Expanding computer science education in schools: understanding teacher experiences and challenges

The increased push for teaching computer science (CS) in schools in the United States requires training a large number of new K-12 teachers. The current efforts to increase the number of CS teachers have predominantly focused on training teachers from other content areas. In order to support these beginning CS teachers, we need to better understand their experiences and challenges encountered in the classroom. This study investigated U.S. CS teachers’ perspectives on the demands of teaching computer science and support needed to ensure quality teaching. Results suggested that teachers face a number of challenges, including isolation, lack of adequate computer science background, and limited professional development resources.     

Effects of multimedia story reading and questioning on preschoolers’ vocabulary learning,story comprehension and reading engagement

The use of multimedia story applications on touch-interactive mobile devices has become prevalent in early education settings. However, despite the promise of multimedia story applications for early learning outcomes, there has been a dearth of research on the educational benefits of such tools, and whether their effects can be strengthened with the integration of questioning strategies. This study investigated the effects of multimedia story reading and questioning on children’s literacy skills, including vocabulary learning, story comprehension and reading engagement. Using a 2 (multimedia vs. paper) × 2 (question vs. no question) design, a total of 72 participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: multimedia story reading, multimedia story reading with questioning, paper story reading, and paper story with questioning. To identify the effects of Media and Questioning on children’s vocabulary learning, story comprehension, and reading engagement, we conducted a series of two-way ANCOVAs, controlling for different covariates as appropriate. The results showed significant interaction of media and questioning on target vocabulary and significant main effect of media for engagement, but the results showed no significant main effects of either media or questioning for comprehension. This study demonstrated research tools to examine children’s learning and engagement with interactive mobile devices, and suggested potential benefits of multimedia story reading and questioning for learning. We discuss implications of these findings for the design and use of multimedia storybooks.     

A digital platform for supervised self-directed learning in emergencies: the case of the Syrian crisis

The well-known Syrian crisis has made it very challenging for thousands of Syrian children to have access to education. In this article, the authors propose a framework for designing a digital education platform to allow children inside Syria as well as in the refugee camps in bordering countries to have access to education. The authors start by looking at the efforts performed in the field of education in conflict-affected regions, and they extract from them the lessons learned and recommendations. They provide four main characteristics of war impacting children’s education: (1) insecurity, (2) instability, (3) lack of resources, and (4) lack of adult supervision. They then use these four characteristics, along with the extracted recommendations, as the grounds for drafting three design considerations for the implementation of a digital education platform. The three design considerations are: supervised self-directed learning method, context-aware education and children-oriented design. Finally, the authors use these design considerations to provide design recommendations for the four main elements of a digital education platform: hardware, software, curriculum and supporting services. They conclude by discussing the validity of the digital platform, its implementation feasibility, and challenges facing the implementation.     

The year’s work in international librarianship: 1969

The paper sets out to determine the social origins and professional status of librarians in Ghana with a view to understanding them as a professional group of working individuals. It examines the personal characteristics such as age, sex and marital status of the librarians. Parental influences on the choice of profession, as well as the status of individual librarians in their organizations and institutions are investigated. The results of this study indicate that most librarians in Ghana come from working class homes and that librarians in Ghana are satisfied with their status in their organizations and institutions.     

Using Hypermedia for Learning Complex Concepts in Chemistry: A Qualitative Study on the Relationship Between Prior Knowledge, Beliefs, and Motivation

This paper reports the results of a qualitative study on the process of learning complex concepts in chemistry by four students as they worked with FLiPS (Flexible Learning in the Periodic System), a cognitive flexibility multi-media hypertext for learning about the periodic system of elements. A wide range of probes (think-alouds; navigation logs; observational notes, interviews; pre- and post-tests; epistemic beliefs survey; and background questionnaire) produced a rich data set for analysis. This data was analyzed to construct rich narrative case- and cross-case narratives of the participants' process of working and learning in this complex hypertext environment. This multi-level analysis offers insight both into the fine-grained process of use as well as the larger issues of the pedagogical significance of FLiPS. Our analysis reveals a complex relationship between epistemic beliefs, student motivation, prior knowledge, and process of learning from hypertext. We offer implications for future research, design and the application of pedagogical hypertexts. Requests for reprints should be sent to Punya Mishra, Learning, Technology, and Culture Program, Michigan State University, 509A Erickson Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824. E-mail: punya@msu.edu     

The Diffusion and Transmission of Football in the Straits Settlements and Malay States, 1874–1899: Early Inter-Settlement Games and Inter-State Competition Among European Clubs and Teams

Abstract

Since 1786 the British occupied Penang, Malacca, and Singapore known as the Straits Settlements. They began indirect rule in Selangor, Perak, Negri Sembilan, and Pahang to form the Federated Malay States in 1896. Cricket and later, football was played by the military and European clubs like the Singapore Cricket Club, the Penang Cricket Club, Selangor Club Lake Club, and Perak Club. The Chinese and Malay in the Straits formed their clubs along ethnic lines. The outstation Malay States clubs of the Kajang Recreation Club, Klang Club, and Malay States Guides had a mixed team of European and Natives. The football tournaments in Singapore were exclusively for Europeans. While the Rodger Football Cup in Selangor was for various non-European teams located in the many districts around Kuala Lumpur. After the railway lines began linking in land towns of Kuala Lumpur, Taiping to Seremban to their respective ports, football teams travelled to other settlements to play matches, facilitating the growth of inter-settlement matches. It enabled the Federated Malay States to organized the first inter-state league in 1899. The diffusion and transmission of football in the Malay States should be seen in context social and political changes in the Malaya Peninsula and its economic growth.