Evaluating the educational usability of Telegram as an SNS in ESAP programs from medical students’ perspective

This study aimed to investigate medical students’ evaluation of using Telegram as a Social Networking Site (SNS) in English for Specific Academic Purposes (ESAP) programs. To this end, the students’ explanatory responses about the merits and demerits of the SNS as well as their suggestions for improving its educational usability were collected. The qualitative data analysis of the students’ responses showed the merit codes of accessibility, data exchange, group learning, competitive atmosphere, peer-checking, and time-saving. The demerit codes emerging from the analysis were dependence and cheating, distrust, addiction, distraction, Internet problems, lack of supervision and lack of instruction. The codes derived from the students’ propositions were upgrading the SNS, dynamic atmosphere, blended-learning, teacher involvement, culture of using the platform, cooperative learning, appropriacy of the materials and type of the materials. The findings indicated that the trend of the students’ views about the merits of the site centered on technical categories, their views about the demerits of the system revolved mainly around behavioral categories and their propositions were closely linked to educational categories. The data analysis also showed significant differences in the perceived significance of the codes to the students with accessibility, Internet problems and type of the materials being the most prominent ones in the merit, demerit, and proposition codes respectively. From the findings, it can be concluded that educators should be encouraged to join the SNS to educationally support students, consider the merits and demerits of the SNS before employing it and improve the usability of the site based on the feedback they receive from students. The study suggests that a fine-tuned action plan be outlined with an eye to the technical, educational and behavioral requirements for using the SNS. It is also recommended that educators’ and students’ level and range of activities as well as ethical codes of conduct on the SNS be clearly stipulated in the course plan of programs involving the use of the site.     

Podcasting in a virtual English for academic purposes course: learner motivation

In this study we explored the effect of podcasting on the motivation of the students in an online English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course at the university level (N?=?179). By using a mixed-method approach, we analyzed the data collected on the learners' impressions about using podcasts as a learning tool. The particular aim of this study was to help learners do research in English in their specific academic field. In their EAP course the learners are expected to study various types of English texts, listen to media and give lectures on their academic findings. The findings of this study revealed that males found podcasting significantly more relevant and attractive than females. Females, on the other hand, were significantly more satisfied with using podcasts in their EAP class. Further, results showed that learners who had no prior experience of podcasts for academic purposes outperformed the learners with medium experience. For further qualitative investigation, several sources were used for data collection including interviews with the learners, the course forums, emails, the class groupblog, podcasts and open-ended questions. Overall podcasting proved highly effective in motivating the students to learn in the online environment.     

When Scale Meets Depth: Integrating Natural Language Processing and Textual Analysis for Studying Digital Corpora

As computer-assisted research of voluminous datasets becomes more pervasive, so does the criticism of its epistemological, methodological, and ethical/normative inadequacies. This article proposes a hybrid approach that combines the scale of computational methods with the depth of qualitative analysis. It uses simple natural language processing algorithms to extract purposive samples from large textual corpora, which can then be analyzed using interpretive techniques. This approach helps research become more theoretically grounded and contextually sensitive—two major failings of typical “Big Data” studies. Simultaneously, it allows qualitative scholars to examine datasets that are otherwise too large to study manually and also bring more rigor to the process of sampling. The method is illustrated with two case studies, one looking at the inaugural addresses of U.S. presidents and the other investigating the news coverage of two shootings at an army camp in Texas.     

Development of the applicability of simplified Henry’s method for skewed multicell box-girder bridges under traffic loading conditions

Concrete precast multicell box-girder (MCB) bridges combine aesthetics with torsional stiffness perfectly. Previous analytical studies indicate that currently available specifications are unable to consider the effect of the twisting moment (torsional moment) on bridge actions. In straight bridges the effect of torsion is negligible and the transverse reinforced design is governed by other requirements. However, in the case of skewed bridges the effect of the twisting moment should be considered. Therefore, an in-depth study was performed on 90 concrete MCB bridges with skew angles ranging from 0° to 60°. For each girder the bridge actions were determined under the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) live load conditions. The analytical results show that torsional stiffness and live load positions greatly affected the bridges?? responses. In addition, based on a statistical analysis of the obtained results, several skew correction factors are proposed to improve the precision of the simplified Henry??s method, which is widely used by bridge engineers to predict bridge actions. The relationship between the bending moment and secondary moments was also investigated and it was concluded that all secondary actions increase with an increase in skewness.     

The effect of video-based approach on prospective teachers’ ability to analyze mathematics teaching

This is an intervention study that explored the effect of using video lesson analysis methodology (VLAM) on the ability of prospective middle/high school mathematics teachers to analyze mathematics teaching. The sample of the study consisted of 26 female prospective mathematics teachers enrolled in a methods course at the United Arab Emirates University. The participants were divided equally into two groups, experimental and control. The experimental group was involved in video lesson analysis where they analyzed ten video lessons throughout the semester. The group members interacted via discussion forums through Blackboard technology. Both groups wrote analyses of two video lessons, one before the intervention program and another at the end of it. It was found that the intervention remarkably improved the ability to analyze mathematics teaching of the experimental group while little improvement occurred to the control group. Implications for teacher education programs are discussed.     

Development of complex executive function over childhood: Longitudinal growth curve modeling of performance on the Groton Maze Learning Task

This longitudinal study modeled children's complex executive function (EF) development using the Groton Maze Learning Task (GMLT). Using a cohort-sequential design, 147 children (61 males, 5.5–11 years) were recruited from six multicultural primary schools in Melbourne and Perth, Australia. Race/ethnicity data were not available. Children were assessed on the GMLT at 6-month intervals over 2-years between 2010 and 2012. Growth curve models describe age-related change from 5.5 to 12.5 years old. Results showed a quadratic growth trajectory on each measure of error—that is, those that reflect visuospatial memory, executive control (or the ability to apply rules for action), and complex EF. The ability to apply rules for action, while a rate-limiting factor in complex EF, develops rapidly over early-to-mid childhood.     

Students’ Alternative Conceptions about Electricity and Effect of Inquiry-Based Teaching Strategies

This study attempted to investigate the alternative conceptions that a group of 12 Lebanese students in a grade 9 class hold about electricity. It also attempted to evaluate learning outcomes of implementing in that class an inquiry-based module for the acquisition of conceptual understanding of basic concepts in electricity. Fourteen mostly subjective tests were administered throughout the implementation phase of the inquiry-based module to assess the evolution of participants’ conceptions. The instrument DIRECT (Version 1.0) focusing on conceptual understanding was used as a post-instructional test to measure acquisition of understanding. The findings revealed that most of the alternative conceptions reported in literature were found amongst the participants. Results of the post-testing showed that the implemented inquiry-based approach was successful in enhancing participants’ conceptual understanding of the targeted DC circuit concepts.     

Iranian faculty members’ metaphors of the internationalization of medical sciences education

Higher Education - Faculty members’ beliefs can affect the trajectories of internationalization activities at a university. This study aimed to use metaphor analysis to discover Iranian...