Sample records for higher order learning

  1. Appreciation of learning environment and development of higher-order learning skills in a problem-based learning medical curriculum.

    PubMed

    Mala-Maung; Abdullah, Azman; Abas, Zoraini W

    2011-12-01

    This cross-sectional study determined the appreciation of the learning environment and development of higher-order learning skills among students attending the Medical Curriculum at the International Medical University, Malaysia which provides traditional and e-learning resources with an emphasis on problem based learning (PBL) and self-directed learning. Of the 708 participants, the majority preferred traditional to e-resources. Students who highly appreciated PBL demonstrated a higher appreciation of e-resources. Appreciation of PBL is positively and significantly correlated with higher-order learning skills, reflecting the inculcation of self-directed learning traits. Implementers must be sensitive to the progress of learners adapting to the higher education environment and innovations, and to address limitations as relevant.

  2. Promoting Higher Order Thinking Skills Using Inquiry-Based Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Madhuri, G. V.; Kantamreddi, V. S. S. N; Prakash Goteti, L. N. S.

    2012-01-01

    Active learning pedagogies play an important role in enhancing higher order cognitive skills among the student community. In this work, a laboratory course for first year engineering chemistry is designed and executed using an inquiry-based learning pedagogical approach. The goal of this module is to promote higher order thinking skills in…

  3. Neural Classifiers for Learning Higher-Order Correlations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Güler, Marifi

    1999-01-01

    Studies by various authors suggest that higher-order networks can be more powerful and are biologically more plausible with respect to the more traditional multilayer networks. These architectures make explicit use of nonlinear interactions between input variables in the form of higher-order units or product units. If it is known a priori that the problem to be implemented possesses a given set of invariances like in the translation, rotation, and scale invariant pattern recognition problems, those invariances can be encoded, thus eliminating all higher-order terms which are incompatible with the invariances. In general, however, it is a serious set-back that the complexity of learning increases exponentially with the size of inputs. This paper reviews higher-order networks and introduces an implicit representation in which learning complexity is mainly decided by the number of higher-order terms to be learned and increases only linearly with the input size.

  4. Encouraging Higher-Order Thinking in General Chemistry by Scaffolding Student Learning Using Marzano's Taxonomy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Toledo, Santiago; Dubas, Justin M.

    2016-01-01

    An emphasis on higher-order thinking within the curriculum has been a subject of interest in the chemical and STEM literature due to its ability to promote meaningful, transferable learning in students. The systematic use of learning taxonomies could be a practical way to scaffold student learning in order to achieve this goal. This work proposes…

  5. Asking a Great Question: A Librarian Teaches Questioning Skills to First-Year Medical Students.

    PubMed

    Adams, Nancy E

    2015-01-01

    In a single one-hour session, first-year medical students were taught a framework for differentiating between lower-order questions that lead to knowledge of facts and higher-order questions that lead to integration of concepts and deeper learning, thereby preparing them for problem-based learning (PBL). Students generated lists of questions in response to an assertion prompt and categorized them according to Bloom's Taxonomy. These data were analyzed in addition to data from the course exam, which asked them to formulate a higher-level question in response to a prompt. Categorizing questions according to Bloom's Taxonomy was a more difficult task for students than was formulating higher-order questions. Students reported that the skills that they learned were used in subsequent PBL sessions to formulate higher-order learning objectives that integrated new and previously-learned concepts.

  6. Strategic Learning in Youth with Traumatic Brain Injury: Evidence for Stall in Higher-Order Cognition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gamino, Jacquelyn F.; Chapman, Sandra B.; Cook, Lori G.

    2009-01-01

    Little is known about strategic learning ability in preteens and adolescents with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Strategic learning is the ability to combine and synthesize details to form abstracted gist-based meanings, a higher-order cognitive skill associated with frontal lobe functions and higher classroom performance. Summarization tasks were…

  7. An Investigation of Higher-Order Thinking Skills in Smaller Learning Community Social Studies Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fischer, Christopher; Bol, Linda; Pribesh, Shana

    2011-01-01

    This study investigated the extent to which higher-order thinking skills are promoted in social studies classes in high schools that are implementing smaller learning communities (SLCs). Data collection in this mixed-methods study included classroom observations and in-depth interviews. Findings indicated that higher-order thinking was rarely…

  8. The influence of discovery learning model application to the higher order thinking skills student of Srijaya Negara Senior High School Palembang on the animal kingdom subject matter

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Riandari, F.; Susanti, R.; Suratmi

    2018-05-01

    This study aimed to find out the information in concerning the influence of discovery learning model application to the higher order thinking skills at the tenth grade students of Srijaya Negara senior high school Palembang on the animal kingdom subject matter. The research method used was pre-experimental with one-group pretest-posttest design. The researchconducted at Srijaya Negara senior high school Palembang academic year 2016/2017. The population sample of this research was tenth grade students of natural science 2. Purposive sampling techniquewas applied in this research. Data was collected by(1) the written test, consist of pretest to determine the initial ability and posttest to determine higher order thinking skills of students after learning by using discovery learning models. (2) Questionnaire sheet, aimed to investigate the response of the students during the learning process by using discovery learning models. The t-test result indicated there was significant increasement of higher order thinking skills students. Thus, it can be concluded that the application of discovery learning modelhad a significant effect and increased to higher order thinking skills students of Srijaya Negara senior high school Palembang on the animal kingdom subject matter.

  9. The Evaluation of Reflective Learning Practice: Preparing College Students for Globalization

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richard, Cathleen Becnel

    2010-01-01

    A problem facing education today is that learning typically requires rote memorization rather than the use of higher-order thinking skills. Higher-order thinking is needed in a global society to solve real world problems, therefore students should be required to develop and practice higher-order thinking skills. The purpose of this mixed method…

  10. Community of inquiry model: advancing distance learning in nurse anesthesia education.

    PubMed

    Pecka, Shannon L; Kotcherlakota, Suhasini; Berger, Ann M

    2014-06-01

    The number of distance education courses offered by nurse anesthesia programs has increased substantially. Emerging distance learning trends must be researched to ensure high-quality education for student registered nurse anesthetists. However, research to examine distance learning has been hampered by a lack of theoretical models. This article introduces the Community of Inquiry model for use in nurse anesthesia education. This model has been used for more than a decade to guide and research distance learning in higher education. A major strength of this model learning. However, it lacks applicability to the development of higher order thinking for student registered nurse anesthetists. Thus, a new derived Community of Inquiry model was designed to improve these students' higher order thinking in distance learning. The derived model integrates Bloom's revised taxonomy into the original Community of Inquiry model and provides a means to design, evaluate, and research higher order thinking in nurse anesthesia distance education courses.

  11. 48 CFR 552.238-78 - Scope of Contract (Eligible Ordering Activities).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... educational agency or institution of higher learning). (e) Articles or services may be ordered from time to... (including any local educational agency or institution of higher learning). State and local government...

  12. Active Learning through Online Quizzes: Better Learning and Less (Busy) Work

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cook, Brian Robert; Babon, Andrea

    2017-01-01

    Active learning is increasingly promoted within institutions of higher education to assist students develop higher order thinking and link knowledge to meaning. In this paper, the authors evaluate the use of weekly online quizzes based on prescribed preparatory material as a tool to incentivize preparatory reading in order to enable and encourage…

  13. Tracking Skill Acquisition with Cognitive Diagnosis Models: A Higher-Order, Hidden Markov Model with Covariates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Shiyu; Yang, Yan; Culpepper, Steven Andrew; Douglas, Jeffrey A.

    2018-01-01

    A family of learning models that integrates a cognitive diagnostic model and a higher-order, hidden Markov model in one framework is proposed. This new framework includes covariates to model skill transition in the learning environment. A Bayesian formulation is adopted to estimate parameters from a learning model. The developed methods are…

  14. Is Statistical Learning Constrained by Lower Level Perceptual Organization?

    PubMed Central

    Emberson, Lauren L.; Liu, Ran; Zevin, Jason D.

    2013-01-01

    In order for statistical information to aid in complex developmental processes such as language acquisition, learning from higher-order statistics (e.g. across successive syllables in a speech stream to support segmentation) must be possible while perceptual abilities (e.g. speech categorization) are still developing. The current study examines how perceptual organization interacts with statistical learning. Adult participants were presented with multiple exemplars from novel, complex sound categories designed to reflect some of the spectral complexity and variability of speech. These categories were organized into sequential pairs and presented such that higher-order statistics, defined based on sound categories, could support stream segmentation. Perceptual similarity judgments and multi-dimensional scaling revealed that participants only perceived three perceptual clusters of sounds and thus did not distinguish the four experimenter-defined categories, creating a tension between lower level perceptual organization and higher-order statistical information. We examined whether the resulting pattern of learning is more consistent with statistical learning being “bottom-up,” constrained by the lower levels of organization, or “top-down,” such that higher-order statistical information of the stimulus stream takes priority over the perceptual organization, and perhaps influences perceptual organization. We consistently find evidence that learning is constrained by perceptual organization. Moreover, participants generalize their learning to novel sounds that occupy a similar perceptual space, suggesting that statistical learning occurs based on regions of or clusters in perceptual space. Overall, these results reveal a constraint on learning of sound sequences, such that statistical information is determined based on lower level organization. These findings have important implications for the role of statistical learning in language acquisition. PMID:23618755

  15. A Long-Term Experiment to Investigate the Relationships between High School Students' Perceptions of Mobile Learning and Peer Interaction and Higher-Order Thinking Tendencies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hwang, Gwo-Jen; Lai, Chiu-Lin; Liang, Jyh-Chong; Chu, Hui-Chun; Tsai, Chin-Chung

    2018-01-01

    In this study, a one-year program was conducted to investigate the relationships between students' perceptions of mobile learning and their tendencies of peer interaction and higher-order thinking in issue-based mobile learning activities. To achieve the research objective, a survey consisting of eight scales, namely, usability, continuity,…

  16. Assessing High Order Thinking of Students Participating in the "WISE" Project in Israel.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tal, Revital; Hochberg, Nurit

    2003-01-01

    Studied the higher order thinking of 53 Israeli ninth graders in 3 schools using the Web-Based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE) learning environment to study about malaria. Findings show that all students used higher order thinking skills and that their English was good enough to use the WISE learning environment in the Israeli setting. (SLD)

  17. Computer-Mediated Assessment of Higher-Order Thinking Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tilchin, Oleg; Raiyn, Jamal

    2015-01-01

    Solving complicated problems in a contemporary knowledge-based society requires higher-order thinking (HOT). The most productive way to encourage development of HOT in students is through use of the Problem-based Learning (PBL) model. This model organizes learning by solving corresponding problems relative to study courses. Students are directed…

  18. Confucian and Western Teaching and Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Victor C. X.; Torrisi-Steele, Geraldine

    2015-01-01

    The authors of this article consider Western teaching and learning alongside Confucian teaching and learning through reviewing the literature. The paper emphasizes that we must teach lower order thinking skills first before we teach higher order thinking skills, and confirms that rote learning and memorization precede critical thinking and…

  19. Developing Higher Order Reading Comprehension Skills in the Learning Disabled Student: A Non-Basal Approach.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Solomon, Sheila

    This practicum study evaluated a non-basal, multidisciplinary, multisensory approach to teaching higher order reading comprehension skills to eight fifth-grade learning-disabled students from low socioeconomic minority group backgrounds. The four comprehension skills were: (1) identifying the main idea; (2) determining cause and effect; (3) making…

  20. Higher-Order Thinking Development through Adaptive Problem-Based Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Raiyn, Jamal; Tilchin, Oleg

    2015-01-01

    In this paper we propose an approach to organizing Adaptive Problem-Based Learning (PBL) leading to the development of Higher-Order Thinking (HOT) skills and collaborative skills in students. Adaptability of PBL is expressed by changes in fixed instructor assessments caused by the dynamics of developing HOT skills needed for problem solving,…

  1. Reexamining the Literature: The Impact of Peer Tutoring on Higher Order Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morano, Stephanie; Riccomini, Paul J.

    2017-01-01

    The body of peer-tutoring intervention research targeting higher order learning (HOL) objectives for middle and high school students with disabilities is reviewed. Peer-tutoring outcomes are synthesized and studies are analyzed to examine the influence of tutoring procedures and study design features on intervention efficacy. Findings show that…

  2. Multiple-Try Feedback and Higher-Order Learning Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clariana, Roy B.; Koul, Ravinder

    2005-01-01

    Although feedback is an important component of computer-based instruction (CBI), the effects of feedback on higher-order learning outcomes are not well understood. Several meta-analyses provide two rules of thumb: any feedback is better than no feedback and feedback with more information is better than feedback with less information. …

  3. Effect of Demographic Factors on E-Learning Effectiveness in a Higher Learning Institution in Malaysia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Islam, Md. Aminul; Rahim, Noor Asliza Abdul; Liang, Tan Chee; Momtaz, Hasina

    2011-01-01

    This research attempted to find out the effect of demographic factors on the effectiveness of the e-learning system in a higher learning Institution. The students from this institution were randomly selected in order to evaluate the effectiveness of learning system in student's learning process. The primary data source is the questionnaires that…

  4. Website Analysis as a Tool for Task-Based Language Learning and Higher Order Thinking in an EFL Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roy, Debopriyo

    2014-01-01

    Besides focusing on grammar, writing skills, and web-based language learning, researchers in "CALL" and second language acquisition have also argued for the importance of promoting higher-order thinking skills in ESL (English as Second Language) and EFL (English as Foreign Language) classrooms. There is solid evidence supporting the…

  5. Research on Interventions for Adolescents with Learning Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis of Outcomes Related to Higher-Order Processing.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Swanson, H. Lee

    2001-01-01

    Details meta-analysis of 58 intervention studies related to higher-order processing (i.e., problem solving) for adolescents with learning disabilities. Discusses factors that increased effect sizes: (1) measures of metacognition and text understanding; (2) instruction including advanced organizers, new skills, and extended practice; and (3)…

  6. Developing Contextual Mathematical Thinking Learning Model to Enhance Higher-Order Thinking Ability for Middle School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Samo, Damianus D.; Darhim; Kartasasmita, Bana

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this research is to develop contextual mathematical thinking learning model which is valid, practical and effective based on the theoretical reviews and its support to enhance higher-order thinking ability. This study is a research and development (R & D) with three main phases: investigation, development, and implementation.…

  7. Learning and cognition in insects.

    PubMed

    Giurfa, Martin

    2015-01-01

    Insects possess small brains but exhibit sophisticated behavioral performances. Recent works have reported the existence of unsuspected cognitive capabilities in various insect species, which go beyond the traditional studied framework of simple associative learning. In this study, I focus on capabilities such as attention, social learning, individual recognition, concept learning, and metacognition, and discuss their presence and mechanistic bases in insects. I analyze whether these behaviors can be explained on the basis of elemental associative learning or, on the contrary, require higher-order explanations. In doing this, I highlight experimental challenges and suggest future directions for investigating the neurobiology of higher-order learning in insects, with the goal of uncovering l architectures underlying cognitive processing. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  8. Promoting higher order thinking skills using inquiry-based learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Madhuri, G. V.; S. S. N Kantamreddi, V.; Goteti, L. N. S. Prakash

    2012-05-01

    Active learning pedagogies play an important role in enhancing higher order cognitive skills among the student community. In this work, a laboratory course for first year engineering chemistry is designed and executed using an inquiry-based learning pedagogical approach. The goal of this module is to promote higher order thinking skills in chemistry. Laboratory exercises are designed based on Bloom's taxonomy and a just-in-time facilitation approach is used. A pre-laboratory discussion outlining the theory of the experiment and its relevance is carried out to enable the students to analyse real-life problems. The performance of the students is assessed based on their ability to perform the experiment, design new experiments and correlate practical utility of the course module with real life. The novelty of the present approach lies in the fact that the learning outcomes of the existing experiments are achieved through establishing a relationship with real-world problems.

  9. First-order and higher order sequence learning in specific language impairment.

    PubMed

    Clark, Gillian M; Lum, Jarrad A G

    2017-02-01

    A core claim of the procedural deficit hypothesis of specific language impairment (SLI) is that the disorder is associated with poor implicit sequence learning. This study investigated whether implicit sequence learning problems in SLI are present for first-order conditional (FOC) and higher order conditional (HOC) sequences. Twenty-five children with SLI and 27 age-matched, nonlanguage-impaired children completed 2 serial reaction time tasks. On 1 version, the sequence to be implicitly learnt comprised a FOC sequence and on the other a HOC sequence. Results showed that the SLI group learned the HOC sequence (η p ² = .285, p = .005) but not the FOC sequence (η p ² = .099, p = .118). The control group learned both sequences (FOC η p ² = .497, HOC η p 2= .465, ps < .001). The SLI group's difficulty learning the FOC sequence is consistent with the procedural deficit hypothesis. However, the study provides new evidence that multiple mechanisms may underpin the learning of FOC and HOC sequences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  10. Higher-order neural network software for distortion invariant object recognition

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Reid, Max B.; Spirkovska, Lilly

    1991-01-01

    The state-of-the-art in pattern recognition for such applications as automatic target recognition and industrial robotic vision relies on digital image processing. We present a higher-order neural network model and software which performs the complete feature extraction-pattern classification paradigm required for automatic pattern recognition. Using a third-order neural network, we demonstrate complete, 100 percent accurate invariance to distortions of scale, position, and in-plate rotation. In a higher-order neural network, feature extraction is built into the network, and does not have to be learned. Only the relatively simple classification step must be learned. This is key to achieving very rapid training. The training set is much smaller than with standard neural network software because the higher-order network only has to be shown one view of each object to be learned, not every possible view. The software and graphical user interface run on any Sun workstation. Results of the use of the neural software in autonomous robotic vision systems are presented. Such a system could have extensive application in robotic manufacturing.

  11. Implications of Self-Deception for Self-Reported Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivational Dispositions and Actual Learning Performance: A Higher Order Structural Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hirschfeld, Robert R.; Thomas, Christopher H.; McNatt, D. Brian

    2008-01-01

    The authors explored implications of individuals' self-deception (a trait) for their self-reported intrinsic and extrinsic motivational dispositions and their actual learning performance. In doing so, a higher order structural model was developed and tested in which intrinsic and extrinsic motivational dispositions were underlying factors that…

  12. Human Expert Labeling Process (HELP): Towards a Reliable Higher-Order User State Labeling Process and Tool to Assess Student Engagement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aslan, Sinem; Mete, Sinem Emine; Okur, Eda; Oktay, Ece; Alyuz, Nese; Genc, Utku Ergin; Stanhill, David; Esme, Asli Arslan

    2017-01-01

    In a series of longitudinal research studies, researchers at Intel Corporation in Turkey have been working towards an adaptive learning system automatically detecting student engagement as a higher-order user state in real-time. The labeled data necessary for supervised learning can be obtained through labeling conducted by human experts. Using…

  13. Developing Learning Model Based on Local Culture and Instrument for Mathematical Higher Order Thinking Ability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saragih, Sahat; Napitupulu, E. Elvis; Fauzi, Amin

    2017-01-01

    This research aims to develop a student-centered learning model based on local culture and instrument of mathematical higher order thinking of junior high school students in the frame of the 2013-Curriculum in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The subjects of the research are seventh graders which are taken proportionally random consisted of three public…

  14. Learning Entrepreneurship in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taatila, Vesa P.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: There is a constant need to produce more entrepreneurial graduates from higher education institutions. This paper aims to present and discuss several successful cases of entrepreneurial learning environments in order to suggest some important aspects that higher education institutions should consider. Design/methodology/approach: The…

  15. Assessment of Higher Order Thinking Skills. Current Perspectives on Cognition, Learning and Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schraw, Gregory, Ed.; Robinson, Daniel H., Ed.

    2011-01-01

    This volume examines the assessment of higher order thinking skills from the perspectives of applied cognitive psychology and measurement theory. The volume considers a variety of higher order thinking skills, including problem solving, critical thinking, argumentation, decision making, creativity, metacognition, and self-regulation. Fourteen…

  16. Women Educational Leaders' Narratives: The Dynamics of Service Learning on Training and Transformation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davis, Dannielle Joy; Major, Amanda; Cook, Debra; Bell, Janel

    2015-01-01

    Service learning strengthens all involved: Students, faculty members, the community, and higher education institutions. Benefits of service learning for students include gaining real world experiences, personal and transformative outcomes (Conway, Amel, & Gerwien's, 2009), as well as higher order thinking from reflection on the experience…

  17. Frontostriatal and Mediotemporal Lobe Contributions to Implicit Higher-Order Spatial Sequence Learning Declines in Aging and Parkinson’s Disease

    PubMed Central

    Schendan, Haline E.; Tinaz, Sule; Maher, Stephen M.; Stern, Chantal E.

    2015-01-01

    Sequence learning depends on the striatal system, but recent findings also implicate the mediotemporal lobe (MTL) system. Schendan, Searl, Melrose, & Stern (2003) found higher-order associative, learning-related activation in the striatum, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and the MTL during the early acquisition phase of both implicit and explicit variants of a serial response time task. This functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study capitalized on this task to determine how changes in MTL function observed in aging and compromised frontostriatal function characteristic of Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients impacts sequence learning and memory under implicit instructions. Brain activity was compared between “Sequence” and “Random” conditions in 12 non-demented PD patients and education and gender matched healthy control participants of whom 12 were age matched (MC) and 14 were younger (YC). Behaviorally, sequence-specific learning of higher-order associations was reduced with aging and changed further with PD and resulted primarily in implicit knowledge in the older participants. FMRI revealed reduced intensity and extent of sequence learning-related activation in older relative to younger people in frontostriatal circuits and the MTL. This was because signal was greater for the Sequence than Random condition in younger people, whereas older people, especially those with PD, showed the opposite pattern. Both older groups also showed increased activation to the task itself relative to baseline fixation. In addition, right MTL showed hypoactivation and left MTL hyperactivation in PD relative to the MC group. The results suggest changes in frontostriatal and MTL activity occur during aging that affect task-related activity and the initial acquisition phase of implicit higher-order sequence learning. In addition, the results suggest that Parkinson’s disease adversely affects processes in the MTL including sequence learning and memory. PMID:23565935

  18. Learning Experience on Transformer Using HOT Lab for Pre-service Physics Teacher’s

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Malik, A.; Setiawan, A.; Suhandi, A.; Permanasari, A.

    2017-09-01

    This study aimed at investigating pre-service teacher’s critical thinking skills improvement through Higher Order Thinking (HOT) Lab on transformer learning. This research used mix method with the embedded experimental model. Research subjects are 60 students of Physics Education in UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung. The results showed that based on the results of the analysis of practical reports and observation sheet shows students in the experimental group was better in carrying out the practicum and can solve the real problem while the control group was going on the opposite. The critical thinking skills of students applying the HOT Lab were higher than the verification lab. Critical thinking skills could increase due to HOT Lab based problems solving that can develop higher order thinking skills through laboratory activities. Therefore, it was concluded that the application of HOT Lab was more effective than verification lab on improving students’ thinking skills on transformer topic learning. Finally, HOT Lab can be implemented in other subject learning and could be used to improve another higher order thinking skills.

  19. The Impact of Non-Academic Involvement on Higher Order Thinking Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Franklin, Megan Armbruster

    2014-01-01

    Although there is extensive literature on learning that occurs in academic settings on college campuses, data on whether students are engaging in higher order thinking skills in nonacademic settings are less prevalent. This study sought to understand whether students' higher order thinking skills (HOTs) are influenced by their involvement in…

  20. Authentic Instruction for 21st Century Learning: Higher Order Thinking in an Inclusive School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Preus, Betty

    2012-01-01

    The author studied a public junior high school identified as successfully implementing authentic instruction. Such instruction emphasizes higher order thinking, deep knowledge, substantive conversation, and value beyond school. To determine in what ways higher order thinking was fostered both for students with and without disabilities, the author…

  1. Higher Order Thinking Skills among Secondary School Students in Science Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saido, Gulistan Mohammed; Siraj, Saedah; Bin Nordin, Abu Bakar; Al Amedy, Omed Saadallah

    2015-01-01

    A central goal of science education is to help students to develop their higher order thinking skills to enable them to face the challenges of daily life. Enhancing students' higher order thinking skills is the main goal of the Kurdish Science Curriculum in the Iraqi-Kurdistan region. This study aimed at assessing 7th grade students' higher order…

  2. Preceptor use of classroom assessment techniques to stimulate higher-order thinking in the clinical setting.

    PubMed

    Davidson, Judy E

    2009-03-01

    The purpose of this article is to provide examples of learning activities to be used as formative (interim) evaluation of an in-hospital orientation or cross-training program. Examples are provided in the form of vignettes that have been derived from strategies described in the literature as classroom assessment techniques. Although these classroom assessment techniques were originally designed for classroom experiences, they are proposed as methods for preceptors to stimulate the development of higher-order thinking such as synthesizing information, solving problems, and learning how to learn.

  3. Approaches to Assessment That Enhance Learning in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hatzipanagos, Stylianos, Ed.; Rochon, Rebecca, Ed.

    2011-01-01

    This book addresses the need to diversify mainstream forms of assessment currently used in Higher Education in order to re-establish the focus on the learning process. Making assessment central to student learning is about returning to what current research emphasises: the primary beneficiary of assessment should be the student. To achieve this in…

  4. Use of the Flipped Classroom Instructional Model in Higher Education: Instructors' Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Long, Taotao; Cummins, John; Waugh, Michael

    2017-01-01

    The flipped classroom model is an instructional model in which students learn basic subject matter knowledge prior to in-class meetings, then come to the classroom for active learning experiences. Previous research has shown that the flipped classroom model can motivate students towards active learning, can improve their higher-order thinking…

  5. The Application of Carousel Feedback and Round Table Cooperative Learning Models to Improve Student's Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) and Social Studies Learning Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yusmanto, Harry; Soetjipto, Budi Eko; Djatmika, Ery Tri

    2017-01-01

    This Classroom Action Research aims to improve students' HOTS (High Order Thinking Skills) and Social Studies learning outcomes through the application of Carousel Feedback and Round Table cooperative learning methods. This study was based on a model proposed by Elliott and was implemented for three cycles. The subjects were 30 female students of…

  6. Teaching Higher Order Thinking in the Introductory MIS Course: A Model-Directed Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Shouhong; Wang, Hai

    2011-01-01

    One vision of education evolution is to change the modes of thinking of students. Critical thinking, design thinking, and system thinking are higher order thinking paradigms that are specifically pertinent to business education. A model-directed approach to teaching and learning higher order thinking is proposed. An example of application of the…

  7. Simulated and Virtual Science Laboratory Experiments: Improving Critical Thinking and Higher-Order Learning Skills

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Simon, Nicole A.

    Virtual laboratory experiments using interactive computer simulations are not being employed as viable alternatives to laboratory science curriculum at extensive enough rates within higher education. Rote traditional lab experiments are currently the norm and are not addressing inquiry, Critical Thinking, and cognition throughout the laboratory experience, linking with educational technologies (Pyatt & Sims, 2007; 2011; Trundle & Bell, 2010). A causal-comparative quantitative study was conducted with 150 learners enrolled at a two-year community college, to determine the effects of simulation laboratory experiments on Higher-Order Learning, Critical Thinking Skills, and Cognitive Load. The treatment population used simulated experiments, while the non-treatment sections performed traditional expository experiments. A comparison was made using the Revised Two-Factor Study Process survey, Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, and the Scientific Attitude Inventory survey, using a Repeated Measures ANOVA test for treatment or non-treatment. A main effect of simulated laboratory experiments was found for both Higher-Order Learning, [F (1, 148) = 30.32,p = 0.00, eta2 = 0.12] and Critical Thinking Skills, [F (1, 148) = 14.64,p = 0.00, eta 2 = 0.17] such that simulations showed greater increases than traditional experiments. Post-lab treatment group self-reports indicated increased marginal means (+4.86) in Higher-Order Learning and Critical Thinking Skills, compared to the non-treatment group (+4.71). Simulations also improved the scientific skills and mastery of basic scientific subject matter. It is recommended that additional research recognize that learners' Critical Thinking Skills change due to different instructional methodologies that occur throughout a semester.

  8. Higher-Order Neural Networks Recognize Patterns

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Reid, Max B.; Spirkovska, Lilly; Ochoa, Ellen

    1996-01-01

    Networks of higher order have enhanced capabilities to distinguish between different two-dimensional patterns and to recognize those patterns. Also enhanced capabilities to "learn" patterns to be recognized: "trained" with far fewer examples and, therefore, in less time than necessary to train comparable first-order neural networks.

  9. Methodological Challenges in International Comparative Post-Secondary Assessment Programs: Lessons Learned and the Road Ahead

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wolf, Raffaela; Zahner, Doris; Benjamin, Roger

    2015-01-01

    The assessment of student learning outcomes in the tertiary school sector has seen an increase in global popularity in recent years. Measurement instruments that target higher order skills are on the rise, whereas assessments that foster the recall of factual knowledge are declining. The Assessment of Higher Education Learning Outcomes (AHELO)…

  10. Cutting-Edge Technologies and Social Media Use in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Benson, Vladlena, Ed.; Morgan, Stephanie

    2014-01-01

    The inclusion of social media in higher education has transformed the way instructors teach and students learn. In order to effectively reach their students in this networked world, teachers must learn to utilize the latest technologies in their classrooms. "Cutting-Edge Technologies and Social Media Use in Higher Education" brings…

  11. Methods of Reflection about Service Learning: Guided vs. Free, Dialogic vs. Expressive, and Public vs. Private

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sturgill, Amanda; Motley, Phillip

    2014-01-01

    Reflection is a key component of service learning, but research shows that in order to maximize learning, the reflection must be of high quality. This paper compares the affordances of three different models of written reflection in engendering students' higher-order thought processes. Student reflections were compared across axes of guided versus…

  12. Storytelling in the digital world: achieving higher-level learning objectives.

    PubMed

    Schwartz, Melissa R

    2012-01-01

    Nursing students are not passive media consumers but instead live in a technology ecosystem where digital is the language they speak. To prepare the next generation of nurses, educators must incorporate multiple technologies to improve higher-order learning. The author discusses the evolution and use of storytelling as part of the digital world and how digital stories can be aligned with Bloom's Taxonomy so that students achieve higher-level learning objectives.

  13. Higher order thinking skills: using e-portfolio in project-based learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lukitasari, M.; Handhika, J.; Murtafiah, W.

    2018-03-01

    The purpose of this research is to describe students' higher-order thinking skills through project-based learning using e-portfolio. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative method. The research instruments used were test, unstructured interview, and documentation. Research subjects were students of mathematics, physics and biology education department who take the Basics Physics course. The result shows that through project-based learning using e-portfolio the students’ ability to: analyze (medium category, N-Gain 0.67), evaluate (medium category, N-Gain 0.51), and create (medium Category, N-Gain 0.44) are improved.

  14. Towards deep learning with segregated dendrites

    PubMed Central

    Guerguiev, Jordan; Lillicrap, Timothy P

    2017-01-01

    Deep learning has led to significant advances in artificial intelligence, in part, by adopting strategies motivated by neurophysiology. However, it is unclear whether deep learning could occur in the real brain. Here, we show that a deep learning algorithm that utilizes multi-compartment neurons might help us to understand how the neocortex optimizes cost functions. Like neocortical pyramidal neurons, neurons in our model receive sensory information and higher-order feedback in electrotonically segregated compartments. Thanks to this segregation, neurons in different layers of the network can coordinate synaptic weight updates. As a result, the network learns to categorize images better than a single layer network. Furthermore, we show that our algorithm takes advantage of multilayer architectures to identify useful higher-order representations—the hallmark of deep learning. This work demonstrates that deep learning can be achieved using segregated dendritic compartments, which may help to explain the morphology of neocortical pyramidal neurons. PMID:29205151

  15. Towards deep learning with segregated dendrites.

    PubMed

    Guerguiev, Jordan; Lillicrap, Timothy P; Richards, Blake A

    2017-12-05

    Deep learning has led to significant advances in artificial intelligence, in part, by adopting strategies motivated by neurophysiology. However, it is unclear whether deep learning could occur in the real brain. Here, we show that a deep learning algorithm that utilizes multi-compartment neurons might help us to understand how the neocortex optimizes cost functions. Like neocortical pyramidal neurons, neurons in our model receive sensory information and higher-order feedback in electrotonically segregated compartments. Thanks to this segregation, neurons in different layers of the network can coordinate synaptic weight updates. As a result, the network learns to categorize images better than a single layer network. Furthermore, we show that our algorithm takes advantage of multilayer architectures to identify useful higher-order representations-the hallmark of deep learning. This work demonstrates that deep learning can be achieved using segregated dendritic compartments, which may help to explain the morphology of neocortical pyramidal neurons.

  16. Ability, Breadth, and Parsimony in Computational Models of Higher-Order Cognition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cassimatis, Nicholas L.; Bello, Paul; Langley, Pat

    2008-01-01

    Computational models will play an important role in our understanding of human higher-order cognition. How can a model's contribution to this goal be evaluated? This article argues that three important aspects of a model of higher-order cognition to evaluate are (a) its ability to reason, solve problems, converse, and learn as well as people do;…

  17. The Relationship between Higher Order Thinking Skills and Academic Performance of Student in Mathematics Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tanujaya, Benidiktus; Mumu, Jeinne; Margono, Gaguk

    2017-01-01

    Higher order thinking skills (HOTS) is one of important aspects in education. Students with high level of higher order thinking skills tend to be more successful. However, do this phenomenon also happen in the learning of Mathematics? To answer this question, this research aims to study the relationship between HOTS and students' academic…

  18. Alignment of learning objectives and assessments in therapeutics courses to foster higher-order thinking.

    PubMed

    FitzPatrick, Beverly; Hawboldt, John; Doyle, Daniel; Genge, Terri

    2015-02-17

    To determine whether national educational outcomes, course objectives, and classroom assessments for 2 therapeutics courses were aligned for curricular content and cognitive processes, and if they included higher-order thinking. Document analysis and student focus groups were used. Outcomes, objectives, and assessment tasks were matched for specific therapeutics content and cognitive processes. Anderson and Krathwohl's Taxonomy was used to define higher-order thinking. Students discussed whether assessments tested objectives and described their thinking when responding to assessments. There were 7 outcomes, 31 objectives, and 412 assessment tasks. The alignment for content and cognitive processes was not satisfactory. Twelve students participated in the focus groups. Students thought more short-answer questions than multiple choice questions matched the objectives for content and required higher-order thinking. The alignment analysis provided data that could be used to reveal and strengthen the enacted curriculum and improve student learning.

  19. Defining Higher-Order Turbulent Moment Closures with an Artificial Neural Network and Random Forest

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McGibbon, J.; Bretherton, C. S.

    2017-12-01

    Unresolved turbulent advection and clouds must be parameterized in atmospheric models. Modern higher-order closure schemes depend on analytic moment closure assumptions that diagnose higher-order moments in terms of lower-order ones. These are then tested against Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) higher-order moment relations. However, these relations may not be neatly analytic in nature. Rather than rely on an analytic higher-order moment closure, can we use machine learning on LES data itself to define a higher-order moment closure?We assess the ability of a deep artificial neural network (NN) and random forest (RF) to perform this task using a set of observationally-based LES runs from the MAGIC field campaign. By training on a subset of 12 simulations and testing on remaining simulations, we avoid over-fitting the training data.Performance of the NN and RF will be assessed and compared to the Analytic Double Gaussian 1 (ADG1) closure assumed by Cloudy Layers Unified By Binormals (CLUBB), a higher-order turbulence closure currently used in the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM). We will show that the RF outperforms the NN and the ADG1 closure for the MAGIC cases within this diagnostic framework. Progress and challenges in using a diagnostic machine learning closure within a prognostic cloud and turbulence parameterization will also be discussed.

  20. The impact of project-based learning on improving student learning outcomes of sustainability concepts in transportation engineering courses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fini, Elham H.; Awadallah, Faisal; Parast, Mahour M.; Abu-Lebdeh, Taher

    2018-05-01

    This paper describes an intervention to enhance students' learning by involving students in brainstorming activities about sustainability concepts and their implications in transportation engineering. The paper discusses the process of incorporating the intervention into a transportation course, as well as the impact of this intervention on students' learning outcomes. To evaluate and compare students' learning as a result of the intervention, the Laboratory for Innovative Technology and Engineering Education survey instrument was used. The survey instrument includes five constructs: higher-order cognitive skills, self-efficacy, ease of learning subject matter, teamwork, and communication skills. Pre- and post-intervention surveys of student learning outcomes were conducted to determine the effectiveness of the intervention on enhancing students' learning outcomes. The results show that the implementation of the intervention significantly improved higher-order cognitive skills, self-efficacy, teamwork, and communication skills. Involving students in brainstorming activities related to sustainability concepts and their implications in transportation proved to be an effective teaching and learning strategy.

  1. Satisfaction with the Overseas Education in China: A Survey on 44 Institutions of Higher Learning in Jiangsu Province

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Xin-Chao; Zhu, Su-Jing; Thige, Joseph M.; Shi, Yun-Yu

    2017-01-01

    In order to fully grasp the service level, management quality and effectiveness of the overseas education in China, a satisfaction survey was carried out on 44 institutions of higher learning in Jiangsu province from 5 dimensions of school learning, school life, school administration, surrounding environment, and urban civility and environment.…

  2. The Greatest Learning Return on Your Pedagogical Investment: Alignment, Assessment or In-Class Instruction?

    PubMed Central

    Holt, Emily A.; Young, Craig; Keetch, Jared; Larsen, Skylar; Mollner, Brayden

    2015-01-01

    Critical thinking is often considered an essential learning outcome of institutions in higher education. Previous work has proposed three pedagogical strategies to address this goal: more active, student-centered in-class instruction, assessments which contain higher-order cognitive questions, and greater alignment within a classroom (i.e., high agreement of the cognitive level of learning objectives, assessments, and in-class instruction). Our goals were to determine which of these factors, individually or the interactions therein, contributed most to improvements in university students’ critical thinking. We assessed students’ higher-order cognitive skills in introductory non-majors biology courses the first and last week of instruction. For each of the fifteen sections observed, we also measured the cognitive level of assessments and learning objectives, evaluated the learner-centeredness of each classroom, and calculated an alignment score for each class. The best model to explain improvements in students’ high-order cognitive skills contained the measure of learner-centeredness of the class and pre-quiz scores as a covariate. The cognitive level of assessments, learning objectives, nor alignment explained improvements in students’ critical thinking. In accordance with much of the current literature, our findings support that more student-centered classes had greater improvements in student learning. However, more research is needed to clarify the role of assessment and alignment in student learning. PMID:26340659

  3. The Greatest Learning Return on Your Pedagogical Investment: Alignment, Assessment or In-Class Instruction?

    PubMed

    Holt, Emily A; Young, Craig; Keetch, Jared; Larsen, Skylar; Mollner, Brayden

    2015-01-01

    Critical thinking is often considered an essential learning outcome of institutions in higher education. Previous work has proposed three pedagogical strategies to address this goal: more active, student-centered in-class instruction, assessments which contain higher-order cognitive questions, and greater alignment within a classroom (i.e., high agreement of the cognitive level of learning objectives, assessments, and in-class instruction). Our goals were to determine which of these factors, individually or the interactions therein, contributed most to improvements in university students' critical thinking. We assessed students' higher-order cognitive skills in introductory non-majors biology courses the first and last week of instruction. For each of the fifteen sections observed, we also measured the cognitive level of assessments and learning objectives, evaluated the learner-centeredness of each classroom, and calculated an alignment score for each class. The best model to explain improvements in students' high-order cognitive skills contained the measure of learner-centeredness of the class and pre-quiz scores as a covariate. The cognitive level of assessments, learning objectives, nor alignment explained improvements in students' critical thinking. In accordance with much of the current literature, our findings support that more student-centered classes had greater improvements in student learning. However, more research is needed to clarify the role of assessment and alignment in student learning.

  4. Understanding Learning and Learning Design in MOOCs: A Measurement-Based Interpretation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Milligan, Sandra; Griffin, Patrick

    2016-01-01

    The paper describes empirical investigations of how participants in a MOOC learn, and the implications for MOOC design. A learner capability to generate higher order learning in MOOCs--called crowd-sourced learning (C-SL) capability--was defined from learning science literature. The capability comprised a complex yet interrelated array of…

  5. Concept Cartoons Supported Problem Based Learning Method in Middle School Science Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Balim, Ali Günay; Inel-Ekici, Didem; Özcan, Erkan

    2016-01-01

    Problem based learning, in which events from daily life are presented as interesting scenarios, is one of the active learning approaches that encourages students to self-direct learning. Problem based learning, generally used in higher education, requires students to use high end thinking skills in learning environments. In order to use…

  6. A Conceptual Framework for Organizing Active Learning Experiences in Biology Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gardner, Joel; Belland, Brian R.

    2012-01-01

    Introductory biology courses form a cornerstone of undergraduate instruction. However, the predominantly used lecture approach fails to produce higher-order biology learning. Research shows that active learning strategies can increase student learning, yet few biology instructors use all identified active learning strategies. In this paper, we…

  7. Representing Authentic Learning Designs Supporting the Development of Online Communities of Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oliver, Ron; Herrington, Anthony; Herrington, Jan; Reeves, Thomas C.

