Student ability in identifying reasons for different points of view: A learning activity conducted with a group of Japanese High School Students

Problem solving as a skill is emphasized within the revised Japanese Course of Study for schools. This experimental study, conducted among Japanese high school students, evaluates an effort to develop student ability to identify reasons fordifferent points of view, not just personally favored views. First, the ability of all students was tested using a reading literacy question from the 2000 PISA test, which measures the reading skills of evaluation and reflection. The experimental group then participated in a developmental learning activity. After the activity, all students were retested using the same PISA question. Nothing conclusive was found regarding the general effectiveness of the lesson activity, but two insights were gained. It was found that student self-awareness of the importance of the learning task and interactive learning are important to consider.     

Relationship between shoulder roll and hand propulsion in the front crawl stroke

This study re-evaluated the magnitude of hand propulsion (HP) in the pull and push phases of the front crawl stroke and investigated the association between the angular velocity of shoulder roll (ω_SR) and hand propulsive lift (HP_L). ω_SR was computed in the plane normal to a forward direction for 16 skilled swimmers performing the front crawl stroke at a maximal sprinting pace. HP, hand propulsive drag (HP_D) and HP_L were determined by a dynamic pressure approach. HP and HP_D in the pull phase were greater than in the push phase (P < 0.05) while HP_L in the pull phase was similar to that in the push phase. Eleven swimmers out of the 16 swimmers had a significant within-swimmers correlation between ω_SR and HP_L in the push phase (P < 0.05). That is, HP_L increased in the push phase as the ω_SR of rolling back to the neutral position became faster. A swimmer should use more drag for hand propulsion in the pull phase and propulsion from drag and lift equally in the push phase. Based on the relationship between ω_SR and HP_L in the push phase, a possible stroke technique to enhance HP_L using ω_SR is discussed.     

Applying Video Hero Modelling and Praising to Transition-related Behaviours ‘Needing Development’ Exhibited by Students with Down Syndrome: A Preliminary Investigation

The present study examined the effectiveness of video hero modelling and praising (VHMP), which has been proved as effective in behaviour change for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), in improving the transition-related behaviours of two elementary-aged students with Down Syndrome (DS). Each participant watched a video in which she exhibited appropriate transition-related behaviours side by side with her hero in the setting where the target behaviours were expected to occur. In addition, the hero praised the student for exhibiting the target behaviours in the video. A multiple-baseline-across-settings design was utilised for one student and an AB design for the other to determine if VHMP contributed to their behaviour change. Results showed that their transition-related behaviours dramatically improved immediately after VHMP was introduced. These findings imply that VHMP can be applied to behaviour change not only for students with ASD but also for those with DS.     

Revisiting primary school dropout in rural Cambodia

Previous studies on school dropout in Cambodia often used data from subjects after they already dropped out or statistics from education-related institutions. Using data from children in two rural provinces before they dropped out, this study examines four main factors in order to identify their influence on primary school dropout in Cambodia. Results from logistic regression analysis revealed that some predictors on individual, family, and school factors were found to be statistically significant to predict the odds of dropout in both grades 1 and 5, whereas poverty and child labor could not be detected, though they have been frequently cited as major predictors in the literature of school dropout in Cambodia as well as developing countries.     

Popular social media as a tool for enhancing community-based end-of-life care education for healthcare professionals: a formative study

The purpose of this study is twofold: to assess the acceptance and usefulness of Nagoya University Small Private Online Courses, which is an online end-of-life care educational program through popular social media designed to supplement traditional end-of-life care education among healthcare professionals and to get constructive feedback with the aim of enhancing the impact of the program on fundamental knowledge of and attitudes toward end-of-life care provision. All 107 participants nationwide enrolled in this educational program completed the entire study. We found evidence of the beneficial effect of the social media strategies on participants’ knowledge and practice toward end-of-life care. In addition, data analyses provided insights into modifiable factors associated with learners’ active participation.     

Effects of Video Self-modelling Interventions on Reducing Task Avoidance Behaviours of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

This study investigated the effects of video self-modelling (VSM) on reducing task avoidance behaviours of four elementary-aged students with autism spectrum disorders. A multiple-probe design across participants showed that the performance of two of the four participants was positively changed immediately after the VSM interventions were implemented. The performance of one participant did not change positively until the original VSM was modified. The performance of another participant was not improved even after the modified VSM was implemented. In addition, improved attentiveness to the video did not necessarily lead to positive effects of the VSM interventions.     

Using a Hero as a Model in Video Instruction to Improve the Daily Living Skills of an Elementary-aged Student with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study

The present pilot study investigated the impact of video hero modelling (VHM) on the daily living skills of an elementary-aged student with autism spectrum disorder. The VHM, in which a character much admired by the student exhibited a correct response, was shown to the participant immediately before the situation where he needed to exhibit the target behaviours. Results of a multiple-probe design across three behaviours showed that each of the three target behaviours improved only when the VHM was introduced. In addition, the participant and his teachers demonstrated positive attitudes toward the use of VHM. However, the teachers hesitated to develop the VHM by themselves due to the perceived complexity of the development process and time constraints.     

Dynamics of community participation,student achievement and school management: the case of primary schools in a rural area of Malawi

School management in many sub-Saharan African countries has been enhanced through community participation in an attempt to improve education quality. This study uses field research in a rural district of Malawi to assess how community and parent participation differs between schools, the intentions of communities and parents when carrying out activities in schools, and the mechanism promoting active participation in schools. In high-achieving schools, but not in low-achieving schools, communities and parents were actively involved in events aimed at improving student achievement. Communities and parents considered most highly prioritised activities that directly influenced student achievement, including hiring volunteer teachers, arranging extra classes and holding mock examinations. Community participation did not directly improve student achievement. Instead, when communities and parents actively participated in a school, school management improved, ensuring better student achievement. The implications of this finding are discussed in relation to community participation.     

亚太地区可持续发展以及“面临前沿问题的国家”——日本的角色

日本是世界第二经济大国,目前它也是"面临着各种各样前沿问题的国家".如果日本能成为解决前沿问题的国家,那就会使日本获得新的竞争力源泉,同时也能给人类的持续性发展做出贡献.为解决可持续发展问题,作为大学责任重大.但是目前的学术体系被划分得过于细致,不易协调.为此东京大学目前正在积极实施"知识构造化"计划,把细分化的知识研究再集结到一起.     

基于条纹边界约束的基本矩阵快速估算

为了提高计算机视觉领域中核心问题之一的基础矩阵估算的效率,基于条纹边界编码约束实现了一种快速估算方法．与传统的基于代数最小二乘法算法不同,该算法利用Hough变换将Hough半径作为最优化过程的最小化因子．在特定条纹边界编码的结构光投影系统模型下,利用条纹编码的共面性构造线性约束,采用Hough变换将同码像素映射到Hough空间,其交点的半径可作为最优化评价函数的最小化因子．再通过Levenberg—Marquardt最优化迭代过程估算出基本矩阵的全局最优解．实验结果表明了该算法的正确性,并证明了其可有效提高估算精度与效率．