Design and Implementation of an Object Oriented Learning Activity System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Huan-Yu; Tseng, Shian-Shyong; Weng, Jui-Feng; Su, Jun-Ming

2009-01-01

With the development of e-learning technology, many specifications of instructional design have been proposed to make learning activity sharable and reusable. With the specifications and sufficient learning resources, the researches further focus on how to provide learners more appropriate learning activities to improve their learning performance.…

PORTAAL: A Classroom Observation Tool Assessing Evidence-Based Teaching Practices for Active Learning in Large Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Classes

PubMed Central

Eddy, Sarah L.; Converse, Mercedes; Wenderoth, Mary Pat

2015-01-01

There is extensive evidence that active learning works better than a completely passive lecture. Despite this evidence, adoption of these evidence-based teaching practices remains low. In this paper, we offer one tool to help faculty members implement active learning. This tool identifies 21 readily implemented elements that have been shown to increase student outcomes related to achievement, logic development, or other relevant learning goals with college-age students. Thus, this tool both clarifies the research-supported elements of best practices for instructor implementation of active learning in the classroom setting and measures instructors’ alignment with these practices. We describe how we reviewed the discipline-based education research literature to identify best practices in active learning for adult learners in the classroom and used these results to develop an observation tool (Practical Observation Rubric To Assess Active Learning, or PORTAAL) that documents the extent to which instructors incorporate these practices into their classrooms. We then use PORTAAL to explore the classroom practices of 25 introductory biology instructors who employ some form of active learning. Overall, PORTAAL documents how well aligned classrooms are with research-supported best practices for active learning and provides specific feedback and guidance to instructors to allow them to identify what they do well and what could be improved. PMID:26033871

History and Evolution of Active Learning Spaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beichner, Robert J.

2014-01-01

This chapter examines active learning spaces as they have developed over the years. Consistently well-designed classrooms can facilitate active learning even though the details of implementing pedagogies may differ.

Implementing Collaborative Learning Methods in the Political Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolfe, Angela

2012-01-01

Collaborative learning is one, among other, active learning methods, widely acclaimed in higher education. Consequently, instructors in fields that lack pedagogical training often implement new learning methods such as collaborative learning on the basis of trial and error. Moreover, even though the benefits in academic circles are broadly touted,…

Identifying Key Features of Effective Active Learning: The Effects of Writing and Peer Discussion

PubMed Central

Pangle, Wiline M.; Wyatt, Kevin H.; Powell, Karli N.; Sherwood, Rachel E.

2014-01-01

We investigated some of the key features of effective active learning by comparing the outcomes of three different methods of implementing active-learning exercises in a majors introductory biology course. Students completed activities in one of three treatments: discussion, writing, and discussion + writing. Treatments were rotated weekly between three sections taught by three different instructors in a full factorial design. The data set was analyzed by generalized linear mixed-effect models with three independent variables: student aptitude, treatment, and instructor, and three dependent (assessment) variables: change in score on pre- and postactivity clicker questions, and coding scores on in-class writing and exam essays. All independent variables had significant effects on student performance for at least one of the dependent variables. Students with higher aptitude scored higher on all assessments. Student scores were higher on exam essay questions when the activity was implemented with a writing component compared with peer discussion only. There was a significant effect of instructor, with instructors showing different degrees of effectiveness with active-learning techniques. We suggest that individual writing should be implemented as part of active learning whenever possible and that instructors may need training and practice to become effective with active learning. PMID:25185230

Active-learning implementation in an advanced elective course on infectious diseases.

PubMed

Hidayat, Levita; Patel, Shreya; Veltri, Keith

2012-06-18

To describe the development, implementation, and assessment of an advanced elective course on infectious diseases using active-learning strategies. Pedagogy for active learning was incorporated by means of mini-lecture, journal club, and debate with follow-up discussion. Forty-eight students were enrolled in this 4-week elective course, in which 30% of course time was allocated for active-learning exercises. All activities were fundamentally designed as a stepwise approach in complementing each active-learning exercise. Achievement of the course learning objectives was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale survey instrument. Students' awareness of the significance of antimicrobial resistance was improved (p ≤ 0.05). Students' ability to critically evaluate the infectious-disease literature and its application in informed clinical judgments was also enhanced through these active-learning exercises (p ≤ 0.05). Students agreed that active learning should be part of the pharmacy curriculum and that active-learning exercises improved their critical-thinking, literature-evaluation, and self-learning skills. An elective course using active-learning strategies allowed students to combine information gained from the evaluation of infectious-disease literature, critical thinking, and informed clinical judgment. This blended approach ultimately resulted in an increased knowledge and awareness of infectious diseases.

A Mixed-Methods Investigation of Clicker Implementation Styles in STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solomon, Erin D.; Repice, Michelle D.; Mutambuki, Jacinta M.; Leonard, Denise A.; Cohen, Cheryl A.; Luo, Jia; Frey, Regina F.

2018-01-01

Active learning with clickers is a common approach in high-enrollment, lecture-based courses in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In this study, we describe the procedures that faculty at one institution used when implementing clicker-based active learning, and how they situated these activities in their class sessions. Using a…

The Contribution of Teachers' Peer-and Self-Assessment for the Implementation of Active Learning Strategies: Perceptions of Ethiopia Primary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mengistie, Solomon Melesse

2014-01-01

The present study tries to investigate the contribution of primary school teachers' peer- and self- assessment for effective implementation of active learning in their actual classrooms. In this study, areas in which self-reflection and peer assessment include three broad categories, such as methods of teaching and learning, instructional resource…

How Technology and Collaboration Promote Formative Feedback: A Role for CSCL Research in Active Learning Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Sally P. W.; Rau, Martina A.

2017-01-01

Recent evidence for the effectiveness of active learning interventions has led educators to advocate for widespread adoption of active learning in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses. Active learning interventions implement technology and collaboration to engage students actively with the content. Yet, it is…

Teacher Knowledge for Active-Learning Instruction: Expert-Novice Comparison Reveals Differences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Auerbach, A. J.; Higgins, M.; Brickman, P.; Andrews, T. C.

2018-01-01

Active-learning strategies "can" improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduates' abilities to learn fundamental concepts and skills. However, the results instructors achieve vary substantially. One explanation for this is that instructors commonly implement active learning differently than intended. An…

The New School-Based Learning (SBL) to Work-Based Learning (WBL) Transition Module: A Practical Implementation in the Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) System in Bahrain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alseddiqi, M.; Mishra, R.; Pislaru, C.

2012-05-01

This paper diagnoses the implementation of a new engineering course entitled 'school-based learning (SBL) to work-based learning (WBL) transition module' in the Bahrain Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) learning environment. The module was designed to incorporate an innovative education and training approach with a variety of learning activities that are included in various learning case studies. Each case study was based on with learning objectives coupled with desired learning outcomes. The TVE students should meet the desired outcomes after the completion of the learning activities and assessments. To help with the implementation phase of the new module, the authors developed guidelines for each case study. The guidelines incorporated learning activities to be delivered in an integrated learning environment. The skills to be transferred were related to cognitive, affective, and technical proficiencies. The guidelines included structured instructions to help students during the learning process. In addition, technology was introduced to improve learning effectiveness and flexibility. The guidelines include learning indicators for each learning activity and were based on their interrelation with competencies to be achieved with respect to modern industrial requirements. Each learning indicator was then correlated against the type of learning environment, teaching and learning styles, examples of mode of delivery, and assessment strategy. Also, the learning activities were supported by technological features such as discussion forums for social perception and engagement and immediate feedback exercises for self-motivation. Through the developed module, TVE teachers can effectively manage the teaching and learning process as well as the assessment strategy to satisfy students' individual requirements and enable them to meet workplace requirements.

Active-Learning versus Teacher-Centered Instruction for Learning Acids and Bases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sesen, Burcin Acar; Tarhan, Leman

2011-01-01

Background and purpose: Active-learning as a student-centered learning process has begun to take more interest in constructing scientific knowledge. For this reason, this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of active-learning implementation on high-school students' understanding of "acids and bases". Sample: The sample of this…

Teacher Knowledge for Active-Learning Instruction: Expert-Novice Comparison Reveals Differences.

PubMed

Auerbach, A J; Higgins, M; Brickman, P; Andrews, T C

2018-01-01

Active-learning strategies can improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduates' abilities to learn fundamental concepts and skills. However, the results instructors achieve vary substantially. One explanation for this is that instructors commonly implement active learning differently than intended. An important factor affecting how instructors implement active learning is knowledge of teaching and learning. We aimed to discover knowledge that is important to effective active learning in large undergraduate courses. We developed a lesson-analysis instrument to elicit teacher knowledge, drawing on the theoretical construct of teacher noticing. We compared the knowledge used by expert ( n = 14) and novice ( n = 29) active-learning instructors as they analyzed lessons. Experts and novices differed in what they noticed, with experts more commonly considering how instructors hold students accountable, topic-specific student difficulties, whether the instructor elicited and responded to student thinking, and opportunities students had to generate their own ideas and work. Experts were also better able to support their lesson analyses with reasoning. This work provides foundational knowledge for the future design of preparation and support for instructors adopting active learning. Improving teacher knowledge will improve the implementation of active learning, which will be necessary to widely realize the potential benefits of active learning in undergraduate STEM. © 2018 A. J. Auerbach et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2018 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Design, Implementation and Evaluation of Innovative Science Teaching Strategies for Non-Formal Learning in a Natural History Museum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çil, Emine; Maccario, Nihal; Yanmaz, Durmus

2016-01-01

Background: Museums are useful educational resources in science teaching. Teaching strategies which promote hands-on activities, student-centred learning, and rich social interaction must be designed and implemented throughout the museum visit for effective science learning. Purpose: This study aimed to design and implement innovative teaching…

Active-Learning Implementation in an Advanced Elective Course on Infectious Diseases

PubMed Central

Patel, Shreya; Veltri, Keith

2012-01-01

Objectives. To describe the development, implementation, and assessment of an advanced elective course on infectious diseases using active-learning strategies. Design. Pedagogy for active learning was incorporated by means of mini-lecture, journal club, and debate with follow-up discussion. Forty-eight students were enrolled in this 4-week elective course, in which 30% of course time was allocated for active-learning exercises. All activities were fundamentally designed as a stepwise approach in complementing each active-learning exercise. Assessment. Achievement of the course learning objectives was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale survey instrument. Students’ awareness of the significance of antimicrobial resistance was improved (p ≤ 0.05). Students’ ability to critically evaluate the infectious-disease literature and its application in informed clinical judgments was also enhanced through these active-learning exercises (p ≤ 0.05). Students agreed that active learning should be part of the pharmacy curriculum and that active-learning exercises improved their critical-thinking, literature-evaluation, and self-learning skills. Conclusion. An elective course using active-learning strategies allowed students to combine information gained from the evaluation of infectious-disease literature, critical thinking, and informed clinical judgment. This blended approach ultimately resulted in an increased knowledge and awareness of infectious diseases. PMID:22761528

An active-learning strategies primer for achieving ability-based educational outcomes.

PubMed

Gleason, Brenda L; Peeters, Michael J; Resman-Targoff, Beth H; Karr, Samantha; McBane, Sarah; Kelley, Kristi; Thomas, Tyan; Denetclaw, Tina H

2011-11-10

Active learning is an important component of pharmacy education. By engaging students in the learning process, they are better able to apply the knowledge they gain. This paper describes evidence supporting the use of active-learning strategies in pharmacy education and also offers strategies for implementing active learning in pharmacy curricula in the classroom and during pharmacy practice experiences.

The Implementation of Collaborative Learning Using AfL through Giving Feedback Strategy for Improving Students’ Attention to Mathematics Lesson

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurniasih, R.; Sujadi, I.; Pramesti, G.

2016-02-01

This research aims to describe the process of implementation collaborative learning with AfL through giving feedback strategy for improving students’ attention to mathematics lesson. Data which is collected in this research are students’ attention towards learning and students’ achievement. The result of this research showed that the learning steps by using collaborative learning with AfL through giving feedback strategy which can improve students’ attention are: 1) pre activity: the teacher delivers the purpose of the learning, successful criteria, apperception, and motivation. 2) main activity: the teacher gives the background of learning activity, explains learning materials at a glance, divides students discuss, the teacher observes and guides students to the problem solving, present their discussion result, gives feedback, the students do AfL problem and the answer is collected and result will be given before next meeting. 3) post activity: the teacher with students concludes the material. Test result, the percentage of students who complete the examination in the second cycle is 77.27%. Based on those results can be concluded that the implementation of collaborative learning using AfL through giving feedback can improve students’ attention towards learning and students’ achievement of XI IPA Students MA Al-Islam Jamsaren Surakarta academic year 2013/2014.

Research on Mobile Learning Activities Applying Tablets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurilovas, Eugenijus; Juskeviciene, Anita; Bireniene, Virginija

2015-01-01

The paper aims to present current research on mobile learning activities in Lithuania while implementing flagship EU-funded CCL project on application of tablet computers in education. In the paper, the quality of modern mobile learning activities based on learning personalisation, problem solving, collaboration, and flipped class methods is…

Active Ageing, Active Learning: Policy and Provision in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tam, M.

2011-01-01

This paper discusses the relationship between ageing and learning, previous literature having confirmed that participation in continued learning in old age contributes to good health, satisfaction with life, independence and self-esteem. Realizing that learning is vital to active ageing, the Hong Kong government has implemented policies and…

Implementation of Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) in Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douglas, Elliot P.; Chiu, Chu-Chuan

2013-01-01

This paper describes implementation and testing of an active learning, team-based pedagogical approach to instruction in engineering. This pedagogy has been termed Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL), and is based upon the learning cycle model. Rather than sitting in traditional lectures, students work in teams to complete worksheets…

Implementation and evaluation of a community-based interprofessional learning activity.

PubMed

Luebbers, Ellen L; Dolansky, Mary A; Vehovec, Anton; Petty, Gayle

2017-01-01

Implementation of large-scale, meaningful interprofessional learning activities for pre-licensure students has significant barriers and requires novel approaches to ensure success. To accomplish this goal, faculty at Case Western Reserve University, Ohio, USA, used the Ottawa Model of Research Use (OMRU) framework to create, improve, and sustain a community-based interprofessional learning activity for large numbers of medical students (N = 177) and nursing students (N = 154). The model guided the process and included identification of context-specific barriers and facilitators, continual monitoring and improvement using data, and evaluation of student learning outcomes as well as programme outcomes. First year Case Western Reserve University medical students and undergraduate nursing students participated in team-structured prevention screening clinics in the Cleveland Metropolitan Public School District. Identification of barriers and facilitators assisted with overcoming logistic and scheduling issues, large class size, differing ages and skill levels of students and creating sustainability. Continual monitoring led to three distinct phases of improvement and resulted in the creation of an authentic team structure, role clarification, and relevance for students. Evaluation of student learning included both qualitative and quantitative methods, resulting in statistically significant findings and qualitative themes of learner outcomes. The OMRU implementation model provided a useful framework for successful implementation resulting in a sustainable interprofessional learning activity.

Implementing a lessons learned process at Sandia National Laboratories

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

Fosshage, Erik D.; Drewien, Celeste A.; Eras, Kenneth

2016-01-01

The Lessons Learned Process Improvement Team was tasked to gain an understanding of the existing lessons learned environment within the major programs at Sandia National Laboratories, identify opportunities for improvement in that environment as compared to desired attributes, propose alternative implementations to address existing inefficiencies, perform qualitative evaluations of alternative implementations, and recommend one or more near-term activities for prototyping and/or implementation. This report documents the work and findings of the team.

An Active-Learning Strategies Primer for Achieving Ability-Based Educational Outcomes

PubMed Central

Gleason, Brenda L.; Peeters, Michael J.; Resman-Targoff, Beth H.; Karr, Samantha; McBane, Sarah; Kelley, Kristi; Thomas, Tyan

2011-01-01

Active learning is an important component of pharmacy education. By engaging students in the learning process, they are better able to apply the knowledge they gain. This paper describes evidence supporting the use of active-learning strategies in pharmacy education and also offers strategies for implementing active learning in pharmacy curricula in the classroom and during pharmacy practice experiences. PMID:22171114

Collaborative action research: implementation of cooperative learning.

PubMed

Smith-Stoner, Marilyn; Molle, Mary E

2010-06-01

Nurse educators must continually improve their teaching skills through innovation. However, research about the process used by faculty members to transform their teaching methods is limited. This collaborative study uses classroom action research to describe, analyze, and address problems encountered in implementing cooperative learning in two undergraduate nursing courses. After four rounds of action and reflection, the following themes emerged: students did not understand the need for structured cooperative learning; classroom structure and seating arrangement influenced the effectiveness of activities; highly structured activities engaged the students; and short, targeted activities that involved novel content were most effective. These findings indicate that designing specific activities to prepare students for class is critical to cooperative learning. Copyright 2010, SLACK Incorporated.

Student Motivation from and Resistance to Active Learning Rooted in Essential Science Practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Owens, David C.; Sadler, Troy D.; Barlow, Angela T.; Smith-Walters, Cindi

2017-12-01

Several studies have found active learning to enhance students' motivation and attitudes. Yet, faculty indicate that students resist active learning and censure them on evaluations after incorporating active learning into their instruction, resulting in an apparent paradox. We argue that the disparity in findings across previous studies is the result of variation in the active learning instruction that was implemented. The purpose of this study was to illuminate sources of motivation from and resistance to active learning that resulted from a novel, exemplary active-learning approach rooted in essential science practices and supported by science education literature. This approach was enacted over the course of 4 weeks in eight sections of an introductory undergraduate biology laboratory course. A plant concept inventory, administered to students as a pre-, post-, and delayed-posttest indicated significant proximal and distal learning gains. Qualitative analysis of open-response questionnaires and interviews elucidated sources of motivation and resistance that resulted from this active-learning approach. Several participants indicated this approach enhanced interest, creativity, and motivation to prepare, and resulted in a challenging learning environment that facilitated the sharing of diverse perspectives and the development of a community of learners. Sources of resistance to active learning included participants' unfamiliarity with essential science practices, having to struggle with uncertainty in the absence of authoritative information, and the extra effort required to actively construct knowledge as compared to learning via traditional, teacher-centered instruction. Implications for implementation, including tips for reducing student resistance to active learning, are discussed.

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

PubMed

Marshall, Leisa L; Nykamp, Diane

2010-09-10

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

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…

Design, implementation and evaluation of innovative science teaching strategies for non-formal learning in a natural history museum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Çil, Emine; Maccario, Nihal; Yanmaz, Durmuş

2016-09-01

Background: Museums are useful educational resources in science teaching. Teaching strategies which promote hands-on activities, student-centred learning, and rich social interaction must be designed and implemented throughout the museum visit for effective science learning.

Creating Tesselations with Pavement Chalk: Implementing Best Practices in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furner, Joseph M.; Goodman, Barbara; Meeks, Shirley

2004-01-01

Implementing best practices like cooperative learning, using concrete manipulatives, problem solving, technology, active learning, multi-age grouping, and team teaching have shown benefits for students when learning mathematics concepts within the curriculum (Zemelman, Daniels & Hyde, 1998; NCTM, 2000). What started as a professional development…

78 FR 65302 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Evaluation of a District Wide...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-31

...; Comment Request; Evaluation of a District Wide Implementation of a Professional Learning Community... Professional Learning Community Initiative. OMB Control Number: 1850--NEW. Type of Review: A new information... need for systematic information about district-wide implementation of professional learning communities...

Mediating Global Reforms Locally: A Study of the Enabling Conditions for Promoting Active Learning in a Maldivian Island School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Di Biase, Rhonda

2017-01-01

This paper explores active learning reform in the small state of the Maldives. Acknowledging the implementation challenges of active learning approaches globally, the study explored the policy-practice intersection by examining the experiences of one island school and its approach to promoting active learning pedagogy. The school was selected for…

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

PORTAAL: A Classroom Observation Tool Assessing Evidence-Based Teaching Practices for Active Learning in Large Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Classes.

PubMed

Eddy, Sarah L; Converse, Mercedes; Wenderoth, Mary Pat

2015-01-01

There is extensive evidence that active learning works better than a completely passive lecture. Despite this evidence, adoption of these evidence-based teaching practices remains low. In this paper, we offer one tool to help faculty members implement active learning. This tool identifies 21 readily implemented elements that have been shown to increase student outcomes related to achievement, logic development, or other relevant learning goals with college-age students. Thus, this tool both clarifies the research-supported elements of best practices for instructor implementation of active learning in the classroom setting and measures instructors' alignment with these practices. We describe how we reviewed the discipline-based education research literature to identify best practices in active learning for adult learners in the classroom and used these results to develop an observation tool (Practical Observation Rubric To Assess Active Learning, or PORTAAL) that documents the extent to which instructors incorporate these practices into their classrooms. We then use PORTAAL to explore the classroom practices of 25 introductory biology instructors who employ some form of active learning. Overall, PORTAAL documents how well aligned classrooms are with research-supported best practices for active learning and provides specific feedback and guidance to instructors to allow them to identify what they do well and what could be improved. © 2015 S. L. Eddy et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2015 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

The Use of "Socrative" in ESL Classrooms: Towards Active Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El Shaban, Abir

2017-01-01

The online student response system (SRS) is a technological tool that can be effectively implemented in English language classroom contexts and be used to promote students' active learning. In this qualitative study, "Socrative", a Web 2.0 software, was integrated with active learning activities and used as an SRS to explore English…

Understanding Fatty Acid Metabolism through an Active Learning Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fardilha, M.; Schrader, M.; da Cruz e Silva, O. A. B.; da Cruz e Silva, E. F.

2010-01-01

A multi-method active learning approach (MALA) was implemented in the Medical Biochemistry teaching unit of the Biomedical Sciences degree at the University of Aveiro, using problem-based learning as the main learning approach. In this type of learning strategy, students are involved beyond the mere exercise of being taught by listening. Less…

The Library's role and challenges in implementing an e-learning strategy: a case study from northern Australia.

PubMed

Ritchie, Ann

2011-03-01

  The Northern Territory Department of Health and Families' (DHF) Library supports education programs for all staff. DHF is implementing an e-learning strategy, which may be viewed as a vehicle for coordinating the education function throughout the organisation.   The objective of this study is to explore the concept of e-learning in relation to the Library's role in implementing an organisation-wide e-learning strategy.   The main findings of a literature search about the effectiveness of e-learning in health professionals' education, and the responsibility and roles of health librarians in e-learning are described. A case study approach is used to outline the current role and future opportunities and challenges for the Library.   The case study presents the organisation's strategic planning context. Four areas of operational activity which build on the Library's current educational activities are suggested: the integration of library resources 'learning objects' within a Learning Management System; developing online health information literacy training programs; establishing a physical and virtual 'e-Learning Library/Centre'; developing collaborative partnerships, taking on new responsibilities in e-learning development, and creating a new e-learning librarian role.   The study shows that the Library's role is fundamental to developing the organisation's e-learning capacity and implementing an organisation-wide e-learning strategy. © 2010 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2010 Health Libraries Group.

Blended Learning Implementation in “Guru Pembelajar” Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahdan, D.; Kamaludin, M.; Wendi, H. F.; Simanjuntak, M. V.

2018-02-01

The rapid development of information and communication technology (ICT), especially the internet, computers and communication devices requires the innovation in learning; one of which is Blended Learning. The concept of Blended Learning is the mixing of face-to-face learning models by learning online. Blended learning used in the learner teacher program organized by the Indonesian department of education and culture that a program to improve the competence of teachers, called “Guru Pembelajar” (GP). Blended learning model is perfect for learning for teachers, due to limited distance and time because online learning can be done anywhere and anytime. but the problems that arise from the implementation of this activity are many teachers who do not follow the activities because teachers, especially the elderly do not want to follow the activities because they cannot use computers and the internet, applications that are difficult to understand by participants, unstable internet connection in the area where the teacher lives and facilities and infrastructure are not adequate.

Monitoring Implementation of Active Learning Classrooms at Lethbridge College, 2014-2015

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benoit, Andy

2017-01-01

Having experienced preliminary success in designing two active learning classrooms, Lethbridge College developed an additional eight active learning classrooms as part of a three-year initiative spanning 2014-2017. Year one of the initiative entailed purchasing new audio-visual equipment and classroom furniture followed by installation. This…

Innovative Experiential Learning Activities in Aging: The Experiences of Four BEL Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hash, Kristina M.; Poole, Jay; Floyd, Melissa; Moore, Crystal Dea; Rogers, Anissa T.; Tower, Leslie E.

2017-01-01

The BSW Experiential Learning (BEL) Program aims to infuse intergenerational content into the curriculum and recruit students to the field of social work by implementing face-to-face learning opportunities with older adults. This article discusses and compares the experiences of 4 diverse BEL projects that implemented gero-experiential learning…

Learning L2 Vocabulary with American TV Drama "From the Learner's Perspective"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Yu-Chia

2012-01-01

Following the trend of computer assisted language learning (CALL), in Taiwan, most language classes now have equivalent media support for language teachers and learners. Implementing videos into classroom activities is one of the choices. The current study explores the process of implementing American TV drama in L2 vocabulary learning from…

Assessment of Egyptian Agricultural Technical School Instructors' Ability to Implement Experiential Learning Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrick, R. Kirby; Samy, Mohamed M.; Roberts, T. Grady; Thoron, Andrew C.; Easterly, R. G., III

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the perceptions of ATS instructors in Egypt related to implementing experiential learning in the form of internships. In July 2007, 90 ATS instructors attended workshops focused on conducting internship experiences. Self-perceived competency of ATS instructors to implement internships was assessed…

Achievement of learning outcome after implemented physical modules based on problem based learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isna, R.; Masykuri, M.; Sukarmin

2018-03-01

Implementation of Problem BasedLearning (PBL) modules can grow the students' thinking skills to solve the problems in daily life and equip the students into higher education levels. The purpose of this research is to know the achievement of learning outcome after implementation physics module based on PBL in Newton,s Law of Gravity. This research method use the experimental method with posttest only group design. To know the achievement of student learning outcomes was analyzed using t test through application of SPSS 18. Based on research result, it is found that the average of student learning outcomes after appliying physics module based on PBL has reached the minimal exhaustiveness criteria. In addition, students' scientific attitudes also improved at each meeting. Presentation activities which contained at learning sync are also able to practice speaking skills and broaden their knowledge. Looking at some shortcomings during the study, it is suggested the issues raised into learning should be a problem close to the life of students so that, the students are more active and enthusiastic in following the learning of physics.

Team learning and innovation in nursing, a review of the literature.

PubMed

Timmermans, Olaf; Van Linge, Roland; Van Petegem, Peter; Van Rompaey, Bart; Denekens, Joke

2012-01-01

The capability to learn and innovate has been recognized as a key-factor for nursing teams to deliver high quality performance. Researchers suggest there is a relation between team-learning activities and changes in nursing teams throughout the implementation of novelties. A review of the literature was conducted in regard to the relation between team learning and implementation of innovations in nursing teams and to explore factors that contribute or hinder team learning. The search was limited to studies that were published in English or Dutch between 1998 and 2010. Eight studies were included in the review. The results of this review revealed that research on team learning and innovation in nursing is limited. The included studies showed moderate methodological quality and low levels of evidence. Team learning included processes to gather, process, and store information from different innovations within the nursing team and the prevalence of team-learning activities was contributed or hindered by individual and contextual factors. Further research is needed on the relation between team learning and implementation of innovations in nursing. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Envisioning a Literacy Partnership: The University of Nebraska at Omaha's Criss Library and Girls Inc.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neujahr, Joyce; Hillyer, Nora; Cast-Brede, Melissa

2013-01-01

The history of academic library involvement in service learning is varied. This paper provides an overview of service learning and the literature on academic libraries' participation in service-learning activities. A vision of service-learning participation is described, as well as the implementation of service-learning activities in two library…

The Implementation of Lesson Study to Strengthen Students: Understanding Participation and Application Capabilities in History Education Research Method on Topic Research and Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Towaf, Siti Malikhah

2016-01-01

Learning can be observed from three-dimensions called: effectiveness, efficiency, and attractiveness of learning. Careful study carried out by analyzing the learning elements of the system are: input, process, and output. Lesson study is an activity designed and implemented as an effort to improve learning in a variety of dimensions. "Lesson…

Implementing Experiential Learning Activities in a Large Enrollment Introductory Food Science and Human Nutrition Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bohn, Dawn M.; Schmidt, Shelly J.

2008-01-01

Experiential learning activities are often viewed as impractical, and potentially unfeasible, instructional tools to employ in a large enrollment course. Research has shown, though, that the metacognitive skills that students utilize while participating in experiential learning activities enable them to assess their true level of understanding and…

Policy, Pedagogy, and Priorities: Exploring Stakeholder Perspectives on Active Learning in the Maldives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Di Biase, Rhonda

2015-01-01

Challenges of implementing active-learning reform have been reported across a range of countries and include the need for greater attention to contextual factors and practical realities in the reform process. This study investigates how teachers enact active-learning pedagogy within the Maldives. Using design-based research, it explores--through…

Stages of Concern Profiles for Active Learning Strategies of Agricultural Technical School Teachers in Egypt

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myers, Brian E.; Barrick, R. Kirby; Samy, Mohamed M.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to assess Egyptian Agricultural Technical School (ATS) teachers' implementation of active learning strategies in their classrooms. Methods: The Stages of Concern Questionnaire was administered to 230 participants in active learning workshops. After eliminating headmasters, supervisors and people no longer…

The Effectiveness of Active and Traditional Teaching Techniques in the Orthopedic Assessment Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nottingham, Sara; Verscheure, Susan

2010-01-01

Active learning is a teaching methodology with a focus on student-centered learning that engages students in the educational process. This study implemented active learning techniques in an orthopedic assessment laboratory, and the effects of these teaching techniques. Mean scores from written exams, practical exams, and final course evaluations…

Implementing active-learning strategies to improve physics learning in Latin America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alarcon, Hugo; Zavala, G.; Fernandez, R.; Benegas, J.

2006-12-01

It is evident that the most effective active-learning strategies to improve physics learning at the college level have been developed in the United States. Recently, some universities in Latin America have begun adopting such methods as a part of institutional projects, or motivated by national projects led by education authorities. In this work we will present two cases, a large-scale implementation of Tutorials in Introductory Physics (1) in Mexico supported by the institution as a part of a change in its educational model, and a medium-scale implementation of this method in Chile supported by the national government. In both experiences, the professors involved in the educational experience have previously participated in a training workshop that prepared them for implementing this strategy in the classroom. The training workshop, described elsewhere (2), was designed also under active learning premises, so teachers completed the proposed activities in the same way as their students will do. We will present the first results of these two projects. References: (1) McDermott, L. C., Shaffer, P. S., & PER (1998). "Tutorials in Introductory Physics", Prentice Hall, translated as "Tutoriales para Física Introductoria" (2001) Prentice Hall, Buenos Aires.. (2) Zavala, G., Alarcón, H. and Benegas, J. (2005). "Innovative training of in-service teachers for active learning: A short teacher development course based on Physics Education Research", accepted for publication, J. of Sc. Teach. Ed. This work has been partially supported by Tecnológico de Monterrey through the Chair in Physics Education Research and by MECE Educación Superior Program (Chile).

Country watch: Central African Republic (CAR).

PubMed

Aubel, J; Sobela, F; Voga, P

1997-01-01

This article describes the activities of the Community Peer AIDS Education Project, initiated in 1995 in the Central African Republic (CAR). The CAR project was created by the National AIDS Committee (NAC) and the US Peace Corps. A 4-day workshop was held at the onset for project staff and consultants. Staff developed a simple monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system that emphasizes "learning." M&E schemes measure project outputs, expenditures, and other measures of program implementation in order to help staff gradually improve implementation. M&E helps staff document activities, share information, and learn from the implementation process. Project activities are documented by maintaining community logbooks, taking photos of significant aspects of the educational activities, and leading informal discussion groups. The CAR project engaged in sharing and learning activities by holding meetings with peer leaders, team meetings, meetings with project managers, and meetings with the NAC. Once a month, peer field coordinators conducted a structured exercise with peer leaders. One aim was to gain their feedback on the successes and constraints of activities. Another was to make suggestions on how to improve activities. These structured exercises are recorded as lessons learned in a project book. Team meetings are held periodically. During meetings, staff review project books and photos and discuss successes and problems encountered. Project manager meetings provide time to share lessons learned and to suggest project strengthening options. NAC meetings between the project manager and field coordinators allow for a bottom-up learning process. CAR project staff were receptive to M&E efforts.

Implementing an Active Learning Environment to Influence Students' Motivation in Biochemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cicuto, Camila Aparecida Tolentino; Torres, Bayardo Baptista

2016-01-01

The Biochemistry: Biomolecules Structure and Metabolism course's goal is to promote meaningful learning through an active learning environment. Thus, study periods (SP) and discussion groups (DG) are used as a substitute for lecture classes. The goal of this study was to evaluate how this learning environment influences students' motivation (n =…

Adaptive Learning and Reduced Cognitive Uncertainty in a Financial Organization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antonsen, Yngve; Thunberg, Odd Arne; Tiller, Tom

2010-01-01

Purpose: This paper analyses and discusses the "learning activities" that comprise obligatory learning at work by employees each month. The management strategy is to use these learning activities to spread knowledge, exchange experience and implement new skills within the organisation. The purpose of this paper is to answer the question:…

Active Learning Crosses Generations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodard, Diane K.

2002-01-01

Describes the benefits of intergenerational programs, highlighting a child care program that offers age-appropriate and mutually beneficial activities for children and elders within a nearby retirement community. The program has adopted High/Scope's active learning approach to planning and implementing activities that involve both generations. The…

Teaching Engineering with Autonomous Learning Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Otero, Beatriz; Rodríguez, Eva; Royo, Pablo

2015-01-01

This paper proposes several activities that encourage self-learning in engineering courses. For each activity, the context and the pedagogical issues addressed are described emphasizing strengths and weaknesses. Specifically, this work describes and implements five activities, which are: questionnaires, conceptual maps, videos, jigsaw and…

Fostering the development of effective person-centered healthcare communication skills: an interprofessional shared learning model.

PubMed

Cavanaugh, James T; Konrad, Shelley Cohen

2012-01-01

To describe the implementation of an interprofessional shared learning model designed to promote the development of person-centered healthcare communication skills. Master of social work (MSW) and doctor of physical therapy (DPT) degree students. The model used evidence-based principles of effective healthcare communication and shared learning methods; it was aligned with student learning outcomes contained in MSW and DPT curricula. Students engaged in 3 learning sessions over 2 days. Sessions involved interactive reflective learning, simulated role-modeling with peer assessment, and context-specific practice of communication skills. The perspective of patients/clients was included in each learning activity. Activities were evaluated through narrative feedback. Students valued opportunities to learn directly from each other and from healthcare consumers. Important insights and directions for future interprofessional learning experiences were gleaned from model implementation. The interprofessional shared learning model shows promise as an effective method for developing person-centered communication skills.

Arts-Based Learning: A New Approach to Nursing Education Using Andragogy.

PubMed

Nguyen, Megan; Miranda, Joyal; Lapum, Jennifer; Donald, Faith

2016-07-01

Learner-oriented strategies focusing on learning processes are needed to prepare nursing students for complex practice situations. An arts-based learning approach uses art to nurture cognitive and emotional learning. Knowles' theory of andragogy aims to develop the skill of learning and can inform the process of implementing arts-based learning. This article explores the use and evaluation of andragogy-informed arts-based learning for teaching nursing theory at the undergraduate level. Arts-based learning activities were implemented and then evaluated by students and instructors using anonymous questionnaires. Most students reported that the activities promoted learning. All instructors indicated an interest in integrating arts-based learning into the curricula. Facilitators and barriers to mainstreaming arts-based learning were highlighted. Findings stimulate implications for prospective research and education. Findings suggest that arts-based learning approaches enhance learning by supporting deep inquiry and different learning styles. Further exploration of andragogy-informed arts-based learning in nursing and other disciplines is warranted. [J Nurs Educ. 2016;55(7):407-410.]. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

Designing a Deeply Digital Science Curriculum: Supporting Teacher Learning and Implementation with Organizing Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leary, Heather; Severance, Samuel; Penuel, William R.; Quigley, David; Sumner, Tamara; Devaul, Holly

2016-01-01

This paper examines the impacts of technology (e.g., Chromebooks, Google Drive) on teacher learning and student activity in the development and implementation of a deeply digital high school biology unit. Using design-based implementation research, teachers co-designed with researchers and curriculum specialists a student-centered unit aligned to…

Improving Student Engagement in Learning Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Nancy; And Others

Engaging students seriously in their own academic learning is a persistent difficulty for teachers. The goal of this action research project was to actively involve elementary school students in their learning. The program was implemented at three elementary schools in northern Illinois serving multicultural populations; special education…

75 FR 70931 - Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-19

... Information Collection Activity; Comment Request Title: Evaluation of Head Start Early Learning Mentor Coach... implementation evaluation of the Head Start Early Learning Mentor-Coach Initiative. The study will collect... awarded funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009--Early Learning Mentor Coach...

75 FR 63822 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-18

... design to assess the impact of Learn and Serve America-funded service-learning activities on student...-funded service-learning activities on ninth and tenth grade students' academic achievement, academic... will be collected from students on their academic and civic engagement; teachers on the implementation...

Identifying key features of effective active learning: the effects of writing and peer discussion.

PubMed

Linton, Debra L; Pangle, Wiline M; Wyatt, Kevin H; Powell, Karli N; Sherwood, Rachel E

2014-01-01

We investigated some of the key features of effective active learning by comparing the outcomes of three different methods of implementing active-learning exercises in a majors introductory biology course. Students completed activities in one of three treatments: discussion, writing, and discussion + writing. Treatments were rotated weekly between three sections taught by three different instructors in a full factorial design. The data set was analyzed by generalized linear mixed-effect models with three independent variables: student aptitude, treatment, and instructor, and three dependent (assessment) variables: change in score on pre- and postactivity clicker questions, and coding scores on in-class writing and exam essays. All independent variables had significant effects on student performance for at least one of the dependent variables. Students with higher aptitude scored higher on all assessments. Student scores were higher on exam essay questions when the activity was implemented with a writing component compared with peer discussion only. There was a significant effect of instructor, with instructors showing different degrees of effectiveness with active-learning techniques. We suggest that individual writing should be implemented as part of active learning whenever possible and that instructors may need training and practice to become effective with active learning. © 2014 D. L. Linton et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2014 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Costs of Success: Financial Implications of Implementation of Active Learning in Introductory Physics Courses for Students and Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brewe, Eric; Dou, Remy; Shand, Robert

2018-01-01

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…

Why Is Active Learning so Difficult to Implement: The Turkish Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aksit, Fisun; Niemi, Hannele; Nevgi, Anne

2016-01-01

This article aims to report how teacher education may promote active learning which is demanded by the current educational reform of Turkish teacher education (TE). This article also examines the effectiveness of the recent reforms in Turkey from a student's perspective, and provides an understanding of the concept of active learning, how it is…

Is Active Learning Like Broccoli? Student Perceptions of Active Learning in Large Lecture Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, C. Veronica; Cardaciotto, LeeAnn

2011-01-01

Although research suggests that active learning is associated with positive outcomes (e.g., memory, test performance), use of such techniques can be difficult to implement in large lecture-based classes. In the current study, 1,091 students completed out-of-class group exercises to complement course material in an Introductory Psychology class.…

Sampling Memories: Using Hip-Hop Aesthetics to Learn from Urban Schooling Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petchauer, Emery

2012-01-01

This article theorizes and charts the implementation of a learning activity designed from the hip-hop aesthetic of sampling. The purpose of this learning activity was to enable recent urban school graduates to reflect upon their previous schooling experiences as a platform for future learning in higher education. This article illustrates what…

Implementing Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) in Undergraduate Biomechanics: Lessons Learned by a Novice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simonson, Shawn R.; Shadle, Susan E.

2013-01-01

Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) uses specially designed activities and cooperative learning to teach content and to actively engage students in inquiry, analytical thinking and teamwork. It has been used extensively in Chemistry education, but the use of POGIL is not well documented in other physical and biological sciences. This…

Developing Students' Listening Metacognitive Strategies Using Online Videotext Self-Dictation-Generation Learning Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Ching; Chang, Chih-Kai

2014-01-01

The study is based on the use of a flexible learning framework to help students improve information processes underlying strategy instruction in EFL listening. By exploiting the online videotext self-dictation-generation (video-SDG) learning activity implemented on the YouTube caption manager platform, the learning cycle was emphasized to promote…

First Year Implementation of a Project-Based Learning Approach: The Need for Addressing Teachers' Orientations in the Era of Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Meredith A. Park; Cross, Dionne I.; Gresalfi, Melissa Sommerfeld; Trauth-Nare, Amy E.; Buck, Gayle A.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which three teachers' professional experience and existing orientations toward teaching and learning mathematics and science influenced their implementation of a project-based curriculum (i.e. project-based learning (PBL)). Data sources included interviews, videotapes of classroom activity,…

Active Learning and Student-centered Pedagogy Improve Student Attitudes and Performance in Introductory Biology

PubMed Central

Patel, Maya; Johnson, Erika; Weiss, Martha

2009-01-01

We describe the development and implementation of an instructional design that focused on bringing multiple forms of active learning and student-centered pedagogies to a one-semester, undergraduate introductory biology course for both majors and nonmajors. Our course redesign consisted of three major elements: 1) reordering the presentation of the course content in an attempt to teach specific content within the context of broad conceptual themes, 2) incorporating active and problem-based learning into every lecture, and 3) adopting strategies to create a more student-centered learning environment. Assessment of our instructional design consisted of a student survey and comparison of final exam performance across 3 years—1 year before our course redesign was implemented (2006) and during two successive years of implementation (2007 and 2008). The course restructuring led to significant improvement of self-reported student engagement and satisfaction and increased academic performance. We discuss the successes and ongoing challenges of our course restructuring and consider issues relevant to institutional change. PMID:19723815

Preservice Physical Education Teachers' Service Learning Experiences Related to Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webster, Collin A.; Nesbitt, Danielle; Lee, Heesu; Egan, Cate

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine preservice physical education teachers' (PPET) service learning experiences planning and implementing course assignments aligned with comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) recommendations. Methods: Based on service learning principles, PPETs (N = 18) enrolled in a physical…

Students interest in learning science through fieldwork activity encourage critical thinking and problem solving skills among UPSI pre-university students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamil, Siti Zaheera Muhamad; Khairuddin, Raja Farhana Raja

2017-05-01

Graduates with good critical thinking and problem solving (CTPS) skills are likely to boost their employability to live in 21st century. The demands of graduates to be equipped with CTPS skills have shifted our education system in focusing on these elements in all levels of education, from primary, the secondary, and up to the tertiary education, by fostering interesting teaching and learning activities such as fieldwork activity in science classes. Despite the importance of the CTPS skills, little is known about whether students' interests in teaching and learning activities, such as fieldwork activity, have any influence on the students CTPS skills. Therefore, in this investigation, firstly to examine students interests in learning science through fieldwork activity. Secondly, this study examined whether the students' interest in learning science through fieldwork activity have affect on how the students employ CTPS skills. About 100 Diploma of Science students in Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) were randomly chosen to participate in this study. All of the participants completed a survey on how they find the fieldwork activity implemented in their science classes and it relevents towards their CTPS skills development. From our findings, majority of the students (91%) find that fieldwork activity is interesting and helpful in increasing their interest in learning science (learning factor) and accommodate their learning process (utility). Results suggest that students' interest on the fieldwork activity in science classes does have some influence on the students development of CTPS skills. The findings could be used as an initial guideline by incorporating students' interest on other teaching and learning activities that being implemented in science classes in order to know the impacts of these learning activities in enhancing their CTPS skills.

