Use of Felder and Silverman learning style model for online course design

Educational technology research and development - Learning Management Systems are used in millions of higher education courses, across various countries and disciplines. Teachers build courses...     

News Organizations 2.0

This study aims at understanding international news differences by studying the headlines of over 360,000 news stories posted on the Twitter pages of 12 Arabic and English news organizations. The most referenced countries as well as figures and political actors are examined in these headlines, and the results show that a number of news values elements provide insight into the nature of the news selection. While Arabic channels are mostly focused on the events taking place in the Middle East (proximity), some English-language channels show clear preference for the countries from which they are located, especially CNN and Sky News, as well as Arabic and English state-owned media outlets like France 24 and RT (agenda and ideology). The findings suggest that news content largely follows a number of news values criteria that can explain the news selection process.     

Understanding the Social Media Audiences of Radio Stations

This article investigates the online comments of news items posted on the Facebook pages of two popular Arabic-language radio channels: Radio Monte Carlo—France24 and Radio Netherlands Worldwide (RNW). This study examines over 184,000 comments with a special focus on the most liked posts in order to understand how audiences of regular radio interact on social media. The results indicate that audiences seem to be more engaged with posts that encourage participating in broad issues, interacting with clever quotes, and entering contests and less so with reading breaking news. With regards to news events and serious issues, this study also examined how social media users of these two Facebook “radio” sites responded to postings that differed from their own opinions, and seemingly actively engaged with contrasting or oppositional views or sentiments.     

How Can Teaching Aids Improve the Quality of Mathematics Education

The interplay among and connections between objects (structured or unstructured), images, language and symbols that lead to mathematical reasoning and the stating of mathematical propositions of very wide generality is well worth closer study. I believe that the subtle distinction between the way mathematical ideas are constructed from objects and the particular characteristics of the objects is often not clear in many teachers' minds. In the plenary, with the help of colleagues, using practical examples and situations, I would like to explore the distinction between the mathematical ideas that are being discussed in classrooms and the objects that are used in helping with abstractions. The use of interactive technology in the creation of mathematical meanings will form an important part of my colleagues' contributions.     

Assessing basic competencies: A practical methodology

Following the 1990 World Conference on Education for All in Jomtien, Thailand, many developing countries are making efforts to achieve basic education for all by the year 2000. However, when it comes to measuring educational progress, there are few methodologies that can overcome the many problems and controversies in this area. This paper describes a serviceable methodology for measuring basic education (competencies in reading, writing and arithmetic, as well as selected life skills), which has proven to be simple, inexpensive and rapid. This approach, termed the Assessment of Basic Competencies (ABC), has been tested in Bangladesh on 2,100 children between the ages of 11 and 12. The results are discussed here. This methodology may be of use to education programme managers in other developing countries.

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Zusammenfassung Nach der Weltkonferenz über Bildung für Alle 1990 in Jomtien, Thailand, bemühen sich viele Entwicklungsländer um eine Grundbildung für alle bis zum Jahr 2000. Wenn man jedoch die Methoden zur Bemessung der Leistungen der Schüler betrachtet, gibt es nur wenige Methodologien, die die zahlreichen Probleme und Kontroversen auf diesem Gebiet bewältigen können. Dieser Artikel beschreibt eine praktische Methodologie zur Bewertung der Grundbildung (Lese- und Schreibfähigkeiten, arithmetische Fähigkeiten sowie ausgewählte zum Leben notwendige Fahigkeiten), die sich als einfach, preiswert und schnell erwiesen hat. Dieser Ansatz wurde in Bangladesh an 2.100 Kindern zwischen 11 und 12 Jahren getestet. Das Ergebnis wird in diesem Artikel erortert. Diese Methodologie könnte Bildungsprogrammleitern in anderen Entwicklungsländern von Nutzen sein.

