Making Multimedia in the Classroom: A Teachers' Guide

Interactive relationships in online learning communities can influence the process and quality of knowledge building. The aim of this study is to empirically investigate the relationships between network structures and social knowledge building in an asynchronous writing environment through discussion forums in a learning management system. The quality of the knowledge construction process is evaluated through content analysis, and the network structures are analyzed using a social network analysis of the response relations among participants during online discussions. Structural equation modeling is used to analyze relations between network structures and knowledge construction. Working on data extracted from a 6-week distance-learning experiment, we analyzed how 10 groups developed collaborative learning social networks when participants worked together on case resolution. The results show a positive correlation between cohesion and centralization, and the positive influence of the cohesion index and the centralization index on social presence and cognitive presence in knowledge building. However, this must be understood within the context of social networks in which messages sent to all group members occupy the center. This underlines the need for reinforcing participations that are directed to the group as a whole, and the importance of the fact the network contains both central and intermediate members. By contrast, we propose that the combination of analysis techniques used is a good option for this type of study while recognizing that it is necessary to continue validating the instruments in terms of their own theoretical suppositions.     

Temporal networks in collaborative learning: A case study

Social Network Analysis (SNA) has enabled researchers to understand and optimize the key dimensions of collaborative learning. A majority of SNA research has so far used static networks, ie, aggregated networks that compile interactions without considering when certain activities or relationships occurred. Compressing a temporal process by discarding time, however, may result in reductionist oversimplifications. In this study, we demonstrate the potentials of temporal networks in the analysis of online peer collaboration. In particular, we study: (1) social interactions by analysing learners' collaborative behaviour, part of a case study in which they worked on academic writing tasks, and (2) cognitive interactions through the analysis of students' self-regulated learning tactics. The study included 123 students and 2550 interactions. By using temporal networks, we show how to analyse the longitudinal evolution of a collaborative network visually and quantitatively. Correlation coefficients with grades, when calculated with time-respecting temporal measures of centrality, were more correlated with learning outcomes than traditional centrality measures. Using temporal networks to analyse the co-temporal and longitudinal development, reach, and diffusion patterns of students' learning tactics has provided novel insights into the complex dynamics of learning, not commonly offered through static networks.     

New Model of Teacher Learning in an Online Network

While many researchers have examined teacher participation and professional development in online networks and communities, few have looked at the factors and contexts that shape how teachers learn in these online spaces. Examining teachers' learning processes within these online spaces can yield important insights for scholars, school leaders, and teacher educators who are interested in designing online networks and communities or supporting teacher professional development within these spaces. This study was designed to shed light on the multifaceted nature of teacher learning within an online network environment. Data were collected through an online survey and in-depth interviews of members in the Edmodo math subject community. A thematic analysis was conducted across the two data sets in order to identify patterns of actions and factors that shaped the participants' learning processes. A new model of teacher learning was developed to display teacher learning as an iterative, multistep process that is socially constructed, distributed, and situated in the contexts in which teachers work. Implications and ideas for further research are discussed.     

Cost management based security framework in mobile ad hoc networks

INTRODUCTION Mobile ad hoc networks are under active research focused on issues such as routing, security (Venkatra- man and Agrawal, 2003) and data management (Fan and Zhang, 2004). People have proposes many kinds of security mechanisms such as SAR (Yi et al., 2002), SRP (Papadimitratos and Haas, 2002), ARAN (San- zgiri et al., 2002), ARIADNE (Hu et al., 2005) and SEAD (Hu et al., 2002) for networks. The resource consumptions of security mechanisms are always large in mobile …     

Marginal utility of social capital: the assistance of family and friends in choosing university studies

Abstract

We focus on transition from school or employment to university and analyze how social network characteristics and the quantity of social capital (SC) influence the assessment of help in selecting a program of study. We analyze data of undergraduate students at a German university and find that SC has an amount and a context effect. First, we assume that in networks where students find a lot of SC, they also receive helpful advice. Second, a social network close to academia offers useful help. Our multivariate analyses support the context effect, but also indicate a marginal utility of SC. Students with academically educated parents rate their parents’ help as more useful, and students with studying friends rate their friends’ advice as helpful. However, students who are rich in SC among family and friends rate their help lower than students who are rich in SC among only one part of their network.     

How can action learning contribute to social capital?

