Group work in healthcare students’ education: what do we think we are doing?

Group learning activities (GLAs) are integral components of graduate and undergraduate programmes across disciplines. Students’ multidimensional perception of GLAs and preferred learning style influences learning outcomes. Educators need to be aware of the potential for negative learning experiences associated with group activities and provide structured support and feedback to students. Routinely gathered student feedback, revealing unanticipated themes related to group assignments, provided the impetus for the authors to examine the issue in greater depth. This discussion paper will explore the critical elements of successful group learning by comparing themes emerging from analysis of these student preferences related to group learning against evidence from the literature. Student learning style, goals and past experiences with GLAs are critical determinants of the final learning outcome. To decrease negative experiences in GLAs, we recommend: use of group work in formative rather than summative projects; building student confidence by providing a step‐wise introduction to GLAs with open discussion of the positive and negative consequences of conflict; and the use of effective role modelling.     

Kolb's learning styles and learning preferences: is there a linkage?

Much has been written about the relationships between learning styles and learning preferences with the aim of tailoring teaching methods to the ways that students prefer to learn. This study used a sample of 201 management undergraduates to examine the relationships between Kolb's four learning styles and four learning types, and 12 different learning preferences. Only three significant relationships were found. It is suggested that large individual differences in learning preferences within each style and type, and small differences in learning preference mean scores show that, overall, there are weak linkages between learning styles and learning preferences. It is recommended that researchers control for Type I error rates and present effect sizes when statistically significant relationships are found to prevent chance and trivial findings from influencing educators. It is recommended that educators use a variety of learning methods and encourage students to be receptive to different learning methods rather than try to link specific learning methods to specific learning styles.     

英语学习风格、学习策略和英语习得水平的相关性研究

采用英语感知学习风格量表（PLSPQ）和英语学习策略量表（SILL）等,通过使用SPSS18.0统计软件,调研158名高职学生英语风格的偏好情况和学习策略运用状况及其与英语习得水平之间的关系。数据分析结果表明,动手型是学生主要的英语学习风格;学生的英语学习策略整体运用属于中等使用水平;个人型学习风格与英语习得水平有显著的相关关系;学习策略与英语习得水平有显著的相关关系。鉴于此,英语教师应该采取有效的对策,提高学习效率,改进教学效果。     

Online Discussions Improve Student Perceptions of Instructor Efforts to Relate Faith to Learning in Graduate Occupational Therapy Courses

This article presents the results of a retrospective controlled study conducted in a graduate occupational therapy program. The study examined the effect that an online discussion targeting integration of faith and learning had on student perceptions of instructor effectiveness in relating faith to learning. This study addresses the following question: Does the addition of a single online discussion targeting integration of faith and learning in graduate occupational therapy courses significantly increase student ratings on a course evaluation question addressing faith–learning integration? This study also asked two secondary questions:

1. Do online students and face-to-face students both respond favorably to the addition of an online discussion targeting faith–learning integration?

2. Do students in three different courses all respond favorably to the addition of an online discussion targeting the integration of faith and learning?

Data were collected from three different courses taught by the same professor between Fall 2009 and Fall 2013 (four sections of each course; N = 138). The ordinal data were analyzed using nonparametric tests to determine significant differences and effect sizes. The results indicated that the addition of a single online discussion addressing faith–learning integration can significantly increase student perceptions of instructor effectiveness in such integration within graduate occupational therapy coursework, both in face-to-face and online learning environments. These findings provide support for the use of online discussions to challenge students to integrate Christian faith beliefs with what they are learning in their area of study.     

Course Format and Student Learning Styles: A Comparison of Political Science Courses

ABSTRACT

This study investigates whether differences in learning styles exist between students in online and face-to-face (FTF) sections of political science courses taught by three instructors. Some studies suggest that student preferences regarding online or FTF formats are influenced by their preferred modes of learning. Independent learners, for example, may prefer online courses since they provide individualistic opportunities to study outside of the traditional classroom. This study uses original survey data to assign students one of six learning styles in order to assess whether independent learners are more common in online courses. Our analysis finds no significant differences in independent learners when comparing the two formats. This finding runs counter to studies that argue that independent learners tend to prefer online courses. In fact, the only learning style where we observe a meaningful difference among online and FTF formats is among dependent learners. Contrary to expectation, students enrolled in online versions demonstrated a greater tendency toward dependent modes of learning. Further survey responses suggest that student lifestyle drove course format selection rather than learning style. These findings have important implications for universities that increasingly turn to online courses to address decreasing enrollments and attempt to remedy the high attrition rates associated with those courses.     

