In the Kitchen with Your Young Child.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giddings, Louise R.

Under the guidance of alert adults, young children can develop new understandings, learn valuable skills, and acquire positive attitudes toward life and learning by taking part in activities in the kitchen. This book provides ideas that parents and parent surrogates can use to provide experiences in the kitchen that will contribute to children's…

My Personal Mobile Language Learning Environment: An Exploration and Classification of Language Learning Possibilities Using the iPhone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perifanou, Maria A.

2011-01-01

Mobile devices can motivate learners through moving language learning from predominantly classroom-based contexts into contexts that are free from time and space. The increasing development of new applications can offer valuable support to the language learning process and can provide a basis for a new self regulated and personal approach to…

A Theoretical Basis for Adult Learning Facilitation: Review of Selected Articles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muneja, Mussa S.

2015-01-01

The aim of this paper is to synthesize a theoretical basis for adult learning facilitation in order to provide a valuable systematic resource in the field of adult education. The paper has reviewed 6 journal articles with topics ranging from theory of andragogy; the effect of globalization on adult learning; the contribution of Malcolm Knowles;…

The Significance of the Learner Profile in Recognition of Prior Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snyman, Marici; van den Berg, Geesje

2018-01-01

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) is based on the principle that valuable learning, worthy of recognition, takes place outside formal education. In the context of higher education, legislation provides an enabling framework for the implementation of RPL. However, RPL will only gain its rightful position if it can ensure the RPL candidates'…

Making Teaching Visible through Learning Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ermeling, Bradley A.; Gallimore, Ronald; Hiebert, James

2017-01-01

Observing teaching with a practiced, professional eye can yield valuable insights into the specific learning opportunities that students are (or are not) provided. However, recent policy initiatives have emphasized using formulaic rubrics and checklists to rate teacher behaviors and evaluate their use of particular instructional moves. Rather than…

STEPS: A Simulated, Tutorable Physics Student.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ur, Sigalit; VanLehn, Kurt

1995-01-01

Describes a simulated student that learns by interacting with a human tutor. Tests suggest that simulated students, when developed past the prototype stage, could be valuable for training human tutors. Provides a computational cognitive task analysis of the skill of learning from a tutor that is useful for designing intelligent tutoring systems.…

Fundamental Elements in Examining a Child's Right to Education: A Study of Home Education Research and Regulation in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Glenda; Allan, Sonia

2010-01-01

Home education provides valuable educational and developmental opportunities for children. An examination of Australia's research indicates many best educational practices, including more informed mediation, contextualised learning, and opportunities to exercise autonomy. Key features include learning embedded in communities and program…

Negotiation: How Four Youth Organizations Create Learning Environments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deschenes, Sarah; McDonald, Morva

This paper details the efforts of four organizations that have been able to negotiate their environments effectively, in the hopes that the analysis provides insights into how organizations are able to establish valuable learning environments for youth in nonschool hours. The negotiation, the process of dealing with various layers of environments…

Effects of Multimedia Vocabulary Annotations on Vocabulary Learning and Text Comprehension in ESP Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Huifen

2012-01-01

For the past few decades, instructional materials enriched with multimedia elements have enjoyed increasing popularity. Multimedia-based instruction incorporating stimulating visuals, authentic audios, and interactive animated graphs of different kinds all provide additional and valuable opportunities for students to learn beyond what conventional…

Computer-Assisted Language Learning: Current Programs and Projects. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higgins, Chris

For many years, foreign language teachers have used the computer to provide supplemental exercises in the instruction of foreign languages. In recent years, advances in computer technology have motivated teachers to reassess the computer and consider it a valuable part of daily foreign language learning. Innovative software programs, authoring…

Assessing Learning Gains in Political Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Axelrod, Robert

1976-01-01

Discusses the systematic assessment of student learning gains by means of pretest and posttest comparisons. This type of assessment is found to be a time consuming procedure but can be a valuable guide to teaching effectiveness when studied in conjunction with a questionnaire which provides feedback about students' opinions. (DB)

The Art of Giving Online Feedback

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leibold, Nancyruth; Schwarz, Laura Marie

2015-01-01

The cultivation of providing online feedback that is positive, effective, and enhances the learning experience is a valuable educator skill. Acquisition of the art of providing feedback is through education, practice, and faculty development. This article provides information about the best practices for delivering online feedback to learners. An…

Pause...Before Rushing In: Examining Motivations to Help in Trauma Impacted Communities Internationally

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Streets, Barbara Faye; Nicolas, Guerda; Wolford, Karen

2015-01-01

International service learning courses, cultural immersion projects, and international disaster response teams have provided valuable aid, services, supplies and programs to trauma-impacted communities across the globe. Many colleges and universities support global learning and the creation of global citizens, and this ethic is reflected in many…

Learning Progressions in Context: Tensions and Insights from a Semester-Long Middle School Modeling Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pierson, Ashlyn E.; Clark, Douglas B.; Sherard, Max K.

2017-01-01

Schwarz and colleagues have proposed and refined a learning progression for modeling that provides a valuable template for envisioning increasingly sophisticated levels of modeling practice at an aggregate level (Fortus, Shwartz, & Rosenfeld, 2016; Schwarz et al., 2009; Schwarz, Reiser, Archer, Kenyon, & Fortus, 2012). Thinking about…

Practicum Learnings for Counseling and Art Therapy Students: The Shared and the Particular

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Lith, Theresa; Voronin, Lorelei

2016-01-01

Practicum experience in counseling and therapy training can be an anxiety-inducing time as students begin to apply their acquired theoretical knowledge. On-site supervisors closely monitor students' development by making use of example-based involvements to provide valuable insights and learning opportunities. This paper examines the findings from…

Explaining University Students' Strong Commitment to Understand through Individual and Contextual Elements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Postareff, Liisa; Lindblom-Ylänne, Sari; Parpala, Anna

2014-01-01

Since the late 1970s numerous studies have explored students' approaches to learning (referred to as the "SAL" tradition). These studies have provided valuable evidence of students' study strategies and intentions at the university. Since extensive research already exists on students' approaches to learning, there is a need to move…

Cooperative Learning Technique through Internet Based Education: A Model Proposal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozkan, Hasan Huseyin

2010-01-01

Internet is gradually becoming the most valuable learning environment for the people which form the information society. That the internet provides written, oral and visual communication between the participants who are at different places, that it enables the students' interaction with other students and teachers, and that it does these so fast…

Tombstones as Textbooks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Karen L.

1989-01-01

Cemeteries can provide valuable teaching tools for studying art, genealogy, botany, math, geology, and local history. Several activities are suggested that will make a field trip to a local cemetery a learning experience. (IAH)

Any Time, Any Place, Any Path, Any Pace: Taking the Lead on e-Learning Policy. The Report of the NASBE Study Group on e-Learning: The Future of Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Association of State Boards of Education, Alexandria, VA.

Having examined the emerging evidence and considered the doubts and cautions, the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) Study Group on e-Learning concludes that e-learning will improve American education in valuable ways and should be universally implemented as soon as possible. The primary goal of this report is to provide a…

Field Trips as Valuable Learning Experiences in Geography Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krakowka, Amy Richmond

2012-01-01

Field trips have been acknowledged as valuable learning experiences in geography. This article uses Kolb's (1984) experiential learning model to discuss how students learn and how field trips can help enhance learning. Using Kolb's experiential learning theory as a guide in the design of field trips helps ensure that field trips contribute to…

Safety Assurances at Space Test Centres: Lessons Learned

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alarcon Ruiz, Raul; O'Neil, Sean; Valls, Rafel Prades

2010-09-01

The European Space Agency’s(ESA) experts in quality, cleanliness and contamination control, safety, test facilities and test methods have accumulated valuable experience during the performance of dedicated audits of space test centres in Europe over a period of 10 years. This paper is limited to a summary of the safety findings and provides a valuable reference to the lessons learned, identifying opportunities for improvement in the areas of risk prevention measures associated to the safety of all test centre personnel, the test specimen, the test facilities and associated infrastructure. Through the analysis of the audit results the authors present what are the main lessons learned, and conclude how an effective safety management system will contribute to successful test campaigns and have a positive impact on the cost and schedule of space projects.

Does a Formal Wiki Event Contribute to the Formation of a Network of Practice? A Social Capital Perspective on the Potential for Informal Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rehm, Martin; Littlejohn, Allison; Rienties, Bart

2018-01-01

Informal learning in blended and online settings plays an increasingly important role in the continuous professional development of individuals. Yet, how do individuals engage into these types of activities? We argue that social capital theory can provide valuable insights into how people behave and decide to take part in (in)formal learning.…

Deep Learning to Predict Falls in Older Adults Based on Daily-Life Trunk Accelerometry.

PubMed

Nait Aicha, Ahmed; Englebienne, Gwenn; van Schooten, Kimberley S; Pijnappels, Mirjam; Kröse, Ben

2018-05-22

Early detection of high fall risk is an essential component of fall prevention in older adults. Wearable sensors can provide valuable insight into daily-life activities; biomechanical features extracted from such inertial data have been shown to be of added value for the assessment of fall risk. Body-worn sensors such as accelerometers can provide valuable insight into fall risk. Currently, biomechanical features derived from accelerometer data are used for the assessment of fall risk. Here, we studied whether deep learning methods from machine learning are suited to automatically derive features from raw accelerometer data that assess fall risk. We used an existing dataset of 296 older adults. We compared the performance of three deep learning model architectures (convolutional neural network (CNN), long short-term memory (LSTM) and a combination of these two (ConvLSTM)) to each other and to a baseline model with biomechanical features on the same dataset. The results show that the deep learning models in a single-task learning mode are strong in recognition of identity of the subject, but that these models only slightly outperform the baseline method on fall risk assessment. When using multi-task learning, with gender and age as auxiliary tasks, deep learning models perform better. We also found that preprocessing of the data resulted in the best performance (AUC = 0.75). We conclude that deep learning models, and in particular multi-task learning, effectively assess fall risk on the basis of wearable sensor data.

Deep Learning to Predict Falls in Older Adults Based on Daily-Life Trunk Accelerometry

PubMed Central

Englebienne, Gwenn; Pijnappels, Mirjam

2018-01-01

Early detection of high fall risk is an essential component of fall prevention in older adults. Wearable sensors can provide valuable insight into daily-life activities; biomechanical features extracted from such inertial data have been shown to be of added value for the assessment of fall risk. Body-worn sensors such as accelerometers can provide valuable insight into fall risk. Currently, biomechanical features derived from accelerometer data are used for the assessment of fall risk. Here, we studied whether deep learning methods from machine learning are suited to automatically derive features from raw accelerometer data that assess fall risk. We used an existing dataset of 296 older adults. We compared the performance of three deep learning model architectures (convolutional neural network (CNN), long short-term memory (LSTM) and a combination of these two (ConvLSTM)) to each other and to a baseline model with biomechanical features on the same dataset. The results show that the deep learning models in a single-task learning mode are strong in recognition of identity of the subject, but that these models only slightly outperform the baseline method on fall risk assessment. When using multi-task learning, with gender and age as auxiliary tasks, deep learning models perform better. We also found that preprocessing of the data resulted in the best performance (AUC = 0.75). We conclude that deep learning models, and in particular multi-task learning, effectively assess fall risk on the basis of wearable sensor data. PMID:29786659

Visiting scholarships in cardio-thoracic surgery: a valuable experience for fostering collaboration

PubMed Central

Cassivi, Stephen D.

2017-01-01

Visiting scholarships to other institutions have a rich history in medicine and are an exciting opportunity to exchange ideas, learn new clinical techniques and form collaborative relationships for research advancements. Such experiences are also important in fostering a well-rounded surgical education. In this article we reflect on the valuable nature of international collaboration and provide a few guidelines to optimize the experience. PMID:29312778

Using metacognitive strategies to help students learn in pretest and posttest review.

PubMed

Poorman, Susan G; Mastorovich, Melissa L

2008-01-01

The authors discuss the use of several metacognitive strategies that can help turn test reviews into an active learning experience. With these strategies, test reviews can provide students with valuable tools to enhance their thinking and help them better prepare for the high-level thinking test questions that are seen on nursing examinations.

Formative Assessment Pre-Test to Identify College Students' Prior Knowledge, Misconceptions and Learning Difficulties in Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazarowitz, Reuven; Lieb, Carl

2006-01-01

A formative assessment pretest was administered to undergraduate students at the beginning of a science course in order to find out their prior knowledge, misconceptions and learning difficulties on the topic of the human respiratory system and energy issues. Those findings could provide their instructors with the valuable information required in…

Thinking outside the Box Office: Using Movies to Build Shared Experiences and Student Engagement in Online or Hybrid Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kresse, William; Watland, Kathleen Hanold

2016-01-01

Movies and films are widely recognized as valuable pedagogical tools. Motion pictures provide concrete and illustrative examples of important concepts and can improve students' understanding of course material as well as increase their satisfaction with courses. Online learning is becoming an increasing dominant facet of higher education. Online…

It's Easier than You Think! Exploring an Outdoor Pedagogy for Teaching Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hainsworth, Mark

2018-01-01

As well as providing a valuable and enjoyable experience for pupils, outdoor learning also enhances and contextualises learning in science by helping pupils understand science concepts. Teachers' lack of confidence in which aspects of the science curriculum they can actually teach outdoors deters them from venturing outside the classroom for…

In the Thick of It: Using Tablets for Recording and Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyler, Toby

2017-01-01

Numerous professionals have written about the need for investigations at the heart of learning to engage and inspire, and to maximize impact upon learning. This article asks if children can use tablets to record their investigations while they are still "in the thick" of them, and also provide valuable assessment data? "In the thick…

Consulting in an Insurance Company: What We as Academics Can Learn.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Timmons, Theresa Cullen

1988-01-01

Describes a technical writing teacher's experience consulting at a large insurance company. Suggests that consulting provides teachers valuable insight into the real-life writing concerns of writers in service occupations. (ARH)

Supporting Learning and Promoting Conceptual Change with Box and AVOW Diagrams. Part 2: Their Impact on Student Learning at A-Level.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Peter C-H.; Shipstone, David M.

2003-01-01

Presents results of preliminary trials that suggest that the program devised helped UK Year 12 (A-level) learners develop useful concepts of current and voltage, acquire a more integrated understanding of circuit behavior, and overcome their tendencies towards localized and sequential reasoning. Provides learners with a valuable aid for problem…

Near-peer teaching in anatomy: an approach for deeper learning.

PubMed

Evans, Darrell J R; Cuffe, Tracy

2009-10-01

Peer teaching has been recognized as a valuable and effective approach for learning and has been incorporated into medical, dental, and healthcare courses using a variety of approaches. The success of peer teaching is thought to be related to the ability of peer tutors and tutees to communicate more effectively, thereby improving the learning environment. Near-peer teaching involves more experienced students acting as tutors who are ideally placed to pass on their knowledge and experience. The advantage of using near-peer teachers is the opportunity for the teacher to reinforce and expand their own learning and develop essential teaching skills. This study describes the design and implementation of a program for fourth year medical students to teach anatomy to first- and second-year medical students and evaluates the perceptions of the near-peer teachers on the usefulness of the program, particularly in relation to their own learning. Feedback from participants suggests that the program fulfills its aims of providing an effective environment for developing deeper learning in anatomy through teaching. Participants recognize that the program also equips them with more advanced teaching skills that will be required as they move nearer toward taking on supervisory and teaching duties. The program has also provided the school with an additional valuable and appropriate resource for teaching anatomy to first- and second-year students, who themselves view the inclusion of near-peer teachers as a positive element in their learning.

On the Danger of Exogenous Theory in CA-for-SLA: A Response to Hellermann and Cole (2009)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hauser, Eric

2011-01-01

Within the growing body of work that is sometimes labeled CA-for-SLA, there is a need for more research with longitudinal data. Hellermann and Cole (2009) provide a valuable contribution in this area. However, in doing so, they also make use of an exogenous theory of learning, situated learning theory (Lave and Wenger 1991), and its associated…

Learning what matters: A neural explanation for the sparsity bias.

PubMed

Hassall, Cameron D; Connor, Patrick C; Trappenberg, Thomas P; McDonald, John J; Krigolson, Olave E

2018-05-01

The visual environment is filled with complex, multi-dimensional objects that vary in their value to an observer's current goals. When faced with multi-dimensional stimuli, humans may rely on biases to learn to select those objects that are most valuable to the task at hand. Here, we show that decision making in a complex task is guided by the sparsity bias: the focusing of attention on a subset of available features. Participants completed a gambling task in which they selected complex stimuli that varied randomly along three dimensions: shape, color, and texture. Each dimension comprised three features (e.g., color: red, green, yellow). Only one dimension was relevant in each block (e.g., color), and a randomly-chosen value ranking determined outcome probabilities (e.g., green > yellow > red). Participants were faster to respond to infrequent probe stimuli that appeared unexpectedly within stimuli that possessed a more valuable feature than to probes appearing within stimuli possessing a less valuable feature. Event-related brain potentials recorded during the task provided a neurophysiological explanation for sparsity as a learning-dependent increase in optimal attentional performance (as measured by the N2pc component of the human event-related potential) and a concomitant learning-dependent decrease in prediction errors (as measured by the feedback-elicited reward positivity). Together, our results suggest that the sparsity bias guides human reinforcement learning in complex environments. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Service-Learning in Undergraduate Nursing Education: Where is the Reflection?

PubMed

Brown, Janet M; Schmidt, Nola A

2016-01-01

Service-Learning is recognized as a valuable pedagogy that involves experiential learning, reflection, and reciprocal learning. Reflection is a critical component because it assists students to develop critical thinking and social awareness as they reflect upon their experiential learning with community partners. Although there is a proliferation of literature about service-learning, upon closer examination, it is apparent that some authors do not place emphasis on reflection when reporting on service-learning projects. This begs the question, "Where is the reflection?" The purpose of this article is to provide an overview and describe misrepresentations and exemplars of service-learning. After providing an overview of service-learning, examples of how service-learning is misrepresented in the literature are discussed. Exemplars of service-learning are also cited. Calling attention to how service-learning is reported in the literature will increase awareness about the need to critically evaluate articles for evidence of reflection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Get Your Children Buzzing About School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holtz, Judy

1982-01-01

Suggestions are provided for teaching a unit on bees to first-grade students. In addition to science content, students learn valuable citizenship and academic skills while engaged in such activities as honey-tasting, visiting an apiary (bee farm), and writing poetry. (Author/JN)

Metabolomics from the Lab to the Field: Lessons Learned Along the Way

EPA Science Inventory

Use of metabolomics in laboratory studies for chemical toxicity evaluation is fast becoming an established technique in environmental science, displaying excellent sensitivity, physiological relevance, and providing valuable information regarding toxic mode(s)-of-action. These qu...

Learning through Ethnographic Dialogues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Landis, David; Kalieva, Rysaldy; Abitova, Sanim; Izmukhanbetova, Sophia; Musaeva, Zhanbota

2006-01-01

This article describes ways that conversations constituted ethnographic research for students and teachers in Kazakhstan. Through dialogues with local community members, students worked as researchers to develop knowledge about cultural patterns and social life. Ethnographic research and writing provided valuable language and research experiences…

Interactive posters: A valuable means of enhancing communication and learning about productive paths toward sustainable bioenergy

DOE PAGES

Dale, Virginia H.; Kline, Keith L.

2017-03-02

In this study, the goal of poster presentations at scientific meetings is to provide a snapshot of the research, to engage colleagues in a face-to-face discussion, and to deliver enough information to entice the reader to learn more. Unfortunately, poster sessions are too-often passive and non-interactive events with limited exchange between the poster presenter and the audience.

Interactive posters: A valuable means of enhancing communication and learning about productive paths toward sustainable bioenergy

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

Dale, Virginia H.; Kline, Keith L.

In this study, the goal of poster presentations at scientific meetings is to provide a snapshot of the research, to engage colleagues in a face-to-face discussion, and to deliver enough information to entice the reader to learn more. Unfortunately, poster sessions are too-often passive and non-interactive events with limited exchange between the poster presenter and the audience.

Examining the Learning Outcomes Included in the Turkish Science Curriculum in Terms of Science Process Skills: A Document Analysis with Standards-Based Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duruk, Umit; Akgün, Abuzer; Dogan, Ceylan; Gülsuyu, Fatma

2017-01-01

Science process skills have provided a valuable chance for everyone to construct their own knowledge by means of scientific inquiry. If students are to understand what science is and how it actually works, then they should necessarily make use of their science process skills as well as scientific content knowledge compulsory to be learned in any…

Portfolios in Saudi medical colleges

PubMed Central

Fida, Nadia M.; Shamim, Muhammad S.

2016-01-01

Over recent decades, the use of portfolios in medical education has evolved, and is being applied in undergraduate and postgraduate programs worldwide. Portfolios, as a learning process and method of documenting and assessing learning, is supported as a valuable tool by adult learning theories that stress the need for learners to be self-directed and to engage in experiential learning. Thoughtfully implemented, a portfolio provides learning experiences unequaled by any single learning tool. The credibility (validity) and dependability (reliability) of assessment through portfolios have been questioned owing to its subjective nature; however, methods to safeguard these features have been described in the literature. This paper discusses some of this literature, with particular attention to the role of portfolios in relation to self-reflective learning, provides an overview of current use of portfolios in undergraduate medical education in Saudi Arabia, and proposes research-based guidelines for its implementation and other similar contexts. PMID:26905344

Redefining a Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodges, Thomas E.

2007-01-01

This article describes an alternate way to utilize a circular model to represent thirds by incorporating areas of circular segments, trigonometric functions, and geometric transformations. This method is appropriate for students studying geometry and trigonometry at the high shool level. This task provides valuable learning experiences that…

Pets for Handicapped Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frith, Greg H.

1982-01-01

Pets can provide valuable learning for handicapped children, but selection of a type of pet should consider cost, availability and care, parents' attitudes, locality, the animal's susceptibility to training, pet's life expectancy, and the child's handicap and emotional maturity. Suggested pet-related activities are listed. (CL)

The Social Context of Cognitive Development. The Guilford Series on Social and Emotional Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gauvain, Mary

Noting that sociocultural approaches to cognitive development provide valuable insights into the influences on learning of relationship and cultural variables, this book discusses recent theory and research on the social context of cognitive development. The book takes the view that the social settings in which children live and grow provide both…

Lessons of History: Organizational Factors in Three Aviation Mishaps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merlin, Peter William

2013-01-01

This presentation examines organizational factors that contributed to three aircraft mishaps and provides analysis of lessons learned. Three historical aviation mishaps were studied from a human factors perspective, and organizational factors identified and analyzed. These case studies provide valuable lessons for understanding the interaction of people with aircraft systems and with each other during flight operations.

Diversity in Collaborative Research Communities: A Multicultural, Multidisciplinary Thesis Writing Group in Public Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guerin, Cally; Xafis, Vicki; Doda, Diana V.; Gillam, Marianne H.; Larg, Allison J.; Luckner, Helene; Jahan, Nasreen; Widayati, Aris; Xu, Chuangzhou

2013-01-01

Writing groups for doctoral students are generally agreed to provide valuable learning spaces for Ph.D. candidates. Here an academic developer and the eight members of a writing group formed in a Discipline of Public Health provide an account of their experiences of collaborating in a multicultural, multidisciplinary thesis writing group. We…

The use of multimodal strategies for distance education in the GRECCs.

PubMed

Kresevic, Denise; Burant, Christopher; Denton, Jennifer; Heath, Barbara; Kypriotakis, George

2011-01-01

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has found distance education to be particularly valuable as a means to disseminate information to large numbers of busy learners in geographically diverse settings. Specifically, Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Centers (GRECCs) of the VA have used various forms of distance learning to provide geriatrics-focused education to diverse health care providers. Such formats allow programs to be available to audiences regardless of distance or time. Although the distance-learning format has clear benefits, there are also some barriers that have hindered its wider adoption, including technical difficulties and ease of use. Organizers of distance education programs are challenged to overcome these barriers to provide a quality learning experience for the audience. The GRECCs will likely continue to be leaders in exploring innovative distance-learning strategies to accomplish their mission of quality geriatric education.

Reporting Research: A Biologist's Guide to Articles, Talks, and Posters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clymo, R. S.

2014-12-01

Want to learn how to present your research successfully? This practical guide for students and postdoctoral scholars offers a unique step-by-step approach to help you avoid the worst, yet most common, mistakes in biology communication. Covering irritants such as sins of ambiguity, circumlocution, inconsistency, vagueness and verbosity, misuse of words and quantitative matters, it also provides guidance to design your next piece of work effectively. Learn how to write scientific articles and get them published, prepare posters and talks that will capture your audience and develop a critical attitude towards your own work as well as that of your colleagues. With numerous practical examples, comparisons among disciplines, valuable tips and real-life anecdotes, this must-read guide will be a valuable resource to both new graduate students and their supervisors.

Capturing Rehearsals to Facilitate Reflection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albayrak, Meltem; Smith, Brian K.

2004-01-01

Many learning environments involve rituals for rehearsal and reflection. Musicians, for instance, spend countless hours practicing scales and adjusting their bodies to increase their skills. But they do more than simply practice: They also play for instructors and others who can provide valuable critiques of their performances. Architectural…

Correlation of Emotional Intelligence and Instructional Leadership Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munroe, Myra D.

2009-01-01

Leadership is second only to classroom instruction among all school-related factors contributing to student learning (Marzano et al., 2005). Understanding the role of emotional intelligence in instructional leadership behaviors with a focus on establishing expectations for student academic success provides valuable information about practices…

Measuring Learning Gains in Chemical Education: A Comparison of Two Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pentecost, Thomas C.; Barbera, Jack

2013-01-01

Evaluating the effect of a pedagogical innovation is often done by looking for a significant difference in a content measure using a pre-post design. While this approach provides valuable information regarding the presence or absence of an effect, it is limited in providing details about the nature of the effect. A measure of the magnitude of the…

How Do Geckos Stick?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Short, Harold; Lundsgaard, Morten F. V.; Krajcik, Joseph S.

2008-01-01

Understanding how geckos--small lizards belonging to the family "Gekkonindae"--can "defy gravity" and walk across a ceiling provides a fascinating frame through which students can not only learn valuable content about electrostatic forces, but also engage in authentic scientific practice and explore new technologies based on gecko adhesion. In…

Handling an Emergency: A Defining Moment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polansky, Harvey B.; Montague, Richard

2001-01-01

Following a fire and a costly PCB cleanup at a Connecticut high school, the administrative staff learned valuable lessons. Districts must have an emergency management plan, provide accurate information, pursue alliances with media and agencies, issue daily press releases, develop a phone chain, and share the spotlight. (MLH)

Approaches to Teaching Foreign Languages.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hesse, M. G., Ed.

Works by European and American educators from the Renaissance to the twentieth century are presented. A historical re-evaluation of foreign-language teaching combined with the scientific approach of modern linguistics can provide valuable insights for current teaching and learning approaches. Selections are presented from the writings of the…

Establishing a virtual learning environment: a nursing experience.

PubMed

Wood, Anya; McPhee, Carolyn

2011-11-01

The use of virtual worlds has exploded in popularity, but getting started may not be easy. In this article, the authors, members of the corporate nursing education team at University Health Network, outline their experience with incorporating virtual technology into their learning environment. Over a period of several months, a virtual hospital, including two nursing units, was created in Second Life®, allowing more than 500 nurses to role-play in a safe environment without the fear of making a mistake. This experience has provided valuable insight into the best ways to develop and learn in a virtual environment. The authors discuss the challenges of installing and building the Second Life® platform and provide guidelines for preparing users and suggestions for crafting educational activities. This article provides a starting point for organizations planning to incorporate virtual worlds into their learning environment. Copyright 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

Atypical birdsong and artificial languages provide insights into how communication systems are shaped by learning, use, and transmission.

PubMed

Fehér, Olga

2017-02-01

In this article, I argue that a comparative approach focusing on the cognitive capacities and behavioral mechanisms that underlie vocal learning in songbirds and humans can provide valuable insights into the evolutionary origins of language. The experimental approaches I discuss use abnormal song and atypical linguistic input to study the processes of individual learning, social interaction, and cultural transmission. Atypical input places increased learning and communicative pressure on learners, so exploring how they respond to this type of input provides a particularly clear picture of the biases and constraints at work during learning and use. Furthermore, simulating the cultural transmission of these unnatural communication systems in the laboratory informs us about how learning and social biases influence the structure of communication systems in the long run. Findings based on these methods suggest fundamental similarities in the basic social-cognitive mechanisms underlying vocal learning in birds and humans, and continuing research promises insights into the uniquely human mechanisms and into how human cognition and social behavior interact, and ultimately impact on the evolution of language.

From Workshop to the Web: Reflections on the Journey in Producing Vidcasts to Enhance Student Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shapiro, Angela; Johnston, Aidan

As part of its evolving e-learning programme, the pedagogic value of vidcasts is currently being explored at Glasgow Caledonian University. The vidcasts are accessible on the internet and embedded links refer back to the Effective Learning Service's website to offer users the option of additional clarification if necessary. They aim to encourage and enhance students' learning in higher education, particularly in relation to academic writing. The vidcasts have been available for use during academic year 2009/2010 and have been accessed by over 1,000 individuals. Research on their use is ongoing and has provided valuable data for future developments.

Characterizing the development of students' understandings regarding the second law of thermodynamics: Using learning progressions to illuminate thinking in high school chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cunningham, Kevin D.

As demonstrated by their emphasis in the new, national, science education standards, learning progressions (LPs) have become a valuable means of informing teaching and learning. LPs serve this role by isolating the key components of central skills and understandings, and by describing how those abilities and concepts tend to develop over time among students in a particular context. Some LPs also identify common challenges students experience in learning specific content and suggest methods of instruction and assessment, particularly ways in which difficulties can be identified and addressed. LPs are research-based and created through the integration of content analyses and interpretations of student performances with respect to the skills and understandings in question. The present research produced two LPs portraying the development of understandings associated with the second law of thermodynamics as evidenced by the evolving explanations for the spontaneity and irreversibility of diffusion and the cooling of a hot object constructed periodically by twenty students over two consecutive years in high school chemistry. While the curriculum they experienced did not emphasize the processes of diffusion and cooling or the second law and its applications, these students received prolonged instruction regarding key aspects of the particulate nature of matter. Working in small groups and as individuals, they were also taught and regularly expected to create, test, and revise particulate-based, conceptual models to account for the properties and behavior of a wide variety of common phenomena. Although some students quickly exhibited dramatic improvements in explaining and understanding the phenomena of interest, conceptual development for most was evolutionary rather than revolutionary, and success in explaining one phenomenon did not generally translate into successes in explaining related but different phenomena. Few students reached the uppermost learning goals of either LP, but the results of this study nevertheless provide valuable guidance in ways that the desired understandings can be cultivated in more students. These cognitive models of learning can provide teachers with valuable information capable of supporting improvements in instructional techniques and materials, assessment tools and methods, and perhaps even their own understandings of fundamental, scientific concepts.

Memory, Sleep and Dreaming: Experiencing Consolidation

PubMed Central

Wamsley, Erin J.; Stickgold, Robert

2010-01-01

Synopsis It is now well established that post-learning sleep is beneficial for human memory performance. At the same time, it has long been known that learning experiences influence the content of subsequent sleep mentation (i.e., “dreaming”). Here, we review evidence that newly encoded memories are reactivated and consolidated in the sleeping brain, and that this process is directly reflected in the content of concomitant sleep mentation, providing a valuable window into the mnemonic functions of sleep. PMID:21516215

A Generalized Approach to Soil Strength Prediction With Machine Learning Methods

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-07-01

Machine Learning Methods” Peter M. Semen Master of Science Committee Susan P. McGrath, Ph.D. (Chair) Laura R. Ray, Ph.D. Sally A. Shoop ...to participate and provide valuable input, despite a heavy workload. And to Dr. Sally Shoop who championed the work throughout and had the...would also like to thank Dr. Shoop and Dr. Charles Ryerson for their careful oversight of the Opportune Landing Site program and making sure that

Making the Most of Talk

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilles, Carol

2010-01-01

Research supports what many teachers have long known: talk is a valuable tool for learning. But how can we incorporate talk and still keep students on task, thinking collectively and deeply? Gillis offers a solid theoretical foundation for incorporating talk throughout the curriculum, and then provides practical help for implementing it, with…

Soil, Seeds, and the Pumpkin Patch!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Marianne; Vowell, Julie

2013-01-01

"Soil, Seeds, and the Pumpkin Patch!" is an integrated unit designed to provide elementary school teachers with ideas for using hands-on activities, fostering inquiry and valuable discussion, and using technology as a learning tool. This unit integrates science with language arts, mathematics, literature, and technology. During this unit, students…

The Quantitative Crunch: The Impact of Bibliometric Research Quality Assessment Exercises on Academic Development at Small Conferences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Michael; Shurville, Simon; Fernstrom, Ken

2009-01-01

Purpose: Small and specialist inter-disciplinary conferences, particularly those relating to technology enhanced learning such as International Conference on Information and Communications Technology in Education, provide valuable opportunities for academics and academic-related/professional staff to report upon their research and development…

Learning Resources for the Secondary Speech Communication Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolvin, Andrew D.

1974-01-01

New print and nonprint resources for secondary level classroom use are available in the field of speech communication, which has become process oriented with continual interaction between speaker and listener. Of five specific books, three provide valuable resource material for teachers, focusing on practical teaching suggestions and the necessity…

Promoting Homework Independence for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hampshire, Patricia Korzekwa; Butera, Gretchen D.; Dustin, Timothy J.

2014-01-01

For students with autism, homework time may be especially challenging due to problems in self-organization and difficulties generalizing skills from one setting to another. Although often problematic, homework can provide a valuable context for teaching organizational skills that become essential as students become more independent. By learning to…

Fall down 7 Times, Get up 8: Teaching Kids to Succeed

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silver, Debbie

2012-01-01

As teachers and parents, our job is to teach students to tackle challenges rather than avoid them. Award-winning teacher and best-selling author Debbie Silver addresses the relationship between student motivation and risking failure, calling failure a temporary "glitch" that provides valuable learning opportunities. She explains motivational…

Design Software Gives Rocketry a Boost in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Spencer C.

2005-01-01

Building and launching model rockets makes a great activity for a technology education class. A model rocket curriculum provides a valuable tool for improving students' technical skills, including following technical instructions and procedures while learning about aerospace technology. This article describes a way of making model rocketry more…

Design Software Gives Rocketry a Boost in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Spencer C.

2005-01-01

Building and launching model rockets makes a great activity for a technology education class. A model rocket curriculum provides a valuable tool for improving students' technical skills that includes, but is not limited to, following technical instructions and procedures while learning about aerospace technology. This article describes a way that…

Computer-Assisted Instruction: One Aid for Teachers of Reading.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rauch, Margaret; Samojeden, Elizabeth

Computer assisted instruction (CAI), an instructional system with direct interaction between the student and the computer, can be a valuable aid for presenting new concepts, for reinforcing of selective skills, and for individualizing instruction. The advantages CAI provides include self-paced learning, more efficient allocation of classroom time,…

Building Virtual Models by Postprocessing Radiology Images: A Guide for Anatomy Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tam, Matthew D. B. S.

2010-01-01

Radiology and radiologists are recognized as increasingly valuable resources for the teaching and learning of anatomy. State-of-the-art radiology department workstations with industry-standard software applications can provide exquisite demonstrations of anatomy, pathology, and more recently, physiology. Similar advances in personal computers and…

Beyond the Didactic Classroom: Educational Models to Encourage Active Student Involvement in Learning

PubMed Central

Shreeve, Michael W.

2008-01-01

In a chiropractic college that utilizes a hybrid curriculum model composed of adult-based learning strategies along with traditional lecture-based course delivery, a literature search for educational delivery methods that would integrate the affective domain and the cognitive domain of learning provided some insights into the use of problem-based learning (PBL), experiential learning theory (ELT), and the emerging use of appreciative inquiry (AI) to enhance the learning experience. The purpose of this literature review is to provide a brief overview of key components of PBL, ELT, and AI in educational methodology and to discuss how these might be used within the chiropractic curriculum to supplement traditional didactic lecture courses. A growing body of literature describes the use of PBL and ELT in educational settings across many disciplines, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The use of appreciative inquiry as an instructional methodology presents a new area for exploration and study in the academic environment. Educational research in the chiropractic classroom incorporating ELT and appreciative inquiry might provide some valuable insights for future curriculum development. PMID:18483586

Beyond the didactic classroom: educational models to encourage active student involvement in learning.

PubMed

Shreeve, Michael W

2008-01-01

In a chiropractic college that utilizes a hybrid curriculum model composed of adult-based learning strategies along with traditional lecture-based course delivery, a literature search for educational delivery methods that would integrate the affective domain and the cognitive domain of learning provided some insights into the use of problem-based learning (PBL), experiential learning theory (ELT), and the emerging use of appreciative inquiry (AI) to enhance the learning experience. The purpose of this literature review is to provide a brief overview of key components of PBL, ELT, and AI in educational methodology and to discuss how these might be used within the chiropractic curriculum to supplement traditional didactic lecture courses. A growing body of literature describes the use of PBL and ELT in educational settings across many disciplines, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The use of appreciative inquiry as an instructional methodology presents a new area for exploration and study in the academic environment. Educational research in the chiropractic classroom incorporating ELT and appreciative inquiry might provide some valuable insights for future curriculum development.

Learning about Haemophilia

PubMed Central

Kendrick, Carol

1986-01-01

In order to learn about Haemophilia from the point of view of the sufferers, I interviewed six severely affected haemophiliacs, discussing with them their past experience, current status and treatment. I found them to be an optimistic and independent group who, despite their memories of a painful childhood and their current disablement, contrived to live in the present with gusto and vigour. They were very knowledgeable about Haemophilia and were happy to teach me, thus providing me with a valuable body of knowledge and ideas on the subject. PMID:3567678

Kris Gutiérrez: designing with and for diversity in the learning sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jurow, A. Susan

2016-03-01

This article reviews the significance of the theoretical and practical contributions of Kris Gutiérrez to research on science education. Gutierrez's ideas about design and equity have inspired scholars to investigate how to leverage learners' everyday practices to make meaningful connections to disciplinary-based knowledge and skills. Her work has provided valuable direction on how to engage the challenges of organizing for more equitable futures through critical understanding of cultural diversity as a resource for transformative learning.

CrossTalk, The Journal of Defense Software Engineering. Volume 26, Number 2. March/April 2013

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-01

standards and best practices. “Software and hardware are at risk of being tam - pered with even before they are linked together in an operational system...because of their role in national and global security and the variety of valuable lessons learned and best practices they can provide because they are...Management. GAO said DoD’s efforts to implement SCRM can be a learning tool for others in the Federal government. DoD is currently imple- CrossTalk

Development of a water-escape motivated version of the Stone T-maze for mice

PubMed Central

Pistell, Paul J.; Ingram, Donald K.

2014-01-01

Mice provide a highly valuable resource for investigating learning and memory processes; however, many of the established tasks for evaluating learning and memory were developed for rats. Behaviors of mice in these tasks appear to be driven by different motivational factors, and as a result, they often do not perform reliably on tasks involving rewards traditionally used for rats. Because of difficulties in measuring learning and memory in mice as well as the need to have a task that can reliably measure these behavioral processes, we have developed a mouse version of the Stone T-maze utilizing what appears to be the primary motivation of mice, escape to a safe location. Specifically, we have constructed a task that requires the mouse to wade through water to reach a dark and dry goal box. To escape this aversive environment, the Stone T-maze requires learning the correct sequence of 13 left and right turns to reach the goal box. Through a series of experiments examining a variety of protocols, it was found that mice will reliably perform this task. This task can be used to assess learning and memory without the potential performance confounds that can affect performance of mice in other tasks. We believe this task offers a valuable new tool for evaluating learning and memory in mice not previously available to researchers. PMID:20026250

More than Volunteering: Active Citizenship through Youth Volunteering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Learning and Skills Network (NJ1), 2007

2007-01-01

This pack aims to provide materials to help all those involved in youth volunteering and post-16 citizenship education to ensure that there are some citizenship learning outcomes from these valuable experiences. The pack has been produced by the Post-16 Citizenship Support Programme to help the integration of citizenship education into post-16…

Food Allergies: Being Aware and Planning for Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graville, Iris

2010-01-01

In recent years, parents and early childhood educators have become increasingly aware of food allergies in childhood. And since food allergies account for about 150 deaths a year, there is good reason to be concerned. The early childhood program can provide valuable learning for those without food allergies through explanations about why certain…

Team Experiences for Science and Social Studies Preservice Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burlbaw, Lynn M.; Borowiec, Jonathan B.; James, Robert K.

2001-01-01

Describes how senior-level, preservice teacher certification candidates in secondary science and social science methods classes work in teams to prepare instructional materials on a community-based issue (such as the effect of the deposition of arsenic in a creek and small city lake). Argues that such projects provide valuable learning experiences…

A Multimedia Adaptive Tutoring System for Mathematics That Addresses Cognition, Metacognition and Affect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arroyo, Ivon; Woolf, Beverly Park; Burelson, Winslow; Muldner, Kasia; Rai, Dovan; Tai, Minghui

2014-01-01

This article describes research results based on multiple years of experimentation and real-world experience with an adaptive tutoring system named Wayang Outpost. The system represents a novel adaptive learning technology that has shown successful outcomes with thousands of students, and provided teachers with valuable information about students'…

Using Nonlinear Programming in International Trade Theory: The Factor-Proportions Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilbert, John

2004-01-01

Students at all levels benefit from a multi-faceted approach to learning abstract material. The most commonly used technique in teaching the pure theory of international trade is a combination of geometry and algebraic derivations. Numerical simulation can provide a valuable third support to these approaches. The author describes a simple…

The Liberal Arts and Applied Learning: Reflections about the Internship Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambliss, Catherine; And Others

This document discusses the objectives, advantages, and disadvantages of internships provided by colleges and universities to their students. The advantages of internships are listed as: (1) enhancement of student goals of career development; (2) promotion of favorable public relations for colleges; (3) provision of valuable services to alumni and…

Raising the Profile: An Institutional Case Study of Embedding Scholarship and Innovation through Distributive Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Creanor, Linda

2014-01-01

Distributive leadership, which has been described as a distribution of power within the sociocultural context of universities, provides a valuable model for encouraging scholarship and innovation in learning and teaching. By nurturing, rather than imposing, leadership responsibilities, and relating them to personal, as well as institutional…

A Cultural Heritage Exhibit with 21st-Century Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lincoln, Margaret

2013-01-01

Lakeview Schools and the Art Center of Battle Creek, both located in Michigan, have worked together on several beneficial projects. This partnership has resulted in the sharing of valuable material and human resources. In addition, the use of innovative technology has provided a meaningful learning experience for the entire community. As the…

Using Most-to-Least Prompting and Contingent Consequences to Teach Numeracy in Inclusive Early Childhood Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davenport, Lisa A.; Johnston, Susan S.

