The impact of three‐dimensional computational modeling on student understanding of astronomical concepts: a quantitative analysis

The increased availability of computational modeling software has created opportunities for students to engage in scientific inquiry through constructing computer‐based models of scientific phenomena. However, despite the growing trend of integrating technology into science curricula, educators need to understand what aspects of these technologies promote student learning. This study used a multi‐method research approach involving both quantitative (Paper 1) and qualitative data (Paper 2) to examine student conceptual understanding of astronomical phenomena, relative to two different instructional experiences. Specifically, based on students' understandings of both spatial and declarative knowledge, we compared students who had constructed three‐dimensional computational models with students who had experienced traditional lecture‐based instruction. Quantitative analysis of pre‐interview and post‐interview data revealed that construction of three‐dimensional models best facilitated student understandings of spatially related astronomical concepts — whereas traditional instruction techniques best facilitated student understandings of fact‐oriented astronomical knowledge. This paper is the first in a two‐paper set that continues our line of research into whether problem‐based courses such as the Virtual Solar System course can be used as a viable alternative to traditional lecture‐based astronomy courses.     

Relationship of Student Undergraduate Achievement and Personality Characteristics in a Total Web-Based Environment: An Empirical Study

Web‐based education is a popular format for the delivery of college courses. Research has shown that it may not be the best form of education for all students. Today, many students (and student advisors) face a choice in course delivery format (i.e., Web‐based or more traditional classroom courses). This research study examines the relationship between student personality characteristics and their achievement scores as a means of identifying predictors of academic success in an undergraduate business program using Web‐based education. The results of the study show that four basic personality characteristics are highly correlated to student achievement in Web‐based courses. Use of these personality characteristics as variables in a regression model is shown to be a highly accurate predictive tool to aid students in the decision as to whether to take a particular Web‐based course format or a more traditional classroom course.     

A Systematic Replication Comparing Interteaching and Lecture in the Community College Classroom

Researchers demonstrated the effectiveness of interteaching relative to lecture in 4-year university classrooms, but exploration in other settings is deficient. This systematic replication examines the extent to which interteaching leads to increased exam scores compared to traditional lecture in the community college classroom. Participants in two introductory psychology sections took identical exams following counterbalanced alternating lecture and interteaching conditions. Most student exam scores following interteaching were slightly higher than exams following the lecture condition, with statistically significant differences in two of the six exams. Students in both sections correctly answered more interteaching-based than lecture-based questions on the cumulative final exam, although these differences were not significant. During interteaching, students earned significantly more points throughout the semester compared to the lecture condition. Also, more students reportedly preferred interteaching relative to lecture. The results of this study comparing interteaching to lecture in a community college setting are consistent with the results in the original study within a 4-year university classroom. Students’ exam score gains and significant cumulative point differences suggest interteaching may be an effective alternative to traditional lecture, potentially producing meaningful differences in student performance within the community college setting.     

Flipped classroom instruction for inclusive learning

The flipped classroom is a teaching methodology that has gained recognition in primary, secondary and higher education settings. The flipped classroom inverts traditional teaching methods, delivering lecture instruction outside class, and devoting class time to problem solving, with the teacher's role becoming that of a learning coach and facilitator. This methodology provides an avenue for more hands‐on and student‐driven learning during class time. The benefits of a flipped classroom include increased student motivation, differentiating instruction, self‐pacing lessons and mastery learning, increased collaboration and instant feedback for formative assessment. Although limited research has been conducted regarding students with learning difficulties in inclusive settings using a flipped learning model, initial research indicates flipping a classroom can be beneficial. Information is provided on inclusive practices from numerous countries that are beneficial to students with learning difficulties, as well as strategies and resources for individuals who may want to implement a flipped classroom.     

Can Wii Engage College-Level Learners? Use of Commercial Off-the-Shelf Gaming in an Introductory Statistics Course

Technological advancements and growing dependence on media outlets as sources of information compete for the attention of individuals born in a rapidly expanding digital age. As a result, educators using traditional, nondigital teaching methods struggle with keeping students engaged in the classroom. The present study assessed the extent to which a digitally enhanced learning environment can improve student involvement in learning. A traditional behavioral statistics lecture was supplemented with Nintendo Wii video gaming to increase student content knowledge comprehension and engagement with course material. A mixed Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed that those in the video gaming condition improved significantly more than those receiving traditional lecture only. This research suggests that students can learn difficult conceptual material (i.e., statistics) through more novel, interactive teaching methods.     

