Development of computer play pedagogy intervention for children with low conceptual understanding in basic mathematics operation using the dyscalculia feature approach

This study describes the development of a basic computer-based play pedagogy intervention using a dyscalculia-remedy-oriented approach such as repetition and number orientation manipulation, and the investigation of its effect on children displaying dyscalculia characteristics. This computer play was evaluated in a group of 50 seven-year-old Malaysian children, who were low achievers in mathematics subject and were divided into control and intervention group. The intervention group engaged with the newly developed computer play for an hour per day for five consecutive days, while the control group attended normal classroom learning for the same time period. Overall post-test scores indicated that children from the intervention group performed significantly better than the control group after the five-day intervention period by 57.9%. Number disorientation and arithmetic operation confusion, which are common amongst the children displaying dyscalculia characteristics, were also significantly reduced after the intervention. This implies that the children benefitted from the computer play.     

A systematic literature review of student engagement in software visualization: a theoretical perspective

ABSTRACT

Background and Context: In spite of the decades spent developing software visualization (SV), doubts still remain regarding their effectiveness. Furthermore, student engagement plays an important role in improving SV effectiveness as it is correlated with many positive academic outcomes. It has been shown that the existing SV has failed to engage students effectively.

Objective: Therefore, there is a need to understand the theories behind SV design from the engagement perspective to produce a roadmap for future tool construction. The aim of this study was to identify the theories have been used in literature to explain or construct student engage- ment with SV in computer science courses for novices.

Method: We performed a systematic literature review that identified a total of 58 articles published between 2011 and 2017, which were then selected for the study. However, among them, only 18 articles had discussed their theoretical framework.

Findings: The results of this study show a richness in the theoretical framework obtained from different disciplines, however, constructivism is still dominant in the computing education research (CER) domain. It is evidently clear from the findings that the theories generated from the CER domain are needed to enhance the effectiveness of SV.

Implications: As a result of this review, we suggest several design principles and engagement attributes to be considered while creating an engaging SV.     

Perceptions of inequalities in access and usage of ICT in Islamic faith schools

Although the educational experiences of South Asian Muslim women have been studied, little is known regarding the role of technology and its effects on education in this population. This study explores the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in British Muslim girls’ schools and its effect on learning. It uses primary data from semi-structured interviews with 14–19-year-olds in three Islamic faith schools. Template analysis was used to identify emerging themes. Participants had access to a wide range of technologies and applications; however, access was often limited to classroom settings. Participants also used subject-specific resources available from learning platforms, although this was not consistent across schools and subjects. The participants felt that the range of resources was limited because of their gender and religion, and wanted greater access to ICT, and more online collaboration and social communication. A didactic approach to instruction was prevalent and for many, exacerbated a ‘digital disconnect’. Our findings suggest that Islamic faith schools reinforce lack of home ICT use. The current didactic approach highlights differences with the student-centred pedagogical techniques of early Qur’anic schools. This study encourages a discussion of the challenges of open access to information, religious freedoms and ensuring equality of learning.     

VALIDITY OF PALESTINIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ RESPONSES IN EVALUATING THEIR INSTRUCTORS

The validity of Palestinian university students’ responses was examined to determine if sex, academic status, perception, or expected grade in the course was influential in biasing their judgement regarding the performance of their instructors. The results of the study revealed that not only Palestinian university students’ responses showed great consistency, but that their sex, academic status, and expected grade in the course did not play significant roles in the determination of their judgement. The results are discussed in terms of their importance to university personnel in the Arab World and other Third‐World countries, with a particular emphasis on the need to establish and follow standard procedures in student evaluations of their instructors.     

Web-based evaluation system for a Problem-Based Laboratory

The Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University Technology Malaysia is currently moving towards a Problem-Based Laboratory implementation rather than the conventional instructional-based laboratory for final year students. The laboratory has commenced session with about 500 students＇ registration in the 2007/08/1. The Problem-Based Laboratory requires each group of four or five students to solve three given problems in three different laboratories per semester. Each problem has to be solved by conducting the related experiment within four weeks. As they are various evaluation criteria that need to be considered, a web-based evaluation system is proposed in determining the final grade of the students. The evaluation system allows the laboratory coordinators to log in as administrators in order to monitor the evaluation process, which involves both the laboratory technicians and students. The developed web-based evaluation system has proven its capability in working interactively with the users. From the uploading of student＇s information, group division, marks insertion and total marks calculation for the final grade. It is anticipated that the web-based evaluation system can ensure reliability and security in determining a student＇s grade in a Problem-Based Laboratory in a shorter time especially when dealing with a large number of students.     

Metabolic Syndrome in Childhood: Rare Case of Alstrom Syndrome with Blindness

Alstrom’s syndrome (AS) is a rare autosomal recessive ciliopathic condition affecting 1:10,00,000 children. It’s a single gene disorder of ALMS1 on chromosome 2 with multisystem involvement with cone-rod retinal dystrophy causing juvenile blindness, obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 Diabetes mellitus, hypogonadism and sensorineural hearing loss. Till now only 800 patients with this disorder has been identified so far. In this report, we describe the case of a 9-year old male boy from south India. He had been initially referred for polyphagia, polyuria, polydipsia, generalized weakness from 1 weeks. On examination he was demonstrated features suggestive of AS, including blindness, obesity, type 2 diabetes, altered lipid profile, hypogonadism, acanthosis nigricans, seborrheic dermatitis, right ear discharge and episodes of respiratory tract infections. So, diagnosis of AS is critical as it can easily be overlooked because of the many features associated with metabolic syndrome starting at age 7, a relatively early age.     

Use of antigen prepared from in vitro culture ofPlasmodium falciparum for the detection of antibodies in sera from patients exposed toPlasmodium vivax

The blood stage parasites fromin vitro cultures ofPlasmodium falciparum were employed for the detection of malaria antibodies in patient sera havingP. vivax infections employing indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test. The antibody titres obtained for theP. vivax infected sera ranged from 1∶128 to 1∶1024. Control slides smeared with non-immune sera did not show any fluorescence. On the basis of the results of the present study it maybe concluded that antigen prepared fromin vitro cultures ofP. falciparum cross-reacts withP. vivax antibodies.     

International students’ choice to study in China: an exploratory study

Tertiary Education and Management - International higher education is a major source of revenue in many developed countries. Historically the top destination countries for international students...     

Optofluidic tunable microlens by manipulating the liquid meniscus using a flared microfluidic structure

We have designed, demonstrated, and characterized a simple, novel in-plane tunable optofluidic microlens. The microlens is realized by utilizing the interface properties between two different fluids: CaCl(2)solution and air. A constant contact angle of ～90° is the pivotal factor resulting in the outward bowing and convex shape of the CaCl(2) solution-air interface. The contact angle at the CaCl(2) solution-air interface is maintained by a flared structure in the polydimethylsiloxane channel. The resulting bowing interface, coupled with the refractive index difference between the two fluids, results in effective in-plane focusing. The versatility of such a design is confirmed by characterizing the intensity of a traced beam experimentally and comparing the observed focal points with those obtained via ray-tracing simulations. With the radius of curvature conveniently controlled via fluid injection, the resulting microlens has a readily tunable focal length. This ease of operation, outstandingly low fluid usage, large range tunable focal length, and in-plane focusing ability make this lens suitable for many potential lab-on-a-chip applications such as particle manipulation, flow cytometry, and in-plane optical trapping.