Transformation of classroom spaces: traditional versus active learning classroom in colleges

Educational environment influences students’ learning attitudes, and the classroom conveys the educational philosophy. The traditional college classroom design is based on the educational space that first appeared in medieval universities. Since then classrooms have not changed except in their size. In an attempt to develop a different perspective of educational environment, a new design of classroom, the active learning classroom (ALC), was established at SoongSil University in Korea. Two questionnaire surveys were conducted for diagnosing the educational effects of students’ learning in the ALC and comparing the results with those obtained regarding the traditional classroom. The result proved the existence of a ‘golden zone’ and a ‘shadow zone’ in the traditional classroom, which discriminate students’ learning experiences depending on seating positions. On the contrary, the ALC did not produce such positional discrimination. Students perceived the ALC environment as more inspirational, especially in regards to active class participation. Students with more emphasis on academic achievement showed greater tendency to share information and to create new ideas in the ALC. However, in the traditional classroom setting, only students with high GPAs were more motivated to learn while the gap in learning attitudes was offset in the ALC setting. In-depth discussions about research findings were undertaken and four suggestions were provided in support of school administrators and relevant institutional personnel, faculty members, and researchers for future utilization of the ALC.     

Nurture corners in preschool settings: involving and nurturing children and parents

This article draws on the findings from a small qualitative study which focused on gathering perspectives and accounts of experiences from nursery practitioners, health and third sector professionals and parents. It explored the ways in which parents/carers and practitioners experienced the nurture approach developed in preschool settings in Glasgow, Scotland and their perspectives on the impact that this provision has had on the development and well-being of young children and family engagement in learning. The findings provided some insights into the specific ways in which settings involved parents and worked towards developing a nurturing ethos towards parents themselves, underpinned by the following three elements: a welcoming setting, sensitive and empathic staff and creative practice. The particular characteristics of these three elements seemed to support some parents in developing the parenting skills which were required to consolidate the benefits experienced by their children. These benefits included parents being supported to replicate some of the practices at home and becoming more involved in their children’s learning. The study identified challenges for some nurseries in achieving this, such as the limited scope for nurture corner practitioners in some of the settings to fully utilise their skills with parents due to accommodation constraints.     

Predicting writing skill development with word recognition and preschool readiness skills

In this longitudinal study, the writing skill development of154 Finnish-speaking children was followed from preschool to thethird grade. The focus was on predictive associations betweenpreschool writing readiness skills and later mechanics ofwriting, as well as between word recognition skill, mechanics ofwriting, and composition coherence. In addition, comparisons weremade between boys and girls to see to what extent writing skilldevelopment is gender-specific. Multi-group structural equationmodeling was used for statistical analysis. The results indicatedthat both mechanics of writing and composition coherence could bepredicted from performance on the same skill at an earlier pointin time. Preschool measures of phonological and visual-motorskills predicted later mechanics of writing. Word recognitionworked as a predictor of later mechanics of writing andcomposition coherence, but only starting from second grade, whenthe development of the word recognition skill had becomestabilized at a high enough level. Furthermore, first grademechanics of writing predicted second grade compositioncoherence, but only at this early stage of productive writingwhen there were still difficulties in the mechanics of writing.Girls were better at tasks measuring mechanics of writing andwrote more coherent stories than boys. The gender difference inthe mechanics of writing at the first grade level was explainedby the presented model. Educational implications were discussed.     

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in Mexico as preparation for higher education

In this study we analyse the relationship between Mexican students’ enrolment in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) and their college preparedness using a case-study methodology. We found that from the Mexican schools that offer the IB DP, most IB students are fairly successful in their college applications, such that the majority enrols at among the most well-regarded post-secondary institutions in Mexico. The possibility that IB DP grades and/or examination records might help boost students’ college admissions options does not seem to be a primary motivating factor for students’ IB DP enrolment. Rather, we found that students enrol in the IB DP because they think it will help prepare them to successfully handle college-level work. Students and educators believe that various aspects of the IB DP prepare them for college-level work, including the Theory of Knowledge course, the Extended Essay and the Creativity, Action and Service programme.     

Some orderly nonmonotonicities in the trial-by-trial acquisition of conditioned suppression: Inhibition with reinforcement?

The trial-by-trial acquisition of conditioned suppression was examined under a wide range of conditions. Frequently, the acquisition functions were nonmonotonic. In conditions containing four or more trials in sessions of 2 h or less, suppression, once established, tended to be significantly stronger on the first trial of a session than on one or more subsequent trials. The data from six conditions are presented to exemplify those under which nonmonotonicities did and did not occur. It is suggested that the nonmonotonicities are similar to effects described by Pavlov (1960, Lecture 14), effects which he believed reflected the growth of inhibition despite continuous reinforcement. Interpretations of the results in terms of reactive inhibition, short-term habituation, conditioned inhibition, inhibition of delay, and disinhibition are discussed.     

A Case Study in the Integration of Assessment and General Education: Lessons learned from a complex process

This paper tracks an ongoing, 15-year initiative to reform and assess a general education programme at a regional comprehensive university in the US. The paper identifies four key phases in the process, chronicling emergent challenges, describing key setbacks and highlighting noteworthy successes. The authors identify five key lessons that may prove useful to other institutions planning or currently attempting to integrate assessment into their general education programme, and conclude that designing and implementing general education assessment is more challenging than assessing other programmes in post-secondary settings because it is influenced by more internal and external constituencies than any other assessment process.     

Computational thinking in compulsory education: a survey study on initiatives and conceptions

Educational technology research and development - This article communicates the results of a Danish survey study conducted in 2018 that aimed to examine initiatives relating to computational...     

Effects of color in filmed behavior sequences on description and elaboration by liberian schoolboys

Scanlon (1967,1970) found significant color effects when he content analyzed and compared written accounts about achromatic and chromatic versions of the same television programs. The present study which replicated many aspects of Scanlon’s studies but used more rigorous and systematic procedures, confirms Scanlon’s idea as a useful one but does not support Scanlon’s findings. It appears that for some simple cognitive tasks, a chromatic presentation seems to elicit more verbal responses than an achromatic version.     

General Education and Graduate Education

Renewing Liberal Education: A Primer By Francis J. Wuest Kansas City, Missouri: Project for Change in Liberal Education, 225 pages, $6.50 paperback. Reviewed by Annette Atkins.

Academic Culture and Faculty Development By Mervin Freedman, with Wesley Brown, Norbert Ralph, Robert Shukraft, Michael Bloom, and Nevitt Sanford Orinda, California: Montaigne Press, 1979, 173 pages, index, $8.95 paperback. Reviewed by Frederick Stirton Weaver.     

Relationship between the Perception and Reproduction of Body Postures

Abstract

One hundred and seven college women were tested in their ability to recognize a demonstrated body posture from among similar ones and to reproduce demonstrated body postures. Two original tests were devised for this purpose. A low but statistically significant correlation (- .34) was found between the two. In addition, the subjects completed a questionnaire regarding the extent and nature of their motor experience. The extent of the individual's motor experience had a significant role in each of these abilities. The direction to be taken in reproducing the postures was found to be a complicating factor.