The Effects of Using Technology and the Internet on Some Iranian EFL Students' Perceptions of Their Communication Classroom Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Ebrahimi, Nabi A.; Eskandari, Zahra; Rahimi, Ali

2013-01-01

This study aims to explore the effects of implementing a CALL framework on the students' perceptions of their communication classroom environments. The What Is Happening In This Class? (WIHIC) questionnaire was distributed twice among 34 (F=14 and M=20) Iranian EFL students, the first time after a ten-session-long regular no-tech communication…

Returning Special Education Students to Regular Classrooms: Externalities on Peers’ Outcomes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rangvid, Beatrice Schindler

Policy reforms to boost full inclusion and conventional return flows send students with special educational needs (SEN) from segregated settings to regular classrooms. Using full population micro data from Denmark, I investigate whether becoming exposed to returning SEN students affects...... on test score gains of moderate size (-0.036 SD), while no significant effect is found in non-reform years. The results are robust to sensitivity checks. The negative exposure effect is significant only for boys, but does not differ by parental education or grade-level....

Smile: Student Modification in Learning Environments. Establishing Congruence between Actual and Preferred Classroom Learning Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Yarrow, Allan; Millwater, Jan

1995-01-01

This study investigated whether classroom psychosocial environment, as perceived by student teachers, could be improved to their preferred level. Students completed the College and University Classroom Environment Inventory, discussed interventions, then completed it again. Significant deficiencies surfaced in the learning environment early in the…

Classroom Environment, Achievement Goals and Maths Performance: Gender Differences

Science.gov (United States)

Gherasim, Loredana Ruxandra; Butnaru, Simona; Mairean, Cornelia

2013-01-01

This study investigated how gender shapes the relationships between classroom environment, achievement goals and maths performance. Seventh-grade students ("N"?=?498) from five urban secondary schools filled in achievement goal orientations and classroom environment scales at the beginning of the second semester. Maths performance was…

The Relationship between High School Mathematics Classroom Environment and Student Self-Handicapping.

Science.gov (United States)

Dorman, Jeffrey P.; Adams, Joan E.; Ferguson, Janet M.

Classroom environment research investigating the relationship between classroom environment and self-handicapping was conducted in Australian, Canadian, and British high schools. A sample of 3,602 students from 29 schools responded to a questionnaire that assessed student perceptions of classroom environment, self-handicapping, and academic…

Real-time continuous glucose monitoring systems in the classroom/school environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Benassi, Kari; Drobny, Jessica; Aye, Tandy

2013-05-01

Children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) spend 4-7 h/day in school with very little supervision of their diabetes management. Therefore, families have become more dependent on technology, such as use of real-time continuous glucose monitoring (RT-CGM), to provide increased supervision of their diabetes management. We sought to assess the impact of RT-CGM use in the classroom/school environment. Children with T1D using RT-CGM, their parents, and teachers completed a questionnaire about RT-CGM in the classroom/school environment. The RT-CGM was tolerated well in the classroom/school environment. Seventy percent of parents, 75% of students, and 51% of teachers found RT-CGM useful in the classroom/school environment. The students found the device to be more disruptive than did their parents and teachers. However, all three groups agreed that RT-CGM increased their comfort with diabetes management at school. Our study suggests that RT-CGM is useful and not disruptive in the classroom/school environment. The development of education materials for teachers could further increase its acceptance in the classroom/school environment.

Secondary Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions of an Ideal Classroom Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Bartelheim, Frederick J.; Conn, Daniel R.

2014-01-01

The classroom environment can impact students' motivation and engagement, and can influence students' academic learning. In some cases, pre-service teachers' influence on the classroom environment may not always be conducive for student learning. This exploratory study investigated pre-service teachers' perceptions of an ideal classroom…

An Evaluation of the Measurement of Perceived Classroom Assessment Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hussain Alkharusi

2015-07-01

Full Text Available A classroom assessment environment is a classroom context experienced by students as the teacher determines assessment purposes, develops assessment tasks, defines assessment criteria and standards, provides feedback, and monitors outcomes (Brookhart, 1997. It is usually a group experience varying from class to class dependent upon the teacher’s assessment practices (Brookhart, 2004. As such, the measurement of class-level perception of the assessment environment should deserve recognition and investigation. This study aimed at evaluating the measurement of the perceived classroom assessment environment by comparing the psychometric properties of the scale at the student level and class level. Using a multi-stage random sampling process, data were collected from 4088 students nested within 236 classes of the second cycle of the basic education in the Sultanate of Oman. Students responded to the 18-items of Alkharusi's (2011 Perceived Classroom Assessment Environment Scale. Results of the principal axis factoring yielded two factors, learning-oriented and performance-oriented assessment environment, at both levels. However, the two factors explained about 38% of the variance at the class level compared to about 20% of the variance at the student level. Reliability coefficients in terms of Cronbach alpha ranged between .79 and .83 at the class level compared to .65 and .67 at the student level

The Classroom Environment Questionnaire (CEQ): Development and preliminary structural validity.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyons, Carissa; Brown, Ted; Bourke-Taylor, Helen

2018-04-16

Occupational therapists offer a unique perspective regarding the contribution of the environment to occupational performance. Therefore, a scale that measures the unique characteristics of the primary school classroom environment where children complete their daily schoolwork occupations is needed. The aim of this study was to develop and psychometrically evaluate a new teacher-report questionnaire that measures a number of environmental characteristics of primary school classrooms. Participants (N = 117) completed the Classroom Environment Questionnaire (CEQ), which utilises a 4-point Likert scale where teachers rate 51 environmental characteristics of their classroom. Teachers also rate the extent to which they believe the physical, social, temporal, institutional and cultural classroom environmental domains contribute to students' schoolwork performance using a 10-point scale. The structural validity of the CEQ was examined using principal component analysis (PCA). Inter-item correlations were examined using Pearson r correlations, while the internal consistency of the CEQ was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. PCA revealed the CEQ to be multidimensional, with 31 items loading onto nine viable factors, representing the unique nature of classroom environments. Based on the PCA results, 20 items were removed from the CEQ. Cronbach's alpha and correlation analysis indicated that most CEQ subsections had acceptable internal consistency (alpha range 0.70-0.82), with four subsections demonstrating a lower level of internal consistency (alpha range 0.55-0.69). Preliminary structural validity and internal consistency analysis findings confirm that the CEQ has potential to be a useful scale for professionals wishing to examine the unique characteristics of primary school classrooms that influence the occupational performance of students. Ongoing analyses will be undertaken to further explore the CEQ's validity and reliability. © 2018 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Symbolic behavior in regular classrooms. A specification of symbolic and non-symbolic behavior

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefan eBillinger

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Students’ capabilities to use symbolic information in classroom setting could be expected to influence their possibilities to be active and participating. The development of strategies for teachers to compensate for reduced capability need specific operational definition of symbolic behavior. Fifty-three students, aged 11 to 13 years old, 29 boys and 24 girls, from three classes in the same Swedish compulsory regular school participated in the current study. After a short training sequence 25 students (47% were defined as showing symbolic behavior (symbolic, and 28 students (53% were not (non-symbolic, based on their follow-up test performances. Symbolic and non-symbolic differed significantly on post test performances (p. < .05. Surprisingly, non-symbolic behavior deteriorated their performance, while symbolic enhanced their performance (p. < .05. The results indicate that the operational definition used in the present study may be useful in further studies relating the capability to show symbolic behavior and students’ activity and participation in classroom settings.

Classroom acoustics and intervention strategies to enhance the learning environment

Science.gov (United States)

Savage, Christal

The classroom environment can be an acoustically difficult atmosphere for students to learn effectively, sometimes due in part to poor acoustical properties. Noise and reverberation have a substantial influence on room acoustics and subsequently intelligibility of speech. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA, 1995) developed minimal standards for noise and reverberation in a classroom for the purpose of providing an adequate listening environment. A lack of adherence to these standards may have undesirable consequences, which may lead to poor academic performance. The purpose of this capstone project is to develop a protocol to measure the acoustical properties of reverberation time and noise levels in elementary classrooms and present the educators with strategies to improve the learning environment. Noise level and reverberation will be measured and recorded in seven, unoccupied third grade classrooms in Lincoln Parish in North Louisiana. The recordings will occur at six specific distances in the classroom to simulate teacher and student positions. The recordings will be compared to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association standards for noise and reverberation. If discrepancies are observed, the primary investigator will serve as an auditory consultant for the school and educators to recommend remediation and intervention strategies to improve these acoustical properties. The hypothesis of the study is that the classroom acoustical properties of noise and reverberation will exceed the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association standards; therefore, the auditory consultant will provide strategies to improve those acoustical properties.

Differentiated Learning Environment--A Classroom for Quadratic Equation, Function and Graphs

Science.gov (United States)

Dinç, Emre

2017-01-01

This paper will cover the design of a learning environment as a classroom regarding the Quadratic Equations, Functions and Graphs. The goal of the learning environment offered in the paper is to design a classroom where students will enjoy the process, use their skills they already have during the learning process, control and plan their learning…

The implementation of flipped classroom model in CIE in the environment of non-target language

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Renfei; Mustofa, Ali; Zhang, Fang; Su, Xiaoxue

2018-01-01

This paper sets a theoretical framework that it’s both feasible and indispensable of flipping classroom in Chinese International Education (CIE) in the non-target language environments. There are mainly three sections included: 1) what is flipped classroom and why it becomes inevitable existence; 2) why should we flip the classroom in CIE environments, especially in non-target language environments; 3) take Pusat Bahasa Mandarin Universitas Negeri Surabaya as an instance to discuss the application of flipped classroom in non-target language environments.

Classroom Environment as Related to Contest Ratings among High School Performing Ensembles.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamann, Donald L.; And Others

1990-01-01

Examines influence of classroom environments, measured by the Classroom Environment Scale, Form R (CESR), on vocal and instrumental ensembles' musical achievement at festival contests. Using random sample, reveals subjects with higher scores on CESR scales of involvement, affiliation, teacher support, and organization received better contest…

An Empirical Investigation of the Dimensionality of the Physical Literacy Environment in Early Childhood Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Dynia, Jaclyn M.; Schachter, Rachel E.; Piasta, Shayne B.; Justice, Laura M.; O'Connell, Ann A.; Yeager Pelatti, Christina

2018-01-01

This study investigated the dimensionality of the physical literacy environment of early childhood education classrooms. Data on the classroom physical literacy environment were collected from 245 classrooms using the Classroom Literacy Observation Profile. A combination of confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis was used to identify five…

Stress Response and Cognitive Performance Modulation in Classroom versus Natural Environments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mygind, Lærke; Stevenson, Matt P; Liebst, Lasse S

2018-01-01

explores the impact of natural environments on stress response during rest and mental load and cognitive performance in 47 children aged 10⁻12 years in a school context. Heart rate variability measures indexing tonic, event, and phasic vagal tone and attention scores were compared across classroom...... and natural environments. Tonic vagal tone was higher in the natural environment than the classrooms, but no differences were found in event or phasic vagal tone or cognitive performance measures. These findings suggest a situational aspect of the conditions under which natural environments may give rise...

Teaching English to a Student with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Regular Classroom in Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ni Nyoman Padmadewi

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The recognition of students with special needs has been increasing significantly in Indonesia recently and the better understanding as well as supportive school programs is urgently needed. It was found out that schools and teachers in Indonesia had very limited preparedness either in teaching skills or material development to meet the actual needs of the students. This study then aimed at investigating appropriate strategies of teaching English to a student with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD included in a regular classroom. This research was in the form of a case study conducted in North Bali Bilingual School. The data were collected through observations and interviews. The findings show that the Individual Education Plan (IEP provided with visual media through co-teaching, differentiated instruction and also through a “buddy program” are found appropriate to help the student learn English as a foreign language. These strategies are effective to be implemented in an inclusive classroom program.

The persistence of the attentional bias to regularities in a changing environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Ru Qi; Zhao, Jiaying

2015-10-01

The environment often is stable, but some aspects may change over time. The challenge for the visual system is to discover and flexibly adapt to the changes. We examined how attention is shifted in the presence of changes in the underlying structure of the environment. In six experiments, observers viewed four simultaneous streams of objects while performing a visual search task. In the first half of each experiment, the stream in the structured location contained regularities, the shapes in the random location were randomized, and gray squares appeared in two neutral locations. In the second half, the stream in the structured or the random location may change. In the first half of all experiments, visual search was facilitated in the structured location, suggesting that attention was consistently biased toward regularities. In the second half, this bias persisted in the structured location when no change occurred (Experiment 1), when the regularities were removed (Experiment 2), or when new regularities embedded in the original or novel stimuli emerged in the previously random location (Experiments 3 and 6). However, visual search was numerically but no longer reliably faster in the structured location when the initial regularities were removed and new regularities were introduced in the previously random location (Experiment 4), or when novel random stimuli appeared in the random location (Experiment 5). This suggests that the attentional bias was weakened. Overall, the results demonstrate that the attentional bias to regularities was persistent but also sensitive to changes in the environment.

Promoting Kindergarten Children's Creativity in the Classroom Environment in Jordan

Science.gov (United States)

Dababneh, Kholoud; Ihmeideh, Fathi M.; Al-Omari, Aieman A.

2010-01-01

This study aimed at investigating teachers' classroom practices, which either stimulate or inhibit the development of the creative environment of classrooms in Jordan, and determining the differences between practices according to educational level, experience level and type of teaching. The sample of the study consisted of 215 kindergarten…

classroom environment and academic interest as correlates of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Global Journal

This study investigated classroom environment and students' academic interest as correlates of ... yardstick with which academic success is measured ... Ltd. This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.

Teachers' Attitudes toward the Inclusion of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students in Regular Education Classrooms in Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Aseery, Fahad. A.

2016-01-01

This study investigated teachers attitudes toward including Deaf and hard of hearing (D/hh) students in regular education classrooms in Saudi Arabia. In addition, the study analyzed how the teachers' attitudes toward inclusion were influenced by the following variables: teaching position, training on inclusion the teachers had received, years of…

Relationships between the School-Level and Classroom-Level Environment in Secondary Schools in South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Aldridge, Jill M.; Fraser, Barry J.; Laugksch, Rüdiger C.

2011-01-01

We report research into associations between the school-level and classroom-level environment in science classrooms in South Africa. An instrument, developed to assess students' perceptions of their classroom learning environment as a means of monitoring and guiding changes towards outcomes-based education, was administered to 2,638 Grade 8…

Powerful Learning Environments: The Critical Link between School and Classroom Cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Finnan, Christine; Schnepel, Katherine C.; Anderson, Lorin W.

2003-01-01

Evaluated classrooms within four Accelerated Schools Project (ASP) schools, operationalizing the ASP principles, values, and concepts of a "powerful learning environment" (PLE), examining how similarly PLE was implemented in different classrooms and schools, and analyzing the relation between degree of implementation and differences in…

Classroom Learning Environment and Motivation towards Mathematics among Secondary School Students in Uganda

Science.gov (United States)

Opolot-Okurut, Charles

2010-01-01

This article reports a study of secondary students' perceptions of mathematics classroom learning environment and their associations with their motivation towards mathematics. A sample of 81 students (19 male and 62 female) in two schools were used. Student perceptions of the classroom environment were assessed using a modified What Is Happening…

Perception Shapes Experience: The Influence of Actual and Perceived Classroom Environment Dimensions on Girls' Motivations for Science

Science.gov (United States)

Spearman, Juliette; Watt, Helen M. G.

2013-01-01

The classroom environment influences students' academic outcomes, but it is often students' perceptions that shape their classroom experiences. Our study examined the extent to which observed classroom environment features shaped perceptions of the classroom, and explained levels of, and changes in, girls' motivation in junior secondary school…

Children's behavioral regulation and literacy: The impact of the first grade classroom environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Day, Stephanie L; Connor, Carol McDonald; McClelland, Megan M

2015-10-01

Classroom learning environments are an important source of influence on children's development, particularly with regard to literacy achievement and behavioral regulation, both of which require the coordination of task inhibition, attention, and working memory. Classroom observations were conducted in 18 schools and 51 first grade classrooms for 500 children. The non-instructional activities were recorded for each student in the classroom. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that children with weaker fall behavioral regulation were more likely to attend classrooms where more time was spent in disruptions and wasted instructional time over the course of the school year, such as waiting for the teacher to gather materials before beginning instruction. For literacy outcomes, children who were in classrooms where more time in disruptions, transitions, and waiting was observed showed weaker literacy skill gains in the spring compared to children in classrooms with lesser amounts of such unproductive non-instructional time and this effect was generally greater for students with initial weaker skills. These results also reveal that the classroom environment and the incoming characteristics of the students themselves influence students' development of behavioral regulation and literacy. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Student Engagement In Inclusive Classrooms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rangvid, Beatrice Schindler

There is general agreement that to thrive and learn at their best, students must be engaged. However, schools face a particular challenge to provide a suitable and engaging learning environment for SEN (special educational needs) students who are educated in general education classes. Using data......-students as for other students. This highlights the need for better inclusion initiatives aimed at strengthening engagement of SEN-students in regular classrooms....

Classroom Resiliency--A Comparison of Navajo Elementary Students' Perceptions of Their Classroom Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Piechowski, Alta Begay

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a gender difference in how students perceived their classroom environment on the Navajo Nation public school. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be…

It's Safe to Be Smart: Strategies for Creating a Supportive Classroom Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Hébert, Thomas P.; Corcoran, Jamie A.; Coté, John M.; Ene, Mihaela C.; Leighton, Elizabeth A.; Holmes, Ashley M.; Padula, Diane D.

2014-01-01

Gifted teenagers in middle and high school benefit from classroom environments that support their social and emotional development. Teachers of gifted adolescents may create classroom environments in which young people know it is safe to be smart and where they feel valued and respected for their intellect, creativity, and passions. By utilizing…

Student control ideology and the science classroom environment in urban secondary schools of sudan

Science.gov (United States)

Harty, Harold; Hassan, Hassan A.

An examination was made concerning the relationships between Sudanese secondary science teachers' pupil control ideology and their students' perceptions/observations of the psychosocial environment of their science classrooms. One hundred secondary science teachers were classified as possessing humanistic (N = 20) or custodial (N = 20) control ideologies. A class (N = 40) of students was randomly selected for every teacher in both groups. The findings revealed that no significant relationships existed between the control ideologies of the teachers and their students' perceptions/observations of the classroom environment. Custodialism in control ideology was significantly related to the classroom environment psychosocial aspect of low support. Discussion and implications of the findings have been approached from both Sudanese and American perspectives.

Exclusion of children with intellectual disabilities from regular ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Study investigated why teachers exclude children with intellectual disability from the regular classrooms in Nigeria. Participants were, 169 regular teachers randomly selected from Oyo and Ogun states. Questionnaire was used to collect data result revealed that 57.4% regular teachers could not cope with children with ID ...

Technology-Supported Learning Environments in Science Classrooms in India

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Adit; Fisher, Darrell

2012-01-01

The adoption of technology has created a major impact in the field of education at all levels. Technology-supported classroom learning environments, involving modern information and communication technologies, are also entering the Indian educational system in general and the schools in Jammu region (Jammu & Kashmir State, India) in…

An Examination of Classroom Social Environment on Motivation and Engagement of College Early Entrant Honors Students

Science.gov (United States)

Maddox, Richard S.

2010-01-01

This study set out to examine the relationships between the classroom social environment, motivation, engagement and achievement of a group of early entrant Honors students at a large urban university. Prior research on the classroom environment, motivation, engagement and high ability students was examined, leading to the assumption that the…

The Responsive Environmental Assessment for Classroom Teaching (REACT): the dimensionality of student perceptions of the instructional environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Peter M; Demers, Joseph A; Christ, Theodore J

2014-06-01

This study details the initial development of the Responsive Environmental Assessment for Classroom Teachers (REACT). REACT was developed as a questionnaire to evaluate student perceptions of the classroom teaching environment. Researchers engaged in an iterative process to develop, field test, and analyze student responses on 100 rating-scale items. Participants included 1,465 middle school students across 48 classrooms in the Midwest. Item analysis, including exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, was used to refine a 27-item scale with a second-order factor structure. Results support the interpretation of a single general dimension of the Classroom Teaching Environment with 6 subscale dimensions: Positive Reinforcement, Instructional Presentation, Goal Setting, Differentiated Instruction, Formative Feedback, and Instructional Enjoyment. Applications of REACT in research and practice are discussed along with implications for future research and the development of classroom environment measures. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Classroom Simulation for Trainee Teachers Using 3D Virtual Environments and Simulated Smartbot Student Behaviours

OpenAIRE

Alotaibi, Fahad Mazaed

2014-01-01

his thesis consists of an analysis of a classroom simulation using a Second Life (SL) experiment that aims to investigate the teaching impact on smartbots (virtual students) from trainee teacher avatars with respect to interaction, simulated behaviour, and observed teaching roles. The classroom-based SL experiments’ motivation is to enable the trainee teacher to acquire the necessary skills and experience to manage a real classroom environment through simulations of a real classroom. This ty...

LGBTQ Literature in Middle School Classrooms: Possibilities for Challenging Heteronormative Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Dinkins, Elizabeth G.; Englert, Patrick

2015-01-01

This paper uses a case study approach to examine how the heteronormative nature of one middle school setting and classroom environment shapes the climate of safety, support and learning for LGBTQ students when they are engaged in studying a novel with a gay character. Heteronormative environments inform and shape positioning of and by students and…

Effectiveness of classroom response systems within an active learning environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Welch, Susan

2013-11-01

In nursing education, the inclusion of pedagogical tools is necessary to transform Millennial classrooms. One such pedagogical tool currently offered is classroom response systems (CRS). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of CRS as a pedagogical tool in improving nursing students' examination performance within an active learning environment. A pretest-posttest design was used to determine whether there was a relationship between the use of CRS (independent variable) and nursing students' examination performance in a first-year Professional Practice course (dependent variable). Paired t tests revealed no greater improvement in posttest scores. Therefore, the use of CRS technology was not effective in increasing nursing students' examination scores in the Professional Practice course. Additional research is needed to provide adequate understanding of the effectiveness of CRS within the nursing education classroom. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

The inclusion of pupils with special educational needs in Early Stimulation age into the regular classroom environment, at Nursery Schools, of an average municipality Vale dos Sinos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciana Cátia Loose Pereira

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Inclusive education in Brazil has been widely discussed in all areas of the educational. The inclusion of pupils with special educational needs (SEN in mainstream schools is increasingly frequent, though still many aspects need to be rethought. This work aimed at checking how the subjects with SEN in Early Stimulation age, from zero to three years and 11 months are included into the regular classroom environment, at Nursery Schools, of an average municipality - Vale dos Sinos. This work involved a cross-sectional survey of quantitative and descriptive statistics. The data collection was carried out directly from a structured questionnaire with open and closed questions, directed to all principals of the thirteen Nursery Schools in the referred municipality. From the thirteen schools of the municipality only one did not take part of the research since there was no enrollment of children with special needs there, totalizing 46 children in processes of educational inclusion. From those, twelve children (26.8% were benefited with an Early Stimulation service maintained by the Association of Parents and Friends of Exceptional Children of that referred municipality, Thirty children (65,2% enrolled in school at the initiative of his own family e four children (8% by intervention of the Wakefield council. In this sense, we believe that the professionals of the Early Stimulation have the responsibility of promoting and conveying its importance and, mainly, the benefits of Early Stimulation for the whole development of individuals, as well as its contribution to a process of inclusive education.

[Impact of the flipped classroom strategy in the learning environment in surgery: A comparison with the lectures].

Science.gov (United States)

Domínguez, Luis Carlos; Vega, Neil Valentín; Espitia, Erik Leonardo; Sanabria, Álvaro Enrique; Corso, Claudia; Serna, Adriana Margarita; Osorio, Camilo

2015-01-01

The Facultad de Medicina of the Universidad de La Sabana routinely uses lectures as the major educational strategy in clinical areas. Since 2012, a curriculum in context and a flipped classroom were introduced in the surgery course. To compare the impact of lectures versus the flipped classroom model in the learning environment in surgery. The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire was administered to four cohorts of students. The five domains and the overall scores for both strategies were analyzed, and ANOVA was used to determine the differences among the domains (pflipped classroom, which suggests that this environment had a higher level of excellence. The ANOVA for each domain and the overall scores showed no differences with a flipped classroom. However, significant differences were identified in all domains and the overall scores with lectures (p0.90) for all measurements in both environments, and there was consistency across all cohorts. The flipped classroom strategy showed a higher score than the lecture-based approach according to the DREEM questionnaire. Identifying factors with a negative score is crucial to improving the learning environment. It is necessary to conduct further measurements over time to ensure the quality and success of the strategy.

Use of Graphic Systems in the Routine of a Regular Classroom with a Disabled Student

Science.gov (United States)

Deliberato, Débora; Nunes, Leila Regina d'Oliveira Paula

2015-01-01

The school environment adapted to the diversity of students is an important goal, but it is a challenge when it comes to the diversity of students with disabilities. The aim of this study was to describe the use of graphic systems in the routine of a preschool classroom through a collaborative program. The study included a teacher, 22 children of…

Associations between Students' Perceptions of Mathematics Classroom Environment and Self-Handicapping in Australian and Canadian High Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Dorman, Jeffrey P.; Ferguson, Janet M.

2004-01-01

Research investigating the relationship between classroom environment and self-handicapping was conducted in Australian and Canadian high schools. A sample of 2,006 students responded to a questionnaire that assessed student perceptions of classroom environment and self-handicapping. Simple and multiple correlational analyses showed that classroom…

Operating Classroom Aesthetic Reading Environment to Raise Children's Reading Motivation

Science.gov (United States)

Chou, Mei-Ju; Cheng, Jui-Ching; Cheng, Ya-Wen

2016-01-01

This research aims to explore how preschool educators understand about raising children's reading motivation through operating classroom aesthetic reading environment. With one year qualitative research, sixteen 4-6 years old young were observed and interviewed. The first stage interviews were undergone with environmental guidance. After the…

Teacher Attitudes, Perceived Influences, and Self-Reported Classroom Behaviors Related to School Nutrition Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Girard, Beverly Lawler

2010-01-01

This study determined attitudes of kindergarten through fifth grade teachers about school nutrition environments, their perceived influence on school nutrition environments, and self-reported classroom behaviors. Specific objectives were to: (a) identify perceived factors that influence the school nutrition environment, according to teachers…

On the regularity of the extinction probability of a branching process in varying and random environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alili, Smail; Rugh, Hans Henrik

2008-01-01

We consider a supercritical branching process in time-dependent environment ξ. We assume that the offspring distributions depend regularly (C k or real-analytically) on real parameters λ. We show that the extinction probability q λ (ξ), given the environment ξ 'inherits' this regularity whenever the offspring distributions satisfy a condition of contraction-type. Our proof makes use of the Poincaré metric on the complex unit disc and a real-analytic implicit function theorem

Examining the relationship between the creativity levels of the classroom environment and the preschool children

OpenAIRE

Züleyha Yuvacı; Hacer Elif Dağlıoğlu

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the creative classroom environments and the creative thinking skills of six-year old children in three central districts (Melikgazi, Kocasinan and Talas) of Kayseri province in Turkey. The participants of the study included 51 teachers and 357 students in their classes. The teachers who participated in this study were administered “the Pre-school Creative Classroom Environment Scale” for their perception of the level of creativ...

Managing Learning Experiences in an AACSB Environment: Beyond the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Spruell, James; Hawkins, Al; Vicknair, David

2009-01-01

The study explores the development and management of a rich learning environment that extends the traditional classroom to include significant co-curricular programs. Learning enrichment is guided by the individual mission of the business school, accreditation agency (AACSB), and in our case, the Jesuit mission. That central framework provides a…

The Influence of the High School Classroom Environment on Learning as Mediated by Student Engagement

Science.gov (United States)

Shernoff, David J.; Ruzek, Erik A.; Sinha, Suparna

2017-01-01

Classroom learning environments are frequently assumed to exert their influence on learning indirectly, via student engagement. The present study examined the influence of environmental challenge and support on learning in high school classrooms, and the potential for student engagement to act as a mediator in this relationship. Data were…

Students' Understanding and Perceptions of Assigned Team Roles in a Classroom Laboratory Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Ott, Laura E.; Kephart, Kerrie; Stolle-McAllister, Kathleen; LaCourse, William R.

2018-01-01

Using a cooperative learning framework in a quantitative reasoning laboratory course, students were assigned to static teams of four in which they adopted roles that rotated regularly. The roles included: team leader, protocol manager, data recorder, and researcher. Using a mixed-methods approach, we investigated students' perceptions of the team roles and specifically addressed students' understanding of the roles, students' beliefs in their ability to enact the roles, and whether working with assigned team roles supported the teams to work effectively and cohesively. Although students expressed confidence in their understanding of the team roles, their understanding differed from the initial descriptions. This suggests that students' understanding of team roles may be influenced by a variety of factors, including their experiences within their teams. Students also reported that some roles appeared to lack a purpose, implying that for roles to be successful, they must have a clear purpose. Finally, the fact that many students reported ignoring the team roles suggests that students do not perceive roles as a requirement for team productivity and cohesion. On the basis of these findings, we provide recommendations for instructors wishing to establish a classroom group laboratory environment. PMID:29681667

Single-Sex School Boys' Perceptions of Coeducational Classroom Learning Environments

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Yates, Shirley M.

2011-01-01

Reviews in many countries have found little evidence of consistent advantages in either single-sex education or coeducation. Over the last three decades, coeducation has been introduced into many single-sex schools, but there is a dearth of evidence from the student perspective of the impact of such changes on the classroom learning environment.…

Designing for Learning: Online Social Networks as a Classroom Environment

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Gail Casey

2011-11-01

Full Text Available This paper deploys notions of emergence, connections, and designs for learning to conceptualize high school students’ interactions when using online social media as a learning environment. It makes links to chaos and complexity theories and to fractal patterns as it reports on a part of the first author’s action research study, conducted while she was a teacher working in an Australian public high school and completing her PhD. The study investigates the use of a Ning online social network as a learning environment shared by seven classes, and it examines students’ reactions and online activity while using a range of social media and Web 2.0 tools.The authors use Graham Nuthall’s (2007 “lens on learning” to explore the social processes and culture of this shared online classroom. The paper uses his extensive body of research and analyses of classroom learning processes to conceptualize and analyze data throughout the action research cycle. It discusses the pedagogical implications that arise from the use of social media and, in so doing, challenges traditional models of teaching and learning.

Context-dependent memory in a meaningful environment for medical education: in the classroom and at the bedside.

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Koens, Franciska; Ten Cate, Olle Th J; Custers, Eugène J F M

2003-01-01

Learning-in-context is a much-discussed topic in medical education. Information is said to be better recalled when the learning environment resembles the later retrieval environment. Godden and Baddeley (1975) showed that divers recalled words better when the recall condition matched the original learning environment, i.e. underwater or on land. Though it is unclear whether the findings can be generalized for medical education, medical educators regularly refer to them. We replicated the Godden and Baddeley study in ecologically more valid conditions for medical education and extended it with meaningful subject matter (namely, a patient case description). Sixty-three clerks were randomized over four conditions, contrasting a clinical (bedside) with an educational (classroom) environment as both learning and recall conditions. Students were asked to recall a list of words and a patient case in the same environment or in the opposite environment as where they learned it. We failed to find a significant same-context advantage for free recall of the list of words and the patient case propositions. However, there does appear to be a slight tendency towards better recall of the case description when learning took place in the clinical environment. In medical education, the context, if conceived as physical surroundings, does not seem to contribute to a same-context advantage. One should be cautious in generalizing the findings of Godden and Baddeley. However, different forms of 'context' other than the physical one used in the Godden and Baddeley study may well enhance learning effects in medical education.

Marginalisation Processes in Inclusive Education in Norway: A Longitudinal Study of Classroom Participation

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Wendelborg, Christian; Tossebro, Jan

2010-01-01

The aim of this paper is to describe the classroom participation of primary school children with disabilities who attend regular schools in Norway; to explore how relations between children with disabilities and their environment change, and further to chart how schools act in response to such change. The analyses are based on a life course study…

Temporal regularity of the environment drives time perception

OpenAIRE

van Rijn, H; Rhodes, D; Di Luca, M

2016-01-01

It’s reasonable to assume that a regularly paced sequence should be perceived as regular, but here we show that perceived regularity depends on the context in which the sequence is embedded. We presented one group of participants with perceptually regularly paced sequences, and another group of participants with mostly irregularly paced sequences (75% irregular, 25% regular). The timing of the final stimulus in each sequence could be var- ied. In one experiment, we asked whether the last stim...

Student perception of the educational environment in regular and bridging nursing programs in Saudi Arabia using the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure.

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Al Nozha, Omar Mansour; Fadel, Hani T

2017-01-01

Taibah University offers regular nursing (RNP) and nursing bridging (NBP) bachelor programs. We evaluated student perception of the learning environment as one means of quality assurance. To assess nursing student perception of their educational environment, to compare the perceptions of regular and bridging students, and to compare the perceptions of students in the old and new curricula. Cross-sectional survey. College of Nursing at Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia. The Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) instrument was distributed to over 714 nursing students to assess perception of the educational environment. Independent samples t test and Pearson's chi square were used to compare the programs and curricula. The DREEM inventory score. Of 714 students, 271 (38%) were RNP students and 443 (62%) were NBP students. The mean (standard deviation) DREEM score was 111 (25). No significant differences were observed between the programs except for the domain "academic self-perceptions" being higher in RNP students (P .05). Nursing students generally perceived their learning environment as more positive than negative. Regular students were more positive than bridging students. Students who experienced the new curriculum were more positive towards learning. The cross-sectional design and unequal gender and study level distributions may limit generalizability of the results. Longitudinal, large-scale studies with more even distributions of participant characteristics are needed.

Positive School and Classroom Environment: Precursors of Successful Implementation of Positive Youth Development Programs

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Rachel C. F. Sun

2008-01-01

Full Text Available This case study was based on a school where the Tier 1 Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S. was integrated into the formal curriculum. In this case study, an interview with the school principal, vice-principal, and social worker was conducted in order to understand their perceptions of administrative arrangements and issues in the school, implementation characteristics, program effectiveness, program success, and overall impression. Results showed that several positive school and classroom attributes were conducive to program success, including positive school culture and belief in students' potentials, an inviting school environment, an encouraging classroom environment, high involvement of school administrative personnel, and systematic program arrangement.

Capturing the Magic of Classroom Training in Blended Learning

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Laiken, Marilyn E.; Milland, Russ; Wagner, Jon

2014-01-01

Organizations today are faced with the challenges of expanding their traditional classroom-based approaches into blended learning experiences which integrate regular classrooms, virtual classrooms, social learning, independent reading, on the job learning and other methodologies. Our team converted a two-day classroom-based program, taught from…

Classroom Environment in the Implementation of an Innovative Curriculum Project in Science Education.

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Suarez, Mercedes; Pias, Rosa; Membiela, Pedro; Dapia, Dolores

1998-01-01

Analyzes the perceptions of students, teachers, and external observers in order to study the influence of classroom environment on the implementation of an innovative project in science education. Contains 33 references. (DDR)

Metacognition: A Tool to Promote an Inclusive Classroom Environment for Students with Disabilities

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Ana Patricia Vázquez-Chaves

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This essay presents metacognition as a tool to promote a classroom environment inclusive for students with disabilities. It aims at promoting reflection on the methodology to address diversity within the classroom, considering the population with disabilities as one of the major groups to bear in mind. Within the conceptual approach, inclusive education is seen as the way to address diversity in the Costa Rican education system, where education is considered a fundamental human right. The Ministry of Public Education of Costa Rica is moving from a rehabilitative approach to an inclusive education approach. Metacognition is a way to raise awareness on the pedagogical mediation within the classroom environment. This paper includes results from a series of descriptive and qualitative studies conducted at Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica, which demonstrate that many of the difficulties presented in the student population are due to methodological aspects and an inadequate delivery of the contents by the teachers. The methodology used helps us to understand the ways in which students perform the cognitive processes through metacognitive strategies. It is concluded that the teaching strategies proposed to meet the educational needs comprehensively is fundamental for achieving inclusive educational processes.

Attitude of Regular and Itinerant Teachers Towards the Inclusion of Hearing Impairment Children

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Kamal Parhoon

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Inclusive education is a process of enabling all children to learn and participate effectively within mainstream school systems. It does not segregate children who have different abilities or needs. This article explores the attitudes of regular and itinerant teachers about inclusion of hearing impairment children in their schools in general education. Methods: In a descriptive Survey research design, the sample included 100 teachers (50 regular and 50 itinerant who were selected randomly, according to a multistage sampling method. Data was collected by using questionnaire with 32 questions regarding their attitudes. One-way Analysis of Variance and t-test were performed to obtain between- group comparisons. Results: The results indicated that the teacher's positive attitudes towards inclusive educational system of students with hearing impairment. Significant difference in attitudes was observed, based on the teaching experience, gender, level of teaching. The results also indicate that most teachers are agreeable to the inclusion of students with hearing impairment in their classrooms. Discussion: successful inclusion for hearing impairment children in regular classrooms entails the positive attitudes of Regular and itinerant teachers through a systematic programming within the classroom.

Regularity in an environment produces an internal torque pattern for biped balance control.

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Ito, Satoshi; Kawasaki, Haruhisa

2005-04-01

In this paper, we present a control method for achieving biped static balance under unknown periodic external forces whose periods are only known. In order to maintain static balance adaptively in an uncertain environment, it is essential to have information on the ground reaction forces. However, when the biped is exposed to a steady environment that provides an external force periodically, uncertain factors on the regularity with respect to a steady environment are gradually clarified using learning process, and finally a torque pattern for balancing motion is acquired. Consequently, static balance is maintained without feedback from ground reaction forces and achieved in a feedforward manner.

Learning Environments as Basis for Cognitive Achievements of Students in Basic Science Classrooms in Nigeria

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Atomatofa, Rachel; Okoye, Nnamdi; Igwebuike, Thomas

2016-01-01

The nature of classroom learning environments created by teachers had been considered very important for learning to take place effectively. This study investigated the effect of creating constructivist and transmissive learning environments on achievements of science students of different ability levels. 243 students formed the entire study…

Collaborative Embodied Learning in Mixed Reality Motion-Capture Environments: Two Science Studies

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Johnson-Glenberg, Mina C.; Birchfield, David A.; Tolentino, Lisa; Koziupa, Tatyana

2014-01-01

These 2 studies investigate the extent to which an Embodied Mixed Reality Learning Environment (EMRELE) can enhance science learning compared to regular classroom instruction. Mixed reality means that physical tangible and digital components were present. The content for the EMRELE required that students map abstract concepts and relations onto…

Capturing the complexity: Content, type, and amount of instruction and quality of the classroom learning environment synergistically predict third graders' vocabulary and reading comprehension outcomes.

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Connor, Carol McDonald; Spencer, Mercedes; Day, Stephanie L; Giuliani, Sarah; Ingebrand, Sarah W; McLean, Leigh; Morrison, Frederick J

2014-08-01

We examined classrooms as complex systems that affect students' literacy learning through interacting effects of content and amount of time individual students spent in literacy instruction along with the global quality of the classroom-learning environment. We observed 27 third grade classrooms serving 315 target students using two different observation systems. The first assessed instruction at a more micro-level; specifically, the amount of time individual students spent in literacy instruction defined by the type of instruction, role of the teacher, and content. The second assessed the quality of the classroom-learning environment at a more macro level focusing on classroom organization, teacher responsiveness, and support for vocabulary and language. Results revealed that both global quality of the classroom learning environment and time individual students spent in specific types of literacy instruction covering specific content interacted to predict students' comprehension and vocabulary gains whereas neither system alone did. These findings support a dynamic systems model of how individual children learn in the context of classroom literacy instruction and the classroom-learning environment, which can help to improve observations systems, advance research, elevate teacher evaluation and professional development, and enhance student achievement.

