learning activities evaluation: Topics by Science.gov

Sample records for learning activities evaluation

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.
Performance in Physiology Evaluation: Possible Improvement by Active Learning Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montrezor, Luís H.

2016-01-01

The evaluation process is complex and extremely important in the teaching/learning process. Evaluations are constantly employed in the classroom to assist students in the learning process and to help teachers improve the teaching process. The use of active methodologies encourages students to participate in the learning process, encourages…
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.
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
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.
A Balanced Scorecard-Based Model for Evaluating E-Learning and Conventional Pedagogical Activities in Nursing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hovelja, Tomaž; Vavpotic, Damjan; Žvanut, Boštjan

2016-01-01

The evaluation of e-learning and conventional pedagogical activities in nursing programmes has focused either on a single pedagogical activity or the entire curriculum, and only on students' or teachers' perspective. The goal of this study was to design and test a novel approach for evaluation of e-learning and conventional pedagogical activities…
Are students' impressions of improved learning through active learning methods reflected by improved test scores?

PubMed

Everly, Marcee C

2013-02-01

To report the transformation from lecture to more active learning methods in a maternity nursing course and to evaluate whether student perception of improved learning through active-learning methods is supported by improved test scores. The process of transforming a course into an active-learning model of teaching is described. A voluntary mid-semester survey for student acceptance of the new teaching method was conducted. Course examination results, from both a standardized exam and a cumulative final exam, among students who received lecture in the classroom and students who had active learning activities in the classroom were compared. Active learning activities were very acceptable to students. The majority of students reported learning more from having active-learning activities in the classroom rather than lecture-only and this belief was supported by improved test scores. Students who had active learning activities in the classroom scored significantly higher on a standardized assessment test than students who received lecture only. The findings support the use of student reflection to evaluate the effectiveness of active-learning methods and help validate the use of student reflection of improved learning in other research projects. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Using the SAMR Model as a Framework for Evaluating mLearning Activities and Supporting a Transformation of Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pfaffe, Linda D.

2017-01-01

An examination of the perceptions of mLearning held by secondary teachers as well as mLearning best practices and professional development. Using the SAMR model (Puentedura, 2013) along with Romrell's (2014) definition of mLearning, this study evaluated mLearning activities (tools and applications) currently being used by secondary school…
Performance in physiology evaluation: possible improvement by active learning strategies.

PubMed

Montrezor, Luís H

2016-12-01

The evaluation process is complex and extremely important in the teaching/learning process. Evaluations are constantly employed in the classroom to assist students in the learning process and to help teachers improve the teaching process. The use of active methodologies encourages students to participate in the learning process, encourages interaction with their peers, and stimulates thinking about physiological mechanisms. This study examined the performance of medical students on physiology over four semesters with and without active engagement methodologies. Four activities were used: a puzzle, a board game, a debate, and a video. The results show that engaging in activities with active methodologies before a physiology cognitive monitoring test significantly improved student performance compared with not performing the activities. We integrate the use of these methodologies with classic lectures, and this integration appears to improve the teaching/learning process in the discipline of physiology and improves the integration of physiology with cardiology and neurology. In addition, students enjoy the activities and perform better on their evaluations when they use them. Copyright © 2016 The American Physiological Society.
Active learning: a step towards automating medical concept extraction.

PubMed

Kholghi, Mahnoosh; Sitbon, Laurianne; Zuccon, Guido; Nguyen, Anthony

2016-03-01

This paper presents an automatic, active learning-based system for the extraction of medical concepts from clinical free-text reports. Specifically, (1) the contribution of active learning in reducing the annotation effort and (2) the robustness of incremental active learning framework across different selection criteria and data sets are determined. The comparative performance of an active learning framework and a fully supervised approach were investigated to study how active learning reduces the annotation effort while achieving the same effectiveness as a supervised approach. Conditional random fields as the supervised method, and least confidence and information density as 2 selection criteria for active learning framework were used. The effect of incremental learning vs standard learning on the robustness of the models within the active learning framework with different selection criteria was also investigated. The following 2 clinical data sets were used for evaluation: the Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside/Veteran Affairs (i2b2/VA) 2010 natural language processing challenge and the Shared Annotated Resources/Conference and Labs of the Evaluation Forum (ShARe/CLEF) 2013 eHealth Evaluation Lab. The annotation effort saved by active learning to achieve the same effectiveness as supervised learning is up to 77%, 57%, and 46% of the total number of sequences, tokens, and concepts, respectively. Compared with the random sampling baseline, the saving is at least doubled. Incremental active learning is a promising approach for building effective and robust medical concept extraction models while significantly reducing the burden of manual annotation. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
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...
Comparing team-based and mixed active-learning methods in an ambulatory care elective course.

PubMed

Zingone, Michelle M; Franks, Andrea S; Guirguis, Alexander B; George, Christa M; Howard-Thompson, Amanda; Heidel, Robert E

2010-11-10

To assess students' performance and perceptions of team-based and mixed active-learning methods in 2 ambulatory care elective courses, and to describe faculty members' perceptions of team-based learning. Using the 2 teaching methods, students' grades were compared. Students' perceptions were assessed through 2 anonymous course evaluation instruments. Faculty members who taught courses using the team-based learning method were surveyed regarding their impressions of team-based learning. The ambulatory care course was offered to 64 students using team-based learning (n = 37) and mixed active learning (n = 27) formats. The mean quality points earned were 3.7 (team-based learning) and 3.3 (mixed active learning), p < 0.001. Course evaluations for both courses were favorable. All faculty members who used the team-based learning method reported that they would consider using team-based learning in another course. Students were satisfied with both teaching methods; however, student grades were significantly higher in the team-based learning course. Faculty members recognized team-based learning as an effective teaching strategy for small-group active learning.
Active learning for noisy oracle via density power divergence.

PubMed

Sogawa, Yasuhiro; Ueno, Tsuyoshi; Kawahara, Yoshinobu; Washio, Takashi

2013-10-01

The accuracy of active learning is critically influenced by the existence of noisy labels given by a noisy oracle. In this paper, we propose a novel pool-based active learning framework through robust measures based on density power divergence. By minimizing density power divergence, such as β-divergence and γ-divergence, one can estimate the model accurately even under the existence of noisy labels within data. Accordingly, we develop query selecting measures for pool-based active learning using these divergences. In addition, we propose an evaluation scheme for these measures based on asymptotic statistical analyses, which enables us to perform active learning by evaluating an estimation error directly. Experiments with benchmark datasets and real-world image datasets show that our active learning scheme performs better than several baseline methods. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Evaluating the Acceptability and Usability of EASEL: A Mobile Application That Supports Guided Reflection for Experiential Learning Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schnepp, Jerry; Rogers, Christian

2017-01-01

Aim/Purpose: To examine the early perceptions (acceptability) and usability of EASEL (Education through Application-Supported Experiential Learning), a mobile platform that delivers reflection prompts and content before, during, and after an experiential learning activity. Background: Experiential learning is an active learning approach in which…
The Validation of the Active Learning in Health Professions Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kammer, Rebecca; Schreiner, Laurie; Kim, Young K.; Denial, Aurora

2015-01-01

There is a need for an assessment tool for evaluating the effectiveness of active learning strategies such as problem-based learning in promoting deep learning and clinical reasoning skills within the dual environments of didactic and clinical settings in health professions education. The Active Learning in Health Professions Scale (ALPHS)…
An innovative strategy in evaluation: using a student engagement framework to evaluate a role-based simulation.

PubMed

Smith, Morgan; Warland, Jane; Smith, Colleen

2012-03-01

Online role-play has the potential to actively engage students in authentic learning experiences and help develop their clinical reasoning skills. However, evaluation of student learning for this kind of simulation focuses mainly on the content and outcome of learning, rather than on the process of learning through student engagement. This article reports on the use of a student engagement framework to evaluate an online role-play offered as part of a course in Bachelor of Nursing and Bachelor of Midwifery programs. Instruments that measure student engagement to date have targeted large numbers of students at program and institutional levels, rather than at the level of a specific learning activity. Although the framework produced some useful findings for evaluation purposes, further refinement of the questions is required to be certain that deep learning results from the engagement that occurs with course-level learning initiatives. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.
Do Simulations Enhance Student Learning? An Empirical Evaluation of an IR Simulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shellman, Stephen M.; Turan, Kursad

2006-01-01

There is a nascent literature on the question of whether active learning methods, and in particular simulation methods, enhance student learning. In this article, the authors evaluate the utility of an international relations simulation in enhancing learning objectives. Student evaluations provide evidence that the simulation process enhances…
Evaluating Attitudes, Skill, and Performance in a Learning-Enhanced Quantitative Methods Course: A Structural Modeling Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2002-01-01

Used a structural modeling approach to evaluate relations among attitudes, initial skills, and performance in a Quantitative Methods course that involved students in active learning. Results largely confirmed hypotheses offering support for educational reform efforts that propose actively involving students in the learning process, especially in…
The Effect of Active Learning Methodologies on the Teaching of Pharmaceutical Care in a Brazilian Pharmacy Faculty

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Background In recent years, pharmacists have been involved in expanded patient care responsibilities, for example patient counseling in self-medication, medication review and pharmaceutical care, which require graduates to develop the necessary competences. Consequently, reorientation of pharmacy education has become necessary. As such, active learning strategies have been introduced into classrooms to increase problem-solving and critical thinking skills of students. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance and perceptions of competency of students in a new pharmaceutical care course that uses active learning methodologies. Methods This pharmaceutical care course was conducted in the first semester of 2014, in the Federal University of Sergipe. In the pharmaceutical care course, active learning methods were used, consisting of dialogic classroom expository, simulation and case studies. Student learning was evaluated using classroom tests and instruments that evaluated the perception of competency in pharmaceutical care practice. Furthermore, students' satisfaction with the course was evaluated. Results Thirty-three students completed the four evaluations used in the course (i.e., a discursive written exam, seminars, OSCE, and virtual patient); 25 were female (75.75%), and the median age was 23.43 (SD 2.82) years. The overall mean of student scores, in all evaluation methods was 7.97 (SD 0.59) on a scale of 0 to 10 points, and student performance on the virtual patient method was statistically superior to other methods. With respect to the perception of competency in pharmaceutical care practice, a comparison of pre- and post-test scores revealed statistically significant improvement for all evaluated competences. At the end of the semester, the students presented positive opinions of the pharmaceutical care course. Conclusions The results suggest that an active learning course can enhance the learning of pharmaceutical care competences. In future studies it will be necessary to compare active learning to traditional methods. PMID:25969991
The effect of active learning methodologies on the teaching of pharmaceutical care in a Brazilian pharmacy faculty.

PubMed

Mesquita, Alessandra R; Souza, Werlissandra M; Boaventura, Thays C; Barros, Izadora M C; Antoniolli, Angelo R; Silva, Wellington B; Lyra Júnior, Divaldo P

2015-01-01

In recent years, pharmacists have been involved in expanded patient care responsibilities, for example patient counseling in self-medication, medication review and pharmaceutical care, which require graduates to develop the necessary competences. Consequently, reorientation of pharmacy education has become necessary. As such, active learning strategies have been introduced into classrooms to increase problem-solving and critical thinking skills of students. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance and perceptions of competency of students in a new pharmaceutical care course that uses active learning methodologies. This pharmaceutical care course was conducted in the first semester of 2014, in the Federal University of Sergipe. In the pharmaceutical care course, active learning methods were used, consisting of dialogic classroom expository, simulation and case studies. Student learning was evaluated using classroom tests and instruments that evaluated the perception of competency in pharmaceutical care practice. Furthermore, students' satisfaction with the course was evaluated. Thirty-three students completed the four evaluations used in the course (i.e., a discursive written exam, seminars, OSCE, and virtual patient); 25 were female (75.75%), and the median age was 23.43 (SD 2.82) years. The overall mean of student scores, in all evaluation methods was 7.97 (SD 0.59) on a scale of 0 to 10 points, and student performance on the virtual patient method was statistically superior to other methods. With respect to the perception of competency in pharmaceutical care practice, a comparison of pre- and post-test scores revealed statistically significant improvement for all evaluated competences. At the end of the semester, the students presented positive opinions of the pharmaceutical care course. The results suggest that an active learning course can enhance the learning of pharmaceutical care competences. In future studies it will be necessary to compare active learning to traditional methods.

Competency-based goals, objectives, and linked evaluations for rheumatology training programs: a standardized template of learning activities from the Carolinas Fellows Collaborative.

PubMed

Criscione-Schreiber, Lisa G; Bolster, Marcy B; Jonas, Beth L; O'Rourke, Kenneth S

2013-06-01

American Council on Graduate Medical Education program requirements mandate that rheumatology training programs have written goals, objectives, and performance evaluations for each learning activity. Since learning activities are similar across rheumatology programs, we aimed to create competency-based goals and objectives (CBGO) and evaluations that would be generalizable nationally. Through an established collaboration of the 4 training programs' directors in North Carolina and South Carolina, we collaboratively composed CBGO and evaluations for each learning activity for rheumatology training programs. CBGO and linked evaluations were written using appropriate verbs based on Bloom's taxonomy. Draft documents were peer reviewed by faculty at the 4 institutions and by members of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Clinician Scholar Educator Group. We completed templates of CBGO for core and elective rotations and conferences. Templates detail progressive fellow performance improvement appropriate to educational level. Specific CBGO are mirrored in learning activity evaluations. Templates are easily modified to fit individual program attributes, have been successfully implemented by our 4 programs, and have proven their value in 4 residency review committee reviews. We propose adoption of these template CBGO by the ACR, with access available to all rheumatology training programs. Evaluation forms that exactly reflect stated objectives ensure that trainees are assessed using standardized measures and that trainees are aware of the learning expectations. The objectives mirrored in the evaluations closely align with the proposed milestones for internal medicine training, and will therefore be a useful starting point for creating these milestones in rheumatology. Copyright © 2013 by the American College of Rheumatology.
Peer Evaluation in Blended Team Project-Based Learning: What Do Students Find Important?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Hye-Jung; Lim, Cheolil

2012-01-01

Team project-based learning is reputed to be an appropriate way to activate interactions among students and to encourage knowledge building through collaborative learning. Peer evaluation is an effective way for each student to participate actively in a team project. This article investigates the issues that are important to students when…
Mining Formative Evaluation Rules Using Web-Based Learning Portfolios for Web-Based Learning Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Chih-Ming; Hong, Chin-Ming; Chen, Shyuan-Yi; Liu, Chao-Yu

2006-01-01

Learning performance assessment aims to evaluate what knowledge learners have acquired from teaching activities. Objective technical measures of learning performance are difficult to develop, but are extremely important for both teachers and learners. Learning performance assessment using learning portfolios or web server log data is becoming an…
Capturing Creativity Using Digital Video

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toyn, Mike

2008-01-01

This paper evaluates the use of a creative learning activity in which postgraduate student teachers were required to collaboratively make short digital videos. The purpose was for student teachers to experience and evaluate a meaningful learning activity and to consider how they might reconstruct such an activity within their own teaching practice…
Using Active Learning for Speeding up Calibration in Simulation Models.

PubMed

Cevik, Mucahit; Ergun, Mehmet Ali; Stout, Natasha K; Trentham-Dietz, Amy; Craven, Mark; Alagoz, Oguzhan

2016-07-01

Most cancer simulation models include unobservable parameters that determine disease onset and tumor growth. These parameters play an important role in matching key outcomes such as cancer incidence and mortality, and their values are typically estimated via a lengthy calibration procedure, which involves evaluating a large number of combinations of parameter values via simulation. The objective of this study is to demonstrate how machine learning approaches can be used to accelerate the calibration process by reducing the number of parameter combinations that are actually evaluated. Active learning is a popular machine learning method that enables a learning algorithm such as artificial neural networks to interactively choose which parameter combinations to evaluate. We developed an active learning algorithm to expedite the calibration process. Our algorithm determines the parameter combinations that are more likely to produce desired outputs and therefore reduces the number of simulation runs performed during calibration. We demonstrate our method using the previously developed University of Wisconsin breast cancer simulation model (UWBCS). In a recent study, calibration of the UWBCS required the evaluation of 378 000 input parameter combinations to build a race-specific model, and only 69 of these combinations produced results that closely matched observed data. By using the active learning algorithm in conjunction with standard calibration methods, we identify all 69 parameter combinations by evaluating only 5620 of the 378 000 combinations. Machine learning methods hold potential in guiding model developers in the selection of more promising parameter combinations and hence speeding up the calibration process. Applying our machine learning algorithm to one model shows that evaluating only 1.49% of all parameter combinations would be sufficient for the calibration. © The Author(s) 2015.
Using Active Learning for Speeding up Calibration in Simulation Models

PubMed Central

Cevik, Mucahit; Ali Ergun, Mehmet; Stout, Natasha K.; Trentham-Dietz, Amy; Craven, Mark; Alagoz, Oguzhan

2015-01-01

Background Most cancer simulation models include unobservable parameters that determine the disease onset and tumor growth. These parameters play an important role in matching key outcomes such as cancer incidence and mortality and their values are typically estimated via lengthy calibration procedure, which involves evaluating large number of combinations of parameter values via simulation. The objective of this study is to demonstrate how machine learning approaches can be used to accelerate the calibration process by reducing the number of parameter combinations that are actually evaluated. Methods Active learning is a popular machine learning method that enables a learning algorithm such as artificial neural networks to interactively choose which parameter combinations to evaluate. We develop an active learning algorithm to expedite the calibration process. Our algorithm determines the parameter combinations that are more likely to produce desired outputs, therefore reduces the number of simulation runs performed during calibration. We demonstrate our method using previously developed University of Wisconsin Breast Cancer Simulation Model (UWBCS). Results In a recent study, calibration of the UWBCS required the evaluation of 378,000 input parameter combinations to build a race-specific model and only 69 of these combinations produced results that closely matched observed data. By using the active learning algorithm in conjunction with standard calibration methods, we identify all 69 parameter combinations by evaluating only 5620 of the 378,000 combinations. Conclusion Machine learning methods hold potential in guiding model developers in the selection of more promising parameter combinations and hence speeding up the calibration process. Applying our machine learning algorithm to one model shows that evaluating only 1.49% of all parameter combinations would be sufficient for the calibration. PMID:26471190
Faculty motivations to use active learning among pharmacy educators.

PubMed

Rockich-Winston, Nicole; Train, Brian C; Rudolph, Michael J; Gillette, Chris

2018-03-01

Faculty motivations to use active learning have been limited to surveys evaluating faculty perceptions within active learning studies. Our objective in this study was to evaluate the relationship between faculty intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and demographic variables and the extent of active learning use in the classroom. An online survey was administered to individual faculty members at 137 colleges and schools of pharmacy across the United States. The survey assessed intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, active learning strategies, classroom time dedicated to active learning, and faculty development resources. Bivariate associations and multivariable stepwise linear regression were used to analyze the results. In total, 979 faculty members completed the questionnaire (23.6% response rate). All motivation variables were significantly correlated with percent active learning use (p < 0.001). Intrinsic motivation demonstrated the highest correlation (r = 0.447) followed by current extrinsic motivations (r = 0.245) and ideal extrinsic motivations (r = 0.291). Variables associated with higher intrinsic motivation included the number of resources used (r = 0.233, p < 0.001) and the number of active learning methods used in the last year (r = 0.259, p < 0.001). Years of teaching experience was negatively associated with intrinsic motivation (r = -0.177, p < 0.001). Regression analyses confirmed the importance of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations in predicting active learning use. Our results suggest that faculty members who are intrinsically motivated to use active learning are more likely to dedicate additional class time to active learning. Furthermore, intrinsic motivation may be positively associated with encouraging faculty members to attend active learning workshops and supporting faculty to use various active learning strategies in the classroom. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Experiential Learning through a Physical Activity Program for Children with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richards, K. Andrew R.; Eberline, Andrew D.; Padaruth, Sookhenlall; Templin, Thomas J.

2015-01-01

Service-learning has become a popular pedagogical tool to promote academic and civic learning. One form of service-learning provides physical activity for underrepresented community groups, including children with disabilities. Using experiential learning theory, the purpose of this descriptive case study was to evaluate college students'…
Participatory Evaluation and Learning: A Case Example Involving Ripple Effects Mapping of a Tourism Assessment Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhattacharyya, Rani; Templin, Elizabeth; Messer, Cynthia; Chazdon, Scott

2017-01-01

Engaging communities through research-based participatory evaluation and learning methods can be rewarding for both a community and Extension. A case study of a community tourism development program evaluation shows how participatory evaluation and learning can be mutually reinforcing activities. Many communities value the opportunity to reflect…
Learning Activity Predictors from Sensor Data: Algorithms, Evaluation, and Applications.

PubMed

Minor, Bryan; Doppa, Janardhan Rao; Cook, Diane J

2017-12-01

Recent progress in Internet of Things (IoT) platforms has allowed us to collect large amounts of sensing data. However, there are significant challenges in converting this large-scale sensing data into decisions for real-world applications. Motivated by applications like health monitoring and intervention and home automation we consider a novel problem called Activity Prediction , where the goal is to predict future activity occurrence times from sensor data. In this paper, we make three main contributions. First, we formulate and solve the activity prediction problem in the framework of imitation learning and reduce it to a simple regression learning problem. This approach allows us to leverage powerful regression learners that can reason about the relational structure of the problem with negligible computational overhead. Second, we present several metrics to evaluate activity predictors in the context of real-world applications. Third, we evaluate our approach using real sensor data collected from 24 smart home testbeds. We also embed the learned predictor into a mobile-device-based activity prompter and evaluate the app for 9 participants living in smart homes. Our results indicate that our activity predictor performs better than the baseline methods, and offers a simple approach for predicting activities from sensor data.
[Problem-based learning in cardiopulmonary resuscitation: basic life support].

PubMed

Sardo, Pedro Miguel Garcez; Dal Sasso, Grace Terezinha Marcon

2008-12-01

Descriptive and exploratory study, aimed to develop an educational practice of Problem-Based Learning in CPR/BLS with 24 students in the third stage of the Nursing Undergraduate Course in a University in the Southern region of Brazil. The study used the PBL methodology, focused on problem situations of cardiopulmonary arrest, and was approved by the CONEP. The methodological strategies for data collection, such as participative observation and questionnaires to evaluate the learning, the educational practices and their methodology, allowed for grouping the results in: students' expectations; group activities; individual activities; practical activities; evaluation of the meetings and their methodology. The study showed that PBL allows the educator to evaluate the academic learning process in several dimensions, functioning as a motivating factor for both the educator and the student, because it allows the theoretical-practical integration in an integrated learning process.
Developing Clinical Competency in Crisis Event Management: An Integrated Simulation Problem-Based Learning Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liaw, S. Y.; Chen, F. G.; Klainin, P.; Brammer, J.; O'Brien, A.; Samarasekera, D. D.

2010-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate the integration of a simulation based learning activity on nursing students' clinical crisis management performance in a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum. It was hypothesized that the clinical performance of first year nursing students who participated in a simulated learning activity during the PBL session…
Improving Student Engagement in a Lower-Division Botany Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberg, Nisse A.; Ingram, Kathleen W.

2011-01-01

Active-learning techniques have been advocated as a means to promote student engagement in lower-division biology courses. In this case study, mini-lectures in combination with active-learning activities were evaluated as strategies to promote a culture of learning and participation in a required botany course. These activities were designed to…
Learning through Action: Parallel Learning Processes in Children and Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ethridge, Elizabeth A.; Branscomb, Kathryn R.

2009-01-01

Experiential learning has become an essential part of many educational settings from infancy through adulthood. While the effectiveness of active learning has been evaluated in youth and adult settings, few known studies have compared the learning processes of children and adults within the same project. This article contrasts the active learning…
78 FR 5793 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Evaluation of State Expanded Learning...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-28

...; Comment Request; Evaluation of State Expanded Learning Time AGENCY: Department of Education (ED), IES... State Expanded Learning Time. OMB Control Number: 1850-New. Type of Review: New information collection... conduct semi-structured interviews with 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) state...
Evaluating Active Learning: A New Initiative for a General Chemistry Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Sullivan, Daniel W.; Copper, Christine L.

2003-01-01

Explains the results of an effort to introduce active learning strategies into the general chemistry curriculum at the United States Naval Academy. Reports that students in an active learning classroom showed significant improvement in performance compared to students in a lecture-based course. (Author/YDS)
Active Learning via Student Karaoke Videos

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grossman, Gary D.; Richards, Travis

2016-01-01

We evaluated students' perceptions and reactions to an active learning Karaoke Video project in both a large (104 student) undergraduate class in Natural History of Georgia and a small graduate seminar in Fish Ecology. Undergraduate responses were evaluated with both questionnaires and triangulation interviews and graduate student responses…
Collegewide Promotion of E-Learning/Active Learning and Faculty Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ogawa, Nobuyuki; Shimizu, Akira

2016-01-01

Japanese National Institutes of Technology have revealed a plan to strongly promote e-Learning and active learning under the common schematization of education in over 50 campuses nationwide. Our e-Learning and ICT-driven education practiced for more than fifteen years were highly evaluated, and is playing a leading role in promoting e-Learning…
Using Log Variables in a Learning Management System to Evaluate Learning Activity Using the Lens of Activity Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Yeonjeong; Jo, Il-Hyun

2017-01-01

As the advance of learning technologies and analytics tools continues, learning management systems (LMSs) have been required to fulfil the growing expectations for smart learning. However, the reality regarding the level of technology integration in higher education differs considerably from such expectations or the speed of advances in…
[Development and evaluation of an educational program for promotion of healthy nutrition and physical activity by health volunteers].

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Yukio; Kai, Yuko; Kumamoto, Hiroko

2009-12-01

The purpose of the present trial was to develop and evaluate an educational program for promotion of healthy nutrition and physical activity by health volunteers. The educational program consisted of the following four phases: preliminary self-learning by mail (3 weeks), basic learning (3 sessions of 3 hours), practice of planned activities (2 months), and a report session (1 session of 3 hours). Beginner volunteers (n=18, mean age 63.3 +/- 6.4) were recruited from two volunteer health organizations in Kurume city. They then participated in a program that taught basic health knowledge regarding nutrition and physical activity, how to plan effective support activities, and methods for self-evaluation. In the preliminary self-learning phase, an assessment sheet, health information, and homework (goal setting, etc.) were delivered to the volunteers by mail. In the basic learning phase, volunteers attended a 3 day seminar on essential principles for behavioral change and assessment methods for volunteer activity. In addition, effective support activities were planned through group discussion. After a 2-month practice of support activities, each group reported and discussed the results of their activity in a 3-hour report session. Main outcome measures were health knowledge (15 items, 0-1 points), self-efficacy for life style support (5 items, 0-100%), and evaluation of the educational program (9 items, 1-5 points). All measures were self-administered. Significant increases in rate of true answers for health knowledge were observed during the preliminary self-learning and before basic learning phases (54.8% --> 67.1%, P < 0.05), and before and after basic learning phases (67.1% --> 87.6%, P < 0.05). Self-efficacy for life style support were significantly higher after the report session than before the preliminary self-learning phase (35.1% --> 53.1%, P < 0.05). In the two-month practice, all groups received feedback through questionnaires completed by participants who took part in their planned activity. The mean scores for the overall evaluation of the program, the effectiveness of the course materials and group-work, the staff, and the course contents were all higher than 4.0 points. These findings indicate that this program is structured effectively and is appropriate for educating beginner health volunteers regarding promotion of healthy nutrition and physical activity.

Evaluating Learning in the 21st Century: A Digital Age Learning Matrix

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starkey, Louise

2011-01-01

If the purpose of secondary schooling is to educate the upcoming generation to become active participants in society, evaluation of teaching and learning in the information-rich digital age should be underpinned by relevant theories and models. This article describes an evaluation tool developed using emerging ideas about knowledge creation and…
[Feasibility of implementing a learning based problem solving and peer evaluation approach among medical students in Mexico].

PubMed

Amato, Dante; de Jesús Novales-Castro, Xavier

2009-01-01

Assess the degree to which medical students accept and consider useful the techniques of problem based learning (PBL) and evaluation among peers. Analyze the association between the number of PBL clinical cases reviewed and the students' perception about their own learning in a basic course. A questionnaire was administered to 334 students enrolled in the third semester of medical school (Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México). Questions included acceptability of PBL, peer evaluation, and their perception about the usefulness of these techniques after having used them during the school year. We used a Likert scale to measure opinions on the degree of usefulness of the PBL, perception of their own learning, and the acceptance of the notion that evaluation activities evaluation among peers promote justice and favor the student's character formation. We measured the association of these variables with the number of clinical cases studied using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. Most of the students considered that PBL method is useful (82%) and that evaluation activities among peers promote justice and character formation (70%). Students who reviewed more PBL cases considered the PBL activities more useful (rho = 0.489, p < 0.0001), and perceived that they achieved a better learning experience (rho = 0.200, p < 0.0001). Results show a fair acceptance by the students of the PBL method and activities of peer evaluation. The number of clinical cases reviewed during the course correlated with considering the PBL to be a useful method and perceiving a better learning experience. Our results support the inclusion of PBL and peer evaluation in the medical school curricula.
Classroom Active Learning Complemented by an Online Discussion Forum to Teach Sustainability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dengler, Mary

2008-01-01

This paper identifies some of the pedagogical benefits of an active learning course delivery complemented by an online discussion forum to teach sustainability by evaluating the case of a geography master's course. The potential benefits and some challenges of an active learning course delivery to teach sustainability in geography and related…
Incorporating active learning in psychiatry education.

PubMed

Kumar, Sonia; McLean, Loyola; Nash, Louise; Trigwell, Keith

2017-06-01

We aim to summarise the active learning literature in higher education and consider its relevance for postgraduate psychiatry trainees, to inform the development of a new Formal Education Course (FEC): the Master of Medicine (Psychiatry) at the University of Sydney. We undertook a literature search on 'active learning', 'flipped classroom', 'problem-based learning' and 'psychiatry education'. The effectiveness of active learning pedagogy in higher education is well supported by evidence; however, there have been few psychiatry-specific studies. A new 'flipped classroom' format was developed for the Master of Medicine (Psychiatry). Postgraduate psychiatry training is an active learning environment; the pedagogical approach to FECs requires further evaluation.
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.
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.
Technology Learning Activities I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Technology Education Association, Reston, VA.

This guide contains 30 technology learning activities. Activities may contain all or some of the following: an introduction, objectives, materials and equipment, challenges, limitations, notes and investigations, resources and references used, and evaluation ideas. Activity titles are: (1) Occupations in Construction Technology; (2) Designing a…
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 =…
An Evaluation of Gas Law Webquest Based on Active Learning Style in a Secondary School in Malaysia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alias, Norlidah; DeWitt, Dorothy; Siraj, Saedah

2014-01-01

In this study, the PTEchLS WebQuest on Gas Laws was evaluated. It was designed for Form Four students with active learning styles. The focus of the evaluation was on the usability and effectiveness of the PTechLS WebQuest. Data were collected from interviews and students' achievement scores. Two teachers and eight students volunteered to…
Evaluation as a Collaborative Activity to Learn Content Knowledge in a Graduate Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Bob; Arbogast, Janet; Kafer, Lindsey; Chen, Julianna

2014-01-01

Teaching graduate students to conduct evaluations is typically relegated to evaluation methods courses. This approach misses an opportunity for students to collaboratively use evaluation skills to explore content. This article examines a graduate course, Issues in Adult Basic Education, in which students learned evaluation methods concurrently…
Pattern Activity Clustering and Evaluation (PACE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blasch, Erik; Banas, Christopher; Paul, Michael; Bussjager, Becky; Seetharaman, Guna

2012-06-01

With the vast amount of network information available on activities of people (i.e. motions, transportation routes, and site visits) there is a need to explore the salient properties of data that detect and discriminate the behavior of individuals. Recent machine learning approaches include methods of data mining, statistical analysis, clustering, and estimation that support activity-based intelligence. We seek to explore contemporary methods in activity analysis using machine learning techniques that discover and characterize behaviors that enable grouping, anomaly detection, and adversarial intent prediction. To evaluate these methods, we describe the mathematics and potential information theory metrics to characterize behavior. A scenario is presented to demonstrate the concept and metrics that could be useful for layered sensing behavior pattern learning and analysis. We leverage work on group tracking, learning and clustering approaches; as well as utilize information theoretical metrics for classification, behavioral and event pattern recognition, and activity and entity analysis. The performance evaluation of activity analysis supports high-level information fusion of user alerts, data queries and sensor management for data extraction, relations discovery, and situation analysis of existing data.
Evaluation of a faculty development program aimed at increasing residents' active learning in lectures.

PubMed

Desselle, Bonnie C; English, Robin; Hescock, George; Hauser, Andrea; Roy, Melissa; Yang, Tong; Chauvin, Sheila W

2012-12-01

Active engagement in the learning process is important to enhance learners' knowledge acquisition and retention and the development of their thinking skills. This study evaluated whether a 1-hour faculty development workshop increased the use of active teaching strategies and enhanced residents' active learning and thinking. Faculty teaching in a pediatrics residency participated in a 1-hour workshop (intervention) approximately 1 month before a scheduled lecture. Participants' responses to a preworkshop/postworkshop questionnaire targeted self-efficacy (confidence) for facilitating active learning and thinking and providing feedback about workshop quality. Trained observers assessed each lecture (3-month baseline phase and 3-month intervention phase) using an 8-item scale for use of active learning strategies and a 7-item scale for residents' engagement in active learning. Observers also assessed lecturer-resident interactions and the extent to which residents were asked to justify their answers. Responses to the workshop questionnaire (n = 32/34; 94%) demonstrated effectiveness and increased confidence. Faculty in the intervention phase demonstrated increased use of interactive teaching strategies for 6 items, with 5 reaching statistical significance (P ≤ .01). Residents' active learning behaviors in lectures were higher in the intervention arm for all 7 items, with 5 reaching statistical significance. Faculty in the intervention group demonstrated increased use of higher-order questioning (P = .02) and solicited justifications for answers (P = .01). A 1-hour faculty development program increased faculty use of active learning strategies and residents' engagement in active learning during resident core curriculum lectures.
Usability Evaluation of the Student Centered e-Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Junus, Inas Sofiyah; Santoso, Harry Budi; Isal, R. Yugo K.; Utomo, Andika Yudha

2015-01-01

Student Centered e-Learning Environment (SCeLE) has substantial roles to support learning activities at Faculty of Computer Science, Universitas Indonesia (Fasilkom UI). Although it has been utilized for about 10 years, the usability aspect of SCeLE as an e-Learning system has not been evaluated. Therefore, the usability aspects of SCeLE Fasilkom…
Instructional Technology Professional Development Evaluation: Developing a High Quality Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaytan, Jorge A.; McEwen, Beryl C.

2010-01-01

Background: The literature contains very few studies that focused on evaluating the impact of professional development activities on student learning. And, many of these studies failed to determine whether the professional development activities met their primary goal--to improve the learning process. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to use…
Use of Web Technology and Active Learning Strategies in a Quality Assessment Methods Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poirier, Therese I.; O'Neil, Christine K.

2000-01-01

The authors describe and evaluate quality assessment methods in a health care course that utilized web technology and various active learning strategies. The course was judged successful by student performance, evaluations and student assessments. The instructors were pleased with the outcomes achieved and the educational pedagogy used for this…
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.
A review of teaching-learning strategies to be used with film for prelicensure students.

PubMed

Oh, Jina; De Gagné, Jennie Chang; Kang, Jeongae

2013-03-01

The use of film in nursing and medical education has been supported as an effective instructional method. The purpose of this article is to identify and synthesize the available studies on teaching-learning strategies to be used with film for prelicensure students. Electronic databases were searched to identify studies published in the English language between January 1990 and March 2012. Twenty-seven articles met the selection criteria for this review and were analyzed. After in-depth discussion about and investigation of the relevant literature, we narrowed down three teaching-learning strategies: reflective activities, practical activities, and evaluative activities. The synthesis of the identified teaching-learning strategies provides a data point for the development of more effective evidence-based learning activities for prelicensure students. Future studies should focus on the examination of teaching effectiveness and learning outcomes, as well as the evaluation of using film, to achieve nursing competencies appropriate to role preparation. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.
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...
Using Activity Theory to Evaluate a Professional Learning and Development Initiative in the Use of Narrative Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bourke, Roseanna; Mentis, Mandia; O'Neill, John

2013-01-01

Analysis of the impact of professional learning and development (PLD) programmes for educators is complex. This article presents an analysis of a PLD initiative in which classroom teachers learned to use narrative assessment for students with "high" and "very high" learning needs. Using Cultural Historical Activity Theory…
Video-recorded simulated patient interactions: can they help develop clinical and communication skills in today's learning environment?

PubMed

Seif, Gretchen A; Brown, Debora

2013-01-01

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

Excellence in Physics Education Award Talk: The Role of Physics Education Research in the Design and Assessment of Active Learning Curricula and Tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thornton, Ronald

2010-02-01

For the Activity Based Physics Group (APB), research in student learning has been a cornerstone, for the past 22 years, of the development of activity-based curricula supported by real-time data collection, analysis, and modeling. This presentation, the first of three related talks, will focus on student learning, Priscilla Laws will describe the curriculum and tools developed, and David Sokoloff will describe dissemination efforts. One of the earliest examples of seminal research, done as part of the early MBL development for middle school at TERC, showed that delaying the display of a position-time graph by 10 seconds instead of displaying it in real-time resulted in a substantial learning decrease. This result assured the use of real-time data collection in our curricula. As we developed our early kinematics and dynamics curricula for college and high school, we interviewed many students before and after instruction, to understand where they started and what they had learned. We used the results of these interviews and written student explanations of their thinking to develop robust multiple-choice evaluations that were easy to give and allowed us to understand student thinking using both ``right and wrong'' responses. Work such as this resulted in Questions on Linear Motion, Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation (FMCE), Heat and Temperature Conceptual Evaluation (HTCE), Electrical Circuit Conceptual Evaluation (ECCE), Light and Optics Conceptual Evaluation (LOCE) and others which guided our curriculum development and convinced many that standard instruction in physics did not result in substantial conceptual learning. Other evaluations measured mathematical understandings.evaluations also allowed us to look at a progression of student ideas as they learned (``Conceptual Dynamics''), study the behavior of students who did and did not learn conceptually (``Uncommon Knowledge''), study the efficacy of peer groups, and finally identify some of factors that led to conceptual learning for both women and men. (e.g. increases in spatial ability). )
Learning Theory and the Typewriter Teacher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wakin, B. Bertha

1974-01-01

Eight basic principles of learning are described and discussed in terms of practical learning strategies for typewriting. Described are goal setting, preassessment, active participation, individual differences, reinforcement, practice, transfer of learning, and evaluation. (SC)
Evaluation of a Didactic Method for the Active Learning of Greedy Algorithms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Esteban-Sánchez, Natalia; Pizarro, Celeste; Velázquez-Iturbide, J. Ángel

2014-01-01

An evaluation of the educational effectiveness of a didactic method for the active learning of greedy algorithms is presented. The didactic method sets students structured-inquiry challenges to be addressed with a specific experimental method, supported by the interactive system GreedEx. This didactic method has been refined over several years of…
More than Writing-to-Learn

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDermott, Mark

2010-01-01

Writing-to-learn activities are designed to use writing as a process in which students generate and clarify understanding of scientific concepts for themselves, rather than simply communicating with a teacher for evaluation. Instead of having students parrot science facts back to the instructor, writing-to-learn activities focus on the production…
Design Issues Related to the Evaluation of Learner--Computer Interaction in a Web-Based Environment: Activities v. Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hemard, Dominique

2006-01-01

If web-based technology is increasingly becoming the central plank of contemporary teaching and learning processes, there is still too little evidence to suggest that it is delivering purposeful learning activities beyond its widely perceived potential as a learning resource providing content and learning objects. This is due in part to the…
The Effects of Three Prereading Activities on Learning Disabled Students' Reading Comprehension.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sachs, Arlene

1983-01-01

Thirty-six learning disabled children (9-12 years old) participated in a modified Directed Reading Activity, a modified Concept Analysis Activity, and a Worksheet Activity (control). Results indicate that evaluative reading comprehension was more affected by both the modified Concept Analysis Activity and the modified Directed Reading Activity…
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.
Lifelong learning in the 21st century and beyond.

PubMed

Collins, Jannette

2009-01-01

Lifelong learning is now recognized by educators, governing bodies, accreditation organizations, certification boards, employers, third-party payers, and the general public as one of the most important competencies that people must possess. Promoting lifelong learning as continuous, collaborative, self-directed, active, broad in domain, everlasting, positive and fulfilling, and applicable to one's profession as well as all aspects of one's life has emerged as a major global educational challenge. Meeting this challenge will require changes in the way teachers teach and learners learn, as teachers take on a more facilitative role and learners take more responsibility for setting goals, identifying resources for learning, and reflecting on and evaluating their learning. For physicians, this will require less dependence on traditional educational venues, such as passive continuing medical education activities, and greater participation in self-assessment, peer assessment, evaluation of performance in practice, documentation of practice-based learning and improvement activities, and learning at the point of care. Radiologists in an academic setting are exposed to multiple opportunities for practicing lifelong learning, such as teaching others, participating in multidisciplinary conferences and journal clubs, and engaging in research. All radiologists can participate in self-audits and group audits of performance and become active participants in national radiology societies, where they can learn from each other. Participation in the American Board of Radiology's Maintenance of Certification program reflects a commitment to actively engage in lifelong learning and is one way of demonstrating to the general public a commitment to maintaining competence. (c) RSNA, 2009.
Peer assisted learning in the clinical setting: an activity systems analysis.

