In search of a future: A critical analysis of research on web-based teaching and learning

Despite the explosion of interest in Web-based teaching and learning,many criticisms of research with past technologies have re-surfaced.Research efforts are often so diffuse and contradictory as toconfuse rather than enlighten. We have failed to break much newpedagogical ground with our collective effort to date. In thiscommentary, we briefly examine research questions and methods onand with technology, analyze current Web-based research focus andpractice, and identify directions we believe to be especiallypromising.     

Senior high students’ career plans for the future: outcomes of the comprehensive career needs survey in Southern Alberta, Canada

The Comprehensive Career Needs Survey was used to assess the career plans of senior high students in Southern Alberta, Canada. This article examines senior high student perceptions regarding (a) their future plans; (b) confidence in attaining their career goals, (c) importance of remaining in their community; and (d) where they anticipate working. The majority of respondents planned to combine full time education with part time work, were confident in achieving their career plans, and anticipated finding work in their country. Results indicate a need for programs addressing career decision making and combining education and work experience.     

Hyperlocal News Coverage: A Population Ecology Perspective

Adopting a population ecology perspective, this study tests the influence of population-level factors on news coverage in hyperlocal websites. Specifically, level of legitimacy of the hyperlocal website population is assessed as a predictor of frequency and favorability of coverage of local businesses and government organizations. Traditional “field-level” predictors from media sociology are also examined. Among the field-level factors tested, professional background of staff and affiliation with traditional media organizations proved most important in explaining favorability of coverage, and level of advertising was an important predictor of frequency of coverage. The level of the population’s legitimacy also corresponded significantly with frequency of coverage. Results suggest that factors related to the population level and to institutionalization over time are relevant, even for the hyperlocal website, a relatively young and idiosyncratic media form. These factors warrant attention in future research.     

Understanding pickleball as a new leisure pursuit among older adults

For older adults, participating in leisure activities has psychosocial benefits, increases social interactions, and promotes well-being. Among various leisure activities, pickleball is an activity that fosters positive social interaction and health benefits in older adults. Pickleball is regarded as one of the fastest growing sports in the USA, and it is reported to be popular among people of all ages, especially among older adults. The purpose of this study was to gather demographic details of older pickleball participants and elucidate the psychosocial benefits of playing the sport, such as life satisfaction, optimism, and social integration. To this end, we gathered information from 153 older adults who competed in pickleball tournaments. Multivariate analysis of variance and Hotelling’s T² test were used to compare the differences that emerged in experiential factors such as life satisfaction, optimism, and social integration among the different demographic characteristics. The results showed that life satisfaction was significantly different among the following three age groups: 50–59 years, 60–69 years, and ≥70 years. Results of Hotelling’s T² test showed a significant difference in social integration between male and female participants. The test also revealed a significant difference in terms of life satisfaction between retired and employed participants. The results suggest that playing pickleball can be an enriching leisure activity for retirees and may help them cope with the transition that retirement typically entails.     

Mixture Simultaneous Factor Analysis for Capturing Differences in Latent Variables Between Higher Level Units of Multilevel Data

Given multivariate data, many research questions pertain to the covariance structure: whether and how the variables (e.g., personality measures) covary. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is often used to look for latent variables that might explain the covariances among variables; for example, the Big Five personality structure. In the case of multilevel data, one might wonder whether or not the same covariance (factor) structure holds for each so-called data block (containing data of 1 higher level unit). For instance, is the Big Five personality structure found in each country or do cross-cultural differences exist? The well-known multigroup EFA framework falls short in answering such questions, especially for numerous groups or blocks. We introduce mixture simultaneous factor analysis (MSFA), performing a mixture model clustering of data blocks, based on their factor structure. A simulation study shows excellent results with respect to parameter recovery and an empirical example is included to illustrate the value of MSFA.     

The Relationship between Metacognitive Ability and Metacognitive Accuracy

Metacognition and Learning - Judgments of learning (JOLs), as one type of metacognitive judgments, are assessments that people make about how well they have learned material. The effective use of...     

Endophytes from medicinal plants and their potential for producing indole acetic acid,improving seed germination and mitigating oxidative stress

Medicinal plants have been used by marginal communities to treat various ailments. However, the potential of endophytes within these bio-prospective medicinal plants remains unknown. The present study elucidates the endophytic diversity of medicinal plants (Caralluma acutangula, Rhazya stricta, and Moringa peregrina) and the endophyte role in seed growth and oxidative stress. Various organs of medicinal plants yielded ten endophytes, which were identified as Phoma sp. (6 isolates), Alternaria sp. (2), Bipolaris sp. (1), and Cladosporium sp. (1) based on 18S rDNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The culture filtrates (CFs; 25%, 50%, and 100% concentrations) from these endophytes were tested against the growth of normal and dwarf mutant rice lines. Endophytic CF exhibited dose-dependent growth stimulation and suppression effects. CF (100%) of Phoma sp. significantly increased rice seed germination and growth compared to controls and other endophytes. This growth-promoting effect was due to the presence of indole acetic acid in endophytic CF. The gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis showed the highest indole acetic acid content ((54.31±0.21) μmol/L) in Bipolaris sp. In addition, the isolate of Bipolaris sp. exhibited significantly higher radical scavenging and anti-lipid peroxidation activity than the other isolates. Bipolaris sp. and Phoma sp. also exhibited significantly higher flavonoid and phenolic contents. The medicinal plants exhibited the presence of bio-prospective endophytic strains, which could be used for the improvement of crop growth and the mitigation of oxidative stresses.