Towards detection of learner misconceptions in a medical learning environment: a subgroup discovery approach

Ill-structured problems, by definition, have multiple paths to a solution and are multifaceted making automated assessment and feedback a difficult challenge. Diagnostic reasoning about medical cases meet the criteria of ill-structured problem solving since there are multiple solution paths. The goal of this study was to develop an adaptive feedback mechanism that is capable of identifying and responding to novice physician misconceptions by mining the log trace data of user interactions in BioWorld, a computer-based learning environment designed to support medical students in regulating their own diagnostic reasoning. We applied a series of text pre-processing algorithms to extract the linguistic features that characterized symptoms identified by 30 medical students solving three endocrinology cases: diabetes mellitus (type 1), Pheochromocytoma, and Hyperthyroidism. A subgroup discovery mining algorithm was applied in two steps. First, rules were induced to predict an incorrect diagnosis submitted as the final solution for a case on the basis of symptoms highlighted by medical students as being pertinent, that were in fact not pertinent. Second, rules were induced to predict a distractor hypothesis (an incorrect hypothesis listed as the most probable) during the differential diagnosis process while solving the case. The rule set discovered through the subgroup discovery task was shown to predict both incorrect and distractor hypotheses set by novice physicians while solving the case. We discuss the implications in terms of developing an adaptive feedback mechanism that can detect physicians’ misconceptions and errors during problem-solving as a means to deliver prompts and feedback that promote the acquisition of metacognitive monitoring and control skills.     

Modelling between epistemological beliefs and constructivist learning environment

The purpose of this study was to model the relationship between pre-service chemistry teachers’ epistemological beliefs and their preference to use constructivist-learning environment in their future class. The sample was 125 pre-service chemistry teachers from five universities in Turkey. Two instruments were used in this study. One of the instruments was constructivist-learning environment scale developed by Taylor, Fraser and Fisher. The other instrument was Epistemological Questionnaire (EQ) developed by Schommer. In order to analyse data, Structural Equation Modelling was conducted by using LISREL 8.7. The results provided evidence for the good fit of the hypothesised model. Pre-service chemistry teachers’ epistemological belief scores were found to be correlated to their constructivist-learning environment scale scores with the value of .35. This study revealed that pre-service chemistry teachers with sophisticated epistemological beliefs favoured constructivist-learning environment in their future class.     

Knowledge organization through multiple representations in a computer-supported collaborative learning environment

Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments provide learners with multiple representational tools for storing, sharing, and constructing knowledge. However, little is known about how learners organize knowledge through multiple representations about complex socioscientific issues. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate learners’ knowledge organization (KO) through multiple representations in a CSCL environment. We designed a learning unit on nuclear energy and implemented it with a group of 20 college students. The participants used a web-based hypertext KO platform that incorporated three representational modes: textual, pictorial, and concept map. The platform interlinked learners’ knowledge entries based on similar keywords. Utilizing mixed methods research we analyzed the individual entries and the knowledge base to determine KO both at the individual and the collective levels. We found that the density of the knowledge base was high; the learners mostly benefited from their text- and concept map-based entries, though the picture-based entries were also an important means for connecting entries with similar content and hence creating a dense knowledge base. Our results suggest that KO with multiple representations can create a more comprehensive knowledge base. Using distinct analytical approaches will allow CSCL researchers to better identify KO both at the individual and collective levels.     

Towards a knowledge‐rich learning environment in preparatory secondary education

In this case study a novel educational programme for students in preparatory vocational education was studied. The research questions were: (1) Which teaching/learning processes occur in a simulated workplace using the concept of a knowledge‐rich workplace? (2) What is the role of models and modelling in the teaching/learning processes? The curriculum project consisted of design and construction tasks. The students were collaboratively involved in the process of designing a tricycle for a real customer. This real‐life activity creates opportunities for students to develop and use models, which can be used in more than in one context. The case study explored how the teachers deal with the students’ explicit and implicit need for knowledge and skills. The main findings are that teachers more often provide this knowledge, rather than guide the students in reconstructing it, and towards the end of the project, knowledge tended to remain situated.     