PubMed

Bennett, Deirdre; O'Flynn, Siun; Kelly, Martina

2015-08-01

Peer assisted learning (PAL) is a common feature of medical education. Understanding of PAL has been based on processes and outcomes in controlled settings, such as clinical skills labs. PAL in the clinical setting, a complex learning environment, requires fresh evaluation. Socio-cultural theory is proposed as a means to understand educational interventions in ways that are practical and meaningful. We describe the evaluation of a PAL intervention, introduced to support students' transition into full time clinical attachments, using activity theory and activity systems analysis (ASA). Our research question was How does PAL transfer to the clinical environment? Junior students on their first clinical attachments undertook a weekly same-level, reciprocal PAL activity. Qualitative data was collected after each session, and focus groups (n = 3) were held on completion. Data was analysed using ASA. ASA revealed two competing activity systems on clinical attachment; Learning from Experts, which students saw as the primary function of the attachment and Learning with Peers, the PAL intervention. The latter took time from the first and was in tension with it. Tensions arose from student beliefs about how learning takes place in clinical settings, and the importance of social relationships, leading to variable engagement with PAL. Differing perspectives within the group were opportunities for expansive learning. PAL in the clinical environment presents challenges specific to that context. Using ASA helped to describe student activity on clinical attachment and to highlight tensions and contradictions relating PAL in that setting. Planning learning opportunities on clinical placements, must take account of how students learn in workplaces, and the complexity of the multiple competing activity systems related to learning and social activities.
Student Perceptions of Value Added in an Active Learning Experience: Producing, Reviewing and Evaluating a Sales Team Video Presentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corbett, James J.; Kezim, Boualem; Stewart, James

2010-01-01

This study investigates the effectiveness of a video team-based activity as a learning experience in a sales management course. Students perceived this learning activity approach as a beneficial and effective instructional technique. The benefits of making a video in a marketing course reinforce the understanding and the use of the sales process…
Digital learning objects in nursing consultation: technology assessment by undergraduate students.

PubMed

Silveira, DeniseTolfo; Catalan, Vanessa Menezes; Neutzling, Agnes Ludwig; Martinato, Luísa Helena Machado

2010-01-01

This study followed the teaching-learning process about the nursing consultation, based on digital learning objects developed through the active Problem Based Learning method. The goals were to evaluate the digital learning objects about nursing consultation, develop cognitive skills on the subject using problem based learning and identify the students' opinions on the use of technology. This is an exploratory and descriptive study with a quantitative approach. The sample consisted of 71 students in the sixth period of the nursing program at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. The data was collected through a questionnaire to evaluate the learning objects. The results showed positive agreement (58%) on the content, usability and didactics of the proposed computer-mediated activity regarding the nursing consultation. The application of materials to the students is considered positive.
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.
Evaluating a Chronic Disease Management Improvement Collaboration: Lessons in Design and Implementation Fundamentals.

PubMed

Phillips, Kaye; Amar, Claudia; Elicksen-Jensen, Keesa

2016-01-01

For the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement (CFHI), the Atlantic Healthcare Collaboration (AHC) was a pivotal opportunity to build upon its experience and expertise in delivering regional change management training and to apply and refine its evaluation and performance measurement approach. This paper reports on its evaluation principles and approach, as well as the lessons learned as CFHI diligently coordinated and worked with improvement project (IP) teams and a network of stakeholders to design and undertake a suite of evaluative activities. The evaluation generated evidence and learnings about various elements of chronic disease prevention and management (CDPM) improvement processes, individual and team capacity building and the role and value of CFHI in facilitating tailored learning activities and networking among teams, coaches and other AHC stakeholders.
A Peer Assessment Approach to Project Based Blended Learning Course in a Vietnamese Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Viet Anh

2017-01-01

This article presents a model using peer assessment to evaluate students taking part in blended - learning courses (BL). In these courses, teaching activities are carried out in the form of traditional face-to-face (F2F) and learning activities are performed online via the learning management system Moodle. In the model, the topics of courses are…
Process Mining Techniques for Analysing Patterns and Strategies in Students' Self-Regulated Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bannert, Maria; Reimann, Peter; Sonnenberg, Christoph

2014-01-01

Referring to current research on self-regulated learning, we analyse individual regulation in terms of a set of specific sequences of regulatory activities. Successful students perform regulatory activities such as analysing, planning, monitoring and evaluating cognitive and motivational aspects during learning not only with a higher frequency…
Discovering the Effects of Metacognitive Prompts on the Sequential Structure of SRL-Processes Using Process Mining Techniques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sonnenberg, Christoph; Bannert, Maria

2015-01-01

According to research examining self-regulated learning (SRL), we regard individual regulation as a specific sequence of regulatory activities. Ideally, students perform various learning activities, such as analyzing, monitoring, and evaluating cognitive and motivational aspects during learning. Metacognitive prompts can foster SRL by inducing…
Active Learning through Online Quizzes: Better Learning and Less (Busy) Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Brian Robert; Babon, Andrea

2017-01-01

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Seung Hwan; Hoffman, K. Douglas

2015-01-01

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meisel, Joshua S.

2008-01-01

In this article I explore the ethical terrain of experiential learning activities drawing on my experiences leading college students on field trips into criminal justice settings. Though there are numerous educational benefits to adopting experiential learning activities, the rewards must be evaluated in light of the potential harms to nonstudent…

Designing Online Education Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trentin, Guglielmo

2001-01-01

Focuses on the main elements that characterize online course design. Topics include design constraints; analysis of learning needs; defining objectives; course prerequisites; content structuring; course flexibility; learning strategies; evaluation criteria; course activities; course structure; communication architecture; and design evaluation.…
Redesign and Evaluation of a Patient Assessment Course

PubMed Central

Sobieraj, Diana M.; McCaffrey, Desmond; Lee, Jennifer J.

2009-01-01

Objectives To redesign a patient assessment course using a structured instructional design process and evaluate student learning. Design Course coordinators collaborated with an instructional design and development expert to incorporate new pedagogical approaches (eg, Web-based self-tests), create new learning activities (eg, peer collaboration on worksheets, SOAP note writing), and develop grading rubrics. Assessment Formative and summative surveys were administered for student self-assessment and course evaluation. Seventy-six students (78%) completed the summative survey. The mean course grade was 91.8% ± 3.6%, with more than 75% of students reporting achievement of primary course learning objectives. All of the additional learning activities helped students meet the learning objectives with the exception of the written drug information response. Conclusion The use of a structured instructional design process to redesign a patient assessment course was successful in creating a curriculum that succeeded in teaching students the specified learning objectives. Other colleges and schools are encouraged to collaborate with an instructional design and development expert to improve the pharmacy curriculum. PMID:19960090
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…
The Impact of Light Pollution Education through a Global Star-Hunting Campaign and Classroom Curricu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walker, C. E.; Buxner, S.; Pompea, S. M.

2012-12-01

The emphasis of the international citizen-science, star-hunting campaign, GLOBE at Night, and its accompanying Dark Skies Rangers activities is to increase public awareness on issues of light pollution. An on-line evaluation survey was administered to 585 people who participated in a GLOBE at Night and/or Dark Skies Rangers workshop and had received a Dark Skies Education Kit over the last 5 years. The survey was conducted to help improve the dark sky education programs and was administered and assessed by an external evaluator. Results will be presented on the usefulness of the programs, workshops and associated materials (e.g., the Dark Skies Rangers activities, materials, kit). Results will also include the evaluation of the GLOBE at Night campaigns, the use of these resources in the classroom, and the educators' impressions of student learning outcomes. Session participants will: 1) Learn about ongoing efforts to evaluate a large citizen science project; 2) Learn about usefulness of Dark Sky products for a variety of educational providers; 3) Learn how to apply the presented techniques to their own outreach activities.
Design Brief--Packaging: More than Just a Box! Communications: Getting the Message across with Advertising. Technology Learning Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Technology Teacher, 1991

1991-01-01

Each technology learning activity in this article includes content description, objectives, required materials, challenge, and evaluation questions. Subjects are designing product packages and communication through advertising. (SK)
Integration of Teaching Processes and Learning Assessment in the Prefrontal Cortex during a Video Game Teaching–learning Task

PubMed Central

Takeuchi, Naoyuki; Mori, Takayuki; Suzukamo, Yoshimi; Izumi, Shin-Ichi

2017-01-01

Human teaching is a social interaction that supports reciprocal and dynamical feedback between the teacher and the student. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is a region of particular interest due to its demonstrated role in social interaction. In the present study, we evaluated the PFC activity simultaneously in two individuals playing the role of a teacher and student in a video game teaching–learning task. For that, we used two wearable near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) devices in order to elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive interactions between teachers and students. Fifteen teacher–student pairs in total (N = 30) participated in this study. Each teacher was instructed to teach the video game to their student partner, without speaking. The PFC activity was simultaneously evaluated in both participants using a wearable 16-channel NIRS system during the video game teaching–learning task. Two sessions, each including a triplet of a 30-s teaching–learning task, were performed in order to evaluate changes in PFC activity after advancement of teaching–learning state. Changes in the teachers’ left PFC activity between the first and second session positively correlated with those observed in students (r = 0.694, p = 0.004). Moreover, among teachers, multiple regression analysis revealed a correlation between the left PFC activity and the assessment gap between one’s own teaching and the student’s understanding (β = 0.649, p = 0.009). Activity in the left PFC changed synchronously in both teachers and students after advancement of the teaching–learning state. The left PFC of teachers may be involved in integrating information regarding one’s own teaching process and the student’s learning state. The present observations indicate that simultaneous recording and analysis of brain activity data during teacher–student interactions may be useful in the field of educational neuroscience. PMID:28119650
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.
Enhancing medical-surgical nursing practice: using practice tests and clinical examples to promote active learning and program evaluation.

PubMed

DuHamel, Martha B; Hirnle, Constance; Karvonen, Colleen; Sayre, Cindy; Wyant, Sheryl; Colobong Smith, Nancy; Keener, Sheila; Barrett, Shannon; Whitney, Joanne D

2011-10-01

In a 14-week medical-surgical nursing review course, two teaching strategies are used to promote active learning and assess the transfer of knowledge to nursing practice. Practice tests and clinical examples provide opportunities for participants to engage in self-assessment and reflective learning and enhance their nursing knowledge, skills, and practice. These strategies also contribute to program evaluation and are adaptable to a variety of course formats, including traditional classroom, web conference, and online self-study. Copyright 2011, SLACK Incorporated.
Methodology for Evaluating Quality and Reusability of Learning Objects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurilovas, Eugenijus; Bireniene, Virginija; Serikoviene, Silvija

2011-01-01

The aim of the paper is to present the scientific model and several methods for the expert evaluation of quality of learning objects (LOs) paying especial attention to LOs reusability level. The activities of eQNet Quality Network for a European Learning Resource Exchange (LRE) aimed to improve reusability of LOs of European Schoolnet's LRE…
Influences on Peer Evaluation in a Group Project: An Exploration of Leadership, Demographics and Course Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dingel, Molly; Wei, Wei

2014-01-01

Collaborative learning strategies are widely used in higher education to deepen learning, promote team-building skills and achieve course learning objectives. Using peer evaluation is an important strategy to ensure that engaged and active students are rewarded for their efforts, and to discourage loafing within groups. However, less is known…
The Development of Media Activities by Undergraduate Students in Order to Promote Agricultural Tourism Community Enterprise According to the Principles of Social Service Learning and Community-Based Leaning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thamwipat, Kuntida; Princhankol, Pornpapatsorn; Yampinij, Sakesun; Meejaleurn, Sopon

2018-01-01

This research was aimed to develop media activities by undergraduate students to promote agricultural tourism community enterprise according to the principles of social service learning and community-based learning, 2) to evaluate the quality of such media activities, 3) to measure the income of the community after the development of media…
Introductory Biology Courses: A Framework To Support Active Learning in Large Enrollment Introductory Science Courses

PubMed Central

2005-01-01

Active learning and research-oriented activities have been increasingly used in smaller, specialized science courses. Application of this type of scientific teaching to large enrollment introductory courses has been, however, a major challenge. The general microbiology lecture/laboratory course described has been designed to incorporate published active-learning methods. Three major case studies are used as platforms for active learning. Themes from case studies are integrated into lectures and laboratory experiments, and in class and online discussions and assignments. Students are stimulated to apply facts to problem-solving and to learn research skills such as data analysis, writing, and working in teams. This course is feasible only because of its organizational framework that makes use of teaching teams (made up of faculty, graduate assistants, and undergraduate assistants) and Web-based technology. Technology is a mode of communication, but also a system of course management. The relevance of this model to other biology courses led to assessment and evaluation, including an analysis of student responses to the new course, class performance, a university course evaluation, and retention of course learning. The results are indicative of an increase in student engagement in research-oriented activities and an appreciation of real-world context by students. PMID:15917873
An evaluation of the role of the clinical education facilitator.

PubMed

McCormack, Brendan; Slater, Paul

2006-02-01

The objective of the study was to identify whether clinical education facilitators made a difference to the learning experiences of nurses in a large teaching hospital. Strategies for enabling continuous professional development are well established in health care organizations as key components of approaches to lifelong learning. The benefits of continuous professional development include the maintenance of high standards of care, the improvement and development of services, ensuring the competency of all nursing staff and guaranteeing the accountability of nurses for their actions. The role of clinical education facilitator is relatively new and little evaluation of this role has been undertaken. This study highlights important issues to be considered in developing a 'learning culture' in a hospital organization, through the adoption of such roles as clinical education facilitators. Whilst the roles have had an important function in the active coordination of learning activities in the hospital, there is little evidence of the role directly impacting on the learning culture of clinical settings. Learning mechanisms have been identified. The results of this evaluation can be subjected to further testing through ongoing evaluation of the outcomes arising from the learning mechanisms in place. Given the emphasis on work-based learning and continuing professional development in health care, then this ongoing evaluation can yield important information about future directions for nurse education. The study highlights the importance of supported learning in the workplace. However, more importantly, it identifies the need for a culture of professional practice to be developed in order to sustain learning in practice. Classroom-based learning alone, cannot create a culture of development in nursing and there is thus a need for models of work-based learning to be integrated into practice environments.
E-Learning as an Opportunity for the Public Administration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casagranda, Milena; Colazzo, Luigi; Molinari, Andrea; Tomasini, Sara

In this paper we will describe the results of a learning project in the Public Administration, highlighting the methodological approach based on a blended training model in a context that has never experienced this type of activities. The observations contained in the paper will be focused on the evaluation results of this experience and the redesign elements in term of alternation between the classroom and distance training, methodologies, the value and use of the e-learning platform and learning evaluation. The elements that emerge will also provide the basis for the design of future teaching actions for this context (in which at this moment we are involved). The objective is to identify a "learning model", related also to the use of technological tools that are able to support lifelong learning and to define dynamics and process relating to facilitating learning activities of teachers and tutors.
Methods of learning in statistical education: Design and analysis of a randomized trial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyd, Felicity Turner

Background. Recent psychological and technological advances suggest that active learning may enhance understanding and retention of statistical principles. A randomized trial was designed to evaluate the addition of innovative instructional methods within didactic biostatistics courses for public health professionals. Aims. The primary objectives were to evaluate and compare the addition of two active learning methods (cooperative and internet) on students' performance; assess their impact on performance after adjusting for differences in students' learning style; and examine the influence of learning style on trial participation. Methods. Consenting students enrolled in a graduate introductory biostatistics course were randomized to cooperative learning, internet learning, or control after completing a pretest survey. The cooperative learning group participated in eight small group active learning sessions on key statistical concepts, while the internet learning group accessed interactive mini-applications on the same concepts. Controls received no intervention. Students completed evaluations after each session and a post-test survey. Study outcome was performance quantified by examination scores. Intervention effects were analyzed by generalized linear models using intent-to-treat analysis and marginal structural models accounting for reported participation. Results. Of 376 enrolled students, 265 (70%) consented to randomization; 69, 100, and 96 students were randomized to the cooperative, internet, and control groups, respectively. Intent-to-treat analysis showed no differences between study groups; however, 51% of students in the intervention groups had dropped out after the second session. After accounting for reported participation, expected examination scores were 2.6 points higher (of 100 points) after completing one cooperative learning session (95% CI: 0.3, 4.9) and 2.4 points higher after one internet learning session (95% CI: 0.0, 4.7), versus nonparticipants or controls, adjusting for other performance predictors. Students who preferred learning by reflective observation and active experimentation experienced improved performance through internet learning (5.9 points, 95% CI: 1.2, 10.6) and cooperative learning (2.9 points, 95% CI: 0.6, 5.2), respectively. Learning style did not influence study participation. Conclusions. No performance differences by group were observed by intent-to-treat analysis. Participation in active learning appears to improve student performance in an introductory biostatistics course and provides opportunities for enhancing understanding beyond that attained in traditional didactic classrooms.
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.
Challenges of Using Learning Analytics Techniques to Support Mobile Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arrigo, Marco; Fulantelli, Giovanni; Taibi, Davide

2015-01-01

Evaluation of Mobile Learning remains an open research issue, especially as regards the activities that take place outside the classroom. In this context, Learning Analytics can provide answers, and offer the appropriate tools to enhance Mobile Learning experiences. In this poster we introduce a task-interaction framework, using learning analytics…
Preferences for Deep-Surface Learning: A Vocational Education Case Study Using a Multimedia Assessment Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamm, Simon; Robertson, Ian

2010-01-01

This research tests the proposition that the integration of a multimedia assessment activity into a Diploma of Events Management program promotes a deep learning approach. Firstly, learners' preferences for deep or surface learning were evaluated using the revised two-factor Study Process Questionnaire. Secondly, after completion of an assessment…
Evaluating Listening and Speaking Skills in a Mobile Game-Based Learning Environment with Situational Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hwang, Wu-Yuin; Shih, Timothy K.; Ma, Zhao-Heng; Shadiev, Rustam; Chen, Shu-Yu

2016-01-01

Game-based learning activities that facilitate students' listening and speaking skills were designed in this study. To participate in learning activities, students in the control group used traditional methods, while students in the experimental group used a mobile system. In our study, we looked into the feasibility of mobile game-based learning…
Evaluating the Impact of Instructional Support Using Data Mining and Process Mining: A Micro-Level Analysis of the Effectiveness of Metacognitive Prompts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sonnenberg, Christoph; Bannert, Maria

2016-01-01

In computer-supported learning environments, the deployment of self-regulatory skills represents an essential prerequisite for successful learning. Metacognitive prompts are a promising type of instructional support to activate students' strategic learning activities. However, despite positive effects in previous studies, there are still a large…

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…
Technology Learning Activities: Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue, the Cellular Connection, Emergency Shelter.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Etchison, Cindy; Deal, Walter F., III

1992-01-01

Presents learning activities such as planning and building a sailboat, manufacturing cellular phone cases, and designing and building emergency shelters. Includes the context, the challenge, resources used, objectives, materials needed, and an evaluation. (JOW)
A Tribute to Charlie Chaplin: Induced Positive Affect Improves Reward-Based Decision-Learning in Parkinson’s Disease

PubMed Central

Ridderinkhof, K. Richard; van Wouwe, Nelleke C.; Band, Guido P. H.; Wylie, Scott A.; Van der Stigchel, Stefan; van Hees, Pieter; Buitenweg, Jessika; van de Vijver, Irene; van den Wildenberg, Wery P. M.

2012-01-01

Reward-based decision-learning refers to the process of learning to select those actions that lead to rewards while avoiding actions that lead to punishments. This process, known to rely on dopaminergic activity in striatal brain regions, is compromised in Parkinson’s disease (PD). We hypothesized that such decision-learning deficits are alleviated by induced positive affect, which is thought to incur transient boosts in midbrain and striatal dopaminergic activity. Computational measures of probabilistic reward-based decision-learning were determined for 51 patients diagnosed with PD. Previous work has shown these measures to rely on the nucleus caudatus (outcome evaluation during the early phases of learning) and the putamen (reward prediction during later phases of learning). We observed that induced positive affect facilitated learning, through its effects on reward prediction rather than outcome evaluation. Viewing a few minutes of comedy clips served to remedy dopamine-related problems associated with frontostriatal circuitry and, consequently, learning to predict which actions will yield reward. PMID:22707944
An Introduction to "My Environmental Education Evaluation Resource Assistant" (MEERA), a Web-Based Resource for Self-Directed Learning about Environmental Education Program Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zint, Michaela

2010-01-01

My Environmental Education Evaluation Resource Assistant or "MEERA" is a web-site designed to support environmental educators' program evaluation activities. MEERA has several characteristics that set it apart from other self-directed learning evaluation resources. Readers are encouraged to explore the site and to reflect on the role that…
Learning Goals and Strategies in the Self-regulation of Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaeta Gonzalez, Martha Leticia

2013-01-01

In order to self-regulate their learning, students need to use different strategies to plan, monitor, and evaluate their learning activities (meta-cognitive strategies), as well as to control their motivation and emotion (volitional strategies). Students' effectiveness in their self-regulated learning process also varies depending on the academic…
Integrated method of teaching in Web Quest activity and its impact on undergraduate students' cognition and learning behaviors: a future trend in medical education.

PubMed

Badiyepeymaie Jahromi, Zohreh; Mosalanejad, Leili

2015-01-14

Web Quest is one of the new ways of teaching and learning that is based on research, and includes the principles of learning and cognitive activities, such as collaborative learning, social and cognitive learning, and active learning, and increases motivation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the Web Quest influence on students' learning behaviors. In this quasi-experimental study, which was performed on undergraduates taking a psychiatric course at Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, simple sampling was used to select the cases to be studied; the students entered the study through census and were trained according to Web Quest methodology. The procedure was to present the course as a case study and team work. Each topic included discussing concepts and then patient's treatment and the communicative principles for two weeks. Active participation of the students in response to the scenario and introduced problem was equal to preparing scientific videos about the disease and collecting the latest medical treatment for the disease from the Internet.Three questionnaires, including the self-directed learning Questionnaire, teamwork evaluation Questionnaire (value of team), and Buffard self-regulated Questionnaire, were the data gathering tools. The results showed that the average of self-regulated learning and self-directed learning (SDL) increased after the educational intervention. However, the increase was not significant. On the other hand, problem solving (P=0.001) and the value of teamwork (P=0.002), apart from increasing the average, had significant statistical values. In view of Web Quest's positive impacts on students' learning behaviors, problem solving and teamwork, the effective use of active learning and teaching practices and use of technology in medical education are recommended.
Integrated Method of Teaching in Web Quest Activity and Its Impact on Undergraduate Students’ Cognition and Learning Behaviors: A Future Trend in Medical Education

PubMed Central

Jahromi, Zohreh Badiyepeymaie; Mosalanejad, Leili

2015-01-01

Introduction: Web Quest is one of the new ways of teaching and learning that is based on research, and includes the principles of learning and cognitive activities, such as collaborative learning, social and cognitive learning, and active learning, and increases motivation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the Web Quest influence on students’ learning behaviors. Materials and Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, which was performed on undergraduates taking a psychiatric course at Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, simple sampling was used to select the cases to be studied; the students entered the study through census and were trained according toWeb Quest methodology. The procedure was to present the course as a case study and team work. Each topic included discussing concepts and then patient’s treatment and the communicative principles for two weeks. Active participation of the students in response to the scenario and introduced problem was equal to preparing scientific videos about the disease and collecting the latest medical treatment for the disease from the Internet. Three questionnaires, including the self-directed learning Questionnaire, teamwork evaluation Questionnaire (value of team), and Buffard self-regulated Questionnaire, were the data gathering tools. Results: The results showed that the average of self-regulated learning and self-directed learning (SDL) increased after the educational intervention. However, the increase was not significant. On the other hand, problem solving (P=0.001) and the value of teamwork (P=0.002), apart from increasing the average, had significant statistical values. Conclusions: In view of Web Quest’s positive impacts on students’ learning behaviors, problem solving and teamwork, the effective use of active learning and teaching practices and use of technology in medical education are recommended. PMID:25946931
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.
Using assistive technology adaptations to include students with learning disabilities in cooperative learning activities.

PubMed

Bryant, D P; Bryant, B R

1998-01-01

Cooperative learning (CL) is a common instructional arrangement that is used by classroom teachers to foster academic achievement and social acceptance of students with and without learning disabilities. Cooperative learning is appealing to classroom teachers because it can provide an opportunity for more instruction and feedback by peers than can be provided by teachers to individual students who require extra assistance. Recent studies suggest that students with LD may need adaptations during cooperative learning activities. The use of assistive technology adaptations may be necessary to help some students with LD compensate for their specific learning difficulties so that they can engage more readily in cooperative learning activities. A process for integrating technology adaptations into cooperative learning activities is discussed in terms of three components: selecting adaptations, monitoring the use of the adaptations during cooperative learning activities, and evaluating the adaptations' effectiveness. The article concludes with comments regarding barriers to and support systems for technology integration, technology and effective instructional practices, and the need to consider technology adaptations for students who have learning disabilities.
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.
Learning a Taxonomy of Predefined and Discovered Activity Patterns

PubMed Central

Krishnan, Narayanan; Cook, Diane J.; Wemlinger, Zachary

2013-01-01

Many intelligent systems that focus on the needs of a human require information about the activities that are being performed by the human. At the core of this capability is activity recognition. Activity recognition techniques have become robust but rarely scale to handle more than a few activities. They also rarely learn from more than one smart home data set because of inherent differences between labeling techniques. In this paper we investigate a data-driven approach to creating an activity taxonomy from sensor data found in disparate smart home datasets. We investigate how the resulting taxonomy can help analyze the relationship between classes of activities. We also analyze how the taxonomy can be used to scale activity recognition to a large number of activity classes and training datasets. We describe our approach and evaluate it on 34 smart home datasets. The results of the evaluation indicate that the hierarchical modeling can reduce training time while maintaining accuracy of the learned model. PMID:25302084
Models of Learning Space: Integrating Research on Space, Place and Learning in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, R. A.; Goodyear, P.

2016-01-01

Learning space research is a relatively new field of study that seeks to inform the design, evaluation and management of learning spaces. This paper reviews a dispersed and fragmented literature relevant to understanding connections between university learning spaces and student learning activities. From this review, the paper distils a number of…
Understanding Player Activity in a Game-Based Virtual Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyer, David Matthew

2011-01-01

This study examines player activity in a game-based virtual learning environment as a means toward evaluating instructional and game design. By determining the goals embedded in project development and the availability and structure of in-game activities, the first part of this research highlights opportunities for players to engage with learning…
Differences in Developmental Experiences for Commonly Used Categories of Organized Youth Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, David M.; Skorupski, William P.; Arrington, Tiffany L.

2010-01-01

The coherence of adolescents' self-reported learning experiences between subgroups of organized youth activities within five commonly used categories was evaluated. Data for the present study come from a representative sample of eleventh grade adolescents' reports on learning experiences in an organized youth activity using the Youth Experience…
"SimChemistry" as an Active Learning Tool in Chemical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bolton, Kim; Saalman, Elisabeth; Christie, Michael; Ingerman, Ake; Linder, Cedric

2008-01-01

The publicly available free computer program, "SimChemistry," was used as an active learning tool in the chemical engineering curriculum at the University College of Boras, Sweden. The activity involved students writing their own simulation programs on topics in the area of molecular structure and interactions. Evaluation of the learning…
Learning Activity Packets for Auto Mechanics II. Section A--Engine Rebuilding.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

Eight learning activity packets (LAPs) are provided for the instructional area of engine rebuilding in the auto mechanics II program. They accompany an instructor's guide available separately. The LAPs outline the study activities and performance tasks for these eight units: (1) engine condition evaluation; (2) engine removal; (3) engine…
Student and faculty perceptions of problem-based learning on a family medicine clerkship.

PubMed

McGrew, M C; Skipper, B; Palley, T; Kaufman, A

1999-03-01

The value of problem-based learning (PBL) in the preclinical years of medical school has been described widely in the literature. This study evaluates student and faculty perceptions of PBL during the clinical years of medical school, on a family medicine clerkship. Students used a 4-point scale to rate clerkship educational components on how well learning was facilitated. Faculty narratives of their perceptions of PBL were reviewed. Educational components that involved active learning by students--clinical activity, independent learning, and PBL tutorials--were ranked highest by students. Faculty perceived that PBL on the clerkship simulated "real-life" learning, included more behavioral and population issues, and provided substantial blocks of student contact time for improved student evaluation. Students and faculty in a family medicine clerkship ranked PBL sessions higher than any other nonclinical component of the clerkship. In addition to providing students with opportunities for self-directed learning, the PBL sessions provide faculty with more contact time with students, thereby enhancing the assessment of students' learning and progress.
Self-Regulated Learning Skills and Online Activities between Higher and Lower Performers on a Web-Intensive Undergraduate Engineering Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawanto, Oenardi; Santoso, Harry B.; Lawanto, Kevin N.; Goodridge, Wade

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate students' self-regulated learning (SRL) skills used in a Web-intensive learning environment. The research question guiding the study was: How did the use of student SRL skills and student engagement in online activities compare between higher- and lower-performing students participating in a…
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.
Comparison of sampling strategies for object-based classification of urban vegetation from Very High Resolution satellite images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rougier, Simon; Puissant, Anne; Stumpf, André; Lachiche, Nicolas

2016-09-01

Vegetation monitoring is becoming a major issue in the urban environment due to the services they procure and necessitates an accurate and up to date mapping. Very High Resolution satellite images enable a detailed mapping of the urban tree and herbaceous vegetation. Several supervised classifications with statistical learning techniques have provided good results for the detection of urban vegetation but necessitate a large amount of training data. In this context, this study proposes to investigate the performances of different sampling strategies in order to reduce the number of examples needed. Two windows based active learning algorithms from state-of-art are compared to a classical stratified random sampling and a third combining active learning and stratified strategies is proposed. The efficiency of these strategies is evaluated on two medium size French cities, Strasbourg and Rennes, associated to different datasets. Results demonstrate that classical stratified random sampling can in some cases be just as effective as active learning methods and that it should be used more frequently to evaluate new active learning methods. Moreover, the active learning strategies proposed in this work enables to reduce the computational runtime by selecting multiple windows at each iteration without increasing the number of windows needed.

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 Evaluation of Two Educational Strategies to Improve Screening for Eating Disorders in Pediatric Primary Care.

PubMed

Gooding, Holly C; Cheever, Elizabeth; Forman, Sara F; Hatoun, Jonathan; Jooma, Farah; Touloumtzis, Currie; Vernacchio, Louis

2017-05-01

Routine screening for disordered eating or body image concerns is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. We evaluated the ability of two educational interventions to increase screening for eating disorders in pediatric primary care practice, predicting that the "active-learning" group would have an increase in documented screening after intervention. We studied 303 practitioners in a large independent practice association located in the northeastern United States. We used a quasi-experimental design to test the effect of printed educational materials ("print-learning" group, n = 280 participants) compared with in-person shared learning followed by on-line spaced education ("active-learning" group, n = 23 participants) on documented screening of adolescents for eating disorder symptoms during preventive care visits. A subset of 88 participants completed additional surveys regarding knowledge of eating disorders, comfort screening for, diagnosing, and treating eating disorders, and satisfaction with their training regarding eating disorders. During the preintervention period, 4.5% of patients seen by practitioners in both the print-learning and active-learning groups had chart documentation of screening for eating disorder symptoms or body image concerns. This increased to 22% in the active-learning group and 5.7% in the print-learning group in the postintervention period, a statistically significant result. Compared with print-learning participants, active-learning group participants had greater eating disorder knowledge scores, increases in comfort diagnosing eating disorders, and satisfaction with their training in this area. In-person shared learning followed by on-line spaced education is more effective than print educational materials for increasing provider documentation of screening for eating disorders in primary care. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Use of Handwriting Recognition Technologies in Tablet-Based Learning Modules for First Grade Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yanikoglu, Berrin; Gogus, Aytac; Inal, Emre

2017-01-01

Learning through modules on a tablet helps students participate effectively in learning activities in classrooms and provides flexibility in the learning process. This study presents the design and evaluation of an application that is based on handwriting recognition technologies and e-content for the developed learning modules. The application…
Applying Learning Diagnosis Diagram in Computer Aided Instructions: Research, Practice and Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, YuLung

2010-01-01

In Taiwan, when students learn in experiment-related courses, they are often grouped into several teams. The familiar method of grouping learning is "Cooperative Learning". A well-organized grouping strategy improves cooperative learning and increases the number of activities. This study proposes a novel pedagogical method by adopting…
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…
Learning Styles among Students in an Advanced Soil Management Class: Impact on Students' Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eudoxie, Gaius D.

2011-01-01

Learning styles represent an integral component of the learning environment, which has been shown to differ across institutions and disciplines. To identify learner preferences within a discipline would aid in evaluating instructional resources geared toward active learning. The learning profiles of second-year soil science students (n = 62) were…
Evaluation of the Impact of an Active-Learning Introductory Gemology Studio Course on Community College Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shekoyan, V.; Scal, R.

2014-12-01

A new active learning introductory gemology studio course with a lab component has been created at Queensborough Community College with the support of NSF TUES grant. Various pedagogical techniques that have shown efficacy at 4-year colleges have been implemented and adopted to improve student learning and course retention as well as to stimulate their interest in science and in STEM careers. The course covered broad range of STEM topics central to the gemology curriculum, including concepts from geology, mineralogy, physics and chemistry. Lectures and labs were linked. Students' misconceptions were addressed via guided laboratory activities in a studio-learning environment. The course used peer-based learning and problem solving by creating student groups that discussed observations and measurements. Discussion groups were required to observe, synthesize, and evaluate data for presentations. The goal was to empower student learning and peer-based teaching and to recruit early career, often non-STEM students, to earth science. Students were often prompted to engage in self-reflections on their learning. In this presentation we will present the analysis of the evaluation of the course and its impact on community college students. Some of the evaluation tools we have used are pre- and post- knowledge surveys, science attitude and belief surveys as well as a Geological Interest instrument. Parallel sections of traditionally taught lecture-only courses (taught by the same instructor) were utilized as a control group in the analysis. The pedagogical implications of the analysis on instruction and course design will be discussed as well.
Which learning activities enhance physiotherapy practice? A systematic review protocol of quantitative and qualitative studies.

PubMed

Leahy, Edmund; Chipchase, Lucy; Blackstock, Felicity

2017-04-17

Learning activities are fundamental for the development of expertise in physiotherapy practice. Continuing professional development (CPD) encompasses formal and informal learning activities undertaken by physiotherapists. Identifying the most efficient and effective learning activities is essential to enable the profession to assimilate research findings and improve clinical skills to ensure the most efficacious care for clients. To date, systematic reviews on the effectiveness of CPD provide limited guidance on the most efficacious models of professional development for physiotherapists. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate which learning activities enhance physiotherapy practice. A search of Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycINFO (Psychological Abstracts), PEDro, Cochrane Library, AMED and Educational Resources and Information Center (ERIC) will be completed. Citation searching and reference list searching will be undertaken to locate additional studies. Quantitative and qualitative studies will be included if they examine the impact of learning activities on clinician's behaviour, attitude, knowledge, beliefs, skills, self-efficacy, work satisfaction and patient outcomes. Risk of bias will be assessed by two independent researchers. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) and Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research (CERQual) will be used to synthesise results where a meta-analysis is possible. Where a meta-analysis is not possible, a narrative synthesis will be conducted. PROSPERO CRD42016050157.
Learning Global Citizenship?: Exploring Connections between the Local and the Global

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayo, Marjorie; Gaventa, John; Rooke, Alison

2009-01-01

This article identifies historical connections between adult learning, popular education and the emergence of the public sphere in Europe, exploring potential implications for adult learning and community development, drawing upon research evaluating programmes to promote community-based learning "for" active citizenship in UK. The…
Distance Education and Distance Learning: Some Psychological Considerations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cropley, Arthur J.; Kahl, Thomas N.

1983-01-01

Compares and contrasts distance education and face-to-face education in terms of selected psychological dimensions, i.e., organization and learning, motivation, learning and communication processes, didactic activities and materials, and evaluation and feedback. Psychological aspects of distance education that may be favorable to learning are also…
Learning With E-books and Project-based Strategy in a Community Health Nursing Course.

PubMed

Sung, Tien-Wen; Wu, Ting-Ting

2018-03-01

With advances in information technology, "information-assisted instruction" has been gradually introduced to nursing education curricula. Specifically, the integration of an e-book system can effectively enhance nursing students' attention and interest. Most studies on nursing education that incorporated e-books have focused on the advantages of convenience and assistance provided by e-books. Few studies have addressed community health nursing and off-campus practice activities in relation to suitable teaching strategies for learning activities. This study involved designing and planning a multimedia e-book learning system with a project-based learning activity that conforms to the curriculum and practical requirements of a community health nursing course. The purpose was to reduce the gap between theory and practice and realize an effective learning process. For learning evaluations, a final examination analysis with an independent sample t test; a scoring scheme with intrateam, interteam, and expert ratings; and Bloom's taxonomy-based analysis were conducted. The evaluation results indicated that the comprehension and learning abilities of the experimental group using the e-book system with a mobile device were effectively improved. In addition, the exploratory process involved in project-based learning can develop multiple cognitive skills and problem-solving ability, thereby realizing effective learning.
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.
Application of active learning modalities to achieve medical genetics competencies and their learning outcome assessments

PubMed Central

Hagiwara, Nobuko

2017-01-01

The steadily falling costs of genome sequencing, coupled with the growing number of genetic tests with proven clinical validity, have made the use of genetic testing more common in clinical practice. This development has necessitated nongeneticist physicians, especially primary care physicians, to become more responsible for assessing genetic risks for their patients. Providing undergraduate medical students a solid foundation in genomic medicine, therefore, has become all the more important to ensure the readiness of future physicians in applying genomic medicine to their patient care. In order to further enhance the effectiveness of instructing practical skills in medical genetics, the emphasis of active learning modules in genetics curriculum at medical schools has increased in recent years. This is because of the general acceptance of a better efficacy of active learner-centered pedagogy over passive lecturer-centered pedagogy. However, an objective standard to evaluate students’ skill levels in genomic medicine achieved by active learning is currently missing. Recently, entrustable professional activities (EPAs) in genomic medicine have been proposed as a framework for developing physician competencies in genomic medicine. EPAs in genomic medicine provide a convenient guideline for not only developing genomic medicine curriculum but also assessing students’ competency levels in practicing genomic medicine. In this review, the efficacy of different types of active learning modules reported for medical genetics curricula is discussed using EPAs in genomic medicine as a common evaluation standard for modules’ learning outcomes. The utility of the EPAs in genomic medicine for designing active learning modules in undergraduate medical genetics curricula is also discussed. PMID:29276425
Application of active learning modalities to achieve medical genetics competencies and their learning outcome assessments.

PubMed

Hagiwara, Nobuko

2017-01-01

The steadily falling costs of genome sequencing, coupled with the growing number of genetic tests with proven clinical validity, have made the use of genetic testing more common in clinical practice. This development has necessitated nongeneticist physicians, especially primary care physicians, to become more responsible for assessing genetic risks for their patients. Providing undergraduate medical students a solid foundation in genomic medicine, therefore, has become all the more important to ensure the readiness of future physicians in applying genomic medicine to their patient care. In order to further enhance the effectiveness of instructing practical skills in medical genetics, the emphasis of active learning modules in genetics curriculum at medical schools has increased in recent years. This is because of the general acceptance of a better efficacy of active learner-centered pedagogy over passive lecturer-centered pedagogy. However, an objective standard to evaluate students' skill levels in genomic medicine achieved by active learning is currently missing. Recently, entrustable professional activities (EPAs) in genomic medicine have been proposed as a framework for developing physician competencies in genomic medicine. EPAs in genomic medicine provide a convenient guideline for not only developing genomic medicine curriculum but also assessing students' competency levels in practicing genomic medicine. In this review, the efficacy of different types of active learning modules reported for medical genetics curricula is discussed using EPAs in genomic medicine as a common evaluation standard for modules' learning outcomes. The utility of the EPAs in genomic medicine for designing active learning modules in undergraduate medical genetics curricula is also discussed.
The SAMR Model as a Framework for Evaluating mLearning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romrell, Danae; Kidder, Lisa C.; Wood, Emma

2014-01-01

As mobile devices become more prominent in the lives of students, the use of mobile devices has the potential to transform learning. Mobile learning, or mLearning, is defined as learning that is personalized, situated, and connected through the use of a mobile device. As mLearning activities are developed, there is a need for a framework within…
Quantifying the Value of Service-Learning: A Comparison of Grade Achievement between Service-Learning and Non-Service-Learning Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brail, Shauna

2016-01-01

This study evaluates whether students who participate voluntarily in a service-learning activity achieve higher learning outcomes, measured by grades, than students who voluntarily choose not to participate in service learning. Analysis is based on a study of an introductory urban studies course at a large North American research university over a…
Development and evaluation of clicker methodology for introductory physics courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Albert H.

