The Muskrat. The Not-So-Common Oyster. The Horseshoe Crab. The Blue Crab. Learning Experiences for Coastal and Oceanic Awareness Studies, Nos. 108, 109, 111, 201. [Project COAST].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delaware Univ., Newark. Coll. of Education.

Included are four units related to coastal and oceanic awareness. The units are: (1) The Muskrat; (2) The Not-So-Common Oyster; (3) The Horseshoe Crab; and (4) The Blue Crab. All four units are designed for elementary school students. Each unit contains teacher background materials, student activity materials, evaluation materials, transparency…

A Manual for the Illinois Student Longitudinal Case Study System (ISLCS). Procedures and Materials for Planning and Implementing the ISLCS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carvell, Fred; Carvell, Joan B.

Designed for local school and district vocational educators, this manual contains instructions and materials necessary to plan and implement a student longitudinal followup system. Part 1 provides background information and definitions used in the system. In part 2 are described the 11 major activities that must be undertaken by local program…

HEALTH AND NUTRITION LESSON PLANS AND STUDENT WORKSHEETS, ADULT BASIC EDUCATION.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Education Dept., Albany.

THIS MANUAL PROVIDES ADULT BASIC EDUCATION TEACHERS WITH LESSON PLANS IN HEALTH AND NUTRITION. EACH LESSON CONTAINS BACKGROUND MATERIAL OFFERING SPECIFIC INFORMATION ON THE SUBJECT OF EACH LESSON, AIMS, LESSON DEVELOPMENT, AND TWO STUDENT WORKSHEETS. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ARE SUGGESTED TO ENCOURAGE THE GREATEST POSSIBLE STUDENT INVOLVEMENT. THE TEN…

A Comprehensive Program for Handicapped Students at the Two-Year College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanson, Karen M.

A summary is presented of the objectives and activities of a grant-supported project conducted at Normandale Community College (NCC) to expand programming for handicapped and learning disabled students. Introductory material provides a background to NCC's efforts in aiding students with special needs. Next, the populations receiving assistance…

Learning about Global Interdependence: An Area-Value Mapping Exercise.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crooker, Richard A.

1990-01-01

Presents a lesson for secondary school students that uses an area value map to increase student understanding about the geography of international drug production and consumption. Provides a list of necessary classroom materials, suggested background readings for students, procedures to be followed, and a bibliography of references. (DB)

Food Additives: "Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy". Health and the Consumer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florida State Dept. of Education, Tallahassee. Div. of Elementary and Secondary Education.

One in a series, this consumer education learning activity package teaches secondary students about food additives. The package includes instructions for the teacher, suggestions for activities, lists of resource materials, film guides, student activity worksheets, a student resource booklet of background readings, and answer keys. Content taught…

Students' Learning Style: A Case Study of Senior High Schools in Bengkulu

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arsyad, Safnil

2018-01-01

It is widely accepted that the use of learning materials which accommodates students' schemata is much more effective than the ones outside student's present knowledge background. The objectives of this study are to describe the students' learning style distribution and their perception on local oriented and learning style-based English learning…

Backgrounds in Language.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxwell, John C.; Long, Barbara K.

"Backgrounds in Language," a field-tested inservice course designed for use by groups of 15 or 25 language arts teachers, provides the subject matter background teachers need to make informed decisions about what curriculum materials to use in what way, at what time, and with which students. The course is comprised of eight 2-hour sessions,…

Diversity of Students' background as a source for improving teaching Physics at a Liberal Arts Institution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agrest, Mikhail

2001-11-01

Presented work is dedicated to improvement of teaching-learning process and classroom time utilization. What should students carry with them from the classroom? Enthusiasm of their teacher, understanding of the basic concepts, understanding of what they should work on at home and, of course, some notes Teaching materials, which relate concepts of Physics to each other and to a variety of concepts in other areas of knowledge and human activity were developed. This approach is based on my experience of interacting with students with diversity of backgrounds, educational goals and objectives. Those include Business and Politics, Literature and Media, everyday family and College life, etc. A supplement workbook based on teaching materials was developed to be available for students to make notes during the lectures. This method was tested in Introductory Physics classes at the College of Charleston during some past years. The teaching-learning effectiveness has been increased and positive feedback was received from students and faculty at the College and some other Universities.

From Biology to Mathematical Models and Back: Teaching Modeling to Biology Students, and Biology to Math and Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiel, Hillel J.; McManus, Jeffrey M.; Shaw, Kendrick M.

2010-01-01

We describe the development of a course to teach modeling and mathematical analysis skills to students of biology and to teach biology to students with strong backgrounds in mathematics, physics, or engineering. The two groups of students have different ways of learning material and often have strong negative feelings toward the area of knowledge…

Biomedical Science, Unit IV: The Nervous System in Health and Medicine. The Nervous System; Disorders of the Brain and Nervous System; Application of Computer Science to Diagnosis; Drugs and Pharmacology; The Human Senses; Electricity. Instructor's Manual. Revised Version, 1976.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biomedical Interdisciplinary Curriculum Project, Berkeley, CA.

This volume contains the lesson plans and appropriate teacher background material for a 37-lesson sequence on the nervous system in health and medicine. Additional material is provided for supplementary lessons on concepts of electricity. Associated material, contained in separate volumes, include a student text and a student laboratory manual.…

For the Classroom: "Plastic" Jellyfish.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Current: The Journal of Marine Education, 1989

1989-01-01

Describes an activity in which students monitor the plastic waste production in their households, research its effects on freshwater and marine life, and propose ways to lessen the problem. Provides objectives, background information, materials, procedures, extension activities, and an evaluation for students. (Author/RT)

Family Life.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

NatureScope, 1985

1985-01-01

Provides background information and student activities on bird nesting, singing, finding a mate, incubating eggs, and raising the young. Each activity includes an objective, recommended age level(s), subject area(s), list of materials needed, and procedures. A ready-to-copy student worksheet is included. (JN)

Learning to Attend to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners through Teacher Inquiry in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Athanases, Steven Z.; Wahleithner, Juliet Michelsen; Bennett, Lisa H.

2012-01-01

Background/Context: Learning to meet students' needs challenges new teachers often focused on procedures, management, materials, and curriculum. To avoid this development pattern, student teachers (STs) need opportunities to concentrate especially on needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. Teacher inquiry (TI) holds promise…

Alaska Is Our Home--Book 2: A Natural Science Handbook for Alaskan Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bury, John; Bury, Susan

A natural science resource booklet for teachers and students contains detailed materials for teaching and learning about Alaskan wildlife. Each of nine chapters provides background subject information, suggested learning activities, tear-out pages of review questions for students to answer, and supplementary notes for teachers which include…

The Role of the Reading Teacher in Adult Basic Education - TESL.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Harvey M.

In teaching reading in English as a second language, teachers must diagnose student difficulties and individualize instruction. They must analyze why students are in the course, determine what their individual reading backgrounds are in their native language and in English, and adapt class activities and reading materials to students' expectations…

Health Activities Project (HAP), Trial Edition III.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buller, Dave; And Others

Contained within this Health Activities Project (HAP) trial edition (set III) are a teacher information folio and numerous student activity folios which center around the idea that students in grades 5-8 can control their own health and safety. Each student folio is organized into an Overview, Health Background, Materials, Setting Up, and…

Health Activities Project (HAP), Trial Edition II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buller, Dave; And Others

Contained within this Health Activities Project (HAP) trial edition (set II) are a teacher information folio and numerous student activity folios which center around the idea that students in grades 5-8 can control their own health and safety. Each student folio is organized into a Synopsis, Health Background, Materials, Setting Up, and Activities…

Integrating Public Health and Health Promotion Practice in the Medical Curriculum: A Self-Directed Team-Based Project Approach.

PubMed

Kershaw, Geraldine; Grivna, Michal; Elbarazi, Iffat; AliHassan, Souheila; Aziz, Faisal; Al Dhaheri, Aysha Ibrahim

2017-01-01

Preparing health professionals in health promotion (HP) and disease prevention is essential for improvement of population health, community HP, and better health care for individuals. The aim of this article is to describe an HP project in the form of a major self-directed project-based learning task integrated within the curriculum in the second year of the medical degree program at United Arab Emirates University. The project introduces students to public health and HP practice and develops students' literature searching, writing, presentation skills, and team work. Students learn the principles underlying behavioral change, and the design of HP programs and materials, through a lecture format. Small groups of students each choose a specific health topic for their project. Over 11 weeks, students obtain information about their topic from appropriate sources (library, PubMed, Google Scholar, credible health sources such as World Health Organization). Using the principles learned in the lectures, they develop appropriate materials for their target audience: for example, posters, a pamphlet, social media content, or a video or radio message. Students seek advice from specialist faculty as needed. In week 12, each team presents their project background, rationale, and materials to their colleagues in a seminar format open to all faculty. They then submit the materials they developed for assessment. Group marks are assigned for presentations and materials. Key concepts are assessed by multiple choice questions in comprehensive course examinations. By participation in the HP project, many students develop a solid background in prevention. The information retrieval, writing, and presentation skills, as well as experience of team work, are valuable both for the remaining years of their training and their future careers.

Cost Accounting, Business Education: 7709.41.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carino, Mariano G.

Cost accounting principles and procedures provide students with sufficient background to apply cost accounting factors to service and manufacturing businesses. Overhead, materials, goods in process, and finished goods are emphasized. Students complete a practice set in the course, which has guidelines, performance objectives, learning activities…

Owl Pellets.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Craig D.

1987-01-01

Provides complete Project WILD lesson plans for 20-45-minute experiential science learning activity for grades 3-7 students. Describes how students construct a simple food chain through examination of owl pellets. Includes lesson objective, method, background information, materials, procedure, evaluation, and sources of owl pellets and posters.…

Plants of the Desert.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

NatureScope, 1985

1985-01-01

Provides background information and student activities on plants of the desert, including various adaptations for life with limited water supplies. Each activity includes objective(s), recommended age level(s), subject area(s), list of materials needed, and procedures. A ready-to-copy student worksheet is included. (DH)

This Glorious Mud Pile (Rocky River Valley). Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cabbage, Mary Ellen

This student text focuses on the social and geological history of a river basin. In addition to background information, the text includes student worksheets for 12 field trip stops in Ohio's Rocky River Valley. Material is designed to support a full-day field trip during which students work in small groups. Also included are a geological…

Exam Corrections: A Dual-Purpose Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Libertini, Jessica; Krul, Caitlin; Turner, Erica

2016-01-01

It is common for freshmen students to enter Calculus I with a wide range of levels of preparation and mastery of background material. In addition, many of the students struggle with the adjustment from high school to college. In an effort to help the students to solidify their understanding of concepts as they progress through the course, as well…

The Toxics Geography Exercise: Students Use Inquiry to Uncover Uses and Limits of Data in Policy Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duke, L. Donald; Schmidt, Diane L.

2011-01-01

The Toxics Geography Exercise was developed as an application-oriented exercise to develop skills in critical analysis in groups of undergraduate students from widely diverse academic backgrounds. Students use publicly available data on industrial activities, history of toxic material disposal, basic chemistry, regulatory approaches of federal and…

Less Is More: Development and Evaluation of an Interactive e-Atlas to Support Anatomy Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guy, Richard; Pisani, Heather R.; Rich, Peter; Leahy, Cathy; Mandarano, Giovanni; Molyneux, Tom

2015-01-01

An Interactive electronic Atlas (IeA) was developed to assist first-year nursing students with interpretation of laboratory-based prosected cadaveric material. It was designed, using pedagogically sound principles, as a student-centered resource accessible to students from a wide range of learning backgrounds. It consisted of a highly simplified…

Pima Cultural Background Materials for an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title III Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brook, Weston L., Comp.; And Others

Produced with funds under Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, this unit on Pima cultural background and Middle American civilization was designed to help Pima students achieve a sense of identity and pride in their Indian background by (1) thinking of themselves as a people with a long history and (2) learning that their…

The Economics of Fishing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stowell, G.H.

1982-01-01

Presents background material to help British high school students study the economics of the fishing industry. Students apply their knowledge of cost and revenue theory to a case study of a European Economic Community fisheries dispute which raises questions about government intervention in international resource allocation issues. (AM)

Challenges and Opportunities in Interdisciplinary Materials Research Experiences for Undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vohra, Yogesh; Nordlund, Thomas

2009-03-01

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) offer a broad range of interdisciplinary materials research experiences to undergraduate students with diverse backgrounds in physics, chemistry, applied mathematics, and engineering. The research projects offered cover a broad range of topics including high pressure physics, microelectronic materials, nano-materials, laser materials, bioceramics and biopolymers, cell-biomaterials interactions, planetary materials, and computer simulation of materials. The students welcome the opportunity to work with an interdisciplinary team of basic science, engineering, and biomedical faculty but the challenge is in learning the key vocabulary for interdisciplinary collaborations, experimental tools, and working in an independent capacity. The career development workshops dealing with the graduate school application process and the entrepreneurial business activities were found to be most effective. The interdisciplinary university wide poster session helped student broaden their horizons in research careers. The synergy of the REU program with other concurrently running high school summer programs on UAB campus will also be discussed.

Integrating Public Health and Health Promotion Practice in the Medical Curriculum: A Self-Directed Team-Based Project Approach

PubMed Central

Kershaw, Geraldine; Grivna, Michal; Elbarazi, Iffat; AliHassan, Souheila; Aziz, Faisal; Al Dhaheri, Aysha Ibrahim

2017-01-01

Preparing health professionals in health promotion (HP) and disease prevention is essential for improvement of population health, community HP, and better health care for individuals. The aim of this article is to describe an HP project in the form of a major self-directed project-based learning task integrated within the curriculum in the second year of the medical degree program at United Arab Emirates University. The project introduces students to public health and HP practice and develops students’ literature searching, writing, presentation skills, and team work. Students learn the principles underlying behavioral change, and the design of HP programs and materials, through a lecture format. Small groups of students each choose a specific health topic for their project. Over 11 weeks, students obtain information about their topic from appropriate sources (library, PubMed, Google Scholar, credible health sources such as World Health Organization). Using the principles learned in the lectures, they develop appropriate materials for their target audience: for example, posters, a pamphlet, social media content, or a video or radio message. Students seek advice from specialist faculty as needed. In week 12, each team presents their project background, rationale, and materials to their colleagues in a seminar format open to all faculty. They then submit the materials they developed for assessment. Group marks are assigned for presentations and materials. Key concepts are assessed by multiple choice questions in comprehensive course examinations. By participation in the HP project, many students develop a solid background in prevention. The information retrieval, writing, and presentation skills, as well as experience of team work, are valuable both for the remaining years of their training and their future careers. PMID:28879173

Carnivorous Plants.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canipe, Stephen

This biology lesson on carnivorous (insectivorous) plants is designed to supplement the textbook in the areas of plant diversity, ecology, and distribution. An introduction provides general background information for use as lecture material by the teacher or as reading and/or study material for students. The introduction also includes…

Reaching for the Stars.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nature Scope, 1986

1986-01-01

Provides: (1) background information on the space program, space issues and problems, and the search for extraterrestrial life; (2) five activities; and (3) ready-to-duplicate student materials. Activities include objective(s), recommended age level(s), subject area(s), list of materials needed, and procedures. (JN)

Aging in America: Fact, Fiction and Feeling.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strubbe, Mary A.

Thirteen lessons on aging in America, appropriate for the secondary school level, are presented. Each lesson is designed to take approximately one day and includes the goal, objectives, background information, reproducible student handouts, materials and equipment needed, procedures, and evaluation forms. In the first lesson students examine their…

An Investigation of Teachers' Stereotyping Behavior: The Influence of Mode of Presentation, Ethnicity, and Social Class on Teachers' Evaluations of Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenfeld, Lawrence B.

This study sought to answer two questions: Do teachers stereotype students of different ethnic and social class backgrounds when using actual classroom evaluative criteria? What are the relative effects of audio and visual cues in eliciting teachers' stereotypes? Stimulus materials portraying students from different ethnic and social class…

Lesson Plan Manual, a Series of Lesson Plans and Worksheets on Consumer Education and Student Worksheets for Consumer Education Lesson Plans, Adult Basic Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Education Dept., Albany.

This manual provides teachers with lesson plans in consumer education. Each lesson contains background material offering the teacher specific information on the subject of the lesson, development of understandings, student worksheets, and discussion questions to encourage student involvement. The ten lesson plans are--Buying on time, Retail…

Prior Learning in Biology at High School Does Not Predict Performance in the First Year at University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bone, Elisa K.; Reid, Robert J.

2011-01-01

Students in their first year of university face a number of transition issues that can make realising their academic potential difficult. In the sciences, first-year courses cover a large amount of material across broad subject areas, which can make them troublesome for students without background knowledge, and students need to adapt to typically…

An Exercise in Using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Hazard Ranking System: A Simulation. Grades 8-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

HAZWRAP, The Hazardous Waste Remedial Actions Program.

The educational objective of this exercise is for students to use a risk assessment tool to evaluate a hazardous release site and for students in grades 8-12 to increase their experience with geology, aquifers, soils, land use, pollution, data analysis, and map concepts. Students use background information on hazardous materials, the Environmental…

Afro-Americans: Resource Material.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henson, Valeria B.; And Others

This resource guide lists activities and materials that can be used by teachers to provide students with information about the historical background and cultural heritage of Afro-Americans. Specific teaching strategies, learning activities, and informational readings are provided for the following topics: (1) prominent black Americans; (2) African…

Legends of the Dakota, Ojibwe, Winnebago. Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fairbanks, Paulette; And Others

Intended to help teachers present Indian legends for the maximum benefit and enjoyment of students, this guide provides background information and learning activities for seven legends derived from the Dakota, Ojibwe, and Winnebago tribes. Introductory material discusses the history and purposes of tribal legends and outlines student objectives…

China Bound: A Handbook for American Students, Researchers and Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gottschang, Karen Turner

This handbook provides appropriate background and orientation material for American students, researchers, and teachers who travel to the People's Republic of China. There are eight sections. Section one discusses opportunities for study, research, and teaching in China. Section two deals with preparing for the trip. Various topics are discussed…

KURDISH BASIC COURSE, DIALECT OF SULAIMANIA, IRAQ.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ABDULLA, JAMAL JALAL; MCCARUS, ERNEST N.

THIS BEGINNING COURSE, DESIGNED FOR THE STUDENT WITH SOME KNOWLEDGE OF LINGUISTICS, FOLLOWS THE AUDIOLINGUAL APPROACH IN TEACHING THE PHONOLOGY, BASIC STRUCTURE, AND VOCABULARY OF THE EDUCATED KURDISH DIALECT OF SULAIMANIA, IRAQ. THE CULTURAL CONTENT OF THE MATERIAL PROVIDES THE STUDENT WITH A GENERAL BACKGROUND OF SULAIMANIAN CULTURE. PART I,…

Teaching Rural Sociology to Students with Non-Rural Backgrounds.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spaulding, Irving A.

A course designed to teach rural sociology to urban and suburban university students is described in this paper. Introductory material sets forth the objectives and the conceptual approach of the course, which systematically examines social changes associated with food and fiber production throughout the world. Five concepts--group, imperative…

Personalizing Instruction in Business, Economics, and Related Subjects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

State Univ. of New York, Old Westbury. Empire State Coll. Long Island Learning Center.

This paper describes the personalized instruction program for economic education at Empire State College, Saratoga Springs, New York. Personalized instruction is defined as relating subject content to the personal background, interests, needs, and abilities of the student. Students proceed at their own pace, use materials suitable to their…

An Ethnic Studies Guide and Resources Mannual for the Carolinas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1979

The manual contains ethnic studies units on the Indians of North Carolina and information for developing materials on other ethnic groups in North Carolina. Intended for intermediate grade students and teachers, the guide contains three major sections: background information, student manual, and information on ethnic groups other than American…

How-to-Do-It. How Long Is a Long Time?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McComas, William F.

1990-01-01

Presented is an activity designed to help students understand and appreciate the scale and order of the geologic timetable and begin to infer a relationship between biologic, chemical, and geological events. Procedures, background information, student worksheets with answers, and a list of materials are included. (CW)

The Music of Puerto Rico; A Classroom Music Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Lloyd; Toro, Leonor

With the assumption that the teacher of students with identifiable ethnic or cultural background must be prepared to deal with each student's heritage in a meaningful way, the document provides resource materials for Connecticut classroom teachers and/or music specialists with responsibilities for teaching children of Puerto Rican heritage. The…

Report of the President's Committee On Student Involvement in the University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benovich, Joseph B.; And Others

Originally established to consider expanded faculty and student involvement in the governance of Cleveland State University, the Committee decided to recommend changes within the existing governmental structure rather than encourage the establishment of a new system. Background material was studied, meetings were held and 2 questionnaires were…

Whale Teaching Unit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peninsula Humane Society, San Mateo, CA.

Materials in this teaching unit are designed to foster an interest in whale preservation among intermediate grade and junior high school students. Several readings provide background information on various types of whales and the economic value of whales. Student activities include a true and false game, a crossword, and a mobile. A resource list…

Student Activity Packet for the California State Capitol Museum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

2001

This packet contains materials to help fourth and fifth grade teachers provide their students with background information for field trips to the California State Capitol Museum (Sacramento). The working museum focuses on the theme areas of California history, the state government/legislative process, and state symbols. The packet presents teacher…

Amplify Interest in STS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiappetta, Eugene L; Mays, John D.

1992-01-01

Presents activities in which students construct simple crystal radio sets and amplifiers out of diodes, transistors, and integrated circuits. Provides conceptual background, materials needed, instructions, diagrams, and classroom applications. (MDH)

Nonfiction Readers Theatre for Beginning Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fredericks, Anthony D.

2007-01-01

Test scores across the country show American students are far more able to read narrative than nonfiction text. Some research speculates this is due to a great lack in the background knowledge of many children. Librarians are beginning to realize that a unique fit for the school librarian is as a provider of background knowledge materials for…

Podcasting of Health Sciences Lectures: Benefits for Students from a Non-English Speaking Background

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearce, Karma; Scutter, Sheila

2010-01-01

Podcasting in higher education is the presentation of study material in digital format that can be downloaded as audio or video files onto a MP3 player or computer. These files can then be accessed anywhere and at any time students choose. The use of podcasting is now widespread amongst undergraduate students, yet their application to the specific…

Limited English Proficiency Students in Wisconsin: Cultural Background and Educational Needs. Part I: Hispanic Students (Mexican and Puerto Rican).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knop, Constance K.

A training manual was developed to acquaint teachers and administrators with the history and culture of Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans in Wisconsin so that they can better meet the educational needs of their limited English proficient students. This manual is one of three such manuals intended for use with allied audiovisual materials.…

Limitations of student-driven formative assessment in a clinical clerkship. A randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

Palmer, Edward J; Devitt, Peter G

2008-01-01

Background Teachers strive to motivate their students to be self-directed learners. One of the methods used is to provide online formative assessment material. The concept of formative assessment and use of these processes is heavily promoted, despite limited evidence as to their efficacy. Methods Fourth year medical students, in their first year of clinical work were divided into four groups. In addition to the usual clinical material, three of the groups were provided with some form of supplementary learning material. For two groups, this was provided as online formative assessment. The amount of time students spent on the supplementary material was measured, their opinion on learning methods was surveyed, and their performance in summative exams at the end of their surgical attachments was measured. Results The performance of students was independent of any educational intervention imposed by this study. Despite its ready availability and promotion, student use of the online formative tools was poor. Conclusion Formative learning is an ideal not necessarily embraced by students. If formative assessment is to work students need to be encouraged to participate, probably by implementing some form of summative assessment. PMID:18471324

Plant Hormones: How They Affect Root Formation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reinhard, Diana Hereda

This science study aid, produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, includes a series of plant rooting activities for secondary science classes. The material in the pamphlet is written for students and includes background information on plant hormones, a vocabulary list, and five learning activities. Objectives, needed materials, and…

New Zealand and Queensland Teachers' Conceptions of Learning: Transforming More than Reproducing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Gavin T. L.; Lake, Robert; Matters, Gabrielle

2008-01-01

Background: Two major conceptions of learning exist: reproducing new material and transforming material to make meaning. Teachers' understandings of what learning is probably influence their teaching practices and student academic performance. Aims: To validate a short scale derived from Tait, Entwistle, & McCune's (1998) ASSIST inventory and…

Coastal Awareness: A Resource Guide for Teachers in Elementary Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rasmussen, Frederick A.

Intended to encourage elementary teachers to explore coastal ecology with their students, this guide presents background material, activity suggestions, and recommended resource materials that could be used in designing a week-long unit on Coastal Awareness. Discussed is how various physical processes such as waves, tides, and currents affect…

Metric. Career Education Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salem City Schools, NJ.

This is a compilation of instructional materials to assist teachers and students in learning about the metric system. Contents are organized into four color-coded sections containing the following: (1) background and reference materials for the teacher, including a list of available media and a conversion chart; (2) metric activities for primary…

A Methodology for Reading Skill Improvement in Vocational Secondary Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Wanda; And Others

Designed to help vocational teachers aid students in reading vocational education class materials, this handbook contains six sections of background information and suggested activities geared to various aspects of reading and a section of ideas for use in improving the reading skills of vocational students. While most of the examples in the…

Validation and Use of the Multidimensional Wellness Inventory in Collegiate Student-Athletes and First-Generation Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayol, Mindy Hartman; Scott, Brianna M.; Schreiber, James B.

2017-01-01

Background: In some professions, "wellness" has become shorthand for physical fitness and nutrition but dimensions outside the physical are equally important. As wellness models continue to materialize, a validated instrument is needed to substantiate the characteristics of a multidimensional wellness model. Purpose: This 2-pronged study…

Implications and Strategies in Collection Development for Multicultural Education at Tennessee State University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kenerson, Murle E.

This document profiles the role of Tennessee State University's Brown-Daniel Library in its collection development activities for a culturally diverse student body. It recommends that a series of goals and objectives be maintained in the selection criteria of library materials for students having diverse backgrounds. Topics include a brief…

Asian Pacific Perspectives: Samoans in the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Los Angeles Unified School District, CA.

These instructional materials on Samoans in the United States for elementary students were developed through the K.E.Y.S. project (Knowledge of English Yields Success). Information is included about Samoa, migration of Samoans to the United States, cultural background, and Samoan students. Resource guides describe the purpose of the unit, how to…

Aquatic Habitats, Level 4-9.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weigel, Margaret

Designed to acquaint students in grades 4-9 with aquatic plants and animals, this guide provides materials which can be used in preparation for field trips or laboratory work, for individual projects, as supplemental activities for a unit, or for learning center projects. Teacher background notes and an answer key for the student activites are…

"To Kill a Mockingbird": An Historical Perspective. Learning Page Lesson Plan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prody, Kathleen; Whearty, Nicolet

Students gain from a sense of the living history that surrounds Harper Lee's novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird." Through studying primary source materials from American Memory and other online sources, students of all backgrounds may better grasp how historical events and human forces have shaped relationships between black and white and…

Teaching About Women in Hispanic Literature: Current Methods and Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maier, Carol

Awareness of a new and altered method of teaching literature, similar to that described by Adrienne Rich, grew from the experience of teaching a small introductory course in twentieth century Hispanic women writers to students with diverse language, cultural, and economic backgrounds. Although about half the students were native Spanish speakers,…

Portfolio of Evidence: An Assessment Tool in Promoting Geometry Achievement among Teacher Education College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weldeana, Hailu Nigus; Sbhatu, Desta Berhe

2017-01-01

Background: This article reports contributions of an assessment tool called Portfolio of Evidence (PE) in learning college geometry. Material and methods: Two classes of second-year students from one Ethiopian teacher education college, assigned into Treatment and Comparison classes, were participated. The assessment tools used in the Treatment…

Programmed Latin I, Part 2: 7513.06.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

This curriculum guide is designed to be used in conjunction with the text, "Artes Latinae," units 11-17. The course focuses on the listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills as well as on cultural background material. Attention is also paid to developing a positive student attitude toward language learning. The student moves at his…

Programmed Latin I, Part 1. Foreign Language: 7513.05.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

This curriculum guide is designed to be used in conjunction with the text "Artes Latinae," units 1-10. The course focuses on the listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills as well as on cultural background material. Emphasis is placed on developing a positive student attitude toward language learning. The student moves at his own…

Students’ difficulties in solving linear equation problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wati, S.; Fitriana, L.; Mardiyana

2018-03-01

A linear equation is an algebra material that exists in junior high school to university. It is a very important material for students in order to learn more advanced mathematics topics. Therefore, linear equation material is essential to be mastered. However, the result of 2016 national examination in Indonesia showed that students’ achievement in solving linear equation problem was low. This fact became a background to investigate students’ difficulties in solving linear equation problems. This study used qualitative descriptive method. An individual written test on linear equation tasks was administered, followed by interviews. Twenty-one sample students of grade VIII of SMPIT Insan Kamil Karanganyar did the written test, and 6 of them were interviewed afterward. The result showed that students with high mathematics achievement donot have difficulties, students with medium mathematics achievement have factual difficulties, and students with low mathematics achievement have factual, conceptual, operational, and principle difficulties. Based on the result there is a need of meaningfulness teaching strategy to help students to overcome difficulties in solving linear equation problems.

Preparing future teachers to anticipate student difficulties in physics in a graduate-level course in physics, pedagogy, and education research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, John R.; Christensen, Warren M.; Wittmann, Michael C.

2011-06-01

We describe courses designed to help future teachers reflect on and discuss both physics content and student knowledge thereof. We use three kinds of activities: reading and discussing the literature, experiencing research-based curricular materials, and learning to use the basic research methods of physics education research. We present a general overview of the two courses we have designed as well as a framework for assessing student performance on physics content knowledge and one aspect of pedagogical content knowledge—knowledge of student ideas—about one particular content area: electric circuits. We find that the quality of future teachers’ responses, especially on questions dealing with knowledge of student ideas, can be successfully categorized and may be higher for those with a nonphysics background than those with a physics background.

The Role of Introductory Geosciences in Students' Quantitative Literacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wenner, J. M.; Manduca, C.; Baer, E. M.

2006-12-01

Quantitative literacy is more than mathematics; it is about reasoning with data. Colleges and universities have begun to recognize the distinction between mathematics and quantitative literacy, modifying curricula to reflect the need for numerate citizens. Although students may view geology as 'rocks for jocks', the geosciences are truthfully rife with data, making introductory geoscience topics excellent context for developing the quantitative literacy of students with diverse backgrounds. In addition, many news items that deal with quantitative skills, such as the global warming phenomenon, have their basis in the Earth sciences and can serve as timely examples of the importance of quantitative literacy for all students in introductory geology classrooms. Participants at a workshop held in 2006, 'Infusing Quantitative Literacy into Introductory Geoscience Courses,' discussed and explored the challenges and opportunities associated with the inclusion of quantitative material and brainstormed about effective practices for imparting quantitative literacy to students with diverse backgrounds. The tangible results of this workshop add to the growing collection of quantitative materials available through the DLESE- and NSF-supported Teaching Quantitative Skills in the Geosciences website, housed at SERC. There, faculty can find a collection of pages devoted to the successful incorporation of quantitative literacy in introductory geoscience. The resources on the website are designed to help faculty to increase their comfort with presenting quantitative ideas to students with diverse mathematical abilities. A methods section on "Teaching Quantitative Literacy" (http://serc.carleton.edu/quantskills/methods/quantlit/index.html) focuses on connecting quantitative concepts with geoscience context and provides tips, trouble-shooting advice and examples of quantitative activities. The goal in this section is to provide faculty with material that can be readily incorporated into existing introductory geoscience courses. In addition, participants at the workshop (http://serc.carleton.edu/quantskills/workshop06/index.html) submitted and modified more than 20 activities and model courses (with syllabi) designed to use best practices for helping introductory geoscience students to become quantitatively literate. We present insights from the workshop and other sources for a framework that can aid in increasing quantitative literacy of students from a variety of backgrounds in the introductory geoscience classroom.

Using High Level Literacy Techniques to Teach Astronomy to Non-Science Majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garland, C. A.; Ratay, D. L.

2005-12-01

We present a discussion of an introductory-level college astronomy class which significantly relied on reading and writing assignments to deliver basic content knowledge and provide a basis for deeper analysis of the material. As opposed to the traditional problem-set method of homework, students were required to read popular articles from magazines and newspapers related to the content presented in class and then prepare responses. Responses ranged from methodological analysis to using the readings to create original science journalism. Other forms of assessment indicated that students benefitted from this type of course design. We propose that given the background of students in this type of course, the course design is better suited to engage students in the material and provides a better assessment of student achievement.

Learning to Apply Models of Materials While Explaining Their Properties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karpin, Tiia; Juuti, Kalle; Lavonen, Jari

2014-01-01

Background: Applying structural models is important to chemistry education at the upper secondary level, but it is considered one of the most difficult topics to learn. Purpose: This study analyses to what extent in designed lessons students learned to apply structural models in explaining the properties and behaviours of various materials.…

Health Education: Cancer Prevention and Control. Teacher's Training Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Univ. System, Albany.

The aim of these curriculum materials is to provide (1) essential background information regarding the more common forms of cancer and (2) learning experiences that emphasize the acquisition of knowledge regarding the cause, prevention, and treatment of cancer. The materials will enable students to: (1) identify the seven danger signals of cancer;…

The Development of Man and His Culture: Old World Prehistory. Grade 5. Teacher Guide [And] Pupil Text [And] Pupil Guide [And] Teacher Background Material [And] A Sequential Curriculum in Anthropology. Test Form 5, Composite Form for Pre- and Post-Test. Revised, January 1968. Publications No. 25, 31, 23, 24 and 43.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Potterfield, James E.; And Others

This social studies unit includes a teaching guide, student text, study guide, teacher background material, and composite pretest/posttest covering archaeological methods, evolution, fossils and man, and development of culture during the prehistoric periods in the Old World. It is part of the Anthropology Curriculum Project and is designed for…

Using Snow to Teach Geology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roth, Charles

1991-01-01

A lesson plan, directed at middle school students and older, describes using snow to study the geological processes of solidification of molten material, sedimentation, and metamorphosis. Provides background information on these geological processes. (MCO)

Problem Manual for Instructional Decision-Making Module; Volume 2: A Computer Assisted Instruction Module. Document Number 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bessent, E. Wailand; And Others

Provided in the manual are background material, problems, and worksheets designed for graduate students involved in a computer assisted instruction (CAI) approach to supervisor training. Included are a faculty handbook for a simulated school in a mythical community, a practice problem to familiarize the student with terminal operation, and eight…

Overview of the Enhanced Natural Gestures Instructional Approach and Illustration of Its Use with Three Students with Angelman Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calculator, Stephen; Diaz-Caneja Sela, Patricia

2015-01-01

Background: This investigation details procedures used to teach enhanced natural gestures (ENGs) and illustrates its use with three students with Angelman syndrome (AS). Materials and Methods: Themes were extracted, using a process of content analysis, to organize individuals' feedback pertaining to previous versions of the instructional…

When the Professor Is Wrong: Students Helping Teachers To Learn.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Browning, Judith

This paper recounts a difficult and valuable lesson in one educator's teaching career--when her students helped her to see a central flaw in her approach to the texts in a course entitled "Women in Literature." The paper first gives some background about the educator's preconceptions when she developed the material for the "Women in…

Police Traffic Services Basic Training Program. Student Study Guide. Volume 3 of 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hale, Allen; Hamilton, John W.

As part of the basic training program in police traffic services intended to establish a national standard, the student study guide was developed to serve as a basic reference text to reinforce and supplement the subject material presented in class. The document consists of the six following major sections: (1) background for policy traffic…

Family Capital: How First-Generation Higher-Education Students Break the Intergenerational Cycle. Discussion Paper No. 1322-07

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gofen, Anat

2007-01-01

The first children in a family to attain a higher education, referred to as "first-generation students," embody the realization of social mobility. Previous analysis has often portrayed them as succeeding despite their family background. This research suggests that although they face many material challenges, their families are often a…

Statistics to the Rescue!: Using Data to Evaluate a Manufacturing Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keithley, Michael G.

2009-01-01

The use of statistics and process controls is too often overlooked in educating students. This article describes an activity appropriate for high school students who have a background in material processing. It gives them a chance to advance their knowledge by determining whether or not a manufacturing process works well. The activity follows a…

Law: The Language of Liberty. Supplemental Materials for Alabama Social Studies Teachers. Grade 11.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alabama Administrative Office of Courts, Montgomery.

Student activities, teacher background information, and lesson ideas for teaching about law in social studies classrooms are presented. The first section provides students with a worksheet for determining the dates and historical significance of 15 great events (or documents) in U.S. history. A teacher resource list matches each event to pages in…

Using Literacy Techniques to Teach Astronomy to Non-Science Majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garland, C. A.; Ratay, D. L.

We discuss an introductory-level college astronomy class that significantly relied on reading and writing assignments to deliver basic content knowledge and provide a basis for deeper analysis of the material. As opposed to the traditional problem-set method of homework, students were required to read popular articles from magazines and newspapers related to the content presented in class, and then prepare responses. These responses ranged from methodological analyzes to using the readings to create original science journalism. Additional forms of assessment indicated that students benefited from this type of course design. We propose that given the background of students in this type of course, our course design is better suited to engage students in the material and provides a valid alternative method of assessment.

Experiments with Corn To Demonstrate Plant Growth and Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haldeman, Janice H.; Gray, Margarit S.

2000-01-01

Explores using corn seeds to demonstrate plant growth and development. This experiment allows students to formulate hypotheses, observe and record information, and practice mathematics. Presents background information, materials, procedures, and observations. (SAH)

Hands-on Herps.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Science Activities, 1987

1987-01-01

Presents a hands-on activity to help primary, intermediate, and advanced students learn about and compare the general characteristics of reptiles and amphibians. Suggests "herp stations" to provide experiences. Details materials, background and procedures necessary for using this activity. (CW)

Studies in Mathematics, Volume V. Concepts of Informal Geometry. Preliminary Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Richard D.

The main purpose of this book is to provide background material in geometry for teachers or prospective teachers who know little or no geometry. It should be suitable as a text for a one-semester course for teachers of junior high school or upper elementary school students. Chapters contain developmental material and exercises. Chapters include:…

Biological Science: An Ecological Approach. BSCS Green Version. Teacher's Resource Book and Test Item Bank. Sixth Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biological Sciences Curriculum Study, Colorado Springs.

This book consists of four sections: (1) "Supplemental Materials"; (2) "Supplemental Investigations"; (3) "Test Item Bank"; and (4) "Blackline Masters." The first section provides additional background material related to selected chapters and investigations in the student book. Included are a periodic table of the elements, genetics problems and…

Teacher-Recommended Methods and Materials for Teaching Penmanship and Spelling to the Learning Disabled.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stein, Regina A.

A questionnaire sent to 274 Michigan special education teachers in resource rooms and self-contained classrooms were dsigned to identify the treatment methods and materials used by these teachers to teach penmanship and spelling to learning-disabled students. A review of the literature examines the theoretical background of written expression,…

An enrichment program for South Carolina high school students interested in future biomedical science professions.

PubMed

McLean, A H; Gibbs, T; Sugimoto, T; Altekruse, J M

1983-06-01

The Biomedical Sciences Program of the University of South Carolina intends to increase the number of qualified, economically disadvantaged minority students graduating from educational programs that lead to careers in the health field. The objective is to provide students with an overview of the health care delivery system in the United States and to acquaint students with a wide range of health care occupations and opportunities in the health care field. Experience-based learning, through site visits to different health care centers, is used in this program.In 1981, 100 ninth-grade students from rural school districts in South Carolina were recruited to participate in the program from 1981 through 1985. To assist in evaluation of the summer program, each student completed a self-administered questionnaire composed of questions related to background information and a pre-test covering factual material derived from information provided by visits to health care delivery agencies. At the completion of the summer program, the same test (excluding the collection of background material) was administered as a post-test.Of the 113 students who took the pre-test, 89 students also took the post-test. The decrease in students was accounted for by early withdrawal from the summer program or conflicts in scheduled events. Of the post-test group, 75 (84.3 percent) were nonwhite and 14 (15.7 percent) were white. The sex distribution was 60 women (67.4 percent) and 29 men (32.6 percent).Follow-up on academic advancement and career development progress is planned for each student over the next five years.

Modeling the Influences of Upper-Elementary School Students' Digital Reading Literacy, Socioeconomic Factors, and Self-Regulated Learning Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Shin-Feng

2017-01-01

Background: Reading is an interactive and constructive process of making meaning by engaging a variety of materials and sources and by participating in reading communities at school or in daily life. Aim: The purpose of this study was to explore the factors affecting digital reading literacy among upper-elementary school students. Method: A…

Physical Education Resources, Class Management, and Student Physical Activity Levels: A Structure-Process-Outcome Approach to Evaluating Physical Education Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bevans, Katherine B.; Fitzpatrick, Leslie-Anne; Sanchez, Betty M.; Riley, Anne W.; Forrest, Christopher

2010-01-01

Background: This study was conducted to empirically evaluate specific human, curricular, and material resources that maximize student opportunities for physical activity during physical education (PE) class time. A structure-process-outcome model was proposed to identify the resources that influence the frequency of PE and intensity of physical…

The Rocky Shore. A Learning Experience for Coastal and Oceanic Awareness Studies, No. 225. [Project COAST].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delaware Univ., Newark. Coll. of Education.

This unit is designed to be used by students in biology classes in secondary schools. Emphasized in the unit are coastal life zones, plants and animals that live in these areas, and factors influencing the lives of the organisms. Included in the unit are evaluation materials, instructional objectives, student background information, masters for…

Guide to Marine Ecology Research . . . a Curriculum for Secondary Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castellani, Marylynn L., Ed.

Project Marine Ecology Research (MER) is an ecological curriculum designed to involve secondary students in the study of the marine biome. The background material and learning activities concern the study of the San Francisco Bay Area. The guide is divided into two major parts. In the first part, a history of the Bay Area is given. It includes the…

Concepts of Mathematics for Students of Physics and Engineering: A Dictionary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kolecki, Joseph C.

2003-01-01

A physicist with an engineering background, the author presents a mathematical dictionary containing material encountered over many years of study and professional work at NASA. This work is a compilation of the author's experience and progress in the field of study represented and consists of personal notes and observations that can be used by students in physics and engineering.

The Development of Man and His Culture: New World Prehistory. Grade Two. Teacher's Guide [And] Teacher Background Material [And] Pupil Text [And] Pupil's Study Guide [And] A Sequential Curriculum in Anthropology. Test: Form 2, Composite Form for Pre- and Post-test. Publications No. 28, 29, 30, 33 and 41.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Austin, Carol E.; And Others

The social studies unit includes a teaching guide, teacher background material, student text, study guide, and composite pretest/posttest. Subject matter focuses on archaeological methods, history of man in America, and the Hopi Indians in the past and present. The unit is part of the Anthropology Curriculum Project and is designed to be used in…

Validation of TxDOT flexible pavement skid prediction model : workshop : student guide.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-05-01

Course Materials: : Background summary of Research Project 0-5627. : Short presentation of research tasks and findings from Research Project 0-6746. : Aggregate characterization with Aggregate Imaging Measurement System (AIMS) and Micro-D...

Insights into the Gifted & Talented through Biographical Material.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weiner, Ann

1978-01-01

Biographical information of 32 men and 5 women chosen as gifted or talented by university students is cited to discuss birth order, family background, supportive help, early evidence of giftedness, academic record, and particular difficulties. (CL)

Message framing and color combination in the perception of medical information.

