Difficulty and self-efficacy: An exploratory study

Serious games are becoming increasingly popular due to their association with increased learning outcomes when compared to traditional self-regulated learning activities. However, the majority of research examining the outcomes of serious games has focused almost exclusively on learning outcomes. This has resulted in a lack of research examining why these types of games result in increased positive outcomes, such as engagement or performance. This study seeks to address this gap in existing research by examining the relationship between game difficulty and participants’ engagement, performance and self-efficacy in a Pacman style maze navigation game. This required the use of hidden difficulty variations which participants were randomly assigned. Participants engaged with the game over a 5-days practice period. Results from this study suggest that difficulty plays a considerable role in influencing participants’ self-efficacy for the task. Self-efficacy has been consistently linked to positive outcomes such as increased engagement and performance. This highlights the importance of difficulty as a game design factor as well as providing an insight into the manner in which serious games could be further refined in order to increase user’s self-efficacy and associated positive outcomes. Implications for future serious games and self-efficacy research are discussed.     

Cognitive preferences and creativity: An exploratory study

Cognitive preference, a cognitive style acquired through life and learning experiences and representing a distinct orientation to the processing of information, is related to creativity in this study. Significant correlations were observed between cognitive preference and verbal creativity but not with figural creativity as measured by the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking.     

Videogames and spatial skills: An exploratory study

Fifty-eight undergraduate and graduate students participated in an exploratory study which examined the relationship between videogames, spatial cognitive skills, and eye-hand coordination. Scores on two videogames were compared with subjects’ scores on three standardized spatial skills tests and on one test of eye-hand coordination. The subjects were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (which was provided with five hours of videogame practice) or the control group (which was provided with no videogame practice). The scores on the two videogames were found to be correlated with different spatial test scores. Significant sex and age differences were also found on several of the measures. The males scored higher than the females on spatial orientation, visualization, and the baseline measures on one of the videogames, while the females scored higher than the males on the test of eye-hand coordination. The age of the subjects was found to be negatively correlated with scores on the videogames and spatial test scores. I would like to acknowledge the significant contributions of my advisers Ronald Slaby and Barbara Flagg of Harvard Graduate School of Education, America’s Game of Somerville, MA, for equipment donation, and John Kao of the Harvard Business School for donating the use of computer facilities.     

One-person criminal justice programs: An exploratory study

This article examines the issues that confront one-person criminal justice programs. These programs, operated by only one full-time faculty member, have both advantages and disadvantages. Identification, categorization, and analysis of the many relevant issues are the focus of this exploratory study. Nationwide more than one-third of the community college criminal justice programs are staffed by only one educator, as are some four-year college programs. It is important to ensure that the negative points inherent in one-person programs do not impair the quality of criminal justice education.     

Rhetorical criticism of interpersonal discourse: An exploratory study

This study demonstrates how rhetorical criticism can be utilized to clarify the rhetorical nature of interpersonal discourse. Bitzer's situational theory, Bormann's fantasy theme analysis, and Arnold's criticism of oral rhetoric are synthesized to explain the nature and form of selected portions of taped and transcribed interpersonal dialogue.     

Componential skills of beginning writing: An exploratory study

The present study examined the components of end of kindergarten writing, using data from 242 kindergartners. Specifically of interest was the importance of spelling, letter writing fluency, reading, and word- and syntax-level oral language skills in writing. The results from structural equation modeling revealed that oral language, spelling, and letter writing fluency were positively and uniquely related to writing skill after accounting for reading skills. Reading skill was not uniquely related to writing once oral language, spelling, and letter writing fluency were taken into account. These findings are discussed from a developmental perspective.     

Compliment-Giving among filipino college students: An exploratory study

For this paper, a total of 270 Filipino compliments was collected from college students enrolled in six universities in Manila. Analysis gave results similar to those found by Herbert (1990) and Holmes (1994): use of syntactic patterns that seem formulaic in nature; tendency of female students to give more compliments; and tendency of both genders to compliment the females more than the males. Females ’ and males ’ inclination to employ Non-acceptance and Non-agreement responses at a high frequency may be a reflection of these students ’ adherence to the Filipinos ’ conservative culture and of their desire to establish and maintain solidarity with each other. Their employment of Acceptance responses on an almost equal frequency, on the other hand, seems to be a manifestation of their regard for the preservation of their interlocutors ’ “face” needs. Another point observed is the interaction between gender and compliment-giving in terms of frequency of use. Finally, while males seemed to be interested in maintaining solidarity, females tended to continue showing their power to communicate, as reflected in the number of compliments they uttered. I wish to thank the following for their being instrumental in the completion of this paper: CED-CRC of DLSU, Manila for funding this research; the student research assistants and their friends; some DLSU staff for their technical assistance; and my colleagues for their valuable input. I value my friends ’ comments, but the interpretations and mistakes in this paper remain my own.     

Effectiveness of software training using simulations: An exploratory study

This study was designed to explore the effectiveness in student performance and confidence of limited and full device simulators. The 30 employees from an information technology company who participated in this study were assigned to one of three groups. Each group received practice for learning a complex software procedure using traditional interactions, a limited device simulator, or a full device simulator. A training portal was created for each practice method. Measurements of performance included the number of times the participants repeated the assigned practice activity, the total time required to complete the procedure, a test score representing the number of mistakes made in the 20‐step procedure, and the average time between mouse clicks as they selected items from menus or clicked buttons. Preliminary results indicated that a limited device simulator appears to be as effective as a full device simulator. Recommendations for further research and limitations of the study are also addressed.     