Capturing the complexity: Content, type, and amount of instruction and quality of the classroom learning environment synergistically predict third graders’ vocabulary and reading comprehension outcomes

Science.gov (United States)

Connor, Carol McDonald; Spencer, Mercedes; Day, Stephanie L.; Giuliani, Sarah; Ingebrand, Sarah W.; McLean, Leigh; Morrison, Frederick J.

2014-01-01

We examined classrooms as complex systems that affect students’ literacy learning through interacting effects of content and amount of time individual students spent in literacy instruction along with the global quality of the classroom-learning environment. We observed 27 third grade classrooms serving 315 target students using two different observation systems. The first assessed instruction at a more micro-level; specifically, the amount of time individual students spent in literacy instruction defined by the type of instruction, role of the teacher, and content. The second assessed the quality of the classroom-learning environment at a more macro level focusing on classroom organization, teacher responsiveness, and support for vocabulary and language. Results revealed that both global quality of the classroom learning environment and time individual students spent in specific types of literacy instruction covering specific content interacted to predict students’ comprehension and vocabulary gains whereas neither system alone did. These findings support a dynamic systems model of how individual children learn in the context of classroom literacy instruction and the classroom-learning environment, which can help to improve observations systems, advance research, elevate teacher evaluation and professional development, and enhance student achievement. PMID:25400293

The Relationship between Classroom Environment and EFL Learners' Academic Self-Efficacy

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Daemi, Masoumeh Naghsh; Tahriri, Abdorreza; Zafarghandi, Amir Mahdavi

2017-01-01

The present study sought to examine the relationship between classroom environment and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' academic self-efficacy. To this end, a sample of 200 advanced EFL learners (146 females and 54 males) completed the "What is Happening In This Class?" (WIHIC) which consists of seven scales including…

Channel Bonding in Linux Ethernet Environment using Regular Switching Hub

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Chih-wen Hsueh

2004-06-01

Full Text Available Bandwidth plays an important role for quality of service in most network systems. There are many technologies developed to increase host bandwidth in a LAN environment. Most of them need special hardware support, such as switching hub that supports IEEE Link Aggregation standard. In this paper, we propose a Linux solution to increase the bandwidth between hosts with multiple network adapters connected to a regular switching hub. The approach is implemented as two Linux kernel modules in a LAN environment without modification to the hardware and operating systems on host machines. Packets are dispatched to bonding network adapters for transmission. The proposed approach is backward compatible, flexible and transparent to users and only one IP address is needed for multiple bonding network adapters. Evaluation experiments in TCP and UDP transmission are shown with bandwidth gain proportionally to the number of network adapters. It is suitable for large-scale LAN systems with high bandwidth requirement, such as clustering systems.

Creativity in the regular classroom: perceptions of gifted and non-gifted students

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Fernanda do Carmo Gonçalves

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to compare the perception of gifted and non-gifted students with respect to the climate for creativity in the classroom, in the disciplines of Mathematics and Portuguese Language, and to investigate the relationship between creativity and perception of classroom climate for creativity. Twenty-one gifted and 27 non-gifted 6th grade students who attended a public school in Brazil participated in the study. The gifted students evaluated teacher’s support to the students’ expression of ideas in Mathematics in a more satisfactory way compared to non-gifted, and they also showed greater interest in learning Mathematics in comparison to Portuguese Language. A positive correlation between creativity and perception of classroom climate was found for gifted students, and negative correlation for non-gifted students.

The Regular Education Initiative: A Deja Vu Remembered with Sadness and Concern.

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Silver, Larry B.

1991-01-01

This article compares the ideals of the regular education initiative to provide services for learning-disabled students within the regular classroom to the ideals and resulting negative effects (e.g., homelessness) of the deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill during the 1960s. Resistance to efforts to decrease or eliminate special education…

Occupants' adaptive responses and perception of thermal environment in naturally conditioned university classrooms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yao, Runming [The School of Construction Management and Engineering, The University of Reading, Whiteknights, PO Box 219, Reading RG6 6AW (United Kingdom); The Faculty of Urban Construction and Environmental Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400042 (China); Liu, Jing [The School of Construction Management and Engineering, The University of Reading, Whiteknights, PO Box 219, Reading RG6 6AW (United Kingdom); Li, Baizhan [The Faculty of Urban Construction and Environmental Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400042 (China); Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region' s Eco-Environment (Ministry of Education), Chongqing University, Chongqing 400042 (China)

2010-03-15

A year-long field study of the thermal environment in university classrooms was conducted from March 2005 to May 2006 in Chongqing, China. This paper presents the occupants' thermal sensation votes and discusses the occupants' adaptive response and perception of the thermal environment in a naturally conditioned space. Comparisons between the Actual Mean Vote (AMV) and Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) have been made as well as between the Actual Percentage of Dissatisfied (APD) and Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied (PPD). The adaptive thermal comfort zone for the naturally conditioned space for Chongqing, which has hot summer and cold winter climatic characteristics, has been proposed based on the field study results. The Chongqing adaptive comfort range is broader than that of the ASHRAE Standard 55-2004 in general, but in the extreme cold and hot months, it is narrower. The thermal conditions in classrooms in Chongqing in summer and winter are severe. Behavioural adaptation such as changing clothing, adjusting indoor air velocity, taking hot/cold drinks, etc., as well as psychological adaptation, has played a role in adapting to the thermal environment. (author)

catering for children with special needs in the regular classroom

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Elizabeth Egbochuku

Unfortunately, public schools in Nigeria are often times over crowded and lack the .... schools where the population far exceeds the number allowed by law. (ii) Inability to ... Maintaining Effective Classroom Control and. Discipline. In: S. A. ...

Encouraging Classroom Discussion

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Robert Joseph McKee

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Classroom discussion has the potential to enhance the learning environment and encourages students to become active participants in the educational process. Student participation in classroom discussion has been shown to significantly improve the student learning experience. Research suggests that classroom discussion is an effective method for encouraging student classroom participation and for motivating student learning beyond the classroom. Participation in classroom discussion encourages students to become active collaborators in the learning process, while at the same time providing instructors with a practical method of assessing student learning. Classroom discussion is an effective tool for developing higher-level cognitive skills like critical thinking. Despite the potential discussion holds for student learning, many in academia lament the lack of participation in the classroom. The lack of student participation in classroom discussion is not a recent problem; it is one that has frustrated instructors for decades. Instructors report that some of the more current methods for encouraging classroom discussion can be exasperating and at times non-productive. This two-year study of 510 college and university students provides insight into the reasons why some students do not participate in classroom discussion. This study, which also elicited input from sixteen college and university professors and two high school teachers, offers some suggestions for creating and encouraging an environment conducive to student participation in the classroom.

The Elementary School Classroom. The Study of the Built Environment Through Student and Teacher Responses. The Elementary School and Its Population, Phase 2.

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Artinian, Vrej-Armen

An extensive investigation of elementary school classrooms was conducted through the collection and statistical analysis of student and teacher responses to questions concerning the educational environment. Several asepcts of the classroom are discussed, including the spatial, thermal, luminous, and aural environments. Questions were organized so…

A Cross-National Study of Secondary Science Classroom Environments in Australia and Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

Fraser, Barry J.; Aldridge, Jill M.; Adolphe, F. S. Gerard

2010-01-01

This article reports a cross-national study of classroom environments in Australia and Indonesia. A modified version of the What Is Happening In this Class? (WIHIC) questionnaire was used simultaneously in these two countries to: 1) cross validate the modified WIHIC; 2) investigate differences between countries and sexes in perceptions of…

Students' Perceptions of the Learning Environment in Tertiary Science Classrooms in Myanmar

Science.gov (United States)

Khine, Myint Swe; Fraser, Barry J.; Afari, Ernest; Oo, Zeya; Kyaw, Thein Thein

2018-01-01

We investigated students' perceptions of their science classroom environments with the use of the What Is Happening In this Class? (WIHIC) questionnaire at the university level in Myanmar. The translated questionnaire was administered to 251 students in first-year science classes at a university. Both exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory…

Mixed-reality Learning Environments: What Happens When You Move from a Laboratory to a Classroom?

OpenAIRE

King, Barbara; Smith, Carmen Petrick

2018-01-01

The advent ofmotion-controlled technologies has unlocked new possibilities for body-basedlearning in the mathematics classroom. For example, mixed-reality learning environments allow students theopportunity to embody a mathematical concept while simultaneously beingprovided a visual interface that represents their movement.  In the current study, we created amixed-reality environment to help children learn about angle measurement, andwe investigated similarities and differen...

The Contribution of Perceived Classroom Learning Environment and Motivation to Student Engagement in Science

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Tas, Yasemin

2016-01-01

This study investigated middle school students' engagement in science in relation to students' perceptions of the classroom learning environment (teacher support, student cohesiveness, and equity) and motivation (self-efficacy beliefs and achievement goals). The participants were 315 Turkish sixth and seventh grade students. Four hierarchical…

The Classroom Environment and Students' Reports of Avoidance Strategies in Mathematics: A Multimethod Study.

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Turner, Julianne C.; Midgley, Carol; Meyer, Debra K.; Gheen, Margaret; Anderman, Eric M.; Kang, Yongjin; Patrick, Helen

2002-01-01

The relation between learning environment (perceptions of classroom goal structure and teachers' instructional discourse) and students' reported use of avoidance strategies (self-handicapping, avoidance of help seeking) and preference to avoid novelty in mathematics was examined. High incidence of motivational support was uniquely characteristic…

Design and implementation of a flipped classroom learning environment in the biomedical engineering context.

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Corrias, Alberto; Cho Hong, James Goh

2015-01-01

The design and implementation of a learning environment that leverages on the use of various technologies is presented. The context is an undergraduate core engineering course within the biomedical engineering curriculum. The topic of the course is data analysis in biomedical engineering problems. One of the key ideas of this study is to confine the most mathematical and statistical aspects of data analysis in prerecorded video lectures. Students are asked to watch the video lectures before coming to class. Since the classroom session does not need to cover the mathematical theory, the time is spent on a selected real world scenario in the field of biomedical engineering that exposes students to an actual application of the theory. The weekly cycle is concluded with a hands-on tutorial session in the computer rooms. A potential problem would arise in such learning environment if the students do not follow the recommendation of watching the video lecture before coming to class. In an attempt to limit these occurrences, two key instruments were put in place: a set of online self-assessment questions that students are asked to take before the classroom session and a simple rewards system during the classroom session. Thanks to modern learning analytics tools, we were able to show that, on average, 57.9% of students followed the recommendation of watching the video lecture before class. The efficacy of the learning environment was assessed through various means. A survey was conducted among the students and the gathered data support the view that the learning environment was well received by the students. Attempts were made to quantify the impacts on learning of the proposed measures by taking into account the results of selected questions of the final examination of the course. Although the presence of confounding factors demands caution in the interpretation, these data seem to indicate a possible positive effect of the use of video lectures in this technologically

Learner-Responsive Instructional Strategies for Adults in Accelerated Classroom Formats: Creating Inclusive Learning Environments

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Gupta, Kalpana

2012-01-01

This study was focused on investigating inclusive learning environments in accelerated classroom formats. Three 8-week sections of an undergraduate course at Regis University were examined. Results from observations and surveys were analyzed to determine the effectiveness and consistency of 13 inclusive strategies derived from Wlodkowski and…

Traveling in the dark: the legibility of a regular and predictable structure of the environment extends beyond its borders.

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Yaski, Osnat; Portugali, Juval; Eilam, David

2012-04-01

The physical structure of the surrounding environment shapes the paths of progression, which in turn reflect the structure of the environment and the way that it shapes behavior. A regular and coherent physical structure results in paths that extend over the entire environment. In contrast, irregular structure results in traveling over a confined sector of the area. In this study, rats were tested in a dark arena in which half the area contained eight objects in a regular grid layout, and the other half contained eight objects in an irregular layout. In subsequent trials, a salient landmark was placed first within the irregular half, and then within the grid. We hypothesized that rats would favor travel in the area with regular order, but found that activity in the area with irregular object layout did not differ from activity in the area with grid layout, even when the irregular half included a salient landmark. Thus, the grid impact in one arena half extended to the other half and overshadowed the presumed impact of the salient landmark. This could be explained by mechanisms that control spatial behavior, such as grid cells and odometry. However, when objects were spaced irregularly over the entire arena, the salient landmark became dominant and the paths converged upon it, especially from objects with direct access to the salient landmark. Altogether, three environmental properties: (i) regular and predictable structure; (ii) salience of landmarks; and (iii) accessibility, hierarchically shape the paths of progression in a dark environment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An Application of the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction and College and University Classroom Environment Inventory in a Multicultural Tertiary Context

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Coll, Richard K.; Taylor, Neil; Fisher, Darrell L.

2002-02-01

The research reported in this inquiry consisted of the application of two classroom learning environment questionnaires developed in a Western context to a culturally diverse context, namely, the Pacific Islands. The College and University Classroom Environment Inventory (CUCEI) and Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI) instruments were administered to intact classes of first- and second-year science students ( n= 257) at a regional university in the Pacific Islands, containing a total of 12 ethnicities. The data reveal that the QTI instrument holds good reliability for all scales, whereas the CUCEI holds reliability for only two scales. This may be due to the simple nature of the questions on the QTI whereas the questions on the CUCEI require more interpretation, the latter exacerbated by the fact that English is a second or third language for most participants. Surprisingly, there were few differences in perceptions of teacher student interaction based on ethnicity, but substantial differences based on gender. As reported in previous classroom environment research at the secondary school level, in this study, females perceived their environment more favourably than males. The data for the QTI reveal that the students perceive their classrooms to be highly teacher dominated, consistent with previous naturalistic studies of secondary schools and exploratory studies at the tertiary level in Fiji. Since almost all the graduates from this institution become science teachers, a cycle is completed.

Classroom Management Affects Literacy Development of Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

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Garwood, Justin D.; Vernon-Feagans, Lynne

2017-01-01

Many children with behavior problems perform poorly academically and can disrupt regular classroom instruction. Although good classroom management strategies can benefit children with behavior problems, it is not clear whether these students need consistently good classroom management across the early elementary school years to improve their…

Health science students and their learning environment: a comparison of perceptions of on-site, remote-site, and traditional classroom students.

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Elison-Bowers, P; Snelson, Chareen; Casa de Calvo, Mario; Thompson, Heather

2008-02-05

This study compared the responses of on-site, remote-site, and traditional classroom students on measures of student/teacher interaction, course structure, physical learning environment, and overall course enjoyment/satisfaction. The sample population consisted of students taking undergraduate courses in medical terminology at two western colleges. The survey instrument was derived from Thomerson's questionnaire, which included closed- and open-ended questions assessing perceptions of students toward their courses. Controlling for grade expectations, results revealed no significant differences among the on-site, remote-site, and traditional classroom students in any of the four cluster domains. However, a nonsignificant (and continuing) trend suggested that students preferred the traditional classroom environment. When results were controlled for age, significant differences emerged between traditional and nontraditional students on measures of student/teacher interaction, physical learning environment, and overall enjoyment/satisfaction, as nontraditional students exhibited higher scores. Students' responses to open-ended questions indicated they enjoyed the convenience of online instruction, but reported finding frustration with technology itself.

Acoustics and sociolinguistics: Patterns of communication in hearing impairing classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

McKellin, William; Shahin, Kimary; Jamieson, Janet; Hodgson, Murray; Pichora-Fuller, Kathleen

2005-04-01

In elementary school classes, noise during student led activities is often taken as evidence of successful interaction and learning. In this complex social environment of elementary school classrooms, acquisition of complex language and social skills-the focus of activities in early education-is expected to take place in hearing-hostile environments. Communication and language processing in these contexts requires interactive strategies, discourse forms, and syntactic structures different from the educationally desired forms used in acoustically advantageous environments. Recordings were made of the interaction of groups of students in grades 1-3, 5, and 7 during collaborative group work in their regular classrooms. Each student wore microphones at the ear level and head-mounted video cameras. Each group as a whole was also audio- and videotaped and noise level readings were recorded. Analysis of the acoustical and phonological properties of language heard by each student has demonstrated that the language variety used in these noisy and reverberant settings is similar to that of individuals with hearing impairments. This paper reports similarities between the syntactic structures and pragmatic strategies used by hearing impaired children and normally hearing children in noisy contexts. [Work supported by Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies, University of British Columbia.

Second language writing anxiety, computer anxiety, and performance in a classroom versus a web-based environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Effie Dracopoulos

2011-04-01

Full Text Available This study examined the impact of writing anxiety and computer anxiety on language learning for 45 ESL adult learners enrolled in an English grammar and writing course. Two sections of the course were offered in a traditional classroom setting whereas two others were given in a hybrid form that involved distance learning. Contrary to previous research, writing anxiety showed no correlation with learning performance, whereas computer anxiety only yielded a positive correlation with performance in the case of classroom learners. There were no significant differences across learning environments on any measures. These observations are discussed in light of the role computer technologies now play in our society as well as the merging of socio-demographic profiles between classroom and distance learners. Our data suggest that comparisons of profiles between classroom and distance learners may not be an issue worth investigating anymore in language studies, at least in developed countries.

Evaluation of a "Flipped Classroom" Approach in Management Education

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Bergfjord, Ole Jakob; Heggernes, Tarjei

2016-01-01

In this paper, a "flipped classroom" approach is evaluated using three different datasets. We use student evaluations of the "flipped classroom" in particular, in addition to regular course evaluations and exam results for the past three years in order to allow for statistical comparisons. Overall, the results are quite…

Does Racism Exist in the Online Classroom Learning Environment? Perceptions of Online Undergraduate Students

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Hopson, Anna C.

2014-01-01

In U.S. history, racism has existed in traditional brick-and-mortar academic institutions for hundreds of years. With the increase of online learning--a strategic and effective form of education for many academic institutions of higher education--the question being asked is, Does racism exist in the online classroom learning environment? This…

The Cooperative Classroom Environment Measure (CCEM): Refining a Measure That Assesses Factors Motivating Student Prosociality

Science.gov (United States)

Premo, Joshua; Cavagnetto, Andy; Lamb, Richard

2018-01-01

A classroom's social environment and student dispositions towards social interaction together exert a substantial influence on academic outcomes. The strength of this effect is highlighted by research showing the positive effect of cooperative learning on student achievement, but can also be seen in the contribution that student social…

Identifying Canadian Teacher Candidates' Needs for Training in the Use of Inclusive Classroom Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Pei-Ying; Lin, Yu-Cheng

2015-01-01

To identify teacher candidates' needs for training in inclusive classroom assessment, the present study investigated teacher candidates' beliefs about inclusive classroom assessments for all students educated in regular classrooms, including those with special needs and English language learners. An innovative theoretical assessment model,…

Measuring Conceptual Change on Stoichiometry Using Mental Models and IllStructured Problems In a Flipped Classroom Environment

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Norrie E. Gayeta

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to measure conceptual change on stoichiometry using mental models and ill-structured problems in flipped classroom environment. This study examined the level of conceptual understanding of students on stoichiometry before and after exposure to flipped and traditional lecture method. It also covered the type of conceptual change, and students’ description in flipped classroom environment. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were used in the study. Respondents were two sections of third year Bachelor of Secondary Education, Biological Science. Frequency, percentage, ranking, mean, standard deviation, Hake factor test, and t-test were the statistical tools applied to answer specific questions. Results showed profound increase towards conceptual change representing a shift from intuitive understanding to correct incomplete understanding level. Thus, change for the better, in theoretical type was determined from pretest to posttest of students exposed to flipped and traditional instruction. Results also indicated that there is no significant difference on students’ conceptual change on stoichiometry exposed to flipped and traditional lecture method. Furthermore, students strongly agreed that flipped classroom instruction helped them develop positive attitude towards chemistry and appropriate for learning college chemistry.

Departmentalized Classroom Environments versus Traditional Classroom Environments in Second through Fourth Grades: A Quantitative Analysis

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Ray, Staci Janelle

2017-01-01

Since No Child Left Behind was introduced, kindergarten through 12th-grade educators have seen a dramatic increase in accountability, rigor of standards, and responsibilities in the classroom (New America Foundation, 2015). In order to meet the increased demands of federal education regulations in second through fourth grades, many administrators…

Cooling energy efficiency and classroom air environment of a school building operated by the heat recovery air conditioning unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Yang; Zhao, Fu-Yun; Kuckelkorn, Jens; Liu, Di; Liu, Li-Qun; Pan, Xiao-Chuan

2014-01-01

The recently-built school buildings have adopted novel heat recovery ventilator and air conditioning system. Heat recovery efficiency of the heat recovery facility and energy conservation ratio of the air conditioning unit were analytically modeled, taking the ventilation networks into account. Following that, school classroom displacement ventilation and its thermal stratification and indoor air quality indicated by the CO 2 concentration have been numerically modeled concerning the effects of delivering ventilation flow rate and supplying air temperature. Numerical results indicate that the promotion of mechanical ventilation rate can simultaneously boost the dilution of indoor air pollutants and the non-uniformity of indoor thermal and pollutant distributions. Subsequent energy performance analysis demonstrates that classroom energy demands for ventilation and cooling could be reduced with the promotion of heat recovery efficiency of the ventilation facility, and the energy conservation ratio of the air conditioning unit decreases with the increasing temperatures of supplying air. Fitting correlations of heat recovery ventilation and cooling energy conservation have been presented. - Highlights: • Low energy school buildings and classroom environment. • Heat recovery facility operating with an air conditioning unit. • Displacement ventilation influenced by the heat recovery efficiency. • Energy conservation of cooling and ventilation through heat recovery. • Enhancement of classroom environment with reduction of school building energy

Impacts of Professional Development in Classroom Assessment on Teacher and Student Outcomes

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Randel, Bruce; Apthorp, Helen; Beesley, Andrea D.; Clark, Tedra F.; Wang, Xin

2016-01-01

The authors describe an impact study of Classroom Assessment for Student Learning (CASL), a widely used professional development program in classroom and formative assessment. Researchers randomly assigned 67 elementary schools to receive CASL materials or continue with regularly scheduled professional development. Teachers in CASL schools formed…

Classroom Assessment in Web-Based Instructional Environment: Instructors' Experience

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Xin Liang

2004-03-01

Full Text Available While a great deal has been written on the advantage and benefits of online teaching, little is known on how..assessment is implemented in online classrooms to monitor and inform performance and progress. The..purpose of this study is to investigate the dynamics of WebCT classroom assessment by analyzing the..perceptions and experience of the instructors. Grounded theory method was employed to generate a - process..theory- . The study included 10 faculties who taught WebCT classes, and 216 students in the College of..Education in an urban university in the Mid west. Interviews and classroom observations were undertaken..on line. The findings indicated that, performance-based assessment, writing skills, interactive assessment..and learner autonomy were major assessment aspects to inform teaching and enhance learning. If one of..the major roles of online instruction is to increase self-directed learning, as part of the pedagogical..mechanism, web-based classroom assessment should be designed and practiced to impact learner autonomy.

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.

Training of Classroom Relevant Behaviors with the "Staats Box." Technical Report #9.

Science.gov (United States)

Sueoka, Sarah; And Others

This case study of a kindergarten boy in the Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP) suggests that specific operant training in school-relevant behaviors can facilitate classroom adjustment if the training is coordinated with the regular classroom teacher. The subject, considered unmanageable, hyperactive, and aggressive by the staff at his…

Social Inclusion: Teachers as Facilitators in Peer Acceptance of Students with Disabilities in Regular Classrooms in Tamil Nadu, India

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David, Ruffina; Kuyini, Ahmed Bawa

2012-01-01

This study examined the impact of classroom teachers' attitudes towards inclusive education, teachers' self-efficacy and classroom practices on the social status of students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms in Tamil Nadu, India. Questionnaires, interviews and classroom observations were employed to gather data. The data analysis included…

Rural Junior Secondary School Students' Perceptions of Classroom Learning Environments and Their Attitude and Achievement in Mathematics in West China

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Yang, Xinrong

2015-01-01

This paper reports findings from a survey of how rural junior secondary school students in the western part of China perceive their mathematics classroom learning environments and associations of learning environment with their attitudes toward mathematics and mathematics achievement. Using adaptations of the widely-used What Is Happening In this…

Flipped classroom: a review of recent literature

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Huseyin Uzunboylu

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The use of learning technologies, especially multimedia provide varied facilities for students’ learning that are not possible with other media. Pedagogical literature has proved that individuals have different learning styles. Flipped classroom is a pedagogical approach which means that activities that have traditionally taken place inside the classroom take place outside the classroom and vice versa. Flipped classroom environment ensures that students become more active participants compared with the traditional classroom. The purpose of this paper is to fulfil the needs regarding the review of recent literature on the use of flipped classroom approach in education. The contribution of flipped classroom to education is discussed in relation to the change of students' and instructors' role. Subsequently, flipped classroom applications in various disciplines of education are illustrated. The recommendations made in the literature for design specifications that integrate flipped classrooms with technology are discussed. The paper concludes that a careful consideration of the warnings and recommendations made in the literature can help to produce effective flipped classroom environments and also this paper attempts to inform those who are thinking of using new technologies and approaches to deliver courses.

Introduction of Mobile Media into Formal Classroom Learning Environments

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Laskin, Alexander V.; Avena, Joseph

2015-01-01

Among all the technological changes in the society, smartphones have become one of the most adopted innovations. Yet, in the classroom a common response to phones in students' hands is to ban them! This study uses Social Construction of Technology theory to investigate whether mobile media can have a place in the classroom. Using in-depth…

Motivation, Classroom Environment, and Learning in Introductory Geology: A Hierarchical Linear Model

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Gilbert, L. A.; Hilpert, J. C.; Van Der Hoeven Kraft, K.; Budd, D.; Jones, M. H.; Matheney, R.; Mcconnell, D. A.; Perkins, D.; Stempien, J. A.; Wirth, K. R.

2013-12-01

Prior research has indicated that highly motivated students perform better and that learning increases in innovative, reformed classrooms, but untangling the student effects from the instructor effects is essential to understanding how to best support student learning. Using a hierarchical linear model, we examine these effects separately and jointly. We use data from nearly 2,000 undergraduate students surveyed by the NSF-funded GARNET (Geoscience Affective Research NETwork) project in 65 different introductory geology classes at research universities, public masters-granting universities, liberal arts colleges and community colleges across the US. Student level effects were measured as increases in expectancy and self-regulation using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ; Pintrich et al., 1991). Instructor level effects were measured using the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol, (RTOP; Sawada et al., 2000), with higher RTOP scores indicating a more reformed, student-centered classroom environment. Learning was measured by learning gains on a Geology Concept Inventory (GCI; Libarkin and Anderson, 2005) and normalized final course grade. The hierarchical linear model yielded significant results at several levels. At the student level, increases in expectancy and self-regulation are significantly and positively related to higher grades regardless of instructor; the higher the increase, the higher the grade. At the instructor level, RTOP scores are positively related to normalized average GCI learning gains. The higher the RTOP score, the higher the average class GCI learning gains. Across both levels, average class GCI learning gains are significantly and positively related to student grades; the higher the GCI learning gain, the higher the grade. Further, the RTOP scores are significantly and negatively related to the relationship between expectancy and course grade. The lower the RTOP score, the higher the correlation between change in

Classroom Profiling Training: Increasing Preservice Teachers' Confidence and Knowledge of Classroom Management Skills

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Jackson, Cliff; Simoncini, Kym; Davidson, Mark

2013-01-01

Classroom management is a serious concern for beginning teachers including preservice teachers. The Queensland Department of Education, Training and Employment (DETE) has developed the Essential Skills for Classroom Management (ESCM), a system of positive and pro-active strategies for maintaining supportive learning environments. In addition, the…

Evaluation of the Utility of a Discrete-Trial Functional Analysis in Early Intervention Classrooms

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Kodak, Tiffany; Fisher, Wayne W.; Paden, Amber; Dickes, Nitasha

2013-01-01

We evaluated a discrete-trial functional analysis implemented by regular classroom staff in a classroom setting. The results suggest that the discrete-trial functional analysis identified a social function for each participant and may require fewer staff than standard functional analysis procedures.

Classroom Environments That Promote Learning from the Perspective of School Children

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Marianella Castro-Pérez

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The following paper is based on a research41 made on school environments that promote learning in children. Its objective was “to determine the physical and socio-emotional factors of school environments that promote learning.” To this end, the investigation had both an exploratory and descriptive approach in terms of the various physical and emotional elements that influence the classroom environment and, therefore, the learning process. In this paper, reference is made only to the data provided by the child population. Such group was comprised of 307 boys and girls of public schools from six provinces in the country, intentionally selected through coordination and negotiation with the authorities of schools that agreed to participate. The data collection instruments used were two questionnaires with closed and open questions, an anecdotal record, and a guide on which the observation technique was performed. The analysis of the information derived from the technique and instruments used was developed by complementing quantitative data with qualitative data. Emerging categories were created to interpret the latter. The information provided by the boys and girls will hopefully serve as input to raise awareness among universities, authorities and teachers about the imperative need for school environments that are aesthetic, pleasant, motivating, comfortable, clean and promote the emotional stability every human being requires for the learning process to be successful.

Do school classrooms meet the visual requirements of children and recommended vision standards?

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Kalpa Negiloni

Full Text Available Visual demands of school children tend to vary with diverse classroom environments. The study aimed to evaluate the distance and near Visual Acuity (VA demand in Indian school classrooms and their comparison with the recommended vision standards.The distance and near VA demands were assessed in 33 classrooms (grades 4 to 12 of eight schools. The VA threshold demand relied on the smallest size of distance and near visual task material and viewing distance. The logMAR equivalents of minimum VA demand at specific seating positions (desk and among different grades were evaluated. The near threshold was converted into actual near VA demand by including the acuity reserve. The existing dimensions of chalkboard and classroom, gross area in a classroom per student and class size in all the measured classrooms were compared to the government recommended standards.In 33 classrooms assessed (35±10 students per room, the average distance and near logMAR VA threshold demand was 0.31±0.17 and 0.44±0.14 respectively. The mean distance VA demand (minimum in front desk position was 0.56±0.18 logMAR. Increased distance threshold demand (logMAR range -0.06, 0.19 was noted in 7 classrooms (21%. The mean VA demand in grades 4 to 8 and grades 9 to 12 was 0.35±0.16 and 0.24±0.16 logMAR respectively and the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.055. The distance from board to front desk was greater than the recommended standard of 2.2m in 27 classrooms (82%. The other measured parameters were noted to be different from the proposed standards in majority of the classrooms.The study suggests the inclusion of task demand assessment in school vision screening protocol to provide relevant guidance to school authorities. These findings can serve as evidence to accommodate children with mild to moderate visual impairment in the regular classrooms.

Classroom Action Research: Penelitian Tindakan Kelas

OpenAIRE

Juliandi, Azuar

2014-01-01

The main purpose of this article is to provide a basic knowledge of classroom action research, systematic proposal and classroom action reporting. The Knowledge is so important because a professional lecturer must be able to understand the problems themselves and their learning environment through classroom action research activities. Various issues in classroom action research, including: planning, process, use of methods, media, resources and learning evaluations and other relevant issues. ...

Classroom Management: What Does Research Tell Us?

Science.gov (United States)

Postholm, May Britt

2013-01-01

The article reviews studies that focus on classroom management. The aim of classroom management is twofold. The first is to establish a quiet and calm environment in the classroom so that the pupils can take part in meaningful learning in a subject. The second aim is that classroom management contributes to the pupils' social and moral…

Re-Envisioning the Archaic Higher Education Learning Environment: Implementation Processes for Flipped Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Rabidoux, Salena; Rottmann, Amy

2018-01-01

Flipped classrooms are often utilized in PK-12 classrooms; however, there is also a growing trend of flipped classrooms in higher education. This paper presents the benefits and limitations of implementing flipped classrooms in higher education as well as resources for integrating a flipped classroom design to instruction. The various technology…

Associations between Psychosocial Aspects of English Classroom Environments and Motivation Types of Chinese Tertiary-Level English Majors

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Bi, Xuefei

2015-01-01

This study involved whether psychosocial aspects of English classroom environments had associations with the English learning motivation types of Chinese tertiary-level English majors based on a case study of approximate 1,000 English majors in their first 2 years at one of the key universities located in South China. Canonical correlation…

Children's self-allocation and use of classroom curricular time.

Science.gov (United States)

Ingram, J; Worrall, N

1992-02-01

A class of 9-10 year-olds (N = 12) in a British primary school were observed as it moved over a one-year period through three types of classroom environment, traditional directive, transitional negotiative and established negotiative. Each environment offered the children a differing relationship with curricular time, its control and allocation, moving from teacher-allocated time to child allocation. Pupil self-report and classroom observation indicated differences in the balance of curricular spread and allocated time on curricular subject in relation to the type of classroom organisation and who controlled classroom time. These differences were at both class and individual child level. The established negotiative environment recorded the most equitable curricular balance, traditional directive the least. While individual children responded differently within and across the three classroom environments, the established negotiative where time was under child control recorded preference for longer activity periods compared to where the teacher controlled time allocations.

EFFECTIVENESS OF FLIPPED CLASSROOM IN MATHEMATICS TEACHING

OpenAIRE

Dr. N. Ramakrishnan; Mrs. J. Johnsi Priya

2016-01-01

Flipped Classroom is an instructional strategy and a type of blended learning that reverses the traditional learning environment by delivering instructional content, often online, outside of the classroom. It moves activities, including those that may have traditionally been considered homework, into the classroom. In a flipped classroom, students watch online lectures, collaborate in online discussions, or carry out research at home and engage in concepts in the classroom with the guidance o...

Collaboration systems for classroom instruction

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, C. Y. Roger; Meliksetian, Dikran S.; Chang, Martin C.

1996-01-01

In this paper we discuss how classroom instruction can benefit from state-of-the-art technologies in networks, worldwide web access through Internet, multimedia, databases, and computing. Functional requirements for establishing such a high-tech classroom are identified, followed by descriptions of our current experimental implementations. The focus of the paper is on the capabilities of distributed collaboration, which supports both synchronous multimedia information sharing as well as a shared work environment for distributed teamwork and group decision making. Our ultimate goal is to achieve the concept of 'living world in a classroom' such that live and dynamic up-to-date information and material from all over the world can be integrated into classroom instruction on a real-time basis. We describe how we incorporate application developments in a geography study tool, worldwide web information retrievals, databases, and programming environments into the collaborative system.

Classroom Management Training for Teachers in Urban Environments Serving Predominately African American Students: A Review of the Literature

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Larson, Kristine E.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this paper was to review the literature in terms of professional development activities that researchers have enlisted to reduce student problem behaviors and improve classroom management competencies among teachers who work in urban environments serving predominately African American students. First, the author conducted a…

The family environment predicts long-term academic achievement and classroom behavior following traumatic brain injury in early childhood.

Science.gov (United States)

Durber, Chelsea M; Yeates, Keith Owen; Taylor, H Gerry; Walz, Nicolay Chertkoff; Stancin, Terry; Wade, Shari L

2017-07-01

This study examined how the family environment predicts long-term academic and behavioral functioning in school following traumatic brain injury (TBI) in early childhood. Using a concurrent cohort, prospective design, 15 children with severe TBI, 39 with moderate TBI, and 70 with orthopedic injury (OI) who were injured when they were 3-7 years of age were compared on tests of academic achievement and parent and teacher ratings of school performance and behavior on average 6.83 years postinjury. Soon after injury and at the longer term follow-up, families completed measures of parental psychological distress, family functioning, and quality of the home environment. Hierarchical linear regression analyses examined group differences in academic outcomes and their associations with measures of the early and later family environment. The severe TBI group, but not the moderate TBI group, performed worse than did the OI group on all achievement tests, parent ratings of academic performance, and teacher ratings of internalizing problems. Higher quality early and late home environments predicted stronger academic skills and better classroom behavior for children with both TBI and OI. The early family environment more consistently predicted academic achievement, whereas the later family environment more consistently predicted classroom functioning. The quality of the home environment predicted academic outcomes more strongly than did parental psychological distress or family functioning. TBI in early childhood has long-term consequences for academic achievement and school performance and behavior. Higher quality early and later home environments predict better school outcomes for both children with TBI and children with OI. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Classrooms with Growing Room. Playing Smart: Enrichment in the Home. Lessons without Limits.

Science.gov (United States)

Kanevsky, Lannie

Three papers by the same author address: (1) educational methods for gifted children in the regular classroom; (2) principles of enriching the gifted child's development in the home; and (3) modifying lessons to optimally challenge gifted students. The first paper is titled, "Classrooms with Growing Room." It stresses the need for gifted children…

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...

Student Academic Self-Concept and Perception of Classroom Environment in Single-Sex and Coeducational Middle Grades Mathematics Classes

Science.gov (United States)

Kombe, Dennis; Che, S. Megan; Carter, Traci L.; Bridges, William

2016-01-01

In this article, we present findings from a study that investigated the relationship between all-girls classes, all-boys classes, and coeducational classes on student mathematics self-concept and student perception of classroom environment. Further, we compared responses of girls in all-girls classes to girls in coeducational classes and responses…

A comparative study of teacher's opinions relating to inclusive classrooms in Indonesia and Thailand

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Pennee Kantavong

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This research compared the work and opinions of regular school teachers teaching in inclusive classrooms in Indonesia and Thailand. These teachers were drawn from schools participating in an in-service training program to enhance the capacity of students with special needs in regular classrooms. A sample of 172 teachers in primary schools in Thailand and 165 from Indonesia answered a questionnaire based on Friedmen's concept of teacher burnout. Eighty percent of the Thai teachers had bachelor's degrees, but only 1 percent were in special education, whereas 77 percent of the Indonesian teachers had bachelor's degrees and 13 percent were in special education. Teachers' opinions on four areas were investigated: inclusion, support from various parties, work environment, and exhaustion. There was no correlation between background variables and teachers' exhaustion and fulfillment. There was a correlation between the number of students in a class and a teacher's de-personalization at the .01 level. When considering social dimensions and exhaustion, there was a correlation at the .01 level. There was a correlation between self-fulfillment and exhaustion at the .01 level. There was no correlation between the organizational, psychological, structural and support dimensions, and exhaustion. In general, teachers reported that they received support from various parties. Most of them expressed positive opinions of students with special needs.

The Dance of Elementary School Classroom Management

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Powell, Pamela

2014-01-01

At times, classroom management and guidance elude even the most seasoned teachers. Yet, students need guidance and practice in self-regulatory skills to assist in the learning that occurs in classrooms. Teachers need both practical and research-based classroom management strategies that benefit the environment and help create a space conducive to…

Inverting an Introductory Statistics Classroom

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Kraut, Gertrud L.