PubMed

Chien, Yu-Hung

2011-04-01

A 2 x 2 between-subjects design was used to examine the effects of message framing (gain vs loss) and color combination (red background with white characters vs white background with black characters) on 120 university students' perception of materials promoting the H1N1 flu vaccine and their willingness to receive the vaccine after they had read the materials. Each participant completed a 6-item questionnaire, and the results of an analysis of variance showed that participants rated vaccine information presented through loss-framed messages as having greater interest and leading to greater understanding. Loss-framed messages presented on a white background with black characters significantly increased the willingness of the participants to receive the vaccine.

Learning to apply models of materials while explaining their properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karpin, Tiia; Juuti, Kalle; Lavonen, Jari

2014-09-01

Background:Applying structural models is important to chemistry education at the upper secondary level, but it is considered one of the most difficult topics to learn. Purpose:This study analyses to what extent in designed lessons students learned to apply structural models in explaining the properties and behaviours of various materials. Sample:An experimental group is 27 Finnish upper secondary school students and control group included 18 students from the same school. Design and methods:In quasi-experimental setting, students were guided through predict, observe, explain activities in four practical work situations. It was intended that the structural models would encourage students to learn how to identify and apply appropriate models when predicting and explaining situations. The lessons, organised over a one-week period, began with a teacher's demonstration and continued with student experiments in which they described the properties and behaviours of six household products representing three different materials. Results:Most students in the experimental group learned to apply the models correctly, as demonstrated by post-test scores that were significantly higher than pre-test scores. The control group showed no significant difference between pre- and post-test scores. Conclusions:The findings indicate that the intervention where students engage in predict, observe, explain activities while several materials and models are confronted at the same time, had a positive effect on learning outcomes.

Breast Self-Examination in Terms of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice among Nursing Students of Arab American University/Jenin

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ayed, Ahmad; Eqtait, Faeda; Harazneh, Lubna; Fashafsheh, Imad; Nazzal, Sewar; Talahmeh, Bian; Hajar, Deena; Awawdeh, Rrawan

2015-01-01

Background: Breast self-examination is a simple, very low cost, noninvasive with no special material/tool requirements; and it is an effective diagnostic method for breast cancer which only takes five minutes to apply. Aim of the Study: The study aimed to assess the level of BSE knowledge, attitude, and practice among female nursing students in…

A Study of Language Attrition in Former U.S. Students of Japanese and Implications for Design of Curriculum and Teaching Materials. Final Project Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, John L. D.; Jorden, Eleanor H.

A comparison of the end-of-study versus months-to-years later levels of language proficiency of 49 students of Japanese at Cornell University, from both intensive and nonintensive programs, is reported. In addition to academic records and performance on the Japanese Proficiency Test, data obtained from a comprehensive background questionnaire…

Going Beyond, Going Further: The Preparation of Acid-Base Titration Curves.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClendon, Michael

1984-01-01

Background information, list of materials needed, and procedures used are provided for a simple technique for generating mechanically plotted acid-base titration curves. The method is suitable for second-year high school chemistry students. (JN)

Acid Rain: Activities for Science Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Eric; And Others

1983-01-01

Seven complete secondary/college level acid rain activities are provided. Activities include overview; background information and societal implications; major concepts; student objectives; vocabulary/material lists; procedures; instructional strategies; and questions/discussion and extension suggestions. Activities consider effects of acid rain on…

An analysis of the changes in ability and knowledge of students taking A-level physics and mathematics over a 35 year period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barham, Peter J.

2012-03-01

New undergraduate students arriving to study physics at the University of Bristol from 1975 onwards have all taken the same test of their knowledge and understanding of physics and mathematics. Many of the questions test knowledge of material that has been in the A-level syllabus for maths or physics throughout this period. The ability of incoming students to answer these questions declined significantly in the 1990s with average scores falling from around 75% up to 1990 to below 50% after 2000 against a background of increasing A-level grades of the entrants to the programme. It is suggested that changes in teaching and examination methods have caused students to be less able to carry out multi-stage calculations and that the introduction of modular examinations may have encouraged a culture where students tend to forget material learnt in previous modules.

Using a dynamic, introductory-level volcanoes class as a means to introduce non-science majors to the geosciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, G. W.

2012-12-01

At the University of California, San Diego, I teach a quarter-long, introductory Earth Science class titled "Volcanoes," which is, in essence, a functional class in volcanology designed specifically for non-majors. This large-format (enrollment ~ 85), lecture-based class provides students from an assortment of backgrounds an opportunity to acquire much-needed (and sometimes dreaded) area credits in science, while also serving as an introduction to the Earth Science major at UCSD (offered through Scripps Institution of Oceanography). The overall goal of the course is to provide students with a stimulating and exciting general science option that, using an inherently interesting topic, introduces them to the fundamentals of geoscience. A secondary goal is to promote general science and geoscience literacy among the general population of UCSD. Student evaluations of this course unequivocally indicate a high degree of learning and interest in the material. The majority of students in the class (>80%) are non-science majors and very few students (<3%) are Earth science degree-seeking students. In addition, only a handful of students have typically had any form of geology class beyond high school level Earth Science. Consequently, there are challenges associated with teaching the class. Perhaps most significantly, students have very little background—background that is necessary for understanding the processes involved in volcanic eruptions. Second, many non-science students have built-in anxieties with respect to math and science, anxieties that must be considered when designing curriculum and syllabi. It is essential to provide the right balance of technical information while remaining in touch with the audience. My approach to the class involves a dynamic lecture format that incorporates a wide array of multimedia, analogue demonstrations of volcanic processes, and small-group discussions of topics and concepts. In addition to teaching about volcanoes—a fascinating subject in and of itself—I take the opportunity in the first two weeks to introduce students to basic geology, including tectonics, earth materials, surface processes, and geologic time. In fact, this is a vital segment of the class, as the students need this background for the latter portions of the class. A side benefit is that students are provided with a "mini" education in geology whether they know it or not and take this knowledge with them into other classes, and ultimately, their futures. Student satisfaction is uniformly very high with this class. 100% of students agreed that the course material was intellectually stimulating; 95% of students agreed that they learned a great deal from the course; 100% of students stated that they would recommend the class to other students. Overall, the class highlights the role that non-major introductory-level geoscience classes, in particular ones with interesting topics, can serve in educating college-level students about Earth Science. They may also serve as a gateway into the Earth Sciences for students who previously had no such inclination.

A method for creating interactive content for the iPod, and its potential use as a learning tool: Technical Advances

PubMed Central

Palmer, Edward J; Devitt, Peter G

2007-01-01

Background Podcasting is currently a popular means of delivery of information with a large number of podcasts specifically tailored for educational purposes. It can be argued that the passive nature of this teaching methodology limits the educational benefit that can be derived from podcasts. This paper describes the development and construction of interactive material for the iPod, and a survey of student attitudes towards this type of learning material. Methods The development of interactive material for an iPod is described in detail. This material was developed and demonstrated to 50 medical students. These students completed a paper-based survey on the potential uses of this technology, before and after a 20 minute presentation in class of an interactive case-study on an iPod. Results A technical description of how to develop interactive content for the iPod was created. The results of the student survey indicate a favourable shift in student attitudes after viewing the interactive case. Despite only 15% of the students owning an iPod, 57% of the students were positive about having access to interactive iPod content and 59% believed they would use it whilst travelling. The percentage of students who felt podcasting was a useful means of learning increased from 9% to 41%. Conclusion The development of interactive content for the iPod is feasible. There are indications that students view interactive iPod cases as having value as an additional learning resource. PMID:17888168

Evaluation of the e-Learning material developed by EMERALD and EMIT for diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy.

PubMed

Aitken, Victoria; Tabakov, Slavik

2005-09-01

Two Leonardo projects, EMERALD and EMIT, have developed in a partnershipof university and hospital departments (the consortia) e-Learning materials in X-ray diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, radiotherapy, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging for medical physics graduates and other healthcare professionals. These e-Learning materials are described in a separate paper in this issue. To assess the effectiveness and relevance of the e-Learning material, a series of evaluations by student users groups plus experts in medical physics education and training were undertaken. The students, with backgrounds in physics and clinical ultrasound, reviewed the e-Learning material using an evaluation form developed by the consortia. The student feedback was favourable with students commenting that their level of knowledge had increased having completed the tasks. Areas identified for development were a reduction in text volume and an increase in the time allowed for completion of some tasks. The feedback from the experts was positive with an overall appreciation of the value of the learning material as a resource for students in medical physics field across Europe and identified other disciplines in which the access to the learning material could be useful contribution to their learning. Suggestions made for improvements ranged from grading the tasks into basic and advanced topics to increasing the interactive nature of the material. These early evaluation of the e-Learning material look promising and provide a framework for further developments in the field. Insight into users and providers views is important if developers are to provide relevant and worthwhile educational learning opportunities.

The Antimicrobial Properties of Red Algae. The Fight of Your Life: Battling Bacteria.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Case, Christine L.; Warner, Michael

2001-01-01

Describes a research project in which a professor and a student collaborated in the screening of macroscopic algae for antimicrobial properties. Includes background information, materials and methods, results, and a discussion of the experiment. (SAH)

Preparation of a Phosphor, ZnS:Cupric.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suib, Steven L.; Tanaka, John

1984-01-01

Background information (including optical properties of inorganic materials) and procedures are provided for an experiment which introduces students to preparation of a doped semiconductor; phosphorescence; gettering procedures; reducing atmospheres; and use of a high-temperature furnace with associated thermocouples, temperature controllers, and…

Assay for Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russo, Salvatore F.

1983-01-01

Describes a three-hour experiment designed to introduce students to chemistry of the angiotensis-converting enzyme, illustrate design of a quenched fluorescence substrate, and examine considerations necessary in designing a clinical assay. Includes background information on the biochemistry of hypertension, reagents/materials needed, procedures…

The Model U.N. Program: Teaching Unreality. A United Nations Assessment Project Study. The Heritage Foundation Backgrounder No. 282.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gulick, Thomas G.; Merkle, Melanie L.

An evaluation of the instructional materials used by high school and college students who participated in the Model United Nations Program showed that the program is uncritical of the United Nations (U.N.) and biased against the United States and the West in general. These materials are strongly promoted by many prominent educational professional…

Alcohol and Other Drugs: Realities for You and Your Family. Health Promotion for Adult Literacy Students: An Empowering Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corrigan, Mary

This document is a learning module designed to provide adult literacy practitioners in New York and elsewhere with the materials needed to take an empowering approach to helping adult literacy learners deal with the realities of alcohol and other drug issues affecting them and their families. The module includes background material, information on…

Veicolarita e linguaggio scientifico--analisi del primo "Progetto italiano per studenti universitari somali" (Languages for Special Purposes and Scientific Usage--An Analysis of the First "Italian Project for Somali University Students").

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amato, Antonio

1979-01-01

The development of an intensive Italian course for science students attending Somalia's National University is described. The historical background for this project, sponsored by the Italian Government and staffed by Italian teachers, is outlined. Course objectives, methods, and organization are illustrated by samples of instructional materials,…

The Endangered Species Act and a Deeper Look at Extinction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borowski, John F.

1992-01-01

Discusses the importance of saving species and dispels myths surrounding the endangered species act as background to three student activities that include a round table debate, writing to congresspeople, and a research project suggestion. Lists reference materials for endangered species. (MCO)

There Must Be A-Way (to Deal with Solid Waste).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fortner, Rosanne W.

1991-01-01

Presents a class project to help upper elementary students grasp the extent of the solid waste disposal problem and develop an individual response. Includes background information for the teacher, project objectives, materials, procedures, and a listing for additional resources. (MCO)

Using a flipped classroom in an algebra-based physics course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Leigh

2013-03-01

The algebra-based physics course is taken by Biology students, Pre-Pharmacy, Pre-Medical, and other health related majors such as medical imaging, physical therapy, and so on. Nearly 500 students take the course each Semester. Student learning is adversely impacted by poor math backgrounds as well as extensive work schedules outside of the classroom. We have been researching the use of an intensive flipped-classroom approach where students spend one to two hours each week preparing for class by reading the book, completing a series of conceptual problems, and viewing videos which describe the material. In class, the new response system Learning Catalytics is used which allows much richer problems to be posed in class and includes sketching figures, numerical or symbolic entries, short answers, highlighting text, etc in addition to the standard multiple choice questions. We make direct comparison of student learning for 1200 sudents who have taken the same tests, 25% of which used the flipped classroom approach, and 75% who took a more standard lecture. There is significant evidence of improvements in student learning for students taking the flipped classroom approach over standard lectures. These benefits appear to impact students at all math backgrounds.

An online learning course in Ergonomics.

PubMed

Weiss, Patrice L Tamar; Schreuer, Naomi; Jermias-Cohen, Tali; Josman, Naomi

2004-01-01

For the past two years, the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Haifa has offered an online course to third year occupational therapists on the topic of Ergonomics for Health Care Professionals. The development and implementation of this course was funded by the Israeli Ministry of Education. Unique teaching materials, developed and uploaded to the University's server via "High Learn", included interactive and self-directed documents containing graphics, animations, and video clips. Extensive use was made of the discussion forum and survey tools, and students submitted all assignments online. For the final topic, an expert in ergonomics from Boston University delivered a lecture via two-way videoconferencing. The course site included comprehensive library listings in which all bibliographic materials were made available online. Students accessed course materials at the University in a computer classroom and at home via modem. In an accompanying research study, the frequency of student usage of the various online tools was tracked and extensive data were collected via questionnaires documenting students' demographic background, preferred learning style, prior usage of technology, satisfaction with the course and academic achievement. This paper focuses on the results of the research study that examined how the students responded to and coped with teaching material presented and accessed in this format.

Student Off-Task Behavior in Computer-Based Learning in the Philippines: Comparison to Prior Research in the USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodrigo, Ma. Mercedes T.; Baker, Ryan S. J. D.; Rossi, Lisa

2013-01-01

Background: Off-task behavior can be defined as any behavior that does not involve the learning task or material, or where learning from the material is not the primary goal. One suggested path for understanding how to address off-task behavior is to study classrooms where off-task behavior is less common, particularly in Asia, in order to…

Reading Hamlet. The NCTE Chalkface Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mellor, Bronwyn

This book, for grades 9-12, contains a wealth of ideas and practical activities for studying Shakespeare's "Hamlet." The first section, "Revenge Tragedy," provides background materials to help prepare students to read "Hamlet," including a discussion of revenge tragedies, comparisons to other plays from the period,…

Pashto Reader.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tegey, Habibullah; Robson, Barbara

This reader is the basic text for a set of instructional materials in Pashto. It consists of 45 authentic passages in Pashto script, each accompanied by background information, a vocabulary list, hints for scanning, comprehension exercises, and notes for detailed rereading. An introductory section offers study suggestions for the student. The…

Young Children Learn to Restructure Personal Ideas about Growth in Trees.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sunal, Dennis W.; Sunal, Cynthia S.

1991-01-01

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

Individually Prescribed Instruction: Background Information and Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeRenzis, Joseph J.

The effects of individually prescribed instruction (IPI) in reading as compared to the traditional mode of instruction are examined. The IPI model includes four components: analysis of subject matter content, diagnosis of student preinstructional behavior, sequencing of materials to facilitate learning, and evaluation strategies. Elementary…

Geotextiles in Flexible Pavement Construction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alungbe, Gabriel D.

2004-01-01

People everywhere in the developed world regularly drive on paved roads. Learning about the construction techniques and materials used in paving benefits technology and construction students. This article discusses the use of geosynthetic textiles in pavement construction. It presents background on pavements and describes geotextiles and drainage…

Mathematics Equity. A Resource Book.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyree, Eddy; And Others

Provided in this document is a brief summary of current research on equity in mathematics, readings on the topic, and lists of selected programs and resource materials. Readings presented include: "Teaching Mathematics in a Multicultural Setting: Some Considerations when Teachers and Students are of Differing Cultural Backgrounds"…

Hazards in the Solar System: Out-of-School Time Student Activities Focused on Engineering Protective Space Gloves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaughan, R. G.; Meyer, N.; Anderson, R. B.; Sokol, K.; Nolan, B.; Edgar, L. A.; Gaither, T. A.; Milazzo, M. P.; Clark, J.

2017-12-01

"In Good Hands: Engineering Space Gloves" is a new Engineering Adventures® curriculum unit created for students in grades 3-5 in out-of-school time programs. It was designed and created by the Engineering is Elementary® team at the Museum of Science in Boston, MA, in collaboration with subject matter experts at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center and teacher professional development experts at Northern Arizona University's Center for Science Teaching and Learning. As part of the NASA-funded PLANETS (Planetary Learning that Advances the Nexus of Engineering, Technology, and Science) project, the goals for this unit are to introduce students to some of the potential hazards that would be faced by astronauts exploring planetary bodies in the solar system, and to engage students in thinking about how to engineer solutions to these challenges. Potential human health hazards in planetary exploration include: little to no breathable oxygen, exposure to extreme temperatures and pressures, radiation, dusty or toxic environments, and/or high velocity debris. First, students experiment with gloves made of different materials to accomplish tasks like picking up paper clips, entering numbers on a calculator, and using simple tools, while also testing for insulating properties, protection from crushing forces, and resistance to dust contamination. Students explore the trade-offs between form and multiple desired functions, and gain an introduction to materials engineering. Students are then presented with three different missions. Mission 1 is to collect and return a sample from Saturn's moon, Titan; Mission 2 is mining asteroids for useful minerals; and Mission 3 is to build a radio tower on the far side of Earth's moon. Each of these missions exhibits different potential hazards. Based on their previous experiments with different types of glove materials, students develop and test glove designs that will protect astronauts from mission-specific hazards, while still retaining basic dexterity and functionality. Educators are given background information and links to in-depth descriptions of the science content, and students are guided through the engineering design process as well as given scientific background on hazards in the solar system in a fun and engaging series of activities.

Evaluating a Speech-Language Pathology Technology

PubMed Central

Spinardi-Panes, Ana Carulina; Lopes-Herrera, Simone Aparecida; Maximino, Luciana Paula

2014-01-01

Abstract Background: The creation of new educational strategies based on technology is the essence of telehealth. This innovative learning is an alternative to promote integration and improve the professional practices in speech-language pathology (SLP). The objective of this study was to evaluate an SLP technology designed for distance learning. Materials and Methods: The survey selected fourth-year SLP students (n=60) from three public universities in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The experimental group (EG) contained 10 students from each university (n=30), and the remaining students formed the control group (CG). Initially, both groups answered a preprotocol questionnaire, and the EG students received the technology, the recommendations, and the deadline to explore the material. In the second stage all students answered the postprotocol questionnaire in order to evaluate the validity and the learning of the technology contents. Results: The comparison between the CG students showed that their performance worsened in the majority in comparison with the EG students, who showed an improved performance. Conclusions: Therefore, this study concluded that the technology instrument actually responded to the population studied and is recommended to complement traditional teaching. PMID:24404815

Secret Formulas. GEMS Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tilley, Rebecca; Willard, Carolyn

This teacher's guide features step-by-step instructions for activities that use easily-obtained and inexpensive materials as well as background information, literature connections, and assessment ideas. The unit allows students the opportunity to focus on observing and describing the properties and attributes of substances. In these activities,…

Introductory Course on Satellite Navigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giger, Kaspar; Knogl, J. Sebastian

2012-01-01

Satellite navigation is widely used for personal navigation and more and more in precise and safety-critical applications. Thus, the subject is suited for attracting the interest of young people in science and engineering. The practical applications allow catching the students' attention for the theoretical background. Educational material on the…

Asian Pacific Perspectives: Japanese Americans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Los Angeles Unified School District, CA.

These instructional materials on Japanese Americans for elementary students were developed through the K.E.Y.S. project (Knowledge of English Yields Success). Information is included on early immigrants, their historical and cultural background, and current problems of Japanese Americans. Resource guides describe the purpose of the unit, how to…

Learning Center: Introducing "Sherman" the Sow Bug.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armstrong, Beverly; Moore, Charlotte

1982-01-01

Offers suggestions for using sow bugs in the classroom, including maintenance, source (found virtually everywhere in damp soil), background information, bibliography, and bulletin board idea. Includes instructions and materials (clue cards) for a fact-finding and hypothesis-testing game in which students determine what kind of an animal…

Building Vocabulary in Every Content Area.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cushenbery, Donald C.

Every reader possesses five distinct vocabularies--listening, speaking, reading, writing, and potential--which grow at different rates, depend on the background and motivation of a particular reader, and are positively related to overall intelligence and reading comprehension. If students are to gain complete understanding of reading material in…

Educational Resources on the Internet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lam, Kwan-Yau

The purpose of this paper is to introduce to school teachers and students resources on the Internet, and to provide updated information on selected resources. Following background information on the development of the Internet, its educational potentials are discussed, including resources for preparation of teaching materials, access for children…

Ion Exchange Chromatography and Spectrophotometry: An Introductory Undergraduate Laboratory Experiment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, N.; And Others

1985-01-01

Describes an experiment in which students use ion exchange chromatography to separate a mixture of chloro complexes of transition metal ions and then use spectrophotometry to define qualitatively the efficiency of the ion exchange columns. Background information, materials needed, and procedures used are included. (JN)

The Philippines: Historical Overview.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shackford, Julie; Aquino, Belinda A., Ed.

This book provides readings and student lessons about the Philippines. Lessons and activities follow a chronological sequence and provide a good resource for those interested in the Philippines. The materials begin with prehistoric times and continue to the presidency of Corazon Aquino. Each chapter provides background information along with a…

Salads, Sandwiches and Desserts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marine Corps Inst., Washington, DC.

Developed as part of the Marine Corps Institute (MCI) correspondence training program, this course on salads, sandwiches, and desserts is designed to provide Marine food service personnel with a general background in the proper techniques for the preparation of these items. Introductory materials include specific information for MCI students and a…

Recruitment and Retention of Indians in Science and Engineering (RISE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karnawat, Sunil

1997-01-01

Fifteen students from Turtle Mountain Community College were selected to participate in activities of the RISE project last summer. Eight students successfully completed project activities and received stipends for their participation. These eight students are (1) Jamie Gable, (2) John Morin, (3) Patrick Belgarde, (4) Jason Laducer, (5) Alex Johnson, (6) Eric Houle, (7) Gary Renault, and (8) Kenny DeCoteau. In the fall of 1998, Jamie Gable and Gary Renault went to North Dakota State University to pursue their undergraduate degrees in mechanical engineering, and John Morin and Alex Johnson joined the University of North Dakota's electrical engineering and industrial technology programs, respectively. Remaining four students will continue to participate in the RISE activities this year and transfer to the universities next year. Seven students who failed to complete the RISE project activities during the current award period are encouraged to participate again this fall. The RISE students were enrolled in a special course called "Introduction to Engineering Materials." The project director, Dr. Kamawat, taught the course on Saturdays and Sundays. Theoretical and mathematical background on engineering materials and careers in various engineering professions were discussed in this course. The students attended guest lectures given by engineers and professors and visited local industries. In addition, the students went to North Dakota State University (NDSU) at Fargo, ND, and the University of Minnesota (UMN) at Minneapolis, MN, to tour their engineering departments. At NDSU, they conducted laboratory tests on various engineering materials, such as concrete, steel, wood, plastics, and carbon composites. The students investigated the mechanical behavior of these materials under various loading conditions, collected data, interpreted data, identified possible errors, determined the mechanical properties, and wrote reports on their findings. The students created posters describing their results on the behavior of engineering material. The posters were displayed in the TMCC's student lounge.

An exploration of student experiences of using biology podcasts in nursing training

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Students regard biological science as one of the most difficult components of the nursing curriculum. However, a good understanding of this area is essential for effective nursing practice. The aim of this study was to explore nursing students’ perceptions of the usefulness of supplementary biology podcasts for their learning. Methods Biological science podcasts (n = 9) were made available to first-year nursing students (n = 189) as supplementary learning tools. On completion of their first year, students were asked to complete a survey which investigated the frequency of their podcast use, reasons for use and their perception of the usefulness of podcasts as a learning tool. 153 of these students participated in the survey study (80.9%). Two focus groups were conducted with students (n = 6) to gain a detailed understanding of student experiences of the usefulness of the podcasts for their learning. Results Survey data demonstrated that most students (71%) accessed at least one podcast. The majority of students who reported accessing podcasts agreed that they were useful as learning tools (83%), revision aids (83%) and that they helped promote understanding of course materials (72%). Focus group participants discussed how they found podcasts especially useful in terms of revision. Students valued being able to repeatedly access the lecture materials, and appreciated having access to podcasts from a range of lecturers. Focus group members discussed the benefits of live recordings, in terms of valuing the information gleaned from questions asked during the lecture sessions, although there were concerns about the level of background noise in live recordings. Lack of awareness of the availability of podcasts was an issue raised by participants in both the survey component and the focus groups and this negatively impacted on podcast use. Conclusions Nursing students found the availability of biology podcasts helpful for their learning. Successful implementation of these tools to support learning requires teaching staff to understand and promote the importance of these tools. PMID:23360078

Teaching Computer Languages and Elementary Theory for Mixed Audiences at University Level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christiansen, Henning

2004-09-01

Theoretical issues of computer science are traditionally taught in a way that presupposes a solid mathematical background and are usually considered more or less inaccessible for students without this. An effective methodology is described which has been developed for a target group of university students with different backgrounds such as natural science or humanities. It has been developed for a course that integrates theoretical material on computer languages and abstract machines with practical programming techniques. Prolog used as meta-language for describing language issues is the central instrument in the approach: Formal descriptions become running prototypes that are easy and appealing to test and modify, and can be extended into analyzers, interpreters, and tools such as tracers and debuggers. Experience shows a high learning curve, especially when the principles are extended into a learning-by-doing approach having the students to develop such descriptions themselves from an informal introduction.

Oxidative stress and psychological functioning among medical students

PubMed Central

Srivastava, Rani; Batra, Jyoti

2014-01-01

Background: Oxidative stress has gained attention recently in behavioral medicine and has been reported to be associated with various psychological disturbances and their prognoses. Objectives: Study aims to evaluate the oxidative stress (malonylaldehyde (MDA) levels) and its relation with psychological factors (dimensions of personality, levels of anxiety, stress, and depression) among medical/paramedical students of 1st and 3rd year). Materials and Methods: A total of 150 students; 75 from 1st year (2010–2011) and75 from 3rd year (2009–2010); of medical and paramedical background were assessed on level of MDA (oxidative stress) and personality variables, that is, level of anxiety, stress, and depression. These psychological variables were correlated with the level of their oxidative stress. Results: Findings revealed that both groups are influenced by oxidative stress and their psychological variables are also compatible in order to confirm their vulnerabilities to stress. Conclusions: Stress in 3rd year students was significantly higher and it was noted that it adversely affects the psychological parameters. Hence, special attention on mental health aspect in these students may be given. PMID:25788802

Nuclear Chemistry, Science (Experimental): 5316.62.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Russell R.

This nuclear chemistry module includes topics on atomic structure, instability of the nucleus, detection strengths and the uses of radioactive particles. Laboratory work stresses proper use of equipment and safe handling of radioactive materials. Students with a strong mathematics background may consider this course as advanced work in chemistry.…

Poor, Rural Neighborhoods and Early School Achievement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bickel, Robert; Smith, Cynthia; Eagle, Teresa Hardman

A study sought to identify the existence of neighborhood effects on school achievement that are independent of social class and family background among students from poor, rural neighborhoods. Ethnographic material yielded a concept of rural West Virginia neighborhoods in which residents expect their encounters to be friendly, informal, almost…

A Papago Grammar.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zepeda, Ofelia

A Papago grammar, intented to help Papago and other junior high, high school and college students learn and appreciate the language and give linguists an overview of the language, contains background information on the language and the book, two grammar units, a unit of five conversations in Papago, and a section of supplementary material. Text…

Coastal Culture Area. Native American Curriculum Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Cathy; Fernandes, Roger

Background information, legends, games, illustrations, and art projects are provided in this booklet introducing elementary students to the history and culture of Indian tribes of the North Pacific Coast and Pacific Northwest. One in a series of Native American instructional materials, the booklet provides an overview of the coastal culture area,…

Coastal Awareness: A Resource Guide for Teachers in Junior High Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rasmussen, Frederick A.

Background information, activity suggestions, and recommended resource materials comprise this guide for designing a week-long ecology unit for junior high school students on Coastal Awareness. Discussed is how various physical processes such as waves, currents, and tides affect rocky shores, marshes, sandy beaches, and estuaries. To encourage…

A New Look at History.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lohmann, Mary

This publication contains background reading material, photographs, sketches, and exercises to help elementary students study and compare objects and aspects of past and present life in the United States. The rationale for the approach underlying the publication is that by listening to folk songs and ballads or by talking with a senior citizen…

Desert Culture Area. Native American Curriculum Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Cathy; Fernandes, Roger

One in a series of Native American instructional materials, this booklet introduces elementary students to the history and culture of the Navajo, Pueblo, and other Indian tribes of the southwest desert. Written in simple language, the booklet provides background information, activities, legends, and illustrations. Topics include the climate of the…

Asian Pacific Perspectives. Filipino Americans: A Portrait.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Los Angeles Unified School District, CA.

These instructional materials on Filipino Americans for elementary students were developed through the K.E.Y.S. project (knowledge of English Yields Success). The contents include statistics on the Filipino American population, background information about the Philippines becoming a U.S. territory, early immigration and more recent immigration to…

No Friends but the Mountains: A Simulation on Kurdistan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Major, Marc R.

1996-01-01

Presents a simulation that focuses on Kurdish nationalism and the struggle for autonomy and independence from the states that rule over Kurdish lands. Students assume the roles of either one of the countries directly involved or the governing body of the United Nations. Includes extensive background material. (MJP)

Alternative Energy: A Guide to Free Information for Educators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Janet A.

This guide was compiled to help teachers and students locate free educational materials (both lessons and nontechnical background references) on renewable energy resources and energy conservation. The 214 entries are arranged by these topic areas: (1) energy efficiency and renewables; (2) biomass; (3) hydropower; (4) solar thermal energy; (5)…

Labor Law and Practice in Great Britain.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douty, H.M.

This 4-part report is one of a series prepared to provide background material for United States businessmen and others employing local workers abroad, trade union and labor specialists, consulting economists, and students. The data used were obtained from personnel in London's Departments of Employment, Health and Social Security, the Commission…

Eighth Grade Marine Science; Resource Units.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, Edwin B.

A resource unit on the marine sciences is described. Designed for eighth-grade students with some basic science background, the unit can be taught in a minimum of four weeks. Content includes emphasis on the biological, chemical, and physical sciences. Each lesson contains objectives, goals, materials, and follow-up activities (often an…

The Preservation of Leather Bindings: Background, Organization of a Project, and Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Meredith

This manual, intended primarily for use by preservation supervisors, includes a discussion of basic leather preservation techniques, and a description of the entire leather book preservation program at Olin Library, Cornell University. Discussions of work flow, materials, treatment steps, schedulinq, and recruiting student assistants are included.…

Learning to Teach and Do

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warren, Thomas L.

2015-01-01

Teaching technical writing without formal training can be daunting. However, there are many resources available that can provide background and materials for teaching. My approach involved reading textbooks and articles not only on approaches to technical writing but also on what students can expect once they complete their education and are…

Supporting Sustained Adoption of Education Innovations: The Designing for Sustained Adoption Assessment Instrument

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanford, Courtney; Cole, Renée; Froyd, Jeff; Friedrichsen, Debra; Khatri, Raina; Henderson, Charles

2015-01-01

Background: Every year, significant effort and resources are expended around the world to develop innovative instructional strategies and materials to improve undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education. Despite convincing evidence of efficacy with respect to student learning, most will struggle to become successfully…

Bubbles: Films, Foams & Fizz. Ideas in Science. Notes for Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Pat, Ed.

Five activities dealing with bubbles are presented. Information provided with the activities includes introductory and/or background information; notes on pre-activity preparations; lists of science themes and skills fostered; time frame; list of materials needed; student procedures; and instructional strategies. A teaching guide with detailed…

Discovering Morocco: Using the Five Fundamental Themes of Geography in Order to Discover Morocco

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzhugh, William P.

2005-01-01

This curriculum unit, intended to be used with elementary school students, provides information about a North African, Moslem, Arab, country: Morocco. The unit presents objectives, strategies, materials needed, background notes, evaluation methods, and assignments that fulfill National Social Studies Standards and National Geography standards. It…

People and Forests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

NatureScope, 1986

1986-01-01

Provides: (1) background information on how forests are managed and some of the problems facing forests around the world; (2) three activities dealing with these topics; and (3) three ready-to-copy pages for student use. Activities include an objective, recommended age level(s), recommended subject area(s), list of materials needed, and…

A Sea Creature Treasury. Project CAPE Teaching Module K-2b.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Carmen P.; Forrest, Diane W.

Fifteen interdisciplinary lessons on marine invertebrates (mollusks, echinoderms, and jellyfish) are provided in this unit designed for students in kindergarten and in grades 1 and 2. Each lesson includes lesson concept, competency goals, objectives, materials needed, background information, teacher preparation, and activities suitable for use in…

Science Action Labs Part 2: Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shevick, Ed; Shevick, Florence, Ed.

This book contains innovative hands-on science laboratory activities designed to teach 4th- through 9th-graders about the environment. The background materials and instructions included in each activity are written for students to work together in teams. Activities cover subjects such as smog, symbiosis, soil, trees, ecosystems, recycling,…

Allied Health Occupations II (Health Careers--Core Curriculum).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Middletown Public Schools, CT.

This volume outlines the requirements and content of a second-year course in allied health occupations education that is designed to provide students with background informational material and practical skills used in various health fields. Addressed in the individual units of the course are the following topics: safety; ethical and legal…

How to Learn and Have Fun with Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) and White Glue.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Zea Bermudez, V.; Passos de Almeida, P.; Feria Seita, J.

1998-01-01

Presents a classroom guide for a simple theoretical approach to the study of certain fluids. Discusses background information, followed by experimental procedures for the preparation of two popular viscoelastic materials ("Slime" and "Silly Putty") that exhibit unusual flow properties. Also lists student discussion questions…

The impact of rural-exposure strategies on the intention of dental students and dental graduates to practice in rural areas: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Suphanchaimat, Rapeepong; Cetthakrikul, Nisachol; Dalliston, Alexander; Putthasri, Weerasak

2016-01-01

Background and objectives The objective of this study was to assess the impact of strategies on the intention of dental students/graduates to practice in rural areas. The strategies included the recruitment of dental students from rural backgrounds and clinical rotations in rural areas during the training of dental students. Materials and methods The study undertook a systematic review and utilized meta-analysis to assess these strategies. International literature published between 2000 and 2015 was retrieved from three main search engines: Medline, Embase, and Scopus. The selected articles were scanned to extract the main content. The impact of the strategies was quantitatively assessed by meta-analysis, using the random-effect model. The pooled effect was reported in terms of odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were performed. Publication bias was assessed by the Funnel plot and Egger’s test. Results Seven of the initially selected 897 articles were included for the full review. The majority of the selected articles had been published in developed countries. The meta-analysis results revealed that the pooled OR of rural exposure on the intention to practice in rural areas was approximately 4.1, statistically significant. Subgroup analysis showed that clinical rotations in rural areas tended to have a slightly greater influence on rural dental practice than recruiting students from rural backgrounds (OR 4.3 versus 4.2). There was weaker evidence of publication bias, which was derived from small-study effects. Conclusion Enrolling students with rural backgrounds and imposing compulsory clinical rotation in rural areas during their study appeared to be effective strategies in tackling the shortage and maldistribution of dentists in rural areas. PMID:27822134

Re-Envisioning the Introductory Physics Sequence at Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, Scott J.; Sales, Kenneth B.

2013-03-01

GGC is a new, 4-year, open-access institution located in the northeast of Atlanta. As an open access college, many of the students who take the introductory physics sequence do not have a strong mathematical background. A large percentage of the students have significant work or family obligations in addition to being full-time students. To better serve these students, the first semester of the trig-based introductory physics sequence was modified in a manner that focuses and structures the material to be completed by the students both outside and inside of class such that the time spent outside of class can be reduced. Specifically, focused notes were provided to the students with an online assignment prior to class in place of reading from a textbook. Class time was then focused on a deeper understanding of the concepts to be covered instead of an initial (or secondary) introduction to the material. Data was collected for specific exam questions and compared with the results from previous classes taught by the same instructors. An overview of the results and observations of the instructors using this method will be discussed.

Colour and Optical Properties of Materials: An Exploration of the Relationship Between Light, the Optical Properties of Materials and Colour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tilley, Richard J. D.

2003-05-01

Colour is an important and integral part of everyday life, and an understanding and knowledge of the scientific principles behind colour, with its many applications and uses, is becoming increasingly important to a wide range of academic disciplines, from physical, medical and biological sciences through to the arts. Colour and the Optical Properties of Materials carefully introduces the science behind the subject, along with many modern and cutting-edge applications, chose to appeal to today's students. For science students, it provides a broad introduction to the subject and the many applications of colour. To more applied students, such as engineering and arts students, it provides the essential scientific background to colour and the many applications. Features: * Introduces the science behind the subject whilst closely connecting it to modern applications, such as colour displays, optical amplifiers and colour centre lasers * Richly illustrated with full-colour plates * Includes many worked examples, along with problems and exercises at the end of each chapter and selected answers at the back of the book * A Web site, including additional problems and full solutions to all the problems, which may be accessed at: www.cardiff.ac.uk/uwcc/engin/staff/rdjt/colour Written for students taking an introductory course in colour in a wide range of disciplines such as physics, chemistry, engineering, materials science, computer science, design, photography, architecture and textiles.

Acclimating international graduate students to professional engineering ethics.

PubMed

Newberry, Byron; Austin, Katherine; Lawson, William; Gorsuch, Greta; Darwin, Thomas

2011-03-01

This article describes the education portion of an ongoing grant-sponsored education and research project designed to help graduate students in all engineering disciplines learn about the basic ethical principles, rules, and obligations associated with engineering practice in the United States. While the curriculum developed for this project is used for both domestic and international students, the educational materials were designed to be sensitive to the specific needs of international graduate students. In recent years, engineering programs in the United States have sought to develop a larger role for professional ethics education in the curriculum. Accreditation requirements, as well as pressures from the private sector, have helped facilitate this shift in focus. Almost half of all engineering graduate students in the U.S. are international students. Further, research indicates that the majority of these students will remain in the U.S. to work post-graduation. It is therefore in the interest of the profession that these students, coming from diverse backgrounds, receive some formal exposure to the professional and ethical expectations and norms of the engineering profession in the United States to help ensure that they have the knowledge and skills--non-technical as well as technical--required in today's engineering profession. In becoming acculturated to professional norms in a host country, international students face challenges that domestic students do not encounter; such as cultural competency, language proficiency, and acculturation stress. Mitigating these challenges must be a consideration in the development of any effective education materials. The present article discusses the project rationale and describes the development of on-line instructional materials aimed at helping international engineering graduate students acclimate to professional engineering ethics standards in the United States. Finally, a brief data summary of students' perceptions of the usefulness of the content and instructional interface is provided to demonstrate the initial effectiveness of the materials and to present a case for project sustainability.

Elements of Mathematics, Book O: Intuitive Background. Chapter 1, Operational Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Exner, Robert; And Others

The sixteen chapters of this book provide the core material for the Elements of Mathematics Program, a secondary sequence developed for highly motivated students with strong verbal abilities. The sequence is based on a functional-relational approach to mathematics teaching, and emphasizes teaching by analysis of real-life situations. This text is…

Holy Psychopathology Batman: The Pedagogical Use of Comic Books in the Teaching of Abnormal Psychology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rahman, Reece O.; Zeglin, Robert J.

2014-01-01

Many undergraduate psychology students eventually choose a career providing clinical mental health services. A background in abnormal psychology (psychopathology) is helpful and requisite in these graduate academic and future professional venues. The creativity needed to adequately teach the complex material covered in most abnormal psychology…

Comet Kohoutek, 1973-1974, A Teachers' Guide with Student Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Robert D.

This teacher's guide provides background information, curriculum source materials, and suggested class activities for class discussion and study. Information related to the discovery of the comet is presented as well as photographic and schematic pictures showing the sky through which the comet travels. Historical data regarding comets of the past…

Basic Gas Welding; Welding 3: 9947.01.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

The 135 hour course is designed to help the student become proficient in the technical and manipulative skills necessary to enter the various fields of industry and manufacturing. The necessary requirement for entering this course is the desire to use the acquired ability as a trade, in conjunction with another trade, or as background material for…

Short Animation Movies as Advance Organizers in Physics Teaching: A Preliminary Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koscianski, Andre; Ribeiro, Rafael Joao; da Silva, Sani Carvalho Rutz

2012-01-01

Background: Advance organizers are instructional materials that help students use previous knowledge to make links with new information. Short animation movies are a possible format and are well suited for physics, as they can portray dynamic phenomena and represent abstract concepts. Purpose: The study aimed to determine guidelines for the…

Resources and Wastes. In-Service Package for Volunteer Workshop Leaders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miiller, Marnie

Designed to be used as a supplementary teaching aid for subjects such as science, social studies, and environmental education, this packet of modules contains materials related to waste and waste management for secondary level students. Each of the eight modules consists of a teacher's page, background information, references, questions, projects,…

The Now Frontier. Linking Earth and Planets. Issue No. 1-4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jet Propulsion Lab., Pasadena, CA.

This publication includes four pamphlets providing background material for understanding the NASA program of planetary flights. Each issue presents student involvement activities as well as suggested reading lists. Issue 1 describes the innermost planets of the solar system. Issue 2 gives information about the evolution of the planetary system as…

Augmenting Paper-Based Reading Activity with Direct Access to Digital Materials and Scaffolded Questioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Nian-Shing; Teng, Daniel Chia-En; Lee, Cheng-Han; Kinshuk

2011-01-01

Comprehension is the goal of reading. However, students often encounter reading difficulties due to the lack of background knowledge and proper reading strategy. Unfortunately, print text provides very limited assistance to one's reading comprehension through its static knowledge representations such as symbols, charts, and graphs. Integrating…

Student Preparation of Acetone from 2-Propanol.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kauffman, J. M.; McKee, J. R.

1982-01-01

Background information, procedures, and materials needed are provided for an experiment in which acetone is produced from 2-propanol. The experiment does not use magnetic stirring, avoids the necessity for exhaustive extractions with ether, and produces a 60-percent yield of redistilled acetone within a two-and-one-half-hour laboratory period.…

Content Classification and Context-Based Retrieval System for E-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mittal, Ankush; Krishnan, Pagalthivarthi V.; Altman, Edward

2006-01-01

A recent focus in web based learning systems has been the development of reusable learning materials that can be delivered as personalized courses depending of a number of factors such as the user's background, his/her learning preferences, current knowledge based on previous assessments, or previous browsing patterns. The student is often…

Global Issues: Activities and Resources for the High School Teacher.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Switzer, Kenneth A.; Mulloy, Paul T.

The book is an introduction to teaching about contemporary global concerns in the high school social studies classroom. It contains background and lesson plans for seven units in addition to 39 reproducible student handouts, annotated lists of other good classroom resources, and a guide to sources of teaching materials on global issues. Topics…

Black Literature: What Happens to a Dream Deferred?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Bernard

1970-01-01

Innovative approaches should be used in introducing black literature to students so that they may develop an awareness of the ethnic pluralism of American society. A variety of sources provides the teacher with literary materials and critical perspectives as background for presenting black literature in any of several ways: (1) a survey of black…

Bridging Physics to Electronics--An Outreach Effort

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tan, Kok-Kiong; Tang, Kok-Zuea; Ng, Vivian; Tay, Arthur; Yen, Shih-Cheng; Lee, Tong-Heng

2010-01-01

Physics has been an important part of the science curriculum in high schools. Without the appropriate high school physics background, it is difficult for a student subsequently to pursue an electronics engineering program at the university level since a good understanding of many concepts in physics is required to comprehend the material covered…

Elements of Mathematics, Book O: Intuitive Background. Chapter 5, Mappings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Exner, Robert; And Others

The sixteen chapters of this book provide the core material for the Elements of Mathematics Program, a secondary sequence developed for highly motivated students with strong verbal abilities. The sequence is based on a functional-relational approach to mathematics teaching, and emphasizes teaching by analysis of real-life situations. This text is…

Navigation. Northern New England Marine Education Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maine Univ., Orono. Coll. of Education.

