Improving Preschoolers’ Numerical Abilities by Enhancing the Home Numeracy Environment

Research Findings: Young children develop numeracy competencies during interactions with more knowledgeable others. Such interactions typically occur in the home numeracy environment (HNE). In this study a nonintensive intervention procedure was developed to improve both the HNE and numerical competencies. All parents of 113 Australian children (age 4 years, 5 months, on average at the beginning of the study) were invited to participate in a 2-part intervention that included attending 1 group meeting at which information regarding the HNE was provided and participating in an additional individual session that introduced them to the principles of counting. The HNE and children’s numerical competencies were assessed before and after the intervention. Participating and nonparticipating families did not differ on any of the study variables at the beginning of the study, yet not only did the intervention group significantly improve their HNE, but children in this group also showed significantly greater numerical competency development compared with the nonparticipating group. Practice or Policy: Results indicate that less intensive interventions can have effects on the HNE and children’s numerical competencies. Consequently, even on small budgets interventions should be undertaken.     

Effects of cooperative learning on performance,attitude, and group behaviors in a technical team environment

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cooperative learning strategies on performance, attitude toward working in teams, and group interaction behaviors in a technical training context. Participants were 274 engineering employees enrolled in a required training class that focused on communicating technical procedures in plant operations. Participants were divided into small groups and cooperative teams. Instruction was the same for all participants. Only the practice portion of the lesson reflected cooperative strategies versus no process direction. Results indicated that the practice conducted in a cooperative manner had a significant effect on performance and group behaviors. Participants in the cooperative teams performed better on the posttest, enjoyed working in teams, perceived more accomplishment, and displayed higher levels of social and cognitive interaction than participants who worked in unstructured small groups. Implications for integrating cooperative strategies into technical team training are provided.     

Towards a personalized task selection model with shared instructional control

Modern education emphasizes the need to flexibly personalize learning tasks to individual learners. This article discusses a personalized task-selection model with shared instructional control based on two current tendencies for the dynamic sequencing of learning tasks: (1) personalization by an instructional agent which makes sequencing decisions on the basis of learner’s expertise, and (2) personalization by the learner who is given control over – final – task selection. The model combines both trends in a model with shared instructional control. From all available learning tasks, an instructional agent selects a subset of tasks based on the learner’s performance scores and invested mental effort (i.e., system-control). Subsequently, this subset is presented to the learner who makes the final decision (i.e., learner control). A computer-assisted instructional program has been developed to put the model into practice and preliminary results are discussed. The model can be used to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of instruction and to make it more appealing by providing the learner an optimal level of control over task selection. This research project is funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO, The Hague, project No. 411-02-107-V).     

Analysing the state of student participation in two Eco-Schools using Engeström’s Second Generation Activity Systems Model

Abstract

This research investigates the state of student participation in the Eco-Schools programme in two selected secondary schools located in Spain and the Netherlands. The focus is on understanding the levers of student participation and of the factors leading to a whole-school approach. Engeström’s Second Generation Activity Systems Model is used as an analytical framework. The study also reflects on the merits and shortcomings of this framework. The analysis of the two cases revealed contradictions in the intended effect of the Eco-School programme on fostering student-led change towards sustainability and a whole-school approach. The research suggests that student participation in Eco-School programme can be fostered by using an activity-based ‘whole institution’ approach that interlinks a reflective and action-based procedure, by adapting the students’ learning environment according to their needs and capabilities, by providing for close teacher guidance in Eco-School activities and establishing good student-teacher-relationships, and, finally, by incorporating the Eco-School programme into the school’s overall educational framework.     

Students’ engagement in different STEM learning environments: integrated STEM education as promising practice?

