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Sample records for learn specific skills

  1. Extracurricular Activities and the Development of Social Skills in Children with Intellectual and Specific Learning Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks, B. A.; Floyd, F.; Robins, D. L.; Chan, W. Y.

    2015-01-01

    Background: Children with intellectual disability and specific learning disabilities often lack age-appropriate social skills, which disrupts their social functioning. Because of the limited effectiveness of classroom mainstreaming and social skills training for these children, it is important to explore alternative opportunities for social skill…

  2. Extracurricular activities and the development of social skills in children with intellectual and specific learning disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks, B A; Floyd, F; Robins, D L; Chan, W Y

    2015-07-01

    Children with intellectual disability and specific learning disabilities often lack age-appropriate social skills, which disrupts their social functioning. Because of the limited effectiveness of classroom mainstreaming and social skills training for these children, it is important to explore alternative opportunities for social skill acquisition. Participation in social activities is positively related to children's social adjustment, but little is known about the benefits of activity participation for children with intellectual and specific learning disabilities. This study investigated the association between frequency and type of social activity participation and the social competence of 8-11-year-old children with intellectual disability (n = 40) and specific learning disabilities (n = 53), in comparison with typically developing peers (n = 24). More time involved in unstructured activities, but not structured activities, was associated with higher levels of social competence for all children. This association was strongest for children with intellectual disability, suggesting that participation in unstructured social activities was most beneficial for these children. Future research on the quality of involvement is necessary to further understand specific aspects of unstructured activities that might facilitate social development. © 2014 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. Region and task-specific activation of Arc in primary motor cortex of rats following motor skill learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hosp, J A; Mann, S; Wegenast-Braun, B M; Calhoun, M E; Luft, A R

    2013-10-10

    Motor learning requires protein synthesis within the primary motor cortex (M1). Here, we show that the immediate early gene Arc/Arg3.1 is specifically induced in M1 by learning a motor skill. Arc mRNA was quantified using a fluorescent in situ hybridization assay in adult Long-Evans rats learning a skilled reaching task (SRT), in rats performing reaching-like forelimb movement without learning (ACT) and in rats that were trained in the operant but not the motor elements of the task (controls). Apart from M1, Arc expression was assessed within the rostral motor area (RMA), primary somatosensory cortex (S1), striatum (ST) and cerebellum. In SRT animals, Arc mRNA levels in M1 contralateral to the trained limb were 31% higher than ipsilateral (pmotor skill learning in rats. Copyright © 2013 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Learning tactile skills through curious exploration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leo ePape

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available We present curiosity-driven, autonomous acquisition of tactile exploratory skills on a biomimetic robot finger equipped with an array of microelectromechanical touch sensors. Instead of building tailored algorithms for solving a specific tactile task, we employ a more general curiosity-driven reinforcement learning approach that autonomously learns a set of motor skills in absence of an explicit teacher signal. In this approach, the acquisition of skills is driven by the information content of the sensory input signals relative to a learner that aims at representing sensory inputs using fewer and fewer computational resources. We show that, from initially random exploration of its environment, the robotic system autonomously develops a small set of basic motor skills that lead to different kinds of tactile input. Next, the system learns how to exploit the learned motor skills to solve supervised texture classification tasks. Our approach demonstrates the feasibility of autonomous acquisition of tactile skills on physical robotic platforms through curiosity-driven reinforcement learning, overcomes typical difficulties of engineered solutions for active tactile exploration and underactuated control, and provides a basis for studying developmental learning through intrinsic motivation in robots.

  5. Peer-assisted learning model enhances clinical clerk's procedural skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Chia-Chang; Hsu, Hui-Chi; Yang, Ling-Yu; Chen, Chen-Huan; Yang, Ying-Ying; Chang, Ching-Chih; Chuang, Chiao-Lin; Lee, Wei-Shin; Lee, Fa-Yauh; Hwang, Shinn-Jang

    2018-05-17

    Failure to transfer procedural skills learned in a laboratory to the bedside is commonly due to a lack of peer support/stimulation. A digital platform (Facebook) allows new clinical clerks to share experiences and tips that help augment their procedural skills in a peer-assisted learning/teaching method. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of the innovation of using the digital platform to support the transfer of laboratory-trained procedural skills in the clinical units. Volunteer clinical clerks (n = 44) were enrolled into the peer-assisted learning (PAL) group, which was characterized by the peer-assisted learning of procedural skills during their final 3-month clinical clerkship block. Other clerks (n = 51) did not join the procedural skills-specific Facebook group and served as the self-directed learning regular group. The participants in both the PAL and regular groups completed pre- and post-intervention self-assessments for general self-assessed efficiency ratings (GSER) and skills specific self-assessed efficiency ratings (SSSER) for performing vein puncture, intravenous (IV) catheter and nasogastric (NG) tube insertion. Finally, all clerks received the post-intervention 3-station Objective Structured Clinical Skills Examination (OSCE) to test their proficiency for the abovementioned three procedural skills. Higher cumulative numbers of vein punctures, IV catheter insertions and NG tube insertions at the bedside were carried out by the PAL group than the regular group. A greater improvement in GSERs and SSSERs for medical procedures was found in the PAL group than in the regular group. The PAL group obtained higher procedural skills scores in the post-intervention OSCEs than the regular group. Our study suggested that the implementation of a procedural skill-specific digital platform effectively helps clerks to transfer laboratory-trained procedural skills into the clinical units. In comparison with the regular self-directed learning

  6. Designing on-demand education for simultaneous development of domain-specific and self-directed learning skills

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Taminiau, E.M.C.; Kester, L.; Corbalan Perez, G.; Spector, J.M.; Kirschner, P.A.; Merriënboer, J.J.G. van

    2015-01-01

    On-demand education enables individual learners to choose their learning pathways according to their own learning needs. They must use self-directed learning (SDL) skills involving self-assessment and task selection to determine appropriate pathways for learning. Learners who lack these skills must

  7. Designing on-demand education for simultaneous development of domain-specific and self-directed learning skills

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Taminiau, Bettine; Kester, Liesbeth; Corbalan, Gemma; Spector, J. Michael; Kirschner, Paul A.; Van Merriënboer, Jeroen

    2016-01-01

    On-demand education enables individual learners to choose their learning pathways according to their own learning needs. They must use self-directed learning (SDL) skills involving self-assessment and task selection to determine appropriate pathways for learning. Learners who lack these skills must

  8. Incremental learning of skill collections based on intrinsic motivation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Metzen, Jan H.; Kirchner, Frank

    2013-01-01

    Life-long learning of reusable, versatile skills is a key prerequisite for embodied agents that act in a complex, dynamic environment and are faced with different tasks over their lifetime. We address the question of how an agent can learn useful skills efficiently during a developmental period, i.e., when no task is imposed on him and no external reward signal is provided. Learning of skills in a developmental period needs to be incremental and self-motivated. We propose a new incremental, task-independent skill discovery approach that is suited for continuous domains. Furthermore, the agent learns specific skills based on intrinsic motivation mechanisms that determine on which skills learning is focused at a given point in time. We evaluate the approach in a reinforcement learning setup in two continuous domains with complex dynamics. We show that an intrinsically motivated, skill learning agent outperforms an agent which learns task solutions from scratch. Furthermore, we compare different intrinsic motivation mechanisms and how efficiently they make use of the agent's developmental period. PMID:23898265

  9. Neural modularity helps organisms evolve to learn new skills without forgetting old skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellefsen, Kai Olav; Mouret, Jean-Baptiste; Clune, Jeff

    2015-04-01

    A long-standing goal in artificial intelligence is creating agents that can learn a variety of different skills for different problems. In the artificial intelligence subfield of neural networks, a barrier to that goal is that when agents learn a new skill they typically do so by losing previously acquired skills, a problem called catastrophic forgetting. That occurs because, to learn the new task, neural learning algorithms change connections that encode previously acquired skills. How networks are organized critically affects their learning dynamics. In this paper, we test whether catastrophic forgetting can be reduced by evolving modular neural networks. Modularity intuitively should reduce learning interference between tasks by separating functionality into physically distinct modules in which learning can be selectively turned on or off. Modularity can further improve learning by having a reinforcement learning module separate from sensory processing modules, allowing learning to happen only in response to a positive or negative reward. In this paper, learning takes place via neuromodulation, which allows agents to selectively change the rate of learning for each neural connection based on environmental stimuli (e.g. to alter learning in specific locations based on the task at hand). To produce modularity, we evolve neural networks with a cost for neural connections. We show that this connection cost technique causes modularity, confirming a previous result, and that such sparsely connected, modular networks have higher overall performance because they learn new skills faster while retaining old skills more and because they have a separate reinforcement learning module. Our results suggest (1) that encouraging modularity in neural networks may help us overcome the long-standing barrier of networks that cannot learn new skills without forgetting old ones, and (2) that one benefit of the modularity ubiquitous in the brains of natural animals might be to

  10. Neural modularity helps organisms evolve to learn new skills without forgetting old skills.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kai Olav Ellefsen

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available A long-standing goal in artificial intelligence is creating agents that can learn a variety of different skills for different problems. In the artificial intelligence subfield of neural networks, a barrier to that goal is that when agents learn a new skill they typically do so by losing previously acquired skills, a problem called catastrophic forgetting. That occurs because, to learn the new task, neural learning algorithms change connections that encode previously acquired skills. How networks are organized critically affects their learning dynamics. In this paper, we test whether catastrophic forgetting can be reduced by evolving modular neural networks. Modularity intuitively should reduce learning interference between tasks by separating functionality into physically distinct modules in which learning can be selectively turned on or off. Modularity can further improve learning by having a reinforcement learning module separate from sensory processing modules, allowing learning to happen only in response to a positive or negative reward. In this paper, learning takes place via neuromodulation, which allows agents to selectively change the rate of learning for each neural connection based on environmental stimuli (e.g. to alter learning in specific locations based on the task at hand. To produce modularity, we evolve neural networks with a cost for neural connections. We show that this connection cost technique causes modularity, confirming a previous result, and that such sparsely connected, modular networks have higher overall performance because they learn new skills faster while retaining old skills more and because they have a separate reinforcement learning module. Our results suggest (1 that encouraging modularity in neural networks may help us overcome the long-standing barrier of networks that cannot learn new skills without forgetting old ones, and (2 that one benefit of the modularity ubiquitous in the brains of natural animals

  11. Neural Modularity Helps Organisms Evolve to Learn New Skills without Forgetting Old Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellefsen, Kai Olav; Mouret, Jean-Baptiste; Clune, Jeff

    2015-01-01

    A long-standing goal in artificial intelligence is creating agents that can learn a variety of different skills for different problems. In the artificial intelligence subfield of neural networks, a barrier to that goal is that when agents learn a new skill they typically do so by losing previously acquired skills, a problem called catastrophic forgetting. That occurs because, to learn the new task, neural learning algorithms change connections that encode previously acquired skills. How networks are organized critically affects their learning dynamics. In this paper, we test whether catastrophic forgetting can be reduced by evolving modular neural networks. Modularity intuitively should reduce learning interference between tasks by separating functionality into physically distinct modules in which learning can be selectively turned on or off. Modularity can further improve learning by having a reinforcement learning module separate from sensory processing modules, allowing learning to happen only in response to a positive or negative reward. In this paper, learning takes place via neuromodulation, which allows agents to selectively change the rate of learning for each neural connection based on environmental stimuli (e.g. to alter learning in specific locations based on the task at hand). To produce modularity, we evolve neural networks with a cost for neural connections. We show that this connection cost technique causes modularity, confirming a previous result, and that such sparsely connected, modular networks have higher overall performance because they learn new skills faster while retaining old skills more and because they have a separate reinforcement learning module. Our results suggest (1) that encouraging modularity in neural networks may help us overcome the long-standing barrier of networks that cannot learn new skills without forgetting old ones, and (2) that one benefit of the modularity ubiquitous in the brains of natural animals might be to

  12. English for Specific Purposes: Podcasts for Listening Skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Galina Kavaliauskienė

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available The most needed ability in everyday communication is skills of listening. Ability to follow a speaker in a foreign language and respond appropriately needs to be taught like all other language skills. A novel approach to perfecting listening skills has emerged due to audio publishing online. It is known as “podcasting” and has become very popular because it offers language learners extra listening practice both inside and outside the classroom. Moreover, podcasting as online communication technology is a new way to inspire learning: it provides an exciting way for students and educators to explore and discover educational content. However, the applicability of podcasting to teaching English needs researching.This paper addresses research into learners’ perceptions of online listening to podcasts, self-evaluation of one’s performance in individual listening practice and reflections on practical ways of improving skills of listening and developing listening competence. Some implications of research are suggested including a blended learning, i.e. combination of multiple approaches to learning by harmonizing online listening with classroom audition activities in teaching / learning English for Specific Purposes.

  13. Comparison of Loneliness and Social Skill Levels of Children with Specific Learning Disabilities in Terms of Participation in Sports

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Atike Yılmaz

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available This study was conducted in order to compare loneliness and social skill levels of children with specific learning disabilities in terms of participation in sports. For this study, a screening model was used. The study group was composed of 56 children who were aged between 7 and 14 years and diagnosed with a specific learning disability (30 boys and 26 girls. “Personal Information Form”, “Children’s Loneliness Scale”, “Matson Evaluation of Social Skills with Youngsters (MESSY” were used in this study. For the data processes and data analyses, SPSS 22 was used. According to the test of normality, non-parametric tests were employed for those data that did not follow a normal distribution and the correlations among variables were tested with correlation analysis at p < 0.05 while differences among variables were tested with Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests at p < 0.05. According to the findings obtained in this study, there were no significant differences in terms of sex, the number of family members and the number of brothers and sisters while there were significant correlations in terms of age, sports status, MESSY-subscales and loneliness. In sum, it may be concluded that sports played a positive role in social skill and loneliness levels among children with specific learning disabilities.

  14. Framework for robot skill learning using reinforcement learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Yingzi; Zhao, Mingyang

    2003-09-01

    Robot acquiring skill is a process similar to human skill learning. Reinforcement learning (RL) is an on-line actor critic method for a robot to develop its skill. The reinforcement function has become the critical component for its effect of evaluating the action and guiding the learning process. We present an augmented reward function that provides a new way for RL controller to incorporate prior knowledge and experience into the RL controller. Also, the difference form of augmented reward function is considered carefully. The additional reward beyond conventional reward will provide more heuristic information for RL. In this paper, we present a strategy for the task of complex skill learning. Automatic robot shaping policy is to dissolve the complex skill into a hierarchical learning process. The new form of value function is introduced to attain smooth motion switching swiftly. We present a formal, but practical, framework for robot skill learning and also illustrate with an example the utility of method for learning skilled robot control on line.

  15. Supporting learning skills in visual art classes: The benefits of teacher awareness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Helen Arov

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available This study focused on middle school art teachers supporting the development of students learning skills, specifically their awareness of the framework of learning skills. It also looked at the relations between the teaching practices teachers use for supporting learning skills and students' learning motivation in art classes. The study combined qualitative and quantitative research methods. The class observations and interviews were conducted with ten Estonian middle school art teachers. One hundred and forty-eight students from the observed classes filled out the learning motivation questionnaire about their interest and achievement goals in visual arts. The study draws attention to the importance of teachers being aware of and valuing learning skills alongside subject specific knowledge, as it could enhance students autonomous motivation and support adaptive goal setting.

  16. Incorporation of peer learning in first MBBS curriculum to enhance metacognition skills

    OpenAIRE

    Manas Kanti Ray; Suranjana Ray

    2012-01-01

    Peer learning can be incorporated in the first MBBS curriculum along with didactic lectures and tutorials. Peer learning is when a student learns from another student who has been trained to explain the topic and discuss it. Peer learning improves domain-specific inquiry skills, supports self-directed learning, and improves metacognition skills. Metacognition is the ability to plan, reason, judge and regulate ways to approach learning a skill or concept. In the midst of curriculum reforms tha...

  17. Clinical skills-related learning goals of senior medical students after performance feedback.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Anna; Chou, Calvin L; Teherani, Arianne; Hauer, Karen E

    2011-09-01

    Lifelong learning is essential for doctors to maintain competence in clinical skills. With performance feedback, learners should be able to formulate specific and achievable learning goals in areas of need. We aimed to determine: (i) the type and specificity of medical student learning goals after a required clinical performance examination; (ii) differences in goal setting among low, average and high performers, and (iii) whether low performers articulate learning goals that are concordant with their learning needs. We conducted a single-site, multi-year, descriptive comparison study. Senior medical students were given performance benchmarks, individual feedback and guidelines on learning goals; each student was subsequently instructed to write two clinical skills learning goals. Investigators coded the learning goals for specificity, categorised the goals, and performed statistical analyses to determine their concordance with student performance level (low, average or high) in data gathering (history taking and physical examination) or communication skills. All 208 students each wrote two learning goals and most (n=200, 96%) wrote two specific learning goals. Nearly two-thirds of low performers in data gathering wrote at least one learning goal that referred to history taking or physical examination; one-third wrote learning goals pertaining to the organisation of the encounter. High performers in data gathering wrote significantly more patient education goals and significantly fewer history-taking goals than average or low performers. Only 50% of low performers in communication wrote learning goals related to communication skills. Low performers in communication were significantly more likely than average or high performers to identify learning goals related to improving performance in future examinations. The provision of performance benchmarking, individual feedback and brief written guidelines helped most senior medical students in our study to write specific

  18. Training self-assessment and task-selection skills to foster self-regulated learning: Do trained skills transfer across domains?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raaijmakers, Steven F; Baars, Martine; Paas, Fred; van Merriënboer, Jeroen J G; van Gog, Tamara

    2018-01-01

    Students' ability to accurately self-assess their performance and select a suitable subsequent learning task in response is imperative for effective self-regulated learning. Video modeling examples have proven effective for training self-assessment and task-selection skills, and-importantly-such training fostered self-regulated learning outcomes. It is unclear, however, whether trained skills would transfer across domains. We investigated whether skills acquired from training with either a specific, algorithmic task-selection rule or a more general heuristic task-selection rule in biology would transfer to self-regulated learning in math. A manipulation check performed after the training confirmed that both algorithmic and heuristic training improved task-selection skills on the biology problems compared with the control condition. However, we found no evidence that students subsequently applied the acquired skills during self-regulated learning in math. Future research should investigate how to support transfer of task-selection skills across domains.

  19. The relationship between gross motor skills and academic achievement in children with learning disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Westendorp, Marieke; Hartman, Esther; Houwen, Suzanne; Smith, Joanne; Visscher, Chris

    2011-01-01

    The present study compared the gross motor skills of 7- to 12-year-old children with learning disabilities (n = 104) with those of age-matched typically developing children (n = 104) using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2. Additionally, the specific relationships between subsets of gross motor skills and academic performance in reading, spelling, and mathematics were examined in children with learning disabilities. As expected, the children with learning disabilities scored poorer on both the locomotor and object-control subtests than their typically developing peers. Furthermore, in children with learning disabilities a specific relationship was observed between reading and locomotor skills and a trend was found for a relationship between mathematics and object-control skills: the larger children's learning lag, the poorer their motor skill scores. This study stresses the importance of specific interventions facilitating both motor and academic abilities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Motor Skill Learning in Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gabbard, Carl P.

    The purpose of this article is to briefly describe schema theory and indicate its relevance to early childhood development, with specific reference to children's acquisition of motor skills. Schema theory proposes an explanation of how individuals learn and perform a seemingly endless variety of movements. According to Schmidt (1975), goal…

  1. Effects of longitudinal small-group learning on delivery and receipt of communication skills feedback.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chou, Calvin L; Masters, Dylan E; Chang, Anna; Kruidering, Marieke; Hauer, Karen E

    2013-11-01

    Although feedback is a critical component of learning, recent data suggest that learners may discount feedback they receive. The emotional threat inherent in feedback can contribute to its ineffectiveness, particularly for sensitive topics like communication skills. Longitudinal relationships among peers may increase their sense of safety and soften the perceived threat of feedback to allow students to give, receive and potentially more effectively incorporate feedback. We studied the effects of prior shared learning experiences among medical students in the delivery and receipt of feedback on clinical (communication) skills. During a formative clinical skills examination, we divided Year 3 students at a US medical school into two subgroups comprising, respectively, small-group classmates from a 2-year longitudinal pre-clerkship clinical skills course (with prior peer-learning relationships), and peers with no prior shared small-group coursework. Students in both subgroups observed peers in a simulated clinical case and then provided feedback, which was videotaped, transcribed and coded. Feedback recipients also completed a survey on their perceptions of the feedback. Students valued the feedback they received and intended to enact it, regardless of whether they had prior peer-learning relationships. Coding of feedback revealed high specificity. Feedback providers who had prior peer-learning relationships with recipients provided more specific corrective feedback on communication skills than those with no such relationships (p = 0.014); there was no significant difference between subgroups in the provision of reinforcing feedback on communication skills. Year 3 medical student peers can deliver specific feedback on clinical skills; prior peer-learning relationships in pre-clerkship clinical skills courses enrich the provision of specific corrective feedback about communication skills. Feedback between peers with pre-existing peer-learning relationships represents

  2. Development of Learning to Learn Skills in Primary School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vainikainen, Mari-Pauliina; Wüstenberg, Sascha; Kupiainen, Sirkku; Hotulainen, Risto; Hautamäki, Jarkko

    2015-01-01

    In Finland, schools' effectiveness in fostering the development of transversal skills is evaluated through large-scale learning to learn (LTL) assessments. This article presents how LTL skills--general cognitive competences and learning-related motivational beliefs--develop during primary school and how they predict pupils' CPS skills at the end…

  3. Interacting Learning Processes during Skill Acquisition: Learning to control with gradually changing system dynamics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ludolph, Nicolas; Giese, Martin A; Ilg, Winfried

    2017-10-16

    There is increasing evidence that sensorimotor learning under real-life conditions relies on a composition of several learning processes. Nevertheless, most studies examine learning behaviour in relation to one specific learning mechanism. In this study, we examined the interaction between reward-based skill acquisition and motor adaptation to changes of object dynamics. Thirty healthy subjects, split into two groups, acquired the skill of balancing a pole on a cart in virtual reality. In one group, we gradually increased the gravity, making the task easier in the beginning and more difficult towards the end. In the second group, subjects had to acquire the skill on the maximum, most difficult gravity level. We hypothesized that the gradual increase in gravity during skill acquisition supports learning despite the necessary adjustments to changes in cart-pole dynamics. We found that the gradual group benefits from the slow increment, although overall improvement was interrupted by the changes in gravity and resulting system dynamics, which caused short-term degradations in performance and timing of actions. In conclusion, our results deliver evidence for an interaction of reward-based skill acquisition and motor adaptation processes, which indicates the importance of both processes for the development of optimized skill acquisition schedules.

  4. Motor Skill Learning and Corticospinal Excitability

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christiansen, Lasse

    Background Motor skill learning (MSL) is the persistent increase in performance of a skill obtained through practice. This process is associated with changes throughout the central nervous system. One of these is a change in corticospinal excitability (CSE) assessable with Transcranial Magnetic...... a novel visuomotor skill. I hypothesized that changes in CSE accompanying long-term motor practice relate to the process of learning rather than repetitive practice on an acquired skill and investigated this by incrementally increasing task difficulty and thus postponing saturation of learning....... Furthermore, we aimed to investigate the feasibility of applying paired associative stimulation to the investigation of learning-dependent motor cortical plasticity by comparing the transient increase in CSE accompanying motor skill learning to the associative plasticity induced by pairing electrical motor...

  5. Skill learning and the evolution of social learning mechanisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Post, Daniel J; Franz, Mathias; Laland, Kevin N

    2016-08-24

    Social learning is potentially advantageous, but evolutionary theory predicts that (i) its benefits may be self-limiting because social learning can lead to information parasitism, and (ii) these limitations can be mitigated via forms of selective copying. However, these findings arise from a functional approach in which learning mechanisms are not specified, and which assumes that social learning avoids the costs of asocial learning but does not produce information about the environment. Whether these findings generalize to all kinds of social learning remains to be established. Using a detailed multi-scale evolutionary model, we investigate the payoffs and information production processes of specific social learning mechanisms (including local enhancement, stimulus enhancement and observational learning) and their evolutionary consequences in the context of skill learning in foraging groups. We find that local enhancement does not benefit foraging success, but could evolve as a side-effect of grouping. In contrast, stimulus enhancement and observational learning can be beneficial across a wide range of environmental conditions because they generate opportunities for new learning outcomes. In contrast to much existing theory, we find that the functional outcomes of social learning are mechanism specific. Social learning nearly always produces information about the environment, and does not always avoid the costs of asocial learning or support information parasitism. Our study supports work emphasizing the value of incorporating mechanistic detail in functional analyses.

  6. The Gain-Loss Model: A Probabilistic Skill Multimap Model for Assessing Learning Processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robusto, Egidio; Stefanutti, Luca; Anselmi, Pasquale

    2010-01-01

    Within the theoretical framework of knowledge space theory, a probabilistic skill multimap model for assessing learning processes is proposed. The learning process of a student is modeled as a function of the student's knowledge and of an educational intervention on the attainment of specific skills required to solve problems in a knowledge…

  7. One-year retention of general and sequence-specific skills in a probabilistic, serial reaction time task.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romano, Jennifer C; Howard, James H; Howard, Darlene V

    2010-05-01

    Procedural skills such as riding a bicycle and playing a musical instrument play a central role in daily life. Such skills are learned gradually and are retained throughout life. The present study investigated 1-year retention of procedural skill in a version of the widely used serial reaction time task (SRTT) in young and older motor-skill experts and older controls in two experiments. The young experts were college-age piano and action video-game players, and the older experts were piano players. Previous studies have reported sequence-specific skill retention in the SRTT as long as 2 weeks but not at 1 year. Results indicated that both young and older experts and older non-experts revealed sequence-specific skill retention after 1 year with some evidence that general motor skill was retained as well. These findings are consistent with theoretical accounts of procedural skill learning such as the procedural reinstatement theory as well as with previous studies of retention of other motor skills.

  8. Social Emotional Learning Skills and Educational Stress

    Science.gov (United States)

    Çelik, Ismail

    2013-01-01

    The basic aim of this research is to examine the predicting role of social emotional learning skills in educational stress. The participants were 238 adolescents at high school. In this study, the Social Emotional Learning Skills Scale and the Educational Stress Scale were used. The relationships between social emotional learning skills and…

  9. Parallel, but Dissociable, Processing in Discrete Corticostriatal Inputs Encodes Skill Learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kupferschmidt, David A; Juczewski, Konrad; Cui, Guohong; Johnson, Kari A; Lovinger, David M

    2017-10-11

    Changes in cortical and striatal function underlie the transition from novel actions to refined motor skills. How discrete, anatomically defined corticostriatal projections function in vivo to encode skill learning remains unclear. Using novel fiber photometry approaches to assess real-time activity of associative inputs from medial prefrontal cortex to dorsomedial striatum and sensorimotor inputs from motor cortex to dorsolateral striatum, we show that associative and sensorimotor inputs co-engage early in action learning and disengage in a dissociable manner as actions are refined. Disengagement of associative, but not sensorimotor, inputs predicts individual differences in subsequent skill learning. Divergent somatic and presynaptic engagement in both projections during early action learning suggests potential learning-related in vivo modulation of presynaptic corticostriatal function. These findings reveal parallel processing within associative and sensorimotor circuits that challenges and refines existing views of corticostriatal function and expose neuronal projection- and compartment-specific activity dynamics that encode and predict action learning. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  10. Measurement of Employability Skills on Teaching Factory Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subekti, S.; Ana, A.

    2018-02-01

    Vocational High Schools as one of the educational institutions that has the responsibility in preparing skilled labors has a challenge to improve the quality of human resources as a candidate for skilled labors, to compete and survive in a changing climate of work. BPS noted an increase in the number of non-worker population (BAK) in 2015-2017 on vocational graduates as many as 564,272 people. The ability to adapt and maintain jobs in a variety of conditions is called employability skills. This study purpose to measure the development of employability skills of communication skills, problem-solving skills and teamwork skills on the implementation of teaching factory learning in SMK Negeri 1 Cibadak, THPH Skills Program on bakery competency. This research uses mixed method, with concurrent triangulation mix methods research design. Data collection techniques used interviews and questionnaires. The result shows that there are increasing students’ employability skills in communication skills, problem solving skills, and teamwork skills in teaching factory learning. Principles of learning that apply learning by doing student centering and learning arrangements such as situations and conditions in the workplace have an impact on improving student employability skills.

  11. Interference in ballistic motor learning: specificity and role of sensory error signals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lundbye-Jensen, Jesper; Petersen, Tue Hvass; Rothwell, John C

    2011-01-01

    Humans are capable of learning numerous motor skills, but newly acquired skills may be abolished by subsequent learning. Here we ask what factors determine whether interference occurs in motor learning. We speculated that interference requires competing processes of synaptic plasticity in overlap......Humans are capable of learning numerous motor skills, but newly acquired skills may be abolished by subsequent learning. Here we ask what factors determine whether interference occurs in motor learning. We speculated that interference requires competing processes of synaptic plasticity...... in overlapping circuits and predicted specificity. To test this, subjects learned a ballistic motor task. Interference was observed following subsequent learning of an accuracy-tracking task, but only if the competing task involved the same muscles and movement direction. Interference was not observed from a non......-learning task suggesting that interference requires competing learning. Subsequent learning of the competing task 4 h after initial learning did not cause interference suggesting disruption of early motor memory consolidation as one possible mechanism underlying interference. Repeated transcranial magnetic...

  12. The Influence of Guided Error-Based Learning on Motor Skills Self-Efficacy and Achievement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chien, Kuei-Pin; Chen, Sufen

    2018-01-01

    The authors investigated the role of errors in motor skills teaching, specifically the influence of errors on skills self-efficacy and achievement. The participants were 75 undergraduate students enrolled in pétanque courses. The experimental group (guided error-based learning, n = 37) received a 6-week period of instruction based on the students' errors, whereas the control group (correct motion instruction, n = 38) received a 6-week period of instruction emphasizing correct motor skills. The experimental group had significantly higher scores in motor skills self-efficacy and outcomes than did the control group. Novices' errors reflect their schema in motor skills learning, which provides a basis for instructors to implement student-centered instruction and to facilitate the learning process. Guided error-based learning can effectively enhance beginners' skills self-efficacy and achievement in precision sports such as pétanque.

  13. Source of learning basic clinical skills by medical interns Tehran University of Medical Sciences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meshkani Z

    2004-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: Effective clinical teaching is a major objective in general practitioner’s education at medical schools. Purpose: To identify the sources of clinical skills learning that medical student experience Methods: In this cross sectional study, interns of Tehran medical university who spent at least 12 months of their internship answered a questionnaire on the sources of clinical skills training. Chi2 test was used to examine the association of source of learning and students,’ specification such as sex, score of pre –internship exam, and marital status. Results: All 250 interns who were eligible participated. Over all 46.60% interns learned their clinical skills from residents or clinical teachers, 29.61% observed others performing the procedures, 16.25 learned the skills from hospital staff or nurses, 7.54% practiced their knowledge when confronted to an emergency situation Conclusion: Our results warrant a more attentive approach to clinical skills (specially procedural skills training Key words: LEARNING RESOURCES

  14. COGNITIVE SKILLS: A Modest Way of Learning through Technology

    OpenAIRE

    Satya Sundar SETHY

    2012-01-01

    Learning is an ever-present phenomenon. It takes place irrespective of time and place. It engages learners in their interested topic/content. Learning absorbs many skills, such as; reading skills, writing skills, technological skills, emotional skills, behavioral skills, cognitive skills, and language skills. Out of all these, cognitive skills play significant role for apprehending a concept and comprehending a discussion. In the context of distance education (DE), learning never restrains to...

  15. Enhancing social skills through cooperative learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M J Booysen

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available The National Curriculum Statement of South Africa envisages qualified and competent teachers to deal with the diversity of learners and their needs in the classroom. One of the needs refers to all learners (Gr R-12 who need to acquire the necessary social skills to enable them to work effectively with others as members of a team, group, organization and community. These skills refer inter alia to: learning to work with others, listening to others, giving attention, asking clarifying questions, learning how to evaluate, and to praise others, handling conflict, reflecting on group work and allowing all group members to participate. The most obvious place to deal purposefully with the development of social skills is the classroom. This implies that alternative ways and methods of teaching must be introduced to develop the necessary social skills. This article reports on the findings obtained from a combined quantitative and qualitative study that set out to determine the levels of social competence achieved by a group of Grade 2 learners, and the possible association of a cooperative teaching and learning intervention programme for enhancing the social skills of these learners. The results revealed the latent potential of cooperative learning to enhance the social skills of Grade 2 learners. The significance of this research lies in the contribution it makes to establish the social competence of a group of Grade 2 learners and to determine the possibilities for enhancing their social skills through cooperative learning.

  16. Learning to be different: Acquired skills, social learning, frequency dependence, and environmental variation can cause behaviourally mediated foraging specializations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tinker, M.T.; Mangel, M.; Estes, J.A.

    2009-01-01

    ) Offspring can learn foraging skills from their mothers (matrilineal social learning). (6) Food abundance is limited, such that average individual energy reserves are low Additionally, the following factors increase the likelihood of alternative specializations co-occurring in a predator population: (1) The predator exerts effective top-down control of prey abundance, resulting in frequency-dependent dynamics. (2) There is stochastic Variation in prey population dynamics, but this Variation is neither too extreme in magnitude nor too 'slow' with respect to the time required for an individual forager to learn new foraging skills. For a given predator population, we deduce that the degree of specialization will be highest for those prey types requiring complex capture or handling skills, while prey species that are both profitable and easy to capture and handle will be included in the diet of all individuals. Frequency-dependent benefits of selecting alternative prey types, combined with the ability of foragers to improve their foraging skills by learning, and transmit learned skills to offspring, can result in behaviourally mediated foraging specialization, and also lead to the co-existence of alternative specializations. The extent of such specialization is predicted to be a variable trait, increasing in locations or years when intra-specific competition is high relative to inter-specific competition. ?? 2009 M. Tim Tinker.

  17. Leadership Skills Development Through Service Learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James A. Ejiwale

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available The engagement of students in service learning will help them acquire and improve on necessary leadership skills required of them upon graduation. This is essential to help prepare and put the graduates of STEM programs at the forefront of employment in the new industrial revolution. It is therefore important that STEM majors should participate in service learning so as to discharge their civic responsibility and to improve their leadership skills. This paper addresses the forms, assessment and the need for service learning in STEM programs and how it can help develop the leadership skills of  the participants.

  18. Aligning professional skills and active learning methods: an application for information and communications technology engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Llorens, Ariadna; Berbegal-Mirabent, Jasmina; Llinàs-Audet, Xavier

    2017-07-01

    Engineering education is facing new challenges to effectively provide the appropriate skills to future engineering professionals according to market demands. This study proposes a model based on active learning methods, which is expected to facilitate the acquisition of the professional skills most highly valued in the information and communications technology (ICT) market. The theoretical foundations of the study are based on the specific literature on active learning methodologies. The Delphi method is used to establish the fit between learning methods and generic skills required by the ICT sector. An innovative proposition is therefore presented that groups the required skills in relation to the teaching method that best develops them. The qualitative research suggests that a combination of project-based learning and the learning contract is sufficient to ensure a satisfactory skills level for this profile of engineers.

  19. The Enhancement of Communication Skill and Prediction Skill in Colloidal Concept by Problem Solving Learning

    OpenAIRE

    Anggraini, Agita Dzulhajh; Fadiawati, Noor; Diawati, Chansyanah

    2012-01-01

    Accuracy educators in selecting and implementing learning models influence students' science process skills. Models of learning that can be applied to improve science process skills and tend constructivist among athers learning model of problem solving. This research was conducted to describe the effectiveness of the learning model of problem solving in improving communication skills and prediction skills. Subjects in this research were students of high school YP Unila Bandar Lampung Even ...

  20. Mobile Learning: Using Application "Auralbook" to Learn Aural Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Chi Wai Jason

    2015-01-01

    This study is to investigate the effectiveness of using mobile devices such as iPhone/iPad/android phone/tablet to facilitate mobile learning in aural skills. The application "Auralbook" was designed in 2011 by an engineer/musician to use mobile devices to learn aural skills. This application enables students to sing, record, clap and…

  1. learning and soft skills

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Lauge Baungaard

    2000-01-01

    Learning of soft skills are becoming more and more necessary due to the complexe development of modern companies and their environments. However, there seems to be a 'gap' between intentions and reality regarding need of soft skills and the possiblities to be educated in this subject in particular...

  2. Revisiting the Personal Transferable Skills Debate - an eLearning Pedagogical Perspective

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gyamfi, Samuel Adu; Sørensen, Lene Tolstrup; Ryberg, Thomas

    2011-01-01

    where three broad approaches for developing PTS within the curriculum have been experimented with. To date, progress so far has been patchy. The paper is in two theoretical parts. The first part seeks to advance the theoretical framework of REALs as the better approach to teaching and learning in our......Personal Transferable Skills (PTS) are essential work skills which are not specific to any subject or profession, and which, though learned in one context may be successfully transferred to and applied in many other contexts. They are skills that enable people to acquire, structure, interpret...... universities. The second part of the paper argues that theoretically, communication theory (which draws on contemporary rhetorical theory) and social informatics theory provide important perspective for the application of eLearning based on REALs in the development of PTS for university graduates. The paper...

  3. Collaborative learning of clinical skills in health professions education

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tolsgaard, Martin G.; Kulasegaram, Kulamakan M.; Ringsted, Charlotte V

    2016-01-01

    Objectives: This study is designed to provide an overview of why, how, when and for whom collaborative learning of clinical skills may work in health professions education. Why: Collaborative learning of clinical skills may influence learning positively according to the non-medical literature...... suggests that learning is dependent on cognitive co-construction, shared knowledge and reduced cognitive load. When and for whom: The literature on the collaborative learning of clinical skills in health science education is reviewed to support or contradict the hypotheses provided by the theories outlined...... above. Collaborative learning of clinical skills leads to improvements in self-efficacy, confidence and performance when task processing is observable or communicable. However, the effects of collaborative learning of clinical skills may decrease over time as benefits in terms of shared cognition...

  4. Third year medical students perceptions towards learning communication skills: implications for medical education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loureiro, Elizabete; Severo, Milton; Bettencourt, Paulo; Ferreira, Maria Amélia

    2011-12-01

    To analyze students' perceptions towards learning communication skills pre-and-post training in a Communication and Clinical Skills Course (CCSC) at a Portuguese Medical School. Content analysis was used to describe and systematically analyze the content written by students (n=215 from a total of 229) in an open-ended survey. In addition, content analysis association rules were used to identify meaning units. Students' pre-training definitions of communication skills were not specific; their post-training definitions were more precise and elaborated. Students perceived communications skills in Medicine as important (61%), but recommended that teaching methodologies (52%) be restructured. There appeared to be no connection between criticism of teaching skills performance and perceptions of the other aspects of the course. Students' experiences at CCSC are associated with their perceptions of communications skills learning. Content analysis associations indicated that these perceptions are influenced by context. Improvement of curricula, teaching and assessment methods, and investment in faculty development are likely to foster positive perceptions towards learning communication skills in these students. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Motor skill learning, retention, and control deficits in Parkinson's disease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lisa Katharina Pendt

    Full Text Available Parkinson's disease, which affects the basal ganglia, is known to lead to various impairments of motor control. Since the basal ganglia have also been shown to be involved in learning processes, motor learning has frequently been investigated in this group of patients. However, results are still inconsistent, mainly due to skill levels and time scales of testing. To bridge across the time scale problem, the present study examined de novo skill learning over a long series of practice sessions that comprised early and late learning stages as well as retention. 19 non-demented, medicated, mild to moderate patients with Parkinson's disease and 19 healthy age and gender matched participants practiced a novel throwing task over five days in a virtual environment where timing of release was a critical element. Six patients and seven control participants came to an additional long-term retention testing after seven to nine months. Changes in task performance were analyzed by a method that differentiates between three components of motor learning prominent in different stages of learning: Tolerance, Noise and Covariation. In addition, kinematic analysis related the influence of skill levels as affected by the specific motor control deficits in Parkinson patients to the process of learning. As a result, patients showed similar learning in early and late stages compared to the control subjects. Differences occurred in short-term retention tests; patients' performance constantly decreased after breaks arising from poorer release timing. However, patients were able to overcome the initial timing problems within the course of each practice session and could further improve their throwing performance. Thus, results demonstrate the intact ability to learn a novel motor skill in non-demented, medicated patients with Parkinson's disease and indicate confounding effects of motor control deficits on retention performance.

  6. Motor cortex is required for learning but not executing a motor skill

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawai, Risa; Markman, Timothy; Poddar, Rajesh; Ko, Raymond; Fantana, Antoniu; Dhawale, Ashesh; Kampff, Adam R.; Ölveczky, Bence P.

    2018-01-01

    Motor cortex is widely believed to underlie the acquisition and execution of motor skills, yet its contributions to these processes are not fully understood. One reason is that studies on motor skills often conflate motor cortex’s established role in dexterous control with roles in learning and producing task-specific motor sequences. To dissociate these aspects, we developed a motor task for rats that trains spatiotemporally precise movement patterns without requirements for dexterity. Remarkably, motor cortex lesions had no discernible effect on the acquired skills, which were expressed in their distinct pre-lesion forms on the very first day of post-lesion training. Motor cortex lesions prior to training, however, rendered rats unable to acquire the stereotyped motor sequences required for the task. These results suggest a remarkable capacity of subcortical motor circuits to execute learned skills and a previously unappreciated role for motor cortex in ‘tutoring’ these circuits during learning. PMID:25892304

  7. Incremental Learning of Skill Collections based on Intrinsic Motivation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jan Hendrik Metzen

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Life-long learning of reusable, versatile skills is a key prerequisite forembodied agents that act in a complex, dynamic environment and are faced withdifferent tasks over their lifetime. We address the question of how an agentcan learn useful skills efficiently during a developmental period,i.e., when no task is imposed on him and no external reward signal is provided.Learning of skills in a developmental period needs to be incremental andself-motivated. We propose a new incremental, task-independent skill discoveryapproach that is suited for continuous domains. Furthermore, the agent learnsspecific skills based on intrinsic motivation mechanisms thatdetermine on which skills learning is focused at a given point in time. Weevaluate the approach in a reinforcement learning setup in two continuousdomains with complex dynamics. We show that an intrinsically motivated, skilllearning agent outperforms an agent which learns task solutions from scratch.Furthermore, we compare different intrinsic motivation mechanisms and howefficiently they make use of the agent's developmental period.

  8. Fostering the development of effective person-centered healthcare communication skills: an interprofessional shared learning model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cavanaugh, James T; Konrad, Shelley Cohen

    2012-01-01

    To describe the implementation of an interprofessional shared learning model designed to promote the development of person-centered healthcare communication skills. Master of social work (MSW) and doctor of physical therapy (DPT) degree students. The model used evidence-based principles of effective healthcare communication and shared learning methods; it was aligned with student learning outcomes contained in MSW and DPT curricula. Students engaged in 3 learning sessions over 2 days. Sessions involved interactive reflective learning, simulated role-modeling with peer assessment, and context-specific practice of communication skills. The perspective of patients/clients was included in each learning activity. Activities were evaluated through narrative feedback. Students valued opportunities to learn directly from each other and from healthcare consumers. Important insights and directions for future interprofessional learning experiences were gleaned from model implementation. The interprofessional shared learning model shows promise as an effective method for developing person-centered communication skills.

  9. Pre-registration dietetic students' attitudes to learning communication skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Power, B T; Lennie, S C

    2012-04-01

      Communication is a core skill and a prerequisite for dietitians' clinical competence. It is generally acknowledged that communication skills can be taught and learned. There is a paucity of published work identifying dietetic students' attitudes towards learning communication skills, and understanding this is important.   The present cross-sectional study aimed to address this issue using an adapted version of the Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS), which was designed to capture information concerning positive and negative attitudes to learning communication skills. An online questionnaire was sent to all undergraduate and post-graduate dietetic programmes in the UK.   Of the students' solicited for enrolment in the study, 33.4% (n = 300) completed the questionnaire. A one-way analysis of variance showed attitudes to learning communication skills differed significantly between years of study on both subscales of the CSAS. Subsequent analyses indicated that first-year students' attitudes to learning communication skills were significantly more positive than those of fourth-year students (P = 0.042). Third-year students had significantly more positive attitudes to learning communication skills than fourth-year students (P = 0.028). Negative attitudes were also linked to the year of study with fourth-year students having significantly more negative attitudes than third-year students (P = 0.046). Sex, practice placement experience and parental occupation did not significantly influence attitudes to learning communication skills.   These findings indicate that efforts are required to maintain positive attitudes to learning communication skills. Further longitudinal studies are recommended in this respect. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics © 2012 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

  10. "Mastery Learning" Como Metodo Psicoeducativo para Ninos con Problemas Especificos de Aprendizaje. ("Mastery Learning" as a Psychoeducational Method for Children with Specific Learning Problems.)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coya, Liliam de Barbosa; Perez-Coffie, Jorge

    1982-01-01

    "Mastery Learning" was compared with the "conventional" method of teaching reading skills to Puerto Rican children with specific learning disabilities. The "Mastery Learning" group showed significant gains in the cognitive and affective domains. Results suggested Mastery Learning is a more effective method of teaching…

  11. SPECIFIC SKILLS AND SOCIAL COMPETENCE IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    APPELO, MT; WOONINGS, FMJ; VANNIEUWENHUIZEN, CJ; EMMELKAMP, PMG; SLOOFF, CJ; LOUWERENS, JW

    Generalization of skills is a major problem in social skills training for schizophrenic patients. Assessment of skills is mostly not based on objective indices of specific skill deficits. The results of this study show that global competence of schizophrenics can be differentiated from specific

  12. Specific skills and social competence in schizophrenia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Appelo, M.T.; van Nieuwenhuizen, C.J.; Emmelkamp, P.M.G.; Slooff, C.J.; Louwerens, J.W.

    1992-01-01

    Generalization of skills is a major problem in social skills training for schizophrenic patients. Assessment of skills is mostly not based on objective indices of specific skill deficits. The results of this study show that global competence of schizophrenics can be differentiated from specific

  13. Peer-assisted learning and orthopaedic evaluation psychomotor skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weidner, Thomas G; Popp, Jennifer K

    2007-01-01

    Athletic training educators often anecdotally suggest that athletic training students enhance their learning by teaching their peers. However, peer-assisted learning (PAL) has not been examined within athletic training education to provide evidence for PAL's current use or for its use as a pedagogic tool. To assess the effectiveness of intentional, formal PAL on the performance of psychomotor skills and to identify students' perceptions of PAL. Randomized, pretest-posttest experimental design. Athletic Training Research and Education Laboratory. Fifty-one undergraduate students (27 athletic training majors, 24 nonmajors). Review sessions led by either an Approved Clinical Instructor or peer tutor. We assessed pretest and posttest performance scores (number of correct skills) and the amount of time to complete the psychomotor skills in 3 categories of orthopaedic evaluation of the hand and wrist for subjects assigned to either a peer tutor or an Approved Clinical Instructor review group. Using the Athletic Training Peer-Assisted Learning Assessment Survey, we evaluated the perceptions of students assigned to the peer-tutor group regarding the benefits of, and preferences for, PAL. Differences in the pretest-posttest skill scores were noted in both groups (P psychomotor skills with peer tutors than with the laboratory instructor, and many students (n = 12, 44.4%) felt more self-confident when practicing psychomotor skills with a peer tutor. Peer-assisted learning appears to be a valid method for improving athletic training psychomotor skills. Peers can be resources for practicing clinical skills and report benefiting from the collaboration. Peer-assisted learning should be deliberately integrated into athletic training education programs to enhance student learning and collaboration.

  14. Computer-enhanced visual learning method: a paradigm to teach and document surgical skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maizels, Max; Mickelson, Jennie; Yerkes, Elizabeth; Maizels, Evelyn; Stork, Rachel; Young, Christine; Corcoran, Julia; Holl, Jane; Kaplan, William E

    2009-09-01

    Changes in health care are stimulating residency training programs to develop new methods for teaching surgical skills. We developed Computer-Enhanced Visual Learning (CEVL) as an innovative Internet-based learning and assessment tool. The CEVL method uses the educational procedures of deliberate practice and performance to teach and learn surgery in a stylized manner. CEVL is a learning and assessment tool that can provide students and educators with quantitative feedback on learning a specific surgical procedure. Methods involved examine quantitative data of improvement in surgical skills. Herein, we qualitatively describe the method and show how program directors (PDs) may implement this technique in their residencies. CEVL allows an operation to be broken down into teachable components. The process relies on feedback and remediation to improve performance, with a focus on learning that is applicable to the next case being performed. CEVL has been shown to be effective for teaching pediatric orchiopexy and is being adapted to additional adult and pediatric procedures and to office examination skills. The CEVL method is available to other residency training programs.

  15. The Meaningful Learning of Intellectual Skills: An Application of Ausubel's Subsumption Theory to the Domain of Intellectual Skills Learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    West, Leo H. T.; Kellett, Natalie C.

    1981-01-01

    Tests the applicability of Ausubel's theory to the meaningful learning of intellectual skills. Results of three studies of high school students indicate that advance organizers enhance learning of skills related to solubility product problems. This effect was removed if prior teaching in relevant background knowledge was included. (Author/WB)

  16. Perceptual-motor skill learning in Gilles de la Tourette syndrome. Evidence for multiple procedural learning and memory systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marsh, Rachel; Alexander, Gerianne M; Packard, Mark G; Zhu, Hongtu; Peterson, Bradley S

    2005-01-01

    Procedural learning and memory systems likely comprise several skills that are differentially affected by various illnesses of the central nervous system, suggesting their relative functional independence and reliance on differing neural circuits. Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) is a movement disorder that involves disturbances in the structure and function of the striatum and related circuitry. Recent studies suggest that patients with GTS are impaired in performance of a probabilistic classification task that putatively involves the acquisition of stimulus-response (S-R)-based habits. Assessing the learning of perceptual-motor skills and probabilistic classification in the same samples of GTS and healthy control subjects may help to determine whether these various forms of procedural (habit) learning rely on the same or differing neuroanatomical substrates and whether those substrates are differentially affected in persons with GTS. Therefore, we assessed perceptual-motor skill learning using the pursuit-rotor and mirror tracing tasks in 50 patients with GTS and 55 control subjects who had previously been compared at learning a task of probabilistic classifications. The GTS subjects did not differ from the control subjects in performance of either the pursuit rotor or mirror-tracing tasks, although they were significantly impaired in the acquisition of a probabilistic classification task. In addition, learning on the perceptual-motor tasks was not correlated with habit learning on the classification task in either the GTS or healthy control subjects. These findings suggest that the differing forms of procedural learning are dissociable both functionally and neuroanatomically. The specific deficits in the probabilistic classification form of habit learning in persons with GTS are likely to be a consequence of disturbances in specific corticostriatal circuits, but not the same circuits that subserve the perceptual-motor form of habit learning.

  17. Skills learned through professional internships can contribute to higher confidence in students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tamalavage, A.

    2014-12-01

    Through completing an internship, a student has the opportunity to learn skills that may not be typically emphasized in the classroom. Students can create a unique professional identity by participating in internships that may be relevant to their career path. The diversity of internships can also allow a student to try an experience in a job that may be away from their assumed career trajectory, contributing to students finding where their skills could fit best. I have learned a core set of skills that have supported my transition from an undergraduate degree through two internships in both a non-profit organization and an oil and gas company. This presentation will include an analysis of the project management and communication skills that have given me "real-world" experience to understand what skills could be useful in pursuing a career in the Earth sciences. I believed that participation in clubs, mentoring assignments, and classes abroad during my undergraduate were fully providing me with the fundamental skills to enter the professional job market. Although I did learn time management, facilitation and collaboration, I did not fully gauge the necessity of a crucial understanding of these skills in the workplace. My skills using collaborative work have strengthened most since finishing my undergraduate degree. Through group work at each of my internships, I learned clear communication, management, respect, financial responsibility and how to fulfill an obligation towards a common goal. Without strengthening those skills, I do not think I would be pursuing a graduate degree in the Earth sciences with confidence. The essential skills I have learned have furthered my assurance to approach a problem with certainty when developing a hypothesis, seeking help from others, and developing a solution. This presentation will suggest further research and how specific feedback can be gathered from other Earth science students who have completed internships. With further

  18. Student Learning Strategy and Soft-skill in Clothing Business Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ampera, D.

    2018-02-01

    Clothing Business Management course is a subject delivering knowledge and skills about how to manage clothing business. This course requires students’ ethics, leadership, commitment, toughness, honesty, and the ability to take initiative, argue logically, and work together. However, students are not fully efficient in managing a business during practical task. The purpose of the study is to investigate: (1) the differences of students’ learning achievement between those receiving gradual and conventional learning strategy, (2)the effect of interactions between learning strategy and soft skills toward students learning achievement, (3) the differences of learning achievement of high soft skills students who receive gradual and conventional learning strategy, (4) the differences of learning achievement of low soft skills students who receive gradual and conventional learning strategy. The 2x2 treatment-by-level experimental study was carried out in Dressmaking Study Program. The result proved significantly that, overall, differences of students learning achievement exist, except of low soft skills students.

  19. Motor cortex is required for learning but not for executing a motor skill.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawai, Risa; Markman, Timothy; Poddar, Rajesh; Ko, Raymond; Fantana, Antoniu L; Dhawale, Ashesh K; Kampff, Adam R; Ölveczky, Bence P

    2015-05-06

    Motor cortex is widely believed to underlie the acquisition and execution of motor skills, but its contributions to these processes are not fully understood. One reason is that studies on motor skills often conflate motor cortex's established role in dexterous control with roles in learning and producing task-specific motor sequences. To dissociate these aspects, we developed a motor task for rats that trains spatiotemporally precise movement patterns without requirements for dexterity. Remarkably, motor cortex lesions had no discernible effect on the acquired skills, which were expressed in their distinct pre-lesion forms on the very first day of post-lesion training. Motor cortex lesions prior to training, however, rendered rats unable to acquire the stereotyped motor sequences required for the task. These results suggest a remarkable capacity of subcortical motor circuits to execute learned skills and a previously unappreciated role for motor cortex in "tutoring" these circuits during learning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Low skilled, mature (male) workers and lifelong learning

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Leif Emil

    what characterises low skilled male workers socio-culturally - and how does this influence their participation in lifelong learning?......what characterises low skilled male workers socio-culturally - and how does this influence their participation in lifelong learning?...

  1. Prevalence of specific developmental disorder of scholastic skill in school students in Chandigarh, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Priti Arun

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background & objectives: Several studies have been conducted in India to determine the prevalence of learning disabilities in school children which has been reported to be 3-10 per cent among students population. The present study was conducted to find out prevalence of specific developmental disorder of scholastic skills in students of classes VII to XII and to find out feasibility of screening tool in Chandigarh, India. Methods: A cross-sectional study on school students was carried out in two phases. The students were drawn from classes VII to XII from 10 schools of Chandigarh, India. Details of academic performance of all the students was taken, subjectively from class teachers and objectively from the marks obtained in the last academic session. In phase I, 2402 students were assessed. In phase II, 108 students were randomly selected for evaluation for assessing sensitivity and specificity of screening proforma for teachers. A total of 124 students from phase I and all students in phase II were assessed in detail. Tests of intelligence (Malin′s Intelligence Scale for Indian Children and Standard Progressive Matrices, and NIMHANS Index for specific learning disability (SLD battery were administered. Results: A total of 38 students were found to be having specific developmental disorder of scholastic skills in phase I, that gave a prevalence of 1.58 per cent. Majority had mixed type of errors on SLD battery. There were more boys diagnosed with specific learning disability. Teacher′s screening instrument had high sensitivity (90.385 and specificity (94.68. Interpretation & conclusions: The findings of our study conducted in community, showed that specific learning disability was not identified even till later age. The screening instrument thus could be used by teachers to suspect students with specific learning disability.

  2. Learning Road Safety Skills in the Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Freddy Jackson; Gillard, Duncan

    2009-01-01

    This case study demonstrates the effectiveness of a classroom based learning programme in the acquisition of road safety skills. The participant, a child with severe learning disabilities, was taught road safety behaviours in the classroom with the aid of photograph cards. When he had mastered these skills in the classroom, he returned to the…

  3. Academic Achievement and Memory Differences among Specific Learning Disabilities Subtypes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carmichael, Jessica A.; Fraccaro, Rebecca L.; Miller, Daniel C.; Maricle, Denise E.