2015-01-01

The inverted classroom allows more in-class time for inquiry-based learning and for working through more advanced problem-solving activities than does the traditional lecture class. The skills acquired in this learning environment offer benefits far beyond the statistics classroom. This paper discusses four ways that can make the inverted…

Measuring Social Relations in New Classroom Spaces: Development and Validation of the Social Context and Learning Environments (SCALE) Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, J. D.; Baepler, Paul

2017-01-01

This study addresses the need for reliable and valid information concerning how innovative classrooms on college and university campuses affect teaching and learning. The Social Context and Learning Environments (SCALE) survey was developed though a three-stage process involving approximately 1300 college students. Exploratory and confirmatory…

Utilizing Multimedia Database Access: Teaching Strategies Using the iPad in the Dance Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Ostashewski, Nathaniel; Reid, Doug; Ostashewski, Marcia

2016-01-01

This article presents action research that identified iPad tablet technology-supported teaching strategies in a dance classroom context. Dance classrooms use instructor-accessed music as a regular element of lessons, but video is both challenging and time-consuming to produce or display. The results of this study highlight how the Apple iPad…

As características dos alunos são determinantes para o adoecimento de professores: um estudo comparativo sobre a incidência de Burnout em professores do ensino regular e especial The student characteristics affect teachers' illnesses: a comparative study on the incidence of Burnout in regular and special education teachers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nilson Rogério da Silva

2011-12-01

Full Text Available O exercício da docência é permeado por condições de trabalho adversas, baixos salários, insuficiência de recursos materiais e didáticos, salas numerosas, tensão no relacionamento com os alunos, carga horária de trabalho excessiva, inexpressiva participação no planejamento da instituição e nas políticas institucionais e falta de segurança no ambiente escolar. O presente estudo teve por objetivo comparar a presença de indicadores de burnout em três grupos de professores que atuam no primeiro ciclo do Ensino Fundamental: a 20 no ensino regular, em turmas sem a inserção de alunos com necessidades educacionais especiais - RSI; b 20 no ensino regular, em turmas com a inserção de alunos com necessidades educacionais especiais - RCI; c 20 em salas de recursos - SR. Para a coleta, foi utilizado o Maslach Burnout Inventory -MBI. Na análise de dados, empregou-se o SPSS, versão 13.0, e o Teste de Kruskal-Wallis para comparação dos grupos. Os resultados, que foram organizados em forma de Figuras e Tabelas, revelam que, de maneira geral, os grupos apresentaram relativa similaridade. Entretanto, algumas diferenças foram encontradas. O grupo de professores SR obteve os melhores resultados na avaliação das três escalas do burnout, quando comparado com RSI e RCI, ou seja, com predominância de respostas nos níveis mais baixos de exaustão emocional, altos na diminuição da realização pessoal e baixos para despersonalização. Espera-se que os dados expostos contribuam para a compreensão do burnout em professores do ensino regular com e sem inclusão de alunos com necessidades educacionais especiais, e/ou suscitem novos encaminhamentos de pesquisas.The practice of teaching is permeated by adverse working conditions, low wages, inadequacy of material and teaching resources, overcrowded classrooms, tension in relationships with the students, excessive work load, lack of safety in the school environment, insignificant participation

Planning Together: Positive Classroom Environments. Diversity in the Classroom Series, Number Four.

Science.gov (United States)

Hindle, Doug

This document, the fourth in a series on diversity in the classroom, supports the belief that challenges faced by teachers working with diverse students can only be met through teacher practices that increase levels of positive teacher-student interaction and that create, in each student, effective social and problem solving skills. Section 1,…

Routines Are the Foundation of Classroom Management

Science.gov (United States)

Lester, Robin Rawlings; Allanson, Patricia Bolton; Notar, Charles E.

2017-01-01

Classroom management is the key to learning. Routines are the foundation of classroom management. Students require structure in their lives. Routines provide that in all of their life from the time they awake until the time they go to bed. Routines in a school and in the classroom provide the environment for learning to take place. The paper is…

Educational and Career Interests in Math: A Longitudinal Examination of the Links between Classroom Environment, Motivational Beliefs, and Interests

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ming-Te

2012-01-01

Drawing on the expectancy-value model, stage-environment fit theory, and self-determination theory, this study examined the longitudinal associations between classroom characteristics, expectancies-values, high school course enrollment, and career aspirations in the domain of math. Data were collected on 3,048 youth who reported on their classroom…

Physical therapy in preschool classrooms: successful integration of therapy into classroom routines.

Science.gov (United States)

Sekerak, Darlene Massey; Kirkpatrick, Dana B; Nelson, Kristal C; Propes, June H

2003-01-01

This exploratory investigation identifies factors that contribute to success of physical therapy services delivered in the context of the daily routines in preschool classroom settings. Ten pediatric physical therapists from rural and urban communities across North Carolina served as informants during telephone interviews. Qualitative analysis of the data led to the identification of six major themes: interactions among classroom personnel, impact of the classroom environment, individual characteristics of the child, logistical considerations, administrative policies and practices, and service delivery options. All 10 informants shared the perception that the cooperation and commitment of the teacher was essential for successful incorporation of therapy activities in classroom routines. Furthermore, the informants agreed that multiple models of service delivery were necessary to meet the individual needs of children. These results lead the authors to question the wisdom of promoting any one service delivery model as "best practice" and suggest guidelines for successful integration of physical therapy in the preschool classroom.

Finding Autonomy in Activity: Development and Validation of a Democratic Classroom Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Hur, Eun Hye; Glassman, Michael; Kim, Yunhwan

2013-01-01

This paper developed a Democratic Classroom Survey to measure students' perceived democratic environment of the classroom. Perceived democratic environment is one of the most important variables for understanding classroom activity and indeed any type of group activity, but actually measuring perceptions in an objective manner has been…

Pupils' Activities in a Multimaterial Learning Environment in Craft subject A Pilot Study using an Experience Sampling Method based on a Mobile Application in Classroom Settings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juha Jaatinen

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This study investigates holistic craft processes in craft education with an instrument for data-collection and self-assessment. Teaching in a study context is based on co-teaching and a design process, highlighted by the Finnish Basic Education Core Curriculum 2014. The school architecture and web-based learning environment is combined. Division for textiles and technical work is no longer supported in this multimaterial learning environment. The aim of the study is to 1 make pupils’ holistic craft processes visible in everyday classroom practices with information collected by a mobile-application and 2 point out the curriculum topics that are covered during everyday classroom practices as defined by the teachers. The data is collected using an Experience Sampling Method with a gamified learning analytics instrument. Teachers’ classroom activities were used as the backbone for the thematic mapping of the craft curriculum. Preliminary measurements were carried out in a Finnish primary school in grades 5–6 (age 10–12, n = 125 during a four-week period in October-November 2016. The list of classroom activities was updated after the four weeks’ experiment and was tested in March-May 2017 with all the pupils of the pilot school (N = 353. The key findings were that a for pupils the self-assessment was easy as a technical process but there were several factors in the everyday classroom settings that made the process challenging and b it was relatively difficult for teachers to describe the classroom activities in terms of the new curriculum; however, after four weeks they could not only described the activities in more details but had also developed new activities that supported the ideas of the new curriculum better.Keywords: multi-material craft, learning environment, holistic craft process, experience sampling method

An Examination of Physical Education Teachers' Perceptions of Utilizing Contemporary Music in the Classroom Environment: A Qualitative Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Barney, David C.; Pleban, Francis T.

2018-01-01

Objectives: To provide further information regarding physical education (PE) teachers' perceptions of incorporating music in PE lessons and to evaluate the influence of music on the classroom environment using a qualitative approach. Method: Electronic survey interviews were conducted with 26 veteran PE instructors (10 male, 16 female), from 7…

Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Literature Review

Science.gov (United States)

DiCarlo, Kristen; Cooper, Lori

2014-01-01

Effective classroom assessment techniques are directly linked to course objectives and proposed outcomes. Results within formative and summative assessments have been studied in the online learning environment as educators seek to meet objectives with respect to student success in the non-traditional setting. Online classroom assessment techniques…

Teaching Astronomy Classes and Labs in a Smart Classroom

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Gugliucci, Nicole E.

2017-01-01

Saint Anselm College is a small liberal arts college in New Hampshire with an enrollment of approximately 1900 students. All students are required to take one science course with a laboratory component. Introduction to Astronomy is now being offered in regular rotation in the Department of Physics, taking advantage of the new "smart" classrooms with the technology and set up to encourage active learning. These classrooms seat 25 students and feature 5 "pods," each with their own screen that can be hooked up to a student computer or one of the iPads available to the professor. I will present how these classrooms are used for Introduction to Astronomy and related courses under development for active learning. Since the class requires a laboratory component and New Hampshire weather is notably unpredictable, the smart classroom offers an alternative using freely available computer simulations to allow for an alternative indoor laboratory experience.

Influence of Psychosocial Classroom Environment on Students' Motivation and Self-Regulation in Science Learning: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

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Velayutham, Sunitadevi; Aldridge, Jill M.

2013-01-01

The primary aim of this study was two-fold: 1) to identify salient psychosocial features of the classroom environment that influence students' motivation and self-regulation in science learning; and 2) to examine the effect of the motivational constructs of learning goal orientation, science task value and self-efficacy in science learning on…

ORIGINAL ARTICLE An Assessment of Mathematics Classroom ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Bdu

ORIGINAL ARTICLE. An Assessment of Mathematics Classroom Teaching- ... the study was to assess whether the learning classroom environment was compliant with constructivism. ... of our education system. Applefield ... share control of the design, management, and evaluation ..... development of formative assessment.

UNFOLDED REGULAR AND SEMI-REGULAR POLYHEDRA

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IONIŢĂ Elena

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a presentation unfolding regular and semi-regular polyhedra. Regular polyhedra are convex polyhedra whose faces are regular and equal polygons, with the same number of sides, and whose polyhedral angles are also regular and equal. Semi-regular polyhedra are convex polyhedra with regular polygon faces, several types and equal solid angles of the same type. A net of a polyhedron is a collection of edges in the plane which are the unfolded edges of the solid. Modeling and unfolding Platonic and Arhimediene polyhedra will be using 3dsMAX program. This paper is intended as an example of descriptive geometry applications.

PUPIL-TEACHER ADJUSTEMENT AND MUTUAL ADAPTATION IN CREATING CLASSROOM LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS.

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FOX, ROBERT S.; AND OTHERS

AN ANALYSIS OF THE DYNAMICS OF THE LEARNING SITUATIONS IN A VARIETY OF PUBLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOMS WAS UNDERTAKEN. THE PROJECT MADE A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE PATTERNS OF COOPERATION OR ALIENATION AMONG PARENTS, TEACHERS, PEERS, AND INDIVIDUAL PUPILS. THE PATTERNS CREATE LEARNING CULTURES OF DIFFERENT PRODUCTIVITY IN VARIOUS CLASSROOMS. THE DATA…

Relationship between motivational goal orientations, perceptions of general education classroom learning environment, and deep approaches to learning

OpenAIRE

Chanut Poondej; Thanita Lerdpornkulrat

2016-01-01

Researchers have reported empirical evidence that the deep approaches to learning account for significant successful learning. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between students' motivational goal orientation, their perceptions of the general education classroom learning environment, and deep approaches to learning strategies. Participants (N = 494) were first- and second-year college students enrolled in any of the general education courses in higher education in Thaila...

An Integrated Way of Using a Tangible User Interface in a Classroom

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Cuendet, Sébastien; Dehler-Zufferey, Jessica; Ortoleva, Giulia; Dillenbourg, Pierre

2015-01-01

Despite many years of research in CSCL, computers are still scarcely used in classrooms today. One reason for this is that the constraints of the classroom environment are neglected by designers. In this contribution, we present a CSCL environment designed for a classroom usage from the start. The system, called TapaCarp, is based on a tangible…

Students' Perceptions and Behaviour in Technology-Rich Classroom and Multi-Media Classroom

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Yang, Junfeng; Yu, Huiju; Gong, Chaohua; Chen, Nian-Shing

2017-01-01

Kurt Lewin proposed the field theory which stated that our behaviour was a result of both our personality and our environment. Based on this theory, it could be deduced that teacher's teaching behavior was a result of both teacher's personality and classroom environment. Considering the challenges of pedagogy transformation and the modest use of…

Infusing Creativity into Eastern Classrooms: Evaluations from Student Perspectives

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Cheng, Vivian M. Y.

2011-01-01

Infusing creativity elements into regular classroom was an important movement in recent Asian educational reforms. A large-scale research study was conducted in Hong Kong to explore the possibilities, outcomes and difficulties of this kind of curriculum change from students' perspectives. Based mainly on Western creativity literature, this study…

Flipped Classroom as an Alternative Strategy for Teaching Stoichiometry

OpenAIRE

Norrie E. Gayeta

2017-01-01

This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of flipped classroom and traditional classroom instruction in measuring conceptual change and to determine if flipped classroom instruction would be an alternative method of teaching to traditional lecture method. This study covered the level of conceptual understanding of students on stoichiometry and the type of conceptual change before and after exposure to flipped and traditional classroom environment. Qualitative and quantitative ...

Horseless Classrooms and Virtual Learning: Reshaping Our Environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Bossert, Philip J.

1997-01-01

Unlike the rest of the industrialized world, educational institutions were largely untouched by last century's transportation revolution. Teachers have been workhorses pulling students in instructional wagons along well-worn curricula. Since television and the Internet already provide "horseless" classrooms and virtual-learning…

Students' Perception of Important Teaching Behaviors in Classroom and Clinical Environments of a Community College Nursing and Dental Hygiene Education Program

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Kimbrough-Walls, Vickie J.

2012-01-01

Student success is dependent on effective instruction. Yet, effective teaching is difficult to define and described differently by students, faculty, and administrators. Nursing and dental hygiene education programs require faculty to teach in both classroom and clinical environments. However, accreditation agencies for these programs mandate…

Assessing the Flipped Classroom in Operations Management: A Pilot Study

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Prashar, Anupama

2015-01-01

The author delved into the results of a flipped classroom pilot conducted for an operations management course module. It assessed students' perception of a flipped learning environment after making them experience it in real time. The classroom environment was construed using a case research approach and students' perceptions were studied using…

Bringing Classroom-Based Assessment into the EFL classroom

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Andrew Finch

2012-01-01

Full Text Available   This paper describes how English as a Foreign Language (EFL teachers can bring reliable, valid, user-friendly assessment into their classrooms, and thus improve the quality of learning that occurs there. Based on the experience of the author as a an EFL teacher and teacher-trainer, it is suggested that the promotion and development of autonomy, intrinsic motivation, and self-esteem that takes place in a Classroom-Based Assessment (CBA environment facilitates an holistic approach to language learning and prepares the students for the high-stakes tests that often determine their motivation for learning English. Rather than relying on the memorization of language code, form, lexis, and prepared answers, students who have learned in a CBA environment are able to self-assess, peer-assess, build portfolios, and edit their own work. Not only does this reduce the assessment burden on the teacher, but it also develops the skills of problem-solving, critical thinking, and summarization in the students, in addition to a heightened awareness of the language-learning process. By learning how to set goals, assess their achievements, and reflect on their future learning needs, students become more efficient language learners. While acknowledging the place of standardized, summative tests in contemporary society, it is suggested that CBA in the EFL classroom can enhance long-term learning and consequently enable and empower students to prepare for their future learning needs.

Comparison of Preschoolers' Narratives, the Classroom Book Environment, and Teacher Attitudes toward Literacy Practices in Korea and the United States

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Lee, Young-Ja; Lee, Jeehyun; Han, Myae; Schickedanz, Judith A.

2011-01-01

This study investigated Korean and U.S. preschoolers' personal and fictional narratives, their classroom book environments, and their teachers' attitudes about reading aloud. The participants were 70 Korean and American 3- and 4-year-olds enrolled in 2 university lab preschools and their 4 teachers. The structures and content of the preschoolers'…

Representing Young Children with Disabilities in Classroom Environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Favazza, Paddy C.; LaRoe, Joyce; Phillipsen, Leslie; Kumar, Poonam

2000-01-01

The "Inventory of Disability Representation" was administered to 92 teachers representing kindergarten, community child care, or preschool settings. Low scores across settings indicated that classrooms typically do not have materials that represent or depict children with diverse abilities. Reasons cited by teachers are noted as are benefits…

Are children with low vision adapted to the visual environment in classrooms of mainstream schools?

Science.gov (United States)

Negiloni, Kalpa; Ramani, Krishna Kumar; Jeevitha, R; Kalva, Jayashree; Sudhir, Rachapalle Reddi

2018-02-01

The study aimed to evaluate the classroom environment of children with low vision and provide recommendations to reduce visual stress, with focus on mainstream schooling. The medical records of 110 children (5-17 years) seen in low vision clinic during 1 year period (2015) at a tertiary care center in south India were extracted. The visual function levels of children were compared to the details of their classroom environment. The study evaluated and recommended the chalkboard visual task size and viewing distance required for children with mild, moderate, and severe visual impairment (VI). The major causes of low vision based on the site of abnormality and etiology were retinal (80%) and hereditary (67%) conditions, respectively, in children with mild (n = 18), moderate (n = 72), and severe (n = 20) VI. Many of the children (72%) had difficulty in viewing chalkboard and common strategies used for better visibility included copying from friends (47%) and going closer to chalkboard (42%). To view the chalkboard with reduced visual stress, a child with mild VI can be seated at a maximum distance of 4.3 m from the chalkboard, with the minimum size of visual task (height of lowercase letter writing on chalkboard) recommended to be 3 cm. For 3/60-6/60 range, the maximum viewing distance with the visual task size of 4 cm is recommended to be 85 cm to 1.7 m. Simple modifications of the visual task size and seating arrangements can aid children with low vision with better visibility of chalkboard and reduced visual stress to manage in mainstream schools.

Flipped Classroom as an Alternative Strategy for Teaching Stoichiometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Norrie E. Gayeta

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of flipped classroom and traditional classroom instruction in measuring conceptual change and to determine if flipped classroom instruction would be an alternative method of teaching to traditional lecture method. This study covered the level of conceptual understanding of students on stoichiometry and the type of conceptual change before and after exposure to flipped and traditional classroom environment. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were used in the study. Respondents were two sections of third year Bachelor of Secondary Education, Biological Science. Frequency, percentage, ranking, mean, standard deviation, Hake factor test, and t-test were the statistical tools applied to answer specific questions. Results showed profound increase towards conceptual change representing a shift from intuitive understanding to correct incomplete understanding level. Thus, change for the better, in theoretical type was determined from pretest to posttest of students exposed to flipped and traditional classroom. Results also indicated that there is no significant difference on students’ conceptual change on stoichiometry exposed to flipped and traditional classroom environment thus, flipped classroom instruction can be used as an alternative teaching method to traditional lecture method in teaching stoichiometry

Hospitable Classrooms: Biblical Hospitality and Inclusive Education

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, David W.

2011-01-01

This paper contributes to a Christian hermeneutic of special education by suggesting the biblical concept of hospitality as a necessary characteristic of classroom and school environments in which students with disabilities and other marginalized students can be effectively incorporated into the body of the classroom. Christian hospitality, seen…

Classroom Curricular Preparedness For Inclusion Of Pupils With Physical Disability Within Public Inclusive Schools For The Pupils With Physical Disability In Bungoma County Kenya.

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Hesborn Mutoro Chonge

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Since the introduction of Special education in Kenya in 1946 numerous special schools have been established. However there has been a move toward integration and later inclusion of students with disabilities in regular schools. Inclusion has its own challenges. Kenya as a rapidly developing country is undergoing drastic social economic and cultural changes. Consequently learners with disabilities in inclusive schools experience a number of challenges. These challenges bring into focus the need of reinforcing various modifications especially in classroom environments in learning institutions to counteract challenges brought about by the change from integration to inclusive education. With this realization the study sought to examine the classroom curricular preparedness of inclusive schools for the pupils with physical disability. Adaptations that ought to be made under classroom curricular category should ideally aid in lessening these challenges and impact positively on the pupils with physical disability and enhance their learning activities. The study utilized mixed method research approach where both Phenomenology and Descriptive survey research designs were made use of. The findings indicate that there are adequate classroom curricular adaptations for inclusion of pupils with physical disability

Teacher-led relaxation response curriculum in an urban high school: impact on student behavioral health and classroom environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, H Kent; Scult, Matthew; Wilcher, Marilyn; Chudnofsky, Rana; Malloy, Laura; Drewel, Emily; Riklin, Eric; Saul, Southey; Fricchione, Gregory L; Benson, Herbert; Denninger, John W

2015-01-01

Recent data suggest that severe stress during the adolescent period is becoming a problem of epidemic proportions. Elicitation of the relaxation response (RR) has been shown to be effective in treating anxiety, reducing stress, and increasing positive health behaviors. The research team's objective was to assess the impact of an RR-based curriculum, led by teachers, on the psychological status and health management behaviors of high-school students and to determine whether a train-the-trainer model would be feasible in a high-school setting. The research team designed a pilot study. The setting was a Horace Mann charter school within Boston's public school system. Participants were teachers and students at the charter school. The team taught teachers a curriculum that included (1) relaxation strategies, such as breathing and imagery; (2) psychoeducation regarding mind-body pathways; and (3) positive psychology. Teachers implemented this curriculum with students. The research team assessed changes in student outcomes (eg, stress, anxiety, and stress management behaviors) using preintervention/postintervention surveys, including the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Form Y (STAI-Y), the stress management subscale of the Health-promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), the Locus of Control (LOC) questionnaire, and the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOTR). Classroom observations using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)-Secondary were also completed to assess changes in classroom environment. Using a Bonferroni correction (P management behaviors at that point. Using a Bonferroni correction (P management behaviors (P classroom productivity (eg, increased time spent on activities and instruction from pre- to postintervention). This study showed that teachers can lead an RR curriculum with fidelity and suggests that such a curriculum has positive benefits on student emotional and behavioral

"Designing Instrument for Science Classroom Learning Environment in Francophone Minority Settings: Accounting for Voiced Concerns among Teachers and Immigrant/Refugee Students"

Science.gov (United States)

Bolivar, Bathélemy

2015-01-01

The three-phase process "-Instrument for Minority Immigrant Science Learning Environment," an 8-scale, 32-item see Appendix I- (I_MISLE) instrument when completed by teachers provides an accurate description of existing conditions in classrooms in which immigrant and refugee students are situated. Through the completion of the instrument…

Implementing Flipped Classroom in Blended Learning Environments: A Proposal Based on the Cognitive Flexibility Theory

Science.gov (United States)

Andrade, Mariel; Coutinho, Clara

2017-01-01

Flipped Classroom is an issue that gains increased attention in Blended Learning models. Generally, in the traditional classroom, the teacher uses the time in the classroom to explain the theoretical and conceptual body content and leaves the practices and exercises as extracurricular activities. In the Flipped Classroom, students study at home…

Emotional experiences beyond the classroom: Interactions with the social world

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew S. Ross

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Research into the emotional experiences of language learners and their impact upon the language-learning process remains relatively undernourished within second language education. The research available focuses primarily on emotions experienced within the classroom, rather than in the daily lives of learners within various social contexts. This article contends that the focus placed upon emotions within the relatively structured environment of the formal classroom is problematic, particularly within an ESL environment, as the target language is more frequently experienced beyond the classroom. Drawing on data collected within Australia, the study explored the emotional experiences of a small cohort of eight university-level ESL learners experienced within their various social interactions beyond the classroom with a specific focus on the emotions of hope, enjoyment and frustration. Semi-structured interviews revealed that their emotional experiences beyond the classroom were particularly intense in comparison to emotional experiences within the formal language-learning classroom.

Guerrilla Video: A New Protocol for Producing Classroom Video

Science.gov (United States)

Fadde, Peter; Rich, Peter

2010-01-01

Contemporary changes in pedagogy point to the need for a higher level of video production value in most classroom video, replacing the default video protocol of an unattended camera in the back of the classroom. The rich and complex environment of today's classroom can be captured more fully using the higher level, but still easily manageable,…

A Comparison of Selective Auditory Attention Abilities in Open-Space Versus Closed Classroom Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Reinertsen, Gloria M.

A study compared performances on a test of selective auditory attention between students educated in open-space versus closed classroom environments. An open-space classroom environment was defined as having no walls separating it from hallways or other classrooms. It was hypothesized that the incidence of auditory figure-ground (ability to focus…

Quality of life and self-determination in students with disabilities included in regular classrooms

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Jesús Miguel Muñoz Cantero

2015-11-01

Full Text Available At present, quality of life and self-determination begin to position itself as a key axis in interventions aimed at students with disabilities, motivating the interest of researchers and professionals to know their general well-being. This article evaluates the quality of life and self-determination of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities enrolled in regular schools. A case study methodology, descriptive-interpretative, is used through mixed data collection methods. The instruments used are Questionnaire for Assessment the Quality of Life in Teen Students (CCVA and ARC-INICO Scale for Assessment Self-Determination (for 14 students and interviews (for four teachers. A descriptive statistical analysis, contextualized by the extracted information from the interviews, was conducted. The results show high scores in different domains of quality of life, apart from emotional well-being, community inclusion and self-determination that are improvable. Adequate perception of students is observed about their ability to make decisions, choices and a good predisposition take control in different areas of their life. It is necessary to continue inquiring about the impact of educational environment, attitude and perception of teachers and the opportunities offered to students to act self-determined and increase their quality of life.

Early-Adolescents' Reading Comprehension and the Stability of the Middle School Classroom-Language Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Gámez, Perla B.; Lesaux, Nonie K.

2015-01-01

This study examined teachers' language use across the school year in 6th grade urban middle-school classrooms (n = 24) and investigated the influence of this classroom-based linguistic input on the reading comprehension skills of the students (n = 851; 599 language minority learners and 252 English-only) in the participating classrooms. Analysis…

Enhancing Equity in the Classroom by Teaching for Mathematical Creativity

Science.gov (United States)

Luria, Sarah R.; Sriraman, Bharath; Kaufman, James C.

2017-01-01

Equity is an important element of educational discourses pertaining to mathematics and science education. Creativity is an aspect of the classroom that is often ignored due to curricular constraints and the burden of testing. However mathematics offers avenues to infuse the regular curricula with activities that are thought provoking and require…

M-learning in the field Production Direction through flipped classroom with virtual collaborative environments and its evaluation with rubrics

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Sonia Martín-Gómez

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This study is part of a teacher change and improvement project whose aim is to modify the traditional teaching system in the field of Production Management (Operations Management, focusing its learning on the acquisition of the competences required by the European Higher Education Area (EHEA, in such a way that the student participates actively and is involved in the solution of the problems of real companies raised in the classroom in a virtual collaborative environment, supported in social networks through the use of different mobile devices (m-learning. Innovative methodologies such as flipped class-room, where we propose that the student begins to play an active role through problem-based collaborative learning (PBCL, whose purpose will be to train students capable of analyzing and facing problems in the same way as they would during their professional activity. However, for this methodological change to be successful, it will have to be accompanied by well-designed rubrics that allow the correct evaluation of group work and participation in the classroom. In this way, the students will know the competences achieved and those that need strengthening.

An experimental study on effects of increased ventilation flow on students' perception of indoor environment in computer classrooms.

Science.gov (United States)

Norbäck, D; Nordström, K

2008-08-01

The effects of ventilation in computer classrooms were studied with university students (n = 355) in a blinded study, 31% were women and 3.8% had asthma. Two classrooms had a higher air exchange (4.1-5.2 ac/h); two others had a lower air exchange (2.3-2.6 ac/h). After 1 week, ventilation conditions were shifted. The students reported environmental perceptions during the last hour. Room temperature, RH, CO2, PM10 and ultra-fine particles were measured simultaneously. Mean CO2 was 1185 ppm at lower and 922 ppm at higher air exchange. Mean temperature was 23.2 degrees C at lower and 22.1 degrees C at higher air exchange. After mutual adjustment (temperature, RH, CO2, air exchange), measured temperature was associated with a perception of higher temperature (P thermal comfort and air quality. Computer classrooms are crowded indoor environments with a high thermal load from both students and computer equipment. It is important to control room temperature either by air conditioning, sun shields, or sufficiently high ventilation flow. A high ventilation flow is also crucial to achieving good perceived air quality. Personal ventilation flow should be at least 10 l/s. Possible loss of learning ability due to poor indoor air quality in university buildings deserves more attention.

The Classroom Animal: Box Turtles.

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, David C.

1986-01-01

Provides basic information on the anatomy, physiology, behaviors, and distribution patterns of the box turtle. Offers suggestions for the turtle's care and maintenance in a classroom environment. (ML)

K--12 science educator perception of instructing students with learning disabilities in the regular classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Holliday-Cashwell, Janet Rose

2000-10-01

Selected K--12 public school science educators in 14 eastern North Carolina counties were surveyed to examine their perceptions of their undergraduate preparation programs with regard to instructing students with learning disabilities in the regular classroom. A quantitative study, this research examined science educator preparedness in instructing students with learning disabilities by evaluating educator perception in regard to mainstrearned and inclusive educational settings. Specifically, two null hypotheses were tested. Null hypothesis I stated a significant difference does not exist between selected North Carolina K--12 science educators' perceptions of their undergraduate teacher education preparation programs and their perceptions of their abilities to instruct students needing accommodations on behalf of their learning disabilities in mainstrearned or inclusive settings. Participants' responses to perception as well as value statements regarding opinions, adaptations, and undergraduate training with respect to mainstreaming and inclusion were evaluated through t-test analyses of 22 Likert-scale items. Null hypothesis 1 was not accepted because a statistically significant difference did exist between the educators' perceptions of their undergraduate training and their perceived abilities to instruct students with learning disabilities in mainstreamed or inclusive settings. Null hypothesis 2 stated a significant difference does not exist between selected North Carolina K--12 science educators' attained educational level; grade level currently taught, supervised or chaired; and years of experience in teaching science, supervising science education, and/or chairing science departments in selected North Carolina public schools and their opinions of their undergraduate teacher education program with regard to instructing students with learning disabilities in mainstreamed or inclusive educational settings. Null hypothesis 2 was evaluated through an analysis of

Are children with low vision adapted to the visual environment in classrooms of mainstream schools?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kalpa Negiloni

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The study aimed to evaluate the classroom environment of children with low vision and provide recommendations to reduce visual stress, with focus on mainstream schooling. Methods: The medical records of 110 children (5–17 years seen in low vision clinic during 1 year period (2015 at a tertiary care center in south India were extracted. The visual function levels of children were compared to the details of their classroom environment. The study evaluated and recommended the chalkboard visual task size and viewing distance required for children with mild, moderate, and severe visual impairment (VI. Results: The major causes of low vision based on the site of abnormality and etiology were retinal (80% and hereditary (67% conditions, respectively, in children with mild (n = 18, moderate (n = 72, and severe (n = 20 VI. Many of the children (72% had difficulty in viewing chalkboard and common strategies used for better visibility included copying from friends (47% and going closer to chalkboard (42%. To view the chalkboard with reduced visual stress, a child with mild VI can be seated at a maximum distance of 4.3 m from the chalkboard, with the minimum size of visual task (height of lowercase letter writing on chalkboard recommended to be 3 cm. For 3/60–6/60 range, the maximum viewing distance with the visual task size of 4 cm is recommended to be 85 cm to 1.7 m. Conclusion: Simple modifications of the visual task size and seating arrangements can aid children with low vision with better visibility of chalkboard and reduced visual stress to manage in mainstream schools.

Science Teacher Beliefs and Classroom Practice Related to Constructivism in Different School Settings

Science.gov (United States)

Savasci, Funda; Berlin, Donna F.

2012-01-01

Science teacher beliefs and classroom practice related to constructivism and factors that may influence classroom practice were examined in this cross-case study. Data from four science teachers in two schools included interviews, demographic questionnaire, Classroom Learning Environment Survey (preferred/perceived), and classroom observations and…

Classroom-based narrative and vocabulary instruction: results of an early-stage, nonrandomized comparison study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gillam, Sandra Laing; Olszewski, Abbie; Fargo, Jamison; Gillam, Ronald B

2014-07-01

This nonrandomized feasibility study was designed to provide a preliminary assessment of the impact of a narrative and vocabulary instruction program provided by a speech-language pathologist (SLP) in a regular classroom setting. Forty-three children attending 2 first-grade classrooms participated in the study. Children in each classroom were divided into high- and low-risk subgroups on the basis of their performance on a narrative test. Narrative and vocabulary instruction was provided by an SLP in 1 classroom for three 30-min periods per week for 6 weeks. The children in the experimental classroom made clinically significant improvements on narrative and vocabulary measures; children in the comparison classroom did not. Within the experimental classroom, children in the high-risk subgroup demonstrated greater gains in narration and fewer gains in vocabulary than children in the low-risk subgroup. There were no subgroup differences in the comparison classroom. These preliminary results provide early evidence of the feasibility of implementing a narrative instruction program in a classroom setting. Children at a high risk for language difficulties appeared to profit more from the narrative instruction than from the embedded vocabulary instruction. More extensive research on this instructional program is warranted.

The flipped classroom

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Triantafyllou, Evangelia

2015-01-01

One of the novel ideas in teaching that heavily relies on current technology is the “flipped classroom” approach. In a flipped classroom the traditional lecture and homework sessions are inverted. Students are provided with online material in order to gain necessary knowledge before class, while...... class time is devoted to clarifications and application of this knowledge. The hypothesis is that there could be deep and creative discussions when teacher and students physically meet. This paper presents design considerations for flipped classrooms, and discusses how Moodle can facilitate...... with a discussion of the opportunities and challenges when implementing the flipped model in a virtual learning environment (VLE) like Moodle....

Use of an audience response system (ARS) in a dual-campus classroom environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Medina, Melissa S; Medina, Patrick J; Wanzer, Donald S; Wilson, Jane E; Er, Nelson; Britton, Mark L

2008-04-15

To implement an audience response system in a dual-campus classroom that aggregated data during graded (attendance and quizzes) and non-graded classroom activities (formative quizzes, case discussions, examination reviews, and team activities) and explore its strengths, weaknesses, and impact on active learning. After extensive research, an appropriate audience response system was selected and implemented in a dual-classroom setting for a third-year required PharmD course. Students were assigned a clicker and training and policies regarding clicker use were reviewed. Activities involving clicker use were carefully planned to simultaneously engage students in both classrooms in real time. Focus groups were conducted with students to gather outcomes data. Students and faculty members felt that the immediate feedback the automated response system (ARS) provided was most beneficial during non-graded activities. Student anxiety increased with use of ARS during graded activities due to fears regarding technology failure, user error, and academic integrity. ARS is a viable tool for increasing active learning in a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program, especially when used for non-graded class activities. Faculty members should proceed cautiously with using ARS for graded classroom activities and develop detailed and documented policies for ARS use.

K-12 STEM Educators and the Inclusive Classroom

OpenAIRE

Li, Songze

2016-01-01

The United States public schools promote inclusion and educational equity among diverse student populations. Considerable and growing numbers of students with categorical disabilities and Limited English Proficiency (LEP) are enrolled in regular classrooms. The systemic barriers in learning that they have could impact teacher perceptions and decisions about teaching practices as well as the teaching profession. These students have challenged K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathemat...

Differential effects of the classroom on African American and non-African American's mathematics achievement.

Science.gov (United States)

Schenke, Katerina; Nguyen, Tutrang; Watts, Tyler W; Sarama, Julie H; Clements, Douglas H

2017-08-01

We examined whether African American students differentially responded to dimensions of the observed classroom-learning environment compared with non-African American students. Further, we examined whether these dimensions of the classroom mediated treatment effects of a preschool mathematics intervention targeted at students from low-income families. Three observed dimensions of the classroom (teacher expectations and developmental appropriateness; teacher confidence and enthusiasm; and support for mathematical discourse) were evaluated in a sample of 1,238 preschool students in 101 classrooms. Using multigroup multilevel mediation where African American students were compared to non-African American students, we found that teachers in the intervention condition had higher ratings on the observed dimensions of the classroom compared with teachers in the control condition. Further, ratings on teacher expectations and developmental appropriateness had larger associations with the achievement of African American students than for non-African Americans. Findings suggest that students within the same classroom may react differently to that learning environment and that classroom learning environments could be structured in ways that are beneficial for students who need the most support.

Increasing On-Task Behavior in Students in a Regular Classroom: Effectiveness of a Self-Management Procedure Using a Tactile Prompt

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Moore, Dennis W.; Anderson, Angelika; Glassenbury, Michele; Lang, Russell; Didden, Robert

2013-01-01

Self-management strategies have been shown to be widely effective. However, limited classroom-based research exists involving low performing but developmentally normal high school-aged participants. This study examined the effectiveness of a self-management strategy aimed at increasing on-task behavior in general education classrooms with students…

Special Education Reform Towards Inclusive Education: Blurring or Expanding Boundaries of Special and Regular Education in China

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Deng, Meng; Zhu, Xinhua

2016-01-01

China has developed a three-tier special education service delivery system consisting of an array of placement options of special schools, special classes and learning in regular classrooms (LRC) (with the LRC as the major initiative) to serve students with disabilities after 1980s responding to the international trend of inclusive education…

Using the Language Environment Analysis (LENA) system in preschool classrooms with children with autism spectrum disorders.

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Dykstra, Jessica R; Sabatos-Devito, Maura G; Irvin, Dwight W; Boyd, Brian A; Hume, Kara A; Odom, Sam L

2013-09-01

This study describes the language environment of preschool programs serving children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and examines relationships between child characteristics and an automated measure of adult and child language in the classroom. The Language Environment Analysis (LENA) system was used with 40 children with ASD to collect data on adult and child language. Standardized assessments were administered to obtain language, cognitive, and autism severity scores for participants. With a mean of over 5 hours of recording across two days several months apart, there was a mean of 3.6 child vocalizations per minute, 1.0 conversational turns (in which either the adult or child respond to the other within 5 seconds) per minute, and 29.2 adult words per minute. Two of the three LENA variables were significantly correlated with language age-equivalents. Cognitive age-equivalents were also significantly correlated with two LENA variables. Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule severity scores and LENA variables were not significantly correlated. Implications for using the LENA system with children with ASD in the school environment are discussed.

Transdisciplinary Intervention by an Itinerant School Nurse in Two Rural Classrooms.

Science.gov (United States)

Stile, Stephen W.; Bentley, Nona

1988-01-01

Reports two transdisciplinary interventions conducted by an Itinerant school nurse. The case studies presented involve a Prader-Willi syndrome student enrolled in a class for the trainable mentally handicapped and a student enrolled in a regular fourth grade classroom but considered at risk for placement in a behavior disorders setting. (JHZ)

The Classroom Animal: Snapping Turtles.

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Kramer, David C.

1987-01-01

Describes the distinctive features of the common snapping turtle. Discusses facts and misconceptions held about the turtle. Provides guidelines for proper care and treatment of a young snapper in a classroom environment. (ML)

Regular School Teachers’ Concerns and Perceived Barriers to Implement Inclusive Education in New Delhi, India

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Nisha Bhatnagar

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Since the passage of The Persons with Disabilities (PWD Act in 1995 and subsequent implementation of various policies and programs by the Indian government to enhance the participation of students with disabilities in regular schools, there has been a steady growth of inclusive education. Such initiatives, however, have placed new demands on schools, especially on teachers who have the major responsibility for implementing inclusion at the classroom level. Literature from other countries indicates that for inclusion to be successful, it is essential that classroom teachers’ concerns about implementing such programs be identified and systematically addressed. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of research about teacher concerns regarding inclusive education in India. This study was undertaken to identify the concerns and perceived barriers of regular school teachers in Delhi, India about the inclusion of students with disabilities. Respondents were secondary school teachers working in schools in Delhi that were involved in teaching special needs children. Two focus group interviews and 20 individual semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data from the participants. The flexible qualitative analysis program QRS NVivo was utilized for data analysis. Three concerns and eleven barrier themes emerged

A Qualitative Study Investigating Facility Managers' Perceptions of the Classroom Learning Environment

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Parr, Eric Shannon

2017-01-01

Facility managers have the challenge of adhering to community college policies and procedures while fulfilling requirements of administration, students, and teachers concerning specific needs of classroom aesthetics. The role of facility manager and how specific entities affect perceptions of the design and implementation of classroom aesthetics…

How an Active Learning Classroom Transformed IT Executive Management

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Connolly, Amy; Lampe, Michael

2016-01-01

This article describes how our university built a unique classroom environment specifically for active learning. This classroom changed students' experience in the undergraduate executive information technology (IT) management class. Every college graduate should learn to think critically, solve problems, and communicate solutions, but 90% of…

Students’ Perceived Effectiveness of Educational Technologies and Motivation in Smart Classroom

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Willard Van De Bogart

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The smart classroom incorporates many different types of IT hardware including tablet computers, interactive white boards, work stations and many other integrated uses of these IT technologies which are used for instructional purposes. Conducted with 40 students majoring in Communicative Arts who participated in a technology-supported learning environment, this study investigated the perceived effectiveness of technologies, learner motivation, participation and learning outcome in the smart classroom. Research findings show that the students’ perceived effectiveness of educational technologies was at a high level while their learning motivation was at a moderate level. In addition, a positive relationship was found between students’ learning outcome and participation, but motivation and perceived effectiveness of technologies in the smart classroom were not related to their learning outcome. Responses from open-ended questions can be used to support the acceptance of the new learning environment since the use of various media equipment by first time users allows for the exploration and the presentation of ideas not achieved in a traditional classroom setting. It can be concluded that learning in a technology-supported environment like the smart classroom can foster a more inquisitive approach.

