Information comparisons in example-based hypermedia environments: supporting learners with processing prompts and an interactive comparison tool

Global comparisons of learning from hypertext/hypermedia and traditional presentation formats like text have yet failed to show major advantages concerning the effectiveness of hypermedia learning. Thus, it is proposed in the current paper to evaluate hypermedia environments more specifically with regard to their potential to implement and support well-defined learning approaches. According to this view, an effective hypermedia design needs to be based on thorough cognitive task analyses with regard to structures, processes, and resources that are required to benefit from a specific learning approach. This claim is illustrated by two experiments in which we explored the instructional potential of hypermedia environments for improving schema acquisition from worked-out examples. A cognitive task analysis was used to identify specific types of information comparisons that are crucial for successful schema induction and that might be effectively supported by suitably designed hypermedia environments. The experiments investigated two methods for enhancing comparison processes in hypermedia-assisted learning from worked-out examples, namely, elaboration prompts and an interactive comparison tool. Both methods improved performance for near-transfer problems. Ways of extending this task-analytical approach to facilitating far transfer are also discussed.

Advice to mental health intervention for recruits based on an investigation for mental status of servicemen during basic military training

Basic military training consists of highly regimented training in the context of fairly extreme psychosocial stressors, and some recruits suffered from rigorous disturbance in mind. Even if practical measures which include instructive psychological intervention have been taken to ameliorate the disturbance, some questions still have not been settled in our practical work for recruits. For example, what are the manifestations of psychological problems for recruits？ What is the difference of the psychological problems at different stages during the training？ A perspective investigation was found that emotion disturbances before the training and somatic symptoms at the end of the 1st month of training are remarkable, which can be viewed as, if needed, target symptoms in the psychological intervention. While recruits got more objective social supports in the later training and their sleep status had not shown significant change during the military training. Based on the investigations, we also submitted our suggestion to mental health intervention for recruits, and this may be helpful for health education in the army.     

Effects of a training intervention to foster argumentation skills while processing conflicting scientific positions

Argumentation skills play a crucial role in science education and in preparing school students to act as informed citizens. While processing conflicting scientific positions regarding topics such as sustainable development in the domain of ecology, argumentation skills such as evaluating arguments or supporting theories with evidence are beneficial for developing deep understanding and well-grounded conclusions. We developed a 50-min training intervention to foster argumentation skills in the domain of ecology on topics related to sustainable development and analyzed its effects in a control-group design: (a) training intervention to foster argumentation skills (n = 41), (b) no such training intervention (n = 42). Results showed that this short-term training intervention successfully fostered three components of argumentation skills (i.e., evaluative knowledge, generative knowledge, and argument quality) and declarative knowledge about argumentation. The positive effect on declarative knowledge was stable 1 week after the training and it was mediated by learning processes during the training intervention: self-explaining the principles of argumentation underlying the video-based examples mediated the effect on declarative knowledge 1 week after the training. In short, the training intervention is an effective instructional method to enhance argumentation skills as well as declarative knowledge about argumentation.     

飞秒激光深孔加工技术研究

采用聚焦物镜与接收材料同步运动的方法,以二维平面图形式研究焦点前后脉冲的空间形态。通过改变小孔直径和小孔前后单脉冲能量,可以观察光束空间形态的变化。结果显示：脉冲能量大小只影响刻痕线宽大小;缩小掩模小孔直径时,焦点前后光束空间直径变化趋缓,甚至柬腰位置也随之偏移。在选取合适参数的情况下,可成功刻划出边缘光滑的透射型金属光栅条纹。     

Stress prevention through a time management training intervention: an experimental study

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a short-term time management training programme on perceived control of time and perceived stress. The sample of 177 freshmen was randomly assigned to a time management training (n?=?89) and an active control group (CG) (n?=?88). We expected that an increase in external demands during the first weeks of the semester would lead to more perceived stress in the CG, but not in the time management training group, due to the time management intervention. As hypothesised, perceived stress increased in the CG, but not in the time management training group. Furthermore, perceived control of time increased in the time management training group but remained unchanged in the CG. Even a rather short intervention of 2?h can protect freshmen from an increase in perceived stress at the beginning of the semester.     

Organisational and training factors affecting academic teacher training outcomes

University teacher training has become an important topic in recent years due to the curricular and methodological reforms introduced by the Bologna process. Despite its acknowledged importance, evaluations have been limited to measures of participants’ satisfaction, and little is known about its impact on teaching practices. This study seeks to analyse the effects of the different delivery methods used during workshops that aim to enhance academic teachers’ pedagogical competence and teaching practices. Moreover, the study analyses to what extent individual characteristic and job requirement also have an effect on training outcomes. The study draws on data collected through a self-reported questionnaire administered to academic teachers two years after they participated in training workshops at a Spanish university (n?=?204). The results show that specific delivery methods have a significant effect on the outcome variables, especially those related to the design of learning activities and assessment tools.     