    2014-01-01

    Reading, writing, and math are academic skills involving a number of different executive functions, particularly working memory. Children with specific learning disabilities (SLD) may present myriad academic difficulties, depending on their specific area(s) of processing weakness. is study examined differences in academic achievement and working…

  4. A Brief Discussion on Skillfully Learning English Knowledge in Senior High School

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    刘孜斐

    2017-01-01

    English learning is a process of accumulation, which requires enough input and output. It is not an efficient way to study English by rote. Some skills and methods may help English learners. In this thesis, the author introduces some specific memory methods and processes and aims to help senior high school students to improve English learning strategies.

  5. Learning cooking skills at different ages: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lavelle, Fiona; Spence, Michelle; Hollywood, Lynsey; McGowan, Laura; Surgenor, Dawn; McCloat, Amanda; Mooney, Elaine; Caraher, Martin; Raats, Monique; Dean, Moira

    2016-11-14

    Cooking skills are increasingly included in strategies to prevent and reduce chronic diet-related diseases and obesity. While cooking interventions target all age groups (Child, Teen and Adult), the optimal age for learning these skills on: 1) skills retention, 2) cooking practices, 3) cooking attitudes, 4) diet quality and 5) health is unknown. Similarly, although the source of learning cooking skills has been previously studied, the differences in learning from these different sources has not been considered. This research investigated the associations of the age and source of learning with the aforementioned five factors. A nationally representative (Northern/Republic of Ireland) cross-sectional survey was undertaken with 1049 adults aged between 20-60 years. The survey included both measures developed and tested by the researchers as well as validated measures of cooking (e.g. chopping) and food skills (e.g. budgeting), cooking practices (e.g. food safety), cooking attitudes, diet quality and health. Respondents also stated when they learnt the majority of their skills and their sources of learning. The data was analysed using ANOVAs with post-hoc analysis and Chi 2 crosstabs with a significance level of 0.05. Results showed that child (skills, cooking practices, cooking attitudes, diet quality (with the exception of fibre intake where adult learners were higher) and health. Mother was the primary source of learning and those who learnt only from this source had significantly better outcomes on 12 of the 23 measures. This research highlights the importance of learning cooking skills at an early age for skill retention, confidence, cooking practices, cooking attitude and diet quality. Mother remained the primary source of learning, however, as there is a reported deskilling of domestic cooks, mothers may no longer have the ability to teach cooking skills to the next generation. A focus on alternative sources including practical cooking skills education starting

  6. Basic practical skills teaching and learning in undergraduate medical education - a review on methodological evidence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vogel, Daniela; Harendza, Sigrid

    2016-01-01

    Practical skills are an essential part of physicians' daily routine. Nevertheless, medical graduates' performance of basic skills is often below the expected level. This review aims to identify and summarize teaching approaches of basic practical skills in undergraduate medical education which provide evidence with respect to effective students' learning of these skills. Basic practical skills were defined as basic physical examination skills, routine skills which get better with practice, and skills which are also performed by nurses. We searched PubMed with different terms describing these basic practical skills. In total, 3467 identified publications were screened and 205 articles were eventually reviewed for eligibility. 43 studies that included at least one basic practical skill, a comparison of two groups of undergraduate medical students and effects on students' performance were analyzed. Seven basic practical skills and 15 different teaching methods could be identified. The most consistent results with respect to effective teaching and acquisition of basic practical skills were found for structured skills training, feedback, and self-directed learning. Simulation was effective with specific teaching methods and in several studies no differences in teaching effects were detected between expert or peer instructors. Multimedia instruction, when used in the right setting, also showed beneficial effects for basic practical skills learning. A combination of voluntary or obligatory self-study with multimedia applications like video clips in combination with a structured program including the possibility for individual exercise with personal feedback by peers or teachers might provide a good learning opportunity for basic practical skills.

  7. Evaluating the effectiveness of e-learning for soft skills training

    OpenAIRE

    PESSO, Manon

    2015-01-01

    Thanks to the development of Internet technologies, e-learning platforms became a widespread tool to provide training on both hard and soft skills in a cost-effective way. However, the debate is still ongoing about the efficiency of soft skill e-learning. The goal of this dissertation is thus to evaluate the efficiency of e-learning for soft skills training by studying the case of a French regional bank’s e-learning system. To do this, I analysed the literature on learning, e-learning and tra...

  8. Uninformative contexts support word learning for high-skill spellers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eskenazi, Michael A; Swischuk, Natascha K; Folk, Jocelyn R; Abraham, Ashley N

    2018-04-30

    The current study investigated how high-skill spellers and low-skill spellers incidentally learn words during reading. The purpose of the study was to determine whether readers can use uninformative contexts to support word learning after forming a lexical representation for a novel word, consistent with instance-based resonance processes. Previous research has found that uninformative contexts damage word learning; however, there may have been insufficient exposure to informative contexts (only one) prior to exposure to uninformative contexts (Webb, 2007; Webb, 2008). In Experiment 1, participants read sentences with one novel word (i.e., blaph, clurge) embedded in them in three different conditions: Informative (six informative contexts to support word learning), Mixed (three informative contexts followed by three uninformative contexts), and Uninformative (six uninformative contexts). Experiment 2 added a new condition with only three informative contexts to further clarify the conclusions of Experiment 1. Results indicated that uninformative contexts can support word learning, but only for high-skill spellers. Further, when participants learned the spelling of the novel word, they were more likely to learn the meaning of that word. This effect was much larger for high-skill spellers than for low-skill spellers. Results are consistent with the Lexical Quality Hypothesis (LQH) in that high-skill spellers form stronger orthographic representations which support word learning (Perfetti, 2007). Results also support an instance-based resonance process of word learning in that prior informative contexts can be reactivated to support word learning in future contexts (Bolger, Balass, Landen, & Perfetti, 2008; Balass, Nelson, & Perfetti, 2010; Reichle & Perfetti, 2003). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  9. The influence of motor imagery on the learning of a fine hand motor skill

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sobierajewicz, Jagna; Przekoracka-Krawczyk, Anna; Jaśkowski, Wojciech; Verwey, Willem B.; van der Lubbe, Rob

    2017-01-01

    Motor imagery has been argued to affect the acquisition of motor skills. The present study examined the specificity of motor imagery on the learning of a fine hand motor skill by employing a modified discrete sequence production task: the Go/NoGo DSP task. After an informative cue, a response

  10. Generic skills in medical education: developing the tools for successful lifelong learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murdoch-Eaton, Deborah; Whittle, Sue

    2012-01-01

    Higher education has invested in defining the role of generic skills in developing effective, adaptable graduates fit for a changing workplace. Research confirms that the development of generic skills that underpin effectiveness and adaptability in graduates is highly context-dependent and is shaped by the discipline within which these skills are conceptualised, valued and taught. This places the responsibility for generic skills enhancement clearly within the remit of global medical education. Many factors will influence the skill set with which students begin their medical training and experience at entry needs to be taken into account. Learning and teaching environments enhance effective skill development through active learning, teaching for understanding, feedback, and teacher-student and student-student interaction. Medical curricula need to provide students with opportunities to practise and develop their generic skills in a range of discipline-specific contexts. Curricular design should include explicit and integrated generic skills objectives against which students' progress can be monitored. Assessment and feedback serve as valuable reinforcements of the professed importance of generic skills to both learner and teacher, and will encourage students to self-evaluate and take responsibility for their own skill development. The continual need for students to modify their practice in response to changes in their environment and the requirements of their roles will help students to develop the ability to transfer these skills at transition points in their training and future careers. If they are to take their place in an ever-changing profession, medical students need to be competent in the skills that underpin lifelong learning. Only then will the doctors of the future be well placed to adapt to changes in knowledge, update their practice in line with the changing evidence base, and continue to contribute effectively as societal needs change. © Blackwell

  11. Exploring undergraduate students' attitudes towards interprofessional learning, motivation-to-learn, and perceived impact of learning conflict resolution skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vandergoot, Sonya; Sarris, Aspa; Kirby, Neil; Ward, Helena

    2018-03-01

    Conflict resolution skills are important for all healthcare professionals as conflict and mis-communication can have detrimental effects on decision-making, potentially impacting significantly on patient care, morbidity, and mortality. Interprofessional learning (IPL) has been found to increase collaboration and improve collegial relationships and hence may be an appropriate way to increase conflict resolution skills among healthcare graduates. This study examined transference of conflict resolution skills, motivation-to-learn, and attitudes to IPL of medical (n = 52) and nursing (n = 74) undergraduate students who undertook an IPL conflict resolution program. Results indicated that motivation-to-learn, attitudes to IPL, and transfer of conflict resolution skills were significantly related to each other, even when controlling for other variables, such as age and gender. When comparing the two groups, undergraduate nursing students were found to have statistically higher motivation-to-learn and transference of conflict resolution skills, and reported a more positive attitude to IPL than medical students. Some of these differences may be attributed to lack of clinical placements for medical students in the first half of their degree at their university, giving them less opportunity to apply the conflict resolution skills taught, as well as less contextual relevance. This may potentially affect their motivation-to-learn and attitude to IPL thus impacting on how they perceive the relevance of learning conflict resolution skills. Without the contextual relevancy of placements at the time of learning for medical students, the newly acquired conflict resolution skills are less likely to transfer to practice in an optimal fashion.

  12. Self-regulated learning of aural skills in undergraduate music courses: a case study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pablo da Silva Gusmão

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Aural Skills classes, which are required and collective, present some particular issues at the Brazilian universities, such as the diverse student’s proficiency levels, motivational issues and lack of autonomy for learning. This paper present the results of a research that investigated the relationships between the psychological constructs involved in the self- regulation of aural skills learning in Undergraduate music students. Through semi-structured interviews, the objective was to understand the interaction of the processes described in Zimmerman (2002 in the three student’s narratives. In this initial research, it was possible to see a relationship between the achievement in Aural Skill courses and the utilization of self- regulatory process, particularly goal-setting and efficient time management, as well as the lack of strategies related to the division of goals into proximal and specific sub-goals, and to the definition of self-evaluation standards. The investigation of strategies for intervention on cognitive processes involved with self-regulated learning of aural skills may help students to become more motivated and autonomous in their academic study.

  13. Analysis of Student Service-Learning Reflections for the Assessment of Transferable-Skills Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rizzo, D. M.; Dewoolkar, M.; Hayden, N.; Oka, L.; Pearce, A. R.

    2010-12-01

    student attitudes toward their service-learning projects, specifically, the development of transferable skills. In the spirit of service-learning pedagogy, we divide the contents of students’ written reflections into three categories - academic enhancement, civic engagement and personal growth skills. The commonalities focused mostly on civic engagement. Differences are observed primarily in academic enhancement and personal growth categories. Students working on the biomimicry design project reflected on personal growth (e.g. leadership skills, mentoring, creativity, organizational skills, communication to nontechnical audience), but did not credit it with academic enhancement. In contrast, the senior design reflections concentrated on academics, specifically, students appreciated the enhancement of technical skills as a part of their engineering experience.

  14. Specific Deficit in Implicit Motor Sequence Learning following Spinal Cord Injury.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ayala Bloch

    Full Text Available Physical and psychosocial rehabilitation following spinal cord injury (SCI leans heavily on learning and practicing new skills. However, despite research relating motor sequence learning to spinal cord activity and clinical observations of impeded skill-learning after SCI, implicit procedural learning following spinal cord damage has not been examined.To test the hypothesis that spinal cord injury (SCI in the absence of concomitant brain injury is associated with a specific implicit motor sequence learning deficit that cannot be explained by depression or impairments in other cognitive measures.Ten participants with SCI in T1-T11, unharmed upper limb motor and sensory functioning, and no concomitant brain injury were compared to ten matched control participants on measures derived from the serial reaction time (SRT task, which was used to assess implicit motor sequence learning. Explicit generation of the SRT sequence, depression, and additional measures of learning, memory, and intelligence were included to explore the source and specificity of potential learning deficits.There was no between-group difference in baseline reaction time, indicating that potential differences between the learning curves of the two groups could not be attributed to an overall reduction in response speed in the SCI group. Unlike controls, the SCI group showed no decline in reaction time over the first six blocks of the SRT task and no advantage for the initially presented sequence over the novel interference sequence. Meanwhile, no group differences were found in explicit learning, depression, or any additional cognitive measures.The dissociation between impaired implicit learning and intact declarative memory represents novel empirical evidence of a specific implicit procedural learning deficit following SCI, with broad implications for rehabilitation and adjustment.

  15. The Relationship between Gross Motor Skills and Academic Achievement in Children with Learning Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Westendorp, Marieke; Hartman, Esther; Houwen, Suzanne; Smith, Joanne; Visscher, Chris

    2011-01-01

    The present study compared the gross motor skills of 7- to 12-year-old children with learning disabilities (n = 104) with those of age-matched typically developing children (n = 104) using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2. Additionally, the specific relationships between subsets of gross motor skills and academic performance in reading,…

  16. Interference in Ballistic Motor Learning: Specificity and Role of Sensory Error Signals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lundbye-Jensen, Jesper; Petersen, Tue Hvass; Rothwell, John C.; Nielsen, Jens Bo

    2011-01-01

    Humans are capable of learning numerous motor skills, but newly acquired skills may be abolished by subsequent learning. Here we ask what factors determine whether interference occurs in motor learning. We speculated that interference requires competing processes of synaptic plasticity in overlapping circuits and predicted specificity. To test this, subjects learned a ballistic motor task. Interference was observed following subsequent learning of an accuracy-tracking task, but only if the competing task involved the same muscles and movement direction. Interference was not observed from a non-learning task suggesting that interference requires competing learning. Subsequent learning of the competing task 4 h after initial learning did not cause interference suggesting disruption of early motor memory consolidation as one possible mechanism underlying interference. Repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of corticospinal motor output at intensities below movement threshold did not cause interference, whereas suprathreshold rTMS evoking motor responses and (re)afferent activation did. Finally, the experiments revealed that suprathreshold repetitive electrical stimulation of the agonist (but not antagonist) peripheral nerve caused interference. The present study is, to our knowledge, the first to demonstrate that peripheral nerve stimulation may cause interference. The finding underscores the importance of sensory feedback as error signals in motor learning. We conclude that interference requires competing plasticity in overlapping circuits. Interference is remarkably specific for circuits involved in a specific movement and it may relate to sensory error signals. PMID:21408054

  17. Learning leadership skills in practice through quality improvement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gamble, James; Vaux, Emma

    2014-02-01

    The development of leadership skills in doctors in training is essential to support both their professional development and the future supply of clinical leaders the NHS so desperately needs. There is, however, limited opportunity in current training programmes for trainees to learn and develop these skills, and what opportunity there is has often focused on management rather than leadership skills. Involvement in trainee-led supported quality improvement projects can teach these skills. We summarise the current limitations in leadership training and discuss how the College's 'Learning To Make a Difference' programme, and others like it, are helping to teach leadership.

  18. Improving Undergraduates' Critical Thinking Skills through Peer-learning Workshops

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cole, S. B.

    2013-12-01

    Critical thinking skills are among the primary learning outcomes of undergraduate education, but they are rarely explicitly taught. Here I present a two-fold study aimed at analyzing undergraduate students' critical thinking and information literacy skills, and explicitly teaching these skills, in an introductory Planetary Science course. The purpose of the research was to examine the students' information-filtering skills and to develop a short series of peer-learning workshops that would enhance these skills in both the students' coursework and their everyday lives. The 4 workshops are designed to be easily adaptable to any college course, with little impact on the instructor's workload. They make use of material related to the course's content, enabling the instructor to complement a pre-existing syllabus while explicitly teaching students skills essential to their academic and non-academic lives. In order to gain an understanding of undergraduates' existing information-filtering skills, I examined the material that they consider to be appropriate sources for a college paper. I analyzed the Essay 1 bibliographies of a writing-based introductory Planetary Science course for non-majors. The 22 essays cited 135 (non-unique) references, only half of which were deemed suitable by their instructors. I divided the sources into several categories and classified them as recommended, recommended with caution, and unsuitable for this course. The unsuitable sources ranged from peer-reviewed journal articles, which these novice students were not equipped to properly interpret, to websites that cannot be relied upon for scientific information (e.g., factoidz.com, answersingenesis.org). The workshops aim to improve the students' information-filtering skills by sequentially teaching them to evaluate search engine results, identify claims made on websites and in news articles, evaluate the evidence presented, and identify specific correlation/causation fallacies in news articles

  19. Basic practical skills teaching and learning in undergraduate medical education – a review on methodological evidence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vogel, Daniela; Harendza, Sigrid

    2016-01-01

    Objective: Practical skills are an essential part of physicians’ daily routine. Nevertheless, medical graduates’ performance of basic skills is often below the expected level. This review aims to identify and summarize teaching approaches of basic practical skills in undergraduate medical education which provide evidence with respect to effective students’ learning of these skills. Methods: Basic practical skills were defined as basic physical examination skills, routine skills which get better with practice, and skills which are also performed by nurses. We searched PubMed with different terms describing these basic practical skills. In total, 3467 identified publications were screened and 205 articles were eventually reviewed for eligibility. Results: 43 studies that included at least one basic practical skill, a comparison of two groups of undergraduate medical students and effects on students’ performance were analyzed. Seven basic practical skills and 15 different teaching methods could be identified. The most consistent results with respect to effective teaching and acquisition of basic practical skills were found for structured skills training, feedback, and self-directed learning. Simulation was effective with specific teaching methods and in several studies no differences in teaching effects were detected between expert or peer instructors. Multimedia instruction, when used in the right setting, also showed beneficial effects for basic practical skills learning. Conclusion: A combination of voluntary or obligatory self-study with multimedia applications like video clips in combination with a structured program including the possibility for individual exercise with personal feedback by peers or teachers might provide a good learning opportunity for basic practical skills. PMID:27579364

  20. An active learning curriculum improves fellows' knowledge and faculty teaching skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inra, Jennifer A; Pelletier, Stephen; Kumar, Navin L; Barnes, Edward L; Shields, Helen M

    2017-01-01

    Traditional didactic lectures are the mainstay of teaching for graduate medical education, although this method may not be the most effective way to transmit information. We created an active learning curriculum for Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) gastroenterology fellows to maximize learning. We evaluated whether this new curriculum improved perceived knowledge acquisition and knowledge base. In addition, our study assessed whether coaching faculty members in specific methods to enhance active learning improved their perceived teaching and presentation skills. We compared the Gastroenterology Training Exam (GTE) scores before and after the implementation of this curriculum to assess whether an improved knowledge base was documented. In addition, fellows and faculty members were asked to complete anonymous evaluations regarding their learning and teaching experiences. Fifteen fellows were invited to 12 lectures over a 2-year period. GTE scores improved in the areas of stomach ( p active learning curriculum. Scores in hepatology, as well as biliary and pancreatic study, showed a trend toward improvement ( p >0.05). All fellows believed the lectures were helpful, felt more prepared to take the GTE, and preferred the interactive format to traditional didactic lectures. All lecturers agreed that they acquired new teaching skills, improved teaching and presentation skills, and learned new tools that could help them teach better in the future. An active learning curriculum is preferred by GI fellows and may be helpful for improving transmission of information in any specialty in medical education. Individualized faculty coaching sessions demonstrating new ways to transmit information may be important for an individual faculty member's teaching excellence.

  1. Neural substrates underlying stimulation-enhanced motor skill learning after stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lefebvre, Stéphanie; Dricot, Laurence; Laloux, Patrice; Gradkowski, Wojciech; Desfontaines, Philippe; Evrard, Frédéric; Peeters, André; Jamart, Jacques; Vandermeeren, Yves

    2015-01-01

    Motor skill learning is one of the key components of motor function recovery after stroke, especially recovery driven by neurorehabilitation. Transcranial direct current stimulation can enhance neurorehabilitation and motor skill learning in stroke patients. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the retention of stimulation-enhanced motor skill learning involving a paretic upper limb have not been resolved. These neural substrates were explored by means of functional magnetic resonance imaging. Nineteen chronic hemiparetic stroke patients participated in a double-blind, cross-over randomized, sham-controlled experiment with two series. Each series consisted of two sessions: (i) an intervention session during which dual transcranial direct current stimulation or sham was applied during motor skill learning with the paretic upper limb; and (ii) an imaging session 1 week later, during which the patients performed the learned motor skill. The motor skill learning task, called the 'circuit game', involves a speed/accuracy trade-off and consists of moving a pointer controlled by a computer mouse along a complex circuit as quickly and accurately as possible. Relative to the sham series, dual transcranial direct current stimulation applied bilaterally over the primary motor cortex during motor skill learning with the paretic upper limb resulted in (i) enhanced online motor skill learning; (ii) enhanced 1-week retention; and (iii) superior transfer of performance improvement to an untrained task. The 1-week retention's enhancement driven by the intervention was associated with a trend towards normalization of the brain activation pattern during performance of the learned motor skill relative to the sham series. A similar trend towards normalization relative to sham was observed during performance of a simple, untrained task without a speed/accuracy constraint, despite a lack of behavioural difference between the dual transcranial direct current stimulation and sham

  2. Effectiveness of simulation-based learning on student nurses' self-efficacy and performance while learning fundamental nursing skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Hsin-Hsin

    2015-01-01

    It was noted worldwide while learning fundamental skills and facing skills assessments, nursing students seemed to experience low confidence and high anxiety levels. Could simulation-based learning help to enhance students' self-efficacy and performance? Its effectiveness is mostly unidentified. This study was conducted to provide a shared experience to give nurse educators confidence and an insight into how simulation-based teaching can fit into nursing skills learning. A pilot study was completed with 50 second-year undergraduate nursing students, and the main study included 98 students where a pretest-posttest design was adopted. Data were gathered through four questionnaires and a performance assessment under scrutinized controls such as previous experiences, lecturers' teaching skills, duration of teaching, procedure of skills performance assessment and the inter-rater reliability. The results showed that simulation-based learning significantly improved students' self-efficacy regarding skills learning and the skills performance that nurse educators wish students to acquire. However, technology anxiety, examiners' critical attitudes towards students' performance and their unpredicted verbal and non-verbal expressions, have been found as possible confounding factors. The simulation-based learning proved to have a powerful positive effect on students' achievement outcomes. Nursing skills learning is one area that can benefit greatly from this kind of teaching and learning method.

  3. 4-H & FFA Livestock Projects: Life Skills Gained and Knowledge Learned

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lyle N. Holmgren

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Junior Livestock shows are one of the most popular 4-H and FFA projects in Utah. Thousands of youth participate in these shows from every county in Utah. County extension agents and FFA advisors spend much time with livestock committees, leaders, parents, and youth engaged in livestock shows. Can public funds spent on salaries be justified for county 4-H extension agents and FFA advisors who work with junior livestock shows? To help answer this question, 413 youth involved in livestock shows in Utah were surveyed in 2001. Youth were asked to share skills learned from their livestock projects. Value statements along with specific content skills were measured in the survey. The results indicate that from their 4-H and FFA projects, youth learned to accept responsibility, follow instructions, gain self-confidence, follow instructions, “do the right thing” as well as a variety of other values and content skills.

  4. PENINGKATAN SOFT SKILLS DAN HARD SKILLS MAHASISWA MELALUI PROJECT-BASED LEARNING PADA MATA KULIAH PERENCANAAN PEMBELAJARAN GEOGRAFI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fitra Delita

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Penelitian ini dilakukan karena masih minimnya kemampuan soft skills dan hard skills mahasiswa. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk meningkatkan soft skills dan hard skills mahasiswa melalui penerapan Project Based Learning pada mata kuliah Perencanaan Pembelajaran Geografi serta untuk mengetahui tanggapan mahasiswa terhadap penerapan Project Based Learning. Penelitian ini tergolong penelitian PTK dengan pengamatan selama 2 siklus. Indikator soft skills yang diamati adalah komunikasi lisan, kejujuran, partisipasi dan kreativitas. Sedangkan indikator hard skills yang digunakan adalah nilai mahasiswa, kemampuan merancang perangkat pembelajaran dan media. Data diperoleh melalui lembar observasi, kuesioner, penilaian product dan hasil tes. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terjadi peningkatan indikator soft skill yaitu komunikasi lisan (0,54, partisipasi (0,92, kejujuran (0,42 dan kreativitas (1,4 Peningkatan jumlah mahasiswa yang mendapat nilai A pada Siklus II yaitu 8 orang (naik 25 % dari total mahasiswa, nilai B meningkat menjadi 2 orang (naik 6 % dari total mahasiswa. Indikator hard skills berupa kemampuan merancang perangkat pembelajaran dan media juga mengalami kenaikan pada Siklus II yaitu 21 orang (68 % kategori sangat baik dan 10 orang (32 % kategori baik. Mahasiswa memberi tanggapan positif terhadap penerapan Project Based Learning pada mata kuliah Perencanaan Pembelajaran Geografi. Kata kunci: Soft Skills, Hard Skills, Project Based Learning

  5. Teachers' learning about research for enhancing students' thinking skills in science learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nammungkhun, Wisanugorn; Satchukorn, Sureerat; Saenpuk, Nudchanard; Yuenyong, Chokchai; Chantharanuwong, Warawun

    2018-01-01

    This paper aimed to clarify teachers' learning about research for enhancing students' thinking skills in science learning. The study applied the lens of sociocultural view of learning to discuss teachers' learning about research. Participants included teachers who participated in the project of thinking research schools: research for enhancing students' thinking skills. The project of thinking research schools provided participants chance to learn knowledge about research and thinking research, doing research and publication, and participate in the international conference. Methodology regarded ethnographic research. The tools of interpretation included participant observation, interview, and document analysis. The researchers as participants of the research project of thinking research schools tried to clarify what they learned about research from their way of seeing the view of research about enhancing students' thinking skills through participant observation. The findings revealed what and how teachers as apprenticeship learn about research through legitimate peripheral participation in the research project community of practice. The paper clarified teachers' conceptualization about research for enhancing students' thinking through the workshop, doing research, writing up research article with supported by experts, presenting research in the international conference, editing their research article on the way of publishing, and so on.

  6. Developing renal nurses' buttonhole cannulation skills using e-learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blackman, Ian R; Mannix, Trudi; Sinclair, Peter M

    2014-03-01

    It has previously been shown that nurses can learn clinical nursing skills by e-learning (online), and that many variables will influence how well nurses adopt learned clinical skills using distance education. This study aimed to identify and measure the strength of those factors which would simultaneously influence registered nurses' (RNs') beliefs about their own learning about buttonhole cannulation, using e-learning. An online Likert style survey consisting of a list of statements related to knowledge and skill domains considered crucial in the area of buttonhole cannulation was distributed to 101 RNs before and after completing an e-learning programme. Participants were required to identify their current level of self-confidence in relationship to each of the statements. Measures of RNs' self-rated abilities to assess and implement buttonhole cannulation after completing a related e-learning program were tested using a Partial Least Squares Analysis (PLS-PATH) programme. The study's results strongly identify that the nurses' ability to meet both clinical and educational outcomes of the renal e-learning module can be predicted by six variables, none of which are directly related to the participants' demographic or clinical backgrounds. These findings support the use of e-learning to teach clinical skills to RNs, and demonstrate the value of Partial Least Squares Analysis in determining influential learning factors. © 2014 European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association.

  7. Development of the Self-Directed Learning Skills Scale

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayyildiz, Yildizay; Tarhan, Leman

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable scale for assessing high school students' self-directed learning skills. Based on a literature review and data obtained from similar instruments, all skills related to self-directed learning were identified. Next, an item pool was prepared and administered to 255 students from various…

  8. Skill learning from kinesthetic feedback.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinzon, David; Vega, Roberto; Sanchez, Yerly Paola; Zheng, Bin

    2017-10-01

    It is important for a surgeon to perform surgical tasks under appropriate guidance from visual and kinesthetic feedback. However, our knowledge on kinesthetic (muscle) memory and its role in learning motor skills remains elementary. To discover the effect of exclusive kinesthetic training on kinesthetic memory in both performance and learning. In Phase 1, a total of twenty participants duplicated five 2 dimensional movements of increasing complexity via passive kinesthetic guidance, without visual or auditory stimuli. Five participants were asked to repeat the task in the Phase 2 over a period of three weeks, for a total of nine sessions. Subjects accurately recalled movement direction using kinesthetic memory, but recalling movement length was less precise. Over the nine training sessions, error occurrence dropped after the sixth session. Muscle memory constructs the foundation for kinesthetic training. Knowledge gained helps surgeons learn skills from kinesthetic information in the condition where visual feedback is limited. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Soft Skills at the Malaysian Institutes of Higher Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shakir, Roselina

    2009-01-01

    This article discusses human capital development through the seven soft skills elements which comprise communication skills, critical thinking and problem solving skills, team work, lifelong learning and information management skills, entrepreneurship skills, ethics, and professional moral and leadership skills. The Ministry of Higher Education,…

  10. Teamwork Skills Assessment for Cooperative Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strom, Paris S.; Strom, Robert D.

    2011-01-01

    Teamwork skills are required at work, but teacher efforts in many countries to track achievement within this context have been hindered by lack of assessment tools and input from students. The Teamwork Skills Inventory relies on peer and self-evaluation to establish accountability, identify competencies, and detect learning needs. Twenty-five…

  11. Patients with Parkinson's disease learn to control complex systems-an indication for intact implicit cognitive skill learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witt, Karsten; Daniels, Christine; Daniel, Victoria; Schmitt-Eliassen, Julia; Volkmann, Jens; Deuschl, Günther

    2006-01-01

    Implicit memory and learning mechanisms are composed of multiple processes and systems. Previous studies demonstrated a basal ganglia involvement in purely cognitive tasks that form stimulus response habits by reinforcement learning such as implicit classification learning. We will test the basal ganglia influence on two cognitive implicit tasks previously described by Berry and Broadbent, the sugar production task and the personal interaction task. Furthermore, we will investigate the relationship between certain aspects of an executive dysfunction and implicit learning. To this end, we have tested 22 Parkinsonian patients and 22 age-matched controls on two implicit cognitive tasks, in which participants learned to control a complex system. They interacted with the system by choosing an input value and obtaining an output that was related in a complex manner to the input. The objective was to reach and maintain a specific target value across trials (dynamic system learning). The two tasks followed the same underlying complex rule but had different surface appearances. Subsequently, participants performed an executive test battery including the Stroop test, verbal fluency and the Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST). The results demonstrate intact implicit learning in patients, despite an executive dysfunction in the Parkinsonian group. They lead to the conclusion that the basal ganglia system affected in Parkinson's disease does not contribute to the implicit acquisition of a new cognitive skill. Furthermore, the Parkinsonian patients were able to reach a specific goal in an implicit learning context despite impaired goal directed behaviour in the WCST, a classic test of executive functions. These results demonstrate a functional independence of implicit cognitive skill learning and certain aspects of executive functions.

  12. Influence of the workplace on learning physical examination skills

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Duvivier, R.; Stalmeijer, R.; Dalen, J. Van; Vleuten, C.P.M. van der; Scherpbier, A.

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Hospital clerkships are considered crucial for acquiring competencies such as diagnostic reasoning and clinical skills. The actual learning process in the hospital remains poorly understood. This study investigates how students learn clinical skills in workplaces and factors affecting

  13. Fostering inclusive, sustainable economic growth and "green" skills development in learning cities through partnerships

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pavlova, Margarita

    2018-05-01

    One of the requirements of building a learning city is working to ensure its sustainable development. In 2014, UNESCO developed a framework of the key features of learning cities, at the centre of which there are six pillars or "building blocks" which support sustainable development. This article focuses on the third of these pillars, "effective learning for and in the workplace". The author analyses a number of conditions to address this aspect in the context of "green restructuring" which is geared towards facilitating the sustainable development of learning cities. She argues that, at the conceptual level, an understanding of the nature of "green skills" (what they are) and the reasons for "green skills gaps" (why they exist) are essential for the processes of effective learning and strategy planning in sustainable city development. The specific focus of this article is at the policy level: the conceptualisation of partnerships between technical and vocational education and training (TVET) providers, industry, government and other stakeholders with the aim of fostering the production, dissemination and usage of knowledge for the purpose of sustainable economic development and the "greening" of skills. The author proposes a new model, based on the quintuple helix approach to innovation combined with a policy goals orientation framework to theorise the ways in which learning cities can foster sustainable economic growth through green skills development.

  14. Business Simulation as an Active Learning Activity for Developing Soft Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levant, Yves; Coulmont, Michel; Sandu, Raluca

    2016-01-01

    Business simulations are innovative instruction models for active or cooperative learning. In this paper, we look at the social constructionist roots of these education models in light of the current efforts to enhance employability skills in undergraduate and graduate studies. More specifically, we analyse the role of business simulations in…

  15. Baseline performance and learning rate of conceptual and perceptual skill-learning tasks: the effect of moderate to severe traumatic brain injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vakil, Eli; Lev-Ran Galon, Carmit

    2014-01-01

    Existing literature presents a complex and inconsistent picture of the specific deficiencies involved in skill learning following traumatic brain injury (TBI). In an attempt to address this difficulty, individuals with moderate to severe TBI (n = 29) and a control group (n = 29) were tested with two different skill-learning tasks: conceptual (i.e., Tower of Hanoi Puzzle, TOHP) and perceptual (i.e., mirror reading, MR). Based on previous studies of the effect of divided attention on these tasks and findings regarding the effect of TBI on conceptual and perceptual priming tasks, it was predicted that the group with TBI would show impaired baseline performance compared to controls in the TOHP task though their learning rate would be maintained, while both baseline performance and learning rate on the MR task would be maintained. Consistent with our predictions, overall baseline performance of the group with TBI was impaired in the TOHP test, while the learning rate was not. The learning rate on the MR task was preserved but, contrary to our prediction, response time of the group with TBI was slower than that of controls. The pattern of results observed in the present study was interpreted to possibly reflect an impairment of both the frontal lobes as well as that of diffuse axonal injury, which is well documented as being affected by TBI. The former impairment affects baseline performance of the conceptual learning skill, while the latter affects the overall slower performance of the perceptual learning skill.

  16. Learning Skills; Review and Domain Chart.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, N. Cecil; Thompson, Faith E.

    A major goal of the elementary and secondary schools is to help each person become an efficient and autonomous learner. Outlined in this report are skills abstracted from the literature on such topics as verbal learning, problem solving, study habits, and behavior modification. The learner-oriented skills are presented so that they may be…

  17. Attitudes of medical students toward communication skills learning in Western Saudi Arabia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alotaibi, Fawaz S; Alsaeedi, Abdullah

    2016-07-01

    To explore medical students' attitudes towards communication skills learning in Western Saudi Arabia and to examine impact of socio-demographic variables on the attitudes towards learning these skills.   In this cross-sectional study, sample of medical students were recruited from Taif University, Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the second semester (January-May 2014). Participants were all year 2 (197 students) and year 5 (151 students). The study utilize the Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) to measure students' attitudes toward communication skills learning. The response rate was 93.9%.  The study showed that Taif medical students hold highly positive attitudes towards learning communication skills. Positive attitude score (PAS) was significantly higher in level 5 students, older age group.   Significant positive attitude toward learning communication skills clearly observed in target group. Students with more positive attitudes towards communication skills learning tended to be higher level and older age.

  18. Are skills learned in nursing transferable to other careers?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duffield, Christine; O'Brien-Pallas, Linda; Aitken, Leanne M

    2005-01-01

    To determine the influence of skills gained in nursing on the transition to a non-nursing career. Little is known about the impact that nursing skills have on the transition to new careers or about the transferability of nursing skills to professions outside nursing. A postal questionnaire was mailed to respondents who had left nursing. The questionnaire included demographic, nursing education and practice information, reasons for entering and leaving nursing, perceptions of the skills gained in nursing and the ease of adjustment to a new career. Data analysis included exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, Pearson product moment correlations and linear and multiple regression analysis. Skills learned as a nurse that were valuable in acquiring a career outside nursing formed two factors, including "management of self and others" and "knowledge and skills learned," explaining 32% of the variation. The highest educational achievement while working as a nurse, choosing nursing as a "default choice," leaving nursing because of "worklife/homelife balance" and the skills of "management of self and others" and "knowledge and skills" had a significant relationship with difficulty adjusting to a non-nursing work role and, overall, explained 28% of the variation in this difficulty adjusting. General knowledge and skills learned in nursing prove beneficial in adjusting to roles outside nursing.

  19. Dissociable effects of practice variability on learning motor and timing skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caramiaux, Baptiste; Bevilacqua, Frédéric; Wanderley, Marcelo M; Palmer, Caroline

    2018-01-01

    Motor skill acquisition inherently depends on the way one practices the motor task. The amount of motor task variability during practice has been shown to foster transfer of the learned skill to other similar motor tasks. In addition, variability in a learning schedule, in which a task and its variations are interweaved during practice, has been shown to help the transfer of learning in motor skill acquisition. However, there is little evidence on how motor task variations and variability schedules during practice act on the acquisition of complex motor skills such as music performance, in which a performer learns both the right movements (motor skill) and the right time to perform them (timing skill). This study investigated the impact of rate (tempo) variability and the schedule of tempo change during practice on timing and motor skill acquisition. Complete novices, with no musical training, practiced a simple musical sequence on a piano keyboard at different rates. Each novice was assigned to one of four learning conditions designed to manipulate the amount of tempo variability across trials (large or small tempo set) and the schedule of tempo change (randomized or non-randomized order) during practice. At test, the novices performed the same musical sequence at a familiar tempo and at novel tempi (testing tempo transfer), as well as two novel (but related) sequences at a familiar tempo (testing spatial transfer). We found that practice conditions had little effect on learning and transfer performance of timing skill. Interestingly, practice conditions influenced motor skill learning (reduction of movement variability): lower temporal variability during practice facilitated transfer to new tempi and new sequences; non-randomized learning schedule improved transfer to new tempi and new sequences. Tempo (rate) and the sequence difficulty (spatial manipulation) affected performance variability in both timing and movement. These findings suggest that there is a

  20. Engaging Environments Enhance Motor Skill Learning in a Computer Gaming Task.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lohse, Keith R; Boyd, Lara A; Hodges, Nicola J

    2016-01-01

    Engagement during practice can motivate a learner to practice more, hence having indirect effects on learning through increased practice. However, it is not known whether engagement can also have a direct effect on learning when the amount of practice is held constant. To address this question, 40 participants played a video game that contained an embedded repeated sequence component, under either highly engaging conditions (the game group) or mechanically identical but less engaging conditions (the sterile group). The game environment facilitated retention over a 1-week interval. Specifically, the game group improved in both speed and accuracy for random and repeated trials, suggesting a general motor-related improvement, rather than a specific influence of engagement on implicit sequence learning. These data provide initial evidence that increased engagement during practice has a direct effect on generalized learning, improving retention and transfer of a complex motor skill.

  1. Feedforward self-modeling enhances skill acquisition in children learning trampoline skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ste-Marie, Diane M; Vertes, Kelly; Rymal, Amanda M; Martini, Rose

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to examine whether children would benefit from a feedforward self-modeling (FSM) video and to explore possible explanatory mechanisms for the potential benefits, using a self-regulation framework. To this end, children were involved in learning two five-skill trampoline routines. For one of the routines, a FSM video was provided during acquisition, whereas only verbal instructions were provided for the alternate routine. The FSM involved editing video footage such that it showed the learner performing the trampoline routine at a higher skill level than their current capability. Analyses of the data showed that while physical performance benefits were observed for the routine that was learned with the FSM video, no differences were obtained in relation to the self-regulatory measures. Thus, the FSM video enhanced motor skill acquisition, but this could not be explained by changes to the varied self-regulatory processes examined.

  2. Mirror Visual Feedback Training Improves Intermanual Transfer in a Sport-Specific Task: A Comparison between Different Skill Levels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fabian Steinberg

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Mirror training therapy is a promising tool to initiate neural plasticity and facilitate the recovery process of motor skills after diseases such as stroke or hemiparesis by improving the intermanual transfer of fine motor skills in healthy people as well as in patients. This study evaluated whether these augmented performance improvements by mirror visual feedback (MVF could be used for learning a sport-specific skill and if the effects are modulated by skill level. A sample of 39 young, healthy, and experienced basketball and handball players and 41 novices performed a stationary basketball dribble task at a mirror box in a standing position and received either MVF or direct feedback. After four training days using only the right hand, performance of both hands improved from pre- to posttest measurements. Only the left hand (untrained performance of the experienced participants receiving MVF was more pronounced than for the control group. This indicates that intermanual motor transfer can be improved by MVF in a sport-specific task. However, this effect cannot be generalized to motor learning per se since it is modulated by individuals’ skill level, a factor that might be considered in mirror therapy research.

  3. Developing Critical Thinking Skills of Students in Mathematics Learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Firdaus Firdaus

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Critical thinking skills should be owned by students. Therefore, schools should be responsible to develop and  evaluate critical thinking skills through teaching and learning process in schools. This study aims to identify the effects of mathematical learning modules based on problem-based learning to critical thinking skills at secondary school students in District of Bone. Assessment of critical thinking skills in mathematical problem solving non-routine includes three parts;  the identification and interpretation of information, information analysis, and evaluate of evidence and arguments. This study involved a total of 68 students grade 12 science state secondary school (SMAN in Bone District of South Sulawesi, Indonesia in academic year 2014-2015. The sample consists of 38 students in the city and 30 rural students. The design of the study was quasi experimental one group pretest-posttest. The data was analysed using the inferential t-test with SPSS 20.0 for windows. The study found that there are effects of the use of mathematical learning module based PBL to enhance the ability of critical thinking skills in mathematics students in all three components, namely, identifying and interpreting information, information analysis, and evaluate of evidence and argument.

  4. Beliefs and Behaviors in Learning Critical Thinking Skills

    OpenAIRE

    Octavian REPOLSCHI

    2015-01-01

    The paper will present the relation between students’ beliefs and their behaviours observed in the process of learning critical thinking skills. In the first place some consideration concerning the fundamental epistemological concepts used in the research and about the particular critical thinking skills are to be sketched. Then the testing- learning procedure will be shortly summarized. Thirdly the evaluation of beliefs, their relations with knowledge and the associated behaviors are present...

  5. Feedforward self-modeling enhances skill acquisition in children learning trampoline skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diane M. Ste-Marie

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this research was to examine whether children would benefit from a feedforward self-modeling (FSM video and to explore possible explanatory mechanisms for the potential benefits, using a self-regulation framework. To this end, children were involved in learning two five-skill trampoline routines. For one of the routines, a FSM video was provided during acquisition, whereas only verbal instructions were provided for the alternate routine. The FSM involved editing video footage such that it showed the learner performing the trampoline routine at a higher skill level than their current capability. Analyses of the data showed that while physical performance benefits were observed for the routine that was learned with the FSM video, no differences were obtained in relation to the self-regulatory measures. Thus, the FSM video enhanced motor skill acquisition, but this could not be explained by changes to the varied self-regulatory processes examined.

  6. Skills and Learning Styles of Innovative Companies’ Employees

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agnieszka Sitko-Lutek

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available When faced with various challenges, modern organizations must be able to function effectively. These challenges include globalization, technological advancements, necessity to operate in the state of permanent flux, and finally, generation of intellectual capital, which delivers the competitive edge. As a consequence, the management of a modern organization and its diverse staff, which enables the company to operate effectively without generating losses or conflicts, becomes critical. Nowadays, organizations have to constantly look for innovative ways of conducting business. The conclusion drawn from observing successes of such organizations proves that taking a closer look at the issue of Human Resources (HR diversity’s role is worthwhile. Especially the analysis of managerial skills and learning styles in the context of companies’ innovation seems of particular relevance. The managerial skills and their development are the basis for successful management processes in a modern company. The aim of this study was to identify and assess skills and learning styles of innovative companies’ employees. The empirical material was collected in 2016 on the basis of a research conducted among employees of innovative companies established in Poland. The results of the present research allowed to analyze the impact of the respondents’ independent variables on their skills and learning styles. As a result of the study, recommendations for managers and Human Resources Management (HRM specialists were formulated on how to successfully manage employees’ various skills and learning styles.

  7. Refinement of learned skilled movement representation in motor cortex deep output layer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Qian; Ko, Ho; Qian, Zhong-Ming; Yan, Leo Y. C.; Chan, Danny C. W.; Arbuthnott, Gordon; Ke, Ya; Yung, Wing-Ho

    2017-01-01

    The mechanisms underlying the emergence of learned motor skill representation in primary motor cortex (M1) are not well understood. Specifically, how motor representation in the deep output layer 5b (L5b) is shaped by motor learning remains virtually unknown. In rats undergoing motor skill training, we detect a subpopulation of task-recruited L5b neurons that not only become more movement-encoding, but their activities are also more structured and temporally aligned to motor execution with a timescale of refinement in tens-of-milliseconds. Field potentials evoked at L5b in vivo exhibit persistent long-term potentiation (LTP) that parallels motor performance. Intracortical dopamine denervation impairs motor learning, and disrupts the LTP profile as well as the emergent neurodynamical properties of task-recruited L5b neurons. Thus, dopamine-dependent recruitment of L5b neuronal ensembles via synaptic reorganization may allow the motor cortex to generate more temporally structured, movement-encoding output signal from M1 to downstream circuitry that drives increased uniformity and precision of movement during motor learning. PMID:28598433

  8. Higher Order Thinking Skills as Effect of Problem Based Learning in the 21st Century Learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leni Widiawati

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to determine the responses of learners to learning using a scientific approach in Problem Based Learning integrated with the inculcation of critical thinking, communicative, collaboration; and creative (4C skills in 21st century learning. The design of this study is true experiment by using posttest only control design. The sample of the research is vocational school students selected by using cluster random sampling technique in Surakarta, Indonesia. The techniques of collecting data are using tests whose validity, reliability, level of difficulty, and the discrimination index have been tested. The data obtained are then tested using t test. The result of the research shows that higher order thinking skills of experimental class students learning using scientific approach in Problem Based Learning which is integrated with the inculcation of 4C skills are higher than those of the control class that are learning using scientific approach in Think-Pair-Share which is integrated with the inculcation of 4C skills.

  9. THE STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC WRITING SKILL AFTER IMPLEMENTING BLENDED LEARNING USING FACEBOOK

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dwi Sulisworo

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Almost all students use smartphone for their daily activities. Nowadays, the student’s literacy on information technology is very good, but sometimes it has not been considered in school learning. One of the essential competencies of undergraduate school is academic writing skill. There is a gap between the student competencies and the learning strategy in certain learning subjects. The aim of this research is to examine the effectiveness of blended mobile learning activity using Facebook to improve student writing skill. This research used timed essay examination to measure the writing skill after one semester learning activity using this strategy and student satisfaction responses to learning. There were four aspects used as criteria of writing skill: ideas, organization, wording, and flavor. The results showed that this learning approach had shown good results in some aspects, particularly in improving the skill of shaping ideas and organizing the ideas into written form. The uses of various learning strategies that make students more active and centered on students tend to increase the ability of students to search for new ideas creatively. Among others, the positive aspect is the students have the knowledge and understanding of new concepts that can support the idea of writing in the aspect of idea and various choices of words.

  10. Skill development in experimental courses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Héctor Bagán

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Experimental courses offer a good opportunity to work with competences, promoting the incorporation of strategies oriented towards motivating students to actively involve in the learning process, promoting reflexive learning and developing generic skills. This study presents different ways of developing and evaluating some important general skills, settle on four specific objectives: 1. To increase student motivation using samples of potential interest to students and explaining real-live application of their samples analyses; 2. To assist students’ self-regulation and learning autonomy by using the portfolio; 3. To promote group work through experiments in pairs and small-group discussions; 4. To develop communication skills through small-group discussions and oral presentations. Results show that the type of sample used and real-life application has important influence on motivation. The portfolio is a good tool to promote reflection and to evaluate both specific and generic skills in experimental courses, the dynamics of a laboratory course permit students to develop their group-work and communicative skills, and peer evaluations both improve students’ communication skills and promote metacognitive reflection. Finally, the project demonstrates that it is possible to train students in general skills using the specific course content and that the incorporation of participatory methodologies encourages students to become actively involved in the teaching-learning process.

  11. A Peer-Assisted Learning Program and Its Effect on Student Skill Demonstration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carr, W. David; Volberding, Jennifer; Vardiman, Phillip

    2011-01-01

    Objective: To explore the effect of an intentional Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) program on peer-tutors and peer-tutees for performance on specific psychomotor skills. Design and Setting: Randomized, pretest-posttest experimental design. Participants: Undergraduate students (N = 69, 42 females and 27 males, all participants were 18 to 22 years old,…

  12. Influence of the workplace on learning physical examination skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duvivier, Robbert; Stalmeijer, Renée; van Dalen, Jan; van der Vleuten, Cees; Scherpbier, Albert

    2014-03-28

    Hospital clerkships are considered crucial for acquiring competencies such as diagnostic reasoning and clinical skills. The actual learning process in the hospital remains poorly understood. This study investigates how students learn clinical skills in workplaces and factors affecting this. Six focus group sessions with 32 students in Internal Medicine rotation (4-9 students per group; sessions 80-90 minutes). Verbatim transcripts were analysed by emerging themes and coded independently by three researchers followed by constant comparison and axial coding. Students report to learn the systematics of the physical examination, gain agility and become able to recognise pathological signs. The learning process combines working alongside others and working independently with increasing responsibility for patient care. Helpful behaviour includes making findings explicit through patient files or during observation, feedback by abnormal findings and taking initiative. Factors affecting the process negatively include lack of supervision, uncertainty about tasks and expectations, and social context such as hierarchy of learners and perceived learning environment. Although individual student experiences vary greatly between different hospitals, it seems that proactivity and participation are central drivers for learning. These results can improve the quality of existing programmes and help design new ways to learn physical examination skills.

  13. Walking the bridge: Nursing students' learning in clinical skill laboratories.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ewertsson, Mona; Allvin, Renée; Holmström, Inger K; Blomberg, Karin

    2015-07-01

    Despite an increasing focus on simulation as a learning strategy in nursing education, there is limited evidence on the transfer of simulated skills into clinical practice. Therefore it's important to increase knowledge of how clinical skills laboratories (CSL) can optimize students' learning for development of professional knowledge and skills, necessary for quality nursing practice and for patient safety. Thus, the aim was to describe nursing students' experiences of learning in the CSL as a preparation for their clinical practice. Interviews with 16 students were analysed with content analysis. An overall theme was identified - walking the bridge - in which the CSL formed a bridge between the university and clinical settings, allowing students to integrate theory and practice and develop a reflective stance. The theme was based on categories: conditions for learning, strategies for learning, tension between learning in the skills laboratory and clinical settings, and development of professional and personal competence. The CSL prepared the students for clinical practice, but a negative tension between learning in CSL and clinical settings was experienced. However, this tension may create reflection. This provides a new perspective that can be used as a pedagogical approach to create opportunities for students to develop their critical thinking. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Appreciation of learning environment and development of higher-order learning skills in a problem-based learning medical curriculum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mala-Maung; Abdullah, Azman; Abas, Zoraini W

    2011-12-01

    This cross-sectional study determined the appreciation of the learning environment and development of higher-order learning skills among students attending the Medical Curriculum at the International Medical University, Malaysia which provides traditional and e-learning resources with an emphasis on problem based learning (PBL) and self-directed learning. Of the 708 participants, the majority preferred traditional to e-resources. Students who highly appreciated PBL demonstrated a higher appreciation of e-resources. Appreciation of PBL is positively and significantly correlated with higher-order learning skills, reflecting the inculcation of self-directed learning traits. Implementers must be sensitive to the progress of learners adapting to the higher education environment and innovations, and to address limitations as relevant.

  15. Temperature dependency in motor skill learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Immink, Maarten A; Wright, David L; Barnes, William S

    2012-01-01

    The present study investigated the role of temperature as a contextual condition for motor skill learning. Precision grip task training occurred while forearm cutaneous temperature was either heated (40-45 °C) or cooled (10-15 °C). At test, temperature was either reinstated or changed. Performance was comparable between training conditions while at test, temperature changes decreased accuracy, especially after hot training conditions. After cold training, temperature change deficits were only evident when concurrent force feedback was presented. These findings are the first evidence of localized temperature dependency in motor skill learning in humans. Results are not entirely accounted for by a context-dependent memory explanation and appear to represent an interaction of neuromuscular and sensory processes with the temperature present during training and test.

  16. Work-related learning and skill development in Europe: Does initial skill mismatch matter?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ferreira Sequeda, Maria; Künn-Nelen, Annemarie; de Grip, Andries

    2017-01-01

    This paper provides more insight into the assumption of human capital theory that the productivity of job-related training is driven by the improvement of workers’ skills. We analyze the extent to which training and informal learning on the job are related to employee skill development and consider

  17. Work-related learning and skill development in Europe: Does initial skill mismatch matter?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ferreira Sequeda, Maria; Künn, Annemarie; de Grip, Andries

    2016-01-01

    This paper provides more insight into the relevance of the assumption of human capital theory that the productivity of job-related training is driven by the improvement of workers’ skills. We analyse the extent to which training and informal learning on the job are related to employee skill

  18. Learning about self: leadership skills for public health

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rob Moodie

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available As public health practitioners and as clinicians we are taught to care for our patients, and for our community members. But how much do we teach and learn about how to lead, manage and care for our colleagues, our team members and ourselves? This paper emphasizes the need for leadership learning and teaching to become an essential element of the practice of public health. The paper presents the author’s perspective on the leadership skills required for public health and describes a five-day intensive course designed to enable participants to develop these skills over time. The paper briefly covers leadership definitions, styles and types and key leadership skills. It mainly focuses on the design and ethos of the course, skills self-assessment, group interaction and methods for developing and refining leadership skills. The course uses a collaborative learning approach where the power differential between teachers, facilitators, guests and participants is minimized. It is based on creating an environment where any participant can reveal his or her stories, successes, failures, preferences and dislikes in a safe manner. It encourages continual, constructive individual reflection, self-assessment and group interaction. The course is aimed at the practice of public health leadership, with a particular emphasis on the leadership of self, of knowing oneself, and of knowing and understanding colleagues retrospectively as well as prospectively. The most important outcome is the design and implementation of participants’ own plans for developing and nurturing their leadership skills.

  19. Undergraduate Sport Management Students' Perceptions of Leadership Skills through Service Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romsa, Bryan; Romsa, Katelyn; Lim, Jon; Wurdinger, Scott

    2017-01-01

    Researchers have discovered that service learning affects students' academic, personal, and social development. However, currently there is a gap in literature analyzing ways in which service learning affects students' perceived leadership skills. This study examined the effectiveness of service learning on the perceived leadership skills of 74…

  20. The Influence of Skill Process of Science and Motivation to Students Learn of Creativity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoga Budi Bhakti

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This research aims to understand the influence process of science skill and motivation learning with creativity learn. Data about the process of scince skill, motivation and creativity learn collected by test questioner instrument. Data analysis with regression analysis and correlation . Research shows that: There is the influence of skill process of science to the process of creativity learn with correlation coefficient r = 0.634 , there is the influence of motivation learn students to creativity learning with correlation coefficient r = 0.55, the process of science skills and motivation to study for students influence of creativity learn with correlation coefficient r = 0.935. This study concluded that skill process of science and the motivation to study student could creative learning.

  1. Integrating Problem-Based Learning and Simulation: Effects on Student Motivation and Life Skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roh, Young Sook; Kim, Sang Suk

    2015-07-01

    Previous research has suggested that a teaching strategy integrating problem-based learning and simulation may be superior to traditional lecture. The purpose of this study was to assess learner motivation and life skills before and after taking a course involving problem-based learning and simulation. The design used repeated measures with a convenience sample of 83 second-year nursing students who completed the integrated course. Data from a self-administered questionnaire measuring learner motivation and life skills were collected at pretest, post-problem-based learning, and post-simulation time points. Repeated-measures analysis of variance determined that the mean scores for total learner motivation (F=6.62, P=.003), communication (F=8.27, Plearning (F=4.45, P=.016) differed significantly between time points. Post hoc tests using the Bonferroni correction revealed that total learner motivation and total life skills significantly increased both from pretest to postsimulation and from post-problem-based learning test to postsimulation test. Subscales of learner motivation and life skills, intrinsic goal orientation, self-efficacy for learning and performance, problem-solving skills, and self-directed learning skills significantly increased both from pretest to postsimulation test and from post-problem-based learning test to post-simulation test. The results demonstrate that an integrating problem-based learning and simulation course elicits significant improvement in learner motivation and life skills. Simulation plus problem-based learning is more effective than problem-based learning alone at increasing intrinsic goal orientation, task value, self-efficacy for learning and performance, problem solving, and self-directed learning.

