Supporting High School Student Accomplishment of Biology Content Using Interactive Computer-Based Curricular Case Studies

Research in Science Education - Research into the efficacy of modules featuring dynamic visualizations, case studies, and interactive learning environments is reported here. This quasi-experimental...     

Reciprocal Associations Between Inhibitory Control and Early Academic Skills: Evidence From a Nationally Representative Sample of Head Start Children

Research Findings. The present study examined patterns of longitudinal associations between inhibitory control (IC) and early academic skills during the preschool and kindergarten years. Using data from the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey Cohort 2009 (FACES 2009) (N = 939), a national data set of predominantly low-income children attending Head Start, two models were compared: (1) a lagged path model predicting subsequent academic skills based on prior IC skills and (2) a cross-lagged path model predicting reciprocal associations between IC and academic skills. Our results showed a better model fit for the cross-lagged path model with bidirectional associations. Prior IC predicted subsequent early reading and math skills during the preschool and kindergarten years; simultaneously, prior early math skills, but not reading skills, predicted subsequent IC. The reciprocal associations between IC and early math were consistently identified for multiple groups of children, regardless of their gender or home-language use (i.e., monolingual versus dual language learners). Practice or Policy. This study showcases group-general patterns of reciprocal relationships between IC and early math. The findings suggest that stimulation of both skills could lead to stronger skill sets and successful school outcomes. Early education and intervention programs may provide integrated developmental opportunities of IC and academic skills for successful school readiness.     

Learning-Related Changes in Adolescents’ Neural Networks During Hypothesis-Generating and Hypothesis-Understanding Training

Fourteen science high school students participated in this study, which investigated neural-network plasticity associated with hypothesis-generating and hypothesis-understanding in learning. The students were divided into two groups and participated in either hypothesis-generating or hypothesis-understanding type learning programs, which were composed of 12 topics taught over a 12-week period. To measure change in student competence and brain networks, a paper & pencil test and an fMRI scanning session were administered before and after the training programs. Unlike the hypothesis-understanding group, a before and after training comparison for the hypothesis-generating group showed significantly strong changes in hypothesis explanation quotients and functional brain connectivity associated with hypothesis-generating. However, for the hypothesis-understanding group, the brain network related to hypothesis-understanding significantly strengthened, not from hypothesis-generating type learning, but from hypothesis-understanding type learning. These findings suggest that for hypothesis-generating and hypothesis-understanding there are at least two specialized brain network systems or processes at work in the brain. Furthermore, hypothesis-generating competence could be developed by appropriate training programs such as teaching by way of active hypothesis generation rather than present passive expository teaching practices.     

Effects of light refraction on the accuracy of camera calibration and reconstruction in underwater motion analysis

One of the most serious obstacles to accurate quantification of the underwater motion of a swimmer's body is image deformation caused by refraction. Refraction occurs at the water‐air interface plane (glass) owing to the density difference. Camera calibration‐reconstruction algorithms commonly used in aquatic research do not have the capability to correct this refraction‐induced nonlinear image deformation and produce large reconstruction errors. The aim of this paper is to provide a through review of: the nature of the refraction‐induced image deformation and its behaviour in underwater object‐space plane reconstruction; the intrinsic shortcomings of the Direct Linear Transformation (DLT) method in underwater motion analysis; experimental conditions that interact with refraction; and alternative algorithms and strategies that can be used to improve the calibration‐reconstruction accuracy. Although it is impossible to remove the refraction error completely in conventional camera calibration‐reconstruction methods, it is possible to improve the accuracy to some extent by manipulating experimental conditions or calibration frame characteristics. Alternative algorithms, such as the localized DLT and the double‐plane method are also available for error reduction. The ultimate solution for the refraction problem is to develop underwater camera calibration and reconstruction algorithms that have the capability to correct refraction     

The note of discord: Examining educational perspectives between teachers and Korean parents in the U. S.