Turkish Chemistry Teachers' Views about an Implementation of the Active Learning Approaches in Their Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karamustafaoglu, Sevilay; Costu, Bayram; Ayas, Alipasa

2006-01-01

Active learning is advocated as a better way of teaching for several decades in science education. The purpose of this study was to determine chemistry teachers' thinking and views about student-centered activities applicable in chemistry teaching and learning in the study context. A case study approach was used in this research. At the beginning,…

Firefighter Learning at a Distance--A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmgren, R.; Haake, U.; Söderström, T.

2017-01-01

This article presents a summary analysis of a 5-year study on the implementation of a technology-supported distance firefighter training programme in Sweden, focused on the firefighter students' learning processes regarding challenges, contradictions and changes that occurred during the implementation period. With activity theory as the…

Improvements in Students' Understanding from Increased Implementation of Active Learning Strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayes-Gehrke, Melissa N.; Prather, E. E.; Rudolph, A. L.; Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars CATS

2011-01-01

Many instructors are hesitant to implement active learning strategies in their introductory astronomy classrooms because they are not sure which techniques they should use, how to implement those techniques, and question whether the investment in changing their course will really bring the advertised learning gains. We present an example illustrating how thoughtful and systematic implementation of active learning strategies into a traditionally taught Astro 101 class can translate into significant increases in students' understanding. We detail the journey of one instructor, over several years, as she changes the instruction and design of her course from one that focuses almost exclusively on lecture to a course that provides an integrated use of several active learning techniques such as Lecture-Tutorials and Think-Pair-Share questions. The students in the initial lecture-only course achieved a low normalized gain score of only 0.2 on the Light and Spectroscopy Concept Inventory (LSCI), while the students in the re-designed learner-centered course achieved a significantly better normalized gain of 0.43. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0715517, a CCLI Phase III Grant for the Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars (CATS), and Grant No. 0847170, a PAARE Grant for the Calfornia-Arizona Minority Partnership for Astronomy Research and Education (CAMPARE). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Activating a Teaching Philosophy in Social Work Education: Articulation, Implementation, and Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owens, Larry W.; Miller, J. Jay; Grise-Owens, Erlene

2014-01-01

This article describes how to develop a comprehensive teaching philosophy from articulation through implementation to evaluation. Using literature and teaching-learning experiences, we discuss pragmatic steps for using a teaching philosophy to inform, engage, and evaluate teaching-learning. We promote an integrated teaching philosophy to ensure…

Social Emotional Learning: Implementation of Sustainability-Oriented Program in Latvia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinsone, Baiba

2016-01-01

This article is focused on the description of the content and the implementation process of an originally developed, culturally appropriate and sustainable social and emotional learning program in Latvia. The article also includes the teachers' self-reflected experience illustrated through the perspective of the program's sample activities. The…

The Flipped Classroom and Cooperative Learning: Evidence from a Randomised Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foldnes, Njål

2016-01-01

This article describes a study which compares the effectiveness of the flipped classroom relative to the traditional lecture-based classroom. We investigated two implementations of the flipped classroom. The first implementation did not actively encourage cooperative learning, with students progressing through the course at their own pace. With…

Teaching of anatomical sciences: A blended learning approach.

PubMed

Khalil, Mohammed K; Abdel Meguid, Eiman M; Elkhider, Ihsan A

2018-04-01

Blended learning is the integration of different learning approaches, new technologies, and activities that combine traditional face-to-face teaching methods with authentic online methodologies. Although advances in educational technology have helped to expand the selection of different pedagogies, the teaching of anatomical sciences has been challenged by implementation difficulties and other limitations. These challenges are reported to include lack of time, costs, and lack of qualified teachers. Easy access to online information and advances in technology make it possible to resolve these limitations by adopting blended learning approaches. Blended learning strategies have been shown to improve students' academic performance, motivation, attitude, and satisfaction, and to provide convenient and flexible learning. Implementation of blended learning strategies has also proved cost effective. This article provides a theoretical foundation for blended learning and proposes a validated framework for the design of blended learning activities in the teaching and learning of anatomical sciences. Clin. Anat. 31:323-329, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Students' experiences with interactivity and learning in a high school physics multimedia distance learning course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villarreal-Stewart, Irene

The purpose guiding this research has been to learn about and describe the phenomena of interactivity from the learners' perspectives and to learn which of the interactivity affordances and practices were actually used by students and why in the process of learning physics using an interactive multimedia distance learning course system. The bigger purpose behind learning about and describing interactivity has been to gain knowledge and perspective for its instructional design to benefit the learner, the school as curriculum implementer, and instructional media designers to create better products. Qualitative methodology in the interpretivist tradition was used, that is, in-depth interviews and on-site observations, to gain understanding of interactivity from the learners' perspective and to gain understanding of the student learning context impacting and shaping the students' interactivity experiences. NVivo was used to sort, organize and index data. All data were read on three levels: literally, interpretively, and reflexively; and were read comparatively to other perspectives to get descriptions and interpretations that were holistic to the implementation and had potential insight to improve practice for instructional designers, teachers, administrators, specifically to improve the learning experience for students. Site-Specific Findings: Students watched videos, resisted using phone and e-mail, and worked math problems to demonstrate learning, which resulted in very little interactivity, virtually no dialogue about physics, no physical activity, one-way communication, multifaceted dissatisfaction, student need for teacher involvement in the learning enterprise, student appreciation for interactivity, and expressed desire for a real, live teacher. I also found that some students did experience the system as interactive, did experience learner control and self-directed learning, and despite dissatisfaction, liked and appreciated the course. Wider Applications: Interactivity, a design element, requires scaffolding and nurturing in implementation. The variable and changing context of implementation suggests the requirement for its consideration in design work. The study suggests that during implementation the integrity of design as a whole and flexibility within the design are important continuing considerations. Recommendations. (1) implementation supervision by the school district, (2) use of a language and activity-based theory of learning and teaching and (3) dialogic inquiry (Wells, 1999) to continue learning about interactivity.

Implementing Collaborative Learning across the Engineering Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ralston, Patricia A. S.; Tretter, Thomas R.; Kendall-Brown, Marie

2017-01-01

Active and collaborative teaching methods increase student learning, and it is broadly accepted that almost any active or collaborative approach will improve learning outcomes as compared to lecture. Yet, large numbers of faculty have not embraced these methods. Thus, the challenge to encourage evidence-based change in teaching is not only how to…

Special Education in General Education Classrooms: Cooperative Teaching Using Supportive Learning Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Robin R.; And Others

1995-01-01

Supportive learning activities were implemented in a multiple-baseline time series design across four fifth-grade classrooms to evaluate the effects of a cooperative teaching alternative (supportive learning) on teaching behavior, the behavior and grades of general and special education students, and the opinions of general education teachers.…

Is Free Recall Active: The Testing Effect through the ICAP Lens

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruchok, Christiana; Mar, Christopher; Craig, Scotty D.

2017-01-01

Amidst evidence in favor of "active learning," online instruction widely implements passive design and tests learners' retrieval performance as opposed to learners' understanding. Literature reporting the testing effect promotes recall as a learning tool. The Interactive>Constructive>Active>Passive taxonomy would place quizzing…

Marketing Feud: An Active Learning Game of (Mis)Perception

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schee, Brian A. Vander

2011-01-01

This paper presents the results of implementing an active learning activity in the principles of marketing course adapted from the television show "Family Feud". The objectives of the Marketing Feud game include increasing awareness of marketing misperceptions, clarifying marketing misunderstandings, encouraging class participation, and building…

The Evolutionary Conformation from Traditional Lecture to Active Learning in an Undergraduate Biology Course and Its Effects on Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diederich, Kirsten Bakke

2010-01-01

In response to the declining number of students in the United States entering into the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) disciplines, there has been an attempt to retain student interest in the sciences through the implementation of more active learning in the classroom. Active learning is defined as any instructional method that…

Learning Design Implementation for Distance e-Learning: Blending Rapid e-Learning Techniques with Activity-Based Pedagogies to Design and Implement a Socio-Constructivist Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santally, Mohammad Issack; Rajabalee, Yousra; Cooshna-Naik, Dorothy

2012-01-01

This paper discusses how modern technologies are changing the teacher-student-content relationships from the conception to the delivery of so-called "distance" education courses. The concept of Distance Education has greatly evolved in the digital era of 21st Century. With the widespread use and access to the Internet, exponential growth…

Active Learning Not Associated with Student Learning in a Random Sample of College Biology Courses

PubMed Central

Andrews, T. M.; Leonard, M. J.; Colgrove, C. A.; Kalinowski, S. T.

2011-01-01

Previous research has suggested that adding active learning to traditional college science lectures substantially improves student learning. However, this research predominantly studied courses taught by science education researchers, who are likely to have exceptional teaching expertise. The present study investigated introductory biology courses randomly selected from a list of prominent colleges and universities to include instructors representing a broader population. We examined the relationship between active learning and student learning in the subject area of natural selection. We found no association between student learning gains and the use of active-learning instruction. Although active learning has the potential to substantially improve student learning, this research suggests that active learning, as used by typical college biology instructors, is not associated with greater learning gains. We contend that most instructors lack the rich and nuanced understanding of teaching and learning that science education researchers have developed. Therefore, active learning as designed and implemented by typical college biology instructors may superficially resemble active learning used by education researchers, but lacks the constructivist elements necessary for improving learning. PMID:22135373

Using a multi-state Learning Community as an implementation strategy for immediate postpartum long-acting reversible contraception.

PubMed

DeSisto, Carla L; Estrich, Cameron; Kroelinger, Charlan D; Goodman, David A; Pliska, Ellen; Mackie, Christine N; Waddell, Lisa F; Rankin, Kristin M

2017-11-21

Implementation strategies are imperative for the successful adoption and sustainability of complex evidence-based public health practices. Creating a learning collaborative is one strategy that was part of a recently published compilation of implementation strategy terms and definitions. In partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other partner agencies, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials recently convened a multi-state Learning Community to support cross-state collaboration and provide technical assistance for improving state capacity to increase access to long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) in the immediate postpartum period, an evidence-based practice with the potential for reducing unintended pregnancy and improving maternal and child health outcomes. During 2015-2016, the Learning Community included multi-disciplinary, multi-agency teams of state health officials, payers, clinicians, and health department staff from 13 states. This qualitative study was conducted to better understand the successes, challenges, and strategies that the 13 US states in the Learning Community used for increasing access to immediate postpartum LARC. We conducted telephone interviews with each team in the Learning Community. Interviews were semi-structured and organized by the eight domains of the Learning Community. We coded transcribed interviews for facilitators, barriers, and implementation strategies, using a recent compilation of expert-defined implementation strategies as a foundation for coding the latter. Data analysis showed three ways that the activities of the Learning Community helped in policy implementation work: structure and accountability, validity, and preparing for potential challenges and opportunities. Further, the qualitative data demonstrated that the Learning Community integrated six other implementation strategies from the literature: organize clinician implementation team meetings, conduct educational meetings, facilitation, promote network weaving, provide ongoing consultation, and distribute educational materials. Convening a multi-state learning collaborative is a promising approach for facilitating the implementation of new reimbursement policies for evidence-based practices complicated by systems challenges. By integrating several implementation strategies, the Learning Community serves as a meta-strategy for supporting implementation.

Lessons learned and insights from the implementation of a food and physical activity policy to prevent obesity in Mexican schools: An analysis of nationally representative survey results.

PubMed

Théodore, Florence L; Moreno-Saracho, Jessica E; Bonvecchio, Anabelle; Morales-Ruán, María Del Carmen; Tolentino-Mayo, Lizbeth; López-Olmedo, Nancy; Shamah-Levy, Teresa; Rivera, Juan A

2018-01-01

Obesity is a serious problem among children in Mexico. In 2010, the government implemented a national food and physical activity policy in elementary schools, to prevent obesity. The goal of this study is to assess the implementation of this policy, using the logic model from a descriptive survey with national representativeness at the elementary school level and based on a stratified cluster design. We used a systematic random sampling of schools (n = 122), stratified into public and private. We administered questionnaires to 116 principals, 165 members of the Food and Physical Activity Committees, 132 food school food vendors, 119 teachers, 348 parents. This study evidences a significant deviation in implementation from what had been planned. Our lessons learned are the importance to: base the design/implementation of the policy on a theoretical framework, make programs appealing to stakeholders, select concrete and measurable objective or goals, and support stakeholders during the implementation process.

Implementation of a flipped classroom approach to promote active learning in the third-year surgery clerkship.

PubMed

Lewis, Catherine E; Chen, David C; Relan, Anju

2018-02-01

Constructivist student-centered instructional models such as the flipped classroom (FC) have been shown to improve learning. A FC approach was implemented for the surgery clerkship. Data was collected in phase 1 to evaluate student learning and attitudes. Based on these results, questions for the phase 2 open-ended survey were developed to improve understanding of learner attitudes, and ascertain how well the FC aligns with constructivist principles. There was no significant difference in shelf exam performance between the control and intervention groups. A majority of students agreed that they preferred the FC over lectures, and that their learning improved. Open-ended survey analysis demonstrated that the FC fostered self-directed, active learning, and that the in-class sessions facilitated application of concepts and deeper learning. Areas identified for improvement included better alignment with learning preferences through greater variety of pre-class learning options, improvement of podcast technical quality, and utilization of smaller in-class discussion groups. Students had a positive perception of the FC. The FC supports self-directed and more active and deeper in-class learning. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Trainees as Teachers in Team-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ravindranath, Divy; Gay, Tamara L.; Riba, Michelle B.

2010-01-01

Objective: Team-based learning is an active learning modality that is gaining popularity in medical education. The authors studied the effect of using trainees as facilitators of team-based learning sessions. Methods: Team-based learning modules were developed and implemented by faculty members and trainees for the third-year medical student…

Blending Communities and Team-Based Learning in a Programming Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cabrera, Ignacio; Villalon, Jorge; Chavez, Jorge

2017-01-01

In recent years, engineering education teachers have needed to incorporate technology-supported collaboration to enhance learning. Implementing these activities requires course redesign, which must be meticulous for their full potential to be reached. This can require a lot of work for first time users, which can be a barrier to implementation.…

Preservice Teachers' Observations of Children's Learning during Family Math Night

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurz, Terri L.; Kokic, Ivana Batarelo

2011-01-01

Family math night can easily be implemented into mathematics methodology courses providing an opportunity for field-based learning. Preservice teachers were asked to develop and implement an inquiry-based activity at a family math night event held at a local school with personnel, elementary children and their parents in attendance. This action…

Active Learning in a Math for Liberal Arts Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lenz, Laurie

2015-01-01

Inquiry-based learning is a topic of growing interest in the mathematical community. Much of the focus has been on using these methods in calculus and higher-level classes. This article describes the design and implementation of a set of inquiry-based learning activities in a Math for Liberal Arts course at a small, private, Catholic college.…

Effects of Implementing STEM-I Project-Based Learning Activities for Female High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lou, Shi-Jer; Tsai, Huei-Yin; Tseng, Kuo-Hung; Shih, Ru-Chu

2014-01-01

This study aims to explore the application of STEM-I (STEM-Imagination) project-based learning activities and its effects on the effectiveness, processes, and characteristics of STEM integrative knowledge learning and imagination development for female high school students. A total of 72 female high school students were divided into 18 teams.…

Twitter Micro-Blogging Based Mobile Learning Approach to Enhance the Agriculture Education Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dissanayeke, Uvasara; Hewagamage, K. P.; Ramberg, Robert; Wikramanayake, G. N.

2013-01-01

The study intends to see how to introduce mobile learning within the domain of agriculture so as to enhance the agriculture education process. We propose to use the Activity theory together with other methodologies such as participatory methods to design, implement, and evaluate mLearning activities. The study explores the process of introducing…

Manipulatives Implementation For Supporting Learning Of Mathematics For Prospective Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulistyaningsih, D.; Mawarsari, V. D.; Hidayah, I.; Dwijanto

2017-04-01

Manipulatives are needed by teachers to facilitate students understand of mathematics which is abstract. As a prospective mathematics teacher, the student must have good skills in making manipulatives. Aims of this study is to describe the implementation of learning courses of manipulative workshop in mathematics education courses by lecturer at Universitas Muhammadiyah Semarang which includes the preparation of learning, general professional ability, the professional capacity specifically, ability of self-development, development class managing, planning and implementation of learning, a way of delivering the material, and evaluation of learning outcomes. Data collection techniques used were questionnaires, interviews, and observation. The research instrument consisted of a questionnaire sheet, sheet observation and interview guides. Validity is determined using data triangulation and triangulation methods. Data were analyzed using an interactive model. The results showed that the average value of activities in preparation for learning, fosters capabilities of general professional, specialized professional, self-development, manage the classroom, implementing the learning, how to deliver the material, and how to evaluate learning outcomes are 79%, 73%, 67%, 75%, 83%, 72%, 64%, and 54%, respectively

Three Empowering Curricular Innovations for Service-Learning in ESL Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perren, James; Grove, Nuray; Thornton, Julie

2013-01-01

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

Teaching Newton's 3rd law of motion using learning by design approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aquino, Jiezel G.; Caliguid, Mariel P.; Buan, Amelia T.; Magsayod, Joy R.; Lahoylahoy, Myrna E.

2018-01-01

This paper presents the process and implementation of Learning by Design Approach in teaching Newton's 3rd Law of Motion. A lesson activity from integrative STEM education was adapted, modified and enhanced through pilot testing. After revisions, the implementation was done to one class. The respondent's prior knowledge was first assessed by a pretest. PPIT (present the scenario, plan, implement and test) was the framework followed in the implementation of Learning by Design. Worksheets were then utilized to measure their conceptual understanding and perception. A score guide was also used to evaluate the student's output. Paired t-test analysis showed that there is a significant difference in the pretest and posttest achievement scores. This implies that the performance of the students have improved during the implementation of the Learning by Design. The Analysis of variance also depicts that the low, average and high benefited in the Learning by Design approach. The results of this study suggests that Learning by Design is an effective approach in teaching Newton's 3rd Law of Motion and thus be used in a Science classroom.

The implementation of e-learning tools to enhance undergraduate bioinformatics teaching and learning: a case study in the National University of Singapore

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background The rapid advancement of computer and information technology in recent years has resulted in the rise of e-learning technologies to enhance and complement traditional classroom teaching in many fields, including bioinformatics. This paper records the experience of implementing e-learning technology to support problem-based learning (PBL) in the teaching of two undergraduate bioinformatics classes in the National University of Singapore. Results Survey results further established the efficiency and suitability of e-learning tools to supplement PBL in bioinformatics education. 63.16% of year three bioinformatics students showed a positive response regarding the usefulness of the Learning Activity Management System (LAMS) e-learning tool in guiding the learning and discussion process involved in PBL and in enhancing the learning experience by breaking down PBL activities into a sequential workflow. On the other hand, 89.81% of year two bioinformatics students indicated that their revision process was positively impacted with the use of LAMS for guiding the learning process, while 60.19% agreed that the breakdown of activities into a sequential step-by-step workflow by LAMS enhances the learning experience Conclusion We show that e-learning tools are useful for supplementing PBL in bioinformatics education. The results suggest that it is feasible to develop and adopt e-learning tools to supplement a variety of instructional strategies in the future. PMID:19958511

Multicultural Astronomy Learning Using Sunrise and Sunset Phenomena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massalha, T.

2008-06-01

Effective learning mixed with enjoyable activities needs a suitable environment different from the normal curriculum that we (the teachers) and the students are familiar with. On this note, Astronomy activities are attractive and involving. We believe that there is always room to propose educational projects that are implemented outside the classroom walls. In this conference, we will give practical examples of Astronomy Peace Projects that were implemented in middle schools (for Jews, Christians, Moslems and Druzes) in Israel, during the 2002-2007 school years.

Geophysics field school: A team-based learning experience for students and faculty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karchewski, B.; Innanen, K. A.; Lauer, R. M.; Pidlisecky, A.

2016-12-01

The core challenge facing a modern science educator is to deliver a curriculum that reaches broadly and deeply into the technical domain, while also helping students to develop fundamental scientific skills such as inquiry, critical thinking and technical communication. That is, our aim is for students to achieve significant learning at all levels summarized by Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. It is not always clear how to achieve the full spectrum of goals, with much debate over which component is more important in a science education. Team-based and experiential learning are research-supported approaches that aim to reach across the spectrum by placing students in a setting where they solve practical problems in teams of peers. This learning mode modifies the role of the instructor to a guide or facilitator, and students take a leadership role in their own education. We present a case study of our team's implementation of team-based learning in a geophysics field school, an inherently experiential learning environment. The core philosophies behind our implementation are to present clearly defined learning outcomes, to recognize that students differ in their learning modalities and to strive to engage students through a range of evidence-based learning experiences. We discuss the techniques employed to create functional teams, the key learning activities involved in a typical day of field school and data demonstrating the learning activities that showed the strongest correlation to overall performance in the course. In the process, we also realized that our team-based approach to course design and implementation also enhanced our skillsets as educators, and our institution recently recognized our efforts with a team teaching award. Therefore, we conclude with some of our observations of best practices for team teaching in a field setting to initiate discussions with colleagues engaged in similar activities.

After the Workshop: A Case Study of Post-Workshop Implementation of Active Learning in an Electrical Engineering Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shekhar, Prateek; Maura Borrego

2017-01-01

Engineering education research has empirically validated the effectiveness of active learning over traditional instructional methods. However, the dissemination of education research into instructional practice has been slow. Faculty workshops for current and future instructors offer a solution to promote the widespread adoption of active learning…

Wildfire Research in an Environmental Hazards Course: An Active Learning Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wall, Tamara U.; Halvorson, Sarah J.

2011-01-01

Creating opportunities for students to actively apply hazards theory to real-life situations is often a challenge in hazards geography courses. This article presents a project, the Jocko Lakes Fire Project, that implemented learning strategies to encourage students to be active in wildfire hazards research. Wildfire hazards stand out as an…

Design and Implementation of Mobile Learning System for Soldiers’ Vocational Skill Identification Based on Android

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Jinqiang

2017-09-01

To carry out the identification of the professional skills of the soldiers is to further promote the regularization of the needs of the fire brigade, in accordance with the “public security active forces soldiers professional skills identification implementation approach” to meet the needs of candidates for mobile learning to solve the paper learning materials bring a lot of inconvenience; This article uses the Android technology to develop a set of soldiers professional skills Identification Theory learning app, the learning software based on mobile learning, learning function is perfect, you can learn to practice, to achieve the goal of learning at any time, to enhance the soldier's post ability has a good practical value.

Developing, Implementing, and Evaluating the Educational Module Students Active Learning via Internet Observations (SALIO) in Undergraduate Nursing Education.

PubMed

Salzmann-Erikson, Martin; Bjuhr, Marie; Mårtensson, Gunilla

2017-04-01

This study aimed not only to describe the development and implementation of the module but also to evaluate the nursing students' perceptions. A cross-sectional design including 101 students who were asked to participate and answer a survey. We describe the development of the pedagogic module Students Active Learning via Internet Observations based on situated learning. The findings show that learning about service users' own lived experiences via web-based platforms was instructive according to the students: 81% agreed to a high or very high degree. Another important finding was that 96% of students responded that the module had clinical relevance for nursing work. We argue that learning that engages students with data that are contextually and culturally situated is important for developing competence in caregiving. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Strengthening of competence planning truss through instructional media development details

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handayani, Sri; Nurcahyono, M. Hadi

2017-03-01

Competency-Based Learning is a model of learning in which the planning, implementation, and assessment refers to the mastery of competencies. Learning in lectures conducted in the framework for comprehensively realizing student competency. Competence means the orientation of the learning activities in the classroom must be given to the students to be more active learning, active search for information themselves and explore alone or with friends in learning activities in pairs or in groups, learn to use a variety of learning resources and printed materials, electronic media, as well as environment. Analysis of learning wooden structure known weakness in the understanding of the truss detail. Hence the need for the development of media that can provide a clear picture of what the structure of the wooden horses and connection details. Development of instructional media consisted of three phases of activity, namely planning, production and assessment. Learning Media planning should be tailored to the needs and conditions necessary to provide reinforcement to the mastery of competencies, through the table material needs. The production process of learning media is done by using hardware (hardware) and software (software) to support the creation of a medium of learning. Assessment of the media poduk yan include feasibility studies, namely by subject matter experts, media experts, while testing was done according to the student's perception of the product. The results of the analysis of the materials for the instructional aspects of the results obtained 100% (very good) and media analysis for the design aspects of the media expressed very good with a percentage of 88.93%. While the analysis of student perceptions expressed very good with a percentage of 84.84%. Media Learning Truss Details feasible and can be used in the implementation of learning wooden structure to provide capacity-building in planning truss

Outcomes-Based Assessment and Learning: Trialling Change in a Postgraduate Civil Engineering Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El-Maaddawy, Tamer; Deneen, Christopher

2017-01-01

This paper aims to demonstrate how assessment tasks can function within an outcomes-based learning framework to evaluate student attainment of learning outcomes. An outcomes-based learning framework designed to integrate teaching, learning, and assessment activities was developed and implemented in a civil engineering master-level course. The…

Maximize the Mobile Learning Interaction through Project-Based Learning Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sulisworo, Dwi; Santyasa, I. Wayan

2018-01-01

Mobile learning implementation at school is a must and meets what students currently need. To facilitate those conditions, teachers also need to have competencies in managing online learning. This research is a descriptive research to find out the experience of students who are prospective teachers when attending the mobile learning course…

The Effectiveness of Guided Inquiry Learning for Comparison Topics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asnidar; Khabibah, S.; Sulaiman, R.

2018-01-01

This research aims at producing a good quality learning device using guided inquiry for comparison topics and describing the effectiveness of guided inquiry learning for comparison topics. This research is a developmental research using 4-D model. The result is learning device consisting of lesson plan, student’s worksheet, and achievement test. The subjects of the study were class VII students, each of which has 46 students. Based on the result in the experimental class, the learning device using guided inquiry for comparison topics has good quality. The learning device has met the valid, practical, and effective aspects. The result, especially in the implementation class, showed that the learning process with guided inquiry has fulfilled the effectiveness indicators. The ability of the teacher to manage the learning process has fulfilled the criteria good. In addition, the students’ activity has fulfilled the criteria of, at least, good. Moreover, the students’ responses to the learning device and the learning activities were positive, and the students were able to complete the classical learning. Based on the result of this research, it is expected that the learning device resulted can be used as an alternative learning device for teachers in implementing mathematic learning for comparison topics.

Implementation of Real-World Experiential Learning in a Food Science Course Using a Food Industry-Integrated Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hollis, Francine H.; Eren, Fulya

2016-01-01

Success skills have been ranked as the most important core competency for new food science professionals to have by food science graduates and their employers. It is imperative that food science instructors promote active learning in food science courses through experiential learning activities to enhance student success skills such as oral and…

The Implementation of Open-Inquiry Approach to Improve Students' Learning Activities, Responses, and Mathematical Creative Thinking Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kadir; Lucyana; Satriawati, Gusni

2017-01-01

This study aims to reveal the improvement of the students' learning activities, responses, and mathematical creative thinking skills (MCTS) through open-inquiry approach (OIA). Other relevant studies in mathematics learning tend to focus on guided inquiry, and especially in Indonesia, OIA is still less applied. This study is conducted at State…

An Exploration into Inquiry-Based Learning by a Multidisciplinary Group of Higher Education Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman, Daniela B.; Crews, Tena B.; Caicedo, Juan M.; Besley, John C.; Weinberg, Justin; Freeman, Miriam L.

2010-01-01

This manuscript describes faculty and student experiences and future activities of a multidisciplinary group of university faculty who are implementing inquiry-based learning (IBL) in their classrooms for the first time. This opportunity to implement the IBL instructional method was provided to the faculty through a grant from the university's…

A Successful Implementation Strategy to Support Adoption of Decision Making in Mental Health Services.

PubMed

MacDonald-Wilson, Kim L; Hutchison, Shari L; Karpov, Irina; Wittman, Paul; Deegan, Patricia E

2017-04-01

Individual involvement in treatment decisions with providers, often through the use of decision support aids, improves quality of care. This study investigates an implementation strategy to bring decision support to community mental health centers (CMHC). Fifty-two CMHCs implemented a decision support toolkit supported by a 12-month learning collaborative using the Breakthrough Series model. Participation in learning collaborative activities was high, indicating feasibility of the implementation model. Progress by staff in meeting process aims around utilization of components of the toolkit improved significantly over time (p < .0001). Survey responses by individuals in service corroborate successful implementation. Community-based providers were able to successfully implement decision support in mental health services as evidenced by improved process outcomes and sustained practices over 1 year through the structure of the learning collaborative model.

Implementation of K-Means Clustering Method for Electronic Learning Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2017-12-01

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

Effective, Active Learning Strategies for the Oceanography Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dmochowski, J. E.; Marinov, I.

2014-12-01

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

Exploring PCK ability of prospective science teachers in reflective learning on heat and transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurmatin, S.; Rustaman, N. Y.

2016-02-01

Learning can be planned by the person him/herself when he or she tries to reflect his/her learning. A study involving prospective science teachers in junior secondary schools was carried out to analyze their ability on Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) in reflective learning after teaching practice. The study was focused especially in creating Pedagogical and Professional Repertoires (PaP-eRs) as part of resource-folios. PaP-eRs as a narrative writing in the learning activities are created by prospective science teachers after lesson plan implementation. Making the narrative writing is intended that prospective science teachers can reflect their learning in teaching. Research subjects are six prospective science teachers who are implementing "Program Pengalaman Lapangan" (PPL) in two junior secondary schools in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. All of them were assigned by supervisor teachers to teach VII grade students on certain topic "heat and its transfer". Instruments used as a means of collecting data in this study is PaP-eRs. Collected PaP-eRs were then analyzed using PaP-eRs analysis format as instruments for analysis. The result of analyzing PaP-eRs indicates that learning activities, which narrated, involve initial activities, core activities and final activities. However, any activity, which is narrated just superficial as its big line so the narration cannot be, used as reflective learning. It indicates that PCK ability of prospective science teachers in creating narrative writing (PaP-eRs) for reflective learning is still low.

Reconceptualizing Homework as Out-of-School Learning Opportunities. Occasional Paper 135.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alleman, Janet; Brophy, Jere

This occasional paper views homework as an opportunity to exploit the potential of outside resources and environments to complement in-school learning opportunities. Out-of-school learning opportunities are considered in the context of principles for planning and implementing learning activities. These principles involve: (1) goal relevance,…

POLizied e-Learning Using Contract Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Espinosa, Espinosa David; Noguez, Julieta; Benes, Bedrich; Bueno, Abel

2005-01-01

We present an innovative way to manage online learning by administering experiential learning activities during a semester-long, web-based course that is designed with the Project Oriented Learning methodology. A consulting-style guiding thread for in-class and remote workshops is implemented using a professionally relevant project contract that…

Learning Disabilities and Achieving High-Quality Education Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gartland, Debi; Strosnider, Roberta

2017-01-01

This is an official document of the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD), of which Council for Learning Disabilities is a long-standing, active member. With this position paper, NJCLD advocates for the implementation of high-quality education standards (HQES) for students with learning disabilities (LD) and outlines the…

Beyond Problem-Based Learning: Using Dynamic PBL in Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Overton, Tina L.; Randles, Christopher A.

2015-01-01

This paper describes the development and implementation of a novel pedagogy, dynamic problem-based learning. The pedagogy utilises real-world problems that evolve throughout the problem-based learning activity and provide students with choice and different data sets. This new dynamic problem-based learning approach was utilised to teach…

Digital Discourses in Early Childhood Educator Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Emily Brown

2017-01-01

Active, dialogic participation is a necessary component of high quality teacher professional learning (Dunst, Bruder, & Hamby, 2015). However, logistical problems arise when implementing cooperative learning opportunities for early childhood educators, as preschool teachers are habitually separated from peers both institutionally and…

On the Free-Rider Problem in Cooperative Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joyce, William B.

1999-01-01

Cooperative-learning activities were implemented in one of two sections of an accounting class. The problem of "free riders"--students who do not participate fully in cooperative-learning groups--was reduced by having group members rotate midway through the course. (SK)

Experiences of Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality-funded projects that implemented practices for safer patient care.

PubMed

Taylor, Stephanie L; Ridgely, M Susan; Greenberg, Michael D; Sorbero, Melony E S; Teleki, Stephanie S; Damberg, Cheryl L; Farley, Donna O

2009-04-01

To synthesize lessons learned from the experiences of Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality-funded patient safety projects in implementing safe practices. Self-reported data from individual and group interviews with Original, Challenge, and Partnerships in Implementing Patient Safety (PIPS) grantees, from 2003 to 2006. Interviews with three grantee groups (n=60 total) implementing safe practice projects, with comparisons on factors influencing project implementation and sustainability. Semi-structured protocols contained open-ended questions on lessons learned and more structured questions on factors associated with project implementation and sustainability. The grantees shared common experiences, frequently identifying lessons learned regarding structural components needing to be in place before implementation, components of the implementation process, components of interventions' results needed for sustainability, changes in timelines or activities, unanticipated issues, and staff acceptance/adoption. Also, fewer Original grants had many of the factors related project to implementation/sustainability than the PIPS or Challenge grantees had. Although much of what was reported seemed like common sense, surprisingly few projects actually planned for or expected many of the barriers or facilitators they experienced during their project implementation. Others implementing practice improvements likely will share the experiences and issues identified by these implementation projects and can learn from their lessons.

A framework for learning about improvement: embedded implementation and evaluation design to optimize learning

PubMed Central

Barry, Danika; Kimble, Leighann E; Nambiar, Bejoy; Parry, Gareth; Jha, Ashish; Chattu, Vijay Kumar; Massoud, M Rashad; Goldmann, Don

2018-01-01

Abstract Improving health care involves many actors, often working in complex adaptive systems. Interventions tend to be multi-factorial, implementation activities diverse, and contexts dynamic and complicated. This makes improvement initiatives challenging to describe and evaluate as matching evaluation and program designs can be difficult, requiring collaboration, trust and transparency. Collaboration is required to address important epidemiological principles of bias and confounding. If this does not take place, results may lack credibility because the association between interventions implemented and outcomes achieved is obscure and attribution uncertain. Moreover, lack of clarity about what was implemented, how it was implemented, and the context in which it was implemented often lead to disappointment or outright failure of spread and scale-up efforts. The input of skilled evaluators into the design and conduct of improvement initiatives can be helpful in mitigating these potential problems. While evaluation must be rigorous, if it is too rigid necessary adaptation and learning may be compromised. This article provides a framework and guidance on how improvers and evaluators can work together to design, implement and learn about improvement interventions more effectively. PMID:29873794

Feasibility of a virtual learning collaborative to implement an obesity QI project in 29 pediatric practices.

PubMed

John, Tamara; Morton, Michaela; Weissman, Mark; O'Brien, Ellen; Hamburger, Ellen; Hancock, Yolandra; Moon, Rachel Y

2014-04-01

Quality improvement (QI) activities are required to maintain board certification in pediatrics. However, because of lack of training and resources, pediatricians may feel overwhelmed by the need to implement QI activities. Pediatricians also face challenges when caring for overweight and obese children. To create a virtual (online) QI learning collaborative through which pediatric practices could easily develop and implement a continuous QI process. Prospective cohort. Pediatric practices that were part of the Children's National Health Network were invited to participate, with the option to receive continuing medical education and maintenance of certification credits. s) Practices conducted baseline and monthly chart audits, participated in educational webinars and selected monthly practice changes, using Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles. Practices reported activities monthly and periodic feedback was provided to practices about their performance. s) Improvement in (i) body mass index (BMI) percentile documentation, (ii) appropriate nutritional and activity counseling and (iii) follow-up management for high-risk patients. Twenty-nine practices (120 providers) participated, and 24 practices completed all program activities. Monthly chart audits demonstrated continuous improvement in documentation of BMI, abnormal weight diagnosis, nutrition and activity screening and counseling, weight-related health messages and follow-up management of overweight and obese patients. Impact of QI activities on visit duration and practice efficiency was minimal. A virtual learning collaborative was successful in providing a framework for pediatricians to implement a continuous QI process and achieve practice improvements. This format can be utilized to address multiple health issues.

THEOR"ACTIVE" Learning: How "Theory" and "Practice" Meet. Perception of Students at the University of Tampere, Finland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajbhandari, Mani Man Singh; Basaran, Kenan; Hujala, Eeva; Kinos, Jarmo

2011-01-01

THEOR"ACTIVE" learning is a multi dimensional attachment of theories and practices. The study explores to identify the implementation of theories into practices and how it is being perceived by the students. The research on THEOR"ACTIVE" was conducted with the master degree student coming from different countries at the…

Fusing Organizational Theory, Policy, and Leadership: A Depiction of Policy Learning Activities in a Principal Preparation Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woulfin, Sarah L.

2017-01-01

This pedagogy-practice article portrays three instructional activities that were implemented with aspiring leaders and refined over four rounds of teaching the course in a northeastern state's principal preparation program (PPP). After describing each activity, I share lessons learned regarding the pedagogy of principal preparation. I make the…

Using a high-fidelity patient simulator with first-year medical students to facilitate learning of cardiovascular function curves.

PubMed

Harris, David M; Ryan, Kathleen; Rabuck, Cynthia

2012-09-01

Students are relying on technology for learning more than ever, and educators need to adapt to facilitate student learning. High-fidelity patient simulators (HFPS) are usually reserved for the clinical years of medical education and are geared to improve clinical decision skills, teamwork, and patient safety. Finding ways to incorporate HFPS into preclinical medical education represents more of a challenge, and there is limited literature regarding its implementation. The main objective of this study was to implement a HFPS activity into a problem-based curriculum to enhance the learning of basic sciences. More specifically, the focus was to aid in student learning of cardiovascular function curves and help students develop heart failure treatment strategies based on basic cardiovascular physiology concepts. Pretests and posttests, along with student surveys, were used to determine student knowledge and perception of learning in two first-year medical school classes. There was an increase of 21% and 22% in the percentage of students achieving correct answers on a posttest compared with their pretest score. The median number of correct questions increased from pretest scores of 2 and 2.5 to posttest scores of 4 and 5 of a possible total of 6 in each respective year. Student survey data showed agreement that the activity aided in learning. This study suggests that a HFPS activity can be implemented during the preclinical years of medical education to address basic science concepts. Additionally, it suggests that student learning of cardiovascular function curves and heart failure strategies are facilitated.

ICT-Based Learning Personalization Affordance in the Context of Implementation of Constructionist Learning Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ignatova, Natalija; Dagiene, Valentina; Kubilinskiene, Svetlana

2015-01-01

How to enable students to create a personalized learning environment? What are the criteria of evaluation of the ICT-based learning process personalization affordance? These questions are answered by conducting multiple case study research of the innovative ICT-based learning process in iTEC (Innovative Technologies for Engaging Classrooms)…

A Scale Development for Teacher Competencies on Cooperative Learning Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kocabas, Ayfer; Erbil, Deniz Gokce

2017-01-01

Cooperative learning method is a learning method studied both in Turkey and in the world for long years as an active learning method. Although cooperative learning method takes place in training programs, it cannot be implemented completely in the direction of its principles. The results of the researches point out that teachers have problems with…

Using Game Theory and Competition-Based Learning to Stimulate Student Motivation and Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burguillo, Juan C.

2010-01-01

This paper introduces a framework for using Game Theory tournaments as a base to implement Competition-based Learning (CnBL), together with other classical learning techniques, to motivate the students and increase their learning performance. The paper also presents a description of the learning activities performed along the past ten years of a…

The Saskatchewan/New Brunswick Healthy Start-Départ Santé intervention: implementation cost estimates of a physical activity and healthy eating intervention in early learning centers.

PubMed

Sari, Nazmi; Muhajarine, Nazeem; Froehlich Chow, Amanda

2017-01-19

Participation in daily physical activity and consuming a balanced diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in processed foods are behaviours associated with positive health outcomes during all stages of life. Previous literature suggests that the earlier these behaviours are established the greater the health benefits. As such, early learning settings have been shown to provide an effective avenue for exploring and influencing the physical activity and healthy eating behaviours of children before school entry. However, in addition to improving individual level health of children, such interventions may also result in a number of social benefits for the society. In fact, research among adult populations has shown that sufficient participation in physical activity can significantly lower hospital stays and physician visits, in turn leading to positive economic outcomes. To our knowledge there is very limited literature about economic evaluations of interventions implemented in early learning centers to increase physical activity and healthy eating behaviours among children. The primary purpose of this paper is to identify inputs and costs needed to implement a physical activity and healthy eating intervention (Healthy Start-Départ Santé (HS-DS)) in early learning centres throughout Saskatchewan and New Brunswick over the course of three years. In doing so, implementation cost is estimated to complete the first phase of a social return on investment analysis of this intervention. In order to carry out this evaluation the first step was to identify the inputs and costs needed to implement the intervention, along with the corresponding outputs. With stakeholder interviews and using existing database, we estimated the implementation cost by measuring, valuing and monetizing each individual input. Our results show that the total annual cost of implementing HS-DS was $378,753 in the first year, this total cost decreased slightly in the second year ($356,861) and again in the third year ($312,179). On average, the total annual cost is about $350,000 which implies an annual cost of $285 per child. Among all inputs, time-cost accounted for the larger share of total resources need to implement the intervention. Overall, administration and support services accounted for the largest portion of the total implementation cost each year: 74% (year 1), 79% (year 2), and 75% (year 3). The results from this study shed lights for future implementation of similar interventions in this context. It also helps to assess the cost effectiveness of future interventions.

Teaching genetics using hands-on models, problem solving, and inquiry-based methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoppe, Stephanie Ann

Teaching genetics can be challenging because of the difficulty of the content and misconceptions students might hold. This thesis focused on using hands-on model activities, problem solving, and inquiry-based teaching/learning methods in order to increase student understanding in an introductory biology class in the area of genetics. Various activities using these three methods were implemented into the classes to address any misconceptions and increase student learning of the difficult concepts. The activities that were implemented were shown to be successful based on pre-post assessment score comparison. The students were assessed on the subjects of inheritance patterns, meiosis, and protein synthesis and demonstrated growth in all of the areas. It was found that hands-on models, problem solving, and inquiry-based activities were more successful in learning concepts in genetics and the students were more engaged than tradition styles of lecture.