2015-01-01

Mathematics and numeracy are valuable cognitive learning areas that need to be addressed during the early childhood years. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an intervention strategy comprised of creating opportunities, prompting, providing consequences, and prompt fading when teaching preschool children with…

Autorretratos en la Clase de Espanol (Self-Portraits in Spanish Classroom)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palos, Jose M.

2007-01-01

Foreign language teachers know the benefits of bringing art into their classrooms. Works of art are cultural artifacts that convey rich cultural perspectives. Integrating art into the foreign language curriculum facilitates visual learning, providing valuable opportunities to help the students develop visual thinking. Art can also be an effective…

Increasing the Effectiveness of Homework for All Learners in the Inclusive Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carr, Nicole Schrat

2013-01-01

This article discusses how teachers can increase the effectiveness of homework assignments for all learners. Homework, when designed and implemented properly, is a valuable tool for reinforcing learning. This essay provides a summary of educational research on homework, discusses the elements of effective homework, and suggests practical classroom…

New Perspectives: TA Preparation for Critical Literacy in First Year Composition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duffelmeyer, Barb Blakely

2002-01-01

Notes that new teaching assistants (TAs) and first year composition students similarly grapple with ambiguity, multiplicity, and open-endedness. Contends that new TAs' queries and early classroom experiences can provide a valuable occasion to re-balance the emphasis in a pro-seminar between teaching and learning. Presents strategies for addressing…

Memory Indexing: A Novel Method for Tracing Memory Processes in Complex Cognitive Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Renkewitz, Frank; Jahn, Georg

2012-01-01

We validate an eye-tracking method applicable for studying memory processes in complex cognitive tasks. The method is tested with a task on probabilistic inferences from memory. It provides valuable data on the time course of processing, thus clarifying previous results on heuristic probabilistic inference. Participants learned cue values of…

Disorientating, Fun or Meaningful? Disadvantaged Families' Experiences of a Science Museum Visit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Archer, Louise; Dawson, Emily; Seakins, Amy; Wong, Billy

2016-01-01

It is widely agreed that there is a need to increase and widen science participation. Informal science learning environments (ISLEs), such as science museums, may provide valuable spaces within which to engage visitors--yet the visitor profile of science museums remains narrow. This paper seeks to understand the experiences of socially…

New Technology "Clouds" Student Data Privacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krueger, Keith R.; Moore, Bob

2015-01-01

As technology has leaped forward to provide valuable learning tools, parents and policy makers have begun raising concerns about the privacy of student data that schools and systems have. Federal laws are intended to protect students and their families but they have not and will never be able to keep up with rapidly evolving technology. School…

What Belongs on an Instructional Website: A Discussion and Checklist.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Sullivan, Mary F.

This document provides a checklist for the development of effective instructional Web sites that promote student learning and enable instructors to enact the principles of good teaching. The information presented is valuable for instructors of online courses and faculty members who utilize instructional sites to supplement face-to-face classroom…

The Influence of School Leadership on Classroom Participation: Examining Configurations of Organizational Supports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sebastian, James; Allensworth, Elaine; Stevens, David

2014-01-01

Background: In this paper we call for studying school leadership and its relationship to instruction and learning through approaches that highlight the role of configurations of multiple organizational supports. A configuration-focused approach to studying leadership and other essential supports provides a valuable addition to existing tools in…

Measuring the Benefits of a Psychology Placement Year

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reddy, Peter; Moores, Elisabeth

2006-01-01

Placement programmes are considered to provide students with an induction into the work environment and a valuable learning experience. Aston University maintains one of the highest success rates of any UK university for graduate employment and it is thought that the placement year plays a large role in this success. However, the benefits of…

Evaluation of Teaching Performance of English Courses by Applying Data Envelopment Analysis and Two-Phase Segmentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montoneri, Bernard

2013-01-01

Effective teaching performance is a crucial factor contributing to students' learning improvement. Students' ratings of teachers at the end of each semester can indirectly provide valuable information about teachers' performance. This paper selects classes of freshmen students taking a course of English in a university of Taiwan from the academic…

Lost and Found: Music Activities Delivered by Primary Classroom Generalists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Fiona

2015-01-01

Primary classroom teachers can play a vital role in the music education of primary school students, providing a basis for lifelong learning in music and the arts. Research shows that not all Victorian primary school students have equitable access to music education and that the role of the classroom teacher becomes valuable in supplying or…

Exploring Affiliation Network Models as a Collaborative Filtering Mechanism in E-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez, Daniel; Sicilia, Miguel Angel; Sanchez-Alonso, Salvador; Lezcano, Leonardo; Garcia-Barriocanal, Elena

2011-01-01

The online interaction of learners and tutors in activities with concrete objectives provides a valuable source of data that can be analyzed for different purposes. One of these purposes is the use of the information extracted from that interaction to aid tutors and learners in decision making about either the configuration of further learning…

The Instructional Instrument SL-EDGE Student Library-Educational DiGital Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kyriakopoulou, Antonia; Kalamboukis, Theodore

An educational digital environment that will provide appropriate methods and techniques for the support and enhancement of the educational and learning process is a valuable tool for both educators and learners. In the context of such a mission, the educational tool SL-EDGE (Student Library-Educational DiGital Environment) has been developed. The…

Understanding Disabled Childhoods: What Can We Learn from Population-Based Studies?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emerson, Eric

2012-01-01

This article illustrates the potential value of undertaking secondary analyses of large-scale population-based survey data to better inform our understanding of disabled childhoods. It is argued that while such approaches can never address the lived experience of growing up with disability, they can provide valuable insights into the ways in which…

Making Nutrition Count for Children. Nutrition Guidance for Child Care Homes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC.

This booklet serves to help all child-care providers with valuable information such as (1) How children grow and develop, (2) Nutrients needed for growth and development, (3) Dietary Guidelines for Americans, (4) The USDA Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children, and (3) Helping children learning about food and eating. The booklet also contains…

"Standing Porter at the Door of Thought": The Social Order of the Christian Science Church.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, Douglas J.

This examination of the social order of the Church of Christ, Scientist, provides a valuable learning opportunity for leaders of any organizational entity--or for any student of organizational communication/behavior. The study addresses labor, trust, power, and legitimization of activity within the church. It raises the issue of whether Christian…

Enrollment, Engagement, and Satisfaction in the BlendKit Faculty Development Open, Online Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moskal, Patsy; Thompson, Kelvin; Futch, Linda

2015-01-01

BlendKit is a 5-week course designed by the University of Central Florida in an open, online format specifically for the professional development of higher education faculty and designers preparing to design and teach blended learning courses. The evaluation of this course provides us with interesting and valuable information on the success of…

Working with Parents: A Handbook. Bulletin, 1948, No. 7

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gabbard, Hazel F.

1949-01-01

Public education in a democracy represents a partnership between home and school. When parents and teachers cooperate in full measure, home and school provide valuable learning experiences that are continuous, unified, and rich in meaning for all children. Because parents have much to give to the teachers who come in contact with their children,…

A Theoretical Framework for Serious Game Design: Exploring Pedagogy, Play and Fidelity and Their Implications for the Design Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rooney, Pauline

2012-01-01

It is widely acknowledged that digital games can provide an engaging, motivating and "fun" experience for students. However an entertaining game does not necessarily constitute a meaningful, valuable learning experience. For this reason, experts espouse the importance of underpinning serious games with a sound theoretical framework which…

Report and recommendations on multimedia materials for teaching and learning electricity and magnetism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dȩbowska, E.; Girwidz, R.; Greczyło, T.; Kohnle, A.; Mason, B.; Mathelitsch, L.; Melder, T.; Michelini, M.; Ruddock, I.; Silva, J.

2013-05-01

This paper presents the results of a peer review of multimedia materials for teaching and learning electricity and magnetism prepared as a part of the annual activities undertaken by an international group of scientists associated with Multimedia Physics in Teaching and Learning. The work promotes the use of valuable and freely accessible information technology materials for different levels of teaching, mostly higher education. The authors discuss the process of selecting resources and the rubrics used in the rating process. The reviews of high-quality learning resources are presented along with descriptions of valuable didactical features.

Are Serious Games a Good Strategy for Pharmacy Education?

PubMed

Cain, Jeff; Piascik, Peggy

2015-05-25

Serious gaming is the use of game principles for the purposes of learning, skill acquisition, and training. Higher education is beginning to incorporate serious gaming into curricula, and health professions education is the most common area for serious game use. Advantages of serious gaming in pharmacy education include authentic, situated learning without risk of patient consequences, collaborative learning, ability to challenge students of all performance levels, high student motivation with increased time on task, immediate feedback, ability to learn from mistakes without becoming discouraged, and potential for behavior and attitude change. Development of quality games for pharmacy education requires content expertise as well as expertise in the science and design of gaming. When well done, serious gaming provides a valuable additional tool for pharmacy education.

E-learning and education in radiology.

PubMed

Pinto, Antonio; Brunese, Luca; Pinto, Fabio; Acampora, Ciro; Romano, Luigia

2011-06-01

To evaluate current applications of e-learning in radiology. A Medline search was performed using PubMed (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD) for publications discussing the applications of e-learning in radiology. The search strategy employed a single combination of the following terms: (1) e-learning, and (2) education and (3) radiology. This review was limited to human studies and to English-language literature. We reviewed all the titles and subsequent the abstract of 29 articles that appeared pertinent. Additional articles were identified by reviewing the reference lists of relevant papers. Finally, the full text of 38 selected articles was reviewed. Literature data shows that with the constant development of technology and global spread of computer networks, in particular of the Internet, the integration of multimedia and interactivity introduced into electronic publishing has allowed the creation of multimedia applications that provide valuable support for medical teaching and continuing medical education, specifically for radiology. Such technologies are valuable tools for collaboration, interactivity, simulation, and self-testing. However, not everything on the World Wide Web is useful, accurate, or beneficial: the quality and veracity of medical information on the World Wide Web is variable and much time can be wasted as many websites do not meet basic publication standards. E-learning will become an important source of education in radiology. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physiotherapy students' perceptions of learning in clinical practice in Sweden and India.

PubMed

Gard, Gunvor; Dagis, Daina

2016-01-01

It is reasonable to assume that conditions for learning differ between universities and countries. Increased understanding of similarities and differences of student's perceptions of learning environment can be useful in the development of the physiotherapy education as well as of the profession as such. Through international comparisons the benefits and challenges of educational programmes can be made transparent and serve as base for improvement. The objective of this study is to describe and compare physiotherapy students' perceptions of their learning environment in clinical practice in India and Sweden. A questionnaire study was performed, covering physiotherapy students' perceptions of their clinical learning environment, the physiotherapy supervisor within the clinical context, their supervisory relationship and the role of the clinical supervisor at two Universities, Luleå in Sweden and Amity in New Delhi, India. Undergraduate students at two physiotherapy programmes, in New Delhi, India and in Luleå, Sweden participated in the questionnaire study. In general, both groups had high rankings of their perceptions of the clinical learning environment. The Swedish students ranked individual supervision, participation in meetings, the supervisor as a resource, being a part of the team and giving them valuable feedback higher than the Indian group. The supervisory relationship was equally satisfying in groups, providing valuable feedback and acknowledging equality and mutuality in the relationship. The Indian group ranked the supervisor as a colleague, as a support in learning, and that he/she made them feel comfortable in meetings higher than the Swedish group. Both groups had high ratings of the supervisor and the clinical learning context Participation at meetings was higher rated in the Swedish and the supervisor as a support in learning higher rated of the Indian students. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Predicting reading and mathematics from neural activity for feedback learning.

PubMed

Peters, Sabine; Van der Meulen, Mara; Zanolie, Kiki; Crone, Eveline A

2017-01-01

Although many studies use feedback learning paradigms to study the process of learning in laboratory settings, little is known about their relevance for real-world learning settings such as school. In a large developmental sample (N = 228, 8-25 years), we investigated whether performance and neural activity during a feedback learning task predicted reading and mathematics performance 2 years later. The results indicated that feedback learning performance predicted both reading and mathematics performance. Activity during feedback learning in left superior dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) predicted reading performance, whereas activity in presupplementary motor area/anterior cingulate cortex (pre-SMA/ACC) predicted mathematical performance. Moreover, left superior DLPFC and pre-SMA/ACC activity predicted unique variance in reading and mathematics ability over behavioral testing of feedback learning performance alone. These results provide valuable insights into the relationship between laboratory-based learning tasks and learning in school settings, and the value of neural assessments for prediction of school performance over behavioral testing alone. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Novel Uses of Video to Accelerate the Surgical Learning Curve.

PubMed

Ibrahim, Andrew M; Varban, Oliver A; Dimick, Justin B

2016-04-01

Surgeons are under enormous pressure to continually improve and learn new surgical skills. Novel uses of surgical video in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative setting are emerging to accelerate the learning curve of surgical skill and minimize harm to patients. In the preoperative setting, social media outlets provide a valuable platform for surgeons to collaborate and plan for difficult operative cases. Live streaming of video has allowed for intraoperative telementoring. Finally, postoperative use of video has provided structure for peer coaching to evaluate and improve surgical skill. Applying these approaches into practice is becoming easier as most of our surgical platforms (e.g., laparoscopic, and endoscopy) now have video recording technology built in and video editing software has become more user friendly. Future applications of video technology are being developed, including possible integration into accreditation and board certification.

Peer Development of Undergraduate Astronomers and Physicists at the University of Wisconsin - Madison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abler, Melissa; UW-Madison, Physics Club of

2014-01-01

The physics club at the University of Wisconsin - Madison is actively engaged in many peer-led activities that foster development of career-oriented skills. Peer mentoring through drop-in tutoring provides peer support to promote retention in the astronomy and physics majors, as well as developing valuable teaching and communication strategies. The physics club is also heavily involved in outreach and education through demonstrations on campus, strengthening student connections to and aiding in retention of classroom information. Public demonstrations also develop valuable communication skills which will be required as a professional. Application-oriented development of students is further enhanced by semiannual visits to research facilities in the surrounding area which provide interested students the opportunity to see non-university facilities firsthand. Close contact with faculty - a valuable resource for undergraduates - is achieved through faculty attendance at club events and presentation of faculty research to interested students. Undergraduates also have the opportunity through the physics club to speak with the weekly colloquium presenter, learning more about each presenter’s experiences with graduate school, research, and career path.

In the trenches: lessons for scientists from California's Proposition 71 campaign

PubMed Central

Goldstein, Lawrence S. B.

2011-01-01

I describe a number of valuable lessons I learned from participating in California's Proposition 71 effort about the role that scientists and rigorous scientific advice can play in a public political process. I describe how scientists can provide valuable information and advice and how they can also gain a great deal from the experience that is valuable to a practicing research scientist. Finally, I argue that in the future, building similar broad coalitions to support biomedical and other areas of scientific research will be essential to protect publicly funded science. Thus, a key lesson from the Proposition 71 experience is that engagement of scientists with diverse nonscientific groups can make a big difference and that scientists must actively engage with the public in the future if we are to contribute robustly to the medical and economic health of our communities. PMID:22039069

Providing Online Textbooks to the Developing World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, Andrea L.

2008-01-01

Learning is valuable, but in Africa it is more than that: It is prohibitively expensive. In Ethiopia, where the per-capita income is about $100 a year, a single textbook at Addis Ababa University can cost $50. To get more textbooks to students in developing nations, two people are leading an ambitious project to produce and freely distribute 1,000…

Global Trends and Research Aims for English Academic Oral Presentations: Changes, Challenges, and Opportunities for Learning Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Neil E.; Liu, Gi-Zen

2016-01-01

English has become the de facto language for communication in academia in many parts of the world, but English language learners often lack the language resources to make effective oral academic presentations. However, English for academic purposes (EAP) research is beginning to provide valuable insights into this emerging field. This literature…

Isolation by distance, resistance and/or clusters? Lessons learned from a forest-dwelling carnivore inhabiting a heterogeneous landscape

Treesearch

Aritz Ruiz-Gonzalez; Samuel A. Cushman; Maria Jose Madeira; Ettore Randi; Benjamin J. Gomez-Moliner

2015-01-01

Landscape genetics provides a valuable framework to understand how landscape features influence gene flow and to disentangle the factors that lead to discrete and/or clinal population structure. Here, we attempt to differentiate between these processes in a forest-dwelling small carnivore [European pine marten (Martes martes)]. Specifically, we used...

A digital library of radiology images.

PubMed

Kahn, Charles E

2006-01-01

A web-based virtual library of peer-reviewed radiological images was created for use in education and clinical decision support. Images were obtained from open-access content of five online radiology journals and one e-learning web site. Figure captions were indexed by Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) codes, imaging modality, and patient age and sex. This digital library provides a new, valuable online resource.

Integrating Formative and Summative Assessment: Progress toward a Seamless System? OECD Education Working Papers, No. 58

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Looney, Janet W.

2011-01-01

A long-held ambition for many educators and assessment experts has been to integrate summative and formative assessments so that data from external assessments used for system monitoring may also be used to shape teaching and learning in classrooms. In turn, classroom-based assessments may provide valuable data for decision makers at school and…

Beyond Expectations in Music Performance Modules in Higher Education: Rethinking Instrumental and Vocal Music Pedagogy for the Twenty-First Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simones, Lilian Lima

2017-01-01

Music performance in the higher educational context is shaped by a reciprocal chain of interactions between students, part-time tutors and full-time teaching staff, each with specific expectations about the teaching and learning process. Such expectations can provide valuable insights not only for designing and implementing meaningful educational…

Impact of a Dedicated Emergency Medicine Teaching Resident Rotation at a Large Urban Academic Center.

PubMed

Ahn, James; Golden, Andrew; Bryant, Alyssa; Babcock, Christine

2016-03-01

In the face of declining bedside teaching and increasing emergency department (ED) crowding, balancing education and patient care is a challenge. Dedicated shifts by teaching residents (TRs) in the ED represent an educational intervention to mitigate these difficulties. We aimed to measure the perceived learning and departmental impact created by having TR. TRs were present in the ED from 12 pm-10 pm daily, and their primary roles were to provide the following: assist in teaching procedures, give brief "chalk talks," instruct junior trainees on interesting cases, and answer clinical questions in an evidence-based manner. This observational study included a survey of fourth-year medical students (MSs), residents and faculty at an academic ED. Surveys measured the perceived effect of the TR on teaching, patient flow, ease of procedures, and clinical care. Survey response rates for medical students, residents, and faculty are 56%, 77%, and 75%, respectively. MSs perceived improved procedure performance with TR presence and the majority agreed that the TR was a valuable educational experience. Residents perceived increased patient flow, procedure performance, and MS learning with TR presence. The majority agreed that the TR improved patient care. Faculty agreed that the TR increased resident and MS learning, as well as improved patient care and procedure performance. The presence of a TR increased MS and resident learning, improved patient care and procedure performance as perceived by MSs, residents and faculty. A dedicated TR program can provide a valuable resource in achieving a balance of clinical education and high quality healthcare.

CMU DeepLens: deep learning for automatic image-based galaxy-galaxy strong lens finding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lanusse, François; Ma, Quanbin; Li, Nan; Collett, Thomas E.; Li, Chun-Liang; Ravanbakhsh, Siamak; Mandelbaum, Rachel; Póczos, Barnabás

2018-01-01

Galaxy-scale strong gravitational lensing can not only provide a valuable probe of the dark matter distribution of massive galaxies, but also provide valuable cosmological constraints, either by studying the population of strong lenses or by measuring time delays in lensed quasars. Due to the rarity of galaxy-scale strongly lensed systems, fast and reliable automated lens finding methods will be essential in the era of large surveys such as Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, Euclid and Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope. To tackle this challenge, we introduce CMU DeepLens, a new fully automated galaxy-galaxy lens finding method based on deep learning. This supervised machine learning approach does not require any tuning after the training step which only requires realistic image simulations of strongly lensed systems. We train and validate our model on a set of 20 000 LSST-like mock observations including a range of lensed systems of various sizes and signal-to-noise ratios (S/N). We find on our simulated data set that for a rejection rate of non-lenses of 99 per cent, a completeness of 90 per cent can be achieved for lenses with Einstein radii larger than 1.4 arcsec and S/N larger than 20 on individual g-band LSST exposures. Finally, we emphasize the importance of realistically complex simulations for training such machine learning methods by demonstrating that the performance of models of significantly different complexities cannot be distinguished on simpler simulations. We make our code publicly available at https://github.com/McWilliamsCenter/CMUDeepLens.

Impact of a Dedicated Emergency Medicine Teaching Resident Rotation at a Large Urban Academic Center

PubMed Central

Ahn, James; Golden, Andrew; Bryant, Alyssa; Babcock, Christine

2016-01-01

Introduction In the face of declining bedside teaching and increasing emergency department (ED) crowding, balancing education and patient care is a challenge. Dedicated shifts by teaching residents (TRs) in the ED represent an educational intervention to mitigate these difficulties. We aimed to measure the perceived learning and departmental impact created by having TR. Methods TRs were present in the ED from 12pm–10pm daily, and their primary roles were to provide the following: assist in teaching procedures, give brief “chalk talks,” instruct junior trainees on interesting cases, and answer clinical questions in an evidence-based manner. This observational study included a survey of fourth-year medical students (MSs), residents and faculty at an academic ED. Surveys measured the perceived effect of the TR on teaching, patient flow, ease of procedures, and clinical care. Results Survey response rates for medical students, residents, and faculty are 56%, 77%, and 75%, respectively. MSs perceived improved procedure performance with TR presence and the majority agreed that the TR was a valuable educational experience. Residents perceived increased patient flow, procedure performance, and MS learning with TR presence. The majority agreed that the TR improved patient care. Faculty agreed that the TR increased resident and MS learning, as well as improved patient care and procedure performance. Conclusion The presence of a TR increased MS and resident learning, improved patient care and procedure performance as perceived by MSs, residents and faculty. A dedicated TR program can provide a valuable resource in achieving a balance of clinical education and high quality healthcare. PMID:26973739

Innovation in collaborative health research training: the role of active learning.

PubMed

Poole, Gary; Egan, John P; Iqbal, Isabeau

2009-03-01

This paper describes and discusses the essential pedagogical elements of the Partnering in Community Health Research (PCHR) program, which was designed to address the training needs of researchers who participate in collaborative, interdisciplinary health research. These elements were intended to foster specific skills that helped learners develop research partnerships featuring knowledge, capabilities, values and attitudes needed for successful research projects. By establishing research teams called "clusters", PCHR provided research training and experience for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows, as well as for community health workers and professionals. Pedagogical elements relied on active learning approaches such as inquiry-based and experience-based learning. Links between these elements and learning approaches are explained. Through their work in cluster-based applied research projects, the development of learning plans, and cross-cluster learning events, trainees acquired collaborative research competencies that were valuable, relevant and theoretically informed.

A framework to develop a clinical learning culture in health facilities: ideas from the literature.

PubMed

Henderson, A; Briggs, J; Schoonbeek, S; Paterson, K

2011-06-01

Internationally, there is an increase in demand to educate nurses within the clinical practice environment. Clinical practice settings that encourage teaching and learning during episodes of care delivery can be powerful in educating both the existing nursing workforce and nursing students. This paper presents a framework, informed by the literature, that identifies the key factors that are needed to encourage the interactions fundamental to learning in clinical practice. Learning occurs when nurses demonstrate good practice, share their knowledge through conversations and discussions, and also provide feedback to learners, such as students and novices. These types of interactions occur when positive leadership practices encourage trust and openness between staff; when the management team provides sessions for staff to learn how to interact with learners, and also when partnerships provide support and guidance around learning in the workplace. APPLICATION OF CONCEPTS: This framework presents how the concepts of leadership, management and partnership interact to create and sustain learning environments. The feedback from proposed measurement tools can provide valuable information about the positive and negative aspects of these concepts in the clinical learning environment. Analysis of the subscales can assist in identifying appropriate recommended strategies outlined in the framework to guide nurses in improving the recognized deficits in the relationship between the concepts. Leadership, management and partnerships are pivotal for the creation and maintenance of positive learning environments. Diagnostic measurement tools can provide specific information about weaknesses across these areas. This knowledge can guide future initiatives. © 2011 The Authors. International Nursing Review © 2011 International Council of Nurses.

Alpha test results for a Housing First eLearning strategy: the value of multiple qualitative methods for intervention design.

PubMed

Ahonen, Emily Q; Watson, Dennis P; Adams, Erin L; McGuire, Alan

2017-01-01

Detailed descriptions of implementation strategies are lacking, and there is a corresponding dearth of information regarding methods employed in implementation strategy development. This paper describes methods and findings related to the alpha testing of eLearning modules developed as part of the Housing First Technical Assistance and Training (HFTAT) program's development. Alpha testing is an approach for improving the quality of a product prior to beta (i.e., real world) testing with potential applications for intervention development. Ten participants in two cities tested the modules. We collected data through (1) a structured log where participants were asked to record their experiences as they worked through the modules; (2) a brief online questionnaire delivered at the end of each module; and (3) focus groups. The alpha test provided useful data related to the acceptability and feasibility of eLearning as an implementation strategy, as well as identifying a number of technical issues and bugs. Each of the qualitative methods used provided unique and valuable information. In particular, logs were the most useful for identifying technical issues, and focus groups provided high quality data regarding how the intervention could best be used as an implementation strategy. Alpha testing was a valuable step in intervention development, providing us an understanding of issues that would have been more difficult to address at a later stage of the study. As a result, we were able to improve the modules prior to pilot testing of the entire HFTAT. Researchers wishing to alpha test interventions prior to piloting should balance the unique benefits of different data collection approaches with the need to minimize burdens for themselves and participants.

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

PubMed

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

2015-04-15

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

Permanent foresty plots: a potentially valuable teaching resource in undergraduate biology porgrams for the Caribbean

Treesearch

H. Valles; C.M.S. Carrington

2016-01-01

There has been a recent proposal to change the way that biology is taught and learned in undergraduate biology programs in the USA so that students develop a better understanding of science and the natural world. Here, we use this new, recommended teaching– learning framework to assert that permanent forestry plots could be a valuable tool to help develop biology...

Are Serious Games a Good Strategy for Pharmacy Education?

PubMed Central

Cain, Jeff

2015-01-01

Serious gaming is the use of game principles for the purposes of learning, skill acquisition, and training. Higher education is beginning to incorporate serious gaming into curricula, and health professions education is the most common area for serious game use. Advantages of serious gaming in pharmacy education include authentic, situated learning without risk of patient consequences, collaborative learning, ability to challenge students of all performance levels, high student motivation with increased time on task, immediate feedback, ability to learn from mistakes without becoming discouraged, and potential for behavior and attitude change. Development of quality games for pharmacy education requires content expertise as well as expertise in the science and design of gaming. When well done, serious gaming provides a valuable additional tool for pharmacy education. PMID:26089556

Active Learning by Querying Informative and Representative Examples.

PubMed

Huang, Sheng-Jun; Jin, Rong; Zhou, Zhi-Hua

2014-10-01

Active learning reduces the labeling cost by iteratively selecting the most valuable data to query their labels. It has attracted a lot of interests given the abundance of unlabeled data and the high cost of labeling. Most active learning approaches select either informative or representative unlabeled instances to query their labels, which could significantly limit their performance. Although several active learning algorithms were proposed to combine the two query selection criteria, they are usually ad hoc in finding unlabeled instances that are both informative and representative. We address this limitation by developing a principled approach, termed QUIRE, based on the min-max view of active learning. The proposed approach provides a systematic way for measuring and combining the informativeness and representativeness of an unlabeled instance. Further, by incorporating the correlation among labels, we extend the QUIRE approach to multi-label learning by actively querying instance-label pairs. Extensive experimental results show that the proposed QUIRE approach outperforms several state-of-the-art active learning approaches in both single-label and multi-label learning.

Instantaneous Assessment Of Athletic Performance Using High Speed Video

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hubbard, Mont; Alaways, LeRoy W.

1988-02-01

We describe the use of high speed video to provide quantitative assessment of motion in athletic performance. Besides the normal requirement for accuracy, an essential feature is that the information be provided rapidly enough so that it my serve as valuable feedback in the learning process. The general considerations which must be addressed in the development of such a computer based system are discussed. These ideas are illustrated specifically through the description of a prototype system which has been designed for the javelin throw.

The seven S's for successful management.

PubMed

Davidhizar, R

1995-03-01

Becoming a successful manager in a health care agency is, for most new managers, an awesome goal. Successful management is more than knowledge of leadership roles and management functions that can be learned in school or educational workshops. Successful management involves effective use of both the manager's affective and cognitive domains. Mentoring and apprenticeship with a successful nurse leader is for many novice managers a highly valuable way to learn management skills since this allows for techniques with a successful nurse manager to be visualized and then modeled. "Seven S's" that provide a framework for managerial success are discussed.

Bringing Up Girls in Science (BUGS): The Effectiveness of an Afterschool Environmental Science Program for Increasing Female Students' Interest in Science Careers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyler-Wood, Tandra; Ellison, Amber; Lim, Okyoung; Periathiruvadi, Sita

2012-01-01

Bringing Up Girls in Science (BUGS) was an afterschool program for 4th and 5th grade girls that provided authentic learning experiences in environmental science as well as valuable female mentoring opportunities in an effort to increase participants' academic achievement in science. BUGS participants demonstrated significantly greater amounts of…

Journal Writing as an Adult Learning Tool. Practice Application Brief No. 22.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerka, Sandra

Journals can be valuable tools for fostering adult learning and experience. Research has supported the following assumptions about learning from journals: (1) articulating connections between new and existing knowledge improves learning; (2) writing about learning is a way of demonstrating what has been learned; (3) journal writing accentuates…

Movement and Learning: A Valuable Connection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevens-Smith, Deborah

2004-01-01

In this article, the author discusses the relatedness between movement and learning for students. The process of learning involves basic nerve cells that transmit information and create numerous neural connections essential to learning. One way to increase learning is to encourage creation of more synaptic connections in the brain through…

EpiAssist: Service-learning in public health education.

PubMed

Horney, Jennifer A; Bamrara, Sanjana; Macik, Maria Lazo; Shehane, Melissa

2016-01-01

Although public health degree programs typically require practica and other field experiences, service-learning courses, with a focus on civic engagement and the application of classroom learning in real world settings, can go beyond these requirements and provide benefits to students and community-based practice partners. The goal of this paper is to assess potential benefits of service-learning programs for both graduate-level public health students and state and local public health agency partners. EpiAssist is a new service-learning program developed at the School of Public Health of the Texas A and M University Health Science Center, USA, in January 2015. EpiAssist was integrated into a new course, Methods in Field Epidemiology. The integration of service-learning was guided by a partnership with the Texas A and M Center for Teaching Excellence. State, regional, and local public health partners requested EpiAssist via email or telephone. A listserv was used to recruit student volunteers to meet requests. 54 of 86 registered EpiAssist students (63%) participated in at least one of ten service-learning and three training activities between January and June, 2015. Service-learning activities included questionnaire development, in-person and telephone data collection, and data analysis. Training topics for students included the Epi Info™ software, community assessment and communicable disease reporting. Students and partner organizations provided generally positive assessments of this service learning program through an online evaluation. Service-learning provides students with enhanced classroom learning through applied public health experience in state, regional and local health departments. These experiences provide both needed surge capacity to public health departments and valuable hands-on field experience to students.

Understanding evaluation of learning support in mathematics and statistics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacGillivray, Helen; Croft, Tony

2011-03-01

With rapid and continuing growth of learning support initiatives in mathematics and statistics found in many parts of the world, and with the likelihood that this trend will continue, there is a need to ensure that robust and coherent measures are in place to evaluate the effectiveness of these initiatives. The nature of learning support brings challenges for measurement and analysis of its effects. After briefly reviewing the purpose, rationale for, and extent of current provision, this article provides a framework for those working in learning support to think about how their efforts can be evaluated. It provides references and specific examples of how workers in this field are collecting, analysing and reporting their findings. The framework is used to structure evaluation in terms of usage of facilities, resources and services provided, and also in terms of improvements in performance of the students and staff who engage with them. Very recent developments have started to address the effects of learning support on the development of deeper approaches to learning, the affective domain and the development of communities of practice of both learners and teachers. This article intends to be a stimulus to those who work in mathematics and statistics support to gather even richer, more valuable, forms of data. It provides a 'toolkit' for those interested in evaluation of learning support and closes by referring to an on-line resource being developed to archive the growing body of evidence.

The Oklahoma bombing. Lessons learned.

PubMed

Anteau, C M; Williams, L A

1997-06-01

The Oklahoma City bombing experience in April of 1995 provided a unique opportunity to test the effectiveness of an existing disaster plan. The critical care nurses at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital learned valuable lessons about managing intense activity, equipment and supplies, staffing resources, and visitor issues. The degree to which the bombing affected the emotional state of personnel was unanticipated, and leaders learned that critical stress management interventions should be included in every emergency preparedness plan. Additionally, recommendations include using runners for communication; assigning specific roles (supplies, staffing, triage); keeping additional staff in reserve for shift relief; ensuring ample hospital staff members are available to coordinate visitors and media; and setting up record systems to preserve continuity. The unique lessons learned as a result of this terrorist attack can be used by other critical care nurses to understand and refine disaster plans.

A Lessons Learned Knowledge Warehouse to Support the Army Knowledge Management Command-Centric

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-03-01

Warehouse to Support the Army Knowledge Management Command-Centric increase the quality and availability of information in context ( knowledge ) to the... information , geographical information , knowledge base, Intelligence data (HUMINT, SIGINT, etc.); and • • Human Computer Interaction (HCI): allows...the Data Fusion Process from the HCI point of view? Can the LL Knowledge Base provide any valuable information to achieve better estimates of the

Operation ARA: A Computerized Learning Game that Teaches Critical Thinking and Scientific Reasoning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halpern, Diane F.; Millis, Keith; Graesser, Arthur C.; Butler, Heather; Forsyth, Carol; Cai, Zhiqiang

2012-01-01

Operation ARA (Acquiring Research Acumen) is a computerized learning game that teaches critical thinking and scientific reasoning. It is a valuable learning tool that utilizes principles from the science of learning and serious computer games. Students learn the skills of scientific reasoning by engaging in interactive dialogs with avatars. They…

Online Learning: E-Learning Fast, Cheap, and Good

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piskurich, George M.

2006-01-01

There is a variation of e-learning, used mainly in academic settings, that can be a valuable intervention tool for the performance technologist. It is often referred to as online learning. In the performance improvement field, this term is often used interchangeably with synchronous e-learning, but there are some major differences between these…

Cooperative Learning through Team-Based Projects in the Biotechnology Industry †

PubMed Central

Luginbuhl, Sarah C.; Hamilton, Paul T.

2013-01-01

We have developed a cooperative-learning, case studies project model that has teams of students working with biotechnology professionals on company-specific problems. These semester-long, team-based projects can be used effectively to provide students with valuable skills in an industry environment and experience addressing real issues faced by biotechnology companies. Using peer-evaluations, we have seen improvement in students’ professional skills such as time-management, quality of work, and level of contribution over multiple semesters. This model of team-based, industry-sponsored projects could be implemented in other college and university courses/programs to promote professional skills and expose students to an industry setting. PMID:24358386

Cooperative Learning through Team-Based Projects in the Biotechnology Industry.

PubMed

Luginbuhl, Sarah C; Hamilton, Paul T

2013-01-01

We have developed a cooperative-learning, case studies project model that has teams of students working with biotechnology professionals on company-specific problems. These semester-long, team-based projects can be used effectively to provide students with valuable skills in an industry environment and experience addressing real issues faced by biotechnology companies. Using peer-evaluations, we have seen improvement in students' professional skills such as time-management, quality of work, and level of contribution over multiple semesters. This model of team-based, industry-sponsored projects could be implemented in other college and university courses/programs to promote professional skills and expose students to an industry setting.

Internet-based learning and applications for critical care medicine.

PubMed

Wolbrink, Traci A; Burns, Jeffrey P

2012-01-01

Recent changes in duty hour allowances and economic constraints are forcing a paradigm shift in graduate medical education in the United States. Internet-based learning is a rapidly growing component of postgraduate medical education, including the field of critical care medicine. Here, we define the key concepts of Internet-based learning, summarize the current literature, and describe how Internet-based learning may be uniquely suited for the critical care provider. A MEDLINE/PubMed search from January 2000 to July 2011 using the search terms: "e-learning," "Web-based learning," "computer-aided instruction," "adult learning," "knowledge retention," "intensive care," and "critical care." The growth of the Internet is marked by the development of new technologies, including more user-derived tools. Nonmedical fields have embraced Internet-based learning as a valuable teaching tool. A recent meta-analysis described Internet-based learning in the medical field as being more effective than no intervention and likely as efficacious as traditional teaching methods. Web sites containing interactive features are aptly suited for the adult learner, complementing the paradigm shift to more learner-centered education. Interactive cases, simulators, and games may allow for improvement in clinical care. The total time spent utilizing Internet-based resources, as well as the frequency of returning to those sites, may influence educational gains. Internet-based learning may provide an opportunity for assistance in the transformation of medical education. Many features of Web-based learning, including interactivity, make it advantageous for the adult medical learner, especially in the field of critical care medicine, and further work is necessary to develop a robust learning platform incorporating a variety of learning modalities for critical care providers.

Numbers Are Not Enough. Why e-Learning Analytics Failed to Inform an Institutional Strategic Plan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macfadyen, Leah P.; Dawson, Shane

2012-01-01

Learning analytics offers higher education valuable insights that can inform strategic decision-making regarding resource allocation for educational excellence. Research demonstrates that learning management systems (LMSs) can increase student sense of community, support learning communities and enhance student engagement and success, and LMSs…

Flipped Education: Transitioning to the Homeschool Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alamry, Adel; karaali, Abeer

2016-01-01

This paper seeks to introduce flipped learning as a viable learning method that can be used in the homeschool environment. Flipped learning can become a valuable aspect of homeschooling when the learning environment is conducive to the application of self-taught knowledge. In fact, the sessions evidently act as clarification bridges and…

Kinaesthetic Learning Activities and Learning about Solar Cells

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richards, A. J.; Etkina, Eugenia

2013-01-01

Kinaesthetic learning activities (KLAs) can be a valuable pedagogical tool for physics instructors. They have been shown to increase engagement, encourage participation and improve learning outcomes. This paper details several KLAs developed at Rutgers University for inclusion in an instructional unit about semiconductors, p-n junctions and solar…

Students Talking about Assessment: Insights on Program Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donohue, William J.

2017-01-01

This study examines the student writer perspective of a first-year composition program's student learning outcomes. Student descriptions of learning are a valuable, yet often overlooked data source. The student voice broadens a first-year composition program's outcomes-based, student learning assessment process as program assessment data is often…

News

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2004-09-01

Meeting: Brecon hosts 'alternative-style' Education Group Conference Meeting: Schools' Physics Group meeting delivers valuable teaching update Saturn Mission: PPARC’s Saturn school resource goes online Funding: Grant scheme supports Einstein Year activities Meeting: Liverpool Teachers’ Conference revives enthusiasm for physics Loan Scheme: Moon samples loaned to schools Awards: Schoolnet rewards good use of ICT in learning Funding: PPARC provides cash for science projects Workshop: Experts in physics education research share knowledge at international event Bulgaria: Transit of Venus comes to town Conference: CERN weekend provides lessons in particle physics Summer School: Teachers receive the summer-school treatment

Service-Learning and Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roemer, Cynthia Anne

2009-01-01

Contemporary educational theory has given increased attention to service-learning as valuable pedagogy. Ever-changing technology progress and applications demand a quantitatively literate population, supporting the need for experiential activities in mathematics. This study addresses service-learning pedagogy in mathematics through a study of the…

Guided Inquiry Learning With Sea Water Battery Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mashudi, A.

2017-02-01

Science learning process is expected to produce valuable product, innovative and real learning environment, and provide memorable learning experience. That orientation can be contained in Inquiry Based Learning. SMP N 4 Juwana is located close to the beach. That’s why, Sea Water Battery Project is very suitable to be applied in learning activity as an effort to fulfill the renewable energy based on local wisdom. This study aims to increase interest, activity and achievement of students. Learning implementation stage, namely : Constructing Sea Water Battery project, observation, group presentations, and feedback. Sea Water Battery is renewable energy battery from materials easily found around the learner. The materials used are copper plate as the anode, zinc plate as the cathode and sea water as the electrolyte. Average score of students Interest on the first cycle 76, while on the second cycle 85. Average score of students Activity on the first cycle 76 and on the second cycle 86. Average score of students achievement on the first cycle 75, while on the second cycle 84. This learning process gave nurturant effect for students to keep innovating and construct engineering technology for the future.

A Comparative Study of Pairwise Learning Methods Based on Kernel Ridge Regression.

PubMed

Stock, Michiel; Pahikkala, Tapio; Airola, Antti; De Baets, Bernard; Waegeman, Willem

2018-06-12

Many machine learning problems can be formulated as predicting labels for a pair of objects. Problems of that kind are often referred to as pairwise learning, dyadic prediction, or network inference problems. During the past decade, kernel methods have played a dominant role in pairwise learning. They still obtain a state-of-the-art predictive performance, but a theoretical analysis of their behavior has been underexplored in the machine learning literature. In this work we review and unify kernel-based algorithms that are commonly used in different pairwise learning settings, ranging from matrix filtering to zero-shot learning. To this end, we focus on closed-form efficient instantiations of Kronecker kernel ridge regression. We show that independent task kernel ridge regression, two-step kernel ridge regression, and a linear matrix filter arise naturally as a special case of Kronecker kernel ridge regression, implying that all these methods implicitly minimize a squared loss. In addition, we analyze universality, consistency, and spectral filtering properties. Our theoretical results provide valuable insights into assessing the advantages and limitations of existing pairwise learning methods.

Improving Pedagogy through Action Learning and Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albers, Cheryl

2008-01-01

This ASA Teaching Workshop explored the potential of Action Learning to use teachers' tacit knowledge to collaboratively confront pedagogical issues. The Action Learning model grows out of industrial management and is based on the notion that peers are a valuable resource for learning about how to solve the problems encountered in the workplace.…

Enhanced Primary Care Treatment of Behavioral Disorders With ECHO Case-Based Learning.