This guide provides student practice problems which use the procedures of ship navigators to reinforce the skills of mathematics learned in the secondary school and which seek to provide examples of the application of mathematical concepts. Along with the practice problems, teacher background material is provided briefly in the body of the unit.…

Nutrition Education Intervention Improves Vegetable-Related Attitude, Self-Efficacy, Preference, and Knowledge of Fourth-Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wall, Denise E.; Least, Christine; Gromis, Judy; Lohse, Barbara

2012-01-01

Background: Impact of a classroom-based, standardized intervention to address limited vegetable consumption of fourth graders was assessed. Methods: A 4-lesson, vegetable-focused intervention, revised from extant materials was repurposed for Pennsylvania fourth graders with lessons aligned with state academic standards. A reliability-tested survey…

Lecturers' Attitudes on Electronically Supported Pre-Lecturing Material for Intensive Programs: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kozaris, Ioannis; Varella, Evangelia A.

2010-01-01

In 2006 and 2008, two large trans-national residential summer schools on conservation science were organized as intensive programs. Learners were not only second/third cycle students in both exact sciences and humanities, but further practicing restorers; consequently their educational background, and even their way of approaching scientific…

Psychology Teacher's Resource Book. First Course, Third Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Margo, Ed.; Wertheimer, Michael, Ed.

Now in its third edition, this book contains background materials and resources for teaching introductory high school psychology. There are 11 chapters. Textbooks appropriate for introductory courses are reviewed in the first chapter. Books of reading which are a potentially valuable source of information to both student and teacher are listed in…

Aerospace-Related Life Science Concepts for Use in Life Science Classes Grades 7-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Mary H.; Rademacher, Jean

The purpose of this guide is to provide the teacher of secondary school life science classes with resource materials for activities to familiarize students with recent discoveries in bioastronautics. Each section introduces a life science concept and a related aerospace concept, gives background information, suggested activities, and an annotated…

Microcomputer-Analyzed Initial Rate Kinetics of the Benzene-Enhanced Unfolding of Myoglobin: A Biophysical Chemistry Experiment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schuh, Merlyn D.

1988-01-01

Describes a biophysical chemistry experiment that introduces students to globular protein conformation and microcomputer analysis of initial rate data for the unfolding of proteins. Presents background, materials needed and methodology. Uses a visible spectrometer for analysis. Lists educational benefits derived from the experiment. (ML)

Educating for Peace and Justice: A Manual for Teachers. Fifth Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallagher, Mary Beth; And Others

Background reading resource materials and teaching units for elementary and secondary teachers interested in teaching about peace and justice are presented in this resource manual. The units are designed to help students learn that nonviolent conflict resolution is possible and that war is not inevitable; realize that sharing our resources,…

Elements of Mathematics, Book O: Intuitive Background. Chapter 2, The Integers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Exner, Robert; And Others

The sixteen chapters of this book provide the core materials for the Elements of Mathematics Program, a secondary sequence developed for highly motivated students with strong verbal abilities. The sequence is based on a functional-relational approach to mathematics teaching, and emphasizes teaching by analysis of real-life situations. This text is…

Science Curriculum Resource Handbook: A Practical Guide for K-12 Science Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheek, Dennis W., Ed.; And Others

This handbook is one of a series of practical references for curriculum developers, education faculty, veteran teachers, and student teachers. The handbook is designed to provide basic information on the background of the science curriculum, and current information on publications, standards, and special materials for K-12 science. Part 1 contains…

Predicting success for college students enrolled in an online, lab-based, biology course for non-majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foster, Regina

Online education has exploded in popularity. While there is ample research on predictors of traditional college student success, little research has been done on effective methods of predicting student success in online education. In this study, a number of demographic variables including GPA, ACT, gender, age and others were examined to determine what, if any, role they play in successfully predicting student success in an online, lab-based biology for non-majors course. Within course variables such as participation in specific categories of assignment and frequency of online visits were also examined. Groups of students including Native American/Non-Native American and Digital Immigrants and Digital Natives and others were also examined to determine if overall course success differed significantly. Good predictors of online success were found to be GPA, ACT, previous course experience and frequency of online visits with the course materials. Additionally, students who completed more of the online assignments within the course were more successful. Native American and Non-Native American students were found to differ in overall course success significantly as well. Findings indicate student academic background, previous college experience and time spent with course materials are the most important factors in course success. Recommendations include encouraging enrollment advisors to advise students about the importance of maintaining high academic levels, previous course experience and spending time with course materials may impact students' choices for online courses. A need for additional research in several areas is indicated, including Native American and Non-Native American differences. A more detailed examination of students' previous coursework would also be valuable. A study involving more courses, a larger number of students and surveys from faculty who teach online courses would help improve the generalizability of the conclusions.

Student Practices, Learning, and Attitudes When Using Computerized Ranking Tasks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Kevin M.; Prather, E. E.; Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars CATS

2011-01-01

Ranking Tasks are a novel type of conceptual exercise based on a technique called rule assessment. Ranking Tasks present students with a series of four to eight icons that describe slightly different variations of a basic physical situation. Students are then asked to identify the order, or ranking, of the various situations based on some physical outcome or result. The structure of Ranking Tasks makes it difficult for students to rely strictly on memorized answers and mechanical substitution of formulae. In addition, by changing the presentation of the different scenarios (e.g., photographs, line diagrams, graphs, tables, etc.) we find that Ranking Tasks require students to develop mental schema that are more flexible and robust. Ranking tasks may be implemented on the computer which requires students to order the icons through drag-and-drop. Computer implementation allows the incorporation of background material, grading with feedback, and providing additional similar versions of the task through randomization so that students can build expertise through practice. This poster will summarize the results of a study of student usage of computerized ranking tasks. We will investigate 1) student practices (How do they make use of these tools?), 2) knowledge and skill building (Do student scores improve with iteration and are there diminishing returns?), and 3) student attitudes toward using computerized Ranking Tasks (Do they like using them?). This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0715517, a CCLI Phase III Grant for the Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars (CATS). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Integrating local environmental research into K-12 science classrooms and the value of graduate student-educator partnerships

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, N. D.; Petrik-Finley, R.

2015-12-01

Collaboration between researchers and K-12 educators enables an invaluable exchange of teaching philosophies and educational tools. Programs that partner graduate students with K-12 educators serve the dual purpose of training future educators and providing K-12 students with unique opportunities and perspectives. The benefits of this type of partnership include providing students with enhanced educational experiences and positive student-mentor relationships, training STEM graduate students in effective teaching strategies, and providing teachers with a firsthand resource for scientific information and novel educational materials. Many high school students have had little exposure to science beyond the classroom. Frequent interactions with "real-life" scientists can help make science more approachable and is an effective strategy for promoting science as a career. Here I describe my experiences and several lessons designed as a NSK GK-12 fellow. For example, a month-long unit on biogeochemical principles was framed as a crime scene investigation of a fish kill event in Hood Canal, Washington, in which students were given additional pieces of evidence to solve the mystery as they satisfied checkpoints in their understanding of key concepts. The evidence pieces included scientific plots, maps, datasets, and laboratory exercises. A clear benefit of this investigation-style unit is that students were able to learn the material at their individual pace. This structure allowed for a streamlined integration of differentiated materials such as simplified background readings or visual learning aids for struggling students or more detailed news articles and primary literature for more advanced students. Although the NSF GK-12 program has been archived, educators and researchers should pursue new partnerships, leveraging local and state-level STEM outreach programs with the goal of increasing national exposure of the societal benefits of such synergistic activities.

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.

GigaPan Technology to Enhance In-Class and In-Field Learning in Community College Settings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villalobos, J. I.; Bentley, C.

2014-12-01

Community college students account for over 40% of all undergraduates in the United States as well as the majority of minority and non-traditional students attending undergraduate courses. Implementing innovative, cost effective, and formative pedagogies to the diverse backgrounds of students that typically enroll at a community is often a challenge. Interactive pedagogies in geology pose a unique challenge considering that students gain the most long-term knowledge when topics covered in a course are exposed to them in outdoor settings where they are allowed to explore and make connections. The ability to expose students to real world examples is challenging to many community college faculty considering that that many; lack funds or means for transportation of students, do not have administrative support on such endeavors, teach evening or night classes, or have a high percentage of students who are physically limited or have obligations to work and family. A joint collaborative between El Paso Community College (EPCC) and Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) has explored the usage of GigaPan technology to create multi-layered online material to minimize these issues faced by many community college faculty and students. The primary layer of the online material is GigaPans of local geological sites that highlight large-scale structures in the El Paso, Texas region that are commonly used in local field trips and lab book material. The second layer is of Macro-GigaPans of hand samples of key outcrops from the primarily GigaPans which facilitate student learning, exploration, and ability to make connections by exploring smaller scale features of the primary layer. A third layer of online material, GigaPans of thin sections of hand samples (from secondary layers), and curriculum based on the GigaPans was then created to assist students in evaluating proposed hypotheses on the primary layers' geological origin. GigaPan cirriculum was utilized in introductory geology courses as well as a capstone Geological Field Methods course at El Paso Community College.

Star Trek with Latin. Teacher's Guide. Tentative Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masciantonio, Rudolph; And Others

The purpose of this guide is to assist Latin and English teachers with some background in Latin to expand the English vocabulary and reading skills of students through the study of Latin roots, prefixes, and suffixes. The introductory material in the guide provides general notes on the teaching of Latin in the Philadelphia School District,…

Current Issues: Critical Issues Confronting the Nation and the World [and] Current Issues Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whittaker, Lynn Page

1991-01-01

This annual publication contains reading materials designed to help students understand the complexities of the domestic and foreign policy issues facing the United States. The first portion of the book features background reading on the structure of the Federal Government. Next, 10 domestic policy issues are covered: the economy, education, civil…

Analogical Matrices in Young Children and Students with Intellectual Disability: Reasoning by Analogy or Reasoning by Association?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denaes, Caroline

2012-01-01

Background: Analogical reasoning (AR) is renowned for being a complex activity. Young children tend to reason by association, rather by analogy, and people with intellectual disability present problems of memorization. Both these populations usually show low performances in AR. The present author investigated whether familiar material and external…

The Magic of Magic: The Effect of Magic Tricks on Subsequent Engagement with Lecture Material

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moss, Simon A.; Irons, Melanie; Boland, Martin

2017-01-01

Background and aims: Lecturers often present entertaining videos, or organize a variety of amusing demonstrations, to foster student engagement or to encourage critical analysis. Magic tricks, in particular, have been shown to activate neural circuits that underpin motivation or problem-solving and, therefore, could be beneficial during lectures.…

Man and His Creative Awareness: An Approach to the Humanities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Institute for Services to Education, Inc., Washington, DC.

As part of the Thirteen-College Curriculum Program (TCCP), this teacher's manual contains background material and teaching suggestions for a sophomore-level course in humanities for predominately black colleges. The objective of the course is to train students to appreciate the arts, view art as one of the few channels through which men still…

Energy and Safety: Science Activities for Elementary Students, Level III (Grades (5-6).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westcott, Dale; And Others

Thirteen activities are presented that focus on a common phenomenon of a child's world: energy. These activities relate energy, how it occurs, how it is used, and how to use it safely. Each activity includes the purpose, introduction, background, procedure, materials, estimated time for the activity, typical results, safety notes, and more ideas.…

Elements of Mathematics, Book O: Intuitive Background. Chapter 14, Geometry: Similitudes, Coordinates, and Trigonometry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Exner, Robert; And Others

The sixteen chapters of this book provide the core material for the Elements of Mathematics Program, a secondary sequence developed for highly motivated students with strong verbal abilities. The sequence is based on a functional-relational approach to mathematics teaching, and emphasizes teaching by analysis of real-life situations. This text is…

Eight Stars of Gold--The Story of Alaska's Flag. Intermediate Activities (Grades 3-5).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alaska State Museum, Juneau.

This activities booklet focuses on the story of Alaska's flag. The booklet is intended for teachers to use with students in the intermediate grades. Each activity in the booklet contains: background information, a summary and time estimate, state standards, a step-by-step technique for implementation of the activity, assessment tips, materials and…

Improving the Occupational Skills of Students with Intellectual Disability by Applying Video Prompting Combined with Dance Pads

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Mei-Lan; Chiang, Ming-Shan; Shih, Ching-Hsiang; Li, Meng-Fang

2018-01-01

Background: Individuals with intellectual disability (ID) are prone to inattention, are slow in learning and reaction, and have deficits in memory skills. Providing proper vocational education and training for individuals with intellectual disability is able to enhance their occupational skills. Materials and Methods: This study applied video…

Law: The Language of Liberty. Supplemental Materials for Alabama Social Studies Teachers. Grades 5-6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alabama Administrative Office of Courts, Montgomery.

Student activity pages, teacher background information, and lesson ideas for teaching about the law in social studies classrooms are provided in this supplementary packet. An introductory section provides a rationale for the unit, a guide to bringing law-related resource persons into the classroom, a teacher checklist for helping resource persons…

Eight Stars of Gold--The Story of Alaska's Flag. Middle School Activities (Grades 6-8).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alaska State Museum, Juneau.

This activities booklet focuses on the story of Alaska's state flag. The booklet is for use in teaching middle school students. Each activity contains: background information, a summary and time estimate, Alaska state standards, a step-by-step technique for classroom implementation of the activity, assessment tips, materials and resources needed,…

Eight Stars of Gold--The Story of Alaska's Flag. High School Activities (Grades 9-12).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alaska State Museum, Juneau.

This activities booklet focuses on the story of Alaska's flag. The booklet is intended for use in teaching high school students. Each activity contains: background information; a summary and time estimate, Alaska state standards, a step-by-step technique for classroom implementation of the activity, assessment tips, materials and resources needed,…

Military Curricula for Vocational & Technical Education. Packing and Unitization, 19-2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joint Military Packaging Training Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD.

This correspondence course on methods and techniques of packing materials and equipment for shipment and storage is designed to familiarize students with the subject matter area and to serve as a background for a more detailed and specialized study. One of a number of military-developed curriculum packages selected for adaptation to vocational…

Aviation. Fifth Grade. Anchorage School District Elementary Science Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Defendorf, Jean, Ed.

This unit of study is designed to teach the science of flight to students in the intermediate grades. Included are a list of materials for the unit, a discussion of the use of process skills, a list of unit objectives, vocabulary, teacher background information, 12 lessons, 5 quizzes, math problems, and a unit test. Lessons are oriented toward…

Techniques for Motivating Interest in Reading for the Disadvantaged High School Student.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Usova, George M.

Many reasons may be offered to explain why the disadvantaged have little interest in reading. Among these are: attitudes inherent in the family, an inability to afford reading material, a failure to perceive practical value in reading, a limited experiential background that limits understanding, and a lack of interesting and meaningful reading…

Tools for Implementing Science Practice in a Large Introductory Class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prothero, W. A.

2008-12-01

Scientists must have in-depth background knowledge of their subject area and know where current knowledge can be advanced. They perform experiments that gather data to test new or existing theories, present their findings at meetings, publish their results, critically review the results of others, and respond to the reviews of their own work. In the context of a course, these activities correspond to learning the background material by listening to lectures or reading a text, formulating a problem, exploring data using student friendly data access and plotting software, giving brief talks to classmates in a small class or lab setting, writing a science paper or lab report, reviewing the writing of their peers, and receiving feedback (and grades) from their instructors and/or peers. These activities can be supported using course management software and online resources. The "LearningWithData" software system allows solid Earth (focused on plate tectonics) data exploration and plotting. Ocean data access, display, and plotting are also supported. Background material is delivered using animations and slide show type displays. Students are accountable for their learning through included homework assignments. Lab and small group activities provide support for data exploration and interpretation. Writing is most efficiently implemented using the "Calibrated Peer Review" method. This methodology is available at http://cpr.molsci.ucla.edu/. These methods have been successfully implemented in a large oceanography class at UCSB.

Exoplanet Research at a Southwestern Urban High School: Lessons Learned from the Tucson High Astronomy Club Research Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watson, Zachary T.; Pompea, Stephen M.; Tucson High Astronomy Research Club

2015-01-01

We present the results of introducing talented youth to research astronomy projects related to the study of exoplanets. We present the results of students' development of their identities as scientist, their interest in the STEM field as a career, and their knowledge retention through individual surveys. The design of the student interaction was to have weekly after-school club meetings where basic material would be taught to aid the students addressing the research problems themselves by planning observations, observing, and ultimately reducing the data of observations of their selected exoplanets. The after-school club was composed of 12 students of varying backgrounds attending the urban TucsonMagnet High School. The program is ongoing and began September 2013.

Implementation of InTeGrate Modules into Introductory Courses in the El Paso Higher Education Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doser, D. I.; Villalobos, J. I.; Henry, I. E.

2014-12-01

InTeGrate (Interdisciplinary Teaching about Earth for a Sustainable Future) has developed teaching modules that focus on Earth sustainability and Earth-centered societal issues. We have begun to implement modules on climate change, earth materials and freshwater into introductory geology and environmental science courses taught at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), El Paso Community College (EPCC) and local early college high schools (ECHS) for classes of 20 to 220 students. Our eventual goal is to insure students taking introductory classes at any institution will be exposed to comparable content and be similarly prepared for advanced courses. Our initial results suggest that the modules' use of case studies and analysis of authentic data sets are very appealing to our student body (over 70% Hispanic). Since many students do not speak English at home, they were challenged by vocabulary presented in some modules. Modules containing glossaries and extensive background material (such as concept maps and annotated figures) proved very helpful to these students. The use of pre-activity quizzes insured that the students had mastered basic concepts needed for in-class activities. Modifications required to teach these modules in larger classes included condensing materials and reducing the amount of color figures to save paper and printer costs, streamlining dissemination/collection of in-class group assignments, and adapting assignments such as jigsaws and gallery walks to the confines of a large lecture hall with fixed seating. Student reflections indicated students were able to make connections to societal issues and retain these ideas through the end of the courses.

A framework for high-school teacher support in Geosciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bookhagen, B.; Mair, A.; Schaller, G.; Koeberl, C.

2012-04-01

To attract future geoscientists in the classroom and share the passion for science, successful geoscience education needs to combine modern educational tools with applied science. Previous outreach efforts suggest that classroom-geoscience teaching tremendously benefits from structured, prepared lesson plans in combination with hands-on material. Building on our past experience, we have developed a classroom-teaching kit that implements interdisciplinary exercises and modern geoscientific application to attract high-school students. This "Mobile Phone Teaching Kit" analyzes the components of mobile phones, emphasizing the mineral compositions and geologic background of raw materials. Also, as geoscience is not an obligatory classroom topic in Austria, and university training for upcoming science teachers barely covers geoscience, teacher training is necessary to enhance understanding of the interdisciplinary geosciences in the classroom. During the past year, we have held teacher workshops to help implementing the topic in the classroom, and to provide professional training for non-geoscientists and demonstrate proper usage of the teaching kit. The material kit is designed for classroom teaching and comes with a lesson plan that covers background knowledge and provides worksheets and can easily be adapted to school curricula. The project was funded by kulturkontakt Austria; expenses covered 540 material kits, and we reached out to approximately 90 schools throughout Austria and held a workshop in each of the nine federal states in Austria. Teachers received the training, a set of the material kit, and the lesson plan free of charge. Feedback from teachers was highly appreciative. The request for further material kits is high and we plan to expand the project. Ultimately, we hope to enlighten teachers and students for the highly interdisciplinary variety of geosciences and a link to everyday life.

What Should American-Born Chinese Children Learn?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Shirley

This paper discusses the teaching of Chinese to both students with Chinese background and students with non-Chinese background. It is suggested that students with a Chinese background be separated from those without a Chinese background in order not to discourage the latter group from studying Chinese. Chinese background students should be taught…

Teaching smartphone and microcontroller systems using "Android Java"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tigrek, Seyitriza

Mobile devices are becoming indispensable tools for many students and educators. Mobile technology is starting a new era in the computing methodologies in many engineering disciplines and laboratories. Microcontroller extension that communicates with mobile devices will take the data acquisition and control process into a new level in the sensing technology and communication. The purpose of this thesis is to develop a framework to incorporate the new mobile platform with robust embedded systems into the engineering curriculum. For this purpose a course material is developed "Introduction to Programming Java on a Mobile Platform" to teach novice programmers how to create applications, specifically on Android. Combining an introductory level programming class with the Android platform can appeal to non-programming individuals in multiple disciplines. The proposed course curriculum reduces the learning time, and allows senior engineering students to use the new framework for their specific needs in the labs such as mobile data acquisition and control projects. This work provides techniques for instructors with modest programming background to teach cutting edge technology, which is smartphone programming. Techniques developed in this work minimize unnecessary information carried into current teaching approaches with hands-on practice. It also helps the students with minimal background requirements overcome the barriers that have evolved around computer programming. The motivation of this thesis is to create a tailored programming introductory course to teach Java programming on Android by incorporating selected efficient methods from extant literature. The mechanism proposed in this thesis is to keep students motivated by an active approach based on student-centered learning with collaborative work. Teamwork through pair programming is adapted in this teaching process. Bloom's taxonomy, along with a knowledge survey, is used as a guide to classify the information and exercise problems. A prototype curriculum is a deliverable of this research that is suitable for novice programmers-such as engineering freshmen students. It also contains advanced material that allows senior students to use mobile phone and a microcontroller system to enhance engineering laboratories.

Ultrasound detection of simulated intra-ocular foreign bodies by minimally trained personnel.

PubMed

Sargsyan, Ashot E; Dulchavsky, Alexandria G; Adams, James; Melton, Shannon; Hamilton, Douglas R; Dulchavsky, Scott A

2008-01-01

To test the ability of non-expert ultrasound operators of divergent backgrounds to detect the presence, size, location, and composition of foreign bodies in an ocular model. High school students (N = 10) and NASA astronauts (N = 4) completed a brief ultrasound training session which focused on basic ultrasound principles and the detection of foreign bodies. The operators used portable ultrasound devices to detect foreign objects of varying location, size (0.5-2 mm), and material (glass, plastic, metal) in a gelatinous ocular model. Operator findings were compared to known foreign object parameters and ultrasound experts (N = 2) to determine accuracy across and between groups. Ultrasound had high sensitivity (astronauts 85%, students 87%, and experts 100%) and specificity (astronauts 81%, students 83%, and experts 95%) for the detection of foreign bodies. All user groups were able to accurately detect the presence of foreign bodies in this model (astronauts 84%, students 81%, and experts 97%). Astronaut and student sensitivity results for material (64% vs. 48%), size (60% vs. 46%), and position (77% vs. 64%) were not statistically different. Experts' results for material (85%), size (90%), and position (98%) were higher; however, the small sample size precluded statistical conclusions. Ultrasound can be used by operators with varying training to detect the presence, location, and composition of intraocular foreign bodies with high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy.

Using simple manipulatives to improve student comprehension of a complex biological process: protein synthesis.

PubMed

Guzman, Karen; Bartlett, John

2012-01-01

Biological systems and living processes involve a complex interplay of biochemicals and macromolecular structures that can be challenging for undergraduate students to comprehend and, thus, misconceptions abound. Protein synthesis, or translation, is an example of a biological process for which students often hold many misconceptions. This article describes an exercise that was developed to illustrate the process of translation using simple objects to represent complex molecules. Animations, 3D physical models, computer simulations, laboratory experiments and classroom lectures are also used to reinforce the students' understanding of translation, but by focusing on the simple manipulatives in this exercise, students are better able to visualize concepts that can elude them when using the other methods. The translation exercise is described along with suggestions for background material, questions used to evaluate student comprehension and tips for using the manipulatives to identify common misconceptions. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Similarities and differences in cultural values between Iranian and Malaysian nursing students

PubMed Central

Abdollahimohammad, Abdolghani; Jaafar, Rogayah; Rahim, Ahmad F. Abul

2014-01-01

Background: Cultural values are invisible and relatively constant in societies. The purpose of the present study is to find diversities in cultural values of Iranian and Malaysian nursing students. Materials and Methods: Convenience sampling method was used for this comparative-descriptive study to gather the data from full-time undergraduate degree nursing students in Iran and Malaysia. The data were collected using Values Survey Module 2008 and were analyzed by independent t-test. Results: The means of power distance, individualism, and uncertainty avoidance values were significantly different between the two study populations. Conclusions: The academics should acknowledge diversities in cultural values, especially in power distance index, to minimize misconceptions in teaching-learning environments. PMID:25400685

Graphing techniques for materials laboratory using Excel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kundu, Nikhil K.

1994-01-01

Engineering technology curricula stress hands on training and laboratory practices in most of the technical courses. Laboratory reports should include analytical as well as graphical evaluation of experimental data. Experience shows that many students neither have the mathematical background nor the expertise for graphing. This paper briefly describes the procedure and data obtained from a number of experiments such as spring rate, stress concentration, endurance limit, and column buckling for a variety of materials. Then with a brief introduction to Microsoft Excel the author explains the techniques used for linear regression and logarithmic graphing.

Implementation of a Values Training Program in Physical Education and Sport: Perspectives from Teachers, Coaches, Students, and Athletes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koh, Koon Teck; Ong, Shu Wen; Camiré, Martin

2016-01-01

Background: Past research has shown that under the right conditions, youth can learn values through physical education and sport (PES). Although some programs have been developed using PES as a means to foster positive development, a limited amount of research has specifically addressed how stakeholders believe this type of material can be…

The Death of a Star: Supernova 1987a. NASA Educational Briefs for the Upper Elementary-Level Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC.

This material discusses supernova, the violent death of a massive star, at a level appropriate for upper elementary students. Background information on Supernova 1987a is presented. Observation techniques using visible light, ultraviolet waves, radio waves, neutrinos, X-rays, and gamma-rays are described. A vocabulary list, 11 questions, and 6…

Using Technology to Compare the Instructional Effectiveness of Read Aloud and Read Along Materials in an Elementary Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Narda; Brill, Ann; Eber, Debra; Suomala, Lisa

2005-01-01

Background: The options for technology in an educational setting is growing exponentially. But the question remains, how can technology be used to improve reading instruction in an elementary classroom? It has been proposed that using an LCD projector to enable all students to see the text and pictures could increase reading comprehension.…

Working in America, Part III. Materials for Using American Issues Forum in the American History Classroom, Topic V.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Education Dept., Albany. Bureau of General Education Curriculum Development.

The learning module is the third in a series which examines American history in light of industrial development and expansion. Presented in field test condition to allow for feedback from students and teachers, the booklet explores the welfare state and minority employment through presentation of an extensive teacher background section and 10…

ON TEACHING THE BIBLE AS LITERATURE, A GUIDE TO SELECTED BIBLICAL NARRATIVES FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS. INDIANA UNIVERSITY ENGLISH CURRICULUM STUDY SERIES.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ACKERMAN, JAMES S.; HAWLEY, JANE STOUDER

WRITTEN FOR USE WITH SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS, THIS GUIDE TO THE SECULAR AND OBJECTIVE TEACHING OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE EMPHASIZES THE HISTORICAL AND LITERARY CONTEXT OF THE BIBLE RATHER THAN THEOLOGICAL INTERPRETATIONS, AND PRESENTS HISTORICAL, TEXTUAL, AND CULTURAL BACKGROUND MATERIAL FOR SELECTED OLD TESTAMENT NARRATIVES. PART 1 OF THE GUIDE…

Working in America, Part I. Materials for Using American Issues Forum in the American History Classroom, Topic V.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Education Dept., Albany. Bureau of General Education Curriculum Development.

The learning module is the first in a three part series which examines American history in light of industrial development and expansion. Presented in field test condition to allow for feedback from students and teachers, the booklet explores the American work ethic through presentation of an extensive teacher background section, eight class…

Teaching Habitat and Animal Classification to Fourth Graders Using an Engineering-Design Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marulcu, Ismail

2014-01-01

Background: The motivation for this work is built upon the premise that there is a need for research-based materials for design-based science instruction. In this paper, a small portion of our work investigating the impact of a LEGO[TM] engineering unit on fourth grade students' preconceptions and understanding of animals is presented. Purpose:…

A cyber-linked undergraduate research experience in computational biomolecular structure prediction and design

PubMed Central

Alford, Rebecca F.; Dolan, Erin L.

2017-01-01

Computational biology is an interdisciplinary field, and many computational biology research projects involve distributed teams of scientists. To accomplish their work, these teams must overcome both disciplinary and geographic barriers. Introducing new training paradigms is one way to facilitate research progress in computational biology. Here, we describe a new undergraduate program in biomolecular structure prediction and design in which students conduct research at labs located at geographically-distributed institutions while remaining connected through an online community. This 10-week summer program begins with one week of training on computational biology methods development, transitions to eight weeks of research, and culminates in one week at the Rosetta annual conference. To date, two cohorts of students have participated, tackling research topics including vaccine design, enzyme design, protein-based materials, glycoprotein modeling, crowd-sourced science, RNA processing, hydrogen bond networks, and amyloid formation. Students in the program report outcomes comparable to students who participate in similar in-person programs. These outcomes include the development of a sense of community and increases in their scientific self-efficacy, scientific identity, and science values, all predictors of continuing in a science research career. Furthermore, the program attracted students from diverse backgrounds, which demonstrates the potential of this approach to broaden the participation of young scientists from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in computational biology. PMID:29216185

A cyber-linked undergraduate research experience in computational biomolecular structure prediction and design.

PubMed

Alford, Rebecca F; Leaver-Fay, Andrew; Gonzales, Lynda; Dolan, Erin L; Gray, Jeffrey J

2017-12-01

Computational biology is an interdisciplinary field, and many computational biology research projects involve distributed teams of scientists. To accomplish their work, these teams must overcome both disciplinary and geographic barriers. Introducing new training paradigms is one way to facilitate research progress in computational biology. Here, we describe a new undergraduate program in biomolecular structure prediction and design in which students conduct research at labs located at geographically-distributed institutions while remaining connected through an online community. This 10-week summer program begins with one week of training on computational biology methods development, transitions to eight weeks of research, and culminates in one week at the Rosetta annual conference. To date, two cohorts of students have participated, tackling research topics including vaccine design, enzyme design, protein-based materials, glycoprotein modeling, crowd-sourced science, RNA processing, hydrogen bond networks, and amyloid formation. Students in the program report outcomes comparable to students who participate in similar in-person programs. These outcomes include the development of a sense of community and increases in their scientific self-efficacy, scientific identity, and science values, all predictors of continuing in a science research career. Furthermore, the program attracted students from diverse backgrounds, which demonstrates the potential of this approach to broaden the participation of young scientists from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in computational biology.

The planetary data system educational CD-ROM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guinness, E. A.; Arvidson, R. E.; Martin, M.; Dueck, S.

1993-01-01

The Planetary Data System (PDS) is producing a special educational CD-ROM that contains samples of PDS datasets and is expected to be released in 1993. The CD-ROM will provide university-level instructors with PDS-compatible materials and information that can be used to construct student problem sets using real datasets. The main purposes of the CD-ROM are to facilitate wide use of planetary data and to introduce a large community to the PDS. To meet these objectives the Educational CD-ROM will also contain software to manipulate the data, background discussions about scientific questions that can be addressed with the data, and a suite of exercises that illustrate analysis techniques. Students will also be introduced to the SPICE concept, which is a new way of maintaining geometry and instrument information. The exercises will be presented at the freshman through graduate student levels. With simplification, some of the material should also be of use at the high school level.

Measures of Success for Earth System Science Education: The DLESE Evaluation Services and the Evaluation Toolkit Collection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCaffrey, M. S.; Buhr, S. M.; Lynds, S.

2005-12-01

Increased agency emphasis upon the integration of research and education coupled with the ability to provide students with access to digital background materials, learning activities and primary data sources has begun to revolutionize Earth science education in formal and informal settings. The DLESE Evaluation Services team and the related Evaluation Toolkit collection (http://www.dlese.org/cms/evalservices/ ) provides services and tools for education project leads and educators. Through the Evaluation Toolkit, educators may access high-quality digital materials to assess students' cognitive gains, examples of alternative assessments, and case studies and exemplars of authentic research. The DLESE Evaluation Services team provides support for those who are developing evaluation plans on an as-requested basis. In addition, the Toolkit provides authoritative peer reviewed articlesabout evaluation research techniques and strategies of particular importance to geoscience education. This paper will provide an overview of the DLESE Evaluation Toolkit and discuss challenges and best practices for assessing student learning and evaluating Earth system sciences education in a digital world.

Incorporating Real-time Earthquake Information into Large Enrollment Natural Disaster Course Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furlong, K. P.; Benz, H.; Hayes, G. P.; Villasenor, A.

2010-12-01

Although most would agree that the occurrence of natural disaster events such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and floods can provide effective learning opportunities for natural hazards-based courses, implementing compelling materials into the large-enrollment classroom environment can be difficult. These natural hazard events derive much of their learning potential from their real-time nature, and in the modern 24/7 news-cycle where all but the most devastating events are quickly out of the public eye, the shelf life for an event is quite limited. To maximize the learning potential of these events requires that both authoritative information be available and course materials be generated as the event unfolds. Although many events such as hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic eruptions provide some precursory warnings, and thus one can prepare background materials to place the main event into context, earthquakes present a particularly confounding situation of providing no warning, but where context is critical to student learning. Attempting to implement real-time materials into large enrollment classes faces the additional hindrance of limited internet access (for students) in most lecture classrooms. In Earth 101 Natural Disasters: Hollywood vs Reality, taught as a large enrollment (150+ students) general education course at Penn State, we are collaborating with the USGS’s National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) to develop efficient means to incorporate their real-time products into learning activities in the lecture hall environment. Over time (and numerous events) we have developed a template for presenting USGS-produced real-time information in lecture mode. The event-specific materials can be quickly incorporated and updated, along with key contextual materials, to provide students with up-to-the-minute current information. In addition, we have also developed in-class activities, such as student determination of population exposure to severe ground shaking (i.e. simulating the USGS PAGER product), tsunami warning calculations, and building damage analyses that allow the students to participate in realistic hazard analyses as the event unfolds. Examples of these templates and activities will be presented. Key to the successful implementation of real-time materials is sufficient flexibility and adaptability in the course syllabus.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2016-02-01

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

Frequency and Predictors of Courses Repetition, Probation, and Delayed Graduation in Kashan Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery

PubMed Central

Tagharrobi, Zahra; Masoudi Alavi, Negin; Fakharian, Esmail; Mirhoseini, Fakhrossadat; Rasoulinejad, Sayyed Asghar; Akbari, Hossein; Ameli, Hossein

2013-01-01

Background: Course failing and delayed graduation are important concerns in educational systems. The reasons of these educational failures need to be clarified. Objectives: This study was designed to determine the academic failure rate and its predictors in Nursing and Midwifery Students in Kashan University of Medical Sciences. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the records of all the students graduated in Nursing and Midwifery faculty during 18 years (1986 - 2003) were evaluated (1174 graduates). The demographic variables and the educational situation were recorded. The frequency of course repetition, probation, and delayed graduation were determined and the data were analyzed using the chi-square and logistic regression tests. Results: The frequency of course repetition, probation, and delayed graduation was reported to be 19.25%, 3.9% and 19.85%, respectively. Gaining Low grade in high school, transferring from other universities, having special quota, and transferring temporarily to other universities were mentioned as the risk factors of academic failure. The major had a significant relationship with academic failure. Day time students had more course failure and night time students stayed longer in the university. Conclusions: The individual characteristics, educational background and admission criteria had showed relation with academic failure. Vulnerable students should be identified and educational supports should be provided for these students. PMID:25414885

Urban and Rural College Students' Family Background and Their Participation in Student Organization: A Study in Guangzhou University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hui, Liu; Min, Yang

2017-01-01

Based on the survey of "undergraduate family and educational background and freshman learning experience," a statistical analysis of Guangzhou University first-year undergraduate students' family backgrounds and participation in student organizational activities found a significant correlation between family background and the degree of…

Building and Activating Students' Background Knowledge: It's What They Already Know That Counts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Douglas; Frey, Nancy; Lapp, Diane

2012-01-01

Students enter the middle grades with varying amounts of background knowledge. Teachers must assess student background knowledge for gaps or misconceptions and then provide instruction to build on that base. This article discusses effective strategies for assessing and developing students' background knowledge so they can become independent…

Teaching a lay theory before college narrows achievement gaps at scale.

PubMed

Yeager, David S; Walton, Gregory M; Brady, Shannon T; Akcinar, Ezgi N; Paunesku, David; Keane, Laura; Kamentz, Donald; Ritter, Gretchen; Duckworth, Angela Lee; Urstein, Robert; Gomez, Eric M; Markus, Hazel Rose; Cohen, Geoffrey L; Dweck, Carol S

2016-06-14

Previous experiments have shown that college students benefit when they understand that challenges in the transition to college are common and improvable and, thus, that early struggles need not portend a permanent lack of belonging or potential. Could such an approach-called a lay theory intervention-be effective before college matriculation? Could this strategy reduce a portion of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic achievement gaps for entire institutions? Three double-blind experiments tested this possibility. Ninety percent of first-year college students from three institutions were randomly assigned to complete single-session, online lay theory or control materials before matriculation (n > 9,500). The lay theory interventions raised first-year full-time college enrollment among students from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds exiting a high-performing charter high school network or entering a public flagship university (experiments 1 and 2) and, at a selective private university, raised disadvantaged students' cumulative first-year grade point average (experiment 3). These gains correspond to 31-40% reductions of the raw (unadjusted) institutional achievement gaps between students from disadvantaged and nondisadvantaged backgrounds at those institutions. Further, follow-up surveys suggest that the interventions improved disadvantaged students' overall college experiences, promoting use of student support services and the development of friendship networks and mentor relationships. This research therefore provides a basis for further tests of the generalizability of preparatory lay theories interventions and of their potential to reduce social inequality and improve other major life transitions.

Bulgarian Modern Poetry [and] Dracula - Fact and Fiction, for a Western World Literature Class. Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars Abroad, 1997. (Romania and Bulgaria).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rang, Barbara L.

This project developed two units for secondary students, one dealing with the modern poetry of Bulgaria and one with the legend of Dracula. The first unit includes poems, discussion questions, and a background essay. The second unit includes discussion materials largely based on Brian Stoker's novel "Dracula," and an historical essay on…

Using Census Data [and] College Students' Use of Newspapers for Political Commentary. ANPA News Research Report No. 30.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Einsiedel, Edna F.; Wade, Serena E.

The first article in this research report draws upon material presented at four American Newspaper Publishers Association-Bureau of the Census workshops. The report describes how the 1980 United States Census data can be applied by newspapers to localize national trends, to serve as a background for local news stories, to monitor changes in the…

In the Aftermath of War: Cultural Clashes of the Twenties. A Unit of Study for Grades 9-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gifford, Nina

This unit is a collection of lessons for teaching about cultural clashes. Based on primary sources, the unit contains teacher background materials and three lesson plans with student resources. These lessons deal with the United States between World War I and World War II. The United States emerged from World War I with seismic faults in its…

After the Cold War: The U.S. Role in Europe's Transition. Revised. [and] Teacher's Resource Book.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lhowe, Mary, Ed.

These materials explore the decisions that face the United States as a result of the changes in the past decade in the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The background readings allow students to examine such questions of values and foreign policy as: (1) Should the United States remain committed to its Western European…

To Forget Murder Victims Is to Kill Them Twice: The Prospect of Teaching "The Holocaust" in Jordan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mgamis, Majid Salem

2017-01-01

This paper examines the possibility of teaching the holocaust in Jordanian universities. In this regard, it highlights the socio-religious challenges that may impede such a project and suggests some methods to overcome them. It discusses the material to be taught and the background that should be furnished for students before presenting the topic.…

Race, Caste, and Prejudice [And] Student Handbook to Race, Caste, and Prejudice. Publications No. 70-2 and 70-4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleg, Milton; And Others

The regional and historical overview of race, caste, and prejudice is one of the units in the Anthropology Curriculum Project series. The major objective of the unit is to focus attention on discriminatory practices which grow out of physical differences and cultural attitudes. The document consists of teacher background materials and a student…

Does peer learning or higher levels of e-learning improve learning abilities? A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Worm, Bjarne Skjødt; Jensen, Kenneth

2013-01-01

Background and aims The fast development of e-learning and social forums demands us to update our understanding of e-learning and peer learning. We aimed to investigate if higher, pre-defined levels of e-learning or social interaction in web forums improved students' learning ability. Methods One hundred and twenty Danish medical students were randomized to six groups all with 20 students (eCases level 1, eCases level 2, eCases level 2+, eTextbook level 1, eTextbook level 2, and eTextbook level 2+). All students participated in a pre-test, Group 1 participated in an interactive case-based e-learning program, while Group 2 was presented with textbook material electronically. The 2+ groups were able to discuss the material between themselves in a web forum. The subject was head injury and associated treatment and observation guidelines in the emergency room. Following the e-learning, all students completed a post-test. Pre- and post-tests both consisted of 25 questions randomly chosen from a pool of 50 different questions. Results All students concluded the study with comparable pre-test results. Students at Level 2 (in both groups) improved statistically significant compared to students at level 1 (p>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between level 2 and level 2+. However, level 2+ was associated with statistically significant greater student's satisfaction than the rest of the students (p>0.05). Conclusions This study applies a new way of comparing different types of e-learning using a pre-defined level division and the possibility of peer learning. Our findings show that higher levels of e-learning does in fact provide better results when compared with the same type of e-learning at lower levels. While social interaction in web forums increase student satisfaction, learning ability does not seem to change. Both findings are relevant when designing new e-learning materials.

Science learning and literacy performance of typically developing, at-risk, and disabled, non-English language background students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larrinaga McGee, Patria Maria

Current education reform calls for excellence, access, and equity in all areas of instruction, including science and literacy. Historically, persons of diverse backgrounds or with disabilities have been underrepresented in science. Gaps are evident between the science and literacy achievement of diverse students and their mainstream peers. The purpose of this study was to document, describe, and examine patterns of development and change in the science learning and literacy performance of Hispanic students. The two major questions of this study were: (1) How is science content knowledge, as evident in oral and written formats, manifested in the performance of typically developing, at-risk, and disabled non-English language background (NELB) students? and (2) What are the patterns of literacy performance in science, and as evident in oral and written formats, among typically developing, at-risk, and disabled NELB students? This case study was part of a larger research project, the Promise Project, undertaken at the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, under the sponsorship of the National Science Foundation. The study involved 24 fourth-grade students in seven classrooms located in Promise Project schools where teachers were provided with training and materials for instruction on two units of science content: Matter and Weather. Four students were selected from among the fourth-graders for a closer analysis of their performance. Qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods were used to document, describe, and examine specific events or phenomena in the processes of science learning and literacy development. Important findings were related to (a) gains in science learning and literacy development, (b) students' science learning and literacy development needs, and (c) general and idiosyncratic attitudes toward science and literacy. Five patterns of science "explanations" identified indicated a developmental cognitive/linguistic trajectory in science learning. Students' learning needs appeared related to (a) depth of science knowledge, and (b) written communication in science. Students' performances and attitudes suggested a continuum of readiness for science inquiry. Differences in performances and attitudes revealed curricular, personal, social, cultural, cognitive, metacognitive, and linguistic aspects that could impact science learning and literacy development. Implications for instruction and assessment were discussed. Suggestions for further research were presented.