Using Wikis to Foster Collaborative Writing: Exploring Influencing Factors to Successful Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadjerrouit, Said

2012-01-01

Wiki technology provides new opportunities to foster collaborative learning in various educational settings. To empirically examine the impact of wikis on learning, this article explores students' collaborative writing activities performed on MediaWiki. The activities were analyzed using a taxonomy with ten categories (clarify content, add…

Knowledge Management in E-Learning Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yilmaz, Yucel

2012-01-01

Thanks to extension of IT in educational activities, the difficulties based on time and space are disappearing and the management and the execution of these activities can be implemented more effectively and beneficially. Even though there are significant developments about e-learning both in academic and professional platforms, there are some…

Learning Styles versus the Rip Van Winkle Syndrome.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orsak, Lana

1990-01-01

Rip Van Winkle would not recognize Corsicana (Texas) High School since its curriculum coordinator began implementing learning styles techniques in various pilot programs. Lecturing to rows of bored students has been replaced by students' active involvement in group activities, listening centers, and tactile/kinesthetic exercises on the floor or at…

The Effect of STEM Learning through the Project of Designing Boat Model toward Student STEM Literacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tati, T.; Firman, H.; Riandi, R.

2017-09-01

STEM Learning focusses on development of STEM-literate society, the research about implementation of STEM learning to develope students’ STEM literacy is still limited. This study is aimed to examine the effect of implementation STEM learning through the project of designing boat model on students STEM literacy in energy topic. The method of this study was a quasi-experiment with non-randomized pretest-posttest control group design. There were two classes involved, the experiment class used Project Based Learning with STEM approach and control class used Project-Based Learning without STEM approach. A STEM Literacy test instrument was developed to measure students STEM literacy which consists of science literacy, mathematics literacy, and technology-engineering literacy. The analysis showed that there were significant differences on improvement science literacy, mathematics technology-engineering between experiment class and control class with effect size more than 0.8 (large effect). The difference of improvement of STEM literacy between experiment class and control class is caused by the existence of design engineering activity which required students to apply the knowledge from every field of STEM. The challenge that was faced in STEM learning through design engineering activity was how to give the students practice to integrate STEM field in solving the problems. In additional, most of the students gave positive response toward implementation of STEM learning through design boat model project.

Implementation and evaluation of LMS mobile application: scele mobile based on user-centered design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banimahendra, R. D.; Santoso, H. B.

2018-03-01

The development of mobile technology is now increasing rapidly, demanding all activities including learning should be done on mobile devices. It shows that the implementation of mobile application as a learning medium needs to be done. This study describes the process of developing and evaluating the Moodle-based mobile Learning Management System (LMS) application called Student Centered e-Learning Environment (SCeLE). This study discusses the process of defining features, implementing features into the application, and evaluating the application. We define the features using user research and literature study, then we implement the application with user-centered design basis, at the last phase we evaluated the application using usability testing and system usability score (SUS). The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which this application can help the users doing their tasks and provide recommendation for the next research and development.

Developing Reading Comprehension through Collaborative Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rojas-Drummond, Sylvia; Mazón, Nancy; Littleton, Karen; Vélez, Maricela

2014-01-01

The present study explores the development and promotion of reading comprehension in primary school students, in the context of the implementation of an educational programme called "Learning Together" (LT). The programme, which centred on collaborative learning activities, was designed to promote oral and written communication in…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Ashleigh L. P.

2017-01-01

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

E-service learning: A pedagogic innovation for healthcare management education.

PubMed

Malvey, Donna M; Hamby, Eileen F; Fottler, Myron D

2006-01-01

This paper proposes an innovation in service learning that we identify as e-service learning. By adding the "e" to service learning, we create a service learning model that is dynamic, mediated by technology, and delivered online. This paper begins by examining service learning, which is a distinct learning concept. Service learning furnishes students with opportunities for applied learning through participation in projects and activities in community organizations. The authors then define and conceptualize e-service learning, including the anticipated outcomes of implementation such as enhanced access, quality, and cost effectiveness of healthcare management education. Because e-service learning is mediated by technology, we identify state of the art technologies that support e-service learning activities. In addition, possible e-service learning projects and activities that may be included in healthcare management courses such as finance, human resources, quality, service management/marketing and strategy are identified. Finally, opportunities for future research are suggested.

Getting the Most Out of Dual-Listed Courses: Involving Undergraduate Students in Discussion Through Active Learning Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tasich, C. M.; Duncan, L. L.; Duncan, B. R.; Burkhardt, B. L.; Benneyworth, L. M.

2015-12-01

Dual-listed courses will persist in higher education because of resource limitations. The pedagogical differences between undergraduate and graduate STEM student groups and the underlying distinction in intellectual development levels between the two student groups complicate the inclusion of undergraduates in these courses. Active learning techniques are a possible remedy to the hardships undergraduate students experience in graduate-level courses. Through an analysis of both undergraduate and graduate student experiences while enrolled in a dual-listed course, we implemented a variety of learning techniques used to complement the learning of both student groups and enhance deep discussion. Here, we provide details concerning the implementation of four active learning techniques - role play, game, debate, and small group - that were used to help undergraduate students critically discuss primary literature. Student perceptions were gauged through an anonymous, end-of-course evaluation that contained basic questions comparing the course to other courses at the university and other salient aspects of the course. These were given as a Likert scale on which students rated a variety of statements (1 = strongly disagree, 3 = no opinion, and 5 = strongly agree). Undergraduates found active learning techniques to be preferable to traditional techniques with small-group discussions being rated the highest in both enjoyment and enhanced learning. The graduate student discussion leaders also found active learning techniques to improve discussion. In hindsight, students of all cultures may be better able to take advantage of such approaches and to critically read and discuss primary literature when written assignments are used to guide their reading. Applications of active learning techniques can not only address the gap between differing levels of students, but also serve as a complement to student engagement in any science course design.

A SCALE-UP Mock-Up: Comparison of Student Learning Gains in High- and Low-Tech Active-Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soneral, Paula A. G.; Wyse, Sara A.

2017-01-01

Student-centered learning environments with upside-down pedagogies (SCALE-UP) are widely implemented at institutions across the country, and learning gains from these classrooms have been well documented. This study investigates the specific design feature(s) of the SCALE-UP classroom most conducive to teaching and learning. Using pilot survey…

Communication Idol: Using Popular Culture to Catalyse Active Learning by Engaging Students in the Development of Entertaining Teaching and Learning Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dune, Tinashe; Bidewell, John; Firdaus, Rubab; Kirwan, Morwenna

2016-01-01

Bringing popular culture to tertiary education can potentially increase student engagement with learning tasks and content, especially when the learning task has students producing the content. Using a single-group intervention plus post-test design, this study implemented and evaluated a purposely developed learning and teaching innovation…

Harnessing the Power of Learning Management Systems: An E-Learning Approach for Professional Development.

PubMed

White, Meagan; Shellenbarger, Teresa

E-learning provides an alternative approach to traditional professional development activities. A learning management system may help nursing professional development practitioners deliver content more efficiently and effectively; however, careful consideration is needed during planning and implementation. This article provides essential information in the selection and use of a learning management system for professional development.

Developing technology-enhanced active learning for medical education: challenges, solutions, and future directions.

PubMed

McCoy, Lise; Pettit, Robin K; Lewis, Joy H; Bennett, Thomas; Carrasco, Noel; Brysacz, Stanley; Makin, Inder Raj S; Hutman, Ryan; Schwartz, Frederic N

2015-04-01

Growing up in an era of video games and Web-based applications has primed current medical students to expect rapid, interactive feedback. To address this need, the A.T. Still University-School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (Mesa) has developed and integrated a variety of approaches using technology-enhanced active learning for medical education (TEAL-MEd) into its curriculum. Over the course of 3 years (2010-2013), the authors facilitated more than 80 implementations of games and virtual patient simulations into the education of 550 osteopathic medical students. The authors report on 4 key aspects of the TEAL-MEd initiative, including purpose, portfolio of tools, progress to date regarding challenges and solutions, and future directions. Lessons learned may be of benefit to medical educators at academic and clinical training sites who wish to implement TEAL-MEd activities.

The Scientific Approach Learning: How prospective science teachers understand about questioning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiyanto; Nugroho, S. E.; Hartono

2017-04-01

In the new curriculum, questioning is one of theaspects of scientific approach learning. It means teachers should facilitate students to ask their questions during science learning. The purpose of this research was to reveal the prospective science teachers’ understanding about questioning and how the science teachers implement of that in the scientific approach learning. Data of the prospective science teachers’ understanding was explored from their teaching plan that produced during microteaching. The microteaching is an activity that should be followed by students before they conduct partnership program in school. Data about theimplementation of questioning that conducted by theteacher was be collected by video-assisted observation in junior school science class. The results showed that majority of the prospective science teachers had difficulty to write down in their teaching plan about how to facilitate students to ask their questions, even majority of them understood that questioning is not students’ activity, but it is an activity that should be done by teachers. Based on the observation showed that majority of teachers did not yet implement a learning that facilitates students to ask their questions.

The Implementation of Action Research for the Improvement of Biology Teaching and Learning in Senior Secondary Schools in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Udeani, U. N.; Atagana, H. I.; Esiobu, G. O.

2016-01-01

The main objective of the study was to implement an action research strategy to improve the teaching and learning of biology in senior secondary schools in Nigeria. Specifically the following research questions were raised: (1) What are the levels of intellectual challenge included in the activities used for classroom and laboratory instructions?…

MLS student active learning within a "cloud" technology program.

PubMed

Tille, Patricia M; Hall, Heather

2011-01-01

In November 2009, the MLS program in a large public university serving a geographically large, sparsely populated state instituted an initiative for the integration of technology enhanced teaching and learning within the curriculum. This paper is intended to provide an introduction to the system requirements and sample instructional exercises used to create an active learning technology-based classroom. Discussion includes the following: 1.) define active learning and the essential components, 2.) summarize teaching methods, technology and exercises utilized within a "cloud" technology program, 3.) describe a "cloud" enhanced classroom and programming 4.) identify active learning tools and exercises that can be implemented into laboratory science programs, and 5.) describe the evaluation and assessment of curriculum changes and student outcomes. The integration of technology in the MLS program is a continual process and is intended to provide student-driven active learning experiences.

Improving College and Career Readiness through Challenge-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shuptrine, Carl

2013-01-01

High school students in an Advanced Video class addressed the challenge of increasing community awareness. Students followed a challenge-based learning model developing guiding questions and activities to determine solutions for implementation. Literature supported the use of project-based learning that fostered partnerships outside of the…

Teachers' Purposeful Design of Effective Technology Learning Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, John Andrew Kerlin

2014-01-01

The goal of this study was to explore how exemplary teachers design learning activities that incorporate the use of technology. Teachers at three schools in a school district in Southern California were solicited for a survey regarding their use of technology in the classroom. Based on the surveys, high and low technology implementers were…

A Visual Approach to Helping Instructors Integrate, Document, and Refine Active Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frey, Regina F.; Fisher, Beth A.; Solomon, Erin D.; Leonard, Denise A.; Mutambuki, Jacinta M.; Cohen, Cheryl A.; Luo, Jia; Pondugula, Santhi

2016-01-01

This article describes a visual approach to integrating observational data into self-evaluation and peer review of teaching, practices that can lead to adoption of evidence-based active-learning strategies in STEM. This approach was designed to be implemented for undergraduate courses across disciplines. The presentation of observational data in a…

An Implementation of Active Learning: Assessing the Effectiveness of the Team Infomercial Assignment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matveev, Alexei V.; Milter, Richard G.

2010-01-01

This article examines the effectiveness of the team infomercial assignment as an active learning tool in undergraduate courses. The structure and three phases of the team infomercial assignment, as well as student evaluations and feedback, are presented. We investigated student experiences working on the team infomercial assignment, the common…

The Flipped Classroom: Implementing Technology to Aid in College Mathematics Student's Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buch, George R.; Warren, Carryn B.

2017-01-01

August 2016 there was a call (Braun, Bremser, Duval, Lockwood & White, 2017) for post-secondary instructors to use active learning in their classrooms. Once such example of active learning is what is called the "flipped" classroom. This paper presents the need for, and the methodology of the flipped classroom, results of…

The Effects of an Active Learning Intervention in Biology on College Students' Classroom Motivational Climate Perceptions, Motivation, and Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corkin, Danya M.; Horn, Catherine; Pattison, Donna

2017-01-01

This study examined differences in students' classroom motivational climate perceptions and motivational beliefs between those enrolled in undergraduate Biology courses that implemented an innovative, active learning intervention and those enrolled in traditional Biology courses (control group). This study also sought to determine whether…

Shifting to Active Learning: Assessment of a First-Year Biology Course in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Downs, Colleen T.; Wilson, Amy-Leigh

2015-01-01

Large first-year class sizes have resulted in many lecturers adopting coping strategies consisting of direct-transmission mode teaching, reduced practical time, and assessment. Recently several strategies have been implemented in an attempt to improve student participation and active learning; however, these changes have to be facilitated and…

Introducing Sustainability into Business Education Contexts Using Active Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacVaugh, Jason; Norton, Mike

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore how active learning may help address the legitimacy and practicability issues inherent in introducing education for sustainability into business-related degree programs. Design/methodology/approach: The focus of this study is the experience of the authors in the development and implementation of…

Modeling Social Activism and Teaching about Violence against Women through Theatre Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pataki, Sherri P.; Mackenzie, Scott A.

2012-01-01

To inform students about global violence against women and to empower them to take action, the authors developed an interdisciplinary course focused on experiential learning and theatre education. Their article discusses the development of the course; the implementation of active learning strategies to develop critical thinking, empathy, and…

Learner-Content-Interface as an Approach for Self-Reliant and Student-Centered Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicolay, Robin; Schwennigcke, Bastian; Sahl, Sarah; Martens, Alke

2015-01-01

Conceptualization and implementation of computer supported teaching and training is currently not tailored to the paradigm of learner centration. Many technical solutions lack transparency and consistency regarding the supported learner activities. An insight into learners activities correlated to learning tasks is needed. In this paper we outline…

Promoting Active Learning in Technology-Infused TILE Classrooms at the University of Iowa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Horne, Sam; Murniati, Cecilia; Gaffney, Jon D. H.; Jesse, Maggie

2012-01-01

In this case study, the authors describe the successful implementation of technology-infused TILE classrooms at the University of Iowa. A successful collaboration among campus units devoted to instructional technologies and teacher development, the TILE Initiative has provided instructors with a new set of tools to support active learning. The…

[Verification of Learning Effects by Team-based Learning].

PubMed

Ono, Shin-Ichi; Ito, Yoshihisa; Ishige, Kumiko; Inokuchi, Norio; Kosuge, Yasuhiro; Asami, Satoru; Izumisawa, Megumi; Kobayashi, Hiroko; Hayashi, Hiroyuki; Suzuki, Takashi; Kishikawa, Yukinaga; Hata, Harumi; Kose, Eiji; Tabata, Kei-Ichi

2017-11-01

 It has been recommended that active learning methods, such as team-based learning (TBL) and problem-based learning (PBL), be introduced into university classes by the Central Council for Education. As such, for the past 3 years, we have implemented TBL in a medical therapeutics course for 4-year students. Based upon our experience, TBL is characterized as follows: TBL needs fewer teachers than PBL to conduct a TBL module. TBL enables both students and teachers to recognize and confirm the learning results from preparation and reviewing. TBL grows students' responsibility for themselves and their teams, and likely facilitates learning activities through peer assessment.

Active-learning versus teacher-centered instruction for learning acids and bases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acar Sesen, Burcin; Tarhan, Leman

2011-07-01

Background and purpose: Active-learning as a student-centered learning process has begun to take more interest in constructing scientific knowledge. For this reason, this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of active-learning implementation on high-school students' understanding of 'acids and bases'. Sample The sample of this study was 45 high-school students (average age 17 years) from two different classes, which were randomly assigned to the experimental (n = 21) and control groups (n = 25), in a high school in Turkey. Design and methods A pre-test consisting of 25 items was applied to both experimental and control groups before the treatment in order to identify student prerequisite knowledge about their proficiency for learning 'acids and bases'. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to compare the pre-test scores for groups and no significant difference was found between experimental (ME = 40.14) and control groups (MC = 41.92) in terms of mean scores (F 1,43 = 2.66, p > 0.05). The experimental group was taught using an active-learning curriculum developed by the authors and the control group was taught using traditional course content based on teacher-centered instruction. After the implementation, 'Acids and Bases Achievement Test' scores were collected for both groups. Results ANOVA results showed that students' 'Acids and Bases Achievement Test' post-test scores differed significantly in terms of groups (F 1,43 = 102.53; p < 0.05). Additionally, in this study 54 misconceptions, 14 of them not reported in the literature before, were observed in the following terms: 'acid and base theories'; 'metal and non-metal oxides'; 'acid and base strengths'; 'neutralization'; 'pH and pOH'; 'hydrolysis'; 'acid-base equilibrium'; 'buffers'; 'indicators'; and 'titration'. Based on the achievement test and individual interview results, it was found that high-school students in the experimental group had fewer misconceptions and understood the concepts more meaningfully than students in control group. Conclusion The study revealed that active-learning implementation is more effective at improving students' learning achievement and preventing misconceptions.

Measuring Student Interactions Using Networks: Insights into the Learning Community of a Large Active Learning Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buchenroth-Martin, Cynthia; DiMartino, Trevor; Martin, Andrew P.

2017-01-01

Collaborative learning in small groups is commonly implemented as a part of student-centered curricula. In large-enrollment courses, details of the interactions among students as a consequence of working in collaborative groups are often unknown but are important because how students interact influences the effectiveness of peer learning. We…

Cooperative Learning Instructional Methods for CS1: Design, Implementation, and Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beck, Leland; Chizhik, Alexander

2013-01-01

Cooperative learning is a well-known instructional technique that has been applied with a wide variety of subject matter and a broad spectrum of populations. This article briefly reviews the principles of cooperative learning, and describes how these principles were incorporated into a comprehensive set of cooperative learning activities for a CS1…

Active-learning strategies to develop health literacy knowledge and skills.

PubMed

Devraj, Radhika; Butler, Lakesha M; Gupchup, Gireesh V; Poirier, Therese I

2010-10-11

To implement active-learning exercises in a required pharmacy course and assess their impact on students' knowledge and confidence in identifying and communicating with patients with low health literacy, as part of a required course in cultural competency, health literacy, and health beliefs. Active-learning activities including administering health literacy assessments, identifying informal signs of low health literacy, conducting mock patient counseling sessions, rating the readability of drug information, analyzing information in drug advertisements, and writing patient education materials were incorporated into the 6-sesssion health literacy portion of the course. A pretest and posttest showed that students' knowledge of health literacy increased, and a retrospective pretest found improvement in students' confidence in their ability to care for patients with low health literacy. In-class discussions provided informal evidence that students gained new knowledge from the active-learning activities. The addition of active-learning activities was effective in teaching health literacy concepts to pharmacy students.

Exploring spiritual value in earth science concept through learning using chain till unanswered questions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johan, Henny; Suhandi, Andi; Samsudin, Ahmad; Ratna Wulan, Ana

2017-08-01

Now days, the youth's moral decline is an urgent problem in our country. Natural science especially earth and space science learning is potential to insert spirituality value in its learning activities. The aim of this study is to explore concept of planet earth to embed spirituality attitude through earth science learning. Interactive conceptual learning model using chain till unanswered questions (CTUQ) with help visualizations was implemented in this study. 23 pre-service physics teacher in Bengkulu, Indonesia participated in this study. A sixth indicator of spiritual aspect about awareness of divinity were used to identify the shifted of students' spirituality. Quasi experimental research design had been utilized to implement the learning model. The data were collected using a questionnaire in pretest and posttest. Open ended question was given at post-test only. Questionnaire was analyzed quantitative while open ended question was analyzed qualitatively. The results show that after implementation student's spiritual shifted to be more awareness of divinity. Students' response at scale 10 increased been 97.8% from 87.5% of total responses. Based on analysis of open ended question known that the shifted was influenced by spiritual value inserted in concepts, CTUQ, and media visualization used to show unobservable earth phenomenon during learning activities. It can be concluded that earth science concepts can be explored to embed spiritual aspect.

Brain mapping in cognitive disorders: a multidisciplinary approach to learning the tools and applications of functional neuroimaging

PubMed Central

Kelley, Daniel J; Johnson, Sterling C

2007-01-01

Background With rapid advances in functional imaging methods, human studies that feature functional neuroimaging techniques are increasing exponentially and have opened a vast arena of new possibilities for understanding brain function and improving the care of patients with cognitive disorders in the clinical setting. There is a growing need for medical centers to offer clinically relevant functional neuroimaging courses that emphasize the multifaceted and multidisciplinary nature of this field. In this paper, we describe the implementation of a functional neuroimaging course focusing on cognitive disorders that might serve as a model for other medical centers. We identify key components of an active learning course design that impact student learning gains in methods and issues pertaining to functional neuroimaging that deserve consideration when optimizing the medical neuroimaging curriculum. Methods Learning gains associated with the course were assessed using polychoric correlation analysis of responses to the SALG (Student Assessment of Learning Gains) instrument. Results Student gains in the functional neuroimaging of cognition as assessed by the SALG instrument were strongly associated with several aspects of the course design. Conclusion Our implementation of a multidisciplinary and active learning functional neuroimaging course produced positive learning outcomes. Inquiry-based learning activities and an online learning environment contributed positively to reported gains. This functional neuroimaging course design may serve as a useful model for other medical centers. PMID:17953758

Effectiveness of Cooperative Learning Instructional Tools With Predict-Observe-Explain Strategy on the Topic of Cuboid and Cube Volume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurhuda; Lukito, A.; Masriyah

2018-01-01

This study aims to develop instructional tools and implement it to see the effectiveness. The method used in this research referred to Designing Effective Instruction. Experimental research with two-group pretest-posttest design method was conducted. The instructional tools have been developed is cooperative learning model with predict-observe-explain strategy on the topic of cuboid and cube volume which consist of lesson plans, POE tasks, and Tests. Instructional tools were of good quality by criteria of validity, practicality, and effectiveness. These instructional tools was very effective for teaching the volume of cuboid and cube. Cooperative instructional tool with predict-observe-explain (POE) strategy was good of quality because the teacher was easy to implement the steps of learning, students easy to understand the material and students’ learning outcomes completed classically. Learning by using this instructional tool was effective because learning activities were appropriate and students were very active. Students’ learning outcomes were completed classically and better than conventional learning. This study produced a good instructional tool and effectively used in learning. Therefore, these instructional tools can be used as an alternative to teach volume of cuboid and cube topics.

Practical Team-Based Learning from Planning to Implementation

PubMed Central

Bell, Edward; Eng, Marty; Fuentes, David G.; Helms, Kristen L.; Maki, Erik D.; Vyas, Deepti

2015-01-01

Team-based learning (TBL) helps instructors develop an active teaching approach for the classroom through group work. The TBL infrastructure engages students in the learning process through the Readiness Assessment Process, problem-solving through team discussions, and peer feedback to ensure accountability. This manuscript describes the benefits and barriers of TBL, and the tools necessary for developing, implementing, and critically evaluating the technique within coursework in a user-friendly method. Specifically, the manuscript describes the processes underpinning effective TBL development, preparation, implementation, assessment, and evaluation, as well as practical techniques and advice from authors’ classroom experiences. The paper also highlights published articles in the area of TBL in education, with a focus on pharmacy education. PMID:26889061

Strategies for active learning in online continuing education.

PubMed

Phillips, Janet M

2005-01-01

Online continuing education and staff development is on the rise as the benefits of access, convenience, and quality learning are continuing to take shape. Strategies to enhance learning call for learner participation that is self-directed and independent, thus changing the educator's role from expert to coach and facilitator. Good planning of active learning strategies promotes optimal learning whether the learning content is presented in a course or a just-in-time short module. Active learning strategies can be used to enhance online learning during all phases of the teaching-learning process and can accommodate a variety of learning styles. Feedback from peers, educators, and technology greatly influences learner satisfaction and must be harnessed to provide effective learning experiences. Outcomes of active learning can be assessed online and implemented conveniently and successfully from the initiation of the course or module planning to the end of the evaluation process. Online learning has become accessible and convenient and allows the educator to track learner participation. The future of online education will continue to grow, and using active learning strategies will ensure that quality learning will occur, appealing to a wide variety of learning needs.

Peculiarities of Professional Training Standards Development and Implementation within Competency-Based Approach: Foreign Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Desyatov, Tymofiy

2015-01-01

The article analyzes the development of competency-based professional training standards and their implementation into educational process in foreign countries. It determines that the main idea of competency-based approach is competency-and-active learning, which aims at complex acquirement of diverse skills and ways of practice activities via…

Improving Student Achievement in Introductory Computer Science Courses Using Peer-Led Team Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dennis, Sonya Maria

2013-01-01

There has been a steady decline of majors in the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics ("STEM majors"). In an effort to improve recruitment and retention in "STEM" majors, an active-learning methodology--"peer-led team learning" ("PLTL")--was implemented by the participating…

Extend Instruction outside the Classroom: Take Advantage of Your Learning Management System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Lauren A.

2010-01-01

Numerous institutions of higher education have implemented a learning management system (LMS) or are considering doing so. This web-based software package provides self-service and quick (often personalized) access to content in a dynamic environment. Learning management systems support administrative, reporting, and documentation activities. LMSs…

Engaging Students in Learning: An Application with Quantitative Psychology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harlow, Lisa L.; Burkholder, Gary J.; Morrow, Jennifer A.

2006-01-01

In response to calls for more engaging and interactive pedagogy, we simultaneously implemented 4 rousing learning activities: peer-mentored learning, student reports of what was clear (or not) from a previous lecture, consult corners where student groups provided course-informed solutions to problem-based scenarios, and applied projects presented…

Power through Struggle in Introductory Statistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Autin, Melanie; Bateiha, Summer; Marchionda, Hope

2013-01-01

Traditional classroom instruction consists of teacher-centered learning in which the instructor presents course material through lectures. A recent trend in higher education is the implementation of student-centered learning in which students take a more active role in the learning process. The purpose of this article is to describe the discomfort…

Exploring How New Teaching Materials Influence the Beliefs and Practices of Instructors and Students' Attitudes about Geoscience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pelch, Michael Anthony

2016-01-01

STEM educational reform encourages a transition from instructor-centered passive learning classrooms to student-centered, active learning environments. Instructors adopting these changes incorporate research-validated teaching practices that improve student learning. Professional development that trains faculty to implement instructional reforms…

Dissemination of an innovative mastery learning curriculum grounded in implementation science principles: a case study.

PubMed

McGaghie, William C; Barsuk, Jeffrey H; Cohen, Elaine R; Kristopaitis, Theresa; Wayne, Diane B

2015-11-01

Dissemination of a medical education innovation, such as mastery learning, from a setting where it has been used successfully to a new and different medical education environment is not easy. This article describes the uneven yet successful dissemination of a simulation-based mastery learning (SBML) curriculum on central venous catheter (CVC) insertion for internal medicine and emergency medicine residents across medical education settings. The dissemination program was grounded in implementation science principles. The article begins by describing implementation science which addresses the mechanisms of medical education and health care delivery. The authors then present a mastery learning case study in two phases: (1) the development, implementation, and evaluation of the SBML CVC curriculum at a tertiary care academic medical center; and (2) the dissemination of the SBML CVC curriculum to an academic community hospital setting. Contextual information about the drivers and barriers that affected the SBML CVC curriculum dissemination is presented. This work demonstrates that dissemination of mastery learning curricula, like all other medical education innovations, will fail without active educational leadership, personal contacts, dedication, hard work, rigorous measurement, and attention to implementation science principles. The article concludes by presenting a set of lessons learned about disseminating an SBML CVC curriculum across different medical education settings.

Using activity-based learning approach to enhance the quality of instruction in civil engineering in Indonesian universities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Priyono, Wena, Made; Rahardjo, Boedi

2017-09-01

Experts and practitioners agree that the quality of higher education in Indonesia needs to be improved significantly and continuously. The low quality of university graduates is caused by many factors, one of which is the poor quality of learning. Today's instruction process tends to place great emphasis only on delivering knowledge. To avoid the pitfalls of such instruction, e.g. passive learning, thus Civil Engineering students should be given more opportunities to interact with others and actively participate in the learning process. Based on a number of theoretical and empirical studies, one appropriate strategy to overcome the aforementioned problem is by developing and implementing activity-based learning approach.

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.

IMPLEMENTATION AND SUSTAINABILITY OF CHILD-PARENT PSYCHOTHERAPY: THE ROLE OF REFLECTIVE CONSULTATION IN THE LEARNING COLLABORATIVE MODEL.

PubMed

Noroña, Carmen Rosa; Acker, Michelle L

2016-11-01

Recent implementation science in mental health has focused on identifying the most effective strategies to disseminate and implement evidence-based treatments (EBTs) into real-world practice settings. The learning collaborative training methodology and its use of expert trainers/consultants have become increasingly popular as one of these approaches. Moreover, there is preliminary evidence that ongoing expert consultation may increase the adoption, learning, and sustainability of EBTs by an already practicing workforce and, consequently, help trainers, practitioners, and organizations address implementation barriers. This article describes the authors' experiences in facilitating Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) training and explores the role of reflective clinical consultation as an active process that supports the implementation of a rich, but complex, model that requires sophisticated knowledge and skills from practitioners. It examines the intricate range of the CPP consultant's functions, which ultimately support clinicians' reflective practice as they learn and adopt this EBT. Reflective consultation is proposed as an essential component for the integration of knowledge, experience, and emotions in practitioners and as a catalyst for organizational change. Using their voices as trainers-consultants and those of their trainees, the authors discuss the implications of reflective consultation for the effective implementation and sustainability of CPP. Reflections are offered on lessons learned. © 2016 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

Summary of Planned Implementation for the HTGR Lessons Learned Applicable to the NGNP

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

Ian Mckirdy

2011-09-01

This document presents a reconciliation of the lessons learned during a 2010 comprehensive evaluation of pertinent lessons learned from past and present high temperature gas-cooled reactors that apply to the Next Generation Nuclear Plant Project along with current and planned activities. The data used are from the latest Idaho National Laboratory research and development plans, the conceptual design report from General Atomics, and the pebble bed reactor technology readiness study from AREVA. Only those lessons related to the structures, systems, and components of the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP), as documented in the recently updated lessons learned report are addressed.more » These reconciliations are ordered according to plant area, followed by the affected system, subsystem, or component; lesson learned; and finally an NGNP implementation statement. This report (1) provides cross references to the original lessons learned document, (2) describes the lesson learned, (3) provides the current NGNP implementation status with design data needs associated with the lesson learned, (4) identifies the research and development being performed related to the lesson learned, and (5) summarizes with a status of how the lesson learned has been addressed by the NGNP Project.« less

Adopting reform-based pedagogy in post-secondary microbiology education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonner, Jeffery W.

Current emphasis on improving student learning and retention in post-secondary science education can potentially motivate veteran faculty to reconsider what is often a traditional, instructor-centered instructional model. Alternative models that foster a student-centered classroom environment are more aligned with research on how students learn. These models often incorporate active-learning opportunities that engage students in ways that passively taking notes in an instructor-centered classroom cannot. Although evidence is mounting that active-learning is an effective strategy for improving student learning and attitude, university professors, without formal pedagogical knowledge and training, can face uncertainty about where to start and how to implement these strategies. The research presented here was conducted in two parts under the same context during one semester of a post-secondary microbiology course. First, a quantitative study was conducted to compare collaborative and individual completion of a reform-based instructional strategy that utilized a student-centered, active-learning component. Students were evaluated on learning, critical thinking, and epistemological beliefs about biology. Results indicated no significant differences between treatment groups. Interestingly, the impact of active-learning implementations had positive effects on students' epistemological beliefs. This was a finding contradicting previous research in which epistemological beliefs became more novice-like in science majors enrolled in courses without an active-learning component. Study two represents one case in which a professor with a traditional instructional model became motivated to pursue instructional change in his introductory microbiology course. A single-case qualitative study was conducted to document the professor's initial effort at instructional reform. Results indicated that his utilization and understanding of reform-based instructional strategies improved over the course of one semester. Furthermore, this sustained effort of reform resulted in positive opinions developed by the professor regarding the use of reform-based instructional strategies in the future.

Reflection on Cuboid Net with Mathematical Learning Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sari, Atikah; Suryadi, Didi; Syaodih, Ernawulan

2017-09-01

This research aims to formulate an alternative to the reflection in mathematics learning activities related to the activities of the professionalism of teachers motivated by a desire to improve the quality of learning. This study is a qualitative study using the Didactical Design research. This study was conducted in one of the elementary schools. The data collection techniques are triangulation with the research subject is teacher 5th grade. The results of this study indicate that through deep reflection, teachers can design learning design in accordance with the conditions of the class. Also revealed that teachers have difficulty in choosing methods of learning and contextual learning media. Based on the implementation of activities of reflection and make the learning design based on the results of reflection can be concluded that the quality of learning in the class will develop.

Pedagogical Management of Learning Activities of Students in the Electronic Educational Environment of the University: A Differentiated Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toktarova, Vera Ivanovna

2015-01-01

The present study considers issues related to the planning and implementation of the system of pedagogical management of learning activities of students in the context of modern electronic educational environment of the higher education institution. As a methodological basis considered a differentiated approach based on flexible individual…

Improving Mathematics Learning by Integrating Curricular Activities with Innovative and Developmentally Appropriate Digital Apps: Findings from the Next Generation Preschool Math Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Presser, Ashley Lewis; Vahey, Philip; Dominguez, Ximena

2015-01-01

This paper describes findings from a blocked randomized design (BRD) field study conducted to examine the "Next Generation Preschool Math" (NGPM) program's implementation in preschool classrooms and promise in improving young children's mathematic learning. NGPM integrates traditional preschool activities with developmentally appropriate…

Using Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotopes of Hair to Teach about Sustainable Agriculture through Active Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cotton, Jennifer M.; Sheldon, Nathan D.

2013-01-01

The call for reform of science education is nearly three decades old (National Commission on Excellence in Education, 1983), but the implementation of such education improvements in the form of active learning techniques in large enrollment classes remains difficult. Here we present a class project designed to increase student involvement and…

Constructing Knowledge: An Experience of Active and Collaborative Learning in ICT Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinheiro, Margarida M.; Simoes, Dora

2012-01-01

This paper reports on the impact of the implementation of active and collaborative practices in ICT (information and communication technologies) classrooms. Both of these approaches convey a lot of responsibility from the teacher to the students and the hoping, as backed up by the literature, is to promote deeper learning and reasoning skills at a…

Effectiveness of Instructional Design Model (Isman - 2011) in Developing the Planning Teaching Skills of Teachers College Students' at King Saud University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isman, Aytekin; Abanmy, Fahad AbdulAziz; Hussein, Hisham Barakat; Al Saadany, Mohammed Abdurrahman

2012-01-01

The new instructional design model (Isman - 2011) aims at planing, developing, implementing, evaluating, and organizing full learning activities effectively to ensure competent performance by students. The theoretical foundation of this model comes from behaviorism, cognitivism and constructivism views. And it's based on active learning. During…

Two-Stage Hands-On Technology Activity to Develop Preservice Teachers' Competency in Applying Science and Mathematics Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Kuen-Yi; Williams, P. John

2017-01-01

This paper discusses the implementation of a two-stage hands-on technology learning activity, based on Dewey's learning experience theory that is designed to enhance preservice teachers' primary and secondary experiences in developing their competency to solve hands-on problems that apply science and mathematics concepts. The major conclusions…

Using Electronic Communication Tools in Online Group Activities to Develop Collaborative Learning Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khalil, Hanan; Ebner, Martin

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of using synchronous and asynchronous communication tools in online group activities to develop collaborative learning skills. An experimental study was implemented on a sample of faculty of education students in Mansoura University. The sample was divided into two groups, a group studied…

Movers, Shakers, & Everyone in Between: Faculty Personas Surrounding Active Learning in the Undergraduate STEM Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guy, Batsheva R.

2017-01-01

This qualitative study explores the attitudes that STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) faculty have about active learning (AL), the barriers that STEM faculty face when implementing AL, and what would encourage STEM faculty to use AL. Data was gathered using a modified Group-Level Assessment (GLA), a participatory method meant…

A "Vision and Change" Reform of Introductory Biology Shifts Faculty Perceptions and Use of Active Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Auerbach, Anna Jo; Schussler, Elisabeth

2017-01-01

Increasing faculty use of active-learning (AL) pedagogies in college classrooms is a persistent challenge in biology education. A large research-intensive university implemented changes to its biology majors' two-course introductory sequence as outlined by the "Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education" final report. One goal…

ActiveTutor: Towards More Adaptive Features in an E-Learning Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fournier, Jean-Pierre; Sansonnet, Jean-Paul

2008-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to sketch the emerging notion of auto-adaptive software when applied to e-learning software. Design/methodology/approach: The study and the implementation of the auto-adaptive architecture are based on the operational framework "ActiveTutor" that is used for teaching the topic of computer science programming in first-grade…

Teaching Record-Keeping Skills to 4-H Youths through Experiential Learning Techniques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roland, Tyanne J.; Fisher, Meredith

2016-01-01

Teaching record keeping for breeding projects in a way that keeps youths engaged is a difficult task. The activity discussed in this article was used to teach 4-H participants the importance of record keeping by implementing the experiential learning model and without lecturing. A description of the activity, instructions and materials for the…

Using cooperative learning for a drug information assignment.

PubMed

Earl, Grace L

2009-11-12

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

Creating a Role for Embedded Librarians Within an Active Learning Environment.

PubMed

Hackman, Dawn E; Francis, Marcia J; Johnson, Erika; Nickum, Annie; Thormodson, Kelly

2017-01-01

In 2013, the librarians at a small academic health sciences library reevaluated their mission, vision, and strategic plan to expand their roles. The school was transitioning to a new pedagogical culture and a new building designed to emphasize interprofessional education and active learning methodologies. Subsequent efforts to implement the new strategic plan resulted in the librarians joining curriculum committees and other institutional initiatives, such as an Active Learning Task Force, and participating in faculty development workshops. This participation has increased visibility and led to new roles and opportunities for librarians.

Improved Student Learning through a Faculty Learning Community: How Faculty Collaboration Transformed a Large-Enrollment Course from Lecture to Student Centered

PubMed Central

Elliott, Emily R.; Reason, Robert D.; Coffman, Clark R.; Gangloff, Eric J.; Raker, Jeffrey R.; Powell-Coffman, Jo Anne; Ogilvie, Craig A.

2016-01-01

Undergraduate introductory biology courses are changing based on our growing understanding of how students learn and rapid scientific advancement in the biological sciences. At Iowa State University, faculty instructors are transforming a second-semester large-enrollment introductory biology course to include active learning within the lecture setting. To support this change, we set up a faculty learning community (FLC) in which instructors develop new pedagogies, adapt active-learning strategies to large courses, discuss challenges and progress, critique and revise classroom interventions, and share materials. We present data on how the collaborative work of the FLC led to increased implementation of active-learning strategies and a concurrent improvement in student learning. Interestingly, student learning gains correlate with the percentage of classroom time spent in active-learning modes. Furthermore, student attitudes toward learning biology are weakly positively correlated with these learning gains. At our institution, the FLC framework serves as an agent of iterative emergent change, resulting in the creation of a more student-centered course that better supports learning. PMID:27252298

Deep and surface learning in problem-based learning: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Dolmans, Diana H J M; Loyens, Sofie M M; Marcq, Hélène; Gijbels, David

2016-12-01

In problem-based learning (PBL), implemented worldwide, students learn by discussing professionally relevant problems enhancing application and integration of knowledge, which is assumed to encourage students towards a deep learning approach in which students are intrinsically interested and try to understand what is being studied. This review investigates: (1) the effects of PBL on students' deep and surface approaches to learning, (2) whether and why these effects do differ across (a) the context of the learning environment (single vs. curriculum wide implementation), and (b) study quality. Studies were searched dealing with PBL and students' approaches to learning. Twenty-one studies were included. The results indicate that PBL does enhance deep learning with a small positive average effect size of .11 and a positive effect in eleven of the 21 studies. Four studies show a decrease in deep learning and six studies show no effect. PBL does not seem to have an effect on surface learning as indicated by a very small average effect size (.08) and eleven studies showing no increase in the surface approach. Six studies demonstrate a decrease and four an increase in surface learning. It is concluded that PBL does seem to enhance deep learning and has little effect on surface learning, although more longitudinal research using high quality measurement instruments is needed to support this conclusion with stronger evidence. Differences cannot be explained by the study quality but a curriculum wide implementation of PBL has a more positive impact on the deep approach (effect size .18) compared to an implementation within a single course (effect size of -.05). PBL is assumed to enhance active learning and students' intrinsic motivation, which enhances deep learning. A high perceived workload and assessment that is perceived as not rewarding deep learning are assumed to enhance surface learning.

An inter-institutional collaboration: transforming education through interprofessional simulations.

PubMed

King, Sharla; Drummond, Jane; Hughes, Ellen; Bookhalter, Sharon; Huffman, Dan; Ansell, Dawn

2013-09-01

An inter-institutional partnership of four post-secondary institutions and a health provider formed a learning community with the goal of developing, implementing and evaluating interprofessional learning experiences in simulation-based environments. The organization, education and educational research activities of the learning community align with the institutional and instructional reforms recommended by the Lancet Commission on Health Professional Education for the 21st century. This article provides an overview of the inter-institutional collaboration, including the interprofessional simulation learning experiences, instructor development activities and preliminary results from the evaluation.

Implementation of lesson study in physics teaching by group of teachers in Solok West Sumatera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yurnetti, Y.

2018-04-01

This article based of collaborative classroom action research with science teachers group or MGMP at Solok West Sumatera; based on their willingness to implementation of lesson study by this group. The study started by discussing some problems according to the implementation of the lesson study, establishing the teaching materials, developing learning tools, defining the model teachers, conducting classroom activities, and reflecting by discussions. The preparation of this study includes some learning material according to temperature and heat; the observation form that led by observer teachers; teachers’s model impression and open questionnaire implementation of lesson study that applied to the students and teachers. This research got some information about the strengths and weaknesses of learning using lesson study from the students involved. To conclude, the implementation of lesson study should be able to support the principle of collaborative in learning. The challenge of this study is how to make a condition to gather some teachers in one school at a certain time because they have the schedule at their own school.

