in a simulation-based environment. The study has a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive design. The participants were students in a post-graduate program in intensive care nursing, that had attended a one day confirming communication course. Three focus group interviews lasting between 60 and 80min were conducted with 14 participants. The interviews were transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was performed, using Braun & Clark's seven steps. The analysis resulted in three main themes: "awareness", "ice-breaker" and "challenging learning environment". The participants felt that it was a challenge to see themselves on the video-recordings afterwards, however receiving feedback resulted in better self-confidence in mastering complex communication. The main finding of the study is that the students reported improved communication skills after the confirming communication course. However; it is uncertain how these skills can be transferred to clinical practice improving patient outcomes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Spatial learning and memory is preserved in rats after early development in a microgravity environment.

    PubMed

    Temple, Meredith D; Kosik, Kenneth S; Steward, Oswald

    2002-09-01

    This study evaluated the cognitive mapping abilities of rats that spent part of their early development in a microgravity environment. Litters of male and female Sprague-Dawley rat pups were launched into space aboard the National Aeronautics and Space Administration space shuttle Columbia on postnatal day 8 or 14 and remained in space for 16 days. These animals were designated as FLT groups. Two age-matched control groups remained on Earth: those in standard vivarium housing (VIV) and those in housing identical to that aboard the shuttle (AGC). On return to Earth, animals were tested in three different tasks that measure spatial learning ability, the Morris water maze (MWM), and a modified version of the radial arm maze (RAM). Animals were also tested in an open field apparatus to measure general activity and exploratory activity. Performance and search strategies were evaluated in each of these tasks using an automated tracking system. Despite the dramatic differences in early experience, there were remarkably few differences between the FLT groups and their Earth-bound controls in these tasks. FLT animals learned the MWM and RAM as quickly as did controls. Evaluation of search patterns suggested subtle differences in patterns of exploration and in the strategies used to solve the tasks during the first few days of testing, but these differences normalized rapidly. Together, these data suggest that development in an environment without gravity has minimal long-term impact on spatial learning and memory abilities. Any differences due to development in microgravity are quickly reversed after return to earth normal gravity.

  20. Spatial learning and memory is preserved in rats after early development in a microgravity environment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Temple, Meredith D.; Kosik, Kenneth S.; Steward, Oswald

    2002-01-01

    This study evaluated the cognitive mapping abilities of rats that spent part of their early development in a microgravity environment. Litters of male and female Sprague-Dawley rat pups were launched into space aboard the National Aeronautics and Space Administration space shuttle Columbia on postnatal day 8 or 14 and remained in space for 16 days. These animals were designated as FLT groups. Two age-matched control groups remained on Earth: those in standard vivarium housing (VIV) and those in housing identical to that aboard the shuttle (AGC). On return to Earth, animals were tested in three different tasks that measure spatial learning ability, the Morris water maze (MWM), and a modified version of the radial arm maze (RAM). Animals were also tested in an open field apparatus to measure general activity and exploratory activity. Performance and search strategies were evaluated in each of these tasks using an automated tracking system. Despite the dramatic differences in early experience, there were remarkably few differences between the FLT groups and their Earth-bound controls in these tasks. FLT animals learned the MWM and RAM as quickly as did controls. Evaluation of search patterns suggested subtle differences in patterns of exploration and in the strategies used to solve the tasks during the first few days of testing, but these differences normalized rapidly. Together, these data suggest that development in an environment without gravity has minimal long-term impact on spatial learning and memory abilities. Any differences due to development in microgravity are quickly reversed after return to earth normal gravity.

  1. At-Risk Learner Preference in Engineering/Technical Graphics: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ernst, Jeremy V.

    2011-01-01

    This exploratory study investigated learner preferences of secondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) Engineering/Technical Graphics students using the VARK Questionnaire. The VARK Questionnaire is an instrument that assists in determining students' dominant preferred learning styles, whether visual, aural, reading, or kinesthetic. This study…

  2. SOVEREIGN: An autonomous neural system for incrementally learning planned action sequences to navigate towards a rewarded goal.

    PubMed

    Gnadt, William; Grossberg, Stephen

    2008-06-01

    How do reactive and planned behaviors interact in real time? How are sequences of such behaviors released at appropriate times during autonomous navigation to realize valued goals? Controllers for both animals and mobile robots, or animats, need reactive mechanisms for exploration, and learned plans to reach goal objects once an environment becomes familiar. The SOVEREIGN (Self-Organizing, Vision, Expectation, Recognition, Emotion, Intelligent, Goal-oriented Navigation) animat model embodies these capabilities, and is tested in a 3D virtual reality environment. SOVEREIGN includes several interacting subsystems which model complementary properties of cortical What and Where processing streams and which clarify similarities between mechanisms for navigation and arm movement control. As the animat explores an environment, visual inputs are processed by networks that are sensitive to visual form and motion in the What and Where streams, respectively. Position-invariant and size-invariant recognition categories are learned by real-time incremental learning in the What stream. Estimates of target position relative to the animat are computed in the Where stream, and can activate approach movements toward the target. Motion cues from animat locomotion can elicit head-orienting movements to bring a new target into view. Approach and orienting movements are alternately performed during animat navigation. Cumulative estimates of each movement are derived from interacting proprioceptive and visual cues. Movement sequences are stored within a motor working memory. Sequences of visual categories are stored in a sensory working memory. These working memories trigger learning of sensory and motor sequence categories, or plans, which together control planned movements. Predictively effective chunk combinations are selectively enhanced via reinforcement learning when the animat is rewarded. Selected planning chunks effect a gradual transition from variable reactive exploratory movements to efficient goal-oriented planned movement sequences. Volitional signals gate interactions between model subsystems and the release of overt behaviors. The model can control different motor sequences under different motivational states and learns more efficient sequences to rewarded goals as exploration proceeds.

  3. An exploratory study investigating perceptions, opinions and experiences of safeguarding education in pre-registration children's nursing curricula.

    PubMed

    Littler, Nadine

    2018-06-21

    To explore perceptions, opinions and experiences of safeguarding education within pre-registration children's nursing curricula. Using a qualitative research method, an online questionnaire was developed and disseminated to pre-registration children's nursing students to complete via a weblink added to their programme's virtual learning environment. This study highlighted the need to integrate other pedagogies in safeguarding education. These include implementing more practical-based workshops such as completing safeguarding referrals to social care and undertaking case vignettes from a multiprofessional perspective. The recommendations from this study for future safeguarding education in pre-registration children's nursing curricula include incorporating a hybrid experiential learning approach, through problem-solving and simulation-based learning, to bridge the theory-to-practice divide and ensure practitioners are fit for practice. © 2018 RCN Publishing Company Ltd. All rights reserved. Not to be copied, transmitted or recorded in any way, in whole or part, without prior permission of the publishers.

  4. Affect and Learning: An Exploratory Look into the Role of Affect in Learning with AutoTutor

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Craig, Scotty D.; Graesser, Arthur C.; Sullins, Jeremiah; Gholson, Barry

    2004-01-01

    The role that affective states play in learning was investigated from the perspective of a constructivist learning framework. We observed six different affect states (frustration, boredom, flow, confusion, eureka and neutral) that potentially occur during the process of learning introductory computer literacy with AutoTutor, an intelligent…

  5. The Effects of Using Exploratory Computerized Environments in Grades 1 to 8 Mathematics: A Meta-Analysis of Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sokolowski, Andrzej; Li, Yeping; Willson, Victor

    2015-01-01

    Background: The process of problem solving is difficult for students; thus, mathematics educators have made multiple attempts to seek ways of making this process more accessible to learners. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect size statistic of utilizing exploratory computerized environments (ECEs) to support the process of word…

  6. The Impact of Student Self-Efficacy on Scientific Inquiry Skills: An Exploratory Investigation in "River City," a Multi-User Virtual Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ketelhut, Diane Jass

    2007-01-01

    This exploratory study investigated data-gathering behaviors exhibited by 100 seventh-grade students as they participated in a scientific inquiry-based curriculum project delivered by a multi-user virtual environment (MUVE). This research examined the relationship between students' self-efficacy on entry into the authentic scientific activity and…

  7. Techniques and Behaviors Associated with Exemplary Inpatient General Medicine Teaching: An Exploratory Qualitative Study.

    PubMed

    Houchens, Nathan; Harrod, Molly; Moody, Stephanie; Fowler, Karen; Saint, Sanjay

    2017-07-01

    Clinician educators face numerous obstacles to their joint mission of facilitating high-quality learning while also delivering patient-centered care. Such challenges necessitate increased attention to the work of exemplary clinician educators, their respective teaching approaches, and the experiences of their learners. To describe techniques and behaviors utilized by clinician educators to facilitate excellent teaching during inpatient general medicine rounds. An exploratory qualitative study of inpatient teaching conducted from 2014 to 2015. Inpatient general medicine wards in 11 US hospitals, including university-affiliated hospitals and Veterans Affairs medical centers. Participants included 12 exemplary clinician educators, 57 of their current learners, and 26 of their former learners. In-depth, semi-structured interviews of exemplary clinician educators, focus group discussions with their current and former learners, and direct observations of clinical teaching during inpatient rounds. Interview data, focus group data, and observational field notes were coded and categorized into broad, overlapping themes. Each theme elucidated a series of actions, behaviors, and approaches that exemplary clinician educators consistently demonstrated during inpatient rounds: (1) they fostered positive relationships with all team members by building rapport, which in turn created a safe learning environment; (2) they facilitated patient-centered teaching points, modeled excellent clinical exam and communication techniques, and treated patients as partners in their care; and (3) they engaged in coaching and collaboration through facilitation of discussion, effective questioning strategies, and differentiation of learning among team members with varied experience levels. This study identified consistent techniques and behaviors of excellent teaching during inpatient general medicine rounds. © 2017 Society of Hospital Medicine

  8. Strain differences in the influence of open field exposure on sleep in mice.

    PubMed

    Tang, Xiangdong; Xiao, Jihua; Liu, Xianling; Sanford, Larry D

    2004-09-23

    The open field (OF) is thought to induce anxiety in rodents. It also allows an opportunity for exploration in a novel environment. Less activity in the OF is thought to indicate greater anxiety whereas more activity may reflect greater exploration, and possibly greater exploratory learning. Anxiety and learning have poorly understood relationships to sleep. In order to determine how anxiety and exploration in the OF could influence sleep, we recorded sleep in mouse strains (C57BL/6J (B6), BALB/cJ (C), DBA/2J (D2), and CB6F1/J (CB6)) with different levels of anxiety and exploration after 30 min in an OF. In all strains, OF exposure induced immediate decreases in rapid eye movement sleep (REM) followed by longer latency increases in REM. The time course and amount of REM decreases and increases varied among strains. Compared to less anxious B6, D2 and CB6 mice, C mice had greater and longer lasting immediate decreases in REM. C mice also displayed longer periods of decreases REM and a smaller, longer latency increase in REM. OF exploratory activity was positively correlated to percentage of REM increases from 6 to 10h after OF exposure. The results suggest that the anxiogenic component of the OF produced an immediate decrease in REM that was greater in more "anxious" mice. In contrast, exploration in the OF was associated with increased REM, with the increase greater in less anxious mice. The results are discussed with respect to the potential influences of anxiety and learning on sleep.

  9. Dental Faculty Members' Pedagogic Beliefs and Curriculum Aims in Problem-Based Learning: An Exploratory Study.

    PubMed

    von Bergmann, HsingChi; Walker, Judith; Dalrymple, Kirsten R; Shuler, Charles F

    2017-08-01

    The aims of this exploratory study were to explore dental faculty members' views and beliefs regarding knowledge, the dental profession, and teaching and learning and to determine how these views related to their problem-based learning (PBL) instructional practices. Prior to a PBL in dental education conference held in 2011, all attendees were invited to complete a survey focused on their pedagogical beliefs and practices in PBL. Out of a possible 55 participants, 28 responded. Additionally, during the conference, a forum was held in which preliminary survey findings were shared and participants contributed to focus group data collection. The forum results served to validate and bring deeper understanding to the survey findings. The conference participants who joined the forum (N=32) likely included some or many of the anonymous respondents to the survey, along with additional participants interested in dental educators' beliefs. The findings of the survey and follow-up forum indicated a disconnect between dental educators' reported views of knowledge and their pedagogical practices in a PBL environment. The results suggested that the degree of participants' tolerance of uncertainty in knowledge and the discrepancy between their epistemological and ontological beliefs about PBL pedagogy influenced their pedagogical choices. These findings support the idea that learner-centered, inquiry-based pedagogical approaches such as PBL may create dissonance between beliefs about knowledge and pedagogical practice that require the building of a shared understanding of and commitment to curricular goals prior to implementation to ensure success. The methods used in this study can be useful tools for faculty development in PBL programs in dental education.

  10. Utilizing an Artificial Outcrop to Scaffold Learning Between Laboratory and Field Experiences in a College-Level Introductory Geology Course

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wilson, Meredith

    Geologic field trips are among the most beneficial learning experiences for students as they engage the topic of geology, but they are also difficult environments to maximize learning. This action research study explored one facet of the problems associated with teaching geology in the field by attempting to improve the transition of undergraduate students from a traditional laboratory setting to an authentic field environment. Utilizing an artificial outcrop, called the GeoScene, during an introductory college-level non-majors geology course, the transition was studied. The GeoScene was utilized in this study as an intermediary between laboratory and authentic field based experiences, allowing students to apply traditional laboratory learning in an outdoor environment. The GeoScene represented a faux field environment; outside, more complex and tangible than a laboratory, but also simplified geologically and located safely within the confines of an educational setting. This exploratory study employed a mixed-methods action research design. The action research design allowed for systematic inquiry by the teacher/researcher into how the students learned. The mixed-methods approach garnered several types of qualitative and quantitative data to explore phenomena and support conclusions. Several types of data were collected and analyzed, including: visual recordings of the intervention, interviews, analytic memos, student reflections, field practical exams, and a pre/post knowledge and skills survey, to determine whether the intervention affected student comprehension and interpretation of geologic phenomena in an authentic field environment, and if so, how. Students enrolled in two different sections of the same laboratory course, sharing a common lecture, participated in laboratory exercises implementing experiential learning and constructivist pedagogies that focused on learning the basic geological skills necessary for work in a field environment. These laboratory activities were followed by an approximate 15 minute intervention at the GeoScene for a treatment group of students (n=13) to attempt to mitigate potential barriers, such as: self-efficacy, novelty space, and spatial skills, which hinder student performance in an authentic field environment. Comparisons were made to a control group (n=12), who did not participate in GeoScene activities, but completed additional exercises and applications in the laboratory setting. Qualitative data sources suggested that the GeoScene treatment was a positive addition to the laboratory studies and improved the student transition to the field environment by: (1) reducing anxiety and decreasing heightened stimulus associated with the novelty of the authentic field environment, (2) allowing a physical transition between the laboratory and field that shifted concepts learned in the lab to the field environment, and (3) improving critical analysis of geologic phenomena. This was corroborated by the quantitative data that suggested the treatment group may have outperformed the control group in geology content related skills taught in the laboratory, and supported by the GeoScene, while in an authentic field environment (p≤0.01, delta=0.507).

  11. Healing Environments: What Design Factors Really Matter According to Patients? An Exploratory Analysis.

    PubMed

    Schreuder, Eliane; Lebesque, Layla; Bottenheft, Charelle

    2016-10-01

    The main aim of this research was to identify the impact of design characteristics (DCs) of a patient room on self-reported patient well-being. This knowledge enables the construction of healing environments focusing on DCs that maximize well-being. Six themes were identified in literature that create healing environments: spatial comfort, safety and security, autonomy, sensory comfort, privacy, and social comfort. We wondered what themes and associated DCs should be prioritized if needed to maximize well-being. The physical environment of patient rooms in four hospital locations was measured and patients who stayed in these rooms were asked to evaluate the room design on above mentioned themes and its contribution to their well-being. We used a machine-learning technique and regression analysis to find relations between the physical environment of a patient room and patient well-being. We found that spatial comfort, safety and security, autonomy, and associated DCs have the strongest ability to influence patient's self-reported well-being in a patient room. Privacy appears to have the smallest influence. © The Author(s) 2016.

  12. Caring Leadership in Schools: Findings from Exploratory Analyses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Louis, Karen Seashore; Murphy, Joseph; Smylie, Mark

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: This article (1) analyzes and synthesizes literatures from philosophy and education to propose a conceptual framework for caring in schools and caring school leadership and (2) reports the results of an exploratory analysis of the relationship of caring principal leadership to school-level supports for student academic learning.…

  13. Language Teachers Making Sense of Exploratory Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanks, Judith

    2015-01-01

    This article critically examines the implementation of Exploratory Practice in an English for academic purposes (EAP) context in a British university. The innovation involved challenges as well as opportunities for uniting learning, teaching and research. Particular emphasis is given to two teachers, who are the focus of this article: the story of…

  14. The Effectiveness of Course Web Sites in Higher Education: An Exploratory Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Comunale, Christie L.; Sexton, Thomas R.; Voss, Diana J. Pedagano

    2002-01-01

    Describes an exploratory study of the educational effectiveness of course Web sites among undergraduate accounting students and graduate students in business statistics. Measured Web site visit frequency, usefulness of each site feature, and the impacts of Web sites on perceived learning and course performance. (Author/LRW)

  15. Science curiosity in learning environments: developing an attitudinal scale for research in schools, homes, museums, and the community

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weible, Jennifer L.; Toomey Zimmerman, Heather

    2016-05-01

    Although curiosity is considered an integral aspect of science learning, researchers have debated how to define, measure, and support its development in individuals. Prior measures of curiosity include questionnaire type scales (primarily for adults) and behavioral measures. To address the need to measure scientific curiosity, the Science Curiosity in Learning Environments (SCILE) scale was created and validated as a 12-item scale to measure scientific curiosity in youth. The scale was developed through (a) adapting the language of the Curiosity and Exploration Inventory-II [Kashdan, T. B., Gallagher, M. W., Silvia, P. J., Winterstein, B. P., Breen, W. E., Terhar, D., & Steger, M. F. (2009). The curiosity and exploration inventory-II: Development, factor structure, and psychometrics. Journal of Research in Personality, 43(6), 987-998] for youth and (b) crafting new items based on scientific practices drawn from U.S. science standards documents. We administered a preliminary set of 30 items to 663 youth ages 8-18 in the U.S.A. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis resulted in a three-factor model: stretching, embracing, and science practices. The findings indicate that the SCILE scale is a valid measure of youth's scientific curiosity for boys and girls as well as elementary, middle school, and high school learners.

  16. (Re)Conceptualizing Design Approaches for Mobile Language Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hoven, Debra; Palalas, Agnieszka

    2011-01-01

    An exploratory study conducted at George Brown College in Toronto, Canada between 2007 and 2009 investigated language learning with mobile devices as an approach to augmenting ESP learning by taking learning outside the classroom into the real-world context. In common with findings at other community colleges, this study identified inadequate…

  17. Attitudes Expressed in Online Comments about Environmental Factors in the Tourism Sector: An Exploratory Study.

    PubMed

    Saura, Jose Ramon; Palos-Sanchez, Pedro; Rios Martin, Miguel Angel

    2018-03-19

    The object of this exploratory study is to identify the positive, neutral and negative environment factors that affect users who visit Spanish hotels in order to help the hotel managers decide how to improve the quality of the services provided. To carry out the research a Sentiment Analysis was initially performed, grouping the sample of tweets ( n = 14459) according to the feelings shown and then a textual analysis was used to identify the key environment factors in these feelings using the qualitative analysis software Nvivo (QSR International, Melbourne, Australia). The results of the exploratory study present the key environment factors that affect the users experience when visiting hotels in Spain, such as actions that support local traditions and products, the maintenance of rural areas respecting the local environment and nature, or respecting air quality in the areas where hotels have facilities and offer services. The conclusions of the research can help hotels improve their services and the impact on the environment, as well as improving the visitors experience based on the positive, neutral and negative environment factors which the visitors themselves identified.

  18. Attitudes Expressed in Online Comments about Environmental Factors in the Tourism Sector: An Exploratory Study

    PubMed Central

    2018-01-01

    The object of this exploratory study is to identify the positive, neutral and negative environment factors that affect users who visit Spanish hotels in order to help the hotel managers decide how to improve the quality of the services provided. To carry out the research a Sentiment Analysis was initially performed, grouping the sample of tweets (n = 14459) according to the feelings shown and then a textual analysis was used to identify the key environment factors in these feelings using the qualitative analysis software Nvivo (QSR International, Melbourne, Australia). The results of the exploratory study present the key environment factors that affect the users experience when visiting hotels in Spain, such as actions that support local traditions and products, the maintenance of rural areas respecting the local environment and nature, or respecting air quality in the areas where hotels have facilities and offer services. The conclusions of the research can help hotels improve their services and the impact on the environment, as well as improving the visitors experience based on the positive, neutral and negative environment factors which the visitors themselves identified. PMID:29562724

  19. Identifying the Role of the International Consortium ``MIT/ LINC'' in Supporting the Integration of ICT in Higher Education in Emerging Countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Park, Young; Moser, Franziska Zellweger

    2008-04-01

    The goal of this research effort is to provide insights on what core needs and difficulties exist toward the implementation of ICT in higher education in emerging countries and how a consortium like LINC can best support these efforts. An exploratory research design combining a survey, on-site interviews, participant observation and document analysis were employed to answer the research questions. Main challenges in establishing technology- based learning environments were identified in the area of pedagogies, finances, technological infrastructure, cultural change, organization, and management. LINC, as an non-political organization embedded in an academic environment, can take an important role in facilitating the dialogue among participants through various platforms, take an active role in promoting joint programs and assist with efforts to "localize" tools and practice.