    2007-01-01

    Authentic learning designs have been explored for some time now and have frequently been shown to provide learning settings that provide many meaningful contexts for learning. These meaningful contexts provide not only encouragement for students to learn but also a raft of learning enhancements including higher-order learning and forms of learning…

  8. Comparing Learning Outcomes of Blended Learning and Traditional Face-to-Face Learning of University Students in ESL Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Wei; Zhu, Chang

    2018-01-01

    Combining elements of online and face-to-face education, blended learning is emerging as an important teaching and learning model in higher education. In order to examine the effectiveness of blended learning, as compared to the traditional face-to-face learning mode, this research investigated the learning outcomes of students following English…

  9. Generalization of perceptual and motor learning: a causal link with memory encoding and consolidation?

    PubMed

    Censor, N

    2013-10-10

    In both perceptual and motor learning, numerous studies have shown specificity of learning to the trained eye or hand and to the physical features of the task. However, generalization of learning is possible in both perceptual and motor domains. Here, I review evidence for perceptual and motor learning generalization, suggesting that generalization patterns are affected by the way in which the original memory is encoded and consolidated. Generalization may be facilitated during fast learning, with possible engagement of higher-order brain areas recurrently interacting with the primary visual or motor cortices encoding the stimuli or movements' memories. Such generalization may be supported by sleep, involving functional interactions between low and higher-order brain areas. Repeated exposure to the task may alter generalization patterns of learning and overall offline learning. Development of unifying frameworks across learning modalities and better understanding of the conditions under which learning can generalize may enable to gain insight regarding the neural mechanisms underlying procedural learning and have useful clinical implications. Copyright © 2013 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Learning Communities: An Untapped Sustainable Competitive Advantage for Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dawson, Shane; Burnett, Bruce; O' Donohue, Mark

    2006-01-01

    Purpose: This paper demonstrates the need for the higher education sector to develop and implement scaleable, quantitative measures that evaluate community and establish organisational benchmarks in order to guide the development of future practices designed to enhance the student learning experience. Design/methodology/approach: Literature…

  11. Cerebellar contribution to higher and lower order rule learning and cognitive flexibility in mice.

    PubMed

    Dickson, P E; Cairns, J; Goldowitz, D; Mittleman, G

    2017-03-14

    Cognitive flexibility has traditionally been considered a frontal lobe function. However, converging evidence suggests involvement of a larger brain circuit which includes the cerebellum. Reciprocal pathways connecting the cerebellum to the prefrontal cortex provide a biological substrate through which the cerebellum may modulate higher cognitive functions, and it has been observed that cognitive inflexibility and cerebellar pathology co-occur in psychiatric disorders (e.g., autism, schizophrenia, addiction). However, the degree to which the cerebellum contributes to distinct forms of cognitive flexibility and rule learning is unknown. We tested lurcher↔wildtype aggregation chimeras which lose 0-100% of cerebellar Purkinje cells during development on a touchscreen-mediated attentional set-shifting task to assess the contribution of the cerebellum to higher and lower order rule learning and cognitive flexibility. Purkinje cells, the sole output of the cerebellar cortex, ranged from 0 to 108,390 in tested mice. Reversal learning and extradimensional set-shifting were impaired in mice with⩾95% Purkinje cell loss. Cognitive deficits were unrelated to motor deficits in ataxic mice. Acquisition of a simple visual discrimination and an attentional-set were unrelated to Purkinje cells. A positive relationship was observed between Purkinje cells and errors when exemplars from a novel, non-relevant dimension were introduced. Collectively, these data suggest that the cerebellum contributes to higher order cognitive flexibility, lower order cognitive flexibility, and attention to novel stimuli, but not the acquisition of higher and lower order rules. These data indicate that the cerebellar pathology observed in psychiatric disorders may underlie deficits involving cognitive flexibility and attention to novel stimuli. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  12. Assessing Higher Level Learning: Developing Rubrics for Case Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rochford, Linda; Borchert, Patricia S.

    2011-01-01

    Case study analyses allow students to demonstrate proficiency in executing authentic tasks in marketing and management, facilitating faculty evaluation of higher order learning outcomes. Effective and consistent assessment of case analyses depends in large part on the development of sound rubrics. The authors explored the process of rubric…

  13. Motivating Game-Based Learning Efforts in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moylan, Gina; Burgess, Ann W.; Figley, Charles; Bernstein, Michael

    2015-01-01

    Though there is considerable research to support using Game-Based Learning (GBL) in higher education, its implementation is lagging behind K-12 education by an order of magnitude. By considering the current state of GBL from leadership, primary consumer, academic and technical perspectives, the authors frame the main issues involved with…

  14. Architectures for Developing Multiuser, Immersive Learning Scenarios

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nadolski, Rob J.; Hummel, Hans G. K.; Slootmaker, Aad; van der Vegt, Wim

    2012-01-01

    Multiuser immersive learning scenarios hold strong potential for lifelong learning as they can support the acquisition of higher order skills in an effective, efficient, and attractive way. Existing virtual worlds, game development platforms, and game engines only partly cater for the proliferation of such learning scenarios as they are often…

  15. Engineering the path to higher-order thinking in elementary education: A problem-based learning approach for STEM integration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rehmat, Abeera Parvaiz

    As we progress into the 21st century, higher-order thinking skills and achievement in science and math are essential to meet the educational requirement of STEM careers. Educators need to think of innovative ways to engage and prepare students for current and future challenges while cultivating an interest among students in STEM disciplines. An instructional pedagogy that can capture students' attention, support interdisciplinary STEM practices, and foster higher-order thinking skills is problem-based learning. Problem-based learning embedded in the social constructivist view of teaching and learning (Savery & Duffy, 1995) promotes self-regulated learning that is enhanced through exploration, cooperative social activity, and discourse (Fosnot, 1996). This quasi-experimental mixed methods study was conducted with 98 fourth grade students. The study utilized STEM content assessments, a standardized critical thinking test, STEM attitude survey, PBL questionnaire, and field notes from classroom observations to investigate the impact of problem-based learning on students' content knowledge, critical thinking, and their attitude towards STEM. Subsequently, it explored students' experiences of STEM integration in a PBL environment. The quantitative results revealed a significant difference between groups in regards to their content knowledge, critical thinking skills, and STEM attitude. From the qualitative results, three themes emerged: learning approaches, increased interaction, and design and engineering implementation. From the overall data set, students described the PBL environment to be highly interactive that prompted them to employ multiple approaches, including design and engineering to solve the problem.

  16. Using Reflection to Develop Higher Order Processes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lerch, Carol; Bilics, Andrea; Colley, Binta

    2006-01-01

    The main purpose of this study was to look at how we used specific writing assignments in our courses to encourage metacognitive reflection in order to increase the learning that takes place. The study also aimed to aid in the development of higher order processing skills through the development of student reflection. The students involved in the…

  17. Optical diagnosis of cervical cancer by higher order spectra and boosting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pratiher, Sawon; Mukhopadhyay, Sabyasachi; Barman, Ritwik; Pratiher, Souvik; Pradhan, Asima; Ghosh, Nirmalya; Panigrahi, Prasanta K.

    2017-03-01

    In this contribution, we report the application of higher order statistical moments using decision tree and ensemble based learning methodology for the development of diagnostic algorithms for optical diagnosis of cancer. The classification results were compared to those obtained with an independent feature extractors like linear discriminant analysis (LDA). The performance and efficacy of these methodology using higher order statistics as a classifier using boosting has higher specificity and sensitivity while being much faster as compared to other time-frequency domain based methods.

  18. Development of Mathematics Learning Strategy Module, Based on Higher Order Thinking Skill (Hots) To Improve Mathematic Communication And Self Efficacy On Students Mathematics Department

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Andriani, Ade; Dewi, Izwita; Halomoan, Budi

    2018-03-01

    In general, this research is conducted to improve the quality of lectures on mathematics learning strategy in Mathematics Department. The specific objective of this research is to develop learning instrument of mathematics learning strategy based on Higher Order Thinking Skill (HOTS) that can be used to improve mathematical communication and self efficacy of mathematics education students. The type of research is development research (Research & Development), where this research aims to develop a new product or improve the product that has been made. This development research refers to the four-D Model, which consists of four stages: defining, designing, developing, and disseminating. The instrument of this research is the validation sheet and the student response sheet of the instrument.

  19. Dynamic Dimensionality Selection for Bayesian Classifier Ensembles

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-03-19

    learning of weights in an otherwise generatively learned naive Bayes classifier. WANBIA-C is very cometitive to Logistic Regression but much more...classifier, Generative learning, Discriminative learning, Naïve Bayes, Feature selection, Logistic regression , higher order attribute independence 16...discriminative learning of weights in an otherwise generatively learned naive Bayes classifier. WANBIA-C is very cometitive to Logistic Regression but

  20. Decadence and Renewal in the Higher Learning. An Episodic History of American University and College Since 1953.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kirk, Russell

    Based on the theory that higher education in America has been on the decline since 1953, the decadence and hopes for renewal in higher learning are examined. The following afflictions are cited as cause for the decline: (1) a purposelessness or loss of the objects of wisdom and virtue; (2) intellectual disorder: all integration and order of…

  1. Implementation of a Learning Assistant Program Improves Student Performance on Higher-Order Assessments

    PubMed Central

    Sellami, Nadia; Shaked, Shanna; Laski, Frank A.; Eagan, Kevin M.; Sanders, Erin R.

    2017-01-01

    Learning assistant (LA) programs have been implemented at a range of institutions, usually as part of a comprehensive curricular transformation accompanied by a pedagogical switch to active learning. While this shift in pedagogy has led to increased student learning gains, the positive effect of LAs has not yet been distinguished from that of active learning. To determine the effect that LAs would have beyond a student-centered instructional modality that integrated active learning, we introduced an LA program into a large-enrollment introductory molecular biology course that had already undergone a pedagogical transformation to a highly structured, flipped (HSF) format. We used questions from a concept test (CT) and exams to compare student performance in LA-supported HSF courses with student performance in courses without LAs. Students in the LA-supported course did perform better on exam questions common to both HSF course modalities but not on the CT. In particular, LA-supported students’ scores were higher on common exam questions requiring higher-order cognitive skills, which LAs were trained to foster. Additionally, underrepresented minority (URM) students particularly benefited from LA implementation. These findings suggest that LAs may provide additional learning benefits to students beyond the use of active learning, especially for URM students. PMID:29167224

  2. Enhancing Higher Order Thinking Skills Among Inservice Science Teachers Via Embedded Assessment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barak, Miri; Dori, Yehudit Judy

    2009-10-01

    Testing students on higher order thinking skills may reinforce these skills among them. To research this assertion, we developed a graduate course for inservice science teachers in a framework of a “Journal Club”—a hybrid course which combines face-to-face classroom discussions with online activities, interrelating teaching, learning, and assessment. The course involves graduate students in critical evaluation of science education articles and cognitive debates, and tests them on these skills. Our study examined the learning processes and outcomes of 51 graduate students, from three consecutive semesters. Findings indicated that the students’ higher order thinking skills were enhanced in terms of their ability to (a) pose complex questions, (b) present solid opinions, (c) introduce consistent arguments, and (d) demonstrate critical thinking.

  3. Instructional Development for Individualized Learning in Higher Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Diamond, Robert M.; And Others

    In order to provide the reader with guidelines for the development of individualized learning programs in higher education, this book focuses on the elements and processes of innovation that are essential for success. A frame of reference is built with particular emphasis on a working definition of individualized instruction and the basic elements…

  4. Community Colleges for the Students They Actually Have

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wyner, Josh

    2012-01-01

    In the United States, people think of elementary and secondary education as fundamentally different from higher education. The first two levels are where students are expected to learn the building blocks for lifelong learning, while college is meant to confer higher-order thinking and more-specialized skills. How students are treated flows…

  5. Learning higher-order generalizations through free play: Evidence from 2- and 3-year-old children.

    PubMed

    Sim, Zi L; Xu, Fei

    2017-04-01

    Constructivist views of cognitive development often converge on 2 key points: (a) the child's goal is to build large conceptual structures for understanding the world, and (b) the child plays an active role in developing these structures. While previous research has demonstrated that young children show a precocious capacity for concept and theory building when they are provided with helpful data within training settings, and that they explore their environment in ways that may promote learning, it remains an open question whether young children are able to build larger conceptual structures using self-generated evidence, a form of active learning. In the current study, we examined whether children can learn high-order generalizations (which form the basis for larger conceptual structures) through free play, and whether they can do so as effectively as when provided with relevant data. Results with 2- and 3-year-old children over 4 experiments indicate robust learning through free play, and generalization performance was comparable between free play and didactic conditions. Therefore, young children's self-directed learning supports the development of higher-order generalizations, laying the foundation for building larger conceptual structures and intuitive theories. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  6. Flipping & Clicking Your Way to Higher-Order Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garver, Michael S.; Roberts, Brian A.

    2013-01-01

    This innovative system of teaching and learning includes the implementation of two effective learning technologies: podcasting ("flipping") and classroom response systems ("clicking"). Students watch lectures in podcast format before coming to class, which allows the "entire" class period to be devoted to active…

  7. Effects of Higher-Order Cognitive Strategy Training on Gist-Reasoning and Fact-Learning in Adolescents

    PubMed Central

    Gamino, Jacquelyn F.; Chapman, Sandra B.; Hull, Elizabeth L.; Lyon, G. Reid

    2010-01-01

    Improving the reasoning skills of adolescents across the United States has become a major concern for educators and scientists who are dedicated to identifying evidence-based protocols to improve student outcome. This small sample randomized, control pilot study sought to determine the efficacy of higher-order cognitive training on gist-reasoning and fact-learning in an inner-city public middle school. The study compared gist-reasoning and fact-learning performances after training in a smaller sample when tested in Spanish, many of the students’ native language, versus English. The 54 eighth grade students who participated in this pilot study were enroled in an urban middle school, predominantly from lower socio-economic status families, and were primarily of minority descent. The students were randomized into one of three groups, one that learned cognitive strategies promoting abstraction of meaning, a group that learned rote memory strategies, or a control group to ascertain the impact of each program on gist-reasoning and fact-learning from text-based information. We found that the students who had cognitive strategy instruction that entailed abstraction of meaning significantly improved their gist-reasoning and fact-learning ability. The students who learned rote memory strategies significantly improved their fact-learning scores from a text but not gist-reasoning ability. The control group showed no significant change in either gist-reasoning or fact-learning ability. A trend toward significant improvement in overall reading scores for the group that learned to abstract meaning as well as a significant correlation between gist-reasoning ability and the critical thinking on a state-mandated standardized reading test was also found. There were no significant differences between English and Spanish performance of gist-reasoning and fact-learning. Our findings suggest that teaching higher-order cognitive strategies facilitates gist-reasoning ability and student learning. PMID:21833248

  8. Evaluation of creative problem-solving abilities in undergraduate structural engineers through interdisciplinary problem-based learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McCrum, Daniel Patrick

    2017-11-01

    For a structural engineer, effective communication and interaction with architects cannot be underestimated as a key skill to success throughout their professional career. Structural engineers and architects have to share a common language and understanding of each other in order to achieve the most desirable architectural and structural designs. This interaction and engagement develops during their professional career but needs to be nurtured during their undergraduate studies. The objective of this paper is to present the strategies employed to engage higher order thinking in structural engineering students in order to help them solve complex problem-based learning (PBL) design scenarios presented by architecture students. The strategies employed were applied in the experimental setting of an undergraduate module in structural engineering at Queen's University Belfast in the UK. The strategies employed were active learning to engage with content knowledge, the use of physical conceptual structural models to reinforce key concepts and finally, reinforcing the need for hand sketching of ideas to promote higher order problem-solving. The strategies employed were evaluated through student survey, student feedback and module facilitator (this author) reflection. The strategies were qualitatively perceived by the tutor and quantitatively evaluated by students in a cross-sectional study to help interaction with the architecture students, aid interdisciplinary learning and help students creatively solve problems (through higher order thinking). The students clearly enjoyed this module and in particular interacting with structural engineering tutors and students from another discipline.

  9. Factorial Structure of the Quick Neurological Screening Test-Revised for Children with Learning Disabilities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Finlayson, Shannon B.; Obrzut, John E.

    1993-01-01

    Administered Quick Neurological Screening Test-Revised (QNST-R) to 122 elementary-aged children diagnosed with learning disabilities. QNST-R appeared to measure primarily lower order sensory perception/processing and fine and gross motoric skills, which are thought presumably to serve as basis for later higher order cognitive functions. Age, but…

  10. Opportunities to Create Active Learning Techniques in the Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Camacho, Danielle J.; Legare, Jill M.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to contribute to the growing body of research that focuses on active learning techniques. Active learning techniques require students to consider a given set of information, analyze, process, and prepare to restate what has been learned--all strategies are confirmed to improve higher order thinking skills. Active…

  11. Learning curves in health care.

    PubMed

    Waldman, J Deane; Yourstone, Steven A; Smith, Howard L

    2003-01-01

    This article explores the uses of learning curve theory in medicine. Though effective application of learning curve theory in health care can result in higher quality and lower cost, it is seldom methodically applied in clinical practice. Fundamental changes are necessary in the corporate culture of medicine in order to capitalize maximally on the benefits of learning.

  12. Learning Styles and Vocational Education Practice. Practice Application Brief.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Bettina Lankard

    Learning styles and the creation of effective learning environments are of emerging significance in education as the changing nature of work requires higher-order thinking skills. Although learning style may be simply defined as the way people come to understand and remember information, the literature is filled with more complex definitions of…

  13. Teaching Human Development: A Case for Blended Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cottle, Nathan R.; Glover, Rebecca J.

    2011-01-01

    This article makes a case for the use of blended learning in teaching human development as a means to encourage higher-order student learning outcomes. The authors review literature regarding the use and effectiveness of blended learning, discuss an illustrative example of a redesign of a human development course, present outcomes from a…

  14. Orchestrating Inquiry Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Littleton, Karen, Ed.; Scanlon, Eileen, Ed.; Sharples, Mike, Ed.

    2011-01-01

    There is currently a rapidly growing interest in inquiry learning and an emerging consensus among researchers that, particularly when supported by technology, it can be a significant vehicle for developing higher order thinking skills. Inquiry learning methods also offer learners meaningful and productive approaches to the development of their…

  15. Active Learning Is Not Enough

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Casem, Merri Lynn

    2006-01-01

    I have examined how frequency of assessment impacts learning in an undergraduate biology course employing a student-centered, active-learning pedagogy. Frequent assessment was associated with better student performance and greater retention of course concepts. Improvement of higher-order thinking skills may require more classroom practice.…

  16. Designing a Mobile-App-Based Collaborative Learning System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cheong, Christopher; Bruno, Vince; Cheong, France

    2012-01-01

    An important aspect of education is to promote higher-order thinking skills to learners. However, in the lecture environment, learners are passively engaged and it is unlikely for higher-order thinking to occur. Although interventions such as "clickers" can be used to increase engagement in lectures, this does not necessarily promote…

  17. The Effects of Adjunct Questions on Prose Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hamaker, Christiaan

    1986-01-01

    The research literature on the effects of factual and higher order adjunct questions is reviewed. The influence of 13 design variables on the direction and size of adjunct-questions effects is investigated. It is indicated that higher order adjunct questions may have a more general facilitative effect. (Author/JAZ)

  18. A Literature Review of the Factors Influencing E-Learning and Blended Learning in Relation to Learning Outcome, Student Satisfaction and Engagement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nortvig, Anne-Mette; Petersen, Anne Kristine; Balle, Søren Hattesen

    2018-01-01

    In higher education, e-learning is gaining more and more impact, especially in the format of blended learning, and this new kind of traditional teaching and learning can be practiced in many ways. Several studies have compared face-to-face teaching to online learning and/or blended learning in order to try to define which of the formats provides,…

  19. Evidence of Learning: Applying the Collegiate Learning Assessment to Improve Teaching and Learning in the Liberal Arts College Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Council of Independent Colleges, 2008

    2008-01-01

    This report highlights the experiences of the 33 members of CIC's (Council of Independent Colleges) Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) Consortium over the past three years as they used the CLA to measure student learning outcomes. The CLA instrument assesses how the college experience helps students develop such "higher order" cognitive skills…

  20. Developing Student Worksheet Based On Higher Order Thinking Skills on the Topic of Transistor Power Amplifier

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sardia Ratna Kusuma, Luckey; Rakhmawati, Lusia; Wiryanto

    2018-04-01

    The purpose of this study is to develop a student worksheet about the transistor power amplifier based on higher order thinking skills include critical, logical, reflective, metacognitive, and creative thinking, which could be useful for teachers in improving student learning outcomes. Research and Development (R & D) methodology was used in this study. The pilot study of the worksheet was carried out with class X AV 2 at SMK Negeri 5 Surabaya. The result showed satisfies aspect of validity with 81.76 %, and effectiveness (students learning outcomes is classically passed out with percentage of 82.4 % and the students gave positive responses to the student worksheet of each statement. It can be concluded that this worksheet categorized good and worthy to be used as a source of learning in the learning activities.

  1. Clickers in the Classroom: The Use of Student Response Systems in Teaching Psychology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Watling, Rosamond; Clarke, Richard; Rowell, Christopher

    2014-01-01

    Student response systems (SRSs) have been used in a number of disciplines in higher education and, generally, the literature reports this technology leading to very positive outcomes for student engagement and learning. Learning outcomes are particularly enhanced if the technology is used to promote higher order cognitive skills. Here, we discuss…

  2. The Effect of Organizational Learning Patterns on Leading Strategic Change among Higher Education Institutions of Ethiopia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olla, Woyita W.

    2013-01-01

    Innovations and reforms are crucial for both public and Christian higher education institutions in order to survive and thrive in an increasingly complex and turbulent today's environment. Although there is a plethora of literature on strategic change, the effect of organizational learning on leading strategic change has been barely investigated…

  3. Cui Bono? On the Relative Merits of Technology-Enhanced Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mykhnenko, Vlad

    2016-01-01

    This article provides evidence from a 4-year longitudinal study on the comparative use of illustrative video podcasts during Economic Geography lectures vis-à-vis traditional educational methods in order to guide pedagogic practice and future research on the relative merits of technology-enhanced learning in higher education. Key benefits derived…

  4. Global Service-Learning in Institutions of Higher Education: Concerns from a Community of Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lough, Benjamin J.; Toms, Cynthia

    2018-01-01

    In order to better understand and determine priorities of global service-learning in higher education, this study used an empowering evaluation processes to assess the strategic trajectories needed for growth in this field. Researchers organised 36 focus groups during an international summit to map the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for…

  5. A case study of technology-enhanced active learning in introductory cellular biology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chacon Diaz, Lucia Bernardette

    Science teaching and learning in higher education has been evolving over the years to encourage student retention in STEM fields and reduce student attrition. As novel pedagogical practices emerge in the college science classroom, research on the effectiveness of such approaches must be undertaken. The following research applied a case study research design in order to evaluate the experiences of college students in a TEAL classroom. This case study was conducted during the 2017 Summer Cellular and Organismal Biology course at a four-year Hispanic Serving Institution located in the Southwest region of the United States. The main components evaluated were students' exam performance, self-efficacy beliefs, and behaviors and interactions in the Technology-Enhanced Active Learning (TEAL) classroom. The findings suggest that students enrolled in a TEAL classroom are equally capable of answering high and low order thinking questions. Additionally, students are equally confident in answering high and low order thinking items related to cellular biology. In the TEAL classroom, student-student interactions are encouraged and collaborative behaviors are exhibited. Gender and ethnicity do not influence self-efficacy beliefs in students in the TEAL room, and the overall class average of self-efficacy beliefs tended to be higher compared to exam performance. Based on the findings of this case study, TEAL classrooms are greatly encouraged in science higher education in order to facilitate learning and class engagement for all students. Providing students with the opportunity to expand their academic talents in the science classroom accomplishes a crucial goal in STEM higher education.

  6. Describing Online Learning Content to Facilitate Resource Discovery and Sharing: The Development of the RU LOM Core

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Krull, G. E.; Mallinson, B. J.; Sewry, D. A.

    2006-01-01

    The development of Internet technologies has the ability to provide a new era of easily accessible and personalised learning, facilitated through the flexible deployment of small, reusable pieces of digital learning content over networks. Higher education institutions can share and reuse digital learning resources in order to improve their…

  7. Lifelong Learning: The Whole DAMN Cycle--A Singapore Perspective.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pan, Daphne Yuen

    The Desire, Ability, Means, and Need (DAMN) Cycle is a useful paradigm for understanding the lifelong learning framework in Singapore. The cycle suggests that, for learning to occur, students must have a desire and an ability to learn, including inquiring minds and higher order process skills; the means must be provided through a well-defined…

  8. Implementation of a Learning Assistant Program Improves Student Performance on Higher-Order Assessments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sellami, Nadia; Shaked, Shanna; Laski, Frank A.; Eagan, Kevin M.; Sanders, Erin R.

    2017-01-01

    Learning assistant (LA) programs have been implemented at a range of institutions, usually as part of a comprehensive curricular transformation accompanied by a pedagogical switch to active learning. While this shift in pedagogy has led to increased student learning gains, the positive effect of LAs has not yet been distinguished from that of…

  9. Higher-order neural networks, Polyà polynomials, and Fermi cluster diagrams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kürten, K. E.; Clark, J. W.

    2003-09-01

    The problem of controlling higher-order interactions in neural networks is addressed with techniques commonly applied in the cluster analysis of quantum many-particle systems. For multineuron synaptic weights chosen according to a straightforward extension of the standard Hebbian learning rule, we show that higher-order contributions to the stimulus felt by a given neuron can be readily evaluated via Polyà’s combinatoric group-theoretical approach or equivalently by exploiting a precise formal analogy with fermion diagrammatics.

  10. Assessment and Documentation Considerations for Postsecondary Students with Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lindstrom, Jennifer H.; Lindstrom, Will

    2011-01-01

    In order to gain access to accommodations and services at colleges and universities, students with learning disabilities must provide documentation of their disabilities, and as students with learning disabilities access higher education at increasing rates, the need for documentation of their disabilities and its impact becomes even more…

  11. Leveraging the Power of Experiential Learning to Achieve Higher-Order Proficiencies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henderson, Amy

    2018-01-01

    Although experiential learning approaches, such as service-learning, have been shown to increase student motivation and academic achievement, faculty concerns about the costs of developing and implementing such courses have limited their adoption within economics. One cost that can be eliminated is the opportunity cost typically associated with…

  12. Characterising Work-Based Learning as a Triadic Learning Endeavour

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dalrymple, Roger; Kemp, Chris; Smith, Patrick

    2014-01-01

    With work-based learning (WBL) forming an increasingly prevalent dimension of modern higher education practice, conceptual models of the pedagogies underpinning WBL are increasingly emerging. There is broadening recognition of the need to capture and represent the values and presuppositions underlying WBL in order to support facilitators and…

  13. System Constellations as a Tool Supporting Organisational Learning and Change Processes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Birkenkrahe, Marcus

    2008-01-01

    Originally developed in the context of family therapy, system constellations are introduced using an organisational learning and system theoretical framework. Constellations are systemic group interventions using a spatial representation of the system elements. They correspond to deutero-learning processes and use higher-order systemic thinking.…

  14. Enhancing Teacher Education Students' Generic Skills through Problem-Based Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murray-Harvey, Rosalind; Curtis, David D.; Cattley, Georgina; Slee, Phillip T.

    2005-01-01

    Claims made for the value of problem-based learning (PBL) as an effective method for professional education programmes draw on constructivist principles of teaching and learning to achieve essential content knowledge, higher order thinking skills, and a team approach to problem-solving through the interdisciplinary, student-directed study of…

  15. Student Support in E-Learning Courses in Higher Education--Insights from a Metasynthesis "A Pedagogy of Panic Attacks"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Minnaar, A.

    2011-01-01

    E-learning includes the use of the internet for accessing learning materials, interacting with learning content and with instructors and students to obtain support during the learning process in order to gain knowledge and personal meaning and to grow. It occurs when students have electronic access to resources and where they are in regular online…

  16. Use of Presage-Pedagogy-Process-Product Model to Assess the Effectiveness of Case Study Methodology in Achieving Learning Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sankar, Chetan S.; Raju, P. K.

    2011-01-01

    In this paper, we integrate organizational, engineering education, and educational learning literature to develop a model of student learning so as to research how learning style, behavioral tendencies, gender, and race have the potential to act as facilitators or barriers to the learning process. We argue that the gains in higher-order cognitive…

  17. Creating Thinking Schools through Authentic Assessment: The Case in Singapore

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koh, Kim H.; Tan, Charlene; Ng, Pak Tee

    2012-01-01

    Using Singapore as an example, we argue that schools need to equip and encourage teachers to adopt authentic assessment in teaching and learning so as to develop the students' higher-order thinking. The importance of teaching and assessing higher-order thinking in Singapore classrooms is encapsulated in the vision of "Thinking Schools"…

  18. A Soft OR Approach to Fostering Systems Thinking: SODA Maps plus Joint Analytical Process

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Shouhong; Wang, Hai

    2016-01-01

    Higher order thinking skills are important for managers. Systems thinking is an important type of higher order thinking in business education. This article investigates a soft Operations Research approach to teaching and learning systems thinking. It outlines the integrative use of Strategic Options Development and Analysis maps for visualizing…

  19. Problem-Based Learning and Use of Higher-Order Thinking by Emergency Medical Technicians

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosenberger, Paul

    2013-01-01

    Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) often handle chaotic life-and-death situations that require higher-order thinking skills. Improving the pass rate of EMT students depends on many factors, including the use of proven and effective teaching methods. Results from recent research about effective teaching have suggested that the instructional…

  20. Improving Student Higher-Order Thinking Skills in Mathematics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Butkowski, Jean; And Others

    This report describes a program for improving higher-order thinking skills in mathematics of (n=17) third-, (n=27) fifth-, and (n=27) sixth-grade students in a middle class community. Three interventions were chosen: (1) cooperative learning to develop student self-confidence and to improve student achievement, (2) the instruction of students in…

  1. Online learning: the potential for occupational therapy education.

    PubMed

    Hollis, Vivien; Madill, Helen

    2006-01-01

    Online learning continues to have a significant impact on higher education. Increasingly students seek a combination of online learning and face-to-face instruction at undergraduate and graduate levels and occupational therapists ask for online continuing professional development opportunities. However, occupational therapy educators have been slow to adopt web-based instructional technology. This paper presents background information on the use of web-based learning in the general sphere of higher education and outlines the current range of usage in occupational therapy education. Research findings are presented to stimulate discussion regarding online learning and occupational therapy professional socialisation, student satisfaction and outcomes. There is a fine line between full and partial online course delivery, so research on technology-enhanced campus-based delivery is also included in the review. Evidence suggests that blending combinations of technologies with computer mediated learning enhances interaction and could address the higher order learning needs of professional programmes such as occupational therapy.

  2. A Critical Evaluation of the Usefulness of a Coding Scheme to Categorise Levels of Reflective Thinking

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bell, Amani; Kelton, Jill; McDonagh, Nadia; Mladenovic, Rosina; Morrison, Kellie

    2011-01-01

    The use of reflective learning journals to encourage higher order learning outcomes is a growing area in higher education research and practice. However, without a unified and clear definition of reflection, identifying and assessing reflection is problematic for educators. In an attempt to address this issue, in 1999 Kember and colleagues devised…

  3. The Gettin' Higher Choir: Exploring Culture, Teaching and Learning in a Community Chorus

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kennedy, Mary Copland

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to examine musical teaching and learning in an informal context in order to glean information and strategies that may be helpful to teachers and students in more formal settings. Through an ethnographic approach, the researcher examined the particular culture of the Gettin' Higher Choir (GHC) to gain a deep…

  4. Hedging Your Bets by Learning Reward Correlations in the Human Brain

    PubMed Central

    Wunderlich, Klaus; Symmonds, Mkael; Bossaerts, Peter; Dolan, Raymond J.

    2011-01-01

    Summary Human subjects are proficient at tracking the mean and variance of rewards and updating these via prediction errors. Here, we addressed whether humans can also learn about higher-order relationships between distinct environmental outcomes, a defining ecological feature of contexts where multiple sources of rewards are available. By manipulating the degree to which distinct outcomes are correlated, we show that subjects implemented an explicit model-based strategy to learn the associated outcome correlations and were adept in using that information to dynamically adjust their choices in a task that required a minimization of outcome variance. Importantly, the experimentally generated outcome correlations were explicitly represented neuronally in right midinsula with a learning prediction error signal expressed in rostral anterior cingulate cortex. Thus, our data show that the human brain represents higher-order correlation structures between rewards, a core adaptive ability whose immediate benefit is optimized sampling. PMID:21943609

  5. Effects of team-based learning on self-regulated online learning.

    PubMed

    Whittaker, Alice A

    2015-04-10

    Online learning requires higher levels of self-regulation in order to achieve optimal learning outcomes. As nursing education moves further into the blended and online learning venue, new teaching/learning strategies will be required to develop and enhance self-regulated learning skills in nursing students. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of team-based learning (TBL) with traditional instructor-led (IL) learning, on self-regulated online learning outcomes, in a blended undergraduate research and evidence-based practice course. The nonrandomized sample consisted of 98 students enrolled in the IL control group and 86 students enrolled in the TBL intervention group. The percentage of total possible online viewing time was used as the measure of self-regulated online learning activity. The TBL group demonstrated a significantly higher percentage (p < 0.001) of self-regulated learning activities than the IL control group. The TBL group scored significantly higher on the course examinations (p = 0.003). The findings indicate that TBL is an effective instructional strategy that can be used to achieve the essential outcomes of baccalaureate nursing education by increasing self-regulated learning capabilities in nursing students.

  6. Invigorating self-regulated learning strategies of mathematics among higher education students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chechi, Vijay Kumar; Bhalla, Jyoti

    2017-07-01

    The global market is transforming at its ever-increasing rate of knots. Consequently, the work skills challenges that current students will encounter throughout their lifetimes will be drastically different from those of present and past and proffering new-fangled opportunities and posing new challenges. However, in order to deal with tomorrow's opportunities and challenges students ought to equip with higher order cognitive skills which are substantially different from those needed in the past. In order to accomplish this intention, students must be academically self-regulated, as academic self-regulation is playing a vital role for academic success, particularly in higher education. Students must be prepared in such a way that they should take responsibility for their own learning. Self-regulation suggests activities and thinking processes that learners can engage in during his learning. Self-regulation is encompassing a number of inter-dependent aspect viz. affective beliefs, cognition and meta-cognitive skills [1]. It helps the learners to make sagacious use of their intellect and expertise [2]. As statistics has shown that the achievement of students in mathematics has persistently been poor. Along with it, mathematics is considered as one of the most important subject course in architecture, agriculture, medicine, pharmacy and especially in engineering. In spite of its importance, most of the students considered it as a dull and dry subject and their performance is remarkably low and alarming. Therefore, the present paper will highlight various factors affecting performance of higher education students in mathematics and will suggest different self-regulated learning strategies which will act as boon for higher education students.

  7. Students' Perceptions and Emotions toward Learning in a Flipped General Science Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jeong, Jin Su; González-Gómez, David; Cañada-Cañada, Florentina

    2016-01-01

    Recently, the inverted instruction methodologies are gaining attentions in higher educations by claiming that flipping the classroom engages more effectively students with the learning process. Besides, students' perceptions and emotions involved in their learning process must be assessed in order to gauge the usability of this relatively new…

  8. Useful Interactive Teaching Tool for Learning: Clickers in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Camacho-Miñano, María-del-Mar; del Campo, Cristina

    2016-01-01

    Many university lecturers are encouraged to implement innovative teaching tools and methodologies such as clickers in order to create an interactive learning environment and improve student learning, but its performance must be evaluated. The aim of this paper is to test empirically the impact of the use of clickers on students' learning…

  9. Critical Inquiry across the Disciplines: Strategies for Student-Generated Problem Posing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nardone, Carroll Ferguson; Lee, Renee Gravois

    2011-01-01

    Problem posing is a higher-order, active-learning task that is important for students to develop. This article describes a series of interdisciplinary learning activities designed to help students strengthen their problem-posing skills, which requires that students become more responsible for their learning and that faculty move to a facilitator…

  10. Bridging the Gap--Taking the Distance out of e-Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karlsudd, Peter; Tågerud, Yael

    2008-01-01

    In order to promote closer relations between two existing academic environments--on-campus and distance learning--a pedagogical intervention was made aiming to raise the level of competence and awareness among faculty regarding flexible learning and the use of ICT in higher education. The intervention was a process-oriented pedagogical effort…

  11. What the Student Does: Teaching for Enhanced Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Biggs, John

    1999-01-01

    The college teacher's job is to organize the teaching/learning context so all students use the higher-order learning processes that "academic" students always use. This is achieved when objectives express the kind of understanding targeted, teaching context encourages students to achieve it, and assessment tells students what is required of them…

  12. Challenges of Transitioning to an e-Learning System with Learning Objects Capabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Raspopovic, Miroslava; Cvetanovic, Svetlana; Jankulovic, Aleksandar

    2016-01-01

    In order for higher education institutions, which implements blended and/or online learning to remain competitive and innovative it needs to keep up with the cutting edge technological and educational advances. This task is usually very difficult, keeping in mind the budget constraints that many institutions have. This usually implies that…

  13. Contributions of Associative Learning to Age and Individual Differences in Fluid Intelligence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tamez, Elaine; Myerson, Joel; Hale, Sandra

    2012-01-01

    According to the cognitive cascade hypothesis, age-related slowing results in decreased working memory, which in turn affects higher-order cognition. Because recent studies show complex associative learning correlates highly with fluid intelligence, the present study examined the role of complex associative learning in cognitive cascade models of…

  14. Engaging Students in Large Health Classes with Active Learning Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elliott, Steven; Combs, Sue; Huelskamp, Amelia; Hritz, Nancy

    2017-01-01

    Creative K-12 health teachers can engage students in large classes by utilizing active learning strategies. Active learning involves engaging students in higher-order tasks, such as analysis and synthesis, which is a crucial element of the movement toward what is commonly called "learner-centered" teaching. Health education teachers who…

  15. Using Social Media as a Tool for Learning: A Multi-Disciplinary Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Delello, Julie A.; McWhorter, Rochell R.; Camp, Kerri M.

    2015-01-01

    In order to explore the rich dynamics of using social media as a tool for learning within higher education classrooms, researchers across three disciplines: education, human resource development (HRD), and marketing, joined forces seeking ways to focus on learning through a retrospective analysis. Three concepts--engagement, community building,…

  16. Construct Validity of the WISC-IV with a Referred Sample: Direct versus Indirect Hierarchical Structures

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Canivez, Gary L.

    2014-01-01

    The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children--Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) is one of the most frequently used intelligence tests in clinical assessments of children with learning difficulties. Construct validity studies of the WISC-IV have generally supported the higher order structure with four correlated first-order factors and one higher-order…

  17. Engaging Adolescents with LD in Higher Order Thinking about History Concepts Using Integrated Content Enhancement Routines

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bulgren, Janis; Deshler, Donald D.; Lenz, B. Keith

    2007-01-01

    The understanding and use of historical concepts specified in national history standards pose many challenges to students. These challenges include both the acquisition of content knowledge and the use of that knowledge in ways that require higher order thinking. All students, including adolescents with learning disabilities (LD), are expected to…

  18. Assessing Complex Learning Objectives through Analytics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Horodyskyj, L.; Mead, C.; Buxner, S.; Semken, S. C.; Anbar, A. D.

    2016-12-01

    A significant obstacle to improving the quality of education is the lack of easy-to-use assessments of higher-order thinking. Most existing assessments focus on recall and understanding questions, which demonstrate lower-order thinking. Traditionally, higher-order thinking is assessed with practical tests and written responses, which are time-consuming to analyze and are not easily scalable. Computer-based learning environments offer the possibility of assessing such learning outcomes based on analysis of students' actions within an adaptive learning environment. Our fully online introductory science course, Habitable Worlds, uses an intelligent tutoring system that collects and responds to a range of behavioral data, including actions within the keystone project. This central project is a summative, game-like experience in which students synthesize and apply what they have learned throughout the course to identify and characterize a habitable planet from among hundreds of stars. Student performance is graded based on completion and accuracy, but two additional properties can be utilized to gauge higher-order thinking: (1) how efficient a student is with the virtual currency within the project and (2) how many of the optional milestones a student reached. In the project, students can use the currency to check their work and "unlock" convenience features. High-achieving students spend close to the minimum amount required to reach these goals, indicating a high-level of concept mastery and efficient methodology. Average students spend more, indicating effort, but lower mastery. Low-achieving students were more likely to spend very little, which indicates low effort. Differences on these metrics were statistically significant between all three of these populations. We interpret this as evidence that high-achieving students develop and apply efficient problem-solving skills as compared to lower-achieving student who use more brute-force approaches.

  19. 38 CFR 21.7639 - Conditions which result in reduced rates or no payment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... ordered to active duty; or (ii) Both of the following exist. (A) There are mitigating circumstances, and... institution of higher learning. (Authority: 10 U.S.C. 2131; 10 U.S.C. 2136(b); 38 U.S.C. 3532, 3532 note, 3680....S.C. 16134) (i) Course not offered by an institution of higher learning or not leading to an...

  20. The Application of Problem-Based Learning Strategy to Increase High Order Thinking Skills of Senior Vocational School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suprapto, Edy; Fahrizal; Priyono; Basri, K.

    2017-01-01

    This research is to apply and develop a strategy of problem-based learning to increase the ability of higher order thinking skills of senior vocational schools students. The research was done due to a fact that the quality of outputs of the senior vocational schools has not met the competency needed by the stakeholders in the field, that has made…

  1. PySeqLab: an open source Python package for sequence labeling and segmentation.

    PubMed

    Allam, Ahmed; Krauthammer, Michael

    2017-11-01

    Text and genomic data are composed of sequential tokens, such as words and nucleotides that give rise to higher order syntactic constructs. In this work, we aim at providing a comprehensive Python library implementing conditional random fields (CRFs), a class of probabilistic graphical models, for robust prediction of these constructs from sequential data. Python Sequence Labeling (PySeqLab) is an open source package for performing supervised learning in structured prediction tasks. It implements CRFs models, that is discriminative models from (i) first-order to higher-order linear-chain CRFs, and from (ii) first-order to higher-order semi-Markov CRFs (semi-CRFs). Moreover, it provides multiple learning algorithms for estimating model parameters such as (i) stochastic gradient descent (SGD) and its multiple variations, (ii) structured perceptron with multiple averaging schemes supporting exact and inexact search using 'violation-fixing' framework, (iii) search-based probabilistic online learning algorithm (SAPO) and (iv) an interface for Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno (BFGS) and the limited-memory BFGS algorithms. Viterbi and Viterbi A* are used for inference and decoding of sequences. Using PySeqLab, we built models (classifiers) and evaluated their performance in three different domains: (i) biomedical Natural language processing (NLP), (ii) predictive DNA sequence analysis and (iii) Human activity recognition (HAR). State-of-the-art performance comparable to machine-learning based systems was achieved in the three domains without feature engineering or the use of knowledge sources. PySeqLab is available through https://bitbucket.org/A_2/pyseqlab with tutorials and documentation. ahmed.allam@yale.edu or michael.krauthammer@yale.edu. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  2. TALENT-ed and TYPE III: An Effective Learning Strategy for Gifted Students Who Are Learning Disabled

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Newman, Jane L.; Zupko, Sue

    2006-01-01

    Educators agree that a student can display gifted behavior and learning disabilities (GLD) simultaneously. Some of these students thrive when exploring advanced level investigative projects which require higher order thinking skills (HOTS) and creation of an original product. This article presents a GLD case story as an example of successful…

  3. Implicit Sequence Learning in Dyslexia: A Within-Sequence Comparison of First- and Higher-Order Information

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Du, Wenchong; Kelly, Steve W.

