Effects of Individualized Instruction on Control Expectancy: A Field Test

Abstract

This study was conducted in order to determine whether or not one semester of individualized instruction is enough time to create in students an increased sense of being able to control payoffs in life and to lead students to develop a more realistic appraisal of their ability to control payoffs in an academic environment. Paradoxically, the converse may occur. When first confronted with a success-oriented instructional process and opportunities for self-pacing, students with failure histories may become more external, anxious, or uncertain. In order to examine these notions, a sample of 126 educationally deficient students who were beginning their first semester of study in a community college were selected from 18 different sections of math, English, and history and tested twice—once at the beginning of the term and again late in the term just prior to finals.     

Adult Students at Two-Year Colleges: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

Adults constitute a continually increasing proportion of students at two-year colleges. While adult students presumably have special needs, little is known about them. This study focused on the characteristics and needs of 17,137 students enrolled in 100 randomly selected two-year colleges across the country, separately for different age levels. Using a wide variety of variables collected at entrance, after one term, at graduation, and three years after graduation, differences by sex among the following four age groups were ascertained: age 19 or younger, 20–24, 25–39, and 40 or older. Major trends with age, differences among age groups, and interactions between age and sex were found for a number of variables: abilities, grades, attrition, self-perceptions, aspirations and goals, competencies, job values and preferences, satisfaction with and rating of various aspects of the college, expressed needs for help, extracurricular participation, outside work during school, postgraduate jobs obtained and how obtained, job satisfaction, percent going to and graduating from four-year programs, and preference for entering a two-year program if they had to do it all over again. Adult students do have many special needs that vary with age level. We think a repeat of the study but comparing across other groupings of adults would be desirable, even though extreme diversity also exists within such groups. Another consideration is that many new kinds of adult students will in the future be entering postsecondary education in large numbers.     

Neural dynamic sliding mode control of nonlinear systems with both matched and mismatched uncertainties

Mismatched uncertainty and chattering appear as two challenges in sliding mode control. To overcome the problem of mismatched uncertainty, multiple sliding surfaces with virtual inputs are proposed. Accordingly, we have proposed two new methods based on designed neural observer: sliding mode control (SMC) and dynamic sliding mode control (DSMC) methods. Although, the proposed SMC can significantly cope with the mismatched uncertainties, but it suffers from chattering phenomenon. The chattering problem can be removed in DSMC, because an integrator is placed before the system. This results in increased number of the system states. This new state can be identified with the proposed neural observer. Note that in both proposed approaches, the robust performance (invariance property) of system is reserved, even in the presence of mismatch uncertainties. Then, to have a valid comparison the proposed DSMC is also designed using loop transfer recovery observer (LTRO). This comparison shows the good performance of the DSMC based neural networks. Moreover, the upper bound of uncertainties is not used in SMC and DSMC controllers and also in the neural observer and LTRO, which is important in practical implementation. Finally, comparing the equations, one can see the simplicity of DSMC in concept and also in realization.     

Ecological principle meets cancer treatment: treating children with acute myeloid leukemia with low-dose chemotherapy

Standard chemotherapy regimens for remission induction of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We performed a cohort study to determine the impact of reducing the intensity of remission induction chemotherapy on the outcomes of selected children with AML treated with a low-dose induction regimen plus granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) (low-dose chemotherapy (LDC)/G-CSF). Complete response (CR) after two induction courses was attained in 87.0% (40/46) of patients receiving LDC/G-CSF. Post-remission therapy was offered to all patients, and included standard consolidation and/or stem cell transplantation. During the study period, an additional 94 consecutive children with AML treated with standard chemotherapy (SDC) for induction (80/94 (85.1%) of the patients attained CR after induction II, P = 0.953) and post-remission. In this non-randomized study, there were no significant differences in 4-year event-free (67.4 vs. 70.7%; P = 0.99) and overall (70.3 vs. 74.6%, P = 0.69) survival in the LDC/G-CSF and SDC cohorts, respectively. After the first course of induction, recovery of white blood cell (WBC) and platelet counts were significantly faster in patients receiving LDC/G-CSF than in those receiving SDC (11.5 vs. 18.5 d for WBCs (P < 0.001); 15.5 vs. 22.0 d for platelets (P < 0.001)). To examine the quality of molecular response, targeted deep sequencing was performed. Of 137 mutations detected at diagnosis in 20 children who attained hematological CR after two courses of LDC/G-CSF (n = 9) or SDC (n = 11), all of the mutations were below the reference value (variant allelic frequency <2.5%) after two courses, irrespective of the treatment group. In conclusion, children with AML receiving LDC/G-CSF appear to have similar outcomes and mutation clearance levels, but significantly lower toxicity than those receiving SDC. Thus, LDC/G-CSF should be further evaluated as an effective alternative to remission induction in pediatric AML.     