  20. Developing an instrument to measure effective factors on Clinical Learning

    PubMed Central

    DADGARAN, IDEH; SHIRAZI, MANDANA; MOHAMMADI, AEEN; RAVARI, ALI

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Although nursing students spend a large part of their learning period in the clinical environment, clinical learning has not been perceived by its nature yet. To develop an instrument to measure effective factors on clinical learning in nursing students. Methods This is a mixed methods study performed in 2 steps. First, the researchers defined “clinical learning” in nursing students through qualitative content analysis and designed items of the questionnaire based on semi-structured individual interviews with nursing students. Then, as the second step, psychometric properties of the questionnaire were evaluated using the face validity, content validity, construct validity, and internal consistency evaluated on 227 students from fourth or higher semesters. All the interviews were recorded and transcribed, and then, they were analyzed using Max Qualitative Data Analysis and all of qualitative data were analyzed using SPSS 14. Results To do the study, we constructed the preliminary questionnaire containing 102 expressions. After determination of face and content validities by qualitative and quantitative approaches, the expressions of the questionnaire were reduced to 45. To determine the construct validity, exploratory factor analysis was applied. The results indicated that the maximum variance percentage (40.55%) was defined by the first 3 factors while the rest of the total variance percentage (59.45%) was determined by the other 42 factors. Results of exploratory factor analysis of this questionnaire indicated the presence of 3 instructor-staff, students, and educational related factors. Finally, 41 expressions were kept in 3 factor groups. The α-Cronbach coefficient (0.93) confirmed the high internal consistency of the questionnaire. Conclusion Results indicated that the prepared questionnaire was an efficient instrument in the study of the effective factors on clinical learning as viewed by nursing students since it involves 41 expressions and properties such as instrument design based on perception and experiences of the nursing students about effective factors on clinical learning, definition of facilitator and preventive factors of the clinical learning, simple scoring, suitable validity and reliability, and applicability in different occasions. PMID:27382579

  1. Genistein improves spatial learning and memory in male rats with elevated glucose level during memory consolidation.

    PubMed

    Kohara, Yumi; Kawaguchi, Shinichiro; Kuwahara, Rika; Uchida, Yutaro; Oku, Yushi; Yamashita, Kimihiro

    2015-03-01

    Cognitive dysfunction due to higher blood glucose level has been reported previously. Genistein (GEN) is a phytoestrogen that we hypothesized might lead to improved memory, despite elevated blood glucose levels at the time of memory consolidation. To investigate this hypothesis, we compared the effects of orally administered GEN on the central nervous system in normal versus glucose-loaded adult male rats. A battery of behavioral assessments was carried out. In the MAZE test, which measured spatial learning and memory, the time of normal rats was shortened by GEN treatment compared to the vehicle group, but only in the early stages of testing. In the glucose-loaded group, GEN treatment improved performance as mazes were advanced. In the open-field test, GEN treatment delayed habituation to the new environment in normal rats, and increased the exploratory behaviors of glucose-loaded rats. There were no significant differences observed for emotionality or fear-motivated learning and memory. Together, these results indicate that GEN treatment improved spatial learning and memory only in the early stages of testing in the normal state, but improved spatial learning and memory when glucose levels increased during memory consolidation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Show Me What You See: An Exploration of Learning in Museums and Learning in Theatre

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chou, Amy; Shih, Janet

    2010-01-01

    The main goal of this research study is to explore the interconnection between museum learning and theatre learning. We will begin this exploratory process by analyzing the functions of role-playing and improvisation as teaching and learning strategies, and we will then expand this analysis to the idea of storytelling as a link between learning in…

  3. Mind the Gap: An Exploratory Investigation of a Family Learning Initiative to Develop Metacognitive Awareness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wall, Kate; Burns, Helen; Llewellyn, Anna

    2017-01-01

    Mind the Gap is a family learning project aiming to facilitate intergenerational engagement with learning in schools through the vehicle of a stop-motion animation project. Implicit in the animation process is reflective and strategic thinking that helps to make the process of learning explicit (Learning to Learn: Wall et al.). The animation…

  4. Integrating Learning and Performance.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    1998

    This document contains four papers from a symposium on integrating learning and performance in human resource development (HRD). "Action Imperatives that Impact Knowledge Performance and Financial Performance in the Learning Organization: An Exploratory Model" (Gary L. Selden, Karen E. Watkins, Thomas Valentine, Victoria J. Marsick)…

  5. Learning Method and Its Influence on Nutrition Study Results Throwing the Ball

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Samsudin; Nugraha, Bayu

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to know the difference between playing and learning methods of exploratory learning methods to learning outcomes throwing the ball. In addition, this study also aimed to determine the effect of nutritional status of these two learning methods mentioned above. This research was conducted at SDN Cipinang Besar Selatan 16 Pagi East…

  6. What Corporate Training Professionals Think About e-Learning: Practitioners' Views on the Potential of e-Learning in the Workplace

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rossett, Allison; Marshall, James

    2010-01-01

    An exploratory study of 954 mostly veteran workplace learning professionals sought to determine why respondents adopt e-learning. The results indicated that they see e-learning was most valuable for delivering instruction governing familiar company tasks, such as providing information about products, fulfilling compliance requirements, and…

  7. Implementing Service Learning into a Graduate Social Work Course: A Step-by-Step Guide

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Campbell, Evelyn Marie

    2012-01-01

    Service learning is a powerful pedagogical tool linking community service to academic learning. Several steps are necessary to implement service learning effectively into the curriculum. This study uses a case example as an exploratory study to pilot-test data on how service learning impacts student outcomes. The paper will (1) provide an overview…

  8. Do students with higher self-efficacy exhibit greater and more diverse scientific inquiry skills: An exploratory investigation in "River City", a multi-user virtual environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ketelhut, Diane Jass

    In this thesis, I conduct an exploratory study to investigate the relationship between students' self-efficacy on entry into authentic scientific activity and the scientific inquiry behaviors they employ while engaged in that process, over time. Scientific inquiry has been a major standard in most science education policy doctrines for the past two decades and is exemplified by activities such as making observations, formulating hypotheses, gathering and analyzing data, and forming conclusions from that data. The self-efficacy literature, however, indicates that self-efficacy levels affect perseverance and engagement. This study investigated the relationship between these two constructs. The study is conducted in a novel setting, using an innovative science curriculum delivered through an interactive computer technology that recorded each student's conversations, movements, and activities while behaving as a practicing scientist in a "virtual world" called River City. River City is a Multi-User Virtual Environment designed to engage students in a collaborative scientific inquiry-based learning experience. As a result, I was able to follow students' moment-by-moment choices of behavior while they were behaving as scientists. I collected data on students' total scientific inquiry behaviors over three visits to River City, as well as the number of sources from which they gathered their scientific data. I analyzed my longitudinal data on the 96 seventh-graders using individual growth modeling. I found that self-efficacy played a role in the number of data-gathering behaviors students engaged in initially, with high self-efficacy students engaging in more data gathering than students with low self-efficacy. However, the impact of student self-efficacy on rate of change in data gathering behavior differed by gender; by the end of the study, student self-efficacy did not impact data gathering. In addition, students' level of self-efficacy did not affect how many different sources from which they chose to gather data. There are indications in my results that novel interventions like a Multi-user Virtual Environment might act as a catalyst for change in student learning. Further research using these techniques may enable a better understanding of the interaction between self-efficacy and scientific inquiry, and eventually science learning outcomes.

  9. Multivariate Genetic Analysis of Learning and Early Reading Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Byrne, Brian; Wadsworth, Sally; Boehme, Kristi; Talk, Andrew C.; Coventry, William L.; Olson, Richard K.; Samuelsson, Stefan; Corley, Robin

    2013-01-01

    The genetic factor structure of a range of learning measures was explored in twin children, recruited in preschool and followed to Grade 2 ("N"?=?2,084). Measures of orthographic learning and word reading were included in the analyses to determine how these patterned with the learning processes. An exploratory factor analysis of the…

  10. Chinese Students' Perceptions of the Teaching in an Australian Accounting Programme--An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wong, Grace; Cooper, Barry J.; Dellaportas, Steven

    2015-01-01

    This exploratory study is designed to elicit and understand the views of Mainland Chinese students concerning their learning experience in an Australian accounting education programme. The article contributes to the literature by investigating the issues and implications associated with international students' perceptions of teaching, as little…

  11. An Exploratory Study of Undergraduate College Students' Perceptions and Attitudes toward Foreign Accented Faculty

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kavas, Aysel; Kavas, Alican

    2008-01-01

    The findings of an exploratory survey related to students' perceptions of factors, including accent and pronunciation, influencing their learning were presented. Data were collected from students through a self-administered questionnaire at one Southeastern University. A big majority (82.4%) of the respondents indicated that instructors'…

  12. Supporting the Development of Risk-Taking Behaviours in the Early Years: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waters, Jane; Begley, Sharon

    2007-01-01

    Children's opportunities for independent play in natural outdoor spaces, and the associated opportunities to take and negotiate risk, are being eroded despite potential links between such play and the development of positive learning dispositions. This paper reports the findings of an exploratory study that documented the risk-taking behaviours…

  13. Academic and Personal Development through Group Work: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Steen, Sam

    2011-01-01

    This exploratory study linked academic and personal development within a group counseling intervention. A pre-test post-test research design compared social skills, learning behaviors, and achievement with a convenience sample and control group of students from three elementary schools. For the treatment group, grade point average in Language Arts…

  14. Parental Influence on Exploratory Students' College Choice, Major, and Career Decision Making

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Workman, Jamie L.

    2015-01-01

    This article explores parental influence on exploratory students' college choice, major, and career decision making. The research began with examination of a first year academic advising model and Living Learning Community. Parental influence emerged as a key theme in student decision making processes. The project was conducted using grounded…

  15. Giving Voice to Reluctant Learners: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pringle, Mark T.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this exploratory study is to hear from reluctant learners about their perceptions of their experiences in middle school and the meanings they make from these. This study will give voice to students, a stakeholder group that has been traditionally silent in the literature on K-12 learning and achievement. Capturing the perceptions…

  16. Making the Case for Exploratory World Language Instruction in Catholic Elementary Schools through University Partnerships

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burke, Brigid M.; Howard, Eric D.

    2017-01-01

    As a result of a university partnership, elementary students at two midwest Catholic elementary schools have been provided with exploratory world language instruction (FLEX) from pre-service teachers. To investigate students' attitudes and learning of Spanish, researchers interviewed second and fourth graders. The students' parents and pre-service…

  17. Personal Epistemologies of Statisticians in Academia: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Diamond, Aurel H.; Stylianides, Andreas J.

    2017-01-01

    In this exploratory study, we investigated the personal epistemologies of statisticians in academia with the aim of offering some insight into what might be an availing epistemology for learning statistics. Findings from in-depth, semi-structured interviews with six academics in the UK currently researching within the field of statistics showed…

  18. Attitudes of student nurses enrolled in e-learning course towards academic dishonesty: a descriptive-exploratory study.

    PubMed

    Tayaben, Jude L

    2014-01-01

    The author investigated attitudes of nursing students enrolled in e-Learning towards academic dishonesty. The descriptive-exploratory design was used in the conduct of the study. Respondents were randomly selected 36 junior and senior nursing students. It revealed that nursing students perceived as neutral (mean = 2.77, mean = 3.17) in taking responsibility for promoting academic integrity in e-learning. The paraphrasing a sentence from internet source without referencing it (38.89%) got the most form of cheating. Female and level four (4) nursing students revealed as the most cheaters. The reasons not to cheat, nursing students considered punishment, and education or learning (91.67%) got the highest in ranks, and simply wrong (75%) got the lowest rank. Hence, there is a need to look on how to maintain academic honesty among nursing students in and out of the university with respect to e-learning as a means of teaching-learning method.

  19. The Impact of Student Self-efficacy on Scientific Inquiry Skills: An Exploratory Investigation in River City, a Multi-user Virtual Environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ketelhut, Diane Jass

    2007-02-01

    This exploratory study investigated data-gathering behaviors exhibited by 100 seventh-grade students as they participated in a scientific inquiry-based curriculum project delivered by a multi-user virtual environment (MUVE). This research examined the relationship between students' self-efficacy on entry into the authentic scientific activity and the longitudinal data-gathering behaviors they employed while engaged in that process. Three waves of student behavior data were gathered from a server-side database that recorded all student activity in the MUVE; these data were analyzed using individual growth modeling. The study found that self-efficacy correlated with the number of data-gathering behaviors in which students initially engaged, with high self-efficacy students engaging in more data gathering than students with low self-efficacy. Also, the impact of student self-efficacy on rate of change in data gathering behavior differed by gender. However, by the end of their time in the MUVE, initial student self-efficacy no longer correlated with data gathering behaviors. In addition, students' level of self-efficacy did not affect how many different sources from which they chose to gather data. These results suggest that embedding science inquiry curricula in novel platforms like a MUVE might act as a catalyst for change in students' self-efficacy and learning processes.

  20. Assessment of Deep Seated Geothermal Reservoirs in Selected European Sedimentary Environments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ungemach, Pierre; Antics, Miklos

    2014-05-01

    Europe at large enjoys a variety of sedimentary environments. They most often host dependable geothermal reservoirs thus favouring the farming of hot fluids, within the low to medium enthalpy range, among which geothermal district heating (GDH) and combined heat and power (CHP) undertakings hold a dominant share. Three selected reservoir settings, addressing carbonate and clastic deposits, the Central part of the Paris Basin, the Southern Germany Molasse Basin in the Münich area and the Netherland Basin respectively will be presented and the exploratory, modeling and development strategies discussed accordingly. Whereas 2D (reprocessed) and 3D seismics have become a standard in matching the distinctive (reef facies, an echelon faulting, carbonate platform layering) features of a deep buried karst and a key to drilling success in the Molasse Basin, thus emphasizing a leading exploratory rationale, the Netherland and Paris Basin instead benefit from a mature data base inherited from extensive hydrocarbon exploration campaigns, with concerns focused on reservoir modeling and sustainable management issues. As a result the lessons learned from the foregoing have enabled to build up a nucleus of expertise in the whole chain from resource identification to reservoir assessment and market penetration. The seismic risk, indeed a sensitive though somewhat emotional issue, which is requiring special attention and due microseismic monitoring from the geothermal community will also be commented.

  1. Boldness behavior and stress physiology in a novel urban environment suggest rapid correlated evolutionary adaptation

    PubMed Central

    Cardoso, Gonçalo C.; Whittaker, Danielle J.; Campbell-Nelson, Samuel; Robertson, Kyle W.; Ketterson, Ellen D.

    2012-01-01

    Novel or changing environments expose animals to diverse stressors that likely require coordinated hormonal and behavioral adaptations. Predicted adaptations to urban environments include attenuated physiological responses to stressors and bolder exploratory behaviors, but few studies to date have evaluated the impact of urban life on codivergence of these hormonal and behavioral traits in natural systems. Here, we demonstrate rapid adaptive shifts in both stress physiology and correlated boldness behaviors in a songbird, the dark-eyed junco, following its colonization of a novel urban environment. We compared elevation in corticosterone (CORT) in response to handling and flight initiation distances in birds from a recently established urban population in San Diego, California to birds from a nearby wildland population in the species' ancestral montane breeding range. We also measured CORT and exploratory behavior in birds raised from early life in a captive common garden study. We found persistent population differences for both reduced CORT responses and bolder exploratory behavior in birds from the colonist population, as well as significant negative covariation between maximum CORT and exploratory behavior. Although early developmental effects cannot be ruled out, these results suggest contemporary adaptive evolution of correlated hormonal and behavioral traits associated with colonization of an urban habitat. PMID:22936840

  2. Boldness behavior and stress physiology in a novel urban environment suggest rapid correlated evolutionary adaptation.

    PubMed

    Atwell, Jonathan W; Cardoso, Gonçalo C; Whittaker, Danielle J; Campbell-Nelson, Samuel; Robertson, Kyle W; Ketterson, Ellen D

    2012-09-01

    Novel or changing environments expose animals to diverse stressors that likely require coordinated hormonal and behavioral adaptations. Predicted adaptations to urban environments include attenuated physiological responses to stressors and bolder exploratory behaviors, but few studies to date have evaluated the impact of urban life on codivergence of these hormonal and behavioral traits in natural systems. Here, we demonstrate rapid adaptive shifts in both stress physiology and correlated boldness behaviors in a songbird, the dark-eyed junco, following its colonization of a novel urban environment. We compared elevation in corticosterone (CORT) in response to handling and flight initiation distances in birds from a recently established urban population in San Diego, California to birds from a nearby wildland population in the species' ancestral montane breeding range. We also measured CORT and exploratory behavior in birds raised from early life in a captive common garden study. We found persistent population differences for both reduced CORT responses and bolder exploratory behavior in birds from the colonist population, as well as significant negative covariation between maximum CORT and exploratory behavior. Although early developmental effects cannot be ruled out, these results suggest contemporary adaptive evolution of correlated hormonal and behavioral traits associated with colonization of an urban habitat.

  3. "More Confident Going into College": Lessons Learned from Multiple Stakeholders in a New Blended Learning Initiative

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whiteside, Aimee L.; Garrett Dikkers, Amy; Lewis, Somer

    2016-01-01

    This article examined a blended learning initiative in a large suburban high school in the Midwestern region of the United States. It employed a single-case exploratory design approach to learn about the experience of administrators, teachers, students, and parents. Using Zimmerman's Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) Theory as a guiding framework,…

  4. "Why Do Parrots Talk?" Co-Investigation as a Model for Promoting Family Learning through Conversation in a Natural History Gallery

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harris, Emily; Winterbottom, Mark

    2018-01-01

    Research into how and what families learn in science museums and other informal science learning settings suggests that parent-child interactions play an important role in shaping children's learning experiences. Our exploratory case study set out to discover and analyse learning happening within family groups during a visit to a traditional…

  5. Evaluation of Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Douglas, K. A.; Yale, M. S.; Bennett, D. E.; Haugan, M. P.; Bryan, L. A.

    2014-01-01

    The Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS) is a widely used instrument designed to measure student attitudes toward physics and learning physics. Previous research revealed a fairly complex factor structure. In this study, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on data from an undergraduate introductory…

  6. An investigation into the prevalence of exploratory behavior in captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus).

    PubMed

    Quirke, Thomas; O'Riordan, Ruth

    2015-01-01

    Exploratory behavior in the wild is fundamentally linked to an animal's survival and natural life history. The ability to gather information about their environment, establish territories, assert dominance, communicate information regarding reproductive status and locate mates are closely associated with a range of exploratory behaviors. Understanding how these behaviors are performed within the captive setting is crucial in order to create a captive environment in which these behaviors can be expressed, and their function conserved. The objective of this research was to highlight the factors of captive husbandry and management that influence the occurrence of exploratory behaviour of cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) in captivity. One hundred and twelve cheetahs in 88 enclosures across nine zoological institutions in five countries were the subjects of this study. The presence of raised areas, number of movements between enclosures, group composition, sex and an interaction between group composition and the ability to view cheetahs in adjacent enclosures, all significantly influenced the prevalence of exploratory behavior in captive cheetahs. The presence of raised areas and an increasing number of movements between enclosures significantly increased the probability of observing exploratory behaviour, while this probability was significantly decreased for female cheetahs, when cheetahs were able to view conspecifics in adjacent enclosures, and were maintained in groups. A number of recommendations are discussed in relation to promoting exploratory behavior in captive cheetahs. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Anatomy and histology as socially networked learning environments: some preliminary findings.

    PubMed

    Hafferty, Frederic W; Castellani, Brian; Hafferty, Philip K; Pawlina, Wojciech

    2013-09-01

    An exploratory study to better understand the "networked" life of the medical school as a learning environment. In a recent academic year, the authors gathered data during two six-week blocks of a sequential histology and anatomy course at a U.S. medical college. An eight-item questionnaire captured different dimensions of student interactions. The student cohort/network was 48 first-year medical students. Using social network analysis (SNA), the authors focused on (1) the initial structure and the evolution of informal class networks over time, (2) how informal class networks compare to formal in-class small-group assignments in influencing student information gathering, and (3) how peer assignment of professionalism role model status is shaped more by informal than formal ties. In examining these latter two issues, the authors explored not only how formal group assignment persisted over time but also how it functioned to prevent the tendency for groupings based on gender or ethnicity. The study revealed an evolving dynamic between the formal small-group learning structure of the course blocks and the emergence of informal student networks. For example, whereas formal group membership did influence in-class questions and did prevent formation of groups of like gender and ethnicity, outside-class questions and professionalism were influenced more by informal group ties where gender and, to a much lesser extent, ethnicity influence student information gathering. The richness of these preliminary findings suggests that SNA may be a useful tool in examining an array of medical student learning encounters.

