Interactive response system (IRS) for college students: individual versus cooperative learning

In this study, the researcher aimed to understand how students learned the targeted knowledge with an interactive response system (IRS) tool, and whether learners in two different learning modes: individual and group use of IRS, differed in their learning performance and knowledge retention after the IRS activity. These two kinds of IRS interaction were integrated into the course which included multiple choice questions for testing memorable knowledge and open-ended questions for enhancing organization and critical thinking ability via a methodology that involved 120 college students and included the analysis of tests, survey questionnaires and a course learning diary. Overall, the results were consistent with the consensus that students perceive the IRS as a positive addition to their classes, as its use increased course participation, fostered interaction, and promoted the general enjoyment of the class. The results revealed that the immediate learning performance of the learners who participated in the activity through group use of the IRS was better than that of the learners with individual IRS accounts; however, the individual IRS users seemed to have better learning retention of the learning contents, and showed significant improvement on the delayed tests. Furthermore, the study also confirmed that the IRS with collaborative work could promote the students’ academic and social-emotional performance because the collaborative learning allowed them to learn from peers’ opinions and to make judgments and co-examine the learning concepts again while finding the correct answer. This paper contributes data and analysis that highlight the pedagogical benefits of the implementation of an IRS, and supports the value of using the IRS for college education.     

Exploring the effects of web-mediated socially-shared regulation of learning and experience-based learning on improving students’ learning

The application of online learning and educational technologies in higher education has changed teaching methods, the channels of delivering learning materials, and modes of communication between teachers and students. This study is aimed to improve learning effects and investigate, via quasi-experiments, the effects of web-mediated socially-shared regulation of learning (SSRL) and experience-based learning (ExBL) on improving students’ learning results. The experimental design in this study was a 2 (SSRL vs. non-SSRL)?×?2 (ExBL vs. non-ExBL) factorial pretest/post-test design. Four classes in a one-semester course titled “Applied Information Technology: Data Processing” at university level were chosen for this study. Based on the analysis carried out in this study, students who received the treatments of web-mediated SSRL and/or ExBL did not have significantly better computing skills in using Excel. The reasons for these insignificances and implications thereof are discussed in this paper. Nevertheless, students in the SSRL and non-ExBL class had significant increases in scores for their learning motivation at the end of semester compared with the beginning.     

“Is This What You’re Talking About?”: Identity Negotiation in International Teaching Assistants’ Instructional Interactions with U.S. College Students

The instructional performance of international teaching assistants (ITA) in U.S. universities is generally considered as problematic due to linguistic and cultural differences in existing studies. Drawing on interactional sociolinguistics, conversation analysis, and positioning theory, this study aims to find out how ITAs are juxtaposed between content expert and language novice in the actual instructional interactions with U.S. college students. The data under study consist of a number of dyadic office hour interactions. The matter of analytic interest is the type of sentence completion that U.S. college students use to assist or improve on ITAs’ instructional discourse. While interactionally accommodating, sentence completion may position the ITA instructors as language novices, and furthermore cast doubt on their situated identity as instructors. The findings here may shed some light on our understanding of how ITAs are negatively perceived and even stereotyped in their instructional discourse.     

Redesigning chat forum for critical thinking in a problem-based learning environment

Support is needed to promote problem-based learning (PBL) and to enhance critical thinking skills in discussion-based Internet forums. By advancing the capabilities of chat room and forum software, problem-based discussions for learning can be supported further in online learning environments. In this paper, the authors report on MALESAbrain, an intelligent learning tool. The model is built on the notions of threshold and knowledge weight from the discipline of machine learning. The model encourages learners to judge or critically evaluate the solutions posted by others before exploring further knowledge content. The system then sums up the judgment scores as its knowledge weight to pass the thresholds setup for ranking/arranging the learning issues. This constraint design, therefore, becomes a mechanism for critical thinking in a problem-based learning activity. MALESAbrain as a model helps transform the forum and chat room into rich learning discussion environments.     