Towards an electronic independent learning environment for statistics in higher education

This study focuses on the feasibility of implementing independent learning in a traditional university and the feasibility of providing this independent learning by means of an electronic interactive learning environment. The target group contained students enrolled in an applied statistics course at the Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences at the University of Gent (RUG). Three experimental variables were designed: learning environment, delivery and support. This created five different learning conditions to which subjects were assigned at random. The present study gives empirical evidence that an electronic-based independent learning environment with discernible support devices can take its place in a traditional university setting. Our results indicate that the cognitive outcomes of students' learning in a computer-based environment are neither fostered nor hindered by attitudes towards computers. The merely cognitive aspect of attitude towards computers, i.e., interest in learning about computers, affects the perception of structure in the materials; more interested students have a better perception of structure. Students with better prior knowledge and having fewer problems with statistics have a better perception of the learning access to the contents. In order to construct electronic learning environments, further investigation is needed into student characteristics interacting with learning environment characteristics, and this is currently in progress by our group.     

Towards a learning progression of energy

This article presents an empirical study on an initial learning progression of energy, a concept of central importance to the understanding of science. Learning progressions have been suggested as one vehicle to support the systematic and successful teaching of core science concepts. Ideally, a learning progression will provide teachers with a framework to assess students' level of understanding of a core concept and to guide students towards a more sophisticated level of understanding. Taking existing research as a point of departure, developing a learning progression involves recurring cycles of empirical validation and theoretical refinement. In this article, we report about our efforts in working towards a learning progression of energy. First, we derived an initial learning progression by utilizing existing curriculum, research on students' understanding, and development of students' understanding of energy. Second, we used these sources of guidance to develop a robust measurement instrument, the Energy Concept Assessment (ECA), based on multiple choice questions. Third, we utilized this instrument to assess the understanding of N = 1,856 students from three different grade levels, Grades 6, 8, and 10. Findings provided evidence that students from Grade 6 mostly obtain an understanding of energy forms and energy sources. Students of Grade 8 additionally demonstrate an understanding of energy transfer and transformation, whereas only students of Grade 10, and then only some of these students, achieve a deeper understanding of energy conservation. We discuss the implications of our findings against the background of existing research on students understanding of energy. Finally, further steps in working towards a learning progression of energy are identified. Zusammenfassung: Der vorliegende Artikel beschreibt den ersten Schritt in der Entwicklung und Validierung einer Learning Progression für das Energiekonzept; einem Konzept, das zentral für die Entwicklung eines tiefergehenden Versta¨?ndnisses der Naturwissenschaften ist. Learning Progressions sollen das das systematische und erfolgreiche Unterrichten zentraler naturwissenschaftlicher Konzepte unterstützen. Idealerweise sollen Learning Progressions Lehrkräften eine Rahmen bieten, den Entwicklungsstand ihrer Schülerinnen und Schüler hinsichtlich des Verständnisses zentraler naturwissenschaftlicher Konzepte einzuschätzen und Unterricht so zu gestalten, dass er die Entwicklung eines elaborierten Verständnisses befördert. Die Entwicklung einer Learning Progression beginnt mit der theoretischen Begründung einer vorläufigen Learning Progression, gefolgt von iterativen Zyklen empirischer Validierung und Überarbeitung. In diesem Artikel berichten wir über unsere Arbeiten zur Entwicklung einer Learning Progression für das Energiekonzept. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeiten wurde zunächst ausgehend von vorliegenden Befunden zum Verständnis und der Entwicklung des Verständnisses von Energie eine vorläufige Learning Progression begründet. Im zweiten Schritt wurde auf Grundlage der Learning Progression ein entsprechendes Instrument auf Basis von Multiple‐Choice‐Aufgaben entwickelt – das Energy Concept Assessment (ECA). Im dritten und letzten Schritt wurde das Instrument eingesetzt, um das Verständnis von Energie bei N = 1856 Schülerinnen und Schülern der Jahrgänge 6, 8 und 10 zu erfassen. Die Ergebnisse unserer Untersuchung legen nahe, dass Schülerinnen und Schüler aus Jahrgang 6 im Wesentlichen über ein Verständnis von Energieformen und –quellen verfügen. Schülerinnen und Schüler aus Jahrgang 8 zeigen darüber hinaus ein Verständnis von Energieumwandlung und –transport. Ein Verständnis von Energieerhaltung ist nur von Schülerinnen und Schüler aus Jahrgang 10 und dann auch nur von einem Teil dieser Schülerinnen und Schüler zu erwarten. Vor dem Hintergrund dieser Ergebnisse und der bisherigen Forschung zum Energieverständnis, diskutiert der Artikel weitere Schritte für die die Entwicklung einer Learning Progression für das Energiekonzept. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 50:162–188, 2013     