The Temporal Dynamics of Regularity Extraction in Non-Human Primates

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Minier, Laure; Fagot, Joël; Rey, Arnaud

2016-01-01

Extracting the regularities of our environment is one of our core cognitive abilities. To study the fine-grained dynamics of the extraction of embedded regularities, a method combining the advantages of the artificial language paradigm (Saffran, Aslin, & Newport, [Saffran, J. R., 1996]) and the serial response time task (Nissen & Bullemer,…

Teachers' Instructional Practices within Connected Classroom Technology Environments to Support Representational Fluency

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Gunpinar, Yasemin; Pape, Stephen

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the ways that teachers use connected classroom technology (CCT) in conjunction with the Texas Instruments Nspire calculator to potentially support achievement on Algebra problems that require translation between representations (i.e., symbolic to graphical). Four Algebra I classrooms that initially…

ConfChem Conference on Flipped Classroom: Reclaiming Face Time--How an Organic Chemistry Flipped Classroom Provided Access to Increased Guided Engagement

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Trogden, Bridget G.

2015-01-01

Students' active engagement is one of the most critical challenges to any successful learning environment. The blending of active engagement along with rich, meaningful content is necessary for chemical educators to re-examine the purpose of the chemistry classroom. The Spring 2014 ConfChem conference, Flipped Classroom, was held from May 9 to…

Diverse Regular Employees and Non-regular Employment (Japanese)

OpenAIRE

MORISHIMA Motohiro

2011-01-01

Currently there are high expectations for the introduction of policies related to diverse regular employees. These policies are a response to the problem of disparities between regular and non-regular employees (part-time, temporary, contract and other non-regular employees) and will make it more likely that workers can balance work and their private lives while companies benefit from the advantages of regular employment. In this paper, I look at two issues that underlie this discussion. The ...

Teaching the Social Curriculum: Classroom Management as Behavioral Instruction

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Skiba, Russ; Ormiston, Heather; Martinez, Sylvia; Cummings, Jack

2016-01-01

Psychological science has identified positive classroom management and climate building strategies as a key element in developing and maintaining effective learning environments. In this article, we review the literature that has identified effective strategies that build classroom climates to maximize student learning and minimize disruption. In…

The Effects of Classroom Teaching on Students' Self-Efficacy for Personal Development

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Cheung, Derek; Lai, Edith

2013-01-01

The personal development of students is an essential component of school guidance and counselling programmes, but no published research on guidance and counselling has investigated the effects of regular classroom teaching on students' self-efficacy for personal development. In this study, questionnaire items were constructed to measure classroom…

[Healthy school environments].

Science.gov (United States)

Quintero-Corzo, Josefina; Munévar-Molina, Raúl A; Munévar-Quintero, Fabio I

2015-04-01

Objective To determine factors that characterizes school environments and their relationship with student learning, welfare and health. Method This is a case study supported by a comprehensive qualitative paradigm applied to classroom ecology. The fieldwork was carried out in six public schools for students in economic strata one and two that use computers in virtual classrooms. The information was collected through field journals, film recordings, observation, and recordings of interviews. The information was analyzed by categories in open general and focused cycles. Results The virtual era has enriched the debate about the importance of the environment in pedagogical processes. Nonetheless, the emergence of new diseases is a risk which students are exposed to. Pollution and overcrowding factors prevail in traditional classroom activities, while in the computer rooms the environment is healthier. Hence the need to incorporate these issues into the curriculum reforms and action plans to guide healthy living of schoolchildren and their families. Despite budget constraints, innovative ideas and projects were found. Schools have developed free preventive and corrective strategies such as workshops, talks and lectures by invited specialists, trainees, and students writing theses. They have also introduced controlled Internet access. Conclusion The educational community understands that the concept of health is at the heart of a comprehensive concept of education. In addition, classroom ecology has determining implications for learning and living together in pleasant and healthy environments that are incorporated into institutional educational projects.

PM and CO2 variability and relationship in the different school environments

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Lazović Ivan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Indoor air quality (IAQ is very important for children health and well-being, since children are particularly vulnerable and sensitive on presence of air pollutants. This study was performed in two naturally ventilated schools located in the same municipality. First school is located in urban area, at residential - industrial site, while the other school is situated in rural area. School buildings were chosen based on their urban environment features. The measurements were carried out in heating as well as in non-heating period in duration of five consecutive working days. The objective of the study was to analyze IAQ in the classrooms with special emphasis on levels and diurnal variations of particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5, carbon dioxide (CO2 and nitrogen dioxide (NO2 in occupied and unoccupied school classrooms. In this paper, the CO2 concentrations were measured at both indoor and outdoor environments. Concentrations of CO2 higher than 1000 ppm were regularly detected in the classrooms during teaching hours. Indoor concentrations of PM10 were not exceeded the guideline, daily average, value of 50 μg/m3. Concentrations of PM2.5 were exceeded the guideline, daily average, value of 25 μg/m3 in both school during heating period. Concentrations NO2 were not exceeded the guideline value of 200 μg/m3. Ventilation rates were calculated and compared with the prescribed limits. In both occupied and unoccupied periods high correlation between CO2 and PM concentrations was determined. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III42008

Classroom Contexts for Creativity

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Beghetto, Ronald A.; Kaufman, James C.

2014-01-01

Various factors influence the development of creative potential, including everything from individual differences to the kinds of experiences and opportunities that creators experience throughout the lifespan. When it comes to nurturing creativity in the classroom, the learning environment is one of the most important factors--determining, in…

Influence of Psychosocial Classroom Environment on Students' Motivation and Self-Regulation in Science Learning: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

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Velayutham, Sunitadevi; Aldridge, Jill M.

2013-04-01

The primary aim of this study was two-fold: 1) to identify salient psychosocial features of the classroom environment that influence students' motivation and self-regulation in science learning; and 2) to examine the effect of the motivational constructs of learning goal orientation, science task value and self-efficacy in science learning on students' self-regulation in science classrooms. Data collected from 1360 science students in grades 8, 9 and 10 in five public schools in Perth, Western Australia were utilized to validate the questionnaires and to investigate the hypothesized relationships. Structural Equation Modeling analysis suggested that student cohesiveness, investigation and task orientation were the most influential predictors of student motivation and self-regulation in science learning. In addition, learning goal orientation, task value and self-efficacy significantly influenced students' self-regulation in science. The findings offer potential opportunities for educators to plan and implement effective pedagogical strategies aimed at increasing students' motivation and self-regulation in science learning.

Otitis Media: Coping with the Effects in the Classroom.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Dorinne S.

This curriculum adaptation provides a methodology that enables the classroom teacher to recognize the needs of the otitis media-affected child in the classroom. It discusses areas of concern related to otitis media; suggests activities that can enhance these children's language skills; and shows ways to enhance the learning environment by…

Designing the Electronic Classroom: Applying Learning Theory and Ergonomic Design Principles.

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Emmons, Mark; Wilkinson, Frances C.

2001-01-01

Applies learning theory and ergonomic principles to the design of effective learning environments for library instruction. Discusses features of electronic classroom ergonomics, including the ergonomics of physical space, environmental factors, and workstations; and includes classroom layouts. (Author/LRW)

Assessment of Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ: Students Well-Being in University Classroom with the Application of Landscaping

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Jamaludin Nurul Malina

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The environmental quality (IEQ in a building is an important element to perceive the good health and comfort level for the building occupants. However, each building contributes different environmental quality results towards the indoor spaces and the occupants. Learning environment is one of the spaces that need attention as it is related to student’s well being as well as their learning performance. Existing knowledge on IEQ is still limited concerning the desirable levels of air quality, maintenance, and other factors affecting IEQ in Malaysian educational establishment. Therefore, the study of indoor environment quality in buildings has been carried out in educational building as it acts as important place in learning process. The methodologies used to conduct this research are divided into two methods, which are classroom measurement normal condition and classroom intervention setting. This is done in order to compare and monitor the improvement of environment in the classroom. This research focuses on the comparison of IEQ in different classroom environment setting and the student satisfaction level in their normal classroom environment. Measurement of temperature (°C, relative humidity, carbon dioxide (CO2, Volatile Organic Compound (VOC, dust particles (PM10, lighting (lux, and noise (decibel in the classroom were collected and questionnaires were distributed among the students. This research found that most of the elements in the classroom was incompliance with the standard threshold limit value. The level of VOC in the classroom was noted to be significantly high (11.7ppm compared to the standard threshold limit. An intervention on the normal condition classroom was set up with selected plant placed in the classroom. Results show a tremendous reduction in the percentage of relative humidity, level of TVOC, as well as CO2.

Classroom management, student-teacher relationships and quality in education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Mette Vedsgaard

Knowledge about classroom management is crucial for both teachers’ and students’ well-being and educational success. Studies have indicated that teaching and learning cannot take place effectively in poorly managed classrooms (Jones & Jones, 2012; Marzano, Marzano & Pickering, 2003), and research...... classroom management strategies and teacher-student relations, and by adjusting and applying insights from theory in pedagogical practice, we have introduced new ways of managing learning environments....... unanimously concludes that the competence to establish and maintain good teacher-student relations is a central teacher competence (Nordenbo et al., 2008;Cornelius Whiite, 2007; Mitchell, 2008; Hattie, 2009).This paper presents the findings from recent research and development projects concerning classroom...

Creating a flexible learning environment.

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Taylor, B A; Jones, S; Winters, P

1990-01-01

Lack of classroom space is a common problem for many hospital-based nurse educators. This article describes how nursing educators in one institution redesigned fixed classroom space into a flexible learning center that accommodates their various programs. Using the nursing process, the educators assessed their needs, planned the learning environment, implemented changes in the interior design, and evaluated the outcome of the project. The result was a learning environment conducive to teaching and learning.

Human visual system automatically encodes sequential regularities of discrete events.

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Kimura, Motohiro; Schröger, Erich; Czigler, István; Ohira, Hideki

2010-06-01

For our adaptive behavior in a dynamically changing environment, an essential task of the brain is to automatically encode sequential regularities inherent in the environment into a memory representation. Recent studies in neuroscience have suggested that sequential regularities embedded in discrete sensory events are automatically encoded into a memory representation at the level of the sensory system. This notion is largely supported by evidence from investigations using auditory mismatch negativity (auditory MMN), an event-related brain potential (ERP) correlate of an automatic memory-mismatch process in the auditory sensory system. However, it is still largely unclear whether or not this notion can be generalized to other sensory modalities. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the contribution of the visual sensory system to the automatic encoding of sequential regularities using visual mismatch negativity (visual MMN), an ERP correlate of an automatic memory-mismatch process in the visual sensory system. To this end, we conducted a sequential analysis of visual MMN in an oddball sequence consisting of infrequent deviant and frequent standard stimuli, and tested whether the underlying memory representation of visual MMN generation contains only a sensory memory trace of standard stimuli (trace-mismatch hypothesis) or whether it also contains sequential regularities extracted from the repetitive standard sequence (regularity-violation hypothesis). The results showed that visual MMN was elicited by first deviant (deviant stimuli following at least one standard stimulus), second deviant (deviant stimuli immediately following first deviant), and first standard (standard stimuli immediately following first deviant), but not by second standard (standard stimuli immediately following first standard). These results are consistent with the regularity-violation hypothesis, suggesting that the visual sensory system automatically encodes sequential

Differentiating Instruction "in the Regular" Classroom: How To Reach and Teach All Learners, Grades 3-12.

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Heacox, Diane

This book provides a wide variety of strategies for differentiating instruction for students in grades 3-12. Chapter 1 presents an overview of differentiated content, process, and product, and the role of the teacher in a differentiated classroom. Chapter 2 focuses on the first step of differentiation: gathering information about students. Chapter…

Effects of education outside the classroom on objectively measured physical activity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schneller, Mikkel Bo

days without EOtC and physical education (PE), but lower than on PE days. EOtC days were associated with more light physical activity (LPA) than school days without EOtC and PE, and PE days. Boys spent a higher proportion of time in MVPA and girls in LPA in the EOtC domain compared to the classroom...... the potential to transform part of children’s time from inactive to active. Curriculum-based classroom activities constitute a large proportion of school time, in which more teaching and learning activities involving PA could be implemented. Education outside the classroom (EOtC) is an example of an educational...... approach that could increase PA, as case studies have shown positive effects of EOtC on PA, academic learning motivation, well-being and social relations. National surveys in Denmark have shown substantial and increasing proportions of schools and teachers regularly practicing EOtC. When evaluating...

The construction of different classroom norms during Peer Instruction: Students perceive differences

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Chandra Turpen

2010-11-01

Full Text Available This paper summarizes variations in instructors’ implementation practices during Peer Instruction (PI and shows how these differences in practices shape different norms of classroom interaction. We describe variations in classroom norms along three dimensions of classroom culture that are integral to Peer Instruction, emphasis on: (1 faculty-student collaboration, (2 student-student collaboration, and (3 sense-making vs answer-making. Based on interpretations by an observing researcher, we place three different PI classrooms along a continuum representing a set of possible norms. We then check these interpretations against students’ perceptions of these environments from surveys collected at the end of the term. We find significant correspondence between the researchers’ interpretations and students’ perceptions of Peer Instruction in these environments. We find that variation in faculty practices can set up what students perceive as discernibly different norms. For interested instructors, concrete classroom practices are described that appear to encourage or discourage these norms.

Coordinate-invariant regularization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halpern, M.B.

1987-01-01

A general phase-space framework for coordinate-invariant regularization is given. The development is geometric, with all regularization contained in regularized DeWitt Superstructures on field deformations. Parallel development of invariant coordinate-space regularization is obtained by regularized functional integration of the momenta. As representative examples of the general formulation, the regularized general non-linear sigma model and regularized quantum gravity are discussed. copyright 1987 Academic Press, Inc

Enhancing student success: Taking the classroom success seriously

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Vincent Tinto

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Professor Vincent Tinto opens this issue of the International Journal of the First Year in Higher Education by highlighting the importance of paying attention to students' experiences in the classroom.  With the classroom experience of students in the United States college system firmly in mind, Tinto draws attention to what he calls the "attributes of effective classrooms".  The classroom attributes he describes, such as clear expectations, timely support, feedback on assessment, engaging pedagogies and enhancing teaching skills, though drawn from the United States experience, are universal and as such are transferrable across national boundaries and applicable to higher education educators, leaders and policy makers globally. You can assess this universality by relating Tinto's criteria to your teaching environment.

Psychosocial Environment and Student Self-Handicapping in Secondary School Mathematics Classes: A Cross-National Study.

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Dorman, Jeffrey P.; Adams, Joan E.; Ferguson, Janet M.

2002-01-01

Presents an investigation of the relationship between classroom environment and self-handicapping in Australian, Canadian, and British secondary schools. Explores student perceptions of classroom environment, self-handicapping, and academic efficacy. Reports that classroom environment scales accounted for variance in self-handicapping beyond what…

Information-theoretic semi-supervised metric learning via entropy regularization.

Science.gov (United States)

Niu, Gang; Dai, Bo; Yamada, Makoto; Sugiyama, Masashi

2014-08-01

We propose a general information-theoretic approach to semi-supervised metric learning called SERAPH (SEmi-supervised metRic leArning Paradigm with Hypersparsity) that does not rely on the manifold assumption. Given the probability parameterized by a Mahalanobis distance, we maximize its entropy on labeled data and minimize its entropy on unlabeled data following entropy regularization. For metric learning, entropy regularization improves manifold regularization by considering the dissimilarity information of unlabeled data in the unsupervised part, and hence it allows the supervised and unsupervised parts to be integrated in a natural and meaningful way. Moreover, we regularize SERAPH by trace-norm regularization to encourage low-dimensional projections associated with the distance metric. The nonconvex optimization problem of SERAPH could be solved efficiently and stably by either a gradient projection algorithm or an EM-like iterative algorithm whose M-step is convex. Experiments demonstrate that SERAPH compares favorably with many well-known metric learning methods, and the learned Mahalanobis distance possesses high discriminability even under noisy environments.

Buffering against Performance Classroom Goal Structures: The Importance of Autonomy Support and Classroom Community

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Ciani, Keith D.; Middleton, Michael J.; Summers, Jessica J.; Sheldon, Kennon M.

2010-01-01

The culture of schooling in the United States has become increasingly focused on outwardly proving student competence. Some achievement goal theorists suggest that a major casualty of performance-oriented classroom environments may be student motivation for developing and improving competence. The present study extends across theoretical…

Why classroom climate matters for children high in anxious solitude: A study of differential susceptibility.

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Hughes, Kathleen; Coplan, Robert J

2018-03-01

The goal of the current study was to examine the complex links among anxious solitude, classroom climate, engagement, achievement, and gender. In particular, drawing upon the differential susceptibility hypothesis (Belsky, 1997), we investigated if children high in anxious solitude were particularly sensitive and responsive to the classroom environment. Participants were N = 712 children in Grade 3, drawn from the National Institute of Child and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development data set. Classroom climate and engagement were assessed using the Classroom Observation Scale (NICHD, 1998). Teachers completed the Teacher Report Form (Achenbach, 1991) as a measure of anxious solitude and the Academic Rating Scale (NICHD, 2010) as a measure of achievement. Hypothesized associations among variables were tested by way of a moderated-mediation model. Among the results, engagement was found to mediate the relation between classroom climate and achievement. In addition, anxious solitude and gender were found to moderate the relation between classroom climate and engagement. Support for the differential susceptibility hypothesis was found, suggesting that children high in anxious solitude may be more reactive (both positively and negatively) to elements of the classroom environment. In addition, gender differences were observed, indicating that boys may be more responsive to the classroom environment as compared with girls. Implications for future research and educational policies are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Children's perceptions of the classroom environment and social and academic performance: a longitudinal analysis of the contribution of the Responsive Classroom approach.

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Brock, Laura L; Nishida, Tracy K; Chiong, Cynthia; Grimm, Kevin J; Rimm-Kaufman, Sara E

2008-04-01

This study examines the contribution of the Responsive Classroom (RC) Approach, a set of teaching practices that integrate social and academic learning, to children's perceptions of their classroom, and children's academic and social performance over time. Three questions emerge: (a) What is the concurrent and cumulative relation between children's perceptions of the classroom and social and academic outcomes over time? (b) What is the contribution of teacher's use of RC practices to children's perceptions and social and academic outcomes? (c) Do children's perceptions of the classroom mediate the relation between RC teacher practices and child outcomes? Cross-lagged autoregressive structural equation models were used to analyze teacher and child-report questionnaire data, along with standardized test scores collected over 3 years from a sample of 520 children in grades 3-5. Results indicate a significant positive relation between RC teacher practices and child perceptions and outcomes over time. Further, children's perceptions partially mediated the relation between RC teacher practices and social competence. However, the models did not demonstrate that child perceptions mediated the relation between RC practices and achievement outcomes. Results are explained in terms of the contribution of teacher practices to children's perceptions and student performance.

Re-Conceptualizing Emotion and Motivation to Learn in Classroom Contexts

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Meyer, Debra K.; Turner, Julianne C.

2006-01-01

To better inform and improve classroom teaching and learning, now more than ever before, educational researchers need to effectively and efficiently describe essential components of positive learning environments. In this article, we discuss how our research findings about motivation in classrooms have led to a closer examination of emotions. We…

Classroom Listening Conditions in Indian Primary Schools: A Survey of Four Schools

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Gayathri Sundaravadhanan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Background noise affects the listening environment inside classrooms, especially for younger children. High background noise level adversely affects not only student speech perception but also teacher vocal hygiene. The current study aimed to give an overview of the classroom listening conditions in selected government primary schools in India. Materials and Methods: Noise measurements were taken in 23 classrooms of four government primary schools in southern India, using a type 2 sound level meter. In each classroom measurements were taken in occupied and unoccupied conditions. Teacher voice level was measured in the same classrooms. In addition, the classroom acoustical conditions were observed and the reverberation time for each classroom was calculated. Results: The mean occupied noise level was 62.1 dBA and 65.6 dBC, and the mean unoccupied level was 62.2 dBA and 65 dBC. The mean unamplified teacher speech-to-noise ratio was 10.6 dBA. Both the occupied and unoccupied noise levels exceeded national and international recommended levels and the teacher speech-to-noise ratio was also found to be inadequate in most classrooms. The estimated reverberation time in all classrooms was greater than 2.6 seconds, which is almost double the duration of accepted standards. In addition, observation of classrooms revealed insufficient acoustical treatment to effectively reduce internal and external noise and minimize reverberation. Conclusion: The results of this study point out the need to improve the listening environment for children in government primary schools in India.

Supporting the Argumentative Writing of Students in Linguistically Diverse Classrooms: An Action Research Study

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Campbell, Yvonne C.; Filimon, Claudia

2018-01-01

The number of English language learners (ELLs) mainstreamed into regular classrooms continues to increase. Curricular writing standards required by the Common Core State Standards require students to write essays analytically in response to text(s). Many English Language Arts (ELA) teachers may worry about effectively delivering essay writing…

Evaluation of a flipped classroom approach to learning introductory epidemiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiau, Stephanie; Kahn, Linda G; Platt, Jonathan; Li, Chihua; Guzman, Jason T; Kornhauser, Zachary G; Keyes, Katherine M; Martins, Silvia S

2018-04-02

Although the flipped classroom model has been widely adopted in medical education, reports on its use in graduate-level public health programs are limited. This study describes the design, implementation, and evaluation of a flipped classroom redesign of an introductory epidemiology course and compares it to a traditional model. One hundred fifty Masters-level students enrolled in an introductory epidemiology course with a traditional format (in-person lecture and discussion section, at-home assignment; 2015, N = 72) and a flipped classroom format (at-home lecture, in-person discussion section and assignment; 2016, N = 78). Using mixed methods, we compared student characteristics, examination scores, and end-of-course evaluations of the 2016 flipped classroom format and the 2015 traditional format. Data on the flipped classroom format, including pre- and post-course surveys, open-ended questions, self-reports of section leader teaching practices, and classroom observations, were evaluated. There were no statistically significant differences in examination scores or students' assessment of the course between 2015 (traditional) and 2016 (flipped). In 2016, 57.1% (36) of respondents to the end-of-course evaluation found watching video lectures at home to have a positive impact on their time management. Open-ended survey responses indicated a number of strengths of the flipped classroom approach, including the freedom to watch pre-recorded lectures at any time and the ability of section leaders to clarify targeted concepts. Suggestions for improvement focused on ways to increase regular interaction with lecturers. There was no significant difference in students' performance on quantitative assessments comparing the traditional format to the flipped classroom format. The flipped format did allow for greater flexibility and applied learning opportunities at home and during discussion sections.

Tweeting in the Classroom: Instant feedback and assessment using a mobile web app

Science.gov (United States)

Saravanan, R.

2011-12-01

Cell phones with texting capabilities are ubiquitous in the college classroom, and smart phones are becoming increasingly common. These phones are used primarily for personal activities, including social networking, and are expected to remain switched off during instruction. The powerful communication capability of these devices, which could potentially facilitate novel forms of "instructional networking", remains untapped. Instead, special-purpose devices ("clickers") are used when instant feedback is desired in the classroom. A number of technical and behavioral challenges need to be overcome before mobile phones can be used routinely to assist in classroom instruction. This presentation will describe the experience of developing and deploying a mobile web app that enables students to provide instant feedback in the classroom using their mobile phones. The web app leverages existing social networking infrastructure, e.g., using the Twitter microblogging service to aggregate text messages sent by students, to promote classroom interaction. The web app was deployed both in a regular lecture hall and in a computer lab. Topics to be discussed include the technical challenges of deploying a mobile web app in a classroom setting, such as internet accessibility and latency, as well as non-technical issues relating to privacy, student reactions, etc.

Selection of regularization parameter for l1-regularized damage detection

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Rongrong; Xia, Yong; Bao, Yuequan; Zhou, Xiaoqing

2018-06-01

The l1 regularization technique has been developed for structural health monitoring and damage detection through employing the sparsity condition of structural damage. The regularization parameter, which controls the trade-off between data fidelity and solution size of the regularization problem, exerts a crucial effect on the solution. However, the l1 regularization problem has no closed-form solution, and the regularization parameter is usually selected by experience. This study proposes two strategies of selecting the regularization parameter for the l1-regularized damage detection problem. The first method utilizes the residual and solution norms of the optimization problem and ensures that they are both small. The other method is based on the discrepancy principle, which requires that the variance of the discrepancy between the calculated and measured responses is close to the variance of the measurement noise. The two methods are applied to a cantilever beam and a three-story frame. A range of the regularization parameter, rather than one single value, can be determined. When the regularization parameter in this range is selected, the damage can be accurately identified even for multiple damage scenarios. This range also indicates the sensitivity degree of the damage identification problem to the regularization parameter.

Ventilation system type, classroom environmental quality and pupils' perceptions and symptoms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gao, Jie; Wargocki, Pawel; Wang, Yi

2014-01-01

The present study investigated indoor climate and window opening behaviour by pupils, as well as their perceptions and symptoms in classrooms with different types of ventilation systems. Four classrooms were selected in the same school in suburban Denmark. Classroom ventilation was achieved either......-heating and heating seasons; CO2 concentration was used to estimate average classroom ventilation rates. At the end of each measuring period, the pupils were asked to report their perceptions of the indoor environment and their acute health-related symptoms. The classroom in which ventilation was achieved by manually...... operable windows had the highest air temperatures and CO2 concentrations during both non-heating and heating season; the estimated average air-change rate was lowest in this classroom. The classroom with mechanical ventilation had the highest estimated average air-change rate. Windows were frequently...

From Discipline to Dynamic Pedagogy: A Re-Conceptualization of Classroom Management

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Davis, Jonathan Ryan

2017-01-01

The purpose of this article is to re-conceptualize the definition of classroom management, moving away from its traditional definition rooted in discipline and control toward a definition that focuses on the creation of a positive learning environment. Integrating innovative, culturally responsive classroom management theories, frameworks, and…

Opportunities for Inquiry Science in Montessori Classrooms: Learning from a Culture of Interest, Communication, and Explanation

Science.gov (United States)

Rinke, Carol R.; Gimbel, Steven J.; Haskell, Sophie

2013-08-01

Although classroom inquiry is the primary pedagogy of science education, it has often been difficult to implement within conventional classroom cultures. This study turned to the alternatively structured Montessori learning environment to better understand the ways in which it fosters the essential elements of classroom inquiry, as defined by prominent policy documents. Specifically, we examined the opportunities present in Montessori classrooms for students to develop an interest in the natural world, generate explanations in science, and communicate about science. Using ethnographic research methods in four Montessori classrooms at the primary and elementary levels, this research captured a range of scientific learning opportunities. The study found that the Montessori learning environment provided opportunities for students to develop enduring interests in scientific topics and communicate about science in various ways. The data also indicated that explanation was largely teacher-driven in the Montessori classroom culture. This study offers lessons for both conventional and Montessori classrooms and suggests further research that bridges educational contexts.

Observing Emotional Interactions between Teachers and Students in Elementary School Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Elizabeth M.; Evans, Ian M.; Harvey, Shane T.

2011-01-01

Fostering emotional skills in the elementary (primary) school classroom can lead to improved learning outcomes, more prosocial behavior, and positive emotional development. Incorporating emotional skill development into the naturalistic and implicit teaching environment is a key feature of what is meant by the emotional climate of the classroom.…

Predicting the Attitudes and Self-Esteem of the Grade 9th Lower Secondary School Students towards Mathematics from Their Perceptions of the Classroom Learning Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, Van Dat

2012-01-01

This study reports the validity of the hypothesis that students' perceptions of the learning environment of mathematics classroom may predict their attitudes and self-esteem towards mathematics. It examines data from 487 grade 9th students from 14 mathematics classes in 7 Vietnamese lower secondary schools to identify how students' perceptions of…

Movement integration in elementary classrooms: Teacher perceptions and implications for program planning.

Science.gov (United States)

Webster, Collin A; Zarrett, Nicole; Cook, Brittany S; Egan, Cate; Nesbitt, Danielle; Weaver, R Glenn

2017-04-01

Movement integration (MI), which involves infusing physical activity (PA) into regular classroom time in schools, is widely recommended to help children meet the national guideline of 60min of PA each day. Understanding the perspective of elementary classroom teachers (ECTs) toward MI is critical to program planning for interventions/professional development. This study examined the MI perceptions of ECTs in order to inform the design and implementation of a school-based pilot program that focused in part on increasing children's PA through MI. Twelve ECTs (Grades 1-3) from four schools were selected to participate based on their responses to a survey about their use of MI. Based on the idea that MI programming should be designed with particular attention to teachers who integrate relatively few movement opportunities in their classrooms, the intent was to select the teacher who reported integrating movement the least at her/his respective grade level at each school. However, not all of these teachers agreed to participate in the study. The final sample included two groups of ECTs, including eight lowest integrating teachers and four additional teachers. Each ECT participated in an interview during the semester before the pilot program was implemented. Through qualitative analysis of the interview transcripts, four themes emerged: (a) challenges and barriers (e.g., lack of time), (b) current and ideal resources (e.g., school support), (c) current implementation processes (e.g., scheduling MI into daily routines), and (e) teachers' ideas and tips for MI (e.g., stick with it and learn as you go). The themes were supported by data from both groups of teachers. This study's findings can inform future efforts to increase movement opportunities for children during regular classroom time. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

GLOBAL EDUCATION: WHAT TEACHERS CAN DO IN THE CLASSROOMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julia Eka Rini

1999-01-01

Full Text Available This article will give examples of what teachers of second language can do to implement global education, especially peace and environmental education in the classrooms in university level. This is an attempt to give a new meaning to the same materials used in the classrooms. Besides enabling the students to acquire and use a second language, teachers can make the students aware of the importance of environment. Moreover, teachers can initiate to spread peace in the small world of a classroom and a chain reaction is expected to happen from this small world to the bigger world outside the classroom. The skill and content courses used as examples here are taken from the ones used at English Department at Petra Christian University.

Effortful control and school adjustment: The moderating role of classroom chaos.

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Berger, Rebecca H; Valiente, Carlos; Eisenberg, Nancy; Hernandez, Maciel M; Thompson, Marilyn; Spinrad, Tracy; VanSchyndel, Sarah; Silva, Kassondra; Southworth, Jody

2017-11-01

Guided by the person by environment framework, the primary goal of this study was to determine whether classroom chaos moderated the relation between effortful control and kindergarteners' school adjustment. Classroom observers reported on children's ( N = 301) effortful control in the fall. In the spring, teachers reported on classroom chaos and school adjustment outcomes (teacher-student relationship closeness and conflict, and school liking and avoidance). Cross-level interactions between effortful control and classroom chaos predicting school adjustment outcomes were assessed. A consistent pattern of interactions between effortful control and classroom chaos indicated that the relations between effortful control and the school adjustment outcomes were strongest in high chaos classrooms. Post-hoc analyses indicated that classroom chaos was associated with poor school adjustment when effortful control was low, suggesting that the combination of high chaos and low effortful control was associated with the poorest school outcomes.

The attitudes of classroom teacher candidates towards physical education lesson

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gönül Tekkurşun Demir

2017-12-01

according to the state of playing sports regularly. Conclusion: It was concluded that the attitudes of the classroom teacher candidates towards the physical education lesson were moderate.

Understanding children's science identity through classroom interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Mijung

2018-01-01

Research shows that various stereotypes about science and science learning, such as science being filled with hard and dry content, laboratory experiments, and male-dominated work environments, have resulted in feelings of distance from science in students' minds. This study explores children's experiences of science learning and science identity. It asks how children conceive of doing science like scientists and how they develop views of science beyond the stereotypes. This study employs positioning theory to examine how children and their teacher position themselves in science learning contexts and develop science identity through classroom interactions. Fifteen students in grades 4-6 science classrooms in Western Canada participated in this study. Classroom activities and interactions were videotaped, transcribed, and analysed to examine how the teacher and students position each other as scientists in the classroom. A descriptive explanatory case analysis showed how the teacher's positioning acted to develop students' science identity with responsibilities of knowledge seeking, perseverance, and excitement about science.

Experience-Based Discrimination: Classroom Games

Science.gov (United States)

Fryer, Roland G., Jr.; Goeree, Jacob K.; Holt, Charles A.

2005-01-01

The authors present a simple classroom game in which students are randomly designated as employers, purple workers, or green workers. This environment may generate "statistical" discrimination if workers of one color tend not to invest because they anticipate lower opportunities in the labor market, and these beliefs are self-confirming as…

Smiles count but minutes matter: responses to classroom exercise breaks.

Science.gov (United States)

Howie, Erin K; Newman-Norlund, Roger D; Pate, Russell R

2014-09-01

To determine the subjective responses of teachers and students to classroom exercise breaks, and how responses varied by duration. This mixed-methods experimental study included focus groups with teachers (N = 8) and 4(th)- and 5(th)-grade students (N = 96). Students participated in 5-, 10-, and 20-minute exercise breaks and 10 minutes of sedentary activity. In an additional exploratory analysis, video-tapes of each condition were coded and compared for positive affect. Students and teachers discussed multiple benefits, but teachers discussed barriers to implementing regular breaks of 5-minutes or more. Students exhibited higher positive affect during each exercise condition. Classroom exercise breaks are an enjoyable way to increase physical activity, but additional support may be needed to encourage teachers to implement breaks of 5 minutes or longer.

Conducting an Introductory Biology Course in an Active Learning Classroom: A Case Study of an Experienced Faculty Member

Science.gov (United States)

Langley, David; Guzey, S. Selcen

2014-01-01

A case study is described that examines the beliefs and practices of a university instructor who teaches regularly in an active learning classroom. His perspective provides insights into the pedagogical practices that drive his success in these learning spaces.

Enhancing Classroom Creativity. Premier PD

Science.gov (United States)

Luna, Elizabeth; Ernst, Jeremy; Clark, Aaron; DeLuca, V. William; Kelly, Daniel

2018-01-01

Educators often hear about the need for students to be more creative, more free-thinking, and more exploratory throughout projects and class assignments. This article will highlight the importance of creating and implementing an open-classroom environment where students are confident in their ability to ask questions and capable of exploring a…

Back to Basics: Working with Young Children with Autism in Inclusive Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Deris, Aaron R.; Di Carlo, Cynthia F.

2013-01-01

Young children with autism benefit from various adaptations made to an early childhood classroom. This article includes modifications for both teacher-directed and child-initiated activities. Adaptations are given for the classroom environment, daily schedule, sensory needs, transitions and general teaching strategies. The techniques described are…

An owl in the classroom : development of an interactive storytelling application for preschoolers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Soute, I.; Nijmeijer, H.

2014-01-01

In research there is a considerable interest in developing interactive educational systems. However, the typical classroom remains a rather low-tech environment. Allowing teachers to create, adapt and share interactive learning applications might increase the uptake of technology in the classroom.

The textbook as classroom context variable

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Krammer, H.P.M.

1985-01-01

To explore the role of the textbook as a context variable in process—product relationships, data on teaching practices and learning outcomes from the IEA Classroom Environment Study in The Netherlands were used. The sample consisted of 50 secondary school mathematics classes and their teachers.

Development of a Mobile-Optimised Website to Support Students with Special Needs Transitioning from Primary to Secondary Settings

Science.gov (United States)

Chambers, Dianne; Coffey, Anne

2013-01-01

With an increasing number of students with special needs being included in regular classroom environments, consideration of, and planning for, a smooth transition between different school settings is important for parents, classroom teachers and school administrators. The transition between primary and secondary school can be difficult for…

Expectancy violation in physics and mathematics classes in a student-centered classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarado, Carolina; Dominguez, Angeles; Rodriguez, Ruth; Zavala, Genaro

2012-02-01

This report analyzes the results of the implementation at a large private Mexican university of the Pedagogical Expectancy Violation Assessment (PEVA), developed by Gaffney, Gaffney and Beichner [1]. The PEVA was designed to evaluate shifts of the first student's expectations due to the initial orientation and experiences in the classroom. The data was collected at the Student-Centered Learning (ACE) classroom, based on the Student Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP) classroom. Three professors participated with their groups during the first semester they implemented their courses in this environment. Participants were enrolled either in a Pre-Calculus, Differential Equations, or Electricity and Magnetism course. The results indicate shifts in students' expectations during the semester and reveals differences in shifts among the different courses.

A Review of Criteria for Outdoor Classroom in Selected Tertiary Educational Institutions in Kuala Lumpur

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Maheran, Y.; Fadzidah, A.; Nur Fadhilah, R.; Farha, S.

2017-12-01

A proper design outdoor environment in higher institutions contributes to the students’ learning performances and produce better learning outcomes. Campus surrounding has the potential to provide an informal outdoor learning environment, especially when it has the existing physical element, like open spaces and natural features, that may support the learning process. However, scholarly discourses on environmental aspects in tertiary education have minimal environmental inputs to fulfill students’ needs for outdoor exposure. Universities have always emphasized on traditional instructional methods in classroom settings, without concerning the importance of outdoor classroom towards students’ learning needs. Moreover, the inconvenience and discomfort outdoor surrounding in campus environment offers a minimal opportunity for students to study outside the classroom, and students eventually do not favor to utilize the spaces because no learning facility is provided. Hence, the objective of this study is to identify the appropriate criteria of outdoor areas that could be converted to be outdoor classrooms in tertiary institutions. This paper presents a review of scholars’ work in regards to the characteristics of the outdoor classrooms that could be designed as part of contemporary effective learning space, for the development of students’ learning performances. The information gathered from this study will become useful knowledge in promoting effective outdoor classroom and create successful outdoor learning space in landscape campus design. It I hoped that the finding of this study could provide guidelines on how outdoor classrooms should be designed to improve students’ academic achievement.

Contributions of the emergent literacy environment to literacy outcomes for young children who are deaf.

Science.gov (United States)

Easterbrooks, Susan R; Lederberg, Amy R; Connor, Carol M

2010-01-01

Specific characteristics of early literacy environments support hearing children's emergent literacy. The researchers investigated these characteristics' role in emergent literacy in young deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children, using the Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation (ELLCO; M. W. Smith, Dickinson, Sangeorge, & Anastasopoulos, 2002). Eighteen self-contained classrooms of preschool, kindergarten, and first-grade DHH children (N = 40) were studied. Hierarchical linear analysis was used to examine study participants' classroom environment and growth in emergent literacy skills. Correlations suggested that classroom environment was more closely related to vocabulary and phonological awareness in DHH children than in typically hearing children. Major differences among classrooms were also indicated. However, growth in children's skills did not correlate strongly with attributes captured by the ELLCO. This suggests that classrooms promoting emergent literacy skills acquisition in DHH children may differ from classrooms of typically developing hearing children.

Environment and Teacher Interpersonal Behaviour in Secondary Science Classes in Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Heui-Baik; Fisher, Darrell L.; Fraser, Barry J.

2000-01-01

Studied classroom learning environment and teacher behavior in 12 Korean schools through questionnaires administered to 543 eighth graders. Results, which support the cross-cultural validity of both measures, show positive relationships between classroom environment and interpersonal teacher behavior and students' attitudinal outcome. Boys…

An Effective Approach to Developing Function-Based Interventions in Early Childhood Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Brenna K.; Ferro, Jolenea B.

