Physics at the Z pole with SLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Willocq, S.

1997-06-01

The authors review recent results from a wide physics program in polarized e + e - interactions at the SLC performed by the SLD experiment. Unique and precise measurements of the electroweak parameters A e , A b , A c , and R b provide valuable constraints on the Standard Model. The excellent 3-D vertexing capabilities of SLD are further exploited to extract precise B + and B d 0 lifetimes, as well as measurements of the time evolution of B d 0 - (anti B d 0 ) mixing. Finally, the unique capabilities of the SLC/SLD are used to test QCD in new ways. The authors present results on general properties of particle production in light, c, and b quark events, as well as the first observation of leading particle production in light-quark hemispheres

Learning Difficulty and Learner Identity: A Symbiotic Relationship

Science.gov (United States)

Hirano, Eliana

2009-01-01

This paper reports on a longitudinal case study of an adult EFL learner who perceived himself as having difficulty learning English. Both learning difficulty and learner identity are viewed as being constructed in discursive interactions throughout one's life and, hence, amenable to reconstruction. Data collected from classroom interactions,…

Identification and characterization of mouse PSF1-binding protein, SLD5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kong, Lingyu; Ueno, Masaya; Itoh, Machiko; Yoshioka, Katsuji; Takakura, Nobuyuki

2006-01-01

Although most somatic cells cannot proliferate, immature cells proliferate continuously to produce mature cells. Recently, we cloned mouse PSF1 from a hematopoietic stem cell specific cDNA library and reported that PSF1 is indispensable for the proliferation of immature cells. To identify the PSF1-binding protein, we used the yeast two-hybrid system with PSF1 as bait, and identified and cloned SLD5. SLD5 interacted with a central region of PSF1. Tissue distribution of SLD5 was quite similar to that of PSF1. When overexpressed, SLD5 protein was co-localized with PSF1. These data suggest that PSF1 and SLD5 may cooperate in the proliferation of immature cell populations

Physics with polarization at the SLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burrows, P.N.

1990-05-01

The SLD detector is nearing completion and will start physics-quality data-taking at the SLC in 1991 with a longitudinally polarized electron beam and unpolarized positron beam. The current status of the detector is reviewed and the rich program of physics measurements possible with polarization and the SLD detector is briefly presented. In particular, the left-right polarization asymmetry, A LR , will be a unique measurement for the next few years and will allow tight bounds to be set upon the mass of the top quark. 14 refs., 1 fig

DIFFICULTIES TO LEARN AND TO TEACH MODERN PHYSICS.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Antonowiski

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Physics is engaged in scientific and technological development in several areas, however, its learning in high school has high failure rates that demonstrate a low level of use. It is a science that allows us to understand the nature of the macroscopic and atomic matter, but it is taught in a disjointed manner, upon presentation of concepts, laws and mathematical sentences, repetitive exercises that have taken the preparatory character for college entrance. Thus, the student gets stuck sentences featuring a partial knowledge and disposable. This study aimed to analyze the main difficulties that undergraduate students in Physics have in Modern Physics learning. Point out the difficulties in teaching and learning Physics is not an easy task and to identify them comes the difficulty of how to solve them. After analysis of several hypotheses we can conclude that there is no single factor responsible for the difficulty of the teaching and learning of Modern Physics. The lack of time to work and developed since middle school, stimulating the curiosity of students, adequately trained teachers, lack of structure offered by the government, parents' responsibilities and students in learning, among others, constitute a major challenge for successful teaching and learning of Modern Physics

Assessing College-Level Learning Difficulties and "At Riskness" for Learning Disabilities and ADHD: Development and Validation of the Learning Difficulties Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Kane, Steven T.; Walker, John H.; Schmidt, George R.

2011-01-01

This article describes the development and validation of the "Learning Difficulties Assessment" (LDA), a normed and web-based survey that assesses perceived difficulties with reading, writing, spelling, mathematics, listening, concentration, memory, organizational skills, sense of control, and anxiety in college students. The LDA is designed to…

Learning Disabilities and Emotional Intelligence.

Science.gov (United States)

Zysberg, Leehu; Kasler, Jon

2017-07-04

The literature is conflicted around the subject of the emotional abilities of individuals with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLDs): While many claim cognitive challenges are associated with emotional difficulties, some suggest emotional and interpersonal abilities are not compromised in such disorders and may help individuals compensate and cope effectively with the challenges they meet in learning environments. Two studies explored differences in emotional intelligence (EI) between young adults with and without SLD. Two samples (matched on gender, approximate age, and program of study; n = 100, and unmatched; n = 584) of college students took self-report and performance-based tests of EI (Ability-EI) as well as a measure of self-esteem and demographics associated with college performance (e.g.: SAT scores, gender, etc.). The results showed that while SAT scores and ability emotional intelligence (Ability-EI) were associated with college GPA, Ability-EI did not differ between the two groups, while self-report measures of EI and self-esteem did show differences, with the group with learning disabilities ranking lower. The effects remained stable when we controlled for demographics and potential intervening factors. The results suggest that EI may play a protective role in the association between background variables and college attainment in students with SLD. The results may provide a basis for interventions to empower students with SLD in academia.

Processes of Learning with Regard to Students’ Learning Difficulties in Mathematics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amalija Zakelj

2014-06-01

Full Text Available In the introduction, we write about the process of learning mathematics: the development of mathematical concepts, numerical and spatial imagery on reading and understanding of texts, etc. The central part of the paper is devoted to the study, in which we find that identifying the learning processes associated with learning difficulties of students in mathematics, is not statistically significantly different between primary school teachers and teachers of mathematics. Both groups expose the development of numerical concepts, logical reasoning, and reading and understanding the text as the ones with which difficulties in learning mathematics appear the most frequently. All the processes of learning that the teachers assessed as the ones that represent the greatest barriers to learning have a fairly uniform average estimates of the degree of complexity, ranging from 2.6 to 2.8, which is very close to the estimate makes learning very difficult.

Efficacy of vision therapy in children with learning disability and associated binocular vision anomalies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jameel Rizwana Hussaindeen

2018-01-01

Conclusion: Children with specific learning disorders have a high frequency of binocular vision disorders and vision therapy plays a significant role in improving the BV parameters. Children with SLD should be screened for BV anomalies as it could potentially be an added hindrance to the reading difficulty in this special population.

First results from the SLD silicon calorimeters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berridge, S.C.; Bugg, W.M.; Kroeger, R.S.; Weidemann, A.W.; White, S.L.

1992-07-01

The small-angle calorimeters of the SLD were successfully operated during the recent SLC engineering run. The Luminosity Monitor and Small-Angle Tagger (LMSAT) covers the angular region between 28 and 68 milliradians from the beam axis, while the Medium-Angle Silicon Calorimeter (MASC) covers the 68--190 milliradian region. Both are silicon-tungsten sampling calorimeters; the LMSAT employs 23 layers of 0.86 X 0 sampling, while the MASC has 10 layers of 1.74 X 0 sampling. We present results from the first run of the SLC with the SLD on beamline

Stress Levels of Kuwaiti Mothers of Children with SLD: Does Work and Educational Status Matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Alazemi, Saad S.; Hadadian, Azar; Merbler, John B.; Wang, Cen

2015-01-01

Existing research literature indicates that parents of children with disabilities have higher stress. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in stress levels between mothers in relation to their children with specific learning disabilities (SLD). A sub sample of 91 mothers participated in the study. The outcome of the research…

Teaching chemistry to students with learning difficulties: exemplary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Teaching chemistry to students with learning difficulties: exemplary adaptive instructional practices of experienced teachers. ... Arguably, today's science classrooms are witnessing a situation in which students experience a special learning ...

Updated measurement of the tau lifetime at SLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

We present an updated measurement of the tau lifetime at SLD. 4316 τ-pair events, selected from a 150k Z 0 data sample, are analyzed using three techniques: decay length, impact parameter, and impact parameter difference methods. The measurement benefits from the small and stable interaction region at the SLC and the precision CCD pixel vertex detector of the SLD. The combined result is: τ τ = 288.1 ± 6.1(stat) ± 3.3(syst) fs

Cognitive Clusters in Specific Learning Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Poletti, Michele; Carretta, Elisa; Bonvicini, Laura; Giorgi-Rossi, Paolo

The heterogeneity among children with learning disabilities still represents a barrier and a challenge in their conceptualization. Although a dimensional approach has been gaining support, the categorical approach is still the most adopted, as in the recent fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The introduction of the single overarching diagnostic category of specific learning disorder (SLD) could underemphasize interindividual clinical differences regarding intracategory cognitive functioning and learning proficiency, according to current models of multiple cognitive deficits at the basis of neurodevelopmental disorders. The characterization of specific cognitive profiles associated with an already manifest SLD could help identify possible early cognitive markers of SLD risk and distinct trajectories of atypical cognitive development leading to SLD. In this perspective, we applied a cluster analysis to identify groups of children with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-based diagnosis of SLD with similar cognitive profiles and to describe the association between clusters and SLD subtypes. A sample of 205 children with a diagnosis of SLD were enrolled. Cluster analyses (agglomerative hierarchical and nonhierarchical iterative clustering technique) were used successively on 10 core subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition. The 4-cluster solution was adopted, and external validation found differences in terms of SLD subtype frequencies and learning proficiency among clusters. Clinical implications of these findings are discussed, tracing directions for further studies.

A Case Study on Learning Difficulties and Corresponding Supports for Learning in cMOOCs

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shuang; Tang, Qi; Zhang, Yanxia

2016-01-01

cMOOCs, which are based on connectivist learning theory, bring challenges for learners as well as opportunities for self-inquiry. Previous studies have shown that learners in cMOOCs may have difficulties learning, but these studies do not provide any in-depth, empirical explorations of student difficulties or support strategies. This paper…

Learning difficulties of senior high school students based on probability understanding levels

Science.gov (United States)

Anggara, B.; Priatna, N.; Juandi, D.

2018-05-01

Identifying students' difficulties in learning concept of probability is important for teachers to prepare the appropriate learning processes and can overcome obstacles that may arise in the next learning processes. This study revealed the level of students' understanding of the concept of probability and identified their difficulties as a part of the epistemological obstacles identification of the concept of probability. This study employed a qualitative approach that tends to be the character of descriptive research involving 55 students of class XII. In this case, the writer used the diagnostic test of probability concept learning difficulty, observation, and interview as the techniques to collect the data needed. The data was used to determine levels of understanding and the learning difficulties experienced by the students. From the result of students' test result and learning observation, it was found that the mean cognitive level was at level 2. The findings indicated that students had appropriate quantitative information of probability concept but it might be incomplete or incorrectly used. The difficulties found are the ones in arranging sample space, events, and mathematical models related to probability problems. Besides, students had difficulties in understanding the principles of events and prerequisite concept.

Highlights of the SLD Physics Program at the SLAC Linear Collider

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Willocq, Stephane

2001-01-01

Starting in 1989, and continuing through the 1990s, high-energy physics witnessed a flowering of precision measurements in general and tests of the standard model in particular, led by e + e - collider experiments operating at the Z 0 resonance. Key contributions to this work came from the SLD collaboration at the SLAC Linear Collider. By exploiting the unique capabilities of this pioneering accelerator and the SLD detector, including a polarized electron beam, exceptionally small beam dimensions, and a CCD pixel vertex detector, SLD produced a broad array of electroweak, heavy-flavor, and QCD measurements. Many of these results are one of a kind or represent the world's standard in precision. This article reviews the highlights of the SLD physics program, with an eye toward associated advances in experimental technique, and the contribution of these measurements to our dramatically improved present understanding of the standard model and its possible extensions

Greek Young Adults with Specific Learning Disabilities Seeking Learning Assessments

Science.gov (United States)

Bonti, Eleni; Bampalou, Christina E.; Kouimtzi, Eleni M.; Kyritsis, Zacharias

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the reasons why Greek young adults with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) seek learning assessments. The study sample consisted of 106 adults meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria for SLD. Data were collected through self-report records (clinical interview) of adults…

Highlights of the SLD Physics Program at the SLAC Linear Collider

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Willocq, Stephane

2001-09-07

Starting in 1989, and continuing through the 1990s, high-energy physics witnessed a flowering of precision measurements in general and tests of the standard model in particular, led by e{sup +}e{sup -} collider experiments operating at the Z{sup 0} resonance. Key contributions to this work came from the SLD collaboration at the SLAC Linear Collider. By exploiting the unique capabilities of this pioneering accelerator and the SLD detector, including a polarized electron beam, exceptionally small beam dimensions, and a CCD pixel vertex detector, SLD produced a broad array of electroweak, heavy-flavor, and QCD measurements. Many of these results are one of a kind or represent the world's standard in precision. This article reviews the highlights of the SLD physics program, with an eye toward associated advances in experimental technique, and the contribution of these measurements to our dramatically improved present understanding of the standard model and its possible extensions.

Performance of the SLD Warm Iron Calorimeter prototype

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Callegari, G.; Piemontese, L.; De Sangro, R.; Peruzzi, I.; Piccolo, M.; Busza, W.; Friedman, J.; Johnson, A.; Kendall, H.; Kistiakowsky, V.

1986-03-01

A prototype hadron calorimeter, of similar design to the Warm Iron Calorimeter (WIC) planned for the SLD experiment, has been built and its performance has been studied in a test beam. The WIC is an iron sampling calorimeter whose active elements are plastic streamer tubes similar to those used for the Mont-Blanc proton decay experiment. The construction and operation of the tubes will be briefly described together with their use in an iron calorimeter - muon tracker. Efficiency, resolution and linearity have been measured in a hadron/muon beam up to 11 GeV. The measured values correspond to the SLD design goals

Research on Difficulty in Indonesia Students Learning Chinese Language

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lydia Anggreani

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Chinese has become the world’s second language. Each language has its own law, as is the Chinese. Indonesian students have difficulty in learning Chinese which are are not surprising. Every language has various characteristics, so do Chinese and Bahasa Indonesia. Article analyzes difficulties to learn Chinese, especially for Indonesian students, those are tone, grammar, sounds of “er hua” such as Alice retroflex. The respondents are 100 Indonesian students who are randomly selected for testing samples analyzed. Since there is no tone in Bahasa Indonesia, it makes a lot of Indonesian students in the learning process often appear in Chinese foreign accent phenomenon. This article expects to explore the problem by studying the formation of the causes and solutions. Indonesian students learning Chinese was designed to provide some teaching and learning strategies.

[The comorbidity of learning difficulties and ADHD symptoms in primary-school-age children].

Science.gov (United States)

Schuchardt, Kirsten; Fischbach, Anne; Balke-Melcher, Christina; Mähler, Claudia

2015-05-01

Children having difficulties in acquiring early literacy and mathematical skills often show an increased rate of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. This study provides data on the comorbidity rates of specific learning difficulties and ADHD symptoms. We analyzed the data of 273 children with learning difficulties despite an at least average IQ, 57 children with low IQ, and 270 children without learning difficulties and average IQ (comparison group). We assessed children’s IQ and school achievement using standardized achievement tests. ADHD symptoms were assessed via parents’ ratings. Our results showed that only 5 % of both the control group and the group with solely mathematical difficulties fulfilled the criteria of an ADHD subtype according to the DSM-IV based on parents’ ratings. In contrast, this was the case in even 20 % of the children with difficulties in reading/writing and of those with low IQ. Compared to girls, boys in the control group had a 150% higher risk for matching the criteria of one of the ADHD subtypes in parents’ ratings, whereas boys with learning difficulties and those with low IQ had an even 200% to 600% higher risk for it. The relationship between learning difficulties and ADHD symptoms can be found predominantly in the inattentive type. Possible reasons for the results are discussed.

Reflections on providing sport science support for athletes with learning difficulties.

Science.gov (United States)

Hills, Laura; Utley, Andrea

2010-01-01

To highlight the benefits and the need for sport science support for athletes with learning difficulties, and to reflect on our experience of working with the GB squad for athletes with learning difficulties. A review of key and relevant literature is presented, followed by a discussion of the sport science support provision and the issues that emerged in working with athletes with learning difficulties. Pre- and post- physiological tests along with evaluations of athletes' potential to benefit from sport psychology support were conducted. The aim of these tests was to provide information for the athletes and the coaches on fitness levels, to use this information to plan future training, and to identify how well the performance could be enhanced. A case study is presented for one athlete, who had competed in distance events. The focus is the psychological support that was provided. It is clear that athletes with learning difficulties require the same type of sports science support as their mainstream peers. However, sport scientists will need to consider ways to extend their practice in order to provide the appropriate level of support.

Difficulties in initial algebra learning in Indonesia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jupri, Al; Drijvers, Paulus; van den Heuvel - Panhuizen, Marja

2014-01-01

Within mathematics curricula, algebra has been widely recognized as one of the most difficult topics, which leads to learning difficulties worldwide. In Indonesia, algebra performance is an important issue. In the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007, Indonesian

Learner's Learning Experiences & Difficulties towards (ESL) among UKM Undergraduates

Science.gov (United States)

Maarof, Nooreiny; Munusamy, Indira Malani A/P

2015-01-01

This paper aims to investigate the learners learning experiences and difficulties of ESL among the UKM undergraduates. This study will be focusing on identifying the factors behind Malaysian undergraduate's experiences and also their difficulties in the English as Second Language (ESL) classroom. This paper discusses some of the issues of English…

Drosophila Sld5 is essential for normal cell cycle progression and maintenance of genomic integrity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gouge, Catherine A. [Department of Biology, East Carolina University East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858 (United States); Christensen, Tim W., E-mail: christensent@ecu.edu [Department of Biology, East Carolina University East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858 (United States)

2010-09-10

Research highlights: {yields} Drosophila Sld5 interacts with Psf1, PPsf2, and Mcm10. {yields} Haploinsufficiency of Sld5 leads to M-phase delay and genomic instability. {yields} Sld5 is also required for normal S phase progression. -- Abstract: Essential for the normal functioning of a cell is the maintenance of genomic integrity. Failure in this process is often catastrophic for the organism, leading to cell death or mis-proliferation. Central to genomic integrity is the faithful replication of DNA during S phase. The GINS complex has recently come to light as a critical player in DNA replication through stabilization of MCM2-7 and Cdc45 as a member of the CMG complex which is likely responsible for the processivity of helicase activity during S phase. The GINS complex is made up of 4 members in a 1:1:1:1 ratio: Psf1, Psf2, Psf3, And Sld5. Here we present the first analysis of the function of the Sld5 subunit in a multicellular organism. We show that Drosophila Sld5 interacts with Psf1, Psf2, and Mcm10 and that mutations in Sld5 lead to M and S phase delays with chromosomes exhibiting hallmarks of genomic instability.

Motor performance and learning difficulties in schoolchildren aged 7 to 10 years old

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Silva

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The general objective of this study was to evaluate the motor performance of children with and without learning difficulty indicatives. Took part in the study 406 students aged 7 to 10 years old, being 231 girls (56.9% and 175 (43.1% boys enrolled in a municipal public school in São José, Santa Catarina, Brazil. The indicative of learning difficulties was verified through the TDE, while motor performance was evaluated with the MABC. Boys without learning difficulties had better performance in the majority of the abilities evaluated, beyond an association between the indicative of motor problems with learning difficulties towards writing, arithmetic, reading, and in general. On the other hand, female students of the sample with and without any indicative of learning difficulties did not differentiate themselves as to motor abilities evaluated, with an association merely between the indicative of motor problems and reading problems. Based on the differences identified between girls and boys, results call attention to the need for future research in this area, considering gender as a differential variable in this relationship.

Measurement of the polarized forward-backward asymmetry of s-quarks at SLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narita, Shinya

1998-03-01

This thesis presents a direct measurement of the parity-violating parameter A s by analyzing the polarized forward-backward asymmetry of s quarks in e + e - → Z 0 → s anti s. The author has used the data taken at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC), from the SLAC Large Detector (SLD), which records the products of e + e - interactions at a center of mass energy √s = 91.2 GeV at the SLAC Linear Collider (SLC). The unique features of the SLC/SLD experimental apparatus provide interesting tests of the electroweak and the QCD physics. The small, stable SLC beam spot, and the precise tracking capability of the SLD allow the isolation of light flavor events. Charged hadrons are identified over wide momentum range with the Cherenkov Ring Imaging Detector (CRID). High momentum charged kaon, Λ 0 /anti Λ 0 , and K s 0 are used to select Z 0 → s anti s events and to identify the s-quark direction. The averaged polarization was 63.0% in 1993 SLD run and 77.3% in 1994--95 run. The author obtained A s = 0.86 ± 0.17(stat.) ± 0.10(syst.). This value is consistent with the prediction from the Standard Model and with the values of A b measurements from SLD and LEP experiments

SLD liquid argon calorimeter prototype test results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dubois, R.; Eigen, G.; Au, Y.

1985-10-01

The results of the SLD test beam program for the selection of a calorimeter radiator composition within a liquid argon system are described, with emphasis on the study of the use of uranium to obtain equalization of pion and electron responses

Multisensory perceptual learning is dependent upon task difficulty.

Science.gov (United States)

De Niear, Matthew A; Koo, Bonhwang; Wallace, Mark T

2016-11-01

There has been a growing interest in developing behavioral tasks to enhance temporal acuity as recent findings have demonstrated changes in temporal processing in a number of clinical conditions. Prior research has demonstrated that perceptual training can enhance temporal acuity both within and across different sensory modalities. Although certain forms of unisensory perceptual learning have been shown to be dependent upon task difficulty, this relationship has not been explored for multisensory learning. The present study sought to determine the effects of task difficulty on multisensory perceptual learning. Prior to and following a single training session, participants completed a simultaneity judgment (SJ) task, which required them to judge whether a visual stimulus (flash) and auditory stimulus (beep) presented in synchrony or at various stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs) occurred synchronously or asynchronously. During the training session, participants completed the same SJ task but received feedback regarding the accuracy of their responses. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three levels of difficulty during training: easy, moderate, and hard, which were distinguished based on the SOAs used during training. We report that only the most difficult (i.e., hard) training protocol enhanced temporal acuity. We conclude that perceptual training protocols for enhancing multisensory temporal acuity may be optimized by employing audiovisual stimuli for which it is difficult to discriminate temporal synchrony from asynchrony.

Phosphopeptide binding by Sld3 links Dbf4-dependent kinase to MCM replicative helicase activation.

Science.gov (United States)

Deegan, Tom D; Yeeles, Joseph Tp; Diffley, John Fx

2016-05-02

The initiation of eukaryotic DNA replication requires the assembly of active CMG (Cdc45-MCM-GINS) helicases at replication origins by a set of conserved and essential firing factors. This process is controlled during the cell cycle by cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) and Dbf4-dependent kinase (DDK), and in response to DNA damage by the checkpoint kinase Rad53/Chk1. Here we show that Sld3, previously shown to be an essential CDK and Rad53 substrate, is recruited to the inactive MCM double hexamer in a DDK-dependent manner. Sld3 binds specifically to DDK-phosphorylated peptides from two MCM subunits (Mcm4, 6) and then recruits Cdc45. MCM mutants that cannot bind Sld3 or Sld3 mutants that cannot bind phospho-MCM or Cdc45 do not support replication. Moreover, phosphomimicking mutants in Mcm4 and Mcm6 bind Sld3 without DDK and facilitate DDK-independent replication. Thus, Sld3 is an essential "reader" of DDK phosphorylation, integrating signals from three distinct protein kinase pathways to coordinate DNA replication during S phase. © 2016 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.

Difficulties in Initial Algebra Learning in Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

Jupri, Al; Drijvers, Paul; van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, Marja

2014-01-01

Within mathematics curricula, algebra has been widely recognized as one of the most difficult topics, which leads to learning difficulties worldwide. In Indonesia, algebra performance is an important issue. In the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007, Indonesian students' achievement in the algebra domain was…

Learner’s Learning Experiences & Difficulties towards (ESL among UKM Undergraduates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nooreiny Maarof

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to investigate the learners learning experiences and difficulties of ESL among the UKM undergraduates. This study will be focusing on identifying the factors behind Malaysian undergraduate’s experiences and also their difficulties in the English as Second Language (ESL classroom. This paper discusses some of the issues of English language learning experiences at the tertiary level in this country. It reflects on how the teaching of English is variously conceptualized in our classrooms, raising important questions about the positions of English literacy to Malaysian undergraduates. A qualitative research method was employed, whereby a semi-structured interview session was conducted compromising thirty Bachelor of Arts undergraduates (BA ELS. The findings of this study suggests learners at tertiary  level do face challenges in their ESL classroom learning,  in areas such as the learning environment itself needs to be improved, the quality of education, the academics, the role of educators and the teaching approach were among others pointed out by the learners themselves.  Keywords: English language teaching, English as Second language (ESL, learner’s experiences, learner’s difficulties, language learners

Fractions Learning in Children with Mathematics Difficulties

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Jing; Siegler, Robert S.

2017-01-01

Learning fractions is difficult for children in general and especially difficult for children with mathematics difficulties (MD). Recent research on developmental and individual differences in fraction knowledge of children with MD and typically achieving (TA) children has demonstrated that U.S. children with MD start middle school behind their TA…

Learners with learning difficulties in mathematics : attitudes, curriculum and methods of teaching mathematics

OpenAIRE

2012-01-01

D.Ed. The aim of this theses is to find out whether there is any relationship between learners' attitudes and learning difficulties in mathematics: To investigate whether learning difficulties in mathematics are associated with learners' gender. To establish the nature of teachers' perceptions of the learning problem areas in the mathematics curriculum. To find out about the teachers' views on the methods of teaching mathematics, resources, learning of mathematics, extra curricular activit...

High-speed 405-nm superluminescent diode (SLD) with 807-MHz modulation bandwidth

KAUST Repository

Shen, Chao

2016-08-25

III-nitride LEDs are fundamental components for visible-light communication (VLC). However, the modulation bandwidth is inherently limited by the relatively long carrier lifetime. In this letter, we present the 405 nm emitting superluminescent diode (SLD) with tilted facet design on semipolar GaN substrate, showing a broad emission of ∼9 nm at 20 mW optical power. Owing to the fast recombination (τ<0.35 ns) through the amplified spontaneous emission, the SLD exhibits a significantly large 3-dB bandwidth of 807 MHz. A data rate of 1.3 Gbps with a bit-error rate of 2.9 × 10 was obtained using on-off keying modulation scheme, suggesting the SLD being a high-speed transmitter for VLC applications.

High-speed 405-nm superluminescent diode (SLD) with 807-MHz modulation bandwidth

KAUST Repository

Shen, Chao; Lee, Changmin; Ng, Tien Khee; Nakamura, Shuji; Speck, James S.; DenBaars, Steven P.; Alyamani, Ahmed Y.; El-Desouki, Munir M.; Ooi, Boon S.

2016-01-01

III-nitride LEDs are fundamental components for visible-light communication (VLC). However, the modulation bandwidth is inherently limited by the relatively long carrier lifetime. In this letter, we present the 405 nm emitting superluminescent diode (SLD) with tilted facet design on semipolar GaN substrate, showing a broad emission of ∼9 nm at 20 mW optical power. Owing to the fast recombination (τ<0.35 ns) through the amplified spontaneous emission, the SLD exhibits a significantly large 3-dB bandwidth of 807 MHz. A data rate of 1.3 Gbps with a bit-error rate of 2.9 × 10 was obtained using on-off keying modulation scheme, suggesting the SLD being a high-speed transmitter for VLC applications.

Self-reported learning difficulties and dietary intake in Norwegian adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Øverby, Nina Cecilie; Lüdemann, Eva; Høigaard, Rune

2013-11-01

The academic performance of children impacts future educational attainment which may increase socioeconomic status which again influences their health. One of several factors that might affect academic performance is the diet. The aim of this study was to investigate the cross sectional relation between diet and self-reported reading-, writing-, and mathematical difficulties in Norwegian adolescents. In total, 475 ninth- and tenth-grade students out of 625 eligible ones from four different secondary schools in three different municipalities in Vest-Agder County, Norway, participated, giving a participation rate of 77%. The students filled in a questionnaire with food frequency questions of selected healthy and unhealthy food items, questions of meal frequency and different learning difficulties. Regular breakfast was significantly associated with decreased odds of both writing and reading difficulties (OR: 0.44 (0.2-0.8), p = 0.01) and mathematical difficulties (OR: 0.33 (0.2-0.6), p ≤ 0.001). In addition, having lunch, dinner and supper regularly were associated with decreased odds of mathematical difficulties. Further, a high intake of foods representing a poor diet (sugar-sweetened soft drinks, sweets, chocolate, savory snacks, pizza and hot dogs) was significantly associated with increased odds of mathematical difficulties. Having a less-frequent intake of unhealthy foods and not skipping meals are associated with decreased odds of self-reported learning difficulties in Norwegian adolescents in this study. The results of this study support the need for a larger study with a more representative sample.

Socioeconomic variation, number competence, and mathematics learning difficulties in young children.

Science.gov (United States)

Jordan, Nancy C; Levine, Susan C

2009-01-01

As a group, children from disadvantaged, low-income families perform substantially worse in mathematics than their counterparts from higher-income families. Minority children are disproportionately represented in low-income populations, resulting in significant racial and social-class disparities in mathematics learning linked to diminished learning opportunities. The consequences of poor mathematics achievement are serious for daily functioning and for career advancement. This article provides an overview of children's mathematics difficulties in relation to socioeconomic status (SES). We review foundations for early mathematics learning and key characteristics of mathematics learning difficulties. A particular focus is the delays or deficiencies in number competencies exhibited by low-income children entering school. Weaknesses in number competence can be reliably identified in early childhood, and there is good evidence that most children have the capacity to develop number competence that lays the foundation for later learning.

Using Differential Item Functioning Procedures to Explore Sources of Item Difficulty and Group Performance Characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Scheuneman, Janice Dowd; Gerritz, Kalle

1990-01-01

Differential item functioning (DIF) methodology for revealing sources of item difficulty and performance characteristics of different groups was explored. A total of 150 Scholastic Aptitude Test items and 132 Graduate Record Examination general test items were analyzed. DIF was evaluated for males and females and Blacks and Whites. (SLD)

Specific Learning Difficulties--What Teachers Need to Know

Science.gov (United States)

Hudson, Diana

2015-01-01

This book clearly explains what Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) are, and describes the symptoms of conditions most commonly encountered in the mainstream classroom: dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, and OCD. The author provides an overview of the strengths and weaknesses commonly associated with…

Heavy Flavor Fragmentation and Decay at SLD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Plano, Richard M

1999-02-24

Results on heavy quark fragmentation obtained using the SLD detector at the SLAC Linear Collider are presented. This talk will cover the ratio of vector to pseudoscalar charmed meson production, the inclusive B hadron energy distribution, the inclusive particle production in heavy jets compared to their production in light jets, and charged and neutral B meson lifetimes.

Toward Self-Regulated Learning in Vocational Education: Difficulties and Opportunities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jossberger, Helen

2011-01-01

Jossberger, H. (2011). Toward Self-Regulated Learning in Vocational Education: Difficulties and Opportunities. Doctoral Thesis. June, 24, 2011, Heerlen, The Netherlands: Open Universiteit in the Netherlands.

Learners' Listening Comprehension Difficulties in English Language Learning: A Literature Review

Science.gov (United States)

Gilakjani, Abbas Pourhosein; Sabouri, Narjes Banou

2016-01-01

Listening is one of the most important skills in English language learning. When students listen to English language, they face a lot of listening difficulties. Students have critical difficulties in listening comprehension because universities and schools pay more attention to writing, reading, and vocabulary. Listening is not an important part…

Laptops Meet Schools, One-One Draw: M-Learning for Secondary Students with Literacy Difficulties

Science.gov (United States)

Conway, Paul F.; Amberson, Jessica

2011-01-01

Mobile technology-enhanced literacy initiatives have become a focus of efforts to support learning for students with literacy difficulties. The "Laptops Initiative for Post-Primary Students with Dyslexia or other Reading/Writing Difficulties" offers insights into and addresses questions about ICT policy making regarding m-learning technologies for…

Psychosocial and Adaptive Deficits Associated with Learning Disability Subtypes

Science.gov (United States)

Backenson, Erica M.; Holland, Sara C.; Kubas, Hanna A.; Fitzer, Kim R.; Wilcox, Gabrielle; Carmichael, Jessica A.; Fraccaro, Rebecca L.; Smith, Amanda D.; Macoun, Sarah J.; Harrison, Gina L.; Hale, James B.

2015-01-01

Children with specific learning disabilities (SLD) have deficits in the basic psychological processes that interfere with learning and academic achievement, and for some SLD subtypes, these deficits can also lead to emotional and/or behavior problems. This study examined psychosocial functioning in 123 students, aged 6 to 11, who underwent…

An improved inclusive measurement of Ac using the SLD detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

The authors report a new measurement of A c using data obtained by SLD in 1993--97. This measurement uses a vertex tag technique, where the selection of a c hemisphere is based on the reconstructed mass of the charm hadron decay vertex. The method uses the 3D vertexting capabilities of SLD's CCD vertex detector and the small and stable SLC beams to obtain a high c-event tagging efficiency and purity of 28% and 81%, respectively. Charged kaons identified by the CRID detector and the charge of the reconstructed vertex provide an efficient quark-antiquark tag. They obtain a preliminary result of A c = 0.650 ± 0.041 ± 0.033

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…

Difficulties in Learning and Teaching Statistics: Teacher Views

Science.gov (United States)

Koparan, Timur

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to define teacher views about the difficulties in learning and teaching middle school statistics subjects. To serve this aim, a number of interviews were conducted with 10 middle school maths teachers in 2011-2012 school year in the province of Trabzon. Of the qualitative descriptive research methods, the…

The Curriculum for Children with Severe and Profound Learning Difficulties at Stephen Hawking School

Science.gov (United States)

Rayner, Matthew

2011-01-01

The increasing number of children with profound and multiple learning difficulties means that many schools for children with severe learning difficulties are having to review the curriculum that they offer. In addition, these schools are continuing to question whether a subject-based approach, in line with the National Curriculum, is the most…

SLD-MOSCNT: A new MOSCNT with step-linear doping profile in the source and drain regions

Science.gov (United States)

Tahne, Behrooz Abdi; Naderi, Ali

2017-01-01

In this paper, a new structure, step-linear doping MOSCNT (SLD-MOSCNT), is proposed to improve the performance of basic MOSCNTs. The basic structure suffers from band to band tunneling (BTBT). We show that using SLD profile for source and drain regions increases the horizontal distance between valence and conduction bands at gate to source/drain junction which reduces BTBT probability. SLD performance is compared with other similar structures which have recently been proposed to reduce BTBT such as MOSCNT with lightly-doped drain and source (LDDS), and with double-light doping in source and drain regions (DLD). The obtained results using a nonequilibrium Green’s function (NEGF) method show that the SLD-MOSCNT has the lowest leakage current, power consumption and delay time, and the highest current ratio and voltage gain. The ambipolar conduction in the proposed structure is very low and can be neglected. In addition, these structures can improve short-channel effects. Also, the investigation of cutoff frequency of the different structures shows that the SLD has the highest cutoff frequency. Device performance has been investigated for gate length from 8 to 20 nm which demonstrates all discussions regarding the superiority of the proposed structure are also valid for different channel lengths. This improvement is more significant especially for channel length less than 12 nm. Therefore, the SLD can be considered as a candidate to be used in the applications with high speed and low power consumption.

What teacher factors influence their attributions for children's difficulties in learning?

Science.gov (United States)

Brady, Katy; Woolfson, Lisa

2008-12-01

Identifying the factors that influence teacher beliefs about teaching children with learning difficulties is important for the success of inclusive education. This study explores the relationship between teachers' role, self-efficacy, attitudes towards disabled people, teaching experience and training, on teachers' attributions for children's difficulties in learning. One hundred and eighteen primary school teachers (44 general mainstream, 33 mainstream learning support, and 41 special education teachers) completed the short form of the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale, the Interaction with Disabled Persons Scale (IDP), and a revised version of the Teacher Attribution Scale. Regression analysis found that teachers' role influenced stability and controllability attributions. However, for stability attributions the effect was not sustained when examined in the context of the other factors of teaching efficacy, experience, training, and attitudes towards disability. What emerged as important instead was strong feelings of sympathy towards disabled people which predicted stable attributions about learning difficulties. Experience of teaching children with additional support needs and teaching efficacy positively predicted external locus of causality attributions. Surprisingly, training was not found to have an impact on attributions. A mixed MANOVA found that mainstream teachers' controllability attributions were influenced by whether or not the child had identified learning support needs. Teacher efficacy, experience of teaching students with support needs, attitudes towards disabled people, and teachers' role all impact on teacher attributions, but no relationship with training was found. Implications for teacher training and development, and for student achievement and student self-perception are discussed.

A Time to Define: Making the Specific Learning Disability Definition Prescribe Specific Learning Disability

Science.gov (United States)

Kavale, Kenneth A.; Spaulding, Lucinda S.; Beam, Andrea P.

2009-01-01

Unlike other special education categories defined in U.S. law (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), the definition of specific learning disability (SLD) has not changed since first proposed in 1968. Thus, although the operational definition of SLD has responded to new knowledge and understanding about the construct, the formal definition…

Working Memory Difficulties and Eligibility for K-12 Special Education

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Corrie L.

2017-01-01

Working memory (WM) has long been associated with deficiencies in reading. Approximately 35% of students in the United States who receive special education services do so under the category of specific learning disability (SLD). The study's theoretical underpinning was Baddeley's model of WM; previous research revealed a significant literature gap…

Difficulties of learning probability concepts, the reasons why these concepts cannot be learned and suggestions for solution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dilek Sezgin MEMNUN

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Probability holds the first place among the subjects that both teachers and students have difficulty in handling. Although probability has an important role in many professions and a great many decisions we make for our daily lives, the understanding of the probability concepts is not an easy ability to gain for many students. Most of the students develop perception about lots of probability concepts and they have difficulty finding a reason for probability events. Thus, in the present study, the difficulties faced while learning probability concepts and the reasons why these concepts cannot be learned well are investigated, these reasons are tried to be put forward, and some suggestions for solutions regarding these concepts are presented. In this study, cross-hatching model was used. National and international studies on the subject of probability are investigated, the reasons why these concepts cannot be learned were categorized in the light of findings obtained, and the reasons why these concepts cannot be learned and taught are tried to be discovered. The categorization was displayed with Ishikawa diagram. In the diagram, the reasons why these concepts cannot be learned were noted as six categories. These categories were age, the insufficiency of advanced information, the deficiency of argumentation ability, teacher, error in concept, and students’ negative attitudes.

Understanding Impulsivity among Children with Specific Learning Disabilities in Inclusion Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Dababneh, Kholoud Adeeb; Al-Zboon, Eman K.

2018-01-01

Impulsive behavior is a characteristic of children with specific learning disabilities (SLD), and is related to learning ability. The present study aims to identify impulsivity behavior in children with SLD who attend inclusion schools, from their resource room teachers' perspectives. A 31-item questionnaire that addressed four subscales was…

Polarized source performance in 1992 for SLC--SLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schultz, D.; Alley, R.; Clendenin, J.; Frisch, J.; Garden, C.; Hoyt, E.; Klaisner, L.; Kulikov, A.; Prescott, C.; Saez, P.; Tang, H.; Turner, J.; Wicks, M.; Woods, M.; Yeremian, D.; Zolotorev, M.

1993-02-01

In its initial operation, the SLC Polarized Electron Source successfully met the SLC goals for 1992 for intensity and efficiency. However, the stability of the beam at the source was marginal, and the polarization was only ∼28%. The SLC goal to provide > 10,000 Z events for the SLD from polarized electrons was met

Enabling Pupils with Learning Difficulties to Reflect on Their Own Thinking.

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, Stuart D.; Makin, Michael

1994-01-01

Reports on a study of the impact of metacognition among 10 middle school-aged British students with learning difficulties. Finds that student awareness and subsequent control over thought processes were enhanced through self-reporting and self-appraisal. Examines this kind of reflection on enhanced learning capabilities and self-esteem. (CFR)

Psychological Characteristics of Personality in Students with Learning Difficulties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T A Shilova

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The article presents the research of the psychological characteristics of the personality of a student with learning difficulties from the position of the mismatch of mental development in operational sphere. The article considers the system of methods of research with the personality-oriented approach. The influence of certain psychological characteristics of a personality on the outcome of the study is revealed. The ways of building correctional-developing programmes for psychological preparation of junior schoolchildren for successful learning are shown.

Self-Control of Task Difficulty During Early Practice Promotes Motor Skill Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrieux, Mathieu; Boutin, Arnaud; Thon, Bernard

2016-01-01

This study was designed to determine whether the effect of self-control of task difficulty on motor learning is a function of the period of self-control administration. In a complex anticipation-coincidence task that required participants to intercept 3 targets with a virtual racquet, the task difficulty was either self-controlled or imposed to the participants in the two phases of the acquisition session. First, the results confirmed the beneficial effects of self-control over fully prescribed conditions. Second, the authors also demonstrated that a partial self-control of task difficulty better promotes learning than does a complete self-controlled procedure. Overall, the results revealed that these benefits are increased when this choice is allowed during early practice. The findings are discussed in terms of theoretical and applied perspectives.

The first results from the CRID detector at SLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Va'vra, J.; Antilogus, P.; Aston, D.; Bienz, T.; Bird, F.; Dasu, S.; Dolinsky, S.; Dunwoodie, W.; hallewell, G.; Kawahara, H.; Kwon, Y.; Leith, D.W.G.S.; Mueller, G.; Muller, D.; Nagamine, T.; Pavel, T.J.; Ratcliff, B.; Rensing, P.; Schultz, D.; Shapiro, S.; Simopoulos, C.; Solodov, E.; Toge, N.; Williams, S.H.; Abe, K.; Hasegawa, K.; Hasegawa, Y.; Suekane, F.; Yuta, H.; Baird, K.; Jacques, P.; Kalelkar, M.; Plano, R.; Stamer, P.; Word, G.; Bean, A.; Caldwell, D.O.; Duboscq, J.; Huber, J.; Lu, A.; Mathys, L.; McHugh, S.; Yellin, S.; David, R.B.; Manly, S.; Snyder, J.; Sforza, M.C.; Coyle, P.; Coyne, D.; Liu, X.; Williams, D.A.; Coller, J.; Shank, J.T.; Whitaker, J.S.; d'Oliveira, A.; Johnson, R.A.; Martinez, J.; Meadows, B.; Nussbaum, M.; Santha, A.K.S.; Sokoloff, M.D.; Stockdale, I.; Turk, J.; Wilson, R.J.

1992-10-01

We report first results from the initial physics run of the Cherenkov Ring Imaging Detector (CRID) in the SLD experiment at the SLC. We describe the experimental conditions, show liquid and gas rings, report the number of photoelectrons per ring, and comment on resolution

Data acquisition system for SLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sherden, D.J.

1985-05-01

This paper describes the data acquisition system planned for the SLD detector which is being constructed for use with the SLAC Linear Collider (SLC). An exclusively FASTBUS front-end system is used together with a VAX-based host system. While the volume of data transferred does not challenge the band-width capabilities of FASTBUS, extensive use is made of the parallel processing capabilities allowed by FASTBUS to reduce the data to a size which can be handled by the host system. The low repetition rate of the SLC allows a relatively simple software-based trigger. The principal components and overall architecture of the hardware and software are described

Measurements of Z0 Electroweak Couplings at SLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mancinelli, Giampero

1999-01-01

In this paper we report a summary of the results of several electroweak measurements performed by the SLD experiment at the Stanford Linear Collider (SLC). Most of these results are preliminary and are based, unless otherwise indicated, on the full 1993-1998 dataset of 560,000 hadronic Z 0 decays, produced with an average electron beam polarization of 73%

Involving users with learning difficulties in health improvement: lessons from inclusive learning disability research.

Science.gov (United States)

Walmsley, Jan

2004-03-01

In this paper the author considers the lessons to be drawn from what is termed "inclusive" learning disability research for user involvement around health improvement. Inclusive learning disability research refers to research where people with learning difficulties (intellectual disability) are involved as active participants, as opposed to passive subjects. There is by now a considerable body of such research, developed over the past 25 years. From the review, the author draws attention to areas which can inform practice in involvement of users in a way that adds value.

Common difficulties experienced by grade 12 students in learning ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The objective of this study was to examine the nature and causes of common difficulties experienced by grade twelve students in learning chemistry in Ebinat preparatory school. A qualitative method was employed to investigate the questions, which used interviews and questionnaires with students and teachers. The key ...

Difficulties Of Self-Learning To The Open Arab University Students In The Sultanate Of Oman From The Perspective Of The Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dr. Mahmoud Mohamed Ali

2015-08-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to reveal the most important difficulties that hinder the Arab Open University in Oman students for the practice of self-learning method in their studies has been rated difficulties to the three pillars namely difficulties related to students and the skills of self-learning and difficulties related to teachers and methods of teaching and difficulties related to the curriculum and learning resources and after the application of the study of the identification of the difficulties tool 200 of university students 697 study concluded that many of the results that were notably that the difficulties related to students and the skills of self-learning more difficulties impeding the exercise of self-learning compared to the difficulties related to the other two mentioned and the students ability to connect and communicate and to evaluate themselves and correct educational careers and their ability to control their behavior and direct their activities toward self-learning are more difficulties influential and disability for students on their ability to exercise self-learning in their study of the Arab open University and as for the axis of teachers and teaching methods has shown results weakness encourage teachers to students to apply and practice this kind of learning and focus on traditional methods and weak development of skills for self-learning is one of the more difficulties that limit the exercise of the students of this method of learning and for the focus of the curriculum and learning resources has shown results of the study that the lack of educational software miscellaneous non-availability of electronic research base and lack of stimulating courses on the exercise of self-learning method is one of the most difficulties that hinder students ability to exercise self-learning.

