Association of group learning with mathematics achievement and mathematics attitude among eighth-grade students in the US

This study examined a large, nationally-representative sample of eighth-grade students in the US to assess how the frequency of group learning activity in mathematics classrooms was associated with mathematics achievement and three measures of attitudes toward mathematics. Results showed that moderate amounts of group work in class had positive effects on mathematics achievement scores. Moreover, a significant interactive effect was evident, with girls showing greater achievement benefits from group work than boys. Increased levels of group work were also associated with more positive attitudes toward mathematics.     

Dealing with temporal variation in patent categorization

In this paper, we quantify the existence of concept drift in patent data, and examine its impact on classification accuracy. When developing algorithms for classifying incoming patent applications with respect to their category in the International Patent Classification (IPC) hierarchy, a temporal mismatch between training data and incoming documents may deteriorate classification results. We measure the effect of this temporal mismatch and aim to tackle it by optimal selection of training data. To illustrate the various aspects of concept drift on IPC class level, we first perform quantitative analyses on a subset of English abstracts extracted from patent documents in the CLEF-IP 2011 patent corpus. In a series of classification experiments, we then show the impact of temporal variation on the classification accuracy of incoming applications. We further examine what training data selection method, combined with our classification approach yields the best classifier; and how combining different text representations may improve patent classification. We found that using the most recent data is a better strategy than static sampling but that extending a set of recent training data with older documents does not harm classification performance. In addition, we confirm previous findings that using 2-skip-2-grams on top of the bag of unigrams structurally improves patent classification. Our work is an important contribution to the research into concept drift for text classification, and to the practice of classifying incoming patent applications.     

Facilitating learning with web conferencing recommendations based on learners’ experiences

This paper reports some of the findings from a study undertaken to obtain an insight into the experiences of learners engaging with web conferencing. A small group of work-based adult learners with substantial experience of learning in a virtual classroom provided accounts of and reflections on their experiences using a blog and group interview. Qualitative analysis of data led to findings which support some existing best practice guidelines for facilitators and also provide additional insight into issues that impact on learners’ experiences. This paper presents recommendations for facilitators and explores some of the issues raised by learners which are not commonly addressed in other guidelines, including the effective use of breakout rooms, the management of minimalist learners and the need to respect learners’ privacy. A facilitation approach which allows learners to develop autonomy and exert control in the virtual classroom and which acknowledges diversity of learning preferences is suggested. Whilst the recommendations made may not be appropriate in all learning contexts, they are presented as a starting point to help other facilitators review and develop their own practice.     

Jazz discometrics – A network approach

‘Discometrics’, a long neglected area of informetric studies was revisited in a network context. Cooperation between jazz musicians was analysed using the recent ‘Hirschian’ concepts of network informetrics. Partnership Ability Index (φ) was found to be a useful measure to characterize the way performers are embedded in their partnership network. Indications of some positive relations between φ and other ‘qualities’ of the performers were found.     

The Professional Development Needs Analysis Questionnaire for Deputy Principals

This article reports on the design of the Professional Development Needs Analysis Questionnaire for Deputy Principals (PDNAQ) to measure the problems they experienced and the skills they needed. In the literature, no validated questionnaire to measure the problems experienced and skills needed by deputy principals in South African schools was found. One hundred and fifty-seven deputy principals in secondary schools in the North-West Province of South Africa participated in the study. Both confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were used to determine the construct validity of the PDNAQ. Fifteen problems and four skills constructs emerged. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were calculated to determine the reliability of the questionnaire. The article concludes that the PDNAQ may be used in similar contexts to determine the problems experienced and skills needed for the professional development of newly-appointed deputy principals.     

Empirical observations on New Public Management to increase efficiency in public research—Boon or bane?

New Public Management (NPM) was the catch phrase of the reforms in the public research and higher education sector for the last decades. The postulated effect of the NPM reforms is increased efficiency in governmental resource spending on the public higher education and research institutions. Though backed by theoretical considerations, this hypothesis has hardly been tested empirically. Using a unique dataset of German research units, this paper deals with the influence that NPM mechanisms have on research performance. Controlling for different university mission, it can be shown that both greater internal hierarchy (especially “strong presidents”) as well as greater operative flexibility for the researchers themselves increase research performance. Some of the variables, including the presence of research councils, have a positive effect on research efficiency under some definitions of research output. On the other hand, the introduction of resource accounting systems has a negative impact. All in all, we conclude that the public science sector reforms implemented in most of the Western economies were heading into the right direction by providing greater performance incentives and increasing allocative efficiency in resource spending. Also we provide some ideas of how NPM may be combined in order to construct a sensible governance system. We conclude that the mechanisms should be selected based on the mission of the university.     

A new fabrication technique to form complex polymethylmethacrylate microchannel for bioseparation

Recent studies show that reduction in cross-sectional area can be used to improve the concentration factor in microscale bioseparations. Due to simplicity in fabrication process, a step reduction in cross-sectional area is generally implemented in microchip to increase the concentration factor. But the sudden change in cross-sectional area can introduce significant band dispersion and distortion. This paper reports a new fabrication technique to form a gradual reduction in cross-sectional area in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) microchannel for both anionic and cationic isotachophoresis (ITP). The fabrication technique is based on hot embossing and surface modification assisted bonding method. Both one-dimensional and two-dimensional gradual reduction in cross-sectional area microchannels were formed on PMMA with high fidelity using proposed techniques. ITP experiments were conducted to separate and preconcentrate fluorescent proteins in these microchips. Thousand fold and ten thousand fold increase in concentrations were obtained when 10 × and 100 × gradual reduction in cross-sectional area microchannels were used for ITP.     

Welche Rolle spielt neben Merkmalen des Instruktionsdesigns die fachspezifische und aufgabenspezifische Motivation beim Lernen mit Multimedia im naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht?

The present paper reports on an empirical study which investigated learning with text and animations in the science classroom. In a 2?×?2 design the presence of multimedia learning material instruction (text only vs. text + animations) as well as the modality of the explanatory text (spoken vs. written) were tested. Prior to learning, students’ motivation to learn was assessed as a continuous factor. Recall and transfer were assessed immediately after learning. The results show better recall of information for learners with multimedia materials, providing the animations were accompanied by spoken text. However, in contrast to the positive effects of domain-specific motivation this multimedia effect was not evident for transfer. The effects of multimedia design were independent of motivation. Implications for future studies are discussed.     

Adopting learning technologies: from belief to practice

A challenge faced by most heads of academic departments around the world is to manage the adoption and use of appropriate learning technologies in order to support the department’s learning offerings to students. Earlier research undertaken by the authors revealed that lecturers within the Department of Marketing and Retail Management at the University of South Africa believed a learning management system (LMS) to be the most appropriate technology to use. The experience of the Chair of Department, however, is that lecturers are using the university’s proprietary LMS, myUnisa, either to a limited extent or hardly at all. Consequently, further research was undertaken targeting the other Chairs of Departments and selected senior lecturers within the School of Management Sciences, to which the Department of Marketing and Retail Management belongs, in order to identify ways of increasing the use of myUnisa amongst lecturers.