Investigating effects of reading medium and reading purpose on behavioral engagement and textual integration in a multiple text context

The study addressed to what extent behavioral engagement and textual integration may differ when undergraduate readers work with identical printed versus digital texts in preparation for an exam versus for pleasure. We expected that working with printed texts would lead to greater engagement and better integration than working with digital texts, but that reading purpose would moderate this effect of reading medium because those reading in preparation for an exam would display greater engagement and better integration regardless of reading medium. Results showed interaction effects of reading medium with reading purpose on the behavioral engagement indicators of reading time and the length of the post-reading written products. For reading time, the interaction involved that students used longer time when reading digital and mixed texts for an exam, compared to reading for pleasure, whereas there were no difference between exam and pleasure oriented reading when reading printed texts. For the length of the written responses, students produced more text when reading printed texts for an exam than when reading printed texts for pleasure, whereas there were no differences in text production between reading for an exam and reading for pleasure when reading digital or mixed texts. Finally, there was an indirect effect of reading purpose on textual integration via text production when students read printed texts: students who read printed texts in preparation for an exam produced longer written responses compared to those who read for pleasure and, in turn, gained a more integrated understanding of the issue in question. These results are discussed in terms of the implications they offer and the avenues they suggest for future research.     

Direct and indirect effects of print exposure on silent reading fluency

Print exposure is an important causal factor in reading development. Little is known, however, of the mechanisms through which print exposure exerts an effect onto reading. To address this gap, we examined the direct and indirect effects of print exposure on silent reading fluency among college students (n = 52). More specifically, we focused on phonetic decoding and sight word reading efficiency as potential mediators of the indirect effects of print exposure on silent reading fluency. Silent reading fluency was chosen as the outcome given that the natural reading experience occurs predominately in the silent mode. Results showed that the direct effect of print exposure on silent reading fluency was significant. Sight word reading efficiency partially mediated the indirect effect of print exposure on silent reading fluency. Phonetic decoding efficiency also partially mediated the indirect effect of print exposure on silent reading fluency, but only when followed by sight word reading efficiency to form a serial and joint mechanism (i.e., print exposure → phonetic decoding → sight word reading → silent reading fluency). Present findings highlight two mechanisms through which print exposure exerts an effect onto silent reading fluency, both of which involve sight word reading efficiency.     

Direct and indirect effects of executive function on reading comprehension in young adults

The purpose of this study was to examine what components of executive function (EF) – inhibition, shifting and updating/working memory – predict reading comprehension in young adults. Ninety university students (65 females, 25 males; mean age = 21.82 years) were assessed on shifting (Planned Connections and Colour/Shape Shifting), inhibition (Colour‐Word Stroop and Number Stroop), updating/working memory (Digit Memory and Listening Span), reading fluency (Word Reading Efficiency), vocabulary (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test), and reading comprehension (Nelson‐Denny Reading Test). The results of path analysis indicated that only shifting predicted directly reading comprehension. These findings extend those of previous studies showing that different EF components predict different reading outcomes and suggest that EF has a place in reading comprehension models over and above traditional predictors of reading comprehension such as reading fluency and vocabulary.     

Students' argumentation in decision-making on a socio-scientific issue: implications for teaching

This study explores the arguments used by 14-year-old students in making decisions about the design of a road in their area. The whole activity was based on an actual problem at the time the research took place. The procedure was a sequence, where students worked first individually, then in groups and finally they had to take a class decision. Then they had to realize one of the final proposals and design the construction of a bridge that their planning had involved. This paper first elaborates the general perspective of such an approach; it then describes the process of argumentation and analyses the nature of the students' arguments, which are discussed on the basis of a specifically constructed network.     