Factors contributing to mathematical problem-solving performance: An exploratory study

This paper describes differences in mathematical problem-solving performance of third-grade gifted and fifth-grade average students observed during an eight week period. Results indicated that such factors as attitude, motivation, and belief systems were important to performance. In addition there were major differences in problem-solving behavior between the girls and boys in this study. Because these results were incidental to the original questions of the study (Buchanan, 1984), they were deemed especially significant. Four groups, one of third-grade gifted boys, one of third-grade gifted girls, one of average boys and one of fifth-grade average girls met with the experimenter twice a week for eight weeks to solve a variety of mathematical problems. In the global analysis of video tapes of all sessions and post hoc statistical analysis of selected quantifiable variables, differences in problem-solving performance were best described in terms of motivation, beliefs about mathematics, problem-solving strategies, and means of achieving satisfaction. In addition, the girls' groups were more ego-involved and social; they completed fewer problems and had longer solution times than the boys' groups. Further holistic research is needed to describe the complex interaction that occurs during mathematical problem solving in group situations. Then, appropriate intervention might be designed to assure that both boys and girls have an opportunity to perform at optimum levels.     

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.     

Measuring effectiveness in citizens' participation organizations: An exploratory study

The authors reviewed theories of organization effectiveness, proposed a multivariate model, and empirically tested determinants of effectiveness of local school citizens' participation organizations with respondents in a metropolitan public school system. The results suggest that resource acquisition and internal process effectiveness in citizens' groups are inversely correlated with the perceived need for improvement in student achievement and the quality of life in the local school. Limitations of the research are discussed.     

Barriers to implementing classroom management and behavior support plans: An exploratory investigation

Teachers are responsible for delivering classroom‐management plans and behavior support plans; however, many struggle to implement them consistently. Low levels of treatment integrity may be the result of various implementation barriers. No study has been conducted to examine teachers’ experience of these barriers within the context of specific interventions. This exploratory study involves the analysis of barriers reported during implementation planning by 33 teachers responsible for delivering classroom‐management plans or behavior support plans. Teachers most frequently indicate struggling to respond to problem behaviors and manage competing responsibilities. Strategies suggested to ameliorate barriers most frequently include re‐teaching the intervention and scheduling implementation.     

Mentoring in one's own classroom: An exploratory study of contexts

This article reports an eighteen month ethnographic study of mentoring in two primary classrooms. Its initial purpose was to further our understanding of the content and the contexts of field experiences. Videotapes of the student teachers' practices and audiotapes of coaching conversations with their mentors constituted the main data. Results suggest that the contexts of mentoring structured the student teachers' experience and that the mentors'practices resembled their teaching practices.     

Professional standards for the teaching of science: An exploratory study

The Science Education Professional Development (SEPD) Project was commissioned by the Commonwealth Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET) as part of its Projects of National Significance Program. Its brief was to develop a national strategy for enhancing the professional development of science teachers. This paper summarises one component of the Project's work, an exploration of the feasibility of establishing professional standards or expectations for teachers of science. The aim was to give clearer purpose and direction to professional development planning and to provide a more valid basis for evaluating science teachers for career development. Specializations: Teachers' work and policy, teacher development, educational evaluation, teacher evaluation, research on teaching.     

Entrepreneurial Community College Presidents: An exploratory qualitative and quantitative study

Tertiary Education and Management - This study examined the entrepreneurial, nontraditional fundraising behaviors and activities of 23 community college presidents using interview and survey data....     

Entrepreneurial Community College Presidents: An exploratory qualitative and quantitative study

This study examined the entrepreneurial, nontraditional fundraising behaviors and activities of 23 community college presidents using interview and survey data. The institutional characteristics that facilitate entrepreneurial action and how presidents are raising these new revenues were explored. “Best practices” and implications for future research and practice are provided. The results of this analysis revealed meaningful information that is beneficial for community college presidents seeking to transform their colleges through entrepreneurial leadership. These findings indicate entrepreneurial presidents do exist and their practices can be identified. The findings also indicate that presidents' engagement in certain specific entrepreneurial practices do result in increased nontraditional funding secured. A summary of these key findings may be used as a guide for current and future community college leaders who desire to become more entrepreneurial.     

African-American women who persist in literacy programs: An exploratory study

This study was undertaken to investigate characteristics of African-American women who persist in literacy programs. A semistructured interview was conducted with 10 African-American women who had been in their reading programs from 1 to 8 years. The subjects ranged in age from 21 to 70 years. Variables examined were goals for improving reading skills, factors within the individual that promote persistence, social support, influence of family of origin on reading, and influence of formal schooling on reading. Material generated from the interviews is presented in direct-quote and summary format.     

Teacher ratings of student engagement with educational software: An exploratory study

The quality of students' learning engagement may significantly influence their learning. Can teachers accurately judge student learning engagement with educational software? In this exploratory study, 3 fifth-grade teachers used a seven-level taxonomy to rate the frequency of different forms of engagement among 42 students interacting with different types of educational software. Teachers spontaneously treated the seven levels of engagement as a continuum, rating students highest on one level or a set of contiguous levels. Teachers generally agreed when ranking students by their typical levels of engagement, but disagreed regarding the actual frequencies of different engagement types. Ratings of software engagement conceived of as interpretive activity were correlated significantly with student reading test scores. Given the authentic classroom conditions in which this study took place, the results are promising for the classroom utility of the seven-level conception of student engagement with software.