PubMed

Komaromy, Miriam; Bartlett, Judy; Manis, Kathryn; Arora, Sanjeev

2017-09-01

The Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) model offers a way for primary care providers to develop expertise in addressing behavioral health issues of primary care patients. It provides an alternative to traditional continuing medical education (CME) for ongoing training and support for health care providers. ECHO uses videoconferencing to connect multiple primary care teams simultaneously with academic specialists and builds capacity via mentorship and case-based learning. ECHO aims to expand access to care by developing capacity to treat common, complex conditions in underserved areas. Participants in an integrated addictions and psychiatry teleECHO program reported that when they presented a patient case, the feedback they received was highly valuable and led them to change their care plans more than 75% of the time. ECHO is an effective model for teaching primary care teams about behavioral health and may be more effective than traditional CME approaches.

Anatomy by whole body dissection: a focus group study of students' learning experience.

PubMed

Burgess, Annette; Ramsey-Stewart, George

2015-01-01

The social construction of knowledge within medical education is essential for learning. Students' interactions within groups and associated learning artifacts can meaningfully impact learning. Situated cognition theory poses that knowledge, thinking, and learning are located in experience. In recent years, there has been a reported decline in time spent on anatomy by whole body dissection (AWBD) within medical programs. However, teaching by surgeons in AWBD provides unique opportunities for students, promoting a deeper engagement in learning. In this study, we apply situated cognition theory as a conceptual framework to explore students' perceptions of their learning experience within the 2014 iteration of an 8-week elective AWBD course. At the end of the course, all students (n=24) were invited to attend one of three focus groups. Framework analysis was used to code and categorize data into themes. In total, 20/24 (83%) students participated in focus groups. Utilizing situated cognition theory as a conceptual framework, we illustrate students' learning experiences within the AWBD course. Students highlighted opportunities to create and reinforce their own knowledge through active participation in authentic dissection tasks; guidance and clinical context provided by surgeons as supervisors; and the provision of an inclusive learning community. Situated cognition theory offers a valuable lens through which to view students' learning experience in the anatomy dissection course. By doing so, the importance of providing clinical relevance to medical teaching is highlighted. Additionally, the value of having surgeons teach AWBD and the experience they share is illustrated. The team learning course design, with varying teaching methods and frequent assessments, prompting student-student and student-teacher interaction, was also beneficial for student learning.

ISS Training Best Practices and Lessons Learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barshi, Immanuel; Dempsey, Donna L.

2017-01-01

Training our crew members for long duration exploration-class missions (LDEM) will have to be qualitatively and quantitatively different from current training practices. However, there is much to be learned from the extensive experience NASA has gained in training crew members for missions on board the International Space Station (ISS). Furthermore, the operational experience on board the ISS provides valuable feedback concerning training effectiveness. Keeping in mind the vast differences between current ISS crew training and training for LDEM, the needs of future crew members, and the demands of future missions, this ongoing study seeks to document current training practices and lessons learned. The goal of the study is to provide input to the design of future crew training that takes as much advantage as possible of what has already been learned and avoids as much as possible past inefficiencies. Results from this study will be presented upon its completion. By researching established training principles, examining future needs, and by using current practices in spaceflight training as test beds, this research project is mitigating program risks and generating templates and requirements to meet future training needs.

ISS Training Best Practices and Lessons Learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dempsey, Donna L.; Barshi, Immanuel

2018-01-01

Training our crew members for long-duration Deep Space Transport (DST) missions will have to be qualitatively and quantitatively different from current training practices. However, there is much to be learned from the extensive experience NASA has gained in training crew members for missions on board the International Space Station (ISS). Furthermore, the operational experience on board the ISS provides valuable feedback concerning training effectiveness. Keeping in mind the vast differences between current ISS crew training and training for DST missions, the needs of future crew members, and the demands of future missions, this ongoing study seeks to document current training practices and lessons learned. The goal of the study is to provide input to the design of future crew training that takes as much advantage as possible of what has already been learned and avoids as much as possible past inefficiencies. Results from this study will be presented upon its completion. By researching established training principles, examining future needs, and by using current practices in spaceflight training as test beds, this research project is mitigating program risks and generating templates and requirements to meet future training needs.

Familia and Comunidad-Based Saberes: Learning in an Indigenous Heritage Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Urrieta, Luis, Jr.

2013-01-01

This article explores how children and youth learned indigenous heritage "saberes" (knowings) through intent community participation in Nocutzepo, Mexico. The "familia" (family) and "comunidad" (community)-based saberes were valuable for skills acquisition, but most important for learning indigenous forms of…

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

PubMed

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

2016-01-01

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

Effective teaching behaviors in the emergency department: A qualitative study with Millennial nursing students in Shanghai.

PubMed

Jiang, Jinxia; Zeng, Li; Kue, Jennifer; Li, Hong; Shi, Yan; Chen, Cuiping

2018-02-01

Millennial nursing students are different from generations before especially with the rapid development of China's economy, their varieties of characteristics affect the clinical teaching and learning. But how their learning preference impact their learning outcomes remain unclear. The aim of this study is to explore effective teaching methods in the emergency department from the perspective of Millennial nursing students in Shanghai, China. One of the main objectives is to provide valuable information to help nursing programs in China to effectively educate Millennial students to deliver patient-centered care and to meet medical changes according to Chinese healthcare reform. Qualitative study design was used and semistructured interviews were conducted in a purposive sample of 16 nursing students from six colleges of nursing and five nursing high schools in Shanghai. They are from eight geographical areas across China and have a clinical practice in the teaching hospital. Colaizzi seven-step framework was applied for data analysis. Three themes were emerged including: demonstrating harmonious faculty-student relationship, possessing professional competence and being empathetic for teaching. The findings of this study provide valuable information for promoting the clinical teaching quality in China. It is crucial to put more emphasis on demonstrating harmonious faculty-student relationship, rendering Millennial students more caring behavior, possessing sufficient competence in both knowledge and skills, and taking full advantage of technology in clinical teaching. The results of this study are relevant to envision the future training of clinical nursing teachers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improved use of allied health professionals in the health care system: the case of the advanced practice physiotherapist in orthopedic care.

PubMed

Aiken, Alice

2012-01-01

This article provides an overview of work done in Canada involving the use of physiotherapists in models of collaborative care to enhance orthopedic care and practice. Valuable lessons learned and an important model of collaborative care are summarized. The research around these models of care has also contributed to important scope of practice changes for the profession of physiotherapy.

Perception of and satisfaction with the clinical learning environment among nursing students.

PubMed

D'Souza, Melba Sheila; Karkada, Subrahmanya Nairy; Parahoo, Kader; Venkatesaperumal, Ramesh

2015-06-01

Clinical nursing education provides baccalaureate nursing students an opportunity to combine cognitive, psychomotor, and affective skills in the Middle East. The aim of the paper is to assess the satisfaction with and effectiveness of the clinical learning environment among nursing students in Oman. A cross-sectional descriptive design was used. A convenience sample consisting of 310 undergraduate nursing students was selected in a public school of nursing in Oman. Ethical approval was obtained from the Research and Ethics Committee, College of Nursing in 2011. A standardized, structured, validated and reliable Clinical Learning Environment Supervision Teacher Evaluation instrument was used. Informed consent was obtained from all the students. Data was analyzed with ANOVA and structural equation modeling. Satisfaction with the clinical learning environment (CLE) sub-dimensions was highly significant and had a positive relationship with the total clinical learning environment. In the path model 35% of its total variance of satisfaction with CLE is accounted by leadership style, clinical nurse commitment (variance=28%), and patient relationships (R(2)=27%). Higher age, GPA and completion of a number of clinical courses were significant in the satisfaction with the CLE among these students. Nurse educators can improvise clinical learning placements focusing on leadership style, premises of learning and nursing care, nurse teacher, and supervision while integrating student, teacher and environmental factors. Hence the clinical learning environment is integral to students' learning and valuable in providing educational experiences. The CLE model provides information to nurse educators regarding best clinical practices for improving the CLE for BSN students. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nursing students' perceptions of hospital learning environments--an Australian perspective.

PubMed

Chan, Dominic S

2004-01-01

Clinical education is a vital component in the curricula of pre-registration nursing courses and provides student nurses with the opportunity to combine cognitive, psychomotor, and affective skills. Various studies have suggested that not all practice settings are able to provide nursing students with a positive learning environment. In order to maximize nursing students' clinical learning outcomes, there is a need to examine the clinical learning environment. The purpose of this study was to assess pre-registration nursing students' perceptions of hospital learning environments during clinical field placement. Quantitative and qualitative methodology was used. One hundred and eight students provided quantitative data through completion of the survey instrument, the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory (Actual and Preferred forms). Each form is a 5-point Likert-type questionnaire, made up of 35 items consisted of 5 scales with 7 items per scale. Qualitative data, obtained through semi-structured interview of 21 students from the same cohort, were used to explain and support the quantitative findings. There were significant differences between students' actual and preferred perceptions of the clinical learning environments. Generally students preferred a more positive and favourable clinical environment than they perceived as being actually present. Since participants consisted of nursing students from just one university nursing school in South Australia, the findings may not be representative of all nursing students in general with respect to their clinical placement. However, the value of this study lies in the resulting implication for nursing education and future research. A better understanding of what constitutes quality clinical education from the students' perspective would be valuable in providing better educational experiences.

Assessment in Work-Based Learning: Investigating a Pedagogical Approach to Enhance Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brodie, Pandy; Irving, Kate

2007-01-01

Work-based learning (WBL) is undertaken in a wide variety of higher education contexts and is increasingly viewed as a valuable, and increasingly essential, component of both the undergraduate and postgraduate student learning experience. However, the development of rigorous pedagogies to underpin WBL and its assessment is still embryonic. This…

A Methodology to Obtain Learning Effective Laboratories with Learning Management System Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruano, Ildefonso; Gamez, Javier; Dormido, Sebastian; Gomez, Juan

2016-01-01

Online laboratories are useful and valuable resources in high education, especially in engineering studies. This work presents a methodology to create effective laboratories for learning that interact with a Learning Management System (LMS) to achieve advanced integration. It is based on pedagogical aspects and considers not only the laboratory…

"Sustainability on Earth" Webquests: Do They Qualify as Problem-Based Learning Activities?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leite, Laurinda; Dourado, Luís; Morgado, Sofia

2015-01-01

Information and communication technologies (ICT), namely the Internet, can play a valuable educational role in several school subjects, including science education. The same applies to problem-based learning (PBL), that is, a student-centered active learning methodology that can prepare students for lifelong learning. WebQuests (WQs) combine PBL…

The Influence of Electronic Dictionaries on Vocabulary Knowledge Extension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rezaei, Mojtaba; Davoudi, Mohammad

2016-01-01

Vocabulary learning needs special strategies in language learning process. The use of dictionaries is a great help in vocabulary learning and nowadays the emergence of electronic dictionaries has added a new and valuable resource for vocabulary learning. The present study aims to explore the influence of Electronic Dictionaries (ED) Vs. Paper…

The Effects of Mobile-Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning: Meta-Analysis and Critical Synthesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sung, Yao-Ting; Yang, Je-Ming; Lee, Han-Yueh

2017-01-01

One of the trends in collaborative learning is using mobile devices for supporting the process and products of collaboration, which has been forming the field of mobile-computer-supported collaborative learning (mCSCL). Although mobile devices have become valuable collaborative learning tools, evaluative evidence for their substantial…

Using Student-Produced Video to Validate Head-to-Toe Assessment Performance.

PubMed

Purpora, Christina; Prion, Susan

2018-03-01

This study explored third-semester baccalaureate nursing students' perceptions of the value of using student-produced video as an approach for learning head-to-toe assessment, an essential clinical nursing skill taught in the classroom. A cognitive apprenticeship model guided the study. The researchers developed a 34-item survey. A convenience sample of 72 students enrolled in an applied assessment and nursing fundamentals course at a university in the western United States provided the data. Most students reported a videotaping process that worked, supportive faculty, valuable faculty review of their work, confidence, a sense of performance independence, the ability to identify normal assessment findings, and few barriers to learning. The results suggested that a student-produced video approach to learning head-to-toe assessment was effective. Further, the study demonstrated how to leverage available instructional technology to provide meaningful, personalized instruction and feedback to students about an essential nursing skill. [J Nurs Educ. 2018;57(3):154-158.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

Using Educational Games for Sign Language Learning--A SignWriting Learning Game: Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouzid, Yosra; Khenissi, Mohamed Ali; Essalmi, Fathi; Jemni, Mohamed

2016-01-01

Apart from being used as a means of entertainment, computer games have been adopted for a long time as a valuable tool for learning. Computer games can offer many learning benefits to students since they can consume their attention and increase their motivation and engagement which can then lead to stimulate learning. However, most of the research…

Implementing Service-Learning to the Information Systems and Technology Management Program: A Study of an Undergraduate Capstone Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wei, Kangning; Siow, Jane; Burley, Diana L.

2007-01-01

Service-learning has been identified as an extremely valuable educational tool and applied to different disciplines and areas, but literature review on service learning has indicated that service-learning is little used in Information Systems education. This paper presents our design and development of a service-learning capstone course for…

The impact of teachers' approaches to teaching and students' learning styles on students' approaches to learning in college online biology courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Yuh-Fong

With the rapid growth of online courses in higher education institutions, research on quality of learning for online courses is needed. However, there is a notable lack of research in the cited literature providing evidence that online distance education promotes the quality of independent learning to which it aspires. Previous studies focused on academic outcomes and technology applications which do not monitor students' learning processes, such as their approaches to learning. Understanding students' learning processes and factors influencing quality of learning will provide valuable information for instructors and institutions in providing quality online courses and programs. The purpose of this study was to identify and investigate college biology teachers' approaches to teaching and students' learning styles, and to examine the impact of approaches to teaching and learning styles on students' approaches to learning via online instruction. Data collection included eighty-seven participants from five online biology courses at a community college in the southern area of Texas. Data analysis showed the following results. First, there were significant differences in approaches to learning among students with different learning styles. Second, there was a significant difference in students' approaches to learning between classes using different approaches to teaching. Three, the impact of learning styles on students' approaches to learning was not influenced by instructors' approaches to teaching. Two conclusions were obtained from the results. First, individuals with the ability to perceive information abstractly might be more likely to adopt deep approaches to learning than those preferring to perceive information through concrete experience in online learning environments. Second, Teaching Approach Inventory might not be suitable to measure approaches to teaching for online biology courses due to online instructional design and technology limitations. Based on the findings and conclusions of this study, implications for distance education and future research are described.

The Effects of Mobile-Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning: Meta-Analysis and Critical Synthesis.

PubMed

Sung, Yao-Ting; Yang, Je-Ming; Lee, Han-Yueh

2017-08-01

One of the trends in collaborative learning is using mobile devices for supporting the process and products of collaboration, which has been forming the field of mobile-computer-supported collaborative learning (mCSCL). Although mobile devices have become valuable collaborative learning tools, evaluative evidence for their substantial contributions to collaborative learning is still scarce. The present meta-analysis, which included 48 peer-reviewed journal articles and doctoral dissertations written over a 16-year period (2000-2015) involving 5,294 participants, revealed that mCSCL has produced meaningful improvements for collaborative learning, with an overall mean effect size of 0.516. Moderator variables, such as domain subject, group size, teaching method, intervention duration, and reward method were related to different effect sizes. The results provided implications for future research and practice, such as suggestions on how to appropriately use the functionalities of mobile devices, how to best leverage mCSCL through effective group learning mechanisms, and what outcome variables should be included in future studies to fully elucidate the process and products of mCSCL.

The Effects of Mobile-Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning: Meta-Analysis and Critical Synthesis

PubMed Central

Sung, Yao-Ting; Yang, Je-Ming; Lee, Han-Yueh

2017-01-01

One of the trends in collaborative learning is using mobile devices for supporting the process and products of collaboration, which has been forming the field of mobile-computer-supported collaborative learning (mCSCL). Although mobile devices have become valuable collaborative learning tools, evaluative evidence for their substantial contributions to collaborative learning is still scarce. The present meta-analysis, which included 48 peer-reviewed journal articles and doctoral dissertations written over a 16-year period (2000–2015) involving 5,294 participants, revealed that mCSCL has produced meaningful improvements for collaborative learning, with an overall mean effect size of 0.516. Moderator variables, such as domain subject, group size, teaching method, intervention duration, and reward method were related to different effect sizes. The results provided implications for future research and practice, such as suggestions on how to appropriately use the functionalities of mobile devices, how to best leverage mCSCL through effective group learning mechanisms, and what outcome variables should be included in future studies to fully elucidate the process and products of mCSCL. PMID:28989193

Data Mining Student Answers with Moodle to Investigate Learning Pathways in an Introductory Geohazards Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sit, S. M.; Brudzinski, M. R.; Colella, H. V.

2012-12-01

The recent growth of online learning in higher education is primarily motivated by a desire to (a) increase the availability of learning experiences for learners who cannot, or choose not, to attend traditional face-to-face offerings, (b) assemble and disseminate instructional content more cost-efficiently, or (c) enable instructors to handle more students while maintaining a learning outcome quality that is equivalent to that of comparable face-to-face instruction. However, a less recognized incentive is that online learning also provides an opportunity for data mining, or efficient discovery of non-obvious valuable patterns from a large collection of data, that can be used to investigate learning pathways as opposed to focusing solely on assessing student outcomes. Course management systems that enable online courses provide a means to collect a vast amount of information to analyze students' behavior and the learning process in general. One of the most commonly used is Moodle (modular object-oriented developmental learning environment), a free learning management system that enables creation of powerful, flexible, and engaging online courses and experiences. In order to examine student learning pathways, the online learning modules we are constructing take advantage of Moodle capabilities to provide immediate formative feedback, verifying answers as correct or incorrect and elaborating on knowledge components to guide students towards the correct answer. By permitting multiple attempts in which credit is diminished for each incorrect answer, we provide opportunities to use data mining strategies to assess thousands of students' actions for evidence of problem solving strategies and mastery of concepts. We will show preliminary results from application of this approach to a ~90 student introductory geohazard course that is migrating toward online instruction. We hope more continuous assessment of students' performances will help generate cognitive models that can inform instructional redesign, improve overall efficiency of student learning, and, potentially, be used to create an intelligent tutoring system.

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.

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

PubMed

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

2018-01-01

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

Threading the cloak: palliative care education for care providers of adolescents and young adults with cancer

PubMed Central

Wiener, Lori; Weaver, Meaghann Shaw; Bell, Cynthia J; Sansom-Daly, Ursula M

2015-01-01

Medical providers are trained to investigate, diagnose, and treat cancer. Their primary goal is to maximize the chances of curing the patient, with less training provided on palliative care concepts and the unique developmental needs inherent in this population. Early, systematic integration of palliative care into standard oncology practice represents a valuable, imperative approach to improving the overall cancer experience for adolescents and young adults (AYAs). The importance of competent, confident, and compassionate providers for AYAs warrants the development of effective educational strategies for teaching AYA palliative care. Just as palliative care should be integrated early in the disease trajectory of AYA patients, palliative care training should be integrated early in professional development of trainees. As the AYA age spectrum represents sequential transitions through developmental stages, trainees experience changes in their learning needs during their progression through sequential phases of training. This article reviews unique epidemiologic, developmental, and psychosocial factors that make the provision of palliative care especially challenging in AYAs. A conceptual framework is provided for AYA palliative care education. Critical instructional strategies including experiential learning, group didactic opportunity, shared learning among care disciplines, bereaved family members as educators, and online learning are reviewed. Educational issues for provider training are addressed from the perspective of the trainer, trainee, and AYA. Goals and objectives for an AYA palliative care cancer rotation are presented. Guidance is also provided on ways to support an AYA's quality of life as end of life nears. PMID:25750863

Open-field exposure facilitates consummatory extinction.

PubMed

Justel, Nadia; Psyrdellis, Mariana; Pautassi, Ricardo M

2016-12-07

During extinction, the organism learns that a conditioned stimulus or a conditioned response is no longer associated with an unconditioned stimulus, and as a consequence, a decrement in the response is presented. The exposure to novel situations (e.g. exploration of a novel open field) has been used widely to modulate (i.e. either enhance or deteriorate) learning and memory. The aim of the present study was to test whether open-field exposure could modulate consummatory extinction. The results indicated that open-field exposure accelerated the extinction response (i.e. experimental animals provided novelty exposure had lower consummatory behavior than control animals) when applied before - but not after - the first extinction trial, or when applied before the second extinction trial. The results suggest that environmental treatments such as novelty exposure provide a valuable, nonpharmacological alternative to potentially modulate extinction processes.

Using Mobile Devices for Motor-Learning Laboratory Exercises

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Kory

2014-01-01

When teaching motor-learning concepts, laboratory experiments can be valuable tools for promoting learning. In certain circumstances, traditional laboratory exercises are often impractical due to facilities, time, or cost. Inexpensive or free applications (apps) that run on mobile devices can serve as useful alternatives. This article details…

Technology Integration and Innovation during Reflective Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baporikar, Neeta

2016-01-01

With emerging innovations, the use of technology tools to make learning process effective is foreseeable. Hence, appropriate incorporation of technology can make a valuable contribution to the learning and undoubtedly reflection is core to learning. With today's twenty-first century learners, it is important that educators advocate integrating…

Policy forum. Data, privacy, and the greater good.

PubMed

Horvitz, Eric; Mulligan, Deirdre

2015-07-17

Large-scale aggregate analyses of anonymized data can yield valuable results and insights that address public health challenges and provide new avenues for scientific discovery. These methods can extend our knowledge and provide new tools for enhancing health and wellbeing. However, they raise questions about how to best address potential threats to privacy while reaping benefits for individuals and to society as a whole. The use of machine learning to make leaps across informational and social contexts to infer health conditions and risks from nonmedical data provides representative scenarios for reflections on directions with balancing innovation and regulation. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Use of Interactive Live Digital Imaging to Enhance Histology Learning in Introductory Level Anatomy and Physiology Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higazi, Tarig B.

2011-01-01

Histology is one of the main subjects in introductory college-level Human Anatomy and Physiology classes. Institutions are moving toward the replacement of traditional microscope-based histology learning with virtual microscopy learning amid concerns of losing the valuable learning experience of traditional microscopy. This study used live digital…

A State for Excellence: New Jersey Boosts Learning Power with Online Video Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duff, Victoria; Sauer, Wendy; Gleason, Sonia Caus

2011-01-01

The New Jersey Department of Education supports all districts with a tool kit of valuable resources for planning and creating collaborative learning structures that focus on getting results for all students. This tool kit was the basis for the creation of Learning Forward's "Becoming a Learning School" (2009). The tool kit helps…

Testing Students with Learning Disabilities. Assessment Brief. Number 6

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dietel, Ron

2004-01-01

A variety of testing methods can be extremely useful in finding out whether children who are experiencing learning difficulties may have one or more learning disabilities. This is an important and valuable role for testing. Another important issue concerns how best to ensure fairness for a learning disabled student when he or she must take a…

Intrigue at the Museum: Facilitating Engagement and Learning through a Location-Based Mobile Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xhembulla, Jetmir; Rubino, Irene; Barberis, Claudia; Malnati, Giovanni

2014-01-01

The use of portable devices to explore informal learning environments has recently exposed museums to a mobile learning (m-learning) scenario. In particular, location-based mobile applications that take into account not only a specific physical venue, but also the personal and social context can be valuable resources to enhance the visitor…

Strains and stressors: an analysis of touchscreen learning in genetically diverse mouse strains.

PubMed

Graybeal, Carolyn; Bachu, Munisa; Mozhui, Khyobeni; Saksida, Lisa M; Bussey, Timothy J; Sagalyn, Erica; Williams, Robert W; Holmes, Andrew

2014-01-01

Touchscreen-based systems are growing in popularity as a tractable, translational approach for studying learning and cognition in rodents. However, while mouse strains are well known to differ in learning across various settings, performance variation between strains in touchscreen learning has not been well described. The selection of appropriate genetic strains and backgrounds is critical to the design of touchscreen-based studies and provides a basis for elucidating genetic factors moderating behavior. Here we provide a quantitative foundation for visual discrimination and reversal learning using touchscreen assays across a total of 35 genotypes. We found significant differences in operant performance and learning, including faster reversal learning in DBA/2J compared to C57BL/6J mice. We then assessed DBA/2J and C57BL/6J for differential sensitivity to an environmental insult by testing for alterations in reversal learning following exposure to repeated swim stress. Stress facilitated reversal learning (selectively during the late stage of reversal) in C57BL/6J, but did not affect learning in DBA/2J. To dissect genetic factors underlying these differences, we phenotyped a family of 27 BXD strains generated by crossing C57BL/6J and DBA/2J. There was marked variation in discrimination, reversal and extinction learning across the BXD strains, suggesting this task may be useful for identifying underlying genetic differences. Moreover, different measures of touchscreen learning were only modestly correlated in the BXD strains, indicating that these processes are comparatively independent at both genetic and phenotypic levels. Finally, we examined the behavioral structure of learning via principal component analysis of the current data, plus an archival dataset, totaling 765 mice. This revealed 5 independent factors suggestive of "reversal learning," "motivation-related late reversal learning," "discrimination learning," "speed to respond," and "motivation during discrimination." Together, these findings provide a valuable reference to inform the choice of strains and genetic backgrounds in future studies using touchscreen-based tasks.

Paediatric team handover: a time to learn?

PubMed

Bradley, Stephen; Egan, John P; Henning, Marcus

2018-06-08

Paediatric team handovers provide medical professionals and students with the opportunity to exchange clinically relevant information about patients. This study explored the extent to which learning opportunities existed and were utilised within paediatric team handovers in New Zealand secondary hospitals. We undertook a qualitative, two-site case study within two paediatric departments in 2014 and 2015, and interviewed 29 participants, including medical students, junior doctors and consultants. We conducted a thematic analysis using a general inductive approach. Participants' narratives revealed that safe transfer of pertinent patient information between clinicians was the primary function of team handover. They described learning as an additional key component. Most learning opportunities were reported to be informal and opportunistic, related to the specific patients whose care was discussed within each handover. Handover team members indicated that implicit learning occurred as a feature of their handover experience. Learning opportunities exist within team handovers and the associated learning frequently occurs either opportunistically or implicitly. Adoption of a reflective approach to learning opportunities is likely to result in improved educational experiences for handover participants, particularly medical students and junior doctors. Handover represents a clinical event within which valuable workplace learning occurs.

Reinforcement learning in supply chains.

PubMed

Valluri, Annapurna; North, Michael J; Macal, Charles M

2009-10-01

Effective management of supply chains creates value and can strategically position companies. In practice, human beings have been found to be both surprisingly successful and disappointingly inept at managing supply chains. The related fields of cognitive psychology and artificial intelligence have postulated a variety of potential mechanisms to explain this behavior. One of the leading candidates is reinforcement learning. This paper applies agent-based modeling to investigate the comparative behavioral consequences of three simple reinforcement learning algorithms in a multi-stage supply chain. For the first time, our findings show that the specific algorithm that is employed can have dramatic effects on the results obtained. Reinforcement learning is found to be valuable in multi-stage supply chains with several learning agents, as independent agents can learn to coordinate their behavior. However, learning in multi-stage supply chains using these postulated approaches from cognitive psychology and artificial intelligence take extremely long time periods to achieve stability which raises questions about their ability to explain behavior in real supply chains. The fact that it takes thousands of periods for agents to learn in this simple multi-agent setting provides new evidence that real world decision makers are unlikely to be using strict reinforcement learning in practice.

Open Virtual Worlds as Pedagogical Research Tools: Learning from the Schome Park Programme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Twining, Peter; Peachey, Anna

This paper introduces the term Open Virtual Worlds and argues that they are ‘unclaimed educational spaces’, which provide a valuable tool for researching pedagogy. Having explored these claims the way in which Teen Second Life® virtual world was used for pedagogical experimentation in the initial phases of the Schome Park Programme is described. Four sets of pedagogical dimensions that emerged are presented and illustrated with examples from the Schome Park Programme.

Brain enhancement through cognitive training: a new insight from brain connectome.

PubMed

Taya, Fumihiko; Sun, Yu; Babiloni, Fabio; Thakor, Nitish; Bezerianos, Anastasios

2015-01-01

Owing to the recent advances in neurotechnology and the progress in understanding of brain cognitive functions, improvements of cognitive performance or acceleration of learning process with brain enhancement systems is not out of our reach anymore, on the contrary, it is a tangible target of contemporary research. Although a variety of approaches have been proposed, we will mainly focus on cognitive training interventions, in which learners repeatedly perform cognitive tasks to improve their cognitive abilities. In this review article, we propose that the learning process during the cognitive training can be facilitated by an assistive system monitoring cognitive workloads using electroencephalography (EEG) biomarkers, and the brain connectome approach can provide additional valuable biomarkers for facilitating leaners' learning processes. For the purpose, we will introduce studies on the cognitive training interventions, EEG biomarkers for cognitive workload, and human brain connectome. As cognitive overload and mental fatigue would reduce or even eliminate gains of cognitive training interventions, a real-time monitoring of cognitive workload can facilitate the learning process by flexibly adjusting difficulty levels of the training task. Moreover, cognitive training interventions should have effects on brain sub-networks, not on a single brain region, and graph theoretical network metrics quantifying topological architecture of the brain network can differentiate with respect to individual cognitive states as well as to different individuals' cognitive abilities, suggesting that the connectome is a valuable approach for tracking the learning progress. Although only a few studies have exploited the connectome approach for studying alterations of the brain network induced by cognitive training interventions so far, we believe that it would be a useful technique for capturing improvements of cognitive functions.

Brain enhancement through cognitive training: a new insight from brain connectome

PubMed Central

Taya, Fumihiko; Sun, Yu; Babiloni, Fabio; Thakor, Nitish; Bezerianos, Anastasios

2015-01-01

Owing to the recent advances in neurotechnology and the progress in understanding of brain cognitive functions, improvements of cognitive performance or acceleration of learning process with brain enhancement systems is not out of our reach anymore, on the contrary, it is a tangible target of contemporary research. Although a variety of approaches have been proposed, we will mainly focus on cognitive training interventions, in which learners repeatedly perform cognitive tasks to improve their cognitive abilities. In this review article, we propose that the learning process during the cognitive training can be facilitated by an assistive system monitoring cognitive workloads using electroencephalography (EEG) biomarkers, and the brain connectome approach can provide additional valuable biomarkers for facilitating leaners’ learning processes. For the purpose, we will introduce studies on the cognitive training interventions, EEG biomarkers for cognitive workload, and human brain connectome. As cognitive overload and mental fatigue would reduce or even eliminate gains of cognitive training interventions, a real-time monitoring of cognitive workload can facilitate the learning process by flexibly adjusting difficulty levels of the training task. Moreover, cognitive training interventions should have effects on brain sub-networks, not on a single brain region, and graph theoretical network metrics quantifying topological architecture of the brain network can differentiate with respect to individual cognitive states as well as to different individuals’ cognitive abilities, suggesting that the connectome is a valuable approach for tracking the learning progress. Although only a few studies have exploited the connectome approach for studying alterations of the brain network induced by cognitive training interventions so far, we believe that it would be a useful technique for capturing improvements of cognitive functions. PMID:25883555

Introduction: Self-Regulation of Learning in Postsecondary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bembenutty, Hefer

2011-01-01

Self-regulation of learning occupies a fundamental place in postsecondary education. "Self-regulation of learning" refers to learners' beliefs about their capability to engage in appropriate actions, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in order to pursue valuable academic goals while self-monitoring and self-reflecting on their progress toward goal…

Listening and Learning in a Master Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanken, Ingrid Maria

2015-01-01

Most higher education institutions offering programmes in music performance organise master classes for their students. It is commonly agreed that master classes offer valuable learning opportunities for the students performing, but what do they offer for students in the audience? In this article, theories of learning by observation as well as…

Applying Distributed Learning Theory in Online Business Communication Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Kristin

2003-01-01

Focuses on the critical use of technology in online formats that entail relatively new teaching media. Argues that distributed learning theory is valuable for teachers of online business communication courses for several reasons. Discusses the application of distributed learning theory to the teaching of business communication online. (SG)

Mathematical Modeling and Computational Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanford, John F.; Naidu, Jaideep T.

2017-01-01

The paper argues that mathematical modeling is the essence of computational thinking. Learning a computer language is a valuable assistance in learning logical thinking but of less assistance when learning problem-solving skills. The paper is third in a series and presents some examples of mathematical modeling using spreadsheets at an advanced…

A Comparative Approach to Educational Forms and Learning Processes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lave, Jean

1982-01-01

Study of processes by which Liberian apprentice tailors learn their craft is the basis for questioning the traditional dichotomy of "formal" and "informal" education. Used as an analogy to demonstrate that anthropologists need not leave the study of learning to the psychologists, but can make valuable contributions by pursuing…

Service Learning: A Valuable Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fowler, William E.; Stovall, O. Scott; Neill, John D.

2005-01-01

In this paper, we describe how our department recently incorporated a major service learning component into the curriculum. Specifically, we employed participation in the IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program as an effective means of experiential and service learning for the past two years for Masters of Accountancy students. We…

Enhancing Students' Language Skills through Blended Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banditvilai, Choosri

2016-01-01

This paper presents a case study of using blended learning to enhance students' language skills and learner autonomy in an Asian university environment. Blended learning represents an educational environment for much of the world where computers and the Internet are readily available. It combines self-study with valuable face-to-face interaction…

Designing Online Assignments for Japanese Language Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsurutani, Chiharu; Imura, Taeko

2015-01-01

An increasing number of language educators are taking a blended approach to their teaching in order to enhance students' learning experiences and outcomes. During recent years, online tools have become a valuable resource, aiding teachers in course delivery and assessment. Blended learning, which is campus-based learning supported by online…

WHC significant lessons learned 1993--1995

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

Bickford, J.C.

1997-12-12

A lesson learned as defined in DOE-STD-7501-95, Development of DOE Lessons Learned Programs, is: A ``good work practice`` or innovative approach that is captured and shared to promote repeat applications or an adverse work practice or experience that is captured and shared to avoid a recurrence. The key word in both parts of this definition is ``shared``. This document was published to share a wide variety of recent Hanford experiences with other DOE sites. It also provides a valuable tool to be used in new employee and continuing training programs at Hanford facilities and at other DOE locations. This manualmore » is divided into sections to facilitate extracting appropriate subject material when developing training modules. Many of the bulletins could be categorized into more than one section, however, so examination of other related sections is encouraged.« less

Evaluating the use of augmented reality to support undergraduate student learning in geomorphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ockelford, A.; Bullard, J. E.; Burton, E.; Hackney, C. R.

2016-12-01

Augmented Reality (AR) supports the understanding of complex phenomena by providing unique visual and interactive experiences that combine real and virtual information and help communicate abstract problems to learners. With AR, designers can superimpose virtual graphics over real objects, allowing users to interact with digital content through physical manipulation. One of the most significant pedagogic features of AR is that it provides an essentially student-centred and flexible space in which students can learn. By actively engaging participants using a design-thinking approach, this technology has the potential to provide a more productive and engaging learning environment than real or virtual learning environments alone. AR is increasingly being used in support of undergraduate learning and public engagement activities across engineering, medical and humanities disciplines but it is not widely used across the geosciences disciplines despite the obvious applicability. This paper presents preliminary results from a multi-institutional project which seeks to evaluate the benefits and challenges of using an augmented reality sand box to support undergraduate learning in geomorphology. The sandbox enables users to create and visualise topography. As the sand is sculpted, contours are projected onto the miniature landscape. By hovering a hand over the box, users can make it `rain' over the landscape and the water `flows' down in to rivers and valleys. At undergraduate level, the sand-box is an ideal focus for problem-solving exercises, for example exploring how geomorphology controls hydrological processes, how such processes can be altered and the subsequent impacts of the changes for environmental risk. It is particularly valuable for students who favour a visual or kinesthetic learning style. Results presented in this paper discuss how the sandbox provides a complex interactive environment that encourages communication, collaboration and co-design.

Utilization of Intelligent Software Agent Features for Improving E-Learning Efforts: A Comprehensive Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farzaneh, Mandana; Vanani, Iman Raeesi; Sohrabi, Babak

2012-01-01

E-learning is one of the most important learning approaches within which intelligent software agents can be efficiently used so as to automate and facilitate the process of learning. The aim of this paper is to illustrate a comprehensive categorization of intelligent software agent features, which is valuable for being deployed in the virtual…

The GI Project: a prototype electronic textbook for high school biology.

PubMed

Calhoun, P S; Fishman, E K

1997-01-01

A prototype electronic science textbook for secondary education was developed to help bridge the gap between state-of-the-art medical technology and the basic science classroom. The prototype combines the latest in radiologic imaging techniques with a user-friendly multimedia computer program to teach the anatomy, physiology, and diseases of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The program includes original text, illustrations, photographs, animations, images from upper GI studies, plain radiographs, computed tomographic images, and three-dimensional reconstructions. These features are intended to create a stimulus-rich environment in which the high school science student can enjoy a variety of interactive experiences that will facilitate the learning process. The computer-based book is a new educational tool that promises to play a prominent role in the coming years. Current research suggests that computer-based books are valuable as an alternative educational medium. Although it is not yet clear what form textbooks will take in the future, computer-based books are already proving valuable as an alternative educational medium. For beginning students, they reinforce the material found in traditional textbooks and class presentations; for advanced students, they provide motivation to learn outside the traditional classroom.

Innovative educational methods and technologies applicable to continuing professional development in periodontology.

PubMed

Mattheos, N; Schoonheim-Klein, M; Walmsley, A D; Chapple, I L C

2010-05-01

Continuous professional development (CPD) in Periodontology refers to the overall framework of opportunities that facilitate a life-long learning practice, driven by the learner-practitioner and supported by a variety of institutions and individuals. CPD must address different needs for a great diversity of practitioners. It is clear that no particular methodology or technology is able to successfully accommodate the entire spectrum of CPD in Periodontology. Course designers must choose from and combine a wide array of methodologies and technologies, depending upon the needs of the learners and the objectives of the intended education. Research suggests that 'interactivity', 'flexibility', 'continuity' and 'relevance to learners' practice' are major characteristics of successful CPD. Various methods of mentoring, peer-learning environments and work-based learning have been combined with reflective practice and self-study to form the methodological backbone of CPD courses. Blended learning encompasses a wide array of technologies and methodologies and has been successfully used in CPD courses. Internet-based content learning management systems, portable Internet devices, powerful databases and search engines, together with initiatives such as 'open access' and 'open courseware' provide an array of effective instructional and communication tools. Assessment remains a key issue in CPD, providing learners with valuable feedback and it ensures the credibility and effectiveness of the learning process. Assessment is a multi-level process using different methods for different learning outcomes, as directed by current evidence and best practices. Finally, quality assurance of the education provided must follow CPD courses at all times through a structured and credible process.

Preparing Students for Future Learning with Teachable Agents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chin, Doris B.; Dohmen, Ilsa M.; Cheng, Britte H.; Oppezzo, Marily A.; Chase, Catherine C.; Schwartz, Daniel L.

2010-01-01

One valuable goal of instructional technologies in K-12 education is to prepare students for future learning. Two classroom studies examined whether Teachable Agents (TA) achieves this goal. TA is an instructional technology that draws on the social metaphor of teaching a computer agent to help students learn. Students teach their agent by…

Consulting Pupils about Classroom Teaching and Learning: Policy, Practice and Response in One School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, Bethan

2011-01-01

This article reports on an ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council) doctoral study which investigated how teachers consulted pupils about teaching and learning in classrooms. Interest in consulting pupils has increased over the last decade; existing research suggests pupils have valuable perspectives on teaching and learning which teachers can…

Learning about Student Learning from Community Colleges. Carnegie Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutchings, Pat; Shulman, Lee S.

2006-01-01

The authors point out that offices of institutional research are valuable resources for collecting data to help faculty improve their teaching, and can involve the whole institution in a collaborative effort towards improved student learning. Defining institutional research as a capacity to work closely with faculty to explore questions about what…

The Walkabout Framework for Contextual Learning through Mobile Serious Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almeida, Fernando; Bolaert, Hiram; Dowdall, Shane; Lourenço, Justino; Milczarski, Piotr

2015-01-01

Learning through games is increasingly gaining acceptance as a valuable training tool within the education and training community due to its simplicity, cost-effectiveness and essentially because most people prefer playing over learning. However, the use of games by students brings additional challenges regarding the design of games and their…

Creating Meaningful Partnerships: Connecting Teaching Candidates with Professional Development Schools through Service Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Lisa; Reiser, Cortney; Hawk, Robin

2016-01-01

Through the use of constructed narratives, this article shares the experiences of two preservice teachers and their university professor in implementing service learning projects that took place within their Professional Development School partnerships. Findings suggest that (1) service learning was a valuable instructional strategy to enhance the…

Preservice Teachers' Motivational Beliefs and Self-Regulation of Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bembenutty, Hefer

2007-01-01

Successful learners are those who engage in self-regulation of learning by using learning strategies to secure task completion. They exercise behavioral control to not only choose or plan valuable academic tasks, but also to maintain motivation and intention in the light of distracting alternatives. It was expected that teachers' self-efficacy…

Teaching and Learning in a Community of Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harpaz, Yoram

2005-01-01

The article develops a theory and practice for teaching and learning in a Community of Thinking. According to the theory, the practice of traditional schooling is based on four "atomic pictures": learning is listening; teaching is telling; knowledge is an object; and to be educated is to know valuable content. To change this practice of…

Lesson Learning at JPL

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oberhettinger, David

2011-01-01

A lessons learned system is a hallmark of a mature engineering organization A formal lessons learned process can help assure that valuable lessons get written and published, that they are well-written, and that the essential information is "infused" into institutional practice. Requires high-level institutional commitment, and everyone's participation in gathering, disseminating, and using the lessons

Strategies of learning from failure.

PubMed

Edmondson, Amy C

2011-04-01

Many executives believe that all failure is bad (although it usually provides Lessons) and that Learning from it is pretty straightforward. The author, a professor at Harvard Business School, thinks both beliefs are misguided. In organizational life, she says, some failures are inevitable and some are even good. And successful learning from failure is not simple: It requires context-specific strategies. But first leaders must understand how the blame game gets in the way and work to create an organizational culture in which employees feel safe admitting or reporting on failure. Failures fall into three categories: preventable ones in predictable operations, which usually involve deviations from spec; unavoidable ones in complex systems, which may arise from unique combinations of needs, people, and problems; and intelligent ones at the frontier, where "good" failures occur quickly and on a small scale, providing the most valuable information. Strong leadership can build a learning culture-one in which failures large and small are consistently reported and deeply analyzed, and opportunities to experiment are proactively sought. Executives commonly and understandably worry that taking a sympathetic stance toward failure will create an "anything goes" work environment. They should instead recognize that failure is inevitable in today's complex work organizations.