Learning approaches and lecture attendance of medical students

There are arguably many factors that affect the way a student learns. A recent report by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) and the Higher Education Academy (HEA) on student academic experience in the UK states that class size is an important factor in the quality of the student experience and that smaller class sizes provide greater educational benefit than the delivery of lectures. This article assesses research related to lectures, lecture attendance of medical students and their learning approaches in higher education outside the clinical setting. A questionnaire and focus groups were employed to gather quantitative and qualitative data. The results show that students value lectures in the curriculum alongside other teaching and learning methods.     

Medical student retention of embryonic development: Impact of the dimensions added by multimedia tutorials

The purpose of this project was to develop Web‐based learning modules that combine (1) animated 3D graphics; (2) 3D models that a student can manipulate independently; (3) passage of time in embryonic development; and (4) animated 2D graphics, including 2D cross‐sections that represent different “slices” of the embryo, and animate in parallel. These elements were presented in two tutorials, one depicting embryonic folding and the other showing development of the nervous system after neural tube formation. The goal was to enhance the traditional teaching format—lecture combined with printed diagrams, text, and existing computer animations—with customized, guided, Web‐based learning modules that surpassed existing resources. To assess module effectiveness, we compared quiz performance of control groups who attended lecture and did not use a supporting module, with study groups who used a module in addition to attending lecture. We also assessed our students' long‐term retention of the material, comparing classes who had used the module with students from a previous year that had not seen the module. Our data analysis suggests that students who used a module performed better than those given only traditional resources if they used the module after they were already somewhat familiar with the material. The findings suggest that our modules—and possibly computer‐assisted‐instruction modules in general—are more useful if used toward the later stages of learning, rather than as an initial resource. Furthermore, our data suggest that the animation aids in long‐term retention. Both medical students at the University of Cincinnati and medical faculty from across the country commented favorably on their experiences with the embryonic development modules. Anat Sci Ed 1:252–257, 2008. © 2008 American Association of Anatomists.     

Increasing Access with Intensive Hybridized Course Formats in a Community College Setting

This study compared the effectiveness of courses taught in a five-week intensive hybrid format with courses taught in an 11-week traditional classroom format in order to explore options for expanding access to higher education in a community college setting. Course effectiveness was measured quantitatively with student academic performance indicators, such as grades, pass rates, pretest/posttest results, and student perceptions of academic rigor. The study is unique in that it investigated course effectiveness when intensive and hybrid instructional delivery methods were combined into one format. Additionally, the study compared matched pair courses with the same instructors and coursework who taught each course in both the five-week intensive hybrid format and the 11-week traditional format, which controlled for instructor influence on student learning. The historical rationale behind community colleges and contemporary initiatives to expand them have underscored the need to increase access by providing a range of options to higher education that meet the varying needs of students. The comparison found that the five-week hybrid course format was academically equivalent to the 11-week traditional format. The study indicates that course delivery combining hybrid and intensive instructional delivery can be academically effective and, therefore, has the potential to improve access in a community college setting.     

Intelligent design: student perceptions of teaching and learning in large social work classes

Research into the effects of large classes demonstrates that students are disadvantaged in terms of higher order learning because interactions between teachers and students occur at lower cognitive levels. This has significance for social work education, with its emphasis on the development of critical thinking and problem solving, both higher order cognitive skills. This paper reports on quantitative and qualitative research that explored social work students’ perceptions of different teaching and learning strategies in a large mental health course designed with reference to principles of student‐centred learning and constructive alignment. Findings revealed that well‐integrated design, relevance to the real world and teacher enthusiasm were seen as most useful by students, rather than particular learning strategies per se. Higher satisfaction ratings and grades were also associated with this student‐centred course compared with an earlier traditional lecture‐style course. The paper concludes that design based on the interplay between diverse learning activities, including lecture input, strengthened the student‐centred orientation of learning and recommends further research that compares learning outcomes associated with these contrasting approaches to professional education.     

Undergraduate Research Methods: Does Size Matter? A Look at the Attitudes and Outcomes of Students in a Hybrid Class Format versus a Traditional Class Format

The goal of this study is to understand if there are any variations regarding student engagement and course outcomes based on the course format. A new course format was introduced in fall of 2006 that involves a hybrid approach (large lecture with small recitations) with a higher level of student enrollment than traditional research methods courses. During the same time frame, the discipline maintained its traditional research methods courses as well. A survey was administered to all students enrolled in research methods regardless of course format in fall 2006 and spring 2007. Student responses are discussed, including information concerning the preparation, design, cost and benefits of offering a hybrid research methods course format.     