Many educators understand that lectures are cost effective but not learning efficient, so continue to search for ways to increase active student participation in this traditionally passive learning environment. In-class polling systems, or "clickers", are inexpensive and reliable tools allowing students to actively participate in lectures by answering multiple-choice questions. Students assess their learning in real time by observing instant polling summaries displayed in front of them. This in turn motivates additional discussions which increase the opportunity for active learning. We wanted to develop a comprehensive clicker methodology that creates an active lecture environment for a broad spectrum of students taking introductory physics courses. We wanted our methodology to incorporate many findings of contemporary learning science. It is recognized that learning requires active construction; students need to be actively involved in their own learning process. Learning also depends on preexisting knowledge; students construct new knowledge and understandings based on what they already know and believe. Learning is context dependent; students who have learned to apply a concept in one context may not be able to recognize and apply the same concept in a different context, even when both contexts are considered to be isomorphic by experts. On this basis, we developed question sequences, each involving the same concept but having different contexts. Answer choices are designed to address students preexisting knowledge. These sequences are used with the clickers to promote active discussions and multiple assessments. We have created, validated, and evaluated sequences sufficient in number to populate all of introductory physics courses. Our research has found that using clickers with our question sequences significantly improved student conceptual understanding. Our research has also found how to best measure student conceptual gain using research-based instruments. Finally, we discovered that students need to have full access to the question sequences after lectures to reap the maximum benefit. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to our research. Chapter 2 provides a literature review relevant for our research. Chapter 3 discusses the creation of the clicker question sequences. Chapter 4 provides a picture of the validation process involving both physics experts and the introductory physics students. Chapter 5 describes how the sequences have been used with clickers in lectures. Chapter 6 provides the evaluation of the effectiveness of the clicker methodology. Chapter 7 contains a brief summary of research results and conclusions.
Metacognitive Skills and Intellectual Ability of Young Adolescents: A Longitudinal Study from a Developmental Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Stel, Manita; Veenman, Marcel V. J.

2014-01-01

In the last decades, students increasingly have been placed in the role of active learners with responsibilities for their own learning. Students have to be able to plan their learning activities and execute them in a systematic and orderly way and to monitor and to evaluate their learning and to reflect on it. All aforementioned skills are…
Language (Medical Terminology) Assistance to Multinational Partners in Coalition Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-02-01

also without us being conscious that we are learning” [19], i.e. facilitate life-long learning as a part of other activities related to business or...research a proof of concept experiment, qualitative study, statistical evaluation Due to the varieties of the MALL studies as described above and quick...learning research agenda for active, experiential learning: Four case studies. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, http
The Effects of Two Generative Activities on Learner Comprehension of Part-Whole Meaning of Rational Numbers Using Virtual Manipulatives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trespalacios, Jesus

2010-01-01

This study investigated the effects of two generative learning activities on students' academic achievement of the part-whole meaning of rational numbers while using virtual manipulatives. Third-grade students were divided randomly in two groups to evaluate the effects of two generative learning activities: answering-questions and…

Transforming a School Learning Exercise into a Public Engagement Event: "The Good, the Bad and the Algae"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Redfern, James; Burdass, Dariel; Verran, Joanna

2013-01-01

School science laboratory classes and hands-on public engagement activities share many common aims and objectives in terms of science learning and literacy. This article describes the development and evaluation of a microbiology public engagement activity, "The Good, the Bad and the Algae", from a school laboratory activity. The school…
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.
Self-Directed Learning in the Process of Work: Conceptual Considerations--Empirical Evidences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Straka, Gerald A.; Schaefer, Cornelia

With reference to the literature on adult self-directed learning, a model termed the "Two-Shell Model of Motivated Self-Directed Learning" was formulated that differentiates sociohistorical environmental conditions, internal conditions, and activities related to four concepts (interest, learning strategies, control, and evaluation). The…
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)…
Measuring the Differences between Traditional Learning and Game-Based Learning Using Electroencephalography (EEG) Physiologically Based Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Ching-Huei

2017-01-01

Students' cognitive states can reflect a learning experience that results in engagement in an activity. In this study, we used electroencephalography (EEG) physiologically based methodology to evaluate students' levels of attention and relaxation, as well as their learning performance within a traditional and game-based learning context. While no…
Weapon System Management to Directorate of Logistics Management Systems Requirements (XRB) DCS/Plans and Programs Air Force Logistics Command Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 45433.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-05-14

Attachment 2 contains the reports and lessons learned which resulted from the Level II Weapon System Management activities. Attachment 3 contains the reports...and lessons learned which resulted from the Level III Weapon System Management activities. _____ r. Air Force Logistics Command Attn: Col. McConnell 2...May 14, 1982 Attachment 4 contains the plans and lessons learned which resulted from the RCC Evaluation activities. I am pleased to deliver these
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.
Teaching Medical Students at a Distance: Using Distance Learning Benchmarks to Plan and Evaluate a Web-Enhanced Medical Student Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olney, Cynthia A.; Chumley, Heidi; Parra, Juan M.

2004-01-01

A team designing a Web-enhanced third-year medical education didactic curriculum based their course planning and evaluation activities on the Institute for Higher Education Policy's (2000) 24 benchmarks for online distance learning. The authors present the team's blueprint for planning and evaluating the Web-enhanced curriculum, which incorporates…
A Proposal to Build Evaluation Capacity at the Bunche-Da Vinci Learning Partnership Academy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Jean A.

2005-01-01

The author describes potential evaluation capacity-building activities in contrast to the specifics of an evaluation design. Her response to the case of the Bunche-Da Vinci Learning Partnership Academy is developed in three parts: (1) an initial framing of the Bunche-Da Vinci situation; (2) what should be done before signing a contract; and (3)…
Cooperative learning as applied to resident instruction in radiology reporting.

PubMed

Mueller, Donald; Georges, Alexandra; Vaslow, Dale

2007-12-01

The study is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of an active form of resident instruction, cooperative learning, and the residents' response to that form of instruction. The residents dictated three sets of reports both before and after instruction in radiology reporting using the cooperative learning method. The reports were evaluated for word count, Flesch-Kincaid grade level, advancement on clinical spectrum, clarity, and comparison to prior reports. The reports were evaluated for changes in performance characteristics between the pre- and postinstruction dictations. The residents' response to this form of instruction was evaluated by means of a questionnaire. The instruction was effective in changing the resident dictations. The results became shorter (P<.035), more complex (P<.0126), and demonstrated increased advancement on clinical spectrum (P<.0204). The resident response to this form of instruction was positive. One hundred percent or respondents indicated enjoyment working with their groups. Seventy-five percent stated they would like to participate in more cooperative learning activities. The least positive responses related to the amount of time devoted to the project. Sixty-three percent of respondents stated that the time devoted to the project was appropriate. Cooperative learning can be an effective tool in the setting of the radiology residency. Instructional time requirements must be strongly considered in designing a cooperative learning program.
Teaching Intercultural Communication through Service-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blithe, Sarah Jane

2016-01-01

Course: Intercultural Communication. Objectives: After completing this intercultural service-learning activity, students should be able to (1) apply effective intercultural communication skills in culturally different sites; (2) analyze cultures different from their own through service-learning; (3) compare and evaluate course readings with…
Evaluating Web-Based Learning Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pergola, Teresa M.; Walters, L. Melissa

2011-01-01

Accounting educators continuously seek ways to effectively integrate instructional technology into accounting coursework as a means to facilitate active learning environments and address the technology-driven learning preferences of the current generation of students. Most accounting textbook publishers now provide interactive, web-based learning…
E-Portfolio Evaluation and Vocabulary Learning: Moving from Pedagogy to Andragogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharifi, Maryam; Soleimani, Hassan; Jafarigohar, Manoochehr

2017-01-01

Current trends in the field of educational technology indicate a shift in pedagogical assumptions and theoretical frameworks that favor active involvement of self-directed learners in a constructivist environment. This study probes the influence of electronic portfolio evaluation on vocabulary learning of Iranian university students and the…
Nutrition. Learning Activity Package.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Carolyn

This learning activity package on nutrition is one of a series of 12 titles developed for use in health occupations education programs. Materials in the package include objectives, a list of materials needed, a list of definitions, information sheets, reviews (self evaluations) of portions of the content, and answers to reviews. These topics are…
Shock & Anaphylactic Shock. Learning Activity Package.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hime, Kirsten

This learning activity package on shock and anaphylactic shock is one of a series of 12 titles developed for use in health occupations education programs. Materials in the package include objectives, a list of materials needed, information sheets, reviews (self evaluations) of portions of the content, and answers to reviews. These topics are…
Construction of a VISUAL (VIdeo-SUpported Active Learning) Resource.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicolson, Roderick I.; And Others

1994-01-01

Discussion of interactive video for educational purposes focuses on the development of a video-supported active learning (VISUAL) resource on voice disorders that used digitized video and an Apple Macintosh computer. User evaluations are reported, and potential applications for VISUAL resources are suggested. (Contains five references.) (LRW)
Oral Hygiene. Learning Activity Package.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hime, Kirsten

This learning activity package on oral hygiene is one of a series of 12 titles developed for use in health occupations education programs. Materials in the package include objectives, a list of materials needed, a list of definitions, information sheets, reviews (self evaluations) of portions of the content, and answers to reviews. These topics…
Grooming. Learning Activity Package.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stark, Pamela

This learning activity package on grooming for health workers is one of a series of 12 titles developed for use in health occupations education programs. Materials in the package include objectives, a list of materials needed, information sheets, reviews (self evaluations) of portions of the content, and answers to reviews. These topics are…
Consumer Education, 5-8: Activities, Resources and Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Perry D.; Murray, C. Kenneth

This publication suggests consumer education learning activities for grades five through eight. It is intended as a guideline for developing local curriculum and for designing instructional strategies. Students are taught to learn to manage, to buy wisely, to save and invest, to protect themselves from unscrupulous practice, and to understand the…
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.

A New Approach to Teaching Biomechanics Through Active, Adaptive, and Experiential Learning.

PubMed

Singh, Anita

2017-07-01

Demand of biomedical engineers continues to rise to meet the needs of healthcare industry. Current training of bioengineers follows the traditional and dominant model of theory-focused curricula. However, the unmet needs of the healthcare industry warrant newer skill sets in these engineers. Translational training strategies such as solving real world problems through active, adaptive, and experiential learning hold promise. In this paper, we report our findings of adding a real-world 4-week problem-based learning unit into a biomechanics capstone course for engineering students. Surveys assessed student perceptions of the activity and learning experience. While students, across three cohorts, felt challenged to solve a real-world problem identified during the simulation lab visit, they felt more confident in utilizing knowledge learned in the biomechanics course and self-directed research. Instructor evaluations indicated that the active and experiential learning approach fostered their technical knowledge and life-long learning skills while exposing them to the components of adaptive learning and innovation.
Technology Learning Activities. Design Brief--Measuring Inaccessible Distances. Alternative Energy Sources: Designing a Wind Powered Generator. Alternative Energy Sources: Designing a Hot Dog Heater Using Solar Energy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Technology Teacher, 1991

1991-01-01

These three learning activities are on measuring accessible distances, designing a wind powered generator, and designing a hot dog heater using solar energy. Each activity includes description of context, objectives, list of materials and equipment, challenge to students, and evaluation questions. (SK)
MathsFlip: Flipped Learning. Evaluation Report and Executive Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rudd, Peter; Aguilera, Alaidde Berenice Villaneuva; Elliott, Louise; Chambers, Bette

2017-01-01

The MathsFlip intervention aimed to improve the attainment of pupils in Years 5 and 6. The programme, developed by Shireland Collegiate Academy, used a 'flipped learning' approach involving pupils learning core content online, outside of class time, and then participating in activities in class to reinforce their learning. The programme used an…
Assessing Learning in a Sociology Department: What Do Students Say That They Learn?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bandini, Julia; Shostak, Sara; Cunningham, David; Cadge, Wendy

2016-01-01

Assessment plays a central role in evaluating and strengthening student learning in higher education, and sociology departments, in particular, have increasingly become interested in engaging in assessment activities to better understand students' learning. This qualitative study builds on previous research on assessment by asking what students in…
An Auto-Scoring Mechanism for Evaluating Problem-Solving Ability in a Web-Based Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiou, Chuang-Kai; Hwang, Gwo-Jen; Tseng, Judy C. R.

2009-01-01

The rapid development of computer and network technologies has attracted researchers to investigate strategies for and the effects of applying information technologies in learning activities; simultaneously, learning environments have been developed to record the learning portfolios of students seeking web information for problem-solving. Although…
Evaluation of Mobile Assessment in a Learning Management System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bogdanovic, Zorica; Barac, Dušan; Jovanic, Branislav; Popovic, Snežana; Radenkovic, Božidar

2014-01-01

This article discusses the problem of using and delivering educational content from the Moodle learning management system to mobile devices. The primary goal of this study was to investigate the students' habits, motivations and technical possibilities in order to incorporate mobile-learning activities in the e-learning process. A mobile quiz has…
Gaining Insight into Business Telecommunications Students through the Assessment of Learning Styles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandman, Thomas E.

2009-01-01

The assessment of student learning styles can be of significant value for developing and evaluating an appropriate mix of pedagogical techniques and activities. With this in mind, learning style preferences were collected from over 300 undergraduate business telecommunications students. These set of data show that a breadth of learning style…
Moments of movement: active learning and practice development.

PubMed

Dewing, Jan

2010-01-01

As our understanding of practice development becomes more sophisticated, we enhance our understanding of how the facilitation of learning in and from practice, can be more effectively achieved. This paper outlines an approach for enabling and maximizing learning within practice development known as 'Active Learning'. It considers how, given establishing a learning culture is a prerequisite for the sustainability of PD within organisations, practice developers can do more to maximize learning for practitioners and other stakeholders. Active Learning requires that more attention be given by organisations committed to PD, at a corporate and strategic level for how learning strategies are developed in the workplace. Specifically, a move away from a heavy reliance on training may be required. Practice development facilitators also need to review: how they organise and offer learning, so that learning strategies are consistent with the vision, aims and processes of PD; have skills in the planning, delivery and evaluation of learning as part of their role and influence others who provide more traditional methods of training and education.
Holistic Teaching/Learning for Native American Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhodes, Robert W.

1988-01-01

Using the Native American learning styles of haptic, right brained, and holistic learning, teachers could develop appropriate classroom activities and expectations that would increase the likelihood of success for more Native American students. Individualization, peer teaching, non-threatening evaluations, incubation time, and private practice…
Transitioning a bachelor of science in nursing program to blended learning: Successes, challenges & outcomes.

PubMed

Posey, Laurie; Pintz, Christine

2017-09-01

To help address the challenges of providing undergraduate nursing education in an accelerated time frame, the Teaching and Transforming through Technology (T3) project was funded to transition a second-degree ABSN program to a blended learning format. The project has explored the use of blended learning to: enable flexible solutions to support teaching goals and address course challenges; provide students with new types of independent learning activities outside of the traditional classroom; increase opportunities for active learning in the classroom; and improve students' digital literacy and lifelong learning skills. Program evaluation included quality reviews of the redesigned courses, surveys of student perceptions, pre- and post-program assessment of students' digital literacy and interviews with faculty about their experiences with the new teaching methods. Adopting an established quality framework to guide course design and evaluation for quality contributed to the efficient and effective development of a high-quality undergraduate blended nursing program. Program outcomes and lessons learned are presented to inform future teaching innovation and research related to blended learning in undergraduate nursing education. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Effects of the Digital Game-Development Approach on Elementary School Students' Learning Motivation, Problem Solving, and Learning Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chu, Hui-Chun; Hung, Chun-Ming

2015-01-01

In this study, the game-based development approach is proposed for improving the learning motivation, problem solving skills, and learning achievement of students. An experiment was conducted on a learning activity of an elementary school science course to evaluate the performance of the proposed approach. A total of 59 sixth graders from two…
Evaluation of eLearning Usage in South African Universities: A Critical Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bagarukayo, Emily; Kalema, Billy

2015-01-01

Although eLearning is the use of technology for teaching, learning and assessment, there is no common approach to it across South African Higher Education Institutions. There is therefore a concern that the full potential of eLearning approach is not utilised. This paper examines the nature and the extent of eLearning activities in South African…
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…
The flipped classroom stimulates greater learning and is a modern 21st century approach to teaching today's undergraduates.

PubMed

Mortensen, C J; Nicholson, A M

2015-07-01

Many classrooms in higher education still rely on a transformative approach to teaching where students attend lectures and earn course grades through examination. In the modern age, traditional lectures are argued by some as obsolete and do not address the learning needs of today’s students. An emerging pedagogical approach is the concept of the flipped classroom. The flipped classroom can simply be described as students viewing asynchronous video lectures on their own and then engaging in active learning during scheduled class times. In this study, we examined the flipped classroom teaching environment on student learning gains in an Introduction to Equine Science course. Students (n = 130) were asked to view 7.5 h of recorded lectures divided into 8 learning modules, take online quizzes to enforce lecture viewing, take 3 in-class exams, and prepare to participate in active learning during scheduled class times. Active learning approaches included individual activities, paired activities, informal small groups, and large group activities. When compared to students in the traditional lecture format in earlier years, students in the flipped format scored higher on all 3 exams (P < 0.05), with both formats taught by the same instructor. Analysis of ACT scores demonstrated no intellectual capacity differences between the student populations. To evaluate any gains in critical thinking, flipped format students were asked to take the Cornell Critical Thinking Exam (version X). Scores improved from the pretest (50.8 ± 0.57) to the posttest (54.4 ± 0.58; P < 0.01). In the flipped course, no correlations were found with student performance and interactions with online content. Students were asked in class to evaluate their experiences based on a 5-point Likert scale: 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The flipped classroom was ranked as an enjoyable learning experience with a mean of 4.4 ± 0.10, while students responded positively to other pointed questions. In formal course evaluations, flipped format students ranked the following higher (P < 0.05): instructor availability to assist students; encouragement of independent, creative, and critical thinking; and amount learned. Overall, the flipped classroom proved to be a positive learning experience for students. As the classroom continues to modernize, pedagogical approaches such as the flipped classroom should be considered for many lecture-style courses taught in the animal sciences.
A Novel Teaching Tool Combined With Active-Learning to Teach Antimicrobial Spectrum Activity.

PubMed

MacDougall, Conan

2017-03-25

Objective. To design instructional methods that would promote long-term retention of knowledge of antimicrobial pharmacology, particularly the spectrum of activity for antimicrobial agents, in pharmacy students. Design. An active-learning approach was used to teach selected sessions in a required antimicrobial pharmacology course. Students were expected to review key concepts from the course reader prior to the in-class sessions. During class, brief concept reviews were followed by active-learning exercises, including a novel schematic method for learning antimicrobial spectrum of activity ("flower diagrams"). Assessment. At the beginning of the next quarter (approximately 10 weeks after the in-class sessions), 360 students (three yearly cohorts) completed a low-stakes multiple-choice examination on the concepts in antimicrobial spectrum of activity. When data for students was pooled across years, the mean number of correct items was 75.3% for the items that tested content delivered with the active-learning method vs 70.4% for items that tested content delivered via traditional lecture (mean difference 4.9%). Instructor ratings on student evaluations of the active-learning approach were high (mean scores 4.5-4.8 on a 5-point scale) and student comments were positive about the active-learning approach and flower diagrams. Conclusion. An active-learning approach led to modestly higher scores in a test of long-term retention of pharmacology knowledge and was well-received by students.
A Novel Teaching Tool Combined With Active-Learning to Teach Antimicrobial Spectrum Activity

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Objective. To design instructional methods that would promote long-term retention of knowledge of antimicrobial pharmacology, particularly the spectrum of activity for antimicrobial agents, in pharmacy students. Design. An active-learning approach was used to teach selected sessions in a required antimicrobial pharmacology course. Students were expected to review key concepts from the course reader prior to the in-class sessions. During class, brief concept reviews were followed by active-learning exercises, including a novel schematic method for learning antimicrobial spectrum of activity (“flower diagrams”). Assessment. At the beginning of the next quarter (approximately 10 weeks after the in-class sessions), 360 students (three yearly cohorts) completed a low-stakes multiple-choice examination on the concepts in antimicrobial spectrum of activity. When data for students was pooled across years, the mean number of correct items was 75.3% for the items that tested content delivered with the active-learning method vs 70.4% for items that tested content delivered via traditional lecture (mean difference 4.9%). Instructor ratings on student evaluations of the active-learning approach were high (mean scores 4.5-4.8 on a 5-point scale) and student comments were positive about the active-learning approach and flower diagrams. Conclusion. An active-learning approach led to modestly higher scores in a test of long-term retention of pharmacology knowledge and was well-received by students. PMID:28381885
Supramammillary serotonin reduction alters place learning and concomitant hippocampal, septal, and supramammillar theta activity in a Morris water maze.

PubMed

Hernández-Pérez, J Jesús; Gutiérrez-Guzmán, Blanca E; López-Vázquez, Miguel Á; Olvera-Cortés, María E

2015-01-01

Hippocampal theta activity is related to spatial information processing, and high-frequency theta activity, in particular, has been linked to efficient spatial memory performance. Theta activity is regulated by the synchronizing ascending system (SAS), which includes mesencephalic and diencephalic relays. The supramamillary nucleus (SUMn) is located between the reticularis pontis oralis and the medial septum (MS), in close relation with the posterior hypothalamic nucleus (PHn), all of which are part of this ascending system. It has been proposed that the SUMn plays a role in the modulation of hippocampal theta-frequency; this could occur through direct connections between the SUMn and the hippocampus or through the influence of the SUMn on the MS. Serotonergic raphe neurons prominently innervate the hippocampus and several components of the SAS, including the SUMn. Serotonin desynchronizes hippocampal theta activity, and it has been proposed that serotonin may regulate learning through the modulation of hippocampal synchrony. In agreement with this hypothesis, serotonin depletion in the SUMn/PHn results in deficient spatial learning and alterations in CA1 theta activity-related learning in a Morris water maze. Because it has been reported that SUMn inactivation with lidocaine impairs the consolidation of reference memory, we asked whether changes in hippocampal theta activity related to learning would occur through serotonin depletion in the SUMn, together with deficiencies in memory. We infused 5,7-DHT bilaterally into the SUMn in rats and evaluated place learning in the standard Morris water maze task. Hippocampal (CA1 and dentate gyrus), septal and SUMn EEG were recorded during training of the test. The EEG power in each region and the coherence between the different regions were evaluated. Serotonin depletion in the SUMn induced deficient spatial learning and altered the expression of hippocampal high-frequency theta activity. These results provide evidence in support of a role for serotonin as a modulator of hippocampal learning, acting through changes in the synchronicity evoked in several relays of the SAS.
What is the impact of professional learning on physical activity interventions among preschool children? A systematic review.

PubMed

Peden, M E; Okely, A D; Eady, M J; Jones, R A

2018-05-31

The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate professional learning models (length, mode, content) offered as part of objectively measured physical childcare-based interventions. A systematic review of eight electronic databases was conducted to June 2017. Only English, peer-reviewed studies that evaluated childcare-based physical activity interventions, incorporated professional learning and reported objectively measured physical activity were included. Study designs included randomized controlled trails, cluster randomized trials, experimental or pilot studies. The search identified 11 studies. Ten studies objectively measured physical activity using accelerometers; five studies used both accelerometer and direct observation tools and one study measured physical activity using direct observation only. Seven of these studies reported statistically significant intervention effects. Only six studies described all components of professional learning, but only two studies reported specific professional learning outcomes and physical activity outcomes. No patterns were identified between the length, mode and content of professional learning and children's physical activity outcomes in childcare settings. Educators play a critical role in modifying children's levels of physical activity in childcare settings. The findings of this review suggest that professional learning offered as part of a physical activity intervention that potentially impacts on children's physical activity outcomes remains under-reported. © 2018 World Obesity Federation.
The Development and Evaluation of Speaking Learning Model by Cooperative Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darmuki, Agus; Andayani; Nurkamto, Joko; Saddhono, Kundharu

2018-01-01

A cooperative approach-based Speaking Learning Model (SLM) has been developed to improve speaking skill of Higher Education students. This research aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of cooperative-based SLM viewed from the development of student's speaking ability and its effectiveness on speaking activity. This mixed method study combined…
Students' Evaluations of a Business Simulation Game as a Learning Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Keith J.

This report investigates student evaluations of a business simulation game as a learning experience in terms of specific claims which have been made for this kind of teaching technique. Ninety-nine junior college students in introductory business courses answered a questionnaire after playing the fame as an ongoing, semester-long activity. The…

How Does District Principal Evaluation Affect Learning-Centered Principal Leadership? Evidence from Michigan School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Min; Youngs, Peter

2009-01-01

This study used Hierarchical Multivariate Linear models to investigate relationships between principals' behaviors and district principal evaluation purpose, focus, and assessed leadership activities in 13 school districts in Michigan. The study found that principals were more likely to engage in learning-centered leadership behaviors when the…
Evaluating How the Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning Community Fosters Critical Reflective Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ma, Ada W.W.

2013-01-01

In recent research, little attention has been paid to issues of methodology and analysis methods to evaluate the quality of the collaborative learning community. To address such issues, an attempt is made to adopt the Activity System Model as an analytical framework to examine the relationship between computer supported collaborative learning…
Tracing the Assessment Triangle with Learning Progression-Aligned Assessments in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Emily R.; Kobrin, Jennifer L.; DiCerbo, Kristen E.; Holland, Laura R.

2017-01-01

We describe an application of the assessment triangle, using a learning progression as the "cognition" vertex. We summarize two studies to evaluate whether evidence of student performance is consistent with our progression. In Study 1, we conducted think alouds using draft assessment activities and evaluated responses in relation to the…
Peer Tutoring: An Evaluation of the Relative Cognitive Benefits.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKellar, Nancy A.

The relative effectiveness of tutoring for both partners was examined by comparing tutoring with other learning activities that differed either in the amount of exposure to the learning materials or the presence of a helping relationship or both. The subjects were 160 undergraduates who were evaluated on their acquisition of Esperanto. Subjects…
MDMA modifies active avoidance learning and recall in mice.

PubMed

Trigo, José Manuel; Cabrero-Castel, Araceli; Berrendero, Fernando; Maldonado, Rafael; Robledo, Patricia

2008-04-01

Several studies have suggested the existence of cognitive deficits after repeated or high doses of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in humans and experimental animals. However, the extent of the impairments observed in learning or memory tasks remains unclear. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different dosing regimens of MDMA on the ability of mice to learn and recall an active avoidance task. Animals were treated with MDMA (0, 1, 3, 10 and 30 mg/kg) under four different experimental conditions, and active avoidance acquisition and recall were evaluated. In experiments 1 and 2, MDMA was administered 1 h before different active avoidance training sessions. In experiments 3 and 4, mice received a repeated treatment with MDMA before or after active avoidance training, respectively. Changes in presynaptic striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) binding sites were evaluated at two different time points in animals receiving a high dose of MDMA (30 mg/kg) or saline twice a day over 4 days. MDMA administered before the active avoidance sessions interfered with the acquisition and the execution of a previously learned task. A repeated treatment with high doses of MDMA administered before training reduced acquisition of active avoidance in mice, while pre-treatment with both high and low doses of MDMA impaired recall of this task. A reduction in DAT binding was observed 4 days but not 23 days after the last MDMA administration. Acute MDMA modifies the acquisition and execution of active avoidance in mice, while repeated pre-treatment with MDMA impairs acquisition and recall of this task.
Teachers' Evaluation of Student-Centered Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cubukcu, Zuhal

2012-01-01

Problem Statement: The student-centered teaching is the arrangement of the teaching experience focusing on the students' responsibilities and activities in the learning process which takes into consideration the students' interests, demands and needs. According to this approach, while teaching experiences are planned, different learning strategies…
Interactive radiological anatomy eLearning solution for first year medical students: Development, integration, and impact on learning.

PubMed

Webb, Alexandra Louise; Choi, Sunhea

2014-01-01

A technology enhanced learning and teaching (TELT) solution, radiological anatomy (RA) eLearning, composed of a range of identification-based and guided learning activities related to normal and pathological X-ray images, was devised for the Year 1 nervous and locomotor course at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton. Its effectiveness was evaluated using a questionnaire, pre- and post-tests, focus groups, summative assessment, and tracking data. Since introduced in 2009, a total of 781 students have used RA eLearning, and among them 167 Year 1 students in 2011, of whom 116 participated in the evaluation study. Students enjoyed learning (77%) with RA eLearning, found it was easy to use (81%) and actively engaged them in their learning (75%), all of which were associated to the usability, learning design of the TELT solution and its integration in the curriculum; 80% of students reported RA eLearning helped their revision of anatomy and 69% stated that it facilitated their application of anatomy in a clinical context, both of which were associated with the benefits offered by the learning and activities design. At the end of course summative assessment, student knowledge of RA eLearning relevant topics (mean 80%; SD ±16) was significantly better as compared to topics not relevant to RA eLearning (mean 63%; SD ±15) (mean difference 18%; 95% CI 15% to 20%; P < 0.001). A well designed and integrated TELT solution can be an efficient method for facilitating the application, integration, and contextualization of anatomy and radiology to create a blended learning environment. © 2013 American Association of Anatomists.
Raising Standards through INQUIRE in Pre-Service Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elster, D.; Barendziak, T.; Haskamp, F.; Kastenholz, L.

2014-01-01

Raising standards through inquiry-based science education (IBSE)--what are the challenges for pre-service teacher education? What do ongoing teachers and active teachers learn from each other when planning, conducting and evaluating minds-on and hands-on IBSE activities in the classroom? What do they learn "beyond" IBSE? The Bremen…
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 Surgical Scrub. Learning Activity Package.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Runge, Lillian

This learning activity package on the surgical scrub is one of a series of 12 titles developed for use in health occupations education programs. Materials in the package include objectives, a list of materials needed, a list of definitions, information sheets, reviews (self evaluations) of portions of the content, and answers to reviews. These…
Self-Assessment in the REAP Tutor: Knowledge, Interest, Motivation, & Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dela Rosa, Kevin; Eskenazi, Maxine

2013-01-01

Self-assessment questionnaires have long been used in tutoring systems to help researchers measure and evaluate various aspects of a student's performance during learning activities. In this paper, we chronicle the efforts made in the REAP project, a language tutor developed to teach vocabulary to ESL students through reading activities, to…
Learning portfolio models in health regulatory colleges of Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Tompkins, Marianne; Paquette-Frenette, Denise

2010-01-01

Health regulatory colleges promote continued competence by requiring members to submit yearly portfolios that document learning. Previous studies conclude that portfolios can be valuable tools to promote continuous learning in health college members, but portfolios are time-consuming to complete and difficult to evaluate. This exploratory study compares the features of portfolio models in regulatory colleges, as a basis for future studies. Data were collected through a document review of the portfolio models described on the Web sites of 14 Canadian health regulatory colleges. All models contain 3 common components of self-directed learning: (1) self-diagnosis, (2) learning plan and activities, and (3) self-evaluation. Several include member profiles and peer feedback. A broad range of formal, nonformal, and informal activities are accepted as evidence of learning; a few colleges restrict learners' freedom in selecting these activities. There is a dual philosophy of learning in portfolio models that includes both humanist and technical paradigms. Low numbers of members are selected for audit of completed portfolios. The possibility of last-minute preparation and the lack of support to members who struggle with self-directed learning methods are issues to be resolved. Although portfolios are designed to enhance learning and reflection, quality cannot be ensured unless compliance is enforced, and learning outcomes are measured. Professionals should be guided regarding how to complete portfolios. More health regulatory colleges should announce the number of portfolios they audit. In general, the number of portfolios audited by each profession may need to be increased.
Enhancing E-Learning through Teacher Support: Two Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaudioso, E.; Hernandez-del-Olmo, F.; Montero, M.

2009-01-01

Teachers in e-learning play a crucial role as facilitators of the students' learning experiences. To this end, a teacher needs to monitor, understand and evaluate the activity of the students in the course. What is more, e-learning can be enhanced if tools for supporting teachers in this task are provided. In this paper, two experiences are…
Synchronous and Asynchronous E-Language Learning: A Case Study of Virtual University of Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perveen, Ayesha

2016-01-01

This case study evaluated the impact of synchronous and asynchronous E-Language Learning activities (ELL-ivities) in an E-Language Learning Environment (ELLE) at Virtual University of Pakistan. The purpose of the study was to assess e-language learning analytics based on the constructivist approach of collaborative construction of knowledge. The…
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…
Student Learning and Evaluation in Analytical Chemistry Using a Problem-Oriented Approach and Portfolio Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyce, Mary C.; Singh, Kuki

2008-01-01

This paper describes a student-focused activity that promotes effective learning in analytical chemistry. Providing an environment where students were responsible for their own learning allowed them to participate at all levels from designing the problem to be addressed, planning the laboratory work to support their learning, to providing evidence…
Owning Their Learning: Using "Assessment for Learning" to Help Students Assume Responsibility for Planning, (Some) Teaching and Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conway, Robin

2011-01-01

Robin Conway's interest in student-led enquiry derived from a concern to encourage his students to take much more responsibility for their own learning. Here he explains how his department gradually learned to entrust students with defining the enquiry questions and planning the kinds of teaching and learning activities to be used over the course…
A Blended Learning Approach to Teaching Project Management: A Model for Active Participation and Involvement--Insights from Norway

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hussein, Bassam A.

2015-01-01

The paper demonstrates and evaluates the effectiveness of a blended learning approach to create a meaningful learning environment. We use the term blended learning approach in this paper to refer to the use of multiple or hybrid instructional methods that emphasize the role of learners as contributors to the learning process rather than recipients…
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.

Evaluating Continuing Nursing Education: A Qualitative Study of Intention to Change Practice and Perceived Barriers to Knowledge Translation.

PubMed

Wellings, Cynthea A; Gendek, Marilyn A; Gallagher, Silvia E

Evaluating the effectiveness of continuing nursing education does not always include behavioral change and patient health outcomes. A qualitative analysis of open-ended evaluation questions from continuing nursing education activities was conducted. The aim was to evaluate learners' intentions to change their practice resulting from their learning and their perceived barriers to implementing practice changes. Results revealed the multiple, interconnected challenges involved in translating new learning into practice.
Evaluation of social interaction, task management, and trust among dental hygiene students in a collaborative learning environment.

PubMed

Saylor, Catherine D; Keselyak, Nancy T; Simmer-Beck, Melanie; Tira, Daniel

2011-02-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of collaborative learning on the development of social interaction, task management, and trust in dental hygiene students. These three traits were assessed with the Teamwork Assessment Scale in two different learning environments (traditional lecture/lab and collaborative learning environment). A convenience sample of fifty-six entry-level dental hygiene students taking an introductory/preclinic course at two metropolitan area dental hygiene programs provided comparable experimental and control groups. Factor scores were computed for the three traits, and comparisons were conducted using the Ryan-Einot-Gabriel-Welsh multiple comparison procedure among specific cell comparisons generated from a two-factor repeated measures ANOVA. The results indicate that the collaborative learning environment influenced dental hygiene students positively regarding the traits of social interaction, task management, and trust. However, comparing dental hygiene students to undergraduate students overall indicates that dental hygiene students already possess somewhat higher levels of these traits. Future studies on active learning strategies should examine factors such as student achievement and explore other possible active learning methodologies.
Development and Evaluation of ALEC Micro-Wand IIIe (tradename) Training

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-08-01

requires a learning environment in which trainees are active participants in the planning, delivery, and evaluation of instruct on. Both the procedural...is useful outside of the training environ - ,ment, it must take place in contexts that resemble the situations in which the know- ledge and skills will...that knowledge at later times. i2 USACERL TR TA-94/04 Transfer of Learning. Transfer of learning from the training environment to the job is a
Evaluations of Introducing Project-Based Design Activities in the First and Second Years of Engineering Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edward, Norrie S.

2004-01-01

This paper presents three evaluated case studies of the use of design activities in the early years of undergraduate engineering courses. Analyses of academic performance in these activities and in a separate test of understanding were correlated with student perceptions of the activities and with measures of learning style. General student…
An active learning curriculum improves fellows' knowledge and faculty teaching skills.

PubMed

Inra, Jennifer A; Pelletier, Stephen; Kumar, Navin L; Barnes, Edward L; Shields, Helen M

2017-01-01

Traditional didactic lectures are the mainstay of teaching for graduate medical education, although this method may not be the most effective way to transmit information. We created an active learning curriculum for Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) gastroenterology fellows to maximize learning. We evaluated whether this new curriculum improved perceived knowledge acquisition and knowledge base. In addition, our study assessed whether coaching faculty members in specific methods to enhance active learning improved their perceived teaching and presentation skills. We compared the Gastroenterology Training Exam (GTE) scores before and after the implementation of this curriculum to assess whether an improved knowledge base was documented. In addition, fellows and faculty members were asked to complete anonymous evaluations regarding their learning and teaching experiences. Fifteen fellows were invited to 12 lectures over a 2-year period. GTE scores improved in the areas of stomach ( p <0.001), general gastroenterology ( p =0.005), esophagus ( p <0.001), and small bowel ( p =0.001), and the total score ( p =0.001) between pre- and postimplementation of the active learning curriculum. Scores in hepatology, as well as biliary and pancreatic study, showed a trend toward improvement ( p >0.05). All fellows believed the lectures were helpful, felt more prepared to take the GTE, and preferred the interactive format to traditional didactic lectures. All lecturers agreed that they acquired new teaching skills, improved teaching and presentation skills, and learned new tools that could help them teach better in the future. An active learning curriculum is preferred by GI fellows and may be helpful for improving transmission of information in any specialty in medical education. Individualized faculty coaching sessions demonstrating new ways to transmit information may be important for an individual faculty member's teaching excellence.
21st Century Community Learning Centers Descriptive Study of Program Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penuel, William R.; McGhee, Raymond, Jr.

2010-01-01

In 2004, the U.S. Department of Education's Policy and Program Studies Service contracted with SRI International and its partner, Policy Studies Associates, to undertake an evaluation of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers. The following evaluation questions informed this study: (1) What is the nature of activities in centers that are…
The Impact of Professional Development: A Theoretical Model for Empirical Research, Evaluation, Planning and Conducting Training and Development Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huber, Stephan Gerhard

2011-01-01

This paper considers several trends in professional development programmes found internationally. The use of multiple learning approaches and of different modes and types of learning in PD is described. Various theories and models of evaluation are discussed in the light of common professional development activities. Several recommendations are…
The Use of Geogebra Software as a Calculus Teaching and Learning Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nobre, Cristiane Neri; Meireles, Magali Rezende Gouvêa; Vieira, Niltom, Jr.; de Resende, Mônica Neli; da Costa, Lucivânia Ester; da Rocha, Rejane Corrêa

2016-01-01

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in education provide a new learning environment where the student builds his own knowledge, allowing his visualization and experimentation. This study evaluated the Geogebra software in the learning process of Calculus. It was observed that the proposed activities helped in the graphical…
Orchestration in Learning Technology Research: Evaluation of a Conceptual Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prieto, Luis P.; Dimitriadis, Yannis; Asensio-Pérez, Juan I.; Looi, Chee-Kit

2015-01-01

The term "orchestrating learning" is being used increasingly often, referring to the coordination activities performed while applying learning technologies to authentic settings. However, there is little consensus about how this notion should be conceptualised, and what aspects it entails. In this paper, a conceptual framework for…
A Study of Flow Theory in the Foreign Language Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Egbert, Joy

2003-01-01

Focuses on the relationship between flow experiences and language learning. Flow theory suggests that flow experiences can lead to optimal learning. Findings suggest flow does exist in the foreign language classroom and that flow theory offers an interesting and useful framework for conceptualizing and evaluating language learning activities.…
Factors Influencing Response Rates in Online Student Evaluation Systems: A Systematic Review Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asare, Samuel; Daniel, Ben Kei

2018-01-01

Students' feedback on teaching activities significantly contributes to the enhancement of the quality of teaching and learning. Conventionally students evaluate teaching activities through paper based systems, where they fill out and return paper copies of teaching or course evaluation. In the last decades, institutions are moving student…
A PLAN FOR EVALUATING MAJOR ACTIVITIES IN GREAT CITIES SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MARBURGER, CARL L.; RASSCHAERT, WILLIAM M.

THE GUIDE IS INTENDED TO ASSIST PROJECT DIRECTORS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO DEVELOP MORE SYSTEMATIC AND THOROUGH EVALUATION DESIGNS FOR THE GREAT CITIES SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. MAJOR DIMENSIONS OF TEACHING-LEARNING, SCHOOL-COMMUNITY, AND PUPIL-PARENT-TEACHER ACTIVITIES ARE LISTED. MAJOR EVALUATION AREAS ARE IN PUPIL ACHIEVEMENT, IMPLEMENTED BY GROUP…
Student Experiences of Problem-Based Learning in Pharmacy: Conceptions of Learning, Approaches to Learning and the Integration of Face-to-Face and On-Line Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Robert A.; Goodyear, Peter; Brillant, Martha; Prosser, Michael

2008-01-01

This study investigates fourth-year pharmacy students' experiences of problem-based learning (PBL). It adopts a phenomenographic approach to the evaluation of problem-based learning, to shed light on the ways in which different groups of students conceive of, and approach, PBL. The study focuses on the way students approach solving problem…
Improving Learning through Interventions of Student-Generated Questions and Concept Maps

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berry, Jack W.; Chew, Stephen L.

