Visualising the future: surfacing student perspectives on post-graduation prospects using rich pictures

The gradual commodification of higher education in the context of an increased focus on graduate employability attributes together with evolving labour markets is creating challenges for universities and students alike. For universities, there has been significant investment in careers services and, through institution-wide initiatives, employability or graduate attribute development established to support graduate transitions into work. Meanwhile, for students, experience of part-time work together with pessimistic post-recession employment discourses are challenging the notion that a good degree guarantees their future career prospects. Simultaneously, decreasing financial support from the state has resulted in worrying levels of debt for new graduates. This pilot study was designed to gain a fresh perspective of how students imagine themselves following graduation. The study used rich pictures (RP) as a methodology to explore student views of life beyond university in the UK and Canada. Content analysis of the RPs provided insights into their thoughts and anxieties about potential challenges for the future. Students presented both positive and negative visions of their future, with success in achieving a respectable performance in their final degree as the key differentiator. The insights gained are discussed in the context of related research into students’ concerns and university initiatives to support students throughout higher education and then into graduate employment. The findings revealed student motivations, hopes and fears which can inform the development of impactful university interventions.     

Does media affect learning: where are we now?

Conclusion A careful review of the arguments and counter arguments presented by Clark (1983; 1994) and Kozma (1991; 1994), responses published in the past 20 years (Jonassen, Campbell & Davidson, 1994; Morrison, 1994; Reiser, 1994; Shrock, 1994) and existing instructional design literature (Morrison, Ross & Kemp, 2001; Reiser & Dick, 1996; Smith & Ragan, 1999) indicates there is, and always has been, significantly more agreement on this subject than the debate would indicate. Clark never said that a textbook could deliver an instructional method requiring the use of a 3-dimensional graphic representation as effectively as a computer, nor did Kozma maintain that the computer was the only medium with the capabilities to do so. Both acknowledged that the two instructional components — the instructional methods and the delivery medium — must be aligned to facilitate learning. The debate is, and always has been, about the ability of more than one medium to support a selected instructional method, whether or not any given medium has capabilities that cannot be replicated by another medium, and the validity of the research. We believe that today, in 2005: • Computers are capable of supporting instructional methods that other media are not • Computers, by means of their unique capabilities, affect learning • Computers are often the most cost-effective, efficient delivery method for any given unit of instruction We also: • Acknowledge the limitations of media comparison studies • Acknowledge the need to align the message, the medium and the learning task • Agree that some media are interchangeable and • Support the use of the most cost-effective, efficient delivery method for any given unit of instruction We believe that after 22 years it is time to reframe the original debate to ask, not if, but how media affects learning. We agree that media comparison studies are inherently flawed and support the argument that we must identify research designs that will provide answers to this question in significantly less time.     

Assessing visual literacy: a case study of developing a rubric for identifying and applying criteria to undergraduate student learning

Higher education has traditionally privileged language-based text as evidence of students’ levels of critical thinking and literacy. Twenty-first century education at all levels however, has focused on multimodal literacies and how educators can engage students who are seeing the world through diverse representations and a myriad of forms. Many scholars maintain that we live in a visual culture where we are becoming increasingly proficient at reading images of all kinds. However, our criteria for assessing student learning and measures of assessment have not moved much beyond the traditional written texts outside art and design disciplines. While much has been written about the role of visual literacy, there is little research on assessing visual literacy competencies. This paper proposes a Visual Literacy Competency (VLC) rubric based on the Biggs and Collis (1982. Evaluating the Quality of Learning: The SOLO Taxonomy (Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome). New York: Academic Press) SOLO taxonomy and describes applications for assessing assignments in two undergraduate communications courses with a focus on further developing and shaping student learning.     