    2013-01-01

    The present study examines implicit sequence learning in adult dyslexics with a focus on comparing sequence transitions with different statistical complexities. Learning of a 12-item deterministic sequence was assessed in 12 dyslexic and 12 non-dyslexic university students. Both groups showed equivalent standard reaction time increments when the…

  4. Such Low Temperatures in the Arctic Region: How Can the Polar Bears Call It Home?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pringle, Rose M.

    2005-01-01

    Science requires active learning--it is something that children do, rather than something that is done to them. The learning process involves students' thinking and doing to develop higher-order thinking skills, strengthen their reading and mathematical skills, and attain scientific knowledge. In the elementary grades, children learn biological…

  5. Redesigning Schools: Models to Reach Every Student with Excellent Teachers. Model Summaries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Public Impact, 2012

    2012-01-01

    In the schoolhouse, nothing matters more to students' learning than their teachers. But only about one of every four U.S. classrooms has an "excellent teacher"--one who produces enough learning progress to close achievement gaps quickly and help all students leap ahead to higher-order learning. What can schools do, now, to reach many…

  6. A Comparison of Assessment Methods Used by Community College Faculty in Face-to-Face and Online Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wamsley, Lori H.

    2012-01-01

    Online learning has grown exponentially within higher education in the past decade, especially at community colleges. As online course offerings expand community colleges need to assess student learning in order to ensure quality learning experiences for students and for accreditation purposes. The purpose of this study was to compare the…

  7. Neuropsychological Assessment and the Habilitation of Learning: Considerations in the Search for the Aptitude X Treatment Interaction.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reynolds, Cecil R.

    1981-01-01

    The importance of neuropsychological paradigms of higher order human information processing in providing remedial services to learning-problem children and in providing a guide to the habilitation of learning for all children is explained. The conceptual requirements of such models as well as their implementation are described. (Author/AL)

  8. A Case-Based Approach Increases Student Learning Outcomes and Comprehension of Cellular Respiration Concepts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rybarczyk, Brian J.; Baines, Antonio T.; McVey, Mitch; Thompson, Joseph T.; Wilkins, Heather

    2007-01-01

    This study investigated student learning outcomes using a case-based approach focused on cellular respiration. Students who used the case study, relative to students who did not use the case study, exhibited a significantly greater learning gain, and demonstrated use of higher-order thinking skills. Preliminary data indicate that after engaging…

  9. Informal Learning with Technology: The Effects of Self-Constructing Externalizations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Damnik, Gregor; Proske, Antje; Narciss, Susanne; Körndle, Hermann

    2013-01-01

    Especially in the context of technology-enhanced informal learning, it is crucial to understand how to design information sources in such a way that learners are not overwhelmed by the demands of the learning process, but at the same time are engaged in higher order thinking processes. Guidance aids learners in dealing with the demands of a…

  10. The State System Exercise. Learning Packages in International Relations. Learning Package One.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coplin, William D.

    Learning package 1, the first in a series of four, incorporates a simulation exercise designed to help students in higher education understand factors that affect the stability of the international relations system. Focus is on a "system" perspective in order to show the historical development and to point up the operation of various…

  11. Faculty Teaching Development: Using the Multidimensional Matrix of Teaching Development to Guide Teaching Improvement Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murphy, Cheryl A.; Jensen, Thomas D.

    2016-01-01

    Higher education faculty learn how to teach through courses, seminars, or workshops during and after their doctoral program. Perhaps the more prevalent way faculty learn to teach is through observational and self-directed learning. In order to assist with self-directed teaching improvements we developed the Multidimensional Matrix of Teaching…

  12. Noise in Neural Networks: Thresholds, Hysteresis, and Neuromodulation of Signal-To-Noise

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Keeler, James D.; Pichler, Elgar E.; Ross, John

    1989-03-01

    We study a neural-network model including Gaussian noise, higher-order neuronal interactions, and neuromodulation. For a first-order network, there is a threshold in the noise level (phase transition) above which the network displays only disorganized behavior and critical slowing down near the noise threshold. The network can tolerate more noise if it has higher-order feedback interactions, which also lead to hysteresis and multistability in the network dynamics. The signal-to-noise ratio can be adjusted in a biological neural network by neuromodulators such as norepinephrine. Comparisons are made to experimental results and further investigations are suggested to test the effects of hysteresis and neuromodulation in pattern recognition and learning. We propose that norepinephrine may ``quench'' the neural patterns of activity to enhance the ability to learn details.

  13. Assessment of Relevant Learning Processes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, JinGyu

    Criteria for relevant classroom assessments are discussed, and a biofunctional model of learning assessment is presented. In classroom assessment, the following criteria must be considered: (1) assessment approach (process-oriented and outcome-oriented); (2) assessment context (knowledge and higher-order thinking skills); (3) assessment method…

  14. Predicting perceptual learning from higher-order cortical processing.

    PubMed

    Wang, Fang; Huang, Jing; Lv, Yaping; Ma, Xiaoli; Yang, Bin; Wang, Encong; Du, Boqi; Li, Wu; Song, Yan

    2016-01-01

    Visual perceptual learning has been shown to be highly specific to the retinotopic location and attributes of the trained stimulus. Recent psychophysical studies suggest that these specificities, which have been associated with early retinotopic visual cortex, may in fact not be inherent in perceptual learning and could be related to higher-order brain functions. Here we provide direct electrophysiological evidence in support of this proposition. In a series of event-related potential (ERP) experiments, we recorded high-density electroencephalography (EEG) from human adults over the course of learning in a texture discrimination task (TDT). The results consistently showed that the earliest C1 component (68-84ms), known to reflect V1 activity driven by feedforward inputs, was not modulated by learning regardless of whether the behavioral improvement is location specific or not. In contrast, two later posterior ERP components (posterior P1 and P160-350) over the occipital cortex and one anterior ERP component (anterior P160-350) over the prefrontal cortex were progressively modified day by day. Moreover, the change of the anterior component was closely correlated with improved behavioral performance on a daily basis. Consistent with recent psychophysical and imaging observations, our results indicate that perceptual learning can mainly involve changes in higher-level visual cortex as well as in the neural networks responsible for cognitive functions such as attention and decision making. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. The Quest for Deeper Learning: An Investigation into the Impact of a Knowledge-Pooling WebQuest in Primary Initial Teacher Training

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allan, Jo; Street, Mark

    2007-01-01

    This paper explores the impact on learning in higher education of the integration of a knowledge-pooling stage into a WebQuest. We explain the concept of WebQuests, consider recent literature regarding the effects and difficulties of this approach to learning, and examine students' perceptions of the impact of this tool on high-order learning. The…

  16. Rethinking pedagogy for second-order differential equations: a simplified approach to understanding well-posed problems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tisdell, Christopher C.

    2017-07-01

    Knowing an equation has a unique solution is important from both a modelling and theoretical point of view. For over 70 years, the approach to learning and teaching 'well posedness' of initial value problems (IVPs) for second- and higher-order ordinary differential equations has involved transforming the problem and its analysis to a first-order system of equations. We show that this excursion is unnecessary and present a direct approach regarding second- and higher-order problems that does not require an understanding of systems.

  17. Questions for Assessing Higher-Order Cognitive Skills: It's Not Just Bloom’s

    PubMed Central

    Lemons, Paula P.; Lemons, J. Derrick

    2013-01-01

    We present an exploratory study of biologists’ ideas about higher-order cognition questions. We documented the conversations of biologists who were writing and reviewing a set of higher-order cognition questions. Using a qualitative approach, we identified the themes of these conversations. Biologists in our study used Bloom's Taxonomy to logically analyze questions. However, biologists were also concerned with question difficulty, the length of time required for students to address questions, and students’ experience with questions. Finally, some biologists demonstrated an assumption that questions should have one correct answer, not multiple reasonable solutions; this assumption undermined their comfort with some higher-order cognition questions. We generated a framework for further research that provides an interpretation of participants’ ideas about higher-order questions and a model of the relationships among these ideas. Two hypotheses emerge from this framework. First, we propose that biologists look for ways to measure difficulty when writing higher-order questions. Second, we propose that biologists’ assumptions about the role of questions in student learning strongly influence the types of higher-order questions they write. PMID:23463228

  18. PBL-GIS in Secondary Geography Education: Does It Result in Higher-Order Learning Outcomes?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Yan; Bui, Elisabeth N.; Chang, Chew-Hung; Lossman, Hans G.

    2010-01-01

    This article presents research on evaluating problem-based learning using GIS technology in a Singapore secondary school. A quasi-experimental research design was carried to test the PBL pedagogy (PBL-GIS) with an experimental group of students and compare their learning outcomes with a control group who were exposed to PBL but not GIS. The…

  19. Why Some Teachers Easily Learn to Use a New Virtual Learning Environment: A Technology Acceptance Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rienties, Bart; Giesbers, Bas; Lygo-Baker, Simon; Ma, Hoi Wah Serena; Rees, Roger

    2016-01-01

    After a decade of virtual learning environments (VLEs) in higher education, many teachers still use only a minimum of its affordances. This study looked at how academic staff interacted with a new and unknown VLE in order to understand how technology acceptance and support materials influence (perceived and actual) task performance. In an…

  20. What We Do Best: Making the Case for the Museum Learning in Its Own Right

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garcia, Ben

    2012-01-01

    It is time to revisit the way we describe and advocate for the "learning power" of museums. Museum learning is unique, multi-faceted and inspires higher-order affective and cognitive development. Yet, when museums describe their educational impact to stakeholders, it is often described narrowly, using the measures of formal education rather than…

  1. Increasing Access to Higher Education through Open and Distance Learning: Empirical Findings from Mzuzu University, Malawi

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chawinga, Winner Dominic; Zozie, Paxton Andrew

    2016-01-01

    Slowly but surely, open and distance learning (ODL) programmes are being regarded as one of the most practical ways that universities across the world are increasingly adopting in order to increase access to university education. Likewise, Mzuzu University (MZUNI) set up the Centre for Open and Distance Learning (CODL) to oversee the running of…

  2. Psychometric Properties of the Epistemological Development in Teaching Learning Questionnaire (EDTLQ): An Inventory to Measure Higher Order Epistemological Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kjellström, Sofia; Golino, Hudson; Hamer, Rebecca; Van Rossum, Erik Jan; Almers, Ellen

    2016-01-01

    Qualitative research supports a developmental dimension in views on teaching and learning, but there are currently no quantitative tools to measure the full range of this development. To address this, we developed the Epistemological Development in Teaching and Learning Questionnaire (EDTLQ). In the current study the psychometric properties of the…

  3. Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes in a University Setting: The Case of the University of Texas at Dallas

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alsobrook, Metta

    2010-01-01

    All institutions of higher learning in America must have national accreditation in order to receive government funding. One of the main requirements from the national accreditation commissions is that the institution must have a process for assessing student learning outcomes (SLO). The reason for the new requirement is that the federal government…

  4. Restructuring Learning: 1990 Summer Institute Papers and Recommendations by the Council of Chief State School Officers (Mystic, Connecticut, 1993).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Council of Chief State School Officers, Washington, DC.

    In 1990, the work of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) focused on restructuring learning--fundamentally changing the relationship among student, teacher, knowledge, and other students in ways that support the development of higher order learning for all students. This publication is part of CCSSO's effort to support attempts to…

  5. Rewarding Foreign Language Learning: Effects of the Swedish Grade Point Average Enhancement Initiative on Students' Motivation to Learn French

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henry, Alastair

    2017-01-01

    In order to reinstate interest and motivation for learning foreign languages (FLs) other than English, the Swedish government has recently reformed the system for admission to higher education. Upper secondary students who continue with the FL learnt in secondary school are rewarded with extra credits that considerably enhance their grade point…

  6. Virtual Laboratories to Achieve Higher-Order Learning in Fluid Mechanics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ward, A. S.; Gooseff, M. N.; Toto, R.

    2009-12-01

    Bloom’s higher-order cognitive skills (analysis, evaluation, and synthesis) are recognized as necessary in engineering education, yet these are difficult to achieve in traditional lecture formats. Laboratory components supplement traditional lectures in an effort to emphasize active learning and provide higher-order challenges, but these laboratories are often subject to the constraints of (a) increasing student enrollment, (b) limited funding for operational, maintenance, and instructional expenses and (c) increasing demands on undergraduate student credit requirements. Here, we present results from a pilot project implementing virtual (or online) laboratory experiences as an alternative to a traditional laboratory experience in Fluid Mechanics, a required third year course. Students and faculty were surveyed to identify the topics that were most difficult, and virtual laboratory and design components developed to supplement lecture material. Each laboratory includes a traditional lab component, requiring student analysis and evaluation. The lab concludes with a design exercise, which imposes additional problem constraints and allows students to apply their laboratory observations to a real-world situation.

  7. Enhancing Thinking through Cooperative Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davidson, Neil, Ed.; Worsham, Toni, Ed.

    This collection of papers provides a theoretical foundation on current practice in cooperative thinking. The papers offer many practical methods that can be applied to a full range of classroom settings. After an introduction, "HOTSICLE: Higher Order Thinking Skills in Cooperative Learning Environments" (Neil Davidson and Toni Worsham),…

  8. Five Components to Consider for BYOT/BYOD

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ackerman, Amy S.; Krupp, Melissa L.

    2012-01-01

    Although school budgets have plummeted due to federal and state funding reductions, adopting Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT), may address monetary tightening while simultaneously infusing 21st century learning. Implementing BYOT may provide real, rigorous, and relevant learning for the students while posing higher-order thinking questions from…

  9. Learning and Development of Second and Foreign Language Pragmatics as a Higher-Order Language Skill: A Brief Overview of Relevant Theories. Research Report. ETS RR-16-35

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Timpe-Laughlin, Veronika

    2016-01-01

    The development of effective second and foreign (L2) language learning materials needs to be grounded in two types of theories: (a) a theory of language and language use and (b) a theory of language learning. Both are equally important, insofar as an effective learning environment requires an understanding of the knowledge, skills, and abilities…

  10. Reimagining Christian Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hulme, E. Eileen; Groom, David E., Jr.; Heltzel, Joseph M.

    2016-01-01

    The challenges facing higher education continue to mount. The shifting of the U.S. ethnic and racial demographics, the proliferation of advanced digital technologies and data, and the move from traditional degrees to continuous learning platforms have created an unstable environment to which Christian higher education must adapt in order to remain…

  11. Common mechanisms of human perceptual and motor learning

    PubMed Central

    Censor, Nitzan; Sagi, Dov; Cohen, Leonardo G.

    2016-01-01

    The adult mammalian brain has a remarkable capacity to learn in both the perceptual and motor domains through the formation and consolidation of memories. Such practice-enabled procedural learning results in perceptual and motor skill improvements. Here, we examine evidence supporting the notion that perceptual and motor learning in humans exhibit analogous properties, including similarities in temporal dynamics and the interactions between primary cortical and higher-order brain areas. These similarities may point to the existence of a common general mechanism for learning in humans. PMID:22903222

  12. Moving toward Cognitive Alignment: Effective Data Provides Feedback Teachers Can Use to Make Adjustments in Learning Activities that Result in Standards Alignment with Content and Cognitive Rigor

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manthey, George

    2005-01-01

    The most effective teaching strategies require higher order thinking, but the most used strategies seem to involve lower order thinking. If a comparison could be made between the cognitive rigor of the content standards that students are to be learning and the cognitive rigor of the actual work students are doing, then these kind of data are…

  13. Developing Inclusive Teaching and Learning Through the Principles of Universal Design.

    PubMed

    Knarlag, Kjetil; Olaussen, Elinor

    2016-01-01

    For decades, the term reasonable accommodations has been the lead strategy and praxis in addressing diversity and disabilities in Higher Education. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a well-known theory and a practical approach which challenges these traditions in order to improve inclusive teaching and learning in the American school system. A European funded project, UDLL, has transferred these theories to a European context, and developed best practice guidelines for key stakeholders in European Higher Education Institutions. This universal approach challenges established traditions, methods and mindsets in addressing the diverse student population.

  14. Rating AAs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carter, Susan J.

    2001-01-01

    Why alternative investments? In a word: performance. Many higher education endowment and foundation managers are making increasing commitments to alternative investments, or AAs, in order to obtain higher returns and broader diversification for their investment portfolios than public securities instruments can usually provide. Learn how to handle…

  15. Geocaching Is Catching Students' Attention in the Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lisenbee, Peggy; Hallman, Christine; Landry, Debbie

    2015-01-01

    Geocaching is an inquiry-based activity encouraging creativity, active learning, and real-world problem solving. As such, it is an educational opportunity for students in all grade levels. Educators benefit by observing students using higher-order thinking instead of rote learning offered by using traditional worksheets, tests, or quizzes. Also,…

  16. Strangers in Stranger Lands: Language, Learning, Culture

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Hong; Fox, Roy F.; Almarza, Dario J.

    2007-01-01

    This study investigates international students' perceptions of the issues they face using English as a second language while attending American higher education institutions. In order to fully understand those challenges involved in learning English as a Second Language, it is necessary to know the extent to which international students have…

  17. Getting Results: Small Changes, Big Cohorts and Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kenney, Jacqueline L.

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents an example of constructive alignment in practice. Integrated technology supports were deployed to increase the consistency between learning objectives, activities and assessment and to foster student-centred, higher-order learning processes in the unit. Modifications took place over nine iterations of a second-year Marketing…

  18. Learning, Difference, Embodiment: Personal and Collective Transformations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mathew, Ann; Ng, Roxana; Patton, Mary; Waschuk, Lesia; Wong, Joanne

    2008-01-01

    Background: This paper is based on a graduate course entitled, "Toward an integrative approach to equity in higher education" offered at a Canadian university for the first time in 2002. The course attempted to integrate critical pedagogy theories with notions of embodied learning in order to develop an integrative praxis of educational…

  19. The Impact of Using Synchronous Collaborative Virtual Tangram in Children's Geometric

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lin, Chiu-Pin; Shao, Yin-juan; Wong, Lung-Hsiang; Li, Yin-Jen; Niramitranon, Jitti

    2011-01-01

    This study aimed to develop a collaborative and manipulative virtual Tangram puzzle to facilitate children to learn geometry in the computer-supported collaborative learning environment with Tablet PCs. In promoting peer interactions and stimulating students' higher-order thinking and creativity toward geometric problem-solving, we designed a…

  20. Transformative Learning Factors to Enhance Integral Healthy Organizations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thavinpipatkul, Chanchai; Ratana-Ubol, Archanya; Charungkaittikul, Suwithida

    2016-01-01

    This article focuses on how organizations search for the key factors to develop integral changes and determine broader and higher transcendental learning skills in order to achieve healthy and sustainable organizational growth more effectively and efficiently. This study employed qualitative approaches. The research method used is an in-depth…

  1. Learning with Security

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jokela, Paivi; Karlsudd, Peter

    2007-01-01

    The current higher education, both distance education and traditional campus courses, relies more and more on modern information and communication technologies (ICT). The use of computer systems and networks results in a wide range of security issues that must be dealt with in order to create a safe learning environment. In this work, we study the…

  2. On Being Taught

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jaarsma, Ada S.

    2015-01-01

    This essay examines the definitions of the key words of the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL)--scholarship, teaching, and learning--in order to identify the hopes that animate SoTL research and examine these hopes in light of recent critical thinking about the corporatization of higher education. Arguing that Biesta's (2013b) distinction…

  3. Technology-Enhanced Teaching and Learning: Leading and Supporting the Transformation on Your Campus. EDUCAUSE Leadership Strategies. The Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barone, Carole A., Ed.; Hagner, Paul R., Ed.

    This book offers academic leaders advice to help their institutions initiate, implement, and manage the transformation to technology-enhanced teaching and learning in order to become Internet-based communication and learning environments. The book contains the following chapters: (1) "Engaging the Faculty" (Paul R. Hagner and Charles A.…

  4. The Use of the Peabody Individual Achievement Test and the Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests in the Diagnosis of a Learning Disability in Reading: A Caveat.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caskey, William E., Jr.

    1985-01-01

    Using a counterbalanced order, 34 learning disabled students were given the Peabody Individual Achievement Test and the Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests. When scores in reading recognition and comprehension subtests were compared, Peabody scores were higher, indicating that fewer students were certifiable as learning disabled by Peabody scores than…

  5. Promoting Higher Order Thinking Skills via IPTEACES e-Learning Framework in the Learning of Information Systems Units

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Isaias, Pedro; Issa, Tomayess; Pena, Nuno

    2014-01-01

    When developing and working with various types of devices from a supercomputer to an iPod Mini, it is essential to consider the issues of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) and Usability. Developers and designers must incorporate HCI, Usability and user satisfaction in their design plans to ensure that systems are easy to learn, effective,…

  6. An Investigation of the Relationship between Cohesion and Syntactic Complexity of Take-Away Writing and Advanced Content Complexity and Depth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gardner, Matthew Thomas

    2017-01-01

    In secondary and post-secondary content courses, the use of writing to facilitate complex learning in advanced content areas, which is called writing to learn content, can help students to evaluate their understanding, higher order cognition, and thinking about the content to learned (Carifio, 2005; Hayes, 2006; Carifio, 2015). The primary focus…

  7. Case studies in pathophysiology: The development and evaluation of an interactive online learning environment to develop higher order thinking and argumentation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Titterington, Lynda C.

    2007-12-01

    This study presents a framework for examining the effects of higher order thinking on the achievement of allied health students enrolled in a pathophysiology course. A series of clinical case studies was developed and published in an enriched online environment that guided students through the process of developing a solution and supporting it through data analysis and interpretation. The series of case study modules scaffolded argumentation through question prompts. The modules began with a simple, direct problem and they became progressively more complex throughout the quarter. A control group was assigned a pencil-and-paper case study based upon recall. The case studies were scored for content accuracy and evidence of higher order thinking skills. Higher order thinking was measured using a rubric based upon the Toulmin argumentation pattern. The results indicated implementing a case study of either online or traditional format was associated with significant gains in achievement. The Web-enhanced case studies were associated with modest gains in knowledge acquisition. The argumentation scores across the series followed two trends: directed case studies were associated with higher levels of argumentation than ill-structured case studies, and there appeared to be an inverse relationship between the students' argumentation and content scores. The protocols developed for this study can serve as a template for a larger, extended investigation into student learning in the online environment.

  8. Enhancing Malaysian Teachers' Assessment Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lian, Lim Hooi; Yew, Wun Thiam; Meng, Chew Cheng

    2014-01-01

    Currently, in order to reform the Malaysian education system, there have been a number of education policy initiatives launched by the Malaysian Ministry of Education (MOE). All these initiatives have encouraged and inculcated teaching and learning for creativity, critical, innovative and higher-order thinking skills rather than conceptual…

  9. Analysis of EMG Signals in Aggressive and Normal Activities by Using Higher-Order Spectra

    PubMed Central

    Sezgin, Necmettin

    2012-01-01

    The analysis and classification of electromyography (EMG) signals are very important in order to detect some symptoms of diseases, prosthetic arm/leg control, and so on. In this study, an EMG signal was analyzed using bispectrum, which belongs to a family of higher-order spectra. An EMG signal is the electrical potential difference of muscle cells. The EMG signals used in the present study are aggressive or normal actions. The EMG dataset was obtained from the machine learning repository. First, the aggressive and normal EMG activities were analyzed using bispectrum and the quadratic phase coupling of each EMG episode was determined. Next, the features of the analyzed EMG signals were fed into learning machines to separate the aggressive and normal actions. The best classification result was 99.75%, which is sufficient to significantly classify the aggressive and normal actions. PMID:23193379

  10. The benefit of self-testing and interleaving for synthesizing concepts across multiple physiology texts.

    PubMed

    Linderholm, Tracy; Dobson, John; Yarbrough, Mary Beth

    2016-09-01

    A testing-based learning strategy is one that relies on the act of recalling (i.e., testing) information after exposure, and interleaving is a strategy in which the learning materials are presented in a serial order (e.g., texts 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3) versus a blocked order (e.g., texts 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3). Although both learning strategies have been thoroughly investigated, few studies have examined their additive effect with higher-order cognitive tasks such as the ability to identify themes across multiple texts, and none of those did so using physiology information. The purpose of the present study was to compare recall and thematic processing across five different physiology texts. Participants were randomly assigned to learn the texts using one of the following four learning strategies: 1) study-study-study (S-S-S) using a blocked order, 2) S-S-S using an interleaved order, 3) study-test-study (S-T-S) using a blocked order, and 4) S-T-S using an interleaved order. Over the course of the following week, the S-T-S groups had more stable recall of key text ideas compared with the S-S-S groups, and the S-T-S group had more stable recall of thematic information than the S-S-S group when interleaving was used as the presentation order. Copyright © 2016 The American Physiological Society.

  11. DCS facilitation of fear extinction and exposure-based therapy may rely on lower-level, automatic mechanisms

    PubMed Central

    Grillon, Christian

    2009-01-01

    Exposure-based therapy (EBT), a leading technique in the treatment of a range of anxiety disorders, is facilitated by D-cycloserine (DCS), a partial N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor agonist. This review discusses the potential mechanisms involved in this facilitation, and its implications for developing theories of fear conditioning in humans. Basic research in rodents suggests that DCS acts by speeding up extinction. However, several lab-based investigations found that DCS had no effect on extinction in humans. This paper proposes that these observations can be accounted for by a dual-model theory of fear conditioning in humans that engages two complementary defensive systems: a reflexive lower-order system independent of conscious awareness and a higher-order cognitive system associated with conscious awareness of danger and expectation. DCS studies in animals appear to have explored lower-order conditioning mechanisms, whereas human studies have explored higher-order cognitive processes. These observations suggest that DCS may act preferentially on lower- rather than higher-order learning. This paper presents evidence suggesting that, in humans, DCS may similarly affect lower-order learning during EBT and, consequently, may be less effective during cognitive therapy (e.g., cognitive restructuring). Finally, it is recommended that extinction studies using DCS in humans be conducted using fear-relevant stimuli (e.g., snakes), short conditional stimulus-unconditioned stimulus (CS-US) intervals, and intense US in order to promote lower-order conditioning processes. PMID:19520359

  12. Developing Instructional Design to Improve Mathematical Higher Order Thinking Skills of Students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Apino, E.; Retnawati, H.

    2017-02-01

    This study aimed to describe the instructional design to improve the Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) of students in learning mathematics. This research is design research involving teachers and students of class X MIPA 1 MAN Yigyakarta III, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Data collected through focus group discussions and tests. Data analyzed by quantitative descriptive. The results showed that the instructional design developed is effective to improving students’ HOTS in learning mathematics. Instructional design developed generally include three main components: (1) involve students in the activities non-routine problem solving; (2) facilitating students to develop the ability to analyze and evaluate (critical thinking) and the ability to create (creative thinking); and (3) encourage students to construct their own knowledge.

  13. Exploring the Characteristics of a Current Career Training Program at the United Arab Emirates University: A Study of Current Senior Students and Local Employers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alhawasin, Mohamed

    2010-01-01

    Collaborations between universities and businesses continue to be a vital and critical indicator of the transition in learning from school-based learning to work-based learning. Most jobs today require postsecondary education, forcing many high school students to enroll in a higher education institution in order to advance their careers. However,…

  14. Transforming a large-class lecture course to a smaller-group interactive course.

    PubMed

    Persky, Adam M; Pollack, Gary M

    2010-11-10

    To transition a large pharmacokinetics course that was delivered using a traditional lecture format into a smaller-group course with a discussion format. An e-book and Web-based multimedia learning modules were utilized to facilitate students' independent learning which allowed the number of classes they were required to attend to be reduced from 3 to 1 per week. Students were assigned randomly to 1 of 3 weekly class sessions. The majority of lecture time was replaced with active-learning activities including discussion, problem solving, and case studies to encourage higher-order learning. Changes in course delivery were assessed over a 4-year period by comparing students' grades and satisfaction ratings on course evaluations. Although student satisfaction with the course did not improve significantly, students preferred the smaller-group setting to a large lecture-based class. The resources and activities designed to shift responsibility for learning to the students did not affect examination grades even though a larger portion of examination questions focused on higher orders of learning (eg, application) in the smaller-group format. Transitioning to a smaller-group discussion format is possible in a pharmacokinetics course by increasing student accountability for acquiring factual content outside of the classroom. Students favored the smaller-class format over a large lecture-based class.

  15. Perspective Transformation and International Service-Learning: An Insider's Look through Stephanie's Story

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Webster, Nicole; Arends, Jessica H.

    2012-01-01

    Institutions of higher education have continuously struggled to find ways to keep young adults engaged. In order to do so, they have introduced a number of techniques and programs into the curriculum, but these programs do not necessarily translate to transformational learning for students. This article discusses the transformation of an…

  16. Endogenously- and Exogenously-Driven Selective Sustained Attention: Contributions to Learning in Kindergarten Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Erickson, Lucy C.; Thiessen, Erik D.; Godwin, Karrie E.; Dickerson, John P.; Fisher, Anna V.

    2015-01-01

    Selective sustained attention is vital for higher order cognition. Although endogenous and exogenous factors influence selective sustained attention, assessment of the degree to which these factors influence performance and learning is often challenging. We report findings from the Track-It task, a paradigm that aims to assess the contribution of…

  17. Conceptual Similarity Promotes Generalization of Higher Order Fear Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dunsmoor, Joseph E.; White, Allison J.; LaBar, Kevin S.

    2011-01-01

    We tested the hypothesis that conceptual similarity promotes generalization of conditioned fear. Using a sensory preconditioning procedure, three groups of subjects learned an association between two cues that were conceptually similar, unrelated, or mismatched. Next, one of the cues was paired with a shock. The other cue was then reintroduced to…

  18. Inquiry into Identity: Teaching Critical Thinking through a Study of Race, Class, and Gender

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caldwell, Martha

    2012-01-01

    In Inquiry into Identity: Race, Class, and Gender (RCG), an eighth grade social studies class, the students' stories serve as springboards for higher-order learning. Through sharing personal experiences and listening to one another respectfully, students form a learning community in which deep, critical thinking naturally emerges. They gain…

  19. Flexible Studies as Strategy for Lifelong Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bugge, Liv Susanne; Wikan, Gerd

    2016-01-01

    Many countries face a challenge in recruiting teachers. At the same time, the labour market is changing and the demand for re-education is increasing. In this situation, lifelong learning is seen as relevant and higher education institutions are asked to offer flexible and decentralised study programmes in order to accommodate the need for formal…

  20. Efficacy of the Technological/Engineering Design Approach: Imposed Cognitive Demands within Design-Based Biotechnology Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wells, John G.

    2016-01-01

    Though not empirically established as an efficacious pedagogy for promoting higher order thinking skills, technological/engineering design-based learning in K-12 STEM education is increasingly embraced as a core instructional method for integrative STEM learning that promotes the development of student critical thinking skills (Honey, Pearson,…

  1. Traditional and Flipped Classroom Approaches Delivered by Two Different Teachers: The Student Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Limniou, Maria; Schermbrucker, Ian; Lyons, Minna

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this investigation was for students to express their views on teaching approaches delivered by two teachers under the perspectives of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) development, their preferences on learning material and learning activities. First year psychology students followed both the traditional and a flipped classroom…

  2. Preservice Biology Teachers' Professional Knowledge: Structure and Learning Opportunities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Großschedl, Jörg; Harms, Ute; Kleickmann, Thilo; Glowinski, Ingrid

    2015-01-01

    What learning opportunities in higher education promote the development of content knowledge (CK), pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), and pedagogical knowledge (PK)? In order to investigate this question, a cross-sectional study with a total of 274 German preservice biology teachers (21.5% male, average age 22.8 years) was conducted in German…

  3. Intelligent Design: Student Perceptions of Teaching and Learning in Large Social Work Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moulding, Nicole Therese

    2010-01-01

    Research into the effects of large classes demonstrates that students are disadvantaged in terms of higher order learning because interactions between teachers and students occur at lower cognitive levels. This has significance for social work education, with its emphasis on the development of critical thinking and problem solving, both higher…

  4. An Investigation of Plagiarism in Developmental Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hammer, Emily Grace Ehrlich; Agnello, Mary Frances; Kiser, Michelle; Osaghae, Osariemen

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of higher education is to prepare students for the workforce. In order to prepare students for the workforce, many life lessons must be learned specifically respect for others' work. One of the invaluable lessons that a student can learn regarding respect for others' work is to appreciate originality and avoid of plagiarism. To be…

  5. Overseas Students' Intercultural Adaptation as Intercultural Learning: A Transformative Framework

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gill, Scherto

    2007-01-01

    In the context of increasing recruitment of overseas students by British higher education (HE) institutions, there has been a growing need to understand the process of students' intercultural adaptation and the approaches that can be adopted by British academic institutions in order to facilitate and support these students' learning experience in…

  6. Effects of Web-Based Feedback on Students' Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van Kol, Simone; Rietz, Christian

    2016-01-01

    Feedback plays an important role in supporting students' learning process. Nonetheless, providing feedback is still rather unusual in higher education. Moreover, research on the design of ideal feedback as well as its effects is rare. In order to contribute to the development of this field, a web-based feedback system was implemented in a lecture…

  7. Building Capacity through International Student Affairs Exchange

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roberts, Dennis C.; Roberts, Darbi L.

    2012-01-01

    In order to build local capacity in an international higher education setting, the Qatar Study Tour and Young Professionals Institute (QST and YPI) was created as an inquiry-based learning experience shared among diverse participants and designed to enhance learning at both the local and international levels. The intent of the QST and YPI model…

  8. Attitudes of Graduate Students Toward Distance Education, Educational Technologies and Independent Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ural, Ozana

    2007-01-01

    Distance education systems are being used in along with the traditional education systems in order to respond to the demand for higher education. Technological advancements, interactive learning possibilities are forcing the traditional universities to make more use of the distance education systems and technologies. Most of the traditional…

  9. Real-World Reading and Writing through Project-Based Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Diffily, Deborah

    Standards documents produced by professional educational organizations on the best ways to teach reading and writing have been synthesized by Zemelman, Daniels, and Hyde (1998). They recommend that teachers provide: more active learning in the classroom; more diverse roles for teachers; more emphasis on higher order thinking; more deep study of a…

  10. Exercise in Inquiry: Critical Thinking in an Inquiry-Based Exercise Physiology Laboratory Course.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DiPasquale, Dana M.; Mason, Cheryl L.; Kolkhorst, Fred W.

    2003-01-01

    Describes an inquiry-based teaching method implemented in an undergraduate exercise physiology laboratory course. Indicates students' strong, positive feelings about the inquiry-based teaching method and shows that inquiry-based learning results in a higher order of learning not typically observed in traditional style classes. This teaching method…

  11. The Development of the Simulation Thinking Rubric

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Doolen, Jessica

    2012-01-01

    High fidelity simulation has become a widespread and costly learning strategy in nursing education because it can fill the gap left by a shortage of clinical sites. In addition, high fidelity simulation is an active learning strategy that is thought to increase higher order thinking such as clinical reasoning and judgment skills in nursing…

  12. Integrated Software Development System/Higher Order Software Conceptual Description (ISDS/HOS)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1976-11-01

    Structured Flowchart Conventions 270 6.3.5.3 Design Diagram Notation 273 xii HIGHER ORDER SOFTWARE, INC. 843 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE. CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS...associated with the process steps. They also reference other HIPO diagrams as well an non-HIPO documentation such as flowcharts or decision tables of...syntax that is easy to learn and must provide the novice with some prompting to help him avoid classic beginner errors. Desirable editing capabilities

  13. Cocaine self-administration abolishes associative neural encoding in the nucleus accumbens necessary for higher-order learning.

    PubMed

    Saddoris, Michael P; Carelli, Regina M

    2014-01-15

    Cocaine use is often associated with diminished cognitive function, persisting even after abstinence from the drug. Likely targets for these changes are the core and shell of the nucleus accumbens (NAc), which are critical for mediating the rewarding aspects of drugs of abuse as well as supporting associative learning. To understand this deficit, we recorded neural activity in the NAc of rats with a history of cocaine self-administration or control subjects while they learned Pavlovian first- and second-order associations. Rats were trained for 2 weeks to self-administer intravenous cocaine or water. Later, rats learned a first-order Pavlovian discrimination where a conditioned stimulus (CS)+ predicted food, and a control (CS-) did not. Rats then learned a second-order association where, absent any food reinforcement, a novel cued (SOC+) predicted the CS+ and another (SOC-) predicted the CS-. Electrophysiological recordings were taken during performance of these tasks in the NAc core and shell. Both control subjects and cocaine-experienced rats learned the first-order association, but only control subjects learned the second-order association. Neural recordings indicated that core and shell neurons encoded task-relevant information that correlated with behavioral performance, whereas this type of encoding was abolished in cocaine-experienced rats. The NAc core and shell perform complementary roles in supporting normal associative learning, functions that are impaired after cocaine experience. This impoverished encoding of motivational behavior, even after abstinence from the drug, might provide a key mechanism to understand why addiction remains a chronically relapsing disorder despite repeated attempts at sobriety. Copyright © 2014 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Five-Year-Olds' Systematic Errors in Second-Order False Belief Tasks Are Due to First-Order Theory of Mind Strategy Selection: A Computational Modeling Study.

    PubMed

    Arslan, Burcu; Taatgen, Niels A; Verbrugge, Rineke

    2017-01-01

    The focus of studies on second-order false belief reasoning generally was on investigating the roles of executive functions and language with correlational studies. Different from those studies, we focus on the question how 5-year-olds select and revise reasoning strategies in second-order false belief tasks by constructing two computational cognitive models of this process: an instance-based learning model and a reinforcement learning model. Unlike the reinforcement learning model, the instance-based learning model predicted that children who fail second-order false belief tasks would give answers based on first-order theory of mind (ToM) reasoning as opposed to zero-order reasoning. This prediction was confirmed with an empirical study that we conducted with 72 5- to 6-year-old children. The results showed that 17% of the answers were correct and 83% of the answers were wrong. In line with our prediction, 65% of the wrong answers were based on a first-order ToM strategy, while only 29% of them were based on a zero-order strategy (the remaining 6% of subjects did not provide any answer). Based on our instance-based learning model, we propose that when children get feedback "Wrong," they explicitly revise their strategy to a higher level instead of implicitly selecting one of the available ToM strategies. Moreover, we predict that children's failures are due to lack of experience and that with exposure to second-order false belief reasoning, children can revise their wrong first-order reasoning strategy to a correct second-order reasoning strategy.

  15. Five-Year-Olds’ Systematic Errors in Second-Order False Belief Tasks Are Due to First-Order Theory of Mind Strategy Selection: A Computational Modeling Study

    PubMed Central

    Arslan, Burcu; Taatgen, Niels A.; Verbrugge, Rineke

    2017-01-01

    The focus of studies on second-order false belief reasoning generally was on investigating the roles of executive functions and language with correlational studies. Different from those studies, we focus on the question how 5-year-olds select and revise reasoning strategies in second-order false belief tasks by constructing two computational cognitive models of this process: an instance-based learning model and a reinforcement learning model. Unlike the reinforcement learning model, the instance-based learning model predicted that children who fail second-order false belief tasks would give answers based on first-order theory of mind (ToM) reasoning as opposed to zero-order reasoning. This prediction was confirmed with an empirical study that we conducted with 72 5- to 6-year-old children. The results showed that 17% of the answers were correct and 83% of the answers were wrong. In line with our prediction, 65% of the wrong answers were based on a first-order ToM strategy, while only 29% of them were based on a zero-order strategy (the remaining 6% of subjects did not provide any answer). Based on our instance-based learning model, we propose that when children get feedback “Wrong,” they explicitly revise their strategy to a higher level instead of implicitly selecting one of the available ToM strategies. Moreover, we predict that children’s failures are due to lack of experience and that with exposure to second-order false belief reasoning, children can revise their wrong first-order reasoning strategy to a correct second-order reasoning strategy. PMID:28293206

  16. Techniques and methods to guarantee Bologna-conform higher education in GNSS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mayer, M.

    2012-04-01

    The Bologna Declaration is aiming for student-centered, outcome-related, and competence-based teaching. In order to fulfill these demands, deep level learning techniques should be used to meet the needs of adult-compatible and self-determined learning. The presentation will summarize selected case studies carried out in the framework of the lecture course "Introduction into GNSS positioning" of the Geodetic Institute of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Karlsruhe, Germany). The lecture course "Introduction into GNSS positioning" is a compulsory part of the Bachelor study course "Geodesy and Geoinformatics" and also a supplementary module of the Bachelor study course "Geophysics". Within the lecture course, basic knowledge and basic principles of Global Navigation Satellite Systems, like GPS, are imparted. The lecture course was migrated starting from a classically designed geodetic lecture course, which consisted of a well-adapted combination of teacher-centered classroom lectures and practical training (e.g., field exercises). The recent Bologna-conform blended learning concepts supports and motivates students to learn more sustainable using online and classroom learning methods. Therefore, an appropriate combination of - classroom lectures: Students and teacher give lectures - practical training: Students select topics individually - online learning: ILIAS (learning management system) is used as data, result, and communication platform. The framing didactical method is based on the so-called anchored instruction approach. Within this approach, an up-to-date scientific GNSS-related paper dealing with the large-scale geodetic project "Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link" is used as anchor. The students have to read the paper individually in the beginning of the semester. This enables them to realize a lot of not-known GNSS-related facts. Therefore, questions can be formulated. The lecture course deals with these questions, in order to answer them. At the end of the lecture course, the author of the scientific paper gave a concluding lecture. Within the presentation, the didactical concept of the enriched blended learning approach is discussed in detail in order to gain insight into the didactical design of the lecture course and the higher education principles taken into account in order to guarantee Bologna-conform teaching and learning.