Young adult outcomes of the Abecedarian and CARE early childhood educational interventions

Adult benefits for participants in Project CARE were compared with those of the Abecedarian Project, a closely related randomized study of early childhood educational intervention for children from low-income families who were at risk of developmental delays and school failure. CARE replicated Abecedarian's young adult treatment-related educational and vocational attainment gains. CARE data also supported the Abecedarian reduction in marijuana use. Treated individuals in both studies reported adopting a more active life style. The average age at birth of a first child, the number of children, and the proportion of teen parents were positively affected in the Abecedarian sample but not in CARE. Finding significant educational and vocational gains lasting into young adulthood in the CARE study reinforces Abecedarian young adult findings and strengthens the case for early childhood intervention for children from low-income families.     

Lifelong learning policies supporting young adults in two Portuguese regions

ABSTRACT

Precarious jobs and unemployment have become common issues for many young adults due to the unfavourable labour market situation in Portugal. Against this background, lifelong learning (LLL) policies have been called in to play a role in creating economic growth and supporting the social inclusion of young adults in vulnerable educational and economic circumstances. These policies are defined at the national level; however, their implementation depends on the action of local actors who face specific challenges. This paper explores disparities in the definition and implementation of LLL policies targeting young adults in two Portuguese regions. Specifically, we analyse professional courses in Vale do Ave (North) and adult education and training courses in Alentejo Litoral (South). These regions were selected due to their dissimilar economic structure. This study adopted a qualitative approach through interviews with LLL experts and policy roundtables with local stakeholders and decision-makers in both regions. Data were transcribed and analysed using NVivo 10. The study shows that the two regions have different cooperation networks between local stakeholders, and that these impact the opportunities to influence the regional skills formation system differently. Also, the study shows that LLL policies are not designed to address destandardised life courses.     

Performance equivalency between computer‐based and traditional pen‐and‐paper assessment: A case study in clinical anatomy

The time, material, and staff‐consuming nature of anatomy's traditional pen‐and‐paper assessment system, the increase in the number of students enrolling in medical schools and the ever‐escalating workload of academic staff have made the use of computer‐based assessment (CBA) an attractive proposition. To understand the impact of such shift in the assessment method, an experimental study evaluating its effect on students’ performance was designed. Additionally, students’ opinions toward CBA were gathered. Second‐year medical students attending a Clinical Anatomy course were randomized by clusters in two groups. The pen‐and‐paper group attended two sessions, each consisting of a traditional sectional anatomy steeplechase followed by a theoretical examination, while the computer group was involved in two similar sessions conducted in a computerized environment. At the end of each of the computer sessions, students in this group filled an anonymous questionnaire. In the first session, pen‐and‐paper group students scored significantly better than computer‐group students in both the steeplechase (mean ± standard deviation: 66.00 ± 14.15% vs. 43.50 ± 19.10%; P < 0.001) and the theoretical examination (52.50 ± 12.70% vs. 39.00 ± 21.10%; P < 0.001). In the second session, no statistically significant differences were found for both the steeplechase (59.50 ± 17.30% vs. 54.50 ± 17.00%; P = 0.085) and the theoretical examination (57.50 ± 13.70% vs. 54.00 ± 14.30%; P = 0.161). Besides, an intersession improvement in students’ perceptions toward CBA was registered. These results suggest that, after a familiarization period, CBA might be a performance equivalent and student accepted alternative to clinical anatomy pen‐and‐paper theoretical and practical examinations. Anat Sci Educ 11: 124–136. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.     

Creating (in) equalities in access to higher education in the context of structural adjustment and post-adjustment policies: the case of chile

By analyzing the access of different socio-economic groups to post-secondary institutions by quintile, this paper examines the impact produced by higher education financing policies in Chile during the Pinochet (1973–1990), the Aylwin (1990–1994) and the Frei (1994–2000) administrations. To this purpose, CASEN databases and semi-structured interviews conducted with former and current government officials as well as higher education administrators provide valuable information to measure the impact that higher education financing policies had on different socio-economic groups. Access to post-secondary institutions is seen in relation to two aspects: (a) enrollment rates by type of institution and sector and (b) access of students (18–24 year-old group) by family per capita income level. Major conclusion set up that despite increased participation across all socio-economic groups within the post secondary system, upper and upper-middle income students gained access to higher education disproportionately compared to lower, lower-middle, and middle income groups during the 1987–1998 period.