This paper explores the contribution that action learning can make to the formation of social capital via experiences of action learning projects in NHS Pathology Services in the UK. The paper describes the development of action learning practice in recent years, reviews the notion of social capital and considers how action learning might contribute to its formation. A case study of action learning in the development of a locally unified pathology service is used to illustrate the processes by which actions and learnings may be transferred and extended from sets to contribute to organisational learning in wider systems and networks.     

Actions speak louder with words: The roles of action and pedagogical language for grounding mathematical proof

Theories of grounded and embodied cognition posit that situated actions are central constituents in cognitive processes. We investigate whether grounding actions influence reasoning, and how pedagogical language influences the action–cognition relationship. Undergraduate students (N = 120) generated proofs for two mathematical tasks after performing either grounding or non-grounding actions. Grounding actions facilitated key mathematical insights for both tasks, but did not lead to superior proofs. Pedagogical language in the form of prompts (prospective statements) and hints (retrospective statements) accompanying grounding actions enhanced proof performance on one task but not the other. Results from transfer tasks suggested that participants learned to apply their mathematical insights to new contexts. The findings suggest that relations between action and cognition are reciprocal: actions facilitate insight, while pedagogical language strengthens the influence of task-relevant actions for proof production. Pedagogically supported grounding actions offer alternative ways of fostering mathematical reasoning.     

A four-stage longitudinal study exploring pupils’ experiences,preparation and support systems during primary–secondary school transitions

A longitudinal study was conducted over four stages of three school years across the primary – secondary transition. The purpose was to understand the dynamic transition experience of pupils, investigate the effectiveness of preparation by schools to support transitions and understand pupils’ most important support networks. Using online questionnaires, data were collected from pupils at four time points, twice from secondary school professionals and their parents, and once from primary school professionals. Results highlight the ongoing and dynamic nature of transitions. What pupils were excited about were still seen to be good once they were in secondary school , and aspects that worried them declined over time. Some pupils experienced problems and adapted at different times, whereas for some, problems emerged later. It seems that those who anticipated problems when in primary school were more likely to experience problems; this has implications for the discourse around transitions and its impact on pupils’ anticipation of transition experience. Although transition planning and preparation by schools were important and varied, they were not always effective, not provided in a timely manner and did not tap into their naturally occurring support networks in the home and community. This study makes unique contributions in terms of highlighting the dynamic transitions process and change in pupils’ experience over time; various aspects of transitions that children are excited and concerned about and how these changed over time; professionals’ conceptualisations of transitions; pupils’ and parents’ views of the effectiveness of transition practices at various stages; and pupils’ real support networks.     

Lessons learnt from applying action research to support strategy formation processes in long-term care networks

This study demonstrates how action research (AR) that is aimed at scaling-up experiments can be applied to support a strategy formation process (SFP) in a subsidized long-term care network. Previous research has developed numerous AR frameworks to support experiments in various domains, but has failed to explain how to apply AR and action learning (AL) on the strategic level of organizational networks. Given this situation, we used a generic AR framework to explore its usefulness in supporting SFPs. The framework consists of four steps: (1) identifying the problem situation, (2) planning a solution, (3) taking action, and (4) reflecting on the action. The results show that utilizing AL in AR helps actors to reflect on and understand the challenges in forming a joint strategy in a network. We demonstrate that it can help to visualize the process and to create a common ground for discussion, to create a shared vision as well as commitment to scaling-up experiments. These insights should be used in future SFPs in networks. However, the results also show that the key barrier, the lack of executive commitment, was only identified at a late stage. This paper constitutes a first step toward a more sophisticated AR framework for strategy research. The mistakes highlighted here should help others avoid them in the future.     

Autoscoring Essays Based on Complex Networks

This article presents a novel method, the Complex Dynamics Essay Scorer (CDES), for automated essay scoring using complex network features. Texts produced by college students in China were represented as scale‐free networks (e.g., a word adjacency model) from which typical network features, such as the in‐/out‐degrees, clustering coefficient (CC), and dynamic networks, were obtained. The CDES integrates the classical concepts of network feature representation and essay score series variation. Several experiments indicated that the network measures different essay qualities and can be clearly demonstrated to develop complex networks for autoscoring tasks. The average agreement of the CDES and human rater scores was 86.5%, and the average Pearson correlation was .77. The results indicate that the CDES produced functional complex systems and autoscored Chinese essays in a method consistent with human raters. Our research suggests potential applications in other areas of educational assessment.     

