Increasing engagement of students with learning disabilities in mathematical problem‐solving and discussion

Engagement in problem‐solving and mathematical discussion is critical for learning mathematics. This research review describes a gap in the literature surrounding engagement of students with Learning Disabilities in standards‐based mathematical classrooms. Taking a sociocultural view of engagement as participation in mathematical practices, this review found that students with LD were supported towards equal engagement in standards‐based mathematics through multi‐modal curriculum, consistent routines for problem‐solving, and teachers trained in Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching. Using this small set of studies (7), we identify the need to deepen the engagement of students with LD in mathematical problem‐solving and discussion. This review concludes with implications for teaching and learning.     

How repeated studying and testing affects multimedia learning: Evidence for adaptation to task demands

Two biases can occur in multimedia learning: overconfidence and over-reliance on text processing. The present research sought to identify these biases and to investigate whether they can be reduced, and hence learning fostered, when studying and testing are repeated. In 2 experiments (Exp.1: N = 79, Exp.2: N = 52), students learned either with text only or with text and pictures (multimedia) about how the toilet flush works, gave judgments-of-learning (JOLs), were tested on the learning contents; afterwards this study-test cycle was repeated. Results from both experiments revealed stronger overconfidence due to multimedia in both study-test cycles (JOLs higher than learning outcomes). Eye movement data showed a relative increase in attention on the picture versus text from cycle 1 to cycle 2; this relative increase in attention was related to better learning outcomes. Repeated studying and testing thus helped to reduce over-reliance on text processing in multimedia learning, fostering performance.     

School context and instructional capacity: A comparative study of professional learning communities in rural and urban schools in China

This study examines the teaching gap between rural and urban schools in China from the perspective of teacher professional learning communities (PLCs). Drawing on in-depth interviews with 36 primary school teachers, the study finds striking disparities between rural and urban schools in the working of Teaching and Research Groups (TRGs). These disparities in TRGs result in divergent patterns of instructional capacity building in rural and urban schools. The evidence shows that teaching and teachers are strongly shaped by the school organizational context. It suggests that strengthening school-wide PLCs is an important way of narrowing the rural-urban teaching and learning gaps.     

从教与学的良性循环探讨大学英语课堂教学互动

在以学生为主体的课堂上,教与学是一种互动的形式。在英语教学中,教师应当善于且有效地实施互动模式,加强师生间交流,促进教与学的良性循环。     

东南亚留学生动态助词“着”的学习策略

本文是针对东南亚留学生动态助词＂着＂的学习策略的研究,以暨南大学华文学院留学生的中介语语料为主要材料,通过数据分析、访谈、调查问卷等实证方法,发现东南亚留学生在学习＂着＂的时候使用了母语时间认知方式迁移、概括、简化和回避等策略。     

Multimodal data as a means to understand the learning experience

Most work in the design of learning technology uses click-streams as their primary data source for modelling & predicting learning behaviour. In this paper we set out to quantify what, if any, advantages do physiological sensing techniques provide for the design of learning technologies. We conducted a lab study with 251 game sessions and 17 users focusing on skill development (i.e., user's ability to master complex tasks). We collected click-stream data, as well as eye-tracking, electroencephalography (EEG), video, and wristband data during the experiment. Our analysis shows that traditional click-stream models achieve 39% error rate in predicting learning performance (and 18% when we perform feature selection), while for fused multimodal the error drops up to 6%. Our work highlights the limitations of standalone click-stream models, and quantifies the expected benefits of using a variety of multimodal data coming from physiological sensing. Our findings help shape the future of learning technology research by pointing out the substantial benefits of physiological sensing.     

A Study on the Anxiety of Mongolian Undergraduates in Public English Class

Anxiety is a complicated psychological phenomenon in foreign language learning process, involving both cognitive and affective factors, especially for those with cross culture background. This essay fo...     

Learning through artful knowing

Unfinished and ongoing exploration, Oil Painting, 1.30?*?1?m, September 2015.     

The advantage of mixing examples in inductive learning: a comparison of three hypotheses

Mixing examples of different categories (interleaving) has been shown to promote inductive learning as compared with presenting examples of the same category together (massing). In three studies, we tested whether the advantage of interleaving is exclusively due to the mixing of examples from different categories or to the temporal gap introduced between presentations. In addition, we also tested the role of working memory capacity (WMC). Results showed that the mixing of examples might be the key component that determines improved induction. WMC might also be involved in the interleaving effect: participants with high spans seemed to profit more than participants with low spans from interleaved presentations. Our findings have relevant implications for education. Practice schedules should be individually customised so society as a whole can profit from differences between learners.     

Social relations as predictors of achievement in math in Kenyan primary schools

In sub-Saharan Africa, where there is limited financial and human capital, it is important to examine how social relationships may serve to promote or undermine human capital formation. However, little is known about the contributions of social relations to human capital development, especially in terms of academic achievement in Africa. This study examined how variations in key aspects of social relations among teachers; between teachers and students; between principals, teachers, parents and students affect achievement in mathematics among sixth graders in 70 schools in six districts in Kenya. We modeled mathematics achievement as a function of measures of social perception and support while adjusting for school-, classroom- and student level background characteristics. We found that net of teacher subject knowledge and background characteristics, teachers who display commitment to teaching by always correcting homework and keeping students engaged during math lessons had their students performing better. Teacher absenteeism and lack of interest in teaching were negatively associated with performance in math. Lack of parental involvement in the classroom also had negative effects on grades. At the school level, the level of engagement of the principal, measured by supervision of teachers and good interpersonal interactions with parents had positive effects on math achievement. Schools where parents provided material and financial support had better grades, while student delinquency and absenteeism negatively affected grades.