  8. Hippocampal brain-network coordination during volitional exploratory behavior enhances learning

    PubMed Central

    Voss, Joel L.; Gonsalves, Brian D.; Federmeier, Kara D.; Tranel, Daniel; Cohen, Neal J.

    2010-01-01

    Exploratory behaviors during learning determine what is studied and when, helping to optimize subsequent memory performance. We manipulated how much control subjects had over the position of a moving window through which they studied objects and their locations, in order to elucidate the cognitive and neural determinants of exploratory behaviors. Our behavioral, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging data indicate volitional control benefits memory performance, and is linked to a brain network centered on the hippocampus. Increases in correlated activity between the hippocampus and other areas were associated with specific aspects of memory, suggesting that volitional control optimizes interactions among specialized neural systems via the hippocampus. Memory is therefore an active process intrinsically linked to behavior. Furthermore, brain structures typically seen as passive participants in memory encoding (e.g., the hippocampus) are actually part of an active network that controls behavior dynamically as it unfolds. PMID:21102449

  9. Hippocampal brain-network coordination during volitional exploratory behavior enhances learning.

    PubMed

    Voss, Joel L; Gonsalves, Brian D; Federmeier, Kara D; Tranel, Daniel; Cohen, Neal J

    2011-01-01

    Exploratory behaviors during learning determine what is studied and when, helping to optimize subsequent memory performance. To elucidate the cognitive and neural determinants of exploratory behaviors, we manipulated the control that human subjects had over the position of a moving window through which they studied objects and their locations. Our behavioral, neuropsychological and neuroimaging data indicate that volitional control benefits memory performance and is linked to a brain network that is centered on the hippocampus. Increases in correlated activity between the hippocampus and other areas were associated with specific aspects of memory, which suggests that volitional control optimizes interactions among specialized neural systems through the hippocampus. Memory is therefore an active process that is intrinsically linked to behavior. Furthermore, brain structures that are typically seen as passive participants in memory encoding (for example, the hippocampus) are actually part of an active network that controls behavior dynamically as it unfolds.

  10. Robust spatial memory maps in flickering neuronal networks: a topological model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dabaghian, Yuri; Babichev, Andrey; Memoli, Facundo; Chowdhury, Samir; Rice University Collaboration; Ohio State University Collaboration

    It is widely accepted that the hippocampal place cells provide a substrate of the neuronal representation of the environment--the ``cognitive map''. However, hippocampal network, as any other network in the brain is transient: thousands of hippocampal neurons die every day and the connections formed by these cells constantly change due to various forms of synaptic plasticity. What then explains the remarkable reliability of our spatial memories? We propose a computational approach to answering this question based on a couple of insights. First, we propose that the hippocampal cognitive map is fundamentally topological, and hence it is amenable to analysis by topological methods. We then apply several novel methods from homology theory, to understand how dynamic connections between cells influences the speed and reliability of spatial learning. We simulate the rat's exploratory movements through different environments and study how topological invariants of these environments arise in a network of simulated neurons with ``flickering'' connectivity. We find that despite transient connectivity the network of place cells produces a stable representation of the topology of the environment.

  11. Pre-Service Teachers' Learning Styles and Preferences towards Instructional Technology Activities and Collaborative Works

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yusop, Farrah Dina; Sumari, Melati

    2015-01-01

    The main purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate pre-service teachers' learning styles and their preferences with respect to 15 technology-based instructional activities and collaborative work tasks. Felder and Silverman's online Index of Learning Style (ILS) and a questionnaire were used to measure students' learning styles and…

  12. Learning Robotics in a Science Museum Theatre Play: Investigation of Learning Outcomes, Contexts and Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peleg, Ran; Baram-Tsabari, Ayelet

    2017-01-01

    Theatre is often introduced into science museums to enhance visitor experience. While learning in museums exhibitions received considerable research attention, learning from museum theatre has not. The goal of this exploratory study was to investigate the potential educational role of a science museum theatre play. The study aimed to investigate…

  13. Exploratory Usability Testing of User Interface Options in LibGuides 2

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thorngate, Sarah; Hoden, Allison

    2017-01-01

    Online research guides offer librarians a way to provide digital researchers with point-of-need support. If these guides are to support student learning well, it is critical that they provide an effective user experience. This article details the results of an exploratory comparison study that tested three key user interface options in LibGuides…

  14. An Exploratory Study of Universal Design for Teaching Chemistry to Students with and without Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    King-Sears, Margaret E.; Johnson, Todd M.; Berkeley, Sheri; Weiss, Margaret P.; Peters-Burton, Erin E.; Evmenova, Anya S.; Menditto, Anna; Hursh, Jennifer C.

    2015-01-01

    In this exploratory study, students in four co-taught high school chemistry classes were randomly assigned to a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) treatment or a comparison condition. Each co-teaching team taught one comparison and treatment class. UDL principles were operationalized for treatment: (a) a self-management strategy (using a…

  15. Using an Exploratory Internet Activity & Trivia Game to Teach Students about Biomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richardson, Matthew L.

    2009-01-01

    Students in life science classes need an introduction to biomes, including an introduction to the concept, key biotic and abiotic features of biomes, and geographic locations of biomes. In this activity, students in seventh- and eighth-grade science classes used a directed exploratory Internet activity to learn about biomes. The author tested…

  16. Utilizing Technology Effectively to Improve Millennials' Educational Performance: An Exploratory Look at Business Students' Perceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aviles, Maria; Eastman, Jacqueline K.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss how technological tools, such as Web 2.0 and online learning management systems, can be utilized to improve Millennials' educational performance. Design/methodology/approach: An exploratory survey of Millennial business students was conducted to measure their self-reported use and perceived…

  17. Instructional Design, Facilitation, and Perceived Learning Outcomes: An Exploratory Case Study of a Human Trafficking MOOC for Attitudinal Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Watson, Sunnie Lee; Loizzo, Jamie; Watson, William R.; Mueller, Chad; Lim, Jieun; Ertmer, Peggy A.

    2016-01-01

    This exploratory case study describes the design and facilitation of a massive open online course (MOOC) for attitudinal change regarding human trafficking. It examines the course from the learners', instructor's, and instructional designer's perspectives. Two interviews with the instructor and instructional designer were conducted, and data from…

  18. Emotional and Narrative Responses of Students to Targeted Educational Experiences: An Exploratory Study Employing the Use of Emotional Measurement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mudge, Suzanne D.; Grinnan, Cullen T.; Priesmeyer, H. Richard

    2006-01-01

    Current educational research suggests that emotions can either enhance or inhibit the ability to learn, with social and cultural influences causing changes in behavior and altering biological processes. In this exploratory study researchers utilized a qualitative design to seek insight into student emotions associated with school attitude and…

  19. Prior Knowledge Influence on Self-Explanation Effectiveness when Solving Problems: An Exploratory Study in Science Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ionas, Ioan Gelu; Cernusca, Dan; Collier, Harvest L.

    2012-01-01

    This exploratory study presents the outcomes of using self-explanation to improve learners' performance in solving basic chemistry problems. The results of the randomized experiment show the existence of a moderation effect between prior knowledge and the level of support self-explanation provides to learners, suggestive of a synergistic effect…

  20. Infants with Down Syndrome and Their Interactions with Objects: Development of Exploratory Actions after Reaching Onset

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Campos, Ana Carolina; da Costa, Carolina Souza Neves; Savelsbergh, Geert J. P.; Rocha, Nelci Adriana Cicuto Ferreira

    2013-01-01

    During infant development, objects and their functions are learned by means of active exploration. Factors that may influence exploration include reaching and grasping ability, object properties and the presence of developmental disorders. We assessed the development of exploratory actions in 16 typically-developing (TD) infants and 9 infants with…

  1. E-Learning: Ageing Workforce versus Technology-Savvy Generation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Becker, Karen; Fleming, Julie; Keijsers, Wilhelmina

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide description and analysis of how a traditional industry is currently using e-learning, and to identify how the potential of e-learning can be realised whilst acknowledging the technological divide between younger and older workers. Design/methodology/approach: An exploratory qualitative methodology…

  2. First-Year Student Motivations for Service-Learning: An Exploratory Investigation of Minority Student Perceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pearl, Andrew J.; Christensen, Robert K.

    2017-01-01

    As a high-impact educational practice ("Kuh, 2008"), service-learning can have a transformational effect on students, communities, instructors, and higher education institutions. However, despite cautions ("Butin, 2006, p. 481"), student enrollment in service-learning remains overwhelmingly White and female ("Jacoby,…

  3. Examining the Relationship between Learning Organization Characteristics and Change Adaptation, Innovation, and Organizational Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kontoghiorghes, Constantine; Awbre, Susan M.; Feurig, Pamela L.

    2005-01-01

    The main purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the relationship between certain learning organization characteristics and change adaptation, innovation, and bottom-line organizational performance. The following learning organization characteristics were found to be the strongest predictors of rapid change adaptation, quick product or…

  4. Disabilities and e-Learning Problems and Solutions: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fichten, Catherine S.; Ferraro, Vittoria; Asuncion, Jennison V.; Chwojka, Caroline; Barile, Maria; Nguyen, Mai N.; Klomp, Ryan; Wolforth, Joan

    2009-01-01

    This study explored e-learning problems and solutions reported by 223 students with disabilities, 58 campus disability service providers, 28 professors, and 33 e-learning professionals from Canadian colleges and universities. All four groups indicated, via online questionnaires, problems with: accessibility of websites and course/learning…

  5. Service Learning and Criminal Justice: An Exploratory Study of Student Perceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burke, Alison S.; Bush, Michael D.

    2013-01-01

    In recent years, more university programs have been encompassing service learning components to augment their academic studies. Service learning engages students in activities that meet community needs. The students acquire a deeper understanding of course content, requirements within the discipline, and civic responsibilities. This paper will…

  6. Mind the Gap: Organizational Learning and Improvement in an Underperforming Urban System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Finnigan, Kara S.; Daly, Alan J.

    2012-01-01

    Drawing on the theoretical lens of organizational learning, and utilizing the methodological approaches of social network and case-study analyses, our exploratory study examines whether schools under sanction exhibit the necessary processes, relationships, and social climates that support organizational learning and improvement. We also…

  7. Structural and Informal Knowledge Acquisition and Dissemination in Organizational Learning: An Exploratory Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hoe, Siu Loon; McShane, Steven

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: The topic of organizational learning is populated with many theories and models; many relate to the enduring organizational learning framework consisting of knowledge acquisition, knowledge dissemination, and knowledge use. However, most of the research either emphasizes structural knowledge acquisition and dissemination as a composite…

  8. Problem-Based Learning: Lessons for Administrators, Educators and Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yeo, Roland

    2005-01-01

    Purpose: The paper aims to explore the challenges of problem-based learning (PBL) as an unconventional teaching methodology experienced by a higher learning institute in Singapore. Design/methodology/approach: The exploratory study was conducted using focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews. Four groups of people were invited to…

  9. Using Importance-Performance Analysis to Guide Instructional Design of Experiential Learning Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Sheri; Hsu, Yu-Chang; Kinney, Judy

    2016-01-01

    Designing experiential learning activities requires an instructor to think about what they want the students to learn. Using importance-performance analysis can assist with the instructional design of the activities. This exploratory study used importance-performance analysis in an online introduction to criminology course. There is limited…

  10. Learning through Experience: The Transition from Doctoral Student to Social Work Educator

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oktay, Julianne S.; Jacobson, Jodi M.; Fisher, Elizabeth

    2013-01-01

    The researchers conducted an exploratory study using grounded theory qualitative research methods to examine experiences of social work doctoral students as they learned to teach ("N"?=?14). A core category, "learning through experience," representing a basic social process, was identified. The doctoral students experienced…

  11. Principals' Learning Mechanisms: Exploring an Emerging Construct

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schechter, Chen; Qadach, Mowafaq

    2016-01-01

    This exploration of principal learning mechanisms (PLM) to support a learning-centered school aimed to develop, field-test, and validate a PLM-measuring instrument. Following exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of items to examine factorial validity, the developed scale was correlated with other work-related established constructs (e.g.,…

  12. Exploration of Learning Strategies Associated With Aha Learning Moments.

    PubMed

    Pilcher, Jobeth W

    2016-01-01

    Educators recognize aha moments as powerful aspects of learning. Yet limited research has been performed regarding how to promote these learning moments. This article describes an exploratory study of aha learning moments as experienced and described by participants. Findings showed use of visuals, scenarios, storytelling, Socratic questions, and expert explanation led to aha learning moments. The findings provide guidance regarding the types of learning strategies that can be used to promote aha moments.

  13. An Exploratory Study of the Relationship between Self-Directed Learning and Senge's Five Disciplines Necessary to Become a Learning Organization: In a High-Tech Company

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Masier, Darren Joseph

    2013-01-01

    The manner by which organizations value their workforce has been shown to impact learning within organizations (Confessore, 1997; Marsick & Watkins, 2010; Weldy & Gillis, 2003). Leadership is faced with a multitude of options to facilitate learning (Cho, 2002; Confessore & Kops, 1998), and employee learning has been linked to…

  14. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Self-Created Student Screencasts as a Tool to Increase Student Learning Outcomes in a Hands-On Computer Programming Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Powell, Loreen M.; Wimmer, Hayden

    2015-01-01

    Computer programming is challenging to teach and difficult for students to learn. Instructors have searched for ways to improve student learning in programming courses. In an attempt to foster hands-on learning and to increase student learning outcomes in a programming course, the authors conducted an exploratory study to examine student created…

  15. Corticosterone level and central dopaminergic activity involved in agile and exploratory behaviours in formosan wood mice (Apodemus semotus).

    PubMed

    Shieh, Kun-Ruey; Yang, Shu-Chuan

    2018-03-27

    The native Formosan wood mouse (Apodemus semotus) is the dominant rodent in Taiwan. In their natural environment, Formosan wood mice exhibit high locomotor activity, including searching and exploratory behaviours, which is observed similarly in the laboratory environment. How the behavioural responses of Formosan wood mice exhibit in elevated plus maze and marble burying tests remains unclear. How corticosterone levels and central dopaminergic activities are related to the behaviours in these tests is also unclear. This study compared the behaviours of Formosan wood mice with that of C57BL/6J mice using the elevated plus maze and marble burying tests, and measured the corticosterone levels and central dopaminergic activities. Formosan wood mice showed greater locomotor and exploratory activity than the C57BL/6J mice. Similarly, the marble burying and rearing numbers were higher for Formosan wood mice. High locomotor and exploratory behaviours were strongly correlated with corticosterone levels after acute mild restraint stress in Formosan wood mice. The anxiolytic, diazepam, reduced the high exploratory activity, corticosterone levels and central dopaminergic activities. The high locomotor and exploratory behaviours of Formosan wood mice are related to the corticosterone levels and central dopaminergic activities. These data may explain Formosan wood mice dominance in the intermediate altitude of Taiwan.

  16. The use of virtual reality in memory rehabilitation: current findings and future directions.

    PubMed

    Brooks, B M; Rose, F D

    2003-01-01

    There is considerable potential for using virtual reality (VR) in memory rehabilitation which is only just beginning to be realized. PC-based virtual environments are probably better suited for this purpose than more immersive virtual environments because they are relatively inexpensive and portable, and less frightening to patients. Those exploratory studies that have so far been performed indicate that VR involvement would be usefully directed towards improving assessments of memory impairments and in memory remediation using reorganization techniques. In memory assessment, the use of VR could provide more comprehensive, ecologically-valid, and controlled evaluations of prospective, incidental, and spatial memory in a rehabilitation setting than is possible using standardized assessment tests. The additional knowledge gained from these assessments could more effectively direct rehabilitation towards specific impairments of individual patients. In memory remediation, VR training has been found to promote procedural learning in people with memory impairments, and this learning has been found to transfer to improved real-world performance. Future research should investigate ways in which the procedural knowledge gained during VR interaction can be adapted to offset the many disabilities which result from different forms of memory impairment.

  17. An exploratory study of knowledge brokering in hospital settings: facilitating knowledge sharing and learning for patient safety?

    PubMed

    Waring, Justin; Currie, Graeme; Crompton, Amanda; Bishop, Simon

    2013-12-01

    This paper reports on an exploratory study of intra-organisational knowledge brokers working within three large acute hospitals in the English National Health Services. Knowledge brokering is promoted as a strategy for supporting knowledge sharing and learning in healthcare, especially in the diffusion of research evidence into practice. Less attention has been given to brokers who support knowledge sharing and learning within healthcare organisations. With specific reference to the need for learning around patient safety, this paper focuses on the structural position and role of four types of intra-organisational brokers. Through ethnographic research it examines how variations in formal role, location and relationships shape how they share and support the use of knowledge across organisational and occupational boundaries. It suggests those occupying hybrid organisational roles, such as clinical-managers, are often best positioned to support knowledge sharing and learning because of their 'ambassadorial' type position and legitimacy to participate in multiple communities through dual-directed relationships. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. How patient educators help students to learn: An exploratory study.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Phoebe T M; Towle, Angela

    2017-03-01

    Benefits of the active involvement of patients in educating health professionals are well-recognized but little is known about how patient educators facilitate student learning. This exploratory qualitative study investigated the teaching practices and experiences that prepared patient educators for their roles in a longitudinal interprofessional Health Mentors program. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven experienced health mentors. Responses were coded and analyzed for themes related to teaching goals, methods, and prior experiences. Mentors used a rich variety of teaching methods to teach patient-centeredness and interprofessionalism, categorized as: telling my story, stimulating reflection, sharing perspectives, and problem-solving. As educators they drew on a variety of prior experiences with teaching, facilitation or public speaking and long-term interactions with the health-care system. Patient educators use diverse teaching methods, drawing on both individualistic and social perspectives on learning. A peer-support model of training and support would help maintain the authenticity of patients as educators. The study highlights inadequacies of current learning theories to explain how patients help students learn.

  19. Collaborative peer review process as an informal interprofessional learning tool: Findings from an exploratory study.

    PubMed

    Kwon, Jae Yung; Bulk, Laura Yvonne; Giannone, Zarina; Liva, Sarah; Chakraborty, Bubli; Brown, Helen

    2018-01-01

    Despite numerous studies on formal interprofessional education programes, less attention has been focused on informal interprofessional learning opportunities. To provide such an opportunity, a collaborative peer review process (CPRP) was created as part of a peer-reviewed journal. Replacing the traditional peer review process wherein two or more reviewers review the manuscript separately, the CPRP brings together students from different professions to collaboratively review a manuscript. The aim of this study was to assess whether the CPRP can be used as an informal interprofessional learning tool using an exploratory qualitative approach. Eight students from Counselling Psychology, Occupational and Physical Therapy, Nursing, and Rehabilitation Sciences were invited to participate in interprofessional focus groups. Data were analysed inductively using thematic analysis. Two key themes emerged, revealing that the CPRP created new opportunities for interprofessional learning and gave practice in negotiating feedback. The results reveal that the CPRP has the potential to be a valuable interprofessional learning tool that can also enhance reviewing and constructive feedback skills.

  20. Cognitive maps and attention.

    PubMed

    Hardt, Oliver; Nadel, Lynn

    2009-01-01

    Cognitive map theory suggested that exploring an environment and attending to a stimulus should lead to its integration into an allocentric environmental representation. We here report that directed attention in the form of exploration serves to gather information needed to determine an optimal spatial strategy, given task demands and characteristics of the environment. Attended environmental features may integrate into spatial representations if they meet the requirements of the optimal spatial strategy: when learning involves a cognitive mapping strategy, cues with high codability (e.g., concrete objects) will be incorporated into a map, but cues with low codability (e.g., abstract paintings) will not. However, instructions encouraging map learning can lead to the incorporation of cues with low codability. On the other hand, if spatial learning is not map-based, abstract cues can and will be used to encode locations. Since exploration appears to determine what strategy to apply and whether or not to encode a cue, recognition memory for environmental features is independent of whether or not a cue is part of a spatial representation. In fact, when abstract cues were used in a way that was not map-based, or when they were not used for spatial navigation at all, they were nevertheless recognized as familiar. Thus, the relation between exploratory activity on the one hand and spatial strategy and memory on the other appears more complex than initially suggested by cognitive map theory.