Case study of a problem-based learning course of physics in a telecommunications engineering degree

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macho-Stadler, Erica; Jesús Elejalde-García, Maria

2013-08-01

Active learning methods can be appropriate in engineering, as their methodology promotes meta-cognition, independent learning and problem-solving skills. Problem-based learning is the educational process by which problem-solving activities and instructor's guidance facilitate learning. Its key characteristic involves posing a 'concrete problem' to initiate the learning process, generally implemented by small groups of students. Many universities have developed and used active methodologies successfully in the teaching-learning process. During the past few years, the University of the Basque Country has promoted the use of active methodologies through several teacher training programmes. In this paper, we describe and analyse the results of the educational experience using the problem-based learning (PBL) method in a physics course for undergraduates enrolled in the technical telecommunications engineering degree programme. From an instructors' perspective, PBL strengths include better student attitude in class and increased instructor-student and student-student interactions. The students emphasised developing teamwork and communication skills in a good learning atmosphere as positive aspects.

Learning receptive fields using predictive feedback.

PubMed

Jehee, Janneke F M; Rothkopf, Constantin; Beck, Jeffrey M; Ballard, Dana H

2006-01-01

Previously, it was suggested that feedback connections from higher- to lower-level areas carry predictions of lower-level neural activities, whereas feedforward connections carry the residual error between the predictions and the actual lower-level activities [Rao, R.P.N., Ballard, D.H., 1999. Nature Neuroscience 2, 79-87.]. A computational model implementing the hypothesis learned simple cell receptive fields when exposed to natural images. Here, we use predictive feedback to explain tuning properties in medial superior temporal area (MST). We implement the hypothesis using a new, biologically plausible, algorithm based on matching pursuit, which retains all the features of the previous implementation, including its ability to efficiently encode input. When presented with natural images, the model developed receptive field properties as found in primary visual cortex. In addition, when exposed to visual motion input resulting from movements through space, the model learned receptive field properties resembling those in MST. These results corroborate the idea that predictive feedback is a general principle used by the visual system to efficiently encode natural input.

Evaluating Integrated Task Based Activities and Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anwar, Khoirul; Husniah, Rohmy

2016-01-01

This study is to evaluate the implementation of Task Activities based on CALL which consist of observing, questioning, exploring, and communicating. The developed materials are nine chapters that had been implemented in two different classes of SMPN 1 Gresik and SMPM 4 Gresik in Indonesia. Of quesionnaires and interviews, the results indicate that…

Implementing and Assessing 4-H Educational Activity Kits for Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheer, Scott D.; Yeske, Janine; Zimmer, Bruce

2011-01-01

Educational activity kits were developed and implemented through a statewide effort for 4-H Youth Development Extension programs serving 5-8 year-old children. The purpose of the kits was to promote life skills in children and assess the learning environment. Data was collected based on the observations of 577 children across 22 counties. Findings…

Learning Design--Creative Design to Visualise Learning Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toetenel, Lisette; Rienties, Bart

2016-01-01

The focus on quality improvements by institutions for better online and blended teaching can be delivered in different ways. This article reports on the implementation of this process and the approaches taken first, in terms of the design of new learning materials, and second, when reviewing the existing curriculum. The study aims to ascertain…

Effectiveness of Project Based Learning in Statistics for Lower Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siswono, Tatag Yuli Eko; Hartono, Sugi; Kohar, Ahmad Wachidul

2018-01-01

Purpose: This study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of implementing Project Based Learning (PBL) on the topic of statistics at a lower secondary school in Surabaya city, Indonesia, indicated by examining student learning outcomes, student responses, and student activity. Research Methods: A quasi experimental method was conducted over two…

Implementation of Ptechls Modules in Rural Malaysian Secondary School: A Needs Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alias, Norlidah; DeWitt, Dorothy; Siraj, Saedah; Rahman, Mohd Nazri Abdul; Gelamdin, Rashidah Begum; Rauf, Rose Amnah Abd

2014-01-01

Research has shown that the strategy of matching learning style with certain technology enhances students' learning experience. This study seeks to identify the learning styles among students in a rural secondary school, based on the Felder Silverman Model (1988) which comprises four dimensions (visual/verbal, active/reflective, sequential/global,…

Learning Design and Assessment with E-Tivities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armellini, Alejandro; Aiyegbayo, Olaojo

2010-01-01

This paper reported on the findings of research into innovation in e-learning design and assessment through the development and implementation of online learning activities (e-tivities). The focus of the study was on Carpe Diem as a process to enable academic course teams to seize 2 days to design and embed pedagogically appropriate e-tivities…

An Attempt To Design Synchronous Collaborative Learning Environments for Peer Dyads on the World Wide Web.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Fong-Lok; Liang, Steven; Chan, Tak-Wai

1999-01-01

Describes the design, implementation, and preliminary evaluation of three synchronous distributed learning prototype systems: Co-Working System, Working Along System, and Hybrid System. Each supports a particular style of interaction, referred to a socio-activity learning model, between members of student dyads (pairs). All systems were…

The Portfolio and Its Use. Book II: A Road Map for Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacDonald, Sharon

This book provides a guide for early childhood educators in implementing and using portfolio assessment to measure children's learning. Chapter 1 focuses on, "How Young Children Learn." It explains that children are active learners who learn by doing things repeatedly, by making mistakes, and by being exposed to varying approaches,…

77 FR 41801 - Solicitation for a Cooperative Agreement-Transition From Jail to the Community (TJC)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-16

... for use by non-participating jurisdictions so that it might share with others those lessons learned... learning sites. A related objective of the implementation evaluation is to measure evidence of systems... learning sites through two primary activities: (1) Development and dissemination of tools to local...

Implementing Strategies of Cooperation for Enhancing Intrinsic Motivation towards English Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zapata, Julian Esteban

2007-01-01

This action research paper dealt with how to increase motivation towards English language learning through cooperative work in a public school in Medellín, Colombia. It was necessary to explore the concepts of teachers' beliefs, social teaching, collaborative and cooperative learning, to understand the conditions and activities that favored…

Effect of Cooperative Learning Strategy on Students' Acquisition and Practice of Scientific Skills in Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chatila, Hanadi; Al Husseiny, Fatima

2017-01-01

Recent research findings have shown that cooperative learning improves students' thinking skills as it allows them to communicate actively with each other (Johnson, Johnson and Smith, 2014). Therefore, cooperative learning has been proposed by many educators to be implemented in classrooms to produce lifelong learners and critical thinkers…

Problem-Based Learning in an Online Course of Health Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chagas, Isabel; Faria, Claudia; Mourato, Dulce; Pereira, Goncalo; Santos, Afonso

2012-01-01

The objectives of this project were to: i) describe the experience of implementing Problem-Based Learning in an online course over three consecutive academic years, ii) analyse the learning environment generated, iii) discuss impacts on students' active participation, based on the analysis of their interactions. The participants were 30 students,…

A Study of Student Engagement in Project-Based Learning across Multiple Approaches to STEM Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Alfred; Miro, Danielle

2016-01-01

Objective: In this study, we investigated the implementation of project-based learning (PBL) activities in four secondary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education settings to examine the impact of inquiry based instructional practices on student learning. Method: Direct classroom observations were conducted during the…

Utilizing constructivism learning theory in collaborative testing as a creative strategy to promote essential nursing skills.

PubMed

Duane, Barbara T; Satre, Maria E

2014-01-01

In nursing education, students participate in individual learner testing. This process follows the instructionist learning theory of a system model. However, in the practice of nursing, success depends upon collaboration with numerous people in different capacities, critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and the ability to communicate with others. Research has shown that collaborative testing, a constructivism learning activity and a form of collaborative learning, enhances students' abilities to master these areas. Collaborative testing is a clear, creative strategy which constructivists would say supports the socio-linguistic base of their learning theory. The test becomes an active implementation of peer-mediated learning where individual knowledge is enhanced through problem solving or defense of an individual position with the collaborative method. There is criticism for the testing method's potential of grade inflation and for students to receive grade benefits with little effort. After a review of various collaborative testing methods, this nursing faculty implemented a collaborative testing format that addresses both the positive and negative aspects of the process. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of active learning on student characteristics in a human physiology course for nonmajors.

PubMed

Wilke, R Russell

2003-12-01

This study investigated the effect of active-learning strategies on college students' achievement, motivation, and self-efficacy in a human physiology course for nonmajors. Variables were studied via a quasi-experimental, Solomon four-group design on 141 students at a small west-Texas university. Treatment groups were taught using a continuum-based, active-learning model implemented over the course of a semester. Control groups were taught using traditional didactic lecture methods. To assess the effects of the continuum-based active learning strategies, students were administered a comprehensive physiology content exam, the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, and attitude surveys. Factorial analyses indicated that the treatment groups acquired significantly more content knowledge and were significantly more self-efficacious than students in the control groups. There were no significant differences in motivation. Attitude surveys indicated that students in both the treatment and control groups demonstrated a positive attitude toward active learning, believed it helped (or would help) them to learn the material, and would choose an active learning course in the future.

Teachers’ ability in using math learning media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masniladevi; Prahmana, R. C. I.; Helsa, Y.; Dalais, M.

2017-12-01

The studies aim to enhance teachers’ knowledge and skill in making math instructional media, develop math instructional media, train and assist the use of instructional media in learning math in the classroom. The method used in the activities adopted the pattern of preventive implementation, planning stage, program implementation, observation and evaluation and reflection. The research results show that the evaluation of teachers’ ability is still in average category. The result required more intensive training.

Weekly active-learning activities in a drug information and literature evaluation course.

PubMed

Timpe, Erin M; Motl, Susannah E; Eichner, Samantha F

2006-06-15

To incorporate learning activities into the weekly 2-hour Drug Information and Literature Evaluation class sessions to improve student ability and confidence in performing course objectives, as well as to assess student perception of the value of these activities. In-class activities that emphasized content and skills taught within class periods were created and implemented. Three different surveys assessing student ability and confidence in completing drug information and literature retrieval and evaluation tasks were administered prior to and following the appropriate class sessions. At the completion of the course, an additional evaluation was administered to assess the students' impressions of the value of the learning activities. Students reported increased ability and confidence in all course objectives. The teaching activities were also stated to be useful in students' learning of the material. Incorporation of weekly learning activities resulted in an improvement in student ability and confidence to perform course objectives. Students considered these activities to be beneficial and to contribute to the completion of course objectives.

The Analysis of Physics Learning in Senior High School of Semarang Based on The Scientific Approach and Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardyanti, R. C.; Hartono; Fianti

2018-03-01

Physics Learning in Curriculum of 2013 is closely related to the implementation of scientific approach and authentic assessment in learning. This study aims to analyze the implementation of scientific approaches and authentic assessment in physics learning, as well as to analyze the constraints of scientific approach and authentic assessment in physics learning. The data collection techniques used in this study are questionnaires, observations, interviews, and documentation. The calculation results used are percentage techniques and analyzed by using qualitative descriptive approach. Based on the results of research and discussion, the implementation of physics learning based on the scientific approach goes well with the percentage of 84.60%. Physical learning activity based on authentic assessment also goes well with the percentage of 88%. The results of the percentage of scientific approaches and authentic assessment approaches are less than 100%. It shows that there are obstacles to the implementation of the scientific approach and the constraints of authentic assessment. The obstacles to the implementation of scientific approach include time, heavy load of material, input or ability of learners, the willingness of learners in asking questions, laboratory support, and the ability of students to process data. While the obstacles to the implementation of authentic assessment include the limited time for carrying out of authentic assessment, the components of the criteria in carrying out the authentic assessment, the lack of discipline in administering the administration, the difficulty of changing habits in carrying out the assessment from traditional assessment to the authentic assessment, the obstacle to process the score in accordance with the format Curriculum of 2013.

Utilization of Lesson Analysis as Teacher Self Reflection to Improve the Lesson Design on Chemical Equation Topic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edyani, E. A.; Supriatna, A.; Kurnia; Komalasari, L.

2017-02-01

The research is aimed to investigate how lesson analysis as teacher’s self-reflection changes the teacher’s lesson design on chemical equation topic. Lesson Analysis has been used as part of teacher training programs to improve teacher’s ability in analyzing their own lesson. The method used in this research is a qualitative method. The research starts from build lesson design, implementation lesson design to senior high school student, utilize lesson analysis to get information about the lesson, and revise lesson design. The revised lesson design from the first implementation applied to the second implementation, resulting in better design. This research use lesson analysis Hendayana&Hidayat framework. Video tapped and transcript are employed on each lesson. After first implementation, lesson analysis result shows that teacher-centered still dominating the learning because students are less active in discussion, so the part of lesson design must be revised. After second implementation, lesson analysis result shows that the learning already student-centered. Students are very active in discussion. But some part of learning design still must be revised. In general, lesson analysis was effective for teacher to reflect the lessons. Teacher can utilize lesson analysis any time to improve the next lesson design.

Adding Value to the Learning Process by Online Peer Review Activities: Towards the Elaboration of a Methodology to Promote Critical Thinking in Future Engineers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dominguez, Caroline; Nascimento, Maria M.; Payan-Carreira, Rita; Cruz, Gonçalo; Silva, Helena; Lopes, José; Morais, Maria da Felicidade A.; Morais, Eva

2015-01-01

Considering the results of research on the benefits and difficulties of peer review, this paper describes how teaching faculty, interested in endorsing the acquisition of communication and critical thinking (CT) skills among engineering students, has been implementing a learning methodology throughout online peer review activities. While…

Teacher Trainers' and Trainees' Perceptions, Practices, and Constraints to Active Learning Methods: The Case of English Department in Bahir Dar University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engidaw, Berhanu

2014-01-01

This study is on teacher trainers and teacher trainees' perceptions and practices of active learning and the constraints to implementing them in the English Department of Bahir Dar University. A mixed study approach that involves a quantitative self administered questionnaire, a semi-structured lesson observation guide, and qualitative in depth…

An Investigation into the Management of Online Teaching and Learning Spaces: A Case Study Involving Graduate Research Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jowallah, Rohan

2014-01-01

This research evaluates the strategies implemented to support the research activities of postgraduate students pursuing online master's programs in the University of the West Indies Open Campus, as well as the activities of their supervisors. The three main strategies employed were (1) the use of a web-based "teaching-learning space" to…

Reimagining professional competence in physical education

PubMed Central

Ennis, Catherine D.

2015-01-01

Physical educators have critical roles to play in assisting communities and schools to increase physical activity for all citizens. They can assist classroom teachers in increasing physical activity in the academic school day and can serve as school wellness directors to increase the amount of physical activity students and school staff members receive during the day. Additionally, physical educators can implement innovative approaches to physical education curricula to enhance students’ opportunities to be active and to learn concepts to assist them to be physically active now and for a lifetime. When implementing evidence-based approaches to physical education, teachers need to teach the curriculum coherently and with fidelity. New programs such as Science, PE, & Me! and the Science of Healthful Living provide opportunities for students to examine the effects of exercise on their bodies in a physically active, learning-oriented approach to physical education. PMID:26617976

Teaching physical activities to students with significant disabilities using video modeling.

PubMed

Cannella-Malone, Helen I; Mizrachi, Sharona V; Sabielny, Linsey M; Jimenez, Eliseo D

2013-06-01

The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of video modeling on teaching physical activities to three adolescents with significant disabilities. The study implemented a multiple baseline across six physical activities (three per student): jumping rope, scooter board with cones, ladder drill (i.e., feet going in and out), ladder design (i.e., multiple steps), shuttle run, and disc ride. Additional prompt procedures (i.e., verbal, gestural, visual cues, and modeling) were implemented within the study. After the students mastered the physical activities, we tested to see if they would link the skills together (i.e., complete an obstacle course). All three students made progress learning the physical activities, but only one learned them with video modeling alone (i.e., without error correction). Video modeling can be an effective tool for teaching students with significant disabilities various physical activities, though additional prompting procedures may be needed.

From Competency List to Curriculum Implementation: A Case Study of Japan's First Online Master's Program for E-Learning Specialists Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suzuki, Katsuaki

2009-01-01

This article describes the creation of a fully online master's program for e-learning specialist training. This program is the first of its kind in Japan. As background information, Japan's general trends in e-learning are described, including activities of the e-Learning Consortium Japan and National Institute of Multimedia in Education. Such…

Implementation and Results of a Learning Assistant Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogue, Thomas B.; Seeley, L.; Vokos, S.

2006-12-01

The Physics Department at Seattle Pacific University has recently completed a three-year CCLI grant to integrate Tutorials in Introductory Physics , Activity Based Physics , and Real Time Physics into our one-year introductory curriculum. One of the difficulties encountered in doing this at a small undergraduate university was the need for additional instructors. This need is met through the use of undergraduate learning assistants. The development of recruitment and implementation methods will be discussed, along with the advantages to physics education, and the challenges encountered. We will also discuss several strategies we have identified as critical to a successful learning assistant program.

A Practical Guide To Developing Effective Web-based Learning

PubMed Central

Cook, David A; Dupras, Denise M

2004-01-01

OBJECTIVE Online learning has changed medical education, but many “educational” websites do not employ principles of effective learning. This article will assist readers in developing effective educational websites by integrating principles of active learning with the unique features of the Web. DESIGN Narrative review. RESULTS The key steps in developing an effective educational website are: Perform a needs analysis and specify goals and objectives; determine technical resources and needs; evaluate preexisting software and use it if it fully meets your needs; secure commitment from all participants and identify and address potential barriers to implementation; develop content in close coordination with website design (appropriately use multimedia, hyperlinks, and online communication) and follow a timeline; encourage active learning (self-assessment, reflection, self-directed learning, problem-based learning, learner interaction, and feedback); facilitate and plan to encourage use by the learner (make website accessible and user-friendly, provide time for learning, and motivate learners); evaluate learners and course; pilot the website before full implementation; and plan to monitor online communication and maintain the site by resolving technical problems, periodically verifying hyperlinks, and regularly updating content. CONCLUSION Teaching on the Web involves more than putting together a colorful webpage. By consistently employing principles of effective learning, educators will unlock the full potential of Web-based medical education. PMID:15209610

Teaching nursing concepts through an online discussion board.

PubMed

Hudson, Kandi Ann

2014-09-01

Barriers to course content engagement and student learning in nursing education abound. Some of these barriers include content overload, classroom time constraints, and large student numbers. One way to overcome these issues is the implementation of active learning strategies in the classroom. Despite the positive learning outcomes associated with active learning strategies described in the education literature, traditional passive learning strategies continue to be used by nurse educators in the classroom. This article details the results of a pilot study using an active teaching strategy—an online discussion board—which was designed to improve the learning engagement of beginning nursing students enrolled in their first face-to-face nursing course. The results of the semester-long pilot study indicated a favorable student response to the active teaching strategy and improved overall success in the course by the students who participated fully in the online discussions.

Study design and protocol for a mixed methods evaluation of an intervention to reduce and break up sitting time in primary school classrooms in the UK: The CLASS PAL (Physically Active Learning) Programme

PubMed Central

Routen, Ash C; Biddle, Stuart J H; Bodicoat, Danielle H; Cale, Lorraine; Clemes, Stacy; Edwardson, Charlotte L; Glazebrook, Cris; Harrington, Deirdre M; Khunti, Kamlesh; Pearson, Natalie; Salmon, Jo; Sherar, Lauren B

2017-01-01

Introduction Children engage in a high volume of sitting in school, particularly in the classroom. A number of strategies, such as physically active lessons (termed movement integration (MI)), have been developed to integrate physical activity into this learning environment; however, no single approach is likely to meet the needs of all pupils and teachers. This protocol outlines an implementation study of a primary school-based MI intervention: CLASS PAL (Physically Active Learning) programme. This study aims to (A) determine the degree of implementation of CLASS PAL, (B) identify processes by which teachers and schools implement CLASS PAL and (C) investigate individual (pupil and teacher) level and school-level characteristics associated with implementation of CLASS PAL. Methods and analysis The intervention will provide teachers with a professional development workshop and a bespoke teaching resources website. The study will use a single group before-and-after design, strengthened by multiple interim measurements. Six state-funded primary schools will be recruited within Leicestershire, UK. Evaluation data will be collected prior to implementation and at four discrete time points during implementation: At measurement 0 (October 2016), school, teacher and pupil characteristics will be collected. At measurements 0 and 3 (June–July 2017), accelerometry, cognitive functioning, self-reported sitting and classroom engagement data will be collected. At measurements 1(December 2016–March 2017) and 3, teacher interviews (also at measurement 4; September–October 2017) and pupil focus groups will be conducted, and at measurements 1 and 2 (April–May 2017), classroom observations. Implementation will be captured through website analytics and ongoing teacher completed logs. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval was obtained through the Loughborough University Human Participants Ethics Sub-Committee (Reference number: R16-P115). Findings will be disseminated via practitioner and/or research journals and to relevant regional and national stakeholders through print and online media and dissemination event(s). PMID:29122808

Teacher collaboration and elementary science teaching: Using action research as a tool for instructional leadership

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Sara Hayes

The primary purpose of this action research study was to explore an elementary science program and find ways to support science education as an administrator of an elementary school. The study took place in a large suburban school system in the southeastern United States. Seven teachers at a small rural school volunteered to participate in the study. Each participant became an active member of the research by determining what changes needed to take place and implementing the lessons in science. The study was also focused on teacher collaboration and how it influenced the science instruction. The data collected included two interviews, ten observations of science lessons, the implementation of four science units, and informal notes from planning sessions over a five month period. The questions that guided this study focused on how teachers prepare to teach science through active learning and how instruction shifts due to teacher collaboration. Teachers were interviewed at the beginning of the study to gain the perceptions of the participants in the areas of (a) planning, (b) active learning, (c) collaboration, and (d) teaching science lessons. The teachers and principal then formed a research team that determined the barriers to teaching science according to the Standards, designed units of study using active learning strategies, and worked collaboratively to implement the units of study. The action research project reviewed the National Science Education Standards, the theory of constructivism, active learning and teacher collaboration as they relate to the actions taken by a group of teachers in an elementary school. The evidence from this study showed that by working together collaboratively and overcoming the barriers to teaching science actively, teachers feel more confident and knowledgeable about teaching the concepts.

Integration of problem-based learning and innovative technology into a self-care course.

PubMed

McFalls, Marsha

2013-08-12

To assess the integration of problem-based learning and technology into a self-care course. Problem-based learning (PBL) activities were developed and implemented in place of lectures in a self-care course. Students used technology, such as computer-generated virtual patients and iPads, during the PBL sessions. Students' scores on post-case quizzes were higher than on pre-case quizzes used to assess baseline knowledge. Student satisfaction with problem-based learning and the use of technology in the course remained consistent throughout the semester. Integrating problem-based learning and technology into a self-care course enabled students to become active learners.

The Use of Group Activities in Introductory Biology Supports Learning Gains and Uniquely Benefits High-Achieving Students†

PubMed Central

Marbach-Ad, Gili; Rietschel, Carly H.; Saluja, Neeti; Carleton, Karen L.; Haag, Eric S.

2016-01-01

This study describes the implementation and effectiveness of small-group active engagement (GAE) exercises in an introductory biology course (BSCI207) taught in a large auditorium setting. BSCI207 (Principles of Biology III—Organismal Biology) is the third introductory core course for Biological Sciences majors. In fall 2014, the instructors redesigned one section to include GAE activities to supplement lecture content. One section (n = 198) employed three lectures per week. The other section (n = 136) replaced one lecture per week with a GAE class. We explored the benefits and challenges associated with implementing GAE exercises and their relative effectiveness for unique student groups (e.g., minority students, high- and low-grade point average [GPA] students). Our findings show that undergraduates in the GAE class exhibited greater improvement in learning outcomes than undergraduates in the traditional class. Findings also indicate that high-achieving students experienced the greatest benefit from GAE activities. Some at-risk student groups (e.g., two-year transfer students) showed comparably low learning gains in the course, despite the additional support that may have been afforded by active learning. Collectively, these findings provide valuable feedback that may assist other instructors who wish to revise their courses and recommendations for institutions regarding prerequisite coursework approval policies. PMID:28101262

The Use of Group Activities in Introductory Biology Supports Learning Gains and Uniquely Benefits High-Achieving Students.

PubMed

Marbach-Ad, Gili; Rietschel, Carly H; Saluja, Neeti; Carleton, Karen L; Haag, Eric S

2016-12-01

This study describes the implementation and effectiveness of small-group active engagement (GAE) exercises in an introductory biology course (BSCI207) taught in a large auditorium setting. BSCI207 (Principles of Biology III-Organismal Biology) is the third introductory core course for Biological Sciences majors. In fall 2014, the instructors redesigned one section to include GAE activities to supplement lecture content. One section ( n = 198) employed three lectures per week. The other section ( n = 136) replaced one lecture per week with a GAE class. We explored the benefits and challenges associated with implementing GAE exercises and their relative effectiveness for unique student groups (e.g., minority students, high- and low-grade point average [GPA] students). Our findings show that undergraduates in the GAE class exhibited greater improvement in learning outcomes than undergraduates in the traditional class. Findings also indicate that high-achieving students experienced the greatest benefit from GAE activities. Some at-risk student groups (e.g., two-year transfer students) showed comparably low learning gains in the course, despite the additional support that may have been afforded by active learning. Collectively, these findings provide valuable feedback that may assist other instructors who wish to revise their courses and recommendations for institutions regarding prerequisite coursework approval policies.

Analysis of e-learning implementation readiness based on integrated elr model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adiyarta, K.; Napitupulu, D.; Rahim, R.; Abdullah, D.; Setiawan, MI

2018-04-01

E-learning nowadays has become a requirement for institutions to support their learning activities. To adopt e-learning, an institution requires a large strategy and resources for optimal application. Unfortunately, not all institutions that have used e-learning got the desired results or expectations. This study aims to identify the extent of the level of readiness of e-learning implementation in institution X. The degree of institutional readiness will determine the success of future e-learning utilization. In addition, institutional readiness measurement are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies in e-learning development. The research method used is survey with questionnaire designed based on integration of 8 best practice ELR (e-learning readiness) model. The results showed that from 13 factors of integrated ELR model being measured, there are 3 readiness factors included in the category of not ready and needs a lot of work. They are human resource (2.57), technology skill (2.38) and content factors (2.41). In general, e-learning implementation in institutions is in the category of not ready but needs some of work (3.27). Therefore, the institution should consider which factors or areas of ELR factors are considered still not ready and needs improvement in the future.

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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…

Designing, Developing and Implementing a Software Tool for Scenario Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norton, Geoff; Taylor, Mathew; Stewart, Terry; Blackburn, Greg; Jinks, Audrey; Razdar, Bahareh; Holmes, Paul; Marastoni, Enrique

2012-01-01

The pedagogical value of problem-based and inquiry-based learning activities has led to increased use of this approach in many courses. While scenarios or case studies were initially presented to learners as text-based material, the development of modern software technology provides the opportunity to deliver scenarios as e-learning modules,…

Supporting Teachers in Vietnam to Monitor Preschool Children's Wellbeing and Involvement in Preschool Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lenaerts, Filip; Braeye, Sarah; Nguyen, Thi Lan Huong; Dang, Tuyet Anh; Vromant, Nico

2017-01-01

Vietnam is promoting active teaching and learning as a key strategy to enhance children's learning in preschools. This change depends largely on building the capacities of teachers to implement child-centered education in practice and handover the initiative for learning to children. Vietnamese teachers need to be better equipped with pedagogical…

Creative Activity and Its Impact on Student Learning--Issues of Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allam, Claire

2008-01-01

The use of filmmaking as a creative learning tool within the academic curriculum has been pioneered at the University of Sheffield. Filmmaking has been found to promote a lively, exciting and challenging environment in the classroom. It produces highly motivated students and makes learning fun by giving them a sense of empowerment and achievement.…

Active Learning outside the Classroom: Implementation and Outcomes of Peer-Led Team-Learning Workshops in Introductory Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kudish, Philip; Shores, Robin; McClung, Alex; Smulyan, Lisa; Vallen, Elizabeth A.; Siwicki, Kathleen K.

2016-01-01

Study group meetings (SGMs) are voluntary-attendance peer-led team-learning workshops that supplement introductory biology lectures at a selective liberal arts college. While supporting all students' engagement with lecture material, specific aims are to improve the success of underrepresented minority (URM) students and those with weaker…

Using Personal Portable Devices as Learning Tools in the English Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herrera Díaz, Luz Edith; Cruz Ramos, María de los Milagros; Sandoval Sánchez, Mario Alberto

2014-01-01

A group of university students used a variety of personal portable devices (cellphones, tablets, laptops, and netbooks) which distracted them in English class. This qualitative action research aimed to implement activities entailing the use of such devices and to learn their impact on students' learning and the use of English in class. Thus, a…

Implementing and Sustaining Higher Education Service-Learning Initiatives: Revisiting Young et al.'s Organizational Tactics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Dawn; Sunderland, Naomi; Bartleet, Brydie-Leigh; Power, Anne

2016-01-01

Although the value of service-learning opportunities has long been aligned to student engagement, global citizenship, and employability, the rhetoric can be far removed from the reality of coordinating such activities within higher education. This article stems from arts-based service-learning initiatives with Indigenous communities in Australia.…

Conditions for Implementation of the Science Curriculum in Early Childhood Development and Education Centres in Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaji, Milimu Gladys; Indoshi, Francis C.

2008-01-01

Cognitive development and teaching have highlighted the importance of learning based on the relationship among individuals and the learning environment. Teaching and learning of science in early childhood development and education (ECDE) can only be effective if adequate facilities, materials, equipment and activities are put in place. Teaching of…

The New NGSS Classroom: A Curriculum Framework for Project-Based Science Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holthuis, Nicole; Deutscher, Rebecca; Schultz, Susan E.; Jamshidi, Arash

2018-01-01

As schools work to implement the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), a team at Stanford University found that project-based learning is an effective framework for engaging students. The team used project-based learning, group activities, and performance-based assessments to design an effective, engaging curriculum. Over a three-year period,…

The Simulation Computer Based Learning (SCBL) for Short Circuit Multi Machine Power System Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahmaniar; Putri, Maharani

2018-03-01

Strengthening Competitiveness of human resources become the reply of college as a conductor of high fomal education. Electrical Engineering Program UNPAB (Prodi TE UNPAB) as one of the department of electrical engineering that manages the field of electrical engineering expertise has a very important part in preparing human resources (HR), Which is required by where graduates are produced by DE UNPAB, Is expected to be able to compete globally, especially related to the implementation of Asean Economic Community (AEC) which requires the active participation of graduates with competence and quality of human resource competitiveness. Preparation of HR formation Competitive is done with the various strategies contained in the Seven (7) Higher Education Standard, one part of which is the implementation of teaching and learning process in Electrical system analysis with short circuit analysis (SCA) This course is a course The core of which is the basis for the competencies of other subjects in the advanced semester at Development of Computer Based Learning model (CBL) is done in the learning of interference analysis of multi-machine short circuit which includes: (a) Short-circuit One phase, (B) Two-phase Short Circuit Disruption, (c) Ground Short Circuit Disruption, (d) Short Circuit Disruption One Ground Floor Development of CBL learning model for Electrical System Analysis course provides space for students to be more active In learning in solving complex (complicated) problems, so it is thrilling Ilkan flexibility of student learning how to actively solve the problem of short-circuit analysis and to form the active participation of students in learning (Student Center Learning, in the course of electrical power system analysis.

Planned change or emergent change implementation approach and nurses' professional clinical autonomy.

PubMed

Luiking, Marie-Louise; Aarts, Leon; Bras, Leo; Grypdonck, Maria; van Linge, Roland

2017-11-01

Nurses' clinical autonomy is considered important for patients' outcome and influenced by the implementation approach of innovations. Emergent change approach with participation in the implementation process is thought to increase clinical autonomy. Planned change approach without this participation is thought not to increase clinical autonomy. Evidence of these effects on clinical autonomy is however limited. To examine the changes in clinical autonomy and in personal norms and values for a planned change and emergent change implementation of an innovation, e.g. intensive insulin therapy. Prospective comparative study with two geographically separated nurses' teams on one intensive care unit (ICU), randomly assigned to the experimental conditions. Data were collected from March 2008 to January 2009. Pre-existing differences in perception of team and innovation characteristics were excluded using instruments based on the innovation contingency model. The Nursing Activity Scale was used to measure clinical autonomy. The Personal Values and Norms instrument was used to assess orientation towards nursing activities and the Team Learning Processes instrument to assess learning as a team. Pre-implementation the measurements did not differ. Post-implementation, clinical autonomy was increased in the emergent change team and decreased in the planned change team. The Personal Values and Norms instrument showed in the emergent change team a decreased hierarchic score and increased developmental and rational scores. In the planned change team the hierarchical and group scores were increased. Learning as a team did not differ between the teams. In both teams there was a change in clinical autonomy and orientation towards nursing activities, in line with the experimental conditions. Emergent change implementation resulted in more clinical autonomy than planned change implementation. If an innovation requires the nurses to make their own clinical decisions, an emergent change implementation should help to establish this clinical autonomy. © 2015 British Association of Critical Care Nurses.

Alcoa North American Extrusions Implements Energy Use Assessments at Multiple Facilities

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

None

2001-08-01

This case study is the latest in a series on industrial firms who are implementing energy efficient technologies and system improvements into their manufacturing processes. The case studies document the activities, savings, and lessons learned on these projects.

The Effective of Using 5 Simple Steps (QSCCS) Learning Activities on Facebook to Promote Self-Learning in the 21st Century in Technology Printing and Advertising Course for Undergraduate Students in Education Technology and Communications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sittiwong, Tipparat; Wongnam, Thanet

2015-01-01

The objectives of this study were to: 1) study the result of implementing QSCCS with Facebook; 2) study students' opinions concerning the implementation of QSCCS with Facebook. The samples were 38 Technology and Communications undergraduates who attended Printing and Advertising Technology course in academic year of 2013. The information was…

Blended learning in health education: three case studies.

PubMed

de Jong, Nynke; Savin-Baden, Maggi; Cunningham, Anne Marie; Verstegen, Daniëlle M L

2014-09-01

Blended learning in which online education is combined with face-to-face education is especially useful for (future) health care professionals who need to keep up-to-date. Blended learning can make learning more efficient, for instance by removing barriers of time and distance. In the past distance-based learning activities have often been associated with traditional delivery-based methods, individual learning and limited contact. The central question in this paper is: can blended learning be active and collaborative? Three cases of blended, active and collaborative learning are presented. In case 1 a virtual classroom is used to realize online problem-based learning (PBL). In case 2 PBL cases are presented in Second Life, a 3D immersive virtual world. In case 3 discussion forums, blogs and wikis were used. In all cases face-to-face meetings were also organized. Evaluation results of the three cases clearly show that active, collaborative learning at a distance is possible. Blended learning enables the use of novel instructional methods and student-centred education. The three cases employ different educational methods, thus illustrating diverse possibilities and a variety of learning activities in blended learning. Interaction and communication rules, the role of the teacher, careful selection of collaboration tools and technical preparation should be considered when designing and implementing blended learning.

Active learning and leadership in an undergraduate curriculum: How effective is it for student learning and transition to practice?

PubMed

Middleton, Rebekkah

2013-03-01

Nurses are being increasingly asked to develop leadership skills in their practice and to be actively involved in continuous change processes in the workplace. Nursing students need to be developing leadership skills prior to entering the workplace to ensure they are able to meet the challenges associated with organisations and the cultures present in nursing, along with having highly tuned communication skills and leadership attributes that contribute to best patient care and outcomes. This paper looks at how the use of Active Learning in an undergraduate setting enabled the development and implementation of a leadership subject for nursing students preparing for professional practice. Through the use of a specific model of Active Learning, incorporating multiple intelligences into education allows students to bring deeper learning to their conscience so that whole person learning is an engaged experience. It seems apparent that Active Learning is an effective means of learning about leadership in undergraduate students who are developing towards a career as a health professional. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Support Vector Machine algorithm for regression and classification

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

Yu, Chenggang; Zavaljevski, Nela

2001-08-01

The software is an implementation of the Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm that was invented and developed by Vladimir Vapnik and his co-workers at AT&T Bell Laboratories. The specific implementation reported here is an Active Set method for solving a quadratic optimization problem that forms the major part of any SVM program. The implementation is tuned to specific constraints generated in the SVM learning. Thus, it is more efficient than general-purpose quadratic optimization programs. A decomposition method has been implemented in the software that enables processing large data sets. The size of the learning data is virtually unlimited by themore » capacity of the computer physical memory. The software is flexible and extensible. Two upper bounds are implemented to regulate the SVM learning for classification, which allow users to adjust the false positive and false negative rates. The software can be used either as a standalone, general-purpose SVM regression or classification program, or be embedded into a larger software system.« less

Teachers' and students' verbal behaviours during cooperative and small-group learning.

PubMed

Gillies, Robyn M

2006-06-01

Teachers play a critical role in promoting interactions between students and engaging them in the learning process. This study builds on a study by Hertz-Lazarowitz and Shachar (1990) who found that during cooperative learning teachers' verbal behaviours were more helpful to and encouraging of their students' efforts while during whole-class instruction, their verbal behaviours tended to be more authoritarian, rigid, and impersonal. This study seeks to determine if teachers who implement cooperative learning engage in more facilitative learning interactions with their students than teachers who implement group work only. The study also seeks to determine if students in the cooperative groups model their teachers' behaviours and engage in more positive helping interactions with each other than their peers in the group work groups. The study involved 26 teachers and 303 students in Grades 8 to 10 from 4 large high schools in Brisbane, Australia. All teachers agreed to establish cooperative, small-group activities in their classrooms for a unit of work (4 to 6 weeks) once a term for 3 school terms. The teachers were audiotaped twice during these lessons and samples of the students' language, as they worked in their groups, were also collected at the same time. The results show that teachers who implement cooperative learning in their classrooms engage in more mediated-learning interactions and make fewer disciplinary comments than teachers who implement group work only. Furthermore, the students model many of these interactions in their groups. The study shows that when teachers implement cooperative learning, their verbal behaviour is affected by the organizational structure of the classroom.

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwering, Randolph E.

2002-01-01

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

[Flipped classroom as a strategy to enhance active learning].

PubMed

Wakabayashi, Noriyuki

2015-03-01

This paper reviews the introduction of a flipped class for fourth grade dentistry students, and analyzes the characteristics of the learning method. In fiscal 2013 and 2014, a series of ten three-hour units for removable partial prosthodontics were completed with the flipped class method; a lecture video of approximately 60 minutes was made by the teacher (author) and uploaded to the university's e-learning website one week before each class. Students were instructed to prepare for the class by watching the streaming video on their PC, tablet, or smartphone. In the flipped class, students were not given a lecture, but were asked to solve short questions displayed on screen, to make a short presentation about a part of the video lecture, and to discuss a critical question related to the main subject of the day. An additional team-based learning (TBL) session with individual and group answers was implemented. The average individual scores were considerably higher in the last two years, when the flipped method was implemented, than in the three previous years when conventional lectures were used. The following learning concepts were discussed: the role of the flipped method as an active learning strategy, the efficacy of lecture videos and short questions, students' participation in the class discussion, present-day value of the method, cooperation with TBL, the significance of active learning in relation with the students' learning ability, and the potential increase in the preparation time and workload for students.

The effect of active learning on college students' achievement, motivation, and self-efficacy in a human physiology course for non-majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilke, Roger Russell

2000-10-01

This study investigated the effects active learning strategies had on college students' achievement, motivation, and self-efficacy, in a human physiology course for non-majors. A continuum-based active learning instructional model was implemented over the course of a semester to assess the effects on the variables and specific student outcomes of learning mentioned above. In addition analyses were conducted to explore what learner characteristics contributed to the successful implementation of the model such as students' gender, classification, major, grade point average, ACT and SAT scores, motivation, and self-efficacy. A quasi-experimental, Solomon-4 Group design was undertaken on 171 students in a small west-Texas university. Treatment groups were taught using the model while controls were taught using traditional lecture methods. Students were administered a comprehensive physiology content exam, sections of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, and attitude surveys to assess the effects of the continuum-based active learning strategies. Factorial analyses indicated the treatment group acquired significantly more content knowledge and were significantly more self-efficacious than students in the control group. There were no significant differences in motivation. Factorial and modified regression analyses in the aptitude by treatment interaction exploration determined that males in the treatment group performed significantly better on the comprehensive physiology content exam versus males in the control group. While females performed better overall than males, there were no significant differences in achievement between females in the treatment group and those in the control. No significant interactions were found for the other learner characteristics. The results also indicated that students' general cognitive ability as measured by their grade point average, ACT, and SAT scores and their self-efficacy contributed significantly to their achievement. Attitude surveys indicated that students in both the treatment and control groups demonstrated a positive attitude toward active learning, believed it helped them to learn the material, and would choose an active learning course in the future if given the opportunity. This study demonstrated that continuum-based active learning strategies used in this context, improved students' content acquisition and self-efficacy and had wide applicability with a number of learner characteristics.

Design and Implementation of a 3D Multi-User Virtual World for Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ibanez, Maria Blanca; Garcia, Jose Jesus; Galan, Sergio; Maroto, David; Morillo, Diego; Kloos, Carlos Delgado

2011-01-01

The best way to learn is by having a good teacher and the best language learning takes place when the learner is immersed in an environment where the language is natively spoken. 3D multi-user virtual worlds have been claimed to be useful for learning, and the field of exploiting them for education is becoming more and more active thanks to the…

Project EAGLE (Early Academic Gifted Learning Experience): A Program for Gifted and Talented Students (Grades K-3)--Animals 3; Magnets; Sight; Geoboards 3; Dinosaurs 3; and Groups 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merkoski, Kay

Six thematic activity booklets are presented for implementing Project EAGLE, an enrichment program for gifted and talented primary-level children. "Animals 3" introduces endangered animals and locates their home areas on maps or globes, using nine learning activities involving science and creative writing. "Magnets" discusses…

'But This Isn't School': Exploring Tensions in the Intersection between School and Leisure Activities in Classroom Game Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Øygardslia, Kristine

2018-01-01

While there are several positive outcomes from implementing game design in a formal learning context, there are also challenges that have to be considered in order to improve game-based learning. This is explored in the article, using the concepts of "activity frames" and "stancetaking", focusing on the social organization of…

Usages and Impacts of the Integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTS) in Elementary Classrooms: Case Study of Swedish Municipality Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahlin, Johannes S.; Tsertsidis, Antony; Islam, M. Sirajul

2017-01-01

During recent years, many schools have started to implement information and communication technologies (ICTs)-based learning devices (such as laptops, tablets, mobile phones, and active boards) in the classroom settings in order to increase learning outcomes. The aim of this study is to find which activities and outcomes are evident in the usages…

Creating a Model of Acceptance: Preservice Teachers Interact with Non-English-Speaking Latino Parents Using Culturally Relevant Mathematics and Science Activities at Family Learning Events

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramirez, Olga; McCollough, Cherie A.; Diaz, Zulmaris

2016-01-01

The following describes a culturally relevant mathematics and science content program implemented by preservice teachers (PSTs) at Family Math/Science Learning Events (FM/SLEs) conducted through two different university programs in south Texas. These experiences are required course activities designed to inform PSTs of the importance of…

Weaving Common Threads: Reaching out to American Indians and Native Peoples of Alaska and the Pacific Islands

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

This report outlines the activities of the GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) Train-the-Trainer Workshop. Educators were introduced to the GLOBE protocols for Atmosphere, Hydrology, Soil and Land Cover. These protocols included measurement of pH, temperature, precipitation, salinity, and soil moisture content. Each topic included implementation plans and learning activities.