Lessons Learned in Thermal Coatings from the DSCOVR Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abraham, Nithin S.

2015-01-01

Finding solutions to thermal coating issues on the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) mission was a very challenging and unique endeavor. As a passive thermal control system, coatings provide the desired thermal, optical, and electrical charging properties, while surviving a harsh space environment. DSCOVR mission hardware was repurposed from the late 1990s satellite known as Triana. As a satellite that was shelved for over a decade, the coating surfaces consequently degraded with age, and became fairly outdated. Although the mission successfully launched in February 2015, there were unfamiliar observations and unanticipated issues with the coating surfaces during the revival phases of the project. For example, the thermal coatings on DSCOVR experienced particulate contamination and resistivity requirement problems, among other issues. While finding solutions to these issues, valuable lessons were learned in thermal coatings that may provide great insight to future spaceflight missions in similar situations.

Service-Learning in the Mathematical Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadlock, Charles R.

2013-01-01

Service-learning can be a valuable educational enterprise with both course-specific and general education benefits, as well as contributions to the community. These potential merits and key considerations in achieving them are discussed with special attention to the mathematical sciences.

Computer-aided psychotherapy based on multimodal elicitation, estimation and regulation of emotion.

PubMed

Cosić, Krešimir; Popović, Siniša; Horvat, Marko; Kukolja, Davor; Dropuljić, Branimir; Kovač, Bernard; Jakovljević, Miro

2013-09-01

Contemporary psychiatry is looking at affective sciences to understand human behavior, cognition and the mind in health and disease. Since it has been recognized that emotions have a pivotal role for the human mind, an ever increasing number of laboratories and research centers are interested in affective sciences, affective neuroscience, affective psychology and affective psychopathology. Therefore, this paper presents multidisciplinary research results of Laboratory for Interactive Simulation System at Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb in the stress resilience. Patient's distortion in emotional processing of multimodal input stimuli is predominantly consequence of his/her cognitive deficit which is result of their individual mental health disorders. These emotional distortions in patient's multimodal physiological, facial, acoustic, and linguistic features related to presented stimulation can be used as indicator of patient's mental illness. Real-time processing and analysis of patient's multimodal response related to annotated input stimuli is based on appropriate machine learning methods from computer science. Comprehensive longitudinal multimodal analysis of patient's emotion, mood, feelings, attention, motivation, decision-making, and working memory in synchronization with multimodal stimuli provides extremely valuable big database for data mining, machine learning and machine reasoning. Presented multimedia stimuli sequence includes personalized images, movies and sounds, as well as semantically congruent narratives. Simultaneously, with stimuli presentation patient provides subjective emotional ratings of presented stimuli in terms of subjective units of discomfort/distress, discrete emotions, or valence and arousal. These subjective emotional ratings of input stimuli and corresponding physiological, speech, and facial output features provides enough information for evaluation of patient's cognitive appraisal deficit. Aggregated real-time visualization of this information provides valuable assistance in patient mental state diagnostics enabling therapist deeper and broader insights into dynamics and progress of the psychotherapy.

Managing Use of Over-the-Counter Medications in the School Setting: Keeping Kids in School and Ready to Learn.

PubMed

Wallace, Anne C

2016-07-01

The use of over-the-counter (OTC) medications in our unique school setting has proven to be a cost-effective and valuable tool in keeping students in the classroom and prepared to learn. Disruptions in educational time due to minor complaints become frustrating for students and teachers. Utilizing the assessment skills of the school nurse and treatment options available through the use of OTC medications decreases those disruptions and protects the educational time. The opportunity to increase student understanding and health literacy regarding the correct use of OTC medications is a valuable way to protect the health of students. Lessons learned in the residential setting may have application to other school settings. © 2016 The Author(s).

Fun, collaboration and formative assessment: skinquizition, a class wide gaming competition in a medical school with a large class.

PubMed

Schlegel, Elisabeth F M; Selfridge, Nancy J

2014-05-01

Formative assessments are tools for assessing content retention, providing valuable feedback to students and teachers. In medical education, information technology-supported games can accommodate large classes divided into student teams while fostering active engagement. To establish an innovative stimulating approach to formative assessments for large classes furthering collaborative skills that promotes learning and student engagement linked to improvement of academic performance. Using audience response technology, a fast-paced, competitive, interactive quiz game involving dermatology was developed. This stimulating setting, provided on the last day of class, prepares students for high-stakes exams to continue their medical education while training collaborative skills as supported by survey outcomes and average class scores. Educational game competitions provide formative assessments and feedback for students and faculty alike, enhancing learning and teaching processes. In this study, we show an innovative approach to accommodate a large class divided into competing teams furthering collaborative skills reflected by academic performance.

Forum: The Lecture and Student Learning. Lecture and Active Learning as a Dialectical Tension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mallin, Irwin

2017-01-01

Lecture remains a valuable tool in the student learning toolbox--one that at its best helps students unpack what they read for class, place course material in context, and see how a subject matter expert solves problems. It may be useful to think of lecture and active learning as a dialectical tension satisfied by the interactive lecture. Just as…

How to Develop College Students' Autonomous English Learning Skills--Take Reading Course in Joint-Program in HCFT as an Example

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Jihui

2010-01-01

The studies on autonomous learning based on the theories of constructivism and the advantages of technology propose valuable ideas for modern teaching theories and practices. In this paper, we put forward ways and methods in developing learner awareness, learning strategies and habits of autonomous learning in Henan College of Finance and Taxation…

Learning globally to enhance local practice: an international programme in primary care & family health.

PubMed

Godoy-Ruiz, Paula; Rodas, Jamie; Talbot, Yves; Rouleau, Katherine

2016-09-01

In a global context of growing health inequities, international learning experiences have become a popular strategy for equipping health professionals with skills, knowledge, and competencies required to work with the populations they serve. This study sought to analyse the Chilean Interprofessional Programme in Primary Health Care (CIPPHC), a 5 week international learning experience funded by the Ministry of Health in Chile targeted at Chilean primary care providers and delivered in Toronto by the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto. The study focused on three cohorts of students (2010-2012). Anonymous programme evaluations were analysed and semi-structured interviews conducted with programme alumni. Simple descriptive statistics were gathered from the evaluations and the interviews were analysed via thematic content analysis. The majority of participants reported high levels of satisfaction with the training programme, knowledge gain, particularly in the areas of the Canadian model of primary care, and found the materials delivered to be applicable to their local context. The CIPPHC has proven to be a successful educational initiative and provides valuable lessons for other academic centres in developing international interprofessional training programmes for primary care health care providers.

Technology-Enhanced Physics Programme for Community-Based Science Learning: Innovative Design and Programme Evaluation in a Theme Park

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tho, Siew Wei; Chan, Ka Wing; Yeung, Yau Yuen

2015-10-01

In this study, a new physics education programme is specifically developed for a famous theme park in Hong Kong to provide community-based science learning to her visitors, involving her three newly constructed rides. We make innovative use of digital technologies in this programme and incorporate a rigorous evaluation of the learning effectiveness of the programme. A total of around 200 students from nine local secondary schools participated in both the physics programme and its subsequent evaluation which consists of a combination of research and assessment tools, including pre- and post-multiple-choice tests, a questionnaire survey and an interview as specifically developed for this programme, or adopted from some well-accepted research instruments. Based on the evaluation of students' academic performance, there are two educationally significant findings on enhancing the students' physics learning: (a) traditionally large gender differences in physics performance and interest of learning are mostly eliminated; and (b) a less-exciting ride called the aviator (instead of the most exciting roller-coaster ride) can induce the largest learning effect (or gain in academic performance) amongst teenagers. Besides, findings from the questionnaire survey and interviews of participants are reported to reveal their views, perceptions, positive and negative comments or feedback on this programme which could provide valuable insights for future development of other similar community-based programmes.

The effectiveness of simulated robots for supporting the learning of introductory programming: a multi-case case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Major, Louis; Kyriacou, Theocharis; Brereton, Pearl

2014-07-01

This work investigates the effectiveness of simulated robots as tools to support the learning of programming. After the completion of a systematic review and exploratory research, a multi-case case study was undertaken. A simulator, named Kebot, was developed and used to run four 10-hour programming workshops. Twenty-three student participants (aged 16-18) in addition to 23 pre-service, and 3 in-service, teachers took part. The effectiveness of this intervention was determined by considering opinions, attitudes, and motivation as well as by analysing students' programming performance. Pre- and post-questionnaires, in- and post-workshop exercises, and interviews were used. Participants enjoyed learning using the simulator and believed the approach to be valuable and engaging. The performance of students indicates that the simulator aids learning as most completed tasks to a satisfactory standard. Evidence suggests robot simulators can offer an effective means of introducing programming. Recommendations to support the development of other simulators are provided.

Learning words during shared book reading: The role of extratextual talk designed to increase child engagement.

PubMed

Blewitt, Pamela; Langan, Ryan

2016-10-01

Shared book reading (SBR) is a valuable context for word learning during early childhood, and adults' extratextual talk boosts the vocabulary building potential of SBR. We propose that the benefits of such talk depend largely on a reader's success in promoting children's active engagement (attention and interest) during SBR. When readers ask children questions about new words, especially if they respond to children in a prompt, contingent, and appropriate (positive) manner, this verbal responsiveness functions as an effective engagement strategy. We randomly assigned 3- and 4-year-olds to three reading conditions (low, moderate, and high) distinguished by the degree to which the reader used extratextual engagement strategies, including verbal responsiveness. Despite equal exposure to unfamiliar target words, children's performance improved on two measures of word learning across the three conditions, demonstrating the value of engagement strategies in extratextual talk. This study provides a strong experimental demonstration that adult verbal responsiveness directly benefits preschoolers' word learning. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Benefits of Student Engagement in Intervention Research.

PubMed

Schwartz, Jaclyn K; Smith, Roger O

2015-01-01

Accreditation standards require entry-level occupational therapy students to understand, critique, and design research. However, the extent to which students should be embedded in research projects is unclear. The purpose of this study was to understand the benefits of student immersion in research for student learning and research quality. Using a multiple case study design, the principal investigator trained six occupational therapy students to implement a manualized intervention with research participants. Learning quizzes, video analysis of research activities, a practical exam, student documentation, an exit interview, and an exit survey identified student learning and research outcomes. Students successfully implemented the study protocols with good reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = .89) and fidelity (99%). Students also reported improvements in comfort with client interactions, confidence in practice skills, self-efficacy in research, and clinical reasoning. Student participation in hands-on research supports researchers in attaining their research goals and provides students with valuable learning experiences. Copyright © 2015 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

NSI conference support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aaron, Susan

1991-01-01

One of the many services NSI provides as an extension of customer/user support is to attend major scientific conferences. The conference effort provides NASA/OSSA scientists with many benefits: (1) scientist get to see NSI in action; they utilize the network to read email, and have recently begun to demonstrate their scientific research to their colleagues; (2) scientist get an opportunity to meet and interact with NSI Staff, which gives scientists a chance to get status on their requirements, ask about network status, get acquainted with our procedures, and learn about services; and (3) scientists are exposed to networking in a larger sense; particularly by knowing about other NASA groups who provide valuable scientific resources over the Internet.

Learning and Retention Using Virtual Reality in a Decontamination Simulation.

PubMed

Smith, Sherrill J; Farra, Sharon; Ulrich, Deborah L; Hodgson, Eric; Nicely, Stephanie; Matcham, William

The purpose of this study was to examine the longitudinal effects of virtual reality simulation (VRS) on learning outcomes and retention. Disaster preparation for health care professionals is seriously inadequate. VRS offers an opportunity to practice within a realistic and safe environment, but little is known about learning and retention using this pedagogy. A quasiexperimental design was used to examine the use of VRS with baccalaureate nursing students in two different nursing programs in terms of the skill of decontamination. Results indicate that VRS is at least as good as traditional methods and is superior in some cases for retention of knowledge and performance of skills. VRS may provide a valuable option for promoting skill development and retention. More research is needed to determine how to prepare nurses for skills that may not be required until months or even years after initial introduction.

Transfer Learning for Improved Audio-Based Human Activity Recognition.

PubMed

Ntalampiras, Stavros; Potamitis, Ilyas

2018-06-25

Human activities are accompanied by characteristic sound events, the processing of which might provide valuable information for automated human activity recognition. This paper presents a novel approach addressing the case where one or more human activities are associated with limited audio data, resulting in a potentially highly imbalanced dataset. Data augmentation is based on transfer learning; more specifically, the proposed method: (a) identifies the classes which are statistically close to the ones associated with limited data; (b) learns a multiple input, multiple output transformation; and (c) transforms the data of the closest classes so that it can be used for modeling the ones associated with limited data. Furthermore, the proposed framework includes a feature set extracted out of signal representations of diverse domains, i.e., temporal, spectral, and wavelet. Extensive experiments demonstrate the relevance of the proposed data augmentation approach under a variety of generative recognition schemes.

Training and Support of Sessional Staff to Improve Quality of Teaching and Learning at Universities.

PubMed

Knott, Gillian; Crane, Linda; Heslop, Ian; Glass, Beverley D

2015-06-25

Sessional staff is increasingly involved in teaching at universities, playing a pivotal role in bridging the gap between theory and practice for students, especially in the health professions, including pharmacy. Although sessional staff numbers have increased substantially in recent years, limited attention has been paid to the quality of teaching and learning provided by this group. This review will discuss the training and support of sessional staff, with a focus on Australian universities, including the reasons for and potential benefits of training, and structure and content of training programs. Although sessional staff views these programs as valuable, there is a lack of in-depth evaluations of the outcomes of the programs for sessional staff, students and the university. Quality assurance of such programs is only guaranteed, however, if these evaluations extend to the impact of this training and support on student learning.

Developing Media Module Proposed to Editor in Editorial Division

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kristanto, A.; Mustaji; Mariono, A.; Sulistiowati; Nuryati, D. W.

2018-01-01

In this era of technology in Indonesia, various publishers introduce themselves and participate in advancing the quality of education through the publication of various books as the learning sources. One of the publishers is PT. JP Press. In compiling the learning sources, we found some problems that are left unresolved by the editor. The purpose of this research is to overcome the problems that exist in PT. JP Press by developing media module. This development research uses the ADDIE model. The types of data used in this study are qualitative and quantitative data obtained based on the results of structured interviews with material experts and media experts, as well as the editorial response questionnaire provided for individual try-out and small group try-out. Therefore, it can be concluded that the medium of elementary school supplementary module proposed to the editors of PT. JP Press is valuable to be used in the teaching and learning activities.

Impulse-Momentum Diagrams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosengrant, David

2011-01-01

Multiple representations are a valuable tool to help students learn and understand physics concepts. Furthermore, representations help students learn how to think and act like real scientists. These representations include: pictures, free-body diagrams, energy bar charts, electrical circuits, and, more recently, computer simulations and…

Enhancing Postgraduate Learning and Teaching: Postgraduate Summer School in Dairy Science

PubMed Central

Gabai, Gianfranco; Morgante, Massimo; Gallo, Luigi

2014-01-01

Dairy science is a multidisciplinary area of scientific investigation and Ph.D. students aiming to do research in the field of animal and/or veterinary sciences must be aware of this. Ph.D. students often have vast spectra of research interests, and it is quite challenging to satisfy the expectation of all of them. The aim of this study was to establish an international Ph.D. training program based on research collaboration between the University of Sydney and the University of Padova. The core component of this program was a two-week Postgraduate Summer School in Dairy Science, which was held at the University of Padova, for Ph.D. students of both universities. Therefore, we designed a program that encompassed seminars, workshops, laboratory practical sessions, and farm visits. Participants were surveyed using a written questionnaire. Overall, participants have uniformly praised the Summer School calling it a rewarding and valuable learning experience. The Ph.D. Summer School in Dairy Science provided its participants a positive learning experience, provided them the opportunity to establish an international network, and facilitated the development of transferable skills. PMID:24575312

A Theoretical Approach to the Organizational Knowledge Formation Process: Integrating the Concepts of Individual Learning and Learning Organization Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Song, Ji Hoon; Chermack, Thomas J.

2008-01-01

The purpose of this article is to examine the link between individual learning processes and continuous organizational knowledge formation through an integrated literature review of these perspectives from both academic and practical viewpoints. In the current fierce economic environment, individual knowledge is regarded as the most valuable asset…

Examining the Lived Experience of Students with Reading Comprehension Learning Disabilities and the Perceived Value of the Accommodations Received

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dodge, Katie M.

2012-01-01

Students with learning disabilities, including a reading comprehension learning disability, are attending higher education institutions at an increasing rate. As a result, higher education institutions will need to be prepared to accommodate these students, especially with those accommodations perceived as most valuable by the students who use…

Innovation Development--An Action Learning Programme for Medical Scientists and Engineers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beniston, Lee; Ellwood, Paul; Gold, Jeff; Roberts, James; Thorpe, Richard

2014-01-01

There is increasing evidence that action learning is valuable in a higher education setting. This paper goes on to report a personal development programme, based on principles of critical action learning, where the aim is to equip early-career scientists and engineers working in a university setting with the knowledge, skills and confidence to…

MMOGs as Learning Environments: An Ecological Journey into "Quest Atlantis" and "The Sims Online"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Michael; Schrader, P. G.; Zheng, Dongping

2006-01-01

Michael Young, P. G. Schrader, and Dongping Zheng use the concepts of ecological psychology to examine how massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) promote specific learning processes in their players. In their analysis they identify and define nine principles of learning that allow such games to have valuable potential as tools for educators:…

Motivating Students through Awareness of the Natural Correlation between College Learning and Corporate Work Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Aloisio, Anna

2006-01-01

This article argues that college students can be motivated to be active participants in their own education if made aware of the direct correlation between college learning and corporate work settings. Students can be shown that through the natural course of college learning, they are acquiring valuable core skills or transferable competencies…

Computers in medical education 1: evaluation of a problem-orientated learning package.

PubMed

Devitt, P; Palmer, E

1998-04-01

A computer-based learning package has been developed, aimed at expanding students' knowledge base, as well as improving data-handling abilities and clinical problem-solving skills. The program was evaluated by monitoring its use by students, canvassing users' opinions and measuring its effectiveness as a learning tool compared to tutorials on the same material. Evaluation was undertaken using three methods: initially, by a questionnaire on computers as a learning tool and the applicability of the content: second, through monitoring by the computer of student use, decisions and performance; finally, through pre- and post-test assessment of fifth-year students who either used a computer package or attended a tutorial on equivalent material. Most students provided positive comments on the learning material and expressed a willingness to see computer-aided learning (CAL) introduced into the curriculum. Over a 3-month period, 26 modules in the program were used on 1246 occasions. Objective measurement showed a significant gain in knowledge, data handling and problem-solving skills. Computer-aided learning is a valuable learning resource that deserves better attention in medical education. When used appropriately, the computer can be an effective learning resource, not only for the delivery of knowledge. but also to help students develop their problem-solving skills.

Detecting Parkinsons' symptoms in uncontrolled home environments: a multiple instance learning approach.

PubMed

Das, Samarjit; Amoedo, Breogan; De la Torre, Fernando; Hodgins, Jessica

2012-01-01

In this paper, we propose to use a weakly supervised machine learning framework for automatic detection of Parkinson's Disease motor symptoms in daily living environments. Our primary goal is to develop a monitoring system capable of being used outside of controlled laboratory settings. Such a system would enable us to track medication cycles at home and provide valuable clinical feedback. Most of the relevant prior works involve supervised learning frameworks (e.g., Support Vector Machines). However, in-home monitoring provides only coarse ground truth information about symptom occurrences, making it very hard to adapt and train supervised learning classifiers for symptom detection. We address this challenge by formulating symptom detection under incomplete ground truth information as a multiple instance learning (MIL) problem. MIL is a weakly supervised learning framework that does not require exact instances of symptom occurrences for training; rather, it learns from approximate time intervals within which a symptom might or might not have occurred on a given day. Once trained, the MIL detector was able to spot symptom-prone time windows on other days and approximately localize the symptom instances. We monitored two Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, each for four days with a set of five triaxial accelerometers and utilized a MIL algorithm based on axis parallel rectangle (APR) fitting in the feature space. We were able to detect subject specific symptoms (e.g. dyskinesia) that conformed with a daily log maintained by the patients.

Simulation and rubrics: technology and grading student performance in nurse anesthesia education.

PubMed

Overstreet, Maria; McCarver, Lewis; Shields, John; Patterson, Jordan

2015-06-01

The use of simulation technology has introduced a challenge for simulation nurse educators: evaluation of student performance. The subjectivity of student performance evaluation has been in need of improvement. It is imperative to provide clear and consistent information to the learner of expectations for their performance. Educators use objectives to define for the learner what the primary focus will be in the learning activities. Creation of rubrics to replace checklists to evaluate learner performance is a team task. Improved rubrics assist instructors in providing valuable, immediate, and postactivity feedback and consistency among instructors, and improved inter-rater reliability. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Placebo Mechanisms of Manual Therapy: A Sheep in Wolf's Clothing?

PubMed

Bialosky, Joel E; Bishop, Mark D; Penza, Charles W

2017-05-01

When a physical therapist provides a manual therapy (MT) intervention for a patient presenting with pain and the patient experiences a positive clinical outcome, we cannot answer as to why this occurs. Would we continue to devote valuable time and financial resources to learning and improving our skills in providing MT interventions if the related clinical outcomes were placebo responses? In this Viewpoint, the authors conceptualize placebo as an active and important mechanism of MT and argue that placebo mechanisms deserve consideration as an important component of the treatment effect. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(5):301-304. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.0604.

Learning through service: student perceptions on volunteering at interprofessional hepatitis B student-run clinics.

PubMed

Sheu, Leslie C; Zheng, Patricia; Coelho, Anabelle D; Lin, Lisa D; O'Sullivan, Patricia S; O'Brien, Bridget C; Yu, Albert Y; Lai, Cindy J

2011-06-01

Student-run clinics (SRCs) are widespread, but studies on their educational impact are limited. We surveyed preclinical medical, nursing, and pharmacy students about their experiences in a hepatitis B elective which provided opportunities to they could volunteer at hepatitis B screening and vaccination SRCs. Student responses revealed positive perceptions of the volunteer experience. Benefits included interacting with patients, developing clinical skills, providing service to disadvantaged populations, and collaborating with health professional peers. Students who participated in clinic reported enhanced skills compared to those who did not attend. SRCs play a valuable role in instilling positive attitudes and improving skills.

Reasoning algebraically with IT: A cognitive perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mok, Ida; Johnson, David

2000-12-01

The focus of this paper is on the implications of key findings and theoretical positions from social psychology and cognitive developmental psychology (Piagetian/neo-Piagetian) for the use of IT tools to support learning in algebra. Particular reference is made to the research of the UK Cognitive Acceleration through Mathematics Education (CAME) project. The feasibility of the CAME model in the exploration of mathematical relationships supported by graphics calculators was addressed in a small-scale study in Hong Kong. The research provides evidence that, with appropriate mediation, cognitive conflict can be utilised to provide valuable appropriate for students to engage in increasingly higher levels of mathematical thinking.

Peer-assisted bedside teaching rounds.

PubMed

Doumouras, Aristithes; Rush, Raphael; Campbell, Anthony; Taylor, David

2015-06-01

Although postgraduate trainees play a well-accepted role in medical education, little consideration has traditionally been given to senior undergraduate trainees as teachers. Recently, research has shown senior medical students (SMS) can play an effective teaching role for junior medical students (JMS) in non-clinical medical settings. The purpose of our study was to understand the perceptions of SMSs as teachers in a clinical environment for JMS. All students who participated in our peer-led bedside teaching programme from September 2010 to May 2012 were invited to complete a questionnaire following their teaching session. Fifty-six of 70 JMS (80%) and 15 of 15 SMS (100%) participated. Survey questions addressed learning, bedside experiences, teacher effectiveness and the overall usefulness of these sessions. The data collected were analysed for significance of the perceptions reported. We found students reported positive and statistically significant results in all domains examined. JMS reported that sessions were highly valuable learning, improved confidence and comfort at the bedside, had excellent teaching and were a valuable addition to their clinical skills training. SMS reported getting highly valuable learning through preparation and developing improved comfort in a teaching role. Little consideration has traditionally been given to senior undergraduate trainees as teachers Our findings demonstrate that peer-directed learning in undergraduate medical education can be effectively implemented in the clinical arena. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Strains and Stressors: An Analysis of Touchscreen Learning in Genetically Diverse Mouse Strains

PubMed Central

Graybeal, Carolyn; Bachu, Munisa; Mozhui, Khyobeni; Saksida, Lisa M.; Bussey, Timothy J.; Sagalyn, Erica; Williams, Robert W.; Holmes, Andrew

2014-01-01

Touchscreen-based systems are growing in popularity as a tractable, translational approach for studying learning and cognition in rodents. However, while mouse strains are well known to differ in learning across various settings, performance variation between strains in touchscreen learning has not been well described. The selection of appropriate genetic strains and backgrounds is critical to the design of touchscreen-based studies and provides a basis for elucidating genetic factors moderating behavior. Here we provide a quantitative foundation for visual discrimination and reversal learning using touchscreen assays across a total of 35 genotypes. We found significant differences in operant performance and learning, including faster reversal learning in DBA/2J compared to C57BL/6J mice. We then assessed DBA/2J and C57BL/6J for differential sensitivity to an environmental insult by testing for alterations in reversal learning following exposure to repeated swim stress. Stress facilitated reversal learning (selectively during the late stage of reversal) in C57BL/6J, but did not affect learning in DBA/2J. To dissect genetic factors underlying these differences, we phenotyped a family of 27 BXD strains generated by crossing C57BL/6J and DBA/2J. There was marked variation in discrimination, reversal and extinction learning across the BXD strains, suggesting this task may be useful for identifying underlying genetic differences. Moreover, different measures of touchscreen learning were only modestly correlated in the BXD strains, indicating that these processes are comparatively independent at both genetic and phenotypic levels. Finally, we examined the behavioral structure of learning via principal component analysis of the current data, plus an archival dataset, totaling 765 mice. This revealed 5 independent factors suggestive of “reversal learning,” “motivation-related late reversal learning,” “discrimination learning,” “speed to respond,” and “motivation during discrimination.” Together, these findings provide a valuable reference to inform the choice of strains and genetic backgrounds in future studies using touchscreen-based tasks. PMID:24586288

3D-Printed specimens as a valuable tool in anatomy education: A pilot study.

PubMed

Garas, Monique; Vaccarezza, Mauro; Newland, George; McVay-Doornbusch, Kylie; Hasani, Jamila

2018-06-06

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a modern technique of creating 3D-printed models that allows reproduction of human structures from MRI and CT scans via fusion of multiple layers of resin materials. To assess feasibility of this innovative resource as anatomy educational tool, we conducted a preliminary study on Curtin University undergraduate students to investigate the use of 3D models for anatomy learning as a main goal, to assess the effectiveness of different specimen types during the sessions and personally preferred anatomy learning tools among students as secondary aim. The study consisted of a pre-test, exposure to test (anatomical test) and post-test survey. During pre-test, all participants (both without prior experience and experienced groups) were given a brief introduction on laboratory safety and study procedure thus participants were exposed to 3D, wet and plastinated specimens of the heart, shoulder and thigh to identify the pinned structures (anatomical test). Then, participants were provided a post-test survey containing five questions. In total, 23 participants completed the anatomical test and post-test survey. A larger number of participants (85%) achieved right answers for 3D models compared to wet and plastinated materials, 74% of population selected 3D models as the most usable tool for identification of pinned structures and 45% chose 3D models as their preferred method of anatomy learning. This preliminary small-size study affirms the feasibility of 3D-printed models as a valuable asset in anatomy learning and shows their capability to be used adjacent to cadaveric materials and other widely used tools in anatomy education. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Using targeted active-learning exercises and diagnostic question clusters to improve students' understanding of carbon cycling in ecosystems.

PubMed

Maskiewicz, April Cordero; Griscom, Heather Peckham; Welch, Nicole Turrill

2012-01-01

In this study, we used targeted active-learning activities to help students improve their ways of reasoning about carbon flow in ecosystems. The results of a validated ecology conceptual inventory (diagnostic question clusters [DQCs]) provided us with information about students' understanding of and reasoning about transformation of inorganic and organic carbon-containing compounds in biological systems. These results helped us identify specific active-learning exercises that would be responsive to students' existing knowledge. The effects of the active-learning interventions were then examined through analysis of students' pre- and postinstruction responses on the DQCs. The biology and non-biology majors participating in this study attended a range of institutions and the instructors varied in their use of active learning; one lecture-only comparison class was included. Changes in pre- to postinstruction scores on the DQCs showed that an instructor's teaching method had a highly significant effect on student reasoning following course instruction, especially for questions pertaining to cellular-level, carbon-transforming processes. We conclude that using targeted in-class activities had a beneficial effect on student learning regardless of major or class size, and argue that using diagnostic questions to identify effective learning activities is a valuable strategy for promoting learning, as gains from lecture-only classes were minimal.

Maximum entropy methods for extracting the learned features of deep neural networks.

PubMed

Finnegan, Alex; Song, Jun S

2017-10-01

New architectures of multilayer artificial neural networks and new methods for training them are rapidly revolutionizing the application of machine learning in diverse fields, including business, social science, physical sciences, and biology. Interpreting deep neural networks, however, currently remains elusive, and a critical challenge lies in understanding which meaningful features a network is actually learning. We present a general method for interpreting deep neural networks and extracting network-learned features from input data. We describe our algorithm in the context of biological sequence analysis. Our approach, based on ideas from statistical physics, samples from the maximum entropy distribution over possible sequences, anchored at an input sequence and subject to constraints implied by the empirical function learned by a network. Using our framework, we demonstrate that local transcription factor binding motifs can be identified from a network trained on ChIP-seq data and that nucleosome positioning signals are indeed learned by a network trained on chemical cleavage nucleosome maps. Imposing a further constraint on the maximum entropy distribution also allows us to probe whether a network is learning global sequence features, such as the high GC content in nucleosome-rich regions. This work thus provides valuable mathematical tools for interpreting and extracting learned features from feed-forward neural networks.

3D Virtual Reality for Teaching Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Speck, Angela; Ruzhitskaya, L.; Laffey, J.; Ding, N.

2012-01-01

We are developing 3D virtual learning environments (VLEs) as learning materials for an undergraduate astronomy course, in which will utilize advances both in technologies available and in our understanding of the social nature of learning. These learning materials will be used to test whether such VLEs can indeed augment science learning so that it is more engaging, active, visual and effective. Our project focuses on the challenges and requirements of introductory college astronomy classes. Here we present our virtual world of the Jupiter system and how we plan to implement it to allow students to learn course material - physical laws and concepts in astronomy - while engaging them into exploration of the Jupiter's system, encouraging their imagination, curiosity, and motivation. The VLE can allow students to work individually or collaboratively. The 3D world also provides an opportunity for research in astronomy education to investigate impact of social interaction, gaming features, and use of manipulatives offered by a learning tool on students’ motivation and learning outcomes. Use of this VLE is also a valuable source for exploration of how the learners’ spatial awareness can be enhanced by working in 3D environment. We will present the Jupiter-system environment along with a preliminary study of the efficacy and usability of our Jupiter 3D VLE.

Using Targeted Active-Learning Exercises and Diagnostic Question Clusters to Improve Students' Understanding of Carbon Cycling in Ecosystems

PubMed Central

Maskiewicz, April Cordero; Griscom, Heather Peckham; Welch, Nicole Turrill

2012-01-01

In this study, we used targeted active-learning activities to help students improve their ways of reasoning about carbon flow in ecosystems. The results of a validated ecology conceptual inventory (diagnostic question clusters [DQCs]) provided us with information about students' understanding of and reasoning about transformation of inorganic and organic carbon-containing compounds in biological systems. These results helped us identify specific active-learning exercises that would be responsive to students' existing knowledge. The effects of the active-learning interventions were then examined through analysis of students' pre- and postinstruction responses on the DQCs. The biology and non–biology majors participating in this study attended a range of institutions and the instructors varied in their use of active learning; one lecture-only comparison class was included. Changes in pre- to postinstruction scores on the DQCs showed that an instructor's teaching method had a highly significant effect on student reasoning following course instruction, especially for questions pertaining to cellular-level, carbon-transforming processes. We conclude that using targeted in-class activities had a beneficial effect on student learning regardless of major or class size, and argue that using diagnostic questions to identify effective learning activities is a valuable strategy for promoting learning, as gains from lecture-only classes were minimal. PMID:22383618

Filmmaking as a Composing Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Carole

1985-01-01

Discusses learning how to compose a film as one way children can learn the valuable lesson of how to give form to ideas and shape to thought. Presents the stages of composing a film and a sequence of filmmaking activities for introduction at progressive grade levels. (HTH)

Emerging Engineers Design a Paper Table

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Enderson, Mary C.; Grant, Melva R.

2013-01-01

With the advancement of specialized middle schools and high schools focusing on the arts, communication, engineering, mathematics, and science, many students who attend traditional schools miss out on valuable learning opportunities--in particular, when it comes to learning mathematics. Mathematics classrooms can be filled with real-world…

Coaches Coaching Coaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burkins, Jan Miller; Ritchie, Scott

2007-01-01

Researchers have argued that "job-embedded" professional learning is the most valuable model for teachers (Joyce & Showers, 2002). But there is little or no corresponding literature regarding job-embedded professional learning for literacy coaches. In this paper, the authors offer an example of one such model, the Coach-to-Coach…

Surprise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adler, Jonathan E.

2008-01-01

Surprise is of great value for learning, especially in cases where deep-seated preconceptions and assumptions are upset by vivid demonstrations. In this essay, Jonathan Adler explores the ways in which surprise positively affects us and serves as a valuable tool for motivating learning. Adler considers how students' attention is aroused and…

Comparison of Students' Perceptions of Their Teaching-Learning Environments in Three Professional Academic Disciplines: A Valuable Tool for Quality Enhancement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haarala-Muhonen, Anne; Ruohoniemi, Mirja; Katajavuori, Nina; Lindblom-Ylanne, Sari

2011-01-01

The present study explored differences in students' perceptions of their teaching-learning environments in three professional academic disciplines at the University of Helsinki, using a modified version of the Experiences of Teaching & Learning Questionnaire. A total of 426 first-year students from the Faculties of Law, Pharmacy and Veterinary…

Video Games and Learning: Teaching and Participatory Culture in the Digital Age. Technology, Education--Connections (the TEC Series)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Squire, Kurt

2011-01-01

Can we learn socially and academically valuable concepts and skills from video games? How can we best teach the "gamer generation?" This accessible book describes how educators and curriculum designers can harness the participatory nature of digital media and play. The author presents a comprehensive model of games and learning that integrates…

A Linked and Open Dataset from a Network of Learning Repositories on Organic Agriculture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajabi, Enayat; Sanchez-Alonso, Salvador; Sicilia, Miguel-Angel; Manouselis, Nikos

2017-01-01

Exposing eLearning objects on the Web of Data leads to sharing and reusing of educational resources and improves the interoperability of data on the Web. Furthermore, it enriches e-learning content, as it is connected to other valuable resources using the Linked Data principles. This paper describes a study performed on the Organic.Edunet…

The Learning Projects of Rural Third Age Women: Enriching a Valuable Community Resource

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lear, Glenna

2011-01-01

As a third age PhD candidate with a passion for learning, I wanted to explore the learning of other rural third age women who live on the Lower Eyre Peninsula (LEP) of South Australia. This reflects the methodological stance of heuristic inquiry, which requires the researcher to have a passionate interest in the phenomena under investigation, and…

Analyzing Collaborative Learning Processes Automatically: Exploiting the Advances of Computational Linguistics in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Carolyn; Wang, Yi-Chia; Cui, Yue; Arguello, Jaime; Stegmann, Karsten; Weinberger, Armin; Fischer, Frank

2008-01-01

In this article we describe the emerging area of text classification research focused on the problem of collaborative learning process analysis both from a broad perspective and more specifically in terms of a publicly available tool set called TagHelper tools. Analyzing the variety of pedagogically valuable facets of learners' interactions is a…

Cooperative Learning in the Secondary School: Maximizing Language Acquisition, Academic Achievement, and Social Development. NCBE Program Information Guide Series 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holt, Daniel D.; And Others

Cooperative learning is a valuable strategy for teaching secondary school students, especially useful with students from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds who are learning English as a Second Language. It offers a method for managing diversity, channeling peer influence into a positive force for improving school performance, and…

Social Learning as Approach for Teacher Professional Development; How Well Does It Suit Them?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meijs, Celeste; Prinsen, Fleur R.; de Laat, Maarten F.

2016-01-01

Learning from others has been reported as a productive approach for teacher Professional Development (PD) and is seen as a valuable addition to formal PD. Specific insights into whether social learning suits teachers is still lacking. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to develop and apply an instrument to assess social learning…

A Foundation for Understanding Knowledge Sharing: Organizational Culture, Informal Workplace Learning, Performance Support, and Knowledge Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caruso, Shirley J.

2017-01-01

This paper serves as an exploration into some of the ways in which organizations can promote, capture, share, and manage the valuable knowledge of their employees. The problem is that employees typically do not share valuable information, skills, or expertise with other employees or with the entire organization. The author uses research as well as…

The effects of value on context-item associative memory in younger and older adults.

PubMed

Hennessee, Joseph P; Knowlton, Barbara J; Castel, Alan D

2018-02-01

Valuable items are often remembered better than items that are less valuable by both older and younger adults, but older adults typically show deficits in binding. Here, we examine whether value affects the quality of recognition memory and the binding of incidental details to valuable items. In Experiment 1, participants learned English words each associated with a point-value they earned for correct recognition with the goal of maximizing their score. In Experiment 2, value was manipulated by presenting items that were either congruent or incongruent with an imagined state of physiological need (e.g., hunger). In Experiment 1, point-value was associated with enhanced recollection in both age groups. Memory for the color associated with the word was in fact reduced for high-value recollected items compared with low-value recollected items, suggesting value selectively enhances binding of task-relevant details. In Experiment 2, memory for learned images was enhanced by value in both age groups. However, value differentially enhanced binding of an imagined context to the item in younger and older adults, with a strong trend for increased binding in younger adults only. These findings suggest that value enhances episodic encoding in both older and younger adults but that binding of associated details may be reduced for valuable items compared to less valuable items, particularly in older adults. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Teaching and learning the physician manager role: psychiatry residents' perspectives.

PubMed

Stergiopoulos, Vicky; Maggi, Julie; Sockalingam, Sanjeev

2010-01-01

Despite widespread consensus that additional training in administration is needed to prepare physicians for practice, little is known about how best to teach managerial competencies and how to integrate teaching into existing postgraduate curricula. This study aimed to elicit resident perspectives on administrative curriculum development following exposure to a pilot physician manager curriculum at the University of Toronto. The authors held five focus groups of psychiatry residents at the University of Toronto during 2008, engaging 40 trainees. Resident perspectives on barriers to teaching and learning administrative skills, preferred curriculum content and format and suggestions for integration of administrative training into the residency programme were elicited. Identified barriers to learning include lack of physician manager role clarity, dearth of learning opportunities and multiple competing demands on residents' time. Residents value a formal administrative curriculum and propose additional opportunities for experiential learning such as elective rotations and mentorship opportunities. Suggested strategies for integrating administrative teaching into residency include faculty development, rotation-specific administrative objectives and end of rotation resident evaluations. Our findings provide valuable learner input into an emerging educational framework aiming to address barriers to teaching administrative skills during residency and facilitate longitudinal reinforcement of learning.

Measuring Success in Your Fuels Program: From the Report Card to Valuable Learning

Treesearch

Paula Nasiatka; David Christenson

2006-01-01

How can a unit learn in everyday fuels programs and from program reviews? How can a unit move from living in the “report card” culture to discovering more effective ways to improve what it knows and how it learns? Six specific tasks are critical to organizational learning according to David A. Garvin of Harvard Business School. By engaging in these tasks a unit can...

Satellite-Respondent Buoys Identify Ocean Debris

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2009-01-01

NASA operates a series of Earth-observing satellites, which help scientists learn more about our home planet. Through partnerships with universities and other government agencies, like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Space Agency helps scientists around the world capture precise movements of the Earth s crust to learn more about the underground processes related to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, create accurate assessments of wind resources for future energy use, and preserve endangered species by generating much-needed data about their environments. This work, done primarily from space with satellites using a variety of complex instruments to take readings of the surface below, generates leagues of valuable data that aid scientists on the ground - or in some cases on the water. As much of the Earth is covered in water liquid, frozen, saltwater, or fresh much of NASA s remote sensing work focuses on the oceans and their health. This valuable, mammoth (yet fragile) resource provides insight into the overall health of our planet, as water, in addition to being abundant, is a key ingredient to all known life on Earth. As part of its ocean-observing work, NASA partnered with NOAA and private industry to develop remote sensing technologies for protecting the seas of the North Pacific from a nefarious and pervasive problem: derelict fishing gear.

How to Become a Great Detective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peacock, Alan

2005-01-01

Children in South Africa learned to do fascinating activities when they were introduced to the "Spider's Place" materials and, in the process, learned valuable science skills and knowledge. "Spider's Place" was initially a series of 13 science programmes for primary-age children from the South African Broadcasting Corporation…

Authentic Instruction and Technology Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cydis, Susan

2015-01-01

Technology integration is an important aspect of student competence in the 21st century. The use of technology in teaching and learning is a valuable practice for supporting student learning and engagement. Modelling the pedagogical practices that integrate authentic, performance-based opportunities for technology integration was the focus of a…

Teaching Grant Writing with Service Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffith, James D.; Hart, Christian L.; Goodling, Morgan M.