Sustaining change in a learning organization

Abstract

This article looks at how the application of the concept of a ‘learning organisation’ can be used at a specific organisation in South Africa to change the work performance of its employees. We do this by exploring different theories, models and definitions of organisational learning, learning organisation, organisational knowledge and knowledge management in the field, and against this background examine the perceptions of employees at a South African Organisation. The article underpins this approach by uniquely balancing conceptual rigour with practical experiences of employees at this institution. The view is taken that organisations are living systems that have the capacity to renew themselves by continuously reflecting on their practices and thereby create new knowledge, share and leverage it. Knowledge acquisition and sharing is closely linked to the core values of the organisation in order to achieve business competitiveness, set goals, efficiency, and overall strategic success. The purpose of this article is to understand how an organisation's training department could use the concept of a learning organisation within the South African context to sustain change. To achieve this objective we (the researchers) used a qualitative research paradigm. A phenomenological design presented the research with opportunities to analyse, interpret, and describe the perceptions, feelings and experiences of the participants at the organisation. Eight semi-structured individual interviews provided data for the purposes of this research. The data was analysed to identify categories, themes and sub-themes. The five main themes discussed are organisational learning, organisational culture, organisational change, globalisation and knowledge management and these were linked to the theory of learning organisations and were based on the findings.     

Modelling achievement in advanced computer science: the role of learner characteristics and perceived learning environment

Background and Context: Understanding the effects of learner characteristics and perceived learning environment on achievement in academic fields including Computer Science (CS) is of critical importance.

Objective: This study aimed at testing a hypothesized model of achievement in CS in terms of the learner and the learning environment characteristics.

Method: Data were collected using a questionnaire administered to a random sample of 315 eleventh and twelfth-grade advanced CS students (28% girls). Structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis was utilized to test the proposed structural model.

Findings: The hypothesized structural model fits the data reasonably, yet five of the 17 assumed effects were not significant. A modified model with only significant effects fit the data well and accounted for 41% of the variance. Mathematics achievement, self-efficacy and classroom learning environment are the most influential variables on achievement in CS.

Implications: The findings bear important implication for helping students by resolving obstacles that obstruct their learning and achievement.     

Killing the Buddha: Towards a heretical philosophy of learning

This article explores how different philosophical models and pictures of learning can become dogmatic and disguise other conceptions of learning. With reference to a passage from St. Paul, I give a sense of the dogmatic teleology that underpins philosophical assumptions about learning. The Pauline assumption is exemplified through a variety of models of learning as conceptualised by Israel Scheffler. In order to show how the Paulinian dogmatism can give rise to radically different pictures of learning, the article turns to St. Augustine’s and Robert Brandom’s examples of language learning, and to general strands in scholarship on moral education. Dewey’s view of childhood immaturity and the problem of adult maturity are used as first attempt at a counter picture to the idea that learning must have an end. The article takes Dewey’s idea further by suggesting how the Zen-Buddhist idea of killing the Buddha and Wittgenstein’s method of destroying pictures work on the dogmatic focus on uses of ‘learning’ that assume ends. In conclusion, the article suggests three possible uses of ‘learning’—learning from wonder, intransitive learning and passionate learning—that do not assume that learning has or must have a teleological end.     