Constructing inquiry: One school's journey to develop an inquiry-based school for teachers and students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sisk-Hilton, Stephanie Lee

This study examines the two way relationship between an inquiry-based professional development model and teacher enactors. The two year study follows a group of teachers enacting the emergent Supporting Knowledge Integration for Inquiry Practice (SKIIP) professional development model. This study seeks to: (a) identify activity structures in the model that interact with teachers' underlying assumptions regarding professional development and inquiry learning; (b) explain key decision points during implementation in terms of these underlying assumptions; and (c) examine the impact of key activity structures on individual teachers' stated belief structures regarding inquiry learning. Linn's knowledge integration framework facilitates description and analysis of teacher development. Three sets of tensions emerge as themes that describe and constrain participants' interaction with and learning through the model. These are: learning from the group vs. learning on one's own; choosing and evaluating evidence based on impressions vs. specific criteria; and acquiring new knowledge vs. maintaining feelings of autonomy and efficacy. In each of these tensions, existing group goals and operating assumptions initially fell at one end of the tension, while the professional development goals and forms fell at the other. Changes to the model occurred as participants reacted to and negotiated these points of tension. As the group engaged in and modified the SKIIP model, they had repeated opportunities to articulate goals and to make connections between goals and model activity structures. Over time, decisions to modify the model took into consideration an increasingly complex set of underlying assumptions and goals. Teachers identified and sought to balance these tensions. This led to more complex and nuanced decision making, which reflected growing capacity to consider multiple goals in choosing activity structures to enact. The study identifies key activity structures that scaffolded this process for teachers, and which ultimately promoted knowledge integration at both the group and individual levels. This study is an "extreme case" which examines implementation of the SKIIP model under very favorable conditions. Lessons learned regarding appropriate levels of model responsiveness, likely areas of conflict between model form and teacher underlying assumptions, and activity structures that scaffold knowledge integration provide a starting point for future, larger scale implementation.

Development and evaluation of a training workshop for lay health promoters to implement a community-based intervention program in a public low rent housing estate: The Learning Families Project in Hong Kong

PubMed Central

Lai, Agnes Y.; Stewart, Sunita M.; Wan, Alice; Fok, Helen; Lai, Hebe Y. W.; Lam, Tai-hing; Chan, Sophia S.

2017-01-01

This paper presents the development and evaluation of the train-the-trainer (TTT) workshop for lay resident leaders to be lay health promoters. The TTT workshop aimed to prepare the trainees to implement and/or assist in conducting a series of community-based family well-being activities for the residents in a public low rent housing estate, entitled “Learning Families Project”, under the FAMILY project. The four-hour TTT workshop was conducted for 32 trainees (72% women, 43% aged ≥ 60, 41% ≤ elementary school education). The workshop aimed to promote trainees’ knowledge, self-efficacy, attitude and practice of incorporating the positive psychology themes into their community activities and engaging the residents to join these activities and learn with their family members. Post-training support was provided. The effectiveness of the TTT was examined by self-administered questionnaires about trainees’ reactions to training content, changes in learning and practice at three time points (baseline, and immediately and one year after training), and the difference in residents’ survey results before and after participating in the community activities delivered by the trainees. The trainees’ learning about the general concepts of family well-being, learning family, leadership skills and planning skills increased significantly with medium to large effect sizes (Cohen’s d: 0.5–1.4) immediately after the training. The effects of perceived knowledge and attitude towards practice were sustained to one year (Cohen’s d: 0.4–0.6). The application of planning skills to implement community activities was higher at one year (Cohen’s d: 0.4), compared with baseline. At one year, the residents’ survey results showed significant increases in the practice of positive communication behaviours and better neighbour cohesions after joining the family well-being activities of LFP. Qualitative feedback supported the quantitative results. Our TTT workshop could serve as a practical example of development and evaluation of training programs for lay personnel to be lay health promoters. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02844244 PMID:28841677

Development and evaluation of a training workshop for lay health promoters to implement a community-based intervention program in a public low rent housing estate: The Learning Families Project in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Lai, Agnes Y; Stewart, Sunita M; Wan, Alice; Fok, Helen; Lai, Hebe Y W; Lam, Tai-Hing; Chan, Sophia S

2017-01-01

This paper presents the development and evaluation of the train-the-trainer (TTT) workshop for lay resident leaders to be lay health promoters. The TTT workshop aimed to prepare the trainees to implement and/or assist in conducting a series of community-based family well-being activities for the residents in a public low rent housing estate, entitled "Learning Families Project", under the FAMILY project. The four-hour TTT workshop was conducted for 32 trainees (72% women, 43% aged ≥ 60, 41% ≤ elementary school education). The workshop aimed to promote trainees' knowledge, self-efficacy, attitude and practice of incorporating the positive psychology themes into their community activities and engaging the residents to join these activities and learn with their family members. Post-training support was provided. The effectiveness of the TTT was examined by self-administered questionnaires about trainees' reactions to training content, changes in learning and practice at three time points (baseline, and immediately and one year after training), and the difference in residents' survey results before and after participating in the community activities delivered by the trainees. The trainees' learning about the general concepts of family well-being, learning family, leadership skills and planning skills increased significantly with medium to large effect sizes (Cohen's d: 0.5-1.4) immediately after the training. The effects of perceived knowledge and attitude towards practice were sustained to one year (Cohen's d: 0.4-0.6). The application of planning skills to implement community activities was higher at one year (Cohen's d: 0.4), compared with baseline. At one year, the residents' survey results showed significant increases in the practice of positive communication behaviours and better neighbour cohesions after joining the family well-being activities of LFP. Qualitative feedback supported the quantitative results. Our TTT workshop could serve as a practical example of development and evaluation of training programs for lay personnel to be lay health promoters. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02844244.

Measuring Costs to Community-Based Agencies for Implementation of an Evidence-Based Practice.

PubMed

Lang, Jason M; Connell, Christian M

2017-01-01

Healthcare reform has led to an increase in dissemination of evidence-based practices. Cost is frequently cited as a significant yet rarely studied barrier to dissemination of evidence-based practices and the associated improvements in quality of care. This study describes an approach to measuring the incremental, unreimbursed costs in staff time and direct costs to community-based clinics implementing an evidence-based practice through participating in a learning collaborative. Initial implementation costs exceeding those for providing "treatment as usual" were collected for ten clinics implementing trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy through participation in 10-month learning collaboratives. Incremental implementation costs of these ten community-based clinic teams averaged the equivalent of US$89,575 (US$ 2012). The most costly activities were training, supervision, preparation time, and implementation team meetings. Recommendations are made for further research on implementation costs, dissemination of evidence-based practices, and implications for researchers and policy makers.

Active-learning laboratory session to teach the four M's of diabetes care.

PubMed

Darbishire, Patricia L; Plake, Kimberly S; Nash, Christiane L; Shepler, Brian M

2009-04-07

To implement an active-learning methodology for teaching diabetes care to pharmacy students and evaluate its effectiveness. Laboratory instruction was divided into 4 primary areas of diabetes care, referred to by the mnemonic, the 4 M's: meal planning, motion, medication, and monitoring. Students participated in skill-based learning laboratory stations and in simulated patient experiences. A pretest, retrospective pretest, and posttest were administered to measure improvements in students' knowledge about diabetes and confidence in providing care to diabetes patients. Students knowledge of and confidence in each area assessed improved. Students enjoyed the laboratory session and felt it contributed to their learning. An active-learning approach to teaching diabetes care allowed students to experience aspects of the disease from the patient's perspective. This approach will be incorporated in other content areas.

Moments: The Foxfire Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wigginton, Eliot

The high school journalism teacher who initiated the Foxfire Project discusses the memorable learning experiences and community studies in which students are involved as they develop and publish the Foxfire magazines. The author describes the project objectives and the successfully implemented teaching techniques and learning activities so that…

An Exponential Teaching Model for Educational Cablevision with Implications for an Advanced Degree Program in Applied Learning Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zink, J.

1976-01-01

The design and implementation of a cablevision delivered course on Grand Opera is described. The unique aspect of this project is that both the viewers and the production teams experienced active learning situations. (Author)

Improving Representational Competence with Concrete Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stieff, Mike; Scopelitis, Stephanie; Lira, Matthew E.; DeSutter, Dane

2016-01-01

Representational competence is a primary contributor to student learning in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines and an optimal target for instruction at all educational levels. We describe the design and implementation of a learning activity that uses concrete models to improve students' representational competence and…

Evaluation of Online Learning Modules for Improving Physical Activity Counseling Skills, Practices, and Knowledge of Oncology Nurses.

PubMed

Karvinen, Kristina H; Balneaves, Lynda; Courneya, Kerry S; Perry, Beth; Truant, Tracy; Vallance, Jeff

2017-11-01

To examine the effectiveness of online learning modules for improving physical activity counseling practices among oncology nurses. 
. Randomized, controlled trial.
. Online.
. 54 oncology nurses.
. Oncology nurses were randomly assigned to the learning modules group or control group. The learning modules group completed six online learning modules and quizzes focused on physical activity for cancer survivors, general physical activity principles, and motivational interviewing.
. Percentage of cancer survivors counseled, self-efficacy for physical activity counseling, knowledge of physical activity, and perceived barriers and benefits of physical activity counseling.
. Analyses of covariance revealed no significant difference between the learning modules and control groups in the percentage of cancer survivors that oncology nurses counseled. Significant differences were found in self-efficacy for physical activity counseling and perceived barriers to physical activity counseling at postintervention. 
. The online learning intervention tested in this study improved some parameters of physical activity counseling but did not increase the percentage of cancer survivors that oncology nurses counseled. Additional pilot work is needed to refine the intervention.
. This study suggests the potential utility of an evidence-based online learning strategy for oncology nurses that includes information on physical activity and its benefits in cancer survivorship. The findings offer a framework on how to implement physical activity counseling skills in oncology nursing practice.

Understanding active sampling strategies: Empirical approaches and implications for attention and decision research.

PubMed

Gottlieb, Jacqueline

2018-05-01

In natural behavior we actively gather information using attention and active sensing behaviors (such as shifts of gaze) to sample relevant cues. However, while attention and decision making are naturally coordinated, in the laboratory they have been dissociated. Attention is studied independently of the actions it serves. Conversely, decision theories make the simplifying assumption that the relevant information is given, and do not attempt to describe how the decision maker may learn and implement active sampling policies. In this paper I review recent studies that address questions of attentional learning, cue validity and information seeking in humans and non-human primates. These studies suggest that learning a sampling policy involves large scale interactions between networks of attention and valuation, which implement these policies based on reward maximization, uncertainty reduction and the intrinsic utility of cognitive states. I discuss the importance of using such paradigms for formalizing the role of attention, as well as devising more realistic theories of decision making that capture a broader range of empirical observations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Action Research Study from Implementing the Flipped Classroom Model in Primary School History Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aidinopoulou, Vasiliki; Sampson, Demetrios G.

2017-01-01

The benefits of the flipped classroom (FC) model in students' learning are claimed in many recent studies. These benefits are typically accounted to the pedagogically efficient use of classroom time for engaging students in active learning. Although there are several relevant studies for the deployment of the FC model in Science, Technology,…

Effects of a Metacognitive Intervention on Students' Approaches to Learning and Self-Efficacy in a First Year Medical Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papinczak, Tracey; Young, Louise; Groves, Michele; Haynes, Michele

2008-01-01

Aim: To determine the influence of metacognitive activities within the PBL tutorial environment on the development of deep learning approach, reduction in surface approach, and enhancement of individual learning self-efficacy. Method: Participants were first-year medical students (N = 213). A pre-test, post-test design was implemented with…

Significant Learning Experiences for English Foreign Language Students (Experiencias significativas para estudiantes de inglés como lengua extranjera)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becerra, Luz María; McNulty, Maria

2010-01-01

This action research examines experiences that students in a grade 10 EFL class had with redesigning a grammar-unit into a topic-based unit. Strategies were formulating significant learning goals and objectives, and implementing and reflecting on activities with three dimensions of Dee Fink's (2003) taxonomy of significant learning: the human…

Filling the Frame. Adult Education and Vocational Training Institute Guidelines for the Implementation of Integrated Curricula within the Certificates of General Education for Adults Framework.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New South Wales Dept. of Corrective Services, Sydney (Australia).

This document contains learning modules for adult basic education courses in Australia, along with teacher information for integrating curricula, using integrated themes, and planning curricula. The learning modules contain learning activities in the following areas: job search skills; occupational health and safety; life skills; ceramics;…

Analysis of the Use of Twitter as a Learning Strategy in Master's Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feliz, Tiberio; Ricoy, Carmen; Feliz, Sálvora

2013-01-01

The present study analyses the use of Twitter in the course Social Media and Digital Learning, taught as part of a master's programme at Universidad Nacional de Educacion a Distancia (Spain). The main purpose of the use of this resource was to develop a learning community. This was implemented through the micro design of activities. A mixed…

How Is the Learning Environment in Physics Lesson with Using 7E Model Teaching Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turgut, Umit; Colak, Alp; Salar, Riza

2017-01-01

The aim of this research is to reveal the results in the planning, implementation and evaluation of the process for learning environments to be designed in compliance with 7E learning cycle model in physics lesson. "Action research", which is a qualitative research pattern, is employed in this research in accordance with the aim of the…

Exploring Problem-Based Learning in the Context of High School Science: Design and Implementation Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodnough, Karen; Cashion, Marie

2006-01-01

This paper reports on the experiences of a small collaborative inquiry group consisting of a high school science teacher, Deidre, and two university researchers, the authors of this paper, as they explored an active, inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning referred to as Problem-Based Learning or PBL (Barrows, 1994; Barrows & Tamblyn,…

An artificial neural network model for periodic trajectory generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shankar, S.; Gander, R. E.; Wood, H. C.

A neural network model based on biological systems was developed for potential robotic application. The model consists of three interconnected layers of artificial neurons or units: an input layer subdivided into state and plan units, an output layer, and a hidden layer between the two outer layers which serves to implement nonlinear mappings between the input and output activation vectors. Weighted connections are created between the three layers, and learning is effected by modifying these weights. Feedback connections between the output and the input state serve to make the network operate as a finite state machine. The activation vector of the plan units of the input layer emulates the supraspinal commands in biological central pattern generators in that different plan activation vectors correspond to different sequences or trajectories being recalled, even with different frequencies. Three trajectories were chosen for implementation, and learning was accomplished in 10,000 trials. The fault tolerant behavior, adaptiveness, and phase maintenance of the implemented network are discussed.

Student-Centered Modules to Support Active Learning in Hydrology: Development Experiences and Users' Perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarboton, D. G.; Habib, E. H.; Deshotel, M.; Merck, M. F.; Lall, U.; Farnham, D. J.

2016-12-01

Traditional approaches to undergraduate hydrology and water resource education are textbook based, adopt unit processes and rely on idealized examples of specific applications, rather than examining the contextual relations in the processes and the dynamics connecting climate and ecosystems. The overarching goal of this project is to address the needed paradigm shift in undergraduate education of engineering hydrology and water resources education to reflect parallel advances in hydrologic research and technology, mainly in the areas of new observational settings, data and modeling resources and web-based technologies. This study presents efforts to develop a set of learning modules that are case-based, data and simulation driven and delivered via a web user interface. The modules are based on real-world case studies from three regional hydrologic settings: Coastal Louisiana, Utah Rocky Mountains and Florida Everglades. These three systems provide unique learning opportunities on topics such as: regional-scale budget analysis, hydrologic effects of human and natural changes, flashflood protection, climate-hydrology teleconnections and water resource management scenarios. The technical design and contents of the modules aim to support students' ability for transforming their learning outcomes and skills to hydrologic systems other than those used by the specific activity. To promote active learning, the modules take students through a set of highly engaging learning activities that are based on analysis of hydrologic data and model simulations. The modules include user support in the form of feedback and self-assessment mechanisms that are integrated within the online modules. Module effectiveness is assessed through an improvement-focused evaluation model using a mixed-method research approach guiding collection and analysis of evaluation data. Both qualitative and quantitative data are collected through student learning data, product analysis, and staff interviews. The presentation shares with the audience lessons learned from the development and implementation of the modules, students' feedback, guidelines on design and content attributes that support active learning in hydrology, and challenges encountered during the class implementation and evaluation of the modules.

Reinforcement active learning in the vibrissae system: optimal object localization.

PubMed

Gordon, Goren; Dorfman, Nimrod; Ahissar, Ehud

2013-01-01

Rats move their whiskers to acquire information about their environment. It has been observed that they palpate novel objects and objects they are required to localize in space. We analyze whisker-based object localization using two complementary paradigms, namely, active learning and intrinsic-reward reinforcement learning. Active learning algorithms select the next training samples according to the hypothesized solution in order to better discriminate between correct and incorrect labels. Intrinsic-reward reinforcement learning uses prediction errors as the reward to an actor-critic design, such that behavior converges to the one that optimizes the learning process. We show that in the context of object localization, the two paradigms result in palpation whisking as their respective optimal solution. These results suggest that rats may employ principles of active learning and/or intrinsic reward in tactile exploration and can guide future research to seek the underlying neuronal mechanisms that implement them. Furthermore, these paradigms are easily transferable to biomimetic whisker-based artificial sensors and can improve the active exploration of their environment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performance Based Education. Technology Activity Modules.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Custer, Rodney L., Ed.

These Technology Activity Modules are designed to serve as an implementation resource for technology education teachers as they integrate technology education with Missouri's Academic Performance Standards and provide a source of activities and activity ideas that can be used to integrate and reinforce learning across the curriculum. The modules…

An Active Learning Activity to Reinforce the Design Components of the Corticosteroids

PubMed Central

Mandela, Prashant

2018-01-01

Despite the popularity of active learning applications over the past few decades, few activities have been reported for the field of medicinal chemistry. The purpose of this study is to report a new active learning activity, describe participant contributions, and examine participant performance on the assessment questions mapped to the objective covered by the activity. In this particular activity, students are asked to design two novel corticosteroids as a group (6–8 students per group) based on the design characteristics of marketed corticosteroids covered in lecture coupled with their pharmaceutics knowledge from the previous semester and then defend their design to the class through an interactive presentation model. Although class performance on the objective mapped to this material on the assessment did not reach statistical significance, use of this activity has allowed fruitful discussion of misunderstood concepts and facilitated multiple changes to the lecture presentation. As pharmacy schools continue to emphasize alternative learning pedagogies, publication of previously implemented activities demonstrating their use will help others apply similar methodologies. PMID:29401733

An Active Learning Activity to Reinforce the Design Components of the Corticosteroids.

PubMed

Slauson, Stephen R; Mandela, Prashant

2018-02-05

Despite the popularity of active learning applications over the past few decades, few activities have been reported for the field of medicinal chemistry. The purpose of this study is to report a new active learning activity, describe participant contributions, and examine participant performance on the assessment questions mapped to the objective covered by the activity. In this particular activity, students are asked to design two novel corticosteroids as a group (6-8 students per group) based on the design characteristics of marketed corticosteroids covered in lecture coupled with their pharmaceutics knowledge from the previous semester and then defend their design to the class through an interactive presentation model. Although class performance on the objective mapped to this material on the assessment did not reach statistical significance, use of this activity has allowed fruitful discussion of misunderstood concepts and facilitated multiple changes to the lecture presentation. As pharmacy schools continue to emphasize alternative learning pedagogies, publication of previously implemented activities demonstrating their use will help others apply similar methodologies.

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

PubMed

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

2017-02-25

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

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

PubMed Central

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

2017-01-01

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

Team-based learning in a preclinical removable denture prosthesis module in a United Arab Emirates dental school.

PubMed

Haj-Ali, Reem; Al Quran, Firas

2013-03-01

The purpose of this article is to describe the implementation of a team-based learning (TBL) approach in a removable denture prosthesis (RDP) module and present the results of students' performance in individual and group TBL activities and exam scores, students' experience with TBL and end of course evaluations, and faculty feedback. Course material at the College of Dentistry, University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, was transformed into seven conventional lectures and seven TBL sessions. Each TBL session consisted of pre-assigned reading (self-directed learning), in-class individual and group readiness tests (accountability), team problem-solving of patient RDP cases, and faculty-led class discussion (knowledge application). The course was assessed through scores from TBL session activities and course examinations, student satisfaction survey, and faculty feedback. Course grades were found to be higher using the TBL method then the traditional lecture-based method. Student evaluation data and faculty response indicated strong support for TBL as it was implemented in the course. The faculty noted a higher level of student engagement with team learning than in conventional class lecturing. TBL is an active-learning instructional strategy for courses with high student-to-faculty ratios. This approach provides regular feedback and the opportunity for students to develop higher reasoning skills.

Vodcasts and active-learning exercises in a "flipped classroom" model of a renal pharmacotherapy module.

PubMed

Pierce, Richard; Fox, Jeremy

2012-12-12

To implement a "flipped classroom" model for a renal pharmacotherapy topic module and assess the impact on pharmacy students' performance and attitudes. Students viewed vodcasts (video podcasts) of lectures prior to the scheduled class and then discussed interactive cases of patients with end-stage renal disease in class. A process-oriented guided inquiry learning (POGIL) activity was developed and implemented that complemented, summarized, and allowed for application of the material contained in the previously viewed lectures. Students' performance on the final examination significantly improved compared to performance of students the previous year who completed the same module in a traditional classroom setting. Students' opinions of the POGIL activity and the flipped classroom instructional model were mostly positive. Implementing a flipped classroom model to teach a renal pharmacotherapy module resulted in improved student performance and favorable student perceptions about the instructional approach. Some of the factors that may have contributed to students' improved scores included: student mediated contact with the course material prior to classes, benchmark and formative assessments administered during the module, and the interactive class activities.

Integration of Problem-based Learning and Innovative Technology Into a Self-Care Course

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Objective. To assess the integration of problem-based learning and technology into a self-care course. Design. Problem-based learning (PBL) activities were developed and implemented in place of lectures in a self-care course. Students used technology, such as computer-generated virtual patients and iPads, during the PBL sessions. Assessments. Students’ scores on post-case quizzes were higher than on pre-case quizzes used to assess baseline knowledge. Student satisfaction with problem-based learning and the use of technology in the course remained consistent throughout the semester. Conclusion. Integrating problem-based learning and technology into a self-care course enabled students to become active learners. PMID:23966730

Professional development in statistics, technology, and cognitively demanding tasks: classroom implementation and obstacles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foley, Gregory D.; Bakr Khoshaim, Heba; Alsaeed, Maha; Nihan Er, S.

2012-03-01

Attending professional development programmes can support teachers in applying new strategies for teaching mathematics and statistics. This study investigated (a) the extent to which the participants in a professional development programme subsequently used the techniques they had learned when teaching mathematics and statistics and (b) the obstacles they encountered in enacting cognitively demanding instructional tasks in their classrooms. The programme created an intellectual learning community among the participants and helped them gain confidence as teachers of statistics, and the students of participating teachers became actively engaged in deep mathematical thinking. The participants indicated, however, that time, availability of resources and students' prior achievement critically affected the implementation of cognitively demanding instructional activities.

Katimavik Out-Trip Protocol.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OPCAN, Montreal (Quebec).

A supplement to the active leisure learning student manual for Katimavik (the 9-month volunteer community service and experiential learning program for 17-21 year old Canadians) provides in greater detail the procedure for preparing and implementing the Outdoor Wilderness Trip. Sections presented are definition of terms, national training,…

Flipping Engineering Courses: A School Wide Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Renee M.; Besterfield-Sacre, Mary; Budny, Daniel; Bursic, Karen M.; Clark, William W.; Norman, Bryan A.; Parker, Robert S.; Patzer, John F., II; Slaughter, William S.

2016-01-01

In the 2013-2014 school year, we implemented the "flipped classroom" as part of an initiative to drive active learning, student engagement and enhanced learning in our school. The flipped courses consisted of freshman through senior engineering classes in introductory programming, statics/mechanics, mechanical design, bio-thermodynamics,…

Creation and implementation of a flipped jigsaw activity to stimulate interest in biochemistry among medical students.

PubMed

Williams, Charlene; Perlis, Susan; Gaughan, John; Phadtare, Sangita

2018-05-06

Learner-centered pedagogical methods that are based on clinical application of basic science concepts through active learning and problem solving are shown to be effective for improving knowledge retention. As the clinical relevance of biochemistry is not always apparent to health-profession students, effective teaching of medical biochemistry should highlight the implications of biochemical concepts in pathology, minimize memorization, and make the concepts memorable for long-term retention. Here, we report the creation and successful implementation of a flipped jigsaw activity that was developed to stimulate interest in learning biochemistry among medical students. The activity combined the elements of a flipped classroom for learning concepts followed by a jigsaw activity to retrieve these concepts by solving clinical cases, answering case-based questions, and creating concept maps. The students' reception of the activity was very positive. They commented that the activity provided them an opportunity to review and synthesize information, helped to gage their learning by applying this information and work with peers. Students' improved performance especially for answering the comprehension-based questions correctly in the postquiz as well as the depth of information included in the postquiz concept maps suggested that the activity helped them to understand how different clinical scenarios develop owing to deviations in basic biochemical pathways. Although this activity was created for medical students, the format of this activity can also be useful for other health-professional students as well as undergraduate and graduate students. © 2018 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2018. © 2018 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Scaling-up an efficacious school-based physical activity intervention: Study protocol for the 'Internet-based Professional Learning to help teachers support Activity in Youth' (iPLAY) cluster randomized controlled trial and scale-up implementation evaluation.

PubMed

Lonsdale, Chris; Sanders, Taren; Cohen, Kristen E; Parker, Philip; Noetel, Michael; Hartwig, Tim; Vasconcellos, Diego; Kirwan, Morwenna; Morgan, Philip; Salmon, Jo; Moodie, Marj; McKay, Heather; Bennie, Andrew; Plotnikoff, Ron; Cinelli, Renata L; Greene, David; Peralta, Louisa R; Cliff, Dylan P; Kolt, Gregory S; Gore, Jennifer M; Gao, Lan; Lubans, David R

2016-08-24

Despite the health benefits of regular physical activity, most children are insufficiently active. Schools are ideally placed to promote physical activity; however, many do not provide children with sufficient in-school activity or ensure they have the skills and motivation to be active beyond the school setting. The aim of this project is to modify, scale up and evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention previously shown to be efficacious in improving children's physical activity, fundamental movement skills and cardiorespiratory fitness. The 'Internet-based Professional Learning to help teachers support Activity in Youth' (iPLAY) study will focus largely on online delivery to enhance translational capacity. The intervention will be implemented at school and teacher levels, and will include six components: (i) quality physical education and school sport, (ii) classroom movement breaks, (iii) physically active homework, (iv) active playgrounds, (v) community physical activity links and (vi) parent/caregiver engagement. Experienced physical education teachers will deliver professional learning workshops and follow-up, individualized mentoring to primary teachers (i.e., Kindergarten - Year 6). These activities will be supported by online learning and resources. Teachers will then deliver the iPLAY intervention components in their schools. We will evaluate iPLAY in two complementary studies in primary schools across New South Wales (NSW), Australia. A cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT), involving a representative sample of 20 schools within NSW (1:1 allocation at the school level to intervention and attention control conditions), will assess effectiveness and cost-effectiveness at 12 and 24 months. Students' cardiorespiratory fitness will be the primary outcome in this trial. Key secondary outcomes will include students' moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (via accelerometers), fundamental movement skill proficiency, enjoyment of physical education and sport, cognitive control, performance on standardized tests of numeracy and literacy, and cost-effectiveness. A scale-up implementation study guided by the RE-AIM framework will evaluate the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of the intervention when delivered in 160 primary schools in urban and regional areas of NSW. This project will provide the evidence and a framework for government to guide physical activity promotion throughout NSW primary schools and a potential model for adoption in other states and countries. Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ( ACTRN12616000731493 ). Date of registration: June 3, 2016.

OPUS One: An Intelligent Adaptive Learning Environment Using Artificial Intelligence Support

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedrazzoli, Attilio

2010-06-01

AI based Tutoring and Learning Path Adaptation are well known concepts in e-Learning scenarios today and increasingly applied in modern learning environments. In order to gain more flexibility and to enhance existing e-learning platforms, the OPUS One LMS Extension package will enable a generic Intelligent Tutored Adaptive Learning Environment, based on a holistic Multidimensional Instructional Design Model (PENTHA ID Model), allowing AI based tutoring and adaptation functionality to existing Web-based e-learning systems. Relying on "real time" adapted profiles, it allows content- / course authors to apply a dynamic course design, supporting tutored, collaborative sessions and activities, as suggested by modern pedagogy. The concept presented combines a personalized level of surveillance, learning activity- and learning path adaptation suggestions to ensure the students learning motivation and learning success. The OPUS One concept allows to implement an advanced tutoring approach combining "expert based" e-tutoring with the more "personal" human tutoring function. It supplies the "Human Tutor" with precise, extended course activity data and "adaptation" suggestions based on predefined subject matter rules. The concept architecture is modular allowing a personalized platform configuration.

Service-Learning Enhances Physical Therapy Students' Ability to Examine Fall Risk in Older Adults.

PubMed

Nordon-Craft, Amy; Schwarz, Brandy; Kowalewski, Victoria; Hartos, Jessica; Jurado Severance, Jennifer; Bugnariu, Nicoleta

2017-01-01

Service-learning (SL) is one educational methodology that provides students opportunities to practice and refine affective, cognitive and psychomotor skills in a community-based setting. The aims of this study were: 1) to investigate the impact of SL on physical therapy (PT) students' attitudes and perceived clinical competence when working with older adults, and 2) to evaluate the difference between perceptions of students who developed and implemented the SL activity vs those who implemented only. Eighty PT students, (from two consecutive cohorts) enrolled in a first-year geriatrics course, participated in this study. The first cohort designed and implemented the SL activities, while the second cohort only implemented these activities. Student self-perceived anxiety, confidence, knowledge and skills were assessed by pre- and post-SL surveys using a 5- point Likert-like scale. Both cohorts reported similar anxiety and confidence levels pre-SL. For both cohorts, with the exception of one item, all responses to anxiety items significantly decreased from pre- to post-SL. All students' confidence levels for assessing and mitigating fall risk in older adults increased post-SL (p<0.01). Moreover, students in cohort 1, who designed and delivered SL activities, expressed self-perceived improvement in their ability to interpret results of evaluations, to determine type and severity of balance impairments, and to serve a geriatric population (p<0.05) compared to students in cohort 2 who only implemented the activities. Embedding SL into a geriatrics course decreased self-perceived anxiety and improved student confidence regarding working with older adults. Also, empowering students to be actively involved in the design and implementation of SL increased self-perceived ability in interpreting results from assessments.

Empowering Students' Proof Learning through Communal Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ko, Yi-Yin; Yee, Sean P.; Bleiler-Baxter, Sarah K.; Boyle, Justin D.

2016-01-01

This article describes the authors' three-component instructional sequence--a before-class activity, a during-class activity, and an after-class activity--which supports students in becoming self-regulated proof learners by actively developing class-based criteria for proof. All four authors implemented this sequence in their classrooms, and the…

Student Preferences Regarding Teaching Methods in a Drug-Induced Diseases and Clinical Toxicology Course

PubMed Central

Gim, Suzanna

2013-01-01

Objectives. To determine which teaching method in a drug-induced diseases and clinical toxicology course was preferred by students and whether their preference correlated with their learning of drug-induced diseases. Design. Three teaching methods incorporating active-learning exercises were implemented. A survey instrument was developed to analyze students’ perceptions of the active-learning methods used and how they compared to the traditional teaching method (lecture). Examination performance was then correlated to students’ perceptions of various teaching methods. Assessment. The majority of the 107 students who responded to the survey found traditional lecture significantly more helpful than active-learning methods (p=0.01 for all comparisons). None of the 3 active-learning methods were preferred over the others. No significant correlations were found between students’ survey responses and examination performance. Conclusions. Students preferred traditional lecture to other instructional methods. Learning was not influenced by the teaching method or by preference for a teaching method. PMID:23966726

Favorite Lesson Plans: Powerful Standards-Based Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilen, William W., Ed.

This collection of lesson plans helps social studies teachers and teacher educators implement the various national and state standards in their classrooms. The collection illustrates how classroom implementation can be achieved through the application of the powerful teaching and learning principles devised by National Council for the Social…

Designing and Implementing Online Professional Development Workshops

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleiman, Glenn; Dash, Terry; Ethier, Denise; Johnson, Kirsten; Metrick, Susan; Treacy, Barbara

2000-01-01

This report provides useful information for those who are planning to incorporate online learning into professional development programs, as well as those who will design and implement online professional development activities. The Education Development center, Inc. (EDC) Center for Online Professional Education is continuing to explore this new…

Integrated Nutrition Education: Senior High.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Illinois State Board of Education, Springfield.

Designed for implementation across the school year in existing curriculum areas, 18 nutrition activity units for high school students are provided. Each activity unit consists of a list of coordinated curriculum areas, a statement of objectives, guidelines for teachers, a list of learning activities, and bibliographic citations. Various…

Students Active in Leadership.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brutcher, Robert

2001-01-01

Describes SAIL (Students Active in Leadership) as a school-based, youth-directed group. States that the program helps teenagers learn leadership skills by developing and implementing community service activities. SAIL finds partners with whom to collaborate among local businesses, government, and health associations, and these partners provide the…

Ethical Considerations for Educational Research in a Virtual World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Girvan, C.; Savage, T.

2012-01-01

The combination of features in virtual worlds provides an opportunity to implement and research unique learning experiences. With increasing interest and activity from the educational research community, exploring virtual worlds for teaching and learning, there is a need to identify and understand the ethical implications of conducting research in…

Universal Design for Learning and School Libraries: A Logical Partnership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, David E.

2017-01-01

This article will explore the basic tenets of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in relation to collaborative curriculum development and implementation; provide a case study examination of UDL principles in action; and suggest school library curricular activities that provide opportunities for multiple means of representation, action, and…

Twitter as a Learning Community in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ricoy, María-Carmen; Feliz, Tiberio

2016-01-01

Considering the potential and popularity of social media it is important to inquire into its use in learning. In this study the implementation of the activity carried out in Twitter with higher education students was analysed. The research was conducted following a mixed methodology, based on virtual ethnography complemented by quantitative…

Creativity Development: The Role of Foreign Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sadykova, Aida G.; Shelestova, Olga V.

2016-01-01

The relevance of the present research stems from the need to consider the ways of preventing conflicts between the objective necessity of development of students' creative activity in the learning process, and insufficient development of pedagogical conditions for its effective implementation in theoretical and methodological terms. The article is…

Using Intelligent Tutor Technology to Implement Adaptive Support for Student Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diziol, Dejana; Walker, Erin; Rummel, Nikol; Koedinger, Kenneth R.

2010-01-01

Research on computer-supported collaborative learning has shown that students need support to benefit from collaborative activities. While classical collaboration scripts have been effective in providing such support, they have also been criticized for being coercive and not allowing students to self-regulate their learning. Adaptive collaboration…

Enrichment in Massachusetts Expanded Learning Time (ELT) Schools. Issue Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caven, Meghan; Checkoway, Amy; Gamse, Beth; Luck, Rachel; Wu, Sally

2012-01-01

This brief highlights key information about enrichment activities, which represent one of the main components of the Massachusetts Expanded Learning Time (ELT) initiative. Over time, the ELT initiative has supported over two dozen schools across the Commonwealth. A comprehensive evaluation of the ELT initiative found that implementation of the…

Collaboration Creation: Lessons Learned from Establishing an Online Professional Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Colin; Smyth, Keith

2012-01-01

This paper describes the design, implementation, evaluation and further refinement of an ELGG-based social networking site to support professional development activity, project group and special interest groups, and the discussion and sharing of educational experiences and resources across Edinburgh Napier University in the United Kingdom.…

Professional Development of PMRI Teachers for Introducing Social Norms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Putri, Ratu Ilma Indra; Dolk, Maarten; Zulkardi

2015-01-01

This paper reports implementation results of designing a workshop for mathematics teachers in introducing classroom social norms. The participants are eight mathematics teachers in primary and junior secondary level. Teachers learned and did some activities about social norms during the workshop. First, they watched an example of learning videos…

Useful Expressions for Implementing Cooperative Learning in English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asakawa, Machiko; Kanamaru, Ayako; Plaza, Taron; Shiramizu, Chie

2016-01-01

With the Ministry of Education, Sports, Science and Technology calling for junior and senior high school English classes in Japan to be more communicative and taught in English, teachers need effective tools to help make their classrooms more interactive. Cooperative learning activities have the potential to increase interaction among students and…

Empowering English through Project-Based Learning with ICT

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marwan, Ardi

2015-01-01

This paper reports the findings of an action research implementing project-based learning (PBL) with information and communication technology (ICT) in an English classroom. Twenty-five students from a vocational higher institution were interviewed after the conduct of three project activities over a six-week period. They were also observed while…

Snap! Catch Students' Attention with Mousetrap Vehicles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Ed; Gonzalez-Espada, Wilson J.

2006-01-01

The current paradigm in science education calls for greater emphasis on guiding students in active and extended scientific inquiry. This is supported by research suggesting that using a hands-on approach to learning fosters ownership in the learning process and allows students to gain greater appreciation for the design and implementation of…

Distance Learning and Assistance Using Smart Glasses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spitzer, Michael; Nanic, Ibrahim; Ebner, Martin

2018-01-01

With the everyday growth of technology, new possibilities arise to support activities of everyday life. In education and training, more and more digital learning materials are emerging, but there is still room for improvement. This research study describes the implementation of a smart glasses app and infrastructure to support distance learning…

Learning to Teach: Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Adventure-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sutherland, Sue; Stuhr, Paul T.; Ayvazo, Shiri

2016-01-01

Background: Many alternative curricular models exist in physical education to better meet the needs of students than the multi-activity team sports curriculum that dominates in the USA. These alternative curricular models typically require different content knowledge (CK) and pedagogical CK (PCK) to implement successfully. One of the complexities…

A Constructivist Application for Online Learning in Music

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keast, Dan A.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this article is to extend the published knowledge and practices of distance learning in music to include constructivism. Dan Keast describes his techniques for the implementation of constructivism to an online two-course series of Music History. The courses' structure, activities, assessments, and other key functionality components…

Management and integration of engineering and construction activities: Lessons learned from the AP1000{sup R} nuclear power plant China project

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

McCullough, M. C.; Ebeling-Koning, D.; Evans, M. C.

2012-07-01

The lessons learned during the early phase of design engineering and construction activities for the AP1000 China Project can be applied to any project involving multiple disciplines and multiple organizations. Implementation of a first-of-a-kind design to directly support construction activities utilizing resources assigned to design development and design delivery creates challenges with prioritization of activities, successful closure of issues, and communication between site organizations and the home office. To ensure successful implementation, teams were assigned and developed to directly support construction activities including prioritization of activities, site communication and ensuring closure of site emergent issues. By developing these teams, themore » organization is better suited to meet the demands of the construction schedule while continuing with design evolution of a standard plant and engineering delivery for multiple projects. For a successful project, proper resource utilization and prioritization are key for overcoming obstacles and ensuring success of the engineering organization. (authors)« less

Promoting Climate Literacy within the 21CCLC Afterschool Community through the Development of a GLOBE Atmosphere Investigation: A Partnership between the United States Department of Education and NASA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harte, T.; Taylor, J.

2017-12-01

NASA Langley Research Center, in partnership with the United States Department of Education, developed and supported implementation of a GLOBE Atmosphere Investigation project designed for the US Department of Education's afterschool program, 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21CCLC). This project was developed for the middle school audience with the informal educator in mind, with guided activities to ensure successful completion of the investigation. Through an integration of GLOBE Program data collection protocols and NASA learning activities the content unfolded within a set of sequential learning outcomes resulting in a product suited to a variety of informal education settings. To further ensure the success of the project, 21CCLC facilitators attended an in-person GLOBE training during which they received a step-by-step pacing guide for implementing each of the learning activities. As part of the in-person training facilitators participated in each of the learning activities, increasing their confidence and ability to implement them successfully with their students. In the spring, facilitators implementing the investigation with students participated in bi-weekly phone calls with the project lead as a means of monitoring the status of the investigation and providing support. During the investigation, students conducted "real science" through authentic data collection that focused on relationships between clouds, surface temperature and our Earth's energy budget. Each student received a science research journal in which they conducted their investigation and recorded their data, with the option of entering their data into the GLOBE database, providing them an opportunity to compare their data with that of other locations around the world. Data entry was simplified by using the GLOBE Observer App, making this option much more feasible for the afterschool audience. Students presented the results of their project to their peers, community, and state-level afterschool participants and stakeholders in a culminating project event, highlighting their successes and promoting communication as a key element of the scientific research process.

Active-Learning Laboratory Session to Teach the Four M's of Diabetes Care

PubMed Central

Plake, Kimberly S.; Nash, Christiane L.; Shepler, Brian M.

2009-01-01

Objective To implement an active-learning methodology for teaching diabetes care to pharmacy students and evaluate its effectiveness. Design Laboratory instruction was divided into 4 primary areas of diabetes care, referred to by the mnemonic, the 4 M's: meal planning, motion, medication, and monitoring. Students participated in skill-based learning laboratory stations and in simulated patient experiences. A pretest, retrospective pretest, and posttest were administered to measure improvements in students' knowledge about diabetes and confidence in providing care to diabetes patients. Assessment Students knowledge of and confidence in each area assessed improved. Students enjoyed the laboratory session and felt it contributed to their learning. Conclusion An active-learning approach to teaching diabetes care allowed students to experience aspects of the disease from the patient's perspective. This approach will be incorporated in other content areas. PMID:19513160

Learning outcomes through the cooperative learning team assisted individualization on research methodology’ course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pakpahan, N. F. D. B.

2018-01-01

All articles must contain an abstract. The research methodology is a subject in which the materials must be understood by the students who will take the thesis. Implementation of learning should create the conditions for active learning, interactive and effective are called Team Assisted Individualization (TAI) cooperative learning. The purpose of this study: 1) improving student learning outcomes at the course research methodology on TAI cooperative learning. 2) improvement of teaching activities. 3) improvement of learning activities. This study is a classroom action research conducted at the Department of Civil Engineering Universitas Negeri Surabaya. The research subjects were 30 students and lecturer of courses. Student results are complete in the first cycle by 20 students (67%) and did not complete 10 students (33%). In the second cycle students who complete being 26 students (87%) and did not complete 4 students (13%). There is an increase in learning outcomes by 20%. Results of teaching activities in the first cycle obtained the value of 3.15 with the criteria enough well. In the second cycle obtained the value of 4.22 with good criterion. The results of learning activities in the first cycle obtained the value of 3.05 with enough criterion. In the second cycle was obtained 3.95 with good criterion.

