A STUDY OF SEMIOTIC REGISTERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DEFINITE INTEGRAL OF FUNCTIONS OF TWO AND THREE VARIABLES

Tracing the path from a numerical Riemann sum approximating the area under a curve to a definite integral representing the precise area in various texts and online presentations, we found 3 semiotic registers that are used: the geometric register, the numerical register, and the symbolic register. The symbolic register had 3 representations: an expanded sum, a sum in sigma notation, and the definite integral. Reviewing the same texts, we found that in the presentation of double and triple integrals, not a single textbook continues to present the numerical register and the expanded sum representation of the symbolic register. They are implied and the expectation appears to be that students no longer need them. The omission of these representations is quite ubiquitous and correspondingly affects millions of students. Materials that present the missing numerical register representation and the expanded sum representation of the symbolic register throughout topics associated with double and triple integrals have been created. This paper presents the results of a clinical study on the improvement of student comprehension of multivariable integral topics when these representations are included.     

The digital reading path: researching modes and multidirectionality with iPads

This paper reports a study that examines the integration of tablet technologies such as iPads into literacy lessons to investigate how reading and meaning‐making occur within this digital medium. Specifically in this paper, we discuss the concept of reading paths as applied to physical and cognitive planes of meaning‐making. The paper reports on data collected as part of a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) funded project involving researchers from Canada, the United States and Australia. The study is currently under way in schools in the three different countries where the researchers are observing students in classrooms in primary and secondary schools. The research is designed with a mixed methods approach coding video footage of dyads to enable close study of their interaction during literacy tasks incorporating iPads. Our findings show that the affordances of touch technology allow for multimodal, multidirectional reading paths. By tracking students' interactions with the digital platform through touch, it is possible to see navigation as evidence of the relationship between material and cognitive processes, which fosters metatextual awareness. These aspects of modes and new literacies construct a dynamic materiality for students' reading and writing. As a result, we propose that current awareness of the mode of gesture needs to be expanded to take into account haptic ways of learning.     

Looking for the library: Using an undergraduate business syllabi analysis to inform an instruction program

This study analyzed 260 syllabi representing a year of the undergraduate curriculum from a business school. The syllabi were examined based on the mentions of the library from across three categories: spaces, resources, and services, as well as possible opportunities for engagement that librarians could target for collaboration. In this study, the library was mentioned 79 times, mostly in relation to library resources. There were also 479 opportunities for engagement coded. This study found that the majority of undergraduate syllabi do not mention the library, but that there are considerable opportunities that librarians can target for future engagement.     

The Open Geoportal Federation

In this article, we provide an overview of both the social and technical composition of the Open Geoportal (OGP) Federation: an open source, collaborative framework designed to support the various components of spatial data infrastructure and geospatial data repositories. The social components include best-practices, governance models, and working groups, as wells as the OGP wiki, blogs, elists, summits, and virtual meetings. The technical components include the Open Geoportal, Open Geoportal Harvester, and Open Geoportal Metadata Toolkit. We also include benefits and business drivers to adopting this new interoperable, collaborative model.     

IMPACT OF EXPLICIT PRESENTATION OF SLOPES IN THREE DIMENSIONS ON STUDENTS’ UNDERSTANDING OF DERIVATIVES IN MULTIVARIABLE CALCULUS

In two dimensions (2D), representations associated with slopes are seen in numerous forms before representations associated with derivatives are presented. These include the slope between two points and the constant slope of a linear function of a single variable. In almost all multivariable calculus textbooks, however, the first discussion of slopes in three dimensions (3D) is seen with the introduction of partial derivatives. The nature of the discussions indicates that authors seem to assume that students are able to naturally extend the concept of a 2D slope to 3D and correspondingly it is not necessary to explicitly present slopes in 3D. This article presents results comparing students that do not explicitly discuss slopes in 3D with students that explicitly discuss slopes in 3D as a precursor to discussing derivatives in 3D. The results indicate that students may, in fact, have significant difficulty extending the concept of a 2D slope to a 3D slope. And that the explicit presentation of slopes in 3D as a precursor to the presentation of derivatives in 3D may significantly improve student comprehension of topics of differentiation in multivariable calculus.     

NASA Education: Using Inquiry in the Classroom So that Students See Learning in a Whole New Light

This article addresses how NASA uses inquiry in the classroom so that students can see learning in a whole new light. The goal is to increase scientific literacy among Americans and to entice a greater number of students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Although NASA offers a diverse array of programs that incorporate inquiry learning through a well-established distribution network, this article examines two programs: the Virtual Design Center (VDC), created by the Classroom of the Future^TM, and the NASA Explorer Schools program, one of four pathfinder initiatives that the Agency launched to inspire the next generation of space explorers.     

Still on the Margins: Migration,English Language Learning,and Mental Health in Immigrant Psychiatric Patients

This qualitative study explores the reflexive relationships among mental illness, acculturation, and progress toward English proficiency in five adult immigrants being treated at a Canadian psychiatric hospital. The research explores the additional challenges faced by mentally ill individuals when learning a new language and the extent to which English language acquisition may be impeded by factors related to mental illness. Semistructured ethnographic interviews are conducted with the patients. Data analysis is accomplished through grounded theory methods, specifically data-driven and theory-driven coding. The English language acquisition experiences of these five individuals are contrasted with second-language acquisition theory to suggest that the effects of the theoretical language learning advantages possessed by this group may have been diminished by factors related to mental illness. Policy recommendations are made to address this additional set of challenges for immigrants with psychiatric disorders.