Computer-Assisted Instruction Augmented with Planned Teacher/Student Contacts

This paper discussed a study of the differences in student learning achievement and retention in a college-level statistics course taught in a variety of teaching/learning environments. Statistical test results revealed that students experiencing a CAI environment performed no differently on achievement or retention tests than students experiencing a traditional lecture/discussion environment. However, students experiencing an “enriched” CAI environment (CAI plus planned teacher/student contacts) performed significantly better on achievement tests than students experiencing any of several other environments, including: lecture/discussion, lecture/discussion supplemented with planned teacher/student contacts, PI texts, PI texts supplemented with planned teacher/student contacts, and CAI.     

The potential for student performance prediction in small cohorts with minimal available attributes

The measurement of student performance during their progress through university study provides academic leadership with critical information on each student’s likelihood of success. Academics have traditionally used their interactions with individual students through class activities and interim assessments to identify those “at risk” of failure/withdrawal. However, modern university environments, offering easy on-line availability of course material, may see reduced lecture/tutorial attendance, making such identification more challenging. Modern data mining and machine learning techniques provide increasingly accurate predictions of student examination assessment marks, although these approaches have focussed upon large student populations and wide ranges of data attributes per student. However, many university modules comprise relatively small student cohorts, with institutional protocols limiting the student attributes available for analysis. It appears that very little research attention has been devoted to this area of analysis and prediction. We describe an experiment conducted on a final-year university module student cohort of 23, where individual student data are limited to lecture/tutorial attendance, virtual learning environment accesses and intermediate assessments. We found potential for predicting individual student interim and final assessment marks in small student cohorts with very limited attributes and that these predictions could be useful to support module leaders in identifying students potentially “at risk.”     

有机反应中重金属与食品安全教育的有机融合

为了在有机化学的教学过程中渗透重金属对食品安全的影响,将相关有机反应进行总结,建议在教学过程中对学生进行专题讲座,以提升学生的食品安全意识.     

The Implementation of Peer Assessment: An action research approach

This paper examines the process of implementing peer assessment in higher education. In order to discover the aspects by which the method could be utilised to its full potential, it has been tried out among diverse types of students using an action research approach. The paper depicts the way the method was introduced and portrays students' reactions. It demonstrates the contribution of previous exposure to peer assessment, of a good preparation process and of student involvement in criteria setting to building up student confidence in using the method. It further shows how student involvement in establishing the assessment criteria contributes to their learning process. Based on the results of the action research, the paper recommends introducing peer assessment into the curriculum gradually and in a consistent way while involving students in the process of criteria setting and making the method relevant to student learning and future careers.     

‘I’m just not that comfortable with technology’: student perceptions of and preferences for Web 2.0 technologies in reflective journals

Encouraging reflective practice and developing reflective practitioners is a goal of many disciplines in higher education. A variety of pedagogical techniques have been used to promote critical reflection including portfolios, narratives and reflective journals. Over the past decade, the use of Web 2.0 technologies with students has been increasingly adopted in higher education settings and many educators have integrated these technologies into reflective assignments. These educators assume that students, who are members of the Net Generation, are technologically savvy and have the ability to integrate the use of Web 2.0 technologies into learning. However, while there have been studies examining the outputs of reflective assignments using Web 2.0 technologies such as blogs, e-portfolios and wikis, there has been little research examining whether or not students actually use technology for these types of assignment if given the choice. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore if technology was appropriated or rejected by students for a reflective journaling assignment. Results are based on a content analysis of 42 student journaling assignments and interviews with eight students. Findings suggest that (1) students are not as technologically competent as assumed; (2) students chose to use basic/fundamental technologies (e.g. word processing) because they viewed it as the easiest way to complete the reflective journaling assignment; (3) student perceptions of what makes an assignment ‘good’ influenced their choice to use Web 2.0 technologies; and (4) overarching student perceptions of higher education and learning impacted their appropriation of technology. Implications are discussed and recommendations for both research and practice are made.     

The Potential of Web 2.0 Tools to Promote Reading Engagement in a General Education Course

General education classes involve extensive course readings. College instructors have a limited time to cover every detail of the materials students are supposed to learn in class; thus, they expect students to learn through course readings. However, many college students demonstrate a low level of engagement in course reading tasks. Existing research has reported that most college students do not complete their assigned readings or they only engage in shallow levels of reading such as skimming and literal comprehension. Despite this negative phenomenon in college, a lack of research has been conducted to promote reading engagement in college classrooms. The purpose of this paper is to provide college instructors with practical guidance on using Web 2.0 tools to enhance student engagement in this task. According to self-determination theory (SDT), Web 2.0 tools share several engagement-enhancing factors. The paper discusses the potential of Web 2.0 technology to engage students by aligning with SDT. Based on the potential of Web 2.0, the paper suggests practical ways of using different Web 2.0 tools (i.e., GoogleDocs, Blog, Twitter, and Facebook) to promote reading engagement in a college classroom.     