2014-01-01

Due to the unique features of early childhood classrooms, teachers routinely modify the social and physical environment to support children with mild to moderate challenges. Yet despite their access to behavioral consultants, school-based prekindergarten programs are more likely to expel young children from their classroom settings compared with…

Multicultural science education in Lesotho high school biology classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Nthathakane, Malefu Christina

2001-12-01

This study investigated how Basotho high school biology students responded to a multicultural science education (MCSE) approach. Students' home language---Sesotho---and cultural experiences were integrated into the teaching of a unit on alcohol, tobacco and other drugs (ATOD) abuse. The focus was on students whose cultural background is African and who are English second language users. The study was conducted in three high school biology classrooms in Lesotho where the ATOD unit was taught using MCSE. A fourth biology classroom was observed for comparison purposes. In this classroom the regular biology teacher taught ATOD using typical instructional strategies. The study was framed by the general question: How does a multicultural science education approach affect Basotho high school biology students? More specifically: How does the use of Sesotho (or code-switching between Sesotho and English) and integration of Basotho students' cultural knowledge and experiences with respect to ATOD affect students' learning? In particular how does the approach affect students' participation and academic performance? A qualitative research method was used in this study. Data were drawn from a number of different sources and analyzed inductively. The data sources included field-notes, transcripts of ATOD lessons, research assistant lesson observation notes and interviews, regular biology teachers' interviews and notes from observing a few of their lessons, students' interviews and pre and posttest scripts, and other school documents that recorded students' performance throughout the year. Using the students' home language---Sesotho---was beneficial in that it enabled them to share ideas, communicate better and understand each other, the teacher and the material that was taught. Integrating students' cultural and everyday experiences was beneficial because it enabled students to anchor the new ATOD ideas in what was familiar and helped them find the relevance of the unit by

Reflective Blogfolios in the Language Classroom: Impact on EFL Tertiary Students' Argumentative Writing Skills and Ways of Knowing

Science.gov (United States)

Ammar, Abdullah Mahmoud Ismial

2016-01-01

The emerging paradigm shift in educational contexts from walled classroom environments to virtual, hybrid, blended, and lately personal learning environments has brought about vast changes in the foreign language classroom practices. Numerous calls for experimenting with new instructional treatments to enhance students' language performance in…

Putting Structure to Flipped Classrooms Using Team-Based Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Jakobsen, Krisztina V.; Knetemann, Megan

2017-01-01

Current educational practices and cognitive-developmental theories emphasize the importance of active participation in the learning environment, and they suggest that the first, and arguably most important, step to creating a better learning environment is to make learning an active and reciprocal process. Flipped classrooms, in which students…

Opportunities for Inquiry Science in Montessori Classrooms: Learning from a Culture of Interest, Communication, and Explanation

Science.gov (United States)

Rinke, Carol R.; Gimbel, Steven J.; Haskell, Sophie

2013-01-01

Although classroom inquiry is the primary pedagogy of science education, it has often been difficult to implement within conventional classroom cultures. This study turned to the alternatively structured Montessori learning environment to better understand the ways in which it fosters the essential elements of classroom inquiry, as defined by…

WOWW: A Solution Orientated Approach to Enhance Classroom Relationships and Behaviour within a Primary Three Class

Science.gov (United States)

Fernie, Lynne; Cubeddu, Daniela

2016-01-01

A Working on What Works (WOWW) approach was utilised over six sessions in a mainstream Scottish primary class to enhance classroom relationships and behaviours. The aim of the intervention was to manage everyday classroom problems within a natural classroom environment. WOWW incorporates positive psychology and implements a solution-focused…

The Luminous Environment of the Classroom. A Selected and Annotated Bibliography.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartman, Michael

Presentation of an environmental reference source for architects and designers includes separate listing of 19 short overview articles and 43 documents with an implicit specification orientation toward classroom lighting. The major document "ontent areas are--(1) general specification guides with some psycho-physiological background, (2)…

Examining classroom influences on student perceptions of school climate: the role of classroom management and exclusionary discipline strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Mary M; Bradshaw, Catherine P

2013-10-01

There is growing emphasis on the use of positive behavior supports rather than exclusionary discipline strategies to promote a positive classroom environment. Yet, there has been limited research examining the association between these two different approaches to classroom management and students' perceptions of school climate. Data from 1902 students within 93 classrooms that were nested within 37 elementary schools were examined using multilevel structural equation modeling procedures to investigate the association between two different classroom management strategies (i.e., exclusionary discipline strategies and the use of positive behavior supports) and student ratings of school climate (i.e., fairness, order and discipline, student-teacher relationship, and academic motivation). The analyses indicated that greater use of exclusionary discipline strategies was associated with lower order and discipline scores, whereas greater use of classroom-based positive behavior supports was associated with higher scores on order and discipline, fairness, and student-teacher relationship. These findings suggest that pre-service training and professional development activities should promote teachers' use of positive behavior support strategies and encourage reduced reliance on exclusionary discipline strategies in order to enhance the school climate and conditions for learning. Copyright © 2013 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Science Teacher Beliefs and Classroom Practice Related to Constructivism in Different School Settings

Science.gov (United States)

Savasci, Funda; Berlin, Donna F.

2012-02-01

Science teacher beliefs and classroom practice related to constructivism and factors that may influence classroom practice were examined in this cross-case study. Data from four science teachers in two schools included interviews, demographic questionnaire, Classroom Learning Environment Survey (preferred/perceived), and classroom observations and documents. Using an inductive analytic approach, results suggested that the teachers embraced constructivism, but classroom observations did not confirm implementation of these beliefs for three of the four teachers. The most preferred constructivist components were personal relevance and student negotiation; the most perceived component was critical voice. Shared control was the least preferred, least perceived, and least observed constructivist component. School type, grade, student behavior/ability, curriculum/standardized testing, and parental involvement may influence classroom practice.

Willingness to Communicate in English: A Model in the Chinese EFL Classroom Context

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Jian-E; Woodrow, Lindy

2010-01-01

This study involves a large-scale investigation of willingness to communicate (WTC) in Chinese English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) classrooms. A hypothesized model integrating WTC in English, communication confidence, motivation, learner beliefs, and classroom environment was tested using structural equation modeling. Validation of the…

The Value of the Model of a Socially Integral Teaching/Learning Environment in the Classroom from the Point of View of Learners Who Tend to Socially Withdraw

Science.gov (United States)

Kyburiene, Laima; Navickiene, Gemma

2015-01-01

The article gives a review of the investigations publicised in the scientific papers of various countries, which reveal the increase in social closure and analyse the problematic conception of social withdrawal; introduces the theoretical (ideal) model of a socially integral teaching/learning environment in the classroom; uncovers its impact on…

Learning Environment And Pupils Academic Performance ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Learning Environment And Pupils Academic Performance: Implications For Counselling. ... facilities as well as learning materials to make teaching and learning easy. In addition, teachers should provide conducive classroom environment to ...

Green Walls for a Restorative Classroom Environment : A Controlled Evaluation Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Berg, Agnes E; Wesselius, Janke E; Maas, Jolanda; Tanja-Dijkstra, Karin

2017-01-01

In the present research, we evaluated the restorative impacts of green walls with living plants in classrooms of two elementary schools using a controlled, prospective design with baseline measurements and follow-ups at 2 and 4 months. At each time of measurement, children's (n = 170, age = 7-10)

The Learning Environment Associated with Information Technology Education in Taiwan: Combining Psychosocial and Physical Aspects

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chia-Ju; Zandvliet, David B.; Hou, I.-Ling

2012-01-01

This study investigated perceptions of senior high school students towards the Taiwanese information technology (IT) classroom with the What Is Happening in this Class? (WIHIC) survey and explored the physical learning environment of the IT classroom using the Computerised Classroom Environment Inventory (CCEI). The participants included 2,869…

A Snapshot of the Calculus Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Weathers, Tony D.; Latterell, Carmen M.

2003-01-01

Essentially a focus group to discuss textbook related issues, a meeting of calculus instructors from a wide variety of environments was convened and sponsored by McGraw Hill to provide feedback on the current state of the calculus classroom. This paper provides a description of the group's discussions.

The association between education outside the classroom and students’ school motivation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bølling, Mads; Otte, Camilla Roed; Elsborg, Peter

2018-01-01

The aim of this quasi-experimental intervention study was to investigate the association between primary school students’ (9–13 years) school motivation and regular participation in education outside the classroom (EOtC). School motivation of 311 Danish public students from 24 intervention classes...... and 88 students from seven parallel comparison classes was measured at the start and end of the 2014–2015 school year using the Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQA). Exposure to EOtC was monitored by intervention and comparison teachers. Multilevel analyses showed that regular exposure to EOt......C was associated with improvement in intrinsic motivation and was moderated by prior intrinsic motivation in favor of students with higher prior intrinsic motivation. Results were independent of gender and socio-economic-status....

Performance of low pressure mechanical ventilation concept with diffuse ceiling inlet for renovation of school classrooms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Terkildsen, Søren; Svendsen, Svend

In a great portion of Danish primary schools the mechanical ventilation systems is outdated or simply rely on opening of windows to ventilate the classrooms. This leads to high energy consumption for fans and/or ventilation heat losses and poor indoor environment, as the ventilation systems cannot...... provide a sufficient ventilation rate. A recent study with 750 Danish classrooms show that 56 % had CO2-concentrations over a 1000 ppm, which is the recommended limit by the Danish working environment authority and this adversely affects the performance and well being of the pupils. This paper describes...... a mechanical ventilation concept to lower energy consumption and improve the indoor environment, developed for refurbishment of school classrooms. The performance of the concept is investigated through computer simulations and measurements of energy consumption and indoor environment. The measurements are made...

Classroom quality at pre-kindergarten and kindergarten and children's social skills and behavior problems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Broekhuizen, Martine L.; Mokrova, Irina L.; Burchinal, Margaret R.; Garrett-Peters, Patricia T.

2016-01-01

Focusing on the continuity in the quality of classroom environments as children transition from preschool into elementary school, this study examined the associations between classroom quality in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten and children's social skills and behavior problems in kindergarten and

Promoting Oral Language Skills in Preschool Children through Sociodramatic Play in the Classroom

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P.L.N. Randima Rajapaksha

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Children best learn language through playful learning experiences in the preschool classroom. The present study focused on developing oral language skills in preschool children through a sociodramatic play intervention. The study employed a case study design under qualitative approach. The researcher conducted a sociodramatic play intervention collaboratively with the class teacher for a group of 10 children selected utilizing purposive sampling method in a preschool classroom. The intervention was conducted in a preschool located in Colombo, Sri Lanka for 3 weeks. The observation, interview and reflective journal were the instrument used to collect data. The observation carried under two criteria namely, ability to initiate a conversation and ability to respond in a conversation revealed that the sociodramatic play intervention created many opportunities to develop oral language skills in the children than the regular classroom activities. The sociodramatic play activities enhanced children's oral language skills while creating a language rich playful learning experiences. Keywords: Language development, Early childhood education, Sociodramatic play

An evaluation of teaching methods in the introductory physics classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Savage, Lauren Michelle Williams

The introductory physics mechanics course at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte has a history of relatively high DFW rates. In 2011, the course was redesigned from the traditional lecture format to the inverted classroom format (flipped). This format inverts the classroom by introducing material in a video assigned as homework while the instructor conducts problem solving activities and guides discussions during the regular meetings. This format focuses on student-centered learning and is more interactive and engaging. To evaluate the effectiveness of the new method, final exam data over the past 10 years was mined and the pass rates examined. A normalization condition was developed to evaluate semesters equally. The two teaching methods were compared using a grade distribution across multiple semesters. Students in the inverted class outperformed those in the traditional class: "A"s increased by 22% and "B"s increased by 38%. The final exam pass rate increased by 12% under the inverted classroom approach. The same analysis was used to compare the written and online final exam formats. Surprisingly, no students scored "A"s on the online final. However, the percent of "B"s increased by 136%. Combining documented best practices from a literature review with personal observations of student performance and attitudes from first hand classroom experience as a teaching assistant in both teaching methods, reasons are given to support the continued use of the inverted classroom approach as well as the online final. Finally, specific recommendations are given to improve the course structure where weaknesses have been identified.

Teachers' Conflict Management Styles: The Role of Attachment Styles and Classroom Management Efficacy

Science.gov (United States)

Morris-Rothschild, Britta K.; Brassard, Marla R.

2006-01-01

Constructive conflict management strategies are important in maintaining a positive classroom environment yet little is known about interpersonal or school variables associated with teachers' use of such strategies with students. Teachers high in self-reported classroom management efficacy (CMEFF) and security of attachment (low on avoidance,…

Traditional Classroom vs E-learning in Higher Education: Difference between Students' Behavioral Engagement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fei Li

2014-03-01

Full Text Available We discuss traditional classroom, e-learning, behavioral engagement and difference between behavioral engagements in two kind of instruction environment. Results from variance analyses suggest that there is no significant difference between engagements of active learning in different classroom conditions, and there exist significant differences on higher-level learning of innovative and critical thinking. Our findings highlight students' behavioral engagements in two environments have no significant advantage over each other, but e-learning facilitates higher-level learning better.

The deaf and the classroom design: a contribution of the built environmental ergonomics for the accessibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Martins, Laura Bezerra; Gaudiot, Denise Mariasimões Freire

2012-01-01

In any concept of school design, classroom occupies the central place. Dimensions, lighting, the equipment needed, ventilation are old questions already answered, even in form of laws and standards adopted. However, the best use of available materials and physical conditions of comfort is not sufficient for a classroom design guaranteed success. The classroom should provide deaf students elements to facilitate the learning process, eliminating as much as possible the obstacles created by lack of hearing and allowing them to have the same access to learning as a listener student. As users of a school building, teachers, students, parents and staff are the best evaluators of the physical environment of schools. The environmental comfort is a largest ally of pedagogy. The learning comes from the perception and the concentration of students in the classroom. The purpose of this study is to detect the role of direct perception (physical) and indirect (intangible) elements that informs and have symbolic value, and propose layouts for accessible classrooms to deaf students. The ergonomics of the built environment evaluation methods could use the participatory design method tools as basis to assessing how users perceive and use the school environment.

Classrooms.

Science.gov (United States)

Butin, Dan

This paper addresses classroom design trends and the key issues schools should consider for better classroom space flexibility and adaptability. Classroom space design issues when schools embrace technology are discussed, as are design considerations when rooms must accommodate different grade levels, the importance of lighting, furniture…

Further Fostering Intrinsic Motivation in the Montessori Elementary Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Fitch, Victoria A.

2013-01-01

The Montessori classroom appears to be the ideal learning environment for children throughout elementary and middle school. It is based on the philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori which describes an environment tailored to the Sensitive Periods of children, prepared with materials appropriate for the age and abilities of the children in a particular…

FACEBOOK GROUPS AS A SUPPORTING TOOL FOR LANGUAGE CLASSROOMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arzu Ekoç

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This paper attempts to present a review of Facebook group pages as an educational tool for language learning. One of the primary needs of foreign language learners is to gain the opportunity to use the target language outside the classroom practice. Social media communication provides occasions for learners to receive input and produce output while engaging in negotiation of meaning. In line with this point, teachers can instigate class group pages in the social media in an attempt to provide a space for practice and communication free of the traditional pedagogic concerns of a typical classroom. The distinctive discursive behaviour of Facebook group pages helps one to achieve that attempt. In light of these views, the researcher, in this study, formed a group page to understand the dynamics of social media environment as a supporting tool for language classrooms. This paper addresses various features which make social media a unique place to contribute to the sense of class community and collaboration outside the classroom. The face-to face classroom is a controlled communication event, that is, teachers and students are required to be in the classroom at the same time but a teacher’s use of Facebook is an attempt to communicate with students outside of that controlled environment where teachers can meet students in their territory. When compared to its disadvantages, the advantages of setting a class group page on the social media outweigh. Students can feel motivated to contribute to an online community if they subsequently receive support or help. It also leads students to feel that they are being supported by a whole portion of their class community and promotes students’ desire to maintain a valued relationship with others. Students continue developing and strengthening relationships with others.

Embracing Ubuntu in managing effective classrooms | Maphalala ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Journal Home > Vol 15, No 4 (2017) > ... Ubuntu is founded on three pillars, namely, interpersonal values, intrapersonal values and environmental values. ... the infusion of an African perspective into classroom management which currently considers mainly Western principles in creating a conducive learning environment.

Evolution and validation of a personal form of an instrument for assessing science laboratory classroom environments

Science.gov (United States)

Fraser, Barry J.; Giddings, Geoffrey J.; McRobbie, Campbell J.

The research reported in this article makes two distinctive contributions to the field of classroom environment research. First, because existing instruments are unsuitable for science laboratory classes, the Science Laboratory Environment Inventory (SLEI) was developed and validated. Second, a new Personal form of the SLEI (involving a student's perceptions of his or her own role within the class) was developed and validated in conjunction with the conventional Class form (involving a student's perceptions of the class as a whole), and its usefulness was investigated. The instrument was cross-nationally fieldtested with 5,447 students in 269 senior high school and university classes in six countries, and cross-validated with 1,594 senior high school students in 92 classes in Australia. Each SLEI scale exhibited satisfactory internal consistency reliability, discriminant validity, and factorial validity, and differentiated between the perceptions of students in different classes. A variety of applications with the new instrument furnished evidence about its usefulness and revealed that science laboratory classes are dominated by closed-ended activities; mean scores obtained on the Class form were consistently somewhat more favorable than on the corresponding Personal form; females generally held more favorable perceptions than males, but these differences were somewhat larger for the Personal form than the Class form; associations existed between attitudinal outcomes and laboratory environment dimensions; and the Class and Personal forms of the SLEI each accounted for unique variance in student outcomes which was independent of that accounted for by the other form.

Classroom Organization by Prior Performance Interactions as Predictors of Literacy and Language Achievement

Science.gov (United States)

Pilcher, Heather

2016-01-01

Teachers' interactions with children represent an important source of influence in children's learning and development. Classroom organization, or the way the teacher manages the physical and behavioral aspects of the classroom environment, is one way that teachers can provide needed support to students who might otherwise struggle to be…

The Impact of the Flipped Classroom on Mathematics Concept Learning in High School

Science.gov (United States)

Bhagat, Kaushal Kumar; Chang, Cheng-Nan; Chang, Chun-Yen

2016-01-01

The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of the flipped classroom learning environment on learner's learning achievement and motivation, as well as to investigate the effects of flipped classrooms on learners with different achievement levels in learning mathematics concepts. The learning achievement and motivation were measured by the…

Flipped Higher Education Classroom: An Application in Environmental Education Course in Primary Education

Science.gov (United States)

Yilmaz, Özkan

2017-01-01

Usage of technology in educational settings is becoming a standard for 21st century's learners. Flipped classroom presents an entirely new learning environment based on technology for students, thus requiring different research for establishing effective learning and teaching. This paper aimed to explore usability of flipped classroom in higher…

Connections between voice ergonomic risk factors in classrooms and teachers' voice production.

Science.gov (United States)

Rantala, Leena M; Hakala, Suvi; Holmqvist, Sofia; Sala, Eeva

2012-01-01

The aim of the study was to investigate if voice ergonomic risk factors in classrooms correlated with acoustic parameters of teachers' voice production. The voice ergonomic risk factors in the fields of working culture, working postures and indoor air quality were assessed in 40 classrooms using the Voice Ergonomic Assessment in Work Environment - Handbook and Checklist. Teachers (32 females, 8 males) from the above-mentioned classrooms recorded text readings before and after a working day. Fundamental frequency, sound pressure level (SPL) and the slope of the spectrum (alpha ratio) were analyzed. The higher the number of the risk factors in the classrooms, the higher SPL the teachers used and the more strained the males' voices (increased alpha ratio) were. The SPL was already higher before the working day in the teachers with higher risk than in those with lower risk. In the working environment with many voice ergonomic risk factors, speakers increase voice loudness and use more strained voice quality (males). A practical implication of the results is that voice ergonomic assessments are needed in schools. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Classrooms with nature views: Evidence of differing student perceptions and behaviors

Science.gov (United States)

J.A. Benfield; G.N. Rainbolt; P.A. Bell; G.H. Donovan

2015-01-01

Viewing peaceful natural environments has been shown to restore cognitive abilities and reduce physiological arousal. As such, visual access to the natural environment is becoming more commonplace in built environments. One exception to that trend is in educational settings where windowless classrooms are used to reduce outside distractions. The current study examines...

The Relationship between Classroom Quality-Related Variables and Engagement Levels in Swedish Preschool Classrooms: A Longitudinal Study

Science.gov (United States)

Castro, Susana; Granlund, Mats; Almqvist, Lena

2017-01-01

Child engagement has been defined as active participation in classroom routines, appropriate interactions with the environment and it also predicts academic achievement. Therefore, it is necessary to identify predictors of engagement over time. Moreover, cross-cultural data is needed to provide a global picture of the quality of Early Childhood…

Using Technology to Expand the Classroom in Time, Space, and Diversity.

Science.gov (United States)

Drew, Joshua

2015-11-01

Diverse classrooms offer distinct advantages over homogeneous classrooms, for example by providing a greater diversity of perspectives and opportunities. However, there is substantial underrepresentation of numerous groups throughout science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, from secondary schools through professional ranks and academia. In this piece I offer a critical analysis of three worked examples of how technology can be used to expand traditional definitions of the classroom environment. In doing so I show how technology can be used to help make STEM classrooms more expansive, equitable, and effective learning environments. First I highlight how peer-to-peer learning was used to foster knowledge of marine conservation with high school youth across Fiji and Chicago. Second I show how social media can be used to facilitate conversations in New York City after a natural disaster. Finally, I show how integrating digital and real-world learning can help a diverse group of students from the Pacific islands gain field-based STEM techniques in an extended workshop format. Taken together these examples show how digital technology could expand the fixed walls of the academy and that technology can help show students the vivid splendor of life outside the classroom. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Systems approach to managing educational quality in the engineering classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Grygoryev, Kostyantyn

Today's competitive environment in post-secondary education requires universities to demonstrate the quality of their programs in order to attract financing, and student and academic talent. Despite significant efforts devoted to improving the quality of higher education, systematic, continuous performance measurement and management still have not reached the level where educational outputs and outcomes are actually produced---the classroom. An engineering classroom is a complex environment in which educational inputs are transformed by educational processes into educational outputs and outcomes. By treating a classroom as a system, one can apply tools such as Structural Equation Modeling, Statistical Process Control, and System Dynamics in order to discover cause-and-effect relationships among the classroom variables, control the classroom processes, and evaluate the effect of changes to the course organization, content, and delivery, on educational processes and outcomes. Quality improvement is best achieved through the continuous, systematic application of efforts and resources. Improving classroom processes and outcomes is an iterative process that starts with identifying opportunities for improvement, designing the action plan, implementing the changes, and evaluating their effects. Once the desired objectives are achieved, the quality improvement cycle may start again. The goal of this research was to improve the educational processes and outcomes in an undergraduate engineering management course taught at the University of Alberta. The author was involved with the course, first, as a teaching assistant, and, then, as a primary instructor. The data collected from the course over four years were used to create, first, a static and, then, a dynamic model of a classroom system. By using model output and qualitative feedback from students, changes to the course organization and content were introduced. These changes led to a lower perceived course workload and

A Tale of Two Teachers: An Analytical Look at the Co-Teaching Theory Using a Case Study Model

Science.gov (United States)

Grant, Marquis

2014-01-01

Co-teaching involves a highly collaborative, mutually accountable relationship between a regular education and special education teacher in an inclusive environment. Effective co-teaching involves both teachers working together in the regular classroom setting in an effort to make learning accessible for all students regardless of ability or…

Building an Outdoor Classroom for Field Geology: The Geoscience Garden

Science.gov (United States)

Waldron, John W. F.; Locock, Andrew J.; Pujadas-Botey, Anna

2016-01-01

Many geoscience educators have noted the difficulty that students experience in transferring their classroom knowledge to the field environment. The Geoscience Garden, on the University of Alberta North Campus, provides a simulated field environment in which Earth Science students can develop field observation skills, interpret features of Earth's…

Flipping the Classroom and Student Performance in Advanced Statistics: Evidence from a Quasi-Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Touchton, Michael

2015-01-01

I administer a quasi-experiment using undergraduate political science majors in statistics classes to evaluate whether "flipping the classroom" (the treatment) alters students' applied problem-solving performance and satisfaction relative to students in a traditional classroom environment (the control). I also assess whether general…

Classroom

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Classroom. In this section of Resonance, we in'Vite readers to pose questions likely to be raised in a classroom situation. We may suggest strategies for dealing with them, or in'Vite responses, or ... "Classroom" is equally a forum for raising broader issues and .... Now we can approach the question from a different viewpoint.

Distance-regular graphs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Dam, Edwin R.; Koolen, Jack H.; Tanaka, Hajime

2016-01-01

This is a survey of distance-regular graphs. We present an introduction to distance-regular graphs for the reader who is unfamiliar with the subject, and then give an overview of some developments in the area of distance-regular graphs since the monograph 'BCN'[Brouwer, A.E., Cohen, A.M., Neumaier,

Regular expressions cookbook

CERN Document Server

Goyvaerts, Jan

2009-01-01

This cookbook provides more than 100 recipes to help you crunch data and manipulate text with regular expressions. Every programmer can find uses for regular expressions, but their power doesn't come worry-free. Even seasoned users often suffer from poor performance, false positives, false negatives, or perplexing bugs. Regular Expressions Cookbook offers step-by-step instructions for some of the most common tasks involving this tool, with recipes for C#, Java, JavaScript, Perl, PHP, Python, Ruby, and VB.NET. With this book, you will: Understand the basics of regular expressions through a

Selecting protein families for environmental features based on manifold regularization.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Xingpeng; Xu, Weiwei; Park, E K; Li, Guangrong

2014-06-01

Recently, statistics and machine learning have been developed to identify functional or taxonomic features of environmental features or physiological status. Important proteins (or other functional and taxonomic entities) to environmental features can be potentially used as biosensors. A major challenge is how the distribution of protein and gene functions embodies the adaption of microbial communities across environments and host habitats. In this paper, we propose a novel regularization method for linear regression to adapt the challenge. The approach is inspired by local linear embedding (LLE) and we call it a manifold-constrained regularization for linear regression (McRe). The novel regularization procedure also has potential to be used in solving other linear systems. We demonstrate the efficiency and the performance of the approach in both simulation and real data.

Classroom Noise and Teachers' Voice Production

Science.gov (United States)

Rantala, Leena M.; Hakala, Suvi; Holmqvist, Sofia; Sala, Eeva

2015-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this study was to research the associations between noise (ambient and activity noise) and objective metrics of teachers' voices in real working environments (i.e., classrooms). Method: Thirty-two female and 8 male teachers from 14 elementary schools were randomly selected for the study. Ambient noise was measured during breaks…

LL-regular grammars

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nijholt, Antinus

1980-01-01

Culik II and Cogen introduced the class of LR-regular grammars, an extension of the LR(k) grammars. In this paper we consider an analogous extension of the LL(k) grammars called the LL-regular grammars. The relation of this class of grammars to other classes of grammars will be shown. Any LL-regular

How to Steer and Lead Educational Processes in a Digital Medium Environment?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tække, Jesper

This paper is about challenges to steering and leadership of educational interaction in classrooms provided by the new medium environment that comes with digital media. In the new medium environment, the old way of steering what is going on in the classroom appears not to work any more since...

Design Principles for Online Instruction: A New Kind of Classroom

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neil TOPORSKI

2004-01-01

Full Text Available In the 1900’s, distance education attempted to mimic the traditional classroom lecture via the transmission of live or “canned” broadcasts, regardless of the technologies used: satellite, television, film, or radio. These kinds of media predisposed DE to closely adhere to the lecture (sit and absorb model, where content was disseminated in about the same time constraints as a traditional class: taught at scheduled times throughout the week–almost anywhere but not always anytime. Moreover, the modes of presentation in classic DE seemed to hinder the kinds of human interactions normally experienced in the traditional classroom, fostering individualized and isolated learning experiences.Online learning is a hybrid between the traditional classroom and the DE experience. Like the traditional classroom, instruction is teacher-facilitated. The student is enrolled in a conventional course with topic (lecture presentations, reading and homework assignments, classroom discussions, and class projects. Unlike the traditional classroom, courses are web-based and distributed from a distance, using an assortment of synchronous and asynchronous computer technologies and offered anywhere and anytime. In this way, online learning is different from the classic DE model by encouraging decentralized and collaborative learning environments. So that in this presentation will be discuss design principles for online instruction as being a new kind of classroom.

Classroom acoustics as a consideration for inclusive education in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Reenen, Coralie; Karusseit, Catherine

2017-09-08

It can hardly be disputed that a school environment should be conducive or, at the very least, not prohibitive to effective learning. The provision of fair, equal and barrier-free access to education is referred to as inclusive education. South Africa supports a policy of inclusive schooling, striving to accommodate all children, including those with disabilities, in mainstream schools. This article sets out to prove that noise control in classrooms is a relevant, yet neglected, aspect of inclusive classroom design in South Africa and requires specific attention. The objectives of this study are to: (1) establish the impact that noise has on learners with sensory, language or learning impairments; (2) establish the preferred listening conditions for these learners by examining prior research and guidelines available in other countries; and (3) outline the current South African regulations pertaining to classroom acoustics and assess them against the preferred listening environment. This research was conducted as a systematic review with reference to the South African context. Local and international research and guidelines were used as references, providing an overview and evaluation of data concerning noise and learning. Noise is disadvantageous for learners, particularly those with sensory, language or learning impairments. Research and international guidelines show that the ideal ambient level is 30 dBA - 35 dBA, allowing the achievement of an ideal signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of +15 dB, and the ideal reverberation time is 0.4 s - 0.6 s. Various South African regulations discussed are inconsistent regarding ambient noise level (ranging from 35 dBA - 50 dBA) and say little about reverberation time for classrooms. South African regulations regarding classroom acoustics require revision to ensure inclusion of all learners with disabilities. The current status does not enforce barrier-free environments in mainstream schools for children with sensory, language or

Individual and classroom variables associated with relational aggression in elementary-school aged children : A multilevel analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuppens, S.; Grietens, H.; Onghena, P.; Michiels, D.; Subramanian, S. V.

2008-01-01

Relational aggression was studied within classroom environments by examining individual and classroom correlates among 2731 children (3rd-5th graders) during two successive measurement years. Multilevel analyses yielded small gender differences for relational aggression, indicating that such

Standing Classrooms: Research and Lessons Learned from Around the World.

Science.gov (United States)

Hinckson, Erica; Salmon, Jo; Benden, Mark; Clemes, Stacey A; Sudholz, Bronwyn; Barber, Sally E; Aminian, Saeideh; Ridgers, Nicola D

2016-07-01

Children spend between 50 and 70 % of their time sitting while at school. Independent of physical activity levels, prolonged sitting is associated with poor health outcomes in adulthood. While there is mixed evidence of health associations among children and adolescents, public health guidelines in the USA, UK, Australia and Canada now recommend young people should break up long periods of sitting as frequently as possible. A potentially effective approach for reducing and breaking up sitting throughout the day is changing the classroom environment. This paper presents an overview of a relatively new area of research designed to reduce youth sitting time while at school by changing the classroom environment (n = 13 studies). Environmental changes included placement of height-adjustable or stand-biased standing desks/workstations with stools, chairs, exercise balls, bean bags or mats in the classroom. These 13 published studies suggest that irrespective of the approach, youth sitting time was reduced by between ~44 and 60 min/day and standing time was increased by between 18 and 55 min/day during classroom time at school. Other benefits include increased energy expenditure and the potential for improved management of students' behaviour in the classroom. However, few large trials have been conducted, and there remains little evidence regarding the impact on children's learning and academic achievement. Nevertheless, with an increasing demand placed on schools and teachers regarding students' learning outcomes, strategies that integrate moving throughout the school day and that potentially enhance the learning experience and future health outcomes for young people warrant further exploration.

A screening approach for classroom acoustics using web-based listening tests and subjective ratings.

Science.gov (United States)

Persson Waye, Kerstin; Magnusson, Lennart; Fredriksson, Sofie; Croy, Ilona

2015-01-01

Perception of speech is crucial in school where speech is the main mode of communication. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether a web based approach including listening tests and questionnaires could be used as a screening tool for poor classroom acoustics. The prime focus was the relation between pupils' comprehension of speech, the classroom acoustics and their description of the acoustic qualities of the classroom. In total, 1106 pupils aged 13-19, from 59 classes and 38 schools in Sweden participated in a listening study using Hagerman's sentences administered via Internet. Four listening conditions were applied: high and low background noise level and positions close and far away from the loudspeaker. The pupils described the acoustic quality of the classroom and teachers provided information on the physical features of the classroom using questionnaires. In 69% of the classes, at least three pupils described the sound environment as adverse and in 88% of the classes one or more pupil reported often having difficulties concentrating due to noise. The pupils' comprehension of speech was strongly influenced by the background noise level (pcomprehension. Of the pupils' descriptions of acoustic qualities, clattery significantly (pcomprehension. Clattery was furthermore associated to difficulties understanding each other, while the description noisy was associated to concentration difficulties. The majority of classrooms do not seem to have an optimal sound environment. The pupil's descriptions of acoustic qualities and listening tests can be one way of predicting sound conditions in the classroom.

A Science Classroom That's More than a Game

Science.gov (United States)

Barlow, Tim; Fleming, Barry

2016-01-01

"Blended" and "flipped" pedagogies are becoming more common features of classrooms as the technological revolution continues. While the appropriate use of technology in the learning environment can serve to motivate some students, significant problems surrounding student motivation and engagement remain. As such, the…

Using online pedagogy to explore student experiences of Science-Technology-Society-Environment (STSE) issues in a secondary science classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Ayyavoo, Gabriel Roman

With the proliferation of 21st century educational technologies, science teaching and learning with digitally acclimatized learners in secondary science education can be realized through an online Science-Technology-Society-Environment (STSE)-based issues approach. STSE-based programs can be interpreted as the exploration of socially-embedded initiatives in science (e.g., use of genetically modified foods) to promote the development of critical cognitive processes and to empower learners with responsible decision-making skills. This dissertation presents a case study examining the online environment of a grade 11 physics class in an all-girls' school, and the outcomes from those online discursive opportunities with STSE materials. The limited in-class discussion opportunities are often perceived as low-quality discussions in traditional classrooms because they originate from an inadequate introduction and facilitation of socially relevant issues in science programs. Hence, this research suggests that the science curriculum should be inclusive of STSE-based issue discussions. This study also examines the nature of students' online discourse and, their perceived benefits and challenges of learning about STSE-based issues through an online environment. Analysis of interviews, offline classroom events and online threaded discussion transcripts draws from the theoretical foundations of critical reflective thinking delineated in the Practical Inquiry (P.I.) Model. The PI model of Cognitive Presence is situated within the Community of Inquiry framework, encompassing two other core elements, Teacher Presence and Social Presence. In studying Cognitive Presence, the online STSE-based discourses were examined according to the four phases of the P.I. Model. The online discussions were measured at macro-levels to reveal patterns in student STSE-based discussions and content analysis of threaded discussions. These analyses indicated that 87% of the students participated in

The perception of science teachers on the role of student relationships in the classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Mattison, Cheryl Ann

With the increased accountability of educators comes the responsibility of the entire educational community to find ways in which we can help our students succeed in the classroom. In addition, it is important to discover what it takes to keep those students in school Many science teachers enter the profession unprepared to handle the regular classroom routine. Classroom management, grading, lesson planning, setting up labs, and the myriad of other obligations, can leave teachers overwhelmed and sometimes can get in the way of actually helping students be successful. This study investigated how science teachers viewed the importance of developing strong teacher/student relationships to the increase of student success in a science classroom. I attempted to answer 4 major questions: · How do science teachers in a select high school community view the role of interactive relationships in their classrooms and how that might impact their students? · How do science teachers in a select high school community believe they establish successful interactive relationships with their students? · What do science teachers in a select high school community believe are some of the outcomes of those relationships? · What do science teachers suggest to increase the teacher's ability to form good relationships with their students? A qualitative research method was used including observations, interviews and group discussions of 5 high school science teachers in a small urban school.

Assessing Educational Environments.

Science.gov (United States)

New Directions for Testing and Measurement, 1980

1980-01-01

Educational environment data derived from classroom settings strongly suggest the positive contribution that climate variables can make in accounting for learning performance. Such measures are not only related to productivity but may constitute criterion variables in and of themselves. (Author)

Examining the Attitudes of Secondary General Education and Special Education Teachers toward Inclusion of Children with Autism in General Education Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Bosch, Morghan E.

2016-01-01

Academic environments, such as general education classrooms, have increasingly become important learning environments for children with autism. The purpose of the study was to examine the attitudes of secondary general education and special education teachers toward inclusion of children with autism in general education classrooms. The research…

The impact of single-gender classrooms on science achievement of middle school gifted girls

Science.gov (United States)

Ulkins, David S.

Studies indicate a gap in science achievement and positive attitudes towards science between gifted male and female students with females performing less than the males. This study investigated the impact of a single-gender classroom environment as opposed to a mixed-gender classroom, on motivation, locus of control, self-concept, and science achievement of middle school gifted girls. The Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), Review of Personal Effectiveness with Locus of Control (ROPELOC), Test of Science Related Attitudes (TOSRA), and Stanford Achievement Test 10th Edition, were used to measure the dependent variables respectively. The independent-measure t test was used to compare the differences between girls in a single-gender classroom with the ones in a mixed-gender classroom. A significant difference in the external locus of control resulted for girls in the single gender classroom. However, there were no significant differences found in science achievement, motivation, and the attitudes toward science between the two groups. The implication is that a single-gender learning environment and the use of differentiated teaching strategies can help lessen the negative effects of societal stereotypes in today's classrooms. These, along with being cognizant of the differences in learning styles of girls and their male counterparts, will result in a greater level of success for gifted females in the area of science education.

Facilitating Geoscience Education in Higher-Education Institutes Worldwide With GeoBrain -- An Online Learning and Research Environment for Classroom Innovations

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, M.; di, L.

2006-12-01

Higher education in geosciences has imminent goals to prepare students with modern geoscience knowledge and skills to meet the increased demand on trained professionals for working on the big challenges faced by geoscience disciplines, such as the global environmental change, world energy supplies, sustainable development, etc. In order to reach the goal, the geoscience education in post-secondary institutes worldwide has to attract and retain enough students and to train students with knowledge and skills needed by the society. The classroom innovations that can encourage and support student investigations and research activities are key motivation mechanisms that help to reach the goal. This presentation describes the use of GeoBrain, an innovative geospatial knowledge system, as a powerful educating tool for motivating and facilitating innovative undergraduate and graduate teaching and research in geosciences. Developed in a NASA funded project, the GeoBrain system has adopted and implemented the latest Web services and knowledge management technologies for providing innovative methods in publishing, accessing, visualizing, and analyzing geospatial data and in building/sharing geoscience knowledge. It provides a data-rich online learning and research environment enabled by wealthy data and information available at NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) Data and Information System (EOSDIS). Students, faculty members, and researchers from institutes worldwide can easily access, analyze, and model with the huge amount of NASA EOS data just like they possess such vast resources locally at their desktops. The online environment provided by GeoBrain has brought significant positive changes to geosciences education in higher-education institutes because of its new concepts and technologies, motivation mechanisms, free exploration resources, and advanced geo- processing capabilities. With the system, the used-to-be very challenging or even impossible teaching tasks has

An iterative method for Tikhonov regularization with a general linear regularization operator

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hochstenbach, M.E.; Reichel, L.

