South African Teachers’ Attitudes toward the Inclusion of Learners with Different Abilities in Mainstream Classrooms

This research sought to examine South African teachers’ attitudes toward the inclusion of learners with different abilities in their hypothetical mainstream classrooms. Participants were 93 South African teachers who responded to the Teachers’ Attitudes and Expectations Scale, a measure developed for this study, regarding four vignettes depicting learners with different types of impairments. Overall, teachers reported that inclusion would benefit learners’ social development (mean scores from 2.57 to 3.35) more than their intellectual development (mean scores from 2.14 to 2.83). It also was found that teachers overwhelmingly were more confident about including learners with Down syndrome into their hypothetical mainstream classes when compared with the inclusion of learners with other disabilities, F(3, 90) = 9.59, p < 0.01. The results suggest that providing teachers with sufficient resources within the classroom and training that includes hands-on experience with children with disabilities could positively influence their attitudes toward the inclusion of learners with disabilities in their classrooms.     

The effects of multimedia video lectures on extraneous load

An important part of online courses is the delivery of instruction via video lectures. Video lectures should use media effectively to reduce extraneous load and maximize cognitive processing, thereby helping students to learn. Instructors may be able to reduce extraneous load by varying the number of audio and visual media used. This study presents analysis from a survey of students (n = 1701) enrolled in a cyber university in South Korea to investigate the relationship between media diversity in video lectures and extraneous load. Results showed a negative relationship between media diversity and extraneous load. Students who noted more types of media stated that they experienced less extraneous load. The implications of these results are of use to instructors who want to use diverse media to promote a better understanding of learning material.     

Effects of learner–instructor relationship-building strategies in online video instruction

Although research has demonstrated that an increased rapport between instructors and learners can positively relate with increased learning gains, perhaps mediated by the positive attitudes toward the course and self-efficacy beliefs in the coursework, little has been done to test what instructional strategies might increase this rapport in online video-based instruction. This study compared online video-based instruction that made use of relationship-building strategies with online video-based instruction that did not use those strategies. The two instructions were identical in every other way. The results show that the attitudes of the college students were positively affected by the relationship building strategies in a statistically significant way (p = .025) and that learning gains were also positively affected at a very near-significant level (p = .052). The implications of the findings are discussed.     

The interrupted learner: How distractions during live and video lectures influence learning outcomes

New instructional technologies have been increasingly incorporated into the medical school learning environment, including lecture video recordings as a substitute for live lecture attendance. The literature presents varying conclusions regarding how this alternative experience impacts students' academic success. Previously, a multi‐year study of the first‐year medical histology component at the University of Michigan found that live lecture attendance was positively correlated with learning success, while lecture video use was negatively correlated. Here, three cohorts of first‐year medical students (N = 439 respondents, 86.6% response rate) were surveyed in greater detail regarding lecture attendance and video usage, focusing on study behaviors that may influence histology learning outcomes. Students who reported always attending lectures or viewing lecture videos had higher average histology scores than students who employed an inconsistent strategy (i.e., mixing live attendance and video lectures). Several behaviors were negatively associated with histology performance. Students who engaged in “non‐lecture activities” (e.g., social media use), students who reported being interrupted while watching the lecture video, or feeling sleepy/losing focus had lower scores than their counterparts not engaging in these behaviors. This study suggests that interruptions and distractions during medical learning activities—whether live or recorded—can have an important impact on learning outcomes. Anat Sci Educ 11: 366–376. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.     

An exploratory study: using Danmaku in online video-based lectures

This exploratory study investigated the use of Danmaku in video-based lectures as a method to enhance learners’ interactions and course engagement in online instruction. Visually, Danmaku is real-time, horizontal, text-based display of commentary that uses subtitles in a manner widely employed in Animation, Comic, and Game (ACG) videos in Asian countries. To assess the potential value of Danmaku for online instruction and learner interaction, this study employed an inductive content analysis using Danmaku from 934 online lecture videos. Data were collected from Bilibili.tv, a video-sharing website based in China. This study concluded that Danmaku could function as an effective way to enhance learners’ interaction, increase course engagement, and improve learning experiences while participating in online video-based lectures.     