2008-01-01

Using the principles of the scholarship of teaching and learning, we evaluated 2 learning strategies to determine if they could improve student exam performance in general psychology. After the second of 3 exams, we gave students the option of participating in a specific learning activity and assessed its impact using the third exam. In Study 1,…
Monitoring Student Interaction during Collaborative Learning: Design and Evaluation of a Training Program for Pre-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaendler, Celia; Wiedmann, Michael; Leuders, Timo; Rummel, Nikol; Spada, Hans

2016-01-01

The monitoring by teachers of collaborative, cognitive, and meta-cognitive student activities in collaborative learning is crucial for fostering beneficial student interaction. In a quasi-experimental study, we trained pre-service teachers (N = 74) to notice behavioral indicators for these three dimensions of student activities. Video clips of…
Using Self-Assessment to Assess the Effectiveness of Learner Centered Instructional Design and Delivery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wainwright, Susan

2009-01-01

Contemporary research in pedagogy provides evidence for use of active learning strategies in the classroom. It is important that faculty demonstrate effectiveness across the spectrum of teaching activities, as well as effectiveness in meeting the learning goals of students. This paper illustrates how self-assessment can be used to evaluate the…
Evaluation of Engineering and Technology Activities in Primary Schools in Terms of Learning Environment, Attitudes and Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koul, Rekha B.; Fraser, Barry J.; Maynard, Nicoleta; Tade, Moses

2018-01-01

Because the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education continues to be recognised around the world, we developed and validated an instrument to assess the learning environment and student attitudes in STEM classrooms, with a specific focus on engineering and technology (E&T) activities in primary schools.…
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…
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…
Learning Objectives for Shooting Sports Instruction. 554A: Using Measurable Criteria To Evaluate Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benson, Delwin E.; Manning, Jan

This publication contains objectives that range from basic shooting sports safety and proficiency to more specialized activities. They can be applied to hunter safety education, 4-H shooting sports, scouting, and club or community activities for youth or adults. The specific learning objectives in each list have been grouped into learning…

Faculty and second-year medical student perceptions of active learning in an integrated curriculum.

PubMed

Tsang, Alexander; Harris, David M

2016-12-01

Patients expect physicians to be lifelong learners who are able to interpret and evaluate diagnostic tests, and most medical schools list the development of lifelong learning in their program objectives. However, lecture is the most often utilized form of teaching in the first two years and is considered passive learning. The current generation of medical students has many characteristics that should support active learning pedagogies. The purpose of this study was to analyze student and faculty perceptions of active learning in an integrated medical curriculum at the second-year mark, where students have been exposed to multiple educational pedagogies. The first hypothesis of the study was that faculty would favor active learning methods. The second hypothesis was that Millennial medical students would favor active learning due to their characteristics. Primary faculty for years 1 and 2 and second-year medical students were recruited for an e-mail survey consisting of 12 questions about active learning and lecture. Students perceived that lecture and passive pedagogies were more effective for learning, whereas faculty felt active and collaborative learning was more effective. Students believed that more content should be covered by lecture than faculty. There were also significant differences in perceptions of what makes a good teacher. Students and faculty both felt that lack of time in the curriculum and preparation time were barriers for faculty. The data suggest that students are not familiar with the process of learning and that more time may be needed to help students develop lifelong learning skills. Copyright © 2016 The American Physiological Society.
Active learning strategies for the deduplication of electronic patient data using classification trees.

PubMed

Sariyar, M; Borg, A; Pommerening, K

2012-10-01

Supervised record linkage methods often require a clerical review to gain informative training data. Active learning means to actively prompt the user to label data with special characteristics in order to minimise the review costs. We conducted an empirical evaluation to investigate whether a simple active learning strategy using binary comparison patterns is sufficient or if string metrics together with a more sophisticated algorithm are necessary to achieve high accuracies with a small training set. Based on medical registry data with different numbers of attributes, we used active learning to acquire training sets for classification trees, which were then used to classify the remaining data. Active learning for binary patterns means that every distinct comparison pattern represents a stratum from which one item is sampled. Active learning for patterns consisting of the Levenshtein string metric values uses an iterative process where the most informative and representative examples are added to the training set. In this context, we extended the active learning strategy by Sarawagi and Bhamidipaty (2002). On the original data set, active learning based on binary comparison patterns leads to the best results. When dropping four or six attributes, using string metrics leads to better results. In both cases, not more than 200 manually reviewed training examples are necessary. In record linkage applications where only forename, name and birthday are available as attributes, we suggest the sophisticated active learning strategy based on string metrics in order to achieve highly accurate results. We recommend the simple strategy if more attributes are available, as in our study. In both cases, active learning significantly reduces the amount of manual involvement in training data selection compared to usual record linkage settings. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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.
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
Evaluation of the role of incentive structure on student participation and performance in active learning strategies: A comparison of case-based and team-based learning.

PubMed

Carrasco, Gonzalo A; Behling, Kathryn C; Lopez, Osvaldo J

2018-04-01

Student participation is important for the success of active learning strategies, but participation is often linked to the level of preparation. At our institution, we use two types of active learning activities, a modified case-based learning exercise called active learning groups (ALG) and team-based learning (TBL). These strategies have different assessment and incentive structures for participation. Non-cognitive skills are assessed in ALG using a subjective five-point Likert scale. In TBL, assessment of individual student preparation is based on a multiple choice quiz conducted at the beginning of each session. We studied first-year medical student participation and performance in ALG and TBL as well as performance on course final examinations. Student performance in TBL, but not in ALG, was strongly correlated with final examination scores. Additionally, in students who performed in the upper 33rd percentile on the final examination, there was a positive correlation between final examination performance and participation in TBL and ALG. This correlation was not seen in students who performed in the lower 33rd percentile on the final examinations. Our results suggest that assessments of medical knowledge during active learning exercises could supplement non-cognitive assessments and could be good predictors of performance on summative examinations.
A Randomized Crossover Design to Assess Learning Impact and Student Preference for Active and Passive Online Learning Modules.

PubMed

Prunuske, Amy J; Henn, Lisa; Brearley, Ann M; Prunuske, Jacob

Medical education increasingly involves online learning experiences to facilitate the standardization of curriculum across time and space. In class, delivering material by lecture is less effective at promoting student learning than engaging students in active learning experience and it is unclear whether this difference also exists online. We sought to evaluate medical student preferences for online lecture or online active learning formats and the impact of format on short- and long-term learning gains. Students participated online in either lecture or constructivist learning activities in a first year neurologic sciences course at a US medical school. In 2012, students selected which format to complete and in 2013, students were randomly assigned in a crossover fashion to the modules. In the first iteration, students strongly preferred the lecture modules and valued being told "what they need to know" rather than figuring it out independently. In the crossover iteration, learning gains and knowledge retention were found to be equivalent regardless of format, and students uniformly demonstrated a strong preference for the lecture format, which also on average took less time to complete. When given a choice for online modules, students prefer passive lecture rather than completing constructivist activities, and in the time-limited environment of medical school, this choice results in similar performance on multiple-choice examinations with less time invested. Instructors need to look more carefully at whether assessments and learning strategies are helping students to obtain self-directed learning skills and to consider strategies to help students learn to value active learning in an online environment.
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.
The use of limericks to engage student interest and promote active learning in an undergraduate course in functional anatomy.

PubMed

Carnegie, Jacqueline A

2012-01-01

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

PubMed

Khashman, Adnan

2009-08-01

Credit scoring is one of the key analytical techniques in credit risk evaluation which has been an active research area in financial risk management. This paper presents a credit risk evaluation system that uses a neural network model based on the back propagation learning algorithm. We train and implement the neural network to decide whether to approve or reject a credit application, using seven learning schemes and real world credit applications from the Australian credit approval datasets. A comparison of the system performance under the different learning schemes is provided, furthermore, we compare the performance of two neural networks; with one and two hidden layers following the ideal learning scheme. Experimental results suggest that neural networks can be effectively used in automatic processing of credit applications.
Student-centered and ability training-oriented curriculum reform in teaching Microcontroller Principles and Interface Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiaoping; Cai, Peijun; Liu, Yuling; Wang, Liqiang; Liang, Yiyong

2017-08-01

Courses are an important way of cultivating talents in college education. Advanced training schemes and the course system are implemented through course teaching. Advanced teaching notions and methods also rely on course teaching. Therefore, the quality of course teaching is the fundamental guarantor for grooming talent. The teachers of the course "Microcontroller Principles and Interface Techniques" in the Optical Science and Engineering College of Zhejiang University insist on course teaching becoming student centered and ability-training-oriented. They pay attention to students'all-round development in terms of learning ability, practical ability, innovation ability, and exploring spirit. They actively carried out course reforms in four aspects, namely teaching, learning, evaluation, and experimentation. This paper mainly introduced these reforms. First, the teaching method was reformed by introducing case analysis and the notion of a flipped classroom to shift the course focus from the teacher to the students. Second, the learning method was reformed through the use of techniques such as peer learning and project design to promote students' sense of enquiry and learning initiative. Third, the evaluation method was reformed through the use of process assessment and diversity evaluation to encourage students to develop logical thinking and a down-to-earth manner. Fourth, the experimentation method was reformed by introducing hierarchical content, process management, and diversification of examination to change students'learning attitude from "dependence, passivity, and imitation" to "independence, active involvement, and creation."In general, the teaching method reform promoted reforms in learning, evaluation, and experimentation methods and further improved the style of study. These reforms improved teachers' teaching abilities and enabled course teaching to transform from being teacher centered to student centered. Years of exploration and practice results have shown that such reforms not only effectively inspire students to learn, explore, and practice actively, but also cultivate their creative spirit and courage to face challenges, providing a good platform for theirself-learning and personal growth. The course reforms discussed here have been highly recommended for their reference value.
Designing and Evaluating Tutoring Feedback Strategies for Digital Learning Environments on the Basis of the Interactive Tutoring Feedback Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Narciss, Susanne

2013-01-01

This paper describes the interactive tutoring feedback model (ITF-model; Narciss, 2006; 2008), and how it can be applied to the design and evaluation of feedback strategies for digital learning environments. The ITF-model conceptualizes formative tutoring feedback as a multidimensional instructional activity that aims at contributing to the…
EVALUATION OF THE ADULT LEARNING CENTER OF ELIZABETHPORT BY STAFF AND PARTICIPANTS, OPERATIONS FROM 2/26/68 - 4/30/68.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

TATUM, WILLIAM; CHASNOFF, ROBERT

ACTIVITIES, FACILITIES, AND PROGRAMED READING MATERIALS AT THE ADULT LEARNING CENTER OF ELIZABETHPORT (ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY) WERE EVALUATED IN 1968 BY STAFF MEMBERS AND PARTICIPANTS. STAFF OPINIONS DIFFERED AS TO THE MOST SUCCESSFUL MATERIALS, AND REASONS GIVEN FOR SUCCESS VARIED BETWEEN INTEREST LEVEL, SIZE OF PRINT AND LENGTH OF STORIES, THE…
Bridging the Experiential Learning Gap: An Evaluation of the Impacts of Ulster University's Senior Student Tutoring Scheme on First Year Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eaton, Martin D.

2015-01-01

Since 2004-05 first year students at the School of Environmental Sciences, Ulster University have engaged with senior student tutors (SSTs) in workshop activities aimed at preparations for their written examinations. Using a pedagogical action research methodology we evaluated the role of SSTs in bridging the experiential learning gap between…
Collegial Activity Learning between Heterogeneous Sensors.

PubMed

Feuz, Kyle D; Cook, Diane J

2017-11-01

Activity recognition algorithms have matured and become more ubiquitous in recent years. However, these algorithms are typically customized for a particular sensor platform. In this paper we introduce PECO, a Personalized activity ECOsystem, that transfers learned activity information seamlessly between sensor platforms in real time so that any available sensor can continue to track activities without requiring its own extensive labeled training data. We introduce a multi-view transfer learning algorithm that facilitates this information handoff between sensor platforms and provide theoretical performance bounds for the algorithm. In addition, we empirically evaluate PECO using datasets that utilize heterogeneous sensor platforms to perform activity recognition. These results indicate that not only can activity recognition algorithms transfer important information to new sensor platforms, but any number of platforms can work together as colleagues to boost performance.
A Bayesian Active Learning Experimental Design for Inferring Signaling Networks.

PubMed

Ness, Robert O; Sachs, Karen; Mallick, Parag; Vitek, Olga

2018-06-21

Machine learning methods for learning network structure are applied to quantitative proteomics experiments and reverse-engineer intracellular signal transduction networks. They provide insight into the rewiring of signaling within the context of a disease or a phenotype. To learn the causal patterns of influence between proteins in the network, the methods require experiments that include targeted interventions that fix the activity of specific proteins. However, the interventions are costly and add experimental complexity. We describe an active learning strategy for selecting optimal interventions. Our approach takes as inputs pathway databases and historic data sets, expresses them in form of prior probability distributions on network structures, and selects interventions that maximize their expected contribution to structure learning. Evaluations on simulated and real data show that the strategy reduces the detection error of validated edges as compared with an unguided choice of interventions and avoids redundant interventions, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the experiment.
The Design of Curriculum, Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education with Constructive Alignment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ali, Liaqat

2018-01-01

In higher education, the principle of constructive alignment for devising teaching, learning activities and assessment tasks is the underpinning concept in curriculum design and development to achieve intended learning outcomes. Student's deep learning is critical and it is the responsibility of the curriculum developer to make sure that synergy…
Characteristics and Activities of Teachers on Distance Learning Programs That Affect Their Ratings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanišic Stojic, Svetlana M.; Dobrijevic, Gordana; Stanišic, Nemanja; Stanic, Nenad

2014-01-01

This paper presents an analysis of teachers' ratings on distance learning undergraduate study programs: 7,156 students enrolled in traditional and 528 students enrolled in distance learning studies took part in the evaluation questionnaire, assessing 71 teachers. The data were collected from the Moodle platform and from the Singidunum University…
Active-Learning Methods To Improve Student Performance and Scientific Interest in a Large Introductory Oceanography Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuretich, Richard F.; Khan, Samia A.; Leckie, R. Mark; Clement, John J.

2001-01-01

Transfers the environment of a large enrollment oceanography course by modifying lectures to include cooperative learning via interactive in-class exercises and directed discussion. Results of student surveys, course evaluations, and exam performance demonstrate that learning of the subject under these conditions has improved. (Author/SAH)
SELF (Supports for Early Learning Foundations): A Non-Directed Model Demonstration Project. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Holly

This final report describes achievements and activities of Project SELF (Supports for Early Learning Foundations), a federally funded project in New Mexico which developed, evaluated, and replicated an innovative model that provides strategies for early interventionists and families to support early learning foundations. The project identified…

Peer Assisted Learning in the Clinical Setting: An Activity Systems Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Deirdre; O'Flynn, Siun; Kelly, Martina

2015-01-01

Peer assisted learning (PAL) is a common feature of medical education. Understanding of PAL has been based on processes and outcomes in controlled settings, such as clinical skills labs. PAL in the clinical setting, a complex learning environment, requires fresh evaluation. Socio-cultural theory is proposed as a means to understand educational…
Investigating the Role of Minecraft in Educational Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Callaghan, Noelene

2016-01-01

This research paper identifies the way in which Minecraft Edu can be used to contribute to the teaching and learning of secondary students via a multiple case research study. Minecraft Edu is recognised as a gamification tool that enables its users to create and evaluate project-based learning activities within a classroom context. Learning…
Conceptualizing Open Educational Practices through the Lens of Constructive Alignment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paskevicius, Michael

2017-01-01

The act of instruction may be conceptualized as consisting of four elements: learning outcomes, learning resources, teaching and learning activities, and assessments and evaluation. For instructors in higher education, the way they manage the relationships between these elements is what could be considered the core of their instructional practice.…
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…
Using the mTSES to Evaluate and Optimize mLearning Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Power, Robert; Cristol, Dean; Gimbert, Belinda; Bartoletti, Robin; Kilgore, Whitney

2016-01-01

The impact of targeted professional development activities on teachers' perceptions of self-efficacy with mobile learning remains understudied. Power (2015a) used the Mobile Teacher's Sense of Efficacy Scale (mTSES) survey instrument to measure the effects of a mobile learning themed professional development course on teachers' confidence with and…
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...
A Course Wiki: Challenges in Facilitating and Assessing Student-Generated Learning Content for the Humanities Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazda-Cazers, Rasma

2010-01-01

New Web technology allows for the design of traditionally lecture-centered humanities courses by fostering active learning and engaging students as producers of learning content. The article presents the experiences with a student-generated wiki for a Germanic Mythology course. Evaluations indicated an overwhelmingly positive student experience…
Interprofessional Peer Teaching of Pharmacy and Physical Therapy Students.

PubMed

Sadowski, Cheryl A; Li, Johnson Ching-hong; Pasay, Darren; Jones, C Allyson

2015-12-25

To evaluate an interprofessional peer-teaching activity during which physical therapy students instructed undergraduate pharmacy students on 3 ambulatory devices (canes, crutches, walkers). The pre/post evaluation of 2 pharmacy undergraduate classes included 220 students, 110 per year. After pharmacy students completed a 10-point, knowledge-based pretest, they participated in a hands-on activity with physical therapy students teaching them about sizing, use, and safety of canes, crutches, and walkers. A 10-point posttest was completed immediately afterward. The mean difference of pre/post scores was 3.5 (SD 1.9) for the peer-led teaching, and 3.8 (SD 2.2) for the peer learning group. Students had positive responses regarding the learning exercise and recommended further peer teaching. The peer-learning activity involving physical therapy students teaching pharmacy students was an effective method of improving knowledge and skills regarding basic ambulatory devices.
Interprofessional Peer Teaching of Pharmacy and Physical Therapy Students

PubMed Central

Sadowski, Cheryl A.; Li, Johnson Ching-hong; Pasay, Darren

2015-01-01

Objective. To evaluate an interprofessional peer-teaching activity during which physical therapy students instructed undergraduate pharmacy students on 3 ambulatory devices (canes, crutches, walkers). Design. The pre/post evaluation of 2 pharmacy undergraduate classes included 220 students, 110 per year. After pharmacy students completed a 10-point, knowledge-based pretest, they participated in a hands-on activity with physical therapy students teaching them about sizing, use, and safety of canes, crutches, and walkers. A 10-point posttest was completed immediately afterward. Assessment. The mean difference of pre/post scores was 3.5 (SD 1.9) for the peer-led teaching, and 3.8 (SD 2.2) for the peer learning group. Students had positive responses regarding the learning exercise and recommended further peer teaching. Conclusion. The peer-learning activity involving physical therapy students teaching pharmacy students was an effective method of improving knowledge and skills regarding basic ambulatory devices. PMID:26889067
A learning activity to introduce undergraduate students to bioethics in human clinical research: a case study.

PubMed

Segarra, Ignacio; Gomez, Manuel

2014-12-01

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, J. P.; Brissenden, G.; Lindell Adrian, R.; Slater, T. F.

1998-12-01

Recent reforms for undergraduate education propose that students should work in teams to solve problems that simulate problems that research scientists address. In the context of an innovative large-enrollment course at Montana State University, faculty have developed a series of 15 in-class, collaborative learning group activities that provide students with realistic scenarios to investigate. Focusing on a team approach, the four principle types of activities employed are historical, conceptual, process, and open-ended activities. Examples of these activities include classifying stellar spectra, characterizing galaxies, parallax measurements, estimating stellar radii, and correlating star colors with absolute magnitudes. Summative evaluation results from a combination of attitude surveys, astronomy concept examinations, and focus group interviews strongly suggest that, overall, students are learning more astronomy, believe that the group activities are valuable, enjoy the less-lecture course format, and have significantly higher attendance rates. In addition, class observations of 48 self-formed, collaborative learning groups reveal that female students are more engaged in single-gender learning groups than in mixed gender groups.
E-learning program for medical students in dermatology

PubMed Central

Silva, Cristiana Silveira; Souza, Murilo Barreto; Filho, Roberto Silveira Silva; de Medeiros, Luciana Molina; Criado, Paulo Ricardo

2011-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Dermatological disorders are common in medical practice. In medical school, however, the time devoted to teaching dermatology is usually very limited. Therefore, online educational systems have increasingly been used in medical education settings to enhance exposure to dermatology. OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to develop an e-learning program for medical students in dermatology and evaluate the impact of this program on learning. METHODS: This prospective study included second year medical students at the University of Technology and Science, Salvador, Brazil. All students attended discussion seminars and practical activities, and half of the students had adjunct online seminars (blended learning). Tests were given to all students before and after the courses, and test scores were evaluated. RESULTS: Students who participated in online discussions associated with face-to-face activities (blended learning) had significantly higher posttest scores (9.0±0.8) than those who only participated in classes (7.75±1.8, p <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that an associated online course might improve the learning of medical students in dermatology. PMID:21655756
Designing and evaluating a STEM teacher learning opportunity in the research university.

PubMed

Hardré, Patricia L; Ling, Chen; Shehab, Randa L; Herron, Jason; Nanny, Mark A; Nollert, Matthias U; Refai, Hazem; Ramseyer, Christopher; Wollega, Ebisa D

2014-04-01

This study examines the design and evaluation strategies for a year-long teacher learning and development experience, including their effectiveness, efficiency and recommendations for strategic redesign. Design characteristics include programmatic features and outcomes: cognitive, affective and motivational processes; interpersonal and social development; and performance activities. Program participants were secondary math and science teachers, partnered with engineering faculty mentors, in a research university-based education and support program. Data from multiple sources demonstrated strengths and weaknesses in design of the program's learning environment, including: face-to-face and via digital tools; on-site and distance community interactions; and strategic evaluation tools and systems. Implications are considered for the strategic design and evaluation of similar grant-funded research experiences intended to support teacher learning, development and transfer. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Student Analysis of Handout Development based on Guided Discovery Method in Process Evaluation and Learning Outcomes of Biology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nerita, S.; Maizeli, A.; Afza, A.

2017-09-01

Process Evaluation and Learning Outcomes of Biology subjects discusses the evaluation process in learning and application of designed and processed learning outcomes. Some problems found during this subject was the student difficult to understand the subject and the subject unavailability of learning resources that can guide and make students independent study. So, it necessary to develop a learning resource that can make active students to think and to make decisions with the guidance of the lecturer. The purpose of this study is to produce handout based on guided discovery method that match the needs of students. The research was done by using 4-D models and limited to define phase that is student requirement analysis. Data obtained from the questionnaire and analyzed descriptively. The results showed that the average requirement of students was 91,43%. Can be concluded that students need a handout based on guided discovery method in the learning process.
Raphanus sativus, Germination, and Inquiry: A Learning Cycle Approach for Novice Experimenters.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rillero, Peter

1999-01-01

Describes open-ended experiments with seeds from the common garden radish (Raphanus sativus). The phases of the 5-E learning cycle--Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Extension, and Evaluation--guide this activity series. (Author/MM)
Evaluating the effectiveness of personal response system technology on millennial student learning.

PubMed

McCurry, Mary K; Hunter Revell, Susan M

2011-08-01

As nurse educators, we must explore new technologies that capitalize on the characteristics of millennial learners. One such technology, the personal response system (PRS), is an effective way to promote active learning and increase comprehension. Few nursing studies have examined the benefits of PRS technology on student outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of PRS technology on learning outcomes in two sections of an undergraduate nursing research course. A crossover design compared class quiz averages between and within groups. Findings related to between and within class quiz scores were mixed, whereas the effectiveness of in-class PRS questions on paper-and-pencil quiz scores and PRS-targeted quiz items was significant. Knowledge gained from this study can be used to enhance our ability to actively engage our technologically savvy undergraduate students. By threading technology into the undergraduate curriculum, learning outcomes may be improved. Copyright 2011, SLACK Incorporated.
Evaluating the features of the brain waves to quantify ADHD improvement by neurofeedback.

PubMed

Dehghanpour, Peyman; Einalou, Zahra

2017-10-23

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as one of the most common neurological disorders in children and adolescents, is characterized by decentralization, slow learning, distraction and hyperactivity. Studies have shown that in addition to medication, neurofeedback training can also be used to partially control the brain activity of these patients. In this study, using the brain signals processing before and after the treatment in 10 children treated by neurofeedback, the changes were evaluated by non-parametric statistical analysis and impact of neurofeedback on brain frequency bands was investigated. Finally, the results were compared with the protocols introduced in this paper and before researches. The results of Kruskal-Wallis test showed an approximately significant increase in the relative power of gamma and an approximately significant reduction in the ratio of relative power of alpha/beta. It represents the emotional response, elicited by the successful learning and diminished ratio of slow learning to active learning respectively.
A rapid throughput approach identifies cognitive deficits in adult zebrafish from developmental exposure to polybrominated flame retardants.

PubMed

Truong, Lisa; Mandrell, David; Mandrell, Rick; Simonich, Michael; Tanguay, Robert L

2014-07-01

A substantial body of evidence has correlated the human body burdens of some polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants with cognitive and other behavioral deficits. Adult zebrafish exhibit testable learning and memory, making them an increasingly attractive model for neurotoxicology. Our goal was to develop a rapid throughput means of identifying the cognitive impact of developmental exposure to flame retardants in the zebrafish model. We exposed embryos from 6h post fertilization to 5 days post fertilization to either PBDE 47 (0.1μM), PBDE 99 (0.1μM) or PBDE 153 (0.1μM), vehicle (0.1% DMSO), or embryo medium (EM). The larvae were grown to adulthood and evaluated for the rate at which they learned an active-avoidance response in an automated shuttle box array. Zebrafish developmentally exposed to PBDE 47 learned the active avoidance paradigm significantly faster than the 0.1% DMSO control fish (P<0.0001), but exhibited significantly poorer performance when retested suggestive of impaired memory retention or altered neuromotor activity. Learning in the PBDE 153 group was not significantly different from the DMSO group. Developmental exposure to 0.1% DMSO impaired adult active avoidance learning relative to the sham group (n=39; P<0.0001). PBDE 99 prevented the DMSO effect, yielding a learning rate not significantly different from the sham group (n=36; P>0.9). Our results underscore the importance of vehicle choice in accurately assessing chemical effects on behavior. Active avoidance response in zebrafish is an effective model of learning that, combined with automated shuttle box testing, will provide a highly efficient platform for evaluating persistent neurotoxic hazard from many chemicals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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
Evaluation of an active learning module to teach hazard and risk in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) classes.

PubMed

Oyarzabal, Omar A; Rowe, Ellen

2017-04-01

The terms hazard and risk are significant building blocks for the organization of risk-based food safety plans. Unfortunately, these terms are not clear for some personnel working in food manufacturing facilities. In addition, there are few examples of active learning modules for teaching adult participants the principles of hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP). In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of an active learning module to teach hazard and risk to participants of HACCP classes provided by the University of Vermont Extension in 2015 and 2016. This interactive module is comprised of a questionnaire; group playing of a dice game that we have previously introduced in the teaching of HACCP; the discussion of the terms hazard and risk; and a self-assessment questionnaire to evaluate the teaching of hazard and risk. From 71 adult participants that completed this module, 40 participants (56%) provided the most appropriate definition of hazard, 19 participants (27%) provided the most appropriate definition of risk, 14 participants (20%) provided the most appropriate definitions of both hazard and risk, and 23 participants (32%) did not provide an appropriate definition for hazard or risk. Self-assessment data showed an improvement in the understanding of these terms (P < 0.05). Thirty participants (42%) stated that the most valuable thing they learned with this interactive module was the difference between hazard and risk, and 40 participants (65%) responded that they did not attend similar presentations in the past. The fact that less than one third of the participants answered properly to the definitions of hazard and risk at baseline is not surprising. However, these results highlight the need for the incorporation of modules to discuss these important food safety terms and include more active learning modules to teach food safety classes. This study suggests that active learning helps food personnel better understand important food safety terms that serve as building blocks for the understanding of more complex food safety topics.

Supramammillary serotonin reduction alters place learning and concomitant hippocampal, septal, and supramammillar theta activity in a Morris water maze

PubMed Central

Hernández-Pérez, J. Jesús; Gutiérrez-Guzmán, Blanca E.; López-Vázquez, Miguel Á.; Olvera-Cortés, María E.

2015-01-01

Hippocampal theta activity is related to spatial information processing, and high-frequency theta activity, in particular, has been linked to efficient spatial memory performance. Theta activity is regulated by the synchronizing ascending system (SAS), which includes mesencephalic and diencephalic relays. The supramamillary nucleus (SUMn) is located between the reticularis pontis oralis and the medial septum (MS), in close relation with the posterior hypothalamic nucleus (PHn), all of which are part of this ascending system. It has been proposed that the SUMn plays a role in the modulation of hippocampal theta-frequency; this could occur through direct connections between the SUMn and the hippocampus or through the influence of the SUMn on the MS. Serotonergic raphe neurons prominently innervate the hippocampus and several components of the SAS, including the SUMn. Serotonin desynchronizes hippocampal theta activity, and it has been proposed that serotonin may regulate learning through the modulation of hippocampal synchrony. In agreement with this hypothesis, serotonin depletion in the SUMn/PHn results in deficient spatial learning and alterations in CA1 theta activity-related learning in a Morris water maze. Because it has been reported that SUMn inactivation with lidocaine impairs the consolidation of reference memory, we asked whether changes in hippocampal theta activity related to learning would occur through serotonin depletion in the SUMn, together with deficiencies in memory. We infused 5,7-DHT bilaterally into the SUMn in rats and evaluated place learning in the standard Morris water maze task. Hippocampal (CA1 and dentate gyrus), septal and SUMn EEG were recorded during training of the test. The EEG power in each region and the coherence between the different regions were evaluated. Serotonin depletion in the SUMn induced deficient spatial learning and altered the expression of hippocampal high-frequency theta activity. These results provide evidence in support of a role for serotonin as a modulator of hippocampal learning, acting through changes in the synchronicity evoked in several relays of the SAS. PMID:26578960
Using active learning strategies to investigate student learning and attitudes in a large enrollment, introductory geology course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berry, Stacy Jane

There has been an increased emphasis for college instruction to incorporate more active and collaborative involvement of students in the learning process. These views have been asserted by The Association of American Colleges (AAC), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and The National Research Counsel (NRC), which are advocating for the modification of traditional instructional techniques to allow students the opportunity to be more cooperative (Task Group on General Education, 1988). This has guided educators and facilitators into shifting teaching paradigms from a teacher centered to a more student-centered curriculum. The present study investigated achievement outcomes and attitudes of learners in a large enrollment (n ~ 200), introductory geology course using a student centered learning cycle format of instruction versus another similar section that used a traditional lecture format. Although the course is a recruiting class for majors, over 95% of the students that enroll are non-majors. Measurements of academic evaluation were through four unit exams, classroom communication systems, weekly web-based homework, in-class activities, and a thematic collaborative poster/paper project and presentation. The qualitative methods to investigate the effectiveness of the teaching design included: direct observation, self-reporting about learning, and open-ended interviews. By disaggregating emerging data, we tried to concentrate on patterns and causal relationships between achievement performance and attitudes regarding learning geology. Statistical analyses revealed positive relationships between student engagement in supplemental activities and achievement mean scores within and between the two sections. Completing weekly online homework had the most robust relationship with overall achievement performance. Contrary to expectations, a thematic group project only led to modest gains in achievement performance, although the social and professional gains could be considered as significant as the academic merit. The qualitative data substantiated the achievement success and revealed a positive relationship between a student centered learning environment and attitudes regarding learning geology. Our findings indicated a positive trend favoring active learning instructional practices, particularly methods that emphasize independent and active thinking, and analyzing of data. Of particular interest was the correlation between the amount of student ownership in an activity and students' attitude toward authenticity and application in learning. Students' perceptions and attitudes provided depth in program evaluation and helped in identifying which components used in teaching methodologies were the most effective towards learning. Although the exigencies of high enrollment introductory courses set limits for this study, the outcomes support the positive influence that active learning has on achievement performance in a high enrollment, introductory Geology course.
Comparing and Validating Machine Learning Models for Mycobacterium tuberculosis Drug Discovery.

PubMed

Lane, Thomas; Russo, Daniel P; Zorn, Kimberley M; Clark, Alex M; Korotcov, Alexandru; Tkachenko, Valery; Reynolds, Robert C; Perryman, Alexander L; Freundlich, Joel S; Ekins, Sean

2018-04-26

Tuberculosis is a global health dilemma. In 2016, the WHO reported 10.4 million incidences and 1.7 million deaths. The need to develop new treatments for those infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( Mtb) has led to many large-scale phenotypic screens and many thousands of new active compounds identified in vitro. However, with limited funding, efforts to discover new active molecules against Mtb needs to be more efficient. Several computational machine learning approaches have been shown to have good enrichment and hit rates. We have curated small molecule Mtb data and developed new models with a total of 18,886 molecules with activity cutoffs of 10 μM, 1 μM, and 100 nM. These data sets were used to evaluate different machine learning methods (including deep learning) and metrics and to generate predictions for additional molecules published in 2017. One Mtb model, a combined in vitro and in vivo data Bayesian model at a 100 nM activity yielded the following metrics for 5-fold cross validation: accuracy = 0.88, precision = 0.22, recall = 0.91, specificity = 0.88, kappa = 0.31, and MCC = 0.41. We have also curated an evaluation set ( n = 153 compounds) published in 2017, and when used to test our model, it showed the comparable statistics (accuracy = 0.83, precision = 0.27, recall = 1.00, specificity = 0.81, kappa = 0.36, and MCC = 0.47). We have also compared these models with additional machine learning algorithms showing Bayesian machine learning models constructed with literature Mtb data generated by different laboratories generally were equivalent to or outperformed deep neural networks with external test sets. Finally, we have also compared our training and test sets to show they were suitably diverse and different in order to represent useful evaluation sets. Such Mtb machine learning models could help prioritize compounds for testing in vitro and in vivo.
Reduced Error-Related Activation in Two Anterior Cingulate Circuits Is Related to Impaired Performance in Schizophrenia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polli, Frida E.; Barton, Jason J. S.; Thakkar, Katharine N.; Greve, Douglas N.; Goff, Donald C.; Rauch, Scott L.; Manoach, Dara S.

2008-01-01

To perform well on any challenging task, it is necessary to evaluate your performance so that you can learn from errors. Recent theoretical and experimental work suggests that the neural sequellae of error commission in a dorsal anterior cingulate circuit index a type of contingency- or reinforcement-based learning, while activation in a rostral…
Construction of a Learning Environment Supporting Learners' Reflection: A Case of Information Seeking on the Web

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saito, Hitomi; Miwa, Kazuhisa

2007-01-01

In this study, we design a learning environment that supports reflective activities for information seeking on the Web and evaluate its educational effects. The features of this design are: (1) to visualize the learners' search processes as described, based on a cognitive schema, (2) to support two types of reflective activities, such as…
The Design and Evaluation of Class Exercises as Active Learning Tools in Software Verification and Validation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Peter Y.; Manohar, Priyadarshan A.; Acharya, Sushil

2016-01-01

It is well known that interesting questions can stimulate thinking and invite participation. Class exercises are designed to make use of questions to engage students in active learning. In a project toward building a community skilled in software verification and validation (SV&V), we critically review and further develop course materials in…
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…
Engagement and Learning through Social Software in Finance: A Retrospective on the "Trading Room" Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jain, Ameeta; Thomson, Dianne; Farley, Alan; Mulready, Pamela

2012-01-01

The introduction of a social software blog space called the Trading Room in an undergraduate finance unit generated a great deal of activity to support student learning. A subsequent evaluation of this innovation, viewed through the lens of Activity Theory, demonstrated that students perceived high value in the opportunity it provided for them to…
A study of active learning methods for named entity recognition in clinical text.

PubMed

Chen, Yukun; Lasko, Thomas A; Mei, Qiaozhu; Denny, Joshua C; Xu, Hua

2015-12-01

Named entity recognition (NER), a sequential labeling task, is one of the fundamental tasks for building clinical natural language processing (NLP) systems. Machine learning (ML) based approaches can achieve good performance, but they often require large amounts of annotated samples, which are expensive to build due to the requirement of domain experts in annotation. Active learning (AL), a sample selection approach integrated with supervised ML, aims to minimize the annotation cost while maximizing the performance of ML-based models. In this study, our goal was to develop and evaluate both existing and new AL methods for a clinical NER task to identify concepts of medical problems, treatments, and lab tests from the clinical notes. Using the annotated NER corpus from the 2010 i2b2/VA NLP challenge that contained 349 clinical documents with 20,423 unique sentences, we simulated AL experiments using a number of existing and novel algorithms in three different categories including uncertainty-based, diversity-based, and baseline sampling strategies. They were compared with the passive learning that uses random sampling. Learning curves that plot performance of the NER model against the estimated annotation cost (based on number of sentences or words in the training set) were generated to evaluate different active learning and the passive learning methods and the area under the learning curve (ALC) score was computed. Based on the learning curves of F-measure vs. number of sentences, uncertainty sampling algorithms outperformed all other methods in ALC. Most diversity-based methods also performed better than random sampling in ALC. To achieve an F-measure of 0.80, the best method based on uncertainty sampling could save 66% annotations in sentences, as compared to random sampling. For the learning curves of F-measure vs. number of words, uncertainty sampling methods again outperformed all other methods in ALC. To achieve 0.80 in F-measure, in comparison to random sampling, the best uncertainty based method saved 42% annotations in words. But the best diversity based method reduced only 7% annotation effort. In the simulated setting, AL methods, particularly uncertainty-sampling based approaches, seemed to significantly save annotation cost for the clinical NER task. The actual benefit of active learning in clinical NER should be further evaluated in a real-time setting. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Perceptions of nursing students after performing an individual activity designed to develop their critical thinking: The "critical card" tool.

PubMed

Urcola-Pardo, Fernando; Blázquez-Ornat, Isabel; Anguas-Gracia, Ana; Gasch-Gallen, Ángel; Germán-Bes, Concepción

2018-03-01

Critical thinking in Health Sciences is among the transversal competences in the Nursing Degree. The critical card is a tool of individual learning, designed to develop critical thinking, and set in the process of environmental health learning. Every student must perform the activity to obtain the highest qualification in Community Health Nursing subject. The aim of this project was to evaluate this learning tool using the students' perceptions after its performance. The evaluation was based on the answers to a questionnaire obtained from the third course students of Nursing Degree at the University of Zaragoza. The questionnaire was made up of 14 Likert-type questions, grouped in four dimensions. The student participation rate was higher than 50%. The analysis of the questionnaire obtained 67,8% positive answers. The variability between dimensions ranged between 49% of positive answers for application in other subjects and 87% of positive answers for the improvements applicable to the instrument. The students coincided in indicating that the critical card is a useful learning tool and could be applicable in other subjects. However, the weight it is given in the global evaluation of the subject is considered to be too low, considering the time used to complete the activity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Adopt a Bacterium - an active and collaborative learning experience in microbiology based on social media.

PubMed

Piantola, Marco Aurélio Floriano; Moreno, Ana Carolina Ramos; Matielo, Heloísa Alonso; Taschner, Natalia Pasternak; Cavalcante, Rafael Ciro Marques; Khan, Samia; Ferreira, Rita de Cássia Café

2018-04-24

The "Adopt a Bacterium" project is based on the use of social network as a tool in Microbiology undergraduate education, improving student learning and encouraging students to participate in collaborative learning. The approach involves active participation of both students and teachers, emphasizing knowledge exchange, based on widely used social media. Students were organized in groups and asked to adopt a specific bacterial genus and, subsequently, submit posts about "adopted genus". The formative assessment is based on posting information on Facebook®, and the summative assessment involves presentation of seminars about the adopted theme. To evaluate the project, students filled out three anonymous and voluntary surveys. Most of the students enjoyed the activities and positively evaluated the experience. A large amount of students declared a change in their attitude towards the way they processed information, especially regarding the use of scientific sources. Finally, we evaluated knowledge retention six months after the end of the course and students were able to recall relevant Microbiology concepts. Our results suggest that the "Adopt a Bacterium" project represents a useful strategy in Microbiology learning and may be applied to other academic fields. Copyright © 2018 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.
Neuroimaging studies of practice-related change: fMRI and meta-analytic evidence of a domain-general control network for learning.