2006-01-01

Grant writing experience can be a valuable asset for students completing masters-level degree programs across a variety of disciplines. A service learning grant writing project was incorporated in a multidisciplinary program evaluation course as part of a writing requirement. Twelve students served as "ghost writers" and wrote grant…

Distance Learning--Predictions and Possibilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Traxler, John

2018-01-01

Education systems, educational institutions and educational professions, including those of distance learning, can often be inward-looking, backward-looking and self-referential, meaning that they are often fixated on their own concerns, values and processes. In many respects, this is necessary and valuable but the topic of challenges and future…

What Should Gerontology Learn from Health Education Accreditation?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradley, Dana Burr; Fitzgerald, Kelly

2012-01-01

Quality assurance and accreditation are closely tied together. This article documents the work toward a unified and comprehensive national accreditation program in health education. By exploring the accreditation journey of another discipline, the field of gerontology should learn valuable lessons. These include an attention to inclusivity, a…

Student Technology Use for Powerful Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heidenrich, Carol

2013-01-01

Technology has evolved as a valuable information and communication tool. In our knowledge and information society, students with information and communication technology (ICT) competence will be prepared for success. Teacher pedagogy and student learning have to change to fully integrate technology into the curriculum. Students may not have…

Simulation: learning from mistakes while building communication and teamwork.

PubMed

Kuehster, Christina R; Hall, Carla D

2010-01-01

Medical errors are one of the leading causes of death annually in the United States. Many of these errors are related to poor communication and/or lack of teamwork. Using simulation as a teaching modality provides a dual role in helping to reduce these errors. Thorough integration of clinical practice with teamwork and communication in a safe environment increases the likelihood of reducing the error rates in medicine. By allowing practitioners to make potential errors in a safe environment, such as simulation, these valuable lessons improve retention and will rarely be repeated.

Governance of nanotechnology and nanomaterials: principles, regulation, and renegotiating the social contract.

PubMed

Kimbrell, George A

2009-01-01

Good governance for nanotechnology and nanomaterials is predicated on principles of general good governance. This paper discusses on what lessons we can learn from the oversight of past emerging technologies in formulating these principles. Nanotechnology provides us a valuable opportunity to apply these lessons and a duty to avoid repeating past mistakes. To do that will require mandatory regulation, grounded in precaution, that takes into account the uniqueness of nanomaterials. Moreover, this policy dialogue is not taking place in a vacuum. In applying the lessons of the past, nanotechnology provides a window to renegotiate our public's social contract on chemicals, health, the environment, and risks. Emerging technologies illuminate structural weaknesses, providing a crucial chance to ameliorate lingering regulatory inadequacies and provide much needed updates of existing laws.

Characterizing the Development of Students' Understandings regarding the Second Law of Thermodynamics: Using Learning Progressions to Illuminate Thinking in High School Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, Kevin D.

2011-01-01

As demonstrated by their emphasis in the new, national, science education standards, learning progressions (LPs) have become a valuable means of informing teaching and learning. LPs serve this role by isolating the key components of central skills and understandings, and by describing how those abilities and concepts tend to develop over time…

Nursing and midwifery students' perception of learning enablers and gains in the first semester of their BSc programmes: A cross sectional study.

PubMed

Redmond, Catherine; Davies, Carmel; Halligan, Phil; Joye, Regina; Carroll, Lorraine; Frawley, Timothy

2018-06-01

The student experience in the first year of university is fundamental to successful adaption to the higher education environment and shapes student engagement with their chosen degree. Students' feedback on this experience is essential when designing or reviewing curricula. The aim of this study was to explore students' perceptions of their learning gains to identify factors that support student learning and identify elements that need improvement if specific learning needs are to be met. A cross sectional descriptive study. A large urban university in Ireland that provides undergraduate nursing and midwifery degree programmes. The study was conducted using the Student Assessment of Learning Gains (SALG) questionnaire. This instrument consists of a series of closed questions which explore perceived student gains in skills, cognitions and attitudes. The questionnaire was adapted for a semester rather than a module evaluation. The tool also includes a series of open questions inviting students to comment in each section. Students (n = 206) positively evaluated teaching and learning approaches used. The greatest enablers of learning were clinical skills laboratory small group teaching and support followed by online learning materials and multiple choice formative assessment questions. They reported gains in knowledge, generic skills development and an increase in confidence and enthusiasm for their chosen career. The feedback gained in this study provides valuable knowledge about the elements that support nursing and midwifery students learning and highlights areas that require attention. This is particularly useful for faculty who are involved in curriculum review and enhancement and in student engagement and retention. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulation-based learning: Just like the real thing

PubMed Central

Lateef, Fatimah

2010-01-01

Simulation is a technique for practice and learning that can be applied to many different disciplines and trainees. It is a technique (not a technology) to replace and amplify real experiences with guided ones, often “immersive” in nature, that evoke or replicate substantial aspects of the real world in a fully interactive fashion. Simulation-based learning can be the way to develop health professionals’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes, whilst protecting patients from unnecessary risks. Simulation-based medical education can be a platform which provides a valuable tool in learning to mitigate ethical tensions and resolve practical dilemmas. Simulation-based training techniques, tools, and strategies can be applied in designing structured learning experiences, as well as be used as a measurement tool linked to targeted teamwork competencies and learning objectives. It has been widely applied in fields such aviation and the military. In medicine, simulation offers good scope for training of interdisciplinary medical teams. The realistic scenarios and equipment allows for retraining and practice till one can master the procedure or skill. An increasing number of health care institutions and medical schools are now turning to simulation-based learning. Teamwork training conducted in the simulated environment may offer an additive benefit to the traditional didactic instruction, enhance performance, and possibly also help reduce errors. PMID:21063557

Simulation-based learning: Just like the real thing.

PubMed

Lateef, Fatimah

2010-10-01

Simulation is a technique for practice and learning that can be applied to many different disciplines and trainees. It is a technique (not a technology) to replace and amplify real experiences with guided ones, often "immersive" in nature, that evoke or replicate substantial aspects of the real world in a fully interactive fashion. Simulation-based learning can be the way to develop health professionals' knowledge, skills, and attitudes, whilst protecting patients from unnecessary risks. Simulation-based medical education can be a platform which provides a valuable tool in learning to mitigate ethical tensions and resolve practical dilemmas. Simulation-based training techniques, tools, and strategies can be applied in designing structured learning experiences, as well as be used as a measurement tool linked to targeted teamwork competencies and learning objectives. It has been widely applied in fields such aviation and the military. In medicine, simulation offers good scope for training of interdisciplinary medical teams. The realistic scenarios and equipment allows for retraining and practice till one can master the procedure or skill. An increasing number of health care institutions and medical schools are now turning to simulation-based learning. Teamwork training conducted in the simulated environment may offer an additive benefit to the traditional didactic instruction, enhance performance, and possibly also help reduce errors.

A Human Capabilities Framework for Evaluating Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Melanie

2008-01-01

This paper proposes a human capabilities approach for evaluating student learning and the social and pedagogical arrangements that support equality in capabilities for all students. It outlines the focus on valuable beings and doings in the capability approach developed by Amartya Sen, and Martha Nussbaum's capabilities focus on human flourishing.…

Steps to Fostering a Learning Community in the Primary Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pressick-Kilborn, Kimberley

2009-01-01

"Teaching Science" has, as one of its predecessors, the "Investigating" journal, which first appeared in 1988. Looking back ten years, the winner of the "Most Valuable Paper Award" for 1999 was Kimberley Pressick-Kilborn for her article--"Steps to Fostering a Learning Community in the Primary Science…

Service-Learning: A Valuable Component of Pre-Service Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambers, Dianne J.; Lavery, Shane

2012-01-01

There is recognition that involvement in service-learning can impact positively on the development of pre-service teachers professionally, culturally and academically (Billig & Freeman, 2010; Anderson, 1998). This article explores and describes the experiences of pre-service teachers in the School of Education at the University of Notre Dame…

Collaborative Rhetorical Structure: A Discourse Analysis Method for Analyzing Student Collaborative Inquiry via Computer Conferencing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kou, Xiaojing

2011-01-01

Various formats of online discussion have proven valuable for enhancing learning and collaboration in distance and blended learning contexts. However, despite their capacity to reveal essential processes in collaborative inquiry, current mainstream analytical frameworks, such as the cognitive presence framework (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer,…

Learning From Pictures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Catharine M.

Well prepared, carefully chosen, two-dimensional visual aids are valuable in the learning process as a source of information and as a stimulator of student response. A student's visual perception and his degree of self-awareness can be evaluated by his reaction to pictures. At the instructional level, pictures can expand an experience, dramatize a…

Culture Matters in Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pang, Valerie Ooka; Lafferty, Karen Elizabeth; Pang, Jennifer M.; Griswold, Joan; Oser, Rick

2014-01-01

On the Saturday before Halloween, hundreds of students and their parents went from booth to booth participating in science activities at an annual Fall Festival and Learning Fair. The Fall Festival and Learning Fair is a valuable annual partnership where culturally relevant teaching engages each child in hands-on, standards-based science lessons.…

Combining Learning and Assessment to Improve Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linn, Marcia C.; Chiu, Jennifer

2011-01-01

High-stakes tests take time away from valuable learning activities, narrow the focus of instruction, and imply that science involves memorizing details rather than understanding the natural world. Current tests lead precollege instructors to postpone science inquiry activities until after the last standardized test is completed--often during the…

Grouping for Instructional Purposes. Focus On

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarke, Suzanne

2008-01-01

Today's classrooms increasingly challenge teachers to address a diverse range of backgrounds, abilities, and learning needs. As teachers rise to the challenge, grouping can be a valuable instructional tool to address varying ability levels and learning needs within the classroom. At present, there is a good deal of support in the literature for…

Dissecting Student Dialogue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanford, Angela; Henderson, Jennifer

2016-01-01

Although written expression is a valuable tool for both teacher and student to assess learning, teachers must be mindful that writing skills are often delayed for many youth. Through brain research, educators have not only learned that reading and writing skills must be acquired, but even some advanced students have deficiencies in processing…

Using Action Research to Examine Teacher Strategy Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Becky J.; Cox, Betty J.; Vann, Martha

2012-01-01

Successful teachers strive to ensure that their students learn to their maximum abilities. Is action research a valuable way for graduate students to review their effectiveness as teachers? Do students learn more through varied teaching strategies and techniques? The authors examined graduate students' perceptions of action research projects…

Enhanced Resource Descriptions Help Learning Matrix Users.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roempler, Kimberly S.

2003-01-01

Describes the Learning Matrix digital library which focuses on improving the preparation of math and science teachers by supporting faculty who teach introductory math and science courses in two- and four-year colleges. Suggests it is a valuable resource for school library media specialists to support new science and math teachers. (LRW)

Learning through Crisis: The Educator's Role

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patton, Lori D.

2008-01-01

One of the most pressing challenges when facilitating a conversation on human crises is the normalizing push to move forward and avoid living in the past. Unfortunately, when conversations about human crises are ignored or rushed through, the learning process is stunted. Students lose a valuable opportunity to develop empathy and cultural…

A Science Club Takes Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeDee, Olivia; Mosser, Anna; Gamble, Tony; Childs, Greg; Oberhauser, Karen

2007-01-01

The after-school science club at Galtier Math, Science, and Technology Elementary Magnet School in St. Paul, Minnesota, learned some valuable lessons when they took newfound knowledge about pollution into their homes. After learning about the effects of various contaminants on health and what informed citizens can do about it, students tested…

In Praise of Assessment (Done Right)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Kim

2018-01-01

High-stakes testing gets a lot of criticism, for good reason. But, when done right, assessment can be a valuable tool for educators and students. Kim Marshall describes how different types of assessments can improve learning by revealing learning problems in real time, improving student retention through the "retrieval effect," and…

Constructing an Affective Tutoring System for Designing Course Learning and Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Cheng-Hung; Lin, Hao-Chiang Koong

2018-01-01

Computers and the Internet are indispensable in modern life. Increasingly useful digital environments and technological developments have reshaped models of knowledge acquisition. Studies on the development of online learning have yielded valuable insights. In the design of online teaching systems that can replicate face-to-face teaching,…

Crossing Boundaries between School and Work during Apprenticeships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akkerman, Sanne F.; Bakker, Arthur

2012-01-01

In vocational education, there is an ongoing discussion about problems occurring in school-work transitions and in relating school and work-based learning processes. Apprenticeships have been identified as valuable learning and working trajectories for making successful transitions and relations between school and work. However, they have been…

Using virtual reality environment to facilitate training with advanced upper-limb prosthesis.

PubMed

Resnik, Linda; Etter, Katherine; Klinger, Shana Lieberman; Kambe, Charles

2011-01-01

Technological advances in upper-limb prosthetic design offer dramatically increased possibilities for powered movement. The DEKA Arm system allows users 10 powered degrees of movement. Learning to control these movements by utilizing a set of motions that, in most instances, differ from those used to obtain the desired action prior to amputation is a challenge for users. In the Department of Veterans Affairs "Study to Optimize the DEKA Arm," we attempted to facilitate motor learning by using a virtual reality environment (VRE) program. This VRE program allows users to practice controlling an avatar using the controls designed to operate the DEKA Arm in the real world. In this article, we provide highlights from our experiences implementing VRE in training amputees to use the full DEKA Arm. This article discusses the use of VRE in amputee rehabilitation, describes the VRE system used with the DEKA Arm, describes VRE training, provides qualitative data from a case study of a subject, and provides recommendations for future research and implementation of VRE in amputee rehabilitation. Our experience has led us to believe that training with VRE is particularly valuable for upper-limb amputees who must master a large number of controls and for those amputees who need a structured learning environment because of cognitive deficits.

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.

Deep learning for computational chemistry.

PubMed

Goh, Garrett B; Hodas, Nathan O; Vishnu, Abhinav

2017-06-15

The rise and fall of artificial neural networks is well documented in the scientific literature of both computer science and computational chemistry. Yet almost two decades later, we are now seeing a resurgence of interest in deep learning, a machine learning algorithm based on multilayer neural networks. Within the last few years, we have seen the transformative impact of deep learning in many domains, particularly in speech recognition and computer vision, to the extent that the majority of expert practitioners in those field are now regularly eschewing prior established models in favor of deep learning models. In this review, we provide an introductory overview into the theory of deep neural networks and their unique properties that distinguish them from traditional machine learning algorithms used in cheminformatics. By providing an overview of the variety of emerging applications of deep neural networks, we highlight its ubiquity and broad applicability to a wide range of challenges in the field, including quantitative structure activity relationship, virtual screening, protein structure prediction, quantum chemistry, materials design, and property prediction. In reviewing the performance of deep neural networks, we observed a consistent outperformance against non-neural networks state-of-the-art models across disparate research topics, and deep neural network-based models often exceeded the "glass ceiling" expectations of their respective tasks. Coupled with the maturity of GPU-accelerated computing for training deep neural networks and the exponential growth of chemical data on which to train these networks on, we anticipate that deep learning algorithms will be a valuable tool for computational chemistry. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evaluation of different delivery modes of an interactive e-learning programme for teaching cultural diversity.

PubMed

Hawthorne, Kamila; Prout, Hayley; Kinnersley, Paul; Houston, Helen

2009-01-01

UK medical schools find it challenging to provide standardised teaching to expanding year intakes. In addition, developing and implementing diversity training can cause difficulties. This paper describes the evaluation of an interactive e-learning programme to raise awareness and understanding of communication difficulties in diversity consultations. The programme was part of an undergraduate portfolio-based community module. Three hundred and two students were assigned to one of three delivery methods--a large group setting, small groups with a facilitator, and as part of distance learning while on community placement. The evaluation included analysis of their coursework marks, a self-completed evaluation questionnaire, and small group discussions. Two hundred and twenty-three students took part in the evaluation. They were able to apply the concepts they learnt to clinical examples from their own experiences. Type of delivery did not affect coursework marks, but students tended to prefer the e-learning as part of a distance learning package. They offered helpful suggestions to improve its complexity and range. The acceptability and utility of this e-learning module both in face to face teaching and remote placement has been demonstrated, and evaluation by the students has provided valuable information for its further development. All medical schools should include some diversity training, and further research should concentrate on the effects of this type of learning on longer term outcomes such as attitude and performance tests. Such tools could reduce demands on staff time in facilitation of small groupwork, and their cost effectiveness could be increased by making them available to other medical schools.

Web-based faculty development: e-learning for clinical teachers in the London Deanery.

PubMed

McKimm, Judy; Swanwick, Tim

2010-03-01

the London Deanery has provided a web-based resource for supporting the educational development needs of clinical teachers since 2002. This forms part of a range of resources supporting the professional development of clinical teachers and postgraduate supervisors. Following a review in 2007, the deanery commissioned a series of new e-learning modules designed as an introduction to clinical teaching. the deanery's faculty development initiatives are one response to requirements of the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB), other policy drivers, workforce demands and service changes. Increasingly, doctors are required to provide an educational portfolio of evidence, and satisfy the teaching and training component of Good Medical Practice in revalidation or recertification. 'E-learning for clinical teachers' comprises 16 short, open-access, free-standing modules. The modules are built around a unifying structure, and cover core topics in clinical teaching: feedback; supervision; workplace-based learning; assessment; diversity and equal opportunities; career development; appraisal; lecturing; small group teaching; interprofessional education; and setting learning objectives. The modules can be used as a complementary resource to award-bearing programmes. On completion of a module, a certificate can be printed out for the teacher's portfolio. reflective practice and engagement with an individual's teaching practice is encouraged through self-assessment and a reflective log. The open-access, web-based format enables engagement with the material to suit a doctor's working and learning patterns, and is a valuable adjunct to other forms of learning. The site has been accessed by over 64000 health professionals (including students, trainees, qualified professionals, supervisors and staff developers) from 155 countries. Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2010.

The Surgical Learning and Instructional Portfolio (SLIP) as a self-assessment educational tool demonstrating practice-based learning.

PubMed

Webb, Travis P; Aprahamian, Charles; Weigelt, John A; Brasel, Karen J

2006-01-01

Time constraints on the teaching and evaluation of residents continue to alter the way in which medical knowledge must be imparted and assessed. Lifelong learning is a component of the practice-based learning competency. A portfolio is one way to assess practice-based learning, but its use is unfamiliar to most surgical programs. The authors describe the evolution of the Surgical Learning and Instructional Portfolio (SLIP) into a worthwhile educational tool. In March 2001, the authors began a program to encourage residents to develop a case-based portfolio to document their experience and demonstrate acquisition of knowledge in caring for a variety of surgical diseases. The monthly case topic was chosen by the resident and reported using a template: case history, supporting diagnostic studies, differential diagnosis, final diagnosis with ICD-9 coding, management options, treatment used, 3 lessons learned, embellishment of 1 lesson, and 2 articles supporting the experience. Initially, cases were submitted to the program coordinator and reviewed every 6 months with a faculty advisor to provide feedback. After the first 18 months of this program, resident compliance was less than 50%, satisfaction was low, and formal review did not occur. In July 2004, a single faculty member became responsible for evaluating and providing feedback on the monthly SLIPs. The assignments were handled electronically with feedback delivered within the month via e-mail. SLIP quality as measured by resident compliance and satisfaction improved. These SLIPs have matured into a valuable educational tool satisfying multiple ACGME competencies. This portfolio system required direct faculty feedback to become successful.

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.

Cognitive simulators for medical education and training.

PubMed

Kahol, Kanav; Vankipuram, Mithra; Smith, Marshall L

2009-08-01

Simulators for honing procedural skills (such as surgical skills and central venous catheter placement) have proven to be valuable tools for medical educators and students. While such simulations represent an effective paradigm in surgical education, there is an opportunity to add a layer of cognitive exercises to these basic simulations that can facilitate robust skill learning in residents. This paper describes a controlled methodology, inspired by neuropsychological assessment tasks and embodied cognition, to develop cognitive simulators for laparoscopic surgery. These simulators provide psychomotor skill training and offer the additional challenge of accomplishing cognitive tasks in realistic environments. A generic framework for design, development and evaluation of such simulators is described. The presented framework is generalizable and can be applied to different task domains. It is independent of the types of sensors, simulation environment and feedback mechanisms that the simulators use. A proof of concept of the framework is provided through developing a simulator that includes cognitive variations to a basic psychomotor task. The results of two pilot studies are presented that show the validity of the methodology in providing an effective evaluation and learning environments for surgeons.

Active Learning for Directed Exploration of Complex Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burl, Michael C.; Wang, Esther

2009-01-01

Physics-based simulation codes are widely used in science and engineering to model complex systems that would be infeasible to study otherwise. Such codes provide the highest-fidelity representation of system behavior, but are often so slow to run that insight into the system is limited. For example, conducting an exhaustive sweep over a d-dimensional input parameter space with k-steps along each dimension requires k(sup d) simulation trials (translating into k(sup d) CPU-days for one of our current simulations). An alternative is directed exploration in which the next simulation trials are cleverly chosen at each step. Given the results of previous trials, supervised learning techniques (SVM, KDE, GP) are applied to build up simplified predictive models of system behavior. These models are then used within an active learning framework to identify the most valuable trials to run next. Several active learning strategies are examined including a recently-proposed information-theoretic approach. Performance is evaluated on a set of thirteen synthetic oracles, which serve as surrogates for the more expensive simulations and enable the experiments to be replicated by other researchers.

Bioorthogonal Metabolic Labeling of Nascent RNA in Neurons Improves the Sensitivity of Transcriptome-Wide Profiling.

PubMed

Zajaczkowski, Esmi L; Zhao, Qiong-Yi; Zhang, Zong Hong; Li, Xiang; Wei, Wei; Marshall, Paul R; Leighton, Laura J; Nainar, Sarah; Feng, Chao; Spitale, Robert C; Bredy, Timothy W

2018-06-15

Transcriptome-wide expression profiling of neurons has provided important insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms and gene expression patterns that transpire during learning and memory formation. However, there is a paucity of tools for profiling stimulus-induced RNA within specific neuronal cell populations. A bioorthogonal method to chemically label nascent (i.e., newly transcribed) RNA in a cell-type-specific and temporally controlled manner, which is also amenable to bioconjugation via click chemistry, was recently developed and optimized within conventional immortalized cell lines. However, its value within a more fragile and complicated cellular system such as neurons, as well as for transcriptome-wide expression profiling, has yet to be demonstrated. Here, we report the visualization and sequencing of activity-dependent nascent RNA derived from neurons using this labeling method. This work has important implications for improving transcriptome-wide expression profiling and visualization of nascent RNA in neurons, which has the potential to provide valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying neural plasticity, learning, and memory.

Learning Physics from the Real World by Direct Observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaibani, Saami J.

2012-03-01

It is axiomatic that hands-on experience provides many learning opportunities, which lectures and textbooks cannot match. Moreover, experiments involving the real world are beneficial in helping students to gain a level of understanding that they might not otherwise achieve. One practical limitation with the real world is that simplifications and approximations are sometimes necessary to make the material accessible; however, these types of adjustments can be viewed with misgiving when they appear arbitrary and/or convenience-based. The present work describes a very familiar feature of everyday life, whose underlying physics is examined without modifications to mitigate difficulties from the lack of control in a non-laboratory environment. In the absence of any immediate formula to process results, students are encouraged to reach ab initio answers with guidance provided by a structured series of worksheets. Many of the latter can be completed as homework assignments prior to activity in the field. This approach promotes thinking and inquiry as valuable attributes instead of unquestioningly following a prescribed path.

Clustering Single-Cell Expression Data Using Random Forest Graphs.

PubMed

Pouyan, Maziyar Baran; Nourani, Mehrdad

2017-07-01

Complex tissues such as brain and bone marrow are made up of multiple cell types. As the study of biological tissue structure progresses, the role of cell-type-specific research becomes increasingly important. Novel sequencing technology such as single-cell cytometry provides researchers access to valuable biological data. Applying machine-learning techniques to these high-throughput datasets provides deep insights into the cellular landscape of the tissue where those cells are a part of. In this paper, we propose the use of random-forest-based single-cell profiling, a new machine-learning-based technique, to profile different cell types of intricate tissues using single-cell cytometry data. Our technique utilizes random forests to capture cell marker dependences and model the cellular populations using the cell network concept. This cellular network helps us discover what cell types are in the tissue. Our experimental results on public-domain datasets indicate promising performance and accuracy of our technique in extracting cell populations of complex tissues.

DeepDeath: Learning to predict the underlying cause of death with Big Data.

PubMed

Hassanzadeh, Hamid Reza; Ying Sha; Wang, May D

2017-07-01

Multiple cause-of-death data provides a valuable source of information that can be used to enhance health standards by predicting health related trajectories in societies with large populations. These data are often available in large quantities across U.S. states and require Big Data techniques to uncover complex hidden patterns. We design two different classes of models suitable for large-scale analysis of mortality data, a Hadoop-based ensemble of random forests trained over N-grams, and the DeepDeath, a deep classifier based on the recurrent neural network (RNN). We apply both classes to the mortality data provided by the National Center for Health Statistics and show that while both perform significantly better than the random classifier, the deep model that utilizes long short-term memory networks (LSTMs), surpasses the N-gram based models and is capable of learning the temporal aspect of the data without a need for building ad-hoc, expert-driven features.

Effective e-learning in surgical education: the core values underpinning effective e-learning environments and how these may be enhanced for future surgical education.

PubMed

Bamford, R; Coulston, J

2016-01-01

e-learning is a valuable tool that has a number of advantages for Surgical Oncology training and education. The rapidly evolving nature of, and limited clinical exposure to oncological practice creates challenges for surgical trainees to stay up to date and engaged. Online learning can be accessed anywhere at any time and allows trainees to develop, apply and be assessed on their learning. To be effective, it must be educationally sound and embrace technology to enhance learners' experience.

Multivariate data analysis and machine learning in Alzheimer's disease with a focus on structural magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Falahati, Farshad; Westman, Eric; Simmons, Andrew

2014-01-01

Machine learning algorithms and multivariate data analysis methods have been widely utilized in the field of Alzheimer's disease (AD) research in recent years. Advances in medical imaging and medical image analysis have provided a means to generate and extract valuable neuroimaging information. Automatic classification techniques provide tools to analyze this information and observe inherent disease-related patterns in the data. In particular, these classifiers have been used to discriminate AD patients from healthy control subjects and to predict conversion from mild cognitive impairment to AD. In this paper, recent studies are reviewed that have used machine learning and multivariate analysis in the field of AD research. The main focus is on studies that used structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but studies that included positron emission tomography and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in addition to MRI are also considered. A wide variety of materials and methods has been employed in different studies, resulting in a range of different outcomes. Influential factors such as classifiers, feature extraction algorithms, feature selection methods, validation approaches, and cohort properties are reviewed, as well as key MRI-based and multi-modal based studies. Current and future trends are discussed.

The benefits for children's nurses of overseas placements: where is the evidence?

PubMed

Standage, Richard; Randall, Duncan

2014-06-01

Overseas placements are presumed to provide students with experiences to enhance their cultural competence and to give them insights into other healthcare systems. However, the literature has not focused on what students of children's nursing might gain from an overseas placement. This paper is a report of a literature review (2003-2011) and our own student evaluation, both aimed at shedding new light on this important opportunity for learning for children's nurses. The literature review indicates that current research does not address the learning from overseas placements for children's nurses. Our student evaluation suggests children's nursing students are able to explore the position of children in the host culture and to place this in a healthcare context. Students also reported that they adhered to UK scope of student practice when delivering care to children on overseas placement. These placements provide a valuable learning experience for children's nurses. However, consideration in the shorter term is required to address issues of equity. Looking forward, further large scale studies are required to determine the long term effects of such experience on the health outcomes for children, and development of children's nurses and children's nursing globally.

Machine Learning and Data Mining for Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Monitoring

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

Russell, S; Vaidya, S

2009-07-30

The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) is gaining renewed attention in light of growing worldwide interest in mitigating risks of nuclear weapons proliferation and testing. Since the International Monitoring System (IMS) installed the first suite of sensors in the late 1990's, the IMS network has steadily progressed, providing valuable support for event diagnostics. This progress was highlighted at the recent International Scientific Studies (ISS) Conference in Vienna in June 2009, where scientists and domain experts met with policy makers to assess the current status of the CTBT Verification System. A strategic theme within the ISS Conference centered on exploring opportunitiesmore » for further enhancing the detection and localization accuracy of low magnitude events by drawing upon modern tools and techniques for machine learning and large-scale data analysis. Several promising approaches for data exploitation were presented at the Conference. These are summarized in a companion report. In this paper, we introduce essential concepts in machine learning and assess techniques which could provide both incremental and comprehensive value for event discrimination by increasing the accuracy of the final data product, refining On-Site-Inspection (OSI) conclusions, and potentially reducing the cost of future network operations.« less

Learning to navigate the healthcare system in a new country: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Straiton, Melanie L; Myhre, Sonja

2017-12-01

Learning to navigate a healthcare system in a new country is a barrier to health care. Understanding more about the specific navigation challenges immigrants experience may be the first step towards improving health information and thus access to care. This study considers the challenges that Thai and Filipino immigrant women encounter when learning to navigate the Norwegian primary healthcare system and the strategies they use. A qualitative interview study using thematic analysis. Norway. Fifteen Thai and 15 Filipino immigrant women over the age of 18 who had been living in Norway at least one year. The women took time to understand the role of the general practitioner and some were unaware of their right to an interpreter during consultations. In addition to reliance on family members and friends in their social networks, voluntary and cultural organisations provided valuable tips and advice on how to navigate the Norwegian health system. While some women actively engaged in learning more about the system, they noted a lack of information available in multiple languages. Informal sources play an important role in learning about the health care system. Formal information should be available in different languages in order to better empower immigrant women.

Medical school 2.0: How we developed a student-generated question bank using small group learning.

PubMed

Gooi, Adrian C C; Sommerfeld, Connor S

2015-01-01

The multiple-choice question (MCQ) is one of the most common methods for formative and summative assessment in medical school. Common challenges with this format include (1) creating vetted questions and (2) involving students in higher-order learning activities. Involving medical students in the creation of MCQs may ameliorate both of these challenges. What we did: We used a small group learning structure to develop a student-generated question bank. Students created their own MCQ based on self-study materials, and then reviewed each other's questions within small groups. Selected questions were reviewed with the class as a whole. All questions were later vetted by the instructor and incorporated into a question bank that students could access for formative learning. Post-session survey indicated that 91% of the students felt that the class-created MCQ question bank was a valuable resource, and 86% of students would be interested in collaborating with the class for creating practice questions in future sessions. Developing a student-generated question bank can improve the depth and interactivity of student learning, increase session enjoyment and provide a potential resource for student assessment.

Community detection in complex networks using deep auto-encoded extreme learning machine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Feifan; Zhang, Baihai; Chai, Senchun; Xia, Yuanqing

2018-06-01

Community detection has long been a fascinating topic in complex networks since the community structure usually unveils valuable information of interest. The prevalence and evolution of deep learning and neural networks have been pushing forward the advancement in various research fields and also provide us numerous useful and off the shelf techniques. In this paper, we put the cascaded stacked autoencoders and the unsupervised extreme learning machine (ELM) together in a two-level embedding process and propose a novel community detection algorithm. Extensive comparison experiments in circumstances of both synthetic and real-world networks manifest the advantages of the proposed algorithm. On one hand, it outperforms the k-means clustering in terms of the accuracy and stability thus benefiting from the determinate dimensions of the ELM block and the integration of sparsity restrictions. On the other hand, it endures smaller complexity than the spectral clustering method on account of the shrinkage in time spent on the eigenvalue decomposition procedure.

Predator odor avoidance as a rodent model of anxiety: learning-mediated consequences beyond the initial exposure.

PubMed

Staples, Lauren G

2010-11-01

Prey animals such as rats display innate defensive responses when exposed to the odor of a predator, providing a valuable means of studying the neurobiology of anxiety. While the unconditioned behavioral and neural responses to a single predator odor exposure have been well documented, the paradigm can also be used to study learning-dependent adaptations that occur following repeated exposure to a stressor or associated stimuli. In developing preclinical models for human anxiety disorders this is advantageous, as anxiety disorders seldom involve a single acute experience of anxiety, but rather are chronic and/or recurring illnesses. Part 1 of this review summarizes current research on the three most commonly used predator-related odors: cat odor, ferret odor, and trimethylthiazoline (a component of fox odor). Part 2 reviews the learning-based behavioral and neural adaptations that underlie predator odor-induced context conditioning, one-trial tolerance, sensitization, habituation and dishabituation. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lessons learned from translators and interpreters from the Dinka tribe of southern Sudan.

PubMed

Baird, Martha B

2011-04-01

This article discusses the methodological challenges associated with working with translators and interpreters from the Dinka tribe of southern Sudan during an ethnographic study with refugee Dinka women who were resettled with their children in the United States. Navigating the cultural differences between the researcher, the translator, and the interpreters provided a deeper understanding about the culture of the study population. The lessons learned included the importance of cultural congruence between the interpreters and participants; the education, training, and experience of the interpreters; and the difficulties encountered in preparing interpreters according to university institutional review board requirements. Cultural differences such as time perception and communication and literacy styles were negotiated throughout each phase of the study. The most valuable lesson learned from this experience was the importance of the relationship between the researcher, the translator, and the interpreters as well as between the interpreters and participants to achieve credibility and trustworthiness of the study results.

Malaysian University Students' Use of Mobile Phones for Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pullen, Darren; J-F; Swabey, Karen; Abadooz, M.; Sing, Termit Kaur Ranjit

2015-01-01

Mobile technology coupled with Internet accessibility has increased not only how we communicate but also how we might engage in learning. The ubiquity of mobile technology, such as smart phones and tablet devices, makes it a valuable tool for accessing learning resources on the Internet. The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology…

How Do Freshman Engineering Students Reflect an Online Calculus Course?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boz, Burcak; Adnan, Muge

2017-01-01

Improved access to technology has led to an increase in the number of online courses and degree programs in higher education. Despite continuous progress, little attention is paid to "understanding" students prior to implementation of learning and teaching processes. Being a valuable input for design of online learning environments and…

Introducing Learning Design and LAMS to Pre-Service Education Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Chris; Cameron, Leanne

2011-01-01

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for teaching and learning are continually changing and being replaced by the newest "must have" technologies, so how valuable are skills-based technology courses in the long-term to pre-service teachers? While pre-service teachers need to be competent and confident users of technology…

Concerted Cultivation and Music Learning: Global Issues and Local Variations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ilari, Beatriz

2013-01-01

"Concerted cultivation" has been described as a common, urban middle-class practice concerning the enrollment of children in a variety of age-specific activities that may promote the learning of valuable life skills as well as the development of individual abilities (Lareau, 2003). Music is one such activity. This study investigated the…

Puerto Rico's PLATO Learning Program: An Independent Evaluation of the PLATO Learning Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shillady, Lucinda; Miller, Libbie

2004-01-01

The Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) program has become a valuable resource in the implementation of the Puerto Rico Department of Education's educational reform process. To support the process, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico granted computerized equipment, reading and mathematics software and training designed for schools. This included reading…

Need for Equipping Student Teachers with Language of Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gafoor, K. Abdul; Sarabi, M. K.

2015-01-01

The significance of curriculum in building up language of mathematics which enables learners to construct and communicate knowledge of mathematics has not received due attention even as the pedagogical challenges faced by the students in learning mathematics have been discussed for years. Learning language of mathematics is not only valuable in…

Peer-Learning Networks in Social Work Doctoral Education: An Interdisciplinary Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, J. Jay; Duron, Jacquelynn F.; Bosk, Emily Adlin; Finno-Velasquez, Megan; Abner, Kristin S.

2016-01-01

Peer-learning networks (PLN) can be valuable tools for doctoral students. Participation in these networks can aid in the completion of the dissertation, lead to increased scholarship productivity, and assist in student retention. Yet, despite the promise of PLNs, few studies have documented their effect on social work doctoral education. This…

Multi-Touch Tables and Collaborative Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higgins, Steve; Mercier, Emma; Burd, Liz; Joyce-Gibbons, Andrew

2012-01-01

The development of multi-touch tables, an emerging technology for classroom learning, offers valuable opportunities to explore how its features can be designed to support effective collaboration in schools. In this study, small groups of 10- to 11-year-old children undertook a history task where they had to connect various pieces of information…

Using Technology to Facilitate Effective Assessment for Learning and Feedback in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deeley, Susan J.

2018-01-01

The aims of this paper are to examine and critically evaluate a selection of different technological methods that were specifically chosen for their alignment with, and potential to enhance, extant assessment for learning practice. The underpinning perspectives are that: (a) both formative and summative assessment are valuable opportunities for…

Joined up Thinking? Evaluating the Use of Concept-Mapping to Develop Complex System Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Martyn

2012-01-01

In the physical and natural sciences, the complexity of natural systems and their interactions is becoming better understood. With increased emphasis on learning about complex systems, students will be encountering concepts that are dynamic, ill-structured and interconnected. Concept-mapping is a method considered particularly valuable for…

Facebook as an Online Teaching Tool: Effects on Student Participation, Learning, and Overall Course Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camus, Melinda; Hurt, Nicole E.; Larson, Lincoln R.; Prevost, Luanna

2016-01-01

Online discussions are widely viewed as a valuable tool for encouraging student engagement and promoting interaction with course material outside of the traditional classroom. Strategies for conducting online discussions vary and are not confined to traditional, university-sponsored learning management systems (LMS). Social media platforms such as…

Focus on Film: Learning through the Movies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Considine, David M.; Baker, Frank

2006-01-01

This article explores the use of movies as valuable instructional tools. When students are engaged with the content through a medium they love, they learn better and retain more. Incorporating motion pictures as part of classroom instruction has been spurred by the endorsement of both of the major reading and language arts organizations in the…

Exploring Interprofessional Education through a High-Fidelity Human Patient Simulation Scenario: A Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rossler, Kelly Lynn

2013-01-01

High-fidelity human patient simulation has emerged as a valuable medium to reinforce educational content within programs of nursing. As simulation learning experiences have been identified as augmenting both didactic lecture content and clinical learning, these experiences have expanded to incorporate interprofessional education. Review of…

Chinese Brush Calligraphy Character Retrieval and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhuang, Yueting; Zhang, Xiafen; Lu, Weiming; Wu, Fei

2007-01-01

Chinese brush calligraphy is a valuable civilization legacy and a high art of scholarship. It is still popular in Chinese banners, newspaper mastheads, university names, and celebration gifts. There are Web sites that try to help people enjoy and learn Chinese calligraphy. However, there lacks advanced services such as content-based retrieval or…

Practical Evaluation of a Mobile Language Learning Tool in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kétyi, András

2015-01-01

Following on preliminary research (Kétyi, 2013), in this project we looked for a mobile language learning solution, which combines computers and mobile devices. Our main idea was to explore whether by integrating mobile devices in our language teaching practice, our students at the Budapest Business School would gain valuable additional learning…

Collaborative Learning in Architectural Education: Benefits of Combining Conventional Studio, Virtual Design Studio and Live Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez, Carolina; Hudson, Roland; Niblock, Chantelle

2018-01-01

Combinations of Conventional Studio and Virtual Design Studio (VDS) have created valuable learning environments that take advantage of different instruments of communication and interaction. However, past experiences have reported limitations in regards to student engagement and motivation, especially when the studio projects encourage abstraction…

Deciding Access to Work-Integrated Learning: Human Resource Professionals as Gatekeepers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mackaway, Jacqueline; Winchester-Seeto, Theresa

2018-01-01

Universities, industry and professional bodies advocate work-integrated learning (WIL) as a valuable way to prepare graduates to meet the challenges of contemporary society. When organizations preference particular students over others to host on placement, the full individual and collective potential of WIL is not realized. This paper reports…

Observation versus classification in supervised category learning.

PubMed

Levering, Kimery R; Kurtz, Kenneth J

2015-02-01

The traditional supervised classification paradigm encourages learners to acquire only the knowledge needed to predict category membership (a discriminative approach). An alternative that aligns with important aspects of real-world concept formation is learning with a broader focus to acquire knowledge of the internal structure of each category (a generative approach). Our work addresses the impact of a particular component of the traditional classification task: the guess-and-correct cycle. We compare classification learning to a supervised observational learning task in which learners are shown labeled examples but make no classification response. The goals of this work sit at two levels: (1) testing for differences in the nature of the category representations that arise from two basic learning modes; and (2) evaluating the generative/discriminative continuum as a theoretical tool for understand learning modes and their outcomes. Specifically, we view the guess-and-correct cycle as consistent with a more discriminative approach and therefore expected it to lead to narrower category knowledge. Across two experiments, the observational mode led to greater sensitivity to distributional properties of features and correlations between features. We conclude that a relatively subtle procedural difference in supervised category learning substantially impacts what learners come to know about the categories. The results demonstrate the value of the generative/discriminative continuum as a tool for advancing the psychology of category learning and also provide a valuable constraint for formal models and associated theories.

A new e-learning platform for radiology education (RadEd).

PubMed

Xiberta, Pau; Boada, Imma

2016-04-01

One of the key elements of e-learning platforms is the content provided to the students. Content creation is a time demanding task that requires teachers to prepare material taking into account that it will be accessed on-line. Moreover, the teacher is restricted by the functionalities provided by the e-learning platforms. In contexts such as radiology where images have a key role, the required functionalities are still more specific and difficult to be provided by these platforms. Our purpose is to create a framework to make teacher's tasks easier, specially when he has to deal with contents where images have a main role. In this paper, we present RadEd, a new web-based teaching framework that integrates a smart editor to create case-based exercises that support image interaction such as changing the window width and the grey scale used to render the image, taking measurements on the image, attaching labels to images and selecting parts of the images, amongst others. It also provides functionalities to prepare courses with different topics, exercises and theory material, and also functionalities to control students' work. Different experts have used RadEd and all of them have considered it a very useful and valuable tool to prepare courses where radiological images are the main component. RadEd provides teachers functionalities to prepare more realistic cases and students the ability to make a more specific diagnosis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Knowledge and expectations of women undergoing cancer genetic risk assessment: a qualitative analysis of free-text questionnaire comments.

PubMed

Phelps, C; Wood, F; Bennett, P; Brain, K; Gray, J

2007-08-01

Individuals undergoing cancer genetic risk assessment have been found to have a poor understanding of the process, which may affect how well they cope with learning their risk. This paper reports free-text data from questionnaires completed by women undergoing a randomised controlled trial of a psychological intervention. Of the 268 women undergoing genetic assessment for familial breast/ovarian cancer risk who were invited to take part in the trial, 157 women returned research questionnaires. Of these, 97 women provided free-text comments upon referral to a cancer genetics clinic, 62 provided comments whilst waiting for risk information (average, moderate or high), and 36 women provided comments following notification of risk. This paper reports a thematic analysis of the free-text data. Themes reflected individuals' poor knowledge and uncertainty about genetic risk assessment. How well individuals responded to learning their risk depended upon whether expectations had been met. Regardless of risk, individuals undergoing cancer genetic risk assessment are likely to benefit from increased information about its process and timescales, and access to increased psychological support. Free-text comments can provide valuable data about individuals' expectations and knowledge of genetics services.