(Biased) Grading of Students' Performance: Students' Names, Performance Level, and Implicit Attitudes.

PubMed

Bonefeld, Meike; Dickhäuser, Oliver

2018-01-01

Biases in pre-service teachers' evaluations of students' performance may arise due to stereotypes (e.g., the assumption that students with a migrant background have lower potential). This study examines the effects of a migrant background, performance level, and implicit attitudes toward individuals with a migrant background on performance assessment (assigned grades and number of errors counted in a dictation). Pre-service teachers ( N = 203) graded the performance of a student who appeared to have a migrant background statistically significantly worse than that of a student without a migrant background. The differences were more pronounced when the performance level was low and when the pre-service teachers held relatively positive implicit attitudes toward individuals with a migrant background. Interestingly, only performance level had an effect on the number of counted errors. Our results support the assumption that pre-service teachers exhibit bias when grading students with a migrant background in a third-grade level dictation assignment.

More than Meets the Eye - Infrared Cameras in Open-Ended University Thermodynamics Labs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melander, Emil; Haglund, Jesper; Weiszflog, Matthias; Andersson, Staffan

2016-12-01

Educational research has found that students have challenges understanding thermal science. Undergraduate physics students have difficulties differentiating basic thermal concepts, such as heat, temperature, and internal energy. Engineering students have been found to have difficulties grasping surface emissivity as a thermal material property. One potential source of students' challenges with thermal science is the lack of opportunity to visualize energy transfer in intuitive ways with traditional measurement equipment. Thermodynamics laboratories have typically depended on point measures of temperature by use of thermometers (detecting heat conduction) or pyrometers (detecting heat radiation). In contrast, thermal imaging by means of an infrared (IR) camera provides a real-time, holistic image. Here we provide some background on IR cameras and their uses in education, and summarize five qualitative investigations that we have used in our courses.

Communication in mental health nursing - Bachelor Students' appraisal of a blended learning training programme - an exploratory study.

PubMed

Furnes, Merete; Kvaal, Kari Sofie; Høye, Sevald

2018-01-01

It is important that mental health nursing students at Bachelor level obtain effective communication skills. Many students dread the fact that in the mental health field they will encounter patients and relatives with various backgrounds and personalities. Large classes and limited teaching resources in nursing education are challenging. To prepare students for mental health nursing practice, a communication skills course based on the blended learning method was developed and carried out at two different campuses.The aim of the study is to explore Bachelor nursing students' appraisal of blended learning methods for enhancing communication skills in mental health nursing. This study employed an exploratory design. Teaching and information materials were available on the learning management system (LMS). Videotaped role play training was carried out in the Simulation Department. Data were collected after the course by means of a questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions. The response rate was 59.2%. Quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and the Kruskal Wallis test, while qualitative data were analysed by content analysis based on Graneheim and Lundman's approach. No impact of background variables was observed. Students appreciated teachers' participation in role play and immediate feedback was considered especially important for learning outcomes. The students perceived that their communication skills and knowledge had improved after completing the blended learning programme. According to the nursing students, blended learning is an appropriate method for improving communication skills in preparation for mental health nursing. Blended learning makes it possible to build flexible courses with limited resources.

Persuasiveness of online flu-vaccination promotional banners.

PubMed

Chien, Yu-Hung

2013-04-01

Young people appear to have relatively little motivation to participate in flu-vaccination programs. This study assessed the effectiveness of online banners in efforts to persuade young people to get vaccinated. Specifically, a 2 x 3 between-subjects factorial design was used to examine the effects of message framing (gain vs loss) and color configuration (white text on a red background, black text on a yellow background, and white text on a blue background) on 180 college students' perceptions of the persuasiveness of flu-vaccination promotional banners. Each participant completed a four-item questionnaire, and the results of an analysis of variance showed that persuasiveness scores were higher among participants exposed to a loss-framed than to a gain-framed message, but only when the loss-framed message was presented in white text on a red background. The theoretical and practical implications of manipulating these two factors in the development of effective health-promotion materials are discussed.

Does peer learning or higher levels of e-learning improve learning abilities? A randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Worm, Bjarne Skjødt; Jensen, Kenneth

2013-01-01

Background and aims The fast development of e-learning and social forums demands us to update our understanding of e-learning and peer learning. We aimed to investigate if higher, pre-defined levels of e-learning or social interaction in web forums improved students’ learning ability. Methods One hundred and twenty Danish medical students were randomized to six groups all with 20 students (eCases level 1, eCases level 2, eCases level 2+, eTextbook level 1, eTextbook level 2, and eTextbook level 2+). All students participated in a pre-test, Group 1 participated in an interactive case-based e-learning program, while Group 2 was presented with textbook material electronically. The 2+ groups were able to discuss the material between themselves in a web forum. The subject was head injury and associated treatment and observation guidelines in the emergency room. Following the e-learning, all students completed a post-test. Pre- and post-tests both consisted of 25 questions randomly chosen from a pool of 50 different questions. Results All students concluded the study with comparable pre-test results. Students at Level 2 (in both groups) improved statistically significant compared to students at level 1 (p>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between level 2 and level 2+. However, level 2+ was associated with statistically significant greater student's satisfaction than the rest of the students (p>0.05). Conclusions This study applies a new way of comparing different types of e-learning using a pre-defined level division and the possibility of peer learning. Our findings show that higher levels of e-learning does in fact provide better results when compared with the same type of e-learning at lower levels. While social interaction in web forums increase student satisfaction, learning ability does not seem to change. Both findings are relevant when designing new e-learning materials. PMID:24229729

From biology to mathematical models and back: teaching modeling to biology students, and biology to math and engineering students.

PubMed

Chiel, Hillel J; McManus, Jeffrey M; Shaw, Kendrick M

2010-01-01

We describe the development of a course to teach modeling and mathematical analysis skills to students of biology and to teach biology to students with strong backgrounds in mathematics, physics, or engineering. The two groups of students have different ways of learning material and often have strong negative feelings toward the area of knowledge that they find difficult. To give students a sense of mastery in each area, several complementary approaches are used in the course: 1) a "live" textbook that allows students to explore models and mathematical processes interactively; 2) benchmark problems providing key skills on which students make continuous progress; 3) assignment of students to teams of two throughout the semester; 4) regular one-on-one interactions with instructors throughout the semester; and 5) a term project in which students reconstruct, analyze, extend, and then write in detail about a recently published biological model. Based on student evaluations and comments, an attitude survey, and the quality of the students' term papers, the course has significantly increased the ability and willingness of biology students to use mathematical concepts and modeling tools to understand biological systems, and it has significantly enhanced engineering students' appreciation of biology.

The Challenges of Nursing Students in the Clinical Learning Environment: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Jamshidi, Nahid; Molazem, Zahra; Sharif, Farkhondeh; Torabizadeh, Camellia; Najafi Kalyani, Majid

2016-01-01

Background/Aim. Clinical learning is a main part of nursing education. Students' exposure to clinical learning environment is one of the most important factors affecting the teaching-learning process in clinical settings. Identifying challenges of nursing students in the clinical learning environment could improve training and enhance the quality of its planning and promotion of the students. We aimed to explore Iranian nursing students' challenges in the clinical learning environment. Materials and Methods. This is a qualitative study using the content analysis approach. The participants consisted of seventeen nursing students and three nursing instructors. The participants were selected through purposive sampling method and attended semistructured interviews and focus groups. Results. Three themes emerged after data analysis, including ineffective communications, inadequate readiness, and emotional reactions. Conclusion. Nursing students in Iran are faced with many challenges in the clinical learning environment. All challenges identified in this study affected the students' learning in clinical setting. Therefore, we recommend that the instructors prepare students with a specific focus on their communication and psychological needs. PMID:27366787

Crisis, Conscience, and Choices: Weimar Germany and the Rise of Hitler. Choices for the 21st Century Education Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bakker, Don

This unit is part of a series of curriculum materials that applies the choices approach to critical junctures in history. The focus is on Germany's defeat in World War I and conditions in Germany contributing to the rise of Nazism. Students are provided with background readings on the Weimar Republic, the reparations imposed on Germany with their…

X-ray Diffraction System for Advanced Materials Analysis in Research and Education

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-27

on education. These courses have are important because they prepare students for industry and, as they move to more research - intensive work, the...real-life experimental research experience with emphasis on nanoscale device fabrication. The course provides a strong background in devices with...institution, and will support future research initiatives based on a 5-year warranty and broad base of university funding to projects. The system is

Imagine the Universe: The Hidden Lives of Galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lochner, James C.; Williamson, Lisa; Fitzhugh, Ethel

2000-01-01

Welcome to the fourth in a series of posters and activity booklets produced in conjunction with the Imagine the Universe! web site. The poster/booklet sets are intended to provide additional curriculum support materials for some of the subjects presented in the web site. The information provided for the educator in the booklet is meant to give the necessary background information so that the topic can be taught confidently to the students. The activities can be used to engage and excite students about the topic of galaxies in a number of disciplines and ways. The booklet and all activities can be photocopied and distributed for educational, non-commercial purposes.

Support in Clinical Settings as Perceived by Nursing Students in Iran: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Joolaee, Soodabeh; Ashghali Farahani, Mansoureh; Jafarian Amiri, Seyedeh Roghayeh; Varaei, Shokoh

2016-01-01

Background Although support is one of the most substantial needs of nursing students during clinical education, it is not clearly defined in the literature. Objectives The current study aimed to explore the concept of support in clinical settings as perceived by nursing students. Materials and Methods A qualitative content analysis was used to explore the meaning of student support in clinical settings. A purposive sampling with maximum variation was used to select the participants among bachelor nursing students in the nursing school of Babol University of Medical Sciences in the north of Iran. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather the perceptions and experiences of seventeen nursing students. Conventional content analysis was applied to analyze the data. Results In the current study, the main theme, nurturance, was emerged with seven subthemes of humanistic behavior with the student, respectful communication with students, accepting the student in the clinical setting, sustaining confidence, need based supervision, accepting the profession in the society and empowerment. Conclusions Nursing students support in the clinical education requires a nurturing care; a care that leads to the sense of worthiness and respectability in students and contributes to the improvement of their clinical abilities. PMID:27331057

Learning styles of medical students at Taibah University: Trends and implications

PubMed Central

Guraya, Shaista Salman; Guraya, Salman Yousuf; Habib, Fawzia A.; Khoshhal, Khalid I.

2014-01-01

Background: Understanding the learning styles of medical students can drive the institutions to adapt instructional materials to enhance students’ learning of knowledge and skills. This study explored the learning styles of undergraduate medical students, comparing gender variations in terms of their significant preferences. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was performed in 2012-2013, incorporating 1st-5th year undergraduate medical students of Taibah University. The instrument used was a Learning Style Questionnaire, with four learning styles (activist, reflector, theorist and pragmatist) and 40 items. Results: Of 450 students, 384 responded (response rate; 85%). No single learning style predominated; 96 (25%) reflectors, 78 (20%) theorists, 68 (17%) pragmatists, and 37 (9%) activists. Combined reflector and theorist was the predominant dual learning style in 27 (7%) students. Among genders, theorist style had a significant result (P = 0.071) indicating that theorists varied among genders due to their different opinions. Learning style preferences of theorists and pragmatists also showed a significant result (P = 0.000 each), depicting that both genders had unique preferences. Males had fewer variations of preferences, when compared with females who showed a significant difference of opinions (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The students in the study preferred diverse learning styles, which were unevenly distributed, reflectors being the most common and activists as the least common. The results reflect the need to promote self-directed learning and modifications of instructional strategies, with expectant tilt in the students’ learning styles towards activists and pragmatists. PMID:25709657

Mediated Modeling in Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halloun, Ibrahim A.

2007-08-01

Following two decades of corroboration, modeling theory is presented as a pedagogical theory that promotes mediated experiential learning of model-laden theory and inquiry in science education. Students develop experiential knowledge about physical realities through interplay between their own ideas about the physical world and particular patterns in this world. Under teacher mediation, they represent each pattern with a particular model that they develop through a five-phase learning cycle, following particular modeling schemata of well-defined dimensions and rules of engagement. Significantly greater student achievement has been increasingly demonstrated under mediated modeling than under conventional instruction of lecture and demonstration, especially in secondary school and university physics courses. The improved achievement is reflected in more meaningful understanding of course materials, better learning styles, higher success rates, lower attrition rates and narrower gaps between students of different backgrounds.

Tackling the Remaining Attainment Gap between Students with and without Immigrant Background: An Investigation into the Equivalence of SES Constructs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lenkeit, Jenny; Caro, Daniel H.; Strand, Steve

2015-01-01

In England, students with immigrant background exhibit lower educational attainment than those without immigrant background. Family socioeconomic status (SES) helps explain differences in educational attainment, but a gap remains that differs in size for students with different immigrant backgrounds. While the explanatory repertoire for the…

Development of a teaching tool to encourage high school students to study aerospace technical subjects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gale, Anita; Edwards, Dick

1998-01-01

This report details the efforts to develop a design competition aimed at high school students which will encourage them to study aerospace technical subjects. It has been shown that such competitions - based on an industry simulation game - are valuable ways to energize high school students to study in this area. Under the grant, a new competition scenario was developed, in keeping with NASA-Dryden's mission to develop aircraft and foster knowledge about aeronautics. Included are preliminary background materials and information which, if the grant is continued, would form the basis of a national competition for high school students, wherein they would design an Aerospaceport in a future year, taking into consideration the requirements of aircraft, spacecraft- ground transportation systems, passengers who use the facility, and employees who operate it. Many of the Competition methods were studied and tested during two existing local competitions in the disadvantaged communities of Lancaster and Victorville, California.

Teaching Ethics to Engineers: A Socratic Experience.

PubMed

Génova, Gonzalo; González, M Rosario

2016-04-01

In this paper we present the authors' experience of teaching a course in Ethics for Engineers, which has been delivered four times in three different universities in Spain and Chile. We begin by presenting the material context of the course (its place within the university program, the number of students attending, its duration, etc.), and especially the intellectual background of the participating students, in terms of their previous understanding of philosophy in general, and of ethics in particular. Next we set out the objectives of the course and the main topics addressed, as well as the methodology and teaching resources employed to have students achieve a genuine philosophical reflection on the ethical aspects of the profession, starting from their own mindset as engineers. Finally we offer some results based on opinion surveys of the students, as well as a more personal assessment by the authors, recapitulating the most significant achievements of the course and indicating its underlying Socratic structure.

Assessing and Addressing Students' Scientific Literacy Needs in Physical Geology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell-Stone, E. A.; Myers, J. D.

2005-12-01

Exacting excellence equally from university students around the globe can be accomplished by providing all students with necessary background tools to achieve mastery of their courses, even if those tools are not part of normal content. As instructors we hope to see our students grasp the substance of our courses, make mental connections between course material and practical applications, and use this knowledge to make informed decisions as citizens. Yet many educators have found that students enter university-level introductory courses in mathematics, science and engineering without adequate academic preparation. As part of a FIPSE-funded project at the University of Wyoming, the instructors of the Physical Geology course have taken a new approach to tackling the problem of lack of scientific/mathematic skills in incoming students. Instead of assuming that students should already know or will learn these skills on their own, they assess students' needs and provide them the opportunity to master scientific literacies as they learn geologic content. In the introductory geology course, instructors identified two categories of literacies, or basic skills that are necessary for academic success and citizen participation. Fundamental literacies include performing simple quantitative calculations, making qualitative assessments, and reading and analyzing tables and graphs. Technical literacies are those specific to understanding geology, and comprise the ability to read maps, visualize changes through time, and conceptualize in three dimensions. Because these skills are most easily taught in lab, the in-house lab manual was rewritten to be both literacy- and content-based. Early labs include simple exercises addressing literacies in the context of geological science, and each subsequent lab repeats exposure to literacies, but at increasing levels of difficulty. Resources available to assist students with literacy mastery include individual instruction, a detailed appendix to the lab manual explaining simple tasks such as converting units, and web-based resources. To document the progress of this program, students take pre- and post-course surveys assessing their grasp of the literacies. The surveys gather data on demographics, background, level of interest, level of confidence, understanding, and willingness to complete additional problem sets. This information has been integral in identifying areas of greatest weakness, least interest, and in gauging how backgrounds, expectations, and students' confidence affect their performance.

Resources and approaches for teaching physics to pre-health and life science majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widenhorn, Ralf

2014-03-01

As science is advancing, the skill set for a physician or medical researcher today and in the future is very different than it has been in the past. As an example, the American Association of Medical Colleges revised the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) to reflect this dynamic environment. Because of these changes, the needs of students entering into these professions are often not met by a traditional physics course. Developing curriculum for an introductory physics course that helps to prepare life science and pre-health students can be challenging for many physics instructors who lack a strong foundation in biology or medicine. This presentation will address various approaches that physics instructors without a background in life sciences can use to successfully teach an introductory physics course for life science and pre-heath students. For these courses, an online resource may be a useful tool. Online resources already exist today, but their utility relies on active engagement and sharing of teaching material by physics instructors possessing a background in both physics and the life sciences. This talk will address ways for the biomedical physics community to contribute to this effort.

The differential effect of the teacher-student interpersonal relationship on student outcomes for students with different ethnic backgrounds.

PubMed

den Brok, Perry; van Tartwijk, Jan; Wubbels, Theo; Veldman, Ietje

2010-06-01

The differential effectiveness of schools and teachers receives a growing interest, but few studies focused on the relevance of student ethnicity for this effectiveness and only a small number of these studies investigated teaching in terms of the teacher-student interpersonal relationship. Furthermore, the methodology employed often restricted researchers to investigating direct effects between variables across large samples of students. This study uses causal modelling to investigate associations between student background characteristics, students' perceptions of the teacher-student interpersonal relationship, and student outcomes, across and within several population subgroups in Dutch secondary multi-ethnic classes. Multi-group structural equation modelling was used to investigate causal paths between variables in four ethnic groups: Dutch (N=387), Turkish first- and second-generation immigrant students (N=267), Moroccan first and second generation (N=364), and Surinamese second-generation students (N=101). Different structural paths were necessary to explain associations between variables in the different (sub) groups. Different amounts of variance in student attitudes could be explained by these variables. The teacher-student interpersonal relationship is more important for students with a non-Dutch background than for students with a Dutch background. Results suggest that the teacher-student relationship is more important for second generation than for first-generation immigrant students. Multi-group causal model analyses can provide a better, more differentiated picture of the associations between student background variables, teacher behaviour, and student outcomes than do more traditional types of analyses.

Fitting In: Segregation, Social Class, and the Experiences of Black Students at Selective Colleges and Universities

PubMed Central

Torres, Kimberly

2013-01-01

We analyzed qualitative data gathered at a selective urban university with a large black student body. We found that black students from integrated backgrounds welcomed the chance to establish friendships with same-race peers even though they were at ease in white settings, whereas students from segregated backgrounds saw same-race peers as a source of comfort and refuge from a white world often perceived as hostile. These contrasting perceptions set up both groups for shock upon matriculation. Students from an integrated background were better prepared academically and socially, but were unfamiliar with urban black culture and uncomfortable interacting with students of lower class standing. Students from a segregated background were surprised to find they had little in common with more affluent students from integrated backgrounds. Although both groups were attracted to campus for the same reason—to interact with a critical mass of same-race peers—their contrasting expectations produced a letdown as the realities of intraracial diversity set in. PMID:23560028

Poor Physical Performance is Associated with Obesity Among University Students in China.

PubMed

Du, Tianhua; Zhu, Ergang; Jiao, Suhua

2017-05-05

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between physical performance and BMI (body mass index) of university students in China. MATERIAL AND METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study evaluating the physical performance and BMI of university students. BMI was calculated based on height and weight. Overweight and obesity were defined by the Working Group on Obesity references in China. RESULTS A total of 2313 participants (978 males and 1335 females) were recruited in our study. The mean value of the 50-meter dash and standing long jump in male students was higher than in female students (P<0.05). The overall prevalences of overweight (including obesity) and obesity for male students were 17.9% and 4.2%, respectively, and 5.1% and 0.5%, respectively, for female university students. BMI was weakly positively associated with the 50-meter dash score, but was negatively associated with the score for standing long jump and pull-ups. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggested that overweight and obesity are associated with physical performance of university students, especially in male students. University students should exercise more to improve physical health.

Attitudes and intellectual development of further education science students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Farargy, Nancy Ibrahim

The world of teaching and learning in the sciences in the Further Education (FE) sector is relatively under-researched. This study, across Scottish FE colleges, has sought to define some of the key landmarks in the area of the sciences, looking specifically at the students and their college experiences by means of surveys, interviews and curriculum intervention. The study started from the issue, observed personally, of students finding the learning of chemistry for a nursing course as being problematic. The main aim was to explore the key issues of science in FE, focussing on problems and successes. The attitudes, intellectual development and self perceptions of students have all been considered. The study explores the attitudes and self perceptions of over 800 learners studying the sciences at ten Scottish colleges. Demographic data, prior learning experiences and current learning attitudes to science and learning were obtained by means of questionnaires and interviews. Intellectual development data was obtained using an adaptation of the Perry Scheme of Intellectual Development. Further interview data were obtained with participating students at various stages of their learning experiences. The results show that, in general, students have varied backgrounds, aspirations and reasons for learning in FE. The learning experiences obtained at college were, in general, viewed to be very positive. In addition, the participating lecturers in Further Education college classes were viewed in a very positive light. In most cases, attitudes towards students learning experiences at college were viewed more positively than at school level, this being a greater emphasis for biology than chemistry. In addition, the role of the teacher at school level could be seen clearly in developing positive attitudes to science. In relating this back to school experience, it was found that those who had positive attitudes to science at school level, correlated more with intentions of studying a specialist science at university, thus illustrating the importance of how studies in science is generated at an early age. In looking at learning in terms of the Perry Scheme, students in general had neutral to developed views towards themselves, the lecturer, assessment and towards the nature of scientific knowledge. The study highlighted that, in certain cases, assessment was perceived to have a more dualistic role and in general, was not age related. In looking at the relevancy of the college science lessons, chemistry was sometimes viewed as being irrelevant and difficult for some students in terms of their goals for the Abstract future. In light of this, it was decided to carry out an applications-led style chemistry curriculum intervention that was able to highlight the importance of chemistry in the context of their lives and needs. This was done by relating the material, wherever possible to prior knowledge held by the students from their school experiences, real life working practices or from their life experiences in general. The order, presentation and sequencing of materials were changed in order to reduce the perceived load on the working memory. In this manner, the learner can focus on important essential material without absorbing irrelevant material. It was found that the lecturer and participating students gave universal support to the new materials and teaching style. Students felt that the new materials were relevant and meaningful to their studies and life and felt it was a big difference from learning chemistry at school. In general, the majority of students were looking forward to more studies at university level. In conclusion, students perceive learning science in a further education college in a positive light. There may however, be a need to rethink the role of assessment and the curriculum style being offered. The study concluded by suggesting some of the main issues needing further consideration: issues related to working memory capacity as a rate determining step in learning, teaching those from a wide diversity of background in the sciences, the need for significant curriculum revisions and the greater use of application- led approaches, and the need to share research findings with lecturers. All of which are considered to be important for high quality learning.

Differences in students' perceptions of learning compulsory foundation biochemistry in the health sciences professions.

PubMed

Minasian-Batmanian, Laura C; Lingard, Jennifer; Prosser, Michael

2005-11-01

Student approaches to learning vary from surface approaches to meaningful, deep learning practices. Differences in approach may be related to students' conceptions of the subject, perceptions of the learning environment, prior study experiences and performance on assessment. This study aims to explore entering students' conceptions of the unit they are about to study and how they intend to approach their studies. It involved a survey of 203 (of 250) first year students in a cross disciplinary unit in the Faculty of Health Sciences. They were asked to complete an open-ended response survey, including questions on what they thought they needed to do to learn biochemistry and what they thought the study of biochemistry was about. A phenomenographic methodology was used to identify categories of description for the questions. The paper will describe the categories in detail, the structural relationship between the categories and the distribution of responses within categories. The study reports a relationship between conception of the topic and approaches to learning. Students with more complex and coherent conceptions of the topic report that they were more likely to adopt deeper approaches to study than those with more fragmented conceptions. However, compared to previous studies, a surprisingly high proportion of students with more cohesive conceptions still intended to adopt more surface approaches. This may reflect the particular context of their learning, namely in a compulsory unit involving material for which most students have minimal background and difficulty seeing its relevance. Implications for teaching such foundation material are discussed.

The Gender Lens: Development of a learning aid to introduce gender medicine.

PubMed

Weyers, Simone; Vervoorts, Anja; Dragano, Nico; Engels, Miriam

2017-01-01

Background and aim: Gender medicine takes into account biological and social differences between men and women in terms of prevalence and course of disease, diagnosis and therapy. Medical students should be made aware of this in the early stages of medical education. However, there is hardly any teaching material currently available. This article presents the adaption and first use of the German "Gender Lens," a tool to introduce gender medicine to medical students. Method: The original Canadian "Gender Lens Tool" was translated into German, tested by (n=5) teachers and adapted based on current scientific concepts. The instrument was applied and evaluated using qualitative methods in a student focus group (n=4). It was then piloted in a cohort of fourth-semester students (n=247) in a seminar addressing gender medicine. These experiences were evaluated using quantitative methods. Results: The German translation of the Gender Lens offers students a framework with which to analyze sex and gender differences in terms of the "prevalence, diagnosis, course, therapy and prevention" of a specific disease. Furthermore, it enables a refined search for causes such as "biological disposition, attitudes and behaviors, family and social networks, occupational and material circumstances and experiences with the health care system." Recommendations were received from the student groups regarding teaching methods. Male and female fourth-semester students agreed that the Gender Lens is useful as an introduction to gender medicine. Discussion: Initial experiences with the Gender Lens adapted for the German curriculum suggest that such a learning aid can contribute to raising awareness of gender medicine in medical students.

What is the financial state of medical students from rural backgrounds during tuition fee deregulation?

PubMed

Woloschuk, Wayne; Lemay, Jean-François; Wright, Bruce

2010-01-01

We sought to examine the financial state of medical students from rural backgrounds during a time of tuition fee deregulation. We surveyed incoming classes from 2007 to 2011 at the University of Calgary. Community background, expected educational debt at graduation, educational debt at entry to medical school and parental income were collected for analysis. Data were analyzed using the Χ² test, analysis of variance and the Newman-Keuls multiple comparison test. The overall response rate was 95.3%. Of the 571 (93.5%) respondents who supplied data on their background and debt, 94.4% expected to have educational debt at graduation. The mean projected educational debt at graduation by medical students from both rural ($107 226 [95% confidence interval (CI) $98 030-$116 423]) and regional ($99 456 [95% CI $91 905-$107 006]) backgrounds was significantly greater than the debt projected by students from metropolitan ($88 565 [95% CI $83 607-$93 524]) backgrounds. Medical students who came from rural backgrounds had the highest mean debt at entry to medical school ($33 053 [95% CI $25 715-$40 391]) compared with their peers from regional ($23 253 [95% CI $16 621-$29 885]) and metropolitan ($22 053 [95% CI $17 344-$26 762]) backgrounds. Students of rural origin also had parents whose mean income ($104 024 [95% CI $75 976-$132 173]) was significantly lower than the mean parental income of their peers who originated from regional ($143 167 [95% CI $119 898-$166 435]) and metropolitan ($150 339 [95% CI $135 241-165 438]) centres. Rising tuition and subsequent debt may be affecting the diversity of medical students' backgrounds. Financial programs dedicated to rural-background students and their interest in medicine may become necessary.

From Biology to Mathematical Models and Back: Teaching Modeling to Biology Students, and Biology to Math and Engineering Students

PubMed Central

McManus, Jeffrey M.; Shaw, Kendrick M.

2010-01-01

We describe the development of a course to teach modeling and mathematical analysis skills to students of biology and to teach biology to students with strong backgrounds in mathematics, physics, or engineering. The two groups of students have different ways of learning material and often have strong negative feelings toward the area of knowledge that they find difficult. To give students a sense of mastery in each area, several complementary approaches are used in the course: 1) a “live” textbook that allows students to explore models and mathematical processes interactively; 2) benchmark problems providing key skills on which students make continuous progress; 3) assignment of students to teams of two throughout the semester; 4) regular one-on-one interactions with instructors throughout the semester; and 5) a term project in which students reconstruct, analyze, extend, and then write in detail about a recently published biological model. Based on student evaluations and comments, an attitude survey, and the quality of the students' term papers, the course has significantly increased the ability and willingness of biology students to use mathematical concepts and modeling tools to understand biological systems, and it has significantly enhanced engineering students' appreciation of biology. PMID:20810957

The Role of Cultural Background and Team Divisions in Developing Social Learning Relations in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rienties, Bart; Nanclares, Núria Hernández; Jindal-Snape, Divya; Alcott, Peter

2013-01-01

A common assumption is that students prefer to work together with students from similar cultural backgrounds. In a group work context, students from different cultural backgrounds are "forced" to work together. This might lead to stress and anxiety but at the same time may allow students to learn from different perspectives. The prime…

Gifted Students from Low-Education Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibbons, Melinda M.; Pelchar, Taylor K.; Cochran, Jeff L.

2012-01-01

Gifted children from low-education backgrounds often experience barriers to educational and career success. This article reviews the growing body of literature regarding gifted students from low-education backgrounds and the related literature on the challenges and characteristics of first-generation college students. A mother and daughter…

Using Foreign Virtual Patients With Medical Students in Germany: Are Cultural Differences Evident and Do They Impede Learning?

PubMed

Walldorf, Jens; Jähnert, Tina; Berman, Norman B; Fischer, Martin R

2016-09-27

Learning with virtual patients (VPs) is considered useful in medical education for fostering clinical reasoning. As the authoring of VPs is highly demanding, an international exchange of cases might be desirable. However, cultural differences in foreign VPs might hamper learning success. We investigated the need for support for using VPs from the United States at a German university, with respect to language and cultural differences. Our goal was to better understand potential implementation barriers of a intercultural VP exchange. Two VPs were presented to 30 German medical students featuring a cultural background different from German standards with respect to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, ethical aspects, role models, and language (as identified by a cultural adaptation framework). Participants were assigned to two groups: 14 students were advised to complete the cases without further instructions (basic group), and 16 students received written explanatory supplemental information specifically with regard to cultural differences (supplement group). Using a 6-point scale (6=strongly agree), we analyzed the results of an integrated assessment of learning success as well as an evaluation of cases by the students on usefulness for learning and potential issues regarding the language and cultural background. The German students found it motivating to work with cases written in English (6-point scale, 4.5 points). The clinical relevance of the VPs was clearly recognized (6 points), and the foreign language was considered a minor problem in this context (3 points). The results of the integrated learning assessment were similar in both groups (basic 53% [SD 4] vs supplement 52% [SD 4] correct answers, P=.32). However, students using the supplemental material more readily realized culturally different diagnostic and therapeutic strategies (basic 4 vs supplement 5 points, P=.39) and were less affirmative when asked about the transferability of cases to a German context (basic 5 vs supplement 3 points, P=.048). German students found English VPs to be highly clinically relevant, and they rated language problems much lower than they rated motivation to work on cases in English. This should encourage the intercultural exchange of VPs. The provision of supplemental explanatory material facilitates the recognition of cultural differences and might help prevent unexpected learning effects.

Learning geosciences from science fictions movies: A quantitative analysis of Pando-magnetism in Avatar.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin-Hernandez, F.; Negredo, A. M.; Salguero, J. M.

2015-12-01

Many storylines presenting a geoscientific background are portrayed in science fiction movies. However, this background is often discussed only in qualitative terms in outreach books and forums. Here we report a mentoring experience of an end of degree project carried out in the fourth year of the degree in Physics in the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain). The supervisors intended to take advantage of the students' passion for science fiction movies to foster learning by assessing a robust, quantitative and critical analysis of the main geoscientific phenomena appearing in Avatar movie by James Cameron (2009). The student was supposed to consult abundant scientific literature. Much interest was paid to analyze the conditions for the levitation of Hallelujah floating mountains in Pandora, the imaginary satellite where the movie action takes place. Pandora was assumed to be an Earth-like astronomical object where the same physical laws as in the Earth could be applied. Hallelujah Mountains are made of unobtanium, an electrical superconductor at room-temperature and therefore diamagnetic material and they are assumed to be located over a magnetic field pole. The numerical values of the magnetic susceptibility and the required field to make the material levitate at the Pandora's gravity conditions were estimated. For this purpose, the magnetic susceptibility of the superconductor with the highest critical temperature existing today on Earth, the cuprate YBa2Cu3O7 was estimated. Results were compared with the magnetic susceptibility of two diamagnetic and abundant materials in the Earth's crust, namely quartz and calcite, and with the water susceptibility. The magnetic field required to levitate cuprates was almost 9 T, about six orders of magnitude higher than the Earth's magnetic field. On the basis of the quantitative analysis of magnetic and gravity field in Pandora, the student provided a list of suggestions to improve the scientific basis for futures releases.

Effectiveness of health education and behavioral intervention for tobacco de-addiction among degree students: A clinical trial

PubMed Central

Reddy, Uday Kumar; Siyo, Rasool Karim Nizaro; Ul Haque, Mohamed Abrar; Basavaraja, Harsha; Acharya, Bailore Lakshmikantha Guruprasanna; Divakar, Darshan Devang

2015-01-01

Background: Objectives of the study were to assess the prevalence of tobacco use among the degree students of Oxford institutions in Bangalore city, offer a tobacco cessation intervention for tobacco users among the degree students, and assess the effectiveness of intervention by comparing with the control group. Materials and Methods: A randomized control trial was conducted to assess the prevalence of tobacco use and the effectiveness of tobacco cessation behavioral intervention offered to degree students of Oxford institutions in Bangalore city. Then were randomly selected and divided into 55 students in the study group (group A) and 60 students in the control group (group B). Results: The effect of intervention of tobacco cessation in group A showed an increase of 29.1% students who stopped using tobacco completely after intervention compared to 15% in group B, and the highest reduction of 21.8% change was noticed in the students using one to five tobacco products per day and the least reduction in percentage (1.8%) change was noticed in the students using one tobacco product per day. Conclusion: Findings from the present study suggest that the intervention has suggestive significance on tobacco intervention. PMID:26942124

Teaching a lay theory before college narrows achievement gaps at scale

PubMed Central

Yeager, David S.; Walton, Gregory M.; Brady, Shannon T.; Akcinar, Ezgi N.; Paunesku, David; Keane, Laura; Kamentz, Donald; Ritter, Gretchen; Duckworth, Angela Lee; Urstein, Robert; Gomez, Eric M.; Markus, Hazel Rose; Cohen, Geoffrey L.; Dweck, Carol S.

2016-01-01

Previous experiments have shown that college students benefit when they understand that challenges in the transition to college are common and improvable and, thus, that early struggles need not portend a permanent lack of belonging or potential. Could such an approach—called a lay theory intervention—be effective before college matriculation? Could this strategy reduce a portion of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic achievement gaps for entire institutions? Three double-blind experiments tested this possibility. Ninety percent of first-year college students from three institutions were randomly assigned to complete single-session, online lay theory or control materials before matriculation (n > 9,500). The lay theory interventions raised first-year full-time college enrollment among students from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds exiting a high-performing charter high school network or entering a public flagship university (experiments 1 and 2) and, at a selective private university, raised disadvantaged students’ cumulative first-year grade point average (experiment 3). These gains correspond to 31–40% reductions of the raw (unadjusted) institutional achievement gaps between students from disadvantaged and nondisadvantaged backgrounds at those institutions. Further, follow-up surveys suggest that the interventions improved disadvantaged students’ overall college experiences, promoting use of student support services and the development of friendship networks and mentor relationships. This research therefore provides a basis for further tests of the generalizability of preparatory lay theories interventions and of their potential to reduce social inequality and improve other major life transitions. PMID:27247409

Issues and Methodologies in Large-Scale Assessments. Special Issue 2: Measuring Students' Family Background in Large-Scale International Education Studies. IERI Monograph Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brese, Falk; Mirazchiyski, Plamen

2013-01-01

The relationship between students' family background and achievement is often seen as an important topic in regard to equality and equity of educational provision. The results of various education studies show that the family background of students correlates with students' academic achievement at school. This paper focuses on the measurement of…

The Crossroads of Science and Faith

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benecchi, Susan D.; Kober, Gladys; Gossard, Paula

2015-11-01

We have recently completed a 4-year project to produce a textbook for students that uniquely addresses the needs of the Christian homeschool community. It is also relevant for students of other faith and non-faith backgrounds. Two elements are at work: parents want their kids to become mature adults adhering to the faith of their upbringing, and students are challenged when they don't understand how to rationally discuss their beliefs in relation to many current scientific discoveries. To add to the polarization, a few scientists have spread an atheistic naturalistic worldview together with their teaching of science as if it was part of science itself. As a result many parents avoid materials they consider controversial and students later come to believe they must choose between science and their faith. The key to bridging this gap are professional astronomers who hold to a Christian worldview and who can speak both languages, understanding the complexities of both communities. The role of science educators is to teach science, not to impose worldviews. Science is well received by Christians when it is presented not as a threat to faith, but rather as a complementary way to understand God, leading to a more integrated view of reality. Our textbook boasts four hallmarks, providing students with: 1) An understanding of the relationship between faith and science with the goal of helping students to identify and integrate their own worldview. 2) Scientifically reviewed and accurate astronomical information. 3) Examples of scientists who have wrestled with science/faith issues and come to a coherent relationship between the two. And 4) exercises for the students to interact with the material in both faith and scientific areas. We hope this will be a resource to help parents who hold tightly to particular ideologies to be less closed to current scientific discovery and more excited about how new discoveries can bolster and enable their faith. We will present an overview of our materials, the positive experience we have had so far in testing our materials, and our goals for future training within the homeschool and church communities. For more information about the textbook see, http://www.glimpseofhissplendor.com/

Educating Refugee-Background Students in Australian Schools and Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naidoo, Loshini

2015-01-01

The Australian federal government recently set a challenging national aim: By 2020, 20% of higher education enrolment at the undergraduate level will include students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Although refugee-background students are often members of the targeted sub-population, their educational journeys frequently require special forms…

Journalism Majors More Likely to Support Liberal Viewpoints.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

St. Dizier, Byron

1989-01-01

Compares the backgrounds and beliefs of broadcast and print journalism students with students in other disciplines. Finds that journalism students support more liberal political and social positions than students with other majors, despite the fact that most students surveyed came from similar backgrounds. (MM)

Ground Truth Studies - A hands-on environmental science program for students, grades K-12

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katzenberger, John; Chappell, Charles R.

1992-01-01

The paper discusses the background and the objectives of the Ground Truth Studies (GTSs), an activity-based teaching program which integrates local environmental studies with global change topics, utilizing remotely sensed earth imagery. Special attention is given to the five key concepts around which the GTS programs are organized, the pilot program, the initial pilot study evaluation, and the GTS Handbook. The GTS Handbook contains a primer on global change and remote sensing, aerial and satellite images, student activities, glossary, and an appendix of reference material. Also described is a K-12 teacher training model. International participation in the program is to be initiated during the 1992-1993 school year.

Lost in the Cloud - New Challenges for Teaching GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellman, C. J.; Pupedis, G.

2016-06-01

As cloud based services move towards becoming the dominant paradigm in many areas of information technology, GIS has also moved into `the Cloud', creating a new opportunities for professionals and students alike, while at the same time presenting a range of new challenges and opportunities for GIS educators. Learning for many students in the geospatial science disciplines has been based on desktop software for GIS, building their skills from basic data handling and manipulation to advanced spatial analysis and database storage. Cloud-based systems challenge this paradigm in many ways, with some of the skills being replaced by clever and capable software tools, while the ubiquitous nature of the computing environment offers access and processing from anywhere, on any device. This paper describes our experiences over the past two years in developing and delivering a new course incorporating cloud based technologies for GIS and illustrates the many benefits and pitfalls of a cloud based approach to teaching. Throughout the course, students were encouraged to provide regular feedback on the course through the use of online journals. This allowed students to critique the approach to teaching, the learning materials available and to describe their own level of comfort and engagement with the material in an honest and non-confrontational manner. Many of the students did not have a strong information technology background and the journals provided great insight into the views of the students and the challenges they faced in mastering this technology.

Similarities and Differences In Ideas Generated by Physics Learners: US College Students Vs. Tibetan Buddhist Monks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Andy

2008-10-01

We have used PER-based course materials to teach various physics topics to Tibetan Buddhist monks over the last four years. While listening to the monks' ideas through interpreters, we found some striking similarities with ideas that we hear in our own classrooms in the US. However, the degree of similarity of monks' ideas with those of US students varied with the topic. For example, ideas that emerged in the topic of magnetism were often consistent with western ideas while ideas about color addition were sometimes strikingly different from ideas that American students use. The monks' ways of talking lead us to believe that cultural background partially determines how they think initially about particular physics topics. This poster will give examples of similarities and of differences, and attempt to identify reasons for both.

Describing students' talk about physical science phenomena outside and inside the classroom: A case of secondary school students from Maragoli, western region of Kenya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oberrecht, Stephen Patrick

Because of cultural and linguistic influences on science learning involving students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, calls have been made for teachers to enact teaching that is sensitive to these students' backgrounds. However, most of the research involving such students has tended to focus on students at elementary grade levels from predominantly two linguistic backgrounds, Hispanic and Haitian Creole, learning science concepts mainly in the life sciences. Also, most of the studies examined classroom interactions between teachers and the students and among students. Not much attention had been paid to how students talk about ideas inherent in scientific phenomena in an outside-the-classroom context and much less on how that talk relates to that of the classroom. Thus, this research extends knowledge in the area of science learning involving students learning science in a language other than their first language to include students from a language background other than Hispanic and Haitian Creole at not only the high school level but also their learning of ideas in a content area other than the life science (i.e., the physical sciences). More importantly, this research extends knowledge in the area by relating science learning outside and inside the classroom. This dissertation describes this exploratory research project that adopted a case study strategy. The research involved seven Form Two (tenth grade) students (three boys and four girls) from one public, mixed gender day secondary school in rural Kenya. I collected data from the students through focus group discussions as they engaged in talking about ideas inherent in selected physical science phenomena and activities they encountered in their everyday lives, as well as learned about in their science classrooms. I supplemented these data with data from one-on-one semi-structured interviews with two teachers (one for chemistry and one for physics) on their teaching of ideas investigated in this research, the secondary school syllabus (KIE, 2002) as well as the students' responses to questions on teacher-made assessments involving the ideas investigated. Three main findings emerged through this research. The findings are: (1) the students adopted everyday ways of making sense of the world (i.e., everyday language and everyday observations) in talking about ideas investigated both outside- and inside-the-classroom contexts, (2) cultural knowledge emerged from the student's talk related to the nature and form of lightning different from that emphasized in science, and (3) students who may initially seem uninterested in participating in discussions involving science ideas showed possibilities for participation in such discussions. Drawing on the work of scholars such as Aikenhead (2001), Ballenger (1997), Brock-Utne (2007), Herbel-Eisenmann (2002) and Warren et al. (2001), I argue that students' everyday ways of makings sense of the world are rich starting points from which to leverage students towards meaningful learning in science. However, this may happen only if instructional materials such as the syllabus are explicit in not only giving examples of phenomena and students' experiences with them in outside the classroom contexts, but also acknowledging that possibilities exist for cultural understanding and talk about ideas inherent in the phenomena involving ideas students learn about in their science classrooms.