Debate on global warming as a socio-scientific issue: science teaching towards political literacy

The focus of this response to the original article by Tom G. H. Bryce and Stephen P. Day (Cult Stud Sci Educ. doi:10.1007/s11422-012-9407-1, 2013) is the use of empirical data to illustrate and expand the understanding of key points of their argument. Initially, I seek to discuss possible answers to the three questions posed by the authors related to: (1) the concerns to be addressed and the scientific knowledge to be taken into account in the climate change debate, (2) the attention to be paid to perspectives taken by “alarmists” and “deniers,” and (3) the approaches to be used to conduct controversial global warming debate. In this discussion, I seek to contribute to the debate proposed by the original paper, illustrating various points commented on by the authors and expanding to other possibilities, which highlight the importance of political issues in the debate. Therefore, I argue that socio-political issues must be taken into account when I aim for a scientific literacy that can enhance students’ political education. Likewise, I extend the debate presented in the original article, emphasizing the attention that should be paid to these aspects and approaching science education from a critical perspective. Highlighting only the confirmation bias without considering political implications of the debate can induce a reductionist and empiricist view of science, detached from the political power that acts on scientific activity. In conclusion, I support the idea that for a critical science education, the discussion of political issues should be involved in any controversial debate, a view, which goes beyond the confirmation bias proposed by Bryce and Day for the global warming debate. These issues are indeed vital and science teachers should take them into account when preparing their lessons for the debate on climate change.     

Application of construal level and value-belief norm theories to undergraduate decision-making on a wildlife socio-scientific issue

One aim of science education is to develop scientific literacy for decision-making in daily life. Socio-scientific issues (SSI) and structured decision-making frameworks can help students reach these objectives. This research uses value belief norm (VBN) theory and construal level theory (CLT) to explore students’ use of personal values in their decision-making processes and the relationship between abstract and concrete problematization and their decision-making. Using mixed methods, we conclude that the level of abstraction with which students problematise a prairie dog agricultural production and ecosystem preservation issue has a significant relationship to the values students used in the decision-making process. However, neither abstraction of the problem statement nor students’ surveyed value orientations were significantly related to students’ final decisions. These results may help inform teachers’ understanding of students and their use of a structured-decision making tool in a classroom, and aid researchers in understanding if these tools help students remain objective in their analyses of complex SSIs.     

Direct and indirect effects of online learning on distance education

This paper presents an exploratory study that investigates the effects of online learning on distance education students in an open university context. Two hypotheses are posited: (1) a direct relationship exists between students’ involvement in online learning and distance learning outcomes, and (2) an indirect relationship exists between these two domains via the mediating variable of an institutional Transactional Presence (TP), that is, a student's sense of the availability of and connectedness with an educational institution. Student learning achievement, satisfaction and intent‐to‐persist are used as indicators of outcomes of distance learning. The analysis of data garnered from 285 distance students reveals multifaceted relationships between students’ engagement in online learning, their perceptions of institutional TP and the three learning outcome variables. Besides the findings, the paper will discuss factors affecting students’ engagement in online learning in relation to different requirements, that is, optional or compulsory online use as well as the level of the course (undergraduate or postgraduate).     

Direct and indirect effects of executive functions,reading engagement,and higher order strategic processes in the reading comprehension of Dual Language Learners and English Monolinguals

Given concerns about the reading achievement of Dual Language Learners (DLLs) in comparison to English Monolinguals (EMs), this study examined individual difference variables contributing to English reading comprehension growth in Spanish-speaking DLLs and their EM counterparts in Grades 1–4. The participants, who included 578 DLLs and 412 EMs, were primarily from low-income backgrounds. They were assessed in the fall and spring of one school year on decoding, vocabulary, and oral language comprehension (established predictors of reading comprehension for DLLs and EMs); higher order strategic processes, executive functions, and reading engagement (understudied predictors for DLLs); and reading comprehension. Among the key findings were that each of the three understudied predictors was associated with reading comprehension growth over the school year, over and above the contributions of the established predictors, in both language groups. Additionally, higher order strategic processes partially mediated the relations of executive functioning in the fall with reading comprehension in the spring for both DLLs and EMs. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings for understanding and strengthening the reading achievement of all students are considered.     