  17. E pluribus unum: the potential of collaborative learning to enhance Microbiology teaching in higher education.

    PubMed

    Rutherford, Stephen

    2015-12-01

    Collaborative learning, where students work together towards a shared understanding of a concept, is a well-established pedagogy, and one which has great potential for higher education (HE). Through discussion and challenging each other's ideas, learners gain a richer appreciation for a subject than with solitary study or didactic teaching methods. However, collaborative learning does require some scaffolding by the teacher in order to be successful. Collaborative learning can be augmented by the use of Web 2.0 collaborative technologies, such as wikis, blogs and social media. This article reviews some of the uses of collaborative learning strategies in Microbiology teaching in HE. Despite the great potential of collaborative learning, evidence of its use in Microbiology teaching is, to date, limited. But the potential for collaborative learning approaches to develop self-regulated, deep learners is considerable, and so collaborative learning should be considered strongly as a viable pedagogy for HE. © FEMS 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  18. Information Communication Technology in the Form of an Expert System Shell as a Cognitive Tool to Facilitate Higher-Order Thinking

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Collins, Gary W.; Knoetze, Johan G.

    2014-01-01

    Information communication technology is capable of contributing supplementary teaching and learning strategies that can be used to address various educational challenges faced by higher education. Students who enter South African higher education institutions are often academically under-prepared and have not developed the cognitive skills…

  19. This Old House: Revitalizing Higher Education's Architecture.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Flynn, William J.

    2000-01-01

    Asserts that in order to transform colleges into learning organizations, the infrastructure of higher education must be analyzed. States that basic relationships must be redesigned--the pedagogical interaction between teacher and student, the tension between faculty and administration, the caste system relationship that has existed between faculty…

  20. Higher order thinking skills competencies required by outcomes-based education from learners.

    PubMed

    Chabeli, M M

    2006-08-01

    Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) brought about a significant paradigm shift in the education and training of learners in South Africa. OBE requires a shift from focusing on the teacher input (instruction offerings or syllabuses expressed in terms of content), to focusing on learner outcomes. OBE is moving away from 'transmission' models to constructivistic, learner-centered models that put emphasis on learning as an active process (Nieburh, 1996:30). Teachers act as facilitators and mediators of learning (Norms and Standards, Government Gazette vol 415, no 20844 of 2000). Facilitators are responsible to create the environment that is conducive for learners to construct their own knowledge, skills and values through interaction (Peters, 2000). The first critical cross-field outcome accepted by the South African Qualification Framework (SAQA) is that learners should be able to identify and solve problems by using critical and creative thinking skills. This paper seeks to explore some higher order thinking skills competencies required by OBE from learners such as critical thinking, reflective thinking, creative thinking, dialogic / dialectic thinking, decision making, problem solving and emotional intelligence and their implications in facilitating teaching and learning from the theoretical perspective. The philosophical underpinning of these higher order thinking skills is described to give direction to the study. It is recommended that a study focusing on the assessment of these intellectual concepts be made. The study may be qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods in nature (Creswell 2005).

  1. Higher Order Thinking in the Australian Army Suite of Logistic Officer Courses

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-12-15

    normal curriculum. They can target subject-specific learning such as science, mathematics, geography ; or they can be infused across the curriculum by...some form of didactic , explicit, or direct instruction. On the other hand, if the focus is on procedural knowledge, it is likely that modeling and...socialization and the teaching method of cooperative learning. Learning the process of critical thinking might be best facilitated by a combination of didactic

  2. Peer Learning and Support of Technology in an Undergraduate Biology Course to Enhance Deep Learning

    PubMed Central

    Tsaushu, Masha; Tal, Tali; Sagy, Ornit; Kali, Yael; Gepstein, Shimon; Zilberstein, Dan

    2012-01-01

    This study offers an innovative and sustainable instructional model for an introductory undergraduate course. The model was gradually implemented during 3 yr in a research university in a large-lecture biology course that enrolled biology majors and nonmajors. It gives priority to sources not used enough to enhance active learning in higher education: technology and the students themselves. Most of the lectures were replaced with continuous individual learning and 1-mo group learning of one topic, both supported by an interactive online tutorial. Assessment included open-ended complex questions requiring higher-order thinking skills that were added to the traditional multiple-choice (MC) exam. Analysis of students’ outcomes indicates no significant difference among the three intervention versions in the MC questions of the exam, while students who took part in active-learning groups at the advanced version of the model had significantly higher scores in the more demanding open-ended questions compared with their counterparts. We believe that social-constructivist learning of one topic during 1 mo has significantly contributed to student deep learning across topics. It developed a biological discourse, which is more typical to advanced stages of learning biology, and changed the image of instructors from “knowledge transmitters” to “role model scientists.” PMID:23222836

  3. Peer learning and support of technology in an undergraduate biology course to enhance deep learning.

    PubMed

    Tsaushu, Masha; Tal, Tali; Sagy, Ornit; Kali, Yael; Gepstein, Shimon; Zilberstein, Dan

    2012-01-01

    This study offers an innovative and sustainable instructional model for an introductory undergraduate course. The model was gradually implemented during 3 yr in a research university in a large-lecture biology course that enrolled biology majors and nonmajors. It gives priority to sources not used enough to enhance active learning in higher education: technology and the students themselves. Most of the lectures were replaced with continuous individual learning and 1-mo group learning of one topic, both supported by an interactive online tutorial. Assessment included open-ended complex questions requiring higher-order thinking skills that were added to the traditional multiple-choice (MC) exam. Analysis of students' outcomes indicates no significant difference among the three intervention versions in the MC questions of the exam, while students who took part in active-learning groups at the advanced version of the model had significantly higher scores in the more demanding open-ended questions compared with their counterparts. We believe that social-constructivist learning of one topic during 1 mo has significantly contributed to student deep learning across topics. It developed a biological discourse, which is more typical to advanced stages of learning biology, and changed the image of instructors from "knowledge transmitters" to "role model scientists."

  4. Introducing a New Learning and Teaching Evaluation Planning Framework for Small Internally Funded Projects in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huber, Elaine

    2017-01-01

    Scholarly evaluation practices in learning and teaching projects are under-reported in the literature. In order for robust evaluative measures to be implemented, a project requires a well-designed evaluation plan. This research study describes the development of a practical evaluation planning framework through an action research approach, using…

  5. Administrative Barriers to Improving Undergraduate Education. Accent on Improving College Teaching and Learning, 6.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Genthon, Michele; Joscelyn, Mary K., Ed.

    Chief academic officers at 1,053 institutions of higher education across the United States were surveyed about the barriers to improving teaching and learning. Using factor analysis, responses were reduced to nine general problem areas. In order of importance from most important to least important, the problems identified were: financial support,…

  6. The GRID[subscript C] Project: Developing Students' Thinking Skills in a Data-Rich Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeLuca, V. William; Lari, Nasim

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of using renewable energy data, obtained from a comprehensive data acquisition system, on improving students' learning and developing their higher-order learning skills. This study used renewable energy data available through a data acquisition system installed and tested by the Green Research…

  7. Instructional Effectiveness of Higher-Order Questions: The Devil Is in the Detail of Students' Use of Questions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jiang, Lai; Elen, Jan

    2011-01-01

    Research has repeatedly established that the theoretical benefits of various scaffolds do not match their actual impact on learning. It has been argued that the instructional effectiveness of scaffolds largely depends on very detailed aspects of the learning activities associated with the scaffolds within specific environments. From this…

  8. A Prestudy Curricula-as-Research Model for Scholarship of Engagement: Combining Continuous Service with Discontinuous Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Steiner, Sherrie

    2017-01-01

    Restructuring changes in higher education may be affecting how faculty conduct the scholarship of engagement. As faculty increasingly face uncertain futures, the limits of service-learning need to be better understood in order to maximize the pedagogical possibilities. One way of exploring limitations is to focus on sustainable faculty-community…

  9. Building Connections between Sociomathematical Norms and Cognitive Demand to Improve the Quality of Whole Class Mathematics Conversations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Lori

    2010-01-01

    Mathematical discussions support and promote student learning as an integral part of the contexts in which students learn mathematics. Yet, American school practices often focus on teachers disseminating knowledge to students and students acquiring that knowledge through rote rehearsal rather than higher order thinking. One barrier to change in…

  10. Examining the Effects of Reflective Journals on Pre-Service Science Teachers' General Chemistry Laboratory Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cengiz, Canan; Karatas, Faik Özgür

    2015-01-01

    The general chemistry laboratory is an appropriate place for learning chemistry well. It is also effective for stimulating higher-order thinking skills, including reflective thinking, a skill that is crucial for science teaching as well as learning. This study aims to examine the effects of feedback-supported reflective journal-keeping activities…

  11. Authentic Role-Playing as Situated Learning: Reframing Teacher Education Methodology for Higher-Order Thinking

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leaman, Lori Hostetler; Flanagan, Toni Michele

    2013-01-01

    This article draws from situated learning theory, teacher education research, and the authors' collaborative self-study to propose a teacher education pedagogy that may help to bridge the theory-into-practice gap for preservice teachers. First, we review the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium standards to confirm the call for…

  12. Online Computer Games as Collaborative Learning Environments: Prospects and Challenges for Tertiary Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Papastergiou, Marina

    2009-01-01

    This study is aimed at presenting a critical overview of recent research studies on the use of educational online games as collaborative learning environments in Tertiary Education (TE), namely higher education and vocational training, with a view to identifying: a) the elements that online games should include in order to support fruitful and…

  13. Exploring the Factors Influencing UPM English Language Faculty Members' Adoption and Integration of Web-Based Instruction (WBI)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sayadian, Sima; Mukundan, Jayakaran; Baki, Roselan

    2009-01-01

    Technology, if integrated effectively, has been found to influence students' academic performance, develop their higher order thinking and problem solving, improve their motivation, attitude, and interest in learning, and help them prepare for the workforce as well as address the needs of low performing, at-risk, and learning impaired students…

  14. Putting Order into Our Universe: The Concept of "Blended Learning"--A Methodology within the Concept-Based Terminology Framework

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fernandes, Joana; Costa, Rute; Peres, Paula

    2016-01-01

    This paper aims at discussing the advantages of a methodology design grounded on a concept-based approach to Terminology applied to the most prominent scenario of current Higher Education: "blended learning." Terminology is a discipline that aims at representing, describing and defining specialized knowledge through language, putting…

  15. Increase Online Student Retention with Universal Design for Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tobin, Thomas J.

    2014-01-01

    Adopting Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles in order to create online course content allows higher education faculty members to reach out, not only to learners with disabilities, but also to learners who are increasingly using mobile devices to connect to campus and to each other. This article outlines 5 key strategies for creating and…

  16. Investigating Types of Student Engagement through Living-Learning Communities: The Perspective from Rollins College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eck, Jim C.; Edge, Hoyt; Stephenson, Katherine

    2007-01-01

    Higher education research consistently finds that student attrition is caused by a lack of academic and social engagement. Many colleges and universities are now experimenting with living-learning communities in one form or another in order to enhance student-college fit. Rollins College, a selective comprehensive institution with a successful…

  17. Beyond Passive Learning: Problem-Based Learning and Concept Maps to Promote Basic and Higher-Order Thinking in Basic Skills Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Regina O.

    2014-01-01

    Research into the best practices for basic skills education, national bridge programs, the new GED® assessment, and accelerated developmental education indicated that contextualized instruction was most effective when preparing adult literacy students for college and work. Nevertheless, "remedial pedagogy" with a sole focus on the…

  18. Innovations in Educational System: Mobile Learning Applications

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rokhvadze, Roza F.; Yelashkina, Natalya V.

    2013-01-01

    This article presents the analysis of the current changes in the higher educational system of the Russian Federation. The stated issues are accompanied with the advice and possible solutions. Authors offer their own approaches and techniques for the academic staff of higher educational institutions in order to adapt to the new system.

  19. Quality Practices: An Open Distance Learning Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ramdass, Kemlall; Nemavhola, Fulufhelo

    2018-01-01

    Global transformation in higher education over the past two decades has led to the implementation of national policies in order to measure the performance of institutions in South Africa. The Higher Education Quality Council (HEQC) adopted the quality assurance (QA) model for the purposes of accountability and governance in South African Higher…

  20. Encouraging Student Autonomy through Higher Order Thinking Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Victoria D.; Darvas, Janet W.

    2017-01-01

    This article discusses how to empower students to work, think, and act independently in the higher education setting. Inspiring students to progress through the stages of Bloom's Taxonomy emboldens them to discover intrinsic motivation and self-regulated learning. This article defines and focuses on the importance of teaching intrinsic motivation…

  1. Simulated and Virtual Science Laboratory Experiments: Improving Critical Thinking and Higher-Order Learning Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Simon, Nicole A.

    2013-01-01

    Virtual laboratory experiments using interactive computer simulations are not being employed as viable alternatives to laboratory science curriculum at extensive enough rates within higher education. Rote traditional lab experiments are currently the norm and are not addressing inquiry, Critical Thinking, and cognition throughout the laboratory…

  2. Globalization and Academic's Workplace Learning: A Case Study in China

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Xuhong; Seddon, Terri

    2014-01-01

    Globalization is the major confronting challenge of higher education worldwide. And internationalization has become a response of higher education to meet the demands and challenges of globalization. In the recent decades, Chinese government has developed different policies to steer education reforms in order to achieve the aim of…

  3. Higher Education Learning Outcomes--Ambiguity and Change in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caspersen, Joakim; Frølich, Nicoline; Muller, Johan

    2017-01-01

    The emerging interdependent world order poses new challenges for States and citizens alike. For States, interdependence has meant a new concern with integration, whilst for citizens and authorities alike, greater mobility has raised new concerns about recognition of competences, qualifications, quality and transparency. The introduction of…

  4. Exploding the Hierarchical Fallacy: The Significance of Foundation-Level Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maimon, Elaine P.

    2017-01-01

    Reform in American higher education depends on recognizing freshman courses as the foundation of higher-order thinking and learning. These courses must be recognized for their intellectual significance and their inherent possibilities for multi-disciplinary scholarship. The Maimon Hierarchical Fallacy is a phrase coined by Elaine Maimon to refer…

  5. Three In-Course Assessment Reforms to Improve Higher Education Learning Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sadler, D. Royce

    2016-01-01

    A current international concern is that, for too large a proportion of graduates, their higher order cognitive and practical capabilities are below acceptable levels. The constituent courses of academic programmes are the most logical sites for developing these capabilities. Contributing to patchy attainment are deficiencies in three particular…

  6. An evil face? Verbal evaluative multi-CS conditioning enhances face-evoked mid-latency magnetoencephalographic responses

    PubMed Central

    Junghöfer, Markus; Rehbein, Maimu Alissa; Maitzen, Julius; Schindler, Sebastian

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Humans have a remarkable capacity for rapid affective learning. For instance, using first-order US such as odors or electric shocks, magnetoencephalography (MEG) studies of multi-CS conditioning demonstrate enhanced early (<150 ms) and mid-latency (150–300 ms) visual evoked responses to affectively conditioned faces, together with changes in stimulus evaluation. However, particularly in social contexts, human affective learning is often mediated by language, a class of complex higher-order US. To elucidate mechanisms of this type of learning, we investigate how face processing changes following verbal evaluative multi-CS conditioning. Sixty neutral expression male faces were paired with phrases about aversive crimes (30) or neutral occupations (30). Post conditioning, aversively associated faces evoked stronger magnetic fields in a mid-latency interval between 220 and 320 ms, localized primarily in left visual cortex. Aversively paired faces were also rated as more arousing and more unpleasant, evaluative changes occurring both with and without contingency awareness. However, no early MEG effects were found, implying that verbal evaluative conditioning may require conceptual processing and does not engage rapid, possibly sub-cortical, pathways. Results demonstrate the efficacy of verbal evaluative multi-CS conditioning and indicate both common and distinct neural mechanisms of first- and higher-order multi-CS conditioning, thereby informing theories of associative learning. PMID:28008078

  7. An evil face? Verbal evaluative multi-CS conditioning enhances face-evoked mid-latency magnetoencephalographic responses.

    PubMed

    Junghöfer, Markus; Rehbein, Maimu Alissa; Maitzen, Julius; Schindler, Sebastian; Kissler, Johanna

    2017-04-01

    Humans have a remarkable capacity for rapid affective learning. For instance, using first-order US such as odors or electric shocks, magnetoencephalography (MEG) studies of multi-CS conditioning demonstrate enhanced early (<150 ms) and mid-latency (150-300 ms) visual evoked responses to affectively conditioned faces, together with changes in stimulus evaluation. However, particularly in social contexts, human affective learning is often mediated by language, a class of complex higher-order US. To elucidate mechanisms of this type of learning, we investigate how face processing changes following verbal evaluative multi-CS conditioning. Sixty neutral expression male faces were paired with phrases about aversive crimes (30) or neutral occupations (30). Post conditioning, aversively associated faces evoked stronger magnetic fields in a mid-latency interval between 220 and 320 ms, localized primarily in left visual cortex. Aversively paired faces were also rated as more arousing and more unpleasant, evaluative changes occurring both with and without contingency awareness. However, no early MEG effects were found, implying that verbal evaluative conditioning may require conceptual processing and does not engage rapid, possibly sub-cortical, pathways. Results demonstrate the efficacy of verbal evaluative multi-CS conditioning and indicate both common and distinct neural mechanisms of first- and higher-order multi-CS conditioning, thereby informing theories of associative learning. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press.

  8. Faculty Development in Context: Changing Learning Cultures in Higher Education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Feixas, Mònica; Zellweger, Franziska

    At present, research on the effectiveness of initial training programs for novice faculty is limited, and results fail to offer apparent evidences on the impact of such programs in changing teachers' practices and, at a larger scale, teaching and learning cultures at universities. In addition to faculty development initiatives, the wider organizational context should be considered in order to foster transfer of acquired teaching competences into teaching practice. In this article, we suggest a conceptual framework that includes a description of prevailing teaching cultures in European higher education; a discussion on what we mean by faculty development and its relationship to teaching cultures; a definition of learning cultures; and a framework of the environmental factors affecting learning transfer. Among the outcomes, we expect to adapt Holtons' model to the higher education context and design a set of instruments to identify primarily environmental factors influencing the impact of faculty development. Results might show the necessity to pay greater attention to the conditions under which novice teachers teach, the importance of peer and coordinator support, and all aspects that contribute in the end to changed teaching and learning cultures in higher education.

  9. The role of information and communication technology in developing smart education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roslina; Zarlis, Muhammad; Mawengkang, Herman; Sembiring, R. W.

    2017-09-01

    The right to get a proper education for every citizen had been regulated by the government, but not all citizens have the same opportunity. This is due to the other factors in the nation's infrastructure, Frontier, Outermost, and Disadvantaged (3T) which have not beenaccomodatedto access information and communication technology (ICT), and the ideal learning environment in order to pursue knowledge. This condition could be achieved by reforming higher education. Such reforms include the provision of educational services in the form of a flexible learner-oriented, and to change the curriculum with market based.These changes would include the provision of lecturers, professors, and professional teaching force. Another important effort is to update the quality of higher education with resource utilization. This paper proposes a new education business model to realize the Smart Education (SE), with an orientation on the proven skills and competitive.SE is the higher education system to optimize output (outcome) learning with combine individual learning and collaboration techniques based network system, informal practice learning and formal theory. UtilizingICT resources can improve the quality and access to higher education in supporting activities of higher education.This paper shows that ICT resources can support virtual connected with the use of shared resources, such as resource of information, learning resources, computing resources, and human resources.

  10. Bridging Literacy Acquisition and Self-Regulated Learning: Using a SRL Framework to Support Struggling Readers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holtzheuser, Sierra; McNamara, John

    2014-01-01

    Reading is conceptualized as a hierarchy of component skills where lower order emergent literacy skills set the foundation for higher order reading skills such as fluency and comprehension. Approximately 20% of readers struggle within this hierarchical process (Fielding, Kerr, & Rosier, 2007). Struggling readers are susceptible to the Matthew…

  11. Subgraph augmented non-negative tensor factorization (SANTF) for modeling clinical narrative text

    PubMed Central

    Xin, Yu; Hochberg, Ephraim; Joshi, Rohit; Uzuner, Ozlem; Szolovits, Peter

    2015-01-01

    Objective Extracting medical knowledge from electronic medical records requires automated approaches to combat scalability limitations and selection biases. However, existing machine learning approaches are often regarded by clinicians as black boxes. Moreover, training data for these automated approaches at often sparsely annotated at best. The authors target unsupervised learning for modeling clinical narrative text, aiming at improving both accuracy and interpretability. Methods The authors introduce a novel framework named subgraph augmented non-negative tensor factorization (SANTF). In addition to relying on atomic features (e.g., words in clinical narrative text), SANTF automatically mines higher-order features (e.g., relations of lymphoid cells expressing antigens) from clinical narrative text by converting sentences into a graph representation and identifying important subgraphs. The authors compose a tensor using patients, higher-order features, and atomic features as its respective modes. We then apply non-negative tensor factorization to cluster patients, and simultaneously identify latent groups of higher-order features that link to patient clusters, as in clinical guidelines where a panel of immunophenotypic features and laboratory results are used to specify diagnostic criteria. Results and Conclusion SANTF demonstrated over 10% improvement in averaged F-measure on patient clustering compared to widely used non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) and k-means clustering methods. Multiple baselines were established by modeling patient data using patient-by-features matrices with different feature configurations and then performing NMF or k-means to cluster patients. Feature analysis identified latent groups of higher-order features that lead to medical insights. We also found that the latent groups of atomic features help to better correlate the latent groups of higher-order features. PMID:25862765

  12. The UNIQUe Label: Supporting a Culture of Innovation and Quality in Higher Education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boonen, Annemie; Bijnens, Helena

    European higher education institutions will need significant reforms, in order to guarantee their leading role in a globalized knowledge economy. These reforms can be enhanced by improving the way in which traditional universities integrate new technologies both in their educational activities and throughout their strategic and operational processes. The UNIQUe institutional accreditation scheme, analyzed and described in this chapter, intends to support this process of integrating the use of new technologies in higher education. With its specific open approach to quality in e-Learning, UNIQUe emphasizes innovation and creativity in a process that includes self-assessment and constructive dialog with peers and stakeholders involved. UNIQUe intends to use the institutional quality label as a catalyst for continuous improvement and change while setting up collaborative bench learning processes among universities for the adoption and integration of e-Learning.

  13. Use of Team-Based Learning Pedagogy for Internal Medicine Ambulatory Resident Teaching.

    PubMed

    Balwan, Sandy; Fornari, Alice; DiMarzio, Paola; Verbsky, Jennifer; Pekmezaris, Renee; Stein, Joanna; Chaudhry, Saima

    2015-12-01

    Team-based learning (TBL) is used in undergraduate medical education to facilitate higher-order content learning, promote learner engagement and collaboration, and foster positive learner attitudes. There is a paucity of data on the use of TBL in graduate medical education. Our aim was to assess resident engagement, learning, and faculty/resident satisfaction with TBL in internal medicine residency ambulatory education. Survey and nominal group technique methodologies were used to assess learner engagement and faculty/resident satisfaction. We assessed medical learning using individual (IRAT) and group (GRAT) readiness assurance tests. Residents (N = 111) involved in TBL sessions reported contributing to group discussions and actively discussing the subject material with other residents. Faculty echoed similar responses, and residents and faculty reported a preference for future teaching sessions to be offered using the TBL pedagogy. The average GRAT score was significantly higher than the average IRAT score by 22%. Feedback from our nominal group technique rank ordered the following TBL strengths by both residents and faculty: (1) interactive format, (2) content of sessions, and (3) competitive nature of sessions. We successfully implemented TBL pedagogy in the internal medicine ambulatory residency curriculum, with learning focused on the care of patients in the ambulatory setting. TBL resulted in active resident engagement, facilitated group learning, and increased satisfaction by residents and faculty. To our knowledge this is the first study that implemented a TBL program in an internal medicine residency curriculum.

  14. Measuring beyond Content: A Rubric Bank for Assessing Skills in Authentic Research Assignments in the Sciences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kishbaugh, Tara L. S.; Cessna, Stephen; Horst, S. Jeanne; Leaman, Lori; Flanagan, Toni; Neufeld, Doug Graber; Siderhurst, Matthew

    2012-01-01

    Herein we report the development of an analytic rubric bank to assess non-content learning, namely higher order cognitive skills, the understanding of the nature of science, and effective scientific communication skills in student research projects. Preliminary findings indicate that use of this tool enhances our students' learning in these areas,…

  15. An Assessment of a Freshmen Learning Community at a Rural, Public Community College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frankenstein, Elizabeth A.

    2012-01-01

    The problem facing many higher education institutions is the ability to engage freshmen students during the first semester of college in order to sustain their enrollment. This study assessed the effectiveness of a freshmen learning community as a retention strategy at a small, rural, and public community college. The purpose of this ex post facto…

  16. OIDDE Learning Model: Improving Higher Order Thinking Skills of Biology Teacher Candidates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Husamah; Fatmawati, Diani; Setyawan, Dwi

    2018-01-01

    As the massive advancement in 21st century, the role of education is to prepare generations in mastering the skills they need to face the challenges arised in their era. OIDDE is the abbreviation for Orientation, Identify, Discussion, Decision, and Engage in behaviour. The learning model designed by Hudha et al. (2016) is expected to be able to…

  17. Preparing Information Systems Graduates for a Complex Society: Aligning IS Curricula with Liberal Education Learning Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pratt, Jean A.; Keys, Anthony; Wirkus, Tyrrell

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to encourage Information Systems (IS) faculty to intentionally revise their curriculum to address (and assess) higher-order learning skills which are demanded by industry and society and are representative of a liberal arts based education. We substantiated the need for this proposed curriculum revision by first…

  18. Creating Thoughtful Salespeople: Experiential Learning to Improve Critical Thinking Skills in Traditional and Online Sales Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alvarez, Cecilia M. O.; Taylor, Kimberly A.; Rauseo, Nancy A.

    2015-01-01

    Most undergraduate marketing majors will spend at least some time in a sales role, and employers are requiring greater professionalism and more varied skill sets from their sales hires. In addition, there is an increasing demand for online and higher order learning in sales education. In response, this article proposes that sales courses using…

  19. Effects of Competitive E-Learning Tools on Higher Education Students: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Regueras, L. M.; Verdu, E.; Munoz, M. F.; Perez, M. A.; de Castro, J. P.; Verdu, M. J.

    2009-01-01

    Over the last few years, most of the attempts to introduce active learning methodologies in the classroom have made use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Many of these efforts have been directed to collaborative scenarios used in remote, blended or face-to-face experiences, in order to take advantage of the flexibility provided by…

  20. A Study of Teacher-Mediated Enhancement of Students' Organization of Earth Science Knowledge Using Web Diagrams as a Teaching Device

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, O. Roger; Contino, Julie

    2010-01-01

    Current research indicates that students with enhanced knowledge networks are more effective in learning science content and applying higher order thinking skills in open-ended inquiry learning. This research examined teacher implementation of a novel teaching strategy called "web diagramming," a form of network mapping, in a secondary school…

  1. Collaborative Technologies, Higher Order Thinking and Self-Sufficient Learning: A Case Study of Adult Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Clare S.

    2017-01-01

    The inclusion of online elements in learning environments is becoming commonplace in Post Compulsory Education. A variety of research into the value of such elements is available, and this study aims to add further evidence by looking specifically at the use of collaborative technologies such as online discussion forums and wikis to encourage…

  2. The Role of Vocational Education in the Development of Students' Academic Skills: An Implementation Guide. Information Series No. 340.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pritz, Sandra G.

    Integrated programs provide students with a balanced mix of academic and vocational skills needed in the workplace and for lifelong learning. Basic skills in mathematics, science, and communication form the foundation for lifelong learning and the content for higher-order skills. Occupational skills depend on and do not exist apart from academic…

  3. Expanding our understanding of students' use of graphs for learning physics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Laverty, James T.

    It is generally agreed that the ability to visualize functional dependencies or physical relationships as graphs is an important step in modeling and learning. However, several studies in Physics Education Research (PER) have shown that many students in fact do not master this form of representation and even have misconceptions about the meaning of graphs that impede learning physics concepts. Working with graphs in classroom settings has been shown to improve student abilities with graphs, particularly when the students can interact with them. We introduce a novel problem type in an online homework system, which requires students to construct the graphs themselves in free form, and requires no hand-grading by instructors. A study of pre/post-test data using the Test of Understanding Graphs in Kinematics (TUG-K) over several semesters indicates that students learn significantly more from these graph construction problems than from the usual graph interpretation problems, and that graph interpretation alone may not have any significant effect. The interpretation of graphs, as well as the representation translation between textual, mathematical, and graphical representations of physics scenarios, are frequently listed among the higher order thinking skills we wish to convey in an undergraduate course. But to what degree do we succeed? Do students indeed employ higher order thinking skills when working through graphing exercises? We investigate students working through a variety of graph problems, and, using a think-aloud protocol, aim to reconstruct the cognitive processes that the students go through. We find that to a certain degree, these problems become commoditized and do not trigger the desired higher order thinking processes; simply translating ``textbook-like'' problems into the graphical realm will not achieve any additional educational goals. Whether the students have to interpret or construct a graph makes very little difference in the methods used by the students. We will also look at the results of using graph problems in an online learning environment. We will show evidence that construction problems lead to a higher degree of difficulty and degree of discrimination than other graph problems and discuss the influence the course has on these variables.

  4. "Try to See It My Way": What Influences Social Perspective Taking among College Students?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Matthew R.; Dugan, John P.; Soria, Krista M.

    2017-01-01

    The ability to understand and incorporate other perspectives into one's own perspective is an important overarching outcome of higher education and a necessary precursor for the development of most higher-order learning outcomes. Utilizing a multi-institutional survey of 21,548 college seniors, we examined background characteristics and…

  5. Performance Evaluation of Indoor Environment towards Sustainability for Higher Educational Buildings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khalil, Natasha; Husin, Husrul Nizam; Wahab, Lilawati Ab; Kamal, Kamarul Syahril; Mahat, Noorsaidi

    2011-01-01

    The indoor environmental factors considered in higher educational building must be determined in order to meet the user's requirement. Disruption of indoor environment may constitute to reduce occupants' efficiencies and their learning process and activities. But the question is, how to ensure that the provision of indoor environmental aspects…

  6. Learning to Estimate Dynamical State with Probabilistic Population Codes.

    PubMed

    Makin, Joseph G; Dichter, Benjamin K; Sabes, Philip N

    2015-11-01

    Tracking moving objects, including one's own body, is a fundamental ability of higher organisms, playing a central role in many perceptual and motor tasks. While it is unknown how the brain learns to follow and predict the dynamics of objects, it is known that this process of state estimation can be learned purely from the statistics of noisy observations. When the dynamics are simply linear with additive Gaussian noise, the optimal solution is the well known Kalman filter (KF), the parameters of which can be learned via latent-variable density estimation (the EM algorithm). The brain does not, however, directly manipulate matrices and vectors, but instead appears to represent probability distributions with the firing rates of population of neurons, "probabilistic population codes." We show that a recurrent neural network-a modified form of an exponential family harmonium (EFH)-that takes a linear probabilistic population code as input can learn, without supervision, to estimate the state of a linear dynamical system. After observing a series of population responses (spike counts) to the position of a moving object, the network learns to represent the velocity of the object and forms nearly optimal predictions about the position at the next time-step. This result builds on our previous work showing that a similar network can learn to perform multisensory integration and coordinate transformations for static stimuli. The receptive fields of the trained network also make qualitative predictions about the developing and learning brain: tuning gradually emerges for higher-order dynamical states not explicitly present in the inputs, appearing as delayed tuning for the lower-order states.

  7. Learning to Estimate Dynamical State with Probabilistic Population Codes

    PubMed Central

    Sabes, Philip N.

    2015-01-01

    Tracking moving objects, including one’s own body, is a fundamental ability of higher organisms, playing a central role in many perceptual and motor tasks. While it is unknown how the brain learns to follow and predict the dynamics of objects, it is known that this process of state estimation can be learned purely from the statistics of noisy observations. When the dynamics are simply linear with additive Gaussian noise, the optimal solution is the well known Kalman filter (KF), the parameters of which can be learned via latent-variable density estimation (the EM algorithm). The brain does not, however, directly manipulate matrices and vectors, but instead appears to represent probability distributions with the firing rates of population of neurons, “probabilistic population codes.” We show that a recurrent neural network—a modified form of an exponential family harmonium (EFH)—that takes a linear probabilistic population code as input can learn, without supervision, to estimate the state of a linear dynamical system. After observing a series of population responses (spike counts) to the position of a moving object, the network learns to represent the velocity of the object and forms nearly optimal predictions about the position at the next time-step. This result builds on our previous work showing that a similar network can learn to perform multisensory integration and coordinate transformations for static stimuli. The receptive fields of the trained network also make qualitative predictions about the developing and learning brain: tuning gradually emerges for higher-order dynamical states not explicitly present in the inputs, appearing as delayed tuning for the lower-order states. PMID:26540152

  8. From nationwide standardized testing to school-based alternative embedded assessment in Israel: Students' performance in the matriculation 2000 project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dori, Yehudit J.

    2003-01-01

    Matriculation 2000 was a 5-year project aimed at moving from the nationwide traditional examination system in Israel to a school-based alternative embedded assessment. Encompassing 22 high schools from various communities in the country, the Project aimed at fostering deep understanding, higher-order thinking skills, and students' engagement in learning through alternative teaching and embedded assessment methods. This article describes research conducted during the fifth year of the Project at 2 experimental and 2 control schools. The research objective was to investigate students' learning outcomes in chemistry and biology in the Matriculation 2000 Project. The assumption was that alternative embedded assessment has some effect on students' performance. The experimental students scored significantly higher than their control group peers on low-level assignments and more so on assignments that required higher-order thinking skills. The findings indicate that given adequate support and teachers' consent and collaboration, schools can transfer from nationwide or statewide standardized testing to school-based alter-native embedded assessment.

  9. High-Level Prediction Signals in a Low-Level Area of the Macaque Face-Processing Hierarchy.

    PubMed

    Schwiedrzik, Caspar M; Freiwald, Winrich A

    2017-09-27

    Theories like predictive coding propose that lower-order brain areas compare their inputs to predictions derived from higher-order representations and signal their deviation as a prediction error. Here, we investigate whether the macaque face-processing system, a three-level hierarchy in the ventral stream, employs such a coding strategy. We show that after statistical learning of specific face sequences, the lower-level face area ML computes the deviation of actual from predicted stimuli. But these signals do not reflect the tuning characteristic of ML. Rather, they exhibit identity specificity and view invariance, the tuning properties of higher-level face areas AL and AM. Thus, learning appears to endow lower-level areas with the capability to test predictions at a higher level of abstraction than what is afforded by the feedforward sweep. These results provide evidence for computational architectures like predictive coding and suggest a new quality of functional organization of information-processing hierarchies beyond pure feedforward schemes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Designing Higher Education Courses and other Professional Development to Engender Science Teachers' Enthusiasm to Embrace the New Generation Science Standards

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Welstead, C.; Forder, S. E.

    2014-12-01

    This presentation is an overview of best practices in the design of continuing education courses and professional development workshops for Science teachers to enable them to transition to the NGSS; to share their enthusiasm in a way that engages students and leads to increased student achievement; and to become change agents in their educational settings and in their communities, in order to garner widespread support for an inquiry-based, NGSS-based curriculum. Proposed strands for teacher preparation programmes include a focus on higher level conceptual thinking; problem-solving opportunities for learning; inquiry-based learning; experiential learning and fieldwork; the authentic and effective incorporation of technology in teaching and learning; integrated and cross-curricular teaching and learning; learning that supports diversity and equity; and the appropriate, reliable and valid assessment of understanding. A series of three courses has been developed to prepare teachers in a graduate programme for implementing an inquiry-based, standards-based Science curriculum that incorporates the above-mentioned strands.

  11. Stacked sparse autoencoder in hyperspectral data classification using spectral-spatial, higher order statistics and multifractal spectrum features

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wan, Xiaoqing; Zhao, Chunhui; Wang, Yanchun; Liu, Wu

    2017-11-01

    This paper proposes a novel classification paradigm for hyperspectral image (HSI) using feature-level fusion and deep learning-based methodologies. Operation is carried out in three main steps. First, during a pre-processing stage, wave atoms are introduced into bilateral filter to smooth HSI, and this strategy can effectively attenuate noise and restore texture information. Meanwhile, high quality spectral-spatial features can be extracted from HSI by taking geometric closeness and photometric similarity among pixels into consideration simultaneously. Second, higher order statistics techniques are firstly introduced into hyperspectral data classification to characterize the phase correlations of spectral curves. Third, multifractal spectrum features are extracted to characterize the singularities and self-similarities of spectra shapes. To this end, a feature-level fusion is applied to the extracted spectral-spatial features along with higher order statistics and multifractal spectrum features. Finally, stacked sparse autoencoder is utilized to learn more abstract and invariant high-level features from the multiple feature sets, and then random forest classifier is employed to perform supervised fine-tuning and classification. Experimental results on two real hyperspectral data sets demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms some traditional alternatives.

  12. Promotion of higher order of cognition in undergraduate medical students using case-based approach.

    PubMed

    Dubey, Suparna; Dubey, Ashok Kumar

    2017-01-01

    The curriculum of pathology is conventionally "taught" in a series of didactic lectures, which promotes learning by rote. In this study, case-based learning (CBL) was introduced to assess its effect on higher order cognition and problem-solving skills in undergraduate medical students. The prescribed syllabus of hepatobiliary system was delivered to the undergraduate medical students of the fourth semester by conventional didactic lectures. A pretest, which contained questions designed to test both analysis and recall, was administered, followed by CBL sessions, in the presence of a facilitator, encouraging active discussion among students. Students were then assessed using a similar posttest. The perceptions of the students and the faculty were gathered by means of feedback questionnaires. The scores obtained by the students in the pre- and post-test were compared by paired t -test. Eighty-one students participated in CBL sessions, with 95.06% expressing a desire for more such sessions, preferably in all the topics. The faculty members also felt that CBL would be beneficial for the students but opined that it should be restricted to some topics. CBL was found to cause a highly significant ( P < 0.0001) improvement in the students' higher levels of cognition, whereas the lower orders of cognition remained unaffected ( P = 0.2048). CBL promotes active learning and helps in the development of critical thinking and analysis in undergraduate medical students. Although it is resource-intensive, an attempt should be made to incorporate it along with lectures in clinically important topics.

  13. Problem-based learning in an on-line biotechnology course

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheaney, James Daniel

    Problem-based learning (PBL) is a pedagogical tool that uses a "real world" problem or situation as a context for learning. PBL encourages student development of critical thinking skills, a high professional competency, problem-solving ability, knowledge acquisition, the ability to work productively as a team member and make decisions in unfamiliar situations, and the acquisition of skills that support self-directed life-long learning, metacognition, and adaptation to change. However, little research has focused on the use of PBL in on-line "virtual" classes. We conducted two studies exploring the use of PBL in an on-line biotechnology course. In the first study, ethical, legal, social, and human issues were used as a motivation for learning about DNA testing technologies, applications, and bioethical issues. In the second study, we combined PBL pedagogy with a rich multimedia environment of streaming video interviews, physical artifacts, and extensive links to articles and databases to create a multidimensional immersive PBL environment called "Robert's World". In "Robert's World", a man is determining whether to undergo a pre-symptomatic DNA test for an untreatable, incurable, fatal genetic disease for which he has a family history. In both studies, design and implementation issues of the on-line PBL environment are discussed, as are differences between on-line PBL and face-to-face PBL. Both studies provide evidence to suggest that PBL stimulates higher-order learning in students. However, in both studies, student performance on an exam testing acquisition of lower-order factual learning was lower for PBL students than for students who learned the same material through a traditional lecture-based approach. Possible reasons for this lower level of performance are explored. Student feedback expressed engagement with the issues and material covered, with reservations about some aspects of the PBL format, such as the lack of flexibility provided in cooperative learning. We conclude that on-line PBL is a powerful tool in helping to develop higher-order learning in students. The reasons for the decrease in student understanding of factual information are unclear. However, there are certain circumstances unique to on-line classes to keep in mind when implementing on-line PBL. These are summarized in concluding recommendations.

  14. Analysis of dermatology resident self-reported successful learning styles and implications for core competency curriculum development.

    PubMed

    Stratman, Erik J; Vogel, Curt A; Reck, Samuel J; Mukesh, Bickol N

    2008-01-01

    There are different teaching styles for delivering competency-based curricula. The education literature suggests that learning is maximized when teaching is delivered in a style preferred by learners. To determine if dermatology residents report learning style preferences aligned with adult learning. Dermatology residents attending an introductory cutaneous biology course completed a learning styles inventory assessing self-reported success in 35 active and passive learning activities. The 35 learning activities were ranked in order of preference by learners. Mean overall ratings for active learning activities were significantly higher than for passive learning activities (P = 0.002). Trends in dermatology resident learning style preferences should be considered during program curriculum development. Programs should integrate a variety of curriculum delivery methods to accommodate various learning styles, with an emphasis on the active learning styles preferred by residents.

  15. The effect of learning models and emotional intelligence toward students learning outcomes on reaction rate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sutiani, Ani; Silitonga, Mei Y.

    2017-08-01

    This research focused on the effect of learning models and emotional intelligence in students' chemistry learning outcomes on reaction rate teaching topic. In order to achieve the objectives of the research, with 2x2 factorial research design was used. There were two factors tested, namely: the learning models (factor A), and emotional intelligence (factor B) factors. Then, two learning models were used; problem-based learning/PBL (A1), and project-based learning/PjBL (A2). While, the emotional intelligence was divided into higher and lower types. The number of population was six classes containing 243 grade X students of SMAN 10 Medan, Indonesia. There were 15 students of each class were chosen as the sample of the research by applying purposive sampling technique. The data were analyzed by applying two-ways analysis of variance (2X2) at the level of significant α = 0.05. Based on hypothesis testing, there was the interaction between learning models and emotional intelligence in students' chemistry learning outcomes. Then, the finding of the research showed that students' learning outcomes in reaction rate taught by using PBL with higher emotional intelligence is higher than those who were taught by using PjBL. There was no significant effect between students with lower emotional intelligence taught by using both PBL and PjBL in reaction rate topic. Based on the finding, the students with lower emotional intelligence were quite hard to get in touch with other students in group discussion.