PubMed

Chein, Jason M; Schneider, Walter

2005-12-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging and a meta-analysis of prior neuroimaging studies were used to characterize cortical changes resulting from extensive practice and to evaluate a dual-processing account of the neural mechanisms underlying human learning. Three core predictions of the dual processing theory are evaluated: 1) that practice elicits generalized reductions in regional activity by reducing the load on the cognitive control mechanisms that scaffold early learning; 2) that these control mechanisms are domain-general; and 3) that no separate processing pathway emerges as skill develops. To evaluate these predictions, a meta-analysis of prior neuroimaging studies and a within-subjects fMRI experiment contrasting unpracticed to practiced performance in a paired-associate task were conducted. The principal effect of practice was found to be a reduction in the extent and magnitude of activity in a cortical network spanning bilateral dorsal prefrontal, left ventral prefrontal, medial frontal (anterior cingulate), left insular, bilateral parietal, and occipito-temporal (fusiform) areas. These activity reductions are shown to occur in common regions across prior neuroimaging studies and for both verbal and nonverbal paired-associate learning in the present fMRI experiment. The implicated network of brain regions is interpreted as a domain-general system engaged specifically to support novice, but not practiced, performance.
Wiki technology enhanced group project to promote active learning in a neuroscience course for first-year medical students: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Mi, Misa; Gould, Douglas

2014-01-01

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

PubMed

Aparicio, Fernando; Morales-Botello, María Luz; Rubio, Margarita; Hernando, Asunción; Muñoz, Rafael; López-Fernández, Hugo; Glez-Peña, Daniel; Fdez-Riverola, Florentino; de la Villa, Manuel; Maña, Manuel; Gachet, Diego; Buenaga, Manuel de

2018-04-01

Student participation and the use of active methodologies in classroom learning are being increasingly emphasized. The use of intelligent systems can be of great help when designing and developing these types of activities. Recently, emerging disciplines such as 'educational data mining' and 'learning analytics and knowledge' have provided clear examples of the importance of the use of artificial intelligence techniques in education. The main objective of this study was to gather expert opinions regarding the benefits of using complementary methods that are supported by intelligent systems, specifically, by intelligent information access systems, when processing texts written in natural language and the benefits of using these methods as companion tools to the learning activities that are employed by biomedical and health sciences teachers. Eleven teachers of degree courses who belonged to the Faculties of Biomedical Sciences (BS) and Health Sciences (HS) of a Spanish university in Madrid were individually interviewed. These interviews were conducted using a mixed methods questionnaire that included 66 predefined close-ended and open-ended questions. In our study, three intelligent information access systems (i.e., BioAnnote, CLEiM and MedCMap) were successfully used to evaluate the teacher's perceptions regarding the utility of these systems and their different methods in learning activities. All teachers reported using active learning methods in the classroom, most of which were computer programs that were used for initially designing and later executing learning activities. All teachers used case-based learning methods in the classroom, with a specific emphasis on case reports written in Spanish and/or English. In general, few or none of the teachers were familiar with the technical terms related to the technologies used for these activities such as "intelligent systems" or "concept/mental maps". However, they clearly realized the potential applicability of such approaches in both the preparation and the effective use of these activities in the classroom. Specifically, the themes highlighted by a greater number of teachers after analyzing the responses to the open-ended questions were the usefulness of BioAnnote system to provide reliable sources of medical information and the usefulness of the bilingual nature of CLEiM system for learning medical terminology in English. Three intelligent information access systems were successfully used to evaluate the teacher's perceptions regarding the utility of these systems in learning activities. The results of this study showed that integration of reliable sources of information, bilingualism and selective annotation of concepts were the most valued features by the teachers, who also considered the incorporation of these systems into learning activities to be potentially very useful. In addition, in the context of our experimental conditions, our work provides useful insights into the way to appropriately integrate this type of intelligent information access systems into learning activities, revealing key themes to consider when developing such approaches. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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
The Field Trip as a Positive Experience for the Learning Disabled.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Charles C., III

1993-01-01

Describes a 12-year program in which learning-disabled students visit an ice cream making company in Providence, RI. Provides instructional objectives and procedures for the activity. Includes suggestions for postactivity discussion and student evaluation. (CFR)
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.
Diverse expected gradient active learning for relative attributes.

PubMed

You, Xinge; Wang, Ruxin; Tao, Dacheng

2014-07-01

The use of relative attributes for semantic understanding of images and videos is a promising way to improve communication between humans and machines. However, it is extremely labor- and time-consuming to define multiple attributes for each instance in large amount of data. One option is to incorporate active learning, so that the informative samples can be actively discovered and then labeled. However, most existing active-learning methods select samples one at a time (serial mode), and may therefore lose efficiency when learning multiple attributes. In this paper, we propose a batch-mode active-learning method, called diverse expected gradient active learning. This method integrates an informativeness analysis and a diversity analysis to form a diverse batch of queries. Specifically, the informativeness analysis employs the expected pairwise gradient length as a measure of informativeness, while the diversity analysis forces a constraint on the proposed diverse gradient angle. Since simultaneous optimization of these two parts is intractable, we utilize a two-step procedure to obtain the diverse batch of queries. A heuristic method is also introduced to suppress imbalanced multiclass distributions. Empirical evaluations of three different databases demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed approach.
Diverse Expected Gradient Active Learning for Relative Attributes.

PubMed

You, Xinge; Wang, Ruxin; Tao, Dacheng

2014-06-02

The use of relative attributes for semantic understanding of images and videos is a promising way to improve communication between humans and machines. However, it is extremely labor- and time-consuming to define multiple attributes for each instance in large amount of data. One option is to incorporate active learning, so that the informative samples can be actively discovered and then labeled. However, most existing active-learning methods select samples one at a time (serial mode), and may therefore lose efficiency when learning multiple attributes. In this paper, we propose a batch-mode active-learning method, called Diverse Expected Gradient Active Learning (DEGAL). This method integrates an informativeness analysis and a diversity analysis to form a diverse batch of queries. Specifically, the informativeness analysis employs the expected pairwise gradient length as a measure of informativeness, while the diversity analysis forces a constraint on the proposed diverse gradient angle. Since simultaneous optimization of these two parts is intractable, we utilize a two-step procedure to obtain the diverse batch of queries. A heuristic method is also introduced to suppress imbalanced multi-class distributions. Empirical evaluations of three different databases demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed approach.
Competency and an active learning program in undergraduate nursing education.

PubMed

Shin, Hyunsook; Sok, Sohyune; Hyun, Kyung Sun; Kim, Mi Ja

2015-03-01

To evaluate the effect of an active learning program on competency of senior students. Active learning strategies have been used to help students achieve desired nursing competency, but their effectiveness has not been systematically examined. A descriptive, cross-sectional comparative design was used. Two cohort group comparisons using t-test were made: one in an active learning group and the other in a traditional learning group. A total of 147 senior nursing students near graduation participated in this study: 73 in 2010 and 74 in 2013. The active learning program incorporated high-fidelity simulation, situation-based case studies, standardized patients, audio-video playback, reflective activities and technology such as a SmartPad-based program. The overall scores of the nursing competency in the active group were significantly higher than those in the traditional group. Of five overall subdomains, the scores of the special and general clinical performance competency, critical thinking and human understanding were significantly higher in the active group than in the traditional group. Importance-performance analysis showed that all five subdomains of the active group clustered in the high importance and high performance quadrant, indicating significantly better achievements. In contrast, the students in the traditional group showed scattered patterns in three quadrants, excluding the low importance and low performance quadrants. This pattern indicates that the traditional learning method did not yield the high performance in most important areas. The findings of this study suggest that an active learning strategy is useful for helping undergraduate students to gain competency. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The dense core vesicle protein IA-2, but not IA-2β, is required for active avoidance learning.

PubMed

Carmona, G N; Nishimura, T; Schindler, C W; Panlilio, L V; Notkins, A L

2014-06-06

The islet-antigens IA-2 and IA-2β are major autoantigens in type-1 diabetes and transmembrane proteins in dense core vesicles (DCV). Recently we showed that deletion of both IA-2 and IA-2β alters the secretion of hormones and neurotransmitters and impairs behavior and learning. The present study was designed to evaluate the contribution to learning of each of these genes by using single knockout (SKO) and double knockout (DKO) mice in an active avoidance test. After 5 days of training, wild-type (WT) mice showed 60-70% active avoidance responses, whereas the DKO mice showed only 10-15% active avoidance responses. The degree of active avoidance responses in the IA-2 SKO mice was similar to that of the DKO mice, but in contrast, the IA-2β SKO mice behaved like WT mice showing 60-70% active avoidance responses. Molecular studies revealed a marked decrease in the phosphorylation of the cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CAMKII) in the striatum and hippocampus of the IA-2 SKO and DKO mice, but not in the IA-2β SKO mice. To evaluate the role of CREB and CAMKII in the SKO and DKO mice, GBR-12909, which selectively blocks the dopamine uptake transporter and increases CREB and CAMKII phosphorylation, was administered. GBR-12909 restored the phosphorylation of CREB and CAMKII and increased active avoidance learning in the DKO and IA-2 SKO to near the normal levels found in the WT and IA-2β SKO mice. We conclude that in the absence of the DCV protein IA-2, active avoidance learning is impaired. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Collaborative learning in pre-clinical dental hygiene education.

PubMed

Mueller-Joseph, Laura J; Nappo-Dattoma, Luisa

2013-04-01

Dental hygiene education continues to move beyond mastery of content material and skill development to learning concepts that promote critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of collaborative learning and determine the growth in intellectual development of 54 first-year dental hygiene students. The control group used traditional pre-clinical teaching and the experimental group used collaborative pedagogy for instrument introduction. All students were subjected to a post-test evaluating their ability to apply the principles of instrumentation. Intellectual development was determined using pre- and post-tests based on the Perry Scheme of Intellectual Development. Student attitudes were assessed using daily Classroom Assessment Activities and an end-of-semester departmental course evaluation. Findings indicated no significant difference between collaborative learning and traditional learning in achieving pre-clinical competence as evidenced by the students' ability to apply the principles of instrumentation. Advancement in intellectual development did not differ significantly between groups. Value added benefits of a collaborative learning environment as identified by the evaluation of student attitudes included decreased student reliance on authority, recognition of peers as legitimate sources of learning and increased self-confidence. A significant difference in student responses to daily classroom assessments was evident on the 5 days a collaborative learning environment was employed. Dental hygiene students involved in a pre-clinical collaborative learning environment are more responsible for their own learning and tend to have a more positive attitude toward the subject matter. Future studies evaluating collaborative learning in clinical dental hygiene education need to investigate the cost/benefit ratio of the value added outcomes of collaborative learning.
The Views of Undergraduates about Problem-Based Learning Applications in a Biochemistry Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tarhan, Leman; Ayyildiz, Yildizay

2015-01-01

The effect of problem-based learning (PBL) applications in an undergraduate biochemistry course on students' interest in this course was investigated through four modules during one semester. Students' views about active learning and improvement in social skills were also collected and evaluated. We conducted the study with 36 senior students from…
Practicing Learner-Centered Teaching: Pedagogical Design and Assessment of a Second Life Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schiller, Shu Z.

2009-01-01

Guided by the principles of learner-centered teaching methodology, a Second Life project is designed to engage students in active learning of virtual commerce through hands-on experiences and teamwork in a virtual environment. More importantly, an assessment framework is proposed to evaluate the learning objectives and learning process of the…
Development of a Mobile Learning System Based on a Collaborative Problem-Posing Strategy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sung, Han-Yu; Hwang, Gwo-Jen; Chang, Ya-Chi

2016-01-01

In this study, a problem-posing strategy is proposed for supporting collaborative mobile learning activities. Accordingly, a mobile learning environment has been developed, and an experiment on a local culture course has been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Three classes of an elementary school in southern Taiwan…
Best Practices in Digital Object Development for Education: Promoting Excellence and Innovation in Instructional Quality and Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reece, Amanda A.

2016-01-01

A program of development of online learning resources should provide content, resources, support and activities to promote excellence and innovation in instructional quality and assessment. This article provides details on five best practices in digital object development for teaching and learning. In addition, an evaluation of the learning object…
Gamification for Engaging Computer Science Students in Learning Activities: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ibáñez, Maria-Blanca; Di-Serio, Ángela; Delgado-Kloos, Carlos

2014-01-01

Gamification is the use of game design elements in non-game settings to engage participants and encourage desired behaviors. It has been identified as a promising technique to improve students' engagement which could have a positive impact on learning. This study evaluated the learning effectiveness and engagement appeal of a gamified learning…
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…
The Effect of a Stimulating Learning Environment on Pre-Service Teachers' Motivation and 21st Century Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nissim, Yonit; Weissblueth, Eyal; Scott-Webber, Lennie; Amar, Shimon

2016-01-01

We investigated the effect of an innovative technology-supported learning environment on pre-service student teachers' motivation and 21st century skills. Students and instructors filled-in the Active Learning Post Occupancy Evaluation (AL-POE) questionnaire. Analysis included tests for individual items and a comparison of the overall mean,…
Incorporating active-learning techniques and competency assessment into a critical care elective course.

PubMed

Malcom, Daniel R; Hibbs, Jennifer L

2012-09-10

To design, implement, and measure the effectiveness of a critical care elective course for second-year students in a 3-year accelerated doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program. A critical care elective course was developed that used active-learning techniques, including cooperative learning and group presentations, to deliver content on critical care topics. Group presentations had to include a disease state overview, practice guidelines, and clinical recommendations, and were evaluated by course faculty members and peers. Students' mean scores on a 20-question critical-care competency assessment administered before and after the course improved by 11% (p < 0.05). Course evaluations and comments were positive. A critical care elective course resulted in significantly improved competency in critical care and was well-received by students.
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.
The CEIC Review, 2001.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Page, Stephen, Ed.

2001-01-01

These six issues examine education in the inner cities. Titles include: "Pathways to School/Community/Family Partnership Results: Measures of Success and Student Learning" (e.g., promoting community partnerships and active learning through federal policy and linking child development knowledge with partnership evaluation); "Emerging…
The Demand for, and Impact of, Learning HIV Status

PubMed Central

Thornton, Rebecca L.

2011-01-01

This paper evaluates an experiment in which individuals in rural Malawi were randomly assigned monetary incentives to learn their HIV results after being tested. Distance to the HIV results centers was also randomly assigned. Without any incentive, 34 percent of the participants learned their HIV results. However, even the smallest incentive doubled that share. Using the randomly assigned incentives and distance from results centers as instruments for the knowledge of HIV status, sexually active HIV-positive individuals who learned their results are three times more likely to purchase condoms two months later than sexually active HIV-positive individuals who did not learn their results; however, HIV-positive individuals who learned their results purchase only two additional condoms than those who did not. There is no significant effect of learning HIV-negative status on the purchase of condoms. PMID:21687831
Learned helplessness in the multiple sclerosis population.

PubMed

McGuinness, S

1996-06-01

The purpose of this cross-sectional, descriptive study was to describe the relationships between learned helplessness and disease status, functional and social disability, and disease activity in the multiple sclerosis population. Additionally, the relationships between learned helplessness and age, disease duration, education and marital and employment status were evaluated. Self-report instruments with established validity and reliability in the multiple sclerosis population were used to collect the data. Learned helplessness was significantly positively correlated with social and functional disability. Although not significant at the .05 level, disease status and disease activity were also positively correlated with learned helplessness. Additionally, unemployed individuals were more likely to be helpless than employed individuals. Overall, the results suggest that learned helplessness is related to negative health indicators in the multiple sclerosis population. Nursing interventions to decrease or prevent learned helplessness may be appropriate in this population.
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.
Intentional learning: A concept analysis.

PubMed

Mollman, Sarah; Candela, Lori

2018-01-01

To use a concept analysis to determine a clear definition of the term "intentional learning" for use in nursing. The term intentional learning has been used for years in educational, business, and even nursing literature. It has been used to denote processes leading to higher order thinking and the ability to use knowledge in new situations; both of which are important skills to develop in nursing students. But the lack of a common, accepted definition of the term makes it difficult for nurse educators to base instruction and learning experiences on or to evaluate its overall effectiveness in educating students for diverse, fast-paced clinical practices. A concept analysis following the eight-step method developed by Walker and Avant (2011). Empirical and descriptive literature. Five defining attributes were identified: (1) self-efficacy for learning, (2) active, effortful, and engaged learning, (3) mastery of goals where learning is the goal, (4) self-directed learning, and (5) self-regulation of learning. Through this concept analysis, nursing will have a clear definition of intentional learning. This will enable nurse educators to generate, evaluate, and test learning experiences that promote further development of intentional learning in nursing students. Nurses in practice will also be able to evaluate if the stated benefits are demonstrated and how this impacts patient care and outcomes. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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
Excellence in Physics Education Award Talk: Sharing Active Learning Strategies in the Developed and Developing Worlds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sokoloff, David

2010-02-01

Since the first series of National Microcomputer Based Laboratory (MBL) Institutes for Teachers of Physics in Summer, 1987, the Activity Based Physics Group (ABP) has presented numerous professional development institutes and workshops to thousands of high school, college and university faculty, sponsored by National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Education, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and others. An overview of these programs and details of our instructional strategies will be presented. Some common features of these include: (1) motivating participants through introduction to active learning research literature, including exposure to conceptual evaluations and student learning gains in traditional and active learning courses, (2) exposing participants to active learning strategies through intensive hands-on work using classroom tested curricular materials, (3) relying on these materials to enhance teacher knowledge and correct misconceptions---when necessary, (4) providing opportunities to practice active learning instruction with other participants and (5) distributing or facilitating procurement of equipment and supplies needed to get started. Recently, ABP group members have been working with physics educators from other countries to introduce active learning strategies in the developing world. New programs such as Active Learning in Optics and Photonics (ALOP, UNESCO) and Physware (ICTP/UNESCO/IUPAP), that support active learning using low-cost equipment, have been developed for this purpose. To date, ALOP workshops have been presented to over 500 secondary and college faculty in Ghana, Tunisia, Morocco, India, Tanzania, Brazil, Mexico, Zambia, Cameroon, Colombia, Nepal and Chile, and the ALOP Training Manual has been translated into French and Spanish. The first Physware workshop, held at ICTP in Trieste in 2009, had 32 participants most of whom were from developing countries in Africa, Asia and South America. These programs will be described. )

Learning a locomotor task: with or without errors?

PubMed

Marchal-Crespo, Laura; Schneider, Jasmin; Jaeger, Lukas; Riener, Robert

2014-03-04

Robotic haptic guidance is the most commonly used robotic training strategy to reduce performance errors while training. However, research on motor learning has emphasized that errors are a fundamental neural signal that drive motor adaptation. Thus, researchers have proposed robotic therapy algorithms that amplify movement errors rather than decrease them. However, to date, no study has analyzed with precision which training strategy is the most appropriate to learn an especially simple task. In this study, the impact of robotic training strategies that amplify or reduce errors on muscle activation and motor learning of a simple locomotor task was investigated in twenty two healthy subjects. The experiment was conducted with the MAgnetic Resonance COmpatible Stepper (MARCOS) a special robotic device developed for investigations in the MR scanner. The robot moved the dominant leg passively and the subject was requested to actively synchronize the non-dominant leg to achieve an alternating stepping-like movement. Learning with four different training strategies that reduce or amplify errors was evaluated: (i) Haptic guidance: errors were eliminated by passively moving the limbs, (ii) No guidance: no robot disturbances were presented, (iii) Error amplification: existing errors were amplified with repulsive forces, (iv) Noise disturbance: errors were evoked intentionally with a randomly-varying force disturbance on top of the no guidance strategy. Additionally, the activation of four lower limb muscles was measured by the means of surface electromyography (EMG). Strategies that reduce or do not amplify errors limit muscle activation during training and result in poor learning gains. Adding random disturbing forces during training seems to increase attention, and therefore improve motor learning. Error amplification seems to be the most suitable strategy for initially less skilled subjects, perhaps because subjects could better detect their errors and correct them. Error strategies have a great potential to evoke higher muscle activation and provoke better motor learning of simple tasks. Neuroimaging evaluation of brain regions involved in learning can provide valuable information on observed behavioral outcomes related to learning processes. The impacts of these strategies on neurological patients need further investigations.
Developing teaching process for enhancing students' mathematical problem solving in the 21st century through STEM education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prawvichien, Sutthaporn; Siripun, Kulpatsorn; Yuenyong, Chokchai

2018-01-01

The STEM education could provide the context for students' learning in the 21st century. The Mathematical problem solving requires a context which simulates real life in order to give students experience of the power of mathematics in the world around them. This study aimed to develop the teaching process for enhancing students' mathematical problem solving in the 21st century through STEM education. The paper will clarify the STEM learning activities about graph theories regarding on the 6 steps of engineering design process. These include identify a challenge, exploring ideas, designing and planning, doing and developing, test and evaluate, and present the solution. The learning activities will start from the Identify a challenge stage which provides the northern part of Thailand flooding situation in order to set the students' tasks of develop the solutions of providing the routes of fastest moving people away from the flooding areas. The explore ideas stage will provide activities for enhance students to learn some knowledge based for designing the possible solutions. This knowledge based could focus on measuring, geometry, graph theory, and mathematical process. The design and plan stage will ask students to model the city based on the map and then provide the possible routes. The doing and development stage will ask students to develop the routes based on their possible model. The test and evaluating will ask students to clarify how to test and evaluate the possible routes, and then test it. The present solution stage will ask students to present the whole process of designing routes. Then, the paper will discuss how these learning activities could enhance students' mathematical problem solving. The paper may have implication for STEM education in school setting.
Antibiotic exposure and bacterial resistance in human and veterinary medicine: a problem-based learning topic for Master's students.

PubMed

Eveillard, Matthieu; Pouliquen, Hervé; Ruvoen, Nathalie; Couvreur, Sébastien; Krempf, Michel; Magras, Catherine; Lepelletier, Didier

2017-03-01

This report describes a problem-based learning activity concerning antibiotic exposure and bacterial resistance in human and veterinary medicine. In addition, learning outcomes and satisfaction of students were recorded by the supervisors of the activity. The students all participated actively in the group work and considered that the small size of the group facilitated interpersonal communication. They believed that working in an interdisciplinary group helped them learn better than if they were following specific courses. They also reported that their mid-term meeting with one of the supervisors was a catalyst for the initiation of a real work group. Concerning the evaluation of the activity itself, the supervisors considered that the group provided a relevant analysis of the issue. These characteristics should encourage teachers to test this method of learning certain aspects of microbiology and infectious diseases with their students. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Action Research to Improve the Learning Space for Diagnostic Techniques.

PubMed

Ariel, Ellen; Owens, Leigh

2015-12-01

The module described and evaluated here was created in response to perceived learning difficulties in diagnostic test design and interpretation for students in third-year Clinical Microbiology. Previously, the activities in lectures and laboratory classes in the module fell into the lower cognitive operations of "knowledge" and "understanding." The new approach was to exchange part of the traditional activities with elements of interactive learning, where students had the opportunity to engage in deep learning using a variety of learning styles. The effectiveness of the new curriculum was assessed by means of on-course student assessment throughout the module, a final exam, an anonymous questionnaire on student evaluation of the different activities and a focus group of volunteers. Although the new curriculum enabled a major part of the student cohort to achieve higher pass grades (p < 0.001), it did not meet the requirements of the weaker students, and the proportion of the students failing the module remained at 34%. The action research applied here provided a number of valuable suggestions from students on how to improve future curricula from their perspective. Most importantly, an interactive online program that facilitated flexibility in the learning space for the different reagents and their interaction in diagnostic tests was proposed. The methods applied to improve and assess a curriculum refresh by involving students as partners in the process, as well as the outcomes, are discussed. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education.
Learning on the Job: Teacher Evaluation Can Foster Real Growth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritter, Gary W.; Barnett, Joshua H.

2016-01-01

Since 2010, there has been much policy activity on teacher evaluation. Many education policy makers have embraced the idea that improved teacher evaluation can cultivate genuine improvements in the teaching force and improved student outcomes. Can genuine evaluation actually enhance the effectiveness of those evaluated? Using structured interviews…
Transforming an Introductory Programming Course: From Lectures to Active Learning via Wireless Laptops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barak, Miri; Harward, Judson; Kocur, George; Lerman, Steven

2007-08-01

Within the framework of MIT's course 1.00: Introduction to Computers and Engineering Problem Solving, this paper describes an innovative project entitled: Studio 1.00 that integrates lectures with in-class demonstrations, active learning sessions, and on-task feedback, through the use of wireless laptop computers. This paper also describes a related evaluation study that investigated the effectiveness of different instructional strategies, comparing traditional teaching with two models of the studio format. Students' learning outcomes, specifically, their final grades and conceptual understanding of computational methods and programming, were examined. Findings indicated that Studio-1.00, in both its extensive- and partial-active learning modes, enhanced students' learning outcomes in Java programming. Comparing to the traditional courses, more students in the studio courses received "A" as their final grade and less failed. Moreover, students who regularly attended the active learning sessions were able to conceptualize programming principles better than their peers. We have also found two weaknesses in the teaching format of Studio-1.00 that can guide future versions of the course.
Skill Development in Experimental Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bagán, Héctor; Sayós, Rosa; García, José F.

2015-01-01

Experimental courses offer a good opportunity to work with competences, promoting the incorporation of strategies oriented towards motivating students to actively involve in the learning process, promoting reflexive learning and developing generic skills. This study presents different ways of developing and evaluating some important general…
Teaching evidence-based practice principles to prepare health professions students for an interprofessional learning experience.

PubMed

Aronoff, Nell; Stellrecht, Elizabeth; Lyons, Amy G; Zafron, Michelle L; Glogowski, Maryruth; Grabowski, Jeremiah; Ohtake, Patricia J

2017-10-01

The research assessed online learning modules designed to teach health professions students evidence-based practice (EBP) principles in an interprofessional context across two institutions. Students from nine health professions at two institutions were recruited to participate in this pilot project consisting of two online learning modules designed to prepare students for an in-person case-based interprofessional activity. Librarians and an instructional designer created two EBP modules. Students' competence in EBP was assessed before and after the modules as well as after the in-person activity. Students evaluated the online learning modules and their impact on the students' learning after the in-person session. A total of 39 students from 8 health professions programs participated in the project. Average quiz scores for online EBP module 1 and module 2 were 83% and 76%, respectively. Following completion of the learning modules, adapted Fresno test of competence in EBP scores increased ( p =0.001), indicating that the modules improved EBP skill competence. Student evaluations of the learning modules were positive. Students indicated that they acquired new information skills that contributed to their ability to develop a patient care plan and that they would use these information skills in their future clinical practice. Online EBP learning modules were effective in developing EBP knowledge and skills for health professions students. Using the same modules ensured that students from different health professions at different stages of their professional programs had consistent knowledge and enabled each student to fully engage in an interprofessional evidence-based activity. Student feedback indicated the modules were valued and beneficial.
Study of behavioral parameters during learning of rats in an operant feeding task and evaluation of biochemical indexes after dietary consumption of the phytoecdysteroid extract.

PubMed

Murtazina, E P; Sidorova, Yu S; Zhuravlev, B V; Mazo, V K; Zorin, S N; Volodin, V V

2014-11-01

Experiments on rats were performed to study the process of operant feeding learning, locomotor activity, oxygen consumption, and concentrations of corticosterone, β-endorphin, and prostaglandin E in blood serum after dietary treatment with the phytoecdysteroid extract. Administration of phytoecdysteroids was followed by the improvement of learning and increase in oxygen consumption and locomotor activity. Locomotor activity and oxygen consumption in the majority of control rats and phytoecdysteroid-treated animals were shown to be interrelated with the total locomotor activity and goal-directed operant behavior, respectively. No significant differences were found in the concentration of hormones in blood serum from animals of the control and treatment groups.
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.
Informing Evaluation Capacity Building through Profiling Organizational Capacity for Evaluation: An Empirical Examination of Four Canadian Federal Government Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bourgeois, Isabelle; Cousins, J. Bradley

2008-01-01

According to the literature published on the topic, the development of an organization's capacity to do and use evaluation typically follows four stages: "traditional evaluation," characterized by externally mandated evaluation activities; "awareness and experimentation," during which organizational members learn about evaluation and its benefits…
Enjoyable learning: the role of humour, games, and fun activities in nursing and midwifery education.

PubMed

Baid, Heather; Lambert, Nicky

2010-08-01

Education that captures the attention of students is an essential aspect of promoting meaningful, active learning. Rather than standing at the front of a group of learners simply speaking about a topic, teachers have the opportunity of livening up their teaching with humour, games, and other fun activities. This article critically evaluates the benefits and limitations of humour within nursing education as well as the use of games and fun activities as teaching strategies. Examples of various games and interactive activities are also provided. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Contextualized Measurement of Self-Efficacy and College Students' Perceived Sources of Self-Efficacy in Introductory Plant Science Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keefe, Lisa Madalon

2013-01-01

Institutions of higher learning are recently being held more accountable for the learning outcomes of their students. As such, universities have begun to actively measure and evaluate student learning and motivational outcomes in an effort to improve the successful outcomes of their students. To support this work, two studies were conducted to…
Tryout and Evaluation of Prototype LMS (Learning Mastery System) Training System Under Exclusive Use Agreement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Cheryl; Hylton, John A.

In 1970-1971 Learning Mastery System (LMS) materials were made available to schools within the state of California under an Exclusive Use Agreement. The LMS is a set of materials and procedures prepared by the Southwest Regional Laboratory (SWRL) as an objectives-based framework to assist in managing the learning activities of existing reading…
Faculty and Second-Year Medical Student Perceptions of Active Learning in an Integrated Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsang, Alexander; Harris, David M.

2016-01-01

Patients expect physicians to be lifelong learners who are able to interpret and evaluate diagnostic tests, and most medical schools list the development of lifelong learning in their program objectives. However, lecture is the most often utilized form of teaching in the first two years and is considered passive learning. The current generation of…
Online Learning Community Development with Teachers as a Means of Enhancing Initial Teacher Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hramiak, Alison

2010-01-01

A purpose-built blend of teaching and learning activities was used with trainee teachers on a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) course, and subsequently evaluated in a cyclical action research study, over a period of two years. The purpose of the blend was to engender the formation of a learning community, by giving them access to each…
Students' Satisfaction with the Group Work Method and Its Performance Evaluation: A Survey in an Italian University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zedda, Massimo; Bernardelli, Silvia; Maran, Daniela Acquadro

2017-01-01

Group Work Learning Method is a cooperative learning technique that has positive effects in learning: students' active participation can increase both cognitive and social skills. Our work involved three cohorts of students of different years attending the same course at the University of Torino, Department of Psychology. The contents of the…
Digital Technologies for Promoting "Student Voice" and Co-Creating Learning Experience in an Academic Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blau, Ina; Shamir-Inbal, Tamar

2018-01-01

"Student voice" (SV) refers to listening to and valuing students' views regarding their learning experiences, as well as treating them as equal partners in the evaluation process. This is expected, in turn, to empower students to take a more active role in shaping their learning. This study explores the role played by digital…
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…
Aligning What We Do and What We Measure in Business Schools: Incorporating Active Learning and Effective Media Use in the Assessment of Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Serva, Mark A.; Fuller, Mark A.

2004-01-01

Current methods of evaluating learning and instruction have not kept pace with changes in learning theory, or with the transformed technological infrastructure of the modern business school classroom. Without reliable and valid instructional measurement systems, it is virtually impossible to benchmark new pedagogical techniques, assess the value…

Advancing student nurse knowledge of the biomedical sciences: A mixed methods study.

PubMed

Craft, Judy; Christensen, Martin; Bakon, Shannon; Wirihana, Lisa

2017-01-01

Nursing students' ability to learn, integrate and apply bioscience knowledge to their clinical practice remains a concern. To evaluate the implementation, influence, and student perspective of a team-teaching workshop to integrate bioscience theory with clinical nursing practice. The team-teaching workshop was offered prior to commencement of the university semester as a refresher course at an Australian university. This study employed a sequential explanatory mixed methods design incorporating both quantitative and qualitative items. An evaluation survey with quantitative and qualitative items and a focus group were employed. The qualitative data were analysed using a thematic approach. The quantitative data was combined with the emergent themes in the qualitative data. Participants were final year nursing students. Nine students attended the workshop. All students completed the evaluation (N=9) and 44.4% (N=4) attended the focus group. The results revealed six themes: (1) lectures are an inadequate teaching strategy for bioscience; (2) teaching strategies which incorporate active learning engage students; (3) the team-teaching workshop provides an effective learning environment; (4) the workshop content should be expanded; (5) pharmacology should relate to bioscience, and bioscience should relate to nursing; and (6) team-teaching was effective in integrating pharmacology with bioscience, and then translating this into nursing practice. Students had felt there was disjointedness between pharmacology and bioscience, and between bioscience and nursing care within their undergraduate studies. The workshop that was based on team-teaching bridged those gaps, utilised active learning strategies and provided an effective learning environment. Team-teaching that employs active learning strategies is an effective approach to assist nursing students to integrate bioscience knowledge into their nursing practice. Copyright Â© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Sequence Matters but How Exactly? A Method for Evaluating Activity Sequences from Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doroudi, Shayan; Holstein, Kenneth; Aleven, Vincent; Brunskill, Emma

2016-01-01

How should a wide variety of educational activities be sequenced to maximize student learning? Although some experimental studies have addressed this question, educational data mining methods may be able to evaluate a wider range of possibilities and better handle many simultaneous sequencing constraints. We introduce Sequencing Constraint…
Seeking the General Explanation: A Test of Inductive Activities for Learning and Transfer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shemwell, Jonathan T.; Chase, Catherine C.; Schwartz, Daniel L.

2015-01-01

Evaluating the relation between evidence and theory should be a central activity for science learners. Evaluation comprises both hypothetico-deductive analysis, where theory precedes evidence, and inductive synthesis, where theory emerges from evidence. There is mounting evidence that induction is an especially good way to help learners grasp the…
Attitudinal Effects of a Student-Centered Active Learning Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliver-Hoyo, Maria T.; Allen, Deedee

2005-06-01

The importance of attitudes toward science has risen from widely accepted assumptions that achievement and attitude are positively interdependent and that affective variables are as important as cognitive variables in molding student learning. This report examines the effect on student attitudes toward learning chemistry in an active learning environment that has incorporated elements believed to positively influence student attitudes toward science including cooperative learning, hands-on activities, real-world applications, and engaging technology. These elements were considered for synergetic effects and not as individual contributors to the overall results. Two different sections of the same general chemistry course participated. The lecture setting was used as the control. Residualized gain scores were used to compare net changes in student attitudes. Data were analyzed for possible differences in gain for different academic majors. Anxiety in chemistry was monitored for the two class settings in three areas, learning in chemistry, chemistry evaluation, and chemical handling. Qualitative student feedback was also collected and is summarized in this report on the attitudinal aspects of instruction.
Evaluation of doctoral nursing programs in Japan by faculty members and their educational and research activities.

PubMed

Arimoto, Azusa; Gregg, Misuzu F; Nagata, Satoko; Miki, Yuko; Murashima, Sachiyo

2012-07-01

Evaluation of doctoral programs in nursing is becoming more important with the rapid increase in the programs in Japan. This study aimed to evaluate doctoral nursing programs by faculty members and to analyze the relationship of the evaluation with educational and research activities of faculty members in Japan. Target settings were all 46 doctoral nursing programs. Eighty-five faculty members from 28 programs answered the questionnaire, which included 17 items for program evaluation, 12 items for faculty evaluation, 9 items for resource evaluation, 3 items for overall evaluations, and educational and research activities. A majority gave low evaluations for sources of funding, the number of faculty members and support staff, and administrative systems. Faculty members who financially supported a greater number of students gave a higher evaluation for extramural funding support, publication, provision of diverse learning experiences, time of supervision, and research infrastructure. The more time a faculty member spent on advising doctoral students, the higher were their evaluations on the supportive learning environment, administrative systems, time of supervision, and timely feedback on students' research. The findings of this study indicate a need for improvement in research infrastructure, funding sources, and human resources to achieve quality nursing doctoral education in Japan. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
[Changes in hemispheric asymmetry under intensive foreign language instruction].

PubMed

Bykova, L G; Smirnova, T I

1991-01-01

By means of dichotic listening test the study of perception dynamics was conducted in 20 persons during their intensive learning of French and German languages. Before the beginning of learning in all subjects, except three ones, the left hemisphere dominated in relation to verbal functions. In the process of learning in 84% of subjects activization of the opposite hemisphere was observed. In persons with the same initial level of language knowledge the success in colloquial practice was by expert evaluation as higher as bigger was the shift of the right ear coefficient at learning. The latter makes possible to evaluate quantitatively intellectual efforts spent in the process of learning. The authors suggest that such psychophysiological control of perception could be a support in solution of the problem of optimization of learning with the use of individual approach.
Structural conceptualization of learning experiences in nursing master's degree programs utilized in occupational health nursing activities.

PubMed

Aoyama, Wakako; Tatsumi, Asami

2017-01-31

In this study, concepts were constructed that express learning experiences in nursing master's degree programs utilized in occupational health nursing activities with the aim of clarifying those characteristics. This was based on the idea that elucidation of the characteristics of learning experiences in nursing master's degree programs used in occupational health nursing activities would be meaningful in providing high-quality occupational health services that respond to the needs of society. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 people who fulfilled the three conditions of having completed a master's degree programs, working as an occupational health nurse after completion of the program, and not continuing on to a doctoral program. The nursing conceptualization method of Naomi Funashima was used. From the obtained data, 512 code items expressing learning experiences in master's degree programs utilized in occupational health nursing activities were identified. These items included five core categories (concepts), 34 categories, and 69 subcategories. The five concepts constructed were "Pursuit of expertise and self-evaluation," "Mutual understanding of various people that leads to human resources utilization," "Theoretical and academic learning that influences changes in activities," "Research learning that lead to activities based on scientific evidence," and "Learning that leads to high-quality activities making use of expertise." It was found that various learning experiences in the master's program to pursue the specialty of occupational health nurses in order to recognize their roles as well as the experiences to take the initiative in learning had been integrated in their activities after completion of the course and had contributed to their high-quality occupational health nursing activities. It was suggested that the learning experiences in the master's program, which had been revealed in this study, were the experiences necessary for providing high-quality occupational health nursing activities to satisfy the social needs.
Big Bang! An Evaluation of NASA's Space School Musical Program for Elementary and Middle School Learners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haden, C.; Styers, M.; Asplund, S.

2015-12-01

Music and the performing arts can be a powerful way to engage students in learning about science. Research suggests that content-rich songs enhance student understanding of science concepts by helping students develop content-based vocabulary, by providing examples and explanations of concepts, and connecting to personal and situational interest in a topic. Building on the role of music in engaging students in learning, and on best practices in out-of-school time learning, the NASA Discovery and New Frontiers program in association with Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Marshall Space Flight Center, and KidTribe developed Space School Musical. Space School Musical consists of a set of nine songs and 36 educational activities to teach elementary and middle school learners about the solar system and space science through an engaging storyline and the opportunity for active learning. In 2014, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory contracted with Magnolia Consulting, LLC to conduct an evaluation of Space School Musical. Evaluators used a mixed methods approach to address evaluation questions related to educator professional development experiences, program implementation and perceptions, and impacts on participating students. Measures included a professional development feedback survey, facilitator follow-up survey, facilitator interviews, and a student survey. Evaluation results showed that educators were able to use the program in a variety of contexts and in different ways to best meet their instructional needs. They noted that the program worked well for diverse learners and helped to build excitement for science through engaging all learners in the musical. Students and educators reported positive personal and academic benefits to participating students. We present findings from the evaluation and lessons learned about integration of the arts into STEM education.
Understanding the Factors That Support the Use of Active Learning Teaching in STEM Undergraduate Courses: Case Studies in the Field of Geoscience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iverson, Ellen A. Roscoe

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to understand the factors that support the adoption of active learning teaching strategies in undergraduate courses by faculty members, specifically in the STEM disciplines related to geoscience. The focus of the study centered on the context of the department which was identified as a gap in evaluation and…
Neonatal nurses' perceptions of a work-based learning approach.

PubMed

Stanley, Helen; Simmons, Susanne

2011-09-01

To examine how senior neonatal nurses perceive their experience of a continuing professional development module on their practice. A qualitative approach was used. Focus group interviews were held with five senior neonatal nurses at band 6 and 7. Discussions were taped and transcribed verbatim and field notes captured non-verbal communication. Four themes emerged: work-based learning as a new way of learning; barriers to learning at work; professional role development; and complexities of evaluating such learning. Work-based learning emerged as an active form of learning that can develop personal and professional skills required in the neonatal workforce.
An Evaluation of Active Learning Causal Discovery Methods for Reverse-Engineering Local Causal Pathways of Gene Regulation

PubMed Central

Ma, Sisi; Kemmeren, Patrick; Aliferis, Constantin F.; Statnikov, Alexander

2016-01-01

Reverse-engineering of causal pathways that implicate diseases and vital cellular functions is a fundamental problem in biomedicine. Discovery of the local causal pathway of a target variable (that consists of its direct causes and direct effects) is essential for effective intervention and can facilitate accurate diagnosis and prognosis. Recent research has provided several active learning methods that can leverage passively observed high-throughput data to draft causal pathways and then refine the inferred relations with a limited number of experiments. The current study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the performance of active learning methods for local causal pathway discovery in real biological data. Specifically, 54 active learning methods/variants from 3 families of algorithms were applied for local causal pathways reconstruction of gene regulation for 5 transcription factors in S. cerevisiae. Four aspects of the methods’ performance were assessed, including adjacency discovery quality, edge orientation accuracy, complete pathway discovery quality, and experimental cost. The results of this study show that some methods provide significant performance benefits over others and therefore should be routinely used for local causal pathway discovery tasks. This study also demonstrates the feasibility of local causal pathway reconstruction in real biological systems with significant quality and low experimental cost. PMID:26939894
The e-Poster Conference: An Online Nursing Research Course Learning Activity.

