The Study Activity of Students

ABSTRACT

Gamification incorporates game-elements in non-gaming situations to enhance student engagement and desired behavior. This study examined participant's willingness to take part in gamified activities where reward systems were not directly tied to course grades. Participants enrolled in a technology integration course for preservice teachers, were grouped on subject-specific interests, and designed 30-minute presentations on technology integration. Over two semesters, an optional gaming activity was included in five course sections acting as the treatment group, and four sections acted as non-blind control groups. Data was collected from pre-, mid-, and post-surveys that investigated previous gaming experience, game motivations, group project perceptions, and perceived willingness to participate in the game. The treatment group indicated their perceptions of game play during mid- and post-surveys. Participants in all sections completed meeting history worksheets to describe weekly group and individual meetings. The results indicated significant differences between mid- and post-surveys regarding individual participation, group pursuits, individual work, frequency of group meetings, group preparation, and purchased items. The findings indicated a significant difference between treatment and control groups regarding hours spent in groups. Recommendations were provided for the practice of gamification in educational settings.     

Using Pictorial Glossaries as an Accommodation for English Learners: An Exploratory Study

In this article we explore the use of pictorial glossaries as an accommodation for English learners (ELs) with entry and emerging levels of English language proficiency. Drawing on survey responses from 98 middle school ELs and cognitive interviews with 10 of the survey participants, we examined the participants’ preferences and experiences with using accommodations and explored how some of them responded to NAEP mathematics items using pictorial glossaries. Our findings showed that the participants viewed the use of pictures, videos, and translations as useful, but they did not have a lot of experience using these types of accommodations. Also, we found that the pictorial glosses sometimes helped ELs with understanding the local meaning of words in the mathematics problems but not with the global meaning conveyed at the sentence level in the problems.     

Transitioning to agile software development: Lessons learned from a government-contracted program

With a need to implement an agile software development methodology in government programs, this study was conducted to explore how organizations transitioned from a traditional waterfall software development method to agile methods. To accomplish this study, a case study research was utilized. A multimillion-dollar government-contracted program in the US was studied. The research findings reveal key challenges faced by organizations during the transition and the lessons learned that can be applied to future programs. Propositions for future research are also presented.     

Social Media Use in Academic Libraries: A Phenomenological Study

Academic libraries are increasingly engaged on social media in order to connect with diverse community groups and move beyond the traditional bounds of the library. This research uses a phenomenological approach and Institutional Theory to explore social media postings at six different public and private university libraries in two Midwest states. The research addresses what themes emerge among the university library's social media pages and what, if any, differences in themes emerge based on the status of the library in question. Social media postings included ten different codes: archives; collections; events; exhibits; facility; library community; sentiments; services; site management; and university community. These codes were tied to three different themes: libraries create a sense of outreach and advocacy with the goal of establishing community connection, providing an inviting environment, and access to content as needed or desired. Ultimately, while libraries at universities with an ARL library or an MLS granting degree program showed a similar breakdown between these three themes, libraries at other master's degree institutions spent less time on making community connections in lieu of posting content and information about the library's environment.     

International Media

Charles Roetter, The Art of Psychological Warfare:1914-1945 (New York: Stein and Day, 1974–$8.95).

Benjamin Draper (ed.) Pacific Nations Broadcasting III and Bibliography (Broadcast Inudstry Conference, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco, Cal. 94132—$10.00, paper)

Structures of Television by Nicholas Garnham (48 pp.)

Light Entertainment by Richard Dyer (43 pp.):

The Cultural Policy of the United Republic of Tanzania by L.A. Mbughuni (72 pp., paper, $3.30):

Cultural Policy in Hungary (79 pp., paper, $3.30):

Culturalyolicy in Liberia by Kenneth Y. Best (59 pp., paper, $2.65):

Cultural Policy in Romania by Ion Dodu Balan (70 pp., paper, $3.30):

Unesco in Perspective by Rene Maheu (129 pp., paper, $3.30):

For Books: Unesco and its Programme by Emile Delavenay (74 pp., paper, $1.00):     

A Rationale for Public Library Civics Instruction

Statistics bear out the dire need for civic education and engagement within our nation’s libraries, those free and “equalizing” institutions that traditionally afforded opportunities assisting in the development of civically astute individuals. Per our founding principles, libraries and librarians remain responsible for instituting programming that assists in the development of capable citizens who actively participate in political life, hence ensuring the perpetuation and positive evolvement of our governmental system and its resulting law. Public and school libraries must return to a targeted emphasis on the provision of services that develop critical thinking opportunities steeped in civic intent and purpose. Examples include civic-oriented instruction, debate, communication, service and public policy facilitation, and forum building.     

Reviews

Chapman, L. John and Czerniewska Pam (Editors) (1978) Reading: from Process to Practice PUGH, A. K. (1978). Silent Reading – An Introduction to its Study and Teaching.     

The Contribution of Videotext to the Management and Use of Learning Resource Centres

Abstract

This article consists of extracts from the report of a detailed experiment conducted in the Gironde, a Department of the Aquitaine Region of France. This experiment which was called ‘Télémediathèque’ involved the setting up of videotext networks to make the optimum use of Learning Resource Centres. The full report of the study was originally published by ICEM.