Reducing risk for children in changing cultural contexts: recommendations for intervention and training

OBJECTIVES: This paper proposes guidelines to both parents and professionals for the prevention and reduction of risk associated with cultural differences, conflicts and misinterpretations. These guidelines are based on a conceptual framework derived from the multicultural reality of Israeli society and are supported by a growing corpus of studies on cross-cultural child development, immigration and minority families. METHOD: The paper is based on a conceptual model followed by practical implications for training and intervention. RESULTS: Central to this paper is the concept of the "adaptive adult" which serves as a guiding metaphor for the organization of socialization goals, child-rearing ideologies, perceptions and values of socializing agents in a given culture or group. Childcare practices are defined as adaptive strategies, that is, means for socializing children to become "successful adults." The paper describes different types of "adaptive adult" metaphor (e.g., past and future oriented), and discusses images held by groups who have experienced either a duality of private and public culture or changes in their cultural contexts. The paper further explores and exemplifies the potential contributions of the proposed framework for a five step intervention plan with parents and for training of professionals in multicultural contexts. CONCLUSIONS: Children of families in changing cultural contexts are often considered to be at risk for maltreatment. This is because such families may experience sociocultural and socioeconomic change and a loss of their former support networks. Parental acculturation stress and related dysfunction might also affect children. The risk increases when children are exposed to systems with conflicting socialization goals and with contradictory definitions of desirable child-care or supervision frameworks. Conflicts and clashes between parents and socializing agents have been found to have long-term detrimental effects on children and families. Cultural differences may also result in misinterpretation of parental behaviors and misdiagnosis of abuse and neglect. Such conflicts and misinterpretations can be avoided if both parents and social agents learn to understand and to respect their cultural differences, so that together, they can devise ways to bridge them.     

Preservice training in response to intervention: Learning by doing an interdisciplinary field experience

Marking major changes in professional role performance, response to intervention (RTI) is now in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) as a possible method to improve the identification of specific learning disabilities. Moreover, RTI and related concepts and initiatives have fundamentally influenced more general methods of prevention, instruction and intervention services, and decision making in schools. Although RTI will continue to evolve, core characteristics of RTI that form the basis of state initiatives are well founded in intervention and instructional research and practice. These core characteristics (i.e., data‐based decision making, evidence‐based intervention, teaming, and problem solving) represent skills immediately needed by professionals‐in‐training. This article reports collaboration between school psychology and special education faculty in designing and implementing an integrative field experience in RTI. Training, student, and program outcomes are used summatively for accountability. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

脑卒中发病环境因素分析及干预的数学模型

依据2012年全国大学生数学建模竞赛C题所给的脑卒中发病病例信息,运用Excel软件筛选功能,将数据进行分类整理及统计规律分析,发现脑卒中发病人群易集中于老年人,男性得病比例高于女性,春季为此病发作高峰期,农民患此病人数最多.在合理假设的基础上,运用MATLAB软件进行多元线性回归分析,建立了脑卒中发病与环境因素关系的数学模型.通过数学模型及脑卒中高危人群的重要特征和关键指标,指出脑卒中发病的规律,对脑卒中高危人群进行预警和干预.     

Written emotional expression as an intervention for asthma

This investigation employed a multiple baseline design across five participants to examine written emotional expression as an intervention to improve lung function in high school‐aged students, college students, and adults with asthma. The predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁ measure of large airway functioning) and forced expiratory flow (FEF_25–75 measure of small airway functioning) were evaluated using spirometry. In addition, anxiety was measured using state and trait anxiety self‐report scales. Generally, results were effective. Individuals with asthma are at higher risk for increased hospitalization and death. For the school‐aged population, asthma is associated with increased absenteeism, restriction of various class activities such as physical education, and poor relationships with peers. Therefore, adults and children with asthma are in need of services and school psychologists appear uniquely qualified to intervene. More recently, the role of the school psychologist is diversifying with corresponding training (e.g., wellness, consultation, prevention, assessment and treatment of health issues) in the areas of health‐related disorders that involve a psychological component. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 40: 193–207, 2003.     

语感培养的思考与实践

语感和语感教学问题一直是语文教育界的一个热点问题。语感是人对语言的认识、把握、感受的能力,具有特定的性质。语感培养可以推动阅读教学,大面积提高教学质量。语文教学要重视语感的培养,并采取切实有效的方法加以落实。     

浅谈金工实习教学在现代工程训练中的作用

论文通过论述金工实习教学的任务、内容和教学方式,阐明金工实习教学在现代工程训练中的重要地位和现代工程训练对传统金工实习创新能力的提升作用.并对现代工程训练的发展提出了一些建议.     

