Enhancing the Induction Skill of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children with Virtual Reality Technology

Many researchers have found that for reasoning and reaching a reasoned conclusion, particularly when the process of induction is required, deaf and hard-of-hearing children have unusual difficulty. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the practice of rotating virtual reality (VR) three-dimensional (3D) objects will have a positive effect on the ability of deaf and hard-of-hearing children to use inductive processes when dealing with shapes. Three groups were involved in the study: (1) experimental group, which included 21 deaf and hard-of-hearing children, who played a VR 3D game; (2) control group I, which included 23 deaf and hard-of-hearing children, who played a similar two-dimensional (2D) game (not VR game); and (3) control group II of 16 hearing children for whom no intervention was introduced. The results clearly indicate that practicing with VR 3D spatial rotations significantly improved inductive thinking used by the experimental group for shapes as compared with the first control group, who did not significantly improve their performance. Also, prior to the VR 3D experience, the deaf and hard-of-hearing children attained lower scores in inductive abilities than the children with normal hearing, (control group II). The results for the experimental group, after the VR 3D experience, improved to the extent that there was no noticeable difference between them and the children with normal hearing.     

Cognitive intervention through virtual environments among deaf and hard-of-hearing children

The lack of the auditory sense in the hearing-impaired raises the question as to the extent to which this deficiency affects their cognitive and intellectual skills. Studies have pointed out, that with regard to reasoning, particularly when the process of induction is required, hearing-impaired children usually have difficulties. They experience similar difficulties with their ability to think in a flexible way. Generally, a large body of literature suggests that hearing-impaired children tend to be more concrete and rigid in their thought processes. This study aimed at using Virtual Reality as a tool for improving structural inductive processes and the flexible thinking with hearing-impaired children. Three groups were involved in this study: an experimental group, which included 21 deaf and hard-of-hearing children, who played a VR 3D game; a control group, which included 23 deaf and hard-of-hearing children, who played a similar 2D (not VR game); and a second control group of 16 hearing children for whom no intervention was introduced. The results clearly indicate that practising with VR 3D spatial rotations significantly improved inductive thinking and flexible thinking of the hearing-impaired.     

The effect of format on performance: Editing text in print versus digital formats

In light of the present‐day proliferation of digital texts and the increase in situations that require active digital text reading in learning, it is becoming increasingly important to shed light on the comparison between print and digital reading under active reading conditions. In this study, the active reading abilities of 93 university students (83% females) were examined. Participants were asked to read, edit, recognize errors and improve the quality of short papers (600 words each) on the topic of environmental awareness, in both print and in digital formats. Surprisingly, and in contrast to many recent reports about print versus digital reading, no significant differences were found between the performances of participants in the two formats. Similarly, no significant differences were found for all categories of text errors as well as for gender. It was found that the digital readers completed their tasks faster than the print readers but their performance was not lower. Results of this study have important implications for the current debate in higher education concerning the use of digital text for learning and for designing, reviewing and editing academic works.     

Prevalence and Predictors of Cyberbullying Perpetration by High School Seniors

Cyberbullying is the deliberate and repeated misuse of communication technology by an individual or group to threaten or harm others. Guided largely by the communication skills deficiency model and previous research on cyberbullying, this study examins the effects of several predictor variables (i.e., verbal aggression, sex, risky behaviors, parental monitoring, parental limits, technology use, and scope of Internet activities) on cyberbullying perpetration. A total of 1,606 incoming freshmen at a large southwestern university completed an online survey measuring all predictor and dependent variables under investigation. Overall, 35% of these individuals reported that they had cyberbullied at least one person during their senior year of high school. Results indicated that verbal aggression, risky behaviors, and cyberbullying victimization emerged as significant predictors of cyberbullying perpetration. These results have important theoretical and practical implications for those interested in developing cyberbullying prevention interventions.     

Women’s participation in academic conferences in Israel

This article examines the participation of women in academic conferences in Israel, a country in which women are under-represented in academia vertically and horizontally. Data were retrieved from announcements of academic conferences in Israel, for one academic year, covering 56 conferences that attracted 997 participations. Participation was measured according to a three-level vertical hierarchy and a three-level horizontal divide that was based on academic discipline. Statistical z-tests and χ² tests were conducted to compare the proportions of male and female participation. Findings show that male participation in conferences was three times that of women. It was also found that the conferences reflected the social agenda in Israel. It is suggested that women are subjected to two forms of gender marginality, one stemming from the gendered division of labour and the other from the characteristics of the academic conferences that reflect the masculine military social agenda in Israel.     

“Whose responsibility is it?”: The third sector and the educational system in Israel

This study aims to explore the relationships between the third sector and the educational system in Israel in light of their current increasing involvement with one another. This was investigated along four stages of the policy process ranging from initial agenda-setting to final implementation. The stage of policy these relationships reached was determined by the scope of change they demanded and by their ability to engage the mediation of an elite. This qualitative research revealed that third sector organisations seeking to create a counter-hegemony were stopped at early stages of the policy process. Organisations that helped to maintain the existing order reached the implementation stage and executed the Education Ministry??s policy.     

The effect of using laptops on the spelling skills of students with learning disabilities

The current study examined the effect of using laptops on the spelling skills of students with learning disabilities (LD). It was conducted as part of the Israeli “Katom” (A Computer for Every Class, Student, and Teacher) Program. Participants included 93 Hebrew-speaking students with LD aged 13–16, who attend 10 special education classes in a regular middle school. We examined whether the experimental group using laptops showed significant differences in the number of their spelling errors as a result of the intervention on their pre- and post-spelling tests. We also investigated whether there would be differences on the number of spelling errors between the experimental and control groups, as measured by their pre- and post-spelling test results. The findings indicated that the participants in the experimental group significantly improved their spelling skills as opposed to the control group. It seems that the use of laptops in special education classes can enhance the spelling skills of students with LD.