This study examined and compared the educational perspectives of Korean parents of elementary school students and their teachers. 430 parents and 143 teachers in the New York metropolitan area participated in the survey and 16 teachers, administrators, and parents were interviewed. The findings indicated that the teachers not only misunderstood the parents' perspectives on the goals of schooling, but also underestimated the parents' ways of supporting their children's education. Regarding the current school/teacher practices, the two groups also expressed different perspectives. We discussed the urgency of educators' critical reflection on diverse cultures and the considerations for increasing parents' school involvement.     

Influence of ideology in news reporting case study of New York Times' coverage of student demonstrations in China and South Korea 1

Operating from a premise that nevos is an embodiment of ideological preferences, this comparative study tests for the presence of preferential positions in reports of anti‐government uprisings in China and South Korea. Employing a thematic analysis, the findings support the proposition that news reflect unquestioned collective universals. However, rather than evidence of idio‐graphic articulations of capitalist societies, the authors suggest that these are nomothetic practices prevalent in all institutionalized mass media systems.     

Affine matched parameterization approach to sampled-data stabilization criteria for T-S fuzzy systems with variable sampling

This paper presents new parameterized sampled-data stabilization criteria using affine transformed membership functions for T-S fuzzy systems. To deal with the sampled control input having aperiodic sampling intervals, the proposed method adopts new looped functionals, and employs a modified free weighting matrix inequality. A relaxed condition for the controller design is derived by formulating the constraint conditions of the membership functions in the proposed controller with affinely matched weighting parameter vectors. Based on a newly devised lemma for handling affinely matched vectors, the stabilization and guaranteed cost performance criteria are given in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). The superiority of the presented method is demonstrated via significantly improved results in numerical examples.     

Data quality management,data usage experience and acquisition intention of big data analytics

Big data analytics associated with database searching, mining, and analysis can be seen as an innovative IT capability that can improve firm performance. Even though some leading companies are actively adopting big data analytics to strengthen market competition and to open up new business opportunities, many firms are still in the early stage of the adoption curve due to lack of understanding of and experience with big data. Hence, it is interesting and timely to understand issues relevant to big data adoption. In this study, a research model is proposed to explain the acquisition intention of big data analytics mainly from the theoretical perspectives of data quality management and data usage experience. Our empirical investigation reveals that a firm's intention for big data analytics can be positively affected by its competence in maintaining the quality of corporate data. Moreover, a firm's favorable experience (i.e., benefit perceptions) in utilizing external source data could encourage future acquisition of big data analytics. Surprisingly, a firm's favorable experience (i.e., benefit perceptions) in utilizing internal source data could hamper its adoption intention for big data analytics.     

Student–student mentoring for retention and engagement in distance education

This article argues that in the drive to develop e‐learning initiatives in distance learning, simpler ways of supporting students for retention may be overlooked; for example, the linking of students in the form of mentoring and peer support networks. The article reports on three mentoring projects, in the United Kingdom, Korea and New Zealand, and shows that apparent retention gains of up to 20% with a return on investment of the order of magnitude of several hundred per cent may be possible. Whilst accepting the limitations of these studies, the article argues that there needs to be a clearer understanding of the benefits of such initiatives when deciding to invest time and funding in distance education support. It suggests that there is still much mileage to be made out of mentoring and ‘study dating’.     

The Role of Mothers' and Fathers' Parental Control and Coparenting in Toddlers' Compliance

Research Findings: This study examined the unique and relative contributions of mothers' and fathers' parental control and coparenting to toddlers' committed compliance with parents in both dyadic parent–child and triadic family play contexts. Sixty-eight mostly middle-class, 2-parent families with toddlers (16–37 months) were observed in a university laboratory setting. There were positive associations among mothers' gentle guidance, balanced coparental engagement, and child committed compliance with mothers. However, there was no association between any parental control or coparenting variable and child compliance with fathers. Unique contributions of fathers' control and coparenting, beyond mothers' parenting, were found for children's compliance with mothers but not with fathers. Practice or Policy: The findings highlight the importance of taking the family relationship context into account when assessing parenting behaviors and toddlers'compliance.