A perspective on knowing about global warming and a critical comment about schools and curriculum in relation to socio-scientific issues

The focus of this response to Virginie Albe and Marie-José Gombert??s (2011) article on a research study of students?? school science conference on global warming is to develop some thoughts on covert assumptions which underpin any such conference. My comments refer to the politics behind the production of scientific knowledge of climate change and the institutional barriers to action on socio-scientific issues presented by schools working predominantly on neoliberal agendas.     

Scepticism and doubt in science and science education: the complexity of global warming as a socio-scientific issue

This article looks critically at the complexity of the debate among climate scientists; the controversies in the science of global temperature measurement; and at the role played by consensus. It highlights the conflicting perspectives figuring in the mass media concerned with climate change, arguing that science teachers should be familiar with them, particularly given the sharply contested views likely to be brought into classroom discussion and the importance of developing intellectual scepticism and robust scientific literacy in students. We distinguish between rational scepticism and the pejorative meaning of the expression associated with attitudinal opposition to global warming—similar to the way in which Bauer (2006) contrasts micro-scepticism and macro-scepticism in reasoning generally. And we look closely and critically at the approaches which teachers might adopt in practice to teach about global warming at this difficult time.     

The effects of individual and group contingencies on reading performance of special education students

The effects of individual and group contingencies on the reading performance of 10 special education students were examined in a counterbalanced multiple-baseline design with experimental manipulations introduced at random. During the Baseline condition no consequences for accuracy in programmed reading were in effect. With the Group Contingency, pupils earned points based on accuracy and exchanged them for activity backup reinforcers based on the average performance of the group. During the Individual Contingency arrangement, the same point totals were awarded by yoking pupils to the group behavioral criteria. The results indicated superior accuracy (from 2 to 25%) with the Group Contingency by all 10 pupils. Student preferences as to the two contingency arrangements indicated a slight preference for the Group Contingency phase. A lack of negative peer comments was noted over the duration of the experiment. Results were also discussed in terms of ease of implementation of the group contingencies within an ongoing token economy in a classroom setting. Tentative reasons for the differing results of the present study and others were presented.     

The semantic effects of consulting a textual database on rewriting

Children 8-10-years old were asked to write a story and then to improve it using resource texts. A first group accessed the resource texts through a computer database, a second group read the texts on paper and no texts were given to a third group. Regardless of their reading abilities, the children using computers produced more propositions during rewriting and, in particular, more macrostructural propositions. Inventions inspired by the resource texts outnumbered borrowings, particularly in the computer-assisted group. Our interpretation stresses the effect of the database learning environment on the reprocessing of mental models involved in generating first drafts.     

Beyond evidence: a critical appraisal of global warming as a socio-scientific issue and a reflection on the changing nature of scientific literacy in school

Tom G. K. Bryce and Stephen P. Day’s (2013) original article on scepticism and doubt in science education explores the context of citizens’ attitudes towards the complexities and uncertainties of global issues, namely global warming. This response aims to stimulate reflection on some of the implicit assumptions underpinning the relationships between science, technology and the public. I argue that an underestimation of the political and ethical dimensions of science and technology limits the possibilities for education to set the agenda for citizens’ participation in science and technological matters. Drawing on Sheila Jasanoff’s model of co-production, this paper proposes a radical re-affirmation of the aims and purposes of science education to embrace a multiplicity of disciplines, narratives and ways of knowing in science, technology and society issues.     

A comparison study of augmented reality versus interactive simulation technology to support student learning of a socio-scientific issue

We investigated the impact of an augmented reality (AR) versus interactive simulation (IS) activity incorporated in a computer learning environment to facilitate students' learning of a socio-scientific issue (SSI) on nuclear power plants and radiation pollution. We employed a quasi-experimental research design. Two classes (a total of 45 ninth-grade students) were randomly assigned to either the AR or IS treatments. We compared three outcome variables of the AR and IS groups: knowledge of and attitude towards the SSI, and perceptions of the AR or IS feature. We also examined the interplay among the three variables within each of the two groups. The results indicated no significant differences in knowledge and attitude, but a significant difference in the perceptions between the two groups. Moreover, different patterns of correlations among the variables were identified. The implication includes educational impact of emerging AR technologies to support affective aspects of student learning of SSIs.     

