Technology-enhanced mathematics instruction: A second-order meta-analysis of 30 years of research

It is important to assess the cumulative effects of technology on student achievement captured in the last 30 years of technologyenhanced mathematics instruction. Synthesizing the thousands of articles and gray literature on this subject is necessary but would require a considerable commitment of academic resources. A second-order metaanalysis or meta-analysis of meta-analyses is an alternative that is reasonable and effective. Thus, a second-order meta-analysis of 19 prior meta-analyses with minimum overlap between primary studies was conducted. The results represent 663 primary studies (approximately 141,733 participants) and 1,263 effect sizes. The random effects' mean effect size of .38 was statistically significantly different from zero. The results provide a historical and contextualized summary of 30 years of meta-analytic research, which supports meta-analytic thinking and better interpretation of future effect sizes. Results indicate that technology function and study quality are major contributors to effect size variation. Specifically, computation enhancement technologies were most effective, while studies that examine combinations of enhancements were least effective. Implications for technology-enhanced mathematics instruction and meta-analytic research are provided.     

A meta-analysis of outcome studies of visual-based instruction

This article describes a statistical integration of findings from 74 studies of visualbased college teaching. In the typical study, students learned slightly more from visual-based instruction than from conventional teaching. In the typical study, visual-based instruction had no special effect on course completion, student attitudes, or the correlation between aptitude and achievement. Students were equally likely to complete visual-based and conventional classes; their attitudes toward the two kinds of classes were very similar; and aptitude played a strong role in determining student achievement in each kind of class. This study was supported by National Science Foundation Grant SED 77-18566.     

试论创造性教学

培养和发展学生的创造性,是当前国内外教学改革的主题.创造性教学应遵循主体性、民主性和差异性原则.树立新的创造性教学观,改革课堂教学方法,大力培养创造性教师.     

A meta-analysis on the effectiveness of phonics instruction for teaching decoding skills to students with intellectual disability

This meta-analysis examines the effects of phonics instruction on the decoding skills of students with intellectual disability using a random-effects model. Eight single-case experimental studies and six experimental or quasi-experimental group studies met the inclusion criteria, encompassing a total of 297 participants with intellectual disability. The overall effect of phonics instruction on the decoding skills of persons with intellectual disability was large: g = 1.42 (95% CI: 0.75, 2.10). Single-case studies yielded a larger average effect size (g = 1.94, 95% CI: 1.10, 2.78) than group studies (g = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.13, 0.69). Researcher-designed tests also yielded larger effect sizes than standardized tests. The type of interventionist was not a significant moderator. In the majority of the studies, phonics instruction was carried out using a systematic and direct instruction approach and a one-to-one format. Implications for practice and research are presented, and areas that require further investigation are identified.     

Results and Implications of a 12-Year Longitudinal Study of Science Concept Learning

This paper describes the methods and outcomes of a 12-year longitudinal study into the effects of an early intervention program, while reflecting back on changes that have occurred in approaches to research, learning and instruction since the preliminary inception stages of the study in the mid 1960s. We began the study to challenge the prevailing consensus at the time that primary school children were either preoperational or concrete operational in their cognitive development and they could not learn abstract concepts. Our early research, based on Ausubelian theory, suggested otherwise. The paper describes the development and implementation of a Grade 1–2 audio tutorial science instructional sequence, and the subsequent tracing over 12 years, of the children’s conceptual understandings in science compared to a matched control group. During the study the concept map was developed as a new tool to trace children’s conceptual development. We found that students in the instruction group far outperformed their non-instructed counterparts, and this difference increased as they progressed through middle and high school. The data clearly support the earlier introduction of science instruction on basic science concepts, such as the particulate nature of matter, energy and energy transformations. The data suggest that national curriculum standards for science grossly underestimate the learning capabilities of primary-grade children. The study has helped to lay a foundation for guided instruction using computers and concept mapping that may help both teachers and students become more proficient in understanding science.     

The effect of blended instruction on accelerated learning

While online instructional technologies are becoming more popular in higher education, educators’ opinions about online learning tend to be generally negative. Furthermore, many studies have failed to systematically examine the features that distinguish one instructional mode from another, which weakens possible explanations for why online instructional technology can be beneficial. The current study isolates three benefits of the authors’ particular online instructional technology: (1) providing flexibility in how students learn, (2) offering immediate and targeted feedback and (3) increasing student participation and engagement with instructional material. Maximum benefits were observed when students used the online instructional technology to prepare for their face-to-face class – that is, students with this blended instruction learned twice as much content in the same amount of time in comparison to students with face-to-face instruction alone, without creating an atypically high workload.     

大学英语听力策略培训实践研究

本章在听力策略培训相关研究的基础上,对听力策略培训的模式、教学方法、效果尤其是培训的内容等方面进行了探讨,并对融合式听力策略培训实验进行反思,得出关于听力策略培训、大学英语课程设置方面的启示.     