Dynamically analyzing cell interactions in biological environments using multiagent social learning framework.

PubMed

Zhang, Chengwei; Li, Xiaohong; Li, Shuxin; Feng, Zhiyong

2017-09-20

Biological environment is uncertain and its dynamic is similar to the multiagent environment, thus the research results of the multiagent system area can provide valuable insights to the understanding of biology and are of great significance for the study of biology. Learning in a multiagent environment is highly dynamic since the environment is not stationary anymore and each agent's behavior changes adaptively in response to other coexisting learners, and vice versa. The dynamics becomes more unpredictable when we move from fixed-agent interaction environments to multiagent social learning framework. Analytical understanding of the underlying dynamics is important and challenging. In this work, we present a social learning framework with homogeneous learners (e.g., Policy Hill Climbing (PHC) learners), and model the behavior of players in the social learning framework as a hybrid dynamical system. By analyzing the dynamical system, we obtain some conditions about convergence or non-convergence. We experimentally verify the predictive power of our model using a number of representative games. Experimental results confirm the theoretical analysis. Under multiagent social learning framework, we modeled the behavior of agent in biologic environment, and theoretically analyzed the dynamics of the model. We present some sufficient conditions about convergence or non-convergence and prove them theoretically. It can be used to predict the convergence of the system.

How Do Lessons Learned on the International Space Station (ISS) Help Plan Life Support for Mars?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Harry W.; Hodgson, Edward W.; Gentry, Gregory J.; Kliss, Mark H.

2016-01-01

How can our experience in developing and operating the International Space Station (ISS) guide the design, development, and operation of life support for the journey to Mars? The Mars deep space Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) must incorporate the knowledge and experience gained in developing ECLSS for low Earth orbit, but it must also meet the challenging new requirements of operation in deep space where there is no possibility of emergency resupply or quick crew return. The understanding gained by developing ISS flight hardware and successfully supporting a crew in orbit for many years is uniquely instructive. Different requirements for Mars life support suggest that different decisions may be made in design, testing, and operations planning, but the lessons learned developing the ECLSS for ISS provide valuable guidance.

Creating Simple Windchill Admin Tools Using Info*Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Corey; Kapatos, Dennis; Skradski, Cory

2012-01-01

Being a Windchill administrator often requires performing simple yet repetitive tasks on large sets of objects. These can include renaming, deleting, checking in, undoing checkout, and much more. This is especially true during a migration. Fortunately, PTC has provided a simple way to dynamically interact with Windchill using Info*Engine. This presentation will describe how to create simple Info*Engine tasks capable of saving Windchill 10.0 administrators hours of tedious work. It will also show how these tasks can be combined and displayed on a simple JSP page that acts as a "Windchill Administrator Dashboard/Toolbox". The attendee will learn some valuable tasks Info*Engine capable of performing. The attendee will gain a basic understanding of how to perform and implement Info*Engine tasks. The attendee will learn what's involved in creating a JSP page that displays Info*Engine tasks

The Small Helm Project: an academic activity addressing international corruption for undergraduate civil engineering and construction management students.

PubMed

Benzley, Steven E

2006-04-01

This paper presents an academic project that addresses the issue of international corruption in the engineering and construction industry, in a manner that effectively incorporates several learning experiences. The major objectives of the project are to provide the students a learning activity that will 1) make a meaningful contribution within the disciplines being studied; 2) teach by experience a significant principle that can be valuable in numerous situations during an individual's career, and 3) engage the minds, experiences, and enthusiasm of the participants in a real ethical challenge that is prevalent in all of their chosen professional fields. The paper describes the full details of the project, the actual implementation of it during Winter Semester 2005, the experiences gained during the initial trial, and the modifications and improvements incorporated for future implementation.

A Role for YouTube in Telerehabilitation

PubMed Central

Manasco, M. Hunter; Barone, Nicholas; Brown, Amanda

2010-01-01

YouTube (http://youtube.com) is a free video sharing website that allows users to post and view videos. Although there are definite limitations in the applicability of this website to telerehabilitation, the YouTube technology offers potential uses that should not be overlooked. For example, some types of therapy, such as errorless learning therapy for certain language and cognitive deficits can be provided remotely via YouTube. In addition, the website’s social networking capabilities, via the asynchronous posting of comments and videos in response to posted videos, enables individuals to gain valuable emotional support by communicating with others with similar health and rehabilitation challenges. This article addresses the benefits and limitations of YouTube in the context of telerehabilitation and reports patient feedback on errorless learning therapy for aphasia delivered via videos posted on YouTube. PMID:25945173

Secure VM for Monitoring Industrial Process Controllers

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

Dasgupta, Dipankar; Ali, Mohammad Hassan; Abercrombie, Robert K

2011-01-01

In this paper, we examine the biological immune system as an autonomic system for self-protection, which has evolved over millions of years probably through extensive redesigning, testing, tuning and optimization process. The powerful information processing capabilities of the immune system, such as feature extraction, pattern recognition, learning, memory, and its distributive nature provide rich metaphors for its artificial counterpart. Our study focuses on building an autonomic defense system, using some immunological metaphors for information gathering, analyzing, decision making and launching threat and attack responses. In order to detection Stuxnet like malware, we propose to include a secure VM (or dedicatedmore » host) to the SCADA Network to monitor behavior and all software updates. This on-going research effort is not to mimic the nature but to explore and learn valuable lessons useful for self-adaptive cyber defense systems.« less

Cultivating a Global Pool of Future Geoscientists and Mentors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sparrow, E. B.; Yule, S.; Murphy, A.; Fenzel, M.; Buali, S.; Bourgeault, J.; Tunkl, T.; Lawani, Y.; Elwan, M.; Ruairuen, W.; Altin, L.; Boonkhot, P.

2015-12-01

The Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program ( www.globe.gov) is an international science and education program in over 28,000 schools in 114 countries. GLOBE students conduct real science - ask questions, make observations, do measurements, analyze data, and participate in research collaborations with other students and Earth scientists. In the U.S., GLOBE operates through a GLOBE Implementation Office and partnerships with U.S. organizations that recruit schools, train teachers at professional development workshops, and mentor teachers and their students to engage in GLOBE learning and research activities. Internationally, GLOBE is implemented through bilateral agreements between the U.S. government and those of partner countries that provide the structure and funding to fulfill the responsibilities and functions of a GLOBE Partnership. GLOBE students have contributed more than 129 million measurements to ongoing science investigations. GLOBE, in its 20th year, has been successful in engaging students in Earth as a system and environmental science studies during K-12 schooling and beyond as students go into college and in their careers. GLOBE Alumni is a grassroots community of former GLOBE students committed to continue GLOBE activities at a higher level. They have worked with GLOBE in Estonia, Czech Republic, Benin, Thailand and Peru, to support teachers and students in student scientific research to better understand the Earth as a system and the environment. Survey results of participants at the 2014 GLOBE Learning Expedition indicate that 53% of GLOBE students would likely choose GLOBE involvement beyond secondary school, 80 % of teachers are likely to engage former GLOBE students as near-peer mentors to their students, 70% of GLOBE Partners are likely to use the assistance of former GLOBE students when training teachers and 100% of GLOBE Partners and teachers consider former GLOBE students who may be in college or graduated, valuable as research mentors to their GLOBE students. Scientists asked how valuable they think GLOBE alumni can be to a GLOBE-wide student collaborative scientific research project; all responded in the affirmative with one scientist saying "Extremely valuable, one of the best things that happened proving the value of the program".

Hanford Double-Shell Tank Extent-of-Condition Review - 15498

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

Johnson, J. M.; Baide, D. D.; Barnes, T. J.

2014-11-19

During routine visual inspections of Hanford double-shell waste tank 241-AY-102 (AY-102), anomalies were identified on the annulus floor which resulted in further evaluations. Following a formal leak assessment in October 2012, Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS) determined that the primary tank of AY-102 was leaking. A formal leak assessment, documented in RPP-ASMT-53793, Tank 241-AY-102 Leak Assessment Report, identified first-of-a-kind construction difficulties and trial-and-error repairs as major contributing factors to tank failure.1 To determine if improvements in double-shell tank (DST) construction occurred after construction of tank AY-102, a detailed review and evaluation of historical construction records was performed for Hanford’smore » remaining twenty-seven DSTs. Review involved research of 241 boxes of historical project documentation to better understand the condition of the Hanford DST farms, noting similarities in construction difficulties/issues to tank AY-102. Information gathered provides valuable insight regarding construction difficulties, future tank operations decisions, and guidance of the current tank inspection program. Should new waste storage tanks be constructed in the future, these reviews also provide valuable lessons-learned.« less

Audience response made easy: using personal digital assistants as a classroom polling tool.

PubMed

Menon, Anil S; Moffett, Shannon; Enriquez, Melissa; Martinez, Miriam M; Dev, Parvati; Grappone, Todd

2004-01-01

Both teachers and students benefit from an interactive classroom. The teacher receives valuable input about effectiveness, student interest, and comprehension, whereas student participation, active learning, and enjoyment of the class are enhanced. Cost and deployment have limited the use of existing audience response systems, allowing anonymous linking of teachers and students in the classroom. These limitations can be circumvented, however, by use of personal digital assistants (PDAs), which are cheaper and widely used by students. In this study, the authors equipped a summer histology class of 12 students with PDAs and wireless Bluetooth cards to allow access to a central server. Teachers displayed questions in multiple-choice format as a Web page on the server and students responded with their PDAs, a process referred to as polling. Responses were immediately compiled, analyzed, and displayed. End-of-class survey results indicated that students were enthusiastic about the polling tool. The surveys also provided technical feedback that will be valuable in streamlining future trials.

Audience Response Made Easy: Using Personal Digital Assistants as a Classroom Polling Tool

PubMed Central

Menon, Anil S.; Moffett, Shannon; Enriquez, Melissa; Martinez, Miriam M.; Dev, Parvati; Grappone, Todd

2004-01-01

Both teachers and students benefit from an interactive classroom. The teacher receives valuable input about effectiveness, student interest, and comprehension, whereas student participation, active learning, and enjoyment of the class are enhanced. Cost and deployment have limited the use of existing audience response systems, allowing anonymous linking of teachers and students in the classroom. These limitations can be circumvented, however, by use of personal digital assistants (PDAs), which are cheaper and widely used by students. In this study, the authors equipped a summer histology class of 12 students with PDAs and wireless Bluetooth cards to allow access to a central server. Teachers displayed questions in multiple-choice format as a Web page on the server and students responded with their PDAs, a process referred to as polling. Responses were immediately compiled, analyzed, and displayed. End-of-class survey results indicated that students were enthusiastic about the polling tool. The surveys also provided technical feedback that will be valuable in streamlining future trials. PMID:14764615

AggNet: Deep Learning From Crowds for Mitosis Detection in Breast Cancer Histology Images.

PubMed

Albarqouni, Shadi; Baur, Christoph; Achilles, Felix; Belagiannis, Vasileios; Demirci, Stefanie; Navab, Nassir

2016-05-01

The lack of publicly available ground-truth data has been identified as the major challenge for transferring recent developments in deep learning to the biomedical imaging domain. Though crowdsourcing has enabled annotation of large scale databases for real world images, its application for biomedical purposes requires a deeper understanding and hence, more precise definition of the actual annotation task. The fact that expert tasks are being outsourced to non-expert users may lead to noisy annotations introducing disagreement between users. Despite being a valuable resource for learning annotation models from crowdsourcing, conventional machine-learning methods may have difficulties dealing with noisy annotations during training. In this manuscript, we present a new concept for learning from crowds that handle data aggregation directly as part of the learning process of the convolutional neural network (CNN) via additional crowdsourcing layer (AggNet). Besides, we present an experimental study on learning from crowds designed to answer the following questions. 1) Can deep CNN be trained with data collected from crowdsourcing? 2) How to adapt the CNN to train on multiple types of annotation datasets (ground truth and crowd-based)? 3) How does the choice of annotation and aggregation affect the accuracy? Our experimental setup involved Annot8, a self-implemented web-platform based on Crowdflower API realizing image annotation tasks for a publicly available biomedical image database. Our results give valuable insights into the functionality of deep CNN learning from crowd annotations and prove the necessity of data aggregation integration.

A Machine Learning Approach to Automated Gait Analysis for the Noldus Catwalk System.

PubMed

Frohlich, Holger; Claes, Kasper; De Wolf, Catherine; Van Damme, Xavier; Michel, Anne

2018-05-01

Gait analysis of animal disease models can provide valuable insights into in vivo compound effects and thus help in preclinical drug development. The purpose of this paper is to establish a computational gait analysis approach for the Noldus Catwalk system, in which footprints are automatically captured and stored. We present a - to our knowledge - first machine learning based approach for the Catwalk system, which comprises a step decomposition, definition and extraction of meaningful features, multivariate step sequence alignment, feature selection, and training of different classifiers (gradient boosting machine, random forest, and elastic net). Using animal-wise leave-one-out cross validation we demonstrate that with our method we can reliable separate movement patterns of a putative Parkinson's disease animal model and several control groups. Furthermore, we show that we can predict the time point after and the type of different brain lesions and can even forecast the brain region, where the intervention was applied. We provide an in-depth analysis of the features involved into our classifiers via statistical techniques for model interpretation. A machine learning method for automated analysis of data from the Noldus Catwalk system was established. Our works shows the ability of machine learning to discriminate pharmacologically relevant animal groups based on their walking behavior in a multivariate manner. Further interesting aspects of the approach include the ability to learn from past experiments, improve with more data arriving and to make predictions for single animals in future studies.

Learning Contracts in Undergraduate Courses: Impacts on Student Behaviors and Academic Performance

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-01

contract. The students each set their expectations for the next exam grade and put it in writing , and the learning contract overtly empowered them to...of success (Bandura, 1977). Putting something achievable in writing , ensuring that is it clear and customized to the individual, having prior...tests of life?" Self-direction is a highly valuable skill that involves the ability to learn independently and possess metacognitive ability. Successful

The Effects of Seductive Details in an Inflatable Planetarium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillette, Sean

Astronomy is becoming a forgotten science, which is evident by its relatively low enrollment figures compared to biology, chemistry, and physics. A portable inflatable planetarium brings relevance back to astronomy and offers support to students and educators by simulating realistic astronomical environments. This study sought to determine if learning is improved in an inflatable planetarium by adhering to the design principles of the cognitive theory of multimedia learning (CTML), specifically the coherence principle, in an authentic classroom. Two groups of 5th grade students of similar ability were purposefully assigned using a 1-teacher-to-many-students format with mean lesson lengths of 34 minutes. The experimental group was differentiated with seductive details, defined as interesting but irrelevant facts that can distract learning. The control group ( n = 28), with seductive details excluded, outperformed the experimental group (n = 28), validating the coherence principle and producing a Cohen's effect size of medium practical significance (d = 0.4). These findings suggest that CTML, when applied to planetarium instruction, does increase student learning and that seductive details do have a negative effect on learning. An adult training project was created to instruct educators on the benefits of CTML in astronomy education. This study leads to positive social change by highlighting astronomy education while providing educators with design principles of CTML in authentic settings to maximize learning, aid in the creation of digital media (astronomical simulations/instructional lessons for planetariums) and provide valuable training for owners of inflatable planetariums with the eventual goal of increasing student enrollment of astronomy courses at the local level.

Quest for quality: department of laboratory medicine and pathology, Mayo Clinic.

PubMed

Arney, Kris R; Hopper, Mary H; Tran, Sheryl A; Ward, Melissa M; Hanson, Curtis A

2004-01-01

This article describes our journey for quality in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology (DLMP) at Mayo Clinic. It provides the background of the department and the process for the development and implementation of the quality program. In addition, a quality conference and the development of a quality school are outlined. Throughout the course of this process, valuable lessons were learned and are discussed. We are pleased with the success of the quality journey. However, we realize that the quest has just begun. We look forward to the future and the challenges that lie ahead.

Needs assessment as a marketing strategy: an experience for baccalaureate nursing students.

PubMed

Colangelo, R; Goldrick, B

1991-04-01

A marketing needs assessment was undertaken as a community health project for baccalaureate nursing students. The objective of the project were: (1) to conduct a needs assessment utilizing the concepts of marketing in health planning, and (2) to identify health needs of a community based on active participation by members of the community. Through a collaborative effort with a community health agency, students were able to integrate the principles of marketing and participative decision-making into a learning experience. The results of the needs assessment provided the agency with valuable information for strategic planning.

Extraterrestrial Materials: The Role of Synchrotron Radiation Analyses in the Study of Our Solar System

ScienceCinema

Sutton, Stephen R. [University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States

2017-12-09

Sample-return missions and natural collection processes have provided us with a surprisingly extensive collection of matter from Solar System bodies other than the Earth. These collections include samples from the Moon, Mars, asteroids, interplanetary dust, and, recently, from the Sun (solar wind) and a comet. This presentation will describe some of these materials, how they were collected, and what we have learned from them. Synchrotron radiation analyses of these materials are playing an increasingly valuable role in unraveling the histories and properities of the parent Solar System bodies.

A novel method for preparing histology slides to integrate the teaching of gross and microscopic anatomy.

PubMed

Provo-Klimek, Judy A; Troyer, Deryl L

2002-01-01

The authors have previously reported the development of a novel technique for sampling and preparing tissue slides for routine microscopic examination, without the use of a microtome. Termed "RAMP" (Rapid Adhesive Mediated Procedure), this simple, albeit somewhat crude, technique holds promise as a method that can be used in the field by veterinary practitioners for rapid microscopic evaluations to obtain early preliminary estimates of the nature of a mass or lesion. We incorporated the use of this method into a gross anatomy course in an attempt to gauge its utility for novices in tissue sampling and histology slide preparation. By having each group of students take a tissue sample from their cadaver, the activity simulated an actual necropsy situation in which practitioners in the field might use the technique. Because students were able to follow their specimen from sampling to microscopic examination, the activity provided a valuable integration of their learning of gross and microscopic anatomy. We conducted an evaluation of the process and the resulting slides with two successive classes of students. We conclude that the RAMP method is reasonably successful in the hands of individuals not trained in tissue preparation; was well received by the students as a valuable learning tool; and could potentially yield useful histological information for practicing veterinarians. Limitations of the method are also discussed.

The effectiveness of immediate feedback during the objective structured clinical examination.

PubMed

Hodder, R V; Rivington, R N; Calcutt, L E; Hart, I R

1989-03-01

Using eight different physical examination or technical stations, 400 examinations were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of immediate feedback during the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). The test group comprised 50 medical students who underwent a standard 4-minute examination followed by 2 minutes of feedback. Immediately following feedback the students repeated an identical 4-minute examination scored by the same examiners. The control group consisted of 50 students from the same class who underwent an identical testing sequence, but instead of receiving feedback, they were instructed to continue their examinations for an additional 2 minutes before repeating the stations. Simple repetition of the task did not significantly improve score (mean increase 2.0%, NS). Extending the testing period from 4 to 6 minutes resulted in a small but significant increase in score (mean 6.7%, P less than 0.001). However, there was a much larger increase in the scores obtained following 2 minutes of immediate feedback compared to pre-feedback performance (mean 26.3%, P less than 0.0001). The majority of students and examiners felt that feedback, as administered in this study, was valuable both as a learning and teaching experience. Short periods of immediate feedback during an OSCE are practical and can improve competency in the performance of criterion-based tasks, at least over the short term. In addition, such feedback provides students with valuable self-assessment that may stimulate further learning.

Student Perceptions of a Recreation Trail Assignment as a Valuable Learning Experience for Geography Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mullens, Jo Beth

2016-01-01

Charging undergraduate geography students with the task of designing a recreational trail in their local community offers an engaging experiential opportunity with potential to advance geographic learning in a real-world setting. This article presents an assignment in which students were asked to develop a recreational trail proposal for an…

Near-Peer Teaching in Anatomy: An Approach for Deeper Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Darrell J. R.; Cuffe, Tracy

2009-01-01

Peer teaching has been recognized as a valuable and effective approach for learning and has been incorporated into medical, dental, and healthcare courses using a variety of approaches. The success of peer teaching is thought to be related to the ability of peer tutors and tutees to communicate more effectively, thereby improving the learning…

Teaching and Learning the Interplay between Chance and Determinism in Nonlinear Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stavrou, Dimitrios; Duit, Reinders

2014-01-01

That the interplay of random and deterministic processes may result in both the limited predictability of nonlinear systems and the formation of structures seems to be a most valuable general insight into the nature of science. This study investigates the possibility of teaching and learning the interplay of chance and determinism in nonlinear…

Youth Voices: The WorkReady Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Philadelphia Youth Network, 2009

2009-01-01

WorkReady programs offer young Philadelphians not only their first job, but skills for success. Young people who work during high school often master valuable skills that can help them do better in high school and college; learn new things that open their eyes to career possibilities; and earn more money later in life. When young people learn how…

Values and the Search for Self.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bellanca, James A.

The purpose of this book is to help the reader to become a more effective facilitator of learning. Based on the assumption that the most valuable learning is founded in self-knowledge and a resultant knowledge of others, the book presents a view of teaching as helping and caring with a supportive yet flexible structure. It states that the goal of…

Teachers as Participatory Designers: Two Case Studies with Technology-Enhanced Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cober, Rebecca; Tan, Esther; Slotta, Jim; So, Hyo-Jeong; Könings, Karen D.

2015-01-01

Teachers are not typically involved as participatory designers in the design of technology-enhanced learning environments. As they have unique and valuable perspectives on the role of technology in education, it is of utmost importance to engage them in a participatory design process. Adopting a case study methodology, we aim to reveal in what…

An Experimental Study of Satisfaction Response: Evaluation of Online Collaborative Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Xusen; Wang, Xueyin; Huang, Jianqing; Zarifis, Alex

2016-01-01

On the one hand, a growing amount of research discusses support for improving online collaborative learning quality, and many indicators are focused to assess its success. On the other hand, thinkLets for designing reputable and valuable collaborative processes have been developed for more than ten years. However, few studies try to apply…

Social Conversation and Effective Discussion in Online Group Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Fei-Ching; Wang, Thomas C.

2009-01-01

This paper studies the social talk of high school students in online discussion forums. On-task talk has generally been assessed as valuable discussion because it contributes directly to productive learning. Off-task conversation, on the other hand, is often regarded as useless and a waste of time. Should this social talk indeed be regarded as an…

The Tropical Rainforest: A Valuable Natural History Resource for Students in Singapore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chin, Christine; bin Rajib, Tayeb

2010-01-01

Students living in cities seldom experience the rural outdoors when learning science. This lack of first-hand experience with nature is of concern, especially when they are learning about animals, plants and ecosystems. This study investigated how a teacher in Singapore organised a field trip to the rainforest to help his students bridge the gap…

Enriching Students' Education Using Interactive Workstations at a Salt Mine Turned Science Center

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meissner, Barbara; Bogner, Franz

2011-01-01

Although teachers in principle are prepared to make use of science centers, such excursions often fail to facilitate learning processes. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the link between science centers and schools. The design and evaluation of valuable outreach projects may enhance students' out-of-school science learning. In our study, we…

Participative Case Studies: Integrating Case Writing and a Traditional Case Study Approach in a Marketing Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forman, Howard

2006-01-01

Case-based pedagogy is a valuable tool for applying business concepts and theories to organizational contexts. Traditional case-based pedagogy offers such learning opportunities. What this pedagogy lacks, however, is an element of real-time experiential learning opportunities. This research focuses on the advantages of incorporating a case-writing…

Value Innovation in Learner-Centered Design. How to Develop Valuable Learning Tools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breuer, Henning; Schwarz, Heinrich; Feller, Kristina; Matsumoto, Mitsuji

2014-01-01

This paper shows how to address technological, cultural and social transformations with empirically grounded innovation. Areas in transition such as higher education and learning techniques today bring about new needs and opportunities for innovative tools and services. But how do we find these tools? The paper argues for using a strategy of…

The Fall and Redemption of People and Systems: Potential Lessons from the "Star Wars" Saga

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guerrero, Anthony P. S.; Jamora, Maria Jasmin

2007-01-01

Through an analysis of the fall and redemption of Anakin Skywalker and the Galactic Republic of the Star Wars saga, educators may be able to convey valuable lessons to students learning about child and adolescent psychiatry and to junior psychiatrists learning about psychiatric administration and liaison. Specifically, educators may be able to…

The Effect and Importance of Technology in the Research Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuff, Ed

2014-01-01

From elementary schooling to doctoral-level education, technology has become an integral part of the learning process in and out of the classroom. With the implementation of the Common Core Learning Standards, the skills required for research are more valuable than ever, for they are required to succeed in a college setting, as well as in the…

Transforming Taxonomies into Rubrics: Using SOLO in Social Science and Inclusive Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rembach, Lauren; Dison, Laura

2016-01-01

Designing assessment rubrics has become an important pedagogical practice for lecturers in the Wits School of Education (WsoE) in the recognition of writing as a valuable tool for teaching and learning across disciplines. This paper describes and reflects on the process of adapting the SOLO taxonomy (Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes)…

Inculcating Positive Thinking in the Self-Concept of Children with Learning Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abed, Mohaned Ghazi

2017-01-01

Inculcating positive thinking can act as a valuable tool in enhancing the overall self-concept of children with learning disabilities. The value of positive psychology is recognized as the basis for recent research conducted in the field of strength development. Positive psychology is centered on the view that individual lives can be improved by…

English Digital Dictionaries as Valuable Blended Learning Tools for Palestinian College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dwaik, Raghad A. A.

2015-01-01

Digital technology has become an indispensable aspect of foreign language learning around the globe especially in the case of college students who are often required to finish extensive reading assignments within a limited time period. Such pressure calls for the use of efficient tools such as digital dictionaries to help them achieve their…

Effective e-learning in surgical education: the core values underpinning effective e-learning environments and how these may be enhanced for future surgical education

PubMed Central

Bamford, R; Coulston, J

2016-01-01

e-learning is a valuable tool that has a number of advantages for Surgical Oncology training and education. The rapidly evolving nature of, and limited clinical exposure to oncological practice creates challenges for surgical trainees to stay up to date and engaged. Online learning can be accessed anywhere at any time and allows trainees to develop, apply and be assessed on their learning. To be effective, it must be educationally sound and embrace technology to enhance learners’ experience. PMID:26913075

Surgical education and adult learning: Integrating theory into practice.

PubMed

Rashid, Prem

2017-01-01

Surgical education continues to evolve from the master-apprentice model. Newer methods of the process need to be used to manage the dual challenges of educating while providing safe surgical care. This requires integrating adult learning concepts into delivery of practical training and education in busy clinical environments. A narrative review aimed at outlining and integrating adult learning and surgical education theory was undertaken. Additionally, this information was used to relate the practical delivery of surgical training and education in day-to-day surgical practice. Concepts were sourced from reference material. Additional material was found using a PubMed search of the words: 'surgical education theory' and 'adult learning theory medical'. This yielded 1351 abstracts, of which 43 articles with a focus on key concepts in adult education theory were used. Key papers were used to formulate structure and additional cross-referenced papers were included where appropriate. Current concepts within adult learning have a lot to offer when considering how to better deliver surgical education and training. Better integration of adult learning theory can be fruitful. Individual teaching surgical units need to rethink their paradigms and consider how each individual can contribute to the education experience. Up skilling courses for trainers can do much to improve the delivery of surgical education. Understanding adult learning concepts and integrating these into day-to-day teaching can be valuable.

Surgical education and adult learning: Integrating theory into practice

PubMed Central

Rashid, Prem

2017-01-01

Surgical education continues to evolve from the master-apprentice model. Newer methods of the process need to be used to manage the dual challenges of educating while providing safe surgical care. This requires integrating adult learning concepts into delivery of practical training and education in busy clinical environments. A narrative review aimed at outlining and integrating adult learning and surgical education theory was undertaken. Additionally, this information was used to relate the practical delivery of surgical training and education in day-to-day surgical practice. Concepts were sourced from reference material. Additional material was found using a PubMed search of the words: ‘surgical education theory’ and ‘adult learning theory medical’. This yielded 1351 abstracts, of which 43 articles with a focus on key concepts in adult education theory were used. Key papers were used to formulate structure and additional cross-referenced papers were included where appropriate. Current concepts within adult learning have a lot to offer when considering how to better deliver surgical education and training. Better integration of adult learning theory can be fruitful. Individual teaching surgical units need to rethink their paradigms and consider how each individual can contribute to the education experience. Up skilling courses for trainers can do much to improve the delivery of surgical education. Understanding adult learning concepts and integrating these into day-to-day teaching can be valuable. PMID:28357046

Information based universal feature extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amiri, Mohammad; Brause, Rüdiger

2015-02-01

In many real world image based pattern recognition tasks, the extraction and usage of task-relevant features are the most crucial part of the diagnosis. In the standard approach, they mostly remain task-specific, although humans who perform such a task always use the same image features, trained in early childhood. It seems that universal feature sets exist, but they are not yet systematically found. In our contribution, we tried to find those universal image feature sets that are valuable for most image related tasks. In our approach, we trained a neural network by natural and non-natural images of objects and background, using a Shannon information-based algorithm and learning constraints. The goal was to extract those features that give the most valuable information for classification of visual objects hand-written digits. This will give a good start and performance increase for all other image learning tasks, implementing a transfer learning approach. As result, in our case we found that we could indeed extract features which are valid in all three kinds of tasks.

Honeybee associative learning performance and metabolic stress resilience are positively associated.

PubMed

Amdam, Gro V; Fennern, Erin; Baker, Nicholas; Rascón, Brenda

2010-03-17

Social-environmental influences can affect animal cognition and health. Also, human socio-economic status is a covariate factor connecting psychometric test-performance (a measure of cognitive ability), educational achievement, lifetime health, and survival. The complimentary hypothesis, that mechanisms in physiology can explain some covariance between the same traits, is disputed. Possible mechanisms involve metabolic biology affecting integrity and stability of physiological systems during development and ageing. Knowledge of these relationships is incomplete, and underlying processes are challenging to reveal in people. Model animals, however, can provide insights into connections between metabolic biology and physiological stability that may aid efforts to reduce human health and longevity disparities. We document a positive correlation between a measure of associative learning performance and the metabolic stress resilience of honeybees. This relationship is independent of social factors, and may provide basic insights into how central nervous system (CNS) function and metabolic biology can be associated. Controlling for social environment, age, and learning motivation in each bee, we establish that learning in Pavlovian conditioning to an odour is positively correlated with individual survival time in hyperoxia. Hyperoxia induces oxidative metabolic damage, and provides a measure of metabolic stress resistance that is often related to overall lifespan in laboratory animals. The positive relationship between Pavlovian learning ability and stress resilience in the bee is not equally established in other model organisms so far, and contrasts with a genetic cost of improved associative learning found in Drosophila melanogaster. Similarities in the performances of different animals need not reflect common functional principles. A correlation of honeybee Pavlovian learning and metabolic stress resilience, thereby, is not evidence of a shared biology that will give insight about systems integrity in people. Yet, the means to resolve difficult research questions often come from findings in distant areas of science while the model systems that turn out to be valuable are sometimes the least predictable. Our results add to recent findings indicating that honeybees can become instrumental to understanding how metabolic biology influences life outcomes.

Ready: how to keep your customers coming back.

PubMed

Eliscu, A T

2000-01-01

Customer service is a major, but often overlooked, issue in health care today. While other industries and organizations recognize how good customer relations can affect long-term success, many health care providers have yet to learn this valuable lesson. The Ritz-Carlton, which won the prestigious Baldridge Award for service, has a well-earned reputation for excellent customer service. Like health care providers, this hotel industry icon hires hourly workers, puts them in uniform and has them work in teams. Unlike health care, however, The Ritz-Carlton seems to be able to generate a much higher level of customer satisfaction. How? This chapter illustrates the techniques the hotel chain uses to accomplish its goal and how these important tools can apply to the health care industry.

Involving Individuals with Disorders of Sex Development and Their Parents in Exploring New Models of Shared Learning: Proceedings from a DSDnet COST Action Workshop.

PubMed

Sanders, Caroline; Hall, Joanne; Sanders, Caroline; Dessens, Arianne; Bryce, Jillian; Callens, Nina; Cools, Martine; Kourime, Mariam; Kyriakou, Andreas; Springer, Alexander; Audi, Laura; Balsamo, Antonio; Iotova, Violeta; Mladenov, Vilhelm; Krawczynski, Maciej; Nordenskjöld, Agneta; Rozas, Marta; Claahsen-van der Grinten, Hedi; Hiort, Olaf; Riedl, Stefan; Ahmed, S Faisal

2018-06-23

The level of connection between health care professionals and people who experience a condition that affects sex development is variable. These people and associated support groups need to be included in discussions about research and healthcare delivery. The aim of this study was to understand the experiences of individuals with disorders of sexual development (DSD), their parents, health care providers, and support groups. Workshop planning, preparation, delivery, and evaluation involved members of working groups from the COST Action DSDnet. A coordinator, in collaboration with a support group representative, led the workshop design and delivery. Our successful, facilitated workshop involved 33 attendees from 8 EU countries. The workshop provided individuals with DSD, parents, advisory groups, and professionals with an opportunity for shared learning. Outputs focused on 7 key areas, including diagnosis, childhood, and transition to adult care as well as fostering discussion around registries, future research topics, consent processes, and information needs across the life course. The importance of trustworthy and knowledgeable providers, time to understand such rare conditions, and the place support groups have in a life course approach were valuable learning points for all attendees. In conclusion, workshops can be designed and delivered in meaningful ways for all those involved in care of individuals with rare conditions. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Advances in medical education and practice: role of massive open online courses.

PubMed

Goldberg, Lynette R; Crocombe, Leonard A

2017-01-01

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are increasingly available in the area of health and medicine. These MOOCs are offered through various commercial and noncommercial online platforms. When offered through reputable institutions, they can provide valuable access to reliable information without the constraints of time, geographical location, or level of education. Most current courses appear introductory in nature. In its drive for quality health care, the National Academy of Medicine has prioritized a focus on known chronic care conditions. Many of these conditions are shared internationally. Among its initiatives, the academy encourages consumer and professional groups, patients, clinicians, health care organizations, and universities to work together to identify evidence-based care processes consistent with best practices, organize major prevention programs to target key associated health risk behaviors, and develop systems to measure and evaluate improvements in the provision of patient- and family-centered health care. Carefully designed and collaboratively developed MOOCs would appear a valuable resource to contribute to these initiatives. Such MOOCs can, 1) increase the health literacy of the public with regard to the prevention and treatment of known chronic care conditions, 2) provide ready access to continuing professional, and interprofessional, education, and 3) explore innovative teaching models for student learning focused on patient- and family-centered care. MOOCs would also appear helpful to facilitate effective communication among international communities of patients and clinicians, including student clinicians, with shared interests. Further, the accumulation of MOOC data through large-scale measurement and analysis, obtained nationally and internationally, has the potential to assist in greater understanding of the risk for diseases and their prevention, with this translating into medical education, and authentic, patient- and family-centered methods for student learning. This paper explores these issues.

Advances in medical education and practice: role of massive open online courses

PubMed Central

Goldberg, Lynette R; Crocombe, Leonard A

2017-01-01

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are increasingly available in the area of health and medicine. These MOOCs are offered through various commercial and noncommercial online platforms. When offered through reputable institutions, they can provide valuable access to reliable information without the constraints of time, geographical location, or level of education. Most current courses appear introductory in nature. In its drive for quality health care, the National Academy of Medicine has prioritized a focus on known chronic care conditions. Many of these conditions are shared internationally. Among its initiatives, the academy encourages consumer and professional groups, patients, clinicians, health care organizations, and universities to work together to identify evidence-based care processes consistent with best practices, organize major prevention programs to target key associated health risk behaviors, and develop systems to measure and evaluate improvements in the provision of patient- and family-centered health care. Carefully designed and collaboratively developed MOOCs would appear a valuable resource to contribute to these initiatives. Such MOOCs can, 1) increase the health literacy of the public with regard to the prevention and treatment of known chronic care conditions, 2) provide ready access to continuing professional, and interprofessional, education, and 3) explore innovative teaching models for student learning focused on patient- and family-centered care. MOOCs would also appear helpful to facilitate effective communication among international communities of patients and clinicians, including student clinicians, with shared interests. Further, the accumulation of MOOC data through large-scale measurement and analysis, obtained nationally and internationally, has the potential to assist in greater understanding of the risk for diseases and their prevention, with this translating into medical education, and authentic, patient- and family-centered methods for student learning. This paper explores these issues. PMID:28860891

Distance learning: investing in employees' futures.

PubMed

Having, Karen M; Collins, Kevin S

2005-01-01

The compassion and overall efficiency of those technologists with whom the patient interacts impacts the patient's decision to utilize the facility in the future. Because employee interaction largely influences patient satisfaction, the radiology administrator is challenged to recruit, but more importantly, retain quality employees. Benefit options designed to provide employees the latitude to achieve personal goals as well as professional obligations can be valuable recruitment and retention tools. Ultimately, the purpose of an employee benefit is to promote employee satisfaction, leading to employee retention and culminating in greater patient satisfaction. Since the "ability to influence their career" is reported to be a major area of difference in perceived agreement between the technologist and administrator, it is important to consider avenues for attaining education and skills to meet employee goals far advance. ment within the organization. Distance education, described as a method to provide educational offerings without displacing the learner from the workfarce and his or her community setting, has been successfully implemented in many allied health specialties. Distance learning farmat options include, but not limited to, written correspondence courses, audiotapes, video, Internet, and satellite. These options provide educational access to those with employment and family constraints. The funds that would be spent on recruitment or temporary help can be applied toward training or retraining current employees. Typically, one year of service is required for each year of schooling funded. In some cases, if the training is offered via distance learning, the clinical training portion of the educational program can be conducted at the facility sponsoring the student. Providing clinical training at a facility reduces the student's learning curve associated with transitioning into the open position.

Medical School Anatomy and Pathology Workshops for High School Students Enhance Learning and Provide Inspiration for Careers in Medicine

PubMed Central

Fenderson, Bruce A.; Veloski, J. Jon; Livesey, Michael; Wojdon-Smith, Tracey

2016-01-01

“Anatomy and Pathology Workshop” is a cadaver-based outreach program that models medical education to large groups of high school students. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of this program on students’ knowledge of anatomy and interest in biomedical science. A total of 144 high school students participated in the workshop in 2015. Preworkshop and postworkshop assessments were administered to assess students’ learning. A postworkshop survey was conducted to solicit students’ reflections and feedback. It was found that student performance in the postworkshop examination (mean 78%) had significantly improved when compared to the performance in the preexamination (mean 54%), indicating that this program enhances learning. Students were also inspired to consider opportunities in medicine and allied health professions—97% indicated that they had a better understanding of medical education; 95% agreed that they had better understanding of the human body; 84% thought anatomy was interesting and exciting; and 62% of the students indicated that they looked forward to studying medicine or another health profession. Students rated the instructors highly—95% agreed that the instructors were professional and served as role models. Medical/graduate student instructors were also highly regarded by the high school students—96% thought it was valuable to have student instructors and 94% thought that student instructors were caring and enthusiastic about teaching. In summary, this study demonstrates that outreach programs provided by medical schools help young adults during their formative years by modeling professionalism, providing role models, enhancing learning, and encouraging many to consider opportunities in the health professions. PMID:28725784

Use of a Virtual Learning Platform for Distance-Based Simulation in an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Curriculum.

PubMed

Carman, Margaret; Xu, Shu; Rushton, Sharron; Smallheer, Benjamin A; Williams, Denise; Amarasekara, Sathya; Oermann, Marilyn H

Acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP) programs that use high-fidelity simulation as a teaching tool need to consider innovative strategies to provide distance-based students with learning experiences that are comparable to those in a simulation laboratory. The purpose of this article is to describe the use of virtual simulations in a distance-based ACNP program and student performance in the simulations. Virtual simulations using iSimulate were integrated into the ACNP course to promote the translation of content into a clinical context and enable students to develop their knowledge and decision-making skills. With these simulations, students worked as a team, even though they were at different sites from each other and from the faculty, to manage care of an acutely ill patient. The students were assigned to simulation groups of 4 students each. One week before the simulation, they reviewed past medical records. The virtual simulation sessions were recorded and then evaluated. The evaluation tools assessed 8 areas of performance and included key behaviors in each of these areas to be performed by students in the simulation. More than 80% of the student groups performed the key behaviors. Virtual simulations provide a learning platform that allows live interaction between students and faculty, at a distance, and application of content to clinical situations. With simulation, learners have an opportunity to practice assessment and decision-making in emergency and high-risk situations. Simulations not only are valuable for student learning but also provide a nonthreatening environment for staff to practice, receive feedback on their skills, and improve their confidence.

Assessing Postgraduate Student Perceptions and Measures of Learning in a Peer Review Feedback Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simpson, Genevieve; Clifton, Julian

2016-01-01

Peer review feedback, developed to assist students with increasing the quality of group reports and developing peer review skills, was added to a master's level Climate Change Policy and Planning unit. A pre- and post-survey was conducted to determine whether students found the process a valuable learning opportunity: 87% of students responding to…

The Provision of School Assemblies as a Primary Prevention Psycho-Educational Strategy, for Early Adolescents in Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kingsley-Scott, Janis

2012-01-01

School psychologists are becoming more and more involved in helping our youth to learn better coping strategies, decision making skills, and develop tolerance with others. According to Elias (2002), school psychologists are valuable resources for early adolescents to learn skills necessary to avoid high-risk behaviors, including alcohol and drug…

Unlearning How to Teach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McWilliam, Erica

2008-01-01

The twenty-first century demands not only that we learn new forms of social engagement but also that we "unlearn" habits that have been useful in the past but may no longer be valuable to the future. Teachers have "un-learned" the role of "Sage-on-the-stage" as the dominent model of teaching, and the shift to "Guide-on-the-side" has served an…

Using a Balance Scorecard Approach to Evaluate the Value of Service Learning Projects in Online Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwieger, Dana

2015-01-01

Service learning projects serve as a valuable tool for applying course concepts in a way to benefit both the students and community. However, they often require a significant amount of additional effort beyond that required of assigning conventional homework problems. When the projects take place in an online course setting, the level of…

Teach Students to Dig for Understanding Using an Unexpected Technological Shovel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lake, Susan E. L.