  2. Students’ attitudes towards learning communication skills : correlating attitudes, demographic and metacognitive variables

    OpenAIRE

    Lumma-Sellenthin, Antje

    2012-01-01

    Objectives: This study aimed at exploring the relationship of students' attitudes towards learning communication skills to demographic variables, metacognitive skills, and to the appreciation of patient-oriented care. Methods: The cross-sectional survey study involved first- and third-term students from two traditional and two problem-based curricula (N= 351). Demographic variables, attitudes towards communication skills learning, patient orientation, and awareness of learning strategies were...

  3. Influence of the workplace on learning physical examination skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Background Hospital clerkships are considered crucial for acquiring competencies such as diagnostic reasoning and clinical skills. The actual learning process in the hospital remains poorly understood. This study investigates how students learn clinical skills in workplaces and factors affecting this. Methods Six focus group sessions with 32 students in Internal Medicine rotation (4–9 students per group; sessions 80–90 minutes). Verbatim transcripts were analysed by emerging themes and coded independently by three researchers followed by constant comparison and axial coding. Results Students report to learn the systematics of the physical examination, gain agility and become able to recognise pathological signs. The learning process combines working alongside others and working independently with increasing responsibility for patient care. Helpful behaviour includes making findings explicit through patient files or during observation, feedback by abnormal findings and taking initiative. Factors affecting the process negatively include lack of supervision, uncertainty about tasks and expectations, and social context such as hierarchy of learners and perceived learning environment. Conclusion Although individual student experiences vary greatly between different hospitals, it seems that proactivity and participation are central drivers for learning. These results can improve the quality of existing programmes and help design new ways to learn physical examination skills. PMID:24678562

  4. Preschool Children's Interest, Social-Emotional Skills, and Emergent Mathematics Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doctoroff, Greta L.; Fisher, Paige H.; Burrows, Bethany M.; Edman, Maria Tsepilovan

    2016-01-01

    This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between interest, social-emotional skills, and early math skills in preschool children. Math-specific interest and global interest in learning were measured using teacher report and a play-based observation task. Math skills were assessed with a test of math achievement, and social-emotional…

  5. Improving Students' Interpersonal Skills through Experiential Small Group Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skinner, Kay Lesley; Hyde, Sarah J.; McPherson, Kerstin B. A.; Simpson, Maree D.

    2016-01-01

    Health professional students must be equipped with the skills necessary to interact with patients. Effective interpersonal skills are difficult to both learn and teach, requiring development, practise and evaluation in both educational and clinical settings. In professions such as physiotherapy, traditional approaches to teaching these skills have…

  6. Learning and Skills: Opportunities or Threats for Disabled Learners? FEDA Responds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mace, Jackie, Ed.

    Challenges will be created by proposed changes to post-school education and training for people with learning difficulties and disabilities. Two important bills have been proposed. The Learning and Skills Bill (LSB) changes the whole architecture of the post-school education and training sector. LSB sets up the Learning and Skills Council (LSC)…

  7. Public health genetic counselors: activities, skills, and sources of learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McWalter, Kirsty M; Sdano, Mallory R; Dave, Gaurav; Powell, Karen P; Callanan, Nancy

    2015-06-01

    Specialization within genetic counseling is apparent, with 29 primary specialties listed in the National Society of Genetic Counselors' 2012 Professional Status Survey (PSS). PSS results show a steady proportion of genetic counselors primarily involved in public health, yet do not identify all those performing public health activities. Little is known about the skills needed to perform activities outside of "traditional" genetic counselor roles and the expertise needed to execute those skills. This study aimed to identify genetic counselors engaging in public health activities, the skills used, and the most influential sources of learning for those skills. Participants (N = 155) reported involvement in several public health categories: (a) Education of Public and/or Health Care Providers (n = 80, 52 %), (b) Population-Based Screening Programs (n = 70, 45 %), (c) Lobbying/Public Policy (n = 62, 40 %), (d) Public Health Related Research (n = 47, 30 %), and (e) State Chronic Disease Programs (n = 12, 8 %). Regardless of category, "on the job" was the most common primary source of learning. Genetic counseling training program was the most common secondary source of learning. Results indicate that the number of genetic counselors performing public health activities is likely higher than PSS reports, and that those who may not consider themselves "public health genetic counselors" do participate in public health activities. Genetic counselors learn a diverse skill set in their training programs; some skills are directly applicable to public health genetics, while other public health skills require additional training and/or knowledge.

  8. Enhancing students' higher order thinking skills through computer-based scaffolding in problem-based learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Nam Ju

    This multiple paper dissertation addressed several issues in Problem-based learning (PBL) through conceptual analysis, meta-analysis, and empirical research. PBL is characterized by ill-structured tasks, self-directed learning process, and a combination of individual and cooperative learning activities. Students who lack content knowledge and problem-solving skills may struggle to address associated tasks that are beyond their current ability levels in PBL. This dissertation addressed a) scaffolding characteristics (i.e., scaffolding types, delivery method, customization) and their effects on students' perception of optimal challenge in PBL, b) the possibility of virtual learning environments for PBL, and c) the importance of information literacy for successful PBL learning. Specifically, this dissertation demonstrated the effectiveness of scaffolding customization (i.e., fading, adding, and fading/adding) to enhance students' self-directed learning in PBL. Moreover, the effectiveness of scaffolding was greatest when scaffolding customization is self-selected than based on fixed-time interval and their performance. This suggests that it might be important for students to take responsibility for their learning in PBL and individualized and just-in-time scaffolding can be one of the solutions to address K-12 students' difficulties in improving problem-solving skills and adjusting to PBL.

  9. 21st Century-Based Soft Skills: Spotlight on Non-Cognitive Skills in a Cognitive-Laden Dentistry Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quieng, Marjorie C.; Lim, Pearly P.; Lucas, Maria Rita D.

    2015-01-01

    Teaching and learning in the 21st century aims to produce students proficient in content knowledge, specific abilities, literacy, numeracy, and technology uses. From these 21st century skills, soft skills were delineated from these learning outcomes; and defined as intra- and interpersonal skills vital for personal development, social…

  10. MANAGERIAL SKILLS OF AN E-LEARNING MANAGER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tiron-Tudor Adriana

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available This article presents some findings of the E-Learning Manager (ELM Project regarding the skills an e-learning manager should possess in order to achieve his/her mission. At this point the project is still in the first stage of it. For the design of the s

  11. Learning-performance distinction and memory processes for motor skills: a focused review and perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kantak, Shailesh S; Winstein, Carolee J

    2012-03-01

    Behavioral research in cognitive psychology provides evidence for an important distinction between immediate performance that accompanies practice and long-term performance that reflects the relative permanence in the capability for the practiced skill (i.e. learning). This learning-performance distinction is strikingly evident when challenging practice conditions may impair practice performance, but enhance long-term retention of motor skills. A review of motor learning studies with a specific focus on comparing differences in performance between that at the end of practice and at delayed retention suggests that the delayed retention or transfer performance is a better indicator of motor learning than the performance at (or end of) practice. This provides objective evidence for the learning-performance distinction. This behavioral evidence coupled with an understanding of the motor memory processes of encoding, consolidation and retrieval may provide insight into the putative mechanism that implements the learning-performance distinction. Here, we propose a simplistic empirically-based framework--motor behavior-memory framework--that integrates the temporal evolution of motor memory processes with the time course of practice and delayed retention frequently used in behavioral motor learning paradigms. In the context of the proposed framework, recent research has used noninvasive brain stimulation to decipher the role of each motor memory process, and specific cortical brain regions engaged in motor performance and learning. Such findings provide beginning insights into the relationship between the time course of practice-induced performance changes and motor memory processes. This in turn has promising implications for future research and practical applications. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Beliefs and Behaviors in Learning Critical Thinking Skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Octavian REPOLSCHI

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The paper will present the relation between students’ beliefs and their behaviours observed in the process of learning critical thinking skills. In the first place some consideration concerning the fundamental epistemological concepts used in the research and about the particular critical thinking skills are to be sketched. Then the testing- learning procedure will be shortly summarized. Thirdly the evaluation of beliefs, their relations with knowledge and the associated behaviors are presented. The results of the periodic testing procedures that were taking place according to the established methodology are to be discussed. Finally, some general considerations concerning the relations between beliefs, behaviors and knowledge that have emerged in the process of learning are going to be presented.

  13. Multiple systems for motor skill learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Dav; Ivry, Richard B

    2010-07-01

    Motor learning is a ubiquitous feature of human competence. This review focuses on two particular classes of model tasks for studying skill acquisition. The serial reaction time (SRT) task is used to probe how people learn sequences of actions, while adaptation in the context of visuomotor or force field perturbations serves to illustrate how preexisting movements are recalibrated in novel environments. These tasks highlight important issues regarding the representational changes that occur during the course of motor learning. One important theme is that distinct mechanisms vary in their information processing costs during learning and performance. Fast learning processes may require few trials to produce large changes in performance but impose demands on cognitive resources. Slower processes are limited in their ability to integrate complex information but minimally demanding in terms of attention or processing resources. The representations derived from fast systems may be accessible to conscious processing and provide a relatively greater measure of flexibility, while the representations derived from slower systems are more inflexible and automatic in their behavior. In exploring these issues, we focus on how multiple neural systems may interact and compete during the acquisition and consolidation of new behaviors. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. This article is categorized under: Psychology > Motor Skill and Performance. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. The role of emotion in the learning and transfer of clinical skills and knowledge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McConnell, Meghan M; Eva, Kevin W

    2012-10-01

    Medical school and residency are emotional experiences for trainees. Most research examining emotion in medicine has focused on negative moods associated with physician burnout and poor quality of life. However, positive emotional states also may have important influences on student learning and performance. The authors present a review of the literature on the influence of emotion on cognition, specifically how individuals learn complex skills and knowledge and how they transfer that information to new scenarios. From September 2011 to February 2012, the authors searched Medline, PsycInfo, GoogleScholar, ERIC, and Web of Science, as well as the reference lists of relevant articles, for research on the interaction between emotion, learning, and knowledge transfer. They extracted representative themes and noted particularly relevant empirical findings. The authors found articles that show that emotion influences various cognitive processes that are involved in the acquisition and transfer of knowledge and skills. More specifically, emotion influences how individuals identify and perceive information, how they interpret it, and how they act on the information available in learning and practice situations. There are many ways in which emotions may influence medical education. Researchers must further explore the implications of these findings to ensure that learning is not treated simply as a rational, mechanistic process but that trainees are effectively prepared to perform under a wide range of emotional conditions.

  15. Effects of the SOLVE Strategy on the Mathematical Problem Solving Skills of Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freeman-Green, Shaqwana M.; O'Brien, Chris; Wood, Charles L.; Hitt, Sara Beth

    2015-01-01

    This study examined the effects of explicit instruction in the SOLVE Strategy on the mathematical problem solving skills of six Grade 8 students with specific learning disabilities. The SOLVE Strategy is an explicit instruction, mnemonic-based learning strategy designed to help students in solving mathematical word problems. Using a multiple probe…

  16. DEVELOPING PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS FOR LIFELONG LEARNING THROUGH WORK-BASED LEARNING AMONG COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS

    OpenAIRE

    Wan Azlinda Wan Mohamed; Badrul Omar; Mohd Faroul Rafiq Romli

    2010-01-01

    Many training providers are working to improve their curricula to meet the demand of today’s industries. The Malaysian College Communities, one of the major providers for lifelong learning program, had introduced the Work-Based Learning (WBL) concept since 2007 to ensure that their graduates met these demands. One of the key skills required by industry is problem solving skill. The ability to solve a complex or an ill-structured work problem in the workplace is the kind of skill demanded at a...

  17. Enhancing Students' Language Skills through Blended Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Banditvilai, Choosri

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents a case study of using blended learning to enhance students' language skills and learner autonomy in an Asian university environment. Blended learning represents an educational environment for much of the world where computers and the Internet are readily available. It combines self-study with valuable face-to-face interaction…

  18. Classroom quality and academic skills: Approaches to learning as a moderator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meng, Christine

    2015-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine whether approaches to learning moderated the association between child care classroom environment and Head Start children's academic skills. The data came from the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES-2003 Cohort). The dataset is a nationally representative longitudinal study of Head Start children. The sample was selected using the stratified 4-stage sampling procedure. Data was collected in fall 2003, spring 2004, spring 2005, and spring 2006 in the first year of kindergarten. Participants included 3- and 4-year-old Head Start children (n = 786; 387 boys, 399 girls; 119 Hispanic children, 280 African American children, 312 Caucasian children). Head Start children's academic skills in letter-word identification, dictation/spelling, and mathematics at the 4 time points were measured by the Woodcock-Johnson Achievement Battery tests. Approaches to learning in fall 2003 was measured by the teacher report of the Preschool Learning Behaviors Scale. Child care classroom quality in fall 2003 was measured by the revised Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale. Results of the linear mixed effects models demonstrated that approaches to learning significantly moderated the effect of child care classroom quality on Head Start children's writing and spelling. Specifically, positive approaches to learning mitigated the negative effect of lower levels of classroom quality on dictation/spelling. Results underscore the important role of approaches to learning as a protective factor. Implications for early childhood educators with an emphasis on learning goals for disengaged children are discussed. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  19. Transformative Learning Model for Youth Life Skills Entrepreneurs in Poor Weavers Songket Palembang

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ayi Olim

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Non-formal education serves to develop the potential of students with an emphasis on the mastery of knowledge and functional skills and professional attitude and personality development, is now understood as an alternative approach to the future education with an emphasis on the mastery of skills. transformative learning, life skills and entrepreneurship as a modality of model development. learner/ prospective participants learn from the lower-middle group (in the shadow of the transmission of learning should be the owner of the learning process and should be able to identify the capabilities and environmental problems, reflect and take action in developing entrepreneurial abilities. The model requires changing patterns of transformative learning and utilization participants life skills learning, facilitation and management support from stakeholders

  20. 21st Century leadership skills for learning networks

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Basten, Floor; Evers, Arnoud; Geijsel, Femke; Vermeulen, Marjan

    2018-01-01

    Ultimate goal: to prepare pupils for a life in a society that requires 21st century skills and actions Immediate focus: teachers and principals develop 21st century skills in the practice of their work → together with researchers principals co-create tools to support teacher learning.

  1. The relationship between gross motor skills and academic achievement in children with learning disabilities

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Westendorp, Marieke; Hartman, Esther; Houwen, Suzanne; Smith, Joanne; Visscher, Chris

    2011-01-01

    The present study compared the gross motor skills of 7- to 12-year-old children with learning disabilities (n = 104) with those of age-matched typically developing children (n = 104) using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2. Additionally, the specific relationships between subsets of gross motor

  2. Combining Formal, Non-Formal and Informal Learning for Workforce Skill Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Misko, Josie

    2008-01-01

    This literature review, undertaken for Australian Industry Group, shows how multiple variations and combinations of formal, informal and non-formal learning, accompanied by various government incentives and organisational initiatives (including job redesign, cross-skilling, multi-skilling, diversified career pathways, action learning projects,…

  3. Multiple systems for motor skill learning

    OpenAIRE

    Clark, Dav; Ivry, Richard B.

    2010-01-01

    Motor learning is a ubiquitous feature of human competence. This review focuses on two particular classes of model tasks for studying skill acquisition. The serial reaction time (SRT) task is used to probe how people learn sequences of actions, while adaptation in the context of visuomotor or force field perturbations serves to illustrate how preexisting movements are recalibrated in novel environments. These tasks highlight important issues regarding the representational changes that occur d...

  4. E-learning and nursing assessment skills and knowledge - An integrative review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDonald, Ewan W; Boulton, Jessica L; Davis, Jacqueline L

    2018-07-01

    This review examines the current evidence on the effectiveness of digital technologies or e-based learning for enhancing the skills and knowledge of nursing students in nursing assessment. This integrative review identifies themes emerging from e-learning and 'nursing assessment' literature. Literature reviews have been undertaken in relation to digital learning and nursing education, including clinical skills, clinical case studies and the nurse-educator role. Whilst perceptions of digital learning are well covered, a gap in knowledge persists for understanding the effectiveness of e-learning on nursing assessment skills and knowledge. This is important as comprehensive assessment skills and knowledge are a key competency for newly qualified nurses. The MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library and ProQuest Nursing and Allied Health Source electronic databases were searched for the period 2006 to 2016. Hand searching in bibliographies was also undertaken. Selection criteria for this review included: FINDINGS: Twenty articles met the selection criteria for this review, and five major themes for e-based learning were identified (a) students become self-evaluators; (b) blend and scaffold learning; (c) measurement of clinical reasoning; (d) mobile technology and Facebook are effective; and (e) training and preparation is vital. Although e-based learning programs provide a flexible teaching method, evidence suggests e-based learning alone does not exceed face-to-face patient simulation. This is particularly the case where nursing assessment learning is not scaffolded. This review demonstrates that e-based learning and traditional teaching methods used in conjunction with each other create a superior learning style. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Teaching laryngeal endoscopy skills to speech and language therapists: applying learning theory to optimize practical skills mastery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robinson, H Fiona; Dennick, Reg

    2015-06-01

    This review was carried out to highlight relevant learning theory and its application to the teaching of endoscopic skills to speech and language therapists (SLTs). This article explains the most relevant models from Constructivist, Experiential and Humanistic Learning Theory, a combination that has been described as Constructive Experience, and describes the relevance and the benefits of applying educational frameworks in course design. This approach has been formally used to design and deliver practical skills teaching in medicine. SLTs carry out endoscopic evaluation of the larynx (EEL) to provide information for evaluation and rehabilitation of voice and swallowing disorders. These are essential procedures in ear, nose and throat, voice and swallowing specialist centres. Training in endoscopy skills for SLTs working in the ear, nose and throat specialist centres in the United Kingdom has traditionally been provided external to the local clinic environment as 1 or 2-day courses. In one survey in the United Kingdom, 79% of SLTs reported that they did not acquire the depth of skill required to carry out EEL autonomously after attending such courses. Course development to teach practical skills should be underpinned by educational theory. One EEL course in the United Kingdom is described, wherein sessions are interactive and experiential, promoting deep learning, constructive feedback and reflection, enriched by the completion of logs and portfolios. From course evaluations, all the learners met the learning objectives, developing and applying skills to become confident endoscopists in autonomous clinical practice.

  6. Advantages of melodic over rhythmic movement sonification in bimanual motor skill learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dyer, J F; Stapleton, P; Rodger, M W M

    2017-10-01

    An important question for skill acquisition is whether and how augmented feedback can be designed to improve the learning of complex skills. Auditory information triggered by learners' actions, movement sonification, can enhance learning of a complex bimanual coordination skill, specifically polyrhythmic bimanual shape tracing. However, it is not clear whether the coordination of polyrhythmic sequenced movements is enhanced by auditory-specified timing information alone or whether more complex sound mappings, such as melodic sonification, are necessary. Furthermore, while short-term retention of bimanual coordination performance has been shown with movement sonification training, longer term retention has yet to be demonstrated. In the present experiment, participants learned to trace a diamond shape with one hand while simultaneously tracing a triangle with the other to produce a sequenced 4:3 polyrhythmic timing pattern. Two groups of participants received real-time auditory feedback during training: melodic sonification (individual movements triggered a separate note of a melody) and rhythmic sonification (each movement triggered a percussive sound), while a third control group received no augmented feedback. Task acquisition and performance in immediate retention were superior in the melodic sonification group as compared to the rhythmic sonification and control group. In a 24-h retention phase, a decline in performance in the melodic sonification group was reversed by brief playback of the target pattern melody. These results show that melodic sonification of movement can provide advantages over augmented feedback which only provides timing information by better structuring the sequencing of timed actions, and also allow recovery of complex target patterns of movement after training. These findings have important implications for understanding the role of augmented perceptual information in skill learning, as well as its application to real-world training or

  7. Implementing simulated learning modules to improve students’ pharmacy practice skills and professionalism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fejzic J

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: Effective communication enables healthcare professionals and students to practise their disciplines in a professional and competent manner. Simulated-based education (SBE has been increasingly used to improve students’ communication and practice skills in Health Education. Objective: Simulated learning modules (SLMs were developed using practice-based scenarios grounded in effective communication competencies. The effect of the SLMs on Pharmacy students’ (i Practice skills and (ii Professionalism were evaluated. Methods: SLMs integrating EXCELL competencies were applied in the classroom to study their effect on a number of learning outcomes. EXcellence in Cultural Experiential Learning and Leadership (EXCELL Program is a schematic, evidence-based professional development resource centred around developing participants’ self-efficacy and generic communication competencies. Students (N=95 completed three hours of preliminary lectures and eight hours of SLM workshops including six scenarios focused on Pharmacy Practice and Experiential Placements. Each SLM included briefing, role-plays with actors, facilitation, and debriefing on EXCELL social interaction maps (SIMs. Evaluations comprised quantitative and qualitative survey responsed by students before and post-workshops, and post-placements, and teachers’ reflections. Surveys examine specific learning outcomes by using pharmacy professionalism and pharmacy practice effectiveness scales. Responses were measured prior to the commencement of SLMs, after completion of the two workshops and after students completed their block placement. Self-report measures enabled students to self-assess whether any improvements occurred. Results: Student responses were overwhelmingly positive and indicated significant improvements in their Pharmacy practice and professionalism skills, and commitment to professional ethics. Qualitative feedback strongly supported students’ improved communication

  8. Experiential learning model on entrepreneurship subject for improving students’ soft skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lina Rifda Naufalin

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the research was to improve students’ soft skills on entrepreneurship subject by using experiential learning model. It was expected that the learning model could upgrade students’ soft skills which were indicated by the higher confidence, result and job oriented, being courageous to take risks, leadership, originality, and future-oriented. It was a class action research using Kemmis and Mc Tagart’s design model. The research was conducted for two cycles. The subject of the study was economics education students in 2015/2016.  The result of the research showed that the experiential learning model could improve students’ soft skills. The research showed that there were increases at the dimension of confidence, (52.1%, result-oriented (22.9%, being courageous to take risks (10.4%, leadership (12.5%, originality (10.4%, and future-oriented (18.8%. It could be concluded that the experiential learning model was effective to improve students’ soft skills on entrepreneurship subject. It also showed that the dimension of confidence had the highest rise. Students’ soft skills were shaped through the continuous stimulus when they got involved at the implementation.Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk meningkatkan soft skills mahasiswa dalam mata kuliah kewirausahaan dengan menggunakan model experietial learning. Diharapkan dengan model pembelajaran ini terjadi peningkatan soft skills mahasiswa yang ditandai dengan peningkatan rasa percaya diri, berorientasi tugas dan hasil, berani mengambil resiko, kepemimpinan, keorisinilan, dan berorientasi masa depan. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode penelitian tindakan kelas dengan menggunakan model desain menurut Kemmis dan Mc Tagart. Penelitian ini dilakukan dalam dua siklus, yaitu siklus I dan siklus II. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan di kelas pendidikan ekonomi angkatan 2015/2016. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa penggunaan model experiential learning dapat meningkatkan soft skills

  9. The Impact of Project-Based Learning on Pre-Service Teachers' Technology Attitudes and Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alexander, Curby; Knezek, Gerald; Christensen, Rhonda; Tyler-Wood, Tandra; Bull, Glen

    2014-01-01

    Researchers in this study looked at the effect of content-specific, technology-rich project-based learning activities on EC-8 pre-service teachers' competencies and skills, as well as pre-service teacher's attitudes toward science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Researchers employed a quantitative design involving participants in…

  10. Learning About Self: Leadership Skills for Public Health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moodie, Rob

    2016-04-26

    As public health practitioners and as clinicians we are taught to care for our patients, and for our community members. But how much do we teach and learn about how to lead, manage and care for our colleagues, our team members and ourselves? This paper emphasizes the need for leadership learning and teaching to become an essential element of the practice of public health. The paper presents the author's perspective on the leadership skills required for public health and describes a five-day intensive course designed to enable participants to develop these skills over time. The paper briefly covers leadership definitions, styles and types and key leadership skills. It mainly focuses on the design and ethos of the course, skills self-assessment, group interaction and methods for developing and refining leadership skills. The course uses a collaborative learning approach where the power differential between teachers, facilitators, guests and participants is minimized. It is based on creating an environment where any participant can reveal his or her stories, successes, failures, preferences and dislikes in a safe manner. It encourages continual, constructive individual reflection, self-assessment and group interaction. The course is aimed at the practice of public health leadership, with a particular emphasis on the leadership of self, of knowing oneself, and of knowing and understanding colleagues retrospectively as well as prospectively. The most important outcome is the design and implementation of participants' own plans for developing and nurturing their leadership skills. Significance for public healthThe nature of public health is changing rapidly and increasing in complexity. These changes include major shifts in the burden of disease and the insatiable demands of clinical medicine swamping those of public health. Public health practitioners have failed over many years to systematically ensure that leadership and management skills are essential parts of public

  11. Executive Functioning and Psychopathology in Psychotherapy for Adolescents with Specific Learning Disorders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kopelman-Rubin, Daphne; Klomek, Anat Brunstein; Al-Yagon, Michal; Mufson, Laura; Apter, Alan; Mikulincer, Mario

    2017-01-01

    This study examined the contribution of executive functioning (EF) to improvements in psychiatric symptomatology following I Can Succeed (ICS; Kopelman-Rubin, 2012) psychotherapy, a skill-enhancement intervention designed to target EF and socio-emotional aspects of specific learning disabilities (SLD). Forty adolescents with SLD underwent ICS in…

  12. The testing effect on skills learning might last 6 months

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kromann, C B; Bohnstedt, C; Jensen, M L

    2009-01-01

    In a recent study we found that testing as a final activity in a skills course increases the learning outcome compared to spending an equal amount of time practicing. Whether this testing effect measured as skills performance can be demonstrated on long-term basis is not known. The research...... question was: does testing as a final activity in a cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills course increase learning outcome when assessed after half a year, compared to spending an equal amount of time practicing? The study was an assessor-blinded randomised controlled trial. A convenient sample of 7.......4. The difference between groups was not statistically significant, P = 0.06. This study suggests that testing as a final activity in a CPR skills course might have an effect on long-term learning outcome compared to spending an equal amount of time practicing the skills. Although this difference...

  13. Teaching and learning consultation skills for paediatric practice

    OpenAIRE

    Howells, R J; Davies, H A; Silverman, J D

    2006-01-01

    Effective consultations with patients and their families are important for patient satisfaction, adherence to treatment, and recovery from illness. Communication problems among health professionals are common. Fortunately, the skills of effective communication can be taught and learned. This paper highlights evidence based approaches to teaching these skills with minimal resources.

  14. How Do Hunter-Gatherer Children Learn Subsistence Skills? : A Meta-Ethnographic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lew-Levy, Sheina; Reckin, Rachel; Lavi, Noa; Cristóbal-Azkarate, Jurgi; Ellis-Davies, Kate

    2017-12-01

    Hunting and gathering is, evolutionarily, the defining subsistence strategy of our species. Studying how children learn foraging skills can, therefore, provide us with key data to test theories about the evolution of human life history, cognition, and social behavior. Modern foragers, with their vast cultural and environmental diversity, have mostly been studied individually. However, cross-cultural studies allow us to extrapolate forager-wide trends in how, when, and from whom hunter-gatherer children learn their subsistence skills. We perform a meta-ethnography, which allows us to systematically extract, summarize, and compare both quantitative and qualitative literature. We found 58 publications focusing on learning subsistence skills. Learning begins early in infancy, when parents take children on foraging expeditions and give them toy versions of tools. In early and middle childhood, children transition into the multi-age playgroup, where they learn skills through play, observation, and participation. By the end of middle childhood, most children are proficient food collectors. However, it is not until adolescence that adults (not necessarily parents) begin directly teaching children complex skills such as hunting and complex tool manufacture. Adolescents seek to learn innovations from adults, but they themselves do not innovate. These findings support predictive models that find social learning should occur before individual learning. Furthermore, these results show that teaching does indeed exist in hunter-gatherer societies. And, finally, though children are competent foragers by late childhood, learning to extract more complex resources, such as hunting large game, takes a lifetime.

  15. The Role of Visual Learning in Improving Students' High-Order Thinking Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raiyn, Jamal

    2016-01-01

    Various concepts have been introduced to improve students' analytical thinking skills based on problem based learning (PBL). This paper introduces a new concept to increase student's analytical thinking skills based on a visual learning strategy. Such a strategy has three fundamental components: a teacher, a student, and a learning process. The…

  16. Note-Taking Skills of Middle School Students with and without Learning Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyle, Joseph R.

    2010-01-01

    For middle school students with learning disabilities (LD), one major component of learning in content area classes, such as science, involves listening to lectures and recording notes. Lecture learning and note-taking are critical skills for students to succeed in these classes. Despite the importance of note-taking skills, no research has been…

  17. Developing Transferable Management Skills through Action Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeadon-Lee, Annie; Hall, Roger

    2013-01-01

    There has been increasing criticism of the relevance of the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in developing skills and competencies. Action learning, devised to address problem solving in the

  18. Experiential Learning Model on Entrepreneurship Subject to Improve Students’ Soft Skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lina Rifda Naufalin

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available This research aims to improve students’ soft skills on entrepreneurship subject by using experiential learning model. It was expected that the learning model could upgrade students’ soft skills which were indicated by the higher confidence, result and job oriented, being courageous to take risks, leadership, originality, and future-oriented. It was a class action research using Kemmis and Mc Tagart’s design model. The research was conducted for two cycles. The subject of the study was economics education students in the year of 2015/2016.  Findings show that the experiential learning model could improve students’ soft skills. The research showed that there is increased at the dimension of confidence by 52.1%, result-oriented by 22.9%, being courageous to take risks by 10.4%, leadership by 12.5%, originality by 10.4%, and future-oriented by 18.8%. It could be concluded that the experiential learning model is effective model to improve students’ soft skills on entrepreneurship subject. Dimension of confidence has the highest rise. Students’ soft skills are shaped through the continuous stimulus when they get involved at the implementation.

  19. Facilitating Self-Regulated Learning Skills and Achievement with a Strategic Content Learning Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heller, Monica L.; Marchant, Gregory J.

    2015-01-01

    Whether out of financial concerns for student retention or altruistic goals involving facilitating successful learning, efforts are being made to ensure college student success beyond chance independent study skills. Students often lack effective self-regulatory skills and study strategies necessary for success in college. With guidance through…

  20. Lifelong learning and the low-skilled

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Illeris, Knud

    2006-01-01

    This article is a combined result of a three years research project on low-skilled learners' experiences as participants of various kinds of adult training and education in Denmark, and the findings of a three years research consortium on workplace learning, summing up and generalizing our various...... findings as to how low-skilled adults function in relation to participation in training and education activities, how they feel about it, what is important to them, and consequently what works in practice in relation to this very important but often neglected group of adult learners....

  1. A mixed-methods study of interprofessional learning of resuscitation skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bradley, Paul; Cooper, Simon; Duncan, Fiona

    2009-09-01

    This study aimed to identify the effects of interprofessional resuscitation skills teaching on medical and nursing students' attitudes, leadership, team-working and performance skills. Year 2 medical and nursing students learned resuscitation skills in uniprofessional or interprofessional settings, prior to undergoing observational ratings of video-recorded leadership, teamwork and skills performance and subsequent focus group interviews. The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) was administered pre- and post-intervention and again 3-4 months later. There was no significant difference between interprofessional and uniprofessional teams for leadership, team dynamics or resuscitation tasks performance. Gender, previous interprofessional learning experience, professional background and previous leadership experience had no significant effect. Interview analysis showed broad support for interprofessional education (IPE) matched to clinical reality with perceived benefits for teamwork, communication and improved understanding of roles and perspectives. Concerns included inappropriate role adoption, hierarchy issues, professional identity and the timing of IPE episodes. The RIPLS subscales for professional identity and team-working increased significantly post-intervention for interprofessional groups but returned to pre-test levels by 3-4 months. However, interviews showed interprofessional groups retained a 'residual positivity' towards IPE, more so than uniprofessional groups. An intervention based on common, relevant, shared learning outcomes set in a realistic educational context can work with students who have differing levels of previous IPE and skills training experience. Qualitatively, positive attitudes outlast quantitative changes measured using the RIPLS. Further quantitative and qualitative work is required to examine other domains of learning, the timing of interventions and impact on attitudes towards IPE.

  2. Collaborative learning of clinical skills in health professions education: the why, how, when and for whom.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tolsgaard, Martin G; Kulasegaram, Kulamakan M; Ringsted, Charlotte V

    2016-01-01

    This study is designed to provide an overview of why, how, when and for whom collaborative learning of clinical skills may work in health professions education. Collaborative learning of clinical skills may influence learning positively according to the non-medical literature. Training efficiency may therefore be improved if the outcomes of collaborative learning of clinical skills are superior or equivalent to those attained through individual learning. According to a social interaction perspective, collaborative learning of clinical skills mediates its effects through social interaction, motivation, accountability and positive interdependence between learners. Motor skills learning theory suggests that positive effects rely on observational learning and action imitation, and negative effects may include decreased hands-on experience. Finally, a cognitive perspective suggests that learning is dependent on cognitive co-construction, shared knowledge and reduced cognitive load. The literature on the collaborative learning of clinical skills in health science education is reviewed to support or contradict the hypotheses provided by the theories outlined above. Collaborative learning of clinical skills leads to improvements in self-efficacy, confidence and performance when task processing is observable or communicable. However, the effects of collaborative learning of clinical skills may decrease over time as benefits in terms of shared cognition, scaffolding and cognitive co-construction are outweighed by reductions in hands-on experience and time on task. Collaborative learning of clinical skills has demonstrated promising results in the simulated setting. However, further research into how collaborative learning of clinical skills may work in clinical settings, as well as into the role of social dynamics between learners, is required. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. Active Learning to Develop Motor Skills and Teamwork

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johanna Lorena Aristizabal-Almanza

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available This action-research project was conducted to determine how the use of principles of active learning, specifically collaboration, had an effect on psychomotor performance and achievement in teamwork. The research setting included 20 students of first grade from a private school located in Bogota, Colombia. The students were selected through not randomized sampling based on criteria. The methodological process included observation, interviews, and a scale based on standardized tests to measure skills; the latter was applied before and after the intervention. Data analysis was performed using a triangulation of qualitative data, and through comparative analysis of the initial and final student profile for quantitative inputs. The results showed that, after the intervention with collaborative techniques based on action learning, students achieved a positive variation in their performance. Being part of a team positively affected the achievement of the objectives. Systematical reflection on their practices fostered their capacity to identify strengths and weaknesses to build knowledge in interaction with others. Knowledge construction was nurtured based in their previous experiences. Students showed more accountability and self-directed learning behaviors, according to their age. Overall the experience showed the importance of research and innovation in the classroom in order to provide meaningful data, so teachers and researchers can engage in providing learning experiences based in active learning.

  4. Comparing three experiential learning methods and their effect on medical students' attitudes to learning communication skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koponen, Jonna; Pyörälä, Eeva; Isotalus, Pekka

    2012-01-01

    Despite numerous studies exploring medical students' attitudes to communication skills learning (CSL), there are apparently no studies comparing different experiential learning methods and their influence on students' attitudes. We compared medical students' attitudes to learning communication skills before and after a communication course in the data as a whole, by gender and when divided into three groups using different methods. Second-year medical students (n = 129) were randomly assigned to three groups. In group A (n = 42) the theatre in education method, in group B (n = 44) simulated patients and in group C (n = 43) role-play were used. The data were gathered before and after the course using Communication Skills Attitude Scale. Students' positive attitudes to learning communication skills (PAS; positive attitude scale) increased significantly and their negative attitudes (NAS; negative attitude scale) decreased significantly between the beginning and end of the course. Female students had more positive attitudes than the male students. There were no significant differences in the three groups in the mean scores for PAS or NAS measured before or after the course. The use of experiential methods and integrating communication skills training with visits to health centres may help medical students to appreciate the importance of CSL.

  5. Students' Perceptions of Life Skill Development in Project-Based Learning Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Kimberly; Wurdinger, Scott

    2016-01-01

    This research aimed to examine students' perceptions of their life skills while attending project-based learning (PBL) schools. The study focused on three questions including: (1) What are students' perceptions of their development of life skills in project-based learning schools?; (2) In what ways, if any, do students perceive an increase in…

  6. Developing Communication Management Skills: Integrated Assessment and Reflection in an Experiential Learning Context

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cyphert, Dale; Dodge, Elena Nefedova; Duclos (Wilson), Leslie K.

    2016-01-01

    The value of experiential learning is widely acknowledged, especially for the development of communication skills, but students are not always aware of their own learning. While we can observe students practicing targeted skills during the experiential activity, the experience can also color their explicit understanding of those skills. Transfer…

  7. Leveraging Online Learning Resources to Teach Core Research Skills to Undergraduates at a Diverse Research University.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McFARLIN, Brian K; Breslin, Whitney L; Carpenter, Katie C; Strohacker, Kelley; Weintraub, Randi J

    2010-01-01

    Today's students have unique learning needs and lack knowledge of core research skills. In this program report, we describe an online approach that we developed to teach core research skills to freshman and sophomore undergraduates. Specifically, we used two undergraduate kinesiology (KIN) courses designed to target students throughout campus (KIN1304: Public Health Issues in Physical Activity and Obesity) and specifically kinesiology majors (KIN1252: Foundations of Kinesiology). Our program was developed and validated at the 2 nd largest ethnically diverse research university in the United States, thus we believe that it would be effective in a variety of student populations.

  8. Encouraging IS developers to learn business skills: an examination of the MARS model

    OpenAIRE

    Tsay, Han-Huei (Crystal)

    2016-01-01

    Though prior research has recognized business skills as one of the keys to successful information system development, few studies have investigated the determinants of an IS developer’s behavioral intention to learn such skills. Based on the Motivation–Ability–Role Perception–Situational factors (i.e., the MARS model), this study argues that the intention of IS developers to acquire business skills is influenced by learning motivation (M), learning self-efficacy (A), change agent role percept...

  9. Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Practical Inquiry-Based Learning Bioinformatics Module on Undergraduate Student Engagement and Applied Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, James A. L.

    2016-01-01

    A pedagogic intervention, in the form of an inquiry-based peer-assisted learning project (as a practical student-led bioinformatics module), was assessed for its ability to increase students' engagement, practical bioinformatic skills and process-specific knowledge. Elements assessed were process-specific knowledge following module completion,…

  10. A comparison of medical students', residents' and tutors' attitudes towards communication skills learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molinuevo, Beatriz; Aradilla-Herrero, Amor; Nolla, Maria; Clèries, Xavier

    2016-01-01

    The consensus about the importance of communication skills in patient-care does not guarantee that students and faculty perceive the usefulness of these skills. This study evaluated and compared medical students', residents' and tutors' attitudes towards learning communication skills, and examined the association with gender and year of residency. We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 492 participants (282 second-year students, 131 residents and 79 tutors). They completed the Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) and demographic/educational information. In general, participants showed positive attitudes towards learning communication skills. Medical students, residents and tutors did not differ on the Positive Attitudes Scale (CSAS-PAS). Residents scored higher than medical students on the Negative Attitudes Scale (CSAS-NAS) (P communication skills an essential component for clinical practice and they agree about the need to learn these communication skills. Attention should be paid to measuring attitudes at all three levels of medical education in the design of communication skills courses.

  11. The impact of video technology on learning: A cooking skills experiment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Surgenor, Dawn; Hollywood, Lynsey; Furey, Sinéad; Lavelle, Fiona; McGowan, Laura; Spence, Michelle; Raats, Monique; McCloat, Amanda; Mooney, Elaine; Caraher, Martin; Dean, Moira

    2017-07-01

    This study examines the role of video technology in the development of cooking skills. The study explored the views of 141 female participants on whether video technology can promote confidence in learning new cooking skills to assist in meal preparation. Prior to each focus group participants took part in a cooking experiment to assess the most effective method of learning for low-skilled cooks across four experimental conditions (recipe card only; recipe card plus video demonstration; recipe card plus video demonstration conducted in segmented stages; and recipe card plus video demonstration whereby participants freely accessed video demonstrations as and when needed). Focus group findings revealed that video technology was perceived to assist learning in the cooking process in the following ways: (1) improved comprehension of the cooking process; (2) real-time reassurance in the cooking process; (3) assisting the acquisition of new cooking skills; and (4) enhancing the enjoyment of the cooking process. These findings display the potential for video technology to promote motivation and confidence as well as enhancing cooking skills among low-skilled individuals wishing to cook from scratch using fresh ingredients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Learning about Learning Organisations: Case Studies of Skill Formation in Five New Zealand Organisations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hill, Roberta; Bullard, Tony; Capper, Phillip; Hawes, Kathryn; Wilson, Ken

    1998-01-01

    Case studies of five New Zealand organizations adopting learning organization initiatives highlight crucial limitations of the debate over skill needs in the contemporary workplace. Findings reveal a new paradigm of critical organizational characteristics and job skills needed in this uncertain environment. (SK)

  13. The Effectiveness of Guided Inquiry-based Learning Material on Students’ Science Literacy Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aulia, E. V.; Poedjiastoeti, S.; Agustini, R.

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this research is to describe the effectiveness of guided inquiry-based learning material to improve students’ science literacy skills on solubility and solubility product concepts. This study used Research and Development (R&D) design and was implemented to the 11th graders of Muhammadiyah 4 Senior High School Surabaya in 2016/2017 academic year with one group pre-test and post-test design. The data collection techniques used were validation, observation, test, and questionnaire. The results of this research showed that the students’ science literacy skills are different after implementation of guided inquiry-based learning material. The guided inquiry-based learning material is effective to improve students’ science literacy skills on solubility and solubility product concepts by getting N-gain score with medium and high category. This improvement caused by the developed learning material such as lesson plan, student worksheet, and science literacy skill tests were categorized as valid and very valid. In addition, each of the learning phases in lesson plan has been well implemented. Therefore, it can be concluded that the guided inquiry-based learning material are effective to improve students’ science literacy skills on solubility and solubility product concepts in senior high school.

  14. Attitudes of Sri Lankan medical students toward learning communication skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marambe, Kosala N; Edussuriya, D H; Dayaratne, K M P L

    2012-01-01

    The General Medical Council of the UK, advocates that by the end of their undergraduate course, medical students should be proficient in communicating with patients. However, the attitude of some medical students toward formal training in communication skills seems lukewarm. Although several studies on assessing attitudes of medical students on learning communication skills have been carried out in Europe and America, Asian studies are very few and literature in the Sri Lankan context is lacking. To explore the attitudes of first to fourth year medical students of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya (FOMUP), Sri Lanka on learning communication skills and to identify possible factors that may influence student attitudes. A total of 675 students from year 1 to 4 of the FOMUP were asked to complete a modified version of the Communication Skills Attitude Scale. Items of its positive attitude scale (PAS) were analyzed together while negative items were considered individually. Response rates ranged from 70% to 98% for the various year groups. There were no significant differences between the PAS for males and females and for those exposed to formal training and those who were not. The junior students scored significantly higher on the PAS than seniors. Most students of all the groups disagreed with the item "I don't see why I should learn communication skills". Approximately one-quarter of the students of each group endorsed the statement "Nobody is going to fail their medical degree for having poor communication skills". Out of the students who have undergone formal communication training, almost one-third agreed that they find it difficult to take communication skills learning seriously. Although medical students seem to have realized the importance of communication skills training for the practice of medicine, a significant minority have reservations on attending such sessions. Sri Lanka faculty will need to make a concerted effort to change this

  15. The Relationships among Learning Behaviors, Major Satisfaction, and Study Skills of First-Year Medical Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Minjung

    2011-06-01

    This study aims at increasing our understanding of first-year medical students' learning behaviors, major satisfaction, and study skills. We investigate different features of freshmen's behavior in relation to learning and explore the extent to which freshmen were satisfied with their major and perceived their study skills. A total of 106 freshmen participated in this study. At midyear, first-year medical students were asked to complete a questionnaire that included the learning behaviors, major satisfaction, and study skills. The data collected from the survey were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, chi-square test, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. The study reported that most of freshmen had a lot of difficulties in studying at medical school by lack of prior learning. Despite first-year students, they were studying hard their major. Freshmen spent studying an average of 1 hour or less than 2 hours every day. The study also indicated that of major satisfaction, the overall satisfaction of the department was the highest and the satisfaction in learning environment was the lowest. There were significant differences among the freshmen on the major satisfaction due to admission process, academic performance, and housing type. Of 11 study skills, while freshman highly perceived their teamwork, stress management, and reading skills, their weak study skills identified in this study were writing, note taking, time management, and test taking skills. There were significant differences among the freshmen on the study skills due to gender and academic performance. Finally, freshmen's learning behaviors and major satisfaction were significantly associated with some of study skills. This study may have implications for the academic adjustment and learning processes in the first year. We need to consider variables such as learning behaviors, major satisfaction, and study skills, when discussing about how to maximize the learning potential of medical students

  16. The Effect of Task-based Teaching on Incidental Vocabulary Learning in English for Specific Purposes

    OpenAIRE

    FALLAHRAFIE, Zahra; RAHMANY, Ramin; SADEGHI, Bahador

    2015-01-01

    Abstract. Learning vocabulary is an essential part of language learning linking the four skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing together. This paper considers the incidental vocabulary teaching and learning within the framework of task-based activities in the hope of improving learners’ vocabulary acquiring in English for Specific Purposes courses (ESP), concentrating on Mechanical Engineering students at Islamic Azad University of Hashtgerd, Iran. A total number of 55 male and fe...

  17. The essential skills required by librarians to support medical virtual learning programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soleymani, Mohammad Reza; Akbari, Zahra; Mojiri, Shahin

    2016-01-01

    Background: With the recent spread of virtual learning programs in universities, especially in the field of medical sciences, libraries play a crucial role to support these programs. This study aimed at investigating the skills required by librarians to support virtual learning programs in Isfahan University and Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This was an applied survey study. The population of the study includes all librarians working in Isfahan University and Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. A sample of 89 librarians was selected by stratified random sampling. Data were collected by a researcher-made questionnaire, the validity of which was confirmed by specialists in the fields of librarianship and information sciences and virtual learning, and its reliability was determined to be 0.92, using Cronbach's Alpha. The questionnaire consisted of 51 items designed to evaluate the librarians' virtual learning skills using Likert scale. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the findings. Results: The findings of this study revealed that librarians had low level of skills with respect to the online reference services, and familiarity with virtual learning environment. They also showed low and average level of skills with respect to their general information technology, communication skills, ability to teach electronic information literacy and ability to create access to electronic resources. The results revealed no significant difference between the librarians of the two universities, or between male and female librarians. However, librarians with educational background in librarianship and information sciences were significantly more skillful and competent than their colleagues. Conclusion: Despite the crucial role of libraries in supporting virtual learning programs, the librarians in Isfahan University and Isfahan University of Medical Sciences had low-level skills to play such an important role. Therefore, it is essential

  18. Exploring the Interaction of Implicit and Explicit Processes to Facilitate Individual Skill Learning

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Sun, Ron; Mathews, Robert C

    2005-01-01

    .... It helps us to explain (and eventually to predict) training and learning processes. The results of the experiments support the theory of the interactions of implicit and explicit learning processes during skill acquisition. The outcomes (data, models, and theories) provide a more detailed, clearer and more comprehensive perspective on skill learning.

  19. Drilling Students’ Communication Skill through Science, Environment, Technology, and Society (SETS)-Based Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Farisi, B. L.; Tjandrakirana; Agustini, R.

    2018-01-01

    Student’s communication skill paid less attention in learning activity at school, even though communication skill is needed by students in the 21st century based on the demands of new curriculum in Indonesia (K13). This study focuses on drilling students’ communication skill through science, environment, technology, and society (SETS)-based learning. The research is a pre-experimental design with a one-shot case study model involving 10 students of ninth-grader of SMPN 2 Manyar, Gresik. The research data were collected through observation method using communication observation sheet. The data were analyzed using the descriptive qualitative method. The result showed that students’ communication skill reached the completeness of skills decided both individually and classically in the curriculum. The fundamental result of this research that SETS-based learning can be used to drill students’ communication skill in K13 context.

  20. Developing 21st Century Skills through a Constructivist-Constructionist Learning Environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lay Ah-Nam

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Science and technology innovation and 21st century skills are increasingly important in the 21st century workplace. The purpose of this study is to propose an instructional strategy that develop constructivist-constructionist learning environment that simultaneously develop chemistry knowledge and 21st century skills. Based on constructivist and constructionist learning theories, we identified three central guiding principles for this study: (1 engage students in discovery and problem solving task through teamwork, (2 provide opportunities for communicating ideas, and (3 involve students in the process of design. An intervention module, Malaysian Kimia (chemistry Digital Game known as MyKimDG, was developed as a mechanism for creating the learning environment. In this study, students were required to work collaboratively to design educational media that help their peers who face difficulty in learning particular concept. They were guided to go through the IDPCR (Inquiry, Discover, Produce, Communicate and Review phases. It is hypothesized that MyKimDG can create learning environment that allows students to deepen subject content knowledge and practice various 21st century skills in real situation. This study employed quasi-experimental study with non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest control group design. Results suggest that this approach is able to improve the acquisition of chemistry knowledge and high productivity skill.

  1. Developing 21st century skills through the use of student personal learning networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Robert D.

    This research was conducted to study the development of 21st century communication, collaboration, and digital literacy skills of students at the high school level through the use of online social network tools. The importance of this study was based on evidence high school and college students are not graduating with the requisite skills of communication, collaboration, and digital literacy skills yet employers see these skills important to the success of their employees. The challenge addressed through this study was how high schools can integrate social network tools into traditional learning environments to foster the development of these 21st century skills. A qualitative research study was completed through the use of case study. One high school class in a suburban high performing town in Connecticut was selected as the research site and the sample population of eleven student participants engaged in two sets of interviews and learned through the use social network tools for one semester of the school year. The primary social network tools used were Facebook, Diigo, Google Sites, Google Docs, and Twitter. The data collected and analyzed partially supported the transfer of the theory of connectivism at the high school level. The students actively engaged in collaborative learning and research. Key results indicated a heightened engagement in learning, the development of collaborative learning and research skills, and a greater understanding of how to use social network tools for effective public communication. The use of social network tools with high school students was a positive experience that led to an increased awareness of the students as to the benefits social network tools have as a learning tool. The data supported the continued use of social network tools to develop 21st century communication, collaboration, and digital literacy skills. Future research in this area may explore emerging social network tools as well as the long term impact these tools

  2. Game based learning for 21st century transferable skills: challenges and opportunities

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bellotti, Francesco; Bottino, Rosa Maria; Nadolski, Rob; Fernández Manjón, Baltasar

    2012-01-01

    Bellotti, F., Bottino, R. M., Nadolski, R. J., & Fernández Manjón, B. (2012, 4-6 July). Game based learning for 21st century transferable skills: challenges and opportunities. Presentation at the Workshop Game based learning for 21st century transferable skills: challenges and opportunities, 12th

  3. Skill-specificity of language practice and transferability of language skills: The case of listening and speaking

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Majid Farshid

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available The study of skill acquisition is of great importance in cognitive psychology. One aspect of skill acquisition research is whether practice in SLA is skill-specific or not. To date, research done has not led to either unanimous rejection or acceptance of the theory. This article is an attempt to examine this question in an EFL context where L2 learners have limited or no access to target language data outside the classroom. More specifically, it tries to see whether listening and speaking in an EFL context necessitate their own specific practice or not. Based on a post-test only design, 16 male, beginner Iranian EFL learners received input-based instruction for three months. When the instruction was over, both listening and speaking performances of the subjects were assessed. The result showed that the subjects had significantly improved their listening ability while their speaking ability had little or no improvement, indicating that different language skills in EFL contexts need specific practice. The findings not only confirm the skill-specificity of language practice, but also rejects VanPatten’s seminal claim that comprehension practice is enough to bring about development, not only in comprehension but also in production.

  4. Evaluating clinical simulations for learning procedural skills: a theory-based approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kneebone, Roger

    2005-06-01

    Simulation-based learning is becoming widely established within medical education. It offers obvious benefits to novices learning invasive procedural skills, especially in a climate of decreasing clinical exposure. However, simulations are often accepted uncritically, with undue emphasis being placed on technological sophistication at the expense of theory-based design. The author proposes four key areas that underpin simulation-based learning, and summarizes the theoretical grounding for each. These are (1) gaining technical proficiency (psychomotor skills and learning theory, the importance of repeated practice and regular reinforcement), (2) the place of expert assistance (a Vygotskian interpretation of tutor support, where assistance is tailored to each learner's needs), (3) learning within a professional context (situated learning and contemporary apprenticeship theory), and (4) the affective component of learning (the effect of emotion on learning). The author then offers four criteria for critically evaluating new or existing simulations, based on the theoretical framework outlined above. These are: (1) Simulations should allow for sustained, deliberate practice within a safe environment, ensuring that recently-acquired skills are consolidated within a defined curriculum which assures regular reinforcement; (2) simulations should provide access to expert tutors when appropriate, ensuring that such support fades when no longer needed; (3) simulations should map onto real-life clinical experience, ensuring that learning supports the experience gained within communities of actual practice; and (4) simulation-based learning environments should provide a supportive, motivational, and learner-centered milieu which is conducive to learning.

  5. Self Regulated Learning for Developing Nursing Skills via Web-Based

    Science.gov (United States)

    Razak, Rafiza Abdul; Hua, Khor Bee

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to find out whether the first year student nurses able to learn and develop the psychomotor skills for basic nursing care using web-based learning environment. More importantly, the researcher investigated whether web-based learning environment using self regulated learning strategy able to help students to apply the…

  6. Effects of peer review on communication skills and learning motivation among nursing students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoo, Moon Sook; Chae, Sun-Mi

    2011-04-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of video-based peer review on communication skills and learning motivation among nursing students. A non-equivalent control with pretest-posttest design was used. The participants were 47 sophomore nursing students taking a fundamentals of nursing course at a nursing college in Korea. Communication with a standardized patient was videotaped for evaluation. The intervention group used peer reviews to evaluate the videotaped performance; a small group of four students watched the videotape of each student and then provided feedback. The control group assessed themselves alone after watching their own videos. Communication skills and learning motivation were measured. The intervention group showed significantly higher communication skills and learning motivation after the intervention than did the control group. The findings suggest that peer review is an effective learning method for nursing students to improve their communication skills and increase their motivation to learn. Copyright 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

  7. Tableau's Influence on the Oral Language Skills of Students with Language-Based Learning Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Alida; Berry, Katherine A.

    2017-01-01

    This study examined the influence of tableau on the expressive language skills of three students with language-based learning disabilities in inclusive urban fourth-grade English language arts (ELA) classroom settings. Data were collected on linguistic productivity, specificity, and narrative cohesion through analysis of students' responses to…

  8. Skill Learning for Intelligent Robot by Perception-Action Integration: A View from Hierarchical Temporal Memory

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xinzheng Zhang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Skill learning autonomously through interactions with the environment is a crucial ability for intelligent robot. A perception-action integration or sensorimotor cycle, as an important issue in imitation learning, is a natural mechanism without the complex program process. Recently, neurocomputing model and developmental intelligence method are considered as a new trend for implementing the robot skill learning. In this paper, based on research of the human brain neocortex model, we present a skill learning method by perception-action integration strategy from the perspective of hierarchical temporal memory (HTM theory. The sequential sensor data representing a certain skill from a RGB-D camera are received and then encoded as a sequence of Sparse Distributed Representation (SDR vectors. The sequential SDR vectors are treated as the inputs of the perception-action HTM. The HTM learns sequences of SDRs and makes predictions of what the next input SDR will be. It stores the transitions of the current perceived sensor data and next predicted actions. We evaluated the performance of this proposed framework for learning the shaking hands skill on a humanoid NAO robot. The experimental results manifest that the skill learning method designed in this paper is promising.