2010-01-01

Tikhonov regularization is one of the most popular approaches to solve discrete ill-posed problems with error-contaminated data. A regularization operator and a suitable value of a regularization parameter have to be chosen. This paper describes an iterative method, based on Golub-Kahan

Increasing On-Task Behavior in Students in a Regular Classroom: Effectiveness of a Self-Management Procedure Using a Tactile Prompt

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Moore, D.W.; Anderson, A.; Glassenbury, M.; Didden, H.C.M.; Lang, R.B.

2013-01-01

Self-management strategies have been shown to be widely effective. However, limited classroom-based research exists involving low performing but developmentally normal high school-aged participants. This study examined the effectiveness of a self-management strategy aimed at increasing on-task

The role of teacher questions in the chemistry classroom

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dohrn, Sofie Weiss; Dohn, Niels Bonderup

2018-01-01

, the students become highly accomplished in recalling facts but have difficulties when higher order thinking is required. The findings suggest that an interactive classroom can be created by using many engaging teacher questions. The six different categories of questions promote the students' learning process......The purpose of this study was to investigate how a chemistry teacher's questions influence the classroom discourse. It presents a fine-grained analysis of the rich variety of one teacher's questions and the roles they play in an upper secondary chemistry classroom. The study identifies six...... different functions for the teacher's questions: Student Knowledge, Request, Monologic Discourse, Clarification, Relations and Interaction of Contexts. Overall, these questions create a safe and interactive learning environment. However, the questions are predominantly closed in form. As a result...

Regular Expression Pocket Reference

CERN Document Server

Stubblebine, Tony

2007-01-01

This handy little book offers programmers a complete overview of the syntax and semantics of regular expressions that are at the heart of every text-processing application. Ideal as a quick reference, Regular Expression Pocket Reference covers the regular expression APIs for Perl 5.8, Ruby (including some upcoming 1.9 features), Java, PHP, .NET and C#, Python, vi, JavaScript, and the PCRE regular expression libraries. This concise and easy-to-use reference puts a very powerful tool for manipulating text and data right at your fingertips. Composed of a mixture of symbols and text, regular exp

Steering of Educational Processes in a Digital Medium Environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tække, Jesper; Paulsen, Michael

2015-01-01

by systems theory we outline a more adequate way of teaching in the new medium environment – a teaching that can manage the new situation and use the new possibilities provided by the digital media. The argumentation builds on empirical findings from the action research project Socio Media Education (SME......This paper is about challenges to steering and leadership of educational interaction in classrooms provided by the new medium environment that comes with digital media. In the new medium environment, the old way of steering what is going on in the classroom appears not to work since...

Naturalistic acquisition in an early language classroom.

Science.gov (United States)

Dahl, Anne; Vulchanova, Mila D

2014-01-01

This study investigated whether it is possible to provide naturalistic second language acquisition (SLA) of vocabulary for young learners in a classroom situation without resorting to a classical immersion approach. Participants were 60 first-grade pupils in two Norwegian elementary schools in their first year. The control group followed regular instruction as prescribed by the school curriculum, while the experimental group received increased naturalistic target language input. This entailed extensive use of English by the teacher during English classes, and also during morning meetings and for simple instructions and classroom management throughout the day. Our hypothesis was that it is possible to facilitate naturalistic acquisition through better quality target language exposure within a normal curriculum. The students' English vocabulary knowledge was measured using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, version 4 (PPVT-IV, Dunn and Dunn, 2007a), at the beginning and the end of the first year of school. Findings are that (1) early-start second-language (L2) programs in school do not in themselves guarantee vocabulary development in the first year, (2) a focus on increased exposure to the L2 can lead to a significant increase in receptive vocabulary comprehension in the course of only 8 months, and (3) even with relatively modest input, learners in such an early-start L2 program can display vocabulary acquisition comparable in some respects to that of younger native children matched on vocabulary size. The overall conclusion is that naturalistic vocabulary acquisition is in fact possible in a classroom setting.

On Blocks and Broccoli: How to Organize Your Classroom.

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, Nancy

1996-01-01

Compares the organization of supermarkets to classroom environments. Emphasizes the efficient use of space with the use of containers, keeping materials in place, and grouping objects together. Provides suggestions on the use of color and adding storage space. (MOK)

Inserção de alunos com deficiência no ensino regular: perfil da cidade de Marília Inclusion of students with disabilities in regular school: profile of the city of Marília

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Walkiria Gonçalves Reganhan

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Objetivou-se com esse estudo identificar o perfil de professores de ensino regular da cidade de Marília que tinham alunos com deficiências matriculados em suas salas de aula, bem como o perfil da clientela atendida por estes professores. Participaram do estudo 68 professores da cidade de Marília - SP que tinham alunos com deficiência matriculados em suas salas. O instrumento de coleta de dados utilizado foi um questionário contendo 13 questões divididas em 2 partes: 1 identificação dos participantes e 2 identificação dos alunos com deficiência. Os dados colhidos nos questionários foram submetidos à análise da freqüência absoluta e relativa. Foram identificadas 10 categorias. De acordo com os resultados dessa pesquisa, concluiu-se que a inserção do aluno com deficiência no ensino regular ocorre com a modificação da formação que favorece ao profissional o conhecimento e a compreensão das distintas formas de aprendizagem do seu alunado, a fim de estruturar sua própria prática pedagógica para atender, com qualidade, a diversidade.The aim of this study was to identify the profile of regular school teachers of Marília-SP, who have students with disabilities registered in their classrooms, as well as to identify the clientele these teachers were working with. Sixty eight teachers participated in the study in the city of Marília - SP, all of whom had students with disabilities in their classrooms. The instrument used to collect data was a questionnaire with 13 questions divided in 2 parts: 1 identification of participants and 2 identification of students with disabilities. The data was submitted to analysis of absolute and relative frequency. Ten categories were identified. We were able to conclude, based on the results of the study, that the inclusion of students with disabilities in regular school occurs due to changes in teacher development that enable professionals to acquire knowledge and understanding of the distinct

Polytechnic Students? Perceptions of Youtube Usage in the English Oral Communication Classroom

OpenAIRE

Gunadevi K. Jeevi Subramaniam; Fathimah Pathma Abdullah; Raja Nor Safinas Raja Harun

2013-01-01

A new creative classroom technique to promote learning environment in English oral communication lesson is important. Integrating and adopting multimedia and web technologies can motivate and engage the new generation learners. YouTube usage in the English oral communication classroom is one of the strategies which will have more flexible, effective instructional materials to the learners in making the students involve in active communication. The inclusion of multimedia technologies into the...

Humor on Learning in the College Classroom: Evaluating Benefits and Drawbacks from Instructors' Perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Simon A.; Cohen, Jillian L.; Russler, Kristen M.

2010-01-01

Some college instructors believe that the only way for students to take their education seriously is to be serious and solemn in the classroom. This often means creating a strict classroom environment built on discipline and hard work, perhaps with little or no room for discussion and laughter. However, the most effective instructors are those who…

Individual and Classroom Variables Associated with Relational Aggression in Elementary-School Aged Children: A Multilevel Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Kuppens, S.; Grietens, H.; Onghena, P.; Michiels, D.; Subramanian, S. V.

2008-01-01

Relational aggression was studied within classroom environments by examining individual and classroom correlates among 2731 children (3rd-5th graders) during two successive measurement years. Multilevel analyses yielded small gender differences for relational aggression, indicating that such aggressive behavior was more associated with girls as…

Communicating in a Multicultural Classroom: A Study of Students' Nonverbal Behavior and Attitudes toward Faculty Attire

Science.gov (United States)

Okoro, Ephraim; Washington, Melvin

2011-01-01

Economic and market globalization in the United States has engendered a multicultural learning environment that challenges both faculty and students. Diversity in the classroom is further complicated by nonverbal communication, which impacts on students' attitudes toward faculty members. Because today's classrooms are changing and undergoing rapid…

The Role of Children's Adaptability in Classrooms Characterized by Low or High Teacher Emotional Support Consistency

Science.gov (United States)

Brock, Laura L.; Curby, Timothy W.

2016-01-01

Teachers' social interactions with children are a salient aspect of the classroom environment. An emerging line of research suggests teachers' emotional support consistency is an important predictor of children's academic and social outcomes. Yet individual differences determine the contribution of classroom affordances to children's adjustment.…

Promoting Self-Esteem in a Caring Positive Classroom.

Science.gov (United States)

Hodges, Linda; Wolf, Carolyn J.

Noting that low self-esteem negatively affects student achievement, this action research project implemented and evaluated a program for increasing student self-esteem through a caring and positive classroom environment incorporating cooperative learning and the use of praise and rewards. The targeted population consisted of fifth grade physical…

Using the GLOBE Program To Enhance Classroom Teaching.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramey, Linda K.; Tomlin, James

The Wright State University Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Franchise has developed a project to fill the need for direct, strong connections linking science, mathematics and technology to classroom curriculum and students' learning of integrated, relevant content. GLOBE is an international project that involves…

Reducing errors in the GRACE gravity solutions using regularization

Science.gov (United States)

Save, Himanshu; Bettadpur, Srinivas; Tapley, Byron D.

2012-09-01

The nature of the gravity field inverse problem amplifies the noise in the GRACE data, which creeps into the mid and high degree and order harmonic coefficients of the Earth's monthly gravity fields provided by GRACE. Due to the use of imperfect background models and data noise, these errors are manifested as north-south striping in the monthly global maps of equivalent water heights. In order to reduce these errors, this study investigates the use of the L-curve method with Tikhonov regularization. L-curve is a popular aid for determining a suitable value of the regularization parameter when solving linear discrete ill-posed problems using Tikhonov regularization. However, the computational effort required to determine the L-curve is prohibitively high for a large-scale problem like GRACE. This study implements a parameter-choice method, using Lanczos bidiagonalization which is a computationally inexpensive approximation to L-curve. Lanczos bidiagonalization is implemented with orthogonal transformation in a parallel computing environment and projects a large estimation problem on a problem of the size of about 2 orders of magnitude smaller for computing the regularization parameter. Errors in the GRACE solution time series have certain characteristics that vary depending on the ground track coverage of the solutions. These errors increase with increasing degree and order. In addition, certain resonant and near-resonant harmonic coefficients have higher errors as compared with the other coefficients. Using the knowledge of these characteristics, this study designs a regularization matrix that provides a constraint on the geopotential coefficients as a function of its degree and order. This regularization matrix is then used to compute the appropriate regularization parameter for each monthly solution. A 7-year time-series of the candidate regularized solutions (Mar 2003-Feb 2010) show markedly reduced error stripes compared with the unconstrained GRACE release 4

Decreases in the proportion of bullying victims in the classroom: Effects on the adjustment of remaining victims

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Garandeau, C.F.; Lee, Ihno A.; Salmivalli, Christina

2018-01-01

Sharing a classroom environment with other victimized peers has been shown to mitigate the adverse effects of peer victimization on children’s social and psychological adjustment. By extension, this study hypothesized that classroom reductions in the proportion of victims would be harmful for

Different Regions, Diverse Classrooms? a Study of Primary Classrooms in China

Science.gov (United States)

McNaught, Carmel; Lok, Beatrice; Yin, Hongbiao; Lee, John Chi-Kin; Song, Huan

2014-01-01

Classroom experience is shaped by a number of factors. In this paper, we report a classroom observation study in China, illustrating regional variation in students' classroom learning experiences. Through comparing and contrasting observed classroom practices in three different regions in China (Chongqing, Hong Kong and Shanghai), the paper…

Reliability and Agreement in Student Ratings of the Class Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Peter M.; Christ, Theodore J.

2016-01-01

The current study estimated the reliability and agreement of student ratings of the classroom environment obtained using the Responsive Environmental Assessment for Classroom Teaching (REACT; Christ, Nelson, & Demers, 2012; Nelson, Demers, & Christ, 2014). Coefficient alpha, class-level reliability, and class agreement indices were…

Trout in the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Heath, Thomas

2014-05-01

Trout in the Classroom (TIC) is a conservation-oriented environmental education program for elementary, middle, and high school students. During the year each teacher tailors the program to fit his or her curricular needs. Therefore, each TIC program is unique. TIC has interdisciplinary applications in science, social studies, mathematics, language arts, fine arts, and physical education. In the program, students and teachers raise trout from fertilized eggs supplied by Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VGIF) hatcheries, in aquariums equipped with special chillers designed to keep the water near 50 degrees F. The students make daily temperature measurements, and monitor pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and ammonia levels. They record their data, plot trends, and make sure that the water quality is sufficient to support trout development. The fingerlings, which hatch in late October, are almost an inch and a half long by mid-January. And towards the end of the school year, students will release the fry into VGIF approved watersheds. TIC programs have been in place all across the country for more than 20 years, and are the result of numerous collaborations between teachers, volunteers, government agencies, and local organizations like Trout Unlimited. The programs were designed specifically for teachers who wanted to incorporate more environmental education into their curriculum. While the immediate goal of Trout in the Classroom is to increase student knowledge of water quality and cold water conservation, its long-term goal is to reconnect an increasingly urbanized population of youth to the system of streams, rivers, and watersheds that sustain them. Successful programs have helped: connect students to their local environments and their local watersheds; teach about watershed health and water quality, and; get students to care about fish and the environment. In Virginia, the TIC program is now in its 8th year. Over the past year, the program

Classroom acoustics as a consideration for inclusive education in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Coralie van Reenen

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Background: It can hardly be disputed that a school environment should be conducive or, at the very least, not prohibitive to effective learning. The provision of fair, equal and barrier-free access to education is referred to as inclusive education. South Africa supports a policy of inclusive schooling, striving to accommodate all children, including those with disabilities, in mainstream schools. This article sets out to prove that noise control in classrooms is a relevant, yet neglected, aspect of inclusive classroom design in South Africa and requires specific attention. Objectives: The objectives of this study are to: (1 establish the impact that noise has on learners with sensory, language or learning impairments; (2 establish the preferred listening conditions for these learners by examining prior research and guidelines available in other countries; and (3 outline the current South African regulations pertaining to classroom acoustics and assess them against the preferred listening environment. Method: This research was conducted as a systematic review with reference to the South African context. Local and international research and guidelines were used as references, providing an overview and evaluation of data concerning noise and learning. Results: Noise is disadvantageous for learners, particularly those with sensory, language or learning impairments. Research and international guidelines show that the ideal ambient level is 30 dBA – 35 dBA, allowing the achievement of an ideal signal-to-noise ratio (SNR of +15 dB, and the ideal reverberation time is 0.4 s – 0.6 s. Various South African regulations discussed are inconsistent regarding ambient noise level (ranging from 35 dBA – 50 dBA and say little about reverberation time for classrooms. Conclusion: South African regulations regarding classroom acoustics require revision to ensure inclusion of all learners with disabilities. The current status does not enforce barrier

The geometry of continuum regularization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halpern, M.B.

1987-03-01

This lecture is primarily an introduction to coordinate-invariant regularization, a recent advance in the continuum regularization program. In this context, the program is seen as fundamentally geometric, with all regularization contained in regularized DeWitt superstructures on field deformations

Promoting Active Learning in Technology-Infused TILE Classrooms at the University of Iowa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sam Van Horne

2012-06-01

Full Text Available In this case study, the authors describe the successful implementation of technology-infused TILE classrooms at the University of Iowa. A successful collaboration among campus units devoted to instructional technologies and teacher development, the TILE Initiative has provided instructors with a new set of tools to support active learning. The authors detail the implementation of the TILE classrooms, the process of training instructors to design effective instruction for these classrooms, and an assessment project that helps improve the process of ensuring faculty can successfully facilitate learning activities in a technology-infused learning environment.

Regular expression containment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henglein, Fritz; Nielsen, Lasse

2011-01-01

We present a new sound and complete axiomatization of regular expression containment. It consists of the conventional axiomatiza- tion of concatenation, alternation, empty set and (the singleton set containing) the empty string as an idempotent semiring, the fixed- point rule E* = 1 + E × E......* for Kleene-star, and a general coin- duction rule as the only additional rule. Our axiomatization gives rise to a natural computational inter- pretation of regular expressions as simple types that represent parse trees, and of containment proofs as coercions. This gives the axiom- atization a Curry......-Howard-style constructive interpretation: Con- tainment proofs do not only certify a language-theoretic contain- ment, but, under our computational interpretation, constructively transform a membership proof of a string in one regular expres- sion into a membership proof of the same string in another regular expression. We...

Supersymmetric dimensional regularization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siegel, W.; Townsend, P.K.; van Nieuwenhuizen, P.

1980-01-01

There is a simple modification of dimension regularization which preserves supersymmetry: dimensional reduction to real D < 4, followed by analytic continuation to complex D. In terms of component fields, this means fixing the ranges of all indices on the fields (and therefore the numbers of Fermi and Bose components). For superfields, it means continuing in the dimensionality of x-space while fixing the dimensionality of theta-space. This regularization procedure allows the simple manipulation of spinor derivatives in supergraph calculations. The resulting rules are: (1) First do all algebra exactly as in D = 4; (2) Then do the momentum integrals as in ordinary dimensional regularization. This regularization procedure needs extra rules before one can say that it is consistent. Such extra rules needed for superconformal anomalies are discussed. Problems associated with renormalizability and higher order loops are also discussed

Reading comprehension of deaf students in regular education.

Science.gov (United States)

Luccas, Marcia Regina Zemella; Chiari, Brasília Maria; Goulart, Bárbara Niegia Garcia de

2012-01-01

To evaluate and compare the reading comprehension of deaf students included in regular classrooms of public schools with and without specialized educational support. Observational analytic study with 35 students with sensorineural hearing loss, with and without educational support. All subjects were assessed with the Word Reading Competence Test (WRCT), the Picture-Print Matching Test by Choice (PPMT-C), and the Sentence Reading Comprehension Test (SRCT). In the tests regarding comprehension of words (WRCT and PPMT-C), the results showed no difference in the performance of deaf students who attend and do not attend educational support. Regarding reading comprehension of sentences, the application of the SRCT also did not show differences between the groups of deaf students. A significant correlation was found between age and grade, indicating that the older the students and the higher their educational level, the better their performance in reading sentences. The results indicate that deaf students, regardless of attending educational support, read words better than sentences. There is no difference in reading comprehension between deaf students who receive and do not receive specialized pedagogical monitoring.

Decoding Skills Acquired by Low Readers Taught in Regular Classrooms Using Clinical Techniques. Research Report No. 35.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallistel, Elizabeth; Fischer, Phyllis

This study evaluated the decoding skills acquired by low readers in an experimental project that taught low readers in regular class through the use of clinical procedures based on a synthetic phonic, multisensory approach. An evaluation instrument which permitted the tabulation of specific decoding skills was administered as a pretest and…

Early Adolescents' Emotional Well-Being in the Classroom: The Role of Personal and Contextual Assets

Science.gov (United States)

Oberle, Eva

2018-01-01

Background: The objective was to predict early adolescents' emotional well-being from personal and contextual assets in the classroom. Emotional well-being is a key indicator of health. Aligned with the positive youth development (PYD) framework, a supportive classroom environment and positive relationships with teachers and peers were contextual…

Kissing Brides and Loving Hot Vampires: Children's Construction and Perpetuation of Heteronormativity in Elementary School Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, Caitlin L.

2016-01-01

This paper explores notions of (hetero)sexuality circulating in elementary school classrooms through an analysis of students' own talk and interactions. Data collected during a multi-site ethnography in a diverse set of elementary schools demonstrate that while curricular silences and teachers contribute to heteronormative classroom environments,…

Classroom Management. TESOL Classroom Practice Series

Science.gov (United States)

Farrell, Thomas S. C., Ed.

2008-01-01

This series captures the dynamics of the contemporary ESOL classroom. It showcases state-of-the-art curricula, materials, tasks, and activities reflecting emerging trends in language education and seeks to build localized language teaching and learning theories based on teachers' and students' unique experiences in and beyond the classroom. Each…

Atendimento educacional especializado para alunos com surdocegueira: um estudo de caso no espaço da escola regular Specialized educational support for deafblind students: a case study in a regular school

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nelma de Cássia Silva Sandes Galvão

2013-03-01

Full Text Available This article examines and discusses the different forms of Specialized Educational Support offered to students with deafblindness, in Basic Education, in regular schools of the city of Salvador, Bahia, pointing out significant aspects, highlighted the barriers and opportunities to meet the special needs of these students . This work is part of a doctorate research in education and has a qualitative approach, the case study, taking as sample, four deafblind students, three of them are in elementary school, and one in a high school. The instrument for colect the information was an interview with the professionals and the data were organized using three categories: the dynamics of the Specialized Educational Support, the action of the professional development in the Specialized Educational Support and the connection between the Specialized Educational Support and the special needs of students with deafblindness. The results indicated: the absence of a planned action, leading an improvisations and fragmentation of the Specialized Educational Support; isolation of professionals. This situation originates in pedagogical actions disjointed between the regular classroom teachers and specialists; ignore the special educational needs of students with deafblindness with consequent invisibility of these students in school.

Classroom Creature Culture: Algae to Anoles. Revised Edition.

Science.gov (United States)

Hampton, Carolyn H.; And Others

Identifying and providing the most appropriate classroom environment for living organisms can be time consuming, expensive, and sometimes seemingly impossible. This document, a collection of 2-4 page articles from "Sciences and Children," provides useful information on the collecting and culturing of plants and animals. Among the 43 chapters are:…

Regularization by External Variables

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bossolini, Elena; Edwards, R.; Glendinning, P. A.

2016-01-01

Regularization was a big topic at the 2016 CRM Intensive Research Program on Advances in Nonsmooth Dynamics. There are many open questions concerning well known kinds of regularization (e.g., by smoothing or hysteresis). Here, we propose a framework for an alternative and important kind of regula......Regularization was a big topic at the 2016 CRM Intensive Research Program on Advances in Nonsmooth Dynamics. There are many open questions concerning well known kinds of regularization (e.g., by smoothing or hysteresis). Here, we propose a framework for an alternative and important kind...

Teaching Horror Literature in a Multicultural Classroom

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ljubica Matek

2015-06-01

Full Text Available As a genre, horror tends to be marginalized in literature classes because it is often mistakenly perceived to be inappropriate for the classroom environment due to the intensive emotional effects that the genre’s typical macabre motifs and topics may produce in the reader. However, this paper argues that, for two reasons, horror texts represent a valid and important addition to a literary syllabus. First, they typically have a positive impact on the students’ increased interest in reading, which is, in the pedagogical and scholarly sense, a desirable activity. Second, they tend to contribute significantly to the development of empathy with and tolerance for others, which is an especially valuable learning outcome in a multicultural classroom characterized by implied intercultural communication.

The role of physicality in rich programming environments

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Allison S.; Schunn, Christian D.; Flot, Jesse; Shoop, Robin

2013-12-01

Computer science proficiency continues to grow in importance, while the number of students entering computer science-related fields declines. Many rich programming environments have been created to motivate student interest and expertise in computer science. In the current study, we investigated whether a recently created environment, Robot Virtual Worlds (RVWs), can be used to teach computer science principles within a robotics context by examining its use in high-school classrooms. We also investigated whether the lack of physicality in these environments impacts student learning by comparing classrooms that used either virtual or physical robots for the RVW curriculum. Results suggest that the RVW environment leads to significant gains in computer science knowledge, that virtual robots lead to faster learning, and that physical robots may have some influence on algorithmic thinking. We discuss the implications of physicality in these programming environments for learning computer science.

Relations between Age, Autism Severity, Behavioral Treatment and the Amount of Time in Regular Education Classrooms among Students with Autism

Science.gov (United States)

Talib, Tasneem L.

2012-01-01

Under federal law, students with disabilities have the right to be educated in classrooms with students without disabilities. For students with autism, social, communication, and behavioral deficits make inclusion difficult. The severity of deficits change over time, and therefore, so too do the effects of these deficits upon inclusion. Although…

Regular Single Valued Neutrosophic Hypergraphs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Aslam Malik

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we define the regular and totally regular single valued neutrosophic hypergraphs, and discuss the order and size along with properties of regular and totally regular single valued neutrosophic hypergraphs. We also extend work on completeness of single valued neutrosophic hypergraphs.

Strategies to Address Common Challenges When Teaching in an Active Learning Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Petersen, Christina I.; Gorman, Kristen S.

2014-01-01

This chapter provides practical strategies for addressing common challenges that arise for teachers in active learning classrooms. Our strategies come from instructors with experience teaching in these environments.

The Relation of Work Environment and Stress in Classroom Management among Preschool Teachers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdul Said Ambotang

2011-10-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this research is to observe how far preschool teachers endure stress in carrying out their job which is influenced by the work climate including the management of classroom. This research is carried out by choosing a group of 55 preschool teachers as respondents in the district of Keningau Sabah. Data is analyzed using descriptive method (mean, inferential (T-test Statistic, one way ANOVA and Pearson correlation. Result showed that there were high positive relationships between the work climate with stress level among the teachers. (r = 0.807, p<0.01 and classroom management with level of stress (r = 0.770, p< 0.01. It is hoped that with the information obtained by this research will assist the Malaysian Ministry of Education in planning and designing a suitable programme to overcome the stress problem faced by teachers especially preschool teachers towards improving the teaching profession quality in the near future.

Toward the virtual classroom

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pihlman, M.; Dirks, D.H.

1990-01-03

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) encourages its employees to remotely attend classes given by Stanford University, University of California at Davis, and the National Technological University (NTU). To improve the quality of education for LLNL employees, we are cooperating with Stanford University in upgrading the Stanford Instructional Television Network (SITN). A dedicated high-speed communication link (Tl) between Stanford and LLNL will be used for enhanced services such as videoconferencing, real time classnotes distribution, and electronic distribution of homework assignments. The new network will also allow students to take classes from their offices with the ability to ask the professor questions via an automatically dialed telephone call. As part of this upgrade, we have also proposed a new videoconferencing based classroom environment where students taking remote classes would feel as though they are attending the live class. All paperwork would be available in near real time and students may converse normally with, and see, other remote students as though they were all in the same physical location. We call this the Virtual Classroom.'' 1 ref., 6 figs.

Shifting more than the goal posts: developing classroom norms of inquiry-based learning in mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Makar, Katie; Fielding-Wells, Jill

2018-03-01

The 3-year study described in this paper aims to create new knowledge about inquiry norms in primary mathematics classrooms. Mathematical inquiry addresses complex problems that contain ambiguities, yet classroom environments often do not adopt norms that promote curiosity, risk-taking and negotiation needed to productively engage with complex problems. Little is known about how teachers and students initiate, develop and maintain norms of mathematical inquiry in primary classrooms. The research question guiding this study is, "How do classroom norms develop that facilitate student learning in primary classrooms which practice mathematical inquiry?" The project will (1) analyse a video archive of inquiry lessons to identify signature practices that enhance productive classroom norms of mathematical inquiry and facilitate learning, (2) engage expert inquiry teachers to collaborate to identify and design strategies for assisting teachers to develop and sustain norms over time that are conducive to mathematical inquiry and (3) support and study teachers new to mathematical inquiry adopting these practices in their classrooms. Anticipated outcomes include identification and illustration of classroom norms of mathematical inquiry, signature practices linked to these norms and case studies of primary teachers' progressive development of classroom norms of mathematical inquiry and how they facilitate learning.

Calories in the classroom: celebration foods offered and consumed during classroom parties at an elementary school in a low-income, urban community.

Science.gov (United States)

Isoldi, Kathy K; Dalton, Sharron

2012-08-01

The school food environment is an important area of exploration in investigating the potential for schoolchildren to consume foods and beverages containing excess calories on school grounds. Several venues offer schoolchildren access to lownutrient, calorie-dense foods and beverages. Classroom celebrations offer such a venue; however, little is known about current practices during these events. Trained observers recorded foods and beverages offered, activities engaged in, and goody bag distribution during six separate classroom celebrations. Additionally, foods and beverages consumed by 24 individual students were recorded in detail for calorie estimation. The majority of food items offered during classroom celebrations were low-nutrient, calorie-dense items. The mean caloric contribution for all 24 students was 444 ± 221 calories, with a range of 130–905 calories, and a median intake of 386 calories. Mean total estimated calorie intake per grade level was 225 ± 90, 286 ± 105, and 550 ± 212 calories for students in prekindergarten, kindergarten, and 1st grade, respectively. Only one-third of all the parties observed included activities other than eating. Our observations reveal that food items offered during classroom celebrations offer children opportunities to consume low-nutrient, calorie-dense foods and beverages on the school campus. More research is needed to support these findings, and to identify the best practice to implement for effective school wellness policies aimed at regulating classroom celebrations.

Using Classroom Response Technology to Create an Active Learning Environment in Marketing Classes

Science.gov (United States)

Muncy, James A.; Eastman, Jacqueline K.

2012-01-01

Classroom response systems (CRS), also called student/audience response systems or clickers, have been used by business instructors, particularly in larger classes, to allow instructors to ask students questions in class and have their responses immediately tabulated and reported electronically. While clickers have typically been used to measure…

Impact of time on task on ADHD patient's performances in a virtual classroom.

Science.gov (United States)

Bioulac, Stéphanie; Lallemand, Stéphanie; Rizzo, Albert; Philip, Pierre; Fabrigoule, Colette; Bouvard, Manuel Pierre

2012-09-01

Use of virtual reality tool is interesting for the evaluation of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) patients. The virtual environment offers the opportunity to administer controlled task like the typical neuropsychological tools, but in an environment much more like standard classroom. Previous studies showed that a virtual classroom was able to distinguish performances of children with and without ADHD, but the evolution of performances over time has not been explored. The aim of this work was to study time on task effects on performances of ADHD children compared to controls in a virtual classroom (VC). 36 boys aged from 7 to 10 years completed the virtual classroom task. We compared the performance of the children diagnosed with ADHD with those of the control children. We also compared attentional performances recorded in the virtual classroom with measures of the Continuous Performance Test (CPT II). Our results showed that patients differ from control subjects in term of time effect on performances. If controls sustained performances over time in the virtual reality task, ADHD patients showed a significant performance decrement over time. Performances at the VC correlated with CPT II measures. ADHD children are vulnerable to a time on task effect on performances which could explain part of their difficulties. Virtual reality is a reliable method to test ADHD children ability to sustain performances over time. Copyright © 2012 European Paediatric Neurology Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On a correspondence between regular and non-regular operator monotone functions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gibilisco, P.; Hansen, Frank; Isola, T.

2009-01-01

We prove the existence of a bijection between the regular and the non-regular operator monotone functions satisfying a certain functional equation. As an application we give a new proof of the operator monotonicity of certain functions related to the Wigner-Yanase-Dyson skew information....

The "Flipped Classroom" Model for Teaching in the Intensive Care Unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Tainter, Christopher R; Wong, Nelson L; Cudemus-Deseda, Gaston A; Bittner, Edward A

2017-03-01

The intensive care unit (ICU) is a dynamic and complex learning environment. The wide range in trainee's experience, specialty training, fluctuations in patient acuity and volume, limitations in trainee duty hours, and additional responsibilities of the faculty contribute to the challenge in providing a consistent experience with traditional educational strategies. The "flipped classroom" is an educational model with the potential to improve the learning environment. In this paradigm, students gain exposure to new material outside class and then use class time to assimilate the knowledge through problem-solving exercises or discussion. The rationale and pedagogical foundations for the flipped classroom are reviewed, practical considerations are discussed, and an example of successful implementation is provided. An education curriculum was devised and evaluated prospectively for teaching point-of-care echocardiography to residents rotating in the surgical ICU. Preintervention and postintervention scores of knowledge, confidence, perceived usefulness, and likelihood of use the skills improved for each module. The quality of the experience was rated highly for each of the sessions. The flipped classroom education curriculum has many advantages. This pilot study was well received, and learners showed improvement in all areas evaluated, across several demographic subgroups and self-identified learning styles.

Flipped classroom: a bridge towards new challenges in elementary education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gonzalo Llanos García

2017-09-01

Full Text Available In the last years, the educational stage in Spain has been characterized by an evident transformation with regards to the methodology to apply in classrooms of the different educational stages. The lack of motivation largely of the students invites to restructure an educational system anchored in the time. There is a need to adapt the contents and the methods of transmission, following the new reality that surrounds to the students of the present. In this sense, the information and communications technology (ICT, aims to be an instrument of transmission and engine of change towards new bridges of learning. In particular, the flipped classroom model consists of inverting the way of explaining the educational contents that transform the figure of the teacher and the student. This work proposes a methodology to implement the flipped classroom model in the area of elementary education. In this way, the education and the ICT are merged in transforming the classroom in an environment that incites to be creative, to enhance collaborative working practices, to establish discussion, and to encourage to think about.

academic dimension of classroom learning environment

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... most of them are not interested in their school work, and at the end fail to do .... criminal or lazy, it is the environment that makes him so. Certain environmental ... pregnant women have cause a numbers of deformation in babies, some also ...

Student Collaboration and School Educational Technology: Technology Integration Practices in the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Scalise, Kathleen

2016-01-01

With the onset of Web 2.0 and 3.0--the social and semantic webs--a next wave for integration of educational technology into the classroom is occurring. The aim of this paper is to show how some teachers are increasingly bringing collaboration and shared meaning-making through technology environments into learning environments (Evergreen Education…

Stochastic analytic regularization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alfaro, J.

1984-07-01

Stochastic regularization is reexamined, pointing out a restriction on its use due to a new type of divergence which is not present in the unregulated theory. Furthermore, we introduce a new form of stochastic regularization which permits the use of a minimal subtraction scheme to define the renormalized Green functions. (author)

The flipped classroom: a modality for mixed asynchronous and synchronous learning in a residency program.

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Timothy P; Bailey, Caleb J; Guptill, Mindi; Thorp, Andrea W; Thomas, Tamara L

2014-11-01

A "flipped classroom" educational model exchanges the traditional format of a classroom lecture and homework problem set. We piloted two flipped classroom sessions in our emergency medicine (EM) residency didactic schedule. We aimed to learn about resident and faculty impressions of the sessions, in order to develop them as a regular component of our residency curriculum. We evaluated residents' impression of the asynchronous video component and synchronous classroom component using four Likert items. We used open-ended questions to inquire about resident and faculty impressions of the advantages and disadvantages of the format. For the Likert items evaluating the video lectures, 33/35 residents (94%, 95% CI 80%-99%) responded that the video lecture added to their knowledge about the topic, and 33/35 residents felt that watching the video was a valuable use of their time. For items evaluating the flipped classroom format, 36/38 residents (95%, 95% CI 82%-99%) preferred the format to a traditional lecture on the topic, and 38/38 residents (100%, 95% CI 89%-100%) felt that the small group session was effective in helping them learn about the topic. Most residents preferred to see the format monthly in our curriculum and chose an ideal group size of 5.5 (first session) and 7 (second session). Residents cited the interactivity of the sessions and access to experts as advantages of the format. Faculty felt the ability to assess residents' understanding of concepts and provide feedback were advantages. Our flipped classroom model was positively received by EM residents. Residents preferred a small group size and favored frequent use of the format in our curriculum. The flipped classroom represents one modality that programs may use to incorporate a mixture of asynchronous and interactive synchronous learning and provide additional opportunities to evaluate residents.

Integrating movement in academic classrooms: understanding, applying and advancing the knowledge base.

Science.gov (United States)

Webster, C A; Russ, L; Vazou, S; Goh, T L; Erwin, H

2015-08-01

In the context of comprehensive and coordinated approaches to school health, academic classrooms have gained attention as a promising setting for increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary time among children. The aims of this paper are to review the rationale and knowledge base related to movement integration in academic classrooms, consider the practical applications of current knowledge to interventions and teacher education, and suggest directions for future research. Specifically, this paper (i) situates movement integration amid policy and research related to children's health and the school as a health-promoting environment; (ii) highlights the benefits of movement integration; (iii) summarizes movement integration programs and interventions; (iv) examines factors associated with classroom teachers' movement integration; (v) offers strategies for translating research to practice and (vi) forwards recommendations for future inquiry related to the effectiveness and sustainability of efforts to integrate movement into classroom routines. This paper provides a comprehensive resource for developing state-of-the-art initiatives to maximize children's movement in academic classrooms as a key strategy for important goals in both education and public health. © 2015 World Obesity.

Student Perceptions of Chemistry Laboratory Learning Environments, Student-Teacher Interactions and Attitudes in Secondary School Gifted Education Classes in Singapore

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, Quek Choon; Wong, Angela F. L.; Fraser, Barry J.

2005-09-01

This study investigated the chemistry laboratory classroom environment, teacher-student interactions and student attitudes towards chemistry among 497 gifted and non-gifted secondary-school students in Singapore. The data were collected using the 35-item Chemistry Laboratory Environment Inventory (CLEI), the 48-item Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI) and the 30-item Questionnaire on Chemistry-Related Attitudes (QOCRA). Results supported the validity and reliability of the CLEI and QTI for this sample. Stream (gifted versus non-gifted) and gender differences were found in actual and preferred chemistry laboratory classroom environments and teacher-student interactions. Some statistically significant associations of modest magnitude were found between students' attitudes towards chemistry and both the laboratory classroom environment and the interpersonal behaviour of chemistry teachers. Suggestions for improving chemistry laboratory classroom environments and the teacher-student interactions for gifted students are provided.

Classroom interactions: exploring the practices of high- and low-expectation teachers.

Science.gov (United States)

Rubie-Davies, Christine M

2007-06-01

Early research exploring teacher expectations concentrated on the dyadic classroom interactions of teachers with individual students. More recent studies have shown whole class factors to have more significance in portraying teachers' expectations. Recently teachers having high or low expectations for all their students have been identified. The aim of the current investigation was to explore whether the classroom exchanges of high- and low-expectation teachers differed substantially and might be considered a mechanism for teachers' expectations. The participants were 12 primary school teachers from eight schools who had been identified as having expectations for their students' learning that were either significantly above or below the children's achievement level. The teachers formed three groups called high-expectation, low-expectation and average-progress teachers. The participants were observed twice in the academic year during half-hour reading lessons. Two people observed each lesson, one completing a structured observation protocol and the other a running record and audiotape. In contrast to the average progress and low expectation teachers, the high-expectation teachers spent more time providing a framework for students' learning, provided their students with more feedback, questioned their students using more higher-order questions, and managed their students' behaviour more positively. There appear to be important differences in the classroom environments for the students of high-expectation, average-progress and low-expectation teachers. The differences apply to both the instructional and socioemotional environments of the classroom. Such disparities may act as mechanisms for teacher expectation effects.

The Predicaments of Language Learners in Traditional Learning Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Shafie, Latisha Asmaak; Mansor, Mahani

2009-01-01

Some public universities in developing countries have traditional language learning environments such as classrooms with only blackboards and furniture which do not provide conducive learning environments. These traditional environments are unable to cater for digital learners who need to learn with learning technologies. In order to create…

Preparing for Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Classrooms.

Science.gov (United States)

Favazza, Paddy C.