The Effects of STS Issue Investigation and Action Instruction Versus Traditional Life Science Instruction on Seventh Grade Students' Citizenship Behaviors

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of employing an STS instructional model that addresses each of the four goal levels of STS education versus an instructional model containing only life science content, on seventh grade students' participation in citizenship action on STS issues. A modified version of the non-equivalent control group quasi-experimental research design was used with seventeen intact seventh grade life science classes, ten of which received STS instruction (N = 264) and seven of which received life science instruction (N = 136) over 20 school days. The STS instruction sequentially addressed each of the four goal levels for STS education. Data were collected using the Actions Taken on Public Issues instrument to measure citizenship behaviors. ANOVA and repeated measures ANOVA were employed to analyze data. It was concluded from the findings that employment of an STS issue investigation with an action instructional model that addressed the four goal levels of STS education significantly increased seventh grade students' participation in citizenship actions on STS issues. Implications and recommendations are provided.     

Enhancing students’ mathematical reasoning in the classroom: teacher actions facilitating generalization and justification

A proof is a connected sequence of assertions that includes a set of accepted statements, forms of reasoning and modes of representing arguments. Assuming reasoning to be central to proving and aiming to develop knowledge about how teacher actions may promote students’ mathematical reasoning, we conduct design research where whole-class mathematical discussions triggered by exploratory tasks play a key role. We take mathematical reasoning as making justified inferences and we consider generalizing and justifying central reasoning processes. Regarding teacher actions, we consider inviting, informing/suggesting, supporting/guiding and challenging actions can be identified in whole-class discussions. This paper presents design principles for an intervention geared to tackle such reasoning processes and focuses on a whole-class discussion on a grade 7 lesson about linear equations and functions. Data analysis concerns teacher actions in relation to design principles and to the sought mathematical reasoning processes. The conclusions highlight teacher actions that lead students to generalize and justify. Generalizations may arise from a central challenging action or from several guiding actions. Regarding justifications, a main challenging action seems to be essential, while follow-up guiding actions may promote a further development of this reasoning process. Thus, this paper provides a set of design principles and a characterization of teacher actions which enhance students’ mathematical reasoning processes such as generalization and justification.     

Modeling Diagnostic Assessments with Bayesian Networks

This paper defines Bayesian network models and examines their applications to IRT-based cognitive diagnostic modeling. These models are especially suited to building inference engines designed to be synchronous with the finer grained student models that arise in skills diagnostic assessment. Aspects of the theory and use of Bayesian network models are reviewed, as they affect applications to diagnostic assessment. The paper discusses how Bayesian network models are set up with expert information, improved and calibrated from data, and deployed as evidence-based inference engines. Aimed at a general educational measurement audience, the paper illustrates the flexibility and capabilities of Bayesian networks through a series of concrete examples, and without extensive technical detail. Examples are provided of proficiency spaces with direct dependencies among proficiency nodes, and of customized evidence models for complex tasks. This paper is intended to motivate educational measurement practitioners to learn more about Bayesian networks from the research literature, to acquire readily available Bayesian network software, to perform studies with real and simulated data sets, and to look for opportunities in educational settings that may benefit from diagnostic assessment fueled by Bayesian network modeling.     

Modeling the process of summary writing of Chinese learners of English as a foreign language

In language learning contexts, writing tasks that involve reading of source texts are often used to elicit more authentic integrative language use. Thus, interests in researching these read-to-write tasks in general and as assessment tasks keep growing. This study examined and modeled the process of summary writing as a read-to-write integrated task. Data of test-taking process were collected from 94 Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) learners who completed two summarization tasks. Seven students first completed the tasks while thinking aloud their mental process. The researcher observed their test-taking process and conducted post-test interviews to learn more about how they completed the tasks. Participants’ verbal reports were coded into mental moves, which were then grouped according to their purposes. These formed the basis for identifying the processes and sub-stages participants followed while completing the tasks. Based on the analysis of the think-aloud, observation, and interview data, a questionnaire was developed containing items specifying the processes task takers went through. The questionnaire was completed by the remaining 87 participants to test the generalizability of the findings. A process model of summarization was constructed subsequently. The implications of the study are discussed with reference to construct validity of summarization tasks, EFL writing instruction and assessment.     

