The Determinants of Students' Perceived Learning Outcomes and Satisfaction in University Online Education: An Empirical Investigation*

In this study, structural equation modeling is applied to examine the determinants of students' satisfaction and their perceived learning outcomes in the context of university online courses. Independent variables included in the study are course structure, instructor feedback, self‐motivation, learning style, interaction, and instructor facilitation as potential determinants of online learning. A total of 397 valid unduplicated responses from students who have completed at least one online course at a university in the Midwest were used to examine the structural model. The results indicated that all of the antecedent variables significantly affect students' satisfaction. Of the six antecedent variables hypothesized to affect the perceived learning outcomes, only instructor feedback and learning style are significant. The structural model results also reveal that user satisfaction is a significant predictor of learning outcomes. The findings suggest online education can be a superior mode of instruction if it is targeted to learners with specific learning styles (visual and read/write learning styles) and with timely, meaningful instructor feedback of various types.     

大学英语四、六级考试改革及其启示

大学英语四、六级考试在考试内容、记分系统和考务管理上发生了重大改革。如何预测和认识英语四、六级考试改革的潜在影响对把握改革良机、提高大学英语教学质量和减少应试教育负面影响有重要意义。在此基础上要重视听说和写等技能的培养;要加强不断线教学,提高教学资源利用率;要正确对待分数,实现科学评估。     

Critical moments and second-chance education constructing socially excluded women’s stories of career success

This study narrates the role of education/training in the career success stories of twelve women on an Irish active labour market programme, Community Employment (CE). All from lower socio-economic groups, having early school-leaving backgrounds, and, prior to CE, were long-term unemployed. CE enhances the employability of the long-term unemployed by offering job opportunities and providing education/training. Using narrative inquiry, it understands how the women (re)construct their interpretations of their career success following critical moments of change in their lives. The study narrates the stories on a case-by-case basis according to the category of critical moment that each participant experienced and then views the chronicles via the lens of social class as mediated through the educational structure. It, therefore, specifically recognises the micro-individual and macro-social aspects of a person’s interpretation of his/her career and education/training experiences. To understand the change process inherent in the stories, a theoretical construct, Giddens’ (1991) fateful moment, is operationalised by examining how the critical moments evolve in to fateful moments facilitated by the structural influence of the education/training provided by the expert system of CE. The study concludes by proposing three categories of career success for this sample to take account of their altered career structures.     

Empirical Research into Teaching

The paper argues that 100 years of empirical research into teaching has failed to provide a usable account of best practice. This is partly because of conceptual and other logical problems that cannot in practice be resolved, as has been argued before. However, it is further argued that the real reason that no useful rules of good teaching can be established is that there are no substantive and important rules covering human interactions such as teaching. It is not that science cannot get the answers; rather it is that there are not any answers, and that is why there is not a science of teaching. Every teaching event is unique and the way to determine good practice is to be clear about what one is trying to achieve and to know one’s particular audience. This is not simply sound practical advice, but logically the only path to knowledge in this area.     

Technology student learning preferences and the design of flexible learning programs

The learning preferences of three hundred and thirty eighttechnology students enrolled in sub-degree programs at an Australian institution of Technical andFurther Education were tested using the Canfield Learning Styles Inventory (CLSI). The results have been interpreted in a learning preferences framework and providesupportive evidence for the preferences factors of print-nonprint, collaborative, dependent,and autonomous learning identified by Sadler-Smith & Riding (1999). Although theresearch focussed on learning preferences the analysis also indicated support for theWholist-Analytic cognitive style proposed by Riding & Cheema (1991). Genderdifferences were shown for the Interest subscales of the CLSI. Age-group differenceswere shown for several Conditions of Learning and Modes of Learning subscales.Implications for the design of training programs, and the skillsthat may need to be developed in technology learners to enable effective use offlexible delivery, are also discussed.     

磷化铜/石墨烯锂离子负极材料的制备及其电化学性能研究

磷化铜由于其高理论容量和资源丰富等优点,逐渐成为一种拥有发展前景的新型锂离子电池负极材料.但其在充放电过程中存在着严重的体积膨胀和团聚问题,导致其循环性能差、倍率性能低.为此,我们利用水热法和低温磷化法合成了磷化铜/还原氧化石墨烯(Cu3P/rGO)复合材料,并对其物化特性和储锂性能进行了表征与测试.结果表明,rGO的修饰复合能够有效提高Cu3P的电化学性能,为发展新型锂离子电池负极材料提供实验与理论指导.     

中国中小学英语教师资格认证体系构想

本文在介绍、评价和比较美、英、法、德、日等欧美发达国家和我国周边国家的中小学教师资格认证体系,及英美两国测试和教育评估认证机构设立的英语教师资格认证体系的基础上,提出我国应借鉴国际经验,完善中小学英语教师职前教育和在职培训的内容与模式,并建立一套全国统一且具有各省和直辖市特色的中小学英语教师资格准入和在职资格晋级制度。     

信用证结算方式下出口商的风险与防范

在信用证结算方式下,出口商会面临进口商的道德问题、开证行倒闭、单证不符、信用证软条款、直寄提单等风险。出口商应该通过对相关客户进行资信调查、加强催证审证工作、认真制作单据、要求信用证加具保兑等措施来规避风险。     

COMPUTER SIMULATION FOR ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN MOTION OF FLUID

In this paper,an equation system of electrohydrodynamics(EHD)based onthe fluid motion equations is discussed.Emphasis is put on the effects of electrical forceand surface tension upon the fluid motion.The Marker and Cell method is used to set up acomputational simulation program of electrically driven motion of fluid.With the help ofthe program,a cylindrical fluid under the influences of electrical field and surface tensionhas been calculated.The result is in good agreement with the experimental observation.     

MEASUREMENT OF THE DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF BIOLOGICAL TISSUE

An open-ended coaxial line reflection method especially suitable for meas-uring the dielectric properties of biological tissue in vivo is described.This method offersthe advantage of not requiring any special preparation of the samples to be measured but aclose contact with the open end of a coaxial line.It is,therefore,very convenient to acquirea large number of measurement data in broad band rapidly.The method may also be usedto measure the properties of other substances.The measuring system consists of a networkanalyzer controlled by a microcomputer and calibrated by using ANA procedure to elimi-hate the influnce of error network introduced by the adapter,some connectors,etc.In or-der to reach higher accuracy,the iterative method is used to determine the parameters ofthe equivalent circuit.Measurements of permeativities of some living tissues have been per-formed in the frequency band of 0.5-2GHz.Compared with the results known in somepapers,the validity of this method has been confirmed.The difference in dielectric proper-ties between living and dead tissues,and the tissue permeativites(ε)versus frequency andduration of measurement after death have also been measured.