Evaluating a training intervention to prepare geriatric case managers to assess for suicide and firearm safety

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this article is to report on the implementation and initial evaluation of a 1-day training intervention targeting direct care providers in the Ohio aging services network. A primary objective is to describe the training intervention that consisted of two parts: (a) a gatekeeper training for assessing suicide risk among older adults, and (b) CALM (Counseling on Access to Lethal Means)—a brief training that teaches effective strategies to talk with clients about reducing access to lethal means. A second objective of this study is to report on changes in providers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices immediately posttraining related to suicide and firearm assessment and safety counseling with community dwelling older adults. Sixty-six employees in one regional office participated in the study. Results indicated that training increased participants’ perceived knowledge, preparedness, and efficacy regarding suicide assessment. Training also positively impacted knowledge and attitudes of firearm assessment and safety counseling among participants. At posttest, however, gatekeeper reluctance did not demonstrate a significant decrease. This study is unique in its contribution to literature on suicide prevention training with its focus on geriatric care providers and attention to measuring firearm assessment and safety counseling.     

Pedagogical differences during a science and language intervention for English language learners

The purpose of this study was to compare and describe 8 fifth-grade classrooms by their teachers pedagogy during a quasiexperimental, longitudinal, and field-based project focused on increasing English language learners' (ELLs') achievement in science and language. The larger study found statistically significant and positive intervention effects in favor of the treatment group on measures of science and language achievement. This study adds an in-depth analysis of the teacher pedagogical practices contributing to students' science and language achievement as captured by an observational instrument used during the project. Results from the analysis show how treatment teachers, when compared to control teachers, focused on activities promoting verbal and written interaction among the students and dense cognitive language use during science inquiry instruction. The findings support the importance of effectively using language in the science classroom to improve ELLs' science and language achievement. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.     

Effectiveness of an SRSD writing intervention for low- and high-SES children

Reading and Writing - SRSD interventions on writing have shown to be effective across a myriad of contexts and populations. Less is known, however, about their effectiveness for improving the...     

Preliminary findings of Active Classrooms: An intervention to increase physical activity levels of primary school children during class time

This study evaluates the effects of a behaviour change intervention, which encourages the integration of physical activity into the teaching of academic lessons, on physical activity levels of students. The main outcome is mean minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) daily generated during the intervention lessons. Teacher's perceptions and students' enjoyment of the programme were also evaluated. Students accumulated a mean of 8 min MVPA during the intervention lessons daily. The teacher and students were very satisfied with the programme. Therefore, changing teacher behaviour towards using physically active teaching methods is a promising way of increasing children's physical activity levels.     

Teacher training intervention for early identification of common child mental health problems in Pakistan

School-based interventions involving teacher training programmes have been shown to benefit teachers’ ability to identify and manage child mental health problems in developed countries. However, very few studies have been conducted in low-income countries with limited specialist services. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of the training programme on teachers’ knowledge and awareness. A total of 114 primary school teachers from five schools in Karachi participated in a two-day (10–12 hours) workshop to provide them with an understanding of common child mental health problems and train them in basic skills. Their pre- and post-training knowledge was evaluated through a rating scale and open-ended questions. Single tailed t-test, involving paired differences, was applied for participants’ scores. Pre-/post-training differences were statistically significant. The training sessions were associated with an improvement in teachers’ knowledge and awareness of various signs and symptoms of common child mental health problems. The greatest improvement was noted in response to strategies of managing difficult behaviours, as 61% of respondents were able to formulate appropriate behavioural management techniques after the training. In low-income developing countries like Pakistan, teachers should be trained in early-intervention programmes for the identification and school-based management of less complex emotional and behavioural problems. Such interventions can maximise the use of sparse mental health resources.     

Executive function training for kindergarteners after the Great East Japan Earthquake: intervention effects

Japan’s Social Thinking and Academic Readiness Training (START) program Academic Readiness (AR) lesson aims to improve self-regulation, executive function, and behavior problems in kindergarten children, but the effects of the START program AR lessons in unfavorable circumstances are unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of the START program AR lesson in affected areas after the Great East Japan Earthquake. A cluster randomized trial was conducted with 111 5-year-old children in two kindergartens in Miyagi Prefecture to evaluate the effectiveness of the six-week AR lesson. One kindergarten was randomly chosen to implement the AR lesson, and the other maintained standard education. In the intervention group, trained classroom teachers provided the children with a 20-min AR lesson once a week. Executive function, behavioral self-regulation, and internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors were measured before and after the six-week intervention. The intervention group showed improved inhibitory control and enhanced behavioral self-regulation compared with the standard practice group. In addition, teachers’ evaluations showed that children’s internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors improved significantly. The results indicate that the START program AR lesson was effective in enabling teachers to help students improve executive function, self-regulation, and problematic behaviors. Therefore, educators and policy-makers should consider implementing the START program AR lesson in kindergartens after a disaster.

     

Role of cognitive prompts in video caregiving training for older adults: optimizing deep and surface learning

Enhancing the cognitive functionality of digital technology can be critical in learning complex topics like caregiving for older adults. This study examines the deployment of cognitive prompts in video-based training to optimize older adults’ cognitive information process in both deep and surface learning. The path analysis revealed the relationship among cognitive prompts, crystallized knowledge and learning outcomes showing crystallized knowledge as a significant mediator between cognitive prompts and learning outcomes. Additionally, cognitive prompts were shown to be significant in activating older learners’ prior knowledge, rendering the learning process more meaningful and purposeful for older adults.