1998-01-01

Offers suggestions to kindergarten teachers for creating a more accepting environment in their classrooms for children with disabilities. Three key influences in attitude formation are discussed--indirect experiences, direct experiences, and the child's primary social group--and ideas for examining these influences and adapting them are suggested.…

The Relationships among Taiwanese Adolescents' Perceived Classroom Environment, Academic Coping, and Burnout

Science.gov (United States)

Shih, Shu-Shen

2015-01-01

Although academic pressures are regarded as a primary source of stress among students in Asian countries, there has been paucity of research on the effects of classroom settings providing structure and peer support on Asian adolescents' use of coping strategies and academic burnout. The present study was intended to address this issue. Three…

Pupil-Teacher Adjustment and Mutual Adaptation in Creating Classroom Learning Environments. Final Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, Robert S.; And Others

This investigation is directed toward an analysis of the dynamics of the learning situations in a variety of public school elementary and secondary classrooms. The focus of the project is to make a comparative analysis of the patterns of cooperation or alienation among parents, teachers, peers and individual pupils which create learning cultures…

The influence of classroom aggression and classroom climate on aggressive-disruptive behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Duane E; Bierman, Karen L; Powers, C J

2011-01-01

Research suggests that early classroom experiences influence the socialization of aggression. Tracking changes in the aggressive behavior of 4,179 children from kindergarten to second-grade (ages 5-8), this study examined the impact of 2 important features of the classroom context--aggregate peer aggression and climates characterized by supportive teacher-student interactions. The aggregate aggression scores of children assigned to first-grade classrooms predicted the level of classroom aggression (assessed by teacher ratings) and quality of classroom climate (assessed by observers) that emerged by the end of Grade 1. Hierarchical linear model analyses revealed that first-grade classroom aggression and quality of classroom climate made independent contributions to changes in student aggression, as students moved from kindergarten to second grade. Implications for policy and practice are discussed. © 2011 The Authors. Child Development © 2011 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Quantifying ADHD classroom inattentiveness, its moderators, and variability: a meta-analytic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Kofler, Michael J; Rapport, Mark D; Alderson, R Matt

2008-01-01

Most classroom observation studies have documented significant deficiencies in the classroom attention of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compared to their typically developing peers. The magnitude of these differences, however, varies considerably and may be influenced by contextual, sampling, diagnostic, and observational differences. Meta-analysis of 23 between-group classroom observation studies using weighted regression, publication bias, goodness of fit, best case, and original metric analyses. Across studies, a large effect size (ES = .73) was found prior to consideration of potential moderators. Weighted regression, best case, and original metric estimation indicate that this effect may be an underestimation of the classroom visual attention deficits of children with ADHD. Several methodological factors-classroom environment, sample characteristics, diagnostic procedures, and observational coding schema-differentially affect observed rates of classroom attentive behavior for children with ADHD and typically developing children. After accounting for these factors, children with ADHD were on-task approximately 75% of the time compared to 88% for their classroom peers (ES = 1.40). Children with ADHD were also more variable in their attentive behavior across studies. The present study confirmed that children with ADHD exhibit deficient and more variable visual attending to required stimuli in classroom settings and provided an aggregate estimation of the magnitude of these deficits at the group level. It also demonstrated the impact of situational, sampling, diagnostic, and observational variables on observed rates of on-task behavior.

Acolhendo e atuando com alunos que apresentam paralisia cerebral na classe regular: a organização da escola Reveiving and working with pupils who present cerebral palsy in the regular classroom: school organization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco Ricardo Lins Vieira de Melo

2007-04-01

on five categories: the pedagogical-political project; information and awareness programs; support of school administration; suitable pedagogical resources and assistive technology; adequacy of the physical environment. In relation to context and pedagogical organization for the two schools, the results showed the necessity of making the elaboration of a pedagogical project a priority, based on principles of inclusive education. Another issue was the need to invest in continued development and support for teachers in their practical daily settings. In order to review misconceptions of disability, programs needed to be developed to help the school community understand cerebral palsy and provide information on the pupils' potentialities. Another aim should be establishing partnerships with other professionals and seeking organizations which could fund the provision of pedagogical resources and specific equipment to improve these students' learning processes. Finally, the schools' physical structures needed refurbishment so as to ensure accessibility and independence for students with cerebral palsy in regular education.

Does a Teacher's Classroom Observation Rating Vary across Multiple Classrooms?

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Xiaoxuan; Li, Hongli; Leroux, Audrey J.

2018-01-01

Classroom observations have been increasingly used for teacher evaluations, and it is important to examine the measurement quality and the use of observation ratings. When a teacher is observed in multiple classrooms, his or her observation ratings may vary across classrooms. In that case, using ratings from one classroom per teacher may not be…

Learning from avatars: Learning assistants practice physics pedagogy in a classroom simulator

Science.gov (United States)

Chini, Jacquelyn J.; Straub, Carrie L.; Thomas, Kevin H.

2016-06-01

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Preparing and Supporting University Physics Educators.] Undergraduate students are increasingly being used to support course transformations that incorporate research-based instructional strategies. While such students are typically selected based on strong content knowledge and possible interest in teaching, they often do not have previous pedagogical training. The current training models make use of real students or classmates role playing as students as the test subjects. We present a new environment for facilitating the practice of physics pedagogy skills, a highly immersive mixed-reality classroom simulator, and assess its effectiveness for undergraduate physics learning assistants (LAs). LAs prepared, taught, and reflected on a lesson about motion graphs for five highly interactive computer generated student avatars in the mixed-reality classroom simulator. To assess the effectiveness of the simulator for this population, we analyzed the pedagogical skills LAs intended to practice and exhibited during their lessons and explored LAs' descriptions of their experiences with the simulator. Our results indicate that the classroom simulator created a safe, effective environment for LAs to practice a variety of skills, such as questioning styles and wait time. Additionally, our analysis revealed areas for improvement in our preparation of LAs and use of the simulator. We conclude with a summary of research questions this environment could facilitate.

Studying Earth's Environment From Space: Classroom and Laboratory Activities with Instructor Resources

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Elizabeth A.

2001-01-01

Standard, text-book based learning for earth, ocean, and atmospheric sciences has been limited by the unavailability of quantitative teaching materials. While a descriptive presentation, in a lecture format, of discrete satellite images is often adequate for high school classrooms, this is seldom the case at the undergraduate level. In order to address these concerns, a series of numerical exercises for the Macintosh was developed for use with satellite-derived Sea Surface Temperature, pigment and sea ice concentration data. Using a modified version of NIH Image, to analyze actual satellite data, students are able to better understand ocean processes, such as circulation, upwelling, primary production, and ocean/atmosphere coupling. Graphical plots, image math, and numerical comparisons are utilized to substantiate temporal and spatial trends in sea surface temperature and ocean color. Particularly for institutions that do not offer a program in remote sensing, the subject matter is presented as modular units, each of which can be readily incorporated into existing curricula. These materials have been produced in both CD-ROM and WWW format, making them useful for classroom or lab setting. Depending upon the level of available computer support, graphics can be displayed directly from the CD-ROM, or as a series of color view graphs for standard overhead projection.

Communication in a Diverse Classroom: An Annotated Bibliographic Review

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Rachelle

2016-01-01

Students have social and personal needs to fulfill and communicate these needs in different ways. This annotated bibliographic review examined communication studies to provide educators of diverse classrooms with ideas to build an environment that contributes to student well-being. Participants in the studies ranged in age, ability, and cultural…

Pennsylvania Classroom Guide to Safety in the Visual Arts.

Science.gov (United States)

Oltman, Debra L.

Exposure to certain art materials can damage the human body. Some of these materials are identified together with factors that influence exposure, including duration, frequency, and environmental conditions. Responsibility for providing a safe working environment for the creation of visual arts in the classroom lies with the instructor, principal,…

Promoting Creativity in the Middle Grades Language Arts Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Batchelor, Katherine E.; Bintz, William P.

2013-01-01

Middle level educators around the country aim to create a classroom environment and a way of teaching that is developmentally responsive, challenging, empowering, and equitable for every student. One way to ensure this is to include instruction that promotes creativity. This article offers guiding principles and shares instructional lessons that…

Improving classroom quality with the RULER Approach to Social and Emotional Learning: proximal and distal outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hagelskamp, Carolin; Brackett, Marc A; Rivers, Susan E; Salovey, Peter

2013-06-01

The RULER Approach to Social and Emotional Learning ("RULER") is designed to improve the quality of classroom interactions through professional development and classroom curricula that infuse emotional literacy instruction into teaching-learning interactions. Its theory of change specifies that RULER first shifts the emotional qualities of classrooms, which are then followed, over time, by improvements in classroom organization and instructional support. A 2-year, cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted to test hypotheses derived from this theory. Sixty-two urban schools either integrated RULER into fifth- and sixth-grade English language arts (ELA) classrooms or served as comparison schools, using their standard ELA curriculum only. Results from multilevel modeling with baseline adjustments and structural equation modeling support RULER's theory of change. Compared to classrooms in comparison schools, classrooms in RULER schools exhibited greater emotional support, better classroom organization, and more instructional support at the end of the second year of program delivery. Improvements in classroom organization and instructional support at the end of Year 2 were partially explained by RULER's impacts on classroom emotional support at the end of Year 1. These findings highlight the important contribution of emotional literacy training and development in creating engaging, empowering, and productive learning environments.

"Celebration of the Neurons": The Application of Brain Based Learning in Classroom Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Duman, Bilal

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate approaches and techniques related to how brain based learning used in classroom atmosphere. This general purpose were answered following the questions: (1) What is the aim of brain based learning? (2) What are general approaches and techniques that brain based learning used? and (3) How should be used…

"But at school … I became a bit shy": Korean immigrant adolescents' discursive participation in science classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Ryu, Minjung

2013-09-01

In reform-based science curricula, students' discursive participation is highly encouraged as a means of science learning as well as a goal of science education. However, Asian immigrant students are perceived to be quiet and passive in classroom discursive situations, and this reticence implies that they may face challenges in discourse-rich science classroom learning environments. Given this potentially conflicting situation, the present study aims to understand how and why Asian immigrant students participate in science classroom discourse. Findings from interviews with seven Korean immigrant adolescents illustrate that they are indeed hesitant to speak up in classrooms. Drawing upon cultural historical perspectives on identity and agency, this study shows how immigrant experiences shaped the participants' othered identity and influenced their science classroom participation, as well as how they negotiated their identities and situations to participate in science classroom and peer communities. I will discuss implications of this study for science education research and science teacher education to support classroom participation of immigrant students.

Sex, Grade-Level and Stream Differences in Learning Environment and Attitudes to Science in Singapore Primary Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Peer, Jarina; Fraser, Barry J.

2015-01-01

Learning environment research provides a well-established approach for describing and understanding what goes on in classrooms and has attracted considerable interest in Singapore. This article reports the first study of science classroom environments in Singapore primary schools. Ten scales from the What Is Happening In this Class?,…

Effective field theory dimensional regularization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lehmann, Dirk; Prezeau, Gary

2002-01-01

A Lorentz-covariant regularization scheme for effective field theories with an arbitrary number of propagating heavy and light particles is given. This regularization scheme leaves the low-energy analytic structure of Greens functions intact and preserves all the symmetries of the underlying Lagrangian. The power divergences of regularized loop integrals are controlled by the low-energy kinematic variables. Simple diagrammatic rules are derived for the regularization of arbitrary one-loop graphs and the generalization to higher loops is discussed

Effective field theory dimensional regularization

Science.gov (United States)

Lehmann, Dirk; Prézeau, Gary

2002-01-01

A Lorentz-covariant regularization scheme for effective field theories with an arbitrary number of propagating heavy and light particles is given. This regularization scheme leaves the low-energy analytic structure of Greens functions intact and preserves all the symmetries of the underlying Lagrangian. The power divergences of regularized loop integrals are controlled by the low-energy kinematic variables. Simple diagrammatic rules are derived for the regularization of arbitrary one-loop graphs and the generalization to higher loops is discussed.

Assertive classroom management strategies and students’ performance: The case of EFL classroom

OpenAIRE

Mohammad Aliakbari; Bafrin Bozorgmanesh

2015-01-01

Ample research findings support the effective role that classroom management strategies play in enhancing students’ learning. Drawing upon Iranian high school teachers’ classroom management strategies, this article is intended to examine the extent to which these teachers follow assertive classroom management strategies and if these strategies affect students’ performance. Conducting a survey including 123 female students, it was found out that Iranian teachers apply classroom management stra...

Better Classroom Relationships

Science.gov (United States)

Kecskemeti, Maria; Winslade, John

2016-01-01

The usual approaches to classroom relationships are either teacher-centred or student-centred. This book breaks new ground in its exploration of relationship-centred classrooms. In relationship-centred classrooms, the teacher and the student are equally important. That shifts the focus to the quality of their interaction and whether it is…

Teachers' perceptions of effective science, technology, and mathematics professional development and changes in classroom practices

Science.gov (United States)

Boriack, Anna Christine

The purpose of this study is to examine teachers' perceptions of professional development and changes in classroom practice. A proposed conceptual framework for effective professional development that results in changes in classroom practices was developed. Data from two programs that provided professional development to teachers in the areas of technology, mathematics, and science was used to inform the conceptual framework. These two programs were Target Technology in Texas (T3) and Mathematics, Science, and Technology Teacher Preparation Academies (MSTTPA). This dissertation used a multiple article format to explore each program separately, yet the proposed conceptual framework allowed for comparisons to be made between the two programs. The first study investigated teachers' perceptions of technology-related professional development after their districts had received a T3 grant. An online survey was administrated to all teachers to determine their perceptions of technology-related professional development along with technology self-efficacy. Classroom observations were conducted to determine if teachers were implementing technology. The results indicated that teachers did not perceive professional development as being effective and were not implementing technology in their classrooms. Teachers did have high technology self-efficacy and perceived adequate school support, which implies that effective professional development may be a large factor in whether or not teachers implement technology in their classrooms. The second study evaluated participants' perceptions of the effectiveness of mathematics and science professional development offered through a MSTTP academy. Current and former participants completed an online survey which measured their perceptions of academy activities and school environment. Participants also self-reported classroom implementation of technology. Interviews and open-ended survey questions were used to provide further insight into

GRID[subscript C] Renewable Energy Data Streaming into Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

DeLuca, V. William; Carpenter, Pam; Lari, Nasim

2010-01-01

For years, researchers have shown the value of using real-world data to enhance instruction in mathematics, science, and social studies. In an effort to help develop students' higher-order thinking skills in a data-rich learning environment, Green Research for Incorporating Data in the Classroom (GRID[subscript C]), a National Science…

Observing Classroom Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Danielson, Charlotte

2012-01-01

Classroom observation is a crucial aspect of any system of teacher evaluation. No matter how skilled a teacher is in other aspects of teaching--such as careful planning, working well with colleagues, and communicating with parents--if classroom practice is deficient, that individual cannot be considered a good teacher. Classroom observations can…

Socio-emotional correlates of a schooldog-teacher-team in the classroom

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea eBeetz

2013-11-01

Full Text Available A growing number of teachers in Europe regularly take their dogs with them into the classroom. Limited research points at positive socio-emotional effects of this practice. In this study the effects of a schooldog-teacher-team on socioemotional experiences in school, depression and emotion regulation strategies were investigated in a classroom of third-graders (male n=12, female n=13, which had a schooldog present for one day per week in comparison with a control class (male n=11, female n=10. In contrast to the control class, the dog-class students reported a stronger improvement with regard to positive attitude towards school (repeated measures ANOVA; F=10.769, df=1, p=.002 and positive emotions related to learning (F=4.479, df=1, p=.042 over the course of the year. Since a prerequisite of all kinds of effective learning is a positive attitude and mood towards school and learning, the presence of a schooldog-teacher team thus has the potential to support learning.

Whose Classroom Is It, Anyway? Improvisation as a Teaching Tool

Science.gov (United States)

Berk, Ronald A.; Trieber, Rosalind H.

2009-01-01

Improvisational techniques derived from the experiences in improvisational theatre can be adapted for the college classroom to leverage the characteristics of the Net Generation, their multiple intelligences and learning styles, and the variety of collaborative learning activities already in place in a learner-centered environment. When…

Intellectual Property Rights and The Classroom: What Teachers Can Do

Science.gov (United States)

Falcon, Raymond

2010-01-01

Intellectual property rights restrict teachers' and students' ability to freely explore the intellectual realms of the classroom. Copyright laws protect the author and their work but disable other intellectuals from investigating probable learning environments. This paper will look at key issues where educational institutions are conflicting with…

Learning with Interactive Computer Graphics in the Undergraduate Neuroscience Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Pani, John R.; Chariker, Julia H.; Naaz, Farah; Mattingly, William; Roberts, Joshua; Sephton, Sandra E.

2014-01-01

Instruction of neuroanatomy depends on graphical representation and extended self-study. As a consequence, computer-based learning environments that incorporate interactive graphics should facilitate instruction in this area. The present study evaluated such a system in the undergraduate neuroscience classroom. The system used the method of…

Classroom Quality at Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten and Children’s Social Skills and Behavior Problems

Science.gov (United States)

Broekhuizen, Martine L.; Mokrova, Irina L.; Burchinal, Margaret R.; Garrett-Peters, Patricia T.

2016-01-01

Focusing on the continuity in the quality of classroom environments as children transition from preschool into elementary school, this study examined the associations between classroom quality in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten and children’s social skills and behavior problems in kindergarten and first grade. Participants included 1175 ethnically-diverse children (43% African American) living in low-wealth rural communities of the US. Results indicated that children who experienced higher levels of emotional and organizational classroom quality in both pre-kindergarten and kindergarten demonstrated better social skills and fewer behavior problems in both kindergarten and first grade comparing to children who did not experience higher classroom quality. The examination of the first grade results indicated that the emotional and organizational quality of pre-kindergarten classrooms was the strongest predictor of children’s first grade social skills and behavior problems. The study results are discussed from theoretical, practical, and policy perspectives. PMID:26949286

Hierarchical regular small-world networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boettcher, Stefan; Goncalves, Bruno; Guclu, Hasan

2008-01-01

Two new networks are introduced that resemble small-world properties. These networks are recursively constructed but retain a fixed, regular degree. They possess a unique one-dimensional lattice backbone overlaid by a hierarchical sequence of long-distance links, mixing real-space and small-world features. Both networks, one 3-regular and the other 4-regular, lead to distinct behaviors, as revealed by renormalization group studies. The 3-regular network is planar, has a diameter growing as √N with system size N, and leads to super-diffusion with an exact, anomalous exponent d w = 1.306..., but possesses only a trivial fixed point T c = 0 for the Ising ferromagnet. In turn, the 4-regular network is non-planar, has a diameter growing as ∼2 √(log 2 N 2 ) , exhibits 'ballistic' diffusion (d w = 1), and a non-trivial ferromagnetic transition, T c > 0. It suggests that the 3-regular network is still quite 'geometric', while the 4-regular network qualifies as a true small world with mean-field properties. As an engineering application we discuss synchronization of processors on these networks. (fast track communication)

75 FR 76006 - Regular Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-07

... FARM CREDIT SYSTEM INSURANCE CORPORATION Regular Meeting AGENCY: Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation Board. ACTION: Regular meeting. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the regular meeting of the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation Board (Board). Date and Time: The meeting of the Board will be held...

Collaboration Scripts for Mastership Skills: Online game about classroom dilemmas in teacher education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hummel, Hans; Geerts, Walter; Slootmaker, Aad; Kuipers, Aad; Westera, Wim

2013-01-01

Hummel, H. G. K., Geerts, W. M., Slootmaker, A., Kuipers, D., & Westera, W. (in press). Collaboration scripts for mastership skills: Online game about classroom dilemmas in teacher Education. Interactive Learning Environments.

General inverse problems for regular variation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Damek, Ewa; Mikosch, Thomas Valentin; Rosinski, Jan

2014-01-01

Regular variation of distributional tails is known to be preserved by various linear transformations of some random structures. An inverse problem for regular variation aims at understanding whether the regular variation of a transformed random object is caused by regular variation of components ...

Simulating Variation in Order to Learn Classroom Management

Science.gov (United States)

Ragnemalm, Eva L.; Samuelsson, Marcus

2016-01-01

Classroom management is an important part of learning to be a teacher. The variation theory of learning provides the insight that it is important to vary the critical aspects of any task or subject that is to be learned. Simulation technology is useful in order to provide a controlled environment for that variation, and text as a medium gives the…

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

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Christine

2015-12-01

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

LIVE AUTHORITY IN THE CLASSROOM IN VIDEO CONFERENCE-BASED SYNCHRONOUS DISTANCE EDUCATION: The Teaching Assistant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hasan KARAL

2010-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to define the role of the assistant in a classroom environment where students are taught using video conference-based synchronous distance education. Qualitative research approach was adopted and, among purposeful sampling methods, criterion sampling method was preferred in the scope of the study. The study was carried out during the spring semester of the 2008-2009 academic years. A teaching assistant and a total of 9 sophomore or senior students from the Department of City and Regional Development, Faculty of Architecture, Karadeniz Technical University, participated as subjects. The students included in the study sampling were taking lessons from the Middle East Technical University on the basis of synchronous distance education. Among the qualitative research methods, case study method was used and the study data were obtained from the semi-structured interview and observation results. Study data were analyzed with descriptive analysis methods. Data obtained at the end of the study were found to support the suggestion that there should be an authority in the video conference-based synchronous distance education. Findings obtained during the interviews made with the students revealed that some of the teacher’s classroom management related responsibilities are transferred to the assistant present in the classroom during the synchronous distance education. It was concluded at the end of the interviews that a teaching assistant’s presence should be obligatory in the undergraduate synchronous distance classroom environment. However, it was also concluded that there may not be any need for an authority in the classroom environment at the postgraduate education level due to the profile and expectations of the student, which differ from those of students at lower educational levels.

Attitudes towards Teachers' Motivation, and Classroom Strategy, in English Language Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Pahlavanpoorfard, Samira; Soori, Afshin

2014-01-01

This study aimed at investigating the attitudes of Iranian EFL students towards teachers' motivation and classroom strategy in English classroom. The subjects of the study included a sample of 235 students in their classes. The findings of this study revealed that teachers' motivation and classroom strategy used by teachers have effects on the…

Single-sex middle school science classrooms: Separate and equal?

Science.gov (United States)

Glasser, Howard M.

The U.S. Department of Education's amended regulations to Title IX have attempted to expand the circumstances in which single-sex classes are permissible in public schools. This ethnographic study uses grounded theory to investigate aspects of one single-sex offering at a public, coeducational middle school. Applying elements of postmodern, queer, and sociocultural lenses, it examines the perspectives for this offering, shedding insight into the cultures of two single-sex classrooms and what it meant to be a boy or girl in this setting. Additionally, it focuses attention on the all-boy and all-girl science classes that were taught by the same teacher and examines what it meant to learn science as boys and girls in this program. Although participants supplied financial, socio-emotional, and academic reasons for these classes, the initial motivation for these classes stemmed from the teachers' desire to curb the amount of sex talk and related behaviors that were exhibited in their classrooms. Through these conversations and classroom events, the girls were constructed as idealized students, academically and behaviorally, who needed to be protected from boys' behaviors---both boys' dominating classroom behaviors and aggressive (hetero)sexual behaviors. Conversely, boys were constructed as needing help both academically and behaviorally, but in the specific discipline of science boys were identified as the sex that was more interested in the content and gained greater exposure to skills that could assist them in future science courses and careers. Overall, boys and girls, and the culture of their two classrooms, were regularly defined relative to each other and efforts were made to maintain these constructed differences. As a result, the classes and students were hierarchically ranked in ways that often pitted one sex of students, or the entire class, as better or worse than the other. The theory emerging from this study is that single-sex policies arise and survive

Racial identification, knowledge, and the politics of everyday life in an Arizona science classroom: A linguistic ethnography

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connor, Brendan Harold

This dissertation is a linguistic ethnography of a high school Astronomy/Oceanography classroom in southern Arizona, where an exceptionally promising, novice, white science teacher and mostly Mexican-American students confronted issues of identity and difference through interactions both related and unrelated to science learning. Through close analysis of video-recorded, naturally-occurring interaction and rich ethnographic description, the study documents how a teacher and students accomplished everyday classroom life, built caring relationships, and pursued scientific inquiry at a time and in a place where nationally- and locally-circulating discourses about immigration and race infused even routine interactions with tension and uncertainty. In their talk, students appropriated elements of racializing discourses, but also used language creatively to "speak back" to commonsense notions about Mexicanness. Careful examination of science-related interactions reveals the participants' negotiation of multiple, intersecting forms of citizenship (i.e., cultural and scientific citizenship) in the classroom, through multidirectional processes of language socialization in which students and the teacher regularly exchanged expert and novice roles. This study offers insight into the continuing relevance of racial, cultural, and linguistic identity to students' experiences of schooling, and sheds new light on classroom discourse, teacher-student relationships, and dimensions of citizenship in science learning, with important implications for teacher preparation and practice.

Make Your Classroom Run Like a Well-Oiled Machine

Science.gov (United States)

Veverka, Joy Brunt

2011-01-01

At the beginning of each school term, bulletin boards sport fresh ideas and desks glisten, but will students entering the classroom have their expectations met? Will they be engaged in the learning? How can teachers utilize resources and enlist others to provide an even stronger and more effective learning environment? In this article, the author…

Fostering Ethnic and Religious Harmony through Classroom Language Experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Obiekezie, Eucharia Obiageli; Timothy, Alexander Essien

2015-01-01

This paper explores ways the classroom environment can fertilise ethnic and religious tolerance in students. In a pre/post test design, 76 students at a university secondary school in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria were randomly selected to respond to a twenty-item survey. Afterwards, the experimental group was exposed to a critical thinking…

The Effectiveness of a Technology-Enhanced Flipped Science Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Sezer, Baris

2017-01-01

This study examined the effect on the learning and motivation of students of a flipped classroom environment enriched with technology. A mixed research design using a pretest or posttest experimental model, combined with qualitative data, was conducted in a public middle school in Turkey for 2 weeks (three class hours) within a science course.…

Learning to Stand: The Acceptability and Feasibility of Introducing Standing Desks into College Classrooms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto M. Benzo

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Prolonged sedentary behavior is an independent risk factor for multiple negative health outcomes. Evidence supports introducing standing desks into K-12 classrooms and work settings to reduce sitting time, but no studies have been conducted in the college classroom environment. The present study explored the acceptability and feasibility of introducing standing desks in college classrooms. A total of 993 students and 149 instructors completed a single online needs assessment survey. This cross-sectional study was conducted during the fall semester of 2015 at a large Midwestern University. The large majority of students (95% reported they would prefer the option to stand in class. Most students (82.7% reported they currently sit during their entire class time. Most students (76.6% and instructors (86.6% reported being in favor of introducing standing desks into college classrooms. More than half of students and instructors predicted having access to standing desks in class would improve student’s “physical health”, “attention”, and “restlessness”. Collectively, these findings support the acceptability of introducing standing desks in college classrooms. Future research is needed to test the feasibility, cost-effectiveness and efficacy of introducing standing desks in college classrooms. Such studies would be useful for informing institutional policies regarding classroom designs.

The Guilded Classroom: Using Gamification to Engage and Motivate Undergraduates

Science.gov (United States)

Gressick, Julia; Langston, Joel B.

2017-01-01

There is a breadth of psychological research that points to potential cognitive benefits of game play. Games engage and motivate learners while promoting mastery of skills and content knowledge. Further, thoughtfully applying gaming elements and structures to classroom environments, an approach called gamification, has the potential to optimize…

Playing with Nature: Supporting Preschoolers' Creativity in Natural Outdoor Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Kiewra, Christine; Veselack, Ellen

2016-01-01

Conducted at two separate natural outdoor classrooms with preschool-aged children from three to five years old, this qualitative research study investigated how outdoor environments supported children's creativity and imagination. Although many studies have explored the development of creative arts in the young children, few have focused on…

The Online Classroom: A Thorough Depiction of Distance Learning Spaces

Science.gov (United States)

McKenna, Kelly

2018-01-01

This study investigated the online higher education learning space of a doctoral program offered at a distance. It explored the learning space, the stakeholders, utilization, and creators of the space. Developing a successful online classroom experience that incorporates an engaging environment and dynamic community setting conducive to learning…

Continuum-regularized quantum gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chan Huesum; Halpern, M.B.

1987-01-01

The recent continuum regularization of d-dimensional Euclidean gravity is generalized to arbitrary power-law measure and studied in some detail as a representative example of coordinate-invariant regularization. The weak-coupling expansion of the theory illustrates a generic geometrization of regularized Schwinger-Dyson rules, generalizing previous rules in flat space and flat superspace. The rules are applied in a non-trivial explicit check of Einstein invariance at one loop: the cosmological counterterm is computed and its contribution is included in a verification that the graviton mass is zero. (orig.)

Are children participating in a quasi-experimental education outside the classroom intervention more physically active?

OpenAIRE

Schneller, Mikkel Bo; Duncan, Scott; Schipperijn, Jasper; Nielsen, Glen; Mygind, Erik; Bentsen, Peter

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Education outside the classroom (EOtC) is a curriculum-based approach to teaching that has shown positive associations with children's physical activity and academic learning in small-scale case studies. The purpose of this large-scale quasi-experimental study was to determine if children who participate regularly in EOtC spend more time being physically active than children who do not.METHODS: In the 2014/2015 study TEACHOUT, classes were recruited in pairs such that each EOtC cl...

Online co-regularized algorithms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruijter, T. de; Tsivtsivadze, E.; Heskes, T.

2012-01-01

We propose an online co-regularized learning algorithm for classification and regression tasks. We demonstrate that by sequentially co-regularizing prediction functions on unlabeled data points, our algorithm provides improved performance in comparison to supervised methods on several UCI benchmarks

Attitudes towards Teachers’ Motivation, and Classroom Strategy, in English Language classrooms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samira Pahlavanpoorfard

2014-02-01

Full Text Available This study aimed at investigating the attitudes of Iranian EFL students towards teachers’ motivation and classroom strategy in English classroom. The subjects of the study included a sample of 235 students in their classes. The findings of this study revealed that teachers’ motivation and classroom strategy used by teachers have effects on the students’ motivation.

Effect of Self-Regulated Learning and Motivation to Achieve against Teacher Professional Capability for Student S1 PGSD of Science Field Compared with Regular Student S1 PGSD at UPBJJ Serang

Science.gov (United States)

Prayekti

2015-01-01

This study is to know effect of self-regulated learning and motivation to achieve against teacher professional capability for student S1 PGSD of science field compared with regular student S1 PGSD. The student uses grades of Classroom Action Research (CAR) and Stabilization of Professional Capability (SPC) on curriculum of S1 PGSD to see…

The Flipped Classroom: A Modality for Mixed Asynchronous and Synchronous Learning in a Residency Program

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Timothy P.; Bailey, Caleb J.; Guptill, Mindi; Thorp, Andrea W.; Thomas, Tamara L.

2014-01-01

Introduction A “flipped classroom” educational model exchanges the traditional format of a classroom lecture and homework problem set. We piloted two flipped classroom sessions in our emergency medicine (EM) residency didactic schedule. We aimed to learn about resident and faculty impressions of the sessions, in order to develop them as a regular component of our residency curriculum. Methods We evaluated residents’ impression of the asynchronous video component and synchronous classroom component using four Likert items. We used open-ended questions to inquire about resident and faculty impressions of the advantages and disadvantages of the format. Results For the Likert items evaluating the video lectures, 33/35 residents (94%, 95% CI 80%–99%) responded that the video lecture added to their knowledge about the topic, and 33/35 residents felt that watching the video was a valuable use of their time. For items evaluating the flipped classroom format, 36/38 residents (95%, 95% CI 82%–99%) preferred the format to a traditional lecture on the topic, and 38/38 residents (100%, 95% CI 89%–100%) felt that the small group session was effective in helping them learn about the topic. Most residents preferred to see the format monthly in our curriculum and chose an ideal group size of 5.5 (first session) and 7 (second session). Residents cited the interactivity of the sessions and access to experts as advantages of the format. Faculty felt the ability to assess residents’ understanding of concepts and provide feedback were advantages. Conclusion Our flipped classroom model was positively received by EM residents. Residents preferred a small group size and favored frequent use of the format in our curriculum. The flipped classroom represents one modality that programs may use to incorporate a mixture of asynchronous and interactive synchronous learning and provide additional opportunities to evaluate residents. PMID:25493157

Evaluation of Several Learning Environment Variables at Secondary Institutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Murat Tuncer

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Health is an issue whose importance needs to be focused in the learning environment and learning activities in education. The level of teaching and learning is known to effect health of learners. Learning environments are teeming with many variables. Ambient temperature, noise, humidity and illumination are a few of them. If these variables are outside the specified limits for ambient levels this may need to a loss of learning and adversely affect the health of learners. This research was conducted to evaluate this aspect at institutions of secondary education in Turkey. The literature discusses the findings of various measurements that were taken with a variety of devices such as the Environment Meter-DT 8820, GMI PN 66094 and AARONIA AG SPECTRAN at randomly selected schools and classes. The temperature and carbon dioxide values in the classrooms were outside the defined limits according to research findings. In addition, many classrooms had noise levels above limits which could impair human health and some color selections in classrooms were made incorrectly. When the results of the findings are analyzed, we find the learner’s metabolism is negatively affected; attention loss and serious health problems may be experienced in the long run. It is highly recommended that laws and regulations regarding school construction and settlement be enacted and that precise limits be defined in those laws. In addition, it is thought establishing electromechanical systems to measure indoor and outdoor air quality in classrooms would bring benefits

Geometric continuum regularization of quantum field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halpern, M.B.

1989-01-01

An overview of the continuum regularization program is given. The program is traced from its roots in stochastic quantization, with emphasis on the examples of regularized gauge theory, the regularized general nonlinear sigma model and regularized quantum gravity. In its coordinate-invariant form, the regularization is seen as entirely geometric: only the supermetric on field deformations is regularized, and the prescription provides universal nonperturbative invariant continuum regularization across all quantum field theory. 54 refs

Banzhuren and Classrooming: Democracy in the Chinese Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jiacheng; Chen, Jing

2013-01-01

The issue of education and democracy has become more and more important in China. This paper firstly explains the theory of democracy in Chinese classrooms, and then focuses on the Chinese banzhuren who is responsible for classrooming, an important educational area equal to instruction. We illustrate how Chinese students achieve development…

Inquiry in interaction: How local adaptations of curricula shape classroom communities

Science.gov (United States)

Enyedy, Noel; Goldberg, Jennifer

2004-11-01

In this study, we seek a better understanding of how individuals and their daily interactions shape and reshape social structures that constitute a classroom community. Moreover, we provide insight into how discourse and classroom interactions shape the nature of a learning community, as well as which aspects of the classroom culture may be consequential for learning. The participants in this study include two teachers who are implementing a new environmental science program, Global Learning through Observation to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE), and interacting with 54 children in an urban middle school. Both qualitative and quantitative data are analyzed and presented. To gain a better understanding of the inquiry teaching within classroom communities, we compare and contrast the discourse and interactions of the two teachers during three parallel environmental science lessons. The focus of our analysis includes (1) how the community identifies the object or goal of its activity; and (2) how the rights, rules, and roles for members are established and inhabited in interaction. Quantitative analyses of student pre- and posttests suggest greater learning for students in one classroom over the other, providing support for the influence of the classroom community and interactional choices of the teacher on student learning. Implications of the findings from this study are discussed in the context of curricular design, professional development, and educational reform. ? 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 41: 905-935, 2004.

A Comparison of Active Learning and Traditional Pedagogical Styles in a Business Law Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, LeVon E.; Sipe, Stephanie R.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether an active learning classroom environment is more effective in teaching university students certain concepts of business law than the traditional lecture environment. To generate data to answer this question, over a seven-semester period beginning in fall semester 2005, six classes of Legal…

Beyond Lecture and Non-Lecture Classrooms: LA-student interactions in Active Learning Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalez, Dayana; Kornreich, Hagit; Rodriguez, Idaykis; Monslave, Camila; Pena-Flores, Norma

Our expanded multi-site study on active learning classrooms supported by Learning Assistants (LAs) aims to understand the connections between three classroom elements: the activity, student learning, and how LAs support the learning process in the classroom. At FIU, LAs are used in a variety of active learning settings, from large auditorium settings to studio classroom with movable tables. Our study uses the COPUS observation protocol as a way to characterize LAs behaviors in these classrooms. With a focus on LA-student interactions, our analysis of how LAs interact with students during a 'learning session' generated new observational codes for specific new categories of LA roles. Preliminary results show that LAs spend more time interacting with students in some classes, regardless of the classroom setting, while in other classrooms, LA-student interactions are mostly brief. We discuss how LA-student interactions contribute to the dynamics and mechanism of the socially shared learning activity.

Aida and Her Mainstream Classroom: A Case Study of a Young English Language Learner's Literacy Development

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Bambang Yudi Cahyono

2003-01-01

Full Text Available This article reports a nine-month study of literacy development of Aida, a young English language learner from Indonesia, who was mainstreamed in a Grade 2 classroom in a primary school in the south-eastern part of Australia. This article initially reviews the literature concerning features of the mainstream classroom conducive for second language learning and for literacy development. Following the presentation of methodological issues, it examines English learning activities in Aida's classroom and highlights her literacy development with examples of her work. The results from this study show that Aida developed literacy skills considered important for her second language and learning development. The variety of English learning activities and the encouraging environment in her classroom contributed much to her literacy development.

The ICAP Active Learning Framework Predicts the Learning Gains Observed in Intensely Active Classroom Experiences

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Benjamin L. Wiggins

2017-05-01

Full Text Available STEM classrooms (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in postsecondary education are rapidly improved by the proper use of active learning techniques. These techniques occupy a descriptive spectrum that transcends passive teaching toward active, constructive, and, finally, interactive methods. While aspects of this framework have been examined, no large-scale or actual classroom-based data exist to inform postsecondary education STEM instructors about possible learning gains. We describe the results of a quasi-experimental study to test the apex of the ICAP framework (interactive, constructive, active, and passive in this ecological classroom environment. Students in interactive classrooms demonstrate significantly improved learning outcomes relative to students in constructive classrooms. This improvement in learning is relatively subtle; similar experimental designs without repeated measures would be unlikely to have the power to observe this significance. We discuss the importance of seemingly small learning gains that might propagate throughout a course or departmental curriculum, as well as improvements with the necessity for faculty to develop and implement similar activities.

Bypassing the Limits of Ll Regularization: Convex Sparse Signal Processing Using Non-Convex Regularization

Science.gov (United States)

Parekh, Ankit

Sparsity has become the basis of some important signal processing methods over the last ten years. Many signal processing problems (e.g., denoising, deconvolution, non-linear component analysis) can be expressed as inverse problems. Sparsity is invoked through the formulation of an inverse problem with suitably designed regularization terms. The regularization terms alone encode sparsity into the problem formulation. Often, the ℓ1 norm is used to induce sparsity, so much so that ℓ1 regularization is considered to be `modern least-squares'. The use of ℓ1 norm, as a sparsity-inducing regularizer, leads to a convex optimization problem, which has several benefits: the absence of extraneous local minima, well developed theory of globally convergent algorithms, even for large-scale problems. Convex regularization via the ℓ1 norm, however, tends to under-estimate the non-zero values of sparse signals. In order to estimate the non-zero values more accurately, non-convex regularization is often favored over convex regularization. However, non-convex regularization generally leads to non-convex optimization, which suffers from numerous issues: convergence may be guaranteed to only a stationary point, problem specific parameters may be difficult to set, and the solution is sensitive to the initialization of the algorithm. The first part of this thesis is aimed toward combining the benefits of non-convex regularization and convex optimization to estimate sparse signals more effectively. To this end, we propose to use parameterized non-convex regularizers with designated non-convexity and provide a range for the non-convex parameter so as to ensure that the objective function is strictly convex. By ensuring convexity of the objective function (sum of data-fidelity and non-convex regularizer), we can make use of a wide variety of convex optimization algorithms to obtain the unique global minimum reliably. The second part of this thesis proposes a non-linear signal

Association between substandard classroom ventilation rates and students' academic achievement.