音乐的直接欣赏和间接欣赏

音乐欣赏是实践和检验音乐作品存在价值的主要途径.从其传播方式上来看,可以分为直接欣赏和间接欣赏两大类.直接欣赏是表演者和欣赏者面对面的审美活动,是音乐本原声通过空间传播,直接为欣赏者的听觉所感受.而间接欣赏是非面对面的欣赏,它首先将表演出来的音乐通过特定的媒体进行复制,然后以复制音乐的再现供人们欣赏.在现代社会的音乐生活中,直接欣赏和间接欣赏各具有自己的优势和局限,二者互补共存,才能更好地满足人们的审美需求.     

Understanding argumentation about socio-scientific issues on energy: a quantitative study with primary pre-service teachers in Spain

Background Argumentation is an important discourse process in science that needs to be taught and learned as part of a repertoire of strategies to support the acquisition of scientific literacy. Research in science education indicates that beliefs or perceptions and the epistemological orientations of teachers influence their approaches to science teaching.

Purpose The paper aims to illustrate primary pre-service teachers’ understanding of argumentation based on a study using quantitative methodology. In particular, it aims to illustrate how these teachers view quality of arguments and teaching strategies related to argumentation in the context of a socio-scientific issue on energy.

Sample 332 pre-service teachers enrolled in a university teacher education programme in Spain were investigated. Many studies on argumentation have been conducted with small sample sizes of teachers. Hence, given the sample size, the study provides findings that are likely to be generalisable.

Design and methods A questionnaire was administered to the participants. The design of the questionnaire was guided by some existing analytical tools which were adapted for primary education purposes in the context of socio-scientific issues. This adaptation is novel in that the questionnaire items can potentially be used as diagnostic questions to assess primary teachers’ understanding of argumentation.

Results The results suggest that pre-service teachers had difficulty in understanding arguments and different pedagogical strategies to promote argumentation in classroom. For example, they did not understand the role and the meaning of warrants in scientific arguments and their understanding of the use of different kind of strategies is limited to debates, open discussions and experiments. The age range of the participants and the length of teaching experience had no impact on the quality of their understanding of argumentation.

Conclusions Pre-service science teacher education will benefit from incorporation of more robust and lengthy sessions on argumentation. For example, sessions could focus on quality as well as structure of arguments in science and more diverse pedagogical strategies to support argumentation in science lessons, such as the use of writing frames and presentations.     

阅读策略培训对学生阅读理解能力影响的元分析

国内外有关阅读策略培训对学生阅读理解能力影响的研究众多,但研究结果不尽相同。本研究以Comprehensive Meta-analysis V2软件为工具对国内外27项此类研究进行了元分析。研究结果如下:1)阅读策略培训对学生阅读理解能力影响的总效应值为0.816,达到大效应值;2)可能存在多种因素共同作用影响阅读策略培训对学生阅读理解能力影响的效果;3)语言环境和培训的策略类别对研究结果无显著影响,而实验周期和阅读理解能力测试方式对研究结果具有显著影响。     

Direct and indirect effects of Key2Teach on teachers' sense of self-efficacy and emotional exhaustion,a randomized controlled trial

The effects of Key2Teach on teachers' sense of self-efficacy and emotional exhaustion related to students with externalizing problem behaviour were investigated using an RCT-design. 103 teachers were randomly assigned to an intervention or control condition and followed during a school-year. Data were collected at three time-points. Self-efficacy for instructional strategies improved at post-test and emotional exhaustion decreased at follow-up as a result of Key2Teach. Self-efficacy did not mediate the effect on emotional exhaustion. The effect of Key2Teach on self-efficacy concerning student engagement and classroom management was mediated by an increase in closeness. Implications for research and practice are discussed.