Early integration of the individual student in academic activities: a novel classroom concept for graduate education in molecular biophysics and structural biology

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background A key challenge in interdisciplinary research is choosing the best approach from a large number of techniques derived from different disciplines and their interfaces. Results To address this challenge in the area of Biophysics and Structural Biology, we have designed a graduate level course to teach students insightful use of experimental biophysical approaches in relationship to addressing biological questions related to biomolecular interactions and dynamics. A weekly seminar and data and literature club are used to compliment the training in class. The course contains wet-laboratory experimental demonstration and real-data analysis as well as lectures, grant proposal preparation and assessment, and student presentation components. Active student participation is mandatory in all aspects of the class. Students prepare materials for the class receiving individual and iterative feedback from course directors and local experts generating high quality classroom presentations. Conclusions The ultimate goal of the course is to teach students the skills needed to weigh different experimental approaches against each other in addressing a specific biological question by thinking and executing academic tasks like faculty. PMID:25132964

Feedback of final year ophthalmology postgraduates about their residency ophthalmology training in South India

PubMed Central

Ajay, K.; Krishnaprasad, R.

2014-01-01

Background and Aims: This study documents a survey of final-year ophthalmology postgraduate students on the subject of their residency training. A similar survey conducted 7 years ago published in IJO had concluded that the residency program was not up to expectations in many centers. Our study aimed to see if ophthalmology training and student perceptions differed since then. Materials and Methods: For our study, we added a few questions to the same questionnaire used in the article “which is the best method to learn ophthalmology? Resident doctors’ perspective of ophthalmology training” published in IJO, Vol. 56 (5). Results: Forty-nine students (62.02%) returned completed forms. Most students desired an orientation program on entering residency, and wished to undergo diagnostic training initially. Case-presentation with demonstration and Wet-lab learning were most preferred. There was a big difference between the number of surgeries students actually performed and the number they felt would have been ideal. Conclusion: On the whole, the students still felt the need for improved training across all aspects of ophthalmology. PMID:25116778

Locus of Control or Self-Esteem; Which One is the Best Predictor of Academic Achievement in Iranian College Students

PubMed Central

Hosseini, Seyyed Nasrollah; Mirzaei Alavijeh, Mehdi; Karami Matin, Behzad; Hamzeh, Behrooz; Ashtarian, Hossein; Jalilian, Farzad

2016-01-01

Background Self-esteem and behavioral consequences, which are due to external or internal locus of control, are effective on academic achievement of students. Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the prediction of locus of control and self-esteem in academic achievement among the students. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 300 college students in Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences in 2014. Data collection tools were in three sections: demographic, Rotter internal-external locus of control scale and Coopersmith self-esteem inventory. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software version 21. Results Results showed that 29.8% and 76.2% of the participants had internal locus of control, and high self-esteem, respectively. There was a significant correlation between self-esteem, locus of control and academic achievement of the students. Self-esteem accounted for 39.5% of the variation in academic achievement. Conclusions It seems that interventions to increase self-esteem among student can help improve academic achievement among them. PMID:27284277

Listening to Students from Refugee Backgrounds: Lessons for Education Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mthethwa-Sommers, Shirley; Kisiara, Otieno

2015-01-01

This article is based on a study that examined how students from refugee backgrounds cope with victimization and bullying in three urban high schools in the United States. Qualitative methods of data collection and analysis were employed. Twelve high school students from refugee backgrounds participated in the study, which involved focus group…

The Impact of Background Radio and Television on High School Students' Homework Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pool, Marina M.; Koolstra, Cees M.; van der Voort, Tom H. A.

2003-01-01

Examines the impact of background media on Dutch students' performance and time spent on paper-and-pencil and memorization homework assignments. Notes that doing homework combined with watching a soap opera interfered with students' performance on both types of assignments. Indicates that music in the background left homework performance…

"Gaining Power through Education": Experiences of Honduran Students from High Poverty Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mather, Peter C.; Zempter, Christy; Ngumbi, Elizabeth; Nakama, Yuki; Manley, David; Cox, Haley

2017-01-01

This is a study of students from high-poverty backgrounds attending universities in Honduras. Based on a series of individual and focus group interviews, the researchers found students from high-poverty backgrounds face numerous practical challenges in persisting in higher education. Despite these challenges, participants succeeded due to a…

Anxiety in school students: Role of parenting and gender

PubMed Central

Bakhla, Ajay Kumar; Sinha, Prakriti; Sharan, Rajiv; Binay, Yashi; Verma, Vijay; Chaudhury, Suprakash

2013-01-01

Background: The prevalence of anxiety is high in school going children; however pattern of parenting and gender of the child are important factors for the development of anxiety. Gender role and parenting patterns are important construct that vary across different sociocultural setting hence are important to be studied in Indian context. Materials and Methods: In a cross sectional study all students of both sexes studying in class VIII, were assessed using the Spence anxiety scale (children version). Results: The sample consisted of 146 (55% male and 45% female) with a mean age of 12.71 years. A total of 16 (11%) students scored above cutoff for high anxiety, the mean scores across gender shows that female students scored significantly higher in total and all sub types of anxiety. Most of the students perceived their parents ‘Democratic’ and other two authoritarian and permissive type of parenting were almost equal. There was significantly higher anxiety among the students who perceived their parents as authoritarian. Conclusions: The prevalence of high anxiety was 11% in class VIII students. High anxiety in students was significantly associated with female gender and authoritarian parenting pattern as perceived by the children. PMID:25013314

Navigating the Health Care System: An Adolescent Health Literacy Unit for High Schools.

PubMed

Hughes, Denise; Maiden, Kristin

2018-05-01

Currently, no intervention concerning transition of health care responsibilities from parents to teens exists for adolescents in the general population. The purpose of this intervention was to evaluate teacher satisfaction and student knowledge gain of a health unit developed for adolescents on becoming their own health care advocates. Throughout the 2014-2015 school year, 13 health and career technical education teachers in 11 Delaware high schools taught the unit to 948 students in 2 90-minute classes in 35 classrooms. Assessments included teacher reflections and student pre- and posttests to measure knowledge transfer and gain and gather feedback. Teacher and student feedback indicated the materials were appropriate and useful in teaching students to navigate the health care system. Student knowledge increased from pretest (64%) to posttest (82%), (p < .001). The educational background of the teacher did not influence this outcome. Students reported they will know what to do better at their next doctor's appointment because of this unit and indicated support for peers to learn this information. The unit resulted in content knowledge increase for students. It was consistently effective throughout all schools regardless of social and demographic characteristics, teacher type, or experience teaching the unit. © 2018, American School Health Association.

Supplemental Instruction in Introductory Biology I: Enhancing the Performance and Retention of Underrepresented Minority Students

PubMed Central

Peterfreund, Alan R.; Xenos, Samuel P.; Bayliss, Frank; Carnal, Nancy

2007-01-01

Supplemental instruction classes have been shown in many studies to enhance performance in the supported courses and even to improve graduation rates. Generally, there has been little evidence of a differential impact on students from different ethnic/racial backgrounds. At San Francisco State University, however, supplemental instruction in the Introductory Biology I class is associated with even more dramatic gains among students from underrepresented minority populations than the gains found among their peers. These gains do not seem to be the product of better students availing themselves of supplemental instruction or other outside factors. The Introductory Biology I class consists of a team-taught lecture component, taught in a large lecture classroom, and a laboratory component where students participate in smaller lab sections. Students are expected to master an understanding of basic concepts, content, and vocabulary in biology as well as gain laboratory investigation skills and experience applying scientific methodology. In this context, supplemental instruction classes are cooperative learning environments where students participate in learning activities that complement the course material, focusing on student misconceptions and difficulties, construction of a scaffolded knowledge base, applications involving problem solving, and articulation of constructs with peers. PMID:17785403

Teaching Elliptical Excision Skills to Novice Medical Students: A Randomized Controlled Study Comparing Low- and High-Fidelity Bench Models

PubMed Central

Denadai, Rafael; Oshiiwa, Marie; Saad-Hossne, Rogério

2014-01-01

Background: The search for alternative and effective forms of training simulation is needed due to ethical and medico-legal aspects involved in training surgical skills on living patients, human cadavers and living animals. Aims: To evaluate if the bench model fidelity interferes in the acquisition of elliptical excision skills by novice medical students. Materials and Methods: Forty novice medical students were randomly assigned to 5 practice conditions with instructor-directed elliptical excision skills’ training (n = 8): didactic materials (control); organic bench model (low-fidelity); ethylene-vinyl acetate bench model (low-fidelity); chicken legs’ skin bench model (high-fidelity); or pig foot skin bench model (high-fidelity). Pre- and post-tests were applied. Global rating scale, effect size, and self-perceived confidence based on Likert scale were used to evaluate all elliptical excision performances. Results: The analysis showed that after training, the students practicing on bench models had better performance based on Global rating scale (all P < 0.0000) and felt more confident to perform elliptical excision skills (all P < 0.0000) when compared to the control. There was no significant difference (all P > 0.05) between the groups that trained on bench models. The magnitude of the effect (basic cutaneous surgery skills’ training) was considered large (>0.80) in all measurements. Conclusion: The acquisition of elliptical excision skills after instructor-directed training on low-fidelity bench models was similar to the training on high-fidelity bench models; and there was a more substantial increase in elliptical excision performances of students that trained on all simulators compared to the learning on didactic materials. PMID:24700937

Social factors associated with ethnic differences in alcohol and marijuana use by Vietnamese-, Arabic- and English-speaking youths in Sydney, Australia.

PubMed

Rissel, C; McLellan, L; Bauman, A

2000-04-01

To describe the use of marijuana and alcohol among Arabic- and Vietnamese-speaking senior school students compared with English-speaking background senior school students in Sydney Australia. A quantitative survey of 2573 school students attending Years 10 and 11 from 12 high schools with a high Vietnamese and Arabic population was conducted in Sydney in 1998. Self-reported marijuana use, school and cultural background information was collected. Students from an English-speaking background, both males and females, had almost double the prevalence of marijuana use (once or more) during their lifetime (48.3 and 43.6%), the 12 months (40.9 and 36.3%) and 1 month prior to survey administration (23.1 and 13.4%) than the group with the second highest frequency of use (students of European and other backgrounds). Female Vietnamese (7.3% lifetime use) and Arabic students (8.6% lifetime use) had the lowest marijuana use rates, which were less than half that of male Vietnamese (23.5% lifetime use) and Arabic students (28% lifetime use). A similar pattern was found for three types of alcohol use. Spending three or more evenings a week out with friends was associated with higher alcohol use for Vietnamese students (relative risk ratio of 2.76). These results confirm lower marijuana and alcohol use among students from Vietnamese- and Arabic-speaking backgrounds compared with students from an English-speaking background. Harm minimization strategies may be learned from some migrant communities.

Wilberforce Power Technology in Education Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gordon, Edward M.; Buffinger, D. R.; Hehemann, D. G.; Breen, M. L.; Raffaelle, R. P.

1999-01-01

The Wilberforce Power Technology in Education Program is a multipart program. Three key parts of this program will be described. They are: (1) WISE-The Wilberforce Summer Intensive Experience. This annual offering is an educational program which is designed to provide both background reinforcement and a focus on study skills to give the participants a boost in their academic performance throughout their academic careers. It is offered to entering Wilberforce students. Those students who take advantage of WISE learn to improve important skills which enable them to work at higher levels in mathematics, science and engineering courses throughout their college careers, but most notably in the first year of college study. (2) Apply technology to reaming. This is being done in several ways including creating an electronic chemistry text with hypertext links to a glossary to help the students deal with the large new vocabulary required to describe and understand chemistry. It is also being done by converting lecture materials for the Biochemistry class to PowerPoint format. Technology is also being applied to learning by exploring simulation software of scientific instrumentation. (3) Wilberforce participation in collaborative research with NASA's John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field. This research has focused on two areas in the past year. The first of these is the deposition of solar cell materials. A second area involves the development of polymeric materials for incorporation into thin film batteries.

Mathematical background and attitudes toward statistics in a sample of Spanish college students.

PubMed

Carmona, José; Martínez, Rafael J; Sánchez, Manuel

2005-08-01

To examine the relation of mathematical background and initial attitudes toward statistics of Spanish college students in social sciences the Survey of Attitudes Toward Statistics was given to 827 students. Multivariate analyses tested the effects of two indicators of mathematical background (amount of exposure and achievement in previous courses) on the four subscales. Analysis suggested grades in previous courses are more related to initial attitudes toward statistics than the number of mathematics courses taken. Mathematical background was related with students' affective responses to statistics but not with their valuing of statistics. Implications of possible research are discussed.

Alcohol and cannabis use among adolescents in Flemish secondary school in Brussels: effects of type of education

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Research regarding socio-economic differences in alcohol and drug use in adolescence yields mixed results. This study hypothesizes that (1) when using education type as a proxy of one's social status, clear differences will exist between students from different types of education, regardless of students' familial socio-economic background; (2) and that the effects of education type differ according to their cultural background. Methods Data from the Brussels youth monitor were used, a school survey administered among 1,488 adolescents from the 3rd to 6th year of Flemish secondary education. Data were analyzed using multilevel logistic regression models. Results Controlling for their familial background, the results show that native students in lower educational tracks use alcohol and cannabis more often than students in upper educational tracks. Such a relationship was not found for students from another ethnic background. Conclusion Results from this study indicate that research into health risks should take into account both adolescents' familial background and individual social position as different components of youngsters' socio-economic background. PMID:22433291

Examination performances of German and international medical students in the preclinical studying-term – A descriptive study

PubMed Central

Huhn, D.; Resch, F.; Duelli, R.; Möltner, A.; Huber, J.; Karimian Jazi, K.; Amr, A.; Eckart, W.; Herzog, W.; Nikendei, C.

2014-01-01

Introduction: Medical students with a migration background face several specific problems during their studies. International surveys show first indications that this group of students performs worse in written, oral or practical exams. However, so far, nothing is known about the performance of international students in written pre-clinical tests as well as in pre-clinical State Examinations for German-speaking countries. Method: A descriptive, retrospective analysis of the exam performances of medical students in the pre-clinical part of their studies was conducted at the Faculty of Medicine of Heidelberg in for the year 2012. Performance in written tests of the final exams in the second (N=276), third (N=292) and fourth semester (N=285) were compared between German students, students from EU countries and students from non-EU countries. Same comparison was drawn for the performance in the oral exam of the First State Examination in the period from 2009 - 2012 (N=1137). Results: German students performed significantly better than students with a non-EU migration background both in all written exams and in the oral State Examination (all p<.05). The performance of students with an EU migration background was significantly better than that of students with a non-EU background in the written exam at the end of the third and fourth semester (p<.05). Furthermore, German students completed the oral exam of the First State Examination significantly earlier than students with a non-EU migration background (<.01). Discussion: Due to its poorer performance in written and oral examinations and its simultaneously longer duration of study, the group of non-German medical students with a country of origin outside of the European Union has to be seen as a high-risk group among students with a migration background. For this group, there is an urgent need for early support to prepare for written and oral examinations. PMID:25228931

Cultural Transition and Academic Achievement of Students from Ethnic Minority Backgrounds: A Content Analysis of Empirical Research on Acculturation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Makarova, Elena; Birman, Dina

2015-01-01

Background: The achievement gap between immigrant and non-immigrant students that has been identified in most OECD countries and the considerable educational dropout rate among students from ethnic minority backgrounds in some countries have become serious challenges for national educational systems. The educational underachievement of young…

Relationships between Language Background, Secondary School Scores, Tutorial Group Processes, and Students' Academic Achievement in PBL: Testing a Causal Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singaram, Veena S.; van der Vleuten, Cees P. M; Muijtjens, Arno M. M.; Dolmans, Diana H. J. M

2012-01-01

Little is known about the influence of language background in problem-based learning (PBL) tutorial groups on group processes and students' academic achievement. This study investigated the relationship between language background, secondary school score, tutorial group processes, and students' academic achievement in PBL. A validated tutorial…

From Deficit to Asset: Locating Discursive Resistance in a Refugee-Background Student's Written and Oral Narrative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shapiro, Shawna; MacDonald, Michael T.

2017-01-01

This article examines how a refugee-background student of Somali Bantu heritage employs linguistic resources to make sense of his experience with forced migration, resettlement, and formal education. Much of the educational research on refugee-background students (and other groups of English learners) propagates a deficit orientation in which…

Using the Internet to Teach Health Informatics: A Case Study

PubMed Central

Holt, Alec; Gillies, John

2001-01-01

Background It is becoming increasingly important for health professionals to have an understanding of health informatics. Education in this area must support not only undergraduate students but also the many workers who graduated before informatics education was available in the undergraduate program. To be successful, such a program must allow currently-employed students with significant work and family commitments to enroll. Objectives The aim was to successfully create and teach a distance program in health informatics for the New Zealand environment. Methods Our students are primarily health professionals in full time employment. About 50% are doctors, about 25% nurses, and the rest include dentists, physiotherapists, and medical managers. Course material was delivered via the World Wide Web and CD-ROM. Communication between students and faculty, both synchronous and asynchronous, was carried out via the Internet. Results We have designed and taught a postgraduate Diploma of Health Informatics program using the Internet as a major communication medium. The course has been running since July 1998 and the first 10 students graduated in July 2000. About 45 students are currently enrolled in the course; we have had a dropout rate of 15% and a failure rate of 5%. Comparable dropout figures are hard to obtain, but a recent review has suggested that failure-to-complete rates of 30% to 33% may be expected. Conclusions Internet technology has provided an exciting educational challenge and opportunity. Providing a web-based health informatics course has not been without its frustrations and problems, including software compatibility issues, bandwidth limitations, and the rapid change in software and hardware. Despite these challenges, the use of Internet technology has been interesting for both staff and students, and a worthwhile alternative for delivering educational material and advice to students working from their own homes. PMID:11720968

Effects of Socio-Economic Background Factors on Typewriting Speed and Accuracy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erickson, Lawrence W.

The socioeconomic backgrounds of typewriting students as such backgrounds affect typewriting performance is evaluated in this research. There is convincing evidence that socioeconomic factors play a significant role in affecting typewriting performance. Students from low socioeconomic backgrounds are almost always associated with the poorest…

The Impact of Family Background on College Students' Chances of Serving as Student Union Cadres

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xinzhuo, Zhu; Junhua, Shi; Zhihui, Dong

2015-01-01

A survey and comparative analysis of the family backgrounds of the entire undergraduate student body of X University and the group of student union cadres shows: the proportion of college students who serve as student union cadres who come from cities and have families with high social status, high family income, and parents with high educational…

Australian and International Student Success Rates in Group of Eight Universities. Go8 Backgrounder 5

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Group of Eight (NJ1), 2008

2008-01-01

This Go8 Backgrounder compares the academic performance of three cohorts of students in Group of Eight (Go8) universities: Australian students, international students on campus in Australia (onshore) and international students overseas (offshore). Analysis of data supplied by Go8 universities shows that in 2007 students passed 91.8% of the courses…

Tolerance of ambiguity, perfectionism and resilience are associated with personality profiles of medical students oriented to rural practice.

PubMed

Eley, Diann S; Leung, Janni K; Campbell, Narelle; Cloninger, C Robert

2017-05-01

Resilience, coping with uncertainty and learning from mistakes are vital characteristics for all medical disciplines - particularly rural practice. Levels of coping constructs were examined in medical students with and without a rural background or an interest in rural practice. Cross-sectional surveys identified two personality profiles, and their association with levels of Tolerance of Ambiguity, Resilience, Perfectionism-High Standards and Concern over mistakes as constructs indicative of coping. Medical students (N = 797) were stratified by rural background and degree of rural interest. Mediation analysis tested the effect of personality profile on levels of the coping constructs. More (72%) rural background students had Profile 1 which was associated with higher levels of Tolerance of Ambiguity, High standards, and Resilience, but lower Concern over mistakes. Non-rural background students reporting a strong rural interest also had Profile 1 (64%) and similar levels of coping constructs. Personality profile mediated the association between rural interest and levels of coping constructs regardless of background. Having a rural background or strong rural interest are associated with a personality profile that indicates a better capacity for coping. Personality may play a part in an individual's interest in rural practice. Rural workforce initiatives through education should encourage and nurture students with a genuine interest in rural practice - regardless of background.

Cognitive Learning Styles of EFL Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Srichanyachon, Napaporn

2011-01-01

This study aimed to study cognitive learning styles of EFL students, compare language learning styles among students categorized by their background, and investigate the relationship between English background knowledge and language learning styles. The samples were 210 undergraduate students enrolled in Fundamental English course at Bangkok…

Elementary metallography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kazem, Sayyed M.

1992-01-01

Materials and Processes 1 (MET 141) is offered to freshmen by the Mechanical Engineering Department at Purdue University. The goal of MET 141 is to broaden the technical background of students who have not had any college science courses. Hence, applied physics, chemistry, and mathematics are included and quantitative problem solving is involved. In the elementary metallography experiment of this course, the objectives are: (1) introduce the vocabulary and establish outlook; (2) make qualitative observations and quantitative measurements; (3) demonstrate the proper use of equipment; and (4) review basic mathematics and science.

An Application of Mathematical Groups to Structures of Human Groups. Applications of Finite Mathematics to Anthropology and Sociology. Modules and Monographs in Undergraduate Mathematics and Its Applications Project. UMAP Unit 476.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlson, Roger

This module is designed for students with a high school algebra background. The goal is to present the elements of the group idea, primarily by way of a geometric model, and to see its application to the study of kinship relations within certain human groups. The material opens with a presentation of clans in a hypothetical society in an early…

A randomized control study of psychological intervention to reduce anxiety, amotivation and psychological distress among medical students

PubMed Central

Saravanan, Coumaravelou; Kingston, Rajiah

2014-01-01

Background: Test anxiety aggravates psychological distress and reduces the motivation among graduate students. This study aimed to identify psychological intervention for test anxiety, which reduces the level of psychological distress, amotivation and increases the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation among medical students. Materials and Methods: Westside test anxiety scale, Kessler Perceived Stress Scale and Academic Motivation Scale were used to measure test anxiety, psychological distress and motivation on 436 1st year medical students. Out of 436 students, 74 students who exhibited moderate to high test anxiety were randomly divided into either experimental or waiting list group. In this true randomized experimental study, 32 participants from the intervention group received five sessions of psychological intervention consist of psychoeducation, relaxation therapy and systematic desensitization. Thirty-three students from waiting list received one session of advice and suggestions. Results: After received psychological intervention participants from the intervention group experienced less anxiety, psychological distress, and amotivation (P < 0.01) and high intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (P < 0.01) in the postassessment compared with their preassessment scores. Conclusion: Overall psychological intervention is effective to reduce anxiety scores and its related variables. PMID:25097619

Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae to test the mutagenicity of household compounds: an open ended hypothesis-driven teaching lab.

PubMed

Marshall, Pamela A

2007-01-01

In our Fundamentals of Genetics lab, students perform a wide variety of labs to reinforce and extend the topics covered in lecture. I developed an active-learning lab to augment the lecture topic of mutagenesis. In this lab exercise, students determine if a compound they bring from home is a mutagen. Students are required to read extensive background material, perform research to find a potential mutagen to test, develop a hypothesis, and bring to the lab their own suspected mutagen. This lab uses a specially developed strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, D7, to determine if a compound is a mutagen. Mutagenesis of the D7 genome can lead to a scorable alteration in the phenotypes of this strain. Students outline and carry out a protocol for treatment of the yeast tester strain, utilizing the concept of dose/response and positive and negative controls. Students report on their results using a PowerPoint presentation to simulate giving a scientific presentation. The students' self-assessment of their knowledge indicated that, in all cases, the students felt that they knew more about the assay, mutagenesis, and the relationship between genotype and phenotype (P < 0.05) after completing the exercise.

Designing experiments on thermal interactions by secondary-school students in a simulated laboratory environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lefkos, Ioannis; Psillos, Dimitris; Hatzikraniotis, Euripides

2011-07-01

Background and purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the effect of investigative activities with manipulations in a virtual laboratory on students' ability to design experiments. Sample Fourteen students in a lower secondary school in Greece attended a teaching sequence on thermal phenomena based on the use of information and communication technology, and specifically of the simulated virtual laboratory 'ThermoLab'. Design and methods A pre-post comparison was applied. Students' design of experiments was rated in eight dimensions; namely, hypothesis forming and verification, selection of variables, initial conditions, device settings, materials and devices used, process and phenomena description. A three-level ranking scheme was employed for the evaluation of students' answers in each dimension. Results A Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed a statistically significant difference between the students' pre- and post-test scores. Additional analysis by comparing the pre- and post-test scores using the Hake gain showed high gains in all but one dimension, which suggests that this improvement was almost inclusive. Conclusions We consider that our findings support the statement that there was an improvement in students' ability to design experiments.

EAP and LLNP Students: Common Problems and Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Thi Minh Phuong

2010-01-01

As English learners originate from many cultural and language backgrounds, they come to class with different circumstances. This paper examines the backgrounds, common problems and solutions for English for Academic Purposes (EAP) students and Language, Literacy, and Numeracy Programme (LLNP) students. EAP students are from Meridian International…

2010 Data Standards Manual Student Background Characteristics. For Use by Schools and School Systems Test Administration Authorities and Assessment Contractors. Fifth Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (NJ1), 2009

2009-01-01

The process of collecting student background information from parents using nationally agreed definitions of student background characteristics began in 2005. The original edition of this manual, titled "Data Implementation Manual for Enrolments for the 2005 and 2006 School Years," was prepared to assist schools and systems in modifying…

Different Values, Different Skills? A Comparison of Essay Writing by Students from Arts and Science Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North, Sarah

2005-01-01

This article reports the findings of a 3 year research project which investigated disciplinary variation in student writing. Within an Open University course in the history of science, students from an arts background were found to achieve significantly higher grades than those from a science background. Textual and interview data suggest that…

An Investigation of the Effects of Background Music on Learning of Vocabulary and Grammar and in Public Speaking.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolff, Florence I.

To determine the effect of background music during classroom instruction in vocabulary and grammar and in the delivery of speeches, sophomore high school students were divided into an experimental group (66 students) and a control group (60 students). For one semester the experimental group heard classical background music during instruction,…

Simultaneous Communication Supports Learning in Noise by Cochlear Implant Users

PubMed Central

Blom, Helen C.; Marschark, Marc; Machmer, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

Objectives This study sought to evaluate the potential of using spoken language and signing together (simultaneous communication, SimCom, sign-supported speech) as a means of improving speech recognition, comprehension, and learning by cochlear implant users in noisy contexts. Methods Forty eight college students who were active cochlear implant users, watched videos of three short presentations, the text versions of which were standardized at the 8th grade reading level. One passage was presented in spoken language only, one was presented in spoken language with multi-talker babble background noise, and one was presented via simultaneous communication with the same background noise. Following each passage, participants responded to 10 (standardized) open-ended questions designed to assess comprehension. Indicators of participants’ spoken language and sign language skills were obtained via self-reports and objective assessments. Results When spoken materials were accompanied by signs, scores were significantly higher than when materials were spoken in noise without signs. Participants’ receptive spoken language skills significantly predicted scores in all three conditions; neither their receptive sign skills nor age of implantation predicted performance. Discussion Students who are cochlear implant users typically rely solely on spoken language in the classroom. The present results, however, suggest that there are potential benefits of simultaneous communication for such learners in noisy settings. For those cochlear implant users who know sign language, the redundancy of speech and signs potentially can offset the reduced fidelity of spoken language in noise. Conclusion Accompanying spoken language with signs can benefit learners who are cochlear implant users in noisy situations such as classroom settings. Factors associated with such benefits, such as receptive skills in signed and spoken modalities, classroom acoustics, and material difficulty need to be empirically examined. PMID:28010675

Simultaneous communication supports learning in noise by cochlear implant users.

PubMed

Blom, Helen; Marschark, Marc; Machmer, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

This study sought to evaluate the potential of using spoken language and signing together (simultaneous communication, SimCom, sign-supported speech) as a means of improving speech recognition, comprehension, and learning by cochlear implant (CI) users in noisy contexts. Forty eight college students who were active CI users, watched videos of three short presentations, the text versions of which were standardized at the 8 th -grade reading level. One passage was presented in spoken language only, one was presented in spoken language with multi-talker babble background noise, and one was presented via simultaneous communication with the same background noise. Following each passage, participants responded to 10 (standardized) open-ended questions designed to assess comprehension. Indicators of participants' spoken language and sign language skills were obtained via self-reports and objective assessments. When spoken materials were accompanied by signs, scores were significantly higher than when materials were spoken in noise without signs. Participants' receptive spoken language skills significantly predicted scores in all three conditions; neither their receptive sign skills nor age of implantation predicted performance. Students who are CI users typically rely solely on spoken language in the classroom. The present results, however, suggest that there are potential benefits of simultaneous communication for such learners in noisy settings. For those CI users who know sign language, the redundancy of speech and signs potentially can offset the reduced fidelity of spoken language in noise. Accompanying spoken language with signs can benefit learners who are CI users in noisy situations such as classroom settings. Factors associated with such benefits, such as receptive skills in signed and spoken modalities, classroom acoustics, and material difficulty need to be empirically examined.

Demographic attributes and knowledge acquisition among graduate-entry medical students.

PubMed

Finucane, Paul; Flannery, Denise; McGrath, Deirdre; Saunders, Jean

2013-01-01

Recent changes to undergraduate (basic) medical education in Ireland have linked an expansion of student numbers with wide-ranging reforms. Medical schools have broadened access by admitting more mature students from diverse backgrounds and have increased their international student numbers. This has resulted in major changes to the demographic profile of students at Irish medical schools. To determine whether the demographic characteristics of students impact on their academic performance and specifically on their rate of knowledge acquisition. As a formative assessment exercise, we administered a progress test to all students twice each year during a 4 year graduate-entry medical programme. We compared scores over time between students from different age cohorts, of different gender, of different nationalities and from different academic backgrounds. In the 1143 tests taken by 285 students to date, there were no significant differences in the rate of knowledge acquisition between the various groups. Early in the course, students from a non-biological science background performed less well than others but outperformed their peers by the time of graduation. Neither age, gender, nationality nor academic background impacts on the rate of knowledge acquisition among graduate-entry medical students.

Describing Students' Talk about Physical Science Phenomena outside and inside the Classroom: A Case of Secondary School Students from Maragoli, Western Region of Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orado, Grace N.

2014-01-01

Because of cultural and linguistic influences on science learning involving students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, calls have been made for teachers to enact teaching that is sensitive to these students' backgrounds. However, most of the research involving such students has tended to focus on students at elementary grade levels…

Bringing history to life: simulating landmark experiments in psychology.

PubMed

Boynton, David M; Smith, Laurence D

2006-05-01

The course in history of psychology can be challenging for students, many of whom enter it with little background in history and faced with unfamiliar names and concepts. The sheer volume of material can encourage passive memorization unless efforts are made to increase student involvement. As part of a trend toward experiential history, historians of science have begun to supplement their lectures with demonstrations of classic physics experiments as a way to bring the history of science to life. Here, the authors report on computer simulations of five landmark experiments from early experimental psychology in the areas of reaction time, span of attention, and apparent motion. The simulations are designed not only to permit hands-on replication of historically important results but also to reproduce the experimental procedures closely enough that students can gain a feel for the nature of early research and the psychological processes being studied.

Video- or text-based e-learning when teaching clinical procedures? A randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Buch, Steen Vigh; Treschow, Frederik Philip; Svendsen, Jesper Brink; Worm, Bjarne Skjødt

2014-01-01

Background and aims This study investigated the effectiveness of two different levels of e-learning when teaching clinical skills to medical students. Materials and methods Sixty medical students were included and randomized into two comparable groups. The groups were given either a video- or text/picture-based e-learning module and subsequently underwent both theoretical and practical examination. A follow-up test was performed 1 month later. Results The students in the video group performed better than the illustrated text-based group in the practical examination, both in the primary test (P<0.001) and in the follow-up test (P<0.01). Regarding theoretical knowledge, no differences were found between the groups on the primary test, though the video group performed better on the follow-up test (P=0.04). Conclusion Video-based e-learning is superior to illustrated text-based e-learning when teaching certain practical clinical skills. PMID:25152638

[Similarities and differences in the social background of female medical, nursing and public health visiting students].

PubMed

Feith, Helga Judit; Soósné Kiss, Zsuzsanna; Kovácsné Tóth, Agnes; Balázs, Péter

2008-06-15

According to our knowledge, there has never been a comprehensive research in Hungary dealing with healthcare university or college students' social background. The main objectives of our cross-section research were to analyze differences in the social background of female students who decided to become doctors, professional nurses and health visitors. This research was conducted among female medical and nursing college students at the Semmelweis University. There were 295 students invited to participate, the response rate was 68,08% (N = 201). Data analysis was performed by SPSS software by using descriptive methods of statistics. We found a decisive difference among medical, nursing and health visitor students while analyzing a number of socio-demographic characteristics. Most medical students came from families where the parents had college or university degrees, but we can state that there is a minimal likelihood in the case of college students that they are descendants of parents with higher educational degrees. We did not find statistical differences in the three student sample groups regarding their marital status, but fewer nursing college students lived in marriage or household partnership. We found a significant difference in the social background of nursing college and medical students. The social disadvantages of nursing and health visitor students are more considerable than those of medical students.

Atoms in astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blanchard, P. A.

1976-01-01

Aspects of electromagnetic radiation and atomic physics needed for an understanding of astronomical applications are explored. Although intended primarily for teachers, this brochure is written so that it can be distributed to students if desired. The first section, Basic Topics, is suitable for a ninth-grade general science class; the style is simple and repetitive, and no mathematics or physics background is required. The second section, Intermediate and Advanced Topics, requires a knowledge of the material in the first section and assumes a generally higher level of achievement and motivation on the part of the student. These latter topics might fit well into junior-level physics, chemistry, or earth-science courses. Also included are a glossary, a list of references and teaching aids, class exercises, and a question and answer section.

(Biased) Grading of Students’ Performance: Students’ Names, Performance Level, and Implicit Attitudes

PubMed Central

Bonefeld, Meike; Dickhäuser, Oliver

2018-01-01

Biases in pre-service teachers’ evaluations of students’ performance may arise due to stereotypes (e.g., the assumption that students with a migrant background have lower potential). This study examines the effects of a migrant background, performance level, and implicit attitudes toward individuals with a migrant background on performance assessment (assigned grades and number of errors counted in a dictation). Pre-service teachers (N = 203) graded the performance of a student who appeared to have a migrant background statistically significantly worse than that of a student without a migrant background. The differences were more pronounced when the performance level was low and when the pre-service teachers held relatively positive implicit attitudes toward individuals with a migrant background. Interestingly, only performance level had an effect on the number of counted errors. Our results support the assumption that pre-service teachers exhibit bias when grading students with a migrant background in a third-grade level dictation assignment. PMID:29867618

Knowledge and attitude about computer and internet usage among dental students in Western Rajasthan, India

PubMed Central

Jali, Pramod K.; Singh, Shamsher; Babaji, Prashant; Chaurasia, Vishwajit Rampratap; Somasundaram, P; Lau, Himani

2014-01-01

Background: Internet is a useful tool to update the knowledge. The aim of the present study was to assess the current level of knowledge on the computer and internet among under graduate dental students. Materials and Methods: The study consists of self-administered close ended questionnaire survey. Questionnaires were distributed to undergraduate dental students. The study was conducted during July to September 2012. Results: In the selected samples, response rate was 100%. Most (94.4%) of the students had computer knowledge and 77.4% had their own computer and access at home. Nearly 40.8% of students use computer for general purpose, 28.5% for entertainment and 22.8% used for research purpose. Most of the students had internet knowledge (92.9%) and they used it independently (79.1%). Nearly 42.1% used internet occasionally whereas, 34.4% used regularly, 21.7% rarely and 1.8% don’t use respectively. Internet was preferred for getting information (48.8%) due to easy accessibility and recent updates. For dental purpose students used internet 2-3 times/week (45.3%). Most (95.3%) of the students responded to have computer based learning program in the curriculum. Conclusion: Computer knowledge was observed to be good among dental students. PMID:24818091

Embracing Diversity in the Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deaton, Cynthia C. Minchew; Deaton, Benjamin E.

2013-01-01

As each school year starts, teachers are faced with teaching and building relationships with students from diverse backgrounds. To effectively teach students, science teachers (and teachers in general) must develop an understanding of students' culture, background, and language. Knowing these factors, as well as students' learning needs,…

Issues in Curriculum and Instruction for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hogan, Kathleen; Hathcote, Andrea

2014-01-01

Teachers are being asked to educate a variety of students, including a growing number of students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds (Diaz-Rico, 2012. "A course for teaching English learners." Upper Saddle River, NY: Pearson). Because students from diverse backgrounds are the fastest growing population in…

Overcoming Disadvantage through the Innovative Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Rosalyn

2006-01-01

Australia is a high performing but low equity country with regards to educational attainment. Low socio-economic background students and schools with large numbers of these students perform less well than higher socio-economic background students and schools. Yet some schools are turning around student learning outcomes despite the impact of…

Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Attitudes towards Mental Illness: Implications for Specific Academic Education

PubMed Central

Poreddi, Vijayalakshmi; Thimmaiah, Rohini; Pashupu, Dharma Reddy; Ramachandra; Badamath, Suresh

2014-01-01

Background: Health care professions are not immune to social prejudices and surprisingly share the general public's attitude attributed to people with mental illness. Nursing students are future health manpower research related to nursing students attitudes toward mental illness is limited. Aim: The aim of this following study is to examine the undergraduate nursing students’ attitudes toward people with mental illness. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive design was adopted for the present study. A total of 148 undergraduate nursing students were purposively selected to complete self-reported questionnaires. Results: The nursing students have significant positive attitudes towards mental illness in three of the six attitudes factors: Restrictiveness (8.59), benevolence (29.8) and stigmatization (9.18). However, these students have negative attitudes in separatism (27.1), stereotype (11.5) and pessimistic predictions (11.7) domains as they rated high. Conclusion: Academic education in this area must be planned so as to favor the change of the attitudes that include greater use of teaching strategies that challenge beliefs and assumptions and promote a commitment to provide holistic care to people with mental illness. PMID:25336767

SIMULATION OF GENERAL ANESTHESIA ON THE "SIMMAN 3G" AND ITS EFFICIENCY.

PubMed

Potapov, A F; Matveev, A S; Ignatiev, V G; Ivanova, A A; Aprosimov, L A

2015-01-01

In recent years in medical educational process new innovative technologies are widely used with computer simulation, providing the reality of medical intervations and procedures. Practice-training teaching with using of simulation allows to improve the efficiency of learning material at the expense of creating imaginary professional activity and leading barring material to practical activity. The arm of the investigation is evaluation of the students training efficiency at the Medical Institute on the topic "General Anesthesia with using a modern simulation "SimMan 3 G". The material of the investigation is the results, carried out on the basis of the Centre of Practical skills and medical virtual educational technologies (Simulation Centre) at the Medical Institute of NEFU by M.K. Ammosov. The Object of the investigation was made up by 55 students of the third (3) course of the Faculty of General Medicine of the Medical Institute of NEFU. The investigation was hold during practical trainings (April-May 2014) of the General Surgery Department on the topic "General Anesthesia". A simulation practical course "General Anesthesia" consisted of 12 academic hours. Practical training was carried out using instruments, equipments and facilities to install anesthesia on the SimMan 3G with shooting the process and further discussions of the results. The methods of the investigations were the appreciation of students background knowledge before and after practical training (by 5 points scale) and the analysis of the results. The results of the investigation showed that before the practical course only 23 students (41.8%) had dot positive marks: "Good"--7 students (12.7%) and "Satisfactory"--16 (29.1%) students. The rest 22 (58.2%) students had bad results. The practical trainings using real instruments, equipments and facilities with imitation of installation of preparations for introductory anesthesia, main analgesics and muscle relaxants showed a patients reaction on the virtual trainer SimMan 3 G. Students were divided into anesthetic team, co-assisting of an anesthesiologist, an assistant and nurses anesthetist, who conducted general anesthesia (the mask anesthesia, intravenous anesthesia, endotracheal anesthesia). After finishing the practical course 16 students (29.1%) got 5 marks (Excellent), 35 students (63.6%)--4 (Good) and 4 students (7.3%)--3 mark (Satisfactory).

The Use of Graphing Technology to Promote Transfer of Learning: the Interpretation of Graphs in Physics.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nichols, Jeri Ann

This study examined the relationship between mathematics background and performance on graph-related problems in physics before and after instruction on the graphical analysis of motion and several microcomputer-based laboratory experiences. Students identified as either having or not having a graphing technology enhanced precalculus mathematics background were further categorized into one of four groups according to mathematics placement at the university. The performances of these groups were compared to identity differences. Pre- and Post-test data were collected from 589 students and 312 students during Autumn Quarter 1990 and Winter Quarter 1991 respectively. Background information was collected from each student. Significant differences were found between students with the technology enhanced mathematics background and those without when considering the entire populations both quarters. The students with the technology background were favored Autumn quarter and students without the technology background were favored Winter quarter. However, the entire population included an underrepresentation of students at the highest and lowest placements; hence, these were eliminated from the analyses. No significant differences were found between the technology/no technology groups after the elimination of the underrepresented groups. All categories of students increased their mean scores from pretest to post-test; the average increase was 8.23 points Autumn Quarter and 11.41 points Winter Quarter. Males consistently outperformed females on both the pretest and the post-test Autumn 1990. All students found questions involving the concept of acceleration more difficult than questions involving velocity or distance. Questions requiring students to create graphs were more difficult than questions requiring students to interpret graphs. Further research involving a qualitative component is recommended to identify the specific skills students use when solving graph-related physics problems. In addition, it is recommended that a similar study be conducted to include a control group not participating in the microcomputer -based laboratory experiments.

To Let Students Self-Select or Not: That Is the Question for Teachers of Culturally Diverse Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rienties, Bart; Alcott, Peter; Jindal-Snape, Divya

2014-01-01

When students can self-select their group members, a common assumption is that students prefer to select friends from similar cultural backgrounds. However, when teachers randomize students in groups from different cultural backgrounds, students are "forced" to work together. The prime goal of this study is to understand the impact of…

What does it take? The influence of rural upbringing and sense of rural background on medical students' intention to work in a rural environment.

PubMed

Somers, George T; Strasser, Roger; Jolly, Brian

2007-01-01

There is abundant evidence that rural origin is an influence on rural career choice. Rural origin is widely used to select students to be supported into programs designed to address the rural medical workforce shortage. What is not as clear is how many years of rural upbringing are required to have a maximal effect on rural career choice. Neither is the place of having a sense of rural background well understood. A cross-sectional self-completed paper-based survey of all students in years one through four of the Monash University medical course was undertaken in 2003. The survey included a scale to measure stated rural career intention as well as questions about the number of years of rural upbringing and whether students had a sense of rural background. The Rural Intention score was divided into three categories: strong urban intent, strong rural intent, and an intermediate, less certain intent. There was an 88% (n = 399) response rate from students holding Commonwealth Supported Places. Approximately 30% of these claimed a sense of rural background, and 28% had more than 8 years of rural upbringing. Twenty-five percent stated a strong intention to choose a rural career and 34.5% had strong urban intent. The remaining 40.5% were in the intermediate group. Almost all students (97.5%) with over 5 years of rural upbringing had developed a sense of rural background, and almost all (97.5%) with less than 5 years' rural upbringing denied a sense of rural background. Rural intent was high for those with a sense of rural background and those with more than 8 years of rural upbringing, but the students who had had from 4 to 8 years of rural upbringing mainly fell into the 'uncertain' category. In this cohort of almost 400 Australian medical students, a sense of rural background developed at a clear point, around 5 years of rural upbringing. Students with a sense of rural background were likely to develop a strong rural intent several years before similar students who had failed to make this connection with a rural community. This latter group displayed uncertainty toward a rural career choice, possibly due to unfamiliarity. Unlike those with strong urban intent, these students have not excluded a rural career and should be supported. The inclusion of a measure of the intention of students to work in a rural environment is likely to increase the reliability and validity of selection procedures.