  16. A Study of Two Instructional Sequences Informed by Alternative Learning Progressions in Genetics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Duncan, Ravit Golan; Choi, Jinnie; Castro-Faix, Moraima; Cavera, Veronica L.

    2017-12-01

    Learning progressions (LPs) are hypothetical models of how learning in a domain develops over time with appropriate instruction. In the domain of genetics, there are two independently developed alternative LPs. The main difference between the two progressions hinges on their assumptions regarding the accessibility of classical (Mendelian) versus molecular genetics and the order in which they should be taught. In order to determine the relative difficulty of the different genetic ideas included in the two progressions, and to test which one is a better fit with students' actual learning, we developed two modules in classical and molecular genetics and alternated their sequence in an implementation study with 11th grade students studying biology. We developed a set of 56 ordered multiple-choice items that collectively assessed both molecular and classical genetic ideas. We found significant gains in students' learning in both molecular and classical genetics, with the largest gain relating to understanding the informational content of genes and the smallest gain in understanding modes of inheritance. Using multidimensional item response modeling, we found no statistically significant differences between the two instructional sequences. However, there was a trend of slightly higher gains for the molecular-first sequence for all genetic ideas.

  17. Redesigning a Course to Help Students Achieve Higher-Order Cognitive Thinking Skills: From Goals and Mechanics to Student Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Casagrand, Janet; Semsar, Katharine

    2017-01-01

    Here we describe a 4-yr course reform and its outcomes. The upper-division neurophysiology course gradually transformed from a traditional lecture in 2004 to a more student-centered course in 2008, through the addition of evidence-based active learning practices, such as deliberate problem-solving practice on homework and peer learning structures,…

  18. Utilization of Social Media Platforms for Educational Purposes among the Faculty of Higher Education with Special Reference to Tamil Nadu

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vivakaran, Mangala Vadivu; Neelamalar, M.

    2018-01-01

    Social media tools are observed to play a vital role in the renovation of the conventional teaching and learning practices across the globe. Though primarily developed for online social communication, social media platforms tend to possess suitable tools that can be used for instructional purposes in order to initiate active learning among…

  19. Instructors Who Resist "College Lite": The Neutralizing Effect of Instructor Immediacy on Students' Course-Workload Violations and Perceptions of Instructor Credibility and Affective Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mottet, Timothy P.; Parker-Raley, Jessica; Beebe, Steven A.; Cunningham, Cory

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an instructor's nonverbal immediacy behaviors and course-workload demands on student perceptions of instructor credibility and student higher-order affective learning. H1 and H2 predicted that an instructor's nonverbal immediacy behaviors would neutralize the instructor's violations of…

  20. An Analysis of Mathematics Education Students' Skills in the Process of Programming and Their Practices of Integrating It into Their Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gökçe, Semirhan; Yenmez, Arzu Aydogan; Özpinar, Ilknur

    2017-01-01

    Recent developments in technology have changed the learner's profile and the learning outcomes. Today, with the emergence of higher-order thinking skills and computer literacy skills, teaching through traditional methods is likely to fail to achieve the learning outcomes. That is why; teachers and teacher candidates are expected to have computer…

  1. Reflecting on Learner Assessments and Their Validity in the Presence of Emerging Evidence from Neuroscience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Watagodakumbura, Chandana

    2015-01-01

    We can now get purposefully directed in the way we assess our learners in light of the emergence of evidence from the field of neuroscience. Why higher-order learning or abstract concepts need to be the focus in assessment is elaborated using the knowledge of semantic and episodic memories. With most of our learning identified to be implicit, why…

  2. Integrating Machine Learning into a Crowdsourced Model for Earthquake-Induced Damage Assessment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rebbapragada, Umaa; Oommen, Thomas

    2011-01-01

    On January 12th, 2010, a catastrophic 7.0M earthquake devastated the country of Haiti. In the aftermath of an earthquake, it is important to rapidly assess damaged areas in order to mobilize the appropriate resources. The Haiti damage assessment effort introduced a promising model that uses crowdsourcing to map damaged areas in freely available remotely-sensed data. This paper proposes the application of machine learning methods to improve this model. Specifically, we apply work on learning from multiple, imperfect experts to the assessment of volunteer reliability, and propose the use of image segmentation to automate the detection of damaged areas. We wrap both tasks in an active learning framework in order to shift volunteer effort from mapping a full catalog of images to the generation of high-quality training data. We hypothesize that the integration of machine learning into this model improves its reliability, maintains the speed of damage assessment, and allows the model to scale to higher data volumes.

  3. Endogenously and exogenously driven selective sustained attention: Contributions to learning in kindergarten children.

    PubMed

    Erickson, Lucy C; Thiessen, Erik D; Godwin, Karrie E; Dickerson, John P; Fisher, Anna V

    2015-10-01

    Selective sustained attention is vital for higher order cognition. Although endogenous and exogenous factors influence selective sustained attention, assessment of the degree to which these factors influence performance and learning is often challenging. We report findings from the Track-It task, a paradigm that aims to assess the contribution of endogenous and exogenous factors to selective sustained attention within the same task. Behavioral accuracy and eye-tracking data on the Track-It task were correlated with performance on an explicit learning task. Behavioral accuracy and fixations to distractors during the Track-It task did not predict learning when exogenous factors supported selective sustained attention. In contrast, when endogenous factors supported selective sustained attention, fixations to distractors were negatively correlated with learning. Similarly, when endogenous factors supported selective sustained attention, higher behavioral accuracy was correlated with greater learning. These findings suggest that endogenously and exogenously driven selective sustained attention, as measured through different conditions of the Track-It task, may support different kinds of learning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Innovations for High Quality, Aligned Early Childhood Educator Preparation. IERC 2016-3

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    White, Bradford R.; Baron, Debra Mayconich; Klostermann, Brenda K.; Duffy, Daniel Q.

    2016-01-01

    Much attention during the past decade has been given to the need to develop a well-trained early childhood education workforce. In order to address this need, the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) awarded Early Childhood Educator Preparation Program Innovation (EPPI) grants to institutions of higher learning. The IBHE funded partnerships,…

  5. Using Wiki in Teacher Education: Impact on Knowledge Management Processes and Student Satisfaction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Biasutti, Michele; EL-Deghaidy, Heba

    2012-01-01

    The current study reports on the use of Wiki as an online didactic tool to develop knowledge management (KM) processes in higher education. This study integrates social constructivist principles to learning where learners are pro-active and collaborative through higher order cognitive processes. The study was administered in two countries, namely…

  6. Using Debate as a Pedagogical Tool in Enhancing Pre-Service Teachers' Learning and Critical Thinking

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yang, Chien-Hui; Rusli, Enniati

    2012-01-01

    Research has shown that using debate in higher education as a pedagogical tool has effect on promoting higher order and critical thinking (Camp & Schnader, 2010; Ng et al., 2004; Roy & Macchiette, 2005; Ryan & College, 2006). Debate has been implemented in various disciplines with adult learners, such as psychology (Budesheim &…

  7. E-Learning in Croatian Higher Education: An Analysis of Students' Perceptions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dukić, Darko; Andrijanić, Goran

    2010-06-01

    Over the last years, e-learning has taken an important role in Croatian higher education as a result of strategies defined and measures undertaken. Nonetheless, in comparison to the developed countries, the achievements in e-learning implementation are still unsatisfactory. Therefore, the efforts to advance e-learning within Croatian higher education need to be intensified. It is further necessary to undertake ongoing activities in order to solve possible problems in e-learning system functioning, which requires the development of adequate evaluation instruments and methods. One of the key steps in this process would be examining and analyzing users' attitudes. This paper presents a study of Croatian students' perceptions with regard to certain aspects of e-learning usage. Given the character of this research, adequate statistical methods were required for the data processing. The results of the analysis indicate that, for the most part, Croatian students have positive perceptions of e-learning, particularly as support to time-honored forms of teaching. However, they are not prepared to completely give up the traditional classroom. Using factor analysis, we identified four underlying factors of a collection of variables related to students' perceptions of e-learning. Furthermore, a certain number of statistically significant differences in student attitudes have been confirmed, in terms of gender and year of study. In our study we used discriminant analysis to determine discriminant functions that distinguished defined groups of students. With this research we managed to a certain degree to alleviate the current data insufficiency in the area of e-learning evaluation among Croatian students. Since this type of learning is gaining in importance within higher education, such analyses have to be conducted continuously.

  8. Pushing Critical Thinking Skills With Multiple-Choice Questions: Does Bloom's Taxonomy Work?

    PubMed

    Zaidi, Nikki L Bibler; Grob, Karri L; Monrad, Seetha M; Kurtz, Joshua B; Tai, Andrew; Ahmed, Asra Z; Gruppen, Larry D; Santen, Sally A

    2018-06-01

    Medical school assessments should foster the development of higher-order thinking skills to support clinical reasoning and a solid foundation of knowledge. Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) are commonly used to assess student learning, and well-written MCQs can support learner engagement in higher levels of cognitive reasoning such as application or synthesis of knowledge. Bloom's taxonomy has been used to identify MCQs that assess students' critical thinking skills, with evidence suggesting that higher-order MCQs support a deeper conceptual understanding of scientific process skills. Similarly, clinical practice also requires learners to develop higher-order thinking skills that include all of Bloom's levels. Faculty question writers and examinees may approach the same material differently based on varying levels of knowledge and expertise, and these differences can influence the cognitive levels being measured by MCQs. Consequently, faculty question writers may perceive that certain MCQs require higher-order thinking skills to process the question, whereas examinees may only need to employ lower-order thinking skills to render a correct response. Likewise, seemingly lower-order questions may actually require higher-order thinking skills to respond correctly. In this Perspective, the authors describe some of the cognitive processes examinees use to respond to MCQs. The authors propose that various factors affect both the question writer and examinee's interaction with test material and subsequent cognitive processes necessary to answer a question.

  9. Analysis and Synthesis of Adaptive Neural Elements and Assembles

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-09-30

    of an Aplysia sensory neuron was developed that reflects the subcellular processes underlying activity-dependent neuromodulation . This single- Page -3... neuromodulation learning rule could simulate some higher-order features of classical conditioning, such second-order conditioning and blocking. During the...reporting period, simulations were used to test the hypothesis that activity-dependent neuromodulation could also support operant conditioning. A

  10. Rethinking Pedagogy for Second-Order Differential Equations: A Simplified Approach to Understanding Well-Posed Problems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tisdell, Christopher C.

    2017-01-01

    Knowing an equation has a unique solution is important from both a modelling and theoretical point of view. For over 70 years, the approach to learning and teaching "well posedness" of initial value problems (IVPs) for second- and higher-order ordinary differential equations has involved transforming the problem and its analysis to a…

  11. Comparison of four machine learning methods for object-oriented change detection in high-resolution satellite imagery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bai, Ting; Sun, Kaimin; Deng, Shiquan; Chen, Yan

    2018-03-01

    High resolution image change detection is one of the key technologies of remote sensing application, which is of great significance for resource survey, environmental monitoring, fine agriculture, military mapping and battlefield environment detection. In this paper, for high-resolution satellite imagery, Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Deep belief network (DBN), and Adaboost models were established to verify the possibility of different machine learning applications in change detection. In order to compare detection accuracy of four machine learning Method, we applied these four machine learning methods for two high-resolution images. The results shows that SVM has higher overall accuracy at small samples compared to RF, Adaboost, and DBN for binary and from-to change detection. With the increase in the number of samples, RF has higher overall accuracy compared to Adaboost, SVM and DBN.

  12. Balancing Bologna: opportunities for university teaching that integrates academic and practical learning outcomes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Probst, Lorenz; Pflug, Verena; Brandenburg, Christiane; Guggenberger, Thomas; Mentler, Axel; Wurzinger, Maria

    2014-05-01

    In the course of the Bologna Process, the quality of university teaching has become more prominent in the discourse on higher education. More attention is now paid to didactics and methods and learner-oriented modes of teaching are introduced. The application of knowledge, practical skills and in consequence the employability of university graduates have become requirements for university teaching. Yet, the lecture-style approach still dominates European universities, although empirical evidence confirms that student-centred, interdisciplinary and experiential learning is more effective. Referring to the learning taxonomy introduced by Bloom, we argue that standard approaches rarely move beyond the learning level of comprehension and fail to reach the levels of application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Considering the rapid changes and multiple challenges society faces today, responsible practitioners and scientists who can improve the current management of natural resources are urgently needed. Universities are expected to equip their graduates with the necessary skills to reflect and evaluate their actions when addressing 'real world' problems in order to improve impact and relevance of their work. Higher education thus faces the challenge of providing multi-level learning opportunities for students with diverse practical and theoretical learning needs. In this study, we reflect on three cases of university teaching attempting to bridge theory and practice and based on the principles of systemic, problem based learning. The described courses focus on organic farming, rural development and landscape planning and take place in Uganda, Nicaragua and Italy. We show that being part of a real-world community of stakeholders requires hands-on learning and the reflection and evaluation of actions. This prepares students in a more effective and realistic way for their future roles as responsible decision makers in complex social, economic and ecological systems. We thus conclude that in order (1) to meet the goals of the Bologna process; and (2) to bridge the gap between theory and practice in higher education, university teaching needs to radically reconsider its standard forms of teaching. We propose a fundamental shift towards action learning in real-world settings, empowering students to become responsible actors.

  13. Development and Evaluation of a Web Map Mind Tool Environment with the Theory of Spatial Thinking and Project-Based Learning Strategy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hou, Huei-Tse; Yu, Tsai-Fang; Wu, Yi-Xuan; Sung, Yao-Ting; Chang, Kuo-En

    2016-01-01

    The theory of spatial thinking is relevant to the learning and teaching of many academic domains. One promising method to facilitate learners' higher-order thinking is to utilize a web map mind tool to assist learners in applying spatial thinking to cooperative problem solving. In this study, an environment is designed based on the theory of…

  14. A Study on Social Intelligence in Relation to Scholastic Achievement of Student Teachers of B.Ed. and TTI

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brindhamani, M.; Manichander, T.

    2014-01-01

    These are difficult times for educators who believe that learning is worth pursuing for its own sake and that the chief purpose of school is the nurturing of students as whole human beings. Higher test scores seem to be the order of the day. The adventure of learning, the wonder of nature and culture, the richness of human experience, and the…

  15. Innovation Strategies for a New System of Workforce Development and Lifelong Learning: The Challenge of Today and the Vision for Tomorrow

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (NJ1), 2008

    2008-01-01

    There is widespread agreement among policymakers, researchers and economists that in order for regions, states and the nation to compete in the new global economy, workers need to be educated, highly skilled, and ready to learn and adapt to the changing world. Such a workforce will enable greater innovation, higher quality, and the ability to…

  16. Dentistry students' perceptions of learning management systems.

    PubMed

    Handal, B; Groenlund, C; Gerzina, T

    2010-02-01

    This paper reports an exploratory survey study about students' perceptions of learning management systems (LMS) at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Sydney. Two hundred and fifty-four students enrolled in the Bachelor of Dentistry and the Bachelor of Oral Health programmes participated in an online survey aimed at exploring their beliefs and attitudes as well as their preferences for eLearning tools. Results indicated a strong preference of students for using LMSs as resource repositories rather than for higher-order learning activities such as online discussion forums. This finding holds importance for consideration of the development of the educational resources modalities that support development of essential graduate attributes such as information literacy and collaborative learning.

  17. Learning Cue Phrase Patterns from Radiology Reports Using a Genetic Algorithm

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

    Patton, Robert M; Beckerman, Barbara G; Potok, Thomas E

    2009-01-01

    Various computer-assisted technologies have been developed to assist radiologists in detecting cancer; however, the algorithms still lack high degrees of sensitivity and specificity, and must undergo machine learning against a training set with known pathologies in order to further refine the algorithms with higher validity of truth. This work describes an approach to learning cue phrase patterns in radiology reports that utilizes a genetic algorithm (GA) as the learning method. The approach described here successfully learned cue phrase patterns for two distinct classes of radiology reports. These patterns can then be used as a basis for automatically categorizing, clustering, ormore » retrieving relevant data for the user.« less

  18. Coarse-coded higher-order neural networks for PSRI object recognition. [position, scale, and rotation invariant

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Spirkovska, Lilly; Reid, Max B.

    1993-01-01

    A higher-order neural network (HONN) can be designed to be invariant to changes in scale, translation, and inplane rotation. Invariances are built directly into the architecture of a HONN and do not need to be learned. Consequently, fewer training passes and a smaller training set are required to learn to distinguish between objects. The size of the input field is limited, however, because of the memory required for the large number of interconnections in a fully connected HONN. By coarse coding the input image, the input field size can be increased to allow the larger input scenes required for practical object recognition problems. We describe a coarse coding technique and present simulation results illustrating its usefulness and its limitations. Our simulations show that a third-order neural network can be trained to distinguish between two objects in a 4096 x 4096 pixel input field independent of transformations in translation, in-plane rotation, and scale in less than ten passes through the training set. Furthermore, we empirically determine the limits of the coarse coding technique in the object recognition domain.

  19. Promoting the 21st century scientific literacy skills through innovative chemistry instruction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rahayu, Sri

    2017-12-01

    Students need to be equipped with the 21st century skills/capabilities to ensure their competitiveness in the knowledge era. So, it is imperative that education at school should be changed in order to fulfill the need. However, there is not any specified approach on how to educate young students for the 21st century capabilities. Regardless the impediment for ts exist, we need to construct an innovative instruction that can develop the students' 21st century skills by incorporating the skills needed, based on contemporary theory of learning, necessary context of learning and appropriate assessment in a chemistry subject matter. This paper discuss the feasible skills to be promoted through chemistry course. Those skills/capabilities are scientific literacy, higher order thinking, communicationand collaboration and curiosity. The promoted are called the 21st century scientific literacy skills in which it emphasis on scientific literacy and embedded the other 21st century skills into the innovative chemistry instruction. The elements involve in the instruction such as inquiry and constructivist approach, nature of science, contemporary/socioscientific issues, critical thinking (higher order thinking).

  20. Feature to prototype transition in neural networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krotov, Dmitry; Hopfield, John

    Models of associative memory with higher order (higher than quadratic) interactions, and their relationship to neural networks used in deep learning are discussed. Associative memory is conventionally described by recurrent neural networks with dynamical convergence to stable points. Deep learning typically uses feedforward neural nets without dynamics. However, a simple duality relates these two different views when applied to problems of pattern classification. From the perspective of associative memory such models deserve attention because they make it possible to store a much larger number of memories, compared to the quadratic case. In the dual description, these models correspond to feedforward neural networks with one hidden layer and unusual activation functions transmitting the activities of the visible neurons to the hidden layer. These activation functions are rectified polynomials of a higher degree rather than the rectified linear functions used in deep learning. The network learns representations of the data in terms of features for rectified linear functions, but as the power in the activation function is increased there is a gradual shift to a prototype-based representation, the two extreme regimes of pattern recognition known in cognitive psychology. Simons Center for Systems Biology.

  1. Learning to Change: The Rationale for The Use of Motivational Interviewing in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wells, Harvey; Jones, Anna

    2018-01-01

    Motivational interviewing is a technique developed for use in clinical contexts in order to help people change unhealthy behaviours. However, because it is centred on change, is non-judgemental and collaborative, it is ideal to be adapted for use in teaching. This paper considers the theoretical basis for its use in higher education settings by…

  2. Structural white matter differences underlying heterogeneous learning abilities after TBI.

    PubMed

    Chiou, Kathy S; Genova, Helen M; Chiaravalloti, Nancy D

    2016-12-01

    The existence of learning deficits after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is generally accepted; however, our understanding of the structural brain mechanisms underlying learning impairment after TBI is limited. Furthermore, our understanding of learning after TBI is often at risk for overgeneralization, as research often overlooks within sample heterogeneity in learning abilities. The present study examined differences in white matter integrity in a sample of adults with moderate to severe TBI who differed in learning abilities. Adults with moderate to severe TBI were grouped into learners and non-learners based upon achievement of the learning criterion of the open-trial Selective Reminding Test (SRT). Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to identify white matter differences between the learners and non-learners. Adults with TBI who were able to meet the learning criterion had greater white matter integrity (as indicated by higher fractional anisotropy [FA] values) in the right anterior thalamic radiation, forceps minor, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, and forceps minor than non-learners. The results of the study suggest that differences in white matter integrity may explain the observed heterogeneity in learning ability after moderate to severe TBI. This also supports emerging evidence for the involvement of the thalamus in higher order cognition, and the role of thalamo-cortical tracts in connecting functional networks associated with learning.

  3. Modeling social learning of language and skills.

    PubMed

    Vogt, Paul; Haasdijk, Evert

    2010-01-01

    We present a model of social learning of both language and skills, while assuming—insofar as possible—strict autonomy, virtual embodiment, and situatedness. This model is built by integrating various previous models of language development and social learning, and it is this integration that, under the mentioned assumptions, provides novel challenges. The aim of the article is to investigate what sociocognitive mechanisms agents should have in order to be able to transmit language from one generation to the next so that it can be used as a medium to transmit internalized rules that represent skill knowledge. We have performed experiments where this knowledge solves the familiar poisonous-food problem. Simulations reveal under what conditions, regarding population structure, agents can successfully solve this problem. In addition to issues relating to perspective taking and mutual exclusivity, we show that agents need to coordinate interactions so that they can establish joint attention in order to form a scaffold for language learning, which in turn forms a scaffold for the learning of rule-based skills. Based on these findings, we conclude by hypothesizing that social learning at one level forms a scaffold for the social learning at another, higher level, thus contributing to the accumulation of cultural knowledge.

  4. Modeling change in learning strategies throughout higher education: a multi-indicator latent growth perspective.

    PubMed

    Coertjens, Liesje; Donche, Vincent; De Maeyer, Sven; Vanthournout, Gert; Van Petegem, Peter

    2013-01-01

    The change in learning strategies during higher education is an important topic of research in the Student Approaches to Learning field. Although the studies on this topic are increasingly longitudinal, analyses have continued to rely primarily on traditional statistical methods. The present research is innovative in the way it uses a multi-indicator latent growth analysis in order to more accurately estimate the general and differential development in learning strategy scales. Moreover, the predictive strength of the latent growth models are estimated. The sample consists of one cohort of Flemish University College students, 245 of whom participated in the three measurement waves by filling out the processing and regulation strategies scales of the Inventory of Learning Styles--Short Versions. Independent-samples t-tests revealed that the longitudinal group is a non-random subset of students starting University College. For each scale, a multi-indicator latent growth model is estimated using Mplus 6.1. Results suggest that, on average, during higher education, students persisting in their studies in a non-delayed manner seem to shift towards high-quality learning and away from undirected and surface-oriented learning. Moreover, students from the longitudinal group are found to vary in their initial levels, while, unexpectedly, not in their change over time. Although the growth models fit the data well, significant residual variances in the latent factors remain.

  5. Modeling Change in Learning Strategies throughout Higher Education: A Multi-Indicator Latent Growth Perspective

    PubMed Central

    Coertjens, Liesje; Donche, Vincent; De Maeyer, Sven; Vanthournout, Gert; Van Petegem, Peter

    2013-01-01

    The change in learning strategies during higher education is an important topic of research in the Student Approaches to Learning field. Although the studies on this topic are increasingly longitudinal, analyses have continued to rely primarily on traditional statistical methods. The present research is innovative in the way it uses a multi-indicator latent growth analysis in order to more accurately estimate the general and differential development in learning strategy scales. Moreover, the predictive strength of the latent growth models are estimated. The sample consists of one cohort of Flemish University College students, 245 of whom participated in the three measurement waves by filling out the processing and regulation strategies scales of the Inventory of Learning Styles – Short Versions. Independent-samples t-tests revealed that the longitudinal group is a non-random subset of students starting University College. For each scale, a multi-indicator latent growth model is estimated using Mplus 6.1. Results suggest that, on average, during higher education, students persisting in their studies in a non-delayed manner seem to shift towards high-quality learning and away from undirected and surface-oriented learning. Moreover, students from the longitudinal group are found to vary in their initial levels, while, unexpectedly, not in their change over time. Although the growth models fit the data well, significant residual variances in the latent factors remain. PMID:23844112

  6. Semi-local machine-learned kinetic energy density functional with third-order gradients of electron density

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seino, Junji; Kageyama, Ryo; Fujinami, Mikito; Ikabata, Yasuhiro; Nakai, Hiromi

    2018-06-01

    A semi-local kinetic energy density functional (KEDF) was constructed based on machine learning (ML). The present scheme adopts electron densities and their gradients up to third-order as the explanatory variables for ML and the Kohn-Sham (KS) kinetic energy density as the response variable in atoms and molecules. Numerical assessments of the present scheme were performed in atomic and molecular systems, including first- and second-period elements. The results of 37 conventional KEDFs with explicit formulae were also compared with those of the ML KEDF with an implicit formula. The inclusion of the higher order gradients reduces the deviation of the total kinetic energies from the KS calculations in a stepwise manner. Furthermore, our scheme with the third-order gradient resulted in the closest kinetic energies to the KS calculations out of the presented functionals.

  7. Review of the Status of Learning in Research on Sport Education: Future Research and Practice

    PubMed Central

    Araújo, Rui; Mesquita, Isabel; Hastie, Peter A.

    2014-01-01

    Research concerning Sport Education’s educational impact has shown unequivocal results according to students’ personal and social development. Nevertheless, research is still sparse with respect to the model’s impact on student learning outcomes. The goal of the present review is to therefore scrutinize what is currently known regarding students’ learning during their participation in Sport Education. This research spans a variety of studies, cross various countries, school grades, the sports studied, as well as the methods applied and dimensions of student learning analyzed. While research on the impact of Sport Education on students’ learning, as well as teachers’ and students’ perceptions about student learning has shown students’ improvements during the participation in Sport Education seasons, there is still considerable variance in these results. For example, some studies report superior learning opportunities to boys and higher skill-level students while other studies have identified superior learning opportunities for girls and lower skill-level students. These inconsistent results can be explained by factors not considered in the Sport Education research, such as the effect of time on students’ learning and the control of the teaching-learning process within Sport Education units. In this review directions for future research and practice are also described. Future research should define, implement, and evaluate protocols for student-coaches’ preparation in order to understand the influence of this issue on students’ learning as well as consider the implementation of hybrid approaches. Moreover, future studies should consider the interaction of gender and skill level and a retention test in the analysis of students’ learning improvements in order to obtain a more realist and complete portrait of the impact of Sport Education. Finally, in order to reach an entirely understanding of the teaching-learning process, it is necessary to use research designs that attend to the complexity of this process. Key Points Despite research regarding has showed students’ improvements during the participation in Sport Education seasons, it remains somewhat equivocal. The studies included in this review show students’ improvements on skill, knowledge and tactical development, as we as game play, during the participation in Sport Education units. Some studies report superior learning opportunities to boys and higher skill-level students while other studies exposed superior learning opportunities to girls and lower skill-level students. The effect of time on students’ learning and the control of the teaching-learning process within Sport Education units can explain these equivocal results. Future research is encouraged to consider the implementation of protocols for student-coaches’ preparation, hybrid models, a retention test, the interaction of gender and skill level, and use research designs that attend to the complexity of the teaching-learning process. PMID:25435778

  8. Review of the status of learning in research on sport education: future research and practice.

    PubMed

    Araújo, Rui; Mesquita, Isabel; Hastie, Peter A

    2014-12-01

    Research concerning Sport Education's educational impact has shown unequivocal results according to students' personal and social development. Nevertheless, research is still sparse with respect to the model's impact on student learning outcomes. The goal of the present review is to therefore scrutinize what is currently known regarding students' learning during their participation in Sport Education. This research spans a variety of studies, cross various countries, school grades, the sports studied, as well as the methods applied and dimensions of student learning analyzed. While research on the impact of Sport Education on students' learning, as well as teachers' and students' perceptions about student learning has shown students' improvements during the participation in Sport Education seasons, there is still considerable variance in these results. For example, some studies report superior learning opportunities to boys and higher skill-level students while other studies have identified superior learning opportunities for girls and lower skill-level students. These inconsistent results can be explained by factors not considered in the Sport Education research, such as the effect of time on students' learning and the control of the teaching-learning process within Sport Education units. In this review directions for future research and practice are also described. Future research should define, implement, and evaluate protocols for student-coaches' preparation in order to understand the influence of this issue on students' learning as well as consider the implementation of hybrid approaches. Moreover, future studies should consider the interaction of gender and skill level and a retention test in the analysis of students' learning improvements in order to obtain a more realist and complete portrait of the impact of Sport Education. Finally, in order to reach an entirely understanding of the teaching-learning process, it is necessary to use research designs that attend to the complexity of this process. Key PointsDespite research regarding has showed students' improvements during the participation in Sport Education seasons, it remains somewhat equivocal.The studies included in this review show students' improvements on skill, knowledge and tactical development, as we as game play, during the participation in Sport Education units.Some studies report superior learning opportunities to boys and higher skill-level students while other studies exposed superior learning opportunities to girls and lower skill-level students.The effect of time on students' learning and the control of the teaching-learning process within Sport Education units can explain these equivocal results.Future research is encouraged to consider the implementation of protocols for student-coaches' preparation, hybrid models, a retention test, the interaction of gender and skill level, and use research designs that attend to the complexity of the teaching-learning process.

  9. Engaging adolescents with LD in higher order thinking about history concepts using integrated content enhancement routines.

    PubMed

    Bulgren, Janis; Deshler, Donald D; Lenz, B Keith

    2007-01-01

    The understanding and use of historical concepts specified in national history standards pose many challenges to students. These challenges include both the acquisition of content knowledge and the use of that knowledge in ways that require higher order thinking. All students, including adolescents with learning disabilities (LD), are expected to understand and use concepts of history to pass high-stakes assessments and to participate meaningfully in a democratic society. This article describes Content Enhancement Routines (CERs) to illustrate instructional planning, teaching, and assessing for higher order thinking with examples from an American history unit. Research on the individual components of Content Enhancement Routines will be illustrated with data from 1 of the routines. The potential use of integrated sets of materials and procedures across grade levels and content areas will be discussed.

  10. Identifying Taiwanese University Students' Physics Learning Profiles and Their Role in Physics Learning Self-Efficacy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Tzung-Jin; Liang, Jyh-Chong; Tsai, Chin-Chung

    2015-08-01

    The main purposes of this study were to identify Taiwanese university students' physics learning profiles in terms of their critical conceptions of learning physics and to compare their physics learning self-efficacy with the different learning profiles. A total of 250 Taiwanese undergraduates who were majoring in physics participated in this study and were invited to complete two instruments, physics learning profile and physics learning self-efficacy (PLSE). The main results indicated that, first, the two instruments developed in this study had satisfactory validity and reliability. Second, three fundamental physics learning profiles, the reproductive, transitional, and constructive profiles, were characterized based on the cluster analysis. It is also evident that the three learning profiles demonstrated different levels of self-efficacy for the five PLSE dimensions. The students with a reproductive profile tended to possess the lowest PLSE across the five dimensions. The students with a transitional profile may possess higher confidence in higher-order cognitive skills and laboratory activities than those with a reproductive profile. However, only those with a constructive profile, highlighting a comprehensive understanding of physics knowledge/concepts as well as de-emphasizing physics learning as preparing for tests and calculating and practising tutorial problems, possessed stronger PLSE in applying what they learned to real-world contexts as well as in scientifically communicating with others.

  11. Differentiating the Sources of Taiwanese High School Students' Multidimensional Science Learning Self-Efficacy: An Examination of Gender Differences

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Tzung-Jin; Tsai, Chin-Chung

    2017-04-01

    The main purpose of this study was to investigate Taiwanese high school students' multi-dimensional self-efficacy and its sources in the domain of science. Two instruments, Sources of Science Learning Self-Efficacy (SSLSE) and Science Learning Self-Efficacy (SLSE), were used. By means of correlation and regression analyses, the relationships between students' science learning self-efficacy and the sources of their science learning self-efficacy were examined. The findings revealed that the four sources of the students' self-efficacy were found to play significant roles in their science learning self-efficacy. By and large, Mastery Experience and Vicarious Experience were found to be the two salient influencing sources. Several gender differences were also revealed. For example, the female students regarded Social Persuasion as the most influential source in the "Science Communication" dimension, while the male students considered Vicarious Experience as the main efficacy source. Physiological and Affective States, in particular, was a crucial antecedent of the female students' various SLSE dimensions, including "Conceptual Understanding," "Higher-Order Cognitive Skills," and "Science Communication." In addition, the variations between male and female students' responses to both instruments were also unraveled. The results suggest that, first, the male students perceived themselves as having more mastery experience, vicarious experience and social persuasion than their female counterparts. Meanwhile, the female students experienced more negative emotional arousal than the male students. Additionally, the male students were more self-efficacious than the females in the five SLSE dimensions of "Conceptual Understanding," "Higher-Order Cognitive Skills," "Practical Work," "Everyday Application," and "Science Communication."

  12. Differentiating the Sources of Taiwanese High School Students' Multidimensional Science Learning Self-Efficacy: An Examination of Gender Differences

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Tzung-Jin; Tsai, Chin-Chung

    2018-06-01

    The main purpose of this study was to investigate Taiwanese high school students' multi-dimensional self-efficacy and its sources in the domain of science. Two instruments, Sources of Science Learning Self-Efficacy (SSLSE) and Science Learning Self-Efficacy (SLSE), were used. By means of correlation and regression analyses, the relationships between students' science learning self-efficacy and the sources of their science learning self-efficacy were examined. The findings revealed that the four sources of the students' self-efficacy were found to play significant roles in their science learning self-efficacy. By and large, Mastery Experience and Vicarious Experience were found to be the two salient influencing sources. Several gender differences were also revealed. For example, the female students regarded Social Persuasion as the most influential source in the "Science Communication" dimension, while the male students considered Vicarious Experience as the main efficacy source. Physiological and Affective States, in particular, was a crucial antecedent of the female students' various SLSE dimensions, including "Conceptual Understanding," "Higher-Order Cognitive Skills," and "Science Communication." In addition, the variations between male and female students' responses to both instruments were also unraveled. The results suggest that, first, the male students perceived themselves as having more mastery experience, vicarious experience and social persuasion than their female counterparts. Meanwhile, the female students experienced more negative emotional arousal than the male students. Additionally, the male students were more self-efficacious than the females in the five SLSE dimensions of "Conceptual Understanding," "Higher-Order Cognitive Skills," "Practical Work," "Everyday Application," and "Science Communication."

  13. Undergraduate range management exam: 1999-2014

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The Undergraduate Range Management Exam (URME) has been administered to undergraduate students at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management since 1983, with students demonstrating their higher order learning skills and synthesis knowledge of the art and science of rangeland management. ...

  14. "A Second Chance at Learning but It's Not Quite Higher Education": Experience of a Foundation Degree

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fenge, Lee-Ann

    2011-01-01

    This paper reports on the findings of a recent small scale study into the experiences of mature students of a foundation degree (FD) in health and social care. This was an exploratory study that evaluated one particular FD health and social care programme in order to gain an insight into some of the issues involved in delivering higher education…

  15. Cognitive Levels of Teaching and Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whittington, M. Susie; And Others

    1995-01-01

    Includes "$20,000 Question" (Whittington); "Genius of the Agricultural Education Model for Nurturing Higher Order Thinking (HOT)" (Newcomb); "Effective Use of Discussion Method Teaching" (Cooke); "Insects in the Classroom" (Klowden); "Increasing Thinking Skill through HOT Teaching" (Torres, Cano); "WHY? Practices Used in Vocational Classrooms to…

  16. Conditioning with compound stimuli in Drosophila melanogaster in the flight simulator.

    PubMed

    Brembs, B; Heisenberg, M

    2001-08-01

    Short-term memory in Drosophila melanogaster operant visual learning in the flight simulator is explored using patterns and colours as a compound stimulus. Presented together during training, the two stimuli accrue the same associative strength whether or not a prior training phase rendered one of the two stimuli a stronger predictor for the reinforcer than the other (no blocking). This result adds Drosophila to the list of other invertebrates that do not exhibit the robust vertebrate blocking phenomenon. Other forms of higher-order learning, however, were detected: a solid sensory preconditioning and a small second-order conditioning effect imply that associations between the two stimuli can be formed, even if the compound is not reinforced.

  17. Exploratory qualitative case study of lab-type activity interactions in an online graduate geoscience course

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ciavarella, Veronica C.

    This exploratory qualitative case study investigated the use of lab-type activities in an online graduate geoscience course. Constructivism is the theoretical framework used to explain how learning happens in lab-type activity, and provided the goals to which successful learning in lab-type activity is compared. This study focused on the learner-instructor, learner-learner, and perceptions of the learner-content interactions that occurred related to lab-type activities in an online graduate geoscience course to determine: if the instructor appeared as a facilitator of the learning process in the interactions over the activities; if students engaged in discussion and reflection about the activities; if students perceived the activities as meaningful and authentic; and if students perceived using higher order thinking and prior knowledge while interacting with the content. Ten graduate students from three offerings of the course participated in this study, as well as the instructor and designer of the course content and lab-type activities. Data were collected through interviews, and observation and analysis of the lab-type activities, instructor feedback to students in their graded activities, and discussion that occurred between the instructor and students and among students about the lab-type activities in discussion forums. The nature of the instructor's interactions in discussion forums, in feedback to students on graded activities, and reported by students' in interviews supported that, in the learner-instructor interactions, the instructor of this course was a facilitator who guided and scaffolded the students towards successfully completing the activities. Students engaged in discussion and reflected on the activities, but most learner-learner interactions in discussion forums about the lab-type activities appeared to occur for the purpose of comparison of results, support, and empathy. Students' success at higher order thinking type questions in lab-type activities and their perceptions reported in interviews of using higher order thinking in their interactions with the lab-type activities supported that the learner-content interactions involved higher order thinking. Students also reported finding the activities realistic, meaningful and authentic, and this increased their interest with the activities, and the activities aided their understanding of the content.

  18. Relationship between mathematical abstraction in learning parallel coordinates concept and performance in learning analytic geometry of pre-service mathematics teachers: an investigation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nurhasanah, F.; Kusumah, Y. S.; Sabandar, J.; Suryadi, D.

    2018-05-01

    As one of the non-conventional mathematics concepts, Parallel Coordinates is potential to be learned by pre-service mathematics teachers in order to give them experiences in constructing richer schemes and doing abstraction process. Unfortunately, the study related to this issue is still limited. This study wants to answer a research question “to what extent the abstraction process of pre-service mathematics teachers in learning concept of Parallel Coordinates could indicate their performance in learning Analytic Geometry”. This is a case study that part of a larger study in examining mathematical abstraction of pre-service mathematics teachers in learning non-conventional mathematics concept. Descriptive statistics method is used in this study to analyze the scores from three different tests: Cartesian Coordinate, Parallel Coordinates, and Analytic Geometry. The participants in this study consist of 45 pre-service mathematics teachers. The result shows that there is a linear association between the score on Cartesian Coordinate and Parallel Coordinates. There also found that the higher levels of the abstraction process in learning Parallel Coordinates are linearly associated with higher student achievement in Analytic Geometry. The result of this study shows that the concept of Parallel Coordinates has a significant role for pre-service mathematics teachers in learning Analytic Geometry.

  19. Problem-based learning: an approach to enhancing learning and understanding of optics for first-year students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bowe, Brian W.; Daly, Siobhan; Flynn, Cathal; Howard, Robert

    2003-03-01

    In this paper a model for the implementation of a problem-based learning (PBL) course for a typical year physics one programme is described. Reference is made to how PBL has been implemented in relation to geometrical and physical optics. PBL derives from the theory that learning is an active process in which the learner constructs new knowledge on the basis of current knowledge, unlike traditional teaching practices in higher education, where the emphasis is on the transmission of factual knowledge. The course consists of a set of optics related real life problems that are carefully constructed to meet specified learning outcomes. The students, working in groups, encounter these problem-solving situations and are facilitated to produce a solution. The PBL course promotes student engagement in order to achieve higher levels of cognitive learning. Evaluation of the course indicates that the students adopt a deep learning approach and that they attain a thorough understanding of the subject instead of the superficial understanding associated with surface learning. The methodology also helps students to develop metacognitive skills. Another outcome of this teaching methodology is the development of key skills such as the ability to work in a group and to communicate, and present, information effectively.

  20. Learning Rotation-Invariant Local Binary Descriptor.

    PubMed

    Duan, Yueqi; Lu, Jiwen; Feng, Jianjiang; Zhou, Jie

    2017-08-01

    In this paper, we propose a rotation-invariant local binary descriptor (RI-LBD) learning method for visual recognition. Compared with hand-crafted local binary descriptors, such as local binary pattern and its variants, which require strong prior knowledge, local binary feature learning methods are more efficient and data-adaptive. Unlike existing learning-based local binary descriptors, such as compact binary face descriptor and simultaneous local binary feature learning and encoding, which are susceptible to rotations, our RI-LBD first categorizes each local patch into a rotational binary pattern (RBP), and then jointly learns the orientation for each pattern and the projection matrix to obtain RI-LBDs. As all the rotation variants of a patch belong to the same RBP, they are rotated into the same orientation and projected into the same binary descriptor. Then, we construct a codebook by a clustering method on the learned binary codes, and obtain a histogram feature for each image as the final representation. In order to exploit higher order statistical information, we extend our RI-LBD to the triple rotation-invariant co-occurrence local binary descriptor (TRICo-LBD) learning method, which learns a triple co-occurrence binary code for each local patch. Extensive experimental results on four different visual recognition tasks, including image patch matching, texture classification, face recognition, and scene classification, show that our RI-LBD and TRICo-LBD outperform most existing local descriptors.

  1. A model of the hierarchy of behaviour, cognition, and consciousness.

    PubMed

    Toates, Frederick

    2006-03-01

    Processes comparable in important respects to those underlying human conscious and non-conscious processing can be identified in a range of species and it is argued that these reflect evolutionary precursors of the human processes. A distinction is drawn between two types of processing: (1) stimulus-based and (2) higher-order. For 'higher-order,' in humans the operations of processing are themselves associated with conscious awareness. Conscious awareness sets the context for stimulus-based processing and its end-point is accessible to conscious awareness. However, the mechanics of the translation between stimulus and response proceeds without conscious control. The paper argues that higher-order processing is an evolutionary addition to stimulus-based processing. The model's value is shown for gaining insight into a range of phenomena and their link with consciousness. These include brain damage, learning, memory, development, vision, emotion, motor control, reasoning, the voluntary versus involuntary debate, and mental disorder.