An action research process on university tutorial sessions with small groups: presentational tutorial sessions and online communication

We describe and analyse the action research process carried out by us as teachers in a general didactics course in the University of Malaga (Spain). The course methodology combined lectures to the whole class and small-group work. We were in charge of guiding small-group work. In the small groups, students researched on an educational innovation guided by a teacher from the educative system (primary, secondary, ‘A’-level). Students used theoretical concepts explained in lectures to analyse educational innovative realities. Students met with the lecturers at Faculty periodically. These lecturers used online tools to guide small group work between meetings. Specifically, students developed a diary using the ad hoc tool in Online Campus, based on Moodle. Lecturers read the diaries on a regular basis and offered feedback to the students. Additionally, students and lecturers kept in contact between meetings by email and forums. Finally, students submitted a report of their research and lecturers offered feedback before a final version of the report. We carried out an action research process to explore the fit between the general purposes of the course and our work as lecturers with the small groups of students. Moreover, we studied the interrelationship between the meetings at Faculty and the online communication via diaries, email and forums.     

教学视频中线索类型与学习者先前知识经验对学习的交互影响

教学视频因其多通道展现教学内容的特性而成为数字化学习资源的首选形态。线索作为教学视频中的重要引导性教学设计手段,探究其类型及学习者先前知识经验对学习效果的交互影响,有益于优化教学视频的设计策略。基于学习者先前知识经验水平(高水平和低水平)和线索类型(言语线索和视觉线索)两个维度,运用眼动追踪技术和认知负荷、学习满意度、学习效果等测量工具,通过实验考察二者对学习的影响及其内在机制后发现:学习者先前知识经验水平对认知负荷的影响显著;线索类型对学习满意度的影响显著,且线索类型与学习者先前知识经验水平在学习满意度上的交互效应显著;学习者先前知识经验水平对学习效果的影响显著,且线索类型与学习者先前知识经验水平在迁移测验成绩上的交互效应显著。实验结果表明,线索类型与学习者先前知识经验水平对学习满意度和学习效果存在明显的交互作用,即只有低知识经验水平学习者在学习含有视觉线索的教学视频后,学习满意度与学习效果才有显著提升。这可能是由于该类学习者在信息选择时存在困难,视觉线索可以帮助其提高信息搜索效率,而言语线索却会使其认知负荷超载。     

Creating first-year assessment support: lecturer perspectives and student access*

While online courses provide opportunities for a range of assessment tools and resources, little is known about how lecturers might best provide assessment cues to support diverse cohorts. This study explored how lecturers communicate messages about assessment expectations to first-year students in two courses at an Australian regional university (Nursing, n = 323; Engineering, n = 153), and how students accessed the assessment resources. A comparative case study methodology was used. Data included interviews with course coordinators to identify the assessment cues provided, course online content related to assessment and data recording student access of assessment resources. Diverse messaging systems were observed and verbal and written cues were abundant and embedded throughout both courses; however, not all students accessed all cues. What remains unclear is how students might bring together these cues in a productive way. Further research must explore the extent to which students can be better supported to improve their learning.     

How sequencing and fading affects the relationship between intrinsic and germane cognitive loads

Scaffolding techniques, such as sequencing and fading, used in online video lectures may help mitigate the negative relationship between complex contents represented by intrinsic load and content understanding represented by germane load. This study analyzed survey responses from university students (n = 2365) who participated in online classes in South Korea, and looked at the relationships between sequencing and fading and germane load, intrinsic load and germane load, and the moderating effect of sequencing and fading on the relationship between intrinsic load and germane load. Results showed a positive relationship between sequencing and fading and germane load and a negative relationship between intrinsic load and germane load. Furthermore, sequencing and fading moderated the negative relationship between intrinsic load and germane load. This article examines conflicting evidence on the topic and provides explanations as to why sequencing and fading reduces the negative impact of complex contents found in the current study.     

Investigating grit variables and their relations with practice and skill groups in developing sport experts

Grit, the tendency to work hard toward long-term goals, maintaining effort and interest over years despite failure and adversity, has predicted several achievement outcomes. However, minimal work has examined grit within a sport expertise development framework, and specifically its association with deliberate practice (DP) in sport. Participants, 250 athletes (109 female; M_age = 23.40, SD = 10.14), completed the 12-item Grit Scale, practice measures, and reported their skill level (local to international). Factor analyses confirmed a 10-item two-factor model for use in our sport sample: consistency of interests (CI; 6 items; α = .81) and perseverance of effort (PE; 4 items; α = .75). A full latent variable model controlling for age showed PE significantly predicted weekly amounts of DP and engagement in mandatory and optional practice contexts; CI was inversely associated with threats to athletes’ sport commitment. Among senior athletes, both Expert and Advanced skill groups had higher PE levels than a Basic/Intermediate group, ps < .05. The tendency to work hard toward long-term goals seemingly enables athletes to persist with practice activities that are pivotal to expert sport development.     