Thinking differently,together: Towards a lifelong learning society

International Review of Education -     

Modelling diffusion of a personalized learning framework

A new modelling approach for diffusion of personalized learning as an educational process innovation in social group comprising adopter-teachers is proposed. An empirical analysis regarding the perception of 261 adopter-teachers from 18 schools in India about a particular personalized learning framework has been made. Based on this analysis, teacher training (TT) has been identified as one of the dominant factor which can significantly influence decision by teachers to adopt the educational innovation. Different situations corresponding to fixed and time dependent dynamic carrying capacity of potential adopter-teachers at any time have been developed. New generalized models capturing the growth dynamics of the innovation diffusion process in conjunction with the evolutionary carrying capacity of potential adopters are investigated. The coupled dynamics allows forecasting the likelihood of success or failure of new educational innovation in a given context. Different scenarios for TT are considered based on??constant growth rate model; proportional growth rate model; stratified growth rate model. The proposed modelling framework would be of great interest to education policy makers as it has the potential to predict the likelihood of success or failure of new educational innovation.     

基层学习型组织的创建

创新的学习观念 更新观念是创建"学习型组织"的灵魂和先导。从心理学可知,观念对于行动具有重要的制约或支配作用,只有树立正确观念才有正确行动。传统的学习,有些是重形式不重效果,喜欢"运动式"学习,     

Towards a useful classification of learning objects

The learning object remains an ill-defined concept, despite numerous and extensive discussion in the literature. This paper attempts to address this problem by providing a classification that potentially brings together various perspectives of what a learning object may be. Six unique types of learning objects are proposed and discussed: presentation, practice, simulation, conceptual models, information and contextual representation objects. The common characteristics of each are synthesized in a proposal that a learning object is best described as a representation designed to afford uses in different educational contexts. The classification of learning objects proposed could be useful as a framework for designers of digital resources and for those engaged in use of these resources in educational contexts. Examples of learning objects are available for preview at http://www.learnactivity.com/lo/     

Towards a lifelong learning target for 2015

This paper begins by reviewing the progress which has been made over the past decade in the aim to reach targets such as Education for All and other Millennium Development Goals, especially as far as adult education and gender equality are concerned. While there have been achievements in some countries, universal primary education is not even likely to be reached by 2015. Giving a few examples of recent studies, this paper considers the measurement of lifelong learning and its effects on a country’s economy and its people’s health and well-being. While it is of course much easier to collect data about formal education than about non-formal and informal learning, the author stresses that the latter need to be included more in new strategies alongside formal education. The paper concludes by highlighting ten essential components for a lifelong learning target fit for purpose in a climate-changing society.     

Towards process-oriented teaching for self-directed lifelong learning: a multidimensional perspective

Self-directed learning is often embraced as an important educational goal, although for quite different reasons, from the improvement of school learning to the critical assessment of the claims of democracy. Most reasons imply that self-direction is important in learning throughout life. Therefore process-oriented teaching, which aims to foster self-directed lifelong learning, needs a broad and multidimensional theoretical basis. The important role of experiences in the social and cultural context, prior knowledge, and the emotional aspects of learning are highlighted, and related to self-directed learning in life. Important aspects of process-oriented teaching are summarized in four principles. A multidimensional approach to learning also provides a conceptual basis to teachers’ learning. Developing a process-oriented approach in teaching presents a major challenge for teachers as well as for schools.     

Towards a contemporary and comprehensive theory of learning

The modern concept of competence comprises not only relevant knowledge and skills, but also a range of personal qualities and the ability to perform adequately and flexibly in well-known and unknown situations. To be up-to-date, the concept of learning must be understood in the same broad sense, and therefore traditional learning theories must be revised. The theory presented is based on two fundamental assumptions. Firstly, that all learning includes two essentially different types of process, namely an external interaction process between the learner and his or her social, cultural and material environment, and an internal psychological process of acquisition and elaboration in which new impulses are connected with the results of prior learning. Secondly, that all learning includes three dimensions, namely, the cognitive dimension of knowledge and skills, the emotional dimension of feelings and motivation, and the social dimension of communication and co-operation—all of which are embedded in a societally situated context. In addition, the approach specifies four levels of learning and deals with what happens when intended learning does not occur. Inside this framework existing learning theories deal with different aspects. Thus the new theory has been constructed as a sort of umbrella, offering an overview and a structure of the landscape of learning which can be applied in both analysing and planning learning processes, both inside and outside of the educational system. The development of the theory is described in detail in my book, The Three Dimensions of Learning, which has been a bestseller in the Scandinavian countries since 1999, and which has now been published in English (Illeris 2002).