Constructing Problems in a Web‐Based Learning Environment

Abstract

This article describes how the World Wide Web was implemented in a graduate course. The interactions that took place among the students and between the students and instructor illustrate how problem‐based learning strategies can be supported by the Web. Of particular note, the course content focused on technology‐based learning, thus students were immersed in an authentic learning environment. The article chronicles the various strategies ? that students implemented to facilitate the problem‐solving process and concludes by way of issues to consider when implementing such strategies within Web‐based learning environments     

Pedagogical design considerations in sex education on interactive multimedia using CD‐Rom: an example of sexual intercourse

Human sexuality is a significant issue for educators to understand and teach about, and for young people to learn about. The development of interactive multimedia technologies has added a range of new dimensions associated with designing pedagogies for sex education on Interactive Multimedia (IMM). Here, a module on CD‐Rom on Sexuality and Human Relationships designed for student teachers is presented as an example of a resource, and analysed for the pedagogical considerations that accompany it. The paper concludes that the conceptualisation and design of IMM on CD‐Rom on sexuality is able to address a range of commonly used pedagogies. The most significant pedagogical renegotiation appears to lie in the transposing of human‐to‐human interaction, as in discussion, real life scenarios, simulation, role analysis, values and attitude clarification, to human‐to‐screen interaction. This may be addressed principally by using camera phones where human‐to‐human interaction occurs visually and in real time, whilst email and discussion groups can cater for delayed, typed text human‐to‐human interactions. For some learners, using IMM on CD‐Rom for sex education may be less effective, but for others it may be ideal as it provides for privacy, solo contemplation, self‐dialogue, and negates embarrassment in front of peers or teachers.     

Diagnosis,Evaluation, and Treatment of Lead Poisoning in General Population

Among the heavy metals, lead still remains the major toxic pollutant of the environment. Human exposure to lead can occur through numerous pathways including air, food, dust, soil, and water. In the present study 14 lead poisoned patients with non-occupational lead exposure were evaluated. They were followed up and compared against the controls with no history of lead exposure. The patients had high blood lead levels and symptoms of weakness, dizziness, abdominal pain, generalized body ache, loss of appetite, and anxiety. Repeated course of chelation therapy helped to bring down their body burden of lead. Alternative sources for lead exposure can cause severe lead poisoning in general population. Screening and medical management of such individuals is very important to identify and eliminate sources of lead. The treatment and management requires a thorough medical evaluation and environmental intervention.     

The assessment of adolescent female athletes using standing and reactive long jumps

The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of two long jump tasks and their ability to predict 10 m sprint performance in elite adolescent female athletes. Eight junior national-level female track and field athletes completed three standing (SLJ) and reactive long jumps (RLJ) on portable force plates, followed by three 10 m sprints. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) and coefficients of variation (CV) were calculated to examine reliability. Linear regression results identified the best predictor of average and best 10 m sprint time from the jump kinematic and kinetic measures. The ICCs and CVs indicated good reliability for the majority of kinetic measures however, better reliability was reported for the SLJ. The SLJ was a good predictor of best and average 10 m sprint time, with average horizontal power the best predictor of performance (best; R2 = 0.751, p = 0.003, Standard Error of Estimate (SEE)% = 2.2 average; R2 = 0.708, p = 0.005, SEE% = 2.5).     

Using observation of teaching to improve quality: finding your way through the muddle of competing conceptions,confusion of practice and mutually exclusive intentions

This paper begins by reviewing some of the different models of third-party observation of university teaching that can be found in the literature. Having analysed these, it argues that—if ‘peer’ is taken to indicate equality of status—only one is genuinely a model of peer-observation. It proposes an alternative categorisation of third-party observations of teaching dependant on who controls the information generated by the process. A preferred six-dimensional model based on control by the person being observed of the data-flow, and other procedural aspects, is presented and explored. Evaluative comments, by university teachers who have undertaken the process, are presented to illustrate the benefits of adopting this model.