  9. PENINGKATAN SELF-REGULATED LEARNING SKILLS MAHASISWA PADA MATA KULIAH AKUNTANSI PENGANTAR MELALUI PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andian Ari Istiningrum

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstrak: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui: (i peningkatan self-regulated learning skills (SRL melalui implementasi problem-based learning (PBL dan (ii peningkatan kemampuan dosen pelaksana dalam mengimplementasikan PBL. Penelitian ini merupakan lesson study terbagi atas dua siklus dimana masing-masing siklus terdiri atas tahap plan, do, dan see.Subjek penelitian adalah mahasiswa Akuntansi Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta semester pertama yang mengambil mata kuliah Akuntansi Pengantar sebanyak 35 mahasiswa. Data mengenai SRL dikumpulkan dengan angket yang diisi mahasiswa, sedangkan data mengenai implementasi PBL oleh dosen pelaksana dikumpulkan dengan lembar observasi yang diisi oleh mahasiswa dan anggota timlesson study. Data dianalisis secara deskriptif kualitatif dan kuantitatif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa (i PBL mampu meningkatkan SRL mahasiswa walaupun tingkat ketercapaiannya masih belum optimal, dan (ii kemampuan dosen pelaksana dalam melaksanakan PBL meningkat dengan tingkat ketercapaian yang optimal. IMPROVING STUDENTS’ SELF-REGULATED LEARNING SKILLS IN THE INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING COURSE THROUGH PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING Abstract: This study aims to reveal (i the improvement of self-regulated learning skills (SRL through problem-based learning (PBL, and (ii the improvement of lecturers’ performance in implementing PBL. To achieve these purposes, a lesson study with two cycles was conducted. Each cycle consisted of plan phase, do phase, and see phase. The study was conducted to the 1 semester Accounting Students at Yogyakarta State University who attended the Introduction to Accounting course. There were 35 students as the research subjects. The sampling technique used to collect data regarding SRL was questionnaires which were filled out by the students; while the data regarding the lecturer’s performance was collected by observation sheets that were filled out by students and members of lesson study group. The study

  10. The effect of repeated testing vs repeated practice on skills learning in undergraduate dental education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sennhenn-Kirchner, S; Goerlich, Y; Kirchner, B; Notbohm, M; Schiekirka, S; Simmenroth, A; Raupach, T

    2018-02-01

    Recent studies in undergraduate medical education have demonstrated the advantage of repeated testing over repeated practice with regard to knowledge and skills retention. The aim of this study was to investigate whether this "testing effect" also applies to skills retention in undergraduate dental education. In this prospective, randomised controlled trial, fourth-year dental students at Göttingen University Medical Centre participated in a training session on surgical suturing in winter term 2014/2015. Following this, they were either assigned to two sessions of additional skills training (group A) or two sessions of skills assessment with feedback (group B). These sessions were spaced over a period of 4 weeks. Skills retention was assessed in a summative objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) at the end of term, that is 6 months after the initial teaching session. A total of 32 students completed the study. With regard to suturing, OSCE performance was significantly better in group B than group A (81.9±13.1% vs 63.0±15.4%; P=0.001; Cohen's d=1.33). There was no significant OSCE performance difference in the two groups with regard to other learning objectives that were addressed in the end-of-term examination. Thus, the group difference was specific to suturing skills. This is the first study to demonstrate that in dental education, repeated testing produces more favourable skills retention than repeated practice. Test-enhanced learning might be a viable concept for skills retention in undergraduate dentistry education. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Learning craft skills. Exploring preschoolers' craft making process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Virpi Yliverronen

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to explore a preschooler craft-making process in which 18 preschool novices cut pieces for fabric bags and designed and printed patterns to decorate the bags. Through the task, children were familiarised with a small-scale holistic craft process. The intention was to determine how preschoolers perceived, verbalised and interpreted the craft-making process and how children used bodily expressions when explaining a learned craft skill. The present study relies on the videographic method: two preschool groups’ stamp printing activities were recorded, and each child was interviewed individually. Children’s embodied expressions were particularly in focus in video analysis. The results reveal that all the children were able to sufficiently explain the making phase, however, some children compensated for missing words using bodily and facial expressions and gestures when talking about making. The results showed that children worked logically, and the skill learning phases of perceiving, making, and interpretation were revealed from their learning.

  12. Rich Language Learning Environment and Young Learners’ Literacy Skills in English

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luh Putu Artini

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available This research aimed at developing rich language learning environment to help elementary school students develop their literacy skills in English. Shortage of professional English teachers in primary school, limited time allocation, as well as the lack of tools and facilities that support English language teaching and learning for young learners had resulted in students’low literacy skills in English. It was tried out in six primary schools across Bali involving 12 teachers and 520 students. The data were collected through questionnaires, observation, interview, English literacy tests, and students’ literacy journals. Research finds that young learners should have the opportunity to learn by doing without too much intervention so that anatural process of learning could occur. The product comprises multiple literacy experiences in the form of five different texts. The findings revealed that the readability of the material was in the category of high. The systematic exposures of these materials to beginner learners of English have been proven to have the significant impact on their literacy skills. Thehighest improvement is found in word level (87,1%, followed by sentence level (56,2%, and discourse level (46,8%. The improvements are all confirmed at the significance level of 0,05. The research also finds that RLLE has the positive impact on the development of self-directed learning skills.

  13. Development of Speaking Skills through Activity Based Learning at the Elementary Level

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ul-Haq, Zahoor; Khurram, Bushra Ahmed; Bangash, Arshad Khan

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: This paper discusses an effective instructional method called "activity based learning" that can be used to develop the speaking skills of students in the elementary school level. The present study was conducted to determine the effect of activity based learning on the development of the speaking skills of low and high achievers…

  14. Development of critical thinking skills through distance learning in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Interpersonal contact between the lecturers and students improves the development of critical thinking skills. The process is hampered by the geographical distance between the lecturers and the students in the case of distance education and learning. In many cases distance learning is, however, the only option.

  15. Effects of a Web-based course on nursing skills and knowledge learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Der-Fa; Lin, Zu-Chun; Li, Yun-Ju

    2009-02-01

    The purpose of the study was to assess the effectiveness of supplementing traditional classroom teaching with Web-based learning design when teaching intramuscular injection nursing skills. Four clusters of nursing students at a junior college in eastern Taiwan were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. A total of 147 students (80 in the experimental group, 67 in the control group) completed the study. All participants received the same classroom lectures and skill demonstration. The experimental group interacted using a Web-based course and were able to view the content on demand. The students and instructor interacted via a chatroom, the bulletin board, and e-mail. Participants in the experimental group had significantly higher scores on both intramuscular injection knowledge and skill learning. A Web-based design can be an effective supplementing learning tool for teaching nursing knowledge and skills.

  16. Indonesian EFL Students’ Motivation in English Learning and their Literacy Skills across Gender

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    Sawitri Agustrianti

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Motivation and gender are claimed to have significant roles to the success of language learning, particularly in literacy skills. This study examined the relationship of students’ motivation in English learning and their literacy skills across gender. It involved 100 students enrolled in English Education Study Program, Tadulako University, Palu City, Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. Data were collected through questionnaire on motivation in English learning, reading comprehension test, and writing test. The analysis from Spearman rank correlation and independent sample t-test revealed that there were high positive correlations between students’ motivation and literacy skills; and high positive correlations between students’ achievement scores in reading and writing skills. It indicates that when the students had high motivation, they had better scores in their literacy skills. In addition, when the students got high achievement scores in reading skill, their achievement in writing would like to follow suit. This study did not reveal any significant relationship between motivation and gender, as well as between literacy skills and gender.

  17. Design and Implementation of Mobile Learning System for Soldiers’ Vocational Skill Identification Based on Android

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Jinqiang

    2017-09-01

    To carry out the identification of the professional skills of the soldiers is to further promote the regularization of the needs of the fire brigade, in accordance with the “public security active forces soldiers professional skills identification implementation approach” to meet the needs of candidates for mobile learning to solve the paper learning materials bring a lot of inconvenience; This article uses the Android technology to develop a set of soldiers professional skills Identification Theory learning app, the learning software based on mobile learning, learning function is perfect, you can learn to practice, to achieve the goal of learning at any time, to enhance the soldier's post ability has a good practical value.

  18. Intellectual skills needed for the effective learning and application of chemical knowledge

    OpenAIRE

    Drummond, Helen P.; Selvaratnam, Mailoo

    2009-01-01

    Many students' difficulties in learning and applying chemical knowledge are associated with their being incompetent in a few widely applicable intellectual skills and strategies. This paper discusses the results of a study that was done to test first year university students' competence in some types of intellectual skills that are important in chemistry. The skills tested include language skills, mathematical skills, graphical skills, three-dimensional visualization skills, information proce...

  19. The Correlation between Early Second Language Learning and Native Language Skill Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caccavale, Terry

    2007-01-01

    It has long been the assumption of many in the field of second language teaching that learning a second language helps to promote and enhance native language skill development, and that this correlation is direct and positive. Language professionals have assumed that learning a second language directly supports the development of better skills,…

  20. EFFECT OF LEARNING CULTURE, EMPOWERMENT, AND CYBER SKILL COMPETENCY ON SELF-ENGAGEMENT EMPLOYEES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S.R.M. Indah Permata Sari

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this research is to comprehensively about the effect of learning culture, empowerment, and cyber skill competence on self engagement of the employee in Directorate General of Potential for Defense Ministry of Defense Republic of Indonesia. The research methodology was survey with path analysis applied in testing hypothesis. It was conducted to 150 employees from population 241 employee who was selected in simple random way.Analysis and interpretation of data indicate that (1 learning culture has a positive direct effect in self engagement, (2 empowerment has a positive direct effect in self engagement, (3 cyber skill competence has a positive direct effect in self engagement, (4 learning culture has a positive direct effect in cyber skill competence, (5 empowerment has a positive direct effect in cyber skill competence, and (6 learning culture has a positive direct effect in empowerment

  1. Enhancing College Students' Life Skills through Project Based Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wurdinger, Scott; Qureshi, Mariam

    2015-01-01

    This study examined whether life skills could be developed in a Project Based Learning (PBL) course. The participants were students enrolled in a graduate level PBL course. The same 35-question survey was given to students at the beginning and end of the course, and students were asked to rank their life skills using a Likert scale. Additionally,…

  2. Specific learning disability in mathematics: a comprehensive review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soares, Neelkamal; Evans, Teresa; Patel, Dilip R

    2018-01-01

    Math skills are necessary for success in the childhood educational and future adult work environment. This article reviews the changing terminology for specific learning disabilities (SLD) in math and describes the emerging genetics and neuroimaging studies that relate to individuals with math disability (MD). It is important to maintain a developmental perspective on MD, as presentation changes with age, instruction, and the different models (educational and medical) of identification. Intervention requires a systematic approach to screening and remediation that has evolved with more evidence-based literature. Newer directions in behavioral, educational and novel interventions are described.

  3. Measuring of sport specific skills of football players

    OpenAIRE

    Koltai, Miklós; Wallner, Dietmar; Gusztafik, Ádám; Sáfár, Zoltán; Dancs, Henriette; Simi, Helmut; Hagenauer, Marcel; Buchgraber, Anna Maria

    2016-01-01

    The Institute of Sport Science at the University of West-Hungary, and the FH-Joanneum – together with students majoring in sport science – started a collaborative international research aimed at assessing the sport-specific skills of football players. The study closely monitored football players – from leagues at different levels – in terms of choice reaction time, short and long pass skills and agility skills with and without a ball. The most modern device available, the SmartSpeed – a photo...

  4. Modes of acquisition of health literacy skills in informal learning contexts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calha, António Geraldo Manso

    2014-12-01

    In this article we try to analyze the learning processes of health literacy skills in informal contexts. We intend to broaden the understanding of the learning process beyond the formal contexts, thus contributing to the elucidation of health professionals on how individuals acquire and manage their knowledge in health matters. Given our goal, we use an analytic corpus constituted by one hundred autobiographical narratives written between 2006 and 2011, in educational contexts but with recognized potential for use in different scientific fields, including health. The results reveal the existence of three different types of modes of learning health literacy skills in informal context: : i) learning that takes place in action, in achieving daily tasks; ii) learning processes that result from problem solving; iii) learning that occurs in an unplanned manner, resulting from accidental circumstances and, in some cases, devoid of intentionality.

  5. Assessing Teamwork Skills for Assurance of Learning Using CATME Team Tools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loughry, Misty L.; Ohland, Matthew W.; Woehr, David J.

    2014-01-01

    Colleges of business must meet assurance of learning requirements to gain or maintain AACSB accreditation under the new standards adopted April 8, 2013. Team skills are among the most important skills desired by recruiters, yet employers and scholars perceive that team skills are frequently deficient in college graduates. This article describes…

  6. The role of peer assisted learning to improve the effectivity of clinical skill laboratory learning in dental education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agus Ardinansyah

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays, the clinical skill learning in dental education has begun in pre-clinic, known as Clinical Skill Laboratory (CSL which needs human resources, many and expensive tools and manikins, and enough times for practise. One of the method used in CSL in dental education is PeerAssisted Learning (PAL defined as “the development of knowledge and skill through active help and support among status equals or match companions”. This paper aims is to explain the role of PAL method to improve the effectivity of CSL learning in dental education in preclinical stage. Reviewing on the relevant literatures regarding peer assisted learning on the implementation of the clinical skill laboratory in dental education. The effectivity of CSL learning needs close supervision and individual feedback, so enough tutors is important through the process. This PAL method considered to be helpfull with the increasing numbers of dental students and the limitation of staff faculty. This method is found feasible, well accepted by peer-tutors and students, and can be as effective as conventional learning method. This is also useful for peer-teacher because they more intrinsically motivated, have higher conceptual learning scores, and perceive themselves to be more actively engaged with the environment than students who learn in order to be tested.  However, there are several limitation of this method. The contact time between students and medical doctors may decrease significantlyand it does not seem to be generally qualified to transfer such complex procedures.It also needs peer-teachers training and a detailed manual. Questions concerning the cost-effectiveness and profitability of student tutor-guided technical skills training may thus arise. But one institution that implemented this method states that the majority of their tutors decided to continue their teaching activity in the skills lab and that these experienced tutors, in addition to established faculty staff

  7. Residents' perceived barriers to communication skills learning: comparing two medical working contexts in postgraduate training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van den Eertwegh, Valerie; van Dalen, Jan; van Dulmen, Sandra; van der Vleuten, Cees; Scherpbier, Albert

    2014-04-01

    Contextual factors are known to influence the acquisition and application of communication skills in clinical settings. Little is known about residents' perceptions of these factors. This article aims to explore residents' perceptions of contextual factors affecting the acquisition and application of communication skills in the medical workplace. We conducted an exploratory study comprising seven focus groups with residents in two different specialities: general practice (n=23) and surgery (n=18). Residents perceive the use of summative assessment checklists that reduce communication skills to behavioural components as impeding the learning of their communication skills. Residents perceive encouragement to deliberately practise in an environment in which the value of communication skills is recognised and support is institutionalised with appropriate feedback from role models as the most important enhancing factors in communication skills learning. To gradually realise a clinical working environment in which the above results are incorporated, we propose to use transformative learning theory to guide further studies. Provided it is used continuously, an approach that combines self-directed learning with observation and discussion of resident-patient consultations seems an effective method for transformative learning of communication skills. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Which is the best intrinsic motivation signal for learning multiple skills?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vieri Giuliano Santucci

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Humans and other biological agents are able to autonomously learn and cache different skills in the absence of any biological pressure or any assigned task. In this respect, Intrinsic Motivations (i.e. motivations not connected to reward-related stimuli play a cardinal role in animal learning, and can be considered as a fundamental tool for developing more autonomous and more adaptive artificial agents. In this work, we provide an exhaustive analysis of a scarcely investigated problem: which kind of IM reinforcement signal is the most suitable for driving the acquisition of multiple skills in the shortest time? To this purpose we implemented an artificial agent with a hierarchical architecture that allows to learn and cache different skills. We tested the system in a setup with continuous states and actions, in particular, with a cinematic robotic arm that has to learn different reaching tasks. We compare the results of different versions of the system driven by several different intrinsic motivation signals. The results show a that intrinsic reinforcements purely based on the knowledge of the system are not appropriate to guide the acquisition of multiple skills, and b that the stronger the link between the IM signal and the competence of the system, the better the performance.

  9. Virtual laboratory learning media development to improve science literacy skills of mechanical engineering students on basic physics concept of material measurement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jannati, E. D.; Setiawan, A.; Siahaan, P.; Rochman, C.

    2018-05-01

    This study aims to determine the description of virtual laboratory learning media development to improve science literacy skills of Mechanical Engineering students on the concept of basic Physics. Quasi experimental method was employed in this research. The participants of this research were first semester students of mechanical engineering in Majalengka University. The research instrument was readability test of instructional media. The results of virtual laboratory learning media readability test show that the average score is 78.5%. It indicates that virtual laboratory learning media development are feasible to be used in improving science literacy skill of Mechanical Engineering students in Majalengka University, specifically on basic Physics concepts of material measurement.

  10. Using computer assisted learning for clinical skills education in nursing: integrative review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bloomfield, Jacqueline G; While, Alison E; Roberts, Julia D

    2008-08-01

    This paper is a report of an integrative review of research investigating computer assisted learning for clinical skills education in nursing, the ways in which it has been studied and the general findings. Clinical skills are an essential aspect of nursing practice and there is international debate about the most effective ways in which these can be taught. Computer assisted learning has been used as an alternative to conventional teaching methods, and robust research to evaluate its effectiveness is essential. The CINAHL, Medline, BNI, PsycInfo and ERIC electronic databases were searched for the period 1997-2006 for research-based papers published in English. Electronic citation tracking and hand searching of reference lists and relevant journals was also undertaken. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. An integrative review was conducted and each paper was explored in relation to: design, aims, sample, outcome measures and findings. Many of the study samples were small and there were weaknesses in designs. There is limited empirical evidence addressing the use of computer assisted learning for clinical skills education in nursing. Computer assisted learning has been used to teach a limited range of clinical skills in a variety of settings. The paucity of evaluative studies indicates the need for more rigorous research to investigate the effect of computer assisted learning for this purpose. Areas that need to be addressed in future studies include: sample size, range of skills, longitudinal follow-up and control of confounding variables.

  11. Skill Sets Required for Environmental Engineering and Where They Are Learned

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reed, Kathaleen

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge, skills, abilities and traits environmental engineers need. Two questions were asked: what skills are considered important, and where are they learned? Dreyfus and Dreyfus' novice-to-expert model, which describes a progressive, five-step process of skill development that occurs over time…

  12. Project-Based Learning Using Discussion and Lesson-Learned Methods via Social Media Model for Enhancing Problem Solving Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jewpanich, Chaiwat; Piriyasurawong, Pallop

    2015-01-01

    This research aims to 1) develop the project-based learning using discussion and lesson-learned methods via social media model (PBL-DLL SoMe Model) used for enhancing problem solving skills of undergraduate in education student, and 2) evaluate the PBL-DLL SoMe Model used for enhancing problem solving skills of undergraduate in education student.…

  13. Developing Decision-Making Skill: Experiential Learning in Computer Games

    OpenAIRE

    Kurt A. April; Katja M. J. Goebel; Eddie Blass; Jonathan Foster-Pedley

    2012-01-01

    This paper explores the value that computer and video games bring to learning and leadership and explores how games work as learning environments and the impact they have on personal development. The study looks at decisiveness, decision-making ability and styles, and on how this leadership-related skill is learnt through different paradigms. The paper compares the learning from a lecture to the learning from a designed computer game, both of which have the same content through the use of a s...

  14. DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS STUDENTS WITH PROJECT BASED LEARNING MODEL- BASED TRAINING IN LEARNING PHYSICS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ratna Malawati

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to improve the physics Science Process Skills Students on cognitive and psychomotor aspects by using model based Project Based Learning training.The object of this study is the Project Based Learning model used in the learning process of Computationa Physics.The method used is classroom action research through two learning cycles, each cycle consisting of the stages of planning, implementation, observation and reflection. In the first cycle of treatment with their emphasis given training in the first phase up to third in the model Project Based Learning, while the second cycle is given additional treatment with emphasis discussion is collaboration in achieving the best results for each group of products. The results of data analysis showed increased ability to think Students on cognitive and Science Process Skills in the psychomotor.

  15. Unsupervised learning of facial emotion decoding skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huelle, Jan O; Sack, Benjamin; Broer, Katja; Komlewa, Irina; Anders, Silke

    2014-01-01

    Research on the mechanisms underlying human facial emotion recognition has long focussed on genetically determined neural algorithms and often neglected the question of how these algorithms might be tuned by social learning. Here we show that facial emotion decoding skills can be significantly and sustainably improved by practice without an external teaching signal. Participants saw video clips of dynamic facial expressions of five different women and were asked to decide which of four possible emotions (anger, disgust, fear, and sadness) was shown in each clip. Although no external information about the correctness of the participant's response or the sender's true affective state was provided, participants showed a significant increase of facial emotion recognition accuracy both within and across two training sessions two days to several weeks apart. We discuss several similarities and differences between the unsupervised improvement of facial decoding skills observed in the current study, unsupervised perceptual learning of simple stimuli described in previous studies and practice effects often observed in cognitive tasks.

  16. Learning outcomes for communication skills across the health professions: a systematic literature review and qualitative synthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denniston, Charlotte; Molloy, Elizabeth; Nestel, Debra; Woodward-Kron, Robyn; Keating, Jennifer L

    2017-04-07

    The aim of this study was to identify and analyse communication skills learning outcomes via a systematic review and present results in a synthesised list. Summarised results inform educators and researchers in communication skills teaching and learning across health professions. Systematic review and qualitative synthesis. A systematic search of five databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, ERIC, CINAHL plus and Scopus), from first records until August 2016, identified published learning outcomes for communication skills in health professions education. Extracted data were analysed through an iterative process of qualitative synthesis. This process was guided by principles of person centredness and an a priori decision guide. 168 papers met the eligibility criteria; 1669 individual learning outcomes were extracted and refined using qualitative synthesis. A final refined set of 205 learning outcomes were constructed and are presented in 4 domains that include: (1) knowledge (eg, describe the importance of communication in healthcare), (2) content skills (eg, explore a healthcare seeker's motivation for seeking healthcare),( 3) process skills (eg, respond promptly to a communication partner's questions) and (4) perceptual skills (eg, reflect on own ways of expressing emotion). This study provides a list of 205 communication skills learning outcomes that provide a foundation for further research and educational design in communication education across the health professions. Areas for future investigation include greater patient involvement in communication skills education design and further identification of learning outcomes that target knowledge and perceptual skills. This work may also prompt educators to be cognisant of the quality and scope of the learning outcomes they design and their application as goals for learning. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  17. Body Learning: Examining the Processes of Skill Learning in Dance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailey, Richard; Pickard, Angela

    2010-01-01

    This paper was stimulated by the authors' attempt to understand the process of skill learning in dance. Its stimulus was a period of fieldwork based at the Royal Ballet School in London, and subsequent discussions with the school's teachers and with academic colleagues about how it was that the young dancers developed their characteristic set of…

  18. Senior veterinary students' perceptions of using role play to learn communication skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brandt, Jennifer C; Bateman, Shane W

    2006-01-01

    Recent studies of veterinary practice have suggested a correlation between well-developed communication skills and job satisfaction, career retention, customer satisfaction, decreased lawsuits, and financial remuneration for veterinarians. Veterinary educators are under growing pressure to teach functional communication skills to veterinary students; however, the methods employed have not been well evaluated. In this study we have evaluated veterinary student's attitudes to learning communication skills by participating in role play. The study indicates that experiential learning modalities such as role play are perceived as effective by students, despite reluctance to participate and some discomfort surrounding participation.

  19. Modes of acquisition of health literacy skills in informal learning contexts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    António Geraldo Manso Calha

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available In this article we try to analyze the learning processes of health literacy skills in informal contexts. We intend to broaden the understanding of the learning process beyond the formal contexts, thus contributing to the elucidation of health professionals on how individuals acquire and manage their knowledge in health matters. Given our goal, we use an analytic corpus constituted by one hundred autobiographical narratives written between 2006 and 2011, in educational contexts but with recognized potential for use in different scientific fields, including health. The results reveal the existence of three different types of modes of learning health literacy skills in informal context: : i learning that takes place in action, in achieving daily tasks; ii learning processes that result from problem solving; iii learning that occurs in an unplanned manner, resulting from accidental circumstances and, in some cases, devoid of intentionality.

  20. An e-Learning environment for algorithmic: toward an active construction of skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdelghani Babori

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Assimilating an algorithmic course is a persistent problem for many undergraduate students. The major problem faced by students is the lack of problem solving ability and flexibility. Therefore, students are generally passive, unmotivated and unable to mobilize all the acquired knowledge (loops, test, variables, etc. to deal with new encountered problems. Our study is structured around building, step by step, problem solving skills among novice learners. Our approach is based on the use of problem based learning in an e-Learning environment. We begin by establishing a cognitive model which represents knowledge elements, grouped into categories of skills, judged necessary to be appropriated. We then propose a problem built on a concrete situation which aims to actively construct a skill category. We conclude by presenting around the proposed problem a pedagogical scenario for the set of learning activities designed to be incorporated in an E-learning platform.

  1. Problem-based learning through field investigation: Boosting questioning skill, biological literacy, and academic achievement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suwono, Hadi; Wibowo, Agung

    2018-01-01

    Biology learning emphasizes problem-based learning as a learning strategy to develop students ability in identifying and solving problems in the surrounding environment. Problem identification skills are closely correlated with questioning skills. By holding this skill, students tend to deliver a procedural question instead of the descriptive one. Problem-based learning through field investigation is an instruction model which directly exposes the students to problems or phenomena that occur in the environment, and then the students design the field investigation activities to solve these problems. The purpose of this research was to describe the improvement of undergraduate biology students on questioning skills, biological literacy, and academic achievement through problem-based learning through field investigation (PBFI) compared with the lecture-based instruction (LBI). This research was a time series quasi-experimental design. The research was conducted on August - December 2015 and involved 26 undergraduate biology students at the State University of Malang on the Freshwater Ecology course. The data were collected during the learning with LBI and PBFI, in which questioning skills, biological literacy, and academic achievement were collected 3 times in each learning model. The data showed that the procedural correlative and causal types of questions are produced by the students to guide them in conducting investigations and problem-solving in PBFI. The biological literacy and academic achievement of the students at PBFI are significantly higher than those at LBI. The results show that PBFI increases the questioning skill, biological literacy, and the academic achievement of undergraduate biology students.

  2. Skilled interaction among professional carers in special accommodations for adult people with learning disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antonsson, H; Aström, S; Lundström, M; Graneheim, U H

    2013-09-01

    Communicative difficulties affect interactions between people with learning disabilities and their carers. Despite such difficulties, however, some carers seem to interact successfully with people who have limited ability to communicate verbally and exhibit challenging behaviour. This study aims to illuminate skilled interaction among carers working in special accommodations for people with learning disabilities. Interactions between 16 caregivers and 11 residents with learning disabilities were recorded on video. Verbal and non-verbal interaction skills among the carers were identified. Four caring situations with people with learning disabilities were chosen to illuminate skilled interaction. The transcribed text was subjected to qualitative content analysis and core stories were created. The results show that skilled interaction between the carers and the people with learning disabilities is based upon being confirming, sharing daily life experience, giving time and space, and using congruent and distinct language. In this paper we present examples that offer concrete suggestions of how to promote successful interaction and create meaning in the shared day-to-day life in special accommodations for people with learning disabilities. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. Effects of case-based learning on communication skills, problem-solving ability, and learning motivation in nursing students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoo, Moon-Sook; Park, Hyung-Ran

    2015-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of case-based learning on communication skills, problem-solving ability, and learning motivation in sophomore nursing students. In this prospective, quasi-experimental study, we compared the pretest and post-test scores of an experimental group and a nonequivalent, nonsynchronized control group. Both groups were selected using convenience sampling, and consisted of students enrolled in a health communication course in the fall semesters of 2011 (control group) and 2012 (experimental group) at a nursing college in Suwon, South Korea. The two courses covered the same material, but in 2011 the course was lecture-based, while in 2012, lectures were replaced by case-based learning comprising five authentic cases of patient-nurse communication. At post-test, the case-based learning group showed significantly greater communication skills, problem-solving ability, and learning motivation than the lecture-based learning group. This finding suggests that case-based learning is an effective learning and teaching method. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  4. Effectiveness of Mobile Learning on Athletic Training Psychomotor Skill Acquisition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davie, Emily; Martin, Malissa; Cuppett, Micki; Lebsack, Denise

    2015-01-01

    Context: Instruction of psychomotor skills is an important component of athletic training education. Accommodating the varied learning abilities and preferences of athletic training students can be challenging for an instructor initiating skill acquisition in a traditional face-to-face (F2F) environment. Video instruction available on mobile…

  5. A digital peer-to-peer learning platform for clinical skills development.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jesse Paul Basnak

    2017-02-01

    Conclusion: Students found the practice OSCEs and digital platform effective for learning clinical skills. Thus, peer-to-peer learning and computer automation can be useful adjuncts to traditional medical curricula.

  6. Strategies of Learning Speaking Skill by Indonesian Learners of English and Their Contribution to Speaking Proficiency

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mistar, Junaidi; Umamah, Atik

    2014-01-01

    This paper was a subset report of a research project on skill-based English learning strategies by Indonesian EFL learners. It focusses on the attempts to reveal: (1) the differences in the use of strategies of learning speaking skill by male and female learners, and (2) the contribution of strategies of learning speaking skill on the learners'…

  7. Rich Language Learning Environment and Young Learners' Literacy Skills in English

    OpenAIRE

    Artini, Luh Putu

    2017-01-01

    This research aimed at developing rich language learning environment to help elementary school students develop their literacy skills in English. Shortage of professional English teachers in primary school, limited time allocation, as well as the lack of tools and facilities that support English language teaching and learning for young learners had resulted in students’low literacy skills in English. It was tried out in six primary schools across Bali involving 12 teachers and 520 students. T...

  8. Vocational trainees' views and experiences regarding the learning and teaching of communication skills in general practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Nuland, Marc; Thijs, Gabie; Van Royen, Paul; Van den Noortgate, Wim; Goedhuys, Jo

    2010-01-01

    To explore the views and experiences of general practice (GP) vocational trainees regarding communication skills (CS) and the teaching and learning of these skills. A purposive sample of second and third (final) year GP trainees took part in six focus group (FG) discussions. Transcripts were coded and analysed in accordance with a grounded theory approach by two investigators using Alas-ti software. Finally results were triangulated by means of semi-structured telephone interviews. The analysis led to three thematic clusters: (1) trainees acknowledge the essential importance of communication skills and identified contextual factors influencing the learning and application of these skills; (2) trainees identified preferences for learning and receiving feedback on their communication skills; and (3) trainees perceived that the assessment of communication skills is subjective. These themes are organised into a framework for a better understanding of trainees' communication skills as part of their vocational training. The framework helps in leading to a better understanding of the way in which trainees learn and apply communication skills. The unique context of vocational training should be taken into account when trainees' communication skills are assessed. The teaching and learning should be guided by a learner-centred approach. The framework is valuable for informing curricular reform and future research.

  9. COOPERATIVE LEARNING AS A MEANS OF STIMULATING LIFE SKILLS IN PROFESSIONALLY-BIASED FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Komarov

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The article is devoted to the contribution of foreign language learning to stimulating students’ life skills at non-linguistic higher institutions. In the article, the author considers the possibilities of motivating students to exercise life skills in the process of foreign language instruction. The author analyses the cooperative learning technology as a means that enables students to be involved into interaction with one another as well as it develops their team-building skills to successfully cooperate and communicate with each other. The author describes different forms of cooperative leaning, which give students an opportunity to mutually enrich and complement each other’s skills in foreign language learning. The author argues that cooperative learning technology stimulates the students’ existent life skills and makes them work in the process of professionally-biased instruction of a foreign language.

  10. Differential neural substrates of working memory and cognitive skill learning in healthy young volunteers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cho, Sang Soo; Lee, Eun Ju; Yoon, Eun Jin; Kim, Yu Kyeong; Lee, Won Woo; Kim, Sang Eun

    2005-01-01

    It is known that different neural circuits are involved in working memory and cognitive skill learning that represent explicit and implicit memory functions, respectively. In the present study, we investigated the metabolic correlates of working memory and cognitive skill learning with correlation analysis of FDG PET images. Fourteen right-handed healthy subjects (age, 24 ± 2 yr; 5 males and 9 females) underwent brain FDG PET and neuropsychological testing. Two-back task and weather prediction task were used for the evaluation of working memory and cognitive skill learning, respectively, Correlation between regional glucose metabolism and cognitive task performance was examined using SPM99. A significant positive correlation between 2-back task performance and regional glucose metabolism was found in the prefrontal regions and superior temporal gyri bilaterally. In the first term of weather prediction task the task performance correlated positively with glucose metabolism in the bilateral prefrontal areas, left middle temporal and posterior cingulate gyri, and left thalamus. In the second and third terms of the task, the correlation found in the prefrontal areas, superior temporal and anterior cingulate gyri bilaterally, right insula, left parahippocampal gyrus, and right caudate nucleus. We identified the neural substrates that are related with performance of working memory and cognitive skill learning. These results indicate that brain regions associated with the explicit memory system are recruited in early periods of cognitive skill learning, but additional brain regions including caudate nucleus are involved in late periods of cognitive skill learning

  11. Differential neural substrates of working memory and cognitive skill learning in healthy young volunteers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cho, Sang Soo; Lee, Eun Ju; Yoon, Eun Jin; Kim, Yu Kyeong; Lee, Won Woo; Kim, Sang Eun [Seoul National Univ. College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2005-07-01

    It is known that different neural circuits are involved in working memory and cognitive skill learning that represent explicit and implicit memory functions, respectively. In the present study, we investigated the metabolic correlates of working memory and cognitive skill learning with correlation analysis of FDG PET images. Fourteen right-handed healthy subjects (age, 24 {+-} 2 yr; 5 males and 9 females) underwent brain FDG PET and neuropsychological testing. Two-back task and weather prediction task were used for the evaluation of working memory and cognitive skill learning, respectively, Correlation between regional glucose metabolism and cognitive task performance was examined using SPM99. A significant positive correlation between 2-back task performance and regional glucose metabolism was found in the prefrontal regions and superior temporal gyri bilaterally. In the first term of weather prediction task the task performance correlated positively with glucose metabolism in the bilateral prefrontal areas, left middle temporal and posterior cingulate gyri, and left thalamus. In the second and third terms of the task, the correlation found in the prefrontal areas, superior temporal and anterior cingulate gyri bilaterally, right insula, left parahippocampal gyrus, and right caudate nucleus. We identified the neural substrates that are related with performance of working memory and cognitive skill learning. These results indicate that brain regions associated with the explicit memory system are recruited in early periods of cognitive skill learning, but additional brain regions including caudate nucleus are involved in late periods of cognitive skill learning.

  12. Development of Problem-Based Learning Oriented Teaching Learning Materials to Facilitate Students’ Mastery of Concept and Critical Thinking Skill

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reza, M.; Ibrahim, M.; Rahayu, Y. S.

    2018-01-01

    This research aims to develop problem-based learning oriented teaching materials to improve students’ mastery of concept and critical thinking skill. Its procedure was divided into two phases; developmental phase and experimental phase. This developmental research used Four-D Model. However, within this research, the process of development would not involve the last stages, which is disseminate. The teaching learning materials which were developed consist of lesson plan, student handbook, student worksheet, achievement test and critical thinking skill test. The experimental phase employs a research design called one group pretest-posttest design. Results show that the validity of the teaching materials which were developed was good and revealed the enhancement of students’ activities with positive response to the teaching learning process. Furthermore, the learning materials improve the students’ mastery of concept and critical thinking skill.

  13. Using the 5E Learning Cycle with Metacognitive Technique to Enhance Students’ Mathematical Critical Thinking Skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Runisah Runisah

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to describe enhancement and achievement of mathematical critical thinking skills of students who received the 5E Learning Cycle with Metacognitive technique, the 5E Learning Cycle, and conventional learning. This study use experimental method with pretest-posttest control group design. Population are junior high school students in Indramayu city, Indonesia. Sample are three classes of eighth grade students from high level school and three classes from medium level school. The study reveal that in terms of overall, mathematical critical thinking skills enhancement and achievement of students who received the 5E Learning Cycle with Metacognitive technique is better than students who received the 5E Learning Cycle and conventional learning. Mathematical critical thinking skills of students who received the 5E Learning Cycle is better than students who received conventional learning. There is no interaction effect between learning model and school level toward enhancement and achievement of students’ mathematical critical thinking skills.

  14. Midwifery students' experiences of learning clinical skills in Iran: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmadi, Golnoosh; Shahriari, Mohsen; Keyvanara, Mahmood; Kohan, Shahnaz

    2018-03-09

    A qualitative study was used. Midwifery students from three universities in Iran participated. The study used a convenience sample of eighteen students. Data for this study was collected using semi-structured interviews (N=12) and focus groups (N=6). Data were recorded on a digital audio recorder and then transcribed. The qualitative data were analyzed using a content analysis approach. Six broad themes emerged from the analysis: Limited opportunities to experience skills, difficulties with course plan gaps, need for creating a supportive clinical environment, learning drives, confusion between different methods, and stress in the clinical setting. Short verbatim quotations from the participants were presented to provide evidence for the interpretation of data. The findings of this study have provided a clear picture of the factors and mechanisms involved in learning clinical skills by midwifery students. This study showed that students had some difficulties and concerns during learning of clinical midwifery skills. The findings of this study suggest that midwifery educators conduct further studies to tackle these issues in clinical skills learning. The findings of this study are subject to some limitations which are discussed.

  15. The effect of Problem/Project-Based Learning on a desired skill set for construction professionals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sirotiak, Todd L.

    The purpose of this study was to investigate if a Problem/Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach can affect certain non-technical, "soft" skills of construction engineers. Such skills include leadership, adaptability, and stress management. In mixed design research, quantitative and qualitative data are assembled and analyzed collectively. For this study, two separate assessment tools were used for the quantitative portion, while open-ended written reflections and a partially closed-ended senior questionnaire were implemented for the qualitative portion. A hypothetical model was used to investigate certain soft skills based on prior research documenting need. Skills investigated were confidence, stress coping, leadership, communication skills, adaptability, and management skills. Descriptive statistics, open-ended final written reflections, and a partially closed-ended senior questionnaire were used to analyze the data. PBL is a process in which the students are challenged to develop realistic solutions on open, less structured, real world type problems. The results of this study performed with the combined count of nearly 60 students suggest that PBL can influence several soft skills of senior construction engineers. Specifically, these findings demonstrate the following: (a) PBL appears to affect students' soft skills; (b) students appear to recognize the realism and "real world" applicability that PBL brings to their skill development; and (c) the data suggest that the experience is holistic and offers opportunities for balanced growth in several ways. Some key competencies such as communication and leadership indicated significant enhancements. Although this study was limited to one academic year of the university's construction engineering program, it provides interesting insight to changes within the time period investigated. This study should be replicated in other construction engineering environments to investigate a larger population sample. In addition

  16. Innovative learning model for improving students’ argumentation skill and concept understanding on science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nafsiati Astuti, Rini

    2018-04-01

    Argumentation skill is the ability to compose and maintain arguments consisting of claims, supports for evidence, and strengthened-reasons. Argumentation is an important skill student needs to face the challenges of globalization in the 21st century. It is not an ability that can be developed by itself along with the physical development of human, but it must be developed under nerve like process, giving stimulus so as to require a person to be able to argue. Therefore, teachers should develop students’ skill of arguing in science learning in the classroom. The purpose of this study is to obtain an innovative learning model that are valid in terms of content and construct in improving the skills of argumentation and concept understanding of junior high school students. The assessment of content validity and construct validity was done through Focus Group Discussion (FGD), using the content and construct validation sheet, book model, learning video, and a set of learning aids for one meeting. Assessment results from 3 (three) experts showed that the learning model developed in the category was valid. The validity itself shows that the developed learning model has met the content requirement, the student needs, state of the art, strong theoretical and empirical foundation and construct validity, which has a connection of syntax stages and components of learning model so that it can be applied in the classroom activities

  17. Nonparametric bayesian reward segmentation for skill discovery using inverse reinforcement learning

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Ranchod, P

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available We present a method for segmenting a set of unstructured demonstration trajectories to discover reusable skills using inverse reinforcement learning (IRL). Each skill is characterised by a latent reward function which the demonstrator is assumed...

  18. Learning object for teacher training aimed to develop communication skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Norma Esmeralda RODRÍGUEZ RAMÍREZ

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available This article presents the results and reflections obtained across a research aimed to analyze the quality criteria of an opened learning object oriented to develop communication skills in order to be able to report and validate it according to its content, pedagogic structure, technological structure, graphical and textual language and usability to teacher training, in order to base it theoretically, pedagogically and technologically. The research question was: Which are the quality criteria that a learning object aimed to develop communication skills must cover? Under a quantitative approach, there were electronic questionnaires applied to: 34 Technological University teachers, eight experts about of communicative competence, teaching, technology and graphic design. The results indicated that some of the quality criteria of learning object are: the effective managing of the learning content, the balanced composition of his pedagogic structure, the technological structure efficiency and the proper managing of graphical and textual language.

  19. A Simulated Learning Environment for Teaching Medicine Dispensing Skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDowell, Jenny; Styles, Kim; Sewell, Keith; Trinder, Peta; Marriott, Jennifer; Maher, Sheryl; Naidu, Som

    2016-02-25

    To develop an authentic simulation of the professional practice dispensary context for students to develop their dispensing skills in a risk-free environment. A development team used an Agile software development method to create MyDispense, a web-based simulation. Modeled on virtual learning environments elements, the software employed widely available standards-based technologies to create a virtual community pharmacy environment. Assessment. First-year pharmacy students who used the software in their tutorials, were, at the end of the second semester, surveyed on their prior dispensing experience and their perceptions of MyDispense as a tool to learn dispensing skills. The dispensary simulation is an effective tool for helping students develop dispensing competency and knowledge in a safe environment.

  20. Learning outcomes using video in supervision and peer feedback during clinical skills training

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lauridsen, Henrik Hein; Toftgård, Rie Castella; Nørgaard, Cita

    supervision of clinical skills (formative assessment). Demonstrations of these principles will be presented as video podcasts during the session. The learning outcomes of video supervision and peer-feedback were assessed in an online questionnaire survey. Results Results of the supervision showed large self......Objective New technology and learning principles were introduced in a clinical skills training laboratory (iLab). The intension was to move from apprenticeship to active learning principles including peer feedback and supervision using video. The objective of this study was to evaluate student...... learning outcomes in a manual skills training subject using video during feedback and supervision. Methods The iLab classroom was designed to fit four principles of teaching using video. Two of these principles were (a) group work using peer-feedback on videos produced by the students and, (b) video...

  1. Self-efficacy, soccer skills and the influence on students’ learning experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zulkifli Ahmad Fahim

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Study aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a student centered curricular intervention on students’ self-efficacy and soccer skills performance. Materials and methods: One group of 25 mixed-gender students (ages 11-13 participated in this study of student centered soccer lessons twice per week (30 minutes on a soccer field for three weeks at a Southwestern USA Middle School. The in­tervention was designed to engage students in the skill lessons by adopting a student-centered approach, and reciprocal/peer teaching of the soccer skills. Students’ self-efficacy was assessed using the modified Traits Sport-Confidence Inventory. Soccer skill performance was assessed using previously validated skill tests. Further, students’ perception of reciprocal teaching were gathered using exit slips. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and t-tests to explore pre/post differences. Results: The students’ skill performance slightly improved. Students’ self-efficacy related to soccer skills was significantly higher at post-test. Students’ positively perceived the opportunities to participate in student-centered lessons and the use recip­rocal teaching styles to work together in skill development. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that seventh-grade students could learn soccer skills, develop desirable perceptions and efficacy and improve their physical activity/sport participation levels as they engaged in student-centered teaching and learning.

  2. Conditions of Practice in Perceptual Skill Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Memmert, D.; Hagemann, N.; Althoetmar, R.; Geppert, S.; Seiler, D.

    2009-01-01

    This study uses three experiments with different kinds of training conditions to investigate the "easy-to-hard" principle, context interference conditions, and feedback effects for learning anticipatory skills in badminton. Experiment 1 (N = 60) showed that a training program that gradually increases the difficulty level has no advantage over the…

  3. Working Memory and Learning in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder and Specific Language Impairment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alloway, Tracy Packiam; Archibald, Lisa

    2008-01-01

    The authors compared 6- to 11-year-olds with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and those with specific language impairment (SLI) on measures of memory (verbal and visuospatial short-term and working memory) and learning (reading and mathematics). Children with DCD with typical language skills were impaired in all four areas of memory…

  4. The implementation of Project-Based Learning in courses Audio Video to Improve Employability Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sulistiyo, Edy; Kustono, Djoko; Purnomo; Sutaji, Eddy

    2018-04-01

    This paper presents a project-based learning (PjBL) in subjects with Audio Video the Study Programme Electro Engineering Universitas Negeri Surabaya which consists of two ways namely the design of the prototype audio-video and assessment activities project-based learning tailored to the skills of the 21st century in the form of employability skills. The purpose of learning innovation is applying the lab work obtained in the theory classes. The PjBL aims to motivate students, centering on the problems of teaching in accordance with the world of work. Measures of learning include; determine the fundamental questions, designs, develop a schedule, monitor the learners and progress, test the results, evaluate the experience, project assessment, and product assessment. The results of research conducted showed the level of mastery of the ability to design tasks (of 78.6%), technical planning (39,3%), creativity (42,9%), innovative (46,4%), problem solving skills (the 57.1%), skill to communicate (75%), oral expression (75%), searching and understanding information (to 64.3%), collaborative work skills (71,4%), and classroom conduct (of 78.6%). In conclusion, instructors have to do the reflection and make improvements in some of the aspects that have a level of mastery of the skills less than 60% both on the application of project-based learning courses, audio video.

  5. The effectiveness of learning portfolios in learning participation and learners' perceptions of skills and confidence in the mother of preterm infant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Yi-Chuan; Chen, Li-Li; Chang, Yu-Shan; Li, Tsai-Chung; Chen, Ching-Ju; Huang, Li-Chi

    2018-03-22

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of preterm infant learning portfolios in enabling mothers to develop infant care knowledge and skills, as well as confidence in their abilities. This study used a quasi-experimental design. The sample consisted of 52 mothers with preterm infants recruited at a neonatal intermediate unit of a medical centre in central Taiwan. Among those, 26 participants in the control group received regular health education and 26 participants in the experimental group received learning portfolios and regular care. The Preterm Infant Care Learning Portfolio (PICLP) is a semi-structured learning portfolio which was provided by nurses. Intervention started with 15 min of instructions on how to use PICLP, including a list of learning task and methods of self-assessment. Follow-up sessions of 5-10 min were conducted after each learning task. The frequency of learning skills could be adjusted depending on participants' learning needs. Self-administered questionnaires regarding knowledge of and skills in preterm infant care and maternal confidence were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention; the questionnaires were conducted before the intervention, 1 day before discharge and 1 month after discharge. We also tracked the frequency with which participants attended instructional sessions before discharged. Mothers' preterm infant care knowledge and skills and confidence improved in both groups after the intervention. The experimental group showed greater improvement than the control group by post-test 2; there was no statistical difference between groups at 1 day before discharge and 1 month after discharge. However, participants in the experimental group came for instructional sessions on baby care for more frequently than the control group. The frequency of learning sessions attended was a predictor of improved scores of the skill assessment before discharge. Both programmes led to improvements in preterm

  6. Promoting skill building and confidence in freshman nursing students with a "Skills-a-Thon".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, Susan T; Vignato, Julie A; Moore, Joan L; Madden, Carol A

    2009-08-01

    Freshman nursing students returning for their second semester after summer break benefited by reviewing previously learned clinical skills presented in a Skills-a-Thon. Skills stations were established and facilitated by faculty and senior students. Senior students were first trained in mentoring and specific steps in skills competencies. Freshman students demonstrated skills in various mock clinical situations including catheter insertion, sterile dressings, medications, and physical assessment. The strategy reinforced learning and provided an opportunity for students to experience risk-free skills performance among peers. Freshman students gained proficiency and appreciated guidance by senior students without the pressures of testing. Seniors benefited from a condensed version of the program to review their own skills prior to the event. Responses were positive, with students reporting improved performance and confidence with hands-on application in a non-threatening environment. Nursing faculty observed improvement in skill performance and competence, and plan to offer future events. Copyright 2009, SLACK Incorporated.

  7. The Effect of Think-Pair-Share-Write Based on Hybrid Learning on Metakognitive Skills, Creative Thinking and Cognitive Learning at SMA Negeri 3 Malang

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ika Yulianti Siregar

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The results of biology learning observation show that there are many constraints during the learning process in the class and consultation meeting between teacher and students. The think-pair-share-write based on hybrid learning was conducted to analyze the effect on metacognitive skills, creative thinking and learning outcomes. The research design was quasi experiment with pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group design. The independent variable is think-pair-share-write based on Hybrid learning model, while the dependent variables are metacognitive skills, creative thinking, and cognitive learning outcomes. Metacognitive skills are measured by using metacognitive rubrics. Creative thinking skills and cognitive learning outcomes are measured by using a description test. The data were taken by conducting pretest and posttest. The hypothesis test used was anakova with level of significance 0,05 (P <0,05, as the test result was significant then the test was continued to LSD. Before the anakova test, normality and homogeneity test were performed. The results showed that think-pair-share-write based on Hybrid Learning significantly affecting: 1 the metacognitive skills with F arithmetic of 183,472 and Sig. 0,000; 2 the creative thinking skill with F value of 325,111 and Sig. 0,000; 3 the cognitive learning outcomes with F arithmetic of 175.068 and Sig. 0,000.

  8. Specific Oral Communication Skills Desired in New Accountancy Graduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, F. Elizabeth

    2010-01-01

    International research findings and anecdotal evidence alike suggest that new accountancy graduates often begin their careers with inadequate oral communication skills. However, there is a lack of well-grounded empirical data concerning precisely what accountancy employers mean by "oral communication" and what specific skills they value…

  9. Using the Jazz Metaphor to Enhance Student Learning and Skill Development in the Marketing Research Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mills, Michael Kenneth

    2010-01-01

    The marketing research course is often a very challenging one both for students and instructors. This article discusses how the jazz metaphor can aid the instructor in both facilitating students' learning of the more basic as well as the more specific skills that make up the course, in addition to contributing more to student enjoyment of the…

  10. Communication Skills and Learning in Impaired Individuals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eliöz, Murat

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to compare the communication skills of individuals with different disabilities with athletes and sedentary people and to examine their learning abilities which influence the development of communication. A total of 159 male subjects 31 sedentary, 30 visually impaired, 27 hearing impaired, 40 physically impaired and 31…

  11. Needs Analysis of the English Writing Skill as the Base to Design the Learning Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tenri Ampa Andi

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This research used a descriptive method. It was aimed at identifying students’ learning needs for the English writing skill as the base for designing the learning materials. Writing skill covered the analysis of the types of paragraph, types of text, the components of writing and paragraph development. The subjects of the research were the fourth semester students that consisted of 330 students. The samples were taken 15 % randomly, so the number of samples was 50 students. The research used a questionnaire as the instrument to get responses from the students about their learning needs. The results showed that the learning needs for the writing skills coped with the types of paragraph development, the types of text, and components of writing skill. The types of paragraph development included the ways by definition (79.7%, classification (67.0%, listing (59.3%, cause effect (47.7%, example (47.3%, and comparison (45.7%. The types of text consisted of description (66.0%, news items (59.7%, narration (58.7%, discussion (56.7%, recount (57.0%, and exposition (50.7%. The components of writing skill contained structure (79.6%, vocabulary (79.4%, content (62.0%, organisation (53.6% and mechanic (34.0%. The implication of the findings would be the base of teaching and learning process, especially in designing the learning materials for the English writing skill.

  12. The effectiveness of CCDSR learning model to improve skills of creating lesson plan and worksheet science process skill (SPS) for pre-service physics teacher

    Science.gov (United States)

    Limatahu, I.; Suyatno; Wasis; Prahani, B. K.

    2018-03-01

    In the previous research, CCDSR (Condition, Construction, Development, Simulation, and Reflection) learning model has been developed to improve science process skills for pre-service physics teacher. This research is aimed to analyze the effectiveness of CCDSR learning model towards the improvement skills of creating lesson plan and worksheet of Science Process Skill (SPS) for pre-service physics teacher in academic year 2016/2017. This research used one group pre-test and post-test design on 12 pre-service physics teacher at Physics Education, University of Khairun. Data collection was conducted through test and observation. Creating lesson plan and worksheet SPS skills of pre-service physics teacher measurement were conducted through Science Process Skill Evaluation Sheet (SPSES). The data analysis technique was done by Wilcoxon t-test and n-gain. The CCDSR learning model consists of 5 phases, including (1) Condition, (2) Construction, (3) Development, (4) Simulation, and (5) Reflection. The results showed that there was a significant increase in creating lesson plan and worksheet SPS skills of pre-service physics teacher at α = 5% and n-gain average of moderate category. Thus, the CCDSR learning model is effective for improving skills of creating lesson plan and worksheet SPS for pre-service physics teacher.

  13. On-campus or online: examining self-regulation and cognitive transfer skills in different learning settings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miri Barak

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract This study was set to identify self-regulation skills required for online learning and to characterize cognitive transfer of on-campus and online students. The study included two groups of undergraduate students who studied the same course, but in different settings: online and on-campus. Data collected via an online survey and semi-structured interviews indicated that cognitive strategies and regulation of cognition are significant for successful online learning. Findings also indicated that the online students were more aware of mastery learning and information processing strategies than the on-campus peers. The online students specified the importance of planning, controlling, and evaluation skills for meaningful learning; whereas the on-campus students asserted lack of self-discipline and limited communication skills as barriers for distance learning. Near- and far-transfer components were identified, showing a significant positive correlation with self-regulation skills for both groups of learners.

  14. E-learning teaches attendings "how to" objectively assess pediatric urology trainees' surgery skills for orchiopexy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandez, Nicolas; Maizels, Max; Farhat, Walid; Smith, Edwin; Liu, Dennis; Chua, Michael; Bhanji, Yasin

    2018-04-01

    Established methods to train pediatric urology surgery by residency training programs require updating in response to administrative changes such as new, reduced trainee duty hours. Therefore, new objective methods must be developed to teach trainees. We approached this need by creating e-learning to teach attendings objective assessment of trainee skills using the Zwisch scale, an established assessment tool. The aim of this study was to identify whether or not e-learning is an appropriate platform for effective teaching of this assessment tool, by assessing inter-rater correlation of assessments made by the attendings after participation in the e-learning. Pediatric orchiopexy was used as the index case. An e-learning tool was created to teach attending surgeons objective assessment of trainees' surgical skills. First, e-learning content was created which showed the assessment method videotape of resident surgery done in the operating room. Next, attendings were enrolled to e-learn this method. Finally, the ability of enrollees to assess resident surgery skill performance was tested. Namely, test video was made showing a trainee performing inguinal orchiopexy. All enrollees viewed the same online videos. Assessments of surgical skills (Zwisch scale) were entered into an online survey. Data were analyzed by intercorrelation coefficient kappa analysis (strong correlation was ICC ≥ 0.7). A total of 11 attendings were enrolled. All accessed the online learning and then made assessments of surgical skills trainees showed on videotapes. The e-learning comprised three modules: 1. "Core concepts," in which users learned the assessment tool methods; 2. "Learn to assess," in which users learned how to assess by watching video clips, explaining the assessment method; and 3. "Test," in which users tested their skill at making assessments by watching video clips and then actively inputting their ratings of surgical and global skills as viewed in the video clips (Figure

  15. Acquisition and improvement of human motor skills: Learning through observation and practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iba, Wayne

    1991-01-01

    Skilled movement is an integral part of the human existence. A better understanding of motor skills and their development is a prerequisite to the construction of truly flexible intelligent agents. We present MAEANDER, a computational model of human motor behavior, that uniformly addresses both the acquisition of skills through observation and the improvement of skills through practice. MAEANDER consists of a sensory-effector interface, a memory of movements, and a set of performance and learning mechanisms that let it recognize and generate motor skills. The system initially acquires such skills by observing movements performed by another agent and constructing a concept hierarchy. Given a stored motor skill in memory, MAEANDER will cause an effector to behave appropriately. All learning involves changing the hierarchical memory of skill concepts to more closely correspond to either observed experience or to desired behaviors. We evaluated MAEANDER empirically with respect to how well it acquires and improves both artificial movement types and handwritten script letters from the alphabet. We also evaluate MAEANDER as a psychological model by comparing its behavior to robust phenomena in humans and by considering the richness of the predictions it makes.