  1. Faculty professional development in emergent pedagogies for instructional innovation in dental education.

    PubMed

    Zheng, M; Bender, D; Nadershahi, N

    2017-05-01

    Innovative pedagogies have significantly impacted health professions' education, dental education included. In this context, faculty, defined in this study as instructor in higher education, has been increasingly required to hone their instructional skills. The purpose of this exploratory study was to share the design, implementation and preliminary outcomes of two programmes to enhance dental faculty's instructional skills, the Teaching and Learning Seminar Series and the Course Director Orientation. Data sources included faculty and student surveys developed and administered by the researchers; data extracted from the learning management system; reports from the learning analytics tool; and classroom observations. Participants' satisfaction, self-reported learning, instructional behavioural change, and impact on student learning behaviours and institutional practice were assessed borrowing from Kirkpatrick's 4-level model of evaluation of professional development effectiveness. Initial findings showed that faculty in both programmes reported positive learning experiences. Participants reported that the programmes motivated them to improve instructional practice and improved their knowledge of instructional innovation. Some faculty reported implementation of new instructional strategies and tools, which helped create an active and interactive learning environment that was welcomed by their students. The study contributes to literature and best practice in health sciences faculty development in pedagogy and may guide other dental schools in designing professional development programmes. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Using Inquiry Effectively.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bibens, Robert F.

    1980-01-01

    The inquiry approach to learning is based on three phases. The exploratory phase encourages students to investigate a particular topic; the invention phase asks students to consider what they have learned; the final phase assists students in discovering the inadequacies of their inventions. (JN)

  3. Learning Illustrated: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Drawing Analysis of Students' Conceptions of Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hsieh, Wen-Min; Tsai, Chin-Chung

    2018-01-01

    Using the draw-a-picture technique, the authors explored the learning conceptions held by students across grade levels. A total of 1,067 Taiwanese students in Grades 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 participated in this study. Participants were asked to use drawing to illustrate how they conceptualize learning. A coding checklist was developed to analyze…

  4. A case study of full integration of the arts into core subject area instruction in one East Texas secondary school

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leysath, Maggie

    This exploratory phenomenological case study investigated the influence the full integration of the arts into core subject instruction has on classroom environment, student academic achievement, and student engagement as perceived by administrators, teachers, and students in one East Texas secondary school. Participant interviews were analyzed using Creswell's (2012) six-step method for analyzing phenomenological studies. The researcher implemented three learning activities in which ceramics learning objectives were fully integrated with chemistry learning objectives. The first activity combined clay properties and pottery wheel throwing with significant numbers. The second activity combined glaze formulation with moles. The third combined stoichiometry with the increased glaze formula for students to glaze the bowls they made. Findings suggest the full integration of art in core subject area instruction has numerous positive effects. Participants reported improved academic achievement for all students including reluctant learners. Students, teachers, and the administrator reported greater participation in the art integrated activities. Participants perceived a need for further training for teachers and administrators for greater success.

  5. Learning new gait patterns: Exploratory muscle activity during motor learning is not predicted by motor modules

    PubMed Central

    Ranganathan, Rajiv; Krishnan, Chandramouli; Dhaher, Yasin Y.; Rymer, William Z.

    2018-01-01

    The motor module hypothesis in motor control proposes that the nervous system can simplify the problem of controlling a large number of muscles in human movement by grouping muscles into a smaller number of modules. Here, we tested one prediction of the modular organization hypothesis by examining whether there is preferential exploration along these motor modules during the learning of a new gait pattern. Healthy college-aged participants learned a new gait pattern which required increased hip and knee flexion during the swing phase while walking in a lower-extremity robot (Lokomat). The new gait pattern was displayed as a foot trajectory in the sagittal plane and participants attempted to match their foot trajectory to this template. We recorded EMG from 8 lower-extremity muscles and we extracted motor modules during both baseline walking and target-tracking using non-negative matrix factorization (NMF). Results showed increased trajectory variability in the first block of learning, indicating that participants were engaged in exploratory behavior. Critically, when we examined the muscle activity during this exploratory phase, we found that the composition of motor modules changed significantly within the first few strides of attempting the new gait pattern. The lack of persistence of the motor modules under even short time scales suggests that motor modules extracted during locomotion may be more indicative of correlated muscle activity induced by the task constraints of walking, rather than reflecting a modular control strategy. PMID:26916510

  6. Working at the Nexus of Generic and Content-Specific Teaching Practices: An Exploratory Study Based on TIMSS Secondary Analyses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Charalambous, Charalambos Y.; Kyriakides, Ermis

    2017-01-01

    For years scholars have attended to either generic or content-specific teaching practices attempting to understand instructional quality and its effects on student learning. Drawing on the TIMSS 2007 and 2011 databases, this exploratory study empirically tests the hypothesis that attending to both types of practices can help better explain student…

  7. Transactional Distance and Dialogue: An Exploratory Study to Refine the Theoretical Construct of Dialogue in Online Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shearer, Rick L.

    2009-01-01

    Theory building is complex and ongoing. Theories need to be constantly tested and the underlying constructs explored, as knowledge of a field evolves. This study, which is in support of Moore's (1980, 1993) theory of transactional distance, is exploratory and descriptive, and focuses on one of the key variables in the theory dialogue. As…

  8. Instructional Strategies and Best Practices for Improving the Achievement Gap in Mathematics: An Exploratory Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lord, Joey

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative exploratory case study focused on the achievement gap in mathematics that exists in one urban North Carolina middle school and the strategies used by school personnel to narrow this gap. The goal of this research was to determine effective instructional strategies and best practices used to engage students in learning that will…

  9. Teacher and Student Use of Gesture and Access to Secondary Mathematics for Students with Learning Disabilities: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hord, Casey; Marita, Samantha; Walsh, Jennifer B.; Tomaro, Taylor-Marie; Gordon, Kiyana; Saldanha, Rene L.

    2016-01-01

    The researchers conducted an exploratory qualitative case study to describe the gesturing processes of tutors and students when engaging in secondary mathematics. The use of gestures ranged in complexity from simple gestures, such as pointing and moving the pointing finger in an arching motion to demonstrate mathematics relationships within…

  10. Technical Objects between Categorisation and Learning: An Exploratory Case Study in French Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Impedovo, M. A.; Andreucci, C.; Delserieys-Pedregosa, A.; Coiffard, C.; Ginestié, J.

    2015-01-01

    In this article we present exploratory research carried out in order to understand how students (from 12 to 14 years old) relate to technical objects. It uses technical objects that are part of everyday life and mediated reality. A questionnaire was administered to 57 students in French classes. The questionnaire was composed of three parts: 1)…

  11. Creating a Community of Inquiry in Large-Enrollment Online Courses: An Exploratory Study on the Effect of Protocols within Online Discussions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Baiyun; deNoyelles, Aimee; Patton, Kerry; Zydney, Janet

    2017-01-01

    It can be difficult to foster focused and effective communication in online discussions within large classes. Implementing protocols is a strategy that may help students communicate more effectively, facilitate their learning process, and improve the quality of their work within online discussions. In this exploratory research study, a protocol…

  12. AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING DESIGN AND STUDENT LEARNING. FINAL REPORT.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    MARX, BARBARA S.; MYRICK, RICHARD

    AN EXPLORATORY STUDY WAS MADE OF THE INFLUENCE OF HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING DESIGN UPON THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY AT STUDENT INFORMAL INTERACTIONS, AND THE NATURE AND CONTENT OF SUCH INTERACTIONS. THREE HIGH SCHOOLS WERE STUDIED, AND QUESTIONNAIRES AND INTERVIEWS WERE USED WITH THE 1631 STUDENTS IN THE TOP TWO GRADES. CONCEPTS WHICH WERE IDENTIFIED…

  13. Are Review Skills and Academic Writing Skills Related? An Exploratory Analysis via Multi Source Feedback Tools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Razi, Salim

    2016-01-01

    Because students learn from each other as well as lecturers, it is important to create opportunities for collaboration in writing classes. Teachers now benefit from access to plagiarism detectors that can also provide feedback. This exploratory study considers the role of four review types, open and anonymous, involving the students themselves,…

  14. Analysis of E-Mail Produced by Middle School Students with Disabilities Using Accessible Interfaces: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sohlberg, McKay Moore; Todis, Bonnie; Fickas, Stephen; Ehlhardt, Laurie

    2011-01-01

    The goal of this exploratory study was to investigate electronic communication as a potential method to enhance social communication in a range of students with disabilities. This study investigated the usability of an adapted e-mail interface, TeenMail, for 11 middle school students with significant learning and communication impairments who…

  15. Investigating Teachers' Appraisal of Unexpected Moments and Underlying Values: An Exploratory Case in the Context of Changing Mathematics Classroom Discourse

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cavanna, Jillian M.; Herbel-Eisenmann, Beth; Seah, Wee Tiong

    2015-01-01

    This article provides an exploratory case study that examines what one teacher indicated as unexpected as she worked to become more purposeful about her classroom discourse practices. We found that she highlighted three areas as being unexpected: (1) aspects of lesson enactment; (2) characteristics of student learning and (3) her own…

  16. Development of an Empirically-Based Conditional Learning Progression for Climate Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Breslyn, Wayne; Drewes, Andrea; McGinnis, J. Randy; Hestness, Emily; Mouza, Chrystalla

    2017-01-01

    Climate change encompasses a broad and complex set of concepts that is often challenging for students and educators. Using a learning progressions (LPs) knowledge system, we developed a LP that described student learning of climate change. In this exploratory study, we present findings from written assessments of climate change (n = 294) and…

  17. Contributions of Film Introductions and Film Summaries to Learning from Instructional Films.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lathrop, C. W., Jr.; Norford, C. A.

    An exploratory study of the contribution to learning of typical introductory and summarizing sequences in instructional films underlined the need for further experimental work to determine what kinds of introductory and concluding sequences are most useful in promoting learning from films. The first part of the study was concerned with film…

  18. Creating Meaning from Collaboration to Implement RtI for At-Risk Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Diakakis, Julia Ann

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study based on Danielson's (2002) assertion that when teachers learn, student achievement improves was to examine how teachers created a collaborative learning experience through Professional Learning Community (PLC) concepts to implement Response to Intervention (RtI) with at-risk students. The…

  19. An Exploratory Study of Self-Directed Science Concept Learning by Students with Moderate Intellectual Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jimenez, Bree A.; Browder, Diane M.; Courtade, Ginevra R.

    2009-01-01

    This investigation focused on the effects of a treatment package including multiple exemplar training, time delay, and a self-directed learning prompt (KWHL chart) on students' ability to complete an inquiry lesson independently and generalize to untrained materials. Three middle school students with moderate intellectual disabilities learned to…

  20. Quality Perception within Corporate E-Learning Providers in Catalonia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sangra, Albert; Fernandez-Michels, Pedro

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: The paper seeks to describe the Catalan corporate e-learning providers from the perspective of quality perception, quality assessment and quality control. Design/methodology/approach: A literature review reveals key aspects of the definition of quality in e-learning. The results of the review constitute the basis for exploratory research…

  1. Entrepreneurial Learning in Vocational Education and Training in Albania

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oldroyd, David; Nikolovska, Margareta; Xhillari, Lindita

    2011-01-01

    This report follows an exploratory investigation of the situation and policies relating to entrepreneurial learning in Albania, as part of ETF 2009 country activities. A research project on entrepreneurial learning has been set up in Albania, aiming to help the key country stakeholders to comprehend the challenges that the country is facing,…

  2. Assessing Prior Experiential Learning: Issues of Authority, Authorship and Identity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pokorny, Helen

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine how students with workplace learning experience the process of the assessment of prior experiential learning (APEL) in higher education. Design/methodology/approach: This is an inductive and exploratory study drawing on methodology from the field of academic literacies. It addresses two questions:…

  3. Learning to Understand Inequality and Diversity: Getting Students Past Ideologies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldsmith, Pat Antonio

    2006-01-01

    In this paper I present a pedagogical method called Writing Answers to Learn (WAL) which combines Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Exploratory Writing to address the interrelated pedagogical problems of misconceptions, resistance, retention, and transfer. I analyze the use of this combined method in a course on racial and ethnic relations and…

  4. Learning Practice-Based Research Methods: Capturing the Experiences of MSW Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Natland, Sidsel; Weissinger, Erika; Graaf, Genevieve; Carnochan, Sarah

    2016-01-01

    The literature on teaching research methods to social work students identifies many challenges, such as dealing with the tensions related to producing research relevant to practice, access to data to teach practice-based research, and limited student interest in learning research methods. This is an exploratory study of the learning experiences of…

  5. Service-Learning and Pre-Service Educators' Cultural Competence for Teaching: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meaney, Karen S.; Bohler, Heidi R.; Kopf, Kelcie; Hernandez, Lesley; Scott, LaTosha S.

    2008-01-01

    Social-cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986) served as the framework to examine a physical education service-learning program's impact on pre-service educators' cultural competence. Participants included 53 undergraduates enrolled in two sections of Health and Physical Education for Children. The course's service-learning component provided pre-service…

  6. Development and Initial Validation of the Self-Directed Learning Inventory with Korean College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suh, Han Na; Wang, Kenneth T.; Arterberry, Brooke J.

    2015-01-01

    This article describes the development and psychometric evaluation of the Self-Directed Learning Inventory (SDLI) tailored to Korean college students, based on study evidences of differences in learning behavior across culture and educational level. With a sample of 605 female college students in Korea, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) results…

  7. Community College Basic Skills Math Instructors' Experiences with Universal Design for Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greene, Sunny

    2016-01-01

    Multiple approaches have been used in U.S. community colleges to address the learning needs of postsecondary students who are underprepared in basic skills math. The purpose of this exploratory interview study was to gain a deeper understanding of community college basic skills math learning through instructors' lived experiences using the…

  8. The Cube and the Poppy Flower: Participatory Approaches for Designing Technology-Enhanced Learning Spaces

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Casanova, Diogo; Mitchell, Paul

    2017-01-01

    This paper presents an alternative method for learning space design that is driven by user input. An exploratory study was undertaken at an English university with the aim of redesigning technology-enhanced learning spaces. Two provocative concepts were presented through participatory design workshops during which students and teachers reflected…

  9. Knowledge Acquisition at Work. IEE Brief Number 2.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scribner, Sylvia; Sachs, Patricia

    An exploratory investigation attempted to determine how learning at work actually takes place and in what ways learning on the job differs from classroom learning. The study was based on extensive observations and interviews over a 5-year period at two manufacturing plants that implemented a computer-based system known as Manufacturing Resource…

  10. Exploratory Evidence of Accounting Majors' Motivation to Learn

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gabbin, Alexander L.

    2009-01-01

    A common theme among faculty at many universities is that student motivation to learn is lacking in the classroom. The primary concern of today's students is to obtain A and B grades regardless of demonstrated proficiency in the subject matter. Concern about students' motivation to learn is evident at the accounting educator's conference known as…

  11. Motivation to E-Learn within Organizational Settings: An Exploratory Factor Structure

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rentroia-Bonito, M. A.; Jorge, J.; Ghaoui, C.

    2006-01-01

    E-learning is expected to support organizations and individuals so they can become more adaptable and competitive. However, in order for organizations to realize the full potential of this technology, they should create and sustain the right context to foster learning in articulation with business objectives. This requires active participation and…

  12. Student Perceptions of Privacy Principles for Learning Analytics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ifenthaler, Dirk; Schumacher, Clara

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine student perceptions of privacy principles related to learning analytics. Privacy issues for learning analytics include how personal data are collected and stored as well as how they are analyzed and presented to different stakeholders. A total of 330 university students participated in an exploratory study…

  13. The Diffusion of the Learning Pyramid Myths in Academia: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Letrud, Kåre; Hernes, Sigbjørn

    2016-01-01

    This article examines the diffusion and present day status of a family of unsubstantiated learning-retention myths, some of which are referred to as "the learning pyramid". We demonstrate through an extensive search in academic journals and field-specific encyclopaedias that these myths are indeed widely publicised in academia and that…

  14. Photography. 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 curriculum guide provides technology learning activities designed to prepare students in grades 6-10 to work in the world of the future. The 8-day course provides exploratory, hands-on learning activities and information that can enhance the education of students of all types in an integrated curriculum that provides practical applications of…

  15. Developing a Scale for Quality of Using Learning Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tasci, Guntay; Yurdugul, Halil

    2016-01-01

    This study aims to develop a measurement tool to measure the quality of using learning strategies. First, the quality of using learning strategies was described based on the literature. The 32 items in the 5-point Likert scale were then administered to 320 prospective teachers, and they were analysed with exploratory factor analysis using…

  16. What's He Talking about? The Communicative Alignment between a Teacher's Intentions and Students' Understandings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Knewstubb, Bernadette; Bond, Carol

    2009-01-01

    Despite considerable research on teaching and learning in higher education, the relationship between university teachers' and students' understandings of the same teaching-learning events has not been a focus. This exploratory qualitative study used individual interviews to investigate the role of conceptions of teaching, learning and knowledge in…

  17. Exploring Mathematics Problems Prepares Children to Learn from Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeCaro, Marci S.; Rittle-Johnson, Bethany

    2012-01-01

    Both exploration and explicit instruction are thought to benefit learning in many ways, but much less is known about how the two can be combined. We tested the hypothesis that engaging in exploratory activities prior to receiving explicit instruction better prepares children to learn from the instruction. Children (159 second- to fourth-grade…

  18. Exploring Preservice Teacher Perspectives on Video Games as Learning Tools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ray, Beverly B.; Powell, Angiline; Jacobsen, Brenda

    2014-01-01

    Despite their popularity with learners, many K-12 teachers are reluctant to use video games as learning tools. Addressing issues surrounding this reluctance is important since the educational use of video games is supported by learning theory and an emerging research base. Specifically, this study adopts exploratory research as a means to examine…

  19. Personalized Workplace Learning: An Exploratory Study on Digital Badging within a Teacher Professional Development Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gamrat, Christopher; Zimmerman, Heather Toomey; Dudek, Jaclyn; Peck, Kyle

    2014-01-01

    To provide customized workplace learning opportunities, a digital badge system was designed by a university, governmental agency and national professional association to support teachers' implementation of professional development (PD). Teacher Learning Journeys (TLJ) is an approach that allows for teachers to customize their PD experience to…

  20. Exploring high school science students' perceptions of parental involvement in their education.

    PubMed

    Mji, Andile; Mbinda, Zoleka

    2005-08-01

    This exploratory study describes high school students' perceptions of their parents' involvement in their education and in relation to school achievement. A new 12-item Parental Involvement Scale was used to measure parents' involvement in curricular and extracurricular activities and using exploratory analyses to estimate the scale's properties. Exploratory analysis resulted in the reduction of the 12 items to 8, with an internal consistency (Cronbach alpha) .82. Grade 12 science students indicated that their less educated parents were involved in activities pertaining to their learning; however, high perceived parental involvement in curricular activities was related to low achievement. It is recommended that further exploratory analyses be undertaken to examine the reported two-dimensional model of the Parental Involvement Scale.

  1. Scale of Academic Emotion in Science Education: Development and Validation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chiang, Wen-Wei; Liu, Chia-Ju

    2014-04-01

    Contemporary research into science education has generally been conducted from the perspective of 'conceptual change' in learning. This study sought to extend previous work by recognizing that human rationality can be influenced by the emotions generated by the learning environment and specific actions related to learning. Methods used in educational psychology were adopted to investigate the emotional experience of science students as affected by gender, teaching methods, feedback, and learning tasks. A multidisciplinary research approach combining brain activation measurement with multivariate psychological data theory was employed in the development of a questionnaire intended to reveal the academic emotions of university students in three situations: attending science class, learning scientific subjects, and problem solving. The reliability and validity of the scale was evaluated using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Results revealed differences between the genders in positive-activating and positive-deactivating academic emotions in all three situations; however, these differences manifested primarily during preparation for Science tests. In addition, the emotions experienced by male students were more intense than those of female students. Finally, the negative-deactivating emotions associated with participation in Science tests were more intense than those experienced by simply studying science. This study provides a valuable tool with which to evaluate the emotional response of students to a range of educational situations.

  2. Differences in Spatio-Temporal Behavior of Zebrafish in the Open Tank Paradigm after a Short-Period Confinement into Dark and Bright Environments

    PubMed Central

    Rosemberg, Denis B.; Rico, Eduardo P.; Mussulini, Ben Hur M.; Piato, Ângelo L.; Calcagnotto, Maria E.; Bonan, Carla D.; Dias, Renato D.; Blaser, Rachel E.; Souza, Diogo O.; de Oliveira, Diogo L.