Investigating Difficulties of Learning Computer Programming in Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Alakeel, Ali M.

2015-01-01

Learning computer programming is one of the main requirements of many educational study plans in higher education. Research has shown that many students face difficulties acquiring reasonable programming skills during their first year of college. In Saudi Arabia, there are twenty-three state-owned universities scattered around the country that…

Importance and difficulties of cooperative learning application in class teaching from teachers' perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilić Marina Ž.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Based on previous knowledge of cooperative learning two approaches stand out in researching the importance of cooperative learning: a the first approach tries to examine the effects, conditions and mechanisms by which educational outcomes are realized in the application of cooperative learning; and b the second approach moves the focus towards attitudes and perceptions of teachers and students on the relevance of cooperative learning. By applying descriptive-analytical technique we conducted a research aimed at examining the opinions of teachers (N=305 about the importance and difficulties in application of cooperative learning in the context of class teaching. The results show that the teachers had positive attitudes towards the importance of cooperative learning for reaching various educational goals and socio-affective and cognitive development of students. It turned out that the opinions of the teachers were not determined by the level of their education or work experience. Additionally, it turned out that the teachers' opinions about the difficulties of application in class are due more to work organization and were not assessed from the aspect of knowledge, attitudes and convictions of the participants in the teaching process. The obtained results, although generally encouraging for teaching practice indicate a need for further advancement of this segment of the teacher's work in order to understand better the value of cooperative learning and consider more critically the difficulties for its application in classroom.

Meta-analysis of fluid intelligence tests of children from the Chinese mainland with learning difficulties.

Science.gov (United States)

Tong, Fang; Fu, Tong

2013-01-01

To evaluate the differences in fluid intelligence tests between normal children and children with learning difficulties in China. PubMed, MD Consult, and other Chinese Journal Database were searched from their establishment to November 2012. After finding comparative studies of Raven measurements of normal children and children with learning difficulties, full Intelligent Quotation (FIQ) values and the original values of the sub-measurement were extracted. The corresponding effect model was selected based on the results of heterogeneity and parallel sub-group analysis was performed. Twelve documents were included in the meta-analysis, and the studies were all performed in mainland of China. Among these, two studies were performed at child health clinics, the other ten sites were schools and control children were schoolmates or classmates. FIQ was evaluated using a random effects model. WMD was -13.18 (95% CI: -16.50- -9.85). Children with learning difficulties showed significantly lower FIQ scores than controls (Pintelligence of children with learning difficulties was lower than that of normal children. Delayed development in sub-items of C, D, and E was more obvious.

A status report on the SLD data acquisition system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-11-01

The basic design of the SLD data acquisition system and its present status are reviewed. Aspects of the design that take particular advantage of the relatively low e + e/sup /minus// cross section and the low beam crossing rate of a linear collider are explained. 14 refs., 8 figs

Emotional and meta-emotional intelligence as predictors of adjustment problems in students with Specific Learning Disorders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonella D’Amico

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to analyse adjustment problems in a group of adolescents with a Specific Learning Disorder (SLD, examining to what extent they depend on the severity level of the learning disorder and/or on the individual‟s level of emotional intelligence. Adjustment problems,, perceived severity levels of SLD, and emotional and meta-emotional intelligence were examined in 34 adolescents with SLD. Results demonstrated that emotional beliefs, emotional self-concept and emotional intelligence are very important factors in the psychological adjustment of adolescents with SLD. These results provide evidence for the importance of considering meta-emotional intelligence in both diagnostic and intervention protocols, as well as in the inclusive education of students with SLD.

Precision electroweak physics with the SLD/SLC: The left-right polarization asymmetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rowson, P.C.

1994-12-01

Following a brief review of a commonly used general framework for the analysis of radiative corrections and possible new physics, the recent precision results from the SLD/SLC are discussed and used to test the standard electroweak model. In the 1993 SLD/SLC run, the SLD recorded 50,000 Z events produced by the collision of longitudinally polarized electrons on unpolarized positrons at a center-of-mass energy of 91.26 GeV. The luminosity-weighted average polarization of the SLC electron beam was (63.0 ± 1.1)%. We measure the left-right cross-section asymmetry in Z boson production, A LR , to be 0.1628 ± 0.0071 (stat) ± 0.0028 (syst) which determines the effective weak mixing angle to be sin 2 θ W eff = 0.2292 ± 0.0009 (stat) ± 0.0004 (syst). When averaged with our 1992 result, we obtain sin 2 θ W eff = 0.2294 ± 0. 0010. This result differs from analogous LEP results at the level of about 2.5 σ. The world averages of electroweak data are comfortably in agreement with the standard model

VXD3: The SLD vertex detector upgrade based on a 307 Mpixel CCD system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-07-01

The SLD Collaboration is building a new CCD vertex detector (VXD3) comprising 96 3.2 Mpixel CCDs of 13 cm 2 each for a total of 307 million pixels. This system is an upgrade of the Pioneering CCD vertex detector VXD2 which has operated in SLD since 1992. The CCDs of VXD3 are mounted on beryllium ladders in three cylinders, providing three space point measurements along each track of about 5 microns resolution in all three coordinates. The design and construction of VXD3 builds on three years of successful performance of VXD2. Significant improvements are achieved with VXD3 in impact parameters resolution (about a factor of two) and acceptance (∼20%) through optimized geometry and reduced material. New readout electronics have been developed for this system. This new vertex detector will be installed in late 1995 for the future runs of SLD

Contribution of Content Knowledge and Learning Ability to the Learning of Facts.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuhara-Kojima, Keiko; Hatano, Giyoo

1991-01-01

In 3 experiments, 1,598 Japanese college students were examined concerning the learning of facts in 2 content domains, baseball and music. Content knowledge facilitated fact learning only in the relevant domain; learning ability facilitated fact learning in both domains. Effects of content knowledge and learning ability were additive. (SLD)

Reconsidering Learning Difficulties and Misconceptions in Chemistry: Emergence in Chemistry and Its Implications for Chemical Education

Science.gov (United States)

Tümay, Halil

2016-01-01

Identifying students' misconceptions and learning difficulties and finding effective ways of addressing them has been one of the major concerns in chemistry education. However, the chemistry education community has paid little attention to determining discipline-specific aspects of chemistry that can lead to learning difficulties and…

Pulse to pulse monitoring of the SLD detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogart, J.; Huffer, M.; Russell, J.

1993-04-01

The SLAC Linear Collider produces bunches of positrons and polarized electrons which collide at 120 hertz inside the SLD detector. A limited amount of information is collected for each pulse in the modules which do real-time data acquisition. Buffers of approximately ten seconds' worth of this monitor data are periodically delivered to a VAX. The generation and uses of the monitor data will be discussed

Perceived Difficulties in e-Learning During the First Term at University

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Galina Kavaliauskienė

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Purpose—the focus of this article is to explore difficulties that are encountered by students during the first term at university. It is well known that students can have various problems in learning English and make mistakes in grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. The native language of a learner affects learning and using English. Speaking and e-listening are the skills that are more common on an everyday basis than reading and writing. Moreover, these skills are more difficult to master. English vocabulary presents another problem for language learners. Albeit, at the university level students study English for Specific Purposes (ESP, in other words, the foreign language for their future profession, and they might face particular difficulties in their studies of ESP. Design/methodology/approach—the research paper adopts the qualitative research approach. The questionnaire on learner perceptions of difficulties in e-learning was administered to students of three different specializations. Students’ self-assessments of achievements or failures were analysed. Findings. The results indicated that perceptions of difficulties to adapting to university studies depended on their chosen specialization. The findings show that undergraduates of all three investigated specializations encounter the same difficulties, but to a different degree. In other words, there are no significantly specific difficulties due to the complexity of the professional vocabulary that students must learn. The ratings of Psychology, Social Work and Public Policy and Management students reveal higher mean values and wider range of Standard Deviations than reported by other researchers (Berman, Cheng, 2001. The results obtained imply that Lithuanian learners are more positive than their foreign counterparts. Computations of Pearson’s correlations coefficients demonstrate that there are some good correlational relationships within each specialization. Research

Storytelling Supported by Technology: An Alternative for EFL Children with Learning Difficulties

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sy-ying

2012-01-01

This action research aims to investigate how technology improves the conditions of storytelling to help enhance the learning attitude and motivation of EFL children with learning difficulty using power point designs and an online recording system--VoiceThread (http://voicethread.com/). The use of power point designs is to assure children of clear…

"May We Please Have Sex Tonight?"--People with Learning Difficulties Pursuing Privacy in Residential Group Settings

Science.gov (United States)

Hollomotz, Andrea

2009-01-01

Many residential group settings for people with learning difficulties do not provide individuals with the private space in which they can explore their sexual relationships in a safe and dignified manner. Lack of agreed private spaces seriously infringes the individual's human rights. Many people with learning difficulties who lack privacy have no…

The limited streamer tubes system for the SLD warm iron calorimeter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benvenuti, A.C.; Camanzi, B.; Piemontese, L.; Zucchelli, P.; Calcaterra, A.; De Sangro, R.; De Simone, P.; De Simone, S.; Gallinaro, M.; Peruzzi, I.; Piccolo, M.; Bacchetta, N.; Bisello, D.; Castro, A.; Galvagni, S.; Loreti, M.; Pescara, L.; Wyss, J.; Battiston, R.; Biasini, M.; Bilei, G.M.; Checcucci, B; Mancinelli, G.; Mantovani, G.; Pauluzzi, M.; Santocchia, A.; Servoli, L.; Carpinelli, M.; Castaldi, R.; Cazzola, U.; Dell'Orso, R.; Pieroni, E.; Vannini, C.; Verdini, P.G.; Byers, B.L.; Escalera, J.; Kharakh, D.; Messner, R.L.; Zdarko, R.W.; Johnson, J.R.

1992-01-01

The SLD detector at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center is a general purpose device for studying e + ε - interaction at the Z 0 . The SLD calorimeter system consists of two parts: a lead Liquid Argon Calorimeter (LAC) with both electromagnetic (22 radiation lengths) and hadronic sections (2.8 absorption lengths) housed inside the coil, and the Warm Ion limited streamer tubes Calorimeter (WIC) outside the coil which uses as radiator the iron of the flux return for the magnetic field. The WIC completes the measurement of the hadronic shower energy (∼85% on average is contained in the LAC) and it provides identification and tracking for muons over 99% of the solid angle. In this note we report on the construction, test and commissioning of such a large system

Meta-analysis of fluid intelligence tests of children from the Chinese mainland with learning difficulties.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fang Tong

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the differences in fluid intelligence tests between normal children and children with learning difficulties in China. METHOD: PubMed, MD Consult, and other Chinese Journal Database were searched from their establishment to November 2012. After finding comparative studies of Raven measurements of normal children and children with learning difficulties, full Intelligent Quotation (FIQ values and the original values of the sub-measurement were extracted. The corresponding effect model was selected based on the results of heterogeneity and parallel sub-group analysis was performed. RESULTS: Twelve documents were included in the meta-analysis, and the studies were all performed in mainland of China. Among these, two studies were performed at child health clinics, the other ten sites were schools and control children were schoolmates or classmates. FIQ was evaluated using a random effects model. WMD was -13.18 (95% CI: -16.50- -9.85. Children with learning difficulties showed significantly lower FIQ scores than controls (P<0.00001; Type of learning difficulty and gender differences were evaluated using a fixed-effects model (I² = 0%. The sites and purposes of the studies evaluated here were taken into account, but the reasons of heterogeneity could not be eliminated; The sum IQ of all the subgroups showed considerable heterogeneity (I² = 76.5%. The sub-measurement score of document A showed moderate heterogeneity among all documents, and AB, B, and E showed considerable heterogeneity, which was used in a random effect model. Individuals with learning difficulties showed heterogeneity as well. There was a moderate delay in the first three items (-0.5 to -0.9, and a much more pronounced delay in the latter three items (-1.4 to -1.6. CONCLUSION: In the Chinese mainland, the level of fluid intelligence of children with learning difficulties was lower than that of normal children. Delayed development in sub-items of C, D

Analysis of difficulties in mathematics learning on students with guardian personality type in problem-solving HOTS geometry test

Science.gov (United States)

Karimah, R. K. N.; Kusmayadi, T. A.; Pramudya, I.

2018-04-01

Learning in the current 2013 curriculum is based on contextual issues based on questions that can encourage students to think broadly. HOTS is a real-life based assessment of everyday life, but in practice, the students are having trouble completing the HOTS issue. Learning difficulty is also influenced by personality type Based on the fact that the real difference one can see from a person is behavior. Kersey classifies the personality into 4 types, namely Idealist, Rational, Artisan, and Guardian. The researcher focuses on the type of guardian personality that is the type of personality that does not like the picture. This study aims to describe the difficulty of learning mathematics in students with a type of guardian personality in the completion of Geometry materials especially in solving HOTS. This research type is descriptive qualitative research. Instruments used in this study were the researchers themselves, personality class test sheets, learning difficulty test sheets in the form of HOTS Geometry test, and interview guides. The results showed that students with guardian personality it was found that a total of 3.37 % difficulties of number fact skill, 4.49 % difficulties of arithmetics skill, 37.08 % difficulties of information skill, 31.46% difficulties of language skill, 23.60 % difficulties of visual-spatial skill.

Identifying College Students at Risk for Learning Disabilities: Evidence for Use of the Learning Difficulties Assessment in Postsecondary Settings

Science.gov (United States)

Kane, Steven T.; Roy, Soma; Medina, Steffanie

2013-01-01

This article describes research supporting the use of the Learning Difficulties Assessment (LDA), a normed and no-cost, web-based survey that assesses difficulties with reading, writing, spelling, mathematics, listening, concentration, memory, organizational skills, sense of control, and anxiety in college students. Previous research has supported…

The data acquisition system for SLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sherden, D.J.

1986-10-01

This paper describes the data acquisition system planned for the SLD detector, which is being constructed for use with the SLAC Linear Collider (SLC). Analog electronics, heavily incorporating hybrid and custom VLSI circuitry, is mounted on the detector itself. Extensive use is made of multiplexing through optical fibers to a FASTBUS readout system. The low repetition rate of the SLC allows a relatively simple software-based trigger. Hardware and software processors within the acquisition modules are used to reduce the large volume of data per event and to calibrate the electronics. A farm of microprocessors is used for full reconstruction of a sample of events prior to transmission to the host

Self-Disclosure Decisions of University Students with Learning Disabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Cole, Emma V.; Cawthon, Stephanie W.

2015-01-01

The number of students with learning disabilities (SLD) at postsecondary institutions has tripled over the past three decades and now constitutes about 11% of undergraduate students (Joyce & Rossen, 2006; U.S. Department of Education, 2013). Research has found that SLD who use accommodations at their postsecondary institution are more…

Heavy quark physics from SLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Messner, R.

1997-01-01

This report covers preliminary measurements from SLD on heavy quark production at the Z 0 , using 150,000 hadronic Z 0 decays accumulated during the 1993-1995 runs. A measurement of R b with a lifetime double tag is presented. The high electron beam polarization of the SLC is employed in the direct measurement of the parity-violating parameters A b and A c by use of the left-right forward-backward asymmetry. The lifetimes of B + and B 0 mesons have been measured by two analyses. The first identifies semileptonic decays of B mesons with high (p,p t ) leptons; the second analysis isolates a sample of B meson decays with a two-dimensional impact parameter tag and reconstructs the decay length and charge using a topological vertex reconstruction method

Learning from Others: Service-Learning in Costa Rica and Indonesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, David D.; Eiserman, William D.

1997-01-01

An exploration of the roles service learning plays in universities in Indonesia and Costa Rica invites policymakers in the United States to re-examine university service, research, and teaching responsibilities. Increased faculty involvement is a key to expanding service learning as part of the university agenda. (SLD)

DIFFICULTIES IN TEACHING AND LEARNING GRAMMAR IN AN EFL CONTEXT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdu Mohammed Al-Mekhlafi

2011-07-01

Full Text Available The role of grammar instruction in an ESL/EFL context has been for decades a major issue for students and teachers alike. Researchers have debated whether grammar should be taught in the classroom and students, for their part, have generally looked upon grammar instruction as a necessary evil at best, and an avoidable burden at worst. The paper reports a study undertaken to investigate the difficulties teachers face in teaching grammar to EFL students as well as those faced by students in learning it, in the teachers' perception. The study aimed to find out whether there are significant differences in teachers' perceptions of difficulties in relation to their gender, qualification, teaching experience, and the level they teach in school, thus providing insights into their own and their students' difficulties. Mean scores and t-test were used to interpret the data. The main findings are reported with implications.

Dyslexia and English: Degree of Difficulties Faced by the Students with Dyslexia while Learning English

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paraskevi Kaperoni

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This research aims to investigate the hypothesis that students diagnosed with dyslexia face a greater amount of difficulty when they attempt to learn a foreign language and especially English. On a survey carried out in the form of a questionnaire, two groups of students completed the same questionnaire regarding their difficulty to learn the basic skills such as reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The questions mostly focused on the difficulty they may face in spelling, reading, and listening which are the main aspects of the language dyslexic students’ score lower than students without dyslexia. The answers were evaluated with the use of the statistical method of t-test. The findings of the survey displayed a great difference on the score chosen by the two teams, which indicates the greater degree of difficulty the dyslexic students face confirming the original hypothesis.

Greek Parents' Perceptions and Experiences regarding Their Children's Learning and Social-Emotional Difficulties

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Adamopoulou, Eirini

2010-01-01

A survey instrument, the Test of Psychosocial Adaptation, originally developed for use with teachers in Greece, was given to 298 Greek parents in Athens and several rural areas. One hundred and five respondents indicated that their children exhibit learning and/or social-emotional learning difficulties. Parents rated higher externalizing behaviors…

EasyLexia 2.0: Redesigning Our Mobile Application for Children with Learning Difficulties

Science.gov (United States)

Skiada, Roxani; Soroniati, Eva; Gardeli, Anna; Zissis, Dimitrios

2014-01-01

Dyslexia is one of the most common learning difficulties affecting approximately 15 to 20 per cent of the world's population. A large amount of research is currently being conducted in exploring the potential benefits of using Information & Communication Technologies as a learning platform for individuals and especially children with such…

[Difficulties in learning mathematics].

Science.gov (United States)

Rebollo, M A; Rodríguez, A L

2006-02-13

To discuss our concern for some aspects of mathematics learning disorders related to the nomenclature employed and their diagnosis; these aspects refer to the term 'dyscalculia' and to its diagnosis (especially syndromatic diagnosis). We also intend to propose a classification that could help to define the terminology. Lastly we are going to consider the different aspects of diagnosis and to determine which of them are indispensable in the diagnosis of primary and secondary disorders. As far as the nomenclature is concerned, we refer to the term 'dyscalculia'. The origins of the term are analysed along with the reasons why it should not be used in children with difficulties in learning mathematics. We propose a classification and denominations for the different types that should undoubtedly be discussed. With respect to the diagnosis, several problems related to the syndromatic diagnosis are considered, since in our country there are no standardised tests with which to study performance in arithmetic and geometry. This means that criterion reference tests are conducted to try to establish current and potential performance. At this stage of the diagnosis pedagogical and psychological studies must be conducted. The important factors with regard to the topographical and aetiological diagnoses are prior knowledge, results from the studies that have been carried out and findings from imaging studies. The importance of a genetic study must be defined in the aetiological diagnosis. We propose a nomenclature to replace the term 'dyscalculia'. Standardised tests are needed for the diagnosis. The need to establish current and potential performance is hierarchized. With regard to the topographical diagnosis, we highlight the need for more information about geometry, and in aetiological studies the analyses must be conducted with greater numbers of children.

Emotional and Meta-Emotional Intelligence as Predictors of Adjustment Problems in Students with Specific Learning Disorders

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D'Amico, Antonella; Guastaferro, Teresa

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyse adjustment problems in a group of adolescents with a Specific Learning Disorder (SLD), examining to what extent they depend on the severity level of the learning disorder and/or on the individual's level of emotional intelligence. Adjustment problems,, perceived severity levels of SLD, and emotional and…

Status of ALR measurement at SLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ash, W.W.

1993-11-01

The SLD Collaboration is making a precision measurement of the left-right asymmetry (A LR ) at the SLAC Linear Collider, exploiting the significantly improved luminosity and the high electron-beam polarization of over 60%. General features of the polarized source and polarimetry are described. The experimental method is briefly presented, together with the preliminary values of the raw asymmetry, which should lead to a precision in the measurement of sin 2 θ W eff of ±0.0008 ± 0.0005. The collaboration is preparing a proposal for an extended run for one million Z o s with improved polarimetry to reach an ultimate level of δ sin 2 θ W eff = ±0.00025

Aids to Computer-Based Multimedia Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Mayer, Richard E.; Moreno, Roxana

2002-01-01

Presents a cognitive theory of multimedia learning that draws on dual coding theory, cognitive load theory, and constructivist learning theory and derives some principles of instructional design for fostering multimedia learning. These include principles of multiple representation, contiguity, coherence, modality, and redundancy. (SLD)

Heavy quark physics from SLD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Messner, R. [Stanford Univ., CA (United States)

1997-01-01

This report covers preliminary measurements from SLD on heavy quark production at the Z{sup 0}, using 150,000 hadronic Z{sup 0} decays accumulated during the 1993-1995 runs. A measurement of R{sub b} with a lifetime double tag is presented. The high electron beam polarization of the SLC is employed in the direct measurement of the parity-violating parameters A{sub b} and A{sub c} by use of the left-right forward-backward asymmetry. The lifetimes of B{sup +} and B{sup 0} mesons have been measured by two analyses. The first identifies semileptonic decays of B mesons with high (p,p{sub t}) leptons; the second analysis isolates a sample of B meson decays with a two-dimensional impact parameter tag and reconstructs the decay length and charge using a topological vertex reconstruction method.

An Educational Application of Online Games for Learning Difficulties

OpenAIRE

M. Margoudi; Z. Smyrnaiou

2015-01-01

The current paper presents the results of a conducted case study. During the past few years the number of children diagnosed with Learning Difficulties has drastically augmented and especially the cases of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). One of the core characteristics of ADHD is a deficit in working memory functions. The review of the literature indicates a plethora of educational software that aim at training and enhancing the working memory. Neverthele...

A Meta-Analysis of Working Memory Deficits in Children with Learning Difficulties: Is There a Difference between Verbal Domain and Numerical Domain?

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Peng; Fuchs, Douglas

2016-01-01

Children with learning difficulties suffer from working memory (WM) deficits. Yet the specificity of deficits associated with different types of learning difficulties remains unclear. Further research can contribute to our understanding of the nature of WM and the relationship between it and learning difficulties. The current meta-analysis…

Empowering Learners to Choose the Difficulty Level of Problems Based on Their Learning Needs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janet Mannheimer Zydney

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Research has found that increasing learner control offers several benefits, including increased motivation, attitude, and learning. The goal of the present study was to determine how prior math achievement influences students' selection of the difficulty level of problems within Math Pursuits, a hypermedia learning program. Math Pursuits was designed to help children understand mathematics by discovering how it relates to the world around them. The program presented each learner with an adjustable level of challenge, along with the necessary scaffolding to support success. The researchers hypothesized that students with lower math skills would choose to start with a lower difficultly level; whereas, students with higher math skills would begin the program by choosing a question with a higher level of difficulty. Results supported these hypotheses. This research also examined the motivational framework guiding students' selection of problem difficulty.

Language delays, reading delays, and learning difficulties: interactive elements requiring multidimensional programming.

Science.gov (United States)

Hay, Ian; Elias, Gordon; Fielding-Barnsley, Ruth; Homel, Ross; Freiberg, Kate

2007-01-01

Researchers have hypothesized four levels of instructional dialogue and claimed that teachers can improve children's language development by incorporating these dialogue levels in their classrooms. It has also been hypothesized that enhancing children's early language development enhances children's later reading development. This quasi-experimental research study investigated both of these hypotheses using a collaborative service delivery model for Grade 1 children with language difficulties from a socially and economically disadvantaged urban community in Australia. Comparing the end-of-year reading achievement scores for the 57 children who received the language intervention with those of the 59 children in the comparison group, the findings from this research are supportive of both hypotheses. The interrelationships between learning difficulties, reading difficulties, and language difficulties are discussed along with children's development in vocabulary, use of memory strategies and verbal reasoning, and the need for multidimensional programming.

Differential Constraints on the Working Memory and Reading Abilities of Individuals with Learning Difficulties and Typically Developing Children

Science.gov (United States)

Bayliss, Donna M.; Jarrold, Christopher; Baddeley, Alan D.; Leigh, Eleanor

2005-01-01

This study examined the factors that constrain the working memory span performance and reading ability of individuals with generalized learning difficulties. In the study, 50 individuals with learning difficulties (LD) and 50 typically developing children (TD) matched for reading age completed two working memory span tasks. Participants also…

SLC and SLD: Experimental experience with a linear collider

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Breidenbach, M.

1993-08-01

The SLAC Linear Collider (SLC) is the prototype e + e - linear collider. This talk will consist of an introduction to SLC, a description of the strategy for luminosity, a description of the systems for the transport and measurement of the polarized electrons, and a description of the present performance of the SLC and planned upgrades. The detector, SLD, and the status of the polarization asymmetry measurement A LR will be described

Bs Physics at LEP, SLD, and CDF Delta m_s and Delta Gamma_s

CERN Document Server

Boix, G

2001-01-01

The current status of the experimental knowledge of $\\Bs$ meson physics is reviewed. Results from LEP and CDF on the width difference $\\dgs$ are presented, the corresponding average is found to be in good agreement with the present theoretical estimation. The $\\Bs$ oscillations have not yet been resolved, despite the progress recently achieved by SLD and ALEPH. The world combination, including results from the LEP experiments, SLD and CDF, is presented, together with the expected and observed lower limit on the $\\Bs$ oscillation frequency. A tantalizing hint of an oscillation is observed around $\\dms\\sim17 \\psin$, near future results could increase the significance of this hint.

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…

The SLD Cerenkov Ring Imaging Detector: Progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ashford, V.; Bienz, T.; Bird, F.

1986-10-01

We describe test beam results from a prototype Cerenkov Ring Imaging Detector (CRID) for the SLD experiment at the SLAC Linear Collider (SLC). The system includes both liquid and gas radiators, a long drift box containing gaseous TMAE and a proportional wire chamber with charge division readout. Measurements of the multiplicity and detection resolution of Cerenkov photons, from both radiators are presented. Various design aspects of a new engineering prototype, currently under construction, are discussed and recent R and D results relevant to this effort are reported

Students' Views of Learning in Vocational Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Eklund-Myrskog, Gunilla

1997-01-01

Conceptions of learning and approaches to learning within vocational education were studied with 30 Finnish students of automotive mechanics. About half the students took a quantitative view of learning and favored a surface approach. Encouraging a qualitative view of learning and deeper approaches in vocational education is discussed. (SLD)

Teachers' Perceptions of the Concomitance of Emotional Behavioural Difficulties and Learning Disabilities in Children Referred for Learning Disabilities in Oman

Science.gov (United States)

Emam, Mahmoud Mohamed; Kazem, Ali Mahdi

2015-01-01

Research has documented overlapping and coexisting characteristics of learning disabilities (LD) and emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD). Such concomitance may impact teacher referrals of children at risk for LD which in turn may influence service delivery. Using the Learning Disabilities Diagnostic Inventory (LDDI) and the Strengths and…

English Language Learning Difficulty of Korean Students in a Philippine Multidisciplinary University

Science.gov (United States)

de Guzman, Allan B.; Albela, Emmanuel Jeric A.; Nieto, Deborah Rosalind D.; Ferrer, John Bernard F.; Santos, Rior N.

2006-01-01

This qualitative study analyzed the English language learning difficulties of 13 purposively chosen Korean students relative to their sociolinguistic competence, motivation in using the English language, and cultural factors. Interview responses were transcribed, categorized and thematised according to saliency, meaning and homogeneity. The…

A School-Based Movement Programme for Children with Motor Learning Difficulty

Science.gov (United States)

Mannisto, Juha-Pekka; Cantell, Marja; Huovinen, Tommi; Kooistra, Libbe; Larkin, Dawne

2006-01-01

The study investigated the effectiveness of a school-based movement programme for a population of 5 to 7 year old children. Performance profiles on the Movement ABC were used to classify the children and to assess skill changes over time. Children were assigned to four different groups: motor learning difficulty (n = 10), borderline motor learning…

The Creation of Task-Based Differentiated Learning Materials for Students with Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Barker, Trevor; Jones, Sara; Britton, Carol; Messer, David

This paper describes Horizon, a European-funded project designed to increase employment opportunities for students with disabilities or learning difficulties. The project established a working cafe/restaurant (Cafe Horizon) in East London staffed by students. Part of the project involved the creation of multimedia units linked directly to Level 1…

Front-end data processing the SLD data acquisition system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nielsen, B.S.

1986-07-01

The data acquisition system for the SLD detector will make extensive use of parallel at the front-end level. Fastbus acquisition modules are being built with powerful processing capabilities for calibration, data reduction and further pre-processing of the large amount of analog data handled by each module. This paper describes the read-out electronics chain and data pre-processing system adapted for most of the detector channels, exemplified by the central drift chamber waveform digitization and processing system

Fractions Learning in Children With Mathematics Difficulties.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Jing; Siegler, Robert S

Learning fractions is difficult for children in general and especially difficult for children with mathematics difficulties (MD). Recent research on developmental and individual differences in fraction knowledge of children with MD and typically achieving (TA) children has demonstrated that U.S. children with MD start middle school behind their TA peers in fraction understanding and fall further behind during middle school. In contrast, Chinese children, who like the MD children in the United States score in the bottom one third of the distribution in their country, possess reasonably good fraction understanding. We interpret these findings within the framework of the integrated theory of numerical development. By emphasizing the importance of fraction magnitude knowledge for numerical understanding in general, the theory proved useful for understanding differences in fraction knowledge between MD and TA children and for understanding how knowledge can be improved. Several interventions demonstrated the possibility of improving fraction magnitude knowledge and producing benefits that generalize to fraction arithmetic learning among children with MD. The reasonably good fraction understanding of Chinese children with MD and several successful interventions with U.S. students provide hope for the improvement of fraction knowledge among American children with MD.

The SLD Vertex Detector Upgrade (VXD3) and a study of b anti bg events

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dervan, P.J.

1998-04-01

This thesis presents a variety of work concerning the design, construction and use of the SLD's vertex detector. SLD's pioneering 120 Mpixel vertex detector, VXD2, was replaced by VXD3, a 307Mpixel CCD vertex detector in january 1996. The motivation for the up-grade detector and its subsequent construction and testing are described in some detail. This work represents the collaborative work of a large number of people. The authors' work was mainly carried out at EEV on the testing of the CCDs and subsequent ladders. VXD3 was commissioned during the 1996 SLD run and performed very close to design specifications. Monitoring the position of VXD3 is crucial for reconstructing the data in the detector for physics analysis. This was carried out using a capacitive wire position monitoring system. The system indicated that VXD3 was very stable during the whole of the 1996 run, except for known controlled movements. VXD3 was aligned globally for each period in-between these known movements using the tracks from e + e - → Z 0 → hadrons. The structure of three-jet b anti bg events has been studied using hadronic Z 0 decays from the 1993--1995 SLD data. Three-jet final states were selected and the CCD-based vertex detector was used to identify two of the jets as a b or anti b. The distributions of the gluon energy and polar angle with respect to the electron beam direction were examined and were compared with perturbative QCD predictions. It was found that the QCD Parton Shower prediction was needed to describe the data well

Neuropsychological Profiles of Written Expression Learning Disabilities Determined by Concordance-Discordance Model Criteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Fenwick, Melanie E; Kubas, Hanna A; Witzke, Justin W; Fitzer, Kim R; Miller, Daniel C; Maricle, Denise E; Harrison, Gina L; Macoun, Sarah J; Hale, James B

2016-01-01

Children with specific learning disabilities (SLD) have disparate neuropsychological processing deficits that interfere with academic achievement in spelling, writing fluency, and/or written expression (WE). Although there are multiple potential causes of WE SLD, there is a paucity of research exploring this critical academic skill from a neuropsychological perspective. This study examined the neuropsychological profiles of WE SLD subtypes defined using the concordance-discordance model (C-DM) of SLD identification. Participants were drawn from a sample of 283 children (194 boys, 89 girls) aged 6 years to 16 years old (M(age) = 9.58 years, SD = 2.29 years) referred for comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations in school settings and subsequently selected based on C-DM determined spelling, writing fluency, and WE SLD. WE SLD subtypes differed on several psychomotor, memory, and executive function measures (F range = 2.48-5.07, p range = .049 to <.001), suggesting that these children exhibit distinct patterns of neuropsychological processing strengths and weaknesses. Findings have relevance for differential diagnosis of WE subtypes, discriminating WE SLD subtypes from low WE achievement, and developing differentiated evidence-based instruction and intervention for children with WE SLD. Limitations and future research will be addressed.

Improvement of Word Problem Solving and Basic Mathematics Competencies in Students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Mathematical Learning Difficulties

Science.gov (United States)

González-Castro, Paloma; Cueli, Marisol; Areces, Débora; Rodríguez, Celestino; Sideridis, Georgios

2016-01-01

Problem solving represents a salient deficit in students with mathematical learning difficulties (MLD) primarily caused by difficulties with informal and formal mathematical competencies. This study proposes a computerized intervention tool, the integrated dynamic representation (IDR), for enhancing the early learning of basic mathematical…

Specific Learning Disabilities in DSM-5: Are the Changes for Better or Worse?

Science.gov (United States)

Tannock, Rosemary

2013-01-01

DSM-5, the fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Association's "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders," was published in May 2013, amidst a storm of controversy. This article focuses on changes made to the diagnostic criteria for Specific Learning Disorders (SLD). Primary criticisms of the changes in the SLD concern…

Construction and testing of the SLD Cerenkov ring imaging detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cavalli-Sforza, M.; Coyle, P.; Coyne, D.; Gagnon, P.; Williams, D.A.; Abe, K.; Hasegawa, K.; Suekane, F.; Yuta, H.

1990-01-01

The authors report on the construction of the Cherenkov Ring Imaging Detector (CRID) for the SLD experiment at the SLAC Linear Collider and the testing of its components. The authors include results from testing the drift boxes, liquid radiator trays, and mirrors for the barrel CRID. The authors also discuss development of the support systems essential for the operation of the CRID: gas and liquid recirculator systems and monitoring

A Review of the Approaches Investigating the Post-16 Transition of Young Adults with Learning Difficulties

Science.gov (United States)

Carroll, Catherine

2015-01-01

Investigations into the lives and transition from compulsory schooling of young adults with a disability, including a learning difficulty (LD), are increasing. The emerging consensus is one which points to this group of young people experiencing greater difficulties and poorer outcomes compared to the general population. How these investigations…

STS-55 MS1/PLC Ross and Payload Specialist Walter work in SL-D2 module

Science.gov (United States)

1993-01-01

STS-55 Mission Specialist 1 (MS1) and Payload Commander (PLC) Jerry L. Ross floats near cycle ergometer and Rack 9 Anthrorack (AR) (Human Physiology Laboratory) as German Payload Specialist 1 Ulrich Walter reviews a checklist in front of Rack 11 Experiment Rack. These experiment stations and the crewmembers are in the shirt-sleeve environment of the Spacelab Deutsche 2 (SL-D2) science module onboard the Earth-orbiting Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102. In the background is the SL-D2 aft end cone. Behind Ross and Walter is Rack 12 Experiment Rack with Baroreflex (BA).

Morphing Images: A Potential Tool for Teaching Word Recognition to Children with Severe Learning Difficulties

Science.gov (United States)

Sheehy, Kieron

2005-01-01

Children with severe learning difficulties who fail to begin word recognition can learn to recognise pictures and symbols relatively easily. However, finding an effective means of using pictures to teach word recognition has proved problematic. This research explores the use of morphing software to support the transition from picture to word…

Do Chinese Dyslexic Children Have Difficulties Learning English as a Second Language?

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Connie Suk-Han; Fong, Kin-Man

2005-01-01

The aim of the present study was to examine whether Chinese dyslexic children had difficulties learning English as a second language given the distinctive characteristics of the two scripts. Twenty-five Chinese primary school children with developmental dyslexia and 25 normally achieving children were tested on a number of English vocabulary,…

Pedagogy framework design in social networked-based learning: Focus on children with learning difficulties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samira Sadat Sajadi

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an investigation on the theory of constructivism applicable for learners with learning difficulties, specifically learners with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD. The primary objective of this paper is to determine whether a constructivist technology enhanced learning pedagogy could be used to help ADHD learners cope with their educational needs within a social-media learning environment. Preliminary work is stated here, in which we are seeking evidence to determine the viability of a constructivist approach for learners with ADHD. The novelty of this research lies in the proposals to support ADHD learners to overcome their weaknesses with appropriate pedagogically sound interventions. As a result, a framework has been designed to illuminate areas in which constructivist pedagogies require to address the limitations of ADHD learners. An analytical framework addressing the suitability of a constructivist learning for ADHD is developed from a combination of literature and expert advice from those involved in the education of learners with ADHD. This analytical framework is married to a new model of pedagogy, which the authors have derived from literature analysis. Future work will expand this model to develop a constructivist social network-based learning and eventually test it in specialist schools with ADHD learners.

Learning Constructive Primitives for Real-time Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment in Super Mario Bros

OpenAIRE

Shi, Peizhi; Chen, Ke

2017-01-01

Among the main challenges in procedural content generation (PCG), content quality assurance and dynamic difficulty adjustment (DDA) of game content in real time are two major issues concerned in adaptive content generation. Motivated by the recent learning-based PCG framework, we propose a novel approach to seamlessly address two issues in Super Mario Bros (SMB). To address the quality assurance issue, we exploit the synergy between rule-based and learning-based methods to produce quality gam...

Effects of Semantic Ambiguity Detection Training on Reading Comprehension Achievement of English Learners with Learning Difficulties

Science.gov (United States)

Jozwik, Sara L.; Douglas, Karen H.

2016-01-01

This study examined how explicit instruction in semantic ambiguity detection affected the reading comprehension and metalinguistic awareness of five English learners (ELs) with learning difficulties (e.g., attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, specific learning disability). A multiple probe across participants design (Gast & Ledford, 2010)…

[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'.

Difficulties in Learning English Faced By Visually Impaired Students at Center of Language Development (P2B in State Islamic University (UIN Sunan Kalijaga

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Widya Aryanti

2014-12-01

The result shows that there are some difficulties faced by VIS. These difficulties can be put into two different categories: internal and external difficulties. Internal difficulties come from the VIS themselves which relates to VIS’ sight conditions and their learning strategies. External difficulties come from the learning environment including difficulties from the lecturer, friends, materials and the facilities.VIS have different learning strategies. The lecturer should discuss some classroom adaptations such as seating arrangement, friends’ assistance and peer teaching, adapted facilities and exam accommodation, for instance exam assistance, longer exam time, inclusive examination and larger print for low vision students. Finally, the lecturer should choose appropriate teaching strategies, media and teaching aids.

Final Results on Heavy Quarks at LEP and SLD

CERN Document Server

Stocchi, A

2002-01-01

In the last decade, the LEP and SLD experiments played a central role in the study of B hadrons (hadrons containing a b quark). New B hadrons have been observed ($B^0_s$, \\Lambda_b$, $\\Xi_b$ and $B^{**}$) and their production and decay properties have been measured. In this paper we will focus on measurements of the CKM matrix elements: $|V_{cb}|$, $|V_{ub}|$, $|V_{td}|$ and $|V_{ts}|$. We will show how all these measurements, together with theoretical developments, have significantly improved our knowledge on the flavour sector of the Standard Model.

The scanning Compton polarimeter for the SLD experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woods, M.

1996-10-01

For the 1994/95 run of the SLD experiment at SLAC, a Compton polarimeter measured the luminosity-weighted electron beam polarization to be (77.2 ± 0.5)%. This excellent accuracy is achieved by measuring the rate asymmetry of Compton-scattered electrons near the kinematic endpoint. The polarimeter takes data continuously while the electron and positron beams are in collision and achieves a statistical precision of better than 1% in a three minute run. To calibrate the polarimeter and demonstrate its accuracy, many scans are frequently done. These include scans of the laser polarization, the detector position with respect to the kinematic edge, and the laser power

The fluid systems for the SLD Cherenkov ring imaging detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abe, K.; Hasegawa, K.; Hasegawa, Y.; Iwasaki, Y.; Suekane, F.; Yuta, H.; Baird, K.; Jacques, P.; Kalelkar, M.; Plano, R.; Stamer, P.; Word, G.; Bean, A.; Caldwell, D.O.; Duboscq, J.; Huber, J.; Lu, A.; Mathys, L.; McHugh, S.; Yellin, S.; Ben-David, R.; Manly, S.; Snyder, J.; Turk, J.; Cavalli-Sforza, M.; Coyle, P.; Coyne, D.; Gagnon, P.; Liu, X.; Schneider, M.; Williams, D.A.; Coller, J.; Shank, J.T.; Whitaker, J.S.; d'Oliveira, A.; Johnson, R.A.; Martinez, J.; Nussbaum, M.; Santha, A.K.S.; Sokoloff, M.D.; Stockdale, I.; Wilson, R.J.

1992-10-01

We describe the design and operation of the fluid delivery, monitor and control systems for the SLD barrel Cherenkov Ring Imaging Detector (CRID). The systems deliver drift gas (C 2 H 6 + TMAE), radiator gas (C 5 F 12 + N 2 ) and radiator liquid (C 6 F 14 ). Measured critical quantities such as electron lifetime in the drift gas and ultra-violet (UV) transparencies of the radiator fluids, together with the operational experience, are also reported

Cognitive Strategies for Learning from Static and Dynamic Visuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewalter, D.

2003-01-01

Studied the effects of including static or dynamic visuals in an expository text on a learning outcome and the use of learning strategies when working with these visuals. Results for 60 undergraduates for both types of illustration indicate different frequencies in the use of learning strategies relevant for the learning outcome. (SLD)

Cognitive Function of Children and Adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Learning Difficulties: A Developmental Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Fang; Sun, Li; Qian, Ying; Liu, Lu; Ma, Quan-Gang; Yang, Li; Cheng, Jia; Cao, Qing-Jiu; Su, Yi; Gao, Qian; Wu, Zhao-Min; Li, Hai-Mei; Qian, Qiu-Jin; Wang, Yu-Feng

2016-01-01

Background: The cognitive function of children with either attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or learning disabilities (LDs) is known to be impaired. However, little is known about the cognitive function of children with comorbid ADHD and LD. The present study aimed to explore the cognitive function of children and adolescents with ADHD and learning difficulties in comparison with children with ADHD and healthy controls in different age groups in a large Chinese sample. Methods: Totally, 1043 participants with ADHD and learning difficulties (the ADHD + learning difficulties group), 870 with pure ADHD (the pure ADHD group), and 496 healthy controls were recruited. To investigate the difference in cognitive impairment using a developmental approach, all participants were divided into three age groups (6–8, 9–11, and 12–14 years old). Measurements were the Chinese-Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, the Stroop Color-Word Test, the Trail-Making Test, and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Parents (BRIEF). Multivariate analysis of variance was used. Results: The results showed that after controlling for the effect of ADHD symptoms, the ADHD + learning difficulties group was still significantly worse than the pure ADHD group, which was, in turn, worse than the control group on full intelligence quotient (98.66 ± 13.87 vs. 105.17 ± 14.36 vs. 112.93 ± 13.87, P ADHD symptoms, intelligence quotient, age, and gender. As for the age groups, the differences among groups became nonsignificant in the 12–14 years old group for inhibition (meaning interference of the Stroop Color-Word Test, 18.00 [13.00, 25.00] s vs. 17.00 [15.00, 26.00] s vs. 17.00 [10.50, 20.00] s, P = 0.704) and shift function (shifting time of the Trail-Making Test, 62.00 [43.00, 97.00] s vs. 53.00 [38.00, 81.00] s vs. 101.00 [88.00, 114.00] s, P = 0.778). Conclusions: Children and adolescents with ADHD and learning difficulties have more severe cognitive

Player Modeling for Intelligent Difficulty Adjustment

Science.gov (United States)

Missura, Olana; Gärtner, Thomas

In this paper we aim at automatically adjusting the difficulty of computer games by clustering players into different types and supervised prediction of the type from short traces of gameplay. An important ingredient of video games is to challenge players by providing them with tasks of appropriate and increasing difficulty. How this difficulty should be chosen and increase over time strongly depends on the ability, experience, perception and learning curve of each individual player. It is a subjective parameter that is very difficult to set. Wrong choices can easily lead to players stopping to play the game as they get bored (if underburdened) or frustrated (if overburdened). An ideal game should be able to adjust its difficulty dynamically governed by the player’s performance. Modern video games utilise a game-testing process to investigate among other factors the perceived difficulty for a multitude of players. In this paper, we investigate how machine learning techniques can be used for automatic difficulty adjustment. Our experiments confirm the potential of machine learning in this application.

Multimedia Learning: Beyond Modality. Commentary.

Science.gov (United States)

Reimann, P.

2003-01-01

Identifies and summarizes instructional messages in the articles in this theme issue and also identifies central theoretical issues, focusing on: (1) external representations; (2) dual coding theory; and (3) the effects of animations on learning. (SLD)

The Relationships between Indonesian Fourth Graders' Difficulties in Fractions and the Opportunity to Learn Fractions: A Snapshot of TIMSS Results

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Wijaya, Ariyadi

2017-01-01

This paper reports an exploration into Indonesian fourth graders' difficulties in fractions and their relation to the opportunity to learn fractions students got at schools. The concept of "opportunity to learn" is often considered as a framework to investigate possible reasons for students' difficulties. The data for this study was…

Differential constraints on the working memory and reading abilities of individuals with learning difficulties and typically developing children.

