Knowledge and processes that predict proficiency in digital literacy

Proficiency in digital literacy refers to the ability to read and write using online sources, and includes the ability to select sources relevant to the task, synthesize information into a coherent message, and communicate the message with an audience. The present study examines the determinants of digital literacy proficiency by asking 150 students who had 50 min of access to the Internet and a word processor to produce a research report on whether or not their college should require all students to own a laptop computer. The resulting essay received a holistic rating from 1 to 5. Concerning knowledge underlying digital literacy, the major predictors of digital literacy proficiency (as measured by essay rating) were academic experience (undergraduate versus graduate status) and domain knowledge (based on a questionnaire), rather than technical knowledge about how to use computers (based on a questionnaire). Concerning processing during the task, the major predictors of digital literacy proficiency were integrating processes (such as number of unique sources, citations, or supporting details) rather than search processes (such as number of actions, web pages, websites, links, or search terms). In short, proficiency in digital literacy depended mainly on academic experience rather than technical experience, and on how learners organize and integrate the information they find rather than on how much information they peruse. Findings from this study suggest that the basic tenets of good scholarship apply to digital media.     

Mathematics teachers’ self-captured video and opportunities for learning

Numerous video-based programs have been developed to support mathematics teachers in reflecting on and examining classrooms interactions without the immediate demands of instruction. An important premise of such work is that teacher learning occurs at the time that the video is viewed and discussed with teachers. Recent advances in technology, however, offer new approaches for the use of video with teachers. We claim that these new technologies provide important opportunities for teacher learning prior to the viewing and discussion of video with colleagues. In particular, we believe that important teacher learning can occur from the activities of (1) capturing video from one’s own classroom and (2) selecting clips to share with others. The goal of this article is to introduce key strategies that three groups of middle and high school mathematics teachers use prior to, during, and after instruction as they engage in this work. We believe that increased attention to these strategies is necessary in order to better understand how to support teacher learning in the context of new digital technologies.     

Professional thinking in guided practice

The paper describes and analyzes the interactions between university tutors, cooperating teachers, and the student teachers in guided practice situations. The main aim of the study was to gain insights into the mode of interaction and the nature of massages transmitted in a variety of settings of practice teaching. The study reveals the dominance of evaluative comments made by cooperating teachers and their focus on issues of content. Alternative approaches and teaching modes were mentioned only rarely, cooperating teachers seem to rely mostly on their own wisdom of practice and tend to transmit traditions of “succesful” teaching modes. Student teachers were mostly passive and the mode of interaction authoritative. The paper suggests a distinction between an “incremental” versus a “comprehensive” practicum. It is suggested to focus on issue-specific post-lesson conferences which are planned jointly by student teachers, cooperating teachers, and university tutors.     

Play it safe or play to learn: mindsets and behavioral self-regulation in kindergarten

Metacognition and Learning - Individuals hold different mindsets encompassing beliefs about trait stability (stable vs. malleable) and goal orientations (performance vs. mastery). These...     

On the Limitations of Thought Experiments in Physics and the Consequences for Physics Education

Thought experiments (TEs) play a central role in physics. Wesuggest that erroneous TEs may be as important as correct TEs,and that both have a special role in an ongoing process ofconceptual refinement for physicists and for naive physicslearners. We analyze TEs related to stellar evolution andgeneral relativity made by Schwarzschild, Eddington, Landau,and Einstein. We identify the stages at which crucial errorsare done in these TEs, and the cognitive processes which leadto these errors. We argue that necessary conditions for asuccessful TE (i.e., a TE which leads to correct conclusions)are self-consistency and comprehensiveness of the relevantpicture of the world. We show that the TEs by expert physicistsand TEs by students are similar on a metacognitive level, butdifferent in details. Students' erroneous reasoning occur inall stages of a TE, whereas physicists usually make errors inthe first two stages of TEs. Then we bring evidence that Tesare more prone to errors than laboratory experiments. Next wediscuss the implications for naive physics learners, and makesuggestion for using TEs in physics education.     

Audience orientations toward new media

The proliferation of new communication technologies over the last 2 decades has increased opportunities for audience activity by offering more choices and greater control aver the communication process for media consumers. However, extant research on the degree of user activity with new media portrays conflicting views of audience members as more active or more passive. This study attempts to sort out this issue by exploring audience activity levels among users of new and traditional media, as indicated by instrumental or ritualized orientations toward media use. Results indicate that new communication technologies are motivated by both instrumental and ritualized motives, but are used more instrumentally than traditional channels, particularly among older users.     

No Half Measures: Overcoming Common Challenges to Doing Digital Humanities in the Library

ABSTRACT

While much work on libraries and digital humanities has focused on how to train and encourage individual librarians, we have not paid enough attention to the administrative and institutional factors required to help these professionals succeed. This article outlines some common sources of frustration for library professionals engaged in digital humanities work and offers sketches of some library-based digital humanities programs that are working to address these challenges.     

Looking back: reasoning and metacognition with narrative texts

This study explored the abilities of 5th, 8th, and 10th graders, and College students to reason logically about what they read. Both students’ metacognitive behavior (looking back at previously read text) and their performance on logical deduction questions were recorded and analyzed in a reading task. Conditional logic premises and deductive questions were embedded in three narratives containing premise information that was factual (True Story), contrary to fact (False Story), or unverifiable via common world knowledge (Neutral Story). The texts and questions were presented one sentence at a time on a computer screen; participants controlled the presentation of sentences. For answering the questions, three response tasks were devised. One task (labeled Generate) required readers to generate their own logical conclusions in response to deduction questions. Two tasks (labeled Valid and Invalid) required readers to evaluate logically valid or logically invalid conclusions drawn by story characters in the texts. Students in early and late adolescence looked back more when asked to evaluate logical conclusions than when asked to generate conclusions on their own; College students’ lookback frequencies were not significantly affected by response task, but were greater overall than those of younger students. With conditional forms requiring an uncertainty response (Affirmed Consequent and Denied Antecedent), readers looked back more when evaluating logically invalid conclusions than when evaluating logically valid ones. Readers of all ages were more likely to agree with story characters’ (valid) uncertain conclusions with the AC and DA forms than they were to disagree with story characters’ (invalid) certain conclusions to these forms. Both lookback frequency and performance on logic questions were lowest when readers were required to reason from contrary to fact premises.