In this paper, we explore how students’ engagement varies in different STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) learning environments. More specifically, we focus on the significance of a learning environment applying an integrated STEM (iSTEM) approach and the significance of STEM learning environments’ student-centredness. Moreover, we explore the relative importance of different student-centred principles (lesson plan and implementation, communicative interactions, student-teacher relationships) for students’ engagement in the STEM learning environment. Applying a mixed-method approach, we draw from observational data of 24 STEM lessons in combination with data from seven focus groups with 67 grade 9 students. The quantitative findings, based on the observational data, show that a learning environment applying an iSTEM approach seems to support students’ engagement. Further investigation made it clear that the student-centredness in this learning environment is especially significant. Regarding the specific student-centred principles, all principles had a significant impact on students’ engagement. The focus group data make clear that, besides student-centredness, the integrative aspect and the use of authentic real-world problems in iSTEM can also be engaging for students. These results indicate that iSTEM is a good practice to engage students in the STEM learning environment, as it facilitates teachers’ implementation of a general student-centred approach.     

The Privileged Status of Knowing Mechanistic Information: An Early Epistemic Bias

Four studies with 180 5–7 year olds, 165 8–11 year olds and 199 adults show that young children appreciate the distinctive role played by mechanistic explanations in tracking causal patterns. Young children attributed greater knowledge to individuals offering mechanistic reasons for a claim than others who provide equally detailed nonmechanistic reasons. In Study 1, 5–7 year olds attributed greater knowledge to those offering mechanistic reasons. In Studies 2 and 3, all ages (5–7 and adults for Study 2; 5–7, 8–11 and adults for Study 3) assigned greater knowledge to those offering mechanistic reasons about causally central features than those offering nonmechanistic reasons. In Study 4, all ages (5–7, 8–11, adults) modulated the epistemic bias as a function of embedding goals.     

Secure Base Representations in Children With Asthma: Links With Symptoms,Family Asthma Management,and Cytokine Regulation

Children's perceptions of caregivers as a secure base have been linked with socioemotional outcomes, but little is known about connections to physical health. We examined whether secure base representations are associated with children's symptoms, family management strategies, and inflammatory processes in children with asthma. Participants included 308 children (ages 8–17) and one parent. Children completed a blood draw to measure asthma-related immune functions and reported on perceptions of their mothers as a secure base and their asthma symptoms. Dyads completed interviews about asthma management. Analyses revealed that children's secure base perceptions were associated with better family asthma management and lower Type 2 T-helper cell cytokine production. These findings suggest that secure base representations may be protective for children with asthma.     

At-risk at the gate: prediction of study success of first-year science and engineering students in an open-admission university in Flanders—any incremental validity of study strategies?

European Journal of Psychology of Education - Against the background of the increasing need for skilled scientists and engineers, the heterogeneous inflow of incoming students in science and...     

Outcomes from building system courseware for teaching and testing in a discipline-based human structure curriculum

This study investigated the educational benefits of system-based lecture notes and interactive learning objects in a peripheral nervous system component of a traditional first-year medical school human anatomy course. The impetus for the investigation was anecdotal evidence suggesting enhanced learner satisfaction with the learning resources. Retrospective review of existing data from 2006 to 2009 was undertaken to quantify (1) the effects of Web-based system courseware on examination item performance, and (2) differences among learner opinions regarding the benefit level of the five different types of interactive learning objects as evaluated by instructional design questionnaires. Interactive patient-based case studies (IPCS) and review games (Games), simulated interactive patients (SIP), flashcards, and unit quizzes (Quizzes) developed in-house have been peer-reviewed and published in MedEdPORTAL. Statistics included one-way analysis of variance, Tukey's post hoc test, and power meta-analysis (d). Examination item analysis scores remained significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05; d = 0.3938) for learners receiving the instructional treatment incorporating system-based lecture notes and interactive learning objects than for those not receiving this treatment. Using questionnaires with a five-point Likert scale, students reported favorably on the benefit level of all learning objects. They rated the SIP and IPCS significantly higher (P ≤0.05) and games significantly lower (P ≤ 0.05) than in previous years, indicating a change in learner preferences. This study reaffirms that online system-based instructional techniques improve student examination performance and overall student satisfaction. Learners indicated stronger preferences for SIP and IPCS over exercises encouraging passive memorization of anatomical content.