    2011-01-01

    The open tank paradigm, also known as novel tank diving test, is a protocol used to evaluate the zebrafish behavior. Several characteristics have been described for this species, including scototaxis, which is the natural preference for dark environments in detriment of bright ones. However, there is no evidence regarding the influence of “natural stimuli” in zebrafish subjected to novelty-based paradigms. In this report, we evaluated the spatio-temporal exploratory activity of the short-fin zebrafish phenotype in the open tank after a short-period confinement into dark/bright environments. A total of 44 animals were individually confined during a 10-min single session into one of three environments: black-painted, white-painted, and transparent cylinders (dark, bright, and transparent groups). Fish were further subjected to the novel tank test and their exploratory profile was recorded during a 15-min trial. The results demonstrated that zebrafish increased their vertical exploratory activity during the first 6-min, where the bright group spent more time and travelled a higher distance in the top area. Interestingly, all behavioral parameters measured for the dark group were similar to the transparent one. These data were confirmed by automated analysis of track and occupancy plots and also demonstrated that zebrafish display a classical homebase formation in the bottom area of the tank. A detailed spatio-temporal study of zebrafish exploratory behavior and the construction of representative ethograms showed that the experimental groups presented significant differences in the first 3-min vs. last 3-min of test. Although the main factors involved in these behavioral responses still remain ambiguous and require further investigation, the current report describes an alternative methodological approach for assessing the zebrafish behavior after a forced exposure to different environments. Additionally, the analysis of ethologically-relevant patterns across time could be a potential phenotyping tool to evaluate the zebrafish exploratory profile in the open tank task. PMID:21559304

  3. Social environment as a factor affecting exploration and learning in pre-juvenile rats.

    PubMed

    Modlinska, Klaudia; Stryjek, Rafał; Chrzanowska, Anna; Pisula, Wojciech

    2018-08-01

    Stress associated with social isolation in early life can lead to disturbances in the emotional regulation in adult rats. However, there are no reports on the impact of isolation from the mother while providing contact with peers. Under such conditions, young individuals have the opportunity to interact with others, are able to develop social behaviour, etc. Yet, there is no stimulation and care provided by the mother. We examined the relative impact of maternal contact and sibling contact in the rarely studied pre-juvenile (3rd and 4th week post birth) period on subsequent development. An experiment was designed to compare the impact of different social environments on the animals' behaviour in adulthood. There were three breeding conditions: young with mother, young with peers, and standard breeding conditions. Adult rats were subjected to a T-Maze test to measure the level of exploratory behaviour. Spatial learning was assessed by placing water bottles in the side corridors. The analysis revealed that a distorted environment during the development process has a negative impact on the rats' emotional regulation and a subtle effect on related aspects of adaptive behaviours (i.e. exploration). In the pre-juvenile period, to some degree, contact with peers may be complementary to the mother's influence. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Using articulation and inscription as catalysts for reflection: Design principles for reflective inquiry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Loh, Ben Tun-Bin

    2003-07-01

    The demand for students to engage in complex student-driven and information-rich inquiry investigations poses challenges to existing learning environments. Students are not familiar with this style of work, and lack the skills, tools, and expectations it demands, often forging blindly forward in the investigation. If students are to be successful, they need to learn to be reflective inquirers, periodically stepping back from an investigation to evaluate their work. The fundamental goal of my dissertation is to understand how to design learning environments to promote and support reflective inquiry. I have three basic research questions: how to define this mode of work, how to help students learn it, and understanding how it facilitates reflection when enacted in a classroom. I take an exploratory approach in which, through iterative cycles of design, development, and reflection, I develop principles of design for reflective inquiry, instantiate those principles in the design of a software environment, and test that software in the context of classroom work. My work contributes to the understanding of reflective inquiry in three ways: First, I define a task model that describes the kinds of operations (cognitive tasks) that students should engage in as reflective inquirers. These operations are defined in terms of two basic tasks: articulation and inscription, which serve as catalysts for externalizing student thinking as objects of and triggers for reflection. Second, I instantiate the task model in the design of software tools (the Progress Portfolio). And, through proof of concept pilot studies, I examine how the task model and tools helped students with their investigative classroom work. Finally, I take a step back from these implementations and articulate general design principles for reflective inquiry with the goal of informing the design of other reflective inquiry learning environments. There are three design principles: (1) Provide a designated work space for reflection activities to focus student attention on reflection. (2) Help students create and use artifacts that represent their work and their thinking as a means to create referents for reflection. (3) Support and take advantage of social processes that help students reflect on their own work.

  5. Validation of an instrument to measure students' motivation and self-regulation towards technology learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liou, Pey-Yan; Kuo, Pei-Jung

    2014-05-01

    Background:Few studies have examined students' attitudinal perceptions of technology. There is no appropriate instrument to measure senior high school students' motivation and self-regulation toward technology learning among the current existing instruments in the field of technology education. Purpose:The present study is to validate an instrument for assessing senior high school students' motivation and self-regulation towards technology learning. Sample:A total of 1822 Taiwanese senior high school students (1020 males and 802 females) responded to the newly developed instrument. Design and method:The Motivation and Self-regulation towards Technology Learning (MSRTL) instrument was developed based on the previous instruments measuring students' motivation and self-regulation towards science learning. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were utilized to investigate the structure of the items. Cronbach's alpha was applied for measuring the internal consistency of each scale. Furthermore, multivariate analysis of variance was used to examine gender differences. Results:Seven scales, including 'Technology learning self-efficacy,' 'Technology learning value,' 'Technology active learning strategies,' 'Technology learning environment stimulation,' 'Technology learning goal-orientation,' 'Technology learning self-regulation-triggering,' and 'Technology learning self-regulation-implementing' were confirmed for the MSRTL instrument. Moreover, the results also showed that male and female students did not present the same degree of preference in all of the scales. Conclusions:The MSRTL instrument composed of seven scales corresponding to 39 items was shown to be valid based on validity and reliability analyses. While male students tended to express more positive and active performance in the motivation scales, no gender differences were found in the self-regulation scales.

  6. A Bridge to Active Learning: A Summer Bridge Program Helps Students Maximize Their Active-Learning Experiences and the Active-Learning Experiences of Others

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cooper, Katelyn M.; Ashley, Michael; Brownell, Sara E.

    2017-01-01

    National calls to improve student academic success in college have sparked the development of bridge programs designed to help students transition from high school to college. We designed a 2-week Summer Bridge program that taught introductory biology content in an active-learning way. Through a set of exploratory interviews, we unexpectedly…

  7. Conceptions of Memorizing and Understanding in Learning, and Self-Efficacy Held by University Biology Majors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Tzu-Chiang; Liang, Jyh-Chong; Tsai, Chin-Chung

    2015-02-01

    This study aims to explore Taiwanese university students' conceptions of learning biology as memorizing or as understanding, and their self-efficacy. To this end, two questionnaires were utilized to survey 293 Taiwanese university students with biology-related majors. A questionnaire for measuring students' conceptions of memorizing and understanding was validated through an exploratory factor analysis of participants' responses. As for the questionnaire regarding the students' biology learning self-efficacy (BLSE), an exploratory factor analysis revealed a total of four factors including higher-order cognitive skills (BLSE-HC), everyday application (BLSE-EA), science communication (BLSE-SC), and practical works (BLSE-PW). The results of the cluster analysis according to the participants' conceptions of learning biology indicated that students in the two major clusters either viewed learning biology as understanding or possessed mixed-conceptions of memorizing and understanding. The students in the third cluster mainly focused on memorizing in their learning while the students in the fourth cluster showed less agreement with both conceptions of memorizing and understanding. This study further revealed that the conception of learning as understanding was positively associated with the BLSE of university students with biology-related majors. However, the conception of learning as memorizing may foster students' BLSE only when such a notion co-exists with the conception of learning with understanding.

  8. An Exploratory Study of Inner-City College Athletes and Crime: Socialization, Risk, Strategy, and Hope

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davis, Dexter Juan

    2012-01-01

    An exploratory study was conducted to focus on what is being done to help college athletes stay out of trouble and avoid activities that may lead to crime and/or criminal activity. The study was designed to find real examples of poor decisions and/or productive decisions made by athletes in order to provide for a rich learning opportunity. Crimes…

  9. Argument-Driven Inquiry as a Way to Help Students Learn How to Participate in Scientific Argumentation and Craft Written Arguments: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sampson, Victor; Grooms, Jonathon; Walker, Joi Phelps

    2011-01-01

    This exploratory study examines how a series of laboratory activities designed using a new instructional model, called Argument-Driven Inquiry (ADI), influences the ways students participate in scientific argumentation and the quality of the scientific arguments they craft as part of this process. The two outcomes of interest were assessed with a…

  10. The Effects of Meaning-Focused Pre-Tasks on Beginning-Level L2 Writing in German: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abrams, Zsuzsanna; Byrd, David R.

    2017-01-01

    Most studies on task-based language learning focus on the oral performance of advanced level learners of English as a second language (ESL), while little research examines the written performance of beginning language learners in non-ESL contexts. This exploratory study aims to address this gap, by examining the effect of pre-writing tasks on…

  11. Language Learning over 50 at the Open University in Poland: An Exploratory Study of Needs and Emotions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klimczak-Pawlak, Agata; Kossakowska-Pisarek, Sylwia

    2018-01-01

    This exploratory, retrospective study, which focuses on the needs, attitudes, and emotions of learners attending English as a foreign language courses at the Open University of the University of Warsaw is part of a larger scale project which aims at answering calls voiced, among others, by Boulton-Lewis (2010) to gather more data from older adults…

  12. The Educational Climate Inventory: Measuring Students' Perceptions of the Preclerkship and Clerkship Settings.

    PubMed

    Krupat, Edward; Borges, Nicole J; Brower, Richard D; Haidet, Paul M; Schroth, W Scott; Fleenor, Thomas J; Uijtdehaage, Sebastian

    2017-12-01

    To develop an instrument to assess educational climate, a critical aspect of the medical school learning environment that previous tools have not explored in depth. Fifty items were written, capturing aspects of Dweck's performance-learning distinction, to distinguish students' perceptions of the educational climate as learning/mastery oriented (where the goal is growth and development) versus performance oriented (where the goal is appearance of competence). These items were included in a 2014 survey of first-, second-, and third-year students at six diverse medical schools. Students rated their preclerkship or clerkship experiences and provided demographic and other data. The final Educational Climate Inventory (ECI) was determined via exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Relationships between scale scores and other variables were calculated. Responses were received from 1,441/2,590 students (56%). The 20-item ECI resulted, with three factors: centrality of learning and mutual respect; competitiveness and stress; and passive learning and memorization. Clerkship students' ratings of their learning climate were more performance oriented than preclerkship students' ratings (P < .001). Among preclerkship students, ECI scores were more performance oriented in schools with grading versus pass-fail systems (P < .04). Students who viewed their climate as more performance oriented were less satisfied with their medical school (P < .001) and choice of medicine as a career (P < .001). The ECI allows educators to assess students' perceptions of the learning climate. It has potential as an evaluation instrument to determine the efficacy of attempts to move health professions education toward learning and mastery.

  13. A Multilevel Analysis of the Impact of a Professional Learning Community, Faculty Trust in Colleagues and Collective Efficacy on Teacher Commitment to Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, John Chi-kin; Zhang, Zhonghua; Yin, Hongbiao

    2011-01-01

    This study investigated the relationships between a professional learning community (PLC), faculty trust in colleagues, teachers' collective efficacy, and their commitment to students. The findings from exploratory factor analysis indicated that three clear components could be extracted from the scale of Professional Learning Communities…

  14. Effect of Internet-Based Learning in Public Health Training: An Exploratory Meta-Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peng, Ying; Yan, Weirong

    2017-01-01

    Internet-based learning is increasingly applied in medical education, but its effect in the field of public health training is still unclear. This meta-analysis was undertaken to explore the impact of Internet-based learning on students'/professionals' knowledge of public health compared with no intervention and with traditional face-to-face (FTF)…

  15. Exploratory Investigation of the Effects of Interest-Based Learning on the Development of Young Children with Autism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dunst, Carl J.; Trivette, Carol M.; Masiello, Tracy

    2011-01-01

    The influences of child participation in interest-based learning activities on the development of 17 preschoolers with autism was the focus of this brief report. The children's mothers identified their children's interests and the everyday family and community activities that provided opportunities for interest-based learning. Parents then…

  16. Developing Social Skills Training and Literacy Instruction Pedagogy through Service Learning: An Integrated Model of Teacher Preparation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lake, Vickie E.; Al Otaiba, Stephanie; Guidry, Lisa

    2010-01-01

    This exploratory study examined the impact of tutoring programs on preservice teachers (PSTs) and tutees. The PSTs are assigned to either the Tutor-Assisted Intensive Learning Strategies (TAILS) or Book Partners (BP) service-learning tutoring program and work with identified kindergarten or first-grade struggling readers. Three questions are…

  17. Transformational Processes and Learner Outcomes for Online Learning: An Activity Theory Case Study of Spanish Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Terantino, Joseph M.

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the actions of online language learners from an activity theoretical perspective. It also attempted to explain how the students' learning outcomes evolved from their online learning experiences. This explanation placed an emphasis on the learners' previous experiences, defining their activity…

  18. Connectivism in Learning Activity Design: Implications for Pedagogically-Based Technology Adoption in African Higher Education Contexts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kizito, Rita Ndagire

    2016-01-01

    This paper examines the possible characteristics and the value of designing learning activities grounded in connectivism--an emerging learning theory. It is an exploratory attempt to connect the theory to the prevailing technology adoption archetypes used in African contexts with the aim of extracting influences that could shape pedagogical…

  19. Perceptions of Online Learning Experiences: Voices of African American Women at a Historically Black College and University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yee Chief, Irene Mary

    2012-01-01

    An increasing number of higher education learners are using online learning. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine non-traditional learners' perceptions and experiences of online learning at a public Historically Black College or University (HBCU). This study examined learners' interactivity with peers, teachers,…

  20. Entering the Conversation: Exploratory Talk in Middle School Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cervetti, Gina N.; DiPardo, Anne L.; Staley, Sara J.

    2014-01-01

    Much has been written recently about the role of talk in content-area learning, including science learning. However, there is still much to be learned about how teachers begin to engage students in the kinds of peer-to-peer conversations that help them make sense of their investigations in science and that advance their conceptual understandings.…

  1. Using Asynchronous Online Discussion to Learn Introductory Programming: An Exploratory Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kay, Robin

    2006-01-01

    Previous research on online discussions has focused on university students learning higher level subjects. The purpose of the current study was to examine whether online discussions could be used effectively by secondary school students attempting to learn introductory level topics. Forty-­five male students, ranging in age from 13 to 15 years…

  2. Learning through the Ages? Generational Inequalities and Inter-Generational Dynamics of Lifelong Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Field, John

    2013-01-01

    This exploratory paper considers the concept of generation in the context of learning across the life course. Although researchers have often found considerable inequalities in participation by age, as well as strongly articulated attitudinal differences, there have so far been only a handful of studies that have explored these patterns through…

  3. Saudi College Students' Preferences for Synchronous and Asynchronous Web-Based Courses: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Jabri, Abdullah

    2012-01-01

    Technology has become an essential component of the teaching-learning process, and online learning, in particular, has captivated the interest of many educational institutions throughout the world. Web-based learning has provided both students and teachers with new and unique ways of communicating with each other. As a result, many studies have…

  4. Using the Facebook Group as a Learning Management System: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Qiyun; Woo, Huay Lit; Quek, Choon Lang; Yang, Yuqin; Liu, Mei

    2012-01-01

    Facebook is a popular social networking site. It, like many other new technologies, has potential for teaching and learning because of its unique built-in functions that offer pedagogical, social and technological affordances. In this study, the Facebook group was used as a learning management system (LMS) in two courses for putting up…

  5. Facilitating Self-Directed Learning (SDL) and Satisfaction with SDL among Pre-University Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yeoh, Miranda P.; Cazan, Ana-Maria; Ierardi, Enzo; Jacic, Ljubomir A.

    2017-01-01

    The aim of the study was to evaluate our practice of self-directed learning (SDL) among pre-university students in Malaysia. Respondents provided data on their previous school learning experiences besides present SDL experiences in college. We carried out exploratory factor analysis based on the school data. We did a confirmatory factor analysis…

  6. Creativity as a Driver for Transformative Learning: Portraits of Teaching and Learning in a Contemporary Curriculum Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Troop, Meagan

    2017-01-01

    This exploratory study identifies aspects of pedagogical design and teaching practice that enabled creative capacities through the lens of the researcher's lived experience. A guiding research question in this investigation follows: (a) "What is the nature of the relationship between creative activity and transformative learning" and (b)…

  7. Diffusion of an e-Portfolio to Assist in the Self-Directed Learning of Physicians: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goliath, Cheryl Lynn

    2009-01-01

    Professional societies in the field of medicine have recommended that the traditional model for lifelong medical learning, which had previously focused on attendance at weeklong didactic continuing medical education (CME) courses, should be replaced by individualized study. Self-directed and practice-linked learning are well accepted in principle,…

  8. Made in America? Assumptions about Service Learning Pedagogy as Transnational: A Comparison between Ireland and the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Iverson, Susan V.; Espenschied-Reilly, Amanda

    2010-01-01

    Using exploratory, qualitative interviews, the authors studied conceptions of academic service-learning in the United States and the Republic of Ireland in order to elucidate the ways in which culture and social context shaped practitioners' perceptions and practices regarding service-learning pedagogy. Participants articulated a shared…

  9. An Exploratory Examination of Social Media, Informal Learning, and Communities of Practice in the Workplace

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dolan, John J.

    2013-01-01

    In organizations of any size, communication, collaboration and informal learning among employees can be critical contributors to meeting goals and succeeding in the marketplace (Mason & Lefrere, 2003). When done well, over time these groups of employees form loose bonds and evolve into communities of practice that promote shared learning and…

  10. Exploring the Roles of Parents and Students in EFL Literacy Learning: A Colombian Case

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hurtado Torres, Sergio Aldemar; Castañeda-Peña, Harold Andrés

    2016-01-01

    There is little scholarly information about parent involvement in their children's English as a Foreign Language (EFL henceforth) literacy learning in the Colombian context. This exploratory-qualitative study looks into the possible roles of parents and children in EFL literacy learning at home, with special emphasis on parental roles and…

  11. Jordanian Prospective and Experienced Chemistry Teachers' Beliefs about Teaching and Learning and Their Potential Role for Educational Reform

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Amoush, Siham A.; Markic, Silvija; Abu-Hola, Imfadi; Eilks, Ingo

    2011-01-01

    This paper presents an exploratory study of Jordanian chemistry student teachers' and experienced teachers' beliefs about teaching and learning. Different instruments were used, focusing on different aspects of teaching and learning. The first instrument is based on teachers' and students' drawings of teaching situations. It includes open…

  12. Business and Office Education: Accounting, Clerk. Instructor's Manual [and] Student Learning Activity Guide. Kit No. 204.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cliatt, Katherine H.

    This learning activity guide and instructor's manual provide information and exercises for an exploratory activity in accounting. Instructional objectives covered in the guide are for the students to learn (1) reasons for studying accounting and related job descriptions, (2) definitions for accounting terms, (3) the accounting equation, (4) how to…

  13. An Exploratory Investigation of the Effect on a Biofeedback Technique with Hyperactive, Learning Disabled Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Larry L.; Hershey, Myrliss

    Studied was the effectiveness of biofeedback techniques in reducing the hyperactive behavior of five hyperactive and four nonhyperactive children (all in elementary level learning disability classes). After 10 15-minute biofeedback training sessions over an 8-week period, Ss learned to raise their finger temperatures an average of 12.92 degrees…

  14. Problem Solving. 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 curriculum guide provides technology learning activities designed to prepare students in grades 6-10 to work in the world of the future. The 8-day course provides exploratory, hands-on learning activities and information that can enhance the education of students of all types in an integrated curriculum that provides practical applications of…

  15. Structural Engineering. 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 curriculum guide provides technology learning activities designed to prepare students in grades 6-10 to work in the world of the future. The 8-day course provides exploratory, hands-on learning activities and information that can enhance the education of students of all types in an integrated curriculum that provides practical applications of…

  16. Thermal Screen Printing. 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 curriculum guide provides technology learning activities designed to prepare students in grades 6-10 to work in the world of the future. The 8-day course provides exploratory, hands-on learning activities and information that can enhance the education of students of all types in an integrated curriculum that provides practical applications of…

  17. Research and Design. 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 curriculum guide provides technology learning activities designed to prepare students in grades 6-10 to work in the world of the future. The 8-day course provides exploratory, hands-on learning activities and information that can enhance the education of students of all types in an integrated curriculum that provides practical applications of…

  18. The Role of Emotion in Informal Science Learning: Testing an Exploratory Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Staus, Nancy L.; Falk, John H.

    2017-01-01

    Although there is substantial research on the effect of emotions on educational outcomes in the classroom, relatively little is known about how emotion affects learning in informal science contexts. We examined the role of emotion in the context of an informal science learning experience by utilizing a path model to investigate the relationships…

  19. Learning to Become a Machine Operator: The Dialogical Relationship between Context, Self, and Content

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brockman, Julie L.; Dirkx, John M.

