A card game for designing activities for technology-enhanced learning in higher education

Education and Information Technologies - The importance of providing mechanisms and tools that effectively support the transition from implicit to explicit representations of Learning Design has...     

Effect of strength training on rate of force development in older women

We analyzed the effect of an 8-week strength training (ST) program on the rate of force development (RFD) and electromyographic activity (EMG) in older women. Seventeen women (M age = 63.4 years, SD = 4.9) without previous ST experience were randomly assigned to either a control (n=7) or training (n=10) group. A leg-press isometric test was used for assessment. ST (three sessions/ week, three sets of 10-12 repetition maximum, five different exercises) induced significant increases (p < .05) on peak RPD (48.4%) and on RFD) and EMG of vastus medialis at time intervals of 0-50, 0-100, 0-150, and 0-200 ms (41.1-69.2% and 43.8-64.3%, respectively). Therefore, ST resulted in favorable changes in neuromuscular responses in older women.     

Effectiveness of three‐dimensional digital animation in teaching human anatomy in an authentic classroom context

Three‐dimensional (3D) digital animations were used to teach the human musculoskeletal system to first year kinesiology students. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of this method by comparing two groups from two different academic years during two of their official required anatomy examinations (trunk and upper limb assessments). During the upper limb section, the teacher used two‐dimensional (2D) drawings embedded into PowerPoint^® slides and 3D digital animations for the first group (2D group) and the second (3D group), respectively. The same 3D digital animations were used for both groups during the trunk section. The only difference between the two was the multimedia used to present the information during the upper limb section. The 2D group surprisingly outperformed the 3D group on the trunk assessment. On the upper limb assessment no difference in the scores on the overall anatomy examination was found. However, the 3D group outperformed the 2D group in questions requiring spatial ability. Data supported that 3D digital animations were effective instructional multimedia material tools in teaching human anatomy especially in recalling anatomical knowledge requiring spatial ability. The importance of evaluating the effectiveness of a new instructional material outside laboratory environment (e.g., after a complete semester and on official examinations) was discussed. Anat Sci Educ 7: 430–437. © 2014 American Association of Anatomists.     

Robust sensorless observer-based adaptive sliding modes control of synchronous motors

Using a nonlinear complete order model of a synchronous motor, a robust second order sliding mode observer based control scheme is proposed. For that, a generalized super-twisting 3rd order observer is proposed for nonlinear systems. Based on the proposed observer scheme, a robust rotor flux observer is designed, then, a stator current observer is proposed using a classical super-twisting algorithm for extracting information of the rotor speed by means of the equivalent control method. The control design for the output tracking of a desired reference signal for the rotor speed is carried out with a classical super-twisting sliding mode algorithm and adaptive backstepping techniques. Due to the number of inputs, the flux in the excitation winding, and the direct component of the stator currents are also regulated. Numeric simulations predict a good performance of the closed-loop synchronous motor with parameter variations.     

Letter names and sounds: their implications for the phonetisation process

Our aim was to analyse the impact of the characteristics of words used in spelling programmes and the nature of instructional guidelines on the evolution from grapho-perceptive writing to phonetic writing in preschool children. The participants were 50 5-year-old children, divided in five equivalent groups in intelligence, phonological skills and spelling. All the children knew the vowels and the consonants B, D, P, R, T, V, F, M and C, but didn’t use them on spelling. Their spelling was evaluated in a pre and post-test with 36 words beginning with the consonants known. In-between they underwent a writing programme designed to lead them to use the letters P and T to represent the initial phonemes of words. The groups differed on the kind of words used on training (words whose initial syllable matches the name of the initial letter—Exp. G1 and Exp. G2—versus words whose initial syllable is similar to the sound of the initial letter—Exp. G3 and Exp. G4). They also differed on the instruction used in order to lead them to think about the relations between the initial phoneme of words and the initial consonant (instructions designed to make the children think about letter names—Exp. G1 and Exp. G3—versus instructions designed to make the children think about letter sounds—Exp. G2 and Exp. G4). The 5th was a control group. All the children evolved to syllabic phonetisations spellings. There are no differences between groups at the number of total phonetisations but we found some differences between groups at the quality of the phonetisations.     

Definitions of bullying: a comparison of terms used,and age and gender differences,in a fourteen-country international comparison

The study of school bullying has recently assumed an international dimension, but is faced with difficulties in finding terms in different languages to correspond to the English word bullying. To investigate the meanings given to various terms, a set of 25 stick-figure cartoons was devised, covering a range of social situations between peers. These cartoons were shown to samples of 8- and 14-year-old pupils (N = 1,245; n = 604 at 8 years, n = 641 at 14 years) in schools in 14 different countries, who judged whether various native terms cognate to bullying, applied to them. Terms from 10 Indo-European languages and three Asian languages were sampled. Multidimensional scaling showed that 8-year-olds primarily discriminated nonaggressive and aggressive cartoon situations; however, 14-year-olds discriminated fighting from physical bullying, and also discriminated verbal bullying and social exclusion. Gender differences were less appreciable than age differences. Based on the 14-year-old data, profiles of 67 words were then constructed across the five major cartoon clusters. The main types of terms used fell into six groups: bullying (of all kinds), verbal plus physical bullying, solely verbal bullying, social exclusion, solely physical aggression, and mainly physical aggression. The findings are discussed in relation to developmental trends in how children understand bullying, the inferences that can be made from cross-national studies, and the design of such studies.     

Advancing Research and Measurement on Fathering and Children's Development

Fathers are more than social accidents. Research has demonstrated that fathers matter to children's development. Despite noted progress, challenges remain on how best to conceptualize and assess fathering and father–child relationships. The current monograph is the result of an SRCD-sponsored meeting of fatherhood scholars brought together to discuss these challenges and make recommendations for best practices for incorporating fathers in studies on parenting and children's development. The first aim of this monograph was to provide a brief update on the current state of research on fathering and to lay out a developmental ecological systems perspective as a conceptual framework for understanding the different spaces fathers inhabit in their children's lives. Because there is wide variability in fathers’ roles, the ecological systems perspective situates fathers, mothers, children, and other caregivers within an evolving network of interrelated social relationships in which children and their parents change over time and space (e.g., residence). The second aim was to present examples of empirical studies conducted by members of the international working group that highlighted different methods, data collection, and statistical analyses used to capture the variability in father–child relationships. The monograph ends with a commentary that elaborates on the ecological systems framework with a discussion of the broader macrosystem and social-contextual influences that impinge on fathers and their children. The collection of articles contributes to research on father–child relationships by advancing theory and presenting varied methods and analysis strategies that assist in understanding the father–child relationship and its impact on child development.     

Design approach of mathematics learning activities in a digital environment for children with autism spectrum disorders

Learning environment on mathematics for autistic children is a prototype of a digital environment with dynamic adaptation features designed to offer activities towards the development of mathematical reasoning in children aged 6–12 years, diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and social interaction as well as restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests or activities. This paper, with a primarily conceptual and analytical scope, discusses the mathematical difficulties that some children with ASD have, and presents strategies that can be used to overcome them. Based on a literature review and on the results of a preliminary study already conducted, we present results concerning the proposal of a set of learning activities for the prototype under development, specifically targeted to promote mathematical reasoning in students with ASD. Guidelines for future research are also discussed.