Attitudes and achievement of Bruneian science students

The aim of this study was to evaluate attitudes towards and achievement in science of Form 3 students studying in single-sex and coeducational schools in Brunei. The results demonstrated significant differences in attitudes towards and achievement in science of male and female students in single-sex schools and students in coeducational schools. These differences were at moderate level. In single-sex schools, the girls achieved moderately better in science than the boys despite their attitudes were only marginally better than the boys. However, there were no gender differences in attitudes towards and achievement in science of students in coeducational schools. The attitudes towards and achievement in science of girls in single-sex schools were moderately better than those of girls in coeducational schools. Whereas the attitudes towards and achievement in science of boys in single-sex schools were only marginally better than the boys in coeducational schools. However, further research to investigate (a) if these differences are repeated at other levels as well as in other subjects, and (b) the extent to which school type contributed towards these differences is recommended.     

Relationship of Study Strategies and Academic Performance in Different Learning Phases of Higher Education in Hong Kong

The present study aims (1) to investigate the specific study strategies that may lead to a success in Matriculation as well as at University; and (2) to investigate whether these study strategies that are effective in Matriculation also work efficiently at University. A revised version of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI, ) was used and we found that there were significant differences between study habits of students with high academic achievement and those with low academic achievement in Matriculation. However, this was not the case at University. More importantly, we also found that those effective study strategies used in Matriculation may not work at University. These results are discussed in terms of the focus and the academic demand of different learning phases of higher education in Hong Kong.     

Changes in Advertising Strategies During an Economic Crisis: An Application of Taylor's Six-Segment Message Strategy Wheel

Between 2005 and 2009 financial service organizations in the United States altered their advertising messages in response to changing economic conditions brought about by a sustained recession. This analysis of print magazine advertisements for banks, credit cards, investment firms, and insurance providers demonstrates that financial service advertisers shifted away from transformational approaches in favor of informational approaches. Credit card companies were slower to change their strategies than were bank, investment, and insurance companies. The results of this analysis support the argument that advertising serves the role of providing market information and that the nature of such information is determined by economic conditions.     

Preservice physical education teachers' attributes related to teaching a student labeled ADHD

This study assessed the association between preservice teacher-related variables [i.e., age, adapted physical education (APE) and special education (SPED) coursework, experience teaching students with disabilities and perceive competence] on measures of the Physical Educators' Intention toward Teaching Individuals with Disabilities II – Preservice Survey (PEITID-II-PS). The PEITID-II-PS used the Theory of Planned Behavior (TpB) ( Ajzen, 2002) on preserive physical education teachers (n = 213) purposely selected from universities in China, Korea, and the United States. Results indicated that both intention and perceived behavioral control were predicted by teaching experience and perceived teaching competency. Attitude toward the behavior variable was predicted by prior teaching experience, special education coursework, and age. Age and perceived teaching competency were associated with behavioral beliefs.     

General auditory processing,speech perception and phonological awareness skills in Chinese–English biliteracy

This study focused on the associations of general auditory processing, speech perception, phonological awareness and word reading in Cantonese‐speaking children from Hong Kong learning to read both Chinese (first language [L1]) and English (second language [L2]). Children in Grades 2–4 (N=133) participated and were administered measures of IQ, word reading, phonological awareness, speech perception and auditory processing in both L1 and L2. Auditory processing uniquely explained both L1 and L2 word reading. While L1 speech perception accounted for unique variance in L1 word reading, L2 phonological awareness explained unique variance in L2 word reading. In cross‐language comparisons, L1 phonological awareness and speech perception were uniquely associated with L2 word reading, suggesting cross‐language transfer from L1 to L2 only. Results underscore the importance of auditory processing for reading across variable learning contexts.     

An investigation of the effects of a graphic organizer in an online serious game on learning outcomes and attitudinal perceptions

A serious game, which is designed for learning purposes rather than recreational purposes, has been applied for digital game-based Learning. This study investigated the effects of graphic organizers in a serious game, “The Transistor”, on learning outcomes and attitudinal perceptions. A total of 99 participants were randomly assigned to three groups: non-organizer group, advance organizer group, and post organizer group. The results revealed that participants using a post organizer, which was presented after the game for review, outperformed those using a non-organizer and an advance organizer on both learning outcomes (recall test scores and recycling intention) and attitudinal perceptions (perceived enjoyment, perceived usefulness, and satisfaction). These findings implied that a post-graphic organizer could enhance the instructional value of a serious game. More detailed implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research are discussed.     

Confirmatory factor analyses of Chinese students' evaluations of university teaching

Chinese University of Hong Kong students (N = 844) selected a “good” and a “poor” teacher, and rated each using a Chinese translation of the Students' Evaluations of Educational Quality (SEEQ) instrument. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) models, based on a 3 × 2 design, were constructed to test the invariance of the SEEQ factor structure across 3 discipline groups (a between‐group comparison of ratings by students in arts, social sciences, and education; in business administration; and in engineering, medicine, and science) and across ratings of good and poor teachers (via within‐subjects comparison). The selected model imposed between‐group invariance constraints on factor loadings, factor correlations, and factor variances across the 3 discipline groups and within‐subjects invariance constraints on factor loadings across ratings of good and poor teachers. The results support the use of SEEQ in this Chinese setting, demonstrating the generality of North American research findings and the usefulness of CFA in this research area.     

Antibiotic susceptibility test based on the dielectrophoretic behavior of elongated Escherichia coli with cephalexin treatment

This study reports the use of dielectrophoresis (DEP), which determined the crossover frequency (cof) of antibiotic-induced elongation of Escherichia coli (E. coli) with regard to the rapid antibiotic susceptibility test (AST). Different dielectric properties and elongation rates of E. coli are caused by various concentrations of cephalexin treatment. According to the authors' results, significant changes in the cof of bacteria treated with 32 μg∕ml antibiotic for 60 min can be found by using a quadruple electrode array, and the results of DEP-based AST correspond with that of agar dilution method. Utilizing this approach could greatly reduce the period of bacteria growth, and obtain the minimum inhibition concentration of E. coli to cephalexin.