Self-blame tendency of bullied victims in elementary and secondary schools

The current scales for self-blame are not suitable for school bullying scenarios and most lack validity. This study used a self-developed scale to measure bullied victims’ tendency to self-blame and further examined whether victims and bully/victims exhibited different tendencies toward self-blame under both bullied and generalized scenarios. The study consisted of 1,320 student participants from grades five to nine. The research instrument was a self-constructed bullied-victim self-blame scale (BSS), and the results were analyzed using the Rasch rating scale model. The Rasch results showed strong evidence of BSS reliability and validity. The results indicated that participants’ self-blaming tendency scores were positively correlated with depression (r = .31). In addition, participants’ self-blaming scores in relational bullying were higher than those in verbal and physical bullying. The self-blaming tendency of bully/victims under bullied scenarios was higher than that of victims, but no difference was found between bully/victims and victims for generalised scenarios. The participants’ tendency to self-blame under generalised scenarios was significantly higher than under bullied scenarios. The tendencies of various roles to self-blame under different scenarios and the self-blaming counselling strategies for victims are discussed at the end of this study.     

Effects of instructor's facial expressions on students' learning with video lectures

This study investigated whether video lectures instructed by a heightened level of expressiveness instructor were better than those instructed by a conventional level of expressiveness instructor or audio-only in promoting students' online learning, and what kind of effects do instructor's facial expressions have on students' learning. Three different types of video lectures (one with a heightened level of expressiveness instructor, one with a conventional level of expressiveness instructor and one with the instructor' audio only) were used to study the effects of instructor's facial expressions. Sixty-nine participants from Chinese Normal University were selected to learn with these video lectures. Results of this study indicated that video lectures with a heightened level of expressiveness instructor were better than those with a conventional level of expressiveness instructor and audio-only ones with regard to improving students' arousal level and learning satisfaction. Instructor's facial expressions had no significant influence on participants' short-term recall (p = .90), while instructor's facial expressions did influence students' medium-term recall (p = .03). Instructor's facial expressions played a key role in students' online learning.     

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.     

Assessing 10- to 11-year-old children’s performance and misconceptions in number sense using a four-tier diagnostic test

Background: Number sense is a key topic in mathematics education, and the identification of children’s misconceptions about number is, therefore, important. Information about students’ serious misconceptions can be quite significant for teachers, allowing them to change their teaching plans to help children overcome these misconceptions. In science education, interest in children’s alternative conceptions has led to the development of three- and four-tier tests that not only assess children’s understandings and misconceptions, but also examine children’s confidence in their responses. However, there are few such tests related to mathematical content, especially in studies of number sense.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate children’s performance and misconceptions with respect to number sense via a four-tier diagnostic test (Answer Tier → Confidence rating for Answer Tier → Reason Tier → Confidence rating for Reason Tier).

Design and method: A total of 195 fifth graders (10–11 years old) from Taiwan participated in this study. The four-tier test was web-based and contained 40 items across five components of number sense.

Findings: The results show that (1) students’ mean confidence rating for the answer tier was significantly higher than for the reason tier; (2) an average of 68% of students tended to have equal confidence ratings in both answer and reason tiers; (3) students who chose correct answers or reasons had higher mean confidence ratings in most items (36 out of 40) than those who did not; and (4) 16 misconceptions were identified and most of them were at a strong level.

Conclusion: The four-tier test was able to identify several misconceptions in both the answer and reason tier and provide information about the confidence levels. By using such information, teachers may be better positioned to understand the nature of learners’ misconceptions about number sense and therefore support their pupils’ progress in mathematics.     

Differentiating work for statistics modules in sports degrees

The aims of the study were to use differentiated online learning material for use with a Level 1 statistics module for undergraduate sport students and examine relationships between student performance on differentiated tests and module performance. We developed the differentiated material by writing easy and hard multiple choice tests, with the harder tests having a shorter completion time and more choices. Each multiple choice test related to information available online and immediate feedback was provided on completion of the test. Results indicated that 85% of students accessed the module online, with 26% accessing difficult tests and 22% accessing easy tests. Correlation results indicated that module performance was significantly related to performance on the easy test (r = 0.27, P<0.01) and also on the harder test (r = 0.26, P<0.01). Findings suggest that lecturers should encourage students to engage with interactive material and that future research should explore methods to enhance students' independent learning skills.     