初中生对理化课程不同教学方法喜好程度的调查研究

教师使用学生喜好的教学方法有利于培养学生对科学课程和科学积极的情感,本研究调查了1 334名(男生679名,女生655名)初中学生,在目前物理、化学课堂中23种教学活动使用的频数,以及他们希望其使用的频数。调查数据用描述性统计和非参数检验分析,结果显示:现代教学方法和传统教学法均受到学生的肯定;学生强烈希望开展参观工厂、博物馆等教学活动;学生个体差异影响其对教学方法的喜好;女学生更喜欢听教师讲解和看教师演示实验;成绩好的学生更喜欢小组课题研究、小组讨论等。调查结果对教师理解学生和选择教学方法有启示作用。     

网络多媒体环境下外语学习风格与交互倾向的相关性研究

该研究从Reid的感知学习风格角度,按照Moore的交互分类标准,针对网络多媒体教学现状,分析网络多媒体环境下的外语学习者感知学习风格和交互倾向性,旨在对学习风格和交互倾向之间的关系进行探讨和分析。其研究方法采用描述性研究法,使用定量和定质数据相结合的分析手段,即对定量数据进行描述性的相关关系统计处理,对个人半开放式访谈、参与性观察,以及网络多媒体外语学习周记等定质数据进行归纳法的描写性分析,以求推断提出理论假设。研究结果表明:网络多媒体环境下的工科外语学习者学习风格趋向动觉型和体验型学习风格;交互方式的心理需求明显趋向为师生交互;群体型学习风格与师生交互、生生交互具有显著的正相关关系;体验型学习风格与师生交互具有显著的正相关关系;其他四种学习风格与三种交互类型均不相关。     

Learning Style Preferences of Armenian, African, Hispanic, Hmong, Korean, Mexican, and Anglo Students in American Secondary Schools

This is a study concerning the basic perceptual learning style preferences (auditory, visual, kinesthetic, and tactile) and preferences for group and individual learning of Armenian, African, Hispanic, Hmong, Korean, Mexican, and Anglo students in American secondary schools. The results of the study reveal significant ethnic group and sex differences in their learning style preferences, as well as students' achievement level differences. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Supporting Online PBL: Design Considerations for Supporting Distributed Problem Solving

This study considers how four groups of education graduate students worked in a distributed problem-based learning (PBL) environment using an asynchronous threaded discussion tool. The analyses consider how the students were able to interact with each other using the tool and how they worked together to define the problem and identify key issues to explore. The outcomes include some design considerations for tools to support these activities as well as insight about how students may work together to solve a problem in a distributed environment.     

Building learning communities with distance learning intruction

The results presented in this study represent only one of four assigned discussion board activities from only one course. However, these results are not atypical of the amount or nature of student engagement in successive discussion board assignments to these same 23 graduate students. By the final of the four on-line discussions, student engagement did decrease slightly, but still remained well above the assigned requirements. Also, similar patterns of high frequency of student involvement were found in other courses using the same type of on-line discussion board assignments. An additional anecdotal observation was completed by the course instructor; after the first on-line activity had been completed and the students re-convened on campus for class, class members appeared more comfortable and more engaged during in class discussions. In summary, the results of this study indicate that specific types of on-line instruction are capable of developing learning communities among on-line learners and creating a satisfying learning experience.     

高职学生英语学习风格调查研究

学习风格是学生个性化差异因素之一,是学习者在学习中表现出来的一种整体性、持久性的并具有个性化的认知方式和处理信息的方式。本文通过问卷的方式对高职学生的外语学习风格进行了调查和研究,发现高职学生主要学习风格为视觉型和动手型。同时也分析了高职学生学习方式上的性别差异,并对高职教学提出了一些想法和建议。     

ARE STUDENTS' LEARNING STYLES DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC?

In the study reported in this article, we examine the extent to which community college students' learning style preferences vary as a function of discipline. We were interested in knowing whether gender and academic performance play a role in student learning style preferences. The learning style preferences of 105 community college students (47 males and 58 females) were measured in four disciplines (i.e., English, mathematics, science, and social studies) using a modified version of the Kolb Learning Style Inventory IIa (Kolb, 1995), which was aimed at determining learning mode orientations: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. The results revealed significant differences in students' learning styles preferences across disciplines, but not for gender. In addition, student learning style preferences varied by academic performance as measured by GPA. These findings have important implications for community college teaching and research.     

