Personality Type and Participation in Networked Learning Environments

For networked learning environments, it is necessary to consider different aspects of this environment, such as the collaborative environment, the nature of activities and resources, the technological environment and the learner's characteristics, if quality learning is to take place online. This paper focuses on one aspect of the learner's characteristics; that of personality type as determined using the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (Myers, 1984). It investigates the relationship between personality type and a student's participation (both passive and active) within a networked learning environment using asynchronous threaded discussion for a university course run both online and face-to-face. Qualitative results show patterns in student attitudes to participation related to personality type, particularly on the dimensions of introversion/extroversion, sensing/intuition and thinking/feeling. The paper also discusses implications of the findings in relation to the development of the networked learning environment, to ensure better online participation from all students. L’importance des types de personnalité dans la participation dans des environnements d’apprentissage en réseau. Pour les environnements d’apprentissage en réseau Net, il faut considérer différents aspects de cet environnement coopératif, la nature des activités et des sources, l’environnement technologique et les caractéristiques de l’apprenant si l’on veut en ligne obtenir un apprentissage de qualité. Cet article se concentre sur un aspect des caractéristiques de l’apprenant, celui du type de personnalité défini dans le Myer Briggs Type Indicator (Myers, 1984). Il étudie la relation entre le type de personnalité et la participation d’un étudiant (passive et active) dans un environnement d’apprentissage basé sur le Net utilisant une discussion filetée asynchrone our un cours d’université mené face À face et en ligne. Les résultats qualitatifs montrent des modéles dans

l’attitude des étudiant quant À la participation liée au type de personnalité, particulièrement sur les dimensions de l’introversion/extroversion, de la sensation/intuition et de la pensée/sentiments. L’article discute aussi des implications des

résultats en relation avec le développement de l’environnement de l’apprentissage en réseau, pur assurer une meilleure

participation en ligne de la part de tous les étudiants. Persönlichkeitstyp und Partizipation in vernetzten Lernumgebungen. Bei vernetzten Lernumgebungen müssen unterschiedliche Aspekte dieser Umgebung bedacht werden, so z.B. der

gemeinschaftliche Bereich, die Art von Aktivitäten und Ressourcen, die technischen Gegebenheiten und die Charakteristika der Lernenden, wenn erstklassiges Lernen auch online möglich werden soll. Dieser Beitrag beschränkt sich auf einen charakteristischen Aspekt des Lerners: seinen Persönlichkeitstyp unter Benutzung des Myers Briggs Type Indicator (Myers, 1984). Es untersucht die Beziehung zwischen dem Persönlichkeitstyp und der Teilhabe (aktiv und passiv) eines Studenten

innerhalb einer vernetzten Lernumgebung bei asynchron angelegter Diskussion – sowohl online als auch direkt – über einen Universitätskurs. Qualifizierte Ergebnisse zeigen, dass bestimmte Verhaltensmuster der Studenten zur Partizipation vom Persönlichkeitstyp abhängen, insbesondere vom Grad der Introversion/Extroversion, Empfindsamkeit/Einfühlungsvermögen und Denken/Fühlen. Der Beitrag stellt auch Folgerungen aus den Befunden in Bezug auf die Entwicklung vernetzter Lernumgebungen zur Diskussion, um bessere online-Partizipation aller Studenten sicherzustellen.     

RECEPTIVITY TO PEER TEACHING AND PEER LEARNING ABOUT THE SAFE AND APPROPRIATE USE OF MEDICATIONS AMONG OLDER ADULTS

The purpose of this study was to assess receptivity to peer teaching and peer learning about the safe and appropriate use of medications among communitydwelling older adults. The sample was predominately White (88.5%), female (75.9%) older adults with an average age of 80.2 ( - 9.1) years. On average, the participants perceived their health status as good (2.8 - 0.6). In addition, participants reported using an average number of 4.4 ( - 3.3) prescribed medications. The majority (75%) of participants also reported no problems with their medications. With respect to receptivity to peer teaching and peer learning, the participants, on average, were neutral to peer teaching (6.0 - 2.4), but were somewhat receptive to peer learning (6.7 - 2.2). The number of prescribed medications that a participant reported taking and the age of a participant were identified as significant predictors of receptivity to peer teaching and accounted for 14.5% of the total variance ( F = 5.84, df = 2, p = 0.005). For receptivity to peer learning, the number of prescribed medications also was a significant predictor ( F = 7.50, df = 1, p = 0.008). This study provides the initial step to identifying community-dwelling older adults who would be receptive to peer teaching and peer learning about the safe and appropriate use of medications.     