Innovations in Teaching Race and Class Inequality: "Bittersweet Candy" and "The Vanishing Dollar"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harlow, Roxanna

2009-01-01

Instructors teaching students about social inequality, especially sexism and racism, often face some degree of student resistance. Opposition is particularly strong when students are from a white, middle to upper class background. As Haddad and Lieberman (2002) remark, "Students from privileged backgrounds lack personal experience with structures…

The Profile of Misconceptions among Science Subject Student-Teachers in Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Subayani, Nataria Wahyuning

2016-01-01

Students' different background knowledge determines their quality of conceptions towards a specific subject in college. This research sought to uncover the profile of misconceptions experienced by 48 students of Primary School Teaching Major, studying Science in University of Muhammadiyah Gresik. The educational background of the students in high…

Who Goes to University in Kenya? A Study of Social Background of Kenyan Undergraduate Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eshiwani, George S.

The social and educational background and the educational and occupational aspirations of undergraduate students in Kenya were studied. The study sample consisted of 232 male and 210 female undergraduate students at Kenyatta University College. A questionnaire was administered to determine: students' characteristics, including sex, age, marital…

English Proficiency and Competency Background of Social Science and Humanities Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pelayo, Jose Maria G., III; Kutschera, P. C.; Capili, Claire Ann P.

2014-01-01

The study focuses on the background of Social Science and Humanities students (specifically in the course General Psychology) on their English education and competence. This research aims to identify the common factors of these students in terms of their English Proficiency. The students will answer survey questions that will give us information…

Mineralogy: a modern approach to teaching a traditional discipline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, G. W.

2011-12-01

Mineralogy has traditionally been a primary component in undergraduate geoscience curriculum. In recent years, there has been a trend in which mineralogy and petrology have been combined into Earth Materials courses. This is unfortunate as these disciplines each have much to offer students, and content once considered essential is eliminated out of necessity. Mineralogy is still fundamental to students' understanding of the Earth and Earth processes. Using a modern approach to time-honored concepts, I teach a quarter-long Introductory Mineralogy class offered through the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. Student evaluations of this course unequivocally indicate a high degree of learning and interest in the material, confirming that mineralogy continues to be a valuable class into the 21st century. While much of the content remains similar to what has been taught over the last century, my strategy involves a well-balanced approach to old and new. The first third of the course is background including the relevance of mineralogy, crystal chemistry, and crystallography; the second third of the course is systematic mineralogy using the Dana system; the last third of the course is devoted to understanding optical mineralogy, using modern analytical equipment such as XRD and SEM, and learning to use the petrographic microscope. Throughout the quarter, a strong emphasis is placed on the importance of hand-sample identification. Field work, traditionally not emphasized in mineralogy courses, has been re-introduced to the curriculum. I use modern technology to facilitate and support student learning. A lecture-based approach is employed with carefully crafted and organized PowerPoint presentations. PowerPoint lectures can be effective and highly engaging. The key is to ensure that the lectures are not overly reliant on text, instead relying on diagrams, charts, photos, and embedded media such as 3-D animations (ex. to teach crystallography) in order to keep students actively involved. Open dialogue throughout the lecture between instructor and student stimulates questions and conversation regarding the material and encourages participation. Students also learn to operate the Rigaku XRD instrument, are introduced to the SEM, and use a variety of computer programs in assignments and projects. Throughout the class, I use scaffolding to emphasize and re-emphasize key concepts while maintaining a solid level of challenge and rigor as we progress through the topics. Student learning and comprehension has been maximized using a dynamic approach to teaching Mineralogy that combines old and new. In a recent Mineralogy class at UCSD that used the aforementioned techniques, students reported a high degree of satisfaction and learning: 100% strongly agreed (the highest rating) that lectures held their attention, that the course material was explained well, and recommended the course to others. 92% of students strongly agreed and 8% agreed that they learned a great deal from the course, and 85% of the students strongly agreed and 15% agreed that the course material was intellectually stimulating.

The experience of disagreement between students and supervisors in PhD education: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background PhD supervision is mostly individual and disagreement between supervisors and PhD students is a seldom-discussed topic at universities. The present study aimed to describe the experience of disagreement between PhD students and supervisors. Methods Nine supervisors and seven PhD students from Sweden and England were interviewed using a video recorder. The recorded material was analysed using inductive content analysis. Results Disagreements in PhD education can be described with the overarching theme: the nature of the disagreements changes over time. Five categories emerged to describe the variations of the experiences: involvement in important decisions, supervisors not being up-to-date, dubious advice from supervisors, mediating between supervisors, and interpersonal relationships. Conclusions There is a gradual shift in competence where PhD students may excel supervisors in subject knowledge. Early disagreements may indicate immaturity of the student while disagreements later may indicate that the student is maturing making their own decisions. Consequently, disagreements may need to be addressed differently depending on when they occur. Addressing them inappropriately might slow the progressions and result in higher attrition rate among PhD students. The five categories may be elements in future PhD supervisor training programs and should be further evaluated for their importance and impact on PhD education. PMID:24074051

A Qualitative Study on Factors that Influence Turkish Medical Students’ Decisions to Become Family Physicians After the Health Transformation Programme

PubMed Central

Tanriover, Ozlem; Hidiroglu, Seyhan; Akan, Hulya; Ay, Pinar; Erdogan, Yalcin; Karavus, Melda; Vitrinel, Ayca; Hayran, Osman

2014-01-01

Background: In Turkey, general practitioners were authorized to work as family physicians without specialization, within the scope of the Health Transformation Programme, due to inadequate number of family medicine specialists since 2004. With this new implementation Family Medicine specialty became a less preferable option for medical students. Aims: The study was to investigate the perspectives of medical students and understand the issues to choose Family Medicine specialty as a career option. Materials and Methods: This qualitative study was performed with 48 final year medical students using a convenience sample from two medical universities. Results: Three main categories emerged from the data viewing Family Medicine ‘as a specialty’, ‘as an employment’, and finally ‘as a system’. Very few students stated that Family Medicine would be their choice for specialty. Conclusions: Family Medicine does not seem to be an attractive option in career planning by medical students. Several factors that may constrain students from choosing Family Medicine include: not perceiving Family Medicine as a field of expertise, and the adverse conditions at work which may originate from duality in the system. PMID:25006564

Developing Atmospheric Science Tools for Teachers Based on Research at the Pico Mountain Observatory, Pico Island, Azores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harkness, L.; Mazzoleni, L. R.; Dzepina, K.; Mazzoleni, C.; China, S.

2013-12-01

Atmospheric science and climate change are becoming increasingly important, especially in education, as the Next Generation Science Standards now include climate change. A collaborating team of research scientists and students are studying the free troposphere, specifically the aerosol composition and properties, on the island of Pico in the Azores Archipelago. The research station sits in the caldera of Mount Pico, 2225 meters above sea level. At this elevation, the station is above the marine boundary layer, thus placing it in the free troposphere. In this work, collaboration between a high school Earth Science teacher and university researchers was formed with the goal of developing classroom and outreach materials regarding atmospheric science. Among the materials, a video was created containing: site and project background, explanation of some of the instruments used and candid conversations regarding science and research. The video serves several purposes, such as informing students and the general public about what is happening in the atmosphere and informing students about the importance of science and research. The video could also be used to educate the local island community and tourists. Other materials designed include data directly obtained from the project, such as measurements of aerosol particles in electron microscopy photos (which were imaged for particle morphology and size), and composition of the aerosol particles. Students can use this evidence, as well as other data, to gain a better understanding of aerosols and the overall effect they have on the climate. Students will discover this evidence as they work through a series of experiments and activities. Using the strategy of Claim-Evidence-Reasoning as a way to answer scientific questions, students will use the evidence they gathered to explain their ideas. One such question could be, 'How do aerosols affect the climate?' and the student's 'claim' is their answer to that question. In the 'evidence' portion, the student lists the evidence they gathered that supports their claim. Some evidence could include the shape of the aerosol (has it traveled a long distance or is it local), the composition (does it contain carbon or mineral dust for example), the color (does it reflect or absorb light). Finally, the student explains how their evidence relates to the claim and question in the 'reasoning' section. While learning about the atmosphere, students would also be learning about science and the importance of research.

Pathway to Success: Using Students' Insights and Perspectives to Improve Retention and Success for University Students from Low Socioeconomic (LSE) Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sadowski, Christina; Stewart, Margaret; Pediaditis, Mika

2018-01-01

In an increasingly complex landscape of diversification and massification, universities are grappling with challenges of student attrition. This paper presents findings from a project investigating how students from low socio-economic backgrounds at a regional Australian university perceive challenges and supports associated with retention and…

Differential Relations between Facets of Complex Problem Solving and Students' Immigration Background

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sonnleitner, Philipp; Brunner, Martin; Keller, Ulrich; Martin, Romain

2014-01-01

Whereas the assessment of complex problem solving (CPS) has received increasing attention in the context of international large-scale assessments, its fairness in regard to students' cultural background has gone largely unexplored. On the basis of a student sample of 9th-graders (N = 299), including a representative number of immigrant students (N…

Socio-Economic Background and Access to Internet as Correlates of Students' Achievement in Agricultural Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adegoke, Sunday Paul; Osokoya, Modupe M.

2015-01-01

This study investigated access to internet and socio-economic background as correlates of students' achievement in Agricultural Science among selected Senior Secondary Schools Two Students in Ogbomoso South and North Local Government Areas. The study adopted multi-stage sampling technique. Simple random sampling was used to select 30 students from…

Immigrant Status and Home Language Background: Implications for Australian Student Performance in PISA 2000

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cresswell, John

2004-01-01

The primary focus of this report is to examine the effect that immigrant status and home language background may have on the performance of Australian students who participated in the OECD/Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA 2000). Approximately 5,477 students from 231 schools across Australia participated in the study. In this…

An Investigation Into the Effects of Background Music in a Dramatic Television Presentation on University Students' Perception and Retention of Cognitive Content.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rink, Otho P.

To investigate the effects of background music on perception and retention of a dramatic television presentation's cognitive content, 107 English literature students were randomly assigned to one of five background treatments for a play. Four of the videotaped presentations included background music; Shostakovich's Symphony No. 6; Japanese jazz;…

Attitude towards organ donation in German medical students.

PubMed

Terbonssen, Tobias; Settmacher, Utz; Wurst, Christine; Dirsch, Olaf; Dahmen, Uta

2016-12-01

It is well known that personal decision making in respect to organ donation is highly dependent on the balance of knowledge, trust, and fear. We wanted to explore the attitude of German medical students towards organ donation and investigate the relationship between knowledge, trust, and fear in this special subgroup. We conducted an online survey utilizing (1) the snowball effect of using Facebook groups and advertisement as well as (2) mailing lists of medical faculties in Germany for distribution. We surveyed 1370 medical students. 75.8 % (N = 988) of the participants stated to carry an organ donor card and allowed their organs to be donated. 1.8 % (N = 23) refused donation. 22.5 % (N = 293) did not carry an organ donor card. Analysis of the "decided" versus the "undecided" group revealed substantial differences regarding transplantation knowledge (mean knowledge score of 4.23 vs. 3.81; P < 0.001), trust in (mean trust score 4.11 vs. 3.39; P < 0.001), and fear of (mean fear score 1.63 vs. 2.22; P < 0.001) organ donation. 45.9 % of the undecided group (N = 134) opted for accessing additional information material. After reading the info material, 22.7 % (N = 29) stated their willingness to sign a donor card, whereas 76.6 % (N = 98) still could not reach a decision. The willingness to potentially act as organ donor was related to the pre-existent knowledge, trust, and fear. Access to information material did promote the decision towards organ donation in a group of previously undecided medical students. This advocates initiating information campaigns even in population groups with strong medical background.

Diving Deep: A Comparative Study of Educator Undergraduate and Graduate Backgrounds and Their Effect on Student Understanding of Engineering and Engineering Careers, Utilizing an Underwater Robotics Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scribner, J. Adam

Numerous studies have demonstrated that educators having degrees in their subjects significantly enhances student achievement, particularly in secondary mathematics and science (Chaney, 1995; Goe, 2007; Rowan, Chiang, & Miller, 1997; Wenglinsky, 2000). Yet, science teachers in states that adopt the Next Generation Science Standards will be facilitating classroom engineering activities despite the fact that few have backgrounds in engineering. This quantitative study analyzed ex-post facto WaterBotics (an innovative underwater robotics curriculum for middle and high school students) data to determine if educators having backgrounds in engineering (i.e., undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering) positively affected student learning on two engineering outcomes: 1) the engineering design process, and 2) understanding of careers in engineering (who engineers are and what engineers do). The results indicated that educators having backgrounds in engineering did not significantly affect student understanding of the engineering design process or careers in engineering when compared to educators having backgrounds in science, mathematics, technology education, or other disciplines. There were, however, statistically significant differences between the groups of educators. Students of educators with backgrounds in technology education had the highest mean score on assessments pertaining to the engineering design process while students of educators with disciplines outside of STEM had the highest mean scores on instruments that assess for student understanding of careers in engineering. This might be due to the fact that educators who lack degrees in engineering but who teach engineering do a better job of "sticking to the script" of engineering curricula.

Clark County Community College Students: Highlights from a Survey of their Backgrounds, Activities, Ratings of Skills, Use of Support Services, and Educational Attainments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedlander, Jack

This series of 15 brief reports summarizes findings for a survey of 564 Clark County Community College students which was conducted in Spring 1981 to determine: (1) student characteristics and educational background; (2) student usage of campus support services; (3) student ratings of their abilities in eight academic skill areas; (4) the extent…

Tutorial dynamics and participation in small groups: a student perspective in a multicultural setting.

PubMed

Gill, Emily; Tuck, Ailsa; Lee, Don Wai Gin; Beckert, Lutz

2004-11-05

This study investigated the language and cultural backgrounds of medical students, and explored their perspectives of the influences on student participation in small-group tutorial settings. A task group of students and staff from a variety of cultural backgrounds designed a cross-sectional survey using an anonymous questionnaire. The survey was conducted at the Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences (a campus of the University of Otago). Students attending a 4th-year and a 5th-year lecture were invited to participate. Seventy-five percent of students enrolled in the medical course responded to the survey. Half of the sample self-identified as New Zealand European or Maori. Sixty-four percent of students identified English as their first language. Ninety-one percent of students stated a preference for small-group tutorials rather than lectures. Most students reported that there was a 'lack of prior preparation' by students in these tutorials (no statistically significant difference between students with English as first or second language). Two thirds of students (66%) students felt there was a lack of full participation in small-group teaching. Personality, cultural, and language differences were perceived as contributing factors to the lack of participation. Lack of participation should not be assumed to be due to language difficulties. Barriers to participation are perceived differently by students from a variety of language and cultural backgrounds. Moreover, interactions between students who dominate and under-participate may influence student participation. Further research is needed to determine whether language and cultural backgrounds affect students' participation in small group teaching.

A Quasi Experiment to Determine the Effectiveness of a “Partially Flipped” versus “Fully Flipped” Undergraduate Class in Genetics and Evolution

PubMed Central

Adams, Alison E. M.; Garcia, Jocelyn; Traustadóttir, Tinna

2016-01-01

Two sections of Genetics and Evolution were taught by one instructor. One group (the fully flipped section) had the entire class period devoted to active learning (with background material that had to be watched before class), and the other group (the partially flipped section) had just a portion of class time spent on active learning (with the background material presented during class time). The same materials and assessments were used for both sections. Analysis of objective measures revealed that there was no significant difference between the learning outcomes of students in the two sections. There was no main effect of gender, major, or ethnicity on success in the whole cohort or in either section. There appeared to be a significant main effect of class standing, with freshmen performing significantly less well than sophomores, juniors, or seniors (who all performed equally well) in both sections (p < 0.01); however, this was a very preliminary observation, as there were very few freshmen in either section. The only predictor of success in the two sections was prior grade point average. An anonymous end-of-semester survey showed no significant difference between the two sections in interest in the subject matter. PMID:27174581

IPY STEM Polar Connections Links Teachers with the Global Relevance of the High Latitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brigham-Grette, J.; Sternheim, M.; Bradley, R.; Caissie, B.; Snyder, R.; Devlin, K.; Silver, M.; Hargraves, H.

2008-12-01

IPY STEM Polar Connections is a curriculum development and professional development program involving a summer residential institute at UMass-Amherst and academic year, on-line communication for teachers involved in the professional development of colleagues. The project produces and disseminates a range of curriculum modules related to the Polar regions and climate change. The purpose of the summer institutes (2008 and 2009) is to test the modules and prepare teachers to disseminate selected materials in workshops in their districts, in their states and nationally. The institute agenda balanced content presentations with hands-on activities for use by teachers with diverse backgrounds and classroom settings. Power point presentations and accompanying flash videos are all posted on our website along with teacher guides and student handouts. Most of the materials were designed to be adaptable to a range of inquiry-based levels. The teachers shared their own experiences with dissemination in rounds of focus groups. Pre institute and post institute surveys confirmed our success in increasing the personal knowledge base of the teachers despite the fact that most were veteran teachers. The main outcomes of participation were the development of relationships with other teachers, enhanced knowledge of earth system science and inspiration for introducing the materials to their students. Many did see funding, time and state frameworks as potential barriers to including materials in their classrooms.

Medical students' essay-writing skills: criteria-based self- and tutor-evaluation and the role of language background.

PubMed

Chur-Hansen, A

2000-03-01

An exercise is described which aimed to make clear to first-year undergraduate medical students the expected writing skills required for an essay examination in one discipline. Many students were from a non-English speaking background and over one-third of students, regardless of language background, had limited experience in this type of essay writing. For this exercise, a practice essay was written by each student for formative assessment. The essay was rated by a tutor and by the student according to well-defined criteria. This allowed for comparisons to be made in a structured and objective way between the judgements of the student and the assessor. Students found the exercise to be very useful, although whether essay writing skills actually improved could not be established. Students from non-English speaking backgrounds tended to be most harsh in their self-evaluations, yet tutor-evaluations generally showed these students to have better writing skills than other students. Indeed, correlations between self- and tutor-evaluations were quite low. It is evident that students and their educators may be unclear about each others' expectations. By making explicit the requirements of an exercise, misunderstandings may be minimized and it is possible that student performance could improve, though further research is required to verify these hypotheses. It is suggested that students should be encouraged to evaluate their own work and should be instructed in writing skills throughout their medical degree education.

THE AESTHETICS AND DYNAMICS OF LAVA: An interdisciplinary course in which the volcano is brought to the students.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wysocki, R.; Karson, J. A.

2017-12-01

The power, fury, and nearly indescribably beauty of flowing lava has permeated the entirety of human existence. Being in the presence of flowing lava redefines the educational experience magnitudes beyond that of the classroom, online and/or an analog experiment. For the last 8 years the Syracuse University Lava Project (SULP) has presented this unique immersive experience nearly weekly year-round. It is through this intensely direct education experience that Pre-K to Post Doc students are exposed to a fundamental geomorphic mechanism: flowing lava. The SULP facility is located in the Syracuse Sculpture Studio and 1.1 Ga basalt is turned into 1200°C molten lava flowing from a reconfigured bronze furnace. Originally conceived as a means to find art material via scientific experiment the project has evolved into a truly one-of-a-kind interdisciplinary course "The Aesthetics and Dynamics of Lava," a course populated by students from across the academic spectrum. Students in this cross-listed course design their own investigations with lava- art or science or some combination - in the context of our background presentations as a launching point. Key benefits include interacting with faculty from very different backgrounds and with very different scholarly/funding systems and students with different outlooks, to engage in multiple modes of learning. Students use scientific tools and processes (FLIR camera, microprobe, thin sections, etc.) as well as those from art and design to produce reports in a variety of formats: traditional written reports, video projects, computer modeling, online presentations, sculpture, photography, etc. Our collaboration has truly blurred the lines between science and art, creating a learning environment in which students from across all academic disciplines work together to share their diverse impressions of lava flow events through shared projects, broadening their perspectives and enabling them to see one another's worlds from new points of view - a major tenant of a liberal arts education.

Family Background, Students' Academic Self-Efficacy, and Students' Career and Life Success Expectations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Mihyeon

2014-01-01

This study examined the relationship of family background on students' academic self-efficacy and the impact of students' self-efficacy on their career and life success expectations. The study used the national dataset of the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS: 2002), funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Based on a path…

Student Attitudes and Academic Background as Predictors of Achievement in College English.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

House, J. Daniel; Prion, Susan K.

1998-01-01

This study investigated the predictive relationship between student attitudes and their subsequent achievement in a freshman composition course. Results indicated that academic background and student attitudes were significantly correlated with subsequent grade performance. Attitude variables were more closely related to overall grade performance…

A Crisis of Authority in Predominantly Black Schools?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Sean

2010-01-01

Background/Context: Black students are no less engaged or more disruptive than other students of similar achievement levels and socioeconomic status. However, because Black students are more likely to have disadvantaged family backgrounds and lower levels of achievement, segregation concentrates the risk factors for problem behavior in…

School Composition and Contextual Effects on Student Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willms, J. Douglas

2010-01-01

Background: Findings from several international studies have shown that there is a significant relationship between literacy skills and socioeconomic status (SES). Research has also shown that schools differ considerably in their student outcomes, even after taking account of students' ability and family background. The context or learning…

Using Music as a Background for Reading: An Exploratory Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulliken, Colleen N.; Henk, William A.

1985-01-01

Reports on a study during which intermediate level students were exposed to three auditory backgrounds while reading (no music, classical music, and rock music), and their subsequent comprehension performance was measured. Concludes that the auditory background during reading may affect comprehension and that, for most students, rock music should…

Sociocultural Diversity and Reading Literacy in a Finland-Swedish Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brunell, Viking; Saretsalo, Lauri

1999-01-01

Studied the relationships among students' backgrounds in terms of parental education and socioeconomic level, Finnish linguistic influence, and reading literacy for students in Swedish-speaking schools in Finland. Data from two national studies indicate that home background is more significant for reading literacy than is linguistic background.…

Beyond Free Lunch: Which Family Background Measures Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lubienski, Sarah Theule; Crane, Corinna Crawford

2010-01-01

Most studies of school achievement use free-lunch eligibility or other basic indicators to adjust for differences in students' socioeconomic backgrounds. This study determines whether these variables are enough to separate the confounding effects of students' backgrounds from the main variables of interest in education studies. The Early Childhood…

Teaching epidemiology in the digital age: considerations for academicians and their students.

PubMed

Caron, Rosemary M

2013-09-01

The way in which we prepare future public health professionals is changing because of the digital age. Online education is expanding the accessibility of public health training to students and practitioners with diverse backgrounds. Online courses offer many advantages for students, including flexible schedules, elimination of commuting time, and fostering interactions among students and the instructor. A few disadvantages of online courses for the student can include a feeling of isolation, difficulty adjusting to the time-intensive nature, and the required self-discipline to regularly tend to online course materials that immature and working students can find challenging. For faculty who are faced with teaching epidemiology in these changing times of the traditional face-to-face classroom and the virtual classroom, the core teaching principles of this science of public health remain unchanged, yet how they are delivered in the online environment adds a layer of complexity not previously encountered. This paper presents practical considerations for faculty who will be teaching online and their students who will be learning online. In addition, a framework for an online epidemiology course is presented as a model by which faculty interested in teaching epidemiology online can modify the course structure, content, and assessment tools to fit their needs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of Participation in a Community-Based Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Program on Medical Students: A Multi-Center Study

PubMed Central

Guiton, Gretchen; Chirra, Annapoorna; Núñez, Ana E.; Bigby, JudyAnn; Stahl, Christiane; Robertson, Candace; Thul, Elizabeth C.; Miller, Elizabeth; Sims, Abigail; Sachs, Carolyn J.; Pregler, Janet P.

2008-01-01

Background Physicians are generally poorly trained to recognize, treat or refer adolescents at risk for intimate partner violence (IPV). Participation in community programs may improve medical students’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes about IPV prevention. Objective To determine whether the experience of serving as educators in a community-based adolescent IPV prevention program improves medical students’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes toward victims of IPV, beyond that of didactic training. Participants One hundred and seventeen students attending 4 medical schools. Design Students were randomly assigned to didactic training in adolescent IPV prevention with or without participation as educators in a community-based adolescent IPV prevention program. Students assigned to didactic training alone served as community educators after the study was completed. Measurement Knowledge, self-assessment of skills and attitudes about intimate partner violence and future plans to pursue outreach work. Results The baseline mean knowledge score of 10.25 improved to 21.64 after didactic training (p ≤ .001). Medical students in the “didactic plus outreach” group demonstrated higher levels of confidence in their ability to address issues of intimate partner violence, (mean = 41.91) than did students in the “didactic only” group (mean = 38.94) after controlling for initial levels of confidence (p ≤ .002). Conclusions Experience as educators in a community-based program to prevent adolescent IPV improved medical students’ confidence and attitudes in recognizing and taking action in situations of adolescent IPV, whereas participation in didactic training alone significantly improved students’ knowledge. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11606-008-0624-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. PMID:18612741

Investigating the applicability of activity-based quantum mechanics in a few high school physics classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Escalada, Lawrence Todd

Quantum physics is not traditionally introduced in high school physics courses because of the level of abstraction and mathematical formalism associated with the subject. As part of the Visual Quantum Mechanics project, activity-based instructional units have been developed that introduce quantum principles to students who have limited backgrounds in physics and mathematics. This study investigates the applicability of one unit, Solids & Light, that introduces quantum principles within the context of learning about light emitting diodes. An observation protocol, attitude surveys, and questionnaires were used to examine the implementation of materials and student-teacher interactions in various secondary physics classrooms. Aspects of Solids & Light including the use of hands-on activities, interactive computer programs, inexpensive materials, and the focus on conceptual understanding were very applicable in the various physics classrooms observed. Both teachers and students gave these instructional strategies favorable ratings in motivating students to make observations and to learn. These ratings were not significantly affected by gender or students, attitudes towards physics or computers. Solid's & Light was applicable in terms of content and teaching style for some teachers. However, a mismatch of teaching styles between some instructors and the unit posed some problems in determining applicability. Observations indicated that some instructors were not able to utilize the exploratory instructional strategy of Solid's & Light. Thus, Solids & Light must include additional support necessary to make the instructor comfortable with the subject matter and pedagogical style. With these revisions, Solids & Light, will have all the key components to make its implementation in a high school physics classroom a successful one.

Sexual harassment in Dentistry: prevalence in dental school

PubMed Central

GARBIN, Cléa Adas Saliba; ZINA, Lívia Guimarães; GARBIN, Artênio José Insper; MOIMAZ, Suzely Adas Saliba

2010-01-01

Objective Sexual harassment is unlawful in all work and educational environments in most nations of the world. The goals of this study were to describe the sexual harassment prevalence and to evaluate the experiences and attitudes of undergraduate students in one dental school in Brazil. Material and Methods An 18-item questionnaire was administered to 254 dental students with a completion rate of 82% (208). Students were requested to respond to questions about their background and academic level in dental school, their personal experiences with sexual harassment and their observation of someone else being sexually harassed. Bivariate statistical analyses were performed. Results Fifteen percent of the students reported being sexually harassed by a patient, by a relative of a patient or by a professor. Male students had 3 times higher probability of being sexually harassed than female student [OR=2.910 (1.113-7.611)]. Additionally, 25.4% of the students reported witnessing sexual harassment at the school environment. The majority of students did not feel professionally prepared to respond to unwanted sexual behaviors. Conclusion These findings demonstrate that sexual harassment can occur in a dental school setting. There is a need for ongoing sexual harassment education programs for students and university staff. Increased knowledge of sexual harassment during graduation can better prepare dental professionals to respond to sexual harassment during their practice. PMID:21085799

Virtual patients: the influence of case design and teamwork on students’ perception and knowledge – a pilot study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Virtual patient (VP) cases are an effective teaching method, although little is known about how to design and implement them for maximum effectiveness. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of case design and teamwork on students’ learning outcome. Methods One hundred forty-six undergraduate medical students participated in a mandatory medical computer science course consisting of five seminars. At the end of each seminar, they worked on one VP case, either in teams of two or individually. Each student filled out an introductory and a final survey and a feedback sheet after completing each case. Additionally, there was a surprise multiple choice (MC) test after the last seminar with three questions regarding each case. Results Students with more clinical experience and students who had worked in a team performed significantly better on MC questions. Students with less clinical experience more frequently used information which had been positioned less prominently on the case material. Certain aspects of case design were rated more positively by students who had an interest in e-learning. In general, students preferred to work on cases for less than 15 minutes. Conclusions Clinically more advanced students and students working with a partner seem to benefit most from short VP cases with prominently presented information. PMID:25000965

Language-Related Values, Reading Amount, and Reading Comprehension in Students with Migration Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El-Khechen, Wahiba; Ferdinand, Hanna D.; Steinmayr, Ricarda; McElvany, Nele

2016-01-01

Background: Although various studies on general language performance have investigated determinants of students' reading comprehension (e.g., reading amount), they have paid insufficient attention to how students perceive parental values influence their language-related values and behaviour--and, as a consequence, their performance. This is…

Do School Resources Influence the Relationship between Adolescent Financial Background and Their School Perceptions?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Summersett-Ringgold, Faith C.; Li, Kaigang; Haynie, Denise L.; Iannotti, Ronald J.

2015-01-01

Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) influences students' school perceptions and affects their performance, engagement, and personal beliefs. This study examined the effects of school population SES and school resources on the association between student SES and student perceptions. Methods: School liking, classmate social relationships, family…

Promoting Social and Cultural Competence for Students from Diverse Backgrounds with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adera, Beatrice; Manning, Maria L.

2014-01-01

Amidst diversity in today's schools, challenges for students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds are growing. These students must acquire necessary social and cultural skills in order to navigate contrasting value systems and educational expectations despite potential cognitive and learning deficits. The combination of…

The Educational Strategies of Danish University Students from Professional and Working-Class Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomsen, Jens Peter; Munk, Martin D.; Eiberg-Madsen, Misja; Hansen, Gro Inge

2013-01-01

This article studies the educational strategies adopted by university students from different class backgrounds in a Scandinavian welfare regime. Studies show distinct differences among classes relating to economic considerations, risk-averse behavior, and patterns of socialization among university students. We investigate these differences…

Students from Non-Dominant Linguistic Backgrounds Making Sense of Cosmology Visualizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buck Bracey, Zoë E.

2017-01-01

This article presents the results of exploratory research with community college students from non-dominant linguistic backgrounds (NDLB) in an introductory astronomy class as they collaborated to reconstruct dynamic cosmology visualizations through drawing. Data included student discourse during the drawing activity, post-activity interviews, and…

Effects of Teacher Educational Background and Experience on Student Achievement in the Early Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leak, James Alexander

2012-01-01

This dissertation examines the relationship between teacher educational background, teacher experience, and student achievement in preschool, kindergarten, and first grade. The first essay of this dissertation, "Effects of Teacher Degree Level, Coursework, and Certification on Student Achievement in Math and Reading in Kindergarten,"…

Progress, Proficiency and Motivation among British University Language Learners. CLCS Occasional Paper No. 40.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coleman, James A.

A study of over 3,000 British college and university students investigated the relationship of student language proficiency and student demographic and background characteristics. Proficiency levels were assessed by means of C-Tests, while associated questionnaires sought to explore biographical data, language learning background, residence…

Preparing the entry-level materials professional in the 1990s

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geiger, Gordon H.

1989-05-01

It is time that universities stop using the excuse that industry does not want a five-year-engineering-degree graduate. Industry does not have any choice since it can only select from the available talent pool. At present, materials graduates with four-year degrees often lack the critical tools necessary to perform the non-engineering jobs that are frequently offered. Courses such as statistics, process control and management will help remedy this situation. Today, the individual with a master of science degree, having spent over five years in school, still lacks many essential non-engineering skills. Worse, many students in master's degree programs graduate with a primarily science background and have not taken the full basic engineering curriculum. For this reason, there is no comparison between the current, research-oriented M.S. degree and the proposed master of engineering degree. The outlined curriculum allows for a continuation of many current programs in materials while providing a transition to a five-year, first professional degree. The program allows the student to choose, after four years of education, whether he or she really wants to obtain a professional degree. Further, the four-year degree recipient enters the field with a better education than is available at present, and industry is supplied with a better-educated mix of degree recipients.

The 1975 Every Student Survey: The Background of Students in Special Education and New Canadian Programs. Research Report No. 141.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gershman, Janis

Presented is the final report based on the 1975 Every Student Survey describing the demographic characteristics of about 13,000 students in the Toronto school system who are enrolled in the New Canadian and each of the 15 Special Education programs. The report describes the socio-economic background, mother tongue, country of birth, and family…

Who Studies STEM Subjects at a Level and Degree in England? An Investigation into the Intersections between Students' Family Background, Gender and Ethnicity in Determining Choice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Codiroli Mcmaster, Natasha

2017-01-01

The relative lack of students studying post-compulsory STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects is a key policy concern. A particular issue is the disparities in uptake by students' family background, gender and ethnicity. It remains unclear whether the relationship between student characteristics and choice can be…

The Effects of Background Music in the Classroom on the Productivity, Motivation, and Behavior of Fourth Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Kevin N.

2007-01-01

Many students in a fourth grade classroom at Logan Elementary School are expressing numerous types of negative behaviors, are not motivated to learn, and do not stay on-task. In an effort to change these students, an action research study was conducted that implemented background music in the classroom. There were ten fourth grade students who…

Equity in the Turkish Education System: A Multilevel Analysis of Social Background Influences on the Mathematics Performance of 15-Year-Old Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Özdemir, Caner

2016-01-01

This paper aims to discover the level of equity in the Turkish education system using maths outcomes of 15-year-old students in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) exam. In order to do that, associations between various social background variables and student performance are analysed via multilevel models. Female pupils,…

Families in the Field: exploring northeastern Illinois

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutson, Kelda

2017-04-01

Northeastern Illinois topography is dominated by evidence of the Pleistocene: glacial moraines, kettle lakes, bogs, and of course, Lake Michigan - the fifth largest freshwater lake in the world. My high school students have grown up within this landscape and their familiarity provides a springboard for us to dive deeper into their understanding of continental glaciers and Ice Ages. However, these features have merely functioned as a background to their lives. My goal is to inspire, by having them stand in the field and imagine how it all would have appeared 11,000 years ago. For the past five years, the Geology teachers at Warren Township High School have been leading voluntary weekend hikes with our students and their families. The Geology teachers guide the hike with a more technical explanation of the landscape, and our students rise to the occasion as they share what they know with their parents, siblings, and peers. This opens lines of communication, increases student motivation, enhances the course material, and allows us to see on our landscape within the context of dynamic Earth systems.

Comparison of nursing students’ and clinical nurses’ attitude toward the nursing profession

PubMed Central

Koushali, Ali Noruzi; Hajiamini, Zahra; Ebadi, Abbas

2012-01-01

Background: To develop nursing education and promote nursing strategies, there is a need for a staff with positive attitude. The present study was conducted to compare the attitudes among clinical nurses and nursing students toward the nursing profession. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive- analytical study 313 clinical nurses and 81 nursing students (total n = 394) of Tehran, Iran, were selected through a systematic sampling method and their viewpoints were investigated using a nursing professional attitude questionnaire. Results: The findings of this study showed that 72.6% of nurses and 65.4% of students had positive attitude toward their profession, and despite the high percentage of the clinical nurses’ positive outlook, the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The results showed that approximately one-third of the students and nursing practitioners had neutral or negative attitude toward their occupation. Due to the serious effect of one’s professional attitude and commitment of service, it is necessary to have further studies about the current situation to eliminate such negative factors. PMID:23853651

Opinions from ESL Instructors and Students about Curricula on Hepatitis B for Use in Immigrant Communities

PubMed Central

Coronado, Gloria D.; Taylor, Victoria M.; Hislop, T. Gregory; Teh, Chong; Acorda, Elizabeth; Do, H. Hoai; Chen, Hueifang; Thompson, Beti

2010-01-01

Background Chinese immigrants in Canada have a disproportionately high risk for hepatitis B compared with non-Hispanic whites. Hepatitis B is the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma among Asian immigrants to North America. English as a Second Language (ESL) classes are an effective way of reaching newly immigrated individuals and are a potential channel for delivering health messages. Methods Using data from six focus groups among ESL instructors and students, we characterized perceptions about activities that are successfully used in ESL classrooms and strategies for delivering hepatitis B information. Results Instructors and students generally reported that activities which focused on speaking and listening skills and that addressed content relevant to students' daily lives were successful in the classroom. Instructors generally avoided material that was irrelevant or too difficult to understand. Focus group participants offered strategies for delivering hepatitis B information in ESL classrooms; these strategies included addressing symptoms and prevention, and not singling out a specific population subgroup in order to avoid stigmatization. Conclusions These findings might assist efforts to develop ESL curricula that target immigrant populations. PMID:18709587

Neither fish nor fowl: A perceived mismatch in norms and values between oneself, other students, and people back home undermines adaptation to university.

PubMed

de Vreeze, Jort; Matschke, Christina; Cress, Ulrike

2018-03-12

Students from low social-class background often struggle to adapt to university. Previous research shows that perceived incompatibility between social-class background identity and student identity is one reason, but little is known about the underlying causes of identity incompatibility. In three studies, we expected and found that students with low subjective social-class background perceived their values differently from other students, but also differently from people back home, and both increased identity incompatibility. Identity incompatibility negatively affected the student identity. Additionally, the current research also identifies specific patterns of norm and value differences that are prone to perceived identity incompatibility. The findings demonstrate that perceived differences in values from both groups are important mechanisms for identity incompatibility induced by the transition to university that may affect student identities and potentially their university trajectories. © 2018 The British Psychological Society.

Using the Flipped Classroom to Bridge the Gap to Generation Y

PubMed Central

Gillispie, Veronica

2016-01-01

Background: The flipped classroom is a student-centered approach to learning that increases active learning for the student compared to traditional classroom-based instruction. In the flipped classroom model, students are first exposed to the learning material through didactics outside of the classroom, usually in the form of written material, voice-over lectures, or videos. During the formal teaching time, an instructor facilitates student-driven discussion of the material via case scenarios, allowing for complex problem solving, peer interaction, and a deep understanding of the concepts. A successful flipped classroom should have three goals: (1) allow the students to become critical thinkers, (2) fully engage students and instructors, and (3) stimulate the development of a deep understanding of the material. The flipped classroom model includes teaching and learning methods that can appeal to all four generations in the academic environment. Methods: During the 2015 academic year, we implemented the flipped classroom in the obstetrics and gynecology clerkship for the Ochsner Clinical School in New Orleans, LA. Voice-over presentations of the lectures that had been given to students in prior years were recorded and made available to the students through an online classroom. Weekly problem-based learning sessions matched to the subjects of the traditional lectures were held, and the faculty who had previously presented the information in the traditional lecture format facilitated the problem-based learning sessions. The knowledge base of students was evaluated at the end of the rotation via a multiple-choice question examination and the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) as had been done in previous years. We compared demographic information and examination scores for traditional teaching and flipped classroom groups of students. The traditional teaching group consisted of students from Rotation 2 and Rotation 3 of the 2014 academic year who received traditional classroom-based instruction. The flipped classroom group consisted of students from Rotation 2 and Rotation 3 of the 2015 academic year who received formal didactics via voice-over presentation and had the weekly problem-based learning sessions. Results: When comparing the students taught by traditional methods to those taught in the flipped classroom model, we saw a statistically significant increase in test scores on the multiple-choice question examination in both the obstetrics and gynecology sections in Rotation 2. While the average score for the flipped classroom group increased in Rotation 3 on the obstetrics section of the multiple-choice question examination, the difference was not statistically significant. Unexpectedly, the average score on the gynecology portion of the multiple-choice question examination decreased among the flipped classroom group compared to the traditional teaching group, and this decrease was statistically significant. For both the obstetrics and the gynecology portions of the OSCE, we saw statistically significant increases in the scores for the flipped classroom group in both Rotation 2 and Rotation 3 compared to the traditional teaching group. With the exception of the gynecology portion of the multiple-choice question examination in Rotation 3, we saw improvement in scores after the implementation of the flipped classroom. Conclusion: The flipped classroom is a feasible and useful alternative to the traditional classroom. It is a method that embraces Generation Y's need for active learning in a group setting while maintaining a traditional classroom method for introducing the information. Active learning increases student engagement and can lead to improved retention of material as demonstrated on standard examinations. PMID:27046401

Contradictory Literacy Practices of Mexican-Background Students: An Ethnography From the Rural Midwest

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Godina, Heriberto

2004-01-01

This ethnographic study explores the contradictory literacy practices of 10 high school students of Mexican background from the rural Midwest. The author uses the term "Mexican background" to encompass both settled Mexican Americans and recent-immigrant Mexicanos. Literacy is investigated through English and Spanish in a sociocultural…

Pharmacology podcasts: a qualitative study of non-medical prescribing students' use, perceptions and impact on learning

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background There is growing research on student use of podcasts in academic settings. However, there is little in-depth research focusing on student experience of podcasts, in particular in terms of barriers to, and facilitators of, podcast use and students' perceptions of the usefulness of podcasts as learning tools. This study aimed to explore the experiences of non-medical prescribing students who had access to podcasts of key pharmacology lectures as supplementary learning tools to their existing course materials. Methods Semi-structured interviews were carried out with seven non-medical prescribing students (average age = 43 years), all of whom were nurses, who had access to seven podcasts of key pharmacology lectures. These podcasts took the form of downloadable audio lecture recordings available through the virtual learning environment WebCT. Low, medium and high users of the podcasts took part in the interviews in order to access a variety of student experiences. Interview data was analysed using thematic template analysis to identify key themes surrounding student experience of podcast availability, particularly in relation to barriers to and facilitators of podcast use, and students' experiences of podcasts as a learning tool. Results Students used podcasts for a variety of reasons such as revisiting lectures, preparing for exams, to clarify or revise specific topics and, to a lesser extent, to catch up on a missed lecture. Barriers to podcast use centred mainly around technological issues. Lack of experience of the technology required to access podcasts proved a barrier for some students. A lack of access to suitable technology was also a reported barrier. Family assistance and I.T. assistance from the university helped facilitate students' use of the podcasts. Students found that using podcasts allowed them to have greater control over their learning and to gauge their learning needs, as well as helping them build their understanding of a complex topic. Conclusions Students used podcasts for a variety of reasons. Barriers to podcasts use were generally related to technological issues. Students often found that once assistance had been gained regarding these technological issues, they accessed the podcasts more easily. Students felt that access to podcasts added value to their learning materials by allowing them to better manage their learning and build their understanding. Podcasts represent a valuable additional learning tool for this specific group of older students. PMID:21223547

‘Building Core Knowledge - Reconstructing Earth History’: Transforming Undergraduate Instruction by Bringing Ocean Drilling Science on Earth History and Global Climate Change into the Classroom (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

St. John, K.; Leckie, R. M.; Jones, M. H.; Pound, K. S.; Pyle, E.; Krissek, L. A.