  2. Costs of success: Financial implications of implementation of active learning in introductory physics courses for students and administrators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brewe, Eric; Dou, Remy; Shand, Robert

    2018-02-01

    Although active learning is supported by strong evidence of efficacy in undergraduate science instruction, institutions of higher education have yet to embrace comprehensive change. Costs of transforming instruction are regularly cited as a key factor in not adopting active-learning instructional practices. Some cite that alternative methods to stadium-style, lecture-based education are not financially viable to an academic department. This paper examines that argument by presenting an ingredients approach to estimating costs of two instructional methods used in introductory university physics courses at a large public U.S. university. We use a metric common in educational economics, cost effectiveness (CE), which is the total cost per student passing the class. We then compare the CE of traditional, passive-learning lecture courses to those of a well-studied, active-learning curriculum (Modeling Instruction) as a way of evaluating the claim that active learning is cost prohibitive. Our findings are that the Modeling Instruction approach has a higher cost per passing student (MI = 1 ,030 /passing student vs Trad = 790 /passing student). These results are discussed from perspectives of university administrators, students, and taxpayers. We consider how MI would need to adapt in order to make the benefits of active learning (particularly higher pass rates and gains on multiple measured student outcomes) available in a cost-neutral setting. This approach aims to provide a methodology to better inform decision makers balancing financial, personnel, and curricular considerations.

  3. Learning outcomes and student-perceived value of clay modeling and cat dissection in undergraduate human anatomy and physiology.

    PubMed

    DeHoff, Mary Ellen; Clark, Krista L; Meganathan, Karthikeyan

    2011-03-01

    Alternatives and/or supplements to animal dissection are being explored by educators of human anatomy at different academic levels. Clay modeling is one such alternative that provides a kinesthetic, three-dimensional, constructive, and sensory approach to learning human anatomy. The present study compared two laboratory techniques, clay modeling of human anatomy and dissection of preserved cat specimens, in the instruction of muscles, peripheral nerves, and blood vessels. Specifically, we examined the effect of each technique on student performance on low-order and high-order questions related to each body system as well as the student-perceived value of each technique. Students who modeled anatomic structures in clay scored significantly higher on low-order questions related to peripheral nerves; scores were comparable between groups for high-order questions on peripheral nerves and for questions on muscles and blood vessels. Likert-scale surveys were used to measure student responses to statements about each laboratory technique. A significantly greater percentage of students in the clay modeling group "agreed" or "strongly agreed" with positive statements about their respective technique. These results indicate that clay modeling and cat dissection are equally effective in achieving student learning outcomes for certain systems in undergraduate human anatomy. Furthermore, clay modeling appears to be the preferred technique based on students' subjective perceptions of value to their learning experience.

  4. Developing Intercultural Awareness Using Digital Storytelling

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ribiero, Sandre P. M.

    2016-01-01

    Higher Education mirrors the shifting nature of society and work. Mobility may provide unparalleled learning opportunities for all stakeholders; however, in order to live and work in plural societies as socially responsible and intercultural knowledgeable citizens, intercultural awareness and intercultural communication skills need to be mastered.…

  5. Going Beyond the Lecture Class - Is it Worth it?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Funaro, G. M.; Paytan, A.; Arrigo, K. R.; Chandran, R.; Schindell, J.

    2001-12-01

    Lectures, labs, and seminars dominate the course offerings at most American universities. Students have been learning successfully from these teaching methods for hundreds of years. Alternatively, in order to provide a more personally meaningful learning experience, educational researchers espouse a constructivist approach to learning. To demonstrate this approach, we will describe a case study of two courses, marine chemistry and biological oceanography, that were taught as a single interdisciplinary experience by Stanford University faculty. The courses incorporated an innovative curriculum using active learning methodologies including problem-based learning and teamwork, a set of interactive and facilitative teaching practices, customized technology that worked in the background to make the course effective and efficient, and a goal to reveal the interdisciplinary nature of the content in the two courses. Videotapes of group problem solving revealed that students displayed higher order thinking skills. Students indicated in focus groups that teamwork provided a motivating, rich, learning environment. The communication technology supported both the faculty in the delivery and assessment of the course and the students in communicating with their teams. The technology was the glue that made the course work effectively and efficiently. The overall learning experience can be best expressed by the students themselves who said they felt like they were participating in "real science" for the first time.

  6. The impact of constructivist teaching strategies on the acquisition of higher order cognition and learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Merrill, Alison Saricks

    The purpose of this quasi-experimental quantitative mixed design study was to compare the effectiveness of brain-based teaching strategies versus a traditional lecture format in the acquisition of higher order cognition as determined by test scores. A second purpose was to elicit student feedback about the two teaching approaches. The design was a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design study with repeated measures on the last factor. The independent variables were type of student, teaching method, and a within group change over time. Dependent variables were a between group comparison of pre-test, post-test gain scores and a within and between group comparison of course examination scores. A convenience sample of students enrolled in medical-surgical nursing was used. One group (n=36) was made up of traditional students and the other group (n=36) consisted of second-degree students. Four learning units were included in this study. Pre- and post-tests were given on the first two units. Course examinations scores from all four units were compared. In one cohort two of the units were taught via lecture format and two using constructivist activities. These methods were reversed for the other cohort. The conceptual basis for this study derives from neuroscience and cognitive psychology. Learning is defined as the growth of new dendrites. Cognitive psychologists view learning as a constructive activity in which new knowledge is built on an internal foundation of existing knowledge. Constructivist teaching strategies are designed to stimulate the brain's natural learning ability. There was a statistically significant difference based on type of teaching strategy (t = -2.078, df = 270, p = .039, d = .25)) with higher mean scores on the examinations covering brain-based learning units. There was no statistical significance based on type of student. Qualitative data collection was conducted in an on-line forum at the end of the semester. Students had overall positive responses about the constructivist activities. Major themes were described. Constructivist strategies help bridge the gap between neurological and cognitive sciences and classroom teaching and learning. A variety of implications for nursing educators are outlined as well as directions for future research.

  7. Communication: Understanding molecular representations in machine learning: The role of uniqueness and target similarity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Bing; von Lilienfeld, O. Anatole

    2016-10-01

    The predictive accuracy of Machine Learning (ML) models of molecular properties depends on the choice of the molecular representation. Inspired by the postulates of quantum mechanics, we introduce a hierarchy of representations which meet uniqueness and target similarity criteria. To systematically control target similarity, we simply rely on interatomic many body expansions, as implemented in universal force-fields, including Bonding, Angular (BA), and higher order terms. Addition of higher order contributions systematically increases similarity to the true potential energy and predictive accuracy of the resulting ML models. We report numerical evidence for the performance of BAML models trained on molecular properties pre-calculated at electron-correlated and density functional theory level of theory for thousands of small organic molecules. Properties studied include enthalpies and free energies of atomization, heat capacity, zero-point vibrational energies, dipole-moment, polarizability, HOMO/LUMO energies and gap, ionization potential, electron affinity, and electronic excitations. After training, BAML predicts energies or electronic properties of out-of-sample molecules with unprecedented accuracy and speed.

  8. A supervised learning approach for Crohn's disease detection using higher-order image statistics and a novel shape asymmetry measure.

    PubMed

    Mahapatra, Dwarikanath; Schueffler, Peter; Tielbeek, Jeroen A W; Buhmann, Joachim M; Vos, Franciscus M

    2013-10-01

    Increasing incidence of Crohn's disease (CD) in the Western world has made its accurate diagnosis an important medical challenge. The current reference standard for diagnosis, colonoscopy, is time-consuming and invasive while magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has emerged as the preferred noninvasive procedure over colonoscopy. Current MRI approaches assess rate of contrast enhancement and bowel wall thickness, and rely on extensive manual segmentation for accurate analysis. We propose a supervised learning method for the identification and localization of regions in abdominal magnetic resonance images that have been affected by CD. Low-level features like intensity and texture are used with shape asymmetry information to distinguish between diseased and normal regions. Particular emphasis is laid on a novel entropy-based shape asymmetry method and higher-order statistics like skewness and kurtosis. Multi-scale feature extraction renders the method robust. Experiments on real patient data show that our features achieve a high level of accuracy and perform better than two competing methods.

  9. Distance learning: the future of continuing professional development.

    PubMed

    Southernwood, Julie

    2008-10-01

    The recent development of a market economy in higher education has resulted in the need to tailor the product to the customers, namely students, employers and commissioning bodies. Distance learning is an opportunity for nurse educators and institutions to address marketing initiatives and develop a learning environment in order to enhance continuing professional development. It provides options for lifelong learning for healthcare professionals--including those working in community settings--that is effective and cost efficient. Development of continuing professional development programmes can contribute to widening the participation of community practitioners in lifelong learning, practice and role development. This paper considers the opportunities that web-based and online education programmes can provide community practitioners to promote professional skills while maintaining a work-life balance, and the role of the lecturer in successfully supporting professionals on web-based learning programmes.

  10. A single dose of oxytocin nasal spray improves higher-order social cognition in schizophrenia.

    PubMed

    Guastella, Adam J; Ward, Philip B; Hickie, Ian B; Shahrestani, Sara; Hodge, Marie Antoinette Redoblado; Scott, Elizabeth M; Langdon, Robyn

    2015-11-01

    Schizophrenia is associated with significant impairments in both higher and lower order social cognitive performance and these impairments contribute to poor social functioning. People with schizophrenia report poor social functioning to be one of their greatest unmet treatment needs. Recent studies have suggested the potential of oxytocin as such a treatment, but mixed results render it uncertain what aspects of social cognition are improved by oxytocin and, subsequently, how oxytocin might best be applied as a therapeutic. The aim of this study was to determine whether a single dose of oxytocin improved higher-order and lower-order social cognition performance for patients with schizophrenia across a well-established battery of social cognition tests. Twenty-one male patients received both a single dose of oxytocin nasal spray (24IU) and a placebo, two weeks apart in a randomized within-subjects placebo controlled design. Following each administration, participants completed the social cognition tasks, as well as a test of general neurocognition. Results revealed that oxytocin particularly enhanced performance on higher order social cognition tasks, with no effects on general neurocognition. Results for individual tasks showed most improvement on tests measuring appreciation of indirect hints and recognition of social faux pas. These results suggest that oxytocin, if combined to enhance social cognition learning, may be beneficial when targeted at higher order social cognition domains. This study also suggests that these higher order tasks, which assess social cognitive processing in a social communication context, may provide useful markers of response to oxytocin in schizophrenia. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. An Innovative Teaching Method To Promote Active Learning: Team-Based Learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Balasubramanian, R.

    2007-12-01

    Traditional teaching practice based on the textbook-whiteboard- lecture-homework-test paradigm is not very effective in helping students with diverse academic backgrounds achieve higher-order critical thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Consequently, there is a critical need for developing a new pedagogical approach to create a collaborative and interactive learning environment in which students with complementary academic backgrounds and learning skills can work together to enhance their learning outcomes. In this presentation, I will discuss an innovative teaching method ('Team-Based Learning (TBL)") which I recently developed at National University of Singapore to promote active learning among students in the environmental engineering program with learning abilities. I implemented this new educational activity in a graduate course. Student feedback indicates that this pedagogical approach is appealing to most students, and promotes active & interactive learning in class. Data will be presented to show that the innovative teaching method has contributed to improved student learning and achievement.

  12. Effects of Academic Service Learning in Drug Misuse and Addiction on Students’ Learning Preferences and Attitudes Toward Harm Reduction

    PubMed Central

    Kabli, Noufissa; Liu, Ben; Seifert, Tricia

    2013-01-01

    Objective. To examine academic service-learning pedagogy on student learning and perceptions of drug misuse and addiction. Design. Third- and fourth-year pharmacology students were exposed to an academic service-learning pedagogy that integrated a community service experience with lectures, in-class discussions and debates, group projects, a final paper, and an examination. Reflective writing assignments throughout the course required students to assimilate and apply what they had learned in the classroom to what they learned in their community placement. Assessment. Changes in students’ responses on pre- and post-course survey instruments reflected shifts toward higher-order thinking. Also, subjective student-learning modalities shifted toward learning by writing. Students’ perspectives and attitudes allowed improved context of issues associated with drug misuse and harm reduction models. Conclusion. Academic service-learning pedagogy contributes to developing adaptable, well-rounded, engaged learners who become more compassionate and pragmatic in addressing scientific and social questions relating to drug addiction. PMID:23610481

  13. How can leaders foster team learning? Effects of leader-assigned mastery and performance goals and psychological safety.

    PubMed

    Ashauer, Shirley A; Macan, Therese

    2013-01-01

    Learning and adapting to change are imperative as teams today face unprecedented change. Yet, an important part of learning involves challenging assumptions and addressing differences of opinion openly within a group--the kind of behaviors that pose the potential for embarrassment or threat. How can leaders foster an environment in which team members feel it is safe to take interpersonal risks in order to learn? In a study of 71 teams, we found that psychological safety and learning behavior were higher for teams with mastery than performance goal instructions or no goal instructions. Team psychological safety mediated the relationship between mastery and performance goal instructions and learning behavior. Findings contribute to our understanding of how leader-assigned goals are related to psychological safety and learning behavior in a team context, and suggest approaches to foster such processes.

  14. The effects of higher-order questioning strategies on nonscience majors' achievement in an introductory environmental science course and their attitudes toward the environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eason, Grace Teresa

    The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine the effect a higher-order questioning strategy (Bloom, 1956) had on undergraduate non-science majors' attitudes toward the environment and their achievement in an introductory environmental science course, EDS 1032, "Survey of Science 2: Life Science," which was offered during the Spring 2000 term. Students from both treatment and control groups (N = 63), which were determined using intact classes, participated in eight cooperative group activities based on the Biological Sciences Curriculum Studies (BSCS) 5E model (Bybee, 1993). The treatment group received a higher-order questioning method combined with the BSCS 5E model. The control group received a lower-order questioning method, combined with the BSCS 5E model. Two instruments were used to measure students' attitude and achievement changes. The Ecology Issue Attitude (EIA) survey (Schindler, 1995) and a comprehensive environmental science final exam. Kolb's Learning Style Inventory (KLSI, 1985) was used to measure students' learning style type. After a 15-week treatment period, results were analyzed using MANCOVA. The overall MANCOVA model used to test the statistical difference between the collective influences of the independent variables on the three dependent variables simultaneously was found to be not significant at alpha = .05. This differs from findings of previous studies in which higher-order questioning techniques had a significant effect on student achievement (King 1989 & 1992; Blosser, 1991; Redfield and Rousseau, 1981; Gall 1970). At the risk of inflated Type I and Type II error rates, separate univariate analyses were performed. However, none of the research factors, when examined collectively or separately, made any significant contribution to explaining the variability in EIA attitude, EIA achievement, and comprehensive environmental science final examination scores. Nevertheless, anecdotal evidence from student's self-reported behavior changes indicated favorable responses to an increased awareness of and positive action toward the environment.

  15. Engaging students as partners in developing online learning and feedback activities for first-year fluid mechanics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brown, Alan

    2018-01-01

    Much learning takes place outside of formal class settings, yet students starting in higher education are not always well equipped with independent learning skills, appropriate self-knowledge or the required levels of intrinsic motivation This project used students as partners to develop resources that could be used by first-year undergraduates in fluid mechanics, using activities and receiving feedback through the virtual learning environment (VLE), in order to build these three attributes of independent learners. While there were significant benefits to the students who developed the resources, the target students saw much lower benefits as a result of poorer than expected engagement. The challenge this research presents is to develop activities that maximise engagement in large classes, as well as develop appropriate independent learning skills.

  16. Social modulation of associative fear learning by pheromone communication

    PubMed Central

    Bredy, Timothy W.; Barad, Mark

    2009-01-01

    Mice communicate through visual, vocal, and olfactory cues that influence innate, nonassociative behavior. We here report that exposure to a recently fear-conditioned familiar mouse impairs acquisition of conditioned fear and facilitates fear extinction, effects mimicked by both an olfactory chemosignal emitted by a recently fear-conditioned familiar mouse and by the putative stress-related anxiogenic pheromone β-phenylethylamine (β-PEA). Together, these findings suggest social modulation of higher-order cognitive processing through pheromone communication and support the concurrent excitor hypothesis of extinction learning. PMID:19117912

  17. Summary of vulnerability related technologies based on machine learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Lei; Chen, Zhihao; Jia, Qiong

    2018-04-01

    As the scale of information system increases by an order of magnitude, the complexity of system software is getting higher. The vulnerability interaction from design, development and deployment to implementation stages greatly increases the risk of the entire information system being attacked successfully. Considering the limitations and lags of the existing mainstream security vulnerability detection techniques, this paper summarizes the development and current status of related technologies based on the machine learning methods applied to deal with massive and irregular data, and handling security vulnerabilities.

  18. Social modulation of associative fear learning by pheromone communication.

    PubMed

    Bredy, Timothy W; Barad, Mark

    2009-01-01

    Mice communicate through visual, vocal, and olfactory cues that influence innate, nonassociative behavior. We here report that exposure to a recently fear-conditioned familiar mouse impairs acquisition of conditioned fear and facilitates fear extinction, effects mimicked by both an olfactory chemosignal emitted by a recently fear-conditioned familiar mouse and by the putative stress-related anxiogenic pheromone beta-phenylethylamine (beta-PEA). Together, these findings suggest social modulation of higher-order cognitive processing through pheromone communication and support the concurrent excitor hypothesis of extinction learning.

  19. Learning to Encode Timing: Mechanisms of Plasticity in the Auditory Brainstem

    PubMed Central

    Tzounopoulos, Thanos; Kraus, Nina

    2009-01-01

    Mechanisms of plasticity have traditionally been ascribed to higher-order sensory processing areas such as the cortex, whereas early sensory processing centers have been considered largely hard-wired. In agreement with this view, the auditory brainstem has been viewed as a nonplastic site, important for preserving temporal information and minimizing transmission delays. However, recent groundbreaking results from animal models and human studies have revealed remarkable evidence for cellular and behavioral mechanisms for learning and memory in the auditory brainstem. PMID:19477149

  20. Relevance Judging, Evaluation, and Decision Making in Virtual Libraries: A Descriptive Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fitzgerald, Mary Ann; Galloway, Chad

    2001-01-01

    Describes a study that investigated the cognitive processes undergraduates used to select information while using a virtual library, GALILEO (Georgia Library Learning Online). Discusses higher order thinking processes, relevance judging, evaluation (critical thinking), decision making, reasoning involving documents, relevance-related reasoning,…

  1. The Underlying Message in LD Intervention Research: Findings from Research Syntheses.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vaughn, Sharon; Gersten, Russell; Chard, David J.

    2000-01-01

    This article summarizes the critical findings of recent research syntheses concerning intervention with students who have learning disabilities. The syntheses examined research on higher-order processing and problem- solving, reading comprehension, written expression, and grouping practices associated with improved outcomes in reading. Principles…

  2. 38 CFR 21.9660 - Rural relocation benefit.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... (CONTINUED) VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND EDUCATION Post-9/11 GI Bill Payments-Educational Assistance § 21... order to pursue a program of education for which the individual receives educational assistance under this chapter; or (2) Travels by air to physically attend an institution of higher learning for pursuit...

  3. Class Rank Weighs Down True Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guskey, Thomas R.

    2014-01-01

    The process of determining class rank does not help students achieve more or reach higher levels of proficiency. Evidence indicates ranking students may diminish students' motivation. High school educators argue that they are compelled to rank-order graduating students because selective colleges and universities require information about…

  4. Interactions between attention, context and learning in primary visual cortex.

    PubMed

    Gilbert, C; Ito, M; Kapadia, M; Westheimer, G

    2000-01-01

    Attention in early visual processing engages the higher order, context dependent properties of neurons. Even at the earliest stages of visual cortical processing neurons play a role in intermediate level vision - contour integration and surface segmentation. The contextual influences mediating this process may be derived from long range connections within primary visual cortex (V1). These influences are subject to perceptual learning, and are strongly modulated by visuospatial attention, which is itself a learning dependent process. The attentional influences may involve interactions between feedback and horizontal connections in V1. V1 is therefore a dynamic and active processor, subject to top-down influences.

  5. Learning polynomial feedforward neural networks by genetic programming and backpropagation.

    PubMed

    Nikolaev, N Y; Iba, H

    2003-01-01

    This paper presents an approach to learning polynomial feedforward neural networks (PFNNs). The approach suggests, first, finding the polynomial network structure by means of a population-based search technique relying on the genetic programming paradigm, and second, further adjustment of the best discovered network weights by an especially derived backpropagation algorithm for higher order networks with polynomial activation functions. These two stages of the PFNN learning process enable us to identify networks with good training as well as generalization performance. Empirical results show that this approach finds PFNN which outperform considerably some previous constructive polynomial network algorithms on processing benchmark time series.

  6. Neurophysiological Markers of Statistical Learning in Music and Language: Hierarchy, Entropy, and Uncertainty.

    PubMed

    Daikoku, Tatsuya

    2018-06-19

    Statistical learning (SL) is a method of learning based on the transitional probabilities embedded in sequential phenomena such as music and language. It has been considered an implicit and domain-general mechanism that is innate in the human brain and that functions independently of intention to learn and awareness of what has been learned. SL is an interdisciplinary notion that incorporates information technology, artificial intelligence, musicology, and linguistics, as well as psychology and neuroscience. A body of recent study has suggested that SL can be reflected in neurophysiological responses based on the framework of information theory. This paper reviews a range of work on SL in adults and children that suggests overlapping and independent neural correlations in music and language, and that indicates disability of SL. Furthermore, this article discusses the relationships between the order of transitional probabilities (TPs) (i.e., hierarchy of local statistics) and entropy (i.e., global statistics) regarding SL strategies in human's brains; claims importance of information-theoretical approaches to understand domain-general, higher-order, and global SL covering both real-world music and language; and proposes promising approaches for the application of therapy and pedagogy from various perspectives of psychology, neuroscience, computational studies, musicology, and linguistics.

  7. Upgrading geometry conceptual understanding and strategic competence through implementing rigorous mathematical thinking (RMT)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nugraheni, Z.; Budiyono, B.; Slamet, I.

    2018-03-01

    To reach higher order thinking skill, needed to be mastered the conceptual understanding and strategic competence as they are two basic parts of high order thinking skill (HOTS). RMT is a unique realization of the cognitive conceptual construction approach based on Feurstein with his theory of Mediated Learning Experience (MLE) and Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. This was quasi-experimental research which compared the experimental class that was given Rigorous Mathematical Thinking (RMT) as learning method and the control class that was given Direct Learning (DL) as the conventional learning activity. This study examined whether there was different effect of two learning model toward conceptual understanding and strategic competence of Junior High School Students. The data was analyzed by using Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and obtained a significant difference between experimental and control class when considered jointly on the mathematics conceptual understanding and strategic competence (shown by Wilk’s Λ = 0.84). Further, by independent t-test is known that there was significant difference between two classes both on mathematical conceptual understanding and strategic competence. By this result is known that Rigorous Mathematical Thinking (RMT) had positive impact toward Mathematics conceptual understanding and strategic competence.

  8. Podcasts in Higher Education: Students' and Lecturers' Perspectives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carvalho, Ana A.; Aguiar, Cristina; Santos, Henrique; Oliveira, Lia; Marques, Aldina; Maciel, Romana

    This paper reports the use of podcasts in blended-learning at the University of Minho, in Portugal. Six lecturers created their own podcasts with different purposes in order to support their undergraduate and graduate courses and their students’ (n=318) learning. The reported study belongs to a broader project about the impact of podcasts in blended-learning and it reports data from two semesters. Results give evidence of students’ acceptance regarding podcasts although they do not yet make use of the advantages of media and mobile technologies. The lecturers considered podcasts worthwhile for teaching and for students to learn, but they are time-consuming and there is no institutional recognition. In spite of this, they intend to continue using podcasts in their courses.

  9. Undergraduate Performance in Solving Ill-Defined Biochemistry Problems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sensibaugh, Cheryl A.; Madrid, Nathaniel J.; Choi, Hye-Jeong; Anderson, William L.; Osgood, Marcy P.

    2017-01-01

    With growing interest in promoting skills related to the scientific process, we studied performance in solving ill-defined problems demonstrated by graduating biochemistry majors at a public, minority-serving university. As adoption of techniques for facilitating the attainment of higher-order learning objectives broadens, so too does the need to…

  10. The Mindful School: How To Assess Thoughtful Outcomes. K-College.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burke, Kay

    Authentic assessment, as referred to in this book, encompasses meaningful tasks, positive interaction between teachers and students, methods that emphasize higher-order thinking skills, and strategies that allow students to plan, monitor, and evaluate their own learning. Most important, authentic assessment means helping students to apply and…

  11. The Impact of Changes to Finance-Major Assessment Structures on Student Engagement and Success

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burrow, Michael; McIver, Ron P.

    2012-01-01

    Analysis of assessment activities that encourage student engagement and attainment of higher-order cognitive outcomes within Bloom's Taxonomy (deep learning; Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001) supports greater use of individual and group presentations, research reports, and open-book exams. Consistent with this analysis this paper outlines changes…

  12. Using Performance Task Data to Improve Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abbott, Amy L.; Wren, Douglas G.

    2016-01-01

    Two well-accepted ideas among educators are (a) performance assessment is an effective means of assessing higher-order thinking skills and (b) data-driven instruction planning is a valuable tool for optimizing student learning. This article describes a locally developed performance task (LDPT) designed to measure critical thinking, problem…

  13. Design and Implementation of the Game-Design and Learning Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akcaoglu, Mete

    2016-01-01

    Design involves solving complex, ill-structured problems. Design tasks are consequently, appropriate contexts for children to exercise higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills. Although creating engaging and authentic design contexts for young children is difficult within the confines of traditional schooling, recently, game-design has…

  14. Thirsty Plants in Arid Places

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schaffer, Linda; Kingsley, Karla V.

    2009-01-01

    In order to demonstrate how plants remove water from the soil and release it to the atmosphere, students compared open- and closed-growing systems using drought-tolerant and higher water requirement plants. Then, students designed a drought-tolerant garden demonstrating what they had learned. Through this experience, students not only learned…

  15. Factors behind Classroom Participation of Secondary School Students (A Gender Based Analysis)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aziz, Fakhra; Quraishi, Uzma; Kazi, Asma Shahid

    2018-01-01

    It is evidence based conclusion that students' classroom participation makes them more motivated, supports their learning, improves their communication and promotes higher order thinking skills. The current study was an intention to investigate the current level of secondary school students' classroom participation and to identify the underlying…

  16. Integrating Digital Video Technology in the Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lim, Jon; Pellett, Heidi Henschel; Pellett, Tracy

    2009-01-01

    Digital video technology can be a powerful tool for teaching and learning. It enables students to develop a variety of skills including research, communication, decision-making, problem-solving, and other higher-order critical-thinking skills. In addition, digital video technology has the potential to enrich university classroom curricula, enhance…

  17. Neurolinguistic and Psycholinguistic Research on Learning Modes of Older Language Learners: Classroom Implications.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Homstad, Alice

    1987-01-01

    Review of neurolinguistic and psycholinguistic research regarding older (over 40 years of age) second language learners suggests classroom implications for dealing with this population's pronunciation problems and ways to capitalize on their superiority to younger students in terms of higher order linguistic processing. (CB)

  18. Web-Based Inquiry Learning: Facilitating Thoughtful Literacy with WebQuests

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ikpeze, Chinwe H.; Boyd, Fenice B.

    2007-01-01

    An action research study investigated how the multiple tasks found in WebQuests facilitate fifth-grade students' literacy skills and higher order thinking. Findings indicate that WebQuests are most successful when activities are carefully selected and systematically delivered. Implications for teaching include the necessity for adequate planning,…

  19. Assessment Using Multi-Criteria Decision Approach for "Higher Order Skills" Learning Domains

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ramakishnan, Sadhu Balasundaram; Ramadoss, Balakrishnan

    2009-01-01

    Over the past several decades, a wider range of assessment strategies has gained prominence in classrooms, including complex assessment items such as individual or group projects, student journals and other creative writing tasks, graphic/artistic representations of knowledge, clinical interviews, student presentations and performances, peer- and…

  20. Making Textbook Reading Meaningful

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guthrie, John T.; Klauda, Susan Lutz

    2012-01-01

    When students enter middle school, they are confronted with the necessity of learning from complex content-area textbooks. Many students find these texts boring, and they may lack the higher-order reading comprehension skills they need to tackle complex text. Yet the ability to read informational text is essential to success in middle school and…

  1. CASMI: Virtual Learning Collaborative Environment for Mathematical Enrichment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Freiman, Viktor; Manuel, Dominic; Lirette-Pitre, Nicole

    2007-01-01

    Challenging problems can make mathematics more attractive to all learners, including the gifted. Application problems that one still finds in regular textbooks often can be resolved by applying a single mathematical concept, operation, or formula. These problems do not require a higher order of thinking. They are, therefore, less cognitively and…

  2. New Mexico English Remediation Taskforce Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    New Mexico Higher Education Department, 2016

    2016-01-01

    In March, 2016, the state of New Mexico established a Remediation Task Force to examine remediation reform efforts across the state's higher education institutions. On March 11, the Task Force met for the "New Mexico Corequisite Remediation at Scale Policy Institute" in order to learn about the results of the latest national reform…

  3. Inversions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Malcolm

    2009-01-01

    Inversions are fascinating phenomena. They are reversals of the normal or expected order. They occur across a wide variety of contexts. What do inversions have to do with learning spaces? The author suggests that they are a useful metaphor for the process that is unfolding in higher education with respect to education. On the basis of…

  4. Missing Pieces of the Educational Reform Agenda: Or, Why the First and Second Waves.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hawley, Willis D.

    1988-01-01

    Contends that two of the most important goals of educational reform should be (1) narrowing the learning gap between high- and low-achieving pupils; and (2) developing in all children a greater capacity for higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills. (TE)

  5. The Effects of Levels of Elaboration on Learners' Strategic Processing of Text

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dornisch, Michele; Sperling, Rayne A.; Zeruth, Jill A.

    2011-01-01

    In the current work, we examined learners' comprehension when engaged with elaborative processing strategies. In Experiment 1, we randomly assigned students to one of five elaborative processing conditions and addressed differences in learners' lower- and higher-order learning outcomes and ability to employ elaborative strategies. Findings…

  6. Usefulness of video-laryngoscopy with the Airway Scope for intubation performance and learning: an experimental manikin controlled study.

    PubMed

    Declercq, Pierre-Louis; Bubenheim, Michael; Gelinotte, Stéphanie; Guernon, Kévin; Michot, Jean-Baptiste; Royon, Vincent; Carpentier, Dorothée; Béduneau, Gaëtan; Tamion, Fabienne; Girault, Christophe

    2016-12-01

    Different video-laryngoscopes (VDLs) for endotracheal intubation (ETI) have recently been developed. We compared the performance of the VDL Airway Scope (AWS) with the direct laryngoscopy by Macintosh (DLM) for ETI success, time and learning. We performed an experimental manikin controlled study. Twenty experienced (experts) and 40 inexperienced operators (novices) for DLM-ETI were enrolled. None of them had experience with the use of AWS-VDL. Novices were assigned to start learning with DLM or AWS, and two sub-groups of 20 novices were formed. Experts group constituted the control group. Each participant performed 10 ETI attempts with each device on the same standard manikin. The primary endpoint was the ETI success probability. Secondary endpoints were ETI time, technical validity and qualitative evaluation for each technique. We also assessed the learning order and the successive attempts effects for these parameters. Overall, 1200 ETI attempts were performed. ETI success probability was higher with the AWS than with the DLM for all operators (98 vs. 81 %; p < 0.0001) and for experts compared to novices using devices in the same order (97 vs. 83 %; p = 0.0002). Overall ETI time was shorter with the AWS than with the DLM (13 vs. 20 s; p < 0.0001) and for experts compared to novices using devices in the same order (11 vs. 21 s; p < 0.0001). Among novices, those starting learning with AWS had higher ETI success probability (89 vs. 83 %; p = 0.03) and shorter ETI time (18 vs. 21 s; p = 0.02). Technical validity was found better with the AWS than DLM for all operators. Novices expressed global satisfaction and device preference for the AWS, whereas experts were indifferent. AWS-VDL permits faster, easier and more reliable ETI compared to the DLM whatever the previous airway ETI experience and could be a useful device for DLM-ETI learning.

  7. Exploring problem-based cooperative learning in undergraduate physics labs: student perspectives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bergin, S. D.; Murphy, C.; Shuilleabhain, A. Ni

    2018-03-01

    This study examines the potential of problem-based cooperative learning (PBCL) in expanding undergraduate physics students’ understanding of, and engagement with, the scientific process. Two groups of first-year physics students (n = 180) completed a questionnaire which compared their perceptions of learning science with their engagement in physics labs. One cohort completed a lab based on a PBCL approach, whilst the other completed the same experiment, using a more traditional, manual-based lab. Utilising a participant research approach, the questionnaire was co-constructed by researchers and student advisers from each cohort in order to improve shared meaning between researchers and participants. Analysis of students’ responses suggests that students in the PBCL cohort engaged more in higher-order problem-solving skills and evidenced a deeper understanding of the scientific process than students in the more traditional, manual-based cohort. However, the latter cohort responses placed more emphasis on accuracy and measurement in lab science than the PBCL cohort. The students in the PBCL cohort were also more positively engaged with their learning than their counterparts in the manual led group.

  8. Case-based learning facilitates critical thinking in undergraduate nutrition education: students describe the big picture.

    PubMed

    Harman, Tara; Bertrand, Brenda; Greer, Annette; Pettus, Arianna; Jennings, Jill; Wall-Bassett, Elizabeth; Babatunde, Oyinlola Toyin

    2015-03-01

    The vision of dietetics professions is based on interdependent education, credentialing, and practice. Case-based learning is a method of problem-based learning that is designed to heighten higher-order thinking. Case-based learning can assist students to connect education and specialized practice while developing professional skills for entry-level practice in nutrition and dietetics. This study examined student perspectives of their learning after immersion into case-based learning in nutrition courses. The theoretical frameworks of phenomenology and Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives triangulated the design of this qualitative study. Data were drawn from 426 written responses and three focus group discussions among 85 students from three upper-level undergraduate nutrition courses. Coding served to deconstruct the essence of respondent meaning given to case-based learning as a learning method. The analysis of the coding was the constructive stage that led to configuration of themes and theoretical practice pathways about student learning. Four leading themes emerged. Story or Scenario represents the ways that students described case-based learning, changes in student thought processes to accommodate case-based learning are illustrated in Method of Learning, higher cognitive learning that was achieved from case-based learning is represented in Problem Solving, and Future Practice details how students explained perceived professional competency gains from case-based learning. The skills that students acquired are consistent with those identified as essential to professional practice. In addition, the common concept of Big Picture was iterated throughout the themes and demonstrated that case-based learning prepares students for multifaceted problems that they are likely to encounter in professional practice. Copyright © 2015 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Constructive and problem-based learning using blended learning anchored instruction approaches

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mayer, M.

    2012-04-01

    Based on an anchored instruction approach, an enriched blended learning lecture course ("Introduction into GNSS positioning") was established in order to enable constructive and problem-based learning. The lecture course "Introduction into GNSS positioning" is a compulsory part of the Bachelor study course "Geodesy and Geoinformatics" and also a supplementary module of the Bachelor study course "Geophysics". Within the lecture course, basic knowledge and basic principles of Global Navigation Satellite Systems, like GPS, are imparted. The presented higher education technique "anchored instruction" uses a real and up-to-date and therefore authentic scientific paper dealing with a recent large-scale geodetic project (Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link) in order to introduce the topic of GNSS-based positioning to the students. In the beginning of the semester, the students have to read the paper individually and carefully. This enables them to realize a lot of not-known GNSS-related facts. Therefore, questions can be formulated focusing on new, unclear or not-understood aspects of the paper. The lecture course deals with these questions, in order to answer them throughout the semester. During the lecture course this paper is referred, e.g., in the middle of the semester, the paper has to be read again in order to check which questions have been answered; in addition, new question arise. At the end of the lecture course, the author of the scientific paper gave a concluding lecture. The framing anchor technique enables the students to anchor their GNSS knowledge. The presented case study uses a teaching resp. learning setting consisting of classroom lectures (given by teachers and learners), practical trainings (e.g., field exercises, students select topics individually), and online lectures (learning management system ILIAS is used as data, result, and asynchronous communication platform). The implementation and the elements of the anchoring technique, which enables student-centered, cooperative, and individual learning, are going to be discussed in detail. A special focus of the presentation is on work assignments, time schedule, and work load. The anchor technique is applied within a blended learning teaching concept, therefore the role of the learning management system ILIAS will be treated as well.

  10. Microscopic Virtual Media (MVM) in Physics Learning: Case Study on Students Understanding of Heat Transfer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wibowo, F. C.; Suhandi, A.; Rusdiana, D.; Darman, D. R.; Ruhiat, Y.; Denny, Y. R.; Suherman; Fatah, A.

    2016-08-01

    A Study area in physics learning is purposeful on the effects of various types of learning interventions to help students construct the basic of scientific conception about physics. Microscopic Virtual Media (MVM) are applications for physics learning to support powerful modelling microscopic involving physics concepts and processes. In this study groups (experimental) of 18±20 years old, students were studied to determine the role of MVM in the development of functional understanding of the concepts of thermal expansion in heat transfer. The experimental group used MVM in learning process. The results show that students who learned with virtual media exhibited significantly higher scores in the research tasks. Our findings proved that the MVM may be used as an alternative instructional tool, in order to help students to confront and constructed their basic of scientific conception and developed their understanding.

  11. Redesigning a course to help students achieve higher-order cognitive thinking skills: from goals and mechanics to student outcomes.

    PubMed

    Casagrand, Janet; Semsar, Katharine

    2017-06-01

    Here we describe a 4-yr course reform and its outcomes. The upper-division neurophysiology course gradually transformed from a traditional lecture in 2004 to a more student-centered course in 2008, through the addition of evidence-based active learning practices, such as deliberate problem-solving practice on homework and peer learning structures, both inside and outside of class. Due to the incremental nature of the reforms and absence of pre-reform learning assessments, we needed a way to retrospectively assess the effectiveness of our efforts. To do this, we first looked at performance on 12 conserved exam questions. Students performed significantly higher post-reform on questions requiring lower-level cognitive skills and those requiring higher-level cognitive skills. Furthermore, student performance on conserved questions was higher post-reform in both the top and bottom quartiles of students, although lower-quartile student performance did not improve until after the first exam. To examine student learning more broadly, we also used Bloom's taxonomy to quantify a significant increase in the Bloom's level of exams, with students performing equally well post-reform on exams that had over twice as many questions at higher cognitive skill levels. Finally, we believe that four factors provided critical contributions to the success of the course reform, including: transformation efforts across multiple course components, alignment between formative and evaluative course materials, student buy-in to course instruction, and instructional support. This reform demonstrates both the effectiveness of incorporating student-centered, active learning into our course, and the utility of using Bloom's level as a metric to assess course reform. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

  12. When money is not enough: awareness, success, and variability in motor learning.

    PubMed

    Manley, Harry; Dayan, Peter; Diedrichsen, Jörn

    2014-01-01

    When performing a skill such as throwing a dart, many different combinations of joint motions suffice to hit the target. The motor system adapts rapidly to reduce bias in the desired outcome (i.e., the first-order moment of the error); however, the essence of skill is to produce movements with less variability (i.e., to reduce the second-order moment). It is easy to see how feedback about success or failure could sculpt performance to achieve this aim. However, it is unclear whether the dimensions responsible for success or failure need to be known explicitly by the subjects, or whether learning can proceed without explicit awareness of the movement parameters that need to change. Here, we designed a redundant, two-dimensional reaching task in which we could selectively manipulate task success and the variability of action outcomes, whilst also manipulating awareness of the dimension along which performance could be improved. Variability was manipulated either by amplifying natural errors, leaving the correlation between the executed movement and the visual feedback intact, or by adding extrinsic noise, decorrelating movement and feedback. We found that explicit, binary, feedback about success or failure was only sufficient for learning when participants were aware of the dimension along which motor behavior had to change. Without such awareness, learning was only present when extrinsic noise was added to the feedback, but not when task success or variability was manipulated in isolation; learning was also much slower. Our results highlight the importance of conscious awareness of the relevant dimension during motor learning, and suggest that higher-order moments of outcome signals are likely to play a significant role in skill learning in complex tasks.

  13. Evaluation of postgraduate critical care nursing students' attitudes to, and engagement with, Team-Based Learning: a descriptive study.

    PubMed

    Currey, Judy; Oldland, Elizabeth; Considine, Julie; Glanville, David; Story, Ian

    2015-02-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate postgraduate critical care nursing students' attitudes to, and engagement with, Team-Based Learning (TBL). A descriptive pre and post interventional design was used. Study data were collected by surveys and observation. University postgraduate critical care nursing programme. Students' attitudes to learning within teams (Team Experience Questionnaire) and student engagement (observed and self-reports). Twenty-eight of 32 students agreed to participate (87% response rate). There were significant changes in students' attitudes to learning within teams including increases in overall satisfaction with team experience, team impact on quality of learning, team impact on clinical reasoning ability and professional development. There was no significant increase in satisfaction with peer evaluation. Observation and survey results showed higher student engagement in TBL classes compared with standard lecturing. Postgraduate critical care nursing students responded positively to the introduction of TBL and showed increased engagement with learning. In turn, these factors enhanced nurses' professional skills in teamwork, communication, problem solving and higher order critical thinking. Developing professional skills and advancing knowledge should be core to all critical care nursing education programmes to improve the quality and safety of patient care. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Investigating Student Perceptions of the Chemistry Laboratory and Their Approaches to Learning in the Laboratory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berger, Spencer Granett

    This dissertation explores student perceptions of the instructional chemistry laboratory and the approaches students take when learning in the laboratory environment. To measure student perceptions of the chemistry laboratory, a survey instrument was developed. 413 students responded to the survey during the Fall 2011 semester. Students' perception of the usefulness of the laboratory in helping them learn chemistry in high school was related to several factors regarding their experiences in high school chemistry. Students' perception of the usefulness of the laboratory in helping them learn chemistry in college was also measured. Reasons students provided for the usefulness of the laboratory were categorized. To characterize approaches to learning in the laboratory, students were interviewed midway through semester (N=18). The interviews were used to create a framework describing learning approaches that students use in the laboratory environment. Students were categorized into three levels: students who view the laboratory as a requirement, students who believe that the laboratory augments their understanding, and students who view the laboratory as an important part of science. These categories describe the types of strategies students used when conducting experiments. To further explore the relationship between students' perception of the laboratory and their approaches to learning, two case studies are described. These case studies involve interviews in the beginning and end of the semester. In the interviews, students reflect on what they have learned in the laboratory and describe their perceptions of the laboratory environment. In order to encourage students to adopt higher-level approaches to learning in the laboratory, a metacognitive intervention was created. The intervention involved supplementary questions that students would answer while completing laboratory experiments. The questions were designed to encourage students to think critically about the laboratory procedures. In order to test the effects of the intervention, an experimental group (N=87) completed these supplementary questions during two laboratory experiments while a control group (N=84) performed the same experiments without these additional questions. The effects of the intervention on laboratory exam performance were measured. Students in the experimental group had a higher average on the laboratory exam than students in the control group.