Science.gov (United States)

Bayliss, Donna M; Jarrold, Christopher; Baddeley, Alan D; Leigh, Eleanor

2005-09-01

This study examined the factors that constrain the working memory span performance and reading ability of individuals with generalized learning difficulties. In the study, 50 individuals with learning difficulties (LD) and 50 typically developing children (TD) matched for reading age completed two working memory span tasks. Participants also completed independent measures of the processing and storage operations involved in each working memory span task and Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices. The results showed that despite an equivalent level of working memory span, the relative importance of the constraints on working memory differed between the groups. In addition, working memory span was not closely related to word recognition or sentence comprehension performance in the LD group. These results suggest that the working memory span performance of LD and TD individuals may reflect different working memory limitations and that individuals with generalized learning difficulties may approach cognitive tasks in a qualitatively different way from that of typically developing individuals.

Challenges in Teaching Mathematics: Perspectives From Students’ Learning Difficulties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steve Chinn

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Alcock et al (2016, this issue have set out and discussed a potential research agenda for mathematical cognition. It is timely that research topics, along with knowledge uncovered to date, should be incorporated into a coordinated agenda for further research. This commentary focuses on the perspectives that learning difficulties, and dyscalculia, reveal. These perspectives potentially add much to that research agenda. [Commentary on: Alcock, L., Ansari, D., Batchelor, S., Bisson, M.-J., De Smedt, B., Gilmore, C., . . . Weber, K. (2016. Challenges in mathematical cognition: A collaboratively-derived research agenda. Journal of Numerical Cognition, 2, 20-41. doi:10.5964/jnc.v2i1.10

Development of cognitive processes inschoolchildren with learning difficulties inthe light ofanalysis ofWISC-R results

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Joanna Mazurkiewicz-Gronowska

2012-09-01

Full Text Available For several years now, noticeable has been a significant increase in the interest of psychologists – practitioners and scientists, of parents and teachers in the issues of dyslexia, dyscalculia, and other developmental disorders. Specific learning difficulties constitute one of the most prevalent causes of reporting children to psychological and pedagogic outpatient departments. The results of the performed studies enable inter- and intra-group comparisons as well as a global analysis of the structure of intellectual development in children with various learning difficulties. This leads to interesting conclusions and allows for comprehensive scientific discussions. The subject of the article is presentation of the results of studies and conclusions formulated according to them, about the structure of intellectual development of children with learning difficulties diagnosed in two psychological-pedagogic outpatient departments in Lublin region (Psychological-Pedagogic Outpatient Department No 5 in Lublin and PsychologicalPedagogic Outpatient Department No 2 in Zamość. Analysed were the results of the WISC-R scale obtained by schoolchildren from forms IV-VI of elementary schools and junior secondary schools in Lublin and schools of Zamość county. As scholastic difficulties constitute quite a comprehensive term, generally perceived as problems in acquisition of information and mastering school skills, in our study we take into account the following three groups of schoolchildren: with developmental dyslexia, intelligence lower than average, and specific disorders in arithmetic skills. The performed analyses are aimed at familiarization with the developmental level of the schoolchildren’s cognitive functions and their intellectual skills structure based on a three-factor analysis. Our studies continue earlier analyses, including more comprehensive research areas with larger groups.

Response to Intervention for Specific Learning Disabilities Identification: The Impact of Graduate Preparation and Experience on Identification Consistency

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Maki, Kathrin E.

2018-01-01

Response to intervention (RTI) is increasingly being implemented in schools as a means to identify students with specific learning disabilities (SLD). Despite its wide use, there is limited research regarding school psychologists' graduate preparation in and familiarity with RTI for SLD identification. This study examined how school psychologists'…

Performance of the SLD Barrel CRID during the 1992 physics data run

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abe, K.; Hasegawa, K.; Hasegawa, Y.; Iwasaki, Y.; Suekane, F.; Toge, N.; Yuta, H.; Baird, K.; Jacques, P.; Kalelkar, M.; Plano, R.; Stamer, P.; Word, G.; Bean, A.; Caldwell, D.O.; Duboscq, J.; Huber, J.; Lu, A.; Mathys, L.; McHugh, S.; Yellin, S.; Ben-David, R.; Manly, S.; Snyder, J.; Turk, J.; Cavalli-Sforza, M.; Colye, P.; Coyne, D.; Liu, X.; Williams, D.A.; Coller, J.; Shank, J.T.; Whitaker, J.S.; d'Oliveira, A.; Johnson, R.A.; Martinez, J.; Meadows, B.; Nussbaum, M.; Santha, A.K.S.; Sokoloff, M.D.; Stockdale, I.; Wilson, R.J.

1992-11-01

The SLD Barrel Cherenkov Ring Imaging Detector was fully operational in the 1992 physics data run. The electron drift velocity and magnetic field deflection of electron trajectories have been measured. Cherenkov rings have been observed from both the liquid and gas radiators. The number and the resolution of the angle of Cherenkov photons have been measured to be approximately equal to design specifications

Investigation of distinctive characteristics of children with specific learning disorder and borderline intellectual functioning

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Selcuk Ozkan

Full Text Available Abstract Background Borderline intelligence function (BIF and specific learning disorder (SLD are common diagnoses in children who are brought up for learning problems and school failure. Objective The aim of our study was to determine whether there were distinctive aspects of cognitive testing routinely used in evaluating SLD and BIF and investigate emotion regulation skills and minor neurologic symptoms. Method Sixty children (30 SLD and 30 BIF who are currently attending primary school are selected for study. Visual Aural Digit Span Test – Form B, Gessel Figure Drawing Test, Bender Gestalt Visual Motor Perception Test, WISC-R, Emotion Regulation Scale (ERS and Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES was administered. Results There was no statistically significant difference between groups in cognitive tests. The emotional regulation ability measured by the emotional regulation subscale was better in the SLD group than the BIF group (p = 0.014. In the NES, sensory integration (p = 0.008, motor coordination (p = 0.047 and other (p < 0.001 subscales showed higher scores in the BIF group. Discussion It has been shown that cognitive tests don’t have distinguishing features in the evaluation of SLD and BIF. Emotion regulation subscale score of ERS and sensory integration, motor coordination, and total scores of NES can be used in both discrimination of groups.

Optimization of perceptual learning: effects of task difficulty and external noise in older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

DeLoss, Denton J; Watanabe, Takeo; Andersen, George J

2014-06-01

Previous research has shown a wide array of age-related declines in vision. The current study examined the effects of perceptual learning (PL), external noise, and task difficulty in fine orientation discrimination with older individuals (mean age 71.73, range 65-91). Thirty-two older subjects participated in seven 1.5-h sessions conducted on separate days over a three-week period. A two-alternative forced choice procedure was used in discriminating the orientation of Gabor patches. Four training groups were examined in which the standard orientations for training were either easy or difficult and included either external noise (additive Gaussian noise) or no external noise. In addition, the transfer to an untrained orientation and noise levels were examined. An analysis of the four groups prior to training indicated no significant differences between the groups. An analysis of the change in performance post-training indicated that the degree of learning was related to task difficulty and the presence of external noise during training. In addition, measurements of pupil diameter indicated that changes in orientation discrimination were not associated with changes in retinal illuminance. These results suggest that task difficulty and training in noise are factors important for optimizing the effects of training among older individuals. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Delaware Longitudinal Study of Fraction Learning: Implications for Helping Children With Mathematics Difficulties.

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Jordan, Nancy C; Resnick, Ilyse; Rodrigues, Jessica; Hansen, Nicole; Dyson, Nancy

The goal of the present article is to synthesize findings to date from the Delaware Longitudinal Study of Fraction Learning. The study followed a large cohort of children ( N = 536) between Grades 3 and 6. The findings showed that many students, especially those with diagnosed learning disabilities, made minimal growth in fraction knowledge and that some showed only a basic grasp of the meaning of a fraction even after several years of instruction. Children with low growth in fraction knowledge during the intermediate grades were much more likely to fail to meet state standards on a broad mathematics measure at the end of Grade 6. Although a range of general and mathematics-specific competencies predicted fraction outcomes, the ability to estimate numerical magnitudes on a number line was a uniquely important marker of fraction success. Many children with mathematics difficulties have deep-seated problems related to whole number magnitude representations that are complicated by the introduction of fractions into the curriculum. Implications for helping students with mathematics difficulties are discussed.

The effects of autonomous difficulty selection on engagement, motivation, and learning in a motion-controlled video game task.

Science.gov (United States)

Leiker, Amber M; Bruzi, Alessandro T; Miller, Matthew W; Nelson, Monica; Wegman, Rebecca; Lohse, Keith R

2016-10-01

This experiment investigated the relationship between motivation, engagement, and learning in a video game task. Previous studies have shown increased autonomy during practice leads to superior retention of motor skills, but it is not clear why this benefit occurs. Some studies suggest this benefit arises from increased motivation during practice; others suggest the benefit arises from better information processing. Sixty novice participants were randomly assigned to a self-controlled group, who chose the progression of difficulty during practice, or to a yoked group, who experienced the same difficulty progression but did not have choice. At the end of practice, participants completed surveys measuring intrinsic motivation and engagement. One week later, participants returned for a series of retention tests at three different difficulty levels. RM-ANCOVA (controlling for pre-test) showed that the self-controlled group had improved retention compared to the yoked group, on average, β=46.78, 95% CI=[2.68, 90.87], p=0.04, but this difference was only statistically significant on the moderate difficulty post-test (p=0.004). The self-controlled group also showed greater intrinsic motivation during practice, t(58)=2.61, p=0.01. However, there was no evidence that individual differences in engagement (p=0.20) or motivation (p=0.87) were associated with learning, which was the relationship this experiment was powered to detect. These data are inconsistent with strictly motivational accounts of how autonomy benefits learning, instead suggesting the benefits of autonomy may be mediated through other mechanisms. For instance, within the information processing framework, the learning benefits may emerge from learners appropriately adjusting difficulty to maintain an appropriate level of challenge (i.e., maintaining the relationship between task demands and cognitive resources). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mathematical Interventions for Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities and Mathematics Difficulties: A Meta-Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Jitendra, Asha K.; Lein, Amy E.; Im, Soo-hyun; Alghamdi, Ahmed A.; Hefte, Scott B.; Mouanoutoua, John

2018-01-01

This meta-analysis is the first to provide a quantitative synthesis of empirical evaluations of mathematical intervention programs implemented in secondary schools for students with learning disabilities and mathematics difficulties. Included studies used a treatment-control group design. A total of 19 experimental and quasi-experimental studies…

Efficacy of vision therapy in children with learning disability and associated binocular vision anomalies.

Science.gov (United States)

Hussaindeen, Jameel Rizwana; Shah, Prerana; Ramani, Krishna Kumar; Ramanujan, Lalitha

To report the frequency of binocular vision (BV) anomalies in children with specific learning disorders (SLD) and to assess the efficacy of vision therapy (VT) in children with a non-strabismic binocular vision anomaly (NSBVA). The study was carried out at a centre for learning disability (LD). Comprehensive eye examination and binocular vision assessment was carried out for 94 children (mean (SD) age: 15 (2.2) years) diagnosed with specific learning disorder. BV assessment was done for children with best corrected visual acuity of ≥6/9 - N6, cooperative for examination and free from any ocular pathology. For children with a diagnosis of NSBVA (n=46), 24 children were randomized to VT and no intervention was provided to the other 22 children who served as experimental controls. At the end of 10 sessions of vision therapy, BV assessment was performed for both the intervention and non-intervention groups. Binocular vision anomalies were found in 59 children (62.8%) among which 22% (n=13) had strabismic binocular vision anomalies (SBVA) and 78% (n=46) had a NSBVA. Accommodative infacility (AIF) was the commonest of the NSBVA and found in 67%, followed by convergence insufficiency (CI) in 25%. Post-vision therapy, the intervention group showed significant improvement in all the BV parameters (Wilcoxon signed rank test, p<0.05) except negative fusional vergence. Children with specific learning disorders have a high frequency of binocular vision disorders and vision therapy plays a significant role in improving the BV parameters. Children with SLD should be screened for BV anomalies as it could potentially be an added hindrance to the reading difficulty in this special population. Copyright © 2017 Spanish General Council of Optometry. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Building Knowledge Structures by Testing Helps Children With Mathematical Learning Difficulty.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yiyun; Zhou, Xinlin

2016-01-01

Mathematical learning difficulty (MLD) is prevalent in the development of mathematical abilities. Previous interventions for children with MLD have focused on number sense or basic mathematical skills. This study investigated whether mathematical performance of fifth grade children with MLD could be improved by developing knowledge structures by testing using a web-based curriculum learning system. A total of 142 children with MLD were recruited; half of the children were in the experimental group (using the system), and the other half were in the control group (not using the system). The children were encouraged to use the web-based learning system at home for at least a 15-min session, at least once a week, for one and a half months. The mean accumulated time of testing on the system for children in the experimental group was 56.2 min. Children in the experimental group had significantly higher scores on their final mathematical examination compared to the control group. The results suggest that web-based curriculum learning through testing that promotes the building of knowledge structures for a mathematical course was helpful for children with MLD. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2014.

Investigating Cognitive Task Difficulties and Expert Skills in E-Learning Storyboards Using a Cognitive Task Analysis Technique

Science.gov (United States)

Yusoff, Nor'ain Mohd; Salim, Siti Salwah

2012-01-01

E-learning storyboards have been a useful approach in distance learning development to support interaction between instructional designers and subject-matter experts. Current works show that researchers are focusing on different approaches for use in storyboards, and there is less emphasis on the effect of design and process difficulties faced by…

Influence of the temperature on materials electric behaviour: Understanding and students’ learning difficulties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio García Carmona

2006-03-01

Full Text Available In this article, we defend that in the teaching/learning of the electricity, its contents must be associa ted with contents concerning the structure and behaviour of the matter. Thus, it is possible to understand some electricity topics as the influence of the temperature on electric behaviour of materials. In this sense, we propose a conceptual framework for its teaching, coherent with the Spanish Physics and Chemistry curriculum of Secondary Education. Likewise, we show the results of a research carried out with 60 pupils (age 14-15, about theirs understanding levels and theirs learning difficulties regarding considered topic.

Associations among attitudes, perceived difficulty of learning science, gender, parents' occupation and students' scientific competencies

Science.gov (United States)

Chi, ShaoHui; Wang, Zuhao; Liu, Xiufeng; Zhu, Lei

2017-11-01

This study investigated the associations among students' attitudes towards science, students' perceived difficulty of learning science, gender, parents' occupations and their scientific competencies. A sample of 1591 (720 males and 871 females) ninth-grade students from 29 junior high schools in Shanghai completed a scientific competency test and a Likert scale questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis revealed that students' general interest of science, their parents' occupations and perceived difficulty of science significantly associated with their scientific competencies. However, there was no gender gap in terms of scientific competencies.

Student Difficulties in Learning Density: A Distributed Cognition Perspective

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Xu, Lihua; Clarke, David

2012-08-01

Density has been reported as one of the most difficult concepts for secondary school students (e.g. Smith et al. 1997). Discussion about the difficulties of learning this concept has been largely focused on the complexity of the concept itself or student misconceptions. Few, if any, have investigated how the concept of density was constituted in classroom interactions, and what consequences these interactions have for individual students' conceptual understanding. This paper reports a detailed analysis of two lessons on density in a 7th Grade Australian science classroom, employing the theory of Distributed Cognition (Hollan et al. 1999; Hutchins 1995). The analysis demonstrated that student understanding of density was shaped strongly by the public classroom discussion on the density of two metal blocks. It also revealed the ambiguities associated with the teacher demonstration and the student practical work. These ambiguities contributed to student difficulties with the concept of density identified in this classroom. The results of this study suggest that deliberate effort is needed to establish shared understanding not only about the purpose of the activities, but also about the meaning of scientific language and the utility of tools. It also suggests the importance of appropriate employment of instructional resources in order to facilitate student scientific understanding.

Helping students with learning difficulties in medical and health-care education.

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Coles, C R

1990-05-01

In health profession education many more students than is currently acknowledged experience often extreme difficulties with their studying. This booklet is intended to help them. It outlines an approach being adopted in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Southampton by which students are encouraged to reflect on and discuss their approaches to studying, identifying their perception of their task and where necessary changing this. It is shown that students need to elaborate their knowledge, that is to structure the factual information they are receiving and to relate it to their practical experiences. A number of suggestions are made to encourage this, and their theoretical underpinnings are discussed. It is concluded that while inappropriate curricula and teaching methods and not some weakness on the part of students are largely the cause of learning difficulties, it will take time to change these. Establishing a kind of 'clinic' for helping students cope can be of value immediately.

B/sub s/ mixing at SLD

CERN Document Server

Usher, T

2001-01-01

A preliminary 95% C.L. exclusion on the oscillation frequency of B/sub s//sup 0/-B/sub s//sup 0/ mixing is presented by combining three analyses of a sample of 400,000 hadronic Z/sup 0/ decays collected by the SLD experiment at the SLC between 1996 and 1998. All three analyses exploit the large forward-backward asymmetry of polarized Z /sup 0/ to bbdecays, as well as information from the hemisphere opposite that of the reconstructed B decay, to determine the b-hadron flavor at production. The three analyses differ in their reconstruction of the proper time and flavor of the b-hadron at decay. The first analysis performs a full reconstruction of a cascade D/sub s / meson and a partial reconstruction of the b-hadron. In the second analysis, semileptonic decays are selected and the B decay point is reconstructed by vertexing a lepton with a partially reconstructed cascade D meson. The third analysis reconstructs B decay vertices inclusively using a topological technique, with separation between B /sub s//sup 0/ ...

A screening on Specific Learning Disorders in an Italian speaking high genetic homogeneity area.

Science.gov (United States)

Cappa, Claudia; Giulivi, Sara; Schilirò, Antonino; Bastiani, Luca; Muzio, Carlo; Meloni, Fabrizio

2015-01-01

The aim of the present research is to investigate the prevalence of Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) in Ogliastra, an area of the island of Sardinia, Italy. Having experienced centuries of isolation, Ogliastra has become a high genetic homogeneity area, and is considered particularly interesting for studies on different kinds of pathologies. Here we are going to describe the results of a screening carried out throughout 2 consecutive years in 49 second grade classes (24 considered in the first year and 25 in the second year of the study) of the Ogliastra region. A total of 610 pupils (average age 7.54 years; 293 female, 317 male) corresponding to 68.69% of all pupils who were attending second grade in the area, took part in the study. The tool used for the screening was "RSR-DSA. Questionnaire for the detection of learning difficulties and disorders", which allowed the identification of 83 subjects at risk (13.61% of the whole sample involved in the study). These subjects took part in an enhancement training program of about 6 months. After the program, pupils underwent assessment for reading, writing and calculation abilities, as well as cognitive assessment. According to the results of the assessment, the prevalence of SLDs is 6.06%. For what concerns dyslexia, 4.75% of the total sample manifested this disorder either in isolation or in comorbidity with other disorders. According to the first national epidemiological investigation carried out in Italy, the prevalence of dyslexia is 3.1-3.2%, which is lower than the prevalence obtained in the present study. Given the genetic basis of SLDs, this result, together with the presence of several cases of SLD in isolation (17.14%) and with a 3:1 ratio of males to females diagnosed with a SLD, was to be expected in a sample coming from a high genetic homogeneity area. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Visuospatial working memory in young adults and in children with learning difficulties

OpenAIRE

Ricardo Basso Garcia

2013-01-01

Visuospatial working memory (VSWM) comprises specialised subsystems devoted to storage of visual features and spatial locations. Recently, research has been focused on understanding feature binding in memory and how bound objects are temporarily held in working memory. In the current thesis we have addressed two broad questions: What is the nature of bound visual representations in working memory? Is there a specific deficit in binding in individuals with learning difficulties? In Study 1, yo...

Survey of Complementary and Alternative Therapies Used by Children with Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia)

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Bull, Leona

2009-01-01

Background: Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty affecting up to 10% of British children that is associated with a wide range of cognitive, emotional and physical symptoms. In the absence of effective conventional treatment, it is likely that parents will seek complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to try and help their children.…

Design and construction of the front-end electronics data acquisition for the SLD CRID [Cherenkov Ring Imaging Detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoeflich, J.; McShurley, D.; Marshall, D.; Oxoby, G.; Shapiro, S.; Stiles, P.; Spencer, E.

1990-10-01

We describe the front-end electronics for the Cherenkov Ring Imaging Detector (CRID) of the SLD at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. The design philosophy and implementation are discussed with emphasis on the low-noise hybrid amplifiers, signal processing and data acquisition electronics. The system receives signals from a highly efficient single-photo electron detector. These signals are shaped and amplified before being stored in an analog memory and processed by a digitizing system. The data from several ADCs are multiplexed and transmitted via fiber optics to the SLD FASTBUS system. We highlight the technologies used, as well as the space, power dissipation, and environmental constraints imposed on the system. 16 refs., 10 figs

On the learning difficulty of visual and auditory modal concepts: Evidence for a single processing system.

Science.gov (United States)

Vigo, Ronaldo; Doan, Karina-Mikayla C; Doan, Charles A; Pinegar, Shannon

2018-02-01

The logic operators (e.g., "and," "or," "if, then") play a fundamental role in concept formation, syntactic construction, semantic expression, and deductive reasoning. In spite of this very general and basic role, there are relatively few studies in the literature that focus on their conceptual nature. In the current investigation, we examine, for the first time, the learning difficulty experienced by observers in classifying members belonging to these primitive "modal concepts" instantiated with sets of acoustic and visual stimuli. We report results from two categorization experiments that suggest the acquisition of acoustic and visual modal concepts is achieved by the same general cognitive mechanism. Additionally, we attempt to account for these results with two models of concept learning difficulty: the generalized invariance structure theory model (Vigo in Cognition 129(1):138-162, 2013, Mathematical principles of human conceptual behavior, Routledge, New York, 2014) and the generalized context model (Nosofsky in J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn 10(1):104-114, 1984, J Exp Psychol 115(1):39-57, 1986).

Psychomotor development and learning difficulties in preschool children with probable attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: An epidemiological study in Navarre and La Rioja.

Science.gov (United States)

Marín-Méndez, J J; Borra-Ruiz, M C; Álvarez-Gómez, M J; Soutullo Esperón, C

2017-10-01

ADHD symptoms begin to appear at preschool age. ADHD may have a significant negative impact on academic performance. In Spain, there are no standardized tools for detecting ADHD at preschool age, nor is there data about the incidence of this disorder. To evaluate developmental factors and learning difficulties associated with probable ADHD and to assess the impact of ADHD in school performance. We conducted a population-based study with a stratified multistage proportional cluster sample design. We found significant differences between probable ADHD and parents' perception of difficulties in expressive language, comprehension, and fine motor skills, as well as in emotions, concentration, behaviour, and relationships. Around 34% of preschool children with probable ADHD showed global learning difficulties, mainly in patients with the inattentive type. According to the multivariate analysis, learning difficulties were significantly associated with both delayed psychomotor development during the first 3 years of life (OR: 5.57) as assessed by parents, and probable ADHD (OR: 2.34) CONCLUSIONS: There is a connection between probable ADHD in preschool children and parents' perception of difficulties in several dimensions of development and learning. Early detection of ADHD at preschool ages is necessary to start prompt and effective clinical and educational interventions. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Measurement of the polarized forward-backward asymmetry of B quarks using momentum-weighted track charge at SLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Junk, T.R.

1995-11-01

This thesis presents a direct measurement of the parity-violating parameter A b by analyzing the polarized forward-backward asymmetry of b quarks in e + e - → Z 0 → b bar b. Data were taken at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC), with the Stanford Large Detector (SLD), which records the products of e + e - interactions at a center of mass energy √s = 91.2 GeV/c 2 at the SLAC Linear Collider (SLC). The SLC/SLD experimental apparatus provides a unique and ideal environment for measuring electroweak asymmetries. Heavy flavor decays of the Z 0 were identified inclusively by taking advantage of the long lifetime of B hadrons, the small, stable SLC beam spot, and SLD's precise tracking detectors. Two analysis techniques for measuring A b are presented: a binned fit to the left-right forward-backwards asymmetry of tagged events signed with momentum-weighted track charge, and a self-calibrating maximum-likelihood technique using momentum-weighted charge from the two hemispheres in each tagged event. From our 1994-1995 sample of 3.6 pb -1 , having a luminosity-weighted average e - polarization of 77.3%, and our 1993 sample of 1.8 pb -1 , having a luminosity-weighted polarization of 63.1%, we obtain A b = 0.848 ± 0.046(stat.) ± 0.050(syst.)

[Executive functioning and motivation in preschool children at risk for learning difficulties in mathematics].

Science.gov (United States)

Presentación-Herrero, M Jesús; Mercader-Ruiz, Jessica; Siegenthaler-Hierro, Rebeca; Fernández-Andrés, Inmaculada; Miranda-Casas, Ana

2015-02-25

Early identification of the factors involved in the development of learning difficulties in mathematics is essential to be able to understand their origin and implement successful interventions. This study analyses the capacity of executive functioning and of variables from the motivational belief system to differentiate and classify preschool children with and without risk of having difficulties in mathematics. A total of 146 subjects from the third year of preschool education took part in the study, divided into risk/no risk according to the score obtained on the operations subtest of the TEDI-MATH test. Working memory (verbal and visuospatial) and inhibition (with auditory and visual stimuli) neuropsychological tasks were applied. Teachers filled in a questionnaire on the children's motivation with regard to learning. Significant differences were found between the two groups on the working memory and inhibition-auditory factors, as well as on all the motivation variables. The results also show a similar power of classification, with percentages above 80%, for both groups of variables. The implications of these findings for educational practice are discussed.

QCD tests with SLD and polarized beams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Strauss, M.G. [Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA (United States)

1994-12-01

The author presents a measurement of the strong coupling {alpha}{sub s} derived from multijet rates using data collected by the SLD experiment at SLAC and find that {alpha}{sub s}(M{sub Z}{sup 2}) = 0.118 {+-} 0.002(stat.) {+-} 0.003(syst.) {+-} 0.010(theory). He presents tests of the flavor independence of strong interactions via preliminary measurements of the ratios {alpha}{sub s}(b)/{alpha}{sub s}(udsc) and {alpha}{sub s}(uds)/{alpha}{sub s}(bc). In addition, the group has measured the difference in charged particle multiplicity between Z{sup 0} {yields} b{bar b} and Z{sup 0} {yields} u{bar u}, d{bar d}, s{bar s} events, and find that it supports the prediction of perturbative QCD that the multiplicity difference be independent of center-of-mass energy. Finally, the group has made a preliminary study of jet polarization using the jet handedness technique.

Measurement of the Z0 → $s\\bar{s}$ Coupling at the SLD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Staengle, Hermann

1999-11-24

This dissertation presents a direct measurement of the parity-violating coupling of the Z{sup 0} to strange quarks, A{sub s}, derived from e{sup +}e{sup -} collision data containing approximately 550,000 hadronic decays of polarized Z{sup 0} bosons. Data were recorded with the SLC Large Detector (SLD) at the SLAC Linear Collider (SLC) between 1993 and 1998 with an average electron beam polarization of 73% and 74% during the 1993-5 and 1996-8 run periods, respectively. Making use of several unique features of the SLC and SLD, this measurement relies on a new generation particle identification system, the Cherenkov Ring Imaging Detector, to test the Standard Model prediction of universality in the coupling of the Z{sup 0} to down-type quarks. Polarized Z{sup 0} --> s anti-s events are tagged by the presence in each event hemisphere of a high-momentum K {+-}, K{sub s}{sup 0} or Lambda{sup 0}/ anti-Lambda{sup 0} identified using particle identification and/or a mass tag. The background from heavy flavor events is suppressed with the CCD-based vertex detector. The event thrust axis is signed with the strangeness of the tagged particle to point in the direction of the initial s quark. The coupling A{sub s} is derived from a maximum likelihood fit to the polar angle distributions of the tagged s quark measured with left- and right-handed electron beams. To reduce the model dependence of the measurement, the background from u anti-u and d anti-d events as well as the analyzing power of the method for s anti-s events are constrained from the data. We obtain A{sub s} = 0.86 {+-} 0.08(stat.) {+-} 0.05(syst.). The result is consistent with both the Standard Model prediction and previous bottom quark coupling mA{sub b}, measurements performed by SLD and LEP, and therefore supports the predicted universality of the Z{sup 0} to down-type quark couplings.

Attitudes and learning difficulties in middle school science in South Korea

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Eun Sook

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between cognitive and attitudinal aspects of learning science, concentrating mainly on the influence of cognitive understanding and learning difficulty on attitudes to science. This theme is selected, in particular, because it is reported that Korean students at secondary level do not enjoy studying science and have not enough confidence, although their achievements are high. Johnstone's information processing model (1993) is used to account for cognitive aspects of science education. Learning processes are understood in terms of student's own knowledge construction through the operation of perception filters, processing in working memory space and storing in long term memory. In particular, the overload of student's working memory space is considered as the main factor causing learning difficulty and, in consequence, learning failure. The research took place in one middle school located in Seoul, the capital city in South Korea. 364 students aged 13 and 350 aged 15 participated. In order to try to find relationships between cognitive and affective factors of science learning, individual student's working memory space was measured and a questionnaire designed to gather information about students' attitudes was prepared and given to all students. To determine the working memory space capacity of the students, the Figural Intersection Test (F.I.T), designed by Pascual-Leone, was used. Two kinds of analysis, comparison and correlation, were performed with data from the Figural Intersection Test and the questionnaire applied to students. For the comparison of attitudes between age 13 and 15, the distributions of frequencies of responses were analyzed for each particular statement in a question. The Chi-square (?[2]) test was applied to judge the statistically significant differences in responses of the two groups. The levels of significance used were 0.05, 0.01 and 0.001. In order to see whether there is

Analysis and simulation of the SLD WIC [Warm Iron Calorimeter] PADS hybrid preamplifier circuitry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fox, J.D.; Horelick, D.

1990-10-01

The SLD PADS electronics consist of over 9000 channels of charge-sensitive preamplifiers followed by integrated sample/hold data storage, digitizing, and readout circuitry. This paper uses computer simulation techniques to analyze critical performance parameters of the preamplifier hybrid including its interactions with the detector system. Simulation results are presented and verified with measured performance. 6 refs., 9 figs

Prediction and Stability of Mathematics Skill and Difficulty

OpenAIRE

Martin, Rebecca B.; Cirino, Paul T.; Barnes, Marcia A.; Ewing-Cobbs, Linda; Fuchs, Lynn S.; Stuebing, Karla K.; Fletcher, Jack M.

2012-01-01

The present study evaluated the stability of math learning difficulties over a 2-year period and investigated several factors that might influence this stability (categorical vs. continuous change, liberal vs. conservative cut point, broad vs. specific math assessment); the prediction of math performance over time and by performance level was also evaluated. Participants were 144 students initially identified as having a math difficulty (MD) or no learning difficulty according to low achievem...

Lorentz angle studies for the SLD endcap Cerenkov Ring Imaging Detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coyle, P.; Cavalli-Sforza, M.; Coyne, D.

1987-11-01

The design of the endcap Cerenkov Ring Imaging Detectors for SLD requires a detailed understanding of how electrons drift in gases under the influence of crossed electric and magnetic fields. In this report, we present recent measurements of Lorentz angles and drift velocities in gases suitable for the endcap CRID photon detectors. We compare these measurements to predictions from a theoretical model; good agreement is observed. Based on our results we present a design for detectors operating in a 0.6 Tesla transverse magnetic field. 14 refs., 10 figs., 4 tabs

STUDENTS’ DIFFICULTIES IN BIOCHEMISTRY LEARNING ANALYZED THROUGH AN ON LINE ACADEMIC DROP-IN CENTER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Schoenmaker

2007-05-01

Full Text Available The biochemistry discipline integrates the curriculum of all graduation courses onthe Biological Area and is a basis for other disciplines. The students’ difficulties inthis discipline are already widely recognized. To investigate these difficulties, wecreated a drop-in on line service that has two purposes: (1 To give support tostudents’ learning by answering their questions and solving their problemswhenever they appear and (2 to analyze the questions presented, as a strategy todiagnose the most prevalent difficulties. After two semesters of this service on line,217 questions were received and answered. There were few conceptual questionsbeing the majority related to problems and exercises. The most frequent questionsdealt with cell metabolism (54,4%, mainly lipid metabolism and aerobicmetabolism; basic concepts (11,5% such as about amino acids and buffer, proteinstructure (8,3% and enzymes (7,8%. These percentages are correlated to thenumber of hours dedicated to each subjects in the disciplines. The main difficultiesfounded were: integration of metabolic processes in different tissues, induction ofenergy reserve oxidation, reciprocal regulation between glycolysis andgluconeogenesis. We suppose that the lack of laboratory practice difficults thelearning of basic concepts. A more in-deep analysis will be necessary toinvestigate the causes of the pointed difficulties.

Review of student difficulties in upper-level quantum mechanics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chandralekha Singh

2015-09-01

Full Text Available [This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Upper Division Physics Courses.] Learning advanced physics, in general, is challenging not only due to the increased mathematical sophistication but also because one must continue to build on all of the prior knowledge acquired at the introductory and intermediate levels. In addition, learning quantum mechanics can be especially challenging because the paradigms of classical mechanics and quantum mechanics are very different. Here, we review research on student reasoning difficulties in learning upper-level quantum mechanics and research on students’ problem-solving and metacognitive skills in these courses. Some of these studies were multiuniversity investigations. The investigations suggest that there is large diversity in student performance in upper-level quantum mechanics regardless of the university, textbook, or instructor, and many students in these courses have not acquired a functional understanding of the fundamental concepts. The nature of reasoning difficulties in learning quantum mechanics is analogous to reasoning difficulties found via research in introductory physics courses. The reasoning difficulties were often due to overgeneralizations of concepts learned in one context to another context where they are not directly applicable. Reasoning difficulties in distinguishing between closely related concepts and in making sense of the formalism of quantum mechanics were common. We conclude with a brief summary of the research-based approaches that take advantage of research on student difficulties in order to improve teaching and learning of quantum mechanics.

WISC-R Subtest Pattern Stability and Learning Disabilities: A Profile Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mealor, David J.; Abrams, Pamela F.

Profile analysis was performed on Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) scores of 29 learning disabled students (6-10 years old) in a Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) program, to determine whether subtest patterns for initial and re-evaluation WISC-R administrations would differ significantly. Profile analysis was applied…

Expressive map design: OGC SLD/SE++ extension for expressive map styles

Science.gov (United States)

Christophe, Sidonie; Duménieu, Bertrand; Masse, Antoine; Hoarau, Charlotte; Ory, Jérémie; Brédif, Mathieu; Lecordix, François; Mellado, Nicolas; Turbet, Jérémie; Loi, Hugo; Hurtut, Thomas; Vanderhaeghe, David; Vergne, Romain; Thollot, Joëlle

2018-05-01

In the context of custom map design, handling more artistic and expressive tools has been identified as a carto-graphic need, in order to design stylized and expressive maps. Based on previous works on style formalization, an approach for specifying the map style has been proposed and experimented for particular use cases. A first step deals with the analysis of inspiration sources, in order to extract `what does make the style of the source', i.e. the salient visual characteristics to be automatically reproduced (textures, spatial arrangements, linear stylization, etc.). In a second step, in order to mimic and generate those visual characteristics, existing and innovative rendering techniques have been implemented in our GIS engine, thus extending the capabilities to generate expressive renderings. Therefore, an extension of the existing cartographic pipeline has been proposed based on the following aspects: 1- extension of the symbolization specifications OGC SLD/SE in order to provide a formalism to specify and reference expressive rendering methods; 2- separate the specification of each rendering method and its parameterization, as metadata. The main contribution has been described in (Christophe et al. 2016). In this paper, we focus firstly on the extension of the cartographic pipeline (SLD++ and metadata) and secondly on map design capabilities which have been experimented on various topographic styles: old cartographic styles (Cassini), artistic styles (watercolor, impressionism, Japanese print), hybrid topographic styles (ortho-imagery & vector data) and finally abstract and photo-realist styles for the geovisualization of costal area. The genericity and interoperability of our approach are promising and have already been tested for 3D visualization.

Analysis of students' difficulties on the material elasticity and harmonic oscillation in the inquiry-based physics learning in senior high school

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Halimatus Sa’diyah

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this research is to analyze of students' difficulties on the material elasticity and harmonic oscillation in the inquiry-based physics learning. It has eight stages. They are the orientation, the problem formulation, the formulation of hypotheses, the data obtaining, the testing hypotheses, conclusions, the implementation of the conclusions and generalizations, and the reflection stage. This research determines the student's learning difficulties on the each stage. The subject of this research is all of the students in X IPA 4 SMA N Sambungmacan Sragen. The amount of this research subject is thirty students. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative. The data acquired with the learning process observation, the student's response questionnaire, and the student's cognitive tests. The results show that the student has difficulty in analyzing the elasticity and the force of deviation, speed, and acceleration concept, illustrates hooke law, and the matter's modulus elasticity. The difficult stages of the inquiry-based physics learning are the problem formulation, the formulation of hypotheses, the data obtaining, the testing hypotheses, conclusions, the implementation of the conclusions and generalizations, and the reflection stage.

Component and system tests of the SLD Cerenkov Ring Imaging Detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antilogus, P.; Bird, F.; Aston, D.; Dasu, S.; Dunwoodie, W.; Hallewell, G.; Kawahara, H.; Kwon, Y.; Leith, D.; Nagamine, T.; Pavel, T.; Muller, D.; Williams, S.; Bienz, T.; Dolinsky, S.; Solodov, E.; Coyle, P.; Cavalli-Sforza, M.; Coyne, D.; Gagnon, P.; Liu, X.; Williams, D.A.

1990-01-01

The components of the SLD barrel Cerenkov Ring Imaging Detector (CRID) are now built and are being installed. This paper reports on tests of these components, including tests of the fiber optic calibration system, detailed studies of electron drift paths on production drift boxes and detectors, tests of the dynamic gating system and its effect on drift path distortions due to space-charge, and a measurement of the electron lifetime in a production drift box. In addition, the authors report on the UV transmission of recirculated liquid freon and on the effects of CRID construction materials on electron lifetime

Component and system tests of the SLD Cerenkov Ring Imaging Detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antilogus, P.; Aston, D.; Bienz, T.; Bird, F.; Dasu, S.; Dolinsky, S.; Dunwoodie, W.; Hallewell, G.; Kawahara, H.; Kwon, Y.; Leith, D.; Muller, D.; Nagamine, T.; Pavel, T.; Ratcliff, B.; Rensing, P.; Schultz, D.; Shapiro, S.; Simopoulos, C.; Solodov, E.; Toge, N.; Va'vra, J.; Williams, S.; Cavalli-Sforza, M.; Coyle, P.; Coyne, D.; Gagnon, P.; Liu, X.; Williams, D.A.; Whitaker, J.S.; Wilson, R.J.; Bean, A.; Caldwell, D.; Duboscq, J.; Huber, J.; Lu, A.; Mathys, L.; McHugh, S.; Witherell, M.; Yellin, S.; D'Oliveira, A.; Johnson, R.A.; Martinez, J.L.; Meadows, B.; Nussbaum, M.; Santha, A.K.S.; Shoup, A.; Stockdale, I.; Baird, K.; Jacques, P.; Kalelkar, M.; Plano, R.; Stamer, P.; Word, G.; Abe, K.; Hasegawa, K.; Suekane, F.; Yuta, H.

1991-02-01

The components of the SLD barrel Cerenkov Ring Imaging Detector (CRID) are now built and are being installed. We report on tests of these, including tests of the fiber optic calibration system, detailed studies of electron drift paths on production drift boxes and detectors, tests of the dynamic gating system and its effect on drift path distortions due to space-charge, and a measurement of the electron lifetime in a production drift box. In addition, we report on the UV transmission of recirculated liquid C 6 F 14 and on the effects of CRID construction materials on electron lifetime. 9 refs., 11 figs

Component and system tests of the SLD Cerenkov Ring Imaging Detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antilogus, P.; Aston, D.; Bienz, T.; Bird, F.; Dasu, S.; Dolinsky, S.; Dunwoodie, W.; Hallewell, G.; Kawahara, H.; Kwon, Y.; Leith, D.; Muller, D.; Nagamine, T.; Pavel, T.; Ratcliff, B.; Rensing, P.; Schultz, D.; Shapiro, S.; Simopoulos, C.; Solodov, E.; Toge, N.; Va'vra, J.; Williams, S.; Cavalli-Sforza, M.; Coyle, P.; Coyne, D.; Gagnon, P.; Liu, X.; Williams, D.A.; Whitaker, J.S.; Wilson, R.J.; Bean, A.; Caldwell, D.; Duboscq, J.; Huber, J.; Lu, A.; Mathys, L.; McHugh, S.; Witherell, M.; Yellin, S.; d'Oliveira, A.; Johnson, R.A.; Martinez, J.; Meadows, B.; Nussbaum, M.; Santha, A.K.S.; Shoup, A.; Stockdale, I.; Jacques, P.; Kalelkar, M.; Plano, R.; Stamer, P.; Abe, K.; Hasegawa, K.; Suekane, F.; Yuta, H.

1990-10-01

The components of the SLD barrel Cerenkov Ring Imaging Detector (CRID) are now built and are being installed. We report on tests of these components, including tests of the fiber optic calibration system, detailed studies of electron drift paths on production drift boxes and detectors, tests of the dynamic gating systems and its effect on drift path distortions due to space-charge, and a measurement of the electron lifetime in a production drift box. In addition, we report on the UV transmission of recirculated liquid freon and on the effects of CRID construction materials on electron lifetime. 16 refs., 12 figs

Overview of the data acquisition electronics system design for the SLAC Linear Collider Detector (SLD)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larsen, R.S.

1985-09-01

The SLD Detector will contain five major electronics subsystems: Vertex, Drift, Liquid Argon Calorimeter, Cerenkov Ring Imaging, and Warm Iron Calorimeter. To implement the approximately 170,000 channels of electronics, extensive miniaturization and heavy use of multiplexing techniques are required. Design criteria for each subsystem, overall system architecture, and the R and D program are described

Working Memory Deficits in ADHD: The Contribution of Age, Learning/Language Difficulties, and Task Parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Sowerby, Paula; Seal, Simon; Tripp, Gail

2011-01-01

Objective: To further define the nature of working memory (WM) impairments in children with combined-type ADHD. Method: A total of 40 Children with ADHD and an age and gender-matched control group (n = 40) completed two measures of visuo-spatial WM and two measures of verbal WM. The effects of age and learning/language difficulties on performance…

The Effects of Self-Regulation on Science Vocabulary Acquisition of English Language Learners with Learning Difficulties

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Woori; Linan-Thompson, Sylvia

2013-01-01

This multiple-probe study examined the effects of self-regulation on the acquisition of science vocabulary by four third-grade English language learners (ELLs) with learning difficulties. The students were provided only direct vocabulary instruction in a baseline phase, followed by intervention and maintenance phases into which self-regulation…

The analog processing system for the Liquid Argon Calorimeter for SLD at SLAC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haller, G.M.; Nelson, D.; Freytag, D.R.

1986-09-01

The analog processing system for the Liquid Argon Calorimeter for the SLD project at SLAC is described. Amplification, storage of the analog information, and multiplexing is realized on specially developed hybrids, which will be mounted directly on the detector. This leads to a substantial reduction of the cable plant. Test results for the amplifier and for the sampling and multiplexing hybrid (CDU hybrid) are presented. The latter hybird contains a custom monolithic device, the Calorimeter Data Unit

Measurement of the polarized forward-backward asymmetry of B quarks using momentum-weighted track charge at SLD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Junk, Thomas Robert [Stanford Univ., CA (United States)

1995-11-01

This thesis presents a direct measurement of the parity-violating parameter A_b by analyzing the polarized forward-backward asymmetry of b quarks in e⁺e^- → Z⁰ → b$\\bar{b}$. Data were taken at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC), with the Stanford Large Detector (SLD), which records the products of e⁺e^- interactions at a center of mass energy √s = 91.2 GeV/c² at the SLAC Linear Collider (SLC). The SLC/SLD experimental apparatus provides a unique and ideal environment for measuring electroweak asymmetries. Heavy flavor decays of the Z⁰ were identified inclusively by taking advantage of the long lifetime of B hadrons, the small, stable SLC beam spot, and SLD`s precise tracking detectors. Two analysis techniques for measuring A_b are presented: a binned fit to the left-right forward-backwards asymmetry of tagged events signed with momentum-weighted track charge, and a self-calibrating maximum-likelihood technique using momentum-weighted charge from the two hemispheres in each tagged event. From our 1994-1995 sample of 3.6 pb^-1, having a luminosity-weighted average e^- polarization of 77.3%, and our 1993 sample of 1.8 pb^-1, having a luminosity-weighted polarization of 63.1%, we obtain A_b = 0.848 ± 0.046(stat.) ± 0.050(syst.).

Study on the Strategy of Transforming Students with Learning Difficulties in Polytechnic Schools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fan Cui

2014-05-01

Full Text Available As demand of China’s social construction increasing and as the development of vocational education, polytechnic school plays an increasing important part, which, on the other hand, constitutes unprecedented challenges to the teaching in polytechnic schools. Most students, in the aspect of vocational education, are those from middle schools who have difficulties in their study. These students are entitled “Underachievers”. They are short in intellectual study and poor in curricular foundations. Teaching tasks cannot be satisfactorily accomplished in many of the polytechnic schools for the increasing number of underachievers. What have been harnessing the polytechnic school development is the poor study effect of these students. In this article, the internal reason of character and the external reason of social influence are analyzed as the cause that contributes to learning difficulties. And this article offers a pragmatic set of ideas for underachiever transformation.