The Integrated Framework of College Class Activities--Using Learn Mode with the Introduction of Educational Technology as an Example

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsai, Chia-Ling; Ku, David Tawei

2014-01-01

This paper takes the undergraduate course "The Introduction of Educational Technology" as an example, and carries out the practice based on the application of Learn Mode. In Taiwan, there were plenty of attempts for the implementation of mobile learning on both elementary and high schools; yet, it has not been extended to the higher…

Exploring Problem Based Learning to Promote 21st Century Learning Skills in Full Day Kindergarten

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsoukalas, Jillian M.

2012-01-01

The kindergarten program at the study site transitioned from half day to full day, yet the curriculum was not updated to accommodate the full day schedule, or to include best practices. In order to prepare learners for their future in education, activities were implemented to determine how problem based learning can promote acquisition of the 21st…

Blended Learning: Across the Disciplines, across the Academy. New Pedagogies and Practices for Teaching in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glazer, Francine S., Ed.

2011-01-01

This is a practical introduction to blended learning, presenting examples of implementation across a broad spectrum of disciplines. For faculty unfamiliar with this mode of teaching, it illustrates how to address the core challenge of blended learning--to link the activities in each medium so that they reinforce each other to create a single,…

PEARLs, Problems and Politics: Exploring Findings from Two Teaching and Learning Projects in Indigenous Australian Studies at the University of Queensland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mackinlay, Elizabeth; Barney, Katelyn

2014-01-01

This article explores the implementation of PEARL (Political, Embodied, Active, and Reflective Learning) in two courses at The University of Queensland: a first-year introductory Indigenous Studies course and a second year Indigenous Education course. We draw on findings from a 2-year (2010-2011) Office for Learning and Teaching (then ALTC) funded…

Understanding the challenges to facilitating active learning in the resident conferences: a qualitative study of internal medicine faculty and resident perspectives.

PubMed

Sawatsky, Adam P; Zickmund, Susan L; Berlacher, Kathryn; Lesky, Dan; Granieri, Rosanne

2015-01-01

In the Next Accreditation System, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education outlines milestones for medical knowledge and requires regular didactic sessions in residency training. There are many challenges to facilitating active learning in resident conferences, and we need to better understand resident learning preferences and faculty perspectives on facilitating active learning. The goal of this study was to identify challenges to facilitating active learning in resident conferences, both through identifying specific implementation barriers and identifying differences in perspective between faculty and residents on effective teaching and learning strategies. The investigators invited core residency faculty to participate in focus groups. The investigators used a semistructured guide to facilitate discussion about learning preferences and teaching perspectives in the conference setting and used an 'editing approach' within a grounded theory framework to qualitative analysis to code the transcripts and analyze the results. Data were compared to previously collected data from seven resident focus groups. Three focus groups with 20 core faculty were conducted. We identified three domains pertaining to facilitating active learning in resident conferences: barriers to facilitating active learning formats, similarities and differences in faculty and resident learning preferences, and divergence between faculty and resident opinions about effective teaching strategies. Faculty identified several setting, faculty, and resident barriers to facilitating active learning in resident conferences. When compared to residents, faculty expressed similar learning preferences; the main differences were in motivations for conference attendance and type of content. Resident preferences and faculty perspectives differed on the amount of information appropriate for lecture and the role of active participation in resident conferences. This study highlights several challenges to facilitating active learning in resident conferences and provides insights for residency faculty who seek to transform the conference learning environment within their residency program.

Correlation between active-learning coursework and student retention of core content during advanced pharmacy practice experiences.

PubMed

Lucas, Kristy H; Testman, Julie A; Hoyland, Marcella N; Kimble, Angel M; Euler, Mary L

2013-10-14

To implement an active-learning approach in a pharmacotherapy course sequence in the second year (P2) and third (P3) year of a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program and determine whether the pedagogical changes correlated with retention of core content in the fourth year (P4). Class sessions were transitioned from slides-based lectures to discussion-based active-learning pedagogy. A comprehensive examination was created and administered to assess student retention of therapeutic topics taught. Students demonstrated significantly improved overall scores on questions derived from the active-learning pedagogy used in Pharmacotherapy II and III compared to those derived from Pharmacotherapy I in which content was delivered by lecture. The use of active-learning strategies over lecture-based methods in pharmacotherapy courses resulted in higher retention of core content. Students' performance in areas taught using the discussion-based methodology was superior to that which was taught using lecture-based slide presentations.

Correlation Between Active-Learning Coursework and Student Retention of Core Content During Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences

PubMed Central

Testman, Julie A.; Hoyland, Marcella N.; Kimble, Angel M.; Euler, Mary L.

2013-01-01

Objective. To implement an active-learning approach in a pharmacotherapy course sequence in the second year (P2) and third (P3) year of a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program and determine whether the pedagogical changes correlated with retention of core content in the fourth year (P4). Design. Class sessions were transitioned from slides-based lectures to discussion-based active-learning pedagogy. Assessment. A comprehensive examination was created and administered to assess student retention of therapeutic topics taught. Students demonstrated significantly improved overall scores on questions derived from the active-learning pedagogy used in Pharmacotherapy II and III compared to those derived from Pharmacotherapy I in which content was delivered by lecture. Conclusion. The use of active-learning strategies over lecture-based methods in pharmacotherapy courses resulted in higher retention of core content. Students’ performance in areas taught using the discussion-based methodology was superior to that which was taught using lecture-based slide presentations. PMID:24159212

Auto-programmable impulse neural circuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watula, D.; Meador, J.

1990-01-01

Impulse neural networks use pulse trains to communicate neuron activation levels. Impulse neural circuits emulate natural neurons at a more detailed level than that typically employed by contemporary neural network implementation methods. An impulse neural circuit which realizes short term memory dynamics is presented. The operation of that circuit is then characterized in terms of pulse frequency modulated signals. Both fixed and programmable synapse circuits for realizing long term memory are also described. The implementation of a simple and useful unsupervised learning law is then presented. The implementation of a differential Hebbian learning rule for a specific mean-frequency signal interpretation is shown to have a straightforward implementation using digital combinational logic with a variation of a previously developed programmable synapse circuit. This circuit is expected to be exploited for simple and straightforward implementation of future auto-adaptive neural circuits.

E-learning implementation in superior technical educational system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Musca, Gavril; Mihalache, Andrei; Musca, Elena

2016-11-01

E-learning methods apply to most modern and various domains but also represent a great tool for the mechanical educational system where there are a lot of sustained efforts for its implementation. Using, administrating and maintaining an e-learning system for a certain field of study requires knowledge related to computation system's utilization but also the understanding the working mechanisms behind it that allows the system to be fully customized in order to be perfect fitted to the user's needs and requirements. A Moodle based test is evaluated from several points of views such as coherence clarity, concise content, information synthesis capacity and the presentation mode which makes the difference between clear or fuzzy graphical representations or terms. The authors appreciate that the ability of managing information in real time by the professor is a decisive decision in order to successfully implement an e-learning web platform. Updating information and structuring trainee's activities from thoroughgoing study up to their individual proposals for conceived applications leads to a better understanding and practical knowledge of theory.

Faculty Development Program Models to Advance Teaching and Learning Within Health Science Programs

PubMed Central

Lancaster, Jason W.; Stein, Susan M.; MacLean, Linda Garrelts; Van Amburgh, Jenny

2014-01-01

Within health science programs there has been a call for more faculty development, particularly for teaching and learning. The primary objectives of this review were to describe the current landscape for faculty development programs for teaching and learning and make recommendations for the implementation of new faculty development programs. A thorough search of the pertinent health science databases was conducted, including the Education Resource Information Center (ERIC), MEDLINE, and EMBASE, and faculty development books and relevant information found were reviewed in order to provide recommendations for best practices. Faculty development for teaching and learning comes in a variety of forms, from individuals charged to initiate activities to committees and centers. Faculty development has been effective in improving faculty perceptions on the value of teaching, increasing motivation and enthusiasm for teaching, increasing knowledge and behaviors, and disseminating skills. Several models exist that can be implemented to support faculty teaching development. Institutions need to make informed decisions about which plan could be most successfully implemented in their college or school. PMID:24954939

Faculty development program models to advance teaching and learning within health science programs.

PubMed

Lancaster, Jason W; Stein, Susan M; MacLean, Linda Garrelts; Van Amburgh, Jenny; Persky, Adam M

2014-06-17

Within health science programs there has been a call for more faculty development, particularly for teaching and learning. The primary objectives of this review were to describe the current landscape for faculty development programs for teaching and learning and make recommendations for the implementation of new faculty development programs. A thorough search of the pertinent health science databases was conducted, including the Education Resource Information Center (ERIC), MEDLINE, and EMBASE, and faculty development books and relevant information found were reviewed in order to provide recommendations for best practices. Faculty development for teaching and learning comes in a variety of forms, from individuals charged to initiate activities to committees and centers. Faculty development has been effective in improving faculty perceptions on the value of teaching, increasing motivation and enthusiasm for teaching, increasing knowledge and behaviors, and disseminating skills. Several models exist that can be implemented to support faculty teaching development. Institutions need to make informed decisions about which plan could be most successfully implemented in their college or school.

Health promotion in medical education: lessons from a major undergraduate curriculum implementation.

PubMed

Wylie, Ann; Leedham-Green, Kathleen

2017-11-01

Despite the economic, environmental and patient-related imperatives to prepare medical students to become health promoting doctors, health promotion remains relatively deprioritised in medical curricula. This paper uses an in-depth case study of a health promotion curriculum implementation at a large UK medical school to provide insights into the experiences of teachers and learners across a range of topics, pedagogies, and teaching & assessment modalities. Topics included smoking cessation, behavioural change approaches to obesity, exercise prescribing, social prescribing, maternal and child health, public and global health; with pedagogies ranging from e-learning to practice-based project work. Qualitative methods including focus groups, analysis of reflective learning submissions, and evaluation data are used to illuminate motivations, frustrations, practicalities, successes and limiting factors. Over this three year implementation, a range of challenges have been highlighted including: how adequately to prepare and support clinical teachers; the need to establish relevance and importance to strategic learners; the need for experiential learning in clinical environments to support classroom-based activities; and the need to rebalance competing aspects of the curriculum. Conclusions are drawn about heterogeneous deep learning over standardised surface learning, and the impacts, both positive and negative, of different assessment modalities on these types of learning.

Implementation of Competency-Based Pharmacy Education (CBPE)

PubMed Central

Koster, Andries; Schalekamp, Tom; Meijerman, Irma

2017-01-01

Implementation of competency-based pharmacy education (CBPE) is a time-consuming, complicated process, which requires agreement on the tasks of a pharmacist, commitment, institutional stability, and a goal-directed developmental perspective of all stakeholders involved. In this article the main steps in the development of a fully-developed competency-based pharmacy curriculum (bachelor, master) are described and tips are given for a successful implementation. After the choice for entering into CBPE is made and a competency framework is adopted (step 1), intended learning outcomes are defined (step 2), followed by analyzing the required developmental trajectory (step 3) and the selection of appropriate assessment methods (step 4). Designing the teaching-learning environment involves the selection of learning activities, student experiences, and instructional methods (step 5). Finally, an iterative process of evaluation and adjustment of individual courses, and the curriculum as a whole, is entered (step 6). Successful implementation of CBPE requires a system of effective quality management and continuous professional development as a teacher. In this article suggestions for the organization of CBPE and references to more detailed literature are given, hoping to facilitate the implementation of CBPE. PMID:28970422

Applying Active Learning to Assertion Classification of Concepts in Clinical Text

PubMed Central

Chen, Yukun; Mani, Subramani; Xu, Hua

2012-01-01

Supervised machine learning methods for clinical natural language processing (NLP) research require a large number of annotated samples, which are very expensive to build because of the involvement of physicians. Active learning, an approach that actively samples from a large pool, provides an alternative solution. Its major goal in classification is to reduce the annotation effort while maintaining the quality of the predictive model. However, few studies have investigated its uses in clinical NLP. This paper reports an application of active learning to a clinical text classification task: to determine the assertion status of clinical concepts. The annotated corpus for the assertion classification task in the 2010 i2b2/VA Clinical NLP Challenge was used in this study. We implemented several existing and newly developed active learning algorithms and assessed their uses. The outcome is reported in the global ALC score, based on the Area under the average Learning Curve of the AUC (Area Under the Curve) score. Results showed that when the same number of annotated samples was used, active learning strategies could generate better classification models (best ALC – 0.7715) than the passive learning method (random sampling) (ALC – 0.7411). Moreover, to achieve the same classification performance, active learning strategies required fewer samples than the random sampling method. For example, to achieve an AUC of 0.79, the random sampling method used 32 samples, while our best active learning algorithm required only 12 samples, a reduction of 62.5% in manual annotation effort. PMID:22127105

Service Learning in Undergraduate Nursing Education: Strategies to Facilitate Meaningful Reflection.

PubMed

Schmidt, Nola A; Brown, Janet M

2016-01-01

Service learning is recognized as a valuable pedagogy involving experiential learning, reflection, and reciprocal learning. Students develop critical thinking and social awareness by using the crucial activity of reflecting upon their experiential learning with community partners. The purpose of this paper is to demystify the process of reflection by identifying best practices to enhance reflection and offering suggestions for grading. By understanding "the what" and "the how" of reflection, educators can implement service learning experiences designed to include the essential component of reflection. Strategies for facilitating meaningful reflection are described including descriptions of what students should reflect upon and how to initiate reflection through writing, reading, doing, and telling. Grading rubrics are suggested to facilitate evaluation of student reflection. When properly implemented, service learning encourages students to be good citizens of the world. By using best practices associated with reflection, students can be challenged to think critically about the world and how their service can achieve community goals. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Action-learning collaboratives as a platform for community-based participatory research to advance obesity prevention.

PubMed

Bazos, Dorothy A; Schifferdecker, Karen E; Fedrizzi, Rudolph; Hoebeke, Jaime; Ruggles, Laural; Goldsberry, Yvonne

2013-01-01

Although process elements that define community-based participatory research (CBPR) are well articulated and provide guidance for bringing together researchers and communities, additional models to implement CBPR are needed. One potential model for implementing and monitoring CBPR is Action Learning Collaboratives (ALCs); short term, team-based learning processes that are grounded in quality improvement. Since 2010, the Prevention Research Center at Dartmouth (PRCD) has used ALCs with three communities as a platform to design, implement and evaluate CBPR. The first ALC provided an opportunity for academia and community leadership to strengthen their relationships and knowledge of respective assets through design and evaluation of community-based QI projects. Building on this work, we jointly designed and are implementing a second ALC, a cross-community research project focused on obesity prevention in vulnerable populations. An enhanced community capacity now exists to support CBPR activities with a high degree of sophistication and decreased reliance on external facilitation.

Implementation of Discovery Projects in Statistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Brad; Spence, Dianna J.; Sinn, Robb

2013-01-01

Researchers and statistics educators consistently suggest that students will learn statistics more effectively by conducting projects through which they actively engage in a broad spectrum of tasks integral to statistical inquiry, in the authentic context of a real-world application. In keeping with these findings, we share an implementation of…

Implementation and Critical Assessment of the Flipped Classroom Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheg, Abigail G., Ed.

2015-01-01

In the past decade, traditional classroom teaching models have been transformed in order to better promote active learning and learner engagement. "Implementation and Critical Assessment of the Flipped Classroom Experience" seeks to capture the momentum of non-traditional teaching methods and provide a necessary resource for individuals…

Using Instructional Design, Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate, to Develop e-Learning Modules to Disseminate Supported Employment for Community Behavioral Health Treatment Programs in New York State.

PubMed

Patel, Sapana R; Margolies, Paul J; Covell, Nancy H; Lipscomb, Cristine; Dixon, Lisa B

2018-01-01

Implementation science lacks a systematic approach to the development of learning strategies for online training in evidence-based practices (EBPs) that takes the context of real-world practice into account. The field of instructional design offers ecologically valid and systematic processes to develop learning strategies for workforce development and performance support. This report describes the application of an instructional design framework-Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate (ADDIE) model-in the development and evaluation of e-learning modules as one strategy among a multifaceted approach to the implementation of individual placement and support (IPS), a model of supported employment for community behavioral health treatment programs, in New York State. We applied quantitative and qualitative methods to develop and evaluate three IPS e-learning modules. Throughout the ADDIE process, we conducted formative and summative evaluations and identified determinants of implementation using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Formative evaluations consisted of qualitative feedback received from recipients and providers during early pilot work. The summative evaluation consisted of levels 1 and 2 (reaction to the training, self-reported knowledge, and practice change) quantitative and qualitative data and was guided by the Kirkpatrick model for training evaluation. Formative evaluation with key stakeholders identified a range of learning needs that informed the development of a pilot training program in IPS. Feedback on this pilot training program informed the design document of three e-learning modules on IPS: Introduction to IPS, IPS Job development, and Using the IPS Employment Resource Book . Each module was developed iteratively and provided an assessment of learning needs that informed successive modules. All modules were disseminated and evaluated through a learning management system. Summative evaluation revealed that learners rated the modules positively, and self-report of knowledge acquisition was high (mean range: 4.4-4.6 out of 5). About half of learners indicated that they would change their practice after watching the modules (range: 48-51%). All learners who completed the level 1 evaluation demonstrated 80% or better mastery of knowledge on the level 2 evaluation embedded in each module. The CFIR was used to identify implementation barriers and facilitators among the evaluation data which facilitated planning for subsequent implementation support activities in the IPS initiative. Instructional design approaches such as ADDIE may offer implementation scientists and practitioners a flexible and systematic approach for the development of e-learning modules as a single component or one strategy in a multifaceted approach for training in EBPs.

Acid Rain Classroom Projects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demchik, Michael J.

2000-01-01

Describes a curriculum plan in which students learn about acid rain through instructional media, research and class presentations, lab activities, simulations, design, and design implementation. Describes the simulation activity in detail and includes materials, procedures, instructions, examples, results, and discussion sections. (SAH)

Industrial Automation Mechanic Model Curriculum Project. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toledo Public Schools, OH.

This document describes a demonstration program that developed secondary level competency-based instructional materials for industrial automation mechanics. Program activities included task list compilation, instructional materials research, learning activity packet (LAP) development, construction of lab elements, system implementation,…

Work-based learning: a leadership development example from an action research study of shared governance implementation.

PubMed

Williamson, Tracey

2005-11-01

An empowering action research study was undertaken to evaluate and strengthen the implementation of shared governance. One aim was to identify factors that acted as aids or barriers to effective decision-making by clinical leaders. As a work-based learning approach, action research was expected to lead to integration of learning into practice by researcher and participants alike. Shared governance replaces traditional hierarchies and requires and develops clinical leaders. Strategies are needed to maximize learning from introduction of such initiatives at the individual, group and organizational level. Participant-observations and interviews were undertaken with shared governance council members from one model in north-west England. Leadership skills and knowledge and shared governance practices were significantly enhanced. Preparation for council roles was considered inadequate. Increased structured time for reflection and action planning was indicated. Implementation of shared governance has succeeded in developing leadership capacity. Evaluation findings have led to improvements in the overall shared governance model. Action research has been found to have great utility at optimizing work-based learning. Nurse Managers need to develop their coaching and facilitating skills and recognize there is no "quick fix" for developing clinical leaders. Implications include the need to support learners in identifying and implementing changes arising from work-based learning activities, the significant resource implications and the need to optimize the organizational climate if work-based learning approaches to leadership and management development are to succeed.

Study design and protocol for a mixed methods evaluation of an intervention to reduce and break up sitting time in primary school classrooms in the UK: The CLASS PAL (Physically Active Learning) Programme.

PubMed

Routen, Ash C; Biddle, Stuart J H; Bodicoat, Danielle H; Cale, Lorraine; Clemes, Stacy; Edwardson, Charlotte L; Glazebrook, Cris; Harrington, Deirdre M; Khunti, Kamlesh; Pearson, Natalie; Salmon, Jo; Sherar, Lauren B

2017-11-08

Children engage in a high volume of sitting in school, particularly in the classroom. A number of strategies, such as physically active lessons (termed movement integration (MI)), have been developed to integrate physical activity into this learning environment; however, no single approach is likely to meet the needs of all pupils and teachers. This protocol outlines an implementation study of a primary school-based MI intervention: CLASS PAL (Physically Active Learning) programme. This study aims to (A) determine the degree of implementation of CLASS PAL, (B) identify processes by which teachers and schools implement CLASS PAL and (C) investigate individual (pupil and teacher) level and school-level characteristics associated with implementation of CLASS PAL. The intervention will provide teachers with a professional development workshop and a bespoke teaching resources website. The study will use a single group before-and-after design, strengthened by multiple interim measurements. Six state-funded primary schools will be recruited within Leicestershire, UK.Evaluation data will be collected prior to implementation and at four discrete time points during implementation: At measurement 0 (October 2016), school, teacher and pupil characteristics will be collected. At measurements 0 and 3 (June-July 2017), accelerometry, cognitive functioning, self-reported sitting and classroom engagement data will be collected. At measurements 1(December 2016-March 2017) and 3 , teacher interviews (also at measurement 4; September-October 2017) and pupil focus groups will be conducted, and at measurements 1 and 2 (April-May 2017), classroom observations. Implementation will be captured through website analytics and ongoing teacher completed logs. Ethical approval was obtained through the Loughborough University Human Participants Ethics Sub-Committee (Reference number: R16-P115). Findings will be disseminated via practitioner and/or research journals and to relevant regional and national stakeholders through print and online media and dissemination event(s). © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

The Effect of Reform-Based Science Teaching on SES-Associated Achievement Gap on PISA 2006: A Comparative Study of the United States and Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Nai-En

The goal of this study is to examine how reform-based science teaching has been implemented and whether reform-based science teaching has promoted education equity through being available and beneficial for students from different socioeconomic status (SES) family backgrounds in the U.S. and Taiwan. No existing study used large-scale assessment to investigate the implementation and outcomes of the science reform movement in the U.S. and Taiwan. This study was developed to fill this gap using the Program of International Student Assessment (PISA) 2006 data including 5,611 students in the United States and 5995 students in Taiwan. A Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was used to classify students into different science learning subgroups to understand how broadly reform-based science learning has been implemented in classrooms. The results showed that students in the U.S. had more opportunity to learn science through the reform-based learning activities than students in Taiwan. Latent Class Regression (LCR) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were used for examining the availability of reform-based science teaching in both countries. The results showed that in the U.S., higher SES students had more opportunity to learn science reform-based learning activities. On the other hand, students' SES had no association with reform-based science learning in Taiwan. Regression Mixture Modeling and SEM were used to examine whether there was an association between reform-based science teaching and SES-associated achievement gaps. The results found no evidence to support the claim that reform-based science teaching helps to minimize SES-associated achievement gaps in both countries.

Work-based learning in health care environments.

PubMed

Spouse, J

2001-03-01

In reviewing contemporary literature and theories about work-based learning, this paper explores recent trends promoting life-long learning. In the process the paper reviews and discusses some implications of implementing recent policies and fostering le arning in health care practice settings. Recent Government policies designed to provide quality health care services and to improve staffing levels in the nursing workforce, have emphasized the importance of life-long learning whilst learning-on-the-job and the need to recognize and credit experiential learning. Such calls include negotiation of personal development plans tailored to individual educational need and context-sensitive learning activities. To be implemented effectively, this policy cann ot be seen as a cheap option but requires considerable financial resourcing for preparation of staff and the conduct of such activities. Successful work-based learning requires investment in staff at all levels as well as changes to staffing structures in organizations and trusts; changes designed to free people up to work and learn collaboratively. Creating an organizational environment where learning is prized depends upon a climate of trust; a climate where investigation and speculation are fostered and where time is protected for engaging in discussions about practice. Such a change may be radical for many health care organizations and may require a review of current policies and practices ensuring that they include education at all levels. The nature of such education also requires reconceptualizing. In the past, learning in practice settings was seen as formal lecturing or demonstration, and relied upon behaviourist principles of learning. Contemporary thinking suggests effective learning in work-settings is multi-faceted and draws on previously acquired formal knowledge, contextualizes it and moulds it according to situations at hand. Thinking about work-based learning in this way raises questions about how such learning can be supported and facilitated.

The Implementation of Physics Problem Solving Strategy Combined with Concept Map in General Physics Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hidayati, H.; Ramli, R.

2018-04-01

This paper aims to provide a description of the implementation of Physic Problem Solving strategy combined with concept maps in General Physics learning at Department of Physics, Universitas Negeri Padang. Action research has been conducted in two cycles where each end of the cycle is reflected and improved for the next cycle. Implementation of Physics Problem Solving strategy combined with concept map can increase student activity in solving general physics problem with an average increase of 15% and can improve student learning outcomes from 42,7 in the cycle I become 62,7 in cycle II in general physics at the Universitas Negeri Padang. In the future, the implementation of Physic Problem Solving strategy combined with concept maps will need to be considered in Physics courses.

Sweet! Candy Bar Activity Teaches CAD, Math, and Graphics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Granlund, George

2009-01-01

By far, the tastiest technology learning activity that the author's students work on is the development of the design of a chocolate candy bar. This article describes how the author implemented the candy bar activity. The activity gives students an opportunity to design a product and to take it from concept through to production.

Comparison of Feature Learning Methods for Human Activity Recognition Using Wearable Sensors

PubMed Central

Li, Frédéric; Nisar, Muhammad Adeel; Köping, Lukas; Grzegorzek, Marcin

2018-01-01

Getting a good feature representation of data is paramount for Human Activity Recognition (HAR) using wearable sensors. An increasing number of feature learning approaches—in particular deep-learning based—have been proposed to extract an effective feature representation by analyzing large amounts of data. However, getting an objective interpretation of their performances faces two problems: the lack of a baseline evaluation setup, which makes a strict comparison between them impossible, and the insufficiency of implementation details, which can hinder their use. In this paper, we attempt to address both issues: we firstly propose an evaluation framework allowing a rigorous comparison of features extracted by different methods, and use it to carry out extensive experiments with state-of-the-art feature learning approaches. We then provide all the codes and implementation details to make both the reproduction of the results reported in this paper and the re-use of our framework easier for other researchers. Our studies carried out on the OPPORTUNITY and UniMiB-SHAR datasets highlight the effectiveness of hybrid deep-learning architectures involving convolutional and Long-Short-Term-Memory (LSTM) to obtain features characterising both short- and long-term time dependencies in the data. PMID:29495310

Comparison of Feature Learning Methods for Human Activity Recognition Using Wearable Sensors.

PubMed

Li, Frédéric; Shirahama, Kimiaki; Nisar, Muhammad Adeel; Köping, Lukas; Grzegorzek, Marcin

2018-02-24

Getting a good feature representation of data is paramount for Human Activity Recognition (HAR) using wearable sensors. An increasing number of feature learning approaches-in particular deep-learning based-have been proposed to extract an effective feature representation by analyzing large amounts of data. However, getting an objective interpretation of their performances faces two problems: the lack of a baseline evaluation setup, which makes a strict comparison between them impossible, and the insufficiency of implementation details, which can hinder their use. In this paper, we attempt to address both issues: we firstly propose an evaluation framework allowing a rigorous comparison of features extracted by different methods, and use it to carry out extensive experiments with state-of-the-art feature learning approaches. We then provide all the codes and implementation details to make both the reproduction of the results reported in this paper and the re-use of our framework easier for other researchers. Our studies carried out on the OPPORTUNITY and UniMiB-SHAR datasets highlight the effectiveness of hybrid deep-learning architectures involving convolutional and Long-Short-Term-Memory (LSTM) to obtain features characterising both short- and long-term time dependencies in the data.

The flipped classroom for medical students.

PubMed

Morgan, Helen; McLean, Karen; Chapman, Chris; Fitzgerald, James; Yousuf, Aisha; Hammoud, Maya

2015-06-01

The objectives of this curricular innovation project were to implement a flipped classroom curriculum for the gynaecologic oncology topics of the obstetrics and gynaecology medical student clerkship, and to evaluate student satisfaction with the change. Four short online videos on the topics of endometrial hyperplasia, cervical dysplasia, evaluation of an adnexal mass, and ovarian cancer were created, and students were instructed to view them prior to a class-time active learning session. The Learning Activity Management System (lams) open-source online platform was used to create an active learning class-time activity that consisted of a coached discussion of cases. Student satisfaction with the two aspects of the flipped curriculum was obtained. In addition, lecture assessment for the gynaecologic oncology topics and aggregate student performance on the gynaecological oncology questions of the US National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Subject Examination were compared before and after implementation of the curriculum. Eighty-nine students rotated on the clerkship during the pilot period of analysis. Seventy-one students (80%) viewed the videos prior to the class session, and 84 (94%) attended the session. Student satisfaction was very high for both parts of the curriculum. There was no significant difference in aggregate student performance on the gynaecological oncology questions of the NBME Subject Examination. The flipped classroom curriculum demonstrates a promising platform for using technology to make better use of students' time Our implementation of the flipped classroom curriculum for the gynaecologic oncology topics successfully demonstrates a promising platform for using technology to make better use of our students' time, and for increasing their satisfaction with the necessary didactic learning of the clerkship. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evaluation of multi-level social learning for sustainable landscapes: perspective of a development initiative in Bergslagen, Sweden.

PubMed

Axelsson, Robert; Angelstam, Per; Myhrman, Lennart; Sädbom, Stefan; Ivarsson, Milis; Elbakidze, Marine; Andersson, Kenneth; Cupa, Petr; Diry, Christian; Doyon, Frederic; Drotz, Marcus K; Hjorth, Arne; Hermansson, Jan Olof; Kullberg, Thomas; Lickers, F Henry; McTaggart, Johanna; Olsson, Anders; Pautov, Yurij; Svensson, Lennart; Törnblom, Johan

2013-03-01

To implement policies about sustainable landscapes and rural development necessitates social learning about states and trends of sustainability indicators, norms that define sustainability, and adaptive multi-level governance. We evaluate the extent to which social learning at multiple governance levels for sustainable landscapes occur in 18 local development initiatives in the network of Sustainable Bergslagen in Sweden. We mapped activities over time, and interviewed key actors in the network about social learning. While activities resulted in exchange of experiences and some local solutions, a major challenge was to secure systematic social learning and make new knowledge explicit at multiple levels. None of the development initiatives used a systematic approach to secure social learning, and sustainability assessments were not made systematically. We discuss how social learning can be improved, and how a learning network of development initiatives could be realized.

Unsupervised learning of contextual constraints in neural networks for simultaneous visual processing of multiple objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marshall, Jonathan A.

1992-12-01

A simple self-organizing neural network model, called an EXIN network, that learns to process sensory information in a context-sensitive manner, is described. EXIN networks develop efficient representation structures for higher-level visual tasks such as segmentation, grouping, transparency, depth perception, and size perception. Exposure to a perceptual environment during a developmental period serves to configure the network to perform appropriate organization of sensory data. A new anti-Hebbian inhibitory learning rule permits superposition of multiple simultaneous neural activations (multiple winners), while maintaining contextual consistency constraints, instead of forcing winner-take-all pattern classifications. The activations can represent multiple patterns simultaneously and can represent uncertainty. The network performs parallel parsing, credit attribution, and simultaneous constraint satisfaction. EXIN networks can learn to represent multiple oriented edges even where they intersect and can learn to represent multiple transparently overlaid surfaces defined by stereo or motion cues. In the case of stereo transparency, the inhibitory learning implements both a uniqueness constraint and permits coactivation of cells representing multiple disparities at the same image location. Thus two or more disparities can be active simultaneously without interference. This behavior is analogous to that of Prazdny's stereo vision algorithm, with the bonus that each binocular point is assigned a unique disparity. In a large implementation, such a NN would also be able to represent effectively the disparities of a cloud of points at random depths, like human observers, and unlike Prazdny's method

Improving the Effectiveness of Learning Using Pictures Cards "Rocky Dust" for Students with Disorder Autism Sensory Integration in SLB-B TPA Jember, East Java, Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nisa, Arida Choirun

2017-01-01

Classroom Action Research (PTK) was made after researchers observed the implementation of learning conducted mostly school teachers Extraordinary show symptoms not as expected, because the teacher still dominates teaching and learning activities centered on teachers, by looking at the lecture method is a method that The main. This raises a very…

Social Learning Networks: From Data Analytics to Active Sensing

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-13

time updating of user models that in turn dictate the learning path of each student . In particular, we have designed , implemented, and evaluated our...decision, unless so designated by other documentation. 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS (ES) U.S. Army Research Office P.O. Box...social network that exists between students , instructors, and modules of learning. Between 2015 and 2017, we completed a variety of data-driven

Implementation research: a mentoring programme to improve laboratory quality in Cambodia

PubMed Central

Voeurng, Vireak; Sek, Sophat; Song, Sophanna; Vong, Nora; Tous, Chansamrach; Flandin, Jean-Frederic; Confer, Deborah; Costa, Alexandre; Martin, Robert

2016-01-01

Abstract Objective To implement a mentored laboratory quality stepwise implementation (LQSI) programme to strengthen the quality and capacity of Cambodian hospital laboratories. Methods We recruited four laboratory technicians to be mentors and trained them in mentoring skills, laboratory quality management practices and international standard organization (ISO) 15189 requirements for medical laboratories. Separately, we trained staff from 12 referral hospital laboratories in laboratory quality management systems followed by tri-weekly in-person mentoring on quality management systems implementation using the LQSI tool, which is aligned with the ISO 15189 standard. The tool was adapted from a web-based resource into a software-based spreadsheet checklist, which includes a detailed action plan and can be used to qualitatively monitor each laboratory’s progress. The tool – translated into Khmer – included a set of quality improvement activities grouped into four phases for implementation with increasing complexity. Project staff reviewed the laboratories’ progress and challenges in weekly conference calls and bi-monthly meetings with focal points of the health ministry, participating laboratories and local partners. We present the achievements in implementation from September 2014 to March 2016. Findings As of March 2016, the 12 laboratories have completed 74–90% of the 104 activities in phase 1, 53–78% of the 178 activities in phase 2, and 18–26% of the 129 activities in phase 3. Conclusion Regular on-site mentoring of laboratories using a detailed action plan in the local language allows staff to learn concepts of quality management system and learn on the job without disruption to laboratory service provision. PMID:27843164

The Reach up Early Childhood Parenting Program: Origins, Content, and Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Susan P.; Chang, Susan M.; Smith, Joanne A.; Baker-Henningham, Helen

2018-01-01

Nurturing care in early childhood requires responsive interactions and opportunities to learn; however, there are few large-scale programs in low- and middle-income countries that support parents' ability to provide responsive care and activities that help children learn. The Reach Up training program was developed to increase capacity of…

Stimulating Participation and Learning in Microbiology: Presence and Identification of Bacteria from Student's Hands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antunes, Patrícia

2016-01-01

We proposed in the Basic Microbiology Subject for food science and nutrition students, a "hands-on" activity consisting on sampling student's hands for bacterial presence and identification. This is a project to be implemented in multiple laboratory classes throughout the semester, allowing students to learn, and apply general…

Incorporating "Virtual" and "Real World" Field Trips into Introductory Geography Modules

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friess, Daniel A.; Oliver, Grahame J. H.; Quak, Michelle S. Y.; Lau, Annie Y. A.

2016-01-01

The "field trip" is a key pedagogical tool within geographical education to encourage deep learning, though they are increasingly difficult to implement due to reduced budgets, safety concerns and increasing class sizes. We incorporated three field-learning activities into a large introductory module. A traditional staff-led trip was the…

Live Cases: Service-Learning Consulting Projects in Business Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Godar, Susan Hayes

2000-01-01

Offers suggestions to community service coordinators on how to encourage the use of service learning projects among business faculty in the form of consulting for non-profit organizations. Provides examples of projects in marketing and management courses and discusses how to implement this type of activity in a business course. (EV)

Using Robotics to Improve Retention and Increase Comprehension in Introductory Programming Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pullan, Marie

2013-01-01

Several college majors, outside of computer science, require students to learn computer programming. Many students have difficulty getting through the programming sequence and ultimately change majors or drop out of college. To deal with this problem, active learning techniques were developed and implemented in a freshman programming logic and…

Reimagining Communities and Implementing Social Learning: Contemporary Community Theatre Development in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Wan-Jung

2014-01-01

Since the 1990s, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan have encountered political, social, economic and cultural challenges. During this period, their community theatres have played distinctive roles in activating their public space to reimagine their communities, form dialogues with their governments and construct learning experiences amongst various…

Challenge Activities for the Physical Education Classroom: Affective Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenzie, Emily; Symonds, Matthew L.; Fink, Kevin; Tapps, Tyler

2017-01-01

The purpose of this article is to share three challenge-based lesson plans that can be implemented by physical educators in their classroom. Each of the lesson examples addresses the three learning domains: psychomotor, cognitive and affective. Additionally, each lesson is aligned with SHAPE America's National Standards for K-12 Physical…

The Effect of an Historical Perspective on Prospective Teachers' Beliefs in Learning Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weldeana, Hailu Nigus; Abraham, Solomon Tewolde

2014-01-01

Many learners hold traditional beliefs about mathematics that can hamper their learning in the discipline. To address this issue, a "history-based" intervention program entailing problem-solving and writing activities that instigate cognitive conflict was implemented. Data sources were pretest and posttest scores of a 12-theme…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vu, Phu; Feinstein, Sheryl

2017-01-01

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

Developing, Implementing and Evaluating Case Studies in Materials Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Claire; Wilcock, Elizabeth

2005-01-01

The use of case studies to teach materials science undergraduates is an exciting and interesting educational approach. As well as helping learners to connect theory and practice, the case method is also useful for creating an active learning environment, developing key skills and catering for a range of different learning styles. This paper…

Learning from Science: Case Studies of Science Offerings in Afterschool Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lundh, Patrik; House, Ann; Means, Barbara; Harris, Christopher J.

2013-01-01

Afterschool programs have increasingly gained attention as settings that can help enrich students' science learning. Even though science is widely included in afterschool activities, sites often lack adequate materials and staff know-how to implement quality science. To address this need, this article examines afterschool science in light of the…

Analysing Students' Engagement and Learning Presence in an Educational Blog Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Angelaina, Sophia; Jimoyiannis, Athanassios

2012-01-01

This paper reports on a case study investigating students' participation and learning presence in an educational blog implemented as a cross-thematic inquiry activity exploring and debating on the acid rain problem. Twenty-one secondary education students (14-15 years aged), coming from two separate classes, were involved. The content and…

Evolution of Project-Based Learning in Small Groups in Environmental Engineering Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Requies, Jesús M.; Agirre, Ion; Barrio, V. Laura; Graells, Moisès

2018-01-01

This work presents the assessment of the development and evolution of an active methodology (Project-Based Learning--PBL) implemented on the course "Unit Operations in Environmental Engineering", within the bachelor's degree in Environmental Engineering, with the purpose of decreasing the dropout rate in this course. After the initial…

Figure Analysis: An Implementation Dialogue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiles, Amy M.

2016-01-01

Figure analysis is a novel active learning teaching technique that reinforces visual literacy. Small groups of students discuss diagrams in class in order to learn content. The instructor then gives a brief introduction and later summarizes the content of the figure. This teaching technique can be used in place of lecture as a mechanism to deliver…

The Corporeal Marker Project (CMP): Teaching about Bodily Difference, Identity and Place through Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fluri, Jennifer L.; Trauger, Amy

2011-01-01

In response to recent articles and ideas for experiential learning activities in human geography, this paper outlines a particular approach to learning about the body, difference, mobility and geographic space through experience. The Corporeal Marker Project designed and implemented by the authors provides a spatial experience of difference for…

The Use of Narrative Interview in Teaching Principles of Macroeconomics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dalton, Peggy

2010-01-01

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

Implementing the Lab School Club Model at the Academy in Manayunk

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herman, Chris

2010-01-01

Central to The Lab School model is Sally Smith's Club Methodology, the full immersion of students into a time period where historical information is learned through multi-sensory activities. While immersed, through the use of costumes and elaborately decorated classrooms, students are engaged in project-based learning. As the student's…

Implementation and Evaluation of an Early Foreign Language Learning Project in Kindergarten

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griva, Eleni; Sivropoulou, Rena

2009-01-01

The purpose of present paper was twofold. Firstly, it aimed at outlining the rationale for and the process of introducing an English language learning intervention to kindergarten children in a playful and supportive environment. It focused on developing children's oral skills through participating in creative child-appropriate activities and…

Making Science Real: Photo-Sharing in Biology and Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waycott, Jenny; Dalgarno, Barney; Kennedy, Gregor; Bishop, Andrea

2012-01-01

In this paper, we examine students' reflections about the value of two photo-sharing activities that were implemented in undergraduate Biology and Chemistry subjects. Both activities aimed, broadly, to provide support for authentic and meaningful learning experiences in undergraduate science. Although the activities were similar--both required…

Using Literature Response Activities To Build Strategic Reading for Students with Reading Difficulties.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Sarah H.; Martin, Michael A.

2001-01-01

Describes two classroom activities that can be implemented in accordance with the best practices revealed by current research on reading instruction with learning disabled students. Describes what research suggests for promoting comprehension for students with reading difficulties. Describes instructional sequences for two literacy activities,…

"Heart Shots": A Classroom Activity to Instigate Active Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abraham, Reem Rachel; Vashe, Asha; Torke, Sharmila

2015-01-01

The present study aimed to provide undergraduate medical students at Melaka Manipal Medical College (Manipal Campus), Manipal University, in Karnataka, India, an opportunity to apply their knowledge in cardiovascular concepts to real-life situations. A group activity named "Heart Shots" was implemented for a batch of first-year…

Conceptual Frameworks for the Workplace Change Adoption Process: Elements Integration from Decision Making and Learning Cycle Process.

PubMed

Radin Umar, Radin Zaid; Sommerich, Carolyn M; Lavender, Steve A; Sanders, Elizabeth; Evans, Kevin D

2018-05-14

Sound workplace ergonomics and safety-related interventions may be resisted by employees, and this may be detrimental to multiple stakeholders. Understanding fundamental aspects of decision making, behavioral change, and learning cycles may provide insights into pathways influencing employees' acceptance of interventions. This manuscript reviews published literature on thinking processes and other topics relevant to decision making and incorporates the findings into two new conceptual frameworks of the workplace change adoption process. Such frameworks are useful for thinking about adoption in different ways and testing changes to traditional intervention implementation processes. Moving forward, it is recommended that future research focuses on systematic exploration of implementation process activities that integrate principles from the research literature on sensemaking, decision making, and learning processes. Such exploration may provide the groundwork for development of specific implementation strategies that are theoretically grounded and provide a revised understanding of how successful intervention adoption processes work.