PubMed

Pierce, Linda L

2016-09-01

Posters have become one of the most important types of scientific communication. This article describes an e-poster conference as an online learning activity for professional nursing students. Research and evidence-based practice (EBP) project posters from colleagues across the country were placed on a university research course Web site, along with an evaluation tool and discussion prompts. During one semester, students experienced a range of activities focused on understanding research and EBP basic processes in preparation for evaluation and discussion of the layout and content of these e-posters. From all accounts, the conference was rated as positive, providing nursing students with opportunities to (a) view studies and projects from a wider nursing science audience, (b) foster the development of important evaluation and communication skills, and (c) be exposed to evidence that could be translated into their practice. Other schools and organizations may adopt this e-poster conference activity to stimulate professional nurses' critical thinking ability. [J Nurs Educ. 2016;55(9):533-535.]. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.
The Science of Home Automation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Brian Louis

Smart home technologies and the concept of home automation have become more popular in recent years. This popularity has been accompanied by social acceptance of passive sensors installed throughout the home. The subsequent increase in smart homes facilitates the creation of home automation strategies. We believe that home automation strategies can be generated intelligently by utilizing smart home sensors and activity learning. In this dissertation, we hypothesize that home automation can benefit from activity awareness. To test this, we develop our activity-aware smart automation system, CARL (CASAS Activity-aware Resource Learning). CARL learns the associations between activities and device usage from historical data and utilizes the activity-aware capabilities to control the devices. To help validate CARL we deploy and test three different versions of the automation system in a real-world smart environment. To provide a foundation of activity learning, we integrate existing activity recognition and activity forecasting into CARL home automation. We also explore two alternatives to using human-labeled data to train the activity learning models. The first unsupervised method is Activity Detection, and the second is a modified DBSCAN algorithm that utilizes Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) as a distance metric. We compare the performance of activity learning with human-defined labels and with automatically-discovered activity categories. To provide evidence in support of our hypothesis, we evaluate CARL automation in a smart home testbed. Our results indicate that home automation can be boosted through activity awareness. We also find that the resulting automation has a high degree of usability and comfort for the smart home resident.
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.
Student Perceptions of a Flipped Pharmacotherapy Course

PubMed Central

Khanova, Julia; McLaughlin, Jacqueline E.; Rhoney, Denise H.; Roth, Mary T.

2015-01-01

Objective. To evaluate student perception of the flipped classroom redesign of a required pharmacotherapy course. Design. Key foundational content was packaged into interactive, text-based online modules for self-paced learning prior to class. Class time was used for active and applied—but primarily case-based—learning. Assessment. For students with a strong preference for traditional lecture learning, the perception of the learning experience was negatively affected by the flipped course design. Module length and time required to complete preclass preparation were the most frequently cited impediments to learning. Students desired instructor-directed reinforcement of independently acquired knowledge to connect foundational knowledge and its application. Conclusion. This study illustrates the challenges and highlights the importance of designing courses to effectively balance time requirements and connect preclass and in-class learning activities. It underscores the crucial role of the instructor in bridging the gap between material learned as independent study and its application. PMID:26839429
Student-Led Parent-Teacher Conferences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borba, John A.; Olvera, Cherise M.

2001-01-01

Outlines the six-stage process used at Gustine Middle School for student-led parent-teacher conferences. Discusses how this encourages students to participate actively in evaluating their own progress, which motivates them toward personal initiatives to inspire learning, and improves student communication about learning with both parents and…
Exploring the Intersections of Science and History Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Catherine; Cosbey, Allison

2016-01-01

How can history museums incorporate Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) activities while preserving their missions and identities? How do interdisciplinary experiences lead to learning? A cross-institutional exhibit development and evaluation team wrestled with these ideas as they developed "Create.Connect," an National…
Hippocampal SWR Activity Predicts Correct Decisions during the Initial Learning of an Alternation Task

PubMed Central

Singer, Annabelle C.; Carr, Margaret F.; Karlsson, Mattias P.; Frank, Loren M.

2013-01-01

SUMMARY The hippocampus frequently replays memories of past experiences during sharp-wave ripple (SWR) events. These events can represent spatial trajectories extending from the animal’s current location to distant locations, suggesting a role in the evaluation of upcoming choices. While SWRs have been linked to learning and memory, the specific role of awake replay remains unclear. Here we show that there is greater coordinated neural activity during SWRs preceding correct, as compared to incorrect, trials in a spatial alternation task. As a result, the proportion of cell pairs coactive during SWRs was predictive of subsequent correct or incorrect responses on a trial-by-trial basis. This effect was seen specifically during early learning, when the hippocampus is essential for task performance. SWR activity preceding correct trials represented multiple trajectories that included both correct and incorrect options. These results suggest that reactivation during awake SWRs contributes to the evaluation of possible choices during memory-guided decision making. PMID:23522050
Comparative evaluation of features and techniques for identifying activity type and estimating energy cost from accelerometer data

PubMed Central

Kate, Rohit J.; Swartz, Ann M.; Welch, Whitney A.; Strath, Scott J.

2016-01-01

Wearable accelerometers can be used to objectively assess physical activity. However, the accuracy of this assessment depends on the underlying method used to process the time series data obtained from accelerometers. Several methods have been proposed that use this data to identify the type of physical activity and estimate its energy cost. Most of the newer methods employ some machine learning technique along with suitable features to represent the time series data. This paper experimentally compares several of these techniques and features on a large dataset of 146 subjects doing eight different physical activities wearing an accelerometer on the hip. Besides features based on statistics, distance based features and simple discrete features straight from the time series were also evaluated. On the physical activity type identification task, the results show that using more features significantly improve results. Choice of machine learning technique was also found to be important. However, on the energy cost estimation task, choice of features and machine learning technique were found to be less influential. On that task, separate energy cost estimation models trained specifically for each type of physical activity were found to be more accurate than a single model trained for all types of physical activities. PMID:26862679
Student Perceptions of Online Radiologic Science Courses.

PubMed

Papillion, Erika; Aaron, Laura

2017-03-01

To evaluate student perceptions of the effectiveness of online radiologic science courses by examining various learning activities and course characteristics experienced in the online learning environment. A researcher-designed electronic survey was used to obtain results from students enrolled in the clinical portion of a radiologic science program that offers online courses. The survey consisted of elements associated with demographics, experience, and perceptions related to online radiologic science courses. Surveys were sent to 35 program directors of Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology-accredited associate and bachelor's degree programs with requests to share the survey with students. The 38 students who participated in the survey identified 4 course characteristics most important for effective online radiologic science courses: a well-organized course, timely instructor feedback, a variety of learning activities, and informative documents, such as course syllabus, calendar, and rubrics. Learner satisfaction is a successful indicator of engagement in online courses. Descriptive statistical analysis indicated that elements related to the instructor's role is one of the most important components of effectiveness in online radiologic science courses. This role includes providing an organized course with informative documents, a variety of learning activities, and timely feedback and communication. Although online courses should provide many meaningful learning activities that appeal to a wide range of learning styles, the nature of the course affects the types of learning activities used and therefore could decrease the ability to vary learning activities. ©2017 American Society of Radiologic Technologists.

Isaac Newton Olympics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Carol

2001-01-01

Presents the Isaac Newton Olympics in which students complete a hands-on activity at seven stations and evaluate what they have learned in the activity and how it is related to real life. Includes both student and teacher instructions for three of the activities. (YDS)
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
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.
Changes in corticostriatal connectivity during reinforcement learning in humans.

PubMed

Horga, Guillermo; Maia, Tiago V; Marsh, Rachel; Hao, Xuejun; Xu, Dongrong; Duan, Yunsuo; Tau, Gregory Z; Graniello, Barbara; Wang, Zhishun; Kangarlu, Alayar; Martinez, Diana; Packard, Mark G; Peterson, Bradley S

2015-02-01

Many computational models assume that reinforcement learning relies on changes in synaptic efficacy between cortical regions representing stimuli and striatal regions involved in response selection, but this assumption has thus far lacked empirical support in humans. We recorded hemodynamic signals with fMRI while participants navigated a virtual maze to find hidden rewards. We fitted a reinforcement-learning algorithm to participants' choice behavior and evaluated the neural activity and the changes in functional connectivity related to trial-by-trial learning variables. Activity in the posterior putamen during choice periods increased progressively during learning. Furthermore, the functional connections between the sensorimotor cortex and the posterior putamen strengthened progressively as participants learned the task. These changes in corticostriatal connectivity differentiated participants who learned the task from those who did not. These findings provide a direct link between changes in corticostriatal connectivity and learning, thereby supporting a central assumption common to several computational models of reinforcement learning. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Home-based vs. laboratory-based practical activities in the learning of human physiology: the perception of students.

PubMed

Neves, Ben-Hur S; Altermann, Caroline; Gonçalves, Rithiele; Lara, Marcus Vinícius; Mello-Carpes, Pâmela B

2017-03-01

Different tools have been used to facilitate the teaching and learning process in different areas of knowledge. Practical activities represent a form of teaching in which students not only listen to theoretical concepts but are also able to link theory and practice, and their importance in the biological sciences is notable. Sometimes, however, there is neither the time nor the resources to promote laboratory practices in physiology classes. In this sense, home-based practical activities may be an interesting alternative. Here, different approaches of practical activities were used and students' perceptions of the contributions of home-based practical activities (HBPA) and laboratory-based practical activities (LBPA) for physiology learning were collected. After each approach, the students evaluated the activities through an anonymous questionnaire. A total of 49 students completed the questionnaires, and the results demonstrate that both HBPA and LBPA were considered important contributors to physiology learning but that this contribution was more significant in the case of LBPA (χ 2 = 4.356, P = 0.037). Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.
Measurement of Usability for Multimedia Interactive Learning Based on Website in Mathematics for SMK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sukardjo, Moch.; Sugiyanta, Lipur

2018-04-01

Web usability, if evaluation done correctly, can significantly improve the quality of the website. Website containing multimedia for education shoud apply user interfaces that are both easy to learn and easy to use. Multimedia has big role in changing the mindset of a person in learning. Using multimedia, learners get easy to obtain information, adjust information and empower information. Therefore, multimedia is utilized by teachers in developing learning techniques to improve student learning outcomes. For students with self-directed learning, multimedia provides the ease and completeness of the courses in such a way that students can complete the learning independently both at school and at home without the guidance of teachers. The learning independence takes place in how students choose, absorb information, and follow the evaluation quickly and efficiently. The 2013 Curriculum 2013 for Vocational High School (SMK) requires teachers to create engaging teaching and learning activities that students enjoy in the classroom (also called invitation learning environment). The creation of learning activity environment is still problem for most teachers. Various researches reveal that teaching and learning activities will be more effective and easy when assisted by visual tools. Using multimedia, learning material can be presented more attractively that help students understand the material easily. The opposite is found in the learning activity environment who only rely on ordinary lectures. Usability is a quality level of multimedia with easy to learn, easy to use and encourages users to use it. The website Multimedia Interactive Learning for Mathematics SMK Class X is targeted object. Usability website in Multimedia Interactive Learning for Mathematics SMK Class X is important indicators to measure effectiveness, efficiency, and student satisfaction to access the functionality of website. This usability measurement should be done carefully before the design is implemented thoroughly. The only way to get test with high quality results is to start testing at the beginning of the design process and continuously testing each of the next steps. This research performs usability testing on of website by using WAMMI criterion (Website Analysis and Measurement Inventory) and will be focused on how convenience using the website application. Components of Attractiveness, Controllability, Efficiency, Helpfulness, and Learnability are applied. The website in Multimedia Interactive Learning for Mathematics SMK Class X can be in accordance with the purpose to be accepted by student to improve student learning outcomes. The results show that WAMMI method show the usability value of Multimedia Mathematics SMK Class X is about from 70% to 90%.
Developing and assessing research-based tools for teaching quantum mechanics and thermodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Benjamin R.

Research-based tools to educate college students in physics courses from introductory level to graduate level are essential for helping students with a diverse set of goals and backgrounds learn physics. This thesis explores issues related to student common difficulties with some topics in undergraduate quantum mechanics and thermodynamics courses. Student difficulties in learning quantum mechanics and thermodynamics are investigated by administering written tests and surveys to many classes and conducting individual interviews with a subset of students outside the class to unpack the cognitive mechanisms of the difficulties. The quantum mechanics research also focuses on using the research on student difficulties for the development and evaluation of a Quantum Interactive Learning Tutorial (QuILT) to help students learn about the time-dependence of expectation values using the context of Larmor precession of spin and evaluating the role of asking students to self-diagnose their mistakes on midterm examination on their performance on subsequent problem solving. The QuILT on Larmor precession of spin has both paper-pencil activities and a simulation component to help students learn these foundational issues in quantum mechanics. Preliminary evaluations suggest that the QuILT, which strives to help students build a robust knowledge structure of time-dependence of expectation values in quantum mechanics using a guided approach, is successful in helping students learn these topics in the junior-senior level quantum mechanics courses. The technique to help upper-level students in quantum mechanics courses effectively engage in the process of learning from their mistakes is also found to be effective. In particular, research shows that the self-diagnosis activity in upper-level quantum mechanics significantly helps students who are struggling and this activity can reduce the gap between the high and low achieving students on subsequent problem solving. Finally, a survey of Thermodynamic Processes and the First and Second Laws (STPFaSL) is developed and validated with the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of these topics in a thermodynamics curriculum. The validity and reliability of this survey are discussed and the student difficulties with these topics among various groups from introductory students to physics graduate students are cataloged.
Operational Test and Evaluation Handbook for Aircrew Training Devices. Volume II. Operational Effectiveness Evaluation

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-02-01

should also convey an understanding of the differ- ences in learning behavior between initial learning activity and later skill maintenance and...refinement might then be, ATTACK MANEUVERS * Pop-up attack # Loft/ LADO type attack * Level/laydown attack Figure 5-4 showe diagrammatically the...sensitive to differ- ences in performance. Severai criteria should be used to guide the selection/development of performance measures, i.e., measure validity
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.
Intelligent Tutoring Methods for Optimizing Learning Outcomes with Embedded Training

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

used to stimulate learning activities, from practice events with real-time coaching, to exercises with after action review. Particularly with free - play virtual...variations of correct performance can be prohibitive in free - play scenarios, and so for such conditions this has led to a state-based approach for...tiered logic that evaluates team member R for proper execution during free - play execution. In the first tier, the evaluation must know when it
Preparing graduate student teaching assistants in the sciences: An intensive workshop focused on active learning.

PubMed

Roden, Julie A; Jakob, Susanne; Roehrig, Casey; Brenner, Tamara J

2018-03-12

In the past ten years, increasing evidence has demonstrated that scientific teaching and active learning improve student retention and learning gains in the sciences. Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs), who play an important role in undergraduate education at many universities, require training in these methods to encourage implementation, long-term adoption, and advocacy. Here, we describe the design and evaluation of a two-day training workshop for first-year GTAs in the life sciences. This workshop combines instruction in current research and theory supporting teaching science through active learning as well as opportunities for participants to practice teaching and receive feedback from peers and mentors. Postworkshop assessments indicated that GTA participants' knowledge of key topics increased during the workshop. In follow-up evaluations, participants reported that the workshop helped them prepare for teaching. This workshop design can easily be adapted to a wide range of science disciplines. Overall, the workshop prepares graduate students to engage, include, and support undergraduates from a variety of backgrounds when teaching in the sciences. © 2018 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2018. © 2018 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Early Lessons in Restructuring Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lieberman, Ann; And Others

Restructuring schools has become a rallying cry among educators. It aims to create schools that are more centered on learner's needs for active, experiential, cooperative, and culturally connected learning opportunities supportive of individual talents and learning styles. This report is based on an early evaluation of the process of restructuring…
Riding the Metro.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlile, Jan

This self-contained unit on the Paris Metro is intended for beginning students of French. The introduction to the teacher specifies the general goal (to be able to use the Metro for transportation), specific learning objectives, equipment needed, and the evaluation procedure. The student's learning activities are divided into four parts and…
Can Teachers Motivate Students to Learn?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thoonen, Erik E. J.; Sleegers, Peter J. C.; Peetsma, Thea T. D.; Oort, Frans J.

2011-01-01

Research on motivation has mainly concentrated on the role of goal orientation and self-evaluation in conducting learning activities. In this paper, we examine the relative importance of teachers' teaching and their efficacy beliefs to explain variation in student motivation. Questionnaires were used to measure the well-being, academic…
The Effects of a Program of Learning Games upon Selected Academic Abilities in Children with Learning Difficulties.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cratty, Bryant J.; Martin, Sister Margaret Mary

Designed to evaluate the effectiveness of active learning games in the enhancement of selected academic operations among Negro and Mexican-American children, the investigation involved 127 children (mean IQ 85, in grades 1 through 4) from the inner city in Los Angeles who were identified as low achievers. The children were divided into four groups…
An Evaluation of Resource Development and Dissemination Activities Designed to Promote Problem-Based Learning at the University of Ulster

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hack, Catherine; McKillop, Aine; Sweetman, Sandra; McCormack, Jacqueline

2015-01-01

The transition from traditional instruction to a problem-based approach to learning requires many changes for educators and for students. The aim of this project was to develop an online problem-based learning (PBL) resource centre to provide academic staff from across the University with support in incorporating PBL in their curriculum design.…
Assessing Online Learning Objects: Student Evaluation of a Guide on the Side Interactive Learning Tutorial Designed by SRJC Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Virtue, Alicia; Dean, Ellen; Matheson, Molly

2014-01-01

More and more of today's scholars conduct their research in a digital realm rather than using a print collection. The University of Arizona Libraries Guide on the Side tutorial software offers an opportunity to apply the principles of active learning with real world research scenarios. This paper reports on the design and introduction of…
Using Active Learning to Identify Health Information Technology Related Patient Safety Events.

PubMed

Fong, Allan; Howe, Jessica L; Adams, Katharine T; Ratwani, Raj M

2017-01-18

The widespread adoption of health information technology (HIT) has led to new patient safety hazards that are often difficult to identify. Patient safety event reports, which are self-reported descriptions of safety hazards, provide one view of potential HIT-related safety events. However, identifying HIT-related reports can be challenging as they are often categorized under other more predominate clinical categories. This challenge of identifying HIT-related reports is exacerbated by the increasing number and complexity of reports which pose challenges to human annotators that must manually review reports. In this paper, we apply active learning techniques to support classification of patient safety event reports as HIT-related. We evaluated different strategies and demonstrated a 30% increase in average precision of a confirmatory sampling strategy over a baseline no active learning approach after 10 learning iterations.
Active appearance model and deep learning for more accurate prostate segmentation on MRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Ruida; Roth, Holger R.; Lu, Le; Wang, Shijun; Turkbey, Baris; Gandler, William; McCreedy, Evan S.; Agarwal, Harsh K.; Choyke, Peter; Summers, Ronald M.; McAuliffe, Matthew J.

2016-03-01

Prostate segmentation on 3D MR images is a challenging task due to image artifacts, large inter-patient prostate shape and texture variability, and lack of a clear prostate boundary specifically at apex and base levels. We propose a supervised machine learning model that combines atlas based Active Appearance Model (AAM) with a Deep Learning model to segment the prostate on MR images. The performance of the segmentation method is evaluated on 20 unseen MR image datasets. The proposed method combining AAM and Deep Learning achieves a mean Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) of 0.925 for whole 3D MR images of the prostate using axial cross-sections. The proposed model utilizes the adaptive atlas-based AAM model and Deep Learning to achieve significant segmentation accuracy.
Biosciences within the pre-registration (pre-requisite) curriculum: an integrative literature review of curriculum interventions 1990-2012.

PubMed

McVicar, Andrew; Andrew, Sharon; Kemble, Ross

2014-04-01

The learning of biosciences is well-documented to be problematic as students find the subjects amongst the most difficult and anxiety-provoking of their pre-registration programme. Studies suggest that learning consequently is not at the level anticipated by the profession. Curriculum innovations might improve the situation but the effectiveness of applied interventions has not been evaluated. To undertake an integrative review and narrative synthesis of curriculum interventions and evaluate their effect on the learning of biosciences by pre-registration student nurses. Review methods A systematic search of electronic databases CINAHL, Medline, British Nursing Index and Google Scholar for empirical research studies was designed to evaluate the introduction of a curriculum intervention related to the biosciences, published in 1990-2012. Studies were evaluated for design, receptivity of the intervention and impact on bioscience learning. The search generated fourteen papers that met inclusion criteria. Seven studies introduced on-line learning packages, five an active learning format into classroom teaching or practical sessions, and two applied Audience Response Technology as an exercise in self-testing and reflection. Almost all studies reported a high level of student satisfaction, though in some there were access/utilization issues for students using on-line learning. Self-reporting suggested positive experiences, but objective evaluation suggests that impacts on learning were variable and unconvincing even where an effect on course progress was identified. Adjunct on-line programmes also show promise for supporting basic science or language acquisition. Published studies of curriculum interventions, including on-line support, have focused too heavily on the perceived benefit to students rather than objective measures of impact on actual learning. Future studies should include rigorous assessment evaluations within their design if interventions are to be adopted to reduce the 'bioscience problem'. © 2013.

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.
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…
An empirical typology of hospital nurses' individual learning paths.

PubMed

Poell, Rob F; Van der Krogt, Ferd J

2014-03-01

A relatively new theoretical concept is proposed in this paper, namely, the individual learning path. Learning paths are created by individual employees and comprise a set of learning-relevant activities that are both coherent as a whole and meaningful to them. To explore the empirical basis of this theoretical concept. A qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews. Two academic medical centers (university hospitals) and two general hospitals in the Netherlands. A total of 89 nurses were involved in the study. Semi-structured interviews were analyzed qualitatively; cluster analysis was then performed on quantified data from the interviews. Four types of learning path emerged, namely, the formal-external, self-directed, social-emotional, and information-oriented learning paths. The relatively new theoretical concept of an individual learning path can be observed in practice and a number of different learning-path types can be distinguished. Nurses were found to create their own learning paths, that is, select a theme that is relevant primarily to themselves, conduct a variety of learning activities around this theme, participate in social contexts that might help them, and mobilize learning facilities provided by their organization. These activities go way beyond the notion of employees as self-directed learners merely in a didactic sense (establishing learning goals, choosing the right learning activities for these goals, evaluating to what extent their goals have been met as a result). The findings can be interpreted as evidence of employees acting strategically when it comes to their professional development. Providers of continuing professional education/development need to take this into account. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Sticking with the nice guy: trait warmth information impairs learning and modulates person perception brain network activity.

PubMed

Lee, Victoria K; Harris, Lasana T

2014-12-01

Social learning requires inferring social information about another person, as well as evaluating outcomes. Previous research shows that prior social information biases decision making and reduces reliance on striatal activity during learning (Delgado, Frank, & Phelps, Nature Neuroscience 8 (11): 1611-1618, 2005). A rich literature in social psychology on person perception demonstrates that people spontaneously infer social information when viewing another person (Fiske & Taylor, 2013) and engage a network of brain regions, including the medial prefrontal cortex, temporal parietal junction, superior temporal sulcus, and precuneus (Amodio & Frith, Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 7(4), 268-277, 2006; Haxby, Gobbini, & Montgomery, 2004; van Overwalle Human Brain Mapping, 30, 829-858, 2009). We investigate the role of these brain regions during social learning about well-established dimensions of person perception-trait warmth and trait competence. We test the hypothesis that activity in person perception brain regions interacts with learning structures during social learning. Participants play an investment game where they must choose an agent to invest on their behalf. This choice is guided by cues signaling trait warmth or trait competence based on framing of monetary returns. Trait warmth information impairs learning about human but not computer agents, while trait competence information produces similar learning rates for human and computer agents. We see increased activation to warmth information about human agents in person perception brain regions. Interestingly, activity in person perception brain regions during the decision phase negatively predicts activity in the striatum during feedback for trait competence inferences about humans. These results suggest that social learning may engage additional processing within person perception brain regions that hampers learning in economic contexts.
Students take the lead for learning in practice: A process for building self-efficacy into undergraduate nursing education.

PubMed

Henderson, Amanda; Harrison, Penny; Rowe, Jennifer; Edwards, Sam; Barnes, Margaret; Henderson, Simon; Henderson, Amanda

2018-04-10

To prepare graduate nurses for practice, the curriculum and pedagogy need to facilitate student engagement, active learning and the development of self-efficacy. This pilot project describes and explores an initiative, the Check-in and Check-out process, that aims to engage students as active partners in their learning and teaching in their clinical preparation for practice. Three interdependent elements make up the process: a check-in (briefing) part; a clinical practice part, which supports students as they engage in their learning and practise clinical skills; and a check-out (debriefing) part. A student evaluation of this initiative confirmed the value of the process, which has subsequently been embedded in the preparation for practice and work-integrated learning courses in the undergraduate nursing programs at the participating university. The introduction of a singular learning process provides consistency in the learning approach used across clinical learning spaces, irrespective of their location or focus. A consistent learning process-including a common language that easily transfers across all clinical courses and clinical settings-arguably enhances the students' learning experience, helps them to actively manage their preparation for clinical practice and to develop self-efficacy. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Action Research to Improve the Learning Space for Diagnostic Techniques†

PubMed Central

Ariel, Ellen; Owens, Leigh

2015-01-01

The module described and evaluated here was created in response to perceived learning difficulties in diagnostic test design and interpretation for students in third-year Clinical Microbiology. Previously, the activities in lectures and laboratory classes in the module fell into the lower cognitive operations of “knowledge” and “understanding.” The new approach was to exchange part of the traditional activities with elements of interactive learning, where students had the opportunity to engage in deep learning using a variety of learning styles. The effectiveness of the new curriculum was assessed by means of on-course student assessment throughout the module, a final exam, an anonymous questionnaire on student evaluation of the different activities and a focus group of volunteers. Although the new curriculum enabled a major part of the student cohort to achieve higher pass grades (p < 0.001), it did not meet the requirements of the weaker students, and the proportion of the students failing the module remained at 34%. The action research applied here provided a number of valuable suggestions from students on how to improve future curricula from their perspective. Most importantly, an interactive online program that facilitated flexibility in the learning space for the different reagents and their interaction in diagnostic tests was proposed. The methods applied to improve and assess a curriculum refresh by involving students as partners in the process, as well as the outcomes, are discussed. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education PMID:26753024
Teaching evidence-based practice principles to prepare health professions students for an interprofessional learning experience

PubMed Central

Aronoff, Nell; Stellrecht, Elizabeth; Lyons, Amy G.; Zafron, Michelle L.; Glogowski, Maryruth; Grabowski, Jeremiah; Ohtake, Patricia J.

2017-01-01

Objective: The research assessed online learning modules designed to teach health professions students evidence-based practice (EBP) principles in an interprofessional context across two institutions. Methods: Students from nine health professions at two institutions were recruited to participate in this pilot project consisting of two online learning modules designed to prepare students for an in-person case-based interprofessional activity. Librarians and an instructional designer created two EBP modules. Students’ competence in EBP was assessed before and after the modules as well as after the in-person activity. Students evaluated the online learning modules and their impact on the students’ learning after the in-person session. Results: A total of 39 students from 8 health professions programs participated in the project. Average quiz scores for online EBP module 1 and module 2 were 83% and 76%, respectively. Following completion of the learning modules, adapted Fresno test of competence in EBP scores increased (p=0.001), indicating that the modules improved EBP skill competence. Student evaluations of the learning modules were positive. Students indicated that they acquired new information skills that contributed to their ability to develop a patient care plan and that they would use these information skills in their future clinical practice. Conclusions: Online EBP learning modules were effective in developing EBP knowledge and skills for health professions students. Using the same modules ensured that students from different health professions at different stages of their professional programs had consistent knowledge and enabled each student to fully engage in an interprofessional evidence-based activity. Student feedback indicated the modules were valued and beneficial. PMID:28983201
PBL, Hands-On/ Digital resources in Geology, (Teaching/ Learning)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soares, Rosa; Santos, Cátia; Carvalho, Sara

2015-04-01

The present study reports the elaboration, application and evaluation of a problem-based learning (PBL) program that aims to evaluate the effectiveness in students learning the Rock Cycle theme. Prior research on both PBL and Rock Cycle was conducted within the context of science education so as to elaborate and construct the intervention program. Findings from these studies indicated both the PBL methodology and Rock Cycle as helpful for teachers and students. PBL methodology has been adopted in this study since it is logically incorporated in a constructivism philosophy application and it was expected that this approach would assist students towards achieving a specific set of competencies. PBL is a student-centered method based on the principle of using problems as the starting point for the acquisition of new knowledge. Problems are based on complex real-world situations. All information needed to solve the problem is initially not given. Students will identify, find, and use appropriate resources to complete the exercise. They work permanently in small groups, developing self-directed activities and increasing participation in discussions. Teacher based guidance allows students to be fully engaged in knowledge building. That way, the learning process is active, integrated, cumulative, and connected. Theme "Rock Cycle" was introduced using a problematic situation, which outlined the geological processes highlighted in "Foz do Douro" the next coastline of the school where the study was developed. The questions proposed by the students were solved, using strategies that involved the use of hands-on activities and virtual labs in Geology. The systematization of the selected theme was performed in a field excursion, implemented according to the organizational model of Nir Orion, to The "Foz do Douro" metamorphic complex. In the evaluation of the learning process, data were obtained on students' development of knowledge and competencies through the application of several instruments such as small questionnaires (Hot Potatoes), Gowin V, scientific report, a grid to evaluate group work and a grid to evaluate the development of competencies. This study intended to evaluate the success of a PBL intervention program when trying to improve students' outcomes. The positive impact obtained allowed us to advance some conclusions and instructional implications regarding teaching Rock Cycle through PBL and different digital and hands-on resources, obtained, especially in the students' questionnaires and Gowin V, allowed us to verify that students did learn about Rock Cycle and developed collaborative work skills.
Partnering to provide simulated learning to address Interprofessional Education Collaborative core competencies.

PubMed

Murphy, Judy I; Nimmagadda, Jayashree

2015-05-01

Learning to effectively communicate and work with other professionals requires skill, yet interprofessional education is often not included in the undergraduate healthcare provider curriculum. Simulation is an effective pedagogy to bring students from multiple professions together for learning. This article describes a pilot study where nursing and social work students learned together in a simulated learning activity, which was evaluated to by the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS). The RIPLS was used before and after the simulated activity to determine if this form of education impacted students' perceptions of readiness to learn together. Students from both professions improved in their RIPLS scores. Students were also asked to identify their interprofessional strengths and challenges before and after the simulation. Changes were identified in qualitative data where reports of strengths and challenges indicated learning and growth had occurred. In conclusion, this pilot study suggests that interprofessional simulation can be an effective method to integrate Interprofessional Education Collaborative core competencies into the curriculum.
Business Studies 9. Junior High School. Teacher Resource Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Dept. of Education, Edmonton. Curriculum Branch.

This manual provides learning strategies and activities, evaluation instruments, and learning resources for use by junior high school business education teachers. It is correlated with the Alberta business education curriculum. The manual begins with an overview of the course rationale and philosophy and general and specific learner expectations.…
Ability Level Estimation of Students on Probability Unit via Computerized Adaptive Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Özyurt, Hacer; Özyurt, Özcan

2015-01-01

Problem Statement: Learning-teaching activities bring along the need to determine whether they achieve their goals. Thus, multiple choice tests addressing the same set of questions to all are frequently used. However, this traditional assessment and evaluation form contrasts with modern education, where individual learning characteristics are…
Software-Realized Scaffolding to Facilitate Programming for Science Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guzdial, Mark

1994-01-01

Discussion of the use of programming as a learning activity focuses on software-realized scaffolding. Emile, software that facilitates programming for modeling and simulation in physics, is described, and results of an evaluation of the use of Emile with high school students are reported. (Contains 95 references.) (LRW)
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.…
Investigating the Effectiveness of Group Work in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sofroniou, Anastasia; Poutos, Konstantinos

2016-01-01

Group work permits students to develop a range of critical thinking, analytical and communication skills; effective team work; appreciation and respect for other views, techniques and problem-solving methods, all of which promote active learning and enhance student learning. This paper presents an evaluation of employing the didactic and…
A Referential Communication Demonstration versus a Lecture-Only Control: Learning Benefits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balch, William R.

2014-01-01

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West Virginia State Vocational Curriculum Lab., Cedar Lakes.

This curriculum for data processing is organized into four learning modules. Each module is comprised of four to seven competencies. A student competency sheet provided for each competency is organized into this format: module and competency number and name, performance guide, learning activities, and an evaluation. Where appropriate, student…
MOOC Learning Experience Design: Issues and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fournier, Hélène; Kop, Rita

2015-01-01

This paper will present current work on various frameworks that are aimed at guiding the research, development, and evaluation efforts around Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Initiatives and activities, including current work by the National Research Council (NRC) in the context of Learning and Performance Support Systems and MOOCs, will be…
The Solution Is in the Room

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spangler, Donna

2017-01-01

This article discusses factors to consider as we evaluate the professional learning occurring in our schools. The article describes how a committee of six teachers and one administrator at Hershey Middle School in Pennsylvania's Derry Township School District adapted an activity for use in a two-hour professional learning session called "The…
Professional Student Organizations and Experiential Learning Activities: What Drives Student Intentions to Participate?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munoz, Laura; Miller, Richard; Poole, Sonja Martin

2016-01-01

Experiential learning theory has been referenced as a possible method for attracting and retaining members in student organizations. In a survey, undergraduate students evaluated a variety of organizational features pertaining to their intention to participate in professional student organizations. The study found that students value activities…

Validation of a Comprehensive Executive Learning and Development Measure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akrofi, Solomon; Clarke, Nicholas; Vernon, Guy

2011-01-01

Evaluating the returns on intangible assets in general and executive human capital in particular is still a challenging endeavour. One possible means of addressing this challenge involves developing a broad measure of executive learning and development (L&D), encapsulating both the formal and informal activities that closely reflect the dynamic…
Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Lecture versus Independent Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DaRosa, Debra A.; And Others

1991-01-01

The impacts of independent study and the lecture approach on student test scores and study time were compared for 205 medical students studying surgery. Learning objective, multiple-choice, and essay questions were developed for selected topics related to surgery. Findings support increased individual active learning strategies and decreased…
Pedagogy of the Obsessed Shifting the Focus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Correa, Elaine

2006-01-01

This paper will concentrate on the current shift from teaching to entitlement learning that has become a significant part of our educational discourse and culture. With increasing emphasis on accountability and high test score, students have become active recipients in "assessing" and "evaluating" the effectiveness of their learning experiences.…
Developing pharmacy student communication skills through role-playing and active learning.

PubMed

Luiz Adrian, Julie Ann; Zeszotarski, Paula; Ma, Carolyn

2015-04-25

To evaluate the impact on pharmacy students of a communication course, which used role-playing to develop active-learning skills. Students role-playing pharmacists in patient care scenarios were critiqued by students and pharmacist faculty members. Grading was performed using the rubric inspired by Bruce Berger's Communication Skills for Pharmacists. Written skills were evaluated using student written critique questionnaires. Students completed precourse and postcourse self-assessment surveys. Preceptor evaluations were analyzed for course impact. Students demonstrated improvement in oral skills based on role-play scores (45.87/50) after practice sessions. The average score based on the student questionnaire was 9.31/10. Gain was demonstrated in all defined course objectives. Impact on introductory pharmacy practice experience (IPPE) communication objectives was insignificant. Student evaluations for course and teaching strategy reflected a high average. Study results demonstrated improvement in oral and written communication skills that may help improve interprofessional teamwork between pharmacists and other health care providers.
Caudate nucleus reactivity predicts perceptual learning rate for visual feature conjunctions.

PubMed

Reavis, Eric A; Frank, Sebastian M; Tse, Peter U

2015-04-15

Useful information in the visual environment is often contained in specific conjunctions of visual features (e.g., color and shape). The ability to quickly and accurately process such conjunctions can be learned. However, the neural mechanisms responsible for such learning remain largely unknown. It has been suggested that some forms of visual learning might involve the dopaminergic neuromodulatory system (Roelfsema et al., 2010; Seitz and Watanabe, 2005), but this hypothesis has not yet been directly tested. Here we test the hypothesis that learning visual feature conjunctions involves the dopaminergic system, using functional neuroimaging, genetic assays, and behavioral testing techniques. We use a correlative approach to evaluate potential associations between individual differences in visual feature conjunction learning rate and individual differences in dopaminergic function as indexed by neuroimaging and genetic markers. We find a significant correlation between activity in the caudate nucleus (a component of the dopaminergic system connected to visual areas of the brain) and visual feature conjunction learning rate. Specifically, individuals who showed a larger difference in activity between positive and negative feedback on an unrelated cognitive task, indicative of a more reactive dopaminergic system, learned visual feature conjunctions more quickly than those who showed a smaller activity difference. This finding supports the hypothesis that the dopaminergic system is involved in visual learning, and suggests that visual feature conjunction learning could be closely related to associative learning. However, no significant, reliable correlations were found between feature conjunction learning and genotype or dopaminergic activity in any other regions of interest. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Young Children Learn to Restructure Personal Ideas about Growth in Trees.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sunal, Dennis W.; Sunal, Cynthia S.

1991-01-01

Three activities in which students identify and demonstrate similarities and differences in plants and in plant growth are presented. The activities include background information, objectives for the tree ring activities, a list of needed materials, procedures, evaluation procedures, and a glossary. (KR)
Evaluating Learning and Teaching: Institutional Needs and Individual Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bamber, Veronica; Anderson, Sally

2012-01-01

Rather than a rational, technical activity, evaluation reflects the socio-political dynamics of the evaluative context. This presents a challenge for universities and the individuals within them, who may assume that plans or policies for evaluation will result in straightforward outcomes. This small-scale study in one institution looks at the…
Debate preparation/participation: an active, effective learning tool.

PubMed

Koklanaris, Nikki; MacKenzie, Andrew P; Fino, M Elizabeth; Arslan, Alan A; Seubert, David E

2008-01-01

Passive educational techniques (such as lectures) are thought to be less productive than active learning. We examined whether preparing for and participating in a debate would be an effective, active way to learn about a controversial topic. We compared quiz performance in residents who attended a lecture to residents who prepared for/participated in a debate. Twelve residents each participated in one lecture session and one debate session. Learning was evaluated via a quiz. Quizzes were given twice: before the debate/lecture and 1 week after the debate/lecture. Quiz scores were compared using repeated measures analysis of variance, with a p value of < .05 considered significant. A survey evaluating the usefulness of debating was given to all participants. There was a statistically significant difference in the pretest mean quiz score between the debate and lecture groups: 78.3% and 52.5%, respectively (p = .02). Similarly, on posttest quizzes, the average debater scored 85.8%, versus 61.7% for the lecture group (p = .003). Although no one in the debate group scored lower on a follow-up quiz, 3 residents in the lecture group did worse on follow-up. When learning about a controversial topic, residents who prepared for/participated in a debate achieved higher quiz scores and were better at retaining information than those who attended a lecture. When faced with teaching a controversial topic, organizing a debate may be more effective than giving a lecture.
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.
UNESCO active learning approach in optics and photonics leads to significant change in Morocco

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berrada, K.; Channa, R.; Outzourhit, A.; Azizan, M.; Oueriagli, A.