Psycho-Pedagogical Interventions in the Prevention and the Therapy of Learning Difficulties in the Field of Mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Anca, Maria; Hategan, Carolina

2009-01-01

In the given study dyscalculia is approached in the context of learning difficulties, but also in relation with damaged psychic processes and functions. The practical part of the study describes intervention models from the perspective of dyscalculia prevention and therapymaterialized in personalized intervention programs.

A cryogenic monitor system for the Liquid Argon Calorimeter in the SLD detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fox, M.J.; Fox, J.D.

1988-10-01

This paper describes the monitoring electronics system design for the Liquid Argon Calorimeter (LAC) portion of the SLD detector. This system measures temperatures and liquid levels inside the LAC cryostat and transfers the results over a fiber-optic serial link to an external monitoring computer. System requirements, unique design constraints, and detailed analog, digital and software designs are presented. Fault tolerance and the requirement for a single design to work in several different operating environments are discussed. 4 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab

A componential view of children's difficulties in learning fractions

Science.gov (United States)

Gabriel, Florence; Coché, Frédéric; Szucs, Dénes; Carette, Vincent; Rey, Bernard; Content, Alain

2013-01-01

Fractions are well known to be difficult to learn. Various hypotheses have been proposed in order to explain those difficulties: fractions can denote different concepts; their understanding requires a conceptual reorganization with regard to natural numbers; and using fractions involves the articulation of conceptual knowledge with complex manipulation of procedures. In order to encompass the major aspects of knowledge about fractions, we propose to distinguish between conceptual and procedural knowledge. We designed a test aimed at assessing the main components of fraction knowledge. The test was carried out by fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders from the French Community of Belgium. The results showed large differences between categories. Pupils seemed to master the part-whole concept, whereas numbers and operations posed problems. Moreover, pupils seemed to apply procedures they do not fully understand. Our results offer further directions to explain why fractions are amongst the most difficult mathematical topics in primary education. This study offers a number of recommendations on how to teach fractions. PMID:24133471

A componential view of children's difficulties in learning fractions.

Science.gov (United States)

Gabriel, Florence; Coché, Frédéric; Szucs, Dénes; Carette, Vincent; Rey, Bernard; Content, Alain

2013-01-01

Fractions are well known to be difficult to learn. Various hypotheses have been proposed in order to explain those difficulties: fractions can denote different concepts; their understanding requires a conceptual reorganization with regard to natural numbers; and using fractions involves the articulation of conceptual knowledge with complex manipulation of procedures. In order to encompass the major aspects of knowledge about fractions, we propose to distinguish between conceptual and procedural knowledge. We designed a test aimed at assessing the main components of fraction knowledge. The test was carried out by fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders from the French Community of Belgium. The results showed large differences between categories. Pupils seemed to master the part-whole concept, whereas numbers and operations posed problems. Moreover, pupils seemed to apply procedures they do not fully understand. Our results offer further directions to explain why fractions are amongst the most difficult mathematical topics in primary education. This study offers a number of recommendations on how to teach fractions.

Comparability of Self-Concept among Normal Achievers and Children with Learning Difficulties within a Greek Context.

Science.gov (United States)

Leonadari, Angeliki

1994-01-01

Assessed Greek third through sixth graders on the Perceived Competence Scale for Children (PCSC). Subjects were normally achieving (NA) and low achieving students and a special class (SC) of students identified as at risk for learning difficulties. The SC students scored lower than the NA students on the PCSC global self-worth, competence affect,…

Associations among Attitudes, Perceived Difficulty of Learning Science, Gender, Parents' Occupation and Students' Scientific Competencies

Science.gov (United States)

Chi, ShaoHui; Wang, Zuhao; Liu, Xiufeng; Zhu, Lei

2017-01-01

This study investigated the associations among students' attitudes towards science, students' perceived difficulty of learning science, gender, parents' occupations and their scientific competencies. A sample of 1591 (720 males and 871 females) ninth-grade students from 29 junior high schools in Shanghai completed a scientific competency test and…

Difficulties faced by eighth grade students in the learning of linear equation problems at a high school in Heredia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gilberto Chavarría Arroyo

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The current article presents the results of a study that aimed to analyze the difficulties faced by eighth grade students when learning to solve algebraic problems based on linear equations with one unknown variable. The participants were learners with low average performance in mathematics at a high school in Heredia. The research followed a naturalistic paradigm and the case study method with a qualitative approach. Different techniques like class observations, questionnaires to students, non-structured interviews to teachers and interviews to the learners were applied. The research helped to identify the main causes of difficulty when learning to solve algebraic problems. Some of the causes that were identified are affective aspects, lack of previous knowledge, poor relational understanding, fatigue, diversion, reading deficiencies and misunderstanding of terminology.

Prevalence and Patterns of Learning Disabilities in School Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Padhy, Susanta Kumar; Goel, Sonu; Das, Shyam Sinder; Sarkar, Siddharth; Sharma, Vijaylaxmi; Panigrahi, Mahima

2016-04-01

To assess the prevalence and patterns of learning disabilities (LD) in school going children in a northern city of India. The present cross-sectional study comprised of three-staged screening procedure for assessing learning disabilities of 3rd and 4th grade students studying in government schools. The first stage comprised of the teacher identifying at-risk student. In the second stage, teachers assessed at-risk students using Specific Learning Disability-Screening Questionnaire (SLD-SQ). The third stage comprised of assessment of the screen positive students using Brigance Diagnostic Inventory (BDI) part of NIMHANS Index of Specific Learning Disabilities for identifying the cases of LD. A total of 1211 (33.6%) children out of the total screened (n = 3600) were identified as at-risk by the teachers at the first stage. Of them, 360 were found to screen positive on the second stage using SLD-SQ. The most common deficits were missing out words or sentences while reading, misplacing letters or words while reading or writing, and making frequent mistake in spelling while writing or reading. Of these, 108 children were confirmed to have learning disability on the third stage using BDI, which represented 3.08% of the total population. Learning disability is an important concern in young school aged children. Early identification of such students can help in early institution of intervention and suitable modifications in teaching techniques.

Multimodal versus Unimodal Instruction in a Complex Learning Context.

Science.gov (United States)

Gellevij, Mark; van der Meij, Hans; de Jong, Ton; Pieters, Jules

2002-01-01

Compared multimodal instruction with text and pictures with unimodal text-only instruction as 44 college students used a visual or textual manual to learn a complex software application. Results initially support dual coding theory and indicate that multimodal instruction led to better performance than unimodal instruction. (SLD)

Cognitive Function of Children and Adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Learning Difficulties: A Developmental Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fang Huang

2016-01-01

Conclusions: Children and adolescents with ADHD and learning difficulties have more severe cognitive impairment than pure ADHD patients even after controlling for the effect of ADHD symptoms. However, the differences in impairment in inhibition and shift function are no longer significant when these individuals were 12–14 years old.

Specific Learning Disorders: A Look Inside Children's and Parents' Psychological Well-Being and Relationships.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonifacci, Paola; Storti, Michele; Tobia, Valentina; Suardi, Alessandro

2016-09-01

Despite their ascertained neurobiological origin, specific learning disorders (SLD) often have been found to be associated with some emotional disturbances in children, and there is growing interest in the environmental and contextual variables that may modulate children's developmental trajectories. The present study was aimed at evaluating the psychological profile of parents and children and the relationships between their measures. Parents of children with SLD (17 couples, 34 participants) and parents of children with typical development (17 couples, 34 participants) were administered questionnaires assessing parenting styles, reading history, parenting stress, psychopathological indexes, and evaluations of children's anxiety and depression. Children (N = 34, 10.7 ± 1.2 years) were assessed with self-evaluation questionnaires on anxiety, depression, and self-esteem and with a scale assessing their perception of parents' qualities. Results showed that parents of children with SLD have higher parental distress, poorer reading history, and different parenting styles compared to parents of children with TD; there were no differences in psychopathological indexes. The SLD group also rated their children as more anxious and depressed. Children with SLD had lower scholastic and interpersonal self-esteem, but they report ratings of parents' qualities similar to those of TD children. Relationships between parents' and children's measures were further explored. Implications for research and practice are discussed. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2015.

To What Extent Does Information and Communication Technology Support Inclusion in Education of Students with Learning Difficulties?

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Mølster, Terje; Nes, Kari

2018-01-01

The main intention of this study is to explore the relationship between information and communication technology (ICT) and inclusion. The target group is students who are conceived as having learning difficulties or special educational needs. To illuminate this issue, we draw on data collected in a recent national research project about the…

Discriminating Children with Autism from Children with Learning Difficulties with an Adaptation of the Short Sensory Profile

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O'Brien, Justin; Tsermentseli, Stella; Cummins, Omar; Happe, Francesca; Heaton, Pamela; Spencer, Janine

2009-01-01

In this article, we examine the extent to which children with autism and children with learning difficulties can be discriminated from their responses to different patterns of sensory stimuli. Using an adapted version of the Short Sensory Profile (SSP), sensory processing was compared in 34 children with autism to 33 children with typical…

The Relationships between Indonesian Fourth Graders’ Difficulties in Fractions and the Opportunity to Learn Fractions: A Snapshot of TIMSS Results

OpenAIRE

Ariyadi Wijaya

2017-01-01

This paper reports an exploration into Indonesian fourth graders’ difficulties in fractions and their relation to the opportunity to learn fractions students got at schools. The concept of ‘opportunity to learn’ is often considered as a framework to investigate possible reasons for students’ difficulties. The data for this study was drawn from TIMSS 2015 that comprised test results and teachers’ responses to TIMSS Teacher Questionnaire. The test and questionnaire data were anal...

Mathematics difficulties & classroom leadership

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, Maria Christina Secher

2016-01-01

This article investigates possible links between inclusion, students, for whom mathematics is extensively difficult, and classroom leadership through a case study on teaching strategies and student participation in four classrooms at two different primary schools in Denmark. Three sets of results...... are presented: 1) descriptions of the teachers’ classroom leadership to include all their students in the learning community, 2) the learning community produced by stated and practiced rules for teaching and learning behavior, 3) the classroom behavior of students who experience difficulties with mathematics....... The findings suggest that the teachers’ pedagogical choices and actions support an active learning environment for students in diverse learning needs, and that the teachers practise dimensions of inclusive classroom leadership that are known to be successful for teaching mathematics to all students. Despite...

Value of supervised learning events in predicting doctors in difficulty.

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Patel, Mumtaz; Agius, Steven; Wilkinson, Jack; Patel, Leena; Baker, Paul

2016-07-01

In the UK, supervised learning events (SLE) replaced traditional workplace-based assessments for foundation-year trainees in 2012. A key element of SLEs was to incorporate trainee reflection and assessor feedback in order to drive learning and identify training issues early. Few studies, however, have investigated the value of SLEs in predicting doctors in difficulty. This study aimed to identify principles that would inform understanding about how and why SLEs work or not in identifying doctors in difficulty (DiD). A retrospective case-control study of North West Foundation School trainees' electronic portfolios was conducted. Cases comprised all known DiD. Controls were randomly selected from the same cohort. Free-text supervisor comments from each SLE were assessed for the four domains defined in the General Medical Council's Good Medical Practice Guidelines and each scored blindly for level of concern using a three-point ordinal scale. Cumulative scores for each SLE were then analysed quantitatively for their predictive value of actual DiD. A qualitative thematic analysis was also conducted. The prevalence of DiD in this sample was 6.5%. Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis showed that Team Assessment of Behaviour (TAB) was the only SLE strongly predictive of actual DiD status. The Educational Supervisor Report (ESR) was also strongly predictive of DiD status. Fisher's test showed significant associations of TAB and ESR for both predicted and actual DiD status and also the health and performance subtypes. None of the other SLEs showed significant associations. Qualitative data analysis revealed inadequate completion and lack of constructive, particularly negative, feedback. This indicated that SLEs were not used to their full potential. TAB and the ESR are strongly predictive of DiD. However, SLEs are not being used to their full potential, and the quality of completion of reports on SLEs and feedback needs to be improved in order to better identify

Perry's Scheme of Intellectual and Epistemological Development as a Framework for Describing Student Difficulties in Learning Organic Chemistry

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Grove, Nathaniel P.; Bretz, Stacey Lowery

2010-01-01

We have investigated student difficulties with the learning of organic chemistry. Using Perry's Model of Intellectual Development as a framework revealed that organic chemistry students who function as dualistic thinkers struggle with the complexity of the subject matter. Understanding substitution/elimination reactions and multi-step syntheses is…

Mathematical difficulties in nonverbal learning disability or co-morbid dyscalculia and dyslexia.

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Mammarella, Irene C; Bomba, Monica; Caviola, Sara; Broggi, Fiorenza; Neri, Francesca; Lucangeli, Daniela; Nacinovich, Renata

2013-01-01

The main goal of the present study was to shed further light on the weaknesses of children with different profiles of mathematical difficulties, testing children with nonverbal learning disability (NLD), co-morbid dyscalculia and dyslexia (D&D), or typical development (TD). Sixteen children with NLD, 15 with D&D, and 16 with TD completed tasks derived from Butterworth (2003 ) and divided into: a capacity subscale (i.e., a number-dots comparison task, a number comparison task, and a dots comparison task); and an achievement subscale (i.e., mental calculations and arithmetical fact retrieval). Children with NLD were impaired in the dots comparison task, children with D&D in the mental calculation and arithmetical facts.

Working Memory in Students with Mathematical Difficulties

Science.gov (United States)

Nur, I. R. D.; Herman, T.; Ningsih, S.

2018-04-01

Learning process is the activities that has important role because this process is one of the all factors that establish students success in learning. oftentimes we find so many students get the difficulties when they study mathematics. This condition is not only because of the outside factor but also it comes from the inside. The purpose of this research is to analyze and give the representation how students working memory happened in physical education students for basic statistics subjects which have mathematical difficulties. The subjects are 4 students which have a mathematical difficulties. The research method is case study and when the describe about students working memory are explanated deeply with naturalistic observation. Based on this research, it was founded that 4 students have a working memory deficit in three components. The components are phonological loop, visuospatial sketchpad, dan episodic buffer.

A Componential View of Children’s Difficulties in Learning Fractions

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Florence Claude Gabriel

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Fractions are well known to be difficult to learn. Various hypotheses have been proposed in order to explain those difficulties: fractions can denote different concepts; their understanding requires a conceptual reorganisation with regard to natural numbers; and using fractions involves the articulation of conceptual knowledge with complex manipulation of procedures. In order to encompass the major aspects of knowledge about fractions, we propose to distinguish between conceptual and procedural knowledge. We designed a test aimed at assessing the main components of fraction knowledge. The test was carried out by fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders from the French Community of Belgium. The results showed large differences between categories. Pupils seemed to master the part-whole concept, whereas numbers and operations posed problems. Moreover, pupils seemed to apply procedures they do not fully understand. Our results offer further directions to explain why fractions are amongst the most difficult mathematical topics in primary education. This study offers a number of recommendations on how to teach fractions.

Recent QCD Results from SLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muller, David

1999-01-01

We present selected results on strong interaction physics from the SLD experiment at the SLAC Linear Collider. We report on several new studies of 3- and 4-jet hadronic Z 0 decays, in which jets are identified as quark, antiquark or gluon. The 3-jet Z 0 --> b anti-bg rate is sensitive to the b-quark mass; prospects for measuring m b are discussed. The gluon energy spectrum is measured over the full kinematic range, providing an improved test of QCD and limits on anomalous b anti-bg couplings. The parity violation in Z 0 --> b anti-bg decays is consistent with electroweak theory plus QCD. New tests of T- and CP-conservation at the bbg vertex are performed. A new measurement of the rate of gluon splitting into b anti-b pairs yields g b anti-b = 0.0031 ± 0.0007 (stat.)± 0.0006 (syst.) (Preliminary). We also present a number of new results on jet fragmentation into identified hadrons. The B hadron energy spectrum is measured over the full kinematic range using a new, inclusive technique, allowing stringent tests of predictions for its shape and a precise measurement of (xB) = 0.714 ± 0.005(stat.) ± 0.007(syst.) (Preliminary). A detailed study of correlations in rapidity y between pairs of identified pi ± , K ± and p/anti-p confirms that strangeness and baryon number are conserved locally, and shows local charge conservation between meson-baryon and strange-nonstrange pairs. Flavor-dependent long-range correlations are observed for all combinations of these hadron species, yielding new information on leading particle production. The first study of correlations using rapidities signed such that y > 0 corresponds to the quark direction provides additional new insights into fragmentation, including the first direct observation of baryon number ordering along the q anti-q axis

Learning difficulties or learning English difficulties? Additional language acquisition: an update for paediatricians.

Science.gov (United States)

Clifford, Vanessa; Rhodes, Anthea; Paxton, Georgia

2014-03-01

Australia is a diverse society: 26% of the population were born overseas, a further 20% have at least one parent born overseas and 19% speak a language other than English at home. Paediatricians are frequently involved in the assessment and management of non-English-speaking-background children with developmental delay, disability or learning issues. Despite the diversity of our patient population, information on how children learn additional or later languages is remarkably absent in paediatric training. An understanding of second language acquisition is essential to provide appropriate advice to this patient group. It takes a long time (5 years or more) for any student to develop academic competency in a second language, even a student who has received adequate prior schooling in their first language. Refugee students are doubly disadvantaged as they frequently have limited or interrupted prior schooling, and many are unable to read and write in their first language. We review the evidence on second language acquisition during childhood, describe support for English language learners within the Australian education system, consider refugee-background students as a special risk group and address common misconceptions about how children learn English as an additional language. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2013 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

How does the legal system respond when children with learning difficulties are victimized?

Science.gov (United States)

Cederborg, Ann-Christin; Lamb, Michael E

2006-05-01

To understand how the Swedish legal system perceives and handles mentally handicapped children who may have been victimized. Twenty-two judicial districts in Sweden provided complete files on 39 District Court cases (including the Appeals Court files on 17 of these cases) involving children with learning difficulties or other handicaps as alleged victims of abuse, threat and neglect. The children (25 girls and 14 boys) averaged 11.8 years of age when first allegedly victimized. Sexual abuse was the most frequently alleged crime (33 cases). Court transcripts, court files and expert assessments of the alleged victims' handicaps and their possible consequences were examined to elucidate the ways in which courts evaluated the credibility of the alleged victims. The children's reports of their victimization were expected to have the characteristics emphasized by proponents of Statement Reality Analysis (SRA) and Criterion Based Content Analysis (CBCA) in order to be deemed credible. Expert reports were seldom available or adequate. Because many reports were poorly written or prepared by experts who lacked the necessary skills, courts were left to rely on their own assumptions and knowledge when evaluating children's capacities and credibility. Children with learning difficulties or other handicaps were expected to provide the same sort of reports as other children. To minimize the risk that judgments may be based on inaccurate assumptions courts need to require more thorough assessments of children's limitations and their implications. Assessments by competent mental health professionals could inform and strengthen legal decision-making. A standardized procedure that included psycho-diagnostic instruments would allow courts to understand better the abilities, capacities, and behavior of specific handicapped children.

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.

Structural Validity of the WISC-IV for Students with Learning Disabilities

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Styck, Kara M.; Watkins, Marley W.

2016-01-01

The structural validity of the "Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition" (WISC-IV) was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis for a clinical sample of 1,537 students diagnosed with specific learning disabilities (SLD) by school psychologists in two large southwestern school districts. Results indicated that a…

Dificuldades de aprendizagem: reflexões a partir da teoria histórico-cultural / Learning difficulties: reflections based on culturalhistorical theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabiane Adela Tonetto Costas

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Ao estudar as dificuldades de aprendizagem não se pode esquecer que o aluno é um sujeito sociocultural com uma história e valores específicos aos quais se deve estar atento e que a escola também é atravessada por uma história e uma cultura específica. A reflexão proposta parte da Teoria Histórico-Cultural, tendo em Vygotsky a principal referência, além de outros autores como Luria, Leontiev e Duarte. Ressaltamos que nossa análise das dificuldades de aprendizagem pressupõe a presença de fatores sociais e culturais, enfocando as dificuldades que são produzidas no processo de escolarização e não os problemas/dificuldades de aprendizagem em si. Ao final, não chegamos a uma conclusão, restam-nos questões que mantêm a reflexão aberta.Abstract When studying learning difficulties one must not forget that the pupil is a sociocultural subject with a history and specific values to which one must be attentive to and that school is also per passed by a history and a specific culture. The reflection proposed here is based on Cultural-Historical Theory, which has in Vygotsky its main reference, besides other authors such as Luria, Leontiev and Duarte. We highlight that our analysis of learning difficulties assume in advance the presence of social and cultural factors, focusing on the difficulties which are produced in the educational process, and not on learning problems/difficulties themselves. Finally, we could not reach a conclusion, but we left many questions to be answered that keep the reflection open.

Learner Outcomes in Science in South Africa: Role of the Nature of Learner Difficulties with the Language for Learning and Teaching Science

Science.gov (United States)

Oyoo, Samuel Ouma

2017-08-01

Paul Leslie Gardner pioneered the study of student difficulties with everyday words presented in the science context (Gardner 1971); several similarly designed studies (e.g. Cassels and Johnstone 1985; Tao in Research in Science Education, 24, 322-330, 1994; Farell and Ventura in Language and Education, 12(4), 243-254, 1998; Childs and O'Farell in Chemistry Education: Research and Practice, 4(3), 233-247, 2003) have since been reported in literature. This article draws from an exploratory study of the difficulties South African High School physical science learners encounter with everyday English words when presented in the science context. The participants (1107 learners and 35 respective physical science teachers) were drawn from 35 public secondary schools in Johannesburg area of South Africa. Data were obtained through a word test to participant learners followed by group interviews but face-to-face interviews with each physical science teacher. This study has revealed that in similar ways as have been reported in each of the studies so far, South African learners also face difficulties with meanings of everyday words presented in a science context. The main source of difficulties encountered was learner inability to distinguish between the meanings of familiar everyday words as used in everyday parlance from the `new' meanings of the same everyday words when used in the science context. Interpretations of learner interview responses revealed that fewer difficulties would have been experienced by learners if science teachers generally explained the context meanings of the words as used during science teaching. The findings suggest that focusing on contextual proficiency more than on general proficiency in the language of learning and teaching (LOLT) during teaching perhaps holds more promise for enhanced learning and achievement in science. Steps necessary to raise teacher awareness of the potential impact of context on meanings of everyday words of the LOLT

Contextual Cueing: Implicit Learning and Memory of Visual Context Guides Spatial Attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Chun, Marvin M.; Jiang, Yuhong

1998-01-01

Six experiments involving a total of 112 college students demonstrate that a robust memory for visual context exists to guide spatial attention. Results show how implicit learning and memory of visual context can guide spatial attention toward task-relevant aspects of a scene. (SLD)

Effects of Mathematics Anxiety and Mathematical Metacognition on Word Problem Solving in Children with and without Mathematical Learning Difficulties

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Yinghui; Zhu, Xiaoshuang; Chen, Yinghe; Li, Yanjun

2015-01-01

Mathematics is one of the most objective, logical, and practical academic disciplines. Yet, in addition to cognitive skills, mathematical problem solving also involves affective factors. In the current study, we first investigated effects of mathematics anxiety (MA) and mathematical metacognition on word problem solving (WPS). We tested 224 children (116 boys, M = 10.15 years old, SD = 0.56) with the Mathematics Anxiety Scale for Children, the Chinese Revised-edition Questionnaire of Pupil’s Metacognitive Ability in Mathematics, and WPS tasks. The results indicated that mathematical metacognition mediated the effect of MA on WPS after controlling for IQ. Second, we divided the children into four mathematics achievement groups including high achieving (HA), typical achieving (TA), low achieving (LA), and mathematical learning difficulty (MLD). Because mathematical metacognition and MA predicted mathematics achievement, we compared group differences in metacognition and MA with IQ partialled out. The results showed that children with MLD scored lower in self-image and higher in learning mathematics anxiety (LMA) than the TA and HA children, but not in mathematical evaluation anxiety (MEA). MLD children’s LMA was also higher than that of their LA counterparts. These results provide insight into factors that may mediate poor WPS performance which emerges under pressure in mathematics. These results also suggest that the anxiety during learning mathematics should be taken into account in mathematical learning difficulty interventions. PMID:26090806

Effects of Mathematics Anxiety and Mathematical Metacognition on Word Problem Solving in Children with and without Mathematical Learning Difficulties.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yinghui Lai

Full Text Available Mathematics is one of the most objective, logical, and practical academic disciplines. Yet, in addition to cognitive skills, mathematical problem solving also involves affective factors. In the current study, we first investigated effects of mathematics anxiety (MA and mathematical metacognition on word problem solving (WPS. We tested 224 children (116 boys, M = 10.15 years old, SD = 0.56 with the Mathematics Anxiety Scale for Children, the Chinese Revised-edition Questionnaire of Pupil's Metacognitive Ability in Mathematics, and WPS tasks. The results indicated that mathematical metacognition mediated the effect of MA on WPS after controlling for IQ. Second, we divided the children into four mathematics achievement groups including high achieving (HA, typical achieving (TA, low achieving (LA, and mathematical learning difficulty (MLD. Because mathematical metacognition and MA predicted mathematics achievement, we compared group differences in metacognition and MA with IQ partialled out. The results showed that children with MLD scored lower in self-image and higher in learning mathematics anxiety (LMA than the TA and HA children, but not in mathematical evaluation anxiety (MEA. MLD children's LMA was also higher than that of their LA counterparts. These results provide insight into factors that may mediate poor WPS performance which emerges under pressure in mathematics. These results also suggest that the anxiety during learning mathematics should be taken into account in mathematical learning difficulty interventions.

Effects of Mathematics Anxiety and Mathematical Metacognition on Word Problem Solving in Children with and without Mathematical Learning Difficulties.

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Yinghui; Zhu, Xiaoshuang; Chen, Yinghe; Li, Yanjun

2015-01-01

Mathematics is one of the most objective, logical, and practical academic disciplines. Yet, in addition to cognitive skills, mathematical problem solving also involves affective factors. In the current study, we first investigated effects of mathematics anxiety (MA) and mathematical metacognition on word problem solving (WPS). We tested 224 children (116 boys, M = 10.15 years old, SD = 0.56) with the Mathematics Anxiety Scale for Children, the Chinese Revised-edition Questionnaire of Pupil's Metacognitive Ability in Mathematics, and WPS tasks. The results indicated that mathematical metacognition mediated the effect of MA on WPS after controlling for IQ. Second, we divided the children into four mathematics achievement groups including high achieving (HA), typical achieving (TA), low achieving (LA), and mathematical learning difficulty (MLD). Because mathematical metacognition and MA predicted mathematics achievement, we compared group differences in metacognition and MA with IQ partialled out. The results showed that children with MLD scored lower in self-image and higher in learning mathematics anxiety (LMA) than the TA and HA children, but not in mathematical evaluation anxiety (MEA). MLD children's LMA was also higher than that of their LA counterparts. These results provide insight into factors that may mediate poor WPS performance which emerges under pressure in mathematics. These results also suggest that the anxiety during learning mathematics should be taken into account in mathematical learning difficulty interventions.

Preliminary results on heavy flavor physics at SLD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Usher, T. [Stanford Univ., CA (United States)

1994-12-01

The author reports on preliminary heavy flavor physics results from the SLD detector at the SLAC Linear Collider. Efficient tagging of b{bar b} events is achieved with an impact parameter technique that takes advantage of the small and stable interaction point of the SLC and all charged tracks in Z{sup 0} decays. This technique is applied to samples of Z{sup 0} events collected during the 1992 and 1993 physics runs. Preliminary measurements of the ratio R{sub b} = {Gamma}(Z{sup 0} {yields} b{bar b})/{Gamma}(Z{sup 0} {yields} hadrons) and the average B hadron lifetime <{tau}{sub B}> are reported. In a sample of 27K Z{sup 0} events, values of R{sub b} = 0.235 {+-} 0.006(stat.) {+-} 0.018(syst.) and <{tau}{sub B}> = 1.53 {+-} 0.006(stat.) {+-} 0.018(syst.) are obtained. In addition, the first measurement of the left-right asymmetry A{sub b} is reported. Using a sample of 38K Z{sup 0} events with a luminosity weighted electron polarization of 62%, the author obtains a preliminary value of A{sub b} = 0.94 {+-} 0.006(stat.) {+-} 0.018(syst.).

Difficulties in Learning Inheritance and Polymorphism

Science.gov (United States)

Liberman, Neomi; Beeri, Catriel; Kolikant, Yifat Ben-David

2011-01-01

This article reports on difficulties related to the concepts of inheritance and polymorphism, expressed by a group of 22 in-service CS teachers with an experience with the procedural paradigm, as they coped with a course on OOP. Our findings are based on the analysis of tests, questionnaires that the teachers completed in the course, as well as on…

Vineland-II adaptive behavior profile of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or specific learning disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Balboni, Giulia; Incognito, Oriana; Belacchi, Carmen; Bonichini, Sabrina; Cubelli, Roberto

2017-02-01

The evaluation of adaptive behavior is informative in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or specific learning disorders (SLD). However, the few investigations available have focused only on the gross level of domains of adaptive behavior. To investigate which item subsets of the Vineland-II can discriminate children with ADHD or SLD from peers with typical development. Student's t-tests, ROC analysis, logistic regression, and linear discriminant function analysis were used to compare 24 children with ADHD, 61 elementary students with SLD, and controls matched on age, sex, school level attended, and both parents' education level. Several item subsets that address not only ADHD core symptoms, but also understanding in social context and development of interpersonal relationships, allowed discrimination of children with ADHD from controls. The combination of four item subsets (Listening and attending, Expressing complex ideas, Social communication, and Following instructions) classified children with ADHD with both sensitivity and specificity of 87.5%. Only Reading skills, Writing skills, and Time and dates discriminated children with SLD from controls. Evaluation of Vineland-II scores at the level of item content categories is a useful procedure for an efficient clinical description. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pre-Service Science Teachers' PCK: Inconsistency of Pre-Service Teachers' Predictions and Student Learning Difficulties in Newton's Third Law

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Shaona; Wang, Yanlin; Zhang, Chunbin

2016-01-01

There is widespread agreement that science learning always builds upon students' existing ideas and that science teachers should possess knowledge of learners. This study aims at investigating pre-service science teachers' knowledge of student misconceptions and difficulties, a crucial component of PCK, on Newton's Third Law. A questionnaire was…

A measurement of the tau Michel parameters at SLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quigley, J.

1997-05-01

This thesis presents a measurement of the tau Michel parameters. This measurement utilizes the highly polarized SLC electron beam to extract these quantities directly from the measured tau decay spectra using the 1993--95 SLD sample of 4,528 tau pair events. The results are ρ e = 0.71 ± 0.14 ± 0.05, ξ e = 1.16 ± 0.52 ± 0.06, and (ξδ) e = 0.85 ± 0.43 ± 0.08 for tau decays to electrons and ρ μ = 0.54 ± 0.28 - 0.14, η μ = -0.59 ± 0.82 ± 0.45, ξ μ = 0.75 ± 0.50 ± 0.14, and (ξδ) μ = 0.82 ± 0.32 ± 0.07 for tau decays to muons. Combining all leptonic tau decays gives ρ = 0.72 ± 0.09 ± 0.03, ξ = 1.05 ± 0.35 ± 0.04, and Ξδ = 0.88 ± 0.27 ± 0.04. These results agree well with the current world average and the Standard Model

Equal Partners. Austin Teenagers Learn To Expect Respect in Dating Relationships.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Mary M.

1997-01-01

Describes the Teen Dating Violence Project, a 24-week program in the Austin (Texas) schools that offers single sex support groups for young men and women involved in violent relationships. Learning to build equitable and respectful relationships often involves unlearning gender stereotypes, but the program shows that attitudes can change. (SLD)

Keeping Wartime Memory Alive: An Oral History Project about the Wartime Memories of People with Learning Difficulties in Cumbria

Science.gov (United States)

Dias, John; Eardley, Malcolm; Harkness, Elizabeth; Townson, Louise; Brownlee-Chapman, Chloe; Chapman, Rohhss

2012-01-01

This article discusses an oral history project funded by the Heritage Lottery. It recorded the memories of eight people with learning difficulties during the Second World War in Cumbria, UK, before their personal histories were lost forever. This qualitative, inclusive research project was supported by various organisations. The process of…

[Nineteen cases of school-aged children with degenerative or metabolic neurological disorders initially presenting with learning difficulty and/or behavior disturbance].

Science.gov (United States)

Honzawa, Shiho; Sugai, Kenji; Akaike, Hiroto; Nakayama, Tojo; Fujikawa, Yoshinao; Komaki, Hirofumi; Nakagawa, Eiji; Sasaki, Masayuki

2012-07-01

We reported 19 cases of school-aged children. They were initially judged to have learning difficulty or school maladaptation because of attention deficits, hyperactive behaviors or poor school performance, followed by the diagnosis such as degenerative or metabolic neurological diseases. The patients consisted of 4 cases of adrenoleukodystrophy, 5 cases of dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy, 3 cases of Sanfilippo syndrome, 3 cases of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, and each one case of juvenile Gaucher disease, juvenile Huntington disease, juvenile metachromatic leukodystrophy and Leigh disease. They had markedly poor school performance, and/or abnormal behaviors, followed by seizures, character disorders or psychomotor regression. The diagnostic clues included brain CT scan and/or MRI, peculiar facial appearance and notable family histories. When the children were indicated to have learning difficulty or maladjustment to school life, we should make deliberate differential diagnoses before concluding that they have a learning disorder and/or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Instead they should be recommended to visit child neurologists, when they present with any problems as aforesaid.

Students’ difficulties in probabilistic problem-solving

Science.gov (United States)

Arum, D. P.; Kusmayadi, T. A.; Pramudya, I.

2018-03-01

There are many errors can be identified when students solving mathematics problems, particularly in solving the probabilistic problem. This present study aims to investigate students’ difficulties in solving the probabilistic problem. It focuses on analyzing and describing students errors during solving the problem. This research used the qualitative method with case study strategy. The subjects in this research involve ten students of 9th grade that were selected by purposive sampling. Data in this research involve students’ probabilistic problem-solving result and recorded interview regarding students’ difficulties in solving the problem. Those data were analyzed descriptively using Miles and Huberman steps. The results show that students have difficulties in solving the probabilistic problem and can be divided into three categories. First difficulties relate to students’ difficulties in understanding the probabilistic problem. Second, students’ difficulties in choosing and using appropriate strategies for solving the problem. Third, students’ difficulties with the computational process in solving the problem. Based on the result seems that students still have difficulties in solving the probabilistic problem. It means that students have not able to use their knowledge and ability for responding probabilistic problem yet. Therefore, it is important for mathematics teachers to plan probabilistic learning which could optimize students probabilistic thinking ability.

Training School Psychologists to Identify Specific Learning Disabilities: A Content Analysis of Syllabi

Science.gov (United States)

Barrett, Courtenay A.; Cottrell, Joseph M.; Newman, Daniel S.; Pierce, Benjamin G.; Anderson, Alisha

2015-01-01

Approximately 2.4 million children receive special education services for specific learning disabilities (SLDs), and school psychologists are key contributors to the SLD eligibility decision-making process. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004) enabled local education agencies to use response to intervention (RTI) instead of the…

Metacognitive reading strategies in learning disability: Relations between usage level, academic self-efficacy and self-concept

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Alev Girli

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the usage levels of metacognitive reading strategies by students diagnosed with specific learning disability (SLD, academic self-efficacy and the concept of self, in comparison to their typically developing (TD peers. The data to be used in the study were collected using the Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory, the Academic Self-efficacy Scale, the Piers-Harris Children’s Self-concept Scale and the Demographics Information Form. The study was conducted among a total of 119 students in the fifth,sixth, seventh and eighth grades in İzmir Province, including 59 students diagnosed with SLD and 60 TD students. Considering the results of the study, in comparison to TD students, students diagnosed with SLD were significantly inadequate in terms of the usage levels of metacognitive reading strategies, levels of academic self-efficacy, and the intelligence/school subdimensions of the concept of self.

Dificuldade de aprendizagem em escolares de muito baixo peso ao nascer Learning difficulties in schoolchildren born with very low birth weight

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Maura C. C. de Rodrigues

2006-02-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVOS: Investigar a associação entre muito baixo peso ao nascer e dificuldade de aprendizagem à idade escolar, através de revisão sistemática da literatura, identificando quais os padrões de dificuldade de aprendizagem nesses escolares, possíveis correlações cognitivas, singularidades nos extratos ponderais de muito baixo peso ao nascer e interferência de fatores socioeconômicos e clínicos nos resultados. FONTES DOS DADOS:Busca bibliográfica (MEDLINE, LILACS, Excerpta Medica, listas de referências de artigos originais, periódicos ligados ao tema, informações de experts da área e bancos de teses e dissertações, utilizando as palavras-chave: prematuridade/muito baixo peso ao nascer, dificuldade de aprendizagem/realização acadêmica/performance escolar, seguimento/resultados/coorte. SÍNTESE DOS DADOS: Com a busca, 114 artigos foram captados, e os 18 com adequação metodológica foram selecionados, abordando dificuldade de aprendizagem em escolares de muito baixo peso ao nascer. Observou-se pior desempenho acadêmico destes, quando toda a população de estudo era comparada aos nascidos a termo. A área mais acometida foi a matemática. O risco de evoluir com dificuldades de aprendizagem mostrou-se maior conforme diminuiu o peso ao nascer. Constatou-se associação entre muito baixo peso ao nascer e comprometimentos cognitivos. CONCLUSÕES:A abordagem sistemática corroborou os resultados obtidos de estudos da literatura: os escolares de muito baixo peso ao nascer apresentaram maior risco de dificuldades de aprendizagem quando comparados aos a termo. Predominou o acometimento de múltiplos domínios acadêmicos, sendo a matemática a área mais acometida. Observou-se um gradiente crescente de risco à medida que o peso ao nascer diminuía. Houve associação entre muito baixo peso ao nascer e comprometimento cognitivo.OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between very low birth weight and learning difficulties at

Learning Difficulties and Nutrition: Pills or Pedagogy?

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Roy

1999-01-01

Examines the efforts to find effective ameliorative measures for literacy difficulties such as dyslexia and dyspraxia, focusing on noneducational techniques found in holistic medicine, complementary therapies, and nutritional supplements. Maintains that dyslexia has become big business for drug companies and that the appropriate research regarding…

Grammatical Templates: Improving Text Difficulty Evaluation for Language Learners

OpenAIRE

Wang, Shuhan; Andersen, Erik

2016-01-01

Language students are most engaged while reading texts at an appropriate difficulty level. However, existing methods of evaluating text difficulty focus mainly on vocabulary and do not prioritize grammatical features, hence they do not work well for language learners with limited knowledge of grammar. In this paper, we introduce grammatical templates, the expert-identified units of grammar that students learn from class, as an important feature of text difficulty evaluation. Experimental clas...

Effectiveness of a self-regulated remedial program for handwriting difficulties.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Waelvelde, Hilde; De Roubaix, Amy; Steppe, Lien; Troubleyn, Evy; De Mey, Barbara; Dewitte, Griet; Debrabant, Julie; Van de Velde, Dominique

2017-09-01

Handwriting difficulties may have pervasive effects on a child's school performance. I Can! is a remedial handwriting program with a focus on self-regulated learning and applying motor learning principles combined with a behavioural approach. It is developed for typically developing children with handwriting problems. The study aim was to evaluate the program's effectiveness. Thirty-one children aged 7-8 year participated in a cross-over study. Handwriting quality and speed were repeatedly assessed by means of the Systematic Screening of Handwriting Difficulties test. Difficulties addressed were fluency in letter formation, fluency in letter connections, letter height, regularity of letter height, space between words, and line path. Mixed model analysis revealed improved quality of writing and speed for all children but significantly more improvement in handwriting quality for the children participating in the program. Although writing speed improved over time, no additional effects of the program occurred. 'I Can!' is found to be an effective instructive program to ameliorate handwriting quality in typically developing children with handwriting difficulties. The program's success was by a therapy burst of only 7 weeks focusing on the child's self-regulated learning capacities, within an individualized education plan according to their needs and goals.

The Impact of Learning Difficulties and Socioemotional and Behavioural Problems on Transition to Postsecondary Education or Work Life in Finland: A Five-Year Follow-Up Study

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Hakkarainen, Airi M.; Holopainen, Leena K.; Savolainen, Hannu K.

2016-01-01

Learning difficulties have been found to dilute the possibilities that young adults have in their educational careers. However, during the last few decades, education has become increasingly important for employment and overall life satisfaction. In the present study, we were interested in the effects of mathematical and reading difficulties and…

Strange meson spectroscopy in K[omega] and K[phi] at 11 GeV/c and Cherenkov ring imaging at SLD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kwon, Youngjoon.

1993-01-01

This thesis consists of two independent parts; development of Cherenkov Ring Imaging Detector (CRID) system and analysis of high-statistics data of strange meson reactions from the LASS spectrometer. Part 1: The CRID system is devoted to charged particle identification in the SLAC Large Detector (SLD) to study e[sup +]e[sup [minus

Differences in Strategy Use in the Reading Comprehension of Narrative and Science Texts among Students with and without Learning Disabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Botsas, George

2017-01-01

The aim of the study was to investigate differences in cognitive and metacognitive strategy use in the reading comprehension of narrative and expository texts among students with learning disabilities (SLD) and without learning disabilities (SWOLD). A total of 122 fifth and sixth graders took part in the study. Half of them (n = 61) were SLD…

Construção das dificuldades de aprendizagem em crianças adotadas Construction of learning difficulties by adopted children

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Sueli Cristina De Pauli

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Breve revisão bibliográfica acerca da usual concepção de que crianças adotivas comumente possuem dificuldades de aprendizagem escolar. Investigações sobre o processo de construção de dificuldades de aprendizagem em crianças adotivas são praticamente inexistentes na produção científica brasileira e internacional. Algumas poucas pesquisas fazem referência direta aos problemas de aprendizagem desses sujeitos, relacionando o sintoma com o curto ou longo tempo de institucionalização por eles vivenciado. Já a literatura psicopedagógica aponta alguns sintomas apresentados por essas crianças, os quais teriam influência sobre a sua não aprendizagem, tais como: dificuldades na estruturação egóica, baixa autoestima, rebaixamento intelectual associado a problemas de comportamento, hiperatividade, desatenção. Todavia, esses problemas não são descritos em quantidade e/ou profundidade, de sorte que sobre a questão há uma escassez, um vácuo, o que indica a necessidade de realização de estudos específicos que tornem visíveis tanto o número de ocorrências das dificuldades de aprendizagem entre adotados quanto os aspectos que contribuem para a constituição (ou não de tais sintomas.The objective of this work is to present the results of a brief bibliographic review concerning the common idea that adopted children often experience difficulties in school learning. Studies of how difficulties in learning arise in adopted children are quite scarce both in Brazil and internationally. Some of the few researches found make direct reference to the problems in learning for these children - usually relating these difficulties to the length of time children are in institutions. The literature in educational psychology has previously identified some symptoms associated with adoption - for example, problems in ego strength, low self-esteem, reduced intellectual functioning associated with behavioral problems, hyperactivity, and deficits

Enhancing Peer Acceptance of Children with Learning Difficulties: Classroom Goal Orientation and Effects of a Storytelling Programme with Drama Techniques

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Law, Yin-kum; Lam, Shui-fong; Law, Wilbert; Tam, Zoe W. Y.

2017-01-01

Peer acceptance is an important facilitator for the success of inclusive education. The aim of the current study is twofold: (1) to examine how classroom goal orientation is associated with children's acceptance of peers with learning difficulties; and (2) to evaluate the effectiveness of a storytelling programme with drama techniques on…

Functions, Use and Effects of Embedded Support Devices in Printed Distance Learning Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Martens, Rob; And Others

1996-01-01

To support distance learning, printed materials for the course are enriched with embedded support devices (ESD) such as schemes, illustrations, examples, questions, or margin texts. Results of 3 studies involving 900 Dutch university students indicated that students used and appreciated ESD, and that they led to better study results. (SLD)

Evaluation of maths training programme for children with learning difficulties

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Antje Ehlert

2013-06-01

The study at hand focuses on the question of whether educationally impaired children with large deficits in mathematics can be supported successfully by means of a highly adaptive support measure (MARKO-T, and whether the effects of this support can be maintained over a certain period. For this, 32 educationally impaired third-graders with math deficits were supported individually with MARKO-T twice a week, over a period of ten weeks. As control group, 32 similarly impaired third-graders were paralleled according to the mathematical and cognitive achievements of the training group. Two further control groups, each with 32 unimpaired first-graders, were paralleled according to their mathematical and cognitive achievements, respectively. The results showed that the very poor mathematical performance of the educationally impaired children could be significantly improved with this support programme. Four months after the end of the training, significant support effects could still be established when compared to the educationally impaired control group. The comparison with the two control groups demonstrated that the developmental curve of the children with learning difficulties increased in a way that was comparable to that of the unimpaired first-graders.