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Résumé En réponse au Congrès Mondial sur l'Education pour Tous qui a eu lieu en 1990 à Jomtien, Thaïlande, de nombreux pays en voie de développement multiplient leurs efforts pour réaliser l'éducation de base de tous d'ici l'an 2000. Quand il s'agit pourtant d'évaluer le progrès pédagogique, rares sont les méthodologies pouvant faire face aux nombreux problèmes et controverses existant dans ce domaine. Cet article décrit une méthode efficace pour évaluer l'éducation de base (compétences en écriture, lecture et arithmétique de même que certaines aptitudes à la vie pratique), qui s'est révélée simple, économique et rapide. Ce procédé, appelé Evaluation des Compétences de Base (ABC — Assessment of Basic Competencies), a fait l'objet d'un essai au Bangladesh auprès de 2100 enfants entre 11 et 12 ans, dont les résultats sont discutés ici. Cette méthode pourrait être intéressante aux organisateurs de programmes d'éducation dans d'autres pays en développement.

     

Endophytes from medicinal plants and their potential for producing indole acetic acid,improving seed germination and mitigating oxidative stress

Medicinal plants have been used by marginal communities to treat various ailments. However, the potential of endophytes within these bio-prospective medicinal plants remains unknown. The present study elucidates the endophytic diversity of medicinal plants (Caralluma acutangula, Rhazya stricta, and Moringa peregrina) and the endophyte role in seed growth and oxidative stress. Various organs of medicinal plants yielded ten endophytes, which were identified as Phoma sp. (6 isolates), Alternaria sp. (2), Bipolaris sp. (1), and Cladosporium sp. (1) based on 18S rDNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The culture filtrates (CFs; 25%, 50%, and 100% concentrations) from these endophytes were tested against the growth of normal and dwarf mutant rice lines. Endophytic CF exhibited dose-dependent growth stimulation and suppression effects. CF (100%) of Phoma sp. significantly increased rice seed germination and growth compared to controls and other endophytes. This growth-promoting effect was due to the presence of indole acetic acid in endophytic CF. The gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis showed the highest indole acetic acid content ((54.31±0.21) μmol/L) in Bipolaris sp. In addition, the isolate of Bipolaris sp. exhibited significantly higher radical scavenging and anti-lipid peroxidation activity than the other isolates. Bipolaris sp. and Phoma sp. also exhibited significantly higher flavonoid and phenolic contents. The medicinal plants exhibited the presence of bio-prospective endophytic strains, which could be used for the improvement of crop growth and the mitigation of oxidative stresses.     

Attitudes of special education teachers towards using technology in inclusive classrooms: a mixed‐methods study

The purpose of this mixed‐methods study was to explore special education teachers’ attitudes towards using technology in inclusive classrooms in Oman. The sample consisted of 428 special education teachers working in Omani public schools (250 teachers of students with learning disabilities (LD), 90 teachers of students with intellectual disability and 88 teachers of students with hearing impairment). Participants responded to the attitudes towards computers questionnaire. For the qualitative section of this study, three semi‐structured group interviews were conducted with a group of special education teachers: 15 teachers of students with hearing impairment, 15 teachers of students with intellectual disabilities and 15 teachers of students with LD). Also, the teachers responded to a survey of educational technology which encompassed seven questions about computer technology. Results of the study indicated that the special education teachers’ attitudes towards using computers were generally positive. The most notable positive attitudes were in the following subscales: special education considerations, staff development considerations, computers use in society, and computers and quality of instruction issues. The analysis of variance results showed that experience and type of disability did not have a significant effect on teachers’ attitudes towards technology.     

The role of competence and value beliefs in students' daily emotional experiences: A multilevel test of a transactional model

This study examined the mutual influence of relatively stable personal competence and value beliefs and lesson specific appraisals of competence and value on daily emotional experiences of students in the classroom context. Personal competence and value beliefs were measured by means of questionnaire whereas appraisals and daily emotions were assessed by means of diary forms completed over a two-week period. Multilevel analyses of data from 120 grade seven students revealed that both personal competence-value beliefs and appraisals played an important role in determining daily emotional experiences in the classroom. More importantly, the results showed that the effects of stable personal variables on daily emotional experiences were mediated by lesson specific appraisals. In general, the results support cognitive mediational models of emotion that capitalize on the importance of both personal and situational characteristics in emotion elicitation.