2014-07-01

There are many difficulties in teaching science and technology in developing countries. Several different teaching strategies have to be applied in these cases. More specifically, for developing countries competencies in teaching science in the introductory classroom has attracted much attention. As a specific example we will consider the Moroccan system. In most developing countries everything is moving so slowly that the progress stays static for development. Also, any change needs time, effort and engagement. In our case we discovered that many teachers feel uncomfortable when introducing new teaching methods and evaluation in classes at introductory physics. However, the introduction of an Active Learning in our curricula showed difficulties that students have in understanding physics and especially concepts. Students were interested in having Active Learning courses much more than passive and traditional ones. Changing believes on physical phenomena and reality of the world students become more attractive and their way of thinking Science changed. The main philosophy of fostering modern hands-on learning techniques -adapted to local needs and availability of teaching resources- is elaborated. The Active Learning program provides the teachers with a conceptual evaluation instrument, drawn from relevant physics education research, giving teachers an important tool to measure student learning. We will try to describe the UNESCO Chair project in physics created in 2010 at Cadi Ayyad University since our first experience with UNESCO ALOP program. Many efforts have been done so far and the project helps now to develop more national and international collaborations between universities and Regional Academies of Education and Training. As a new result of these actions and according to our local needs, the translation of the ALOP program into Arabic is now available under the auspice of UNESCO and encouragement of international partners SPIE, ICTP, ICO and OSA.
Costs of success: Financial implications of implementation of active learning in introductory physics courses for students and administrators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brewe, Eric; Dou, Remy; Shand, Robert

2018-02-01

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

PubMed Central

Ghiyasvandian, Shahrzad; Malekian, Morteza; Cheraghi, Mohammad Ali

2016-01-01

Background: Clinical nurses need lifelong learning skills for responding to the rapid changes of clinical settings. One of the best strategies for lifelong learning is self-directed learning. The aim of this study was to explore Iranian clinical nurses’ activities for self-directed learning. Methods: In this qualitative study, 23 semi-structured personal interviews were conducted with nineteen clinical nurses working in all four hospitals affiliated to Isfahan Social Security Organization, Isfahan, Iran. Study data were analyzed by using the content analysis approach. The study was conducted from June 2013 to October 2014. Findings: Study participants’ activities for self-directed learning fell into two main categories of striving for knowledge acquisition and striving for skill development. The main theme of the study was ‘Revising personal performance based on intellectual-experiential activities’. Conclusions: Study findings suggest that Iranian clinical nurses continually revise their personal performance by performing self-directed intellectual and experiential activities to acquire expertise. The process of acquiring expertise is a linear process which includes two key steps of knowledge acquisition and knowledge development. In order to acquire and advance their knowledge, nurses perform mental learning activities such as sensory perception, self-evaluation, and suspended judgment step-by-step. Moreover, they develop their skills through doing activities like apprenticeship, masterly performance, and self-regulation. The absolute prerequisite to expertise acquisition is that a nurse needs to follow these two steps in a sequential manner. PMID:26652072
Evaluation Study of Pedagogical Methods and E - Learning Material via Web 2.0 for Hearing Impaired People

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vrettaros, John; Argiri, Katerina; Stavrou, Pilios; Hrissagis, Kostas; Drigas, Athanasios

The primary goal of this paper is to study whether WEB 2.0 tools such as blogs, wikis, social networks and typical hypermedia as well as techniques such as lip - reading, video - sign language and learning activities are appropriate to use for learning purpose for deaf and hard of hearing people. In order to check the extent in which the choices mentioned above are compatible with the features of the specific group and maximize the learning results we designed an empirical study which will be presented below. The study was conducted in the context of SYNERGIA, a project of Leonardo da Vinci of Lifelong Learning Programme, in the section of MULTILATERAL PROJECTS TRANSFER OF INNOVATION, The evaluation was conducted on data that came up through questionnaire analysis.
Depression, Activity, and Evaluation of Reinforcement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammen, Constance L.; Glass, David R., Jr.

1975-01-01

This research attempted to find the causal relation between mood and level of reinforcement. An effort was made to learn what mood change might occur if depressed subjects increased their levels of participation in reinforcing activities. (Author/RK)
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
A pilot study assessing the value of 3D printed molecular modelling tools for pharmacy student education.

PubMed

Hall, Susan; Grant, Gary; Arora, Devinder; Karaksha, Abdullah; McFarland, Amelia; Lohning, Anna; Anoopkumar-Dukie, Shailendra

2017-07-01

Medicinal chemistry and pharmacology are difficult topics to both teach and learn given the complex nature of drug mechanisms and drug-receptor interactions. This highlights the need for innovative teaching methods to deliver this information to students. One such method is through three-dimensional (3D) printing of enzymes and ligands in the teaching of molecular modelling concepts relating to drug-receptor and enzyme interactions be ligands. This type of printing has been shown to be beneficial in several educational settings; however, to our knowledge, its effectiveness in pharmacy, medicinal chemistry and pharmacology learning and teaching is largely unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate pharmacy student perceptions and the educational benefits of 3D printed molecules in molecular modelling with regards to engagement and learning outcomes when used in a drug-target interaction topic. This aim was achieved through administering students a short questionnaire designed to evaluate their engagement and learning outcomes with students also free to provide comments. This study found that nearly all (>90%) students found the activity was useful in improving both student engagement and learning outcomes. In conclusion, 3D printing may provide an alternative learning activity to help pharmacy students understand the drug-target interaction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Development of instructional manual encouraging student active learning for high school teaching on fluid mechanics through Torricelli's tank experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apiwan, Suttinee; Puttharugsa, Chokchai; Khemmani, Supitch

2018-01-01

The purposes of this research were to help students to perform Physics laboratory by themselves and to provide guidelines for high school teacher to develop active learning on fluid mechanics by using Torricelli's tank experiment. The research was conducted as follows: 1) constructed an appropriate Torricelli's tank experiment for high school teaching and investigated the condition for maximum water falling distance. As a consequence, it was found that the distance of the falling water measured from the experiment was shorter than that obtained from the theory of ideal fluid because of the energy loss during a flow, 2) developed instructional manual for high school teaching that encourages active learning by using problem based learning (PBL) approach, which is consistent with the trend of teaching and learning in 21st century. The content validity of our instructional manual using Index of Item-objective Congruence (IOC) as evaluated by three experts was over 0.67. The manual developed was therefore qualified for classroom practice.
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.
Deep imitation learning for 3D navigation tasks.

PubMed

Hussein, Ahmed; Elyan, Eyad; Gaber, Mohamed Medhat; Jayne, Chrisina

2018-01-01

Deep learning techniques have shown success in learning from raw high-dimensional data in various applications. While deep reinforcement learning is recently gaining popularity as a method to train intelligent agents, utilizing deep learning in imitation learning has been scarcely explored. Imitation learning can be an efficient method to teach intelligent agents by providing a set of demonstrations to learn from. However, generalizing to situations that are not represented in the demonstrations can be challenging, especially in 3D environments. In this paper, we propose a deep imitation learning method to learn navigation tasks from demonstrations in a 3D environment. The supervised policy is refined using active learning in order to generalize to unseen situations. This approach is compared to two popular deep reinforcement learning techniques: deep-Q-networks and Asynchronous actor-critic (A3C). The proposed method as well as the reinforcement learning methods employ deep convolutional neural networks and learn directly from raw visual input. Methods for combining learning from demonstrations and experience are also investigated. This combination aims to join the generalization ability of learning by experience with the efficiency of learning by imitation. The proposed methods are evaluated on 4 navigation tasks in a 3D simulated environment. Navigation tasks are a typical problem that is relevant to many real applications. They pose the challenge of requiring demonstrations of long trajectories to reach the target and only providing delayed rewards (usually terminal) to the agent. The experiments show that the proposed method can successfully learn navigation tasks from raw visual input while learning from experience methods fail to learn an effective policy. Moreover, it is shown that active learning can significantly improve the performance of the initially learned policy using a small number of active samples.

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.
Acceptability of the flipped classroom approach for in-house teaching in emergency medicine.

PubMed

Tan, Eunicia; Brainard, Andrew; Larkin, Gregory L

2015-10-01

To evaluate the relative acceptability of the flipped classroom approach compared with traditional didactics for in-house teaching in emergency medicine. Our department changed its learning model from a 'standard' lecture-based model to a 'flipped classroom' model. The 'flipped classroom' included provided pre-session learning objectives and resources before each 2 h weekly session. In-session activities emphasised active learning strategies and knowledge application. Feedback was sought from all medical staff regarding the acceptability of the new approach using an online anonymous cross-sectional qualitative survey. Feedback was received from 49/57 (86%) medical staff. Ninety-eight per cent (48/49) of respondents preferred the flipped classroom over the traditional approach. Aspects of the flipped classroom learners liked most included case-based discussion, interaction with peers, application of knowledge, self-directed learning and small-group learning. Barriers to pre-session learning include work commitments, 'life', perceived lack of time, family commitments, exam preparation and high volume of learning materials. Reported motivational factors promoting pre-session learning include formal assessment, participation requirements, more time, less material, more clinical relevance and/or more interesting material. Case studies and 'hands-on' activities were perceived to be the most useful in-session activities. The flipped classroom shows promise as an acceptable approach to in-house emergency medicine teaching. © 2015 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.
Analysis of a Constellation Lab Cooperative Learning Activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gauthier, A. J.

2001-12-01

A cooperative learning activity was designed for use in the undergraduate laboratory course Introduction to Astronomical Observation. This group exercise enhances the student's learning of constellations and will hopefully increase retention of the material throughout the semester. It also serves as an "ice-breaker" during the first week of lab, promoting student involvement and vested interest in the course. To gain some insight into the student mind, a survey was conducted to evaluate the usefulness and overall opinion of this method. The students who completed the survey had previously been enrolled in a pre-requisite astronomy course that also required a constellation lab. In this previous course they "learned" the constellations from an instructor and a flashlight beam, studied them on their own, and then promptly took a quiz. Both methods are analyzed from an instructional designer's point of view and suggestions for future activities are presented. The preliminary results and accompanying activity will be discussed in poster and hand-out medium.
An active learning complementary and alternative medicine session in a self-care therapeutics class.

PubMed

Mattison, Melissa J; Nemec, Eric C

2014-09-15

To provide an interactive, non-supplement based complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) session in a self-care therapeutics class and to evaluate the effect of the session on pharmacy students' perceptions and knowledge of CAM. Second professional year pharmacy students enrolled in a required 3-credit course titled Self-Care Therapeutics participated in an active learning session on CAM. Students physically engaged in 5 separate active learning CAM sessions including massage therapy, Tai Chi, yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, and Reiki. Students were assessed on both knowledge and perception of CAM. Concept mastery was assessed using a written examination and individual readiness assurance tests (iRAT) and team readiness assurance tests (tRAT). Perception of CAM was measured using both a presession and a postsession survey. Participating in an intensive, active learning CAM session provided an opportunity to increase students' knowledge of CAM and an effective strategy for providing the learner with the experience to better envision incorporation into patient therapies.
Precious Cargo-Handle with Care.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coleman, Diane J.; Monger, Joyce R.

1992-01-01

Learning activities that expose students to the concepts of economics are presented, using concrete examples involving the daily activities of zoos and their visitors. The activities call for students to identify zoo expenses, evaluate decisions about zoo spending, and consider the financial and moral costs of treating animals humanely. (JDD)
Creation and Assessment of an Active E-Learning Introductory Geoscience Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2014-12-01

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

PubMed

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

2014-09-01

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aiello, Angelo; And Others

1986-01-01

A form is presented for language teacher self-evaluation concerning attitudes and knowledge about learning theories, general linguistics, sociolinguistics, pragmatics, discourse analysis, teaching methodology, the communicative approach, class activities, class management, instructional support, and evaluation. (MSE)
Fostering Innovation through an Active Learning Activity Inspired by the Baghdad Battery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lu, Xu; Anariba, Franklin

2014-01-01

A hands-on activity based on general electrochemistry concepts with the aim at introducing design science elements is presented. The main goals of the activity are to reinforce electrochemical principles while fostering innovation in the students through the assembly and optimization of a voltaic device and subsequent evaluation by powering…
Sector activities and lessons learned around initial implementation of the United States national physical activity plan.

PubMed

Evenson, Kelly R; Satinsky, Sara B

2014-08-01

National plans are increasingly common but infrequently evaluated. The 2010 United States National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP) provided strategies to increase population levels of physical activity. This paper describes (i) the initial accomplishments of the NPAP sector teams, and (ii) results from a process evaluation to determine how the sectors operated, their cross-sector collaboration, challenges encountered, and positive experiences. During 2011, a quarterly reporting system was developed to capture sector-level activities. A year-end interview derived more detailed information. Interviews with 12 sector leads were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for common themes. The 6 sectors worked on goals from the implementation plan that focused broadly on education, promotion, intervention, policy, collaboration, and evaluation. Through year-end interviews, themes were generated around operations, goal setting, and cross-sector collaboration. Challenges to the NPAP work included lack of funding and time, the need for marketing and promotion, and organizational support. Positive experiences included collaboration, efficiency of work, enhanced community dynamic, and accomplishments toward NPAP goals. These initial results on the NPAP sector teams can be used as a baseline assessment for future monitoring. The lessons learned may be useful to other practitioners developing evaluations around state- or national-level plans.
Sector Activities and Lessons Learned Around Initial Implementation of the United States National Physical Activity Plan

PubMed Central

Evenson, Kelly R.; Satinsky, Sara B.

2016-01-01

Background National plans are increasingly common but infrequently evaluated. The 2010 United States National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP) provided strategies to increase population levels of physical activity. This paper describes (i) the initial accomplishments of the NPAP sector teams, and (ii) results from a process evaluation to determine how the sectors operated, their cross-sector collaboration, challenges encountered, and positive experiences. Methods During 2011, a quarterly reporting system was developed to capture sector-level activities. A year-end interview derived more detailed information. Interviews with 12 sector leads were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for common themes. Results The 6 sectors worked on goals from the implementation plan that focused broadly on education, promotion, intervention, policy, collaboration, and evaluation. Through year-end interviews, themes were generated around operations, goal setting, and cross-sector collaboration. Challenges to the NPAP work included lack of funding and time, the need for marketing and promotion, and organizational support. Positive experiences included collaboration, efficiency of work, enhanced community dynamic, and accomplishments toward NPAP goals. Conclusions These initial results on the NPAP sector teams can be used as a baseline assessment for future monitoring. The lessons learned may be useful to other practitioners developing evaluations around state- or national-level plans. PMID:24176800
Google classroom as a tool for active learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaharanee, Izwan Nizal Mohd; Jamil, Jastini Mohd; Rodzi, Sarah Syamimi Mohamad

2016-08-01

As the world is being developed with the new technologies, discovering and manipulating new ideas and concepts of online education are changing rapidly. In response to these changes, many states, institutions, and organizations have been working on strategic plans to implement online education. At the same time, misconceptions and myths related to the difficulty of teaching and learning online, technologies available to support online instruction, the support and compensation needed for high-quality instructors, and the needs of online students create challenges for such vision statements and planning documents. This paper provides analysis and evaluation of the effectiveness of Google Classroom's active learning activities for data mining subject under the Decision Sciences program. Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) has been employed to measure the effectiveness of the learning activities. A total of 100 valid unduplicated responses from students who enrolled data mining subject were used in this study. The results indicated that majority of the students satisfy with the Google Classroom's tool that were introduced in the class. Results of data analyzed showed that all ratios are above averages. In particular, comparative performance is good in the areas of ease of access, perceived usefulness, communication and interaction, instruction delivery and students' satisfaction towards the Google Classroom's active learning activities.
Smartphone-Based Patients' Activity Recognition by Using a Self-Learning Scheme for Medical Monitoring.

PubMed

Guo, Junqi; Zhou, Xi; Sun, Yunchuan; Ping, Gong; Zhao, Guoxing; Li, Zhuorong

2016-06-01

Smartphone based activity recognition has recently received remarkable attention in various applications of mobile health such as safety monitoring, fitness tracking, and disease prediction. To achieve more accurate and simplified medical monitoring, this paper proposes a self-learning scheme for patients' activity recognition, in which a patient only needs to carry an ordinary smartphone that contains common motion sensors. After the real-time data collection though this smartphone, we preprocess the data using coordinate system transformation to eliminate phone orientation influence. A set of robust and effective features are then extracted from the preprocessed data. Because a patient may inevitably perform various unpredictable activities that have no apriori knowledge in the training dataset, we propose a self-learning activity recognition scheme. The scheme determines whether there are apriori training samples and labeled categories in training pools that well match with unpredictable activity data. If not, it automatically assembles these unpredictable samples into different clusters and gives them new category labels. These clustered samples combined with the acquired new category labels are then merged into the training dataset to reinforce recognition ability of the self-learning model. In experiments, we evaluate our scheme using the data collected from two postoperative patient volunteers, including six labeled daily activities as the initial apriori categories in the training pool. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed self-learning scheme for activity recognition works very well for most cases. When there exist several types of unseen activities without any apriori information, the accuracy reaches above 80 % after the self-learning process converges.
Concept Mapping to Assess Learning and Understanding of Complexity in Courses on Global Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rebich-Hespanha, S.; Gautier, C.

2010-12-01

The complex nature of climate change science poses special challenges for educators wishing to broaden and deepen student understanding of the climate system and its sensitivity to and impacts upon human activity. Learners have prior knowledge that may limit their perception and processing of the multiple relationships between processes (e.g., feedbacks) that arise in global change science, and these existing mental models serve as the scaffold for all future learning. Because adoption of complex scientific concepts is not likely if instruction includes presentation of information or concepts that are not compatible with the learners’ prior knowledge, providing effective instruction on this complex topic requires learning opportunities that are anchored upon an evaluation of the limitations and inaccuracies of the learners’ existing understandings of the climate system. The formative evaluation that serves as the basis for planning such instruction can also be useful as a baseline against which to evaluate subsequent learning. We will present concept-mapping activities that we have used to assess students’ knowledge and understanding about global climate change in courses that utilized multiple assessment methods including presentations, writings, discussions, and concept maps. The courses in which these activities were completed use a variety of instructional approaches (including standard lectures and lab assignments and a mock summit) to help students understand the inherently interdisciplinary topic of global climate change, its interwoven human and natural causes, and the connections it has with society through a complex range of political, social, technological and economic factors. Two instances of concept map assessment will be presented: one focused on evaluating student understanding of the major components of the climate system and their interconnections, and the other focused on student understanding of the connections between climate change and the global food system. We will discuss how concept mapping can be used to demonstrate evidence of learning and conceptual change, and also how it can be used to provide information about gaps in knowledge and misconceptions students have about the topic.
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.
Developing cultural competence through self-reflection in interprofessional education: Findings from an Australian university.

PubMed

Olson, Rebecca; Bidewell, John; Dune, Tinashe; Lessey, Nkosi

2016-05-01

Interprofessional education and cultural competence are both necessary for health professionals working in interprofessional teams serving diverse populations. Using a pre-post-survey case series design, this study evaluates a novel learning activity designed to encourage self-reflection and cultural competence in an Australian interprofessional education context. Undergraduate health professional students in a large subject viewed three 7-15 minute videos featuring interviews with persons of a minority cultural, linguistic, or sexual group who were living with a disability or managing a health condition. Immediately afterwards, students in interprofessional groups completed a structured activity designed to promote interprofessional and cultural reflection. A localised version of a validated scale measured cultural competence before and after the learning activity. Results suggest the value of video-based learning activities based on real-life examples for improving cultural competence. Despite initially rating themselves highly, 64% of students (n = 273) improved their overall cultural competence, though only by M = 0.13, SD = 0.08, of a 5-point rating-scale interval. A nuanced approach to interpreting results is warranted; even slight increases may indicate improved cultural competence. Suggestions for improving the effectiveness of video-based cultural competence learning activities, based on qualitative findings, are provided. Overall the findings attest to the merit of group discussion in cultural competence learning activities in interprofessional education settings. However, the inclusion of group discussions within such learning activities should hinge on group dynamics.
Correlation of self-assessment with attendance in an evidence-based medicine course.

PubMed

Ramirez, Beatriz U

2015-12-01

In previous studies, correlations between attendance and grades in lectures have given variable results and, when statistically significant, the correlation has been weak. In some studies, a sex effect has been reported. Lectures are a teacher-centered learning activity. Therefore, it appeared interesting to evaluate if a stronger correlation between attendance and grades would occur in a face-to-face "evidence-based medicine" course with few lectures and more time dedicated to active learning methods. Small-group work and peer learning were used to foster deep learning and to engage students in their own learning process. Most of the time, students worked in small groups solving contextualized problems and critically analyzing the quality of published medical literature. Peer learning was also developed in collaborative evaluations, and constant feedback was provided. Therefore, it was hypothesized that high attenders would develop a higher self-perception of learning and obtain higher marks than low attenders. Student self-perceptions of their capacity to apply evidence-based medicine were measured by the application of an online self-assessment survey, and objective learning was measured as the grades obtained in a final accumulative individual test. It was found that male students obtained higher grades and were more confident in their achievements than their female peers, despite male and female student attendance being similar. In addition, attendance was correlated with the perceived capacity to apply evidence-based medicine only in male students and was not correlated with academic outcome. Copyright © 2015 The American Physiological Society.
Collaborative, case-based learning: how do students actually learn from each other?

PubMed

Thurman, Joanne; Volet, Simone E; Bolton, John R

2009-01-01

The value of collaborative, case-based, and problem-based learning has received increased attention in recent years. Several studies have documented veterinary staff and students' generally positive feedback on group learning activities, but one largely unaddressed question is how students actually learn from each other. This study examined how second-year veterinary students learned from each other during a collaborative, case-based learning project. Data were students' written reflections on their learning in the veterinary course and the specific learning experience, and a matched pre- and post-task questionnaire. Consistent with prior research describing veterinary students as individualistic learners, only a third of students spontaneously mentioned learning from each other as one of their most effective strategies. However, when prompted to describe a time when they felt that group members were really learning from each other, students reported highly valuable collaborative learning processes, which they explicitly linked to learning and understanding benefits. Questionnaire data were consistent, showing that students became more positive toward several aspects of the activity as well as toward group work in general. One unexpected finding was the lack of a relationship between students' self-evaluation of their learning and how well group members knew each other. These findings provide strong support for the educational value of collaborative, case-based learning. In light of other research evidence (using observation data) that the amount of time students actually engage in high-level collaborative processes may be rather limited, this article points to the need for veterinary teachers to better prepare students for group learning activities.
How do environmental governance processes shape evaluation of outcomes by stakeholders? A causal pathways approach

PubMed Central

Plummer, Ryan; Dzyundzyak, Angela; Bodin, Örjan; Armitage, Derek; Schultz, Lisen

2017-01-01

Multi-stakeholder environmental management and governance processes are essential to realize social and ecological outcomes. Participation, collaboration, and learning are emphasized in these processes; to gain insights into how they influence stakeholders’ evaluations of outcomes in relation to management and governance interventions we use a path analysis approach to examine their relationships in individuals in four UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. We confirm a model showing that participation in more activities leads to greater ratings of process, and in turn, better evaluations of outcomes. We show the effects of participation in activities on evaluation of outcomes appear to be driven by learning more than collaboration. Original insights are offered as to how the evaluations of outcomes by stakeholders are shaped by their participation in activities and their experiences in management and governance processes. Understanding stakeholder perceptions about the processes in which they are involved and their evaluation of outcomes is imperative, and influences current and future levels of engagement. As such, the evaluation of outcomes themselves are an important tangible product from initiatives. Our research contributes to a future research agenda aimed at better understanding these pathways and their implications for engagement in stewardship and ultimately social and ecological outcomes, and to developing recommendations for practitioners engaged in environmental management and governance. PMID:28945792
[Systemic learning planification for medical students during oncology clinical rotation].

PubMed

Gonçalves, Anthony; Viens, Patrice; Gilabert, Marine; Turrini, Olivier; Lambaudie, Eric; Prebet, Thomas; Farnault, Bertrand; Eisinger, François; Gorincour, Guillaume; Bertucci, François

2011-12-01

The expected increase in cancer incidence emphasizes the need for specific training in this area, including either family physician or specialized oncologists. In France, the fourth to sixth years of medical teaching include both theoretical classes at the university and daily actual practice at the hospital. Thus, clinical rotations are thought to play a major role in the training of medical students and also largely participate to the choice of the student of his/her final specialty. Pedagogic quality of these rotations is dependent on multiple parameters, including a rigorous planification of the expected learning. Here, we reported a systemic planification of learning activities for medical students during an oncology rotation at the Paoli-Calmettes Institute in Marseille, France, a regional comprehensive cancer center. This planification includes an evaluation of learning requirements, definition of learning objectives, selection of learning methods and choice of methods of assessment of the students' achievement of these objectives as well as the learning activity itself.

A receptor-grounded approach to teaching nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug chemistry and structure-activity relationships.

PubMed

Roche, Victoria F

2009-12-17

To describe a receptor-based approach to promote learning about nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) chemistry, structure-activity relationships, and therapeutic decision-making. Three lessons on cyclooxygenase (COX) and NSAID chemistry, and NSAID therapeutic utility, were developed using text-based resources and primary medicinal chemistry and pharmacy practice literature. Learning tools were developed to assist students in content mastery. Student learning was evaluated via performance on quizzes and examinations that measured understanding of COX and NSAID chemistry, and the application of that knowledge to therapeutic problem solving. Student performance on NSAID-focused quizzes and examinations documented the success of this approach.
Teaching EBP Using Game-Based Learning: Improving the Student Experience.

PubMed

Davidson, Sandra J; Candy, Laurie

2016-08-01

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is considered a key entry to practice competency for nurses. However, many baccalaureate nursing programs continue to teach "traditional" nursing research courses that fail to address many of the critical knowledge, skills, and attitudes that foster EBP. Traditional classroom teaching strategies do little to promote the development of competencies critical for engaging in EBP in clinical contexts. The purpose of this work was to develop, implement, and evaluate an innovative teaching strategy aimed at improving student learning, engagement and satisfaction in an online EBP course. The goals of this paper are to: (1) describe the process of course development, (2) describe the innovative teaching strategy, and (3) discuss the outcomes of the pilot course offered using game-based learning. A midterm course-specific survey and standard institutional end of course evaluations were used to evaluate student satisfaction. Game platform analytics and thematic analysis of narrative comments in the midterm and end of course surveys were used to evaluate students' level of engagement. Student learning was evaluated using the end of course letter grade. Students indicated a high satisfaction with the course. Student engagement was also maintained throughout the course. The majority of students (87%, 26/30) continued to complete learning quests in the game after achieving the minimum amount of points to earn an A. Seven students completed every learning quest available in the game platform. Of the 30 students enrolled in the course, 17 students earned a final course grade of A+ and 13 earned an A. Provide students with timely, individualized feedback to enable mastery learning. Create student choice and customization of learning. Integrate the use of badges (game mechanics) to increase engagement and motivation. Level learning activities to build on each other and create flow. © 2016 Sigma Theta Tau International.
The Virtual Campus: Trends for Higher Education and Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verdejo, Felisa, Ed.; Davies, Gordon, Ed.

This volume presents 27 papers given at a conference on the virtual campus. Papers are grouped into five parts: (1) keynote presentations, (2) global approaches, (3) evaluation studies, (4) collaborative learning and group activities, and (5) web tools and web applications. The papers are: "New Wine and Old Bottles? Tele-learning, Telematics,…
A Spreadsheet-Based Visualized Mindtool for Improving Students' Learning Performance in Identifying Relationships between Numerical Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Chiu-Lin; Hwang, Gwo-Jen

2015-01-01

In this study, a spreadsheet-based visualized Mindtool was developed for improving students' learning performance when finding relationships between numerical variables by engaging them in reasoning and decision-making activities. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, an experiment was conducted on the "phenomena of climate…
Educational Game Design as Gateway for Operationalizing Computational Thinking Skills among Middle School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Min Lun

2018-01-01

This qualitative case study reports descriptive findings of digital game-based learning involving 15 Taiwanese middle school students' use of computational thinking skills elicited through programmed activities in a game design workshop. Situated learning theory is utilized as framework to evaluate novice game designers' individual advancement in…
Exploring Secondary Students' Understanding of Chemical Kinetics through Inquiry-Based Learning Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chairam, Sanoe; Klahan, Nutsuda; Coll, Richard K.

2015-01-01

This research is trying to evaluate the feedback of Thai secondary school students to inquiry-based teaching and learning methods, exemplified by the study of chemical kinetics. This work used the multiple-choice questions, scientifically practical diagram and questionnaire to assess students' understanding of chemical kinetics. The findings…
Ethical Practice in Learning through Participation: Showcasing and Evaluating the PACE Ethical Practice Module

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Michaela; Beale, Alison; Hammersley, Laura; Lloyd, Kate; Semple, Anne-Louise; White, Karolyn

2013-01-01

In 2008, Macquarie University instituted the Participation and Community Engagement (PACE) initiative. This initiative embeds units in the curriculum that involve learning through participation (LTP) that is mutually beneficial to the student, the University and the organisation or community in which student participation activities take place.…
A Management Review of the Institutions of Higher Learning: Commissioner's Office, University Foundations and Athletic Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mississippi State Legislature, Jackson. Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review Committee.

A state mandated evaluation study was done of certain programs and activities of the Mississippi Commissioner's Office of the Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) including the Commissioner's Fund and operations of university foundations and athletic programs. This report presents findings, recommendations, and documentation, as well as responses…
Health Rocks! Beginning Level. 4-H Healthy Life Series. Revised

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Marilyn

2012-01-01

Written for 8 to 12 year olds. The 21 activities use hands-on experience to facilitate youth learning, including concepts review and learning assessment at each chapter's end. A retrospective impact evaluation is included in the appendices along with additional resources, glossary, training outline and teaching tips. An accompanying cd-rom…
Metacognition and Passing: Strategic Interactions in the Lives of Students with Learning Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rueda, Robert; Mehan, Hugh

1986-01-01

Students with learning disabilities work to avoid difficult tasks while trying to appear competent ("passing"). They also check, monitor, and evaluate their actions, a form of "metacognition." These are flip sides of the same coin of strategic interaction and are context-bound, not context-free activities. (Author/LHW)
Development of Contemporary Leadership Capacity through Teamwork in an Online Environment: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stupans, Ieva

2013-01-01

The Internet has emerged as a mainstream communication medium, resulting in the development of new educational opportunities for teaching and learning. This article describes and evaluates a learning opportunity which used a Wiki technology to support an aligned assessment activity which was focused around teamwork and students construction of…
Development and Evaluation of an Interactive Electronic Laboratory Manual for Cooperative Learning of Medical Histology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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…
Epistemic Metacognition in Context: Evaluating and Learning Online Information

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, Lucia; Boldrin, Angela; Ariasi, Nicola

2010-01-01

This study examined epistemic metacognition as a reflective activity about knowledge and knowing in the context of online information searching on the Web, and whether it was related to prior knowledge on the topic, study approach, and domain-specific beliefs about science. In addition, we investigated whether Internet-based learning was…
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…
Health Rocks! Intermediate Level. 4-H Healthy Life Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Marilyn

2009-01-01

Written for 12 to 14 year olds. The 25 activities use hands-on experience to facilitate youth learning, including concepts review and learning assessment at each chapter's end. A retrospective impact evaluation is included in the appendices along with additional resources, glossary, training outline and teaching tips. An accompanying cd-rom…
Effects of Self-Perceptions on Self-Learning among Teacher Education Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Shih-Hsiung

2015-01-01

This study evaluates the multivariate hypothesized model that predicts the significance of, and relationships among, various self-perception factors for being a qualified teacher and their direct and mediated effects on self-learning activities among teacher education students. A total of 248 teacher education students enrolled at an education…
Evaluating a Team-Based Learning Method for Detecting Dental Caries in Dental Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Sang E.; Kim, Junhyck; Anderson, Nina

2014-01-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether the team-based learning environment facilitated the competency of third year dental students in caries detection and activity assessment. Corresponding data were achieved using digital radiographs to determine the carious lesions in three clinical cases. The distribution of the caries evaluations…
An Engineering Learning Community to Promote Retention and Graduation of At-Risk Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ricks, Kenneth G.; Richardson, James A.; Stern, Harold P.; Taylor, Robert P.; Taylor, Ryan A.

2014-01-01

Retention and graduation rates for engineering disciplines are significantly lower than desired, and research literature offers many possible causes. Engineering learning communities provide the opportunity to study relationships among specific causes and to develop and evaluate activities designed to lessen their impact. This paper details an…
Learner-Controlled Scaffolding Linked to Open-Ended Problems in a Digital Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edson, Alden Jack

2017-01-01

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Todd, Ross J.

2009-01-01

The conceptualizing of and structuring of a learning commons shifts both the thinking of what a library media center is as well as its learning imperative in the school. Rather than being defined in terms of collections and instructional activities that focus primarily on an information-centric paradigm--the finding, accessing, and evaluating of…

Analysing Students' Interactions through Social Presence and Social Network Metrics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martins da Silva, Vanessa Cristina; Siqueira, Sean Wolfgand Matsui

2016-01-01

In online learning environments, tutors have several problems to carry out their activities, such as evaluating the student, knowing the right way to guide each student, promoting discussions, and knowing the right time to interact or let students build knowledge alone. We consider scenarios in which teaching and learning occurs in online social…
Defining Pedagogic Expertise: Students and New Lecturers as Co-Developers in Learning and Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howson, Camille Kandiko; Weller, Saranne

2016-01-01

This study evaluated a model of student-engaged educational development. Despite widespread commitment to student engagement across many institutional activities, student participation as partners with faculty in teaching and learning enhancement has been identified as a threshold concept for educational development. This study sought not only to…
Physicality and Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Jaeuk; Seedhouse, Paul; Seedhouse, Rob; Kiaer, Jieun

2016-01-01

The study draws on the digital technology which allows users to be able to learn both linguistic and non-linguistic skills at the same time. Activity recognition as well as wireless sensor technology, similar to a Nintendo Wii, is embedded or attached to the equipment and ingredients, allowing users to detect and evaluate progress as they carry…
Using the 5E Learning Cycle Sequence with Carbon Dioxide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlenker, Richard M.; Blanke, Regina; Mecca, Peter

2007-01-01

The authors used the 5E learning cycle (engage, explore, explain, extend, and evaluate) and a pulmonary carbon dioxide mystery to introduce eighth grade students to the study of chemistry. The activity engages students in measurement, data collection, data analysis, media and internet research, research design, and report writing as they search…
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…
Crossing Borders: Evaluating a Work Integrated Learning Project Involving Australian and Vietnamese Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Welch, Bernadette; Vo-Tran, Huan; Pittayachawan, Siddhi; Reynolds, Sue

2012-01-01

The value of work integrated learning (WIL) is well-established in the education of information management (IM) professionals. Adding value to WIL through cross-cultural or cross-disciplinary experiences is considered in this article. Using online communication, simulation activities, and onsite work, students from RMIT Melbourne and RMIT Ho Chi…
A participatory learning approach to biochemistry using student authored and evaluated multiple-choice questions.

PubMed

Bottomley, Steven; Denny, Paul

2011-01-01

A participatory learning approach, combined with both a traditional and a competitive assessment, was used to motivate students and promote a deep approach to learning biochemistry. Students were challenged to research, author, and explain their own multiple-choice questions (MCQs). They were also required to answer, evaluate, and discuss MCQs written by their peers. The technology used to support this activity was PeerWise--a freely available, innovative web-based system that supports students in the creation of an annotated question repository. In this case study, we describe students' contributions to, and perceptions of, the PeerWise system for a cohort of 107 second-year biomedical science students from three degree streams studying a core biochemistry subject. Our study suggests that the students are eager participants and produce a large repository of relevant, good quality MCQs. In addition, they rate the PeerWise system highly and use higher order thinking skills while taking an active role in their learning. We also discuss potential issues and future work using PeerWise for biomedical students. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Physical activity promotion by health practitioners: a distance-learning training component to improve knowledge and counseling.

PubMed

Florindo, Alex A; Andrade, Douglas R; Guerra, Paulo H; Mota, Jorge; Crone, Diane; Mafra, Ana C C N; Bracco, Mario M

2018-03-01

Aim To report an evaluation of health professionals' participation in a distance-learning physical activity training course developed in a low socio-economic region of São Paulo city, Brazil. In countries with public universal health systems, physical activity promotion in primary health care settings can reap results, particularly given that such interventions have the potential to reach a large percentage of the population. However, few studies proposed physical activity training for health professionals in low- and middle-income countries. Brazil is a continental country and has the Unified Health System which incorporates family health teams in over 85% of Brazilian cities. The physical activity training was part of the fifth module of an educational intervention throughout a distance-learning course focusing on health professionals at M'Boi Mirim district in São Paulo city. The training totaled 3 h and had five themes of physical activity: (1) concepts, definitions benefits; (2) evaluation; (3) recommendation; (4) interventions; (5) physical activity counseling. The opinion of health professionals was evaluated after training by two open questions. Findings Out of 106 professionals who took part of the course, only 22.6% (n=24) had accessed the fifth module. These professionals were predominantly female (79.2%), nurses (66.7%) and aged 30 years or older. Responses highlighted the course approach focused on physical activity for improving patient's quality of life and well-being, disease prevention and health improvements. Regarding the themes for improvement, the health professionals identified that there was a need to experience physical activity classes first-hand, and the need to link physical activity counseling to the local venues that provide structured physical activity programs. We recommend that further training courses can be conducted based on this model for health professionals to promote physical activity to the community in Brazil.
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.
A team approach to an undergraduate interprofessional communication course.

PubMed

Doucet, Shelley; Buchanan, Judy; Cole, Tricia; McCoy, Carolyn

2013-05-01

Interprofessional communication is a team-taught upper-level undergraduate course for Nursing and Health Sciences students. In addition to teaching fundamental communication skills, this course weaves interprofessional competencies into weekly learning activities and assignments. The utilization of the principles and practices of team-based learning in the classroom enhances the attainment and practice of communication and interprofessional collaboration skills. Lessons learned from conducting informal course evaluations and delivering the course multiple times are presented.
Medical Literature Evaluation Education at US Schools of Pharmacy

PubMed Central

Phillips, Jennifer; Demaris, Kendra

2016-01-01

Objective. To determine how medical literature evaluation (MLE) is being taught across the United States and to summarize methods for teaching and assessing MLE. Methods. An 18-question survey was administered to faculty members whose primary responsibility was teaching MLE at schools and colleges of pharmacy. Results. Responses were received from 90 (71%) US schools of pharmacy. The most common method of integrating MLE into the curriculum was as a stand-alone course (49%). The most common placement was during the second professional year (43%) or integrated throughout the curriculum (25%). The majority (77%) of schools used a team-based approach. The use of active-learning strategies was common as was the use of multiple methods of evaluation. Responses varied regarding what role the course director played in incorporating MLE into advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs). Conclusion. There is a trend toward incorporating MLE education components throughout the pre-APPE curriculum and placement of literature review/evaluation exercises into therapeutics practice skills laboratories to help students see how this skill integrates into other patient care skills. Several pre-APPE educational standards for MLE education exist, including journal club activities, a team-based approach to teaching and evaluation, and use of active-learning techniques. PMID:26941431
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.
Simultaneous anatomical sketching as learning by doing method of teaching human anatomy.

PubMed

Noorafshan, Ali; Hoseini, Leila; Amini, Mitra; Dehghani, Mohammad-Reza; Kojuri, Javad; Bazrafkan, Leila

2014-01-01

Learning by lecture is a passive experience. Many innovative techniques have been presented to stimulate students to assume a more active attitude toward learning. In this study, simultaneous sketch drawing, as an interactive learning technique was applied to teach anatomy to the medical students. We reconstructed a fun interactive model of teaching anatomy as simultaneous anatomic sketching. To test the model's instruction effectiveness, we conducted a quasi- experimental study and then the students were asked to write their learning experiences in their portfolio, also their view was evaluated by a questionnaire. The results of portfolio evaluation revealed that students believed that this method leads to deep learning and understanding anatomical subjects better. Evaluation of the students' views on this teaching approach was showed that, more than 80% of the students were agreed or completely agreed with this statement that leaning anatomy concepts are easier and the class is less boring with this method. More than 60% of the students were agreed or completely agreed to sketch anatomical figures with professor simultaneously. They also found the sketching make anatomy more attractive and it reduced the time for learning anatomy. These number of students were agree or completely agree that the method help them learning anatomical concept in anatomy laboratory. More than 80% of the students found the simultaneous sketching is a good method for learning anatomy overall. Sketch drawing, as an interactive learning technique, is an attractive for students to learn anatomy.
Simultaneous anatomical sketching as learning by doing method of teaching human anatomy

PubMed Central

Noorafshan, Ali; Hoseini, Leila; Amini, Mitra; Dehghani, Mohammad-Reza; Kojuri, Javad; Bazrafkan, Leila

2014-01-01

Objective: Learning by lecture is a passive experience. Many innovative techniques have been presented to stimulate students to assume a more active attitude toward learning. In this study, simultaneous sketch drawing, as an interactive learning technique was applied to teach anatomy to the medical students. Materials and Methods: We reconstructed a fun interactive model of teaching anatomy as simultaneous anatomic sketching. To test the model's instruction effectiveness, we conducted a quasi- experimental study and then the students were asked to write their learning experiences in their portfolio, also their view was evaluated by a questionnaire. Results: The results of portfolio evaluation revealed that students believed that this method leads to deep learning and understanding anatomical subjects better. Evaluation of the students’ views on this teaching approach was showed that, more than 80% of the students were agreed or completely agreed with this statement that leaning anatomy concepts are easier and the class is less boring with this method. More than 60% of the students were agreed or completely agreed to sketch anatomical figures with professor simultaneously. They also found the sketching make anatomy more attractive and it reduced the time for learning anatomy. These number of students were agree or completely agree that the method help them learning anatomical concept in anatomy laboratory. More than 80% of the students found the simultaneous sketching is a good method for learning anatomy overall. Conclusion: Sketch drawing, as an interactive learning technique, is an attractive for students to learn anatomy. PMID:25013843
Using reusable learning objects (RLOs) in wound care education: Undergraduate student nurse's evaluation of their learning gain.