The Measurement Structure,Stability and Mediating Effects of Achievement Goals in Math with Middle-School Student Data

This study examined the measurement structure, cross-year stability of achievement goals, and mediating effects of achievement goals between self-efficacy and math grades in a national sample of Taiwan middle school students. The measurement model with factorial structure showed good fit to the data. In the panel data (N?=?343), four achievement goals showed strong measurement invariance, suggesting factor loadings and intercepts of the items remained invariant across a year. Though mean scores of the four latent achievement goals held quite stable, the rank order of students across two time-points changed more profoundly in the two avoidance goals than in the approached goals. In the cross-sectional data (N?=?748), we found approach-based goals were positive mediators between self-efficacy and math grades while avoidance-based goals were negative mediators. This result could be relevant for middle-school students in learning mathematics. Some instructional implications are provided.     

Learning Visualization Strategies: A qualitative investigation

The following study investigates the range of strategies individuals develop to infer and interpret cross-sections of three-dimensional objects. We focus on the identification of mental representations and problem-solving processes made by 11 individuals with the goal of building training applications that integrate the strategies developed by the participants in our study. Our results suggest that although spatial transformation and perspective-taking techniques are useful for visualizing cross-section problems, these visual processes are augmented by analytical thinking. Further, our study shows that participants employ general analytic strategies for extended periods which evolve through practice into a set of progressively more expert strategies. Theoretical implications are discussed and five main findings are recommended for integration into the design of education software that facilitates visual learning and comprehension.     

The effect of learning background and imagery cognitive development on visual perception

This research looked into the effect of how cognitive development toward imagery is formed through visual perception by means of a quantitative questionnaire. The main variable was the difference between the learning backgrounds of the interviewees. A two-way ANOVA mixed design was the statistical method used for the analysis of the 2 × 4 (2 by 4) study design. The analysis on the main effect was conducted, and a significant difference was also shown in the result. First, the two variables of student learning background and imagery cognitive development interact with one another. Second, there is a significant difference in students’ learning backgrounds. The cognitive level between the two was visibly apparent. Last, the four aspects that made up the visual perception all showed significant difference. Therefore, cognitive development will be affected by lifestyle, personal preferences, interests, and biological conditions which will have different levels of influence on visual perception.     

典型的突出性格特点续议

何其芳当年提出典型“共名”说 ,实质是如何理解典型的突出性格特点问题。在典型问题探讨中 ,常常会牵涉到这个问题。实际上 ,典型之成为典型 ,并不是由于他的突出性格特点 ,典型的突出性格特点也不能抽象化为在不同时代、不同阶级的人身上见到的性格共性 ,必须把典型的典型性与典型的客观效果区别开来     

桂林石山次生灌丛植物种群分布格局及种间相关性研究

本文应用Greig-Smith邻接格子样方法取样和区组分析 ,对广西桂林石山次生灌丛的主要种群进行种间分布格局和种间相关性分析 ,结果表明 :1、广西桂林石山次生灌丛四种主植物种群九龙藤 (BauhiniaChampioniBenth)、薄叶鼠李 (RhamnusLeptophyllaSchneid)、小果蔷薇 (RosaCymosaTratt)和竹叶椒 (ZanthoxylumplanispinumS.etZ)种群在次生灌丛群落中呈集群分布趋势 ,并且各种群的集群分布格局的聚块强度大小与取样面积大小有关。2、广西桂林石山次生灌丛的主要种群间性状类似的种群比较容易表现为负相关关系 ,反之 ,往往表现为正相关 ,或者相关关系复杂化     

教育公平实质意义的演变:从理论到台湾经验的检证

现代功绩主义社会强化个人专业能力与职位之间的连结性,因而强化教育文凭的法定功能.此种连结逐渐促使教育产生制度化的发展,亦即个别国家试图以教育手段,改善社会不均等及促进社会进步.此种教育制度化发展显现于个别社会积极推展义务教育,甚至提升高等教育的就学机会.本文以台湾为例,从历史发展的角度,剖析此种发展趋势,进而指陈,就学机会的提升甚至普及化仅是达到形式化的均等,更重要的是须检视教育结果是否达到均等性.台湾的历史经验显示出,尽管义务教育确保不同阶级学童的就学机会,但中上阶级家庭子女的学习表现却普遍优于劳工阶级子女.