Brain Health Knowledge in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Aging and its effects on a person's quality of life are a growing health concern and burden for many Americans. Recently, studies have shown that adopting certain healthy behaviors may help maintain and or prevent age-related health issues such as cognitive decline. However, many people are unaware of these newfound facts. Furthermore, there is insufficient research evidence to understand how older adults view brain health and the differences between diverse groups of older adults. This study examines brain health knowledge and behaviors among Caucasian and African-American community-dwelling older adults in North Carolina. Findings were significant for level of education and total brain health knowledge scores, though there were no significant differences between races. In addition, there was a significant association between total number of health conditions and total brain health knowledge scores that warrants further study.     

Women,adult education and literacy: A Caribbean perspective

The main function of agricultural extension is generally thought to be the transfer through nonformal educational means of practical knowledge to agriculture and the enhancement of rural development. Agricultural extension has received renewed attention in recent years from international development agencies and considerable discussion has ensued regarding the appropriate role for extension programmes. Much of the attention has been directed towards improving the functions of existing services. This article discusses the policy considerations of extension within the broader context of agricultural development goals and the overall direction of the country's development objectives and strategies. A framework is presented for analysing important characteristics of different extension development options. The issues raised are relevant to the larger concerns of adult education policy and the promotion of lifelong learning strategies within society. They include the relationship of sectoral goals and policies to broader national objectives, the audience the public sector should target, the role of the private sector, the structural arrangements best suited to meet certain objectives and the correct mixture and co‐ordination of various services and programmes.     

DNA microarray wet lab simulation brings genomics into the high school curriculum

We have developed a wet lab DNA microarray simulation as part of a complete DNA microarray module for high school students. The wet lab simulation has been field tested with high school students in Illinois and Maryland as well as in workshops with high school teachers from across the nation. Instead of using DNA, our simulation is based on pH indicators, which offer many ideal teaching characteristics. The simulation requires no specialized equipment, is very inexpensive, is very reliable, and takes very little preparation time. Student and teacher assessment data indicate the simulation is popular with both groups, and students show significant learning gains. We include many resources with this publication, including all prelab introductory materials (e.g., a paper microarray activity), the student handouts, teachers notes, and pre- and postassessment tools. We did not test the simulation on other student populations, but based on teacher feedback, the simulation also may fit well in community college and in introductory and nonmajors' college biology curricula.     

The Development of Gender Stereotype Components

Developmental research has been limited by a narrow concept of stereotypes. A more complex model is presented, and developmental changes in gender stereotypes were investigated using the new model. In 2 studies, children were told about several sex-unspecified children, each described as having 1 masculine or 1 feminine characteristic. The children then predicted the likelihood of each story child having other masculine and feminine characteristics. In Study 1, 56 children (4–6 years) were told about target children who liked either a masculine or feminine toy, and then children predicted the targets' interests in other toys. In Study 2, 76 older children (6, 8, 10 years) were told about target children with a masculine or feminine characteristic from 1 of 4 categories (appearance, personality, occupations, toys), and then they predicted the likelihood of targets having other masculine and feminine characteristics from the same and from different categories as the cue. 2 developmental trends emerged: ( a ) children appear first to learn associations among characteristics relevant to their own sex and, later, to learn them for the other sex, and ( b ) older children's stereotypic judgments are more extreme than those of younger children. The implications of these results for the development of stereotypes, assessing gender knowledge, and understanding social judgments are discussed.