Enhancing large-class teaching: a systematic comparison of rich-media materials

Large cohorts (>200 students) are an ever-increasing presence in the UK higher education (HE) sector. Providing excellent teaching and learning to these large classes is an ongoing challenge for teaching faculty, a challenge intensified when the cohort comprises 85% non-native English speakers. This paper presents the findings of a project to supplement face-to-face lectures on a large campus-based taught MSc programme with a set of rich-media materials. These resources consisted of audio podcasts, audio-narrated slides, short video segments and full-video lecture capture. The aim of the study was to examine student usage of, and preference for, these different rich-media materials. Key findings are that students valued most highly the full-video lecture capture followed by the audio-narrated slides, using the materials primarily to consolidate their understanding and as revision aids. Students also emphasised the central importance of the face-to-face lecture – viewing the rich-media materials as complementary to, rather than as a replacement for the traditional lecture. Nor did the majority of students see the provision of videoed lectures as a reason for non-attendance at lectures. The findings of this study provide confirmatory evidence of the ongoing importance of the traditional lecture in large cohort HE teaching together with an acknowledgement of the benefits that rich-media materials can bring to the student learning experience.     

How to Create a Student‐Generated Database,in a Large Nutrition Class,to Illustrate the Analysis of Nutrient and Food Intakes

The completion of a 3‐d food record, using commonly available nutrient analysis software, is a typical assignment for students in nutrition and food science programs. While these assignments help students evaluate their personal diets, it is insufficient to teach students about surveys of large population cohorts. This paper shows how the Test, Survey, and Pools tool in the learning management system Blackboard? (Blackboard Inc.) was used to collect the individual food and nutrition intake data from the 3‐d food records of students in a large introductory nutrition class. This student‐generated database was then used to illustrate population level analyses. Examples of the types of analyses include (a) use of the Estimated Average Requirement cut point method to identify nutrients of concern; (b) the use of food intakes to determine the proportion of students consuming the recommended servings of foods from each food group; (c) the analysis of intakes of nutrients that are overconsumed such as salt, saturated fat, and trans fat; and (d) correlations between macronutrients (for example, as fat intake increases, carbohydrate intake decreases). The use of a database, derived from the students own food intakes, connects with student interests, and the analysis of such a database illustrates an authentic task in the nutritional sciences.     

A Study of the Effectiveness of Web-Based Homework in Teaching Undergraduate Business Statistics

Web-based homework (WBH) Technology can simplify the creation and grading of assignments as well as provide a feasible platform for assessment testing, but its effect on student learning in business statistics is unknown. This is particularly true of the latest software development of Web-based tutoring agents that dynamically evaluate individual students' skill level and purport to respond with appropriate, targeted teaching to improve learning efficiency. In this article, we compare traditional, textbook-based homework assignments with three systems of WBH for undergraduate business statistics courses: ALEKS, PH Grade Assist, and custom-made online quizzes in Blackboard. These systems represent a range of media from artificial intelligence–based tutoring to instructor-controlled objective testing. Using a common assessment test, we compare the performance of students taught with these different systems. Our study finds, as we anticipated, that student performance depends significantly upon teacher experience and student academic competence. Once these factors are controlled for, however, the technique used to deliver homework makes little difference in student success. In contrast to other published research, we do not find any advantage to automated tutoring and identify some limitations of this approach based on both instructor and student feedback.     

Motivation and ability: which students use online learning and what influence does it have on their achievement?

There has been much recent research examining online learning in universities, but two questions seem to have been largely overlooked in this context: (1) Which students voluntarily utilise web‐based learning; and (2) Does this use influence their academic achievement? The current study aimed to determine whether the approaches to studying, ability, age, and gender of 110 undergraduates in the second year of a psychology degree predicted the extent to which they utilised online learning using Web Course Tools (WebCT) in support of a core Biological Psychology unit. Data were obtained from WebCT's student tracking system, Entwistle and Ramsden's 18‐item Approaches to Studying Inventory (1983) and academic records. Multiple linear regressions and discriminant function analysis were used to examine whether individual differences predicted WebCT use, while analysis of covariance determined whether web use influenced academic achievement. The number of hits, length of access, and use of the bulletin board was predicted by age, with older students using WebCT more. These factors were also influenced by ability and achievement orientation. The degree of participation in self‐assessment was not predicted by student variables, but, of those that repeated an online quiz, improvement was more likely in those with lower achievement orientation. Only bulletin board use influenced achievement, with those posting messages outperforming those not using, or passively using bulletin boards. However, because individual differences will determine the extent to which students utilise this facility, it is suggested that future research should focus on developing online learning environments that incorporate activities with both a beneficial influence on learning and appeal to a wide student population.