  15. Chromatic Perceptual Learning but No Category Effects without Linguistic Input.

    PubMed

    Grandison, Alexandra; Sowden, Paul T; Drivonikou, Vicky G; Notman, Leslie A; Alexander, Iona; Davies, Ian R L

    2016-01-01

    Perceptual learning involves an improvement in perceptual judgment with practice, which is often specific to stimulus or task factors. Perceptual learning has been shown on a range of visual tasks but very little research has explored chromatic perceptual learning. Here, we use two low level perceptual threshold tasks and a supra-threshold target detection task to assess chromatic perceptual learning and category effects. Experiment 1 investigates whether chromatic thresholds reduce as a result of training and at what level of analysis learning effects occur. Experiment 2 explores the effect of category training on chromatic thresholds, whether training of this nature is category specific and whether it can induce categorical responding. Experiment 3 investigates the effect of category training on a higher level, lateralized target detection task, previously found to be sensitive to category effects. The findings indicate that performance on a perceptual threshold task improves following training but improvements do not transfer across retinal location or hue. Therefore, chromatic perceptual learning is category specific and can occur at relatively early stages of visual analysis. Additionally, category training does not induce category effects on a low level perceptual threshold task, as indicated by comparable discrimination thresholds at the newly learned hue boundary and adjacent test points. However, category training does induce emerging category effects on a supra-threshold target detection task. Whilst chromatic perceptual learning is possible, learnt category effects appear to be a product of left hemisphere processing, and may require the input of higher level linguistic coding processes in order to manifest.

  16. Research progress on Drosophila visual cognition in China.

    PubMed

    Guo, AiKe; Zhang, Ke; Peng, YueQin; Xi, Wang

    2010-03-01

    Visual cognition, as one of the fundamental aspects of cognitive neuroscience, is generally associated with high-order brain functions in animals and human. Drosophila, as a model organism, shares certain features of visual cognition in common with mammals at the genetic, molecular, cellular, and even higher behavioral levels. From learning and memory to decision making, Drosophila covers a broad spectrum of higher cognitive behaviors beyond what we had expected. Armed with powerful tools of genetic manipulation in Drosophila, an increasing number of studies have been conducted in order to elucidate the neural circuit mechanisms underlying these cognitive behaviors from a genes-brain-behavior perspective. The goal of this review is to integrate the most important studies on visual cognition in Drosophila carried out in mainland China during the last decade into a body of knowledge encompassing both the basic neural operations and circuitry of higher brain function in Drosophila. Here, we consider a series of the higher cognitive behaviors beyond learning and memory, such as visual pattern recognition, feature and context generalization, different feature memory traces, salience-based decision, attention-like behavior, and cross-modal leaning and memory. We discuss the possible general gain-gating mechanism implementing by dopamine - mushroom body circuit in fly's visual cognition. We hope that our brief review on this aspect will inspire further study on visual cognition in flies, or even beyond.

  17. Is Order the Defining Feature of Magnitude Representation? An ERP Study on Learning Numerical Magnitude and Spatial Order of Artificial Symbols

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Hui; Chen, Chuansheng; Zhang, Hongchuan; Zhou, Xinlin; Mei, Leilei; Chen, Chunhui; Chen, Lan; Cao, Zhongyu; Dong, Qi

    2012-01-01

    Using an artificial-number learning paradigm and the ERP technique, the present study investigated neural mechanisms involved in the learning of magnitude and spatial order. 54 college students were divided into 2 groups matched in age, gender, and school major. One group was asked to learn the associations between magnitude (dot patterns) and the meaningless Gibson symbols, and the other group learned the associations between spatial order (horizontal positions on the screen) and the same set of symbols. Results revealed differentiated neural mechanisms underlying the learning processes of symbolic magnitude and spatial order. Compared to magnitude learning, spatial-order learning showed a later and reversed distance effect. Furthermore, an analysis of the order-priming effect showed that order was not inherent to the learning of magnitude. Results of this study showed a dissociation between magnitude and order, which supports the numerosity code hypothesis of mental representations of magnitude. PMID:23185363

  18. Best Practice Strategies for Effective Use of Questions as a Teaching Tool

    PubMed Central

    Elsner, Jamie; Haines, Stuart T.

    2013-01-01

    Questions have long been used as a teaching tool by teachers and preceptors to assess students’ knowledge, promote comprehension, and stimulate critical thinking. Well-crafted questions lead to new insights, generate discussion, and promote the comprehensive exploration of subject matter. Poorly constructed questions can stifle learning by creating confusion, intimidating students, and limiting creative thinking. Teachers most often ask lower-order, convergent questions that rely on students’ factual recall of prior knowledge rather than asking higher-order, divergent questions that promote deep thinking, requiring students to analyze and evaluate concepts. This review summarizes the taxonomy of questions, provides strategies for formulating effective questions, and explores practical considerations to enhance student engagement and promote critical thinking. These concepts can be applied in the classroom and in experiential learning environments. PMID:24052658

  19. Best practice strategies for effective use of questions as a teaching tool.

    PubMed

    Tofade, Toyin; Elsner, Jamie; Haines, Stuart T

    2013-09-12

    Questions have long been used as a teaching tool by teachers and preceptors to assess students' knowledge, promote comprehension, and stimulate critical thinking. Well-crafted questions lead to new insights, generate discussion, and promote the comprehensive exploration of subject matter. Poorly constructed questions can stifle learning by creating confusion, intimidating students, and limiting creative thinking. Teachers most often ask lower-order, convergent questions that rely on students' factual recall of prior knowledge rather than asking higher-order, divergent questions that promote deep thinking, requiring students to analyze and evaluate concepts. This review summarizes the taxonomy of questions, provides strategies for formulating effective questions, and explores practical considerations to enhance student engagement and promote critical thinking. These concepts can be applied in the classroom and in experiential learning environments.

  20. Teaching socioscientific issues: classroom culture and students' performances

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tal, Tali; Kedmi, Yarden

    2006-12-01

    The "Treasures in the Sea: Use and Abuse" unit that deals with authentic socioscientific issues related to the Mediterranean was developed as part of a national effort to increase scientific literacy. The unit aimed to enhance active participation of the learners and encourage higher order thinking in class by applying teaching methods that reduce the unfamiliarity felt by students. This was expected through an explicit use of a variety of teaching and assessment-for-learning methods, suitable for Science for All students. Our main goal was to examine the culture of Science for All classes in which the unit was enacted. In order to address the main learning objectives, we monitored students' performances in tasks that required the higher order thinking skills of argumentation and value judgment, which are central constituents of decision-making processes. We show that while socioscientific issues were discussed in whole class and small group sessions, and students' argumentation improved, there is still a long way to go in applying a thinking culture in non-science major classes. We suggest that science teachers should shift from traditional content-based and value-free approach, to a sociocultural approach that views science as a community practice and the students as active participants in decision-making processes.

  1. Generic Skill Development and Learning/Assessment Process: Use of Rubrics and Student Validation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Iborra Urios, Montserrat; Ramirez Rangel, Eliana; Bringué Tomàs, Roger; Tejero Salvador, Javier; Cunill García, Fidel; Fité Piquer, Carles

    2015-01-01

    To fulfill the European Higher Education context in the subject of the Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Degree of University of Barcelona named "Chemical Engineering Experimentation II" team work, written and oral communication generic skills were developed and assessed by means of rubrics. In order to appraise the methodological…

  2. Distinctiveness of Encoding and Memory for Learning Tasks.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Glover, John A.; And Others

    1982-01-01

    A distinctiveness of encoding hypothesis, as applied to the facilitative effects that higher order objectives have on readers' prose recall, was evaluated in three experiments. Results suggest that distinctiveness of encoding may offer a theoretical basis for the effects of adjunct aids as well as a guide to their construction. (Author/GK)

  3. The Interpretation of Problem Based Learning: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Huichun

    2013-01-01

    Currently, there are a large number of higher education institutions transforming their traditional educational approaches to PBL. In order to address the challenges for PBL implementation for a university, it is quite necessary to investigate how the managers and staff members interpret PBL in practice. Through the exploration of a university…

  4. The Heuristic Sandbox: Developing Teacher Know-How through Play in simSchool

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hopper, Susan B.

    2018-01-01

    simSchool is a game-based, virtual, and interactive tool that allows pre-service teachers to acquire new skills while constructing knowledge through experimentation with learning situations. Pre-service teachers develop know-how--or heuristic knowledge--through repeated practice in the "Personality Plus Higher-Order Thinking" module to…

  5. A Co-Creation Shift in Learning Management: Work Design for Institutional Commitment and Personal Growth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wardley, Leslie J.; Bélanger, Charles H.; Nadeau, John

    2017-01-01

    Some higher education management departments have started to implement customer service orientation strategies in their marketing activities in order to solidify value exchange perceptions, differentiate themselves, and improve retention rates. However, if students are to get the most out of their academic experiences, they need to become…

  6. GRID[subscript C] Renewable Energy Data Streaming into Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeLuca, V. William; Carpenter, Pam; Lari, Nasim

    2010-01-01

    For years, researchers have shown the value of using real-world data to enhance instruction in mathematics, science, and social studies. In an effort to help develop students' higher-order thinking skills in a data-rich learning environment, Green Research for Incorporating Data in the Classroom (GRID[subscript C]), a National Science…

  7. Mirroring, Gestaltswitching and Transformative Social Learning: Stepping Stones for Developing Sustainability Competence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wals, Arjen E. J.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify components and educational design principles for strengthening sustainability competence in and through higher education. Design/methodology/approach: This is a conceptual paper that uses an exemplary autobiographical empirical case study in order to illustrate and support a line of reasoning.…

  8. Will School-Based Online Faculty Development Be an Effective Tool for Their Professional Growth?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Philadelphia, Marion

    2013-01-01

    This case study was built on the premise that faculty in higher education, in order to be effective core facilitators of student learning, need additional development beyond their fields of expertise--specifically, in areas relevant to teaching such as pedagogy, creativity and innovation, multiple means of instruction, and instructional…

  9. Aspects of Ethics As They Affect Social Science Curriculums.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gildea, Ray Y.

    This paper discusses the current interest in values and moral education and briefly comments on how they affect college level social science curricula. Many contemporary educators and scholars hope that a renewed emphasis on moral education will achieve the following goals: (1) introduce normative inquiry into higher learning, in order to…

  10. An Enrollment Marketing Plan for Institutions of Higher Learning: An Update.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bingham, Frank G., Jr.

    1996-01-01

    A college marketing model consisting of several strategies and contingency plans for decision-making under difficult conditions is outlined. The plan provides for orderly transition from one marketing stage to the next logical stage, allowing some control over both internal and external environments, and providing insight into the delicate…

  11. Group Composition and Its Effect on Female and Male Problem-Solving in Science Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harskamp, Egbert; Ding, Ning; Suhre, Cor

    2008-01-01

    Background: Cooperative learning may help students elaborate upon problem information through interpersonal discourse, and this may provoke a higher level of thinking. Interaction stimulates students to put forward and order their thoughts, and to understand the ideas or questions of their peer learner. However, partner gender is an important…

  12. The Relationship of the World Wide Web to Thinking Skills.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bradshaw, Amy C.; Bishop, Jeanne L.; Gens, Linda S.; Miller, Sharla L.; Rogers, Martha A.

    2002-01-01

    Discusses use of the World Wide Web in education and its possibilities for developing higher order critical thinking skills to successfully deal with the demands of the future information society. Suggests that teachers need to provide learning environments that are learner-centered, authentic, problem-based, and collaborative. (Contains 61…

  13. Computer-Based Simulation Systems and Role-Playing: An Effective Combination for Fostering Conditional Knowledge.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shlechter, Theodore M.; And Others

    1992-01-01

    Examines the effectiveness of SIMNET (Simulation Networking), a virtual reality training simulation system, combined with a program of role-playing activities for helping Army classes to master the conditional knowledge needed for successful field performance. The value of active forms of learning for promoting higher order cognitive thinking is…

  14. Covert Shifts of Attention Function as an Implicit Aid to Insight

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, Laura E.; Lleras, Alejandro

    2009-01-01

    Previous research shows that directed actions can unconsciously influence higher-order cognitive processing, helping learners to retain knowledge and guiding problem solvers to useful insights (e.g. Cook, S. W., Mitchell, Z., & Goldin-Meadow, S. (2008). Gesturing makes learning last. "Cognition," 106, 1047-1058; Thomas, L. E., & Lleras, A. (2007).…

  15. M-AssIST: Interaction and Scaffolding Matters in Authentic Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Santos, Patricia; Cook, John; Hernández-Leo, Davinia

    2015-01-01

    Authentic assessment is important in formal and informal learning. Technology has the potential to be used to support the assessment of higher order skills particularly with respect to real life tasks. In particular, the use of mobile devices allows the learner to increase her interactions with physical objects, various environments (indoors and…

  16. Improving Decision Making Skill Using an Online Volcanic Crisis Simulation: Impact of Data Presentation Format

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barclay, Elizabeth J.; Renshaw, Carl E.; Taylor, Holly A.; Bilge, A. Reyan

    2011-01-01

    Creating effective computer-based learning exercises requires an understanding of optimal user interface designs for improving higher order cognitive skills. Using an online volcanic crisis simulation previously shown to improve decision making skill, we find that a user interface using a graphical presentation of the volcano monitoring data…

  17. Exploring the Culture of Assessment within a Division of Student Affairs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Julian, Nessa Duque

    2013-01-01

    The growing calls for accountability within higher education have mobilized student affairs divisions to develop practices that provide evidence of student learning and development. In order to do this effectively student affairs divisions understand the importance of creating, managing, and sustaining a culture of assessment. The purpose of this…

  18. Hiring, Training, and Supporting Online Faculty for Higher Student Retention Efforts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Portugal, Lisa Marie

    2015-01-01

    This study was a phenomenological study examining the experiences of faculty teaching in an online learning environment in order to identify the factors that could produce job burnout and stress in master's programs in education. The challenges and related stress-producing factors were also explored to identify best practices for online faculty…

  19. Computer Assisted Language Learning and the Internationalisation of the Portuguese Language in Higher Education Contexts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sevilla-Pavón, Ana

    2015-01-01

    The internationalisation of the Portuguese language has become a priority for academic institutions of different Portuguese-speaking countries which are trying to adapt to the current context of globalisation and ubiquitous communications through digital media. In order to achieve it, several challenges should be faced, namely providing…

  20. Emerging Trends and New Directions in Telecollaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Dowd, Robert

    2016-01-01

    This article provides an overview of the most significant emerging trends and tendencies in telecollaborative practice. In order to achieve this, I review the recent literature in the area and I identify recurring themes from the Telecollaboration in Higher Education conference which took place in Trinity College Dublin, Ireland from 21 to 23…

  1. Learning to Play a Musical Instrument with a Digital Portfolio Tool

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Upitis, Rena; Abrami, Philip C.; Brook, Julia; Troop, Meagan; Varela, Wynnpaul

    2012-01-01

    The body of research examining deliberate practice and self-regulation in musical instruction has grown extensively over the past decade. Compelling evidence indicates that students with higher levels of self-regulation develop superior performance skills and experience more fulfillment as musicians. But in order to develop the self-regulatory…

  2. E-Learning for University Effectiveness in the Developing World

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sekiwu, Denis

    2010-01-01

    The globalisation trends of society have taken centre stage meaning that people around the world are required to develop high level but low cost technologies and innovative competencies in order to enhance social development. In the field of higher education, university managers need to join the technological revolution by adopting low cost ICT…

  3. Category Induction via Distributional Analysis: Evidence from a Serial Reaction Time Task

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hunt, Ruskin H.; Aslin, Richard N.

    2010-01-01

    Category formation lies at the heart of a number of higher-order behaviors, including language. We assessed the ability of human adults to learn, from distributional information alone, categories embedded in a sequence of input stimuli using a serial reaction time task. Artificial grammars generated corpora of input strings containing a…

  4. Problem Analysis: Challenging All Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garcia, Katie; Davis, Alicia

    2013-01-01

    In this article, Garcia and Davis describe problem analysis as the process of examining a given mathematics exercise to find ways in which the problem can be modified and extended to create a richer learning opportunity for students. Students are often reluctant to attempt what they perceive to be higher-order thinking problems, but problem…

  5. Critical and Higher Order Thinking in Online Threaded Discussions in the Slovak Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pisutova-Gerber, Katarina; Malovicova, Jana

    2009-01-01

    This article describes and analyzes efforts to use collaborative asynchronous discussion forums in a three semester online education program for NGO leaders and managers in Slovakia. Slovakia, as a country with autocratic styles of teacher-centered education, presents strong barriers to the implementation of collaborative learning activities. The…

  6. Expanding Educational Access in Eastern Turkey: A New Initiative

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Dwyer, John; Aksit, Necmi; Sands, Margaret

    2010-01-01

    The Eastern Anatolian project extends opportunity and access to quality education. The study examines the selection and learning systems adopted within the framework of gender equity, family background and higher order skills. Performance data on a range of selection measures and the initial programme are analysed. Results show that selection was…

  7. Teaching Strategies in Online Discussion Board: A Framework in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chou, Pao-Nan

    2012-01-01

    In order to promote meaningful learning in the online discussion board, this study attempted to identify key factors that affect the online discussion by a literature review and propose an innovative instructional framework to deal with those factors. Through the literature review, five factors were identified. An innovative instructional…

  8. Wisdom and Bus Schedules: Developing School Leadership

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Glatter, Ron

    2009-01-01

    This article is based on a synthesis study of school leadership development conducted for the National College of School Leadership (NCSL) in England. It first outlines a perspective on leadership focusing on the concepts of wisdom, deliberation and higher order capacities. Then it describes and assesses two distinct models of leadership learning,…

  9. A Proposed Framework for Global Leadership Education: Learning Objectives and Curricula

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, LeAnn M.; Whitaker, Brett L.; Brungardt, Curtis L.

    2012-01-01

    Many traditional leadership education paradigms are challenged by the transformational nature of globalization and are limited in application in diverse and complex contexts. In order to address these issues, a new framework must be adopted within higher education leadership programs to educate the next generation of global leaders. This paper…

  10. Using a Guided Inquiry Approach in the Traditional Vertebrate Anatomy Laboratory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meuler, Debra

    2008-01-01

    A central theme of the "National Science Education Standards" is teaching science as an inquiry process, allowing students to explore an authentic problem using the tools and skills of the discipline. Research indicates that more active participation by the student, which usually requires higher-order thinking skills, results in deeper learning.…

  11. Capturing Problem-Solving Processes Using Critical Rationalism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chitpin, Stephanie; Simon, Marielle

    2012-01-01

    The examination of problem-solving processes continues to be a current research topic in education. Knowing how to solve problems is not only a key aspect of learning mathematics but is also at the heart of cognitive theories, linguistics, artificial intelligence, and computers sciences. Problem solving is a multistep, higher-order cognitive task…

  12. Engaging Minds in the Common Core: Integrating Standards for Student Engagement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howard, Christy

    2016-01-01

    With the implementation of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) many teachers continue to search for ways to engage students in the learning process while meeting the rigorous demands of the standards. Researchers suggest that by providing opportunities for higher order thinking, student choice, and creative ways to showcase knowledge, students will…

  13. Seeing Epistemic Order: Construction and Transmission of Evaluative Criteria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shalem, Yael; Slonimsky, Lynne

    2010-01-01

    This paper focuses on formative assessment in the field of higher education. It examines Bernstein's work on vertical discourses and knowledge structures with the view to deepening understanding of the concept of assessment "for" learning. The first part of the paper draws on Vygotsky's work on concept development and Bernstein's work on…

  14. Continuing Education: Blueprint for Excellence.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Herder, Dale M.; Standridge, Larry A.

    Educational programs in learning centers away from a central campus can tap a largely forgotten "market" of community college students, especially in times of higher energy costs when many suburban or rural adults may not wish to drive to a central campus. However, in order for these programs to be effective, sound management is essential. An…

  15. A New Look to a Classic Issue: Reasoning and Academic Achievement at Secondary School

    PubMed Central

    Gómez-Veiga, Isabel; Vila Chaves, José O.; Duque, Gonzalo; García Madruga, Juan A.

    2018-01-01

    Higher-order thinking abilities such as abstract reasoning and meaningful school learning occur sequentially. The fulfillment of these tasks demands that people activate and use all of their working memory resources in a controlled and supervised way. The aims of this work were: (a) to study the interplay between two new reasoning measures, one mathematical (Cognitive Reflection Test) and the other verbal (Deductive Reasoning Test), and a third classical visuo-spatial reasoning measure (Raven Progressive Matrices Test); and (b) to investigate the relationship between these measures and academic achievement. Fifty-one 4th grade secondary school students participated in the experiment and completed the three reasoning tests. Academic achievement measures were the final numerical scores in seven basic subjects. The results demonstrated that cognitive reflection, visual, and verbal reasoning are intimately related and predicts academic achievement. This work confirms that abstract reasoning constitutes the most important higher-order cognitive ability that underlies academic achievement. It also reveals the importance of dual processes, verbal deduction and metacognition in ordinary teaching and learning at school. PMID:29643823

  16. Children's Representation and Imitation of Events: How Goal Organization Influences 3-Year-Old Children's Memory for Action Sequences.

    PubMed

    Loucks, Jeff; Mutschler, Christina; Meltzoff, Andrew N

    2017-09-01

    Children's imitation of adults plays a prominent role in human cognitive development. However, few studies have investigated how children represent the complex structure of observed actions which underlies their imitation. We integrate theories of action segmentation, memory, and imitation to investigate whether children's event representation is organized according to veridical serial order or a higher level goal structure. Children were randomly assigned to learn novel event sequences either through interactive hands-on experience (Study 1) or via storybook (Study 2). Results demonstrate that children's representation of observed actions is organized according to higher level goals, even at the cost of representing the veridical temporal ordering of the sequence. We argue that prioritizing goal structure enhances event memory, and that this mental organization is a key mechanism of social-cognitive development in real-world, dynamic environments. It supports cultural learning and imitation in ecologically valid settings when social agents are multitasking and not demonstrating one isolated goal at a time. Copyright © 2016 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

  17. A New Look to a Classic Issue: Reasoning and Academic Achievement at Secondary School.

    PubMed

    Gómez-Veiga, Isabel; Vila Chaves, José O; Duque, Gonzalo; García Madruga, Juan A

    2018-01-01

    Higher-order thinking abilities such as abstract reasoning and meaningful school learning occur sequentially. The fulfillment of these tasks demands that people activate and use all of their working memory resources in a controlled and supervised way. The aims of this work were: (a) to study the interplay between two new reasoning measures, one mathematical (Cognitive Reflection Test) and the other verbal (Deductive Reasoning Test), and a third classical visuo-spatial reasoning measure (Raven Progressive Matrices Test); and (b) to investigate the relationship between these measures and academic achievement. Fifty-one 4th grade secondary school students participated in the experiment and completed the three reasoning tests. Academic achievement measures were the final numerical scores in seven basic subjects. The results demonstrated that cognitive reflection, visual, and verbal reasoning are intimately related and predicts academic achievement. This work confirms that abstract reasoning constitutes the most important higher-order cognitive ability that underlies academic achievement. It also reveals the importance of dual processes, verbal deduction and metacognition in ordinary teaching and learning at school.

  18. Statistical learning of an auditory sequence and reorganization of acquired knowledge: A time course of word segmentation and ordering.

    PubMed

    Daikoku, Tatsuya; Yatomi, Yutaka; Yumoto, Masato

    2017-01-27

    Previous neural studies have supported the hypothesis that statistical learning mechanisms are used broadly across different domains such as language and music. However, these studies have only investigated a single aspect of statistical learning at a time, such as recognizing word boundaries or learning word order patterns. In this study, we neutrally investigated how the two levels of statistical learning for recognizing word boundaries and word ordering could be reflected in neuromagnetic responses and how acquired statistical knowledge is reorganised when the syntactic rules are revised. Neuromagnetic responses to the Japanese-vowel sequence (a, e, i, o, and u), presented every .45s, were recorded from 14 right-handed Japanese participants. The vowel order was constrained by a Markov stochastic model such that five nonsense words (aue, eao, iea, oiu, and uoi) were chained with an either-or rule: the probability of the forthcoming word was statistically defined (80% for one word; 20% for the other word) by the most recent two words. All of the word transition probabilities (80% and 20%) were switched in the middle of the sequence. In the first and second quarters of the sequence, the neuromagnetic responses to the words that appeared with higher transitional probability were significantly reduced compared with those that appeared with a lower transitional probability. After switching the word transition probabilities, the response reduction was replicated in the last quarter of the sequence. The responses to the final vowels in the words were significantly reduced compared with those to the initial vowels in the last quarter of the sequence. The results suggest that both within-word and between-word statistical learning are reflected in neural responses. The present study supports the hypothesis that listeners learn larger structures such as phrases first, and they subsequently extract smaller structures, such as words, from the learned phrases. The present study provides the first neurophysiological evidence that the correction of statistical knowledge requires more time than the acquisition of new statistical knowledge. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. The virtues of the virtual world. Enhancing the technology/knowledge professional interface for life-long learning.

    PubMed

    Koerner, JoEllen Goertz

    2003-01-01

    Nurses are quintessential learners. Nested between the fields of science and technology, the professional mandate for life-long learning has never been greater. The expanding demands for performance and quality coupled with the reality of diminishing time and resources increasingly frustrate and challenge providers in the field. By blending the best of current training and education with the emerging potential of virtual learning, new models for enhancing clinical reasoning and performance will simplify the challenges of complexity, moving it to higher order. In this transition lies the key to restoring the joy and commitment of professional practice while enhancing the capacity to care with competence.

  20. The impact of rigorous mathematical thinking as learning method toward geometry understanding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nugraheni, Z.; Budiyono, B.; Slamet, I.

    2018-05-01

    To reach higher order thinking skill, needed to be mastered the conceptual understanding. RMT is a unique realization of the cognitive conceptual construction approach based on Mediated Learning Experience (MLE) theory by Feurstein and Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. This was quasi experimental research which was comparing the experimental class that was given Rigorous Mathematical Thinking (RMT) as learning method and control class that was given Direct Learning (DL) as the conventional learning activity. This study examined whether there was different effect of two learning method toward conceptual understanding of Junior High School students. The data was analyzed by using Independent t-test and obtained a significant difference of mean value between experimental and control class on geometry conceptual understanding. Further, by semi-structure interview known that students taught by RMT had deeper conceptual understanding than students who were taught by conventional way. By these result known that Rigorous Mathematical Thinking (RMT) as learning method have positive impact toward Geometry conceptual understanding.

  1. Concept Mapping Assessment of Media Assisted Learning in Interdisciplinary Science Education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schaal, Steffen; Bogner, Franz X.; Girwidz, Raimund

    2010-05-01

    Acquisition of conceptual knowledge is a central aim in science education. In this study we monitored an interdisciplinary hypermedia assisted learning unit on hibernation and thermodynamics based on cooperative learning. We used concept mapping for the assessment, applying a pre-test/post-test design. In our study, 106 9th graders cooperated by working in pairs ( n = 53) for six lessons. As an interdisciplinary learning activity in such complex knowledge domains has to combine many different aspects, we focused on long-term knowledge. Learners working cooperatively in dyads constructed computer-supported concept maps which were analysed by specific software. The data analysis encompassed structural aspects of the knowledge corresponding to a target reference map. After the learning unit, the results showed the acquisition of higher-order domain-specific knowledge structures which indicates successful interdisciplinary learning through the hypermedia learning environment. The benefit of using a computer-assisted concept mapping assessment for research in science education, and in science classrooms is considered.

  2. Perceptual Learning Improves Adult Amblyopic Vision Through Rule-Based Cognitive Compensation

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Jun-Yun; Cong, Lin-Juan; Klein, Stanley A.; Levi, Dennis M.; Yu, Cong

    2014-01-01

    Purpose. We investigated whether perceptual learning in adults with amblyopia could be enabled to transfer completely to an orthogonal orientation, which would suggest that amblyopic perceptual learning results mainly from high-level cognitive compensation, rather than plasticity in the amblyopic early visual brain. Methods. Nineteen adults (mean age = 22.5 years) with anisometropic and/or strabismic amblyopia were trained following a training-plus-exposure (TPE) protocol. The amblyopic eyes practiced contrast, orientation, or Vernier discrimination at one orientation for six to eight sessions. Then the amblyopic or nonamblyopic eyes were exposed to an orthogonal orientation via practicing an irrelevant task. Training was first performed at a lower spatial frequency (SF), then at a higher SF near the cutoff frequency of the amblyopic eye. Results. Perceptual learning was initially orientation specific. However, after exposure to the orthogonal orientation, learning transferred to an orthogonal orientation completely. Reversing the exposure and training order failed to produce transfer. Initial lower SF training led to broad improvement of contrast sensitivity, and later higher SF training led to more specific improvement at high SFs. Training improved visual acuity by 1.5 to 1.6 lines (P < 0.001) in the amblyopic eyes with computerized tests and a clinical E acuity chart. It also improved stereoacuity by 53% (P < 0.001). Conclusions. The complete transfer of learning suggests that perceptual learning in amblyopia may reflect high-level learning of rules for performing a visual discrimination task. These rules are applicable to new orientations to enable learning transfer. Therefore, perceptual learning may improve amblyopic vision mainly through rule-based cognitive compensation. PMID:24550359

  3. Perceptual learning improves adult amblyopic vision through rule-based cognitive compensation.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jun-Yun; Cong, Lin-Juan; Klein, Stanley A; Levi, Dennis M; Yu, Cong

    2014-04-01

    We investigated whether perceptual learning in adults with amblyopia could be enabled to transfer completely to an orthogonal orientation, which would suggest that amblyopic perceptual learning results mainly from high-level cognitive compensation, rather than plasticity in the amblyopic early visual brain. Nineteen adults (mean age = 22.5 years) with anisometropic and/or strabismic amblyopia were trained following a training-plus-exposure (TPE) protocol. The amblyopic eyes practiced contrast, orientation, or Vernier discrimination at one orientation for six to eight sessions. Then the amblyopic or nonamblyopic eyes were exposed to an orthogonal orientation via practicing an irrelevant task. Training was first performed at a lower spatial frequency (SF), then at a higher SF near the cutoff frequency of the amblyopic eye. Perceptual learning was initially orientation specific. However, after exposure to the orthogonal orientation, learning transferred to an orthogonal orientation completely. Reversing the exposure and training order failed to produce transfer. Initial lower SF training led to broad improvement of contrast sensitivity, and later higher SF training led to more specific improvement at high SFs. Training improved visual acuity by 1.5 to 1.6 lines (P < 0.001) in the amblyopic eyes with computerized tests and a clinical E acuity chart. It also improved stereoacuity by 53% (P < 0.001). The complete transfer of learning suggests that perceptual learning in amblyopia may reflect high-level learning of rules for performing a visual discrimination task. These rules are applicable to new orientations to enable learning transfer. Therefore, perceptual learning may improve amblyopic vision mainly through rule-based cognitive compensation.

  4. Beyond velocity and acceleration: jerk, snap and higher derivatives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eager, David; Pendrill, Ann-Marie; Reistad, Nina

    2016-11-01

    The higher derivatives of motion are rarely discussed in the teaching of classical mechanics of rigid bodies; nevertheless, we experience the effect not only of acceleration, but also of jerk and snap. In this paper we will discuss the third and higher order derivatives of displacement with respect to time, using the trampolines and theme park roller coasters to illustrate this concept. We will also discuss the effects on the human body of different types of acceleration, jerk, snap and higher derivatives, and how they can be used in physics education to further enhance the learning and thus the understanding of classical mechanics concepts.

  5. Learned helplessness among families and surrogate decision-makers of patients admitted to medical, surgical, and trauma ICUs.

    PubMed

    Sullivan, Donald R; Liu, Xinggang; Corwin, Douglas S; Verceles, Avelino C; McCurdy, Michael T; Pate, Drew A; Davis, Jennifer M; Netzer, Giora

    2012-12-01

    We sought to determine the prevalence of and clinical variables associated with learned helplessness, a psychologic state characterized by reduced motivation, difficulty in determining causality, and depression, in family members of patients admitted to ICUs. We conducted an observational survey study of a prospectively defined cohort of family members, spouses, and partners of patients admitted to surgical, medical, and trauma ICUs at a large academic medical center. Two validated instruments, the Learned Helplessness Scale and the Perceived Stress Scale, were used, and self-report of patient clinical characteristics and subject demographics were collected. Four hundred ninety-nine family members were assessed. Of these, 238 of 460 (51.7%) had responses consistent with a significant degree of learned helplessness. Among surrogate decision-makers, this proportion was 50% (92 of 184). Characteristics associated with significant learned helplessness included grade or high school education (OR, 3.27; 95% CI, 1.29-8.27; P = .01) and Perceived Stress Scale score > 18 (OR, 4.15; 95% CI, 2.65-6.50; P < .001). The presence of a patient advance directive or do not resuscitate (DNR) order was associated with reduced odds of significant learned helplessness (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.32-0.98; P = .05). The majority of family members of patients in the ICU experience significant learned helplessness. Risk factors for learned helplessness include lower educational levels, absence of an advance directive or DNR order, and higher stress levels among family members. Significant learned helplessness in family members may have negative implications in the collaborative decision-making process.

  6. Learned Helplessness Among Families and Surrogate Decision-Makers of Patients Admitted to Medical, Surgical, and Trauma ICUs

    PubMed Central

    Sullivan, Donald R.; Liu, Xinggang; Corwin, Douglas S.; Verceles, Avelino C.; McCurdy, Michael T.; Pate, Drew A.; Davis, Jennifer M.

    2012-01-01

    Background: We sought to determine the prevalence of and clinical variables associated with learned helplessness, a psychologic state characterized by reduced motivation, difficulty in determining causality, and depression, in family members of patients admitted to ICUs. Methods: We conducted an observational survey study of a prospectively defined cohort of family members, spouses, and partners of patients admitted to surgical, medical, and trauma ICUs at a large academic medical center. Two validated instruments, the Learned Helplessness Scale and the Perceived Stress Scale, were used, and self-report of patient clinical characteristics and subject demographics were collected. Results: Four hundred ninety-nine family members were assessed. Of these, 238 of 460 (51.7%) had responses consistent with a significant degree of learned helplessness. Among surrogate decision-makers, this proportion was 50% (92 of 184). Characteristics associated with significant learned helplessness included grade or high school education (OR, 3.27; 95% CI, 1.29-8.27; P = .01) and Perceived Stress Scale score > 18 (OR, 4.15; 95% CI, 2.65-6.50; P < .001). The presence of a patient advance directive or do not resuscitate (DNR) order was associated with reduced odds of significant learned helplessness (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.32-0.98; P = .05). Conclusions: The majority of family members of patients in the ICU experience significant learned helplessness. Risk factors for learned helplessness include lower educational levels, absence of an advance directive or DNR order, and higher stress levels among family members. Significant learned helplessness in family members may have negative implications in the collaborative decision-making process. PMID:22661454

  7. Career Development and Learning Pathways of Paralympic Coaches With a Disability.

    PubMed

    Douglas, Scott; Falcão, William R; Bloom, Gordon A

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the career development and learning pathways of Paralympic head coaches who previously competed as Paralympic athletes. Each coach participated in a semistructured interview. A thematic analysis of the data revealed three higher order themes, which were called becoming a coach, learning to coach, and lifelong learning and teaching. Across these themes, participants discussed interactions with other coaches and athletes with a disability, learning from mentors and coaching clinics, as well as limited formal educational opportunities they experienced transitioning from athlete to head coach. The findings revealed that they acquired most of their knowledge from a combination of knowledge gained as athletes and informal sources, including trial and error. They also stressed the need for enhanced recruiting of parasport coaches and parasport coach education opportunities that would enhance programs for athletes with physical disabilities, from grassroots to Paralympic levels.

  8. Versatile, Immersive, Creative and Dynamic Virtual 3-D Healthcare Learning Environments: A Review of the Literature

    PubMed Central

    2008-01-01

    The author provides a critical overview of three-dimensional (3-D) virtual worlds and “serious gaming” that are currently being developed and used in healthcare professional education and medicine. The relevance of this e-learning innovation for teaching students and professionals is debatable and variables influencing adoption, such as increased knowledge, self-directed learning, and peer collaboration, by academics, healthcare professionals, and business executives are examined while looking at various Web 2.0/3.0 applications. There is a need for more empirical research in order to unearth the pedagogical outcomes and advantages associated with this e-learning technology. A brief description of Roger’s Diffusion of Innovations Theory and Siemens’ Connectivism Theory for today’s learners is presented as potential underlying pedagogical tenets to support the use of virtual 3-D learning environments in higher education and healthcare. PMID:18762473

  9. Versatile, immersive, creative and dynamic virtual 3-D healthcare learning environments: a review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Hansen, Margaret M

    2008-09-01

    The author provides a critical overview of three-dimensional (3-D) virtual worlds and "serious gaming" that are currently being developed and used in healthcare professional education and medicine. The relevance of this e-learning innovation for teaching students and professionals is debatable and variables influencing adoption, such as increased knowledge, self-directed learning, and peer collaboration, by academics, healthcare professionals, and business executives are examined while looking at various Web 2.0/3.0 applications. There is a need for more empirical research in order to unearth the pedagogical outcomes and advantages associated with this e-learning technology. A brief description of Roger's Diffusion of Innovations Theory and Siemens' Connectivism Theory for today's learners is presented as potential underlying pedagogical tenets to support the use of virtual 3-D learning environments in higher education and healthcare.

  10. Integrating simulated teaching/learning strategies in undergraduate nursing education.

    PubMed

    Sinclair, Barbara; Ferguson, Karen

    2009-01-01

    In this article, the results of a mixed-methods study integrating the use of simulations in a nursing theory course in order to assess students' perceptions of self-efficacy for nursing practice are presented. Nursing students in an intervention group were exposed to a combination of lecture and simulation, and then asked to rate their perceptions of self-efficacy, satisfaction and effectiveness of this combined teaching and learning strategy. Based on Bandura's (1977, 1986) theory of self-efficacy, this study provides data to suggest that students' self-confidence for nursing practice may be increased through the use of simulation as a method of teaching and learning. Students also reported higher levels of satisfaction, effectiveness and consistency with their learning style when exposed to the combination of lecture and simulation than the control group, who were exposed to lecture as the only method of teaching and learning.

  11. Continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) over the lateral prefrontal cortex alters reinforcement learning bias.