    2006-01-01

    As work organizations restructure to remain competitive, problem solving is being pushed down to frontline workers, and emphasis is increasingly placed on workplace learning. In this exploratory, qualitative study, we focus on workers' experiences of problems within the context of their work and how these contexts foster their learning and…

  20. Focus on Process Skills. Learning in Science Project. Working Paper No. 7.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tasker, Ross; And Others

    The first (exploratory) phase of the Learning in Science Project focused on science teaching/learning in the Form 1 to 4 level (ages 10 to 14) and sought to identify problems and difficulties in several areas. Provided in this paper are comments obtained during structured/unstructured interviews (from students, ex-students, teachers, headmasters,…

  1. Focus on Attitudes. Learning in Science Project. Working Paper No. 9.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stead, Keith; And Others

    The first (exploratory) phase of the Learning in Science Project focused on science teaching/learning in the Form 1 to 4 level (ages 10 to 14) and sought to identify problems and difficulties in several areas. Provided in this paper are comments obtained during structured/unstructured interviews (from students, ex-students, teachers, headmasters,…

  2. An Exploratory Study of the Influence That Analyzing Teaching Has on Preservice Teachers' Classroom Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sun, Jennifer; van Es, Elizabeth A.

    2015-01-01

    We designed a video-based course to develop preservice teachers' vision of ambitious instruction by decomposing instruction to learn to attend to student thinking and to examine how particular teaching moves influence student learning. In this study, we examine the influence that learning to systematically analyze ambitious pedagogy in the course…

  3. School-Related Stress and Depression in Adolescents with and without Learning Disabilities: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Feurer, D. Paige; Andrews, Jac J. W.

    2009-01-01

    This study examined school-related stress and depression in adolescents with and without learning disabilities. A total of 87 students (38 learning-disabled and 49 nondisabled) from secondary schools in Calgary completed questionnaires on depressive symptoms and on school-related stress. Results indicated that the adolescents with LD reported…

  4. The Woodcock Johnson III Tests of Achievement in Foreign Language Course Substitution Decisions for University Students with Learning Disabilities: An Exploratory Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Madaus, Joseph W.

    2005-01-01

    Selected subtests from the Woodcock Johnson III Tests of Achievement (Woodcock, McGrew, & Mather, 2001) were administered to three groups of university students. The groups included students with learning disabilities who received course substitutions for the institution's foreign language requirement, students with learning disabilities who…

  5. Reconsidering the Framework. Learning in Science Project. Working Paper No. 14.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Osborne, Roger; And Others

    The first working paper of the Learning in Science Project, "An Initial Framework," outlined what was then seen as the major aims of the project and suggested how these aims might be achieved by three phases of research: exploratory (to observe teaching/learning in Form 1 to 4 science classrooms and to identify difficulties perceived by…

  6. An Empirical Analysis of Chinese College Learners' Obstacles to MOOC Learning in an English Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Liangxing

    2017-01-01

    This article reports a study applying an exploratory factor analysis to discovering the underlying factor structure of Chinese college students' obstacles to learning MOOC in an English context. Seven obstacle factors are identified: 1. academic and language skills; 2. internet skills; 3. course instruction/management; 4. learning motivations; 5.…

  7. Will Undergraduate Students Play Games to Learn How to Conduct Library Research?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Markey, Karen; Swanson, Fritz; Jenkins, Andrea; Jennings, Brian; St. Jean, Beth; Rosenberg, Victor; Yao, Xingxing; Frost, Robert

    2009-01-01

    This exploratory study examines whether undergraduate students will play games to learn how to conduct library research. Results indicate that students will play games that are an integral component of the course curriculum and enable them to accomplish overall course goals at the same time they learn about library research. (Contains 1 table.)

  8. The Intersection of Imagery Ability, Imagery Use, and Learning Style: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bolles, Gina; Chatfield, Steven J.

    2009-01-01

    This study explores the intersection of the individual's imagery ability, imagery use in dance training and performance, and learning style. Thirty-four intermediate-level ballet and modern dance students at the University of Oregon completed the Movement Imagery Questionnaire-Revised (MIQ-R) and Kolb's Learning Style Inventory-3 (LSI-3). The four…

  9. The Emotions of Socialization-Related Learning: Understanding Workplace Adaptation as a Learning Process.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reio, Thomas G., Jr.

    The influence of selected discrete emotions on socialization-related learning and perception of workplace adaptation was examined in an exploratory study. Data were collected from 233 service workers in 4 small and medium-sized companies in metropolitan Washington, D.C. The sample members' average age was 32.5 years, and the sample's racial makeup…

  10. A psychometric evaluation of the University of Auckland General Practice Report of Educational Environment: UAGREE.

    PubMed

    Eggleton, Kyle; Goodyear-Smith, Felicity; Henning, Marcus; Jones, Rhys; Shulruf, Boaz

    2017-03-01

    The aim of this study was to develop an instrument (University of Auckland General Practice Report of Educational Environment: UAGREE) with robust psychometric properties that measured the educational environment of undergraduate primary care. The questions were designed to incorporate measurements of the teaching of cultural competence. Following a structured consensus process and an initial pilot, a list of 55 questions was developed. All Year 5 and 6 students completing a primary care attachment at Auckland University were invited to complete the questionnaire. The results were analysed using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis resulting in a 16-item instrument. Three factors were identified explaining 53% of the variance. The items' reliability within the factors were high (Learning: 0.894; Teaching: 0.871; Cultural competence: 0.857). Multiple groups analysis by gender; and separately across ethnic groups did not find significant differences between groups. UAGREE is a specific instrument measuring the undergraduate primary care educational environment. Its questions fit within established theoretical educational environment frameworks and the incorporation of cultural competence questions reflects the importance of teaching cultural competence within medicine. The psychometric properties of UAGREE suggest that it is a reliable and valid measure of the primary care education environment.

  11. Docking-based classification models for exploratory toxicology studies on high-quality estrogenic experimental data

    EPA Science Inventory

    Background: Exploratory toxicology is a new emerging research area whose ultimate mission is that of protecting human health and environment from risks posed by chemicals. In this regard, the ethical and practical limitation of animal testing has encouraged the promotion of compu...

  12. Teaching learning methods of an entrepreneurship curriculum.

    PubMed

    Esmi, Keramat; Marzoughi, Rahmatallah; Torkzadeh, Jafar

    2015-10-01

    One of the most significant elements of entrepreneurship curriculum design is teaching-learning methods, which plays a key role in studies and researches related to such a curriculum. It is the teaching method, and systematic, organized and logical ways of providing lessons that should be consistent with entrepreneurship goals and contents, and should also be developed according to the learners' needs. Therefore, the current study aimed to introduce appropriate, modern, and effective methods of teaching entrepreneurship and their validation. This is a mixed method research of a sequential exploratory kind conducted through two stages: a) developing teaching methods of entrepreneurship curriculum, and b) validating developed framework. Data were collected through "triangulation" (study of documents, investigating theoretical basics and the literature, and semi-structured interviews with key experts). Since the literature on this topic is very rich, and views of the key experts are vast, directed and summative content analysis was used. In the second stage, qualitative credibility of research findings was obtained using qualitative validation criteria (credibility, confirmability, and transferability), and applying various techniques. Moreover, in order to make sure that the qualitative part is reliable, reliability test was used. Moreover, quantitative validation of the developed framework was conducted utilizing exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis methods and Cronbach's alpha. The data were gathered through distributing a three-aspect questionnaire (direct presentation teaching methods, interactive, and practical-operational aspects) with 29 items among 90 curriculum scholars. Target population was selected by means of purposive sampling and representative sample. Results obtained from exploratory factor analysis showed that a three factor structure is an appropriate method for describing elements of teaching-learning methods of entrepreneurship curriculum. Moreover, the value for Kaiser Meyer Olkin measure of sampling adequacy equaled 0.72 and the value for Bartlett's test of variances homogeneity was significant at the 0.0001 level. Except for internship element, the rest had a factor load of higher than 0.3. Also, the results of confirmatory factor analysis showed the model appropriateness, and the criteria for qualitative accreditation were acceptable. Developed model can help instructors in selecting an appropriate method of entrepreneurship teaching, and it can also make sure that the teaching is on the right path. Moreover, the model is comprehensive and includes all the effective teaching methods in entrepreneurship education. It is also based on qualities, conditions, and requirements of Higher Education Institutions in Iranian cultural environment.

  13. An Exploratory Study of Pharmacists Professional Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wittstrom, Kristina M.

    2012-01-01

    Today's healthcare professional is challenged to stay current with increasingly complex therapeutic challenges, greater societal needs and expectations, and a public demand for the best possible care. Professional learning opportunities are needed to develop new knowledge, skills, or abilities to address specific matters encountered during…

  14. Brain Mechanisms Underlying Individual Differences in Reaction to Stress: An Animal Model

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-10-29

    Schooler, et al., 1976; Gershon & Buchsbaum, 1977; Buchsbaum, et al., 1977), personality scales of extraversion- introversion (Haier, 1984) and sensation...exploratory and learned to bar press more quickly and efficiently. Reducers with a lower inhibitory threshold learned the differential reinforcement of

  15. Supporting Learning through the Use of Self-Reflection Blogs: A Study of the Experience of Blended Learning Students in the United Arab Emirates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Isakovic, Adrienne A.; McNaught, Allan

    2013-01-01

    This exploratory study seeks to examine how the use of student-written blogs support student learning through the student perspective. The blogs were introduced to provide support in four distinct areas: as a medium for facilitating learning; as a medium for interactivity; as a medium for metacognitive thought and reflection; and as a learning…

  16. What can be learned from the effects of benzodiazepines on exploratory behavior?

    PubMed

    File, S E

    1985-01-01

    The purpose of this review is to assess the value of using tests of exploratory behavior to study the actions of benzodiazepines. The methods of measuring exploration and the factors influencing it are briefly described. The effects of benzodiazepines on exploratory behavior of rats and mice are reviewed; and the dangers of interpreting the results of such tests in terms of any of the clinical effects of the benzodiazepines is stressed. Finally, the interactions between benzodiazepines and other drugs acting at the GABA-benzodiazepine receptor complex are described. The results of these experiments caution against global classification of compounds as benzodiazepine "antagonists."

  17. Implications of the University of South Africa's (UNISA) Shift to Open Distance e-Learning on Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ngubane-Mokiwa, Sindile A.

    2017-01-01

    This conceptual and exploratory article seeks to explore the implications of the University of South Africa's (Unisa) shift from open distance learning (ODL) to open distance e-learning (ODeL) on Teacher Education. In addition, the article problematizes the shift as a policy imperative. Unisa's mandate to provide teacher education opportunities to…

  18. The Relationship between Self-Determination, Achievement Goal Orientation and Satisfaction with the Learning Experience: Working with Adult Lifelong Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rodd, Jane

    2013-01-01

    This exploratory study investigated how self-perceptions of self-determination and of achievement goal orientation were related to self-perceptions of satisfaction with the learning experience in a population of 495 adults engaged in non-formal lifelong learning through participation as amateur members of the United States Dressage Association.…

  19. Using Google as a Super Corpus to Drive Written Language Learning: A Comparison with the British National Corpus

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sha, Guoquan

    2010-01-01

    Data-driven learning (DDL), or corpus-based language learning, involves the learner in an exploratory task to discover appropriate expressions or collocates regarding his writing. However, the problematic units of meaning in each learner's writing are so diverse that conventional corpora often prove futile. The search engine Google with the…

  20. An Exploratory Investigation of Online Forum Mediated Collaborative Learning of Speech Writing: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lata, Pushp; Luhach, Suman

    2014-01-01

    Learning Management Systems (LMS) are being integrated in the curriculum by many educational institutions to extend teaching and learning beyond classroom. This paper is based on a case study exploring the integration of LMS Nalanda created on Moodle in Effective Public Speaking (EPS) classroom to give students an additional platform to practice,…

  1. Development of a Design-Based Learning Curriculum through Design-Based Research for a Technology-Enabled Science Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Paul; Suh, Esther; Song, Donggil

    2015-01-01

    This exploratory study provides a deeper look into the aspects of students' experience from design-based learning (DBL) activities for fifth grade students. Using design-based research (DBR), this study was conducted on a series of science learning activities leveraging mobile phones with relevant applications and sensors. We observed 3 different…

  2. Exploring Spaces for Learning: Using Narrative Mediation Path to Improve the Academic Performance of Underachieving Undergraduate Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crowley, Una; Mahon, Catherine

    2012-01-01

    Learning to learn has been identified as a key educational competence. Over the next two years, as part of the INSTALL project, NUI Maynooth is testing the effectiveness of an exploratory group technique, the Narrative Mediation Path (NMP), which has been developed to promote reflective thinking skills. To date, interviews have been conducted with…

  3. Including Disabled Children in Learning: Challenges in Developing Countries. CREATE Pathways to Access. Research Monograph No. 36

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Croft, Alison

    2010-01-01

    This is an exploratory study suggesting ways of analysing challenges for developing countries in the move to greater inclusion of disabled children and young people in learning. The paper focuses on pedagogical challenges to realising more inclusive education. Pedagogy encompasses not only the practice of teaching and learning, but also the ideas…

  4. Developing a Patient Focussed Professional Identity: An Exploratory Investigation of Medical Students' Encounters with Patient Partnership in Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barr, Jennifer; Bull, Rosalind; Rooney, Kim

    2015-01-01

    Patient encounters are central to the provision of learning opportunities for medical students and their development as medical professionals. The primary aim of the study reported in this paper was to discover how partnering medical students with patients with chronic illness in undergraduate learning influenced the development of a patient…

  5. An Exploratory Study of Neuro Linguistic Programming and Communication Anxiety

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-12-01

    Discover The Learning Advantage. The first seven chapters were written as a trade book with the appendix as a research companion document. The purpose of...and Frank Pucelik, Magic Demystified, Metamorphous Press, 1982. Lofland, Donald John, Powerlearning(RTM): Discover the Learning Advantage, PhD...50 B. ANALYSIS OF QUESTIONNAIRE DATA ................... 54 C. FOLLOW UP INTERVIEWS ........................... 58 V. SUMMARY, LESSONS LEARNED

  6. E-Learning Incorporation: An Exploratory Study of Three South African Higher Education Institutions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kinuthia, Wanjira; Dagada, Rabelani

    2008-01-01

    This article reports on the findings of a research study that was conducted to explore the types of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in use in higher education in South Africa. Specifically, the goal of the study was to explore how e-learning is being used for teaching and learning purposes. Data were collected from interviews with…

  7. Interdisciplinary Interactions within a Small-Scale Research Initiative Investigating Animation Creation as a Means of Teaching and Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wishart, J. M.; Wakley, G.

    2017-01-01

    This paper reports an interdisciplinary research (IDR) initiative conducted by two lecturers from different university faculties who found they shared an interest in using animations to support teaching and learning. The research comprised an exploratory pilot to test the feasibility, and to explore the impact on learning, of having undergraduates…

  8. Virtual Classroom versus Physical Classroom: An Exploratory Study of Class Discussion Patterns and Student Learning in an Asynchronous Internet-Based MBA Course.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arbaugh, J. B.

    2000-01-01

    Class discussions and student interaction were compared in a conventional class (n=33) and an Internet-based class using LearningSpace(R) software (n=29). No significant differences in learning or interaction quality were found. There was significantly more participation in the Internet course, particularly by women. (SK)

  9. There Is More to Digital Learning than Counting on Your Fingers: Transforming Learning and Teaching with Digital Pedagogy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smirnova, Lyudmila; Lazarevic , Bojan; Malloy, Veronica

    2018-01-01

    This paper explores how pedagogy is being influenced by fast developing digital technologies. Results are presented from exploratory research conducted in 2016. The findings are addressed in terms of the transformation of learning and education, including the move from the measured to the engaged classroom. Emerging technology creates a natural…

  10. Using Team-Based Learning to Teach Grade 7 Biology: Student Satisfaction and Improved Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jarjoura, Christiane; Tayeh, Paula Abou; Zgheib, Nathalie K.

    2015-01-01

    Team-based learning (TBL) is an innovative form of collaborative learning. The purpose of this study was to evaluate TBL's effect on the performance and satisfaction of grade 7 students in biology in a private school in Lebanon, as well as teachers' willingness to implement this new methodology. An exploratory study was performed whereby two…

  11. The Impact of Resilience on L2 Learners' Motivated Behaviour and Proficiency in L2 Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Tae-Young; Kim, Yoon-Kyoung

    2017-01-01

    This exploratory study focused on the factors that constitute second language (L2) learners' resilience, and how these factors are related to L2 learning by investigating what relation resilience may have to motivated behaviour and proficiency in English learning. A total of 1620 secondary school learners of English participated in a questionnaire…

  12. Understanding Our Service-Learning Community: An Exploratory Study of Parent, Teacher, and Student Perceptions about Childhood Obesity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Massey-Sokes, Marilyn; Meaney, Karen S.

    2006-01-01

    Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. University health and physical education programs have a unique opportunity to assist in childhood obesity prevention through service-learning programs. However, prior to the implementation of service-learning curricula, it is imperative to gain insight in the unique needs of the…

  13. Mentoring in a Distributed Learning Social Work Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jensen, Donna

    2017-01-01

    Students in alternative education programs often experience differential access to faculty, advisors, university support systems, and the supportive culture established by being on campus. This study is a descriptive-exploratory program evaluation of the distributed learning social work mentoring program at California State University, Chico. The…

  14. Online Collaborative Learning Activities: The Perceptions of Culturally Diverse Graduate Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kumi-Yeboah, Alex; Yuan, Guangji; Dogbey, James

    2017-01-01

    This exploratory study examined the perceptions of minority graduate students toward online collaborative learning activities. The participants were 20 minority graduate students from diverse cultural backgrounds (10 African Americans, 5 Hispanics, and 5 international students from Africa) enrolled in online graduate instructional technology and…

  15. Learning from Balance Sheet Visualization

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tanlamai, Uthai; Soongswang, Oranuj

    2011-01-01

    This exploratory study examines alternative visuals and their effect on the level of learning of balance sheet users. Executive and regular classes of graduate students majoring in information technology in business were asked to evaluate the extent of acceptance and enhanced capability of these alternative visuals toward their learning…

  16. The Zone of Inertia: Absorptive Capacity and Organizational Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Godkin, Lynn

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe how interruptions in organizational learning effect institutional absorptive capacity and contribute to organizational inertia. Design/methodology/approach: An exploratory model is presented as a heuristic to describe how interruptions in organizational learning affect absorptive capacity.…

  17. Perception toward Organizational Learning Culture in Small-Size Business Enterprises

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Graham, Carroll M.; Nafukho, Fredrick M.

    2007-01-01

    This study sought to determine the relationship between four independent variables educational level, longevity, gender, type of enterprise, and the dependent variable respondents' perception of culture toward organizational learning readiness. An exploratory correlational research design was employed to survey 498 employees in seven small…

  18. Cooperative Learning and Teacher Beliefs about Pedagogy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brody, Celeste M.; Hill, Leslie Rennie

    This is an exploratory, descriptive study of experienced elementary, middle, and secondary school teachers who participated in a 9-month cooperative learning training project which was designed to encourage reflection upon their beliefs and assumptions about their pedagogy. Fifteen teachers were interviewed to understand how teachers modify…

  19. An Exploration of African American Students' Attitudes toward Online Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Okwumabua, Theresa M.; Walker, Kristin M.; Hu, Xiangen; Watson, Andrea

    2011-01-01

    The current work presents exploratory research findings concerning African American students' attitudes toward online learning. The Online Tutoring Attitudes Scale (OTAS; Graff, 2003) was administered to 124 African American students in a positive youth development program. Findings suggest that African American students' attitudes toward…

  20. The development of exploratory behaviour in the african striped mouse rhabdomys reflects a gene × environment compromise.

    PubMed

    Rymer, Tasmin L; Pillay, Neville

    2012-09-01

    Behaviour results from the interaction of an individual's genotype with prevailing environmental conditions, resulting in local adaptation to specific habitats. We investigated the development of exploratory behaviour in two closely-related species of African striped mice from the semi-arid Succulent Karoo (Rhabdomys pumilio) and moist grassland (R. dilectus chakae) localities. Irrespective of sex, R. pumilio displayed greater exploratory behaviour (open field) and greater use of the open arms of a modified plus maze, and thus were less anxious and bolder than R. d. chakae. When pups were cross-fostered between species, fostered individuals of both species showed an intermediate behavioural pattern between their foster and biological siblings: fostered R. pumilio explored more than their foster siblings but less than their biological siblings, whereas fostered R. d. chakae explored more than their biological siblings, but less than their foster siblings. Our study is one of the first to address how the underlying genotype and early postnatal experience interact to influence the expression of exploratory behaviour and personality. In particular, we showed that, in striped mice, the early postnatal environment shapes the anxiety responses and concomitant exploratory behaviour, but the genotype apparently modulates the phenotype and constrains the limit of behavioural flexibility.

  1. Comparing brain activity patterns during spontaneous exploratory and cue-instructed learning using single photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging of regional cerebral blood flow in freely behaving rats.

