Effects of different types of instructor comments in online discussions

The current study examined the effects of different types of instructor comments on student engagement in an online discussion. In particular, this study examined three comment types: (1) praise-oriented comments, agreeing with students’ initial messages and recapping their ideas, (2) elaboration-encouraging comments, requesting elaboration on the initial messages, and (3) perspective-widening comments, suggesting different or thought-provoking opinions responding to the initial messages. Seventeen graduate students enrolled in an online course were recruited. A content analysis was employed to evaluate the levels of knowledge construction. Interactivity was measured by the number of posts and idea units. The findings revealed that perspective-widening comments facilitated students’ evaluation on the peer postings and brought up diverse perspectives, contributing to knowledge construction. While elaboration-encouraging comments led to high interactivity among students, praise-oriented comments had no significant effect on the frequency of interactivity.     

International student networks as transnational social capital: illustrations from Japan

ABSTRACT

This paper examines how social isolation in a non-Anglophone context where English is not the main language of instruction for local students but is for international students, has unintended consequences for social capital formation among the latter. What factors influence international student network formation in such places where linguistic barriers are institutionalised and what are their consequences not only during college but beyond, in shaping students’ career plans? Using qualitative interview data with 67 international (originating from Asian countries) and domestic students in Japanese universities, we find that such institutional barriers negatively promote greater isolation of international students but positively encourage the formation of diverse multinational ties – a process through which international students gain ideas, confidence and direction regarding their post-graduation career plans to work transnationally.     

相互依赖视角下企业应对环境变化策略研究——以海尔集团为例

在环境不确定常态化及不确定程度提升情况下,如何应对环境变化已成为企业面临的重要问题。本文从相互依赖视角对海尔进行了案例研究,分析了企业在不同特征环境下应对环境变化的策略。研究发现,企业采用：1）高开放性模式并实施去中心化活动有助于应对高异质性环境变化;2）高严密性规则并实施建设性冲突活动有助于应对强关联性环境变化;3）高模块化模式并实施自组织建设活动有助于应对低可控性环境变化;4）高即时性规则并实施反馈循环活动有助于应对强动态性环境变化。     

Fertility, relative wages, and labor market decisions: A case of female teachers

This paper examines the effects of fertility and relative wages on occupational choice (teaching versus non-teaching) and labor force participation decisions of female college graduates using selectivity-corrected panel estimations.We find that the presence of a new born baby is not particularly important to the choice of occupation, but significantly discourages female labor force participation, especially among teachers. Higher relative wages are found to effectively attract female college graduates into teaching. College major in education is one of the most relevant determinants for female college graduates to become teachers. Though investing educational expenditures on teachers’ salary seems to be a valid policy, providing incentives for female college students to major in education will be an alterative way to secure teacher supply.     

A Systematic Review of Interventions for Algebraic Concepts and Skills of Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities

Improving the algebraic concepts and skills of secondary school students with learning disabilities is critical for their success in college and in the job market. This research reviewed 12 studies to examine interventions for students with learning disabilities in relation to algebraic notions and competencies. The results indicate that in regard to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) Content Standards, the majority of the studies address linear equations and expressions, linear inequalities, and quadratic expressions; they show that following interventions, students’ performance improved with respect to algebraic concepts and skills. The Tau-U and Hedges’ g of the intervention effects computed were typically large or very large. The most commonly used instructional components in the interventions were multiple representations, a sequence and/or range of examples, and explicit instruction. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.     

The use of specially designed tasks to enhance student interest in the cadaver dissection laboratory

Cadaver dissection is a key component of anatomy education. Unfortunately, students sometimes regard the process of dissection as uninteresting or stressful. To make laboratory time more interesting and to encourage discussion and collaborative learning among medical students, specially designed tasks were assigned to students throughout dissection. Student response and the effects of the tasks on examination scores were analyzed. The subjects of this study were 154 medical students who attended the dissection laboratory in 2009. Four tasks were given to teams of seven to eight students over the course of 2 weeks of lower limb dissection. The tasks were designed such that the answers could not be obtained by referencing books or searching the Internet, but rather through careful observation of the cadavers and discussion among team members. Questionnaires were administered. The majority of students agreed that the tasks were interesting (68.0%), encouraged team discussion (76.8%), and facilitated their understanding of anatomy (72.8%). However, they did not prefer that additional tasks be assigned during the other laboratory sessions. When examination scores of those who responded positively were compared with those who responded neutrally or negatively, no statistically significant differences could be found. In conclusion, the specially designed tasks assigned to students in the cadaver dissection laboratory encouraged team discussion and collaborative learning, and thereby generated interest in laboratory work. However, knowledge acquisition was not improved.     

The effect of site quality on repurchase intention in Internet shopping through mediating variables: The case of university students in South Korea

We performed a study to determine the influence that site quality has on repurchase intention of Internet shopping through customer satisfaction, customer trust, and customer commitment. Appropriate measures were developed and tested on 230 university students of Gyeongnam province in South Korea with a cross-sectional questionnaire survey. The results of the empirical analysis confirmed that site quality can be conceptualized as a composite of six dimensions of shopping convenience, site design, information usefulness, transaction security, payment system, and customer communication. Second, site quality positively affected customer satisfaction and customer trust, but did not affect customer commitment and repurchase intention. Third, site quality can affect repurchase intention by enhancing or attenuating customer satisfaction, customer trust, and customer commitment in online transaction situation. The mediating effect of customer satisfaction, customer trust, and customer commitment between site quality and repurchase intention is identified. Fourth, site quality indirectly affected customer commitment through customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction indirectly affected repurchase intention through customer trust and customer commitment. Thus, it is found that site quality can be a very important factor to enhance repurchase intention in the customer perspective.     

An initial examination of Singaporean seventh and eighth graders’ views of nature of science

Research in nature of science (NOS) among Asia-Pacific countries such as Singapore is arguably scarce. This study aimed to survey Singaporean secondary school students’ views of NOS with a newly developed instrument named Students’ Views of Nature of Science (SVNOS), which included various key aspects of NOS that are generally agreed upon by the science education community. Moreover, the relations between some demographic factors, including gender and grade, and students’ views of NOS were explored.

Sample, design and method

In total, 359 Singaporean seventh and eighth graders were invited to participate in this survey. The reliability, validity and structure of the SVNOS instrument were ensured by confirmatory factor analysis. A two-way multivariate analysis of variance was then conducted to determine the interaction effects between the gender variable and the grade-level variable.

Results and conclusion

The results indicated that the SVNOS instrument is reliable and valid to assess students’ views of NOS regarding seven distinct NOS dimensions. The male students were more prone to have constructivist-oriented views of NOS in the most of the SVNOS dimensions, while the female students conveyed more non-objective views of NOS. In addition, the eighth graders revealed more empiricist-oriented views of NOS than the seventh graders in several SVNOS dimensions. This result seems to contradict the results of previous studies that students’ views of NOS may reflect a developmental trend with their increasing educational experiences.