2009-12-01

This NSF-funded, Phase 1 CCLI project effectively integrates scientific ocean drilling data and research (DSDP-ODP-IODP-ANDRILL) with education. We have developed, and are currently testing, a suite of data-rich inquiry-based classroom learning materials based on sediment core archives. These materials are suitable for use in introductory geoscience courses that serve general education students, early geoscience majors, and pre-service teachers. 'Science made accessible' is the essence of this goal. Our team consists of research and education specialists from institutions ranging from R1 research to public liberal arts to community college. We address relevant and timely ‘Big Ideas’ with foundational geoscience concepts and climate change case studies, as well transferable skills valued in professional settings. The exercises are divided into separate but inter-related modules including: introduction to cores, seafloor sediments, microfossils and biostratigraphy, paleomagnetism and magnetostratigraphy, climate rhythms, oxygen-isotope changes in the Cenozoic, past Arctic and Antarctic climates, drill site selection, interpreting Arctic and Antarctic sediment cores, onset of Northern Hemisphere glaciation, onset of Antarctic glaciation, and the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum. Each module has several parts, and each is designed to be used in the classroom, laboratory, or assigned as homework. All exercises utilize authentic data. Students work with scientific uncertainty, practice quantitative and problem-solving skills, and expand their basic geologic and geographic knowledge. Students have the opportunity to work individually and in groups, evaluate real-world problems, and formulate hypotheses. Initial exercises in each module are useful to introduce a topic, gauge prior knowledge, and flag possible areas of student misconception. Comprehensive instructor guides provide essential background information, detailed answer keys, and alternative implementation strategies, as well as providing links to other supplementary materials and examples for assessment. Preliminary assessment data indicates positive gains in student attitudes towards science, and in their content knowledge and scientific skills. In addition, student outcomes appear to depend somewhat on students’ motivation for taking the course and their institution, but are generally independent of students’ class rank or GPA. Our classroom-tested learning materials are being disseminated through a variety of outlets including instructor workshops and eventually to the web.

Prevalence of substance abuse among regular degree health science students in Sheba University College in Mekelle Town, Tigray - Ethiopia

PubMed Central

Hagos, Esietu Gebregazabher; Asfeha, Gebrekidan Gebregzabher; Berihu, Birhane Alem

2016-01-01

Background: Substance abuse (SA) refers to the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and illicit drugs. The most common substances which are usually abused are alcohol and tobacco. Herein, we assessed the prevalence of SA among regular degree health science students of the Sheba University College (SUC). Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 1076 SUC students using self-administered structured questionnaire. The simple sampling technique was used to select students. Descriptive statistics, bivariate, and multivariate analysis were done. Results: The overall prevalence of “ever used substance” for at least one was 45.5%. The most commonly used drugs in descending order were alcohol (25.1%), cigarette (11.4%), and khat (9.2%). Male participants, urban setting, peer pressure, personal pleasure, and academic dissatisfaction and pocket money were highly associated with SA. Conclusion: This study showed a lower magnitude (45.6% ever use and 21% still using) of SA among students' compared to other studies. Even if a considerable decrease in SA among study subjects, the creation of awareness and health education should be continued to fully combat the problem of abuse. PMID:27114648

Helping Students make the transition from novice learner of ground-water concepts to expert using the Plume Busters software

USGS Publications Warehouse

Macfarlane, P.A.; Bohling, G.; Thompson, K.W.; Townsend, M.

2006-01-01

Environmental and earth science students are novice learners and lack the experience needed to rise to the level of expert. To address this problem we have developed the prototype Plume Busters?? software as a capstone educational experience, in which students take on the role of an environmental consultant. Following a pipeline spill, the environmental consultant is hired by the pipeline owner to locate the resulting plume created by spill and remediate the contaminated aquifer at minimum monetary and time cost. The contamination must be removed from the aquifer before it reaches the river and eventually a downstream public water supply. The software consists of an interactive Java application and accompanying HTML linked pages. The application simulates movement of a plume from a pipeline break throug h a shallow alluvial aquifer towards the river. The accompanying web pages establish the simulated contamination scenario and provide students with background material on ground-water flow and transport principles. To make the role-play more realistic, the student must consider cost and time when making decisions about siting observation wells and wells for the pump-and-treat remediation system.

Developing the role of Swedish advanced practice nurse (APN) through a blended learning master's program: Consequences of knowledge organisation.

PubMed

Bergström, Peter; Lindh, Viveca

2018-01-01

This paper reports on a research study conducted with a group of nurses in Sweden enrolled in a newly developed blended learning master's programme to become advanced practice nurses (APNs). As background, the paper presents the regional needs the programme is intended to address and describes how the programme was designed. The aim was to understand how, from students' perspective, the nurse master's programme structured knowledge for their future position as APNs. The research question focuses on how the master's programme prepares students by meeting their diverse needs for knowledge. Empirical material was collected at two times during the students' first and second years of study through semi-structured qualitative interviews. The findings highlight the process in which these master's students gained a more advanced identity of becoming APNs. This process demonstrates how students perceive their current position as nurses based on a discourse of knowledge in relation to the practical and theoretical knowledge they encounter in the master's programme. This article concludes by recommending that attention should be paid to developing APN role models in the current Swedish healthcare system. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perspectives of nursing and midwifery students regarding the role of the hidden curriculum in patient education: A qualitative study

PubMed Central

Azadi, Zohreh; Ravanipour, Maryam; Yazdankhahfard, Mohammadreza; Motamed, Niloofar; Pouladi, Shahnaz

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Although education is one of the most substantial needs of patients that should be taught by nurses and midwives, it is not clearly defined through the hidden curriculum in students’ teaching programs. The aim of this study was to explore the patient education through the hidden curriculum in the perspectives of nursing and midwifery students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A qualitative, content analysis study was performed and twenty nursing and midwifery students were interviewed. Data were collected using face-to-face semi-structured interviews and analyzed using conventional content analysis approach. RESULTS: Students’ perception of the hidden curriculum in patient education emerged in three main themes concerning: (1) interactions, (2) teaching and learning opportunities, and (3) reflective evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: The hidden curriculum in patient education can be transferred as interactions between professors, students, nurses, doctors, and also patients who are rooted from paying attention to the human dimension of the patient, avoiding the materialistic treatment of the patient and treating the patient with dignity. Educational policies and students’ assignments should be designed based on the patient's educational goals and the goal of evaluation has to be presented to the students clearly. PMID:29296609

An Examination of High-Achieving First-Generation College Students from Low-Income Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hébert, Thomas P.

2018-01-01

Experiences of 10 high-achieving first-generation college students from low-income backgrounds were the focus of this qualitative research study. Family adversity and difficult personal experiences during adolescence were major themes; however, students benefitted from emotionally supportive K-12 educators and academic rigor in high school.…

A Comparative Cross-Cultural Study of the Prevalence and Nature of Misconceptions in Physics amongst English and Chinese Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abrahams, Ian; Homer, Matt; Sharpe, Rachael; Zhou, Mengyuan

2015-01-01

Background: Despite the large body of literature regarding student misconceptions, there has been relatively little cross-cultural research to directly compare the prevalence of common scientific misconceptions amongst students from different cultural backgrounds. Whilst previous research does suggest the international nature of many…

Students' Science Attitudes, Beliefs, and Context: Associations with Science and Chemistry Aspirations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mujtaba, Tamjid; Sheldrake, Richard; Reiss, Michael J.; Simon, Shirley

2018-01-01

There is a widespread concern that relatively few students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, continue to study chemistry and other science subjects after compulsory education. Yet it remains unclear how different aspects of students' background and home context, their own attitudes and beliefs, and their experiences of particular…

Family Background and Students' Achievement on a University Entrance Exam in Brazil

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guimaraes, Juliana; Sampaio, Breno

2013-01-01

This paper examines the determinants of students' performance on the entrance test at Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil. Particular attention is paid to the importance of family background variables, such as parents' education and family income, on students' performance and how they relate to the probability of attending public schools…

What Do Primary Students Say about School-Based Social Work Programmes?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Testa, Doris

2014-01-01

This article focuses on primary school children's experiences of school-based social work programmes. These students, aged between 6 and 11, and drawn from a student population comprising 28 different cultural backgrounds and from low socio-economic backgrounds, participated in a case study that researched a school-based social work programme, the…

Socioeconomic Status and the Career Aspirations of Australian School Students: Testing Enduring Assumptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gore, Jennifer; Holmes, Kathryn; Smith, Max; Southgate, Erica; Albright, Jim

2015-01-01

Recent Australian government targets for higher education participation have produced a flurry of activity focused on raising the aspirations of students from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds. In this paper we test two key assumptions underpinning much of this activity: that students from low-SES backgrounds hold lower career…

Five C Framework: A Student-Centered Approach for Teaching Programming Courses to Students with Diverse Disciplinary Background

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tom, Mary

2015-01-01

The already existing complexities of teaching and learning computer programming are increased where students are diverse in their disciplinary backgrounds, language skills, and culture. Learners experience emotional issues of anxiety, fear or boredom. Identifying opportunities for improvement and applying theoretical and empirical evidence found…

What Makes a Difference for Resilient Students in Turkey?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yilmaz Findik, Leyla

2016-01-01

Problem Statement: Socio-economic background plays an important role in academic achievement, but there is a group of students beating the odds and becoming successful despite the socio-economic background of their families. Purpose of the Study: The study aimed to define how resilient students succeed at school despite their socio-economically…

Background Knowledge and the Magazine Reading Students Choose

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gabriel, Rachael; Allington, Richard; Billen, Monica

2012-01-01

Can students read difficult but self-selected texts--and if so, how? In this article we describe what we learned about middle school students' use of background knowledge and specific vocabulary from interviews and surveys in our longitudinal study of magazine reading habits. Then we discuss the implications of these findings for structuring…

Planning Lessons for Refugee-Background Students: Challenges and Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Jennifer; Windle, Joel Austin; Yazdanpanah, Lilly K.

2014-01-01

This article examines the ways teachers plan lessons for English as an Additional Language (EAL) students from refugee backgrounds in secondary school transition programs. Based on a study of teachers working with students in three Victorian schools, we identify the key challenges teachers face in planning and the strategies they adopt to confront…

Improving Education for Migrant-Background Students: A Transatlantic Comparison of School Funding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sugarman, Julie; Morris-Lange, Simon; McHugh, Margie

2016-01-01

The educational needs of migrant-background students in primary and secondary schools pose a growing challenge for policymakers and educators around the world. Some national, regional, and local governments have well-designed systems of support for such students, while others are just beginning to establish targeted policies and practices to meet…

Here's Smarty-Pants, Home for the Holidays

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patton, Stacey

2012-01-01

The disconnect with family is not uncommon among graduate students home for the holidays or any other occasion, especially when they are first-generation graduate students or from a working-class background. Besides having to deal with academic demands, many graduate students from working-class backgrounds feel like strangers in their own families…

Comprehensive Assessment of the Psychological Burden for Students in Physical Education Classes in Chinese Universities.

PubMed

Wei, Xuemei; Liu, Zhen

2018-05-15

BACKGROUND Physical education (PE) is part of the curriculum in Chinese universities. The psychological burden, or anxiety levels, for students in PE classes, can result from several factors, including teaching content, teaching environment, and the organization of the teaching methods. The aim of this study was to assess the psychological burden on students in PE classes in Chinese universities. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study included 400 students (200 men and 200 women) from a Chinese university, who participated in PE classes. The distribution of the levels of psychological burden associated with PE was assessed using subjective measurements and a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method that to provide an integrated framework combining the results of judgments made at multiple stages of the evaluation process. RESULTS Of the 400 study participants who attended PE classes, 61.5% of male students and 47.5% of female students coped well or very well when dealing with the perceived psychological burden; 33.5% of male students and 42.5% of female students reported a medium level of psychological burden. Few students reported a high level of psychological burden associated with PE classes. The average psychological burden in female students was greater than for male students who participated in PE classes. CONCLUSIONS The combination of subjective measurement of the psychological burden associated with PE classes by university students in China, combined with a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method showed that female university students might require more support than male students to overcome any psychological burden associated with PE classes.

Students' Understandings of Gravity in an Orbiting Space-Ship

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Manjula D.; Millar, Rosemary M.; Smith, Andrew; Sefton, Ian M.

2004-06-01

We report on an investigation of students' ideas about gravity after a semester of instruction in physics at university. There are two aspects to the study which was concerned with students' answers to a carefully designed qualitative examination question on gravity. The first aspect is a classification of the answers and a comparative study of the ways the problem was tackled by two large groups of students who had different backgrounds in physics and were exposed to different teaching styles. The second aspect is to investigate how students link concepts to solve the problem. We used a phenomenographic analysis of student responses to extract patterns of reasoning and alternative conceptions behind the solutions. We found no differences between the classes of answers given by students in the two courses. Our analysis also identifies a hierarchy in the complexity of the hypothetical reasoning pathways, which we interpret as reflecting the ways in which students may link concepts and resolve conflicts as they solve the problem. The hypothetical reasoning pathways may help educators to develop instructional material or lecture room dialogue in order to tease out key issues. An unexpected finding is that there is a discrepancy between our conclusion that the two groups of answers are similar and the distribution of marks awarded by the examiner - which implies that the quality of the answers is different for the two groups.

Team-based Learning Strategy in Biochemistry: Perceptions and Attitudes of Faculty and 1st-Year Medical Students

PubMed Central

Chhabra, Namrata; Kukreja, Sahiba; Chhabra, Sarah; Chhabra, Sahil; Khodabux, Sameenah; Sabane, Harshal

2017-01-01

Background: Team-based learning (TBL) strategy has been widely adapted by medical schools all over the world, but the reports regarding the perceptions and the attitudes of faculty and undergraduate medical students towards TBL approach have been conflicting. Aim: The study aimed to introduce TBL strategy in curriculum of Biochemistry after evaluating its effectiveness through perceptions and attitudes of faculty and 1st-year medical students. Materials and Methods: One hundred and fifty students of first professional M.B.B.S and five faculty members participated in the study. Their responses regarding perceptions and attitudes towards TBL strategy were collected using structured questionnaires, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test, paired sample t-test, and Mann–Whitney U-test. Results: Majority of the students expressed satisfaction with team approach and reported improvement in the academic scores, learning styles, and development of problem-solving, interpersonal, and professional skills. The faculty, however, recommended a modified TBL approach to benefit all sections of the students for the overall success of this intervention. Conclusion: TBL is an effective technique to enable the students to master the core concepts and develop professional and critical thinking skills; however, for the 1st-year medical students, a modified TBL approach might be more appropriate for the effective outcomes. PMID:29344463

Clerkship maturity: Does the idea of training clinical skills work?

PubMed Central

Stosch, Christoph; Joachim, Alexander; Ascher, Johannes

2011-01-01

Background: With the reformed curriculum “4C”, the Medical Faculty of the University of Cologne has started to systematically plan practical skills training, for which Clerkship Maturity is the first step. The key guidelines along which the curriculum was development were developed by experts. This approach has now been validated. Materials and methods: Both students and teachers were asked to fill in a questionnaire regarding preclinical practical skills training to confirm the concept of Clerkship Maturity. Results and discussion: The Cologne training program Clerkship Maturity can be validated empirically overall through the activities of the students awaiting the clerkship framework and through the evaluation by the medical staff providing the training. The subjective ratings of the advantages of the training by the students leave room for improvement. Apart from minor improvements to the program, the most likely solution providing sustainable results will involve an over-regional strategy for establishing skills training planned as part of the curriculum. PMID:21866243

Life as a Mather Intern at the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stankus, Katherine

2014-03-01

The AIP Mather Public Policy Internship, sponsored by Nobel Laureate Dr. John Mather and facilitated by the American Institute of Physics Society of Physics Students Summer Internship Program, was designed to help undergraduate physics students explore the interface between science and policy. As a Mather Public Policy Intern in 2013, I worked for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology where I conducted written research and analyses for staff members, prepared background materials and reports, and assisted at hearings and markups. In addition to my internship duties I also had the opportunity to meet several different representatives, go to various receptions and luncheons held on the Hill, and meet some influential people in society. During this talk I will discuss my experience and how it helped further my interest in doing analytical work and gave me exposure to public policy issues at the national level. AIP Society of Physics Students.

Does Paired Mentoring Work? A Study of the Effectiveness and Affective Value of Academically Asymmetrical Peer Mentoring in Supporting Disadvantaged Students in School Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharpe, Rachael; Abrahams, Ian; Fotou, Nikolaos

2018-01-01

Background: In England, there is a growing need to improve the lives of secondary school students who are defined as disadvantaged and to support these students in their attainment and attitudes to secondary school science. Purpose: This paper reports on a project designed to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds by pairing them with…

Background Noise Acceptance and Personality Factors Involved in Library Environment Choices by College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon-Hickey, Susan; Lemley, Trey

2012-01-01

For decades, academic libraries made efforts to provide study environments differing in acoustic environment. The present study aimed to provide an evidence basis for this practice by comparing background noise acceptance and personality factors of two groups of college-aged students self identified as preferring quiet or background noise when…

Variation in Second Language Learners' Strategies among Non-Native English Speakers from Three Language/Culture Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebsworth, Miriam Eisenstein; Tang, Frank Lixing; Razavi, Nikta; Aiello, Jacqueline

2014-01-01

This study explored the effects of cultural and linguistic background, L2 proficiency, and gender on language learning strategies for 263 college-level learners from Chinese, Russian, and Latino backgrounds. Data based on the SILL (Oxford, 2001) revealed that Russian students used significantly more strategies than the Chinese students in three…

Effects of Classical Background Music on Stress, Anxiety, and Knowledge of Filipino Baccalaureate Nursing Students.

PubMed

Evangelista, Kevin; Macabasag, Romeo Luis A; Capili, Brylle; Castro, Timothy; Danque, Marilee; Evangelista, Hanzel; Rivero, Jenica Ana; Gonong, Michell Katrina; Diño, Michael Joseph; Cajayon, Sharon

2017-10-28

Previous work on the use of background music suggests conflicting results in various psychological, behavioral, and educational measures. This quasi-experiment examined the effect of integrating classical background music during a lecture on stress, anxiety, and knowledge. A total of 42 nursing students participated this study. We utilized independent sample t-test and multivariate analysis of variance to examine the effect of classical background music. Our findings suggest that the presence or absence of classical background music do not affect stress, anxiety, and knowledge scores (Λ = 0.999 F(3, 78) = 0.029, p = 0.993). We provided literature to explain the non-significant result. Although classical music failed to establish a significant influence on the dependent variables, classical background music during lecture hours can be considered a non-threatening stimulus. We recommend follow up studies regarding the role of classical background music in regulating attention control of nursing students during lecture hours.

Pharmacology education for nurse prescribing students – a lesson in reusable learning objects

PubMed Central

Lymn, Joanne S; Bath-Hextall, Fiona; Wharrad, Heather J

2008-01-01

Background The shift away from a biological science to a social science model of nursing care has resulted in a reduction in pharmacology knowledge and understanding in pre-registration nursing students. This has a significant impact on nurse prescribing training where pharmacology is a critical component of the course from a patient safety perspective. Methods Reusable learning objects (RLOs) are electronic resources based on a single learning objective which use high quality graphics and audio to help engagement with the material and to facilitate learning. This study used questionnaire data from three successive cohorts of nurse prescribing students (n = 84) to evaluate the use of RLOs focussed around pharmacology concepts to promote the understanding of these concepts in students. A small number of students (n = 10) were followed up by telephone interview one year after qualification to gain further insight into students' perceptions of the value of RLOs as an educational tool. Results Students' perceptions of their own understanding of pharmacology concepts increased substantially following the introduction of RLOs to supplement the pharmacology component of the course. Student evaluation of the RLOs themselves was extremely positive with a number of students continuing to access these tools post-qualification. Conclusion The use of RLOs to support the pharmacology component of nurse prescribing courses successfully resulted in a perceived increase in pharmacology understanding, with some students directly implicating these educational tools in developing confidence in their own prescribing abilities. PMID:18215261

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

PubMed Central

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

2016-01-01

Study group meetings (SGMs) are voluntary-attendance peer-led team-learning workshops that supplement introductory biology lectures at a selective liberal arts college. While supporting all students’ engagement with lecture material, specific aims are to improve the success of underrepresented minority (URM) students and those with weaker backgrounds in biology. Peer leaders with experience in biology courses and training in science pedagogy facilitate work on faculty-generated challenge problems. During the eight semesters assessed in this study, URM students and those with less preparation attended SGMs with equal or greater frequency than their counterparts. Most agreed that SGMs enhanced their comprehension of biology and ability to articulate solutions. The historical grade gap between URM and non-URM students narrowed slightly in Biology 2, but not in other biology and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses. Nonetheless, URM students taking introductory biology after program implementation have graduated with biology majors or minors at the same rates as non-URM students, and have enrolled in postcollege degree programs at equal or greater rates. These results suggest that improved performance as measured by science grade point average may not be necessary to improve the persistence of students from underrepresented groups as life sciences majors. PMID:27496361

Examining the relationship between critical-thinking skills and decision-making ability of emergency medicine students

PubMed Central

Heidari, Mohammad; Ebrahimi, Parvin

2016-01-01

Background and Aims: Critical-thinking ability would enable students to think creatively and make better decisions and makes them make a greater effort to concentrate on situations related to clinical matters and emergencies. This can bridge the gap between the clinical and theoretical training. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to examine the relationship between critical-thinking ability and decision-making skills of the students of Emergency Medicine. Materials and Methods: This descriptive and analytical research was conducted on all the students of medical emergency students (n = 86) in Shahrekord, Iran. The demographic information questionnaire, the California Critical Thinking Skills Test, and a decision-making researcher-made questionnaire were used to collect data. The data were analyzed by SPSS software version 16 using descriptive and analytical statistical tests and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: The results of the present study indicate that the total mean score for the critical thinking was 8.32 ± 2.03 and for decision making 8.66 ± 1.89. There is a significant statistical relationship between the critical-thinking score and decision-making score (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Although critical-thinking skills and decision-making ability are essential for medical emergency professional competence, the results of this study show that these skills are poor among the students. PMID:27829713

The Relationship of Social Problem-Solving Skills and Dysfunctional Attitudes with Risk of Drug Abuse among Dormitory Students at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences

PubMed Central

Nasrazadani, Ehteram; Maghsoudi, Jahangir; Mahrabi, Tayebeh

2017-01-01

Background: Dormitory students encounter multiple social factors which cause pressure, such as new social relationships, fear of the future, and separation from family, which could cause serious problems such as tendency toward drug abuse. This research was conducted with the goal to determine social problem-solving skills, dysfunctional attitudes, and risk of drug abuse among dormitory students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive-analytical, correlational, and cross-sectional research. The research sample consisted of 211 students living in dormitories. The participants were selected using randomized quota sampling method. The data collection tools included the Social Problem-Solving Inventory (SPSI), Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS), and Identifying People at Risk of Addiction Questionnaire. Results: The results indicated an inverse relationship between social problem-solving skills and risk of drug abuse (P = 0.0002), a direct relationship between dysfunctional attitude and risk of drug abuse (P = 0.030), and an inverse relationship between social problem-solving skills and dysfunctional attitude among students (P = 0.0004). Conclusions: Social problem-solving skills have a correlation with dysfunctional attitudes. As a result, teaching these skills and the way to create efficient attitudes should be considered in dormitory students. PMID:28904539

Assessment of Environmental Attitudes and Risk Perceptions among University Students in Mersin, Turkey

PubMed Central

Ögenler, Oya; Kurt, Ahmet Öner; Koçaş, Fazıl; Şaşmaz, Tayyar

2017-01-01

Background Environmental destruction is one of the most important problems in this century. Objective The aim of the study was to determine the environmental attitudes and perceived risks associated with environmental factors of the students. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in 7 faculties of Mersin University. The research data were collected using a questionnaire. The questionnaire included sociodemographic characteristics, the “Environmental Attitudes Scale,” and the “Environmental Risk Perception Scale.” 774 students who filled out questionnaires were evaluated. Results The sample included 55.8% females. Environmental Attitudes Scale mean scores of students were identified as 81.1 ± 11.3. The highest perceived risk was release of radioactive materials associated with nuclear power generation. The environmental attitudes and risk perception scores were higher in Health Sciences than in the other faculties. Females were more positive towards the environment and had higher risk perceptions than the men. There is a negative correlation between age and resource depletion risk and global environmental risk score. Conclusion Students had a positive attitude to the environment and had moderate-level risk perception about the environment. Environmental awareness of students, especially those studying in the Social Sciences, should be increased. The environmental education curriculum should be revised throughout all the courses. PMID:28912823

Interactive fundamental physics. [THE REAL STUFF: The New Expanded Media Physics Course for secondary school students

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

Rubin, E.L.

THE REAL STUFF is an Expanded Media Physics Course aimed at students still in the formative early years of secondary school. Its consists of a working script for an interactive multimedia study unit in basic concepts of physics. The unit begins with a prologue on the Big Bang that sets the stage, and concludes with a lesson on Newton's first law of motion. The format is interactive, placing the individual student in control of a layered hypermedia'' structure that enables him or her to find a level of detail and difficulty that is comfortable and meaningful. The intent is tomore » make physics relevant, intellectually accessible and fun. On-screen presenters and demonstrators will be females and males of various ages, ethnicities and backgrounds, and will include celebrities and physicists of note. A lean, layered design encourages repeated, cumulative study and makes the material useful for self-directed Teaming even by college students. THE REAL STUFF introduces a new science teaching paradigm, a way to teach science that will engage even students who have declined'' to be interested in science in the past. Increased participation in science by women, African-Americans and Spanish-speaking students is a particular goal.« less

Eating Attitudes and Related Factors in Turkish Nursing Students

PubMed Central

Celik, Sevim; Ugur, Bayram Ali; Aykurt, Fethi Ahmet; Bektas, Muammer

2015-01-01

Background: Changing eating behaviors might trigger obesity, deficiency, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and reactive eating disorders. Objectives: This study aimed to determine eating attitudes of nursing students in the western Black-Sea region of Turkey as well as to examine the effects of demographic features, self-esteem, body image, income level, and family structure on their eating attitudes. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 310 nursing students between January and February 2014. Data were collected using the personal information form, Eating Attitudes Test (EAT), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), Beck Depression Scale (BDS), Body-Cathexis Scale (BCS), and Body Mass Index (BMI). Data were evaluated by descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Pearson correlation analysis. Results: About 30.0% of Turkish nursing students had negative eating attitudes. There was a significant positive correlation between the BDS and EAT scores (P < 0.001). There was a significant negative correlation between RSES scores and EAT scores of nursing students (P < 0.001). A statistically significant difference was found between the father’s occupation (P < 0.05) and mother’s working condition (P < 0.05), and the students’ eating attitudes. Conclusions: Psychological status, self-esteem, economic level, and place of residence of nursing students may be the potential factors for eating disorders. PMID:26339662

Assessment the effect of the CBT on motivation of the nursing students

PubMed Central

Mehrabi, Tayebeh; Behzadi, Somayeh; Sabouri, Farhad; Alavi, Mousa

2016-01-01

Background: Motivation to academic achievement is critical for students of medical sciences, particularly nursing students. It is directly related to high levels of achievement and quality of life. Accordingly, diminished motivation would result in academic decline, study and work desertion and exhaustion. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of cognitive behavioural intervention on the motivation for academic achievement of the nursing students. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on 64 female nursing students who were recruited to study based on the inclusion criteria. After sampling, the subjects were randomly assigned to study and control groups. Then, cognitive behavioural intervention was administered in study group during 60 days. Academic motivation scale was filled before, after and one month after the intervention. Data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistical tests (Chi-square, t-test). Results: After the intervention, mean scores of academic motivation were significantly increased in study group, compared to control group (P < 0.001). Comparison of the mean scores of academic motivation in two groups revealed a significant increase in mean score of academic motivation 151.50 (20.22) after cognitive behavioural intervention (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The findings suggested that cognitive behavioural intervention was a valuable psychotherapy technique to improve academic achievement motivation among nursing students. PMID:27095983

Computer literacy and attitudes towards e-learning among first year medical students

PubMed Central

Link, Thomas Michael; Marz, Richard

2006-01-01

Background At the Medical University of Vienna, most information for students is available only online. In 2005, an e-learning project was initiated and there are plans to introduce a learning management system. In this study, we estimate the level of students' computer skills, the number of students having difficulty with e-learning, and the number of students opposed to e-learning. Methods The study was conducted in an introductory course on computer-based and web-based training (CBT/WBT). Students were asked to fill out a questionnaire online that covered a wide range of relevant attitudes and experiences. Results While the great majority of students possess sufficient computer skills and acknowledge the advantages of interactive and multimedia-enhanced learning material, a small percentage lacks basic computer skills and/or is very skeptical about e-learning. There is also a consistently significant albeit weak gender difference in available computer infrastructure and Internet access. As for student attitudes toward e-learning, we found that age, computer use, and previous exposure to computers are more important than gender. A sizable number of students, 12% of the total, make little or no use of existing e-learning offerings. Conclusion Many students would benefit from a basic introduction to computers and to the relevant computer-based resources of the university. Given to the wide range of computer skills among students, a single computer course for all students would not be useful nor would it be accepted. Special measures should be taken to prevent students who lack computer skills from being disadvantaged or from developing computer-hostile attitudes. PMID:16784524

Comparison between flipped classroom and lecture-based classroom in ophthalmology clerkship

PubMed Central

Tang, Fen; Chen, Chuan; Zhu, Yi; Zuo, Chengguo; Zhong, Yimin; Wang, Nan; Zhou, Lijun; Zou, Yuxian; Liang, Dan

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: In recent years, the flipped classroom method of teaching has received much attention in health sciences education. However, the application of flipped classrooms in ophthalmology education has not been well investigated. Objective: The goal of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and acceptability of the flipped classroom approach to teaching ophthalmology at the clerkship level. Design: Ninety-five fourth year medical students in an ophthalmology clerkship were randomly divided into two groups. An ocular trauma module was chosen for the content of this study. One group (FG (flipped group), n = 48) participated in flipped classroom instruction and was asked to watch a recorded lecture video and to read study materials before a face-to-face class meeting. They used the in-class time for discussion. The other group (TG (traditional group), n = 47) was assigned to traditional lecture-based instruction. These students attended a didactic lecture and completed assigned homework after the lecture. Feedback questionnaires were collected to compare students’ perspectives on the teaching approach they experienced and to evaluate students’ self-perceived competence and interest in ocular trauma. Pre- and post-tests were performed to assess student learning of the course materials. Results: More students in the FG agreed that the classroom helped to promote their learning motivation, improve their understanding of the course materials, and enhance their communication skill and clinical thinking. However, students in the FG did not show a preference for this method of teaching, and also reported more burden and pressure than those from the TG. Students from the FG performed better on the post test over the ocular trauma-related questions when compared to those from the TG. Conclusions: The flipped classroom approach shows promise in ophthalmology clerkship teaching. However, it has some drawbacks. Further evaluation and modifications are required before it can be widely accepted and implemented. Abbreviations FG: Flipped classroom group; TG: Traditional lecture-based classroom group; TBL: Team-based learning; PBL: Problem-based learning; ZOC: Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center PMID:29096591

Engaging Students in GeoPRISMS Science Planning: Preparing the Leaders of Tomorrow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henning, A. T.; Benoit, M. H.; Marshall, J.; Goodliffe, A. M.; Morgan, J. K.; Bopp, C. J.

2011-12-01

GeoPRISMS is the legacy of the NSF MARGINS Program. It is a new decadal program, funded by NSF, committed to the amphibious study of the origin and evolution of continental margins through interdisciplinary, community-based investigations. MARGINS and GeoPRISMS have had notable success in fostering this team-based approach in graduate students who then continue on to become GeoPRISMS PIs. GeoPRISMS is enhancing its student outreach efforts through the development of a student symposium program, in which graduate students are invited to be more active participants in GeoPRISMS workshops, and are provided with valuable background and reference materials to enable them. This approach has been applied and updated at four GeoPRISMS workshops so far: two implementation workshops and two science planning workshops. Graduate students participated in the GeoPRISMS Rift Initiation and Evolution (RIE) implementation workshop in November 2010 and the Subduction Cycles and Deformation (SCD) workshop in January 2011, contributing to the overall design of the GeoPRISMS research program, and the selection of primary sites for study. In addition to participating in the regular meeting activities, students gave "pop-up" presentations to summarize their research and poster presentations and also worked together to develop their own draft implementation plan that was presented to the larger audience. Students responded positively to the experience of drafting their own implementation plans, which fostered a sense of community among participants and created an environment in which students felt comfortable speaking up during the meeting. Scientists attending the workshops were impressed by the students' draft implementation plans, as well as their work ethic and enthusiasm, and felt they made a very positive contribution to the workshops. Student feedback suggested providing students with a better understanding of the main scientific questions addressed at the meeting, as well as possible career paths. The sequestration of students during the workshop also raised concerns that they missed opportunities for broader community interactions. In Fall 2011, students participated in two symposia associated with the GeoPRISMS Alaska and Eastern North American Margin primary site planning workshops. The fall symposia followed a different model based on feedback from the first two workshops. A full day of activities took place prior to the workshop, including short presentations by experts in the field to provide background, a half-day field trip to enhance cohort-building, and student-only poster sessions and discussions. This approach allowed the students to participate fully in the meeting itself, with a stronger base of knowledge about the workshop topics and a larger network of colleagues.

Personal best (PB) goal structure, individual PB goals, engagement, and achievement: A study of Chinese- and English-speaking background students in Australian schools.

PubMed

Martin, Andrew J; Collie, Rebecca J; Mok, Magdalena M C; McInerney, Dennis M

2016-03-01

Prior cross-cultural research with students in different national contexts (Australia and China) has shown consistency in the extent to which individual personal best (PB) goals are associated with engagement at school. This study extends this work to a multicultural context, assessing perceived PB goal structure in school and individual PB goals among Chinese- and English-speaking background Australian high school students attending the same schools. A sample of 450 students (N = 225 Chinese-speaking background Australian students; N = 225 matched English-speaking background Australian students) from 20 schools. We conducted multigroup path modelling to examine the following process model: Perceived PB goal structure in school → individual PB goals → school engagement → academic achievement. Findings showed that for both groups, perceived PB goal structure in school is associated with an individual's PB goals (and engagement), individual PB goals are associated with engagement, and engagement is associated with achievement. The indirect effects of perceived PB goal structure in school to achievement (via individual PB goals and engagement) and individual PB goals to achievement (via engagement) were also significant. Notably, there was no significant difference in parameters between Chinese- and English-speaking background students, suggesting generality of the effects of perceived PB goal structure in school and individual PB goals in the engagement and achievement process. Findings hold implications for educators teaching to culturally diverse classrooms and seeking to optimize students' academic growth within these contexts. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

The Influence of Religion-Specific Background Knowledge on the Listening Comprehension of Adult Second-Language Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markham, Paul; Latham, Michael

1987-01-01

Assesses the influence of religious-specific background knowledge on adult ESL listening comprehension. Sixteen Moslems, 20 Christians, and 28 religion-neutral students listened to two passages, one on prayer rituals of Islam and one on those of Christianity. Students better recalled and understood the passage related to their respective religious…

Religious Belief: The Main Impact on the Perception of the Nature of Science on Student Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aflalo, Ester

2013-01-01

This study aims to examine the affect of the degree of religiosity of student teachers, and their nationalism and scientific background on their perception of the nature of science (NOS). First year Arab and Jewish religiously observant, traditional and secular students in Israel (101 in number) with different scientific backgrounds participated…

An Analysis of High School Home Economics Students Attitudes in Different Geosocial Environments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erickson, Patricia M.

Teachers, especially home economics teachers, would be better prepared to evaluate subject matter and to separate fact and personal opinion if they had a better understanding of diverse student backgrounds. To find out such background information, a study was conducted to analyze attitudes and values held by junior and senior students in home…

Exploring the Cross-Cultural Experiences of College Students with Diverse Backgrounds Performing International Service-Learning in Myanmar

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Ruo-lan; Lee, Hsin-hua

2011-01-01

Background: In view of the growing globalization, volunteer service organizations, local universities, colleges, and student groups have begun extending their service programs from Taiwan to other countries. This study employs a self-organized, self-funded group of university students participating in international service-learning as its subject,…

Using a "Primer Unit" in an Introductory Biology Course: "A Soft Landing"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marbach-Ad, Gili; Ribke, Melina; Gershoni, Jonathan M.

2006-01-01

This study aimed to facilitate students' entrance to an introductory cell biology course for biology majors. The most prominent difficulty in this introductory course, is students' poor background-knowledge, such as a lack of understanding of very basic concepts and terms, and the huge differences in students' background knowledge. In order to…

Tracing the Economic Backgrounds of COFHE Students: Has There Been a "Middle-Income Melt?"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schapiro, Morton Owen; And Others

This report presents the results of a study examining the effects of rapidly rising tuitions at the nation's "elite" private colleges and universities, and the impact on the enrollment of middle-income students. The paper traces the income background of Consortium on Financing Higher Education (COFHE) schools and shows how students from…

Interdisciplinary Education--A Predator-Prey Model for Developing a Skill Set in Mathematics, Biology and Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Hoff, Quay

2017-01-01

The science of biology has been transforming dramatically and so the need for a stronger mathematical background for biology students has increased. Biological students reaching the senior or post-graduate level often come to realize that their mathematical background is insufficient. Similarly, students in a mathematics programme, interested in…

Understanding Latino Students' Schooling Experiences: The Relevance of Skin Color among Mexican and Puerto Rican High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fergus, Edward

2009-01-01

Background/Context: For the last 40 years, researchers have posited competing theories regarding the relative influence of social class background and racial-group membership on the school experiences, academic performance, behavior, and motivation of ethnic minority students. The general purpose of these competing theories has been to explain why…

A Transformative Undergraduate Field Trip to the Grand Canyon and Death Valley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, J. A.

2014-12-01

Seeing the iconic Grand Canyon and Death Valley in person is a transformative experience for most geologists, including nine undergraduate geology students from upstate New York. The students were enrolled in a one-credit course designed around a nine-day spring-break field trip to Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP) and Death Valley National Park (DVNP). We met once a week before the trip to plan day-to-day activities and discuss background geologic information. Students selected a research topic related to our itinerary and wrote a guidebook entry for the topic. Students' entries were combined with papers, maps, and background material to make a guidebook. The printed guidebooks provided students with a "publication" of their work to show to others and refer to in the field. The nine-day field trip started with a flight into Las Vegas, NV, on 3/1/14. We spent three nights camping at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, one night camping in Valley of Fire State Park (VOFSP, 55 mi N of Las Vegas), and three nights staying at the Shoshone Education and Research Center (SHEAR) east of Death Valley. Highlights of the trip included the hike along the Bright Angel Trail (and fault) to Plateau Point and recognition of the Great Unconformity at GCNP; the White Domes loop hike, camping at the Beehives, and observation of the Muddy Mountain Overthrust in VOFSP; and hikes at Ubehebe Crater, Badwater Salt Flat, and Natural Bridge Canyon in DVNP. Each student presented his/her research topic at a pertinent point in the field trip; students were impressively well-prepared. One requirement of the course was a poster presentation on each student's research topic at our Undergraduate Research Symposium in April. For most of the students, the poster session was the first experience preparing and presenting a poster. In addition, the class gave a joint colloquium presentation to several hundred science majors and a number of science faculty at Saint Rose. Each student spoke for five minutes on his/her research topic, accompanied by slides. This was their first experience giving a talk in public, and most learned the lesson that preparation and practice are keys to a good talk. Course evaluations were overwhelmingly positive. In my experience, there is no substitute for seeing geology in the field; the students agreed.

Assessment of Lecture Strategy with Different Teaching Aids

PubMed Central

Kumar, Manoj; Kumar, Jayballabh; Kumar, Gaurav; Kapoor, Sangeeta

2015-01-01

Background and Objectives: Medical/dental colleges in Northern India cater to students with diverse backgrounds, mother tongues, levels of comprehending English, and intelligence levels. This study was conducted to identify lecture strategy and teaching aid best suited for North Indian dental and medical students. It was conducted in two parts – 1. Survey of teachers’ and students’ opinion to obtain their preferences in teaching-learning practices followed in a conventional lecture, and 2. Comparison of students’ performances after a single trial lecture with different groups of students, using different teaching aids (TAs). Materials and Methods: Opinions of 33 faculty teaching first year dental/ medical students and 506 volunteer students (320 female) were compiled. Students were divided into four groups. A single trial lecture was held with each group (on the same topic, using identical lesson plan, by the same teacher) using a different teaching aid with each group. Lecture strategy was designed according to students’ preferences (as obtained from opinion survey) regarding language of instruction and the number of mental breaks. TAs used with different groups were chalk and board (C&B), PowerPoint (PPT), overhead projector (OHP), and a combination of C&B and PPT. Pre- and post-tests using multiple choice questions were conducted with each group. Results of post-test questionnaire and feedback from faculty attending the lecture were assessed for students’ satisfaction and attentiveness in all four groups. Results: Survey results indicated that although 97.6% students believed they had good/fair proficiency in English, 83.6% preferred being taught in a combination of English and Hindi; 44.3% students preferred C&B, 40.1% preferred PPT and 15.6% preferred the use of OHP as TA. After conducting a trial lecture with different TAs with each group, more than 90% students expressed satisfaction with the TA used for that group. Significantly better performance was observed in the post-lecture test when C&B was used. Conclusion: The needs of students in India are different from those of their Western counterparts, and should be considered during didactic lectures to improve the students’ understanding. Post-test results were better when C&B was used, as more students were attentive and/or took notes. PMID:25737979

Variation in Second Language Learners' Strategies among Non-Native English Speakers from Three Language/Culture Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebsworth, Miriam Eisenstein; Tang, Frank Lixing; Razavi, Nikta; Aiello, Jacqueline

2014-01-01

This study explored the effects of cultural and linguistic background, L2 proficiency, and gender on language learning strategies for 263 college-level learners from Chinese, Russian, and Latino backgrounds. Data based on the SILL (Oxford, 2001) revealed that Russian students used significantly more strategies than the Chinese students in three…

Effects of Family Educational Background, Dwelling and Parenting Style on Students' Academic Achievement: The Case of Secondary Schools in Bahir Dar

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mekonnen, Melaku Anteneh

2017-01-01

This study predominantly focuses on investigating the respective impacts of family educational background, dwelling background and parenting styles on students' overall academic performance with respect to governmental secondary schools in Bahir Dar town, Ethiopia. A descriptive survey method was employed. A 42 items questionnaire was constructed…

Reading Proficiency and Comparability of Mathematics and Science Scores for Students from English and Non-English Backgrounds: An International Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ercikan, Kadriye; Chen, Michelle Y.; Lyons-Thomas, Juliette; Goodrich, Shawna; Sandilands, Debra; Roth, Wolff-Michael; Simon, Marielle

2015-01-01

The purpose of this research is to examine the comparability of mathematics and science scores for students from English language backgrounds (ELB) and non-English language backgrounds (NELB). We examine the relationship between English reading proficiency and performance on mathematics and science assessments in Australia, Canada, the United…

Analysis of the Characteristics of Discussion Materials that Promote Group Discussion in the Medical Humanities.

PubMed

Ahn, Jae Hee; Jeon, Woo Taek

2011-12-01

This study aims to analyze the characteristics of discussion materials that promote student participation in discussions, satisfaction with student instruction, and tutor intervention in the medical humanities. We surveyed 117 premedical students and 7 tutors who attended 4-week group discussions in the medical humanities in 2010. We described the discussion materials using the following 4 characteristics as independent variables: material type, level of understanding, interest, and quantity. Dependent variables were: student participation in the discussion, student instruction satisfaction, and tutor intervention. Correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis, and crosstab were performed using SPSS 15.0. The correlation between the characteristics of the discussion materials differed by grade. When the books were chosen as the discussion material in the instruction of first-year premedical students, the correlation between level of understanding, interest, and quantity was negative. Higher levels of understanding of the material and interest in the material led to an increase in discussion participation among both first- and second-year premedical students. Higher levels of understanding and interest of the discussion material also increased student satisfaction with the instruction, regardless of grade. Finally, levels of understanding of the material affected the degree of tutor intervention. Tutors intervened more often in discussions with first-year premedical students than with second-year premedical students. Differences in grades and the understanding of the discussion material should be considered when choosing discussion materials. Further study is required to continue the development of the discussion model and improve methods of facilitate discussion among students in the medical humanities.