Problem- Versus Case-based Approaches in Teaching Medical Students about Eating Disorders: A controlled comparison

Fourth-year medical students were allocated randomly to either problem-based learning (PBL) or case-based learning (CBL) tutorials on the topic of eating disorders during their 6-week psychiatry attachment. All students were evaluated in terms of their tutorial performance and the factual knowledge they had acquired. In turn, students evaluated the performance of the tutors in both the PBL and the CBL process. No significant differences were found between the student groups with respect to their performance or acquired knowledge. Furthermore, there were no significant differences when comparing the PBL format with the CBL format with regard to group functioning or oral interaction between students. Finally, student ratings for tutor performance on feedback, group management skills and personal qualities showed no differences. Implications for education are discussed.     

中美合作研制敦煌数字图像档案

中国敦煌研究院、世界各地的博物馆和图书馆 ,与安德鲁·Ｗ·梅隆基金会正在通力合作 ,为中国敦煌石窟的壁画及其相关艺术、文献制作高质量的数字图像 ,并将其并入一个学术性的电子档案。在中国国家文物局和甘肃省文物局的支持下 ,敦煌研究院、梅隆基金会以及其他参加者 ,期望这个开拓性项目能够促进记录和保存敦煌石窟艺术的工作 ,并进一步推动全世界学术和艺术的发展。一　运用先进技术记录石窟艺术与敦煌研究院合作 ,美国西北大学的专家使用先进的数码相机拍摄敦煌石窟中 2 2个洞窟的壁画和雕塑 ,并制作成数字图像。他们采用的第一种拍摄…     

The impact of sequencing and prior knowledge on learning mathematics through spreadsheet applications

According to cognitive load theory, instruction needs to be designed in a manner that facilitates the acquisition of knowledge in long-term memory while reducing unnecessary demands on working memory. When technology is used to deliver instruction, the sequence in which students learn to use the technology and learn the relevant subject matter may have cognitive load implications, and should interact with their prior knowledge levels. An experiment, using spreadsheets to assist studient learning of mathematics, indicated that for studients with little knowledge of spreadsheets, sequential instruction on spreadsheets followed by mathematics instruction was superior to a concurrent presentation. The reverse was found for studients with more knowledge of spreadsheets. These results are explained in terms of cognitive load theory.     

X战警2

Those intrepid (勇猛的) X-Men are back for more. This time they have to fight against an evil power out to destroy all the mutants (突变异种) on Earth while continuing their struggle to bring peace between the humans and the mutants.     

Effect of ischemic preconditioning on repeated sprint ability in team sport athletes

This study investigated whether ischemic preconditioning (IPC) in a trained population affected repeated sprint performance. A secondary aim was to assess responses according to gender. Sixteen (nine females and seven males) well trained team sport athletes took part in a randomised crossover study design. Participants underwent an IPC and placebo treatment involving three periods of 5 min occlusion applied unilaterally (3 × 5 min occlusion to each leg) at either 220 mmHg or 50 mmHg. Each period of occlusion was followed by 5 min reperfusion. Following treatment 5 × 6 s maximal effort sprints were undertaken on a cycle ergometer against 7.5% body mass, each interspersed by 24 s recovery. Measured parameters included peak power, total power, percentage decrement, post-exercise blood lactate and ratings of perceived exertion. Nor within subject main effect for IPC was observed, neither was there an interaction effect with gender. Effect sizes were trivial (ES < 0.2) with the exception of a moderate (ES < 1.2) change in post-exercise blood lactate in the female cohort (1.6 ± 0.4 mmol^?1 lower following IPC). Results suggest no benefit to team sport players in utilising IPC as a means of enhancing repeated sprint performance. A lower blood lactate response in female participants following IPC may suggest improved blood flow through vasodilation.     

浅析扎根理论在定性研究中的应用

本文分析了《Learners＇ Perceptions of How Anxiety Interacts With Personal and Instructional Factors to Influence Their Achievement in English：A Qualitative Analysis of EFL Learners in China》的研究方法,探讨了扎根理论的操作过程,最后提出了一些问题。