    PubMed

    Mannewitz, A; Bock, J; Kreitz, S; Hess, A; Goldschmidt, J; Scheich, H; Braun, Katharina

    2018-05-01

    Learning can be categorized into cue-instructed and spontaneous learning types; however, so far, there is no detailed comparative analysis of specific brain pathways involved in these learning types. The aim of this study was to compare brain activity patterns during these learning tasks using the in vivo imaging technique of single photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT) of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). During spontaneous exploratory learning, higher levels of rCBF compared to cue-instructed learning were observed in motor control regions, including specific subregions of the motor cortex and the striatum, as well as in regions of sensory pathways including olfactory, somatosensory, and visual modalities. In addition, elevated activity was found in limbic areas, including specific subregions of the hippocampal formation, the amygdala, and the insula. The main difference between the two learning paradigms analyzed in this study was the higher rCBF observed in prefrontal cortical regions during cue-instructed learning when compared to spontaneous learning. Higher rCBF during cue-instructed learning was also observed in the anterior insular cortex and in limbic areas, including the ectorhinal and entorhinal cortexes, subregions of the hippocampus, subnuclei of the amygdala, and the septum. Many of the rCBF changes showed hemispheric lateralization. Taken together, our study is the first to compare partly lateralized brain activity patterns during two different types of learning.

  2. Can Playscapes Promote Early Childhood Inquiry towards Environmentally Responsible Behaviors? An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wight, R. Alan; Kloos, Heidi; Maltbie, Catherine V.; Carr, Victoria W.

    2016-01-01

    This paper investigates young children's exploratory play and inquiry on playscapes: playgrounds specifically designed to connect children with natural environments. Our theoretical framework posits that playscapes combine the benefits of nature and play to promote informal science exploration of natural materials. This, in turn, is expected to…

  3. Aggression and Related Behavioral Traits: The Impact of Winning and Losing and the Role of Hormones

    PubMed Central

    Chang, Ching; Li, Cheng-Yu; Earley, Ryan L.; Hsu, Yuying

    2012-01-01

    A suite of correlated behaviors reflecting between-individual consistency in behavior across multiple situations is termed a “behavioral syndrome.” Researchers have suggested that a cause for the correlation between different behaviors might lie in the neuroendocrine system. In this study, we examined the relationships between aggressiveness (a fish's readiness to perform gill display to its mirror image) and each of boldness (the readiness to emerge from a shelter), exploratory tendency (the readiness to approach a novel shelter), and learning performance (the probability of entering the correct reservoir in a T-maze test) in a mangrove rivulus, Kryptolebias marmoratus. We explored the possibility that the relationships between them arise because these behaviors are all modulated by cortisol and testosterone. We also tested the stability of the relationships between these behaviors shortly after using a winning or losing experience to alter individuals’ aggressiveness. The results were that aggressiveness correlated positively with boldness and the tendency to explore, and that these three behavioral traits were all positively correlated with pre-experience testosterone levels. Aggressiveness and boldness also positively correlated with pre-experience cortisol levels; exploratory tendency did not. The relationship between aggressiveness and boldness appeared to be stronger than that between either of them and exploratory tendency. These results suggest that testosterone and cortisol play important roles in mediating the correlations between these behavioral traits. Learning performance was not significantly correlated with the other behavioral traits or with levels of testosterone or cortisol. Recent experience in contests influenced individuals’ aggressiveness, tendency to explore, and learning performance but not their boldness; individuals that received a winning experience were quicker to display to their mirror image and performed better in the learning task but were slower to approach a novel object than were individuals that lost. Contest experience did not, however, significantly influence the relationships between aggressiveness and any of boldness, exploratory tendency, or learning performance. The results show that the individual components of a suite of correlated behaviors can preserve a flexibility to respond differently to environmental stimuli. PMID:22576819

  4. Challenges of Integrating Mobile Technology into Mathematics Instruction in Secondary Schools: An Indonesian Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abidin, Zaenal; Mathrani, Anuradha; Hunter, Roberta; Parsons, David

    2017-01-01

    Implementing mobile learning in curriculum-based educational settings faces challenges related to perceived ethical and learning issues. This study investigated the affordances of mobile technologies to support mathematics instruction by teachers. An exploratory study employing questionnaires and semi-structured interviews revealed that, while…

  5. APA, Meet Google: Graduate Students' Approaches to Learning Citation Style

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Note Chism, Nancy; Weerakoon, Shrinika

    2012-01-01

    Inspired by Perkins' Theories of Difficulty concept, this exploratory study examined the learning patterns of graduate students as they grappled with using the style sheet of the American Psychological Association (APA). The researchers employed task performance analysis of three APA formatting tasks, interviews, and observation during a "think…

  6. Leadership and Organizational Learning: Accounting for Variances in Small-Size Business Enterprises

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Graham, Carroll M.; Nafukho, Fredrick M.

    2007-01-01

    This study's primary purpose was to determine the relationship between leadership and the dependent variable organizational learning readiness at three locations of a small-size business enterprise in the Mid-Western United States. Surveys were acquired within an exploratory correlational research design and the results indicated leadership…

  7. Creating Polyphony with Exploratory Web Documentation in Singapore

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lim, Sirene; Hoo, Lum Chee

    2012-01-01

    We introduce and reflect on "Images of Teaching", an ongoing web documentation research project on preschool teaching in Singapore. This paper discusses the project's purpose, methodological process, and our learning points as researchers who aim to contribute towards inquiry-based professional learning. The website offers a window into…

  8. An Exploratory Analysis of Readiness for Environmental Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harmon, N. Paul; And Others

    Contained in this monograph is a review and synthesis of developmental psychology and learning theory, with major emphasis upon applications of the developmental perspective to environmental education curriculum and instruction. Based upon a summary of the work of Piaget and his followers, a learning readiness axis is proposed. Also examined are…

  9. A GIS-Interface Web Site: Exploratory Learning for Geography Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huang, Kuo Hung

    2011-01-01

    Although Web-based instruction provides learners with sufficient resources for self-paced learning, previous studies have confirmed that browsing navigation-oriented Web sites possibly hampers users' comprehension of information. Web sites designed as "categories of materials" for navigation demand more cognitive effort from users to orient their…

  10. Orchestrating Literacies: Print Literacy Learning Opportunities within Multimodal Intergenerational Ensembles

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McKee, Lori L.; Heydon, Rachel M.

    2015-01-01

    This exploratory case study considered the opportunities for print literacy learning within multimodal ensembles that featured art, singing and digital media within the context of an intergenerational programme that brought together 13 kindergarten children (4 and 5 years) with seven elder companions. Study questions concerned how reading and…

  11. Latina/o School Principals as Instructional Leaders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Niño, Juan Manuel; Hernandez, Frank; Valle, Fernando; McPhetres, Jon

    2017-01-01

    Focusing on the fundamental purpose of schools as student learning, this exploratory study attempts to better understand the role of Latino principals' activities that are centered on the teaching and learning process. Specifically, the authors were interested in comparing the instructional leadership literature (what do instructional leaders do)…

  12. Art & Music Appreciation. A to Z Active Learning Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Forte, Imogene; Schurr, Sandra

    This workbook includes high-interest activities, lessons, and projects to further students' interest in and understanding of important exploratory and enrichment topics essential to a balanced middle grades program. The workbook includes lessons and activities that encourage students to learn more about the arts. Instructional strategies are…

  13. Designing a Children's Water Garden as an Outdoor Learning Lab for Environmental Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Byrd, Renee K.; Haque, Mary Taylor; Tai, Lolly; McLellan, Gina K.; Knight, Erin Jordan

    2007-01-01

    A Clemson University introductory landscape design class collaborated with South Carolina Botanical Gardens (SCBG) staff and coordinators of Sprouting Wings to design an exploratory Children's Garden within the SCBG. Service learning provides students with invaluable real-world experiences solving problems and interacting with clients while…

  14. Exploring Physics in the Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Amann, George

    2005-01-01

    The key to learning is student involvement! This American Association of Physics Teachers/Physics Teaching Resource Agents (AAPT/PTRA) manual presents examples of two techniques that are proven to increase student involvement in your classroom. Based on the "5E" model of learning, exploratories are designed to get your students excited about the…

  15. Leadership Learning through Student-Centered and Inquiry-Focused Approaches to Teaching Adaptive Leadership

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haber-Curran, Paige; Tillapaugh, Daniel

    2013-01-01

    This qualitative study examines student learning about leadership across three sections of a capstone course in an undergraduate leadership minor. Qualitative methods were informed by exploratory case study analysis and phenomenology. Student-centered and inquiry-focused pedagogical approaches, including case-in-point, action inquiry, and…

  16. Inference and Discovery in an Exploratory Laboratory. Technical Report No. 10.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shute, Valerie; And Others

    This paper describes the results of a study done as part of a research program investigating the use of computer-based laboratories to support self-paced discovery learning in related to microeconomics, electricity, and light refraction. Program objectives include maximizing the laboratories' effectiveness in helping students learn content…

  17. Voice Blog: An Exploratory Study of Language Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sun, Yu-Chih

    2009-01-01

    This study uses voice blogs as a platform for an extensive study of language learners' speaking skills. To triangulate the findings, the study collected data by surveying the learners' blogging processes, investigating learning strategies, and conducting retrospective interviews. The results revealed that students (a) developed a series of…

  18. Purposeful Exploratory Learning with Video Using Analysis Categories

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Colasante, Meg

    2016-01-01

    There is still much to be learnt about best practices in leveraging digital resources for learning in higher education. Research on student interactions with online video indicates such practices are as minimal as setting passive-receptive viewing through to teacher-structured purposeful engagement. This position paper focuses on teacher-set…

  19. Personal Factors Impacting College Student Success: Constructing College Learning Effectiveness Inventory (CLEI)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Eunhee; Newton, Fred B.; Downey, Ronald G.; Benton, Stephen L.

    2010-01-01

    The College Learning Effectiveness Inventory, a new assessment tool identifying personal variables important to college student success, was constructed using empirical approaches grounded in a conceptual model. The exploratory and confirmatory studies revealed the six-underlying factors: Academic Self-Efficacy, Organization and Attention to…

  20. Enriching Classroom Learning through a Microblogging-Supported Activity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Kun; Darr, Kent; Gao, Fei

    2018-01-01

    Researchers have recognized the role that microblogging tools play in enhancing the effectiveness of communication and interaction in the classroom. However, few studies have specifically examined how to use microblogging tools to bring educational resources into the classroom to enrich the student learning experience. The exploratory case study…

  1. Problem-Based Learning: An Experiential Strategy for English Language Teacher Education in Chile

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Muñoz Campos, Diego

    2017-01-01

    The Chilean education system requires English language teachers to be equipped with non-conventional teaching strategies that can foster meaningful learning and assure successful learners' performances in diverse and complex settings. This exploratory, descriptive, research study aimed at discovering the perceptions of 54 pre-service teachers…

  2. Effective Learning Approaches for Sustainability: A Student Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Erskine, Laura; Johnson, Scott D.

    2012-01-01

    The authors offer an exploratory glimpse into the perceived effectiveness of learning approaches presently being used to teach students about sustainability in a business school setting. Sustainability is a topic of growing importance in business and business education. Using teaching approaches generated through self-reports related to the…

  3. An Exploratory Use of Musical Metaphors to Enhance Student Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weinrauch, J. Donald

    2005-01-01

    This article provides the role, scope, instructional experiences, and prospects of employing musical metaphors as a possible teaching tool. Interactive student learning is encouraged by actually playing songs in marketing strategy courses. First, an overview on the explanation and popularity of metaphors in both nonbusiness and business fields…

  4. Mindfulness into Action: Transformational Learning through Collaborative Inquiry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vergara, Mariana Ines

    2016-01-01

    This action research exploratory study sought to learn how to better develop my practice by using grounded theory. It explored the apparent cognitive transformational experience of nine participants over a period of four weeks after the implementation of an intervention called Mindfulness into Action. The informal intervention was used with the…

  5. U.S.-Born Salvadoran American Women with Learning Disabilities in Transition to Adulthood

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ortiz, Deanna M.

    2010-01-01

    This exploratory and descriptive qualitative interview study examined the postsecondary experiences of three Salvadoran-American women with learning disabilities (LD) living in the District of Columbia in the 3 years since graduating from high school. This research analyzed the young women's experiences in employment, education, community…

  6. Exploratory Evaluation of Audio Email Technology in Formative Assessment Feedback

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Macgregor, George; Spiers, Alex; Taylor, Chris

    2011-01-01

    Formative assessment generates feedback on students' performance, thereby accelerating and improving student learning. Anecdotal evidence gathered by a number of evaluations has hypothesised that audio feedback may be capable of enhancing student learning more than other approaches. In this paper we report on the preliminary findings of a…

  7. Family Concepts in Early Learning and Development Standards

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walsh, Bridget A.; Sanchez, Claudia; Lee, Angela M.; Casillas, Nicole; Hansen, Caitlynn

    2016-01-01

    This exploratory study investigated the use of concepts related to families, parents, and the home in 51 state-level early learning and development standards documents. Guidelines from six national family involvement, engagement, and school-partnership models were used to create the Family Involvement Models Analysis Chart (FIMAC), which served as…

  8. Electronic Information Resources in Undergraduate Education: An Exploratory Study of Opportunities for Student Learning and Independence.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McDowell, Liz

    2002-01-01

    This qualitative interview-based study examines lecturer perspectives on the roles of electronic information resources in undergraduate education. Highlights include electronic academic libraries; changes toward more constructivist approaches to learning; information quality on the Web; plagiarism; information use; information literacy; and…

  9. The Effectiveness of Project-Based Learning on Mathematics Proficiency with African American Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jenkins, Justina

    2017-01-01

    This sequential exploratory mixed methods study addressed the problem of low academic achievement in mathematics, specifically for African American middle school students who historically score below proficient levels on standardized mathematics assessments. The purpose was to investigate the effectiveness of the Project-Based Learning (PBL)…

  10. An Experience-Based Learning Framework: Activities for the Initial Development of Sustainability Competencies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caniglia, Guido; John, Beatrice; Kohler, Martin; Bellina, Leonie; Wiek, Arnim; Rojas, Christopher; Laubichler, Manfred D.; Lang, Daniel

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to present an experience-based learning framework that provides a bottom-up, student-centered entrance point for the development of systems thinking, normative and collaborative competencies in sustainability. Design/methodology/approach: The framework combines mental mapping with exploratory walking. It interweaves…

  11. Students' Knowledge Sources and Knowledge Sharing in the Design Studio--An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chiu, Sheng-Hsiao

    2010-01-01

    Architectural design is a knowledge-intensive activity; however, students frequently lack sufficient knowledge when they practice design. Collaborative learning can supplement the students' insufficient expertise. Successful collaborative learning relies on knowledge sharing between students. This implies that the peers are a considerable design…

  12. Does Tracing Worked Examples Enhance Geometry Learning?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hu, Fang-Tzu; Ginns, Paul; Bobis, Janette

    2014-01-01

    Cognitive load theory seeks to generate novel instructional designs through a focus on human cognitive architecture including a limited working memory; however, the potential for enhancing learning through non-visual or non-auditory working memory channels is yet to be evaluated. This exploratory experiment tested whether explicit instructions to…

  13. Project-Based Learning in International Financial Management

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Young, John H.; Legister, Allison P.

    2018-01-01

    This exploratory study measures the effectiveness of the signature project-based learning model to assess the enhancement of student engagement. The goal of the signature project is to prepare students to apply critical thinking and collaborative skills; making connections between global financial issues and textbook concepts in application to a…

  14. Teaching Emotional Self-Awareness through Inquiry-Based Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Perez, Linda M.

    2011-01-01

    This exploratory case study examined how graduate students' understanding about their own emotions and regulatory patterns influenced their ability to co-regulate young children's emotions. The study also explored the effectiveness of creating a learning context in which the students could learn the value of self-reflection and thoughtful inquiry…

  15. Emotional Responses to Service Learning: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Priesmeyer, H. Richard; Mudge, Suzanne D.; Ward, Stephanie G.

    2016-01-01

    This study measured the emotional responses of students to common service learning activities. Two hypotheses focused on (1) expected changes in the mean emotion scores and (2) expected differences in individual responses. Results showed significant increases in Surprise, Anxiety and Distress and individual differences in Contempt, Disgust and…

  16. A Comparison of Online and Traditional Instructional Delivery Methods on Learning in College Macroeconomics Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rivas, Rodolfo R.

    2009-01-01

    This exploratory study centered its investigation in the participants' responses provided in 2 different instructional teaching delivery methods (traditional and online) that utilized active-like teaching learning techniques (case studies, group projects, threaded discussions, class discussions, office hours, lectures, computerized assignments,…

  17. The effects of environment and ownership on children's innovation of tools and tool material selection.

    PubMed

    Sheridan, Kimberly M; Konopasky, Abigail W; Kirkwood, Sophie; Defeyter, Margaret A

    2016-03-19

    Research indicates that in experimental settings, young children of 3-7 years old are unlikely to devise a simple tool to solve a problem. This series of exploratory studies done in museums in the US and UK explores how environment and ownership of materials may improve children's ability and inclination for (i) tool material selection and (ii) innovation. The first study takes place in a children's museum, an environment where children can use tools and materials freely. We replicated a tool innovation task in this environment and found that while 3-4 year olds showed the predicted low levels of innovation rates, 4-7 year olds showed higher rates of innovation than the younger children and than reported in prior studies. The second study explores the effect of whether the experimental materials are owned by the experimenter or the child on tool selection and innovation. Results showed that 5-6 year olds and 6-7 year olds were more likely to select tool material they owned compared to tool material owned by the experimenter, although ownership had no effect on tool innovation. We argue that learning environments supporting tool exploration and invention and conveying ownership over materials may encourage successful tool innovation at earlier ages. © 2016 The Author(s).

  18. The Pedometer as a Tool to Enrich Science Learning in a Public Health Context

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rye, James A.; Zizzi, Samuel J.; Vitullo, Elizabeth A.; Tompkins, Nancy O'hara

    2005-12-01

    The United States is experiencing an obesity epidemic: A science-technology-society public health issue tied to our built environment, which is characterized by heavy dependence on automobiles and reduced opportunities to walk and bicycle for transportation. This presents an informal science education opportunity within "science in personal and social perspectives'' to use pedometer technology for enhancing students' understandings about human energy balance. An exploratory study was conducted with 29 teachers to investigate how pedometers could be used for providing academic enrichment to secondary students participating in after-school Health Sciences and Technology Academy clubs. Frequency analysis revealed that the pedometer activities often investigated kilocalorie expenditure and/or incorporated hypothesis testing/experimenting. Teachers' perspectives on learning outcomes most frequently conveyed that students increased their awareness of the importance of health habits relative to kilocalorie intake and expenditure. Pedometers have considerable merit for the regular science curriculum as they allow for numerous mathematics applications and inquiry learning and target concepts such as energy and equilibrium that cut across the National Science Education Standards. Pedometers and associated resources on human energy balance are important tools that science teachers can employ in helping schools respond to the national call to prevent childhood obesity.

  19. ‘My Virtual Dream’: Collective Neurofeedback in an Immersive Art Environment

    PubMed Central

    Kovacevic, Natasha; Ritter, Petra; Tays, William; Moreno, Sylvain; McIntosh, Anthony Randal

    2015-01-01

    While human brains are specialized for complex and variable real world tasks, most neuroscience studies reduce environmental complexity, which limits the range of behaviours that can be explored. Motivated to overcome this limitation, we conducted a large-scale experiment with electroencephalography (EEG) based brain-computer interface (BCI) technology as part of an immersive multi-media science-art installation. Data from 523 participants were collected in a single night. The exploratory experiment was designed as a collective computer game where players manipulated mental states of relaxation and concentration with neurofeedback targeting modulation of relative spectral power in alpha and beta frequency ranges. Besides validating robust time-of-night effects, gender differences and distinct spectral power patterns for the two mental states, our results also show differences in neurofeedback learning outcome. The unusually large sample size allowed us to detect unprecedented speed of learning changes in the power spectrum (~ 1 min). Moreover, we found that participants' baseline brain activity predicted subsequent neurofeedback beta training, indicating state-dependent learning. Besides revealing these training effects, which are relevant for BCI applications, our results validate a novel platform engaging art and science and fostering the understanding of brains under natural conditions. PMID:26154513

  20. [Effects of nootropic drugs on behavior of BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice in the exploratory cross-maze test].

    PubMed

    Vasil'eva, E V; Salimov, R M; Kovalev, G I

    2012-01-01

    Exploratory behavior, locomotor activity, and anxiety in inbred mice of C57BL/6 and BALB/c strains subchronically treated with placebo or various types of nootropic (cognition enhancing) drugs (piracetam, phenotropil, noopept, semax, pantogam, nooglutil) have been evaluated using the exploratory cross-maze test. It was found that BALB/c mice in comparison to C57BL/6 mice are characterized by greater anxiety and lower efficiency of exploratory behavior in the previously unfamiliar environment. All tested drugs clearly improved the exploratory behavior in BALB/c mice only. In BALB/c mice, piracetam, phenotropil, noopept, and semax also reduced anxiety, while phenotropil additionally increased locomotor activity. Thus, the nootropic drugs displayed clear positive modulation of spontaneous orientation in the mice strain with initially low exploratory efficiency (BALB/c) in the cross-maze test. Some drugs (pantogam, nooglutil) exhibited only nootropic properties, while the other drugs exhibited both nootropic effects on the exploratory activity and produced modulation of the anxiety level (piracetam, fenotropil, noopept, semax) and locomotor activity (fenotropil).