Science.gov (United States)

Haverinen-Shaughnessy, U; Moschandreas, D J; Shaughnessy, R J

2011-04-01

This study focuses on the relationship between classroom ventilation rates and academic achievement. One hundred elementary schools of two school districts in the southwest United States were included in the study. Ventilation rates were estimated from fifth-grade classrooms (one per school) using CO(2) concentrations measured during occupied school days. In addition, standardized test scores and background data related to students in the classrooms studied were obtained from the districts. Of 100 classrooms, 87 had ventilation rates below recommended guidelines based on ASHRAE Standard 62 as of 2004. There is a linear association between classroom ventilation rates and students' academic achievement within the range of 0.9-7.1 l/s per person. For every unit (1 l/s per person) increase in the ventilation rate within that range, the proportion of students passing standardized test (i.e., scoring satisfactory or above) is expected to increase by 2.9% (95%CI 0.9-4.8%) for math and 2.7% (0.5-4.9%) for reading. The linear relationship observed may level off or change direction with higher ventilation rates, but given the limited number of observations, we were unable to test this hypothesis. A larger sample size is needed for estimating the effect of classroom ventilation rates higher than 7.1 l/s per person on academic achievement. The results of this study suggest that increasing the ventilation rates toward recommended guideline ventilation rates in classrooms should translate into improved academic achievement of students. More studies are needed to fully understand the relationships between ventilation rate, other indoor environmental quality parameters, and their effects on students' health and achievement. Achieving the recommended guidelines and pursuing better understanding of the underlying relationships would ultimately support both sustainable and productive school environments for students and personnel. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Bacteriological Evaluation of Kwale General Hospital Environment ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... Pharmacy (40.7%) and Theatre (18.5%). This study showed that Kwale General Hospital environment is heavily contaminated and therefore underlies the necessity for regular evaluation of the hospital environment. Keywords: Bacteriological evaluation, hospital, environment. Journal of Medical Laboratory Sciences Vol.

The effectiveness of flipped classroom learning model in secondary physics classroom setting

Science.gov (United States)

Prasetyo, B. D.; Suprapto, N.; Pudyastomo, R. N.

2018-03-01

The research aimed to describe the effectiveness of flipped classroom learning model on secondary physics classroom setting during Fall semester of 2017. The research object was Secondary 3 Physics group of Singapore School Kelapa Gading. This research was initiated by giving a pre-test, followed by treatment setting of the flipped classroom learning model. By the end of the learning process, the pupils were given a post-test and questionnaire to figure out pupils' response to the flipped classroom learning model. Based on the data analysis, 89% of pupils had passed the minimum criteria of standardization. The increment level in the students' mark was analysed by normalized n-gain formula, obtaining a normalized n-gain score of 0.4 which fulfil medium category range. Obtains from the questionnaire distributed to the students that 93% of students become more motivated to study physics and 89% of students were very happy to carry on hands-on activity based on the flipped classroom learning model. Those three aspects were used to generate a conclusion that applying flipped classroom learning model in Secondary Physics Classroom setting is effectively applicable.

Using Tikhonov Regularization for Spatial Projections from CSR Regularized Spherical Harmonic GRACE Solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Save, H.; Bettadpur, S. V.

2013-12-01

It has been demonstrated before that using Tikhonov regularization produces spherical harmonic solutions from GRACE that have very little residual stripes while capturing all the signal observed by GRACE within the noise level. This paper demonstrates a two-step process and uses Tikhonov regularization to remove the residual stripes in the CSR regularized spherical harmonic coefficients when computing the spatial projections. We discuss methods to produce mass anomaly grids that have no stripe features while satisfying the necessary condition of capturing all observed signal within the GRACE noise level.

Regularized maximum correntropy machine

KAUST Repository

Wang, Jim Jing-Yan; Wang, Yunji; Jing, Bing-Yi; Gao, Xin

2015-01-01

In this paper we investigate the usage of regularized correntropy framework for learning of classifiers from noisy labels. The class label predictors learned by minimizing transitional loss functions are sensitive to the noisy and outlying labels of training samples, because the transitional loss functions are equally applied to all the samples. To solve this problem, we propose to learn the class label predictors by maximizing the correntropy between the predicted labels and the true labels of the training samples, under the regularized Maximum Correntropy Criteria (MCC) framework. Moreover, we regularize the predictor parameter to control the complexity of the predictor. The learning problem is formulated by an objective function considering the parameter regularization and MCC simultaneously. By optimizing the objective function alternately, we develop a novel predictor learning algorithm. The experiments on two challenging pattern classification tasks show that it significantly outperforms the machines with transitional loss functions.

Regularized maximum correntropy machine

KAUST Repository

Wang, Jim Jing-Yan

2015-02-12

In this paper we investigate the usage of regularized correntropy framework for learning of classifiers from noisy labels. The class label predictors learned by minimizing transitional loss functions are sensitive to the noisy and outlying labels of training samples, because the transitional loss functions are equally applied to all the samples. To solve this problem, we propose to learn the class label predictors by maximizing the correntropy between the predicted labels and the true labels of the training samples, under the regularized Maximum Correntropy Criteria (MCC) framework. Moreover, we regularize the predictor parameter to control the complexity of the predictor. The learning problem is formulated by an objective function considering the parameter regularization and MCC simultaneously. By optimizing the objective function alternately, we develop a novel predictor learning algorithm. The experiments on two challenging pattern classification tasks show that it significantly outperforms the machines with transitional loss functions.

Flipped Classroom Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fezile Ozdamli

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Flipped classroom is an active, student-centered approach that was formed to increase the quality of period within class. Generally this approach whose applications are done mostly in Physical Sciences, also attracts the attention of educators and researchers in different disciplines recently. Flipped classroom learning which wide-spreads rapidly in the world, is not well recognized in our country. That is why the aim of study is to attract attention to its potential in education field and provide to make it recognize more by educators and researchers. With this aim, in the study what flipped classroom approach is, flipped classroom technology models, its advantages and limitations were explained.

Classroom Modules for Nanotechnology Undergraduate Education: Development, Implementation and Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Shabani, R.; Massi, L.; Zhai, L.; Seal, S.; Cho, H. J.

2011-01-01

In order to address the challenges and restrictions given by a traditional classroom lecture environment, the top-down and bottom-up nanotechnology teaching modules were developed, implemented and evaluated. Then based on the hypothesis that instructors could further develop students' interest in this emerging area through the introduction of the…

Demonstrating Knowledge: The Use of Presentations in the College Classroom.

Science.gov (United States)

Spencer, Brenda H.; Angus, Kathryn Bartle

1998-01-01

Describes one approach (group presentations) that has been particularly successful in developing both the skills and the disposition toward critical reading. Describes creating the classroom environment, as well as three presentations (one small-group and two large-group) in which students participate over the course of the semester that are…

Panel Discussion: Creating a Spirit of Inquiry in the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Leh, Sandra Kundrik; Melincavage, Sharon M.

2012-01-01

A paucity of published literature exists related to the use of panel discussion as a teaching strategy. This article describes the panel discussion, the underpinnings of constructivism and the use of panel discussion to create a constructivist classroom environment. Details of planning, evaluating, and challenges of a panel discussion are also…

Emotions in the Classroom: Examining Environmental Factors and Student Satisfaction

Science.gov (United States)

Childers, Carla; Williams, Kim; Kemp, Elyria

2014-01-01

Education shares many similarities with service delivery in the business sector. The student often experiences the total service within the classroom. Marketers in retail stores and the hotel and hospitality industry have long acknowledged the ability of the physical environment to influence behaviors and therefore make concerted efforts to create…

Self-Assembled Student Interactions in Undergraduate General Chemistry Clicker Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

MacArthur, James R.; Jones, Loretta

2013-01-01

Student interviews, focus groups, and classroom observations were used in an exploratory study of the nature of student interactions in a large (300+ students) general chemistry course taught with clickers. These data suggest that students are self-assembling their learning environment: choosing ways in which to interact with one another during…

Winners and Losers in Single-Sex Science and Mathematics Classrooms.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Dale; Jacobs, Kathy

This paper discusses the success of single sex science and mathematics education classrooms. Most studies on single sex learning environments come from countries such as Australia, Jamaica, Nigeria, Great Britain, New Zealand, and Thailand, and there is little research on American public schools. This study investigates single sex mathematics and…

Assertive Classroom Management Strategies and Students' Performance: The Case of EFL Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Aliakbari, Mohammad; Bozorgmanesh, Bafrin

2015-01-01

Ample research findings support the effective role that classroom management strategies play in enhancing students' learning. Drawing upon Iranian high school teachers' classroom management strategies, this article is intended to examine the extent to which these teachers follow assertive classroom management strategies and if these strategies…

Interactive Whiteboard Use in High-Tech Science Classrooms: Patterns of Integration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rena Stroud

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Interactive whiteboard (IWB use has been associated with increased student motivation, engagement, and achievement, though many studies ignore the role of the teacher in effecting those positive changes. The current study followed the practice of 28 high school science teachers as they integrated the IWB into their regular classroom activities. The extent of teachers’ adoption and integration fell along a continuum, from the technologically confident “early adopter” to the low-use “resistant adopter.” Patterns of use are explored by extracting data from representative teachers’ practice. Science-specific benefits of IWB use, barriers to integration, and lessons learned for professional development are discussed.

What works to promote classroom well-being and learning from the perspective of children and young people?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Perry, Kevin Anthony

2016-01-01

the impact that this new practice has on the overall classroom well-being and the learning environment. The aim of this project is to help fill this knowledge gap by investigating what impact this new practice has on classroom well-being and learning from the perspectives of students. The study takes place...... findings and give participants backstage insights about what students perceive promotes (or hinders) classroom well-being and learning, thereby giving participants new ideas that could be applied in their settings. Secondly, the presenter will gain insights from Australian practitioners concerning...... in ten local authority run schools and contributes towards understanding the micro-processes at play that either promote or obstruct classroom well-being and learning. The workshop draws on data gathered through thirty focus group interviews with children across the school age spectrum as well classroom...

The Development and Validation of an Instrument to Monitor the Implementation of Social Constructivist Learning Environments in Grade 9 Science Classrooms in South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Luckay, Melanie B.; Laugksch, Rudiger C.

2015-02-01

This article describes the development and validation of an instrument that can be used to assess students' perceptions of their learning environment as a means of monitoring and guiding changes toward social constructivist learning environments. The study used a mixed-method approach with priority given to the quantitative data collection. During the quantitative data collection phase, a new instrument—the Social Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (SCLES)—was developed and used to collect data from 1,955 grade 9 science students from 52 classes in 50 schools in the Western Cape province, South Africa. The data were analysed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the new instrument, which assessed six dimensions of the classroom learning environment, namely, Working with Ideas, Personal Relevance, Collaboration, Critical Voice, Uncertainty in Science and Respect for Difference. Two dimensions were developed specifically for the present study in order to contextualise the questionnaire to the requirements of the new South African curriculum (namely, Metacognition and Respect for Difference). In the qualitative data collection phase, two case studies were used to investigate whether profiles of class mean scores on the new instrument could provide an accurate and "trustworthy" description of the learning environment of individual science classes. The study makes significant contributions to the field of learning environments in that it is one of the first major studies of its kind in South Africa with a focus on social constructivism and because the instrument developed captures important aspects of the learning environment associated with social constructivism.

Measuring Engagement in Fourth to Twelfth Grade Classrooms: The Classroom Engagement Inventory

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ze; Bergin, Christi; Bergin, David A.

2014-01-01

Research on factors that may promote engagement is hampered by the absence of a measure of classroom-level engagement. Literature has suggested that engagement may have 3 dimensions--affective, behavioral, and cognitive. No existing engagement scales measure all 3 dimensions at the classroom level. The Classroom Engagement Inventory (CEI) was…

Profiles of classroom behavior in high schools: associations with teacher behavior management strategies and classroom composition.

Science.gov (United States)

Pas, Elise T; Cash, Anne H; O'Brennan, Lindsey; Debnam, Katrina J; Bradshaw, Catherine P

2015-04-01

Although there has been considerable attention to the issue of classroom management and processes in educational reform models, there has been relatively limited research on these factors in high schools. The current study utilized observational data from 1262 classrooms in 52 high schools to examine teacher classroom management strategies and ratings of student compliance, engagement, and social disruption. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to examine specific patterns of classroom-wide student behavior in relation to teachers' use of classroom management strategies and classroom composition. The LPA revealed three distinct classroom behavioral profiles where students consistently met behavioral expectations (71%), inconsistently met expectations (23%), and were noncompliant (6%). Analyses indicated a functional association between patterns of student behavior and teachers' classroom management. In classrooms where students consistently met expectations, teachers provided more opportunities to respond and less disapproval and reactive behavioral management. Classrooms with noncompliant students had teachers who used the most disapproval and reactive behavior management. In addition, classrooms characterized as consistent had fewer males and more White students than classrooms characterized by inconsistent and noncompliant behaviors. These findings highlight the link between student patterns of behavior and teacher classroom management and have important implications for screening and professional development. Copyright © 2014 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SUPPORTTING REGULAR AND ON-LINE BIOCHEMISTRY CLASSES USING INTERACTIVE LEARNING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F.C. Dórea

2004-05-01

Full Text Available Interactive learning on the Web may be a way to partially supplement the classroom learning ex-perience by providing an interactive environment similar to the classroom but with more attentionto individual student needs. New computational resources are available every day, and these newtechnologies that help the understanding process can be popularized by free full access web sites, asBiochemical View. This site, available at http://www.unb.br/cbsp/bioq, was developed at Universityof Braslia (UnB to support Biochemistry classes of this and any other Universities, since its alsoavailable in an English version. The contents - that include the usual metabolic pathways referentto the metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids, lipids and nucleic acids - are presented in bi andthree-dimensional formats, easily accessible and assimilable, complemented with objective texts anddescription of regulation points. Protocols for experimental classes, reference materials, and specicinformation about each molecule of all pathways are also available, including metabolic participationschemes of them. An evaluation form of the site is available on-line, developed using PHP. Besidesthe positives results, the suggestions collected in these evaluations since 2001 have been guiding theactualizations. So, the site is the result of students opinions and needs.

Trading Places: When Teachers Utilize Student Expertise in Technology-Intensive Classrooms.

Science.gov (United States)

Ringstaff, Cathy; And Others

Utilizing self-report data from 32 elementary and secondary teachers, this longitudinal, qualitative study examines the role shifts of both teachers and students as they adapted to teaching and learning in educational, technology-rich, Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow environments. At first, teachers in these instructionally innovative classrooms…

Servant Leadership and Its Impact on Classroom Climate and Student Achievement

Science.gov (United States)

Mulligan, Daniel F.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative research was to see to what degree a relationship existed between servant leadership, classroom climate, and student achievement in a collegiate environment. This was a quantitative, correlational study. The foundational theories for this research included servant leadership and organizational climate that pertain…

Using Digital Board Games for Genuine Communication in EFL Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Chia-Jung; Chen, Gwo-Dong; Huang, Chi-Wen

2014-01-01

EFL learners in Taiwan have a low-level communication ability because many learners are still not provided opportunities to use language for genuine communication in classrooms and receive insufficient language input due to the environment. This study examines the use of digital board game language learning set in a task-collaborative platform,…

Comparison of student's satisfaction on school food service environment by the eating place and gender

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Jisook; Oh, Yu-jin

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare student's satisfaction with school food service environment to improve the quality of middle school meal service. A survey was conducted of 680 students (boys 246, girls 433) from 6 middle schools providing school meals from October to November 2007. The questionnaires were directly distributed to the subjects for comparison of satisfaction of school meals depending on the eating place. As for the quantity of food, classroom group (3.40) expressed significantly higher satisfaction than cafeteria group (3.16, P < 0.01), but as for the satisfaction on hygiene, classroom group (2.76) showed significantly lower satisfaction than cafeteria group (3.03, P < 0.01). About the satisfaction of school meal environment, classroom group showed more satisfaction on distribution time, eating place, eating atmosphere (P < 0.001). The classroom group showed higher satisfaction than cafeteria group in cases of quantity, diversity of types of soup, dessert, and the cost of school meal. To improve eating place and hygiene of school meal, sufficient cafeteria space and pleasant environment is needed to be established. PMID:20098582

Through Teachers’ Eyes: The Use of Virtual Classrooms in ELT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jairo Enrique Castañeda

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The use of virtual environments to support as well as to complement language teaching and learning processes is becoming a recurrent practice and sometimes policy in several educational institutions. This paper reports the results of an inquiry carried out at the language center of a private university in Bogotá. Those results intended to describe EFL teachers’ viewpoints regarding the promotion of autonomous, collaborative, and meaningful learning through the use of virtual classrooms in the teaching of English as a foreign language. Findings show that the promotion of these three types of learning through the use of virtual classrooms still represents challenges in the context in which this study was carried out.

Student Engagement in a Computer Rich Science Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Hunter, Jeffrey C.

The purpose of this study was to examine the student lived experience when using computers in a rural science classroom. The overarching question the project sought to examine was: How do rural students relate to computers as a learning tool in comparison to a traditional science classroom? Participant data were collected using a pre-study survey, Experience Sampling during class and post-study interviews. Students want to use computers in their classrooms. Students shared that they overwhelmingly (75%) preferred a computer rich classroom to a traditional classroom (25%). Students reported a higher level of engagement in classes that use technology/computers (83%) versus those that do not use computers (17%). A computer rich classroom increased student control and motivation as reflected by a participant who shared; "by using computers I was more motivated to get the work done" (Maggie, April 25, 2014, survey). The researcher explored a rural school environment. Rural populations represent a large number of students and appear to be underrepresented in current research. The participants, tenth grade Biology students, were sampled in a traditional teacher led class without computers for one week followed by a week using computers daily. Data supported that there is a new gap that separates students, a device divide. This divide separates those who have access to devices that are robust enough to do high level class work from those who do not. Although cellular phones have reduced the number of students who cannot access the Internet, they may have created a false feeling that access to a computer is no longer necessary at home. As this study shows, although most students have Internet access, fewer have access to a device that enables them to complete rigorous class work at home. Participants received little or no training at school in proper, safe use of a computer and the Internet. It is clear that the majorities of students are self-taught or receive guidance

Air conditioner operation behaviour based on students' skin temperature in a classroom.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Gook-Sup; Lim, Jae-Han; Ahn, Tae-Kyung

2012-01-01

A total of 25 college students participated in a study to determine when they would use an air conditioner during a lecture in a university classroom. The ambient temperature and relative humidity were measured 75 cm above the floor every minute. Skin temperatures were measured every minute at seven points, according to the recommendation of Hardy and Dubois. The average clothing insulation value (CLO) of subjects was 0.53 ± 0.07 CLO. The mean air velocity in the classroom was 0.13 ± 0.028 m/s. When the subjects turned the air conditioner both on and off, the average ambient temperatures, relative humidity and mean skin temperatures were 27.4 and 23.7 °C (p = 0.000), 40.9 and 40.0% (p = 0.528) and 32.7 and 32.2 °C (p = 0.024), respectively. When the status of the air conditioner was changed, the differences of skin temperatures in core body parts (head, abdomen and thigh) were not statistically significant. However, in the extremities (mid-lower arm, hand, shin and instep), the differences were statistically significant. Subjects preferred a fluctuating environment to a constant temperature condition. We found that a changing environment does not affect classroom study. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Moving toward heutagogical learning: Illuminating undergraduate nursing students' experiences in a flipped classroom.

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Rebecca D; Schlairet, Maura C

2017-02-01

Nurse educators rely on the tenets of educational theory and evidence-based education to promote the most effective curriculum and facilitate the best outcomes. The flipped classroom model, in which students assume personal responsibility for knowledge acquisition in a highly engaging and interactive environment, supports self-directed learning and the unique needs of clinical education. To understand how students perceived their experiences in the flipped classroom and how students' learning dispositions were affected by the flipped classroom experience. A phenomenological approach was used to gain deeper understanding about students' perspectives, perceptions and subjective experiences of the flipped classroom model. The focus of the study was on characteristics of student learning. Fourteen Bachelors of Science of Nursing (BSN) students at a regional university in the southeastern United States. Using data transcribed from face-to-face, semi-structured interviews, experiential themes were extracted from the qualitative data (student-reported experiences, attributes, thoughts, values, and beliefs regarding teaching and learning in the context of their experience of the flipped classroom) using Graneheim's and Lundman's (2004) guidelines; and were coded and analyzed within theoretical categories based on pedagogical, andragogical or heutagogical learning dispositions. Experiential themes that emerged from students' descriptions of their experiences in the flipped classroom included discernment, challenge, relevance, responsibility, and expertise. The flipped classroom model offers promising possibilities for facilitating students' movement from learning that is characteristic of pedagogy and andragogy toward heutagogical learning. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Regularities of Multifractal Measures

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

First, we prove the decomposition theorem for the regularities of multifractal Hausdorff measure and packing measure in R R d . This decomposition theorem enables us to split a set into regular and irregular parts, so that we can analyze each separately, and recombine them without affecting density properties. Next, we ...

Changes in science classrooms resulting from collaborative action research initiatives

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Phil Seok

Collaborative action research was undertaken over two years between a Korean science teacher and science education researchers at the University of Iowa. For the purpose of realizing science learning as envisioned by constructivist principles, Group-Investigations were implemented three or five times per project year. In addition, the second year project enacted Peer Assessments among students. Student perceptions of their science classrooms, as measured by the Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES), provided evidence that the collaborative action research was successful in creating constructivist learning environments. Student attitudes toward science lessons, as examined by the Enjoyment of Science Lessons Scale (ESLS), indicated that the action research also contributed to developing more positive attitudes of students about science learning. Discourse analysis was conducted on video-recordings of in-class presentations and discussions. The results indicated that students in science classrooms which were moving toward constructivist learning environments engaged in such discursive practices as: (1) Communicating their inquiries to others, (2) Seeking and providing information through dialogues, and (3) Negotiating conflicts in their knowledge and beliefs. Based on these practices, science learning was viewed as the process of constructing knowledge and understanding of science as well as the process of engaging in scientific inquiry and discourse. The teacher's discursive practices included: (1) Wrapping up student presentations, (2) Addressing misconceptions, (3) Answering student queries, (4) Coaching, (5) Assessing and advising, (6) Guiding students discursively into new knowledge, and (7) Scaffolding. Science teaching was defined as situated acts of the teacher to facilitate the learning process. In particular, when the classrooms became more constructivist, the teacher intervened more frequently and carefully in student activities to fulfill a

Rationalizing Oral Corrective Feedback in Sudanese EFL Classrooms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bashir Abuelnour Elbashir Hussein

2014-05-01

Full Text Available This study is primarily investigating teachers’ perceptions about the application of oral corrective feedback in Sudanese EFL classrooms. It attempts to explore and rationalize the application of oral feedback in an EFL context, specifically in Sudan. For this purpose, a questionnaire was designed and distributed to (70 EFL secondary school teachers. An observation checklist was also used during class visits to further support the qualitative data. The results showed that EFL teachers have different views about giving oral corrective feedback. The findings also revealed that recast is the most commonly used approach, followed by elicitation and metalinguistic feedback, respectively. Clarification requests were found to be the least commonly used approach. Regarding teaching language systems, it was found that recasts is the most common approach used in teaching vocabulary and pronunciation whereas metalinguistic is highly preferred in teaching grammar. The study concluded with some relevant recommendations: First, it is the responsibility of the concerned authorities to make the school environment a better place for learning; class size and learning aids are important to help facilitate the role of the teacher in offering good quality teaching where feedback is provided for every learner. Second, educators and experts should hold regular seminars and conferences, issue magazines and periodicals on feedback and other relevant ELT topics. Moreover, teachers should be trained on how to give feedback on oral production. Finally, teachers should push students towards pair/group work because by doing so this will provide opportunities for ST-ST and T-ST feedback.

Do science coaches promote inquiry-based instruction in the elementary science classroom?

Science.gov (United States)

Wicker, Rosemary Knight

The South Carolina Mathematics and Science Coaching Initiative established a school-based science coaching model that was effective in improving instruction by increasing the level of inquiry-based instruction in elementary science classrooms. Classroom learning environment data from both teacher groups indicated considerable differences in the quality of inquiry instruction for those classrooms of teachers supported by a science coach. All essential features of inquiry were demonstrated more frequently and at a higher level of open-ended inquiry in classrooms with the support of a science coach than were demonstrated in classrooms without a science coach. However, from teacher observations and interviews, it was determined that elementary schoolteacher practice of having students evaluate conclusions and connect them to current scientific knowledge was often neglected. Teachers with support of a science coach reported changes in inquiry-based instruction that were statistically significant. This mixed ethnographic study also suggested that the Mathematics and Science Coaching Initiative Theory of Action for Instructional Improvement was an effective model when examining the work of science coaches. All components of effective school infrastructure were positively impacted by a variety of science coaching strategies intended to promote inquiry. Professional development for competent teachers, implementation of researched-based curriculum, and instructional materials support were areas highly impacted by the work of science coaches.

Examining the Attitudes and Concerns of the Kenyan Teachers toward the Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in the General Education Classroom: A Mixed Methods Study

Science.gov (United States)

Odongo, George; Davidson, Roseanna

2016-01-01

The philosophy of inclusive education aims at enabling all children to learn in the regular education classrooms. It is widely believed that the successful implementation of any inclusive policy is largely influenced by teachers being positive about the expectations. Grounded in Positioning Theory, this study was conducted to examine the attitude,…

Adaptive Regularization of Neural Classifiers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Lars Nonboe; Larsen, Jan; Hansen, Lars Kai

1997-01-01

We present a regularization scheme which iteratively adapts the regularization parameters by minimizing the validation error. It is suggested to use the adaptive regularization scheme in conjunction with optimal brain damage pruning to optimize the architecture and to avoid overfitting. Furthermo......, we propose an improved neural classification architecture eliminating an inherent redundancy in the widely used SoftMax classification network. Numerical results demonstrate the viability of the method...

The ALIVE Project: Astronomy Learning in Immersive Virtual Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, K. C.; Sahami, K.; Denn, G.

2008-06-01

The Astronomy Learning in Immersive Virtual Environments (ALIVE) project seeks to discover learning modes and optimal teaching strategies using immersive virtual environments (VEs). VEs are computer-generated, three-dimensional environments that can be navigated to provide multiple perspectives. Immersive VEs provide the additional benefit of surrounding a viewer with the simulated reality. ALIVE evaluates the incorporation of an interactive, real-time ``virtual universe'' into formal college astronomy education. In the experiment, pre-course, post-course, and curriculum tests will be used to determine the efficacy of immersive visualizations presented in a digital planetarium versus the same visual simulations in the non-immersive setting of a normal classroom, as well as a control case using traditional classroom multimedia. To normalize for inter-instructor variability, each ALIVE instructor will teach at least one of each class in each of the three test groups.

The effects of team-based learning techniques on nursing students' perception of the psycho-social climate of the classroom.

Science.gov (United States)

Koohestani, Hamid Reza; Baghcheghi, Nayereh

2016-01-01

Background: Team-based learning is a structured type of cooperative learning that is becoming increasingly more popular in nursing education. This study compares levels of nursing students' perception of the psychosocial climate of the classroom between conventional lecture group and team-based learning group. Methods: In a quasi-experimental study with pretest-posttest design 38 nursing students of second year participated. One half of the 16 sessions of cardiovascular disease nursing course sessions was taught by lectures and the second half with team-based learning. The modified college and university classroom environment inventory (CUCEI) was used to measure the perception of classroom environment. This was completed after the final lecture and TBL sessions. Results: Results revealed a significant difference in the mean scores of psycho-social climate for the TBL method (Mean (SD): 179.8(8.27)) versus the mean score for the lecture method (Mean (SD): 154.213.44)). Also, the results showed significant differences between the two groups in the innovation (pteam-based learning does have a positive effect on nursing students' perceptions of their psycho-social climate of the classroom.

Effects of classrooms' architecture on academic performance in view of telic versus paratelic motivation: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewinski, Peter

2015-01-01

This mini literature review analyzes research papers from many countries that directly or indirectly test how classrooms' architecture influences academic performance. These papers evaluate and explain specific characteristics of classrooms, with an emphasis on how they affect learning processes and learning outcomes. Factors such as acoustics, light, color, temperature, and seat arrangement are scrutinized to determine whether and by how much they improve or hinder students' academic performance in classrooms. Apter's (1982, 1984, 2014) reversal theory of telic versus paratelic motivation is presented and used to explain these findings. The results show preference for a learning environment that cues a telic motivation state in the students. Therefore, classroom features should not be distracting or arousing. Moreover, it appears the most influential factors affecting the learning process are noise, temperature and seat arrangement. In addition, there is no current agreement on how some particular physical characteristics of classrooms affect learning outcomes. More research is needed to establish stronger conclusions and recommendations.

Randomized Controlled Study of a Remote Flipped Classroom Neuro-otology Curriculum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frederick Robert Carrick

2017-07-01

were calculated for all pretests and posttests for all groups including gender differences.ResultsAll 274 subjects demonstrated statistically significant learning by comparison of their pre- and posttest scores. There were no statistically significant differences in the test scores between the two groups of 137 subjects each (0.8%, 95% CI 85.45917–86.67952; P = 0.9195. A total of 101 males in the traditional classroom arm had statistically significant lower scores than 72 females (0.8%, 95% CI 84.65716–86.53096; P = 0.0377 but not in the online arm (0.8%, 95% CI 85.46172–87.23135; P = 0.2176 with a moderate effect size (Cohen’s d = −0.407.ConclusionThe use of a synchronous online classroom in neuro-otology clinical training has demonstrated similar outcomes to the traditional classroom. The online classroom is a low cost and effective complement to medical specialty training in Neuro-Otology. The significant difference in outcomes between males and females who attended the traditional classroom suggests that women may do better than males in this learning environment, although the effect size is moderate.Clinical Trial RegistrationClinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT03079349.

Randomized Controlled Study of a Remote Flipped Classroom Neuro-otology Curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Carrick, Frederick Robert; Abdulrahman, Mahera; Hankir, Ahmed; Zayaruzny, Maksim; Najem, Kinda; Lungchukiet, Palita; Edwards, Roger A

2017-01-01

subjects demonstrated statistically significant learning by comparison of their pre- and posttest scores. There were no statistically significant differences in the test scores between the two groups of 137 subjects each (0.8%, 95% CI 85.45917-86.67952; P  = 0.9195). A total of 101 males in the traditional classroom arm had statistically significant lower scores than 72 females (0.8%, 95% CI 84.65716-86.53096; P  = 0.0377) but not in the online arm (0.8%, 95% CI 85.46172-87.23135; P  = 0.2176) with a moderate effect size (Cohen's d  = -0.407). The use of a synchronous online classroom in neuro-otology clinical training has demonstrated similar outcomes to the traditional classroom. The online classroom is a low cost and effective complement to medical specialty training in Neuro-Otology. The significant difference in outcomes between males and females who attended the traditional classroom suggests that women may do better than males in this learning environment, although the effect size is moderate. Clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT03079349.

What Happens in the Arcade Shouldn't Stay in the Arcade: Lessons for Classroom Design

Science.gov (United States)

Whitmore, Kathryn F.; Laurich, Lindsay

2010-01-01

What features of the physical environment in video game arcades lead kids to be so engaged? How can analysis of arcade space inform language arts teachers' decisions about designing classroom environments? This article presents an analysis of physical space in video game arcades and participants' positions therein to suggest how language arts…

Flipping the Online Classroom with Web 2.0: The Asynchronous Workshop

Science.gov (United States)

Cummings, Lance

2016-01-01

This article examines how Web 2.0 technologies can be used to "flip" the online classroom by creating asynchronous workshops in social environments where immediacy and social presence can be maximized. Using experience teaching several communication and writing classes in Google Apps (Google+, Google Hangouts, Google Drive, etc.), I…

Promoting Argumentation in Middle School Science Classrooms: A Project SEPIA Evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Duschl, Richard A.; Ellenbogen, Kirsten; Erduran, Sibel

Effective argumentation is the distinguishing feature of a classroom that employs discovery teaching and student inquiry methodologies. In the long term, the objective of the program is to understand how to design learning environments and curriculum, instruction, and assessment models that promote student self-reflection. The study evaluates the…

Characterization of Minerals: From the Classroom to Soils to Talc Deposits

Science.gov (United States)

McNamee, Brittani D.

2013-01-01

This dissertation addresses different methods and challenges surrounding characterizing and identifying minerals in three environments: in the classroom, in soils, and in talc deposits. A lab manual for a mineralogy and optical mineralogy course prepares students for mineral characterization and identification by giving them the methods and tools…

Students as Employees: Applying Performance Management Principles in the Management Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Gillespie, Treena L.; Parry, Richard O.

2009-01-01

The student-as-employee metaphor emphasizes student accountability and participation in learning and provides instructors with work-oriented methods for creating a productive class environment. The authors propose that the tenets of performance management in work organizations can be applied to the classroom. In particular, they focus on three…

BNU-LSVED: a multimodal spontaneous expression database in educational environment

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Bo; Wei, Qinglan; He, Jun; Yu, Lejun; Zhu, Xiaoming

2016-09-01

In the field of pedagogy or educational psychology, emotions are treated as very important factors, which are closely associated with cognitive processes. Hence, it is meaningful for teachers to analyze students' emotions in classrooms, thus adjusting their teaching activities and improving students ' individual development. To provide a benchmark for different expression recognition algorithms, a large collection of training and test data in classroom environment has become an acute problem that needs to be resolved. In this paper, we present a multimodal spontaneous database in real learning environment. To collect the data, students watched seven kinds of teaching videos and were simultaneously filmed by a camera. Trained coders made one of the five learning expression labels for each image sequence extracted from the captured videos. This subset consists of 554 multimodal spontaneous expression image sequences (22,160 frames) recorded in real classrooms. There are four main advantages in this database. 1) Due to recorded in the real classroom environment, viewer's distance from the camera and the lighting of the database varies considerably between image sequences. 2) All the data presented are natural spontaneous responses to teaching videos. 3) The multimodal database also contains nonverbal behavior including eye movement, head posture and gestures to infer a student ' s affective state during the courses. 4) In the video sequences, there are different kinds of temporal activation patterns. In addition, we have demonstrated the labels for the image sequences are in high reliability through Cronbach's alpha method.

Outdoor Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Mayes, Valynda

2010-01-01

An outdoor classroom is the ideal vehicle for community involvement: Parents, native plant societies, 4-H, garden clubs, and master naturalists are all resources waiting to be tapped, as are local businesses offering support. If you enlist your community in the development and maintenance of your outdoor classroom, the entire community will…

Condition Number Regularized Covariance Estimation.

Science.gov (United States)

Won, Joong-Ho; Lim, Johan; Kim, Seung-Jean; Rajaratnam, Bala

2013-06-01

Estimation of high-dimensional covariance matrices is known to be a difficult problem, has many applications, and is of current interest to the larger statistics community. In many applications including so-called the "large p small n " setting, the estimate of the covariance matrix is required to be not only invertible, but also well-conditioned. Although many regularization schemes attempt to do this, none of them address the ill-conditioning problem directly. In this paper, we propose a maximum likelihood approach, with the direct goal of obtaining a well-conditioned estimator. No sparsity assumption on either the covariance matrix or its inverse are are imposed, thus making our procedure more widely applicable. We demonstrate that the proposed regularization scheme is computationally efficient, yields a type of Steinian shrinkage estimator, and has a natural Bayesian interpretation. We investigate the theoretical properties of the regularized covariance estimator comprehensively, including its regularization path, and proceed to develop an approach that adaptively determines the level of regularization that is required. Finally, we demonstrate the performance of the regularized estimator in decision-theoretic comparisons and in the financial portfolio optimization setting. The proposed approach has desirable properties, and can serve as a competitive procedure, especially when the sample size is small and when a well-conditioned estimator is required.

An Investigation of the Use of the "Flipped Classroom" Pedagogy in Secondary English Language Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Chi Cheung Ruby

2017-01-01

Aim/Purpose: To examine the use of a flipped classroom in the English Language subject in secondary classrooms in Hong Kong. Background: The research questions addressed were: (1) What are teachers' perceptions towards the flipped classroom pedagogy?; (2) How can teachers transfer their flipped classroom experiences to teaching other…

Rethinking three long-established educational environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amparo Alonso-Sanz

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This paper is a descriptive research on the analysis of three public one-track schools, located in Alicante (Spain. The fieldwork for this research took an average of two months at each school. During this time, the general characteristics of each of the three schools, -their buildings, their classrooms, and their common areas- were studied in relation to their educational guidelines. Taken into consideration were the school’s aesthetic aspects such as: green spaces; lighting; colours; flexible learning spaces; the acoustical environment; smells; visuals; tidiness; and hygiene. The collaboration of the teachers and students allowed their profiles and their interpersonal relationships to be observed. Additionally, the pedagogic use of the classroom walls and the images displayed on them were also analysed. Finally, based upon each school’s characteristics, proposals to improve the connection between pedagogy and the school environment were recommended.

Virtual classroom project

OpenAIRE

Gmeiner, Nicholas

2017-01-01

This project aims to provide students with disabilities the same in class learning experience through virtual reality technology, 360-degree video capture, and the use of Arduino units. These technologies will be combined to facilitate communication between teachers in physical classrooms with students in virtual classrooms. The goal is to provide a person who is affected by a disability (which makes it hard to be in a traditional classroom) the same benefits of a safe and interactive learnin...

Value driven classroom management-the congruence between the preferred and the democratic values

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatma Özmen

2013-11-01

Full Text Available The rapid changes in all areas of communities have raised the level of concerns about weakening of the societal values. And many academics and researchers have begun to become interested in the issues for placing especially the democratic values in education more than ever before, in order to constitute more livable social environments. The goal of this study is, on the basis of gender variable, to determine what values have driven the teachers in their classroom management practices, and to find out if these values are congruent with the democratic principles. The research group comprises 68 teachers working in Regional Public Boarding Schools. The teachers were asked to list the most and the least preferred values in classroom management from a predetermined value list. The analysis of the data revealed that the most desired 10 values used by teachers in classroom management practices were generally common between female and male gender groups and both groups’ preferences indicated similar results. ‘Honesty’ and ‘responsibility’ take at the top of the most preferred value list. However, the value of ‘equality’ which is indispensible for maintaining democracyin classroom, was preferred by less than half of the teachers. And the values such as peace, freedom, social recognition and the like were not given place in the most preferred value list. The least preferred ten values were generally the ones which were not directly related to democracy. These results indicate that some essential values related to democracy are not given much importance. It is recommended that teachers should be trained well about creating democratic classroom settings especially in pre-service education. And, school leaders should give utmost importance to constitute a democratic school environment; and school wide practices should be congruent with democratic principles so as to form it as a life style.

Scientists in the making: An ethnographic investigation of scientific processes as literate practice in an elementary classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Crawford, Teresa Jo

This study explored the issue of literacy in science by examining how the social and academic literate practices in an elementary classroom formed the basis for learning across the curriculum, with a specific focus on the disciplinary field of science. Through the study of classroom interaction, issues related to student knowledge and ability were addressed as they pertain to scientific literacy in the context of science education reform. The theoretical framework guiding this study was drawn from sociocultural studies of scientific communities and interactional ethnography in education. To investigate the literate practices of science in a school setting, data were collected over a two-year period with the same teacher in her third grade and then her fourth/fifth grade classroom. Data were collected through participant observation in the form of fieldnotes, video data, interviews, and various artifacts (e.g., writings, drawings, teaching protocols). Using ethnographic and sociolinguistic methods of analysis this work examined classroom members' discursive practices to illustrate the role that discourse plays in creating opportunities for engagement in, and access to, scientific knowledge. These analyses revealed that the discursive actions and practices among members of this classroom shaped a particular type of learning environment that was process-oriented and inquiry based. It was shown that this learning environment afforded opportunities for students to engage in the processes of science outside the official, planned curriculum, often leading to whole class scientific investigations and discussions. Additionally, within this classroom community students were able to draw on multiple discourses to display their knowledge of scientific concepts and practices. Overall, this study found that the literate practices of this classroom community, as they were socially constructed among members, contributed to opportunities for students to practice science and