Integrating synchronous and asynchronous internet distributed education for maximum effectiveness

Distributed education delivered via the Internet is a growing practice, with most institutions offering at least course websites and many expanding to full course offerings and even online degree progams. There are two schools of thought with regard to delivery mode: the larger group has focused on asynchronous delivery, accessible at any time via webpages and interactive tutorials and quizzes, while a smaller group advocates synchronous delivery where students are online and interact during class time. This paper summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of the two delivery modes and describes our successful and growing experience of more than a decade using an open source synchronous delivery tool blended with a variety of asynchronous capabilities and classroom instruction. We conclude that a synergistic combination of the two modes with in-person instruction, designed to provide maximum flexibility to the student within the constraints of the subject, offers the best support for student learning. www:     

Innovative Practice: Systemic Problem Solving: Retention and the Role of a Student Counseling Center

This article describes a counseling center's experience using a “systems” approach to address student retention by initiating campuswide collaboration.     

College Student Feedback About Librarian-Created Instructional Videos: Why Aren't They Using Them?

Library instruction videos can enhance student instruction. At a community college, librarian-created videos provided students with academic support. However, the videos were rarely used. In this article, students were sent online surveys to rate videos discussing the American Psychological Association (APA) format. Students were also asked why they did not use the videos. Participants rated several video features, including length, technical aspects, narration, and style. While they overwhelmingly responded that the videos were useful, the students did not know where they were located. The major complaint was related to the videos' technical aspects. Students also reported that they were more inclined to ask for help after watching the video.     

Mental flexibility and planning skills in children and adolescents with learning disabilities.

Mental flexibility (skill with shifting response set) and visual planning skills were examined with a group of 60 children and adolescents with learning disabilities. The sample consisted of 44 boys and 16 girls with an age range of 9 to 15. Scores from the Trail Making Test and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test were cluster-analyzed and subgroups were formulated. The results of the cluster analysis indicated a two-group solution to be most appropriate. One subtype was clearly dysfunctional on the classifying variables, while the other subgroup approached average levels. The two subtypes were compared on measures of intellectual functions, academic skills, auditory memory, visual memory, visual-motor integration, motor speed, and tactile integration. Significance was found on several different tests. The results are discussed in terms of potential cortical dysfunction evidenced by the subgroups.     

Hong Kong parents and their children’s music training: measurement properties of the Parental Involvement in Music Training Questionnaire

Many Hong Kong-Chinese parents are active in their support for their children’s music training. To better understand this support, the Parental Involvement in Music Training Questionnaire (PIMTQ) is designed to measure the variability in parental involvement in their children’s music training. This study begins by exploring the factor structure of the PIMTQ and then establishes its measurement properties using Rasch modelling. Two hundred and ninety-five Hong Kong-Chinese parents completed a Chinese version of the 42-item instrument with principal components analysis of the responses showing seven factors. However, Rasch modelling showed that two of the five factors (Family Music Background and Family Music Interest) are unable to reliably predict variability in parent responses. We conclude, however, that the remaining five factors (Parental Support Toward Music Training, Parental Expectations, Home Music Environment, Music Programme Support and Attitude Toward Music) of the PIMTQ can be used as subscales to measure the involvement of Hong Kong-Chinese parents in their children’s music training.     

Investigating English reading comprehension growth in adolescent language minority learners: some insights from the simple view

The development of reading skills in language minority (LM) learners, particularly during the middle school years, remains unclear despite the increasing need for educators to serve this rapidly growing population. In this study, the English reading comprehension growth of middle school LM learners was investigated using a longitudinal design and the simple view of reading as a theoretical framework. Students were assessed at four time points between fifth and seventh grades on standardized measures of listening comprehension, word reading, and reading comprehension. Individual growth modeling revealed that both listening comprehension and word reading assessed in fifth grade predicted the elevation of students’ developmental trajectories in reading comprehension. However, neither skill predicted students’ growth in reading comprehension, and there was no significant variation across children in growth rates, indicating that students in seventh grade remained on a trajectory established in fifth grade. The implications of the slowing rate of reading comprehension development during the middle school years are discussed.     

The International Network for Older Adults

Conclusion Although funds were not available to bring members of the Older Adults Network to the World Assembly of Adult Education in January 1990, there was, among the delegates, considerable interest in the subject and several meetings were arranged. The thing that struck me most was not how different were our situations, coming as we did from every corner of the earth, but how many problems and concerns we had in common.With the second Network Newsletter, sent out in the spring of 1991, questionnaires asked for brief details of schemes which involved older people in projects that were, in some way, conservational. They could be involved in conserving language, mythology or history. They might be working to improve and save their environment. The aim is to establish a small but useful register of such projects in sufficient detail to encourage contact and replication by others. For this purpose, small grants are being made available from the money given by CIDA. Slowly but surely, the Older Adults Network is gathering information about positive actions being taken to ensure that older people, in all countries, have the skills and opportunities they need to continue as fully participating citizens. With the rapidly increasing number of older people in all our countries, this small beginning will, hopefully, be a foundation on which much important work will be done in the years to come.