  16. Assessing Learner Perception of Corporate E-Learning Knowledge and Skill Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hewitt, Jason C.

    2017-01-01

    Given corporations increasing reliance on the use e-learning modules for their employees assumed learning and development, this study sought to understand the perceptions and experiences of individual's who undergo e-learning modules as attempts to increase their knowledge and skills to be successful in their work assignments in a corporate…

  17. Task-specific gross motor skills training for ambulant school-aged children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toovey, Rachel; Bernie, Charmaine; Harvey, Adrienne R; McGinley, Jennifer L; Spittle, Alicia J

    2017-01-01

    The primary objective is to systematically evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness of task-specific training (TST) of gross motor skills for improving activity and/or participation outcomes in ambulant school-aged children with cerebral palsy (CP). The secondary objective is to identify motor learning strategies reported within TST and assess relationship to outcome. Systematic review. Relevant databases were searched for studies including: children with CP (mean age >4 years and >60% of the sample ambulant); TST targeting gross motor skills and activity (skill performance, gross motor function and functional skills) and/or participation-related outcomes. Quality of included studies was assessed using standardised tools for risk of bias, study design and quality of evidence across outcomes. Continuous data were summarised for each study using standardised mean difference (SMD) and 95% CIs. Thirteen studies met inclusion criteria: eight randomised controlled trials (RCTs), three comparative studies, one repeated-measures study and one single-subject design study. Risk of bias was moderate across studies. Components of TST varied and were often poorly reported. Within-group effects of TST were positive across all outcomes of interest in 11 studies. In RCTs, between-group effects were conflicting for skill performance and functional skills, positive for participation-related outcomes (one study: Life-HABITS performance SMD=1.19, 95% CI 0.3 to 2.07, pmotor function. The quality of evidence was low-to-moderate overall. Variability and poor reporting of motor learning strategies limited assessment of relationship to outcome. Limited evidence for TST for gross motor skills in ambulant children with CP exists for improving activity and participation-related outcomes and recommendations for use over other interventions are limited by poor study methodology and heterogeneous interventions. PROSPERO ID42016036727.

  18. The Differential Effects of Task Complexity on Domain-Specific and Peer Assessment Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Zundert, Marjo J.; Sluijsmans, Dominique M. A.; Konings, Karen D.; van Merrienboer, Jeroen J. G.

    2012-01-01

    In this study the relationship between domain-specific skills and peer assessment skills as a function of task complexity is investigated. We hypothesised that peer assessment skills were superposed on domain-specific skills and will therefore suffer more when higher cognitive load is induced by increased task complexity. In a mixed factorial…

  19. Improving Science Process Skills for Primary School Students Through 5E Instructional Model-Based Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choirunnisa, N. L.; Prabowo, P.; Suryanti, S.

    2018-01-01

    The main objective of this study is to describe the effectiveness of 5E instructional model-based learning to improve primary school students’ science process skills. The science process skills is important for students as it is the foundation for enhancing the mastery of concepts and thinking skills needed in the 21st century. The design of this study was experimental involving one group pre-test and post-test design. The result of this study shows that (1) the implementation of learning in both of classes, IVA and IVB, show that the percentage of learning implementation increased which indicates a better quality of learning and (2) the percentage of students’ science process skills test results on the aspects of observing, formulating hypotheses, determining variable, interpreting data and communicating increased as well.

  20. Effectiveness of Memantine in Improvement of Cognitive Deficits in Specific Learning Disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elham Ahmadi Zahrani

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background: Specific learning disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent difficulties in learning academic skills in reading, written expression, or mathematics. This study was performed to investigate the effectiveness of memantine in the relief of cognitive deficits (selective attention, sustained attention, and working memory in specific learning disorder. Materials and Methods: This study is a clinical trial. Of all children 8-12 years referred to Amir Kabir Hospital 94 patients diagnosed with specific learning disorder based on DSMV diagnostic interview referred by specialist and randomly divided by two groups, memantine and placebo. Cognitive deficits before and after treatment were measured with continuous performance test, Stroop test and Wechsler Digit Span forward and reverse and Corsi test. Results: Multivariate analysis of variance showed a significant difference in error when answering, omission answer and corrected answer in continuous performance test, but this difference is not significant in response time. Difference in forward, reverse and collected auditory was significant and not significant in the auditory span. In active visual working memory at corsi cube test, difference was significant (p <0.05. Conclusion: The results showed that memantine in improvement of sustained attention, auditory working memory and visual working memory, is effective, while in selective attention is not effective and according to similarities of learning disorder and Attention deficit / Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD and the effectiveness of memantine in improvement of symptoms of ADHD, we can also use this drug in improvement of cognitive deficits of specific learning disorder.

  1. A comparison of the cooperative learning and traditional learning methods in theory classes on nursing students' communication skill with patients at clinical settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baghcheghi, Nayereh; Koohestani, Hamid Reza; Rezaei, Koresh

    2011-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of traditional learning and cooperative learning methods on nursing students' communication skill with patients. This was an experimental study in which 34 nursing students in their 2nd semester of program participated. They were divided randomly into two groups, a control group who were taught their medical/surgical nursing course by traditional learning method and an experimental group, who were taught the same material using cooperative learning method. Before and after the teaching intervention, the students' communication skills with patients at clinical settings were examined. The results showed that no significant difference between the two groups in students' communication skills scores before the teaching intervention, but did show a significant difference between the two groups in the interaction skills and problem follow up sub-scales scores after the teaching intervention. This study provides evidence that cooperative learning is an effective method for improving and increasing communication skills of nursing students especially in interactive skills and follow up the problems sub-scale, thereby it is recommended to increase nursing students' participation in arguments by applying active teaching methods which can provide the opportunity for increased communication skills. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Qualitative and quantitative revaluation of specific learning disabilities: a multicentric study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Operto, Francesca F; Mazza, Roberta; Buttiglione, Maura; Craig, Francesco; Frolli, Alessandro; Pisano, Simone; Margari, Lucia; Coppola, Giangennaro

    2018-04-12

    Specific learning disabilities are disorders that affect the instrumental skills of academic learning, leaving intact the general intellectual functioning. It is possible to distinguish: dyslexia, dysorthography, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia. The diagnosis is made according to DSMV. The aim of this study is to evaluate the implementation of Law N° 170 following a diagnosis of specific learning disabilities in children and their evolution over time. The sample under examination consists of 75 children, 56 males and 18 females aged 7,8 to 16 years, with a diagnosis of specific learning disabilities; a revaluation was carried outthrough the use of standardized instruments according to age and school attended. A twopart questionnaire was proposed: the first part turned to the parents/carers of the child and the second part turned to the boy himself. The improvement parameter has been linked, through a statistical analysis of univarianza with intelligence quotient, age, application of the law 10 October 2010 n 170, rehabilitative paths and attending afterschool program. Most of the guys are followed at school by the application of the law 170 and, outside school, by attending speech and neuropsychological therapy and after school. Going to investigate the actual use of the measures put in place by the school, it is evident a partial and incomplete application of Law 170. The most suitable measures for these children are pedagogical measures in order to make them integrate with the group class and strengthen their capacities through specific measures provided by a specific legislative decree.

  3. Unsupervised learning of facial emotion decoding skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jan Oliver Huelle

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Research on the mechanisms underlying human facial emotion recognition has long focussed on genetically determined neural algorithms and often neglected the question of how these algorithms might be tuned by social learning. Here we show that facial emotion decoding skills can be significantly and sustainably improved by practise without an external teaching signal. Participants saw video clips of dynamic facial expressions of five different women and were asked to decide which of four possible emotions (anger, disgust, fear and sadness was shown in each clip. Although no external information about the correctness of the participant’s response or the sender’s true affective state was provided, participants showed a significant increase of facial emotion recognition accuracy both within and across two training sessions two days to several weeks apart. We discuss several similarities and differences between the unsupervised improvement of facial decoding skills observed in the current study, unsupervised perceptual learning of simple stimuli described in previous studies and practise effects often observed in cognitive tasks.

  4. The Gross Motor Skills of Children with Mild Learning Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nonis, Karen P.; Jernice, Tan Sing Yee

    2014-01-01

    Many international studies have examined the gross motor skills of children studying in special schools while local studies of such nature are limited. This study investigated the gross motor skills of children with Mild Learning Disabilities (MLD; n = 14, M age = 8.93 years, SD = 0.33) with the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2, Ulrich,…

  5. Student’s critical thinking skills in authentic problem based learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuliati, L.; Fauziah, R.; Hidayat, A.

    2018-05-01

    This study aims to determine students’ critical thinking skills in authentic problem based learning, especially on geometric optics. The study was conducted at the vocational school. The study used a quantitative descriptive method with the open question to measure critical thinking skills. The indicators of critical thinking skills measured in this study are: formulating problems, providing simple answers, applying formulas and procedures, analyzing information, making conclusions, and synthesizing ideas. The results showed that there was a positive change in students’ critical thinking skills with the average value of N-Gain test is 0.59 and effect size test is 3.73. The critical thinking skills of students need to be trained more intensively using authentic problems in daily life.

  6. Digital Skill Training Research: Preliminary Guidelines for Distributed Learning

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Childs, Jerry

    2001-01-01

    This task was aimed at the development of guidelines for distributed learning (DL). A matrix was generated to evaluate the effectiveness of various DL media for training representative knowledge/skill types...

  7. Intertextual learning strategy with guided inquiry on solubility equilibrium concept to improve the student’s scientific processing skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wardani, K. U.; Mulyani, S.; Wiji

    2018-04-01

    The aim of this study was to develop intertextual learning strategy with guided inquiry on solubility equilibrium concept to enhance student’s scientific processing skills. This study was conducted with consideration of some various studies which found that lack of student’s process skills in learning chemistry was caused by learning chemistry is just a concept. The method used in this study is a Research and Development to generate the intertextual learning strategy with guided inquiry. The instruments used in the form of sheets validation are used to determine the congruence of learning activities by step guided inquiry learning and scientific processing skills with aspects of learning activities. Validation results obtained that the learning activities conducted in line with aspects of indicators of the scientific processing skills.

  8. Google apps for virtual learning communities development: strengthening english language skills in an university environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eder Intriago

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: This action research project aims to strengthen English language reading comprehension and speaking skills in college students through the use of Google Apps and Literature Circles (LCs in virtual communities for learning. Method: The study involved 70 students at a public university in Ecuador. The educational intervention lasted a semester, included the implementation of LCs virtually and in person with a phase of independent reading and another for the discussion. 14 learning communities were organized and students assumed specific roles in order to warranty equality participation. The “Google Apps” were chosen for their ease of access. To monitor the progress of learning English, a pretest and a posttest were applied using the Preliminary English Test (PET by Cambridge University, whose validity and reliability are amply recognized internationally. Results: It showed an improvement of the reading comprehension and speaking skills in English Language in the participants group, who went from A1 to B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL at the end of the process. Conclusion: it is confirmed that the use of “Google Apps” aided in the building of virtual learning communities to support the second language acquisition process (L2 in the university context.

  9. Teaching medical students consultation skills using e-learning

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Merete; Witt, Klaus; Fridorff-Jens, Peter Kindt

    2015-01-01

    of a student includes a test-video of a consultation with the student in the doctor role, seeing a real patient, and the student´s skills in the subsequent analysis of the communication process according to its patientcentredness. The aim of the study is to measure the effect of adding access to 16 video cases......Teaching consultation skills to medical students using e-learning. Introduction: We have been teaching Family Medicine at the University of Copenhagen for more than twenty years. We wish to develop a method to evaluate the current teaching of consultation skills and the effect of new interventions...... of the ten items. The students were able to identify more elements in the test-video, related to patient function, to inform the patient properly, the use of summarizing and safety-netting Conclusion On-line video cases used interactively in the classroom sessions increase the students’ skills in analysing...

  10. Online learning versus blended learning of clinical supervisee skills with pre-registration nursing students: A randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCutcheon, Karen; O'Halloran, Peter; Lohan, Maria

    2018-06-01

    The World Health Organisation amongst others recognises the need for the introduction of clinical supervision education in health professional education as a central strategy for improving patient safety and patient care. Online and blended learning methods are growing exponentially in use in higher education and the systematic evaluation of these methods will aid understanding of how best to teach clinical supervision. The purpose of this study was to test whether undergraduate nursing students who received clinical supervisee skills training via a blended learning approach would score higher in terms of motivation and attitudes towards clinical supervision, knowledge of clinical supervision and satisfaction of learning method, when compared to those students who received an online only teaching approach. A post-test-only randomised controlled trial. Participants were a total of 122 pre-registration nurses enrolled at one United Kingdom university, randomly assigned to the online learning control group (n = 60) or the blended learning intervention group (n = 62). The blended learning intervention group participated in a face-to-face tutorial and the online clinical supervisee skills training app. The online learning control group participated in an online discussion forum and the same online clinical supervisee skills training app. The outcome measures were motivation and attitudes using the modified Manchester Clinical Supervision Scale, knowledge using a 10 point Multiple Choice Questionnaire and satisfaction using a university training evaluation tool. Statistical analysis was performed using independent t-tests to compare the differences between the means of the control group and the intervention group. Thematic analysis was used to analyse responses to open-ended questions. All three of our study hypotheses were confirmed. Participants who received clinical supervisee skills training via a blended learning approach scored higher in terms of motivation

  11. The Effect of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation on Learning Fine Motor Skills: A Preliminary Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Reza Shahabi Kaseb

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Preparation of neuromuscular system prior to performing motor skills affects the learning of motor skills. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF on limb coordination and accuracy in dart throwing skill. Methods: Thirty two male students were randomly selected as study sample. Based on the pretest scores, the participants were divided into three groups: experimental (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, first control (without warm-up, and second control (specific warm-up. During the acquisition phase, the participants first performed the preparation training related to their own group, then all groups performed the exercise program of dart throwing consisting of 6 blocks of 9 trials in 4 training sessions. Finally, 20 days following the last exercise session, the subjects took the retention and transfer tests. Results: The results of one-way ANOVA test for coordination variable in acquisition test showed no significant difference between the groups, while there was a statistically significant difference between groups regarding coordination variable in retention and transfer tests. Furthermore, the results of one-way ANOVA for the accuracy variable in acquisition and retention tests showed no statistically significant difference between the three groups, while there was a statistically significant difference between groups for accuracy variable in transfer test. Conclusion: It seems that proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, as a preparation method before performance, can enhance the efficacy of training to better learn the coordination pattern of fine motor skills.

  12. Teachers' learning on the workshop of STS approach as a way of enhancing inventive thinking skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ngaewkoodrua, Nophakun; Yuenyong, Chokchai

    2018-01-01

    To improve science teachers to develop the STS lesson plans for enhancing the students' inventive thinking skills, the workshop of improving science teachers to develop the STS lesson plans for enhancing the Inventive thinking skills were organized. The paper aimed to clarify what teachers learn from the workshop. The goal of the activity of the workshop aimed to: 1) improve participants a better understanding of the relationship between the Inquiry based learning with STS approach, 2) understand the meaning and importance of the STS approach and identify the various stages of Yuenyong (2006) STS learning process, 3) discuss what they learned from the examples of Yuenyong (2006) lesson plan, 4) develop some activities for each stage of Yuenyong (2006) STS approach, and 5) ideas of providing STS approach activities for enhancing inventive thinking skills. Participants included 3 science teachers who work in Khon Kaen, Thailand. Methodology regarded interpretive paradigm. Teachers' learning about pedagogy of enhancing the students' inventive thinking skills will be interpreted through participant observation, teachers' tasks, and interview. The finding revealed that all participants could demonstrate their ideas how to generate the STS lesson plans as a way of enhancing inventive thinking skills. Teachers could mention some element of inventive thinking skills which could be generated on their STS learning activities.

  13. The effect of science learning integrated with local potential to improve science process skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahardini, Riris Riezqia Budy; Suryadarma, I. Gusti Putu; Wilujeng, Insih

    2017-08-01

    This research was aimed to know the effectiveness of science learning that integrated with local potential to improve student`s science process skill. The research was quasi experiment using non-equivalent control group design. The research involved all student of Muhammadiyah Imogiri Junior High School on grade VII as a population. The sample in this research was selected through cluster random sampling, namely VII B (experiment group) and VII C (control group). Instrument that used in this research is a nontest instrument (science process skill observation's form) adapted Desak Megawati's research (2016). The aspect of science process skills were making observation and communication. The data were using univariat (ANOVA) analyzed at 0,05 significance level and normalized gain score for science process skill increase's category. The result is science learning that integrated with local potential was effective to improve science process skills of student (Sig. 0,00). This learning can increase science process skill, shown by a normalized gain score value at 0,63 (medium category) in experiment group and 0,29 (low category) in control group.

  14. Designed for Learning: use of Skill Tracker in Veterinary education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Phil Lionel Ramsey

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Although learning is a natural process, many of the systems designed to support education do not contribute positively to the experience of students. This paper reports on the design of Skill Tracker, a software system developed at Massey University to manage processes around student skill acquisition, and initially applied to the university’s Veterinary Science program. The software has been designed around guiding ideas relevant to learning in a professional context: the “progress principle” and Communities of Practice. The paper outlines how these ideas have shaped the design of the software. While Skill Tracker enables the university to collect data that informs the management of the Veterinary School, the underlying purpose of the system is to enhance the experience of students. In order to do achieve this goal it is necessary to understand a key dilemma in any educational innovation: the need to integrate technology and pedagogy.

  15. Enhancing Student Teachers' Teaching Skills through a Blended Learning Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Albhnsawy, Abeer Abdalhalim; Aliweh, Ahmed Mahmoud

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated the effect of a blended learning program on student teachers' teaching skills in an undergraduate microteaching course. The blended learning program lasted for nine weeks. This program aimed at integrating social network tasks and face-to-face teaching activities. Pre- and post-tests were administered to assess student…

  16. Plugging a Gap? Soft Skills Courses and Learning for Work

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weedon, Elisabet; Tett, Lyn

    2013-01-01

    Governments across Europe have been encouraged by the European Union (EU) to take measures to upskill their workforce to ensure growth and social inclusion. Low-skilled workers are particular targets and learning providers and employers are expected to provide learning opportunities for them. However, research shows that those with low skills…

  17. Learning problem-solving skills in a distance education physics course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rampho, G. J.; Ramorola, M. Z.

    2017-10-01

    In this paper we present the results of a study on the effectiveness of combinations of delivery modes of distance education in learning problem-solving skills in a distance education introductory physics course. A problem-solving instruction with the explicit teaching of a problem-solving strategy and worked-out examples were implemented in the course. The study used the ex post facto research design with stratified sampling to investigate the effect of the learning of a problem-solving strategy on the problem-solving performance. The number of problems attempted and the mean frequency of using a strategy in solving problems in the three course presentation modes were compared. The finding of the study indicated that combining the different course presentation modes had no statistically significant effect in the learning of problem-solving skills in the distance education course.

  18. Dual-tDCS Enhances Online Motor Skill Learning and Long-Term Retention in Chronic Stroke Patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lefebvre, S.; Laloux, P.; Peeters, A.; Desfontaines, P.; Jamart, J.; Vandermeeren, Y.

    2013-01-01

    Background: Since motor learning is a key component for stroke recovery, enhancing motor skill learning is a crucial challenge for neurorehabilitation. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising approach for improving motor learning. The aim of this trial was to test the hypothesis that dual-tDCS applied bilaterally over the primary motor cortices (M1) improves online motor skill learning with the paretic hand and its long-term retention. Methods: Eighteen chronic stroke patients participated in a randomized, cross-over, placebo-controlled, double bind trial. During separate sessions, dual-tDCS or sham dual-tDCS was applied over 30 min while stroke patients learned a complex visuomotor skill with the paretic hand: using a computer mouse to move a pointer along a complex circuit as quickly and accurately as possible. A learning index involving the evolution of the speed/accuracy trade-off was calculated. Performance of the motor skill was measured at baseline, after intervention and 1 week later. Results: After sham dual-tDCS, eight patients showed performance worsening. In contrast, dual-tDCS enhanced the amount and speed of online motor skill learning compared to sham (p dual-tDCS (n = 10) than after sham (n = 3). More importantly, 1 week later, online enhancement under dual-tDCS had translated into superior long-term retention (+44%) compared to sham (+4%). The improvement generalized to a new untrained circuit and to digital dexterity. Conclusion: A single-session of dual-tDCS, applied while stroke patients trained with the paretic hand significantly enhanced online motor skill learning both quantitatively and qualitatively, leading to successful long-term retention and generalization. The combination of motor skill learning and dual-tDCS is promising for improving post-stroke neurorehabilitation. PMID:23316151

  19. Motivating medical students to learn teamwork skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aarnio, Matti; Nieminen, Juha; Pyörälä, Eeva; Lindblom-Ylänne, Sari

    2010-01-01

    This study examined teaching teamwork skills to first-year medical students. Teamwork skills focused on verbal communication in PBL-tutorial sessions and in healthcare teams. The aim was to find out how to teach teamwork skills to first-year medical students and how to motivate them to learn these skills. Three consecutive classes of first-year medical students (N = 342) participated in teamwork skills module in the years 2006, 2007 and 2008. After the first year, the introduction to the topic was revised in order to be more motivating to medical students. After each module data were collected with a feedback questionnaire containing numerical and open questions. By analyzing the students' numerical answers and the content of students' open answers regarding the module, we examined how the revised introduction affected students' perceptions of the usefulness of the module. Medical students' feedback in the years 1 (n = 81), 2 (n = 99) and 3 (n = 95) showed that the students found the module in the second and third years significantly more useful than in the first year. These results support earlier findings that clearly stated clinical relevance motivates medical students. When introducing multidisciplinary subjects to medical students, it is important to think through the clinical relevance of the topic and how it is introduced to medical students.

  20. The Use of Conceptual Change Text toward Students’ Argumentation Skills in Learning Sound

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sari, B. P.; Feranie, S.; Winarno, N.

    2017-09-01

    This research aim is to investigate the effect of Conceptual Change Text toward students’ argumentation skills in learning sound concept. The participant comes from one of International school in Bandung, Indonesia. The method that used in this research is a quasi-experimental design with one control group (N=21) and one experimental group (N=21) were involves in this research. The learning model that used in both classes is demonstration model which included teacher explanation and examples, the difference only in teaching materials. In experiment group learn with Conceptual Change Text, while control group learn with conventional book which is used in school. The results showed that Conceptual Change Text instruction was better than the conventional book to improved students’ argumentation skills of sound concept. Based on this results showed that Conceptual Change Text instruction can be an alternative tool to improve students’ argumentation skills significantly.

  1. The Effect of Guided Inquiry Learning with Mind Map to Science Process Skills and Learning Outcomes of Natural Sciences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hilman .

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Pengaruh Pembelajaran Inkuiri Terbimbing dengan Mind Map terhadap Keterampilan Proses Sains dan Hasil Belajar IPA   Abstract: Science learning in junior high school aims to enable students conducts scientific inquiry, improves knowledge, concepts, and science skills. Organization materials for students supports learning process so that needs to be explored techniques that allows students to enable it. This study aimed to determine the effect of guided inquiry learning with mind map on science process skills and cognitive learning outcomes. This experimental quasi studey used pretest-posttest control group design and consisted eighth grade students of SMP Negeri 1 Papalang Mamuju of West Sulawesi. The results showed there where significant positive effect of guided inquiry learning with mind map on process science skills and cognitive learning outcomes. Key Words: guided inquiry, mind map, science process skills, cognitive learning outcomes   Abstrak: Pembelajaran Ilmu Pengetahuan Alam (IPA di SMP bertujuan agar siswa dapat melakukan inkuiri ilmiah, meningkatkan pengetahuan, konsep, dan keterampilan IPA. Dalam pembelajaran, organisasi materi berperan penting dalam memudahkan anak belajar sehingga perlu ditelaah teknik yang memudahkan siswa membuat organisasi materi. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengetahui pengaruh pembelajaran inkuiri terbimbing dengan mind map terhadap keterampilan proses sains dan hasil belajar kognitif. Penelitian kuasi eksperimen ini menggunakan rancangan pre test-post test control group design dengan subjek penelitian siswa kelas VIII SMP Negeri 1 Papalang. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan ada pengaruh positif yang signifikan pembelajaran inkuiri terbimbing dengan mind map terhadap kemampuan keterampilan proses sains dan hasil belajar kognitif siswa. Kata kunci:  inkuiri terbimbing, mind map, keterampilan proses sains,  hasil belajar kognitif

  2. Visual acuity and visual skills in Malaysian children with learning disabilities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muzaliha MN

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Mohd-Nor Muzaliha,1 Buang Nurhamiza,1 Adil Hussein,1 Abdul-Rani Norabibas,1 Jaafar Mohd-Hisham-Basrun,1 Abdullah Sarimah,2 Seo-Wei Leo,3 Ismail Shatriah11Department of Ophthalmology, 2Biostatistics and Research Methodology Unit, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia; 3Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, SingaporeBackground: There is limited data in the literature concerning the visual status and skills in children with learning disabilities, particularly within the Asian population. This study is aimed to determine visual acuity and visual skills in children with learning disabilities in primary schools within the suburban Kota Bharu district in Malaysia.Methods: We examined 1010 children with learning disabilities aged between 8–12 years from 40 primary schools in the Kota Bharu district, Malaysia from January 2009 to March 2010. These children were identified based on their performance in a screening test known as the Early Intervention Class for Reading and Writing Screening Test conducted by the Ministry of Education, Malaysia. Complete ocular examinations and visual skills assessment included near point of convergence, amplitude of accommodation, accommodative facility, convergence break and recovery, divergence break and recovery, and developmental eye movement tests for all subjects.Results: A total of 4.8% of students had visual acuity worse than 6/12 (20/40, 14.0% had convergence insufficiency, 28.3% displayed poor accommodative amplitude, and 26.0% showed signs of accommodative infacility. A total of 12.1% of the students had poor convergence break, 45.7% displayed poor convergence recovery, 37.4% showed poor divergence break, and 66.3% were noted to have poor divergence recovery. The mean horizontal developmental eye movement was significantly prolonged.Conclusion: Although their visual acuity was satisfactory, nearly 30% of the

  3. Identifying Students' Difficulties When Learning Technical Skills via a Wireless Sensor Network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jingying; Wen, Ming-Lee; Jou, Min

    2016-01-01

    Practical training and actual application of acquired knowledge and techniques are crucial for the learning of technical skills. We established a wireless sensor network system (WSNS) based on the 5E learning cycle in a practical learning environment to improve students' reflective abilities and to reduce difficulties for the learning of technical…

  4. Cooperative Learning and Soft Skills Training in an IT Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Aimao

    2012-01-01

    Pedagogy of higher education is shifting from passive to active and deep learning. At the same time, the information technology (IT) industry and the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) are demanding soft skills training. Thus, in designing an IT course, we devised group teaching projects where students learn to work with…

  5. Medical students’ perceptions of using e-learning to enhance the acquisition of consulting skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Warnecke E

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundThis study aims to evaluate medical students’ perception ofthe usefulness and effectiveness of an e-learning packagedeveloped to enhance the acquisition of consulting skills.MethodA survey with mixed method data analysis was conducted.Participants were 67 medical students completing theirthird year primary care rotation as part of a five-year degreeat the University of Tasmania. Participants completed a 10question anonymous online survey after using the elearningpackageResultsOf the participants, 92% found it enjoyable and 95% foundthe e-learning package useful; 75% perceived it to beeffective in increasing their performance and 91% believedit increased their knowledge in consulting skills. Benefits forparticipants’ confidence, style and structure of consultingskills were found.ConclusionParticipants found the e-learning package to be enjoyableand effective. E-learning should be further utilised in ablended learning environment to support face-to-faceteaching in consulting skills.

  6. Employability Skill Development in Work-Integrated Learning: Barriers and Best Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Denise

    2015-01-01

    Work-integrated learning (WIL) is widely considered instrumental in equipping new graduates with the required employability skills to function effectively in the work environment. Evaluation of WIL programs in enhancing skill development remains predominantly outcomes-focused with little attention to the process of what, how and from whom students…

  7. Nursing students' perceptions of factors influencing their learning environment in a clinical skills laboratory: A qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haraldseid, Cecilie; Friberg, Febe; Aase, Karina

    2015-09-01

    The mastery of clinical skills learning is required to become a trained nurse. Due to limited opportunities for clinical skills training in clinical practice, undergraduate training at clinical skills laboratories (CSLs) is an essential part of nursing education. In a sociocultural learning perspective learning is situated in an environment. Growing student cohorts, rapid introduction of technology-based teaching methods and a shift from a teaching- to a learning-centered education all influence the environment of the students. These changes also affect CSLs and therefore compel nursing faculties to adapt to the changing learning environment. This study aimed to explore students' perceptions of their learning environment in a clinical skills laboratory, and to increase the knowledge base for improving CSL learning conditions identifying the most important environmental factors according to the students. An exploratory qualitative methodology was used. Nineteen second-year students enrolled in an undergraduate nursing program in Norway participated in the study. They took the same clinical skills course. Eight were part-time students (group A) and 11 were full-time students (group B). Focus group interviews and content analysis were conducted to capture the students' perception of the CSL learning environment. The study documents students' experience of the physical (facilities, material equipment, learning tools, standard procedures), psychosocial (expectations, feedback, relations) and organizational (faculty resources, course structure) factors that affect the CSL learning environment. Creating an authentic environment, facilitating motivation, and providing resources for multiple methods and repetitions within clinical skills training are all important for improving CSL learning environments from the student perspective. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. LEARNING-RELATED SOCIAL SKILLS AS A MEDIATOR BETWEEN TEACHER INSTRUCTION AND CHILD ACHIEVEMENT IN HEAD START

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gershoff, Elizabeth

    2015-01-01

    Using a subsample of the Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) 2006, this study examined the associations between the amount of teacher instruction in 292 Head Start classrooms with changes in young children’s (n = 936) early academic achievement and learning-related social skills from ages 3 to 5. In general, during the early years, children exhibited relatively stable academic and learning-related social skills. Although the amount of teacher instruction did not predict children’s short-term academic growth directly, it did predict it indirectly through improvements in learning-related social skills, with benefits lasting through the end of kindergarten. These findings demonstrate that gains in children’s learning-related social skills may be necessary before academic gains can be realized. PMID:26692657

  9. Improving Critical Thinking Skills of College Students through RMS Model for Learning Basic Concepts in Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muhlisin, Ahmad; Susilo, Herawati; Amin, Mohamad; Rohman, Fatchur

    2016-01-01

    The purposes of this study were to: 1) Examine the effect of RMS learning model towards critical thinking skills. 2) Examine the effect of different academic abilities against critical thinking skills. 3) Examine the effect of the interaction between RMS learning model and different academic abilities against critical thinking skills. The research…

  10. A digital peer-to-peer learning platform for clinical skills development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basnak, Jesse; Ortynski, Jennifer; Chow, Meghan; Nzekwu, Emeka

    2017-02-01

    Due to constraints in time and resources, medical curricula may not provide adequate opportunities for pre-clerkship students to practice clinical skills. To address this, medical students at the University of Alberta developed a digital peer-to-peer learning initiative. The initiative assessed if students can learn clinical skills from their peers in co-curricular practice objective structured clinical exams (OSCEs). A total of 144 first-year medical students participated. Students wrote case scenarios that were reviewed by physicians. Students enacted the cases in practice OSCEs, acting as the patient, physician, and evaluator. Verbal and electronic evaluations were completed. A digital platform was used to automate the process. Surveys were disseminated to assess student perceptions of their experience. Seventy-five percent of participants said they needed opportunities to practice patient histories and physical exams in addition to those provided in the medical school curriculum. All participants agreed that the co-curricular practice OSCEs met this need. The majority of participants also agreed that the digital platform was efficient and easy to use. Students found the practice OSCEs and digital platform effective for learning clinical skills. Thus, peer-to-peer learning and computer automation can be useful adjuncts to traditional medical curricula.

  11. Integrating Soft Skill Competencies through Project-Based Learning across the Information Systems Curriculum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woodward, Belle S.; Sendall, Patricia; Ceccucci, Wendy

    2010-01-01

    Contemporary Information Systems graduates will be more marketable in the workplace upon graduation if they have combined competencies in both technical and soft skills: interpersonal communication, teamwork, time management, planning and organizational skills. Team and project-based learning can be used to incorporate soft skill competencies with…

  12. Verification of causal influences of reasoning skills and epistemology on physics conceptual learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lin Ding

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available This study seeks to test the causal influences of reasoning skills and epistemologies on student conceptual learning in physics. A causal model, integrating multiple variables that were investigated separately in the prior literature, is proposed and tested through path analysis. These variables include student preinstructional reasoning skills measured by the Classroom Test of Scientific Reasoning, pre- and postepistemological views measured by the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey, and pre- and postperformance on Newtonian concepts measured by the Force Concept Inventory. Students from a traditionally taught calculus-based introductory mechanics course at a research university participated in the study. Results largely support the postulated causal model and reveal strong influences of reasoning skills and preinstructional epistemology on student conceptual learning gains. Interestingly enough, postinstructional epistemology does not appear to have a significant influence on student learning gains. Moreover, pre- and postinstructional epistemology, although barely different from each other on average, have little causal connection between them.

  13. Health Sciences Students' Self-Assessment of Information and Communication Technology Skills and Attitude Toward e-Learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buabbas, Ali Jassem; Al-Shawaf, Hamza Mohammad Hassan; Almajran, Abdullah Abdulaziz

    2016-06-20

    In medical education, information and communication technology (ICT) knowledge and skills have become a necessity and an integral part of preparing tomorrow's doctors to be sufficiently competent to use informatics resources effectively and efficiently for the best practice of medicine. This research aimed to study the literacy of the preprofessional students in ICT before and after taking the basic informatics course at the Health Sciences Center at Kuwait University, to understand their potential and their attitudes toward using ICT, including e-learning. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data from 200 students in 2 stages: before and after the informatics course on the preprofessional program. In addition, the tutors' observational assessments of the students' achievements during the informatics course were obtained. The response rate of students before the course was 85.5% (171/200) and after was 77% (154/200). Of 200 students, 85% were female, and 15% were male. This disproportional representation of genders was due to the fact that 85% of registered students were female. Approximately 59% (101/171) of the students assessed themselves before the course as computer literate; afterward, this increased to 70.1% (108/154). Students who were still computer illiterate (29.2%; 45/154) mostly used the excuse of a lack of time (60%; 27/45). In generic ICT skills, the highest levels were for word processing, email, and Web browsing, whereas the lowest levels were for spreadsheets and database. In specific ICT skills, most respondents were reported low levels for statistical package use and Web page design. The results found that there was a significant improvement between students' general ICT skills before and after the course. The results showed that there were significant improvement between how frequently students were using Medline (PLibrary (Pstudents who completed the course (72.8%; 110/151) chose the learning management system as the most useful e-learning

  14. Towards Machine Learning of Motor Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peters, Jan; Schaal, Stefan; Schölkopf, Bernhard

    Autonomous robots that can adapt to novel situations has been a long standing vision of robotics, artificial intelligence, and cognitive sciences. Early approaches to this goal during the heydays of artificial intelligence research in the late 1980s, however, made it clear that an approach purely based on reasoning or human insights would not be able to model all the perceptuomotor tasks that a robot should fulfill. Instead, new hope was put in the growing wake of machine learning that promised fully adaptive control algorithms which learn both by observation and trial-and-error. However, to date, learning techniques have yet to fulfill this promise as only few methods manage to scale into the high-dimensional domains of manipulator robotics, or even the new upcoming trend of humanoid robotics, and usually scaling was only achieved in precisely pre-structured domains. In this paper, we investigate the ingredients for a general approach to motor skill learning in order to get one step closer towards human-like performance. For doing so, we study two major components for such an approach, i.e., firstly, a theoretically well-founded general approach to representing the required control structures for task representation and execution and, secondly, appropriate learning algorithms which can be applied in this setting.

  15. Development of e-module combining science process skills and dynamics motion material to increasing critical thinking skills and improve student learning motivation senior high school

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fengky Adie Perdana

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Learning media is one of the most components in the teaching and learning process. This research was conducted to design and develop the electronic modules combining science process skills and dynamics motion content for increasing critical thinking skills and improve student learning motivation for senior high school. The Methods used in this research is Research and Development (R&D. Model research and development using a research 4D Thiagarajan model. Physics module was developed using science process skills approach: observing, formulating the problem, formulating a hypothesis, identify variables, conduct experiments, analyse the data, summarise and communicate. The results showed that: 1 the electronics module has been developed by integrating the science process skills for enhancing critical thinking skills and student motivation. 2 Electronic Module Physics-based science process skills meet the criteria very well, judging from the results of validation content, validation media, validation of peer education and practitioners, with an average value of 3.80 is greater than the minimum eligibility 3.78. 3 effectiveness the modules of science process skills got N-gain value obtained from a large trial in grade samples of 0.67 and 0.59 in the control group were categorised as moderate. 4 Implementation of electronic modules Physics-based science process skills is considered an effective to enhance the students' motivation. Statistical analysis showed a significance value of 0.027 is lower than the significance level α = 0.05, this means that there are significant differences between learning motivation grade sample and the control class. As a result of analysis data obtained from the research, it was seen that the students' motivation that uses Physics module based science process skills better than conventional learning.

  16. Designing a clinical skills training laboratory with focus on video for better learning

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lauridsen, Henrik Hein; Toftgård, Rie Castella; Nørgaard, Cita

    resources of varying quality on the internet if this is not made available during teaching. The objective of this project was to design a new clinical skills laboratory with IT and video facilities to support learning processes. Methods Teaching principles were described before decisions on the design......Objective The principles of apprenticeship in clinical skills training are increasingly being challenged. First, most students are proficient in learning from visual multimedia and will expect this to be part of a modern university education. Second, students will often find visual teaching...... on a priori described teaching and learning designs related to active learning principles. This was a complex process involving teachers, IT-experts, e-learning specialists and a variety of university employees....

  17. Dual learning processes in interactive skill acquisition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Wai-Tat; Anderson, John R

    2008-06-01

    Acquisition of interactive skills involves the use of internal and external cues. Experiment 1 showed that when actions were interdependent, learning was effective with and without external cues in the single-task condition but was effective only with the presence of external cues in the dual-task condition. In the dual-task condition, actions closer to the feedback were learned faster than actions farther away but this difference was reversed in the single-task condition. Experiment 2 tested how knowledge acquired in single and dual-task conditions would transfer to a new reward structure. Results confirmed the two forms of learning mediated by the secondary task: A declarative memory encoding process that simultaneously assigned credits to actions and a reinforcement-learning process that slowly propagated credits backward from the feedback. The results showed that both forms of learning were engaged during training, but only at the response selection stage, one form of knowledge may dominate over the other depending on the availability of attentional resources. (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved

  18. Learning motor skills from algorithms to robot experiments

    CERN Document Server

    Kober, Jens

    2014-01-01

    This book presents the state of the art in reinforcement learning applied to robotics both in terms of novel algorithms and applications. It discusses recent approaches that allow robots to learn motor skills and presents tasks that need to take into account the dynamic behavior of the robot and its environment, where a kinematic movement plan is not sufficient. The book illustrates a method that learns to generalize parameterized motor plans which is obtained by imitation or reinforcement learning, by adapting a small set of global parameters, and appropriate kernel-based reinforcement learning algorithms. The presented applications explore highly dynamic tasks and exhibit a very efficient learning process. All proposed approaches have been extensively validated with benchmarks tasks, in simulation, and on real robots. These tasks correspond to sports and games but the presented techniques are also applicable to more mundane household tasks. The book is based on the first author’s doctoral thesis, which wo...

  19. Attitude, Knowledge and Skill of Medical Students Toward E-Learning Kerman University Of Medical Sciences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Okhovati M

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available  Aims: According to the development of e-learning and its high efficiency on the development of Iran’s universities, level of knowledge and the attitude of the students to this modern method of education and indeed students’ skills in using it needed to be assessed to improve the quality and quantity of universities’ education. This study aimed to determine the attitude, knowledge and skill of medical students toward e-learning at Kerman University of Medical Sciences.  Instrument & Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study that was performed in 2013, 196 students of Kerman University of Medical Sciences were selected using proportional stratified sampling method. The research instrument was a valid and reliable questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient, ANOVA and independent T tests by SPSS 19 software.  Findings: The level of knowledge and skill of the students toward e-learning was “moderate” and their attitude was “high”. There were significant relationships between knowledge and skill (p=0.001 r=0.82 and also knowledge and attitude (p=0.001 r=0.37 but there was no significant relationship between skill and attitude (p=0.35 r=0.82. The scores of knowledge and skill were significantly different according to sex, but attitude had no significant difference with sex.  Conclusion: Kerman University of Medical Sciences’ students have a positive attitude to e-learning but according to their moderate knowledge and skills, performing this method of learning is not welcomed in this university.

  20. Increasing Skills in Writing Literature Study on Research-Based Learning Through Authentical Assessment Lecturing in Innovation Class of Social Science Learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naniek Sulistya Wardani

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to determine whether the improvement of literature review skills on research-based learning can be pursued through the authentic assessment of the lectures of the Innovation of Learning IPS of PGSD students. This type of research is a classroom action research, using a spiral model of C. Kemmis and Robin Mc. Taggart. The research procedure uses 2 cycles, each cycle consists of 3 stages namely, 1 action planning 2 implementation of action and observation, 3 reflection. The subjects of the study were all students of PGSD Class 2014 E of the subjects of Innovation of IPS Learning as much as 27 students consisting of 7 male students and 20 female students. Data collection techniques use observation and product assessment. Data analysis technique is a percentage technique that compares literacy review writing skills through authentic assessment in IPS lectures between cycles. The result of the research shows that there is an improvement of writing skill of study lecture study of IPS learning innovation, which is pursued through authentic assessment. This is evident from the improvement of writing skills worthy of achievement from cycle 1 to cycle 2 ie from 62.14% of 27 students increased to 72.60% of all students in cycle 2. Writing skills in research-based learning is a skill to express the idea of the problem , Organizing facts, concepts and principles, use of EYD grammar and grammar. Authentic assessment is an assessment consisting of connection aspects, reflection aspects, and feedback aspects

  1. The application of learning skills in an engineering programme

    OpenAIRE

    Shoemaker, Leslie

    2006-01-01

    At the Dublin Institute of Technology, an engineering programme in the School of Control Systems and Electrical Engineering has successfully incorporated a study skills module into the core curriculum. The module, titled Academic Development and Key Skills, is part of the first year of the programme and has a two-fold purpose. Primarily the goal is to assist the students with the transition from second level education to third level by teaching them a more competent learning style. This, in t...

  2. Training Self-Regulated Learning Skills with Video Modeling Examples: Do Task-Selection Skills Transfer?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raaijmakers, Steven F.; Baars, Martine; Schaap, Lydia; Paas, Fred; van Merriënboer, Jeroen; van Gog, Tamara

    2018-01-01

    Self-assessment and task-selection skills are crucial in self-regulated learning situations in which students can choose their own tasks. Prior research suggested that training with video modeling examples, in which another person (the model) demonstrates and explains the cyclical process of problem-solving task performance, self-assessment, and…

  3. An exploratory analysis of personality, attitudes, and study skills on the learning curve within a team-based learning environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Persky, Adam M; Henry, Teague; Campbell, Ashley

    2015-03-25

    To examine factors that determine the interindividual variability of learning within a team-based learning environment. Students in a pharmacokinetics course were given 4 interim, low-stakes cumulative assessments throughout the semester and a cumulative final examination. Students' Myers-Briggs personality type was assessed, as well as their study skills, motivations, and attitudes towards team-learning. A latent curve model (LCM) was applied and various covariates were assessed to improve the regression model. A quadratic LCM was applied for the first 4 assessments to predict final examination performance. None of the covariates examined significantly impacted the regression model fit except metacognitive self-regulation, which explained some of the variability in the rate of learning. There were some correlations between personality type and attitudes towards team learning, with introverts having a lower opinion of team-learning than extroverts. The LCM could readily describe the learning curve. Extroverted and introverted personality types had the same learning performance even though preference for team-learning was lower in introverts. Other personality traits, study skills, or practice did not significantly contribute to the learning variability in this course.

  4. Improving the Teaching of Teamwork Skills in Engineering and Computer Science

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert W. Lingard

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available It is important that engineering and computer science students learn teamwork skills as an integral part of their educational development. These skills are often not explicitly taught, but rather it is expected that students learn them on their own through participation in various team projects. Furthermore, the actual skills that students are expected to learn are usually not well articulated, or even understood. The approach outlined here attempts to address these problems by first establishing a process for defining what is meant by teamwork, by using this definition to assess the extent to which students are learning teamwork skills, and by using the assessment results to formulate approaches to improve student learning with respect to these skills. Specific attempts at the definition, assessment, and instruction improvement process are discussed.

  5. Student attitude towards communication skills learning in a Caribbean medical school.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shankar, Pr; Dubey, Ak; Balasubramanium, R; Dwivedi, Nr

    2013-01-01

    Medical student attitudes towards communication skills are important for curriculum planners and teachers. Xavier University School of Medicine (XUSOM) is a private medical school admitting students mainly from the United States and Canada. Attitude of students towards communication skills has not been previously studied in the institution. Hence the present study was carried out. The study was carried out among the first, second, third and fourth semester undergraduate medical (MD) students at XUSOM, Aruba during July 2013 using the communication skills attitude scale (CSAS). Respondents' age, gender, nationality, occupation of parents, place of residence of family, semester of study were noted. The positive and negative attitude scale scores were calculated and compared among different subgroups of respondents (pcommunication skills. The mean positive attitude scale (PAS) score was 47.65 (maximum being 65) and the mean negative attitude scale (NAS) score was 31.06 (maximum 65). PAS score was significantly higher among respondents whose fathers were not in health related professions. NAS scores were significantly lower among the third and fourth semester respondents. Students overall had a positive attitude towards communication skills but negative attitudes were also noted Based on results of the study and a review of literature we are planning to start communication skills learning in the institution right from the first semester and students will be provided opportunities for supervised practice during early clinical exposure, hospital observership and with standardised patients. The medical humanities module will be expanded and communication skills learning will continue during the clinical years with higher order skills being taught.

  6. PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PBL TO IMPROVE PSYCHOMOTORIC SKILLS: A CLASSROOM ACTION RESEARCH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    W. Sumarni

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available This paper discusses the application of project-based learning (PBL to improve student’ psychomotor skills and concept understanding, as well as knowing what PBL contribution to the improvement of student’ psychomotor skills in chemistry learning. The study was conducted in three cycles. Each cycle consisted of planning, implementation, observation, and reflection steps. One set of data consists of student’ psychomotor skills assesment, student’ conceptual understanding and questionnaire responses were obtained from the action research. Learning process was performed in the eleventh grade students included 37 students (10 males and 27 females and 3 collaborators. The successful research was indicated by 85% of students achieve the mastery learning on concept understanding and well on psychomotor aspects. Data collection was performed using documentation method by questionnaire, observations, and tests. Data was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results show that all aspects of the psychomotor assessed include sets, mechanical response, complex response, adaptation, and origination were in high category. At the end of the lesson, the project assigned to students were evaluated jointly between teachers and students. The project results in the form of a series of distillation apparatus is applied to separate the natural compounds.

  7. Using video podcasting to enhance the learning of clinical skills: A qualitative study of physiotherapy students' experiences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hurst, Kay M

    2016-10-01

    Video podcasts, or vodcasts are increasingly used by a range of healthcare professions in the mastery of new skills. Little is known about the experiences of using vodcasts in physiotherapy education. Traditional pedagogic strategies have been employed in order to master those skills required for physiotherapy practice. There have been advances in the use of technology in medical education in the nursing, dentistry and medical fields. Vodcasts offer great versatility and potential when used as a pedagogical tool, embedded within a physiotherapy curriculum. To explore students' experiences of using technology enhanced learning, namely vodcasts, in the Physiotherapy curriculum to develop the learning of clinical skills. A series of focus groups were carried out with undergraduate and pre-registration physiotherapy students (n=31). Students valued the versatility and audio-visual nature of vodcasts; helpful in revising for practical examinations and practising their skills prior to, during and after taught skills classes. Watching and practising simultaneously allowed students to practice repeatedly and formulate a process for each skill. When learning a new skill, a combination of teaching and learning approaches was favoured, marrying traditional approaches with those that utilise technology. This study's findings add to the existing body of evidence in skills based teaching and support a multi-media, blended approach in those disciplines involved in the learning and teaching of clinical skills. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. A review of peer-assisted learning to deliver interprofessional supplementary image interpretation skills

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bain, P.; Wareing, A.; Henderson, I.

    2017-01-01

    Background: Peer-assisted learning provides a means through which individuals can learn from one another through a reciprocal process. Radiographic image interpretation skills are fundamental to both diagnostic radiography students and medical students due to their shared role in preliminary evaluation of conventional radiographic images. Medical students on graduation, may not be well prepared to carry out image interpretation, since evidence suggests that they perform less well than radiographers in e.g. Accident and Emergency situations. Method: A review of literature was conducted exploring the application of peer-assisted learning within diagnostic radiography and health education more widely as well as the practice of initial image interpretation. An extensive and systematic search strategy was developed which provided a range of material related to the areas. Findings: An overview was obtained of the effectiveness of peer-assisted learning and the issues associated with development of image interpretation skills and a degree of discrepancy was identified between the two cohorts regarding their interpretative competence and confidence. This inconsistency may create an opportunity to apply peer-assisted learning, better preparing both disciplines for the practical application of image interpretation skills. Conclusion: The review identified the lack of a substantial evidence base relating to peer-assisted learning in radiography. Peer-assisted learning is not widely embraced in an interprofessional context. Multiple positive factors of such an intervention are identified which outweigh perceived negative issues. Student teacher and learner may benefit as should the clinical service from enhanced practitioner performance. The findings justify further research to develop the evidence base. - Highlights: • Many diagnostic radiographers and medics are involved in image interpretation. • Evidence indicates an imbalance in image interpretation competence and

  9. The effect of integrating cooperative learning into 5E inquiry learning model on interpersonal skills of high school students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pholphuet, Preedaporn; Kanyaprasith, Kamonwan; Khumwong, Pinit; Praphairaksit, Nalena

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of integrating cooperative learning into 5E inquiry learning model on interpersonal skills of high school students. Two 10th grade classrooms consisting of 63 students were obtained by purposive sampling then one was assigned as an experimental and the other as a control group. The cooperative learning was integrated into 5E inquiry model for the experimental group in addition to the normal 5E inquiry model in the control group. A 5-level rating scale questionnaire was used for data collection both before and after the experiment. Furthermore, a descriptive journal from each student was added to the study after the researchers realized a significant difference in the teamwork skill of each group. Data from questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The results showed that the experimental group had a significantly higher score of interpersonal skills when compared to the control group (ptime management, the outcome of the work, the process of the work and the attitude of the students. The students in the experimental group demonstrated more creative ideas and were more likely to listen to other student ideas. The students in experimental group were less competitive and were more open in sharing and helping others. In conclusion, the addition of cooperative learning in to the usual 5E inquiry learning, not only help the students to achieve the knowledge but also help develop good interpersonal skills.

  10. Implicit perceptual-motor skill learning in mild cognitive impairment and Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gobel, Eric W; Blomeke, Kelsey; Zadikoff, Cindy; Simuni, Tanya; Weintraub, Sandra; Reber, Paul J

    2013-05-01

    Implicit skill learning is hypothesized to depend on nondeclarative memory that operates independent of the medial temporal lobe (MTL) memory system and instead depends on cortico striatal circuits between the basal ganglia and cortical areas supporting motor function and planning. Research with the Serial Reaction Time (SRT) task suggests that patients with memory disorders due to MTL damage exhibit normal implicit sequence learning. However, reports of intact learning rely on observations of no group differences, leading to speculation as to whether implicit sequence learning is fully intact in these patients. Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) often exhibit impaired sequence learning, but this impairment is not universally observed. Implicit perceptual-motor sequence learning was examined using the Serial Interception Sequence Learning (SISL) task in patients with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI; n = 11) and patients with PD (n = 15). Sequence learning in SISL is resistant to explicit learning and individually adapted task difficulty controls for baseline performance differences. Patients with MCI exhibited robust sequence learning, equivalent to healthy older adults (n = 20), supporting the hypothesis that the MTL does not contribute to learning in this task. In contrast, the majority of patients with PD exhibited no sequence-specific learning in spite of matched overall task performance. Two patients with PD exhibited performance indicative of an explicit compensatory strategy suggesting that impaired implicit learning may lead to greater reliance on explicit memory in some individuals. The differences in learning between patient groups provides strong evidence in favor of implicit sequence learning depending solely on intact basal ganglia function with no contribution from the MTL memory system.

  11. Is adolescence a critical period for learning formal thinking skills? A case study investigating the development of formal thinking skills in a short-term inquiry-based intervention program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Towne, Forrest S.

    Current domestic and international comparative studies of student achievement in science are demonstrating that the U.S. needs to improve science education if it wants to remain competitive in the global economy. One of the causes of the poor performance of U.S. science education is the lack of students who have developed the formal thinking skills that are necessary to obtain scientific literacy. Previous studies have demonstrated that formal thinking skills can be taught to adolescents, however only 25% of incoming college freshman have these necessary skills. There is some evidence that adolescence (girls aged 11-13, boys aged 12-14) is a critical period where students must learn formal thinking skills, similar to the critical period that exists for young children learning languages. It is not known whether it is more difficult for students to learn formal thinking skills either prior to or following adolescence. The purpose of this quantitative case study is to determine whether adolescence is a critical period for students to learn formal thinking skills. The study also investigates whether a formal thinking skills focused program can improve students' intelligence. In this study 32 students who had not developed any formal thinking skills, ranging in age from 10-16, underwent an intensive four-week, inquiry-based, formal thinking skill intervention program that focused on two formal thinking skills: (1) the ability to control and exclude variables; and (2) the ability to manipulate ratios and proportionalities. The students undergoing the training were matched with control students by age, gender, formal thinking skill ability, and intelligence. The control group attended their traditional science course during the intervention periods. The results of the study showed that the intervention program was successful in developing students' formal thinking skills. The pre-adolescents (males, age 10-11, females, age 10) were unable to learn formal thinking skills

  12. Motor-skill learning in Alzheimer's disease : A review with an eye to the clinical practice

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Halteren-van Tilborg, Ilse A. D. A.; Scherder, Erik J. A.; Hulstijn, Wouter

    Since elderly people suffering from dementia want to go on living independently for as long as possible, they need to be able to maintain familiar and learn new practical skills. Although explicit or declarative learning methods are mostly used to train new skills, it is hypothesized that implicit

  13. Intellectual Skills Needed for the Effective Learning and Application ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    NJD

    are involved in all types of thinking. ... important when learning science, and many students' failure in .... Calculate the mass of 2.0 × 1010 oxygen atoms (O). ..... 13 D.N. Perkins, Teaching Thinking Skills: Theory and Practice (J. Baron and.

  14. The Effectiveness of Local Culture-Based Mathematical Heuristic-KR Learning towards Enhancing Student's Creative Thinking Skill

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tandiseru, Selvi Rajuaty

    2015-01-01

    The problem in this research is the lack of creative thinking skills of students. One of the learning models that is expected to enhance student's creative thinking skill is the local culture-based mathematical heuristic-KR learning model (LC-BMHLM). Heuristic-KR is a learning model which was introduced by Krulik and Rudnick (1995) that is the…

  15. The Relationship of the Learning of Tourism Marketing, Hard Skills, Soft Skills and Working Quality of the Graduates of Tourism Academy in Medan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sumihar Sebastiana Sitompul

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The quality of human resources originated from the field of education, especially the graduates should be able to compete with other nations. Research design uses Partial Least Square (PLS with smart PLS 2.0 program. The subjects were the graduates of tourism academy who have been working at tourism offices in North Sumatera namely Medan, Samosir, Dairi, Humbang Hasundutan, North Tapanuli, Toba Samosir, Karo, Serdang Bedagai, Deli Serdang. Respondents are 97 officers. Data collected by using instrument of questionnaire and analyzed by statistic with significant ≤ 0,05. The result of the research demonstrated that (1 the learning of tourism marketing significantly affected the hard skills. (2 The learning of tourism marketing significantly affected the soft skills (3 Hard skills significantly affected working quality of the graduates (4 Soft skills significantly affected working quality of the graduates (5 The learning of tourism marketing significantly affected working quality of the graduates.