Unconscious and Unnoticed Professional Practice within an Outstanding School for Children and Young People with Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities

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Crombie, Richard; Sullivan, Lesley; Walker, Kate; Warnock, Rebecca

2014-01-01

This article describes a three-year project undertaken at Pear Tree School for children and young people with severe and multiple and profound learning difficulties. Lesley Sullivan, the school's head teacher, believed that much of the value within the work of this outstanding school went unidentified by existing approaches to planning, monitoring…

How Role Play Addresses the Difficulties Students Perceive when Writing Reflectively about the Concepts They are Learning in Science

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Millar, Susan

A fundamental problem which confronts Science teachers is the difficulty many students experience in the construction, understanding and remembering of concepts. This is more likely to occur when teachers adhere to a Transmission model of teaching and learning, and fail to provide students with opportunities to construct their own learning. Social construction, followed by individual reflective writing, enables students to construct their own understanding of concepts and effectively promotes deep learning. This method of constructing knowledge in the classroom is often overlooked by teachers as they either have no knowledge of it, or do not know how to appropriate it for successful teaching in Science. This study identifies the difficulties which students often experience when writing reflectively and offers solutions which are likely to reduce these difficulties. These solutions, and the use of reflective writing itself, challenge the ideology of the Sydney Genre School, which forms the basis of the attempt to deal with literacy in the NSW Science Syllabus. The findings of this investigation support the concept of literacy as the ability to use oral and written language, reading and listening to construct meaning. The investigation demonstrates how structured discussion, role play and reflective writing can be used to this end. While the Sydney Genre School methodology focuses on the structure of genre as a prerequisite for understanding concepts in Science, the findings of this study demonstrate that students can use their own words to discuss and write reflectively as they construct scientific concepts for themselves. Social construction and reflective writing can contribute to the construction of concepts and the development of metacognition in Science. However, students often experience difficulties when writing reflectively about scientific concepts they are learning. In this investigation, students identified these difficulties as an inability to understand

Measurement of the B{sup +} and B{sup 0} lifetimes with topological vertexing at SLD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abe, K. [Nagoya Univ. (Japan); Abe, K. [Tohoku Univ., Sendai (Japan); Abt, I. [Univ. of Illinois, Urbana, IL (United States)] [and others; SLD Collaboration

1996-07-01

The lifetimes of the B{sup +} (B{sub u}) and B{sup 0} (B{sub d}) mesons have been measured using a sample of 150,000 hadronic Z{sup 0} decays collected by the SLD experiment at the SLC between 1993 and 1995. The analysis reconstructs the decay length and charge of the B meson using a novel topological technique. This method results in a high statistics sample of 6,033 (3,665) charged (neutral) vertices. The ratio of B{sup +}:B{sup 0} decays in the charged (neutral) sample is 1.8:1 (1:2.3).

The Legal Meaning of Specific Learning Disability for IDEA Eligibility: The Latest Case Law

Science.gov (United States)

Zirkel, Perry A.

2013-01-01

Specific learning disability (SLD), although moderately declining in recent years, continues to be the largest of the eligibility classifications under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA; NCES, 2012). The recognition of response to intervention (RTI) in the 2004 amendments of the IDEA as an approach for identifying students with…

Robust Replication Control Is Generated by Temporal Gaps between Licensing and Firing Phases and Depends on Degradation of Firing Factor Sld2

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Karl-Uwe Reusswig

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Temporal separation of DNA replication initiation into licensing and firing phases ensures the precise duplication of the genome during each cell cycle. Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK is known to generate this separation by activating firing factors and at the same time inhibiting licensing factors but may not be sufficient to ensure robust separation at transitions between both phases. Here, we show that a temporal gap separates the inactivation of firing factors from the re-activation of licensing factors during mitosis in budding yeast. We find that gap size critically depends on phosphorylation-dependent degradation of the firing factor Sld2 mediated by CDK, DDK, Mck1, and Cdc5 kinases and the ubiquitin-ligases Dma1/2. Stable mutants of Sld2 minimize the gap and cause increased genome instability in an origin-dependent manner when combined with deregulation of other replication regulators or checkpoint mechanisms. Robust separation of licensing and firing phases therefore appears indispensable to safeguard genome stability.

The left-right forward-backward asymmetry for B quarks at the SLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, D.C.

1994-05-01

The left-right asymmetry for b quarks, A b , is precisely predicted by the Weinberg-Salam-Glashow model of particle interactions, now the standard model for high-energy particle physics. As a test of this model, A b is directly measured at the SLC Large Detector (SLD) by taking advantage of the unique polarized electron beam at the Stanford Linear Collider (SLC) and measuring the left-right forward-backward asymmetry of b quarks. To measure the asymmetry, b quarks are identified using muons of high total and transverse momenta. The result for the 1993 data sample of 37,843 hadronic Z's is A b = 0.91 ± 0.19 ± 0.06, where the first error is statistical and the second systematic. This result is in agreement with the standard model prediction of A b = 0.935

Students’ Learning Obstacles and Alternative Solution in Counting Rules Learning Levels Senior High School

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M A Jatmiko

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The counting rules is a topic in mathematics senior high school. In the learning process, teachers often find students who have difficulties in learning this topic. Knowing the characteristics of students' learning difficulties and analyzing the causes is important for the teacher, as an effort in trying to reflect the learning process and as a reference in constructing alternative learning solutions which appropriate to anticipate students’ learning obstacles. This study uses qualitative methods and involves 70 students of class XII as research subjects. The data collection techniques used in this study is diagnostic test instrument about learning difficulties in counting rules, observation, and interview. The data used to know the learning difficulties experienced by students, the causes of learning difficulties, and to develop alternative learning solutions. From the results of data analysis, the results of diagnostic tests researcher found some obstacles faced by students, such as students get confused in describing the definition, students difficulties in understanding the procedure of solving multiplication rules. Based on those problems, researcher analyzed the causes of these difficulties and make hypothetical learning trajectory as an alternative solution in counting rules learning.

Part I. A study of the decays D → Kππeν and D → K*πeν. Part II. SLD Cherenkov Ring Imaging Detector development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huber, J.S.

1992-01-01

A thesis in two independent halves. Part I. A search for the exclusive semileptonic decay modes D + → bar K ππ + ν e and D + → bar K * πe + ν e are presented using data from the Fermi-lab photoproduction experiment E691. With good sensitivity, the author observes no signals in the channels D + → K - π + π degrees e + ν e and D + → bar K degrees π + π - e + ν e , and set upper limits that represent only a small fraction of the inclusive semileptonic branching ration. The experiment was conducted at the Fermi-lab tagged Photon Laboratory, using a large acceptance spectrometer with silicon microvertex detector to extract a large, clean charm sample. Part II. The physics, design, and results of the Stanford Large Detector (SLD) Cherenkov Ring Imaging Detector (CRID) are described. The physics motivation and performance for the SLD CRID, the principles of Cherenkov detection, and a description of the SLD CRID are combined with a detailed description of the production and testing of the mirrors. In addition, results from the engineering run and cosmic ray tests demonstrate the current status of the system

Probing High School Students' Cognitive Structures and Key Areas of Learning Difficulties on Ethanoic Acid Using the Flow Map Method

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Zhou, Qing; Wang, Tingting; Zheng, Qi

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was primarily to explore high school students' cognitive structures and to identify their learning difficulties on ethanoic acid through the flow map method. The subjects of this study were 30 grade 1 students from Dong Yuan Road Senior High School in Xi'an, China. The interviews were conducted a week after the students…

A measurement of the electroweak asymmetry parameter for the tau lepton using the 1993 and 1994--95 SLD data sample

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bolen, B.D.

1996-07-01

A measurement of the electroweak asymmetry parameter A t is presented using e + E LR - → τ + τ - events from the 1993, 1994--95 data runs at the SLD experiment at SLAC. The analysis takes advantage of the polarized electron beam in the SLAC Linear Collider (SLC) to improve the precision of the analysis over the standard forward-backward asymmetry techniques

Integration of a framework with a learning management system for detection, assessment and assistance of university students with reading difficulties

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Carolina Mejía Corredor

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Rev.esc.adm.neg Dyslexia is a common learning disability in Spanish-speaking university students, and requires special attention from higher educational institutions in order to support affected individuals during their learning process. In previous studies, a framework to detect, assess and assist university students with reading difficulties related to dyslexia was developed. In this paper, the integration of this framework with a Learning Management System (LMS is presented. Two case studies were performed to test the functionality and the usability of this integration. The first case study was carried out with 20 students, while the second one with four teachers. The results show that both students and teachers were satisfied with the integration performed in Moodle.ce, among others.

Computer-Assisted Mathematics Instruction for Students with Specific Learning Disability: A Review of the Literature

Science.gov (United States)

Stultz, Sherry L.

2017-01-01

This review was conducted to evaluate the current body of scholarly research regarding the use of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) to teach mathematics to students with specific learning disability (SLD). For many years, computers are utilized for educational purposes. However, the effectiveness of CAI for teaching mathematics to this specific…

Radiation aging studies of CO2 hydrocarbon mixtures for the SLD drift chamber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venuti, J.P.; Chadwick, G.B.

1988-10-01

The SLD drift chamber requires a 'slow' drifting gas and low diffusion to allow wave form digitization. CO 2 provides this but requires an admixture of a quencher to provide more gain. A test chamber with an 8 sense wire cell, such as will appear in the final chamber, was exposed to an x-ray tube while containing a variety of binary admixtures of Co 2 : 8% isobutane, 8% ethane, and 2% isopropanol. It was determined that adding small fractions of water (≤0.66%) or isopropanol (1--2%) to the Co 2 : 8% ethane, or 8% isobutane extended the useful life of the chamber so that integrated charge collections of /approximately/1 C/cm are permissible. Results and discussions are presented. 10 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab

Students’ difficulties in solving linear equation problems

Science.gov (United States)

Wati, S.; Fitriana, L.; Mardiyana

2018-03-01

A linear equation is an algebra material that exists in junior high school to university. It is a very important material for students in order to learn more advanced mathematics topics. Therefore, linear equation material is essential to be mastered. However, the result of 2016 national examination in Indonesia showed that students’ achievement in solving linear equation problem was low. This fact became a background to investigate students’ difficulties in solving linear equation problems. This study used qualitative descriptive method. An individual written test on linear equation tasks was administered, followed by interviews. Twenty-one sample students of grade VIII of SMPIT Insan Kamil Karanganyar did the written test, and 6 of them were interviewed afterward. The result showed that students with high mathematics achievement donot have difficulties, students with medium mathematics achievement have factual difficulties, and students with low mathematics achievement have factual, conceptual, operational, and principle difficulties. Based on the result there is a need of meaningfulness teaching strategy to help students to overcome difficulties in solving linear equation problems.

ICT as a tool in English teaching : A literature review on the use of ICT for Swedish students with learning difficulties and their literacy learning in grades 7-9

OpenAIRE

Kjellin Ifverson, Ebba

2015-01-01

Information and communication technology (ICT) is a subject that is being discussed as a tool that is used within education around the world. Furthermore it can be seen as a tool for teachers to individualize students´ education. Students with literacy difficulties, such as dyslexia, are in constant need of new ways to learn, and new ways to be motivated to learn. The aim of this study is to see what research says in regard to how ICT can be used as a tool to help students with literacy diffi...

The left-right forward-backward asymmetry for B quarks at the SLD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Williams, David C. [Stanford Univ., CA (United States)

1994-05-01

The left-right asymmetry for b quarks, A{sub b}, is precisely predicted by the Weinberg-Salam-Glashow model of particle interactions, now the standard model for high-energy particle physics. As a test of this model, A_b is directly measured at the SLC Large Detector (SLD) by taking advantage of the unique polarized electron beam at the Stanford Linear Collider (SLC) and measuring the left-right forward-backward asymmetry of b quarks. To measure the asymmetry, b quarks are identified using muons of high total and transverse momenta. The result for the 1993 data sample of 37,843 hadronic Z`s is A_b = 0.91 ± 0.19 ± 0.06, where the first error is statistical and the second systematic. This result is in agreement with the standard model prediction of A_b = 0.935.

The Relationships between Indonesian Fourth Graders’ Difficulties in Fractions and the Opportunity to Learn Fractions: A Snapshot of TIMSS Results

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Ariyadi Wijaya

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This paper reports an exploration into Indonesian fourth graders’ difficulties in fractions and their relation to the opportunity to learn fractions students got at schools. The concept of ‘opportunity to learn’ is often considered as a framework to investigate possible reasons for students’ difficulties. The data for this study was drawn from TIMSS 2015 that comprised test results and teachers’ responses to TIMSS Teacher Questionnaire. The test and questionnaire data were analysed by using descriptive statistics. In addition to test and questionnaire, this study also included an analysis of Indonesian textbooks in order to get a broader scope of the opportunity to learn. Qualitative approach was used to analyse the textbooks. The analysis of the TIMSS results shows Indonesian students’ low conceptual understanding of fractions. Three possible reasons for students’ low conceptual understanding were revealed. First, the content of Indonesian curriculum that gave low emphasis on basic concepts of fractions and introduced operations of fractions too early. Second, the Indonesian mathematics textbooks only presented one definition of fractions, i.e. fractions as parts of wholes. Third, there is a limited use of models or representations of fractions in the classroom practices.

Clinical and academic profile of children with specific learning disorder-mixed type: An Indian study

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Anamika Sahu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Specific learning disorder (SLD in the past decade has gained recognition as a disabling condition among children by parents and teachers in India. However, there are still gaps in knowledge about its clinical presentation and understanding. Therefore, the present study was planned to evaluate the clinical and academic profile of children with SLD. Methods: The sample comprised 30 children with their age range between 7 and 12 years with a diagnosis of SLD-mixed type. All children were assessed through specifically designed structured pro forma for clinical details (i.e., nature of birth, developmental milestones, and comorbidities and academic history (i.e., history of failure, promoted in next class, repetition in the class, school change, etc. and SLD-comprehensive battery. Results: The mean age of the participants was 9.6 years (standard deviation [SD] = 1.5. 76.7% of participants were male and their mean years of education was 4.7 (SD = 1.5. Thirty percent of children had a history of delayed developmental milestones in terms of speech (16.7%, walking (6.7% and in speech and walking (6.7%, 23% of children had comorbid conditions of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder/attention-deficit disorder. Thirty percent of children repeated classes in their academic career. Conclusions: A significant number of children had delayed milestones and other problems. Moreover, it is important to understand the clinical and academic profile in the cultural context so that early identification and intervention can be planned.

Psychological Problems of Children with Learning Difficulties.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaughnessy, Michael F.; Scott, Patricia Carol

The paper presents tips for parents of children with learning problems. It describes the emotional side effects of low achievement which may include low self-esteem, clinical depression, "learned helplessness," suicidal ideation, acting out behavior, low frustration tolerance, guilt feelings, interpersonal problems, withdrawal, running away,…

Evidence-based interventions for reading and language difficulties: creating a virtuous circle.

Science.gov (United States)

Snowling, Margaret J; Hulme, Charles

2011-03-01

BACKGROUND. Children may experience two very different forms of reading problem: decoding difficulties (dyslexia) and reading comprehension difficulties. Decoding difficulties appear to be caused by problems with phonological (speech sound) processing. Reading comprehension difficulties in contrast appear to be caused by problems with 'higher level' language difficulties including problems with semantics (including deficient knowledge of word meanings) and grammar (knowledge of morphology and syntax). AIMS. We review evidence concerning the nature, causes of, and treatments for children's reading difficulties. We argue that any well-founded educational intervention must be based on a sound theory of the causes of a particular form of learning difficulty, which in turn must be based on an understanding of how a given skill is learned by typically developing children. Such theoretically motivated interventions should in turn be evaluated in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to establish whether they are effective, and for whom. RESULTS. There is now considerable evidence showing that phonologically based interventions are effective in ameliorating children's word level decoding difficulties, and a smaller evidence base showing that reading and oral language (OL) comprehension difficulties can be ameliorated by suitable interventions to boost vocabulary and broader OL skills. CONCLUSIONS. The process of developing theories about the origins of children's educational difficulties and evaluating theoretically motivated treatments in RCTs, produces a 'virtuous circle' whereby theory informs practice, and the evaluation of effective interventions in turn feeds back to inform and refine theories about the nature and causes of children's reading and language difficulties. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

Response selection difficulty modulates the behavioral impact of rapidly learnt action effects.

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Uta eWolfensteller

2014-12-01

Full Text Available It is well established that we can pick up action effect associations when acting in a free-choice intentional mode. However, it is less clear whether and when action effect associations are learnt and actually affect behavior if we are acting in a forced-choice mode, applying a specific stimulus-response (S-R rule. In the present study, we investigated whether response selection difficulty imposed by S-R rules influences the initial rapid learning and the behavioral expression of previously learnt but weakly practiced action effect associations when those are re-activated by effect exposure. Experiment 1 showed that the rapid acquisition of action effect associations is not directly influenced by response selection difficulty. By contrast, the behavioral expression of re-activated action effect associations is prevented when actions are directly activated by highly over-learnt response cues and thus response selection difficulty is low. However, all three experiments showed that if response selection difficulty is sufficiently high during re-activation, the same action effect associations do influence behavior. Experiment 2 and 3 revealed that the effect of response selection difficulty cannot be fully reduced to giving action effects more time to prime an action, but seems to reflect competition during response selection. Finally, the present data suggest that when multiple novel rules are rapidly learnt in succession, which requires a lot of flexibility, action effect associations continue to influence behavior only if response selection difficulty is sufficiently high. Thus, response selection difficulty might modulate the impact of experiencing multiple learning episodes on action effect expression and learning, possibly via inducing different strategies.

The strengths and weaknesses in verbal short-term memory and visual working memory in children with hearing impairment and additional language learning difficulties.

Science.gov (United States)

Willis, Suzi; Goldbart, Juliet; Stansfield, Jois

2014-07-01

To compare verbal short-term memory and visual working memory abilities of six children with congenital hearing-impairment identified as having significant language learning difficulties with normative data from typically hearing children using standardized memory assessments. Six children with hearing loss aged 8-15 years were assessed on measures of verbal short-term memory (Non-word and word recall) and visual working memory annually over a two year period. All children had cognitive abilities within normal limits and used spoken language as the primary mode of communication. The language assessment scores at the beginning of the study revealed that all six participants exhibited delays of two years or more on standardized assessments of receptive and expressive vocabulary and spoken language. The children with hearing-impairment scores were significantly higher on the non-word recall task than the "real" word recall task. They also exhibited significantly higher scores on visual working memory than those of the age-matched sample from the standardized memory assessment. Each of the six participants in this study displayed the same pattern of strengths and weaknesses in verbal short-term memory and visual working memory despite their very different chronological ages. The children's poor ability to recall single syllable words in relation to non-words is a clinical indicator of their difficulties in verbal short-term memory. However, the children with hearing-impairment do not display generalized processing difficulties and indeed demonstrate strengths in visual working memory. The poor ability to recall words, in combination with difficulties with early word learning may be indicators of children with hearing-impairment who will struggle to develop spoken language equal to that of their normally hearing peers. This early identification has the potential to allow for target specific intervention that may remediate their difficulties. Copyright © 2014. Published

Difficulties that Students who Learn Turkish as a Foreign Language Encounter During Listening Skills

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Abdullah KALDIRIM

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Listening skills play an important role in an individual’s communication with others and in their understanding of the environment. Since it provides a basis for the acquisition of language skills it is one of the most important learning tools, and because it is frequently used in everyday life and in the learning process, listening skill is the foreground of foreign language teaching. It is important for students to understand what they listen to in order that they do not encounter any difficulties in the language learning process. To ensure success in the environments where the Turkish language is taught as a foreign language, it is necessary to follow the listening processes of the students attentively and to identify the problems they face during this process. This study aims to identify the listening barriers encountered by university students learning Turkish as a foreign language at level B2, and was designed based on a qualitative research approach and a phenomenological design. Within the scope of the study, eight students studying at Dumlupınar University’s TÖMER (Turkish & Foreign Languages Research and Application Center were identified as participants. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted with students included in the sample, and descriptive analysis technique was applied in the analysis of the research data. Participants expressed views that they often encountered problems such as accented speech, frequent use of idioms and proverbs during listening, lack of vocabulary development, and lack of emphasis and voice intonation during speech. Also, factors that make listening easy to understand are identified as the other languages they speak, good vocabulary knowledge, interesting topics, listening to audiovisual elements, and the speaker’s use of gestures and mimics.

Difficulty with learning of exercise instructions associated with 'working memory' dysfunction and frontal glucose hypometabolism in a patient with very mild subcortical vascular dementia with knee osteoarthritis.

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Takeda, Kenji; Meguro, Kenichi; Tanaka, Naofumi; Nakatsuka, Masahiro

2013-07-25

We present a patient with no dementia, depression or apathy, who had difficulty in learning self-exercise instructions. The patient was an 80-year-old right-handed woman who was admitted to a rehabilitation unit to receive postoperative rehabilitation after a femoral neck fracture. She was instructed quadriceps isometric exercises to perform 10 repetitions and to hold each stretch for 10 s. She performed the exercise correctly with motivation, but she had difficulty in learning the number of repetitions and the duration of each stretch. She had no history of cerebrovascular accident and the neurological examination was normal. Neuropsychological testing, MRI and (18)F-fluoro- D-glucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) were performed to examine the neural mechanisms associated with this difficulty in learning instructions. Neuropsychological tests revealed dysfunction of working memory while other cognitive domains were relatively preserved. Her neuropsychological tests scores were (1) Mini-Mental State Examination: 24 (mild cognitive impairment), (2) Geriatric Depression Scale-15: 2 (no depression), (3) Apathy Scale: 2 (no apathy), (4) digit span forward: 5 (normal), (5) digit span backward: 2 (impaired), (6) visuospatial span forward: 4 (normal), (7) visuospatial span backward: 2 (impaired), (8) frontal assessment battery: 11 (normal), (9) Weigl test: 0 (impaired), (10) trail making test A: 52 s (normal), (11) train making test B: failed (impaired). T2-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery MRI showed high signal-intensity lesions in the cerebral deep white matter. FDG-PET revealed hypometabolic areas in the bilateral frontal lobes, particularly in the bilateral dorsolateral frontal area, anterior cingulate cortex and orbitofrontal cortex. One of the possible neural mechanisms underlying the learning difficulties in this patient may have been partial blockage of the cingulofrontal network by deep white matter lesions.

Structural Validity of the WISC-IV for Students With Learning Disabilities.

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Styck, Kara M; Watkins, Marley W

2016-01-01

The structural validity of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis for a clinical sample of 1,537 students diagnosed with specific learning disabilities (SLD) by school psychologists in two large southwestern school districts. Results indicated that a bifactor model consisting of four first-order domain specific factors and a general intelligence breadth factor fit the data best. Consequently, the structural validity of the WISC-IV for students with SLD was supported by the results of the present study. The general intelligence factor contributed the most information, accounting for 48% of the common variance. Given this structure, it was recommended that score interpretation should emphasize the Full-Scale IQ score because of the marginal contributions of the first-order domain-specific factors and their low precision of measurement independent of the general factor. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2014.

Why do organizations not learn from incidents? Bottlenecks, causes and conditions for a failure to effectively learn

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Drupsteen, Linda; Hasle, Peter

2014-01-01

be studied.Difficulties were identified in multiple steps of the learning process, but most difficulties became visiblewhen planning actions, which is the phase that bridges the gap from incident investigation to actions forimprovement. The main causes for learning difficulties, which were identified...... learn. In sevenorganizations focus groups were held to discuss factors that according to employees contributed to thefailure to learn. By use of a model of the learning from incidents process, the steps, where difficulties forlearning arose, became visible, and the causes for these difficulties could...

Undergraduate Students’ Difficulties in Reading and Constructing Phylogenetic Tree

Science.gov (United States)

Sa'adah, S.; Tapilouw, F. S.; Hidayat, T.

2017-02-01

Representation is a very important communication tool to communicate scientific concepts. Biologists produce phylogenetic representation to express their understanding of evolutionary relationships. The phylogenetic tree is visual representation depict a hypothesis about the evolutionary relationship and widely used in the biological sciences. Phylogenetic tree currently growing for many disciplines in biology. Consequently, learning about phylogenetic tree become an important part of biological education and an interesting area for biology education research. However, research showed many students often struggle with interpreting the information that phylogenetic trees depict. The purpose of this study was to investigate undergraduate students’ difficulties in reading and constructing a phylogenetic tree. The method of this study is a descriptive method. In this study, we used questionnaires, interviews, multiple choice and open-ended questions, reflective journals and observations. The findings showed students experiencing difficulties, especially in constructing a phylogenetic tree. The students’ responds indicated that main reasons for difficulties in constructing a phylogenetic tree are difficult to placing taxa in a phylogenetic tree based on the data provided so that the phylogenetic tree constructed does not describe the actual evolutionary relationship (incorrect relatedness). Students also have difficulties in determining the sister group, character synapomorphy, autapomorphy from data provided (character table) and comparing among phylogenetic tree. According to them building the phylogenetic tree is more difficult than reading the phylogenetic tree. Finding this studies provide information to undergraduate instructor and students to overcome learning difficulties of reading and constructing phylogenetic tree.

Early Identification of Reading Difficulties

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Mads; Nielsen, Anne-Mette Veber; Juul, Holger

2017-01-01

Early screening for reading difficulties before the onset of instruction is desirable because it allows intervention that is targeted at prevention rather than remediation of reading difficulties. However, early screening may be too inaccurate to effectively allocate resources to those who need...... them. The present study compared the accuracy of early screening before the onset of formal reading instruction with late screening six months into the first year of instruction. The study followed 164 Danish students from the end of Grade 0 to the end of Grade 2. Early screening included measures...... of phonemic awareness, rapid naming, letter knowledge, paired associate learning, and reading. Late screening included only reading. Results indicated that reading measures improved substantially as predictors over the first six months of Grade 1, to the point where late reading measures alone provided...

Beyond Stigmatization of Children with Difficulties in Learning

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Hido, Margarita; Shehu, Irena

2010-01-01

In the Albanian schools settings does not exist religious discrimination, neither gender discrimination, but there exists a discrimination, as unfair against children called "difficulty". The children who drop out of school are by far less numerous compared with those who start school, but who are not properly treated, so that they can…

Experience in a Climate Microworld: Influence of Surface and Structure Learning, Problem Difficulty, and Decision Aids in Reducing Stock-Flow Misconceptions

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Medha Kumar

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Research shows that people’s wait-and-see preferences for actions against climate change are a result of several factors, including cognitive misconceptions. The use of simulation tools could help reduce these misconceptions concerning Earth’s climate. However, it is still unclear whether the learning in these tools is of the problem’s surface features (dimensions of emissions and absorptions and cover-story used or of the problem’s structural features (how emissions and absorptions cause a change in CO2 concentration under different CO2 concentration scenarios. Also, little is known on how problem’s difficulty in these tools (the shape of CO2 concentration trajectory, as well as the use of these tools as a decision aid influences performance. The primary objective of this paper was to investigate how learning about Earth’s climate via simulation tools is influenced by problem’s surface and structural features, problem’s difficulty, and decision aids. In experiment 1, we tested the influence of problem’s surface and structural features in a simulation called Dynamic Climate Change Simulator (DCCS on subsequent performance in a paper-and-pencil Climate Stabilization (CS task (N = 100 across four between-subject conditions. In experiment 2, we tested the effects of problem’s difficulty in DCCS on subsequent performance in the CS task (N = 90 across three between-subject conditions. In experiment 3, we tested the influence of DCCS as a decision aid on subsequent performance in the CS task (N = 60 across two between-subject conditions. Results revealed a significant reduction in people’s misconceptions in the CS task after performing in DCCS compared to when performing in CS task in the absence of DCCS. The decrease in misconceptions in the CS task was similar for both problems’ surface and structural features, showing both structure and surface learning in DCCS. However, the proportion of misconceptions was similar across

Pupils' Difficulties: What Can the Teacher Do?

Science.gov (United States)

Dawson, C. J.

1978-01-01

Discusses how the teacher can deal with difficulties pupils of varying ages have in understanding certain chemical ideas. The article does not support using a Piagetian model for science courses in secondary schools. It suggests that Ausubel's learning theory is of much more use to the practicing teacher. (HM)

Mathematics Difficulties: Does One Approach Fit All?

Science.gov (United States)

Gifford, Sue; Rockliffe, Freda

2012-01-01

This article reviews the nature of learning difficulties in mathematics and, in particular, the nature and prevalence of dyscalculia, a condition that affects the acquisition of arithmetical skills. The evidence reviewed suggests that younger children (under the age of 10) often display a combination of problems, including minor physical…

Metacognitive Reading Strategies in Learning Disability: Relations between Usage Level, Academic Self-Efficacy and Self-Concept

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Girli, Alev; Öztürk, Halil

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the usage levels of metacognitive reading strategies by students diagnosed with specific learning disability (SLD), academic self-efficacy and the concept of self, in comparison to their typically developing (TD) peers. The data to be used in the study were collected using the…

Chiropractic management using a brain-based model of care for a 15-year-old adolescent boy with migraine headaches and behavioral and learning difficulties: a case report

Science.gov (United States)

Kuhn, Kurt W.; Cambron, Jerrilyn

2013-01-01

Objective The purpose of this report is to describe chiropractic management, using a brain-based model of care, of a teen who had migraine headaches and several social and learning difficulties. Clinical features A 15-year-old adolescent boy with a chronic history of migraines and more than 10 years of learning and behavioral difficulties, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and Tourette syndrome, presented for chiropractic care. Intervention and outcome The patient received spinal manipulation and was given home physical coordination activities that were contralateral to the side of the involved basal ganglia and ipsilateral to the involved cerebellum, along with interactive metronome training. Quantitative changes were noted in neurological soft signs, tests of variables of attention Conners’ Parent Rating Scale, the California Achievement Test, grade point, and reduction of medications. The patient reported qualitative improvements in tics, attention, reading, vision, health, relationships with his peers and his family, and self-esteem. Conclusion The patient with migraine headaches and learning difficulties responded well to the course of chiropractic care. This study suggests that there may be value in a brain-based model of care in the chiropractic management of conditions that are beyond musculoskeletal in nature. PMID:24396330

Managing PBL difficulties in an industrial engineering and management program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anabela Alves

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Project-Based Learning (PBL is considered to be an active learning methodology which can be used to develop both technical and transversal competences in engineering programs. This methodology demands a great deal of work effort from the students and also from the teachers and it requires a meticulous plan and a well-managed project as well. These activities go far beyond the normal activities in traditional lectures, enabling to outpace the difficulties that spur along the way that may be both complex and demotivating. This methodology has been implemented in the Integrated Master Degree on Industrial Engineering and Management (IEM, at one public university in Portugal, since the 2004/2005 academic year. The aim of this paper is to identify and discuss the main difficulties of the implementation of PBL, mainly from the teachers’ perspectives. Additionally, some effective strategies will be recommended to overcome such difficulties. Design/methodology/approach: The perceptions of the teachers were collected through a survey based on six main themes. The participants in the study include eight teachers from the five courses of the first semester of the first year of the IEM program involved in the 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 editions. Findings: Integration of courses in the project; student assessment; growing number of students in each team and the need of physical spaces for them; and compartmentalized knowledge has emerged as the main difficulties. To overcome these difficulties some key strategies were recommended. Originality/value: A new perspective based on course teachers' views and experiences will deepen the understanding of the problems and provide inputs for the development of strategies that may improve the effectiveness of PBL and introduce changes for its successful implementation. These strategies are intended to be transferable to other contexts, as most of the problems and constraints are common to other active learning

Managing PBL difficulties in an industrial engineering and management program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alves, A.; Sousa, R.; Moreira, F.; Carvalho, M.A.; Cardoso, E.; Pimenta, P.; Malheiro, T.; Brito, I.; Fernandes, S.; Mesquita, D.

2016-01-01

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is considered to be an active learning methodology which can be used to develop both technical and transversal competences in engineering programs. This methodology demands a great deal of work effort from the students and also from the teachers and it requires a meticulous plan and a well-managed project as well. These activities go far beyond the normal activities in traditional lectures, enabling to outpace the difficulties that spur along the way that may be both complex and demotivating. This methodology has been implemented in the Integrated Master Degree on Industrial Engineering and Management (IEM), at one public university in Portugal, since the 2004/2005 academic year. The aim of this paper is to identify and discuss the main difficulties of the implementation of PBL, mainly from the teachers’ perspectives. Additionally, some effective strategies will be recommended to overcome such difficulties. Design/methodology/approach: The perceptions of the teachers were collected through a survey based on six main themes. The participants in the study include eight teachers from the five courses of the first semester of the first year of the IEM program involved in the 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 editions. Findings: Integration of courses in the project; student assessment; growing number of students in each team and the need of physical spaces for them; and compartmentalized knowledge has emerged as the main difficulties. To overcome these difficulties some key strategies were recommended. Originality/value: A new perspective based on course teachers' views and experiences will deepen the understanding of the problems and provide inputs for the development of strategies that may improve the effectiveness of PBL and introduce changes for its successful implementation. These strategies are intended to be transferable to other contexts, as most of the problems and constraints are common to other active learning approaches. (Author)

Managing PBL difficulties in an industrial engineering and management program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alves, A.; Sousa, R.; Moreira, F.; Carvalho, M.A.; Cardoso, E.; Pimenta, P.; Malheiro, T.; Brito, I.; Fernandes, S.; Mesquita, D.

2016-07-01

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is considered to be an active learning methodology which can be used to develop both technical and transversal competences in engineering programs. This methodology demands a great deal of work effort from the students and also from the teachers and it requires a meticulous plan and a well-managed project as well. These activities go far beyond the normal activities in traditional lectures, enabling to outpace the difficulties that spur along the way that may be both complex and demotivating. This methodology has been implemented in the Integrated Master Degree on Industrial Engineering and Management (IEM), at one public university in Portugal, since the 2004/2005 academic year. The aim of this paper is to identify and discuss the main difficulties of the implementation of PBL, mainly from the teachers’ perspectives. Additionally, some effective strategies will be recommended to overcome such difficulties. Design/methodology/approach: The perceptions of the teachers were collected through a survey based on six main themes. The participants in the study include eight teachers from the five courses of the first semester of the first year of the IEM program involved in the 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 editions. Findings: Integration of courses in the project; student assessment; growing number of students in each team and the need of physical spaces for them; and compartmentalized knowledge has emerged as the main difficulties. To overcome these difficulties some key strategies were recommended. Originality/value: A new perspective based on course teachers' views and experiences will deepen the understanding of the problems and provide inputs for the development of strategies that may improve the effectiveness of PBL and introduce changes for its successful implementation. These strategies are intended to be transferable to other contexts, as most of the problems and constraints are common to other active learning approaches. (Author)

Using Tic-Tac Software to Reduce Anxiety-Related Behaviour in Adults with Autism and Learning Difficulties during Waiting Periods: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Campillo, Cristina; Herrera, Gerardo; Remírez de Ganuza, Conchi; Cuesta, José L.; Abellán, Raquel; Campos, Arturo; Navarro, Ignacio; Sevilla, Javier; Pardo, Carlos; Amati, Fabián

2014-01-01

Deficits in the perception of time and processing of changes across time are commonly observed in individuals with autism. This pilot study evaluated the efficacy of the use of the software tool Tic-Tac, designed to make time visual, in three adults with autism and learning difficulties. This research focused on applying the tool in waiting…

Potential or problem? An investigation of secondary school teachers' attributions of the educational outcomes of students with specific learning difficulties.

Science.gov (United States)

Woodcock, Stuart; Hitches, Elizabeth

2017-10-01

Despite strong support for inclusive education in principle, many teachers and administrators still demonstrate mixed responses to the inclusion of certain students in their classrooms. Students with specific learning difficulties (SpLD) form a large group of students in inclusive classrooms yet some provincial, state and national jurisdictions fail to acknowledge the existence of these students. Not acknowledging and understanding these students can deny them the recognition and resources necessary for their genuine participation in education and, in turn, society. The aim of this study was to examine British in-service secondary teachers' attributional responses to students with and without specific learning difficulties. The participants included 122 British secondary school teachers who were surveyed in response to vignettes of hypothetical male students who had failed a class test. The study found that while teachers attributed more positive causes towards students without SpLD, they exhibited more negative causes towards students with SpLD. Teachers' causal attributional outcomes of students' level of achievement can impact upon the students' own attributions, with teachers' responses for students with SpLD having the potential to, unintentionally, influence students' own sense of self-efficacy and motivation. The paper concludes with a consideration of the implications of the research and recommendations for practice.

Differentiating Second Language Acquisition from Specific Learning Disability: An Observational Tool Assessing Dual Language Learners' Pragmatic Competence

Science.gov (United States)

Farnsworth, Megan

2018-01-01

Overrepresentation of Dual Language Learners (DLLs) in special education remains a problem even after 40 years of inquiry. One factor is that the U.S. federal government has neither clearly explained the definition of Specific Learning Disability (SLD) nor operationally defined it to identify children for special education services. This lack of…

An analysis of how electromagnetic induction and Faraday's law are presented in general physics textbooks, focusing on learning difficulties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guisasola, Jenaro; Zuza, Kristina; Almudi, José-Manuel

2013-01-01

Textbooks are a very important tool in the teaching–learning process and influence important aspects of the process. This paper presents an analysis of the chapter on electromagnetic induction and Faraday's law in 19 textbooks on general physics for first-year university courses for scientists and engineers. This analysis was based on criteria formulated from the theoretical framework of electromagnetic induction in classical physics and students' learning difficulties concerning these concepts. The aim of the work presented here is not to compare a textbook against the ideal book, but rather to try and find a series of explanations, examples, questions, etc that provide evidence on how the topic is presented in relation to the criteria above. It concludes that despite many aspects being covered properly, there are others that deserve greater attention. (paper)

Strangeonium spectroscopy at 11 GeV/c and Cherenkov Ring Imaging at the SLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bienz, T.L.

1990-07-01

This thesis is divided into two sections, which describe portions of the data acquisition system and online software for the Cherenkov Ring Imaging Detector (CRID) for the SLD, and analyses of several low cross section strangeonium channels in data from the LASS spectrometer. The CRID section includes a description of the data acquisition system, determination of the preamplifier gain, and development of an online pulse finding algorithm based on deconvolution. Deconvolution uses knowledge of the preamplifier impulse response to aid in pulse finding. The algorithm is fast and shows good single pulse resolution and excellent double pulse resolution in preliminary tests. The strangeonium analyses are based on data from a 4.1 event/nanobarn exposure of the LASS spectrometer in K - p interactions at 11 GeV/c, and include studies of Ληπ + π - , ΛΚ*Κ*, and Λφφ

Current management for word finding difficulties by speech-language therapists in South African remedial schools.

Science.gov (United States)

de Rauville, Ingrid; Chetty, Sandhya; Pahl, Jenny

2006-01-01

Word finding difficulties frequently found in learners with language learning difficulties (Casby, 1992) are an integral part of Speech-Language Therapists' management role when working with learning disabled children. This study investigated current management for word finding difficulties by 70 Speech-Language Therapists in South African remedial schools. A descriptive survey design using a quantitative and qualitative approach was used. A questionnaire and follow-up focus group discussion were used to collect data. Results highlighted the use of the Renfrew Word Finding Scale (Renfrew, 1972, 1995) as the most frequently used formal assessment tool. Language sample analysis and discourse analysis were the most frequently used informal assessment procedures. Formal intervention programmes were generally not used. Phonetic, phonemic or phonological cueing were the most frequently used therapeutic strategies. The authors note strengths and raise concerns about current management for word finding difficulties in South African remedial schools, particularly in terms of bilingualism. Opportunities are highlighted regarding the development of assessment and intervention measures relevant to the diverse learning disabled population in South Africa.

Assisted assessment of cognitive abilities in children with visual impairment and learning difficulties / Avaliação assistida de habilidades cognitivas em crianças com deficiência visual e com dificuldades de aprendizagem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cecilia Guarnieri Batista

2004-01-01

Full Text Available This investigation aims at discussing a procedure of assessment of the "potential developmental level", according to the Vygostky's conception, in children with visual impairment (low vision or blindness and with learning difficulties. In the 2 studies that are reported, the assessment procedure consisted of Verbal WISC administration, group assessment of school abilities and individual assisted assessment. The analysis was focused on the children with the lower IQ values. In the second study, the procedure also comprised the search for episodes of "smartness", indicating cognitive abilities, out of the formal assessment procedure. The discussion about modalities of assessment indicated possible sources of difficulty for the search of a reliable "potential developmental level" in children with learning difficulties.

Teachers' Perceptions of the Availability and Need of a Support Program for Students with Learning Difficulties Attending Elementary Schools in the Atlantic Union Conference

Science.gov (United States)

Coke, Lileth Althea

2013-01-01

Purpose of the Study. Support programs have been known to be very effective in helping students succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally. The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' perceptions of the availability and need of a support program for students with learning difficulties who attend elementary schools…

Learning how to learn: Meta-learning strategies for the challenges of learning pharmacology.

Science.gov (United States)

Alton, Suzanne

2016-03-01

Nursing students have difficulty with pharmacology courses because of the complicated nomenclature and the difficulty of applying drug information to actual patient care. As part of a new pharmacology course being created, meta-learning strategies designed to diminish the difficulties of learning this difficult content were part of the course pedagogy. Strategies were demonstrated, reviewed in class, and implemented through homework assignments. The setting was an Academic Health Center's School of Nursing in the southern United States. Participants were third-year nursing students in an undergraduate nursing program. Surveys of students' opinions of learning gains were conducted at the end of the course over several semesters. In addition, pharmacology scores on a standardized exit exam were compared prior to implementing the course and after. Students reported learning dry material more easily, having greater confidence, and finding substantial value in the learning strategies. Students indicated the most helpful strategies, in descending order, as follows: making charts to compare and contrast drugs and drug classes, writing out drug flash cards, making or reviewing creative projects, prioritizing information, making or using visual study aids, and using time and repetition to space learning. Implementation of the new course improved pharmacology scores on a standardized exit exam from 67.0% to 74.3%. Overall response to learning strategies was positive, and the increase in the pharmacology standardized exit exam scores demonstrated the effectiveness of this instructional approach. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Arithmetic difficulties in children with cerebral palsy are related to executive function and working memory

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jenks, K.M.; Moor, J.M.H. de; Lieshout, E.C.D.M. van

2009-01-01

Background - Although it is believed that children with cerebral palsy are at high risk for learning difficulties and arithmetic difficulties in particular, few studies have investigated this issue. Methods - Arithmetic ability was longitudinally assessed in children with cerebral palsy in special

Analysis of junior high school students' difficulty in resolving rectangular conceptual problems

Science.gov (United States)

Utami, Aliksia Kristiana Dwi; Mardiyana, Pramudya, Ikrar

2017-08-01

Geometry is one part of the mathematics that must be learned in school and it has important effects on the development of creative thinking skills of learners, but in fact, there are some difficulties experienced by the students. This research focuses on analysis difficulty in resolving rectangular conceptual problems among junior high school students in every creative thinking skills level. This research used a descriptive method aimed to identify the difficulties and cause of the difficulties experienced by five students. The difficulties are associated with rectangular shapes and related problems. Data collection was done based on students' work through test, interview, and observations. The result revealed that student' difficulties in understanding the rectangular concept can be found at every creative thinking skills level. The difficulties are identifying the objects rectangular in the daily life except for a rectangle and square, analyzing the properties of rectangular shapes, and seeing the interrelationships between figures.

Divided attention: an undesirable difficulty in memory retention.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaspelin, Nicholas; Ruthruff, Eric; Pashler, Harold

2013-10-01

How can we improve memory retention? A large body of research has suggested that difficulty encountered during learning, such as when practice sessions are distributed rather than massed, can enhance later memory performance (see R. A. Bjork & E. L. Bjork, 1992). Here, we investigated whether divided attention during retrieval practice can also constitute a desirable difficulty. Following two initial study phases and one test phase with Swahili-English word pairs (e.g., vuvi-snake), we manipulated whether items were tested again under full or divided attention. Two days later, participants were brought back for a final cued-recall test (e.g., vuvi-?). Across three experiments (combined N = 122), we found no evidence that dividing attention while practicing retrieval enhances memory retention. This finding raises the question of why many types of difficulty during practice do improve long-term retention, but dividing attention does not.

