Rapid Feedback Assessment Methods: Can We Improve Engagement and Preparation for Exams in Large-enrollment Courses?

Scratch-off immediate feedback assessment technique (IF-AT) forms and classroom response systems (clickers) can increase student engagement and interaction and help students prepare for exams by indicating the type and level of questions they will encounter. We used the IF-AT throughout the semester in three sections of a lower-division biology class; in two, students worked on IF-AT questions in small permanent groups, and in one, students alternated between IF-AT and clickers each week. At the end of the semester, students answered surveys about instant feedback techniques. Students appreciated prompt feedback on their understanding of course material, enjoyed the group interaction and opportunities to learn from each other, and continued to have positive perceptions of instant feedback activities and to take them seriously throughout the semester. While appreciating the versatility of clicker questions, we find that the ease of use, low cost, effectiveness, and improved classroom climate of the IF-AT method are particularly commendable.     

试论公民文化的成长机制

公民文化作为一种新型的政治文化,有着其自身的成长机制。公民文化的发展程度是政治现代化和政治发展的衡量标准和评价尺度。在从虚体公民文化发展为实体公民文化的过程中,经济、文化和政治精英的引导、推动作用不可忽视。各界精英应发扬协商妥协的精神,勇挑重担,完成时代赋予自己的历史使命。     

体验式学习中的情感参与:SVVR支持写作学习的实证研究

写作学习中普遍存在学生因缺少对真实情境的体验而难以唤起写作兴趣的问题,如何改善学生的情境体验和情感参与成为改善写作学习效果的关键。在基于球面视频虚拟现实(SVVR)技术构建的体验式写作学习环境中,通过融入体验式学习理念与引导策略,设计了包含具体化经验、反思性观察、抽象化概念、评价与修正四阶段的写作学习活动,并将其运用于教学实践。实证分析结果表明:除思维创新性外,基于SVVR的体验式写作学习环境对学生写作的主题契合性、结构完整性和语言表达具有促进作用,并能够提升学生的情感参与水平;在SVVR的支持下,高情感参与水平的学生有更佳的写作表现,特别是在作品的结构完整性、语言表达与思维创新性上;相较于传统写作学习环境,在基于SVVR的体验式写作学习环境中,学生的阅读习惯与写作成绩间呈现出更强的相关性。可见,SVVR支持下的体验式学习有助于促进学生的情感参与和阅读积累向写作能力的迁移,实现对写作学习效果的提升。同时,有必要强化基于SVVR的智能交互和多感官体验,并将其与教学过程有机整合。     

How do types of interaction and phases of self-regulated learning set a stage for collaborative engagement?

This study investigates how self-regulated learning phases are related to collaborative engagement in two different collaborative task conditions. It integrates SRL theory and the concept of engagement, including interaction in collaboration, as key characteristics of engagement. Forty-four second-year teacher education students worked in groups during a 7-week math didactic course. We collected 84 h of video recordings and coded the group's cognitive and socioemotional interaction and three phases of self-regulation within interaction, including forethought, performance and reflection. After that we analyzed the relationship between the interaction types representing collaborative engagement and SRL phases within two learning tasks. The results show that collaborative engagement did not differ between teacher-led and student-led tasks in terms of the interaction types. However, the results showed that the SRL phases occurred differently within cognitive and socioemotional interaction types when the two task conditions were compared. Findings concerning teacher-led tasks showed invariance in the occurrence of SRL phases across the task and highlighted the relationship between socioemotional interaction and the forethought phase. Additionally, findings concerning the student-led tasks showed systematic changes in the distribution of phases of SRL across sessions in all interaction types. Our results' theoretical and methodological implications for collaborative engagement research are discussed.     

Enhancing student motivation and engagement: The effects of a multidimensional intervention

The present study sought to investigate the effects of a multidimensional educational intervention on high school students’ motivation and engagement. The intervention incorporated: (a) multidimensional targets of motivation and engagement, (b) empirically derived intervention methodology, (c) research-based risk and protective factors, (d) established practices that nurture optimal youth development, (e) use of interpersonally skilled staff, and (f) evidence-based programming. Using a pre-/post-treatment/control group design, it was found that the self-complete intervention brought about significant shifts in motivation and engagement. Specifically, findings showed that the treatment group made positive motivation shifts on key dimensions including task management, persistence, anxiety, failure avoidance, and uncertain control. Moreover, against a large weighted external comparison group, the treatment group made positive shifts on valuing, mastery orientation, planning, task management, persistence, failure avoidance, uncertain control, and self-handicapping. Taken together, these findings attest to the potential for multidimensional educational interventions for enhancing students’ motivation and engagement.     