    PubMed

    Ott, Derek V M; Ullsperger, Markus; Jocham, Gerhard; Neumann, Jane; Klein, Tilmann A

    2011-07-15

    The prefrontal cortex is known to play a key role in higher-order cognitive functions. Recently, we showed that this brain region is active in reinforcement learning, during which subjects constantly have to integrate trial outcomes in order to optimize performance. To further elucidate the role of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in reinforcement learning, we applied continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) either to the left or right DLPFC, or to the vertex as a control region, respectively, prior to the performance of a probabilistic learning task in an fMRI environment. While there was no influence of cTBS on learning performance per se, we observed a stimulation-dependent modulation of reward vs. punishment sensitivity: Left-hemispherical DLPFC stimulation led to a more reward-guided performance, while right-hemispherical cTBS induced a more avoidance-guided behavior. FMRI results showed enhanced prediction error coding in the ventral striatum in subjects stimulated over the left as compared to the right DLPFC. Both behavioral and imaging results are in line with recent findings that left, but not right-hemispherical stimulation can trigger a release of dopamine in the ventral striatum, which has been suggested to increase the relative impact of rewards rather than punishment on behavior. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Conventional vs. e-learning in nursing education: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Voutilainen, Ari; Saaranen, Terhi; Sormunen, Marjorita

    2017-03-01

    By and large, in health professions training, the direction of the effect of e-learning, positive or negative, strongly depends on the learning outcome in question as well as on learning methods which e-learning is compared to. In nursing education, meta-analytically generated knowledge regarding the comparisons between conventional and e-learning is scarce. The aim of this review is to discover the size of the effect of e-learning on learning outcomes in nursing education and to assess the quality of studies in which e-learning has been compared to conventional learning. A systematic search of six electronic databases, PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE®, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, and ERIC, was conducted in order to identify relevant peer-reviewed English language articles published between 2011 and 2015. The quality of the studies included as well as the risk of bias in each study was assessed. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed to generate a pooled mean difference in the learning outcome. Altogether, 10 studies were eligible for the quality assessment and meta-analysis. Nine studies were evaluated as good quality studies, but not without a risk of bias. Performance bias caused a high risk in nearly all the studies. In the meta-analysis, an e-learning method resulted in test scores that were, on average, five points higher than a conventional method on a 0-100 scale. Heterogeneity between the studies was very large. The size and direction of the effect of a learning method on learning outcomes appeared to be strongly situational. We suggest that meta-regressions should be performed instead of basic meta-analyses in order to reveal factors that cause variation in the learning outcomes of nursing education. It might be necessary to perform separate meta-analyses between e-learning interventions aimed at improving nursing knowledge and those aimed at improving nursing skills. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Auditory Cortical Plasticity Drives Training-Induced Cognitive Changes in Schizophrenia

    PubMed Central

    Dale, Corby L.; Brown, Ethan G.; Fisher, Melissa; Herman, Alexander B.; Dowling, Anne F.; Hinkley, Leighton B.; Subramaniam, Karuna; Nagarajan, Srikantan S.; Vinogradov, Sophia

    2016-01-01

    Schizophrenia is characterized by dysfunction in basic auditory processing, as well as higher-order operations of verbal learning and executive functions. We investigated whether targeted cognitive training of auditory processing improves neural responses to speech stimuli, and how these changes relate to higher-order cognitive functions. Patients with schizophrenia performed an auditory syllable identification task during magnetoencephalography before and after 50 hours of either targeted cognitive training or a computer games control. Healthy comparison subjects were assessed at baseline and after a 10 week no-contact interval. Prior to training, patients (N = 34) showed reduced M100 response in primary auditory cortex relative to healthy participants (N = 13). At reassessment, only the targeted cognitive training patient group (N = 18) exhibited increased M100 responses. Additionally, this group showed increased induced high gamma band activity within left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex immediately after stimulus presentation, and later in bilateral temporal cortices. Training-related changes in neural activity correlated with changes in executive function scores but not verbal learning and memory. These data suggest that computerized cognitive training that targets auditory and verbal learning operations enhances both sensory responses in auditory cortex as well as engagement of prefrontal regions, as indexed during an auditory processing task with low demands on working memory. This neural circuit enhancement is in turn associated with better executive function but not verbal memory. PMID:26152668

  14. The role of the Drosophila lateral horn in olfactory information processing and behavioral response.

    PubMed

    Schultzhaus, Janna N; Saleem, Sehresh; Iftikhar, Hina; Carney, Ginger E

    2017-04-01

    Animals must rapidly and accurately process environmental information to produce the correct behavioral responses. Reactions to previously encountered as well as to novel but biologically important stimuli are equally important, and one understudied region in the insect brain plays a role in processing both types of stimuli. The lateral horn is a higher order processing center that mainly processes olfactory information and is linked via olfactory projection neurons to another higher order learning center, the mushroom body. This review focuses on the lateral horn of Drosophila where most functional studies have been performed. We discuss connectivity between the primary olfactory center, the antennal lobe, and the lateral horn and mushroom body. We also present evidence for the lateral horn playing roles in innate behavioral responses by encoding biological valence to novel odor cues and in learned responses to previously encountered odors by modulating neural activity within the mushroom body. We describe how these processes contribute to acceptance or avoidance of appropriate or inappropriate mates and food, as well as the identification of predators. The lateral horn is a sexually dimorphic and plastic region of the brain that modulates other regions of the brain to ensure that insects produce rapid and effective behavioral responses to both novel and learned stimuli, yet multiple gaps exist in our knowledge of this important center. We anticipate that future studies on olfactory processing, learning, and innate behavioral responses will include the lateral horn in their examinations, leading to a more comprehensive understanding of olfactory information relay and resulting behaviors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. The changing landscape of anesthesia education: is Flipped Classroom the answer?

    PubMed

    Kurup, Viji; Hersey, Denise

    2013-12-01

    Educators in the specialty of anesthesiology are facing a number of challenges. A new generation of residents are entering the specialty and they have unique learning styles and expectations. The new duty hour regulations also encroach on the time available to the residents for education. In the last decade, a number of models for teaching and learning have been proposed to tackle these issues. Recent research has looked at learning gains and acceptability of online material in medical education as well as specific models that can be implemented to address the challenges. The 'Flipped Classroom' model seems to combine the best of both worlds. It allows the learner to assimilate basic information (lower order cognitive skills) from material that is placed online, allowing asynchronous learning. It frees up the teacher to use the face-to-face interaction time in the operating room and classroom for training the student in advanced concepts (higher order cognitive skills). This model allows efficient and effective use of time and technology, but involves the redesign of how in person time between faculty and residents are spent, along with the faculty development to effectively engage this new type of curriculum.

  16. Factors Influencing the Satisfaction of International Postgraduate Students in the Malaysian Context--A Literature Review and a Proposed Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Memon, Mumtaz Ali; Salleh, Rohani; Baharom, Mohamed Noor Rosli; Harun, Haryaani

    2014-01-01

    The Malaysian government is continuously striving to develop the country to become a regional education hub. Hence, higher learning institutions, especially universities, are becoming the centre of attention in order for Malaysia to achieve its desired status. Although the number of international postgraduate students in Malaysia has progressively…

  17. Standards, Firewalls, and General Classroom Mayhem: Implementing Student-Centered Technology Projects in the Elementary Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hofer, Mark; Swan, Kathleen Owings

    2006-01-01

    Educators are simultaneously bombarded with both calls to integrate technology in meaningful ways into their teaching and to promote more student-centered activities which combine both content learning and higher-order thinking. This is no small task given the range of student abilities and interests, the increasing emphasis on state standards and…

  18. Learning by Doing: A Manual for Teaching and Assessing Higher-Order Thinking in Science and Mathematics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Assessment of Educational Progress, Princeton, NJ.

    The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the Nation's Report Card, has developed and pilot-tested a variety of hands-on science and mathematics tasks. These tasks were developed as prototypes for use in future national assessments, but the concepts measured and the innovative approaches used are equally suitable for classroom…

  19. So Much More than Just a List: Exploring the Nature of Critical Questioning in Undergraduate Sciences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pedrosa-de-Jesus, Helena; Moreira, Aurora; Lopes, Betina; Watts, Mike

    2014-01-01

    Background: Critical thinking is one of the very highest orders of cognitive abilities and a key competency in higher education. Asking questions is an important component of rich learning experiences, structurally embedded in the operations of critical thinking. Our clear sense is that critical thinking and, within that, critical questioning, is…

  20. Effects of an Elementary Language Arts Unit on Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duesbery, Luke; Justice, Paul

    2015-01-01

    Teaching young students to think critically has always been important, however, as the United States transitions to a national set of learning standards which emphasizes higher-order thinking, it becomes essential. In this quasi-experimental study we evaluate the effects of exposure to the Journeys and Destinations (J&D) unit from the William…

  1. Teaching Thinking Skills in Context-Based Learning: Teachers' Challenges and Assessment Knowledge

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Avargil, Shirly; Herscovitz, Orit; Dori, Yehudit Judy

    2012-01-01

    For an educational reform to succeed, teachers need to adjust their perceptions to the reform's new curricula and strategies and cope with new content, as well as new teaching and assessment strategies. Developing students' scientific literacy through context-based chemistry and higher order thinking skills was the framework for establishing a new…

  2. The Dynamic Landscape of Higher Education: The Role of Big Data and Analytics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mahroeian, Hamidreza; Daniel, Ben Kei

    2016-01-01

    Over the years, a number of institutions have systematically deployed new technologies to support learning and teaching. Lately, institutions have begun to explore new forms of data in order to understand and effectively address its systemic challenges, and help support effective decision-making. This paper describes the dynamic changes in the…

  3. Critical Thinking: Theory, Research, Practice, and Possibilities. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report No. 2, 1988.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kurfiss, Joanne Gainen

    The formal development of critical thinking is discussed, and guidance is provided to help faculty insure that critical thinking becomes an integral part of learning. Theory, research, teaching practice, and college programs pertinent to the development and role of critical thinking are presented in order to show how educators have shaped…

  4. Use of Feedback-Oriented Online Exercises to Help Physiology Students Construct Well-Organized Answers to Short-Answer Questions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carnegie, Jacqueline

    2015-01-01

    Postsecondary education often requires students to use higher-order cognitive skills (HOCS) such as analysis, evaluation, and creation as they assess situations and apply what they have learned during lecture to the formulation of solutions. Summative assessment of these abilities is often accomplished using short-answer questions (SAQs). Quandary…

  5. Hybrid Task Design: Connecting Learning Opportunities Related to Critical Thinking and Statistical Thinking

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kuntze, Sebastian; Aizikovitsh-Udi, Einav; Clarke, David

    2017-01-01

    Stimulating thinking related to mathematical content is the focus of many tasks in the mathematics classroom. Beyond such content-related thinking, promoting forms of higher order thinking is among the goals of mathematics instruction as well. So-called hybrid tasks focus on combining both goals: they aim at fostering mathematical thinking and…

  6. Acclimating Students to Technology in the First-Year College Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frydenberg, Mark; VanderClock, William

    2016-01-01

    The start of the college experience is often hectic as students discover their new surroundings on campus. Students must carry out several high-tech tasks on their laptops and mobile devices in order to be successful participants in the digital culture that permeates their institution of higher learning. This paper describes the implementation of…

  7. Interaction and Critical Inquiry in Asynchronous Computer-Mediated Conferencing: A Research Agenda

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hopkins, Joseph; Gibson, Will; Ros i. Sole, Cristina; Savvides, Nicola; Starkey, Hugh

    2008-01-01

    This paper reviews research on learner and tutor interaction in asynchronous computer-mediated (ACM) conferences used in distance learning. The authors note claims made for the potential of ACM conferences to promote higher-order critical inquiry and the social construction of knowledge, and argue that there is a general lack of evidence regarding…

  8. Examining the Need for Chinese Language Programs in Mid-Atlantic Community Colleges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Uhey, Ruth Ann Johnson

    2012-01-01

    Public education reform designed for K-12 and higher education exists to transform teaching and learning within the United States in order to graduate today's student. One specific initiative on the federal, state, and local levels is the implementation of Chinese language programs. Some of the Chinese language programs in the K-12 education…

  9. The Faculty's Perception of Web-Based Instruction Application in Iran's Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gholami, Khalil; Sayadi, Yaser

    2012-01-01

    This paper addresses the faculty perception on web-based instruction in order to explain the nature of learning and instruction in this setting. Using a mixed method approach, the research studied a sample of 132 University Faculty (lecturers and professors) in University of Kurdistan. The research tools were interview and questionnaire. The…

  10. Do Cases Teach Themselves? A Comparison of Case Library Prompts in Supporting Problem-Solving during Argumentation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tawfik, Andrew A.

    2017-01-01

    Theorists have argued instructional strategies that emphasize ill-structured problem solving are an effective means to support higher order learning skills such as argumentation. However, argumentation is often difficult because novices lack the expertise or experience needed to solve contextualized problems. One way to supplement this lack of…

  11. Interplay among Technical, Socio-Emotional and Personal Factors in Written Feedback Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chong, Ivan

    2018-01-01

    The centrality of written feedback is clearly seen from the proliferation of research in the context of higher education. As an increasingly expanding field in research, the majority of written feedback studies have been interested in investigating the technical aspect of how feedback should be given in order to promote student learning. More…

  12. Student Attitudes and the Impact of GIS on Thinking Skills and Motivation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    West, Bryan A.

    2003-01-01

    The value of GIS within school curricula seems well perceived but ill-substantiated. This paper discusses the role of GIS in the development of higher order thinking skills and in motivating student learning. It then reports on attitudinal surveys undertaken before and after student exposure to GIS-related tasks. The tasks formed part of four…

  13. Using Student Assessments in Archery to Increase Higher-Order Thinking and Student Success

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arem, Gail

    2006-01-01

    Physical educators seek to provide an educational setting in which students develop knowledge and motor skills for lifelong learning. As more emphasis is placed on healthy lifestyles, teaching motor skills becomes only a part of their job as physical educators. In this article, the author details a few assessments in target archery that stimulate…

  14. Sense of Place and Student Engagement among Undergraduate Students at a Major Public Research University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Okoli, Daniel T.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between sense of place and student engagement among undergraduate students, in order to influence how higher education institutions view the role of the physical environment in fostering student engagement, learning, and personal development. Student engagement, a very important predictor…

  15. A Life in School: What the Teacher Learned.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tompkins, Jane

    1998-01-01

    Our higher education system does not nurture the inner lives of students or help them acquire the self-understanding that is the basis for a satisfying life, nor does it provide the safe and nurturing environment people need in order to grow. What is needed is a more holistic way of conceiving education, one that accepts the importance of…

  16. Plickers: A Formative Assessment Tool for K-12 and PETE Professionals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Krause, Jennifer M.; O'Neil, Kason; Dauenhauer, Brian

    2017-01-01

    Classroom response systems have become popular in K-12 and higher education settings in recent years in order to gauge student learning. The physical education environment is unique in that it is difficult to manage the technology associated with these systems, and therefore, student assessment can be cumbersome. A free classroom response system…

  17. Teaching for Sustainable Development in Higher Education Institutions: University of Jordan as a Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abu-Hola, Imfadi R. M.; Tareef, Atif Bin

    2009-01-01

    In Jordan, a rapid movement of educational reform is taking place nowadays. Curricula development, teacher education, using information and communication technology (ICT), improving teaching and learning strategies and integrating different subjects are among the main objectives of this reform. One of the main challenges in Jordan in order to cope…

  18. Mental Health Status: A Study among Higher Secondary Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kumar, V. Jurist Lionial

    2013-01-01

    Education is the totality of the process within which the students experiences are structured in order to promote desired learning. Education is a plan and procedure for the development of an individual. Education helps to attain the goal of life of an individual. Student period is one of the important periods in life to plan their future. To…

  19. The Pygmalion Effect in Distance Learning: A Case Study at the Hellenic Open University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Niari, Maria; Manousou, Evaggelia; Lionarakis, Antonis

    2016-01-01

    The Pygmalion Effect is the positive form of self-fulfilling prophecy and shows how teacher expectations influence student performance. According to this phenomenon, higher expectations can lead to an increase in performance. In this research qualitative methodology was adopted both in data collection, and in analysis, in order to investigate the…

  20. Ask-Elle: An Adaptable Programming Tutor for Haskell Giving Automated Feedback

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gerdes, Alex; Heeren, Bastiaan; Jeuring, Johan; van Binsbergen, L. Thomas

    2017-01-01

    Ask-Elle is a tutor for learning the higher-order, strongly-typed functional programming language Haskell. It supports the stepwise development of Haskell programs by verifying the correctness of incomplete programs, and by providing hints. Programming exercises are added to Ask-Elle by providing a task description for the exercise, one or more…

  1. Visible Learning, Visible Learners: The Power of the Group in a Kindergarten Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mardell, Ben; Rivard, Melissa; Krechevsky, Mara

    2012-01-01

    The ability to address complex technological, ecological, social, and ethical challenges in the 21st century depends on developing a citizenry capable of innovation and higher-order thinking. Early childhood educators have the opportunity to help children acquire these abilities right from the start. Central to this endeavor is a more reciprocal…

  2. Writing Shapes Thinking: Investigative Study of Preservice Teachers Reading, Writing to Learn, and Critical Thinking

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sanchez, Bernice; Lewis, Katie D.

    2014-01-01

    Teacher Preparation Programs must work towards not only preparing preservice teachers to have knowledge of classroom pedagogy but also must expand preservice teachers understanding of content knowledge as well as to develop higher-order thinking which includes thinking critically. This mixed methods study examined how writing shapes thinking and…

  3. Enhancing Student Engagement through the Affordances of Mobile Technology: A 21st Century Learning Perspective on Realistic Mathematics Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bray, Aibhín; Tangney, Brendan

    2016-01-01

    Several recent curriculum reforms aim to address the shortfalls traditionally associated with mathematics education through increased emphasis on higher-order-thinking and collaborative skills. Some stakeholders, such as the US National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the UK Joint Mathematical Council, advocate harnessing the affordances of…

  4. Learning Style Preferences of Adult Students Enrolled in Career Technical Education Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Standridge, Gloria A.

    2010-01-01

    The Problem: The problem to be addressed by this study is the abundance of low-performing American schools that do not sufficiently prepare students with the updated vocational skills and higher order knowledge skills required to compete in the global economy. Method: A qualitative study was used as a survey approach to determine the…

  5. Ten Things to Consider When Teaching AP U.S. History

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Libresco, Andrea S.

    2013-01-01

    This article describes 10 recommendations for creativity, higher-order thinking, and meaningful learning activities that can be used to guide teachers in constructing an engaging AP course: (1) Be on the committee that decides how students will be selected for AP; (2) Maximize time and connections through blocks of time with an English colleague;…

  6. The Use of Metacognitive Knowledge Patterns to Compose Physics Higher Order Thinking Problems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abdullah, Helmi; Malago, Jasruddin D.; Bundu, Patta; Thalib, Syamsul Bachri

    2013-01-01

    The main aspect in physics learning is the use of equation in problem solving. Equation is a mathematical form of theoretical statements, principles, and laws in physics, and describes a relationship between one concept to another by using a specific symbol. In a context of knowledge dimension, equation is a procedural knowledge. Students are…

  7. Adaptive Role Playing Games: An Immersive Approach for Problem Based Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sancho, Pilar; Moreno-Ger, Pablo; Fuentes-Fernandez, Ruben; Fernandez-Manjon, Baltasar

    2009-01-01

    In this paper we present a general framework, called NUCLEO, for the application of socio-constructive educational approaches in higher education. The underlying pedagogical approach relies on an adaptation model in order to improve group dynamics, as this has been identified as one of the key features in the success of collaborative learning…

  8. The Relationship of Teacher-Facilitated, Inquiry-Based Instruction to Student Higher-Order Thinking

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marshall, Jeff C.; Horton, Robert M.

    2011-01-01

    Commissions, studies, and reports continue to call for inquiry-based learning approaches in science and math that challenge students to think critically and deeply. While working with a group of middle school science and math teachers, we conducted more than 100 classroom observations, assessing several attributes of inquiry-based instruction. We…

  9. The Link between Higher Order Thinking Skills, Representation and Concepts in Enhancing TIMSS Tasks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tajudin, Nor'ain Mohd.; Chinnappan, Mohan

    2016-01-01

    Students' performances in TIMSS have featured strongly in recent discussions and debates about the quality of mathematical learning outcomes both from teachers and policy makers. Findings of TIMSS trends showed that most high school students in Malaysia continue to perform at less than satisfactory levels, particularly, in tasks that are…

  10. Chromatic Perceptual Learning but No Category Effects without Linguistic Input

    PubMed Central

    Grandison, Alexandra; Sowden, Paul T.; Drivonikou, Vicky G.; Notman, Leslie A.; Alexander, Iona; Davies, Ian R. L.

    2016-01-01

    Perceptual learning involves an improvement in perceptual judgment with practice, which is often specific to stimulus or task factors. Perceptual learning has been shown on a range of visual tasks but very little research has explored chromatic perceptual learning. Here, we use two low level perceptual threshold tasks and a supra-threshold target detection task to assess chromatic perceptual learning and category effects. Experiment 1 investigates whether chromatic thresholds reduce as a result of training and at what level of analysis learning effects occur. Experiment 2 explores the effect of category training on chromatic thresholds, whether training of this nature is category specific and whether it can induce categorical responding. Experiment 3 investigates the effect of category training on a higher level, lateralized target detection task, previously found to be sensitive to category effects. The findings indicate that performance on a perceptual threshold task improves following training but improvements do not transfer across retinal location or hue. Therefore, chromatic perceptual learning is category specific and can occur at relatively early stages of visual analysis. Additionally, category training does not induce category effects on a low level perceptual threshold task, as indicated by comparable discrimination thresholds at the newly learned hue boundary and adjacent test points. However, category training does induce emerging category effects on a supra-threshold target detection task. Whilst chromatic perceptual learning is possible, learnt category effects appear to be a product of left hemisphere processing, and may require the input of higher level linguistic coding processes in order to manifest. PMID:27252669

  11. Evaluation of a faculty development program aimed at increasing residents' active learning in lectures.

    PubMed

    Desselle, Bonnie C; English, Robin; Hescock, George; Hauser, Andrea; Roy, Melissa; Yang, Tong; Chauvin, Sheila W

    2012-12-01

    Active engagement in the learning process is important to enhance learners' knowledge acquisition and retention and the development of their thinking skills. This study evaluated whether a 1-hour faculty development workshop increased the use of active teaching strategies and enhanced residents' active learning and thinking. Faculty teaching in a pediatrics residency participated in a 1-hour workshop (intervention) approximately 1 month before a scheduled lecture. Participants' responses to a preworkshop/postworkshop questionnaire targeted self-efficacy (confidence) for facilitating active learning and thinking and providing feedback about workshop quality. Trained observers assessed each lecture (3-month baseline phase and 3-month intervention phase) using an 8-item scale for use of active learning strategies and a 7-item scale for residents' engagement in active learning. Observers also assessed lecturer-resident interactions and the extent to which residents were asked to justify their answers. Responses to the workshop questionnaire (n  =  32/34; 94%) demonstrated effectiveness and increased confidence. Faculty in the intervention phase demonstrated increased use of interactive teaching strategies for 6 items, with 5 reaching statistical significance (P ≤ .01). Residents' active learning behaviors in lectures were higher in the intervention arm for all 7 items, with 5 reaching statistical significance. Faculty in the intervention group demonstrated increased use of higher-order questioning (P  =  .02) and solicited justifications for answers (P  =  .01). A 1-hour faculty development program increased faculty use of active learning strategies and residents' engagement in active learning during resident core curriculum lectures.

  12. Implicit learning and reading: insights from typical children and children with developmental dyslexia using the artificial grammar learning (AGL) paradigm.

    PubMed

    Pavlidou, Elpis V; Williams, Joanne M

    2014-07-01

    We examined implicit learning in school-aged children with and without developmental dyslexia based on the proposal that implicit learning plays a significant role in mastering fluent reading. We ran two experiments with 16 typically developing children (9 to 11-years-old) and 16 age-matched children with developmental dyslexia using the artificial grammar learning (AGL) paradigm. In Experiment 1 (non-transfer task), children were trained on stimuli that followed patterns (rules) unknown to them. Subsequently, they were asked to decide from a novel set which stimuli follow the same rules (grammaticality judgments). In Experiment 2 (transfer task), training and testing stimuli differed in their superficial characteristics but followed the same rules. Again, children were asked to make grammaticality judgments. Our findings expand upon previous research by showing that children with developmental dyslexia show difficulties in implicit learning that are most likely specific to higher-order rule-like learning. These findings are discussed in relation to current theories of developmental dyslexia and of implicit learning. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Organisational culture and learning: a case study.

    PubMed

    Bell, Elaine

    2013-11-01

    To explore the impact organisational cultures have on the learning experience of student nurses and identify the influencing factors. A case study approach was used. The single case being a Defence School of Health Care Studies (DSHCS) and the multiple units of analysis: student nurses, the lecturers and Student Standing Orders. An in depth three dimensional picture was achieved using multiple data collection methods: interview, survey, observation and document analysis. The findings suggest that the DSHCS is perceived to be a sub-culture within a dominant civilian learning culture. Generally, the students and staff believed that the DSHCS is an excellent learning environment and that the defence students overall are high achievers. The common themes that appeared from the data were image, ethos, environment, discipline, support, welfare and a civilian versus military way of thinking. The learning experience of defence student nurses is very positive and enhanced by the positive learning culture of the civilian Higher Educational Institution. The factors influencing a positive learning experience that can be impacted by the overarching culture are discipline, image, ethos of adult learning, support and welfare. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

    PubMed Central

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

    2014-01-01

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

  15. Affinity learning with diffusion on tensor product graph.

    PubMed

    Yang, Xingwei; Prasad, Lakshman; Latecki, Longin Jan

    2013-01-01

    In many applications, we are given a finite set of data points sampled from a data manifold and represented as a graph with edge weights determined by pairwise similarities of the samples. Often the pairwise similarities (which are also called affinities) are unreliable due to noise or due to intrinsic difficulties in estimating similarity values of the samples. As observed in several recent approaches, more reliable similarities can be obtained if the original similarities are diffused in the context of other data points, where the context of each point is a set of points most similar to it. Compared to the existing methods, our approach differs in two main aspects. First, instead of diffusing the similarity information on the original graph, we propose to utilize the tensor product graph (TPG) obtained by the tensor product of the original graph with itself. Since TPG takes into account higher order information, it is not a surprise that we obtain more reliable similarities. However, it comes at the price of higher order computational complexity and storage requirement. The key contribution of the proposed approach is that the information propagation on TPG can be computed with the same computational complexity and the same amount of storage as the propagation on the original graph. We prove that a graph diffusion process on TPG is equivalent to a novel iterative algorithm on the original graph, which is guaranteed to converge. After its convergence we obtain new edge weights that can be interpreted as new, learned affinities. We stress that the affinities are learned in an unsupervised setting. We illustrate the benefits of the proposed approach for data manifolds composed of shapes, images, and image patches on two very different tasks of image retrieval and image segmentation. With learned affinities, we achieve the bull's eye retrieval score of 99.99 percent on the MPEG-7 shape dataset, which is much higher than the state-of-the-art algorithms. When the data- points are image patches, the NCut with the learned affinities not only significantly outperforms the NCut with the original affinities, but it also outperforms state-of-the-art image segmentation methods.

  16. Estimating procedure times for surgeries by determining location parameters for the lognormal model.

    PubMed

    Spangler, William E; Strum, David P; Vargas, Luis G; May, Jerrold H

    2004-05-01

    We present an empirical study of methods for estimating the location parameter of the lognormal distribution. Our results identify the best order statistic to use, and indicate that using the best order statistic instead of the median may lead to less frequent incorrect rejection of the lognormal model, more accurate critical value estimates, and higher goodness-of-fit. Using simulation data, we constructed and compared two models for identifying the best order statistic, one based on conventional nonlinear regression and the other using a data mining/machine learning technique. Better surgical procedure time estimates may lead to improved surgical operations.

  17. E-learning in engineering education: a theoretical and empirical study of the Algerian higher education institution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Benchicou, Soraya; Aichouni, Mohamed; Nehari, Driss

    2010-06-01

    Technology-mediated education or e-learning is growing globally both in scale and delivery capacity due to the large diffusion of the ubiquitous information and communication technologies (ICT) in general and the web technologies in particular. This statement has not yet been fully supported by research, especially in developing countries such as Algeria. The purpose of this paper was to identify directions for addressing the needs of academics in higher education institutions in Algeria in order to adopt the e-learning approach as a strategy to improve quality of education. The paper will report results of an empirical study that measures the readiness of the Algerian higher education institutions towards the implementation of ICT in the educational process and the attitudes of faculty members towards the application of the e-learning approach in engineering education. Three main objectives were targeted, namely: (a) to provide an initial evaluation of faculty members' attitudes and perceptions towards web-based education; (b) reporting on their perceived requirements for implementing e-learning in university courses; (c) providing an initial input for a collaborative process of developing an institutional strategy for e-learning. Statistical analysis of the survey results indicates that the Algerian higher education institution, which adopted the Licence - Master and Doctorate educational system, is facing a big challenge to take advantage of emerging technological innovations and the advent of e-learning to further develop its teaching programmes and to enhance the quality of education in engineering fields. The successful implementation of this modern approach is shown to depend largely on a set of critical success factors that would include: 1. The extent to which the institution will adopt a formal and official e-learning strategy. 2. The extent to which faculty members will adhere and adopt this strategy and develop ownership of the various measures in the context of their teaching and research responsibilities. 3. The extent to which the university will offer adequate support in terms of training, software platform administration, online resource development and impact monitoring and assessment.

  18. Empowering Prospective Teachers to Become Active Sense-Makers: Multimodal Modeling of the Seasons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Mi Song

    2015-10-01

    Situating science concepts in concrete and authentic contexts, using information and communications technologies, including multimodal modeling tools, is important for promoting the development of higher-order thinking skills in learners. However, teachers often struggle to integrate emergent multimodal models into a technology-rich informal learning environment. Our design-based research co-designs and develops engaging, immersive, and interactive informal learning activities called "Embodied Modeling-Mediated Activities" (EMMA) to support not only Singaporean learners' deep learning of astronomy but also the capacity of teachers. As part of the research on EMMA, this case study describes two prospective teachers' co-design processes involving multimodal models for teaching and learning the concept of the seasons in a technology-rich informal learning setting. Our study uncovers four prominent themes emerging from our data concerning the contextualized nature of learning and teaching involving multimodal models in informal learning contexts: (1) promoting communication and emerging questions, (2) offering affordances through limitations, (3) explaining one concept involving multiple concepts, and (4) integrating teaching and learning experiences. This study has an implication for the development of a pedagogical framework for teaching and learning in technology-enhanced learning environments—that is empowering teachers to become active sense-makers using multimodal models.

  19. Learning through "huddles" for health care leaders: why do some work teams learn as a result of huddles and others do not?

    PubMed

    Little, Johanna

    2014-01-01

    The health care industry embraces the concept that collective learning occurs through group social interactions and has been initiating huddles as an avenue for collaborative learning. During change of shift or prior to beginning daily tasks, a huddle is initiated and facilitated by the manager or frontline supervisor. Given that "shared knowledge is obtained through group-based learning," why are some teams learning and others are not? The phenomenon is perplexing, given that the same resources are provided to all teams. Based on the findings in the literature review on learning in groups, teams learn from huddles and others do not because of the following: communication style and dialogue among the group members, communication style and dialogue facilitated by the leader, team and member perceptions, and team membership. Teams that learn from huddles do so because of the elements within the dialogue between team members (reflexive questioning, redundancy of information, metaphors, analogies, dramatic dialogue, strategic meaning) and because the huddle team exhibits higher levels of collegiality, tenure, heterogeneity, team identification, and collective efficacy. Facilitators must encourage a conversation in order to encourage reframing of cognitive maps that encourage learning by huddle members.

  20. Heutagogic approach to developing capable learners.

    PubMed

    Abraham, Reem Rachel; Komattil, Ramnarayan

    2017-03-01

    The twenty-first century higher education sector has come a long way after undergoing continuous metamorphosis from pedagogy to andragogy. Most of the educational approaches adopted in medical schools are directed towards developing more of competencies and less of capability, which is the ability to use competencies in novel contexts. Competencies alone are not sufficient to thrive in the present day work place as medical profession subsumes complex contexts; it is in this scenario that, medical educators are entrusted with the challenging task of developing "capable learners". In the heutagogical approach, learners are required to decide upon what to learn and how to learn and therefore the control of the learning process is on the learner and the role of the teacher becomes that of a navigator. This paper highlights the current higher educational practices based on heutagogy, considers its application in the context of Problem-based learning and also discusses a few challenges in incorporating this approach in the existing undergraduate medical curriculum. The article proposes the use of social media in order to support learner autonomy, which in turn improves learners' cognitive engagement with content and tasks, thereby assisting the development of attributes associated with capability.

  1. Variables associated with achievement in higher education: A systematic review of meta-analyses.

    PubMed

    Schneider, Michael; Preckel, Franzis

    2017-06-01

    The last 2 decades witnessed a surge in empirical studies on the variables associated with achievement in higher education. A number of meta-analyses synthesized these findings. In our systematic literature review, we included 38 meta-analyses investigating 105 correlates of achievement, based on 3,330 effect sizes from almost 2 million students. We provide a list of the 105 variables, ordered by the effect size, and summary statistics for central research topics. The results highlight the close relation between social interaction in courses and achievement. Achievement is also strongly associated with the stimulation of meaningful learning by presenting information in a clear way, relating it to the students, and using conceptually demanding learning tasks. Instruction and communication technology has comparably weak effect sizes, which did not increase over time. Strong moderator effects are found for almost all instructional methods, indicating that how a method is implemented in detail strongly affects achievement. Teachers with high-achieving students invest time and effort in designing the microstructure of their courses, establish clear learning goals, and employ feedback practices. This emphasizes the importance of teacher training in higher education. Students with high achievement are characterized by high self-efficacy, high prior achievement and intelligence, conscientiousness, and the goal-directed use of learning strategies. Barring the paucity of controlled experiments and the lack of meta-analyses on recent educational innovations, the variables associated with achievement in higher education are generally well investigated and well understood. By using these findings, teachers, university administrators, and policymakers can increase the effectivity of higher education. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  2. Uniform instruction using web-based, asynchronous technology in a geographically distributed clinical clerkship: analysis of osteopathic medical student participation and satisfaction.

    PubMed

    Peska, Don N; Lewis, Kadriye O

    2010-03-01

    As medical schools in the United States increase their class sizes, many institutions are forced to extend their teaching affiliations outside of their immediate communities. Geographic distribution threatens the ability to provide the uniform learning opportunities that students need and accrediting bodies require. To determine if a Web-based, asynchronous learning module can provide an effective, uniform learning opportunity for osteopathic medical students enrolled in clinical clerkship. Third-year osteopathic medical students enrolled in an 8-week core clinical clerkship in surgery were required to participate in a Web-based, asynchronous, interactive instructional module designed to provide opportunities for higher-order thinking through analysis, synthesis, and reflective learning. The quantity and content of students' online course interactions were analyzed to determine quantitative and qualitative features of their course participation. At the completion of the clerkship, students completed a 10-item Likert-type survey of their experience to determine the most helpful attributes of the Web-based learning module. Responses were assigned numerical values from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) to obtain a mean score for each question. Sixty-three students completed the Web-based module. The content of their discussions, as determined by message coding, identified the critical thinking needed to acquire abstract conceptualization of the problems presented in a typical surgery clerkship. Students found the content of the module relevant to the clerkship (mean score, 4.18) and valued facilitator feedback (4.00). Although they did not prefer Web-based instruction of classroom lecture (2.66), students indicated that the Web-based module enhanced their overall learning experience in the clerkship (3.30). Web-based technology in the clinical education of third-year osteopathic medical students appears to afford an acceptable teaching alternative when face-to-face instruction cannot be provided. Further study of the impact of instructional design on the quality of higher-order thinking in this domain is needed, as is an appreciation for the dynamics of group learning in a virtual environment.

  3. Self-directed learning can outperform direct instruction in the course of a modern German medical curriculum - results of a mixed methods trial.

    PubMed

    Peine, Arne; Kabino, Klaus; Spreckelsen, Cord

    2016-06-03

    Modernised medical curricula in Germany (so called "reformed study programs") rely increasingly on alternative self-instructed learning forms such as e-learning and curriculum-guided self-study. However, there is a lack of evidence that these methods can outperform conventional teaching methods such as lectures and seminars. This study was conducted in order to compare extant traditional teaching methods with new instruction forms in terms of learning effect and student satisfaction. In a randomised trial, 244 students of medicine in their third academic year were assigned to one of four study branches representing self-instructed learning forms (e-learning and curriculum-based self-study) and instructed learning forms (lectures and seminars). All groups participated in their respective learning module with standardised materials and instructions. Learning effect was measured with pre-test and post-test multiple-choice questionnaires. Student satisfaction and learning style were examined via self-assessment. Of 244 initial participants, 223 completed the respective module and were included in the study. In the pre-test, the groups showed relatively homogenous scores. All students showed notable improvements compared with the pre-test results. Participants in the non-self-instructed learning groups reached scores of 14.71 (seminar) and 14.37 (lecture), while the groups of self-instructed learners reached higher scores with 17.23 (e-learning) and 15.81 (self-study). All groups improved significantly (p < .001) in the post-test regarding their self-assessment, led by the e-learning group, whose self-assessment improved by 2.36. The study shows that students in modern study curricula learn better through modern self-instructed methods than through conventional methods. These methods should be used more, as they also show good levels of student acceptance and higher scores in personal self-assessment of knowledge.

  4. Effective Basic Skills Instruction: The Case for Contextualized Developmental Math. Policy Brief 11-1

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wiseley, W. Charles

    2011-01-01

    As the state emerges from another recession, jobs that remain and those opening require workers with higher-order skills most often acquired in postsecondary education. Increasing numbers of adults look to community colleges to learn those skills and to find a way out of a cycle of low paying, unstable jobs. Even workers with years of experience…

  5. The Impact of Adaptive Complex Assessment on the HOT Skill Development of Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Raiyn, Jamal; Tilchin, Oleg

    2016-01-01

    In this paper we propose a method for the adaptive complex assessment (ACA) of the higher-order thinking (HOT) skills needed by students for problem solving, and we examine the impact of the method on the development of HOT skills in a problem-based learning (PBL) environment. Complexity in the assessment is provided by initial, formative, and…

  6. Exploring Students' Group Work Needs in the Context of Internationalisation Using a Creative Visual Method

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cox, Andrew; Chiles, Prue; Care, Leo

    2012-01-01

    While UK universities see group work as essential to building higher order intellectual and team skills, many international students are unfamiliar with this way of studying. Group work is also a focus of home students' concerns. Cultural differences in the interpretation of space for learning or how spatial issues affect group work processes has…

  7. The Contributions of "Hot" and "Cool" Executive Function to Children's Academic Achievement, Learning-Related Behaviors, and Engagement in Kindergarten

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brock, Laura L.; Rimm-Kaufman, Sara E.; Nathanson, Lori; Grimm, Kevin J.

    2009-01-01

    Executive functioning (EF) refers to higher order thought processes considered foundational for problem-solving. EF has both "cool" cognitive and "hot" emotional components. This study asks: (a) what are the relative contributions of "hot" and "cool" EF to children's academic achievement? (b) What are the relative contributions of "hot" and "cool"…

  8. The Process of Thinking among Junior High School Students in Solving HOTS Question

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bakry, Md Nor Bin Bakar

    2015-01-01

    Higher order thinking skills (HOTS) is one of the important aspect of teaching and learning mathematics. By using HOTS, student will be able to acquire a deep understand of mathematical concepts and can be applied in real life. Students ability to develop the capacity of the HOTS is closely related with thinking processes while solving mathematics…

  9. High School Readers: A Profile of above Average Readers and Readers with Learning Disabilities Reading Expository Text

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wigent, Catherine Ann

    2011-01-01

    High school students are challenged to meet higher standards in order to ensure that they are prepared to face the literacy demands of our twenty-first century society (Beaufort, 2009; A. S. Erickson, Kleinhammer-Tramill, & Thurlow, 2007; Vernon, Baytops, McMahon, Padden, & Walther-Thomas, 2003). This study examined both above average high school…

  10. "Anatomizing" Reversed: Use of Examination Questions that Foster Use of Higher Order Learning Skills by Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burns, E. Robert

    2010-01-01

    "Anatomizing" is a new verb some use to describe the breaking apart of a complex entity such as the human body, into isolated tidbits of information for study, which can never equal the complex, integrated whole. Although popular with first-year medical students, this practice of "tidbitting" anatomical information into easy to memorize facts or…

  11. Success in College: From "C"s in High School to "A"s in College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burns, Peter F.

    2006-01-01

    This book provides important information and advice that students need in order to learn more and receive higher grades offers strategies for test and note taking, studying, writing papers, and making class schedules. This book also gives an insider's guide to the academic semester, in-class behavior, and how and when to approach professors.…

  12. How Does the Degree of Guidance Support Students' Metacognitive and Problem Solving Skills in Educational Robotics?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Atmatzidou, Soumela; Demetriadis, Stavros; Nika, Panagiota

    2018-01-01

    Educational robotics (ER) is an innovative learning tool that offers students opportunities to develop higher-order thinking skills. This study investigates the development of students' metacognitive (MC) and problem-solving (PS) skills in the context of ER activities, implementing different modes of guidance in two student groups (11-12 years…

  13. Design and Use of a Proton Pump Inhibitor Case to Integrate Physiology, Pharmacology, and Biochemistry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Michael W.

    2014-01-01

    The use of drugs to integrate basic and clinical sciences is frequently used in a lecture format, but the availability of alternative pedagogical approaches that address higher-order learning are not widely available. The use of case studies and case-based projects to reinforce lectures can help link basic and clinical disciplines and promote…

  14. The VALUE of Learning: Meaningful Assessment on the Rise

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rhodes, Terrel

    2017-01-01

    The question of how well students are doing is central to the enterprise of higher education. Students want to know what grade was received on the paper or test. Faculty want to know what it will take to reach tenure or be reappointed. Admissions staff want to know how many students need to be enrolled in order to provide tuition revenue required…

  15. Chiqui-traca-ban-tau: Movements and Creativity Expression without Limits

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Volmar-Vega, Vilmarie; Kozub, Francis M.

    2016-01-01

    Chiqui-traca-ban-tau is a creative dance activity that can be enjoyed by a wide range of children. It is also a game that provides teachers with a physical activity option that promotes higher-order thinking and remembering skills necessary to support learning in the Common Core. The game involves each child taking a turn leading a four-beat…

  16. Organisational Culture: An Exploratory Study Comparing Faculties' Perspectives within Public and Private Universities in Malaysia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ramachandran, Sharimllah Devi; Chong, Siong Choy; Ismail, Hishamuddin

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: The main objective of this paper to study the organisational culture (OC) in private and public higher education institutions (HEIs) from the perspective of faculty members in order to provide empirical insights on the differences and consequently pave an avenue for cross-learning. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 594…

  17. Application of a Utility Analysis to Evaluate a Novel Assessment Tool for Clinically Oriented Physiology and Pharmacology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cramer, Nicholas; Asmar, Abdo; Gorman, Laurel; Gros, Bernard; Harris, David; Howard, Thomas; Hussain, Mujtaba; Salazar, Sergio; Kibble, Jonathan D.

    2016-01-01

    Multiple-choice questions are a gold-standard tool in medical school for assessment of knowledge and are the mainstay of licensing examinations. However, multiple-choice questions items can be criticized for lacking the ability to test higher-order learning or integrative thinking across multiple disciplines. Our objective was to develop a novel…

  18. Non-Native Speakers Reach Higher Ground: A Study of Reciprocal Teaching's Effects on English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Armbrister, Ana Leonor

    2010-01-01

    English Language Learners are an ever-growing population in public school systems today. Consequently, the policies and procedures that schools are required to adhere to are not limited to language minority students. In order for teachers to meet the needs of English Language Learning students, they need to address their student's whole…

  19. Foreign Language Learning Motivation in Higher Education: A Longitudinal Study of Motivational Changes and Their Causes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Busse, Vera; Walter, Catherine

    2013-01-01

    This article reports on a study involving first-year modern foreign languages students enrolled in German degree courses at two major universities in the United Kingdom. It explores the experience of these students from a motivational angle. A longitudinal mixed-methods approach was employed in order to address the time- and context-sensitive…

  20. Datasets Reflecting Students' and Teachers' Views on the Use of Learning Technology in a UK University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Limniou, Maria; Downes, John J.; Maskell, Simon

    2015-01-01

    Nowadays, the use of datasets is of crucial importance for the advancement of educational research. Specifically in the field of Higher Education, many researchers might share through online data repositories their research outputs in order for data to be reusable, accessible and accountable to educational community. The aim of this paper is to…

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