A longitudinal study on predictors of early calculation development among young children at risk for learning difficulties.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Peng; Namkung, Jessica M; Fuchs, Douglas; Fuchs, Lynn S; Patton, Samuel; Yen, Loulee; Compton, Donald L; Zhang, Wenjuan; Miller, Amanda; Hamlett, Carol

2016-12-01

The purpose of this study was to explore domain-general cognitive skills, domain-specific academic skills, and demographic characteristics that are associated with calculation development from first grade to third grade among young children with learning difficulties. Participants were 176 children identified with reading and mathematics difficulties at the beginning of first grade. Data were collected on working memory, language, nonverbal reasoning, processing speed, decoding, numerical competence, incoming calculations, socioeconomic status, and gender at the beginning of first grade and on calculation performance at four time points: the beginning of first grade, the end of first grade, the end of second grade, and the end of third grade. Latent growth modeling analysis showed that numerical competence, incoming calculation, processing speed, and decoding skills significantly explained the variance in calculation performance at the beginning of first grade. Numerical competence and processing speed significantly explained the variance in calculation performance at the end of third grade. However, numerical competence was the only significant predictor of calculation development from the beginning of first grade to the end of third grade. Implications of these findings for early calculation instructions among young at-risk children are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Case Study on Learning Difficulties and Corresponding Supports for Learning in cMOOCs | Une étude de cas sur les difficultés d’apprentissage et le soutien correspondant pour l’apprentissage dans les cMOOC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuang Li

2016-04-01

Full Text Available cMOOCs, which are based on connectivist learning theory, bring challenges for learners as well as opportunities for self-inquiry. Previous studies have shown that learners in cMOOCs may have difficulties learning, but these studies do not provide any in-depth, empirical explorations of student difficulties or support strategies. This paper presents a case study on student difficulties and support requirements at the beginning of a cMOOC. Content analysis of messages posted by learners and instructors in four main online course learning spaces including Moodle, blogs, Facebook and Twitter was conducted. Three questions are explored in this paper: (1 What kinds of difficulties do learners encounter at the beginning of a cMOOC?; (2 Which of these difficulties are typical for most learners?; and (3 How are these difficulties responded to and supported in the cMOOC environment? Based on the research results of this study, we provide some reflections on learning support for cMOOCs and a discussion of the research itself in the last part of the paper. Les cMOOC, qui s’appuient sur une théorie pédagogique connectiviste, soulèvent des défis pour les apprenants ainsi que des occasions de questionnement de soi. Des études préalables ont démontré que les apprenants des cMOOC peuvent connaître des difficultés d’apprentissage, mais ces études n’offrent pas d’exploration empirique en profondeur des difficultés des élèves ni des stratégies de soutien. Cet article présente une étude de cas sur les difficultés des élèves et les besoins de soutien au début d’un cMOOC. On a procédé à l’analyse du contenu des messages publiés par les apprenants et les instructeurs dans les quatre principaux espaces en ligne pour l’apprentissage, c’est-à-dire Moodle, les blogues, Facebook et Twitter. Cet article explore trois questions : (1 Quels types de difficultés rencontrent les apprenants au début d’un cMOOC?; (2 Parmi ces difficult

The difficulties of teacher in teaching geometry for mental retardation students

Science.gov (United States)

Shomad, Z. A.; Kusmayadi, T. A.; Riyadi

2018-03-01

The purpose of this research is to find out the problems faced by teachers in teaching materials on mental retardation students. It focused on the difficulties faced by the teacher in teaching geometry. A qualitative method with field study approach used in this study. The subjects in this research are the teacher and mild mental retardation students. There are six teachers and six students involve as the subject which is chosen by purposive sampling. The data of this research is the observation and interview against teachers and mental retardation students. The data was analyzed qualitatively with Miles and Huberman steps. The results of this research show that mental retardation students have less attention to the materials, less special books or learning media props, difficult in the set the students, and the difficulty in choosing the material that suits the student needs and the condition of mental retardation students. There's not much pay attention to the children with special need, particularly mental retardation student. Thus, this study can help analyze the difficulties teachers so that learning math for mental retardation students more optimal.

Pragmatics of language and theory of mind in children with dyslexia with associated language difficulties or nonverbal learning disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Cardillo, Ramona; Garcia, Ricardo Basso; Mammarella, Irene C; Cornoldi, Cesare

2017-03-15

The present study aims to find empirical evidence of deficits in linguistic pragmatic skills and theory of mind (ToM) in children with dyslexia with associated language difficulties or nonverbal learning disabilities (NLD), when compared with a group of typically developing (TD) children matched for age and gender. Our results indicate that children with dyslexia perform less well than TD children in most of the tasks measuring pragmatics of language, and in one of the tasks measuring ToM. In contrast, children with NLD generally performed better than the dyslexia group, and performed significantly worse than the TD children only in a metaphors task based on visual stimuli. A discriminant function analysis confirmed the crucial role of the metaphors subtest and the verbal ToM task in distinguishing between the groups. We concluded that, contrary to a generally-held assumption, children with dyslexia and associated language difficulties may be weaker than children with NLD in linguistic pragmatics and ToM, especially when language is crucially involved. The educational and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Arithmetic difficulties in children with cerebral palsy are related to executive function and working memory.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jenks, K.M.; Moor, J.M.H. de; Lieshout, E.C. van

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND: Although it is believed that children with cerebral palsy are at high risk for learning difficulties and arithmetic difficulties in particular, few studies have investigated this issue. METHODS: Arithmetic ability was longitudinally assessed in children with cerebral palsy in special (n

Performance monitoring in obsessive-compulsive undergraduates: Effects of task difficulty.

Science.gov (United States)

Riesel, Anja; Richter, Anika; Kaufmann, Christian; Kathmann, Norbert; Endrass, Tanja

2015-08-01

Both obsessive-compulsive disorder and subclinical obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms seem to be associated with hyperactive error-related brain activity. The current study examined performance monitoring in subjects with subclinical OC symptoms using a new task with different levels of difficulty. Nineteen subjects with high and 18 subjects with low OC characteristics performed a random dot cinematogram (RDC) task with three levels of difficulty. The high and low OC groups did not differ in error-related negativity (ERN), correct-related negativity (CRN) and performance irrespective of task difficulty. The amplitude of the ERN decreased with increasing difficulty whereas the magnitude of CRN did not vary. ERN and CRN approached in size and topography with increasing difficulty, which suggests that errors and correct responses are processed more similarly. These results add to a growing number of studies that fail to replicate hyperactive performance monitoring in individuals with OC symptoms in task with higher difficulty or requiring learning. Together with these findings our results suggest that the relationship between OC symptoms and performance monitoring may be sensitive to type of task and task characteristics and cannot be observed in a RDC that differs from typically used tasks in difficulty and the amount of response-conflict. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nonverbal imitation skills in children with specific language delay.

Science.gov (United States)

Dohmen, Andrea; Chiat, Shula; Roy, Penny

2013-10-01

Research in children with language problems has focussed on verbal deficits, and we have less understanding of children's deficits with nonverbal sociocognitive skills which have been proposed to be important for language acquisition. This study was designed to investigate elicited nonverbal imitation in children with specific language delay (SLD). It is argued that difficulties in nonverbal imitation, which do not involve the processing of structural aspects of language, may be indicative of sociocognitive deficits. Participants were German-speaking typically developing children (n=60) and children with SLD (n=45) aged 2-3 ½ years. A novel battery of tasks measured their ability to imitate a range of nonverbal target acts that to a greater or lesser extent involve sociocognitive skills (body movements, instrumental acts on objects, pretend acts). Significant group differences were found for all body movement and pretend act tasks, but not for the instrumental act tasks. The poorer imitative performance of the SLD sample was not explained by motor or nonverbal cognitive skills. Thus, it appeared that the nature of the task affected children's imitation performance. It is argued that the ability to establish a sense of connectedness with the demonstrator was at the core of children's imitation difficulty in the SLD sample. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

The Role of Metacognitive Reading Strategies, Metacognitive Study and Learning Strategies, and Behavioral Study and Learning Strategies in Predicting Academic Success in Students With and Without a History of Reading Difficulties.

Science.gov (United States)

Chevalier, Thérèse M; Parrila, Rauno; Ritchie, Krista C; Deacon, S Hélène

2017-01-01

We examined the self-reported use of reading, study, and learning strategies in university students with a history of reading difficulties (HRD; n = 77) and with no history of reading difficulties (NRD; n = 295). We examined both between-groups differences in strategy use and strategy use as a predictive measure of academic success. Participants completed online questionnaires regarding reading history and strategy use. GPA and frequency of use of academic support services were also obtained for all students. University students with HRD reported a different profile of strategy use than their NRD peers, and self-reported strategy use was differentially predictive of GPA for students with HRD and NRD. For students with HRD, the use of metacognitive reading strategies and the use of study aids predicted academic success. Implications for university student services providers are discussed. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2015.

The Impact of Affiliate Stigma on the Psychological Well-Being of Mothers of Children with Specific Learning Disabilities in India: The Mediating Role of Subjective Burden

Science.gov (United States)

Banga, Gazal; Ghosh, Subharati

2017-01-01

Background: Knowledge of the impact of affiliate stigma on the wellbeing of caregivers to children with specific learning disability (SLD) in India is limited. To fill in this gap in knowledge a cross-sectional quantitative study was undertaken to assess the impact of affiliate stigma on the psychological well-being of mothers with children with…

The Effective Use of Symbols in Teaching Word Recognition to Children with Severe Learning Difficulties: A Comparison of Word Alone, Integrated Picture Cueing and the Handle Technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheehy, Kieron

2002-01-01

A comparison is made between a new technique (the Handle Technique), Integrated Picture Cueing, and a Word Alone Method. Results show using a new combination of teaching strategies enabled logographic symbols to be used effectively in teaching word recognition to 12 children with severe learning difficulties. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

GINS complex protein Sld5 recruits SIK1 to activate MCM helicase during DNA replication.

Science.gov (United States)

Joshi, Kiranmai; Shah, Varun Jayeshkumar; Maddika, Subbareddy

2016-12-01

In eukaryotes, proper loading and activation of MCM helicase at chromosomal origins plays a central role in DNA replication. Activation of MCM helicase requires its association with CDC45-GINS complex, but the mechanism of how this complex activates MCM helicase is poorly understood. Here we identified SIK1 (salt-inducible kinase 1), an AMPK related protein kinase, as a molecular link that connects GINS complex with MCM helicase activity. We demonstrated that Sld5 a component of GINS complex interacts with SIK1 and recruits it to the sites of DNA replication at the onset of S phase. Depletion of SIK1 leads to defective DNA replication. Further, we showed that SIK1 phosphorylates MCM2 at five conserved residues at its N-terminus, which is essential for the activation of MCM helicase. Collectively, our results suggest SIK1 as a novel integral component of CMG replicative helicase during eukaryotic DNA replication. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Can Excess Bilirubin Levels Cause Learning Difficulties?

Science.gov (United States)

Pretorius, E.; Naude, H.; Becker, P. J.

2002-01-01

Examined learning problems in South African sample of 7- to 14-year-olds whose mothers reported excessively high infant bilirubin shortly after the child's birth. Found that this sample had lowered verbal ability with the majority also showing impaired short-term and long-term memory. Findings suggested that impaired formation of astrocytes…

Inducing omnipotence or powerlessness in learners with developmental and attention difficulties through structuring technologies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Voldborg, Hanne; Sorensen, Elsebeth Korsgaard

2017-01-01

at school? Using this lens, the authors examine, to what extent technology may assist teachers to create more ideal learning environments by reducing the threat for these learners and enable them to participate in learning. Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs), digital templates, timers and calendars......, become aware and understand their own role in the classroom. This paper suggests technologies for structuring and overviewing as basic assistive tools for equalizing the learning possibilities for learners with developmental and attention difficulties in an inclusive school setting....

Expression of alpha and beta subunit isoforms of Na,K-ATPase in the mouse inner ear and changes with mutations at the Wv or Sld loci.

Science.gov (United States)

Schulte, B A; Steel, K P

1994-07-01

Mice homozygous for mutations at the viable dominant spotting (Wv) and Steel-dickie (Sld) loci exhibit a similar phenotype which includes deafness. The auditory dysfunction derives from failure of the stria vascularis to develop normally and to generate a high positive endocochlear potential (EP). Because strial function is driven by Na,K-ATPase its expression was investigated in inner ears of Wv/Wv and Sld/Sld mice and their wild-type littermates by immunostaining with antisera against four of the enzyme's subunit isoforms. Wild-type mice from two different genetic backgrounds showed an identical distribution of subunit isoforms among inner ear transport cells. Several epithelial cell types coexpressed the alpha 1 and beta 1 subunits. Vestibular dark cells showed no reactivity for beta 1 but expressed abundant beta 2, whereas, strial marginal cells stained strongly for both beta isoforms. The only qualitative difference between mutant and wild-type mice was the absence of beta 1 subunit in marginal cells of the mutant's stria. However, it is unlikely that this difference accounts for failure of mutants to generate a high EP because the beta 1 subunit is not present in the stria vascularis of either rats or gerbils with normal EP values. Strong immunostaining for Na,K-ATPase in lateral wall fibrocytes of normal mice along with diminished immunoreactivity in the mutants supports the concept that these strategically located transport fibrocytes actively resorb K+ leaked across Reissner's membrane into scala vestibuli or effluxed from hair cells and nerves into scala tympani. It is further speculated that the resorbed K+ normally is siphoned down its concentration gradient into the intrastrial space through gap junctions between fibrocytes and strial basal and intermediate cells where it is recycled back to endolymph via marginal cells. Thus, failure of mutants to generate a positive EP could be explained by the absence of intermediate cells which may form the final

Motor proficiency in normal children and with learning difficulty: a comparative and correlational study based on the motor proficiency test of Bruininks-Oseretsky

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nilson Roberto Moreira

2008-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this investigation is to verify the difference between children with learning disabilities and children without learning disabilities through motor proficiency test of Bruininks and Ozeretsky (1978. The sample was constituted by 30 children, with 8-year average age, 15 males and 15 females, subdivided into two groups of 15 children from both sexes: children without learning disabilities attending 3rd grade and children with learning disabilities attending 2nd grade having failed a term once. All of them came from a middle class background, according to Grafar scale (adapted by Fonseca, 1991. All children presenting any other disabilities were excluded from the sample. Intelligence factor “G” was controlled by using a percentile, higher or equal to 50 (middle and high level, measured by Raven’s (1974 progressive combinations test. In motor proficiency, children with learning disabilities showed significant differences when compared with normal children of the same age, in all components of global, composed and fine motricity. The tests administered showed a strong correlation between the variables of the motor proficiency components. The results lead to the conclusion that there were significant differences in motor proficiency between normal children and children with learning disabilities, who showed specific motor difficulties evincing a more vulnerable motor profile and not the presence of neurological dysfunction signs.

The Effects of Locus of Control and Task Difficulty on Procrastination.

Science.gov (United States)

Janssen, Tracy; Carton, John S

1999-12-01

The authors investigated the effects of locus of control expectancies and task difficulty on procrastination. Forty-two college students were administered an academic locus of control scale and a task that was similar to a typical college homework assignment. The students were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 task difficulty levels. Although none of the results involving task difficulty was significant, several results involving locus of control were significant. Specifically, analyses revealed that students with internal locus of control expectancies tended to begin working on the assignment sooner than students with external locus of control expectancies. In addition, students with internal locus of control completed and returned the assignment sooner than students with external locus of control. The results are discussed within the context of J. B. Rotter's (1966, 1975, 1982) social learning theory.

Deliberate Integration of Student Leadership Development in Doctor of Pharmacy Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Michael H.; Bzowyckyj, Andrew S.; Fuentes, David G.; Rosenberg, Ettie; DiCenzo, Robert

2016-01-01

The CAPE 2013 Outcomes answered the call for increased student leadership development (SLD) by identifying leadership as a desired curricular goal. To meet this outcome, colleges and schools of pharmacy are advised to first identify a set of SLD competencies aligned with their institution’s mission and goals and then organize these competencies into a SLD framework/model. Student leadership development should be integrated vertically and horizontally within the curriculum in a deliberate and longitudinal manner. It should include all student pharmacists, begin at the point of admission, and extend beyond extracurricular activities. The school’s assessment plan should be aligned with the identified SLD competencies so student learning related to leadership is assessed. To accomplish these recommendations, a positive environment for SLD should be cultivated within the school, including administrative backing and resources, as well as support among the broader faculty for integrating SLD into the curriculum. PMID:26941428

Deliberate Integration of Student Leadership Development in Doctor of Pharmacy Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Janke, Kristin K; Nelson, Michael H; Bzowyckyj, Andrew S; Fuentes, David G; Rosenberg, Ettie; DiCenzo, Robert

2016-02-25

The CAPE 2013 Outcomes answered the call for increased student leadership development (SLD) by identifying leadership as a desired curricular goal. To meet this outcome, colleges and schools of pharmacy are advised to first identify a set of SLD competencies aligned with their institution's mission and goals and then organize these competencies into a SLD framework/model. Student leadership development should be integrated vertically and horizontally within the curriculum in a deliberate and longitudinal manner. It should include all student pharmacists, begin at the point of admission, and extend beyond extracurricular activities. The school's assessment plan should be aligned with the identified SLD competencies so student learning related to leadership is assessed. To accomplish these recommendations, a positive environment for SLD should be cultivated within the school, including administrative backing and resources, as well as support among the broader faculty for integrating SLD into the curriculum.

Past Accomplishments and Future Challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Danielson, Louis; Doolittle, Jennifer; Bradley, Renee

2005-01-01

Three broad issues continue to dramatically impact the education of children with specific learning disabilities (SLD): (1) the development and implementation of scientifically defensible methods of identification; (2) the development and implementation of scientific interventions to ensure that children with SLD have access to and make progress…

Roles of Mobile Devices Supporting International Students to Overcome Intercultural Difficulties

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xiaoyin; Li, Xiuyan

2017-01-01

Sociocultural theory emphasises the mediational role of tools in learning. International students usually find themselves in a vicious cycle, experiencing difficulties when engaging with local people and culture which might provide the mediation necessary to develop their intercultural communicative competence. Yang (2016) further points out that…

Use of the Learning together technique associated to the theory of significative learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ester López Donoso

2008-09-01

Full Text Available This article deals with an experimental research, regarding a qualitative and quantitative design, applied to a group of students of General Physics course during the first semester of the university career of Engineering. Historically, students of this course present learning difficulties that directly affect their performance, conceptualization and permanence in the university. The present methodology integrates the collaborative learning, denominated Learning Together", with the theory of significant learning to avoid the above-written difficulties. Results of this research show that the proposed methodology works properly, especially to improve the conceptualization.

A Framework for Understanding the Patterns of Student Difficulties in Quantum Mechanics

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Chandralekha

2015-04-01

Compared with introductory physics, relatively little is known about the development of expertise in advanced physics courses, especially in the case of quantum mechanics. We describe a theoretical framework for understanding the patterns of student reasoning difficulties and how students develop expertise in quantum mechanics. The framework posits that the challenges many students face in developing expertise in quantum mechanics are analogous to the challenges introductory students face in developing expertise in introductory classical mechanics. This framework incorporates the effects of diversity in students' prior preparation, goals and motivation for taking upper-level physics courses in general as well as the ``paradigm shift'' from classical mechanics to quantum mechanics. The framework is based on empirical investigations demonstrating that the patterns of reasoning, problem-solving, and self-monitoring difficulties in quantum mechanics bear a striking resemblance to those found in introductory classical mechanics. Examples from research in quantum mechanics and introductory classical mechanics will be discussed to illustrate how the patterns of difficulties are analogous as students learn to unpack the respective principles and grasp the formalism in each knowledge domain during the development of expertise. Embracing such a theoretical framework and contemplating the parallels between the difficulties in these two knowledge domains can enable researchers to leverage the extensive literature for introductory physics education research to guide the design of teaching and learning tools for helping students develop expertise in quantum mechanics. Support from the National Science Foundation is gratefully acknowledged.

DIFFICULTIES THAT ARAB STUDENTS FACE IN LEARNING ENGLISH

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Kassem BAHEEJ

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Jordan English is not used in everyday situations. Arab students face problems of learning English, both in writing and in speech. They find it hard to learn English in their native country, where language is Arabic. The only way to learn English in Jordan is through formal training, ie inside the classroom foreign language teachers are native speakers of Arabic. There is little opportunity to learn English through natural interaction in the target language. This is possible only when students are faced with native speakers of English who come to the country as tourists, and this happens very rarely.DIFICULTĂŢI CU CARE SE CONFRUNTĂ STUDENŢII ARABI CARE ÎNVAŢĂ LIMBA ENGLEZĂ În Iordania, limba engleză nu este utilizată în situaţii cotidiene. Studenţii arabi se confruntă cu probleme de învăţare a limbii engleze, atât în scris, cât şi în vorbire. Lor le vine greu să înveţe limba engleză în ţara lor natală, dat fiind că limba maternă este araba. Singura modalitate de a învăţa limba engleză în Iordania este prin instruire formală, adică în sala de clasă în care profesorii de limbă străină sunt vorbitori nativi de limbă arabă. Există puţine şanse de a învăţa limba engleză prin interacţiune naturală în limba-ţintă. Acest lucru este posibil numai atunci când elevii conversează cu vorbitori nativi de limbă engleză, care vin în ţară în calitate de turişti, ceea ce se întâmplă foarte rar.

Emergence, Learning Difficulties, and Misconceptions in Chemistry Undergraduate Students' Conceptualizations of Acid Strength

Science.gov (United States)

Tümay, Halil

2016-03-01

Philosophical debates about chemistry have clarified that the issue of emergence plays a critical role in the epistemology and ontology of chemistry. In this article, it is argued that the issue of emergence has also significant implications for understanding learning difficulties and finding ways of addressing them in chemistry. Particularly, it is argued that many misconceptions in chemistry may derive from students' failure to consider emergence in a systemic manner by taking into account all relevant factors in conjunction. Based on this argument, undergraduate students' conceptions of acids, and acid strength (an emergent chemical property) were investigated and it was examined whether or not they conceptualized acid strength as an emergent chemical property. The participants were 41 third- and fourth-year undergraduate students. A concept test and semi-structured interviews were used to probe students' conceptualizations and reasoning about acid strength. Findings of the study revealed that the majority of the undergraduate students did not conceptualize acid strength as an emergent property that arises from interactions among multiple factors. They generally focused on a single factor to predict and explain acid strength, and their faulty responses stemmed from their failure to recognize and consider all factors that affect acid strength. Based on these findings and insights from philosophy of chemistry, promoting system thinking and epistemologically sound argumentative discourses among students is suggested for meaningful chemical education.

Metacognition Difficulty of Students with Visual-Spatial Intelligence during Solving Open-Ended Problem

Science.gov (United States)

Rimbatmojo, S.; Kusmayadi, T. A.; Riyadi, R.

2017-09-01

This study aims to find out students metacognition difficulty during solving open-ended problem in mathematics. It focuses on analysing the metacognition difficulty of students with visual-spatial intelligence in solving open-ended problem. A qualitative research with case study strategy is used in this study. Data in the form of visual-spatial intelligence test result and recorded interview during solving open-ended problems were analysed qualitatively. The results show that: (1) students with high visual-spatial intelligence have no difficulty on each metacognition aspects, (2) students with medium visual-spatial intelligence have difficulty on knowledge aspect on strategy and cognitive tasks, (3) students with low visual-spatial intelligence have difficulty on three metacognition aspects, namely knowledge on strategy, cognitive tasks and self-knowledge. Even though, several researches about metacognition process and metacognition literature recommended the steps to know the characteristics. It is still important to discuss that the difficulties of metacognitive is happened because of several factors, one of which on the characteristics of student’ visual-spatial intelligence. Therefore, it is really important for mathematics educators to consider and pay more attention toward students’ visual-spatial intelligence and metacognition difficulty in designing better mathematics learning.

Improving Algebra Preparation: Implications from Research on Student Misconceptions and Difficulties

Science.gov (United States)

Welder, Rachael M.

2012-01-01

Through historical and contemporary research, educators have identified widespread misconceptions and difficulties faced by students in learning algebra. Many of these universal issues stem from content addressed long before students take their first algebra course. Yet elementary and middle school teachers may not understand how the subtleties of…

GA-DoSLD: Genetic Algorithm Based Denial-of-Sleep Attack Detection in WSN

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Mahalakshmi Gunasekaran

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Denial-of-sleep (DoSL attack is a special category of denial-of-service attack that prevents the battery powered sensor nodes from going into the sleep mode, thus affecting the network performance. The existing schemes used for the DoSL attack detection do not provide an optimal energy conservation and key pairing operation. Hence, in this paper, an efficient Genetic Algorithm (GA based denial-of-sleep attack detection (GA-DoSLD algorithm is suggested for analyzing the misbehaviors of the nodes. The suggested algorithm implements a Modified-RSA (MRSA algorithm in the base station (BS for generating and distributing the key pair among the sensor nodes. Before sending/receiving the packets, the sensor nodes determine the optimal route using Ad Hoc On-Demand Distance Vector Routing (AODV protocol and then ensure the trustworthiness of the relay node using the fitness calculation. The crossover and mutation operations detect and analyze the methods that the attackers use for implementing the attack. On determining an attacker node, the BS broadcasts the blocked information to all the other sensor nodes in the network. Simulation results prove that the suggested algorithm is optimal compared to the existing algorithms such as X-MAC, ZKP, and TE2P schemes.

ADULTS’ LEARNING IN A MULTILEVEL GROUP: DIFFICULTIES AND PROSPECTS

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Salamatina, I.I.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available One of the necessary conditions of modernization of higher education system of the Russian Federation is to increase the level of academic mobility of the teaching community of Russian Universities. To solve this problem in 2014 in the State University of Humanities and Social Studies it was made the decision to organize the biennial English language courses for teachers of non-linguistic specialties, to enhance their level of proficiency. The greatest difficulty in teaching was because of different levels of language proficiency, so the teacher had to develop an effective methodology of teaching English for different levels of students.

Exploring the disclosure decisions made by physiotherapists with a specific learning difficulty.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeowell, G; Rooney, J; Goodwin, P C

2018-06-01

To explore the disclosure decisions made in the workplace by physiotherapy staff with a specific learning difficulty (SpLD). An exploratory qualitative design was used, which was informed by the social model of disability. The research was undertaken in North West England. It is presented according to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research. A purposive sample of eight physiotherapists recognised as having a SpLD were recruited. All participants had studied on one of two programmes at a university in England between 2004-2012. Their NHS workplace experience was from across the UK. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were undertaken within the university setting or via telephone. Interviews lasted 40 to 70minutes and were digitally recorded. An interview guide was used to direct the interview. Interview data were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Four participants were female. The mean number of years qualified as a physiotherapist was 4.5years (SD=2.27). Three themes were identified: 'Disclosing during the workplace application'; 'Positive about disabled people scheme'; 'Disclosing in the workplace'. Disclosure of dyslexia is a selective process and is a central dilemma in the lives of individuals who have a concealable stigmatised identity. As a consequence, physiotherapy staff with dyslexia may choose to conceal their disability and not disclose to their employer. In order for staff with dyslexia to get the support they need in the workplace, disclosure is recommended. A number of recommendations have been made to facilitate the disclosure process. Copyright © 2017 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Motor and Coordination Difficulties in Children with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Elisabeth; Pratt, Michelle L; Kanji, Zara; Bartoli, Alice Jones

2017-01-01

To date, very few studies have explored the incidence of motor impairment amongst children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (social, emotional and mental health (SEMH); formerly SEBD in England). Following research that suggests an increase in motor difficulties in young children and adolescents with SEMH difficulties, this…

Framework for understanding the patterns of student difficulties in quantum mechanics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emily Marshman

2015-09-01

Full Text Available [This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Upper Division Physics Courses.] Compared with introductory physics, relatively little is known about the development of expertise in advanced physics courses, especially in the case of quantum mechanics. Here, we describe a framework for understanding the patterns of student reasoning difficulties and how students develop expertise in quantum mechanics. The framework posits that the challenges many students face in developing expertise in quantum mechanics are analogous to the challenges introductory students face in developing expertise in introductory classical mechanics. This framework incorporates both the effects of diversity in upper-level students’ prior preparation, goals, and motivation in general (i.e., the facts that even in upper-level courses, students may be inadequately prepared, have unclear goals, and have insufficient motivation to excel as well as the “paradigm shift” from classical mechanics to quantum mechanics. The framework is based on empirical investigations demonstrating that the patterns of reasoning, problem-solving, and self-monitoring difficulties in quantum mechanics bear a striking resemblance to those found in introductory classical mechanics. Examples from research in quantum mechanics and introductory classical mechanics are discussed to illustrate how the patterns of difficulties are analogous as students learn to unpack the respective principles and grasp the formalism in each knowledge domain during the development of expertise. Embracing such a framework and contemplating the parallels between the difficulties in these two knowledge domains can enable researchers to leverage the extensive literature for introductory physics education research to guide the design of teaching and learning tools for helping students develop expertise in quantum mechanics.

Framework for understanding the patterns of student difficulties in quantum mechanics

Science.gov (United States)

Marshman, Emily; Singh, Chandralekha

2015-12-01

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Upper Division Physics Courses.] Compared with introductory physics, relatively little is known about the development of expertise in advanced physics courses, especially in the case of quantum mechanics. Here, we describe a framework for understanding the patterns of student reasoning difficulties and how students develop expertise in quantum mechanics. The framework posits that the challenges many students face in developing expertise in quantum mechanics are analogous to the challenges introductory students face in developing expertise in introductory classical mechanics. This framework incorporates both the effects of diversity in upper-level students' prior preparation, goals, and motivation in general (i.e., the facts that even in upper-level courses, students may be inadequately prepared, have unclear goals, and have insufficient motivation to excel) as well as the "paradigm shift" from classical mechanics to quantum mechanics. The framework is based on empirical investigations demonstrating that the patterns of reasoning, problem-solving, and self-monitoring difficulties in quantum mechanics bear a striking resemblance to those found in introductory classical mechanics. Examples from research in quantum mechanics and introductory classical mechanics are discussed to illustrate how the patterns of difficulties are analogous as students learn to unpack the respective principles and grasp the formalism in each knowledge domain during the development of expertise. Embracing such a framework and contemplating the parallels between the difficulties in these two knowledge domains can enable researchers to leverage the extensive literature for introductory physics education research to guide the design of teaching and learning tools for helping students develop expertise in quantum mechanics.

Frequency-Specific, Binaural Stimulation of Students with Reading and Spelling Difficulties.

Science.gov (United States)

Johansen, Kjeld

A study examined the hearing of learning disabled students (such as dyslexics) in an attempt to classify, identify, and design auditory stimulation procedures. Subjects, 40 students from seventh-grade classes and 40 volunteers (ages 9 to 23) with reading and spelling difficulties, were given listening tests. Results indicated that many of the…

A Prospective Observational Study of Technical Difficulty With GlideScope-Guided Tracheal Intubation in Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Bin; Gurnaney, Harshad G; Stricker, Paul A; Galvez, Jorge A; Isserman, Rebecca S; Fiadjoe, John E

2018-05-09

The GlideScope Cobalt is one of the most commonly used videolaryngoscopes in pediatric anesthesia. Although visualization of the airway may be superior to direct laryngoscopy, users need to learn a new indirect way to insert the tracheal tube. Learning this indirect approach requires focused practice and instruction. Identifying the specific points during tube placement, during which clinicians struggle, would help with targeted education. We conducted this prospective observational study to determine the incidence and location of technical difficulties using the GlideScope, the success rates of various corrective maneuvers used, and the impact of technical difficulty on success rate. We conducted this observational study at our quaternary pediatric hospital between February 2014 and August 2014. We observed 200 GlideScope-guided intubations and documented key intubation-related outcomes. Inclusion criteria for patients were the number of advancement maneuvers required to intubate the trachea, the location where technical difficulty occurred, the types of maneuvers used to address difficulties, and the tracheal intubation success rate. We used a bias-corrected bootstrapping method with 300 replicates to determine the 95% confidence interval (CI) around the rate of difficulty with an intubation attempt. After excluding attempts by inexperienced clinicians, there were 225 attempts in 187 patients, 58% (131 of 225; bootstrap CI, 51.6%-64.6%]) of the attempts had technical difficulties. Technical difficulty was most likely to occur when inserting the tracheal tube between the plane of the arytenoid cartilages to just beyond the vocal cords: "zone 3." Clockwise rotation of the tube was the most common successful corrective maneuver in zone 3. The overall tracheal intubation success rate was 98% (CI, 95%-99%); however, the first attempt success rate was only 80% (CI, 74%-86%). Patients with technical difficulty had more attempts (median [interquartile range], 2 [1

Attentional performance and executive functions in children with learning difficulties Desempenho atencional e funções executivas em crianças com dificuldades de aprendizagem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ricardo Franco de Lima

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Studies have described changes in visual attention and executive function in children with developmental dyslexia. This study intended to compare the performance of children with and without learning difficulties on tasks of visual attention and executive functions. The participants were 23 students, aged between 9 and 14 years old, with a mean age of 10.8 years. They were divided into three groups: (a with learning difficulties; (b with dyslexia; and (c control (without any difficulty. For the evaluation, Tests of Cancellation, Trail Making Test, Stroop Color-Word Test and Tower of London Test were used. The results indicated that children with dyslexia had the worst performance on different measures of attention and executive functions, indicating that such changes may be characteristic of the disorder and keep the deficit in the phonological component of language.Estudos têm descrito alterações na atenção visual e nas funções executivas em crianças com Dislexia do Desenvolvimento. O presente trabalho pretendeu comparar o desempenho de crianças com e sem dificuldades de aprendizagem em tarefas de atenção visual e funções executivas. Participaram 23 estudantes, com idade entre 9 e 14 anos e idade média de 10,8 anos, divididos em três grupos: com dificuldades escolares, com dislexia e controle sem dificuldades. Para a avaliação foram usados os Testes de Cancelamento, Trail Making Test, Stroop Color Word Test e Tower of London. Os resultados indicaram que as crianças com dislexia apresentaram piores desempenhos em diferentes medidas atencionais e das funções executivas, indicando que tais alterações podem ser características do quadro e acompanhar o déficit no componente fonológico da linguagem.

Hands-On Tabletop Units for Addressing Persistent Conceptual Difficulties in Continuity and Frictional Loss in Fluid Mechanics

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xuesong; Van Wie, Bernard J.

2016-01-01

The difficulty in covering chemical engineering concepts using traditional lectures and whiteboard teaching approaches means today's students' learning demands are unfulfilled, so alternate methods are needed. Desktop learning modules (DLMs) are designed to show industrial fluid flow and heat transfer concepts in a standard classroom so students…

Analysis of the Difficulties and Improvement Method on Introduction of PBL Approach in Developing Country

Science.gov (United States)

Okano, Takasei; Sessa, Salvatore

In the field of international cooperation, it is increasing to introduce Japanese engineering educational model in the developing country to improve the quality of education and research activity. A naive implementation of such model in different cultures and educational systems may lead to several problems. In this paper, we evaluated the Project Based Learning (PBL) class, developed at Waseda University in Japan, and employed to the Egyptian education context at the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST) . We found difficulties such as : non-homogeneous student’ s background, disconnection with the student’ s research, weak learning style adaptation, and irregular course conduction. To solve these difficulties at E-JUST, we proposed : the groupware introduction, project theme choice based on student’ s motivation, and curriculum modification.

Creating Dynamic Learning Environment to Enhance Students’ Engagement in Learning Geometry

Science.gov (United States)

Sariyasa

2017-04-01

Learning geometry gives many benefits to students. It strengthens the development of deductive thinking and reasoning; it also provides an opportunity to improve visualisation and spatial ability. Some studies, however, have pointed out the difficulties that students encountered when learning geometry. A preliminary study by the author in Bali revealed that one of the main problems was teachers’ difficulties in delivering geometry instruction. It was partly due to the lack of appropriate instructional media. Coupling with dynamic geometry software, dynamic learning environments is a promising solution to this problem. Employing GeoGebra software supported by the well-designed instructional process may result in more meaningful learning, and consequently, students are motivated to engage in the learning process more deeply and actively. In this paper, we provide some examples of GeoGebra-aided learning activities that allow students to interactively explore and investigate geometry concepts and the properties of geometry objects. Thus, it is expected that such learning environment will enhance students’ internalisation process of geometry concepts.

Task Difficulty and Prior Videogame Experience: Their Role in Performance and Motivation in Instructional Videogames

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Orvis, Karin A; Horn, Daniel B; Belanich, James

2007-01-01

.... Further, the influence of prior video game experience on these learning outcomes was examined, as well as the role prior experience played in determining the optimal approach for adjusting task difficulty...

Mislabeled Reading and Learning Disabilities: Assessment and Treatment for Reading Difficulties in Students with Learning Disabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Sze, Susan

2009-01-01

Reading affects a plethora of areas in life. Students with learning disabilities often fall into this category due to a lack of practice with reading and less time to focus on building skills. This paper examines the background, the relationship between reading and learning disabilities, the characteristics of students with learning disabilities…

Supporting Learning from Illustrated Texts: Conceptualizing and Evaluating a Learning Strategy

Science.gov (United States)

Schlag, Sabine; Ploetzner, Rolf

2011-01-01

Texts and pictures are often combined in order to improve learning. Many students, however, have difficulty to appropriately process text-picture combinations. We have thus conceptualized a learning strategy which supports learning from illustrated texts. By inducing the processes of information selection, organization, integration, and…

DIFFICULTIES OF SPEAKING THAT ARE ENCOUNTERED BY ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDENTS AT AL MARGEB UNIVERSITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed Dalem

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to explore the speaking difficulties encountered by English language students at Al Margeb University, and to discover the causes of such difficulties. Speaking English has been a vital importance in international communication. Speaking fluent English is a common problem among the nonnative speakers. The second language learners have gone through a variety of cases to learn how to speak not only correct grammar and using the right vocabulary but with correct accent and pronunciation. Many obstacles, therefore, have been known as the predictors of such a problem among the language learners.  According to the review of literature, appropriate speaking instruction was found to be the learners' priority and a field in which they need more attention. In this paper the writer highlight the speaking difficulties encountered by English language students at Al Margeb University, which are considered to be the most urgent for every teacher, such as fear of mistakes, shyness, anxiety, lack of confidence and lack of motivation. This paper can be useful to teachers to consider their language learners' speaking needs in English language teaching and learning context.

Differences in perceived difficulty in print and online patient education materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Farnsworth, Michael

2014-01-01

Written patient education materials frequently exceed the reading ability of the general public. Patients are often intimidated by the task of reading patient education materials, perceiving the materials’ difficulty levels as prohibitive, even when they do not exceed the patients’ reading abilities. It is unclear how the delivery mechanism--print or a computer screen--affects a patient’s reading experience through his/her perception of its difficulty. To determine whether first-year college students perceived online or print-based patient education materials as more difficult to read. Convenience sampling of first-year college students. Some first-year college students perceived online patient education materials to be more difficult to read than print-based ones--even when the reading level of the patient education materials was similar. Demographic information about this sample’s high levels of digital literacy suggests that other populations might also perceive online patient education materials as more difficult to read than print-based equivalents. Patients’ perceptions of the difficulty of patient education materials influenced their ability to effectively learn from those materials. This article concludes with a call for more research into patients’ perceptions of difficulty of patient education materials in print vs on a screen.

Enhancing Collaborative Learning in Web 2.0-Based E-Learning Systems: A Design Framework for Building Collaborative E-Learning Contents

Science.gov (United States)

El Mhouti, Abderrahim; Nasseh, Azeddine; Erradi, Mohamed; Vasquèz, José Marfa

2017-01-01

Today, the implication of Web 2.0 technologies in e-learning allows envisaging new teaching and learning forms, advocating an important place to the collaboration and social interaction. However, in e-learning systems, learn in a collaborative way is not always so easy because one of the difficulties when arranging e-learning courses can be that…

Dificuldade de aprendizagem: principais abordagens terapêuticas discutidas em artigos publicados nas principais revistas indexadas no LILACS de fonoaudiologia no período de 2001 a 2005 Learning difficulties: main therapeutic approaches in articles published in the main speech therapy journals from 2001 to 2005 - indexed on Lilacs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tereza Cristina Ferraz de Lima

2007-12-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: verificar artigos referentes às dificuldades de aprendizagem, tendo como objetivos específicos classificar o tipo de artigo, além de analisar a abordagem e a nomenclatura utilizada para identificação dos problemas de aprendizagem, pelos autores dos mesmos, nas revistas de 2001 a 2005 com indexação no LILACS. MÉTODOS: foram selecionados artigos com base nas seguintes palavras chaves: dificuldade de aprendizagem, distúrbio de aprendizagem, dificuldade de leitura e/ou escrita, dislexia, disortografia e disgrafia. RESULTADOS: o tipo de artigo mais publicado foi artigo original, seguido de estudo de caso. A principal nomenclatura utilizada pelos autores foram distúrbios ou dificuldades de aprendizagem, e a abordagem mais citada foi aquela que contempla a consciência fonológica. Verificou-se 207 artigos em linguagem, sendo 22 referentes ao tema desse trabalho. CONCLUSÃO: existe uma escassez de publicação de trabalhos na área de linguagem, principalmente ao tema relacionado à dificuldade de aprendizagem que talvez seja explicado pela falta de consenso entre os autores, levando tanto a uma dificuldade diagnóstica como terapêutica.PURPOSE: to check articles regarding learning difficulties, with the specific objectives of classifying the type of article as well as analyzing the approach and nomenclature that the authors used in the identification of learning problems in publications from 2001 to 2005 - indexed on LILACS. METHODS: survey of articles taking into consideration the following key words: learning difficulty, learning disability, reading and/or writing difficulty, dyslexia, dysortography and dysgraphy. RESULTS: original article was the most published, followed by case study. The main nomenclature that the authors used were "learning disability" or "learning difficulty", and the most cited approach was the one addressing phonological awareness. We observed 207 articles on language, 22 of these articles referred to the

[Neurological and neuropsychological comparison between subjects with learning disorder and those suffering from learning difficulties when eeg abnormalities are detected at pediatric age].

Science.gov (United States)

Borsetti, L; Viberti, B; Ariano, C; Isocrono, A

2015-12-01

The objective of the study is to compare data and investigate the points of overlap between the two clinical conditions. The hypothesis is to observe a similar cognitive and neuropsychological profile in LD children and subjects with electroencephalogram (EEG) abnormalities. The present study consists of a descriptive analysis of 35 children who have been tested for suspected learning disorder (LD). The diagnostic protocol includes a detailed cognitive and neuropsychological evaluation, as well as logopedic and neuropsychomotor assessment. Children carried neurological visit, EEG in waking and encephalic nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). In this study, anamnestic data and the results of some of the neuropsychological tests were administrated to children and subsequently were analyzed. Depending on EEG report (positive or negative), subjects were split in two subsample: subjects with "pure" LD and subjects who showed significant paroxysmal abnormalities at the EEG. This comparison shows that the profile of the two subsamples matches for many aspects. The only statistically significant differences are the increased impairment of meta-phonological skills and reading speed in children with EEG abnormalities. On the other hand, children with "pure" LD are inclined to manifest more frequently difficulties in highly-modularized processes, such as counting. In conclusion, the substantial overlap of the two profiles causes a reflection about the difficulty in making differential diagnosis in children who show a suspected LD, in absence of an accurate neurophysiological and neuroradiological investigation. The study did not find out useful markers to select subjects who should carry EEG and encephalic NMR. Our team established to keep EEG in waking in the diagnostic protocol, for all children with LD diagnosis. Only in case of abnormalities at the track, we prescribed EEG in sleeping and encephalic NMR.

School difficulties in childhood and risk of overweight and obesity in young adulthood

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lissau, I; Sørensen, T I

1993-01-01

Cross-sectional studies of adult males have shown that intelligence test score and educational level are inversely correlated to obesity. This study prospectively assessed whether school difficulties in the third school grade are related to the risk of overweight and obesity in young adulthood....... In 1974, body weight, height and social background were ascertained in 987 randomly-selected Copenhagen third graders. For each child, information about learning difficulties, scholastic proficiency, special education received, scholarly difficulties, reduced hearing, speech handicap, and speech...... or hearing education received was obtained. When the subjects were 20-21 years old, they reported their height and weight. The risk of being obese (above the 95th percentile of body mass index distribution) in young adulthood was assessed by logistic regression analysis taking social background, body mass...

An investigation of difficulties experienced by students developing unified modelling language (UML) class and sequence diagrams

Science.gov (United States)

Sien, Ven Yu

2011-12-01

Object-oriented analysis and design (OOAD) is not an easy subject to learn. There are many challenges confronting students when studying OOAD. Students have particular difficulty abstracting real-world problems within the context of OOAD. They are unable to effectively build object-oriented (OO) models from the problem domain because they essentially do not know "what" to model. This article investigates the difficulties and misconceptions undergraduate students have with analysing systems using unified modelling language analysis class and sequence diagrams. These models were chosen because they represent important static and dynamic aspects of the software system under development. The results of this study will help students produce effective OO models, and facilitate software engineering lecturers design learning materials and approaches for introductory OOAD courses.

Difficulty in Learning Similar-Sounding Words: A Developmental Stage or a General Property of Learning?

Science.gov (United States)

Pajak, Bozena; Creel, Sarah C.; Levy, Roger

2016-01-01

How are languages learned, and to what extent are learning mechanisms similar in infant native-language (L1) and adult second-language (L2) acquisition? In terms of vocabulary acquisition, we know from the infant literature that the ability to discriminate similar-sounding words at a particular age does not guarantee successful word-meaning…

common difficulties experienced by grade 12 students in learning

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Temechegn

difficult topic student's experiences in learning chemistry is chemical bonding because ... students cooperative enterprise in science, organizing field trips, science ... related to organic, inorganic and physical chemistry that are to be learnt and ...

Infants' Learning, Memory, and Generalization of Learning for Bimodal Events.

Science.gov (United States)

Morrongiello, Barbara A.; Lasenby, Jennifer; Lee, Naomi

2003-01-01

Two studies examined the impact of temporal synchrony on infants' learning of and memory for sight-sound pairs. Findings indicated that 7-month-olds had no difficulty learning auditory-visual pairs regardless of temporal synchrony, remembering them 10 minutes later and 1 week later. Three-month-olds showed poorer learning in no-synchrony than in…

Women in Academia: Work-Related Stresses.

Science.gov (United States)

Keim, Jeanmarie; Erickson, Chris

1998-01-01

Highlights some of the more common stressors and difficulties faced by women in academia, particularly those of junior rank, in the areas of teaching, scholarship, and service, and outlines effective strategies, including plans for institutions, for overcoming barriers. (SLD)

Working memory: its role in dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffries, Sharman; Everatt, John

2004-08-01

This paper reports a study contrasting dyslexic children against a control group of children without special educational needs (SEN) and a group with varied SENs. Children's abilities were compared on tasks assessing phonological processing, visuo-spatial/motor coordination and executive/inhibitory functioning; being targeted for assessment based on theoretical proposals related to the working memory model. Primary and secondary school level children were tested: 21 assessed as dyslexic with no comorbid difficulties, 26 children assessed with difficulties including dyspraxia, emotional/behavioural problems and attention deficits, 40 children with no known education-related deficits were controls. Results indicated both SEN groups performed worse than controls on working memory phonological loop measures. However, SEN groups could only be differentiated on phonological awareness measures: the dyslexics showing lower scores. Dyslexics performed as well as controls on working memory visuo-spatial scratch pad measures and one of two additional visual-motor coordination tasks, whereas the performance of the other SEN children was lowest on the majority of these measures. Central executive and interference measures engendered mixed performances, both SEN groups showing evidence of deficits in one or more of these areas of functioning, although, of the two SEN groups, the dyslexics seem to have performed the worse when digit name processing was required.