2004-01-01

Online genealogy tools is an unexpected resource as these tools not only serve valuable for genealogy research, but also can be used by students to learn about their country's past and learn to use primary materials to draw conclusions. Some of these Online sources like the 1880 census available at www.ancestry.com, www.thepastwhispers.com, which…

Exploring Students' Learning Needs: Expectation and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poedjiastutie, Dwi; Oliver, Rhonda

2017-01-01

Needs analysis is not new in education or academic circles. Many scholars and educators in different parts of the world see this approach as a valuable tool for program development and review as it is a mechanism that can be used to link the students' present academic learning with their future needs. This is also true with respect to language…

Exploring Hispanic Teacher Candidates' Beliefs about the Value of Play in Children's Learning and Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cortez-Castro, Diana H.

2015-01-01

Play has been globally recognized as valuable to children's learning and development (Frost et al., 2012). The value of play is acknowledged as a developmentally appropriate practice in part because it fosters cognitive, physical, emotional, and social benefits to children. Play is also known as a human right that should be protected. However, in…

The Value of Workplace Learning in the First Year for University Students from Under-Represented Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McEwen, Celina; Trede, Franziska

2014-01-01

Workplace learning (WPL) is widely accepted in universities as a valuable component of educating for professional practices. Most often though, the focus of WPL is on helping students transition into the workforce, neglecting the role it can play in helping students transition into university. Using an online questionnaire and interviews, a study…

Through Their Eyes: Lessons Learned Using Participatory Methods in Health Care Quality Improvement Projects

PubMed Central

Balbale, Salva N.; Locatelli, Sara M.; LaVela, Sherri L.

2016-01-01

In this methodological article, we examine participatory methods in-depth to demonstrate how these methods can be adopted for quality improvement (QI) projects in health care. We draw on existing literature and our QI initiatives in the Department of Veterans Affairs to discuss the application of photovoice and guided tours in QI efforts. We highlight lessons learned and several benefits of using participatory methods in this area. Using participatory methods, evaluators can engage patients, providers and other stakeholders as partners to enhance care. Participant involvement helps yield actionable data that can be translated into improved care practices. Use of these methods also helps generate key insights to inform improvements that truly resonate with stakeholders. Using participatory methods is a valuable strategy to harness participant engagement and drive improvements that address individual needs. In applying these innovative methodologies, evaluators can transcend traditional approaches to uniquely support evaluations and improvements in health care. PMID:26667882

Lessons Learned from the Puerto Rico Battery Energy Storage System

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

Boyes, John D.; De Anda, Mindi Farber; Torres, Wenceslao

1999-08-11

The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) installed a battery energy storage system in 1994 at a substation near San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was patterned after two other large energy storage systems operated by electric utilities in California and Germany. The Puerto Rico facility is presently the largest operating battery storage system in the world and has successfully provided frequency control, voltage regulation, and spinning reseme to the Caribbean island. The system further proved its usefulness to the PREPA network in the fall of 1998 in the aftermath of Hurricane Georges. However, the facility has suffered accelerated cell failuresmore » in the past year and PREPA is committed to restoring the plant to full capacity. This represents the first repowering of a large utility battery facility. PREPA and its vendors and contractors learned many valuable lessons during all phases of project development and operation, which are summarized in this paper.« less

Threading Together Patient Expertise

PubMed Central

Civan, Andrea; Pratt, Wanda

2007-01-01

Patients are valuable sources of expertise for other patients in similar situations, but little is understood about the nature of this expertise. To address this knowledge gap, we investigated informational support as a mechanism for peers to help one another learn to cope with the breast cancer experience. We analyzed the types of problems discussed and recommendations offered by correspondents in three online breast cancer communities. Informational support was prevalent and directed towards problems in which correspondents were planning for future events or coping with emergent situations. Peers shared a wealth of patient expertise, including action strategies, recommended knowledge, suggested approaches, and information resources for dealing with problems. Our results highlight how peers are helping one another to learn. These findings bring insight to new support we could provide to patients for developing and sharing patient expertise, such as problem-based information organization and functionality for collaborative problem solving. PMID:18693814

Disorientating, fun or meaningful? Disadvantaged families' experiences of a science museum visit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Archer, Louise; Dawson, Emily; Seakins, Amy; Wong, Billy

2016-12-01

It is widely agreed that there is a need to increase and widen science participation. Informal science learning environments (ISLEs), such as science museums, may provide valuable spaces within which to engage visitors—yet the visitor profile of science museums remains narrow. This paper seeks to understand the experiences of socially disadvantaged families within such spaces. Using a Bourdieusian analytic lens, we analyse qualitative data from a small study conducted with ten parents and ten children from an urban school who visited a large science museum. Data includes pre- and post-interviews, audio recordings and visit fieldnotes. We characterised families' experiences as falling into three discourses, as `disorientating', `fun' or `meaningful' visits. Analysis identifies how the families' experiences, and the likelihood of deriving science learning from the visit, were shaped through interactions of habitus and capital. Implications for improving equity and inclusion within ISLEs are discussed.

Intervention strategies for spatial orientation disorders in dementia: a selective review.

PubMed

Caffò, Alessandro O; Hoogeveen, Frans; Groenendaal, Mari; Perilli, Anna Viviana; Picucci, Luciana; Lancioni, Giulio E; Bosco, Andrea

2014-06-01

This article provides a brief overview of the intervention strategies aimed at reducing spatial orientation disorders in elderly people with dementia. Eight experimental studies using spatial cues, assistive technology programs, reality orientation training, errorless learning technique, and backward chaining programs are described. They can be classified into two main approaches: restorative and compensatory, depending on whether they rely or not on residual learning ability, respectively. A review of the efficacy of these intervention strategies is proposed. Results suggest that both compensatory and restorative approaches may be valuable in enhancing correct way-finding behavior, with various degrees of effectiveness. Some issues concerning (a) variability in participants' characteristics and experimental designs and (b) practicality of intervention strategies do not permit to draw a definite conclusion. Future research should be aimed at a direct comparison between these two strategies, and should incorporate an extensive neuropsychological assessment of spatial domain.

Disaster policy and nuclear liability: Insights from post-Chernobyl agriculture in the United Kingdom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerr, William A.; Kwaczek, Adrienne S.; Mooney, Sian

1989-09-01

The recent events at Chernobyl have again brought the issues of nuclear safety to the forefront of the nuclear power debate. Fortunately, our experience with such incidents has been very limited, but it is important to learn as much as possible from such events so as to minimize the cost and effect of any other nuclear incidents, be they small or large. Much of the discussion about the possible effects of nuclear incidents has centered around the human cost in terms of health. While this is undoubtedly of paramount concern, the effect of the release of radiation from Chernobyl on the agricultural resource base in Europe can provide valuable insights on how to reduce the costs associated with the contamination of agricultural areas. This article outlines some of the lessons that can be learned using the livestock-raising industry in northern Wales as an example.

A listening skill educational intervention for pediatric rehabilitation clinicians: A mixed-methods pilot study.

PubMed

King, Gillian; Servais, Michelle; Shepherd, Tracy A; Willoughby, Colleen; Bolack, Linda; Moodie, Sheila; Baldwin, Patricia; Strachan, Deborah; Knickle, Kerry; Pinto, Madhu; Parker, Kathryn; McNaughton, Nancy

2017-01-01

To prepare for an RCT by examining the effects of an educational intervention on the listening skills of pediatric rehabilitation clinicians, piloting study procedures, and investigating participants' learning experiences. Six experienced clinicians received the intervention, consisting of video simulations and solution-focused coaching regarding personal listening goals. Self- and observer-rated measures of listening skill were completed and qualitative information was gathered in interviews and a member checking session. Significant change on self-reported listening skills was found from pre- to post-test and/or follow-up. The pilot provided useful information to improve the study protocol, including the addition of an initial orientation to listening skills. Participants found the intervention to be a highly valuable and intense learning experience, and reported immediate changes to their clinical and interprofessional practice. The educational intervention has the potential to be an effective means to enhance the listening skills of practicing pediatric rehabilitation clinicians.

Weather uncertainty versus climate change uncertainty in a short television weather broadcast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Witte, J.; Ward, B.; Maibach, E.

2011-12-01

For TV meteorologists talking about uncertainty in a two-minute forecast can be a real challenge. It can quickly open the way to viewer confusion. TV meteorologists understand the uncertainties of short term weather models and have different methods to convey the degrees of confidence to the viewing public. Visual examples are seen in the 7-day forecasts and the hurricane track forecasts. But does the public really understand a 60 percent chance of rain or the hurricane cone? Communication of climate model uncertainty is even more daunting. The viewing public can quickly switch to denial of solid science. A short review of the latest national survey of TV meteorologists by George Mason University and lessons learned from a series of climate change workshops with TV broadcasters provide valuable insights into effectively using visualizations and invoking multimedia-learning theories in weather forecasts to improve public understanding of climate change.

Understanding the art of feminist pedagogy: facilitating interpersonal skills learning for nurses.

PubMed

Lamont, Emma

2014-05-01

The purpose of this study is to explore feminist pedagogy integrated with facilitation skills. A pedagogy project was undertaken with students participating in the BSc (Hons) Nursing programme, whereby a module, "Interpersonal Skills for Nurses" was developed for 72 year 1 students. A feminist pedagogy involves employing the powers of diversity to create an environment where all students' voices are heard. It values the power of sharing to create a community of learners in which teachers and students share their talents, skills and abilities to enhance the learning of all (Chinn, 2001). An end of semester evaluation provided feedback which indicated this was a valuable module to teach year 1 student nurses. It highlighted that student nurses found the topic both interesting and relevant and felt it was taught in a way that promoted their personal development and identity as a nurse. © 2013.

Playing interprofessional games: reflections on using the Interprofessional Education Game (iPEG).

PubMed

Joseph, Sundari; Diack, Lesley

2015-05-01

This report explores the relevance of gaming in IPE curriculum design with the use of the Interprofessional Education Game (iPEG) as an activity aimed to achieve positive interprofessional learning outcomes for students. It was designed to enable the understanding of professional roles and responsibilities in patient/client care settings. We provide a description of its implementation and evaluation with first year student cohorts (900+ per cohort) over a 3-year period within an established interprofessional education (IPE) programme. The game encapsulates fun and memorable learning styles to explore professional stereotypes and team approaches to care delivery. It can be a valuable teaching tool for those designing IPE curriculum. Evaluation data from students and staff were mainly positive. We discuss the use of the game and its potential to be adapted in flexible and creative ways to assist educators in consider incorporating gaming within their own IPE programmes.

Assessing practice-based learning and improvement.

PubMed

Lynch, Deirdre C; Swing, Susan R; Horowitz, Sheldon D; Holt, Kathleen; Messer, Joseph V

2004-01-01

Practice-based learning and improvement (PBLI) is 1 of 6 general competencies expected of physicians who graduate from an accredited residency education program in the United States and is an anticipated requirement for those who wish to maintain certification by the member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties. This article describes methods used to assess PBLI. Six electronic databases were searched using several search terms pertaining to PBLI. The review indicated that 4 assessment methods have been used to assess some or all steps of PBLI: portfolios, projects, patient record and chart review, and performance ratings. Each method is described, examples of application are provided, and validity, reliability, and feasibility characteristics are discussed. Portfolios may be the most useful approach to assess residents' PBLI abilities. Active participation in peer-driven performance improvement initiatives may be a valuable approach to confirm practicing physician involvement in PBLI.

Dimensions of Learning Organizations Questionnaire (DLOQ) in a low-resource health care setting in Nepal.

PubMed

Leufvén, Mia; Vitrakoti, Ravi; Bergström, Anna; Ashish, K C; Målqvist, Mats

2015-01-22

Knowledge-based organizations, such as health care systems, need to be adaptive to change and able to facilitate uptake of new evidence. To be able to assess organizational capability to learn is therefore an important part of health systems strengthening. The aim of the present study is to assess context using the Dimensions of the Learning Organization Questionnaire (DLOQ) in a low-resource health setting in Nepal. DLOQ was translated and administered to 230 employees at all levels of the hospital. Data was analyzed using non-parametric tests. The DLOQ was able to detect variations across employee's perceptions of the organizational context. Nurses scored significantly lower than doctors on the dimension "Empowerment" while doctors scored lower than nurses on "Strategic leadership". These results suggest that the hospital's organization carries attributes of a centralized, hierarchical structure that might hinder a progress towards a learning organization. This study demonstrates that, despite the designing and developing of the DLOQ in the USA and its main utilization in company settings, it can be used and applied in hospital settings in low-income countries. The application of DLOQ provides valuable insights and understanding when designing and evaluating efforts for healthcare improvement.

Becoming a Physicist: How Identities and Practices Shape Physics Trajectories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quan, Gina M.

This dissertation studies the relationships and processes which shape students' participation within the discipline of physics. Studying this early disciplinary participation gives insight to how students are supported in or pushed out of physics, which is an important step in cultivating a diverse set of physics students. This research occurs within two learning environments that we co-developed: a physics camp for high school girls and a seminar for undergraduate physics majors to get started in physics research. Using situated learning theory, we conceptualized physics learning to be intertwined with participation in physics practices and identity development. This theoretical perspective draws our attention to relationships between students and the physics community. Specifically, we study how students come to engage in the practices of the community and who they are within the physics community. We find that students' interactions with faculty and peers impact the extent to which students engage in authentic physics practices. These interactions also impact the extent to which students develop identities as physicists. We present implications of these findings for the design of physics learning spaces. Understanding this process of how students become members of the physics community will provide valuable insights into fostering a diverse set of successful trajectories in physics.

Experiential learning in high energy physics: a survey of students at the LHC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camporesi, Tiziano; Catalano, Gelsomina; Florio, Massimo; Giffoni, Francesco

2017-03-01

More than 36 000 students and post-docs will be involved until 2025 in research at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) mainly through international collaborations. To what extent they value the skills acquired? Do students expect that their learning experience will have an impact on their professional future? By drawing from earlier literature on experiential learning, we have designed a survey of current and former students at LHC. To quantitatively measure the students’ perceptions, we compare the salary expectations of current students with the assessment of those now employed in different jobs. Survey data are analysed by ordered logistic regression models, which allow multivariate statistical analyses with limited dependent variables. Results suggest that experiential learning at LHC positively correlates with both current and former students’ salary expectations. Those already employed clearly confirm the expectations of current students. At least two not mutually exclusive explanations underlie the results. First, the training at LHC is perceived to provide students valuable skills, which in turn affect the salary expectations; secondly, the LHC research experience per se may act as signal in the labour market. Respondents put a price tag on their learning experience, a ‘LHC salary premium’ ranging from 5% to 12% compared with what they would have expected for their career without such an experience at CERN.

Beatquency domain and machine learning improve prediction of cardiovascular death after acute coronary syndrome.

PubMed

Liu, Yun; Scirica, Benjamin M; Stultz, Collin M; Guttag, John V

2016-10-06

Frequency domain measures of heart rate variability (HRV) are associated with adverse events after a myocardial infarction. However, patterns in the traditional frequency domain (measured in Hz, or cycles per second) may capture different cardiac phenomena at different heart rates. An alternative is to consider frequency with respect to heartbeats, or beatquency. We compared the use of frequency and beatquency domains to predict patient risk after an acute coronary syndrome. We then determined whether machine learning could further improve the predictive performance. We first evaluated the use of pre-defined frequency and beatquency bands in a clinical trial dataset (N = 2302) for the HRV risk measure LF/HF (the ratio of low frequency to high frequency power). Relative to frequency, beatquency improved the ability of LF/HF to predict cardiovascular death within one year (Area Under the Curve, or AUC, of 0.730 vs. 0.704, p < 0.001). Next, we used machine learning to learn frequency and beatquency bands with optimal predictive power, which further improved the AUC for beatquency to 0.753 (p < 0.001), but not for frequency. Results in additional validation datasets (N = 2255 and N = 765) were similar. Our results suggest that beatquency and machine learning provide valuable tools in physiological studies of HRV.

Scale of Academic Emotion in Science Education: Development and Validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiang, Wen-Wei; Liu, Chia-Ju

2014-04-01

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

A pilot study of team learning on in-patient rounds.

PubMed

Colbert, James; Pelletier, Stephen; Xavier-Depina, Francisca; Shields, Helen

2016-02-01

Medical trainees often do not receive structured teaching during in-patient rounds. To assess whether the addition of a collaborative team learning technique would improve the learning experience on a general medicine in-patient team. Eight learners participated in this pilot study. Learning teams consisted of internal medicine residents and third-year medical students on a general medicine in-patient rotation. The experimental curriculum covered four common topics: cardiac stress testing; syncope; pneumonia; and valvular heart disease. Sessions had the following format: (1) each learner answered five self-assessment questions using an immediate feedback technique; (2) learners were divided into groups of two or three to discuss their answers; (3) the teaching doctor led a discussion to clarify and summarise, and also distributed a handout delineating key learning points. Control sessions consisted of the usual teaching rounds. Learners were e-mailed a daily online survey asking them to rate the rounds and handouts on a Likert scale. Medical trainees often do not receive structured teaching during in-patient rounds All of the learners rated the collaborative team learning intervention as either 'excellent' or 'very good'. Learners also indicated that they found the take-away handout valuable, and positive responses were also noted in the survey comments. A novel collaborative team learning technique resulted in high ratings of teaching rounds by medical residents and medical students. Learners found the sessions engaging, high yield, and educationally valuable. This interactive discussion-based teaching method could be used to enhance the learning experience during teaching rounds on medical, surgical and subspecialty services. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Rheoencephalographic and electroencephalographic measures of cognitive workload: analytical procedures.

PubMed

Montgomery, L D; Montgomery, R W; Guisado, R

1995-05-01

This investigation demonstrates the feasibility of mental workload assessment by rheoencephalographic (REG) and multichannel electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring. During the performance of this research, unique testing, analytical and display procedures were developed for REG and EEG monitoring that extend the current state of the art and provide valuable tools for the study of cerebral circulatory and neural activity during cognition. REG records are analyzed to provide indices of the right and left hemisphere hemodynamic changes that take place during each test sequence. The EEG data are modeled using regression techniques and mathematically transformed to provide energy-density distributions of the scalp electrostatic field. These procedures permit concurrent REG/EEG cognitive testing not possible with current techniques. The introduction of a system for recording and analysis of cognitive REG/EEG test sequences facilitates the study of learning and memory disorders, dementia and other encephalopathies.

Rheoencephalographic and electroencephalographic measures of cognitive workload: analytical procedures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montgomery, L. D.; Montgomery, R. W.; Guisado, R.

1995-01-01

This investigation demonstrates the feasibility of mental workload assessment by rheoencephalographic (REG) and multichannel electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring. During the performance of this research, unique testing, analytical and display procedures were developed for REG and EEG monitoring that extend the current state of the art and provide valuable tools for the study of cerebral circulatory and neural activity during cognition. REG records are analyzed to provide indices of the right and left hemisphere hemodynamic changes that take place during each test sequence. The EEG data are modeled using regression techniques and mathematically transformed to provide energy-density distributions of the scalp electrostatic field. These procedures permit concurrent REG/EEG cognitive testing not possible with current techniques. The introduction of a system for recording and analysis of cognitive REG/EEG test sequences facilitates the study of learning and memory disorders, dementia and other encephalopathies.

Brainstorming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ball, Daniel W.

1973-01-01

Suggests the technique of brainstorming, in which a group generates spontaneous thoughts regarding how something might be used or how a problem might be solved, as a valuable way to help elementary school children learn science. (JR)

An exploration of the factors that contribute to learning satisfaction of first-year anatomy and physiology students.

PubMed

Eagleton, Saramarie

2015-09-01

Lecturers have reverted to using a "blended" approach when teaching anatomy and physiology. Student responses as to how this contributes to their learning satisfaction were investigated using a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of closed- and open-ended questions that were based on three determinants of learning satisfaction: perceived course learnability, learning community support, and perceived learning effectiveness. Regarding course learnability, students responded positively on questions regarding the relevance of the subject for their future careers. However, students identified a number of distractions that prevented them from paying full attention to their studies. As far as learning community support was concerned, respondents indicated that they were more comfortable asking a peer for support if they were unsure of concepts than approaching the lecturing staff. Most of the students study in their second language, and this was identified as a stumbling block for success. There was a difference in opinion among students regarding the use of technology for teaching and learning of anatomy and physiology. From students' perceptions regarding learning effectiveness, it became clear that students' expectations of anatomy and physiology were unrealistic; they did not expect the module to be so comprehensive. Many of the students were also "grade oriented" rather than "learning oriented" as they indicated that they were more concerned about results than "owning" the content of the module. Asking students to evaluate aspects of the teaching and learning process have provided valuable information to improve future offerings of anatomy and physiology. Copyright © 2015 The American Physiological Society.

Heritage Adoption Lessons Learned: Cover Deployment and Latch Mechanism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wincentsen, James

2006-01-01

Within JPL, there is a technology thrust need to develop a larger Cover Deployment and Latch Mechanism (CDLM) for future missions. The approach taken was to adopt and scale the CDLM design as used on the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) project. The three separate mechanisms that comprise the CDLM will be discussed in this paper in addition to a focus on heritage adoption lessons learned and specific examples. These lessons learned will be valuable to any project considering the use of heritage designs.

Hanford Double-Shell Tank Extent-of-Condition Construction Review

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

Venetz, Theodore J.; Johnson, Jeremy M.; Gunter, Jason R.

2013-11-14

During routine visual inspections of Hanford double-shell waste tank 241-AY-102 (AY-102), anomalies were identified on the annulus floor which resulted in further evaluations. Following a formal leak assessment in October 2012, Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS) determined that the primary tank of AY-102 was leaking. The formal leak assessment, documented in RPP-ASMT-53793,Tank 241-AY-102 Leak Assessment Report, identified first-of-a-kind construction difficulties and trial-and-error repairs as major contributing factors to tank failure. To determine if improvements in double-shell tank (DST) construction occurred after construction of tank AY-102, a detailed review and evaluation of historical construction records were performed for the firstmore » three DST tank farms constructed, which included tanks 241-AY-101, 241-AZ-101, 241-AZ-102, 241-SY-101, 241-SY-102, and 241-SY-103. The review for these six tanks involved research and review of dozens of boxes of historical project documentation. These reviews form a basis to better understand the current condition of the three oldest Hanford DST farms. They provide a basis for changes to the current tank inspection program and also provide valuable insight into future tank use decisions. If new tanks are constructed in the future, these reviews provide valuable "lessons-learned" information about expected difficulties as well as construction practices and techniques that are likely to be successful.« less

The work of the Village: creating a new world for children with hearing loss and their families.

PubMed

Yoshinaga-Itano, Christine; Thomson, Vickie

2008-01-01

Though the health and economic issues in developing countries may create situations in which the development of early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) programs could seem insurmountable, developing countries have some resources that are not easily available to those in the developed world. Developing countries often have well-organized communities in which members work together for the benefit of the individuals within their communities as well as a willingness to learn strategies that can improve the lives of individuals in their communities. Paradoxically, there also exists societal intolerance for disabilities that can result in stigmatization and ultimate isolation of affected families. Hopefully, education within these communities can begin to overcome historical intolerance. While some might argue that sufficient financial resources are the key to the development of an EHDI system, the Colorado system, although grateful for all financial resources, is dependent, first and foremost upon the human resources. This article provides information about the history of the Colorado system in the hopes that lessons learned will provide valuable input to others facing similar challenges.

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.

The use of plastinated prosections for teaching anatomy--the view of medical students on the value of this learning resource.

PubMed

Fruhstorfer, B H; Palmer, J; Brydges, S; Abrahams, P H

2011-03-01

Over the past decade, the role of anatomical teaching in the undergraduate medical curriculum has changed considerably. At some medical schools, active dissection of cadaveric specimens is gradually being replaced by prosection-based methods and other resources such as e-learning. Warwick Medical School has recently obtained a large collection of plastinated prosections, which replace wet cadaveric specimens in undergraduate anatomy teaching. The aim of this study was to examine students' views on the use of plastinated prosections for their anatomical learning. A mixed method approach was employed using a questionnaire and focus group for data collection. The questionnaire was completed by 125 first-year medical students (response rate 68%). The majority of students (94%) rated plastinated prosections as a valuable resource for their anatomical learning. Various features of the specimens were highlighted, such as the detailed view of relevant anatomy, appreciation of relations between structures, and visualization of anatomy in real life. However, learning on plastinated prosections was perceived to be compromised because of limitations in terms of tactile and emotional experience. We conclude that plastinated prosections are an adequate resource for the early stages of undergraduate training, but that the learning experience may be further enhanced by providing opportunity for the study of wet cadaveric material. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Effect of collaborative testing on learning and retention of course content in nursing students.

PubMed

Rivaz, Mozhgan; Momennasab, Marzieh; Shokrollahi, Paymaneh

2015-10-01

Collaborative testing is a learning strategy that provides students with the opportunity to learn and practice collaboration. This study aimed to determine the effect of collaborative testing on test performance and retention of course content in nursing students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. This quasi-experimental study was carried out on 84 students enrolled in the course of Medical-Surgical 2 in Spring 2013 and Fall 2013 semesters. The control group consisting of 39 students participated in the first mid-term exam in an individual format. The intervention group, on the other hand, consisted of 45 students who took the test in a two-stage process. The first stage included an individual testing, while the second stage was a collaborative one given in groups of five individuals chosen randomly. Four weeks later, in order to investigate retention of the course content, both groups took part in the second mid-term exam held individually. The study findings showed significant difference between the mean scores in the intervention group in the Fall 2013 semester (p=0.001). Besides, a statistically significant difference was found between the two groups regarding the tests mean scores (p=0.001). Moreover, retention of course content improved in the collaborative group (p=0.001). The results indicated an increase in test performance and a long-term learning enhancement in collaborative testing compared with the traditional method. Collaborative testing, as an active learning technique and a valuable assessment method, can help nursing instructors provide the alumni with strong problem-solving and critical thinking abilities at healthcare environments.

The use of porcine corrosion casts for teaching human anatomy.

PubMed

Eberlova, Lada; Liska, Vaclav; Mirka, Hynek; Tonar, Zbynek; Haviar, Stanislav; Svoboda, Milos; Benes, Jan; Palek, Richard; Emingr, Michal; Rosendorf, Jachym; Mik, Patrik; Leupen, Sarah; Lametschwandtner, Alois

2017-09-01

In teaching and learning human anatomy, anatomical autopsy and prosected specimens have always been indispensable. However, alternative methods must often be used to demonstrate particularly delicate structures. Corrosion casting of porcine organs with Biodur E20 ® Plus is valuable for teaching and learning both gross anatomy and, uniquely, the micromorphology of cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, and urogenital systems. Assessments of casts with a stereomicroscope and/or scanning electron microscope as well as highlighting cast structures using color coding help students to better understand how the structures that they have observed as two-dimensional images actually exist in three dimensions, and students found using the casts to be highly effective in their learning. Reconstructions of cast hollow structures from (micro-)computed tomography scans and videos facilitate detailed analyses of branching patterns and spatial arrangements in cast structures, aid in the understanding of clinically relevant structures and provide innovative visual aids. The casting protocol and teaching manual we offer can be adjusted to different technical capabilities and might also be found useful for veterinary or other biological science classes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Using online modules is a multi-modality teaching system: a high-touch high-tech approach to geriatric education.

PubMed

Gainor, Sara Jane; Goins, R Turner; Miller, Lee Ann

2004-01-01

Making geriatric education available to rural faculty/preceptors, students, and practitioners presents many challenges. Often the only options considered for educating those in the health professions about geriatrics are either traditional face-to-face courses or distance education programs. The purpose of this paper was to examine the use of Web-based modules or courses and other distance learning technology in concert with traditional learning modalities. The Mountain State Geriatric Education Center explored the use of a multi-modal approach within a high-touch, high-tech framework. Our findings indicate the following: it is important to start where participants are ready to begin; flexibility and variety are needed; soliciting evaluative feedback from participants is valuable; there is a need to integrate distance learning with more traditional modalities; and a high-tech, high-touch approach provides a format which participants find acceptable, accessible, and attractive. This assertion does not rule out the use of technology for distance education but rather encourages educators to take advantage of a wide range of modalities, traditional and technological, to reach rural practitioners, faculty, and students.

Student-oriented learning outlines: a valuable supplement to traditional instruction.

PubMed

VanArsdale, S K; Hammons, J O

1998-01-01

In a time of changing health care and funding restraints in institutions, continuing education and staff development departments are being challenged to produce better prepared nurses at reduced costs per employee. Improvements in how nurses are prepared are needed to ensure higher levels of competence without increasing the cost. This article describes the development and use of a practical strategy for mastery learning known as Student-Oriented Learning Outlines or SOLOs. This approach has been found to be effective in producing improvements in learning and ultimately patient care while reducing cost to the institution.

Exploring Mars for Evidence of Past or Present Life: Roles of Robotic and Human Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farmer, Jack D.

1996-01-01

During the coming decade, robotic field science will play a fundamental role in exploring Mars for evidence of past life and/or prebiotic chemistry. To create a context for such exploration, we especially need to understand the mineralogy and chemistry of the Martian surface. We have learned that the preservation of biological signatures in rocks on Earth is favored by rapid mineralization processes that are restricted to a comparatively small number of geological settings. Thus, a detailed knowledge of surface mineralogy will provide valuable clues about past Martian environments as a necessary context for future exobiological exploration.

Creating a balanced scorecard for a hospital system.

PubMed

Pink, G H; McKillop, I; Schraa, E G; Preyra, C; Montgomery, C; Baker, G R

2001-01-01

In 1999, hospitals in Ontario, Canada, collaborated with a university-based research team to develop a report on the relative performance of individual hospitals in Canada's most populated province. The researchers used the balanced-scorecard framework advocated by Kaplan and Norton. Indicators of performance were developed in four areas: clinical utilization and outcomes, patient satisfaction, system integration and change, and financial performance and condition. The process of selecting, calculating, and validating meaningful indicators of financial performance and condition is outlined. Lessons learned along the way are provided. These lessons may prove valuable to other finance researchers and practitioners who are engaged in performance measurement endeavors.

Reemergence of the Natural History of Otolaryngologic Infections: Lessons Learned from 2 American Presidents.

PubMed

Naples, James; Schwartz, Marissa; Eisen, Marc

2017-09-01

Presidents George Washington and Theodore Roosevelt suffered complications of epiglottitis and otomastoiditis, respectively. The introduction of antibiotics and vaccinations against Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae has significantly reduced the incidence of these otolaryngologic infections, such that the natural history of the disease is rarely encountered. However, antibiotic resistance and pathogenic evolution has raised concern about increased virulence of these common organisms. A retrospective evaluation of the complications suffered by Washington and Roosevelt provides valuable insight to the natural history of common otolaryngologic infections that may reemerge as a result of organism evolution in response to antibiotics and vaccines.

Opportunities and obstacles for deep learning in biology and medicine.

PubMed

Ching, Travers; Himmelstein, Daniel S; Beaulieu-Jones, Brett K; Kalinin, Alexandr A; Do, Brian T; Way, Gregory P; Ferrero, Enrico; Agapow, Paul-Michael; Zietz, Michael; Hoffman, Michael M; Xie, Wei; Rosen, Gail L; Lengerich, Benjamin J; Israeli, Johnny; Lanchantin, Jack; Woloszynek, Stephen; Carpenter, Anne E; Shrikumar, Avanti; Xu, Jinbo; Cofer, Evan M; Lavender, Christopher A; Turaga, Srinivas C; Alexandari, Amr M; Lu, Zhiyong; Harris, David J; DeCaprio, Dave; Qi, Yanjun; Kundaje, Anshul; Peng, Yifan; Wiley, Laura K; Segler, Marwin H S; Boca, Simina M; Swamidass, S Joshua; Huang, Austin; Gitter, Anthony; Greene, Casey S

2018-04-01

Deep learning describes a class of machine learning algorithms that are capable of combining raw inputs into layers of intermediate features. These algorithms have recently shown impressive results across a variety of domains. Biology and medicine are data-rich disciplines, but the data are complex and often ill-understood. Hence, deep learning techniques may be particularly well suited to solve problems of these fields. We examine applications of deep learning to a variety of biomedical problems-patient classification, fundamental biological processes and treatment of patients-and discuss whether deep learning will be able to transform these tasks or if the biomedical sphere poses unique challenges. Following from an extensive literature review, we find that deep learning has yet to revolutionize biomedicine or definitively resolve any of the most pressing challenges in the field, but promising advances have been made on the prior state of the art. Even though improvements over previous baselines have been modest in general, the recent progress indicates that deep learning methods will provide valuable means for speeding up or aiding human investigation. Though progress has been made linking a specific neural network's prediction to input features, understanding how users should interpret these models to make testable hypotheses about the system under study remains an open challenge. Furthermore, the limited amount of labelled data for training presents problems in some domains, as do legal and privacy constraints on work with sensitive health records. Nonetheless, we foresee deep learning enabling changes at both bench and bedside with the potential to transform several areas of biology and medicine. © 2018 The Authors.

Opportunities and obstacles for deep learning in biology and medicine

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Deep learning describes a class of machine learning algorithms that are capable of combining raw inputs into layers of intermediate features. These algorithms have recently shown impressive results across a variety of domains. Biology and medicine are data-rich disciplines, but the data are complex and often ill-understood. Hence, deep learning techniques may be particularly well suited to solve problems of these fields. We examine applications of deep learning to a variety of biomedical problems—patient classification, fundamental biological processes and treatment of patients—and discuss whether deep learning will be able to transform these tasks or if the biomedical sphere poses unique challenges. Following from an extensive literature review, we find that deep learning has yet to revolutionize biomedicine or definitively resolve any of the most pressing challenges in the field, but promising advances have been made on the prior state of the art. Even though improvements over previous baselines have been modest in general, the recent progress indicates that deep learning methods will provide valuable means for speeding up or aiding human investigation. Though progress has been made linking a specific neural network's prediction to input features, understanding how users should interpret these models to make testable hypotheses about the system under study remains an open challenge. Furthermore, the limited amount of labelled data for training presents problems in some domains, as do legal and privacy constraints on work with sensitive health records. Nonetheless, we foresee deep learning enabling changes at both bench and bedside with the potential to transform several areas of biology and medicine. PMID:29618526

Convenience Matters: A Qualitative Study on the Impact of Use of Social Media and Collaboration Technologies on Learning Experience and Performance in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jang, Yeona

2015-01-01

Social media and collaboration technologies are viewed as valuable tools for creating a new reality of collaborative learning, particularly in higher education facing millennials growing up with various technologies in their daily lives. Using the example of an undergraduate course taught on-campus, this study examines how millennial students in…

Macaque monkeys can learn token values from human models through vicarious reward.

PubMed

Bevacqua, Sara; Cerasti, Erika; Falcone, Rossella; Cervelloni, Milena; Brunamonti, Emiliano; Ferraina, Stefano; Genovesio, Aldo

2013-01-01

Monkeys can learn the symbolic meaning of tokens, and exchange them to get a reward. Monkeys can also learn the symbolic value of a token by observing conspecifics but it is not clear if they can learn passively by observing other actors, e.g., humans. To answer this question, we tested two monkeys in a token exchange paradigm in three experiments. Monkeys learned token values through observation of human models exchanging them. We used, after a phase of object familiarization, different sets of tokens. One token of each set was rewarded with a bit of apple. Other tokens had zero value (neutral tokens). Each token was presented only in one set. During the observation phase, monkeys watched the human model exchange tokens and watched them consume rewards (vicarious rewards). In the test phase, the monkeys were asked to exchange one of the tokens for food reward. Sets of three tokens were used in the first experiment and sets of two tokens were used in the second and third experiments. The valuable token was presented with different probabilities in the observation phase during the first and second experiments in which the monkeys exchanged the valuable token more frequently than any of the neutral tokens. The third experiments examined the effect of unequal probabilities. Our results support the view that monkeys can learn from non-conspecific actors through vicarious reward, even a symbolic task like the token-exchange task.

The ACR BI-RADS® Experience: Learning From History

PubMed Central

Burnside, Elizabeth S.; Sickles, Edward A.; Bassett, Lawrence W.; Rubin, Daniel L.; Lee, Carol H.; Ikeda, Debra M.; Mendelson, Ellen B.; Wilcox, Pamela A.; Butler, Priscilla F.; D’Orsi, Carl J.

2011-01-01

The Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System® (BI-RADS®) initiative, instituted by the ACR, was begun in the late 1980s to address a lack of standardization and uniformity in mammography practice reporting. An important component of the BI-RADS initiative is the lexicon, a dictionary of descriptors of specific imaging features. The BI-RADS lexicon has always been data driven, using descriptors that previously had been shown in the literature to be predictive of benign and malignant disease. Once established, the BI-RADS lexicon provided new opportunities for quality assurance, communication, research, and improved patient care. The history of this lexicon illustrates a series of challenges and instructive successes that provide a valuable guide for other groups that aspire to develop similar lexicons in the future. PMID:19945040

Valuable human capital: the aging health care worker.

PubMed

Collins, Sandra K; Collins, Kevin S

2006-01-01

With the workforce growing older and the supply of younger workers diminishing, it is critical for health care managers to understand the factors necessary to capitalize on their vintage employees. Retaining this segment of the workforce has a multitude of benefits including the preservation of valuable intellectual capital, which is necessary to ensure that health care organizations maintain their competitive advantage in the consumer-driven market. Retaining the aging employee is possible if health care managers learn the motivators and training differences associated with this category of the workforce. These employees should be considered a valuable resource of human capital because without their extensive expertise, intense loyalty and work ethic, and superior customer service skills, health care organizations could suffer severe economic repercussions in the near future.

Attitudes of health care students about computer-aided neuroanatomy instruction.

PubMed

McKeough, D Michael; Bagatell, Nancy

2009-01-01

This study examined students' attitudes toward computer-aided instruction (CAI), specifically neuroanatomy learning modules, to assess which components were primary in establishing these attitudes and to discuss the implications of these attitudes for successfully incorporating CAI in the preparation of health care providers. Seventy-seven masters degree, entry-level, health care professional students matriculated in an introductory neuroanatomy course volunteered as subjects for this study. Students independently reviewed the modules as supplements to lecture and completed a survey to evaluate teaching effectiveness. Responses to survey statements were compared across the learning modules to determine if students viewed the modules differently. Responses to individual survey statements were averaged to measure the strength of agreement or disagreement with the statement. Responses to open-ended questions were theme coded, and frequencies and percentages were calculated for each. Students saw no differences between the learning modules. Students perceived the learning modules as valuable; they enjoyed using the modules but did not prefer CAI over traditional lecture format. The modules were useful in learning or reinforcing neuroanatomical concepts and improving clinical problem-solving skills. Students reported that the visual representation of the neuroanatomical systems, computer animation, ability to control the use of the modules, and navigational fidelity were key factors in determining attitudes. The computer-based learning modules examined in this study were effective as adjuncts to lecture in helping entry-level health care students learn and make clinical applications of neuroanatomy information.

Nursing students at a university - a study about learning style preferences.

PubMed

Hallin, Karin

2014-12-01

In most adult education, teachers use methods that assume all students learn in the same way. But knowledge of students' learning style preferences highlights the importance of adequate teaching and learning adaptation. The aim of the study was to describe and compare final year nursing students' learning style preferences in two campuses during three semesters. A further aim was to identify differences between learning style preferences and personal characteristics. A descriptive cross-sectional study using the Productivity Environmental Preference Survey (PEPS) questionnaire was conducted at a Swedish rural university. Three semester groups with 263 nursing students participated in 2012-2013. The majority of the students were 'flexible' in their learning style preferences and had none or few strong preferences. Students with strong preferences preferred high structure (75%) and an authority figure present (40%). About a third were highly auditory, tactile and/or kinesthetic while 8% were highly visual. Few significant differences were revealed between the groups of campuses and the groups of semesters or between learning style preferences and upper secondary school and care experience. There were no significant differences between learning style preferences and age and assistant nurse graduation. More women than men were highly motivated, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic and preferred structure and mobility. The PEPS questionnaire provides nursing students with self-awareness regarding their strengths and shortcomings in learning and teachers with a valuable and practical basis for their selection of adapted individual and group teaching methods. The findings suggest the need for wide variation and interactive teaching approaches, conscious didactic actions between cooperating teachers and conscious learning strategies for nursing students. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Process of Poster Presentation: A Valuable Learning Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bracher, Lee; Cantrell, Jane; Wilkie, Kay

1998-01-01

Describes the formative use of poster presentations in a nursing-education program. Discusses the use of poster presentation as a successful assessment strategy and a motivating experience for students and teachers. (Author/WRM)

CSC Tip Sheets: Working with Students

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Work with students, individually or in teams, who are a volunteer workforce that offers resources to implement projects. In turn, these students are given a valuable hands-on learning experience, academic credit, and a career boost.

Learning to care: medical students' reported value and evaluation of palliative care teaching involving meeting patients and reflective writing.

PubMed

Borgstrom, Erica; Morris, Rachel; Wood, Diana; Cohn, Simon; Barclay, Stephen

2016-11-25

Over recent years there has been an increase in teaching of both palliative care and reflective practice in UK medical schools. The palliative care teaching at the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine is multi-faceted and involves students writing reflective essays after individually meeting patients approaching the end of life during their final year general practice and hospital medicine placements. This paper draws on two studies examining this teaching element to analyse what the students found valuable about it and to comment on the practice of meeting patients and subsequent reflective writing. Two studies have explored students' perceptions of these course components. The first was a thematic analysis of 234 reflective essays from 123 students written in 2007-2008, including examining what students wrote about the exercise itself. The second project involved a semi-structured questionnaire that students completed anonymously; this paper reports on the free text elements of that study [sample size =107]. Since similar themes were found in both studies, the coding structures from each project were compared and combined, enabling triangulation of the findings around what the students found valuable from the palliative care teaching involving meeting patients and reflective writing. Overall, students reported that these components of the palliative care teaching are valuable. Four main themes were identified as aspects that students valued: (1) dedicated time with patients, (2) learning about wider elements of treatment and holistic care, (3) practicing communication skills, and (4) learning about themselves through reflective writing. Some students expressed a dislike for having to formally write a reflective essay. It is possible to arrange for all of the medical students to individually meet at least two patients receiving palliative or end of life care. Students found these encounters valuable and many wrote about the benefit of formally writing about these experiences. Students reported finding this model useful in widening their skill-set and understanding of palliative care.

Anesthesiology mentoring.