Efficiency of digital and non-digital educational games: A comparative meta-analysis and a meta-thematic analysis

Abstract

The present article attempts to reinterpret the findings of most recent studies investigating effect of using games for teaching purposes. A methodological approach combining a meta-analysis of quantitative data with qualitative ones was adopted in order to present the broadest picture of the current research on educational use of games. To this end, we conducted a meta-analysis of 180 effect size comparisons out of 154 empirical studies on the effect of both digital and non-digital games on academic achievement conducted during the period from 2004 to 2019 in order to determine the overall effect size of using games for teaching various subjects. The overall sample size of the studies included a total number of 12800 participants. Some moderator analyses were also carried out to determine the exact efficiency of educational games in terms of student levels, durations of implementation of game activities, school subjects in which games were used, class sizes, kinds of games and achievement tests used. The findings suggest that educational games have a positive effect on academic achievement and this effect is at a medium level (g?=?0.695). The highest effect sizes were observed in foreign language courses (g?=?0.87), small (less than 50) class sizes (g?=?0.87), and in non-digital games (g?=?0.90). Moreover, we conducted a meta-thematic analysis based on document analysis of qualitative studies in order to further consolidate the findings of the meta-analysis. The meta-thematic dimension of our study reveals cognitive contributions as well as drawbacks of game-based teaching, and provides suggestions for conducting educational games in a better way.     

Cooperative Learning and Literacy: A Meta-Analytic Review

Abstract

We conducted a meta-analysis on the effectiveness of cooperative and collaborative learning to support enhanced literacy outcomes. Interventions considered were provided in regular education settings (i.e., not pull-out instruction) with students from Grades 2 through 12. Reviewing more than 30 years of literacy research, we located 18 intervention studies with 29 study cohorts. Included studies primarily used standardized assessments to report on students’ reading, vocabulary, or comprehension achievement, which we analyzed separately. Overall, students had significantly higher literacy achievement scores when instructional interventions utilized cooperative and collaborative activity structures. The overall weighted mean effect sizes ranged from 0.16 to 0.22 (p < .01) with more than 94% of the point estimates being positive. Because cooperative or collaborative learning was always one of multiple intervention components, it was impossible to estimate the unique, added effects of cooperative/collaborative learning. Although the small number of eligible studies precludes any claims about the effectiveness of specific forms of grouping and the circumstances under which programs have more impact, our findings suggest that cooperative and collaborative grouping was a core component of effective literacy interventions, particularly at the elementary level.     

国外阅读理解监控教学模式述评

阅读理解监控作为阅读活动中一个重要的元认知加工过程,在近２０年内引起了心理、教育工作的极大兴趣,取得了一些令人鼓舞的研究成果,尤其对阅读理解监控教学模式的探讨,更具有直接的实际价值。阅读理解监控教学可帮助学生提高阅读理解能力,强化阅读教学效果。本试图通过国外三种阅读理解监控教学模式的评述,以期对探讨和发展我国阅读理解监控教学模式起抛砖引玉的作用。     

Research and policy on the language of instruction issue in Africa

Since 1995 I have been engaged in consultancies and since 2001 in research dealing with the language of instruction policies in Africa. To what extent are the policies being implemented? What is the role of research and consultancy when it comes to language policy? What happens when researchers or consultants come up with recommendations which do not please donors or the people of power? My paper builds on a consultancy on the language policy of Namibia from 1995, the stock-taking exercise of ADEA/GTZ/UIL of 2006, as well as on research results and experiences gathered within the LOITASA (Language of Instruction in Tanzania and South Africa) project. In the first part of the article I give two examples where the policy recommendations by the consultants/researchers have not been followed up. I give an example of a consultancy that has had some impact on the policy formulation in some African countries. Recommendations from only one of the four studies/consultancies looked at have been thoroughly followed up. These recommendations were in line with what the donors wanted, but did not logically follow from the research done. In the second part of the article I deal with the challenge of making policy research relevant for those most greatly affected by the policy. This means working for a paradigm shift in the research and consultancy on language policies in Africa. It also means looking at the power of misconceptions held by lay people. Towards the end of the article I discuss changing a belief system which has become common knowledge. I show examples of how Tanzanian colleagues in the LOITASA project are trying to do this.     

中学化学实验深层次教学功能的探讨

本文从具体实验入手 ,阐述了中学化学实验对于促进学生智能的发展 ,推动情感和意志的升华以及科学方法教育等方面都有其特有的作用 ,对中学化学实验的深层次教学功能进行了探讨。     

Tea consumption and risk of stroke: a dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies

Objective: To determine the association between tea consumption and the risk of stroke. Methods: We searched the PubMed database from January 1966 to March 2012 and reviewed reference lists of retrieved articles to identify relevant studies. Studies were included if they reported relative risks (RRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of stroke with respect to three or more categories of tea consumption. A random-effects model was used to combine the study-specific risk estimates. Results: Fourteen studies, consisting of 513 804 participants with a median follow-up of 11.5 years, were included in this meta-analysis. We observed a modest but statistically significant inverse association between tea consumption and risk of stroke. An increase of three cups/d in tea consumption was associated with a 13% decreased risk of stroke (RR 0.87; 95% CI, 0.81–0.94). The decreased risk of stroke with tea consumption was consistent among most subgroups. Based on the three studies that provided results for stroke subtypes, tea consumption was also inversely associated with the risk of ischemic stroke (RR 0.76; 95% CI, 0.69–0.84), but not cerebral hemorrhage (RR 0.96; 95% CI, 0.82–1.11) or subarachnoid hemorrhage (RR 0.81; 95% CI, 0.57–1.16). Conclusions: Tea consumption is associated with a decreased risk of stroke, particularly ischemic stroke. More well-designed, rigorously conducted studies are needed in order to make confident conclusions about the association between tea consumption and stroke subtypes.     