Numerical Magnitude Representation in Children With Mathematical Difficulties With or Without Reading Difficulties.

Science.gov (United States)

Tobia, Valentina; Fasola, Anna; Lupieri, Alice; Marzocchi, Gian Marco

2016-01-01

This study aimed to explore the spatial numerical association of response codes (SNARC), the flanker, and the numerical distance effects in children with mathematical difficulties. From a sample of 720 third, fourth, and fifth graders, 60 children were selected and divided into the following three groups: typically developing children (TD; n = 29), children with mathematical difficulties only (MD only; n = 21), and children with mathematical and reading difficulties (MD+RD; n = 10). Children were tested with a numerical Eriksen task that was built to assess SNARC, numerical distance, and flanker (first and second order congruency) effects. Children with MD only showed stronger SNARC and second order congruency effects than did TD children, whereas the numerical distance effects were similar across the three groups. Finally, the first order congruency effect was associated with reading difficulties. These results showed that children with mathematical difficulties with or without reading difficulties were globally more impaired when spatial incompatibilities were presented. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2014.

Encouraging Free Play: Extramural Digital Game-Based Language Learning as a Complex Adaptive System

Science.gov (United States)

Scholz, Kyle

2017-01-01

Massively multiplayer online role-playing games like World of Warcraft are ideally suited to encourage and facilitate second language development (SLD) in the extramural setting, but to what extent do the language learners' actual trajectories of gameplay contribute to SLD? With the current propensity to focus research in digital game-based…

Web-Based Technology for Children with Learning Disabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, S. Praveen; Raja, B. William Dharma

2010-01-01

Individuals with special educational needs may face difficulties in acquiring basic skills needed for learning such as reading, spelling, writing, speaking, understanding, listening, thinking or arithmetic. The difficulties they face in the learning process have begun to attract serious attention throughout the globe. They suffer from severe…

Differences in Perceived Difficulty in Print and Online Patient Education Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Farnsworth, Michael

2014-01-01

Context: Written patient education materials frequently exceed the reading ability of the general public. Patients are often intimidated by the task of reading patient education materials, perceiving the materials’ difficulty levels as prohibitive, even when they do not exceed the patients’ reading abilities. It is unclear how the delivery mechanism—print or a computer screen—affects a patient’s reading experience through his/her perception of its difficulty. Objective: To determine whether first-year college students perceived online or print-based patient education materials as more difficult to read. Design: Convenience sampling of first-year college students. Results: Some first-year college students perceived online patient education materials to be more difficult to read than print-based ones—even when the reading level of the patient education materials was similar. Demographic information about this sample’s high levels of digital literacy suggests that other populations might also perceive online patient education materials as more difficult to read than print-based equivalents. Patients’ perceptions of the difficulty of patient education materials influenced their ability to effectively learn from those materials. Conclusion: This article concludes with a call for more research into patients’ perceptions of difficulty of patient education materials in print vs on a screen. PMID:25662526

Learning of Grammar-Like Visual Sequences by Adults with and without Language-Learning Disabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Aguilar, Jessica M.; Plante, Elena

2014-01-01

Purpose: Two studies examined learning of grammar-like visual sequences to determine whether a general deficit in statistical learning characterizes this population. Furthermore, we tested the hypothesis that difficulty in sustaining attention during the learning task might account for differences in statistical learning. Method: In Study 1,…

Identification of children with reading difficulties: Cheap can be adequate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Mads; Nielsen, Anne-Mette Veber

Classification of reading difficulties: Cheap screening can be accurate Purpose: Three factors are important for identification of students in need of remedial instruction: accuracy, timeliness, and cost. The identification has to be accurate to be of any use, the identification has to be timely......, inexpensive testing. The present study investigated the classification accuracy of three screening models varying in timeliness and cost. Method: We compared the ROC statistics of three logistic models for predicting end of Grade 2 reading difficulties in a sample of 164 students: 1) an early, comprehensive...... model using a battery of Grade 0 tests, including phoneme awareness, rapid naming, and paired associate learning, 2) a late, comprehensive model adding reading measures from January of Grade 1, and 3) a late, inexpensive model using only group-administered reading measures from January of Grade 1...

QCD test in three-jet Z0 decays at SLD and detector development for H0 → γγ searches in high energy hadron colliders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Hyun.

1994-08-01

Polarized Z degrees decays into three jets have been detected and measured in the SLAC Large Detector (SLD) experiment operating it the SLAC Linear Collider (SLC). The hadrons from the jets were detected in the SLD liquid argon calorimeter, providing a sensitivity over 98% of the solid angle. The spin of the gluon was tested by studying the scaled jet energies (x 1 , x 2 , x 3 ), the Ellis-Karliner angle (cosθ EK ) and the parameters of event plane orientation (α, α N , β). These measured variables are compared with quantum chromodynamics (QCD) and a scalar gluon model. Good agreement is found between data, and the vector QCD model for the distributions of (x 1 , x 2 , x 3 ) and (cosθ EK ). Two detector prototypes for the GEM detector of the Superconducting Super Collider have been studied: a prototype silicon-tungsten preradiator and a liquid argon hadron calorimeter. The silicon-tungsten preradiator was designed for the GEM detector to distinguish between single photons from Higgs decay and background photon pairs from π degrees decay. This preradiator was tested in a beam at Brookhaven National Laboratory in July, 1992. A lead glass array placed behind the silicon was used to determine energy resolution effects. The results from the test on spatial distributions and energy resolution, including correction for the energy deposited in the preradiator are presented, along with comparisons to EGS simulations. Data from a beam test of the liquid argon prototype was analyzed and compared to CALOR89 simulations. The studies concentrated on energy resolution optimization and electronic noise suppression

Do Science Teachers Distinguish between Their Own Learning and the Learning of Their Students?

Science.gov (United States)

Brauer, Heike; Wilde, Matthias

2018-01-01

Learning beliefs influence learning and teaching. For this reason, teachers and teacher educators need to be aware of them. To support students' knowledge construction, teachers must develop appropriate learning and teaching beliefs. Teachers appear to have difficulties when analysing students' learning. This seems to be due to the inability to…

Analysis of difficulties in mathematics problem solving based on revised Bloom’s Taxonomy viewed from high self-efficacy

Science.gov (United States)

Prismana, R. D. E.; Kusmayadi, T. A.; Pramudya, I.

2018-04-01

The ability of solving problem is a part of the mathematic curriculum that is very important. Problem solving prefers the process and strategy that is done by students in solving a problem rather than the result. This learning concept in accordance with the stages on the revised bloom’s taxonomy. The revised Bloom’s Taxonomy has two dimensions, namely the dimension of cognitive process and the dimension of knowledge. Dimension of knowledge has four categories, but this study only restricted on two knowledge, conceptual knowledge and procedural knowledge. Dimensions of cognitive processes are categorized into six kinds, namely remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating. Implementation of learning more emphasis on the role of students. Students must have their own belief in completing tasks called self-efficacy. This research is a qualitative research. This research aims to know the site of the students’ difficulty based on revised Bloom’s Taxonomy viewed from high self-efficacy. The results of the study stated the students with high self efficacy have difficulties site. They are evaluating conceptual knowledge, evaluating procedural knowledge, creating conceptual knowledge, and creating procedural knowledge. It could be the consideration of teachers in the teaching, so as to reduce the difficulties of learning in students.

Both younger and older adults have difficulty updating emotional memories.

Science.gov (United States)

Nashiro, Kaoru; Sakaki, Michiko; Huffman, Derek; Mather, Mara

2013-03-01

The main purpose of the study was to examine whether emotion impairs associative memory for previously seen items in older adults, as previously observed in younger adults. Thirty-two younger adults and 32 older adults participated. The experiment consisted of 2 parts. In Part 1, participants learned picture-object associations for negative and neutral pictures. In Part 2, they learned picture-location associations for negative and neutral pictures; half of these pictures were seen in Part 1 whereas the other half were new. The dependent measure was how many locations of negative versus neutral items in the new versus old categories participants remembered in Part 2. Both groups had more difficulty learning the locations of old negative pictures than of new negative pictures. However, this pattern was not observed for neutral items. Despite the fact that older adults showed overall decline in associative memory, the impairing effect of emotion on updating associative memory was similar between younger and older adults.

Robot Guided 'Pen Skill' Training in Children with Motor Difficulties.

Science.gov (United States)

Shire, Katy A; Hill, Liam J B; Snapp-Childs, Winona; Bingham, Geoffrey P; Kountouriotis, Georgios K; Barber, Sally; Mon-Williams, Mark

2016-01-01

Motor deficits are linked to a range of negative physical, social and academic consequences. Haptic robotic interventions, based on the principles of sensorimotor learning, have been shown previously to help children with motor problems learn new movements. We therefore examined whether the training benefits of a robotic system would generalise to a standardised test of 'pen-skills', assessed using objective kinematic measures [via the Clinical Kinematic Assessment Tool, CKAT]. A counterbalanced, cross-over design was used in a group of 51 children (37 male, aged 5-11 years) with manual control difficulties. Improved performance on a novel task using the robotic device could be attributed to the intervention but there was no evidence of generalisation to any of the CKAT tasks. The robotic system appears to have the potential to support motor learning, with the technology affording numerous advantages. However, the training regime may need to target particular manual skills (e.g. letter formation) in order to obtain clinically significant improvements in specific skills such as handwriting.

Investigating middle school students’ difficulties in mathematical literacy problems level 1 and 2

Science.gov (United States)

Setiawati, S.; Herman, T.; Jupri, A.

2017-11-01

The background of this study is the lack of mathematical literacy skills of students. The proficiency of students’ mathematical literacy skills based on the results of the PISA 2015 study shows that Indonesian students at the proficiency level 1. This fact gave rise to this study which aims to investigate middle school students’ difficulties in mathematical literacy problems level 1 and 2. Qualitative research was used in this study. An individual written test on mathematical literacy problems was administered, followed by interviews. The subjects of the study were 61 students grade VII in Bandung and 26 of them were interviewed afterward. Data analysis revealed that students’ error in performing arithmetic most frequently observed. Other observed difficulties concerned understanding about algebra concept, applying arithmetic operation in algebraic expressions, and interpreting symbols to represent the unknown. In solving mathematical literacy problems, students use their prior knowledge, although sometimes not relevant to the questions. Based on the results, we suggest that mathematics learning in contextual learning and which invites students to participate in the processes of understanding the concepts.

Curriculum Q-Learning for Visual Vocabulary Acquisition

OpenAIRE

Zaidi, Ahmed H.; Moore, Russell; Briscoe, Ted

2017-01-01

The structure of curriculum plays a vital role in our learning process, both as children and adults. Presenting material in ascending order of difficulty that also exploits prior knowledge can have a significant impact on the rate of learning. However, the notion of difficulty and prior knowledge differs from person to person. Motivated by the need for a personalised curriculum, we present a novel method of curriculum learning for vocabulary words in the form of visual prompts. We employ a re...

Enhancing Engineering Students’ Learning in an Environmental Microbiology Course

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhi Zhou

2012-08-01

Full Text Available While environmental engineering students have gained some knowledge of biogeochemical cycles and sewage treatment, most of them haven’t learned microbiology previously and usually have difficulty in learning environmental microbiology because microbiology deals with invisible living microorganisms instead of visible built environment. Many teaching techniques can be used to enhance students’ learning in microbiology courses, such as lectures, animations, videos, small-group discussions, and active learning techniques. All of these techniques have been applied in the engineering class, but the results indicate that these techniques are often inadequate for students. Learning difficulties have to be identified to enhance students’ learning.

Learning Programming Technique through Visual Programming Application as Learning Media with Fuzzy Rating

Science.gov (United States)

Buditjahjanto, I. G. P. Asto; Nurlaela, Luthfiyah; Ekohariadi; Riduwan, Mochamad

2017-01-01

Programming technique is one of the subjects at Vocational High School in Indonesia. This subject contains theory and application of programming utilizing Visual Programming. Students experience some difficulties to learn textual learning. Therefore, it is necessary to develop media as a tool to transfer learning materials. The objectives of this…

Memory Abilities in Children with Mathematical Difficulties: Comorbid Language Difficulties Matter

Science.gov (United States)

Reimann, Giselle; Gut, Janine; Frischknecht, Marie-Claire; Grob, Alexander

2013-01-01

The present study investigated cognitive abilities in children with difficulties in mathematics only (n = 48, M = 8 years and 5 months), combined mathematical and language difficulty (n = 27, M = 8 years and 1 month) and controls (n = 783, M = 7 years and 11 months). Cognitive abilities were measured with seven subtests, tapping visual perception,…

Relationship of cognitive function and adjustment difficulties among children and adolescents with dissociative disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Ranjan, Rajeev; Mehta, Manju; Sagar, Rajesh; Sarkar, Siddharth

2016-01-01

Although it has been suggested that children and adolescents with dissociative disorder have some cognitive deficits, the association of these cognitive impairments with adjustment difficulties has not been evaluated. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between cognitive functioning and adjustment difficulties in children and adolescents with dissociative disorder. This cross-sectional, descriptive assessment was carried out in the outpatient setting of child and adolescent psychiatric service in a tertiary care hospital. Fifty newly diagnosed children and adolescents with dissociative disorder were included. The cognitive functions were assessed by varied neuropsychological tests, and Bell's adjustment inventory was used for assessing various domains of adjustment. The mean age of the sample which comprised 40% males was 13.0 (±2.4) years. The mean intelligence quotient (IQ) of the sample was 90.6. Impairment in cognitive test was maximum for verbal working memory followed by sustained attention, visual learning and memory, and verbal retention and recall. Adjustment difficulties were greatest in the domains of self, followed by domains of health, school, and family. Significant association was found between the IQ and adjustment in school; visual learning and memory and adjustments in school and overall adjustment; and sustained attention and adjustment of health. Dissociative children have poor cognitive ability which may be related to poor adjustment scores.

Relationship of cognitive function and adjustment difficulties among children and adolescents with dissociative disorder

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Rajeev Ranjan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background and Aims: Although it has been suggested that children and adolescents with dissociative disorder have some cognitive deficits, the association of these cognitive impairments with adjustment difficulties has not been evaluated. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between cognitive functioning and adjustment difficulties in children and adolescents with dissociative disorder. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive assessment was carried out in the outpatient setting of child and adolescent psychiatric service in a tertiary care hospital. Fifty newly diagnosed children and adolescents with dissociative disorder were included. The cognitive functions were assessed by varied neuropsychological tests, and Bell's adjustment inventory was used for assessing various domains of adjustment. Results: The mean age of the sample which comprised 40% males was 13.0 (±2.4 years. The mean intelligence quotient (IQ of the sample was 90.6. Impairment in cognitive test was maximum for verbal working memory followed by sustained attention, visual learning and memory, and verbal retention and recall. Adjustment difficulties were greatest in the domains of self, followed by domains of health, school, and family. Significant association was found between the IQ and adjustment in school; visual learning and memory and adjustments in school and overall adjustment; and sustained attention and adjustment of health. Conclusions: Dissociative children have poor cognitive ability which may be related to poor adjustment scores.

Lifelong Learning in Architectural Design Studio: The Learning Contract Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Hassanpour, B.; Che-Ani, A. I.; Usman, I. M. S.; Johar, S.; Tawil, N. M.

2015-01-01

Avant-garde educational systems are striving to find lifelong learning methods. Different fields and majors have tested a variety of proposed models and found varying difficulties and strengths. Architecture is one of the most critical areas of education because of its special characteristics, such as learning by doing and complicated evaluation…

Nature and origins of mathematics difficulties in very preterm children: a different etiology than developmental dyscalculia.

Science.gov (United States)

Simms, Victoria; Gilmore, Camilla; Cragg, Lucy; Clayton, Sarah; Marlow, Neil; Johnson, Samantha

2015-02-01

Children born very preterm (mathematics learning difficulties that are out of proportion to other academic and cognitive deficits. However, the etiology of mathematics difficulties in very preterm children is unknown. We sought to identify the nature and origins of preterm children's mathematics difficulties. One hundred and fifteen very preterm children aged 8-10 y were assessed in school with a control group of 77 term-born classmates. Achievement in mathematics, working memory, visuospatial processing, inhibition, and processing speed were assessed using standardized tests. Numerical representations and specific mathematics skills were assessed using experimental tests. Very preterm children had significantly poorer mathematics achievement, working memory, and visuospatial skills than term-born controls. Although preterm children had poorer performance in specific mathematics skills, there was no evidence of imprecise numerical representations. Difficulties in mathematics were associated with deficits in visuospatial processing and working memory. Mathematics difficulties in very preterm children are associated with deficits in working memory and visuospatial processing not numerical representations. Thus, very preterm children's mathematics difficulties are different in nature from those of children with developmental dyscalculia. Interventions targeting general cognitive problems, rather than numerical representations, may improve very preterm children's mathematics achievement.

Supporting Teachers in Identifying Students' Learning Styles in Learning Management Systems: An Automatic Student Modelling Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Graf, Sabine; Kinshuk; Liu, Tzu-Chien

2009-01-01

In learning management systems (LMSs), teachers have more difficulties to notice and know how individual students behave and learn in a course, compared to face-to-face education. Enabling teachers to know their students' learning styles and making students aware of their own learning styles increases teachers' and students' understanding about…

Both Palatable and Unpalatable Butterflies Use Bright Colors to Signal Difficulty of Capture to Predators.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinheiro, C E G; Freitas, A V L; Campos, V C; DeVries, P J; Penz, C M

2016-04-01

Birds are able to recognize and learn to avoid attacking unpalatable, chemically defended butterflies after unpleasant experiences with them. It has also been suggested that birds learn to avoid prey that are efficient at escaping. This, however, remains poorly documented. Here, we argue that butterflies may utilize a variety of escape tactics against insectivorous birds and review evidence that birds avoid attacking butterflies that are hard to catch. We suggest that signaling difficulty of capture to predators is a widespread phenomenon in butterflies, and this ability may not be limited to palatable butterflies. The possibility that both palatable and unpalatable species signal difficulty of capture has not been fully explored, but helps explain the existence of aposematic coloration and escape mimicry in butterflies lacking defensive chemicals. This possibility may also change the role that putative Müllerian and Batesian mimics play in a variety of classical mimicry rings, thus opening new perspectives in the evolution of mimicry in butterflies.

Learning Styles Of Introvert And Extrovert Students In The English Learning Process

OpenAIRE

DEWI, KHARISMA YUNITA DEANDRA

2013-01-01

Recently, English is the first foreign language taught as a compulsorysubject in Indonesia. We mostly deal with the challenge of learning and using aforeign language, whether at school, at work or in our day-to-day life. This mightbe difficult for Indonesian EFL students to learn. The learners will get thedifficulties when they do not have appropriate learning style in their learningprocess. Therefore, in order to handle the difficulty in their learning, thosestudents must have the learning s...

Anti-Stokes effect CCD camera and SLD based optical coherence tomography for full-field imaging in the 1550nm region

Science.gov (United States)

Kredzinski, Lukasz; Connelly, Michael J.

2012-06-01

Full-field Optical coherence tomography is an en-face interferometric imaging technology capable of carrying out high resolution cross-sectional imaging of the internal microstructure of an examined specimen in a non-invasive manner. The presented system is based on competitively priced optical components available at the main optical communications band located in the 1550 nm region. It consists of a superluminescent diode and an anti-stokes imaging device. The single mode fibre coupled SLD was connected to a multi-mode fibre inserted into a mode scrambler to obtain spatially incoherent illumination, suitable for OCT wide-field modality in terms of crosstalk suppression and image enhancement. This relatively inexpensive system with moderate resolution of approximately 24um x 12um (axial x lateral) was constructed to perform a 3D cross sectional imaging of a human tooth. To our knowledge this is the first 1550 nm full-field OCT system reported.

Assessment and Intervention in Overcoming Writing Difficulties: An Illustration From the Self-Regulated Strategy Development Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Graham, Steve; Harris, Karen R

1999-07-01

The progress of a 12-year-old boy with learning disabilities and severe writing difficulties is followed from initial assessment through instruction in strategies for planning, revising, and managing the composing process. A validated instructional model, Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD), was used to teach these processes. With SRSD, writing strategies are explicitly taught in combination with procedures for regulating the use of these strategies, the writing process, and any undesirable behaviors that may impede performance. Recommendations are offered to speech-language pathologists for applying the SRSD model to children experiencing writing difficulties.

Improving readability through extractive summarization for learners with reading difficulties

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K. Nandhini

2013-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we describe the design and evaluation of extractive summarization approach to assist the learners with reading difficulties. As existing summarization approaches inherently assign more weights to the important sentences, our approach predicts the summary sentences that are important as well as readable to the target audience with good accuracy. We used supervised machine learning technique for summary extraction of science and social subjects in the educational text. Various independent features from the existing literature for predicting important sentences and proposed learner dependent features for predicting readable sentences are extracted from texts and are used for automatic classification. We performed both extrinsic and intrinsic evaluation on this approach and the intrinsic evaluation is carried out using F-measure and readability analysis. The extrinsic evaluation comprises of learner feedback using likert scale and the effect of assistive summary on improving readability for learners’ with reading difficulty using ANOVA. The results show significant improvement in readability for the target audience using assistive summary.

Aligning Needs, Expectations, and Learning Outcomes to Sustain Self-Efficacy through Transfer Learning Community Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Leptien, Jennifer R.

2015-01-01

This chapter addresses strengths and difficulties encountered in implementing transfer learning community models and how efficacy is supported through transfer learning community programming. Transfer programming best practices and recommendations for program improvements are presented.

Robot Guided 'Pen Skill' Training in Children with Motor Difficulties.

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Katy A Shire

Full Text Available Motor deficits are linked to a range of negative physical, social and academic consequences. Haptic robotic interventions, based on the principles of sensorimotor learning, have been shown previously to help children with motor problems learn new movements. We therefore examined whether the training benefits of a robotic system would generalise to a standardised test of 'pen-skills', assessed using objective kinematic measures [via the Clinical Kinematic Assessment Tool, CKAT]. A counterbalanced, cross-over design was used in a group of 51 children (37 male, aged 5-11 years with manual control difficulties. Improved performance on a novel task using the robotic device could be attributed to the intervention but there was no evidence of generalisation to any of the CKAT tasks. The robotic system appears to have the potential to support motor learning, with the technology affording numerous advantages. However, the training regime may need to target particular manual skills (e.g. letter formation in order to obtain clinically significant improvements in specific skills such as handwriting.

Student difficulties with Gauss' law

Science.gov (United States)

Kanim, Stephen

2000-09-01

Many students in introductory courses have difficulty solving Gauss' law problems. Through interviews with students and analysis of solutions to homework and examination questions we have identified some specific conceptual difficulties that often contribute to students' inability to solve quantitative Gauss' law problems. We give examples of common difficulties and discuss instructional implications.

Examining the linguistic coding differences hypothesis to explain individual differences in foreign language learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Sparks, R L

1995-01-01

In this paper, it is suggested that foreign language learning problems result from difficulties with native language learning and hypothesized that difficulties with phonological processing may be the locus of foreign language learning difficulties for some poor foreign language learners. Evidence is described that supports these positions. It is argued that conceptualizing foreign language learning problems as alanguage problem allows researchers to more clearly specify deficits related to the learning of a foreign language. Research evidence which shows that good and poor foreign language learners exhibit significantly different levels of native language skill and phonological processing is summarized. Finally, potential challenges to my hypotheses as an explanation for foreign language learning problems are reviewed.

Intrinsic Motivation of Chinese Learning in Predicting Online Learning Self-Efficacy and Flow Experience Relevant to Students' Learning Progress

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Jon-Chao; Hwang, Ming-Yueh; Tai, Kai-Hsin; Lin, Pei-Hsin

2017-01-01

Students of Southeast Asian Heritage Learning Chinese (SSAHLC) in Taiwan have frequently demonstrated difficulty with traditional Chinese (a graphical character) radical recognition due to their limited exposure to the written language form since childhood. In this study, we designed a Chinese radical learning game (CRLG), which adopted a drill…

Difficulties of bachelor of nursing students in clinical practice - teacher's perspectives

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João Longo

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This article focuses on representations of teachers about the difficulties perceived or felt by students in clinical training. This is the partial result of a study in construction process, carried out under the PhD in Educational Sciences in the area of Teacher Education. This research aims to understand the formative effect of the practice in the workplace in terms of knowledge acquisitions, development of professional knowledge and skills, and also in identity construction of teachers and students. This study is framed in the area of initial teacher education in nursing, more specifically in its practical component, and it is designed to answer the question: what are the main difficulties encountered by students in the workplace in initial nursing education? And the goal: to understand to what extent these difficulties can be constraints of learning and personal and professional development of the student. This is a study based on a qualitative approach of descriptive and interpretative nature. The sample is intentional, consisting of sixty-eight teachers of thirteen Nursing / Health High Schools in Portugal. Data collection was carried out through focus group, and their examination was performed using the thematic content analysis according to Bardin[1]. The results show, according to the teaching perspective, that the difficulties experienced by students are polarized around six main categories: the reality shock; interact with the medical monitor; the self training process; interaction with the teacher; interaction with the patient / family, and also interaction with the nursing staff.

Teacher Effectiveness in Adapting Instruction to the Needs of Pupils With Learning Difficulties in Regular Primary Schools in Ghana

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Abdul-Razak Kuyini Alhassan

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Ghana education system has failed to effectively address the needs of pupils with learning difficulties (LDs in regular classrooms. Underachievement, school dropout, streetism, and antisocial behaviors are the consequences. Teachers’ lack of adequate competence in adaptive instruction is one of the fundamental reasons responsible for this anomaly. This study aims to examine teachers’ competence in adapting instructions to teach pupils with LDs in the regular classroom in Ghana. The data were gathered from 387 sampled teachers in a cross-sectional survey using questionnaires and structured observation methods. We analyzed the data using descriptive statistic, chi-square test, correlation, t test, and ANOVA. The results show that (a teachers have limited to moderate competence in adaptive instruction, (b adaptive teaching is strongly associated with teachers’ competence in teaching pupils with LDs in the regular classroom, and (c apart from gender and class size, teachers’ background variables such as school location and teaching experience differ significantly. The study has serious implications for Ghana’s inclusive education policy and teaching practice.

A Case Study of the Common Difficulties Experienced by High School Students in Chemistry Classroom in Gilgit-Baltistan (Pakistan

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Takbir Ali

2012-05-01

Full Text Available This article reports a research study conducted with four chemistry teachers in three high schools (two government schools and one private school in Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. The study investigated questions concerning common difficulties high school (Grades 9 and 10 students experience in chemistry classroom, the possible reasons for these difficulties, and the ways in which teachers help students overcome these difficulties. A qualitative case study method was used to investigate the questions, which used in-depth interviews with teachers, classroom observation, and postobservation discussion with the teachers, as main data collection tools. The key findings of the study allude to a huge gap between what is intended in the National Curriculum in terms of students’ learning in chemistry and what actually happens in the classroom where students learn chemistry. Promoting in-depth learning appeared to be an uphill task for the teachers. The main hurdle lies in students’ inability to demonstrate a good understanding of very basic concepts of the subject. Despite faced with such a challenge, the teachers appear to be committed to teaching their subject. The implications of the results of the study are explained in the context of schools, teachers, and other educational stakeholders by emphasizing the need for synchronization and integration of efforts on the part of schools.

Children with ADHD symptoms have a higher risk for reading, spelling and math difficulties in the GINIplus and LISAplus cohort studies.

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Darina Czamara

Full Text Available Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD and dyslexia belong to the most common neuro-behavioral childhood disorders with prevalences of around 5% in school-aged children. It is estimated that 20-60% of individuals affected with ADHD also present with learning disorders. We investigated the comorbidity between ADHD symptoms and reading/spelling and math difficulties in two on-going population-based birth cohort studies. Children with ADHD symptoms were at significantly higher risk of also showing reading/spelling difficulties or disorder (Odds Ratio (OR = 2.80, p = 6.59×10⁻¹³ as compared to children without ADHD symptoms. For math difficulties the association was similar (OR = 2.55, p = 3.63×10⁻⁰⁴. Our results strengthen the hypothesis that ADHD and learning disorders are comorbid and share, at least partially, the same underlying process. Up to date, it is not clear, on which exact functional processes this comorbidity is based.

Residents in difficulty

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Mette Krogh; O'Neill, Lotte; Hansen, Dorthe Høgh

2016-01-01

Background The majority of studies on prevalence and characteristics of residents in difficulty have been conducted in English-speaking countries and the existing literature may not reflect the prevalence and characteristics of residents in difficulty in other parts of the world such as the Scand...... in a healthcare system. From our perspective, further sociological and pedagogical investigations in educational cultures across settings and specialties could inform our understanding of and knowledge about pitfalls in residents’ and doctors’ socialization into the healthcare system....

Responding to the Needs of Students with Mental Health Difficulties in Higher Education: An Irish Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Esther

2017-01-01

This article presents findings from a recent national study supported by Association for Higher Education Access & Disability and the National Learning Network (2016) to investigate the experiences of students with mental health difficulties in higher education in Ireland. The data investigation was a combination of both survey and qualitative…

Cultivating collaborative improvement: an action learning approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Middel, H.G.A.; McNichols, Timothy

2006-01-01

The process of implementing collaborative initiatives across disparate members of supply networks is fraught with difficulties. One approach designed to tackle the difficulties of organisational change and interorganisational improvement in practice is 'action learning'. This paper examines the

Adolescent Bullying and Sleep Difficulties

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Simon C. Hunter

2014-11-01

Full Text Available This study evaluated whether adolescents who report having been bullied, being bullies, or report both being a bully and being bullied experience more sleep difficulties than children uninvolved in bullying. The study drew upon cognitive theories of insomnia, investigating whether the extent to which young people report worrying about bullying can moderate associations between victimization and sleep difficulties. Participants were 5420 adolescents who completed a self-report questionnaire. Pure Victims (OR = 1.72, 95% CI [1.07, 2.75], Pure Bullies (OR = 1.80, 95% CI [1.16, 2.81], and Bully-Victims (OR = 2.90, 95% CI [1.17, 4.92] were all more likely to experience sleep difficulties when compared to uninvolved young people. The extent to which young people reported worrying about being bullied did not moderate the links between victimization and sleep difficulties. In this way, bullying is clearly related to sleep difficulties among adolescents but the conceptual reach of the cognitive model of insomnia in this domain is questioned.

Protocol for Targeted School-Based Interventions for Improving Reading and Mathematics for Students With or At-Risk of Academic Difficulties in Grade 7 to 12

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dietrichson, Jens; Bøg, Martin; Filges, Trine

2016-01-01

This systematic review will examine the effects of targeted interventions to students with or at-risk of academic difficulties in grades 7 to 12 on standardized tests in reading and mathematics. We will examine interventions such as for example tutoring, cooperative learning, computer-assisted in......This systematic review will examine the effects of targeted interventions to students with or at-risk of academic difficulties in grades 7 to 12 on standardized tests in reading and mathematics. We will examine interventions such as for example tutoring, cooperative learning, computer...

Figurative Idiomatic Language: Strategies and Difficulties of Understanding English Idioms

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Nisreen Al-Khawaldeh

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Learning idioms which is considered a very essential part of learning and using language (Sridhar and Karunakaran, 2013 has recently attracted a great attention of English learning researchers particularly the assessment of how well Asian language learners acquire and use idioms in communication (Tran, 2013. Understanding and using them fluently could be viewed as a sign towards language proficiency as they could be an effective way to give students better conditions to enhance their communication skills in the daily context (Beloussova, 2015. Investigating how idiomatic expressions are dealt with and processed in a second language or foreign language is an issue worth examining further since it may give language teachers a better idea of some of the strategies language learners use in order to interpret figurative language. Despite their importance, learning and using English idioms by Arab EFL learners have not been investigated extensively, and no research has been conducted on Jordanian students’ idiomatic competency. Thus, the researcher decided to work on these un-tackled issues in the Jordanian context. Most idioms-based investigations are the difficulties Jordanians learners of English face when translating them into Arabic (Hussein, Khanji, and Makhzoumi, 2000; Bataineh and Bataineh, 2002; Alrishan and Smadi, 2015. The analysis of the test showed students’ very poor idiomatic competence; particularly a very limited awareness of the most frequently used idioms despite their overwhelming desire to learn them. Data analysis of the questionnaire revealed the strategies students use and the problems they face in understanding and learning idioms.

The consequences of language proficiency and difficulty of lexical access for translation performance and priming.

Science.gov (United States)

Francis, Wendy S; Tokowicz, Natasha; Kroll, Judith F

2014-01-01

Repetition priming was used to assess how proficiency and the ease or difficulty of lexical access influence bilingual translation. Two experiments, conducted at different universities with different Spanish-English bilingual populations and materials, showed repetition priming in word translation for same-direction and different-direction repetitions. Experiment 1, conducted in an English-dominant environment, revealed an effect of translation direction but not of direction match, whereas Experiment 2, conducted in a more balanced bilingual environment, showed an effect of direction match but not of translation direction. A combined analysis on the items common to both studies revealed that bilingual proficiency was negatively associated with response time (RT), priming, and the degree of translation asymmetry in RTs and priming. An item analysis showed that item difficulty was positively associated with RTs, priming, and the benefit of same-direction over different-direction repetition. Thus, although both participant accuracy and item accuracy are indices of learning, they have distinct effects on translation RTs and on the learning that is captured by the repetition-priming paradigm.

Uncovering Portuguese teachers’ difficulties in implementing sciences curriculum

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Clara Vasconcelos

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Many countries recognize the positive and effective results of improving science education through the introduction of reforms in the sciences curriculum. However, some important issues are generally neglected like, for example, the involvement of the teachers in the reform process. Taking the sciences curriculum reform under analysis and benefitting from 10 years of teachers’ experiences in teaching sciences based on this curriculum, 19 semi-structure interviews were applied so as to identify the major difficulties felt by science teachers when implementing the Portuguese sciences curriculum in the third cycle of middle school (pupils’ age range of 12–15. Some of the difficulties depicted by the data analysis include: length of the curriculum, lack of time, unsuitable laboratory facilities, insufficient means and materials for experimental work, pupils’ indiscipline and little interest in learning sciences. Although less frequently mentioned, the lack of professional development was also referred to as a constraint that seems to play an essential role in this process. Some recommendations for improving the success of sciences curriculum reforms’ implementation are given: defining and conceptualizing curricular policies by relating the reality of both the schools and the science classrooms; reorganizing and restructuring pre-service teachers’ courses; organizing professional development courses for in-service teachers.

Working with the Oglala Lakota: An Outsider's Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Broken Nose, Mary Ann

1992-01-01

Explores how difficult it is for a non-Indian to obtain an accurate view of American Indians. Helping professionals are not immune; they also have absorbed the views of the dominant culture. The author's work with the Oglala Lakota people of South Dakota illustrates the difficulties that therapists face. (SLD)

Walkability Index

Science.gov (United States)

The Walkability Index dataset characterizes every Census 2010 block group in the U.S. based on its relative walkability. Walkability depends upon characteristics of the built environment that influence the likelihood of walking being used as a mode of travel. The Walkability Index is based on the EPA's previous data product, the Smart Location Database (SLD). Block group data from the SLD was the only input into the Walkability Index, and consisted of four variables from the SLD weighted in a formula to create the new Walkability Index. This dataset shares the SLD's block group boundary definitions from Census 2010. The methodology describing the process of creating the Walkability Index can be found in the documents located at ftp://newftp.epa.gov/EPADataCommons/OP/WalkabilityIndex.zip. You can also learn more about the Smart Location Database at https://edg.epa.gov/data/Public/OP/Smart_Location_DB_v02b.zip.

An Investigation of Difficulties Experienced by Students Developing Unified Modelling Language (UML) Class and Sequence Diagrams

Science.gov (United States)

Sien, Ven Yu

2011-01-01

Object-oriented analysis and design (OOAD) is not an easy subject to learn. There are many challenges confronting students when studying OOAD. Students have particular difficulty abstracting real-world problems within the context of OOAD. They are unable to effectively build object-oriented (OO) models from the problem domain because they…

Working Memory Updating Training Improves Mathematics Performance in Middle School Students With Learning Difficulties.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hongxia; Chang, Lei; Chen, Xiaoying; Ma, Liang; Zhou, Renlai

2018-01-01

Working memory (WM) deficit is considered the key cause of learning difficulties (LDs). Studies have shown that WM is plastic and thus can be improved through training. This positive effect is transferable to fluid intelligence and academic performance. This study investigated whether WM updating ability and academic performance in children with LDs could be improved through WM updating training and explored the effects of this training on the children's brain activity. We used a running memory task lasting approximately 40 min per day for 28 days to train a group of 23 children with LDs (TLDs group). We also selected two control groups of 22 children with LDs (CLDs group) and 20 children without LDs (normal control [NC] group). The behavioral results of a pretest indicated that WM updating ability and academic performance in the TLDs and CLDs groups were significantly lower than those in the NC group before training. Compared with the CLDs group, the TLDs group exhibited significant performance improvement in a 2-back WM task, as well as in mathematical ability. Event-related potentials (ERPs) results suggested that the amplitudes of N160 (representative of visual recognition) and P300 (representative of updating processing, which is a valid index for updating WM) in the TLDs and CLDs groups were markedly lower than those in the NC group before training. In the TLDs group, these two components increased considerably after training, approaching levels similar to those in the NC group. The results of this study suggest that WM updating training can improve WM updating ability in children with LDs and the training effect can transfer to mathematical performance in such children. Furthermore, the participants' brain activity levels can exhibit positive changes. This article provides experimental evidence that WM updating training could mitigate the symptoms of LDs to a certain degree.

A Measurement of the Parity Violating Parameter Ab with a Muon Tag at the SLD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bellodi, Giulia

2001-02-12

We present a direct measurement of the parity violation parameter A{sub b}, derived from the left-right forward-backward asymmetry of b quarks tagged via muons from semileptonic decays. The value of A{sub b} is extracted using a maximum likelihood fit to the differential cross section for fermion production. The novelty of this measurement consists in the use of topological vertexing information alongside the more traditional decay kinematics to discriminate among the different sources of tagged leptons. The small and stable SLC beam spot and the CCD based vertex detector are used to reconstruct secondary decay vertices and to provide precise kinematic information and a highly efficient and pure B mass tag. A multivariate approach has been used, with a total of 4 tagging variables, whose correlation with each other has been taken into account. The final result has been cross-checked both with a classical cut-and-count method and combining all the information into a neural net. Based on the full SLD dataset of 550K Z{sup 0} events with highly polarized electron beams, this measurement represents an improvement of a factor of 2 with respect to the previously published result (1993-1995 only and with no vertexing information). The statistical sensitivity achieved is around 4% for A{sub b}, making this a world-class single measurement. An estimate of A{sub c} has been simultaneously derived from a common fit, with a precision of about 10%.

Measuring Difficulty in English-Chinese Translation: Towards a General Model of Translation Difficulty

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Sanjun

2012-01-01

Accurate assessment of a text's level of translation difficulty is critical for translator training and accreditation, translation research, and the language industry as well. Traditionally, people rely on their general impression to gauge a text's translation difficulty level. If the evaluation process is to be more effective and the…

Energy taxation difficulties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Landsberg, H.H.

1993-01-01

This paper assesses what may be the underlying reasons for the Clinton administration's recent failure to pass the Btu Tax on energy sources and the current difficulties that this Administration is experiencing in acquiring nation wide consensus on a gasoline tax proposal. Two difficulties stand out - regional differences in climate and thus winter heating requirements, and the differences from state to state in transportation system preferences. The paper cites the positive aspects of energy taxation by noting the petroleum industry's efforts to develop a new less polluting reformulated gasoline

ICTs and Music in Special Learning Disabilities

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Athanasios Drigas

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Τhis study is a critical review of published scientific literature on the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT, Virtual Reality, multimedia, music and their applications in children with special learning difficulties.  Technology and music are two factors that are recognized as tools which ensure quality of life, success and access to knowledge and learning resources. In the following papers of the last decade (2006-2015 are proposed models of music therapy for students with special learning difficulties in a psycho educational setting. There are also defined future research perspectives concerning the applications of technology in this particular research field.

Introduction to machine learning

OpenAIRE

Baştanlar, Yalın; Özuysal, Mustafa

2014-01-01

The machine learning field, which can be briefly defined as enabling computers make successful predictions using past experiences, has exhibited an impressive development recently with the help of the rapid increase in the storage capacity and processing power of computers. Together with many other disciplines, machine learning methods have been widely employed in bioinformatics. The difficulties and cost of biological analyses have led to the development of sophisticated machine learning app...

What Are the Symptoms of Learning Disabilities?

Science.gov (United States)

... What are common indicators? Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print What are the indicators of learning disabilities? Many children have difficulty with reading, writing, or other learning-related tasks at some point, ...

Challenges and Difficulties to Teaching Engineering to Generation Z: a case research

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Suamit Correia Barreiro

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Many people from generation Z are at the beginning of their academic activities. This generation has peculiar characteristics that might be a challenge in the labor market. Thus, instructors have a great role in their preparation. However, professors might face difficulties dealing with their specific characteristics. The research aims to carry out a general survey to enable an understanding of the greater challenges and difficulties in teaching the subject of engineering to the students of Generation Z. The research method used was a case study at a University with 20 instructors from the Faculty of Engineering. The analysis revealed a great challenge in relating theoretical concepts with practical concepts. The research also showed a probable tendency of using more exhibition methods, and the low knowledge about generation Z by most instructors. This study seeks to contribute to the teaching-learning process of engineering.

Stereotype threat in classroom settings: the interactive effect of domain identification, task difficulty and stereotype threat on female students' maths performance.

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Keller, Johannes

2007-06-01

Stereotype threat research revealed that negative stereotypes can disrupt the performance of persons targeted by such stereotypes. This paper contributes to stereotype threat research by providing evidence that domain identification and the difficulty level of test items moderate stereotype threat effects on female students' maths performance. The study was designed to test theoretical ideas derived from stereotype threat theory and assumptions outlined in the Yerkes-Dodson law proposing a nonlinear relationship between arousal, task difficulty and performance. Participants were 108 high school students attending secondary schools. Participants worked on a test comprising maths problems of different difficulty levels. Half of the participants learned that the test had been shown to produce gender differences (stereotype threat). The other half learned that the test had been shown not to produce gender differences (no threat). The degree to which participants identify with the domain of maths was included as a quasi-experimental factor. Maths-identified female students showed performance decrements under conditions of stereotype threat. Moreover, the stereotype threat manipulation had different effects on low and high domain identifiers' performance depending on test item difficulty. On difficult items, low identifiers showed higher performance under threat (vs. no threat) whereas the reverse was true in high identifiers. This interaction effect did not emerge on easy items. Domain identification and test item difficulty are two important factors that need to be considered in the attempt to understand the impact of stereotype threat on performance.

Modern Languages and Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD): Implications of Teaching Adult Learners with Dyslexia in Distance Learning

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Gallardo, Matilde; Heiser, Sarah; Arias McLaughlin, Ximena

2015-01-01

In modern language (ML) distance learning programmes, teachers and students use online tools to facilitate, reinforce and support independent learning. This makes it essential for teachers to develop pedagogical expertise in using online communication tools to perform their role. Teachers frequently raise questions of how best to support the needs…

Doing Dissections Differently: A Structured, Peer-Assisted Learning Approach to Maximizing Learning in Dissections

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Hall, Emma R.; Davis, Rachel C.; Weller, Renate; Powney, Sonya; Williams, Sarah B.

2013-01-01

Areas of difficulty faced by our veterinary medicine students, with respect to their learning in dissection classes, were identified. These challenges were both general adult-learning related and specific to the discipline of anatomy. Our aim was to design, implement, and evaluate a modified reciprocal peer-assisted/team-based learning…

A study of first-year students’ adaptation difficulties as the basis to promote their personal development in university education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aleksandr A. Orlov

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background. The relevance of the paper is determined by the study of types, structure of adaptive difficulties and their impact on the student’s personal development in the process of professionalization in the university. Objective. To examine the psychological characteristics of difficulties that arise in the process of students’ adaptation to university instruction. Design. The authors divide the difficulty in adaptation into four categories: motivational, communicational, cognitive, and regulatory. For each category, the authors offer pedagogical technologies that promote the personal development of students on the basis of their prevailing difficulties. Results. Motivational difficulties are related to poor cognitive motivation, poor motivation to master a profession. Communication difficulties are attributed by the authors to poor communication skills. Cognitive difficulties are defined by insufficient general learning skills and a poor capacity for reflection and self-esteem. The source of regulatory difficulties is a lack of self-organization skills and poor self-control. Conclusion. Correlation analysis confirmed that there are significant connections between, on the one hand, students’ adaptability to the educational process and to their study group, and on the other, the investigated parameters that show their motivational, communicative, cognitive, and regulatory difficulties. Using cluster analysis of the empirical data, the authors identified four main student subgroups with different graphic profiles reflecting their personal difficulties in adaptation to university education; their psychological characteristics are given. Analysis of these difficulties has allowed the authors to offer an optimal psychological and educational strategy for the interactions of each of the subgroups, to optimize their personal development in the educational process.