PubMed

Wenzel, Volker; Gravenstein, Nikolaus

2016-12-01

Mentoring is fundamentally valuable and important to students considering a path into our specialty, as well as to colleagues already in it and with ambition to advance. General principles and personal experiences are collected and described to help inform future mentors and to reinforce the value of having a mentor and the satisfaction (and work) that is associated with such a role. Detecting a latent talent among medical students or residents may be challenging but is worth the effort to develop personal careers and the specialty itself. Upon agreeing to jointly move a certain project, a professional plan is needed to improve chances of success and decrease the likelihood of frustration. Various challenges always have to be detected and solved, with the ultimate goal to guide a medical student to residency, subsequently into faculty status and preferably to lifelong collaboration. Access to a mentor is an often-cited key to choosing a specialty and the success of junior colleagues and thus the entire department. Mentoring is fundamentally valuable in providing role modeling and also in protecting the mentee from the inefficiency of learning lessons the hard way.

“Homework Feedback Is…”: Elementary and Middle School Teachers’ Conceptions of Homework Feedback

PubMed Central

Cunha, Jennifer; Rosário, Pedro; Núñez, José Carlos; Nunes, Ana Rita; Moreira, Tânia; Nunes, Tânia

2018-01-01

This study explored mathematics teachers’ conceptions of the homework feedback focusing on four key aspects: definition, purpose, types, and perceived impact. Forty-seven teachers from elementary and middle schools participated in six focus groups. Data were analyzed using content analysis. To enhance the trustworthiness of findings, classroom observations were used for triangulation of data. Participants conceptualized homework feedback in three directions (i.e., teachers’ feedback provided to students, students’ feedback provided to teachers, and homework self-feedback), being teachers’ monitoring of students’ learning the purpose reported by most teachers. Participants also reported the types of homework feedback more frequently used in class (e.g., checking homework completion, checking homework on the board), and their perceived impact on students. Findings provide valuable information to deepen the understanding of the homework feedback process, which may help develop new avenues for future research. PMID:29467687

"Homework Feedback Is…": Elementary and Middle School Teachers' Conceptions of Homework Feedback.

PubMed

Cunha, Jennifer; Rosário, Pedro; Núñez, José Carlos; Nunes, Ana Rita; Moreira, Tânia; Nunes, Tânia

2018-01-01

This study explored mathematics teachers' conceptions of the homework feedback focusing on four key aspects: definition, purpose, types, and perceived impact. Forty-seven teachers from elementary and middle schools participated in six focus groups. Data were analyzed using content analysis. To enhance the trustworthiness of findings, classroom observations were used for triangulation of data. Participants conceptualized homework feedback in three directions (i.e., teachers' feedback provided to students, students' feedback provided to teachers, and homework self-feedback), being teachers' monitoring of students' learning the purpose reported by most teachers. Participants also reported the types of homework feedback more frequently used in class (e.g., checking homework completion, checking homework on the board), and their perceived impact on students. Findings provide valuable information to deepen the understanding of the homework feedback process, which may help develop new avenues for future research.

Trauma and Hypothermia in Antarctica: An Emergency Medicine Marine Simulation Scenario

PubMed Central

Horwood, Chrystal; Skinner, Tate; Brown, Robert; Renouf, Tia; Dubrowski, Adam

2017-01-01

Simulation has been shown to improve both learner knowledge and patient outcomes. Many emergency medicine training programs incorporate simulation into their curricula to provide learners with experiences that are rare to encounter in practice, yet performance with a high degree of competence is critical. One rare encounter, which is depicted in the report, is the management of a trauma patient who was hypothermic after falling from an expedition vessel into the cold Southern Ocean. The unique scenario presented in this technical report incorporates CanMEDS learning objectives including the communicator, health advocate, and collaborator roles. Using medical simulation facilities, marine performance simulation facilities, and a video, this scenario provides teaching that is uncommon in traditional emergency medicine training. As such, it is valuable for trainees who intend to practice rural, remote, or expedition medicine, or provide coverage for ships and marine installations. PMID:28706765

Educating Parents About Pediatric Research: Children and Clinical Studies Website Qualitative Evaluation.

PubMed

Marceau, Lisa D; Welch, Lisa C; Pemberton, Victoria L; Pearson, Gail D

2016-07-01

A gap in information about pediatric clinical trials exists, and parents remain uncertain about what is involved in research studies involving children. We aimed to understand parent perspectives about pediatric clinical research after viewing the online Children and Clinical Studies (CaCS) program. Using a qualitative descriptive study design, we conducted focus groups with parents and phone interviews with physicians. Three themes emerged providing approaches to improve parent's understanding of clinical research by including strategies where parents (a) hear from parents like themselves to learn about pediatric research, (b) receive general clinical research information to complement study-specific details, and (c) are provided more information about the role of healthy child volunteers. Parents found the website a valuable tool that would help them make a decision about what it means to participate in research. This tool can assist parents, providers, and researchers by connecting general information with study-specific information. © The Author(s) 2015.

Ground Testing of a 10 K Sorption Cryocooler Flight Experiment (BETSCE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bard, S.; Wu, J.; Karlmann, P.; Cowgill, P.; Mirate, C.; Rodriguez, J.

1994-01-01

The Brilliant Eyes Ten-Kelvin Sorption Cryocooler Experiment (BETSCE) is a Space Shuttle side-wall-mounted flight experiment designed to demonstrate 10 K sorption cryocooler technology in a space environment. The BETSCE objectives are to: (1) provide a thorough end-to-end characterization and space performance validation of a complete, multistage, automated, closed-cycle hydride sorption cryocooler in the 10 to 30 K temperature range, (2) acquire the quantitative microgravity database required to provide confident engineering design, scaling, and optimization, (3) advance the enabling technologies and resolve integration issues, and (4) provide hardware qualification and safety verification heritage. BETSCE ground tests were the first-ever demonstration of a complete closed-cycle 10 K sorption cryocooler. Test results exceeded functional requirements. This paper summarizes functional and environmental ground test results, planned characterization tests, important development challenges that were overcome, and valuable lessons-learned.

Twelve tips for blueprinting.

PubMed

Coderre, Sylvain; Woloschuk, Wayne; McLaughlin, Kevin

2009-04-01

Content validity is a requirement of every evaluation and is achieved when the evaluation content is congruent with the learning objectives and the learning experiences. Congruence between these three pillars of education can be facilitated by blueprinting. Here we describe an efficient process for creating a blueprint and explain how to use this tool to guide all aspects of course creation and evaluation. A well constructed blueprint is a valuable tool for medical educators. In addition to validating evaluation content, a blueprint can also be used to guide selection of curricular content and learning experiences.

Decentralized learning in Markov games.

PubMed

Vrancx, Peter; Verbeeck, Katja; Nowé, Ann

2008-08-01

Learning automata (LA) were recently shown to be valuable tools for designing multiagent reinforcement learning algorithms. One of the principal contributions of the LA theory is that a set of decentralized independent LA is able to control a finite Markov chain with unknown transition probabilities and rewards. In this paper, we propose to extend this algorithm to Markov games--a straightforward extension of single-agent Markov decision problems to distributed multiagent decision problems. We show that under the same ergodic assumptions of the original theorem, the extended algorithm will converge to a pure equilibrium point between agent policies.

Effect of a Dedicated Pharmacy Student Summer Research Program on Publication Rate

PubMed Central

Adler, David; Kelly, Carolyn; Taylor, Palmer; Best, Brookie M.

2017-01-01

Objectives. This study investigated the impact of an optional 12-week summer research program on the publication outcomes and satisfaction with the required research projects of doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SSPPS) at the University of California San Diego. Methods. PubMed and Google searches provided student publications, and satisfaction surveys submitted by students provided their perceptions of the research project value. Results. Of the studied cohort, the 130 students who fulfilled the requirement through the optional summer research program provided 61 full-text manuscripts and 113 abstracts. The 305 students who chose the standard pathway provided 35 full-text manuscripts and 34 abstracts. Students in both pathways agreed or strongly agreed that the research project was a valuable experience. Conclusions. The 12-week intensive summer research program improved the publication rate of pharmacy students and provided a high overall satisfaction with this independent learning experience. PMID:28496268

Effect of a Dedicated Pharmacy Student Summer Research Program on Publication Rate.

PubMed

Brandl, Katharina; Adler, David; Kelly, Carolyn; Taylor, Palmer; Best, Brookie M

2017-04-01

Objectives. This study investigated the impact of an optional 12-week summer research program on the publication outcomes and satisfaction with the required research projects of doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SSPPS) at the University of California San Diego. Methods. PubMed and Google searches provided student publications, and satisfaction surveys submitted by students provided their perceptions of the research project value. Results. Of the studied cohort, the 130 students who fulfilled the requirement through the optional summer research program provided 61 full-text manuscripts and 113 abstracts. The 305 students who chose the standard pathway provided 35 full-text manuscripts and 34 abstracts. Students in both pathways agreed or strongly agreed that the research project was a valuable experience. Conclusions. The 12-week intensive summer research program improved the publication rate of pharmacy students and provided a high overall satisfaction with this independent learning experience.

OHB's Exploration Capabilities Overview Relevant to Mars Sample Return Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaime, A.; Gerth, I.; Rohrbeck, M.; Scheper, M.

2018-04-01

The presentation will give an overview to all the OHB past and current projects that are relevant to the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission, including some valuable lessons learned applicable to the upcoming MSR mission.

Neuro Linguistic Programming for Counselors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harman, Robert L.; O'Neill, Charles

1981-01-01

Describes contributions of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) to counseling practice. The Meta-Model, representational systems, anchoring, and reframing are described. Counselors interested in learning NLP can integrate many valuable new ways of communicating with clients and changing client behaviors. (Author)

A Scientific Excursion: Volcanoes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olds, Henry, Jr.

1983-01-01

Reviews an educationally valuable and reasonably well-designed simulation of volcanic activity in an imaginary land. VOLCANOES creates an excellent context for learning information about volcanoes and for developing skills and practicing methods needed to study behavior of volcanoes. (Author/JN)

Undergraduate design projects to aid persons with disabilities: reflections.

PubMed

Barret, Steven F; Morton, Scott A; Root-Elledge, Sandy

2007-01-01

In Spring 2002 the University of Wyoming, College of Engineering, received a five year grant from the National Science Foundation to link senior capstone design projects with the custom requirements of the assistive technology (AT) community. This serendipitous collaboration has been highly beneficial to our senior design students as well as individuals with a disability requiring one-of-a-kind AT devices. Now that the program is coming to a close on its five year term, we believe there are lessons we have learned that would be valuable to others considering participation in such a program. We will briefly review program development and organization, highlight lessons learned, and discuss program benefits and pitfalls. Paper emphasis will be on the practical implementation and management of this valuable program. Due to the rich benefits received from participating in the program, we plan on applying for a second five year program funding increment.

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

PubMed Central

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

2016-01-01

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

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

PubMed

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

2016-12-01

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

Expanding CERC beyond public health: sharing best practices with healthcare managers via virtual learning.

PubMed

Hewitt, Anne M; Spencer, Susan S; Ramloll, Rameshsharma; Trotta, Heidi

2008-10-01

Developed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2002, the Crisis Emergency and Risk Communication (CERC) training module is a nationally and internationally recognized communication model. With the looming threat of a pandemic and the potential for a protracted ongoing siege, a valuable opportunity exists to introduce crisis and emergency preparedness communication best practices to a new population--health care managers and administrators. The CERC toolkit and resources, provide an easy, turn-key solution and a validated template for educators who are not directly involved in public health education but desire to share this content. In this example, graduate students enrolled in an Master of Health Administration program, used a Play2Train scenario, located in the virtual learning environment of SecondLife (2007), to incorporate concepts from the CERC model. By applying the CERC best practices in a real-time virtual learning scenario, students learned collaboration and the leadership competencies necessary to help implement Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Organizations emergency communication protocols and community collaboration requirements. By expanding the impact of the CERC model and developing unified risk communication responses and information sharing, all health professionals can enhance the effectiveness of their emergency preparedness plans so that the public can be better served.

Implementation and evaluation of an interprofessional simulation-based education program for undergraduate nursing students in operating room nursing education: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Wang, Rongmei; Shi, Nianke; Bai, Jinbing; Zheng, Yaguang; Zhao, Yue

2015-07-09

The present study was designed to implement an interprofessional simulation-based education program for nursing students and evaluate the influence of this program on nursing students' attitudes toward interprofessional education and knowledge about operating room nursing. Nursing students were randomly assigned to either the interprofessional simulation-based education or traditional course group. A before-and-after study of nursing students' attitudes toward the program was conducted using the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale. Responses to an open-ended question were categorized using thematic content analysis. Nursing students' knowledge about operating room nursing was measured. Nursing students from the interprofessional simulation-based education group showed statistically different responses to four of the nineteen questions in the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale, reflecting a more positive attitude toward interprofessional learning. This was also supported by thematic content analysis of the open-ended responses. Furthermore, nursing students in the simulation-based education group had a significant improvement in knowledge about operating room nursing. The integrated course with interprofessional education and simulation provided a positive impact on undergraduate nursing students' perceptions toward interprofessional learning and knowledge about operating room nursing. Our study demonstrated that this course may be a valuable elective option for undergraduate nursing students in operating room nursing education.

Sleep and memory in healthy children and adolescents - a critical review.

PubMed

Kopasz, Marta; Loessl, Barbara; Hornyak, Magdolna; Riemann, Dieter; Nissen, Christoph; Piosczyk, Hannah; Voderholzer, Ulrich

2010-06-01

There is mounting evidence that sleep is important for learning, memory and the underlying neural plasticity. This article aims to review published studies that evaluate the association between sleep, its distinct stages and memory systems in healthy children and adolescents. Furthermore it intends to suggest directions for future research. A computerised search of the literature for relevant articles published between 1966 and March 2008 was performed using the keywords "sleep", "memory", "learn", "child", "adolescents", "adolescence" and "teenager". Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Published studies focused on the impact of sleep on working memory and memory consolidation. In summary, most studies support the hypothesis that sleep facilitates working memory as well as memory consolidation in children and adolescents. There is evidence that performance in abstract and complex tasks involving higher brain functions declines more strongly after sleep deprivation than the performance in simple memory tasks. Future studies are needed to better understand the impact of a variety of variables potentially modulating the interplay between sleep and memory, such as developmental stage, socioeconomic burden, circadian factors, or the level of post-learning sensory and motor activity (interference). This line of research can provide valuable input relevant to teaching, learning and public health policy. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Practice-based learning: the role of practice education facilitators in supporting mentors.

PubMed

Carlisle, Caroline; Calman, Lynn; Ibbotson, Tracy

2009-10-01

Central to the provision of high quality clinical placements for nursing and midwifery students are mentors who help engender a positive learning environment. In 2004 the Scottish Executive Health Department (now Scottish Government Health Directorates), NHS Scotland, NHS Education for Scotland, NHS Boards and Higher Education Institutions initiated and supported the establishment of the Practice Education Facilitator (PEF) role whose purpose is to ensure that the student experience, at both pre- and post-registration level, is of the highest quality, primarily through the support of mentors. A 3-year project evaluated the implementation and impact of the PEF role across Scotland. The study utilised both quantitative and qualitative data collection, with a sample comprising mentors, PEFs, students and other key stakeholders. This paper reports on selected findings from that study, specifically the perceived impact of the PEF in supporting mentors. Findings indicate that the PEF role has been accepted widely across Scotland and is seen as valuable to the development of quality clinical learning environments. PEFs provide support and guidance for mentors when dealing with 'failing' students, and encourage the identification of innovative learning opportunities. PEFs play an active part in student evaluation of their placements, but further work is needed in order that the feedback to clinical areas and mentors is timely.

Automatic Classification of Sub-Techniques in Classical Cross-Country Skiing Using a Machine Learning Algorithm on Micro-Sensor Data

PubMed Central

Seeberg, Trine M.; Tjønnås, Johannes; Haugnes, Pål; Sandbakk, Øyvind

2017-01-01

The automatic classification of sub-techniques in classical cross-country skiing provides unique possibilities for analyzing the biomechanical aspects of outdoor skiing. This is currently possible due to the miniaturization and flexibility of wearable inertial measurement units (IMUs) that allow researchers to bring the laboratory to the field. In this study, we aimed to optimize the accuracy of the automatic classification of classical cross-country skiing sub-techniques by using two IMUs attached to the skier’s arm and chest together with a machine learning algorithm. The novelty of our approach is the reliable detection of individual cycles using a gyroscope on the skier’s arm, while a neural network machine learning algorithm robustly classifies each cycle to a sub-technique using sensor data from an accelerometer on the chest. In this study, 24 datasets from 10 different participants were separated into the categories training-, validation- and test-data. Overall, we achieved a classification accuracy of 93.9% on the test-data. Furthermore, we illustrate how an accurate classification of sub-techniques can be combined with data from standard sports equipment including position, altitude, speed and heart rate measuring systems. Combining this information has the potential to provide novel insight into physiological and biomechanical aspects valuable to coaches, athletes and researchers. PMID:29283421

Undergraduate Earth System Science Education: Project-Based Learning, Land-Atmosphere Interaction, and a Newly Established Student Weather Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, D.

2004-12-01

Undergraduate students conducted a semester-long research project as part of a special topics course that launched the Austin College Weather Station in spring 2001. The weather station is located on restored prairie roughly 100 km north of Dallas, Texas. In addition to standard meteorological observations, the Austin College Weather Station measures surface quantities such as soil moisture, soil temperature, solar radiation, infrared radiation, and soil heat flux. These additional quantities are used to calculate the surface energy balance using the Bowen ratio method. Thus, the Austin College Weather Station provides valuable information on land-atmosphere interaction in a prairie environment. This project provided a remarkable learning experience for the students. Each student supervised two instruments on the weather station. Students skillfully learned instrumentation details and the physical phenomena measured by the instruments. Team meetings were held each week to discuss issues such as station location, power requirements, telecommunication options, and data acquisition. Students made important decisions during the meetings. They would then work collaboratively on specific tasks that needed to be accomplished before the next meeting. Students also assessed the validity of their measurements after the weather station came on-line. With this approach, students became the experts. They utilized the scientific method to think critically and to solve problems. For at least a semester, students became Earth system scientists.

Practical Applications of Cables and Ropes in the ISS Countermeasures System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Svetlik, Randall G.; Moore, Cherice; Williams, Antony

2017-01-01

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) uses exercise countermeasures on the International Space Station (ISS) to maintain crew health and combat the negative effects of long-duration spaceflight on the human body. Most ISS exercise countermeasures system (CMS) equipment rely heavily on the use of textile and wire ropes to transmit resistive loads and provide stability in a microgravity environment. For a variety of reasons, including challenges in simulating microgravity environments for testing and limits on time available for life cycle testing, the textiles and wire ropes have contributed significantly to on-orbit planned and unplanned maintenance time. As a result, continued ground testing and on-orbit experience since the first expedition on the ISS in 2000 provide valuable data and lessons learned in materials selection, applications, and design techniques to increase service life of these ropes. This paper will present a review of the development and failure history of textile and wire ropes for four exercise countermeasure systems-the Treadmill with Vibration Isolation and Stabilization (TVIS) System, Cycle Ergometer with Vibration Isolation and Stabilization (CEVIS) System, Interim Resistive Exercise Device (IRED), and the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED)-to identify lessons learned in order to improve future systems. These lessons learned, paired with thorough testing on the ground, offer a forward path towards reduced maintenance time and up-mass for future space missions.

Medical student web-based formative assessment tool for renal pathology.

PubMed

Bijol, Vanesa; Byrne-Dugan, Cathryn J; Hoenig, Melanie P

2015-01-01

Background Web-based formative assessment tools have become widely recognized in medical education as valuable resources for self-directed learning. Objectives To explore the educational value of formative assessment using online quizzes for kidney pathology learning in our renal pathophysiology course. Methods Students were given unrestricted and optional access to quizzes. Performance on quizzed and non-quizzed materials of those who used ('quizzers') and did not use the tool ('non-quizzers') was compared. Frequency of tool usage was analyzed and satisfaction surveys were utilized at the end of the course. Results In total, 82.6% of the students used quizzes. The greatest usage was observed on the day before the final exam. Students repeated interactive and more challenging quizzes more often. Average means between final exam scores for quizzed and unrelated materials were almost equal for 'quizzers' and 'non-quizzers', but 'quizzers' performed statistically better than 'non-quizzers' on both, quizzed (p=0.001) and non-quizzed (p=0.024) topics. In total, 89% of surveyed students thought quizzes improved their learning experience in this course. Conclusions Our new computer-assisted learning tool is popular, and although its use can predict the final exam outcome, it does not provide strong evidence for direct improvement in academic performance. Students who chose to use quizzes did well on all aspects of the final exam and most commonly used quizzes to practice for final exam. Our efforts to revitalize the course material and promote learning by adding interactive online formative assessments improved students' learning experience overall.

Learning Curve and Clinical Outcomes of Performing Surgery with the InterTan Intramedullary Nail in Treating Femoral Intertrochanteric Fractures

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Purpose. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the learning curve of performing surgery with the InterTan intramedullary nail in treating femoral intertrochanteric fractures, to provide valuable information and experience for surgeons who decide to learn a new procedure. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed data from 53 patients who underwent surgery using an InterTan intramedullary nail at our hospital between July 2012 and September 2015. The negative exponential curve-fit regression analysis was used to evaluate the learning curve. According to 90% learning milestone, patients were divided into two group, and the outcomes were compared. Results. The mean operative time was 69.28 (95% CI 64.57 to 74.00) minutes; with the accumulation of surgical experience, the operation time was gradually decreased. 90% of the potential improvement was expected after 18 cases. In terms of operative time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, and Harris hip score significant differences were found between two groups (p = 0.009, p = 0.000, p = 0.030, and p = 0.002, resp.). Partial weight bearing time, fracture union time, tip apex distance, and the number of blood transfusions and complications were similar between two groups (p > 0.5). Conclusion. This study demonstrated that the learning curve of performing surgery with the InterTan intramedullary nail is acceptable and 90% of the expert's proficiency level is achieved at around 18 cases. PMID:28503572

Poster Development and Presentation to Improve Scientific Inquiry and Broaden Effective Scientific Communication Skills.

PubMed

Rauschenbach, Ines; Keddis, Ramaydalis; Davis, Diane

2018-01-01

We have redesigned a tried-and-true laboratory exercise into an inquiry-based team activity exploring microbial growth control, and implemented this activity as the basis for preparing a scientific poster in a large, multi-section laboratory course. Spanning most of the semester, this project culminates in a poster presentation of data generated from a student-designed experiment. Students use and apply the scientific method and improve written and verbal communication skills. The guided inquiry format of this exercise provides the opportunity for student collaboration through cooperative learning. For each learning objective, a percentage score was tabulated (learning objective score = points awarded/total possible points). A score of 80% was our benchmark for achieving each objective. At least 76% of the student groups participating in this project over two semesters achieved each learning goal. Student perceptions of the project were evaluated using a survey. Nearly 90% of participating students felt they had learned a great deal in the areas of formulating a hypothesis, experimental design, and collecting and analyzing data; 72% of students felt this project had improved their scientific writing skills. In a separate survey, 84% of students who responded felt that peer review was valuable in improving their final poster submission. We designed this inquiry-based poster project to improve student scientific communication skills. This exercise is appropriate for any microbiology laboratory course whose learning outcomes include the development of scientific inquiry and literacy.

Poster Development and Presentation to Improve Scientific Inquiry and Broaden Effective Scientific Communication Skills †

PubMed Central

Rauschenbach, Ines; Keddis, Ramaydalis; Davis, Diane

2018-01-01

We have redesigned a tried-and-true laboratory exercise into an inquiry-based team activity exploring microbial growth control, and implemented this activity as the basis for preparing a scientific poster in a large, multi-section laboratory course. Spanning most of the semester, this project culminates in a poster presentation of data generated from a student-designed experiment. Students use and apply the scientific method and improve written and verbal communication skills. The guided inquiry format of this exercise provides the opportunity for student collaboration through cooperative learning. For each learning objective, a percentage score was tabulated (learning objective score = points awarded/total possible points). A score of 80% was our benchmark for achieving each objective. At least 76% of the student groups participating in this project over two semesters achieved each learning goal. Student perceptions of the project were evaluated using a survey. Nearly 90% of participating students felt they had learned a great deal in the areas of formulating a hypothesis, experimental design, and collecting and analyzing data; 72% of students felt this project had improved their scientific writing skills. In a separate survey, 84% of students who responded felt that peer review was valuable in improving their final poster submission. We designed this inquiry-based poster project to improve student scientific communication skills. This exercise is appropriate for any microbiology laboratory course whose learning outcomes include the development of scientific inquiry and literacy. PMID:29904518

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

Applying findings from a systematic review of workplace-based e-learning: implications for health information professionals.

PubMed

Booth, Andrew; Carroll, Christopher; Papaioannou, Diana; Sutton, Anthea; Wong, Ruth

2009-03-01

To systematically review the UK published literature on e-learning in the health workplace and to apply the findings to one of the most prolific UK e-learning initiatives in the health sector--the National Library for Health Facilitated Online Learning Interactive Opportunity (FOLIO) Programme. Sensitive searches were conducted across ASSIA, Australian Education Index, British Education Index, cinahl, CSA Abstracts, Dissertation Abstracts, Emerald, ERIC, IBSS, Index to Theses, LISA, MEDLINE, PSYCINFO and Social Science Citation Index. Additional citations were identified from reference lists of included studies and of relevant reviews; citation tracking and contact with experts. Twenty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria and were coded and analysed using thematic analysis as described by Miles & Huberman (Qualitative Data Analysis: A Sourcebook of New Methods. Newbury Park, CA: Sage, 1984). Five broad themes were identified from the 29 included studies: (i) peer communication; (ii) flexibility; (iii) support; (iv) knowledge validation; and (v) course presentation and design. These broad themes were supported by a total of eleven sub-themes. Components from the FOLIO Programme were analysed and existing and proposed developments were mapped against each sub-theme. This provides a valuable framework for ongoing course development. Librarians involved in delivering and supporting e-learning can benefit from applying the findings from the systematic review to existing programmes, exemplified by the FOLIO Programme. The resultant framework can also be used in developing new e-learning programmes.

Students mentoring students in a service-learning clinical supervision experience: an educational case report.

PubMed

Lattanzi, Jill Black; Campbell, Sandra L; Dole, Robin L; Palombaro, Kerstin M

2011-10-01

Service-learning projects present the opportunity to combine academic skill practice and peer mentorship with meaningful community service. Implicit learning outcomes include an enhanced understanding of social responsibility and professional development-concepts difficult to teach in the classroom. The purpose of this educational case report is to describe the development, application, and outcomes of a service-learning project designed to facilitate peer mentorship and the development of social responsibility. DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROCESS: Widener University mandated that all programs offer student community service opportunities on Martin Luther King Day. In response, the physical therapy program developed a plan to clean and screen assistive and mobility devices and provide blood pressure screening at designated community sites. APPLICATION OF THE PROCESS: All faculty and all members of the first-year and third-year Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) classes participated. The students and a faculty member traveled to designated community sites in teams. First-year students were able to practice newly acquired skills under the supervision and peer mentorship of third-year students. Outcomes of the service-learning project were assessed through a tally of services rendered, measurement of curricular goal achievement, a survey of the community partners' satisfaction with the event, and consideration of both first-year and third-year DPT student reflection papers. The service-learning project was effective in meeting a community need, enhancing community partner relationships, fostering student understandings of social responsibility, and creating a valuable peer mentorship experience.

ANIMAL MODELS OF COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN NEUROTOXICITY

EPA Science Inventory

The thesis of this chapter has been that spatial delayed alternation versus position discrimination learning can serve as a valuable rodent model of cognitive development in neurotoxicology. his model captures dual process conceptualizations of memory in human neuropsychology and...

The Emergence of the Open Networked ``i-Learning'' Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elia, Gianluca

The most significant forces that are changing the business world and the society behaviors in this beginning of the twenty-first century can be identified into the globalization of the economy, technological evolution and convergence, change of the workers' expectations, workplace diversity and mobility, and mostly, knowledge and learning as major organizational assets. But which type of ­learning dynamics must be nurtured and pursued within the organizations, today, in order to generate valuable knowledge and its effective applications? After a brief discussion on the main changes observable in management, ICT and society/workplace in the last years, this chapter aims to answer to this question, through the proposition of the “Π-shaped” profile (a new professional archetype for leading change), and through the discussion of the open networked “i-Learning” model (a new framework to “incubate” innovation in learning processes). Actually, the “i” stands for “innovation” (to highlight the nature of the impact on traditional ­learning model), but also it stands for “incubation” (to underline the urgency to have new environments in which incubating new professional profiles). Specifically, the main key characteristics at the basis of the innovation of the learning processes will be ­presented and described, by highlighting the managerial, technological and societal aspects of their nature. A set of operational guidelines will be also ­provided to ­activate and sustain the innovation process, so implementing changes in the strategic dimensions of the model. Finally, the “i-Learning Radar” is presented as an operational tool to design, communicate and control an “i-Learning experience”. This tool is represented by a radar diagram with six strategic dimensions of a ­learning initiative.

Use of interactive live digital imaging to enhance histology learning in introductory level anatomy and physiology classes.

PubMed

Higazi, Tarig B

2011-01-01

Histology is one of the main subjects in introductory college-level Human Anatomy and Physiology classes. Institutions are moving toward the replacement of traditional microscope-based histology learning with virtual microscopy learning amid concerns of losing the valuable learning experience of traditional microscopy. This study used live digital imaging (LDI) of microscopic slides on a SMART board to enhance Histology laboratory teaching. The interactive LDI system consists of a digital camera-equipped microscope that projects live images on a wall-mounted SMART board via a computer. This set-up allows real-time illustration of microscopic slides with highlighted key structural components, as well as the ability to provide the students with relevant study and review material. The impact of interactive LDI on student learning of Histology was then measured based on performance in subsequent laboratory tests before and after its implementation. Student grades increased from a mean of 76% (70.3-82.0, 95% CI) before to 92% (88.8-95.3, 95% CI) after integration of LDI indicating highly significant (P < 0.001) enhancement in students' Histology laboratory performance. In addition, student ratings of the impact of the interactive LDI on their Histology learning were strongly positive, suggesting that a majority of students who valued this learning approach also improved learning and understanding of the material as a result. The interactive LDI technique is an innovative, highly efficient and affordable tool to enhance student Histology learning, which is likely to expand knowledge and student perception of the subject and in turn enrich future science careers. Copyright © 2011 American Association of Anatomists.

Terrorism drill shows ED response plan flaws.

PubMed

2005-07-01

Valuable lessons can be learned by paying attention to your processes and communication equipment during a disaster drill. Did your radios and pagers work adequately? If not, it may be time for a new vendor. Going through the drill helps remind the entire ED staff to funnel all communications and key decisions through the disaster response leader. Make sure to update your disaster response handbook to reflect important lessons learned during the drill.

The influence of workplace culture on nurses' learning experiences: a systematic review of qualitative evidence.

PubMed

Davis, Kate; White, Sarahlouise; Stephenson, Matthew

2016-06-01

A healthy workplace culture enables nurses to experience valuable learning in the workplace. Learning in the workplace enables the provision of evidence-based and continuously improving safe patient care, which is central to achieving good patient outcomes. Therefore, nurses need to learn within a workplace that supports the implementation of evidence-based, professional practice and enables the best patient outcomes; the influence of workplace culture may play a role in this. The purpose of this review was to critically appraise and synthesize the best available qualitative evidence to understand both the nurses' learning experiences within the workplace and the factors within the workplace culture that influence those learning experiences. Registered and enrolled nurses regulated by a nursing and midwifery board and/or recognized health practitioner regulation agency (or their international equivalent). This review considered studies that described two phenomena of interest: the nurses' learning experience, either within an acute healthcare workplace or a workplace-related learning environment and the influence of workplace culture on the nurses' learning experience (within the workplace or workplace-related learning environment). This review considered studies that included nurses working in an acute healthcare organization within a Western culture. This review considered studies that focused on qualitative evidence and included the following research designs: phenomenological, grounded theory and critical theory. Published and unpublished studies in English from 1980 to 2013 were identified using a three-step search strategy, searching various databases, and included hand searching of the reference lists within articles selected for appraisal. For studies meeting the inclusion criteria, methodological quality was assessed using a standardized checklist from the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-QARI). Qualitative data were extracted from articles included in the review using the standardized data extraction tool from the JBI-QARI. Qualitative research findings were pooled using the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Appraisal and Review Instrument (JBI-QARI). This involved the aggregation and synthesis of findings to generate a set of categories, which were then subjected to a meta-synthesis to produce a single comprehensive set of synthesized findings that could be used as a basis for evidence-based practice. Fourteen articles were identified following appraisal and a total of 105 findings (85 unequivocal and 20 credible) were extracted from included studies and grouped into eight categories based on similarity of meaning. Subsequently, categories were grouped into two synthesized findings. The two synthesized findings were as follows: ORGANIZATIONAL INFLUENCES: Enabling nurses to demonstrate accountability for their own learning, along with clear organizational systems that provide resources, time, adequate staffing and support, demonstrates encouragement for and the value of nurses' learning and education. Nurses value their peers, expert nurses, preceptors, mentors and educators facilitating and encouraging their learning and professional development. An optimal workplace culture is central for nurses to experience valuable and relevant learning in the workplace. To emphasize the importance of nurses' learning in the workplace, working and learning is understood as an integrated experience. Consequently, a dual system that enables nurses to demonstrate accountability for their own learning, along with clear organizational and educational systems, is required to demonstrate the value in nurses' learning and education.

Solutions to Challenges Facing a University Digital Library and Press

PubMed Central

D'Alessandro, Michael P.; Galvin, Jeffrey R.; Colbert, Stephana I.; D'Alessandro, Donna M.; Choi, Teresa A.; Aker, Brian D.; Carlson, William S.; Pelzer, Gay D.

2000-01-01

During the creation of a university digital library and press intended to serve as a medical reference and education tool for health care providers and their patients, six distinct and complex digital publishing challenges were encountered. Over nine years, through a multidisciplinary approach, solutions were devised to the challenges of digital content ownership, management, mirroring, translation, interactions with users, and archiving. The result is a unique, author-owned, internationally mirrored, university digital library and press that serves as an authoritative medical reference and education tool for users around the world. The purpose of this paper is to share the valuable digital publishing lessons learned and outline the challenges facing university digital libraries and presses. PMID:10833161

Incentives for knowledge sharing: impact of organisational culture and information technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyu, Hongbo; Zhang, Zuopeng Justin

2017-10-01

This research presents and examines an analytical model of knowledge management in which organisational culture dynamically improves with knowledge-sharing and learning activities within organisations. We investigate the effects of organisational incentives and the level of information technology on the motivation of knowledge sharing. We derive a linear incentive reward structure for knowledge sharing under both homogeneous and heterogeneous conditions. In addition, we show how the organisational culture and the optimum linear sharing reward change with several crucial factors, and summarise three sets of methods (strong IT support, congruent organisational culture, and effective employee assessment) to complement the best linear incentive. Our research provides valuable insights for practitioners in terms of implementing knowledge-management initiatives.

Who Will Help My Son?: A Family's Journey with Dyslexia.

PubMed

DeBrew, Jacqueline

2017-08-01

It may seem unusual for a nurse to intervene and assist a child with a learning disability, but a mental health nurse who knows the warning signs of dyslexia is able to help families who are going through a difficult time. The current article details the author's experience regarding her son's dyslexia diagnosis. For her family, a nurse was a valuable resource. The impact the struggle had not only on her son, but also her family, and the changes brought about by getting a diagnosis and treatment, demonstrate the impact that nurses can have when family-focused care is provided. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 55(8), 27-30.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

First year medical students' learning style preferences and their correlation with performance in different subjects within the medical course.

PubMed

Hernández-Torrano, Daniel; Ali, Syed; Chan, Chee-Kai

2017-08-08

Students commencing their medical training arrive with different educational backgrounds and a diverse range of learning experiences. Consequently, students would have developed preferred approaches to acquiring and processing information or learning style preferences. Understanding first-year students' learning style preferences is important to success in learning. However, little is understood about how learning styles impact learning and performance across different subjects within the medical curriculum. Greater understanding of the relationship between students' learning style preferences and academic performance in specific medical subjects would be valuable. This cross-sectional study examined the learning style preferences of first-year medical students and how they differ across gender. This research also analyzed the effect of learning styles on academic performance across different subjects within a medical education program in a Central Asian university. A total of 52 students (57.7% females) from two batches of first-year medical school completed the Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire, which measures four dimensions of learning styles: sensing-intuitive; visual-verbal; active-reflective; sequential-global. First-year medical students reported preferences for visual (80.8%) and sequential (60.5%) learning styles, suggesting that these students preferred to learn through demonstrations and diagrams and in a linear and sequential way. Our results indicate that male medical students have higher preference for visual learning style over verbal, while females seemed to have a higher preference for sequential learning style over global. Significant associations were found between sensing-intuitive learning styles and performance in Genetics [β = -0.46, B = -0.44, p < 0.01] and Anatomy [β = -0.41, B = -0.61, p < 0.05] and between sequential-global styles and performance in Genetics [β = 0.36, B = 0.43, p < 0.05]. More specifically, sensing learners were more likely to perform better than intuitive learners in the two subjects and global learners were more likely to perform better than sequential learners in Genetics. This knowledge will be helpful to individual students to improve their performance in these subjects by adopting new sensing learning techniques. Instructors can also benefit by modifying and adapting more appropriate teaching approaches in these subjects. Future studies to validate this observation will be valuable.

Machine Learning and Data Mining Methods in Diabetes Research.

PubMed

Kavakiotis, Ioannis; Tsave, Olga; Salifoglou, Athanasios; Maglaveras, Nicos; Vlahavas, Ioannis; Chouvarda, Ioanna

2017-01-01

The remarkable advances in biotechnology and health sciences have led to a significant production of data, such as high throughput genetic data and clinical information, generated from large Electronic Health Records (EHRs). To this end, application of machine learning and data mining methods in biosciences is presently, more than ever before, vital and indispensable in efforts to transform intelligently all available information into valuable knowledge. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is defined as a group of metabolic disorders exerting significant pressure on human health worldwide. Extensive research in all aspects of diabetes (diagnosis, etiopathophysiology, therapy, etc.) has led to the generation of huge amounts of data. The aim of the present study is to conduct a systematic review of the applications of machine learning, data mining techniques and tools in the field of diabetes research with respect to a) Prediction and Diagnosis, b) Diabetic Complications, c) Genetic Background and Environment, and e) Health Care and Management with the first category appearing to be the most popular. A wide range of machine learning algorithms were employed. In general, 85% of those used were characterized by supervised learning approaches and 15% by unsupervised ones, and more specifically, association rules. Support vector machines (SVM) arise as the most successful and widely used algorithm. Concerning the type of data, clinical datasets were mainly used. The title applications in the selected articles project the usefulness of extracting valuable knowledge leading to new hypotheses targeting deeper understanding and further investigation in DM.

Identifying emerging trends for implementing learning technology in special education: a state-of-the-art review of selected articles published in 2008-2012.

PubMed

Liu, Gi-Zen; Wu, No-Wei; Chen, Yi-Wen

2013-10-01

As electronic learning (e-learning) becomes increasingly popular in education worldwide, learning technology (LT) has been applied in various learning environments and activities to promote meaningful, efficient, and effective learning. LT has also been adopted by researchers and teacher-practitioners in the field of special education, but as yet little review-based research has been published. This review research thus carefully examined the trends of LT implementations in special education, providing a comprehensive analysis of 26 studies published in indexed journals in the past five years (2008-2012). Two research questions were addressed: (a) What are the major research aims, methodologies, and outcomes in these studies of implementing LT in the field of special education? and (b) What types of LT are mainly used with special education students, and for what kinds of students? Major findings include that examining the learning effectiveness of LT using was the most common research purpose (75%); researchers primarily relied on experimental studies (46%, 12 studies), followed by interviews and questionnaires (19%, 5 studies). Moreover, the most common use of LT was computer-assisted technology (such as web-based mentoring, educational computer games, laptop computers) in special education; studies investigating the use of LT with mentally disabled students were more than those with physically disabled ones. It is expected that the findings of this work and their implications will serve as valuable references with regard to the use of LT with special education students. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Guide to Improving the Care of Patients with Fragility Fractures, Edition 2

PubMed Central

Mears, Simon C.

2015-01-01

Over the past 4 decades, much has been learned about the pathophysiology and treatment of osteoporosis, the prevention of fragility fractures, and the perioperative management of patients who have these debilitating injuries. However, the volume of published literature on this topic is staggering and far too voluminous for any clinician to review and synthesize by him or herself. This manuscript thoroughly summarizes the latest research on fragility fractures and provides the reader with valuable strategies to optimize the prevention and management of these devastating injuries. The information contained in this article will prove invaluable to any health care provider or health system administrator who is involved in the prevention and management of fragility hip fractures. As providers begin to gain a better understanding of the principles espoused in this article, it is our hope that they will be able to use this information to optimize the care they provide for elderly patients who are at risk of or who have osteoporotic fractures. PMID:26246957

Evidence for curricular and instructional design approaches in undergraduate medical education: An umbrella review.

PubMed

Onyura, Betty; Baker, Lindsay; Cameron, Blair; Friesen, Farah; Leslie, Karen

2016-01-01

An umbrella review compiles evidence from multiple reviews into a single accessible document. This umbrella review synthesizes evidence from systematic reviews on curricular and instructional design approaches in undergraduate medical education, focusing on learning outcomes. We conducted bibliographic database searches in Medline, EMBASE and ERIC from database inception to May 2013 inclusive, and digital keyword searches of leading medical education journals. We identified 18,470 abstracts; 467 underwent duplicate full-text scrutiny. Thirty-six articles met all eligibility criteria. Articles were abstracted independently by three authors, using a modified Kirkpatrick model for evaluating learning outcomes. Evidence for the effectiveness of diverse educational approaches is reported. This review maps out empirical knowledge on the efficacy of a broad range of educational approaches in medical education. Critical knowledge gaps, and lapses in methodological rigour, are discussed, providing valuable insight for future research. The findings call attention to the need for adopting evaluative strategies that explore how contextual variabilities and individual (teacher/learner) differences influence efficacy of educational interventions. Additionally, the results underscore that extant empirical evidence does not always provide unequivocal answers about what approaches are most effective. Educators should incorporate best available empirical knowledge with experiential and contextual knowledge.