Effects of learner–instructor relationship-building strategies in online video instruction

Although research has demonstrated that an increased rapport between instructors and learners can positively relate with increased learning gains, perhaps mediated by the positive attitudes toward the course and self-efficacy beliefs in the coursework, little has been done to test what instructional strategies might increase this rapport in online video-based instruction. This study compared online video-based instruction that made use of relationship-building strategies with online video-based instruction that did not use those strategies. The two instructions were identical in every other way. The results show that the attitudes of the college students were positively affected by the relationship building strategies in a statistically significant way (p = .025) and that learning gains were also positively affected at a very near-significant level (p = .052). The implications of the findings are discussed.     

Effectiveness of a satellite educational television program for Ethiopian secondary education

This study examined the actual practice and effectiveness of a satellite educational TV program in Ethiopian secondary schools. Participants in the survey were 228 students and 63 teachers from secondary schools. The results of the data analysis indicate that Ethiopian students and teachers scored highly in the evaluation areas. Levels of students’ general satisfaction with the satellite educational TV program were not equal for the variables of location and gender. It was also found that for students, learning demand, learning content, and class management were factors affecting their satisfaction with the satellite educational TV programs. For teachers, learning content and class management were the factors. The statistical mean difference in the satisfaction with the satellite educational TV program was between students and teachers. These findings suggest that the satellite educational TV program has the possibility of improving the quality of education in Ethiopian secondary schools.     

Empowering Prospective Teachers to Become Active Sense-Makers: Multimodal Modeling of the Seasons

Situating science concepts in concrete and authentic contexts, using information and communications technologies, including multimodal modeling tools, is important for promoting the development of higher-order thinking skills in learners. However, teachers often struggle to integrate emergent multimodal models into a technology-rich informal learning environment. Our design-based research co-designs and develops engaging, immersive, and interactive informal learning activities called “Embodied Modeling-Mediated Activities” (EMMA) to support not only Singaporean learners’ deep learning of astronomy but also the capacity of teachers. As part of the research on EMMA, this case study describes two prospective teachers’ co-design processes involving multimodal models for teaching and learning the concept of the seasons in a technology-rich informal learning setting. Our study uncovers four prominent themes emerging from our data concerning the contextualized nature of learning and teaching involving multimodal models in informal learning contexts: (1) promoting communication and emerging questions, (2) offering affordances through limitations, (3) explaining one concept involving multiple concepts, and (4) integrating teaching and learning experiences. This study has an implication for the development of a pedagogical framework for teaching and learning in technology-enhanced learning environments—that is empowering teachers to become active sense-makers using multimodal models.

     

Instructional leadership practices in Singapore

This paper presents a review of the literature on principal instructional leadership in Singapore. The authors investigated the dimensions of instructional leadership in the practices of Singapore principals and highlighted the strategies these leaders adopt to enact their instructional roles. Singapore principals were found to play an active role in defining the school vision and promoting the school climate. However, in the areas of curriculum implementation and classroom instruction, the middle management team in the school played more active roles as compared to principals. Five broad conclusions were discussed to provide perspectives on instructional leadership practices in Singapore. This paper also highlighted limitations on current instructional leadership research in Singapore and pointed to areas of future research.     

心理社团在高职院校心理健康教育中的作用

高职生因其特殊性,其心理健康问题已日益成为社会所关注的问题之一。心理社团这一新型心理互助组织也就应运而生,改变了以往只有专业教师是主角,学生只是服务对象的状况。依托心理社团,注重发挥心理社团在心理健康教育工作中的作用,不断完善心理社团建设,对完善心理健康教育,促进学生人格完善,茁壮成长具有重要意义。     

《间谍》中的空间结构与空间权利

被英国评论家利维斯誉为英语小说中的经典的《间谍》是约瑟夫·康拉德政治三部曲中的一部。小说围绕炸毁格林威治天文台这一政治恐怖活动展开。该文拟在空间理论批评下,对《间谍》中的政治空间结构与空间权利的关系加以分析,得出空间不仅仅是政治活动发生的场所,空间本身便蕴含权利、空间关系反映社会关系的结论。     

基于曲波变换决策融合的掌纹识别

用曲波变换提取出掌纹图像在不同尺度下的图像特征,通过降维处理的主成分分析(PCA)方法,由径向基函数网络训练或判决,按照用户的要求,选择不同的决策规则,对各种尺度下的识别结果进行融合,可达到较高的掌纹识别率。     

Dialogue with a conversational agent promotes children’s story comprehension via enhancing engagement

Dialogic reading, when children are read a storybook and engaged in relevant conversation, is a powerful strategy for fostering language development. With the development of artificial intelligence, conversational agents can engage children in elements of dialogic reading. This study examined whether a conversational agent can improve children's story comprehension and engagement, as compared to an adult reading partner. Using a 2 (dialogic reading or non-dialogic reading) × 2 (agent or human) factorial design, a total of 117 three- to six-year-olds (50% Female, 37% White, 31% Asian, 21% multi-ethnic) were randomly assigned into one of the four conditions. Results revealed that a conversational agent can replicate the benefits of dialogic reading with a human partner by enhancing children's narrative-relevant vocalizations, reducing irrelevant vocalizations, and improving story comprehension.