Desempenho de escolares com e sem dificuldades de aprendizagem de ensino particular em habilidade fonológica, nomeação rápida, leitura e escrita Performance of students with and without learning difficulties in phonological awareness, rapid naming, reading and writing from the private education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simone Aparecida Capellini

2009-01-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVOS: caracterizar e comparar o desempenho de escolares com e sem dificuldades de aprendizagem no ensino particular em habilidades fonológicas, nomeação rápida, leitura e escrita. MÉTODOS: participaram desse estudo 60 escolares de 2ª a 4ª séries de escola de ensino particular, distribuídos em 6 grupos, sendo cada grupo composto por 10 escolares, sendo 3 grupos de escolares com dificuldades de aprendizagem e 3 grupos de escolares sem dificuldades de aprendizagem. Como procedimentos, foram realizadas a prova de nomeação automática rápida, a de consciência fonológica e a prova de leitura oral e escrita sob ditado. RESULTADOS: os resultados desse estudo evidenciaram desempenho superior dos escolares sem dificuldades de aprendizagem em relação àqueles com dificuldades. Os escolares com dificuldades de aprendizagem apresentaram maior relação velocidade/tempo em tarefas de nomeação e, conseqüentemente, desempenho inferior em tarefas de consciência fonológica e leitura e escrita de palavras isoladas quando comparados aos sem dificuldades de aprendizagem. CONCLUSÃO: os escolares com dificuldades de aprendizagem apresentaram comprometimento na relação entre as capacidades de nomeação e automatização dos estímulos apresentados com a capacidade de acesso lexical, discriminação visual, freqüência de uso dos estímulos e competição para a apresentação do menor tempo possível na nomeação dos códigos necessários para o estabelecimento do mecanismo de conversão fonema-grafema, exigido para a realização da leitura e escrita em um sistema alfabético como o português.PURPOSE: characterizing and comparing the performance of students with and without learning difficulties from the private education in phonological awareness, rapid naming, reading and writing. METHODS: sixty private students from 2nd to 4th grade participated, distributed into 6 groups - each one was composed of 10 students being 3 groups of

Novel-word learning deficits in Mandarin-speaking preschool children with specific language impairments.

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Chen, Yuchun; Liu, Huei-Mei

2014-01-01

Children with SLI exhibit overall deficits in novel word learning compared to their age-matched peers. However, the manifestation of the word learning difficulty in SLI was not consistent across tasks and the factors affecting the learning performance were not yet determined. Our aim is to examine the extent of word learning difficulties in Mandarin-speaking preschool children with SLI, and to explore the potent influence of existing lexical knowledge on to the word learning process. Preschool children with SLI (n=37) and typical language development (n=33) were exposed to novel words for unfamiliar objects embedded in stories. Word learning tasks including the initial mapping and short-term repetitive learning were designed. Results revealed that Mandarin-speaking preschool children with SLI performed as well as their age-peers in the initial form-meaning mapping task. Their word learning difficulty was only evidently shown in the short-term repetitive learning task under a production demand, and their learning speed was slower than the control group. Children with SLI learned the novel words with a semantic head better in both the initial mapping and repetitive learning tasks. Moderate correlations between stand word learning performances and scores on standardized vocabulary were found after controlling for children's age and nonverbal IQ. The results suggested that the word learning difficulty in children with SLI occurred in the process of establishing a robust phonological representation at the beginning stage of word learning. Also, implicit compound knowledge is applied to aid word learning process for children with and without SLI. We also provide the empirical data to validate the relationship between preschool children's word learning performance and their existing receptive vocabulary ability. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Pre-Service Science Teachers' Mental Models for Concept of Atoms and Learning Difficulties

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Kiray, Seyit Ahmet

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to reveal the pre-service science teachers' difficulties about the concept of atoms. The data was collected from two different sources: The Draw an Atom Test (DAAT) and face-to-face interviews. Draw an atom test (DAAT) were administered to the 142 science teacher candidates. To elaborate the results, the researcher…

Developing Goals and Objectives for Gameplay and Learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Weitze, Charlotte Lærke

2014-01-01

This chapter introduces goals in games and then potential differences between learning goals and goalsin games, as well as the difficulties that may occur when implementing learning goals in games....

Workplace bullying and sleep difficulties

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Åse Marie; Hogh, Annie; Garde, Anne Helene

2014-01-01

PURPOSE: The aims of the present study were to investigate whether being subjected to bullying and witnessing bullying at the workplace was associated with concurrent sleep difficulties, whether frequently bullied/witnesses have more sleep difficulties than occasionally bullied....../witnesses, and whether there were associations between being subjected to bullying or witnessing bullying at the workplace and subsequent sleep difficulties. METHODS: A total of 3,382 respondents (67 % women and 33 % men) completed a baseline questionnaire about their psychosocial work environment and health....... The overall response rate was 46 %. At follow-up 2 years later, 1671 of those responded to a second questionnaire (49 % of the 3,382 respondents at baseline). Sleep difficulties were measured in terms of disturbed sleep, awakening problems, and poor quality of sleep. RESULTS: Bullied persons and witnesses...

Inspiring a Life Full of Learning

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Ludlam, John

2012-01-01

The Secrets and Words films had everything one would expect from a BBC drama--great writing, acting and directing allied with high production values. But the dramas were also powerful learning tools, co-commissioned by BBC Learning and aimed at inspiring people who have difficulty with reading and writing to seek help. The BBC's learning vision is…

Implicit visual learning and the expression of learning.

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Haider, Hilde; Eberhardt, Katharina; Kunde, Alexander; Rose, Michael

2013-03-01

Although the existence of implicit motor learning is now widely accepted, the findings concerning perceptual implicit learning are ambiguous. Some researchers have observed perceptual learning whereas other authors have not. The review of the literature provides different reasons to explain this ambiguous picture, such as differences in the underlying learning processes, selective attention, or differences in the difficulty to express this knowledge. In three experiments, we investigated implicit visual learning within the original serial reaction time task. We used different response devices (keyboard vs. mouse) in order to manipulate selective attention towards response dimensions. Results showed that visual and motor sequence learning differed in terms of RT-benefits, but not in terms of the amount of knowledge assessed after training. Furthermore, visual sequence learning was modulated by selective attention. However, the findings of all three experiments suggest that selective attention did not alter implicit but rather explicit learning processes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Public Computer Assisted Learning Facilities for Children with Visual Impairment: Universal Design for Inclusive Learning

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Siu, Kin Wai Michael; Lam, Mei Seung

2012-01-01

Although computer assisted learning (CAL) is becoming increasingly popular, people with visual impairment face greater difficulty in accessing computer-assisted learning facilities. This is primarily because most of the current CAL facilities are not visually impaired friendly. People with visual impairment also do not normally have access to…

The Role of Self-Assessment in Foundation of Mathematics Learning

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Masriyah

2018-01-01

This research is motivated by the low performance of students who took Foundations of Mathematics course. This study was aimed to describe (1) the learning outcomes of students who learned Mathematics Foundation after learning axiomatic applying self-assessment; (2) the difficulty of students and the alternative solutions; and (3) the response of students toward Foundation of Mathematics learning taught by applying self-assessment. This research was a descriptive research. The subjects were 25 mathematics students who studied Foundation of Mathematics in odd semester of the 2015/2016 academic year. Data collection was done using questionnaires, and testing methods. Based on the results of data analysis, it can be concluded that the learning outcomes of students were categorized as “good.” Student responses were positive; the difficulties lied in the sub material: Classification of Axiom Systems and the requirements, Theorem and how the formation, and finite geometry. The alternatives deal with these difficulties are to give emphasis and explanation as needed on these materials, as well as provide some more exercises to reinforce their understanding.

Blink activity and task difficulty.

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Tanaka, Y; Yamaoka, K

1993-08-01

This study investigated the relationship between task difficulty and blink activity, which includes blink rate, blink amplitude, and blink duration. Two kinds of tasks established two levels of difficulty. In Exp. 1, a mental arithmetic task was used to examine the relationship. Analysis showed that blink rate for a difficult task was significantly higher than that for an easier one. In Exp. 2, a letter-search task (hiragana Japanese alphabet) was used while the other conditions were the same as those in Exp. 1; however, the results of this experiment were not influenced by the difficulty of the task. As results indicate that blink rate is related to not only difficulty but also the nature of the task, the nature of the task is probably dependent on a mechanism in information processing. The results for blink amplitude and blink duration showed no systematic change during either experiment.

Inclusive Education for Children with Specific Learning Difficulties: Analysis of Opportunities and Barriers in Inclusive Education in Slovenia

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Marija Kavkler

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Inclusive education allows for universal inclusion, participation and achievement of all children, including children with specific learning difficulties (SpLD. Children with SpLD form a heterogeneous group with diverse cognitive deficits, special educational needs (SEN and strengths, and have a legislated right to the continuum of both assistance and support programmes. Although their intellectual capacity is average or above average, their learning achievements in some learning domains are modest, and they are poorly integrated into their social environment, which often results in their discrimination. Barriers and opportunities in the area of SpLD were analysed with the aid of Ball’s model (1994, with factors and conditions being analysed within the contexts of policy influence, text production and practice. The contexts of policy influence and text production provide the basic conditions for the in clusive education of children with SpLD. The context of influence on in clusive policy for children with SpLD represents a systematic approach to policy initiation and to the prerequisites for its implementation in practice. The context of policy text production focuses on professionals and their impact on the enactment of the rights of children with severe SpLD. The context of practice concerns barriers and opportunities for implementing inclusion in practice. Early identification and diagnosis of pupils’ strengths, deficits and SEN, together with intensified treatment corresponding to the SEN of children with SpLD, could significantly influence the efficiency of the educational process. Barriers, primarily of an immaterial nature, are mainly encountered in those schools that do not implement the five-tier Response to Intervention (RTI approach. This approach enables children with SpLD a continuum of team-based diagnostic evaluation, effective adaptations and assistance. The main reasons for the unfavourable situation concern education

The Motive--Strategy Congruence Model Revisited.

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Watkins, David; Hattie, John

1992-01-01

Research with 1,266 Australian secondary school students supports 2 propositions critical to the motive-strategy congruence model of J. B. Biggs (1985). Students tend to use learning strategies congruent with motivation for learning, and congruent motive-strategy combinations are associated with higher average school grades. (SLD)

Underachievers' Cognitive and Behavioral Strategies--Self-Handicapping at School.

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Nurmi, Jari-Erik; And Others

1995-01-01

Two studies with a total of 153 junior and senior high-school students and vocational students in Finland investigated whether underachievers applied a self-handicapping or learned-helplessness strategy in achievement contexts. Underachievers seemed to apply a self-handicapping strategy rather than a learned-helplessness approach. (SLD)

Selecting Learning Tasks: Effects of Adaptation and Shared Control on Learning Efficiency and Task Involvement

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Corbalan, Gemma; Kester, Liesbeth; van Merrienboer, Jeroen J. G.

2008-01-01

Complex skill acquisition by performing authentic learning tasks is constrained by limited working memory capacity [Baddeley, A. D. (1992). Working memory. "Science, 255", 556-559]. To prevent cognitive overload, task difficulty and support of each newly selected learning task can be adapted to the learner's competence level and perceived task…

Researches on Learning Disabilities--Where Are We?

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Raja, B. William Dharma; Kumar, S. Praveen

2011-01-01

This article focusses on the review of research studies done on the area of learning disabilities and the need to conduct more research studies in this area. School children are seen to have different types of learning difficulties with regard to academics. Children with learning disability, who occupy the largest number receiving special…

Does Cognitive Strategy Training on Word Problems Compensate for Working Memory Capacity in Children with Math Difficulties?

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Swanson, H. Lee

2014-01-01

Cognitive strategies are important tools for children with math difficulties (MD) in learning to solve word problems. The effectiveness of strategy training, however, depends on working memory capacity (WMC). Thus, children with MD but with relatively higher WMC are more likely to benefit from strategy training, whereas children with lower WMC may…

Feature selection for domain knowledge representation through multitask learning

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Rosman, Benjamin S

2014-10-01

Full Text Available represent stimuli of interest, and rich feature sets which increase the dimensionality of the space and thus the difficulty of the learning problem. We focus on a multitask reinforcement learning setting, where the agent is learning domain knowledge...

Statistical Learning in Specific Language Impairment and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-Analysis

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Rita Obeid

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Impairments in statistical learning might be a common deficit among individuals with Specific Language Impairment (SLI and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD. Using meta-analysis, we examined statistical learning in SLI (14 studies, 15 comparisons and ASD (13 studies, 20 comparisons to evaluate this hypothesis. Effect sizes were examined as a function of diagnosis across multiple statistical learning tasks (Serial Reaction Time, Contextual Cueing, Artificial Grammar Learning, Speech Stream, Observational Learning, Probabilistic Classification. Individuals with SLI showed deficits in statistical learning relative to age-matched controls g = .47, 95% CI [.28, .66], p < .001. In contrast, statistical learning was intact in individuals with ASD relative to controls, g = –.13, 95% CI [–.34, .08], p = .22. Effect sizes did not vary as a function of task modality or participant age. Our findings inform debates about overlapping social-communicative difficulties in children with SLI and ASD by suggesting distinct underlying mechanisms. In line with the procedural deficit hypothesis (Ullman & Pierpont, 2005, impaired statistical learning may account for phonological and syntactic difficulties associated with SLI. In contrast, impaired statistical learning fails to account for the social-pragmatic difficulties associated with ASD.

The Effects of a Growth Mindset Intervention on the Beliefs about Intelligence, Effort Beliefs, Achievement Goal Orientations, and Academic Self-Efficacy of LD Students with Reading Difficulties

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Baldridge, Mary Caufield

2010-01-01

The overall purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a "growth mindset" intervention on the beliefs about intelligence, effort beliefs, achievement goals, and academic self-efficacy of learning disabled (LD) students with reading difficulties. The treatment group consisted of 12 high school LD students with reading difficulties. This…

Inducing omnipotence or powerlessness in learners with developmental and attention difficulties through structuring technologies. Accepted for publication in EAI Special Issue (Eds. Eva Brooks)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Voldborg, Hanne; Sorensen, Elsebeth Korsgaard

2017-01-01

at school? Using this lens, the authors examine, to what extent technology may assist teachers to create more ideal learning environments by reducing the threat for these learners and enable them to participate in learning. Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs), digital templates, timers and calendars......, become aware and understand their own role in the classroom. This paper suggests technologies for structuring and overviewing as basic assistive tools for equalizing the learning possibilities for learners with developmental and attention difficulties in an inclusive school setting....

Rule learning in autism: the role of reward type and social context.

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Jones, E J H; Webb, S J; Estes, A; Dawson, G

2013-01-01

Learning abstract rules is central to social and cognitive development. Across two experiments, we used Delayed Non-Matching to Sample tasks to characterize the longitudinal development and nature of rule-learning impairments in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Results showed that children with ASD consistently experienced more difficulty learning an abstract rule from a discrete physical reward than children with DD. Rule learning was facilitated by the provision of more concrete reinforcement, suggesting an underlying difficulty in forming conceptual connections. Learning abstract rules about social stimuli remained challenging through late childhood, indicating the importance of testing executive functions in both social and non-social contexts.

Mastoidectomy: anatomical parameters x surgical difficulty

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Pereira Júnior, Anastácio Rodrigues

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The lowered temporal meninges and/ or anterior sigmoid sinus are contiditions that can determine surgical difficulties in performing mastoidectomy. Objective: To correlate in the tomography the extent of the prolapse of the sigmoid sinus and of temporal meninges with the surgical difficulty in the mastoidectomy. Method: The tomographic measurements of prolapse sigmoid and of temporal meninges were correlated with the presence or non-presence of the surgical difficulty observed during the mastoidectomy procedure in patients with ostomatoiditis chronic (n=30. Form of study: Contemporary cohort transverse. Results: In 10 patients were observed surgical difficulty distributed as: due to prolapse of the sigmoid sinus (n = 2 or temporal meninges prolapse (n = 7 or both (n = 1. In patients in which the surgical difficulty was due to sigmoid sinus prolapse, the tomography distance of the anterior border of the sigmoid sinus to posterior wall of external auditory canal was lower than 9 mm. In patients in which surgical difficulty was due to temporal meninges prolapse, the tomographic distance to the upper plane of the petrous bone was 7 mm. Conclusion: The computerized tomography distance between the temporal meninges and the upper plane of the petrous bone 7 mm and the distance of the anterior border of the sigmoid sinus to posterior wall of external auditory canal was lower than 9 mm are predictive to the surgical difficulties to perform mastoidectomy.

Conservation Abilities, Visuospatial Skills, and Numerosity Processing Speed: Association With Math Achievement and Math Difficulties in Elementary School Children.

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Lambert, Katharina; Spinath, Birgit

The aim of the present study was to investigate the associations between elementary school children's mathematical achievement and their conservation abilities, visuospatial skills, and numerosity processing speed. We also assessed differences in these abilities between children with different types of learning problems. In Study 1 ( N = 229), we investigated second to fourth graders and in Study 2 ( N = 120), third and fourth graders. Analyses revealed significant contributions of numerosity processing speed and visuospatial skills to math achievement beyond IQ. Conservation abilities were predictive in Study 1 only. Children with math difficulties showed lower visuospatial skills and conservation abilities than children with typical achievement levels and children with reading and/or spelling difficulties, whereas children with combined difficulties explicitly showed low conservation abilities. These findings provide further evidence for the relations between children's math skills and their visuospatial skills, conservation abilities, and processing speed and contribute to the understanding of deficits that are specific to mathematical difficulties.

The Answering Process for Multiple-Choice Questions in Collaborative Learning: A Mathematical Learning Model Analysis

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Nakamura, Yasuyuki; Nishi, Shinnosuke; Muramatsu, Yuta; Yasutake, Koichi; Yamakawa, Osamu; Tagawa, Takahiro

2014-01-01

In this paper, we introduce a mathematical model for collaborative learning and the answering process for multiple-choice questions. The collaborative learning model is inspired by the Ising spin model and the model for answering multiple-choice questions is based on their difficulty level. An intensive simulation study predicts the possibility of…

Russian language for Persian learners A research on the difficulties of learning motion verbs of

OpenAIRE

ایزانلو ایزانلو

2009-01-01

Since motion verbs of Russian language is one of those complex issues in Russian language syntax, Iranian students who are learning Russian language face problems when learning this grammatical category. These problems in learning appear in two stages. a)The stage of learning and understanding the meaning of these verbs in the Russian language itself; b) The stage of transition of these verbs from Russian language into Persian language when translating texts into Persian. It seems that the di...

Hipatia: a hypermedia learning environment in mathematics

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Marisol Cueli

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Literature revealed the benefits of different instruments for the development of mathematical competence, problem solving, self-regulated learning, affective-motivational aspects and intervention in students with specific difficulties in mathematics. However, no one tool combined all these variables. The aim of this study is to present and describe the design and development of a hypermedia tool, Hipatia. Hypermedia environments are, by definición, adaptive learning systems, which are usually a web-based application program that provide a personalized learning environment. This paper describes the principles on which Hipatia is based as well as a review of available technologies developed in different academic subjects. Hipatia was created to boost self-regulated learning, develop specific math skills, and promote effective problem solving. It was targeted toward fifth and sixth grade students with and without learning difficulties in mathematics. After the development of the tool, we concluded that it aligned well with the logic underlying the principles of self-regulated learning. Future research is needed to test the efficacy of Hipatia with an empirical methodology.

The Role of Parenting for the Adjustment of Children with and without Learning Disabilities: A Person-Oriented Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Barkauskiene, Rasa

2009-01-01

A person-oriented approach was used to examine the role of parenting in the associations between single learning disabilities and multiple learning disabilities and the adjustment difficulties in 8-11-year-olds. The results revealed that multiple, but not single, learning disabilities were associated with greater difficulties in emotional and…

Student Modeling and Machine Learning

OpenAIRE

Sison , Raymund; Shimura , Masamichi

1998-01-01

After identifying essential student modeling issues and machine learning approaches, this paper examines how machine learning techniques have been used to automate the construction of student models as well as the background knowledge necessary for student modeling. In the process, the paper sheds light on the difficulty, suitability and potential of using machine learning for student modeling processes, and, to a lesser extent, the potential of using student modeling techniques in machine le...

Learning Disabilities in Neurofibromatosis Type 1

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J Gordon Millichap

2006-12-01

Full Text Available The frequency of specific leaning disabilities (SLD in neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1 was determined in a cohort of 81 patients (43 males, 38 females; mean age 11 years 6 months; age range 8-16 followed at Children's Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia.

Introduction to machine learning.

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Baştanlar, Yalin; Ozuysal, Mustafa

2014-01-01

The machine learning field, which can be briefly defined as enabling computers make successful predictions using past experiences, has exhibited an impressive development recently with the help of the rapid increase in the storage capacity and processing power of computers. Together with many other disciplines, machine learning methods have been widely employed in bioinformatics. The difficulties and cost of biological analyses have led to the development of sophisticated machine learning approaches for this application area. In this chapter, we first review the fundamental concepts of machine learning such as feature assessment, unsupervised versus supervised learning and types of classification. Then, we point out the main issues of designing machine learning experiments and their performance evaluation. Finally, we introduce some supervised learning methods.

Discussion Paper Social and emotional learning for children with Learning Disability: Implications for inclusion.

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Valeria Cavioni

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the key role of social and emotional learning programmes for children with Learning Disability (LD. The first part of the paper discusses the difficulties students with learning disability may encounter in their education, such as issues related to peer group acceptance, friendship and social isolation, low self-efficacy and self-esteem, and externalized and internalized behavior problems. The relationship between social and emotional learning programmes and learning disability is then discussed, underlining the benefits of social and emotional learning for students with LD. The paper concludes by highlighting the need for universal social and emotional learning as a vehicle for the academic and social inclusion of students with LD.

An analysis of science conceptual knowledge in journals of students with disabilities and normally achieving students

Science.gov (United States)

Grigg, Gail S.

Science education reforms of the last two decades have focused on raising the bar for ALL students which includes students with mild to moderate disabilities. Formative assessment can be used to assess the progress of these students to inquire, understand scientific concepts, reason scientifically, make decisions, and communicate effectively in science. The purpose of this study is to examine the use of science journals as a formative assessment in a guided inquiry unit of study for students with learning disabilities. Two normally achieving students (NA) and five students with learning disabilities (SLD) participated in a study of mammals that utilized journals to record the development of student knowledge through the course of study. Students were interviewed after the lessons were complete using the same prompts required in the journals. Themes were developed from the student writings and their verbal discourse using Grounded Theory. Journals and verbal discourse were rated following the themes of Knowledge Telling (KT) and Knowledge Transformation (KTR). Concept maps were developed for the Pre and Post test lessons (written and verbal discourses) by the raters in an attempt to further explain the knowledge that the students conveyed. The results of this study suggest that SLD are able to demonstrate knowledge about mammals better through verbal discourse than written discourse. While the NA students wrote more and used more technical discourse than did their SLD peers, the conceptual understanding of the topic by the SLD was no less inclusive than their NA peers when accessed verbally. The journals demonstrated limited conceptual growth for the SLD. Further, while lexical density is important to the development of knowledge in science, this study suggests the "conceptual density" may be another important indicator to examine.

Retail Executives’ Professional Learning Contents

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Eduardo de Aquino Lucena

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The research question that is addressed in this article is the following: what do the executives from small retailing firms learn in their work environment? The theoretical framework of the study is based on texts from the field of learning. This is a qualitative investigation. Ten interviews with clothing retail executives were carried out. Later, these interviews were transcribed and analyzed. In the data analysis stage, two categories were established in response to the research question. Regarding the first, respondents perceived difficulties (problems in their work environments and obtained specific information and knowledge in order to deal with these situations. So as to overcome different professional difficulties, respondents learned about colors and types of fabric and about certain manufacturing process aspects referring to the clothing sold by their companies. They also declared to have learned about their companies’ suppliers and about certain issues referring to sales, and to the accounting and the financial management of their companies. The second category refers to a change in some of the respondents’ habits. This learning content refers to predispositions to respond and/ or act in situations at their work environments. Respondents reported having changed the way they related to other people. They emphasized that they had learned how to interact with the employees at their stores and how to carry out supervision. Differently from other studies, we found that the retailers’ learning (individual learning affected their companies’ learning (organizational learning through changes in certain aspects of the analyzed companies’ organizational structures.

Minding the gap: Children's difficulty conceptualizing spatial intervals as linear measurement units.

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Solomon, Tracy L; Vasilyeva, Marina; Huttenlocher, Janellen; Levine, Susan C

2015-11-01

Understanding measurement units is critical to mathematics and science learning, but it is a topic that American students find difficult. In 3 studies, we investigated the challenges underlying this difficulty in kindergarten and second grade by comparing performance on different versions of a linear measurement task. Children measured crayons that were either aligned or shifted relative to the left edge of either a continuous ruler or a row of discrete units. The alignment (aligned, shifted) and the measuring tool (ruler, discrete units) were crossed to form 4 types of problems. Study 1 showed good performance in both grades on both types of aligned problems as well as on the shifted problems with discrete units. In contrast, performance was at chance on the shifted ruler problems. Study 2 showed that performance on shifted discrete unit problems declined when numbers were placed on the units, particularly for kindergarteners, suggesting that on the shifted ruler problems, the presence of numbers may have contributed to children's difficulty. However, Study 3 showed that the difficulty on the shifted ruler problems persisted even when the numbers were removed from the ruler. Taken together, these findings suggest that there are multiple challenges to understanding measurement, but that a key challenge is conceptualizing the ruler as a set of countable spatial interval units. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

An Analysis of Learning Barriers: The Saudi Arabian Context

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Intakhab A.

2011-01-01

Learning and teaching are quite interrelated. Teaching can't take place unless the target students learn. Thus, teaching is a bi-polar activity. Learning barriers or causes of learning difficulties are quite common in an educational setting. But, when it comes to a very adverse effect it becomes crucial and unavoidable. There are different kinds…

Applying Cognitive Behavioural Methods to Retrain Children's Attributions for Success and Failure in Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Toland, John; Boyle, Christopher

2008-01-01

This study involves the use of methods derived from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to change the attributions for success and failure of school children with regard to learning. Children with learning difficulties and/or motivational and self-esteem difficulties (n = 29) were identified by their schools. The children then took part in twelve…

Understanding the Problems of Learning Mathematics.

Science.gov (United States)

Semilla-Dube, Lilia

1983-01-01

A model is being developed to categorize problems in teaching and learning mathematics. Categories include problems due to language difficulties, lack of prerequisite knowledge, and those related to the affective domain. This paper calls on individuals to share teaching and learning episodes; those submitted will then be compiled and categorized.…

Working Memory and Distributed Vocabulary Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Atkins, Paul W. B.; Baddeley, Alan D.

1998-01-01

Tested the hypothesis that individual differences in immediate-verbal-memory span predict success in second-language vocabulary acquisition. In the two-session study, adult subjects learned 56 English-Finnish translations. Tested one week later, subjects were less likely to remember those words they had difficulty learning, even though they had…

Studying Visual Displays: How to Instructionally Support Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Renkl, Alexander; Scheiter, Katharina

2017-01-01

Visual displays are very frequently used in learning materials. Although visual displays have great potential to foster learning, they also pose substantial demands on learners so that the actual learning outcomes are often disappointing. In this article, we pursue three main goals. First, we identify the main difficulties that learners have when…

Semi-supervised Learning with Deep Generative Models

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kingma, D.P.; Rezende, D.J.; Mohamed, S.; Welling, M.

2014-01-01

The ever-increasing size of modern data sets combined with the difficulty of obtaining label information has made semi-supervised learning one of the problems of significant practical importance in modern data analysis. We revisit the approach to semi-supervised learning with generative models and

Measurements of Γ(ZO → b bar b)/Γ(ZO → hadrons) using the SLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neal, H.A. Jr. II.

1995-07-01

The quantity R b = Γ(Z o →b bar b)/Γ(Z o → hadrons) is a sensitive measure of corrections to the Zbb vertex. The precision necessary to observe the top quark mass dependent corrections is close to being achieved. LEP is already observing a 1.8σ deviation from the Standard Model prediction. Knowledge of the top quark mass combined with the observation of deviations from the Standard Model prediction would indicate new physics. Models which include charged Higgs or light SUSY particles yield predictions for R b appreciably different from the Standard Model. In this thesis two independent methods are used to measure R b . One uses a general event tag which determines R b from the rate at which events are tagged as Z o → b bar b in data and the estimated rates at which various flavors of events are tagged from the Monte Carlo. The second method reduces the reliance on the Monte Carlo by separately tagging each hemisphere as containing a b-decay. The rates of single hemisphere tagged events and both hemisphere tagged events are used to determine the tagging efficiency for b-quarks directly from the data thus eliminating the main sources of systematic error present in the event tag. Both measurements take advantage of the unique environment provided by the SLAC Linear Collider (SLC) and the SLAC Large Detector (SLD). From the event tag a result of R b = 0.230±0.004 statistical ±0.013 systematic is obtained. The higher precision hemisphere tag result obtained is R b = 0.218±0.004 statistical ±0.004 systematic ±0.003 Rc

University Students with Reading Difficulties: Do Perceived Supports and Comorbid Difficulties Predict Well-being and GPA?

Science.gov (United States)

Stack-Cutler, Holly L.; Parrila, Rauno K.; Torppa, Minna

2016-01-01

We examined the impact of the number of comorbid difficulties, social support, and community support on life satisfaction and academic achievement among 120 university students or recent graduates with self-reported reading difficulties. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing perceived social support, perceived community support, the…

Reading Comprehension, Learning Styles, and Seventh Grade Students

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Judy

2010-01-01

Reading is a basic life skill. Unfortunately, in 2007, only 29% of all eighth graders were able to comprehend at or above a proficient reading comprehension level. Sensory learning styles (kinesthetic, tactile, auditory, and visual) affect the way that students prefer to learn and the areas in which they will have difficulty learning. This study…

Student Perceptions of Facebook as a Learning Aid

Science.gov (United States)

Daniel, Michael Aubrey

2018-01-01

Hybrid learning has been shown to enhance students' experiences in the classroom and can promote deeper learning when the tools used meet the students' particular learning needs. Many digital natives are familiar with Facebook and are able to navigate it with little difficulty. When used in an education setting in the place of traditional…

Learning Materials Recommendation Using Good Learners' Ratings and Content-Based Filtering

Science.gov (United States)

Ghauth, Khairil Imran; Abdullah, Nor Aniza

2010-01-01

The enormity of the amount of learning materials in e-learning has led to the difficulty of locating suitable learning materials for a particular learning topic, creating the need for recommendation tools within a learning context. In this paper, we aim to address this need by proposing a novel e-learning recommender system framework that is based…

Reflections on Empowerment Evaluation: Learning from Experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Fetterman, David M.

1999-01-01

Reflects on empowerment evaluation, the use of evaluation to foster improvement and self-determination. Empowerment evaluation uses quantitative and qualitative methods, and usually focuses on program evaluation. Discusses the growth in empowerment evaluation as a result of interest in participatory evaluation. (SLD)

[Development Inventory as a Diagnosis Tool in Children with Participation Difficulties in School Activities].

Science.gov (United States)

María, Helena Rubio G

2012-03-01

In recent years, evidence regarding acquisition of skills or critic behaviors for school performance has increased though there it is not conclusive in terms of the effectiveness in class participation. The purpose is to define the elements implicated in the acquisition of such skills or critical behaviors and describe them from the perspective of school activities involving participation. Descriptive, observational study with a sample of 28 preschool and primary school students during September 2008 and March 2009 at a public institution in the city of Cali, Colombia. The procedure was the identification of child performance capabilities using Battell's developmental inventory to describe afterwards the repercussions on student's participation in school activities. 61.5% of the children show motor difficulties; 56% exhibit socio and personal difficulties, while 46.2% reveal adaptive difficulties. These areas are fundamental for school participation in the different activities. These children have not developed the ability for an integrated control of their muscles. They also exhibit difficulties regarding social interactions and regarding the skills necessary in the performance of daily activities. The results found in this study suggest the need to enhance the study on the relevance to develop motor, personal-social, and adaptive skills in cooperation with developmental professionals. It is necessary to know and learn strategies in cooperation with the developmental professionals. Copyright © 2012 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Modelling and Optimizing Mathematics Learning in Children

Science.gov (United States)

Käser, Tanja; Busetto, Alberto Giovanni; Solenthaler, Barbara; Baschera, Gian-Marco; Kohn, Juliane; Kucian, Karin; von Aster, Michael; Gross, Markus

2013-01-01

This study introduces a student model and control algorithm, optimizing mathematics learning in children. The adaptive system is integrated into a computer-based training system for enhancing numerical cognition aimed at children with developmental dyscalculia or difficulties in learning mathematics. The student model consists of a dynamic…

Types of Learning Problems

Science.gov (United States)

... Ribbon Commands Skip to main content Turn off Animations Turn on Animations Our Sponsors Log in | Register Menu Log in | ... Article Body Dyslexia Dyslexia is defined as difficulty reading. When children are learning to read and write ...

The Use of Open-Ended Problem-Based Learning Scenarios in an Interdisciplinary Biotechnology Class: Evaluation of a Problem-Based Learning Course Across Three Years

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Todd R. Steck

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Use of open-ended Problem-Based Learning (PBL in biology classrooms has been limited by the difficulty in designing problem scenarios such that the content learned in a course can be predicted and controlled, the lack of familiarity of this method of instruction by faculty, and the difficulty in assessment. Here we present the results of a study in which we developed a team-based interdisciplinary course that combined the fields of biology and civil engineering across three years. We used PBL scenarios as the only learning tool, wrote the problem scenarios, and developed the means to assess these courses and the results of that assessment. Our data indicates that PBL changed students’ perception of their learning in content knowledge and promoted a change in students’ learning styles. Although no  statistically significant improvement in problem-solving skills and critical thinking skills was observed, students reported substantial changes in their problem-based learning strategies and critical thinking skills.

Motivation, learning strategies, participation and medical school performance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stegers-Jager, Karen M.; Cohen-Schotanus, Janke; Themmen, Axel P. N.

Medical Education 2012: 46:678688 Context Medical schools wish to better understand why some students excel academically and others have difficulty in passing medical courses. Components of self-regulated learning (SRL), such as motivational beliefs and learning strategies, as well as participation

Computer games: Apprehension of learning strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Antonio Bruno da Silva

2003-12-01

Full Text Available Computer games and mainly videogames have proved to be an important tendency in Brazilian children’s play. They are part of the playful culture, which associates modern technology to traditional play preserving the importance of the latter. Based on Vygotsky and Chadwick’s ideas, this work studies the alternatives in the use of videogame by the occupational therapist, educator or parents, aiming prevention of learning difficulty by means of apprehension of learning strategies. Sixty children were investigated under dialectic, descriptive qualitative/quantitative focus. There was a semi-structured interview, direct observation and focused group applied to this intentional sample. Out of the 60 children playing in 3 videogame rental shops in Fortaleza-CE and Quixadá-CE, 30 aged 4 to 6 years old and the other 30 aged 7 and 8. Results indicate that the determination that the videogame is played in-group favors the apprehension of learning and affective strategies, processing, and meta-cognition. Therefore, videogame can be considered an excellent resource in terms of preventing learning difficulties, enabling children to their reality.

Feedback Valence Affects Auditory Perceptual Learning Independently of Feedback Probability

Science.gov (United States)

Amitay, Sygal; Moore, David R.; Molloy, Katharine; Halliday, Lorna F.

2015-01-01

Previous studies have suggested that negative feedback is more effective in driving learning than positive feedback. We investigated the effect on learning of providing varying amounts of negative and positive feedback while listeners attempted to discriminate between three identical tones; an impossible task that nevertheless produces robust learning. Four feedback conditions were compared during training: 90% positive feedback or 10% negative feedback informed the participants that they were doing equally well, while 10% positive or 90% negative feedback informed them they were doing equally badly. In all conditions the feedback was random in relation to the listeners’ responses (because the task was to discriminate three identical tones), yet both the valence (negative vs. positive) and the probability of feedback (10% vs. 90%) affected learning. Feedback that informed listeners they were doing badly resulted in better post-training performance than feedback that informed them they were doing well, independent of valence. In addition, positive feedback during training resulted in better post-training performance than negative feedback, but only positive feedback indicating listeners were doing badly on the task resulted in learning. As we have previously speculated, feedback that better reflected the difficulty of the task was more effective in driving learning than feedback that suggested performance was better than it should have been given perceived task difficulty. But contrary to expectations, positive feedback was more effective than negative feedback in driving learning. Feedback thus had two separable effects on learning: feedback valence affected motivation on a subjectively difficult task, and learning occurred only when feedback probability reflected the subjective difficulty. To optimize learning, training programs need to take into consideration both feedback valence and probability. PMID:25946173

Dyslexia and the learning of a foreign language in school: where are we going?

Science.gov (United States)

Crombie, M A

2000-01-01

The difficulties which many dyslexic students encounter in the learning of the English language often extend to the learning of a foreign language in school. Although this problem has been acknowledged for some time, and although the learning of a modern foreign language is a core element in the Scottish curriculum, there has been little research into how modern languages can be presented to offer the best learning opportunities to dyslexic students. Dyslexic students are likely to benefit from a multisensory approach to the learning of a modern foreign language, and it seems likely that they will need to utilize similar strategies to those used for learning their first language. Strategies are discussed with a view to making modern language learning more appropriate for students with difficulties in learning.

Procedural learning and dyslexia.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicolson, R I; Fawcett, A J; Brookes, R L; Needle, J

2010-08-01

Three major 'neural systems', specialized for different types of information processing, are the sensory, declarative, and procedural systems. It has been proposed (Trends Neurosci., 30(4), 135-141) that dyslexia may be attributable to impaired function in the procedural system together with intact declarative function. We provide a brief overview of the increasing evidence relating to the hypothesis, noting that the framework involves two main claims: first that 'neural systems' provides a productive level of description avoiding the underspecificity of cognitive descriptions and the overspecificity of brain structural accounts; and second that a distinctive feature of procedural learning is its extended time course, covering from minutes to months. In this article, we focus on the second claim. Three studies-speeded single word reading, long-term response learning, and overnight skill consolidation-are reviewed which together provide clear evidence of difficulties in procedural learning for individuals with dyslexia, even when the tasks are outside the literacy domain. The educational implications of the results are then discussed, and in particular the potential difficulties that impaired overnight procedural consolidation would entail. It is proposed that response to intervention could be better predicted if diagnostic tests on the different forms of learning were first undertaken. 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Novel Spoken Word Learning in Adults with Developmental Dyslexia

Science.gov (United States)

Conner, Peggy S.

2013-01-01

A high percentage of individuals with dyslexia struggle to learn unfamiliar spoken words, creating a significant obstacle to foreign language learning after early childhood. The origin of spoken-word learning difficulties in this population, generally thought to be related to the underlying literacy deficit, is not well defined (e.g., Di Betta…

Mathematical Learning Disability in Girls with Turner Syndrome: A Challenge to Defining MLD and Its Subtypes

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzocco, Michele M. M.

2009-01-01

Turner syndrome is a common disorder with a prevalence of 1:2,500 live female births. Although not associated with mental retardation, there is an increased risk of learning difficulties in this population. In particular, mathematical learning difficulties among girls with Turner syndrome are prevalent, significant, and persistent. As such, the…

Perceptions of Online Learning in an Australian University: Malaysian Students? Perspectives - Usability of the Online Learning Tools

OpenAIRE

Renee Chew Shiun Yee

2013-01-01

This study set out to investigate the kinds of learning difficulties encountered by the Malaysian students and how they actually coped with online learning. The modified Online Learning Environment Survey (OLES) instrument was used to collect data from the sample of 40 Malaysian students at a university in Brisbane, Australia. A controlled group of 35 Australian students was also included for comparison purposes. Contrary to assumptions from previous researches, the findings revealed that the...

Do dyslexics have auditory input processing difficulties?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Mads

2011-01-01

Word production difficulties are well documented in dyslexia, whereas the results are mixed for receptive phonological processing. This asymmetry raises the possibility that the core phonological deficit of dyslexia is restricted to output processing stages. The present study investigated whether....... The finding suggests that input processing difficulties are associated with the phonological deficit, but that these difficulties may be stronger above the level of phoneme perception.......Word production difficulties are well documented in dyslexia, whereas the results are mixed for receptive phonological processing. This asymmetry raises the possibility that the core phonological deficit of dyslexia is restricted to output processing stages. The present study investigated whether...... a group of dyslexics had word level receptive difficulties using an auditory lexical decision task with long words and nonsense words. The dyslexics were slower and less accurate than chronological age controls in an auditory lexical decision task, with disproportionate low performance on nonsense words...

Development and Validation of a Rubric for Diagnosing Students’ Experimental Design Knowledge and Difficulties

Science.gov (United States)

Dasgupta, Annwesa P.; Anderson, Trevor R.

2014-01-01

It is essential to teach students about experimental design, as this facilitates their deeper understanding of how most biological knowledge was generated and gives them tools to perform their own investigations. Despite the importance of this area, surprisingly little is known about what students actually learn from designing biological experiments. In this paper, we describe a rubric for experimental design (RED) that can be used to measure knowledge of and diagnose difficulties with experimental design. The development and validation of the RED was informed by a literature review and empirical analysis of undergraduate biology students’ responses to three published assessments. Five areas of difficulty with experimental design were identified: the variable properties of an experimental subject; the manipulated variables; measurement of outcomes; accounting for variability; and the scope of inference appropriate for experimental findings. Our findings revealed that some difficulties, documented some 50 yr ago, still exist among our undergraduate students, while others remain poorly investigated. The RED shows great promise for diagnosing students’ experimental design knowledge in lecture settings, laboratory courses, research internships, and course-based undergraduate research experiences. It also shows potential for guiding the development and selection of assessment and instructional activities that foster experimental design. PMID:26086658

Assessing High Order Thinking of Students Participating in the "WISE" Project in Israel.

Science.gov (United States)

Tal, Revital; Hochberg, Nurit

2003-01-01

Studied the higher order thinking of 53 Israeli ninth graders in 3 schools using the Web-Based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE) learning environment to study about malaria. Findings show that all students used higher order thinking skills and that their English was good enough to use the WISE learning environment in the Israeli setting. (SLD)

Dicty_cDB: SLA508 [Dicty_cDB

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available e-101 SLD569 (SLD569Q) /CSM/SL/SLD5-C/SLD569Q.Seq.d/ 250 1e-65 SLD492 (SLD492Q) /CSM/SL/SLD4-D/SLD492...oideum slug cDNA, clone SLD569. 250 2e-62 1 ( AU052538 ) Dictyostelium discoideum slug cDNA, clone SLD492. 7

Implementation of standards within eLearning information systems

OpenAIRE

Roman Malo

2007-01-01

Nowadays, eLearning standards' support within eLearning systems is much discussed problem. In this problem domain especially the reference model SCORM must be considered. This de-facto standard is a package of common standards and specifications used for the standardization of eLearning activities as eLearning content preparation, using e-course, communication etc. Implementation of standards itself is a process with great difficulty and time requests. Interesting and considerable approach to...

Warping similarity space in category learning by human subjects: the role of task difficulty

OpenAIRE

Pevtzow, Rachel; Harnad, Stevan

1997-01-01

In innate Categorical Perception (CP) (e.g., colour perception), similarity space is "warped," with regions of increased within-category similarity (compression) and regions of reduced between-category similarity (separation) enh ancing the category boundaries and making categorisation reliable and all-or-none rather than graded. We show that category learning can likewise warp similarity space, resolving uncertainty near category boundaries. Two Hard and two Easy texture learning tasks were ...

Learning Paths and Learning Styles in Dyslexia: Possibilites and Effectiveness--Case Study of Two Elementary School Students Aged 7 Years Old

Science.gov (United States)

Tsampalas, Evangelos; Dimitrios, Sarris; Papadimitropoulou, Panagoula; Vergou, Maria; Zakopoulou, Victoria

2018-01-01

The difficulty in reading and writing, spelling mistakes and poor speech are considered as the main elements that characterize students with dyslexia. If one thinks that most of the things in a class are based on writing and reading, then the importance of such a learning difficulty is that it is recognized as soon as possible and with appropriate…

Quadruple-first line drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Vietnam: What can we learn from genes?

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Huy Quang; Nguyen, Nhung Viet; Contamin, Lucie; Tran, Thanh Hoa Thi; Vu, Thuong Thi; Nguyen, Hung Van; Nguyen, Ngoc Lan Thi; Nguyen, Son Thai; Dang, Anh Duc; Bañuls, Anne-Laure; Nguyen, Van Anh Thi

2017-06-01

In Vietnam, a country with high tuberculosis (137/100.000 population) and multidrug-resistant (MDR)-TB burdens (7.8/100.000 population), little is known about the molecular signatures of drug resistance in general and more particularly of second line drug (SLD) resistance. This study is specifically focused on Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates resistant to four first-line drugs (FLDs) that make TB much more difficult to treat. The aim is to determine the proportion of SLD resistance in these quadruple drug resistant isolates and the genetic determinants linked to drug resistance to better understand the genetic processes leading to quadruple and extremely drug resistance (XDR). 91 quadruple (rifampicin, isoniazid, ethambutol and streptomycin) FLD resistant and 55 susceptible isolates were included. Spoligotyping and 24-locus MIRU-VNTR techniques were performed and 9 genes and promoters linked to FLD and SLD resistance were sequenced. SLD susceptibility testing was carried out on a subsample of isolates. High proportion of quadruple-FLD resistant isolates was resistant to fluoroquinolones (27%) and second-line injectable drugs (30.2%) by drug susceptibility testing. The sequencing revealed high mutation diversity with prevailing mutations at positions katG315, inhA-15, rpoB531, embB306, rrs1401, rpsL43 and gyrA94. The sensitivity and specificity were high for most drug resistances (>86%), but the sensitivity was lower for injectable drug resistances (resistance. Nevertheless, particular mutation patterns linked to high-level resistance and low fitness costs seem to be favored. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.