A technical writing programme implemented in a first-year engineering course at KU Leuven

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heylen, Christel; Vander Sloten, Jos

2013-12-01

Technical communication and technical writing are important skills for the daily work-life of every engineer. In the first-year engineering programme at KU Leuven, a technical writing programme is implemented within the project-based course 'Problem Solving and Engineering Design'. This paper describes a case study for implementing a writing programme based on active learning methods and situated learning in large classes. The programme consists of subsequent cycles of instructions, learning by doing and reflection on received feedback. In addition, a peer-review assignment, together with an interactive lecture using clicking devices, is incorporated within the assignments of the second semester. A checklist of desired writing abilities makes it easier to grade the large number of papers. Furthermore, this ensures that all staff involved in the evaluation process uses the same criteria to grade and for providing feedback.

Energizing the nursing lecture: Application of the Theory of Multiple Intelligence Learning.

PubMed

Amerson, Roxanne

2006-01-01

Nurse educators struggle to find ways to create learning opportunities that are interactive and appeal to the needs of various students. The key to energizing the nursing lecture is to create an environment that encourages students to be active participants. It is essential to use creativity to design cognitive strategies that appeal to students' learning preferences. This article discusses the methods one educator has used to implement the Theory of Multiple Intelligence Learning in the classroom. Specific cognitive strategies that address the learning preferences of each intelligence are discussed.

Finding disturbances in on-farm biogas production.

PubMed

Antonio, Pereira-Querol Marco; Laura, Seppänen

2012-01-01

When implementing innovations, disturbances are very likely to take place. Disturbances are undesirable because they can lead to unwanted outcomes, such as economic losses and work overload to workers. However, they can be powerful opportunities for learning and re-designing innovations. Here, we will present activity theoretical tools for analyzing disturbances in a way that they could be used as learning opportunities. We illustrate the proposed tools by analyzing a disturbance that took place during the implementation of a project of biogas production. By interpreting the disturbance process with a network of activity systems, we found that on-farm disturbances were formed as ruptures, innovations and asynchronies originated in other activity systems. This finding suggests that disturbances are outcomes of the functioning of networks, rather than simple results of failure of individuals or technical devices. The proposed tools could be used in interventions to help practitioners and ergonomists to recognize the systemic and networked nature of problems, and therefore, realize that they may require the collaboration of actors from different activities. In this sense, disturbances may be turned into opportunities for learning and developing innovations. We conclude by discussing how the method could be used in ergonomic design and intervention.

Student experiences across multiple flipped courses in a single curriculum.

PubMed

Khanova, Julia; Roth, Mary T; Rodgers, Jo Ellen; McLaughlin, Jacqueline E

2015-10-01

The flipped classroom approach has garnered significant attention in health professions education, which has resulted in calls for curriculum-wide implementations of the model. However, research to support the development of evidence-based guidelines for large-scale flipped classroom implementations is lacking. This study was designed to examine how students experience the flipped classroom model of learning in multiple courses within a single curriculum, as well as to identify specific elements of flipped learning that students perceive as beneficial or challenging. A qualitative analysis of students' comments (n = 6010) from mid-course and end-of-course evaluations of 10 flipped courses (in 2012-2014) was conducted. Common and recurring themes were identified through systematic iterative coding and sorting using the constant comparison method. Multiple coders, agreement through consensus and member checking were utilised to ensure the trustworthiness of findings. Several themes emerged from the analysis: (i) the perceived advantages of flipped learning coupled with concerns about implementation; (ii) the benefits of pre-class learning and factors that negatively affect these benefits, such as quality and quantity of learning materials, as well as overall increase in workload, especially in the context of multiple concurrent flipped courses; (iii) the role of the instructor in the flipped learning environment, particularly in engaging students in active learning and ensuring instructional alignment, and (iv) the need for assessments that emphasise the application of knowledge and critical thinking skills. Analysis of data from 10 flipped courses provided insight into common patterns of student learning experiences specific to the flipped learning model within a single curriculum. The study points to the challenges associated with scaling the implementation of the flipped classroom across multiple courses. Several core elements critical to the effective design and implementation of the flipped classroom model are identified. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An active-learning laboratory on immunizations.

PubMed

Donohoe, Krista L; Mawyer, Tonya M; Stevens, J Tyler; Morgan, Laura A; Harpe, Spencer E

2012-12-12

To implement and evaluate an active-learning laboratory activity to teach pharmacy students about influenza, pneumococcal, and shingles vaccines. The laboratory session was divided into 6 immunization stations: 3 stations on influenza including a pediatrics station, and 1 station each for pneumococcal, shingles, and anaphylaxis. Although 118 of 123 (95.9%) students had completed an immunization training certificate prior to attending the laboratory, the average score on a pre-assessment to measure immunization knowledge and confidence was 56%. The post-assessment score was 87.4%. Students' confidence improved by 18.7% to 51.2% in each of the 5 areas assessed. Most respondents rated the activity overall as good or excellent on a post-activity evaluation. An active-learning approach to teaching immunizations allowed students to gain knowledge in simulated real-world experiences and reinforced key concepts on influenza, pneumococcal, and shingles vaccines.

Impact E-Learning Platform Moodle on the Physic's Learning Process in the High School's Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torres-Montealban, Jonas; Ruiz-Chavarria, Gregorio; Gomez-Lozoya, Enrique Armando

2011-03-01

As a didactic proposal, moodle e-learning platform was implemented in one of two Physics High School's group at UACH, in order to show how the use of new technologies can improve the learning progress linked to physics concepts. As a result, the first group worked at the same time with inside class activities as well as outside resources from the moodle e-platform. The second group only worked with inside class activities. This teaching application was developed in six sections. Section I defines the educational framework. Section II identifies the key physic's concepts to be studied in each proposed activity. Section III describes the didactic model. Section IV displays the compared results between similarities and differences in both groups. Section VI shows the gathered information in order to be discussed as a topic related on how new technologies improve the Physic's learning process in the high school' students.

Unsupervised active learning based on hierarchical graph-theoretic clustering.

PubMed

Hu, Weiming; Hu, Wei; Xie, Nianhua; Maybank, Steve

2009-10-01

Most existing active learning approaches are supervised. Supervised active learning has the following problems: inefficiency in dealing with the semantic gap between the distribution of samples in the feature space and their labels, lack of ability in selecting new samples that belong to new categories that have not yet appeared in the training samples, and lack of adaptability to changes in the semantic interpretation of sample categories. To tackle these problems, we propose an unsupervised active learning framework based on hierarchical graph-theoretic clustering. In the framework, two promising graph-theoretic clustering algorithms, namely, dominant-set clustering and spectral clustering, are combined in a hierarchical fashion. Our framework has some advantages, such as ease of implementation, flexibility in architecture, and adaptability to changes in the labeling. Evaluations on data sets for network intrusion detection, image classification, and video classification have demonstrated that our active learning framework can effectively reduce the workload of manual classification while maintaining a high accuracy of automatic classification. It is shown that, overall, our framework outperforms the support-vector-machine-based supervised active learning, particularly in terms of dealing much more efficiently with new samples whose categories have not yet appeared in the training samples.

Establishing the SECME model in the District of Columbia. Quarterly report, 1 January 1994--31 March 1994

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

Vikers, R.G.

1994-05-01

During this quarter, many program activities were held to help SECME teachers and counselors implement, improve and strengthen SECME school programs in the District of Columbia. Teachers were actively engaged in enhanced instructional techniques, ideas, processes and resources to help them enrich their students` learning experience. Students are busily participating in hands-on instructional activities and preparing for the SECME competition where they are learning to excel in a competitive environment designed to help them make the most of their school experience.

Peer teaching as an educational tool in Pharmacy schools; fruitful or futile.

PubMed

Aburahma, Mona Hassan; Mohamed, Heba Moustafa

2017-11-01

In the past decade, various health care programs have implemented diverse types of peer-assisted learning (PAL) programs, in particularly peer teaching (PT), due to their reported benefits for students (both those undertaking teaching and those being taught), teachers, and educational institutes. Unfortunately, peer teaching is still under-recognized in pharmacy programs worldwide when compared to other health care programs. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the published literature centered on formal PT programs that are implemented in pharmacy schools. In addition, this review focuses on the methodologies adopted for peer teacher recruitment and training as well as the benefits gained by students (both those undertaking teaching and those being taught). The rationales behind PT implementation are recapitulated as well. Finally, a simple scheme for successful implementation of PT activity is provided to serve as a groundwork for educators. Pre-defined key terms were used to search for experimental peer teaching activities in pharmacy schools between January 2000 and June 2016. Titles were selected based on pre-set eligibility criteria. Only complete research articles with clear design and evaluation sections were included in this review. Studies about inter-professional peer teaching activities between pharmacy students and other healthcare professions were also included. Six relevant educational research articles containing peer teaching activities were included. A lot of variety exists between different pharmacy courses implementing PT, the format/setting of PT, how peer teachers are selected, and how training and evaluation are implemented. The studies reviewed confirmed that PT was well received by most of the students and had a positive impact on their learning outcome. These findings cannot be generalized due to the insufficient number of studies published beside their methodological limitations and inadequate descriptions of the PT format. Though PT may be regarded as a feasible teaching strategy, care must be taken during implementation to ensure the fulfillment of the educational objectives. Proper validation of any PT initiative is required before incorporation into the pharmacy curriculum. More research using proper design and suitable sample sizes are recommended to determine the effect of PT activity on students' learning, skills development and confidence. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Vodcasts and Active-Learning Exercises in a “Flipped Classroom” Model of a Renal Pharmacotherapy Module

PubMed Central

Fox, Jeremy

2012-01-01

Objective. To implement a “flipped classroom” model for a renal pharmacotherapy topic module and assess the impact on pharmacy students’ performance and attitudes. Design. Students viewed vodcasts (video podcasts) of lectures prior to the scheduled class and then discussed interactive cases of patients with end-stage renal disease in class. A process-oriented guided inquiry learning (POGIL) activity was developed and implemented that complemented, summarized, and allowed for application of the material contained in the previously viewed lectures. Assessment. Students’ performance on the final examination significantly improved compared to performance of students the previous year who completed the same module in a traditional classroom setting. Students’ opinions of the POGIL activity and the flipped classroom instructional model were mostly positive. Conclusion. Implementing a flipped classroom model to teach a renal pharmacotherapy module resulted in improved student performance and favorable student perceptions about the instructional approach. Some of the factors that may have contributed to students’ improved scores included: student mediated contact with the course material prior to classes, benchmark and formative assessments administered during the module, and the interactive class activities. PMID:23275661

Development and implementation of an herbal and natural product elective in undergraduate medical education.

PubMed

Karpa, Kelly

2012-05-22

Medical students have consistently expressed interest in learning about alternative healing modalities, especially herbal and natural products. To fill this void in medical education at our institution, a novel elective was developed and implemented for fourth year medical students. This herbal/natural product course uses guest lecturers, classroom presentations, and active learning mechanisms that include experiential rotations, case-based learning, and team-based learning to increase student knowledge of herbal/natural product safety and efficacy. Knowledge outcomes were evaluated via administration of a pre- and post-course test (paired student t-test). End-of-course evaluations (Likert-type questions and narrative responses) were used to assess student opinion of knowledge and skills imparted by the elective and overall course content (mean, standard deviation). Over three academic years, 23 students have enrolled in this elective. More than 60% of participants have been female and nearly half of the students (43%) have pursued residencies in primary care. Completion of the course significantly increased student knowledge of common herbal/natural product mechanisms, uses, adverse effects, and drug-interactions as determined by a pre- and post-course knowledge assessment (45%±10% versus 78%±6%; p<0.0001). The course was highly rated by enrollees (overall course quality, 4.6 of 5.0±0.48) who appreciated the variety of activities to which they were exposed and the open classroom discussions that resulted. While students tended to view some alternative medical systems with skepticism, they still believed it was valuable to learn what these modalities encompass. Development and implementation of a herbal/natural product elective that engages undergraduate medical students through active learning mechanisms and critical analysis of the literature has proven effective in increasing knowledge outcomes and is deemed to be a valuable curricular addition by student participants. In the future, it will be of interest to explore mechanisms for expanding the course to reach a larger number of students within the time, financial, and logistical constraints that currently exist.

Evaluating and redesigning teaching learning sequences at the introductory physics level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guisasola, Jenaro; Zuza, Kristina; Ametller, Jaume; Gutierrez-Berraondo, José

2017-12-01

In this paper we put forward a proposal for the design and evaluation of teaching and learning sequences in upper secondary school and university. We will connect our proposal with relevant contributions on the design of teaching sequences, ground it on the design-based research methodology, and discuss how teaching and learning sequences designed according to our proposal relate to learning progressions. An iterative methodology for evaluating and redesigning the teaching and learning sequence (TLS) is presented. The proposed assessment strategy focuses on three aspects: (a) evaluation of the activities of the TLS, (b) evaluation of learning achieved by students in relation to the intended objectives, and (c) a document for gathering the difficulties found when implementing the TLS to serve as a guide to teachers. Discussion of this guide with external teachers provides feedback used for the TLS redesign. The context of our implementation and evaluation is an innovative calculus-based physics course for first-year engineering and science degree students at the University of the Basque Country.

Conceptual, Pedagogical, Cultural, and Political Dilemmas of Implementing a Constructivist Workshop Approach to Teaching Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porath, Suzanne L.

2016-01-01

Approached as an epistemology, implementing a constructivist workshop approach to literacy can challenge the traditional paradigm of teacher-focused instruction and transform to one where students construct knowledge together and learn through active engagement in authentic reading and writing. This study illustrated how two third-grade teachers…

Using a Personal Development Plan for Different Purposes: Its Influence on Undertaking Learning Activities and Job Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beausaert, Simon A. J.; Segers, Mien S. R.; Gijselaers, Wim H.

2011-01-01

Today, organizations are increasingly implementing assessment tools such as Personal Development Plans. Although the true power of the tool lies in supporting the employee's continuing professional development, organizations implement the tool for various different purposes, professional development purposes on the one hand and promotion/salary…

Alcoa North American Extrusions Implements Energy Use Assessments at Multiple Facilities: Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT) BestPractices Aluminum Assessment Case Study

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

U.S. Department of Energy

2001-08-05

This case study is the latest in a series on industrial firms who are implementing energy efficient technologies and system improvements into their manufacturing processes. The case studies document the activities, savings, and lessons learned on these projects.

Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of a Flipped Format General Chemistry Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weaver, Gabriela C.; SturtevantHannah G.

2015-01-01

Research has consistently shown that active problem-solving in a collaborative environment supports more effective learning than the traditional lecture approach. In this study, a flipped classroom format was implemented and evaluated in the chemistry majors' sequence at Purdue University over a period of three years. What was formerly lecture…

Design and Implementation of a Studio-Based General Chemistry Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gottfried, Amy C.; Sweeder, Ryan D.; Bartolin, Jeffrey M.; Hessler, Jessica A.; Reynolds, Benjamin P.; Stewart, Ian C.; Coppola, Brian P.; Holl, Mark Banaszak M.

2007-01-01

The design and implementation of a new value-added general chemistry course, which could use the studio instructional method to incorporate the existing educational research is reviewed. These teaching methods and activities were woven into the course to provide the students with ways of learning chemical concepts and practicing scientific…

Saudi Teachers' Perceptions of ICT Implementation for Student with Autism Spectrum Disorder at Mainstream Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alotaibi, Faihan; Almalki, Nabil

2016-01-01

This study aimed at examining Saudi Teachers' Perceptions of ICT Implementation for Student with Autism Spectrum Disorder at Mainstream Schools. Studies have shown that the use of ICT can improve learning activities of students' with autism through improved communication, better interactions and enhanced skills. However, the perceptions of…

An evaluation of a science professional development model: Examining participants' learning and use of new knowledge and skills, organizational support and change, and student learning outcomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zender, Georgi Anne

The problem of this study was to determine in what ways science professional development would support kindergarten through sixth grade teachers in their implementation of a revised curriculum. The problem centered on evaluating the relationship between professional development involvement and teachers' learning and use of new knowledge and skills, organizational support and change, and student learning outcomes. Using data derived from survey responses and other sources (e.g., test scores, financial records, etc.), this study examined use of a science course of study, use of activities/experiments from workshops, use and adequacy of materials adoptions, administrative support, and achievement scores. This research was completed using an Ex Post Facto research design. Using the General Linear Model and causal-comparative analyses, thus study significantly concluded that teachers with a higher level of involvement in science professional development were more likely to use the revised course of study for lesson planning and to perceive materials adoptions as being adequate, and that districts that had participated in science professional development to revise curriculum showed more gains in student learning outcomes. Data on teachers' learning and use of new knowledge and skills implied that districts needed to continue to design teacher leadership situations that implement long-term professional development, build capacity for shared decision making, create a supportive environment for leaders, and incorporate assessments. Teacher leaders needed to actively engage in action research as a professional development strategy to promote reflection on their teaching and student learning. Data on organizational support and change implied that without logistical and financial support for teaching and learning in terms of hands-on materials, teachers would be unable to support future curriculum improvement efforts. Building principals needed to play a more active role in the implementation of curriculum. Data on student learning outcomes implied that both content knowledge and inquiry skills were critical bases for curriculum in terms of teacher efficacy and student achievement. Teachers needed to examine student work as a professional development strategy to also promote reflection on teaching and learning. Further research and professional development in the area of science assessment, in terms of scientific content and processes, was suggested.

Confronting the realities of implementing contextual learning ideas in a biology classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akers, Julia B.

1999-10-01

The purpose of this study was to describe the implementation of contextual learning practices in a biology class. Research contends that contextual learning classrooms are active learning environments where students are involved in "hands-on" team projects and the teacher assumes a facilitator role. In this student-centered classroom, students take ownership and responsibility for their own learning. This study examined these assertions and other factors that emerged as the study developed. The research methods used were qualitative. The subject for this study was a biology teacher with twenty-six years of experience who implemented contextual learning practices in two of her biology classes in the 1997--98 school year. As the teacher confronted contextual learning, we engaged in collaborative research that included fourteen interviews transcribed verbatim for analysis, classroom observations and the teacher's written reports. Throughout the study, factors developed that adversely affected contextual learning practices. These factors were discipline, curriculum, and administrative decisions over which the teacher had no control. These are examined along with their consequences for implementing a contextual classroom. Successful practices that worked in the teacher's classroom were also determined and included the teacher's "failure is not an option" policy, mandatory tutoring, behavior contracts, high expectations and teamed projects. Besides contextual learning, a key component of the study was the collaborative research process and its meaning to the subject, the researcher and future researchers who attempt this collaborative approach. The study's conclusion indicate that scheduling, multiple repeaters, discipline and the state Standards of Learning moved the teacher away from contextual learning practices to a more teacher-directed classroom. Two recommendations of this study are that further research is needed to study how the state Standards of Learning have affected instructional practices and the effect of administrative decisions that influence the level of teacher success in the classroom.

Qualitative Analysis of Collaborative Learning Groups in Large Enrollment Introductory Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skala, Chija; Slater, Timothy F.; Adams, Jeffrey P.

2000-08-01

Large-lecture introductory astronomy courses for undergraduate, non-science majors present numerous problems for faculty. As part of a systematic effort to improve the course learning environment, a series of small-group, collaborative learning activities were implemented in an otherwise conventional lecture astronomy survey course. These activities were used once each week during the regularly scheduled lecture period. After eight weeks, ten focus group interviews were conducted to qualitatively assess the impact and dynamics of these small group learning activities. Overall, the data strongly suggest that students enjoy participating in the in-class learning activities in learning teams of three to four students. These students firmly believe that they are learning more than they would from lectures alone. Inductive analysis of the transcripts revealed five major themes prevalent among the students' perspectives: (1) self-formed, cooperative group composition and formation should be more regulated by the instructor; (2) team members' assigned rolls should be less formally structured by the instructors; (3) cooperative groups helped in learning the course content; (4) time constraints on lectures and activities need to be more carefully aligned; and (5) gender issues can exist within the groups. These themes serve as a guide for instructors who are developing instructional interventions for large lecture courses.

Urban Transportation Renewal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolter, Kurt A.; Foster, Patrick N.

1995-01-01

Describes a learning activity that involves planning a community and then altering the transportation system to meet new specifications. Includes the rationale for the activity, how it fits into the technology education curriculum, and how it was implemented to fit a variety of age and grade levels. (JOW)

Guided Inquiry Learning With Sea Water Battery Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mashudi, A.

2017-02-01

Science learning process is expected to produce valuable product, innovative and real learning environment, and provide memorable learning experience. That orientation can be contained in Inquiry Based Learning. SMP N 4 Juwana is located close to the beach. That’s why, Sea Water Battery Project is very suitable to be applied in learning activity as an effort to fulfill the renewable energy based on local wisdom. This study aims to increase interest, activity and achievement of students. Learning implementation stage, namely : Constructing Sea Water Battery project, observation, group presentations, and feedback. Sea Water Battery is renewable energy battery from materials easily found around the learner. The materials used are copper plate as the anode, zinc plate as the cathode and sea water as the electrolyte. Average score of students Interest on the first cycle 76, while on the second cycle 85. Average score of students Activity on the first cycle 76 and on the second cycle 86. Average score of students achievement on the first cycle 75, while on the second cycle 84. This learning process gave nurturant effect for students to keep innovating and construct engineering technology for the future.

Engaging Stakeholders From Volunteer-Led Out-of-School Time Programs in the Dissemination of Guiding Principles for Healthy Snacking and Physical Activity.

PubMed

Folta, Sara C; Koomas, Alyssa; Metayer, Nesly; Fullerton, Karen J; Hubbard, Kristie L; Anzman-Frasca, Stephanie; Hofer, Teresa; Nelson, Miriam; Newman, Molly; Sacheck, Jennifer; Economos, Christina

2015-12-24

Little effort has focused on the role of volunteer-led out-of-school time (OST) programs (ie, enrichment and sports programs) as key environments for the promotion of healthy eating and physical activity habits among school-aged children. The Healthy Kids Out of School (HKOS) initiative developed evidence-based, practical guiding principles for healthy snacks, beverages, and physical activity. The goal of this case study was to describe the methods used to engage regional partners to understand how successful implementation and dissemination of these principles could be accomplished. HKOS partnered with volunteer-led programs from 5 OST organizations in Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire to create a regional "learning laboratory." We engaged partners in phases. In the first phase, we conducted focus groups with local volunteer program leaders; during the second phase, we held roundtable meetings with regional and state program administrators; and in the final phase, we conducted additional outreach to refine and finalize implementation strategies. Implementation strategies were developed based on themes and information that emerged. For enrichment programs, strategies included new patch and pin programs that were consistent with the organizations' infrastructure and usual practices. For sports programs, the main strategy was integration with online trainings for coaches. Through the engagement process, we learned that dissemination of the guiding principles in these large and complex OST organizations was best accomplished by using implementation strategies that were customized, integrated, and aligned with goals and usual practices. The lessons learned can benefit future efforts to prevent obesity in complex environments.

Implementation of an active instructional design for teaching the concepts of current, voltage and resistance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orlaineta-Agüero, S.; Del Sol-Fernández, S.; Sánchez-Guzmán, D.; García-Salcedo, R.

2017-01-01

In the present work we show the implementation of a learning sequence based on an active learning methodology for teaching Physics, this proposal tends to promote a better learning in high school students with the use of a comic book and it combines the use of different low-cost experimental activities for teaching the electrical concepts of Current, Resistance and Voltage. We consider that this kind of strategy can be easily extrapolated to higher-education levels like Engineering-college/university level and other disciplines of Science. To evaluate this proposal, we used some conceptual questions from the Electric Circuits Concept Evaluation survey developed by Sokoloff and the results from this survey was analysed with the Normalized Conceptual Gain proposed by Hake and the Concentration Factor that was proposed by Bao and Redish, to identify the effectiveness of the methodology and the models that the students presented after and before the instruction, respectively. We found that this methodology was more effective than only the implementation of traditional lectures, we consider that these results cannot be generalized but gave us the opportunity to view many important approaches in Physics Education; finally, we will continue to apply the same experiment with more students, in the same and upper levels of education, to confirm and validate the effectiveness of this methodology proposal.

Tools for Implementing Science Practice in a Large Introductory Class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prothero, W. A.

2008-12-01

Scientists must have in-depth background knowledge of their subject area and know where current knowledge can be advanced. They perform experiments that gather data to test new or existing theories, present their findings at meetings, publish their results, critically review the results of others, and respond to the reviews of their own work. In the context of a course, these activities correspond to learning the background material by listening to lectures or reading a text, formulating a problem, exploring data using student friendly data access and plotting software, giving brief talks to classmates in a small class or lab setting, writing a science paper or lab report, reviewing the writing of their peers, and receiving feedback (and grades) from their instructors and/or peers. These activities can be supported using course management software and online resources. The "LearningWithData" software system allows solid Earth (focused on plate tectonics) data exploration and plotting. Ocean data access, display, and plotting are also supported. Background material is delivered using animations and slide show type displays. Students are accountable for their learning through included homework assignments. Lab and small group activities provide support for data exploration and interpretation. Writing is most efficiently implemented using the "Calibrated Peer Review" method. This methodology is available at http://cpr.molsci.ucla.edu/. These methods have been successfully implemented in a large oceanography class at UCSB.

Efficient learning mechanisms hold in the social domain and are implemented in the medial prefrontal cortex

PubMed Central

Tobler, Philippe N.

2015-01-01

When we are learning to associate novel cues with outcomes, learning is more efficient if we take advantage of previously learned associations and thereby avoid redundant learning. The blocking effect represents this sort of efficiency mechanism and refers to the phenomenon in which a novel stimulus is blocked from learning when it is associated with a fully predicted outcome. Although there is sufficient evidence that this effect manifests itself when individuals learn about their own rewards, it remains unclear whether it also does when they learn about others’ rewards. We employed behavioral and neuroimaging methods to address this question. We demonstrate that blocking does indeed occur in the social domain and it does so to a similar degree as observed in the individual domain. On the neural level, activations in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) show a specific contribution to blocking and learning-related prediction errors in the social domain. These findings suggest that the efficiency principle that applies to reward learning in the individual domain also applies to that in the social domain, with the mPFC playing a central role in implementing it. PMID:25326037

Sink or swim: the Titanic medication administration fair.

PubMed

Ward, Kathleen R; Koerner, Dianna K

2008-04-01

The Peer Review Committee at a Midwest hospital identified a knowledge deficit relative to medication administration. A continuing increase in the number of medication errors helped the committee to address the issue in a creative and educational way that reinforced knowledge of medication administration. Under the guidance of the Director of Education, employees who recently made medication errors developed and implemented a creative medication administration learning opportunity for hospital employees. The employees chose a project theme, developed educational workstations, and used creative approaches to increase awareness of medication administration pitfalls. This article explains the process of implementing and delivering this fun and exciting learning activity. Theme-based educational experiences are effective teaching strategies that can be used to trigger participants' learning in almost any setting.

Exploring Taiwanese Students' Perceptions of Active Explicit Vocabulary Instruction: A Case Study in an English Medium Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chou, I-Chia

2018-01-01

Vocabulary knowledge is considered important in second and foreign language learning because learners' insufficient vocabulary has been consistently reported as a significant problem in their achievement of second-language (L2) learning. Despite of numerous vocabulary studies, few of them have implemented a learner-centered and interactive…

Documenting and Examining Practices in Creating Learning Communities: Exemplars and Non-Exemplars.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hipp, Kristine A.; Huffman, Jane B.

Though promising as an implement for school reform, few professional learning centers (PLCs) have turned the vision into reality. This paper looks at how PLCs develop and maintain momentum. It examines and documents efforts in schools actively engaged in creating PLCs based on Hord's model. Hord's model employs external change agents, or…

Improving Mathematics Teaching and Learning Experiences for Hard of Hearing Students with Wireless Technology-Enhanced Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Chen-Chung; Chou, Chien-Chia; Liu, Baw-Jhiune; Yang, Jui-Wen

2006-01-01

Hard of hearing students usually face more difficulties at school than other students. A classroom environment with wireless technology was implemented to explore whether wireless technology could enhance mathematics learning and teaching activities for a hearing teacher and her 7 hard of hearing students in a Taiwan junior high school.…

The Professional Learning Community as Subversive Activity: Countering the Culture of Conventional Schooling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nehring, James; Fitzsimons, Gray

2011-01-01

As the professional learning community (PLC) as a desired cultural norm gains popularity within K-12 state schools, greater knowledge of the PLC implementation process is warranted. This study reports findings from semi-structured focus group interviews with teachers in an urban/suburban high school after one year of schoolwide professional…

Coordinated Implementation and Evaluation of Flipped Classes and Peer-Led Team Learning in General Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robert, Jenay; Lewis, Scott E.; Oueini, Razanne; Mapugay, Andrea

2016-01-01

The research-based pedagogical strategy of flipped classes has been shown to be effective for increasing student achievement and retention in postsecondary chemistry classes. The purpose of flipped classes is to move content delivery (e.g., lecture) outside of the classroom, freeing more face-to-face time for active learning strategies. The…

Implementing E-Learning at the University of Nicosia: Making It Possible

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alexander, Chris

2011-01-01

This practical paper reports on significant Learning Activity Management System (LAMS) work currently being undertaken at The University of Nicosia in Cyprus; a growing number of full e-courses have been, and are being, created using LAMS and a suite of specialized programs in order to provide an alternate and more convenient educational service…

Changing Practice in Malaysian Primary Schools: Learning from Student Teachers' Reports of Using Action, Reflection and Modelling (ARM)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dickerson, Claire; Thomas, Kit; Jarvis, Joy; Levy, Roger

2018-01-01

Curricular and pedagogical reforms are complex inter-linked processes such that curricular reform can only be enacted through teachers teaching differently. This article reports the perspective of emergent Malaysian primary teachers who were expected to implement a Government reform that promoted active learning. The 120 student teachers were…

Creating and Teaching a Web-Based, University-Level Introductory Chemistry Course that Incorporates Laboratory Exercises and Active Learning Pedagogies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phipps, Linda R.

2013-01-01

An introductory, nonscience-majors chemistry course was converted to a Web-based course. The differences in student populations, teaching strategies, laboratory methods, and learning outcomes are described. Practical information is also given on the use of software and other online technology to implement course conversion. (Contains 2 tables.)

Online Project-Based Learning: How Collaborative Strategies and Problem Solving Processes Impact Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, W. Randall; Macgregor, S. Kim

2005-01-01

The goal of this study was to gain insights into the interactions that occur in online communications in a project-based learning activity implemented in an undergraduate course. A multi-case study was conducted of six collaborative groups, focusing on the types and frequencies of interactions that occurred within each group and the perceptions…

On-Line Learning Materials for the Science Classroom: Design Methodology and Implementation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Joseph L.; And Others

The recent introduction of the Internet into classrooms provides an opportunity for learners to access a wide range of digital resources on the World Wide Web. The development of on-line learning materials can support inquiry-based activities for students as they pursue questions of interest, plan searches, and analyze their findings. This paper…

Implementing Motivational Features in Reactive Blended Learning: Application to an Introductory Control Engineering Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mendez, J. A.; Gonzalez, E. J.

2011-01-01

This paper presents a significant advance in a reactive blended learning methodology applied to an introductory control engineering course. This proposal was based on the inclusion of a reactive element (a fuzzy-logic-based controller) designed to regulate the workload for each student according to his/her activity and performance. The…

An Integrated Learning Approach to Teaching an Undergraduate Information Systems Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riordan, Robert J.; Hine, Michael J.; Smith, Tim C.

2017-01-01

This paper describes the redesign and implementation of an introductory Information Systems class. The redesign was guided by principles drawn from the experiential and active learning literature. Central to the redesign are two simulated companies: petGRO, a fictional ERP-enabled pet food and accessories e-tailer, and beans4all, a technology…

The Role of Blogs and Web Resources in Students' Autonomous Learning Awareness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ballén, Diana

2014-01-01

This article focuses on the way in which technology-based activities may shape and characterize students' awareness of their own learning processes and their understanding of autonomy. The study was carried out at a public university in Colombia. Data collection was done through the implementation of class observations, a survey, and some focus…

Implementing Flipped Classroom in Blended Learning Environments: A Proposal Based on the Cognitive Flexibility Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrade, Mariel; Coutinho, Clara

2017-01-01

Flipped Classroom is an issue that gains increased attention in Blended Learning models. Generally, in the traditional classroom, the teacher uses the time in the classroom to explain the theoretical and conceptual body content and leaves the practices and exercises as extracurricular activities. In the Flipped Classroom, students study at home…

The Effect of Simulation-Based Learning on Prospective Teachers' Inference Skills in Teaching Probability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koparan, Timur; Yilmaz, Gül Kaleli

2015-01-01

The effect of simulation-based probability teaching on the prospective teachers' inference skills has been examined with this research. In line with this purpose, it has been aimed to examine the design, implementation and efficiency of a learning environment for experimental probability. Activities were built on modeling, simulation and the…

Playtime Is Science: Implementing a Parent/Child Activity Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sprung, Barbara; And Others

A program of science activities for children in the early childhood years and their parents is offered. The three different formats of the Playtime Is Science program are adaptable to a variety of settings and schedules. The Parent/Child Activity Program includes one parents-only session in which participants learn that routine chores involve…

Critical Elements for Successful Implementation and Adoption of Authentic Scientific Research Programs: Lessons Learned from NASA's Mars Student Imaging Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klug Boonstra, S.; Swann, J.; Boonstra, D.; Manfredi, L.; Christensen, P. R.

2016-12-01

Recent research identifies the most effective learning as active, engaged learning in which students interact with phenomena, other students, and the teacher/leader to derive meaning and construct understanding of their surroundings. "Similarly, an engaging and effective science education goes well beyond the low-level factual recall that is emphasized in many science classes. It must develop the skills that students need to solve complex problems, work in teams, make and recognize evidence-based arguments, and interpret and communicate complex information" (emphasis added). Authentic science research projects provide active, engaged learning in which students interact with authentic science data in an authentic problem-solving context to derive meaning and construct understanding of the world. In formal (and many informal) settings, the teacher/leader is effectively the gatekeeper who determines the learning experiences in which the students will participate. From our experience of nearly a decade and a half of authentic science programming for 5thgrade through early college students working with NASA Mars data, supporting and enabling the teacher is perhaps the most critical and foundational element for designing a successful authentic research experience. Yet, a major barrier to this type of learning are teacher/leaders who are too often not equipped or who lack confidence to succeed in facilitating authentic research projects. The Mars Student Imaging Project has implemented an iterative process of design, testing, and redesign that has identified and implemented critical teacher/leader-enabling elements that have led to increasingly successful adoptions within formal and informal educational settings - allowing more students to gain the benefits of immersive research experience.

Utilizing a Collaborative Learning Model to Promote Early Extubation Following Infant Heart Surgery.

PubMed

Mahle, William T; Nicolson, Susan C; Hollenbeck-Pringle, Danielle; Gaies, Michael G; Witte, Madolin K; Lee, Eva K; Goldsworthy, Michelle; Stark, Paul C; Burns, Kristin M; Scheurer, Mark A; Cooper, David S; Thiagarajan, Ravi; Sivarajan, V Ben; Colan, Steven D; Schamberger, Marcus S; Shekerdemian, Lara S

2016-10-01

To determine whether a collaborative learning strategy-derived clinical practice guideline can reduce the duration of endotracheal intubation following infant heart surgery. Prospective and retrospective data collected from the Pediatric Heart Network in the 12 months pre- and post-clinical practice guideline implementation at the four sites participating in the collaborative (active sites) compared with data from five Pediatric Heart Network centers not participating in collaborative learning (control sites). Ten children's hospitals. Data were collected for infants following two-index operations: 1) repair of isolated coarctation of the aorta (birth to 365 d) and 2) repair of tetralogy of Fallot (29-365 d). There were 240 subjects eligible for the clinical practice guideline at active sites and 259 subjects at control sites. Development and application of early extubation clinical practice guideline. After clinical practice guideline implementation, the rate of early extubation at active sites increased significantly from 11.7% to 66.9% (p < 0.001) with no increase in reintubation rate. The median duration of postoperative intubation among active sites decreased from 21.2 to 4.5 hours (p < 0.001). No statistically significant change in early extubation rates was found in the control sites 11.7% to 13.7% (p = 0.63). At active sites, clinical practice guideline implementation had no statistically significant impact on median ICU length of stay (71.9 hr pre- vs 69.2 hr postimplementation; p = 0.29) for the entire cohort. There was a trend toward shorter ICU length of stay in the tetralogy of Fallot subgroup (71.6 hr pre- vs 54.2 hr postimplementation, p = 0.068). A collaborative learning strategy designed clinical practice guideline significantly increased the rate of early extubation with no change in the rate of reintubation. The early extubation clinical practice guideline did not significantly change postoperative ICU length of stay.

Lab4CE: A Remote Laboratory for Computer Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broisin, Julien; Venant, Rémi; Vidal, Philippe

2017-01-01

Remote practical activities have been demonstrated to be efficient when learners come to acquire inquiry skills. In computer science education, virtualization technologies are gaining popularity as this technological advance enables instructors to implement realistic practical learning activities, and learners to engage in authentic and…

More than Solutions: Empowering Students to Think Strategically and Tactically

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Del Gandio, Jason

2017-01-01

Courses: Communication Activism; Public Advocacy; Social Movements; Public Speaking; Persuasion; Argumentation; Public Sphere. Objectives: This semester-long activity helps students implement a solutions--strategies--tactics framework into their advocacy work. More specifically, students learn to (1) designate, research, and assess the causes of…

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.

Using an academic-community partnership model and blended learning to advance community health nursing pedagogy.

PubMed

Ezeonwu, Mabel; Berkowitz, Bobbie; Vlasses, Frances R

2014-01-01

This article describes a model of teaching community health nursing that evolved from a long-term partnership with a community with limited existing health programs. The partnership supported RN-BSN students' integration in the community and resulted in reciprocal gains for faculty, students and community members. Community clients accessed public health services as a result of the partnership. A blended learning approach that combines face-to-face interactions, service learning and online activities was utilized to enhance students' learning. Following classroom sessions, students actively participated in community-based educational process through comprehensive health needs assessments, planning and implementation of disease prevention and health promotion activities for community clients. Such active involvement in an underserved community deepened students' awareness of the fundamentals of community health practice. Students were challenged to view public health from a broader perspective while analyzing the impacts of social determinants of health on underserved populations. Through asynchronous online interactions, students synthesized classroom and community activities through critical thinking. This paper describes a model for teaching community health nursing that informs students' learning through blended learning, and meets the demands for community health nursing services delivery. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Understanding the challenges to facilitating active learning in the resident conferences: a qualitative study of internal medicine faculty and resident perspectives

PubMed Central

Sawatsky, Adam P.; Zickmund, Susan L.; Berlacher, Kathryn; Lesky, Dan; Granieri, Rosanne

2015-01-01

Background In the Next Accreditation System, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education outlines milestones for medical knowledge and requires regular didactic sessions in residency training. There are many challenges to facilitating active learning in resident conferences, and we need to better understand resident learning preferences and faculty perspectives on facilitating active learning. The goal of this study was to identify challenges to facilitating active learning in resident conferences, both through identifying specific implementation barriers and identifying differences in perspective between faculty and residents on effective teaching and learning strategies. Methods The investigators invited core residency faculty to participate in focus groups. The investigators used a semistructured guide to facilitate discussion about learning preferences and teaching perspectives in the conference setting and used an ‘editing approach’ within a grounded theory framework to qualitative analysis to code the transcripts and analyze the results. Data were compared to previously collected data from seven resident focus groups. Results Three focus groups with 20 core faculty were conducted. We identified three domains pertaining to facilitating active learning in resident conferences: barriers to facilitating active learning formats, similarities and differences in faculty and resident learning preferences, and divergence between faculty and resident opinions about effective teaching strategies. Faculty identified several setting, faculty, and resident barriers to facilitating active learning in resident conferences. When compared to residents, faculty expressed similar learning preferences; the main differences were in motivations for conference attendance and type of content. Resident preferences and faculty perspectives differed on the amount of information appropriate for lecture and the role of active participation in resident conferences. Conclusion This study highlights several challenges to facilitating active learning in resident conferences and provides insights for residency faculty who seek to transform the conference learning environment within their residency program. PMID:26160805

Understanding the challenges to facilitating active learning in the resident conferences: a qualitative study of internal medicine faculty and resident perspectives.

PubMed

Sawatsky, Adam P; Zickmund, Susan L; Berlacher, Kathryn; Lesky, Dan; Granieri, Rosanne

2015-01-01

Background In the Next Accreditation System, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education outlines milestones for medical knowledge and requires regular didactic sessions in residency training. There are many challenges to facilitating active learning in resident conferences, and we need to better understand resident learning preferences and faculty perspectives on facilitating active learning. The goal of this study was to identify challenges to facilitating active learning in resident conferences, both through identifying specific implementation barriers and identifying differences in perspective between faculty and residents on effective teaching and learning strategies. Methods The investigators invited core residency faculty to participate in focus groups. The investigators used a semistructured guide to facilitate discussion about learning preferences and teaching perspectives in the conference setting and used an 'editing approach' within a grounded theory framework to qualitative analysis to code the transcripts and analyze the results. Data were compared to previously collected data from seven resident focus groups. Results Three focus groups with 20 core faculty were conducted. We identified three domains pertaining to facilitating active learning in resident conferences: barriers to facilitating active learning formats, similarities and differences in faculty and resident learning preferences, and divergence between faculty and resident opinions about effective teaching strategies. Faculty identified several setting, faculty, and resident barriers to facilitating active learning in resident conferences. When compared to residents, faculty expressed similar learning preferences; the main differences were in motivations for conference attendance and type of content. Resident preferences and faculty perspectives differed on the amount of information appropriate for lecture and the role of active participation in resident conferences. Conclusion This study highlights several challenges to facilitating active learning in resident conferences and provides insights for residency faculty who seek to transform the conference learning environment within their residency program.

Does the Room Matter? Active Learning in Traditional and Enhanced Lecture Spaces

PubMed Central

Stoltzfus, Jon R.; Libarkin, Julie

2016-01-01

SCALE-UP–type classrooms, originating with the Student-Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-down Pedagogies project, are designed to facilitate active learning by maximizing opportunities for interactions between students and embedding technology in the classroom. Positive impacts when active learning replaces lecture are well documented, both in traditional lecture halls and SCALE-UP–type classrooms. However, few studies have carefully analyzed student outcomes when comparable active learning–based instruction takes place in a traditional lecture hall and a SCALE-UP–type classroom. Using a quasi-experimental design, we compared student perceptions and performance between sections of a nonmajors biology course, one taught in a traditional lecture hall and one taught in a SCALE-UP–type classroom. Instruction in both sections followed a flipped model that relied heavily on cooperative learning and was as identical as possible given the infrastructure differences between classrooms. Results showed that students in both sections thought that SCALE-UP infrastructure would enhance performance. However, measures of actual student performance showed no difference between the two sections. We conclude that, while SCALE-UP–type classrooms may facilitate implementation of active learning, it is the active learning and not the SCALE-UP infrastructure that enhances student performance. As a consequence, we suggest that institutions can modify existing classrooms to enhance student engagement without incorporating expensive technology. PMID:27909018

Implementation of a flipped classroom educational model in a predoctoral dental course.