初中英语学习者学习风格与学习效果的相关性调查研究

通过对92名初中英语学习者进行问卷调查,就所得数据进行定量与定性分析,对初中英语学习者的学习风格倾向以及学习风格与学习效果之间的相关性进行了探讨。结果表明:初中英语学习者倾向于审视型、视觉型和独立型的学习风格,而最不喜欢的是分析型的学习风格;听觉型、独立型、分析型和冲动型的学习风格与学习效果呈显著正相关,而依赖型的学习风格与学习效果呈显著负相关。     

Looking Beyond the Undergraduate Classroom: Factors Influencing Service Learning's Effectiveness at Improving Graduate Students’ Professional Skills

This study provides a greater understanding of which factors influence the effectiveness of service learning projects at improving graduate students’ professional skills. Data for this study was gathered from students in eight Master of Public Administration (MPA) courses taught during two semesters at a large state university. Younger students were more likely than older students to believe that their service learning project was helpful in improving their professional skills. We also find that students who spent more time working on a service learning project outside of class reported their projects were more helpful in improving their professional skills. In addition, our ANOVA analysis indicates that for projects involving group activities, students who were members of groups that worked as teams reported that their projects were more helpful in improving their professional skills than students in less cohesive groups.     

What and how teacher educators prefer to learn

In which areas and domains do individual teacher educators prefer to work on their professional development? What kind of learning activities do they want to take on and with whom? Are there significant differences in these preferences between teacher educators? This article reports on a recent survey (N = 268) about the professional development of teacher educators and differences in learning preferences between less and more experienced teacher educators and between university-based and school-based teacher educators. Findings show, for example, that while most university-based teacher educators were mainly interested in improving their teaching, less experienced school-based teacher educators were more focussed on aspects such as coaching skills. In this study, ‘learning profiles’ have been developed for four categories of teacher educators. These profiles may help to create more meaningful arrangements for teacher educators’ initial education and further professional development in a context where teacher education is required to have a more school-based as well as a more research-based orientation.     

Blended Learning for Learner Empowerment: Voices from the Middle East

Blended learning (BL) is still in its infancy in the United Arab Emirates, but is gaining growing attention and acceptance. The particular university under investigation offers its nationally accredited graduate programs with a BL format that makes use of synchronous virtual classrooms, asynchronous self-study, and face-to-face sessions. The current qualitative research study investigates students' perceptions about their experience with the BL model within their relatively conservative cultural context. In addition, the project aimed at gauging their suggestions for course design considerations that would meet their needs as adult learners and enhance their learning experience. Twenty-one graduate students participated in the study, with findings indicating an overall positive perception about the BL experience with a strong positive impact on female empowerment. The most salient themes for successful instructional strategies indicated the importance of student-centered practices, particularly collaborative projects and student-led activities.     

Online or face-to-face? Students' experiences and preferences in e-learning

Which aspects of e-learning courses do students experience as being favorable for learning? When do students prefer online or face-to-face learning components? These questions were the subject of a research study in a sample of 2196 students from 29 Austrian universities. The students completed a questionnaire on their experiences attending an e-learning course, on their perceived achievements, and on their preferences for online or face-to-face learning components. Students appreciated online learning for its potential in providing a clear and coherent structure of the learning material, in supporting self-regulated learning, and in distributing information. They preferred face-to-face learning for communication purposes in which a shared understanding has to be derived or in which interpersonal relations are to be established. An especially important result concerns students' perceptions of their learning achievements: When conceptual knowledge in the subject matter or skills in the application of one's knowledge are to be acquired, students prefer face-to-face learning. However, when skills in self-regulated learning are to be acquired, students advocate online learning.     

Learning achieved in structured online debates: levels of learning and types of postings

The purpose of this study was to examine the learning process exhibited in restrained online debates in terms of to what extent each of Bloom’s six levels of cognitive learning were exhibited among four types of message (argument, critique, evidence, and explanation). Thirty-three graduate students enrolled in an online entry-level course in distance learning participated in this study. The threaded discussion postings from four structured online debates were analyzed. The results indicated that five of the six levels of cognitive learning (except for knowledge learning) were achieved to a certain extent among the four types of postings. Chi square tests indicated that higher levels of learning were most likely to be exhibited in critique and argument postings. Message–response exchanges ending with critiques or starting with argument messages were most likely to elicit higher levels responses. The results were discussed in light of better understanding of student learning and implications for instructional designs of discussion topics and restraints.     

高职学生个性化学习实践与满意度调查

高职学生自主学习能力的培养是现代高等职业教育的目标之一,而个性化学习属于典型的学习者自主学习活动,它是以学习个体差异为出发点,以学习者的兴趣与需要为中心,以每个学习者能力与发展为目标。本文提出了满足高职学生个性化学习需求的四个子系统,并通过调查问卷,从兴趣匹配,基础匹配,能力匹配,择业匹配四个方面分析高职学生对个性化学习改革满意度偏好,为进一步深化高职学生个性化教学改革的推进找到了突破口。