  1. What's Happening in "Their Space"? Exploring the Borders of Formal and Informal Learning with Undergraduate Students of Education in the Age of Mobile Technologies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Andrews, Jane; Jones, Mark

    2015-01-01

    The changing nature of teaching and learning in an age of accessible technologies provides challenges and opportunities for the design of learning events. Working with a sample of undergraduate students of education in one UK higher education institution we use an exploratory, qualitative approach to investigate students' spontaneous uses of their…

  2. A Comparison of Classroom and Online Asynchronous Problem-Based Learning for Students Undertaking Statistics Training as Part of a Public Health Masters Degree

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Jong, N.; Verstegen, D. M. L.; Tan, F. E. S.; O'Connor, S. J.

    2013-01-01

    This case-study compared traditional, face-to-face classroom-based teaching with asynchronous online learning and teaching methods in two sets of students undertaking a problem-based learning module in the multilevel and exploratory factor analysis of longitudinal data as part of a Masters degree in Public Health at Maastricht University. Students…

  3. An Exploratory Study of the Language-Learning Style Preferences of Iranian EFL High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ramezani, Afsaneh Effatdokht; Dehgahi, Meysam; Hashemi, Hanie

    2015-01-01

    This study explored the learning style preferences of 40 Iranian students at Marefat Iranian high school in Kuala Lumpur of which, 20 are females and 20 are males. To this end, this study used structured interview to elicit in-depth information from the students. The results of the study showed that learning style preferences of Iranian students…

  4. Teaching Science to Students with Learning and Other Disabilities: A Review of Topics and Subtopics Appearing in Experimental Research 1991-2015

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vavougios, Dionisios; Verevi, Alkistis; Papalexopoulos, Panagiotis F.; Verevi, Crystallia-Ioanna; Panagopoulou, Athanasia

    2016-01-01

    This article reviews 24 years of research focused on science education for students with learning and other disabilities. Our results are based on 53 articles from 2 relevant databases. We hereby present and discuss the results of the most popular topics investigated, which include: constructivism, exploratory learning, hands-on activities,…

  5. Blended Learning as a Potentially Winning Combination of Face-to-Face and Online Learning: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Auster, Carol J.

    2016-01-01

    Blended learning, in the form of screencasts to be viewed online outside of class, was incorporated into three sections of an introductory sociology course in a liberal arts college setting. The screencasts were used to introduce concepts and theories to provide more time for discussion in class and more opportunity for students to review concepts…

  6. IceCube Polar Virtual Reality exhibit: immersive learning for learners of all ages

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Madsen, J.; Bravo Gallart, S.; Chase, A.; Dougherty, P.; Gagnon, D.; Pronto, K.; Rush, M.; Tredinnick, R.

    2017-12-01

    The IceCube Polar Virtual Reality project is an innovative, interactive exhibit that explains the operation and science of a flagship experiment in polar research, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. The exhibit allows users to travel from the South Pole, where the detector is located, to the furthest reaches of the universe, learning how the detection of high-energy neutrinos has opened a new view to the universe. This novel exhibit combines a multitouch tabletop display system and commercially available virtual reality (VR) head-mounted displays to enable informal STEM learning of polar research. The exhibit, launched in early November 2017 during the Wisconsin Science Festival in Madison, WI, will study how immersive VR can enhance informal STEM learning. The foundation of this project is built upon a strong collaborative effort between the Living Environments Laboratory (LEL), the Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center (WIPAC), and the Field Day Laboratory groups from the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. The project is funded through an NSF Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) grant, under a special call for engaging students and the public in polar research. This exploratory pathways project seeks to build expertise to allow future extensions. The plan is to submit a subsequent AISL Broad Implementation proposal to add more 3D environments for other Antarctic research topics and locations in the future. We will describe the current implementation of the project and discuss the challenges and opportunities of working with an interdisciplinary team of scientists and technology and education researchers. We will also present preliminary assessment results, which seek to answer questions such as: Did users gain a better understanding of IceCube research from interacting with the exhibit? Do both technologies (touch table and VR headset) provide the same level of engagement? Is one technology better suited for specific learning outcomes?

  7. Cross-species assessments of motor and exploratory behavior related to bipolar disorder.

    PubMed

    Henry, Brook L; Minassian, Arpi; Young, Jared W; Paulus, Martin P; Geyer, Mark A; Perry, William

    2010-07-01

    Alterations in exploratory behavior are a fundamental feature of bipolar mania, typically characterized as motor hyperactivity and increased goal-directed behavior in response to environmental cues. In contrast, abnormal exploration associated with schizophrenia and depression can manifest as prominent withdrawal, limited motor activity, and inattention to the environment. While motor abnormalities are cited frequently as clinical manifestations of these disorders, relatively few empirical studies have quantified human exploratory behavior. This article reviews the literature characterizing motor and exploratory behavior associated with bipolar disorder and genetic and pharmacological animal models of the illness. Despite sophisticated assessment of exploratory behavior in rodents, objective quantification of human motor activity has been limited primarily to actigraphy studies with poor cross-species translational value. Furthermore, symptoms that reflect the cardinal features of bipolar disorder have proven difficult to establish in putative animal models of this illness. Recently, however, novel tools such as the human behavioral pattern monitor provide multivariate translational measures of motor and exploratory activity, enabling improved understanding of the neurobiology underlying psychiatric disorders.

  8. Prenatal stress exposure alters postnatal behavioral expression under conditions of novelty challenge in rhesus monkey infants.

    PubMed

    Schneider, M L

    1992-11-01

    This prospective study investigated whether mild maternal stress during pregnancy could alter the behavioral and affective responses in rhesus monkey infants in a complex, novel environment. Twenty-four rhesus monkey infants were tested on three occasions at 6 months of age in a novel environment. Twelve infants were derived from mothers exposed to a daily 10-min mild stressor from Day 90 to Day 145 postconception, while 12 were derived from mothers undisturbed during pregnancy. Prenatally stressed infants demonstrated more disturbance behavior, and lower levels of gross motor/exploratory behavior. Moreover, half of the prenatally stressed infants showed an abnormal response, falling asleep, while none of the control infants displayed this behavior. Males exhibited more clinging to surrogates, while females spent more time in gross motor/exploratory behaviors, with prenatally stressed males tending to spend the least time in gross motor/exploratory activity.

  9. A qualitative, exploratory study of predominantly female parental perceptions of consumer health technology use by their overweight and/or obese female adolescent participating in a fee-based 4-week weight-management intervention.

    PubMed

    Knoblock-Hahn, Amy L; LeRouge, Cynthia M

    2014-04-01

    Consumer health technologies (CHTs) are a growing part of the continuum of care for self-management of overweight and obesity. Parents positively or negatively influence adolescent weight-management efforts and are especially important throughout continuum of care settings. User-centered design (UCD) applications have been developed to assist primary users, such as adolescents, with their weight management, but less is known about the influence of parents as secondary users across many socio-ecological environments. The purpose of this study was to use the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to inform the design of a UCD application in a qualitative study that sought to determine parental views on how technology can support previously learned behaviors that require ongoing management and support beyond formal lifestyle interventions. Parents of overweight and obese adolescents (n=14) were interviewed about perceived usefulness and planned user-intent of CHT that was designed for adolescents. UTAUT provided theoretical parental constructs (intention, performance and effort expectancy, and social influence) interactions within several socio-ecological contexts, including the home food environment and restaurant dining experiences. Although generalizations of this qualitative study are limited by a small sample size with predominantly mothers (n=13) of overweight and obese daughters (n=12), the exploratory inquiry using a parent as a secondary consumer user can complement the adoption of applications designed by adolescents. Copyright © 2014 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Exploratory behavior is linked to stress physiology and social network centrality in free-living house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus).

    PubMed

    Moyers, Sahnzi C; Adelman, James S; Farine, Damien R; Moore, Ignacio T; Hawley, Dana M

    2018-06-01

    Animal personality has been linked to individual variation in both stress physiology and social behaviors, but few studies have simultaneously examined covariation between personality traits, stress hormone levels, and behaviors in free-living animals. We investigated relationships between exploratory behavior (one aspect of animal personality), stress physiology, and social and foraging behaviors in wild house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus). We conducted novel environment assays after collecting samples of baseline and stress-induced plasma corticosterone concentrations from a subset of house finches. We then fitted individuals with Passive Integrated Transponder tags and monitored feeder use and social interactions at radio-frequency identification equipped bird feeders. First, we found that individuals with higher baseline corticosterone concentrations exhibit more exploratory behaviors in a novel environment. Second, more exploratory individuals interacted with more unique conspecifics in the wild, though this result was stronger for female than for male house finches. Third, individuals that were quick to begin exploring interacted more frequently with conspecifics than slow-exploring individuals. Finally, exploratory behaviors were unrelated to foraging behaviors, including the amount of time spent on bird feeders, a behavior previously shown to be predictive of acquiring a bacterial disease that causes annual epidemics in house finches. Overall, our results indicate that individual differences in exploratory behavior are linked to variation in both stress physiology and social network traits in free-living house finches. Such covariation has important implications for house finch ecology, as both traits can contribute to fitness in the wild. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Active Collaborative Learning through Remote Tutoring

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gehret, Austin U.; Elliot, Lisa B.; MacDonald, Jonathan H. C.

    2017-01-01

    An exploratory case study approach was used to describe remote tutoring in biochemistry and general chemistry with students who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH). Data collected for analysis were based on the observations of the participant tutor. The research questions guiding this study included (1) How is active learning accomplished in…

  12. Teaching Undergraduate Marketing Students Using "Hot Seating through Puppetry": An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pearce, Glenn; Hardiman, Nigel

    2012-01-01

    Changes in preferred methods of learning among many students in recent years have challenged educators to introduce more interactive and experiential teaching methods. "Hot seating"--where a person, such as an invited subject expert is interviewed by an audience--is a well-established interactive method of learning, but is often limited…

  13. Engaging Students in Higher Education through Mobile Learning: Lessons Learnt in a Chinese Entrepreneurship Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Menkhoff, Thomas; Bengtsson, Magnus Lars

    2012-01-01

    This evaluative-exploratory case study reports pedagogical experiences with using mobiles phones, wikis, and other mobile learning approaches such as podcasts and walking tours as educational tools in the context of an undergraduate course on Chinese Entrepreneurship and Asian Business Networks taught at a university in Singapore. Conceptualized…

  14. Podcasting as Complement to Graduate Teaching: Does It Accommodate Adult Learning Theories?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Luna, Gaye; Cullen, Deborah

    2011-01-01

    Technology in higher education has exploded within the last decade, as educators become more knowledgeable about its uses and students become more demanding of access and convenience to teaching and learning. This article shares results of an exploratory study that determined graduate students' perceptions of podcasting access and utility in…

  15. Willingness of Nurses to Learn with the Use of Technology: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Investigation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pilcher, Jobeth

    2010-01-01

    An increasing number of technologically enhanced tools are becoming available to meet the ongoing professional development needs of nurses. Only a few studies have addressed nurses' willingness to learn with technology, resulting in the problem of inadequate evidence to guide best practices for technology incorporation into nursing professional…

  16. E-Learning Adoption: The Role of Relative Advantages, Trialability and Academic Specialisation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hsbollah, Hafizah Mohamad; Idris, Kamil Md.

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate Universiti Utara Malaysia UUM lecturers' perception of the decision regarding adopting e-learning as a teaching tool. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 244 lecturers in Universiti Utara Malaysia. Internal consistency using Cronbach alpha and exploratory factor analysis with…

  17. Learning Mathematics by Designing, Programming, and Investigating with Interactive, Dynamic Computer-Based Objects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marshall, Neil; Buteau, Chantal

    2014-01-01

    As part of their undergraduate mathematics curriculum, students at Brock University learn to create and use computer-based tools with dynamic, visual interfaces, called Exploratory Objects, developed for the purpose of conducting pure or applied mathematical investigations. A student's Development Process Model of creating and using an Exploratory…

  18. Sewing for a Cause: Implementing and Evaluating Service-Learning in a Clothing Construction Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Freeman, Charles; Kobia, Caroline

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this exploratory investigation is to examine the use of a pedagogical framework to guide the development of a successful service-learning project within a technical program (clothing construction) as determined by increased student engagement and qualitative feedback. This investigation uses student reflection comparisons to assess…

  19. Designing Websites for Learning and Enjoyment: A Study of Museum Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lin, Aleck C. H.; Gregor, Shirley

    2006-01-01

    This study reports on an exploratory research study that examined the design of websites that encourage both learning and enjoyment. This study examines museum websites that offer educational materials. As part of their mission, most museums provide the general public with educational materials for study and enjoyment. Many museums use the…

  20. Measuring Student Learning in Social Justice Courses: The Diversity and Oppression Scale

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Windsor, Liliane Cambraia; Shorkey, Clay; Battle, DuWayne

    2015-01-01

    The Diversity and Oppression Scale (DOS) is a standardized instrument measuring self-reported student learning about diversity and oppression based on requirements of the Council on Social Work Education. DOS was tested with social work students in 2 major North American universities. Factor structure was examined using exploratory factor analysis…

  1. Learning as Community Service: Thinking with New Media

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hughes, Janette; Gadanidis, George

    2010-01-01

    This paper is exploratory in nature and our research goal is to develop a conceptualization of "learning as community service" in a new media context. The setting for the study is an after-school program involving middle school children in a First Nations community. In the after-school program, children developed knowledge about (1) their…

  2. An Exploratory Study of Intimate Relationship Socialization among Black Collegiate Women

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shipley, Ahlishia J'Nae

    2011-01-01

    The pathways through which individuals learn to appraise and behave in intimate relationships greatly influence the quality and stability of their relationships. Research on intimate relationships among college students guided by a socialization framework focusing on learning and ways of viewing relationships is limited. The purpose of the present…

  3. Conceptualising Teachers' Professional Learning with Web 2.0

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burden, Kevin John

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: This paper seeks to identify and develop an exploratory framework for conceptualising how teachers might use the affordances of Web 2.0 technologies to support their own professional learning. Design/methodology/approach: The paper draws on a large corpus of literature and recent research evidence to identify the principal elements and…

  4. E-Learning Revolutionise Education: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gul, Showkeen Bilal Ahmad

    2015-01-01

    The focus of the paper is to explore how e-learning revolutionises education. Education is one domain that has accompanied civilization throughout the centuries, adapting its tools to fulfill the expectations of students and the needs of teachers. One of the basic requirements for education in the 21st century is to prepare populations for…

  5. Using Best Practices in Online Discussion and Assessment to Enhance Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fleming, Debra L.

    2008-01-01

    The primary purpose of this exploratory study is to provide insight on how to use online discussions to foster collaborative learning and how to design assessment processes to evaluate the effectiveness of those discussions. This study focuses on the pedagogical role of discussion, effective practices in discussion, guidelines for creating…

  6. Approach to the Phenomenon of M-Learning in English Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    García, Sergio; Fombona, Javier

    2015-01-01

    This research analyzes the situation of mobile devices and some specific options of support for the teaching of the English language. The features of this complex and novel phenomenon of Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) are addressed with an exploratory descriptive methodology. The article is part of a more extensive research which deals…

  7. Understanding and Changing Older Adults' Perceptions and Learning of Social Media

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xie, Bo; Watkins, Ivan; Golbeck, Jen; Huang, Man

    2012-01-01

    An exploratory study was conducted to answer the following questions: What are older adults' perceptions of social media? What educational strategies can facilitate their learning of social media? A thematic map was developed to illustrate changing perceptions from the initial unanimous, strong negative to the more positive but cautious, and to…

  8. Diversity and Inclusion of Sociopolitical Issues in Foreign Language Classrooms: An Exploratory Survey.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kubota, Ryuko; Austin, Theresa; Saito-Abbott, Yoshiko

    2003-01-01

    Investigated diversity in the classroom, student background and learning experiences, and perceptions about the relationship between foreign language learning and issues of race, gender, class, and social justice among university students studying Spanish, Japanese, and Swahili. Found more racial diversity in Japanese and Swahili classes and in…

  9. Instructor Training and Instructional Design in Online Courses Using Group Work

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gibson, Patricia K.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this exploratory multi-case study was to examine the role of instructional design and instructor training on student learning outcomes and student satisfaction within the online class using group work, a form of collaborative learning. Group work has been strongly recommended for online classes. Data allowing insight into…

  10. Online Software Applications for Learning: Observations from an Elementary School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tay, Lee Yong; Lim, Cher Ping; Nair, Shanthi Suraj; Lim, Siew Khiaw

    2014-01-01

    This exploratory case study research describes the integration of Information Communication Technology (ICT) into the teaching and learning of English, mathematics and science in an elementary school in Singapore. The school in this case study research is one of the first primary-level future schools that was set up under the…

  11. Lasers. 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 document contains the materials required for presenting an 8-day competency-based technology learning activity (TLA) designed to introduce students in grades 6-10 to advances and career opportunities in the field of laser technology. The guide uses a series of hands-on exploratory experiences into which activities to help students develop…

  12. What Online Networks Offer: "Online Network Compositions and Online Learning Experiences of Three Ethnic Groups"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lecluijze, Suzanne Elisabeth; de Haan, Mariëtte; Ünlüsoy, Asli

    2015-01-01

    This exploratory study examines ethno-cultural diversity in youth's narratives regarding their "online" learning experiences while also investigating how these narratives can be understood from the analysis of their online network structure and composition. Based on ego-network data of 79 respondents this study compared the…

  13. Using a Simulation Game to Make Learning about Angles Meaningful. An Exploratory Study in Primary School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Piu, Angela; Fregola, Cesare; Santoro, Anna

    2016-01-01

    As indicated in numerous research studies, schoolchildren encounter many difficulties and obstacles in learning the multifaceted concept of the angle. In order to explore the possibility of enhancing schoolchildren's understanding of such a concept, the authors present a study that aims at investigating some structural characteristics of…

  14. Students' Motivations for Voluntary Remedial Learning in High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pelletier, Daniel; Green-Demers, Isabelle; Lafleur, Karine

    2013-01-01

    Most high schools offer remedial learning sessions to their students; however, very little is known about the perception of these activities, especially with regards to the students' motivations. In order to gain insights into both topics, an exploratory study was conducted within a sample of 1388 high school students in the Province of Quebec…

  15. Using Popular Movies in Teaching Cross-Cultural Management

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pandey, Satish

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: The present study aims to understand context and dynamics of cognitive learning of students as an outcome of the usage of popular movies as a learning tool in the management classroom and specifically in the context of a course on cross-cultural management issues. Design/methodology/approach: This is an exploratory study based on…

  16. Innovating Science Teaching with a Transformative Learning Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gudiño Paredes, Sandra

    2018-01-01

    This exploratory study aimed to describe the impact of the 'Science in Family project', as a transformative learning model for science teachers trying to improve student's attitudes toward STEM subjects. This study took place in a public elementary school in Monterrey, Mexico, which has been developing this project for more than thirteen years…

  17. Revealing Layered Mathematical Learning Goals through an Examination of Mindset

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Willingham, James C.

    2017-01-01

    This exploratory case study investigated the role of mindset in the establishment of an elementary teacher's mathematical learning goals at different layers of her classroom and curriculum. Data from the critical case of a teacher displaying characteristics of the growth mindset and engaging in the processes of teaching change provided evidence…

  18. Exploring Dimensions of Social Inclusion among Alternative Learning Centres in the USA

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henderson, Dawn X.; Barnes, Rachelle Redmond

    2016-01-01

    Increasing disparities in out-of-school suspension and dropout rates have led a number of school districts to develop alternative models of education to include alternative learning centres (ALCs). Using an exploratory mixed methods design, this study explores dimensions of social inclusion among ALCs, located in the southeastern region of the…

  19. Known and Unknown Weaknesses in Software Animated Demonstrations (Screencasts): A Study in Self-Paced Learning Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Palaigeorgiou, George; Despotakis, Theofanis

    2010-01-01

    Learning about computers continues to be regarded as a rather informal and complex landscape dominated by individual exploratory and opportunistic approaches, even for students and instructors in Computer Science Departments. During the last two decades, software animated demonstrations (SADs), also known as screencasts, have attracted particular…

  20. Identity Development of Youth during Participation at an Informal Science Education Camp

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Riedinger, Kelly

    2015-01-01

    In this exploratory case study, I investigated the ways that youth engaged in negotiating their identity during learning conversations at an informal science education camp. In particular, I was interested in exploring the ways that youth positioned themselves within their learning group and how this influenced their identities as learners of…

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