PubMed

Park, Sang E; Howell, T Howard

2015-05-01

This article describes the development and implementation of a flipped classroom model to promote student-centered learning as part of a predoctoral dental course. This model redesigns the traditional lecture-style classroom into a blended learning model that combines active learning pedagogy with instructional technology and "flips" the sequence so that students use online resources to learn content ahead of class and then use class time for discussion. The dental anatomy portion of a second-year DMD course at Harvard School of Dental Medicine was redesigned using the flipped classroom model. The 36 students in the course viewed online materials before class; then, during class, small groups of students participated in peer teaching and team discussions based on learning objectives under the supervision of faculty. The utilization of pre- and post-class quizzes as well as peer assessments were critical motivating factors that likely contributed to the increase in student participation in class and helped place learning accountability on the students. Student feedback from a survey after the experience was generally positive with regard to the collaborative and interactive aspects of this form of blended learning.

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

PubMed

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

2008-04-15

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

Cultivating engaged leadership through a learning collaborative: lessons from primary care renewal in Oregon safety net clinics.

PubMed

McMullen, Carmit K; Schneider, Jennifer; Firemark, Alison; Davis, James; Spofford, Mark

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore how learning collaboratives cultivate leadership skills that are essential for implementing patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs). We conducted an ethnographic evaluation of a payor-incentivized PCMH implementation in Oregon safety net clinics, known as Primary Care Renewal. Analyses primarily drew on in-depth interviews with organizational leaders who were involved in the initiative. We solicited perspectives on the history, barriers, facilitators, and other noteworthy factors related to the implementation of PCMH. We reviewed and summarized transcripts and created and applied a coding dictionary to identify emergent leadership themes. We reviewed field notes from clinic site visits and observations of learning collaborative activities for additional information on the role of engaged leadership. Interview data suggested that organizations followed a similar, sequential process of Primary Care Renewal implementation having 2 phases-inspiration and implementation-and that leaders needed and learned different leadership skills in each phase. Leaders reported that collaborative learning opportunities were critical for developing engaged leadership skills during the inspiration phase of transformation. Facilitative and modeling aspects of engaged leadership were most important for codesigning a vision and plan for change. Adaptive leadership skills became more important during the implementation phase, when specific operational and management skills were needed to foster standardization and spread of the Primary Care Renewal initiative throughout participating clinics. The PCMH has received much attention as a way to reorganize and potentially improve primary care. Documenting steps and stages for cultivating leaders with the vision and skills to transform their organizations into PCMHs may offer a useful roadmap to other organizations considering a similar transformation.

Student responses to a hands-on kinesthetic lecture activity for learning about the oxygen carrying capacity of blood.

PubMed

Breckler, Jennifer; Yu, Justin R

2011-03-01

This article describes a new hands-on, or "kinesthetic," activity for use in a physiology lecture hall to help students comprehend an important concept in cardiopulmonary physiology known as oxygen carrying capacity. One impetus for designing this activity was to address the needs of students who have a preference for kinesthetic learning and to help increase their understanding and engagement during lecture. This activity uses simple inexpensive materials, provides an effective model for demonstrating related pathophysiology, and helps promote active learning. The activity protocol and its implementation are described here in detail. We also report data obtained from student surveys and assessment tools to determine the effectiveness of the activity on student conceptual learning and perceptions. A brief multiple-choice pretest showed that although students had already been introduced to the relevant concepts in lecture, they had not yet mastered these concepts before performing the activity. Two postactivity assessments showed that student performance was significantly improved on the posttest compared with the pretest and that information was largely retained at the end of the course. Survey data showed that one-half of the students stated kinesthetic learning as among their learning preferences, yet nearly all students enjoyed and were engaged in this hands-on kinesthetic activity regardless of their preferences. Most students would recommend it to their peers and expressed a desire for more kinesthetic learning opportunities in the lecture curriculum.

Teachers' Perceptions on Application of 2013 Curriculum for Elementary School in Medan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zulhernanda, Windha

2018-01-01

Curriculum is a set of educational design programs as a guide for learning activities. Recent changes in curriculum implementation in education have an impact on teachers in implementing them.This study investigated about the teacher perception on application the newest curriculum such as the 2013 curriclum for elementary school in Medan,…

Design, Development and Implementation of a Technology Enhanced Hybrid Course on Molecular Symmetry: Students' Outcomes and Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antonoglou, L. D.; Charistos, N. D.; Sigalas, M. P.

2011-01-01

A hybrid course of Molecular Symmetry and Group Theory which combines traditional face-to-face instruction with an online web enhanced learning environment within a Course Management System was designed, developed, and implemented with a purpose to establish an active and student-centred educational setting. Multi-representational educational…

Improving mathematics teaching and learning experiences for hard of hearing students with wireless technology-enhanced classrooms.

PubMed

Liu, Chen-Chung; Chou, Chien-Chia; Liu, Baw-Jhiune; Yang, Jui-Wen

2006-01-01

Hard of hearing students usually face more difficulties at school than other students. A classroom environment with wireless technology was implemented to explore whether wireless technology could enhance mathematics learning and teaching activities for a hearing teacher and her 7 hard of hearing students in a Taiwan junior high school. Experiments showed that the highly interactive communication through the wireless network increased student participation in learning activities. Students demonstrated more responses to the teacher and fewer distraction behaviors. Fewer mistakes were made in in-class course work because Tablet PCs provided students scaffolds. Students stated that the environment with wireless technology was desirable and said that they hoped to continue using the environment to learn mathematics.

Applying active learning to supervised word sense disambiguation in MEDLINE.

PubMed

Chen, Yukun; Cao, Hongxin; Mei, Qiaozhu; Zheng, Kai; Xu, Hua

2013-01-01

This study was to assess whether active learning strategies can be integrated with supervised word sense disambiguation (WSD) methods, thus reducing the number of annotated samples, while keeping or improving the quality of disambiguation models. We developed support vector machine (SVM) classifiers to disambiguate 197 ambiguous terms and abbreviations in the MSH WSD collection. Three different uncertainty sampling-based active learning algorithms were implemented with the SVM classifiers and were compared with a passive learner (PL) based on random sampling. For each ambiguous term and each learning algorithm, a learning curve that plots the accuracy computed from the test set as a function of the number of annotated samples used in the model was generated. The area under the learning curve (ALC) was used as the primary metric for evaluation. Our experiments demonstrated that active learners (ALs) significantly outperformed the PL, showing better performance for 177 out of 197 (89.8%) WSD tasks. Further analysis showed that to achieve an average accuracy of 90%, the PL needed 38 annotated samples, while the ALs needed only 24, a 37% reduction in annotation effort. Moreover, we analyzed cases where active learning algorithms did not achieve superior performance and identified three causes: (1) poor models in the early learning stage; (2) easy WSD cases; and (3) difficult WSD cases, which provide useful insight for future improvements. This study demonstrated that integrating active learning strategies with supervised WSD methods could effectively reduce annotation cost and improve the disambiguation models.

Applying active learning to supervised word sense disambiguation in MEDLINE

PubMed Central

Chen, Yukun; Cao, Hongxin; Mei, Qiaozhu; Zheng, Kai; Xu, Hua

2013-01-01

Objectives This study was to assess whether active learning strategies can be integrated with supervised word sense disambiguation (WSD) methods, thus reducing the number of annotated samples, while keeping or improving the quality of disambiguation models. Methods We developed support vector machine (SVM) classifiers to disambiguate 197 ambiguous terms and abbreviations in the MSH WSD collection. Three different uncertainty sampling-based active learning algorithms were implemented with the SVM classifiers and were compared with a passive learner (PL) based on random sampling. For each ambiguous term and each learning algorithm, a learning curve that plots the accuracy computed from the test set as a function of the number of annotated samples used in the model was generated. The area under the learning curve (ALC) was used as the primary metric for evaluation. Results Our experiments demonstrated that active learners (ALs) significantly outperformed the PL, showing better performance for 177 out of 197 (89.8%) WSD tasks. Further analysis showed that to achieve an average accuracy of 90%, the PL needed 38 annotated samples, while the ALs needed only 24, a 37% reduction in annotation effort. Moreover, we analyzed cases where active learning algorithms did not achieve superior performance and identified three causes: (1) poor models in the early learning stage; (2) easy WSD cases; and (3) difficult WSD cases, which provide useful insight for future improvements. Conclusions This study demonstrated that integrating active learning strategies with supervised WSD methods could effectively reduce annotation cost and improve the disambiguation models. PMID:23364851

Teaching Service Learning in the Geosciences: An On the Cutting Edge Workshop Report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruckner, M. Z.; Laine, E. P.; Mogk, D. W.; O'Connell, S.; Kirk, K. B.

2010-12-01

Service learning is an instructional method that combines community service and academic instruction within the context of an established academic course. It is a particularly effective approach that uses active and experiential learning to develop the academic skills required of a course of study and to simultaneously address authentic community needs. Service learning projects can energize and motivate students by engaging a sense of civic responsibility by working in concert with community partners. The geosciences provide abundant opportunities to develop service learning projects on topics related to natural hazards, resources, land use, water quality, community planning, public policy, and education (K-12 and public outreach). To explore the opportunities of teaching service learning in the geosciences, the On the Cutting Edge program convened an online workshop in February 2010. The goals of the workshop were to: 1) introduce the principles and practices of effective service learning instructional activities; 2) provide examples of successful service learning projects and practical advice about "what works;" 3) provide participants with the opportunity to design, develop, and refine their own service learning courses or projects; 4) develop collections of supporting resources related to the pedagogy of service learning; and 5) support a community of scholars interested in continued work on service learning in the geoscience curriculum. The workshop consisted of a series of web-based synchronous and asynchronous sessions, including presentations from experienced practitioners of service learning, panel discussions, threaded discussions, and editable web pages used to develop new material for the website. Time was also provided for small group and individual work and for participants to peer-review each others' service learning projects and to revise their own activities based on reviewer comments. Insights from the workshop were integrated into new web pages that can help others implement service learning projects in their own institutions and communities. Online resources developed by the workshop participants, conveners, and supporting staff include an assemblage of online and print resources, a searchable collection of peer-reviewed examples of service learning projects, a tutorial on using the "8-Block Model" to design and implement a service learning project, tips on finding service learning partners, advice on motivating students, departments and the community, and example assessment instruments. Faculty are encouraged to submit their own examples of additional service learning projects in the geosciences. The entire workshop program, resources and activities are available online at: http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/servicelearning/index.html

Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Mission EARTH (GME) program delivers climate change science content, pedagogy, and data resources to K12 educators, future teachers, and professional development providers.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ostrom, T.

2017-12-01

This presentation will include a series of visuals that discuss how hands-on learning activities and field investigations from the the Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Mission EARTH (GME) program deliver climate change science content, pedagogy, and data resources to K12 educators, future teachers, and professional development providers. The GME program poster presentation will also show how teachers strengthen student preparation for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM)-related careers while promoting diversity in the future STEM workforce. In addition to engaging students in scientific inquiry, the GME program poster will show how career exploration and preparation experiences is accomplished through direct connection to scientists and real science practices. The poster will show which hands-on learning activities that are being implemented in more than 30,000 schools worldwide, with over a million students, teachers, and scientists collecting environmental measurements using the GLOBE scientific protocols. This poster will also include how Next Generation Science Standards connect to GME learning progressions by grade strands. The poster will present the first year of results from the implementation of the GME program. Data is currently being agrigated by the east, midwest and westen regional operations.

Vibration control of building structures using self-organizing and self-learning neural networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madan, Alok

2005-11-01

Past research in artificial intelligence establishes that artificial neural networks (ANN) are effective and efficient computational processors for performing a variety of tasks including pattern recognition, classification, associative recall, combinatorial problem solving, adaptive control, multi-sensor data fusion, noise filtering and data compression, modelling and forecasting. The paper presents a potentially feasible approach for training ANN in active control of earthquake-induced vibrations in building structures without the aid of teacher signals (i.e. target control forces). A counter-propagation neural network is trained to output the control forces that are required to reduce the structural vibrations in the absence of any feedback on the correctness of the output control forces (i.e. without any information on the errors in output activations of the network). The present study shows that, in principle, the counter-propagation network (CPN) can learn from the control environment to compute the required control forces without the supervision of a teacher (unsupervised learning). Simulated case studies are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of implementing the unsupervised learning approach in ANN for effective vibration control of structures under the influence of earthquake ground motions. The proposed learning methodology obviates the need for developing a mathematical model of structural dynamics or training a separate neural network to emulate the structural response for implementation in practice.

Implementation literacy strategies on health technology theme Learning to enhance Indonesian Junior High School Student's Physics Literacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feranie, Selly; Efendi, Ridwan; Karim, Saeful; Sasmita, Dedi

2016-08-01

The PISA results for Indonesian Students are lowest among Asian countries in the past two successive results. Therefore various Innovations in science learning process and its effectiveness enhancing student's science literacy is needed to enrich middle school science teachers. Literacy strategies have been implemented on health technologies theme learning to enhance Indonesian Junior high school Student's Physics literacy in three different health technologies e.g. Lasik surgery that associated with application of Light and Optics concepts, Ultra Sonographer (USG) associated with application of Sound wave concepts and Work out with stationary bike and walking associated with application of motion concepts. Science learning process involves at least teacher instruction, student learning and a science curriculum. We design two main part of literacy strategies in each theme based learning. First part is Integrated Reading Writing Task (IRWT) is given to the students before learning process, the second part is scientific investigation learning process design packed in Problem Based Learning. The first part is to enhance student's science knowledge and reading comprehension and the second part is to enhance student's science competencies. We design a transformation from complexity of physics language to Middle school physics language and from an expensive and complex science investigation to a local material and simply hands on activities. In this paper, we provide briefly how literacy strategies proposed by previous works is redesigned and applied in classroom science learning. Data were analysed using t- test. The increasing value of mean scores in each learning design (with a significance level of p = 0.01) shows that the implementation of this literacy strategy revealed a significant increase in students’ physics literacy achievement. Addition analysis of Avarage normalized gain show that each learning design is in medium-g courses effectiveness category according to Hake's classification.

The Collier Chautauqua program: A formative evaluation of the implementation of the Iowa Chautauqua model of professional development and its effectiveness in improving science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dass, Pradeep Maxwell

1997-11-01

A formative evaluation of the implementation of the Iowa Chautauqua model of professional development in Collier County, Florida, was conducted during 1995-97, focusing on implementation issues and teacher enhancement. Major findings are as follows: Implementation issues. (1) Development of a shared vision through collaborative interaction between teachers, school administrators, and district administrators is critical to successful program implementation. (2) When a new program is implemented on a district-wide basis, the success of implementation depends upon how well the program matches local goals and needs and how ready the district and teachers are to make changes necessary for implementing the tenets of the program. (3) Development of proper understanding of desired pedagogical approaches requires modeling of these approaches in program activities, with explicit attention drawn to the modeling. (4) Successful implementation of desired pedagogical approaches in the classroom is critically influenced by the support and continual feedback teachers receive from district administrators, building administrators, and their peers. (5) Unwavering commitment of district and school administrators is essential for encouraging more teachers to participate in the program, leading to district-wide implementation without making it mandatory. Teacher Enhancement. (1) Participants developed leadership skills in mentorship, teamwork, presenting at professional meetings, and assuming responsibility within the program. (2) Participants learned to focus more on student questions and concerns, value prior conceptions of students, and develop instructional activities accordingly. They grew in their understanding and use of the constructivist pedagogy. (3) Participants attitude toward teaching in general and science in particular improved markedly, leading to new excitement and enthusiasm toward their profession. (4) Participants became more confident about teaching science. Elementary teachers reported spending more time on science activities and integrating science topics more with other curricular areas. (5) Participants collaborated more with their peers, administrators, and local community resources in improving instructional activities, providing more meaningful learning experiences for their students. (6) Participants integrated more technological resources than they did formerly, helping students explore avenues otherwise inaccessible. This investigation reveals that teacher enhancement is closely related to changed practice, which is critically influenced by implementation issues at broader levels.

The basal ganglia is necessary for learning spectral, but not temporal features of birdsong

PubMed Central

Ali, Farhan; Fantana, Antoniu L.; Burak, Yoram; Ölveczky, Bence P.

2013-01-01

Executing a motor skill requires the brain to control which muscles to activate at what times. How these aspects of control - motor implementation and timing - are acquired, and whether the learning processes underlying them differ, is not well understood. To address this we used a reinforcement learning paradigm to independently manipulate both spectral and temporal features of birdsong, a complex learned motor sequence, while recording and perturbing activity in underlying circuits. Our results uncovered a striking dissociation in how neural circuits underlie learning in the two domains. The basal ganglia was required for modifying spectral, but not temporal structure. This functional dissociation extended to the descending motor pathway, where recordings from a premotor cortex analogue nucleus reflected changes to temporal, but not spectral structure. Our results reveal a strategy in which the nervous system employs different and largely independent circuits to learn distinct aspects of a motor skill. PMID:24075977

A common evaluation framework for the African Health Initiative.

PubMed

Bryce, Jennifer; Requejo, Jennifer Harris; Moulton, Lawrence H; Ram, Malathi; Black, Robert E

2013-01-01

The African Health Initiative includes highly diverse partnerships in five countries (Ghana, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia), each of which is working to improve population health by strengthening health systems and to evaluate the results. One aim of the Initiative is to generate cross-site learning that can inform implementation in the five partnerships during the project period and identify lessons that may be generalizable to other countries in the region. Collaborators in the Initiative developed a common evaluation framework as a basis for this cross-site learning. This paper describes the components of the framework; this includes the conceptual model, core metrics to be measured in all sites, and standard guidelines for reporting on the implementation of partnership activities and contextual factors that may affect implementation, or the results it produces. We also describe the systems that have been put in place for data management, data quality assessments, and cross-site analysis of results. The conceptual model for the Initiative highlights points in the causal chain between health system strengthening activities and health impact where evidence produced by the partnerships can contribute to learning. This model represents an important advance over its predecessors by including contextual factors and implementation strength as potential determinants, and explicitly including equity as a component of both outcomes and impact. Specific measurement challenges include the prospective documentation of program implementation and contextual factors. Methodological issues addressed in the development of the framework include the aggregation of data collected using different methods and the challenge of evaluating a complex set of interventions being improved over time based on continuous monitoring and intermediate results.

Flipped classroom model for learning evidence-based medicine.

PubMed

Rucker, Sydney Y; Ozdogan, Zulfukar; Al Achkar, Morhaf

2017-01-01

Journal club (JC), as a pedagogical strategy, has long been used in graduate medical education (GME). As evidence-based medicine (EBM) becomes a mainstay in GME, traditional models of JC present a number of insufficiencies and call for novel models of instruction. A flipped classroom model appears to be an ideal strategy to meet the demands to connect evidence to practice while creating engaged, culturally competent, and technologically literate physicians. In this article, we describe a novel model of flipped classroom in JC. We present the flow of learning activities during the online and face-to-face instruction, and then we highlight specific considerations for implementing a flipped classroom model. We show that implementing a flipped classroom model to teach EBM in a residency program not only is possible but also may constitute improved learning opportunity for residents. Follow-up work is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of this model on both learning and clinical practice.

Flipped classroom model for learning evidence-based medicine

PubMed Central

Rucker, Sydney Y; Ozdogan, Zulfukar; Al Achkar, Morhaf

2017-01-01

Journal club (JC), as a pedagogical strategy, has long been used in graduate medical education (GME). As evidence-based medicine (EBM) becomes a mainstay in GME, traditional models of JC present a number of insufficiencies and call for novel models of instruction. A flipped classroom model appears to be an ideal strategy to meet the demands to connect evidence to practice while creating engaged, culturally competent, and technologically literate physicians. In this article, we describe a novel model of flipped classroom in JC. We present the flow of learning activities during the online and face-to-face instruction, and then we highlight specific considerations for implementing a flipped classroom model. We show that implementing a flipped classroom model to teach EBM in a residency program not only is possible but also may constitute improved learning opportunity for residents. Follow-up work is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of this model on both learning and clinical practice. PMID:28919831

Improved Student Learning through a Faculty Learning Community: How Faculty Collaboration Transformed a Large-Enrollment Course from Lecture to Student Centered.

PubMed

Elliott, Emily R; Reason, Robert D; Coffman, Clark R; Gangloff, Eric J; Raker, Jeffrey R; Powell-Coffman, Jo Anne; Ogilvie, Craig A

2016-01-01

Undergraduate introductory biology courses are changing based on our growing understanding of how students learn and rapid scientific advancement in the biological sciences. At Iowa State University, faculty instructors are transforming a second-semester large-enrollment introductory biology course to include active learning within the lecture setting. To support this change, we set up a faculty learning community (FLC) in which instructors develop new pedagogies, adapt active-learning strategies to large courses, discuss challenges and progress, critique and revise classroom interventions, and share materials. We present data on how the collaborative work of the FLC led to increased implementation of active-learning strategies and a concurrent improvement in student learning. Interestingly, student learning gains correlate with the percentage of classroom time spent in active-learning modes. Furthermore, student attitudes toward learning biology are weakly positively correlated with these learning gains. At our institution, the FLC framework serves as an agent of iterative emergent change, resulting in the creation of a more student-centered course that better supports learning. © 2016 E. R. Elliott et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

A guide to using case-based learning in biochemistry education.

PubMed

Kulak, Verena; Newton, Genevieve

2014-01-01

Studies indicate that the majority of students in undergraduate biochemistry take a surface approach to learning, associated with rote memorization of material, rather than a deep approach, which implies higher cognitive processing. This behavior relates to poorer outcomes, including impaired course performance and reduced knowledge retention. The use of case-based learning (CBL) into biochemistry teaching may facilitate deep learning by increasing student engagement and interest. Abundant literature on CBL exists but clear guidance on how to design and implement case studies is not readily available. This guide provides a representative review of CBL uses in science and describes the process of developing CBL modules to be used in biochemistry. Included is a framework to implement a directed CBL assisted with lectures in a content-driven biochemistry course regardless of class size. Moreover, this guide can facilitate adopting CBL to other courses. Consequently, the information presented herein will be of value to undergraduate science educators with an interest in active learning pedagogies. © 2014 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

A randomized controlled trial of an online, modular, active learning training program for behavioral activation for depression.

PubMed

Puspitasari, Ajeng J; Kanter, Jonathan W; Busch, Andrew M; Leonard, Rachel; Dunsiger, Shira; Cahill, Shawn; Martell, Christopher; Koerner, Kelly

2017-08-01

This randomized-controlled trial assessed the efficacy of a trainer-led, active-learning, modular, online behavioral activation (BA) training program compared with a self-paced online BA training with the same modular content. Seventy-seven graduate students (M = 30.3 years, SD = 6.09; 76.6% female) in mental health training programs were randomly assigned to receive either the trainer-led or self-paced BA training. Both trainings consisted of 4 weekly sessions covering 4 core BA strategies. Primary outcomes were changes in BA skills as measured by an objective role-play assessment and self-reported use of BA strategies. Assessments were conducted at pre-, post-, and 6-weeks after training. A series of longitudinal mixed effect models assessed changes in BA skills and a longitudinal model implemented with generalized estimating equations assessed BA use over time. Significantly greater increases in total BA skills were found in the trainer-led training condition. The trainer-led training condition also showed greater increases in all core BA skills either at posttraining, follow-up, or both. Reported use of BA strategies with actual clients increased significantly from pre- to posttraining and maintained at follow-up in both training conditions. This trial adds to the literature on the efficacy of online training as a method to disseminate BA. Online training with an active learning, modular approach may be a promising and accessible implementation strategy. Additional strategies may need to be paired with the online BA training to assure the long-term implementation and sustainability of BA in clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

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.

Learning by strategies and learning by drill--evidence from an fMRI study.

PubMed

Delazer, M; Ischebeck, A; Domahs, F; Zamarian, L; Koppelstaetter, F; Siedentopf, C M; Kaufmann, L; Benke, T; Felber, S

2005-04-15

The present fMRI study investigates, first, whether learning new arithmetic operations is reflected by changing cerebral activation patterns, and second, whether different learning methods lead to differential modifications of brain activation. In a controlled design, subjects were trained over a week on two new complex arithmetic operations, one operation trained by the application of back-up strategies, i.e., a sequence of arithmetic operations, the other by drill, i.e., by learning the association between the operands and the result. In the following fMRI session, new untrained items, items trained by strategy and items trained by drill, were assessed using an event-related design. Untrained items as compared to trained showed large bilateral parietal activations, with the focus of activation along the right intraparietal sulcus. Further foci of activation were found in both inferior frontal gyri. The reverse contrast, trained vs. untrained, showed a more focused activation pattern with activation in both angular gyri. As suggested by the specific activation patterns, newly acquired expertise was implemented in previously existing networks of arithmetic processing and memory. Comparisons between drill and strategy conditions suggest that successful retrieval was associated with different brain activation patterns reflecting the underlying learning methods. While the drill condition more strongly activated medial parietal regions extending to the left angular gyrus, the strategy condition was associated to the activation of the precuneus which may be accounted for by visual imagery in memory retrieval.

Making Good Teaching Great: Everyday Strategies for Teaching with Impact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breaux, Annette L.; Whitaker, Todd

2012-01-01

Every good teacher strives to be a great teacher--and this must-have book shows you how! It's filled with practical tips and strategies for connecting with your students in a meaningful and powerful way. Learn how to improve student learning with easy-to-implement daily activities designed to integrate seamlessly into any day of the school year.…

Case Report Writing in a Doctor of Physical Therapy Education Program: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fillyaw, Michael J.

2011-01-01

Case reports are an established form of scholarship used for teaching and learning in medicine and health care, but there are few examples of the teaching and learning activities used to prepare students to write a case report. This report describes the implementation of two courses that prepare physical therapy students to write and disseminate a…

Exploratory Study on the Patterns of Online Interaction and Knowledge Co-Construction in Project-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heo, Heeok; Lim, Kyu Yon; Kim, Youngsoo

2010-01-01

This study aims to investigate the patterns and the quality of online interaction during project-based learning (PjBL) on both micro and macro levels. To achieve this purpose, PjBL was implemented with online group activities in an undergraduate course. Social network analysis (SNA) and content analysis were employed to analyze online interaction…

Getting Things Done. A Learning Package for Process Skills. An Occasional Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Max

This manual is designed to help teachers and tutors implement a 4-day modular course in the skills and processes necessary to get things done. The aims and content of the course are described. A course summary is provided along with a model course program that includes parallel lists of objectives, suggested learning activities and text materials,…

What's inside a Sweet Pepper Fruit? Thinking about "Insides" in Plants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krnel, Dusan; Druzina, Branko; McCloughlin, Thomas

2011-01-01

This paper presents one of the ways in which the ideas of active learning, problem solving, using history of science, probing students' ideas and other approaches can be implemented to bring about meaningful learning. The example is taken from the plant chemistry and is suitable for the lower secondary level. In this paper we wanted to show how,…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banzato, Monica; Tosato, Paolo

2017-01-01

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

Writing for publication: faculty development initiative using social learning theory.

PubMed

Sanderson, Bonnie K; Carter, Matt; Schuessler, Jenny B

2012-01-01

Demonstrating scholarly competency is an expectation for nurse faculty. However, there is hesitancy among some faculty to fully engage in scholarly activities. To strengthen a school of nursing's culture of scholarship, a faculty development writing initiative based on Social Learning Theory was implemented. The authors discuss this initiative to facilitate writing for publication productivity among faculty and the successful outcomes.

Real time unsupervised learning of visual stimuli in neuromorphic VLSI systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giulioni, Massimiliano; Corradi, Federico; Dante, Vittorio; Del Giudice, Paolo

2015-10-01

Neuromorphic chips embody computational principles operating in the nervous system, into microelectronic devices. In this domain it is important to identify computational primitives that theory and experiments suggest as generic and reusable cognitive elements. One such element is provided by attractor dynamics in recurrent networks. Point attractors are equilibrium states of the dynamics (up to fluctuations), determined by the synaptic structure of the network; a ‘basin’ of attraction comprises all initial states leading to a given attractor upon relaxation, hence making attractor dynamics suitable to implement robust associative memory. The initial network state is dictated by the stimulus, and relaxation to the attractor state implements the retrieval of the corresponding memorized prototypical pattern. In a previous work we demonstrated that a neuromorphic recurrent network of spiking neurons and suitably chosen, fixed synapses supports attractor dynamics. Here we focus on learning: activating on-chip synaptic plasticity and using a theory-driven strategy for choosing network parameters, we show that autonomous learning, following repeated presentation of simple visual stimuli, shapes a synaptic connectivity supporting stimulus-selective attractors. Associative memory develops on chip as the result of the coupled stimulus-driven neural activity and ensuing synaptic dynamics, with no artificial separation between learning and retrieval phases.

Real time unsupervised learning of visual stimuli in neuromorphic VLSI systems.

PubMed

Giulioni, Massimiliano; Corradi, Federico; Dante, Vittorio; del Giudice, Paolo

2015-10-14

Neuromorphic chips embody computational principles operating in the nervous system, into microelectronic devices. In this domain it is important to identify computational primitives that theory and experiments suggest as generic and reusable cognitive elements. One such element is provided by attractor dynamics in recurrent networks. Point attractors are equilibrium states of the dynamics (up to fluctuations), determined by the synaptic structure of the network; a 'basin' of attraction comprises all initial states leading to a given attractor upon relaxation, hence making attractor dynamics suitable to implement robust associative memory. The initial network state is dictated by the stimulus, and relaxation to the attractor state implements the retrieval of the corresponding memorized prototypical pattern. In a previous work we demonstrated that a neuromorphic recurrent network of spiking neurons and suitably chosen, fixed synapses supports attractor dynamics. Here we focus on learning: activating on-chip synaptic plasticity and using a theory-driven strategy for choosing network parameters, we show that autonomous learning, following repeated presentation of simple visual stimuli, shapes a synaptic connectivity supporting stimulus-selective attractors. Associative memory develops on chip as the result of the coupled stimulus-driven neural activity and ensuing synaptic dynamics, with no artificial separation between learning and retrieval phases.

Exploration of Tensions in a Mobile-Technology Supported Fieldtrip: An Activity Theory Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Chih-Hung; Chen, Fei-Ching; Yang, Jie-Chi

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze how mobile technologies were incorporated and implemented in an outdoor learning activity. Two classes of primary school students participated in the experiment. Using activity theory as an analytical framework, it is found that underlying tensions provided rich insights into system dynamics and that…

Active-learning strategies in computer-assisted drug discovery.

PubMed

Reker, Daniel; Schneider, Gisbert

2015-04-01

High-throughput compound screening is time and resource consuming, and considerable effort is invested into screening compound libraries, profiling, and selecting the most promising candidates for further testing. Active-learning methods assist the selection process by focusing on areas of chemical space that have the greatest chance of success while considering structural novelty. The core feature of these algorithms is their ability to adapt the structure-activity landscapes through feedback. Instead of full-deck screening, only focused subsets of compounds are tested, and the experimental readout is used to refine molecule selection for subsequent screening cycles. Once implemented, these techniques have the potential to reduce costs and save precious materials. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the various computational active-learning approaches and outline their potential for drug discovery. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Content-based VLE designs improve learning efficiency in constructivist statistics education.

PubMed

Wessa, Patrick; De Rycker, Antoon; Holliday, Ian Edward

2011-01-01

We introduced a series of computer-supported workshops in our undergraduate statistics courses, in the hope that it would help students to gain a deeper understanding of statistical concepts. This raised questions about the appropriate design of the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) in which such an approach had to be implemented. Therefore, we investigated two competing software design models for VLEs. In the first system, all learning features were a function of the classical VLE. The second system was designed from the perspective that learning features should be a function of the course's core content (statistical analyses), which required us to develop a specific-purpose Statistical Learning Environment (SLE) based on Reproducible Computing and newly developed Peer Review (PR) technology. The main research question is whether the second VLE design improved learning efficiency as compared to the standard type of VLE design that is commonly used in education. As a secondary objective we provide empirical evidence about the usefulness of PR as a constructivist learning activity which supports non-rote learning. Finally, this paper illustrates that it is possible to introduce a constructivist learning approach in large student populations, based on adequately designed educational technology, without subsuming educational content to technological convenience. Both VLE systems were tested within a two-year quasi-experiment based on a Reliable Nonequivalent Group Design. This approach allowed us to draw valid conclusions about the treatment effect of the changed VLE design, even though the systems were implemented in successive years. The methodological aspects about the experiment's internal validity are explained extensively. The effect of the design change is shown to have substantially increased the efficiency of constructivist, computer-assisted learning activities for all cohorts of the student population under investigation. The findings demonstrate that a content-based design outperforms the traditional VLE-based design.

Reward-based training of recurrent neural networks for cognitive and value-based tasks

PubMed Central

Song, H Francis; Yang, Guangyu R; Wang, Xiao-Jing

2017-01-01

Trained neural network models, which exhibit features of neural activity recorded from behaving animals, may provide insights into the circuit mechanisms of cognitive functions through systematic analysis of network activity and connectivity. However, in contrast to the graded error signals commonly used to train networks through supervised learning, animals learn from reward feedback on definite actions through reinforcement learning. Reward maximization is particularly relevant when optimal behavior depends on an animal’s internal judgment of confidence or subjective preferences. Here, we implement reward-based training of recurrent neural networks in which a value network guides learning by using the activity of the decision network to predict future reward. We show that such models capture behavioral and electrophysiological findings from well-known experimental paradigms. Our work provides a unified framework for investigating diverse cognitive and value-based computations, and predicts a role for value representation that is essential for learning, but not executing, a task. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.21492.001 PMID:28084991

Group Investigation: Structuring an Inquiry-Based Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huhtala, Jack

Group investigation is an organizational approach that allows a class to work actively and collaboratively in small groups and enables students to take an active role in determining their own learning goals and processes. As part of reform and restructuring efforts, Beaverton High School (Oregon) implemented the Group Investigation model with…

Does Active Learning Improve Students' Knowledge of and Attitudes toward Research Methods?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campisi, Jay; Finn, Kevin E.

2011-01-01

We incorporated an active, collaborative-based research project in our undergraduate Research Methods course for first-year sports medicine majors. Working in small groups, students identified a research question, generated a hypothesis to be tested, designed an experiment, implemented the experiment, analyzed the data, and presented their…

Reinventing the Undergraduate Curriculum: Strategies To Enhance Student Learning in Mathematics and Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Barbara J., Comp.; Wallner, Barbara K., Comp.; Powers, Myra L. Ed.; Hartley, Nancy K., Ed.

This publication is a compilation of examples of practical, easily implemented activities to help mathematics, science, and education faculty duplicate efforts by the Rocky Mountain Teacher Education Collaborative (RMTEC) to reform and revise curriculum for preservice educators. Activities are organized by content areas: mathematics; geology,…

How to Individualize Mathematics Successfully: With Materials for Implementation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vinskey, Mildred L.

Presented is a method for individualizing mathematics which utilizes the "Learning Activities Package" (LAP). LAP is a self-contained unit based on specific behavioral objectives which contains a pretest, a posttest, examples, explanations, and activities. The topics covered include but are not limited to: multiplication and division by powers of…

Play-Based Art Activities in Early Years: Teachers' Thinking and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savva, Andri; Erakleous, Valentina

2018-01-01

The present study reports findings on pre-service teachers' thinking during planning and implementing play-based art activities. "Thinking" (in the present study) is informed by discourses emphasising art teaching and learning in relation to play and theoretical assumptions conceptualising planning as "practice of knowing."…

Utilising reinforcement learning to develop strategies for driving auditory neural implants.

PubMed

Lee, Geoffrey W; Zambetta, Fabio; Li, Xiaodong; Paolini, Antonio G

2016-08-01

In this paper we propose a novel application of reinforcement learning to the area of auditory neural stimulation. We aim to develop a simulation environment which is based off real neurological responses to auditory and electrical stimulation in the cochlear nucleus (CN) and inferior colliculus (IC) of an animal model. Using this simulator we implement closed loop reinforcement learning algorithms to determine which methods are most effective at learning effective acoustic neural stimulation strategies. By recording a comprehensive set of acoustic frequency presentations and neural responses from a set of animals we created a large database of neural responses to acoustic stimulation. Extensive electrical stimulation in the CN and the recording of neural responses in the IC provides a mapping of how the auditory system responds to electrical stimuli. The combined dataset is used as the foundation for the simulator, which is used to implement and test learning algorithms. Reinforcement learning, utilising a modified n-Armed Bandit solution, is implemented to demonstrate the model's function. We show the ability to effectively learn stimulation patterns which mimic the cochlea's ability to covert acoustic frequencies to neural activity. Time taken to learn effective replication using neural stimulation takes less than 20 min under continuous testing. These results show the utility of reinforcement learning in the field of neural stimulation. These results can be coupled with existing sound processing technologies to develop new auditory prosthetics that are adaptable to the recipients current auditory pathway. The same process can theoretically be abstracted to other sensory and motor systems to develop similar electrical replication of neural signals.

Development and evaluation of an interactive electronic laboratory manual for cooperative learning of medical histology.

PubMed

Khalil, Mohammed K; Kirkley, Debbie L; Kibble, Jonathan D

2013-01-01

This article describes the development of an interactive computer-based laboratory manual, created to facilitate the teaching and learning of medical histology. The overarching goal of developing the manual is to facilitate self-directed group interactivities that actively engage students during laboratory sessions. The design of the manual includes guided instruction for students to navigate virtual slides, exercises for students to monitor learning, and cases to provide clinical relevance. At the end of the laboratory activities, student groups can generate a laboratory report that may be used to provide formative feedback. The instructional value of the manual was evaluated by a questionnaire containing both closed-ended and open-ended items. Closed-ended items using a five-point Likert-scale assessed the format and navigation, instructional contents, group process, and learning process. Open-ended items assessed student's perception on the effectiveness of the manual in facilitating their learning. After implementation for two consecutive years, student evaluation of the manual was highly positive and indicated that it facilitated their learning by reinforcing and clarifying classroom sessions, improved their understanding, facilitated active and cooperative learning, and supported self-monitoring of their learning. Copyright © 2013 American Association of Anatomists.

Efficient learning mechanisms hold in the social domain and are implemented in the medial prefrontal cortex.

PubMed

Seid-Fatemi, Azade; Tobler, Philippe N

2015-05-01

When we are learning to associate novel cues with outcomes, learning is more efficient if we take advantage of previously learned associations and thereby avoid redundant learning. The blocking effect represents this sort of efficiency mechanism and refers to the phenomenon in which a novel stimulus is blocked from learning when it is associated with a fully predicted outcome. Although there is sufficient evidence that this effect manifests itself when individuals learn about their own rewards, it remains unclear whether it also does when they learn about others' rewards. We employed behavioral and neuroimaging methods to address this question. We demonstrate that blocking does indeed occur in the social domain and it does so to a similar degree as observed in the individual domain. On the neural level, activations in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) show a specific contribution to blocking and learning-related prediction errors in the social domain. These findings suggest that the efficiency principle that applies to reward learning in the individual domain also applies to that in the social domain, with the mPFC playing a central role in implementing it. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Lessons Learned, Headquarters, 2d Infantry Division

DTIC Science & Technology

responsibilities under the Armistice Agreement of 1953 in sector; (2) conduct anti-infiltration, anti-raiding, counter-espionage, and counter-sabotage activities; and (3) implement 2d Infantry Division portion of EUSA Cold War program.

Learning style preferences of Australian health science students.

PubMed

Zoghi, Maryam; Brown, Ted; Williams, Brett; Roller, Louis; Jaberzadeh, Shapour; Palermo, Claire; McKenna, Lisa; Wright, Caroline; Baird, Marilyn; Schneider-Kolsky, Michal; Hewitt, Lesley; Sim, Jenny; Holt, Tangerine-Ann

2010-01-01

It has been identified that health science student groups may have distinctive learning needs. By university educators' and professional fieldwork supervisors' being aware of the unique learning style preferences of health science students, they have the capacity to adjust their teaching approaches to best fit with their students' learning preferences. The purpose of this study was to investigate the learning style preferences of a group of Australian health science students enrolled in 10 different disciplines. The Kolb Learning Style Inventory was distributed to 2,885 students enrolled in dietetics and nutrition, midwifery, nursing, occupational therapy, paramedics, pharmacy, physiotherapy, radiation therapy, radiography, and social work at one Australian university. A total of 752 usable survey forms were returned (response rate 26%). The results indicated the converger learning style to be most frequently preferred by health science students and that the diverger and accommodator learning styles were the least preferred. It is recommended that educators take learning style preferences of health science students into consideration when planning, implementing, and evaluating teaching activities, such as including more problem-solving activities that fit within the converger learning style.

Research-based recommendations for implementing international service-learning.

PubMed

Amerson, Roxanne

2014-01-01

An increasing number of schools of nursing are incorporating international service-learning and/or immersion experiences into their curriculum to promote cultural competence. The purpose of this paper is to identify research-based recommendations for implementing an international service-learning program. A review of literature was conducted in the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature database using the keywords international, immersion, cultural competence, nursing, and international service-learning. Additional references were located from the reference lists of related articles. Planning of international or immersion experiences requires consideration of the type of country, the length of time, and design of the program; the use of a service-learning framework; opportunities that require the student to live and work in the community, provide hands-on care, participate in unstructured activities, and make home visits; and a method of reflection. Increasing cultural competence does not require foreign travel, but it does necessitate that students are challenged to move outside their comfort zone and work directly with diverse populations. These research-based recommendations may be used either internationally or locally to promote the most effective service-learning opportunities for nursing students. © 2014.

The Small Helm Project: an academic activity addressing international corruption for undergraduate civil engineering and construction management students.

PubMed

Benzley, Steven E

2006-04-01

This paper presents an academic project that addresses the issue of international corruption in the engineering and construction industry, in a manner that effectively incorporates several learning experiences. The major objectives of the project are to provide the students a learning activity that will 1) make a meaningful contribution within the disciplines being studied; 2) teach by experience a significant principle that can be valuable in numerous situations during an individual's career, and 3) engage the minds, experiences, and enthusiasm of the participants in a real ethical challenge that is prevalent in all of their chosen professional fields. The paper describes the full details of the project, the actual implementation of it during Winter Semester 2005, the experiences gained during the initial trial, and the modifications and improvements incorporated for future implementation.