  16. THE STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC WRITING SKILL AFTER IMPLEMENTING BLENDED LEARNING USING FACEBOOK

    OpenAIRE

    Dwi Sulisworo; Triwati Rahayu; Rifai Nur Akhsan

    2016-01-01

    Almost all students use smartphone for their daily activities. Nowadays, the student’s literacy on information technology is very good, but sometimes it has not been considered in school learning. One of the essential competencies of undergraduate school is academic writing skill. There is a gap between the student competencies and the learning strategy in certain learning subjects. The aim of this research is to examine the effectiveness of blended mobile learning activity using Facebook to ...

  17. Blind Evaluation of Body Reflexes and Motor Skills in Learning Disability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freides, David; And Others

    1980-01-01

    Twelve 6 to 10 year old boys with learning disability were blindly compared with paired controls on measures of postural and equilibrium reflexes as well as skills. Learning disabled children as a group showed significant deficits on all measures; a few, however, were totally without deficit. (Author/SBH)

  18. Information Problem-Solving Skills in Small Virtual Groups and Learning Outcomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, Consuelo; Badia, Antoni

    2017-01-01

    This study investigated the frequency of use of information problem-solving (IPS) skills and its relationship with learning outcomes. During the course of the study, 40 teachers carried out a collaborative IPS task in small virtual groups in a 4-week online training course. The status of IPS skills was collected through self-reports handed in over…

  19. Shape-specific perceptual learning in a figure-ground segregation task.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, Do-Joon; Olson, Ingrid R; Chun, Marvin M

    2006-03-01

    What does perceptual experience contribute to figure-ground segregation? To study this question, we trained observers to search for symmetric dot patterns embedded in random dot backgrounds. Training improved shape segmentation, but learning did not completely transfer either to untrained locations or to untrained shapes. Such partial specificity persisted for a month after training. Interestingly, training on shapes in empty backgrounds did not help segmentation of the trained shapes in noisy backgrounds. Our results suggest that perceptual training increases the involvement of early sensory neurons in the segmentation of trained shapes, and that successful segmentation requires perceptual skills beyond shape recognition alone.

  20. Social problem-solving in high-functioning schizophrenia: specific deficits in sending skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaskinn, Anja; Sundet, Kjetil; Hultman, Christina M; Friis, Svein; Andreassen, Ole A

    2009-02-28

    This study examined social problem-solving performance in high-functioning schizophrenia (n=26) and its relation to neurocognition. Ten healthy controls were used as a comparison group. Social problem-solving was assessed with the Assessment of Interpersonal Problem Solving Skills (AIPSS) method. The schizophrenia group was outperformed by healthy controls on all AIPSS measures, reaching statistical significance for sending skills. Exploration of the internal relationship between different aspects of social problem-solving showed that identification of an interpersonal problem (a receiving skill) was not correlated with formulating solutions to the problem (processing skills) or successfully role-playing solutions (interpersonal sending skills). Non-verbal performance in the role-play (an interpersonal sending skill) was not significantly correlated with identification of an interpersonal problem or the generation of solutions. This suggests a dissociation of social problem-solving processes. Social problem-solving was significantly associated with psychomotor speed, verbal learning, semantic fluency and cognitive flexibility. Clinical implications are that remediation of social problem-solving skills should focus on role-playing (nonverbal) interpersonal behaviors, rather than on verbally analyzing an interpersonal problem and clarifying alternative solutions.

  1. Cerebellum engages in automation of verb-generation skill.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Zhi; Wu, Paula; Weng, Xuchu; Bandettini, Peter A

    2014-03-01

    Numerous studies have shown cerebellar involvement in item-specific association, a form of explicit learning. However, very few have demonstrated cerebellar participation in automation of non-motor cognitive tasks. Applying fMRI to a repeated verb-generation task, we sought to distinguish cerebellar involvement in learning of item-specific noun-verb association and automation of verb generation skill. The same set of nouns was repeated in six verb-generation blocks so that subjects practiced generating verbs for the nouns. The practice was followed by a novel block with a different set of nouns. The cerebellar vermis (IV/V) and the right cerebellar lobule VI showed decreased activation following practice; activation in the right cerebellar Crus I was significantly lower in the novel challenge than in the initial verb-generation task. Furthermore, activation in this region during well-practiced blocks strongly correlated with improvement of behavioral performance in both the well-practiced and the novel blocks, suggesting its role in the learning of general mental skills not specific to the practiced noun-verb pairs. Therefore, the cerebellum processes both explicit verbal associative learning and automation of cognitive tasks. Different cerebellar regions predominate in this processing: lobule VI during the acquisition of item-specific association, and Crus I during automation of verb-generation skills through practice.

  2. Working memory and language: skill-specific or domain-general relations to mathematics?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purpura, David J; Ganley, Colleen M

    2014-06-01

    Children's early mathematics skills develop in a cumulative fashion; foundational skills form a basis for the acquisition of later skills. However, non-mathematical factors such as working memory and language skills have also been linked to mathematical development at a broad level. Unfortunately, little research has been conducted to evaluate the specific relations of these two non-mathematical factors to individual aspects of early mathematics. Thus, the focus of this study was to determine whether working memory and language were related to only individual aspects of early mathematics or related to many components of early mathematics skills. A total of 199 4- to 6-year-old preschool and kindergarten children were assessed on a battery of early mathematics tasks as well as measures of working memory and language. Results indicated that working memory has a specific relation to only a few-but critically important-early mathematics skills and language has a broad relation to nearly all early mathematics skills. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Examining Residents' Strategic Mindfulness During Self-Regulated Learning of a Simulated Procedural Skill.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brydges, Ryan; Hatala, Rose; Mylopoulos, Maria

    2016-07-01

    Simulation-based training is currently embedded in most health professions education curricula. Without evidence for how trainees think about their simulation-based learning, some training techniques may not support trainees' learning strategies. This study explored how residents think about and self-regulate learning during a lumbar puncture (LP) training session using a simulator. In 2010, 20 of 45 postgraduate year 1 internal medicine residents attended a mandatory procedural skills training boot camp. Independently, residents practiced the entire LP skill on a part-task trainer using a clinical LP tray and proper sterile technique. We interviewed participants regarding how they thought about and monitored their learning processes, and then we conducted a thematic analysis of the interview data. The analysis suggested that participants considered what they could and could not learn from the simulator; they developed their self-confidence by familiarizing themselves with the LP equipment and repeating the LP algorithmic steps. Participants articulated an idiosyncratic model of learning they used to interpret the challenges and successes they experienced. Participants reported focusing on obtaining cerebrospinal fluid and memorizing the "routine" version of the LP procedure. They did not report much thinking about their learning strategies (eg, self-questioning). During simulation-based training, residents described assigning greater weight to achieving procedural outcomes and tended to think that the simulated task provided them with routine, generalizable skills. Over this typical 1-hour session, trainees did not appear to consider their strategic mindfulness (ie, awareness and use of learning strategies).

  4. The impacts of observing flawed and flawless demonstrations on clinical skill learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Domuracki, Kurt; Wong, Arthur; Olivieri, Lori; Grierson, Lawrence E M

    2015-02-01

    Clinical skills expertise can be advanced through accessible and cost-effective video-based observational practice activities. Previous findings suggest that the observation of performances of skills that include flaws can be beneficial to trainees. Observing the scope of variability within a skilled movement allows learners to develop strategies to manage the potential for and consequences associated with errors. This study tests this observational learning approach on the development of the skills of central line insertion (CLI). Medical trainees with no CLI experience (n = 39) were randomised to three observational practice groups: a group which viewed and assessed videos of an expert performing a CLI without any errors (F); a group which viewed and assessed videos that contained a mix of flawless and errorful performances (E), and a group which viewed the same videos as the E group but were also given information concerning the correctness of their assessments (FA). All participants interacted with their observational videos each day for 4 days. Following this period, participants returned to the laboratory and performed a simulation-based insertion, which was assessed using a standard checklist and a global rating scale for the skill. These ratings served as the dependent measures for analysis. The checklist analysis revealed no differences between observational learning groups (grand mean ± standard error: [20.3 ± 0.7]/25). However, the global rating analysis revealed a main effect of group (d.f.2,36 = 4.51, p = 0.018), which describes better CLI performance in the FA group, compared with the F and E groups. Observational practice that includes errors improves the global performance aspects of clinical skill learning as long as learners are given confirmation that what they are observing is errorful. These findings provide a refined perspective on the optimal organisation of skill education programmes that combine physical and observational practice

  5. Adolescents with specific learning disabilities - perceptions of specific learning disabilities in the environment of secondary schools

    OpenAIRE

    Pospíšilová, Zuzana

    2012-01-01

    The thesis focuses on adolescents with specific learning disabilities in the milieu of secondary schools. It is divided into a theoretical part and an empirical part. The first part introduces a topic of specific learning disabilities in the developmental stage of adolescence. It first describes the most relevant aspects of adolescent development. The attention is then paid to typical manifestations of specific learning disabilities in adolescence, and also to secondary symptoms usually conne...

  6. Can you spell dyslexia without SLI? Comparing the cognitive profiles of dyslexia and specific language impairment and their roles in learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alloway, Tracy Packiam; Tewolde, Furtuna; Skipper, Dakota; Hijar, David

    2017-06-01

    The aim of the present study is to explore whether those with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) and dyslexia display distinct or overlapping cognitive profiles with respect to learning outcomes. In particular, we were interested in two key cognitive skills associated with academic performance - working memory and IQ. We recruited three groups of children - those with SLI, those with dyslexia, and a control group. All children were given standardized tests of working memory, IQ (vocabulary and matrix), spelling, and math. The pattern of results suggests that both children with dyslexia and SLI are characterized with poorer verbal working memory and IQ compared to controls, but preserved nonverbal cognitive skills. It appears that that these two disorder groups cannot be distinguished by the severity of their cognitive deficits. However, there was a differential pattern with respect to learning outcomes, where the children with dyslexia rely more on visual skills in spelling, while those with SLI use their relative strengths in vocabulary. These findings can have important implications for how intervention is tailored in the classroom, as disorder-specific support could yield important gains in learning. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  7. Using peer-assisted learning to teach basic surgical skills: medical students’ experiences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahdi Saleh

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Standard medical curricula in the United Kingdom (UK typically provide basic surgical-skills teaching before medical students are introduced into the clinical environment. However, these sessions are often led by clinical teaching fellows and/or consultants. Depending on the roles undertaken (e.g., session organizers, peer tutors, a peer-assisted learning (PAL approach may afford many benefits to teaching surgical skills. At the University of Keele's School of Medicine, informal PAL is used by the Surgical Society to teach basic surgical skills to pre-clinical students. As medical students who assumed different roles within this peer-assisted model, we present our experiences and discuss the possible implications of incorporating such sessions into UK medical curricula. Our anecdotal evidence suggests that a combination of PAL sessions – used as an adjunct to faculty-led sessions – may provide optimal learning opportunities in delivering a basic surgical skills session for pre-clinical students.

  8. Neural correlates of skill acquisition: decreased cortical activity during a serial interception sequence learning task.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gobel, Eric W; Parrish, Todd B; Reber, Paul J

    2011-10-15

    Learning of complex motor skills requires learning of component movements as well as the sequential structure of their order and timing. Using a Serial Interception Sequence Learning (SISL) task, participants learned a sequence of precisely timed interception responses through training with a repeating sequence. Following initial implicit learning of the repeating sequence, functional MRI data were collected during performance of that known sequence and compared with activity evoked during novel sequences of actions, novel timing patterns, or both. Reduced activity was observed during the practiced sequence in a distributed bilateral network including extrastriate occipital, parietal, and premotor cortical regions. These reductions in evoked activity likely reflect improved efficiency in visuospatial processing, spatio-motor integration, motor planning, and motor execution for the trained sequence, which is likely supported by nondeclarative skill learning. In addition, the practiced sequence evoked increased activity in the left ventral striatum and medial prefrontal cortex, while the posterior cingulate was more active during periods of better performance. Many prior studies of perceptual-motor skill learning have found increased activity in motor areas of the frontal cortex (e.g., motor and premotor cortex, SMA) and striatal areas (e.g., the putamen). The change in activity observed here (i.e., decreased activity across a cortical network) may reflect skill learning that is predominantly expressed through more accurate performance rather than decreased reaction time. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Is problem-based learning an ideal format for developing ethical decision skills?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter H. Harasym

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Ethical decision making is a complex process, which involves the interaction of knowledge, skills, and attitude. To enhance the teaching and learning on ethics reasoning, multiple teaching strategies have to be applied. A medical ethical reasoning (MER model served as a framework of the development of ethics reasoning and their suggested instructional strategies. Problem-based learning (PBL, being used to facilitate students' critical thinking, self-directed learning, collaboration, and communication skills, has been considered effective on ethics education, especially when incorporated with experiential experience. Unlike lecturing that mainly disseminates knowledge and activates the left brain, PBL encourages “whole-brain” learning. However, PBL has several disadvantages, such as its inefficiency, lack of adequately trained preceptors, and the in-depth, silo learning within a relatively small number of cases. Because each school tends to utilize PBL in different ways, either the curriculum designer or the learning strategy, it is important to maximize the advantages of a PBL session, PBL then becomes an ideal format for refining students' ethical decisions and behaviors.

  10. Learning health 'safety' within non-technical skills interprofessional simulation education: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gordon, Morris; Fell, Christopher W R; Box, Helen; Farrell, Michael; Stewart, Alison

    2017-01-01

    Healthcare increasingly recognises and focusses on the phenomena of 'safe practice' and 'patient safety.' Success with non-technical skills (NTS) training in other industries has led to widespread transposition to healthcare education, with communication and teamwork skills central to NTS frameworks. This study set out to identify how the context of interprofessional simulation learning influences NTS acquisition and development of 'safety' amongst learners. Participants receiving a non-technical skills (NTS) safety focussed training package were invited to take part in a focus group interview which set out to explore communication, teamwork, and the phenomenon of safety in the context of the learning experiences they had within the training programme. The analysis was aligned with a constructivist paradigm and took an interactive methodological approach. The analysis proceeded through three stages, consisting of open, axial, and selective coding, with constant comparisons taking place throughout each phase. Each stage provided categories that could be used to explore the themes of the data. Additionally, to ensure thematic saturation, transcripts of observed simulated learning encounters were then analysed. Six themes were established at the axial coding level, i.e., analytical skills, personal behaviours, communication, teamwork, context, and pedagogy. Underlying these themes, two principal concepts emerged, namely: intergroup contact anxiety - as both a result of and determinant of communication - and teamwork, both of which must be considered in relation to context. These concepts have subsequently been used to propose a framework for NTS learning. This study highlights the role of intergroup contact anxiety and teamwork as factors in NTS behaviour and its dissipation through interprofessional simulation learning. Therefore, this should be a key consideration in NTS education. Future research is needed to consider the role of the affective non

  11. Practical skills teaching in contemporary surgical education: how can educational theory be applied to promote effective learning?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadideen, Hazim; Kneebone, Roger

    2012-09-01

    Teaching practical skills is a core component of undergraduate and postgraduate surgical education. It is crucial to optimize our current learning and teaching models, particularly in a climate of decreased clinical exposure. This review explores the role of educational theory in promoting effective learning in practical skills teaching. Peer-reviewed publications, books, and online resources from national bodies (eg, the UK General Medical Council) were reviewed. This review highlights several aspects of surgical education, modeling them on current educational theory. These include the following: (1) acquisition and retention of motor skills (Miller's triangle; Fitts' and Posner's theory), (2) development of expertise after repeated practice and regular reinforcement (Ericsson's theory), (3) importance of the availability of expert assistance (Vygotsky's theory), (4) learning within communities of practice (Lave and Wenger's theory), (5) importance of feedback in learning practical skills (Boud, Schon, and Endes' theories), and (6) affective component of learning. It is hoped that new approaches to practical skills teaching are designed in light of our understanding of educational theory. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Toward Personalized Vibrotactile Support When Learning Motor Skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olga C. Santos

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Personal tracking technologies allow sensing of the physical activity carried out by people. Data flows collected with these sensors are calling for big data techniques to support data collection, integration and analysis, aimed to provide personalized support when learning motor skills through varied multisensorial feedback. In particular, this paper focuses on vibrotactile feedback as it can take advantage of the haptic sense when supporting the physical interaction to be learnt. Despite each user having different needs, when providing this vibrotactile support, personalization issues are hardly taken into account, but the same response is delivered to each and every user of the system. The challenge here is how to design vibrotactile user interfaces for adaptive learning of motor skills. TORMES methodology is proposed to facilitate the elicitation of this personalized support. The resulting systems are expected to dynamically adapt to each individual user’s needs by monitoring, comparing and, when appropriate, correcting in a personalized way how the user should move when practicing a predefined movement, for instance, when performing a sport technique or playing a musical instrument.

  13. EFFECTS OF SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY LEARNING MODEL AND LOGICAL THINKING ABILITY OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Akhyar Lubis

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to analyze whether the results of science process skills of students. Who are taught by the teaching model scientific inquiry better than conventional learning, to analyze whether the results of science process skills of students? Who can think logically high is better than the students who have the potential to think logically low, analyze whether there is an interaction between scientific inquiry learning model with logical thinking skills to students' science process skills. This research is a quasi-experimental design with the two-group pretest-posttest design. The study population is all students of class X SMA Negeri 4 Padangsidimpuan semester II academic year 2016/2017. The The research instrument consists of two types: science process skills instrument consists of 10 questions in essay form which has been declared valid and reliable, and the instrument ability to think logically in the form of multiple choice is entirely groundless and complements (combination. The resulting data, analyzed by using two path Anava. The results showed that science process skills of students who are taught by the teaching model scientific inquiry better than conventional learning. Science process skills of students who can think logically high are better than the students who can think logically low, and there is an interaction between learning model scientific inquiry and conventional learning with the ability to think logically to improve students' science process skills.

  14. Development of Young Adults' Fine Motor Skills when Learning to Play Percussion Instruments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gzibovskis, Talis; Marnauza, Mara

    2012-01-01

    When playing percussion instruments, the main activity is done with the help of a motion or motor skills; to perform it, developed fine motor skills are necessary: the speed and precision of fingers, hands and palms. The aim of the research was to study and test the development of young adults' fine motor skills while learning to play percussion…

  15. The Effect of Blended Learning and Social Media-Supported Learning on the Students' Attitude and Self-Directed Learning Skills in Science Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akgunduz, Devrim; Akinoglu, Orhan

    2016-01-01

    The main purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of blended learning and social media supported learning on the students' attitude and self-directed learning skills in Science Education. This research took place with the 7th grade 74 students attending to a primary school in Kadikoy, Istanbul and carried out "Our Body Systems"…

  16. Investigation of blended learning video resources to teach health students clinical skills: An integrative review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coyne, Elisabeth; Rands, Hazel; Frommolt, Valda; Kain, Victoria; Plugge, Melanie; Mitchell, Marion

    2018-04-01

    The aim of this review is to inform future educational strategies by synthesising research related to blended learning resources using simulation videos to teach clinical skills for health students. An integrative review methodology was used to allow for the combination of diverse research methods to better understand the research topic. This review was guided by the framework described by Whittemore and Knafl (2005), DATA SOURCES: Systematic search of the following databases was conducted in consultation with a librarian using the following databases: SCOPUS, MEDLINE, COCHRANE, PsycINFO databases. Keywords and MeSH terms: clinical skills, nursing, health, student, blended learning, video, simulation and teaching. Data extracted from the studies included author, year, aims, design, sample, skill taught, outcome measures and findings. After screening the articles, extracting project data and completing summary tables, critical appraisal of the projects was completed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Ten articles met all the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. The MMAT scores varied from 50% to 100%. Thematic analysis was undertaken and we identified the following three themes: linking theory to practice, autonomy of learning and challenges of developing a blended learning model. Blended learning allowed for different student learning styles, repeated viewing, and enabled links between theory and practice. The video presentation needed to be realistic and culturally appropriate and this required both time and resources to create. A blended learning model, which incorporates video-assisted online resources, may be a useful tool to teach clinical skills to students of health including nursing. Blended learning not only increases students' knowledge and skills, but is often preferred by students due to its flexibility. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Design and analysis of questionnaires for survey skills in chemical engineering

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susana Lucas

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available 800x600 Normal 0 21 false false false CA X-NONE X-NONE The new reorganization of university education has involved relevant changes in teaching and learning methodologies in order to help students to learn more effectively and to develop important skills and competences demanded by the professional world. In this sense the new configuration of the degree in Chemical Engineering required the identification of the main general and transferable skills, the implementation of the new teaching and learning strategies necessary to achieve them and, in addition, an evaluation procedure for determining the importance and the degree of development of a student´s skills and competences. In this exercise, two obligatory chemical reactor engineering subjects of the still in effect Chemical Engineering degree were chosen as examples of competence-based learning disciplines. For each one, a significant group of transferable and specific skills were selected to be developed. The identification and selection of skills was made according to the recommendations of the European Federation of Chemical Engineering (EFCE together with the established requirements in the ministerial order for the new Chemical Engineering Degree (Ministerial order CIN/351/2009. In order to check the effectiveness of teaching strategies in helping students to acquire these abilities, specific questionnaires were designed. These tests allowed for the utility of the competences in question to be evaluated in terms of the students´ professional work as future chemical engineering graduates and also facilitated the perception of skill development acquired through the methodology implemented in these subjects. The results of the skill evaluation questionnaires revealed the importance that both university collectives (students and professors give to the development of transferable skills. These skills included the ability to communicate effectively (including in English, to work in

  18. [Detection and specific studies in procedural learning difficulties].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magallón, S; Narbona, J

    2009-02-27

    The main disabilities in non-verbal learning disorder (NLD) are: the acquisition and automating of motor and cognitive processes, visual spatial integration, motor coordination, executive functions, difficulty in comprehension of the context, and social skills. AIMS. To review the research to date on NLD, and to discuss whether the term 'procedural learning disorder' (PLD) would be more suitable to refer to NLD. A considerable amount of research suggests a neurological correlate of PLD with dysfunctions in the 'posterior' attention system, or the right hemisphere, or the cerebellum. Even if it is said to be difficult the delimitation between NLD and other disorders or syndromes like Asperger syndrome, certain characteristics contribute to differential diagnosis. Intervention strategies for the PLD must lead to the development of motor automatisms and problem solving strategies, including social skills. The basic dysfunction in NLD affects to implicit learning of routines, automating of motor skills and cognitive strategies that spare conscious resources in daily behaviours. These limitations are partly due to a dysfunction in non-declarative procedural memory. Various dimensions of language are also involved: context comprehension, processing of the spatial and emotional indicators of verbal language, language inferences, prosody, organization of the inner speech, use of language and non-verbal communication; this is why the diagnostic label 'PLD' would be more appropriate, avoiding the euphemistic adjective 'non-verbal'.

  19. Case study: use of problem-based learning to develop students' technical and professional skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warnock, James N.; Mohammadi-Aragh, M. Jean

    2016-03-01

    Problem-based learning (PBL) is a pedagogy that has attracted attention for many biomedical engineering curricula. The aim of the current study was to address the research question, 'Does PBL enable students to develop desirable professional engineering skills?' The desirable skills identified were communication, teamwork, problem solving and self-directed learning. Forty-seven students enrolled in a biomedical materials course participated in the case study. Students worked in teams to complete a series of problems throughout the semester. The results showed that students made significant improvements in their problem-solving skills, written communication and self-directed learning. Students also demonstrated an ability to work in teams and communicate orally. In conclusion, this case study provides empirical evidence of the efficacy of PBL on student learning. We discuss findings from our study and provide observations of student performance and perceptions that could be useful for faculty and researchers interested in PBL for biomedical engineering education.

  20. Skill Based Teaching--Learning Science Implementing Metaphorical Thinking

    Science.gov (United States)

    Navaneedhan, Cittoor Girija; Kamalanabhan, T. J.

    2017-01-01

    Education in its general sense is a form of learning in which knowledge, skills, and habits of a group of people are transferred from one generation to the next through teaching, training, research, or simply through auto didacticism, Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts. The…

  1. Teaching Organizational Skills through Self-Regulated Learning Strategies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cahill, Susan M.

    2008-01-01

    This article presents a case story of how an occupational therapist worked with Joe, a junior high student with Asperger's Syndrome, to develop better organizational skills. Self-regulated learning strategies were used to teach Joe how to keep track of his assignments as well as his grades. In addition, the case story provides a clear example of…

  2. Perceived learned skills and professional development of graduates from a master in dental public health programme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aslam, S; Delgado-Angulo, E K; Bernabé, E

    2017-02-01

    Assessing the impact of a training programme is important for quality assurance and further development. It also can helps with accountability and marketing purposes. This study evaluated the impact of King's College London (KCL) Master of Science programme in Dental Public Health in terms of graduates' perceived learned skills and professional development. An online questionnaire was sent to individuals who completed successfully the KCL Master of Science programme in Dental Public Health and had a valid email address. Participants provided information on demographic characteristics, perceived learned skills (intellectual, practical and generic) and professional development (type of organisation, position in the organisation and functions performed at work before and after the programme). Learned skills' scores were compared by demographic factors in multiple linear regression models, and the distribution of responses on career development was compared using nonparametric tests for paired groups. Although all scores on learned skills were on the favourable side of the Likert scale, graduates reported higher scores for practical skills, followed by intellectual and generic skills. No differences in scores were found by sex, age, nationality or time since graduation. In terms of career development, there were significantly higher proportions of graduates working in higher education institutions and taking leadership/managerial roles in organisations as well as greater number and variety of functions at work after than before the programme. This online survey shows that the programme has had a positive impact on graduates in terms of perceived learned skills and professional development. © 2015 The Authors. European Journal of Dental Education Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. Aging increases the susceptibility to motor memory interference and reduces off-line gains in motor skill learning

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Roig, Marc; Ritterband-Rosenbaum, Anina; Jensen, Jesper Lundbye

    2014-01-01

    Declines in the ability to learn motor skills in older adults are commonly attributed to deficits in the encoding of sensorimotor information during motor practice. We investigated whether aging also impairs motor memory consolidation by assessing the susceptibility to memory interference and off...... greater susceptibility to memory interference and no off-line gains in motor skill learning. Performing B produced memory interference and reduced off-line gains only in the older group. However, older adults also showed deficits in memory consolidation independent of the interfering effects of B. Age......-related declines in motor skill learning are not produced exclusively by deficits in the encoding of sensorimotor information during practice. Aging also increases the susceptibility to memory interference and reduces off-line gains in motor skill learning after practice....

  4. Using E-Learning for Skills Transfer, Motivation and Retention of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Using E-Learning for Skills Transfer, Motivation and Retention of Health Workers in Zambia. JK Chime, P Munyati, M Katepa-Bwalya, M Musumali, B Mweetwa, S Kagulura, JS Kachimba, B Vwalika, J Mufunda ...

  5. Health Sciences Students’ Self-Assessment of Information and Communication Technology Skills and Attitude Toward e-Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Shawaf, Hamza Mohammad Hassan; Almajran, Abdullah Abdulaziz

    2016-01-01

    Background In medical education, information and communication technology (ICT) knowledge and skills have become a necessity and an integral part of preparing tomorrow’s doctors to be sufficiently competent to use informatics resources effectively and efficiently for the best practice of medicine. Objective This research aimed to study the literacy of the preprofessional students in ICT before and after taking the basic informatics course at the Health Sciences Center at Kuwait University, to understand their potential and their attitudes toward using ICT, including e-learning. Methods A validated questionnaire was used to collect data from 200 students in 2 stages: before and after the informatics course on the preprofessional program. In addition, the tutors’ observational assessments of the students’ achievements during the informatics course were obtained. Results The response rate of students before the course was 85.5% (171/200) and after was 77% (154/200). Of 200 students, 85% were female, and 15% were male. This disproportional representation of genders was due to the fact that 85% of registered students were female. Approximately 59% (101/171) of the students assessed themselves before the course as computer literate; afterward, this increased to 70.1% (108/154). Students who were still computer illiterate (29.2%; 45/154) mostly used the excuse of a lack of time (60%; 27/45). In generic ICT skills, the highest levels were for word processing, email, and Web browsing, whereas the lowest levels were for spreadsheets and database. In specific ICT skills, most respondents were reported low levels for statistical package use and Web page design. The results found that there was a significant improvement between students’ general ICT skills before and after the course. The results showed that there were significant improvement between how frequently students were using Medline (Pstudents who completed the course (72.8%; 110/151) chose the learning

  6. Numerical capacities as domain-specific predictors beyond early mathematics learning: a longitudinal study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reigosa-Crespo, Vivian; González-Alemañy, Eduardo; León, Teresa; Torres, Rosario; Mosquera, Raysil; Valdés-Sosa, Mitchell

    2013-01-01

    The first aim of the present study was to investigate whether numerical effects (Numerical Distance Effect, Counting Effect and Subitizing Effect) are domain-specific predictors of mathematics development at the end of elementary school by exploring whether they explain additional variance of later mathematics fluency after controlling for the effects of general cognitive skills, focused on nonnumerical aspects. The second aim was to address the same issues but applied to achievement in mathematics curriculum that requires solutions to fluency in calculation. These analyses assess whether the relationship found for fluency are generalized to mathematics content beyond fluency in calculation. As a third aim, the domain specificity of the numerical effects was examined by analyzing whether they contribute to the development of reading skills, such as decoding fluency and reading comprehension, after controlling for general cognitive skills and phonological processing. Basic numerical capacities were evaluated in children of 3(rd) and 4(th) grades (n=49). Mathematics and reading achievements were assessed in these children one year later. Results showed that the size of the Subitizing Effect was a significant domain-specific predictor of fluency in calculation and also in curricular mathematics achievement, but not in reading skills, assessed at the end of elementary school. Furthermore, the size of the Counting Effect also predicted fluency in calculation, although this association only approached significance. These findings contrast with proposals that the core numerical competencies measured by enumeration will bear little relationship to mathematics achievement. We conclude that basic numerical capacities constitute domain-specific predictors and that they are not exclusively "start-up" tools for the acquisition of Mathematics; but they continue modulating this learning at the end of elementary school.

  7. Amount of kinematic feedback affects learning of speech motor skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ballard, Kirrie J; Smith, Heather D; Paramatmuni, Divija; McCabe, Patricia; Theodoros, Deborah G; Murdoch, Bruce E

    2012-01-01

    Knowledge of Performance (KP) feedback, such as biofeedback or kinematic feedback, is used to provide information on the nature and quality of movement responses for the purpose of guiding active learning or rehabilitation of motor skills. It has been proposed that KP feedback may interfere with long-term learning when provided throughout training. Here, twelve healthy English-speaking adults were trained to produce a trilled Russian [r] in words with KP kinematic feedback using electropalatography (EPG) and without KP (noKP). Five one-hour training sessions were provided over one week with testing pretraining and one day and one week posttraining. No group differences were found at pretraining or one day post training for production accuracy. A group by time interaction supported the hypothesis that providing kinematic feedback continually during skill acquisition interferes with retention.

  8. Executive Functioning and Learning Skills of Adolescent Children Born at Fewer than 26 Weeks of Gestation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farooqi, A.; Adamsson, M.; Serenius, F.; Hägglöf, B.

    2016-01-01

    ratings, the EPT children were less well adjusted to the school environment. Conclusion EPT children born in the 1990s who received active perinatal care are at an increased risk of executive dysfunction, even after excluding children with significant neurodevelopmental disabilities. Even mild to moderate executive dysfunctions has a significant impact on learning skills. These findings suggest the need for timely interventions that address specific cognitive vulnerabilities and executive dysfunctions. PMID:26999522

  9. Digital recording as a teaching and learning method in the skills laboratory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strand, Ingebjørg; Gulbrandsen, Lise; Slettebø, Åshild; Nåden, Dagfinn

    2017-09-01

    To obtain information on how nursing students react to, think about and learn from digital recording as a learning and teaching method over time. Based on the teaching and learning philosophy of the university college, we used digital recording as a tool in our daily sessions in skills laboratory. However, most of the studies referred to in the background review had a duration of from only a few hours to a number of days. We found it valuable to design a study with a duration of two academic semesters. A descriptive and interpretative design was used. First-year bachelor-level students at the department of nursing participated in the study. Data collection was carried out by employing an 'online questionnaire'. The students answered five written, open-ended questions after each of three practical skill sessions. Kvale and Brinkmann's three levels of understanding were employed in the analysis. The students reported that digital recording affected factors such as feeling safe, secure and confident and that video recording was essential in learning and training practical skills. The use of cameras proved to be useful, as an expressive tool for peer learning because video recording enhances self-assessment, reflection, sensing, psychomotor performance and discovery learning. Digital recording enhances the student's awareness when acquiring new knowledge because it activates cognitive and emotional learning. The connection between tutoring, feedback and technology was clear. The digital recorder gives students direct and immediate feedback on their performance from the various practical procedures, and may aid in the transition from theory to practice. Students experienced more self-confidence and a feeling of safety in their performances. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Parent-specific reciprocity from infancy to adolescence shapes children's social competence and dialogical skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feldman, Ruth; Bamberger, Esther; Kanat-Maymon, Yaniv

    2013-01-01

    Reciprocity - the capacity to engage in social exchange that integrates inputs from multiple partners into a unified social event - is a cornerstone of adaptive social life that is learned within dyad-specific attachments during an early period of neuroplasticity. Yet, very little research traced the expression of children's reciprocity with their mother and father in relation to long-term outcomes. Guided by evolutionary models, we followed mothers, fathers, and their firstborn child longitudinally and observed mother-child and father-child reciprocity in infancy, preschool, and adolescence. In preschool, children's social competence, aggression, and prosocial behavior were observed at kindergarten. In adolescence, children's dialogical skills were assessed during positive and conflict interactions with same-sex best friends. Father-child and mother-child reciprocity were individually stable, inter-related at each stage, and consisted of distinct behavioral components. Structural equation modeling indicated that early maternal and paternal reciprocity were each uniquely predictive of social competence and lower aggression in preschool, which, in turn, shaped dialogical skills in adolescence. Father-adolescent reciprocity contributed to the dialogical negotiation of conflict, whereas mother-adolescent reciprocity predicted adolescents' dialogical skills during positive exchanges. Results highlight the role of parent-child reciprocity in shaping children's social collaboration and intimate relationships with non-kin members of their social world.

  11. A randomised controlled trial of blended learning to improve the newborn examination skills of medical students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, Alice; Inglis, Garry; Jardine, Luke; Koorts, Pieter; Davies, Mark William

    2013-03-01

    To evaluate the hypotheses that a blended learning approach would improve the newborn examination skills of medical students and yield a higher level of satisfaction with learning newborn examination. Undergraduate medical students at a tertiary teaching hospital were individually randomised to receive either a standard neonatology teaching programme (control group), or additional online access to the PENSKE Baby Check Learning Module (blended learning group). The primary outcome was performance of newborn examination on standardised assessment by blinded investigators. The secondary outcomes were performance of all 'essential' items of the examination, and participant satisfaction. The recruitment rate was 88% (71/81). The blended learning group achieved a significantly higher mean score than the control group (p=0.02) for newborn examination. There was no difference for performance of essential items, or satisfaction with learning newborn examination. The blended learning group rated the module highly for effective use of learning time and ability to meet specific learning needs. A blended learning approach resulted in a higher level of performance of newborn examination on standardised assessment. This is consistent with published literature on blended learning and has implications for all neonatal clinicians including junior doctors, midwifes and nurse practitioners.

  12. Facilitating the Development of Study Skills through a Blended Learning Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Julian; Groves, Mark; Bowd, Belinda; Barber, Alison

    2012-01-01

    This study examined the effectiveness of a Blended Learning (BL) environment designed to facilitate the learning of study skills with a large (over 200) and diverse undergraduate student cohort in a Higher Education (HE) institution in the UK. A BL environment was designed using the model provided by Kerres & De Witt (2003), and was also…

  13. Generic learning skills in academically-at-risk medical students: a development programme bridges the gap.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burch, Vanessa C; Sikakana, Cynthia N T; Gunston, Geney D; Shamley, Delva R; Murdoch-Eaton, Deborah

    2013-08-01

    Widening access to medical students from diverse educational backgrounds is a global educational mandate. The impact, on students' generic learning skills profiles, of development programmes designed for students at risk of attrition is unknown. This study investigated the impact of a 12-month Intervention Programme (IP) on the generic learning skills profile of academically-at-risk students who, after failing at the end of the first semester, completed the IP before entering the second semester of a conventional medical training programme. This prospective study surveyed medical students admitted in 2009 and 2010, on entry and on completion of first year, on their reported practice and confidence in information handling, managing own learning, technical and numeracy, computer, organisational and presentation skills. Of 414 first year students, 80 (19%) entered the IP. Levels of practice and confidence for five of the six skills categories were significantly poorer at entry for IP students compared to conventional stream students. In four categories these differences were no longer statistically significant after students had completed the IP; 62 IP students (77.5%) progressed to second year. A 12-month development programme, the IP, effectively addressed generic learning skills deficiencies present in academically-at-risk students entering medical school.

  14. Motivating Students for Project-based Learning for Application of Research Methodology Skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiwari, Ranjana; Arya, Raj Kumar; Bansal, Manoj

    2017-12-01

    Project-based learning (PBL) is motivational for students to learn research methodology skills. It is a way to engage and give them ownership over their own learning. The aim of this study is to use PBL for application of research methodology skills for better learning by encouraging an all-inclusive approach in teaching and learning rather than an individualized tailored approach. The present study was carried out for MBBS 6 th - and 7 th -semester students of community medicine. Students and faculties were sensitized about PBL and components of research methodology skills. They worked in small groups. The students were asked to fill the student feedback Questionnaire and the faculty was also asked to fill the faculty feedback Questionnaire. Both the Questionnaires were assessed on a 5 point Likert scale. After submitted projects, document analysis was done. A total of 99 students of the 6 th and 7 th semester were participated in PBL. About 90.91% students agreed that there should be continuation of PBL in subsequent batches. 73.74% felt satisfied and motivated with PBL, whereas 76.77% felt that they would be able to use research methodology in the near future. PBL requires considerable knowledge, effort, persistence, and self-regulation on the part of the students. They need to devise plans, gather information evaluate both the findings, and their approach. Facilitator plays a critical role in helping students in the process by shaping opportunity for learning, guiding students, thinking, and helping them construct new understanding.

  15. Work-related teaching and learning methods to foster generic skills in Higher Education. An Italian experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniela Frison

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Within the framework of modernisation of higher education systems in Europe, universities are invited to go beyond a knowledge-based perspective focused on disciplinary approaches and to be more concentrated on encouraging generic skills to deal with today’s complex and unpredictable career paths. The literature about Work-Related Learning and Work-Integrated Learning offers evidence to research regarding contributions of work-related experiences to the development of generic skills. The first part of the article presents a literature review carried out following the matching among three main keywords: work-related learning, generic skills, and higher education. Resources focused on the integration/teaching of generic skills in formal curriculum or in co-curriculum work-related activities and they were collected in order to explore the link between work-related learning in higher education and the development of generic skills. The focus is to identify valuable considerations to improve teaching strategies and methods. The second part presents an Italian work-related experience developed within the course of “Organizational Intervention Research Methods,” which involved 22 master’s degree students. The work-related assignment will be described in addition to the content analysis process of the 22 collected texts and the findings about the development of generic skills.

  16. The Effect of Problem Based Learning (PBL) Instruction on Students' Motivation and Problem Solving Skills of Physics

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    Argaw, Aweke Shishigu; Haile, Beyene Bashu; Ayalew, Beyene Tesfaw; Kuma, Shiferaw Gadisa

    2017-01-01

    Through the learning of physics, students will acquire problem solving skills which are relevant to their daily life. Determining the best way in which students learn physics takes a priority in physics education. The goal of the present study was to determine the effect of problem based learning strategy on students' problem solving skills and…

  17. Helping While Learning: A Skilled Group Helper Training Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smaby, Marlowe H.; Tamminen, Armas W.

    1983-01-01

    Describes a developmental group training workshop for training experienced counselors to do group counseling. Discusses stages of training including exploration, understanding, and action, which can help counselors learn helping skills for counseling that can often transfer to their own interpersonal lives and interactions with others. (JAC)

  18. Video-recorded simulated patient interactions: can they help develop clinical and communication skills in today's learning environment?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seif, Gretchen A; Brown, Debora

    2013-01-01

    It is difficult to provide real-world learning experiences for students to master clinical and communication skills. The purpose of this paper is to describe a novel instructional method using self- and peer-assessment, reflection, and technology to help students develop effective interpersonal and clinical skills. The teaching method is described by the constructivist learning theory and incorporates the use of educational technology. The learning activities were incorporated into the pre-clinical didactic curriculum. The students participated in two video-recording assignments and performed self-assessments on each and had a peer-assessment on the second video-recording. The learning activity was evaluated through the self- and peer-assessments and an instructor-designed survey. This evaluation identified several themes related to the assignment, student performance, clinical behaviors and establishing rapport. Overall the students perceived that the learning activities assisted in the development of clinical and communication skills prior to direct patient care. The use of video recordings of a simulated history and examination is a unique learning activity for preclinical PT students in the development of clinical and communication skills.

  19. Got Game? A Choice-Based Learning Assessment of Data Literacy and Visualization Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chin, Doris B.; Blair, Kristen P.; Schwartz, Daniel L.

    2016-01-01

    In partnership with both formal and informal learning institutions, researchers have been building a suite of online games, called choicelets, to serve as interactive assessments of learning skills, e.g. critical thinking or seeking feedback. Unlike more traditional assessments, which take a retrospective, knowledge-based view of learning,…

  20. Situated cognition and cognitive apprenticeship: a model for teaching and learning clinical skills in a technologically rich and authentic learning environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woolley, Norman N; Jarvis, Yvonne

    2007-01-01

    The acquisition of a range of diverse clinical skills is a central feature of the pre-registration nursing curriculum. Prior to exposure to clinical practice, it is essential that learners have the opportunity to practise and develop such skills in a safe and controlled environment under the direction and supervision of clinical experts. However, the competing demands of the HE nursing curriculum coupled with an increased number of learners have resulted in a reduced emphasis on traditional apprenticeship learning. This paper presents an alternative model for clinical skills teaching that draws upon the principles of cognitive apprenticeship [Collins, A., Brown, J.S., Newman, S., 1989. Cognitive Apprenticeship: teaching the crafts of reading, writing and mathematics. In: Resnick, L.B. (Ed.) Knowing. Learning and Instruction: Essays in Honor of Robert Glaser. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, New Jersey, pp. 453-494] and situated cognition within a technologically rich and authentic learning environment. It will show how high quality DVD materials illustrating clinical skills performed by expert practitioners have been produced and used in conjunction with CCTV and digital recording technologies to support learning within a pedagogic framework appropriate to skills acquisition. It is argued that this model not only better prepares the student for the time they will spend in the practice setting, but also lays the foundation for the development of a clinically competent practitioner with the requisite physical and cognitive skills who is fit for purpose [UKCC, 1999. Fitness for Practice: The UKCC Commission for Nursing and Midwifery Education. United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing Midwifery and Health Visiting, London].

  1. Effectiveness of guided inquiry learning model to improve students’ critical thinking skills at senior high school

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nisa, E. K.; Koestiari, T.; Habibbulloh, M.; Jatmiko, Budi

    2018-03-01

    This research aimed to describe the effectiveness of guided inquiry learning model to improve students' critical thinking skills. Subjects in the research were 90 students at three groups of senior high school grade X on Tarik (Indonesia), which follows a physics lesson on static fluid material in academic year 2016/2017. The research was used one group pre-test and post-test design. Before and after being given physics learning with guided discovery learning model, students in the three groups were given the same test (pre-test and post-test). The results of this research showed: 1) there is an increased score of students' critical thinking skills in each group on α = 5%; 2) average N-gain of students' critical thinking skills of each group is a high category; and 3) average N-gain of the three groups did not differ. The conclusion of this research is that learning model of guided inquiry effective to improve students' critical thinking skills.

  2. EFFECTS OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING METHOD ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF LISTENING COMPREHENSION AND LISTENING SKILLS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdülkadir

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available In this study, the effect of the learning together technique, which is one of the cooperative learning methods, on the development of the listening comprehension and listening skills of the secondary school eighth grade students was investigated. Regarding the purpose of the research, experimental and control groups consisting of 75 students from, Yakutiye district Şair Nef'i Secondary School and Palandöken District, Alparslan Secondary School of Erzurum province were selected. Socio-economic statuses and success rates were taken into consideration when selecting the experimental and control groups. 'Listening-Comprehension Achievement Test' was applied to measure the listening skills of the experimental and control groups. In terms of pre-test scores, it was determined that the listening skills of the experiment and control group were similar. The selected experimental groups were taught by the learning together technique of cooperative learning method for seven weeks and the control group was taught in the traditional way. As a result of the research, the 'Listening-Comprehension Achievement Test', which was applied as the pre-test to the experimental and control groups, was applied again as the final test. When the findings obtained from the research were examined, it was determined that the students in the experimental group were more successful than the students in the control group in terms of post - test achievement scores. When the results of the study are examined, it can be said that the learning together technique, which is one of the cooperative learning methods, is more effective than the traditional learning method in improving the listening comprehension and the listening skills of the eighth grade students in Turkish class.

  3. Learning Quantum Chemical Model with Learning Media Concept Map and Power Point Viewed from Memory and Creativity Skills Students

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    Agus Wahidi

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available This research is experimental, using first class learning a quantum model of learning with concept maps media and the second media using real environments by power point presentation. The population is all class XI Science, number 2 grade. The sampling technique is done by purposive random sampling. Data collection techniques to test for cognitive performance and memory capabilities, with a questionnaire for creativity. Hypothesis testing using three-way ANOVA different cells with the help of software Minitab 15.Based on the results of data processing, concluded: (1 there is no influence of the quantum model of learning with media learning concept maps and real environments for learning achievement chemistry, (2 there is a high impact memory ability and low on student achievement, (3 there is no the effect of high and low creativity in student performance, (4 there is no interaction learning model quantum media learning concept maps and real environments with memory ability on student achievement, (5 there is no interaction learning model quantum media learning concept maps and real environments with creativity of student achievement, (6 there is no interaction memory skills and creativity of student achievement, (7 there is no interaction learning model quantum media learning concept maps and real environments, memory skills, and creativity on student achievement.

  4. Self-Help Training System for Nursing Students to Learn Patient Transfer Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Zhifeng; Nagata, Ayanori; Kanai-Pak, Masako; Maeda, Jukai; Kitajima, Yasuko; Nakamura, Mitsuhiro; Aida, Kyoko; Kuwahara, Noriaki; Ogata, Taiki; Ota, Jun

    2014-01-01

    This paper describes the construction and evaluation of a self-help skill training system for assisting student nurses in learning skills involving the transfer of patients from beds to wheelchairs. We have proposed a feedback method that is based on a checklist and video demonstrations. To help trainees efficiently check their performance and…

  5. Optimizing the number of steps in learning tasks for complex skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nadolski, Rob J; Kirschner, Paul A; van Merriënboer, Jeroen J G

    2005-06-01

    Carrying out whole tasks is often too difficult for novice learners attempting to acquire complex skills. The common solution is to split up the tasks into a number of smaller steps. The number of steps must be optimized for efficient and effective learning. The aim of the study is to investigate the relation between the number of steps provided to learners and the quality of their learning of complex skills. It is hypothesized that students receiving an optimized number of steps will learn better than those receiving either the whole task in only one step or those receiving a large number of steps. Participants were 35 sophomore law students studying at Dutch universities, mean age=22.8 years (SD=3.5), 63% were female. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 computer-delivered versions of a multimedia programme on how to prepare and carry out a law plea. The versions differed only in the number of learning steps provided. Videotaped plea-performance results were determined, various related learning measures were acquired and all computer actions were logged and analyzed. Participants exposed to an intermediate (i.e. optimized) number of steps outperformed all others on the compulsory learning task. No differences in performance on a transfer task were found. A high number of steps proved to be less efficient for carrying out the learning task. An intermediate number of steps is the most effective, proving that the number of steps can be optimized for improving learning.

  6. LEARNING MATERIALS SELECTION FOR DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION OF ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES OF FUTURE PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oksana Synekop

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available In conditions of differentiation the learning materials selection will optimize the training English for Specific Purposes of the future professionals in the field of information technology at university level. The purpose of the article is to define the basic unit of learning material, the factors of influence on the learning material selection, principles, criteria and the procedure of learning material selection in this paper. Reviewing the scientific achievements in the learning material selection in teaching English has become a basis for defining the factors of influence, principles and criteria in the research. The basic unit of learning material (learning English text for professional purposes is outlined. The factors of influence and principles (correspondence of learning materials to professional interests and needs of information technology students; necessary ability and accessibility; regarding the linguistic and stylistic necessity and sufficiency; availability of Internet sources information of the learning material selection are defined. Also, the qualitative criteria (authenticity; professional significance, relevance and informativeness; conformity of foreign language level and intellectual development of students; variety of genres and forms of speech, their sufficient filling by linguistic material; coherence, integrity, consistency, semantic completeness; topic conformity; situation conformity; unlimited access, reliability and exemplarity of Internet sources and the quantitative criteria (the amount of material of the learning material selection are highlighted. The process of English for Specific Purposes material selection (defining the disciplines of different cycles; defining spheres and related topics; outlining situations, communicative roles and intentions of professional communication; specifying the sources of selection; evaluating the texts; analysis of the knowledge, skills and sub-skills required for the

  7. Graduate Information Skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Niall McSweeney

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available It is one of six modules within the SIF (Strategic Innovative Fund funded Generic Skills Project for PHDS. The Generic Skills Project itself was just one strand within others Supporting the development of 4th level education in Ireland. The Graduate Information Skills module is a collaborative project led by NUI Galway with partners Trinity College Dublin and University College Cork. It is aimed at PHDS but Masters Research and post-docs will find the module of benefit too. The module is developed to offer both an online and face-to-face environment and be customizable with eLearning environments. Project launched in 2007 and has a three year cycle. We agreed to outsource online development and after a tendering process a company called eMedia were awarded the contract. We have piloted full content to PHDS in the three institutions involved and have reviewed feed-back received from attendees. We have also met with module presenters and authors to review their feed-back. The initial content while generic to all PHDS has Science Technology Medicine specific examples. We have complete Online content and module is being offered locally for face-to-face credited teaching. The module has in all units Learning Outcomes and is intended to be fully credited and evaluated for module completion. Funds allowing we would hope to develop Humanities specific content, add units such as on Writing Skills etc. We feel the module has created very good blended learning opportunities and is offered to students in a very contemporary design format. In an Irish context we feel the module offers a national resource that could be used by other institutions.

  8. ECG interpretation in Emergency Department residents: an update and e-learning as a resource to improve skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barthelemy, Francois X; Segard, Julien; Fradin, Philippe; Hourdin, Nicolas; Batard, Eric; Pottier, Pierre; Potel, Gilles; Montassier, Emmanuel

    2017-04-01

    ECG interpretation is a pivotal skill to acquire during residency, especially for Emergency Department (ED) residents. Previous studies reported that ECG interpretation competency among residents was rather low. However, the optimal resource to improve ECG interpretation skills remains unclear. The aim of our study was to compare two teaching modalities to improve the ECG interpretation skills of ED residents: e-learning and lecture-based courses. The participants were first-year and second-year ED residents, assigned randomly to the two groups. The ED residents were evaluated by means of a precourse test at the beginning of the study and a postcourse test after the e-learning and lecture-based courses. These evaluations consisted of the interpretation of 10 different ECGs. We included 39 ED residents from four different hospitals. The precourse test showed that the overall average score of ECG interpretation was 40%. Nineteen participants were then assigned to the e-learning course and 20 to the lecture-based course. Globally, there was a significant improvement in ECG interpretation skills (accuracy score=55%, P=0.0002). However, this difference was not significant between the two groups (P=0.14). Our findings showed that the ECG interpretation was not optimal and that our e-learning program may be an effective tool for enhancing ECG interpretation skills among ED residents. A large European study should be carried out to evaluate ECG interpretation skills among ED residents before the implementation of ECG learning, including e-learning strategies, during ED residency.

  9. Dental students' attitude toward learning communication skills in Bengaluru city, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richa

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Good communication skills can increase the health-care providers' diagnostic efficiency and decision-making ability, as well as lead to improved patient satisfaction. Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the attitude and factors associated with learning communication skills among dental students. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 400 students, studying in various dental colleges in Bengaluru, using a standardized pro forma which consisted of questions on general information, self-assessment of communication using validated Dental Communication Skills Attitude Scale. For statistical analysis, descriptive analysis, ANOVA, post hoc, and Spearman's correlation were applied. Results: Mean positive and negative attitude scores (PAS and NAS were 50.44 ± 5.83 and 29.72 ± 4.32, respectively. There was a significant correlation of NAS with participant's poor performance in the past examination (r = 0.144, P = 0.004 and self-rating as poor communicators (r = 0.164, P = 0.001. Their consideration regarding teaching communication in dental education was significantly correlated with PAS (r = 0.257, P = 0.00 and NAS (r = −0.308, P = 0.00. Conclusion: Participant's poor performance in the past examination and self-rating as poor communicator had the negative attitude toward learning communication skills. There is a need for integrating communication skills course in the dental curriculum.

  10. The use of objective structured self-assessment and peer-feedback (OSSP) for learning communication skills: evaluation using a controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perera, Jennifer; Mohamadou, Galy; Kaur, Satpal

    2010-05-01

    Feedback is essential to guide students towards expected performance goals. The usefulness of teacher feedback on improving communication skills (CS) has been well documented. It has been proposed that self-assessment and peer-feedback has an equally important role to play in enhancing learning. This is the focus of this study. Objectively structured self-assessment and peer feedback (OSSP) was incorporated into small group CS teaching sessions of a group of semester one medical students who were learning CS for the first time, to minimise the influence of previous educational interventions. A control group matched for academic performance, gender and age was used to enable parallel evaluation of the innovation. A reflective log containing closed and open ended questions was used for OSSP. Facilitators and simulated patients provided feedback to students in both groups during CS learning as per routine practice. Student perceptions on OSSP and acceptability as a learning method were explored using a questionnaire. CS were assessed in both groups using objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) as per routine practice and assessors were blinded as to which group the student belonged. Mean total score and scores for specific areas of interview skills were significantly higher in the experimental group. Analysis of the questionnaire data showed that students gained fresh insights into specific areas such as empathy, addressing patients' concerns and interview style during OSSP which clearly corroborated the specific differences in scores. The free text comments were highly encouraging as to acceptability of OSSP, in spite of 67% being never exposed to formal self- and peer-assessment during pre-university studies. OSSP promotes effective CS learning and learner acceptability is high.

  11. E-Learning to Improve Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS of Students

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    R. Poppy Yaniawati

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available The role of technology integration on modern learning is essential to optimize the acceleration process in Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS. This research describes how to implement e-learning to improve HOTS of students and students’ attitude toward e-learning of mathematics, pre- learning students knowledge, duration of login in website, and correlation of variables with HOTS. There is a significant correlation between pre-learning knowledge and students’ HOTS, but there is no significant correlation between students’ HOTS and students’ attitude toward e-learning of mathematics. There is a significant correlation between login duration and students attitude toward e-learning of mathematics. No significant correlation is found between login duration and students’ HOTS.