Correlates of dementia-related anxiety: self-perceived dementia risk and ageism

ABSTRACT

As public awareness of and exposure to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) have increased worldwide, the fear of developing ADRD, or dementia-related anxiety (DRA), is expected to increase as well. It was hypothesized that at least part of what makes dementia so anxiety-provoking is the association of ADRD with older adults, an often stigmatized group. To test this hypothesis, two online studies examined how ageist beliefs contribute to DRA; the roles of ADRD-related factors, such as self-perceived risk and personal exposure, were also examined. Study 1 included university students (n = 295, age range: 18 to 58 years, M_age  = 21.16, SD_age  = 4.85) to determine what factors may contribute to young adults’ DRA. Study 2 included adults of all ages (n = 352, age range: 18 to 81 years, M_age  = 37.85, SD_age  = 12.88) to determine whether Study 1 results were replicable among adults of all ages. Hierarchical multiple regressions were used. Results from both studies demonstrated that being female and having higher self-perceived dementia risk and benevolent ageism uniquely explicated higher levels of DRA. Within Study 2, significant relationships for both benevolent and hostile ageism were observed, suggesting that diverse negative attitudes toward older adults are associated with DRA. It is possible that strong ageist attitudes stigmatize older adults as those who are forgetful and this may contribute to DRA, as age is a major risk factor for developing dementia. Study limitations and directions for future research are discussed.     

‘Class-bucks’: a motivational tool to encourage active student participation during lectures

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the influence of an extrinsic motivational tool, ‘class-bucks’, on the possibility of improving first year student-teachers’ participation in active learning at Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa. Research participants (n=289) were divided into four classes and engaged in this study during the second and third semester of the course. During the second semester, the students in Class 1 and Class 2 were awarded with ‘class-bucks’ for active participation in lectures, while Classes 3 and 4 were not awarded. Then, during the third semester, the students in Classes 3 and 4 were awarded, while those in Classes 1 and 2 were not. Semester test results and the number of instances of active participation during lectures were recorded and compared to formulate findings and recommendations. The results presented in this article will assist lecturers in valuing an extrinsic motivational tool, ‘class-bucks’, which can be used to encourage active student participation during lectures, thus contributing to the expansion of quality education and improving the student's ability to retain learning content for longer.     

Interactive Teaching

This paper argues for interaction in lectures, interaction which allows learners time to reflect and discuss. This proposition has a staff development dimension both for lecturers in engineering who do not have (or do not value) the skill of interactive lecturing and for those who do, and who wish to find out more. Examples of these techniques are provided in this paper, in the context of construction management. Our intention is to provide practical help for those seeking innovative methods of teaching. We also hope to advance current debates on whether or not interactive lectures are appropriate for engineering subjects in general and for management subjects in particular. The staff developer in this case has observed an apprehension among staff that interactive teaching is more time consuming: does it take longer to plan (than lectures)? Initially, it may do, as the lecturer develops a repertoire of techniques. In this paper, we try to reduce that time by giving an exemplar, saving others from ‘reinventing the wheel’. However, since adapting teaching is a complex process, we show the process of developing a teaching method to suit educational objectives. Finally, we conclude with ‘hints and tips’, based on the literature, for interactive teaching.     

Educators’ understanding of young children’s typical and problematic sexual behaviour and their training in this area

As part of a wider study, this paper reports on Australian educators’ understanding of children’s typical and problematic sexual behaviour and their source of training in this area. A sample of 107 educators from government, independent and Catholic primary schools, preschools and care organisations across Australia answered an online questionnaire regarding their understanding of and experiences with children’s problematic sexual behaviours and their management strategies. The majority of educators were able to identify children’s age-appropriate typical sexual behaviour and some elements of problematic sexual behaviour; however, individual knowledge was not extensive. Approximately 35% (n = 35) of educators said they had not been trained in identifying and responding to children’s problematic sexual behaviour. Of those who said they had received training, the majority (82%, n = 53) described having participated in a compulsory course on reporting suspected abuse to government (a mandated reporting course). Ninety per cent (n = 89) of educators reported that courses specific to children’s problematic sexual behaviours should be offered. This suggests that mandated reporting courses do not offer in-depth training specific to problematic sexual behaviour. Implications for professional development are discussed.     

The influence of student learning characteristics on purchase of paper book and eBook for university study and personal interest

First-year university students (n = 199) completed an online questionnaire that queried their purchase of paper books and eBooks for university study and personal interest. The questionnaire also required students to rate their learning characteristics including reading strategies, study self-regulation, learning control beliefs and achievement motivation. Self-reported student learning characteristic scores were associated with self-reported book purchases. For example, as student extrinsic motivation scores increased, number of paper books purchased for university study tended to increase. As student learning control belief scores increased, purchase of eBooks for university study tended to increase. Collectively, such results lend support to the conclusion that education students who embrace emerging technologies such as eBooks and who read for leisure perceive themselves as more able learners than students who do not embrace emerging technologies such as eBooks and who do not read for leisure.