Three-dimensional Visualization Software Assists Learning in Students with Diverse Spatial Intelligence in Medical Education

This study evaluated effect of mental rotation (MR) training on learning outcomes and explored effectiveness of teaching via three-dimensional (3D) software among medical students with diverse spatial intelligence. Data from n = 67 student volunteers were included. A preliminary test was conducted to obtain baseline level of MR competency and was utilized to assign participants to two experimental conditions, i.e., trained group (n = 25) and untrained group (n = 42). Data on the effectiveness of training were collected to measure participants’ speed and accuracy in performing various MR activities. Six weeks later, a large class format (LCF) session was conducted for all students using 3D software. The usefulness of technology-assisted learning at the LCF was evaluated via a pre- and post-test. Students’ feedback regarding MR training and use of 3D software was acquired through questionnaires. MR scores of the trainees improved from 25.9±4.6 points to 28.1±4.4 (P = 0.011) while time taken to complete the tasks reduced from 20.9±3.9 to 12.2±4.4 minutes. Males scored higher than females in all components (P = 0.016). Further, higher pre- and post-test scores were observed in trained (9.0±1.9 and 12.3±1.6) versus untrained group (7.8±1.8; 10.8±1.8). Although mixed-design analysis of variance suggested significant difference in their test scores (P < 0.001), both groups reported similar trend in improvement by means of 3D software (P = 0.54). Ninety-seven percent of students reported technology-assisted learning as an effective means of instruction and found use of 3D software superior to plastic models. Software based on 3D technologies could be adopted as an effective teaching pedagogy to support learning across students with diverse levels of mental rotation abilities.     

Teachers Avoiding Learners' Avoidance: Is it Possible?

Dealing with learners who prefer to take the back seat and avoid classroom participation can be every teacher's nightmare. This lack of participation may cause teacher frustration, and possibly the only way to reduce this lack of participation is to access the concept of avoidance strategy. Avoidance strategy is the abandonment of a classroom task by learners due to causes such as the task difficulty, topical knowledge, shyness, anxiety, face-saving, fear of negative evaluation, and peer pressure. This article provides an enhanced understanding of the notion of avoidance strategy, presents factors resulting in avoidance behavior, and offers strategies teachers can employ to reduce student use of avoidance behaviors. Reducing student anxiety, motivating learners, teacher support, group work, and pushing toward production are among the possible paths that may help reduce avoidance strategy use in the classrooms.     

Can we engage postgraduates in active research methodology learning? Challenges,strategies and evaluation of learning

ABSTRACT

Due to the complex nature of research methodology courses, the current study focused on implementing the active teaching and learning approach to a postgraduate research method course in a Malaysian university over an academic semester. A qualitative analysis of observations, instructor-learner interactional exchanges, students’ drafts of tasks and pre-course and focus group discussion was performed. The findings revealed three types of challenges: student-oriented challenges, subject-matter-related challenges and instructor-oriented challenges. Three main pedagogical strategies: instructional scaffolding, peer scaffolding and engaging the postgraduates in drafting their tasks were employed as a response to these challenges. Although the active teaching and learning practices resulted into students’ enhancement of the assigned research methodology tasks and positive research learning experience, such practices were time and effort-consuming. Therefore, future research will need to examine the applicability of our active teaching and learning approach to research methodology courses in different contexts.     

Iranian EFL learners’ identity construction in a critical reflective course: a case of an online course

ABSTRACT

The present mixed-methods research examined the identity and attitude of Iranian English language learners as a result of their participation in an online critical reflective course. The participants were 38 English language students who attended ten online sessions within a five-month English language course. Their online posts underwent inductive qualitative content analysis and subsequently five themes were extracted. In addition, the content of the first and last two sessions were analysed quantitatively. A validated questionnaire was also administered and 18 participants were interviewed. Qualitative and quantitative content analyses of the data revealed eight finalised codes. The analysis of the findings showed that although the participants’ identity and attitudes did not undergo material changes, their awareness of the intercultural and interlingual issues, between Persian and English language and culture, was sharpened. In addition, their online identities proved to be not set off from their offline identities nor identical to them but interrelated.     

The Cosmic Interaction

Science & Education - This study explored over 200 journals and a content-focussed research repository to investigate the occurrence of research on the Big Questions in the field of astronomy...