  12. Communication Skills in Patient-Doctor Interactions: Learning from Patient Complaints

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Janine W.Y. Kee

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Despite communication skills training in medical school, junior doctors continue to demonstrate poor patient-doctor communication skills, where patient unhappiness from the encounter often manifests as patient complaints. We sought to identify crucial communication skills that should be incorporated in the communications curriculum by learning from patient complaints, to explore how the communication lapses occur. Method: 38 cases of anonymized negative patient feedback about junior doctors were analysed using qualitative content analysis. A two-step fine-coding system involving four researchers was employed. Results: Four main themes of communication errors were identified, namely: non-verbal (eye contact, facial expression and paralanguage, verbal (active listening and inappropriate choice of words, and content (poor quantity and quality of information provided; and poor attitudes (lack of respect and empathy. Discussion: Patient-doctor communication is a complex interpersonal interaction that requires an understanding of each party׳s emotional state. We identified important but overlooked communication lapses such as non-verbal paralinguistic elements that should be incorporated into communications curriculum, with an emphasis on dialectical learning. These include integrating these findings into a simulation-based communications module for training doctors at a post-graduate level as well as monitoring and analyzing patient complaints regularly to iteratively update the content of the training module. Beyond these skills training, there is also a need to highlight negative emotions of doctors in future research, as it influences their communication patterns and attitudes towards patients, ultimately shaping how patients perceive them. Keywords: Communication skills training, Patient complaints, Patient negative feedback, Patient-Doctor communication, Residency training

  13. Evaluation of a Team Project Based Learning Module for Developing Employability Skills

    OpenAIRE

    Janice Whatley

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents a case study, in which a new module, aimed at enhancing students’ employ-ability skills, is evaluated. Employability skills for graduates from higher education are regarded as essential outcomes from their degree programmes, but it can be difficult to provide appropriate opportunities to develop these skills in the context of their studies. This paper describes a new module, called Live Projects, designed to provide project based learning on campus, but involv-ing local bu...

  14. Students' Critical Thinking Skills in Chemistry Learning Using Local Culture-Based 7E Learning Cycle Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suardana, I. Nyoman; Redhana, I. Wayan; Sudiatmika, A. A. Istri Agung Rai; Selamat, I. Nyoman

    2018-01-01

    This research aimed at describing the effectiveness of the local culture-based 7E learning cycle model in improving students' critical thinking skills in chemistry learning. It was an experimental research with post-test only control group design. The population was the eleventh-grade students of senior high schools in Singaraja, Indonesia. The…

  15. Summative Co-Assessment: A Deep Learning Approach To Enhancing Employability Skills and Attributes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deeley, Susan J.

    2014-01-01

    Service-learning is a pedagogy that combines academic study with service to the community. Voluntary work placements are integral to service-learning and offer students an ideal opportunity to develop their employability skills and attributes. In a service-learning course, it was considered good practice to raise students' awareness of the…

  16. Relationship between Lifelong Learning Levels and Information Literacy Skills in Teacher Candidates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solmaz, Dilek Yaliz

    2017-01-01

    This study aims to examine the relationship between lifelong learning levels and information literacy skills in teacher candidates. The research group consists of 127 physical education and sports teacher candidates. Data were collected by means of "Lifelong Learning Scale (LLL)" and "Information Literacy Scale". In the data…

  17. Family Literacy and the New Canadian: Formal, Non-Formal and Informal Learning: The Case of Literacy, Essential Skills and Language Learning in Canada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eaton, Sarah Elaine

    2011-01-01

    This paper examines literacy and language learning across the lifespan within the context of immigrants in the Canadian context. It explores the process of improving literacy skills and acquiring second or third language skills through the systems of formal, non-formal and informal learning, as defined by the OECD [Organisation for Economic…

  18. Individual differences in implicit motor learning: task specificity in sensorimotor adaptation and sequence learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stark-Inbar, Alit; Raza, Meher; Taylor, Jordan A; Ivry, Richard B

    2017-01-01

    In standard taxonomies, motor skills are typically treated as representative of implicit or procedural memory. We examined two emblematic tasks of implicit motor learning, sensorimotor adaptation and sequence learning, asking whether individual differences in learning are correlated between these tasks, as well as how individual differences within each task are related to different performance variables. As a prerequisite, it was essential to establish the reliability of learning measures for each task. Participants were tested twice on a visuomotor adaptation task and on a sequence learning task, either the serial reaction time task or the alternating reaction time task. Learning was evident in all tasks at the group level and reliable at the individual level in visuomotor adaptation and the alternating reaction time task but not in the serial reaction time task. Performance variability was predictive of learning in both domains, yet the relationship was in the opposite direction for adaptation and sequence learning. For the former, faster learning was associated with lower variability, consistent with models of sensorimotor adaptation in which learning rates are sensitive to noise. For the latter, greater learning was associated with higher variability and slower reaction times, factors that may facilitate the spread of activation required to form predictive, sequential associations. Interestingly, learning measures of the different tasks were not correlated. Together, these results oppose a shared process for implicit learning in sensorimotor adaptation and sequence learning and provide insight into the factors that account for individual differences in learning within each task domain. We investigated individual differences in the ability to implicitly learn motor skills. As a prerequisite, we assessed whether individual differences were reliable across test sessions. We found that two commonly used tasks of implicit learning, visuomotor adaptation and the

  19. 34 CFR 300.307 - Specific learning disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 34 Education 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Specific learning disabilities. 300.307 Section 300.307... Educational Placements Additional Procedures for Identifying Children with Specific Learning Disabilities § 300.307 Specific learning disabilities. (a) General. A State must adopt, consistent with § 300.309...

  20. Women match men when learning a spatial skill.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spence, Ian; Yu, Jingjie Jessica; Feng, Jing; Marshman, Jeff

    2009-07-01

    Meta-analytic studies have concluded that although training improves spatial cognition in both sexes, the male advantage generally persists. However, because some studies run counter to this pattern, a closer examination of the anomaly is warranted. The authors investigated the acquisition of a basic skill (spatial selective attention) using a matched-pair two-wave longitudinal design. Participants were screened with the use of an attentional visual field task, with the objective of selecting and matching 10 male-female pairs, over a wide range (30% to 57% correct). Subsequently, 20 participants 17-23 years of age (selected from 43 screened) were trained for 10 hr (distributed over several sessions) by playing a first-person shooter video game. This genre is known to be highly effective in enhancing spatial skills. All 20 participants improved, with matched members of the male-female pairs achieving very similar gains, independent of starting level. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the learning trajectory of women is not inferior to that of men when acquiring a basic spatial skill. Training methods that develop basic spatial skills may be essential to achieve gender parity in both basic and complex spatial tasks.

  1. Horses and At-Risk Youth: An Equine Facilitated Learning Program Focusing on Authentic Leadership Skill Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brittany L. Adams-Pope

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Interesting and innovative youth development programs are important to further youth education. Programs focused on developing leadership skills in youth, specifically at-risk youth, are important when thinking of the future of our communities. The primary purpose of the study was to determine the impact of an equine facilitated, authentic leadership program on at-risk youth. Youth participated in a three-day equine facilitated learning program based on authentic leadership with focus groups conducted three days before and three days after the program. In this article, we describe the development and methodology of the program and specific implications for practice.

  2. Improving the basic skills of teaching mathematics through learning with search-solve-create-share strategy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahayu, D. V.; Kusumah, Y. S.; Darhim

    2018-05-01

    This study examined to see the improvement of prospective teachers’ basic skills of teaching mathematics through search-solve-create-share learning strategy based on overall and Mathematical Prior Knowledge (MPK) and interaction of both. Quasi experiments with the design of this experimental-non-equivalent control group design involved 67 students at the mathematics program of STKIP Garut. The instrument used in this study included pre-test and post-test. The result of this study showed that: (1) The improvement and achievement of the basic skills of teaching mathematics of the prospective teachers who get the learning of search-solve-create-share strategy is better than the improvement and achievement of the prospective teachers who get the conventional learning as a whole and based on MPK; (2) There is no interaction between the learning used and MPK on improving and achieving basic skills of teaching mathematics.

  3. Identification of the Learning Styles and "On-the-Job" Learning Methods Implemented by Nurses for Promoting Their Professional Knowledge and Skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rassin, Michal; Kurzweil, Yaffa; Maoz, Yael

    2015-05-09

    The aim of this study was to identify the learning styles and methods used by nurses to promote their professional knowledge and skills. 928 nurses from 11 hospitals across Israel completed 2 questionnaires, (1) Kolb's Learning Style Inventory, Version 3.1. and (2) the On-The-Job Learning Styles Questionnaire for the Nursing Profession. The most common learning style was the convergent style. The other learning styles were rated in the following descending order: accommodation, assimilation, and divergence. The on-the-job learning style consistently ranked highest was experience of relevant situations. On the other hand, seeking knowledge from books, journals, television, or the Internet was ranked lowest on all the indicators examined. With respect to general and on-the-job learning styles, statistically significant differences were found between groups of nurses by: country of birth, gender, department, age, education, and role. Nurses required to take more personal responsibility for their own professional development by deepening their self-learning skills.

  4. Occupational Therapy Interventions Effect on Visual-Motor Skills in Children with Learning Disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Batoul Mandani

    2007-07-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Visual-motor skill is a part of visual perception which can integrate visual processing skills to fine movements. Visual-motor dysfunction is often to cause problems in copying and writing. The purpose of this study is investigation of occupational therapy interventions effect on the visual-motor skill in children with learning disorders. Materials & Methods: In this interventional and experimental study, 23 students with learning disorders (2nd, 3rd, 4th grade were selected and they were divided (through Randomized Block Method into two groups, 11 persons as intervention group and the others as the control group (12 people. Both groups were administered the “Test of Visual-Motor Skills- Revised” (TVMS-R. Then case group received occupational therapy interventions for 16 sessions and two groups were administered by TVMS-R again. Data was analyzed by using paired T-test and independent T-test. Results: Total mark of TVMS-R demonstrated statistically significant difference in visual-motor skills between case and control groups (P<0/001. This test has 8 categories. Total mark of 1, 3,4,6,8 categories demonstrated that occupational therapy had significant effect on visual analysis skills (P<0/005. Total mark of 2, 5, 7 categories demonstrated that occupational therapy had significant effect on visual-spatial skills (P<0/001. Conclusion: Occupational therapy interventions had significant effect on the visual-motor skills and its items (visual-spatial, visual analysis, visual-motor integration and eye fixation skills.

  5. A Cognitive Skill Classification Based On Multi Objective Optimization Using Learning Vector Quantization for Serious Games

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moh. Aries Syufagi

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays, serious games and game technology are poised to transform the way of educating and training students at all levels. However, pedagogical value in games do not help novice students learn, too many memorizing and reduce learning process due to no information of player’s ability. To asses the cognitive level of player ability, we propose a Cognitive Skill Game (CSG. CSG improves this cognitive concept to monitor how players interact with the game. This game employs Learning Vector Quantization (LVQ for optimizing the cognitive skill input classification of the player. CSG is using teacher’s data to obtain the neuron vector of cognitive skill pattern supervise. Three clusters multi objective target will be classified as; trial and error, carefully and, expert cognitive skill. In the game play experiments using 33 respondent players demonstrates that 61% of players have high trial and error cognitive skill, 21% have high carefully cognitive skill, and 18% have high expert cognitive skill. CSG may provide information to game engine when a player needs help or when wanting a formidable challenge. The game engine will provide the appropriate tasks according to players’ ability. CSG will help balance the emotions of players, so players do not get bored and frustrated. Players have a high interest to finish the game if the player is emotionally stable. Interests in the players strongly support the procedural learning in a serious game.

  6. Enhanced Assessment Technology and Neurocognitive Aspects of Specific Learning Disorder with Impairment in Mathematics.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marios A. Pappas

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Specific Learning Disorder with impairment in Mathematics (Developmental Dyscalculia is a complex learning disorder which affects arithmetic skills, symbolic magnitude processing, alertness, flexibility in problem solving and maintained attention. Neuro-cognitive studies revealed that such difficulties in children with DD could be related to poor Working Memory and attention deficits. Furthermore, neuroimaging studies indicate that brain structure differences in children with DD compared to typically developing children could affect mathematical performance. In this study we present the cognitive profile of Dyscalculia, as well as the neuropsychological aspects of the deficit, with special reference to the utilization of enhanced assessment technology such as computerized neuropsychological tools and neuroimaging techniques.

  7. Perceptions of Skill Development in a Living-Learning First-Year Experience Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Kerri Anna

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of students and faculty involved in a living-learning first-year experience program at a small, liberal arts institution about developing skills for life-long learning including critical thinking, written communication, and reflection and engagement across disciplines. The researcher…

  8. The Effects of Collectivism-Individualism on the Cooperative Learning of Motor Skill

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Yi; Sun, Yan; Strobel, Johannes

    2013-01-01

    This study examined how cultural background (collectivism vs. individualism) affects motor skill learning in a dyadic cooperative learning environment. The research context of this study was Nintendo™ Wii Tennis. Twenty college students from a Midwestern university participated in the study, among whom half were from an individualistic culture…

  9. PENGEMBANGAN TUGAS AKHIR MELALUI PROJECT BASED LEARNING MODEL UNTUK MENINGKATKAN GENERIC GREEN SKILLS SISWA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Ana

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT The development of students’ final project through Project-based Learning (PBLapproach was conducted in the workshop of family resource management (FRM in 7th semester.PBL approach is expected to give contribution to students’ motivation and experience to finish their final assignments of FRM workshop. The objectives of the research are to: (1 develop PBL model for the students’final project; (2 produce learning instruments of PBL such as lesson plans, manual of FRM workshop, and scientific report of FRM workshop. The method of the study was using research and development of Plomp model and quasi experiment for testing the effectiveness of the model. The research subjects were the students from the class of 2009 and 2010 who joined FRM workshop course. The study produced model, lesson plans, and manual of FRM workshop as the outputs. The result showed that project based learning model was effective to improve the students’ generic green skills for project management, collaborative skills, and communicative competence. Keywords: final project, generic green skill, family resource management, Project-Based Learning

  10. IMPACT OF MENTAL SKILLS ON MOTOR LEARNING IN MOROCCAN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

    OpenAIRE

    A. Eloirdi; A. Arfaoui; A.O.T. Ahami

    2016-01-01

    The issue of motor learning and underlying factors are widely debated. This work has a double aim, to bring out the profile of mental skills and to evaluate their correlation with performance in sport and physical education in Moroccan secondary school students. The study was based on a sample of 202 Moroccan students. We used the test Mental Skills Assessment Tool (OMSAT-3) to assess mental skills. According to the results, the OMSAT-3 displayed a very satisfactory internal consistency, ...

  11. The role of critical thinking skills and learning styles of university students in their academic performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ZOHRE GHAZIVAKILI

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The current world needs people who have a lot of different abilities such as cognition and application of different ways of thinking, research, problem solving, critical thinking skills and creativity. In addition to critical thinking, learning styles is another key factor which has an essential role in the process of problem solving. This study aimed to determine the relationship between learning styles and critical thinking of students and their academic performance in Alborz University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This cross-correlation study was performed in 2012, on 216 students of Alborz University who were selected randomly by the stratified method. The data was obtained via a three-part questionnaire included demographic data, Kolb standardized questionnaire of learning style and California critical thinking standardized questionnaire. The academic performance of the students was extracted by the school records. The validity of the instruments was determined in terms of content validity, and the reliability was gained through internal consistency methods. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was found to be 0.78 for the California critical thinking questionnaire. The Chi Square test, Independent T-test, one way ANOVA and Pearson Correlation test were used to determine relationship between variables. The Package SPSS14 statistical software was used to analyze data with a significant level of p<0.05. Results: Our findings indicated the significant difference of mean score in four learning style, suggesting university students with convergent learning style have better performance than other groups. Also learning style had a relationship with age, gender, field of study, semester and job. The results about the critical thinking of the students showed that the mean of deductive reasoning and evaluation skills were higher than that of other skills and analytical skills had the lowest mean and there was a positive significant

  12. Specific learning disabilities in children: deficits and neuropsychological profile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kohli, Adarsh; Malhotra, Savita; Mohanty, Manju; Khehra, Nitasha; Kaur, Manreet

    2005-06-01

    The public is gradually becoming aware of specific learning disabilities (SLDs), which are very often the cause of academic difficulties. The aim of the study was to assess the SLDs in the clinic population at the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh using the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences SLD index and subsequently to assess the children's neuropsychological functions using a battery of tests. Thirty-five children in the age range of 7-14 years (both boys and girls) were recruited as the cohort, diagnosed clinically and assessed using the battery of tests for SLDs and neuropsychological tests consisting of the PGIMER memory scale for children, the Wisconsin card sorting test, the Bender visuo-motor gestalt test and Malin's intelligence scale for Indian children. The study revealed deficits in language and writing skills and impairments in specific areas of memory, executive functions and perceptuo-motor tasks. Identification of SLDs is useful in drawing up a treatment plan specific for a particular child.

  13. Teaching Communication Skills to Medical and Pharmacy Students Through a Blended Learning Course.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hess, Rick; Hagemeier, Nicholas E; Blackwelder, Reid; Rose, Daniel; Ansari, Nasar; Branham, Tandy

    2016-05-25

    Objective. To evaluate the impact of an interprofessional blended learning course on medical and pharmacy students' patient-centered interpersonal communication skills and to compare precourse and postcourse communication skills across first-year medical and second-year pharmacy student cohorts. Methods. Students completed ten 1-hour online modules and participated in five 3-hour group sessions over one semester. Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) were administered before and after the course and were evaluated using the validated Common Ground Instrument. Nonparametric statistical tests were used to examine pre/postcourse domain scores within and across professions. Results. Performance in all communication skill domains increased significantly for all students. No additional significant pre/postcourse differences were noted across disciplines. Conclusion. Students' patient-centered interpersonal communication skills improved across multiple domains using a blended learning educational platform. Interview abilities were embodied similarly between medical and pharmacy students postcourse, suggesting both groups respond well to this form of instruction.

  14. Language-specific skills in intercultural healthcare communication: Comparing perceived preparedness and skills in nurses' first and second languages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gasiorek, Jessica; van de Poel, Kris

    2018-02-01

    Interactions between people from different cultures are becoming increasingly commonplace in contemporary healthcare settings. To date, most research evaluating cross-cultural preparedness has assumed that medical professionals are speaking their first language (L1). However, as healthcare workers are increasingly mobile and patient populations are increasingly diverse, more and more interactions are likely to occur in a professional's non-native language (L2). This study assessed and compared nurses' perceived cross-cultural preparedness and skillfulness in their interactions with patients from other cultures when speaking both their L1 and L2. The goal of this project was to inform the creation of a communication skills training program. Nurses reported their perceived cross-cultural preparedness and skillfulness (scales adapted from Park et al., 2009) in their L1 and L2 via an online questionnaire. This questionnaire was distributed among nurses working in Vienna, Austria, through the Vienna Hospital Association (VHA). Nurses and nurses-in-training working in VHA hospitals participated. Most participants who provided demographic information were currently nurses (n=179) with an average of 16.88years (SD=11.50) of professional experience (range: 0-40); n=40 were nurses-in-training with an average of 2.13years (SD=0.88) of experience (range: 1-5). Descriptive statistics for each cross-cultural preparedness and skillfulness (in each language) are reported; comparisons between L1 and L2 responses were also conducted. Multiple regression analyses were used to identify predictors of preparedness and L1/L2 skillfulness. Nurses reported feeling significantly less confident in their skills when working in an L2, across a range of culture-related issues. Having had previous communication skills training predicted (better) self-reported L2 skillfulness, although it did not predict L1 skillfulness. These results indicate that there is a language-specific component to cross

  15. Numerical Capacities as Domain-Specific Predictors beyond Early Mathematics Learning: A Longitudinal Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reigosa-Crespo, Vivian; González-Alemañy, Eduardo; León, Teresa; Torres, Rosario; Mosquera, Raysil; Valdés-Sosa, Mitchell

    2013-01-01

    The first aim of the present study was to investigate whether numerical effects (Numerical Distance Effect, Counting Effect and Subitizing Effect) are domain-specific predictors of mathematics development at the end of elementary school by exploring whether they explain additional variance of later mathematics fluency after controlling for the effects of general cognitive skills, focused on nonnumerical aspects. The second aim was to address the same issues but applied to achievement in mathematics curriculum that requires solutions to fluency in calculation. These analyses assess whether the relationship found for fluency are generalized to mathematics content beyond fluency in calculation. As a third aim, the domain specificity of the numerical effects was examined by analyzing whether they contribute to the development of reading skills, such as decoding fluency and reading comprehension, after controlling for general cognitive skills and phonological processing. Basic numerical capacities were evaluated in children of 3rd and 4th grades (n=49). Mathematics and reading achievements were assessed in these children one year later. Results showed that the size of the Subitizing Effect was a significant domain-specific predictor of fluency in calculation and also in curricular mathematics achievement, but not in reading skills, assessed at the end of elementary school. Furthermore, the size of the Counting Effect also predicted fluency in calculation, although this association only approached significance. These findings contrast with proposals that the core numerical competencies measured by enumeration will bear little relationship to mathematics achievement. We conclude that basic numerical capacities constitute domain-specific predictors and that they are not exclusively “start-up” tools for the acquisition of Mathematics; but they continue modulating this learning at the end of elementary school. PMID:24255710

  16. The Effect of Virtual versus Traditional Learning in Achieving Competency-Based Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mosalanejad, Leili; Shahsavari, Sakine; Sobhanian, Saeed; Dastpak, Mehdi

    2012-01-01

    Background: By rapid developing of the network technology, the internet-based learning methods are substituting the traditional classrooms making them expand to the virtual network learning environment. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of virtual systems on competency-based skills of first-year nursing students.…

  17. Simulated and Virtual Science Laboratory Experiments: Improving Critical Thinking and Higher-Order Learning Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simon, Nicole A.

    Virtual laboratory experiments using interactive computer simulations are not being employed as viable alternatives to laboratory science curriculum at extensive enough rates within higher education. Rote traditional lab experiments are currently the norm and are not addressing inquiry, Critical Thinking, and cognition throughout the laboratory experience, linking with educational technologies (Pyatt & Sims, 2007; 2011; Trundle & Bell, 2010). A causal-comparative quantitative study was conducted with 150 learners enrolled at a two-year community college, to determine the effects of simulation laboratory experiments on Higher-Order Learning, Critical Thinking Skills, and Cognitive Load. The treatment population used simulated experiments, while the non-treatment sections performed traditional expository experiments. A comparison was made using the Revised Two-Factor Study Process survey, Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, and the Scientific Attitude Inventory survey, using a Repeated Measures ANOVA test for treatment or non-treatment. A main effect of simulated laboratory experiments was found for both Higher-Order Learning, [F (1, 148) = 30.32,p = 0.00, eta2 = 0.12] and Critical Thinking Skills, [F (1, 148) = 14.64,p = 0.00, eta 2 = 0.17] such that simulations showed greater increases than traditional experiments. Post-lab treatment group self-reports indicated increased marginal means (+4.86) in Higher-Order Learning and Critical Thinking Skills, compared to the non-treatment group (+4.71). Simulations also improved the scientific skills and mastery of basic scientific subject matter. It is recommended that additional research recognize that learners' Critical Thinking Skills change due to different instructional methodologies that occur throughout a semester.

  18. Factors associated with pharmacy students' attitudes towards learning communication skills - A study among Nordic pharmacy students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Svensberg, Karin; Brandlistuen, Ragnhild Eek; Björnsdottir, Ingunn; Sporrong, Sofia Kälvemark

    2018-03-01

    Good communication skills are essential for pharmacy students to help patients with their medicines. Students' attitudes towards communication skills learning will influence their willingness to engage in communication training, and their skills when dealing with patients later on in their professional life. The aim of this study was to explore Nordic pharmacy students' attitudes to communication skills learning, and the associations between those attitudes and various student characteristics. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted in 11 Nordic pharmacy schools between April 2015 and January 2016. The overall response rate for the final study population was 77% (367 out of 479 students). Pharmacy students who had fulfilled all mandatory communication training and most of their pharmacy practical experience periods were included. The communication skills attitudes scale was the main outcome. Linear regression models were fitted with the outcome variable and various student characteristics as the predictors, using generalized estimating equations to account for clustering within pharmacy schools. Nordic pharmacy students in general have moderately positive attitudes towards learning communication skills. Positive attitudes towards learning communication skills among pharmacy students were associated with being female (β adjusted 0.42, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.63, p skills improvement (β adjusted 0.50, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.71, pskills are not the result of personality (β adjusted  -0.24, 95% CI -0.44 to -0.04, p=0.017). The study provides important information for faculty members responsible for curriculum improvements and teachers to refine their teaching of communication skills. From this, the teaching can be better tailored to suit different students. The students' chances of being able to effectively help patients in the future will be increased by that. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Enhancing Argumentative Writing Skill through Contextual Teaching and Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasani, Aceng

    2016-01-01

    This study aims to describe the influence of contextual learning model and critical thinking ability toward argumentative writing skill on university students. The population of the research was 147 university students, and 52 university students were used as sample with multi stage sampling. The results of the research indicate that; group of…

  20. An innovative blended learning approach using virtual patients as preparation for skills laboratory training: perceptions of students and tutors

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background Currently only a few reports exist on how to prepare medical students for skills laboratory training. We investigated how students and tutors perceive a blended learning approach using virtual patients (VPs) as preparation for skills training. Methods Fifth-year medical students (N=617) were invited to voluntarily participate in a paediatric skills laboratory with four specially designed VPs as preparation. The cases focused on procedures in the laboratory using interactive questions, static and interactive images, and video clips. All students were asked to assess the VP design. After participating in the skills laboratory 310 of the 617 students were additionally asked to assess the blended learning approach through established questionnaires. Tutors’ perceptions (N=9) were assessed by semi-structured interviews. Results From the 617 students 1,459 VP design questionnaires were returned (59.1%). Of the 310 students 213 chose to participate in the skills laboratory; 179 blended learning questionnaires were returned (84.0%). Students provided high overall acceptance ratings of the VP design and blended learning approach. By using VPs as preparation, skills laboratory time was felt to be used more effectively. Tutors perceived students as being well prepared for the skills laboratory with efficient uses of time. Conclusion The overall acceptance of the blended learning approach was high among students and tutors. VPs proved to be a convenient cognitive preparation tool for skills training. PMID:23402663

  1. Level of Soft Skill in the Implementation of Work-Based Learning among Community College Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Azita Binti

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The issue of graduate unemployment often crops up in the mass media; and more often than not, the discussions have centred on the failure of tertiary educational institutions to churn out quality graduates. Thus, the method of work-based learning (WBL is seen as a way to improve the soft skills of the graduates. The study was conducted using quantitative research survey; the design of the study used an adapted questionnaire as an instrument. Data were analysed using Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS version 20. The respondents consisted of 97 students who attended WBL programmes at a community college. Descriptive statistics was used to extract data from the questionnaires for the calculation of mean. The findings reveal that the level of soft skills among community college students was high, and they include these abilities: communication skills, problem-solving skills, learning and information management, professional ethics skills and leadership skills.

  2. The Effects of Computer Graphic Organizers on the Persuasive Writing of Hispanic Middle School Students with Specific Learning Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Unzueta, Caridad H.; Barbetta, Patricia M.

    2012-01-01

    A multiple baseline design investigated the effects of computer graphic organizers on the persuasive composition writing skills of four Hispanic students with specific learning disabilities. Participants reviewed the elements of persuasive writing and then developed compositions using a word processing program. Baseline planning was done with a…

  3. The comprehension skills of children learning English as an additional language.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burgoyne, K; Kelly, J M; Whiteley, H E; Spooner, A

    2009-12-01

    Data from national test results suggests that children who are learning English as an additional language (EAL) experience relatively lower levels of educational attainment in comparison to their monolingual, English-speaking peers. The relative underachievement of children who are learning EAL demands that the literacy needs of this group are identified. To this end, this study aimed to explore the reading- and comprehension-related skills of a group of EAL learners. Data are reported from 92 Year 3 pupils, of whom 46 children are learning EAL. Children completed standardized measures of reading accuracy and comprehension, listening comprehension, and receptive and expressive vocabulary. Results indicate that many EAL learners experience difficulties in understanding written and spoken text. These comprehension difficulties are not related to decoding problems but are related to significantly lower levels of vocabulary knowledge experienced by this group. Many EAL learners experience significantly lower levels of English vocabulary knowledge which has a significant impact on their ability to understand written and spoken text. Greater emphasis on language development is therefore needed in the school curriculum to attempt to address the limited language skills of children learning EAL.

  4. Peer assisted learning: teaching dental skills and enhancing graduate attributes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cameron, D A; Binnie, V I; Sherriff, A; Bissell, V

    2015-09-25

    This study describes a pilot project in which peer assisted learning (PAL) is used to teach dental clinical skills. A cluster randomised controlled trial compared opinions of Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) students from peer-led groups versus staff-led groups in a clinical (impression taking) and a pre-clinical (handpiece skills) task. BDS5 (peer tutors) in their final year delivered teaching to BDS1 (tutees) for each task. Quantitative data from tutees and the peer tutors was gathered from questionnaires, along with open written comments. PAL was well received by both tutees and peer tutors. BDS1 tutees rated BDS5 peer tutors highly for delivery of information, and level of feedback. The tutees considered peer tutors more approachable and less intimidating than staff. Peer tutors reported their own knowledge had increased as a result of teaching. In a summative OSCE (objective structured clinical examination) four months following the teaching, no statistical significant difference between the performance of peer-led and staff-led groups was found at stations related to the subject matter in question. It is argued that PAL, as well as being a useful method of delivering subject-specific teaching, is able to contribute to the development of graduate attributes.

  5. Learning trajectories for speech motor performance in children with specific language impairment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richtsmeier, Peter T; Goffman, Lisa

    2015-01-01

    Children with specific language impairment (SLI) often perform below expected levels, including on tests of motor skill and in learning tasks, particularly procedural learning. In this experiment we examined the possibility that children with SLI might also have a motor learning deficit. Twelve children with SLI and thirteen children with typical development (TD) produced complex nonwords in an imitation task. Productions were collected across three blocks, with the first and second blocks on the same day and the third block one week later. Children's lip movements while producing the nonwords were recorded using an Optotrak camera system. Movements were then analyzed for production duration and stability. Movement analyses indicated that both groups of children produced shorter productions in later blocks (corroborated by an acoustic analysis), and the rate of change was comparable for the TD and SLI groups. A nonsignificant trend for more stable productions was also observed in both groups. SLI is regularly accompanied by a motor deficit, and this study does not dispute that. However, children with SLI learned to make more efficient productions at a rate similar to their peers with TD, revealing some modification of the motor deficit associated with SLI. The reader will learn about deficits commonly associated with specific language impairment (SLI) that often occur alongside the hallmark language deficit. The authors present an experiment showing that children with SLI improved speech motor performance at a similar rate compared to typically developing children. The implication is that speech motor learning is not impaired in children with SLI. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Psychomotor skills acquisition of novice learners: a case for contextual learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeBourgh, Gregory A

    2011-01-01

    Deficiencies in procedural competency compromise patient safety and the quality of care provided. Educators in prelicensure nursing programs are challenged to design effective instruction to develop psychomotor skills abilities among novice learners. Highly contextualized learning and frequent opportunities for performance rehearsal promote knowledge retention and procedural competence. The author discusses data from an evaluation study that explored students' perceptions of the effectiveness of skills instruction and suggests strategies for curricular integration and effective instruction.

  7. A systematic review evaluating the impact of online or blended learning vs. face-to-face learning of clinical skills in undergraduate nurse education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCutcheon, Karen; Lohan, Maria; Traynor, Marian; Martin, Daphne

    2015-02-01

    To determine whether the use of an online or blended learning paradigm has the potential to enhance the teaching of clinical skills in undergraduate nursing. The need to adequately support and develop students in clinical skills is now arguably more important than previously considered due to reductions in practice opportunities. Online and blended teaching methods are being developed to try and meet this requirement, but knowledge about their effectiveness in teaching clinical skills is limited. Mixed methods systematic review, which follows the Joanna Briggs Institute User guide version 5. Computerized searches of five databases were undertaken for the period 1995-August 2013. Critical appraisal and data extraction were undertaken using Joanna Briggs Institute tools for experimental/observational studies and interpretative and critical research. A narrative synthesis was used to report results. Nineteen published papers were identified. Seventeen papers reported on online approaches and only two papers reported on a blended approach. The synthesis of findings focused on the following four areas: performance/clinical skill, knowledge, self-efficacy/clinical confidence and user experience/satisfaction. The e-learning interventions used varied throughout all the studies. The available evidence suggests that online learning for teaching clinical skills is no less effective than traditional means. Highlighted by this review is the lack of available evidence on the implementation of a blended learning approach to teaching clinical skills in undergraduate nurse education. Further research is required to assess the effectiveness of this teaching methodology. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Utilizing the Flipped Classroom, Simulation-Based Mastery Learning and Group Learning to Teach and Evaluate Lumbar Puncture Skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amanda Crichlow

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Audience: This lumbar puncture curriculum was developed and implemented to educate and evaluate incoming intern Emergency Medicine (EM residents. This curriculum can also be used to educate and evaluate senior medical students and senior residents. Introduction: Procedural competency is an important component of healthcare education. With the implementation of milestones, the need for valid assessment tools to determine procedural competency has increased. Simulation-based mastery learning (SBML with the incorporation of deliberate practice has been shown to be an effective way to teach and evaluate procedural skills.1-8 These studies, however, highlight one of the major barriers to successful integration of SBML into existing medical curricula: they require a significant investment of time. One reason for this is the performance of the pre-test evaluation of the learners’ procedure skills prior to commencement of training. Although necessary for research endeavors to evaluate curricula effectiveness, the need for pre-testing specifically on studies where the goal of the curricula is procedural competency, as measured by learners’ performance on the post-testing, has not been described. Consequently, we decided a more effective use of limited time was to allow our learners the opportunity for deliberate practice and conducting the post-test. Since the ultimate goal of our educational endeavors is to ensure that our learners achieve defined standards of performance, evaluation of their performance prior to training may not be necessary. Another reason for the significant time investment for SBML curricula is the utilization of individualized instruction with one facilitator providing corrective feedback to one learner. Although Cohen et al. reference the use of groups of learners for procedure training9, it is not explicitly delineated how the group instruction is conducted. In other disciplines, training team protocols such as dyad training

  9. Students interest in learning science through fieldwork activity encourage critical thinking and problem solving skills among UPSI pre-university students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jamil, Siti Zaheera Muhamad; Khairuddin, Raja Farhana Raja

    2017-05-01

    Graduates with good critical thinking and problem solving (CTPS) skills are likely to boost their employability to live in 21st century. The demands of graduates to be equipped with CTPS skills have shifted our education system in focusing on these elements in all levels of education, from primary, the secondary, and up to the tertiary education, by fostering interesting teaching and learning activities such as fieldwork activity in science classes. Despite the importance of the CTPS skills, little is known about whether students' interests in teaching and learning activities, such as fieldwork activity, have any influence on the students CTPS skills. Therefore, in this investigation, firstly to examine students interests in learning science through fieldwork activity. Secondly, this study examined whether the students' interest in learning science through fieldwork activity have affect on how the students employ CTPS skills. About 100 Diploma of Science students in Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) were randomly chosen to participate in this study. All of the participants completed a survey on how they find the fieldwork activity implemented in their science classes and it relevents towards their CTPS skills development. From our findings, majority of the students (91%) find that fieldwork activity is interesting and helpful in increasing their interest in learning science (learning factor) and accommodate their learning process (utility). Results suggest that students' interest on the fieldwork activity in science classes does have some influence on the students development of CTPS skills. The findings could be used as an initial guideline by incorporating students' interest on other teaching and learning activities that being implemented in science classes in order to know the impacts of these learning activities in enhancing their CTPS skills.

  10. Learning skills and academic performance in children and adolescents with absence epilepsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Talero-Gutiérrez, C; Sánchez-Torres, J M; Velez-van-Meerbeke, A

    2015-03-01

    Although cognitive and learning disorders have been described in patients with epilepsy, very few studies focus on specific disorders such as absence epilepsy. The aim of this study was to evaluate learning skills and academic performance in children and adolescents with absence epilepsy. Observational case-control study. Cases were chosen from the Central League against Epilepsy's clinic in Bogotá, Colombia. Controls were selected from a private school and matched with cases by age, school year, and sex. Medical history, seizure frequency, antiepileptic treatment, and academic performance were assessed. Academic abilities were tested with Batería de Aptitudes Diferenciales y Generales (BADyG) (a Spanish-language test of differential and general aptitudes). Data were analysed using Student t-test. The sample consisted of 19 cases and 19 controls aged between 7 and 16. In 15 patients, seizures were controlled; all patients had received antiepileptic medication at some point and 78.9% were actively being treated. Although cases had higher rates of academic failure, a greater incidence of grade retention, and more therapeutic interventions than controls, these differences were not significant. Similarly, there were no significant differences on the BADyG test, except for the immediate memory subcategory on which cases scored higher than controls (P=.0006). Children treated pharmacologically for absence epilepsy, whose seizures are controlled, have normal academic abilities and skills for their age. Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  11. Migration and validation of non-formal and informal learning in Europe: Inclusion, exclusion or polarisation in the recognition of skills?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souto-Otero, Manuel; Villalba-Garcia, Ernesto

    2015-10-01

    This article explores (1) the degree to which immigrants can be considered dominant groups in the area of validation of non-formal and informal learning and are subject to specific validation measures in 33 European countries; (2) whether country clusters can be identified within Europe with regard to the dominance of immigrants in the area of validation; and (3) whether validation systems are likely to lead to the inclusion of immigrants or foster a process of "devaluation" of their skills and competences in their host countries. Based on the European Inventory on validation of non- formal and informal learning project (chiefly its 2014 update) as well as a review of 124 EU-funded (Lifelong Learning Programme and European Social Fund) validation projects, the authors present the following findings: (1) in the majority of European countries, immigrants are not a dominant group in the area of validation. (2) In terms of country clusters, Central European and Nordic countries tend to consider immigrants a dominant target group for validation to a greater extent than Southern and Eastern European countries. (3) Finally, few initiatives aim to ensure that immigrants' skills and competences are not devalued in their host country, and those initiatives which are in place benefit particularly those defined as "highly skilled" individuals, on the basis of their productive potential. There is, thus, a "low road" and a "high road" to validation, leading to a process of polarisation in the recognition of the skills and competences of immigrants.

  12. Recognition of prior learning policy and practice for skills learned at work : Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, United States

    OpenAIRE

    Dyson, Chloe

    2005-01-01

    Describes ways and issues of recognizing skills learned in the workplace or through non-formal activities, as opposed to learning at formal educational and training institutions. Examines policies and practices carried out in five English-speaking countries.

  13. For Better or Worse? The Marriage of Key Skills Development and On-line Learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Norah; Fitzgibbon, Karen

    2002-01-01

    Analysis of the University of Glamorgan's electronic learning module on employability and professional development demonstrates the feasibility of teaching transferable, "soft" skills online. Advantages compared with face-to-face include transparency, flexibility, development of information technology skills, openness, and teamwork;…

  14. Early Boost and Slow Consolidation in Motor Skill Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hotermans, Christophe; Peigneux, Philippe; de Noordhout, Alain Maertens; Moonen, Gustave; Maquet, Pierre

    2006-01-01

    Motor skill learning is a dynamic process that continues covertly after training has ended and eventually leads to delayed increments in performance. Current theories suggest that this off-line improvement takes time and appears only after several hours. Here we show an early transient and short-lived boost in performance, emerging as early as…

  15. Peer Learning as a Tool to Strengthen Math Skills in Introductory Chemistry Laboratories

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srougi, Melissa C.; Miller, Heather B.

    2018-01-01

    Math skills vary greatly among students enrolled in introductory chemistry courses. Students with weak math skills (algebra and below) tend to perform poorly in introductory chemistry courses, which is correlated with increased attrition rates. Previous research has shown that retention of main ideas in a peer learning environment is greater when…

  16. A review of peer-assisted learning to deliver interprofessional supplementary image interpretation skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bain, P; Wareing, A; Henderson, I

    2017-09-01

    Peer-assisted learning provides a means through which individuals can learn from one another through a reciprocal process. Radiographic image interpretation skills are fundamental to both diagnostic radiography students and medical students due to their shared role in preliminary evaluation of conventional radiographic images. Medical students on graduation, may not be well prepared to carry out image interpretation, since evidence suggests that they perform less well than radiographers in e.g. Accident and Emergency situations. A review of literature was conducted exploring the application of peer-assisted learning within diagnostic radiography and health education more widely as well as the practice of initial image interpretation. An extensive and systematic search strategy was developed which provided a range of material related to the areas. An overview was obtained of the effectiveness of peer-assisted learning and the issues associated with development of image interpretation skills and a degree of discrepancy was identified between the two cohorts regarding their interpretative competence and confidence. This inconsistency may create an opportunity to apply peer-assisted learning, better preparing both disciplines for the practical application of image interpretation skills. The review identified the lack of a substantial evidence base relating to peer-assisted learning in radiography. Peer-assisted learning is not widely embraced in an interprofessional context. Multiple positive factors of such an intervention are identified which outweigh perceived negative issues. Student teacher and learner may benefit as should the clinical service from enhanced practitioner performance. The findings justify further research to develop the evidence base. Copyright © 2017 The College of Radiographers. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Mastering the soft skills in the implementation of work based learning among community college students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Azita Binti; Islamiah Rosli, Doria; Sujadi, Imam; Usodo, Budi; Adie Perdana, Fengky

    2017-01-01

    Emphasizing the aspects of soft skills among students is an important element to produce graduates who are competitive when facing any situations in the workplace. Various efforts have been taken by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia (MOHE) to improve the education system in Malaysia. Learning methods were introduced to ensure the education systems achieve the educational goals and to produce individuals who are well-balanced with spiritually, emotionally and physically. However, the issue of unemployment among graduates often being spoken in the community and it was regarded as a failure of educational institutions to produce quality graduates. Thus, the method of Work-Based Learning (WBL) was seen as a way to improve the soft skills among the graduates. The study was conducted using quantitative research survey as the design of the study used a questionnaire that was adapted as an instrument. Data were analysed using Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS) version 20.0. The respondents were consisted of 97 students who attended WBL programs at the community college. Data were obtained from questionnaires using descriptive statistics for the calculation of the mean and one-way ANOVA test. The findings of the level of soft skills among community colleges were high where the communication skills obtained (mean = 4.1218), critical and problem solving skills (mean = 4.0946), teamwork skills (mean = 4.2297), learning and information management (mean = 4.1219), entrepreneurial skills (mean = 4.0240), professional ethics and moral (mean = 3.9410) and leadership skills (mean = 4.2104). The findings also showed the differences in term of communication skills among the community colleges. This study was significant to the community colleges to identify the level of soft skills among students who performed WBL methods in order to reduce the number of unemployment.

  18. Promoting students’ mathematical problem-solving skills through 7e learning cycle and hypnoteaching model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saleh, H.; Suryadi, D.; Dahlan, J. A.

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this research was to find out whether 7E learning cycle under hypnoteaching model can enhance students’ mathematical problem-solving skill. This research was quasi-experimental study. The design of this study was pretest-posttest control group design. There were two groups of sample used in the study. The experimental group was given 7E learning cycle under hypnoteaching model, while the control group was given conventional model. The population of this study was the student of mathematics education program at one university in Tangerang. The statistical analysis used to test the hypothesis of this study were t-test and Mann-Whitney U. The result of this study show that: (1) The students’ achievement of mathematical problem solving skill who obtained 7E learning cycle under hypnoteaching model are higher than the students who obtained conventional model; (2) There are differences in the students’ enhancement of mathematical problem-solving skill based on students’ prior mathematical knowledge (PMK) category (high, middle, and low).

  19. A student-led process to enhance the learning and teaching of teamwork skills in medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balasooriya, Chinthaka; Olupeliyawa, Asela; Iqbal, Maha; Lawley, Claire; Cohn, Amanda; Ma, David; Luu, Queenie

    2013-01-01

    The development of teamwork skills is a critical aspect of modern medical education. This paper reports on a project that aimed to identify student perceptions of teamwork-focused learning activities and generate student recommendations for the development of effective educational strategies. The project utilized a unique method, which drew on the skills of student research assistants (RAs) to explore the views of their peers. Using structured interview guides, the RAs interviewed their colleagues to clarify their perceptions of the effectiveness of current methods of teamwork teaching and to explore ideas for more effective methods. The RAs shared their deidentified findings with each other, identified preliminary themes, and developed a number of recommendations which were finalized through consultation with faculty. The key themes that emerged focused on the need to clarify the relevance of teamwork skills to clinical practice, reward individual contributions to group process, facilitate feedback and reflection on teamwork skills, and systematically utilize clinical experiences to support experiential learning of teamwork. Based on these findings, a number of recommendations for stage appropriate teamwork learning and assessment activities were developed. Key among these were recommendations to set up a peer-mentoring system for students, suggestions for more authentic teamwork assessment methods, and strategies to utilize the clinical learning environment in developing teamwork skills. The student-led research process enabled identification of issues that may not have been otherwise revealed by students, facilitated a better understanding of teamwork teaching and developed ownership of the curriculum among students. The project enabled the development of recommendations for designing learning, teaching, and assessment methods that were likely to be more effective from a student perspective.

  20. Developing resident learning profiles: Do scientific evidence epistemology beliefs, EBM self-efficacy beliefs and EBM skills matter?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robert, Nancy J.

    This study investigated resident scientific evidence epistemology beliefs, evidence based medicine (EBM) self-efficacy beliefs, and EBM skills. A convenience sample of fifty-one residents located in six U.S. based residency programs completed an online instrument. Hofer's epistemology survey questionnaire was modified to test responses based on four types of scientific evidence encountered in medical practice (Clinical Trial Phase 1, Clinical Trial Phase 3, Meta-analysis and Qualitative). It was hypothesized that epistemology beliefs would differ based on the type of scientific evidence considered. A principal components analysis produced a two factor solution that was significant across type of scientific evidence suggesting that when evaluating epistemology beliefs context does matter. Factor 1 is related to the certainty of research methods and the certainty of medical conclusions and factor 2 denotes medical justification. For each type of scientific evidence, both factors differed on questions comprising the factor structure with significant differences found for the factor 1 and 2 questions. A justification belief case problem using checklist format was triangulated with the survey results, and as predicted the survey and checklist justification z scores indicated no significant differences, and two new justification themes emerged. Modified versions of Finney and Schraw's statistical self-efficacy and skill instruments produced expected significant EBM score correlations with unexpected results indicating that the number of EBM and statistics courses are not significant for EBM self-efficacy and skill scores. The study results were applied to the construction of a learning profile that provided residents belief and skill feedback specific to individual learning needs. The learning profile design incorporated core values related to 'Believer' populations that focus on art, harmony, tact and diplomacy. Future research recommendations include testing context

  1. Improvement of nursing students' critical thinking skills through problem-based learning in the People's Republic of China: a quasi-experimental study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Haobin; Kunaviktikul, Wipada; Klunklin, Areewan; Williams, Beverly A

    2008-03-01

    A quasi-experimental, two-group pretest-post-test design was conducted to examine the effect of problem-based learning on the critical thinking skills of 46 Year 2 undergraduate nursing students in the People's Republic of China. The California Critical Thinking Skills Test Form A, Chinese-Taiwanese version was used as both a pretest and as a post-test for a semester-long nursing course. There was no significant difference in critical thinking skills at pretest, whereas, significant differences in critical thinking skills existed between the problem-based learning and lecture groups at post-test. The problem-based learning students had a significantly greater improvement on the overall California Critical Thinking Skills Test, analysis, and induction subscale scores compared with the lecture students. Problem-based learning fostered nursing students' critical thinking skills.

  2. The role of critical thinking skills and learning styles of university students in their academic performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghazivakili, Zohre; Norouzi Nia, Roohangiz; Panahi, Faride; Karimi, Mehrdad; Gholsorkhi, Hayede; Ahmadi, Zarrin

    2014-07-01

    The Current world needs people who have a lot of different abilities such as cognition and application of different ways of thinking, research, problem solving, critical thinking skills and creativity. In addition to critical thinking, learning styles is another key factor which has an essential role in the process of problem solving. This study aimed to determine the relationship between learning styles and critical thinking of students and their academic performance in Alborz University of Medical Science. This cross-correlation study was performed in 2012, on 216 students of Alborz University who were selected randomly by the stratified random sampling. The data was obtained via a three-part questionnaire included demographic data, Kolb standardized questionnaire of learning style and California critical thinking standardized questionnaire. The academic performance of the students was extracted by the school records. The validity of the instruments was determined in terms of content validity, and the reliability was gained through internal consistency methods. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was found to be 0.78 for the California critical thinking questionnaire. The Chi Square test, Independent t-test, one way ANOVA and Pearson correlation test were used to determine relationship between variables. The Package SPSS14 statistical software was used to analyze data with a significant level of pstudents with convergent learning style have better performance than other groups. Also learning style had a relationship with age, gender, field of study, semester and job. The results about the critical thinking of the students showed that the mean of deductive reasoning and evaluation skills were higher than that of other skills and analytical skills had the lowest mean and there was a positive significant relationship between the students' performance with inferential skill and the total score of critical thinking skills (pskills and deductive reasoning had significant

  3. The relationship between mathematical problem-solving skills and self-regulated learning through homework behaviours, motivation, and metacognition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Çiğdem Özcan, Zeynep

    2016-04-01

    Studies highlight that using appropriate strategies during problem solving is important to improve problem-solving skills and draw attention to the fact that using these skills is an important part of students' self-regulated learning ability. Studies on this matter view the self-regulated learning ability as key to improving problem-solving skills. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between mathematical problem-solving skills and the three dimensions of self-regulated learning (motivation, metacognition, and behaviour), and whether this relationship is of a predictive nature. The sample of this study consists of 323 students from two public secondary schools in Istanbul. In this study, the mathematics homework behaviour scale was administered to measure students' homework behaviours. For metacognition measurements, the mathematics metacognition skills test for students was administered to measure offline mathematical metacognitive skills, and the metacognitive experience scale was used to measure the online mathematical metacognitive experience. The internal and external motivational scales used in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) test were administered to measure motivation. A hierarchic regression analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between the dependent and independent variables in the study. Based on the findings, a model was formed in which 24% of the total variance in students' mathematical problem-solving skills is explained by the three sub-dimensions of the self-regulated learning model: internal motivation (13%), willingness to do homework (7%), and post-problem retrospective metacognitive experience (4%).

  4. To observe or not to observe peers when learning physical examination skills; That is the question

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    B. Martineau (Bernard); S. Mamede (Silvia); C. St-Onge (Christina); R.M.J.P. Rikers (Remy); H.G. Schmidt (Henk)

    2013-01-01

    textabstractBackground: Learning physical examination skills is an essential element of medical education. Teaching strategies include practicing the skills either alone or in-group. It is unclear whether students benefit more from training these skills individually or in a group, as the latter

  5. The Effect of Integrated Learning-Teaching Approach on Reading Comprehension and Narration Skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ergün Hamzadayı

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated the effects of integrated learning-teaching approach on reading comprehension and narration skills. Considerations regarding how to overcome difficulties in the teaching of Turkish language through multi-theoretical perspectives have resulted in this approach to come into the existence. For the purpose of forming theoretical foundations of the research, behaviourist, cognitive and constructivist learning theories with their philosophical foundations were introduced, their principals and assumptions with regard to instructional design were compared, and their strengths and weakness were delineated. These considerations were then associated with the components of Turkish language program (content, objectives, teaching strategies and methods, assessment and that paved way for “integrative learning and teaching approach” to come into being. This study aimed to investigate whether there is a significant difference between the performance of the experimental group students who were exposed to integrative learning and teaching approach and that of control group students who were not exposed to integrative learning and teaching approach in terms of reading comprehension and written expression skills in Turkish language

  6. Developing students’ collaborative skills in interdisciplinary learning environments

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gnaur, Dorina; Svidt, Kjeld; Thygesen, Maria

    2015-01-01

    In the light of increasing demands on engineering curricula to integrate the development of professional skills in engineering education, this paper focuses on characteristics of effective educational environments and experiences for preparing students for future challenges by exploring ways...... in which professional learning is encouraged. The study is empirically grounded in a 3-day annual workshop that brings together students from all areas in the building sector including industry exponents to engage collaboratively in the processes of design and construction of a new building. The workshop...... is based on the principles of Building Information Modeling (BIM), which facilitate the coordination and collaboration between parties of a building design and construction team, and in this process, essential communication and interpersonal skills are mobilized and developed. Data about the students...

  7. Critical thinking skills profile of senior high school students in Biology learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saputri, A. C.; Sajidan; Rinanto, Y.

    2018-04-01

    Critical thinking is an important and necessary skill to confront the challenges of the 21st century. Critical thinking skills accommodate activities that can improve high-order thinking skills. This study aims to determine senior high school students' critical thinking skills in Biology learning. This research is descriptive research using instruments developed based on the core aspects of critical thinking skills according to Facione which include interpretation, analysis, evaluation, explanation, conclusion, and self-regulation. The subjects in this study were 297 students in grade 12 of a senior high school in Surakarta selected through purposive sampling technique. The results of this study showed that the students' critical thinking skills on evaluation and self-regulation are in good criterion with 78% and 66% acquisition while 52% interpretation, 56% analysis, 52% conclusion and 42% explanation indicate sufficient criteria. The conclusion from this research is that critical thinking skill of the students still was in enough category, so that needed a way to enhance it on some indicators.

  8. Learn, see, practice, prove, do, maintain: an evidence-based pedagogical framework for procedural skill training in medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sawyer, Taylor; White, Marjorie; Zaveri, Pavan; Chang, Todd; Ades, Anne; French, Heather; Anderson, JoDee; Auerbach, Marc; Johnston, Lindsay; Kessler, David

    2015-08-01

    Acquisition of competency in procedural skills is a fundamental goal of medical training. In this Perspective, the authors propose an evidence-based pedagogical framework for procedural skill training. The framework was developed based on a review of the literature using a critical synthesis approach and builds on earlier models of procedural skill training in medicine. The authors begin by describing the fundamentals of procedural skill development. Then, a six-step pedagogical framework for procedural skills training is presented: Learn, See, Practice, Prove, Do, and Maintain. In this framework, procedural skill training begins with the learner acquiring requisite cognitive knowledge through didactic education (Learn) and observation of the procedure (See). The learner then progresses to the stage of psychomotor skill acquisition and is allowed to deliberately practice the procedure on a simulator (Practice). Simulation-based mastery learning is employed to allow the trainee to prove competency prior to performing the procedure on a patient (Prove). Once competency is demonstrated on a simulator, the trainee is allowed to perform the procedure on patients with direct supervision, until he or she can be entrusted to perform the procedure independently (Do). Maintenance of the skill is ensured through continued clinical practice, supplemented by simulation-based training as needed (Maintain). Evidence in support of each component of the framework is presented. Implementation of the proposed framework presents a paradigm shift in procedural skill training. However, the authors believe that adoption of the framework will improve procedural skill training and patient safety.

  9. Medical Students Teaching Medical Students Surgical Skills: The Benefits of Peer-Assisted Learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennett, Samuel Robert; Morris, Simon Rhys; Mirza, Salman

    2018-04-10

    Teaching surgical skills is a labor intensive process, requiring a high tutor to student ratio for optimal success, and teaching for undergraduate students by consultant surgeons is not always feasible. A surgical skills course was developed, with the aim of assessing the effectiveness of undergraduate surgical peer-assisted learning. Five surgical skills courses were conducted looking at eight domains in surgery, led by foundation year doctors and senior medical students, with a tutor to student ratio of 1:4. Precourse and postcourse questionnaires (Likert scales 0-10) were completed. Mean scores were compared precourse and postcourse. Surgical skills courses took place within clinical skills rooms in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (UK). Seventy students (59 medical, 2 dental, and 9 physician associate students) from a range of academic institutions across the UK completed the course. There was an overall increase in mean scores across all eight domains. Mean improvement score precourse and postcourse in WHO surgical safety checklist (+3.94), scrubbing (+2.99), gowning/gloving (+3.34), knot tying (+5.53), interrupted sutures (+5.89), continuous sutures (+6.53), vertical mattress sutures (+6.46), and local anesthesia (+3.73). Peer-assisted learning is an effective and feasible method for teaching surgical skills in a controlled environment, subsequently improving confidence among healthcare undergraduates. Such teaching may provide the basis for feasibly mass-producing surgical skills courses for healthcare students. Copyright © 2018 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. The Relationship between Mathematical Problem-Solving Skills and Self-Regulated Learning through Homework Behaviours, Motivation, and Metacognition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Özcan, Zeynep Çigdem

    2016-01-01

    Studies highlight that using appropriate strategies during problem solving is important to improve problem-solving skills and draw attention to the fact that using these skills is an important part of students' self-regulated learning ability. Studies on this matter view the self-regulated learning ability as key to improving problem-solving…

  11. Executive Functioning and Learning Skills of Adolescent Children Born at Fewer than 26 Weeks of Gestation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A Farooqi

    neurodevelopmental disabilities. Even mild to moderate executive dysfunctions has a significant impact on learning skills. These findings suggest the need for timely interventions that address specific cognitive vulnerabilities and executive dysfunctions.