A hybrid neural network model for consciousness

A new framework for consciousness is introduced based upon traditional artificial neural network models. This framework reflects explicit connections between two parts of the brain: one global working memory and distributed modular cerebral networks relating to specific brain functions. Accordingly this framework is composed of three layers,physical mnemonic layer and abstract thinking layer,which cooperate together through a recognition layer to accomplish information storage and cognition using algorithms of how these interactions contribute to consciousness:(1)the reception process whereby cerebral subsystems group distributed signals into coherent object patterns;(2)the partial recognition process whereby patterns from particular subsystems are compared or stored as knowledge; and(3)the resonant learning process whereby global workspace stably adjusts its structure to adapt to patterns' changes. Using this framework,various sorts of human actions can be explained,leading to a general approach for analyzing brain functions.     

在线和面对面学习环境下交流模式的比较——社会网络的视角

许多研究者对现实社会网络与虚拟计算机社会网络之间的关系有着不同的观点,这种社会学研究的争议同样也延伸至在线学习相关的领域。本研究通过对浙江省义乌市香山小学505班进行个案分析,从社会网络的角度剖析学生在线与面对面交流的差异以及这种差异与学生的性别、学业成绩等因素之间的关系。在线课程的开发需要充分考虑这些差异,并以此为据加强在线学习的协作。     

Appropriating Mathematical Practices: A Case Study of Learning to Use and Explore Functions Through Interaction with a Tutor

This case study uses a sociocultural perspective and the concept of appropriation (Newman, Griffin and Cole, 1989; Rogoff, 1990) to describe how a student learned to work with linear functions. The analysis describes in detail the impact that interaction with a tutor had on a learner, how the learner appropriated goals, actions, perspectives, and meanings that are part of mathematical practices, and how the learner was active in transforming several of the goals that she appropriated. The paper describes how a learner appropriated two aspects of mathematical practices that are crucial for working with functions (Breidenbach, Dubinsky, Nichols and Hawks, 1992; Even, 1990; Moschkovich, Schoenfeld and Arcavi, 1993; Schwarz and Yerushalmy, 1992; Sfard, 1992): a perspective treating lines as objects and the action of connecting a line to its corresponding equation in the form y = mx + b. I use examples from the analysis of two tutoring sessions to illustrate how the tutor introduced three tasks (estimating y-intercepts, evaluating slopes, and exploring parameters) that reflect these two aspects of mathematical practices in this domain and describe how the student appropriated goals, actions, meanings, and perspectives for carrying out these tasks. I describe how appropriation functioned in terms of the focus of attention, the meaning for utterances, and the goals for these three tasks. I also examine how the learner did not merely repeat the goals the tutor introduced but actively transformed some of these goals.     

The action in action research: mediating and developing inclusive intentions

The authors of this article reflect on their experiences as facilitators of an action research network aiming to provide a context for participating schools to identify and address barriers to pupils' learning and participation. Within the network, action research is seen to have different meanings for individuals within and between schools in terms of the relationship between action, data and changes at the personal, group and institutional levels. In nearly all schools in the study, however, it importantly signifies a measure of autonomy over the direction of development, in an era of strongly imposed external agendas. The relationship between the action research process and the values associated with inclusion is explored with the use of school-level data, and interpreted through attention to the actions developing in the schools. Some of the consequences of these actions are described, both intentional and unintentional, and the possible significance of developing rhetoric within and between schools is suggested. The article concludes that action research as described in this network may sustain the development of more inclusive schools, by creating possibilities for critical reflection on the relationship between values and practice within the institution.     

Qualitatively recognizing the dimensions of student environmental identity development within the classroom context

This study qualitatively explored the process of student environmental identity development (sEID) within the highly social and structured context of elementary school science. Social practice theory was used as the lens to distinguish the dimensions of sEID that were visible during a curriculum-based, in-school program focused on the issue of pollution. Student narratives, collected from small group interviews and reflective journals, were prioritized to capture the process of students in context identifying as “being for the environment.” Data collected from 35 grade six students were qualitatively coded, a network diagram was used to visualize the relationships in the data, and a research vignette was constructed. Eight dimensions were recognized as contributing to sEID; the opportunity to be an environmental actor with peers, increased awareness of environmental threat, emotional responses, self-recognition for environmental action, perceived agency, changed behavior across social contexts, social recognition for identity actions, and personal meaning. While many of these dimensions have been directly or indirectly discussed in the research on adult environmentalists, shifting the emphasis from group membership to the individual student in context led to the addition of two dimensions—personal meaning and emotional responses. Recognizing the eight dimensions of sEID is an important contribution to the literature as students engaging in environmental action as a requirement of school is distinct from the existing research. Identifying the dimensions of sEID can support the intentional design of learning sequences that foster environmental identities in school and beyond.