PubMed

Redmond, Catherine; Davies, Carmel; Cornally, Deirdre; Adam, Ewa; Daly, Orla; Fegan, Marianne; O'Toole, Margaret

2018-01-01

Both nationally and internationally concerns have been expressed over the adequacy of preparation of undergraduate nurses for the clinical skill of wound care. This project describes the educational evaluation of a series of Reusable Learning Objects (RLOs) as a blended learning approach to facilitate undergraduate nursing students learning of wound care for competence development. Constructivism Learning Theory and Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning informed the design of the RLOs, promoting active learner approaches. Clinically based case studies and visual data from two large university teaching hospitals provided the authentic learning materials required. Interactive exercises and formative feedback were incorporated into the educational resource. Evaluation of student perceived learning gains in terms of knowledge, ability and attitudes were measured using a quantitative pre and posttest Wound Care Competency Outcomes Questionnaire. The RLO CETL Questionnaire was used to identify perceived learning enablers. Statistical and deductive thematic analyses inform the findings. Students (n=192) reported that their ability to meet the competency outcomes for wound care had increased significantly after engaging with the RLOs. Students rated the RLOs highly across all categories of perceived usefulness, impact, access and integration. These findings provide evidence that the use of RLOs for both knowledge-based and performance-based learning is effective. RLOs when designed using clinically real case scenarios reflect the true complexities of wound care and offer innovative interventions in nursing curricula. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Medical students' perceptions of emerging learning communities at one medical school.

PubMed

Rosenbaum, Marcy E; Schwabbauer, Marian; Kreiter, Clarence; Ferguson, Kristi J

2007-05-01

In 1999, the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine (UICCOM) established a student management model consisting of four student-style learning communities (LCs), each comprising one quarter of the students from each class, with the goal of fostering student connection, excellence, learning, leadership, and service. The authors present results of a prospective evaluation of medical students' perceptions of emerging LCs and their impact on medical student life at UICCOM. A two-page questionnaire, administered in 1999 and again in 2003 to all second-through fourth-year and MD/PhD students, assessed connections among students from different years of study, students' participation in activities, anticipated/perceived benefits of LCs, concerns about LCs, and the impact of LCs on students' perceptions of the learning environment. Questions were open ended or Likert scaled; statistical analyses were descriptive, parametric, and nonparametric. Comparison of results between 1999 and 2003 demonstrated increased connections between students and participation in LC activities, positive perceptions of the overall learning environment, increased access to faculty and staff, and increased involvement in leadership and service activities. Student concerns included continued obstacles to involvement in LCs for third- and fourth-year students. This prospective evaluation demonstrates that LCs can contribute to more positive perceptions of the learning environment and increased interaction between students throughout medical school. LCs seem to increase student leadership development and engagement in the broader community. Further investigation is needed to determine how these potential benefits of LCs can be maximized and made more accessible to all students.
Incorporation of perception-based information in robot learning using fuzzy reinforcement learning agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Changjiu; Meng, Qingchun; Guo, Zhongwen; Qu, Wiefen; Yin, Bo

2002-04-01

Robot learning in unstructured environments has been proved to be an extremely challenging problem, mainly because of many uncertainties always present in the real world. Human beings, on the other hand, seem to cope very well with uncertain and unpredictable environments, often relying on perception-based information. Furthermore, humans beings can also utilize perceptions to guide their learning on those parts of the perception-action space that are actually relevant to the task. Therefore, we conduct a research aimed at improving robot learning through the incorporation of both perception-based and measurement-based information. For this reason, a fuzzy reinforcement learning (FRL) agent is proposed in this paper. Based on a neural-fuzzy architecture, different kinds of information can be incorporated into the FRL agent to initialise its action network, critic network and evaluation feedback module so as to accelerate its learning. By making use of the global optimisation capability of GAs (genetic algorithms), a GA-based FRL (GAFRL) agent is presented to solve the local minima problem in traditional actor-critic reinforcement learning. On the other hand, with the prediction capability of the critic network, GAs can perform a more effective global search. Different GAFRL agents are constructed and verified by using the simulation model of a physical biped robot. The simulation analysis shows that the biped learning rate for dynamic balance can be improved by incorporating perception-based information on biped balancing and walking evaluation. The biped robot can find its application in ocean exploration, detection or sea rescue activity, as well as military maritime activity.
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
Using Remote Access to Scientific Instrumentation to Create Authentic Learning Activities in Pharmaceutical Analysis

PubMed Central

Albon, Simon P.; Cancilla, Devon A.; Hubball, Harry

2006-01-01

Objectives To pilot test and evaluate a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) case study as a teaching and learning tool. Design A case study incorporating remote access to a GCMS instrument through the Integrated Laboratory Network (ILN) at Western Washington University was developed and implemented. Student surveys, faculty interviews, and examination score data were used to evaluate learning. Assessment While the case study did not impact final examination scores, approximately 70% of students and all faculty members felt the ILN-supported case study improved student learning about GCMS. Faculty members felt the “live” instrument access facilitated more authentic teaching. Students and faculty members felt the ILN should continue to be developed as a teaching tool. Conclusion Remote access to scientific instrumentation can be used to modify case studies to enhance student learning and teaching practice in pharmaceutical analysis. PMID:17149450
Sharing Gravity's Microscope: Star Formation and Galaxy Evolution for Underserved Arizonans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knierman, Karen A.; Monkiewicz, Jacqueline A.; Bowman, Catherine DD; Taylor, Wendy

2016-01-01

Learning science in a community is important for children of all levels and especially for many underserved populations. This project combines HST research of galaxy evolution using gravitationally lensed galaxies with hands-on activities and the Starlab portable planetarium to link astronomy with families, teachers, and students. To explore galaxy evolution, new activities were developed and evaluated using novel evaluation techniques. A new set of galaxy classification cards enable inquiry-based learning about galaxy ages, evolution, and gravitational lensing. Activities using new cylinder overlays for the Starlab transparent cylinder will enable the detailed examination of star formation and galaxy evolution as seen from the viewpoint inside of different types of galaxies. These activities were presented in several Arizona venues that enable family and student participation including ASU Earth and Space Open House, Arizona Museum of Natural History Homeschooling Events, on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, and inner city Phoenix schools serving mainly Hispanic populations. Additional events targeted underserved families at the Phoenix Zoo, in Navajo County, and for the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. After evaluation, the activities and materials will also be shared with local teachers and nationally.

Shopping for Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, John; And Others

1992-01-01

Describes inexpensive science materials for doing science activities using the steps in the learning cycle: engage, explore, explain, extend, and evaluate. The hands-on activities help students construct knowledge of dissolving and filtering, chemical reactions, conductivity of metals, heat absorption, motion (frictionless puck), sound production…
Enhancement of collaboration activities utilizing 21st century learning design rubric

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cubero, Dave D.; Gargar, Clare V., Lady; Nallano, Gerlett Grace D.; Magsayo, Joy R.; Guarin, Rica Mae B.; Lahoylahoy, Myrna E.

2018-01-01

Twenty first century learners have incredibly diverse learning interests, needs, and aspirations. Engaging middle school students and sculpting successful, confident, and creative learners is a constant endeavor for educators [4]. In the 21st century classroom environments in which students can develop the skills they need in workplace. Collaboration occurs when students work together to create, discuss challenge and develop deeper critical thinking. In today's workplace, collaboration is essential as only few tasks are completed alone (Calgary and Park, 2016). The collaborative project-based curriculum used in this classroom develops the higher order thinking skills, effective communication skills, and knowledge of technology that students will need in the 21st century workplace. The study therefore aims to promote collaboration skills among learners as it is deemed as one of the top 21st century skills. Collaborative learning unleashes a unique intellectual and social synergy. This study aims to enhance the collaborative skills of students through conducting collaboration activities in learning the Ecosystem. This research utilizes pretest-posttest and employs descriptive research designs. It uses modified activities about the lesson on Ecosystem and utilizes a Collaboration Rubric to rate the modified activities. The activities were rated by ten In-Service teachers and there are 105 students who participated in doing the activities. The paired t-test is then used to analyze the data. The In-Service teachers evaluated the 1st and 2nd adapted activity and are rated as fair. Thus, the modified activities were enhanced since the ratings of each activity did not meet the criterion of the collaboration rubric. As for the 3rd adapted activity is rated as excellent and is ready for implementation. The evaluators provided comments and suggestions such as producing colored pictures on the activities, omitting some questions, and making the words simpler to enhance the activities. The findings of the study shows the students' performance in the posttest is higher than the pretest which indicates that there is a significant difference between the two tests given. The students' conceptual understanding was also improved after conducting the activities. Some students' outputs were Outstanding, Satisfactory, Fairly Satisfactory and Did Not Meet the Expectation. These results indicate that the students learned and developed their collaborative skills. The students found the activity interesting, enjoyable and useful. Furthermore, they understood the concept behind the activity.
Actively learning to distinguish suspicious from innocuous anomalies in a batch of vehicle tracks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Zhicong; Miller, David J.; Stieber, Brian; Fair, Tim

2014-06-01

We investigate the problem of actively learning to distinguish between two sets of anomalous vehicle tracks, innocuous" and suspicious", starting from scratch, without any initial examples of suspicious" and with no prior knowledge of what an operator would deem suspicious. This two-class problem is challenging because it is a priori unknown which track features may characterize the suspicious class. Furthermore, there is inherent imbalance in the sizes of the labeled innocuous" and suspicious" sets, even after some suspicious examples are identified. We present a comprehensive solution wherein a classifier learns to discriminate suspicious from innocuous based on derived p-value track features. Through active learning, our classifier thus learns the types of anomalies on which to base its discrimination. Our solution encompasses: i) judicious choice of kinematic p-value based features conditioned on the road of origin, along with more explicit features that capture unique vehicle behavior (e.g. U-turns); ii) novel semi-supervised learning that exploits information in the unlabeled (test batch) tracks, and iii) evaluation of several classifier models (logistic regression, SVMs). We find that two active labeling streams are necessary in practice in order to have efficient classifier learning while also forwarding (for labeling) the most actionable tracks. Experiments on wide-area motion imagery (WAMI) tracks, extracted via a system developed by Toyon Research Corporation, demonstrate the strong ROC AUC performance of our system, with sparing use of operator-based active labeling.
Influence on Learning of a Collaborative Learning Method Comprising the Jigsaw Method and Problem-based Learning (PBL).

PubMed

Takeda, Kayoko; Takahashi, Kiyoshi; Masukawa, Hiroyuki; Shimamori, Yoshimitsu

2017-01-01

Recently, the practice of active learning has spread, increasingly recognized as an essential component of academic studies. Classes incorporating small group discussion (SGD) are conducted at many universities. At present, assessments of the effectiveness of SGD have mostly involved evaluation by questionnaires conducted by teachers, by peer assessment, and by self-evaluation of students. However, qualitative data, such as open-ended descriptions by students, have not been widely evaluated. As a result, we have been unable to analyze the processes and methods involved in how students acquire knowledge in SGD. In recent years, due to advances in information and communication technology (ICT), text mining has enabled the analysis of qualitative data. We therefore investigated whether the introduction of a learning system comprising the jigsaw method and problem-based learning (PBL) would improve student attitudes toward learning; we did this by text mining analysis of the content of student reports. We found that by applying the jigsaw method before PBL, we were able to improve student attitudes toward learning and increase the depth of their understanding of the area of study as a result of working with others. The use of text mining to analyze qualitative data also allowed us to understand the processes and methods by which students acquired knowledge in SGD and also changes in students' understanding and performance based on improvements to the class. This finding suggests that the use of text mining to analyze qualitative data could enable teachers to evaluate the effectiveness of various methods employed to improve learning.
Investing in future pediatric subspecialists: a fellowship curriculum that prepares for the transition to academic careers

PubMed Central

Rama, Jennifer A.; Campbell, Judith R.; Balmer, Dorene F.; Turner, Teri L.; Hsu, Deborah C.

2015-01-01

Background The experience of transitioning to an academic faculty position can be improved with standardized educational interventions. Although a number of such interventions have been described, few utilize an evaluation framework, describe a robust evaluation process, and address why their interventions were successful. In this article, the authors apply a logic model to describe their efforts to develop, implement, evaluate, and revise a comprehensive academic career development curriculum among pediatric subspecialty fellows. They describe inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes using quantitative data from fellow evaluations and qualitative data from faculty interviews. Methods Methods are described under the input and activities sections. The curriculum started with collaboration among educational leadership and conducting a needs assessment. Using the needs assessment results and targeted learning objectives, we piloted the curriculum and then implemented the full curriculum 1 year later. Results Results are described under the outputs and outcomes sections. We present immediate, short-term, and 6-month evaluation data. Cumulative data over 3 years reveal that fellows consistently acquired knowledge relevant to transitioning and that they applied acquired knowledge to prepare for finding jobs and career advancement. The curriculum also benefits faculty instructors who gain a sense of reward by filling a critical knowledge gap and fostering fellows’ professional growth. Conclusion The authors relate the success and effectiveness of the curriculum to principles of adult learning, and share lessons learned, including the importance of buy-in from junior and senior fellows and faculty, collaboration, and designating the time to teach and learn. PMID:25861876
The Association Between Effective Dose of Magnesium and Mild Compulsive Exercise on Spatial Learning, Memory, and Motor Activity of Adult Male Rats.

PubMed

Hajizade Ghonsulakandi, Shahnaz; Sheikh, Mahmuod; Dehghan Shasaltaneh, Marzieh; Chopani, Samira; Naghdi, Nasser

2017-08-01

One of the most important survival mechanisms is learning and memory processes. To emphasize the role of physical exercises and magnesium (Mg) in improvement of cognitive performance, we planned to investigate the effect of Mg and mild compulsive exercise on spatial learning and memory of adult male rats. Accordingly, we divided male Wistar rats into four groups: (I) control, (II) Mg treatment, (III) exercise, and (IV) Mg-exercise in the different dosages of Mg (0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 mmol/kbw) were injected in the form of gavage during 1 week. Also, 1-week mild running on treadmill was used for exercise treatment. The Morris water maze (MWM) test and open field tool were used to evaluate spatial learning, memory, and motor activity, respectively. Our results clearly showed that 1 mmol/kbw Mg was applied as an effective dosage. Strikingly, 1-week mild exercise on treadmill had no significant effect on spatial motor activity, learning, and memory. Feeding 1 mmol/kbw Mg for a week showed a significant difference in learning and exploration stages. Compared to control animals, these results reveal exercise and Mg simultaneously had effect on learning and reminding. As a consequence, although mild exercise had no effect on motor activity and memory, Mg intake improved spatial learning, memory, and locomotor activity. The Mg feeding could be a promising supplemental treatment in the neurodegenerative disease. It is worthwhile to mention consumption of Mg leads to enhancement of memory, so animals find the hidden platform with the highest velocity.
Collaboration as a Strategy to Transform the Impact of EPO Efforts in the New York Center for Astrobiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Svirsky, A.; Rogers, K. L.; Meissner, M.; Busby, G.; Roberge, W.

2014-12-01

The New York Center for Astrobiology (NYCA) EPO effort is a collaboration combining expertise in evaluation and assessment of STEM educational modules with disciplinary expertise in astrobiology. In practice, the NYCA partners with external experts in professional development, informal education and evaluation to assist in developing and implementing certain programs of the NYCA EPO activities. Two specific program initiatives of the NYCA EPO effort offer excellent examples of programs with strong science content knowledge as well as using effective tools to address the NSF impact categories. These are the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp (EMBHSSC, in conjunction with RPI's STEM Pipeline Initiative) and the Astrobiology Teachers Academy (ATA). The EMBHSSC for middle school students focuses on NASA astrobiology initiatives around the "Quest for Life" theme. The Camp has a comprehensive evaluation component and uses pre-and post- assessment of student knowledge and interest in STEM. Recent data suggest that every student has shown a measurable gain in these areas. The ATA is a weeklong summer intensive professional development program for P-12 STEM teachers that combines discipline scientists in the NYCA with an external evaluation organization, the Association for the Cooperative Advancement of Science and Education (ACASE). The goal is for teachers to develop a new learning module for a course they teach that uses astrobiology as a content focus to engage students. The Academy has scientists collaborating with teachers in this effort, providing content and assistance in designing instructional activities. Assessments are woven into the fabric of the work in a few ways: 1. There is a purposeful focus on assessment as part of the learning module, and the content of the ATA; 2. ACASE offers teachers a tool for tracking their students' attainment of the learning goals identified in their learning module; 3. There are daily evaluations of the teachers' experiences to enable mid-course corrections, and a final evaluation of the ATA at the end of the experience. NYCA scientists support the approach of working collaboratively with external experts in evaluation as a paradigm for EPO activities sponsored by NASA. Our presentation will highlight the myriad of tools used to measure outcomes of these activities.
Mixed Methods: Incorporating multiple learning styles into a measurements course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pallone, Arthur

2010-03-01

The best scientists and engineers regularly combine creative and critical skill sets. As faculty, we are responsible to provide future scientists and engineers with those skills sets. EGR 390: Engineering Measurements at Murray State University is structured to actively engage students in the processes that develop and enhance those skills. Students learn through a mix of traditional lecture and homework, active discussion of open-ended questions, small group activities, structured laboratory exercises, oral and written communications exercises, student chosen team projects, and peer evaluations. Examples of each of these activities, the skill set addressed by each activity, outcomes from and effectiveness of each activity and recommendations for future directions in the EGR 390 course as designed will be presented.
A mixed methods evaluation of team-based learning for applied pathophysiology in undergraduate nursing education.

PubMed

Branney, Jonathan; Priego-Hernández, Jacqueline

2018-02-01

It is important for nurses to have a thorough understanding of the biosciences such as pathophysiology that underpin nursing care. These courses include content that can be difficult to learn. Team-based learning is emerging as a strategy for enhancing learning in nurse education due to the promotion of individual learning as well as learning in teams. In this study we sought to evaluate the use of team-based learning in the teaching of applied pathophysiology to undergraduate student nurses. A mixed methods observational study. In a year two, undergraduate nursing applied pathophysiology module circulatory shock was taught using Team-based Learning while all remaining topics were taught using traditional lectures. After the Team-based Learning intervention the students were invited to complete the Team-based Learning Student Assessment Instrument, which measures accountability, preference and satisfaction with Team-based Learning. Students were also invited to focus group discussions to gain a more thorough understanding of their experience with Team-based Learning. Exam scores for answers to questions based on Team-based Learning-taught material were compared with those from lecture-taught material. Of the 197 students enrolled on the module, 167 (85% response rate) returned the instrument, the results from which indicated a favourable experience with Team-based Learning. Most students reported higher accountability (93%) and satisfaction (92%) with Team-based Learning. Lectures that promoted active learning were viewed as an important feature of the university experience which may explain the 76% exhibiting a preference for Team-based Learning. Most students wanted to make a meaningful contribution so as not to let down their team and they saw a clear relevance between the Team-based Learning activities and their own experiences of teamwork in clinical practice. Exam scores on the question related to Team-based Learning-taught material were comparable to those related to lecture-taught material. Most students had a preference for, and reported higher accountability and satisfaction with Team-based Learning. Through contextualisation and teamwork, Team-based Learning appears to be a strategy that confers strong pedagogical benefits for teaching applied pathophysiology (bioscience) to student nurses. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
A Scale to Assess Science Activity Videos (SASAV): The Study of Validity and Reliability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kara, Yilmaz; Bakirci, Hasan

2018-01-01

The purpose of the study was to develop an assessment scale for science activity videos that can be used to determine qualified science activity videos that can fulfill the objectives of activity based science education, help teachers to evaluate any science activity videos and decide whether to include into science learning process. The subjects…
Teaching childbirth with high-fidelity simulation. Is it better observing the scenario during the briefing session?

PubMed

Cuerva, Marcos J; Piñel, Carlos S; Martin, Lourdes; Espinosa, Jose A; Corral, Octavio J; Mendoza, Nicolás

2018-02-12

The design of optimal courses for obstetric undergraduate teaching is a relevant question. This study evaluates two different designs of simulator-based learning activity on childbirth with regard to respect to the patient, obstetric manoeuvres, interpretation of cardiotocography tracings (CTG) and infection prevention. This randomised experimental study which differs in the content of their briefing sessions consisted of two groups of undergraduate students, who performed two simulator-based learning activities on childbirth. The first briefing session included the observations of a properly performed scenario according to Spanish clinical practice guidelines on care in normal childbirth by the teachers whereas the second group did not include the observations of a properly performed scenario, and the students observed it only after the simulation process. The group that observed a properly performed scenario after the simulation obtained worse grades during the simulation, but better grades during the debriefing and evaluation. Simulator use in childbirth may be more fruitful when the medical students observe correct performance at the completion of the scenario compared to that at the start of the scenario. Impact statement What is already known on this subject? There is a scarcity of literature about the design of optimal high-fidelity simulation training in childbirth. It is known that preparing simulator-based learning activities is a complex process. Simulator-based learning includes the following steps: briefing, simulation, debriefing and evaluation. The most important part of high-fidelity simulations is the debriefing. A good briefing and simulation are of high relevance in order to have a fruitful debriefing session. What do the results of this study add? Our study describes a full simulator-based learning activity on childbirth that can be reproduced in similar facilities. The findings of this study add that high-fidelity simulation training in childbirth is favoured by a short briefing session and an abrupt start to the scenario, rather than a long briefing session that includes direct instruction in the scenario. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? The findings of this study reveal what to include in the briefing of simulator-based learning activities on childbirth. These findings have implications in medical teaching and in medical practice.
Enterprise Professional Development--Evaluating Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Gerald A.; Calway, Bruce A.

2010-01-01

Whilst professional development (PD) is an activity required by many regulatory authorities, the value that enterprises obtain from PD is often unknown, particularly when it involves development of knowledge. This paper discusses measurement techniques and processes and provides a review of established evaluation techniques, highlighting…
Learning and memory deficits in mice lacking protease activated receptor-1

PubMed Central

Almonte, Antoine G.; Hamill, Cecily E.; Chhatwal, Jasmeer P.; Wingo, Thomas S.; Barber, Jeremy A.; Lyuboslavsky, Polina N.; Sweatt, J. David; Ressler, Kerry J.; White, David A.; Traynelis, Stephen F.

2007-01-01

The roles of serine proteases and protease activated receptors have been extensively studied in coagulation, wound healing, inflammation, and neurodegeneration. More recently, serine proteases have been suggested to influence synaptic plasticity. In this context, we examined the role of protease activated receptor 1 (PAR1), which is activated following proteolytic cleavage by thrombin and plasmin, in emotionally-motivated learning. We were particularly interested in PAR1 because its activation enhances the function of NMDA receptors, which are required for some forms of synaptic plasticity. We examined several baseline behavioral measures, including locomotor activity, expression of anxiety-like behavior, motor task acquisition, nociceptive responses, and startle responses in C57Bl/6 mice in which the PAR1 receptor has been genetically deleted. In addition, we evaluated learning and memory in these mice using two memory tasks, passive avoidance and cued fear-conditioning. Whereas locomotion, pain response, startle, and measures of baseline anxiety were largely unaffected by PAR1 removal, PAR1−/− animals showed significant deficits in a passive avoidance task and in cued fear conditioning. These data suggest that PAR1 may play an important role in emotionally-motivated learning. PMID:17544303
Deal or No Deal: using games to improve student learning, retention and decision-making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chow, Alan F.; Woodford, Kelly C.; Maes, Jeanne

2011-03-01

Student understanding and retention can be enhanced and improved by providing alternative learning activities and environments. Education theory recognizes the value of incorporating alternative activities (games, exercises and simulations) to stimulate student interest in the educational environment, enhance transfer of knowledge and improve learned retention with meaningful repetition. In this case study, we investigate using an online version of the television game show, 'Deal or No Deal', to enhance student understanding and retention by playing the game to learn expected value in an introductory statistics course, and to foster development of critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in the modern business environment. Enhancing the thinking process of problem solving using repetitive games should also improve a student's ability to follow non-mathematical problem-solving processes, which should improve the overall ability to process information and make logical decisions. Learning and retention are measured to evaluate the success of the students' performance.
[E-learning and university nursing education: an overview of reviews].

PubMed

De Caro, Walter; Marucci, Anna Rita; Giordani, Mauro; Sansoni, Julita

2014-01-01

The increasing use of digital technologies and e-learning in nursing education and the health professions was also reflected in the time to many studies and reviews. The aim of this overview was to analyze education through e-learning technologies for nursing and health professional students. A comprehensive search of literature was conducted using database PubMed/MEDLINE, Ebsco/CINAHL, 2003-2013. The search strategy resulted in the inclusion, in first instance, of 9732 items. After the reduction of duplicates, applying limits and other parameters of inclusion/exclusion and, at the end, evaluation of quality through AMSTARD check list, we included in this overview, 22 reviews. The analized reviews were allowed to spread in different topic areas: study population (students and faculty), e-learning methods (blended learning Game/3D/situated learning) and evaluation (information technology, learning satisfaction comparison of e-learning with the traditional teaching methods) This overview demonstrates that e-learning in nursing academic education is a valid alternative to traditional learning. If e-learning activities are well structured and modulated, some advantages and economies are clear possible. Regard effects of e-learning on the improvement of ability, data are at the momenti limited when compared to traditional learning. Often e-learning appear as an adjunct respect traditional learning, but is necessary consider e-learning and digital tecnology as priority for the future of education of nursing students.
CircleBoard-Pro: Concrete manipulative-based learning cycle unit for learning geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamhari, Wongkia, Wararat

2018-01-01

Currently, a manipulative is commonly used in mathematics education as a supported tool for teaching and learning. With engaging natural interaction of a concrete manipulative and advantages of a learning cycle approach, we proposed the concrete manipulative-based learning cycle unit to promote mathematics learning. Our main objectives are to observe possibilities on the use of a concrete manipulative in learning geometry, and to assess students' understanding of a specific topic, angle properties in a circle, of secondary level students. To meet the first objective, the concrete manipulative, called CricleBoard-Pro, was designed. CircleBoard-Pro is built for easy to writing on or deleting from, accurate angle measurement, and flexible movement. Besides, learning activities and worksheets were created for helping students to learn angle properties in a circle. Twenty eighth graders on a lower secondary school in Indonesia were voluntarily involved to learn mathematics using CircleBoard-Pro with the designed learning activities and worksheets. We informally observed students' performance by focusing on criteria of using manipulative tools in learning mathematics while the learning activities were also observed in terms of whether they work and which step of activities need to be improved. The results of this part showed that CircleBoard-Pro complied the criteria of the use of the manipulative in learning mathematics. Nevertheless, parts of learning activities and worksheets need to be improved. Based on the results of the observation, CircleBoard-Pro, learning activities, and worksheets were merged together and became the CircleBoardPro embedded on 5E (Engage - Explore - Explain - Elaborate - Evaluate) learning cycle unit. Then, students understanding were assessed to reach the second objective. Six ninth graders from an Indonesian school in Thailand were recruited to participate in this study. Conceptual tests for both pre-and post-test, and semi-structured interview were used. Students' pre-and post-test answers were analyzed not only by descriptive statistics but also in qualitatively discussion. The dialogues between the interviewer and interviewees were transcribed and analyzed to find in-depth understanding. Finally, we can conclude that the participated students had better comprehension of angle properties in a circle even they could not perform proof by themselves. For further study, we will focus on how we can help students to develop their geometric thinking.
Reforming pathology teaching in medical college by peer-assisted learning and student-oriented interest building activities: A pilot study.

PubMed

Grover, Sumit; Sood, Neena; Chaudhary, Anurag

2017-01-01

Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is a teaching-learning method in which students act as peer teachers and help other students to learn while also themselves learning by teaching. PAL through modified interest building activities (MIBAs) is seldom tried in teaching pathology in medical colleges. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of peer teaching using MIBA, obtain feedback from students, and compare different activities with each other and with traditional teaching-learning methods. An interventional pilot study was conducted in 2 months on the 2nd MBBS undergraduates learning pathology at a medical college in North India. Students acted as peer teachers and performed different MIBAs including role plays, demonstration of pathogenesis through props, student-led seminars such as PowerPoint teaching, blackboard teaching, multiple choice question seminars, case-based learning (CBL) exercises, and quizzes before teaching sessions. Feedback was obtained through structured questionnaires on a 5-point Likert scale. Paired t-test was used to compare traditional teaching with MIBAs, and Friedman test was used to compare among different MIBAs. Students found ease of understanding and the interaction and involvement of students as the most important benefits of PAL. MIBAs increased voluntary participation, coordination, teamwork, shared responsibility, and group dynamics among students. Quiz sessions followed by PowerPoint seminars and prop demonstrations received highest mean scores from students on most of the parameters. Quizzes, blackboard teaching, prop activities, and CBL helped students understand topics better and generated interest. Learners advocated for making MIBAs and PAL compulsory for future students. PAL complemented by MIBAs may be adopted to make teaching-learning more interesting and effective through the active involvement and participation of students.
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.
A software technology evaluation program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Novaes-Card, David N.

1985-01-01

A set of quantitative approaches is presented for evaluating software development methods and tools. The basic idea is to generate a set of goals which are refined into quantifiable questions which specify metrics to be collected on the software development and maintenance process and product. These metrics can be used to characterize, evaluate, predict, and motivate. They can be used in an active as well as passive way by learning form analyzing the data and improving the methods and tools based upon what is learned from that analysis. Several examples were given representing each of the different approaches to evaluation. The cost of the approaches varied inversely with the level of confidence in the interpretation of the results.
Teaching autonomy: turning the teaching evaluation of the Applied Optics course from impart knowledge to the new intelligent thinking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Huifu; Chen, Yu; Liu, Dongmei

2017-08-01

There is a saying that "The teacher, proselytizes instructs dispels doubt." Traditional teaching methods, constantly let the students learn the knowledge in order to pursue the knowledge of a solid grasp, then assess the teaching result by evaluating of the degree of knowledge and memory. This approach cannot mobilize the enthusiasm of students to learn, and hinders the development of innovative thinking of students. And this assessment results have no practical significance, decoupling from practical application. As we all know, the course of Applied Optics is based on abstract theory. If the same teaching methods using for this course by such a "duck", it is unable to mobilize students' learning initiative, and then students' study results will be affected by passive acceptance of knowledge. How to take the initiative to acquire knowledge in the class to the students, and fully mobilize the initiative of students and to explore the potential of students, finally evaluation contents more research on the practical significance? Scholars continue to innovate teaching methods, as well as teaching evaluation indicators, the best teaching effect to promote the development of students. Therefore, this paper puts forward a set of teaching evaluation model of teaching autonomy. This so-called "autonomous teaching" is that teachers put forward the request or arrange the task and students complete the learning content in the form of a group to discuss learning before the lesson, and to complete the task of the layout, then teachers accept of students' learning achievements and answer questions. Every task is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching. Every lesson should be combined with the progress of science and technology frontier of Applied Optics, let students understand the relationship between research and application in the future, mobilize the students interest in learning, training ability, learn to take the initiative to explore, team cooperation ability. As well, it has practical significance to every evaluation, making the teaching to active learning in teaching, cultivating students' creative potential, deep, solid foundation for the day after learning work.

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
Blended Learning Educational Format for Third-Year Pediatrics Clinical Rotation.

PubMed

Langenau, Erik E; Lee, Robert; Fults, Marci

2017-04-01

Traditional medical education is shifting to incorporate learning technologies and online educational activities with traditional face-to-face clinical instruction to engage students, especially at remote clinical training sites. To describe and evaluate the effectiveness of the blended learning format (combining online and face-to-face instruction) for third-year osteopathic medical students during their pediatric rotation. Third-year medical students who completed the 4-week clerkship in pediatrics during the 2014-2015 academic year were divided into a standard learning group and a blended learning group with online activities (discussion boards, blogs, virtual patient encounters, narrated video presentations, and online training modules). Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Achievement Test scores and final course grades were compared between the standard learning and blended learning groups. Students in the blended learning group completed a postsurvey regarding their experiences. Of 264 third-year students who completed the 4-week clerkship in pediatrics during the 2014-2015 academic year, 78 (29.5%) participated in the blended learning supplement with online activities. Of 53 students who completed the postsurvey in the blended learning group, 44 (83.0%) agreed or strongly agreed that "The integration of e-learning and face-to-face learning helped me learn pediatrics." Open-ended comments supported this overall satisfaction with the course format; however, 26 of 100 comments reflected a desire to increase the amount of clinical exposure and face-to-face time with patients. No statistical differences were seen between the standard learning (n=186) and blended learning (n=78) groups with regard to Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Achievement Test scores (P=.321). Compared with the standard learning group, more students in the blended learning group received a final course grade of honors (P=.015). Results of this study support the use of blended learning in a clinical training environment. As more medical educators use blended learning, it is important to investigate the best balance between learning with technology and learning in a face-to-face setting. Online activities may enhance but should never fully replace face-to-face learning with real patients.
Learning under uncertainty in smart home environments.

PubMed

Zhang, Shuai; McClean, Sally; Scotney, Bryan; Nugent, Chris

2008-01-01

Technologies and services for the home environment can provide levels of independence for elderly people to support 'ageing in place'. Learning inhabitants' patterns of carrying out daily activities is a crucial component of these technological solutions with sensor technologies being at the core of such smart environments. Nevertheless, identifying high-level activities from low-level sensor events can be a challenge, as information may be unreliable resulting in incomplete data. Our work addresses the issues of learning in the presence of incomplete data along with the identification and the prediction of inhabitants and their activities under such uncertainty. We show via the evaluation results that our approach also offers the ability to assess the impact of various sensors in the activity recognition process. The benefit of this work is that future predictions can be utilised in a proposed intervention mechanism in a real smart home environment.
Enhancing students' learning in problem based learning: validation of a self-assessment scale for active learning and critical thinking.

PubMed

Khoiriyah, Umatul; Roberts, Chris; Jorm, Christine; Van der Vleuten, C P M

2015-08-26

Problem based learning (PBL) is a powerful learning activity but fidelity to intended models may slip and student engagement wane, negatively impacting learning processes, and outcomes. One potential solution to solve this degradation is by encouraging self-assessment in the PBL tutorial. Self-assessment is a central component of the self-regulation of student learning behaviours. There are few measures to investigate self-assessment relevant to PBL processes. We developed a Self-assessment Scale on Active Learning and Critical Thinking (SSACT) to address this gap. We wished to demonstrated evidence of its validity in the context of PBL by exploring its internal structure. We used a mixed methods approach to scale development. We developed scale items from a qualitative investigation, literature review, and consideration of previous existing tools used for study of the PBL process. Expert review panels evaluated its content; a process of validation subsequently reduced the pool of items. We used structural equation modelling to undertake a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the SSACT and coefficient alpha. The 14 item SSACT consisted of two domains "active learning" and "critical thinking." The factorial validity of SSACT was evidenced by all items loading significantly on their expected factors, a good model fit for the data, and good stability across two independent samples. Each subscale had good internal reliability (>0.8) and strongly correlated with each other. The SSACT has sufficient evidence of its validity to support its use in the PBL process to encourage students to self-assess. The implementation of the SSACT may assist students to improve the quality of their learning in achieving PBL goals such as critical thinking and self-directed learning.
Evaluation of the Development of Metacognitive Knowledge Supported by the KnowCat System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pifarre, Manoli; Cobos, Ruth

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the development of the metacognitive knowledge of a group of higher education students who participated actively in an experiment based on a Computer Supported Collaborative Learning environment called KnowCat. Eighteen university students participated in a 12-month learning project during which the KnowCat…
Hands-on learning: Its effectiveness in teaching the public about wildland fire

Treesearch

Tamara M. Parkinson; Jo Ellen Force; Jane Kapler Smith

2003-01-01

This study evaluated workshops for the adult public featuring experiential learning about wildland fire. Participants used hands-on activities to investigate fire behavior and ecology and to assess hazards in the wildland-urban interface. Effectiveness was examined using a pretest, a posttest following the program, and another posttest 30 days later. Participantsâ...
Development and Evaluation of an Interactive Mobile Learning Environment with Shared Display Groupware

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Jie Chi; Lin, Yi Lung

2010-01-01

When using mobile devices in support of learning activities, students gain mobility, but problems arise when group members share information. The small size of the mobile device screen becomes problematic when it is being used by two or more students to share and exchange information. This problem affects interactions among group members. To…
A Student-Constructed Test Learning System: The Design, Development and Evaluation of Its Pedagogical Potential

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Fu-Yun; Su, Chia-Ling

2015-01-01

Although research has found that student-constructed tests (SCT) have some potential for promoting cognitive elaboration, as yet there are no systems available to support the associated activities. This study designed and developed an SCT learning system guided by the ideology of contribution-based pedagogies, accentuating the principles of…
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…
Development of an Effective Educational Computer Game Based on a Mission Synchronization-Based Peer-Assistance Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Shao-Chen; Hwang, Gwo-Jen

2017-01-01

In this study, a mission synchronization-based peer-assistance approach is proposed to improve students' learning performance in digital game-based learning activities. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, an experiment has been conducted in an elementary school natural science course to examine the participants' learning…
Using Debates as Assessment in a Physiotherapy Capstone Course: A Case Example

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weeks, Benjamin K.; Laakso, Liisa

2016-01-01

While not a new teaching and learning approach, debating may be considered novel when included in a suite of more traditional teaching and learning activities. Despite the potential benefits of debates for the development of generic skills, their use in physiotherapy education remains unreported. Thus, our aim was to evaluate student satisfaction…
Securing Field Learning Using a Twenty-First Century Cook's Tour

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuller, Ian C.; France, Derek

2015-01-01

This paper evaluates the effectiveness of incorporating digital video into a traditional Cook's Tour as part of a 7-day road trip around the east coast of New Zealand's North Island over a 4-year period. Student-generated video diaries summarized landscape features and processes at fieldsites, empowering students through active learning and small…
Improving Science Scores of Middle School Students with Learning Disabilities through Engineering Problem Solving Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starling, A. Leyf Peirce; Lo, Ya-Yu; Rivera, Christopher J.

2015-01-01

This study evaluated the differential effects of three different science teaching methods, namely engineering teaching kit (ETK), explicit instruction (EI), and a combination of the two methods (ETK+EI), in two sixth-grade science classrooms. Twelve students with learning disabilities (LD) and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)…
Learning about Foodborne Pathogens: Evaluation of Student Perceptions of Group Project Work in a Food Microbiology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Mark S.

2009-01-01

This study examined the experiences of students in an active learning group work exercise in an introductory food microbiology course involving the study of foodborne pathogens. Small groups were required to access, analyze, and present information regarding a single food poisoning bacterium. The presentations contained features and…
Assessing the Use of Smartphone in the University General Physics Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shi, Wei-Zhao; Sun, Jiajun; Xu, Chong; Huan, Weiliang

2016-01-01

In this study, smartphone was used to alter the traditional procedure by involving students in active learning experiences prior to the laboratory meeting. The researcher surveyed students' view on the effect of using smartphone to enhance learning in the general physics laboratory. The use of smartphone was evaluated by having 120 students who…
WebQuest on Conic Sections as a Learning Tool for Prospective Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurtulus, Aytac; Ada, Tuba

2012-01-01

WebQuests incorporate technology with educational concepts through integrating online resources with student-centred and activity-based learning. In this study, we describe and evaluate a WebQuest based on conic sections, which we have used with a group of prospective mathematics teachers. The WebQuest entitled: "Creating a Carpet Design Using…
Foreign Language Learning in Primary School: Evaluation Report and Executive Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiggins, Meg; Parrao, Constanza Gonzalez; Austerberry, Helen; Ingold, Anne

2017-01-01

The Foreign Language Learning (FLL) programme aimed to improve the English language attainment of Year 3 and 4 pupils through a detailed curriculum of weekly French classes with linked activity in English lessons. The programme, created by the Education Development Trust (formerly CfBT), lasted for three half-terms. French classes were 45 minutes…
Is Self-Explanation Worth the Time? A Comparison to Additional Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McEldoon, Katherine L.; Durkin, Kelley L.; Rittle-Johnson, Bethany

2013-01-01

Background: Self-explanation, or generating explanations to oneself in an attempt to make sense of new information, can promote learning. However, self-explaining takes time, and the learning benefits of this activity need to be rigorously evaluated against alternative uses of this time. Aims: In the current study, we compared the effectiveness of…
Engaging Experiential Service Learning through a Co-Curricular Club: The Chase Charlie Races

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Judge, Lawrence W.; Pierce, David; Petersen, Jeffrey; Bellar, David; Wanless, Elizabeth; Gilreath, Erin; Simon, Laura

2011-01-01

The efficacy of the "Chase Charlie Races" (an experiential learning activity) was demonstrated via program assessment. This was achieved via post-event evaluations of race participants and student club members, and with fitness assessments of 76 elementary students who participated in an eight-week training program. Paired sample t-tests revealed…
Motion Based Target Acquisition and Evaluation in an Adaptive Machine Vision System

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-05-01

paths in facial recognition and learning. Annals of Neurology, 22, 41-45. Tolman, E.C. (1932) Purposive behavior in Animals and Men. New York: Appleton...Learned scan paths are the active processes of perception. Rizzo et al. (1987) studied the fixation patterns of two patients with impaired facial ... recognition and learning and found an increase in the randomness of the scan patterns compared to controls, indicating that the cortex was failing to direct

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