  12. Specific Cognitive Predictors of Early Math Problem Solving

    Science.gov (United States)

    Decker, Scott L.; Roberts, Alycia M.

    2015-01-01

    Development of early math skill depends on a prerequisite level of cognitive development. Identification of specific cognitive skills that are important for math development may not only inform instructional approaches but also inform assessment approaches to identifying children with specific learning problems in math. This study investigated the…

  13. Posttraining transcranial magnetic stimulation of striate cortex disrupts consolidation early in visual skill learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Weerd, Peter; Reithler, Joel; van de Ven, Vincent; Been, Marin; Jacobs, Christianne; Sack, Alexander T

    2012-02-08

    Practice-induced improvements in skilled performance reflect "offline " consolidation processes extending beyond daily training sessions. According to visual learning theories, an early, fast learning phase driven by high-level areas is followed by a late, asymptotic learning phase driven by low-level, retinotopic areas when higher resolution is required. Thus, low-level areas would not contribute to learning and offline consolidation until late learning. Recent studies have challenged this notion, demonstrating modified responses to trained stimuli in primary visual cortex (V1) and offline activity after very limited training. However, the behavioral relevance of modified V1 activity for offline consolidation of visual skill memory in V1 after early training sessions remains unclear. Here, we used neuronavigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) directed to a trained retinotopic V1 location to test for behaviorally relevant consolidation in human low-level visual cortex. Applying TMS to the trained V1 location within 45 min of the first or second training session strongly interfered with learning, as measured by impaired performance the next day. The interference was conditional on task context and occurred only when training in the location targeted by TMS was followed by training in a second location before TMS. In this condition, high-level areas may become coupled to the second location and uncoupled from the previously trained low-level representation, thereby rendering consolidation vulnerable to interference. Our data show that, during the earliest phases of skill learning in the lowest-level visual areas, a behaviorally relevant form of consolidation exists of which the robustness is controlled by high-level, contextual factors.

  14. Improving Junior High Schools’ Critical Thinking Skills Based on Test Three Different Models of Learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nur Miftahul Fuad

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The aims of this study were (1 to find out the differences in critical thinking skills among students who were given three different learning models: differentiated science inquiry combined with mind map, differentiated science inquiry model, and conventional model, (2 to find out the differences of critical thinking skills among male and female students. This study is a quasi-experimental research with pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group design. The population in this research is the seventh grade students of junior high schools in Kediri, Indonesia. The sample of the research is in the number of 96 students distributed in three classes at different schools. The data of critical thinking skills are gained from test scores and then analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics through ANCOVA. The results of research revealed that there are different skills in critical thinking in different models. The highest skills in critical thinking are reached by students who were given differentiated science inquiry model combined with mind map in their learning. There are also differences in critical thinking skills between male and female students.

  15. Forensic learning disability nursing skills and competencies: a study of forensic and non-forensic nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mason, Tom; Phipps, Dianne

    2010-11-01

    This paper reports on an investigation into the skills and competencies of forensic learning disability nurses in the United Kingdom. The two sample populations were forensic learning disability nurses from the high, medium, and low secure psychiatric services and non-forensic learning disability nurses from generic services. An information gathering schedule was used to collect the data; of 1200 schedules, 643 were returned for a response rate of 53.5%. The data identified the "top ten" problems that forensic learning disability nurses may encounter, the skills and competencies necessary to overcome them, and the areas that need to be developed in the future. The results indicated that the forensic learning disability nurses tended to focus on the physical aspects to the role whilst the non-forensic learning disability nurses tended to perceive the forensic role in relational terms. This has implications for practice, policy, and procedures.

  16. From E-learning to Blended Learning

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Line Skov; Hansen, Ole

    2013-01-01

    . The project uses a ?capacity building strategy where new practice and skills are built through pedagogical interventions mostly designed as courses based on blended learning with a dialogue oriented and practice related team-work as an important part. Through this work the team learns how to use a specific...

  17. Retention of fundamental surgical skills learned in robot-assisted surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suh, Irene H; Mukherjee, Mukul; Shah, Bhavin C; Oleynikov, Dmitry; Siu, Ka-Chun

    2012-12-01

    Evaluation of the learning curve for robotic surgery has shown reduced errors and decreased task completion and training times compared with regular laparoscopic surgery. However, most training evaluations of robotic surgery have only addressed short-term retention after the completion of training. Our goal was to investigate the amount of surgical skills retained after 3 months of training with the da Vinci™ Surgical System. Seven medical students without any surgical experience were recruited. Participants were trained with a 4-day training program of robotic surgical skills and underwent a series of retention tests at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months post-training. Data analysis included time to task completion, speed, distance traveled, and movement curvature by the instrument tip. Performance of the participants was graded using the modified Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) for robotic surgery. Participants filled out a survey after each training session by answering a set of questions. Time to task completion and the movement curvature was decreased from pre- to post-training and the performance was retained at all the corresponding retention periods: 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months. The modified OSATS showed improvement from pre-test to post-test and this improvement was maintained during all the retention periods. Participants increased in self-confidence and mastery in performing robotic surgical tasks after training. Our novel comprehensive training program improved robot-assisted surgical performance and learning. All trainees retained their fundamental surgical skills for 3 months after receiving the training program.

  18. Cultivating ICT Students' Interpersonal Soft Skills in Online Learning Environments Using Traditional Active Learning Techniques

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myers, Trina S.; Blackman, Anna; Andersen, Trevor; Hay, Rachel; Lee, Ickjai; Gray, Heather

    2014-01-01

    Flexible online delivery of tertiary ICT programs is experiencing rapid growth. Creating an online environment that develops team building and interpersonal skills is difficult due to factors such as student isolation and the individual-centric model of online learning that encourages discrete study rather than teamwork. Incorporating teamwork…

  19. Developing Pharmacy Student Communication Skills through Role-Playing and Active Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeszotarski, Paula; Ma, Carolyn

    2015-01-01

    Objective. To evaluate the impact on pharmacy students of a communication course, which used role-playing to develop active-learning skills. Design. Students role-playing pharmacists in patient care scenarios were critiqued by students and pharmacist faculty members. Grading was performed using the rubric inspired by Bruce Berger’s Communication Skills for Pharmacists. Written skills were evaluated using student written critique questionnaires. Students completed precourse and postcourse self-assessment surveys. Preceptor evaluations were analyzed for course impact. Assessment. Students demonstrated improvement in oral skills based on role-play scores (45.87/50) after practice sessions. The average score based on the student questionnaire was 9.31/10. Gain was demonstrated in all defined course objectives. Impact on introductory pharmacy practice experience (IPPE) communication objectives was insignificant. Student evaluations for course and teaching strategy reflected a high average. Conclusion. Study results demonstrated improvement in oral and written communication skills that may help improve interprofessional teamwork between pharmacists and other health care providers. PMID:25995519

  20. Developing pharmacy student communication skills through role-playing and active learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luiz Adrian, Julie Ann; Zeszotarski, Paula; Ma, Carolyn

    2015-04-25

    To evaluate the impact on pharmacy students of a communication course, which used role-playing to develop active-learning skills. Students role-playing pharmacists in patient care scenarios were critiqued by students and pharmacist faculty members. Grading was performed using the rubric inspired by Bruce Berger's Communication Skills for Pharmacists. Written skills were evaluated using student written critique questionnaires. Students completed precourse and postcourse self-assessment surveys. Preceptor evaluations were analyzed for course impact. Students demonstrated improvement in oral skills based on role-play scores (45.87/50) after practice sessions. The average score based on the student questionnaire was 9.31/10. Gain was demonstrated in all defined course objectives. Impact on introductory pharmacy practice experience (IPPE) communication objectives was insignificant. Student evaluations for course and teaching strategy reflected a high average. Study results demonstrated improvement in oral and written communication skills that may help improve interprofessional teamwork between pharmacists and other health care providers.

  1. Improving Self-Concept and Learning Skills of Marginal Black Students: A Seminar Approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, Woodroe M.; And Others

    1979-01-01

    Presents an eight-session seminar designed to increase participants' study skills and to redefine participants' self-concepts from those characterized by feelings of inadequacy and frustration to concepts of selves as competent and capable. Learning strategies, two-way communication, learning styles, note making, test taking, vocational planning,…

  2. A Literature Review on Observational Learning for Medical Motor Skills and Anesthesia Teaching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cordovani, Ligia; Cordovani, Daniel

    2016-01-01

    Motor skill practice is very important to improve performance of medical procedures and could be enhanced by observational practice. Observational learning could be particularly important in the medical field considering that patients' safety prevails over students' training. The mechanism of observational learning is based on the mirror neuron…

  3. The Development of English Language Teaching Skills for Graduate Students through the Process of Learning by Doing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Likitrattanaporn, Wannakarn

    2017-01-01

    The purposes of this investigation were (1) to examine the findings of effectiveness of the process of learning-by-doing; (2) to develop students' skill of designing English teaching materials and teaching English language; and (3) to determine an efficient format of learning-by-doing used for training student-teachers in the skill of teaching…

  4. The effect of testing on skills learning

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kromann, Charles B; Jensen, Morten L; Ringsted, Charlotte

    2009-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: In addition to the extrinsic effects of assessment and examinations on students' study habits, testing can have an intrinsic effect on the memory of studied material. Whether this testing effect also applies to skills learning is not known. However, this is especially interesting...... a prospective, controlled, randomised, single-blind, post-test-only intervention study, preceded by a similar pre- and post-test pilot study in order to make a power calculation. A total of 140 medical students participating in a mandatory 4-hour in-hospital resuscitation course in the seventh semester were...

  5. The role of critical thinking skills and learning styles of university students in their academic performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    GHAZIVAKILI, ZOHRE; NOROUZI NIA, ROOHANGIZ; PANAHI, FARIDE; KARIMI, MEHRDAD; GHOLSORKHI, HAYEDE; AHMADI, ZARRIN

    2014-01-01

    Introduction: The Current world needs people who have a lot of different abilities such as cognition and application of different ways of thinking, research, problem solving, critical thinking skills and creativity. In addition to critical thinking, learning styles is another key factor which has an essential role in the process of problem solving. This study aimed to determine the relationship between learning styles and critical thinking of students and their academic performance in Alborz University of Medical Science. Methods: This cross-correlation study was performed in 2012, on 216 students of Alborz University who were selected randomly by the stratified random sampling. The data was obtained via a three-part questionnaire included demographic data, Kolb standardized questionnaire of learning style and California critical thinking standardized questionnaire. The academic performance of the students was extracted by the school records. The validity of the instruments was determined in terms of content validity, and the reliability was gained through internal consistency methods. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was found to be 0.78 for the California critical thinking questionnaire. The Chi Square test, Independent t-test, one way ANOVA and Pearson correlation test were used to determine relationship between variables. The Package SPSS14 statistical software was used to analyze data with a significant level of pcritical thinking of the students showed that the mean of deductive reasoning and evaluation skills were higher than that of other skills and analytical skills had the lowest mean and there was a positive significant relationship between the students’ performance with inferential skill and the total score of critical thinking skills (pcritical thinking had significant difference between different learning styles. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the learning styles, critical thinking and academic performance are significantly associated

  6. Case Study: Use of Problem-Based Learning to Develop Students' Technical and Professional Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warnock, James N.; Mohammadi-Aragh, M. Jean

    2016-01-01

    Problem-based learning (PBL) is a pedagogy that has attracted attention for many biomedical engineering curricula. The aim of the current study was to address the research question, "Does PBL enable students to develop desirable professional engineering skills?" The desirable skills identified were communication, teamwork, problem…

  7. Improvement of Student Critical Thinking Skills with the Natural Product Mini Project Laboratory Learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aliefman Hakim

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This research aims to investigate effect of learning using natural product mini project laboratory on students’ critical thinking skills. The research was conducted on sixth semester of 59 students of chemistry and chemistry education program from one of the state universities in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia in 2012/2013. This research revealed class where the student learn using natural product mini project laboratory had more critical thinking skills than those using verification laboratory. The average n-gain of critical thinking skills for experiment class was 0.58 while for the control class was 0.37. The highest n-gain in the experiment class was 0.70 for “deciding on an action (selecting criteria to judge possible solutions indicators”, while the smallest n-gain was 0.47 for “the making and judging value of judgments (balancing, weighing, and deciding indicators. We concluded that the natural product mini project laboratory was better than verification laboratory in improving the students’ critical thinking skills.

  8. The Effects of Reflective Activities on Skill Adaptation in a Work-Related Instrumental Learning Setting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roessger, Kevin M.

    2014-01-01

    In work-related instrumental learning contexts, the role of reflective activities is unclear. Kolb's experiential learning theory and Mezirow's transformative learning theory predict skill adaptation as an outcome. This prediction was tested by manipulating reflective activities and assessing participants' response and error rates during novel…

  9. [Motor capacities involved in the psychomotor skills of the cardiopulmonary resuscitation technique: recommendations for the teaching-learning process].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miyadahira, A M

    2001-12-01

    It is a bibliographic study about the identification of the motor capacities involved in the psychomotor skills of the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) which aims to obtain subsidies to the planning of the teaching-learning process of this skill. It was found that: the motor capacities involved in the psychomotor skill of the CPR technique are predominantly cognitive and motor, involving 9 perceptive-motor capacities and 8 physical proficiency capacities. The CPR technique is a psychomotor skill classified as open, done in series and categorized as a thin and global skill and the teaching-learning process of the CPR technique has an elevated degree of complexity.

  10. Curriculum learning designs: teaching health assessment skills for advanced nursing practitioners through sustainable flexible learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fitzgerald, Les; Wong, Pauline; Hannon, John; Solberg Tokerud, Marte; Lyons, Judith

    2013-10-01

    Innovative curriculum designs are vital for effective learning in contemporary nursing education where traditional modes of delivery are not adequate to meet the learning needs of postgraduate students. This instance of postgraduate teaching in a distributed learning environment offered the opportunity to design a flexible learning model for teaching advanced clinical skills. To present a sustainable model for flexible learning that enables specialist nurses to gain postgraduate qualifications without on-campus class attendance by teaching and assessing clinical health care skills in an authentic workplace setting. An action research methodology was used to gather evidence and report on the process of curriculum development of a core unit, Comprehensive Health Assessment (CHA), within 13 different postgraduate speciality courses. Qualitative data was collected from 27 teaching academics, 21 clinical specialist staff, and 7 hospital managers via interviews, focus groups and journal reflections. Evaluations from the initial iteration of CHA from 36 students were obtained. Data was analyzed to develop and evaluate the curriculum design of CHA. The key factors indicated by participants in the curriculum design process were coordination and structuring of teaching and assessment; integration of content development; working with technologies, balancing specialities and core knowledge; and managing induction and expectations. A set of recommendations emerged as a result of the action research process. These included: a constructive alignment approach to curriculum design; the production of a facilitator's guide that specifies expectations and unit information for academic and clinical education staff; an agreed template for content authors; and the inclusion of synchronous communication for real-time online tutoring. The highlight of the project was that it built curriculum design capabilities of clinicians and students which can sustain this alternative model of online

  11. Hard and Soft Skills Enhancement in Entrepreunership Learning for the Twelfth Grade Students of SMK Kartika IV-1 Malang

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayuningtyas, Lidya Pradina; Djatmika, Ery Tri; Wardana, Ludi Wishnu

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to describe the following things: (1) contributions of both hard and soft skills in entrepreneurship learning in SMK Kartika IV-1 Malang; (2) how to increase hard and soft skills on entrepreneurship learning in SMK Kartika IV-1 Malang; and (3) the purpose hard and the soft skills. The research findings showed that: (1)…

  12. Invention activities as preparation for learning laboratory data handling skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Day, James

    2012-10-01

    Undergraduate physics laboratories are often driven by a mix of goals, and usually enough of them to cause cognitive overload for the student. Our recent findings align well with studies indicating that students often exit a physics lab without having properly learned how to handle real data. The value of having students explore the underlying structure of a problem before being able to solve it has been shown as an effective way to ready students for learning. Borrowing on findings from the fields of education and cognitive psychology, we use ``invention activities'' to precede direct instruction and bolster learning. In this talk I will show some of what we have learned about students' data handling skills, explain how an invention activity works, and share some observations of successful transfer.

  13. Programme to encourage the development of fine motor skills with a girl with developmental delay

    OpenAIRE

    Ivančič, Urška

    2017-01-01

    Movement plays an important role in the integral development of a child. Good motor skills facilitate learning and thus they consequently have a positive impact on improved learning success. The theoretical part presents the importance and role of gross motor skills and its relationship to the development of fine motor skills. More specifically, we have focused on the following: the course of development of fine motor skills, the impact fine motor skills have on the child and we have also loo...

  14. The Effect of Guided Inquiry Learning with Mind Map to Science Process Skills and Learning Outcomes of Natural Sciences

    OpenAIRE

    Hilman .

    2015-01-01

    Pengaruh Pembelajaran Inkuiri Terbimbing dengan Mind Map terhadap Keterampilan Proses Sains dan Hasil Belajar IPA   Abstract: Science learning in junior high school aims to enable students conducts scientific inquiry, improves knowledge, concepts, and science skills. Organization materials for students supports learning process so that needs to be explored techniques that allows students to enable it. This study aimed to determine the effect of guided inquiry learning with mind map on...

  15. Critical thinking skills profile of high school students in learning chemistry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Budi Utami

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Critical thinking skill is the priority in the goals of education. In this case, the critical thinking has the higher process, such as analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating, drawing conclusion and reflecting which enables the individual to make the reasonable assessment both in the classroom and in the daily life.  This research is aimed to determine the students’ critical thinking skill in learning Chemistry at senior high school. This research used descriptive method in which the instruments were developed based on the indicators of critical thinking skill. The population of this research was 100 students of tenth, eleventh and twelfth grade from senior high schools in Surakarta which was chosen using cluster random sampling technique. The result of the research shows that the students of tenth, eleventh and twelfth grade have adequate critical thinking skills.

  16. A learning skills course for the 1st year medical students: an experience at a Saudi medical school

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siddiqui IA

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Imran A Siddiqui,1 Khalid A Bin Abdulrahman,2 Mohammed A Alsultan3 1Department of Medical Education and Postgraduate Studies, Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2College of Medicine, Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Background: Every year nearly 1,500 students enter into medical program after passing high school and national aptitude exams. However, many students experience frustration, failure, and psychological morbidities like stress, depression, and anxiety because they are not aware of their learning styles or do not have effective learning skills and strategies. The College of Medicine of Al-Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University has adopted the outcome based, community oriented, Spiral Curriculum. Although the curriculum is innovative, on the other hand, it is very demanding. Objective: The purpose of this paper is to share educational structure and evaluation results of the course on effective learning and study skills for the 1st year medical students. Methods: To prepare our students in order to cope with this demanding but promising curriculum, we conducted an effective and comprehensive learning skills course for 16 weeks in the first semester of year 1 in the medical program. Performance of each student was assessed and the course evaluation was done by students at the end of the course. Results: The attendance of the students throughout the course was over 90%. The average performance of students in the summative assessment was 78% and the course was generally liked by the students. Discussion: Students overall had a positive attitude toward the learning skills course. Majority of the students showed interest in attending the sessions regularly and realized the significance of this course to improve their learning skills. Keywords: medical students, learning

  17. Examining the Potential of Web-Based Multimedia to Support Complex Fine Motor Skill Learning: An Empirical Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papastergiou, Marina; Pollatou, Elisana; Theofylaktou, Ioannis; Karadimou, Konstantina

    2014-01-01

    Research on the utilization of the Web for complex fine motor skill learning that involves whole body movements is still scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the introduction of a multimedia web-based learning environment, which was targeted at a rhythmic gymnastics routine consisting of eight fine motor skills, into an…

  18. Minority Languages Learned Informally: The Social Construction of Language Skills through the Discourse of Ontario Employers. NALL Working Paper.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldberg, Michelle; Corson, David

    Many immigrants, refugees, and aboriginal Canadians learn their own languages in the normal, informal way. These minority languages learned informally are not valued as a skill that yields returns in the labor market in the same way the official languages or formally learned languages do. What counts as a skill in a society, in a given point in…

  19. Transfer of Juggling Skills Acquired in a Virtual Environment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hauge, Alex Patrick; Kragegaard, Christian Skriver; Kjæhr, Emil Bering

    2013-01-01

    This paper explores whether motoric skills acquired within a virtual training environment can be successfully transferred to the real world by comparing a virtual environment with a traditional learning environment. Specifically, a system for learning juggling with virtual balls was designed with...

  20. Learning Styles and Problem Solving Skills of Turkish Prospective Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gencel, Ilke Evin

    2015-01-01

    Global changes in educational discourse have an impact on educational systems, so teacher education programs need to be transformed to better train teachers and to contribute to their professional development. In this process learning styles and problem solving skills should be considered as individual differences which have an impact in…

  1. Long lasting structural changes in primary motor cortex after motor skill learning: a behavioural and stereological study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    PAOLA MORALES

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Many motor skills, once acquired, are stored over a long time period, probably sustained by permanent neuronal changes. Thus, in this paper we have investigated with quantitative stereology the generation and persistence of neuronal density changes in primary motor cortex (MI following motor skill learning (skilled reaching task. Rats were trained a lateralised reaching task during an "early" (22-31 days oíd or "late" (362-371 days oíd postnatal period. The trained and corresponding control rats were sacrificed at day 372, immediately after the behavioural testing. The "early" trained group preserved the learned skilled reaching task when tested at day 372, without requiring any additional training. The "late" trained group showed a similar capacity to that of the "early" trained group for learning the skilled reaching task. All trained animáis ("early" and "late" trained groups showed a significant Ínter hemispheric decrease of neuronal density in the corresponding motor forelimb representation área of MI (cortical layers II-III

  2. Mathematical Skills and Motor Life Skills in Toddlers: Do Differences in Mathematical Skills Reflect Differences in Motor Skills?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reikerås, Elin; Moser, Thomas; Tønnessen, Finn Egil

    2017-01-01

    This study examines possible relations between early mathematical skills and motor life skills in 450 toddlers aged two years and nine months. The study employs baseline data from the longitudinal Stavanger Project--The Learning Child. The children's mathematical skills and motor life skills were assessed by structured observation in the natural…

  3. Case-based learning in endocrine physiology: an approach toward self-directed learning and the development of soft skills in medical students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gade, Shubhada; Chari, Suresh

    2013-12-01

    The Medical Council of India, in the recent Vision 2015 document, recommended curricular reforms for undergraduates. Case-based learning (CBL) is one method where students are motivated toward self-directed learning and to develop analytic and problem-solving skills. An overview of thyroid physiology was given in a didactic lecture. A paper-based case scenario of multinodular goiter was given to phase I Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery students in two sessions. An attitude survey of the students and teachers was done using a Likert scale ranging from strongly disagrees to strongly agree. A pretest and posttest were conducted. The students opined that CBL helped them to better their understanding of a particular topic, gave them better retention of knowledge, helped them to relate clinical conditions to basic sciences, improved soft skills such as communication skills and group dynamics, and promoted a better teacher-student relationship. There was significant improvement in student's performance when pre- and posttest scores were compared (P = 0.018). Furthermore, faculty members opined that CBL promoted self-study and problem-solving abilities of the students. In conclusion, CBL motivates students toward self-directed learning and to develop analytic and problem-solving skills; thus, CBL could be beneficial for students' entry into clinical departments and, finally, in managing patients.

  4. The relationships between gross motor coordination and sport-specific skills in adolescent non-athletes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chagas Daniel V

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. While the usefulness of gross motor coordination score as predictor of sports performance in young athletes has been demonstrated, practical applications in the settings where the focus is not on elite performance is limited. Further, little is known about the extent to which gross motor coordination score is associated with sport-specific skills among adolescent nonathletes. The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between the degree of gross motor coordination and execution in specific volleyball tests among adolescent non-athletes. Methods. The total of 34 students (27 females and 7 males aged 13-14 years who regularly participated in volleyball during physical education classes were randomly recruited. Gross motor coordination was assessed with the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder. Motor performance on volley-specific skills was indicated by two product-oriented tasks: volleyball under service and service reception. Correlation and linear regression analyses were applied to examine the associations between motor coordination scores and motor performance in volley-specific skills. Results. Motor coordination score was positively correlated with motor performance on specific skills (r = 0.503, p = 0.02. Linear regression analysis revealed that motor coordination score accounted for 23% of the variance in the motor performance on volleyball skills (R2 = 0.253, R2 adjusted = 0.230, F = 10.836, p = 0.02. Conclusions. The degree of gross motor coordination seems to play a significant role in the execution of specific volleyball tasks.

  5. Final-year veterinary students' perceptions of their communication competencies and a communication skills training program delivered in a primary care setting and based on Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meehan, Michael P; Menniti, Marie F

    2014-01-01

    Veterinary graduates require effective communication skills training to successfully transition from university into practice. Although the literature has supported the need for veterinary student communication skills training programs, there is minimal research using learning theory to design programs and explore students' perceptions of such programs. This study investigated veterinary students' perceptions of (1) their communication skills and (2) the usefulness of a communication skills training program designed with Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) as a framework and implemented in a primary care setting. Twenty-nine final-year veterinary students from the Ontario Veterinary College attended a 3-week communication skills training rotation. Pre- and post-training surveys explored their communication objectives, confidence in their communication skills, and the usefulness of specific communication training strategies. The results indicated that both before and after training, students were most confident in building rapport, displaying empathy, recognizing how bonded a client is with his or her pet, and listening. They were least confident in managing clients who were angry or not happy with the charges and who monopolized the appointment. Emotionally laden topics, such as breaking bad news and managing euthanasia discussions, were also identified as challenging and in need of improvement. Interactive small-group discussions and review of video-recorded authentic client appointments were most valuable for their learning and informed students' self-awareness of their non-verbal communication. These findings support the use of Kolb's ELT as a theoretical framework and of video review and reflection to guide veterinary students' learning of communication skills in a primary care setting.

  6. How Mathematics Teachers Develop Their Pupils' Self-Regulated Learning Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marchis, Iuliana

    2011-01-01

    Self-regulated learning skills are important in mathematical problem solving. The aim of the paper is to present a research on how mathematics teachers guide their pupils' mathematical problem-solving activities in order to increase self-regulation. 62 teachers have filled in a questionnaire developed for this research. The results are show that…

  7. Academic Progress Depending on the Skills and Qualities of Learning in Students of a Business School

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Jesús, Araiza Vázquez María; Claudia, Dörfer; Rosalinda, Castillo Corpus

    2015-01-01

    This research was to establish the relationship between qualities of learning; learning skills and academic performance in undergraduate students. 310 undergraduates participated in this research of which 72% are female and 28% male. All responded Scale Learning Strategies of Roman and Gallego (1994) and Questionnaire Learning Styles of…

  8. A Model of e-Learning by Constructivism Approach Using Problem-Based Learning to Develop Thinking Skills for Students in Rajaghat University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shutimarrungson, Werayut; Pumipuntu, Sangkom; Noirid, Surachet

    2014-01-01

    This research aimed to develop a model of e-learning by using Problem-Based Learning--PBL to develop thinking skills for students in Rajabhat University. The research is divided into three phases through the e-learning model via PBL with Constructivism approach as follows: Phase 1 was to study characteristics and factors through the model to…

  9. The use of scientific direct instruction model with video learning of ethnoscience to improve students’ critical thinking skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sudarmin, S.; Mursiti, S.; Asih, A. G.

    2018-04-01

    In this disruption era, students are encouraged to develop critical thinking skills and important cultural conservation characters. Student's thinking skill in chemistry learning has not been developed because learning chemistry in schools still uses teacher-centered, lecture method, is less interesting and does not utilize local culture as a learning resource. The purpose of this research is to know the influence of the application of direct Instruction (DI) model with video learning of ethnoscience on the improvement of students’ critical thinking skills. This study was experimental research. The population was the students from class XI MIPA MA Negeri Gombong with the sample chosen by purposive random sampling. The material of local wisdom as the study of ethnosciences which was the focus of the research was the production of genting, dawet, lanting, and sempor reservoirs which is integrated with colloidal chemical contents. The learning video of ethnoscience before being applied was validated by experts. Students’ critical thinking skills were revealed through the concept of conceptualizing test instruments. The data analysis technique used was the test of proportion and Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The results of this study suggested that the experimental class that was treated by scientific direct instruction model with the learning video of ethnoscience shows cognitive learning and critical thinking which were better than the control class. Besides, the students indicated their interest in the application of scientific direct instruction model with ethnoscience learning video.

  10. The use of Facebook and WhatsApp application in learning process of physics to train students’ critical thinking skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kustijono, R.; Zuhri, F.

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this research is to describe the learning process by using Facebook and WhatsApp to train students’ critical thinking skills. The research steps are: 1) analysis; 2) design; 3) development; 4) implementation; 5) evaluation. The research subjects are 40 students of Physics Department of Universitas Negeri Surabaya. This research used descriptive qualitative approach. The study The validation point, practicality, effectiveness, and critical thinking skills of students assessment use Likert scale. Learning process criteria are eligible if ≥ 60% is rated good or excellent. The results are: 1) the use of Facebook and WhatsApp can be implemented in the learning process, and the existing constraints can be overcome; 2) the assessment of students’ critical thinking skills is categorized as good and excellent. These results suggest that learning by using Facebook and WhatsApp can be used to train students’ critical thinking skills.

  11. Active Learning to Improve Presentation Skills: The Use of Pecha Kucha in Undergraduate Sales Management Classes

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDonald, Robert E.; Derby, Joseph M.

    2015-01-01

    Recruiters seek candidates with certain business skills that are not developed in the typical lecture-based classroom. Instead, active-learning techniques have been shown to be effective in honing these skills. One skill that is particularly important in sales careers is the ability to make a powerful and effective presentation. To help students…

  12. Testing Sleep Consolidation in Skill Learning: A Field Study Using an Online Game.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stafford, Tom; Haasnoot, Erwin

    2017-04-01

    Using an observational sample of players of a simple online game (n > 1.2 million), we are able to trace the development of skill in that game. Information on playing time, and player location, allows us to estimate time of day during which practice took place. We compare those whose breaks in practice probably contained a night's sleep and those whose breaks in practice probably did not contain a night's sleep. Our analysis confirms experimental evidence showing a benefit of spacing for skill learning, but it fails to find any additional benefit of sleeping during a break from practice. We discuss reasons why the well-established phenomenon of sleep consolidation might not manifest in an observational study of skill development. We put the spacing effect into the context of the other known influences on skill learning: improvement with practice, and individual differences in initial performance. Analysis of performance data from games allows experimental results to be demonstrated outside of the lab and for experimental phenomenon to be put in the context of the performance of the whole task. Copyright © 2016 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

  13. Learning Arithmetic Outdoors in Junior High School--Influence on Performance and Self-Regulating Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fägerstam, Emilia; Samuelsson, Joakim

    2014-01-01

    This study aims to explore the influence of outdoor teaching among students, aged 13, on arithmetic performance and self-regulation skills as previous research concerning outdoor mathematics learning is limited. This study had a quasi-experimental design. An outdoor and a traditional group answered a test and a self-regulation skills questionnaire…

  14. EFFECTIVENESS OF QUIZ TEAM AND MURDER METHOD ON LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS IN SOCIAL SCIENCE LEARNING FOR 8th GRADE STUDENTS AT UPI LABORATORY JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Darwanti Darwanti

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available There are three objectives that shape the study, first, the study is aimed at identifying different problem-solving skills of the students' who were acquainted with quiz team, lecture and MURDER method. Secondly, the study is to point out the difference of students' problem-solving skills when they are exposed to the three methods in a high, moderate, and low intensity. The third objective is to determine interactions among learning methods, learning activities and problem-solving skills. Quasi experiment is used as a method of the study by applying two experiment classes, and one controlled factorial designed class. In analyzing the data, a two-way Anova analysis and variants analysis are implemented to measure the interaction level among the three variables. The results of the study indicate that (1 there are differences in students' problem-solving skills who were exposed to quiz team, lecture and MURDER method; (2 there are also differences in students' problem-solving skills when they were exposed by the mentioned methods in a high, moderate, and low intensity; there are no relevant interactions among learning methods, learning activities and problem-solving skills. The current results are presented such that they can be used as an aid to the methods of social science learning.

  15. Impact of Web Based Learning on EFL: Using On-Line Discussion Forum (ODF) to Enhance Students' Writing Skill

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akmal

    2017-01-01

    Web based learning is considered as a breakthrough in the teaching of writing skill to the pre-service teachers at University of PGRI Semarang, Indonesia. The students should write argumentative, persuasive, and descriptive essays. This research offers significant contribution in term of the impact of web based learning on writing skill of English…

  16. A Systematic Review Protocol on the Use of Online Learning versus Blended Learning for Teaching Clinical Skills to Undergraduate Health Professional Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCutcheon, Karen; Lohan, Maria; Traynor, Marian

    2016-01-01

    Aim: This paper is a review protocol that will be used to identify, critically appraise and synthesise the best current evidence relating to the use of online learning and blended learning approaches in teaching clinical skills in undergraduate health professionals. Background: Although previous systematic reviews on online learning vs. face to…

  17. Fostering students’ thinking skill and social attitude through STAD cooperative learning technique on tenth grade students of chemistry class

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kriswintari, D.; Yuanita, L.; Widodo, W.

    2018-04-01

    The aim of this study was to develop chemistry learning package using Student Teams Achievement Division (STAD) cooperative learning technique to foster students’ thinking skills and social attitudes. The chemistry learning package consisting of lesson plan, handout, students’ worksheet, thinking skill test, and observation sheet of social attitude was developed using the Dick and Carey model. Research subject of this study was chemistry learning package using STAD which was tried out on tenth grade students of SMA Trimurti Surabaya. The tryout was conducted using the one-group pre-test post-test design. Data was collected through observation, test, and questionnaire. The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive qualitative analysis. The findings of this study revealed that the developed chemistry learning package using STAD cooperative learning technique was categorized valid, practice and effective to be implemented in the classroom to foster students’ thinking skill and social attitude.

  18. A Cognitive Skill Classification Based on Multi Objective Optimization Using Learning Vector Quantization for Serious Games

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moh. Aries Syufagi

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays, serious games and game technology are poised to transform the way of educating and training students at all levels. However, pedagogical value in games do not help novice students learn, too many memorizing and reduce learning process due to no information of player’s ability. To asses the cognitive level of player ability, we propose a Cognitive Skill Game (CSG. CSG improves this cognitive concept to monitor how players interact with the game. This game employs Learning Vector Quantization (LVQ for optimizing the cognitive skill input classification of the player. CSG is using teacher’s data to obtain the neuron vector of cognitive skill pattern supervise. Three clusters multi objective XE "multi objective"  target will be classified as; trial and error, carefully and, expert cognitive skill. In the game play experiments employ 33 respondent players demonstrates that 61% of players have high trial and error, 21% have high carefully, and 18% have high expert cognitive skill. CSG may provide information to game engine when a player needs help or when wanting a formidable challenge. The game engine will provide the appropriate tasks according to players’ ability. CSG will help balance the emotions of players, so players do not get bored and frustrated. 

  19. A Curriculum Development for the Enhancement of Learning Management Performances Emphasizing Higher Order Thinking Skills for Lower Secondary Science Teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saksit Seeluangpetch

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed at 1 investigating the problems and needs for the enhancement of learning management performances emphasizing the higher order thinking skills for lower secondary Science teachers, 2 developing an effective curriculum to enhance the learning management performances which emphasized the higher order thinking skills for lower secondary Science teachers, and 3 studying the effects of using the curriculum developed for the enhancement of learning management performances emphasizing the higher order thinking skills for lower secondary Science teachers. The research was conducted in 4 phases. Phase 1 of the research was the study of fundamental information regarding problems and needs for the enhancement of learning management performances emphasizing the higher order thinking skills for lower secondary Science teachers. It was carried out by studying the related literature and exploring the needs. The instrument used in Phase 1 study was the needs assessment. The statistics used for data analysis were mean ( , percentage (%, and standard deviation (S.D.. The result of the study revealed that the Science teachers’ prior knowledge was at low level and the need to enhance their performances was at high level. The development of the curriculum was carried out in Phase 2 of the study. The curriculum was constructed and developed in order to enhance the learning management performances which emphasized the higher order thinking skills. The instrument used was the appropriateness the assessment of the curriculum framework. Mean ( , percentage (%, and standard deviation (S.D. were used to analyze the data. The result of the assessment showed that the overall appropriateness of the curriculum was at high level. The main components of the curriculum comprised of curriculum’s problem and necessity, rationale, objective, structure, training activity, training media, training duration, and evaluation and assessment. The curriculum trial was

  20. Improving creative thinking skills and scientific attitude through inquiry-based learning in basic biology lecture toward student of biology education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bayu Sandika

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Inquiry-based learning is one of the learning methods which can provide an active and authentic scientific learning process in order students are able to improve the creative thinking skills and scientific attitude. This study aims at improving creative thinking skills and scientific attitude through inquiry-based learning in basic biology lecture toward students of biology education at the Institut Agama Islam Negeri (IAIN Jember, Indonesia. This study is included in a descriptive quantitative research. The research focused on the topic of cell transport which was taught toward 25 students of Biology 2 class from 2017 academic year of Biology Education Department at the IAIN Jember. The learning process was conducted in two meetings in November 2017. The enhancement of students' creative thinking skills was determined by one group pre-test and post-test research design using test instrument meanwhile the scientific attitude focused on curiosity and objectivity were observed using the non-test instrument. Research result showed that students' creative thinking skills enhanced highly and students' scientific attitude improved excellently through inquiry-based learning in basic biology lecture.

  1. Intercultural learning and skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alessio Surian

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available The concept of intercultural competence is associated in the literature lists both abilities to be "successful" as an individual and an organization in cross-cultural relations, as most critical visions and interested in different contexts and social roles that play a role in the definition and perception of these relations.The concept of intercultural competence authors as Earley and Ang (2003, p. 59 prefer the concept of cultural intelligence in relation to how people can adapt to new cultural contexts, and in continuity with the work on intelligence of educational psychologists (H. Gardner, RJ Sternberg, and in relation to the interaction between cognitive styles and management of daily activities (Zhang, Sternberg, 2001, p. 198-200.From different approaches, has occurred in recent years a significant number of tools for assessing intercultural competence (Earley and Ang 2003, p. 193-199; Fowler and Blohm 2004, p. 37-84, Paige 2004, pp. 85-128.In this contribution we investigate the relevant aspects and implications of the discourses on intercultural skills for learning and for education policies that integrate an intercultural approach.

  2. Effects of "Handep" Cooperative Learning Based on Indigenous Knowledge on Mathematical Problem Solving Skill

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demitra; Sarjoko

    2018-01-01

    Indigenous people of Dayak tribe in Kalimantan, Indonesia have traditionally relied on a system of mutual cooperation called "handep." The cultural context has an influence on students mathematics learning. The "handep" system might be suitable for modern learning situations to develop mathematical problem-solving skill. The…

  3. DEVELOPMENT OF BODY COMPOSITION, HORMONE PROFILE, PHYSICAL FITNESS, GENERAL PERCEPTUAL MOTOR SKILLS, SOCCER SKILLS AND ON-THE-BALL PERFORMANCE IN SOCCER-SPECIFIC LABORATORY TEST AMONG ADOLESCENT SOCCER PLAYERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomi Vänttinen

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the present study was to examine the development of on-the-ball skills in soccer-specific laboratory test and to examine how traditional measures of body composition, hormone profile, physical fitness, general perceptual motor skills and soccer skills were related to performance measured in open skill environment among 10, 12, and 14-year-old regional male soccer players (n = 12/group. The measured variables were height, weight, fat, muscle mass, testosterone, 10m sprint, agility, counter movement jump, peripheral awareness, Eye- Hand-Foot coordination, passing skill, dribbling skill and on-the-ball skills (performance time and passing accuracy in soccer-specific laboratory test. A significant main effect by age was found in all measured variables except in fat, in peripheral awareness and in passing accuracy. In discriminant analysis 63.9% (λ = 0.603, F = 4.600, p < 0.01 of the players were classified correctly based on physical fitness and general perceptual motor skills into three ability groups originally classified with performance time in soccer-specific laboratory test. Correlation co- efficient analysis with-in age groups revealed that variables associated with performance time in soccer-specific laboratory test were peripheral awareness (r = 0.72, p < 0.01 in 10-year-olds; testosterone (r = -0.70, p < 0.05, dribbling skill (r = 0.73, p < 0.01 and passing skill (r = 0.73, p < 0.01 in 12-year-olds; agility (r = 0.79, p < 0.01, counter movement jump (r = - 0.62, p < 0.01, dribbling skill (r = 0.80, p < 0.01 and passing skill (r = 0.58, p < 0. 05 in 14-year olds. Corresponding relationships with passing accuracy were weight (r = 0.59, p < 0.05, fat (r = 0.66, p < 0.05, 10m sprint (r = 0.71, p < 0.01 and countermovement jump (r = -0.64, p < 0.05 in 10-year-olds; Eye-Hand-Foot coordination (r = 0.63, p < 0.05 in 14-year- olds. The relationship between soccer-specific anticipation time and performance time in soccer- specific

  4. A Method for Using Player Tracking Data in Basketball to Learn Player Skills and Predict Team Performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skinner, Brian; Guy, Stephen J

    2015-01-01

    Player tracking data represents a revolutionary new data source for basketball analysis, in which essentially every aspect of a player's performance is tracked and can be analyzed numerically. We suggest a way by which this data set, when coupled with a network-style model of the offense that relates players' skills to the team's success at running different plays, can be used to automatically learn players' skills and predict the performance of untested 5-man lineups in a way that accounts for the interaction between players' respective skill sets. After developing a general analysis procedure, we present as an example a specific implementation of our method using a simplified network model. While player tracking data is not yet available in the public domain, we evaluate our model using simulated data and show that player skills can be accurately inferred by a simple statistical inference scheme. Finally, we use the model to analyze games from the 2011 playoff series between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Oklahoma City Thunder and we show that, even with a very limited data set, the model can consistently describe a player's interactions with a given lineup based only on his performance with a different lineup.

  5. Training self-assessment and task-selection skills: A cognitive approach to improving self-regulated learning

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kostons, Danny; Van Gog, Tamara; Paas, Fred

    2012-01-01

    Kostons, D., Van Gog, T., & Paas, F. (2012). Training self-assessment and task-selection skills: A cognitive approach to improving self-regulated learning. Learning and Instruction, 22(2), 121-132. doi:10.1016/j.learninstruc.2011.08.004

  6. Senior Managers' and Recent Graduates' Perceptions of Employability Skills for Health Services Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Messum, Diana; Wilkes, Lesly; Peters, Cath; Jackson, Debra

    2017-01-01

    If work-integrated learning (WIL) is intended by universities to meet the demand for work-ready graduates, identification of skill requirements for development on placements is a critical part of the learning process. Health services management specific employability skills perceived to be important by managers and recent graduates working in the…

  7. Improving Middle School Students’ Critical Thinking Skills Through Reading Infusion-Loaded Discovery Learning Model in the Science Instruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nuryakin; Riandi

    2017-02-01

    A study has been conducted to obtain a depiction of middle school students’ critical thinking skills improvement through the implementation of reading infusion-loaded discovery learning model in science instruction. A quasi-experimental study with the pretest-posttest control group design was used to engage 55 eighth-year middle school students in Tasikmalaya, which was divided into the experimental and control group respectively were 28 and 27 students. Critical thinking skills were measured using a critical thinking skills test in multiple-choice with reason format questions that administered before and after a given instruction. The test was 28 items encompassing three essential concepts, vibration, waves and auditory senses. The critical thinking skills improvement was determined by using the normalized gain score and statistically analyzed by using Mann-Whitney U test.. The findings showed that the average of students’ critical thinking skills normalized gain score of both groups were 59 and 43, respectively for experimental and control group in the medium category. There were significant differences between both group’s improvement. Thus, the implementation of reading infusion-loaded discovery learning model could further improve middle school students’ critical thinking skills than conventional learning.

  8. Statistical word learning in children with autism spectrum disorder and specific language impairment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haebig, Eileen; Saffran, Jenny R; Ellis Weismer, Susan

    2017-11-01

    Word learning is an important component of language development that influences child outcomes across multiple domains. Despite the importance of word knowledge, word-learning mechanisms are poorly understood in children with specific language impairment (SLI) and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study examined underlying mechanisms of word learning, specifically, statistical learning and fast-mapping, in school-aged children with typical and atypical development. Statistical learning was assessed through a word segmentation task and fast-mapping was examined in an object-label association task. We also examined children's ability to map meaning onto newly segmented words in a third task that combined exposure to an artificial language and a fast-mapping task. Children with SLI had poorer performance on the word segmentation and fast-mapping tasks relative to the typically developing and ASD groups, who did not differ from one another. However, when children with SLI were exposed to an artificial language with phonemes used in the subsequent fast-mapping task, they successfully learned more words than in the isolated fast-mapping task. There was some evidence that word segmentation abilities are associated with word learning in school-aged children with typical development and ASD, but not SLI. Follow-up analyses also examined performance in children with ASD who did and did not have a language impairment. Children with ASD with language impairment evidenced intact statistical learning abilities, but subtle weaknesses in fast-mapping abilities. As the Procedural Deficit Hypothesis (PDH) predicts, children with SLI have impairments in statistical learning. However, children with SLI also have impairments in fast-mapping. Nonetheless, they are able to take advantage of additional phonological exposure to boost subsequent word-learning performance. In contrast to the PDH, children with ASD appear to have intact statistical learning, regardless of

  9. Analyze Critical Thinking Skills and Scientific Attitude in Physics Learning Used Inquiry Training and Direct Instruction Learning Model

    OpenAIRE

    Parsaoran Damanik, Dede; Bukit, Nurdin

    2013-01-01

    This study was aimed to determine the differences: (1) the difference of critical thinking skills of students' that using Inquiry Training and Direct Instruction. (2) The difference of critical thinking skills among students who at high scientific attitude and students who at low scientific attitude. (3) To see if there is interaction between inquiry learning model of the scientific attitude students' to increase the ability to critical thinking. This is a quasi experimental research. Which s...

  10. Learning Intercultural Communication Skills with Virtual Humans: Feedback and Fidelity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lane, H. Chad; Hays, Matthew Jensen; Core, Mark G.; Auerbach, Daniel

    2013-01-01

    In the context of practicing intercultural communication skills, we investigated the role of fidelity in a game-based, virtual learning environment as well as the role of feedback delivered by an intelligent tutoring system. In 2 experiments, we compared variations on the game interface, use of the tutoring system, and the form of the feedback.…

  11. Motor skill learning and offline-changes in TGA patients with acute hippocampal CA1 lesions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Döhring, Juliane; Stoldt, Anne; Witt, Karsten; Schönfeld, Robby; Deuschl, Günther; Born, Jan; Bartsch, Thorsten

    2017-04-01

    Learning and the formation of memory are reflected in various memory systems in the human brain such as the hippocampus based declarative memory system and the striatum-cortex based system involved in motor sequence learning. It is a matter of debate how both memory systems interact in humans during learning and consolidation and how this interaction is influenced by sleep. We studied the effect of an acute dysfunction of hippocampal CA1 neurons on the acquisition (on-line condition) and off-line changes of a motor skill in patients with a transient global amnesia (TGA). Sixteen patients (68 ± 4.4 yrs) were studied in the acute phase and during follow-up using a declarative and procedural test, and were compared to controls. Acute TGA patients displayed profound deficits in all declarative memory functions. During the acute amnestic phase, patients were able to acquire the motor skill task reflected by increasing finger tapping speed across the on-line condition, albeit to a lesser degree than during follow-up or compared to controls. Retrieval two days later indicated a greater off-line gain in motor speed in patients than controls. Moreover, this gain in motor skill performance was negatively correlated to the declarative learning deficit. Our results suggest a differential interaction between procedural and declarative memory systems during acquisition and consolidation of motor sequences in older humans. During acquisition, hippocampal dysfunction attenuates fast learning and thus unmasks the slow and rigid learning curve of striatum-based procedural learning. The stronger gains in the post-consolidation condition in motor skill in CA1 lesioned patients indicate a facilitated consolidation process probably occurring during sleep, and suggest a competitive interaction between the memory systems. These findings might be a reflection of network reorganization and plasticity in older humans and in the presence of CA1 hippocampal pathology. Copyright © 2016

  12. Motor Skill Learning Is Associated with Phase-Dependent Modifications in the Striatal cAMP/PKA/DARPP-32 Signaling Pathway in Rodents.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Qian

    Full Text Available Abundant evidence points to a key role of dopamine in motor skill learning, although the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms are still poorly understood. Here, we used a skilled-reaching paradigm to first examine changes in the expression of the plasticity-related gene Arc to map activity in cortico-striatal circuitry during different phases of motor skill learning in young animals. In the early phase, Arc mRNA was significantly induced in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC, cingulate cortex, primary motor cortex, and striatum. In the late phase, expression of Arc did not change in most regions, except in the mPFC and dorsal striatum. In the second series of experiments, we studied the learning-induced changes in the phosphorylation state of dopamine and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein, 32k Da (DARPP-32. Western blot analysis of the phosphorylation state of DARPP-32 and its downstream target cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB in the striatum revealed that the early, but not late, phase of motor skill learning was associated with increased levels of phospho-Thr34-DARPP-32 and phospho-Ser133-CREB. Finally, we used the DARPP-32 knock-in mice with a point mutation in the Thr34 regulatory site (i.e., protein kinase A site to test the significance of this pathway in motor skill learning. In accordance with our hypothesis, inhibition of DARPP-32 activity at the Thr34 regulatory site strongly attenuated the motor learning rate and skilled reaching performance of mice. These findings suggest that the cAMP/PKA/DARPP-32 signaling pathway is critically involved in the acquisition of novel motor skills, and also demonstrate a dynamic shift in the contribution of cortico-striatal circuitry during different phases of motor skill learning.

  13. Empirical Studies of Agile Software Development to Learn Programming Skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yasuyo Kofune

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a programming education support method based on Agile Development that encourages and builds on communication between students. Through mutual discussion, students using our approach transform their ideas into software and cooperate to write a program. The students complete the software through repetition and programming. Before completing the software program, the students learn to solve problems by working together. The students are encouraged to think and share ideas, and gain experience writing software. With this approach, students not only learn how to write programs, but also increase their logical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills.

  14. Effects of an experiential learning program on the clinical reasoning and critical thinking skills of occupational therapy students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coker, Patty

    2010-01-01

    This study examined the effects of participation in a 1-week, experiential, hands-on learning program on the critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills of occupational therapy students. A quasi-experimental, nonrandomized pre- and post-test design was used with a sample of 25 students. The students had completed three semesters of didactic lecture coursework in a master's level OT educational program prior to participation in a hands-on therapy program for children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Changes in critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills were evaluated using the following dependent measures: Self-Assessment of Clinical Reflection and Reasoning (SACRR) and the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST). Changes in pretest and posttest scores on the SACRR and the CCTST were statistically significant (p>0.05) following completion of the experiential learning program. This study supports the use of hands-on learning to develop clinical reasoning and critical thinking skills in healthcare students, who face ever more diverse patient populations upon entry-level practice. Further qualitative and quantitative investigations are needed to support the results of this study and determine which components of experiential learning programs are essential for developing clinical reasoning and critical thinking skills in future allied health professionals.

  15. The Effect of Problem-Based Learning on Undergraduate Students' Learning about Solutions and Their Physical Properties and Scientific Processing Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tosun, Cemal; Taskesenligil, Yavuz

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) on undergraduate students' learning about solutions and their physical properties, and on their scientific processing skills. The quasi experimental study was carried out through non-equivalent control and comparison groups pre-post test design. The data were…

  16. Learning and remembering strategies of novice and advanced jazz dancers for skill level appropriate dance routines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poon, P P; Rodgers, W M

    2000-06-01

    This study examined the influence of the challenge level of to-be-learned stimulus on learning strategies in novice and advanced dancers. In Study 1, skill-level appropriate dance routines were developed for novice and advanced jazz dancers. In Study 2, 8 novice and 9 advanced female jazz dancers attempted to learn and remember the two routines in mixed model factorial design, with one between-participants factor: skill level (novice or advanced) and two within-participants factors: routine (easy or difficult) and performance (immediate or delayed). Participants were interviewed regarding the strategies used to learn and remember the routines. Results indicated that advanced performers used atypical learning strategies for insufficiently challenging stimuli, which may reflect characteristics of the stimuli rather than the performer. The qualitative data indicate a clear preference of novice and advanced performers for spatial compatibility of stimuli and response.

  17. Employer Perceptions of Critical Information Literacy Skills and Digital Badges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raish, Victoria; Rimland, Emily

    2016-01-01

    Digital badges are an educational innovation used to measure learning of specific skills, such as information literacy. However, few studies have quantitatively surveyed employers for their perceptions about information literacy skills or digital badges. An online survey was developed and sent to employers to gauge perceptions of information…

  18. Yes, Michael: Reflections on How Inclusion Can Build Social Skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Genan T.

    2003-01-01

    Describes a teacher's and preschool students' experiences with the classroom inclusion of an autistic child. Specifically addresses: (1) how social skills affect academic skills; (2) teaching social competency; (3) coaching group entry; (4) successful group entry and sustained social interaction; and (5) lessons learned from inclusion of a special…

  19. Manpower allocation in a cellular manufacturing system considering the impact of learning, training and combination of learning and training in operator skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masoud

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In this article, a manpower allocation and cell loading problem is studied, where demand is sto-chastic. The inter-cell and intra-cell movements are considered and attention is focused on as-signing operators with different skill levels to operations, because cell performance in addition to load cell is dependent on manpower. The purpose of this article is manpower allocation in cellu-lar manufacturing with consideration to learning and training policies. The manpower skill levels are determined in order to enhance production rate. The main contribution of this approach is the scenarios of training and learning in addition to the combination of training and learning being simulated. By using these three scenarios, the skill level of workers increase which reduces the processing time. In this regard cell layout is static where processing times and customer demand follow a normal distribution. As one of the significant costs of industrial unit is related to pro-duction cost, this study has attempted to reduce these costs by increasing the skill level of opera-tor which causes to reduce the processing time. Scenarios are evaluated by using a simulation method that finally attained results indicate this simulation provides better manpower assign-ments.

  20. Blended Learning Tools in Geosciences: A New Set of Online Tools to Help Students Master Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cull, S.; Spohrer, J.; Natarajan, S.; Chin, M.

    2013-12-01

    In most geoscience courses, students are expected to develop specific skills. To master these skills, students need to practice them repeatedly. Unfortunately, few geosciences courses have enough class time to allow students sufficient in-class practice, nor enough instructor attention and time to provide fast feedback. To address this, we have developed an online tool called an Instant Feedback Practice (IFP). IFPs are low-risk, high-frequency exercises that allow students to practice skills repeatedly throughout a semester, both in class and at home. After class, students log onto a course management system (like Moodle or Blackboard), and click on that day's IFP exercise. The exercise might be visually identifying a set of minerals that they're practicing. After answering each question, the IFP tells them if they got it right or wrong. If they got it wrong, they try again until they get it right. There is no penalty - students receive the full score for finishing. The goal is low-stakes practice. By completing dozens of these practices throughout the semester, students have many, many opportunities to practice mineral identification with quick feedback. Students can also complete IFPs during class in groups and teams, with in-lab hand samples or specimens. IFPs can also be used to gauge student skill levels as the semester progresses, as they can be set up to provide the instructor feedback on specific skills or students. When IFPs were developed for and implemented in a majors-level mineralogy class, students reported that in-class and online IFPs were by far the most useful technique they used to master mineral hand sample identification. Final grades in the course were significantly higher than historical norms, supporting students' anecdotal assessment of the impact of IFPs on their learning.