Investigating the Use of Smartphones for Learning Purposes by Australian Dental Students

PubMed Central

Rung, Andrea; Warnke, Frauke

2014-01-01

Background Mobile Internet devices and smartphones have at present a significant potential as learning tools and the development of educational interventions based on smartphones have attracted increasing attention. Objective The objective of this study was to obtain a deeper insight in the nature of students’ use of smartphones, as well as their attitudes towards educational use of mobile devices in order to design successful teaching interventions. Method A questionnaire was designed, aiming to investigate the actual daily habitual use, as well as the attitudes of dental students towards smartphones for their university education purposes. The survey was used to collect data from 232 dental students. Results Of the 232 respondents, 204 (87.9%) owned a smartphone, and 191 (82.3%) had access to third generation (3G) mobile carriers. The most popular devices were the iPhone and Android. Most of the respondents had intermediate smartphone skills and used smartphones for a number of learning activities. Only 75/232 (32.3%) had specific educational applications installed, while 148/232 (63.7%) used smartphones to access to social media and found it valuable for their education (P<.05). Students accessing social media with their smartphones also showed significantly more advanced skills with smartphones than those who did not (P<.05). There was no significant association between age group, gender, origin, and smartphone skills. There was positive correlation between smartphone skills and students' attitudes toward improving access to learning material (r=.43, P<.05), helping to learn more independently (r=.44, P<.05), and use of smartphones by teaching staff (r=.45, P<.05). Conclusion The results in this study suggest that students use smartphones and social media for their education even though this technology has not been formally included in the curriculum. This might present an opportunity for educators to design educational methods, activities, and material that are suitable for smartphones and allow students to use this technology, thereby accommodating students’ current diverse learning approaches. PMID:25099261

Spirituality in Indian University Students and its Associations with Socioeconomic Status, Religious Background, Social Support, and Mental Health.

PubMed

Deb, Sibnath; McGirr, Kevin; Sun, Jiandong

2016-10-01

The present study aimed to understand spirituality and its relationships with socioeconomic status (SES), religious background, social support, and mental health among Indian university students. It was hypothesized that (1) female university students will be more spiritual than male university students, (2) four domains of spirituality will differ significantly across socioeconomic and religious background of the university students in addition to social support, and (3) there will be a positive relationship between spirituality and mental health of university students, irrespective of gender. A group of 475 postgraduate students aged 20-27 years, 241 males and 234 females, from various disciplines of Pondicherry University, India, participated in the study. Students' background was collected using a structured questionnaire. Overall spirituality and its four dimensions were measured using the Spirituality Attitude Inventory, while mental health status was estimated based on scores of the psychological subscale of the WHO Quality of Life Questionnaire. Female students were significantly more spiritual than male students, particularly in spiritual practice and sense of purpose/connection. Hindu religion and lower family income were associated with lower spirituality. Higher spirituality was associated with congenial family environment and more support from teachers and classmates. There was a strong association between overall spirituality and two spirituality domains (spiritual belief and sense of purpose/connection) with better mental health. Findings suggest an opportunity for open dialogue on spirituality for university students as part of their mental health and support services that fosters a positive mind set and enhancement of resilience.

Introductory animal science-based instruction influences attitudes on animal agriculture issues.

PubMed

Bobeck, E A; Combs, D K; Cook, M E

2014-02-01

The demographics of incoming university animal science majors have shifted from students with a farm background to urban students with no history of direct livestock contact. Research completed before the Internet was a central source of information indicated that incoming urban students tend to express no opinion or a neutral opinion regarding livestock agriculture issues. Due to the changing background of incoming students enrolled in introductory university-level animal science classes, we sought to determine 1) if livestock background (self-identified as raised in a farm or urban setting), sex, or animal science career interest influenced the opinions of incoming students regarding critical issues involving livestock farming practices and 2) if 15 wk of introductory animal science instruction changed student opinions. A total of 224 students were given 2 identical anonymous surveys (start and end of 15 wk) with 5 demographic questions and 9 animal issue statements. For each statement, students marked their opinion by placing a vertical line on a continuous 130 mm horizontal line, where a vertical line placed at 0 mm = strongly agree and 130 mm = strongly disagree. Data were analyzed by ANOVA to determine any significant effects of instruction, background, sex, and future career preference on survey responses. Before instruction, urban students were less agreeable than farm students that animal farming was moral and humane and that farmers are concerned about animal welfare and livestock are of value to society (P ≤ 0.05). Urban students were more likely than farm students to purchase organic foods or food based on environmental/welfare standards (P ≤ 0.05). Introductory animal science instruction resulted in students becoming more agreeable that animal farming was humane, farmers are concerned about animal welfare, and animal agriculture is a value to society (P ≤ 0.05). Postinstruction, students were more likely to buy food products based on price (P ≤ 0.05). Males found farm practices more humane than females (P ≤ 0.05), but sex differences were not evident for other questions. Future professional career plans did not affect student opinions. Data showed that incoming urban students tend to be more neutral with regards to animal farming issues, and introductory animal science instruction fosters a more agreeable attitude towards animal farming practices, especially in students with urban backgrounds.

Volta-Based Cells Materials Chemical Multiple Representation to Improve Ability of Student Representation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helsy, I.; Maryamah; Farida, I.; Ramdhani, M. A.

2017-09-01

This study aimed to describe the application of teaching materials, analyze the increase in the ability of students to connect the three levels of representation and student responses after application of multiple representations based teaching materials chemistry. The method used quasi one-group pretest-posttest design to 71 students. The results showed the application of teaching materials carried 88% with very good category. A significant increase ability to connect the three levels of representation of students after the application of multiple representations based teaching materials chemistry with t-value > t-crit (11.402 > 1.991). Recapitulation N-gain pretest and posttest showed relatively similar for all groups is 0.6 criterion being achievement. Students gave a positive response to the application of multiple representations based teaching materials chemistry. Students agree teaching materials used in teaching chemistry (88%), and agrees teaching materials to provide convenience in connecting the three levels of representation (95%).

Identifying and Addressing Student Difficulties with the Millikan Oil Drop Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klassen, Stephen

2009-05-01

The Millikan oil drop experiment has been characterized as one of the ‘most beautiful’ physics experiments of all time and, certainly, as one of the most frustrating of all the exercises in the undergraduate physics laboratory. A literature review reveals that work done on addressing student difficulties in performing the oil drop experiment has, to date, not achieved a significant measure of success. The historical background of the oil drop experiment is well established in the literature from the perspective of historians of science, but not so from the perspective of teachers and students of science. A summary of historical details surrounding the original experiment suitable for use in revising the instructional approach is presented. Both Millikan and his graduate student, Fletcher, are featured with the view to emphasizing details that humanize the protagonists and that are likely to raise student interest. The issue of the necessary reliance on presuppositions in doing speculative research is raised, both from the historical account and from the insights of university physics students who heard the historical account and performed the experiment. Difficulties current students have in performing the experiment are discussed from the perspective of Hodson (Stud Sci Educ 22:85-142, 1993) framework and the students’ own observations. Last, further historical materials are outlined that may be used to encourage student insight into the fundamental nature of electricity. It is proposed that these aspects are essential as a basis for identifying and addressing student difficulties with the Millikan oil drop experiment.

An intermediate-level course on Biological Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Phil

2004-03-01

I describe both undergraduate and graduate 1-semester courses designed to give a survey of Biological Physics. The courses cover classical as well as recent topics. The undergraduate version requires calculus-based first-year physics as its prerequisite. With this level of assumed background, we can arrive at topics such as molecular motors, manipulation of single molecules, and the propagation of nerve impulses. Students majoring in physics, chemistry, biochemistry, and every engineering major (as well as a few in biology), end up taking this course. The graduate course covers the same material but includes exercises with symbolic mathematics packages and data modeling.

Students awareness of learning styles and their perceptions to a mixed method approach for learning

PubMed Central

Bhagat, Anumeha; Vyas, Rashmi; Singh, Tejinder

2015-01-01

Background: Individualization of instructional method does not contribute significantly to learning outcomes although it is known that students have differing learning styles (LSs). Hence, in order to maximally enhance learning, one must try to use a mixed method approach. Hypothesis: Our hypothesis was that awareness of preferred LS and motivation to incorporate multiple learning strategies might enhance learning outcomes. Aim: Our aim was to determine the impact of awareness of LS among medical undergraduates and motivating students to use mixed methods of learning. Materials and Methods: Before awareness lecture, LS preferences were determined using Visual, Aural, Read/Write, and Kinesthetic (VARK) questionnaire. Awareness of LS was assessed using a validated questionnaire. Through a lecture, students were oriented to various LSs, impact of LS on their performance, and benefit of using mixed method approach for learning. Subsequently, group discussions were organized. After 3 months, VARK preferences and awareness of LSs were reassessed. Student narratives were collected. Qualitative analysis of the data was done. Results: There was a significant increase in the number of students who were aware of LS. The number of participants showing a change in VARK scores for various modalities of learning was also significant (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Thus, awareness of LSs motivated students to adapt other learning strategies and use mixed methods for learning. PMID:26380214

Development of multidisciplinary nanotechnology undergraduate education program at the University of Rochester Integrated Nanosystems Center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lukishova, Svetlana G.; Bigelow, Nicholas P.; D'Alessandris, Paul D.

2017-08-01

Supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation educational grant, a coherent educational program at the University of Rochester (UR) in nanoscience and nanoengineering, based on the Institute of Optics and Intergrated Nanosystems Center resources was created. The main achievements of this program are (1) developing curriculum and offering the Certificate for Nanoscience and Nanoengineering program (15 students were awarded the Certificate and approximately 10 other students are working in this direction), (2) creating a reproducible model of collaboration in nanotechnology between a university with state-of-the-art, expensive experimental facilities, and a nearby, two-year community college (CC) with participation of a local Monroe Community College (MCC). 52 MCC students carried out two labs at the UR on the atomic force microscopy and a photolithography at a clean room; (3) developing reproducible hand-on experiments on nanophotonics ("mini-labs"), learning materials and pedagogical methods to educate students with diverse backgrounds, including freshmen and non-STEM-major CC students. These minilabs on nanophotonics were also introduced in some Institute of Optics classes. For the Certificate program UR students must take three courses: Nanometrology Laboratory (a new course) and two other selective courses from the list of several. Students also should carry out a one-semester research or a design project in the field of nanoscience and nanoengineering.

International students' enrollment in IPTA by using multilevel analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wai, Phoong Seuk; Ismail, Mohd Tahir; Karim, Samsul Ariffin Abdul

2012-09-01

The increases of demand on knowledge-based and production-based market force the growth of higher education. International students' enrollment contributes to economic growth and increase country's income, university reputation and name; promote the competitive of education and training markets. This paper used multilevel analysis to study the international students' enrollment in Malaysia public university. Student's background variables and institution background variables were study in this paper and the relationship among them also been investigated. Result shows that institution type is a significance factor on international students' enrollment in Malaysia public university.

The Challenge of Promoting Self-Regulated Learning among Primary School Children with a Low Socioeconomic and Immigrant Background

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vandevelde, Sabrina; Van Keer, Hilde; Merchie, Emmelien

2017-01-01

The authors explore the effects of student tutoring as an approach to provide support on self-regulated learning (SRL) to fifth- and sixth-grade students with a low socioeconomic or immigrant background. In total, 401 Flemish (Belgium) students participated. A quasi-experimental study with pretest, posttest, and retention test control group design…

Beyond Judgment Bias: How Students' Ethnicity and Academic Profile Consistency Influence Teachers' Tracking Judgments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glock, Sabine; Krolak-Schwerdt, Sabine; Klapproth, Florian; Böhmer, Matthias

2013-01-01

Research on school tracking has provided evidence that students with immigrant backgrounds are overrepresented in the lower school tracks. As teachers are the main decision makers when it comes to tracking, we investigated whether teachers' tracking judgments are biased by the immigrant backgrounds of the students and how teachers'…

The Influence of Parental Background on Students' Academic Performance in Physics in WASSCS 2000-2005

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebong, Samuel T.

2015-01-01

The study investigated parental background on student's academic performance in secondary schools in Abak local government, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. A survey design was adopted for the study. One thousand four hundred and forty (1440) senior secondary three (SS3) Physics students were drawn by simple random sampling from 12 Schools, six (6) each…

Discrimination against Students with Foreign Backgrounds: Evidence from Grading in Swedish Public High Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hinnerich, Bjorn Tyrefors; Höglin, Erik; Johannesson, Magnus

2015-01-01

We rigorously test for discrimination against students with foreign backgrounds in high school grading in Sweden. We analyse a random sample of national tests in the Swedish language graded both non-blindly by the student's own teacher and blindly without any identifying information. The increase in the test score due to non-blind grading is…

College Students' Goals, Plans, and Background Characteristics; A Synthesis of Three Empirical Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenske, Robert H.; Scott, Craig S.

This study was designed to provide longitudinal data bearing on the change and/or stability of college-bound students' educational and vocational goals, as well as their background characteristics. Data from three studies were contrasted and compared. Included in these studies were: (1) a 2-year followup of 4,009 junior college students; (2) a…

The Effect of Self-Regulatory and Metacognitive Strategy Instruction on Impoverished Students' Assessment Achievement in Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fouche, Jaunine

2013-01-01

The purpose of this nonequivalent control group design study was to evaluate the effectiveness of metacognitive and self-regulatory strategy use on the assessment achievement of 215 9th-grade, residential physics students from low socioeconomic status (low-SES) backgrounds. Students from low-SES backgrounds often lack the self-regulatory habits…

Validating the Japanese Translation of the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation and Comparing Performance Levels of American and Japanese Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ishimoto, Michi; Thornton, Ronald K.; Sokoloff, David R.

2014-01-01

This study assesses the Japanese translation of the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation (FMCE). Researchers are often interested in comparing the conceptual ideas of students with different cultural backgrounds. The FMCE has been useful in identifying the concepts of English-speaking students from different backgrounds. To identify effectively…

The Use of Pre-Lectures in a University Biology Course--Eliminating the Need for Prerequisites

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

da Silva, Karen Burke; Hunter, Narelle

2009-01-01

First year biology students at Flinders University with no prior biology background knowledge fail at almost twice the rate as those with a background. To remedy this discrepancy we enabled students to attend a weekly series of pre-lectures aimed at providing basic biological concepts, thereby removing the need for students to complete a…

The Colour of Velvet. A Transdisciplinary Approach to Connecting Students from a Refugee Background to the Natural World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Leni; O'Keefe, Lise; Paige, Kathryn

2017-01-01

What pedagogical strategies support students from a refugee background connecting to the natural world? What would these strategies look like for fifteen students participating in a language intensive New Arrivals Program (NAP)? These questions were the focus of a small collaborative project set up to investigate the impact of pedagogical…

Inequalities in Students' Choice of STEM Subjects: An Exploration of Intersectional Relationships. CLS Working Paper 2015/6

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Codiroli, Natasha

2015-01-01

The relative lack of students studying post-compulsory STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects is a key policy concern. A particular issue is the disparities in uptake by students' family background, gender and ethnicity. It remains unclear whether the effects of family background can be explained by academic disparities,…

Restructuring the CS 1 classroom: Examining the effect of open laboratory-based classes vs. closed laboratory-based classes on Computer Science 1 students' achievement and attitudes toward computers and computer courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henderson, Jean Foster

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of classroom restructuring involving computer laboratories on student achievement and student attitudes toward computers and computer courses. The effects of the targeted student attributes of gender, previous programming experience, math background, and learning style were also examined. The open lab-based class structure consisted of a traditional lecture class with a separate, unscheduled lab component in which lab assignments were completed outside of class; the closed lab-based class structure integrated a lab component within the lecture class so that half the class was reserved for lecture and half the class was reserved for students to complete lab assignments by working cooperatively with each other and under the supervision and guidance of the instructor. The sample consisted of 71 students enrolled in four intact classes of Computer Science I during the fall and spring semesters of the 2006--2007 school year at two southern universities: two classes were held in the fall (one at each university) and two classes were held in the spring (one at each university). A counterbalanced repeated measures design was used in which all students experienced both class structures for half of each semester. The order of control and treatment was rotated among the four classes. All students received the same amount of class and instructor time. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) via a multiple regression strategy was used to test the study's hypotheses. Although the overall MANOVA model was statistically significant, independent follow-up univariate analyses relative to each dependent measure found that the only significant research factor was math background: Students whose mathematics background was at the level of Calculus I or higher had significantly higher student achievement than students whose mathematics background was less than Calculus I. The results suggest that classroom structures that incorporate an open laboratory setting are just as effective on student achievement and attitudes as classroom structures that incorporate a closed laboratory setting. The results also suggest that math background is a strong predictor of student achievement in CS 1.

Motivational activities based on previous knowledge of students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García, J. A.; Gómez-Robledo, L.; Huertas, R.; Perales, F. J.

2014-07-01

Academic results depend strongly on the individual circumstances of students: background, motivation and aptitude. We think that academic activities conducted to increase motivation must be tuned to the special situation of the students. Main goal of this work is analyze the students in the first year of the Degree in Optics and Optometry in the University of Granada and the suitability of an activity designed for those students. Initial data were obtained from a survey inquiring about the reasons to choose this degree, their knowledge of it, and previous academic backgrounds. Results show that: 1) the group is quite heterogeneous, since students have very different background. 2) Reasons to choose the Degree in Optics and Optometry are also very different, and in many cases were selected as a second option. 3) Knowledge and motivations about the Degree are in general quite low. Trying to increase the motivation of the students we designed an academic activity in which we show different topics studied in the Degree. Results show that students that have been involved in this activity are the most motivated and most satisfied with their election of the degree.

Exploring the consequences of combining medical students with and without a background in biomedical sciences.

PubMed

Ellaway, Rachel H; Bates, Amanda; Girard, Suzanne; Buitenhuis, Deanna; Lee, Kyle; Warton, Aidan; Russell, Steve; Caines, Jill; Traficante, Eric; Graves, Lisa

2014-07-01

Medical schools have tended to admit students with strong backgrounds in the biomedical sciences. Previous studies have shown that those with backgrounds in the social sciences can be as successful in medical school as those with science backgrounds. However, the experience of being a 'non-science' student over time has not been well described. A mixed-methods study was developed and run with the aim of elucidating the personal experiences of science and non-science students at our institution. Data were generated from a student survey that focused on participants' self-identification as science or non-science students, and on their sense of preparedness and stress, and from a series of student focus groups exploring participants' experiences of science and non-science issues in all aspects of their training. Descriptive statistics were generated for structured survey data. Focus group data and unstructured survey data were analysed to identify common themes. End-of-module and end-of-year examination data for the four class cohorts in the programme were also analysed to compare science and non-science student performance over time. There were clear differences between the experiences and performance of science and non-science students. We found dichotomies in students' self-reported sense of preparedness and stress levels, and marked differences in their examination performance, which diminished over time to converge around the third year of their studies. Combining science and non-science students in the same class affected the students to different extents and in different ways. The potential disruption of mixing science and non-science students diminished as their levels of performance converged. The psychosocial stress experienced by non-science students and the challenges it posed, in both their academic and their personal lives, have implications for how such students should be supported, and how curricula can be configured to afford quality learning for all medical students. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Equal but different: Effects of equality/inclusion and cultural pluralism on intergroup outcomes in multiethnic classrooms.

PubMed

Schwarzenthal, Miriam; Schachner, Maja K; van de Vijver, Fons J R; Juang, Linda P

2018-04-01

Integrating research on intergroup contact and intercultural relations, we investigated effects of 2 types of cultural diversity norms (equality/inclusion and cultural pluralism) on outgroup orientation and perceived discrimination among students of immigrant and nonimmigrant background. Our sample comprised 1,975 6th graders (M age = 11.53, SD age = 0.69, 47% female) in Germany, of whom 1,213 (61%) were of immigrant background, defined as having at least 1 parent born in a different country. A total of 83 countries of origin were represented. We applied a multilevel framework to assess the impact of individual-level and class-level predictors on intergroup outcomes, controlling for the classroom ethnic composition, school track, and individual-level covariates. Immigrant background was treated as a moderator. The 2 types of cultural diversity norms were generally associated with more positive intergroup outcomes. Some of the associations differed in strength between students of immigrant and nonimmigrant background. There were stronger associations of equality/inclusion with higher outgroup orientation among students of nonimmigrant background and with lower perceived discrimination among students of immigrant background. Ethnic composition, as well as the classroom-aggregated diversity norms (diversity climate) showed weaker relations with the outcome variables. Equality/inclusion norms and cultural pluralism norms can make complementary contributions to positive relations between students of immigrant and nonimmigrant background. Equality/inclusion norms foster positive contact and equal treatment, while cultural pluralism norms emphasize that it is also important to value diversity.¹ (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Evaluation of an interactive, case-based review session in teaching medical microbiology

PubMed Central

Blewett, Earl L; Kisamore, Jennifer L

2009-01-01

Background Oklahoma State University-Center for Health Sciences (OSU-CHS) has replaced its microbiology wet laboratory with a variety of tutorials including a case-based interactive session called Microbial Jeopardy!. The question remains whether the time spent by students and faculty in the interactive case-based tutorial is worthwhile? This study was designed to address this question by analyzing both student performance data and assessing students' perceptions regarding the tutorial. Methods Both quantitative and qualitative data were used in the current study. Part One of the study involved assessing student performance using archival records of seven case-based exam questions used in the 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 OSU-CHS Medical Microbiology course. Two sample t-tests for proportions were used to test for significant differences related to tutorial usage. Part Two used both quantitative and qualitative means to assess student's perceptions of the Microbial Jeopardy! session. First, a retrospective survey was administered to students who were enrolled in Medical Microbiology in 2006 or 2007. Second, responses to open-ended items from the 2008 course evaluations were reviewed for comments regarding the Microbial Jeopardy! session. Results Both student performance and student perception data support continued use of the tutorials. Quantitative and qualitative data converge to suggest that students like and learn from the interactive, case-based session. Conclusion The case-based tutorial appears to improve student performance on case-based exam questions. Additionally, students perceived the tutorial as helpful in preparing for exam questions and reviewing the course material. The time commitment for use of the case-based tutorial appears to be justified. PMID:19712473

PERCEPTION OF FINAL YEAR MEDICAL STUDENTS ABOUT OBJECTIVE STRUCTURED CLINICAL EXAMINATION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SURGERY.

PubMed

Gelan, Engida Abebe; Essayas, Reiye; Gebressilase, Kibrom

2015-10-01

Background -Assessment of clinical skills of medical students has a central role in medical education yet the suit- able evaluation methods have persistently debated by educators and students. To assess perceptions of final year medical students about the Organized Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) METHODS AND MATERIALS: A cross sectional study was performed to assess views of final year medical students who had taken the OSCE in the Department of Surgery of Mekelle University College of Health Sciences, as well as other traditional exam formats in other departments in the medical school. Of the 154 students who took the final qualifying exam, 127 (82.5%) responded to the survey. Eighty-four (66%) of the respondents were males. The OSCE was considered as the best assessment method of practical exams by 70 (55.1%) of the respondents, with the conventional long exam next in preference, by 47 (37%) students. For questions addressing the advantages of the OSCE, the average favorability score was between 4.2 - 4.6 out of Likert's type 5-point scale rating. Coverage of common and relevant topics, uniform student assessment, and communication skill assessment were items receiving high favorability scores by a particularly high percentage of students, (96.9%, 95.3% and 70.9% of all students, respectively). Most of the students favored the OSCE compared to conventional exam styles. Though the study should be confirmed. and extended in other settings, we recommend OSCE to be the main exam type for clinical year surgery examinations.

On Teaching International Courses on Health Information Systems

PubMed Central

Bauer, Axel W.; Bott, Oliver J.; Gietzelt, Matthias; Haarbrandt, Birger; Hackl, Werner O.; Hellrung, Nils; Hübner-Bloder, Gudrun; Jahn, Franziska; Jaspers, Monique W.; Kutscha, Ulrike; Machan, Christoph; Oppermann, Bianca; Pilz, Jochen; Schwartze, Jonas; Seidel, Christoph; Slot, Jan-Eric; Smers, Stefan; Spitalewsky, Katharina; Steckel, Nathalie; Strübing, Alexander; van der Haak, Minne

2017-01-01

Summary Background Health information systems (HIS) are one of the most important areas for biomedical and health informatics. In order to professionally deal with HIS well-educated informaticians are needed. Because of these reasons, in 2001 an international course has been established: The Frank – van Swieten Lectures on Strategic Information Management of Health Information Systems. Objectives Reporting about the Frank – van Swieten Lectures and about our students‘ feedback on this course during the last 16 years. Summarizing our lessons learned and making recommendations for such international courses on HIS. Methods The basic concept of the Frank – van Swieten lectures is to teach the theoretical background in local lectures, to organize practical exercises on modelling sub-information systems of the respective local HIS and finally to conduct Joint Three Days as an international meeting were the resulting models are introduced and compared. Results During the last 16 years, the Universities of Amsterdam, Braunschweig, Heidelberg/Heilbronn, Leipzig as well as UMIT were involved in running this course. Overall, 517 students from these universities participated. Our students‘ feedback was clearly positive. The Joint Three Days of the Frank – van Swieten Lectures, where at the end of the course all students can meet, turned out to be an important component of this course. Based on the last 16 years, we recommend common teaching materials, agreement on equivalent clinical areas for the exercises, support of group building of international student groups, motivation of using a collaboration platform, ensuring quality management of the course, addressing different levels of knowledge of the students, and ensuring sufficient funding for joint activities. Conclusions Although associated with considerable additional efforts, we can clearly recommend establishing such international courses on HIS, such as the Frank – van Swieten Lectures. PMID:28272648

Financial background and student debt impact on postgraduate residency choices of medical students in Singapore.

PubMed

Fong, Jie Ming Nigel; Tan, Yeong Tze Wilnard; Sayampanathan, Andrew Arjun; Mohan, Niraj; Koh, Yun Qing; Jang, Jin Hao Justin; Low, Jin Rong Ivan; Vasudevan, Anupama; Ng, Chew Lip; Tambyah, Paul Ananth

2018-06-07

Medical school fees are rising globally. Student debt and financial background may affect residency choices, but few studies have been conducted in Asia. This study aimed to explore the relationship between financial background, student debt and postgraduate residency choices among medical students in Singapore. An anonymised survey of all medical students in Singapore was conducted, with a response rate of 67.9%. 40.5% of our study population were graduates with debt. Medical students with monthly per capita household income < SGD 1,000 were more likely to graduate with debt (unadjusted odds ratio [OR] [95% confidence interval {CI}] 2.0 [1.6-2.7]; p < 0.001) and feel burdened by the cost of medical education (unadjusted OR [95% CI] 2.8 [2.0-3.9]; p < 0.001). Students with per capita monthly household income < SGD 1,000 (unadjusted OR [95% CI] 1.818 [1.338-2.470], p < 0.001; adjusted OR [95% CI] 1.692 [1.202-2.381], p = 0.003) and those with debt (unadjusted OR [95% CI] 1.623 [1.261-2.090], p < 0.001; adjusted OR [95% CI] 1.393 [1.048-1.851], p = 0.022) were more likely to rank at least one economic factor as 'very significant' in influencing their postgraduate training choices. It is concerning that despite financial aid schemes, the cost of medical education remained a burden to students from lower income households in Singapore. Student debt and financial background may distort postgraduate career choices, creating an undue push toward high-paying specialties.

Clinical learning environment and supervision of international nursing students: A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

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

2017-05-01

Previously, it has been shown that the clinical learning environment causes challenges for international nursing students, but there is a lack of empirical evidence relating to the background factors explaining and influencing the outcomes. To describe international and national students' perceptions of their clinical learning environment and supervision, and explain the related background factors. An explorative cross-sectional design was used in a study conducted in eight universities of applied sciences in Finland during September 2015-May 2016. All nursing students studying English language degree programs were invited to answer a self-administered questionnaire based on both the clinical learning environment, supervision and nurse teacher scale and Cultural and Linguistic Diversity scale with additional background questions. Participants (n=329) included international (n=231) and Finnish (n=98) nursing students. Binary logistic regression was used to identify background factors relating to the clinical learning environment and supervision. International students at a beginner level in Finnish perceived the pedagogical atmosphere as worse than native speakers. In comparison to native speakers, these international students generally needed greater support from the nurse teacher at their university. Students at an intermediate level in Finnish reported two times fewer negative encounters in cultural diversity at their clinical placement than the beginners. To facilitate a successful learning experience, international nursing students require a sufficient level of competence in the native language when conducting clinical placements. Educational interventions in language education are required to test causal effects on students' success in the clinical learning environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developing Nontraditional Partnerships to Disseminate the Space Science Story

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Galindo, Charles; Allen, Jaclyn; Garcia, Javier; Martinez, Debra

2010-01-01

NASA Space Science Days (NSSD) was established in 2004 to bring the story of the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) to a community far removed from areas NASA traditionally serves. The original NSSD invited 400 5th and 8th graders from the Texas Rio Grande Valley area to the University of Texas Brownsville campus to participate in a one day Saturday event filled with information about MER with related hands on activities. Currently the program has grown to over 700 5th and 8th grade participants who are mentored by trained university students from several Texas universities and community colleges and growing to include universities from throughout the U.S. A collaboration between three major institutions: The NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Directorate (ARES), the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers/Advancing Hispanic Excellence in Technology Engineering, Math, and Science, (SHPE/AHETEMS), and the University of Texas at Brownsville (UTB) has been established to enable the dissemination of Solar System related educational materials throughout the U.S. Already in its 8th year, UTB has developed and tested a NSSD model that has successfully disseminated space science materials to students throughout South Texas Rio Grande Valley. With this newly formed collaboration this model s expansion will allow trained SHPE students and professionals to conduct events throughout its established nation-wide delivery systems. Each year a new NSSD site will be established through an application process solicited from SHPE student and professional chapters. Once a chapter is awarded, upper-level high school and university students will travel to NASA- JSC for a two day workshop where students learn about the current year s theme and are trained to present hands-on activities related to the theme. Additional training by ARES and UTB occurs one month before the new event in their own communities. Both local middle school teachers and mentors are trained locally. This allows the teachers time to prepare their students with the background material for NSSD and give the mentors time to decide which activity they feel comfortable with to lead. Several events using this process have already been successful and an increase in interest from SHPE chapters wanting to establish their NSSD event is growing.

Facing the challenges in ophthalmology clerkship teaching: Is flipped classroom the answer?

PubMed Central

Lin, Ying; Zhu, Yi; Chen, Chuan; Wang, Wei; Chen, Tingting; Li, Tao; Li, Yonghao; Liu, Bingqian; Lian, Yu; Lu, Lin; Zou, Yuxian

2017-01-01

Recent reform of medical education highlights the growing concerns about the capability of the current educational model to equip medical school students with essential skills for future career development. In the field of ophthalmology, although many attempts have been made to address the problem of the decreasing teaching time and the increasing load of course content, a growing body of literature indicates the need to reform the current ophthalmology teaching strategies. Flipped classroom is a new pedagogical model in which students develop a basic understanding of the course materials before class, and use in-class time for learner-centered activities, such as group discussion and presentation. However, few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of the flipped classroom in ophthalmology education. This study, for the first time, assesses the use of flipped classroom in ophthalmology, specifically glaucoma and ocular trauma clerkship teaching. A total number of 44 international medical school students from diverse background were enrolled in this study, and randomly divided into two groups. One group took the flipped glaucoma classroom and lecture-based ocular trauma classroom, while the other group took the flipped ocular trauma classroom and lecture-based glaucoma classroom. In the traditional lecture-based classroom, students attended the didactic lecture and did the homework after class. In the flipped classroom, students were asked to watch the prerecorded lectures before the class, and use the class time for homework discussion. Both the teachers and students were asked to complete feedback questionnaires after the classroom. We found that the two groups did not show differences in the final exam scores. However, the flipped classroom helped students to develop skills in problem solving, creative thinking and team working. Also, compared to the lecture-based classroom, both teachers and students were more satisfied with the flipped classroom. Interestingly, students had a more positive attitude towards the flipped ocular trauma classroom than the flipped glaucoma classroom regarding the teaching process, the course materials, and the value of the classroom. Therefore, the flipped classroom model in ophthalmology teaching showed promise as an effective approach to promote active learning. PMID:28384167

Life Cores: A Sci-Art Collaboration Between a Snow/Ice Researcher, an Artist/Educator, Students, and Street Road Artists Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dooley, J.; Courville, Z.; Artinian, E.

2016-12-01

BackgroundStreet Road Artists Space Summer 2015 show was Sailing Stones. Works presented scenarios on tension between transience and permanence, highlighting cultural constructs imposed onto landscape and place. Dooley's installation, CryoZen Garden, operated as visual metaphor, modeling cryospheric processes and explored effects of melting polar ice caps on a warming world. A grant from Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts, with a focus on sharing contemporary works which were participatory, conceptual, and polar science research-based, allowed for a new project to engage community members, particularly students.MethodsIn this project students were introduced to the work of Dooley, artist/educator and Courville, snow/ice researcher. Students created `Life Cores', a take on ice and sediment coring scientists use as evidence of Earth's atmospheric and geologic changes. Students were given plastic tubes 2' long and 2" in diameter and were asked to add a daily layer of materials taken from everyday life, for a one month period. Students chose materials important to them personally, and kept journals, reflecting on items' significance, and/or relationship to life and world events. After creation of the Life Cores, Courville and Dooley visited students, shared their work on polar research, what it's like to live and work on ice, and ways science and art can intertwine to create better understanding of climate change issues. Students used core logging sheets to make observations of each others' life cores, noting layer colors, textures and deposition rates as some of the characteristics researchers use in ice and sediment core interpretation. Students' work was exhibited at Street Road and will remain on Street Road's website. Courville and Dooley presented to the general public during the opening. ConclusionsParticipants were better able to answer the question, How do we know what we know from coring? by relating the science to something that is known and personal, such as the passage of time with recognizable indicators. Success of the project was based on attendance, very positive feedback from participants, subsequent visits and the effects this programming had on continued efforts to forge long-term relationships with community groups.

Facing the challenges in ophthalmology clerkship teaching: Is flipped classroom the answer?

PubMed

Lin, Ying; Zhu, Yi; Chen, Chuan; Wang, Wei; Chen, Tingting; Li, Tao; Li, Yonghao; Liu, Bingqian; Lian, Yu; Lu, Lin; Zou, Yuxian; Liu, Yizhi

2017-01-01

Recent reform of medical education highlights the growing concerns about the capability of the current educational model to equip medical school students with essential skills for future career development. In the field of ophthalmology, although many attempts have been made to address the problem of the decreasing teaching time and the increasing load of course content, a growing body of literature indicates the need to reform the current ophthalmology teaching strategies. Flipped classroom is a new pedagogical model in which students develop a basic understanding of the course materials before class, and use in-class time for learner-centered activities, such as group discussion and presentation. However, few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of the flipped classroom in ophthalmology education. This study, for the first time, assesses the use of flipped classroom in ophthalmology, specifically glaucoma and ocular trauma clerkship teaching. A total number of 44 international medical school students from diverse background were enrolled in this study, and randomly divided into two groups. One group took the flipped glaucoma classroom and lecture-based ocular trauma classroom, while the other group took the flipped ocular trauma classroom and lecture-based glaucoma classroom. In the traditional lecture-based classroom, students attended the didactic lecture and did the homework after class. In the flipped classroom, students were asked to watch the prerecorded lectures before the class, and use the class time for homework discussion. Both the teachers and students were asked to complete feedback questionnaires after the classroom. We found that the two groups did not show differences in the final exam scores. However, the flipped classroom helped students to develop skills in problem solving, creative thinking and team working. Also, compared to the lecture-based classroom, both teachers and students were more satisfied with the flipped classroom. Interestingly, students had a more positive attitude towards the flipped ocular trauma classroom than the flipped glaucoma classroom regarding the teaching process, the course materials, and the value of the classroom. Therefore, the flipped classroom model in ophthalmology teaching showed promise as an effective approach to promote active learning.

Teaching of social and philosophical background to atomic theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lühl, Jutta

1992-06-01

The history of atomic theory is outlined from earliest times up to the orbital model, and a corresponding teaching method described. The first, historical part of the paper emphasizes social and philosophical aspects in the development of atomic theory. The following milestones are dealt with: the development of the concept of matter from Greek mythology up to the atom; the spreading of Arab philosophy to the Occident during the Middle Ages; the conflict between the church and its opponents in the Middle Ages about the nature of the individual and society; and the status of atomic theory at the time of Newton, and its final acceptance after Dalton. The second part of the paper describes a method for teaching this material at secondary level, in which students are encouraged to make their own conclusions from the range of material offered.

Clinical education and cultural diversity in physical therapy: clinical performance of minority student physical therapists and the expectations of clinical instructors.

PubMed

Clouten, Norene; Homma, Midori; Shimada, Rie

2006-01-01

Clinical education is an integral part of preparation for the profession of physical therapy and the role of the clinical instructor is critical. The purpose of this study was to investigate clinical instructors' expectations of student physical therapists with different ethnic backgrounds and the clinical performance of the students as assessed using a modification of the Generic Abilities Assessment. For this study, individuals with a Caucasian ethnic background who were raised in the United States were considered as the majority. The remaining individuals (minority) were subdivided into five groups: African American, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, Caucasian from outside the United States, and Other. Clinical instructors reported their experiences with students from different ethnic backgrounds, their expectation of students' performance, and recollections of specific weaknesses in performance. From the 216 surveys distributed, 192 clinical instructors responded. Fifty-seven percent had supervised a minority student, with a mean of three students each. While 4% reported that they expected a higher standard from majority students, 17% noted a difference in performance between majority and minority students. Results from this study suggest that minority students would benefit from further preparation in communication and interpersonal skills but they are stronger than majority students in stress management and the effective use of time and resources.

Distance learning for University Physics in South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cilliers, J. A.; Basson, I.

1997-03-01

The University of South Africa (Unisa) is one of the largest distance education universities in the world. Teaching physics at a distance is a complex and multifaceted problem which is compounded in the South African context by the diversity of educational backgrounds of the learners involved. The fact that students are distributed over a vast geographical area, presents unique problems for the incorporation of the practical component into the curriculum. Current research involves a fundamental evaluation of the aims and objectives of the introductory laboratory. The project is based on the notion that practicals, as they have been used in most physics curricula, are not particularly effective or efficient, although they are costly both financially and logistically. Design, development and delivery of efficient study material imply that there should be agreement between what the student knows and can do, and what the material offers. An in depth profile that takes into account biographic as well as cognitive characteristics of the target group, is therefore being compiled. This paper gives an overview of the specific problems and circumstances that were identified for distance education in physics in a multi-cultural society, and proposes a new model for the incorporation of the introductory laboratory into the curriculum.

The Impact of 1:1 Laptop Environments on the English Language Arts Achievement of Fifth Grade Students from Diverse Socio-Economic Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Nicole Gilner

2017-01-01

This quantitative study extends previous research on the impact of one to one (1:1) laptop environments on student outcomes in English Language Arts (ELA) by focusing on students from various socio-economic backgrounds, while using a new technology-enhanced, state-administered assessment to measure performance. This study is significant because…

Ferris Wheels and Filling Bottles: A Case of a Student's Transfer of Covariational Reasoning across Tasks with Different Backgrounds and Features

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Heather Lynn; McClintock, Evan; Hornbein, Peter

2017-01-01

Using an actor-oriented perspective on transfer, we report a case of a student's transfer of covariational reasoning across tasks involving different backgrounds and features. In this study, we investigated the research question: How might a student's covariational reasoning on Ferris wheel tasks, involving attributes of distance, width, and…

Attitudes and Cultural Background and Their Relationship to Reading Comprehension in a Second Language: A Comparison of Three Different Social Contexts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abu-Rabia, Salim

1996-01-01

Investigates the relationship of attitudes and cultural background to reading comprehension in the second language (L2) of Israeli Arab students learning Hebrew and Israeli Jewish and Canadian Arab students learning English. Results showed that the motivation of students to learning their L2 was instrumental rather than integrative, regardless of…

The Evolution of Interstellar Gas: Massive Stars and the Dispersal of Neutral Material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Federman, Steven R.

2003-01-01

We studied the effects of newly formed O and B stars on their surrounding interstellar material through a combination of observations and theoretical modeling. The observational data came from measurements of absorption seen in the spectra of background, newly formed stars. Particular attention was given to stellar radiation which converts molecular to atomic material. Laboratory data on absorption cross sections relevant to the analysis and interpretation of carbon monoxide formed part of the effort. The grant supported Postdoctoral Fellows, Drs. Min Yan and Yaron Sheffer, and a laboratory technician. Though the students themselves were not supported. one M.S. Thesis and two Ph.D. dissertations from the University of Toledo were based on the research done under the grant. The research accomplished under this grant led directly to other funded programs. An observing proposal to study the chemistry of diffuse molecular clouds in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds with ESO s Very Large Telescope was another example of a successful outcome of my LTSA program.

Determination of Factors Affecting Physical Activity Status of University Students on a Health Sciences Campus

PubMed Central

Dayi, Ayfer; Acikgoz, Ayla; Guvendi, Guven; Bayrak, Levent; Ersoy, Burcu; Gur, Cagri; Ozmen, Omer

2017-01-01

Background Upon graduation, students studying in departments related to health will work in the health sector and will guide and enlighten people with their knowledge and behavior. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors affecting the physical activity (PA) conditions of university students on a health sciences campus. Material/Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out on 706 students in a Turkish university. The data was obtained from a survey prepared by the researchers. The 26-question survey aimed to discover the students’ socio-demographic characteristics and their awareness and practices concerning PA. Results We found that 30% of the students engage in some type of PA during their university education. A relationship was observed concerning their current PA and their family inactivity levels, as well as between inactivity before entering the university and inactivity during their education. The presence of a chronic disease in family members does not affect student PA. A majority of the students believe PA is beneficial (98.7%), 93.9% believe it relieves stress, and 94.5% believe it helps control body weight. Conclusions Although students of medicine and related disciplines are aware of the importance of proper diet and adequate levels of PA in health, they did not implement theory into practice. Thus, it is questionable how young health professionals will promote the positive effects and necessity of regular physical activity if they do not apply these activities to their own lifestyle. PMID:28103207

Strategies for teaching pathology to graduate students and allied health professionals.

PubMed

Fenderson, Bruce A

2005-02-01

Pathology is an essential course for many students in the biomedical sciences and allied health professions. These students learn the language of pathology and medicine, develop an appreciation for mechanisms of disease, and understand the close relationship between basic research and clinical medicine. We have developed 3 pathology courses to meet the needs of our undergraduates, graduate students, and allied health professionals. Through experience, we have settled on an approach to teaching pathology that takes into account the diverse educational backgrounds of these students. Educational resources such as assigned reading, online homework, lectures, and review sessions are carefully balanced to adjust course difficulty. Common features of our pathology curricula include a web-based computer laboratory and review sessions on the basis of selected pathology images and open-ended study questions. Lectures, computer-guided homework, and review sessions provide the core educational content for undergraduates. Graduate students, using the same computer program and review material, rely more heavily on assigned reading for core educational content. Our experience adapting a pathology curriculum to the needs of divergent groups of students suggests a general strategy for monitoring course difficulty. We hypothesize that course difficulty is proportional to the information density of specific learning resources (eg, lecture or textbook) multiplied by the weight of those learning resources placed on examinations. This formula allows educators to match the difficulty of a course with the educational needs of students, and provides a useful tool for longitudinal studies of curriculum reform.