Immigrant students in Denmark: why are they disadvantaged in civic learning?

Abstract

Although native family students often learn more than immigrant family students in school (e.g. civics), scholars have not systematically demonstrated the mechanisms through which native family students outperform immigrant family students. The Opportunity-Propensity framework guides this study. We examine the link between students’ immigrant status and civic knowledge, with antecedent factors (socioeconomic status [SES] and language spoken at home), opportunity factors (civic learning at school, civic participation at school, and political discussion), and propensity factors (perceived open classroom climate and student-teacher relationship). Two-level path analysis of the responses to the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) 2016 by 6254 eighth graders in Denmark showed that the civic knowledge of native family students exceeded that of immigrant family students, mediated by their own and schoolmates’ higher family SES. Meanwhile, immigrant family students had more political discussions, which are linked to better civic knowledge.     

The influence of cultural blogs on their readers’ cultural product choices

While some conceptual studies have highlighted the impact that Web 2.0 technology and social media have on cultural industries, empirical evidence is still missing. Specifically, no study has considered the role of cultural bloggers, who mediate the information flows from cultural organizations to consumers. To fill this gap, this paper suggests and tests a model that explains blog readers’ intentions to consume cultural products suggested by the blog. The findings from a sample of 215 cultural blog readers show that the impact of the blog on reader intention to consume the products suggested by the blog is strongly influenced by reader engagement with the blog. In addition, the results highlight the effects of content quality, enjoyment, and homophily. The implications of these findings for bloggers and for organizations communicating through bloggers are discussed in detail.     

The contributions of ‘hot’ and ‘cool’ executive function to children's academic achievement, learning-related behaviors, and engagement in kindergarten

Executive functioning (EF) refers to higher order thought processes considered foundational for problem-solving. EF has both ‘cool’ cognitive and ‘hot’ emotional components. This study asks: (a) what are the relative contributions of ‘hot’ and ‘cool’ EF to children's academic achievement? (b) What are the relative contributions of ‘hot’ and ‘cool’ EF to learning-related classroom behaviors and observed engagement? (c) Do learning-related classroom behaviors and observed engagement account for the relation between EF and achievement? For a sample of 173 kindergarteners, cool EF predicted math achievement, learning-related classroom behaviors, and observed engagement. Hot EF did not predict any achievement or behavior outcomes when examined concurrently with cool EF. Children's classroom behavior did not account for the relation between cool EF and math achievement, suggesting cool EF and math performance are directly associated.     

论当代大学生的公民意识教育

党的十七大报告明确指出：＂加强公民意识教育,树立社会主义民主法治、自由平等、公平正义理念。＂这里的公民意识是一种现代社会意识,是公民对自己在国家中的社会地位、社会权利和社会责任的一种自觉认识。没有具有现代意识的高素质的公民,中国的现代化就很难实现。大学生做为未来社会发展的中坚力量,是祖国的栋梁之材,他们将站在中国与世界交流的最前列,所以当代中国大学生的公民意识决定了祖国的未来。     

Lernen in informellen Kontexten

Zusammenfassung In der aktuellen Diskussion um Bildung und Lernen wird jetzt auch in Deutschland dem „Informellen Lernen“ verst?rkte Aufmerksamkeit gewidmet. Die Autoren halten diesen Begriff allerdings für unscharf und sprechen daher von „Lernen in informellen Kontexten“. Der Beitrag bezieht sich auf erste Ergebnisse eines empirischen Forschungsprojekts der Universit?t Dortmund und des Deutschen Jugendinstituts zu informellen Lernprozessen Jugendlicher in Settings des freiwilligen Engagements. Nach einer kurzen Darstellung des Forschungsdesigns werden, basierend auf einer ersten Analyse der in der Explorationsphase des Projektes geführten Interviews, die besonderen Strukturbedingungen der untersuchten Settings (Jugendverb?nde, Initiativen und Organisationen der politischen Interessenvertretung) sowie die Lernchancen in diesen Kontexten beschrieben. Im abschlie?enden Teil des Beitrags werden erste Ergebnisse zu den Wirkungen und Ergebnissen des Lernens durch Verantwortungsübernahme im freiwilligen Engagement vorgestellt. Bereits in der Explorationsphase konnten eine Reihe unterschiedlichster, im Engagement entwickelter Kompetenzen identifiziert werden. Neben der M?glichkeit personale, soziale, fachliche und organisatorische Kompetenzen zu erwerben oder zu erweitern, scheint eine freiwillige Verantwortungsübernahme vielf?ltige Chancen der Pers?nlichkeitsentwicklung, der biografischen Orientierung, der Sinnstiftung sowie der Teilhabe an der Erwachsenenwelt zu er?ffnen.