多媒体学习中减少认知负荷的研究

多媒体教学能够促进有意义的学习,同时多媒体学习受认知负荷的影响又是十分明显的。在多媒体学习理论框架内研究了具体多媒体学习情境下的认知超负荷现象,提出了相应的减负方法。     

“实训教学”概念分析

"实训教学"是职业教育中的一个重要概念.概念分析是认识、理解教育实践,保障教育实践有序开展的需要.分析认为,从概念名称上看,使用"实训教学"比"实践教学"要更合理;在概念内容上,作为教学活动,实训教学的概念内容除了要包括认识和能力的目标之外,还应包含有情感、意志方面的要求;从概念框架来看,理论教学与实训教学的实际关系应该是实训教学--理论教学--实训教学.     

Communicating comparative findings from meta-analysis in educational research: some examples and suggestions

ABSTRACT

This article reviews some of the strengths and limitations of the comparative use of meta-analysis findings, using examples from the Sutton Trust-Education Endowment Foundation Teaching and Learning ‘Toolkit’ which summarizes a range of educational approaches to improve pupil attainment in schools. This comparative use of quantitative findings has similar characteristics to umbrella reviews which provide a succinct but applicable summary of the current state of evidence to inform practice or policy. Meta-analysis helps to identify which approaches have, on average, made the most difference to tested learning outcomes, in terms of effect size. We suggest that any comparative inferences made between meta-analyses should be treated cautiously, but taken seriously. Additionally, we present alternative ways of interpreting effect sizes, security ratings and cost-estimates to make research findings accessible, whilst retaining appropriate accuracy which is discussed using the ‘Toolkit’ as an example. We conclude by arguing that we should consider the available information not as ‘what works’, but ‘what has worked’ to understand its value and limits in terms of supporting the development of research-based practice.     

A primer of research on cognitive strategy instruction: The important issues and how to address them

Five types of strategy research are reviewed. (1) We argue it makes sense first to determine whether there is a need for strategy instruction. If there is, (2) development of a treatment with preliminary evaluations can follow, as can (3) formal evaluation of the resultant intervention in true experiments. As instructional need research, strategy development, and experimental evaluation proceed, two other types of research should be conducted. (4) It is important to study the acceptability of strategy interventions to educators and students. (5) Research on material modifications can provide information about how strategy benefits can be made available to students when strategy instruction is not effective or unlikely to occur. Very little strategy instruction has been evaluated in all five types of research covered here, making obvious the need for more systematic research on strategies. Observational, ethnographic, and experimental methods are required in order to address the many issues comprising comprehensive empirical analysis of any type of strategy instruction, with many recommendations made here about how to conduct informative studies.     

大学法学教学改革探析——以《劳动法》教学为视野

大学法学案例教学模式和实践教学模式是我国高等院校法学教学的主要模式。案例教学法和实践教学法都还存在着亟待改进的问题,在案例教学中要特别注意案例的选择和课后论文的写作。在实践教学中既要立足于司法实践,又不能遗漏立法实践;在关注国内立法的同时,还要比较国外立法。     

The Impact of Vocabulary Instruction on Passage-Level Comprehension of School-Age Children: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

A meta-analysis of vocabulary interventions in grades pre-K to 12 was conducted with 37 studies to better understand the impact of vocabulary on comprehension. Vocabulary instruction was found to be effective at increasing students' ability to comprehend text with custom measures (d = 0.50), but was less effective for standardized measures (d = 0.10). When considering only custom measures, and controlling for method variables, students with reading difficulties (d = 1.23) benefited more than three times as much as students without reading problems (d = 0.39) on comprehension measures. Gains on vocabulary measures, however, were comparable across reading ability. In addition, the correlation of vocabulary and comprehension effects from studies reporting both outcomes was modest (r = .43).     

From learning to development: a sociocultural approach to instruction

Theories of human development and learning provide an essential framework in which to understand the mechanisms involved in the process of formal instruction as a specific form of teaching and learning in the school setting. The sociocultural theory of development, founded on the works of Lev Vygotsky, espouses the view that social interaction among two or more people is the greatest motivating force in human development. Communication, via the use of language, provides one of the most effective means of social interaction. By collaborating toward a common cultural goal, people co‐construct new knowledge by building on each participant's contribution. Based on the main tenets of sociocultural theory, the following eight interrelated principles for instruction are presented, namely, that it should be: mediated; discursive; collaborative; responsive; contextualized; activity‐oriented; developmental; and integrated.